1 ISSUE 89.18 UNION COLLEGE APRIL 16, 2015 HOW TO BEG FOR YOUR GRADE AND NOT ALIENATE YOUR PROFESSOR 2 HUMANS OF UNION COLLEGE Safe and Sound will be returning next week, in issue 89.19. Abner Campos and Jordan Zy will be examining LGBT+ issues on our campus. 3 JORDAN ZY You’ve taken a wrong turn and you’re going to fail your class. It is time to face the music—you need to talk to your professor about your grade. How did you get this far behind? I don’t know, I’m just a Clocktower reporter. But I’ve had my own experiences with begging a professor for a grade, and I can give you some advice on what will work and what won’t work. The worst thing you can do is avoid the problem. I know I used to skip class to avoid awkward confrontation with my professors. Skipping class, living in denial and not checking your grade has never helped. Ignoring your grades may save you from stressing out for now, but it could get worse if you wait to fix your problems. Honestly, the more you skip, the more you’ll want to skip, and your grade goes in the toilet when you miss more than four class periods. The best thing you can do is save face with your professor. Go in and talk to them, let them help you help yourself. I know it’s not easy, I personally hate asking for help or pointing out my fail- ures. But once you gather some courage, it is well worth it to pro- actively help yourself by talking to your professors. Biology professor Dr. Corraine McNeill says, “If a student is doing poorly and they need to pull their grade up, proactively speaking, they shouldn’t wait. I tell my students to come talk to me throughout the semester. I will sit down with you talk as long as you need. I FEATURED ARTICLE: OPINION True stories about how your peers passed when they shouldn’t have HOW TO BEG FOR YOUR GRADE AND NOT ALIENATE YOUR PROFESSOR 4 just want my students to know that I care about them and their success. Coming as an interna- tional student, I know what it means to struggle in college. So I don’t want to take my students’ grades for granted.” Professors at Union want you to succeed. If you have shown inter- est in the class and kept up with your homework, that goes a long way. But when you mess that up (guilty), showing that you have initiative to ask for a way to make up the work is the next best option. If you need to beg for your grade, don’t feel too bad. You’re not alone, many students have a story about how they had to humble themselves and get help from a professor. Senior English education major Slade Lane once offered a professor ice cream if he could retake a test, unfortunately for him, “Bribery did not work.” But what does work is being sincere and taking ownership of your actions. “Take responsibility for your actions first, and you’ve taken care of half the problem already,” says Human Devel- opment Chair Denise White. “Don’t give excuses, take respon- sibility for your mistake and ask for a plan you believe will help you finish strong.” Honesty really is the best policy. Honesty worked for all the success stories I’ve heard. While asking to remain nameless, my sources had some luck with asking for a hope of a passing grade. A business major admit- ted to his professor of an online course that he was working a lot and lost track of his homework. “I told her I was willing to put in the time to make up or redo any work to go from a C to an A. With my track record until then she was willing to hear my case.” A theology major told me a story about a time he knew he needed a 76% to pass the final of a major class, without which he would FEATURED ARTICLE: OPINION “Take responsibility for your ac- tions firt, and you’ve te of half the problem already,” sas Human Development Chair Denise White. 5 not be able to visit Jerusalem that summer. He emailed his profes- sor, and, even though he sounded “pitiful,” passed the class. So talk to your professors and just be honest, you messed up. Your made-up excuses are trans- parent and unimpressive. Show them you take pride and initia- tive in your own work, because it is never too late to start. And in the end, honesty is not only the best policy, it is also the most effi- cient way to get what you need to survive the rest of this school year. So take initiative and save your GPAs. Finish strong Union! Jordan is a senior studying psychology. Editor’s Note: While AA works for some, and even though Adventism and Union College don’t condone the consumption of alcohol, we understand that for those struggling with addiction, options to overcome such vices must be talked about. Growing up at a Seventh-day Adventist boarding academy, I remember attending a celebration of the school janitor’s 20th anniversary being married to his wife. He gave a speech, thanking his wife for her support in their journey out of alcoholism. Part- way into their marriage, he told us, they had both joined Alcohol- ics Anonymous. Although they both saw themselves as alcohol- ics, they had been sober for more than a decade. This janitor was very open about OPINION & SPECIAL INTEREST DEBUNKING THE MYTH ABOUT “ONE LITTLE SIP” How Moderation Management is reshaping the way America views alcoholism NIGEL SUMERLIN 6 his history and ready to share with the students and the com- munity of staff where he had come from and how he had es- caped. At one of his worship talks in the men’s dorm, we were told that just one drink would cata- pult him into the despair of his old lifestyle. Prayer and surrender to God, he exhorted, was the only thing separating him from the shackles of alcoholism. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was established in 1935. Since then, its message of complete absti- nence from alcohol has become the most widely accepted form of treatment. When other forms of recovery were tested and shown to be successful, they were over- shadowed by American’s accep- tance that AA was the best way to escape from the carnage alcohol- ism inflicts upon its victims. The AA “bible,” otherwise known at the Big Book, asserts that 75 percent of people who use AA and give it their full effort recov- er. But this is a broad assertion, given that the nature of AA is anonymity and the program is notoriously difficult to study. Nonetheless, Lance Dodes, a retired professor at Harvard Medical School extensively stud- ied retention rates and sobriety of AA members. His findings, published in his book “The Sober Truth: Debunking the Bad Sci- ence Behind 12-Step Programs and the Rehab Industry,” were far from encouraging, showing that the actual success rate of AA is somewhere between five and eight percent. “The Handbook of Alcoholism Treatment Approaches” ranked various treatment methods. Out of 48 different methods, AA ranked a low 38. Despite be- ing the most popular treatment program for recovering alcoholics in America, AA is far from being the most effective. A close friend of mine’s mother is SPECIAL INTEREST When other fms of ry were tested and shown to be suc- cessful, they wershadowed by Amerance that AA was the best way to escape from the carnage alcoholism inflicts upon its victims. 7 a recovering alcoholic. My friend vividly remembers her mother’s first DUI, and the consequences she received in court. Among fines and restrictions, the judge required my friend’s mother to regularly attend AA meetings for two months. Indeed, 12 percent of AA members today are re- quired to be there by court order. My friend also distinctly remem- bers her mother’s second DUI, and the many different prescrip- tion drugs she abused after her stint with AA. Although many who do not find success in AA undoubtedly have not committed to their own recovery, this story shows the futility of treating AA as a cure for alcoholism for everyone. Hope still abounds for those struggling with alcohol abuse, though. Many different meth- ods besides AA exist for treating alcoholism. One that is quickly gathering attention is an organi- zation called Moderation Man- agement (MM). In her article for “The Guardian,” Amy Girvan describes MM as starting off with a 30 day stint with no alcohol, followed by a slow reintroduction of alcohol and a strict plan to limit intake. This program is a flexible way of controlling an alcohol habit, without the painful guilt and self-loathing that recovering alco- holics often inflict upon them- selves after one small misstep. According to the organization’s director, Marc Kern, “The cur- rent status of the addiction field is based 97% on this black and white idea that you’re either an addict or you’re not, and if you’re an addict the only path is absti- nence.” This new program provides a method of delivery where MM members feel like they have a sense of control over their prob- lem, and takes away the devas- tation from slipping into old habits. Members feel like their support group and the program meet them halfway and work with them towards recovery. SPECIAL INTEREST The actual success rate of AA is somewher eight percent. 8 LEADING THE WAY Union introduces new four-year renewable scholarships EMY WOOD There’s a lesson to be learned from the way MM treats people who want to limit their alcohol consumption. Things aren’t as black and white as we like be- lieve, and finding the best solu- tion often means accepting that there is a whole spectrum of grey where people land. A single drink or even a night of drunkenness doesn’t immedi- ately constitute an addiction, or qualify a person for an extensive rehabilitation program such as First Step. Although many people have been rescued by the strict abstinence AA promotes, many have been driven to anguish and further drinking by that very same approach. Demonizing alcohol can often be destructive and cause more problems than it prevents. Compassion and understanding has far greater po- tential to encourage people to be responsible and safe than harsh punishment or scolding could ever hope for. Nigel is a freshman psychology and history major. SPECIAL INTEREST “I definitely run into a stump trying to fit in all of my general education classes. As I get further into my degree there is simply no time. My schedule is full!” Sound familiar? For Ashley Ryan, junior nursing major and transfer student, it’s a reality she faces ev- ery time registration rolls around. But, thanks to changes in the LEAD program, life for future students in a professional track just got a lot easier. 9 ON CAMPUS Next year a new general edu- cation track will reduce LEAD (general education) requirements for students in professional pro- grams, such as nursing, educa- tion and IRR with a parametic emphasis. The requirements will drop to 40 credits from 54, giv- ing students the option of more electives, a minor or for some simply the chance to graduate on time (128 hours will still be needed for graduation). “Above all, this is being done to help students,” said Mal- colm Russell, vice president for academic administration. “By having fewer required hours, the consequences of changing a ma- jor, transferring schools or taking unrequired classes will not be as heavy. In theory, we’ve given students 15 hours of choices they didn’t have before.” Not exactly sure what general education requirements are? Essentially, they’re a collection of credits required by all majors for a degree. These courses, added on top of your mandatory major classes, are aimed at broadening your skills beyond what’s re- quired for your area of expertise. They also come in handy during freshman and sophomore year by giving you some time to explore before you “settle down” on a degree. While having this extra time and a well rounded education is ben- eficial, for professional degrees that lead to specific careers, such as nursing, education, or IRR, heavy requirements can prevent students from graduating on time, or limit their exploration of other areas of interest. “Pre- paring a student for a specific job is different than a liberal arts de- gree, in which someone pursues knowledge and skills in their field as well as a working understand- ing of other key disciplines,” said Russell. “For a general type of employment, it is good to have a general type of education. But someone training for, say edu- cation, needs to fulfill specific requirements by law and doesn’t have the luxury within 128 hours to survey many other courses.” And, this change may appeal to transfer students whose credits don’t always match up with the specified requirements. Now with more elective options, they can 10 ON CAMPUS rest easy knowing their efforts are still recognized. “One thing we’re hoping is that this change will enable more stu- dents to take a minor or empha- sis,” said Russell. This difference can help you in a job interview where striking up a conversation about your minor can create common ground. “It can also prepare a student for graduate school where specific courses may be required for ad- mittance; it shows focus,” Russell concluded. This change may appeal to transfer students whose cred- its don’t always match up with the specified requirements. The exciting news is that this track is just the beginning of develop- ments for changes to the LEAD requirements for all students. In the future, there is discussion of lower general education required credits so all students can have the freedom of choosing more electives or adding in a minor. Emy is a sophomore studying communication. THE CHALLENGES OF SITTING THROUGH A SER- MON CVC Head Pastor Harold Alo- mia gives his two cents ABNER CAMPOS “Why is it that I can sit down and watch a TV show uninter- rupted for 30+ minutes, but I can’t sit and listen to a sermon for more than 10 before pulling out my phone?” This post, by junior biomedical science major CJ Middlebrooks, appeared on my Facebook feed recently and quickly racked up multiple likes and comments. This post reflects a shared truth for so many young high school- 11 RELIGION ers, college students and parents alike. It seems that our attention span has either destructively decreased or sermons are dan- gerously boring. Maybe it’s both; maybe it’s neither. Searching for an accurate and credible answer, I interviewed the lead pastor at College View Church, Harold Alomia, for his thoughts on the problem. “Why do we have a hard time paying attention to a sermon?” I asked. “Because you’re on your phone too much,” Alomia replied with a strong chuckle, before con- tinuing. “Because we will listen to TED talks or watch movies for two hours, but that’s a good question.” He recognized studies revealing a trend in shortening attention spans but challenged them, as we’re able to binge watch TV shows and movies for hours. Af- firming that our attention spans have been modified because of social media and other technolo- gies, he said a lot of it has to do with “what is being said and how it is being said and the relevance of the message and how we can bring the words alive from Scrip- ture.” Just like your average Joe, Alomia isn’t completely immune from dozing off or finding him- self scrolling through his Insta- gram feed during a sermon. However, the finger has to be pointed in both directions. Sometimes we need to force ourselves to pay attention and be intentional by putting our distractions away. Other times, not so much. Alomia confesses that there are instances where he has tried to pay attention, but the message doesn’t compel him to. But other times he feels the messages are absolutely worth his attention. He gave the example of his experience at “the One project,” an annual conversa- tion around Jesus that held this year in San Diego, California, in February. It was here that he found himself without distrac- Jusver Alomia isn’t completel frf or finding him - self scrolling through his Insta- gram feed during a sermon. 12 RELIGION tion. Why? Because the messages were compelling, challenging and engaging. Toward the end of our conversa- tion I noticed three key compo- nents that Alomia emphasized for difficult and lack of interest for “sermon-ears”: Lack of preacher preparation, the absence of au- dience intentionality and lack of presence by the Holy Spirit. Lack of preacher preparation oc- curs when he / she is unprepared, doesn’t speak about audience-rel- evant topics and when their style is boring and uncharismatic, causing disinterest in their audi- ence. Absence of audience intentional- ity occurs when they come with a mindset not of learning and engaging, and when they become distracted easily by their phones or other devices. Lack of presence by the Holy Spirit can occur whenever both preacher and audience chooses to disengage from It. “You have to put it in the Lord’s hands,” begins Alomia. “You know where the Lord takes care and takes control of the delivery.” While laughing, Alomia stated that there are simply some who aren’t good at delivering a mes- sage but others who are masters at it. However, he declared that God can use anyone no matter the skill to spread His Word. There you have it. It can be diffi- cult to pay attention to a sermon because of the preacher’s prepara- tion, the audiences intentionality, and/or the absent invitation of the Holy Spirit. Let that change the way you church. Be purposeful about re- ceiving a blessing; put away your handheld distractions and engage in what is being communicated. Abner is a sophomore Theology major. Absence of audience intention- ality occurs when they come with a mindset not of learning and engaging, and when they become distracted easily by their phones or other devices. 13 APRIL SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 12 National Library Week 13 National Library Week 3:30-5:00pm Academic Council 14 National Library Week 15 National Library Week 16 Pry National Library Week 10:30-11:30am Academic Assembly 17 Pry National Library Week Div of Science and Mathematics to NE Academy 8:00pm Vespers: Power Pac Sunset: 8:08pm 18 Pry National Library Week CVC:Power Pac 8:00pm V2 Club Night Sunset 8:09pm 19 Pry 8:00am National ACT 20 21 10:30am ASB Convocation 11:30am-1:00pm ASC 11:30am-1:30pm Div of Human Development Picnic Lunch 22 Div of Human Development Picnic Lunch Junior Portfolio Revisions Due 2:30-4:00pm LEAD Committee 23 10:30-11:30am General Assembly 24 Div of Business/ Computer Science Senior Recognition Dinner 8:00pm Vespers: Fine Arts Concert Sunset: 8:15pm 25 CVC: Power Pac 8:00pm Vespers: Fine Arts Concert Sunset: 8:15pm UPCOMING EVENTS THUMBS UP | THUMBS DOWN Thumbs up to Albert Pujols - De’Von Morris Thumbs up to step ladders - Elena Cornwell Thumbs up to Roderick finally choos- ing me for thumbs up thumbs down - Joe Hofmann Thumbs up to wolf dogs that melt my heart - Katie Campbell 14 The Clocktower encourages reader feedback and strives to maintain accuracy. If you have comments, email us at cltower@gmail.com. The Clocktower is published weekly during the school year by the Associated Student Body of Union College, 3800 S. 48th St., Lincoln, NE 68506. The opinions expressed are the opinions of the writers and are not to be construed as the opinion of the editors, Associated Student Body, Union College or the Seventh-day Adventist Church. For more content, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ ClocktowerASB or visit us at http://clocktower.ucollege.edu. 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Basically, write us. Voice your opinions by emailing cltower@gmail.com and add to the conversation by connecting with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ClocktowerASB and online at http://clocktower.ucollege.edu. WE C 15 HUMANS OF UNION COLLEGE -Kerri Vogler, Senior, Psychology Humans of Union College is compiled by Roderick Stickle “What’s the best thing that’s happened to you recently?” “I got to go to Disneyworld over spring break because I love Disney. And it it makes me feel like a kid again. And my friends allowed me to act like a little child the whole time, and didn’t judge me, and they still hung out with me.” Why did the chicken cross the road? Find out by reading The Clocktower online at http://clocktower.ucollege.edu. Ever hear Well, you might be hearing about it real soon. Read more online! “Peaceful Places Around Lincoln” by Debbie Pinto “Drawing Senate To A Close” by Naomi Prasad “Safer Birthing In A Bag” by Katie Morrison “Extending The Mind, Spirit, And Body” By Stefani Leeper