University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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F AMILY time is important to Kevin and Tiffany Byers who enjoy spending time with son Jordan at the Carlson Terrace playground. Both full-time students and parents, Tiffany worked part-time as a receptionist while Kevin was a residence assistant for Carlson Terrace, the photography editor of The Arkansas Traveler and a National Guardsman. K. PAIGE PHOTO w W W ORKING on a graduate degree and spending time with his children is often demanding, however, Sixte Ntamatungiro manages to find time to spend time with his son Martial and daughter Mariella. M. WICHSER PHOTO UT for a stroll, Jennifer Edmonson takes her daughter, Katie, outside to relax in the sun . Although taking care of children proved to be very demanding, students said spending time with their families sometimes allowed them to escape from their academic demands. M. WICHSER PHOTO CAMPUS LIFE 24

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For a growing number of non-traditional students, demands go beyond studying for an upcoming test. They may have to care for children or aging parents. Married students must consider the needs of their spouses as well as the needs of their professors. It’s a balancing act that may seem impossible, but about a third of the University’s students do it daily. A KING time out from her daily routine, ufany Byers reads to her SOn Jordan. Byers, a 20-year-old junior majoring i n business, earned 14 hours during the fall semester, worked part- “me as a receptionist fr r the Carlson Terrace office, and was a ftdl-time wife and mother. K- BYERS PHOTO N on-tradi¬ tional students face a variety of challenges beyond school that their traditional colleagues have yet to experience. Historically, univer¬ sities and colleges, including the UA, weren’t designed i mind. students need some consid eration of outside forces,” said Julie Minkel, a staff member at the Office for Non-Traditional Students. “It’s tough to balance the demands of family and school.” Unfortunately, there’s more to being a student than tomorrow’s biology lab and reading the first 20 chapters of the Iliad. Many students work or belong to social or professional organizations that place extra demands on their time. There’s laundry to do, groceries to buy, and bathrooms to clean: everyday life whether or not you’re a student. For a growing number of students, however, off-campus demands go beyond looking out for themselves. They may have to care for children or aging parents. Married students must consider the needs of their spouses as well as the needs of their professors. Besides papers to write and homework to complete, there are mortgages and utilities and taxes. It’s a balancing act that may seem impossible, but about a third of the students at the University do it daily. Just for now, while their numbers are growing, they’re known as non-traditional students. If enrollment trends continue, however, non-traditional students will be so numerous at the University that the term may become outmoded. A survey conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland at College Park found that age was the most com¬ mon identifier of non-traditional students. Typically, students 25 years old or older are considered non-traditional. Tradi¬ tional college students enter school immediately following graduation from high school, and they are from 18 to 22 years old. But age isn’t the only, or perhaps even the most significant, criteria for determining who is a non-traditional student. Married students, students who are single parents, and students who work are considered non-traditional. Non-tradi¬ tional students don’t tend to have the same level of financial support from Continued on the next page NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS 23

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parents or other adult mem¬ bers available to them as do traditional students. Unfortunately, data that identifies non-traditional students in terms other than age isn’t readily available at the University, said Fran Butler, assistant dean of students. However, of the 14,351 students enrolled during the fall semester, 4,586 — 32 percent — are at least 25 vears old. Many students who begin their collegiate careers as traditional students find that they have become non- traditional students without realizing it. Circumstances change, and what was once a part-time job for extra money has become a necessity for rent and groceries, for tuition and books. Some students marry and have children before graduation. One of the challenges faced by the University is that of identifying the non-traditional students population; without knowing who they are and what special needs they may have, such as child care, administrators find it difficult to plan for those needs. For parents, child care is an issue that can’t wait. Other non-traditional concerns include more class times for those whose work schedules don’t conform to traditional class times, credit for life experiences and academic bankruptcy. Academic bankruptcy, also known as academic clemency, recognizes that school work done in years past may not be representative of a student’s current academic achieve¬ ments. Many students who did poorly their first time around at the University would like to have their academic pasts erased or at least not included in their current grade-point averages. “I find myself in the awkward situation of being haunted by mistakes I made two decades ago,” writes Larry Stapleton. “The problem I am having is with the stigma attached to a cumulative grade-point beginning with these grades from two decades in the past. My concern is that when I graduate, my cumula¬ tive grade-point will not accurately reflect my abilities or efforts.” According to Butler, many institutions across the country offer some form of academic bankruptcy. The Academic Standards Committee at the University has proposed guidelines and drafted proce¬ dures to the Campus Council for consideration. For many non-traditional Entire families made sacrifices as student parents attended college. John Wichscr and his children Greg, Paul, Brian and Patricia adjusted as their wife and mother pursued a degree and worked as a Student Publications photogra¬ pher. M. WICHSER PHOTO financially, academically and emotionally. The Office for Non-Traditional Students provides services that were not available a year ago. Most non-traditional students are eligible for financial aid but find themselves in a crunch until it arrives. The office can help by contacting creditors such as the electric company and explaining the situation. Usually, the office is able to arrange for an extension on a late bill. The Office for Non- Traditional Students addresses more specific needs of non- traditional students by hosting brown-bag sessions where seminars are given to examine topics such as balancing school, family and employ¬ ment; time management; building self-esteem; and contemporary issues for women. In addition, the Office for Non-Traditional Students has developed strong relationships with the faculty and the colleges. “We have liaisons in all of the colleges and departmental offices,” Kunetka said. “When we call to explain one of the student’s problems, they listen. They are very support¬ ive.” Often, non-traditional students are faced with either caring for a sick child or taking a test that cannot be made up. Work is another serious consideration. If an employer makes a demand that interferes with classes, it may become a choice between paychecks and grades. But once the grades are tallied and the graduation parties are over, most non- traditional students re-enter the job market in search of a meaningful career. Leigh Turner, director of Career Services said: “In my experience, employers have a very positive response when an older graduate applies for a position. “They tend to be more mature and have a better sense of what they want from a job and what their goals and needs are. Younger graduates have a very tough time knowing what career path to take because they haven’t fully decided what they want to do with their lives. Non-traditional students bring a lot of life experiences and savvy with them that makes them attrac¬ tive to an employer,” Turner said. Turner said many returning students use Career Services for career counseling before jumping into courses that may not be appropriate. Non-traditional students know what they want from their experience at the Univer¬ sity. It may be to move ahead in their careers or to change careers altogether. For some non-traditional students, attending school is an expres¬ sion of the human need to think and to reflect and to exchange ideas. Whatever their reasons for attending, the challenges are varied and tough, and most will tell you it’s well worth it. Still, it’s not easy balancing adult responsibilities and a school experience that has been designed with someone else in mind. ■ By Steve Wilkes and Monica Phillips with Donna Starr Former education professor Ruth Blake has audited COURSES FOR 19 CONSECUTIVE YEARS. Although many STUDENTS ARE IN A HURRY TO FINISH school, Blake says SHE KEEPS TAKING CLASSES FOR THE PURE JOY OF LEARNING. NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS 25