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Volume 128 Issue 59
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Kansan.com | The student voice since 1904
COMIC BOOK
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
Professors: Evaluations important for performance
Students are required to fill out evaluation forms at the end of each class to give feedback on professors.
ALEX KEENAN
@AlexAlex91
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the fall semester is ending and students likely have a lot on their minds. With exams and assignment due dates on the horizon, student-teacher evaluations can seem inconsequential.
"When you get to evaluation time you're in the heat of a million things to do," said Troy Dargin. PhD student in the department of speech language pathology. "The last thing on your mind is to put an indepth analysis of your instructor together."
With so much going on, student-teacher evaluations can feel like one more checkbox on a list of things to do, but several administrators at the University insist that the feedback gained from student-teacher evaluations matters.
If students feel like they are not being effectively taught, or if their professors are lacking in teaching skills, student-teacher evaluations serve as a way for students to convey this information to the department.
"We do care that the students are receiving an excellent classroom experience," said Melanie Wilson, associate dean for academic affairs in the School of Law. "If they're not, some of that, we hope, will be reflected in the student evaluations. We read them to assess and improve what's going on in the classroom."
student-teacher evaluations factor into evaluating a professor's teaching. Teaching is one aspect of what is generally referred to as the 40-40-20 rule in a faculty member's annual evaluations. Though it can vary from one faculty member to another, professors generally are expected to spend 40 percent of their time teaching, 40 percent on research or creative activities and 20 percent on service.
Positive evaluations can help a professor to acquire tenure, or receive a pay raise, so it is in their best interest to take what their students are saying about their classes seriously. Sally Roberts, associate dean of the department of education, said while it is unlikely for a faculty member to be punished for one semester of negative evaluations, the department would step in if it was a continuous problem.
"A series of poor evaluations is going to usually result in the chair setting up an improvement plan," Roberts said. "That usually involves having peers observe, or the chair will observe; it would take a number of years of poor performance. But chairs are very conscious. We care what (students) think, so a chair's not going to keep someone in a class if that person is doing poorly and getting bad evals."
Dr. Ruth Ann Atchley, chair of the department of psychology, compares evaluations given by students to a piece of evidence in an investigation, and that it would not make sense to only use them to gauge a faculty's overall performance.
"There was once a time where that (evaluations were) the only data we had," Atchley said. "One of the things we've been trying is make sure that there's more than one piece of data as we evaluate teaching. When we engage in promotion and tenure discussions, every time, teaching evaluations are part of the conversation, [they] just [aren't] the only thing."
Marta Caminero-Santangelo, vice-provost for faculty development, expressed sentiments similar to Atchley's, saying that while the University takes evaluations seriously, there are several factors students might not consider while evaluating a professor.
"Students can't necessarily tell you accurately about the knowledge of the instructor about their subject," Caminero-Santangelo said. "Students can't tell you with authority if the professor is using the latest teaching methods. Just because you have one bad class doesn't mean you're a terrible teacher. It might mean you've had a bad semester or need some mentoring. As a student, you wouldn't want to be kicked out of the University for one bad class."
The student-teacher evaluation policy applies to all schools, but it is up to the departments themselves what goes on the evaluations. Most departments use the Standard Curriculum Instruction Survey. The SCIS does not
University to update Social Media Policy next spring
SEE EVALS PAGE 2
The University Senate recently finalized a procedure that outlines what would happen if someone was reported to have violated the Kansas Board of Regents' (KBOR) social media policy. According to Breeze Richardson, director of communications for KBOR, the social media policy states that employers have the right to discipline employees for speech and allows for individual universities to decide how to handle a violation of the policy.
Currently, the University doesn't
"The first part of the process is called the initial review panel and it's made of certain people appointed by different entities," said Student Vice President Miranda
The policy will implement a two-step procedure that will be used to determine the validity of accusation and what measures the University would take if someone were found guilty of violating the Board of Regents' social media policy.
have an official social media policy in place. As of fall 2014, if someone were to violate the Board of Regents' social media policy the decision would rest with the chancellor and provost as to whether or not the University should take disciplinary action against the accused.
The second part of the investigation process involves a hearing and another panel meeting in order to provide a complete cross examination, Wagner said. From there, a recommendation would be made by the panel to the provost as to what kind of action should be taken.
Wagner. "The panel would decide whether or not there is enough grounds for a full investigation. If the panel decides that there aren't enough grounds for investigations that's where the process stops."
Wagner said this policy is expected to be implemented by the University next March and will apply to all staff, students and faculty
Maegan Bull
Budget shortfall a concern in new legislative session
ALLISON KITE
@Allie_Kite
Though the start of the Kansas legislative session is still a month away, legislators are beginning to prioritize and consider issues that may come up, including the budget and voter registration. For Lawrence-area representatives and senators, this means paying attention to the needs of students.
Revisions to the fiscal year 2015 budget, which runs from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015, will be a major issue during the session because the state must make up a $279 million shortage in funds. Little can be done short term regarding revenue, which means the $279 million must be made up by cuts in expenditures. For Senator Marci Francisco and Representative Barbara Ballard, the University is going to be a concern when deciding what to cut.
Ballard said she worried that education would be cut because it makes up more than 60 percent of the budget.
"It's a very simple reason why you go there," Ballard said. "It's
"I think at this point, we're going to have to say, 'Which services can we cut?' Not just take another across-the-board cut" she said.
Through the recession and into recent years, Kansas has faced a tight budget, which means it will be a challenge to make yet another cut to budgets across the state, Francisco said.
Ballard and Francisco both attributed the shortfall to the tax cuts implemented in 2012, and Francisco suggested that a long-term solution to the fall in revenue must include a look at the tax codes, including those cuts.
the only place. It's where the bulk of the money is. Where else can you cut? When some people are getting five percent, seven percent; you can't go cut them. You have to cut where the bulk of the money is, and that's where the concern comes in: how are you going to cut?"
"We are not probably going to have the money to cover all the expenses that I think the state should take responsibility for," she said.
The governor will propose a budget for the remainder of this fiscal year and the one to follow prior to the start of the legislative session. Following his proposals, the legislature will be able to look into possible solutions, including the ones suggested in Governor Brown-back's budget.
The upcoming legislative session will mean a variety of topics to be talked about, including expanding KanCare, the private system that handles Medicare and Medicaid in Kansas, and gun legislation. A proposed expansion of Medicare would be provided completely by federal funding or at least 90 percent by federal funding. Ballard said.
Francisco said a major concern at universities, including the University of Kansas, will be open-carry of firearms on campus. The University and the city have two years to install safety checkpoints at entrances to public buildings or prepare to allow open-carry of firearms on campus.
The legislature will reconvene Jan.12 at 2 p.m.
Local churches react to new gay marriage laws
Edited by Emily Brown
HANNAH SUNDERMEYER
@hannahkaylee
"I was envious that their denomination would allow the clergy to perform a same-sex marriage, while ours prohibits it," the Rev. Tom Brady said.
the minister of the First United Methodist Church says he experienced a twinge of jealousy when he learned a gay couple was married recently at Plymouth Congregational Church.
Reactions to the Nov. 17 ceremony by other Lawrence pastors was mixed, with some saying they would perform a gay marriage ceremony if their churches allowed it and others not even entertaining the idea.
The Rev. Mark Rich of Trinity Lutheran Church said like Brady, he would perform such ceremonies if his denomination allowed them.
"I know that a lot of Christians believe that the church is supposed to be the official sponsor of heterosexuality, but it's not," Rich said. "The church exists in order to carry and embody the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the gospel is not about sex."
in contrast, Pastor John M. McFarland of Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, said he would never perform gay marriage ceremonies, no matter what the state allows or mandates.
"While I aim to be as agreeable as possible, I am being unaffairful to my calling as a minister in the Christian church if I say yes to practices about which God's word says 'no'" McFarland said.
McFarland said he supports the ideals of the strength of Biblical Christianity standing as faith that is permanent and unchanging.
"Every culture of man has
CLASSIFIEDS 9 CRYPTOQUIPS 6 SPORTS 10
CROSSWORD 6 OPINION 4 SUDOKU 6
Don't Forget
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism)
Does not believe in gay marriage
Lutheran — Does not permit gay marriage
Muslim — Does not permit gay marriage
Judaism According to information posted by Pew Research Religion & Public Life Research, "The Reform and Reconstructionist Jewish movements have supported gay and lesbian rights, including same-sex marriage, since the mid-1990s. In June 2012, the Conservative Jewish movement approved a ceremony to allow same-sex couples to marry. All three movements also allow individual rabbis to choose not to officiate at the weddings of gay and lesbian couples. Orthodox Judaism does not accept same-sex marriage."
Hinduism There has not been an official decision made on gay marriage. There are some practicing Hindus who accept it and others who do not.
United Church of Christ Advocates in favor of same-sex marriage and performs ceremonies, however this differentiates between congregations.
— issued a decision allowing Presbyterian ministers to bless same-sex unions as long as those ceremonies do not equate same-sex unions with marriage." (Pew Forum)
Catholic Opposes gay marriage because of the belief that a union should remain between man and woman
Methodist - While proposals have been made to support the blessings of same-sex couples, marriage ceremonies are not performed or allowed.
Presbyterian — Same-sex marriage is not permitted. "In 2000, however, the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission — the denomination's highest judicial body
this tension of trying to respect what is from former times, hopefully representing what endures, while adjusting to the best of what is developing" McFarland said.
The Catholic Church is also set against gay marriage, although under Pope Francis there has been more discussion about whether the church should be more welcoming to gay members. Traditionally, the church has said homosexual acts are sinful but not necessarily just having a gay orientation.
"The Catholic Church makes
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