Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / Nov. 4, 1980, edition 1 / Page 1
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Gmlforcli&m Volume LXV, No. 7 Lib. Aits Fading? By Barbara Phillips The large number of students deciding to major in pre-profes sional programs rather than the liberal arts has been a cause of concern for some who wonder what implications the trend has for a college like Guilford which attempts to provide a basically liberal arts education. The largest major in Guil ford's curriculum is manage ment; more students major in this one area than in the areas of philosophy, English, foreign languages, history, religious studies, humanities, speech and drama, music, psychology, and sociology combined. Bill Burris, professor of poli tical science, believes that pro grams designed to point stu dents toward a specific area of the market should be adjuncts to the basic liberal arts curricu lum, and that it was a mistake to let the programs grow to the present size. "Problems arise as a result of poor planning, bad administra tion, failure to keep numbers of students in vocational programs in proper balance with the students in liberal arts majors," says Burris. The biggest problem for the school, says Burris, is that the college budget has become dependent upon the tuition received from these few majors. "This means the college is not free to make strictly academic or educational decisions about the'programs." In terms of problems for the student, Burris points out that by the time a student has gone through college and gotten spe cific job training, the job market may well have changed. Cyril Harvey, professor of Geology, also emphasizes prob lems for the student. "Many ■ i* ■ _JH t ' \ Inspired by recent events, Guilford College recently staged its own version of "Raise the Titanic." Friday, a security jeep was recovered from the College pond. No treasure was found. The organizers of the event, who are [unwittingly] paying for the spectacle, must have been glad Guilford does not use VWs for security vehicles, as the motif would have been changed to something more in the Chris Columbus vein. Despite rumors, and disappointingly, no one was seen in a neck brace as part of their Halloween guise. students go into pre-profession al studies contrary to their real interests because they have heard that they will be more marketable. They don't realize that they would be just as marketable, if not more so, with a traditional liberal arts major and a skill in a particular area." 'Purely theoretical social science is like making shoes and putting them in a museum.' -Louis Fike Burris also believes that stan dards of admissions and gradu ation requirements should be the same for all students. Currently, students enrolled in administration of justice, ac counting, and management through the C.C.E. may earn a Bachelor of Administrative Sci ence degree instead of the normal BA. These students are exempt from filling the lan guage requirement and the lab science requirement. Also, the C.C.E. has its own admissions department. Sybilla Colby, dean of Con tinuing Education, is concerned with the growing "consumer ism" mentality that she sees in contemporary students. She is not disturbed by the ever larger number of students in pre professional majors, although she says she is committed to liberal arts education. "We can use whatever it is that students are interested in to make sure they get the kind of education we think they should have It is not necessary that everyone be a philosophy major, but every one should be aware of the questions that philosophers ask," says Colby. Guilford College, Greensboro, N.C. 27410 Louis Fike, professor of poli tical science, claims that the entire pre-professional program suffers from a "liberal arts snobbery," and that many sup porters of the liberal arts see themselves as engaged in a superior mission, partly be cause academicians have a ten- dency to look down on the making of money. The faculty in pre-profession al programs are also treated as second class, says Fike. They have a harder time getting tenure, they teach at night when little is going on on campus, and are still expected to be around during the day (such as for meetings). Fike does not believe that students' desire to be market able is a new phenomenon: "College has always been viewed as a way to get a better job," he says. Since the 70's, employers have put more em phasis on having a job-oriented major in college. He is not bothered by the number of students in the programs, but rather by the college's "refusal to resolve the tension" that exists between the programs. Fike is reluctant to accept the distinction between pre-profes sional and liberal arts programs as Guilford now defines them, pointing out that many majors consist of both knowledge for its own sake and practical training While social sciences are liberal arts (courses about a subject, rather than training to A y l work in the particular field), Fike argues that they must be taught practically or they be come irrelevant: "Purely theo retical social sciences is like making shoes and putting them in a museum," he says. Like wise, A.J. is a "pre-profession al" program, but is necessarily integrative, requiring an under standing of political science, psychology, sociology, chemis try, economics, history, physi cal science, and more. It is essential that Guilford engage in a thoughtful dialogue about these questions, says Fike (not in "the usual, unre flective way,") and come up Facts you need about Toxic Shock By Wendy Barkley Nausea, vomiting, aching muscles, pain, a rash, high fever, diarrhea -- all of these are symptoms of Toxic Shock Syn drome, a dangerous disease, which is particularly threaten ing to menstruating women who use tampons. Although relatively rare, (Dr. Katherine Shands estimates in a Washington Post article that 10-15 out of every 100,000 women will contract the di sease) Toxic Shock Syndrome is arousing much concern, and rightly so A recent statistic from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta accounts for 408 cases, among which are 40 deaths The number is increas ing and, frighteningly, there is yet to be a cure in existence The disease, caused by the common bacteria, staphylococ cus aureas, is not solely depen dent on the use of tampons However, it is believed that using tampons contributes to and encourages the growth of bacteria. Scientists have sug gested that tampons, especially super absorbency tampons, by stopping the flow of blood, thus tracking it internally, provide See new courses see p. 4 November 4, 1980 with a decisive answer- on whether Guilford should have the pre-professional programs and whether they will be com mensurate with liberal arts programs Following management as the number one major with 320 students are administration of Justice with 211 and Account ing with 136 These three areas, together with Education and Physical Education, are often termed "pre-professional" programs to distinguish them from the more traditional liberal arts pro grams. an environment which is favor able to the growth of bacteria Another theory concerns the materials which compose the tampons. For instance, the rela tively new (since 1974) use of plastic applicators could scrape the wall of the vagina or cervix, and carry bacteria into the bloodstream, potentially caus ing an infection To virtually eliminate the possibility of getting Toxic Shock Syndrome, women can stop using tampons. However, for women who would rather not stop, doctors are recommending that women alternate between tampons and sanitary napkins. Doctors also advise that women use tampons which contain cardboard applicators rather than plastic ones. Among brands of tampons used, Rely has been cited to be the most prevalent of brands among Tox ic Shock Syndrome victims; however, any brand of tampons is potentially hazardous to the user Any woman developing symptoms characteristic of Tox ic Shock Syndrome, or who has any questions, should consult a doctor immediately.
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Nov. 4, 1980, edition 1
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