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Two proposals may chango FYE in the coming years
BY BRYAN DOOLEY
Senior Writer
Major changes could be on the way for Guilford's First-Year
Experience program. Members of the campus community have
recently made two related proposals.
The first is to change FYE 101 to PPS 101, in order to more
heavily emphasize Principled Problem Solving. The second
proposal is to include more anti-racism content in the lab portion
of the course, FYE 102.
Both proposals are designed to better achieve the original
goal of FYE.
"One of the learning objectives is to look at a problem from
different disciplines and consider the ethical implications," said
Barbara Boyette, assistant academic dean. "Changing the name
to PPS would help clarify the content and purpose of the class."
Mark Justad, Erector of the Center for Principled Problem
Solving, submitted the proposal to change FYE 101 to PPS 101
in response to the Strategic Long Range Plan 11. The proposal is
designed to integrate more principled problem solving into the
Guilford College education. It also includes proposed changes
to the IDS requirement. The Curriculum Committee is currently
considering the proposal.
Most FYE instructors interviewed suggest that the change
should not be in name only.
"Changing the name is easy," said Alan Mueller, assistant
dean of career and community learning. "Changing the content
of what you're doing, the substance is a trickier question. I think
adding a PPS component to what we already do is good."
Will Pizio, associate professor of justice and policy studies,
also sees this change as positive.
"In the last 20 years, there have been several iterations: name
changes, prefix dianges and focus changes, so this change is a
pretty smart move," said Pizio. "PPS is already in the Strategic
Long Range Plan, so making it part of the First-Year Experience
seems the next logical move. And to be honest, we do a lot of
PPS in FYE already."
Andy Strickler, dean of admission and financial aid, agrees.
"As Pre is a major initiative of SLRP II, I think aligning a
major curriculum requirement with it would make great sense,"
said Strickler. "As a Quaker institution, we are a bit different
than almost all other small liberal arts colleges, and therefore
each student should have a good idea as to who we are by the
end of the first semester."
This shift would also reflect many traditional Quaker values.
"Quaker educators have long been committed to teaching
'things dvil and useful,' so engaging students with problem
solving is part of our DNA as an educational institution," said
Jim Hood, professor of English and interim coordinator of FYE.
'The college's commitment to Principled Problem Solving as a
key institutional focus makes sense of our educational heritage
"The first day is spent developing a sense of
community between students by reflecting
upon their identity. The seconcf is focusec
on looking at how discrimination is built
into institutions..."
Sara Minsky, sophomore
and provides a kind of learning that is very important in the
world now."
PPS 101 will be a pilot program next semester.
The second proposal made by students for change in the
FYE prograp involves improving the diversity module in FYE
102. Sophomores Alexandra Haridopolos and Sara Minsky
and senior Hm Leisman all worked over J-Term along with
Jorge Zeballos, interim director for diversity training and
development and Latino community program ccxjrdinator, to
design a proposal for an addition to the 102 curriculum.
"We developed a three-day curriculum for the FYE lab
course," said Minsky, a community justice and economics
double major. "The first day is spent developing a sense of
community between students by reflecting upon tiheir identity.
The second is focused on looking at how cfiscrimination is built
into institutions, and the third is about what Guilford's role is
in combating oppression, and what resources are available on
campus."
Haridopolos, an English major and PPS scholar, explained
why the group feels this proposal is an essential step.
"I feel it is important for first-year students to be introduced
to these issues in their first semester at Guilford because anti
racism is built into the core value of equality," said Haridopolos.
Leisman believes the program has never stagnatecT and
should keep evolving.
"I feel that the program is always changing," said Leisman.
"It's not that iPs important to create change because thaPs going
to happen regardless. IPs (important) to make the change in the
right direction, to create sustainable structures that will serve
students better in their experience at Guilford, and be ready to
change to... better serve students."
Since both proposals significantly change the content of the
courses, time may be a major challenge for FYE programs in the
future.
"I wish the FYE lab had more time than one hour per week,"
said Mueller. "At other places I've taught, the course is two or
two-and-a-half hours per week. IPs a lot easier to talk about
diversity and building a community with more time."
Hood explains the importance of continually improving the
program.
"It only meets one hour and 15 minutes a week for 15 weeks,
so iPs difficult to get everything accomplished. But thinking
about what should be stressed in FYE 102 is a great exercise in
figuring out what is really core to the Guilford experience, so I
welcome a larger conversation about what should be included,"
said Hood.
While the PPS proposal is being piloted next fall, the FYE
102 proposal is not at the same stage in its development.
However, it has gone before campus organizations, including
the Community Senate and the Diversity Action Committee.
SENATE UPDATE
XXX>X>XXX>XXX>X>>>XXK>^^
This Week's
Develooments
We are now accepting applications for all Senate Executive positions,
which are due April 6. Campaigning begins April I and elections are April
15.
t
We are also accepting nominations for Dick Dyer Awards and
applications for student scholarships through April 26. See our Facebook
for more.
All applications are at the Info Desk.
The judicial Affairs Committee also presented on their year-long judicial
review process. Any policy recommendations resulting from this process
will be submitted to Aaron Fetrow for consideration this summer.
Next Week's
Plans
Fall 2013 Senate Executive Position debates will be held April 10.
Contact Us
We need to hear your voice! Have an idea? Concern? Great
recipe? It’s important to us.
Questions? Email: senate@guilford.edu or visit
http://guilfordsenate.wordpress.com
Compiled by Austin Applegate, Co-Community Outreach Chair
Setting the record straight on
numbers in Chabotar report card
BY VICTOR LOPEZ
S04IOR Writer
Weeks ago. The Guilfordian
published a two-part article
assessing Kent Chabotar's tenure
as president. Since then, there
has been some concern about
the accuracy of the information
presented.
Mike Poston, vice president of
advancement, and Ty Buckner,
vice president of communications,
wanted to set the record straight.
Issues contested by the
administrators included the
length of time of the capital
campaign and percentages of
graduate giving.
According to Buckner, the
Advancing Excellence campaign
began on Jan. 1, 2005, or
approximately 8 years ago, rather
than the at least 10 years that was
previously reported.
"The College was not in a
campaign in 2003 or 2004," said
Buckner.
The previous Our Time in
History campaign ended Dec.
31, 2002 and raised $56.4 million,
exceeding its goal of $50 million.
The alumni-giving percentage
of 11 percent previously reported
for 2011-12 was incorrect,
according to Buckner.
"In fact, the percentage of
giving by all Guilford alumni was
15.1 percent in that fiscal year,"
said Buckner. "The traditional-
student alumni giving rate was
17.1 percent, CCE was 9.8 percent
and non-degreed alumni was 13.8
percent."
Poston pointed to CCE
student's lack of contribution
as a key factor of the overall
percentage of alumni giving.
"Guilford has a large number of
adult-student alumni compared
to its peers, which tends to skew
the comparison of this College
with others," said Poston in an
email. "Historically, Guilford's
adult-student alumni have
contributed at a lower rate than
traditional-student alumni."
Graduate giving not
withstanding, the Office of
Advancement informed The
Guilfordian that cultivating a
major gift prospect can take many
months and sometimes years
to result in an actual gift to the
College.
The process of cultivating
donors is long and costs the
college money, though by industry
standards the College is doing all
right in the cost department.
The Council for Advancement
and Support of Education as well
as the National Association of
College and University Business
Officers suggest that the costs of
fundraising should not include
the costs for alumni relations,
public relations or any other
constituent relations.
The cost-benefit ratio for the
College has averaged $0.33 to
raise $1.00 during the periods of
2002—12, with the highest ratio of
$0.69 in fiscal year 2010-11 and
the lowest period of $0.16 in FY
2006-07, suggesting the college
has been fiscally prudent.