Dordt defeats Who is listening Northwestern. to KDCR? pg. 3 Follow us on Twitter: @TheDordtDiamond pg. 6 Like us on Facebook: The Dordt Diamond Dordt College 9 February 2012 Issue 18 “Academically Adrift”: Are Dordt students falling behind too? Study shows that college students are not learning as much as they should be Kelly Zatlin process what they have learned think ‘oh my, you’re going to Editor while in college, but instead need a lot of work.’ So you go see the results of their learning step, by step, by step…but also down the line. “I’m not sure I I think ‘Oh you’re going to A recent study done over the agree even with the statistics,” grow.’ I see them a year or two past several years has shown said Dengler. “Students may say later, and they are doing fine.” that college students are not ‘I haven’t learned anything,’ but Some of those involved in learning anywhere close to then they find out through rein- promoting higher education, their full potential. Is that also forcement or even through life however, are greatly disturbed true of Dordt students? situations where they’ve had to by this study. In a Huffington Back in Jan. 2011, the book think about those things. It’s all Post article about this book, the Academically Adrift: Limited there -- it’s just they haven’t had President of the United States Learning on College Campus- to unearth it.” Student Association, Lindsay es released a study on the aca- Some students at Dordt still McCluskey, said the problem demic gains of 2,300 students feel as though they aren’t nec- stems from colleges treating enrolled in a range of four-year essarily learning the informa- students like consumers provid- colleges. They discovered that tion that they will need to apply ing business to their corpora- 45 percent of students “did not Photo by Aanna Stadem to their vocations down the line. tion. demonstrate any significant im- faculty, and I’m sure the admin- ognize that they are learning, “I feel like I’ve learned a lot “There is less personal at- provement in learning during istration too, do not see you as the professors are the ones who of information over the years,” tention in the classroom, fewer the first two years of college.” consumers.” see the change evolve in the said junior Jaclyn Droge, “but I tenure-track positions, and For all four years, 36 percent “I can’t really speak for pub- students throughout the years still don’t know how it will be more classes are being taught of students saw no substantial lic institutions; I really can’t, they are here, and even after beneficial later on. Dordt does a by teaching assistants and in increase in learning. because I know they have some they leave. good job of teaching us, but not some cases undergraduate stu- Several professors at Dordt good instructors and some that “Often students will come always at helping us apply the dents,” said McCluskey, ac- don’t buy into these statistics. are not good. But I see among back or I’ll get e-mails from information.” cording to the article. Communication professor Dr. my colleagues at Dordt a lot them years later, either here or Sophomore Mia Lavato, Veenstra recognizes the ten- Charles Veenstra questions of care for the students,” said at other schools, that say ‘at the in comparing college to high dency for colleges to move to- what kind of test would deter- Veenstra. “We’re here because time it didn’t mean much to me, school said, “It’s definitely wards being a business rather mine how much a student has we want to teach students.” but in the interim years, I under- more of a work load, but at than a place of learning, but he learned. As a freshman, Michael Van stand what we were doing then times it’s not like I feel I’m be- is confident that Dordt does not “What test would I give you Dixhoorn says he can tell he is and it makes complete sense to coming more educated.” have this attitude toward its stu- to prove that you didn’t learn already learning a lot here at me now,” said Dengler. Though the students may not dents. “That’s always a fear that anything in college? I would Dordt. “I can see improvement Veenstra would like students realize it now, their professors we have, that we turn this into a say it’s not time for the test in my own studies and in my to ask themselves the question, see them cultivating knowledge business model,” said Veenstra, yet,” said Veenstra. own classes. Especially in my “So what is education? Is it pil- over the years. “probably because we hear a lot Professor of English, Dr. accounting and business classes ing up a whole lot of facts? No, “I see students grow all the about budgets and how much Mary Dengler, is also a skep- because it’s stuff that I’ve never it is the development of a per- time,” said Veenstra. “I look we give out in scholarships. tic. She believes that students learned before.” at my CORE 100 group and I But I can tell you here, that the son.” often haven’t been able to fully Whether or not students rec- Roommate-less While some students are off studying abroad, their roommates feel the effects of being “left behind” day.” I got a goldfish I might start talk- Last semester Amber had four ing to it and go a little crazy.” roommates in the Kuyper apart- Jon Slaber, who also lives in ments and this semester she cur- the Kuyper apartments, had five rently has only two. One thing roommates last semester and two that she doesn’t miss, however, is roommates this semester. “Mike “the dish-pile-up in the sink that got married, Gary is in LA for seems to never go away when a semester abroad, and Phil is there are more people.” working at home doing his senior Kacy Oberfoell, a freshman design project,” Jon explained. here at Dordt College lives in Similar to Amber, he likes the West and has a four-person room space but would rather have his all to herself. Luckily, she is in buddies around. Even guys, it training to be a police officer, ma- seems, enjoy their male bonding joring in criminal justice. If any- time. The remaining roommates one should try and break in, she all have the luxury of having their could single-handedly hold down own room. the fort. So there you have it. It’s not When asked if she enjoyed about the space that you live in, having a “suite” to herself, she but rather the friends that fill it. said, “It kinda scared me at first, For those of you who have a full Photo by Aanna Stadem but now I really enjoy it.” house and wish that one or two Shanna Braunschweig to be snug as a bug are now spa- She puts everything she extra living space. of your roommates would fly the Staff Writer cious and roomy. doesn’t use on one side and lives When asked if she enjoyed the coop for the semester, maybe you A new semester has begun Although more space would on the other. Turns out she has extra space Senior Amber We- should think again. What are a and for some it has brought new seem a welcome change to many, so much space she doesn’t know ingarter said, “I do, but I would few more dishes when you have changes to their living situations. if given the choice, students what to do with it. When asked if much rather have my best friends friends with which to share laugh- Apartments and dorms that used would rather have their room- she should invest in a goldfish to here than a room to myself any ter and late night discussions? mates back at Dordt than have the keep her company, Kacy said, “If Page 2 News 9 February 2012 A simple way to say “I Love You” Symposium Update sold Valentine’s Day roses it wasn’t a cute girl with a Hello again fellow students! in order to help fund the crush on him that bought multiple endeavors that him a flower, but his 250 This past week, Symposium discussed the parking and will be taking Dordt stu- pound roommate. housing situation here at Dordt. I know these are important dents across the United Overall, though, the issues for students, so be sure to talk to a symposium rep, stop States and Canada over fundraiser was a success. by the office, or send us an email for more details. spring break. Men were able to confess The fundraiser brought their undying affections Also, Symposium will be partnering with the ASCE club in $75, which, according to and PLIA was able to raise in their work to promote recycling on campus. Keep your PLIA co-chair BJ Ryks, is a little money that will go eyes open for more information and for every opportunity to about what they were ex- towards an excellent cause. recycle. Those blue bins aren’t the same thing as trashcans. pecting. “We weren’t ex- From March 8-17 of fif- pecting a whole lot,” Ryks teen groups will travel to From everyone at Student Symposium, have a great week Photo by BJ Ryks told me, “because we have unique locations where and God bless.