Poor academic performance among Eastern students this year became the main focus of the Faculty Senate Tuesday. Because of the issue of having quality students, Blair Lord, vice president for academic affairs, told the senate “we are closing admissions as of April 30.”

In other business, the senate named the two recipients of the Distinguished Faculty Award and approved a nomination for an at-large member to serve on the University Personnel Committee, which evaluates faculty members for tenure.

On Tuesday, Gary Aylesworth, philosophy professor, told the senate that “student performance seems to have dropped off in the lower level this year, especially this semester.

“A number of faculty said they had seen the drop off and many of them had graded easier,” he said.

Some faculty are concerned that Eastern is admitting students who do not meet admission requirements, Aylesworth said, which may be the reason student performance is slipping.

According to Eastern’s admissions policy, a student must have an ACT score of at least 18, if they are in the top quarter of their graduating class, and a 19, if in the top half of their class.

However, students may appeal admissions’ decision to deny their application. After reviewing the appeal, the university may admit students who have not made the requirements.

Aylesworth said the appeals clause may be overused.

“There was suspicion that we have gone too far and admitted people who wouldn’t normally have been admitted,” thus lowering academic quality, he said.

To clarify, Aylesworth said “about 7 percent of all freshmen have been admitted with an ACT score lower than 18.” In addition, “there was someone admitted with a 10.”

Senate member John Best, psychology professor, said “there is no correlation between ACT score and student performance,” and the real issue is “getting the most out of the students we have, and teaching them how to perform.”

On the April 30 admissions closing, Lord said “we think students who didn’t get admitted to the university they wanted to attend applied late.” By closing admissions early, students denied admission at other universities will be less able to apply at Eastern.

Anne Zahlan, senate member and English professor, added “the go-getters will get organized and have material together on time.”

Senate Chair Bud Fischer, associate biology professor, asked the senate to delay further discussion on the issue until the fall 2002 semester because the senate has only one meeting left this semester, on April 23.

In other business, the senate named David Carpenter, English professor, and George Sanders, music professor, as winners of the Distinguished Faculty Award.

The nominations, which are made by alumni, students, faculty, staff and administrators, were based on teaching performance, research and creative activity and service such as serving on university and departmental boards and committees.

All nominees had to be tenured or tenure-track faculty in at least their fourth year of full-time employment at Eastern.

Also, the senate accepted the nomination of Rebecca Cook to the University Personnel Committee, which evaluates eligibility of faculty to receive tenure.

The committee needed one at-large candidate, and the slot for that opening was left off ballots during faculty elections.