Technology,
efficiency
lead to fast
facilitation
of grades
By ADAM HUNDLEY
FOR THE DAILY
Although many students find out
their course grades before classes end
or shortly after final exams, most wait
anxiously for their updated academic
record and expect grades to be pro-
cessed as quickly as possible.
But the task is not an easy one, as
the Office of the Registrar received
132,113 grades for the 1993 Winter
Term.
"'The first day of summer I start
wondering about my grades and get-
ting nervous every time I go to the
mailbox,"saidLSA juniorVijayNath,
"but at least it's not long wai."
PaulWright,assistantregistrar,said
the taskrequiresan efficient procedure
toget the grades from the professors to
" the students.University guidelines re-
quire professors to report grades no
later than 72 hours after final exams,
and the University expects to mail grade
sheets four days after exams ed.
Wright said the vast majority of
professors hand in their grade sheets
on time, although sometimes essay
exams and busy professors cause de-
lays.
"It really doesn't take that long
when the grades come in on time,"
Wright said.
Hesaidthatstaff workersprocessed
as many as 48,000 grades in one day
last semester and that all the grades
were processedthesame day they were
received.
Staff workers said the job is made
easier by computer programs that au-
tomatically calculate GPA, weighted
grades, and even recognize incorrect
or unacceptable grade notations.
The computers, for example, will
not accept aletter grade whenapass or
fail notation is expected.
"It goes fast because we just enter
inwhat'sinfrontofusandthecomput-
ers do the rest," Wright said.
The office also facilitates the pro-
cess by distributing grade sheets to the
academic departments, sending run-
ners to pick up sheets that have not
been mailed, and employing from six
to 14 workers to process the grades.
"It seems like everything else at
this University is so slow or lost in red
tape," said Nath. "It's nice toknow at
least the students' records are taken
care of on time."
Wednesday, June 9, 1993 - The Mihgan Daily Summer Weekl -3
Engineering students
construct Baja car
By JOSH KRUT
FOR THE DAILY
What doa walking robot,a formula
car, a baja car and an airplane have in
common'?
They are all being created by Uni-
versity Engineering students in their
spare time.
Thes students are continually en-
tering national contests for projects
they are working on outside of the
classroom.
GalenGomowitz, past president of
the student chapter of the Society of
Automotive Engineers, said students
work on these projects as extra-cur-
ricular activities, despite heavy
workloads from their regular classes.
However, Gomowitz stated that
students are often allowed to incorpo-
rate projects for competitions intotheir
regular courseload. Students enter the
competitions in teams of 15 to 20.
Each year, these teams design
projects specifically for the competi-
tions, which are sponsored by the So-
ciety of Automotive Engineers.
Steve Fairbanks, the projectleader
for the Baja car, described it as an off-
road vehicle resembling adune buggy,
which runs on a lawn mower engine.
He said that for the annual bajacar
competitioninMarysville,Ohio,nearly
20 University students design a new
car eachyear
Students not only design the
projects, but also work together to gain
funding andmaterials forthose projects.
FairbanksaddedthatwhiletheUni-
versityofferssomefinancialaidforthe
competition, much of it comes from
private donors, such as Ford Motor
Company.
While the University has placed
within the top10inthese competitions,
both Gornowitz and Fairbanks said
they felt that they are being held back
by a lack of support from the Univer-
sity.
Gornowitzadded, "Schools that do
well, such as Cornell and Ohio State,
work on the projects as a class with the
helpof their professors. Thereforeitis
easier for thesestudentstodevotemore
time to the competition, whereas this is
difficult for University students who
are competing in an extra-curricular
function."
PE TE MATTHEWS/Daiy
Duane Sparks, College of Engineering graduate works on the
University's Baja car.
Credit requirement for engineering may change
By J.B. AKINS However, Parsons explained that involved in staying another year in of Technology.
DAILY STAFF REPORTER the proposal is still in its preliminary school. Associate Dean of Engineering at
A growing trend in U.S. engineer- stages. James Weldy, an Engineering jun- Georgia Institute of Technology Jack
ing schools may enable University un- "We're still discussing it now. Fac- ior said he is excited that the new Lohmann said their program has been
dergraduate Engineering students to ulty is not in total agreement yet as to program will allow them to schedule streamlined toallow students to gradu-
graduate earlier. the best solution," said Parsons, who more electives. ate in four years.
The College of Engineering is dis- said he hopes all departments will look There's also been discussion at The process of changing the cur-
cussing the possibility of lowering the to reform their curricula. many other public and private univer- riculum may take two years. But Par-
required number of credits needed to Many students and faculty feel the sities and colleges including Michigan sons explained all 10departments need
graduate from 128 to 120. change is needed because of the cost State University and Georgia Institute to agree to it before it can take place.
I
If approved by all 10 Engineering
departments, the change will mean
more students will graduate in four
years as opposed to the average 4.7
years it currently takes students to
graduate.
"Astechnologiesevolved, we filled
the curriculum with more and more
classes. Now we've reached a point
where students can't graduate in four
years," said Michael Parsons, Engi-
neering dean.
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Weekend Liturgies- MONDAY &
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