FutureofIraqstilluncertain

IRAQ,page 1 we need to fight it and support ourcountry.Thinkingrealistically, we aren't going to get out of it so we need to fight it, win it and move on," Danielle Rechner, a senior elementary education major, said.

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Recently the threat of civil war has been looming over Iraq. Insurgents have been fighting constantly and many already feel the country has descended into civil war. Can we really prevent civil war in Iraq? Can we make Iraq a stable and democratic state?

"I feel that for the United States to help Iraq fi~d any real solution, they need to let Iraq take more action on behalf of their own country. If splitting the country equally helps to ease the tension in Iraq, then it sounds amazing, but I feel that we need to let Iraq make that choice," Christina D' Amelio, a junior psychology major, said.

Another question to consider is the benefits of the war in Iraq. Has this war dorie anything good for America? Will creating democracy in Iraq ensure the future safety of America?

"I mean, we need to protect our country and if fighting this war is going to do that then we need to get it done," Rechner said.

There is also the possibility of other conflicts that could dwarf the war in Iraq in the coming. years.

"I think there are better places Washington can involve themselves, in more of a humanitarian way, like the issues facing Darfur, Sudan," D' Amelio said.

The future of Iraq is clearly uncertain to both professional analysts and average citizens. The country will be forced to answer many of these questions in the very near future and deal with many of these issues. The only sure answer we have is that the war in Iraq will continue to generate more tough questions for the future.

This story was reported by Amanda Popovitch, Tunomukwathi Asino, Jason Radka, and Patricia Sheehan.

Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to:Loquitur@yahoogroups.com The editors will review your points each week and make corrections if warranted.

AsHI.EY WEYLER NEWS EDITOR AR.w723@CABRINI .EDU

In a bill recently passed by Congress, it will no longer be mandatory for colleges to provide at least half of their courses on a campus·,instead of online, in order for its students to receive federal financial aide. This change is expected to bring a huge boost to for-profit or online-based colleges.

According to the New York Times, the Bush administration wanted to reach non-traditional students and that this is the reason why the constraint was lifted. The Times also said, "Nonprofit univers1t1es and colleges opposed such a broad change, with some academics saying there was no proof that online education was effective. But forprofit colleges sought the rollback avidly."

Only some colleges are fully internet-based. Colleges, like Cabrini, are beginning to offer more on-line courses, according to Dr. Charlie McCormick, the dean of academic affairs. He said, "We're already offering more, and as a faculty, we're discussing if we want students, all students, to take at least one online course before graduation."

He believes that in order for students to become life-long learners, they must be able to learn on-line. "However, we simply want to be intentional about this rather than simply rushing into it," he said.

Charles Spencer, the director of admissions, does believe, however, that there are more benefits from sitting in a classroom, as opposed to sitting at home. He said, "A better learning experience and style is in the classroom. It also depends on what college experience the student would like to pursue."

Nick Weiss, a junior business administration major, is against the passing of the new bill. He said, "People who just sit there and take on-line courses aren't really making the effort. Those who are actually attending classes are putting in time and energy."

Weiss said that his former roommate is taking classes for the University of Phoenix online. "He takes class at his leisure. If he has the time and money, he should not get aid," he said.

It is predicted that students taking all their classes on-line could rise over the next 10 years from 7 percent to 25 percent. This could decrease the enrollment of non-profit colleges, according to the New York Times.

McCormick thinks that there are complex reasons for Cabrini's enrollment to go up or down and that a single variable, like the one mentioned, probably wouldn't be responsible for driving enrollment down. "My guess is that people who would find the online degree attractive are not the people that would enroll in Cabrini College anyway. Similarly, the people who want the type of educational experience that Cabrini offers probably wouldn't find a total on-line delivery attractive either," he said.