>>> Posting number 24, dated 2 Jun 1996 09:48:55 Date: Sun, 2 Jun 1996 09:48:55 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Fraud in Science Sender: Discussion of Fraud in Science From: "Donald E. Simanek" Subject: Re: US science survey In-Reply-To: <960602041406_547513621@emout07.mail.aol.com> [. . .] [. . .] They have been rewarded (with praise and good grades) for parotting back the small amount of descriptive information they've been fed (not all of it correct). [. . .] >>> Posting number 202, dated 27 Jun 1996 23:30:09 Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1996 23:30:09 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Fraud in Science Sender: Discussion of Fraud in Science From: "Donald E. Simanek" Subject: Re: name inflation In-Reply-To: <01I6EB8HDUWY8ZH4N5@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU> On Thu, 27 Jun 1996, Douglas C. Hintz wrote: > Dear Scifraud: There are have been postings in the past about grade > inflation (giving unearned grades to students, not failing students, etc.) > On a related note, here in Oregon, there is a proposal to rename several > satellite institutions in the state system of higher educaton. For example, > Eastern Oregon State College wants to be called Eastern Oregon University. > These colleges (which do a great job in undergraduate education) offer a few > master's programs, do not offer doctoral programs, do little research, and > are more narrowly focused than the state's public universities. The > rationale for the change is that "other states are doing it" and enrollment > is down because students want a diploma from a University rather than a > College. My, my! It *does* take these things a while to work their way across the country. New York State did this years ago, creating a state-wide system. Pennsylvania did it, oh, about 15 years ago, with its 15 state controlled institutions, only two of which were called universities then (Indiana and Bloomsburg). At the time I cynically predicted the expected consequences, in an informal publication I edited at the time (The Vector, Vol 7, #1, May, 1983: On July 1, by act of the Pennsylvania Legislature, this college and all the other Pennsylvania state colleges, will immediately ascent to university status. All will be a part of a statewide university system. "This will be a momentous event (it will happen in a brief moment). Some have wondered how to properly commemorate this. Our head librarian suggests we observe a moment of silent meditation. But, never fear, this change of status and change of name won't be that traumatic. Why, we'll bet you'll not notice the slightest difference in any important aspect of the school." It was comments like that, in print, yet, which served to endear me to the administration of this institution. And so it came to pass. Enrollments did not drop or rise significantly, since budgets didn't allow a dramatic increase, and a drop in enrollment would cause financial problems. So admission standards were lowered to keep enrollments relatively stable. We now have an unwritten policy of open admissions, no student is denied admission because of being intellectually handicapped. Any warm body with tuition in hand is granted admission. And the curriculum is carefully structured so that it doesn't interefere with students' social life, or with the sports programs. An administrator once said to me, when I complained about unprepared and unmotivated students: "Take 'em where they're at, and pass them through. That's your job." Only in the last few years have we seen enrollment drop at our small school of less than 3000 students, and that, coupled with a legisclature which wants to cut costs, are causing serious problems. Students want a diploma without doing any serious work for it, whatever the name of the institution. For those interested in this problem, I have several documents on my home page under "education". Also, here's an interesting web site: http://http.tamu.edu:8000/~crumble/sfrtas.html Society for A Return to Academic Standards See especially the article "Tenured Weasels". -- Donald +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dr. Donald E. Simanek Office: 717-893-2079 Prof. of Sciosophy and Sciolism, Department of Intellectual Pollution Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA. 17745 CIS: 73147,2166 Home page: http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek dsimanek@REDACTED.lhup.edu +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [. . .] >>> Posting number 205, dated 28 Jun 1996 07:41:38 Date: Fri, 28 Jun 1996 07:41:38 -0900 Reply-To: Discussion of Fraud in Science Sender: Discussion of Fraud in Science From: James Shea Subject: Re: name inflation In-Reply-To: Colleagues: Donald's comment that faculty are expected to "take their students where they're at and move them along" is symptomatic of what's wrong with education today. (And I do, incidentally understand that this is not Donald's approach.) Universities simply have no standards. Faculty are under enormous implicit pressure not to be too hard on students and most "universities", particularly those that would generally be ranked below the top, will do almost anything to avoid losing state appropriations because of low enrollments. Few university administrators would come right out and tell faculty that they have to give good grades for poor performance, but every professor knows that "money follows students". If your department gets lots of students, by WHATEVER means, then the department will get money, faculty positions, approbation, etc. If your enrollments are low and/or falling, watch out. As a test of this view ask yourself, "When was the last time a dean or chancellor at your school called in a department head to seriously discuss the problem of high grades given by the department?" Frankly, I can't imagine such a thing. By way of contrast, how many of us have been called in to discuss low enrollments? And how many faculty have received urgent pleas from administrators to do whatever is necessary to get and keep students? The message may not be explicit but it is clear nonetheless. And these pressures are absolutely destroying standards! Jim Shea