School officials 'retreat' to Pyramid

Aiming toward an understanding of today's students and the obstacles unique to them was the focus Thursday at the 11th annual Academic Retreat.

Called "Implementing Ideals," the retreat gathered together Cal State Long Beach faculty and administrators in The Pyramid for the day-long event.

"We must examine the characteristics of today's students," said Karl Anatol, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. "The university faces a new generation of students with a need to refocus and regroup."

Anatol spoke to about 130 people at the retreat, which was sponsored by the Academic Senate.

"Today's freshmen are more disengaged, more difficult to reach, but that doesn't mean that we must lower our standards," he said.

Anatol said that the blame doesn't reside in high schools, but that it is the responsibility of universities to provide students with a quality education.

In response, Associated Students Inc. President Carl Kemp said, "It's interesting because the trustees blames the high schools for the lack of preparedness of freshmen coming in."

"Students are intimidated by the place called university," Anatol said.

"This generation of freshmen feels trauma in the transition between high school and college."

Anatol also addressed the importance of general education. "There is a need to reshape, reform, repackage and reissue," he said, adding that there needs to be an understanding of coherence after taking these courses.

The first to sixth week of college determines the chances of graduation, Anatol said.

CSULB President Robert Maxson said that there is a direct correlation between the quality of the university and the strength of the Academic Senate.

Improving relations with students while pursuing personal developments is a goal for faculty members, said David Hood, Academic Senate chairman.

The university would improve by heightening the sensitivity of students by faculty, Anatol said.

The Mulicultural Center gave a 15-minute presentation called "Silhouettes of Our Students," where volunteers of the center voiced the aspirations the diverse student body has in obtaining an education here.