Laurier's Official Student Newspaper The Cord Weekly Garbage smells. Fix it Did the Raelians clone Of! Page 12 a jackass? Page 10 Volume 42 Issue 18 Thursday January 9 2003 www.wlusp.com Controversy over prof rating Stefan Sereda are fixed, which proves our tions but this is not a step in the point.. .that this was the only pub- right direction," commented The quiet era of WLUSU neutrali- lic information on professors." Vannijnatten. There was also talk ty was disturbed last week as a Durrer established that WLUSU's of legal action against WLUSU for barrage of bright blue posters goal is "to get a public forum that printing libel, while some profes- attracted crowds of students in the rates professors which is less arbi- sors, such as Dr. Chau, Head of Fred Nichol's Campus Centre. trary." the unfavorably-ranked Computer However, when Laurier's Faculty The web site allows students Science Department, refused talk Association heard the message, to rank their instructors out of five, at all about the rankings. some of the "best" professors gave in the categories of "easiness," The posters were taken down it the worst review. "helpfulness," and "clarity." in the midst of verbal backlash but A conflict some individuals Students are also given the oppor- Durrer claims that WLUSU gener- called "constructive," others tunity to comment on their profes- ated the necessary amount of "scandalous," was initiated on sor's abilities, and indicate attention, indicated by Laurier Monday when the Students' whether or not they find their receiving the most reviews out of Union printed the rankings given instructor "sexy." The site then any school on the site on Tuesday. to Laurier professors on the site calculates the professor's average "The high input on this web site ratemyprofessors.ca and then overall rating out of five, as well as shows that students want a public posted these charts around the the number of votes they received forum to discuss their professors." FNCC. Though the posters were on the basis of sexiness. WLUSU Durrer and the other members of taken down by Wednesday morn- used these averages when com- WLUSU's executive are seeking ing, the stir created by listing the piling their lists of "best" and to implement a new course evalu- 20 "best" and "worst" professors "worst" professors, and the results ation system to replace the ten- in three of the school's four facul- proved offensive to many of question survey currently used at ties generated the attention sought Laurier's faculty members. WLU. "Everyone knows they're by WLUSU, and angered several bogus," scoffed Durrer. WLUSU faculty members. proposes a 40-question evalua- The posters were accompa- "It's an absolute shame tion called Students' Evaluations nied by a WLUSU statement enti- that WLUSU decided to of Educational Quality (S.E.E.Q.), tled "Why have we posted these put [the ratings] up... which Durrer says has been tested quality ratings?" which explained Could the faculty post by 3,000,000 students in North that the goal theirratings of the ten America and is much more valid. Students' Union's Courtesy The Record was to open up dialogue between best and worst Durrer also feels that the stu- students?" Miracle Whip: Lite Drawing student Allison Daly draws model students and faculty on the issue dents were left out of the agree- Georgma Brown-Branch who sparked controversy by posing as a of course evaluations. In defense ment between WLUFA and dominatrix in a WLU Fine Arts class. Full story, page 22. of a rating system that Political -Seventeenth highest ranking Laurier administration, which Science and Statistics professor Arts Professor. David Docherty allowed for the formation of the Dr. David Docherty described as present course evaluations. "highly unscientific," the poster "It's an absolute shame that "What disappoints me is that states that WLUSU "acknowl- they [WLUSU] decided to put they haven't looked at the new Finance fiasco edges the fact that ratemyprofes- them up," stated Docherty, who collective agreement," stated Come children, let me tell you sors.ca does not constitute a valid further insinuated that the site was WLUFA President Joyce Lorimer. Bryn Boyce a tale. quality indicator." However, the "nothing more than a joke...it's "We have new language that students are a poster further claims that "our cur- funny, but now the Students' allows the dean to go in and con- What's a Laurier business degree The business are proud and humble folk. But these rent course evaluations are also Union is putting the label's "best" duct a much fuller evaluation if worth these clays? Some people days, 600 unacceptable." and "worst" on that. I don't think there are any clear problems with seriously beginning to wonder, as a class of 8U383 and fair (Financial Management 1) students Ben Durrer, Chair of WLUSU's anyone wants 'Who Wants to the course. Our teaching evalua- the track record of original faculty has are caught in the centre of this Board of Directors, commented Marry a Millionaire?'-type evalua- tion is now the strongest in the testing in the business dispute. began when that WLUSU "knows the ratings tions." Docherty also felt that his country and gives the administra- been less than stellar. rehashed It Ahmed, a part- ranking as one of the top ten pro- tion greater powers to respond to Yes boys and girls, academic Anwar respected the Finance fessors in Laurier's Faculty of Arts evidence of teaching problems in integrity is front and centre in the time professor in handed out his final gave him the credibility to attack the classroom." limelight. Ok maybe that's being a department, Inside WLUSU's action as "slanderous." Dr. Lorimer and WLUSU's little melodramatic, but there's no review sheet. credibility is quick- Tame, right? Well Ahmed took News 2 "Could the faculty post their rat- Executive Vice-President: contesting that exams that ings of the twenty best and worst University Affairs Kristi Edwards ly going awry at Laurier. questions from earlier Opinion 5 and students?" Docherty asked. met to discuss course evaluations Integrity was the focal point of are unavailable to students International 8 review Many professors, including and both felt the meeting was a lengthy and heated debate dur- assembled these onto his Business 11 top-ranking Political Science pro- constructive. Later, Lorimer sug- ing the WLUSA work action. The sheet. Same questions, new num- Feature 12 He these review fessor Dr. Debora Vannijnatten, gested informing students of their Academic Senate accosted the top bers. displayed Student Life 14 attacked the arbitrary nature of the rights under the new agreement administration for being careless questions via overheads in both Sports 16 rankings and their saw their post- would be a better avenue than with the precious level of academ- sections he taught and at least one copied the Entertainment 20 ings as detrimental. "I think we "publishing anonymous and sta- ic quality. Well it now seems that human xerox machine Arts 22 can have a discussion at the uni- tistically meaningless results." strike or no strike, the testing is just 2) Classifieds 24 versity about the teaching evalua- plain flawed. (continued on page 2 News Thursday January 9 200.? You must be MADD While Ontario has some of the New Ontario legislation cracks down on safest roads in Canada, based on fatality statistics, the province will drinking and driving now also have some of the harsh- est drinking and driving legisla- with this measure. their licenses revoked for one tion. Byron Pascoe The system is located inside year) have the ignition interlock "Maintaining our excellent Drunk drivers face a harsher sen- the vehicle, near the driver's seat, installed on all cars that they drive safety record continues to be one tence under the new ignition and is connected to the engine's for one year. of the government's top priorities," interlock program. A year after ignition system. Before starting the A second impaired driving stated Sterling. "In addition to the receiving Royal Assent, the pro- vehicle, a driver must blow into conviction means three years of toll (impaired drivers) take in gram, designed to curb repeat the ignition interlock. The vehicle license suspension and three years terms of life and injury, those who offences, is now being imple- will not start if it detects a blood of interlock ignition. drink and drive should also know mented. alcohol concentration over a pre- A third conviction results in a about the severe financial penal- Impaired driving is the leading set limit of .02 (20 mg of alcohol lifetime provincial license suspen- ties they face." The legal costs, The ignition interlock system is one whereby the car won't start if the and injury per 100 ml of blood). sion, which could possibly be insurance premiums, payment of cause of criminal death driver's blood-alcohol is too high. in Canada. To prevent the driver from reduced to ten years. If it is fines and now ignition interlock, The program requires that an drinking while on the road, the reduced at this point, one must offenders will find themselves alcohol breath-screening device interlock device requires continu- drive with the ignition interlock paying at least $13,000. The igni- Everywhere) Program, mandatory must be placed in the vehicles of ous breath samples at pre-set forever once they are legally tion interlock systems themselves remedial measures, impounding convicted drunk drivers who have intervals while the engine is run- allowed back in the driver's seat. are estimated to cost $1,300 per the vehicles of those who drive become eligible to have their ning.