Page 139 - Phoenix1999-2000

NEWS Thursday, March 30,2000 _ Page 3 Controversy arises regarding the effectiveness and purpose of Jan Term continuedfrom page 1 sors opting not to teach Jan Term in from the cold and enjoy time the course was worth it and "a lot courses? There are several reasons. together drinking coffee or hot of fun." experience, said the one thing they student on campus during January Full-time faculty see January as "a chocolate. He describes Jan Term With Jan Term "comes a dra- would like to see changed is the is required to purchase a 36 block time to catch up a little on their writ- as a time for the college to be "a matic range of courses. A student amount of courses offered. meal plan for $225. Horneff agrees ing and research obligations," says unified whole" for three weeks. The enrollment at WMC has with that suggestion. Dr. Gregory Alles, chairperson of With all that effort being can satisfy the one-term require- consistently grown in recent years, In response to Ewing's sugges- ment with anything from Fly Fish- the department of philosophy and poured into the program, it is no ing and Star Trekto the History of so one would assume that the tion, Dr. Ethan Seidel, vice presi- religious studies. wonder that enrollment was up. China. course offerings would also in- dent of administration and finance, Another reason some choose not Lightner says the student enroll- crease. According to the Jan Term says, "The pricing structure for to may begin One to teach during January is because ment percentage during the 1970s whether all Jan Term courses wonder catalogs, that is not the case. In board in the fatl and spring semes- have they would like the break to spend was about 85 percent. The remain- academic value. According to Le- 1970,38 courses were offered; in ters is constructed so as to break with families and relax before start- ing 15 percent was most likely mieux, each professor must submit 1980,54 courses were offered. That even for [each] semester. Thus, ing the new semester, says Dr. Rob- freshmen who wanted to spend a form with the course they wish makes sense. However, in 1990 and there are no resources left over to ert Lemieux, assistant professor of their first long break at home, he to offer explained in detail. The 2000, only 29 courses were offered, allow for free meals in Jan Term." communication and chair of the says. forms then go before the Curricu- which shows a significant decline. He compares Jan Term to summer Curriculum Committee. Finishing a So what happened? Lightner Horneff believes that the writ- school, saying that it is designed to course just three days prior to start- recalls the calendar constantly lum Committee for approval. They as ten philosophy is still very much a stand alone, with separate charges. element look for an academic ing the spring semester does not changing. In 1970, the Jan Term part of Jan Term. However, stu- There is a "real cost in providing In his leave very much time for planning. was actually from Jan. 19 to Feb. well as a level of diversity. for the dents are choosing to take more food," he says, "and it needs to be on the committee experience Likewise, Smith says professors 6 since first semester did not end internships and independent stud- paid for in some manner." may be less interested in offering a until mid-January. Then by 1980 past three years, no courses have ies. Opinions about Jan'Term are Lemieux says. That is been denied, course for financial reasons. Sala- the term was from Jan. 7 to Jan. because courses are usually well- Last January there were 574 stu- widespread. Now the question is, ries for offering Jan Terms have not 30, because the first semester defined, and the professor's "ratio- dents enrolled in the program. Of what should become of it? Light- changed from $800 for study tours courses were completed before the nale" and "purpose" is clear. Oc- .that number there were 26 indepen- ner believes that it has gone from and $1500 for on-campus courses in holiday break. casionally the committee has asked dent studies and 66 internships, the "a mainstream idea' to the "back- years, he says. Not only was the calendar for a course objective or format to most Horneff has ever seen. Al- burner." However, he says that ev- Barbara Homeff, associate dean changing but the very purpose of be modified or explained further, though the interest in those types ery time it is analyzed (he result is of the first-year program and direc- Jan Term had begun to evolve. Ini- he says. of Jan Term courses has increased to keep it While he cannot predict tor of Jan Term until this past year tially, the purpose of Jan Term was Another student, sophomore and they are often very productive the future, Lightner thinks the pro- when the registrar took it over, dis- to give "students and faculty an David Kemp, describes his Jan ways to satisfy the requirement, gram might eventually become agrees with Smith's comment. She unusual experience." Breadth and Term experience as "extremely Horneff would still like to see more four-credit courses that can be used says, "There was a recent change!" depth remain vital components of beneficial." He took Mime and on-campus course options avail- as electives requiring more hours. The salary for a Jan Term course the liberal arts education as well Mask: Movement for the Actor, able. Junior Ryan Ewing completed He says that rnost of the other went up 7 percent this year; now on- as the third dimension of "inten- taught by Dr. Elizabeth van den an internship this past January. He schools that had the program, like campus courses are $1600 and study sity" which should ideally be pro- Berg, assistant professor of theatre UMBC, Goucher, and Notre Dame, lours are $800, she says. Indepen- vided by Jan Term. arts. described the experience as "neat;" have "long since dropped it," and dent studies and internships go di- According to the philosophy of however, he has a few complaints WMC may be among a few dozen As a dual theatre rectly through the sponsoring pro- Jan Term, written by Lightner. nication major, Kemp and commu- the about expenses. schools across the country to stin says fessor, not the Curriculum Commit- which can be found in any course course gave him a chance to "Io- He says. "If you are going to re- have it. tee. Not all professors who sponsor catalog, students can benefit from cus on the acting concepts of the quire one Jan Term to be manda_ Senior Malt Gribbin. who givCls independent studies or internships Jan Term in three different ways. class" by not having to worry about tory for graduation, you better d- tours for admissions, says. "When over Jan Term are paid, she says. It First, it can give a student the op- work for any other courses at the well make sure that the cost of tu- I tell families about our Jan Term is free ... It isn't depends on' the number of hou~s portunity to "pursue indepen- same time. ilion AND BOARD should have to program they are so intensely in- right people that spent with the student. dently" an area of deep interest. Several sophomore students give upa money-earning job to pay terested that you wouldn't believe. What about faculty members Secondly, it can give a student the who have not taken a Jan Term say The parents always say how much who teach 20 students? Do they re- opportunity to enroll in a course it is because they have not found extra money for food in Gfnr." they would love the chance to go Ewing allowing recommends ceive the same salary as one who even though they have "no previ- one that interests them. students to use extra meals they back to school and do something teaches only a few students? "You ous background" in that field. Nearly every student ques- have from the fall or spring semes- like that." will not find equity in teaching Thirdly, it can be a time of "ex- tioned, with or without a Jan Term ters during Jan Term. Currently, a It definitely seems to remain a numbers ...in numbers of advises ... in ploration" in their field or another selling point for WMC. workload," says Horneff. However, one. For all students, it is a time there is a minimum enrollment of six of "concentrated study" beyond The WMC Institutional Advance.rnent Office is ill students in a Jan.Term course, or it the normal courses. gets canceled, she says. In fact, Although the philosophy has Horneff recalls canceling her not changed much on paper, in re- Need husband's first Jan Term course in ality it is a different story. Is Jan 1996. Term still purposeful? "In theory, One should also keep in mind yes. In practice, maybe not," says that the faculty has changed quite a Alles, who taught one Jan Term of student volunteers to assist bit since the Jan Term program was in 1990. He senses that many stu- adopted at WMC. Since the program dents expect little to no "academic started 31 years ago, it is possible content" in a Jan Term course. He that some new professors may not knows faculty who refuse to teach Dr understand the philosophy behind it; it because they felt that "when they therefore, they might be less in- did, students weren't interested in clined to offer courses for it, sug- doing any work outside of class, gests Lightner. such as reading." As a result, Alles College in Apt'il for tw-o :major events Not only has the faculty interest recommends "making the experi- gradually declined over the years, ence required, but without credit." but so has the student interest. Ac- On the other hand, Lemieux Help! cording to Lightner. when the pro- believes that it still serves an "ex- gram was started neither of the two cellent purpose," that is to "round required Jan Term courses could be oneself out." He believes that the used to satisfy a BLAR or major re- program will have its high and low quirement. points, and it will even be altered Our office is husting two Inajor ,--veot'!;in April: Friday, Aprill" Aside from it being a require- over time, but never "axed" alto- Sunday, AllI·iJ 28-:-10_ ment for students, Lightner says Jan gether. and again ()11 the weekend of Friday_ lhem a succes,<;! We need over]oo vo"Ul.t~n to n_ke Term used to be packed with events. Senior Sushama Rajapaksahas Contact-Saudi MUlerItt exL 79'.1(sntiller®-nldc.edu) He would type up a calendar of only praise for her experience in a Or Robin Brenul>Ont exe, 258 (rbrenl.On@WnttJc ..edll) events, and each block would have course called The Game of Mah .end sign np tndny! No experience nece8S8.ry! something in it for the students to Jongg, taught by Ms. Susan Groups can eat-" contnlunity service poil1lS and iodividuuL'I do. One activity he fondly remem- Milstein, a business and econom-