8 Thursday. April 20, 1978 University Daily Kansan Feedback survey By SUSAN WOODARR Staff Writer Despite complaints that it is invalid, the Curriculum and instruction Survey is still underway. "Many people think they fill out this thing in class and nobody ever pays any attention to it. That's just not right," Marlena Mackie, coordinator of the CIS said. "There are departments on this campus that take this survey so seriously it is frightening." Although the CIS is not required of University instructors, all schools within the University require some sort of teaching evaluation and the CIS is often used for that purpose. The survey was administered last semester and will be given again starting on May 1. Approximately 20,000 surveys are turned in each semester, according to Mackie, but it is impossible to determine how many students participate since a student could fill out one or several cards depending on many of his instructors used the survey. Phil McKnight, director of the CIS, said that from 35 to 40 percent of the university instructors give the survey each year. About 1,200 classes are critiqued. Most schools and departments within the University have their own forms of survey which they use either along with the CIS or in place of it. in place with flexibility built into the CIS allows departments and instructors to write their own training materials. answers on the CTS cards in the sections for "Course Specification" and "Course Specifier." Almost all schools within the University use either the CIS questions or their own resources. Results of the survey are most often used by promotion and tenure committees in considering instructors for promotion, tenure and merit salary increases. An instructor planning to use the survey can decide to whom the information will be distributed. - The information can be sent to the instruc- tion taken and department head and is used in the system. - *The information can be given only to the instructor and his dean and department - The information can be given only to the instructor. The CIS was originally written in 1989 by a Student Senate committee formed to evaluate instructors. Results of the committee on the public were published in a booklet called Feedback. Feedback was distributed at fall enrollment from 1970 through 1974. That practice was discontinued because of the high cost of printing the booklet. However, because of the popularity of Feedback, the CIS has come to be known as Feedback. The survey was originally funded by the Senate. In 1974 it was reorganized under the office of instructional resources and funded by the University. McKnight said the cost of administering taken seriously, coordinator says Most of the complaints about the survey have been about its validity. Some said the survey measured student satisfaction, or teacher popularity, and not necessarily the questions that were complained to the questions on the survey were not relevant to particular classes. "There will always be a certain degree of invalidity to the questionnaire," he said. "We want you to ask the question about teaching performance, that question really tests what we want it to. And so far, no one has been able to identify with the evidence of teaching that really help students to learn." Instructors administering the survey are rated by their students on five-point scales. The results give the instructor an average of 70.9 percent for each average is compared to the average of all Because the survey is administered on a voluntary basis, McKnight said, often only the best instructors give the survey and are included in the University average. McKnight said he could offer no total solution to the problem of invalidity. the survey was about $7,000 a year. This tends to make very good instructors appear to receive low averages because they are being compared only to the very best instructors, he said. In order to combat this problem, McKnight said, he had tried to establish a more accurate University norm by having students take tests on a random sample of classes in the University. University students answering that question. Last fall, McKnight selected 900 classes at random and asked the instructors to administer the survey on a voluntary basis. Only 550 of the classes completed the survey and McKnight was not sure what he would do with the information. He said he will probably distribute the voice performance, will direct Handel's famous religious oratorio. A guest orchestra of KU faculty and Lawrence citizens will accompany. McKnight said that some students complain about the time needed to fill out a form. The form was too long. The group planned to perform "The Messiah" at Easter, the traditional time, but needed more time to prepare for it, Kirchhoff said. "Students who have spent an entire semester in a class are the best sources of information on that class," he said. "Their knowledge is initially of great service and help to teachers." information to instructors for their use and probably will not use it to establish University norms because again, the sample is unrepresentative. Chorus to perform Handel's 'Messiah' 20 minutes devoted to teacher evaluation in a semester is minimal. The Lawrence Civic Chorus will perform "The Messiah," by George Frederick Handel, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the First Methodist Church, 10th and Ver- The Lawrence Civic Chorus is a group of 70 volunteer singers from Lawrence. Maribeth Kirchoff, assistant professor in "The complete lack of information from Laos and Cambodia and the still incomplete reports from Vietnam breed a legacy of pain for the families of the MIA's, he said. It also said the commission should hold heartings and, "seek the full cooperation and the facilities of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. . ." The resolution said the special U.N. investigatory commission should be composed of members with "impeccable credentials." University insurance won't cover bicycles Chairman Lester Wolff, D-N.Y., of the Asian affairs subcommittee, said that it was not a question of whether these men were still alive. "Our goal is a humanitarian one—to secure information that will allow us to tell the families of these brave men what happened." Staff Writer By MARY ERNST The resolution, introduced by Rep. Benjamin Gilman, R-N.Y., was sent to the full house, but no date has been set yet for its consideration. Charred remnants of about 20 bicycles stand in a corner of the seventh-floor lobby at McCollum Hall to remind their owners that they need to be insured to insurance cover personal property losses. The bicycles were burnt during a fire March 13, and the students who own them have found that official KU policy states that no student of students is insured by the University. House panel OKs plans to find MIAs However, Milroy said that KU did not condone the parking of bicycles in the park. "It encourages people to put their bikes in the lobbies." Cook said. However, Cook said he did not think bicycle racks should be allowed in the lobbies if KU was not going to pay for damages. "Students have to cover all their own property—we just don't have any insurance to cover students' personal property," Dean Milner, housing maintenance manager for the residence hall system, said Monday. Cook said he lost a lot of money because his family's insurance policy required that he pay the first $50 of a claim and because a bill had been filed, he received the amount of money he could receive. "WE FELT THAT there wasn't enough room for the bikes outside," he said. One of the residents whose bicycle was burnt, Keith Cook, Desloge, Mo., senior, said that he was not aware of KU's policy on personal losses. WASHINGTON (UPI)—A House panel yesterday unanimously approved a resolution urging that the U.N. Secretary General help obtain an accounting of the 1,200 Americans still listed as missing in action in Southeast Asia. The fire was declared arson by fire officials and did $22,000 worth of damage. "The students brought bike racks in themselves," he said. "We don't condone them keeping bikes in the lobby any more than we conduce them keeping autos in the car." "I DIDN'T REALLY know about the policy," Cook said, "but if someone had asked me if I thought the University would pay for the damages I would have said no." Rees Hughes, McColm resident director, said there had been some bicycle racks already in the residence hall when he joined in the work. He added additional racks in the lobbies last year. Another student whose bicycle was burnt in the fire, Bill Millard, Overland Park senior, also said he was not aware of KU's policy. He said that when he returned to Me- cow, he break all his saw on the bicycles was black. "Then, when I got closer, I could see that all the seams and tape had melted," he said. "I didn't have to the time and I did not have to know how to fix it, so I just bought a nike jacket." "I'm probably going to keep my frame and spokes and my brother is going to rebuild it," Millard said. "It will probably cost between $100 and $120." COOK AGREED that many of the bikes could be salvaged. Hours and repairs might be required and rugged. Milroy said he thought that most of the bicycles were salvageable, although some of the plastic parts would have to be replaced. Sale! 79c Regular 99c Today's Girl All Sheer Panty Hose Sale ends April 29 3 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS DOWNTOWN HOLCHESTER 916 West Broadway PLAZA 1000 Manhattan Avenue 545-2871 545-8100 545-8100 545-8086 841-7900 THURSDAY DOLLAR OFFER As a result of the efforts of many students on the evening of April 20, 1970 in the saving of furniture, art objects and invaluable service to firefighters during the Kansas Union fire, some insurance carriers present to the Kansas Union a gift in the amount of $5,000.00 and an suggestion that the Student Union Activities Board seek those students deserving of being awarded scholarship/awards from the gift. Applications available in the SUA office, main floor of the Kansas Union. Deadline for applying 4-20-78. This year's award is $320. SOPHOMORES Apply Now For The Junior-Senior Air Force ROTC Program --- Call Capt. Macke, 864-4678 Or Stop By Room 108 Military Science Building University-Community Service Scholarship/ Award COMPONENT SPECIALTIES QUADRAXIAL Now Your Best Buy In Car Stereo Speakers Reg. 139 $ ^{95} $ pair NOW 1/2 price 6995 pair This week only AUDIOTRONICS 928 Mass. Downtown