The Stetson Reporter

wed £i_2i e_ feb-oi http://reporter.stetson.edu SPORTS: The Hatters defeat Tennessee Tech, 9-4 page 5b WHAT'S inside News ia Restaurants 3a Opinions 4a Life Ib Books 3 b Classifieds 3a Sports 5 b Etcetera 6a issue 17 volume 113 ^||g|o|ida'&r^"J^rjer One Private College Newspaper OPIMIONS: Student critizes Kiki and Bambi page 5a Resident assistants must jump hurdles By Sean Gorman news writer "What does it take to be one of those guys or gals every hall has for people to go to for help, complaints or just talks with a friend? Some people might not even realize that they have a person in their hall to enforce rules or to go to for help, while others may be all too familiar with the local resident assistant (RA). So how does the university select such a group? The process of becoming a RA is very competitive, especially for women. In order to be an applicant, each RA must fill out an application, much like the one for college entrance. Next, there is a day devoted by the Residential Life Staff to interviewing all of the applicants in both group and individual sessions. These sessions are intended to show Residential Life how people interact with each other and who is a leader. RAs must have many qualities to be effective at their job. One of the most important. traits for RAs to have is empathy for others. In order to be an effective leader, one also must develop respect among their peers. According to Al Behnke, an RA in Gordis Hall, "The position takes discipline because you have to set a good example of behavior for your residents." The only way to be an effective leader is to develop mutual respect with your residents. . Elizabeth Arzillo, head resident of see RA, page 2a "Being an RA takes determination to do something positive as a leader. You have to know your own limitations and weaknesses." -Reporter CORRE CTIONS 1. "Crowds are an integral part of wins," Sports, Issue 16. The ankle was not written by Dee Romine but by Debbie Gadd, the assistant coach for the women's basketball team. 2. "Student organizations feel the squeeze," News, Issue 16. The information graphic was inaccurate. For an updated version refer to page 2a. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. 2. "Radiohead review," Life, Issue 16. The Radiohead website is located at www.radiohead.com. Contact Us 421 N. Woodland Blvd. # 8409 DeLand, FL 32720-3751 904.822.72:14 FAX 904.822.7233 [email protected] reporter^news@s tetson.edu [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] advertise® stetson.edu UNIVERSITY study M 1 &;:>^i;:'-* ' ■""'"* rmT\ iii.»';«f bcll-bruay _ua- ■ Volume I • ■v.r-M-..."> iw".'--'*-: ~,v.rvV>*-l tt&tg i * -£_ / <. V-x if ■ A 0/7-1.- ,2.'»3 * .^ Over the past two years, the self- study process has called Stetson to evaluate its own strengths and weaknesses By Kevin Hale ' editor-in-chief For the past few days the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) has been on campus poring over and checking the accuracy of the university's recently released Self- Study reports. Every decade the university is required to conduct an extensive self- evaluation of its operations to prove to SACS that it "has a purpose appropriate to higher education and has resources, programs and services sufficient to accomplish its purpose on a continuing basis." The Self-Study required the participation of nearly 150 individuals in over 20 committees. Faculty, staff, administrators and students from nearly every aspect of the university's operations were involved in the production of this report. According to the Self-Study's introduction, "a self-examination leading to reaffirmation of accreditation could not have come at a more opportune time." The culmination of the Self-Study is represented in a three-volume report divided into a Self-Study Report, a Compliance Report and a Follow-up Action Plan. The first volume is a "consultative" document that narrates the findings of the institution's purpose, strengths and weaknesses. This volume is the most critical of the. reports released and provides suggestions for many of the problems that still face the university. One of the most important revisions the university has made in the last decade has been the double make-over of its mission statement. Once after severing from the Florida Baptist Convention in 1992 and then again in the Nov. of 1998 to focus more on the environment and its diverse community, the new institutional purpose was defined "on the basis of its heritage, its present reality and its future aspirations." The report revealed that the low academic quality and lack of preparedness of incoming students have been working against its goals to be "worthy of local and national recognition." Containing one of the lowest average SAT scores for first year students in Florida, the report claims that the problem is being addressed with an increased attention to admissions, recruitment and scholarships. Programs like EH 111, University Experience and the "Athletic Academic Support Program" were cited to help already enrolled students who were lacking in academic preparedness. The Self-Study also commented on the "uneven effort among departments" to provide student tutoring programs. ■While the English department, foreign languages and music school have provided heavy "utilization" in this area in the forms of the Writing Center, labs, and lessons, the sciences and various majors of the business school have pro- see SELF-STUDY, page 2a ACADEMIC QUALITY OF FIRST YEAR STUDENTS School Mean First- Acceptance Freshman Top year SAT Rate 20& of Class New College 1330 68% 56% U. of Florida 1244 54% 60% Eckerd College 1170 76% 27% U. of Miami 1155 59% 45% Florida State U. 1147 75% . 45% Florida Inst, of Tech 1143 87% 28% Rollins College 1140 73% 37% U. of North Florida ... 1136 84% ■ 18% .. ;Stetsb*nf U.., x. x\ 1129 .88% ;_;;;.:33%x U. of Central Florida 1120 65% 29% SOURCE: BARRON'S. 2000 EDITION Percentage of Accepted Students Enrolling at Stetson 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 52% ' 52% 48% 44% 36% 38% 33% 30% 37% HEAVILY ENROLLED MAJORS Programs , # of Majors in 1993 # of Majors in 1999 Biology 153 • 111 • Psychology 136 98 Political Science 107 71 History 50 26 English 110 61 Sports and Excercise Sceicne Did not exist 141 Digital. Arts. Did not exist 67 ■ SOURCE: SELF-STUDY 2000 VOLUME I The information in this article and the above statistics are only a small sample of the Self-Study's findings. An electronic version of the entire report can be found at https://beret.stetson.edu/selfstudy/ Benefit con helps quake victims PIANO: Michael Rickman, a professor of music'at the university, acknowledges the audience's applause during the concert Valentine's night. PHOTO BY NERISSA LOVELL By Teresa Schwarz NEWS EDITOR Love and compassion permeated' the atmosphere of Elizabeth Hall Wednesday night as musicians came together to raise money to help those injured in recent earthquakes in El Salvador. A variety, of music faculty members and students came together through the organizational efforts of Lex Vilanova, a guitar major from El Salvador, to raise money for the victims of the Jan. 13 and Feb. 13 earthquakes. The theme of the music selections and the concert overall was love. The performers volunteered to help once Vilanova began his efforts to organize the concert. The selections of. music reflected this compassion in the form of love songs through the ages. The concert raised over $2,200. The concert was divided into two sections, by the traditional intermission, but the second half of the concert was entirely different from the first half. The first half consisted of five pieces performed by Stephen Robinson, the founding director of the guitar program at the university; Pamela Coburn, a soprano vocalist; Michael Rickman, a pianist and professor of music at the university; Emily Snyder, a music education major; and Vilanova, a guitar major. The classical pieces performed in the first half contrasted greatly with the modern pieces of the second half. During the intermission, the stage transformed from the classical piano scene to a modern electrical one with cords, microphones and electrical instruments. see MUSIC, page 2a htlp://rcpbrt^otel3bn.edu - nSE__B___3____