Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

TIME FOR TENURE An INSIDE LOOK AT THE PATH PROFESSORS TAKE TO BECOME TENURED AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

PHOTO BY T.C. BREWSTER/O’COLLY

P ROFESSOR TEN URE

cover s t o ry

The path to professor tenure explained Jac ob Stur m Staff Reporter @ Jacob M Stu r m

Hearing the phrase “tenured professor” might bring a bitter taste to the mouth of the average person, but at Oklahoma State University, tenure can mean so much more.

Tenure is awarded to professors on the path through a meticulous process that takes about seven years to complete.

During this time, professors will be evaluated on the success they have had since they joined the university and their performance executing their jobs.

The process of awarding tenure to professors is not a one-man job.

Students can influence the tenure decision through their success in the classroom and through rating their teachers.

Henry Adams, an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Biology, Ecology and Evolution, described the impact students’ feedback can have on the tenure process.

“That’s a big part of how my teaching is evaluated,” Adams said. “In our department, that’s the main criteria that is used.

It’s literally how are the students rating you on the student survey of instruction. So that’s a big deal.”

Student ratings also impact professors not on the tenure track. Justin Rice, a teaching assistant professor, attributes the students’ evaluations for his promotion from guest lecturer.

“My student evaluations are off the charts,” Rice said. “I get a lot of students who take multiple classes from me, and I’ve helped bring a number of kids into the major and minor

programs.”

At the administrative level, committees thoroughly check tenure applications to ensure the accountability of their applicants and the fairness of the tenure process.

James West, an engineering professor, is a member of the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure College-Wide Committee. West explained the role of the CEAT Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure College-Wide committee.

“We examine the Tenure and Promotion applications and Reappointment applications that have been submitted to ensure that all university policies have been followed in making the recommendations at the unit levels,” West said.

At most universities, professors can be on the tenure track or the non-tenure track. This does not mean that a professor not on the path for tenure can’t apply to get onto the tenure track if he or she chooses.

Rice is a part of the Teaching Assistant Professor program, an alternate program for professors who don’t do any research as OSU employees.

The TAP career focuses on the teaching aspect of the job. Rice noted some of the flaws with the program that the tenure track does not have.

“They haven’t set the rules in place for what it takes to be promoted,” Rice said. “So, if you have a teaching assistant to teaching associate, teaching associate to full professor just like a regular professor, none of that has been set in place yet.”

TAP-track professors do bring some controversy to the

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018

tenure system. Rice said he can see why tenure track professors could look at professors on his track negatively.

“I can understand why someone with a regular research track professorship doesn’t like our positions,” Rice said. “One thing is that there’s this question, again not settled, over whether or not we can sit on people’s thesis committees. So, I personally don’t think that I would like to sit on someone’s thesis committee without a Ph.D., but there is this possibility that someone without a Ph.D. could sit on a thesis committee for someone getting their MA.” The TAP program recently clarified that the timetable expectations for its professors will be figured out. Rice explained the TAP expectations at OSU. “Expectations for TAPs have yet to be ironed out,” Rice said. “It will be sometime next year. We were told that they are proactively working on it.”

Professors on the tenure track can begin preparing for tenure immediately after receiving a job from the university. This is not the same as the reappointment process.

West explained the reappointment process and its purpose and talked about the right time for professors to begin preparing for tenure.

“You prepare for tenure the day you get in the job because the tenure decision is made based on your accomplishments since you arrived at the university,” West said. “The reappointment process really is to help people who are not making the progress that they should be.”

Rice said tenure can be good

O’COLLY FILE PHOTO

A professor teaches a class in Murray Hall on the campus of Oklahoma State University.

for professors. It provides freedom for professors throughout their careers. Adams explained what tenure provides professors at OSU. “I think it has to do a lot with protecting academic freedom, and so if you are going to have people being freed eventually once you have tenure, being more free to study whatever you want, or not being criticized or laid off or not promoted or literally fired because of what research you are studying or what you’re working on,” Adams said. “I think it matters to have the tenure process to really show that you are really going to do a good job.”

Professors can be given more freedom to study what they want when they have the protections tenure offers them.

CEAT Dean Paul Tikalsky said there are several benefits of the added protections tenure provides professors at OSU. “Some people’s research takes a very long period of time,” Tikalsky said. “The tenure system provides you that

OCOLLY.COM

leeway to pursue very difficult topics for a very long time.”

Receiving tenure doesn’t mean professors can stop caring about the aspects of working on campus. Professors at OSU can still lose tenure in some cases. Tikalsky said he believes professors at OSU are held accountable even after receiving tenure.

“It isn’t a guarantee, quite honestly,” Tikalsky said. “You can lose tenure, but the faculty as a whole have a much greater say in who loses tenure overall, and they make sure tenure isn’t lost because of your academic stance. If you become completely unproductive, it’s entirely possible for you to be dismissed from a tenured system.”

The tenure process doesn’t change between colleges at OSU because it is considered an Oklahoma State Regents policy. Tikalsky said he believes tenure is the easiest way to hire quality faculty members at OSU, though a majority of professors at OSU are not on the tenure track.

“Because it’s in the entire system, in all universities in the U.S., it is really the only way to hire quality faculty,” Tikalsky said.

Universities are serious when considering awarding a professor tenure because the decision involves possibly employing professors for the rest of their careers. This process shows professors how much the university trusts them.

Tikalsky said the impact of appointing tenure to professors is evident and it could affect the university.

“It’s the most serious thing we do because potentially you are giving someone a 30-year job,” Tikalsky said.”And that’s a lot of money for the university, but it’s also a lot of confidence that you have put in someone.”

Jacob Sturm is a sports media sophomore from Edmond. He can be reached at jacob.sturm@ okstate.edu.

PAGE 2

ST I LLWAT ER PUB LIC SCHOOLS

NEW S

Stillwater parents concerned about public school dress code Ca i tlin Thom as staff reporter @TheCaitTh om as

The superintendent of Stillwater Public Schools will meet with a group of parents to discuss the dress code after parents expressed concern during the Board of Education’s November meeting.

During the public comments section of the meeting, Laura Emerson, a mother of a Stillwater Middle School student, read a letter that 18 parents had signed. The letter called for the school board to get rid of the dress code or to replace it with a “common sense measure,” stating that the dress code perpetuates rape culture.

“We are concerned that girls are being given the message that they are a distraction in the classroom and that they are responsible for boys’ behaviors,” the letter read.

“We are concerned that boys are getting the message that girls are responsible for their behaviors and, more seriously, that they are seen as unable to control themselves.”

Emerson passed out copies of the letter to the school board members. The letter was stapled to a copy of the current dress code and two other

dress codes that the parent group wants the school board to consider.

For Emerson, these concerns are personal. Her 12-year-old daughter has been pulled out of class multiple times for dress code violations, which Emerson said are difficult to avoid because of her daughter’s height.

“My fear is that something could happen to my child, and she’s not gonna tell a teacher because she’s wearing Nike running shorts which she’s been told she can’t wear,” Emerson said. “Does that make sense? And so it’s somehow her fault now that something has happened.”

The dress code states, “Skirts, dresses and shorts should be no shorter than the longest fingertip when held at sides.”

Students in violation of the dress code can be pulled out of class and asked to change.

Heather Fahlenkamp, a chemical engineering professor at Oklahoma State University and one of the women who signed the letter, said she has concerns about it because of the effect it has on girls’ learning experience.

“One of my priorities is getting girls interested and involved in the STEM fields,

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018

ALEX MANGOLD/O’COLLY

A group of Stillwater parents is trying to get the school district to change its dress code policy.

science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and it’s a challenge,” Fahlenkamp said.

She said the anxiety the dress code causes makes that difficult.

“I’m very discouraged if I see anything that interferes with their learning experience, their confidence,” Fahlenkamp said. “Because they’ve tied that a lot of girls not going into some of these things are because of confidence issues, and so, for me, I’m trying to break down any of those barriers so that they can have the best learning experience

possible.”

Rather than trying to attack the board or the policy, Emerson said, they just wanted to express their concerns.

“None of us have a personal agenda in terms of, you know, we want uniforms, or we want this, or we want to be hateful and ugly, which is why at the meeting we didn’t pull out any examples of anything, we just … We addressed our concerns,” Emerson said.

After Emerson read the letter to the school board, Camille DeYoung, a board member, asked Super-

OCOLLY.COM

intendent Marc Moore if he would be willing to meet with the group and discuss the dress code. That meeting is set for Dec. 7.

Emerson said for now, all they want to do is open a line of communication.

“Really our hope is just to open some dialogue and possibly come up with something that’s a little bit more commonsense in nature, and that defines why the dress code is the way it is, and then, again, addresses how you approach the student, what’s the appropriate way to address the student, when you do

have a dress code violation or a dress code issue,” Emerson said.

Moore said when he meets with them, he will focus on trying to understand their concerns and the state of the dress code at Stillwater Public Schools.

“The goals that they have, making sure their daughters feel secure, they feel safe, those are my goals, too,” Moore said.

Caitlin Thomas is a multimedia journalism sohpomore from Edmond.

She can be reached at caitlin.thomas@okstate. edu.

PAGE 3

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018

OCOLLY.COM

PAGE 4

cl a ss ifieds

Help Wanted Cowboy.net a local internet wireless service provider is looking for 2‑part‑time employees in Stillwater. Some related experience preferred. Call 405‑ 372‑7704 Extention 3.

Stay and Play pet resort hiring part‑time pet counselors. Animal experience desired. Send resume and class schedule to Baker Animal Clinic 2003 North Boomer Road Stillwater, OK. 74075 Attn: Dr. Maria

Houses For Rent Houses For Rent Apartment Rentals 2‑bedroom, 2‑bath, house.

Available Now. 8‑10 minutes from campus. All major kitchen appliances, washer/dryer hookup, fenced yard, pet friendly. . $700‑$750. 2‑floor plans.. Call 405‑880‑2785.

ATTENTION! Now Leasing for Fall 2018 Move‑In Dates

Honda of Stillwater 105 S. Perkins Road stillwaterhonda.com

Available January 1st 5 Month Leases Avail 1304 W. 4th (2‑Bed Apt) $500 Pd Water Close to OSU All Elec‑Walk In Closet 716 N. Husband (1‑Bed Apt) $425 Pd Water Wood Floors Total Electric‑ Close to Campus

Luxury duplex, 3‑bedroom, 2‑ bath, 1700 sq. ft, country living, pet friendly. $900/deposit. $900/month. 405‑880‑2785.

127 N. Duck (2‑Bed Apt) $425 Pd Water‑ Wood Floors Close to Campus‑ All Electric

We Also Have Units Available for Immediate Move‑In 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 Bedroom Homes, Apartments, Duplexes All over Stillwater and Surrounding areas.

We also have rural properties with small acreage for Horses

Mobile Home Space

www.campbellmgmt.com 405‑372‑9225 ext 0

Valley Acres Mobile Home Park, 2800 W. Lakeview. Lot available, $275/month. Requires 2008 or newer mobile home in good condition. 405‑ 372‑5532.

Houses For Rent

Stillwater Property 633 N. Husband 405‑743‑2126

Duplexes For Rent

Misc. For Sale

SCOOTERS WHY WALK?

Unique Townhouse: 2‑bedroom, 1.5‑bath, 1600 sq. ft. 2 large bedrooms upstairs with solid oak hardwood floors, downstairs features a large kitchen, and spacious living room with stained concrete floors. W/D‑hookups, CH/A, on demand hot water tank, fenced yard, pet friendly, Large Carport! $825 month. Call 405‑880‑ 2785.

FOR LEASE Foxfire 2425 W. Lakeview 2 Bed/ 2 Bath/ 2 Story loft style Home. Appliances included with washer/dryer hookups! Total Electric Utilities. Yard work included! Available NOW for only $840/month! www.foxfirestillwater.com or 405‑372‑9225

1‑5 Bedrooms available now thru June.

Website: ctros.com WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018

************************ First Month Free Beautiful, huge, 3 & 4 bedroom duplexes available.

405‑762‑6464. www.cowboyproperty.com

818 N. Husband (2‑Bed Townhouse) $500 Pd Water Close to Campus New Paint & Pets Negotiable

Business Squares

Apartment Rentals CASA MIA is pre‑leasing 1‑bedroom apartments, all bills paid w/cable & reserved parking for $620/month. Available late‑ December or early‑January.

One block east of OSU. CasaMiaOSU.com, (405) 372‑1228, or visit 140 N. Duck.

Newly remodeled! Great location! 306 S. Ramsey, 2‑bedroom, 1‑bath, CH/A, water and sewer paid. $375/bedroom.

Short leases accepted. Call or text 405‑385‑9428.

Horse Stables

Complete horse stabling facility: Indoor/Outdoor arena, round pen, pasture available.

RV parking available also.

Jack 405‑372‑2291.

To place a classified ad call 744-7355 or email lori@ ocolly.com

Classified Line Rates: 35¢ per word per day Logos and graphics are available at an additional cost of $1 per day.

Borders are also available for a flat rate of $2.

Deadline for Classifieds – Noon the business day prior to publication

Society Squares $5.00 For 7 lines. Each additional line 50¢.

Each Line is approx. 14 characters wide.

Graphics and logos available at an additional cost.

Society squares are for campus organizations, departments and the greek community only.

Business Squares $8.00

Formal Fantasy * Party/Semi‑Formal * Pageant and Performance * Wedding 121 E 9th Ave, Downtown (405)780‑7720 formalfantasy.com We also alter all types of clothing in 7‑14 days!

OCOLLY.COM

For 7 lines. Each additional line $1.00.

Each Line is approx. 14 characters wide.

Graphics and logos available at an additional cost.

Student Notices $3.00

Per day for 25 words. No borders or graphics available at this rate. Only for student groups and organizations.

Activities must be free and open to everyone.

PAGE 5

a l bum revi ew

E N T E RTAINMEN T

FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 5, 2018

Alessia Cara grows up in album ‘The Pains of Growing’ It has been three long years since Alessia Cara released the introvert theme song “Here.”

In the meantime, Cara has been growing up personally and musically, and that process is reflective in her album “The Pains of Growing,” released Nov. 30. Along with more mature lyrics, Cara’s silky-smooth voice has developed a more mature tone as she sings about heavier topics than in her past albums.

The title track “Growing Pains” encompasses the overall theme of the album with lyrics referencing having to grow up quickly in the spotlight. Although the music underneath the vocals keeps the listener entertained with beat additions and changes in the tempo, the main focus is on the emotional voice Cara carries through the song.

The vocal performance continues in “Not Today” with simple vocals and lyrics that strip the song down to be more impactful. The deep beat and almost happy undertones in the chorus bring stark contrast to the lyric’s more depressive tone.

As a break from these two heavy songs, listeners are taken to the upbeat “Trust My Lonely.” The lyrics are dissing the guy who left Cara, but now she’s doing better without him and happy on her own.

Throughout the album, there doesn’t seem to be a solid storyline, but instead it acts more as a collection of short stories, some specific like “Wherever I Live,” which describes the thoughts

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

M egan Hays Campus news editor @ o c olly

Alessia Cara/Twitter

Alessia Cara’s sophomore album “The Pains of Growing” was released Nov. 30.

in her head as she comes back to a foreign hotel room.

“My Kind” also exemplifies this with its retellings of Cara’s childhood stories, reconnecting it to the overall theme of the album.

A signature element of Cara’s music is the construction of her songs on a lyrical foundation. That shines through in all the songs on the album but particularly on “7 Days” and “Nintendo Game.” In “7 Days,” the steady and simple beat is prime for some head bobbing and foot tapping.

“Nintendo Game” has a more aggressive vibe that comes across as gamer trash-talk in the references to old-school games. The piano notes under a clapping beat give the song a groove that fits with the attitude of a romantic battle that the song describes.

To round out the theme of

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018

maturing into adulthood, “All We Know” goes through the illusion of childhood that has been revealed as just fantasy.

The electric guitar chords that introduce the song before going into the background bring out the innate disappointment that the lyrics portray.

In this album, Cara shows growth in more than just her number of track titles.

Although her voice hasn’t changed, the subjects of her songs and lyrics have matured, making this sophomore album more advanced than other artists in comparison.

The theme of the album carries throughout and reflects on the experience of growing up.

Megan Hays is a chemistry junior from Bartlesville. She can be reached at news.ed@ocolly. com.

ACROSS 1 Insurance submission 6 Spars on the briny 11 Spanish I verb 14 Vital body vessel 15 Choristers who are usually women 16 Young bloke 17 Get increasingly steamed 19 “Diary of a Wimpy __”: Jeff Kinney book series 20 Home of the NHL’s Blues 21 Scrape off 22 Radio hobbyists 23 Rickie Fowler’s org.

24 One way to travel 26 Provocative social media tactic 32 Old Italian bread?

34 Jai __ 35 Forearm-related 36 Wee hr.

38 Approves 39 Disciple’s query 40 “Am not!” retort 41 Spa treatment 43 Bullet __: list highlight 44 Battlefield order 47 __ Mode, designer voiced

by Brad Bird in “Incredibles 2” 48 Strive 49 Skinny 51 Sleeping bag closer 55 Getting stuff done, initially 58 “Who, me?”

59 Striking white stripe between a horse’s eyes 61 From A to Z 62 Venue with skyboxes 63 Expected 64 Animation frame 65 Venomous snake 66 Hindu spiritual writing DOWN 1 Despicable dudes 2 Ransack

OCOLLY.COM

12/5/18

By Mark McClain

3 Depleted sea 4 “__ Quiet Uptown”: “Hamilton” song 5 Spanish dessert wine 6 Bryn __ College 7 Goya’s “Duchess of __” 8 It may be earpiercing 9 Bullfight figure 10 ID gradually being omitted from Medicare cards 11 Water’s capability to neutralize acid 12 Injure badly 13 Track ratios 18 President who appointed two women to the Supreme Court 22 Sledding spot 23 “Yes, fine by me” 25 Pierre’s “his” 26 Second cup at a diner, e.g.

27 Unite on the sly 28 Spoken for 29 Stairway element

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

30 Statistician Silver 31 Dire 32 Bakery unit 33 Cross inscription 37 Like harvested hay 42 Video game stage 45 Black ice, e.g.

46 Boeing rival 49 All-in-one Apple 50 Florida State player, familiarly

12/5/18

52 Secured, as a win 53 Source of cones 54 Early late-night TV host 55 Lacking slack 56 Business magnate 57 Olympics coach Karolyi 59 Tower authority: Abbr.

60 The SEC’s Tigers PAGE 6

h o ros cop e

Daily Horoscope

By Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

O’COLLY MEDIA GROUP AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

106 Paul Miller Building • OSU • Stillwater, OK 74078 Phone: 405 - 744 - 6363

Level 1 2 3 4

The mission of O’Colly Media Group is to provide a professional environment where students create outstanding media and help local businesses.

Oklahoma State’s award-winning newspaper since 1895

To place an ad, call 405 - 744 - 7371 or email ads@ocolly.com To place a classified ad, call 405 - 744 - 7355 or email lori@ocolly.com To pitch a story idea, call 405 - 744 - 6365 or email news.ed@ocolly.com To report an error, complaint or other issue, email editorinchief@ocolly.com To report an issue with newspaper delivery, email lori.radford@okstate.edu or call 405 - 744 - 7355

12/5/18

Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

© 2018 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018

Available throughout campus in print MWF, inside the Stillwater News Press TWF

O'Colly Creative provides creative solutions for all of your marketing needs from website to video and ad campaigns to social media.

We make cool stuff. Come by Studio 108 and hang out!

For a free consultation, email ocollycreative@gmail.com

OCOLLY.COM

Today’s Birthday (12/05/18). Envision your dreamy future this year. Income rises with dedication and persistence. Insights percolate for growing fitness, vitality and excellence. Extra winter income inspires new academic or travel directions. An abundant summer harvest fills your shared accounts, inspiring an income shift. Align actions for love.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Make plans and reservations. The next two weeks favor travel, research and higher education. Reinforce long-distance connections. The road ahead looks clear.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Monitor budgets and expenses. Cut risk and speculation. Don’t fall for a trick.

Review your reserves, and strategize for growth over the next few weeks.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 9 -- Join forces with a clever partner. Communication and cooperation flow with ease. You’re surrounded by love. Cook up something fun and interesting.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Stick to reliable routines, especially with physical efforts. Guard your energy and health. Balance a busy work schedule with self-care, exercise and rest.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- New romance blossoms. Plan for some fun today and tomorrow, especially.

Consider all options. Go for substance over symbolism. Avoid expensive extras. Simple ingredients satisfy.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Home comforts draw you in. Enjoy a domestic renewal phase. Clean closets and drawers. Renovate and beautify your space. Make repairs and upgrades.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- You’re especially brilliant. Write, sketch and express your views. Make practical modifications. Resist the temptation to overspend. Accept another’s ideas. Listen to your muses.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Get into a profitable groove. Have faith in your own imagination and talents. Keep your promises and deadlines. You have more options than you thought.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- You’re especially strong, confident and creative over the next few weeks. Try not to break anything. Outdoor recreation is in the realm of possibility.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Rest and recharge.

Plan your next moves in advance. Meditate on how you’d like things to go. Envision perfection, and determine your strategies.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Solutions come from friends and social connections. Dive into a community effort or cause. Creative efforts take a leap forward. Sign papers, post and publish.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 9 -- Your career is taking off. Don’t ignore your fears; use them for motivation. Crazy dreams seem possible. Talks move forward now. A barrier dissolves.

PAGE 7

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018

OCOLLY.COM

PAGE 8