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Show Page 2 Forum February 3, 1984 3MZ?(3i5B3M! Deal Directly With Problems, Save Time And Energy If a store clerk gave exchange you change for $5 in for $20, would you put the shortchange in your wallet and then go tell the store manager?.,. If you had a broken arm and your spouse asked you to carry in the groceries, would you telephone so they could tell your spouse he or your she was being unreasonable?... I think wed all handle these situations more directly. Wed tell the clerk about the short change while she had the $20 in hand, and wed remind the spouse of the arm without any appeal " to family authorities. in-la- When then, as students, do we fail to see the value of the direct approach when it comes to re- sponding to problems with instructors? Forum staff members have participated in two different classes since the start of the 1983-84 academic year where a majority of classmates became dissatisfied with the instructor in each of the different classes. In the first class, last semester, most of the students who were enrolled in the class felt that the instructor was making unreasonable n demands in what was supposed to be a of curriculum. Classmates complained the requirements among themselves, to students who werent in the class, to faculty advisers, to other instructors, and finally to the dean of the school of arts and sciences. lower-divisio- The dean told the instructor about the nature of student complaints and within one week after the instructor was notified of the problem, the class requirements were minimized. In another class this semester, students have felt They have wanted more tech short-change- nical depth. They view their own requested participation as a waste of class time which could be y used by the professor for intensive, one-wa- instruction. Members of this class, too, went to the dean. They apparently represented themselves as a majority of this instructors students, not in just one class, but several. Because when the instructor was advised of the complaints, he questioned all of his classes as to whether the students were feeling He even asked for anonymous letters of evaluation concerning his methods of instruction. short-change- d. Can you imagine a store clerk who must stop all customers coming through the check-ou- t line to remind them to count their change and write a note about any discrepancies before they leave the store? I hope not. And we shouldnt need to imagine our faculty members in similarly ridicu lous situations. But thats where we put them when we fail to deal directly with student complaints. In last semesters class, it took nearly three months to bring the problem to the instructor's attention. It took her five days to solve it to the classs satisfaction. Lets stop wasting everyones time and energy in complaints through channels that dont help. Talk to the instructors. If they dont respond, then go to the dean. But try the direct approach first it will probably work. The Forum Staff letters to the editor 1 BELONG TO NO ORGANIZED A DEMOCRAT Weiss Says Impeach Reagan PARTY-I'-M ...WllLROGSfta Dear Editor As you may know, I and seven other Members of Congress recently introduced a resolution in the House to impeach President Ronald Reagan on the grounds that he violated the United States Constitution when he ordered the invasion of Grenada. This resolution was submitted only after serious research and deliberation. Impeachment is the most appropriate option provided Congress by the Constitution to rein in the actions of a President operating outside of constitutional bounds. I realize this action does not fit the current mood of most Americans. But the Constitution of the United States was not meant to apply only when its provisions enjoy majority support. One of the dismaying events following the invasion of Grenada was the realization of how many Americans do not understand the separation of powers built into the Constitution. It is my hope that one of the constructive outcomes of the impeachment resolution is that it engenders a debate of the issues and strengthens the publics understanding of the constitutional principles upon which our nation is founded. The invasion of Grenada has set a historic precedent in the relationship between congressional and executive constitutional authority. This event and the constitutional issues involved should receive careful consideration by the American public. I hope you will initiate discussion of these important issues. I would be pleased to hear from you further regarding this matter. TED WEISS Member of Congress Do Students Want More From Treasurer? Excess Budget Allocations Need Student Input To the Editor: The late Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois, in discussing the federal budgetary process, once quipped, A million here, a million there, sooner or later youre talking real money." So it is with the Associated Students of Westminster College (ASWC), although hardly on so grand a scale. A hundred dollars here, a hundred dollars there, and sooner or later the approximately $50,000 in student fees has come and gone. Like most of the other members of Legislative Assembly elected last year, I was disturbed by a budgetary process which did little more than give money to clubs without benefiting the average Westminster student This feeling, combined with estimates of an enrollment drop, led Legislative Assembly to put part of the 1983-8- 4 budget into a contingency fund to be appropriated at a later date. With enrollment up and the bulk of that money still unappropriated, Legislative Asesmbly has decided to spend this money. But in order for us to spend it in a manner benefiting all students, ve need your help. Two proposals are already before Legislative Assembly for spending money: before the school year is over. They also havent seen the figures for the amount of money available, which by this time in the semester should be accessible. In short, necessary tasks arent being fulfilled. Im sure you have seen the articles in last weeks Forum; the school is in the black. Because of the increase in enrollment, we also had an increase in income. This money was in the treasury at sometime in the fall semester. Proposals for this money were being accepted in the fall. But why has the Legislative Assembly never seen them. Im sure clubs are concerned if any action will be taken In my view, and probably others, Mr. Robert Schorr is not fulfilling the responsibility that is inherent in the job. And now that I have brought the point to the surface I am asking the students to the performance (along with the stipend) of the officer you elected. A Very Concerned Student, Bob Marselle part of this 1 the purchase of five electric typewriters for student use on campus, with the typewriters located for maximum student benefit. the purchase of a copying machine for Shaw Center. Students could get higher quality copies at a lower cost than the copier in either the library qr Bamberger Hall. But like I said, we need your input as well. Both of these proposals originated within student government Even if both are ultimately adopted, there still will be money available. Thus, we need your ideas as to how money could best be spent to help you as a student Legislative Assembly will look at every proposal for spending student money with an open mind. So if you have an idea, tell a member of Legislative Assembly or write it down and put it in any members box in the AS W C office in Shaw Center. 2 Remember, its your money at work. So tell us how you think it should be spent David Neidert I would like to pose a question to the student body who elected the ASWC treasurer. Are you satisfied? For the most part he is doing the mechanical part of his job, but that is only a small part of what he is responsible for. Aail I rV Ai AAA ill 1 JIIJ JIM Jill 1 U y Editor and Sales Manager Managing Editor Sports Editor Layout Assistants Reporters Photographers Faculty Adviser 1 The Forum of Westminster College of Salt lake City will be pub- while classes are in session during lished and distributed Spring semester, 1984, by the Associated Students of Westminster College, 1840 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City, UT8410S. Kathleen Hammond Mike Moser John Dahmen Jon Butler, Sheri Dearing, Kathleen Hammond, Joel Hastings, Mike Moser, Jennifer Thomas Valerie Allison, Franklin Anderson, Nanci Boyd. Jon Butler, Stacy Butters, John Dahmen. Sheri Dearing, Kathleen Hammond, Denise Janke, Scott Kaiser, Bonnie McBride. Mike Moser, David K. Neidert, Sue O'Donnell, Angie Russell, Christopher Sato vie k. Brenda Shute, Jennifer Thomas, Connie Watson Bob Marselle. Director Joel Hastings, Angie Russell, Hamid Sarshar Ray Ownbey Editorial Policy The forum welcomes letters from students and other readers. Submissions must be signed and include phone numbers and avoid use of profanity and libel, lengths may not exceed three, double-spacetyped pages with lines 50 character spaces wide. The basis. forum will print up to six letters per week, with student submissions given priority, on a Deliver letters directly to forum offices in the basement of Shaw Center (under the door if necessary ), by 3 p.m. on Friday one week before date of publication. Opinions expressed in the forum are those of the writers and are not to be construed as the opinions of the Associated Students of Westminster College or of administrators, faculty, or staff. |