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Editorial

EDITORIAL

Are Professors Really Educators??

I think most students are concerned with the quality of the post-secondary educa- tion they receive. After all, we dedicate a great deal of time and money towards an educational goal and we want to learn as much as possible while we are here.

The question comes to mind: “What about profes- sors who are not good teach- ers?” This is a concern many students feel strongly about.

Some students pay their fees, attend their classes, and come out with good marks, but little or no more infor- mation on the subject than when they started.

I am not denying the in- telligence of any professor, because to be a university professor in the first place requires intelligence, dedi- cation, and accomplishment. What I am questioning is their ability to teach. Just because one has a Masters or Ph.D, does not necessar- ily mean one can relay infor- mation to others effectively.

I realize at the university level, a great deal of respon- sibility falls on the student. However, in certain subject areas, it may be difficult, if not impossible, for most stu- dents to learn the matertial themselves. In these cases, the responsibility should fall on the professor as an “ed- ucator”. After all, few stu- dents can afford tutors after having paid tuition.

If a professor stammers, is unorganized, has poor teaching methods, does not speak clearly, cannot be un- derstood, or does not an- swer questions clearly, stu- dents may come out of the course feeling short-changed, and understandably so.

Many students feel this situation would be improved if professors were required to take a one-year course in: teaching methods, classroom management, lesson plan- ning, and good communica- tions, before they could be considered for employment at “any” university. This course would be the equiv-

alent to a one-year BEd. During this time, professors would be judged on their ef- fectiveness as a teacher at the university level. If one fell short of the required teach- ing standard, one could not

be considered for employ- ment as a professor. This is the process a public school teacher must go through in most cases, so why should it be different at the university level?!

In all fairness, I would like to commend those professors who are “naturally” wonder- ful teachers. Those profes- sors who are truly “bad” teachers would most defi- nitely benefit from the above mentioned courses. Even the great professors could not

come out of the courses with- out learning something.

Every university suppos- edly evaluates their profes- sors on teaching ability, re- search conducted, and other criteria. I am afraid that per- haps too many universities are basing their evaluations on research, which makes the university look good, and too little on actual teaching, which is why students pay good money to attend in the first place.

There are professors who have been with a university for years, and may be per- haps the worst theacher the institution has. If they have been evaluated on teaching ability, why have they been allowed to keep their posi- tion??

Letters to the Editor

I am writing in response to the editorial concering the avail- ability of parking for students in Marian Hall and Bernardine Hall.

Firstly, I must submit a com- plaint to the Editor for not sup- plying a Kleenex with that par- ticualr issue of The Gem. The Editor should have known that the stirring letter would provoke tears to the eyes of any compas- sionate human being.

Being a concerned student, I would like to add some sugges- tions of my own to solve the park- ing problem for the poor resi- dence students who have to walk way, way, far, far, down to the Blanchard Hall parking lot in the chilling winds and the cold tem- peratures to go anywhere in their cars.

1) Build a tunnel from Marian and Bernardine Hall down to the

parking lot so the students won’t get the sniffles.

2) Have a shuttle bus to run the students back and forth from the residences to the parking lot.

3) Raise student fees and build an underground parking lot beneath the residences.

4) Have the children in the daycare in Marian Hall carry the students back and forth on their backs. The children mightn’t

like it, but hell, they probably wouldn’t complain as much as the poor students who have to’ walk down to the parking lot on their own.

5) As a last resort, the stru- dents who supported the editorial could sell their cars and use the money to buy a backbone. How- ever, this idea is probably out of the question since the student would have to walk all the way, to the Duffy building to see if the Biology Department had a spare one.

Concerning the additional complaint about having to walk all the way across campus to get breakfast, lunch, and din-din; I talked to the Business Office and was told that there can’tbe much done about it. But for a small hike in residence fees, the univer- sity MIGHT, on cold mornings, be able to supply the poor souls in Marian and Bernardine with a cup of hot chocolate and a Flint- stone vitamin.

I hope I have been of some as- sistance to the author of the pre- vious article and his or her sup- porters.

signed: lucky few who only have a 20 minute walk to class

Dear Lucky Few, The article which you are re-

I hope by this editorial that I have shown those con- cerned students that they are not alone. Perhaps some day, universities will put more emphasis on actual teaching and less on...other things.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This editorial is not meant to of- fend anyone, but merely to point out a reasonable con- cern of students.

I think most students would agree that it is a plea- sure to take classes from a professor who knows how to teach. The information a student learns often relfects back on a good professor.

Sincerely, Terri Lyn Hall, Editor

ferring to was not an editorial. It was submitted by a student with a concern. Perhaps if you had read this article fully you would know this. The editor does not try to keep her identity a secret, nor does shwe sign the editorials with the initials CC. Next time, please read more carefully before you comment.

Terri Lyn Hall

Editor Letter to the Editor

From One “T” To Another,

The first thing I have to say is that if you have so many grieviences with this university maybe it’s worth the extra money to go somewhere else. Nobody is | MAKING you come here.

This is in response to the grievence you have with walk-

ing ALL THE WAY DOWN TO |

BLANCHARD and then walking ALL THE WAY TO CLASSES. You poor little thing. I don’t think you are made of sugar, so you won’t melt, and although I know who you are, I really doubt that you are light enough to blow away in the wind. You think it is unfair for you to walk to your car because you pay good money | to stay here. Well, sure, you do |

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