The News Argus May 1997 - Page 4
CAMPUS HAPPENINGS
MacThompson Founder Of Model UN
BY VINCE WCX)DY ,
Dr. MacThompson being interviewed by Vince Woody
“We live in a global environment
and we need to understand how various
issues impact on all of us,” said Donald
MacThompson, a Winston-Salem State
University political science professor,
who founded the campus’ Model United
Nations organization.
MacThompson became involved
with the UN in 1986 and formed the
campus group, that same year, after
taking a group of students to a Model
United Nations conference.
“The students enjoyed the
confcrence so much that they wanted to
form a group like it on campus,” he
explained.
The organization is so named
because it mimics the United Nations,
located in New York City. Students in
the organization, study international
issues, role play and participate in mock
debates. The issues range from national
crisis to global concerns. Membership in
the organization is opened to all WSSU
BY CHERYL CASH
Staff Writer
In 1982, Penn State was one of the
first universities to develop a program of
correspondence study, which evolved
into individualized learning, which
evolved into distance education.
Since the 1980s, distance education
programs have integrated many of the
new technologies, including satellite,
interactive compressed video, computer
software, electronic mail, voice response
systems, and, most recently, the World
Wide Web.
Distance Education, primarily, is the
traditional learning process without the
required classroom attendance. Its
purpose is to allow students to earn a
college degree on a much more flexible
basis than traditional colleges and
universities. The responsibility for
attaining the education is between the
student and the university. The student
can begin when he is ready, continue at
his own speed and finish at his self-paced
schedule. Every course to be completed
by distance education will have a
syllabus. Textbooks are assigned for
course work, the student will utilize the
resources of a library ( public library or a
nearby colleges’ libraries). All
assignments and examinations are sent to
the University. Once all assignments are
students.
‘To be in the Model United Nations
it takes dedication and preparation,” said
MacThompson. “A student has to be
committed in order to participate in this
organization.”
The WSSU group has attended many
completed, a proctored final examination
is administered. It is a directed study
program. The academic staff at the
college or university will be there to
assist and counsel the student.
Vicki Miller, a member of the
O’Kelly Library’s reference staff,
recently attended a conference
sponsored by the Association of College
and Research Libraries, which was held
in Nashville, Tenn., April 11-14. The
conference’s theme was “Choosing Our
Futures.”
“One of the main reasons for my
attending the conference was to gain
more information about Distance
Education, ” said Miller.
Miller believes that “Distance
Education” technology is going to catch
on because more older/non-traditional
students are returning to college.
Students using distance education will
have to use library resources nearest
them. She feels O’Kelly Library must be
ready to serve these students as we move
towards the millennium. The library
currently has access to databases for
other libraries.
Moreover, distance education will
help WSSU reach out to a broader
community and, at the same time, to
bring worldwide expertise to the campus.
local, regional and national conferences
and has also won several awards. Most
recently, they won the Best Delegation
Award at the April 1997 Model U.N.
Conference. They have also hosted two
conferences in 1991 and 1996.
(Note: some of the information used
in this story was obtained from the
Columbia Southern University Web Site;
http://ww w .colsouth .edu/distance_educat
ion.htm)
Cindy Whiteheart: A
Distance Education
Graduate
Distance Education Programs are
designed to meet the needs of non-
traditional students. These students
require flexible hours in order to attend a
major university and successfully
complete a degree program.
Cindy Whiteheart, an R.J. Reynolds
employee received a bachelor’s degree in
Business Administration from the
University of Phoenix in August 1996.
She graduated with honors.
“It took me two years to complete
the degree. I liked every class because
all of my assignments were centered
around the job I am doing now,” she
explained.
Whiteheart stated that she was able
to participate in group projects and
assignments online. “A special mailbox
See Whiteheart, Page 5
Donation
Made To
Perpetual
Book Fund
O’Kelly Library News Release
A third perpetual book fund has
been established at O’Kelly Library by
the president of the Richmond County
Winston-Salem State University Alumni
Chapter.
Halbert Jackson and his wife,
wanted to institute a book fund because
they want their granddaughter to be able
to visit O’Kelly Library and discover
books which were purchased by them.
They also would like for WSSU to be a
viable choice when it is time for her to
attend college.
Perpetual book funds can be
established by any individual or group
with a minimum donation of $1,000.
The principle is deposited in the
library’s endowment account and
recorded as a named book fund with a
part of the interest being used annually
to purchase a book. The donors name
the account and designates the benefited
instructional area.
Specific goals for the fund include;
doubling the nursing and education
collections; purchasing more duplicate
and current titles in physical therapy,
medical technology, computer science
and business; and extending African-
American resources and titles for
remaining instructional disciplines.
These funds were officially
launched in December 1995, by Mae L.
Rodney, director of library services.
The first fund, the Lipscomb Family
Memorial, for education, was
established by her. James Jarrell, a
former WSSU alumni president
established the second fund in 1996 in
ethics to acknowledge the Hazel, Penn
and Rice families, who were very
supportive of him while he was enrolled
at WSSU. The first books will be
purchased during the summer of 1997.
Perpetual book funds, are needed to
augment library resources beyond the
basics, if the library’s collection is to
adequately support increasing
enrollment and changing instructional
programs.
For more information concerning
perpetual book funds, call (910) 750-
2440.
CongratuLations
and Best U)ishes\
CCass oj 1997
Distance Education: A Closer Look