Classes help ease students into system
Participants' reactions to a new pro
gram that is designed to offset the in
timidating effects of entering a large
university have been overwhelmingly
positive, according to a recent survey.
The Freshmen Seminar Project was
initiated last fall in order to make the
transition to college a little bit easier,
said Jeff Pennington, of the dean of
students’ office.
In the program, freshmen and new
students can take seminar-style classes
that are taught in dorm lounges and
small classrooms.
“Providing small classes taught in
seminar fashion will mitigate the ef
fects of the impersonality a large
university can often project,’’ Penn
ington said.
More than 500 University students
have participated so far this year in the
Freshmen Seminar Project, a brain
child of the President’s Advisory Coun
cil. And the responses from those par
ticipants, as well as from the faculty
members involved, have been quite
favorable, Pennington said.
According to a survey conducted by
Paul Goldman, a sociology professor,
and distributed to seminar par
ticipants, 67 percent of the students
who responded said their expectations
were met, while 20 percent said their
expectations were somewhat met.
“The class had much contact with
the instructor and the discussions were
interesting and thought-provoking,”
one student wrote on the evaluation.
The 11 percent who said that their
expectations were not met complained
about the difficulty of the course
material, Goldman said.
“There were few enough people to
have a comfortable atmosphere during
discussions,” remarked one partici
pant. “I felt I learned far more from the
seminar because I was intrigued and
excited to study concepts from class on
my own.”
One-half the participants said that
the seminar courses were more
challenging than other classes.
“Answers to this question reflected
considerable ambiguity because
students have different interpretations
of what a challenging course is,”
Goldman said.
Of the 194 freshmen and new
students enrolled in the freshman
seminars fall term, 54 responded to the
questionnaire distributed in the 13
seminars that were offered.
A brief questionnaire also was sent to
the 14 participating faculty, Goldman
said.
Because of the overwhelming suc
cess of the Freshmen Seminar Project,
16 courses will be offered this term
covering topics as diverse as "Robots
— Past and Future” and "Bicycle
Botony.” The 199-level courses are
taught in several disciplines.
Freshmen and new students can
register for classes listed in the time
schedule at the Freshmen Seminar
table during registration.
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Rulings given in Penk suit
By Scott McFetridge
Of the Emerald
The recent award to Anna
Penk and two other successful
plaintiffs in the $33.1 million
sex discrimination lawsuit
against the State Board of
Higher Education is inadequate,
said a University plaintiff in the
case.
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U.S. District Judge Helen
Frye ruled Friday that Penk
must be promoted to a full pro
fessorship at Western Oregon
State College, retroactive to the
start of the 1983-84 school year.
Back pay totaling $726 in
salary, benefits and interest also
must be awarded to Penk, the
judge ordered.
In addition, G. Joanne
Amspoker, also a WOSC faculty
member, was awarded $8,689
in gross back pay and other
benefits, plus a salary increase
to $29,452, effective today. The
judgment did not state the
amount of Amspoker’s current
salary.
Frye also ruled that the pro
fessional record of Mary Ann
Petry, a former WOSC teacher,
must be amended to reflect an
award of tenure in 1982 instead
of 1983.
Awarding so much more
money to Amspoker than to
Penk does not make sense, said
Ruth Waugh, an unsuccessful
University plantiff in the case.
There is little difference bet
ween the two cases, and such a
disparity in the awards is not
justified, Waugh said.
“I think the awards are
woefully inadequate,” Waugh
said. “The whole case is ob
viously a setback for equality for
women, minorities or anyone
else.”
Although the judgment is less
than she expected, Penk said
that the ruling pleases her to
some extent.
“At least three people did get
something,” Penk said. “But
our main issue involved not the
individual plaintiffs, it involv
ed the entire class. The suit was
brought for all the women.”
An appeal of the case is plan
ned. Penk said.
The judgment said court costs
and attorney fees would be
decided after motions are sub
mitted by attorneys for both
sides. The trial, which lasted
nine months, is believed to be
the longest federal civil trial in
Oregon history.
Waugh said the plaintiffs are
worried that they may be charg
ed with the entire court costs. A
meeting of many of the plain
tiffs is planned for tonight in
Salem to discuss the court costs
and the upcoming appeal, she
said.
The class-action suit original
ly was filed on behalf of about
2,200 women faculty members.
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Law students:
court needs
vacancy filled
Members of the current
ASUO Constitution Court are
looking for another person to
fill a vacant position on the five
person court.
Applicants must be in their
second or third year of studies
at the law school to be con
sidered, says Jon Folkestad, a
court member. Good writing
and speaking skills also are im
portant, he adds, although no
real experience is necessary.
Constitution Court members
are responsible for appointing
hearings officers and issuing
advisory opinions, based on
their interpretation of the ASUO
Constitution, Folkestad says.
Persons interested in apply
ing should contact ASUO Presi
dent Julie Davis and pick up an
application in EMU Suite 4.
Women and minorities are en
couraged to apply.
Read Emerald