--- Forwarded Message from Phade Orion Vader <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2000 13:03:55 -0600
>From: Phade Orion Vader <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #5467 $ for special use of LRC?
>In-reply-to: <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum    <[log in to unmask]>

------------------
Regarding use of the LRC to outside units/high schools for testing & such:

Hello from Texas Tech.  We too have encountered instances where high
schools, and in some instances smaller colleges in our community, ask to
use our facilities for language testing.

We allow these uses, which are very sporadic and far spaced, based on
several merits:

        1.  A Recruitment Issue.  We offer proprietary Language Placement Tests
which are credit-bearing exams with the potential to award Texas Tech
language credit {up to the end of second year, 16 maximum possible hours}.
Some local high schools have utilized this test, and if a student's score
is consistent with an award of credit, there  is a clear potential
recruitment advantage for the University.  There is also a more focused
advantage to our languages program in perhaps recruiting a language minor
or major.  The students know that upon entering Tech, language credit will
already be waiting for them.  Nationally recognized tests {AP, CLEP, et
cetera} also have the potential, of course, to directly offer course credit
through our Admissions process, so in either scenario, it is in our best
interest to aid the entire process.
        2.  Many area high school language teachers are alumni from Tech.  The
cooperative venture in such activities assists in maintaining a bond to
that segment of our discipline.
        3.  On several occasions, one of our own professors has helped the school
or district with language-related issues, and a natural bridge then exists.
 Data from these exams has also been used in research, particularly to
assist in setting admissions standards, cognitive understanding of the
competency levels we can/should expect from the area high school programs,
the relevance or cohesion thereof with our own curriculum, so on and so forth.
        4.  "The Common Good" issue... in light of the other benefits mentioned
above, it is simply helpful and aids in the total promotion of our
discipline.  Texas Tech has a strong teacher training focus, and these
elements together represent a very broad view of the whole process.

If the demand became very heavy for such usage, in such a way as to
significantly interfere with our regular operation, we would probably start
having to say no.  But at this point, external requests are uncommon so
there is not an operational problem.

We do not have the accounting mechanisms setup to accept official fees, but
schools have offered small donations to us, and usually the visits are
followed by cards created by the students--written and designed in the
respective language, of course--and this is a nice reminder of all the
human elements; certainly a "warm fuzzy".   :)

It's always nice to have the chance to connect/network with the teachers as
well. 

I hope my information/reationale helps.  Good luck with everything.

Phade Orion Vader, Director
Language Learning Laboratory
    & Resource Center
Texas Tech University

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ORIGINAL MESSAGE>

At 11:39 AM 2/3/00 -0500, you wrote:
>--- Forwarded Message from Norval Bard <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
>>Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2000 14:29:32 -0600
>>From: Norval Bard <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: LLTI <[log in to unmask]>
>>Subject: fees for special use of LRC?
>
>Hi,
>
>How do other labs/LRCs handle infrequent, outside use of lab
>facilities?  In our case, a local high school has contacted us, asking
>to do AP testing in our LRC.  Do most people have a standard fee
>schedule for such things?  I know we have to be careful about some of
>the services we can provide due to questions about unfair competitive
>advantages (e.g., copying of audio tapes for outsiders), but this seems
>a little different; where would such a group go?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Norval
>
>--
>
>
>****************************
>Norval BARD
>Assistant Professor of French
>Director, Myers Language Resource Center
>North Central College
>Naperville, IL  60566
>ph:  (630) 637-5125
>fax: (630) 637-5121
>
Phade Orion Vader, Director
Language Learning Laboratory
   & Resource Center
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas  USA
806.742.3151