Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 6, 1977)
Legislators teeter on evaluations bill By MARY BETH BOWEN Of the Emerald SALEM — About 30 students from the University, Oregon State University (OSU) and the Oregon College of Education lobbied legis lators at the Capitol Tuesday, seeking passage of a bill that would require state system schools to release student evaluations of faculty members. The House votes on House Bill 2702 Thursday. Indications are it will be close, as many representatives are still sitting on the fence. For example, Rep. Bill Rogers, R-Vida, says he is “50.1 per cent in favor of the bill.” Rep. Mark Gardner, D-Hillsboro, says he is “leaning” toward sup porting the bill, as does Rep. Brad Morris, R-Medford. “I’m inclined to vote for the bill,” is the way Rep. Max Rijken, D-Newport, puts it, but Rijken adds he has apprehensions. The bill, which has attracted student support and faculty opposi tion, is sponsored by Rep. Mary Burrows, R-Eugene, one of the Uni versity campus’ two House legislators. The other House member, Rep. Dave Frohnmayer, R-Eugene, an assistant law professor at the University and a legal consultant to the University president, says he has serious objections to the bill. Frohnmayer adds that he will ask to abstain from Thursday’s vote because he says voting on the evalua tions bill constitutes a conflict of interest. “I feel there is a real danger in making public the evaluations of young inexperienced teachers,” says Frohnmayer. “An initially tough course evaluation could have a heavily demoralizing effect on their development.” Also opposing the bill is Rep. Tony Van Vliet, R-Corvallis, an OSU history professor. Van Vliet says he feels the bill would decrease teaching quality. “If anything, the release of evaluations would cause faculty mem bers to be even less willing to try new teaching techniques than they are now,” says Van Vliet. However, not all higher education professors oppose the bill. Strongly supporting it is Sen. Frank Roberts, D-Portland, a Port land State University speech professor. Roberts testified before the House Education Committee last month that students deserve to know what other students think of faculty members. “The bill would ensure that the student has the information to make an intelligent decision,” says Roberts. Currently, the schools use the students’ evaluations to make promotion and tenure decisions. One of the faculty’s primary objections to the bill is the publication of material contained in faculty member’s private personnel files. However, at the suggestion of the Oregon chapter of the Ameri can Association of University Professors, amendments were added that call for a two-part evaluation form — one for release to students and the other for the personnel file. But faculty representatives also claim that if teachers receive negative student evaluations, the resultant public pressure could jeopardize their tenure standing. Students, on the other hand, claim the release of evaluations will help them select courses more intelligently, which in turn will boost the number of credit hours taken by students, which determines the school's state funding. Art Supply Specials Staedler-Mars Technical Pens 20% Off Koh-i-noor pen and pen sets up to 20% Off Faber Castel pens and pen sets 15% Off “Design Marker’’ Art Marker reg $1.10 NOW 79 d BRUSHES pens Simmons Brushes 25% Off Grumbacher Brushes 25% Off PflinT Grumbacher paints 15-25% Off Aqua-tec Acrylic Paint 25% Off ALSO Ciearprint Drafting Vellum up to 12% Off Bienfang tracing papers up to 15% Off Strathmore—drawing and watercolor pads 25% Off And Vemco Drafting Instruments—compases, di viders, etc. all 1/2 price U of O Bookstore Open: Mon-Fri 8:15 a m. to 5 p.m. Sat 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Assistance for crime victims House studies compensation By TOM JACKSON Of the Emerald SALEM—Under existing criminal law, when a criminal is convicted of a crime, the victim of the crime gains little more than the satisfaction of know ing the criminal has been brought to justice. But a move in the Legislature to provide com pensation to crime victims may change all that. The House Judiciary Committee worked on four bills in its meeting Tuesday, tabling two of them in a “weeding out” process. Of the two bills surviving the committee action, one calls for direct payments to the victim of a crime by the person convicted, and the other stipulates the fine imposed on a convicted criminal should be paid to the victim for damages resulting from the crime. The first, House Bill 2012, allows the court to order a convicted criminal to pay for special dam ages, including property damaged or taken and los ses due to medical expenses. Under the proposal, the court would propose a plan for restitution, and then inform the defendent of the plan for review. The court may then change the plan if it finds the defender’s comments and requests reasonable. If no restitution is to be made, the court must inform the victim of its reasons. The bill further stipulates the defender may defer the payment to the victim during a jail sen tence, if any. The court may also make the payment of damages a condition for parole. The other bill which is still under consideration by the committee, House Bill 3097, would not make the payment of restitution a condition for probation, and authorizes the court to grant to the victim the fine imposed on the criminal. A further complication for both bills discussed at the meeting was whether the restitution would be granted by the judge or the jury in the trial. The matter will probably be discussed in another house judiciary meeting Friday. One of the bills tabled in the meeting, House Bill 2522, called for restitution as a necessary condi tion for probation. The other, House Bill 2380, would have authorized the court to demand restitution as a sentence, with the State Board of Parole determin ing the payment schedule. Press women announce winners CORVALLIS (AP) — Oregon Press Women announced these winners Saturday at the organization’s annual confer ence: Milly Wohler, the Oregonian, in terview, news and features; Elizabeth Gillenwater, the Oregon Journal, special articles; Jean Wiler Huyler, Bonneville Power Administration, public rela tions and special articles on so cial issues. Suzanne Ashmun, Gresham Outlook, eight awards for various categories for weekly newspap ers; Glennis McNeal, Beaverton, photograph and annual report; Jeanie Booth, Beaverton, feature, energy use and special articles; Suzanne Boss, Oregon City, energy; Wanda McAllister, Cor vallis, editorial and editorial page editing; Karen Kytle, Lake Os wego, editorial; Kristyn Mclvor, Beaverton, photography and page editing. Also, Virginia Rankin, Corvallis, feature; Val Thoenig, Eugene, features; Shelly Schultz, Beaver ton Community Press, energy use; Susan Wehern, Toledo, page editing; Jan Reidberger, Lincoln City, photography, Jean Anderson, Corvallis, public rela tions brochure. Also, Jean Rover, Salem, pub lication editing and publicity promotion; Lori Varosch, Sandy, news story and feature story. Two men receiving awards were Em mett Pierce, Beaverton Valley Times, for an article on govern ment and civics review, and Jeff Mclvor, Forest Grove Times, photograph. Here’s the map but if you get lost, just follow the crowd. ITUHt PBWWKUM fllvp. La Cucina is attracting lovers of fine Italian food from every area of the state. Diners are delighted to find everything from Steak Florentine to Sal timbocca Alla Romana, Spaghetti to Pizza. Try us this week, follow the map and you can lead your own crowd to La Cucina. Near the International Motel Open til midnight daily on Gateway St. at Beltline Sunday til 10 p.m.
