OCR Text |
Show Voting in UB today on referendum A constitutional referendum will be held today to determine the future titles of the Academic Assembly and its members. Bill 77-17 proposed that Academic Assembly be changed to Student Academic Senate, and its members to Student Academic Senators. While no change in the Assembly's function or duties is included, the title change promotes the concept that the body is made of elected representatives and should thus improve its ability to provide input, according to incoming Volume 37, Number 54 Developmental Study program works to improve learning skills By Brad Hart and Mary Woodhead A test given to students in the developmental studies program on WSC campus has shown that some Weber students are reading at the first and second grade levels, according to Dr. Merlin Cheney of the English Department.These levels were determined by a series of standard tests given as part of the Developmental Studies program. The test results are being used by Cheney and Dr. Dan Rhodes, director of the WSC Learning Center, as 1 : -V 1 CHARLIE BRQWfi Intelligent students often have reading problems as a result of poor teachers and educational techniques. Photo by Clyde Mueller Academic Vice President Kim Heaton. Heaton also noted that the new titles are more likely to be understood by the studentbody at large and should encourage input from the students to the representatives. The referendum is a result of a resolution from the Executive Council and a petition signed by 250 students. Voting will be conducted in the Union Building from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The election will be supervised by Pam Lansford. Weber State College research material to find ways of helping students lacking basic skills. The Developmental Studies program has been in operation here since Fall quarter. The aim of the program is to help students who come to Weber without the necessary skills to compete in college level studies. Rhodes said that the program will have tutors working on a one to one basis with students. Although Cheney and Rhodes have not yet correlated all of their test results, they said that Weber seems to be having many nstitutional. approves report on .Master's program by Rex Leetham A comprehensive progress report concerning the rationale for Master of Education Degrees in Elementary and Secondary Education at WSC was unanimously approved at this week's Institutional Council May 20, 1977 of the same colleges and having. problems other universities are Their research is based on scores received by freshman students on the ACT and a diagnostic reading test in an attempt to correlate test results to predict student performance. Cheney said that the preliminary test results encouraged the Administration to provide the space necessaary for the Developmental Studies Program. Present enrollment in the program is 250 students, with skills ranging from the first and second grade level to the eighth grade level. Cheney noted that none of the students in the program were "dummies" since the majority of them were able to progress to the tenth or twelfth grade level very rapidly. Both Cheney and Rhodes attributed the problem to the social-atmosphere that exists in many high schools. "I place the blame on a system that is not performance based," Cheney said. WSC has a policy requiring students who score low on the ACT test in English or Math to take a 100 series program before beginning regular college classes. Cheney said that the program has not been policed and "some students are getting into the 101 classes." Cheney added that, beginning next fall, the remedial program will be enforced and students scoring 15 and below in either area will be required to take the 100 class. Correction In order to prevent possible confusion from an article in Tuesday's Signpost, the Admissions Office reminds students that Summer Quarter fees will be "the same for all students, resident ornonresident. meeting. The report was presented by Dr. Thomas Burton, Chairman of the Task Force in charge of "Phase II" proposals, relative to the Master Degree program. The progress report was prepared by Dr. Burton and other members of the Task Force Committee. They include: Dr. Blair Low, School of Education, Dr. Rodger Lawson, Director of the Bureau of Research, Dr. Gary Carson, Counseling Center, and Dean Blaine Parkinson, Dean of the School of Education. The report is to be presented to the Board of Regents for approval sometime in the near future. "The criteria that they (Board of Regents) identify for evaluating a graduate program are basically in three areas: need, cost, and quality," Burton said. In justifying the needs of a M. Ed. program, Burton said WSC serves a population of 251,800 people, or, one fifth of the entire state's population. "It's the second highest concentration of population in the state," he noted. In terms of projected population growth for the Northern Wasatch Front, Burton said the number of people residing in this area by 1990 will be 52.6 per cent greater than in 1970. The strongest growth will be among those people in the 25-34 age group. "This is significant," Burton said, "because supposedly the people in that age ASWSC Awards announced at dinner ASWSC Awards and Honors recipients were announced last neight at a special program. Glen R. Dawson was named as Scholar of the Year. Robert B. Hofferman was named as Professor of the Year. Both of these awards were chosen by the Academic Assembly. A tie for the award of Talent of the Year resulted in awards going to Mary Lynn Anderson and Jill Wangsgard. The Cheerleaders were named as Organization of the Year. The Wildcat Achievement of the year award goes to three individuals. First, Ah Choo Lin; second, Darcel Stucki; and third, Randy Skanchy. These awards were given by an ASWSC Committee at large. Nancy Waterfall was chosen by the Associated Women Students to receive the Silver Chalice award. A special Honorary Silver Chalice was given to Dr. Kay Evans. Stan Mayhew and Cathy Miller Council group are the ones most likely to be involved in a graduate program." Burton said the average enrollment for "colleges" with graduate programs is 5,983 students. The current enrollment at WSC is 10,218, "As a matter of fact," Burton continued, "all the available data indicated that Weber State College is now the largest undergraduate baccalaureate degree granting institution in the country that does not offer at least some graduate work." In terms of the cost of a M. Ed. program, Burton said, "Weber State College has indicated that we would need $200,000 to initiate the program. Some of that is a one time cost; for instance, 30 or 40 thousand dollars of that would go to the library." He made the following comparison: The 1976-77 total state appropriated budget for higher education is $116,516,000. The $200,000 that WSC will need is only "seventeen ten-thousandths of a per cent," of the total state budget. Dr. Burton continued, saying that the cost "averages out to about 80 cents per person per year within the area served by Weber State College" "A Masters program benefits everyone," Burton said. "When you look at it in terms of cost and benefit relationships, a Masters program at Weber State College would provide better trained teachers, which would then give us quality school districts, which would then give recieved the Male and Female (respectively) Athlete Awards from the Athletic Department. Vickie Jones, named the Friendliest Girl, was chosen by studentbody vote. |