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Show TNe DAily Utah CLE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1987 iill SURVIVORS UNIVERSITY OF UTAH VOL. look at the lives of the homeless A See pages 8-- 1 1 97, NO. 58 no consensus on semester system proposal Regents must decide financial, academic issues wasn't the right time to change because of initial cost estimates. The Regents have been unable to reach a By Todd Curtis Chronicle staff writer recommendation for changing semester system sparked some conversation, but still no consensus on the issue, the day after Wm. Rolfe Kerr, commissioner of higher education, announced his report Monday. A to a Kerr recommended that the state's nine colleges and II universities adopt the semester calendar beginning fall 1989. Kerr's intentions were announced to the University of Utah's Academic Senate by Provost James Clayton. "The commissioner and his staff feel like the issue could be discussed forever. There is no real consensus between presidents, faculty and students about what to do," Don Carpenter, associate commissioner for planning at the Regents office, said. U. President Chase Peterson said Tuesday he doesn't have any strong feelings about switching to the semester system. "There are a number of academic teaching factors that come into play," Peterson explained. He said the major reason against it would be the dislocation, or the problems that would arise when switching over. "But that (dislocation) in itself could be healthy. It would our courses." give us another chance to the are not Regents Although, expected to vote on the until 26 Feb. their meeting, they have been looking proposal for about two years. at the semester system "In 1985, the Regents performed a study to see if it was feasible for the colleges and universities to switch to the semester system," Vicki Varela, the Regents public affairs officer, explained. Varela said the study showed a switch was feasible, but because of financial pressures, the Regents decided 1985 in-de- Chronicle photo by Steven C. Wilson University of Utah President Chase Peterson said he doesn't have any strong feelings about switching to the semester system, but did say it could be a healthy change and give the university another chance to our courses. re-evalu- ate pth consensus on how much it would actually cost because that amount has varied widely at other institutions that have switched over. Carpenter believes that if the Regents gave enough time for the colleges to convert to the semester system, all the costs could be defrayed no matter what they were. And in the long run the Regents feel they can save money after the initial switch, Kerr said in his report. The 1985 report also showed student opinion was mixed. Most students were inclined to stick with the quarter system, the report said. However, students who had gone to school under the semester system preferred it over the quarter system. Typically, semesters begin in late August or early September and again in early January. A full summer semester can also be established starting in April. Kerr's report stated that the state's institutions would save money because the semester would eliminate one full cycle of processing, including admissions, registration, final exams, financial aids, gradestranscripts, computer services and diplomas. Other financial reasons include: Reduces student costs by eliminating one round of book purchases. Makes student housing and auxiliary services more due to longer periods of use. When a summer semester is added, it provides greater use of campus facilities and other resources. cost-effecti- ve Provides increased revenue from ' Disabled students Evaluations' validity heed accessibility SAC U. buildings can hinder In the second of a two-pa- rt series, the Chronicle examines problems disabled students might encounter because some buildings on the University of Utah campus are not designed for easy access if students are handicapped. By Sharon Deckert Chronicle staff writer As disabled students try to regain their independence and be as normal as possible, University of Utah buildings sometimes throw obstacles in their way. Several buildings on the U. campus are inaccessible to disabled students. But because of recent building renovations and programs coordinated by the Disabled Students Center, students can take classes in all programs. Wallace Calder is a law student who has been confined to a wheelchair since a diving accident. He said he has only praise for the center. Staff members can rearrange class schedules, change classes from inaccessible buildings to accessible ones and provide information about substitute classes if classroom changes are impossible. Calder said these programs are good intermediate steps, but the issue is free access to all buildings. "Part of overcoming an injury is to try to become as normal as possible. Being able to go somewhere all by yourself is important." As an example, Calder referred to the business library in the College of Business. During the day, disabled students have access to the library because of an elevator in the office side of the building. After hours when the office side of the building is locked, students cannot get to the elevator and have a difficult time arranging to use the library. Bonnie Clark, a Disabled Students Center secretary, said she thinks special arrangements can be made with campus police or maintenance people to gain admittance to the elevator. Sometimes the problem can be as simple and frustrating as doors that are difficult to open. Calder complimented the pushbutton system used in the Union see "disabled" on page four longer-ter- m investment of greater student fee amounts. see "semester" on page five doubled Weak music maybe reason for breech By Todd Curtis Chronicle staff writer At the end of each quarter, University of Utah students fill out evaluations on their professors. However, questions were raised about the validity of those evaluations after the Chronicle reported that Mark Howarth looked through a student evaluation on music '41 'professor John Cooksey. Howarth, a teaching assistant in the music department, looked through the evaluations the Concert Chorale class members filled out while their professor was out of town. Students in the class wondered whether this was appropriate and questions of confidentiality came up. Evaluations are designed to give students the If o Stj&zii ffM ft 4 opportunity to comment on their professor's performance during the quarter. After they are collected, the evaluations are typed by members of the department's Student Advisory Committee, to protect student anonymity. They are then given to the professor for review, but only after grades have been given out. "The evaluations are administered by the Student Advisory Committee. They are completely student run," Nick Maragakis, SAC coordinator on ASUU's Academic Affairs Board, said. Student evaluations depend entirely upon the SAC to be carried out. The evaluations also depend on the students' willingness to respond truthfully to the questions asked. "From my experiences in the Honors Program and other SACs, the faculty members and departments, as well as the students, take the evaluations very seriously," Maragakis said. He has been involved with the Honors SAC for two years. "It's very upsetting to most of the faculty if an evaluation is missed. The professors are often interested i jironiclc photo by lirin (almcs Nick Maragakis, SAC coordinator for ASUU Acadamic Affairs Board. in comments on how to improve their classes," Maragakis said. Because the SACs are in control of the evaluations, their success or failure is largely dependent on the strength of the SAC. Ed Thompson, chair of the music department said the weak SAC in the music department could have contributed to the problem Howarth encountered. Thompson said that in past years the student evaluations have been erratic and this year the format for the evaluations in that department was changed. "This may have led to some of the confusion with this year's evaluations," Thompson said. Another criticism with the evaluations is the way the questions are asked. Because the evaluations are regulated by the SACs, each one asks a different set of questions. Org. U.S. Postage Paid Non-prof- it Permit No. 1529 Salt Lake City, UT |
