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Show Page 8 THE SIGNPOST Wednesday, March 29, 2000 'J H ! X km Ut 1 ni j I-' t I. V"4r 'L-, ':-zz$y W-iJh:.n What WSU does for you Location, location, location. No, this is not real estate 1010; it is, however, the reason why most students choose the university they attend. This applies across the board, not just to Weber State University. WSU President Paul Thompson said, "Nationwide, something like 80 percent of all students choose a higher education institution that is in-state and relatively close to them." Of course there has got to be more to it than that. And there is. If you look at WSU closely you will see that it is set up specifically for undergraduate students. "Weber State focuses on undergraduate education," Provost David Eisler said. "Ninety-nine percent of the students at Weber State are undergraduate students." "This is what we are about," Thompson said, "We are about teaching, scholarly work, but it's a 12-hour teaching load, which is higher than other places. It's about being available to students, it's about helping those students gain an education." Because WSU exists to provide a great education to undergraduate students, WSU looks for faculty who share that same ideal. "We work hard to get a good fit between the faculty member and Weber State," Thompson said, "so we spend a fair amount of time saying 'If you are interested in a light teaching load, and doing a lot of research, and being involved in a major research effort, you don't want to come to Weber State.'" "We hire faculty who are interested in teaching and working with students, so there is a lot of faculty interaction between the students and the faculty," Eisler said. "It's very important for learning." "When I first came to WSU we did a survey of several hundred students and asked them if they had the access to the faculty that they wanted," Thompson said, "and 98 percent of the students said they had the access to the faculty they wanted." Even if WSU isn't perfect, even if WSU doesn't have the moniker of the University of Utah or the reputation of Harvard, it is a good place to get an education. As Eisler said, "No institution is perfect, but I think Weber State really tries to help students." Geography helps students understand surroundings By Dale Willequette features writer-The Signpost Have you ever asked yourself, why am I here? I don't mean why are you here on Earth; I mean why are you at Weber State University. Could it be the majestic mountains that offer a variety of activities, or could it be that you want to save money and live at home with the folks and attend WSU, or maybe it's the seasonal climate.Geography is the reason for a number of students. But not theWSU-is-close-to-home kind of geography, but the geography department.For those new to WSU and undecided on a major, geography is worth looking into. "Geography majors get a si rang understanding of the world, which makes them well prepared for globaJ citizenship," said Brian Dorsey, assistant professor of geography. "It also offers a vast ar ray of employment opportunities such as environmental planner, cartographer, land use and transportation planner, and the list goes on." Jim Corrigan, WSU senior said, "As a future Air Force pilot, geography gives me a background for analyzing maps, topography for target planning, and an appreciation of knowing about different people and cultures which helps as an ambassador of the Air Force." "Geography is becoming more world marketable and you need to have a better awareness of where people are from, their culture, ethnicity, political views and geographic region, to better assist them in their needs." Areas of emphasis for a major in geography include: geography, geography teaching, environmental studies, Asian studies, Latin American studies, urban and regional planning and computer mapping. OK, so maybe majoring in geography is not up your alley, but what if you're the rugged mountainous type who loves to backpack, hike and fish? Geography can help you better understand the natural environment around you. "Students walk out with a good knowledge of Utah or the world, and are well equipped to understand the social and environmental issues that we face." Dorsey said. You will rarely see Dorsey driving around campus looking for a parking spot because he rides his bike. "I do it for conservation of the environment and peace of mind; 1 also ride because I don't have to worry about traffic or finding a parking spot." Dorsey said. The geography department is working on a project scheduled for unveiling in summer of 2000. A xeriscope garden on the south side of the Education Building will be demonstrated by the geography de- ft - . I V NT hJA - .v-' v, ';'Vy "HZ V V ZN-T I L Lang Deng, instructor of geography, works on a computer with WSU junior and geography major Dennis Marker in the advanced cartography class. partment. Xerophytcs are drought common to arid re-vegetation that have geneti- gions. The purpose of the cally evolved to withstand garden is to conserve water the extended periods of and to -provide an educa tional demonstration using plants and grasses which use less water. Everyone is welcome to attend. |