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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 1999)
Students give professors grades on Web By Eric Rineer Staff writer Originally a University of Texas exclusive, the World Wide Web page collegestudents.com now allows stu dents nationwide the chance to praise or lash out against college professors. At collegestudents.com, students can link to an evaluation page where professors and instructors are given grades from one to 10 based on how they perform in the classroom. A score of one is the lowest, and 10 is the highest. Besides ranking professors on a numerical scale, many of the site users dish out their opinions in writ ing. About 400 colleges, including the University of Nebraska campuses, have faculty members who are listed on the site. At the NU page, like many of the other colleges’ pages, viewers may be amazed at what they read. One of the excerpts, for example, complains that an NU professor, who is from India, doesn’t speak English well. ine excerpt reacts: we are tne land of opportunities, but I thought speaking English would be a prereq uisite for a college professor.”5 The professor in the critique received only three points on the 10 point scale. Ope student’s remarks surprised some University of Nebraska Lincoln administrators: The student attacked a professor for his teaching style and sense of fashion. “First of all he can’t teach for shit. He seems like he hates his stu dents. .. .He’s one of the biggest dorks I’ve ever met. “Blue velcro shoes, shorts jacked up to his chest, and he sweats more than any other human on this planet.” James Griesen, vice chancellor for student affairs, paused after see ing the quote on a printout given to him by an office staff member. “That’s kind of ridiculous,” said Griesen, referring to the fashion review. “These are totally unstruc tured comments. There is no effort to encourage this respondent to consid er the various dimensions of good teaching.” Despite softie of the harsh com ments on the site, positive evalua tions also decorated the pages. The positive remarks included encouraging other students to take a class with a particular professor. Most students who were inter viewed by the Daily Nebraskan said they had mixed feelings after learn ing about the Web site. Aaron Trimble, a senior advertis ing major, said the site provided an ii I just hope (the Web site) isn V used in any kind of abusive or negligent manner' Gwen Foster assistant professor of English open door for biased opinions. He said the site would attract students who either hated or loved their pro fessors. It leaves little room for con structive criticism, he said. “It’s just as if I were to praise my Spanish instructor.” he said. “He’s such an influential teacher, but my opinion would be biased just like anyone else on that Web site.” Jim Baker, junior psychology major, said he thinks students should stay away from the computer and tell professors face-to-face what they think of their teaching. Some UNL faculty members also pondered the ups and downs of Internet ratings. Gwen Foster, assistant professor of English, said she was curious as to the validity of the student-inspired page. “I'll be curious to see how this evolves,” said Foster, who said she felt the site was a good idea. “I just hope it isn’t used in any kind of abu sive or negligent manner.” One of the benefits of reading the reviews, Foster said, was that it pro vided a chance for students to seek information on courses before regis tering. In any case, roster said, there was still plenty of room for dishonesty. “I wouldn’t take it as the word of God or anything,” she said. Peter Bleed, anthropology profes sor, said he was skeptical as to how the ratings were achieved. “It sounds like the ratings would be easy to manipulate,” Bleed said. “Obviously, people who want to inflate the evaluations could log on and include a series of bogus posi tives. “But likewise, somebody really angry could put in a bunch of very negative evaluations.” Kevin Kight, a junior exercise major, said he didn’t put much stock into the Web page. “I don’t think it’s a good idea because the information might not be aimed towards professors’ improving the classes,” he said. “It might just be aimed at bring ing the professor down, or making a joke.” Discover Oxford University - Earn 6 Credit Hours Summer 2000 Attend an information session: ALL MAJORS WELCOME!*! Mon., Sept. 13 11:00,1:00,2:00 CBA 138 Tues., Sept. 14 11:00, 12:00 CBA 138 Wed., Sept. 15 12:30 CBA 138 Sept|| 16 2:00 or CBA 138 * ^ 3:30 and 4:30 OLD 205 I Contact CBA V38. 472-2310 if you have questions I Tuesday, September 14,1999 M Daily Nebraskan M Page 3 Man arrested on suspicion of copying identification card b By Jake Bleed Senior staff writer c —-- ii University police arrested the room- ? mate of a University of Nebraska- P Lincoln student Friday after he used a n copy of the student’s university identifi cation card to cash the student’s refund ti check, university police said. d Police also found Anthony Martinez in possession of a 1995 Camaro, which v was Reported stolen from Omaha this a summer, Bushing said. Inside the car, v police found hypodermic needles, a steroids and an unknown substance r believed to be a narcotic. c University police arrested Martinez, 20, at his home on the 1300 p block of 19th Street for altering official c documents, possession of stolen proper- r I r, forgery and possession of a narcotic. On Sept. 2, Martinez’s roommate ailed the identity card office complain lg that his student ID was deactivated, le learned a new card had been issued Lug. 24, said Earl Hawkey, director of igistration and records. Hawkey said a new card was issued ) the student and all previous cards eactivated. On Sept. 8, Martinez’s roommate rent to the Student Accounts office to sk about a $724 refund check the uni ersity owed him, Bushing said. The ccounts office told the student his ;fund check was issued Aug. 23 and leared through the bank Sept. 1. The student contacted university olice Thursday, reported the refund heck stolen and said he suspected his X)inmate in the theft. Bushing said. Martinez apparently used his copy of his roommate’s ID to cash the refund check, Bushing said. Students must prove they are regis tered for classes, show photo identifica tion and pay $ 10 to receive a student ID. Hawkey said Martinez probably used one of his roommate’s identifica tion cards to get the student ID. Bushing said the Camaro was the third stolen vehicle Martinez had been connected to. He first took a truck on a test drive from an Omaha lot to Greeley, Colo. i Bushing said Martinez then traded the truck in for a jeep, which he then “test drove” back to Omaha and aban doned. 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