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Subject to this project is Dr Cooper, registrar at Delta State University. Most part of this discussion would be centered on incoming freshman and requirements that they must meet to enroll in Delta State University.
JD: First of I would like to Dr Cooper to make some introductory comments and maybe tell a little bit about himself.
JC: I am James Donald Cooper and I am registrar at Delta State University. I came to Delta State University in 1969 as an admissions counselor. I was the first admission counselor that Delta State ever hired. In 1977 I became registrar. Today we are going to talk about admission requirements for just a few minutes and the changes that have occurred in the last few years. In 1969, when I started to work at Delta State, a student to enter the fall semester had to have a 15 composite over the ACT. To enter into summer school student had to have between 12, 13 and 14 on the ACT. This demand a big chain and satisfied the work, talking about a C average on 6 hours of work, or if you made a 1.4 average or D average on 12 hours you could be readmitted in the fall, as a regular admitted student. This stay that way until about 1975 and by that time an admissions committee was formed. This committee was made to study special cases of students that made below a 15 composite on the ACT that they could enter in the fall. At that time some students were admitted all the way down with a 9 composite of the ACT. The admissions committee existed from 1975-1978. At that time the board of Trustees inactive a provision that all state-supported institutions, predominantly white institutions, worked out a composite form of ACT on mid term. You could have 5% of the previous years freshman whites. You could admit this with less than 15 composite. This would be a mind proof 14. This was that way in 1978. In 1979 it changed, that you could either enter 50 students or 5% of the previous years of freshman classes. In our case as law institution the number 50 is what we used every year with these other things would be permitted, like the developmental, these are called high-risk students. People that scored below a 12 in the areas of English and mathematics must take special courses. Also we give a reading exam and a person that scored at the 20th percentile or lower would also raise to take another developmental course. We are the only institution in the State that has a developmental course in reading. Right now it is really to early to give any prediction of what these people going to do because it is the first year we are delivering the developmental course, but we are going to follow the students very carefully and see how they do. We are going to monitor them to make sure that they are successful.
DJ: You stated that you have 50 that can come in each year below the 15 ACT score. What percentage of those 50 would you say would be athletes compared to the general public?
JC: That is really hard to say. Yes there are some on the Football team; there are some on all the athletic teams.
DJ: As far as incoming freshman say you didn’t make to level required say on English. What requirement do you have as far as the reading course that you would have to take? What level of proficiency would they have to reach before they would be graduating out of this class?
JC: In the English and the Math they get a credit grade in doing the reading course. The whole course is made up of several tests and if at a certain time you show a proficiency and take the final test and test out to be approval of the course. It really just helps develop more skills.
DJ: What percentage of incoming freshman would you say that scored below that level on the test say at this university usually have to admit taking at some time.
JC: It really varies from year to year. A person could have a 12 composite on the ACT, but not necessarily have to take any developmental courses. Because if the person made a 12 in Math and a 12 in English and made say a 23rd percentile the person don’t have to take any developmental courses. It is not uncommon to see a person with a 20 ACT maybe fall down to take a reading exam and take a developmental reading test. It really varies from case to case.
DJ: You read so much now in readers Digest and all these magazines like why can’t Joni read and so on. Lots of high school and even college professors that I’ve talked to saying that some students can not even write a research paper.
JC: Well with all these, it’s a cycle. The junior high teachers would say the elementary teachers aren’t doing their job. The high school teachers are not doing their job and the college professors would blame it on the high school teachers.
DJ: Do you think as far as incoming freshman is concerned, like you think it is such a big adjustment that they need special care their first year, maybe special guidance.
JC: Of course with freshman I think you need a monitor a little bit, especially coming from high school. This is the first time they have almost complete freedom to go and do what they want to do. Nobody says get up and go to class. With freshman off course we make progress reports. I think yes it is good, because I think they need to be aware of how their standing of what they doing and maybe it will help them to be motivated and pick up a little bit.
DJ: Looking from and athletes’ point of view. I am a big fan of John Woodan and he is against freshman eligibility. Because he says that it is such a big adjustment being a freshman itself leaving the high school environment, the home and putting athletics on top of that, when the pressure is really on and because athletics is big business these days. You think in your point of view that it should be eliminated back as it use to be or you think that almost freshman should b able to cope with it?
JC: I think you do see some super star freshman, but generally this is not true.
DJ: You see so many athletes say wanted to go pro that after it is 4 years he is eligible to be pro draft, but then he ends up having to come back to school during the off seasons to pick up his degree and his philosophy behind it was you know he could get in that first year getting speed on the ground, academically without that extra practice time and everything and maybe had a better start with his studies.
JC: One thing I agree with and I see this in any situation. If a person is coming to school, the first thing on his mind should be that degree. When people start putting people in courses that they think are quick courses just to stay eligible, I just disagree with that strongly. I think a person should be in courses that he is actually pursuing towards his degree.
DJ: In some cases coaches have people who help them out with their class schedules, do you think that should be band totally. I personally do.
JC: Well if the person that is working with them knows what is required and this person is putting him in classes for this major, then that is fine. But if he is just putting that person is just putting that person in classes to be eligible then I disagree with it.
DJ: I personally go by the thing that everybody is honest until they proof me otherwise, but you about have to accept the fact that all people are, even though you have to give them benefit of the doubt. I would think that personally myself if someone and yourself here, I would definitely want you to handle it instead of me, because I would hate to make a mistake that would cause somebody another semester and possibly another year before its graduation.
JC: I am not an advisor of no curriculum, off course I evaluate transcripts and we’ve had people come back to Delta State who have been in school in these other places that had to stay quit a while to get a degree.
DJ: Myself I planned a lot of my schedules, but still it is always good to be able to come to somebody, just somebody to guide you along. Even though I am not a freshman, it is still good to have somebody come on and make sure, because you always have that element of doubt, just from things changing. Such as in this fall the requirements changed. How do you see changes going to affect this fall and especially incoming freshman?
JC: Your freshman is not really going to be affected, what is going to be affected is your transfer students that has been in a different area. Education curriculums are really tight now, elementary education, home economics, special education, music all these curriculums, electives are not hard at all. These curriculums may have root for 27 hours. It really just depends on what major you choose. Of course it is your responsibility to look at the catalog. Everyone needs to look and see what they need. We give our little check sheet to show this is what you need. It is good to get help from your advisor.
DJ: This might be kind of out of your area, but like with everyone I have talked to, the number of students enrolled or enrolling in the last couple of years have gradually dropped in the education field. Now there is kind of a but of teachers. Do you think that maybe because of this drastic drop that the teaching field may become a better job proportion or job opportunity?
JC: I think we’re seeing this all in it, in most cases. There are some cases that jobs are harder to get than other places. A lot of people wonder what is the best way to go in to coaching. The best way to go into coaching is to major in math or science, business education or home economics. Now social science is going to be the thing.
DJ: Do you think that coaches or physical educators gets kind of a bad graph, of our reputations, as being many of your athletes, because supposedly it is such an easy field. How do you feel about say the curriculum physical education compare to others.
JC: There is no easy curriculum. You look at physical education and you look at anatomy and physiology, kinesiology and these are not easy courses. A person should do that is major in a field that he likes. I was music major. I like music. If you can’t enjoy your courses then chances are that you are in the wrong place. Physical education has a bad statement because most students that major in physical education don’t teach but become coaches.
DJ: Do you think a lot of athletes used to see a lot of them majoring in physical education, but now you see especially here you see a lot of majors in business, accounting, etc? You think that the students are now majoring in more what they are interested in.
JC: I think most of them are thinking of what they are going to do after college, looking at job opportunities and where the money is. In marketing for instance talking about sales there is money there, could make a lot of money selling anything.
DJ: As myself being in the education field, you have a lot of benefits, like you have the summer of, where you could go back to school if you need to or get a summer job, go on vacation. Still I think Mississippi they are improving so much.
JC: I was about to make the same speech. It is important to get personal satisfaction that you can get like talking about teaching, knowing that you taught every kid.
DJ: That is things that they can’t take away from you.
DJ: I would just like to know how you feel as far as freshman you hear about coming in some I say some schools have the reputation of being a party school, some suitcase college which I think Delta State is referred to in that way. You think that is kind of an obligation to the school to have activities planned for these students coming in to kind of keep them in the area.
JC: I think student activities are a very vital part of anybody’s curriculum. I think you got to balance all of these out. Your goal should be to make a total educated person.
DJ: From being a coach, I think that is really one goal you should have. Because you have to have a team concept and you have to be able to work with other people, no matter what location you played or majoring in. It is even so called headman usually has a board advising me such as the president. We have the cabinet and many other advisors.
JC: Everybody answers to somebody.
DJ: Even being religious you answer to God. I believe you can answer to God. I think that should be the main things that we try to teach.
DJ: With enrollment going down, in so many schools in the country and we mentioned the ACT scores and different requirements for entering freshman. Do you see with the reduced in enrollments, do you maybe see a slackening of the requirements to get in as an entering freshman?
JC: No, because in the past couple of years these have been strengthened as far as enrollments. Delta State University has been fortunate that we have and increase in the past few years. Next year who knows what will happen, but right now applications look real good.
DJ: That concludes this interview and Dr Cooper I just want to thank you for your time and say that I appreciate it.