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Show CJ enrollment is booming Enrollment in SUU's bachelor's degree criminal justice program is booming, and a whole handful of reasons arc being cited for that growth. In 1994, Southern Utah University beefed up its criminal justice offerings to include bachelor's degrees, in addition to the twoyear associate of applied science degree. In the four years since, the number of criminal justice majors at SUU has increased by an estimated more than 125 percent. "We had about 70 majors in the <lcparrmenr back in 1994,'' Lamar Jordan, assistant professor of criminal justice said. "As of last spring, our best estimate is that we had 160 majors. We have been adding physical space and faculty members as fast as possible' to meet the continuing growth. "This year, for the first time ever, we offered a couple of summer school classes each session , and we averaged about 30 students per class. We were~esting the waters, and we found a real demand for these courses," Jordan said. "The upcoming semester conversion may have accounted for some of those students." Unril 1994, the only criminal justice bachelor's degree program in the state was at Weber State University. Now, in addition to the BS/BA offerings at SUU and WSU , there are associate programs at Dixie College, Salt Lake Community College, Snow College , and Utah Valley State College. Jordan points to a number of reasons for the popularity of the criminal justice major, noting that many programs across the state are growing, but not at SUU's explosive rate. "Jobs in the field are plentiful now, and will be for the next 10 or so years/ he said. "Baby boomers who held law enforcement jobs are starting to retire, and that makes room for new hires. There are jobs for about everyone who is willing to go to where the work is." Jordan also notes that starting annual salaries range between $20-42,000 and that larger departments will pay a premium for college graduates. More and more agencies are giving hiring preference to associate or bachelor's degree graduates; and co advance, a degree is almost mandatory in most medium or large departments, he said. "Law enforcement agencies are seeing the advantage of hiring college graduates," Jo rdan said . "Fewer complaints are received about their work, they resolve disputes better, write better reports, resort to physical force less, and they make better witnesses in court, among other things." Many more women are enrolling in classes at SUU, where the criminal justice enrollment is "about 30 percent women," according to Jordan. · "Actually, there are more job opportunities in criminal justice for qualified women than for men right now," Jordan said. "There has been a recent growing acceptance of women in law enforcement, and they often fit the work very well . The growing acceptance of community policing, the impor:tance of sensitivity to the needs of victims in domestic violence and se,nial offenses, and the growing number of juvenile offenders all enhance job opportunities for women. " Law enforcement pay scales do not discriminate against women, Jordan says. "They receive equal pay for equal work." Blanchard is honored here The most recent in a string ef awards earned by members of the electronics engineering technology faculty at SUU has been presented to Don Blanchard. Blanchard has been recognized as having the I 997-98 statewide "Trade and Industry Program of the Year" by the Utah State Board for Applied Technology Education. The award honors Blanchard and SUlJ's electronics engineering technology program which offers associate of applied science and bachelor's degrees. "While the award is technically an individual award, much of the credit should also go to other faculty members in the program, Ken Munford and David Ward," Blanchard said. "We have been teaching electronics technology together for many years: The focus of SUU's electronics engineering technology program is on three major electronics areas: computers and digital electronics, electronic communication systems, and circuit design and fabrication , according to Blanchard. "Each of the three of faculty members in the program have been at SUU for several years," Blanchard said. "We work well together in keeping the program effective and current. Nyman nabs national post Canada. Sigma Nu has 204 chapters. C. David Nyman, assistant dean of Nyman is also a current member of the continuing education at SUU, has been elected to serve as a vice regent for Sigma Nu Western Regional Greek Conference. He has previously served as faculty adviser to WRGC International Fraternity. which is comprised of all Greek organizations Nyman was nominated for the position by in 14 states and three Canadian provinces. . the executive staff of the organization and He has been admitted to the "Order of selected as one of Sigma Nu's four vice Omega" which recognizes outstanding men regents in elections at a grand chapter and women in the Greek community. gathering in Orlando, Fla. He will serve a At SUU, Nyman serves as adviser to the two-year term and is eligible to be re-elected university's Lambda Iota chapter of Sigma Nu. to two additional terms. He was founder of the SUU chapter when it From 1992-98, Nyman served three terms . was chartered in May of 1987. as division commander with stewardship Among well-known Sigma Nus nationally responsibility over all the fraternity 's chapters arc Sen. Trent Lott, actor Harrison Ford, in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. former U.S. senator and vice president Each of the four vice regents is responsible to oversee the activities of Sigma Nu chapters candidate Lloyd Bentsen, and NBA coach Pat in one of four defmed regions in the U. S. and Riley. Governor returns ho,ne SUV graduate Michael 0. Leavitt, now in his second term of governor of Utah, was the concluding speaker at the three·day Utah Rural Summit hosted by SUV last week. 11le conference.addressed the challenges to rural leaders of assessing the nature and direction of change and then responding appropriately. Federa~ state, and local government authorities joined representatives from consulting firms, private businesses, and volunteer groups in presenting a variety of workshop sessions in the R. Haze Hunter Conference Center. PBL places three in nation's top 1 O communication competition. "Utah is a relatively small membership state with just 10 chapters," Doris Williamson, adviser to SUU's Chi Alpha chapter, explains. "However, as a state we did very well in the competition." Fl~arcyPratt,CedarCity,placcd Phi Beta L'tmbda is a national fifth nationally in a three-hour business organiz.-ition with computer applications competition which included a two-hour hands-on headquarters in Reston, Virg., just test and a one-hour written exam. outside Washington O.C. The national PBL leadership conference Also earning top 1O placings were includes training sessions and Karen Brown, Sandy, eighth in workshops on both a national and management testing; and Josie regional basis. Shields, Fairview, Sanpete County, "The national conference offers an 10th in information management. opportunity for students from across Other Southern Utah students the country to compete and to share attending the national conference insights and compare business included Tom Liddiard, Stafford, training from a variety of Va.; Maurine Peterson, Blanding; perspectives, " Williamson said. "It and Loriann Wallace, Nephi. has been a good experience for our Liddiard was a voting delegate at the meetings. Peterson was a voting students." delegate and an entrant in computer The 1999 national leadership conference will be held next applications competition; Wallace summer in Chicago. entered the business National top 10 placings were earned by three Southern Utah University students at this year's Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) national leadership conference at Orlando, |