Statesma I~ ~ ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- - - PEu I Changes in store for medical school By Joanne Rooney participate since faculty will be rewarded Not so long ago, the Stony Brook Medical like they are for the outstanding research School opened its doors to medical students they do in laboratories. who would become the doctors and "The promotions committee and the researchers of the new generation. dean," he said, "are going to reward them by Now it's 20 years later, and the large lec- promotion from assistant professor to asso- ture halls that echoed professors and lectur- ciate professor for doing a comparable ers' booming voices will be gathering dust in excellent job in teaching." September, if all goes as planned Stony Brook Medical School is not the first All students, whether returning or incom- to change its curriculum. What Miller des- ing, will bypass the large lecture hall for cribes as small-group instruction is com- smaller rooms with fewer students and monly known as Problem-Based Learning, in more faculty. which students learn through their own Frederick Miller, professor and chair of efforts rather than from lectures. the Pathology Department, said two ideas "A group of students will be presented encouraged the change. with a clinical problem," said Miller, "and "One reason is that there has be-n an then the students will have to go out and influx of information due to scientific advan- read, speak to faculty, watch videotapes, ces in the medial field over the last 20 years, gather information and discuss it among but the length of medical school is the themselves." same," said Miller. "We need to edit the According to Miller, there will be fewer information so that the students can deal File Photo exa llsUccdubt u llr Wu*l uC law n4UM v5:-». University Hospital with it. He hopes tools for student evaluation will be "Another reason is the large amount of have that time to use as they wish," said ing the number of lecture hours too five and more varied than they were in the past. material given to students to learn during Miller. "We will try to transmit the material stressing small group instruction and prob- "You have to be careful when you do the lecture. There were days when students in a very effective manner by using modem lem solving instead these major changes that you don't rock the would come in at 8 or 9anmL and sit in a teaching devices such as computer-assisted "The revisions will also havEe a great boat," said Miller. "Our curriculum hasn't lecture hall for maybe five or six hours, and instruction and videotapes." impact on the faculty since thee present changed since the medical school was not only the students but the facutlty came Dawn Ventura is a second-year medical faculty-to-student ratio of 1:10(D will be founded. It's been static for 15 or 20 years. lik e t h e to the understanding that the intake after student who believes the changes are posi- changing to a ratio of six faculty members It's whole faculty saying'Let's stop it about three hours isn't so wonderful." tive. "I think it's a great idea because when for an estimated 16 or 17 stude nts," said and look where we are.' And that's what we u s t d id t w a s a la r e According to Miller, the students will be you spend many hours in a lecture hall, it Miller. "We are going to need a,bout five j . I g self-evaluation. We taking fewer courses so the problem of infor- creates too much of a passive environment times as much faculty time and yoMuhave to would like to think that we are able to make mation overload and overlapping informa- and it's hard to stay enthusiastic. I also think realize faculty are doing reseiarch and better doctors." I t h in k t h e tion will be minimized. it will be much more exciting than sitting in a they're involved in taking care of p.atients, so " students are very enthusiastic "More time will also be available to stu- lecture hall for three or more hours." they're going to have to work a littlee harder." about it. There is input from the student dents that had been lecture time. They will Miller said the committee plans on limit- Miller said it will be in their best iinterest to evaluations in every course, as well as three student representatives on the curriculum A^^ committee, so we know how the students e^Jffeel. A lot of changes will be made because Issues faced in University Senc students have a strong feeling about something." By Robert Allen 'Search Committees for Vice Provost for of quality, a modest increase in tujition may "We try not to encourage a competitive The last University Senate meeting of the research, the vice provost for undergradu- be appropriate provided that revenues atmosphere, but a cooperative atmosphere. semester was held on Monday. Senate Presi- ate studies, and the Dean for international resulting from such an increase n<Dt be used We're sure it's going to work." dent Norman Goodman opened the meeting programs are progressing." to reduce state appropriation by ain equival- Arthur Grollman, chairman of the Pharrna- with a brief overview of the agenda and then Edelstein continued by naming some new ent amount." The SUNY Facullty Senate cology Department, said some students introduced fellow senate representatives to programs for 1990. In the fall of 1990 there endorsed the executive connmittee's memorize transcripts of lectures ratherthan give their reports on various campus-related will be a masters degree program for secon- statement. going to class. topics. dary school mathematics teachers that Moos continued by confirmingg that the "It's not really a good way to learn infor- m a o n s a id Tilden Edelstein read the report from the Stony Brook will be offering jointly with the SUNY Senate had unanimously passed a ti ," Grollman. "I think the move fr o m a le c t u r fo a t t o is a provost, in which he mentioned new leader- State University College at Old Westbury. resolution on curriculum integriation that e nn smaller classes o o d o n e a n d t h a t c o m u te ri z e d instruc- ship positions that have been filled. Alex- After the provost report, Joan Moos gave would allow for more scholarships to g , p tion as a component won't replace learning, ander H. King, Associate Professor of her report from the Executive Committee minorities. Materials Science and Engineering, and the SUNY Faculty Senate. She listed the but it will be a useful adjunct." accepted the position of Vice Provost for various items that were either passed or President John Marburger spo)ke briefly Grollman finds some flaws in the new cur- Graduate Studies. Professor Patrick Heelan vetoed by the SUNY Faculty Senate. The first on the parking fee. He said the statte is going riculum as well. "I do think the integration of of the Department of Philosophy accepted item discussed was the SUNY tuition hike. to increase costs to Stony Brrook. The subjects has gone too far," he said. "Certain appointment as acting Dean of Humanities The report contained evidence of a tuition budget gap will now have to be mlade up by things can be integrated, but you cannot and Fine Arts. Edelstein went on to com- increase. It stated, "To avoid program reduc- Stony Brook and it is not quite clewar yet how ment about other committees. He said, tion, diminished student access and erosion this money will be collected. See MEDICINE on page 2 r Talent show and lobster bite at SB is miraculous alternative to the sandwiches I By Martha L Ferreira Liberal Arts major and feels that his voice IJ^ The Faculty Student Association (FSA) "a gift from God." Among the places he has always eat." and Polity made Stony Brook students performned before are: The Tunnel, Zan- Junior Paul Recchia who attended the this year "was a "Lobster happy" at the third annual Lobster zibar and Sweet Waters. Moreover, Latham Lobster Bite last year said, Bite held on Tuesday. plans to continue his singing after gradua- lot better than last year, a band played most The tracition of the Lobster Bite started tion. "Ive been singing all my life and it's of the time and it got dull." He also said, last Gerald Latham left). talent show three years ago. It was proposed by Polity, in something I'd lie to pursue professionally," yearthere weren't enough lobster openers winner around. *Tbestudents were using their soda hopes of encouraging interaction between he said supposed to do." he would do with his cans to open lobsters." faculty and the student community. With When asked what This year, there were four lines for stu- this in mind, a talent show was added to the prize money, Latham said,"I'd like to buy my Robert Stein, manager of Roth Cafeteria, has worked for DAKA for five years and this dents to wait on. Although there were more menu for SB students to enjoy, according to school -Ing and also get graduation tickets workers put out by DAKA this year, senior was the third Lobster Bite he has been the prime coordinator behind this year's for my family." "too involved with.