Grand Valley State University ScholarWorks@GVSU Volume 42, July 12, 2007 - June 12, 2008 Lanthorn, 1968-2001 3-27-2008 Lanthorn, vol. 42, no. 53, March 27, 2008 Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/lanthorn_vol42 Part of the Archival Science Commons, Education Commons, and the History Commons Recommended Citation Grand Valley State University, "Lanthorn, vol. 42, no. 53, March 27, 2008" (2008). Volume 42, July 12, 2007 - June 12, 2008. 53. https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/lanthorn_vol42/53 This Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Lanthorn, 1968-2001 at ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Volume 42, July 12, 2007 - June 12, 2008 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. « *• •• - Lakers lose in Elite Eight, B1 Yesterdog to co-host Jay and Shwa wheelchair fundraiser, B4 Coffeehouse perform at Cook-DeWittf A5 Grand Valley State University www.lanthorn.com Thursday, March 27, 2008 Energy Challenge ^ , - ! 3 sparks competition ______ 1 s aM GV residential communities monitor energy usage By Kathryn Lynch-Morin This month all of the residential G VI. Staff Writer housing communities at GVSU are being monitored for energy consumption. At the end of the month, It is 2008 and green is definitely the figures will be compared to the the new black. energy use from March 2007. Reusable shopping bags, hybrid Andy Beachnau, director of vehicles and Housing and Health compact fluorescent “I participate in the Services, said the lightbulbs have all housing energy made their way into Conserve Energy challenge began in our daily lives and Challenge because I 2006. our vernacular. So “It was created to what is Grand Valley believe it is a small teach and promote State University step toward practicing sustainability doing to be a part of behaviors for on- this Earth-friendly environmental campus residents,” trend? GVSU is GVl / PeteTabberer conservation. ” he said. holding the Conserve Sustainability: Junior Chris Best uses the recycling bin located in Lake Superior Hall. All residential communities across campus will participate in a The competition Energy Challenge AMY ROTTER competition called Conserve Energy Challenge during the month of March. The winner will be announced in April. pits living centers to challenge its GVSU SENIOR The community that shows the and projects include Energy Star April. against themselves residential students most improvement will be able to appliances, furniture additions or Copeland Living Center won the as they attempt to to conserve energy and to be a choose from a list of sustainability replacements, campus artwork and competition last November, and reduce their energy consumption part of the campus sustainability items and initiative projects for their a community garden, among others. runners-up were Murray and South B from March of last year, Beachnau improvement initiative. residencies or the campus. Items The winner will be announced in said. See Green, A2 Administration: GVSU cuts down Decline in awarded prerequisites master's degrees not cause for concern By Michelle Hamilton flexibility as far as what classes they can GVL News Editor get into.” University Provost Gayle Davis said this University officials A little more than one year ago, a is the first time since she began working for attribute 109 fewer university-wide effort began to re-evaluate GVSU six years ago that there has been course prerequisites at Grand Valley State a university-wide effort to assess course awarded masters University. As of this fall, more than 200 requirements. degrees last year courses were eliminated as requirements The evaluation process began before the for other classes. university made the switch to Banner this to Michigan s poor “As a university, school year. Many faculty members wanted to incorporate a prerequisite checking economic situation we really have more GVL / Bri Goodyear system into the online course sign-up (prerequisites) than Problematic prerequisites: Junior Dave Deradorian fills out a form to override prerequisites By Brian Beaupied would be typical,” said program, and university officials thought it finished their evaluations for this year. will perform in a science class. At GVSU, GVl. Senior Reporter Associate Dean Steve would be a good time to re-evaluate course Glass. requirements, Davis said. In some departments, such as science, course credit for Math 110 or its equivalent Glass, who works “We’re hoping that once this is all up course requirements are beneficial to is often required before moving on to a The number of master’s degrees the students and eliminating them is not in the College of and running, we’ll have to do a lot less science class. awarded by Grand Valley State Interdisciplinary checking in with each other about getting something done lightly. As with chemistry, not many University decreased for the first Studies, said there (course) permits,” she added. Chemistry professor Sherril Soman said prerequisites needed to be eliminated within time in six years in 2006-07. were not very many Owls As of this semester, some university it is necessary for students in her classes to the school of business, but the evaluation It was also the largest decrease prerequisites in his departments made the switch to a paperless have the proper background knowledge process will benefit the student body, said the university has seen since it school to begin with, but the move is a system for course overrides and closed class before they can move on to the next level. John Reifel, associate dean for the Seidman awarded its first two master’s positive one for developing new programs, permits. Instead of taking a signed waiver “Students who have prerequisites in the School of Business. degrees in 1976. as well as for students. to the Student Services Building, some course do better than those who don’t,” she “Really, it’s a student-friendly move This is a trend which the “(Prerequisites) affect what can be departments started approving waivers via said. because the fewer prerequisites there are, university may continue to see offered as a major and building up new e-mail. In a 2007 study published in the the more accessible the courses are,” he for a couple more years, said programs,” he said. “By us looking at this Davis said she hopes the process of Education Forum, researchers concluded said. university officials. carefully, it allows (the departments) to be evaluating prerequisites will be ongoing, the number of years a student has studied Despite dropping almost 12 more specific and allows students some but the majority of departments have math directly impacts how well he or she [email protected] percent, the decline in master’s degrees is not a cause for concern, said Priscilla Kimboko, dean of Graduate Studies and Grants Administration. The dip can be Grad students want more than appreciation week attributed to graduate students needing more time to complete By Rebecca Beard unfairly overlooked, Rogers said. population on campus, we still courses, she said. “There is no good reason other GVl. Senior Reporter “There are some common factors contribute to Grand Valley,” she (between undergraduate and graduate said. “But a lot of programs and than some take a little longer,” students), such as registration issues events (at GVSU) are geared toward Kimboko said. “In part, that could For the first time. Grand Valley and those type of headaches, but as undergrads. As graduate students, we be due to the economy — we have State University will observe graduate students, we have unique wonder: ‘Does that include me?’” a lot of part-time graduate students National Graduate and Professional needs,” she said. About 3,600 who may not be able to afford to Student Appreciation Week from be full-time.” “We are a group of “Even though we are graduate students Friday through April 4. students who do enrolled at GVSU Almost three quarters of Some graduate students, however, have more on our a small population during the 2007- GVSU’s 3,658 graduate students expect a little more than a few days are part-time, according to the plates. We’re already on campus, we still 08 school year, of recognition. in the workforce and compared to Office of Institutional Analysis. “The purpose of the week looking at things contribute to Grand about 20,000 This could be the result of fewer is primarily to highlight the that are important undergraduate financial aid options for graduates contributions of students at GVSU to us — childcare Valley. ” students. or employers not covering tuition and also to have people recognize issues and financial While there for employeesthat return to school, there is a community of graduate aid at the graduate KARI CEO may be a gap in Kimboko said. students,” said Ruqaiyah Rogers, vice Courtesy Photo / Amanda Pitts level. ” TREASURER OF GVSU’S GPSA enrollment figures, “Graduate students have fewer president of the National Association Grad program: Dean of Graduate Students Priscilla Similarly, Kari graduate students Kimboko options as far as financial aid of Graduate-Professional Students. Ceo, treasurer of are no less vital to with most students going part- However, Ceo praised the efforts “Grand Valley has traditionally GVSU’s chapter of the Graduate and the university than others, Ceo said. time to be able to afford classes," of GVSU President Thomas J. geared toward undergraduate Professional Students Association, “A lot of us have assistantships she said. “You have to make the Haas for his dedication to graduate students, but graduate students have expressed concern that graduate — we’re working and getting an assumption that when the economy students’ needs. The GPSA executive needs that should be recognized.” students are undervalued at GVSU.