Page 81 - ThePhoenix1996-97

Cfill1R Ti100r S P" .. ts Wrestling ' 12 Men's basketball "." 14 Swimming 14 Terror Scoreboard 15 Volume XV, Number 6 Western Maryland College Chambers contract Freshman Rush process most renewed by Trustees likely to continue in future By CHRISTIAN WILWOHL new full-time faculty members Decision to be 11UU:leby the Administrative Council tomorrow Assislam News Editor have come to teach on The Hill. Recently, the WMC Board of In addition, 27 new members By FAYE:INGRAM Trustees renewed Dr. Robert H. have been added to the Board of SlajfWriler Chambers' contract as President of Trustees in the past four years. For the past three years, West- the college for another five years. Chambers commented that "ev- ern Maryland CoJ!ege has been Chambers commented, "I am ery area has shown progress at going through a trial period of al- honored by the faith the trustees WMC." He further explained that lowing second semester freshman have placed in me. After more than he "played some part in all of this. " to rush sororities and fraternities, 12 years at WMC, I am delighted Looking ahead, Chambers af- but this all might end shortly. that the Board has decided to rec- firmed that "WMC is taking off Before this time, WMC stu- ognize my years of service in this right now." dents could not rush to become extraordinary fashion." Regarding the Defining Mo- Greek until their sophomore year, Since Chambers assumed his ment Campaign, Chambers ex- and now an Administrative Coun- position in 1984, there have been plained that $25 miHion of the ex- cil will be meeting on December remarkable changes at WMC. pected $40 million has already 13th to mak:e adecision on whether The campus has undergone ex- been raised. He further commented or not tokeep freshman rush. tensive construction and renova- that "the campaign is positioning The outlook is very good for lions, most notably the Physical WMC for the next millennium." those who support the continuance A student places her bid into the a unique box created by each Education Learning Center, Chambers commented that he of a freshman rush process, as on made a recommendation to con- those of the campus as a whole but Hoover Library, Peterson Hall, Hill currently devotes about 40% of his November 25th the Inter Greek> tinue freshman TUsh for a variety were even higher andthat the re- Hall, and Englar Dining Hall. time to the campaign. For instance, Council made the proposal to keep of reasons. tention rate of the Greeks also was During this time, WMC created he works on extensive proposals to the practice. The two major points that the higher. the Honors Program, which has raise revenue and meets periodi- The presenters, including Sarah group made at the meeting were Because concern over falling grown to over 100 students. cally with various groups off cam- Sheckells, Nate Winegar, Missy that the grades of the Greek stu- grades after joining a fraternity or Over the past three years, 31 Continued on page 4 Summers and Anita Kahenbaugh, dents were not only just as good as Continued on page 4 Retention rate at WMC improves over the last year College creates specific programs aimed to keep students onboard and on task By CAMERON SI'EIR Year Students, conducts interviews can do about those things," she ex- dent clarifies his goals and leaves A low retention rate presents a Swf!Wriler with students who transfer out of plains. for, let's sayan engineering school Western Maryland College's WMC. She says most students who Some students leave because [WMC does not offer an engineer- difficult challenge for the school. retention rate is up from last year. leave do so for personal reasons. WMC does not offer a particular ing major], I don't think that can Sayre says, "I would call the reten- tion rate an issue, not a problem. The portion of students who re- "If a student leaves because s/he major that they want. According be classified as a failure." mained at WMC after their first wants a larger school or to be closer to Sayre, Currently, the school is looking Calling it a problem implies that there is a clear fix." year rose from 78% to 83%. to home, there isn't a whole lot we "If after their first year a stu- at ways to improve the retention Horneff agrees. "If there was This reflects an increase rate in rate. retention from the class of '98 Retention Increase A retention committee was one specific reason why students leaving, were we could fix that. (78%) to the class of '99 (83%) formed in February 1994 to moni- But really, it is a total community from the fall of their first year to tor the retention rate. This com- the fall of their second year at mittee expects to distribute a stan- effort. Anything that affects a WMC. dardized Student Satisfaction Sur- student's life affects their decision to stay or leave." Administrators say they are "cautiously optimistic" about the vey to track the causes of student Homeff said that at WMC "re- rise, but they do not believe the fig- successes and satisfaction and to to tention is everybody's business. Maryland Western compare ure indicates that a significantly other schools. The admissions office works hard higher percentage of students are The first year student orienta- to bring quality students to this staying. tion and first year seminar pro- campus, but it is everyone's respon- Philip Sayre, Dean of Student sibility to keep them here," Affairs, remarks that over time the grams are two programs can that the im- believes administration retention rate has tended to stay prove retention over time. Inside about the same and that this rise is For example, one of the main "fairly consistent with that." responsibilities of the student Lock & Key 2 Sayre goes on to say, "Actually, Soapbox 2 that consistency is a positive thing, orientator is to help new students Letters to the Editor , " 3 get connected to WMC. because across the country reten- "If the new student feels con- Internet in the classroom 6 tion rates are falling. But, I would formable in the new college com- ASAP 7 like to see our retention stay in the Horoscopes , , " 8 high 80's to 90%." munity, s/he is more likely to stay," SGA News , ,..".9 It is difficult to pick specific o explains Homeff. Holiday Shopping .. " 9 reasons why students leave the col- 1995 1996 She added that these programs Letters from Abroad .. , 10 lege. are designed to help students form akoby new on campus ,. 11 Barbara Homeff, Dean of First a bond with the college, with pro- Scoreboard , " 15 fessors and with other students.