Governors State University OPUS Open Portal to University Scholarship Innovator Student Newspapers 10-31-1996 Innovator, 1996-10-31 Student Services Follow this and additional works at: http://opus.govst.edu/innovator Recommended Citation Governors State University Student Services, Innovator (1996, October 31). http://opus.govst.edu/innovator/481 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Newspapers at OPUS Open Portal to University Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Innovator by an authorized administrator of OPUS Open Portal to University Scholarship. For more information, please contact [email protected]. cto r ~1., 96 ·4 Voter's Coates explores Movies: Education the WEB at The Ghost and the Guide GSU Darkness A Governors State University Student Publication Volume 25, No.5 Education: Reform or Restructure? Gsu ARCHIVES Conference Reconceptualizes Higher Education c.s(;(,c1 sBo-, by Sharon Hudson Managing Editor An enlightening conference titled the presence of other ethnic groups in positions have stagnated. "Reconceptualizing Illinois Education: the institutions. He also stressed that Dr. Bryson has been a full Reformed or Restructured?" was held in African American professors need to professor at SIU since 1986, Springfield, Illinois last week at the prevent themselves from being over­ and has held other administra­ University of Illinois. The conference whelmed and also to let African Ameri­ tive positions. He disputed was sponsored by the Illinois Committee can students know that they are available figures given by some staff on Black Concerns in Higher Education for them. members at Sangamon state (ICBCHE) and Illinois Black Student How do we get students more in­ and said, "They gave us a Leadership Association (IBSLA). volved? "Students have to know and picture, that 6.2 percent of According to Dr. Melven C. Terrell, think of education as empowerment in their faculty are Black. What chair ICBCHE and vice president for order to be more asserttve and active in they did not tell us was how Student Affairs at Northeastern Illinois campus activities other than parties," Dr. may were tenured and how University, reconceptualizing, reforming, Epps said. He suggested college students many were on tenure track. and restructuring involves a vigorous make contributions by tutoring at local That's a different ball game, examination of educational policy and schools, providing mentoring for school different figures," he said. "At opportunities in the state of Illinois: children, and working with social service our university, in 1976, there issues that are important to all individuals agencies. were 1.9 percent tenured track as they strive for equality and advance­ In another session titled "Students, faculty, in 1996, it is 2.1. Photo/Sharon Hudson ment for blacks in higher education. Teaching, Committees, and Tenure: How Look at data in the state of Dr. Seymour Bryson, special assistant to the Several sessions were held at the are Black Faculty to Survive?," Dr. Illinois, it's about four President for Affirmative Action at SIU, conference where information and ideas Seymour Bryson, special assistant to the percent. If you factor out Carbondale were exchanged. Dr. Edgar Epps, President for Affirmative Action, SIU at Chicago State and maybe Marshall Field IV, professor of Urban Carbondale, and Dr. Laverne Gyant, Northeastern, in the whole state there is institutions," said Bryson. Education, University of Chicago, assistant director of the Center for Black around three percent of tenured faculty Bryson also said that a systematic lectured on, "Beyond Education and Studies; and assistant professor, LEPS, who are black. So, in spite of all that approach should be used when entering an Welfare Reform: The Role of Black, Post Northern Illinois University, talked about we've done, we're still not making that institution. According to Bryson individu- Secondary Professional and Students." how the progress in tenured faculty much progress in tenured faculty in continued on page 7 Dr. Epps discussed how African Ameri­ cans (at risk or underclass) still face disadvantages in the quantity and quality GSU Grad Student Publishes on Distance Education of education available to them over the span of their lives; and how individuals by Denise Graham Zahn Middleton states in her paper. are accessibility to materials, other stu­ have a tendency to pass blame as opposed Coordinator of Public Information Judgment on the effectiveness of a given dents or instructors; control over their to assuming responsibility. For example, Distance education is a hot topic in program depends on one's perspective as an time, and cost of a distance education." he pointed out that 109 schools in Chicago today's world of rapidly evolving technol­ administrator, educator, business person, stu­ Distance education includes correspon­ were put on the probation list because ogy - and the topic of Governors State dent, and the criteria on which the judgment dence courses, teleconferences and the academic levels were not raised and also University (GSU) graduate student, Ada Internet. stressed how racial stereotypes affect the Middleton's paper, "The Effectiveness of Middleton, a goal-oriented person education of African American students. Distance Education," will be published by pleased to be a part of GSU's educational "As post-secondary professors, what The lmernational Journal ofInstructional process, wants to produce educational vid­ can we do?" asked Dr. Epps. "We can fill Media. eos. "GSU has paid me many, many hon­ the information gaps between professors As a requirement for Professor Michael ors," she said. and students; reach out to local communi­ Stelnicki's Survey of Research Literature She has been Student Senate president, ties to develop successful high achieving course within GSU's Communications and president of the Multicultural Enhance­ schools; pre-service and in-service Training degree program Middleton wrote ment Committee, chairperson of the Stu­ training programs should be designed to a 31-page paper. According to Professor dent Leadership Advisory Council, chair­ guide our students; develop strategies to Stelnicki the content of the paper is equal person of the Martin Luther King Com­ empower students and parents to prepare to a doctoral dissertation. memoration Committee, first recipient of them for college; and conduct seminars in Middleton condensed the 31-page pa­ GSU's Community Service Award and reference to the barriers in higher educa­ per to five pages and submitted the paper Student of the Year. tion," he said. In addition, Dr. Epps to various scholarly and/or trade journals Currently, Middleton's activities in­ stated, "changing technology should for publicatiOns. Last month she was no­ clude memberships on the Student Sen­ change the way we educate; teachers have tified that her article would appear in the ate, International Students Organization, to learn how to use computers; and May/June 1997 edition of The lfllerna­ Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and co­ computers need to be accessible to tional Journal of Instructional Media. chairperson of the Student Senate's Elec­ students." Middleton determined through her re­ tion Committee. He also spoke about the problem with Photo/Anthony Dunbar search that distance education is effective Professor Stelnicki said , "She joins a the structure of post-secondary institu­ Graduate Student Ada Middleton 80 percent of the time. "An effective dis­ is made. number of my students who got published tions. According to Epps, because post­ tance education program or course needs "Students," she said, "tend to judge the over the last 10 years." secondary institutions are designed and input from a wide range of people with a effectiveness of distance education upon a It looks like 1997 will be another good ran by whites, there is a need to increase variety of expertise on all levels," broad base of criteria ... examples of these year for Middleton. 2 O:::t:cber 31, 1996 Stick the Nail Silence average person 10 the United States devote about twice the in the Coffin time to conversation than do the Japanese. In business, the by Allean Phelps by Sharon Hudson ability to communicate orally Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor and in writing is considered to be important in their jobs and graduates in business spend a Dole blew it! That's what some people are say10g about Can we ever "not" communi­ roles as very powerful, natural great portion of time in Republican nominee Bob Dole's decision to send h1s campa.gn cate? If we choose to be silent, and can't imagine speaking out speaking, followed by listening, manager, Scott Reed, to Dallas to try to convince H. Ross Perot, are we "not" communicating? unle s they have been violated writing and reading. In pre idential candidate of the Refonn Party to drop out of the race. Silence- forbearance from personally. Women in Western everyday social life in the speech or noise; absence of cultures are outspoken and often United States, people like to I agree. Not only was Dole's decision a bad move, it was sound or noise; absence of ego-driven. The power of ask questions and force others strange, to say the least. Why in the world would a man who was mention; to restrain from silence is not recogmzed by to talk to fill interpersonal so successful in getting Perot barred from the presidential debates expression. This is the definition those who value speech as power silences. Silence is not valued, choose to try to persuade him to drop out of the race? taken from Webster's dictionary. and by those who value therefore, not tolerated socially. Silence is stillness- a mental asserllven" s by all. The quantity of silences Even more troublesome, to me, is the fact that Reed chose to phenomenon of some duration. Silence in Japan compared to versus the quantity of speech is honor Dole's request: no questions asked.