Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rose-Hulman Scholar The Rose Thorn Archive Student Newspaper Winter 1-7-2005 Volume 40 - Issue 13 - Friday, January 7, 2005 Rose Thorn Staff Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.rose-hulman.edu/rosethorn Recommended Citation Rose Thorn Staff, "Volume 40 - Issue 13 - Friday, January 7, 2005" (2005). The Rose Thorn Archive. 233. https://scholar.rose-hulman.edu/rosethorn/233 THE MATERIAL POSTED ON THIS ROSE-HULMAN REPOSITORY IS TO BE USED FOR PRIVATE STUDY, SCHOLARSHIP, OR RESEARCH AND MAY NOT BE USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE. SOME CONTENT IN THE MATERIAL POSTED ON THIS REPOSITORY MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT. ANYONE HAVING ACCESS TO THE MATERIAL SHOULD NOT REPRODUCE OR DISTRIBUTE BY ANY MEANS COPIES OF ANY OF THE MATERIAL OR USE THE MATERIAL FOR DIRECT OR INDIRECT COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGE WITHOUT DETERMINING THAT SUCH ACT OR ACTS WILL NOT INFRINGE THE COPYRIGHT RIGHTS OF ANY PERSON OR ENTITY. ANY REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY MATERIAL POSTED ON THIS REPOSITORY IS AT THE SOLE RISK OF THE PARTY THAT DOES SO. This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Newspaper at Rose-Hulman Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Rose Thorn Archive by an authorized administrator of Rose-Hulman Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY T ERRE HAUTE, INDIANA Friday, January 7, 2005 Volume 40, Issue 13 News Briefs When “C” is no longer average Bridget Mayer draft by attending college. Student team to study Staff Writer Others argue that affi rma- with Swedish University tive action has played a role With the end of the last in increasing GPA’s. However, Four computer science and software quarter came fi nal grades, and the lag in infl ation in the 1970’s engineering students (Paul Gagnon, with those fi nal grades came and 1980’s occurred at the Brant Gurganus, Ross Miller, and a school-wide grade point av- same time that minorities be- Brandi Soggs) joined colleagues from erage of 3.15. Not bad at all, gan attending colleges in sig- Sweden to examine an online medical considering that only a decade nifi cant numbers, effectively training system that could someday be ago, that average was 2.86. Re- ending the affi rmative action used by doctors in both countries. cently in the academic world, claim. The most popular ex- numerous reports have an- planation for grade infl ation Through use of the Internet, nounced that the letter grades arises from the consumer- international conference calls, and a awarded to students are shift- based attitude that permeates trip to Sweden, Rose-Hulman’s team ing upwards—that a “C” is no society—students paying hefty collaborated with students and faculty longer average. In 2003, a pro- tuition bills for their education from the Department of Information fessor at Duke University com- expect to receive good grades Technology at Sweden’s Uppsala mented that C’s made up less in exchange for their money. University to examine the benefi ts of than ten percent of all grades; Institutions all over the an online educational tool that would D’s and F’s combined account- country have experienced this help hospital personnel with patient ed for less than two percent of trend over the last thirty years: grades at the university. in 1969, the nationwide grade interaction. The trend does not exclude point average was 2.60. Seven Rose-Hulman’s role in the project private schools—in fact, stud- years later, that average jumped involved collecting requirements and ies have shown that private to 2.93; in 1993, it was 3.07. information from American hospital colleges have an average GPA Technical schools seem Stephen Pierce / Webmaster personnel regarding how hospitals 0.3 higher than public schools. to be experiencing the same Changes in Rose-Hulman’s average GPA for women and men are structured and possible solutions One large study from 2003 trends, albeit on a smaller from 1993 to 2002. to patient interaction problems. The found that the grade point av- scale. Georgia Institute of team’s suggestions disclosed how the erages have been increasing by Technology has witnessed an online system, developed in Sweden, roughly 0.15 per decade. Begin- increase in GPA of 0.4 over alarming, professors and ad- Professor of Philosophy and ning in the 1960’s, grade infl a- the past three decades; Har- ministration have offered Technology Studies. Unten- could be improved for use in the United tion increased quickly, tapered vey Mudd College in Cali- several reasons to justify this ured professors concerns States. in the mid-1970’s to mid-1980’s, fornia has seen increases of increase. over student evaluations have and then began to rise quickly. 0.12. Nearby institutions like “Grade infl ation started become a problem at many Rose-Hulman News One explanation for the initial Purdue University have been when student evaluations schools as they adopt the jump during the 1960’s is that relatively immune to infl a- became popular…unten- evaluations as a measure of sympathetic professors gave tion—their increase amounts ured professors feel that they professor performance. better grades to students who to 0.03 over thirty years. need good evaluations,” com- Massive black hole sets were avoiding the Vietnam War Although the trend is mented Heinz Luegenbiehl, Continued on Page 3... records Scientists are currently recording data 2015: First response on what is the most massive black hole observed by modern astronomers. Angela Smiley According to David Piker, reviewing responses. a meaningful way.” The black hole has consumed a mass Staff Writer Executive Director of External The topic which has drawn But not all the focus was Affairs and one of the admin- the most response thus far is academic, or even disci- approximately 300 times more massive The Rose-Hulman 2015 istrators most heavily involved “future students” - how should pline-related. “I think that we than our sun, which caused an emission initiative, announced be- in the 2015 project, the open Rose select future admittees, should let more cute girls in,” that alerted the orbiting Chandra X-ray fore break by Rose President discussion forum is the part and how should we encourage quipped one individual iden- Observatory, operated by NASA. Jack Midgley, has now been of the initia- future admit- tifying himself as a student, The black hole is drawing in material running for slightly under a tive currently The lack of tees to select before going on to suggest that from a volume of over 600 times the month. This dialogue, which garnering Rose? An- the administration should volume of the entire Milky Way galaxy. he said is inspired in part by the most fi nancial aid is swers to this consider making more efforts The displaced mass is equivalent to similar efforts underway at response. a hinderance to question to get students involved with about a trillion suns. other great institutions, has Thirty to for- vary widely. campus activities. received a fairly warm wel- ty posts have many quality stu- Chad Matt Millington, a 1999 Observations on the black hole could come on campus; it has given been made Zarse, senior Rose graduate, voiced concern help scientists discover why stars do not rise to thirty-fi ve private on- on the forum dents that can’t in Applied about fi nancial aid. “While all consistently form at a rate predicted by line responses, as well as let- thus far, with Biology and make valid points as to the theory. ters and e-mails. contribu- afford to Biochemis- type of students that RHIT In addition to these always- tors in many attend Rose. try, offered should be recruiting, the lack By Lissa Avery open channels of commu- positions; a passion- of signifi cant fi nancial aid is nication, the administration alumni, fac- ate argu- a hindrance to many, many has begun to schedule discus- ulty, staff, ment for an quality students that simply sion sessions in conjunction parents, – Matt Millington increase in can’t afford to attend Rose,” with the initiative: Midgley and cur- research op- he wrote. “I was very encour- Friday will go before the SGA next rent and prospective students portunities available to under- aged when I heard President Mostly Cloudy 40 Hi / 32 Lo week (Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.) have all offered their opinions graduates. “In order to ‘be the Midgley call our fi nancial aid Saturday in a Senate meeting open to on Rose’s future and how it best’,” he asserted in a Decem- situation a crisis earlier in the AM Showers 45 Hi / 35 Lo all interested parties, and has should pursue its institutional ber 15 post, “we must continue year. I hope that a sincere ef- plans to meet with the Young goals. “I was very pleased with excellence in education, but fort is made to improve the Provided by www.weather.com Alumni Association and the the cross-section of the com- also acknowledge the fact that situation for future classes.” Alumni Advisory Board within munity,” stated Piker, who is research challenges a student the next month. part of the team reading and to apply his/her knowledge in Continued on Page 3... News Entertainment Opinions Sports Flipside The Wabash River rises to Orphans, orphans, Social security, let’s Men’s and women’s δv fl ood levels. orphans. change it up. basketball gear up for δa upcoming conference. Page 3 Pages 4 & 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 2 CLASSIFIEDS The Rose Thorn Friday Saturday January 7 8 * Deadline For Rose- * Swimming, Millikin Upcoming events Hulman Outstanding University, Pool, SRC, Teacher Award Nomina- 1 p.m.