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Show I Opinion SOUTHERN UTAH STATE COLLEGE, CEDAR CITY THE THUNDERBIRD THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1989 PAGE 4 EDUCATION BLOCK GETS AN A GRADE As one of the largest schools at SUSC, the School of Education has realized impressive success in placing the vast majority of its graduates actively seeking teaching positions. The School of Education has outdone itself once again. Seeking to further upgrade current standards for prospective secondary teachers, SUSCs School of Education, headed by Dean James Miller, has decided to augment the existing secondary education block, which is guaranteed to make SUSC a premier school for teachers. The outlook for prospective teachers shows that many challenges await these professionals. Not only is Utah realizing phenomenal growth in its student-ag- e population, but the number of immigrant children is also increasing. Implementation of this program the only such program in the state of Utah rises to meet the challenges facing education and the educator alike. Consisting of five different courses, the new secondary block program will be designed to allow students experience, instructing the student not only in classroom management and educational psychology but also training the student how to implement better reading skills in an actual classroom environment. Participating students will have the opportunity to travel to various schooPdistricts in Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah. Since the burden of travel costs rests with SUSC, the student need pay only food and lodging. The benefits are obvious. Exposure to different locales and varied cultures, such as can be found in Los Angeles or Tuba City, Ariz., provides the student with valuable insight and communication expertise that serves as a powerful tool in the teachers kitbag of skills. Practical experience is gained through exposure to the classroom setting. Not only is the student afforded the opportunity to try out different teaching techniques and philosophies, but he can determine, prior to graduation day, whether he has the disposition to be a school teacher. Of course, elementary and secondary education blocks have, for many years, been required for licensing by the Northwest Regional Accreditation body, and this in itself is a strong motivating factor in continuing and improving the program. What makes this improved program so noteworthy is that it will allow all secondary education students to spend of their classroom time outside of Utah participating in scheduled activities during the block period. The past excellence of the elementary block speaks for itself, and The Thunderbird commends departmental officials for integrating such a valuable and cost effective program as the practicum into the education requirements for prospective teachers. field-base- d Access Wage hike would spur efficiency Access is a recurring column through which members of the campus community address themselves to topics of concern andor' interest. Today's column is by Thunderbird staff member David V. Pena, a junior majoring in communication. one-thir- d The Thunderbird VOLUME 83, NUMBER 45 Editor Rachel Tnlbor Associate Editor Kathleen Mtdgley Opinion Editor James Spainhouer Photo Editor Carv Leavitt Copy Editor Carol Miller Arts & Leisure EJitor Atix Larsen Sports &. Outdoors Editor Brent Richey The the On Campus Editor Megan Marshall Senior Staff Writers Heather Co Jodi ReinarJ Production Manager Lynn Dennett Ad Manager Brenda Madsen Ad Representative Michelle Jensen Faculty Adviser Larry Baker hunih.rhirci is published each Monday and Thursday ot the academic year hv and for srudent body of Southern L'tah State College and is not affiliated in any u w uth the C olleuts dtp lrtmcnt of communication The vieus and opinions expressed in The ThuruLrhml arc the opinions of the public at ion's indiy idual y nttrs and do not necessarily reflect the y lews of the institution, faculty, staff or student body in general The unsigneJ editorial directly ab y c is the opinion ot The Thunderbird as a single entity Letters to the editor must be typed and imhidt the name ind phone number Only the name will be printed Names will not be u ithh Id under .my ircumstnm.es and the editor reseryes editing pri ikges Letters must be submitted by noon Fridays for Monday editions, 5pm Tuesdays for Thursday editions T i fh'indeTbnJ editorial ind ady ertismg oftic es in L SC L ibrarv 10' Mid it Si H' Box 1) 5m TTT, Ns(' 77 'i' or 'M, t eci ir ( irx I T M720 Thone 770 Opponents to the minimum wage increase, which would raise the minimum wage from its present $3.35 per hour to $4.55 per hour, would have us believe that economic ills would result. To quote a March 27 editorial in The Thunderbird which opposed the increase and urged its readers to do the same, Passage into law of such a bill would only serve organized labor and most Democrats and in its wake generate malaise for the U.S. economy and wage earner alike. This is an interesting view in light of the fact that the last wage hike, according to the same editorial, occurred in 1981, about the time Republican Ronnie was getting this country back on its economic feet and, in the process, stomping on organized labor. This leads to issues which affect the wage earners and are the heart of the controversy-feare- d decline of the minimum-wag- e work force and the passing along of additional costs to the consumer. I admit that a wage hike would lead to a loss of jobs for a few, but this loss would be insignificant when weighed against the benefits to the many. The wage hike would cause employers to operate more efficiently, possibly by cutting jobs and disbanding the duties of other employees, in.an effort to reduce costs. But I feel that the reductions would be limited, due to the fact that most employers are, or should be, opernting at their most effective level. Few employers are keeping employees, even at minimum wage, unless cney are absolutely necessary. By forcing employers to operate efficiently, the final problem, that of higher consumer costs, may be partially alleviated. The bill, which has already been passed by both houses, stipulates exemptions for businesses grossing less than $500,000 per year and allows for a training period during which employers need only pay 80 percent of the base wage. These measures are sufficient to protect those who need cheap labor and may not be able to survive the increase. The argument that a minimum wage hike will cause an increase in consumer prices is probably the most effective, and repugnant, argument that is used by opponents of the increase. It is effective because we are all consumers, while only a small percentage of A wage hike would lead to a loss of jobs for some, but the benefits outweigh the losses. workers. It is repugnant because us are minimum-wag- e it appeals to our own selfish interests. The unskilled labor force has gone without a cost of living increase for years while our standard of living has increased due to the low cost of goods and services they provide. It was fun while it lasted, but it has lasted too long. It is time to institute a base wage that would provide the barest necessities of life, even if it comes at the expense of those who are lucky enough to pay. Theres already proof that a wage increase is not dangerous to the economy. California has been operating and prospering with a base wage of $4.25 per hour for some time, and the entire country could easily do the same. |