Clarion 1986-09-26 Vol. 62 No. 02

              the
Vol. 62 No. 2
Bethel College 3900 Bethel Dr., St. Paul, MN
26 September 1986
Student enrollment drops from previous year;
admissions office retains optimism
by Laurie Port
Bethel's unmet enrollment
prediction is nothing new.
When a budget is set on enrollment figures given over six
months before the beginning of
classes, it is not surprising that
the figures do not precisely
match up.
According to Tom Johnson,
Dean of Admissions and Program Development, gauging
enrollment is "something of a
guessing game," and they "expect to make adjustments."
He has confidence in the
prediction formula, which has
"proven itself over the years"
to be accurate. "Some revision
must always be made in the
budget," said Dean Dwight
Jessup, "whether enrollment
figures are above or below the
prediction."
But when enrollment figures
fell 120 short of the predicted
1750 in early August, more
than a moderate revision
seemed necessary. The situation was "discouraging," said
Acting Vice President for Business Affairs Gunnar Kronholm, and the Administration
had to take "drastic immediate
steps" in freezing all unnecessary expenditures.
A late surge of August applicants brightened the picture,
however, bringing the final
count, according to Jessup, to
1722 students. The budget revision is "still under review,"
said Jessup, as figures are still
impending for Seminary enrollment.
Because of the shortfall of 28
students from the predicted
1750, there must be some "fine
tuning of the budget," said
Johnson, bul the final figures
have put the budget "within
planning parameters."
Kronholm  stated  that  the
freeze is "still in effect, and will
be until the budget is balanced. The initial budget will
not be met, he said, and the
amended budget will include
cuts in travel, supplies, and
equipment.  By  the time  the
Support group helps
dyslexic students
by Gretchen Bozon
Due to a wider student interest, the Dyslexia Support
Group restarted on Monday,
September 22 with an organizational meeting. The purpose
of the group is to keep in touch
with students battling dyslexia, a learning disability centering on reading. New study
methods dealing with memori-
zational techniques and study
skills, which could also benefit
non-dyslexic persons, will be
introduced.
Dyslexia, which is often referred to as the "Hidden Handicap," is not always easily
discerned. It is not uncommon
for students to pass through
school and not know that they
have a problem. Often they are
accused of not trying hard
enough scholastically, yet they
know the material but just
can't get it onto paper. Screening and counseling through Dr.
Lucy Johnson is available for
those students who suspect
that they may be dyslexic.
States junior Juli Meyer,
facilitator of the support group,
"I really admire college students with learning disabilities. They have to work so
much harder. I'm not sure I'd be
Dyslexia, see p. 6
Freshman Carmen Walters enjoys one of the few sunny days this
semester. Photo by Lynn Gunnarson
Board of Regents meets on
October 9-10, the budget "will
be balanced," said Kronholm.
No one is to blame for the
situation, according to Johnson. It is simply a "part of the
natural flow. Pari of the problem lay in the unusual amount
of late registration," said Johnson. If a student has paid fees
or has completed part of the
admission process, it is easier
to predict that they will be
coming. Yet as of early August,
according to Johnson, there
were not even any "people in
the pipeline."
"We saw it [late registration]
last year, but thought that an
anomaly. Seeing it again
makes us think this might be a
new trend," he said.
Frank Somlinski, Director of
Admissions, stated that a large
percentage of the late registrants were transfers. "As
August progressed, more transfers began the registration process," he said. Smolinski speculated that one reason for their
late start was that they "knew
the system," and did nol feel
the pressure of an early deadline. According to Smolinski,
the government has required
more financial aid verification
from the students this year.
With financial aid figures arriving later, students may not
know until late summer
whether or not Ihey will be
able to afford Bethel.
Johhson noted that there is a
"similar phenomenon in other
schools." He guesses that a
"close comparing of the cost/
benefit analyses" of different
schools might delay student
Enrollment, see p. 5
English department professors get published in book, periodicals
by Dan Wlasiuk
and Paul Morley
During 1983, the English
Department had a vacant office. As is common with many
departments, a professor had
decided to take a year's leave
on sabbatical. This time it was
professor Dan Taylor, head of
the English Department. His
decision to go on sabbatical
rested mainly on one focus; he
was to write a book.
The Myth of Certainty did
not come out until the Spring of
1986. The process of getting a
book  published  often  takes
years, and after finishing the
manuscript, Taylor needed to
market the book. While still in
the longhand form, a friend
read it "beyond the call of
duty," as Taylor put it. "I was
trying lo place the book, but
not with Word (publishing
company)," said Taylor. "My
friend liked it and showed an
editor my perspectus." After
reflecting on the initial enthu-
siam, Taylor decided to risk a
commitment with Word, and
submitted his perspectus, a
summary of the book, form-
ally.
"I think I was the happiest
when they first said that they
would accept it," Taylor said.
After the acceptance of a manuscript, however, the published book usually does not
come out for another year. The
process becomes so long that
"by the time the book actually
comes out, you forget about it,"
he said.
Although Taylor has contributed to books and anthologies
in the past, "this was the first
lhat I did on my own," he said.
As with any new experience,
certain   unpredictable  reac
tions occur. "Within a few
weeks of having it out," Taylor
said, "I had this feeling of why I
am not Writing another one."
When the book did come out,
there was "not much change"
with respect to the original
manuscript, Taylor said.
"However,certain editorial
changes were imposed, on the
title in particular. "The subtitle
is the title that I initially
wanted," Taylor said. The publisher changed Taylor's original title, which was The Reflective Christian and the Risk
of Commitment, because of its
reader orientation. The title,
The Myth of Certainty, is an
"effective marketing title but
has a more negative emphasis
than my initial title," Taylor
said.
The Myth of Certainty
which is presently available in
the Bethel bookstore, addresses those Christians who
are attempting lo reflect with
integrity amidst conflicting
demands from both the evangelical Christian, and secular
academic subcultures. Taylor
English dept, see p. 3
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