Organizational Studies Student Assembly (OSSA)

Winter 2000 CRISP Meeting

Disclaimer

Below are summaries of voluntary comments made by several Orgainzational Studies students regarding their opinions of specific University courses and their instructors. It should be noted that the information below does not necessarily reflect the views of OSSA, its student leaders, or its members. Not all approved Organizational Studies courses are included in this list and information for the courses listed may be incomplete due to changing professors or the fact that students at the meeting had limited knowledge about certain courses or professors. Keeping all of this in mind, this information is being posted strictly as a resource for students to reference while making course registration decisions.

Cultural Anthropology

438 - Urban Anthropology (3)

Professor Michael Fahy is fairly laid-back and leniant
classes are interesting and only moderately difficult
coursework includes 2 take-home exams

Communication Studies

351 - Structure and Function of Media Systems (4)

Professor James Brentar is extremely boring in lecture
course can be taken for ECB credit
coursework includes 4 quizzes, 4 papers, and a final exam

361 - Proceses of Mediated Communication (4)

coursework (when taken under a different professor) included 2 bluebook exams and 2 medium-length papers

371 - Media, Culture, and Society (4)

Professor Derek Vaillant is often vague and unclear when lecturing, making him difficult to follow in class

381 - Media Impact on Knowledge, Values, and Behavior (4)

Professor Kristen Harrison is "cool" and a very good instructor
subject matter of class is very interesting
discussion sections tend to rehash lecture, but are very helpful in understanding class material
coursework includes 2 quizzes, 2 5-page papers, and a final exam
one student said that this was "one of the best classes I've taken"

453 - The Media in American History (3)

course has a very heavy amount of reading
coursework includes a blue book exam, a 5-7 page paper, a 8-10 page paper, and a take-home final exam

462 - Social Influence and Persuasion (4)

Professor Richard Allen is enthusiastic about subject material
course has a light amount of reading and exams are fair
coursework includes a paper and 2 exams (multiple choice, true-false, short answer, & essay)

Economics

422 - The Structure of Labor Markets (3)

Professor Sedo is personable and very approachable
class is highly structured and exams are hard but fair
one student highly suggested taking Econ 402 before taking this class

438 - Economics of Health Services (3)

since Professor Paul Rilstone is so dry & boring, and because lectures are taken straight from assigned reading, most students do not bother going to lecture
instructor is a hard grader
coursework includes 2 midterms and a final exam

491 - The History of the American Economy (3)

Professor Warren Whatley is often unorganized, and lectures are very unstructured
course reading is very technical in nature, and is not always covered in class

German

351 - Business German (3)

Professor Janet Van Valkenburg is very leniant and willing to help
course is a type of "independent study" assignment for individuals who have had an internship in a German-speaking land
coursework consists of a comprehensive final paper describing your experiences

History

467 - The United States Since 1933 (4)

Professor Sidney Fine is interesting and "awesome" because he relates lecture material into real-world applications
students must go to lectures in order to get a good grade in the class because tests are hard and based off of lectures

569 - American Business History (3)

Professor David Lewis is interesting because he uses personal anecdotes in lectures, and he also shows videos in class
instructor is also fairly leniant, even giving extra credit from time to time
coursepack is full of lecture notes and related material, so very little (if any) reading is required for those who go to class
coursework includes 2 multiple choice midterms and a multiple choice final exam, all of which are fairly tough

Political Science

410 - American Policy Processes (3)

Professor Hanes Walton is a "terrible" lecturer who seems uninterested in the material
course centers around the process of how a bill becomes a law

421 - American State Government (3)

class requires moderate amount of reading
coursework includes a 5-6 page paper & 2 blue book exams

483 - American Politcal Parties and Electoral Problems (3)

subject matter was fairly interesting
class can be taken for ECB credit
coursework includes a 20-25 page paper, 2 midterms, and a final exam

Psychology

361 - Advanced Laboratory in Organizational Psychology (4)

course is interesting because it gives you the opportunity to apply theory into real-life practice by developing an organizational experiment that you run
course requires light amount of reading, and can be taken for ECB credit
coursework includes 2 quizzes, development of individual research project, and final 15-page paper

380 - Introduction to Social Psychology (4)

Professor Denise Sekaquaptewa is not the best lecturer, but the subject matter is very interesting
lecture note outlines posted on web to facilitate note-taking and studying
coursework includes quizzes, 3 4-6 page papers, and 3 exams (but the lowest exam score is dropped)

411 - Gender and Group Process in a Multicultural Context (3)

when taken with another instructor, coursework included heavy reading, one 4-page paper per week, group facilitation of one class period, and a final project

464 - Group Behavior in Organizations (3)

class material is very interesting, although readings can be somewhat difficult at times
when taken with another professor, coursework included moderate reading, 3 exams, and a final group project

561 - Advanced Topics in Organizational Psychology (3)

Professor Oscar Ybarra is a very approachable and fair instructor
subject matter of course was very interesting

565 - Organizational Systems (3)

Professor Richard Saavedra is extremely laid-back, friendly, approachable, and understanding
course requires moderate reading, and subject matter is extremely interesting
course materials include a coursepack of interesting real-life case studies, as well as an excellent, easy-to-understand textbook
coursework includes group facilitation of one class period, groupwork in completing questions, and 3 exams (although many exam answers are given to students in advance of exams)
one student said that "if you don't get an A in this class, you have problems"

581 - Advanced Topics in Social Psychology (3)

Professor Serena Chen is a very prepared instructor who communicates material in a very clear and easy-to-understand manner

French

380 - Intermediate Business French (3)

Professor Rachel Criso is a great instructor who is also very kind and approachable

Sociology

454 - Law and Social Organization (3)

Professor Dan Sharphorn is a little dry in lecture, but a good instructor overall
Sharphorn is an attorney for the University, and he draws off of real-life experiences in relating to class discussion
course requires very heavy amount of reading, but lectures provide a brief review of this material
coursework includes a short paper and 2 exams
one student commented that "if you do the reading, you'll do well on the exams"
another student said that the course provided a "great general background in law"

OBHRM (B-School)

300 - Behavior Theory and Management (3)

overall, a good class based on a lot of groupwork
course materials consisted of a coursepack full of interesting reading passages
coursework includes 3 short papers and a group project (which is actually a paper)


Cultural Anthropology
438 - Urban Anthropology (3)	Professor Michael Fahy is fairly laid-back and leniant classes are interesting and only moderately difficult coursework includes 2 take-home exams

Communication Studies
351 - Structure and Function of Media Systems (4)	Professor James Brentar is extremely boring in lecture course can be taken for ECB credit coursework includes 4 quizzes, 4 papers, and a final exam
361 - Proceses of Mediated Communication (4)	coursework (when taken under a different professor) included 2 bluebook exams and 2 medium-length papers
371 - Media, Culture, and Society (4)	Professor Derek Vaillant is often vague and unclear when lecturing, making him difficult to follow in class
381 - Media Impact on Knowledge, Values, and Behavior (4)	Professor Kristen Harrison is "cool" and a very good instructor subject matter of class is very interesting discussion sections tend to rehash lecture, but are very helpful in understanding class material coursework includes 2 quizzes, 2 5-page papers, and a final exam one student said that this was "one of the best classes I've taken"
453 - The Media in American History (3)	course has a very heavy amount of reading coursework includes a blue book exam, a 5-7 page paper, a 8-10 page paper, and a take-home final exam
462 - Social Influence and Persuasion (4)	Professor Richard Allen is enthusiastic about subject material course has a light amount of reading and exams are fair coursework includes a paper and 2 exams (multiple choice, true-false, short answer, & essay)

Economics
422 - The Structure of Labor Markets (3)	Professor Sedo is personable and very approachable class is highly structured and exams are hard but fair one student highly suggested taking Econ 402 before taking this class
438 - Economics of Health Services (3)	since Professor Paul Rilstone is so dry & boring, and because lectures are taken straight from assigned reading, most students do not bother going to lecture instructor is a hard grader coursework includes 2 midterms and a final exam
491 - The History of the American Economy (3)	Professor Warren Whatley is often unorganized, and lectures are very unstructured course reading is very technical in nature, and is not always covered in class

German
351 - Business German (3)	Professor Janet Van Valkenburg is very leniant and willing to help course is a type of "independent study" assignment for individuals who have had an internship in a German-speaking land coursework consists of a comprehensive final paper describing your experiences

History
467 - The United States Since 1933 (4)	Professor Sidney Fine is interesting and "awesome" because he relates lecture material into real-world applications students must go to lectures in order to get a good grade in the class because tests are hard and based off of lectures
569 - American Business History (3)	Professor David Lewis is interesting because he uses personal anecdotes in lectures, and he also shows videos in class instructor is also fairly leniant, even giving extra credit from time to time coursepack is full of lecture notes and related material, so very little (if any) reading is required for those who go to class coursework includes 2 multiple choice midterms and a multiple choice final exam, all of which are fairly tough

Political Science
410 - American Policy Processes (3)	Professor Hanes Walton is a "terrible" lecturer who seems uninterested in the material course centers around the process of how a bill becomes a law
421 - American State Government (3)	class requires moderate amount of reading coursework includes a 5-6 page paper & 2 blue book exams
483 - American Politcal Parties and Electoral Problems (3)	subject matter was fairly interesting class can be taken for ECB credit coursework includes a 20-25 page paper, 2 midterms, and a final exam

Psychology
361 - Advanced Laboratory in Organizational Psychology (4)	course is interesting because it gives you the opportunity to apply theory into real-life practice by developing an organizational experiment that you run course requires light amount of reading, and can be taken for ECB credit coursework includes 2 quizzes, development of individual research project, and final 15-page paper
380 - Introduction to Social Psychology (4)	Professor Denise Sekaquaptewa is not the best lecturer, but the subject matter is very interesting lecture note outlines posted on web to facilitate note-taking and studying coursework includes quizzes, 3 4-6 page papers, and 3 exams (but the lowest exam score is dropped)
411 - Gender and Group Process in a Multicultural Context (3)	when taken with another instructor, coursework included heavy reading, one 4-page paper per week, group facilitation of one class period, and a final project
464 - Group Behavior in Organizations (3)	class material is very interesting, although readings can be somewhat difficult at times when taken with another professor, coursework included moderate reading, 3 exams, and a final group project
561 - Advanced Topics in Organizational Psychology (3)	Professor Oscar Ybarra is a very approachable and fair instructor subject matter of course was very interesting
565 - Organizational Systems (3)	Professor Richard Saavedra is extremely laid-back, friendly, approachable, and understanding course requires moderate reading, and subject matter is extremely interesting course materials include a coursepack of interesting real-life case studies, as well as an excellent, easy-to-understand textbook coursework includes group facilitation of one class period, groupwork in completing questions, and 3 exams (although many exam answers are given to students in advance of exams) one student said that "if you don't get an A in this class, you have problems"
581 - Advanced Topics in Social Psychology (3)	Professor Serena Chen is a very prepared instructor who communicates material in a very clear and easy-to-understand manner

French
380 - Intermediate Business French (3)	Professor Rachel Criso is a great instructor who is also very kind and approachable

Sociology
454 - Law and Social Organization (3)	Professor Dan Sharphorn is a little dry in lecture, but a good instructor overall Sharphorn is an attorney for the University, and he draws off of real-life experiences in relating to class discussion course requires very heavy amount of reading, but lectures provide a brief review of this material coursework includes a short paper and 2 exams one student commented that "if you do the reading, you'll do well on the exams" another student said that the course provided a "great general background in law"

OBHRM (B-School)
300 - Behavior Theory and Management (3)	overall, a good class based on a lot of groupwork course materials consisted of a coursepack full of interesting reading passages coursework includes 3 short papers and a group project (which is actually a paper)