Bits and pieces: previews of stories to come

By: Michelle Anstett
Editor-in-chief

“The Courier” received very rudimentary information this week on the three short stories presented here. More in-depth investigations of all three will be taking place in the coming weeks. Watch the News pages for more information.

Proposed commencement changes

Seniors, beware. You may be losing the opportunity to wear “academic regalia” at Commencement.

According to the minutes of the Sept. 20 faculty meeting, “Students will no longer be permitted to wear honors societies’ cords.”

The only exceptions to this rule will be students earning Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude, and those participating in the Honors Program and members of Mortar Board. In other words, most students not earning a grade point average above 3.5 for their four years will not be allowed to wear anything signifying participation in academic societies or awards for academic honors.

In addition to this new policy, the faculty meeting minutes stated that students may also be given a cardboard diploma when they walk across the stage at Commencement, with their actual diplomas being mailed at a later date.

Sue Dagit, registrar, said in her report to the faculty that the college has simply gotten too big in recent years to be able to keep up with all the students who file their applications for degree later in the spring semester and want to walk during the Commencement ceremony.

Rental cars for students?

According to Mauri Ditzler, Monmouth College president, and Jacquelyn Condon, vice president for student life and dean of students, Monmouth College is looking into providing rental cars for students. This is being investigated in an effort to alleviate parking problems which have cropped up as the college has grown larger.

Ditzler said, in discussing the options being investigated, that the “school is very amenable for providing alternate transportation for students.” It has looked into several different options.

One option would be to hire an outside company to provide rental cars for students, but Monmouth is too small for most companies. The company which the college has been in most recent negotiations with is a group from Chicago which is looking into getting its insurance policy changed to allow students under the age of 21 to drive their vehicles.

Monmouth prepares for accreditation

In the spring of 2008, Monmouth College will be visited by the North Central Accrediting Agency. This group comes to campus at least once every 10 years.

President Mauri Ditzler said the purpose of accreditation visits is to “investigate whether good learning is going on” at Monmouth College. In preparation for this visit, the college will be holding a series of open forums to discuss all aspects of the college’s life.

During the agency’s visit, they will be looking at the effectiveness of the college’s new integrated studies program, which includes the Introduction to Liberal Arts, Global Perspectives, Reflections and Citizenship courses.