Friday,March11,1994 Vol.XL,No.18 CabriniCollege ._,Radnor, Pa. 19087
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Departmentfar from fluent Cabrini labs compare to other schools Department plans for future by Margaret Maio assistant managing and perspectives editor
by Regina Miller staff writer ·
Professors require students to use word processors. Employers demand computer literacy in the work place. New technology requires mastery level skills. The language lab, considered an educational supplement, that is used by a majority of students at Cabrini, has not been updated since it's arrival. Compared to other colleges, Cabrini's lab could be considered archaic. The tools available in ourleaming lab include a phonograph, record albums, tape cassettes and headphones. The four open cubicles or the "language lab" is located on the second floor of the library. The Xerox machine sits closely next to the cubicles since it is the only available outlet, while people squeeze by the space between the lab and the library's book cases. Kris Mudrick, library director and designated "overseer" of the language lab, said, "From my experience in high school and college, I would not call what we have a lab. It is only a listening area. A lab is when there is a person in charge, an instructor, student, or helper. In my opinion, it is a misnomer to call it a lab." Mudrick thinks that the future of the lab depends on the vision of the other departments, especially language. She said that if foreign languages change their teaching mode, the whole college would benefit. The learning lab might , become a media center. "There is only so much money to go around and language is not on the top of the list," Helene Hennigan,professor of language, said. Money is always a problem. Exactly where do the lab fees go? "At this point, the lab fees go Rosemont sophomore Suzette Mitra {above) uses her school's new media center for a tutorial. Junior Tracey Johnson {below) into the college's general fundthe justification being that when a uses Cabrini's facilities located in the Holy Spirit Ubrary to work piece of equipment is needed that on her foreign language homework. the money will be there. In one special requests for language lab equipment. Some schools charge semester there may not be enough items have been ordered by different tuition rates for each difstudents to pay for a piece of equip- Mudrick. "More pressing items ferent school. We do not charge ment," Mudrick said. have been needed in the library," different tuition rates," John Mudrick stated that she was un- Mudrick said. Barclay, chief financial officer, said. sure if the fees are used for other "The lab fees help pay for supsee more LABS on pg. 8 things than the language lab. No plies and budget of personnel and
Inside ... Week at a Glance ... vNEWS
Opg.4 Coverage of this year's record breaking Project Appalachia.
Opg.8 Spotlight on sexual harassment.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY SUNDAY .,I 7:30p.m. The
Harlem Globetrotters compete at the Spectrum. Tickets are sold out!
.,t 6p.m. Mass in the chapel. v 7:30p.m.
''Mr.Wonderfuf' shown in WCGA. V 9p.m. Mass in Woodcrest.
A student walks out into the winter air, gets into a car and makes the journey to class. This is a Cabrini student going to Eastern college. The class the student is attending is within his/her major, but the class is not offered at Cabrini. It is a Language course. Cabrini's language department is smaller than other departments, but the number oflanguage majors is even smaller. Last year, according to Helene Hennigan, chair of the language department, there were only two graduates in Spanish. This year, there is only one French major and one Spanish minor. According to Hennigan, the language department has always been small at Cabrini. Hennigan has been teaching here since 1967, while the language major began in 1972. Although students are required by the core curriculum to take two semesters of a language, there are very few students who choose to major in French or Spanish. Hennigan believes the reason students do not choose to major or minor in a language are twofold. "There is a lot of studying involved in this major," Hennigan said. "Plus.American students have always been fearful of foreign languages." Junior Karen Szczurek is the only French major at Cabrini. She attends classes regularly at both Eastern and Rosemont college. "I have only taken one class here for my major," Szczurek said, "and I do not think that I will take any more at Cabrini." When Szczurek came to Cabrini she did not realize just how many classes she would have to take at other institutions. "Never did I think that I would have to go elsewhere for so many classes," Sczurek said, "One or two classes, sure, but
March
not as many as I have." Cabrini has a reciprocal program with Eastern, Rosemont and Villanova University that allows a student to take any classes that are not offered here. Hennigan said the classes Cabrini offers each semester depends upon the need for a particular class. This fall, Spanish for Educators will be offered because more and more education students are finding themselves dealing with Spanish-speaking students and parents, Hennigan said. Cabrini does not offer the upperlevel french courses for the simple fact that there are not enough students to warrant such a course. Cabrini also does not have the language facilities that other area colleges have. Szczurek said Rosemont has a wonderful language lab that includ€rsnot only audio aids, but visual and CD-Rom as well. "The facilities are better than here," Szczurek said. "I can get everything that I need at the other schools." Hennigan teaches the French classes, and is aware that language majors have to go off-campus to receive the classes they need. There just is not enough interest in language as a major to offer the upper level courses. Hennigan believes that, at a small school like Cabrini, it actually may be beneficial for the student to attend classes away from campus. "At a small school, there might only be two French teachers, and the students only learn the language the way those two teachers speak it," Hennigan said, "By going to other teachers, they are exposed to a wider variety of accents, which can only be beneficial to the student." Problems arise when a student does not have a car, or the class that he/she needs conflicts with one here on campus. Szczurek has a car this semester, but might not next fall. If she needs to take a class at Rosemont, she will have no way of getting to her class. "Eastern is in walking distance, but I don't know what I will do if I need a class at Rosemont," Szczurek said. see more MAJOR on pg. 8
11 to 17
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY V Junior Fall
V 8p.m. Fine Arts
registration for current students. Vll:30a.m.1:30p.m. I.R.S. Tax Workshop inLCR.
Department presents evening of opera presentations.