TENTORIAN
VOLUME XXVIIII ISSUE FOUR
The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
stentorian@ncssm.edu
JUNE2008
New Courses Added for 2008-2009 School Year
By Kavya Sekar
NCSSM is adding seven new academic courses to
the registry next year; Modeling with Matrices, Civil
Engineering and Architecture, Classical Mythology,
British Literature after 1900, World Religions,
Advanced Topics in Academic Writing and a year long
AB Calculus course.
Teachers who observe students’ interest in a
subject area are usually the ones to initiate new classes.
Mythology has been added to the registry because
Latin teachers observed students’ interest in Roman
mythology while British Literature after 1900 was
added because of current students’ interest in modem
literature. Math teachers recommended a year-long AB
Calculus course to replace the current .third trimester
only AB Calculus course. They also initiated the
Modeling with Matrices course to resurrect a linear
algebra course previously taught at NCSSM.
Other groups like student government, the
curriculum review committee and sometimes students,
may also propose an additional course.“Often times
students teach a seminar that turns into a course,” said
Steve Warshaw, the Vice Chancellor of Academic
Programs. “Our current program in medical and
environmental ethics was started from an ethics course
taught by a student a couple years ago.”
One added class based on a seminar course this
year is World Religions, which was a popular seminar
taught by Cecile Tougas and Pat Gann during second
trimester of this year. There was so much interest in
the subject that the school wanted to open it up as a
full-credit class.
Some classes are added to the curriculum to fulfill
NCSSM’s goals for academic programs in the future.
Civil Engineering and Architecture is a continuation of
NCSSM’s expansion of its applied sciences department.
This course will focus on solving real world problems
involving building design and community planning.
According to Warshaw, each year the applied science
department adds a new engineering course modified by
Project Lead the Way, an organization that promotes
the use of real world applications in science education.
NCSSM’s current applied sciences department includes
courses in computer science, ethies, electronics and
basic engineering. There will be a fabrication lab in
NCSSM’s future Discovery Center where applied
science students can build their projects.
Along with applied science projects, there will be
more students pursuing independent research projects
in the future. In order to prepare students for the formal
academic writing required for research papers, NCSSM
will be offering an Advanced Topics in Academic
Writing course next year. This course will train students
to write with the rhetorical and analytical skills required
for scholarly essays and researeh papers. Starting in
2011, there will be a research requirement mandating
that each student perform a research project either in
the research classes, mentorship, research experience
classes or through an outside summer program before
graduation.
Academie programs seeks to expand the number of
NCSSM courses offered online for off-campus students
so future students could graduate with an NCSSM
degree without living on campus and attending regular
classes. Warshaw also seeks to increase the number of
online courses students take at NCSSM. He predicts
that in a few years, students will be required to take an
online course sometime during their junior or senior
year to prepare for future technology based education.
“I read an article that said by the year 2020 most of
education will take place online,” said Warshaw.
With the expansion of NCSSM’s programs into
new areas of study, future students at NCSSM might
have “concentrations” where they follow a curriculum
that emphasizes their academic and career goals.
Warshaw also suggested that students would spend
less time listening to lectures. “School will be different,
we won’t spend as much time in class,” said Warshaw.
“Teachers won’t have four or five meeting times each
week. There will be more discussion groups among
students.
Former President Clinton Visits School
By Daniel Miller
There was brief political history made when Bill Clinton, husband to
Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made a visit to NCSSM.
That afternoon, students, teachers, and faculty of the North Carolina School
of Science and Math all gathered outside the ETC Auditorium along with many
other Durham residents to see Bill Clinton, the former President of the United
States, visit NCSSM’s campus in order to gain support for Senator Clinton’s
campaign. Clinton had made many stops at different voting sites across North
Carolina, and NCSSM was his last for the day.
While many people were
able to obtain pictures and
autographs from the former
president, others used the
opportunity to demonstrate
their political views. Though
many people who attended
the event shouted support
for Hilary, there was a group
of people standing opposite
of Clinton’s fans chanting
support for Senator Barack
Obama, Senator Clinton’s
opponent.
Clinton stayed at the
school for about an hour.
During this, time news
stations were parked
outside the ETC and some
NCSSM students were being
interviewed. Yet even with
all the excitement of the
news stations and cameras,
some NCSSM residents
viewed the proceeding with a
skeptical eye. “1 think this is
just a chance to take pictures
because he is not running for
president. His wife is,” said
junior Courtney Graham.
Junior Hadeer Metwally
said, “Just because he is here
Picture by Dakota Williams
Former President Bill Clinton with Danielle Polochak, Chrissy Luettich, Cydney Swofford, Katie
Kriska, and Isabella Bellon
doesn’t mean it affects views on Hillary in any way.”
Some students and faeulty members did not feel that Clinton’s visit to campus
would sway their decision in any way and others were unaware of the visit until
moments before or even after the arrival of Clinton himself Many Clinton
supporters had already cast their votes, but still viewed the event as worthwhile.
Counselor Gail Hudson said, “1 voted for Hilary the very first day the polls let
me, but I do know some people who were on the fence, and his visit to the school,
and display of caring about us did help them decide.”
Other than the excitement
of meeting a celebrity and
participating in a political
event of this rarity, some
students and staff felt Clinton’s
visit was beneficial to the
school in less immediately
appreciable ways. “Many of
the students here kind of live
in a bubble,” said SLI Jess
Godfrey. “Something like this
is really helpful for showing
the students what’s going on
and what an election year is
really like.”
Not only did the campaign
stop expose NCSSM students
to the outside world, it may
have also helped draw attention
to NCSSM itself “I feel like
a lot of our students were
able to express themselves
intelligently on camera which
would help the school look
good,” said senior Christopher
Qin. “This may encourage
more students to apply.”
Regardless of any specific
ramifications, events like
Clinton’s visit can only raise
awareness about the political
process for NCSSM students.
Senior Wills
Faculty/Staff
pages 4-7, 10-12
Leaving
■ pages 7-8
Senior
Spotlights
pages 14-15