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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1998)
Proposal would allow colleges say in appeals By Jessica Fargen Staffwriter An Academic Senate proposal would give students easier service when they contest a late withdraw from a class or a mistaken grading option, faculty leaders say. Currently, students who missed the withdraw deadline or who want to change the pass/no pass status of a class after the deadline must work through the Academic Senate Grading and Examination Committee. Under the proposed change, stu dents would work within their college, shifting most of the weight of appeals decisions from the committee chair man to the colleges, said Don Lee, who has been chairman of the committee for three of die past four years. Lee said he proposed the change because he and other faculty members did not have enough support to handle the appeals of about 180 students each semester. A committee chairman must process the appeals using their own clerical support staff. Not all instruc tors could take the job because they might not have secretaries and office workers with enough time to do the work. Lee, a University of Nebraska Lincoln agronomy professor, said the Academic Senate has to approve the change, which he may bring up at its December meeting. Robert Duncan, a grading commit tee member, said the change would make the appeals more efficient, although larger colleges such as arts and sciences could have more work to do.. “It’s an attempt to streamline things so it’s easier for the students and easier for the faculty to determine whether the student has a reasonable request,” said Duncan, a UNL architecture professor. Currently, withdrawal appeals are sent from the college appeals officer to Lee, who schedules a subcommittee meeting where the appeals are decided, Lee said. This semester’s withdrawal deadline is Nov. 13. A student who wants to change a pass/no pass option on a class after the Oct. 16 deadline must send a letter from his or her instructor, adviser and the course department chairperson to Lee, who makes the appeal decision. — Under the proposal, students would go to their college offices for both the late withdrawal and grade option appeals. The appeals officer would be in charge of scheduling to meet with - at minimum - the college’s Academic Senate representative. The Grading and Examination Committee chairman would not have as much responsibility and decision making, Lee said. The policy would relieve the chair man of the 40 hours in appeals work each semester and add about four hours of work for each college, he said. “I think it’s just not fair for those faculty that are supported to take on all the service for the university,” Lee said. “If we adopt this change it will really force the colleges to handle all the ser vices that is required.” Lee said the College of Agriculture Science and Natural Resources sup ports him adequately. Although he enjoys die post, it is time for him to turn over the reins. ii someone would nave volun teered, Lee said, he would not have come up with the proposal. “The reality of the climate is that there aren’t very many well-supported faculty members that feel that they can handle the letter output that goes into that job,” Lee said. “With the current system, many faculty would not be able to be (chairman) of this committee because they do not have secretarial support.” Colleges vary in the level of clerical support they provide to faculty mem bers, Lee said. Linda Shipley, appeals officer for the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, said although the system would cut down on the paper work of the committee chairman, admissions and advising offices already are dealing with a lot of changes such as an upcoming new degree audit system. Shipley said she hopes the grading committee solicited more faculty members’ opinions. Lee said he has been getting feed back from faculty members and the committee. He plans to have a meeting with faculty members later in the semester. “I understand if there’s a lot of paperwork for one person to handle,” Shipley said. “I just think it needs some more investigation before it goes there.” NO APPOINTMENTS + 2 LOCATIONS Great Idea Max Tan West Max Tan South West “O” st _ 40th & old Cheney 477.7444 M _ W 420.6454 Man arrested for firing gun Police responding to shots fired outside McPhee Elementary School arrested a man with more than an ounce of marijuana Tuesday night. At 10:30 p.m. the maintenance supervisor reported several shots fired near the school, at 820 S. 15th St., Lincoln Police Sgt. Ann Heermann said. A pizza delivery man saw a young man running with a gun in hand, and he was able to give police a description and tell where he ran. Police surrounded the apart ment building the suspect had entered, and then officers went inside to find him. The suspect ran out the back door of the building where another officer was waiting. Police arrested the 23-year-old man for discharging a weapon in the city and possession of more than an ounce of marijuana, both felonies. Three cited in drug bust . Police cited three young men for drug violations Tuesday mom ing at a house where drugs alleged ly were sold. The house on the 100 block of North 34th Street was under sur veillance just before noon when police observed someone leaving the house after a sale, Heermann said. Police stopped and searched the 18-year-old and found an ounce of marijuana. Then police cited the man and obtained a search warrant for the house. Inside police found drug para phernalia but no narcotics, and they cited the two residents, ages 19 and 21. Compiled by senior staff writer Josh Funk Miller Lite & W.C.'s present... VELVET ELVIS Friday & Saturday Oct. Oth & 10th Come early and beat the cover! $1 A/e\! drinks from 8-9! 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