Debate over basic classes in full swing

Increased demand for pre-bacc alaureate English courses this semester has sparked debate over academic qualifications of Cal State Long Beach freshmen.

Some faculty members insist that this situation is neither new nor alarming.

According to a pre-census study by CSULB's institutional research office, only 32 percent of this semesterŐs freshmen scored at least 410 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. This means that based on SAT scores alone, only 656 freshmen were eligible for English 100.

The remaining 1,394 were required to take either English 001 or Intensive Learning Experience 010 (depending on their writing level), creating the increased demand for these remedial courses.

The growing number of students unqualified for English 100 has inspired discussion among faculty and administration regarding the quality of students admitted into the university.

Bob Finney, a professor in the radio, television and film department, said that California's Master Plan for higher education stipulates a set of crit eria that students must meet in order to be eligible for admission into CSULB.

"The problem is allowing too many students (into the university) who don't meet those requirements," he said.

Finney also said that when more students are admitted re quiring remediation, more faculty members have to teach the needed pre- baccalaureate courses, which means they can't teach as many upper-division courses.

But Eileen Klink, intensive learning experience director, said that the addition of the pre- baccalaureate courses has not resulted in a decrease of English 100 and above-level courses, since separate funds were obtained to hire additional part-time instructors.

CSULB President Robert Maxson recently promised to be more aggressive in recru iting "the best and the brightest" high school seniors.

English lecturer Mark Wiley and Klink agreed that people should not be too quick to label students who are enrolled in the pre-baccalaureate courses as being inferior to other students.

Wil ey said that SAT and English Placement scores do not necessarily reflect students' writing abilities.

"We tend to overreact. We hear these alarming reports that we're letting in too many students who won't succeed," Wiley said. "I'm not of that o pinion. I've worked with enough students who come in at the basic writing level to know that they go on to do quite well, if given the chance, so I would not want to deny students the chance to succeed."

Klink said that these basic writing classes have always existed in the California State University system, and the demand for these courses is a statewide phenomenon.

"Even if we enroll the best and the brightest, there would be many students who would still need pre-baccalaureate courses," she said.

Klink said that most of the students enrolled in these courses are intelligent, but English just happens to be their weakness.