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Show Page 4 Tfie Thunderbin Tuesday November 19, 1985 Attend Centrum opening A couple of years ago students were very involved with the push to get a new special events center for Southern Utah State College. In fact, one went so far as to circulate a petition supporting the complex, and that was one element in the Utah State Legislatures decision to finance the center. Now the center is nearing completion. But even though it is now about finished, it still requires student support. At the grand opening this Friday the Centrum will be filled with people: special guests, faculty, athletes from other high schools and legislators. The big question, however, is whether or not the section set aside for students will be filled. The Thunderbird hopes it will be. We must show the Legislature that we still support the construction of the Centrum, and that we are appreciative of it. Tickets to the grand opening are free. There will be entertainment and a few words will be spoken dedicating the basketball team faces off building. Moreover, the SUSC a in tournament that will start against some tough competition our season. It will certainly be an entertaining evening. But even if it were going to be boring, it would be worth attending the grand opening simply to send a symbolic signal of gratitude and continuing support of the facility to the Legislature. T-Bi- Student opinions are needed Two weeks ago a survey questionnaire sponsored by ASSUSC was printed in The Thunderbird. It asked students their opinion of changing from the colleges current quarter class system to a semester system, like that used at BYU and most other colleges and universities. Only 17 students responded. This may not seem like a very important bit of news, but it is. The survey was being used to measure student opinion of a change that surely affects us all. Results of the survey will be given to a campus committee studying the proposed change, and their report will be delivered to the Utah State Board of Regents latef this year. This is a very important issue. Every student will be affected by it, in one way or another. The Thunderbird commends those who took the time to answer the survey. Moreover, it strongly urges those who did not to make up for the omission. Write a letter to ASSUSC official Mark Morman, care of the student center (it is his responsibility to compile student opinion). Let him know what you think, and why. The Thunderbird expects to editorialize next week concerning its opinion of the proposed change, but letters from students would give the committee an even better grasp of true student opinion. ujin Che Cbunderbird THl runiM NFWS ANP ULUNOF sOlTHtkN UTAH MATE COIJ.ECE VOLUME 80, NUMBER 8 Editor Doug Christensen Copy Editor Ken Roberts Photo Editors James Howells Derek Miller Sports Editor Stan Kontogianms Entertainment Editor Tyler Jensen Assistant to the Editors Annette Grooms Senior Staff Writers Kris Johnson Kon Kontogianms Production Manager Kelli Foy Advertising Designer Gavin McNeil Advertising Representatives Kellie Jensen Faculty Adviser Larry Baker Laura Wearing The Thunderbird is published each Monday of the academic year by and foi the body of Southern Utah State College and is not affiliated in anv manner whatsoever uith the College's department of communication. The views and opinions expressed in The Thunderbird are the opinions of the publications individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the institution, faculty, staff or student body m general. The unsigned editorial directly above is the opinion of The Thunderhird as a single entity Letters to the editor must be typed and include the name, student number (if from a student) and phone number Only the name vwll be printed Names util not be uithheld under any circumstances anc the editor reserves the right to edit letters for length and to preclude libel Letters mjst be submitted bv nixm Friday for inclusion m the follouing weeks edition The Thunderbird editorial and advertising offices at 829 West 200 South, Ctdar City, UT 84720 Mail at SUSC Box 9384, Cedar City, UT 84720 (80!) 7788 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR MAY BE FOUND ON PAGE 8 ASSUSC survey must be inaccurate Business major Kenneth Roberts is copy editor for Access is a recurring column The Thunderbird. featuring issues of concern and interest to the SUSC community. Last week students were asked to respond to whether SUSC should change to the semester system, an issue which will affect the future of SUSC. The result: SUSC students prefer to remain on the quarter system rather than switch or do they? How on earth can a survey with only 17 respondents be representative of 2,500 students? Is it right to submit a survey reponse such as this to the Utah Board of Regents. Mark Morman plans to submit this survey response to a committee studying the proposed change, and the result will be delivered to the Utah Board of Regents later this year. It almost seems like a joke. I would think it quite embarrassing andor unethical to submit a report stating that SUSC students choose to remain on the quarter system. The truth is that no one really knows what SUSC students want. Apparently, either only 17 students give a damn about having a choice about the quarter vs. semester system or the survey was done inadequately. The fact that so few responded indicates that not enough students were asked how they felt which in a way is true since students were not approached, but only asked to submit their ballot. Asking students to submit a ballot is fine, but evidently, enough interest has not been generated, and results of the poll cannot rightly be submitted to anyone until it is done right that means that the results are truly representative of the opinions of the total student body. The ASSUSC should have, and still should take its ballots to several classrooms representing various fields of study and class stams to get an overall picture of the SUSC student opinion. How many classrooms were polled? How many underclassmen were asked what they wanted? Attending several classes to hand out and collect ballots would mean extra work on the part of the ASSUSC, but it would provide more responses and also indicate the departments desiring a change and those not wishing the change. A little yellow box in the Student Center just doesnt cut it. It wasnt really surprising that the response was so low. Yes, we (the students) should have cared enough to make the extra trip to the Student Center to drop our ballot into the little yellow box, but the ASSUSC should have made a greater effort to reach out to the students. A survey with 17 reponses representing a total student body of approximately 2,500 students is no survey at all and should not be left as such. Another attempt should be made to generate interest in the quarter vs. semester proposal and more effort put into reaching more students. To submit a false survey to the regents would be simply ludicrous. If the students wont make the effort to cast their ballot, the poll should be taken to the students, that is, into the classroom. Its unlikely that a professor would not allow a few minutes to be taken from his or her lecture to vote on an issue affecting SUSCs future. It seems as both parties were at fault the students for not making that extra effort, and the ASSUSC for failing to obtain an accurate survey result. The decision is too important to be left to only 1 7 students. To submit misleading and perhaps false results to the Utah Board of Regents is ludicrous. Just the fact that only 17 students responded makes it clear that the present results are inaccurate if the board really wants to know where SUSC stands on the semes'- .quarter issue and a greater attempt must be made procure correct results. |