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Show Student voice of fen hmi L "Generally, the purpose of the Student Advisory Committee, departments is to build a type of esprit de corps so that the stud aware of what can be done," comments Dr. Edward William u associate professor of biology and chairman of the Resource Com for Student Involvement in University Governance, on the obiecr the SAC, now in their second year. IIVof Aside from a few pre-existing SAC's scattered around the ca histroy is an example-the first SAC's were set up in the fall t of 1969. In most cases they were elcted by students (both under J" ate and graduate) majoring in the particular department. Thevh operated with greater of lesser success since then. ' Although all SAC's advise on matters of tenure and promotion dean must have the recommendations of both the faculty students in these matters-the somewhat vague resolution settin SAC leaves any further matters to the discretion of fan,ih 6 students. ASUU's Academic Affiars Board grants each SAC $125 fa Ami funds to help them in their work. But $4000 in these SAC funds unclaimed this year. 111 What each committee does depends upon it and the faculty R Ekins, chairman of the Department of English's SAC, says trait committee has facilitated a change so that three students and f teaching assitants can vote in faculty meetings. The English SAC h also worked on revising course descriptions; given advice on cons requirements, new course offerings and course evaluations; publishedi quarterly newsletter for English students; worked on speaker policy mj the Victor Gordon issue and involved itself politically in FebruiM ASUU elections (with limited success). Much to Ekins' surprise, "every single recommendation on promotion was complied with." Wayne Horiuchi says the political science SAC has concentrated oa curriculum matters, tenure and promotion. "I think I had a lot of impact" as a liberalizer, he says, encouraging less concern for "publish or perish" and more for the students' needs of "good lectures mj challenging tests." But Horiuchi beleives he had more impact on fc college than the departmental level because of the "different caliberof i nnn1a (liar1 " Tf" tVlf fTt fSf tflPCA ctpnc irtlnAaA ,J. , , I ycuit iiiv-iv. " uiwuuw dnicnumenis io include more students on college committees, which had been endorsed by the College Council and eliminating the mandatory ROTC representative represent-ative from the curriculum committee. On the departmental level, the SAC has worked on revising curriculum, altering class prerequislies, improving the counseling system, sampling student opinion and printing a newsletter. Nancy McMillan is one of the more discouraged SAC members.Oi the math SAC, she has seen some solid results: "We have had teachen given tenure despite the advice of the faculty," and seminars have been f set up where professors can talk about their special field of Interest with good response. But elsewhere her experience has been "very irritating." Curriculum changes-having separate sections for physics, engineering and math majors, for example-were proposed without result. She says that after the SAC had worked hard for constructive changes, the department chairman "smiled politely" and then ignore! them. Now the math SAC is talking to the administration directly ti work for the changes, possibly allowing students to sit on department committees. " |