Page 113 - Phoenix2001-02

Wednesday, March 13, 2002 ~Page 5 Are mathematics proficiency exams really necessary? We all assume that Western which also tests them on math- course. Many students end up having to Maryland College is not a school ematical abilities. So, I ask, why I believe that if a student can take a review class for no credit in therefore will not have it hanging that is easy to gain admission into, the redundant testing? pass this course then why do they order to pass this test. over my head next year. However, right? There is no need for it In or- also need to pass a test, which again I bel ieve that the money spent I know that there are some of my Lately. we have patted our- der 10 graduate from WMC you will test them on the same mate- for this class on books is com- classmates who have not and 1 am selves on the back for being such a must take a college level math rial? thinking of them and the incoming students. wonderful school with a high-level Some students have to worry This is a time that Incoming students should not of liberal arts education So then about passing this test up until their have to fall victim to the repetitive- one would conclude that the stu- senior year. demands enough ness of this testing either. dents here are not dummjes. This is a lime that demands stress and hard Realizing this, I wonder why we enough stress and hard work. Add- The only math test that should have proficiency exams at all, es- ing the proficiency exam on to the work. Adding the be used is a placement test so stu- pecially the math exam. dents who plan to take math in col- pile is just adding a log to the fire. Before you can graduate from Students at this point are proficiency exam on lege know what level to begin at high school you must take algebra looking for jobs, have internships, to' the pile is just when they get here. and geometry, and I don't see how are applying to graduate schools, In short, I think that the profi- a student could graduate having and are working on senior semi- adding a log to the ciency test in many ways is very failed one of these classes. fire. pointless. Also, Iassume that a student at I realize that the number of se- Perhaps the department and the WMC must have hada decent GPA niors that still need to pass this test pletely wrong. If we have to pass college should reconsider this re- in high school in order to be ad- may not be a huge percentage but quirement for future students. If mitted; at least I hope this is the it is enough to reconsider. the test for graduation then materi- they can change the name then they als forthe class should be provided case. I have heard professors discuss- for us. can sure change some of the poli- Another thing to remember is ing these same aspects before and Don't get me wrong, this isn't cies. that before a student is admitted ro Donna Hurd 1 think that maybe now something a personal vendetta or anything. I -Donna Hurd is a junior college they have 10 take the SAT's should be done about it. have passed both tests already and English major. Mathematics Proficiency tests are an accurate assessment lr seems as though the words proficiency testing." However. I beginning of a rather arduous pro- "standardized testing" keep com- fail to see how this comes as such cess of non-credit cOUT5!esdesigned for the material to be put back into have control over. our bombarded college brai ns ing back to haunt us. even well into a great shock to the student body to reevaluate and even reinstrucr Wait until graduation when you Call mea hypocrite if you will, our college years. their freshman year. students. because J did in fact pass the profi- receive an assignment from a boss The only difference is that they Guess what, people? You're not that seems tedious. hide behind the title "mathematics just going to get into this school on ciency test and took the easy road Are you honestly going to put and fulfilled my science/mathemat- looks and a well-written essay. As students in a ics blars with two sciences. your job in jeopardy by refusing to As students in a private liberal As an English major, I have no do it, simply because it sounds like arts college, we need to assume private liberal arts desire whatsoever 10 engage in something you've done a million from tho: beginning rhar our worth college. we need to even ten minutes of math during times before? Life is about making choices. will be tested time and ume again actual class time, nor will I need it We ;JIJ made the choice to go It only makes sense rhurthe faculty assume from the for my future career. Western Maryland with the knowl- to wants to en-ure that we do in fact Then again, Ican safely say that edge that a rrnnh proficiency test leave high school with some beginning that our I have paid my dues long before would be awaiting us .on day one. knowledge under our belts. . worth will be tested college with a wealth of rnathem at- Either suck it up. or try 10 prevent Proficiency tests provide rather ics classes. mostly at the honors this future test repetition in ad- accurate results as to whether or not time and time again. level. vance. that particular area of study, in this I don't pretend 10 lecture about It's guaranteed that you will be case math, was covered thoroughly However, you have no right to something [ know little about. My much happier-with the results. enough that it doesn't need to be a complain about this if you, in fact. only suggestion is to stop com- Erin A. Romanski graduation requirement. failed the test. plaining and acting disappointed -Erin Romanski is a For some, this test is only the Obviously there is then a need about the results of a test only you sophomore English major. The many misconceptions of today's bumper stickers Tara Dettofraniia and "Right To Life" vans. Anyone those. These stickers are simply NHL (National Hockey League) myself, proud that I could decipher comments on her expressing his or her beliefs. out- displaying pride in one's heritage. began appearing in stickers on another sticker. Upon closer ob- interpretation of bumper right. graphically, and unadulter- As Americans, I think it's impor- Jeeps and other such vehicles. Be- servation on foot, I noticed that this Slickers. ated via bumper sticker is obvi- tant that we retain some aspect of fore long, I was unable to distin- SH, according to the caption be- ously committed to them. our ancestry, and displaying these guish between bands, stales, coun- Bumper stickers were sacred to Recently, two new classes 01 stickers is a great way to do it. Fur- tries, and sports because there were neath, was promoting the pride of me when I was little. My first one bumper suckers have developed. thertnore, most people can figure so many stickers that looked the someone who has been to not a Sis- but to Stone Har- ter Hazel concert, read "1 Brake For Brontosaurs." The first includes patriotic Ameri- out that rREL is an abbreviation for same. bor, NJ Eventually, this, along with other can flag or God Bless America Ireland. After asking around campus for There you have it-now all you gathered stickers, made its way stickers, prevalent since September Months later, I found myself a month, I finally realized that all onto my expressive guitar case. IIth, is a constant reminder of the browsing band merchandise at a of the OBX stickers around stand people with those bumper stickers- either get clever. bumper cynical Each sticker on the case says rather human nature that Ameri- Sister Hazel concert. There I found for Outer Banks. (If you get closer (like XXX or HTML, something about me: "I partici- cans have seemed to develop post- SH bumper stickers. to the Slicker than you ever could Slickers clever ones I've seen) the or more pated in the 30th Star Trek Anni- tragedy. These stickers express Even though I was at a Sister get while driving a car behind it at make sure you don't give out the versary' (i.e., I'm a dark), "Oon't pride and support the freedom of Hazel concert. it took me a moment a safe distance, the true meaning wrong idea. I mean, what if you Let Friends Vote Republican" (I'm expression that America's sup- to realize that SH stood for Sister ofOBX is revealed underneath), Is have MJ on your car? a liberal), "1 Love Irish Music" posed to be about. Hazel, and not an obscure country it some exclusive place; a private Someone could assume it's (I'm a music minor) The second breed of stickers, somewhere in the world. If it took club? Michael Jackson you're a fan of, Similarly, I've always smiled most often sported on SUVs, can me a bit to realize what the: SH in support of those who have dis- be categorized by their circular na- stood for at the concert, and I was across Since noticing OBX, I've come and come up to you with a monkey other such black and white played their \de'als via bumper ture. a fan of the band, then would non- circular stickers: LBI (Long Beach and a single glove. Or, aCOPTIl!&Gt stickers on cars: "Meat Is Murder," Sitting in traffic one day, I fi- fans understand what the SH stood Island), REM (presumably the pull you over on the assumption or the ever-popular, ironic, well- nally realized that most of these for? ) band), and XXX (presumably the that MJ is for marijuana. in real- intended environmental slogan stickers represented country Soon, I began noticing STP and car of either a stripper, pimp, or ity, you might smoke pot, but stickers that suburban activists names: GB was Great Britain, etc. DMB initials popping up in the simply a pornographic approach you're really just digging Mick happily place just above their ex- Henceforth, I was able to decipher standard black and ~hite circle for- sticker cynicism). 10 Jagger. haust systems. I'm always im- the stickers that I encountered. I mat Spon~.,~uch ~ the frequently And there it was: SH. "That -Tara Dellafranzia is a pressed by "Child-Free" Beamers was and still remain in support of abbreviated LAX (lacrosse) and one's Sister Hazel," I announced to junior English major.