Teams expect a strong
start for the season at Eton
Universityls first ever home
meet this Saturday
PAQE 21
SCULPTURES
POP UP ACROSS
CAMPUS
PAQE14
LINDNER HALL
See students reactions to
the new energy efficient
building in a man-on-the-
street video f^tured only at
The Pendulum Online
CHESS CLUB
VIDEO ONUNE
STORY page 18
HE Pendulum
ELON, NORTH CAROLINA | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009 | VOLUME 35
EDITION 21
wwv\/.elon.edu/pendulum
UNDSAY FENDT | Staff Photographer
Phoenix Phanatics president James Shaver visited Spanish professor Donna Van Bodegraven’s Elon 101
class Tuesday. Elon 101 classes explore campus activities and help freshmen decide how to get involved.
FOUR
ears
of
FRIENDSHIP
Tightly-bound
cohorts prove very
effective for student
retention at Elon
Laura Wainman
Senior Reporter
One of the factors every university
keeps a careful eye on is the retention
rate of students. With the current
economy, it is more economical to
retain students than to recruit new
ones.
While a number of reasons
contribute to a student’s decision to
remain at a university, studies show
that students who take the same
classes together and go through the
same academic experiences are more
likely to complete courses and stay at
the school they are attending.
Elon’s fellows programs and Elon
101 classes provide every student an
opportunity to be a part of a cohort
group right away.
There are six fellows programs
at Elon: Business Fellows,
Communications Fellows, Elon College
Fellows, Honors Fellows, Leadership
Fellows and Teaching Fellows. Each
program has different requirements
for their students, but all place an
emphasis on bonding the students
together.
“Elon fellows programs all have
excellent retention rates because it
gives students a group to identify with
right away," said Susan Klopman, vice
president of admissions and financial
planning.
Business Fellows become very
acquainted with one another quickly
as they are required to take one class
with their cohorts every semester.
Scott Buechler, former director of
Business Fellows, said this grouping
creates a very strong bond and
develops strong friendships outside
of the classroom setting.
“We require our fellows to take
classes together, including Elon 101,
because we want them to get to know
each other well from the beginning in
See COHORTS|PAGE 4
Elon Law
graduates
jump the bar
Margeaux Corby
News Editor
Elon Law School’s inaugural class
received an 83 percent bar passage rate,
putting the graduates far above the 73
percent pass rate for the 1,120 people
who took this year’s exam administered
by the Board of Law Examiners in July.
Wake Forest continues to dominate
the state’s top bar passage rate at 91
percent as well as Cambell University
with 91 percent, followed by LIniversity
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at 87
percent and Duke University at 85
percent.
Elon Law School bested the 77
percent passage rate achieved by North
Carolina Central University. Charlotte
School of Law came in at 76 percent.
“1 think it’s a point of pride for the
students and for the faculty and staff
that they had such a bar passage rate
for the first class," said Dan Anderson,
director of University Relations. “It’s a
sign that the program is on the right
track and doing the things that are
necessary to prepare students for a
career in law."
Students who graduated from law
schools outside North Carolina and
took the N.C. bar exam passed with a
percentage rate of 59, Anderson said.
The bar exam is the test law school
graduates must take to practice law, and
it has about a 70 percent pass rate.
The two-section, two-day exam took
place July 28 and 29 at the Raleigh
Fairgrounds. On the first day, would-
be lawyers must answer 12 essay
questions designed to specifically test
their knowledge of North Carolina law
On day two, test-takers must answer
See LAW SCHOOL | PAGE 8
Fewer students traveling abroad Winter Term
2010 despite more cost-effective programs
Laura Smith
News Editor
W'hile interest in Winter Term 2010 is
still very popular, program enrollment
tor this January is down a bit because of
the weakened economy.
As of Sept. 4, 592 students have
enrolled in Winter Term courses. Last
iJecember, there were 688 students
a difference of 96 students.
‘We probably won’t capture 90 (more)
new students,” said Woody Pelton, dean
*”*®’T*ational programs and director
ot the Isabella Cannon Centre. “We’ll end
up being down, but a lot of things are
aown (right now).”
Three programs are full and closed as
ot press time, while seven are sorting out
ne waitlist. That brings the total number
programs fully closed to 10, fewer than
ts usual this time of the year.
TV, D close were New Zealand:
e Business and Culture of New Zealand,
usiness in the Pacific Rim and South
Africa: The Call of South Africa.
combat the struggling economy, the
Isabella Cannon Centre for International
Studies has been revving up the publicity
and marketing for the Winter Term
programs.
Activities have included College Coffee
tables, a table at the organization fair
this Friday, increasing awareness among
faculty. E-net ads and work with El Centro
de Espanol, Elon’s Spanish center.
The annual study abroad fair will also
be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 16 in
McKinnon Hall.
Winter Term programs have tweaked
the academics a bit in the past year.
This year, most programs require a
pre-departure one-credit course taken
in the fall. Before last year, programs
required several meetings but never a
formal class.
“Part of the reason we ask (students
to take them) is so they can spend a little
more time laying out what they’re really
going to do," Pelton said.
The only courses not currently
requiring the class are Costa Rica.
Jungle Service, Costa Rica: language,
Culture and Ecotourism, Hawaii: Nation
or State? In Search of Hawaiian Identity,
New Zealand: The Business and Culture
of New Zealand and Peru: The Living
Heritage of the .Andes: Language, Society
and Environment.
“It’s a very clever model," Pelton said.
“I think it really benefits the students.
I think when you arrive, you have a
better sense, a better knowledge, more
background of what it is you’re seeing,
nd I think you do enjoy it more.”
While the economy may be taking a
slight toll on study abroad enrollment
this year, the 2010 programs might be
the best to take advantage of.
“Our prices are down,” said Alana
Dunn, international programs adviser.
“This year’s are less than last year’s co.st.
We also anticipate that when the economy
starts to recover in time for Winter Term
2011, the costs will go up again. For
students who think they might be able to
incorporate it this year, it’s a more cost-
effective year.”
There are still spots open in 17 of the
Winter Term programs, and the deadline
for applying is Sept. 21.
V\^MTER TERM 2010
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
STILL AVAILABLE
Australia: Indigenous Studies
Barbados: Post-Colonial Culture and Society
Chile: Thriving but Still Recovering (nev»/)
China: The Flying Dragon
Costa Rica; Jungle Service
Costa Rica; Language, Culture and
Ecotourism
Great War: The Culture of the Great War
Guam; Island Legends; Service and Learning
vi/ith the Elders of Guam
Guatemala: Culture and Service
Hawaii; Nation or State? In Search of
Hav\/aiian Identity
Honduras: Social Entrepreneurship in
Honduras
India: Science Education and Development
Italy’s Heritage: Past is Present
Italy: Fine Arts
London: Human Services Practicum in
London (new)
London’s Immigrant Communities;
Documenting Diversity Through
Photographs and Words
Peru: The Living Heritage of the Andes:
Language, Society and Environment
FOR THE LATEST