Local school system hopes for better test scores to offset past struggles

Students Zy’taja and Leya work on a project in their classroom at Andrews Elementary School. Photo by Bryce Little.

This article was a semester long product of a look into the local school system in Alamance County, N.C. For the original article, click here.

During the week of May 17, principals, teachers and administration in the Alamance-Burlington School System will be holding their breath.

On May 17 students in grades three through eight will take their End-of- Grade tests, and the county is hoping test scores will improve.

In the past, ABSS has struggled with poor test scores and an overall stigma of subpar academic quality. While some still see it this way, others say the school system is beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

But, this light has always been harder to see for the schools in Alamance County.

Out of the 33 elementary, middle and high schools in the county, as well as one middle college and one alternative education center, 13 of the schools are considered Title One schools. Title
One refers to schools that have a high percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. In turn, they receive supplemental funding from the United States’ Department of Education.

The schools must make adequate yearly progress (AYP) in order to keep receiving funds, a requirement that was passed under the No Child Left Behind Act signed in 2001 by former President George W. Bush.

In AYP, for every subgroup that a school has, a set percentage of each must pass the reading test and the math EOG tests proficiency targets), according to Dain Butler, director of accountability services for ABSS.

A subgroup must include at least 40 students and is organized by demographics that include white, black, Hispanic, economically disadvantaged and limited English proficiency student, Butler said.

Each group is counted twice, once for the math test and once for the reading. They are counted once again for attendance in which 95 percent of each subgroup must be present at the test.

Essentially, then, each subgroup is counted four times. If there are five subgroups in a school, then there are 20 targets. One extra target is always added. In this case, the school would need to make 21 out of 21 targets in order to make AYP.

When a school does not meet its AYP targets for two years in a row, it is considered a school “in school improvement.”

This means that parents have the option to send their child to another school outside their district. A school gets “out of school improvement” if it meets its AYP targets two years in a row, according to Butler.

In addition to serving mostly low income schools, Alamance County receives less federal funding than counties surrounding Alamance.
ABSS Superintendent Randy Bridges said he does not know the reason for this. Every year ABSS submits a local budget to county commissioners.

“We try to communicate our needs, and at the same time, we do the best with what we’ve got,” he said.

Testing tribulations

Since Bridges took his position as superintendent four years ago, he said he has seen vast improvement in testing through eight went up.

“Last year was a phenomenal year for ABSS,” Bridges said.

EOG tests are administered to grades three through eight in math and reading at the end of every academic year. EOC tests are given to all high school grades in the areas of Algebra 1, Algebra II, English 1, Biology, Civics, U.S. History and Science at the end of each semester. Students take each if enrolled in all those classes. Algebra 1, English 1, Biology, Civics and U.S. History are required for graduation, Butler said.

The testing in Alamance County has not come without controversy and many do not feel comfortable with the testing system.

Burlington resident Leah Ann Godwin has two children in ABSS and said she thinks not enough is being done to prepare students for testing, nor is it stimulating enough.

“I don’t think they prepare them through the school year,” Godwin said, noting that her children receive testing review only about a week before the actual tests. “And I think they should make it more fun.”

According to Deborah Long, Elon University education professor and director of the Elon Academy, testing in Alamance County is a crisis that needs attention.

“There’s a lot of work to be done,” Long said. “There’s so much emphasis on testing that I think for a lot of teachers, the life has been drained out of them. I think there are a lot of really dedicated teachers who are working really hard and really care about the children that they’re teaching, but the whole emphasis on testing has just taken the life out of teaching.”

Associate communications professor Glenn Scott has an 11-year-old son in ABSS. He said that while tests are important, they should not be the only measure of performance.

“I don’t worry that the school system here isn’t testing enough,” Scott said. “I wish that there was more energy put into other attempts to teach our children to think deeply and creatively because I think in the long run, that’s what really makes fine, successful people.”

He said overall, though, more focus is put on testing at a national level than it used to be.

“I’d like to see less ultimate influence on testing and more on the development of thinking and writing skills,” Scott said.

Scott said for the most part, he has seen a great deal of commitment from parents with children in ABSS toward their children’s education. Part of how well children learn, he said, depends on how much of an emphasis parents put on reviewing and learning at home.

“I think what we would all agree upon is that we wish the school district here would see gradual, sustained growth in performance of the students,” he said.

David Cooper, dean of the Elon University School of Education, meets regularly with Bridges to enhance the relationship between the university and the school system. He said while scores are rising, more needs to be done to raise the bar.

“According to the way the state of North Carolina tests students, it’s one of those glass-half-empty, glass-half-full kind of scenarios,” Cooper said. “If you look at the ABSS data from one perspective, you would say there’s progress particularly in the elementary areas at End-of-Grade scores. The glass-half-empty scenario is that the bar for that is set pretty low. Passing scores are not terrifically high.”

He said the same of the system meeting the federal guidelines through AYP goals.

“The majority of schools are meeting the federal guideline … The majority of ABSS schools are making that AYP status,” Cooper said. “(But) in one sense, you can say, yes, they’re meeting the federal standard mostly, and each year most schools meet that standard. On the other hand you could say, well, is that a standard you really want to aspire to?”

Why the low scores?

According to several members of the ABSS administration, though, the reason test scores have been low in the past is because of a re-norming of EOG tests in recent years.

The math EOG test was re-normed in the 2005-2006 school year, and the reading EOG test was re-normed in the 2007-2008 school year.

When these tests are re-normed, they tend to be made more rigorous, Butler said.

“Any time a test becomes more rigorous or challenging, typically we see a drop in our overall scores,” he said. “It doesn’t mean our students are doing worse, per se, or they didn’t do as well as they did last year, it just means that on this new, more challenging test, the scores are not going to indicate what we saw the year before because this is a different test. You’re comparing apples to oranges.”

The state of North Carolina hopes every school has at least 60 percent of its students pass the EOC and EOG tests and they make progress. If progress occurs, the school has made growth.

John Swajkoski, the principal at Turrentine Middle School, said when the tests were re-normed, he saw a 10-20 percent drop in Turrentine students’ scores.

“Everybody took a major hit,” he said. “So educators understood the fluctuation in test scores, but the general public I don’t think did.”

Last year, Turrentine did not make its AYP goals. It met 28 out of 29 subgroups, but because Turrentine is not a Title One school, it will not be affected by the option to have children attend another school outside their designated district.

“The public would see it as ‘well Turrentine didn’t meet their AYP goals,'” he said. “Well no, we didn’t. But if you were a basketball player and hit 28 out of 29 free throws, that’s pretty doggone good.”
Martha Caulder, principal of Andrews Elementary School in Burlington, said her students’ scores took the same dive.

“We continue to revamp the tests … to fit what the state is expecting of all schools in North Carolina,” she said. “A lot of people don’t like it, but principals and staff alike just have to remember education is constantly changing. This is the standard that has been put before us, and this is what we have to do to meet it.”

Finding a solution

Both the Turrentine and Andrews schools are making strides to combat the EOG test re-norming and are seeing improvement.

“We know that students need to be much more engaged in the lessons,” Swajkoski said. “One of the things Turrentine is trying to do is to focus in on student engagement.”

Turrentine’s most recent approach has been the “Strive for five, be great with eight” initiative.

“If we can raise each individual child’s test scores by five points, we’ll improve in our scores,” he said. “If we raise them by eight points, we’ll have a shot at being a school of distinction, which is our goal.”

Turrentine has also taken advantage of the Literacy First program, in which all ABSS middle schools are participating. In the program, teachers are trained in teaching specific concepts, such as phonics, word skills and word patterns in depth.

Student engagement is the main staple at Andrews, too.

“We’re doing a lot,” Caulder said. “At this school it’s all about making sure the students are growing, the teachers are motivating students and students are engaged.”

One part of the engagement is the Little Leaders program. The program, which is taken advantage of by four ABSS schools including Andrews, provides students with the opportunity to have the same teacher for four years from kindergarten through third grade.

The children attend school on a year-round basis and are able to go on field trips in the community. The program began last summer, and ABSS administration members are eager to see the impact it may have, Caulder said.

Last year, Andrews made all of its 21 AYP targets.

“Your job as a teacher is to make sure students are learning and growing, regardless of the testing umbrella that hangs over everybody’s head,” Caulder said. “You still have to make sure you are coming to school to do the job you were hired to do, which is growing children and being motivators of children.”

Making progress

The elementary and middle schools are not the only ones making strides to improve. In 2006, Cummings High School in Burlington was threatened to be shut down by the state because of the lack of quality.

Lynn Briggs was hired as one of the co-principals for Cummings, and every position, including the janitorial staff, was re-interviewed. Curriculum content coaches were also hired.

“We decided that in order for us to be successful, we had to build a strong, stable staff because the turnover here was unbelievable and the staff was not as strong as it needed to be,” said Briggs, the current principal of Cummings. “We also had to change the culture here because the culture was ‘come to the mall and have a good time.’ Test scores were not what they needed to be.”

Briggs said Cummings changed the culture by setting boundaries and high expectations as well as hiring well-qualified teachers. Since then, the school has made vast improvements, Briggs said.

“The first year, test scores dropped,” Briggs said. “Anytime you change the culture of a school, that’s what happens initially. Every year since then, they’ve shown steady growth.”

Cummings still has a way to go, though. According to Briggs, 30 percent of students read at a seventh grade reading level or higher. Cummings also does not offer any in-school Advanced Placement classes because of lack of interest from students, Briggs said.

Cummings does allow students to go to nearby schools to take AP classes or students can take them online through the North Carolina Virtual Public High School.

The Elon Academy

Another helpful entity that has improved Cummings’ achievements is the Elon Academy. The Elon Academy began in 2006 through a partnership with Cummings and Elon University when Cummings was threatened with closure.

The three-year program focuses on an intense college initiative for students with significant financial need and/or no family history of college. The program comprises three four-week residential summer experiences and year-round monthly Saturday programs.
Long became the director and began recruiting Alamance County students for the program in the fall of 2006.

About 2,000 letters were sent out to every Alamance County high school freshmen, and about 100 students completed an application, she said.

The first Elon Academy class began in 2007 with 26 members. These students have now been accepted to universities such as Radford, Wingate, Swarthmore, Middlebury and Smith. They will graduate from high school this month.

“We have these young people whom these colleges, as we hoped for, are really fighting over,” Long said.

Currently, the Elon Academy works with seven ABSS schools.
In addition, Cummings also participates in the “Go 4 College” program that allows Cummings students to visit Elon’s campus, sit in on classes and talk to other students.

“The way out of the cycle of poverty is by education, I think,” Long said. “If we can start getting some of these students who are growing up in high poverty situations and get them an education so they can live a more fulfilling life … when they have children, their children will be educated. It’s a long-term solution.”

Cooper said ABSS needs to set the bar higher.

“I think what ABSS could do to help itself is to aim higher,” he said. “To adopt a view that is kind of like what Elon (University) has adopted, which is ‘why not be great?’ Why settle for adequate when great is within reach?”

Moving forward

One way to move from adequate to exceptional, Bridges said, is to adopt a new model of education, not just within ABSS, but globally.
“The traditional model doesn’t work for all kids,” he said. “What students need, really, is very simple: they need more time and they need more help. We have to figure out ways to address those two things.”

Bridges said one way to replace the traditional model of teaching that has been used for years is to come up with more engaging solutions.

“Kids are smarter. They know more,” he said. “Hopefully in my career, before that’s over, we will make some significant changes in the model, the delivery system that we will provide to these kids. It’s the same one they used when I was in school, and the two don’t match.”

According to Bridges, the key word in this puzzle is innovation. Technology, he said, is something kids need more of in the school system.

Currently, ABSS uses E-Rate money given by the federal government for special rates on telephone services and classroom technology to install new equipment.

Turrentine has a wireless campus, and each teacher has been given a laptop. The school is currently looking into getting a SMART Board, an interactive computerized board that students can work with.

Andrews has eight SMART Boards: one for every grade in kindergarten through fifth, one for gifted classes and one for English as a second language classes. All Andrews teachers have PC desktop computers as well.

Caulder says it’s not enough, though.

“In my perspective as a principal, Andrews needs to raise the bar on technology,” she said.

She is hoping to get more SMART Boards in the classroom.

“Most of the time schools have to be real creative with their money in regard to how you can get more technology,” Caulder said. “That’s something we’re trying to do here.”

Briggs has the same feeling for Cummings. The school has two computer labs, three mounted SMART Boards, one mounted active board and are in the process of obtaining another SMART Board.

“We’re working towards more technology,” Briggs said. “There’s just not enough money to keep up with it. Any teacher that requests something, we try to honor it.”

Briggs said it is difficult to compete with other schools in technology. Kids are coming into Cummings with more technological skills, and Cummings must try to fit that need. She said any leftover funds she has at the end of the year will go toward technology.

Bridges said ABSS is always trying to look for grants to obtain more technology in the schools.

“We are not where we need to be technology-wise, and resources have been scarce in that arena,” Bridges said. “(But)I think we’ve been able to make some really good progress in the last three or four years. We have probably put more emphasis on technology in my time here than previously and that’s driven by the students.”

Bridges said that with new innovation and increasingly engaging curriculum, ABSS will continue to do better.

“The kids are expanding their knowledge and we can’t be a barrier to that,” he said. “We need to support that.”

In addition, he said leadership is improving and teacher turnover rate is not as high. He hopes scores for the tests that take place next week will continue to improve as they did last year.

“We try to operate under the mindset that it’s always about continuous improvement,” he said. “How can we get better because we know there is room for improvement in everything that we do … Do we have much work to do? Of course. But I feel really good about the direction that we’re headed.”

Obama to send 30,000 troops to Afghanistan

The Pendulum

On Dec. 1 President Barack Obama gave the speech many had been anticipating since his inauguration — the final decision on what is to be done with the situation in Afghanistan.
After the events of Sept. 11, 2001, the United States launched a war on terrorism against al-Qaida just a month after the initial attacks. Now, a little more than eight years later, 30,000 additional American troops will be sent back to the country in an attempt to finish the job.

Among those troops will be several units from North Carolina, who are expected to receive deployment papers within the next few weeks.

For the Marines at Camp Lejuene in Jacksonville, N.C., deployment orders may come as soon as this week, according to Master Sgt. Keith A. Milks, spokesman for the Second Marine Expeditionary Force.

“We haven’t received official word … (but) we expect to be in the thousands,” Milks said. “The units that will be selected will be the ones that haven’t deployed in awhile…they been here the longest and have been through a long deployment program.”

According to Sgt Lisa Strickland, spokeswoman for Marine Corp Air Station in Cherry Point, N.C., marines will leave with the Marine Expeditionary Force after Jan. 1.

In addition to the influx of troops to Afghanistan, Obama also gave the American people a timeline of when the units in Iraq will exit.

According to his speech, all combat brigades will pull out by the end of next summer and all other troops will be gone by the end of 2011.

“That we are doing so is a testament to the character of the men and women in uniform,” Obama said in his speech. “Thanks to their courage, grit and perseverance, we have given Iraqis a chance to shape their future, and we are successfully leaving Iraq to its people.”

These decisions have been long-coming to the ears of American citizens, whether they agree with them or not.

“I’m not sure why we’re so sure that sending 30,000 more troops is going to solve the problem,” political science professor Rudy Zarzar said. “Philosophically it’s a matter of principle. After all we know, we’ve been in Afghanistan now for eight years, and the only thing we’ve seen so far is more suffering for the Afghan people who have been seeing war after war almost the last 30 years.”

Political science professor Jason Kirk said the decision to go to Afghanistan initially was the right move, but al-Qaida cells in Pakistan is what Americans should worry more about.

“The decision to go into Afghanistan in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks was the right decision, but the United States made several mistakes for which we continue to pay a price,” Kirk said.

“Relying on Pakistan to secure the border between Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan was a serious error because it allowed senior al-Qaida and Afghan Taliban leaders to cross into Pakistan. Now, Pakistan has its own Taliban problem, and this is a far more serious threat to regional and international security than what happens in Afghanistan.”

Senior Emily Speers’ brother, Harry, is currently in Iraq serving as a platoon leader. Having a sibling in a Middle Eastern conflict is hard, but necessary she said.

“I feel like Afghanistan is still a threat because of the instability of the region in general,” she said. “I think it’s a responsibility to stabilize the region in general. It’s a miserable feeling (to have a loved one fighting), but if we’re looking at the big picture, which is national security … if that’s a solution then go for it.”

Senior Catherine Melendez’ father, Victor, is currently stationed in Afghanistan as a Major in the Army. Victor has been in the Army for 22 years and this is his first deployment, which he voluntarily took.

Melendez said she is proud of her father and supports Obama’s decision to send more troops.
“Although this war has been going on for a long time, we have to finish what we’ve started,”Melendez said. “The men and women that are over there are doing everything they can to keep us safe and help stabalize the nation. It was really hard on our family when he broke the news, but I support him 100 percent. His devotion and sacrifice now will ensure a more peaceful and safe future for my kids and generations to come. We are so blessed to have a military that so willingly ventures off to foreign nations to protect our freedom.”

Obama’s plan is to turn over responsibility to Afghan forces and begin to take American forces out of Afghanistan in July 2011.

“The overarching mission … is to ensure a secure and safe environment in which the Afghan people can live free of oppression and terror,” Milks said. “We want to give the Afghan people a safe and secure future.”

New Burlington company to add 100 jobs

The Pendulum

VitaFlex CEO Al Blalock, left, and company president and chief scientific officer De-Sheng Tsai are working together to manufacture the first ever latex-free, elastic nonwoven stretch hood, which can be used for face protection. Photo by Lindsay Fendt

The textile industry used to be the leading economic provider for Burlington. Now the trend seems to have come full circle with the entry of the VitaFlex company.

An affiliate of Burlington Technologies, a leading manufacturer and distributor of fine upholstery fabrics, VitaFlex plans to add 100 new jobs in the next year.

The company will be housed in the Pioneer Plant, the first plant built by Burlington Industries, and will specialize in latex-free, elastic nonwoven material.

The Pioneer Plant was built in 1923 and specialized in yarn and woven fabrics.

The first product VitaFlex will market will be a stretch hood, which will be worn over the face to protect against elements such as debris, dust and airborne chemicals.

“The full coverage (product) on the market today is the spray sock,” said VitaFlex CEO Al Blalock, who has worked for Burlington Industries for 16 years. “It’s crudely made and is all imported. We have a unique advantage — better conformability, better air filtration, better cost.”
Most of the materials used in this type of industry are produced off shore for lower labor costs, but VitaFlex’s products will all be locally made.

Nothing will be imported from other countries.

De-Sheng Tsai is the inventor of the latex-free nonwoven process and will serve as president and chief scientific officer.

Tsai discovered the process about 12 years ago while working in his home of native Taiwan. He invented the stretch hood and had it trademarked by 2004. After working for Dupont, Tsai came to Burlington to market his product.

“I’m very proud of it,” Tsai said. “For the past five years, day and night, I kept wondering, ‘Where is the entry point?'”

Tsai said the best part about the stretch hood is its benefits for the environment and its local base.

“It’s so simple,” he said. “This product is greener … other disposable products are all imported. We probably will be the only ones (to have this technology).”

The company plans to extend its product line soon, including masks, sleeves, booties, smocks, medical wraps and covers for hospital rooms.

“Almost anywhere you see a traditional nonwoven (product) can be adapted to our product,” Blalock said. “No one else in the world is doing this.”

VitaFlex will begin hiring starting in the new year and will work with Alamance Community College to support employee training.

“We’re excited we’re bringing jobs back to Burlington, to an area that has been hit hard by the current economy,” said Susan Heaton, director of sales and marketing for VitaFlex. “We’re pumping new technology back into an area that hasn’t seen this technology in quite some time. It’s huge news in the nonwoven industry.”

According to Blalock, the first 100 jobs are only the beginning.

“We expect this company to grow by leaps and bounds,” Blalock said. “The sky is the limit.”

Plans for multifaith center in the works

November 18, 2009

The Pendulum

LEAF President, junior Ross Denyer, and senior Jade Theiere sing hymns at the weekly LEAF service in Holt Chapel on Sunday. Photo by Brian Allenby

In about two years, Elon University students will be able to take a larger part in religious life on campus.

Faculty and students are currently in the planning process for a multifaith center, which would accommodate all different religions as well as religious organizations on campus.

Vice President and Dean of Student Life Smith Jackson and music professor Todd Coleman are currently co-chairing the multifaith center and identity houses committee.

The committee was established by President Leo Lambert, who hoped to place an emphasis on increasing religious diversity, Coleman said. The committee consists of students and faculty who represent different religious affiliations

“It’s a great process to see the development,” sophomore committee member Raj Rawal said. “The religious center is one of the best ideas Elon has had. I feel like having more awareness of what’s going on in other cultures and religions and how we get along is very important, and how critical religion is on college campuses.”

Rawal, who is Hindu, helps out with the statistics in determining the religious demographics of students who may benefit from the center. He said he hopes to implement research groups and surveys to find out more about students’ religious views.

Currently the main committee is split into three sub-committees. One committee is traveling to different colleges and universities throughout the country to better understand their religious centers. One is gathering data to find out the makeup of the student body and get the opinions of students on religious life at Elon. Another is creating a mission statement detailing what religious and spiritual life at Elon should look like.

According to Coleman, the center will most likely contain one main sacred space that could hold about 200 people. There will be offices for religious life leaders such as Father Gerry Waterman, as well as religious organization leaders. Coleman said he thinks there will also be some sort of main social space and spaces for teaching as well.

LEAF, Lutherans, Episcopalians and Friends) currently holds its weekly worship service every Sunday in Holt Chapel and holds meetings in the Truitt Center.

LEAF student president junior Ross Denyer said he has greatly appreciated the use of the Truitt Center, but having a separate center like this would make things easier.

“I think this would be a wonderful opportunity for LEAF or any religious organization,” Denyer said. “It’s very important because there need to be more opportunities for religious organizations to come together regardless of faith or spiritual center.”

The Baptist Student Union takes up Moseley 215 for two hours each week for meetings and could use the extra space, president Sam Jennings said.

“It is really hard to find a meeting room on campus to house a medium sized group of individuals,” Jennings said. “Therefore this center will allow us to have somewhere to meet and have leadership meetings as well.”

Senior Avra Stackpole, president of Hillel, is also looking forward to what the center could bring to the Jewish student organization. Currently, Hillel uses the Newman Center, the Truitt Center and Moseley to host ceremonies and meetings.

“I think it will be nice to sort of have a place where we can have larger meetings and we can also hold events,” Stackpole said. “As the Jewish population continues to grow at Elon, we have more of a need for different things. I think it would be nice to have a place that feels comfortable, and somewhere you can go and take a deep breath.”

In April, the committee will make the recommendations that are being planned to the Board of Trustees. From there, the board will begin looking into funding and execution of the center, which will not be complete for more than two years, Coleman said.

“It’s something President Lambert feels strongly about,” Coleman said. “It’s a visible symbol that says we want to encourage each other in meaningful conversations about religion that is warm and friendly. The multifaith center looks outward in a way that seeks to be more understanding and sympathetic with other points of view.”

The second step of the process will be to hold open campus forums that will take place for student input on the center. They will be at 4:15 p.m. Dec. 1. in Koury 145. All students are welcome to attend.

Apple triumphs in sales, Elon students show mixed reviews

By Laura Smith, Nov. 3, 2009 for The Pendulum

The sale of iPhones contributed to Apple’s recent 47 percent rise in sales profits. Photo Illustration by Justine Schulerud

At the end of October, profits from the Apple company rose 47 percent thanks to iPhone sales alone.

According to Apple, 7.4 million iPhones were sold in its fiscal fourth quarter, a number up 7 percent from the previous year because of a price drop and a new version released in June. At the same time, sales in Mac computers rose 17 percent, selling 3.05 million last year alone.
Elon University marketing professor Shimon Shmueli said this popularity could be the result of effective branding.

“The brand image that they are enjoying today, to a large extent, is the result of a past that was less than a great success and is not of their own making,” Shmueli said. “However, they are doing an excellent job in nurturing that image. Now, that image would not be sustainable if it were not backed by superb and consistent renewal in the areas of design, innovation, product introductions, retail experience and real value to users.”

Senior Kristen Clements purchased her iPhone during the summer of 2008.

“I wanted one mainly because I could check my e-mail on it, but also because of all of the different applications that can be downloaded,” Clements said. “The GPS has also been helpful in many situations.”

But Apple does have its share of competitors. When it comes to phones, the Blackberry is no longer just the device of choice for businessmen. Now, college students and housewives can be seen “BBMing” or checking their Facebook profiles on the hand-held device.

“(The) iPhone has a lot more to offer than the Blackberry,” Clements said. “The Blackberry doesn’t have anywhere near the same amount of storage space as an iPhone does. You can’t store thousands of songs on your Blackberry. The newest iPhone has the best camera, video and audio quality.”

Sophomore Quinlan Bergh said she feels the same way about her iPhone.

“There’s more organization than any other phone,” she said. “I also have applications like Yellow Pages, Facebook and Google. Safari is also offered on the iPhone, and I get 3G access from pretty much everywhere.”

But not all Elon students have hopped on the iPhone train. According to a voluntary, non-scientific survey conducted by The Pendulum Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, more Elon students own Blackberries than iPhones.

Fourteen percent chose a Blackberry for its Internet capabilities, compared to 9 percent for iPhone’s Internet features. But 3 percent chose an iPhone simply for trend compared to a Blackberry, which no one chose based on trend.

Technology rivalries also go beyond the cellular phone. When it comes to personal computers, the Apple company competes on a similar level as those companies that sell PCs, such as Dell and Toshiba.

According to Fred Melchor, director of technology support, Elon students use Macs as much as they do PCs.

“I know that roughly half of student computers (43 percent) connected to our network are Apple products,” Melchor said. “Also, I know that the last two freshman classes requested Microsoft Office for the Mac as much as they did Office for the PC. Using these two pieces of information, I believe that our students are equally divided between PC and Mac.”

Sophomore Brooke Dyson doesn’t follow the Apple trend. She said she bought a Toshiba personal computer for its features and design.

“There are so many reasons I think my computer is better than a Mac,” she said. “You have to re-format every program to make it compatible with a Mac, and I feel that it is a waste of time. A Mac would not do anything for me. It’s twice as expensive as the computer I own now and I didn’t have to do anything special to get programs to work.”

According to the students who took The Pendulum survey, 63 percent of students own Macs, and 90.8 percent of those who do chose them strictly because of the features they offer.
Those who own PCs (46.4 percent), chose a PC for the lower price. If given the choice, 63 percent of students would choose an iPhone instead of a Blackberry and 82 percent would choose a Mac instead of a PC.

Shmueli said despite Apple’s success, there will continue to be competition between companies.
“Microsoft, for a variety of reasons, has a lock on the market, so it will continue to be a challenge for Apple to continue to gain market share, especially now that Windows 7 is getting good reviews,” Shmueli said. “It learned some good lessons from Apple.”

New diversity tool helps bring awareness to campus

by Laura Smith, October 27, 2009 for The Pendulum

On Tuesday, the Multicultural Center and the Office of Student Life premiered its newest diversity education tool, “Deep Impact,” at the Carousel Cinemas at Alamance Crossing.

“Deep Impact” is a short film created by Elon’s student film society, Cinelon, to initiate discussions on race, class, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities and religion.

There are eight different vignettes included, which discuss these seven types of diversity topics as well as monologues from the Black Box Theater. After each vignette, there is a series of educational exercises that can be completed.

“It’s great. It makes you look at a lot of different things,” said Kelsey Glover, student coordinator for the Diversity Emerging Education Program. DEEP has been instrumental in publicizing the event on campus.

The film builds upon the total Deep Impact education initiative, which, in its entirety, is a multimedia diversity education tool by the Multicultural Center and the Office of Student Life. In addition to the film, there is an educational curriculum and diversity education training manual which are set to be released sometime at the end of next month.

When complete, the entire tool will consist of a DVD of the film as well as the finished manual for use by all student organizations, classes and departments at Elon.

The tool comes from a grant by the Guilford Green Foundation, which offers funds for community improvement projects. A Deep Impact committee was created after the grant was given. MarQuita Barker, assistant director of residence life, used to work with the Multicultural Center and was on the committee.

“We wanted to use a diversity training tool that anyone could use across campus,” she said. “I think it will show real life scenarios that college students actually base on a daily basis.”

The curriculum for the initiative was created by Leon Williams, director of the Multicultural Center. Williams has been in diversity education for about 17 years and utilized what he’s learned from his experiences for this project, he said.

“It’s designed as a conversation starter,” Williams said. “This manual and instrument will allow you to start the discussion.”

Melissa Jordan, assistant director of Residence Life and the Multicultural Center, has been helping Williams with the project.

“I think Deep Impact is going to be a wonderful part of our retention climate,” Jordan said. “Efforts that will be made will help students have those conversations and a higher level of consciousness.”

The film’s premiere on Tuesday was the kick-off for the entire initiative.

Senior Ryan Mintz, Cinelon president, was in charge of planning the film from beginning to end.

“Conveniently, the Multicultural Center had a notebook filled with true stories of real people, so we took those ideas with the plan of creating  eight vignettes, eight short scripts, each of which was based on a true story dealing with a different branch of diversity,” Mintz said.

From there, Mintz formed a creativity team, planned shoots, wrote scripts and cast actors.

“When I started the project, I was aware it was an educational tool in the back of my mind, but the most important part for me was to keep it from being an ‘after-school special,'” he said. “We put a lot of effort into telling stories that would hit home and have a sense of realism. People are so desensitized to multicultural issues. This is a good tool because it will offend people and make them think”

Williams is hoping to eventually get a copyright for the Deep Impact  tool and sell it to other colleges and universities.

In addition to the curriculum, the Multicultural Center will offer diversity training to Elon faculty and staff. There has already been one training workshop, with the next scheduled to take place next week. The training exercises coincide with the curriculum and will help facilitate discussion on diversity, according to Williams.

“I think it will reshape the campus climate,” Williams said. “It will become more integrated and at the same time build advocacy around efforts we’re doing in the multicultural center and what teachers are doing in the classroom.”

Glover is looking forward to the awareness the tool will bring to campus.

“I don’t feel like Elon consciously deals with diversity on an everyday basis, especially outside the classroom,” Glover said. “People don’t step back and realize how much Elon has to offer. I hope people will have appreciation where there is (diversity) and take it with them into the workplace. It will make them a cut above.”

Sexual assault policies reorganized to provide more options for students, victims

Lauura Smith

The Pendulum

The Sexual Assault and Gender Issues Council has revamped some of its initiatives, both in the wake of the arrest of Leigh-Anne Royster, coordinator for personal health programs and community well-being, last spring and as a new initiative in general.

Royster was arrested by The Town of Elon police last spring for refusing to give officers confidential information about a victim of sexual assault.

The council, which is comprised of two student members and faculty, has been around since the implementation of Royster’s position but has remained fairly dormant until now, said Anne Cahill, council chair and philosophy professor.

“Reviewing of our protocols made us feel ever more confident that we were really doing the right thing,” Cahill said. “We are very committed as a university to protecting the confidentially of any survivor of sexual violence.”

The council exists to provide programming and education about sexual and interpersonal violence as well as provide response to incidents of assault. It also seeks to address other issues including body image and substance abuse on campus.

Last spring, the council decreased in size to better accommodate scheduling for meetings, and it began initiating new conversations about programming for prevention and response.

“It’s primarily a sounding board for Leigh-Anne,” Cahill said. “But it’s a place where a small but representative group of people can learn what we’re doing as a university both in terms of programming and in terms of response.”

One of the new initiatives has been the distribution of information about sexual violence to faculty and staff. Royster created a flyer listing resources one can use to respond to an incident and has given them to the members.

She is also planning to host information luncheons, which would include training for response and take any questions faculty and staff members might have.

“The hope is that we’re working toward developing a community where the people don’t necessarily have to feel as if they’re trained or equipped to deal with issues of sexual violence, but they know where to go if they see a red flag,” Royster said.

The council is also hoping to add more self-defense classes.

“Women take daily measures to protect themselves against sexual violence,” Cahill said. “It is a constant part of their life whether they’re conscious about it or not. Most of the things women do on a daily basis are about stranger rape, which is the least likely form of rape that’s going to happen, and they’re not taught a lot of skills for the kinds of sexual violence that they’re most likely to face.”

Another new initiative has been the addition of two emergency responders. Before the reorganization, Royster was balancing programming and education with responding to situations all by herself.

This summer, the council implemented a state-wide search to find adequate responders who are not staff employees. They switch off week-to-week to attend to calls. Students can still speak to Royster if they choose to, she said.

Before the council’s reorganization, it was overwhelmed with faculty, staff and law enforcement inquiries, Royster said. Now, Royster sits on the Alamance County Sexual Assault Team and corresponds with law enforcement that way.

“It’s a better model,” Royster said. “Someone is always present for (survivors) and someone is always present to educate the community.”

Both Royster and Cahill said they are hopeful about what the new initiatives may bring to the university.

“I think one thing that’s important about our policies … is that confidentiality is an absolute cornerstone of our response and that our commitment to it is deep and strong,” Cahill said. “Because it is, survivors should feel very comfortable speaking to a university official on whatever basis.”

Cahill said if the council is to succeed in its goals, there will be more reports of sexual violence, not fewer.

Royster feels this awareness of resources from the council as well as a commitment to confidentiality is of the utmost importance.

“I hope that the re-envisioning of this council and having people in the community thinking about this actively and regularly will ensure that we do continue to have a community where people are educated,” Royster said. “People are aware that there is an issue of sexual violence, and people feel empowered to respond to and speak out about those issues.”

College classrooms get smarter with new technology

Laura Smith

The Pendulum

Business professors teach in classrooms with high-tech gadgets in the Koury Business Center, which was built in 2007. Photo by David Wells

A few years ago, a colorful Powerpoint presentation was enough to teach a classroom full of college students about the principles of business or the alignments of the planets. Today, students are learning on a more advanced level thanks to the installation of new technology in classrooms.

At Oakland University in Michigan, the administration recently spent $15,000 in technology upgrades in each general classroom, according to an article by the Detroit Free Press.

Elon University is no different. The school has spent anywhere from $18,000 to $24,000 per classroom in the past several years, according to Fred Melchor, director of technology support.

“Back in the early days all a professor needed was a chalkboard and chalk,” Melchor said. “We have always tried to stay not ahead of the curve but on the curve. As the technology progressed, we went with it.”

Elon’s classrooms are considered either level one, two or three, Melchor said. A level one classroom has no technology. A level two classroom has moderate technology such as a TV and DVD player. A level three classroom has full hookups, including a TV, DVD system and a wireless control system.

According to Melchor, 90 percent of Elon classrooms are at level three and the rest are at level two.

In addition to HD televisions and DVD systems, Elon is moving toward the use of Smartboards.

Smartboards are white boards that can throw an image a short distance and allow for professors to map to other elements within the board using special pens and a projector that is built in.

Currently there are three in Lindner Hall, one in Duke, one in Belk Library and one in Mooney.

Smartboards are gaining popularity in the School of Education, Melchor said. Because of the rising prevalence of these systems in public schools, the education program at Elon felt it was necessary to have education majors trained in using a Smartboard.

Touch screen panels are also becoming more prevalent on Elon’s campus. Created by Creston Digital Media, these panels allow for information at the touch of the finger. There is a panel already installed highlighting Elon sustainability in the lobby of Lidner.

Another feature Elon has been using is electronic response systems. These gadgets allow students to respond to a question anonymously by clicking.

“You can immediately see on the screen how many people chose what answer,” Melchor said. “You can see if you get (the answer) right or wrong.”

Tony Crider, associate professor of physics, uses these devices on a regular basis. He said they allow for group work where students can decide the answer in groups and as a whole.

“They keep students engaged,” Crider said. “Sometimes there’s no moment to say ‘What do I really think?’ It’s nice to pause and get input from everybody in the classroom. It’s helpful for students to put in an answer.”

Crider said he also enjoys using the Smartboards, especially for annotating slides.

“It’s difficult on the spur of the moment to draw on a slide,” he said. “You can’t do that with a mouse easily. (With a Smartboard) I can pull up a pen and start sketching right away.”

Crider is also a member of the Elon Visual Culture Group, which consists of different faculty members from varying departments who look at how visuals can help students and how data can be presented.

In the future, the Elon faculty is hoping to integrate even more technology into their lessons.
“I think you’ll see we always take into consideration what the faculty want,” Melchor said. “They would like to have more HD on campus … and remote clickers for Powerpoint.”

Another feature the faculty is hoping to acquire is video teleconferencing, Melchor said. This would allow professors to record their class and post it on Blackboard.

“Regardless of the Smartboards or whether it’s the clickers, you need to have multiple lines of information coming into the classroom,” Crider said. “I don’t like the idea of the instructor being the source of all knowledge.”

Joe Davis, assistant director of campus technology support for classrooms, said this technology is also beneficial for marketing the university.

“We’re bringing in students who almost expect to see (the technology),” he said. “If we don’t have it, what gives us that marketing edge? It also gives faculty members a new way to help transfer that knowledge to the students.”

Funds created for N.C. railroad improvements

With the recent occurrence of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding North Carolina highway and transportation projects, the state has shifted its focus to the railroad system.

On Sept. 1, North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue announced the state had submitted the first of its high-speed rail applications for funding under the act. If the funds are allotted, the projects will help retain or produce an estimated 1,457 jobs for North Carolinians.

“The purpose for the ARRA funds is to stimulate the economy,” Elon economics professor Steve DeLoach said. “You want to stimulate the multiplier effect — money gets spent and that creates income for the workers.”

And for those who work on the North Carolina railroads, that is good news in bleak times.
“For the local area, it really depends on who’s getting hired,” DeLoach said. “If they’re local workers that are being hired to work on the tracks, they’ll bring money back.”

The N.C. Department of Transportation filed six “project-ready” applications totaling $92,612,936, and they are requesting $75,950,546 in Federal Railroad Administration grants. It pledged $16,662,390 in matching funds.

The NCDOT worked with the North Carolina Railroad Company, Norfolk Southern Railway, CSX Transportation and Amtrak in order to complete the applications.

The projects include rehabilitating locomotives and passenger equipment for new service, doubling the size of the station in Cary, adding parking in High Point, lengthening the boarding platform in Burlington and grade separating Klumac Road in Rowan County.

If granted, the FRA requires the projects to be completed within two years of the award.
“These rail projects are critical for communities throughout our state,” Perdue said. “Working with our partners in other states will improve the transportation system in North Carolina and in the Southeast.”

In addition, North Carolina is partnering with Virginia to request funding for completion of final engineering for the development of a shorter Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor route with top speeds of 110 miles per hour. This would connect Raleigh with Richmond, Va.

Laura Smith

The Pendulum

North Carolina will use the ARRA recovery funds to repair state railroads and complete rail projects. Photo by David Wells

The two states will also partner to complete a corridor development plan which will connect Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, Richmond and Washington, D.C. with passenger trains that can travel at top speeds of 90 to 110 mph.

The second group of applications for the corridor development plan is due to the FRA on Oct. 2., and the ARRA is providing $8 billion in funding for high-speed rail projects around the country.

Illegal immigrants allowed in N.C. colleges, protestors object

By Laura Smith

The Pendulum

Last Thursday, about 50 protestors met in downtown Raleigh, N.C. to demonstrate against the North Carolina Community College System’s newest approved policy, which will allow the entrance of illegal immigrants into North Carolina community colleges. Photo by Heather Cassano

On Sept. 17, about 50 concerned North Carolinians waved flags, held up signs and made their voices heard in a protest in downtown Raleigh against the acceptance of illegal immigrants into N.C. community colleges.

“This isn’t a great solution for America,” said Frank Roche, who is running for Congress in the fourth district of North Carolina. “It’s an incentive for more illegal immigrants to come.”
The State Board of Community Colleges approved the decision that day with only one member to vote against the matter, according to a press release from the North Carolina Community College System.

“This policy reflects the admissions standards of other states and of the public universities by offering educational opportunities to those who are willing to work hard to obtain it,” said R. Scott Ralls, president of the NCCCS.

Since May 2008, there has been a no-admissions policy for illegal immigrants. Now, with the new policy, illegal immigrants can enroll in any of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina if they have graduated from a U.S. high school.

According to an outside consultant’s report, community colleges had 111 illegal immigrants enrolled in the 2007-2008 school year.

Ron Woodard, a Cary resident and the president of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, was at the protest to show his dissaproval of the decision. He also spoke at Elon University several years ago at an immigration debate.

“I’m confused about why, with the 11 percent unemployment rate, we’re helping immigrants get education,” Woodard said. “We’re taking it away from North Carolinians.”

He said he is also concerned about how changing the current law will look on behalf of the state.

“We’re sending out the message that the rule of law doesn’t matter,” Woodard said.

With the new policy, illegal immigrants will have to pay the out-of-state tuition rate of $7,700 per year and cannot apply for financial aid. They also may not displace a North Carolina or U.S. resident from a class or program.

For some, the decision is one of great benefit to the state.

“This is not a policy the Board came to lightly or without contemplation and study, but with Thursday’s vote, North Carolina is a step closer to having a consistent admissions policy for undocumented immigrants among its public higher education institutions,” said Hilda Pinniz-Ragland, Board chair. “Once the administrative rules process is completed, our community colleges will be able to cease the back-and-forth of the last eight years, and these students, who are striving for a better future, will have access to a seamless educational pathway from K-12 and beyond.”

For those who protested the decision, the matter was one of great concern and, despite the rain last Thursday, the picketers stood their ground on the issue.

Pam Patterson of Raleigh came with her family to argue against the new rule.

“I feel like we’re going to pay a lot more for so-called benefits of having these illegals,” she said. “It’s about preserving this county. It’s part of the reason we’re going bankrupt. We have to give them benefits and educate their children.”

While Patterson respects the motives of illegal immigrants, she hasn’t been able to bring herself to agree with the policy, she said.

“As good-hearted as you are, you can’t let in everyone,” she said. “A system that ignores the laws it passes has a very bad future. If people don’t respect the law, we’re in trouble.”
William Gheen of Raleigh organized the protest because the public was not allowed to voice its opinion, he said.

“Sixty to 80 percent of North Carolinians oppose what they’re trying to do,” he said. “We either had to organize something like this or walk away.”

The policy must go through the administrative rules process, which usually takes six to 12 months.

N.C. legislature will still have the opportunity to reject the rule or override it with its own law in May when it reconvenes. Until then, the current law of not allowing undocumented immigrants into community colleges will remain.