.Vi
Curriculum
Changes Coming
By Andy Behl
After 10 years, the tradition of January
^erm classes at Mars Hill will come to a
•^lose. According to Dr. Richard
Hoffman, academic vice-president, the
l^culty has voted to drop the January
term effective June 1, 1982. This is a
fesult of the loss of interest on the part of
the students. The change will also have an
®hect on the regular semester as well,
^ars Hill will be converting from a 4-1-4
t^alendar to a conventional semester
t^lendar beginning next school year. A 3-2
class system will also come into effect
aext year.
Under the 3-2 system, classes will meet
fti Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and
"'hi count 3 credit hours. Classes that
'ttcet on Tuesdav and Thursdav will
Count 2 credit hours. The 10 am hour on
tJesday and Thursday will be left open
t*'' meetings and other events. Some
t-ourses, mostly those that have labs, will
^hll count 4 credit hours.
The basic programs will be the same in
each department, and this type of
P’'c*gram encourages students to get a
^•nor in the same department or a
Tferent one. The six competences will
*^cmain the same, according to Dr. Hoff-
But the six assessment teams will be
'^Continued and replaced by a general
^^udies council.
This council will be composed of the
'■^ordinators of the general studies
J^^npetence areas, one representative
the curriculum committee, and one
the admissions and academic
^^andards committee. The academic dean
"’■11 be the chairman for this council.
over the following 16 months,
■"c will be a study of the curriculum
j. the findings will be reported to the
in the Spring of 1983.
^ ther changes that will affect this
°t''ersion will be the addition of one
week to the spring semester, and the
reduction of total hours needed for
graduation.
“With this new semester system, we
will be encouraging students to get a
double major or minor so they may have
a broader education,” states Dr.
Hoffman. “We needed to rethink the
curriculum, and this seemed to be the best
solution.”
Students who want to become involved
in the changes will have an opportunity to
work with the study committee.
Other topics that may change the
curriculum will be the addition of a
master’s degree. Mars Hill is now
exploring the idea of a master’s degree in
elementary and intermediate education
as well as music. However, these
programs are only in the discussion
phase. The college is also thinking about
increasing the computer science
program, but this too is in the discussion
phase.
NEW
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
(Effective June 1, 1982)
1983 (current Juniors)
136 semester hours including 2
January Terms
1984 (sophomores)
132 semester hours including 1 Jan
uary Term
1985 (freshman)
132 semester hours including 1 Jan
uary Term
1986
128 semester hours
in
Transfer students entering MHC ...
1981 will be required to have 1 January
Term and 132 semester hours.
m
^5^
VOLUME LV, Number 1
OCTOBER 30, 1981
The Hilltop
MARS HILL COLLEGE
Mars Hill, N.C. 28754
New Media Center
To Open
By Andy Behl
Many people on campus do not know what is being built on the corner across from
the library (does anyone know where that is?) This new building will be the Marlene
Reader Harris Media Center which will house all of the media services that are now in
the basement of the library. According to Anne Davidson, Director of the Media
Center, “Everything is goirig on schedule and we plan to move into the new building at
the end of January Term.”
On December 4 at 1:30 p.m., the Board of Trustees will be on campus to have their
annual meeting and will dedicate the building at that time. This is the first building on
campus that is truly energy efficient, and has already won two awards for its design.
Two sides of the building are covered with dirt and most of the roof is also covered.
This is a passive solar heating system. The windows face south, and will catch the sun
during the winter in the afternoons. This will help cut the cost of heating.
continued on page 4
In Remembrance . . .
Don Caldwell, Sr.
Former Manager, Mars Hill • College|
Cafeteria
^31‘s Hill College and the local
^^nimunity have suffered great losses so
this year in the deaths of four
'■tiportant people from the college. We
all saddened by their departure.
Mark “Strawberry”
Student
Hoyt
Jim Wells
Student
Kathleen Wallin
Former Assistant Manager, Mars Hill
College Bookstore.