On Your Mark... Get Set... Transition Program Gives Incoming Black Students Head Start on College Life at JMU
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\jf\m *m3*>T 1"-- WEATHER m 21 m* INSIDE TODAY: hazy and hot chance of rstorms NEWS 3 H&K93 Low: 75 STYLE 6 SPORTS 8 FRIDAY: partly tunny OPINION 9 humid CLASSIFIEDS 11 High: 95 Low: 74 HUMC 12 JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY THURSDAY JULY 21,1994 VOL. 71, NO. 55 On your mark... get set... Transition program gives incoming black students head start on college life at JMU by Calista Moore The JMU transition program difficult, but "It's something I "They know more than the to get acquainted outside of the contributing writer allows select students to come in, have to do, so I have to make the average freshmen," Bullock said. campus environment. get a head-start, get to know the best of it." "Thev « familiar, they know the "We got to do something Each summer, while most campus, and develop skills that Monday through Thursday, for ropes, and they can show others different and fun," Patterson said. rising freshmen spend two days will hopefully make their tenure approximately one hour, the around." The transition staff contains registering for classes and at the university successful, ' Bond said the program four upperclassmen and a JMU becoming acquainted with the Bullock said. is helping him to adjust to graduate, who serve as the JMU campus, a select group of During the spring, the / won't be lost in the fall college life. "I won't be dormitory residence advisors and incoming black students Office of Admissions lost in the fall because I J>all director in Ashby Hall. participate for six weeks in the sorts through applications WC(MwehpcflUVP l1 Umnm hpmmino am becoming adjusted *"',The staff plans activities JMU Virginia Student Transition from black students to Becoming now," he said. "I will4 fcithin the hall which include Program. select each participant. adlU^tpd nOW ' know people when I get representatives from different "A taste of college life" is how The selection process is "**/**'««* TIUW. here, so I won't be alone." campus organizations. Associate Vice-President for based upon any possible When the students first "We have forums on topics Student Affairs Byron Bullock weak areas appearing in arrived on June 23, they like religion, Greek life, and describes the program, designed SAT scores or within the Kareem Bond attended the freshmen survival tips on campus," hall by the Commonwealth of high school transcripts, — Program participant summer orientation director Andrea Brown said. Virginia in 1974 to provide all Bullock said. -*^ "sessions for two days and During the Greek life forum, Virginians access to higher The students enroll in students also attend morning also journeyed to Baltimore, the staff invites current members education. two six-week classes (English sessions that focus on at least one Maryland on the following of the historically black sororities In 1983, JMU adopted the 101 and Math 156 or History area of campus services. Saturday. and fraternities on campus to plan, which selects black 101), based upon their own They gain the opportunity to The field trip to Baltimore was describe the background and freshmen to enter the university weaknesses and receive credit to meet different representatives intended to help the students get beliefs of their organization. during the summer and be forwarded to the following from campus facilities. to know each other, bond, and Bullock said a variety of participate in activities and semesters. By becoming familiar with the meet the staff, Bullock said. activities are planned for the classes designed to orient them to Rising freshman Kareem Bond different services offered at JMU, Residence Advisor Brian students, including board games campus life and also assist them said his classes contain a lot of the students are able to help other Patterson said that the trip in becoming successful students. work, which makes them new students in the fall. allowed the staff and the students see TRANSITION page 2 University's first doctoral program Construction behind schedule on library addition awaits approval Original August completion date no longer feasible, by Mary Beth Goodman September date now set contributing writer The Virginia General Assembly by Chris Podeschi remains the final obstacle for the JMU managing editor doctoral program in psychology to The completion date for the third floor function in an official capacity. addition to Carrier Library, originally The waiting game for final approval of slated for completion this August, has the first doctoral program at JMU comes been moved back to Septmeber 4. after unanimous support from the State According to Barbara Miller, deputy Council for Higher Education, said Dr. librarian who is overseeing the Harriet Cobb, coordinator of the JMU construction for JMU, work with a School Psychology Program. subcontractor fell through causing the "The General Assembly is the final process to fall "significantly behind." step in the process of approval," Cobb It was hoped that the addition would said. "The major hurdle was having the be complete for the beginning of the fall state Council for Higher Education semester, but the third floor isn't to be provide approval for it. They turned over to library staff until unanimously approved JMU for being September 4. At that point, materials, able to grant a Psychology Doctorate shelves and books can be moved in and degree." the third floor can be organized. The psychology doctoral program, if Miller hopes that they can begin to and when approved, could open the doors occupy the area before that date. She for other departmental doctoral programs, said moving materials in will take according to Dr. Dorothy Boyd-Rush, approximately two weeks and thus it Dean of JMU Graduate School. may not be until the middle of "There is a possibility for other September before the third floor is doctorate programs," Boyd-Rush said. available for student use. "But they will be taken on a selective EARL HALL/Staff basis." Workmen install a part of the new floor's duct system at Carrier Library see LIBRARY page 2 DOCTORAL page 2 THE BREEZE Thursday, Jury 21. 1994 2 Transition continued from page 1 Doctoral "The program gave me an idea continued from page 1 like Monopoly and Taboo. of how to study and what to a unique interdisciplinary study said. The doctoral program would unlike that found at any other Until the General Assembly However, the program allots expect from my professors," she change the university status from plenty of time for the students to said. university, Cobb said. gives the final approval to the a comprehensive institution to a "The program is unique in progam, the students currently focus on their assignments. Johnson added that if it doctoral-granting institution. that it includes two sub- Although the transition weren't for the program, she enrolled will be considered post- JMU, however, does not intend to disciplines of psychology, school EDS students ready for doctoral program officially ends on probably would not be as transform its educational outlook, and counseling, and it is August 5, Bullock said it involved with the campus candidacy. Cobb said that the Boyd-Rush said. primarily for people who are students are admitted with that continues to follow each student community as she is now. JMU expects state approval of already practicing in the field as until graduation. Junior political science major understanding. the university doctoral program either school psychologists or The university's program will Data from a JMU research Kalias Muhammad, who in March. project performed two years ago professional counselors or at begin at a full capacity of eight. participated in the program in But JMU will not be other psychologists at the master revealed that transition program 1992, also saw the workshops as Most of these students are from producing any doctors just yet.. plus level," she said. "This is JMU since the program was not students had a higher graduation an opportunity to become more at least not until the Virginia rate compared to other black non- really designed for the advertised during the past year. well adjusted to college life. General Assembly gets its two experienced practitioner who transition program students. "I didn't know what to expect Eight is actually on the high cents in. wants to specialize in working end for a doctoral program, The office of Multicultural from professors and my "Ultimately, all major with children and families Student Services created a examinations," he said. "It gave according to Cobb. changes in degree granting status providing psychological The core course work for the workshop for the fall semesters me a head start on my college need to be approved by the services." called "Understanding the JMU career by being able to start my doctorate program will take one General Assembly," Cobb said. This experience is necessary full year to complete. In addition, Way" for black students who first semester with six credits." No serious opposition is didn't attend the program. to participate in the university's the students are then expected to Muhammad added that the expected, however, since this doctoral program, according to The office also provides program introduced him to the complete an internship. was seen as a logical step for Cobb, and eight students are These new students will also advisers for the transition various resources around campus, JMU to take. students to assist them, in already enrolled in the program. be additions to the undergraduate such as the Office of The move towards a doctoral Dr. William Walker has been registration and academic Multicultural Student Services, teaching faculty. program in psychology at JMU hired to head the doctorate The psychology department challenges. as- the Center for Service Learning has been long in the making.