r VO i t {, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO '" Faculty Senate 0 may do away with L1 • credit/no credit option' by Jennifer L. Cunan Editor Students at Chico State may have to take all their general studies courses for a letter grade if the Faculty Senate passes a proposition tomorrow to abolish the CreditlN0 Credit gyading option. ..( Currently, undergraduate students may elect to be graded CINC in I courses normally graded on an A to F scale.. ,. This option applies to all courses except those 10 a student s maJor. If passed, the new grading policy will restrict studen~s from taking classes in their major and minor, as well as general st.udies, for a CINC .. ci!'ade. 0 0 • • - 0 • ,i . 'This will leave ve~' few. courses that you can take Cr~dit/N 0 Credit, (f· said Faculty SenateChrol'man. Gary Francis, "but departments .;an ". " still designate courses credit/no credit."· H.owever. a cre-.lit will st~l1 f transfer as a C grade, and a no credit as an F 1f a student later enrolls 10 a masters program. Francis said the proposal was made to "eliminate game playing" in required general studies c~~rses. ;:It will put a little mor~ teeth in the general studies programs, he sald. Ted Wendt, cha:rman. of. the educational policies committee said there are two maln obJectives behind t.he proposal. "The motivation is first to upgrade the standards of the univel'sity, and second to send a message to students that general The idea was discussed by the committee which Elrod and two other studies is as important as the major." students, Phoebe Austin and Mike Johnson are on. The committee then "The central issue is what 'constitutes a fair evaluation of a per­ made a proposal to the faculty senate. If passed, the senate will lid vise formance and what will elicit a fair performance by a student," said Vice President of Academic Affairs, Gerald Stairs, on the issue. He will Francis. then make a decision on it. Student members of the faculty senate are divided on the issue. "It will probably pass," said Francis. "I got no sense of.strong op­ I AS Presi!ient Annie Nock, opposes the proposal while AS President­ position to the proposal from the faculty senate." ! elect Sue Elrod. sees merit in it. The two women are the only student Nock pointed out the proposal does not specify when the new policy J voters on the 39 member senate. will begin, .. It could start next fall or in 1987," she said. Nock sees the proposal as "limiting student options and the breadth Elrod and Nock agree students have been misinformed about the of courses available to them." CINC system. She believes the proposal may inhibit students from taking more Nock said it is difficult for her to argue alone to keep the option open. " challenging courses for fear 0 that their· grade point average will be She said she is encouraging students to voice opinions at the senate lowered. Nock also said elimination of the CINC grading will hurt meeting tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at the top of the rotunda in Kendall 207 . high-unit majors with time c::onsuming courses.. " "The option leaves more tune for students to devote to their maJors, she said. By contrast, Elrod thinks the proposal "isn't that bad an idea." She IN THE ORION believes it will raise academic standards. "The' trend in academics is to put emphasis on general education "said Elrod. "We want to produce someone who is generally News briefs ....................... 5 educated, 'not a person who canjust go out and build a computer chip." Opinions .............. · ........ ···14 Elrod said the faculty senate is "just doing what's best for students," but added it's the faculty senate's job to generate policy on campus, AS briefs .......... : ................ 7 Events calend~r ................. 18 not necess~y interpret what is the students best interest. While she supports the proposal, she added elimination of C/NC Campus Quotes .................. 8 Entertainment ................... 19 grading in elective. courses. would be "totally outrageous." According to Wendt, the pr~posed pO~cy is des!gned to s~op <?S . " classes from taking a "backseat to the maJor. He thinks the uruverslty Local. ..... · .............. · ...... · .. ·9 Sports ................. · .. ·.········25 is doing the students a disservice by allowing such a liberal policy ~>n C/NC grading. Flction .......................... · .. 12 Classified ............ ·············30 According to Wendt, the original idea to alter the grading policy was sparked by a memo to the Educational Policies committee from the chairman of the Biology department. '", ... 2------------------------~ ortiP[;;--------------------March 20.1985 • Elrod WInS presidency by landslide by Mark Fioretti different ideas," she said. "I'm -Taking over: "I think my jarge like I can work with him to the school is looking for a "creative Staff Writer for more action. 1 like to do margin of victory was a message student's advantage. way" to distribute school funds. things." from the student body. We want "I have a lot of experience. Although still in the early President Robin Wilson Sounds a little like a campaign someone who is going to deal He's going to find that I'm a development stage, the proposal recently told newly· elected AS speech? She might be fresh off with our problems!" competent person. 1 know what's deals with giving percentages of President Susan Elrod that, the podium but her ideas and -Campaigning: "I think making goingon." the school's income from student because of her experience as demeanor are targeted toward myself accessible was important. -Wilson's "White Paper": "1\1y services to various school director of academic affairs, it the little guy· the student. I spent a lot of time out their (in main objective is to give Wilson committees. The three com· will be difficult to "pull the wool "I think it's important to place front of the BMU). I had a sun the mon'!y he wants and keep the mittees represent the university, over your eyes." more emphasis on student burnt nose to prove it." 'ltudents in control of the students and faculty. Speaking of wool, Elrod won't government," she said. "I can -On the 23 percent voter tur· businesses. " Elrod said she is in favor of a be following the previous ad· handle the business aspect of nout.: "It's all relative. San -On General Manager Candidate proposal to lear down Chico ministration like sheep. She has being AS president but I'm also Diego State onlv had a three Dave Hubler: "I talked to him State's existing bookstore and her own ideas about student clued in on student gov~rnment. percent voter turnout." when he was here and he seemed build a new one. where the goverment. I'm going to fight for student - Relations with President extremely enthusiastic. I'm Alternative Research Center is "While· I will admit that a interests." Wilson: "He is an interesting confident he will accept the job." presently located. "It's obvious certain amount of continuity is Some of her thoughts on the man. Sometimes the signals he Referring back to Wilson's important. I think I 'U have some current state of things include: sends can be confusing, but 1 feel "White Paper." Elrod says the See Elrod page 32 , Proposed 'dead week' may I----~~--------~--~------------~New AS Board of ~, Dire'etars' selecte.d hart pre-finals exams' by David Wood is an election requirement. Staff WrilC!r Voter turnout for the general The proposal was approved by election was 21 percent this year the Board of Directors February compared to 22 percent last year 21 and sent to the Faculty Sue Elrod, senior, trounced ~dam Zielenski in her bid for AS and an average of 22.6 percent Senate by Elrod and the Student president. over the last eight years. Academic Affairs Board last ,Toe Arbios, chairman of the week, said Elrod. Elrod received 70 percent of he vote, the highest for the election board, said the low According to Elrod, the pffice of president since 1979, turnout is due to voter apathy. proposal has "a decent chance. Iwhen Jackie Faris·Rees won 76 But he nott!d voter apathy is not They could do it, or they could percent of the vote. endemic to Chico State. just shoot it down. You never He said that Chico State is one know what the Senate's going to "I didn't expect that," Elrod ~aid. "I think it's just the of the top five or six schools in do." Elrod added that if the the state university system in students support the proposal ~tudent body saying they want ~ualified people in office." terms of voter turnout. by talking to their "friendly Arbios said he was surprised neighborhood faculty senator" Elrod is one of seven students thosen by voters in last week's at the low turnout because he or their professors, then it would thought recent media attenti'on have a better chance of passing. ~ssociated Students General Election to serve as a member of given major campus issues "It's important that people just the Board of Directors for the would bring more students to the talk about it," Elrod said. 1985-86 school yeR.r. polls. These issues include a According to Faculty Senate The board sets genet al policy possible university takeover of Chair. Gary Francis, the only for the Associated Students and the AS Corporation, extension of problem with a dead week is that Ioversees funding for the $9.75 library hours, and the BMU ~ it would extend classes by a' million AS Corporation.