tl19841108-000 "Senate axes attendance policy The University Senate killed a motion which would require students who miss the first two classes of the semester to drop the course or receive an FX unless they notified the department by telegraph or registered letter. The motion, which was placed on the Senate's October agenda by the Academic Standards Committee, was intended to open up class space to students who wished to add a class. Faculty members had expressed concern that students dropped classes on the last day of the add/drop period, having never attended the class; while some students who wanted to take the class could not because, on paper, the class was filled. Student Government Association President (SGA) Chip DiPaula said, in theory, the motion was a good idea. However, practically, it would create too many headaches ... it cannot be enforced in a manner that would be fair to everyone,"" DiPaula said. Michael O'Pecko, professor of modern languages, said here were so many cracks in the policy, it was unworkable. Several Senate members voiced doubts about who should be notified of a student wanting to remain in the class, the instructor or the department, and whether most departments were interested in the measure. Robert Caret, dean of the college of mathematics and natural sciences, favored the motion because in many science laboratory classes, he said, it is expensive to have to set up make up labs for students who have missed a class; also students who miss the first class often miss a safety lecture. English department chairperson Dan Jones moved that questions about how long the drop/add period should be and how class space might be opened up to more students be referred to the Senate Self Study Committee. The committee will investigate and report its findings to the full Senate next Spring. This motion was passed. The Senate also sent a statement on academic advising from the University Committee on Academic Advising to the Self Study Committee, and a motion was passed to charge the Self Study Committee to review the operation of Senate standing committees. A motion to approve the academic screening for computer science majors was tabled until the December meeting. Terie Wolan Vice Presidential pro-file A look at Vice President Patricia Plante ... page 7. Bloody body Director Brian DePalma's latest suspense film is reviewed ... page 8. Views on Division I Dr. George Friedman presents the pros and cons of moving University sports to Division I-AA ... page 11. Heating up the nuclear freeze Students concerned about nuclear arms may soon be able to help start a new Towson State organization. History professor Roderick Ryon said he hopes to organize a college group that will educate and lobby against the proliferation of nuclear weapons; possible becoming affiliated with the Maryland Committee of the Nuclear Freeze. A meeting will be held November 13 at 3:30 p.m. in Linthicum Hall, room 208, to diseuss forming the group. Kye Brisbath, full time employee of the Maryland Committee of the Nuclear Freeze will expalin the activities of the Maryland Campaign for a Nuclear Weapons Freeze and show the film ""War Without Winners,"" which features Russians and Americans discussing nuclear arms. ""Whether something comes out of the discussion depends on he will of the people there,"" Ryon said. �Lorraine Mirabella Campus notes Elma Lewis Lewis to receive Distinguished Black Women's Award Dr. Elma Lewis, founder and artistic director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists and the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts, will be honored here November 7 through November 9. Lewis will receive the Distinguished Black Women's Award in ceremonies beginning at 6 p.m. in the University Union Potomac Lounge. The reception will also honor eleven other distinguished black women from the Baltimore area. Lewis will lead a panel discussion on ""Fine Arts and Education"" in the Women's Center, room 203, Media Center, on Friday November 9, from noon until 1:30 p.m. Lewis was honored last year by President Reagan for her work encouraging students to participate in the arts. She has received honorary doctorates from 19 colleges and universities and over 100 citations for her community involvement. For more information on Lewis' upcoming appearance at, the University, contact the University's minority affairs office at 321-2051. By Mitchell Jaspan It's not the Indy 500, but � � � The National Collegiate Driving Championships were held Friday and Saturday on St. Joseph's Hospital parking lot. Over 100 Towson State students competed in the competition, which consisted of driving a Dodge Daytona Turbo through an obstacle course. The event was sponsored by the campus chapter of the American Marketing Association, (AMA) along with other national sponsors such as Goodyear and Ocean Pacific., Winner Robert Marchetti finished the course in 15.881 seconds. Marchetti will fly to Daytona Beach, Florida during Spring break to compete against other regional winners from around the country. The national champion will win a $5,000 scholarship, and the use of a Dodge Daytona Turbo for one year. AMA President Keith Ahrens said he hopes the event will take place on campus next year. ""I think the Union lot would be a good place,"" said Ahrens. Ahrens also said, ""I hope the administration will support this type of activity in the future."" �Scott Hollenbeck See NOTES, page 2 Published weekly by the students of Towson State University Vol. 78 No. 10 Towson, Md. 21204 November 8, 1984 Political humorist Art Buchwald was fair to the subjects of his scorn: he mocked everyone�Reagan, Mondale, Congress, and the media. Buchwald appeared as the second speaker in the S.G.A. speaker series last Sunday. By Jerry Trout Buchwald lampoons politics and the media By James Hunt Times are tough for political humorists, Art Buchwald says, when the government is funnier than they are. Four years ago, a president who once told Playboy that he lusted after women in his heart (but was forgiven by God) was voted out of office and replaced by a man who claimed that trees caused pollution (shortly after which a sign was hung from a tree on a California college campus reading ""Chop me down before I kill again."") Art Buchwald could not make that up. He says so, although he once wrote a column proposing nuclear waste be dumped in New Jersey because no one would notice it anyway. Predictably, he was blasted by the New Jersey governor, state senators, and a host of others. Until a short time later, when someone discovered a site into which nuclear waste had been dumped for thirty years, but which everyone had forgotten. And so it goes for Buchwald. a col-umnist who makes his living lampoon-ing politicians, politics, and life. But does art imitate life, or does life im-itate Art? * � � Buchwald played to a full house Sunday night in the Chesapeake room of the University Union: an estimated 700 people, and nearly 100 more had to be turned away. The second of four speakers in the Student Government Association's 1984-85 Speaker Series, Buchwald cost the SGA $10,000 and spoke for a carefully measured hour. In that hour, he sprayed some well-directed barbs at the government, the military, the media, and the family. He talks like he writes: stringing together one-liners, anecdotes, and imagined dialogues, seemingly at random, in a voice that reminded one listener of the voice of the man who does the ""Mr. Ray's Hair Weave"" commercials. He is polished though, and not with-out comic timing. At times, he paused almost mechanically to peer out at the audience through his black, thick-rimmed glasses and give just the hint of a grin. And he was well-received by the audience, many of whom, like he, were approaching the far side of mid-dle age. � � � True to his philosophy of being ""neither a Democrat or a Republican, but against whomever is in power,"" Buchwald aimed some of his choicest shots at the recently re-elected Chief Executive. ""I love Ronald Reagan�I worship the quicksand he walks on."" ""As a humor columnist, I want Reagan to be re-elected. I have to think of myself before my country."" ""Reagan went to China and the first thing he did was go to the Great Wall. In spite of the fact that he spoke against it when they were building it."" ""(Nothing) affects the daily lives of millions and millions of Americans (more than) Ronald Reagan's eco-nomic policies...except herpes."" He didn't spare Walter Mondale en-tirely, though. ""I know Mr. Mondale,"" Buchwald said, ""and he's not dull. Boring? Yes. But not dull."" � � � Buchwald, a native of Queens, N.Y., where he was raised in a series of See BUCHWALD, page 2 Trying to produce better qualified teachers By Teresa Graber Recent studies have leveled cri-ticism about the quality of teachers' education in colleges nationwide. A chairperson here asserts that the University education program pro-duces quality teachers. However, the University is upgrading its standards for entering the teacher education program. Chandler Barbour, professor and department chairperson for elemen-tary education, said he doesn't agree with the argument that schools have slipped in quality and performance. However, he does concede that there have been teachers entering the profession in the last ten years who have been underqualified. But for every person researchers found to be underprepared, he said, this is bal-anced by at least one person who was more than adequately trained who goes unnoticed. Barbour said many other social fac-tors can interfere with learning out-side of the quality of classroom educa-tion, such as neglect in single parent families or working parents, child abuse, poverty, and the detrimental affect of watching a lot of television. The typical American child will have watched more hours of televi-sion than he or she had spent in school, Barbour said. He noted that children watch television an average of seven hours a day and are in school only six hours a day. Still, the University is trying to strengthen its requirements for enter-ing the teacher education program. Last Spring, the University Senate ap-proved a new set of standards for entering the teacher education pro-gram, making them the highest in the state. Effective in 1985, students will need a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.5 to take professional educa-tion courses in their junior year, and must have at least a 2.7 GPA to stu-dent teach. Also, a basic skills test on See TEACHERS, page 2 Student teacher Andrea Grabowski help Lida Lee Tall student Lisa Maynor learn to like learning. Related photos, see page 3. Educators predict a teacher shortage By Alicia Hart Fewer students are becoming teachers By Teresa Graber Many young, skilled, talented teachers are leaving the teaching pro-fession to go into other jobs with bet-ter salaries, noted Chandler Barbour, professor and department chairper-son of elementary education. Several drawbacks tend to discou-rage students from entering or stay-ing in the education field, such as low salaries, and duties which take a lot of time and energy. There were 250,000 new teachers a year fifteen years ago; now there are only 90,000 new teachers a year enter-ing the work force, said Barbour. Frances Bond, Associate Dean for the College of Education, said, the University's ""enrollment in the past ten years has decreased by two-thirds in teacher education."" However, the University still has the largest teacher education program in the state. Because of the decrease of students becoming teachers, and the high mun-ber of teachers retiring, educators predict a teacher shortage in the near future. There will be a critical need for math and science teachers within the next two years, Barbour said. To help offset this shortage, the Mary-land State Department of Education is offering scholarships to students who want to teach math and science, Bond said. Despite the drawbacks, some stu-dents are still drawn to the education field. ""You get other rewards besides money,"" said Patty Porter, a junior elementary education major. Amy DeNike, a recent University graduate, feels teaching is worth the effort. She said, ""I like knowing that all my long, hard hours of work mak kids like to learn."" "
