Water polo preps for first national appearance, B1
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Grand Valley State University
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Thursday, April 15, 2010
University considers adding two new majors Comprehensive science and arts for teaching, special education certification pending approval from trustees Haas exuberated confidence when discussing the importance of interest in continuing special education, particularly among the new students Grand Valley State University is set to add who will join the ranks next fall. two new education majors for the fall of 2010, “It’s an important major for education pending the approval of the Board of Trustees. students,” Haas said. “I think incoming freshmen A new comprehensive science and arts for who think of special education as their ‘calling’ teaching major, as well as a special education will really see this as a great opportunity.” certification major are in the works for next The faculty within the College of Liberal fall semester. In the winter of 2008, Michigan Arts and Sciences has worked hard to push legislature proposed statewide changes for special the new majors into prominent positions since education teaching, which need to be effective meeting a few months ago to discuss the reforms by 2012. These new majors would represent needed. Professor David Coffey helped move the GVSU’s transition plan for implementing these comprehensive science and arts major through policies. GVSU’s governance process Both majors are up for “(Those) who and cited CLAS associate dean approval in July. The majority Jann Joseph’s efforts to create the think of special of courses for each already capstone for the course. exist, with the exception of a education as their “We are hopeful about proposed SAT 495 Science and (CSAT’s) chances and are in the calling will really Arts for Elementary Classrooms of gearing up for this see this as a great process capstone class. coming fall 2010,” Coffey said. The faculty is confident the opportinity.” Haas cited the faculty’s drive majors will draw enough interest to this current point and efforts to THOMAS HAAS from existing and new students. make the new majors work. GVSU PRESIDENT GVSU’s new special education “I’m very pleased with what major will be the only dualthe faculty has created,” he said. endorsement program within “The Academic Affairs Committee is excited the state. This will enable students to have the about it as well, since it shows our adaptability credentials to teach both regular education and and flexibility in adjusting to meet the changes special education when they graduate, making for education in Michigan.” them invaluable for the education market. Both of the new majors are expected to offer Special education professor Barbara Lubic students interested in education a comprehensive, has spent 25 years within the field of special contemporary approach to teaching and provide education and understands the value of GVSU’s the tools for an excellent résumé upon graduation. new program. Administrators believe the dual-enrollment policy “It’s a nice, comprehensive new major,” especially should attract students with a passion Lubic said. “It will offer students a little bit of for special education to broaden their horizons. everything; they’ll be able to teach math, English, While the prospects for the new majors remain science and history, and that will give them a hopeful, the ultimate decision on their fates will strong foundation.” be decided in July. If they are passed, classes will From the administration side, both majors be available on GVSU’s MyBanner in August. have the potential to be successful and attract dwolff@lanthorn.com both new and existing students. President Thomas
By Derek Wolff GVL Staff Writer
GVL / Mark Andrus
The proposed addition of the comprehensive science and arts for teaching major and special education certification major would open up new opportunities for incoming freshmen seeking a career in education. The majors go up for approval in July at the next Board of Trustees meeting.
Migrant work inspires prof under 12 to be working long said. “Students are bewildered, hours in unsafe conditions.” trying to understand how these GVL Senior Reporter Gómez brings the issue into her conditions can be legal. They Overcrowded, unsanitary classroom, inviting speakers and want to know how they can living conditions taking students help.” are an unchangable in her Latino One student especially “We’re always obstacle for many Civilization and touched by Gómez’s passion is concerned about migrant workers Culture class James Schmidt, who took her in Michigan, human rights in to visit migrant Composition and Conversation II something Grand camps in Kent class in the fall of 2007. Schmidt, Valley State other countries, but County. She said who studied legal studies and University Spanish we need to look at she hopes the Spanish at GVSU, now works as professor Natalia experiences will a paralegal with the MMLAP. ourselves too.” Gómez is working make her students “I think she’s a great NATALIA GOMEZ to change. more open professor,” he said. “I was GVSU PROFESSOR A board member minded. taking Spanish just to satisfy my of the Michigan Migrant Legal “It’s so difficult to see that Assistance Project since 2001, they don’t have the minimum See Migrants, A2 Gómez said the issue had conditions that they should,” she intrigued her since she came to West Michigan. After meeting a board member of the MMLAP and visiting a labor camp in Traverse City, the interest transformed into a passion. “It became something I really believe I have to do,” she said. “I didn’t have any doubts that I wanted to be a part of it.” A 2010 report issued by the the Michigan Civil Rights Commission last month estimated there are almost 91,000 migrant and seasonal workers in the U.S. Michigan’s migrant workers farm almost 58 percent of the $6.69 billion worth of crops Michigan produces each year, but they continue to live and work in destitute conditions. “Alternative housing is typically not available to migrant farmworkers, as their poverty, the rural location of their work sites and the short duration of their stay in a given area make traditional housing impractical or unattainable,” the report read. The treatment of migrant workers, especially children, is a huge embarassment, Gómez said. “We’re always concerned about human rights in other countries, but we need to look Courtesy Photo / AFOP at ourselves too,” she said. “To Migrant workers farm 58 percent of $6.69 billion in crops farmed each year. me it’s not acceptable for a child
By Samantha Butcher
GVL Photo Illustration / Brian B. Sevald
GVSU’s Campus Dining is the first in the state of Michigan to use cage-free eggs.
Campus Dining first in state to use only cage-free eggs By Chelsea Lane GVL News Editor
At 7:30 a.m. Monday, Grand Valley State University’s Fresh Food Company cracked open its
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very first cage-free egg. By the fall 2010 semester, GVSU will be the first university in Michigan to use only cage-free eggs in its oncampus dining facilities. The Humane Society of GVSU had lobbied Campus Dining to make the switch to cage-free eggs since September 2009 and launched a campus-wide petition in February of this year. Free-range and other cagefree barn systems vary widely in design and state-by-state requirements but generally allow birds to move about more freely than with traditional battery caging systems. Free-range hens live outdoors or have outdoor access, while barn system hens are provided with nest boxes and litter or sand for foraging, dustbathing and scratching. Marketing manager for Campus Dining Deb Rambadt said dining recently committed to using cage-free eggs following a HSGVSU presentation at a March 30 management meeting. “The Campus Dining management team looked into
See Eggs, A2