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Hope College
I h e April 25, 1990
ÂŤ Bulk Rale U.S. I'usla^c PAID Pcnuil #392 Holland. MI
a n c h o r A window throuph the walls
Volume 103, Number 24
Students protest tenure denial By
Jim
Monnctt
editor-in-chief
Over a hundred students have signed a petition in support of theatre professor Lois carder who was denied tenure after eight years at Hope College. Theatre majors Maria J.Vaver. a junior, and senior Shelley Krause a r e leading the s t u d e n t m o v e m e n t to h a v e Carder's tenure decision reviewed. "We're trying to get her tenure decision overturned," Vaver said, "because w e think that she is an e x t r e m e l y e x c e l l e n t prof." Krouse a g r e e d s a y i n g , "I think she is too good a professor and too important to the theatre department to be let g o . " Carder who had been at a theatre convention two w e e k s ago returned to school to n e w s of V a v e r and K r a u s e ' s petition drive. "I did not hear about what they were doing until last Monday (April 16)," Carder said. "I w a s shocked and humbled that the students felt so strongly. And since then, I've been very proud that they're standing up for something that they feel so strongly about...! h a v e no idea about the full extent of what they've been doing." Krause and V a v e r are a l s o encouraging people to contact their parents to put p r e s s u r e on the administration to r e v e r s e this decision. Besides the 100 s i g n a t u r e s of people who know Carder and support her in her appeal for tenure, Krause and Vaver h a v e over 600 signatures of students who a g r e e with the students' right to address the administration's decisions. "We don't e v e n know if we need to use it," K r a u s e said, but they have it to support their right for peaceful protest. The chair of the Status Com-
mittee, which rejected Carder for tenure. Provost J a c o b E. Nyenhuis explained the tenure process. For a professors to be considered for tenure, they need to be on a tenure track. Once on the tenure track candidates a r e evaluated y e a r l y for five y e a r s , and then are put on a three y e a r review. The evaluations are done by the d ep a rtmen t chair and the Dean of that a c a d e m i c branch. Their r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s are given to the Status C o m m i t t e e which c o n s i s t s of four tenured faculty m e m b e r s and h i m s e l f , Nyenhuis said. Speaking for the Status Committee, Nyenhuis said, "The College has established procedures for tenure and promotion and those procedures w e r e followed for e l e v e n c a n d i d a t e s . " Of those eleven, he said, eight w e r e approved and three were not. Nyenhuis said the evaluation for tenure is done a s a "comparative judgment with those people who are already tenured." Richard Smith, theatre department chair, said he w a s confused by the decision. "Department colleagues gave her u n a n i m o u s r e c o m m e n d a tions" for tenure approval. Smith said. Smith a l s o said Dr. Bobby Fong, Dean of the Arts and Humanities, had givern her a similar praising review. F o n g refused to c o m m e n t b e c a u s e of the confidential nature of the proceedings. The c o n f i d e n t i a l i t y of the Status C o m m i t t e e ' s work has contributed to the p r e v a l e n c e of rumors and confusion a m o n g concerned students, thought Smith, Vaver a n d Krause. "It's hard to explain. They won't a n s w e r any question," Krause said a s to the Status Committee's v i e w s . "Most of the questions we have a s k e d h a v e been d e n i e d , " s h e said. Krause and Vaver h a v e been
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m o v i n g through c o l l e g e c h a n n e l s and s e e Nyenhuis h i m s e l f as "a channel to g e t to (their) ultimate g o a l " of a r e v e r s a l of Carder's tenure rejection. At Krause and Vaver's request Nyenhuis a g r e e d to m e e t with a s m a l l group of students about their concerns. His s e c r e t a r y w a s given a list of thirty-one n a m e s and N y e n h u i s m e t with eight to ten of them. Nyenhuis found the student support of Carder "unusual," but he said it has happened before. "Basically what is required is one student w h o is c o n c e r n e d and generates a response from others," Nyenhuis said about the student support. Krause and Vaver a r e to m e e t with Jacobson about Carder today. Carder learned of her tenure rejection in J a n u a r y . She said, "All sorts of things w e n t through m y mind at that time. I think what is important is m y choice in deciding how to handle those reactions." "I chose action," s h e said about her decision to fight the Status Committee's ruling. Following c h a n n e l s , Carder met with S m i t h and then F o n g for clarification about the rejection. "I believe I r e c e i v e d clarification to the best of their ability. I think they did the best they could...They too were c o n f u s e d why I didn't g e t it," Carder said. Smith said, "Lois h a s taken it e x t r e m e l y well. Of course, no one wants to be rejected. She has been tremendously supportive of the department. She hasn't let up at all"' in her teaching. ' I'm upset about it," Smith said, because after eight y e a r s of e x e m p l a r y r e c o r d , s h e d e s e r v e s to be tenured a s much as anyone I've worked with in this d e p a r t m e n t . "
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Warm weather brings Mr. Squirrel out and about Photo by Jim Monnett
Knickerbocker renovated by Sunni Tenhor staff writer
The Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland is undergoing renovations to give it a more modern look to attract a greater audience. New bathroom facilities h a v e already been c o m p l e t e d and the theatre will c l o s e d o w n on M a y 16 in order to finish the reconstruction. It is e x p e c t e d to re-open in mid August in time for freshperson orientation. The front of the t h e a t r e will be remodeled to m a t c h the r e c e n t l y built adjoining building w h i c h will contain o f f i c e s and a n e w bank. A new m a r q u e e will be designed, a s well a s a new ent r a n c e w a y which will c o m e in
through what is now the left hand wall of the theatre. Different carpeting and tiles will be used, a s well a s new ceilings. The vestibule a r e a will h a v e a r c h w a y s to m a k e the lobby area m o r e appealing. It is e x p e c t e d that the renovation of the theatre, built in 1911, will help bring b u s i n e s s downtown. Greg Johnson, an e m p l o y e e at the Knickerbocker Theatre, s a y s the project will g i v e the p l a c e a m o r e modern look. "It will be a nicer place " Johnson s a y s . "Hopefully it will attract m o r e people. " Johnson s a y s that more posters and displays will be used in the fall a f t e r the renovation to give it a m o r e d e c o r a t i v e look.