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Show W E B E R S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y The McBride to become Wildcat Sports radio station 1280The Zone announced Tuesday that Weber State University will announce in a press conference today that Ron McBride, former head football coach at the University of Utah, will be hired as the WSU head football coach and will begin coaching duties next semester. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8,2004 wsusignpost.com VOLUME 67 ISSUE 48 Student may breathe easier after finals Senior to receive surgical procedures that will enable breathing on his own naturally, rather than from a ventilator. However, when Howe traveled to the University of Cleveland Hospital for assessment, he was found to have scoliosis.The diaphragm pacer procedure Weber State University student Braden could not be performed. Howe won't be attending school this "First, I'm going to have a back spring. He's decided to take a breather, surgery," Howe said. "We already went literally. down to Cleveland, and we drove all the A bicycle accident in 1996 paralyzed way there. They took a look at my back Howe from the neck down and left and said it's too curved, and we drove all him confined to a wheelchair and the way back." ventilator. At the beginning of next Howe went to his doctor at Primary year, he will be receiving a series of Children's Medical Center and will surgeries that wiil allow him to breathe have the corrective back surgery on on his own. Jan. 6. "Braden is just like Christopher "They will actually fuse two titanium Reeves," said Lindsay Howe, Braden's rods right down his spinal column," father. "Occasionally he'll feel some Lindsay said. "It will make him pretty sensation down his arms, but he can just rigid, but he can't move anyway. It will move his head." take the pressure off his diaphragm." Almost two years ago, Reeves received Howe's muscle recovery will take the surgery [hat Howe is to receive. The about four months, and infection will procedure went very well for Reeves, and be a serious risk. After that Howe will be it gives Howe hope. ready for the diaphragm implant. Howe was accepted for the procedure That surgery, which will be funded last spring. It will implant a monitor neither by insurance nor by any medical that sends an electrical current through group, will cost about $25,000. However, the diaphragm. This will expand Howe's the group performing the surgery will lungs and allow him to take in oxygen provide equipment, such as the pacer, to By BECKY PALMER sr. news reporter | The Signpost Braden Howe uses his computer with a gray reflector on his forehead and a tube in his mouth during his 2 D graphics class. The reflector and lube are part of a Head Mouse system which lets Howe use the reflector as a mouse and blow on the tube for a left click and suck in for a right click. Howe at no charge. problems will be avoided* The benefits of the surgery are Howe will also be able to smell far-reaching for Howe. Instead of t n j n g s | i e n a s n ' t been able to since the shallow breath that Howe now receives, the lower part of his lungs See Breathe page 3 will function, and many potential Campus to evaluate effectiveness of general education requirements By HEATHER HUNT-WOOD assl. news editor | I he Signpost An ad hoc committee on graduation requirements implementation is looking at what defines a baccalaureate degree and the distinction between a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree at Weber State University. Faculty Senate chairwoman and assistant professor of communication Becky Johns said the committee has been in existence for a year and a half. "It was formed to look at the scientific inquiry designation; many thought it wasn't accomplishing anything," Johns said. Students seeking a Bachelor of Science degree must have an added six hours of scientific requirements, as opposed to the foreign language requirements' for those seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree. Johns said that instead of eliminating the scientific requirement, the Faculty Senate decided to look at all the general education requirements because they are all interconnected. Lloyd Burton, an • assistant, professor, .of. health- Current General Education Requirements Core Requirements: 1) Composition ' 2) American Institutions 3) Computer-information Litejracy fefidth Requirements: 1) Humanities and Creative Arts 2) Social Sciences 3) Physical and Life,Sciences administrative services, was appointed by the Faculty Senate to chair the committee. Lloyd said the former president of the Faculty Senate volunteered him to be the chair because of his neutral stance on the topic; he only teaches upper-division courses. "I don't have any conflicts of interest when it comes to. -discussing these issues," Burton said. The committee consists of 21 members, including a representative from each college, the student body and administration. Veteran Student Senator Amanda Willden is the student representative on the committee. Willden said that during spring See Education page 9 Math dept. seeks to calculate solution to student pass/fail rates sensitive political issue; they (the math department) have worked By 1EFFCHRISTCNSEN very hard to try to deal with it." campus affairs editor | The Signpost Ostlie said that with about 2,500 of WSU"s 18,000 students As this semester ends, yet enrolled in Math 950, 960 and another group of failing math 1010, it is an overwhelming students prepares to repeat the issue to deal with. remedial classes they are taking Kathleen Lukken, WSU this semester, which is why associate provost, said many the mathematics department students have to go through at Weber State University is this program because of the trying to solve its biggest math university's admissions policy. problem yet: getting students to 'About three-fourths of our new pass remedial classes. students are coming in with low For various reasons, some math ACT scores," Lukken said. students are having a hard time The problem gets worse getting through Math 1010, so when the developmental math they can take a class that will department's pass/fail rate give them the Quantitative is added into the equation. Literacy requirement they need According to a document to graduate. prepared by math instructor Dixie Designed to remind or Blackinton, who is part of a team develop student's rudimentary trying tofixthe problem, students math skills they would have are passing Math 1010 only about learned in seventh and eighth 46 percent of the time. Math 950 grade, the classes prepare students passed about 60 percent students for algebra and beyond. of the time and 960 students Most of the classes don't even passed 56 percent of the time. give university credit because Many, from administration they are grooming the student to professors, are concerned for college math. about the massive problem, but "In my office it is the most to date, the answer is not in the important issue right now," said back of the book. According to Dale Ostlie, WSU dean of the" .S.e.e.Math page 4 College of Science. "It's a very |