Consumer Advocate Nadsr Fights Standardized Tests Tenure
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i 'Argo' Is watching. "Alga" in ni aa officia! publication of Stockton State College, bat I» pabllahed by aa r »J a« L » # a « iad.pcad.at crporatio. ««.«a u. nj Vtfome 20 Number 9 Pomona N.J. 08240 fnû*v November 16 , 1979 Controversy Rumbles Over Faculty Dismissal By Jay Felsberg concentrate on Art History courses) while Dr. Wenzel's case was still in going on, I cannot comment any to show "disrespect" toward her the process of review. However, further. I'm disappointed in the first A serious controversy involving the fellow professors. The memorandum Dean Jones did state that Dr. step--the negative recommendation firing of a popular Art History charges that Dr. Wenzel's unprofes- Wenzel would have the capacity to by the ARHU Faculty Review teacher is arising withing the Arts sional conduct was detrimental to appeal any decision made in the Committee (which recommended and Humanities Department her performance as a faculty mem- process, and the matter would yet that Dr. Wenzel not be retained). I (ARHU). ber. have to go before President Peter still have faith in the process, and The controversy involves Dr. Carol In an interview with Dr. Wenzel, Mitchell or the Board of Trustees, can only trust that the individuals Wenzel, an instructor in History, she agreed that all of the above the latter of which would make the who will subsequently review my who has allegedly been fired as of charges were made, but that final decision on Dr. Wenzel. file will take the time to read the file June, 1980. According to several "...curiously, the memo makes no Regarding the faculty review pro- carefully, which I don't think the anonymous sources, the basis for mention of the specific persons or cess, Dr. Wenzel stated: "The committee was able to do, and Dr. Wenzel's dismissal is a memo- situations in which I made these memo was placed in my file the very consider the initial memo with my randum signed by five members of remarks. Who are my accusers? The day (Monday, October 29) that response and supporting documen- the History faculty: Dr. Demitrios upshot of this unsolicited memo was evaluation files were supposed to tation. I have every hope that Constantelos, Dr. James Miller, the recommendation that I be close. It took several days for me to positive recommendations will re- John Alviti, Dr. Margaret Marsh fired." Dr. Wenzel went on to call collect responses to it, so that my sult. Very simply, I'm looking for a and Dr. William Lubenow, who the memo "a tissue of falsehoods!" file was actually not completed until fair reading of the materials." Dr. alleged "unprofessional conduct" Neither Dr. Miller, the History late Friday afternoon, November 2, Wenzel's final comment about the on Dr. Wenzel's part regarding an Department Program Coordinator, and the evaluation process per se reading of the materials was: "If I attempt to influence the Art History nor Dr. Martin Jones, Dean of began on Tuesday, November 6. don't get it within the process, I'll concentrators (History majors who ARHU, would offer any comment Since the review process is still get it later!" Consumer Advocate Nadsr Fights Standardized Tests By Stephen Koob being psychological in nature, was state legislatures. This legislation answers, the correct answers, and Ralph Nader, in his efforts to the internalization of test results would require a testing service to the questions in question. reform the inequities that exist in within the conceptual framework of disclose all information of a test's Perhaps the re-evaluation will society, has focused his attention the self. The major worry being that validity, would require the testee to produce a positive outcome. But as upon the Educational Testing Ser- students would assume a "self-ful- be informed of the methods and for now, the SAT's, LSAT's, GRE's vice (ETS). Nader feels that ETS filling prophecy" of themselves in significance of test score reportings and MCAT's are still the turnstiles should release its "tyrannical" style terms of career goals and opportuni- and provide students with their of college admission programs. of domination over test scores and ties. the effects of this style upon Another problem, though not ne- students. cessarily in Naderesque terms, is According to Nader, "these stan- the cultural biasness of standardized dardized tests have developed tech- tests. This is evident in the discre- By Bob Kessler niques of evaluation which are pencies between middle and lower The PIRG referendum has accumu- ses the 1,200 votes accumulated by detrimental in determining the at- class results. Reasoning has it that lated more votes than any other WSSR and almost doubles the 800 tributes of students." Nader felt since the tests are written in organization here on campus, accor- votes gathered in the SGA referen- these tests to be inconclusive in standard English and many lower ding to PIRG organizer Paul Mac- dum last year. determining "judgement, idealism, income Americans do not speak Lardy. The total, which peaked at When asked about the large creativity, and wisdom," which lie such a grade of language, the 1,420 votes as Wednesday, Novem- number of votes, Paul MacLardy, in the very heart of human devel- possibilities of higher achievement ber 14, is a figure that not only PIRG's organizer, said, "Although opment. by the lower income groups become surpasses the \2Vi percent minimum we passed the 12V2 percent plus one Nader also speculated as to how greatly reduced. set in the referendum, but also minimum set in the referendum, we the student attitude and high National debate has begun over shows an increase in student parti- are shooting for a total of 2000 school curricula are affected by multiple choice testing for re-eval- cipation. The results of the total votes, about half the student popu- these tests. Nader believes that a uation of standardized tests. Ac- number voting became available lation. However, this has been de-emphasis of the written language cording to Nader, this represents a Thursday morning. According to the tough because there are so many has occurred because secondary "major education liberation move- referendum guideline, which says part-time students and they count learning systems have been gearing ment." that the total number of votes may toward the percentage. These peo- themselves toward student achieve- Part of the liberation would involve be made available daily, the results ple are hard to reach, since we don't ment on the multiple guess tests. students assuming the initiative in of the voting will not be available have a mailing list, but I would say Another problem cited by Nader, bringing truth-in-testing bills before until Monday, November 19. over 50 percent of the fulltime The total number of votes surpas- students would have voted." Tenure Decisions To Be Made in December By Jennifer King positions might not be interested in Mary Ellen Jewell, Nursing; Bruce Anthropology. The process of tenure and re- one that offered little or no oppor- Jennings, Political Science; and The following chart presents the appointment determination is well turnity for tenure, as faculty union Martin Needleman, Sociology and basic picture. underway, and the resultant ten- representatives have frequently pro- Program Percent # Tenured Future Tenure sions produced by this activity are tested. Tenured Candidates Percentage? noticeable among untenured faculty The tenure process has thus ARTS 32, 39 or 45 and their students. The usual level 24 become even more pressure-laden BASK 17 ? 34 of nervousness has perhaps been than before. Coupled with a new BIOL 71 0 — heightened by the imposition last President, new acting Vice Presi- BM CO 67 0 — spring by the Board of Trustees of dent for Academic Affairs and two BSNS 18 3 21, 25 or 29 tenure quotas, limiting tenure in new acting Deans (of NAMS and CHEM 38 2 44 or 56 each program to a maximum of 66 PROS) the outcome is even less CRIM 14 1 29 2/3 percent of the faculty in the preductable. ECON 20 1 40 program, with program review tak- Twenty-three faculty members are EN VL 44 1 50 ing place at 50 percent. This up for tenure this year: virtually guaranteed that there GEOL 0 1 50 Dwight Baldwin, John Columbus INFO 14 0 would be no-further tenures in such and Lance Olsen, Studies in the LITT/LANG 78 1 89 programs as Literature and Lan- Arts; Chris Burnham, Basic Skills; MARS 50 0 — guage (78 percent tenured) and Alex Don, Dorothy Jones and Kay MATH 50 2 62 or 75 Biology (71 percent) unless either Williams, Business; Bill Mattson NURS 25 1 50 the program size increased or and Ken Williams, Chemistry; Larry PHIL 40 1 60 tenured faculty left the school. Nutt, Criminology; John Warner, PHYS 43 2 57 or 71 It also guaranteed that other Economics; Alice Gitchell, Environ- POLS 57 1 71 problems would arise, such is when mental Studies; Bill Parrott, Geol- PSYC 55 0 — faculty members would have to deal ogy; Margaret Marsh, History; PUBH 0 0 — with the fact that their colleague's Jeanne-Andree Nelson, Literature SOWK 33 0 — tenure might preclude their own in and Language; Charlie Herlands SOCY/ANTH 29 1 38 future years. Applicants for open and Alice Merkel, Mathematics; SPAD 50 0 ... jpago 2 ARGO Friday November lé, 1979 Michael Fox: Unification of Science & Spirit By Mike Clark ronment devoid of compassion and animals. It returns to man himself; Last Tuesday night in the Perform- affection will inevitably destroy it permeates every aspect of earthly ing Arts Center, the "Spectrum higher primates.