Maroon

              The MAROON Vol. 64, No. 9 Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 October 25, 1985 University addresses students' poor writing By Scott McLetchie Executive Copy Editor FIGHTING DAD WRITING What is the difference between to, too and two? That's the question the Rev. Benjamin Wren, S.J., associate professor of history, asked one of his World Civilization classes. He didn't receive an answer. "Not one of them could tell me the difference," Wren said. After Dr. Stan Makielski, associate professor of political science, jokingly referred to U.S. Senators as "prima donnas" in class one day, several students, on a subsequent test, called them "pre-Madonnas." On another assignment, Makielski learned from one student that "sposed" has now apparently replaced "supposed" in the English vocabulary. These errors go beyond the realm of the typographical or common. They point to a lack of proficiency in basic language skills, writing and vocabulary. "The ability to write well must be fostered in every student, both through the Common Curriculum and through program requirements," stated the report "Planning for the Future: A Focus on Excellence," issued by Loyola's Standing Committee for Academic Planning in March 1984. The SCAP report recommended an academic program entitled "Writing Across the Curriculum," which will be implemented by next fall. Details of the program have yet to be developed, said Dr. Richard Greene, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs. The university is spending the 1985-86 academic year searching for a program director, deciding on the structure of the program's advisory board and searching for funding, he said. The program will concentrate not only on basic skills such as grammar and spelling, but also on critical thinking and analysis specific to each university major, Greene said. One aspect of the program will provide workshops to help the faculty develop innovative assignments designed for students in each major, he said. "Loyola does perceive that not only writing skills but also thinking skills [among students] are not high enough to achieve the students' maximum potential," Greene said. Commenting on the student writing, Greene said that while undergraduates are being taught the fundamentals of writing — grammar, vocabulary, basic organization — intensity of self expression remains lacking. The Composition 122 program helps, but the university should do more, he said. Dr. Richard E. Johnson, English department chairman, believes the Comp. 122 system is very successful in what it is designed to do. "I think the pass/fail system [of grading Comp. 122] has awakened students to the urgency of the course, and there is a certain alertness to the task," Johnson said. Greene agrees. "122's specific objective is to have students achieve a basic college level proficiency at one time in their college career," he said. "The university needs to assure that the student matures academically over a four- or five-year course of study." To achieve that goal, the program will require a great amount of writing —Photo by John McCusker Students protest SGA referendum By Mary Caffrey Staff writer A group of students has protested the role of the Student Government Association in its referendum Oct. 14- 15. Students for Sane Spending, a 10- member group, filed a complaint with the Student Government Court of Review Oct. 18, asking them to throw out the results of the referendum and hold a new one. The hearing on the complaint began yesterday. Chief Justice Brad Tjask said the Court of Review has two issues to examine: first, the alleged tearing down of "vote no" signs by SGA members, and second,.the SGA role. encouraging students to approve the referendum. Trask said the sign incident should be easy to determine, but the neutrality issue could be a big problem. "Much of what has happened this semester has no precedent and isn't covered in the constitution," he said. "We have nothing to go by." Any decision by the Court of Review is final. The SGA's student referendum asked Loyola students to help fund a parking garage/recreation center through a $200 tuition increase for 25 years beginning in Fall 1987. The referendum passed with 53.5 percent of the vote. The protest group complained that the SGA's role in organizing and endorsing.. the referendum, denied students the opportunity to fully express their interests. The complaint states, "the SGA was seen by the student body as supporting the approval of the proposal, in addition to the role of overseeing the election. It is clear that conflicts of interest were present, thus rendering this referendum null and void." The organizers of the protest group, Chris Wiseman , political science sophomore, and Darryl Mayeux, psychology sophomore, met on Monday with Vincent P. Knipfing, vice-president for Student Affairs, to gain the administration's support. According to Wiseman, Knipfing said the SGA acted properly toward the referndum. "Knipfing said he felt someone needed to take a leadership role in the issue, and he was glad the SGA took that role," Wiseman said. In their complaint, Wiseman and Mayeaux criticized Arthur's role in the referendum. They noted that while Arthur's presidential contingency fund financed the "vote yes" effort, an advertisement in the Oct. 4 issue of The Maroon bore the SGA letterhead. "Mr. Arthur's name never appears in the ad, thus giving the appearance See Writing/page 5 See Protest/page 4 *The Maroon* will not publish next week due to the university holiday 1, Publication will resume Nov. Jt v ■». ■M-.r.KxvK:.*-:, m i mm ■■