University of Northern Iowa - Old Gold Yearbook (Cedar Falls, IA)

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Students Spend Summer Earning, While Learning When summer comes, the students usually go — go home that is. Relaxa- tion, soaps, and a good tan are what some college students spent their sum- mers on. There were, however, a group of students who decided to give up all of this for a summer to pursue education in their chosen field. They did this through a special program known as the UNI Cooperative Education Program (Co- op). Still other students chose to work on the UNI campus, though were not part of Co-op. The program provided 101 students the chance to apply what they had learn- ed at UNI in job situations in 13 different states. Since the program began in 1976, UNI has placed a total of 1180 students. The positions have been in many diver- Layout artist Donna Clemen moves a block of typeset copy as one of the duties of her co-op position. sified fields ranging from computer specialist to radio station intern. Todd Meyer was fortunate enough to work in his home town of Spencer, Iowa. He applied some of the knowledge he acquired at UNI to the work environ- ment at KCRS. Meyer received ex- perience talking on the air, helping in the office, and with the billing aspect of the job. A major part of his internship was writing advertisements for the sta- tion and then sending them across the airwaves. Meyer acknowledged, A Co- op internship is probably the best step I've taken toward my major as far as figuring out what area of broadcasting I Co-op

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Working towards a More Positive Image for UNI Since the start of the year, changes have taken place giving an overall better image to UNI. It all started with the increase in enrollment. During the fall semester the Registrar's Office reported a record-breaking increase of 353 students. The total enrollment was 11,514, which surpassed the preceding year by 3%. As University Registrar, Robert Leahy stated in the Northern Iowan earlier this year, We have been predicting decreases in UNI's enrollment because of pro- jected 6% decrease in high school graduates. This year high school graduates decreased 3% from last year, but we believe a higher percent- age of those graduates are going on to college. Overall, there are about 217 more freshmen on campus than the year before. An enrollment cap has been proposed and according to UNI Vice President and Provost James Martin, This is in fairness to the students already here. They shouldn't have to accept a com- promise in quality or stay an extra year because of an overload. Becoming more exclusive, requirements were to be raised for students enrolling for the following year. The types of careers that students have chosen have shifted as well. It's no longer the Teacher's College, with a movement from education to business majors such as accounting. Larry Routh, director of Counseling, Placement and Career Center, stated, Accounting firms come to UNI to recruit quality and that is what they get. He pointed out that firms are impressed with UNI; they know that UNI is academically strong and that the students have come through a very rigorous program. The number of business degrees at UNI has nearly dou- bled since 1971; in contrast, education degrees have decreased significantly. Gordon Rhun, professor of Educational Psychology and Foundations, ex- plained, One reason fewer students have gone into teaching is because of the lower- ing of admission standards to teaching programs that took place in the 1960s. Many students just haven't been attracted to studies that don't challenge them. UNI has attempted to help alleviate current problems in Iowa such as the farm crisis. Richard Stinchfield, director of Planning and Policy Management, was quoted in the Northern Iowan, The School of Business will be taking a larger role in helping set the agenda for the state in terms of economic development within agriculture, but certainly also outside of agri-business. One specific proposal was that UNI compete with Iowa State and the University of Iowa to keep money from athletic events within the state. There was a special pride in our univer- sity this year and this shone through in all the progress made across campus. - Linda Goodvin A variety of majora are offered at UNI. Students can go to the Academic Advising Center to find in- formation worksheets for all five colleges. Changing Imagr 27

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IXnan would like to go into. It's truly a learning experience. Sheryl Bierma of Des Moines also had the opportunity to work within her field during the summer. As a display artist at Grout Museum in Waterloo, Bierma worked with other people to create and develop many of Grout's summer ex- hibits. They varied from a display on the Waterloo Indians baseball team to a sec- tion filled with history. Bierma stated that she'd never give up the opportunity and that, It was a great experience. I'd recommend it to anyone. I learned a lot and got to use what I'd already learned in my art classes as well as building upon what I already knew. Not only does Co-op provide the ex- perience needed, but it can also give the student an open door after graduation. The Co-op pamphlet states that half of UNI cooperative education students reported their Co-op employers offered them a per- manent job after completion of the program. While some students worked away from UNI this summer, many stayed right on campus for work. Dorm cleaners, grounds keepers, and food service workers were on- ly a few of the positions available. The dorm cleaners had the choice of working one of three shifts, as did the grounds keepers. Food service workers could either find employment at Towers or Redeker Dining Centers. Thirty-seven students worked at Redeker. A busy schedule, which included sports camps, debate camps, and Elderhostel, kept the B. Kramtr Working at the UNI Animal Laboratory , Chris McAleer welds an oscilloscope, a machine used for monitering nerve impulses. students busy. Many worked full-time to pay for college expenses. Jennifer Olson, assistant manager of Redeker, stated, Summer student employment is convenient. Students can work close to their college residence and attend classes. Also, a meal ticket is re- quired which makes it easier on the stu- dent as far as cooking their own meals. Co-op and summer employment gave students a wide range of opportunities. It helped financially and provided vital ex- perience within their major field. -Jeff Bennett 29