Vol. 72, Issue 20

Page 1

Southern Accent

The student voice for 90 years!

Collegedale, Tennessee

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Asian Night highlights many cultures

Vol. 72, Issue 20

McArthur remembered for his wisdom, humor History professor taught at Southern for 30-plus years Sierra emilaire Editor-in-ChiEf

Photo By Tierra Hayes Southern students participate in a traditional fan dance during the annual celebration of Asian Night.

During the early hours of April 10, Southern lost an important professor, fellow faculty member and friend. Ben McArthur surrendered his classes two months before planned retirement after more than a year of fighting cancer. Some faculty were blessed to have experienced encounters with McArthur before his passing. “The last time I saw Dr. McArthur was on April 8,” Kris Erskine, chair of history

and political studies said. “Even though he knew the end was near, in characteristic Ben McArthur fashion he was concerned not for himself but for me, as chair, and for the department in its search See MCARTHUR, page 4

Nursing program offers two pathways to become an RN Natalia Perez Managing Editor

Southern’s School of Nursing is developing a new pre-licensure program in addition to its popular associate degree. The new Bachelor of Science in Nursing is in the process of approval by the Accreditation Commission for Education of Nursing (ACEN) and the Tennessee Board of Nursing. Applications for this program are being accepted now, and classes are scheduled to begin in the winter semester of 2018.

Two routes of acquiring a nursing degree will be available for students: the associate’s degree or the new BSN. In comparison to the AS degree, the BSN has been structured for students to complete most of their general education and cognate classes upfront, which allows for more clinical hours and opportunities as students continue nursing classes their junior and senior year. “We’re really excited about it,” said Sylvia Mayer, director of admissions and progressions.

“Our hospitals want Southern nurses, and the nursing field has begun to prefer BSN-prepared nurses in greater numbers. People know Southern for nursing, and now there will be more ways to prepare our students for the latest trends in the job market,” Mayer said. Meanwhile, the AS degree, currently under conditional approval, remains fully functioning and accredited. The TBN requires an 85 percent pass rate for students taking the NCLEXRN on their first attempt.

Because Southern’s pass rate was an 82 percent for the year of 2016, TBN has changed the program’s status to conditional approval, meaning additional students will not be admitted in 2017. The next anticipated AS admission is fall 2018. “The new BSN cycle will begin each winter semester and the associate program will now begin every fall semester,” said Barbara James, dean of the School of Nursing. The TBN decision will not affect students currently enrolled in the pro-

gram, nor students who have already been pre-admitted for Summer and Fall 2017 sessions. Southern’s other nursing programs remain unaffected. “Nursing is hard work, and being a successful nursing student requires hard work,” Mayer said. “We are here to support and are committed to the success of every student.” The School of Nursing faculty expect a final ACEN and TBN decision regarding the new BSN program by early summer.


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Vol. 72, Issue 20 by Southern Accent - Issuu