Daily Helmsman The
Thursday, April 7, 2011
How much caffeine is too much? Effects of caffeine are understated, Mayo Clinic review finds
Vol. 78 No. 105
see page 4
Independent Student Newspaper of The University of Memphis
www.dailyhelmsman.com
Student mag flaunts UM’s creative side
The ‘write’ stuff? Professors say The University of Memphis is behind the curve in offering a comprehensive, dedicated writing assistance resource to students
BY CHRIS DANIELS News Reporter The University of Memphis is home to one of the oldest literary journals in the nation, The Pinch. Last year, it became home to a brand new literary magazine. Essence London, sophomore political science major, started Artistic Justice, a registered student organization, last semester. London worked at her high school’s literary magazine e have and wanted to distribute a right to be something similar at creative, and The U of we have a M. She said right to learned of The Pinch, speak our w h i c h features minds.” works from r e n o w n e d — Essence London Sophomore political and emergscience major ing writers all over the world and prints nationally twice a year, after she developed the idea for her magazine, which encompasses a broader variety of art and literature. When she realized how different her concept was from The Pinch, she said she decided to move forward with her plan for the independent magazine. London said Artistic Justice accepts “everything and anything” related to people’s talents and features creative works by U of M students and oth-
by Brian Wilson
“W
Tannielle Pirtle, senior health administration major, receives writing assistance from Nick Kovach, graduate history student, in the ESP writing center in Patterson Hall, one of few dedicated writing centers on campus.
BY CHELSEA BOOZER News Reporter The University of Memphis may be the only major higher education institute in the nation that doesn’t have a writing center accessible to the entire student population on campus, according to one U of M professor. Brad McAdon, associate professor of English, led a research project that concluded The U of M is the only college categorized as a third- or fourth-tier institution by US News that does not have a writing center, he said. US News no longer categorizes schools as third- or fourth-tier — only first or second. Previously, The U of M was ranked as a fourth-tier university. McAdon also said that The U of M is likely the only university in the nation to lack such a resource, assuming that such prestigious first-tier schools, like Harvard University, and secondtier schools, like New York University,
already have a writing center. McAdon did not contact any first- or second-tier schools during his research. Based on those findings, he sent a proposal to Provost Ralph Faudree in April 2010 suggesting the creation of a Center for Writers, which would cost an estimated $250,960 annually. The estimation includes salaries for a full-time director, part-time assistant director and several graduate assistant tutors. “It is acknowledged campus-wide that our students need to become more competent and effective writers, and there is wide, if not unanimous, consensus among department chairs that a writing center that is thoughtfully conceived and that serves all students at The University is needed and may help improve student writing at all levels,” McAdon wrote in his proposal, citing a list of responses from faculty members who support creating a writing center. According to McAdon, who teaches several levels of writing courses, Faudree
accepted the first phase of the proposal, which would create and fund the Center for Writers, in June but never followed up on the matter. “(Faudree) did not give an estimated timeline but said that the writing center would be moved up the priority list,” said McAdon, who has not tried to contact Faudree to inquire about moving forward with the program. “We still have no writing center — no practice facility — where our students can go and work to improve their writing skills so that they can be more successful, more competitive, and have a better chance of staying in school and graduating so that they can then pursue their own Big Dances beyond graduation, as there has been no further discussion (that we are aware of) concerning its establishment since last June,” McAdon said in a letter to The Daily Helmsman, in which he compared training students in writing to coaching the men’s
see
see
Magazine, page 3
Writing, page 3
BY MELISSA WRAY News Reporter In an effort to bridge the gap between American and Chinese youth, the Confucius Institute Headquarters in Beijing launched a summer program that sends American high school students to China at little cost. The Chinese Bridge Summer Camp begins July 15, when the high school students fly to China for a three-day stop in Beijing and then travel to a selected province for a lengthier stay before returning to the U.S. on July 31. Riki Jackson, assistant director for the Confucius Institute at The University of Memphis, said the goal of the program is to promote understanding of Chinese culture. Jackson said trip-goers will spend their mornings in classes learning about Chinese languages, and afternoons will be devoted to cultural activities. Evenings consist of traditional
Chinese banquet dinners, she said. “It’s a nice opportunity for students to be exposed to the Chinese cultures,” Jackson said. Yanwei Yang, Chinese Bridge Summer Camp coordinator, said the trip will teach students the importance of punctuality, and scheduled activities will help them learn about perseverance, teamwork and leadership. Students will visit historical sites such as the Great Wall of China, the Courts of Beijing and Tiananmen Square. Yang added the summer camp is “definitely a good way to get high school students interested in attending The U of M.” To qualify, students must have a minimum grade point average of 3.25 and submit a letter of recommendation, personal statement and essay by April 10. Jackson said the application process is very competitive, and the CIUM pays between $6000 and $8000 for each student. Students pay only for their visas and airfare.
by Brian Wilson
Camp aims to unify kids of East and West
Sophomore political science major Essence London reads an excerpt from Artistic Justice, a free, independent mini-magazine which she founded and operates.