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GOOD LUCK ON FINALS ¦ WE'LL SEE YOU IN THE SPRING
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November 19,1996
Volume 19, Number 26
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Regents make sweeping changes in tenure
By Jennifer Caliendo
Ne»:\ Editor
Tenure in Ihe Universiiy ol Texas (UT) system was oxerhauled al Ihe mceiing of ihc L'T Board (U Rejienis last Thursday in I^aijas when they ap¬ proved a plan o( comprehensive re¬ view of tenured lacuhv     TTie new
outlined in the guidelines for post- tenure review presented by UT Chan¬ cellor Bill Cunningham. TTiis process differs from the old system t)f dismiss¬ ing tenured faculty which required less evidence for dismissal and did not include a periodic review. Some UT system faculty members have ex¬ pressed concern over the definition of "unsatisfactory." Some feel that the vague definition would give more
The UT syslem facuhy advisory council countered the proposal from its inception but eventually they con¬ ceded that some form of posi-tenure review would be implemented. An ad hoc commiltee created lo fight post- tenure brought their own propo.sal lo the regents meeting. This version placed more emphasis on review by fellow facully members rather than administrative review, but the regents
The UT system faculty advisory council countered the proposal from its inception, but eventually they conceded that some form of po^t-tenure review would be implemented.
Chancellor Bill Cunningham
guidelines require tenured facully lo go before ;i rc\ icw board c\er\ five years 1(1 present llicii qualifications Ibr remaining lenured.
The new syslem of posi-ienure re- \ iew gives nioic p(iv\'cr lo administra¬ tors to dismiss laculiy members found lo bc perloniimg "uiisalislaclonl\.' as
povfer to administrators to dismiss unpopular facully.
A Nov. 15 article in the Express News reported thai Cunningham ex¬ plained that the post-tenure rfview policy will make il easier "to fire some¬ one who is derelict." In the final draft of his proposal. Cunningham staled that periodic e\aluaiion of laculiy is intended "lo enhance and protect, not diminish, the imponani guaraniees of icnure and academic freedom."
District court orders professor's promotion
By Jennifer Caliendo
News Editor ¦
Dr. Belly T ravis. prolessor in the division of mathemaiics. compuler science, arid statistics was promoted temporarily lo full professor by the Universiiy of Texas Board of Re¬ gents to comply wilh a court t)rder resulting from herdiscrimination law-
Dr. Betty Travis
suit against UTSA and the Board of Regents of the I'T syslem
Currently, the court decision is under appeal by the university. Uni¬ versity officials have claimed throughout the case that they had not discriminated or retaliated againsi Travis,
Albright's May 24 decision awarded Travis the promotion to full professor, more than $ 12.000 in back pay with interest, and attorneys' fees. TTie decision had ordered the univer¬ sity to promole Travis to full profes¬ sor by Sept. I, 1996, which the uni¬ versity had failed to do. Becau.se the ca.se is under appeal. Travis said she could be awarded the promotion. "The only part ofit (the judge's deci¬ sion ) that was in effect from the court order is the promotion itself," Travis said.
The issue of the discrimination lawsuit began after Travis filed a discrimination suit againsi the uni¬ versity when she was denied promo- lion to full professor in 1994. Travis had also filed individual lawsuits againsi UTSA Presideni Sam Kirkpatrick and Provosi Raymond Gar/a Trax isdroppedIhe individual lawsuits one week before the trial began.
Before a court dale was sel. Travis
This (the promotion) marks the first compensation that was awarded to Travis since a district court found that UTSA "committed an unlawful employment practice by discriminating against Travis on the basis ofhergenJer..."
This action marks the first com¬ pensation awarded to Travis since a district court found thai UTSA "com¬ mitted an unlawful employment prac¬ tice by discriminating against Travis on the basis of her gender in denying her promotion to full professor dur¬ ing the 1993-94 promotion cycle," as stated in a decision handed down by United States District Coun Magis¬ trate Judge Alan Albright.
was removed from her position as assistant division director and the uni¬ versity cul off a salary supplement Travis had acquired through a grant. Travis said she hopes the appeal will be decided by summer. "We are extremely confideni of winning on the appeal." she said. The university refused comment for this story.
did not accept any of thc elements of thc faculty proposal.
The regents Icfl ii up to individual campuses lo determine how they will iniplemenl thc polic\ while slill con¬ forming lo thc conditions passed by the regents. All campuses musl imple¬ ment posl-lenurc rcvicvK policies b\ Scpicmbcr
Thc issue ol inslilulini; a posl-lcn-
urc re\icv\ policv   in Ihc UT system
Continued on page 3.
Construction continues..
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Funding for the construction of the UTSA downtown campus was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board this year. However, UTSA must go before the state legislature in January to request $12 million to fund the operations of the downtown campus. Ernest Dewinne. associate vice president for business affairs said that if the legislature does not appropriate the money, "We're not sure how we're going to fund the operation of downtown."
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Students earn degrees in on-line classrooms
UTSA Downtown awaits further funding
By Jennifer Caliendo News Editor
Thc UTSA Downlown campus is scheduled to open in the summer ol 1997; however, queslions remain us to what will happen it the slalc legislature d(x;s not appropriale a projected SI2 million needed to fund the operations of the downtown campus.
Ernest DeWinne. associaie \ icc president lor business affairs, said if the legislature does not appnipriate thc money. "Were not sure how we're going to fund the operation of down¬ town." UTSA will lequesl lhe $12 rnillic-n as a special item when lhe legislative session begins on Jan. 14. 1997
However. DeWinne added that be¬ cause it was the state which prompted the UT .system to build the downtown campus. "It's kind of illogical to think that the legislature told us to build a campus and then not fund it." DeWinne said that $900,000 has been appropri¬ ated forthe initial stan-up of the down¬ town campus operations which in¬ cludes hiring additional staff.
Though the .I'l2 million in funding lor thc opciations of the downlown campus hu> noi been appm\c('. fund¬ ing for the consiruclion has already been appropriated. Thc construction ol the downtown campus has been divided into two phases.
"TTic first phase is being buill with tuiticm und revenue bonds." said Dewinne. The bonds were authorized as part oflhc Soulh Texas Border Re¬ gion Inilialrvc in 199.^ Phase I. which iscurrenlly undcrcon.struciion. house a I 1().(KK) square-fool faciliiy contain¬ ing 26 classrooms, a library, computer lab and various siudent service offices which include financial aid and coun¬ seling.
Funds for Pha.se II were approved by the Texas Higher Education Coor¬ dinating Board this year. Phase II will be funded by $ 12 million in university bonds. $ 18.9 million in revenue bonds and an additional I million from plant funds. Phase II will double the space at the downtown campus when it is connected to Pha.se I. adding an addi¬ tional 9(),(XX) square feet of academic space, including 24 classrooms and
Continued on page 3.
By Colleen DeBaise
College Press Sen/ice
When she has Ircc limc. Ku/ukn Ouchi lakes a break from her job ;ii Access Japan Muriagcmcnl in llon;j Kong lo flip on her compulci and jum in on u class discussion vxith other members of Duke Universit) sCiJiibal Executive MBA progrum
Likewise, sludcnls from arounil thc world delve into such topics us .Mrican magic and medicine as part ol a 10- week online, non-credii course on un- cicnl Egypl offered by the Universils ol Chicago.
Along with clolhing cutulog^ and presidential campaigns, ctlucation li.is gone online.
Without leaving the conilorls ul home or the confines ol the ollicc. scores of studenis arc purlicipulmL' in ctbss discussions and scholar!) Ic.scms as they work to finish cv.-n achanccJ degrees \ la computer
Few univcrsilies have programs ilial allow an entire cluss lo oblain ikjzrcc^ without c\cr meeting each ottici I,icc lo-lacc. But most urc incorpoi.iiiiiL' ilic compulennlohighereducation c\cn il its as simple as a student usiiil' c mail to ask u professor lo cxpluin a lecture pomi
In fad. many univcrsilies arc seek ing advice from ihc Universit) ol F'hoc nix. which launched It online in 198'^ The school, which boasts uhoiii ."^(Ht alums, offers four graduale and three undergraduate degrees in business. munagcmcnl. or technology ull taught online
When siudents aren't taking pan in classroom discussion, ihcy also cun "chat" or network in an online lonmi thai serves as a sludeni union.
More than 2.(XK) students—whose . verage age is .^8—arc currcnil) en¬ rolled in thc programs, which are de¬ signed for the working professional The undergraduate degree programs require a year of campus residency, allhough the graduale degree can bc completed without students ever step¬ ping fcKit in a classroom
Studenis enroll in one course al a time and receive textbooks and a sylla¬ bus in the mail. The universiiy stresses that courses are not self-paced or open- ended: there are deadline dates assigned
Ioi hnniework. reailinj; ami online dis. eiissmns
T \ piealh . llie instiueloi inUoduccs a topic on the liisl il,i\ i'l the week and [lo'^l^ a sliorl lectuie I liiout'liuut thc week. sUklciits ilo ie.HlMi;j and olIici work on then i>un .issijjninent-. are sent eleetionie.ilh I" tlic inslruclor. who l'KkIc^. tlieiii aiul ^elui^ tlieiii b.ick w nil coiiHiiciil>.
Siudents l'o online al then eonxc- nicncc tc .itlcl then coiniiicnK to class discussion MlhiuiL'li the icclinolog) woukl ullovs Ioi le.il liMie (.lisciission. II would bc (.lilTicnIl Ioi students in dilleicnl imie /nuc^ lo dial in at tlic V iiiK' 'line
Hul to man), the lie.iiil) ol the pro- tii.iin IS il^ I Icvibililv a ¦ linlent can add input to classidoin discussion w hilc ul woik ilunnj; a luncli break, oral liomc allci thc kids Uiwc heen tucked in at niL'hl
"V\ e uoukln'l L'li ill j ic.il nine | dis¬ cussion e\cii ll It was (.iimenienl lor mil siiulciils.' Hcilesj.i.iid adiK "The lllllll Is. \oii L'el iiiikli more ilcplli wl'cn )ou L'iNe siudenls ilu time Tlic) .ire tliinkiiiL' .ihoul wli.il tlic\ wani to sa\ and llic\ re icMCW UIL'11 Ihal bus ceil.un,ei'L'ni.tne henelils '
Hctlcf.i.iul sees .1 iiui.' ,id\ .ml.iL'e in w [iul she letei s ii. .is ihc ' ilcniocruci/mg' aspect ol online cdu- c.ilion In a Iradilion.il classiooiii set ,111 y. one ol Iwo, sludcnls t.m olicn doiiiinalc class thscussmn while the more rcseiAcd or sin sludcnls sit si- lenll).
Bul in the electronic classroom: '¦c\cr)bod) Is re.ill) cqu;il." she said "No one IS rcspondiiiL' to parliculurK discrimiiKiior) laclors. sucli:is gender, racj. even how )ou look ^¦ou'rc re¬ sponding to others' ideas"
Thc \ irtual classroom bus its druw- bucks. however In terms ol class dis¬ cussion, 'responses urc tjcluvcd." she said " riicies morc room lor misun; dcrslanding because of ihal dclu) ' Also, "everybody talks aboul lhe disud\unlage ol noi bemg able lo see someone (during discussion)." she said ¦ ¦^'ou'rc not able lo use body language or the nuances ihat go along w ilh thai "
With so much reliance on comput-
Continued on page 3.
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