University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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The Human Performance Center, found within the Department of Psy- chology, is a research organization concerned with the processing of in- formation by human beings. Faculty members and affiliated graduate stu- dents are seeking to advance knowl- edge regarding information storage, attention, perception, long and short- term memory, and choice and deci- sion processes. A basic interest is the effect of learning and instruction on man ' s performance in these areas. With regard to human learning and memory, researchers are interested in finding out how humans store verbal information, keep it over time, and later retrieve it to put out a response. Effects of repeating and rehearsing the information before storage are determined through experimentation. Some results suggest that people re- member verbal items by mentally as- signing arbitrary identities to them. The subject under observation is re- quired to attempt verbatim recall, de- layed recognition, and cued responding. Another focus of research is on per- ception of size, color and form of ob- jects. Investigation involves factors such as similarity and contrast be- tween the things perceived; it also in- cludes studies of unique color hues, after-images, visual illusions and pat- tern recognition. Other interests of the HPC include human decision-making, signal detec- tion, and the process of simple prob- lem solving. PROBLEM TO SOU IS WHO E = HC 14

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Student Counseling Office Unlike some student organizations who are working to renew their popu- larity with a changing student popu- lation, the Student Counseling Office is working to put itself out of business. The primary concern of the volunteer student counselors is to provide per- sonal and academic peer counseling for students that have been mis- directed, misinformed or neglected by the university ' s professional coun- seling services. One SCO coordinator explains that because of the university ' s size, com- munication breakdowns result be- tween students and counselors under the pressure of the vast amount of in- formation students need to know. We want to see students come out of here in as good or better shape as when they came to the university, commented one coordinator. Until the university reorganizes and strengthens their available services, we will do the best job we can to fill the gaps. The SCO, financially independent of the university, maintains a budget from the alumni fund through the ISA dean ' s office. It meets with freshmen at orientation and sponsors 15 Peanut Butter and Jelly Wednesday lunches. The office is not sure how many stu- dents know about the office as those that return to say thanks and ask for more advice are the only feedback that the office has to go on. Referals to other campus counseling services and making sure they get there is another effort the office makes for their student clients. But if we don ' t know the answers, we tell them we don ' t, one counselor asserted. In the informal atmosphere of the SCO, the student counselors feel that they can give the student the extra time to hash out a problem. Ques- tioning the student about his feelings and prejudices helps the student de- fine his problem and then consider the alternatives. Often the despondent student who insists on dropping out of school only needs a sympathetic ear and reas- surance that everyone has gone through that sort of thing at least once at the university. That ' s why peer counseling is important. The office also advocates in cases where counselors have refused to ap- prove elections, credit hours and other special problems. But the office feels it cannot remain only a student advocate. Instead, it used its ex-of- ficio membership on the academic board, grade and curriculum com- mittees to affect change for the bet- terment of the university policies. Course evaluation is a traditional serv- ice of SCO that has developed into a spectrum of student counselors for every department. Subjectively, they are more qualified to evaluate profes- sors, course subject material and work load and exams than the ISA catalog or the computer class evaluations. However successful the SCO will be in putting itself out of business, it ful- fills a very important need in the uni- versity for peer counseling. The Stu- dent Counseling Office remains the one open place during the noon hour when the rest of the university shuts down and provides students a place to sit and talk with a friend. 16