Newspaper Page Text
■ IN FOCUS
Today's focus page discusses the different problems older stu
dents face. While most University students are under age 24,
others juggle work, classes and children.
The Red and Black • Wednesday, April 19, 1989 • 6
FOCUS
Non-traditional students future trend
1987
5,669
1986
5,117
1985
5,259
5.575
Non-traditional students
includes any student over
25 years old.
■ Non-traditional enrollment, 1984 - 88
By KELLY KEATINQ
Contributing Writer
Anna Stockton, a 31-year-old ju
nior middle school education
major, awakens each day at 5 a m.,
a time when most University stu
dents are still soundly sleeping.
A widow with two daughters,
Stockton arises early to prepare
her children for school by 7 a m.
She heads to clasB at 7:50 a.m. and
finds her way home after 5 p.m.
each day.
To ease her busy schedule,
Stockton lives in Athens with her
sister, who also has two children.
They Bhare responsibility for the
care of their four children so
Stockton can work during week
ends to supplement her family’s in
come.
Students similar to Stockton are
now a familiar sight on college
campuses nationwide. Enrollment
of non-traditional students, those
over age 25, has been rising at the
University, according to University
Fact Books. In 1984, non-tradi
tional students numbered 5,293 at
the University. By 1988, non-tradi
tional student enrollment had in
creased to 5,575.
In studying the University’s fig
ures, consideration must be given
to the fact that often, non-tradi
tional students are not able to re
main enrolled for a constant period
of time due to family and financial
responsibilites, Claire Swann, di
rector of admissions, said.
The University, however, has
fewer non-traditional students
than other state campuses.
“Georgia is a more traditional
campus — a ‘collegiate commu
nity’,’' Swann said.
Average student age varies
according to the campus in ques
tion, said Haskin Pounds, Board of
Regents vice-chancellor for Re
search and Planning.
The average age of a University
student is 20.7 but the average age
for undergraduate students within
the state university system is 23.1,
Pounds said. The average age for
students from the Georgia Insti
tute of Technology is 20.4. Valdosta
State College students average
22.7 years; Georgia State Univer
sity, 25.1; Armstrong State Col
lege, 25.6; and Waycross Junior
College, 26.5, Pounds said.
Traditional campuses — colleges
with dormitories — attract stu
dents under the age of 25. Com
muter campuses usually draw
those over 25, Pounds said.
Traditional campuses often don’t
cater to the non-traditional stu
dent. Currently it is impossible for
a student enrolled in evening
classes — offered through the
Georgia Center for Continuing Ed
ucation — to receive a degree from
the University The policy has been
in effect since the 1950s, said Pat
Brewer, program specialist for aca
demic credit with the Georgia
Center for Continuing Education.
Many degree requirement
courses are not being offered at
night, Brewer said. Students
would eventually be forced to
transfer to day school if they wish
to receive a degree.
The regents recently required
that by Summer 1988 all colleges
within the state system enroll only
students working toward degrees,
said Tom Jackson, public informa
tion director.
University President Charles
Knapp secured an exemption from
the new directive for the Univer
sity for 1988-89.
A task force, headed by Sussette
Talarico, a political science pro
fessor, is studying the possibility of
a change in night class operation at
the University, Jackson said. The
task force should come to a conclu
sion on changing current gradua
tion policies sometime this spring,
Brewer said.
The University does offer some
exceptions toward admission re
quirements for the non-traditional
student, Swann said. No SAT or
ACT test scores are required, in
stead a collegiate placement exam
is administered, she said.
Those students entering the
system who are over the age of 25
aren’t required to complete the
standard five hours of physical ed
ucation, Swann said.
The University currently doesn’t
offer college credit for life experi*
ences to non-traditional students,
although they can challenge,
through examination, any class in
which they feel they have enough
background, Swann said.
There may be a possibility in the
future for non-traditional students
to receive experience based credit
for years spent in the workforce
rather than challenging the course,
Swann 9aid. However, the aca
demic community would need a say
in the change.
“Credit will continue to be as
hard to earn as it has always
been,” Swann said.
Since transferring to the Univer
sity last fall quarter, Stockton has
mantained a 3.8 average while
being enrolled in at least 15 hours
each quarter.
“I take it seriously, even though
I have demands from family, home
and finances,” she said. “My goal is
to achieve a higher education.”
Stockton recently received a $6,-
000 scholarship, based mainly on a
personal essay she wrote detailing
her life. The scholarship has al
lowed Stockton to remain enrolled
in school, which she may not have
otherwisebeen able to afford.
The rising numbers of non-tradi
tional students parallel a decline in
those of traditional students.
Enrollment of traditional stu
dents at the University hit a low of
19,375 in 1984. The previous year,
enrollment had been at an all-time
high since 1962 with 24,371 tradi
tional students.
A lower national birthrate is af
fecting enrollment of the tradi
tional student. Since 1974, the
birth rate has dropped off drasti
cally, Swann said.
‘The non-traditional student is
definitely on the increase and
making cm impact on our cam
puses; there’s no question about
it,” said Tom McDonald, vice-chan
cellor of students with the Georgia
Board of Regents.
T feel that most non-traditional
students go back to school because
they want a better life," Stockton
said.
■ Support for non-trads
■ Clark Howell
Counseling and Testing
Center A workshop aimed
specifically towards
non-traditional students has
recently been added. It will
last four weeks, and will start
on April 27. The sessions will
deal mostly with career
exploration.
■ SOTA This organization is
open to all students over 24
years of age and enrolled for
at least 10 academic hours.
Students Over Traditional Age
holds orientation sessions
each fall for non-traditionals.
Older University students face non-traditional problems
By FRAN MUNSON
Staff Writer
Tommie LaCavera, a junior History
major and Women’s Studies Certificate can
didate, came to the University as a legacy.
Her husband and daughter graduated
here.
LaCavera, 51, received a full scholarship
from the United Daughters of the Confed
eracy in 1986, and has attended the Univer
sity ever since.
“I’ve always wanted to go to school," she
said. “When my last child reached 18, it
seemed the perfect time to go.”
LaCavera said she’s not treated any dif
ferently than students of traditional age.
“All the teachers care about is if you do
the work," she said.
“My husband may feel a little left out,"
she said.“But if he wasn’t understanding, I
wouldn’t be able to do it.”
LaCavera said she’s not eager to leave
the University. She will start graduate
school next year if she passes the GRE
exam.
LaCavera is one of about 5,575 students
at the University who are over traditional
age.
Heather Kleiner, an academic advisor for
the College of Arts and Sciences, said older
students don’t seem to suffer academically.
“Actually, these students do very well,"
Kleiner said.
‘They’re often quite nervous and unsure
at first," she said. “But it’s not atypical for
them to make all As and Bs."
Dedee Walker, a University admissions
counselor, said that to encourage older stu
dents, the University offers Georgia resi
dents 62 and older free admission.
“A student who can prove he is 62 or older
may enroll in the University on a space-
available basis,” Walker said. ‘Their tuition
is waived, but they must pay lab fees, shop
fees and transportation fees.”
‘They must meet all system and institu
tional requirements,” she Baid. The only
other restriction for older students enrolled
in the free admission program is that they
cannot enter dental, medical, veterinary or
law degree programs.
Students who are younger, but still over
traditional age, may have the problem of
finding dependable, convenient and affor
dable daycare for their children.
One option for students with children is
the McPhaul Child Development Center, a
day care program run through the College
of Home Economics. Susan Vanvoorhis, di
rector of the center, said it offers a $55 per
week, full-day program for children of stu
dents, faculty and staff.
The center also offers two part-time pro
grams, available to anyone in the commu
nity, which cost $100 and $200 per quarter,
Vanvoorhis said.
There is a waiting list for all of the pro
grams, she said.
Anna Stockton, secretary of Students
Over Traditional Age, said her group has
taken a different approach to daycare
“We’ve tried to incorporate a babysitting
exchange,” Stockton said.
SOTA President Carolyn Hodges said an
exchange is effective because no money
changes hands. The exchange is a way to
fight daycare costs of $40 to $60 a week,
Hodges said.
Families take turns watching the chil
dren, Hodges scud.
“If you already have two children, one or
two more just doesn’t make that much dif
ference,” she said.
Students interested in the babysitting ex
change can call Hodges or Stockton for in
formation, she said.
fjENlTH
data
systems
INVITES YOU
TO
WALK AWAY WITH THE AWARD
WINNING FLAT TENSION MONITOR
REGISTER TO
WIN
APRIL 18TH AND 19TH
ZDS SPRING FAIR
AT THE VGA BOOKSTORE
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
UGA STUDENT, STAFF
& FACULTY ONLY