|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| University 100 Curriculum To Change For The Better | ||||||
| Most students probably remember two things about University 100: it was one of the first classes they ever took, and they found it to be quite pointless after it ended. | ||||||
| Despite this abysmal attitude toward the class that every student on campus had to take, it did inform us about the various services offered here, as well as show us some points of interest like the library and the bookstore, among other things. �University 100, even with these helpful aspects, is still regarded to be a nuisance by many. | ||||||
| Because of these problems with University 100, Guido Piotti, vice president of Associated Students, Inc., and Senator Rebekah Smith are making a concerted effort to positively change the curriculum of the class, incorporating more aspects of student government into it to inform new students that they can make a difference while here on campus. | ||||||
| "University 100 is supposed to help students assimilate into the campus environment," Piotti said, "but they don't talk about any A.S. stuff, and we are a part of that environment." �Student government is a major player in the planning of campus events and has a say in just about everything from concerts on campus to the movies that are played in the University Student Union, yet many students do not know they can be a part of that, Piotti said. �"Student awareness," according to Piotti, "has always been one of Associated Students top goals, and we really have no purpose if the students don't know how their money is being used and what we?re doing to help them within the campus community." | ||||||
| Scott Baldwin, an undeclared freshman who took the class before school formally began last semester, said he is still "not quite sure" what the class was for. �"I'm not so much concerned with [learning about where places are] within the school, [but more] with how the school works," Baldwin said. | ||||||
| Sen. Rebekah Smith said she hopes this change in University 100 curriculum will help students realize how many opportunities they have to get involved on campus. �"My idea behind it was that students are paying money for [A.S.I.], and there are so many cool things going on on campus, that this way freshmen can take advantage of this for the four, five or six years [that they are here]," Smith said. �"[Student government] elections shouldn't be the only time students hear about student government, they should know what's going on year round." | ||||||
| According to Piotti and Smith, President Maxson and Vice President Robinson have written a letter of endorsement for the change in University 100 curriculum. �Piotti also assured that the change will not cost anything to students, and will simply be incorporated into the existing University 100 course curriculum. �"University 100 is the only class that we can implement something like this where A.S. would actually be relevant to the course curriculum," Piotti said. | ||||||
| When it comes to freshmen, Piotti said he believes them to be a sort of "clean slate" that is more open to new ideas than people who have been here for years. �"If we can grab a student when he first comes here and cultivate him from the moment he gets here, there is a much greater chance that he will become informed or even become interested in being a part of A.S. and taking advantage of its services," he said. | ||||||
| Piotti and Smith anticipate having University 100 students visit the A.S. offices, hear from A.S. representatives, and maybe even attend a Senate meeting. They hope to have the new and improved University 100 curriculum in place by the start of the 2004 fall semester. | ||||||
| Copyright Gerry Wachovsky, 2004, and Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. | ||||||
| Back | ||||||