Low Budget not enuff classes to get students out

[joulian]

Hi, i am a faculity member at usm. I noticed several other employees on here also. I would like to pose a question to you all. In my department we can only get the students out of the program in 4 yrs after they have come here from a 2 yr with all their prereq's.
I feel so bad for the students because it is taking them about 6 yrs to get an undergrad. I am wanting to say something to somebody but i am not sure who. Does any one have any suggestions? I am not at liberty to say what department. Obviously this is a public forum. But are there any guidelines that regulate or policys that would help these students...? :smt022

THanks

Joulian

[jmb]

Joulian, both your comments and honesty are appreciated. I don't know enough about the goings-on at USM to comment. Give us a few more days when more of the regulars are back online. I'm sure they'll have plenty of suggestions for you.

[joulian]

oh thank you JMB so much. The way things are now the program can't even offer full time enrollment in the program its aweful these poor students are having to take other classes ( that might help them out later but) that are unrelated to program to make more than a 9hr semester enrollment. If there are any suggestions that would allow me to maybe make a grant proposal or a policy that i can go to someone about to get something done it would be a big help. The degree would offer graduates only a
25-30,000 job after school and in my opinion they could have had a ph.d in the 6 yrs and still come out better doing something else in that time. It doesn't make sense. I got into this line of work to help students not hender them.

[jmb]

Why can they not offer full-time enrollment in the classes? Are there enough students to make full classes? Do they not offer enough of the different classes in the program each semester?


I do understand what you're saying. It's ridiculous that it's taking 4 years after transferring with the proper prerequisites.

I have 3 boys attending SIU-C. The first graduated in 4 1/2 years; the extra semester was because of changing majors. He came out with a degree in history education, certified to teach high school history, but none of the other classes that go with it, and without a middle school or junior high endorsement. Loves teaching but can't find a permanent position. He's now back at school taking classes to get certified in other areas. The second will graduated this December, taking 4 1/2 years, his extra semester due to his own laziness and dropping classes. The third was lucky enough to take advantage of a new program at the high school that gave him dual credits for certain courses. He graduated high school with 22 college credits that all transferred to the 4-year university (to my surprise), which will allow him to graduate in 3 years. I know what all this is costing me. How can the parents afford 6 years?

[joulian]

there are only 2 teachers and a secretary in the dept. there are PLENTY students enrolled. The program doesn't have enough funding to offer any more than about 2 or 3 classes per semester that would advance the student in their curriculum
. And the funding is being cut 5% this semester :( . No its how are the students affording this .... i could understand if this were MSU or Ole Miss where the parents are paying for it as they go for most of them... but USM the students take the loans out and have to pay the loans back off after they get out. Ur point about ur children is exactly what i am concerned about