n ~Wichitru1
Volume 73, Number
:
12
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ewspaper conducts informal ~~~~ey on English usage exam v 3 ri ~ty of 1cs1s--Scantro n. n:qu1remcnL'-. some do not multiple c hoice, matching. even require nmc taking. s hori a ns wer, essay and Throughout all the div1Mons. hands-on. According 10 the of test\ adminis• t!1C Enghs~ usage cxamina- survey, the mathematics , the number per semester is approx• uon, 44. failcd--30 who arc ~cntal hygiene and accoun1- 1ercd imatcly four or five. gradu~t1ng ~eniors. Tom tg dcpartmcms do nOl strei.s Some .~tudents who passed Galbra1~h. assistant profe.~ he ~sc of writing on the the usage examination said of Enghsh: said, ~The failu: premise ~h_at writing skills arc they felt the required tes1 is rate of this examination is not as cm,cal in their dcpan - just another way to get more 1lways about 10- 12 pcrccn·t mcnts as arc other ::.kills money out o f them. Jason consistently." Although the ~endy Martin. dental hy: Irby. scniur computer science p:15sing percentage rate is gicnc major, took the English maJor s:iid " It was a pain-• h1g_h, the n umber o r co m- usage t~s t and said . -1 something else I had to pay to plamts from studcnLli with re - lho ught ll was stupid. If you graduate." A senior from gard to taking the test seems passed your English classes. spon..Vexr rcisc sd rnce said "I to suggest that there may he a you should know how to liked ii ahout as much as I problem. wntc .. although, I haven't had liked payrng the S20 10 grad• In an attempt to identify !!:~.te aHpapcr for at least uatc." The Engli~h profcs• the reason for the complamtli )cars. . . sor. however. n.•pudia1ed that The Wichitan conducted ~ The maJonty of 1he de- idr.:a, slating that 1hc purpo~ informal survey o f fac ull pa_rtment p.:rsonnd contacted o f the e xamination is II> tesl and s tudents. based upon th~ s:ud lower level dep~rtment skills in grammar. '-1"(."lllng. accusation by so me students courf sdo~_campus give thi.: con1cn1 and 1hc ahili1y to that they had not hccn re- st3 n ar .xantron. and short maintain an idea. quire d to use their writin There are Jour levels of ~ swcr cumma11ons. A~· skills since sopho more En~ ough the Scantron fonnat 1s gradin g 1hc examination. glish classes. the most coi:nmon way 10 tcs1 which 1.\ done by members of Su.cccssfu lly pass.ing the f~u~i t~~~;: :~rm~ st ~~:~ thl! English faculty: MJstery level l•-Sludcnt En.ghsh usage test 1~ a re- ficial and docs not im rove exhibits a firm command of gum~ ; : for g rad uatio n. It the students writing abSitics the idea and its expression can en as soon as a Slu- some students and fa.c ult)'. throu1:h signilican1. forceful dent accumula.tes 60 semester agrc..:d. A business siudcnt. and corrcclly wriuen cxpn:s• hours o f ~red11. bu1 must be who asked not to be identi• s1on. At 1his k vd. the stut~en pnor to gradua1ion. ficd. said, ~I wailed to lake dent exhih11S a high degree of Failure . to do so can delay the c um. lhinldng that I nu~ncy and suong n:ader ap&!'aduat.iun of alJ d~grcc can• knew how 1o wmc wdl peal. The idea b significant d1datcs. One Enghsh profcs- e nough ones semester hcfon: and interesting with strong sor. who a ~ked nOl to be I graduate . Now I'm dis• lot:ical progrcs~ion of thought named, ad vises s tudents to tr;1ui,:ht with the rc(ults and and !he structure is cli.:ar and ta.kc the. exam s hortly after may not even get 10 graUuate ti ght in essay. paragraph and complc 11on o ~ 60 semes ter in May. " Ho wever, 1he sen tence. Sentences arc v:ir~nurs. c ontending ~hat 31 that brief survey revcak d that few icd, forceful and ap1. words time. stude nts will ha~e a upper level courses in all di- arc d1su nc1iv~. prec ise, ei.:o• greater i;rasp of their wrumg , 1\ions a.\ sign 1c rm paper~ nomicJI and lively : and ~kills fr~l_ll tJ1eir rhetoric and and essay tests. That dcc1- grammar and usage are corcompos1uon. and sophomore s1nn is at the prokssofs d1s- rect. litera1ure classes. crcoon. Ma(1cry Jrvcl 11--The SIU· The Wichitan found that Th rough the survey. The dent ~hows ability 10 develop departments across the aca- Wichitan found 1hat while not an idea with competence in a dcmic spectrum give a wide all courses hav~ 1enn p:iper clear. logical and correct s.tt.ranie Carroll Knsten Walther Reporters Of 40~ students who look
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amu,U h.: m:inncr. The subject is dcma.<1 or re vclopcd with strength and .hlly Rll£CT clarity: the plan of essay is lh; C\twll t. clear and appropria1c; the compl t w~h idea is supported by concrete \\tn:fy. HVI and subs1antial points, bu1 :rd ,1md stops short of power and D:r!ing, vividness. II docs include cf. Tflkatx:l :rd fcctive choice of words and :a~~ g:j. li(:.t X Jg 3 sentence style. rompk.t<ny Mastery level UI--Exhibits U p:q,,! 4 satisfactory written exprcs• sion of ideas. It is reasonably qua1c and development of adcthe .__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.,. clear correct with
subjcc1. Words and sentences are generally appropriate, but fall short of force and distinction. The plan or the essay is clear, but not consis• tently fu lfilled and there arc 01.."Casional lapses from standard English. Fail-·Clcarl>· unacceptable. We aknesses in structure, logical dcvelopmcn1 and usage of standard English. Com munication is obscure. the c.o;say is confused or undeveloped or the idea is obscured by faulty grammar. Awkward for fa ulty scn1cnccs. misuse of standard Eng lish, such as spelling. punctuation and incoherent sentences which we:iken the effectiveness of communica• tion arc typical prohlcms of those who fai l the English US · age cxaminalion. The English professor. who asked not to be named, suggests students should bear in mind 1hat the cxaminJtion 1s not gi\'en 10 punish MSU students. but rather to help those in need of reviewing English skills before they en· ter their chosen profession.
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SGA says future MSU homecoming courts will not have a queen By Sttfanie Carroll
Rtportt r MSU will no longer have a Uomecom1n1; Queen and court•- ,n the tud1tmn:tl format. The student senate voted Thursday evening. Ix-c. I , to combine the fall and spring c lcc1ions of Homeco ming. court and Lord and L.ady Midwestern. The H,lmccoming. court of the fut uri.: will ind ude Lord and Lady Midwestern, :t SC· nior duke and duchi.:'-S, a junior duke and ducheso;, a sopho mori.: princC' an d prince'-:. and a freshman pnncc and prini.:css. They will be ek ctcJ in the fall scmc~k•r .ind thr.: ~pri ng clcc• tion of c las~ tx:autu: ~. class beaus and d a'-S favorite'- has been dissolved. The bill was d1M:usscd for 45 n11 nuLC!i whe n it was originally brought before the senate by sponsors Kathryn
West. scn:itor for Chi Omega. and David Mom s. senator for Diversity, al the Nov. ~ mccl• ing. The bill was tabkd at 1he Nov. 3 mcctini; and when hrought back for the vole Dec. I . the issue passed without further discussion. A Jcncr ci rcula!ed at 1he Nov. 17 SGA meetin g•· s1g.m:d by ~Your Fellow Sen• ators"•· wa~ rc jd hy Amy Dean. SGA vicc-prcs iden1. In pan. the Jcucr sta1ed that .....45 minu1cs of unnecessary disc ussion about populari1y c1intc~1.o; anJ beauty contests is not Lhe rca:.on we arc hen; :u ~11dwestern State Univt:rsity.~ After thr.: rr.:ad ing, Dean said she appreciated the 11mc and effort 1akc n hy con• ccmcd senato rs for writing the lcncr. hut said she would M:c for some of the effort to
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Family Unity will become Alpha Kappa Alpha Five awards of$2,000 each
Scholarships available for students with disabilities 8y Slac.)· Seigle r Staffwriler
College: ...chol.irsbip'- arc av1ulable to student,. wilh disabditic.\ Nord~10nn. a 5k1 hoot mJnutac1urcr, 1,; pleJi;· mg S IO,OIH I in fin:rni:1JI (;Uppon 10 m.1ke r, +531lilc Lh..: PrtliHkn l''- C1•mnu1 tr.:1..· un Employmt'Ol ul !\ ....iplc wllh 015J htl1lll..~ fl1 off1. . u p 1u live $2.00U c1. lk1:. s,i,:h~larihq,.,, rli .., \I.Jr .~:!I tic th, lir,., f.,. it . co nm Tit"· ll rr, v 1\!,_• !-.Uppll'n l!Tl' ll 11 · nan..:.1,11 , s1q31n· t{l .~ •1• 1<"rl wi•, d1 ,;;.1 ,lli11"'- ·1hr.: J(;<l'-1 ,r A• ·v 11 h ·Ir 1,lC S IU· ,J("f't(
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,_;.;hnl 1rsh1p'- In add11ion 10 drn. umentauun ve n l ving d1,Jt1tlH}. a ku,:r of 1.:c-.>m · m1.·nJJ ti~n f..>m j h.Jcher. c1. Jn;..;l,,r or fa,.;l.lty m..:rnh...:r 1.1u t I'\: su~mnted. J ., \l. l'II JS fo 1r 500 v.,)rd c<-. 1ys -.lt•· ~ rihilll,! h ) W 11-c s~hrl.1~h1r ~ •11 ~c p ;i h arKc 1hc and1 • vidu:1 1'( cJ11ci1inn ani.l plans 11,ra 1.':'l.rr-cr The awJ rJ will b..: pJ 1d ,h rcd ly LO tht: !,(UJ1. 11'~ 1.Ju 1.- :l ltuJ,JI ins t1IJ llO'.I t,y :\orv•1n.1m .mJ m 1~ ~ · IJ (l-J fi ,r ltnth n. r<' ,m .1nJ hClard I , 1 api lie u i n-. .ind adJ 11 , 11 ,,1 111 fonnJ' ll"'1. conta1. t fl t:n i l.1ly :JI lhl' Pr\,._..lJLnt·:L',,mm1lk'l' on Lmplu, nu.:nt 1 1 JlL·ork v.Jtl. Di ,Jb.1 111.:". J l 1I I S tr~· , 1 /\'\\' · \V,1 ,,1inp,m. DC : or1_o 1 i;,111 I\. , o.i ,I t • p, ,tm.1r/\l•J ,h> l.11t.'r 1' .n J; m•i ry 4
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Alpha Kapp:i Alpha, one of 1hc oldest minority sorori · tic,. m the U.S.. i\ forming a new chapter at MSU. AKA. rcprcst.:nted on 1.· ampus by the ir interest I?roup. Family l'ni1y, celcbrJted w11h an -orr,rnizational sociar Dec. I in lh(' Clark Studl:'nt Center Lounge Family Unity will charter lhc firs1 black -.orom y ch,1ptcr here next 5'.'. mcstcr. Rcprcscnta11 n:~ of the MSC Jtlmini~ua1ion. Olhl'r MSU Greek o rgani,a1ions and f.1cul1y .... cicoml·d f-J m1\y Um!)' tn 1hc ~1':,U camrus. Al ~o ('\/1 h:ind were mcmOCrs o( thr.: IClcal AlphJ Kapra r\l p ha 1,'.raduJtL' chapter. i.:urnpu!o.:d ~)f AK~\ ;.ilumni rrom mhcr uni\t"r!,llil'~. 1\ lpha Kappj Alpha. the fir,1 black Greet. 1-orority, v.3\ fo unded in 1911N at l h,w:ird L'nivrrtlty. Al\..\ ha~ pN'l\.'ldC"d yr,unc Mad. women the op;11)I ! Ullli,,V tu 111,U lllJl/l ~ ..ih ur J! 1,1t..:rJ.Ctl\1 .. .. n~ cum· n1.1n11 1 i-. \ 1, .:. .:n.· u . .11- in~ ....1d, n c \ IJn J.11ds .I!'.,'. pf 1 !:rnth 1'p1C er ..'.1' ,r: , ·hi· Ct;. h 1.· h 1r·c· -; l,_. 1.· •ff ·n •. 1
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l_!umcnl!. for and again"'t the n1.,"t!d fo r minority sororities . ~kmbr.:rs of minority groups on campus have voiced a need for mnre rer rc,;cntauon 1h rough o f1 1nal organization~. Mmomics at :-.1SU Jn: n:r· reo;~•nlC'd hy Black Wome n lntcrc:o;tcd in Sui.:ccss and Ed uc ati on (BWISE): the Rlack S tude n t Uni on: C .i r1b bc a n S tud e n1 ~ OrgJnitauon: Family Unity. Ori;anaza1ion of Hisr anic Students; S igm a Lambda Al ph.1. a prcdomi na1cly Hisp:mic sorority; and Alpha Phi Alpha. :i prcdomin:11cly hlack fraternity. ThC'se groups help meet the ni.:i.:d~ 0 1 their mem ber"' lht OU!,!h S01..1ali1.•ition. communiL> work. stri.:S!-.ing .&CJ · dem1c standards and :-.olidar 11y. accordin g to Jan~· Lc i~hn..:r. assis1ant dean of q udcnr.~. Then· arl' IJ I ~1udc n1~ in Gred.: orl!:ini1a1wn~ al ~! 'iC Ou . in f.!· I lJ9 .1. ll fl·d u r c- J n1 l.a t111Jh LJ ISL' J
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t hu 5 15.000 wh d 1. ·ormin~ J .164 h, urs , f c mi 1un t·, se:-vicc. Each 1ri; in ,.,·:Or '1. ~ II \ O\l.n p hd1n1t- ·r , 1c an•J an,' r1r,n:-tr,. t1·n,. .. ~ 1 '-C'rv1r,· 1 the".: prn1cc•t acr-orrlin; 10 1'>: r
Leslee Phillip~. director of Student aClJ\'lll\.'.S. Cole said Family Unity'"' goal is to prtl\'1de fd lnwsh1p. motivate mr mh..-rs to achie"e acadC"mK C"tcrlh::nee and m • tr.:ract in lo..· al commun11v activ1t1cs. She ., aid M1ehe llc Brown, r1 ..:),11Ji.:n1 ol Family Unity. hq~an oq; ani1.111g in fan u 1ry. Brown r~·qucstcd the MSU admin1~tra11on to pro• vidc inlnrmation on s!Jning a new w rority on 1.·ampus The adrntn1),tra1ion or~an1:,r d an mf\11m.111onj J M.',)!>IOn f cb. 17 for :ill minority v.u me n l in campus. Th1.· W1d 1i1:1 Falls AK A graduate diar tl'r p.1rt1t:ipatcd in thr.: .SC'-Smn and <oliCllcU namt'~ r,f womL·n inlcrc(;\l'd an 1urn11n£ .1n 111t..:rest grour 1or Jn undcr!!rad uatc chJr ti.:r t.>f A K.\ . FJmily Cna1y. ! hi.'. in lL'rl•q group lorm..:d by tht',..: women. lic~Jn fulli ll1ng 1he rc qu1remcn1s h • ch,1 rtcr ,in A KA chapt1.·r Alter ckctmg PffiL e r". '-Che dulmg hi mont hl) m1.· e11 ng\ and Jdur,lmt! h}•IJ•\~. Fam ily L' mt,, I c1. Jn,1. 1d.:1•;!n11cd as ,Jll uffic •jl ClrfJlit~:1lil 1l J I \ f <:;' · NO\·. ~- , c..:mJ m~ 1n L°o;c t Cll · ,;u' 1. m1 y I ' nity·~ ,.,··vu:•· "'n~1-•·1·. 1..:-m · I rr"'l J \oC\tr1,; lQ .1~• h1 ,hl· ,o n. .1 of 1
cducauon in (;0Cio-cconom1 cally deprived 1m.hvir.J uals in Wit'hita Falls. The gruup has dc,·elopcd a mentor program :it Booker T . Was hinliton Ekme ntary .School, where Unity mcmher$ provide pn m:'L ry o;tuden1s with po <itivc role mt.>dcls an(t :'L ~sist thi.:m in their ac:ademic Mudics. Fam,ly Uni1y ha~ ;.ilso pJr• t1cipated in .t 1.·om muni1 y ~ospcl concert aimed a, ri.: . v1ving the spirilual streni;1h o f 1he community. The group plans to adnpt a km<lcq;l rtl·n 1.. la5s at 8 1101.'.e r T Wa.-.hin g.to n Elcmc n1ary School m Spring 19Y5. The Wkhi!,I FJllS AKA J' rJtlUJle chapter in, itL'cl f Jmd ) Cnit) to panicir a1c \\ ith lhL'm m community projL-CL-.. \U1.' h a.~ the Amc:rican lk d Cro"" Bh ,l1d n nvc anti an immu • llil jlh,IO proJ:JJm F.tmily Uni1y i~ Jl\o ,1ron,gl) l11l uscd on hclp1n~ the c!Jc,Jy, 1nd plans ti v 1~!l Ri\ cr O;il.~ , ·u r\1 11g llome :rnd tht! ,\ ! ,1r11 n Luther Kint! Adult DJycar,· Crnter. said Cole. In :.tddition 10 fu llilllng tl...:1r i:o.1ls f11; 1..Jn1mun1t) <-en ic :. F.. mtl y U1 uy pron ,11 ·, i. : u'1ur.1I .1wj rLn. ,., m t h?1~ o · 5 m1 111 n.