THE
OTUNDA
Sixty-fourth year
Number 16
Tuesday, February 5, 1985
English Professors Studied To Teach Bleak House A four-day workshop was held at Longwood College recently for English faculty members whose freshman English students are reading a lengthy novel, Bleak House by Charles Dickens. Under the pilot program, [which is funded by a grant from [the national Endowment for the Humanities, all students in English 101 are required to read and "know well" a major long I novel. Teaching the work serially — as many literature I classics were first published — encourages more thorough, lasting knowledge of the classics which have shaped Western culture, say the faculty involved |in the program. Students in 30 classes will I read the 770-page Bleak House this semester. The novel will be taught in 20 installments, similar [to the way in which it was [Originally published. Twelve English faculty Imembers attended the (workshop, which was held on [the campus Jan. 9, 10. 11 and
Longwood College Farmville, Virginia
Faculty Evaluations To Be Improved
14. They discussed the content and themes of the novel, methods of teaching it, and the course itself, said Dr. Ellery Sedgwick, who is directing the program. Dr. Michael Moore, from the history department of Appalachian State University, came to discuss the historical, social and cultural background of the novel. Funding for the workshop was provided for in the grant, which expires in December. A similar three-day workshop will be held in August, said Dr. Sedgwick. Dr. Michael Lund; Dr. Donald Stuart, head of the English. Philosophy and Foreign Languages department; and Dr. Massie Stinson also are involved in the program. English 101, a composition and literature course, is required of all four-year students at Longwood. Students will also be expected to study shorter works of literature and to sharpen their composition skills, in addition to reading Bleak House.
I
\ Dr. Ellery Sedgwick leads a discussion at the workshop. From left: Dr. William Frank. Dr. Massie Stinson and Dr. Michael Lund.
By David S. Areford All of us have heard them— complaints—complaints about Dr. So and So and what he did or did not do in class, or about the grading of the midterm, or the papers he never returned, and on and on. The question is—Does anyone notice these things but us? And how and to whom can we vote our complaints? According to the Longwood Faculty Handbook, "Department Heads will make an annual evaluation of the performance and contributions of individual faculty members..." Dr. Charles B. Vail, Interim Dean of the Faculty, concurs on this point. "I think it is important that the reviews be done on an annual basis even if there is no particular action to follow these reviews." Dr. Vail has been meeting with department heads with one objective being to improve the existing process of evaluation. Faculty are also indirectly pushing for an improved system of evaluation as evidenced by a faculty proposal before the Board of Visitors that would have some salary increments money driven by performance appraisal rather than given across the board. And that would require an improved evaluation process. Though the issue of salary, promotion, and tenure are important to evaluation, Dr. Vail's view of performance evaluation is "foremost to assist the instructor to be a better instructor, to improve on the performance as a professor and as a scholar." Students also have a part in performance evaluation by filling
out the course/instructor evaluation forms which are distributed at the end of each semester. In the past these forms were carried to the Registrar's office by a student where they would be kept until the professor turned in semester grades. Last semester, these forms were taken to the Department Heads for safekeeping. Dr. Vail hopes that by the end of this semester the statistical results of these forms will be computerized. Thus only the statistical result will be seen by the instructor and not the in-
then it may reach the Dean of the Faculty. Dr. Vail warns that students must realize that often names must be used and the student cannot always be protected against negative reaction on the part of a faculty member. Dr. Vail also says that the student must have "pretty solid evidence that the professor is failing in his responsibilities or being abusive of them." Solid evidence includes, "failure to come to class, dismissing the class capriciously, using class time to talk about
— Faculty Reviews — dividual forms. This will not only be a more efficient process but also a protection for the student. The present policy is that faculty members are only "urged" to use these forms. But Dr. Vail says that it is in the faculty member's interest to use the forms and the statistical results. "Student views on their work are among the issues that one must consider in talking about tenure and promotion. And most faculty members work rather diligently to see that the file that is maintained on their work is as complete and up to date as possible. Students can use these evaluation forms to express their views anonymously to their professors. But what about more serious complaints? The most direct channel for complaints concerning individaul professors is the Department Head. If the problem still cannot be solved,
things that have no relevance to the course, failure to return test papers, inaccurate grading of test papers, and in any way abuse of the normal kind of relationship between professor and class or professor and the student." Some students feel that their complaints will get nowhere because a faculty member has tenure. (The Faculty Handbook states that "an appointment with tenure is an appointment which is continuous and permanent in nature") But Dr. Vail assures Continued on page 5
Inside P.O.W.'s Remain in Vietnam, page 3 Send a Valentine's Message in the Rotunda, page 3
Campus Pub Likely To Open In Fall By Frank Raio In response to the concern |xpressed by students over the lelayed completion of the Student Rec Center, the Student iovernment Association sent >presentatives to discuss the hatter with Phyllis Mable, Vicerresident for Student Affairs. jhe delay has been caused, |ccording to Mable, by the timeDnsuming bid system that the irginia Legislature requires. Ltate institutions must receive
bids for all work contracted out. The physical plant is capable of building a stage or removing walls, but electrical work, for example must be bid on by private contractors. The lowest bid gets the contract. The bid system does add time to a project like the Student Rec Center. The time that will lapse between deciding on the style of the furniture to be used and the actual delivery of that furniture
will be four months, which along with other delays will likely push the opening of the Student Center to August 1985. Original estimates had claimed that the Student Center would be open October 1984 ARA designed the plans for the student center, which will be a part of the existing snack bar. The Student Rec Center will be
operated by ARA. Beer will be served, regardless of the change in the drinking age. The SGA representatives suggested to Mable that the blueprints and artist's conception of the Student Center be posted in Lankford; these drawings were put on display within the week and may be seen at the Student Recreation Center Site.
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Finnish Instructor at Longwood, page 5