Student Association committee members have one week to polish up a proposal to publish teacher evaluations.

The SA Academic Affairs Committee will go before the University Council April 11 to gain approval to publish teacher evaluations.

Jim Mertes, SA senator and committee member, said the UC Comittee A suggested four modifications before the proposal reaches the council.

The UC committee members suggested publishing the proportion of students participating in the evaluation, allowing the evaluation forms to be returned to instructors, publishing results for each individual class—not just for each instructor—and allowing the publication to be voluntary for each instructor, Mertes said.

Mertes said the Academic Affairs Committee conceded to the UC committee's demands, but had a "big problem" with the committee's insistence to have the publication voluntary instead of mandatory.

"Students should have a right to evaluate their teachers' performance, make comments on their performance and have those evaluations published regardless of if they agree," Mertes said.

But Sue Ouellette, the UC committee chairman, said the proposal will not be approved unless it is voluntary.

"Our primary concern is the issue of our right to confidentiality. The committee is concerned with safeguarding the constitutionality of course evaluation and how it will be used," Ouellette said.

"There isn't any outlandish opposition to the proposal. Many of the faculty support the students suggestions. We are considering the revised proposal," she said.

The evaluations would include statistics of student assessments of their instructors based upon the the following five objective questions:

-Was the instructor able to communicate effectively?

-Did the instructor grade exams, quizzes and assignments fairly?

-Did the instructor place reasonable demands upon the student?

-Did the instructor convey a thorough knowledge of the subject?

-Was the instructor actively helpful to the student?

There would be five grading categories: (1) Strongly disagree, (2) Disagree, (3) Neutral, (4) Agree, (5) Strongly Agree.

Funding alternatives for the evaluations include selling advertising space within the packet itself, charging students who buy the publication, funding through the SA or NIU funding, Mertes said.

"We would like this to go into effect as early as next semester. That would mean students would be evaluating their teachers this semester," he said.

"This was an excellent opportunity for students and faculty to interchange their definite concerns on the issue," Ouellette said.

CHICAGO— DeKalb's anchor as the west end of the high-tech corridor was plunged Tuesday with Contel's announcement of bringing 300 new jobs to the area.

Gov. James Thompson said Contel's Great Lakes Operating Group will bring $10 million in investments to the DeKalb area, "further strengthening Illinois' leadership in the telecommunications field." Thompson's comments came Tuesday at a news conference in the State of Illinios Building with DeKalb and Contel officials.

The multi-state operation, scheduled to be fully operational in 1991, will create 100 new jobs and relocate 200 additional employees to the area. The jobs will be added to Contel's existing 150 area employees. Twenty percent of the jobs will be engineerial, along with financial personnel and supporting staff.

Charles Rexroat, president and general manager of Contel's Illinois Division, said the 300 additional Illinois jobs will make 1,100 Contel employees in Illinois.

Steven McClure, Department of Commerce and Community Affairs director, said DCCA will give DeKalb $750,000 for improvements needed with Contel's move, including roads, water and sewer systems and other services. DCCA also will give up to $300,000 for training new employees.

Contel's move is part of major restructuring over the next two years aimed at streamlining its management groups.

The communications firm will combine three regions and 12 divisions into six operating units that report to a sector headquarters in Atlanta, Ga.

The restructuring will cut the sector's 15,000 member work force by about 4 percent. Those cuts will mostly come from staff support positions.

The DeKalb-area site will serve Illinois, Indinia, Iowa, Minnesotta and the Dakotas as one of the six national operating groups. The company chose Illinois from the six states because of its central location, Rexroat said.

Rexroat said the company is looking at two possible area sites, including the Wurlitzer property on Gurler Road. Contel would not release the other site being considered. Officials do not know if they will buy a building or construct a new one.

DeKalb Assistant City Manager Gary Boden said site negotiations are being handled by Contel and private realtors. No timetable for the site selection was set, but Boden said he expects a decision "in a few weeks."

Contel reports earning more than $3 billion in annual revenues.