A.S.I.
strives for improved University 100 course
By
Gerry Wachovsky
On-line Forty-Niner
Most
students probably remember two things about
University 100: it was one of the first
classes they ever took, and they found it
to be pointless after it ended.
Despite
this abysmal attitude toward the class every
student has had to take, it did inform students
about the various services offered here,
as well as teach some points of interest
like the library and the bookstore, among
other things. University 100, even with
these helpful aspects, is still regarded
to be a nuisance by many.
Because
of these problems with University 100, Guido
Piotti, vice president of Associated Students,
Inc., and Senator Rebekah Smith are making
a concerted effort to positively change
the curriculum of the class, incorporating
more aspects of student government into
it to inform new students that they can
make a difference while here on campus.
“University
100 is supposed to help students assimilate
into the campus environment,” Piotti
said, “but they don’t talk about
any A.S. stuff, and we are a part of that
environment.”
Student
government is a major player in the planning
of campus events and has a say in just about
everything from concerts on campus to the
movies that are played in the University
Student Union, yet many students do not
know they can be a part of that, Piotti
said.
“Student
awareness,” Piotti said, “has
always been one of [A.S.I.’s] top
goals, and we really have no purpose if
the students don’t know how their
money is being used and what we’re
doing to help them within the campus community.”
Scott
Baldwin, an undeclared freshman who took
the class before school formally began last
semester, said he is still “not quite
sure” what the class was for. “I’m
not so much concerned with [learning about
where places are] within the school, [but
more] with how the school works,”
Baldwin said.
Sen.
Rebekah Smith said she hopes this change
in University 100 curriculum will help students
realize how many opportunities they have
to get involved on campus.
“My
idea behind it was that students are paying
money for [A.S.I.], and there are so many
cool things going on on campus, that this
way freshmen can take advantage of this
for the four, five or six years [that they
are here],” Smith said. “[Student
government] elections shouldn’t be
the only time students hear about student
government, they should know what’s
going on year round.”
According
to Piotti and Smith, President Maxson and
Vice President Douglas Robinson have written
a letter of endorsement for the change in
University 100 curriculum. Piotti also assured
that the change will not cost anything to
students, and will simply be incorporated
into the existing University 100 curriculum.
“University
100 is the only class that we can implement
something like this where A.S. would actually
be relevant to the course curriculum,”
Piotti said.
When
it comes to freshmen, Piotti said he believes
them to be a sort of “clean slate”
that is more open to new ideas than people
who have been here for years.
“If
we can grab a student when he first comes
here and cultivate him from the moment he
gets here, there is a much greater chance
that he will become informed or even become
interested in being a part of A.S. and taking
advantage of its services,” he said.
Piotti
and Smith anticipate having University 100
students visit the A.S. offices, hear from
A.S. representatives, and maybe even attend
a Senate meeting. They hope to have the
new and improved University 100 curriculum
in place by the start of the 2004 fall semester.
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