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'TitB MONDAY,
MARCH
15, 1999
,,.,.,
PALOMAR
COLLEGE
SAN
MARCOS,
VOLUME
CA
52,
NUMBER
16
Proposal to raise math requirement is approved guidance and career development said she would like the Math Department to work with the vocational departments in forming classes that are equivalent to Math 60 but relate to the vocation the students are studying. Eberhart is also concerned that Palomar doesn't offer enough sections of math to meet the needs of students, "There are 500 students on the waiting list now," Eberhart stated, "and only 7 percent of ours students go through the entire math cycle." Annette Parker, chairperson of the Math Department, says the depart ment is ready to meet those needs. "We offered 31 sections of Math 60 in fall 1998. We will offer 36 sections in fall 1999," Parker said. The Math Department is also adding a new math class, Math 56, to help students make the transition from Math 50 to Math 60. However, Math 56 will not be a prerequisite for Math 60. Xavier E. Corona, student trustee and Associated Student Government presitlent, was also concerned about vocational students. "Why can't we wait on this, and why Math 60?" he asked. Mark Vernoy, psychology instructor and Faculty Senate president, said each department needs to present its changes to the Curriculum Committee. "This came from the Math Department. If another department $ees the need for a course, they will bring it up to the Curriculum Committee," Vernoy said. "The Math Department should not be held
■ Debate
focuses on vocational students' needs Tom Chambers Editor-in-Chief
The Palomar College Governing Board voted to raise the math requirement for the associate's degree to Math 60 at the March 9 meeting. Currently Palomar students are required to take Math 50, elementary algebra, to meet the requirements for the associate's degree. Starting in the fall semester 1999, students seeking an associate's degree will be required to take or test out of intermediate algebra, Math 60. The change also affects the scores students will need to achieve on assessment tests to test out of the math requirement including the competency for the Palomar College Assessment Test. To test out of taking math students will have to have a minimum score of 24 on the intermediate algebra section as opposed to the old requirement of a score of
18. The unanimous vote was taken after a debate on the feasibility of the proposal. The debate focused on meeting the needs of vocational students and whether raising the math requirement would impede their success. Judy Eberhart, dean of counseling,
Mikael Wiley/ TIie Telew,pt
Palomar College Police Academy cadets Clyde Fergus~n (left) and Andrew Mata (right) participate in a "robbery-in-progress"drill.
Won1en's History Month events to be held despite bureaucracy Judy McCoy Sraff Writer
Peter Mojica , Associated Student Government Vice President/InterClub Council Chairper son recenlly struggled throu gh red tape and bureaucracy to ensure Women's History Month will continue at Palomar College. Women's History Month faced abolition when it was excluded from the ASG budget by last year's board . Mojica believes it is crucial that Women's History Month continue and presented a $ 1,500 budget to the Budget and Financ e Committee on March 3. which was arproved . The ICC will be supplyin g $750 from its account and the ASG will supply the additional $750. Women 's history instructor Linda Dudik -Latulipre said, "I am not surprised Women's History Month was taken out of the budget because so many times we neglect women·s issues . Eve n though studen ts are interested in Women ' s History Month , women tend to have a lot of roles. Women work, take care of a family and then come to Palomar and study for eigh t or more units. . They do not always have time Lo be ~involved in women's clubs or issues."
Mojica maintains, "We need to celebrate women and allow women Lo celebrate themselves and their achievements . This is an opportunity not· only to help women with problems but also to recognize the ir accomplishments and celebrate women overcoming adversity." Palomar's Women's History Month events will take place March 16- 18. The high Iight eve nt will be a Clothesline set up by the Gay and Lesbian Association (GALA). The Clothesline is an opportunity for women to exp ress how they have overcome adversity by writing a sentence on a T-shirt, which will hang on the Clothesline. ICC will provide about 50 T-shirts and markers but women can also use their own T-shirts. The Women's Resource Center in Oceanside are setting up a table near the Clothes line to offer support and counseli ng to abused women. Other eve nts include Connie Colten of Colten Creations who will be performing a presentation of the life of the first female journalist Nellie Bligh, who was on the front lines in World War 1. Student/artist Yvette Ocegnera will be singing. Professor Mead of the dance depart ment will be coordinating a Brazilian drum ensemb le featuring
male drummers and female dancers. Tentative events include a local female DJ and an all female band. Palomar College clubs are rally ing together to organize Women's History Month . The Comet Club is putting up decorations throughout the month. GALA and the Pan African Student Movement are involved in community outreach. MECHA , the Mexican Student Movement is soliciting donations from the loca l community for prizes to give away at eve nts. Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Gamma Sigma are organizin g publicity . Mojica says he is plea sed the clubs are participating becaus e it promot es teamwork among the ICC members. ''Women's History Month is receiv ing a lot of support from students and the local community," Mojica said. If you would like more informa tion on Women's History Month, co ntact Peter Mojica at (760) 744 1150 Ext. 2605 .
For more on Women's History Month turn to the Feature section, pages s.
hostage to other departments ." Supporters of the change cited rising standards at local high schools as a reason to raise Palomar's requirement. Various local high schools, like San Marcos High and Oceanside High, require their students to take intermediate algebra for graduation. Palomar math instructors feel that Palomar needed to make the change for the program to be taken seriously. Governing Board membe r Robert Dougherty said the issue is not as black and white as many think. "Not all high schools are up to speed," said Dougherty, "I would be surprised if San Diego high schools arc up to date in five years." The supporters of the change feel Palomar should take the lead on the issue. Bruce Bishop, speech instructor and Faculty president, said "This is Palomar's opportunity to not just ride the wave, but to be the wave." Questions were raised at the meeting about the proces s the proposal went through. Corona mentioned that there was not a student member on the curriculum committee, and the ASG was not informed in enough time to get feedback from the students . Palomar College raised the math requirement in the past to Math 60, but changed back to Math 50 four years later due to a drop in graduation and enrollment rates. The change takes effect in the fall semester 1999. Students who began attendance at Palomar previously will not have to meet the new com-
Palomar College's mathrequiremen Thechange The Palomar College Governing Board voted to raise the math requirement for an associate's degree. Students must now pass Math 60 or test out of it.
Requirement
Then
Now
Math class
Math 50 (Elementary Algebra)
Math 60 (Intermediate Algebra)
Achieve a minimum score of 18 on Intermediate Algebra section, or a minimum score of 10 on College Algebra section
Achieve a minimum score of 24 on Intermediate Algebra section, or a minimum score of 15 on College Algebra section
SAT I score
Achieve a score of 500 on the mathematics section
Achieve a score of 550 on the mathematics section
ACT score
Achieve a score of 17 on the mathematics section
Achieve a score of 19 on the mathematics section
College Level Examination Program
Achieve a score of 450 or higher
Achieve a score of 500 or higher
Assessment Test
Thehistor, Palomar changed its math requirement to Math 60 from 1983 to 1988. During these years Palomar experienced a drop in enrollment and graduation rates. Math 60 was the required during these years Year
1982-83 1983-84 1984-85 1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89
# of students
19 1060
17,071
15,451
15,455
16,827
17,915
20,306
Graduation rate
.050%
.047%
.040%
.035%
.031%
.027%
.025%
369
263
228
248
286
251
# of associate's 507 degreesawarded