I Continuous MIT News Service | Cambridge Since 1881 ;Massachusetts i Volume 103. Number 40 i _ Tuesday, October 4, 1983 V i Forty percent of Frosh fail writing test -11 By Burt S. Kaliski Almost 1000 students took the intended to be "as flexible as Forty percent of freshmen and optional writing examination, possible," she claimed. The Corn- ~om e tb t p rse students who took the Walters said. "Students don't mittebe on the Writing Require- low to m set both parts of transfer N freshman writing evaluation last seem to realize that there are oth- ment recognizes that some stu- a a month failed the examination, ac- er" ways to meet the writing re- dents are unable to write well un-M IT w riting requirem ent cording to Bonnie Walters, coor- quirement. -der pressure, she said. dinator of the Committee on the Eight students satisfied the first Students were allowed 90 min- The MIT writing requirement has two parts. The first, con-- and completed during the Writing Requirement. half of the new requirement by utes this year- 30 minutes more cerned with basic writing competence Another 30 percent were given scoring 750 or higher on the Col- than last year - to complete a freshman year, may be satisfied by: the College Board Achievement grades of "marginal pass," and lege Board Achievement Test in 500-word essay, Walters said. 0 Scoring 750 or higher on with Essay; the remaining 30 percent passed English Composition with Essay, "I don't think the readers are Test in English Composition offered during residence/orien- the test, Walters said. Walters said. grading harder," she said. "I'm 0 Passing the essay evaluation A quarter of the students who Students may also complete really puzzled" about the high tation week; grade in Expository Writing for Under- took a similar test last year the first part of the requirement number of failing grades. 0 Receiving a passing failed. by receiving a grade of pass in Enrollment in expository writ- graduates 1I: English as a Second Language (21.334), Expository The Class of 1987 is the first one of four expository writing ing subjects is "roughly in line WVriting (21.730), Writing and Experience (21.731), Introduction or an equivalent subject required to complete the M IT subjects, a "very popular op- with the highest in recent years," to Technical Communication (21.732), Group, or Concourse; or 04writing requirement. Transfer stu- tion," she said. said James Paradis, associate pro- in Interphase, the Experimental Study for dents entering MIT this year also "Most students have a good fessor and director of The Writ- 0 Submitting a five-page paper of expository prose written a must complete the requirement, idea of how they write," Walters ing Program. "There's some indi- any MIT subject. concerned with special- 34 Walters said. said. The writing requirement is cation there's a slight increase in The second part of the requirement, ized writing within a student's professional discipline, may be -- Reelll- - enrollment" over last year. Approximately 450 students satisfied by: ii are registered for one of three ex- 0 Receiving a grade of B or better for the quality of writing I! pository writing subjects offered in a cooperative subject, in Workshop in Writing for Science by The Writing Program, an in: and Engineering: English as a Second Language (21.337), Work- crease about 30 or 40 over last shop in Writing for the Social Sciences and Architecture: Eng- according to Paradis. "A lish as a Second Language (21.338), or Science and Engineering I year, lot of people would take [the sub- Writing (21.780), based on a project in the student's field; or li jects] whether or not there's a re- e Submitting a ten-page paper of expository prose from any quirement." MIT subject or UROP activity within the student's professional (Please turn to page 141 area. Activity en em bers and dleans 55 disc:ass rota of D~ean~s Office I By Thomas Huang Vanessa Cruz '85, a member of ing," he warned. "I don't want to for \Vomen Stu- talk about the issues that have. i Student activity members met the Association in a day-long conference Satur- dents, said the conference was come up about the legitimacy" of day to discuss ways to improve "an excellent idea, but I think the a student activity. their management and organiza- people running this thing should "I don't think I know of a time tional skills. have shown up." where activities have had more "Student activities are having Undergraduate Association latitude and more independence" trouble getting new members," President Michael P. Witt '84 was than now, Simonides said. said David M. Libby '85, chair- scheduled to welcome the activity "There is no distinct line be- man of the Undergradute Associ- leaders but did not attend be- tween [a group run] by the stu- ation Nominations Committee. cause he was ill, explained Inge dents and [one] run by the uni- "We want to see what the prob- Gedo '85, vice president of the versity," he claimed. 'The ques- lem areas are." Undergraduate Association. tion is not who does the running, The Undergraduate Associ- The low turnout for the confer- but how well things are done." ation and the Office of the Dean ence - approximately 30 stu- Stephen D. Immerman, assis- for Student Affairs sponsored the dents-was unfortunate, Libby tant dean for student affairs, said conference to help student activ- said. "However, I am still glad decisions made by the Dean's Qf- ity leaders become more effective we were able to have one," he fice in regard to the operation of Tech photo by Omar S. Valerio in financial management, public- continued. "I'm glad that we had student activities are not "ab- The book drop at the MIT Coop put up new signs warning ity, and recruitment of members, the people who were able to solute." customers against leaving valuables on the shelves after sev- Libby said. come. It's a good start." "Students know students better lost their valuables. See story, page 15. members discussed -s.eral- -..students- - - , -. L, _--- ----- ·----- - - - l The activity than we do," he said, and a the issues of balancing time spent group run by students "is the in activities and academics, pre- better way." The Dean's Office is Johnston is sCC chairman venting members from "burning concerned more with the learning out," and recruiting new mem- that occurs in a student activity Group~cancels movies; seeks film coordinator bers, They also discussed the In- than with the services rendered stitute's role in student activities. by the activity, he said. By Burt S. Kaliski acting chairman. "They're getting said. The Finance Board has Constantine B. Simonides, Were the Dean's Office con- The Student Center Committee really obnoxious." been lax in this requirement, he MIT vice president, told the re- cerned with the services rendered elected John Mark Johnston '84 Committee members com- continued, warning Finance presentatives how student activi- activities. his title would be I by chairman at its regular meeting plained that lack of interest in Board Chairman Raymond E. ties should be viewed. "I really the can- (Please turn to page 15) want to contribute to flam- (Please turn to page 2) I Sunday, after discussing showing the films often requires don't I I -rrr Irppsarrrm -c-- -p---------- C_ - -- - - -PF I - I i cellation last week of its midnight the movie coordinator to act as - -------- sbt I film series. projectionist every weekend, an i Johnston, former surmmer unwanted task. chairman of the committee, de- The committee considered pay- feated Micheline K. Fradd 584, ing the projectionist, but later former treasurer of the group, unanimously approved a motion after she reportedly dropped out to advertise at Lecture Series of the race in a closed meeting of Committee movies for a new co- the committee. ordinator. The committee is scheduled to Johnston will try "as well as in No- hold its annual elections possible" to resume the movie se- *ember. Johnston's term expires ries, he said after his election. in January. Johnston's election required but In other business, committee ten votes, because three of the Treasurer Mark J. Brine '85 re- commmittee's 21 members resigned ported on a 540,000 fund the last week. Fourteen members at- group established for student ac- tended the meeting. tivities using Student Center fa- cilities. The Student Center Commit- tee, lacking a coordinator for its The committee gives the Un- Midnight Movies, cancelled the dergraduate Association Finance series last week despite numerous Board the approximately $2300 allo- phone calls from moviegoers. interest earned each term to "Lots and lots of people were cate to student activities. he said. calling up to see what the 'Mid- Any organization using the night Movie was, and there funds must display on all adver- 19. wasn't one" said William nM. tising that the Student Center Women's field hockey drives against Pine Manor. More photos, page Hobbib '86, secretary and former Committee is a sponsor, Brine PLCIII I -Bsll pl-"arnre·srrr.··Bss·la , - -` -- --------- L--·-- 'N PAGE 2 The tech TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1983 -I r- _ -- Urban Aition back in service By Sam Cable scratch" in the summer of 1982, people to volunteer if they don't "This year will show if MIT Chesonis said, and will continue want to," Chesonis said. '"We just needs a group like Urban Ac- recruiting this fall. - try to make sure that everyone tion," said Arunas A.