Where You Cloudy Read It First 34/27 THE TUFTS DAILY Est. 1980 VOLUME LXIV, NUMBER 53 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012 TUFTSDAILY.COM Student course evaluations to be completed online BY STE P HANIE HAVEN responses,” Ridge said. “The Student Daily Editorial Board Course Evaluation Subcommittee is hoping, like at other institutions, that For the first time, students will now the online written responses will be complete end-of-the-semester course more reflective and informative.” evaluations on the internet during In an effort to prevent a decline in their own time, rather than in class participation, some professors have on paper. The aim of moving course offered to drop the lowest homework evaluations online is to improve the grade for students who forward them efficiency of processing and accessing the Trunk emails confirming that eval- the evaluation data. uations are complete, Ghadban said. In previous semesters, professors However, at other universities that allotted time for students to complete switched from paper to online evalu- paper course evaluations in class. The ations, participation rates initially COurtesY MELODY KO forms, which are now available on increased, Ridge said. In response to mounting evidence that Lance Armstrong doped during his career, Tufts Trunk, opened Nov. 26 and will close “It is my hope that students will has rescinded the cyclist’s honorary degree he received in 2006. Dec. 10 at midnight. realize how much of a benefit this “With all the changes that have is,” Goldberg said. “I hope the active Board revokes Armstrong’s Tufts degree been happening, with Trunk and [the citizenship and pride of Tufts will push Student Information System] (SIS), it through.” In a Nov. 19 email from University President with the Livestrong Foundation charity, which seemed like the perfect time to change Ridge said that, to increase evalu- Anthony Monaco regarding the Board he founded in 1997. another old antiquated system,” Tufts ation completion rates in the future, of Trustees’ meeting earlier this month, it “A recommendation to rescind the degree Community Union (TCU) Senate Vice the system may include an incentive was announced that the Honorary Degree was made by the Board’s Committee on President Meredith Goldberg, a senior, as early as fall 2013, such as posting Committee, with the unanimous vote of the Honorary Degrees and then reviewed by the said. final grades earlier, to encourage more Board, has revoked athlete, philanthropist full board, which made its final decision after Whereas the paper system was rid- students to participate. and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance thoughtfully considering the exceptional cir- dled with organizational issues, the While this semester’s evaluations Armstrong’s honorary degree of Doctor of cumstances involved,” Tufts Director of Public online system opens up many new consist of the same questions asked in Humane Letters. Relations Kim Thurler said. opportunities for accessing informa- previous years about the course and The university awarded the degree to She added that the Board has notified tion about courses and professors, the instructor with room for addition- Armstrong during its 150th Commencement Armstrong of its action. according to Professor and Chair of al comments, the SCE Subcommittee in 2006, at which Armstrong was the key- At the 2006 Commencement, the univer- Geology Jack Ridge, the convener plans to alter the list of questions for note speaker. Universities bestow these hon- sity justified its gifting of an honorary degree of the Education Policy Committee next year. These revisions will provide orary degrees upon individuals who make to Armstrong, stating that he had conquered (EPC)’s Student Course Evaluation questions that better assess instruc- distinguished contributions to society or who challenges in his health and career and sup- (SCE) Subcommittee, which leads the tors and courses, as well as make have set themselves apart in areas related to ported cancer treatment and research. project. suggestions for course improvements, the humanities. “In addition to being an inspiration- For example, he said that digitizing Ridge said. “The board concluded that, in the wake al hero to millions of people who suffer the process will allow professors to see Although the committee is in the of the recent report of the United States from cancer, you are a legendary athlete evaluations from their students within process of working out details, spring Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and its accep- and a truly deserving champion,” former a week, rather than the months it pre- course evaluations will feature more tance by the International Cycling Union, Mr. University President Lawrence Bacow said viously took. qualitative than quantitative ques- Armstrong’s actions as an athlete are incon- while presenting the cyclist with the award TCU Senate initiated the project in tions, Goldberg said, as well as fewer, sistent with the values of Tufts University,” at the ceremony. the fall semester of the 2009-2010 aca- but more in-depth, questions. the email said. To date, Armstrong has not publicly demic year, and the process has been Goldberg said she hopes the com- Earlier this year, after the USADA con- acknowledged the degree’s withdrawal or ongoing since then. mittee can create a mechanism cluded with evidence that Armstrong used admitted that he is guilty of doping. With the heavy workload during finals through which students will be able performance-enhancing drugs, he lost his period, many students said they do not to access previous course evaluations, seven Tour de France titles and severed ties — by Brionna Jimerson have enough time to fill out such forms a step which could help during class in class — a sentiment understood by registration. those who worked to convert the sys- However, Ridge said he and some tem from paper to online, according to other faculty do not think this level of junior Christopher Ghadban, chair of accessibility would benefit students’ Tufts Free Compliments helps promote the TCU Senate Education Committee. Tufts education. “Allowing students time in class may “We detest evaluations where low positive psychology on Facebook help participation, but often time set response percentages are used to cate- aside in class is short and it prompts BY JACOB PASSY Most said that the club’s member- students to give very short written see EVALUATIONS, page 2 Daily Editorial Board ship has been fairly small since its creation. For those in need of a smile, Tufts “Before, it was a much smaller Free Compliments does the job nice- group of people, and mainly friends ly. This group, which is dedicated of the people who did it would join to brightening the days of Tufts stu- in,” Most said. dents, can often be spotted holding This year, under the leadership signs and complimenting passersby of sophomore Brendan Conron, the outside of Tisch Library. Their most group of free compliment givers has recent undertaking is the addition expanded significantly. of a Facebook group to expand the “It’s grown a lot this semester, and reach of their compliments. it’s great to see how far it’s come Marc Finder (A ’11) established along,” Conron said. Tufts Free Compliments in 2007, Some students receive a free com- organizing the group based on the pliment and then want to join the free complimenting efforts that group themselves, Most added. were being made at other colleges, “A good amount of people [that] according to junior Alexander Most, do come [are] people who get a who is a past president of Tufts Free compliment and want to join in, but Compliments. [Conron] also had a general inter- Since its creation, the group has est meeting at the start of the year,” had a steadily growing presence on Most said. campus. Recently, it has attracted According to sophomore Graham COurtesY JUSTIN MCCALLUM national media attention, specifical- Starr, the public relations director for Spirit of Color (SoC) performed last night in front of a sold-out crowd in Cohen Audito- ly a Nov. 19 mention in USA Today Tufts Free Compliments, social media rium for the dance troupe’s fall show, titled “SoC Presents: Off the Record.” The second College as part of its list of “6 Quirky performance will take place tonight at 8 p.m. College Clubs.” Despite the hype, see COMPLIMENTS, page 2 Inside this issue Today’s sections Boston Ballet ushers Kate Gluckman (LA News | Features 1 Comics 6 in the holiday sea- ’04) brings her defen- son with its all-new sive coaching style to Arts & Living 3Classifieds 7 “Nutcracker.” Grinnell basketball. Sports Back see ARTS, page 3 see SPORTS, on back 2 THE TUF T S DAILY NEWS Friday, November 30, 2012 THE TUFTS DAILY Course evaluations to feature more in-depth questions REBECCA K. SANTIAGO EVALUATIONS Editor-in-Chief continued from page 1 EditoriaL gorize a course, [such] as what occurs with [RateMyProfessors.com],” he Ben Kochman said. “We want to know what the class Falcon Reese as a whole thought about the course. Managing Editors Personally, I don’t want students look- ing at old course evaluations.” Jenna Buckle Executive News Editor Although the revamped online Shana Friedman News Editors Lizz Grainger course evaluations are not finalized, Stephanie Haven those on the SCE Subcommittee hope Amelie Hecht Daphne Kolios the changing system will aid all mem- Patrick McGrath bers of the Tufts community. Laina Piera Martha Shanahan “I think the future benefits, and the Melissa Wang record keeping, we could have in online Jenny White Menghan Liu Assistant News Editors databases is so much better than we Melissa Mandelbaum could have on paper,” Goldberg said. Audrey Michael James Pouliot “With the new course evaluations DAILY FILE PHOTO Josh Weiner comes so many more possibilities.” Student course evaluations will now be filled out online on Trunk rather than on paper.