University Daily Kansan
Page 8
Tuesday, May 10, 1955
IBM to Aid in Report Work
Editor's Note—This is the fifth in a
explaining equipment and its relation
to campus.
By LIZ WOHLGEMUTH
IBM equipment will make it easier for the dean of the University to obtain accurate academic reports and will provide a firmer base for future planning.
"Academic reports are often hard to obtain and the difficulty will increase with an increase in enrollment." George B. Smith, dean of the University, says.
For the state, Dean Smith's office must give a report of the teaching loads of each teacher for each semester. The office now requests these reports from each department head. Each chairman then asks each instructor for the number of students enrolled in each of his classes and the schools in which they are enrolled. The information is placed in card for each teacher. How much time spent in teaching, how many students, and how much time spent in research are all included on the card.
With the introduction of IBM each class card will have the student's name and the teacher's name and the machines will be able to figure the teaching load for each instructor. The class cards for each instructor are separated and then a list of the teaching load is typed out for each.
This work increases accuracy, because when a person teaches in several departments the office will have all the information from the cards and will not have to go through several department chairmen. This information will be set up on cards and filed in the office.
The office will be able to make reports by departments as to courses taught, how many sections of course, and who teaches each course.
The equipment will be used to obtain information for other reports.
The office will be able to obtain reports on which people are taking a certain course, what the background of the course has been over the years, how many sections of a course have been taught, how many students are required for a course, and who student classifies. The report may show a shift in the number and type of students taking a course.
Such information is useful in the curriculums planning of each department
Through the use of information obtained through IBM the office can work out the percentage growth in enrollment in classes. They can see the factors in a shift or increase in a certain class in a department. These percentage figures are useful in future planning. The administration can plan more accurately for the proper amount of teachers needed with each increase and can
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increase the number of sections is a course.
The administration also will be able to estimate the amount of class space and equipment needed, since big lecture sections seldom are held in classrooms, so keep the size of the classes down and continue to have small labs.
Since they know the amount of equipment and teachers needed they can more accurately estimate the cost.
Dean Smith said, "Now we can increase in the junior, senior, and graduate level of study and we can plan accordingly. With the increase here we won't need to hire any more staff or supply more space since these classes are usually small and can handle an increase."
With this basic information the budget committee can use the figures in taking its needs to the State Legislature in budget requests.
The information also will be used in making building plans.
The equipment will be a major research aid in studies of academic procedure. The office can study what courses give the student the
most difficulty. They will also be able to find out the entrance scores of everyone who is graduated from the University. And they can find out how many students attend from out of state and in what section of Kansas most of KU's students live.
"The information obtained won't be the exact answer for future planning, but it gives a firmer base for prediction than previously." Dean Smith said. "This information simply sharpens the image and it can be done in less time than by hand."
Miss Schwartz Is President
Miss Alice Schwartz, instructor in art education and design is the new president of the Kansas Art Education association. The choice was made at the state meeting in Manhattan last week end.
Total U.S. production of poultry meat has more than doubled and that of eggs has nearly doubled since the 1955-39 period.
The slide rule was originated by Eomund Gunter, an English mathematician, in 1620.
Causes of Revolution To Be Discussed
The History club will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Pine room of the Student Union.
Following the meeting, a panel discussion on "The Causes of Revolution" will be held. Dr. Anbrose Saricks, assistant professor of history, will serve as moderator. Other members of the panel will include Dr. W. Stitt Robinson, associate professor of history, and an authority on the American Revolution, and Dr. Thomas M. Gale, history instructor, an authority on Latin America.
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