GRE format change delayed
Testing service
to implement
shift in 1999
By Rebecca Pitmans
Staff Reporter
The Educational Testing Ser
vice has postponed changing its
Graduate Record Examination to a
computer-only format until 1999.
In 1993, ETS introduced the
computerized version of the GRE,
a graduate-school admissions test
taken by almost half a million stu
dents each year. The test is adap
tive; questions become more diffi
cult as a student answers more
questions correctly.
ETS originally planned to re
place the pencil-and-paper test with
the computerized version by 1997.
Several changes related to the
GRE have been made since De
cember 1994, when a dispute with
Kaplan Educational Centers oc
curred.
Kaplan, a nationwide test
preparation service, heard evidence
that students were seeing similar
questions on the tests,” said Ann
Mecca, a spokeswoman for Kaplan.
Kaplan had 20 investigators
take the test. After taking the test,
they were able to reconstruct a
portion of the test from memory.
A few weeks after Kaplan’s in
vestigation, ETS canceled 75 per
cent of the test dates through June.
Before the investigation, the com
puterized GRE test was offered up
to six days a week in some loca
tions. The test will be offered one
week a month at least until June.
But Kaplan’s actions are not the
reason ETS delayed changing over
to a computer-only format, said
Tom Ewing, spokesman for ETS.
“It’s disturbing that Kaplan is
portraying the delay as something
they caused when it is not,” Ewing
said.
The reason for the delay, Ewing
said, is because more time is needed
to prepare for the conversion.
“The GRE is an adaptive test,
. and the process of changing to a
computer-only format is adaptive
too,” Ewing said.
ETS will be working on a num
ber of changes and improvements
during the two-year delay. The
testing service wants to have 500
test centers in place before elimi
nating the pencil-and-paper tests,
Ewing said.
ETS also is adding new types of
questions to the GRE quantitative
section and a writing portion to the
test.
But the top priority, Ewing said,
is enlarging the question pool. That
is not a simple task, he said.
“ It’s very costly to create a
giant pool of questions,” Ewing
said.
“The GRE is an
adaptive test, and the
process of changing to
a computer-only
format is adaptive
too. ”
■
TOM EWING
ETS spokesman
A test like the SAT will cost
about $ 150,000 per test form, and
will take about 16 months work on
each version, Ewing said. The work
behind a computer test is similar,
he said, except that because it is
offered more frequently, the ques
tion pool is more exposed to stu
dents.
“In other words, its shelf life is
not quite as long,” Ewing said.
“We have to come up with a lot
more questions.”
ETS also postponed changing
the GRE’s individual subject tests
to computer tests until 1999.
Mecca said Kaplan felt com
puterized testing was good, but it
was going to take more time and
money to make the tests secure.
“But we want to see it sue-;
ceed,” Mecca said. ^
Lincoln hosts
holiday parties
By Catherine Blalock
Staff Reporter
Like people all over the world,
groups at UNL are celebrating Mardi
Gras today and observing Ash
Wednesday tomorrow.
Tonight the Newman Center, the
Catholic student center on campus,
will hold a Mass at 9, followed by a
Mardi Gras celebration.
The Responsible Hospitality
Council of Lincoln and Lincoln Coun
cil on Alcoholism and Drugs Inc. will
host a party tonight from 5 to 7 at The
Comhusker Hotel.
The UNL German Department also
is celebrating the holidays with
Rosenmontag, a holiday celebrated
mainly in central and southern Ger
many.
Yesterday the club began its tradi
tional celebration by cutting off ties,
dressing up in costumes and passing
out candy to students.
Are you Tired,
Of This?
,—Waiting
‘v^sfcor This?
Residence Hall Association
is Proud to Present:
1st Annual Suitcase Dance
You could win
a Trip to
Disneyland
in Anaheim,
California!
Tickets aresold ir
Food Services of
each Hall be
tween 5pm &
6pm. They're only
$2, so get them
while they're HOT! You could be
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DWI bills
debated
in committee
By Matthew Waite
Senior Reporter ~
Senators on the Nebraska
Legislature’s Transportation Com
mittee advanced a bill on Monday
that would toughen the “zero toler
ance” law for minors cited for drink
ing and driving.
LB766, sponsored by Sen. Connie
Day of Norfolk, would make it pos
sible for police officers to cite minors
for DWI without having charged them
with another offense.
Under the bill, a minor’s license
would be impounded for 30 days if
charged with a first-offense DWI.
That impounding would appear on
the minor’s driving record for 90
days.
Under current law, an impounded
license does not appear on Depart
ment of Motor Vehicle records, and
DWI for minors is a secondary of
fense.
Day said that if a minor’s insur
ance came up for review in those 90
days, the offense would be on record.
Mike Kelley of the Nebraska
Criminal Defense Attorney’s Asso
ciation was the only person to testify
against the bill.
He said his group thought the zero
tolerance law should remain a sec
ondary offense to eliminate the pos
sibility of police officers pulling over
minors for no reason.
The committee also amended, but
took no action on, a bill that would
give juvenile judges the ability to
restrict and suspend minors’ drivers
licenses as a form of punishment.
A vote on LB595, sponsored by
Sen. Ron Withem of Papillion, was
delayed by committee members after
questions about the language of the
bill arose.
Under LB595, a record of the li
cense suspension would be kept with
the DMV, making it accessible to law
enforcement agencies. An amend
ment offered by Withem and ap
proved by the committee would make
the records confidential.
Under the old legislation, minors
were to keep a copy of the court
ordered suspension with them at all
times. No record of the suspension
was kept at the DMV, allowing mi
nors to avoid further trouble, Withem
said.
These Lincoln Area Churches invite you to join them in worship
this spring.
College Fellowship that Centers on Jesus Christ
Join us Sunday mornings at 9:30 for interesting Bible discussions and fellowship. We’re close lo
the main campus and arc glad to provide transportation. Just give the church a call at 474-5659.
Central is the ideal place to make Christian fellowship a part of your college experience.
MEMBER,
CHRISTIAN
& MISSIONARY
ALLIANCE
4
CLOSE TO
CAMPUS /
2820 "O' STREET
474-5659
CENTRAL CHURCH || COLLEGE & CAREER
LENT ’9f»n,
' ATTHE H
LUTHERAN STUDENT CENTER
(535 North 16th Street across from Neihardt HaH)
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES
Wednesday night, March 1,1995 at 9:30 pm
LENTEN WORSHIP SERVICES
"Cross Examinations"
&3C non.
(Each Wednesday during Lent)
Wednesday, March 1
9:00 PM
Ash
Wednesday
Service
CORNERSTONE-UMHE
640 North 16th Street
All UNL Students & Staff Invited & Welcome!
First-Plymouth
20th & D Si
476-7565
^,U#/ «/30
Weekend Worship Services
Saturdays 5:30 pm* Sundays 9 & 1030 am
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church
Newman Center
The Student Parish on Campus
*16th&0*
Sunday Mass Schedule
10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.t 5:30 p.m.
Daily Mass Schedule
M-Thure: 6:55 a.m., 10:00 p.m.
Holy Thursday Liturgy
Thurs., April 13:8:00 pjn.
Confessions:
Phone: 474-7914 M-Thurs: 9:30 pm; Sat. 4-4:30 pjn.; Sun. 5pjn.
The Lenten and Easter Season at
University Lutheran Chapel
"The Body of Jesus"
Pressing Toward The Goal By Going With Jesus To The Cross
Wednesdays at 6:15PM (unless othwise noted)
March 1st The FEET of Jesus to lead the way
March 8tli The HANDS of Jesus to help and heal
March 15th The MOLflil of Jesus to speak God’s W>rd
March 22nd The EARS of Jesus to hear our prayers
March 29th The EYES of Jesus to see our needs
April 5th The HEART of Jesus beating with love
April 13th MAUNDY THURSDAY (9:00PM)
"The Last Supper" Dramatic Presentation
April 14th GOOD FRIDAY (9:00PM)
The WOUNDS of Jesus flowing with blood
April 16th RESURRECTION MEGA CELEBRATION!
Worship at 7:30AM & 11:00AM
Easter Breakfast at 9:00AM
University Lutheran Chapel
1510 Q Stxcet(N.W. comer of 16th & "Q"), 477-3997
A member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod