H Sports
Women s
basketball
defeats CCU
Features f
Toughman
Contest a battle
of knockouts
See page 4 I
Volume 31 Issue 4
February 24, 2000
Miller part of
English revision
By Kathryn Krouse
staff Writer
Gary Miller, professor of environ-
nental science, along with about
20 other master teachers from
around the country, will travel to
England this summer for a special
month-long exchange program at
Bath University.
really excited about this,”
;aid Miller.
The program started several years
igo, and began as an alternative
ixchange program with science
teachers from
teachers con-
lue to travel
England.
England is re
tooling their universities to resemble join an international school. Bath
illeges in the America. En- University is a center for a large
gland decided in the last decade
that their science programs were
igh, and felt that a
national curriculum was needed,
irding to Miller.
In order to determine what the
curriculum should consist of, they
invited teachers from all over the
British Empire and the United
States.
“In the last decade, they have
gone through a radical change,”
said Miller.
The program is four weeks long.
Teachers go through an orienta
tion, take a tour of Bath and study
the historical development of sci
ence education in Britain.
The education system in England
changed drastically by implement
ing a national curriculum with a
mandated set of requirements for
each grade level, according to
Miller.
“It is interesting for our teachers
to hear how complex a task it was,”
said Miller.
The professors go to classes
matched as
ngland and
specialty
United
possible so they
teachers
nterparts
different
tyles of teach-
around the
They get a
»Jorld, accord
Miller.
how common
The program
education
funded by
he teache
handled, such
Wthough the
student de
English profes
corum, parent
nvolvement
salaries, equip-
ted States
tnent and bud
gets, according
Miller. The
The candidates’ platforms
By Davon Heath
staff Writer
A range of issues have already
been addressed this year by the
four main presidential candi
dates.
Using these platforms, Ameri
can voters can choose to educate
themselves about the different can
didates views.
Bill Bradley, a democratic senator
from New Jersey, served in the U.S.
Air Force and played professionally
for the New York Knicks as a start
ing forward, winning two NBA
championships.
The republican from Texas, Gov.
George W. Bush, was a fighter pilot
in the National Guard and former
managing partner of the Texas
Rangers baseball team. He recently
won the South Carolina (S.C.) pri
mary.
Vice President A1 Gore, a Tennes-
see democrat, was a senator and
representative for Tennessee before
he became vice-president. He has
won seven state primaries. He served
in the U.S. Army during Vietnam.
Bush maintains a strong approval
from within his party, as does Gore,
according to CNN.
Arizona senator John McCain,
a republican and former pris
oner of war. McCain was a rep
resentative for Arizona during
the 1980s and has received nu
merous awards for bravery in
the armed services. McCain won
the Michigan and Arizona state
primaries over Bush.
The N.C. primary will occur
on May, with Virginia follow
ing on Feb. 29.
Gary Miller, professor of
enviromental science, points
toEngland.
teachers also
iternational summer training
program for teachers from all over
the British empire.
American teachers enroll in a short
course of their choice for that week.
“In the following week, I teach an
environmental short course. I pick
See ENGLAND Page 8
Issues
Bill Bradley (D-N.J.)
George W. Bush
(R-Texas)
Al Gore (D-Tenn.)
John McCain (R-Ariz.)
Abortion
Pro-choice
Pro-life
Pro-choice
Pro-life
Tax Reform
Pay national debt be
fore tax cuts and op
poses flat tax.
Simplifiy and reduce
taxes, favor flat tax.
Some tax cuts, opposes
flat tax.
Simplifiy and reduce
taxes, favor flat tax.
Education
Opposes organized
Favors prayer in
schools.
Smaller classes, more
programs.
More testing, favors
prayer in schools.
Environment
Pro-gasohol, anti-pol-
lution.
De-regulate environ
mental laws, voluntary
clean-up.
Cut carbon dioxide,
more parks, less cars.
End farm subsidies.
Defense
Spend less money on ■
defense.
More engaged in de
fense, rebuild nuclear
weapons.
Build down nuclear
weapons.
More engaged in defense,
spend more money.
Gun Control
More gun laws.
More gun laws, more
gun rights.
More gun laws.
More gun laws, more gun
rights.
Drugs
Less money spent on
drug war.
More education.
More kid’s programs.
More penalties.
Civil Rights
Racial unity, favors af
firmative action and gay
rights.
Anti-quota, favors af
firmative action, op
poses gay rights.
Pro women’s rights,
favors affirmative ac
tion and gay rights.
Anti-quota, opposes af
firmative action and gay
rights.
Technology
De-regulation and self
censorship.
No Y2K lawsuits
Pro Internet regulating
No Internet tax, favors
porn filters.
Capital Punish-
Favors.
Favors.
Favors.
Favors.
Kosovo
No intervention, need
exit strategy.
Distrusts Serbia.
War okay to stop eth
nic cleansing.
War okay to establish
U.S. power.
Principles and
Respect people of all
Compassionate con
servatism.
Re-invent govern-
Set an example.
Sophomore survey monitors quality of UNCA
PHOTO BY JASON GRAHAM
Luke Weber, a sophomore business managerrreni maior, fills out the survey before the
Feb. 25 deadline.
By Alison Watson
Staff Writer
Every other year, UNCA partici
pates in a survey for sophomores
that helps evaluate institutional
performance, according to a repre
sentative of UNCA.
. “It certainly reveals our strengths
and weaknesses. We have used the
survey results to make important
spending decisions,” said Archer
Gravely, director of institutional
research.
The survey given by the state re
quires a 90 percent response rate, so
each sophomore must fill out and
return the survey or have a hold
imposed on their registration.
“We are serious about getting our
response rate. The hold is a neces
sary device to get that 90 percent,”
according to Gravely.
The sophomore survey is only one
in a series of surveys given by the
state. There are also surveys given
to new students, new freshmen,
graduating seniors and alumni. All
16 public universities in N.C. are
participating.
The goal of the survey is to moni
tor the quality of professor instruc
tion, student services and the fi
nancial needs of the school.
The results for the survey, given
out in February, will not be avail
able until the summer. All 16
schools must return the survey be
fore the results are released.
The last sophomore survey had a
direct link to the new recommen
dations made for the 1999-2000
expansion budget. Some points of
the survey include faculty contri
butions, campus safety and student
services.
“What students do not realize is
taxpayers contribute to student’s
fees to a tune of about $8,000 a
year,” said Gravely. “The general
assembly and the taxpayers want to
make sure their money has been
well spent.”
The assessment made by the
sophomore survey, along with the
other surveys, helps in deciding
whether teachers receive promo
tions or tenure.
The surveys also identify priori
ties among students’ needs. It helps
to allocate human, physical and
financial resources for the school as
well.
In the past, the sophomore survey
has led to the hiring of more secu
rity officers. There has been an
improvement in campus lighting.
The computer center has also hired
more lab managers.
The response rate has been very
high for earlier surveys. Around 95
percent of the sophomores required
to take last year’s survey responded.
“We do not want to make stu
dents angry. They need to under
stand this survey benefits them,”
said Gravely.
Students who do not respond to
the survey have usually decided that
they are leaving UNCA. Also, some
students do not have valid addresses
with the school. Their registration
is not affected, according to Gravely.
“If it helps the school with im
provements, everyone should take
it, especially if the state requires it,”
saidAmandaGaines,an undeclared
sophomore. Yet, “students need to
(be informed) of that.”
Gaines said some students com
plain about the survey because they
do not understand the purpose of
The answers given in the survey
are completely confidential.
“Students get upset when we ask
about their socioeconomic status,
but that is a major factor in decid
ing how much we get in financial
aid,” according to Gravely.
Recommendations include hiring
office managers for the career cen
ter and increasing their operating
budget.
It was also suggested that the out-
See SURVEY Page 8