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The

Times-Delphic

Monday Sept. 10, 2012

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Campus News

‘Parks and Recreation’ talks voting Lauren Horsch

Editor-in-Chief tdeditorinchief@gmail.com

Luke Nankivell | photo editor

RASHIDA JONES AND ADAM SCOTT talk to students on Pomerantz Stage about the importance of voting.

After a few hiccups early on in the day, the stars of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” made it to Pomerantz Stage to meet Drake University voters. Rashida Jones and Adam Scott made their first stop in a two-day trip around Iowa universities on Saturday. They spoke to a crowd of about 75 people concerning the importance of voting and going out to support their candidate. “It’s inspiring to see all of you doing this,” Scott said to the audience. The two of them joked about possible hostile situations that could occur during canvassing for a candidate during the big Cy-Hawks game. “The main thing we’re

Student Senate

trying to get out though, is early voting,” Scott said. “This is incredibly important work you’re doing here today, to spread the word of Sept. 27 being the first day that early voting starts.” Jones told the crowd they were “awesome” and thanked them for the dedication they have. The two actors encouraged the students to tell their friends to go out and vote and canvass their communities to help register voters. In an interview with The Times-Delphic, Jones said she was out encouraging college students to vote because there are a lot issues that are important to students. They also said coming out to Iowa universities was important because Iowa is a swing state. “Iowa, historically holds so much weight, with the

caucus and with the early voting, and I think they really do send a message to the rest of the country,” Jones said. “All eyes are on Iowa, I think, all the time when it comes to an election.” Scott added that it was inspiring to see how involved Iowa voters are in elections. The two of them also wanted to reach the voter base outside of the realm of the Internet. “There’s just something about connecting with people personally that is impossible to do on the Internet,” Jones said. After leaving Drake, Jones and Scott headed to Iowa State and the University of Northern Iowa. Yesterday they finished up their twoday trip in Cedar Rapids and the University of Iowa. The meet and greet was sponsored by Bulldogs for Barack.

Campus News

Crime control dominates discussion Evaluations,

Lauren Horsch

Editor-in-Chief tdeditorinchief@gmail.com

While the student senators waited patiently for the Academic Affairs Committee to arrive, the sounds of Phoenix entered the Fishbowl in Cowles Library. The agenda for the evening was sparse — No motions to be voted on. Once the AAC arrived, the meeting started, and only lasted for 40 minutes. Chair of the AAC, Sen. Stephen Slade apologized for the delay explaining they were in a committee meeting with the new provost, Deneese Jones. During the meeting, Dean of Students Sentwali Bakari spoke about some of the safety concerns students have been having recently. “You might be aware of a shooting that took place last night (Sept. 5) over by Drake Park,” he said. “That’s a second time we’ve had something in that area.” Bakari said the university

deemed the shooting not a threat after calls to campus security, marketing and President David Maxwell. He explained that to deem an incident not a threat to campus various factors have to be taken into consideration such as are students involved, the location of the incident and what type of incident. “The president is concerned,” Bakari said. Because of this concern they are setting up meetings with the chief of Des Moines Police to talk about crime trends in that area. Slade brought up frustration from social media that night when students wanted clarification on the location of the incident. Tweets went out from the Des Moines Register saying the location was Drake Park, but there was confusion as to if it was Drake Park apartments on 34th Street, or the Drake Park area just east of campus. He said it might be good

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in the future to get some sort of communication about an incident on or near campus. “It’s a tough call sometimes,” Bakari said. He said there is some caution to make sure all the information they send out is confirmed. Student Body President Amanda Laurent began the meeting with discussion about committee appointments and a new weekly blog she is starting for Senate. Her blog will be posted every Monday on the Senate website (drakesenate.com). “This past Monday was low-key, but next Monday I hope to get into meatier issues,” she said. Laurent said a monthly newsletter would also be going out at the end of the month to keep the student body informed. Vice President of Student Life, David Karaz took the helm of the meeting next to speak about how many committee applications went out and the start of Senate Executive meetings. Sen-

Monday

Tuesday

>Tara Sonenshine lecture > Meredith 101 >3:30 p.m.

>Sigma Chi Fashion Show >Sigma Chi house >7:30 p.m.

ate Exec is made up of the nine senators-at-large, the student body president, the vice presidents and the firstyear senator once he or she is elected. Karaz added that all members of Senate could attend those meetings, even if they are not an at-large. The exec meetings are more of an informal meeting for the senators to discuss what will be coming up around the table in future meetings. He spoke about a Student Senate Five-Year Strategic plan that was produced by former senators and the Senate Feedback Initiative. “Five years ago, there was a strategic plan that student senate put out, and it was never touched, and it has not to be found,” he said. Once a month, senators would bring one person (administrator, Des Moines Leader) and set them up with a senator to discuss what the organization does and then have

>> SENATE, page 2

making changes

Meagan Flynn

Staff Writer meagan.flynn@drake.edu

The end of each course signals course evaluations, and so students complete them and scribble their comments and rank their professors on a scale from one to five in multiple categories. But then they leave, and likely they will not find out whether or not their evaluations were taken to heart. Lucky for senior Daniel Park, one of his professors distributes mid-semester evaluations so that Park and his classmates are able to witness the effectiveness. “One of my professors usually does a mid-semester course evaluation so he can improve the teaching in the middle of the semester,” Park said. “He reads through every evaluation and really listens to what the student says.” But other students are

Wednesday >Guest recital, Gerry Pagano, bass trombone >Sheslow >7:30 p.m.

not as lucky, and do not have the proof of effectiveness that Park has had. “There’s some professors who hand them out, and you never hear from them again,” sophomore Daniel Hansen said. However, according to deans and professors from multiple schools at Drake, the evaluations are a serious matter and are used in a myriad of ways. “It allows the students to give feedback to the professors about what worked and what didn’t work,” said Kathleen Richardson, director and associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. “The course evaluations are also looked at by the administration and are part of the tenure and promotion

>> EVALS, page 2

Thursday

>Stand Up Comedian, Al Westport >Upper Olmsted >8 p.m.

>Bucksbaum Lecture, Jimmy Carter >Knapp Center >7 p.m.

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THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Vol. 132 | No. 3 | Sept. 10, 2012


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