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Vo'ume 8, Number he12 'Northerne Friday. Novwnb. ao. 1171 Legal channel open to publish evaluations by Joy Bedooo But laat fall, Student Government NCH"ttw!rner Report« began the crusade attempting to get Questions concerning legality, fa culty evaluations published an"' credjbility and appropriateness have made available to the student&. SO again come ur•der fire as students and was to have published a book of student organizations push for the evaluationa this fall, but the process publication offacu•ty evaluations. has been delayed. According to Carl Miller, legal According to a SG apokesman, the assistant in the state attomey'e organization is trying to restructure office, no law prohibita the publica· the entire evaluation process. Lion of faculty evaluations, a practice which has already been adopted by "We want to publish a small book other state universities. that the students can buy for 50 But, he oaid, "They (the faculty) cent.a, 70 centa- or even free-of all would have certain rights to privacy the evaluations. Many major univer in specific areas. Since there is no sities already publish evaluations. universal law against publishing Currently we are waiting to receive teacher evaluations, the highest ad· information from Northwestern on ministrative official within the just how to go about it,'' the university should outline a policy spokesman added. "Our only problem dealing with it." is that some of the teachers might ob NKU's currt:nt policy is non· ject." publication. In 1976 the Boerd of SG intends to present their pro Regents adopted a proposal by posal for a standardized form and interim president Dr. Ralph publics'tion guidelines to the Faculty Senate this spring. Tesseneer to keep the evaluations Hang in there!- confidential. Dr. Jack Grosse, NKU legal - exams w1ll be over 1n two weeks. lost week's wove o f nearly 70° temperatures counsel, explained that even though afforded Sophomore engmeeri ng mo1or Joe Webster (left) a nd freshman SOCiology the publication is legal, the result n the------, could be coaUy. major Reg 1na Hortman a lost chance for monkeyshmes before wmter chills set in. (Bob " ~~-:hera have a right to privacy. Ne1ses. photo) To publish the evaluations might inside: ticism and apprehension, fearing for I would have is if the material very well breach the confidentiality of 'fhat may result in the form of the teacher,'' he said. published i• factually true. The lawsuits or legal action. Opposite views Roger Homes, a representative organization could make up informa· from the legal division of the Ken· "I think that you could run with tion or the editor of the book might 5 your evaluations any way you want," page tucky Council on Higher Education, receive some information that ian 't echoed Grosse's remarks. "There is said Dr. Arthur Kaplan, dean of true." human development. " It's the con· no law prohibiting the publication of Dr. Gene Scholes, NKU executive What's where? cern over the pros and cons of doing teacher evaluations, but just because assistant, feels the idea of publication page 9 an individual works for the public so that would matter. It's a sensitive is one that merits discussion. doesn't mean he gives up his right to area. A lot of schools have done it and "I feel that through privacy." a lot have stopped doing it because of recommendation of Student Govern· Entertainment NKU administrators express the libel suits." ment and the Faculty Senate, the pages 10-11 same sentiment. Most view Dr. Lyle Gray, dean of basic policy might be subject to change," publishing the evaluations with skep- disciplines, noted, "The only concern Scholes oaid. Lengyel's out-of-court terms 'highly unlikely' by Tom Groeachen Lengyel's third out-of~ourt pr~ in writing my terms for settlement, N K U would be terminated ao of NOI"therner News Editor posal suggests that if reinstatement and I did this following a November 1 August 22, 1975, Lengyel said. is refused, he would seek payment of meeting with Arnold Taylor. But I Former NKU art history professor haven't heard an answer yet.'' LenM)'el claims this letter and a Dr. Alfonz Lengyel, who hao filed a wages and frmge benefits from July subsequent one stating his non· I, 1977 to the end of projected 13.19 million lawsuit against 26 NKU Taylor acknowledged that no rep· reappointment would be extended to faculty and administrators, ha s hand employment at age 70. The payment ly has yet been made to Lengyel'• June30, 1977 were invalid. would be booed on a f20,000 yearly ed university lawyers three options proposals, " But we will probably rea· " I woulu definitely like to be for an out-of-court settlement. wage beginning in the 1977·78 fiocal pond in the next few weeks, and I can reinstated," Lengyel said. year with a 7 percent yearly increase. tell you that the response will pr~ But according to Covington at· In addition, Lengyel asks for bably be negative," he commented. But Taylor made it clear that torney Arnold Taylor, NKU counsel 1800,000 payment of damages and Lengyel'o dismissal, he oaid, NKU "has definitely rejected any in the suit, " It is not likely that there payment of legitimate attorney's fees poesibility of Lengyel being rehired," will be any setUement out of court.'' bet~an in 1975, after he testified to Eugene Hancock for past legalaer· and •dded that It lo hiahly unlikely vices. befON an educat.ional subcommittee Two of the proposals concern of tho Faculty Senate of Dr. Lealie that thOf'e will be an out-of-court aet· Lengyel's reappointment. If Lengyel, who resides in Ft. Mit· Tihany, who was ,tven a terminal Uement. reiootated, Lengyel would aeek chell, told The Northeraer that he contract. " I would uaume that the next ~everal thoueand dollars in damage• thinko the " university is trying to Two dayelater, he wae given a let st.ep for him wOIIId be to aet a trial and loet wages. trick mo. They uked 1M to put down ter otaU"ll that hlo employment at data In court," Taylor aaid. 0475.tif l TH NORTHERNER F'rhla1• N~ 10. tm Faculty evaluations Students, faculty support publishing results An overwhelming majority of students. ConsistenUy bad scores, etudent.a and faculty on campus favor however, should be inveatigat.ed." students evaluating the faculty'• Faculty representatives from each classroom performance and teaching ef· department were asked the same quea· fectiveneu, eccording to a survey con· tions. ducted by The Northerner this week. A11 of the 36 instructurs questioned Ninety-eight percent of tho 200 felt students should evaluate faculty atudents ourveyed felt atudent.s ohould membcn for teaching effectiveness. evaluate faculty members for teaching Nancy Martin, assistant profes!Or of effectiveness and performance in the music, summed up the attitude of some classroom. of the professors, "the students are the The consensus of the studenta was people we are here for and if they don't that students are the beat judges of a feel they are getting what they neod we particular teacher'a effectiveneaa and should hear it from them." that they have a right to air their say. Those who felt the present forms ''The students here pay good money were a valid form of evaluation out· to get an education and they deserve a numbered those who did not nearly two say," one atudent expressed. to one. Another commented, "It would be " I suppose they are adequate,'' ridiculous for teachers to ignore the in· stated James Thomas, assistant pro sight of 16-20 students in each class fessor of psychology. have regarding teaching effectiveness." Still, other instructors felt the:re was When asked if they felt the current room for improvement. forma were a valid means of evaluation Dr. Steve Boyd, associate professor 109 anowerod yea, but added, "only to a of communications, said, "Yes, I sup· point. The evaluation is what the stu· poae they're alriKht. They have limits· dent makes it." tiona. I would like to see more variety in the questions." Others narrowed it down to specific Faculty was almost evenly split in eases saying that the evaluations were their attitudes toward the publication or not proper for specific departmenta. the results. The 63 otudento who oaid the preaent "Yea, why not? The students should forms are not a valid form of evaluation learn the resulto. After all, they did it, blamed problema on the structure of the according to Jane Dotson, associate pr~ formitaelf. One student explained, "The quea· numbered the otudents opposed three to Mnouu..i huL be considered when employ· feasor of human eervices. Dr. William Stoll, assistant professor tions are structured 110 that you can't one. ment decisions [such as tenure, which really aay anything bad." "Yes, it would give us a better idea of guarantees future employment) are of psychology, objected, "No not "The forms tend to be yea and no and the kind of teachers we have and what to made. generally. The faculty has rights just as skip over the real issues," anot,her stu· expect of their teaching,'' commented "A lot of atudenta treat it as a big the students do. We don't go around dent added. one student. joke," one explained. showing grades and names of students Those who agreed on thio point felt Another questioned the use of the who peosed and failed." the student wee given an option to A student against the publication evaluations. "Just because a student Faculty overwhelmingly (33 to I( clarify his/her answer in the comment merely commented, "It is personal." doesn't like a teacher doesn't mean he favored the use of faculty evaluations eection, but the no's argument ia summ- A student in favor of publication ian 't doing his job." when employment decisions are being ed up by this comment, "many times countered, "If NKU wants to pride itself The students who did feel the evalua made.