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ESTABLISHED 1920 | An independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Monday, September 30, 2013
Volume 93, Issue 17
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Student veterans’ experiences differ Eight Keys to Success program gives military tips for colleges
FROM PENCIL to mouse
By Danae King Editor-in-Chief
Students have experiences that separate them from other students on campus, but they may not be years of experience serving their country. There are about 425 student veterans on campus that share a “camaraderie and pride,” said Amy Puffenberger, nontraditional student chair in Undergraduate Student Government. In August, the University released information that it was involved in implementing the Eight Keys to Success, a national initiative to help veterans transition to college from service. The hope with a program like this is that it will help veterans connect to others on campus, which is important because student veterans have a whole different set of experiences than other students. “So many students have not been outside this little town, they haven’t experienced diversity,” Puffenberger said. Sophomore Jessica Gregor, 24, served in the Air Force before coming to the University to get her degree in Applied Health Sciences. She said she feels completely welcomed as a student at the University, but her experience as a veteran is different. “I can’t really say much about that experience because there isn’t much of one,” she said. “All the inclusiveness they’re trying to claim for my veteran status I just don’t feel whatsoever.” Barbara Henry, assistant vice president of Nontraditional and Transfer Student Services, said she may not be alone in feeling the loss of her veteran identity. “Through programming with student veterans, we hope to address that issue,” she said. Puffenberger is a veteran herself. She said she understands Gregor’s experience. “Now that I’m on campus, I’ve kind of put that identity aside,” she said. “It
Teacher evaluations to change to online format for green initiative By Amber Petkosek Social Media Editor
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nstead of taking the time in class to fill out teacher evaluations, students will soon be able to complete the forms online. A new software is available to the different colleges to allow them to do online teacher evaluations through Canvas. Sheri Kellogg, director of applications with Internet Technology Services, said the plan is to be 100 percent migrated from Blackboard to Canvas by the end of 2013. Blackboard had an evaluation option on it, which is why the office made one for Canvas. “Going to Canvas, we needed to have replacement tools,” she said. One of the reasons the evaluations are transitioning to online is to use less paper. “We have the green initiative and our goal is to be online as much as we can, and we found a tool that we think meets everybody’s needs,” Kellogg said. Each college can decide if and when they want to implement the new evaluations.
See TEACHER | Page 2
TWEET US WHAT YOU THINK Do you think teacher evaluations should go online? Why or why not? Do you think you’ll fill them out? Or have you never filled then out? Be honest, at least on Twitter. Tweet at @The_BG_News using #OnlineorOff
Health Center to add specialists, gynecologists Students will be able to visit physicians spring semester, first of variety of doctors By Dylanne Petros Copy Chief
Starting soon, female students will be able to go to the Falcon Health Center for their yearly check-ups. The Falcon Health Center is looking to add three gynecologists to its list of physicians this spring. Gynecologists will be the first, but not last, group of specialists to make their way to the Falcon Health Center. “I believe that … with the collaborative efforts between [the University] and Wood County Hospital, and planning going forward, we wanted to do connectivity through the specialists,” said Deb Busdeker, director of operations of the Falcon Health Center. “I believe that gynecology was the first one that rose to the top with a need.” Busdeker believes the University has not had a gynecologist before because the University’s health center was “alone.” “[The health center] only had so
many resources,” she said. To prepare for the three gynecologists that are coming in the spring, the Falcon Health Center has already brought in trained practitioners. “We have added two new women’s health practitioners … so that’s a step, too, that’s a little bit different [from previous years],” Busdeker said. Freshman Brittany Sigler said that depending on the insurance that the health center takes, she would go to the gynecologist. “It makes it real convenient to have a gynecologist so close,” she said. There are some specialists already in place because of immediate student needs. “We already have an orthopedic relationship, especially with athletics,” Busdeker said. Busdeker also said the Falcon Health Center is looking into other student needs, like skin care. “When you think about the age group, and what some of the needs are, I could see maybe dermatology,”
ON TO THE NEXT ONE
The BG football team moves to 4-1 on the season following its 34-14 victory against the University of Akron Zips Saturday. The Falcons will host UMass this Saturday. | PAGE 3
she said. Freshman Elizabeth Painter thinks having the specialists so close to campus is good. “You end up saving money because you don’t have to buy gas and go home for those appointments,” Painter said. The reason the health center never had a dermatologist before was probably due to financial reasons, Busdeker said. “For a dermatologist to establish an office in a small community they have to be sure they have enough population … to fill a schedule,” she said. It would be hard for a dermatologist to work at just the University. With the help from Wood County Hospital, though, a dermatologist might be able to work in Bowling Green, Busdeker said. “By teaming up together we can probably support something a little easier,” she said.
See GYNO | Page 2
FUTURE LIVES
See VETERAN | Page 2
Some teachers allow students to decide classroom policies Karen Meyers
By Danae King Editor-in-Chief
Some faculty members are using a new teaching approach that rejects lecturing and embraces student involvement. Called the Learning Centered Approach, Karen Meyers described it as the teacher not being the “sage on the stage,” but instead, the “guide on the side.” “In a teacher-centered approach, I decide what aspects I want to teach, regardless of where students are and what they know,” said Meyers, assistant director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. “The Learning Centered Approach tries to find out what students know and where they are, so information can be pitched in the best way for them.” The approach can be used through a variety of strategies in the classroom, Meyers said. Some teachers are beginning to use it in different ways. For
Columnist Davood Dadfar talks about the choices college students make when picking a major and how it is no longer about money, but about what students are interested in. | PAGE 4
Assistant Director, Center for Teaching and Learning example, some let their students decide classroom policies such as attendance and cell phone usage. Other teachers use it instead of lectures and multiple choice tests, getting students’ responses to the material through clickers and having students work together in groups, among other things. Stephen Langendorfer, professor in the school of Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies, uses the approach in his classes through online quizzes with the purpose of teaching the student, not testing them; focusing on learning outcomes and putting the responsibility on the student to “actively construct their own knowledge.”
See LEARNING | Page 2
WOULD YOU RATHER COMPLETE TEACHER EVALUATIONS ONLINE OR IN CLASS? WHY? “I feel like they are not important at all. People tend to not be honest on them and it wastes valuable time that could be used for teaching.” TIM GILCHRIST
Sophomore, AYA Social Studies