Bridgewater State University Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University Bridgewater Magazine Campus Journals and Publications 1987 Bridgewater Magazine, First Issue, Fall 1987 Bridgewater State College Recommended Citation Bridgewater State College (1987). Bridgewater Magazine [first issue]. Retrieved from http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_mag/21 This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. BRIDGEWATER MAGAZINE FALL,1987 Table of Contents Admissions Policies Tightened at BSC 2-4 Bridgewater State College Lecture Series for 1987-1988 Announced 28-29 Homecoming Announcement ................ .. 4 Heritage Award for Ann duCille, '71 29 Robert Karns and Peter Hartel Head National Fund ........................ .. 5 Profile: Joel Weissman, '72 30-31 Class of '62 Seeks Endowed Chair BSC Plans Summer Program at Oxford ....... .. 33 in Honor ofJordan Fiore, '40 6 New SGA President and Student Trustee 33 Brief Notes 7 College Facilities Named by Dr. Gerard Indelicato Inaugurated Board of Trustees 34 as Ninth President of BSC 8-11 Chamber Singers Tour Eastern Europe 35 May, 1987, Commencement 12 Sports: "Bring Back the Cup!" 36 Chancellor Jenifer's Commentary Phi Alpha Theta Inducts New Members. ...... .. 37 on Capital Outlay Bill. ..................... .. 13 '87 Orientation Leaders 37 Profile: Dr. Stella Monks Fogelman, '16 ..... 14-16 Class Notes 38A3 Cape Cod Area Meeting Held; Welcome Gamma Phi Beta 41 More Area Meetings Planned. ............... .. 17 Orientation for Class of '91 43 Chemistry Grad Holds Many Patents 18 Dedicate a Tree for Bridgewater 44 "Writing as a Liberating Art: Consequences for a Democracy" Essay by President Indelicato 19-24 More Brief Notes. ...................... .. 25-26 BSC Freshman Kimberly Stubbs Wins Essay Contest 27 Profile: Artist Steve Mills, '82 27 Charles Kuralt will be at Bridgewater in April. See story of "Bridgewater State College Lecture Series," pages 28-2 9 Dedicate a Tree for Bridgewater, page 44 Two members of the Class of 1951, Terry (Hart) Cogan and Barbara (Hart) Foley, at Cape Cod Area Meeting in August. Story page, 17 Bridgewater Magazine is published by Bridgewater State College and the Bridgewater Alumni Association. Address all correspondence to: Editor, Bridgewater Magazine, Box 13, Bridgewater, Massachusetts, 02324. 2 'Iff" ':A ; ... ~~,~ -f. Admissions Policies at Bridgewater Are Tightened -- Applications Rising New academic policies also in effect ~ core curriculum strengthened ~ writing examination for all students ~ new requirements for student athletes Students applying to Bridgewater State College Among the major revisions in Bridgewater's new this year will confront the most selective policies regarding admission to the College are these: application process of any public college or I. Writing Sample university in Massachusetts, as Bridgewater Bridgewater is the first public college or becomes the first to adopt an admissions procedure university in Massachusetts to require a consistent with the state's selective private writing sample as part of the application process; institutions. 2. Application Deadline February 15th is the new deadline for Dr. Gerard Indelicato, President of the College, said filing an application for admission. that major changes in admissions' policies were Previously, the deadline was April 1st. necessitated by the "extraordinary and rising number of This makes Bridgewater's deadline for applications for admission Bridgewater has received." application consistent with most private Over the past five years, he said, applications have colleges and universities; been rising steadily, "and this year, the College received 3. Notification of Acceptance/Rejection a total of approximately 8,000 applications for All applicants will be notified on or freshman and transfer seats," the largest received by any about April 1st, and those accepted have state college in Massachusetts. until May 1st to enroll; "We are re-creating the image of the public college in 4. Interviews Massachusetts," said Dr. Indelicato. "Traditionally, the All applicants are "strongly Commonwealth has been noted for its abundance of encouraged" to have an admissions private colleges and universities, many with national interview. Previously, the policy stated reputations for excellence. The same fine education at a that interviews were available at the reasonable cost is available here, and growing public request of the candidate. A personal awareness of that fact is reflected in our very strong interview with an Alumni Admissions applicant pool." Representative (alumni who have been He said the number of applications, and the selected to interview candidates and make increasing quality of applicants (SAT scores of those a recommendation) or with a member of applying to BSC this year are 15 points higher than a the Admissions Staff will now be year ago in both the math and verbal portions), are considered as an important part of each evidence that "the reputation of our faculty, in candidate's file. particular, and our academic program, in general, truly have won the recognition for quality they deserve." continued, next page 3 ACADEMIC POLICIES continued The intent behind these changes, says President Indelicato, is to further refine the process of admitting ~hc ~o~ton the best-qualified students. <§Iobc "These and other steps we are taking will help Bridgewater select those students who have the most to contribute to the intellectual environment of the The Boston Globe, in an editorial published in June, College and who are most likely to succeed in a highly cited the College's efforts to raise standards. Here is competitive academic program," he said. what the Globe said: "Among so many fine applicants, the evaluation process is a difficult one. Bridgewater is not interested In a series of steps unusual for a public college, in the quantity of applicants. Instead, our major Bridgewater State College has undertaken a well­ concern is with the quality of those applying for conceived program to establish itself as credible admission," he explained. competition for well-regarded private liberal arts "The new policies and procedures will allow us to colleges. create a freshman class that has a diverse mix of students." "We can compete," says Bridgewater president Mr. James Plotner, Dean of Admissions, says the Gerard Indelicato, "and we are going to compete." changes in policies resulted from a process of review An emphasis on the ability to write is the and consultation among many individuals at strategy that Indelicato, and the college faculty Bridgewater. have chosen for making Bridgewater competitive "There was wide consensus among all involved that with such schools as Middlebury and Fairfield and the time had come to make ref:nements. Besides the requirement of a writing sample and change in "public ivies" like the University of Vermont. application dates, we've also revised and expanded our Students applying for admission in September application form so we can learn more about each 1988 will have to submit an essay, and beginning candidate's background," he said. with that freshman class, all students will have to pass a writing test - probably requiring them to write essays - during their junior year. Some Several other developments have taken place which contribute to a renewed emphasis on academic achievement writing will also be required in every college at Bridgewater. These include: course, including math and science courses. This spring, Bridgewater had 8,000 applicants General Education Requirements for 1,000 places; although many of those high After several years' study and debate within the school seniors were using Bridgewater as their College governance system, a new core curriculum will "safe" backup school, even that kind of go into effect at Bridgewater State College this fall for consideration gives the school a certain standing. freshmen. The "General Education Requirements," (GER's), This year's applicants were also the result of an constitute that body of courses in the arts, humanities, aggressive recruiting program - which included the natural sciences and mathematics, and social and busing of high school guidance counselors to behavioral sciences which all students, no matter what Bridgewater to see the school and meet with the their major, take in order to insure that they study a faculty and administrators. variety of disciplines during their college careers. For the future, the Bridgewater application The new GER's have twelve categories: process will be modeled on that of the private Writing liberal arts schools and will include alumni Speaking interviews and interviews at the school. PhilosophyjReligion Locating and Processing Information Indelicato, who became the college's president History last year, is a Bridgewater graduate and a booster. Literature He likes to foster a rivalry with nearby Wheaton Artistic Modes of Expression College, remarking that "our faculty is as good as Physical and Biological Sciences theirs, our facilities are as good as theirs, and we Behavioral and Social Sciences cost only a third as much." Systematic Study of a Foreign Language That is a bold, even daring, position for a state Mathematics college president, but as tuition costs pass the Facts, Principles, and Methods for Understanding Non-Western Civilization $15,000 mark at private colleges, students will be looking for a public college that puts itself into the