MONDAY, JANUARY 27
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Discussion on donors takes new form at GV BY HANNAH LENTZ HLENTZ@LANTHORN.COM
On Jan. 15, the Grand Valley Police Department responded to a report of destruction of property at the Mary Idema Pew library. “Money shouldn’t indicate education” and “donate for good, not recognition” were written on a donor recognition plaque in the library, officers said. Police are continuing to investigate the total damages and other case specifics. Since the opening of the library for the 2013-2014 academic year, this has been the first public act of vandalism in the building. Images of the graffiti were posted on various
social media outlets by students. Some reacted negatively when they saw the posts. “Whoever vandalized the library was wrong in doing so,” GVSU sophomore Jessica Hamlin said. “I believe we should have free speech, but not if it’s done by destroying our school’s property. Maybe if we encourage freedom of expression in other ways besides vandalism more students will be willing to use the other methods.” Capt. Brandon DeHaan, assistant director of DPS, and other campus authorities stressed the various options that students have on campus to express their opinions, including
conversations in the classroom setting and in campus publications. “We are fortunate here at Grand Valley that we have very little damage done to our campus,” DeHaan said. “However, it is very inappropriate when someone is using a building structure as a canvas for personal expression. Damage of such a nature is a true crime. If individuals wish to express themselves there are many other means of dialogue across campus.” Depending on the damage done and the SEE VANDALISM ON A2
Vandalism: Near the library entrance, graffiti was found on the commemorative plaque.
COURTESY | ARIEL MOKDAD
GVPD captain: Graffitied Mary Idema Pew Library plaque an inappropriate ‘canvas for personal expression’
Student Senate cabinet to talk free speech code munity can educate each other and help resolve some of the conflict. The topic of free speech at “Right now, I think stuGrand Valley State University dents have an idea of what’s came up more than once dur- happening and administration ing Thursday’s Student Senate have an idea of what’s hapmeeting. So far, Student Sen- pening, and they’re not really ate has not taken legislative coinciding very well together,” action regarding the issue Benavidez said. “So we’re just of free speech that has been trying to get that education buzzing around campus since there and see if we can all figthe Lanthorn published sev- ure out what’s happening.” eral administrators’ responses One thing that Benavidez to an editorial. said people are misunderstandPresident Ricardo Benaviing is that this dez said he does conflict is about not believe legismore than free lative action will speech. need to be taken. “I also think “I think of- ...they’re that there is two ten times we get different issues, caught up in the not really the freedom of idea that we need coinciding speech and then to write a resoalso the donors very well... lution to make and the red room change,” Benavi- RICARDO BENAVIDEZ issue,” he said. dez said. “But I SENATE PRESIDENT “They’re two septhink a converarate issues that sation is where are combined, we need to start, and that’s not but I think if we break them a conversation between two apart and then talk about them people, it’s a conversation be- together, it’ll be a lot easier to tween groups of people.” manage.” Instead, the entire body of GVSU senior Ian Post, a the senate will receive neces- member of the student orgasary information about the nization Advocates for Jourissue and will have conversa- nalism, approached the senate tions within their committees, during public comment with starting with the cabinet. Sen- his idea of what should be ators will collaborate within done about the conflict. their committees and bring “I was proposing a task force their best ideas to the general that I drafted to study the freeassembly meeting. doms at Grand Valley regarding “We’ll see where to go freedom of speech, freedom of from there,” Benavidez said. expression and freedom of the “Whether we need to have a press,” Post said. committee take on the spePost said he wants to get cific freedoms at Grand Val- more students active and use ley, if we want to morph it into other realms to bring attention something, or if we want to to the issue such as student bring it to the faculty.” demonstrations, newsletters Even before the planned and leaflets. Post said that he collaboration with the cabi- suggests any realm that isn’t net, Benavidez suggested that illegal, such as vandalism, and a public forum similar to a if necessary some institutional town hall meeting be held. He change at the level of Student said he hopes the GVSU com- Senate.
BY CLAIRE FODELL
Words of advice: Jeff Johnson, a regular contributor on MSNBC, spoke on Wednesday as part of the events for Martin Luther King Jr. week. He stressed that people’s focus should change from adding diversity to becoming a community.
COURTESY | MICHELE COFFILL
ASSISTANTNEWS@ LANTHORN.COM
CREATING COHESION Journalist speaks about shifting focus from diversity to community BY CARLY SIMPSON NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Campuses across America have entered the season of blackness. Journalist, author and political commentator Jeff Johnson defines this as the period of time when it’s “acceptable” to be black on campus. The season extends from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day through the end of February, he said. On Jan. 22, Johnson gave the keynote address for the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Week at Grand Valley State University. Johnson is a regular contributor to MSNBC and is the chairman of the Jeff Johnson Institute for Urban Development, an institution committed to recruiting and developing 80,000 African American male teachers. “Jeff Johnson continues to be a trailblazing social entrepreneur and authen-
tic voice for changes,” said Donald Mitchell, Jr., assistant professor of education at GVSU. During his address, Johnson challenged students to go beyond diversity. He told them to build a community. “How do you begin to navigate this whole notion of diversity,” Johnson asked. “Because it’s a bunch of nonsense on most days. I’ve seen the brochures. The one that’s got the black person, the white person, the Asian or Latino and then the ethnically ambiguous person sitting somewhere on campus.” However, while on campus that scene is seldom viewed, he said. “You can see diversity because I can point to the kid who is here from India, the kid who is here from Nigeria and the kid who has never seen a tall building before,” Johnson said. “I
can check off all those boxes Johnson also challenged of gay and straight and reli- students to to think about gious and nonreligious, but the true definition of a where is the community?” leader, saying most leaders Johnson said that of- he meets today are selfish. tentimes at institutions of He said many take on a pohigher education students sition only because it will are afraid to engage in con- make them look good on versations about resumes for inrace and diverternships. sity. The con“Those are versations can the leaders that I be uncomfortmeet more often able, and stu- We’ve got to... whether they’re dents only at- get to a place in the halls of tend events that government or of building are required, whether they’re enticed by the community. in civic orgapromise of class nizations,” he JEFF JOHNSON credit. said. “Because It’s easy to AUTHOR we have created build diversity, a self-serving Johnson said, but it’s hard environment that believes to build community. leadership is about how I “How often do we chal- can get mine versus how I lenge our own friends that can provide a different realare less enlightened than we ity.” are?” he asked. “We’ve got to King understood there be willing to do what’s un- was something bigger than comfortable to get to a place of building community.” SEE JOHNSON ON A2
ECS continues debate on student evaluations Members recommend a new, standardized measure to UAS as GV professors debate the issue BY CARLY SIMPSON NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
The discussion on Grand Valley State University student evaluations is continuing its slow trek forward. On Friday, the Executive Committee of the Senate passed a motion to recommend a new evaluation method to the University Academic Senate. The motion suggests that the university adopt a standardized measure that is both reliable and valid. “In psychology we have no idea who created our evaluation,” psychology professor Brian Lakey said. “We have no idea what it measures. We pretend we are doing this thing with sophistication and we’re not, but we could.” There is still a lot to figure out and some wonder if the proposal is even feasible. Karen Gipson, chair of the ECS, received several emails from professors at GVSU regarding the issue.
“A main concern is that we are a as an alternative to www.ratemyprovery diverse campus and we are not fessor.com and other websites. able to standardize evaluations and we Another discussion included shouldn’t try,” Gipson said. what constitutes good teaching and Several town hall how students should meetings were held evaluate their profesthroughout January to alsors. Some departlow faculty the chance to ments, such as nursing, provide input. Some disfocus more on outcome If we’re not cussion revolved around based learning than how the evaluations will committed... others. be administered. “We want to be we’re wasting In the past, those given able to tell the comonline through Black- our time. munity and the inboard have had very low stitutions that hire response rates. Sugges- BRIAN LAKEY our students that we PROFESSOR tions to improve those are producing gradurates ranged from withates who can meet holding grades to having all evaluations the requirements of their job completed in class. positions,” nursing professor Joy Some faculty recommended that Washburn said. “Frankly, (emthe results of the evaluations be pub- ployers) are not going to care lished and made available to students that 80 percent of the students
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thought that the instructor was enthusiastic about teaching the course. They’re going to be concerned that I produced a graduate who can work with others as a member of a team.” The big question then is what form of evaluation can effectively measure a faculty member. “My head is spinning,” said Donijo Robbins, professor of public finance. “There are multiple things going on from what questionnaire do we use to process and deciding what role student evaluations play anyway in determining what effective teaching is.” Though the ECS motion suggests that the university adopt a standardized measure of evaluation, it does not suggest a specific instrument or form to use. IDEA and SEEQ have been dis-
cussed as possible options, though neither one has received widespread support. Some ECS members asked why the discussion is even being held if there isn’t a good instrument available. Others think the university needs to first commit to using a standardized measure. “If we’re not committed to reliable and valid quantitative measurement, we’re wasting our time,” Lakey said. “To me it’s backwards to pick an instrument first because if we aren’t committed to reliable measurements then we don’t have to bother to pick an instrument to use.” The debate continued for more than an hour at the meeting and though several things remain undecided, the ECS was able to move forward and voted in favor of presenting the motion to UAS senators during the meeting this Friday.