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. ,,#~ •• ~, ' , ,. , " , , , ' , ,~ " "' . .;-......,.,,;-- .. , /-, ~ . 1'1'" ,~" ,."", I r' '.• " I NEWS Thursday, February 10,2000 - Page 3 Students, administration discuss dormitory fire safety CampusSafety Blotter continued from page J • On 01/25100 at 1:25 prn, DoCS • On 01/29/00 at 12:25 am, DoCS 'On 01/30/00 at 3;58 am, DoCS alarms sound. Danielte Loiacono, college has taken many fire safety documented a low velocity impact documented an alcohol violation of documented an alcohol violation a resident of Blanche Ward Hall, measures. To meet fire codes, each vehicular accident at Bair Stadium. underage possession at McDaniel for multi-liter container at complains of false alarms in her building offers students at least two • On Dln5100 at 11:35 pm, DoCS Hall. McDaniel Hall. buildings. Over Jan-term, she said, ways out in case of emergency. documented an alarm report for a • On 01129/00 at 6:28 am, DoCS • On 01/30/00 at I: 19 pm, DoCS the alarms were sometimes pulled Only Daniel Mac Lea does not have pull station at Whiteford Hall. documented criminal mischief at to break up parties, and she became at least two ways out for students. • On 01125/00 at 9:30 prn, DoCS Rouzer Hall. documented an alarm report for accustomed to them. To compensate, DMC is equipped documented an intimidation of an Loiacono also recalls-a incident with a sprinkler system. Also, at Whiteford Hall last year in which dorms are also equipped with fire she heard her fire alarms beeping extinguishers for emergency fire- at short intervals. A snowstorm had fighting. knocked out the building's power Sayre said a fire would most and the alarm was beeping. "It was likely be caused by student's lack so early," she said; "and I didn't of adherence to fire safety codes. realty know it was going off. I just Cigarettes, candles, and other vio- heard a lot of people running lations would be the most probable around in the hallways, but it didn't cause, and Sayre warns students seem dangerous so I went back to against deactivating door closers, sleep." and covering fire alarms with tap- To avoid an incident like the estries. Seton Hall tragedy, there are only "Sure," said Sayre. "The Seton two fire drills per semester; one Hall fire got everybody's attention, announced, and one unannounced. and if it's going to not be Yet if a real fire were to happen, repeated .... it's important for stu- Sayre assures the students that the dents to follow fire safety rules." Writing test yields to excessive Parking parking Lot. violations at pm, DoCS documented an alcohol accident at Whiteford Lane. Blanche • On 01/28/00 at II:45 pm, DoCS violation for underage possession • On 02/01100 at 8:32 am, DoCS a low velocity 33% failure rate documented accident a low velocity impact at Rouzer Hall. documented accident at White- im- • On 01/29/00 at 11:47 pm, DoCS at Gill Lane. vehicle pact vehicle • On 01/28/00 at II:45 pm, DoCS documented an alcohol violation ford Parking Lot. documented a medical report for for underage possession at Blanche • On 02/02/00, DoCS docu- SARAH RADICE Another possibility is that the treatment rendered at Peterson Hall. mented a medical report for treat- Slaf!Wr;ler three new essay readers somehow Hall. • On 01/30/00 at 2:15 am, DoCS ment rendered at Whiteford Hall. WMC's Writing Competency threw the grading process off. • On 01n9/00 at 12;15 am, DoCS documented a medical report for • On 2/03/00 at 4:32 am, DoCS Test has been given since the early A system of checks and bal- documented damaging at treatment rendered at Blanche documented a smoke detector at 1990's. Historically, the failure rate ances requires that every essay McDaniel Hall. Ward Hall. has been approximately 17-20%. must be read by two readers, with Daniel MacLea. However, when the WCT was a third reader breaking any tie if English department looks to replace Honeycutt given in December 1999,227 out the team of readers disagree as to continued from page 1 of 338 students failed, yielding whether a particular essay should the writing center, but not make any cuses on web design and other Having been successful with higher than average 33% failure pass or fail. changes with the tutors too quickly. forms oftechnical communication. students, Honeycutt remains con- department English "The rate. "Because of the higher failure In addition, Honeycutt says making a very bad mistake when is fused about why he was dismissed. In the WCT, students respond, rate, I pulled many essays and read there were personality issues within According to Honeycutt, 50 stu- in a 500-word argumentative essay, them out of curiosity, just to see the department, particularly be- its technical writing class doesn't dents tried to sign up for his En- teach technical writing," Honeycutt (0 a prompt based on an essay cho- whether Ithought the readers were tween himself and Smith. "It all says, referring to how that class has glish Composition class, and stu- sen by members of the English right in their decisions to fail the boiled down to Erin Smith not hav- changed. "Web site development dents were always coming to him Department. essays. With the exception of only ing the same philosophy I did about should be left to web site develop- for help. The purpose of the test, accord- two, the essays were flawed rhe- the writing center," states According to Dr. Pam Regis, the ing to English professor and WCT torically or ridden with grammati- Honeycutt. ers," he says, and is not a part of department is already in the process of writing. to Honeycutt, According at new applicants, of looking supervisor Suzanne 'Olsh, is to cal errors and did not fulfil the re- "He had a vision of the Writing the writing center should not be a which there are about 70. evaluate "students' rhetorical skills, quirements of a passing essay," Center as just that, the Writing Cen- place where students and tutors fo- "I think that students should grammar and usage." explains Olsh. ter whereas other professors cus on the technological aspects of know that this is a department that Students have to meet WMC's Students who failed could also seemed 10 see the need to change writing like he saw Smith doing. writing standards and "write a co- have just had an "off night," or 10 a more technology-based cen- However, he asserts that he was cares about students and would not or irresponsible make capricious herent, thesis-oriented essay that is didn't use the full three hours al- ter," says senior writing tutor Sum- never unwilling to change the phi- decisions," says Smith. free of grammatical, mechanical lotted for the test, perhaps not care- mer Byers. She cites the changes losophy of the Writing Center. of who is selected, Regardless and usage errors," explains Profes- fully proofreading or writing both in the technical writing class as an Panek believes there will now tutor Jess Heil feels that "the qual- sor Olsh. a first and second draft. example. The class, now called be a "[move] toward web-related They must meet these standards Finally, as Olsh comments, "We ity of work that comes out of the before they can exit the First Year can't overlook the possibility that "Professional Communication," ffi- research and PowerPoint, etc" [center] will not change" before lHonor and Conduct Board news Composition Program. we have a larger number of stu- Professor Olsh believes that no dents who need to improve one can explain December's unusu- being able to meet the College's The Honor and Conduct course and required to submit a safety officer, and failure to com- ally high failure rate with certainty. writing standards." Board adjudicated a case in De- written apology to the faculty mem- ply with the directions of a col- She says that, "Certainly the figures Writing Center Tutor Jessica cember 1999 involving a student ber. lege official. The accused was are an aberration since they reflect Heil comments that, "I've seen accused of elbowing a Campus They adjudicated a case in Janu- found responsible for all charges a significantly higher failure rate some pretty rough papers, real Safety officer and a nonstudent ary 2000 involving a student ac- than usual; however I have no rea- rough papers ... Probably 80% of guest as well as with disorderly and placed on disciplinary pro- son to suspect these test results her- the students I see are freshmen and conduct. The accused was found cused of possessing controlled sub- bation through junior year, re- with the intent to distrib- quired to have a drug evaluation stances ald a trend." they have the most problems in responsible and suspended from ute. The student was found respon- and attend mandatory counsel- A number of variables could general." the residence halls, placed on dis- sible, suspended from the residence have influenced the test's outcome. Olsh believes that every effort ciplinary probation through halls until reaching junior status, ing, and given 15 hours of com- munity service. One possible explanation for the is made to see students pass the graduation, required 10 make a placed on disciplinary probation Finally, "aberration" is that the essay cho- WCT. Two sections of the Writing written apology, and sent to alco- until graduation, fined $179.00, and to consider they met in January that in the a charge sen by the English department was Workshop were offered during hol education class. recommended to attend drug coun- faulty in some way. January Term. Additionally, a few A second case was adjudicated seling. fall semester a student had sub- In the months prior to the WCT, sections were opened for the in January 2000 involving a stu- mitted a plagiarized paper in a A fourth case was adjudicated members of the English department Spring semester. While the WCT dent charged with forging a fac- in January 2000 involving a student course. The student was found re- each contribute a possible essay, is being reviewed for ways to im- ulty member's signature on a charged with possession of drug sponsible for violating the Honor spend hours in discussion, and fi- prove it, at present there are no form. The student was found re- Code, was given an "F' in the alcohol paraphernalia, underage, nally choose an essay for the wcr. plans to implement change. sponsible and given an "P' in the attempting to assault a campus course and required to write a ten page paper.