Survival of the Fittest

Grand Valley State University ScholarWorks@GVSU Volume 47, July 2, 2012 - June 3, 2013 Lanthorn, 1968-2001 1-17-2013 Lanthorn, vol. 47, no. 36, January 17, 2013 Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/lanthorn_vol47 Part of the Archival Science Commons, Education Commons, and the History Commons Recommended Citation Grand Valley State University, "Lanthorn, vol. 47, no. 36, January 17, 2013" (2013). Volume 47, July 2, 2012 - June 3, 2013. 34. https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/lanthorn_vol47/34 This Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Lanthorn, 1968-2001 at ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Volume 47, July 2, 2012 - June 3, 2013 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 4 GAINING EXPERIENCE Br symphony gives STUDENTS THEIR CHANCE SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR PIZZA SPORTS B2 GRAND VALLEY STUDENT-RUN PUBLICATIONS LANTHORN.COM PRINT • ONLINE • MOBILE Snyder outlines 2013 Ml “road map ” BYELLIE PHILLIPS GVL STAFF WRITER “This is our opportuni ty,” said Gov. Rick Snyder to a chorus of thunderous applause, during his State of the State address last night. “This is our chance to say, ‘were doing the HOW AM I right thing today, so lets work together.” Calling for both the TEACHING? democratic and repub lican parties to join to gether, Snyder outlined his “road map” for 2013, which included Febru ary’s 2013 budget release, an economic development summit in March, the cre ation of a ‘land strategy’ report concerning Michi gan’s four million acres of land in May, and Decem ber legislation designed ROBERT MATHEWS | GVL PHOTO ILLUSTRATION to implement proactive strategies to reduce ener gy consumption and find Professor evals aid university in trend spotting ‘green’ energy sources. Paul Isley, professor BY RACHEL CROSS helps faculty identify trends in stu “Some schools evaluate paper dent perception,” Rener said. GVL ASSISTANT NEWS and chair of economics at dent comments. surveys and some online,” Rener She added that online surveys for Gfand Valley State Univer “In evaluations, we may find that said. “Generally, when we receive student evaluations vary quite a bit, sity, said the most relevant ollege faculty and students someone in a class loved a particu evaluations we look at the numeri especially if the class size is small. topic to the West Michigan nationwide are familiar lar activity and someone who hat cal results as well as the written “If there is a small class and area was Snyder’s plans to with student evaluations ed it,” Rener said. “We review data comments in relation to the previ there isn’t a high percentage of convene the Great Lakes Cof teachers, an end-of-semesterwith a fresh eye on some trends ous semester of the course. ” response, the results aren’t statisti Governor’s Council in tradition that provides professors that students are saying and how She added that when reviewing cally relevant,” Rener said. “Some May to discuss Mackinac with feedback so they can improve things are changing over time.” the surveys; the PFTLC considers faculty members give participa Island and ways to better their teaching styles and methods. the objectives of the course and the tion points to students who fill out protect and enhance the At Grand Valley State Univer DIFFERENT FOLKS data is looked at over time. evaluations. ” Great Lakes environment. sity, the Pew Faculty Teacher and “The movement to im She added that the processes “For example, if a faculty mem Rener said that in the middle of Learning Center helps faculty in prove the environment of reviewing student evaluations ber tries a new group project as the semester, the PFTLC conducts interpreting these evaluations. around the Great Lakes vary across universities because part of class, the faculty member an anonymous survey on Black- will have a positive effect Christine Rener, director of the the way that surveys are adminis will be looking for comments rela for West Michigan,” he PFTLC, said that the center’s staff tered can be different. tive to the change to look at stu SEE RATING, A2 said about Snyder’s plan to “bring the Rapids back to Grand Rapids,” and his summit regarding Macki nac Island and the Great ON THE DECLINE Lakes in general. “A large chunk of our economy is SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST based around recreation PHOTOGRAPHY on the water, and busi GV programs see slight shift in enrollment 2006-2007 nesses that are involved with it” BY LIZZIE BALBOA high of around 180 to a more trends over the years. From 2011-2012 Concerning money GVL NEWS EDITOR manageable population of 45 students in 2002, it grew matters, Snyder pointed 120 because we did not have to graduate 116 students in out several topics of inter With nearly 90 under the facilities to support such 2007 and 205 in 2012. Last ests, including the 15,000 graduate programs fighting large numbers, ” said Stafford year saw a break in the trend, Michiganders who qualify for students at Grand Valley Smith, photography pro as 2011 saw a swell in 217 ENGLISH for assistance due to Au State University, some are gram coordinator at GVSU. graduates. 2006-2007 238 tism, the 90,000 children bound to find more success “This was done at the dean’s Tony Nieuwkoop, chair who were added to the than others. recommendation.” of biomedical sciences, said 2011-2012 175 Helping Kids Dental Pro The lucky departments The department’s largest his department has not done gram in 2012, and the in see large expansions over graduating class was 39 stu anything intentionally or in crease in the state’s ‘rainy the course of the years, while dents in 2007, but that num particular to increase enroll day fund ’ from $2 million, others begin to wane as stu ber has steadily declined over ment over the years. which Snydersaid, “would dents shift their interests to the years. Only 23 students In fact, Nieuwkoop main ON THE UPSWING run the state for about 30 other disciplines. graduated from the program ly attributes the increase to minutes, ” to $500 million. Philip Batty, director of in 2012. factors outside of university He also commented on Institutional Analysis at The largest visible decline, control: namely, the chang HOSPITALITY the Bureaucracy Buster ’s GVSU, said nearly all cases though, is seen in GVSU’s ing demands of the job mar Program, which said is in which programs have English department, which ket. “It kind of comes and TOURISM arguably the largest court recorded significant enroll in 2012 graduated 46 fewer goes with the economy,” he reform in U.S. History. ment shifts are due to chang students than in 2002 and 63 said, noting that a few years MANAGEMENT Snyder listed Michi es in curriculum; either the fewer students than in 2007. ago business and computer 2006-2007 99 gan’s achievements over programs were renamed, Representatives from the de programs were popular and 2011-2012 147 the past two years, focus split or combined. However, partment were unavailable thriving. ing on the $500 million some have just been swept for comment. While the economy may increase in the tourism up or dropped by trends in Some thriving programs, play a significant role in uni industry, the addition of interest and the economy. like Hospitality and Tourism versity program enrollment, 177,000 jobs to the state’s Some departments are Management, have gradu the opportunities for under job market, the nearly 10 deliberately decreasing their ated increasing numbers of graduates at GVSU might BIOMEDICAL percent increase in home enrollment numbers, in students every year. With also contribute to the in SCIENCES sales, and the five percent cluding the photography only 40 graduates in 2002, crease in biomedical science increase in the price of the program through the School HTM produced 99 graduates majors, Nieuwkoop said. 2006-2007 116 homes themselves. Addi- of Communications. in 2007 and 147 in 2012. For one, GVSU is one of 2011-2012 205 “We intentionally reduced The biomedical science SEE SNYDER, A2 our student numbers from a department has seen similar SEE SURVIVAL, A2 v' * v- * '1 ■» * m m v tiwrwil roe fur Students,jiuuuiio , fucuttyi ucuuy wmwand Sjriuu Frrcoil lo/Tasiifi' d5 Lonmof.n '‘Of-1 . Som«Rvs Wkik >ps1 / JANUARY 17, 2013 NEWS GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN RATING members really appreciate what dent evaluations is how to interpret begin looking at tools that other Washburn added that the Continued from ai students are thinking, it opens up individual comments,” Wendland universities are doing for student PFTLC advisory committee as a conversation mid-semester so that said. “For example, some students evaluations. whole is able to bring different board and also administers a MIT changes can be made.” may dislike writing assignments “We are looking at standard perspectives in reviewing student (mid-semester evaluation tech and express their feelings about ized tools from universities, ” evaluations to make tools adapt nique), which is a process based INTERPRETATIONS that. However, we know writing Washburn said. “We are see able of all different types of learn on literature where the center Joel Wendland, visiting assis assignments are a vital exercise for ing that some universities have ing situations that occur in all de asks students questions individu tant professor in the liberal stud building communication skills and the same six questions for every partments. ally, in small groups and in one ies department, said that over knowledge. Still, I do not like to course as well as an opportunity “Administering is a crucial tool large group about their instructor the course of his several years at simply dismiss what students have for each (department) to add six in reviewing student evaluations, ” .*^nd the course itself.

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