WEDNESDAY
February 16, 2011
Vol. 94 • No. 5
www.therambler.org
The Rambler The voice of Texas Wesleyan University students since 1917
Give Queso and other homeless pets a new home.
Wanamaker makes big plans for end of Rams’ season.
Community, page 5
Sports, page 7
Four plus one equals two degrees Shauna Banks
sbbanks@mail.txwes.edu
Created at students’ request, the School of Education will soon offer a new program that allows umdergraduate Education EC-6 majors that qualify to complete their master’s degree by the end of a fifth year at Wesleyan. With this fifth year option program, while students are finishing their undergraduate degree, they
Plan supports student learning
will be able to begin graduate classes toward their master’s degrees. “I love it. I think it appeals to the students,” Bryan Michler, junior EC-6 major, said. “When I was looking at other schools, it was something they offered. It was one of the things I think was missing from the [education] program. I want to get my masters, so this is giving me the opportunity to do that.” The program is just 30 credit hours,
six hours less than the traditional master’s in education program, and will offer students three concentrations to choose from, including gifted and talented and reading. A third option for applicants is second language education and culture, where students can work toward their TESOL certificates, which would allow students to teach in places around the world. In addition, Dr. Twyla Miranda , professor of education and direc-
tor of graduate studies in education, said this program gives students an edge when it comes to applying for teaching positions. “We’ve heard from people outside the school districts that say ‘Wow, if we saw a candidate that had a master’s degree with one of these concentrations, we would raise their application to the top of the pile.’” Miranda crafted the program, and said it is intended for undergraduates to decide early on that
Harlem slam dunks event
they want to get a master’s degree. “Our goal is to help it be seamless if they just finish their undergrad and keep going with their grad,” Miranda said. Dr. Lisa Dryden, professor of education, said to kick off the program, there will be an informational meeting at 12:15 p.m. March 8 at Lou’s Place, where students can ask questions and pick up an application.
FIFTH YEAR, page 3
Career fair offers job opportunities
Stephanie Mejia
Melissa Bates
Texas Wesleyan University is on the road toward reaffirming its accreditation for 2013. Wesleyan is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, that allows the university to award its students with baccalaureates, master’s and doctoral level degrees. Since Wesleyan’s last reaffirmation of accreditation in 2003, the SACS has adopted new principles of accreditation. Under the new set of principles, each university is expected to develop a Quality Enhancement Plan. Dr. Helena Bussell, chair of the Leadership Team, said she believes developing a QEP will show peers that Wesleyan is capable of identifying particular issues that support student learning. “I think the QEP will really help us focus on something that will have a great impact on student learning,” Bussell said. “It will help us be the best we can be.” To develop a QEP that enhances student learning, the Leadership Team, chaired by president of the university, Frederick Slabach and Bussell, established a QEP planning and topic selection steering committee to assist in the process of identifying QEP topics. Dr. Elizabeth Battles, chair of the QEP Planning and Topic Selection Steering Committee, said she believes it is necessary to gather ideas and opinions from everyone in Wesleyan’s community to identify and choose a QEP topic that will impact a significant number of students. “Every university has a different culture,” Battles said. “We have to choose a QEP that will enhance student learning at Wesleyan.” According to their websites, other
The Career Services office will host a career fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 22 in the Sid W. Richardson Center. To prepare students for the career fair, the Career Services office will hold a résumé clinic from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 7-10, the week before spring break. The Career Services office has connections with more than 750 employers, but not all of those employers will attend the career fairs. “We had over 50 employers last year,” said Sherri Mata, Career Services director. “We’re hoping to have 50 to 60 this year.” Mata said employers attending the career fair are from an array of career fields and offer a variety of positions including entry level, full-time, parttime and internships. “We really try hard to make sure we have enough companies there to where every major on campus there’s at least two or three people they can go talk to,” Mata said. Mata said the career fair becomes more popular ever year, but she believes the students who need to take advantage of the career fair the most, are not doing so. “It’s definitely popular amongst our seniors,” Mata said. “I think more of the freshman and sophomores should go, because we have some of the same recruiters there year after year.” Mata said networking is an advantage for students attending the career fair every year. “We hold the career fair so students have the opportunity to network with employers, get an idea of what types of jobs are out there and, hopefully, land a position in their field,” Mata said. College and career counselor Robyn Bone said students need to attend the ca-
smejia@mail.txwes.edu
mdbates@mail.txwes.edu
Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff The Harlem Ambassadors basketball team played members of the Cowntown Kiwanis club Feb. 11 in the Sid Richardson Gym at Wesleyan. The Ambassadors, made up of male and female players, signed autographs for attendees after the game, where they also interacted with children from elementary schools in Fort Worth, who work with members of the Poly-Wesleyan Kiwanis Club.
QUALITY, page 3
CAREER, page 3
Passmore retires after 43 years at Texas Wesleyan Stephan Moritz
srmoritz@mail.txwes.edu
Four years ago, Sue Passmore, Department of Education professor, lost her oldest daughter Susan Grambort to cancer and has been raising her granddaughter Lauren since. After 43 years at Texas Wesleyan, Passmore’s retirement at the end of this spring semester will provide the opportunity to focus on Lauren’s development. “She’s going into sixth grade, which is a crucial time for little girls,” Passmore said. “I’m looking into possibly home-schooling her.” Passmore grew up in Durant, Okla. before coming to Fort Worth to teach at Wesleyan in 1968. “It [Wesleyan] was pretty small. The first year I was
here, was the last year everyone used to have to go to chapel,” Passmore said. “There’ve been a lot of changes.” Since then, the psychology department has become its own entity. However, Passmore said the biggest change to the Department of Education was the addition of the master’s and doctorate programs. Passmore helped develop the Department of Education into what it is today. Over the course of her tenure, Passmore has served as a certification officer, helping revamp the curriculum when the state requirements changed at Wesleyan. “I went to Austin more times than I wanted to,” Passmore said. Passmore said her fondest memories from Wesleyan are
of the students and the family-like atmosphere. “I usually get the students coming in and going out, so it has been interesting to watch their growth,” Passmore said. “Over the years, I’ve enjoyed watching people I’ve taught being recognized for being outstanding teachers.” Her colleague Dr. R. J. Wilson, professor of education and department chair, commended her contribution to the community. “She knows probably most teachers in the Fort Worth area school districts,” Wilson said. Passmore and Wilson have a common interest outside of Wesleyan also. “She and I both have a love of gardening,” Wilson said. “There have been times when we would sneak out and go to a nursery.”
Passmore volunteers at J.L. Hill Elementary School in Arlington, working in the garden. She also won three awards from the city of Arlington for having the best landscaping. Dr. Carlos Martinez, dean of education, said Passmore has contributed much to the department and will be difficult to replace. “It’s one of those things where she’s been here a long time,” Martinez said. “She’s done every possible job for the department and without people like that, we can’t run it.” He said Passmore has been on a phase-out retirement for two years but her successor has not been found yet. “She’ll be a huge loss,” Martinez said. “Right now we’re currently looking for her replacement.” Passmore also hopes to
Stephan Moritz | Rambler Staff Dr. Sue Passmore, Department of Education professor, is set to retire at the end of this spring semester after 43 years at Texas Wesleyan University.
spend time during her retirement riding bikes with her granddaughter and travelling to visit family.
“I want to go visit my husband’s brother in the OregonWashington state area,” Passmore said.