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Show Neuroscience major created by student request with a customizable new program Students asked and professors responded Alexandra Jamison StaffWriter The new neuroscience major is a true example of how professors can take a direct action in response to This year, Westminster has introduced a new major that blends a variety of disciplines. The neuroscience major takes classes from biology, psychology, physics, chemistry and math and combines them into a program that really lets students choose what they want to do. The majors creation was a direct response to questions raised by students in both the biology and psychology departments. Lesa Ellis, associate professor of psychology, and Brian Avery, associate professor of biology, were teaching the same students who were interested in both subjects, but had nowhere to go. "Students were like, 'Get off your ass and make a neuroscience major, Associate Professor Brian Avery NEWS BRIEFS Tara Canham Utah's first partially solar-power- ed campus a grant from Rocky Mountain Powers Blue Sky renewable energy program, Westminster has become the first college in Utah to meet part of its elecsolar program. tricity needs with an on-si- te An eight-kilowphotovoltaic system was recently installed on the Dolores Dore Eccles Health, Wellsolar panels in ness and Athletic Center. Forty-tw- o the center of the roof will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of almost three typical Utah homes. Compared to electricity, the solar power will keep 14.7 tons of carbon dioxide out of the air each year. Westminster already receives 11 percent of its average monthly energy usage from the Blue Sky program. The new solar power system and building electricity use will be monitored and students will be able to access real-tidata from the colleges Web site. att coal-generat- me Westminster included among 'Best 366 Colleges' College welcomes largest freshman class to date Once again, Westminster has been included in The Princeton Review's annual guide to the Best 366 Col- The class of 2011 is the largest freshman class in Westminster history, according to the Office of Ad18 percent higher missions. A total of 450 freshmen started their college experience at Westthan 2006 minster two weeks ago. Nearly a third of the incoming freshmen are from out of state, including students from the coast of California all the way to the coast of Maine. International students also traveled from Afghanistan, Bulgaria, China, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom. on leges in the country. StaffWriter, With the needs of students. Students were like, Get off your ass and make a neuroscience major, said Avery. Before neuroscience became an official major, the only ways to specialize in it were to either double major in biology and psychology or major in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience. We have had several students who have been taking courses from both of us since the beginning and now they can officially declare a neuroscience major, said Ellis. Creating the major wasnt that difficult of a task to do, according to Avery and Ellis. We really didnt need to do anything new. We didnt need to teach whole big new classes to create this major, said Avery. In fact, the only class that is completely specific to the neuroscience program is an advanced class that was already being students. taught to upper-divisiThe program is designed to create a base of knowledge for the students and then become flexible enough to allow them to pursue what they are most interested in. We really tried to build in a lot of flexibility, Ellis said. Each student can be interested in a different topic of neuroscience and while Westminster might not have all the equipment, its connections with the University of Utah will allow students to do almost any kind of research they want. By training students who have enough knowledge of both, they wont feel intimated or afraid of the other discipline, or that one has less value or is harder than the other, said Avery. The program will also be easy to maintain over the years, since it existed in some form or another before it became a major and it doesnt require upkeep. All of the classes that are required for the major are in place already and are taught on a regular basis. Its there and we are glad that its there and we will have fun doing it. It exists because there was a desire and it was easy to put together, Avery said. There doesnt need to be a lot of students to justify its existence. It was sort of organic that way. ed In its profile on Westminster, The Princeton Review describes the college as having some of the coolest programs anywhere, specifically noting May Term classes, Winter at Westminster and strong business, nursing and education programs. Also in the profile students said that they liked the easily accessible professors who facilitate fun and interactive discussions. Explaining the selection process, The Princeton Reviews Vice President of Publishing Robert Franek said, We chose schools for this book primarily for their outstanding academics. We evaluated them based on institutional data we collect about the schools, feedback from students attending them and our visits to schools over the years. We also consider the opinions of independent college counselors, students and parents we hear from yearlong. The University of Utah and Brigham Young University were also included in the Best 366 Colleges rankings, the latter as No. 1 for both Top Stone-Col- d Sober school and Students Pray on a Regular Basis. Visit The Forum's New Web site www.thewestminsterforum.com (Puzzle solutions are available there!) Utah Supreme Court Justice Christine Durham To speak at Westminster College Talent neededfor Films, Commercials, Chief Justice Durham has been on the Utah Supreme Court since 1982, after serving as a trial judge for four years, one of them as presiding judge of the Third District Court. She became Chief Justice in April 2002. She received her A.B with honors from Wellesley College and a J.D from Duke University where she is a member of the Board of Trustees. Chief Justice Durham will be speaking at a Friday Forum sponsored by LDSSA, on Friday, September 7th, at 12:00 noon in Malouf HalL Lund will be provided afterwards. Modeling, Promotions, Extra work! Not a schooL Free Workshops. . fl0-$9- 5 Hourly! 801-433-00- 67 SLC mom needs female student w car to help 3 aftemoonweek. Responsibilities call afterschool transport and homework help (76cl0 yo). Please email references mdsinghalgmailcom. 2-- To place an ad in The Forum, contact Tiffeny Tam at 9, fommadswestminstercollege.edu. 832-231- or ail |