Serving the University of Texas at San Antonio Community
Allocation of SRA funds is in question
by Mary Heather Barber
contributing writer
. Student organizaUohS 9r^ upset with the lack of funding available from the Student Representative Assembly's (SRA) budget. The Intrafratemity Council (IFC) and Army ROTC are just two of the groups that claim funds were denied without justification.
Funding for campus organiza¬ tions to promote the betterment of the campus environment is available to registered student organizations (RSOs) by requesting funds from the Student Organizations Committee (SOC).
The SOC was created as an inde¬ pendent body to review these requests for funding outsi(te of formal SRA meetings. However, there are no clear guidelines as to what can and cannot be financed by this committee. This is distressing to some, including Guy Davis, the Director of Student Activities. "The SOC is a good con¬ cept that was not well thought out. This summer, guidelines for funding will be established and imple¬ mented." stated Davis. Me also said that die title of the committee "does not dlescribe its function, since there is no mention of funding or alloca¬ tion."
The SOC is not run by SRA members. It is composed of two university faculty membo^s, two stu-
JMs sununer, guidelines for funding will be established. Guy Davis, director of student activities
dents at large, two SRA members, one university staff member and the director of Student Activities. Although it was created to free up the SRA meetings as well as remove any political polarizadon between organi¬ zations and the SRA, the SOC is now being audited by the SRA in re- qx>nse to charges of "Sexual orien¬ tation discrimination and not releas¬ ing funds in a timely manner," ac¬ cording to Judy Morgan, SRA presi¬ dent
Opinions about the funding of student organizations vary greatly among SRA members. Morgan stated. " SRA does not have to give up one single penny to student orga¬ nizations, but does so as a benefit to students." Chris Schexnayder, sophomore representative and SRA presidential candidate said that the SRA "as a representative body for all students should be in control of ap¬ portionment. It's not the SRA's money, it still belongs to the stu¬ dents."
One RSO representative is clear in how he feels about the funding situa¬ tion. Russell Ivy,  past president of
This sculpture by Loretta MedelUn has been the object of vandalism.
Student artwork gets harsh reception
by Robert Scbenaerbom
News Editor
An unusual work of ait as been erected between the dorms and the west campus art building. Informally titled "Please touch the penis' the work has attracted some unwanted late night attention. Three times the phallus has been either stolen or brt^gen off.
The creator of the piece. Loretta Medellin. is a graduate art student She felt that is woakl be nice to have something placed along the west
campus road. The work has only been up since last Thursday yet it has b en vandalized three times. Medellin said that at least two of the acts of vandalism have been reported to campus polkx.
Medellin said Uiat each time the phallus was stolen she built a larger one and wired it to the body and die ground. She explains the work as being made of degradable materials (plywood) and that the slow decay will represent male and female rela¬ tionships, the passage of time, nur¬ turing and fertiUty.
IFC, steted that "die SOC's decision to deny funding to IFC was not valid. The money requested to pro¬ mote Greek fraternity and sorority formal rush would have directly pro¬ moted student involvement on cam¬ pus."
The SRA is given a lump sum budget by die Student Affairs Office. The amount is determined in part by a budget request submitted by the SRA. Funds are then budgeted out for operating expenses as well as dis¬ tributed to various committees that arc underwritten by the SRA, includ¬ ing die SOC.
For die 1990-91 fiscal year which runs September 1, 1990 through August 31, 1991, die SRA received $31,000 from student services fees. Only $7,000 was given to campus organizations through the SOC. As of April 10, $18,000 remains in ihc SRA's operating budget.
Jay Scanlon (left) and Tim Sawtell pilot the UTSA "Shamu Too."
Concrete floats at Sea World
by Cynthia McConnell
Co A & E Editor
The UTSA chapter of the American Society Of Civil Engineers (ASCE)'s "SS keadymix" took sec¬ ond place and "Shamu Too" took third in the 1991 regional concrete canoe competition at Sea World.
The competition consisted of de¬ signing and building the canoes as well as the race in Sea World's ski lake. Fourteen schools competed in¬ cluding UT Austin, Rice, Texas A&M, SMU and the University of Houston.
Competitors followed three gen¬
eral rules. First, die canoes had to float back up to the surface when pushed under water. Second, canoes had to have a certain lengdi to width ratio. Third, the name of the school had to be written in 4" high Idlers on die side of the boat.
The canoes themselves and ihc ranking of die races accounted for 40 percent of the over-all score. The remaining 60 percent was based on die extensive paper and prcscnlalion. In years past, weight had been a problem for the UTSA team. For this year's compciiiion ihcy imple¬ mented-a new design which was Hat¬ ter and wider which added stability.
A different mix of cement helped limit die weight This year die ca¬ noes weighed about 130 pounds each, compared to almost 300 pounds last year. UTSA's canoes were so much lighter diis year that the students did not need to use the Slyrofoam al¬ lowed for each entry. Approximately 700 hours were invested in building the two UTSA canoes.
Fourteen schools participated in the three races with iwo people in each canoe . Events included men's distance and sprint, women's distance and sprint and a coed sprint The students practiced at Bocrne Lake several limes before die event.
Teacher evaluations impact salary, promotion, tenure
by Tim Trogdoa
contributing writer
"Report Cards" will be due diis week for UTSA professors as stu¬ dents complete Course Instructor Surveys in their classes. Results of the surveys, which influence promo¬ tion and pay are tabulated by the Instructional Analysis (IA) office.
The survey consists of eight ques¬ tions rated on a scale of zero to seven. A zero means the student chose not to answer that question. A seven is for outstanding characteris¬ tics, and a one reflects poor character¬ istics.
Dr. Terri Leal, director of the Instructional Analysis office, cited trends in faculty evaluations. A study that used die ratings from surveys covering a five year period (fall 83 - spring 88) yielded an average score
between five and a half and six on a seven point scale. Leal said, "The five year comparison is a good indi¬ cator of die excellent level of teach¬ ing at UTSA. Based on student sur¬ veys, professors at UTSA are way above average."
Leal explained diat students can conUast professor's average (mpan) scores and deviations to course levels and class size. On a seven point scale, graduate course instructors and professors teaching courses with un¬ der ten students receive die highest ratings from students.
"It is important for students to pay attention to the instructions read aloud to a class before a survey is administered. Following die instruc¬ tions is important to assure accuracy of die results," said Leal.
Courses to be surveyed arc se¬ lected at the division level by the di¬ vision director and die professor. To protect professors and students die
surveys are scaled and hand-dclivcrcd to die IA office. After scanning, ihe surveys are re-sealed and sent to the appropriate division. Once final semester grades are turned in, profes¬ sors are allowed to review course comments.
Dr. Alan Craven, director of English, classics and philosophy, be¬ lieves diat die course survey could be improved. "After seven years it seems time to review die survey and ascertain if the survey is doing what we want it lo," Craven said.
"There are not enough questions about die course itself that pcnnit the student to separate die professor from the course conlcnt," he said. "Students do not realize how impor¬ tant course instructor surveys arc to faculty for tenure and merit pay."
Judith A Morgan, Student Representative Assembly (SRA) President and member of the University Assembly which has a de¬
ciding vote on the actions of the committee in charge of faculty evalu¬ ations, agrees. "There should be a vehicle for separating quality of course content from instructor qual¬ ity," Morgan said.
She also felt procedural changes should be made. "All courses should be surveyed and professors should not be allowed to select those classes which arc to be surveyed."
Presently professors have only two of their courses evaluated each year. "Surveys are incredibly impor¬ tant if they provide accurate, quantita¬ tive and qualitative data," Morgan said.
The John Peace Library at UTSA maintains the prior semester's ratings of all professors. Students can see the ratings by asking for die Course Instructor Survey (by College) in the library's Periodical Reading Room at the Reserve Desk. Student's com¬ ments are not published.
Access to UTSA rerouted
Highway Department personnel have advised UTSA diat traffic on Loop 1604 near die university will be diverted to access lanes for an un¬ specified lengdi of time.
A memo to UTSA administrators said that the following traffic patterns will be in effect:
Drivers wishing to enter the cam¬ pus from wesdx)undl604 must travel to Babcock and make a U-tum to the east bound access road.
All traffic exiting campus onto 1604 must travel east on die access road. Those wishing to head west must take a turnaround approxi¬ mately 1500 feet from campus.
Those who wish to get on west¬ bound 1604 from northbound Babcock must turn right on the ac¬ cess road and make the U-tum just west of waiter Brcnen.
The memo also slates that the crossovers at Walter Brcnen and JPL Blvd. will be closed for an unknown period of time. The entrance to die south side of the campus off of UTSA Blvd. will not be affected.