Of interest...
Commentary on how Hollywood unfairly portray* the Midwest at a bland and boring place / S
Arizona remains undefeated in the Pacific-10 Conference after beating the Trqjans at the Sports Arena 81 ’72/12
Roundup t
opinions 4
Student newspaper of the University of Southern California
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Mamjtional: Several male students held over for visa delays return to USC campus
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OM talk. Kristine Setlun and Brittney fisher chat and snack with their Aland In Dohany Manorial Utopry HasulU from a raoaot survey show that collate atudenu are not hitting for tha books the number of hours they sltooM ha.
Homework: National survey shows a decrease in hours sftent learning out of class
MERRILL BALASSONE
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Results from • new survey have fX|M*rt» wondering whether college kids are at school to learn or are modeling their college experience after ‘Animal House.”
In the latest National Survey ol Student Kngagemenl, nearly 20 per cent of Iwtli freshmen and seniors at four year residential colleges report ed studying five hours or less pei week And only 12 percent of fresh men reported spending more than 26
Linda J. Sax. the director of the survey, told the Chronicle of Higher Education that one reason students are studying less is becauar they are becoming more interested In doing the minimum to get a good grade instead of trying toleam die material for the sake of knowledge
"We're seeing growing numbers of students who are concerned with college as a means to an end — Kt ting Into a good graduate school oi getting a good job." Sax aaid. "Even my students, they calculate, 'If in class discussion is worth 10 parctnt (of my grade), Is K really worth my time to participate in class?"
Julia Falcone, a sophomore majoring in political science, said
hours per week on class preparation defined as "studying, reading, writ mg. rehearsing and other activities related lo your academic program."
Recommended studying time is about two hours for every hour stu dents are in class, and professors hsve long held the standard that stu dents ahould study 25 to 30 hours every week.
USC came back with some better numbers. In a 1999 NSSE pilot survey, 28 percent of students reported spending more than the recommended number of hours each week and only 8 percent reported spend ing less than five hours.
Freshmen did not fare so well Only 13 percent of students achieved the recommended number of hours.
The National Survey of Student Engagement results show that 20 percent of freshmen and seniors spend leas than five hours a week studying for
ClBBS
Deadline for online grade posting debated by students
Reorfls: Grades are not considered late, other sc hools with same deadlines
pay system applauded its convenience "I used it (Thursday) and it was really easy," said Lynn Hamilton, a freshman majoring in cinema-tele-vision production. “It took fivejnin-utes. It sure beats waiting in line for hours. When 1 paid (last semester). I had to do a lot of waiting in line and running around.”
The idea for an e-pay system stemmed from Web-based tuition payment programs that other universities developed, Cowin said.
‘We found it natural to take advantage of what the Web system has to offer." Cowin said. "Students can access information when they
By ARIFA CHAUDHRY
Contributing Writer
For those condemned to pro- , crastination, the university created an electronic payment system. The USC Bursar e-pay system (wwwiusc.cdu/uicq)ay) designed to help pay students’ university bill online.
In its first su months of existence, there have been more than 4,600 students and 270 guest users making 5300 payments online. In all students have paid out $17.3 million. Since the beginning of the semester more than 30 percent of , students have saved on the late fees
exam.
Once the registrar has collected all grades, they are then posted on OASIS. Because some course finals were given after Dec 18, the registrar had to give professors the allotted time to submit grades, Morley said.
Only 0.5 percent of all grades were not submitted by the set deadline during the fall semester, which was Dec 24 at 5 p.m, Morley added. The remaining grades were online by Christmas Day.
The processing done by the USC Office of Academic Records snd
By VMEET BHARGAVA
Suff Writer
Of late, students have complained about the lack of promptness in receiving their grades.
Robert Morley, associate registrar tuition exchange liaison, said the provost's deadline for professors to submit final grade sheets is four days after the course’s scheduled final
incurred from late payments, said Betty Cowin. the associate director for Bursar Administration.
“The response has been very positive,” Cowin said. ‘We had a lot of good suggestions to improve the system... students feel they have more control over their atcount”
Students who have used the e-
Daily Trojan resumes publication Wednesday, Jan. 22,2003