I
O
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1969
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
VOL. 92, NO. 62
Legislature kills
S0io
i 1 f
with grading appeals committees
by Jim Pedersen grade appeal problems will confront mits a written report, and the com- Crompton thinks a college level
Nebraskan Staff Writer
Few students have taken advantage
of the newly established departmental
grading appeals committees to
register grade complaints in the first
weeks of this semester.
Committees for grade review have
been formed on both the departmental
md college level to deal with any
grade complaints as the result of a
clause in the Student Academic
Freedom document approved b y
ASUN Senate, Faculty Senate and the
Regents in 1968.
;The departmental and college com
mittees are still in an experimental
state, however. They are neither
highly organized nor have they been
beset by large numbers of appealing
students.
IN THE COLLEGE of Arts and
Sciences, for example, 13 departmen
tal committees reported only four
cases. In some instances, committee
members were unaware of the ex
istence of such a committee or of
their position on the committee.
"We are in the process of drawing
up a statement of procedures for
dealing with cases on the college
level," Dr. Larry Poston, associate
professor of English, said Monday.
. Poston, who is one of four members
o the College of Arts and Sciences
committee, added that the college
committee does expect some appeals
Irom the departmental committees.
-Poston said that he did not know
yet on what basis an appeal from
the departments would be accepted
or rejected.
""IN THEORY, there should be an
area of appeal for the student to a
i'6'mmittee not composed of members
of the same department in which his
case originated," Poston continued.
"No member of the college committee
should help handle a case involving
his own department."
Poston thinks that two types of
,V v
r if-
l l is i V
1 "S3
; ,t5. x. '
University students, Mike Randall,
h - i
er and James Branch model some of the clothes which they say
are so hard to obtain in Lincoln.
Jimmy Smith displays the natural hair look of the bush, a style
which is catching on with the males but is slower in the female
styles on the University campus.
both the departmental and college
committees.
"If a student feels that he has been
the subject of bias or prejudice in
grading," he said, "then there are
legitimate grounds for committee in
tervention." According to Poston, differences in
opinion between the committee and
a faculty member of educational
philosophy would not be reason
enough to evaluate a grading com
plaint, however.
"We can't dictate to a teacher how
he should grade merely because we
disagree with his methods," he added.
Poston thinks there is a need for
a committee above the departmental
level, but he isn't sure as to how
much actual work it will do.
There have been no appeals yet.
"Most committees will probably
tend to be conservative with regards
to changing the students' grades,"
Poston said. "I have considered sug
gesting that students be allowed to
sit on departmental committees."
Of the four cases already dealt with
in the departmental committees, no
grades were altered. The college
committee does have one voting stu
dent member, Nancy Griffin.
"The students are probably still ig
norant of their right of appeal,"
Poston added. "We expect many more
cases in the next few weeks."
THE CHEMISTRY, English,
psychology and zoology departmental
committees have each handled one
complaint.
Procedure in the chemistry depart
ment is explicit and somewhat
elaborate.
The student submits a written ex
planation of the situation as he sees
it, according to Dr. James Looker,
professor of chemistry. The com
mittee and the professor involved read
the report.
"We then meet with the instructor
and he gives us an oral report," he
added. "Finally, the instructor sub-
J fx) s,
fi
I H
(1 -:-
.1.
r
it
aur- "1
Imiw -irnmiii ami m i" -tiwimi irn-nwr mr 'a ''ttP
Jimmy Smith, Charlotte Walk
: 'ml: m
ui iVVJ
"X HI
-"Iff i
, v U
-.-v &
, ' -;. t t
-
mittee meets with the student and
the instructor to make known our
decision."
DESPITE THE outlined procedure,
Looker said 'Jiat the operation of the
committee is still very fluid and flex
ible. "We will consider any student who
gets an F in a course," he continued.
"But a student who gets between a
C and a D might not be heard."
According to Looker, the committee
does not want to deal with satisfactory
grades (above a C) because of lack
of time.
"A college level appeal board could
serve the interests of both student
and teacher," Looker said. "In some
cases a teacher might need protection
if he is falsely accused."
IN THE zoology department, the
procedure is similar. "The student
and the faculty member are asked
to submit a written report," Dr. Brent
Nickol, assistant profesj-or of zoology,
said. "The committee then interviews
the student and if there are further
problems, questions the instructor be
fore making a decision."
After the decision has been made,
the student is provided with a written
record of what has transpired, he
added.
In the English department, the ap
peal procedure is less rigid.
"We are playing it by ear right
now," according to Dr. Louis
Crompton. professor of English. "It
will take some time to formulate a
definite procedure,"
CROMPTON SAID in the one case
already examined by the committee,
the student brought evidence in the
way of test papers and essays which
the committee reviewed.
Two members of the committee
then talked with the faculty member
involved, he said. The decision on the
grade appeal was made on the basis
of the discussions with both teacher
and student.
Passed unanimously
Human Rights committee
gains approval of Senate
A Committee on Human Rights,
designed to benefit all members of
the University community, was ap
proved unanimously at Tuesday
afternoon's University Senate meet
ing. The committee will seek assurances
that all groups in the University
"... are able to conduct their re
spective activities with proper guar
antees of legally established and com
monly accepted precepts of human
rights."
Two students, chosen by ASUN, will
make up one third of the committee.
The other four members will be
chosen by the Chancellor and the
University Senate.
ACCORDING to the committee
proposal, the group will act as an
Dashikis,
by Joanell Ackerman
Nebraskan Staff Writer
Is Nebraska with it yet?
Not as far as black students are
concerned.
"All of the Big Eight schools are
with it except Nebraska. And this
school is really behind," according
to Mike Randall, member of the Afro
American collegiate Society.
THE OUTWARD signs of being
"with it" the natural c o i f s and
Afro clothes though not prevalent,
are "catching on" among the black
students at NU, he said.
Part of the problem is that
Lincoln merchants do not stock the
Afro style of dress.
"It's hard to get the garb in Lincoln.
Black students have to go to Omaha
to get their stuff. If the Lincoln
merchants knew what we liked,
maybe they would stock the Afro
styles," Randall said.
THE DASIIIKI is one of the basic
Afro styles. A loose-fitting shirt or
full-length gown, it is made from col
orful material and drapes over the
body suggestive of uninhibited
African dress.
THE LONG dashiki is popular with
black sisters, while black brothers opt
for the shorter length.
Another "in" style is a felop or
hat similar to the one worn by Nehru,
former prime minister of India.
. "Usually the f e 1 o p s are colorful
and match the dashiki. Though not
worn here, they are quite popular on
other campuses," Randall said. "I.
committee is needed because small
departments are unable to allow for
a really effective appeal body.
"The more members on the com
mittee, the better it is for the stu
dent," he added. "In a year or two
we will know what to expect.
"Right now we are educating
ourselves and making ad hoc
judgments in dealing with the grade
appeals," Crompton said.
THE CASE in the psychology
department was resolved by a com
mittee meeting alone, according to
Dr. Monte Page, assistant professor
of psychology. No written reports by
either the student or instructor were
evaluated.
In all cases, the committees refuse
to consider any appeal until all other
approaches to the grade problem have
been exhausted.
The size of the departmental com
mittees range from two to five
members. Most departments maintain
a committee of three.
"I HAVEN'T even heard of the com
mittee," Dr. Winfield Ray, professor
of botany, said. "I think grade com
plaints should be settled by the indi
vidual professor."
If the individual instructor cannot
solve the problem, Ray thinks that
a college level committee should deal
with the complaint in order to get
an objective point of view outside the
department.
"Our expectation and hope in the
department is that we won't get much
business with this thing." one member
of a departmental grading committee,
who wished to remain unknown, said.
"For what we do deal with, a three
member committee should be more
than enough."
The committee member thinks that
having a hierarchial system of ap
peals is both pointless and redundant.
Dr. R. H. Hurlbutt of the philosophy
department thinks that all cases
should be investigated.
advisory body. The committee shall
present recommendations t o ap
propriate University agencies to im
plement existing policies.
Other duties of the committee will
include counselling and assisting in
dividuals or groups alleging infringe
ment of human rights. The Committee
will also present recommendations to
appropriate agencies to implement
existing policies.
The Committee proposal was writ
ten by the Senate's Committee on
Committees. Chairman of that group,
Dr. Thomas B. Thorson, said that few
faculty suggestions were received. But
his group tried to take into account
divergent views. Thorson that the
proposal would "not satisfy
everyone."
Continued on Page 3
felops set
mean, where can you buy a felop
in Lincoln?"
AS FOR THE black coeds at NU,
Randall said that the girls "do not
seem to be as black conscious as
black sisters" at other schools.
And black coeds were inclined to
agree with him.
"The girls here dress pretty much
the same as other coeds," said
Camille Steed, a freshman from
Omaha.
She estimated that about 20 per cent
of the black coeds have let their hair
go natural. That is not many because
there are not many black girls on
campus, she added.
TO A BLACK girl, the "Afro" or
"bush" is not just another hair style.
"If a girl wears an "Afro, it means
something," said Annette Hudson. "It
means that she is against the system
the way things are now.
"A girl is actually changing her
whole idea of what is beautiful," she
said. ;
Another "with it" style for Afro
American students is a black leather
jacket, with black slacks and a black
turtle neck shirt a la the Black
Panthers.
And what is below the surface of
this outward show of thinking black?
Each has his own way of saying it.
"Just like the black people, their
styles are coming up," said Jill Hunt
To Randall, the Afro dress is
a "matter of identifying and a source
of cultural pride."
Perhaps Nebraska will get "with
it" afteralL
State-wide college
confro 6r jfenfe
3
by Susie Jenkins
Nebraskan Staff Writer
The Education Committee of the
Legislature killed LB180 Tuesday, a
bill which would have placed govern
ing of all four-year state colleges
under the control of the Board of
Regents.
The bill, presented by Education
Committee Chairman Lester Harsh,
would also have placed control of the
state junior colleges under the Board
with the consent of the Legislature.
The eight senators on the Education
Committee apparently were in some
confusion concerning the effect of this
measure on LB205, the bill to create
a State Coordinating Council on
Higher Education.
Committee member Sen. Wayne
Ziebarth of Wilcox questioned the ef
ficacy of such a bill when "The Coun
cil (on Higher Education) will just
change things later."
The committee asked questions of
their own chairman, who testified on
behalf of the bill.
LB205, which has advanced to
general file, would create a council
that would have advisory o r
regulatory power over all state post
high school educational institutions.
The bill will be read in its entirety
before the whole Legislature while it
Honorary degrees given
at centennial convocation
Six men and women will receive
honorary degrees for outstanding
contributions in a wide variety of
fields at the University Centennial
Convocation February 14.
The recipients are: Dr. Robert
Goheen. president of Princeton
University; Whitney M. Young. Jr..
executive director of the National
Urban League; Mrs. Olga Nielsen
Sheldon, art patron; Dr. Edwin J.
Wellhausen, director of the Interna
tional Maise and Wheat Improvement
Center for the Rockefeller Foundation
in Mexico City; Mrs. Sarah Ladd
Woods, supporter of cultural affairs
and Dr. J. George Harrar, president
of the Rockefeller Foundation.
GOHEEN WILL give the address,
"Time for Understanding," at the
Convocation which begins at 10 a.m.
in the University Coliseum. Students,
faculty and interested persons may
attend. Classes will be dismissed from
9:30-12:30 a.m. on the city campus
and from 9-12 on east campus.
Acting Chancellor Merk Hobson will
confer the honorary degrees and Dr.
Joseph Soshnik, president of the Lin
coln campuses and outstate activities,
will preside.
Goheen, a native of India, was
named president of Princeton
University at the age of 37. He has
served as director of the Woodrow
Wilson Fellowship Program and more
recently, has served on a variety of
educational missions in Western
Afro fashion trends
(
$ 4 .V
t
i
v. i
r
1 4- t
Jody Car and Anette Hudson display the natural looking prints
which are fast becoming popular in modern clothing styles for
both men and women in the Afro mode, , .
is on general file, and if it is approved
the bill will be read and approved
twice more before becoming law. , .
In defending LB180, Harsh gave
two main reasons for introduction of
the bill:
Competition for state funds
between the colleges is harmful for
those institutions, Harsh said. Little
Hoover Commission spokesman Garth
Donaldson agreed, noting that it would
be desirable to have all four-year in
stitutions under the same governing
board. -
Harsh said that a merging"2f.
Regents and State Normal Board
staffs would be beneficial, and th
hiring of additional staff members
would be partially offset by the
elimination of two Normal Board
positions. .
Regent Ed Schwartzkopf of Lincoln
also spoke in favor of the bill, saying
that coordination "to avoid costly
duplication" is necessary both through
the Board of Regents and the Council
on Education.
The bill was opposed by members
of the State Normal Board and Dr.
John Gustad, coordinator for tht
Normal Board, who is leaving at the
end of the year. Gustad advocated
killing LB180, in deference to LB205,
"provided the small college board is
retained."
Europe, the Middle East and Far
East.
YOUNG, WHO worked for the Na
tional Urban League in Omaha, is
president-elect of the National
Association of Social Workers, past
president of the National Conference
on Social W7elfare and author of "To
Be Equal," a book on human rela
tions. Mrs. Sheldon is the widow of A.
Bromley Sheldon who with his sister,
the late Miss Frances Sheldon, pro
vided the Sheldon Memorial Art
Gallery on the University campus.
Wellhausen has served on the
Rockefeller Foundation staff for more
than 25 years, working virtually all
of that time in Mexico. He has helped
develop many new strains of corn,
which have been valuable in the
agriculture of underdeveloped regions,
. MRS. WOODS has twice served as
president of the Nebraska Art
Association and continues as a trustee
and patron. Her interest in cultural
and civic affairs is reflected in the
work of the Woods Charitable Fund,
donor of the Nelle Cochran Woods
Art Classroom Building and benefac
tor of the University's program in
English curriculum development.
Harrar began his career as a
biologist and university professor,
and, in 1943, joined the Rockefeller
Foundation. Since 1961, he has been
president of the Foundation, where
he continues his attack on hunger in
the Americas.
fU i
A
V:
i
I ,
f
.
I
r '
