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Centennial quieter but not declining
By Susie Reitz
Though he admits that Centennial
College is a "lot quieter than a few years
ago," the senior fellow for the Centennial
Education Program (CEP) said that does
not mean the program "has gone
downhill." Nelson Potter also said there is
less political activism and "maybe we
aren't as famous as a few years ago, but 1
think the program is still effective as a
learning tool."
Potter said he thinks publicity for the
program has declined.
"Students are more cautious these
days, too. They want to be sure that
something is going to work before they
get into it. Student living-learning
programs, like Centennial, are declining in
enrollment all over the country," Potter
said.
Began in 1969
Centennial started in 1969 as a flexible
program allowing students to pursue
interests that are not available in other
parts of the University.
The Centennial student decides on a
project or area of study to pursue
individually or with a group. He then gets
a "fellow", one of the CEP professors, to
sponsor the project. The student is
responsible for goals and methods in the
project. Groups working on projects do
not meet at specific' times, but whenever
those involved arrange meetings,
meetings.
"The past two years, I don't think it
has been as good as before, as far as
excitement, but I think this year
Centennial has really improved," said Jim
Schmidt, a fourth-year Centennial
student.
Freshman Tarn Lee said, "I really
think Centennial is great, but I don't have
anything to compare it to, since I wasn't
here last year and can't say whether it
was good then or not."
Less experimenting
"When I first got into Centennial three
years ago, there was more emphasis on
experimenting with new ways of learning.
Now the emphasis is not on 'learning how
to learn.' Students are wanting to study
specific subjects, they don't necessarily
want . to use new ways of learning,"
Centennial resident Ray Walden said.
"Some aspects of Centennial have
changed over the last few years," Senior
Gayle Waggoner said. "I think there have
always been things people complained
about, but that is part of the
program-seeing something that is not
working and changing it.
"There isn't as much total community
activity as the first couple years, I don't
think. There is a distinction between
dorm people and commuters," Waggoner
added. "But that is maybe just the way
students have changed."
"Since the second year of Centennial
there have been oldtimers and
newcomers," Potter said. "That is
.probably the biggest continuing conflict
in Centennial, but it is necessary. The
oldtimers are accustomed to Centennial.
They are constantly conflicting with
newcomers who don't know the ropes
. and are not used to the self-discipline
expected here. But they make the
newcomers' adjustment easier.
"These conflicts make some people
unhappy with the program and give them
the idea ft is going 'downhill:' But if they
really look at it, it isn't failing, it is just
changing or maybe not fulfilling their
personal expectations," said Potter.
He noted the number of applications
has declined over the years but believes
that is due to the lack of publicity and
recruiting.
Less community-oriented
At one time Centennial was a separate
community within the University, CEP
Assistant Karen Hardy said. But the
program has become less
community-oriented in the past couple
years', she believes.
"It's different, but 1 don't think it is
right to say it is declining," said Hardy.
"It hasn't really had any significant
changes lately, but I think that is because
people want to work on topics they are
studying. They are not thinking about
their method of learning as Centennial
students did the first couple years.
"I think you have to ask the question,
Is Centennial fulfilling the needs of its
students?' When it was started in the late
'60s students had certain needs. They
took the program and became personally
involved with its success. The students
now have different needs and don't
identify with the community idea so
much.
"What some may call indication of a
decline is actually just more stability and
less experimentation in the program,"
Hardy said. She has been with the
program for five years.
Other programs
"A lot of the difference with
Centennial is that the outside University'
has started programs like University
Studies which do some of the things
Centennial once did," said Carl Cooper,
who has been in Centennial four years.
"The people in the program have
changed and it has changed with them. It
is still exciting but the excitement is
being expressed in different ways,"
Cooper said.
The most frequent complaint by
students who say they are not satisfied
with Centennial and claim it Is going
'dnwnhM" is that "too many people get
into Centennial because they don't want
to work. They think the program is a
chance to mess around and still get
credit."
"Some people don't work during the
semester and then at the end, when it
comes time to determine grades or
passfail, they write a paper to show what
they supposedly accomplished," one
Centennial student commented. "It isn't
right when they just get in to mess
around.'.'
Some incompletes
"Several students got incompletes last
semester," Potter acknowledged. But he
added, "The problem with grades and
saying whether a student learned
anything in Centennial is a real hang:up.
One student may not look like he is doing
much, but if he is learning to discipline
himself and do work on his own, that is
important.
"One of the central ideas in Centennial
is that a person can work individually. He
has to have a lot of motivation to learn
when the courses are not structured and
specific work is not assigned by a teacher.
"Centennial will always have people
who are not happy, but mostly that is a
personal conflict and not due to the
program," Potter stated. "There is still a
need for Centennial, because there so
many activities that are done through
Centennial which are not related to any
specific department in the University
proper."
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Tuition and fees, 5190; board and
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Photo by Stv Boernw
Nelson Potter, senior fellow,
Centennial Education Program.
Hubble: Outreach helps students
cope with 'normal problems'
OPENING FEB 7th
DocWatch Hollow
Upper level Glass Menagerie?
Tnrquios Jewelry, Leather Goods,
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STUDENT VOLUNTEER SERVICES
If you're worried about uncertain goals, static
friendships or lack of independence, chances are
you're not alone. Almost every college student
experiences these worries according to Ken
Hubble, acting director of the University Health
Center.
Many students are worrying about these
"normal problems," Hubble said, but they fail to
discuss their concerns with others.
"We get them after they have wallowed
around in their problems," he said, "and then we
only we the end result,"
Caps exist
Although the health center is able to reach
and help many students, Hubble said, gaps stiil
exist in their coverage of the entire university
population.
Health aids, students specially trained to
counsel other students, reach much of the
campus population. But two-thirds of the
students live off-campus, Hubble pointed out,
and they are not always contacted.
The Outreach Center located in the University
Health Center, handles six to eight telephone
calls and two personal visits a nigf t, Hubble said.
Many students do not even try to contact
anyone for help, Hubble said, so they just let
their problems grow.
"I'd like students to realize these problems
, happen to everyone," Hubble stressed, "and
these are normal experiences."
Multiplicity of factors
Students from rural areas are most vulnerable
to problems at a large university, Hubble
continued, because so many factors are working
at once.
"Immediately they are asked for their social
security number and their identities are taken
away," he said. If they haven't determined a
major, many students experience guilt feelings
over the lack of goals or directions, Hubble ssid.
This problem is compounded by the fact that
the years from 17 to 24 are one of the most
btiCSbfu! peiiouS in pcisjuiiamy ut-vciopiitciil,
Hubble said. During the college years most
people learn how to interact in personal
relationships.
Some $-dents who come to UNL have never
had a date before, he explained, and others have
very few friends from their high school.
"It's tough to make the adjustment," Hubble
said, "when a student is offered cigarettes, pot or
alcohol for the first time."
Two utles
An additional problem students must deal
with, he said, is the job of filling two conflicting
roles at the same time. A student is usually
dependent on parents for providing or paying for
clothes, food and shelter.
Students are also learning to bccoi.ie
emancipated, Hubble said, and they must deal
with everyday problems themselves.
"This independence does not come suddenly;
it must come over a gradual integration period,"'
he said.
Hubble advised students to recognize these
problems for what they are --"normal processes."
He pointed out that 97 per cent of the student
population will eventually resolve their worries
on their own.
page 8
daily nebraskan
monctey, february 3, 1975
