Show Vol 73 No 2 Utah State University Logan Utah September 24 1975 16 Pages Irrelevant classwork no longer necessary with new program by Sue Hodgson A think For those students-wmuch of their class work is irrelevant to their personal educational objectives: there is an alternative! It is a new course program called Values and the Environment The program was designed to ho provide USU students with flexible and learning experiences said program direcself-direct- ed tor Jim Mulder Mulder has developed a new approach whereby students can study top- ics of special interest to them in an interdisciplinary way 0 “Often percent of the material a student has to cover in class is irrevelant to his particular interests” said Mulder “Our learning process isn’t as efficient as it could be” he said The basic idea is that a student who wants to know what different disciplines have to contribute in the study of a specific topic does not have to register for several different courses if the studc’' p0- - oyn pnpli wants to study different aspects it is of personal interaction for to parts of possible register as such courses different 60-7- sociology psychology an- thropology political sciences and philosophy It is also possible to register for independent study units or modules module is a set of learning activities which are specific in naming learning objectives and competencies the student should obtain Each module is one-haor one credit A maximum of six credits may be taken in the program each quarter The special topics available for this quarter are The Environmental Encounter Limits and Appetites The Nature of Ineqlf uality Perspectives on Revolu- tion and the Search for Utopia and Search for Self in Modern Society The student can take as many credits as he wants in any of the areas he or she may choose up to the limit of six The Environmental Encounter explores the relationship of human beings to nature how the industrial revolution has altered this relationship and how modem man can increase his awareness of the physical environment There are twelve modules in this topic area ranging from geography classes on the physical world to an independent study of art and the appreciation of na- on subjects such as insanity and social power racism the equality of men and women and apartheid in South Africa Perspectives on Revolution and the Search for Utopia explores the nature concept and philosophy of revolution and historical records of revolution Search for self in Modern Soc- iety offers 12 modules which study the self in areas of interpersonal communication greek philosophy American literature society and labor The experimental program has been funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and additional funds are being sought to continue it So far neither teachers or students at USU have been very supportive of the program but Mulder explains that it is a relatively new concept in education and will take some time to be accepted Jim Mulder director of a new program at USU that allows “One problem in education is students to plan their own courses explains the program to that students have been trained General Education secretary Lori Siedensfrang to be passive learners in a structured program” he said This ture program is to attempt to make percent said faculty are some11 what interested and supportive Limits and Appetites has students active learners Students interested in the pro- Only 117 percent said not too modules of topics such as poverty scarcity and abundance the gram can register for it under much or not at all Asked if they find faculty It appears that USU’s great buffalo hunt western boom General Education 499 Indepinavailable when promembers endent Projects For more towns and world famine enrollment this fall 'will be a formation see the Gen Ed sec- blems do occur 35 percent said The third topic area The Narecord high after a record they were nearly always so and ture of Inequality has offerings retary in Main 8 high for summer quarter ’467 percent said they were often enrollment available Another 155 percent “We’re going to go over the said they were often not available 9000 mark” commented USU or hardly ever available registrar Karl Lambert Last Of students polled 233 percent year USU had a net fall felt that overall faculty memquarter enrollment of 8805 a bers are very approachable 70 met been not to that time to had record in addition Publics surveyed feel they are approachsaid applications to choose Lambert percent would if aluAsked were they the current students and able 58 and were only say percent if were USU housing was up making attend staff they prospecmni faculty and both on and ever tighter than their choice again 514 percent unapproachable tive students Cache Valley resioff “We’re making campus Pollsters asked students if they dents Utah residents statewide said they definitely would and of some out dorms said temporary 362 probably area and they percent feel central administration and a group of state said deans and conference rooms until we can heads are government officials and other would Another 89 percent department more find permanent they probably would not and 31 approachable The returns show opinion leaders noted he not would arrangements” said they definitely 47 percent saying the adminisThe survey showed that nearly enrollment fall USU of The 86 than More high USU felt percent 90 percent of all students tration is very approachable 479 follows a record-breakin- g faculty members percent saying approachable Jiad met their expectations for a students felt the and summer quarter when 4293 helpful as a 198 marking unapproachable are interested quality education Of the total attended credit students shows the rule poll and 237 percent saying they 307 percent said their expectamost taking a full with tenths classes one and eight Twenty didn’t know tions had been met completely is interquarter load and 591 percent said they had percent said the faculty Seventy eight and two tenths stuof Lambert pointed out that the 917 and ested supportive been met somewhat Only percent of students said they felt the 646 summer students came and needs and their athletics play an important part percent said their expectations dents 49 of the 50 states The from in USU’s image 167 percent said of Columbia and from District not and 51 percent didn’t know 44 foreign countries More than half 553 percent said During the 1974-7- 5 summer they think USU gives about the quarter 2859 students were right amount of emphasis to its The high before this enrolled athletics program Seven percent in 1968-6- 9 when 3784 was year said it is much students took credit classes on 218 percent say campus during the summer 117 percent say under- Enrollment to increase Polls show USU still in favor Last year’s USU students were positive toward the university its programs and faculty a poll conducted by Wasatch Opinion Research Inc showed The scientific sampling of USU students was one part of a survey done by the Salt Lake City-base- d independent polling firm at the request of the USU tion It was conducted on campus during winter quarter and some members of a class in scientific surveying taught political science by Dr Dan Jones were used in conducting parts of the survey over-emphasiz- ed over-emphasiz- emphasized under-emphasiz- ed 4 ed percent much and 39 per- cent don’t know As to women’s athletics 428 percent felt they should grow to be on a par with men’s athletics 444 said they should grow but not try to be on a par with men’s 74 percent said they should not grow and 54 percent didn’t know Asked where more money should be spent at USU if it were to become available 607 percent of the students said for academic improvement — far above any An annual ritual is once again celebrated on the USU campus as freshman students are greeted by some sort of construction in a conspicuous place other use Others included student activities 78 percent buildings 74 campus landscape 47 don’t know 43 entertainment minor athletics and “other” 39 each and major athletics 35 (Contintued on Page 2) Lambert is personally in making acto arrangements commodate students coming on campus now taking a hand “We don’t want to lose students because they can’t find housing or because they lave registration problems” The registrar said as much as possible registration hassles were eliminated And it as if a number of familiar with the were helping new being appeared students campus students find their way around The new students were on campus for orientation and registration Thursday and Friday Former students registered Monday with on classwork Tuesday beginning |