The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, May 07, 1984, Finals Week Edition, Page Page 6, Image 6
-J Mcnd;7,f,y 7,1034 Pago 6 Daily Ncbraskan vrM ft a TI IS f o (1 u t'J r a t a u CI o i o ' fj t ft) t f tt Q i ii o f o e o ti o (J 5 C U 4 U O IS . o o O o t f'i o i O O O !! .8 ff J ft it 0 o sa . I . V II: 1! i ; f I Call ' 1 I 476-1234 or H l rUr i 471 -POOL j for routes K . h 4ft. -iff mn i 111 j r 1Y1 ft m nn !& IV1 ' L.zi U j U i - 0 a no n i Ur U 14 DAYS NORMAL PROCESSING TIME FREE PARKING NORTH OF BANK 6 BLOCKS SOUTH OF THE STUDENT UNION! n i i TiQi r -P, On- o o a i i. 3 i) 1 s o I II 0 City Bank & Trust Company of Lincoln 14th end U Streets Phone: 477-4431 Lincoln, Msbraska 685G3 Member F.D.I.C. griF SfSiBi' pr tier Sifr l'jg p1!1 'afj; frfrr .',1 9 U O o o w CJ CI iifiidDire coma By MONA Z. EOPPELT.IAN Few freshman plan to stay in college longer than four ralendar years to complete their undergraduate degrees. But part-time jobs, financial difficul ties, dual majors, athletics and heavy campus involvement are just a few cir cumstances that force students to take nine or 10 semesters instead of the traditional eight. UNL administrators agree that under grads who spend more than four years in college completing degree require ments are not penalized while in school or when entering the job market. Any stigma attached to "fifth-year-plus" sen iors in the past sddom exists today. Al Papik, UNL director of admis sions, said his office keeps retention records of students for 10 consecutive semesters. The admission office tracks students by social security numbers. Staffers mark yes or no if a student is enrolled. About 30 percent of all UNL stu dents still are enrolled in the ninth semester. Twenty percent are still track ed in the 10th semester. "Some students drop out and return, so that will screw up their data some what," Papik said. "But at least it shows that a lot of students are here longer than the traditional eight semesters." Papik said economics is one major reason students might take more sem esters to earn degrees. Although the university has no data available, Papik said he thinks more students are tak ing less hours because of part-time jobs. "Employers are looking at those part time job records, too " Papik said. "We are losing some of the stigma about pushing through in eight semesters." Some of that stigma penalized fifth-year-plus students when applying for financial aid. Before 1981, loans and grants were cut off after the fifth year of study. ' Since 1981, federal laws lifted such penalities. Don Aripoli, director of fin ancial aids, said students are eligible for aid until they obtain their under graduate degree or reach a limit that each college sets which is 180 hourr at UNL. "So if students want to take five years to get a teaching or engineering degree or six years in architecture, they can," Aripoli said. "We don't look Emm. m 98(Qta at that negatively or positively when it comes to distributing funds." Aripoli said no data was available, but he thinks there b a growing trend toward 5-year-pius degrees. "I think it's more normal now to see students taking more than four years to earn degrees than it was 10 years ago," he said. Aripoli agreed with Papik that part time jobs are a major factor. Aripoli added that tuition is a variable. "It's cheaper to take 12 hours than 18, so students will have to take that ninth semester in order to graduate," Aripoli said. Aripoli said a third factor was the competitive job market. More people are going to college, so many students want to enhance their academic back ground to make them more "salable." "Many students are taking a second major and more than just the min imum requirements," Aripoli said. Papik said because of competition for jobs, students may take fewer hours each semester so they can concentrate on fewer classes and make better grades. The UNL College of Engineering and Technology was typically cited by ad ministrators as having a high turnout of fifth-year-plus graduates. Associate Dean of Engineering Lyle Young said extended college careers in his college seem to be the rule and not the except ion. Frederick Wendel, acting director of UNL's career planning and placement division, said employers do not view fifth-year-plus graduates with "eye brows raised." "There are two major reasons why students who come through this office take more than eight semesters to graduate," Wendel said. "One, they've changed majors somewhere down the line. Or two, they have a dual major that requires more hours than they can handle in eight semesters." Wendel did say that students who still are here after 10 years may show a "lack of focus" that i3 unattractive to employers. "It's really a case-by-case basis," Wendel said. "Lost of prosepective em ployers are attracted to fifth-year grad uates who have a lot of work expe rience. And they're seeing so many fifth-year grads, they hardly think twice." - 1 VSOCG1Y m m 8 At t t fi: r ; I W. . LJ5 - . '-t -; .. 1? - I ' ( U f? " !) O -J . . I ?? '- ! ' .X K- I ."! f V r. Ti it 0) n'i . f V X1- X "i,) X" r 25 . v v . 9 eij i c . WW" d 1 1 ( ft Lincoln, H MIO Jriu in back 13 j n nro ; -- Mi I S j 5 - nr "i Abo p!ayfng tiyea.9 lJay oil I 3 Dcor$ cpsn at 7:C0 No edvsnca tickets. . &5 .9 .1 .v.-. Welcomes home' Omaha's .U. Students for Summer ?vlth these major shows. May 13-Th Morrells ' 17-AUrt CcUlns 20 John Hjstnmond 23 St Griffith & Trcxx 29-Scn Sesli C!ues Csnd . Juns 12-ASbart King in Concert ID' 27th & Cornhuslcer 1112 Hov;c:d Cm:!n 2 :2-02S