A recap of burglaries and vandalism on campus this summer I Page 12

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August 27, 2003

Celebrating 32 years of independence

UK steps up efforts
to keep new students

Joining the sisterhood

JONN rosm I mm surr

Nevr pledge Amanda Jarley accepts her bid to join Sigma Kappa sorority. UK officials encourage events like rush and student activities
recruitment as a way to keep incoming freshman enrolled at UK.

Students volunteer, socialize at activities that increase retention rates

By Keren Henderson
STAFF WRITER

Katie Twist spent one of her first
days as a UK freshman scraping
white paint off the old brick walls at
the downtown Lexington Children’s
Theater.

“I'm having a great time and I‘ve
met a lot of people,” said the biology
major, straining to reach the top
bricks.

The work, while tedious, will help
keep her at UK, administrators say.

Twist's labor was part of Ken-
tucky Welcome, this week‘s sessions,

events and parties designed to help
new students make the transition
into college life.

Administrators said they hope
that a strong first impression will in-
crease retention rates, which are the
percentage of freshmen who stay at
UK after their first year.

Improving retention numbers is
one of administrators' main objec-
tives. They said students who spend
more time socially engaged at their
university are more likely to want to
stay.

Members of Greek organizations
are more likely than their non-Greek

peers to return for a second year of
college, according to the Office of In-
stitutional Research.

Because of this. the university,
clubs, groups and off-campus organi-
zations invest numerous man hours
into pulling students into the social
life of campus.

“One of our major goals is help-
ing students meet other people,“ said
Assistant Dean of Students Tammy
Howard. who coordinates Kentucky
Welcome. “A major factor for reten-
tion is establishing connections with
others on campus. We know that stu-
dents who get involved and who join
organizations are more likely to come
back in the spring."

See STAYING on 2

 

http:l www.l1ylrernel.com

UK ranks low
in race relations,
dorm quality

Princeton Review survey mentions UK in 5 areas;
administrators consider student perceptions

fine.”

UK’s dorms, study habits, teaching assistants and
race relations didn’ t fare well in the recent “Best 351 Col-
leges” survey conducted by The Princeton Review.

UKwasrankedNo.12inhavingteachingassistants
teaching too many upper- -level classes, No 7 in having
students who almost never study, No.17 in having little
race/class interaction and No.8 for the category “Dorms
Like Dungeons."

Int each category, 20 schools were listed as “has ” or
‘lwom .9,

The review did award one positive ranking— the
Kentucky Kernel ranked No.11 in the category "Great
College Newspaper”

UK administrators said the survey points out areas
that need improvement.

“Perception is reality," said Jim Wims, director of
Residence Life “We hope to begin to change the percep-
tion of students toward our residence halls.‘

Wims also said he and other vice presidents agree
the dorms need updating and renovations.

“With age comes challenges,” he said “People are in-
terested in moving forward.”

Administrators are also examining other concerns
raised by the survey

In fall 2002, teaching assistants taught 5.9 percent of
upper-level classes, said Roger Sugarman, the planning
and assessment director for Institutional Research.

To rank the colleges, The Princeton Review has
about 300 students at each campus fill out a 70-question
grid- based survey that encompasses academies, campus
life, stucb' hours, student body and ideologies. 0f the 83
lists in the “Best 351 Colleges" book, 60 are based solely
on student surveys.

~ A disclaimer on the Princeton Review Web site
states that “a ranking list appearance does not reflect the
Princeton Review’s opinion of the college, but a high
consensus of opinion among the college’s surveyed stu—
dents about it.”

However, some new students say that rankings like
the Princeton Review’s had no impact on their decision
to enroll at UK.

“Rankings don’t really matter when you find a cam-
pus that fits," said business freshman Cory Bailey.

The Princeton Review has conducted its annual sur-
vey of colleges since 1992.

To see the complete list of rankings, visit
http://wwwprincetonreviewcom/college/research/arti-
c1e/351prasp.

" _ Perception is reality.”
- JIM WINS, DIRECTOR OF RESIDENCE LIFE

 

LCC placed on probation, working for accreditation

President says status indicates dependence on UK;

some LCC students see the close tie as a benefit

By Jessica Sela
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

By Rebecca Ned
ASSISTANT NM EDITOR

The Commission of Col-
leges, a division of the South-
ern Association of Colleges
and Schools, recently put Lex-
ington Community College
on a oneyear probation.

LCC’s president, James
Kerley, said the probation is-
n't reflective of the college.

“It has nothing to do with
the quality of the school," he
said.

The commission said it
felt that LCC “has not yet
demonstrated that it has suffi-
cient autonomy to be accred-
ited separately” from the Uni-
versity of Kentucky, accord-
ing to 'a report issued by the
comm1531on.

With this accreditation,
the school would have the au-
tonomy to operate as any oth-
er community college in the
state of Kentucky LCC would
also belong to the Southern
Association of Colleges after
gaining the accreditation.

Accreditation is a way
for the commission to ensure

that schools are meeting the
required standards and that
their academic credits are
able to transfer to other
schools.

Kerley said the school is
working hard to keep their
accreditation from the Com-
mission of Colleges.

Kerley has appointed a
committee to make decisions
and do research about any
needed changes. Charles
Coulston, co-chair of the com-
mittee, declined to comment
on the actions being taken.

LCC has three options.
Kerley said. The first option
is continue accreditation in-
dependent of UK. If this is
not does not happen, Kerley
said the school will join ei’

ther UK or the Kentucky
Community and Technical
College System.

Separate accreditation is
the preference.

“There is strong empha-
sis being put on this option,"
Kerley said.

Kerley said he hopes that
when probation is over, the
school will gain this “stamp
of quality" and emerge as a
better college.

Some LCC students said
that LCC is clearly dependent
on UK.

“They are dependent. but
that's how they sell it to
prospective students.“ said
Steven Hamm. a computer
science senior at LCC.

He said LCC recruiters

don’t try to separate the two
schools.

“When they come.
they‘re saying that you‘re go
ing UK and LCC. not just Lex-
ington Community College,"
he said.

The closeness of the two
colleges on the same campus
helps students who couldn‘t
afford UK. he said.

“Kids aren't suffering
from the dependency. they‘re
benefitting from it." Hamm
said.

He said students proba—
bly don't care about any dis-
tinctions between UK and
LCC.

“I've never heard one fit
over the two being close." he
said.

It has
nothing to
do with the
quality of
the school.”

- JAMES KERLEY.
LCC PRESIDENT

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