The Observer, February 2, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 15
Outside the Circle
Test glitch causes panic for MCAT takers
On a computerized MCAT given last weekend, test-takers encountered a reading passage about robotic fish. The questions that followed the passage asked about songbirds. A glitch in the program mismatched passages and questions. About 800 test-takers encountered this mistake.
"I was completely distraught," said Dan Sonshine, a Brown senior who took the test. "I was struggling to stay focused, but I was not focusing."
Robert F. Jones, a senior vice president at the Association of American Medical Colleges, said that the glitch seemed to be a "test publishing problem," but it is still undetermined how the mistake was made. This weekend was the first time that the MCAT was administered by computer only.
Students who encountered the problematic test will not need to re-take. All the scores will be usable, because they can be determined by the rest of their responses. However, some students worry that the stress caused by the bad section affected the rest of their test performance.
"We are going to get screwed a little bit," said Sonshine.
Sports center construction nixed to save trees
Construction on a new sports center at the University of California, Berkeley was halted by court order. The judge said the construction would yield environmental and seismic problems. To build the project, a grove of oak trees was going to be removed.
Residents and community members say that it is also dangerous to build the stadium so close to the Hayward fault line. The cutting of the trees also distressed residents who felt that the trees carried a history.
"This is a grand old stand of ancient oak trees," said attorney Stephan Volker of the California Oaks Foundation. "It symbolizes much of what we cherish about California's ecological legacy and I think it ill befits this university to chop down its cathedrals in order to promote a student gym."
Some protesters climbed into the trees, braving rains and small earthquakes. Some of the tree-sitters were as old as 91.
If the university contests the decision in court, it is expected that it will win. A trial is possible this summer.
Ex-professor found dead a week before her prostitution trial
Brandy Britton, 43, had been a professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). She left the university in 1999 after she filed a $10 million sex discrimination law suit against UMBC.
A family member found her body Saturday afternoon in her living room. She had apparently hanged herself. The death has been labeled a suicide.
Police arrested her last January on prostitution charges after an undercover officer went to her house. When police asked her how she was supporting herself, she directed them to a book called Sex Work: Writings by Women in the Sex Industry.
Police say that she advertised herself on a website and went by the name Alexis. The website describes her as very accomplished and smart and also reads "an athlete, cheerleader and dancer in high school, Alexis . . . is extremely flexible in excellent shape."
Britton chose a jury trial to fight the four counts of prostitution instead of accepting a plea bargain. The trial was set for Monday.
Howling banned from Utah State library
Last spring, a group of students gathered in the Utah State University library during finals week and howled like wolves to try and combat finals stress. Students liked the idea and it was repeated again in the fall in the same Merrill-Cazier Library.
Students chose the library because they thought it was where the most students could be found during finals week. However, librarians are frowning upon the rising tradition, citing how much sound carries in the library.
"Students want to vent all that pressure," said Linda Wolcott, USU vice provost for libraries. "I sympathize with them. I'm just not sure the library is the most appropriate place to do it."
The student government might sanction a finals week howl, but it is not certain where the howl will be held. The howl might be moved outdoors and protected by police.
Possible grade scandal at Diablo Valley College
Students at Diablo Valley College who have access to class grades are under suspicion by police this week. An anonymous student tip alerted officials to a practice of grade-selling, where students with access to grades would inflate them for a fee.
The practice seems to go back a few years, and administrators are not yet certain how pervasive the problem is. County prosecutors might be called in to press criminal charges.
Some of the students were unconcerned. "The people who work hard are the ones who are going to get ahead," said third-year student Morgan Gill. "If you want to take the easy way out, go ahead. But you're going to be working at Target."
Others feared that the school's reputation would be tarnished. "America is known for having the best education,"said Iraj Falahati. "This would be the worst thing for the college. I would have to tell people that yes, I went to DVC, but I didn't change my grade."
Some of the names on the list of students who altered their grades came as no surprise to professors who said that the students were problematic in class. Changes are in place to prevent future breaches.
