Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1985)
Monday, February 25, 1985/The Battalion/Page 5 Warped by Scott McCullar Prairie ViewA&M University Low grades a problem By DAINAH BULLARD Staff Writer Almost 20 percent of the students enrolled at Prairie View A&M Uni versity in December 1984 were placed on scholastic probation. But President Pearcy Pierre says the school is battling the problem with counseling on the university level and tutoring within the colleges. “This is not a new problem at Prairie View,” Pierre saia. 4 Tt’s been going on a while.” Of the 3,700 students enrolled in the undergraduate school, 766 stu dents are on scholastic probation be cause they have a grade point aver age lower than 2.0, and 219 students, about 6 percent, are on the university’s honor roll with an aver age GPA of 3.5 or higher. “Some of our students have prob lems, and some of them don’t,” Pierre said. “I don’t like to general ize. We have some students who are well prepared (for college), who achieve a lot. And we have some who have problems.” The best way to solve those prob lems is by helping the student, Pierre said, so the university provides coun seling for students having problems with grades, and individual colleges provide tutoring programs. Wayne Perry, dean of the College of Engineering, said his college has three tutoring programs: individual counseling, evening problems classes and an engineering concept pro gram. Individual counseling involves im proving communication between students and faculty. In this pro gram, students meet with depart ment chairmen and faculty and dis cuss their problems, Perry said. Evening problem solving classes are for classes identified as problem areas for a number of students, Perry said. Instructors for those classes explain what they expect in terms of deadlines and quality of work to the students, he said. The third program, an engi neering concept program, is held during the summer. The main pur pose of this pre-engineering course is to prepare high school graduates for classes in engineering, Perry said. Though problems can arise at any time during a student’s education, certain periods are considered more dangerous than others, Perry said. “The main thing we’re concerned about is the first two years,” he said. “That’s why we have the pre-engi neering program, and we even have a grade school program.” Once they’re enrolled at Prairie View, students must maintain a 2.0 average. If they are placed on schol astic probation, students have one semester to raise their grades, or they face suspension. Pierre said the university has higher standards than some Texas colleges. “Our requirement is that fresh men get a 2.0,” he said. “That’s higher than the requirements at many campuses. We are not sur prised (by the number of students on probation). It just means we need to work harder.” Aggie college bowl team gets 2nd at regional meet By KATIE DICKIE Reporter Don’t you hate to play Trivial Pur suit with someone who knows all of the answers? If so, there are five Texas A&M students you should avoid. Alan Fryar, Doug Spence, David Jansen, Todd Brown, and Jay Sch- roeder are members of the Texas A&M college bowl team. They capitalized on their knowl edge of trivia to place second at the regional competition at Rice Univer sity on Feb. 17. Seventeen teams from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas competed. The team from Tulane University won the competition. Gregg Steele, chairman of the Me morial Student Center committee that sponsors the A&M team, said that college bowl is “the official var sity sport of the mind.” Technically the college bowl is a contest between two four-member teams in a head-to-head competi tion. Like the television game show from which it evolved, a moderator asks a toss-up question for either team. Correct answers are worth ten points. Answering a toss-up correctly means the team becomes eligible to answer a bonus question worth up to 30 points. The team with the most points at the end is declared the win ner. College bowl began as a television show in the 1950s and continued un til 1970. The competition was designed to test college students’ knowledge of history, current events, arts, litera ture, sports, music and just about any other subject. Questions for the official contests are compiled by Time magazine. Fryar, the captain of the A&M team, says the contest is more fun and slightly more serious than Triv ial Pursuit. Spence says he does not own a Trivial Pursuit game, but has played a few times. “However, my friends make me go around twice to win,” he said. Spence describes college bowl as an “active accumulation of useless knowledge.” A&M has the largest following in this region. Last fan at the campus College Bowl tournament, 32 teams participated. From the 32 teams the members of the official team were chosen to represent A&M at the re gional tournament. Steele said the team practices a few hours each week. Trivial Pursuit questions are asked as well as ques tions from previous competitions, he said. Brown said playing Trivial Pur suit helps him practice, but extensive reading helps him the most. The team will be invited to the National Invitational Tournament at Emery University in Georgia, possi bly as a wild card team. Fryar said due to a lack of funding, however, the contest may cancelled. Try our Battalion Classified!! 845-2611 Adult Education Because you are more than just a student, you deserve the class of Cripple Creek Condominiums. Don’t fail to visit us and learn about the best condo in town. Pool/Tennis Courts/Hot Tub/ Microwave Ovens/Ceiling Fans Models Open Daily iflum Prices starting at $42,950 CONDOMINIUMS 904 University Oaks College Station, TX 77840 764-8682 846-0331 764-0504 Mr. Bill says. .. "No Big Bucks No Bad Cuts.” At Bill’s Appointments Available Monday - Saturday Barbero ^H’StyleShop 215 University Dr. 846-2228 Appointments Available Monday-Saturday It's not too late... If you haven't registered for a craft workshop yet, you better hurry in while you still have time! Spaces are available in the following: Quilting; March 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15, 26; 6-8 p.m. Watercolor; April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; 6-8 p.m. Batik; March 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24; 6-7:30 p.m. Bike Maintenance; March 20, 27, April 3, 10; 7:30-9:30 p.m. Cross-Stitch; April 10, 17, 24; 6-8 p.m. Beginning Pottery-Handbuilding-March 27, April 3, 10, 17; 6-8 p.m. Drawing; April 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2; 6-8 p.m. Beginning Pottery-Wheel; March 21, 28, April 4, 11, 18, 25; 7:30-9:30 p.m. For further information call 845-1631. All nonstudents must purchase a $2.00 identification card when registering for all classes. ••••••••• mMmwmmMMMM. IMSMimiKT ;; : • »•••• Can Eat - : 4-10 p.m. :' : V- /I? II Offer expires Feb. 28, 1985 Sunday Pancakes $1.99 All You Can Eat Mon. Tues. Wed. Spaghetti $1.99 All You Can Eat Thurs. Fri. Shrimp $4.99 All You Can Eat Saturday Special Steak Dinnej $4.99 Complete sssssf : ■ ; I« apif. College Skaggs Center - PILGER’S MUFFLER CENTER i Coupon Good For Foreign or Domestic Muffler-Tail Pipes Custom Duals-Catalytic Converters 503 Nimitz Just off University Dr. Right behind Pilger’s Tire 696-1735 15% OFF ANY MUFFLER OR TAIL PIPE Expires 3-15-85 FLU TREATMENT IS HERE A study using the new drug Ribavirin is going on at the Beutel Health Center If you have Flu Symptoms - Fever - Muscle Aches - Chills - Sore Throat Come to the health Center within the first 24 hours of illness and ask for the Flu Doctors (day or night-Flu Fighters don’t sleep) H0CH o n o HO OH Ribavirm You may win a paid vacation (about $112.00) in the Health Center Dr. John Quarles MARCH 2,1985 T 4 t