November 1, 1979
The Pendulum
Page 3
Guest Editorial
Grammar/literature?
It seems a shame that
literature has taken prece
dence over a basic grammar
course at Elon College. Betty
Gerow’s grammar class is
clearl)' not a major priority in
the eyes of the administration.
Unfortunately, many stu
dents (and not only freshmen)
lack the basic skills necessary
for a successful academic life.
The Learning Resources
Center is literally teaching
basic skills that are simply not
taught in high schools today.
Although freshmen are re
quired to take an English test
as a prerequisite for English
111 and 112, many need to
work on their writing and
communication skills. Effec
tive communication is r.ot
only essential for college
students, but of vital impor
tance to a college graduate in
the business world.
Why are the wishes of the
English faculty forced down
the throats of ihe students?
We the students must have a
voice in the availability of
necessary courses. Although
he grammar course was
NC-PIRG Refunds
Nov. 5, 10,11, 16
11-1 p.m.
Lobby of
Student Union
offered first semester, what
will happen to those seniors
who could not take it then?
According to Dean Chris
White, the grammar course
was “an experimental course
that was not approved by the
faculty or announced in the
catalogue.” He said, “We
were pleasantly surprised by
how well-accepted” the
course was, and “I agree that
there’s enough academic in
terest,” for the course to be
picked up next semester.
Starting next year, “The
course will be offered as a
regular part of the curriculimi
at least once a year.”
Dean White admits that
“We are stretching ourselves
quite thin adding another
course,” to the agenda (Afro-
American Literature) hut says
“We are trying to respond to
the students’ needs and facul
ty interest.” He also added,
“There’s never been a sche
dule set that can’t be
changed.”
It is time foi us the students
to raise our voices in protest.
Straying from the necessary
essentials of good writing and
grammar is not in the best
interests of the students.
Joy Hamilton
We wish to thank Hinton
Press for their efforts last
week in getting the paper
outin spite of major technical
difficulties. Because of these
problems, the paper could
not be proofread as usual.
Poor response from students
by Jennings Berry
Academic Counseling
Imagine this: a radio sta
tion is broadcasting, but no
radios are turned on; there is
no communication. Imagine
this; notes are sent to stu
dents, but the students either
don’t check mail boxes or
don’t read the notes; there is
no communication. For
communication to occur,
there must be a sender and a
receiver. Howevei, faculty
advisers and offices of the
college are begitming to feel
that while they are senders.
there are no receivers.
For example, faculty advi
sors and the counseling office
have been asking their advi
sees to come in now in order
to help them with course
planning. Unfortunately, far
too many students ignore
notes from advisers or the
counseling office. And unless
students begin resonding bet
ter, the result wiU be that
numerous advisees will wait
until the last minute to obtain
help with selecting courses for
pre-registration. When stu
dents wait until “the last
minute,” it is impossible for
the advisers and the counsel
ing office to give each student
adequate time.
The prchJem is lack of
student response. The result
of poor response is two-fold:
the s)cstem designed to pro
vide help to students is less
effective than it might be; and
it is impossible for individual
students to ibtaii: the help
they need.
The solution is simple:
concerning pre-registration,
students should see advisers
cont. on p. 6
Flunkies to leave
Cont. from p. 1
White says the results of
a study of 1978 freshmen
have made the change manda-^
tory. T i.c! study showed that
about 100 freshmen scored
1.0 (D average) or lower at
the end of the fall semester
1978. They stayed on at
Elon, on probation. Of this
number, less than 15 per cent
became eligible to attend
summsi sessions or the fall
semester 1979. They had
either failed to make the
grade or they had dropped
out in spite of special helps of
'everal kinds. They turned
out to be the problem people
in the dorms as Dean White
said the same ones were in
trouble with student affairs.
“It will cost us money to
suspend these freshmen,”
Dean White said, “but that is
short term loss. In the long
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term, we shall gain by having
higher academic standards
and social behavior.”
Campus-wide, the acade
mic standing committee last
suspended twice the number
that had been sent home for
the last eight to ten years
Dean White said. This will
continue this year. At the
same time the college ha.s
r^Tsed admission standards.
The Learning Resources
Center has also upgraded
work and expectations.
Through higher admissions,
the lowest skills of previous
years are simply not here, the
dean said. Qualitatively, the
students are a different kind
according to proficiency tests
and SAT scores.
There is also a general
sense thai the faculty mem
bers are tightening stanaards.
Dean White said. “They are
requiring more papers, re
ports, term papers, and in
general expecting more from
students. At the same time,
many students say they want
to get their money’s worth.
They don’t want a 300 course
that is a repeat of a 100
course.”
In addition the requirement
of 36 hours of 300 and 400
level courses for all majors is
a demonstrable act by the
faculty to force juniors and
seniors to take upper division
work. The honors program *
another facet of the move to
raise the level of woi. at the
college, the deai. concluded.
-Questionnaire-
Instruciions:
Please answer a!l questions truthfully. Please do not make
any stray marks on the questionnaire. Do not sign your
name to the completed form; simply mail it to the Pendulum,
Campus Box 5240, Long Student Center by Nov. 15.
I. What is your class/academic rank?
Senior Junior Sophomore Freshman
Professor Associate Prof. Assistant Prof.
Instructor Part-time ^
II. What is your G.P.A.? (If applicable)
4.0-3.0 2.9-2.0 1.9-1.0 Below 1.0
III. Do you read/listen to:
the Pendulum the Communicator WSOE ALL
IV. In the Pendulum, do you read:
News Features Sports Editorials
All of the above
V. How do you think the Pendulum could be improved?
more student-oriented coverage
more local events off-campus
more student opinion
more photo essays
other (specify below)
VI. Do you read the ads in this newspaper?
Yes
No 1
VII. Do you buy merchandise on the basis of these ads?
Yes
No
VIII. How would you describe Elon’s student body?
very active
moderately active
moderately inactive
very inactive
apathetic