Show 7 c l P e E March 14 1978 Mr Fred Wilbur Editor Points West Utah College at Salt Lake South Redwood Road Salt Lake City Utah Dear Editor On February 21 1978 during during during dur dur- ing the am a.m. class hour my staff conducted a random sample survey of student opinion opinion opinion op op- op- op regarding Points West In the survey the opinion opinion opinion op op- op- op of general education education education tion students was sampled The survey instrument is the same instrument that yo you and I I reviewed in my office on February 17 1978 You indicated indicated indicated in in- to me at that time taht you agreed with the questions to be asked and stated that you would help in conducting the survey I suggested suggested suggested sug sug- th that t the survey be conducted Monday February February February ary 20 but received no help from your staff to conduct the survey and it was thus cancelled until the next day On Tuesday after we still did not receive any help from your staff I felt obligated to use my own staff in conducting conducting conducting conduct conduct- ing the survey Y I would like to share the results with you as well as the readers of Points West Of the students surveyed surveyed surveyed sur sur- 55 percent indicated that they read Points West on a regular basis while 45 percent indicated th that t they did not read the paper on a regular basis Of the students surveyed 48 percent indicated a favorable favorable favorable favora favora- ble reaction to the newspaper newspaper newspaper per as a whole while 24 percent percent percent per per- cent felt an unfavorable re re- re- re action An additional 28 percent percent percent per per- cent offered a dont care position About 47 percent felt that the newspaper reflected reflected reflected re re- re- re the college in a positive positive positive pos pos- light while 53 percent did not support that position Also 49 percent of the thesa sa sample felt the reporting and writing in the newspaper is representative of the general feeling of stu students on campus campus campus cam cam- pus yet 41 percent had an opposite view with 10 percent percent percent per per- cent offering no answer Finally Finally Finally Fi Fi- Fi- Fi nally 48 percent felt the newspaper represents competent competent competent com com- and college level reporting reporting reporting re re- re- re porting while 42 percent felt it did not Again 10 percent offered no answer Student offered some great insights especially especially especially ally as they relate to what students dislike about Points West Specifically what were characterized as obscene cartoons received an ov overwhelming number of student responses A second area of student concern related related related re re- re- re to what was described by many as profanity Many students disliked the negative tone of the als One student summarized the concern concern of many by saying saying saying say say- ing Fred Wilbur ought to be thrown out He is not objective objective objective tive or seems to care less about comments in letters to the editor against profanity vulgarity and negativism Another student commented Hearing about apathy all the time and it costing on issue One final concern was the area of grammar and spelling Students offered some interesting interesting interesting in in- insights into what they would like to see in the newspaper They offered suggestions suggestions suggestions sug sug- of more photography photography photography raphy horoscopes reports on typical students a column on Salt Lake area entertainment entertainment entertainment entertain entertain- ment a section for want ads articles on streamlining registration registration registration reg reg- sports tips about college survival help that is available to students on campus campus campus cam cam- pus more information on student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent activities and clubs ski reports world news and article articles articles ar ar- of a positive nature relating relating relating re re- re- re lating to the college It was also suggested that a student student student stu dent of the week be high high- lighted One clear concern of students is what is going on onas onas onas as it relates to student student- Many seem to think that they arent aren't being informed informed informed in in- formed of what is going on The final fina question of the survey asked students to tomake tomake tomake make any comments that they would like to concerning Points West These comments comments comments com com- ments ranged from youre doing a great job keep it up to get rid of the editor I have summarized comments that tha 1 are both pro and con They are as follows I like the paper Its It's funny funny funny fun fun- ny and very informative Its It's also a way for students to sta state te their opinions there is a need for a student newspaper and although although although al al- al- al though it is struggling some it is trying I wish there was wasa a larger staff to get some different different different dif dif- dif dif- ferent viewpoints and expand expand expand ex ex- ex- ex on more subjects You read a newspaper to become informed So far the informing informing informing inform inform- ing is coming from the editorial editorial editorial ed ed- ed- ed page and the letters to the editor However this this' is just the opinion of a few but at least they are expressing an opinion I feel they have a aright aright aright right to express their ions I like the openness of the paper the open editorials are great It makes the people feel like adults that dont don't need every little thing censored I feel the people who do donot donot donot not like what the Points West is doing should go and offer their talent to improve 1 it t tt It could be a good paper but it seems so negative I may not be in a good position to judge a paper but butI I feel the college certainly could be better represented than what I have seen so far The quality of college reporting reporting reporting re re- re- re porting could be much high high- er Sometimes Sometimes' when reading the college paper I have the feeling Im I'm reading an underground underground underground under under- ground rag brought out by some group I spent 6 years in the military military military mili mili- tary 3 of which was in Viet Nam The first paper I read was a real put down on Vet Vet- erans Ive I've attended U. U of Dayton Maryland Michigan and Georgetown and this newspaper is so low it can only be used for a cat box Wake up and learn Most of the editorials sound like grade school attitudes toward toward to to- toward ward very important things There are better ways of expressing expressing expressing ex ex- ex- ex pressing yourself than using profanity The cartoons are humorous but they arent aren't what Id I'd want my children to see if they were to pick up the paper at home I think if you got rid of F. F Lee Wilbur you could greatly improve the quality of the newspaper After all it is our newspaper we dont don't need his opinions printed on every page I want a paper but itne it ne needs ds' ds to be of better quality 1 ity ty tt I think that all in all that there are some g good od points but I dont don't think the paper is ison ison ison on the level of a quality ty paper Needs work It would be nice to see seemore seemore seemore more competent positive rather than negative things In other words lets let's get adults to do the work rather than juveniles The paper appears to be bethe bethe bethe the product of an era some of the Viet Nam era veterans would like to forget Every other comment is not printable printable printable print print- able or worthy of my time to read Our high school newspaper er bea beats ts this pa paper per all to hell Its a rag and it is because because because be be- cause of sheer boredom that I ever even pick it up It should be used in the bottom of a bird cage I hope that this survey provides pro pro- provides vides some insights as it regards regards regards re re- re- re gards student opinion and the expectations of students in r relationship to Points West Respectfully Larry R. R Christensen Christensen- Dean of Students February 8 19 1978 8 Jay L. L Nelson President Utah Technical College at Salt Lake South Redwood Road Taylorsville Utah Dear President Nelson When the State Board for Vocational Vocational Vocational Vo Vo- State Education-State Board of Education met recently recently recently re re- re- re on the campus of Salt Lake several members members members mem mem- bers called attention to the student newspaper Points West It was generally viewed viewed viewed view view- ed by members of the Board to tobe be of low quality The cartoon cartoon cartoon car car- toon representation was offensive offensive offensive of of- and some of the language language language lan lan- guage was beneath the dignity dignity dignity dig dig- of the students at the College The Board directed that I send you a letter drawing your attention to the offensiveness offensiveness offensiveness offen- offen of the paper and asking that you follow up on this ma matter to attain a finer paper than the issue Vol 4 No 13 February 14 1978 represented Best wishes Sincerely yours Walter D. D Talbot State Superintendent of Public Instruction March 20 1978 To The Editor t t Points West In regard to Mr Holtkamp's Holtkamp's Holtkamp's Holt- Holt kamps kamp's and Mr Chateaus Chateau's letters to the editor March issue protesting Mr Halls Hall's grading policies I would like to make the following following following fol fol- fol- fol lowing observations 1 A formal procedure for protesting grades including including including ing a hearing exists at this college I find the leadership leadership leadership leader leader- ship of remiss remiss remiss re re- re- re miss in that they did not inform inform inform in in- form Mr Holtkamp and Mr Chateau of this fact 2 The leadership of S L. L should now invite these two students to contact the Dean of Students and file a formal protest 3 If the two students refuse refuse refuse re re- re- re fuse to file said protest Points West should publish the fact 4 If the said protest is filed the results of action taken on the protests should be published Please note that I am neither accusing nor defending defending defending defend defend- ing Mr Holtkamp Mr Chateau Chateau Chateau Cha Cha- nor Mr Hall I am only accusing the leadership of AS U T r R Respectfully Don R. R Stearns Pres Faculty Assoc Classroom Classroom Class Class- lass lass- room Teachers Salt Lake Mr Fred Wilbur Editor Points West This is Ken Halls Hall's tenth year at Utah Tech My professional professional professional pro pro- association with him covers overs e eight years of these years Ken loves his his' profession and works hard to provide an education for students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents interested in pursuing the Architectural Drafting Drafting Drafting Draft Draft- ing profession There were a few Ken Halls Hall's in my educational ex ex- ex- ex Each of them comes vividly to mind because because be be- e- e cause they were tough and expected a lot in their class class- es They showed high personal per per- personal personal and educational integ integ- rity Their price for grades were high but what you earned you were proud of Probably more than anything anything anything any any- thing they were trying to do what is right in providing an education rather than that easy course of trying to be liked Our Ken Hall and all the Ken Halls in education have my greatest respect Sincerely Larry R. R Christensen Dean of Students |