University Executive Vice President and Provost John Brighton told University Student Advisory Board members last night that he was concerned about improving education and giving students their money's worth.

One of the most important issues facing the University is the quality of classroom teaching for both undergraduate and graduate students, Brighton said.

"Students and faculty should be working together to try and improve teaching," he said.

Brighton said that a quality professor should challenge students as well as keep their attention with new ideas and material. Teachers should be dedicated to teaching and to their student's academic growth, he added.

Brighton suggested several programs to improve the quality of education for University students.

One way to do this, Brighton said, is to improve the teaching assessment process and attempt to involve students more in the evaluations.

"There are arguments that students don't always know the quality of an instructor," he said. "But students still have the best knowledge of teacher quality."

Brighton suggested a program that would involve asking the dean of each college to identify a department or faculty group that has made strong efforts to improve the quality of education. Small salary increases as rewards would provide incentive for others to follow suit, he said.

Brighton added that he had not yet presented the idea to the deans.

University Student Government President Mark Stewart suggested another improvement by asking Brighton about the possibility of establishing a downtown computer lab.

However, Brighton listed several financial drawbacks to this plan.

Costs for both new computer terminals and for rental space downtown are rising, he said, adding that the University is trying to get out of the downtown area, but he said the project may be worthwhile eventually.

Stewart said that students consider downtown part of the University community, and that off-campus students are entitled to the same services as those living on campus.

National Pan-Hellenic Council President September Myers questioned Brighton on the University's efforts to recruit and retain minority students and faculty.

Brighton mentioned several programs at the college level that recruit minorities and said that more effort should be put into retaining than recruiting.

Myers said she would have liked to have heard more from Brighton on the subject of minorities. She said his answers sounded "rehearsed."

Brighton said he was pleased with the exchange of ideas and that USAB members asked questions that focused on their concerns.

"(Brighton) is always as honest and open as he can be," said USG Vice President Merryl Werber. "Of course, as a student leader, you don't always agree with what he says."