Maroon

              THE LOYOLA MAROON VOLUME 66, NO. 9 LOYOLA UNIVERSITY, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70118 OCTOBER 30,1987 Higher ACT standards ease remedial burden By GeofT Mattie Assistant News Editor "We had a better group of kids coming in due, in part, to the new minimum standard." —Janet Melancon As a direct result of higher standards for math scores on the American College Test, fewer students are in remedial math classes this year, Janet Melancon, associate professor of math sciences, said. Of those students in remedial Hiath courses, the majority are placed in the more advanced algebra course (110), with the minority placed in the arithmetic course (091), according to Dr. Claire Paolini, associate dean of Arts and Sciences."Students are required to get 70 percent of the questions on the placement test right. If they don't do that on the first test, and then do just as poorly on the retest, they need remediation," Melancon said. Of the freshman arriving in Fall 1986,73 percent were placed in the basic skills courses after Lagniappe placement tests, and 64 percent remained after the re-tests at the beginning of the year. However, of the students starting in Fall 1987, after the minimum requirement was implemented, 64 percent tested into basic skills courses during the Lagniappe sessions, and 49 percent remained after the re-tests. But these figures do not tell the "true story," according to Melancon. "In order to see the real picture, you have to look at the distribution between the two courses," said Melancon. "In the fall of '86, we had a lot more students in the 091 course as opposed to the 110 course. "I would say that the percentages are down this year," Melancon said. "We had a better group of kids coming in due, in part, to the new minimum standard." For this year's freshman class, 19 percent were assigned to the 091 course, while 30 percent were put into the 110 course. The large number of students being placed in remedial classes because of "lack of knowledge" is, according to Paolini, "a reflection of the high schools from which they are coming. "I don't think that there's anything wrong with the students' intrinsic abilities," Paolini said. "Hopefully, once high schools beef up their math and science programs," she said, "it will create a domino effect and we will begin to feel it." A committee is studying the admissions standards for next year. However, according to Dr. Marjorie Dachowski, interim director of Admissions, "They most likely will not be changing the existing standards." "I feel the minimum that was implemented last year had a very positive impact," Paolini said. "It was positive because fewer students fell into the 091 class this year when they were tested." Tommy Smith, a math sciences instructor who teaches a 110 course, said the students in general are doing quite well. "Most of the students in my class have increased 30 points between the first test and the second. "I believe that the lower number of students in each class helps the students by giving them more access to me on a one-to-one basis," he said. "I'm learning new things," Richard Cofer, computer information processing freshman, said. "Whoever was in charge of doing the placements was correct in placing me here." Photo by David Crumrine SLEEP WALKMAN-Blame it on post-midterm blahs or just plain exhaustion, but this undergrad has obviously discovered his limits. Rival beliefs clash in porn debate By Cathy Baroco and Chuck Lee Staff writers PORNOGRAPHY: ART OR ABUSE? Raring tempers and opposing views were the scene in Nunemaker Hall Oct. 22 as part of The Great Pornography Debate.A capacity crowd attended the debate, which was sponsored by Loyola Union's Ideas and Issues Committee. Dozens more were turned away at the door. The purpose of the debate was to discuss pornography and its effects, the role of women in society and the link between pornography and violence. In opening remarks, A 1 Goldstein, publisher of Screw magazine, said the issue of pornography was too general. "The issue is not pornography, per se," he said, "but its right to exist is the issue." He also emphasized the positive aspects of healthy sexuality. "The thrust of my argument is that sex is positive," he said. Although he did not address it in his opening remarks, Goldstein established his neutrality as a journalist early in the debate. "I don't give a flying f— about feminism, communism or the KKK," Goldstein said. In contrast, Page Mellish, founder of Feminists Fighting Pornography, detailed her association with feminism and the negative aspects of pornography. "Pornography is a how-to booklet for rapists," she said, "down to how to tie the knots." Mellish pointed out the dominance of men over women both in pornography and in society today. "The most common cause of physical injury in women is being beaten by men," she said. "And that is war." Mellish disagreed with Goldstein's ideas of protection of freedom of the press. "Freedom of speech is not absolute," she said. A major point the participants addressed was violence in pornography and the connection between pornography and violence toward women. "Twenty-five percent of pornography contains overt violence," Mellish said. Ten percent contains incest, and the majority of what remains depicts degradation of women, she claimed. Goldstein disagreed, claiming instead only ".0004 percent of pornography depicts torture." Goldstein also denied the connection between pornography and violence. "PornographySee Standards/page 5 See Debate/page 6 Sesame Street Live! SEE LIFE & TIMES/ PAGE 13