Senate:
Faculty DIVERSITY REQUIREMENT, UNDERGRAD EDUCATION
LEAD SENATE SLATE
by Linda Charles
Several student issues rank among the top priorities of new
Faculty Senate President Ron Peters, professor of psychology.
During the coming year, Peters said the senate will be
developing implementation procedures for the new diversity
requirement, reviewing the academic progress of student-
athletes, improving the quality of undergraduate education,
examining special gradepoint average requirements and
assisting in several reviews.
Diversity requirement: Last spring, the senate approved a
three-credit U.S. and a three-credit international diversity
requirement. Peters said this year the senate will work with
colleges and departments to decide how the requirement should
be implemented in 1997. Most of the senate's work will be
through its Curriculum Committee.
Student-athletes: Peters said it's important for faculty
outside the athletic department to remain involved in
reviewing the academic progress of student-athletes. During
the coming year, he said he would like to see the committee
that conducts those reviews become "a real presence" on
campus.
Undergraduate education: One way to improve undergraduate
education, Peters said, is to improve instructor evaluation
procedures. Such evaluations would provide a framework to
assess effective teaching and let faculty know that teaching
is valued at the university, he said. Last year, a senate ad
hoc committee was appointed to study instructor evaluation
and this year senate committees review will its
recommendations.
Peters said he also would like to find early ways to identify
students who have problems and are at risk of dropping out.
Tests within the first three or four weeks of class might
turn up students with difficulties. Peters added it's
important that the university not lower standards for the
sake of retention. "Rather, we need to help students
succeed."
Peters also would like to see fund-raising monies earmarked
for a new teaching building. Ideally, the building would
contain both large and small classrooms and offer the latest
in high-tech advancements. The building would provide faculty
from all colleges an attractive physical environment in which
to teach, he added.
Special gradepoints: Over the years, several departments have
established specific gradepoint requirements for various
programs. These gradepoints can result in "orphan students,"
who fail to make the grade in...