Henderson Oracle

Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: News

Media Credit: Judea Jackson Before and after - The house located at the corner of Wilson and 12th will soon be torn down and replaced with another much needed parking lot. The house was purchased by Henderson a few months ago along with other homes that will also be torn down.

The Buildings and Grounds Committee of the Faculty Senate reported several new changes during last week’s meeting that can soon be spotted around Henderson’s
campus. Most importantly,
there will be quite a few changes in the parking situation on the university’s grounds.

Due to many complaints, the parking lots by the Garrison
and Russell Fine Arts buildings will be re-striped in order to make the spaces bigger and easier for people to drive through. This will result in less parking space in these lots.

Two more parking spaces will have to go at the intersection
of Brown and Henderson
streets. Many have complained that the occupied
spaces create a problem while one tries to pull out of the intersection. Because it is a safety issue, there is no alternative in deleting these two spaces.

On the other hand, the senate
did mention the creation of parking spaces as well.

“Several houses near campus
have been purchased by Henderson that will soon become parking lots,” said Grounds Committee Chairperson
Lea Ann Alexander. “Henderson is also looking to buy even more property.”

Hopefully these new lots will help prevent students from having to experience the dilemma of finding a parking space in a timely manner ever again.

“I got a ticket the third week of the semester even though I didn’t see any sign whatsoever for a parking lot,” said sophomore psychology major Alyssa Merriott. “I’m new here this semester and didn’t get a warning or anything!”

Alexander also discussed other minor changes such as moving Caplinger’s sign to a new position, a new “pop-up” pedestrian sign on Henderson
Street, and the replacement
of the street lights around campus.

“Every light pole without a traffic light will be replaced,” said Alexander. Alexander and other senate members like the possibility of hanging
banners from the new street lights as well.

Lately, there has been a lot of hope for a possible fall break to be worked into Henderson’s calendar. Many other colleges in the state have a fall break.

“No student would turn down a possible fall break,” said Vernon G. Miles, Provost
and Vice President of Academic Affairs, a guest speaker at last Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting. There has been a big push by students to start a break every fall.

However, the days missed by the break would have to be made up in one way or another. The senate threw around the idea of starting the fall semester on a Monday
instead of in the middle of the week. This, not surprisingly,
was quickly OK’d by students in an open forum.

When to have the break is another issue. While the prospect of tacking an extra few days onto Thanksgiving break was discussed, Miles believes “a nine-day break for Thanksgiving would not be a good idea for students who are expected to come back and take their finals immediately
after.”

“Another possibility for fall break would be the Thursday
and Friday before midterms,”
said David Etienne of the Finance Committee, although a
clear consensus has not yet been reached.

If a fall break is eventually implemented, it will not be in effect until fall of 2011. The calendar for 2010 has already been finalized.

In addition, offices would not close during the fall break. It would not apply to practices and rehearsals for various groups and teams. They would all still meet according
to their schedules.

The system of online evaluations
tested last semester greatly decreased the amount of evaluations that students submitted versus doing the evaluations by hand in class. Virtual evaluations began in hopes of eliminating students’
worries of teachers recognizing handwriting. However, hosting the evaluations
online makes it easier for students to decide not to take part in them at all.

The senate discussed making the online evaluations
compulsory, a current practice of Harvard University,
which would “bring up participation by 80 percent,” according to Megan Hickerson
of the Academics Committee.

Hickerson also suggested making completion of the evaluation mandatory for students to see their grades online, however the senate is wary of this idea due to potential
legal problems.

Evaluations will take place online again at the end of this semester. Students are strongly encouraged to participate
in these evaluations as they can help Henderson improve as a whole.

The Operations Committee
will meet to discuss the changes in the faculty senate
handbook, and The Academic
Committee will meet with the Higher Learning Cooperation about creating a repeals system for students
wishing to repeal their grades. This would provide a sense of guidelines for students
and faculty in this kind of procedure.

In conclusion of last Wednesday’s meeting, Kevin Durand, the chair of the Finance
Committee, was selected
as the new Parliamentarian
for Faculty Senate.

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