Week of September 19-25, 2005

Welcome to the Tower Topics E-newsletter for faculty, staff and students at Western. 

Missouri Western State College, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, 271-4200

Click any link for these stories:

Student Survey Finds High Level of Satisfaction

New Residence Requirements

"Constitution Day 2005"

Foreign Film

News Briefs

Calendar

Ads

Archives

The deadline for all entries is 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, for the next week's issue. Tower Topics will be online weekly during the fall and spring semester.  For more information call 271-5651.

Student Editor:
Katie Johnston 

Staff Advisers:
Kristy Hill and Diane Holtz

Student Survey Finds High Level of Satisfaction

Western students report being more satisfied with their college experiences than the average of students at other four-year public institutions across the country. That is according to the findings of a recent survey, Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI), which was created by Noel Levitz, a national admissions consulting group.  

The survey findings include the averages of 103 other four-year public institutions in the U.S., and Western scored above average in satisfaction with academic advisors, content of courses, knowledge of faculty within their fields of study and quality of instruction.

Western results were also above the national average in areas such as adequacy of computer labs, variety of courses, commitment to academic excellence on campus and ability to experience intellectual growth.

Dr. James Scanlon, Western’s president, noted that the SSI will be used as a tool to benchmark Western against other institutions and to examine areas of improvement.

“Western is committed to continuous quality improvement,” said Dr. Scanlon. “Improving quality is a commitment of our strategic planning process and our participation in the Academic Quality Improvement Program.”

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New Residence Requirements

“At Western, we are committed to putting our students first. Over the past few years we have looked at every aspect of our university to ensure we are creating a campus that promotes connections among students, faculty, staff and Western. Research has shown that the more students are connected or engaged with their campus experience the more satisfied and successful their experience is,” explained Dr. Jeanne Daffron, acting vice president for academic and student affairs.

With this focus in mind and in order to provide incoming freshmen with the best possible first-year experience, Missouri Western State University will begin requiring first-year students to live on campus beginning in the fall of 2006.

Following state and national trends, incoming students taking nine or more hours must reside in university housing unless they are living with a parent, grandparent or legal guardian; are 21 years of age at the beginning of the academic year for which they are enrolled; are a military veteran; have completed more than 30 credit hours (not including dual-enrolled credits); or are married and/or who reside with dependent children.

“The decision to require first-time freshmen to live on campus fits with our strategic initiatives. Research shows that living on campus the first year increases students’ academic performance. With our new Living and Learning Center residence hall we now have the ability to take this step, the same as the majority of public institutions in Missouri,” said Howard McCauley, director of admissions.

At full capacity, Western has 1,300 beds on campus. The new 400-bed Living and Learning Center is designed to group students together in terms of interests and prospective majors.

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"Constitution Day 2005"

Western's department of government, social work, and sociology will hold a special program, “Free Speech in the Digital Age,” in conjunction with the national celebration of Constitution Day 2005. The event will be held at 2 p.m. Sept. 20 in Popplewell Hall, room 205.

According to Dr. Jon Euchner, assistant professor of government, the celebration of Constitution Day should remind Americans of the enduring strength of the constitution and its ability to be changed and adapted to the times.

“The program on Sept. 20 will highlight ongoing and new issues that will continue to shape constitutional issues like free speech and its relationship to technology and other changing forms of communication,” said Dr. Euchner.

The program includes a re-broadcast of a 60-minute video program from National Public Radio’s “Justice Talking” series. There will be a discussion/debate about current issues and controversies on free speech and censorship in libraries, textbooks, and the internet.

For more information, contact Dr. Euchner at 4358 or euchner@missouriwestern.edu.

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Foreign Film

Western's department of English, foreign languages and journalism will show the Spanish film El espiritu de la colmena – The Spirit of the Beehive, at 6 p.m. Sept. 21 in Hearnes Center, room 102. The event is free and open to the community.

The Spirit of the Beehive is set in rural Spain and portrays the isolation of Ana, an introverted child, growing up after the Spanish Civil War. This landmark film offers a poignant exploration of the fragile innocence of childhood and a thoughtful commentary on the tragedy of Spain’s Civil War. The 93-minute film is directed by Victor Erice, and is in Spanish with English subtitles.

For more information, contact Dr. Susie Hennessey at 5813.

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• Pig Skin Picks started the weekend of Sept. 10-11. If you would like to try and win a new intramural t-shirt, play Pig Skin Picks. To play, go to the MWSU homepage, click on departments, then click on recreation services. From there click on intramurals, then click on Pig Skin Picks. There are two versions. A print version that you can print out and bring into the office or a computer-generated version. Click on the computer version to fill out and submit. If you have any questions, call Wonda at 4247.

• Join the Western Light the Night team benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The walk begins at Krug Park at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24. There will be a carnival beginning at 6 p.m. For more information, call Elisha Davis at 5646 or register online at www.lightthenight.org.

• The deadline for applications to the Student Excellence Fund for fall semester 2005 is Oct. 7, 2005. Visit the website at missouriwestern.edu/foundation/excellence.htm for application requirements. For more information, contact Kim Weddle at 5647.

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Tuesday, Sept. 20

• "Free Speech in the Digital Age" - 2 p.m., Popplewell Hall, 205

Wednesday, Sept. 21

• El espirito de la colmena - The Spirit of the Beehive - 6 p.m., Hearnes Center, 102

Thursday, Sept. 22

• Board of Governors Meeting - 5 p.m., Nelle Blum Union, 220

Friday, Sept. 23

• Last day to choose A/CR/U (pass/fail) option

Saturday, Sept. 24

• "A Night in the Gardens of Spain" - 8 p.m., Missouri Theatre. Dr. Deborah Freedman, professor of music and conductor of the St. Joseph Symphony, with Stephen Molloy and guest violinist Ben Sayevich.

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• Remember to send us your ads! Send your submissions to publicrelations@missouriwestern.edu 

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