|
January 1997
by Dr. John W. Bardo -- jbardo@wcu.edu
Welcome back from the holidays. I hope that you had a relaxing time and that the Fall semester went well for you. Near the end of last semester I sent a note to all faculty asking for examples of what you are doing to increase academic expectations in your classes. Within a couple of days I received 27 responses. Because of the quality of what was sent to me, I thought I would share the information. Below is a brief summary of the responses:
Required attendance
Many of the responses spoke to attendance requirements. Faculty ranged from one to four in the number of allowed absences before penalties are assessed. Given the amount of literature that shows that required attendance is a key to student learning, this is a strong move. The faculty members in Interior Design are now enforcing a class attendance policy that states "students are expected to attend class, arrive prior to the beginning of class and remain the duration unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor." No more than three absences are allowed, "every absence thereafter will result in the final semester grade being lowered one letter grade." Arriving late also has its penalty: three tardies equal one absence. Tests are taken only on specified dates, and "make-up" tests are not allowed.
Writing assignments
The most common change in courses mentioned by nearly all who responded involves increases in the number and type of writing assignments. Several faculty commented that they are giving several smaller assignments which are graded both on the quality of the writing and the content. The feeling was that the level of writing improved across the semester as a result of this approach. Several faculty also are requiring their students to use the Internet and wordprocessors for writing. Thus, they are integrating writing and technological competency.
Peer learning, facilitating, and group learning
Several faculty responded that they were experimenting with various forms of peer and group learning to create active, rather than passive, learning environments.
Outside readings
A number of faculty are requiring students to read material that will not be discussed in class, but over which the student is tested. Some of our colleagues are requiring notes on the material to be turned in to be graded, others are not.
In addition to these types of changes which were mentioned several times, there were a number of specific activities that fit specific classes. These involved increased computer use, Internet use, setting up "chat rooms," and specific laboratory assignments. At least two faculty mentioned that they had moved on their own to "raise the bar" several years ago and they appreciated the University attention to the issue. The Department of English is now making extensive use of the computer lab in all freshman composition classes, and Jim Byer estimates that 95 percent of all students in freshman English composition utilized this resource during the Fall Semester, and even more will in this Spring Semester. Dr. Byer says the use of computers in those classes has become essential.
One faculty member also suggested that each department should hold a faculty meeting to discuss what raising academic standards means to them. This is a good idea, and I hope that a number of departments will consider it.
On the negative side, I have heard from students and from several colleagues that a few people canceled all their classes during Thanksgiving week and that, in some classes, final exams were given during the last week of class. If this is happening in your department, I would encourage you to have a talk with these colleagues. These actions hurt the reputation of each of us and contribute to the myth that Western is not academically strong. Institutional self-respect is involved each time short-cuts are taken. If we are to maintain our self-respect as an institution, we can ill afford actions that suggest that our academic work need not be taken seriously. We need to continue to attack this myth.
Behavioral Issues
Those of you who have attended the Faculty Senate are aware of how concerned I have been with behavioral problems that have come to light that involve student binge drinking. While I will not elaborate on the specific incidents here, several off-campus incidents involved serious situations. We also are seeing problems with alcohol abuse and some marijuana use in the residence halls.
It is important to note that the issues we are facing are not unique to Western, but represent a local manifestation of a national phenomenon. At the same time, we may be in somewhat a unique situation with regard to possible solutions. To this end, I have asked Vice Chancellor Jacobs and Dean Haggard to work closely with students to change some long-standing policies.
First, Dean Haggard has negotiated with the fraternities a new relationship document that contains a new social policy. As of the beginning of this semester, there will be no more open parties during the week at fraternity houses. Fraternity members can still have closed parties for themselves and one other guest, but not large parties.
Second, on weekends, fraternities can host larger parties, with restrictions, but they must have paid, bonded, security guards present. There must be a minimum of two guards with at least one per hundred invitees. The purpose of the guards is to provide basic security and to provide reliable reports should the need for them arise.
Third, the judicial process has been revised and a new process was put in place in August, 1996. Dean Haggard, Associate Vice Chancellor Rice, and Vice Chancellor Jacobs have been asked to re-work our behavioral suspension and sanctioning policies to make them clearer. Specifically, I have asked them to look at decreasing the number of behavioral suspensions prior to dismissal which will prevent repeat offenders from unnecessarily disrupting the campus.
At the same time that these changes are being made, it is important that the University work with the community to provide reasonable outlets for student energy and social needs. These are difficult issues, but I know that together we can solve them.
Again, thanks to all of you are working to increase academic and behavior expectations at Western. Happy New Year!
|
