THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 190
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Herbs can do a lot to boost your health. Check out how to make your own remedies.Also hear from an herbalist,a naturopath doctor and a physician to see the benefits and risks of herbs.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
VOL. 115 ISSUE 137
WWW.KANSAN.COM
GRADE INFLATION
BOVE
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2005
Students and faculty wonder if grades accurately measure learning as GPAs steadily increase
BY NEIL MULKA nmulka@kansan.com
AVERAGE
All students like good grades. And grade point averages across the country, including at the University of Kansas, show that students are getting them.
The average GPA for Kansas undergraduates increased 11.5 percent to 2.93 from 1980 to 2004. The peak was in 2003, when the average GPA was 2.97 almost a "R'" average
Professors and administrators are worried about grade inflation, meaning work done 20 years ago would have earned a "C" but is now yanking in an "A."
"It's wicked and ought to be stopped," said Michael Johnson, director of the Freshman-Sophomore English Program at the University. "It makes evaluations of student performance meaningless."
institutions, according to grade inflation.com, a grade inflation database Web site. From 1991 to 2002, GPAs at public universities increased .15 of a point, from 2.82 to 2.97.
The University of Kansas isn't included in the Web site's database.
The University's GPA increase is on pace with other learning
Gradeinflation.com has GPAs based on a four-point scale from almost 90 universities nationwide and was created by Stuart Rojstaczer, a Duke associate professor of engineering.
Even though he tracks it, Rojstaczer admitted that he didn't give the grades that his students deserved to keep his class enrollment up. He said hadn't given a student a "D" since 1997.
Rojstaczer, who has written extensively on university issues, created the Web site to have an easily accessible database of GPAs and to dispel rumors that grade inflation was only an Ivy League or a humanities problem.
University administrators are worried that their schools look like "degree mills" because of the higher and higher GPAs, said Marlesa Roney, vice provost for student success.
Students come in and come out years later with a degree without an effort, she said.
But that doesn't mean all students are just going through the motions.
There isn't any lack of effort on the students' part to keep grades up, Brandon Grimm, Shawnee freshman, said.
"I know a lot of kids who bust their butts and still don't get the score they want." Grimm said.
Give me the 'A'! I paid for it!
Late-night cram sessions in the library or the less-than-noble route of cheating may not be the reason for the grade increase. Some students and parents may be asking for higher grades.
SEE AVERAGE ON PAGE 6A
illustrations by Cameron Monken/KANSAN
STUDENT SENATE
Violations grow to 10
The Student Voice coalition has received two more election code violations, Luke Thompson, elections commission chairman, said yesterday. The coalition will have a hearing Monday in the Kansas Union to find out the severity of the violations.
Both violations concern Student Voice's campaigning. The coalition was campaigning in front of Budig Hall, which was not approved by the commission before hand, Jason Boots, Student Senate legislative director, said. Boots, Planto, Texas, junior and member of the KUited coalition, will complete his term next week when a new executive staff is named by the student body president and vice president.
This brings up the total number of violations the coalition has received to 10. Delta Force has not received any violations, and Witnesses have
KUnited has received two.
Dennis Chanay, presidential candidate for Student Voice, has repeatedly voiced his displeasure with the elections commission
Chanay
and does not think it has served its purpose throughout the election. Chanay said yesterday he was unaware of the latest violations that had been filed against the coalition.
—Daniel Berk
BOARD OF REGENTS
BY DANI LITT
dllt@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITE
Employees await Regents' decision
Classified employees can look forward to a salary increase this summer if the Board of Regents approves the University's request to be removed from the State Civil Service.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed Senate Bill 74, which will allow classified positions and salaries to be managed by the University and Board of Regents rather than by the civil service system. The bill was passed 73-43 by the House of
Representatives and 30-0 by the Senate.
Under the civil service system, employees are governed by state rules and regulations. This is especially important in regarding employee salaries and job titles. Salary raises have been nonexistent in the past few years.
About 1,500 employees are under the state civil service system, including library assistants, custodial staff, accountants, office specialists and employees at the KU Public Safety Office.
STUDENT LIFE
SEE DECISION ON PAGE 3B
As students rush to sell, pawn buyback drops
BY ADAM LAND
aland@kansan.com
KANSAN CAFFE WRITER
As the Spring semester comes to a close, students with cluttered residence halls or apartments have a need to get rid of unwanted or unnecessary items.
Televisions, VCRs and other electrical equipment often have to be unloaded, said John Geery, manager of Jayhawk Pawn and Jewelry, 1804 W. Sixth St.
"Around late May and late July we see students bringing in televisions and other electronic equipment," Geery said. "Whenever students move, we usually see them in here."
Pawnshops in Lawrence are preparing to see an increase in
student activity within the next month as graduation approaches and students move out.
He said people come in trying to sell TVs expecting to get as much as $20, but usually they can only offer $5 or so because 20 other students are trying to sell their TVs.
"I got a lot of video games and some other electronic stuff I want to sell after I'm out of the dorms," Cory Abbott, Leavenworth freshman, said. "I just don't really need them all."
The money pawnshops will give for items does not change, Geery said, but if the store has enough of one item they will turn the offer away.
Although the pawnshops see more students at certain times
of the year, students trickle in with all sorts of things to sell, such as an aluminum art easel, Geery said.
"I sold a bass amp," Evan McGuire, Dodge City freshman, said. "I needed a new one and just wanted some cash for it."
Musical equipment can also be pawned for some extra cash or an investment in a future purchase.
Students, mainly girls, want to sell rings or other jewelry, said Doug Wahl, owner of Lawrence Pawn and Jewelry, 944 E. 23rd St.
"We see a lot of girls that bring in these little rings that often we don't even want," he
Jewelry is also a big part of a pawnshops' business.
"I sold back a watch once to get some money." Abbott said.
He said he couldn't remember what he used the money for but that it must have been a frivolous buy.
"I probably blew it that night," he said.
Jewelry and electronics are the main types of items sold and bought at a pawnshop, but some things are a little strange.
"People in general can bring in the weirdest things," Geery said. "I once had a student try to pawn turkey breasts around Thanksgiving."
Men can sell back jewelry, too.
— Edited by Nikola Rowe
Illustration by Brock Potucek/KANSAN
Today's weather
said.
All contents, unless stated otherwise. © 2005 The University Daily Kansan
1.
Spring concert
Spring concert The University Dance Company will explore love, grief and squirrels in pieces performed at the Lied Center tonight and tomorrow night. One of the pieces features music from the Squirrel Nut Zippers. PAGE 2A
Baseball
Fitting in
Despite 11 hits and home runs from Gus Miller and A.J. Van Slyke, Kansas dropped the third game in its season series with Wichita State. Page 1B
Butler County Community College transfer Brian Murph proved during Saturday's spring game that he has found his niche as a wide receiver for the Jayhawks. PAGE 4B
北
Counter KUlpture Does counterculture activism really make a
EXCLUSIVE online. Results will be published next week.