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Show THE THUNDERBIRD SUSC MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1990 PAGE 3 Cooper replaces Bennett BY NATALIE COOMBS Brad Bennett, student activities director, submitted his resignation to college officials Thursday and SUSC administrators have named Sallie Cooper, last years assistant director of student activities, acting director effective today. Bennett, who had worked as ASSUSC activity director three years ago, said he was leaving for personal reasons. Brads decision to leave came after careful consideration of his personal and familys future, said Sterling R. Church, vice president for student services. Bennett said he realized that this year would be a transition year because the current ASSUSC administration lost adviser Tony Pellegrini following spring quarter and Bennett would be picking up where Pellegrini left off. We came down with our eyes open, fully intending to stay for a period of time. However, he said, The shoe didnt particularly fit this time around. Bennett said that although working at SU has been a good experience he is looking for a new shoe. More specifically, Bennett is looking to fill a lawyers shoes. Recently receiving his law degree from the University of Utah, Bennett passed his bar exam this summer; he was sworn in Oct. 2. Bennett said he plans to remain in Cedar City while he pursues a job practicing law. Church said Bennetts resignation was a very sudden occurrance, but, he said, I respect him for his willingness to make a decision now rather than to postpone an inevitable decision. It takes some people a lot longer than two months to recognize and admit that theyve made a mistake. Bennett had been working at SU since Aug. 6. Cooper, who had previously worked at SUSC for about two years, resigned her position last spring because of professional differences of opinion in the office, said Church. After leaving her post, Cooper went to Alabama to pursue a masters degree for a short time, but Church said, she had recently returned to Utah to work at her familys business in Myton. Church called Coopers return providential in that it helped the college find a replacement quickly within one day of Bennetts resignation. Church said an administrative team interviewed Cooper and a second individual for the job Friday morning. Cooper will temporarily fill the position until spring quarter when the job will be nationally advertised and a permanent replacement will be chosen. 4 r s i i Sallie Cooper will replace Brad Bennett as director of student activities beginning today. Bennett resigned Thursday citing personal reasons. 101 PE to drop physical tasks ed offered Special major BY CHERIS TUCKER Beginning this quarter, SU students can major in special education. Previously unavailable except as a minor, the program is now offered as part of a dual major. We are very excited about the new program, said Don Barnes, associate professor of teacher education. We have been saving money and working to get the program started for three years, and now it is available as a mild moderate degree for working with mildly to moderately handicapped children. The school does not offer enough classes for a single degree in special education, but special education can be offered as a part of a dual major. Students going into special education as a major will have to also major in elementary education or secondary education, said Barnes. Barnes added, Getting a dual major is really the only way to go, and I would suggest it even if it were not necessary. It makes the students more marketable to have the two majors because employers can see that they have experience with children that have disabilities and children that dont. Gayle Garrett, teacher education adviser, said that there is more recognition of students that need special education and Barnes agreed. There is a critical shortage of special education teachers. The field is wide open. I think it is a nice feeling for students that are graduating after five years with good grades that they are almost guaranteed a job, said Barnes. Seniors wishing to major in special education along with their major in either elementary or secondary education may have to stay a year longer to complete the courses required for the special education major. Any student wishing to change his or her major should see an adviser. Garrett said, I would be happy to visit with any students going into the department. The program is similar to that of Weber State Colleges, because it requires a dual major. BY JAKE SHEWMAKE Some Southern Utah State College students have called it fitness for death, but the title of the class is still PE 101, Fitness for Life, even though it will no longer include any physical activity. In a Deans Council meeting held on June 19, deans decided to change the course from it a three-credlecturelab course to a lecture class. They also changed the physical education requirement for general education to two credit hours rather than four. However, this change doesnt go into effect until summer quarter 1991, so students graduating this spring will need to take the physical portion of the class. In 1985, a committee was formed to set the curriculum for that years catalog. This group decided Fitness for Life should be a general education requirement. Generally, I think (the committee) felt physical fitness was important, not just to the students while they were in college but also for the rest of their lives, said Richard Kennedy, physical science depai uncut head and 1985 committee member. Rodney D. Decker, dean of the School of Arts and Letters, made the motion to change the format of the class in the council meeting in June. He said, The issue needed to be raised. We had been hearing concerns from students and faculty for months before the it two-cred- decision was made. I think the appreciation of physical fitness is an important part of a university students education. However, I dont feel a student should be humiliated regardless of their effort. Its like a music or theatre appreciation class. We dont make students play an instrument or actually be in a play for a part of the class. We teach them to appreciate the material then leave it up to them to decide whether or not they want the activity to be part of their lives, Decker said. PE instructor Joe Lopour explained how the physical part of the class works. He said students receive a contract at the beginning of the quarter in which they contract to improve physical performance. A series of tests is given, including a step test, which measures oxygen intake over a certain period of time; a timed mile run; and tests for muscular strength and flexibility. A body composition is also given but does not effect the students grade. These tests have a level of achievement necessary to earn an A for various age levels. For example, a male student between the age of 13 and 19 must complete the run in less than 8 minutes and 37 seconds to earn an A for that activity. The student then decides what level he would lik to achieve by the end of the quarter. This decision does not effect the lf lf (CONTINUED ON PAGE 8) |