oflie TInrversity (Mio \^/ Volume"^ ^^ Nbl4 |~ l#<*c* 25,1999 , *^^/ AjiiU —^1 $** UTC successful in Strike one! \# retaining African- American students By Jamilah Muhammad However, campus officials said staying Echo Staff Reporter in school longer can be beneficial for students. Campus officials said their efforts to "I think it's necessary to get the full scope recruit and retain African-American of a degree, and more education helps you students are the reason they are so do this," said Yancy Freeman, associate successful in helping them graduate. director of admissions. "I think that "The graduation rate of African- completing more requirements will better Americans at UTC is 41.74 percent," said prepare students for the next level in life, Dick Gruetzemacher, director of the office whether it be graduate school or their of planning and institutional research. "Our careers." graduation rate is higher than all other UTC officials said they have been Tennessee universities, whose overall rate working to recruit minorities for 30 years is 35.47 percent. We have had a lot of because they want UTC to be more success because we organize many representative of what the world is like. programs in the recruitment and retention "The whole idea of higher education is areas." to show students what the real world is really Campus officials say most college like," said Julius Dodds, assistant director of students are graduating in six years. recruitment and orientation. "We must "In many respects completing a degree expose students to diverse backgrounds by J.O. Morgan in four years is a thing of the past because enrolling more ethnic minorities." UTC pitcherTalya Trudell hurls a ball during Wednesday's most students finish within six years," Freeman said they have designed specific softball game against Georgia. Please see softball story on Gruetzemacher said. programs to recruit black students to UTC. page 13. Gruetzemacher said students are taking "We do a bus trip to Memphis every year longer to graduate now for two reasons. to bring prospective black students to our American high school scholars," Freeman of recruiting in Memphis because it has the "First of all students now have more campus," Freeman said. said. highest density of black students. However, course requirements in degree programs "We also have 'Minority Mentor's Day' Campus officials said they target we are sponsoring a bus trip to Knoxville in than they did 10 years ago," Gruetzemacher at local schools and we let black students African-American students more than other April." said. "And students who start full-time tend spend the day with a minority student on minorities because they are the most highly Freeman said the bus trip has an 85 to drop down to part-time because they campus," Freeman said. populated minority in Tennessee. must work to pay for an expensive "We also host a program called 'Focus "Typically, for Tennessee, minority has Please see education or a family." on Black Scholars' that honors local African- meant black," Freeman said. "Wc do a lot GRADUATION, page 3. Students have mixed feelings about services By Molly Cate That type of information is not given to grades are mailed to students. and improve the University." Echo Staff Reporter the registration office, said worker Johnathan Students may purchase a transcript for Enrolled students take the survey during Bowsher, Dexter, Mich., senior. $2 or get a rap sheet free. odd numbered years while alumni paticipate UTC students are satisfied with non- "I can't tell them what it's for because I Karolyi said the quality of services at in even numbered years. Participants are traditional services offered to them, such don't know," Bowsher said. "All I see on the UTC is better than the University of randomly selected with the goal of obtaining as on-line registation and library computer screen is what type of hold it is." ' Memphis, his previous school. various majors, classifications and ethnic technology. But, many have complaints Holds can include parking, telephone, Every state university must measure the backgrounds. about traditional services, including business or health. Students may go to the contentment of students once a year through Different aspects of the college registration and records. Bursar's office to find out more about holds. the Student Satisfaction Survey. experience are measured. These include the Lindsey Carlton, Dunlap, Tenn., Graduate student Jay Karolyi of Out of nine state universities UTC ranks quality of social, academic and campus and freshman, said her experience with the Chattanooga said he is satisfied with the in the top five, according to survey results service programs. registration office has formed a negative quality UTC's service programs, except for and has concluded a 80 percent rate of UTC's newest service programs are often opinion of the school's services. those provided by the records office. satisfaction among UTC students and favored by students. "UTC has never provided me with an Karolyi attempted to get a printout of his alumni. Tiffany McDonald, Chattanooga environment where people are eager to help grades. He thought this would be a simple The school recieves an additional 5.5 freshman, said on-line registration is me or make me feel at home," said Carlton. task, however workers told him it was not percent funding on the basis of its convenient. She also thinks teachers arc While attempting to register for spring possible. After visiting four offices, he performance. Money comes form the eager to provide extra help. semester, registration workers told Carlton obtained a copy. Tennessee Performance Funding. Nicole Carlton, Nashville freshman, said she could not because of a hold. Workers The University's computer program will "It helps offices and departments her experiences with using services have also said the hold was confidential. not allow random grade print outs, said improve what they're doing," said Dick been nothing but good. She is especially "How can it be confidential if it's about Margaret Killebrew, supervisor of records. Gructzmaker, director of academic and pleased with the library, including its our own lives?" asked Carlton. The task is done one time per semester when institutional research. "We take these results resources and workers. 2 The University Echo I Thursday, March 25,1999 Occupational therapy major now available By Niccole Carpenter Regina Middleton, Chattanooga junior. Echo Staff Reporter "You have to study every night." "Occupational therapists evaluate A new department of UTC is growing occupations that people are involved in," in a corner of Provident. Norris said. "We help people who have Occupational therapy, the latest addition difficulty meeting those occupations. The to UTC's list of majors, is located in the may have difficulty through a mental or Provident West building downtown. physical disorder." The program officially started last fall Occupation is defined not only as the but students did not start classes until the career of the patient but what the patient does spring semester, said Teresa Norris, a every day, Norris said. Getting out of bed, occupational therapy professor. making coffee and driving are all included There are currently 10 students in the OT in the concept of occupation. program. They are all juniors. This is The department is located in the because students must be a junior to enter Provident West building because Provident into the program. However, that is not the wants to have a working relationship with only qualification for entrance, Norris said. the OT program, Norris said. The classroom As freshman and sophomores the and office space for the department was students must fulfill their general education donated by Provident. Eventually the OT requirements along with certain department will work with Provident on J.D. Morgan prerequisites required by the OT program. Occupational therapy students make paper at Provident West. some research projects, Norris said. In January of the sophomore year, the 10 students will be allowed to join the physical therapy majors, UTC is one of only five schools in the student would turn in an application for the program. "The major is very challenging," said state that has an occupational therapy program in to the OT department. An The students in the program mostly stay Jenny Ortner, Memphis junior. "We are in program. interview will follow. The student will then in the Provident building throughout their class from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Then you go be notified if the program has accepted the day. Some of their classes are taken on- home and study for at least three hours." student or not, Norris said. Next fall only campus. Those classes are mostly taken with "You have to dedicate yourself," said Deadline for filing taxes approaching quickly By Gina Speciale "It's really to the student's advantage to mistakes, but Harmon said students should paycheck in taxes. The Aztec file under these circumstances," said DeLisa be careful and avoid common mistakes such Citibank is also offering a free brochure Harmon, a Citibank agent. "Most likely you as forgetting to sign the documents or putting called "Tax Facts for First Time Filers." (U-WIRE) SAN DIEGO—April 15, the will get money back." That refund could be down the wrong social security number. Students can receive one by calling (800) deadline to file taxes, will be here before as much as a few hundred dollars. "We want students to pay more attention 669-2635. you know it, and for students filing for the Students can also still get a refund even to personal finance," Harmon said. In some circumstances, students may not first time, those little numbers can be a scary if they are claimed as a dependent on their First, students need to know whether be able to use the new 1040EZ form, but thought.