NEWS
March 29,2000 • theSeahawk
3
Students question legality of required survey
Media managers named
The Student Media Board recently
aamed two of the three media managers
for the 2000-2001 academic year. Tho
mas M. Ruyle will return for a second
year as Editor-In-Chief of the Seahawk,
with plans to take the Seahawk to a new
level of professionalism and perfection.
Ruyle also plans to increase production
to twice weekly beginning as early as
August. The Seahawk has been a once
weekly since it was founded in 1948.
John Bundy was re-appointed as Gen
eral Manager of WLOZ 89.1 FM. Bundy
has improved the radio stations visibil
ity and popularity at UNCW, and is
working to increase WLOZ’s signal
strength in the near future.
The Student Media Board has yet to
determine the next editor of the literary
journal Af/anfii, although an application
is under review.
SGA candidacy forum
Candidates who will be participating
in the upcoming Student Government
Association (SGA) elections will hold
a forum for students to “Meet the Can
didates” tonight at 7:00 p.m. in Room
100 of the University Union. Candi
dates will answer questions about their
platforms and discuss ideas for the fu
ture.
Domestic violence
clothing and toy drive
The Hidden Angels Ministry of
Wrightsville Beach Baptist Church will
conduct a teddy bear and used clothing
drive to benefit victims of domestic vio
lence and their children. Donations will
be collected today and tomorrow in the
University Union and Cameron Hall
lobbies.
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ington, NC 28407
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m--
by ALLISON BIGGAR
Stajf Writer
A survey that was recently sent out to
sophomores via email has caused concern
among some students. On the survey, which
asked sophomores to evaluate areas of cam
pus life, university administration stated that a
hold would be placed on records of any sopho
more who did not complete the survey, mak
ing them unable to register for classes. The
university has since retracted this clause in the
wake of student dispute.
“You shouldn’t be forced to take a survey
when you are in the middle of figuring out what
classes to take,” said sophomore Tatmer Green.
“We have enough stress dealing with every
thing else. The survey is long and time con
suming. Scheduling your classes should not
depend on whether or not you filled out a sur
vey.”
UNCW students are asked to take three aca
demic surveys during their college career
which address issues such as academic advis
ing, teacher interaction, campus resources,
technology, library access, etc. The first sur
vey is given to incoming freshman, the sec
ond to students at the end of sophomore year,
and the last prior to graduating.
The recent sophomore survey caused many
students to question the legality of requiring
students to complete surveys.
“It is legal since it can be considered a con-
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dition of a contract between the
university and the student,” said Director of
Institutional Resources Robert Fry. in a letter
to the students last month. "Being legal does
not mean that it is desirable.”
General administration and lawyers were
consulted to be sure that the requirement was
legally just and Fry wants students to realize
why the survey is required.
“Just as we are mandating that students re
spond, we are being mandated by UNC Gen
eral Administration to have an extremely high
response rate this year.” he said.
The General Administration requires the
university to have a 75 percent response rate
on these surveys, which is very hard to achieve
with the surveys on a voluntary basis.
Fry also stressed the importance of the sur
vey.
“We realize that some students are very hesi
tant in providing that information, and don’t
see a need for providing the types of informa
tion requested,” he said. “It really is extremely
important to the university, both on the part of
program improvement that we are really striv
ing for and also in terms of our continued fund
ing and the way were are viewed by the legis
lature.”
The results of the survey are combined with
results from other schools and compared. A
summary report is published and will be posted
on the web to allow students to view the re-
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remain anonymous.
Some sophomores did not have a pn.)blem
with the survey requirement becausc they fell
It was In the university’s best Interest to pro
vide feedback to administration.
“1 think Its good and If It benefits us, the
students. In the end then what’s the big deal?”
commented Sophomore Samantha Brady.
Since there was so much controversy re
garding the issue, the chancellor and vice
chancellors decided not to make the survey a
requirement.
After much debate and “vocal” students.
Fry decided that if the response rate is not
reached, “we’re just going to tell General
Administration that we are not going to give
them that percent.”
Currently the response rate Is at about 609c.
“If we are not viewed In a positive light, if
students don’t feel that they are getting the
types of educational services and educational
programs here that they are paying for then
we’re not going to be viewed very well by the
legislature and those who provide funds,” Fry
said. “There’s only one source of evaluation
that really means something and that is the
students.”
Sophomores who have not completed the
survey can take It online at:
http://cf.uncwll.edu/olr/survey/
Index.cfm.
Students with questions or comments can
contact Robert Fry at fryb@uncwil.edu.
SGA elections next week,
public forum tonight at 7
by THOMAS M. RUYLE
Editor-In-Chief
The candidates for next week’s cam-
pus-wide elections will meet the public
this evening to discuss issues and out
line campaign goals. The forum will be
In the University Union room 100 at
7pm.
Four students are campaigning for the
2000-2001 student body presidency:
Current President Patrick Gunn, who is
seeking a second term; SGA Secretary
of Media Katie Russell; Senator Lee
Keenen; and Laura ‘Lou’ Southerland,
currently a staff writer at the Seahawk.
Senator Erica PIttelkow is the sole can
didate for the vice-presidency.
According to Election Committee
Chairman Yancey Gulley, the forum will
be a formal questlon-and-answer session
for the presidential and vice-presidential
candidates, followed by a reception in
which students can talk to the candidates
in person. “After the questions are fin
ished, I’ll introduce the candidates for
all other offices,” Gulley said. A total of
20 candidates are running for various
representative positions, although a to
tal of 34 positions will be open.
All unfilled positions will be open for
appointment by the incoming SGA leg
islature, due to be inaugurated April 17.
In the wake of last year’s election
crisis, in which a presidential candidate
was disqualified during the election, the
Election Committee Is making a con
certed effort to ensure complete under
standing of election policies. “We went
over the packet, and if anybody has
questions, they can come to me,”
Gulley said. “People won’t have any
excuses if campaign policy Is violated."
Gulley is conducting a major adver
tising campaign In an attempt to com
bat UNCW’s history of low voter turn
out in student elections. “We’re doing
a mass email to students. All the poll
workers will be wearing (elections) T-
shirts two or three days before the elec
tions. We’re giving pencils to all stu
dents who vote,” he said.
In last year’s SGA campaign, 978
votes were cast, roughly 10% of the stu
dent population. Gulley hopes to raise
that number to 1250 voters In this year’s
election, which will take place next
Wednesday and Thursday. “I don’t think
we’ve had over 1,000 (voters) since
1994,” he said.
Look for the complete SGA election
guide in next week's Seahawk.
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