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Volume 86, Issue 12 Sioux Falls, S.D. Friday, Feb. 27, 1998 The Augustan° O Marijuana should be Homosexual relations Racial discrimination legalized should be prohibited is no longer a problem 35 5 co) 30 a) 1"n-' ▪ 25 ca c=o a7 20 0 • 0) C7D3 15 0 coc • 10 cu caos C El 1994 I•1997 Political interest among students at all-time low Faculty approves early start to fall semester, new structure of breaks BY HOLLY ANDREN MIRROR CO-EDITOR First-year students are feel-ing more disengaged from poli-tics than ever, but they have more conservative stances on some social issues, according to a nationwide survey in which Augustana first-year students participated. The survey, conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the Uni-versity of California, Los Ange-les, included 348,465 students at 665 of the nation's two-and four-year colleges and univer-, sities. Around 280 of Augus-tana's 329 incoming first-year students participated in the survey when they registered Speaker Books provide focus that web fails to offer BY HEIDI-ANETTE HAGEN MIRROR STAFF WRITER Students rely too much on the World Wide Web as a resource and are too lazy to do their own research, said Pro-fessor Paul Cantor of the Uni-versity of Virginia. In his speech, titled "Tales from the Misinformation Superhighway," Cantor dis-cussed his concerns about stu-dent research, the Internet and its negative effects. Cantor said that although students often are "webmasters," they do not know how to convey informa-tion. Students depend too much on the sources they find for classes last summer, said Jim Bies, vice president for student services. Of the first-year students who took the national survey, 26.7 percent believe that "keeping up to date with politi-cal affairs is an important life goal." Augustana's results were slightly above the nation-al average, with 29.6 percent of first-year students indicating the necessity to keep informed about politics. At the national level, 14 percent of students said that they frequently dis-cussed politics. At Augustana 18.1 percent said that political discussions were common. Although they took the sur-vey before entering classes, on the web for their research. He shared examples of stu-dents who had contacted him via e-mail, asking him for help with interpretations for papers they were writing about Shake-speare. Although Cantor is a Shakespeare scholar, he does not know how these people learned about him or his e-mail address. After receiving these e-mail messages, Cantor believes that students lack the effort to do the research them-selves. He thinks that some of them expect him to provide all the answers. Cantor said that the use of computers is not based on careful consideration. Rather, one tends to use technology just because it is there. "We professors are afraid of sound-ing old-fashioned," he said. Cantor also • is displeased with the information on the Inter-some Augustana first-year stu-dents say that they continue to lack interest in politics. First-year student Tom Wull-stein says that he rarely reads a newspaper or watches the news for political information, but he believes that politics are necessary. "It's important for society to have politics to keep - the coun-try safe," Wullstein said. "But I don't feel like I'm actually involved in politics." Although less than one-third of the students who took the survey said that they did not place importance on current Survey continued on page 8 Photo by Jill Gunnink Paul Cantor net. He said that although the Internet allows for a large quantity of information, the quality of the material is usual-ly poor. Cantor contrasted the Inter-net to books. He claimed that there is little control on the Internet and that many sites are inefficient. BY GENE BOADWINE MIRROR STAFF WRITER In December the faculty approved several revisions for the academic calendar for the 1998-99 school year, including the start of school before Labor Day. One of the revisions is that the first day of classes will be on Sept. 2, the Wednes-day before Labor Day instead of Sept. 10, the Thursday after Labor Day. Other changes include a Labor Day break, an extra day of Thanksgiving break and the consolidation of spring break and Easter break. The changes to the calendar were prompted by an attempt to standardize the semesters so that they will be equal in length. This year, there are 70 school days in the fall semester and 67 days in the spring. Next school year, the spring semes-ter will be shorter by two days. Registrar John Bylsma and Academic Dean Richard Han- "In fact, their only function is to refer you to other sites," he said. Books, on the other hand, are finished products with "intellectual authority," Cantor said. He says that when net surfers jump from site to site, they do not focus on the given information, whereas books invite more focus from readers. This focus makes readers think about how the different parts of a book fit together. Computers, or the new media, work against "intellectual coherence," Cantor said. The experience of reading a book cannot be replaced, especially not by the Internet, he said. A panel discussion, featuring Cantor and Augustana profes-sors Michelle Bartel and Michael Nedelsky, followed the Speech. Augustana faculty and students participated in the son proposed to make the sec-ond semester equal to the first semester, but the faculty did not approve the lengthening of spring semester, Hanson said. "I do not anticipate there will be any more • changes in the calendar for the next two years," Hanson said. ASA worked closely with the faculty in order to obtain an academic calendar with compromises, Senator Lora Anderson said. "ASA did not want to have the students starting [school) in August," Anderson said. "That would have created a problem for the students who worked dur-ing the summer. [ASA) did not want students having more days in the spring semester because of how strong the job market is." Anderson said that although there were varying opinions about the calendar changes within the senate, she believes Calendar changes continued on page 8 discussion by asking questions or presenting their views on the Internet. Religion professor Michelle Bartel said that her main con-cern is that society is "facing a lack of critical thinking." She also said that it is important to encourage independent and critical thinking among stu-dents so that they will gain knowledge through their own research. Michael Nedelsky, a psychol-ogy professor, said that com-puters cannot replace the face-to- face value of the classroom, but using the web for educa-tional purposes is valuable because of the potential for finding information on the Internet. Nedelsky also said that it is not the product in itself that one should question, but rather the use of it. "I do not anticipate there will be any more changes in the calendar for the next two years." —Richard Hanson criticizes use of Internet for research
Object Description
Title | Mirror - February 27 1998 |
Subject (LC) | Augustana College (Sioux Falls, S.D.)--Students--Newspapers |
Type | Newspaper |
Date | 1998-02-27 |
Publishing agency | Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD, USA |
Rights | This image may not be reproduced without the express written consent of Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA. |
Medium | Text |
Format - Digital | |
Language | English |
Collection | Augustana Newspapers |
Contributing Institution | Mikkelsen Library, Augustana University |
Description
Title | Page 1 |
Type | Newspaper |
Date | 1998-02-27 |
Text | Volume 86, Issue 12 Sioux Falls, S.D. Friday, Feb. 27, 1998 The Augustan° O Marijuana should be Homosexual relations Racial discrimination legalized should be prohibited is no longer a problem 35 5 co) 30 a) 1"n-' ▪ 25 ca c=o a7 20 0 • 0) C7D3 15 0 coc • 10 cu caos C El 1994 I•1997 Political interest among students at all-time low Faculty approves early start to fall semester, new structure of breaks BY HOLLY ANDREN MIRROR CO-EDITOR First-year students are feel-ing more disengaged from poli-tics than ever, but they have more conservative stances on some social issues, according to a nationwide survey in which Augustana first-year students participated. The survey, conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the Uni-versity of California, Los Ange-les, included 348,465 students at 665 of the nation's two-and four-year colleges and univer-, sities. Around 280 of Augus-tana's 329 incoming first-year students participated in the survey when they registered Speaker Books provide focus that web fails to offer BY HEIDI-ANETTE HAGEN MIRROR STAFF WRITER Students rely too much on the World Wide Web as a resource and are too lazy to do their own research, said Pro-fessor Paul Cantor of the Uni-versity of Virginia. In his speech, titled "Tales from the Misinformation Superhighway," Cantor dis-cussed his concerns about stu-dent research, the Internet and its negative effects. Cantor said that although students often are "webmasters," they do not know how to convey informa-tion. Students depend too much on the sources they find for classes last summer, said Jim Bies, vice president for student services. Of the first-year students who took the national survey, 26.7 percent believe that "keeping up to date with politi-cal affairs is an important life goal." Augustana's results were slightly above the nation-al average, with 29.6 percent of first-year students indicating the necessity to keep informed about politics. At the national level, 14 percent of students said that they frequently dis-cussed politics. At Augustana 18.1 percent said that political discussions were common. Although they took the sur-vey before entering classes, on the web for their research. He shared examples of stu-dents who had contacted him via e-mail, asking him for help with interpretations for papers they were writing about Shake-speare. Although Cantor is a Shakespeare scholar, he does not know how these people learned about him or his e-mail address. After receiving these e-mail messages, Cantor believes that students lack the effort to do the research them-selves. He thinks that some of them expect him to provide all the answers. Cantor said that the use of computers is not based on careful consideration. Rather, one tends to use technology just because it is there. "We professors are afraid of sound-ing old-fashioned," he said. Cantor also • is displeased with the information on the Inter-some Augustana first-year stu-dents say that they continue to lack interest in politics. First-year student Tom Wull-stein says that he rarely reads a newspaper or watches the news for political information, but he believes that politics are necessary. "It's important for society to have politics to keep - the coun-try safe," Wullstein said. "But I don't feel like I'm actually involved in politics." Although less than one-third of the students who took the survey said that they did not place importance on current Survey continued on page 8 Photo by Jill Gunnink Paul Cantor net. He said that although the Internet allows for a large quantity of information, the quality of the material is usual-ly poor. Cantor contrasted the Inter-net to books. He claimed that there is little control on the Internet and that many sites are inefficient. BY GENE BOADWINE MIRROR STAFF WRITER In December the faculty approved several revisions for the academic calendar for the 1998-99 school year, including the start of school before Labor Day. One of the revisions is that the first day of classes will be on Sept. 2, the Wednes-day before Labor Day instead of Sept. 10, the Thursday after Labor Day. Other changes include a Labor Day break, an extra day of Thanksgiving break and the consolidation of spring break and Easter break. The changes to the calendar were prompted by an attempt to standardize the semesters so that they will be equal in length. This year, there are 70 school days in the fall semester and 67 days in the spring. Next school year, the spring semes-ter will be shorter by two days. Registrar John Bylsma and Academic Dean Richard Han- "In fact, their only function is to refer you to other sites," he said. Books, on the other hand, are finished products with "intellectual authority," Cantor said. He says that when net surfers jump from site to site, they do not focus on the given information, whereas books invite more focus from readers. This focus makes readers think about how the different parts of a book fit together. Computers, or the new media, work against "intellectual coherence," Cantor said. The experience of reading a book cannot be replaced, especially not by the Internet, he said. A panel discussion, featuring Cantor and Augustana profes-sors Michelle Bartel and Michael Nedelsky, followed the Speech. Augustana faculty and students participated in the son proposed to make the sec-ond semester equal to the first semester, but the faculty did not approve the lengthening of spring semester, Hanson said. "I do not anticipate there will be any more • changes in the calendar for the next two years," Hanson said. ASA worked closely with the faculty in order to obtain an academic calendar with compromises, Senator Lora Anderson said. "ASA did not want to have the students starting [school) in August," Anderson said. "That would have created a problem for the students who worked dur-ing the summer. [ASA) did not want students having more days in the spring semester because of how strong the job market is." Anderson said that although there were varying opinions about the calendar changes within the senate, she believes Calendar changes continued on page 8 discussion by asking questions or presenting their views on the Internet. Religion professor Michelle Bartel said that her main con-cern is that society is "facing a lack of critical thinking." She also said that it is important to encourage independent and critical thinking among stu-dents so that they will gain knowledge through their own research. Michael Nedelsky, a psychol-ogy professor, said that com-puters cannot replace the face-to- face value of the classroom, but using the web for educa-tional purposes is valuable because of the potential for finding information on the Internet. Nedelsky also said that it is not the product in itself that one should question, but rather the use of it. "I do not anticipate there will be any more changes in the calendar for the next two years." —Richard Hanson criticizes use of Internet for research |
Collection | Augustana Newspapers |
Contributing Institution | Mikkelsen Library, Augustana University |