News stories this week...

Man behind the TSU curtain answers all

ÔWalkingÕ Wendell stops to receive honor in Troy

Organizations pay to play at Homecoming

Microwaves arenÕt just for warming burritos

Students get debt help by consulting Internet

Origin of life up for debate at Troy State

Learning on-line making colleges more flexible

TSU putting children into stocks

Man behind the TSU curtain answers all

Joe Zwierzchowski ,Editor

In the Land of Oz there was a man behind the curtainmaking sure the Emerald City ran smoothly.

At Troy State University the man behind the scenes is Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., chancellor of the Troy State University System.

Hawkins began his reign as chancellor in 1989. He came to TSU after serving as president of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, assistant dean and professor in the School of Health Related Professions at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and executive director of the Health Careers Council of Alabama.

In recognition of his 10th year at Troy, State the Tropolitan interviewed Hawkins about his tenure.

Q: What is your greatest achievement over your 10 years at TSU?

A: ItÕs a large system, as you know, so itÕs hard to reduce it down to one part.

WeÕve been focused on developing a system of complementary parts. It was in the summer of 1989 when I had a discussion with then Gov. Guy Hunt. His questions related to a system of disjointed parts. He was very much concerned that we might have unnecessary duplication among our campuses. At the time there was an awful lot of interest among people, particularly in this community, about developments that were in progress in Dothan.

There was even discussion of a shifting of the corporate headquarters of Troy State University to Dothan. He had been the target of a lot of those questions from people here, and so he obviously asked me that question.

Before I ever had a formal introduction to Troy State, I had an introduction to that concern. So one of our objectives has been to develop a system of truly complementary parts. We had heard a lot about the problems of duplication of programs in the higher education of Alabama.

From Day 1 we were focused on being a system of complementary parts. I think from Day 1 weÕve done that. WeÕve forced our campuses to define a niche for themselves.

As you know the only campus at which we have a focus on traditional students is here at Troy. We donÕt have athletics at Montgom- ery and Doth-an. I believe, left unchec-ked, we would have had steps in the direction of some of those things in Dothan in the near future.

I think weÕve gained credibility, efficiency and a more focused approach by saying that we were going to have well-defined mission statements for each of these campuses.

This is my terminology, but we have fed our strengths and starved our weaknesses in sort of graphic description of what weÕve been trying to do to eliminate duplication and programs that werenÕt viable. The net effect of that was very visible when the Alabama Commission on Higher Ed released its report.

It showed this campus had the highest viability rating in Alabama, 93 percent. That dropped down to less than 60 percent with your flagship schools (Alabama and Auburn) and down to 39 percent with Alabama State University.

We have preached it, but weÕve also practiced it. That is cutting out programs that really didnÕt add to our inventory.

Another accomplishment, and my personal philosophy, is that academic quality is the only thing that will, or should, sustain an institution. ThatÕs why weÕve had a focus on specialized accreditation in certain programs such as Sports Medicine, Environmental Management and Agriculture. ThatÕs why weÕve focused on raising money for eminent scholar chairs, so we can bring the best and brightest to this campus. As a good example, we are probably the only regional university in America without a medical school that has a physician on its faculty. That is Dr. James Whiteside, an eminent scholar in sports medicine.

I also think an important achievement for us was the move to Division I in athletics.

In my mind that was never strictly an athletics move, that was a move that advanced the university. WeÕve gotten considerably more visibility as a Division I program than we ever did as a successful Division II program.

Q: What would you say is your biggest disappointment?

A: The biggest disappointment has been the lack of funding that has been provided to this university and the other sectors in higher education by the state of Alabama.

In the aggregate, we are a system with a budget of more than $100 million, and only $32 million comes from the state of Alabama. ThatÕs among the lowest in higher education in America.

WeÕve had to be entrepreneurs, we have had to make sure we get a dollar for every dollar we spend.

We enroll 11 percent of the stateÕs four-year students in the state of Alabama, but we receive only about four percent of the appropriations provided for state universities.

That has historically been the case.

WeÕve never been adequately funded in Dothan or Montgomery. WeÕve made great progress in the last couple of years, but we are still well below, as is this campus.

Q: As a recognized leader in the state what, if any, plans do you have for your future beyond TSU?

A: In reflecting on your question I canÕt remember when I applied for a job. I think that sort of thing will take care of itself if you give 110 percent of yourself to where you are.

At this point, my focus is entirely on this university. IÕm a firm believer in blooming where youÕre planted. If you focus on the job at hand and do well, opportunities will find you.

Q: With the recent findings from the Alabama Commission on Higher Education that list Troy State University first in viable programs, and the growing population of students where do you see TSU 10 years from now?

A: I think we will be recognized as a major player in higher education.

Third does not connote third place. It connotes perhaps the size. I think we will be recognized as the third system in this state. I think we will have an image of being international in scope. But I think the heart of our success will be retaining the family atmosphere.

Students will know they will not get lost in the numbers game. That they know they will get a quality experience, that theyÕll have the opportunity to experience leadership in a variety of categories that they may not have at a larger place. We will also be a major player in the global village, benefitting from a Òglobal reach, personal touch,Ó approach to education through distance learning and university college. Quality will sustain and quality is our target.

Q: What is the one event, person or situation that will always come to mind when you think of Troy State?

A: The one single event that comes to my mind is my inauguration ceremony in October of 1990.

There was a moment when the mantle was passed from Dr. (Ralph) Adams to me through Gov. Hunt. That one, brief experience will linger in my mind because it was the past and the future of this institution connecting for a moment in time.

Q: If you could objectively rate yourself and the job you have done at Troy State on a scale of 1 to 10 what would it be?

A: I wouldnÕt dare try to put a number on what weÕve been doing. IÕd leave that up to our students and others who have observed what weÕve been doing.

Q: What would you like students to take away from TSU after graduation, besides a degree?

A: A real appreciation for the experience, a real conviction that what theyÕve received is a degree of quality. Knowing that the very best that could be done for them has been done for each of them. Also, a real commitment to being part of this university for the rest of their lives.

The selection of a college or university ranks in the top five decisions that one will ever make, and I want these students to feel like theyÕve made the right decision.

Proof of that will be what they do as alumni. Perhaps they will send us students, perhaps their own offspring. That would be the greatest commitment they could make.

Q: With both candidates in this past gubernatorial race promising Ala-bama students free tuition to any campus in the state, what will TSU do to distinguish itself from the larger, more popular schools such as Auburn and Alabama? What effect will this have on the campus?

A:We will continue to do what weÕve been doing and that is focus on quality. Quality will sustain us in the future.

If students know they can come here and have an experience where they can stand out and be known by name, and still get the career of their choice when they leave, they will choose us over the anonymity provided by larger schools. The lottery will be good for us, simply because those students in our area attending junior colleges will have another alternative.

Q: With the semester conversion in the near future, how do you think the transition will be?

A: We expect that the transition will be smooth because we have been working towards semesters since the summer of 1997.

The Semester Conversion Work Group has focused on four areas: academic curriculum, advisement and publications communications and support service areas such as MIS, Student affairs and financial aid.

By spring, early registration, we will be ready to register students for fall semester system. Because so much has been accomplished and because the plans are in place for what has yet to be done, the transition to semesters should proceed smoothly.

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ÔWalkingÕ Wendell stops to receive honor in Troy

Joe Zwierzchowski ,Editor

The building currently housing the Troy State University Inservice Education Center has been named in honor of a longtime supporter of higher education in Alabama and TSU in particularly.

State Sen. ÒWalkingÓ Wendell MitchellÕs name will adorn the front of the building on ÒSorority HillÓ as Troy State dedicated the building in his name Thursday.

ÒWendell Mitchell has been a great friend of Troy State University through his work in the Alabama State Senate for many years,Ó said Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., TSU chancellor, in his speech dedicating the building. ÒHe has been a sustained supporter of this university. He values (TSU) as much as we value him.Ó

The main reason the hall has been named for Mitchell is the fact he was instrumental in helping the university secure the funds that helped buy the property that formerly housed the Alabama Baptist ChildrenÕs Home, in spring 1997.

Mitchell, a native of Luverne, has led a distinguished career in politics. He started as a reading clerk in the Alabama House of Representatives in 1958, moved his way up the ladder to become a state senator in 1974 and is currently serving his fourth term in office.

Mitchell earned the nickname ÒWalking WendellÓ for walking from Dothan to Montgomery in a congressional race and for walking several hundred miles in state senate races.

The dedication ceremony took place on the steps of Mitchell Hall and featured speakers such as McDowell Lee, former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and secretary of the Alabama Senate, Troy State Provost Dr. Owen Elder, and Dr. Doug Hawkins, chairman of the TSU Board of Trustees.

ÒWendell Mitchell has been a strong supporter of higher education, and education in general for many years,Ó Elder said. ÒHe is a real statesman for education in Alabama.Ó

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Organizations pay to play at Homecoming

Candy Jones, Staff Writer

The Troy State University Student Government Association has provided activities throughout Homecoming Week with money that comes from the SGA budget, which is a portion of the student activity fee.

SGA Homecoming director, Brian Corbitt said,ÓWe usually spend about $100 on trophies and $250 on flowers for the Homecoming court on skit night and the day of Homecoming. The Homecoming queen crown costs around $60.Ó

ÒWe also spend $94 on picture frames for the Homecoming queen and her court and about $400 on a luncheon for the Homecoming court. The SGA Homecoming float costs about $300,Ó Brian Corbitt, SGA Homecoming Director, said. ÒAll of those expenses are the general cost that the SGA spends.Ó

ÒMost of the expense is paid for from the skit night tickets,Ó Dr. Charlotte Davis, vice president of student affairs, said.

ÒThe sale of skit night tickets helps a lot,Ó Powell said.

The SGA also pays for the Homecoming queenÕs float and furnishes a car for Miss TSU and also a car for executive officers of the SGA.

If money does not come from the SGA budget, then it comes from different places such as, Alumni Affairs.

The SGA is not the only group that spends its time and money preparing for Homecoming.

ÒOrganizations also spend a lot of money on Homecoming,Ò SGA President, Erin Johnson said.

The Homecoming chair for Farmhouse Fraternity said that the average cost of their Homecoming activities was around $1,000.

Sigma Alpha EpsilonÕs Homecoming chair said that they spend about $2,200 on Homecoming Week.

Chi OmegaÕs treasurer said they spend about $500 on activities for Homecoming.

Phi Mu averages about $1,000 on the things they do for Homecoming, said Phi Mu Homecoming chair Christi Lawrence.

ÒIt is always a positive sign when you have people, both university students, employees, and alumni, participating in events that are on campus,Ó Davis said. ÒI think it is beneficial to have something like Homecoming to celebrate together.Ó

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Microwaves arenÕt just for warming burritos

Andrew Marcum, Staff Writer

tThe Troy State University system uses technology in many ways. Whether it is a teleconference, a distance learning course, or an intercampus communication system, TSU has found several ways to use technology to better serve its students and the communities of Central and South Alabama.

One of the TSU systemÕs most innovative technologies often goes unnoticed however, even though it literally towers above the students and faculty who use it. This hidden, unsung hero of the universityÕs technology and communication system is the TSUS microwave system.

According to Dr. Bill Flinn, director of Information and Technology for the TSU system, TSUS is the only school in the state with a microwave system.

ÒOther universities are quite envious of our system,Ó said Flinn. ÒThey are particularly envious of how we use it to deliver distance education courses among our four campuses, deliver Southeastern Public Radio to sites where it can reach homes throughout the region and deliver TSU-TV to cable company subscribers.Ó

The microwave system Links TSU Troy, TSU Phenix City, TSU Dothan, and TSU Montgomery by way of a point-to-point broadcast system that includes 14 towers, nearly two-dozen antennas, seven cable delivery systems, and more than 50 microwave radios.

Flinn said, though the system is virtually hidden from faculty and students, its benefits and numerous uses are anything but hidden.

ÒBesides providing TV and Radio programs, the system is also used to send transcript information and other data between campuses,Ó said Flinn. ÒThis makes record keeping, keeping track of transfer students and transcripts much easier.Ó

Additionally, Flinn said, the microwave system is used for telephone services on the Troy campus and soon on the Phenix City campus as well. ÒSince TSU owns the microwave system, we donÕt have to pay AT&T or another phone company to use phone lines,Ó said Flinn. ÒWe can use the system for phone service anytime we want, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.Ó

The microwave system also provides an efficient medium for TSUSÕs growing number of distance learning courses, said distance education coordinator Suzanne Stokes.

ÒThe microwave system allows us to share our resources in the TSU system,Ó said Stokes.

The microwave system links electronic classrooms on TSUÕs four campus in Alabama. The classrooms are equipped with two-way monitors which allow students on one TSU campus to hear, see, and communicate with a professor on another campus. This means a professor in Troy can lecture to a group of students in Troy and a group in Dothan or Montgomery simultaneously.

As a result, said Stokes, students within the TSU system have a greater range of educational opportunities.

ÒStudents now have an opportunity to take more advanced classes,Ó said Sto-kes. ÒWhile there may not be enough int-erested students on TroyÕs campus to create an advan-ced physics course, between the four campuses there are enough students who want or need to take such an advanced course. And with the microwave system we can offer classes like advanced physics.Ó

ÒThis keeps faculty from having to travel between campuses, and allows us to attract the new adult student who isnÕt able to travel to a distant campus,Ó said Flinn. ÒIt provides more access to higher education for people without the time or the money to attend a traditional campus.Ó

The Southeastern Public Radio Network (WTSU, 89.9 Troy /Mont-gomery; WRWA, 88.7 Dothan; and WTJB, 91.7 Columbus/Phenix City) which operates on the tower-to-tower microwave broadcast system, brings news, entertainment, and information to 1.2 million potential listeners in Central and South Alabama, said James Clower, director of radio and television at TSU.

ÒTroy State was actually the first university in Alabama to have a public radio station,Ó said Clower.

Additionally, cable television subscribers in South Alabama and West Georgia can receive images of TSU through TSU-TV, which beams its broadcast via microwave to cable operators in Troy, Montgomery, Phenix City, and Columbus, Ga. The cable companies can then offer TSU-TV to their customers.

The radio and television broadcasts also provide invaluable educational experience to TSUÕs broadcast journalism students said Dr. Steven Padgett, director of TSUÕs Hall School of Journalism. Padgett said because of the microwave system, the work that students create is being seen in a much wider market.

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Students get debt help by consulting Internet

Nikki Chesser, Staff Writer

How much can you afford to borrow? How will you manage your debt? What are the best repayment options?

To help borrowers answer these and other questions, many major lenders are providing students with more information to help them understand borrowing and credit issues before they get to college.

Web sites, such as the Nellie Mae FundÕs at www.nelliemae.com, offer students and parents expert advice on issues to consider before taking out a loan, and comprehensive debt counseling during and after college.

ÒStudents and parents can address these issues at Nellie MaeÕs web site,Ó said Diane Saunders, vice president of public affairs for Nellie Mae. ÒThey can use its Loan Link calculators and worksheets to compare financial aid packages, estimate monthly debt payments, decide how much to borrow, budget and track spending, and check the status of a loan application.Ó

With student loans constituting 60 percent of all student aid, according to the College BoardÕs recent ÒTrends in Student Aid,Ó it is important that every student find the loan program suitable for their needs.

ÒThe average student loan debt is currently $18,000 per student. With an average monthly student loan payment of $161 a month for undergraduates and $271 a month for graduate students, and an expected starting salary of $27,000 a year, taking out a student loan should be given the same consideration as buying a car or first home. As with any major purchase, make sure you are getting the best offer to fit your needs.Ó

Borrowers should learn as much as they can about borrowing before considering their options, including any lender repayment programs such as Nellie MaeÕs Advantages, which offers an interest rate reduction or payment of the last six installments on the borrowerÕs behalf for consistent on-time payment.

ÒThe web site was set up for students in order for them to find out information on their own, instead of having to wait and make an appointment to see someone in their schoolÕs financial aid office.

The Nellie Mae Foundation was started in order to provide access to higher education for students. Today, this is still our main purpose,Ó Saunders said.

Students should start thinking about their financial future now, by making correct choices now.

To use the Loan Link borrowing and debt counseling calculators, students should visit the Nellie Mae web site or call 1-800-9-TUITION for a free copy of Nellie MaeÕs ÒTake the Right RoadÓ guide to education borrowing.

Troy State University students have several options available to them for student loans. Regions and Southtrust Bank are two of many lenders.

For more information about student loans, visit the financial aid office in Adams Administration, room 133.

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Origin of life up for debate at Troy State

Mark Skinner, News Editor

The debate over how life began will be brought dramatically to life today at 4 p.m. in the Math and Science Complex (formerly McCall Hall), Room 118, when Dr. Robert Pullen will take both sides of the issue.

Pullen, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and sociology professor, will use role playing to represent advocates for both creationism and evolution during his presentation.

The presentation is open to the public.

During the presentation he will be playing the Rev. Pullen when he is speaking on creationism and Dr. Pullen when addressing evolution, Pullen said.

Each character will have one side of the classroom and he will move back and fourth between them depending on which character is speaking, Pullen said.

ÒThe point is to give fair and equal treatment to both sides as much as anyone can do,Ó Pullen said.

The presentation will give both sides air time and give students a chance to ask questions and reach their own conclusions, Pullen said.

Pullen said he will be taking a strict, literal Biblical view of creation as the Rev. Pullen.

ÒItÕs not a caricature of that position, but an attempt to give honest presentation of that position,Ó he said.

ÒI think I am qualified to do it because I am an ordained Baptist minister.Ó

Pullen is also a social scientist who studied and taught anthropology.

As Dr. Pullen he will represent the theory of evolution as a anthropologist and social scientist.

After each character is done with his presentation they will talk to the ÒotherÓ and answer questions from the audience, Pullen said.

At the end of the presentation he will step out of his characters and give his personal point of view, Pullen said.

This is not the first time he has done this presentation.

ÒI have done this before when I was teaching anthropology,Ó Pullen said.

The presentation is being held by the Beta Beta Beta biological honors society.

Tri Beta thought the topic would be interesting and thought- provoking, said Jason Johnson, president of Beta Beta Beta.

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Learning on-line making colleges more flexible

Wendi Miller, Staff Writer

For some Troy State University students, getting their masterÕs degree has just gotten easier.

The Distance Learning Center is developing graduate level courses for students to take on-line.

Heading up the new program is Dr. Richard Bothel, who is the dean of distance learning. He said that he is finding more and more students who need flexibility in the courses they need to take. Some students arenÕt close enough to a campus to get the classes they need to get their masters.

The first course that was approved by the Graduate Council is EDU 980 Fundamentals of Learning Through Distance Education.

Bothel said that the on-line courses arenÕt as easy as it may seem.

ÒStudents need to be self-starters,Ó he said. ÒThe courses give flexibility, but procrastination is a problem. The students have guidelines to follow as well as due dates for papers. Students will also have to complete activities on-line.Ó

Discussion boards are also used for the classes. Students can post questions on the discussion board and see other questions and answers other students have posted, said Bothel.

For shy students, on-line courses may be a blessing.

Bothel said that some students who may be shy in class will feel free to ask questions openly on discussion boards.

Although there will be exams in cyber-space, Bothel said there might be some distrust with on-line testing.

He said that students who are unable to come to the campus for a final exam will have a proctored final exam. The student is required to find a qualified person approved by the teacher to give the exam.

Bothel is working on a course similar to the 980 class. This one will be for high school seniors.

Bothel said that the on-line courses will seem natural to the younger students.

Bothel said he didnÕt think that distance learning will replace actual class room teaching.

The Distance Learning Center has yet to open their permant offices on the top floor of Wallace Hall, but until then students can find the temporary offices on the first floor of Wallace Hall. Students can call extension 3976 for more information.

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TSU putting children into stocks

Renee Zimmerman, Staff Writer

Since 1985, elementary, junior high and high school students have been involved in the Alabama Stock Market Game sponsored by Troy State University and the Alabama Council on Economic Education.

Across the state, students enter the classroom in hopes that their stock has gone up and their shares have multiplied.

There are more than 3,330 students who are learning the risks and rewards of the stock market by being involved in the game. The students represent 102 elementary, middle and high schools from across the state.

The stock market game helps teachers explain the details of the economy, the world of business and finance and the securities industry.

Many teachers use the game as an aid in teaching math, writing, research, analysis and decision making, as well as the economic lessons.ÒAn elementary school teacher might use the game to teach math,Ó said Barry Uze, director of the Center for Economic Education at TSU. ÒIt helps students learn about fractions, decimals, interests and other basic principles.Ó

The stock market game also allows students to better understand what goes on outside the classroom.

ÒIt was very interesting to find out about what they talked about on television, like the Dow Jones and the stock market,Ó said Nicole Boswell who played the game in sixth grade at St. Joseph Catholic School in Montgomery, Ala. ÒWe watched our investments go up and down. It was a great experience to get involved in.Ó

The game is conducted over a 10-week period each fall and spring and is divided into two categories of competition, grades 3-8 and 9-12. The teams, which consist of two to five people, are given a hypothetical $100,000 each.

With the money, each team creates a portfolio of common stocks listed on the New York and American stock exchanges as well as the NASDAQ National Market. Each team is given opportunities to buy, sell and conduct daily transactions, just like any broker or investor.

The TSU Center for Economic Education keeps track of the progress of each team, provides weekly reports and ranks the teams based on their portfolio equity.

After the 10-week game is completed and the ranks of the teams are tallied, the top five teams in each region are awarded cash prizes, plaques and shirts.

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