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March 3,1998
Volume 21 Numbers
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Current enrollment marks highest numbers for spring semester in university history
Rachael Hill
Managing Editor
UTSA's spring 1998 enrollment marks the highest numbers for a spring semester in the university's history, and under the new state funding model, continued growth will mean more money for the university.
The official numbers after the spring census date showed a total corollmenl of 16,679 students taking 171,099 credit hours. Fall semesters have his¬ torically brought larger numbers of students tothe university than the spring semester. While the fall 1997 headcount was not the highest seen at UTSA, the 181,989 credit hours taken that semester surpassed all previous
semesters.
Because of a new growth supple¬ ment passed during the last legislative session, UTSA already received $2.3 million for its expected enrollment growth, according to Patti Cutler, •UTSA's budget director.
For every student credit hour in¬ creased, the university will receive approximately $1400. "There are cer¬ tain universities that were expecting to have growth and others that weren't, and so Ihey were trying to give money to those of us who are intending to grow," Cutler said.
The new funding system was de¬ signed to benefit universities experi¬ encing growth, such as UTSA, Texas Tech, Ihe University of North Texas
Student government elections held Mar.4-5
Gary Wright
Editor
Siudent government elections will be held Mar. 4 and 5 to fill all positions for the 98-99 school year.
Voting booths on the 1604 campus will be located in three areas: on the second floorof the University Center, in front of the HSS building, and in front of the Business Building. One voting booth will be located at the Downtown Campus.
All booths will be open from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. The University Center and HSS booths will reopen from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm to allow students with evening classes to vote.
In order to vote, students must present a valid, picture I.D. All UTSA students are eligible to vole once in the elections.
Randy Degner, associate director for student leadership and activities, and studeni govemment advisor, feels some ofthe important issues facing the next student government administra¬ tion are completing revisions to the current student government constitu¬ tion, addressing downtown campus representation and participalion, and dealing with the way student concems are addressed. "I think their first priority is tocom-
continued on page 3
Study shows minorities finding it hard to compete
College Press Service
Black students and students from low-income families are having a tougher time meeting eligibility re¬ quirements to compete in college sports than other athletes, a recent study con¬ ducted by thc National Collegiate Ath¬ letic Association has found.
The study provides a first look at the effect of Proposition 16, a set of controversial eligibility standards the NCAA approved six years ago in re¬ sponse to complaints that many ath¬ letes were not prepared for college- level studies. The stiffer standards went into effect during the 1996-97 .school year.
With the tougher standards, the numberof black students denied eligi¬ bility rose from 16.3 percent in 1995- 96 to 26.9 percent in 1996-97. During that same period, the number of ineli¬ gible student-athletes from families earning less than $30,000 annually rose from 14.7 percent to 22.2 percent. And for the second straight year, the per¬ centage of black students,from low- income families who failed to meet the standards was the highest of all catego¬ ries; the number ro.se from 21 percent in 1995-96 to 34.7 percent in 1996-„97.
"We all knew this was going to happen," Dale Clayton, president of the Black Coaches Association told the Chronicle of Higher Education. "History has shown that African- American students don't test well. In¬
dividuals from low-income families don't test well. And many times, these individuals are one and the same."
The new standards require high school students to complete 13 core classes, including four in English; earn at least a 2.5 grade point average; and score at least 820 on the SAT or 68 on the ACT. (However, students can still get eligibility with a 2.0 GPA ifthey exceed minimum scores on one ofthe standardized tests.)
In light ofthe recent study's results, NCAA officials are meeting this week to discuss the possibility of adjusting the standards, said Wally Renfro, a spokesman for the association. Ad- Justing the standards does not neces¬ sarily mean lowering them, he quickly added.
"These requirements were put in place by (educators) who wanted to ensure the preparedness of their ath¬ letes for life after sports," he said. "They wanted to make sure athletes weren't graduating without knowing how to perform al the college level."
While the NCAA is concemed about the hurdles keeping some students from competition, il is pleased wilh higher graduation rates among athletes, Renfro said. He reported that in 1984 athletes graduated at a rate of 52 percent, com¬ pared to 53 percent of non-athletes. Butin 1990, athletes finished school at a rate f 58 percent, surpassing the rest of the student population, which fin¬ ished at a rate of 56 percent.
"We wish it was more. If you consider we're supposed to be a state -funded institution, but less than 50 percent of our funding comes from the state—we wouldn't have to put so much of a burden on students in fees and tuition if more of this money came from the state."
"Patti Cutler, UTSA budget director
and Southwest Texas State University. Universities such as UT in Austin and UTArlingion will not see more money
under the growth supplement fomiula. since their enrollment numbers are not expected to increase.
Before passage of the recent state bill. 12 different funding formulas were used to allocate money to institutions of higher education.
"In Ihis past legislative session, because the formulas were so complex and very hard lo get a handle on, there was a bill put forth by senator Ratliffe trying to reduce Ihe formulas for higher educalion into four basic formulas." Cutler said. She added that the change has good points and its bad points, since each formula now contains more unknowns.
In the past, the legislature re¬ viewed university statistics for previ¬ ous years in projecting the budget for the next year. Thai created a two -year gap belwcen the old figures and the
new year's figures, by which limc UTSA had outgrown ils budgel.
Under the new formula, appro¬ priations are based on projections. The legislature will meet again in the spring of 1999 to determine the university's allocations forthe 20(K)and 2001 fiscal years.
Enrollment growth hit a plaicau over the past few years. Culler found it ironic thatduring the years when UTSA experienced the greaiesi gro\Mh. ihc old funding system was in place, and now thai enrollmenl has leveled oul, the legislature passed lhe new one
The spring enrollmenl numbers may show a new trend, ihough  Culler
continued on page 3
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Professor Dennis Duchon kisses the pig under the Sombrilla during Homecoming week. Students donated money to the professor of their choice. There was a tie between Professor Duchon and Terence Parker. Homecoming week consisted of many activities involving the faculty and students.
Survey extended due to low number of responses
Regina Hurtado
News Editor
As of Friday, Feb. 27, only 268 students responded to the student pref¬ erence survev conducted by the de¬ partment of academic affairs to deter¬ mine class offerings and schedule re¬ quests.
Students have requested more than 800 classes so far. As aresult of slow response, the survey which began on Feb. 9 and was originally scheduled to end on Feb. 20 will continue until Mar. 2.
"We determined the need to extend the survey because we were not getting the type of responses we had hoped to from students, but I would point out that that is less than one percent of our student population, both undergradu¬ ate and graduate," said Dr. Anthony Van Reusen, associate vice president for academic affairs.
The survey is computer-based, com¬ municated through the ASAP system.
UTSA's online registration system. Students can requesi a maximum of IH hours online and are allowed prefer¬ ences for particularcourscs, days, times and locations. ___»«__....
¦We track the students so we know who tho.se students arc. The system is such that you really can't register for oral re¬ quests for morc than one section of the same course, and you can only do this once .so we don't have people loading the sys¬ tem," VanReusen said.
"Itisquiteeasy, and, in many instances, the students that I have talked to said this was greal, very efficient, very effective, but 1 do want to remind them that this is not. in
any way shape or form, guaranteed thai that course will be available at that day or lime." he said.
Information aboul lhe survev is be-
"We find students are quick to point out our deficiencies, and yet when we are trying to extend an opportunity, they don't take part in it."
—Anthony Van Reusen, associate vice president for academic affairs
ing dislribuled to encourage students to pariicipale and lo announce the ex¬ tended dates.
"Wearee-mailingeach of thedivi¬
sion offices to remind l;ii.ull\ lo .in- nounce the survey in iheiiciasscs Wc have not, on one hand, gone lliroiisih and double-checked and \crified. hul we are assuming lhal Ihe nui]oniy of our faculty ha\ e done so.' \ .in Rcu^L¦n said.
Van Reusen is concerned ahoul lhe studeni body's level of participalion of Ihe sludeni body. When askinL' siu¬ denls al random, he has found llirec-ln- one Sludcnls eilher had noi paiiici- paled in lhe survey or did noi know aboul il
According lo Van Reusen. ihcrc was a grealer responsc-ai iwo-io-one from Ihe downlown campus than from Ihc 1604 campus.
"I'm quite concerned on several levels. On one level, this is an excel¬ lent opportunity for siudents lo pn)- vide lhe university with informaiion aboul their preferences anddesiies lor courses, times, dales and locations
continued on page 3
A&E:
Robert Duvall is "The Apostle" Movie Review
pg-7
Sports:
Post season Basketball in Shreveport, LA
pg-9
Features:
UTSA, IVIeet
The Dancin' l\/lan'
pg- 4