f riday, nov. 2, 1990
cabrini college, radnor, pa 19087
College awards credit for life experience
Student services office vandalized
by Bob Healey
photo by Chns Pesotski
Six windows in the dean of students office were smashed in the early morning hours of Oct. 31. Elsewhere on campus, damage from "mischief night" was light. See the full story on page nine.
vol. xxxvii, no. 8
Time and money. These are two concerns that prevent adult students from returning to college. Cabrini has developed a program that gives credit for learning through work experience to help assuage these concerns. The name of the program is Assessment of Prior Learning(APL). "We awardcredit for learning that results from work experience," Lori Kahn, assessment of prior learning coordinator, said. According to Kahn, the program will help facilitate and stimulate adults to return to college. "We are wilJing to recognize what you already know,'' she said, '' and then put you in advanced classes." This will allow students to receive credit for lower-division classes and the concentrate on upper-level classes. Also, students who receive credit through the program only pay one-third the amount of a regular course. According to a public relations pamphlet, "If you can demonstrate that your knowledge is comparable to the learning that takes place in our classrooms, Cabrini will award college credit.'' According to Kahn, students who are interested in the program put together a portfolio. The student works closely with Kahn, who is the mediator between professor and student. Together, Kahn and the student pick out courses that resemble and are compatible with the knowledge they have acquired. They gear the portfolio towards meeting the requirements set by the professor in the class syllabus.
For instance, if a student has worked as a store manager, he would gear his portfolio towards the syllabus of Bus. 120 (Principles of Management). The professor of Bus. 120 will review the portfolio and decide whether the student has learned enough to pass the class, using the criteria and guidelines of the course syllabus. If so, the student will receive the credit but no letter grade. These credits, like transfer credits, will not affect the student's cumulative average. If a student is denied credit there is no academic penalty. According to Kahn, academic validity is in no way infringed upon because, "the award of credit remains in the hands of the professor.' ' Kahn also said that dialogue between student and professor is encouraged. Other colleges have the APL program but Cabrini specializes in it. "I feel we a doing a disservice to studeots if we don't provide these options," Kahn said. "It is part of a quality adult education.'' According to Kahn, students, especially adults, returning to college used to attend the one that was closest to their home but now they shop around. "Students choose us because of the APL program,'' Kahn said. "I purposely came to Cabrini because of the program,'· said Joanne Packtor, who received 15 credits through APL and is awaiting the decision on three more. "It is nice to know that what I have learned and accomplished is important.'' Kahn also said that experience other than more CREDIT on 4
Cafeteria responds· to criticism by Matt Hodlofski
Students who live on campus miss many luxuries of home. The most convenient one is home cooked meals. Students frequently complain a~ut the cafeteria food, although 'the staff thinks their service is sufficient. Recently the dishwasher was broken for a week and a half, and the cafeteria used Styrofoam plates and cups along with the utensils. The dishwasher's dry rinse booster boiler was cracked and because of that, the rins~g mode wasn't working. Students however claim that they were given dirty dishes and glasses for the day preceeding the Styrofoam solution. According to the cafeteria, Styrofoam was used because at the
time it was the only resort. ''The two main reasons we used it over anything else was that Styrofoam is biodegradable and recyclable," Dee Cochran, food service direc-
"Our company is authorized to buy from certain , purveyors, who must meet certain specifications," - Dee Cochran, food service director tor, said. ''You could see the film at the bottom of the glasses and there was remnants of food on the uten-
sils," one disgruntled student, who requested her name be withheld, said. The company that provides Cabrini with food is Seilers. According to Cochran, Seilers has been here about ten years. ''Everything is specified a USDA Grade A product," Cochran said. ''Our company is authorized to buy from certain purveyors, who must meet certain specifications,'' Cochran added. "If there is a comment to be said, let it be said in an adult manner," Cochran said. Not all of the students are as perturbed, however. "Sometimes
more CAFETERIA on 9
inside
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perspectives ...... 2, 3
Cabrini's Haunted
news ................ 4, 8, 9
House R.I.P.
features .......... 5, 6, 7
(pages 6&7)
sports........ 10, 11, 12
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Soccer garners ESAC crown
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(page 12)