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AdAB considers plan for grade grievances by Bob Hedstrom
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Volume 8 7 - / 2 7.
Hope College, Holland, Michigan 49423
April 25,1975
Six year study ends
At long last core completed by Dave D e K o k
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R o b e r t C o u g h e n o u r . " T h e greatest revisions were in the Cultural Flexibility, r a t h e r than a reduc- Heritage, Foreign Language, and tion in required hours, best char- I n t r o d u c t i o n to Liberal Studies acterizes Hope's n e w and long- r e q u i r e m e n t s , " he said. awaited core curriculum. ApT o fulfill his Cultural Heritage proval for the final package came r e q u i r e m e n t , for e x a m p l e , a stuFriday a f t e r n o o n at a meeting of d e n t will n o longer be limited t o the Academic Affairs Board. taking t w o semesters of world T H E F I N A L changes in the literature (English 231, 232), an core were passed by the Board i n t r o d u c t o r y history course, and earlier in the semester and were in an arts appreciation course in art, the area of the cultural heritage t h e a t e r , or music. requirement. P E R F O R M A N C E courses will Work on reforming the core not be considered as means to curriculum began in 1969 when fulfill the arts appreciation segthen Dean f o r Academic Affairs m e n t of the requirement and forM o r r e t t e Rider a p p o i n t e d an ad eign literature courses o f f e r e d by h o c C o m m i t t e e on Revision of the the D e p a r t m e n t of Foreign LanGeneral College R e q u i r e m e n t s . guages m a y be substituted f o r The c o m m i t t e e d r e w u p a propo- world literature ( o t h e r designated sal which was passed by the AAB courses may be used as well). T h e on Nov. 13, 1970, and in part history requirement remains relarejected by the faculty ten days tively unchanged. later. D e p a r t m e n t s will be urged t o TWO P A R T S O F t h a t first collaborate in offering interreport which did pass were the disciplinary courses. C o u g h e n o u r "Philosophy of E d u c a t i o n at stated that t h e history and English Hope College" a n d the " O b j e c - d e p a r t m e n t s will o f f e r such a tives of the Curriculum at H o p e course during the fall term of t h e College." Both are i n c o r p o r a t e d in 1975-76 academic year. the final r e f o r m package passed . . T H E A A B considered requiring Friday. a non-Western studies course as Since Nov. 23, 1970, the A A B part of this r e q u i r e m e n t but chose has struggled t o draw u p r e f o r m s n o t t o on grounds t h a t H o p e t h a t would be meaningful, yet n o t d o e s n ' t have sufficient qualified t h r e a t e n faculty interests. Both faculty t o teach an all-college ref a c u l t y and s t u d e n t advice was q u i r e m e n t in this area. s o u g h t on revision and in s o m e The I n t r o d u c t i o n t o Liberal cases, individual d e p a r t m e n t s were Studies r e q u i r e m e n t will c o n t i n u e given responsibility for reviewing t o require f o u r hours of English requirements touching on their 113 and t h r e e h o u r s of Philosobailiwicks. phy 113. However, in t h e n e w SOME O F T H E requirements, curriculum package Philosophy such as tho$e in m a t h , science and 113 will move t o the D e p a r t m e n t the social sciences, remain as t h e y of Interdisciplinary Studies. were, according t o c u r r e n t A A B ALSO, ALTERNATIVE chairman, Professor of Religion courses fulfilling t h e IDS 113
(Philosophy) section will be offered, if professors develop t h e m and t h e y are accepted. C o u g h e n o u r , however, doesn't anticipate any rush of n e w courses in the IDS 113 area, but n o t because Professor of Philosophy D. Ivan Dykstra has a m o n o p o l y in the field, he said. T H E BOARD suggested that some English 113 courses be developed which stress listening and speaking skills. In addition, they strongly urged that all professors in all academic areas stress proficiency in writing skills as a req u i r e m e n t for success .in their course. The foreign language requirem e n t n o w m a y be filled in any of f o u r ways. Previously, s t u d e n t s had t o take as m a n y as 16 hours of coursework. N o w , t h e most any s t u d e n t must take is seven hours. A S T U D E N T beginning a new language (one he did not study in high school) n o w must take one f o u r h o u r language course n u m bered 112, 131, or 172, and one three h o u r course which m a y be a foreign literature in translation course. Other options satisfying this r e q u i r e m e n t include engaging in an intensive s t u d y of a foreign language in a c o u n t r y where that language is an official language and u n d e r the auspices of an approved foreign studies program. At their meeting Friday the AAB also passed a m o t i o n expressing thanks and c o m m e n d i n g Professor of Chemistry Irwin Brink and his c o m m i t t e e for the w o r k d o n e in bringing together t h e core requirements d o c u m e n t .
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VOTE AGAIN TODAY-Students may vote till 6:00 p.m. for Student Congress President. Yes, there was an election )ust this Wednesday, but a run-off is needed to declare a winner. Jim Donkersloot and Stew Graham arc the two candidates involved in today's election.
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t h e i n s t r u c t o r ' s right. D R . C O T T E R Tharin, professor of geology and chairman of the d e p a r t m e n t , suggested t h a t the chairman of the S t u d e n t Standing and Appeals C o m m i t t e e , an administrative b o d y , should be t h e m e d i a t o r . Dr. Carl S h a c k o w , associate professor of e d u c a t i o n , disagreed o n t h e basis that " t h e m a t t e r is n o t the administration's bailiwick." President G o r d o n VanWylen responded b y saying t h a t , " t h e administration is n o t outside o f the academic circle." T H E P O L I T I C A L e f f e c t was considered a potential problem should there be a disagreement between t h e i n s t r u c t o r , departm e n t chairman and divisional dean during appelate procedures. As t o w h e t h e r there should be any legal procedures established at all, R o b e r t DeYoung, Vice Presid e n t for S t u d e n t Affairs, President VanWylen and Dr. D. Ivan Dykstra, prolessor ot philosophy and chairman of the d e p a r t m e n t ( w h o was n o t present), agreed t h a t there should be. V A N W Y L E N feels a s t u d e n t grievance is an interpersonal problem between the s t u d e n t and ins t r u c t o r and should be settled on an informal basi? w i t h o u t an o u t side mediator. DeYoung t h i n k s that discussion is the most practical means of resolving a grievance and s u p p o r t s the status q u o of having n o legal procedures. Mark Van V o o r s t m e n t i o n e d that having n o defined legal procedure could be a d e t r i m e n t t o a s t u d e n t seeking graduate school e n t r a n c e . One u n f a i r grade could make the difference between acceptance and rejection. C O H E N , viewing t h e o p p o s i t e side of the coin, .said t h a t a s t u d e n t seeking graduate school entrance would be able t o cause a f u r o r over a p o o r grade he deserved. T h e meeting ended with t h e i n t e n t i o n of bringing the m a t t e r t o a conclusion at the next m e e t ing. Since, t h e n , t h e idea of a judicial' board acting as an objective court has been researched.
Prior t o last week's meeting of the Administrative Affairs Board, Registrar Johfi Huisken drew u p a tentative plan of grievance procedures t o follow when a s t u d e n t desires t o contest a final grade. THIS IS a n e w development since n o formal procedures have ever been established at Hope, In essence, Huisken's proposal contains f o u r steps. T h e first s t e p is a c o n f e r e n c e between s t u d e n t and instructor. Second, if the s t u d e n t is n o t satisfied with the instructor's j u d g m e n t , he or she may appeal t o the chairman of the d e p a r t m e n t . T H I R D , f r o m there the s t u d e n t may appeal t o the instructor's divisional dean. F o u r t h , if the s t u d e n t is still n o t satisfied, he or she may meet with the Provost and lastly with the President. "Before drawing u p this plan, Huisken inquired at other colleges and universities and f o u n d that most have established procedures. The institutions contacted generally follow, a " c h a i n of comm a n d " p r o c e d u r e ; some larger institutions hire an o m b u d s m a n w h o specializes in s t u d e n t grievances. T H E P R O F E S S I O N A L Interests C o m m i t t e e is an administrative b o d y whose f u n c t i o n is t o p r o m o t e the professional interest of the faculty in matters of professional ethics and faculty welfare. The c o m m i t t e e r e c o m m e n d e d that the Administrative Affairs Board reject Huisken's proposal as an intrusion upon t h e professional responsibilities of t h e faculty. DR. G E O R G E Ralph, chairman of the board, feels that there should be s o m e guidelines established and that a divisional dean should m e d i a t e a conference between the s t u d e n t and instructor. Dr. William C o h e n , assistant professor of history, recommended negotiation between the i n s t r u c t o r and t h e d e p a r t m e n t chairman, - b u t b o t h Ralph and Cohen agreed that t h e final decision of d e t e r m i n i n g the grade is
Department chairmen define roles, duties by Marjorie DeKam F e w s t u d e n t s k n o w any more a b o u t d e p a r t m e n t chairmen than the fact t h a t t h e y get the largest office in t h e d e p a r t m e n t . Provost David Marker and several f a c u l t y have explained and clarified t h e p r o c e d u r e of appointing, and t h e roles of d e p a r t m e n t c h a i r m e n .
Two to vie in S.C run-off In the S t u d e n t Congress elections held Wednesday, 905 m e m bers of t h e s t u d e n t b o d y v o t e d . T h e results f o r the o f f i c e of presid e n t are as follows: Jim Donkersloot, 4 1 2 votes and 4 6 per cent of t o t a l votes; Stew G r a h a m , 2 5 6 votes and 2 8 per cent of t h e t o t a l v o t e ; Roger Prindle, 2 3 7 votes and 26 per cent of the t o t a l vote. • F o r t h e o f f i c e of First Vice President, Dave T e a t e r received 4 1 5 votes and 4 9 per cent of t h e t o t a l vote; Mike Drahos, 204 votes and 24 per cent of t h e total votes; Eric N i e w o h n e r , 160 votes and 19 per cent of t h e t o t a l vote; and Dennis Nienhuis, 7 3 votes and 9 per cent of t h e t o t a l v o t e . F o r t h e o f f i c e of Second Vice President, G w e n DeBoer received 4 4 1 votes a n d 53 per cent of t h e t o t a l vote, while C o o k i e Krueger received 397 votes and 4 7 per cent of t h e t o t a l vote. There will be a run-off election b e t w e e n G r a h a m and Donkersloot t o d a y until 6 : 0 0 p . m . S t u d e n t s may, vote e i t h e r in t h e Kletz o r in Phelps Dining Hall.
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M A R K E R S A I D t h e basic role of a chairman is explained in t h e F a c u l t y H a n d b o o k . The handb o o k states, " T h e C h a i r m e n are responsible f o r successful operation of their d e p a r t m e n t and are the chief executives of the departm e n t s , but m a t t e r s concerning the welfare of the d e p a r t m e n t as a whole are t h e subject of discussion and decision by t h e entire departmental staff." Departments have d i f f e r e n t emphases on t h e most i m p o r t a n t duties. Marker said, " I t is t h e j o b of t h e d e p a r t m e n t chairmen t o maintain integrity of the m a j o r , and also the r e q u i r e m e n t s of the core c u r r i c u l u m . " T H E R E IS N O o n e most imp o r t a n t d u t y as chairman, according t o Dr. Eugene Jekel, professor and chairman of the- chemistry d e p a r t m e n t and director of .research and a c a d e m i c d e v e l o p m e n t . He said his d u t y is " m o s t import a n t l y t h e c o o r d i n a t i n g of all t h e varied activities of t h e chemistry d e p a r t m e n t , m a n y of which are on t h e same par in i m p o r t a n c e . " He feels t h e c h a i r m a n should w o r k closely with t h e s t u d e n t s and s t a f f . He stressed that t h e chemistry d e p a r t m e n t keeps a balance of staff consensus decisions and also decisions m a d e by t h e , chairman. D E A N F O R P e r f o r m i n g and Fine Arts George Ralph was chairm a n of the t h e a t e r d e p a r t m e n t f o r f o u r years. Richard S m i t h , assist a n t professor of t h e a t e r has been chairman since Ralph became Dean.
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