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Show WORLD KNOWLEDGE IS AN IMPERATIVE In what country can we find the city of Addis Ababa? What is the capital of the state of New Mexico? Why did the American bald eagle come close to extinction? According to a recent Gallup survey, most Americans are left speechless when pressed to answer such seemingly simple questions. Whats more, America, which touts itself as a leader in education, lags behind countries such as Japan, Italy and Mexico in knowledge of world geography. Still more alarming is the fact that the highest incidence of geographic ignorance blights the 4 age group. Whether we like it or not, civilizations technological advances are bringing the most remote cultures to our doorstep. The Thunderbird believes that education is the surest way to bridge gaps between nations; as ignorance is cast aside, so goes the fear accompanying it. We feel it is inexcusable that a nation with the intellectual, economic and social resources of the U.S. should find itself lagging behind countries denied the many benefits weve enjoyed for years. Tire goal ofNational Geography Awareness Week, November is designed to address such issues. Created through a proclamation of Congress, the theme of this years Awareness Week is Geography: Key To Our Environment, and focuses on the ecological balance between air, water, land, plants and animals. The theme stresses that geography is vital in understanding the complex nature of our environment and factors threatening it aspects often overlooked but of such importance that society might very well perish unless we work to preserve the ecosystem. Not surprisingly, events occurring in other countries can directly THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1989 THE THUNDERBIRD SOUTHERN UTAH STATE COLLEGE, CEDAR CITY PAGE 4 "There are those who say Communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin!" 18-2- . 12-1- 8, , impact the world community. Its now known that chlorofluorocarbons, commonly found in aerosol sprays, destroy the earths protective ozone layer. Exploitation of Brazils rain forests endangers the worlds environs by destroying plant life contributing 80 percent of the worlds oxygen supply. What can be done? Increased emphasis should be placed on geography through SUSCs general education requirements. Of equal importance, students must take the initiative to familiarize themselves with global issues and make frequent use of a world atlas. Supporting the efforts of groups geared toward preserving our environmental resources is a step in the right direction. But dont stop there. If we ever hope to beat back ignorance and maintain the delicate balance of our environment we must constantly be on vigil. By the way, the answers to the above three questions are: Ethiopia, Santa Fe and pesticides. The Thunderbird VOLUME 84, NUMBER 15 Editor Rachel Talbot Associate Editor Kathleen Midgley Opinion Director James Spainhower Photo Editor Jeff Dower Copy Editor Greg Prince Arts &. Leisure Editor Lisa Keene Sports & Outdoors Editor Brent Richey Senior Staff Writers Heather Cox Jodi Reinard Photo Technician Jerry Whittemore Production Manager Lynn Dennett Ad Manager Michelle Jensen Ad Representative Todd Pendleton Faculty Adviser Larry Baker The Thunderbird is published each Monday and Thursday of the academic year by and for the student body of Southern Utah State College and is not affiliated in any wav with the Colleges department of communication. The views and opinions expressed in The Thunderbird are the opinions of the publications individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the institution, faculty, staff or student body in general. The unsigned editorial directly above is the opinion of The Thunderbird as a single entity. Letters to the editor must be tvped and include the name and phone number Only the name will be printed. Names will not be withheld under any circumstances and the editor reserves editing privileges. Letters must be submitted by noon Fridays for Monday editions, 5 p m. Tuesdays for Thursday editions. The Thundermrd editorial offices in SUSC Library 1C3, advertising in Library 102. Mail at SUSC Box 9384, Cedar City, UT S4720. Thone (8011 or 5S6-775- 5S6-775- 5S6-775- Letters Semester fiction clarified by Rees TO THE EDITOR: Discussion regarding the possibility of SUSC moving to a semester system is generating a lot of discussion and apparent misunderstanding on campus. This open letter is an attempt to clarify the issues for the students and faculty. I am not lobbying for the semester system. I was a student under both systems and I have taught under both. Both systems have advantages. This letter may appear but that is only because I am trying to clarify some misunderstandings of the semester system. First, the issue is not already pro-semeste- r, decided. Neither President Sherratt nor anyone else has made a decision nor made any announcement that SUSC is going to a semester system in the future. Sherratt told the Institutional Council that Faculty Senate was considering the issue and that the council should act on the recommendation of the Faculty Senate. The Deans Council has taken this stance, too. Almost the first item of business the Faculty Senate addressed this year was a consideration of the semester vs. quarter systems. The senators approved the gathering and distributing to all faculty of appropriate information before a vote on the issue was taken. The Senate is now in the process of collecting the following information: (1) a list of pros and cons of the semester quarter issue; (2) tentative calendars for the 1990-9- 1 and 1991-9- 2 semester and quarter school years; and (3) in general terms, the impact that changing to a semester system would have on courses and curriculum. This information was accumulated by November 13 and the vote of the faculty conducted on November 28. I have included a list of pros and cons at the close of this letter. Some misconceptions circulated concerning the possible change to a semester following: system is the Currently two sections of how this could be done following: Intermediate Acct 310 are taught in the fall, two sections of Intermediate Acct 311 in the winter, and two sections of Intermediate Acct 312 in the spring. Under a semester system two sections of Intermediate Acct. I (consisting of Acct 310 and one half of Acct 311) would be taught in the fall semester and two sections of Intermediate Acct II (consisting of the rest of Acct 311 and Acct 312) in the spring are the T Fiction No. 1. It would require am not lobbying for the semester system.... Both systems have budget advantages. hiring more faculty. This is not true as new faculty are hired because of increases in student enrollment and constraints. Under a semester system the same number of students are serviced and the same number of days are taught (i.e. 150year) as under a quarter system. Fiction No. 2. There would be fewer number of classes offered resulting in less material available to the student. Principally, what would happen is that existing classes would be combined resulting in fewer overall classes, but containing the same material as offered currently. How this combining of classes would be done would be left to the decision of the faculty. An example as to semester. That results in the same number of students being serviced under the quarter system. Mathematically, it is expressed: Quarter: 40 students per section at 3 quarter hours times 3 quarters equals 360 quarter hours. Semester: 40 students per section at 3 semester hours (which is equivalent to 4.5 quarter hours) as semesters equals 360 quarter hours or 240 semester hours. Fiction No. 3. SUSC is so unique that a semester system could never times 2 (CONTINUED ON PAGE 5) |