The Problems of Course Selection

The Problems of

Course Selection

By Jill Tsai

     

   In the beginning of this semester, some senior students of English department might experience a huge problem. The problem was that all required courses are capped. And, even if you signed up for all, the computer system still kick you out of all waiting lists when all openings are taken. Unlike students of the first three years, seniors only need to choose one required course out of the following three: Consecutive Interpretation, English for MICE (Meeting, Incentive travel, Convention, and Exhibition), and Research Methodology: Linguistics and TESOL. Of course, all students should at least take eight credits each semester, including seniors. The thing is that, since the computer system for course registry runs a random-selection system, some seniors can have more than one and some end up having none.

        A new rule was set up for this semester: a senior student can only sign up for one required course. This, however, did not help, for this rule was set up without corresponding adjustment done to the computer system. You can still sign up for more and people did so. The old problem stay: some successfully signed up for more than needed and some got none. The class is capped when all its openings are taken, as always; the computer system runs its random-selection wheel of fortune likewise. In order to deal with this problem, the English Department Office noticed students who had successfully signed up for more than one required course to waive the extra.

        This is not only ineffective but also time-consuming. Furthermore, it might be hard for them to give up any courses they find interesting. To avoid the same problem in the ensuing semester, the Office asked every senior to submit a list of their preferred courses at the end of this semester. And then, by allotting the openings to secure one required course for every senior student, the Office managed to solve the problem. Yet, some senior students might have to take courses they do not favor. Perhaps the faculty should take the students’ feedbacks before it makes any decision that concerns the students so greatly; perhaps there should be a better computer system for course selection.

SHU Funding: Money Well Spent?

By Crystal Yao

    As this semester first started, students came back to the campus noticing a few changes. For example, a few new changes in the student restaurant, fancy Dyson hand dryers in the restrooms, and fewer adjunct teachers around. Some of the changes started a heated discussion among students. Any decisions of alternation about the school cost money, but are those adjustments really necessary? Or do they just feed the vanity of the school instead of furthering students’ interests?

  One of the things widely complained by students and teachers in the beginning of the semester was that the number of General-Education Courses (通識課程; hereafter as GE courses or GE) has dwindled and the teachers of GE courses, as a result, had to receive more students into their classes to cope. The reason for such dwindling is that a number of GE teachers, adjunct and uninsured, were laid off. The Ministry of Education stipulated a regulation on June 2017, deciding that all universities should include adjunct teachers for their insurance programs, labor and health. Such extended insurance programs certainly mean more expenses--for adjunct teachers, now like full-time teachers, are to be covered by the same insurance programs paid by the school--unless they have full-time jobs elsewhere and therefore covered by programs otherwise provided for. For that matter, Shih Hsin let go of 40-ish teachers who did not have full-time jobs elsewhere to pay for their insurances. This movement effected not only those adjunct teachers but also students and professors who teach general education courses. Students have harder time trying to get their spots in one general education class, and the professors have to expend their classes to take in more students. Students and faculties cannot help but wonder if the school really do not have enough funding to pay for the insurance for 40-ish teachers.

  Another surprise that the students notice when they came back to school is that the fancy hand dryers in R building’s restrooms. One thing we are sure of is that the school is definitely generous about the hygiene of students. However, is it really cost-effective? One Dyson hand dryer cost around 40,000 NTD, and they are installed from the ground floor to the top, both in male and female restrooms. Plus, most of the students do not even use hand dryers after they wash their hands. We sent our report out to the campus to ask some students about their opinion on the school funding. Here is the report from our reporter, Crystal:

  We interviewed some students and get their thoughts on what do they expect when choosing courses. First, of course we all need to earn enough credit to graduate. Second, some student said that some courses will give them number of transferable skills in the future. Third, they choose the subject because they know it'll lead to a career. Did our school really let their students choose the course they want or just ignore students’ needs? Let’s look at the chart below.

  

  School should provide different kinds of courses for not only teachers to teach but also let students to learn the subject they want to learn. In the chart we can see that 75% students are dissatisfied about our class selection. Is there any possibility for Shih Hsin university to change the system? We hope more students will be satisfied with the courses in the near future.

  We interview some students from our department:

Crystal: What do you think about our university spending money on Dyson brand hand dryers?

Coco: I think school should spend more money on our course selection, like more teachers and courses, not on the things that students seldom use. School should provide more courses for us to take.

Crystal: Hi guys! What do you think about our university spend our money on Dyson hand dryers? And our class selection, did you guys got the courses you wanted?

Vanessa: Hand dryer sucks!!!! I don’t understand that why we should use a hand dryer that cost over ten thousand dollars? I won’t even use it.

Grace: My course sucks also. I woke up early to select the courses I wanted. But I got nothing. I chose many different courses and the result came out to be zero. Some of my classmates even got more than they needed.

Vanessa: Yeah! I needed the courses, or I can’t graduate! School does not even care if I can graduate or not! I pay for almost fifty thousand dollars to come here and learn but I learned nothing that I needed to learn.

Crystal: I can tell that you guys are angry about this issue. Sorry to hear that.

  Perhaps the school board should listen to the voices from students and faculties more before they make important decisions that will affect everyone. It is good to upgrade facilities and hardware so that students and teachers can have a better environment. However, the basic needs of students and teachers should always be attended first, otherwise, schools will be nothing but an empty title without the supports from their foundation—the students.

A Reader’s Guide to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

  Penny Lai

  If you are a fan of fiction and British humor, then The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy would definitely be your kind of book. Douglas Adams composed five books for this wonderful novel series. He filled the series with massive creativity and sarcastic British humor.

  The protagonist, Arthur Dent, wakes up on a perfectly normal morning only to find out the council workmen is about to demolish his house to build a bypass. As if the morning were not rough enough, Arthur’s best friend, Ford, shows up, telling him that the world is going to end, and Ford is actually an alien. He thus went on a galactic  adventure in his robe along with Ford, Zaphod (Ford’s cousin, the president of the galaxy), and Trillian (a girl rescued by Zaphod). On this trip, they discover this one true answer to life, universe, and everything; they find out who is actually in control of the earth before it gets destroyed by the Vogons in order to build a bypass for an intergalactic highway; and, much more bizarre matters await them.

Although the story seems preposterous, but it makes fun of things people desire to know the most, i.e. the so-called “deep philosophy.” What is the answer to life, universe, and everything? What is the meaning behind it all? Human existence is just meant to be born, work, reproduce, and die? We try so hard to figure out the ultimate answer, but will we be satisfied after we find it? Maybe there is no answer at all, and that’s the way it is? Or, maybe it is too complicated for human beings to understand for we are not yet equipped with an intellectual capacity to comprehend the way the universe works? Douglas Adams creates his own version of the ultimate answer in the book, and it helps readers think about philosophical issues in a humorous perspective.

  In Part One of “the Trilogy of Five Parts” (According to the humorous author, it would take five books to complete the series, but he only wants to write three.), readers can have a taste of Douglas Adams’ crazy, limitless mind. Moreover, the book cleverly brings up the question everyone has in mind in a lighthearted mood and a tongue-in-cheek tone. If you are into fiction and philosophy and you’re curious to see the combination of the two wrought with a dash of sarcastic undertone, this is a book you don’t want to miss. And remember, always bring your towel with you when you travel, because it’s the most useful thing in the whole universe.

Crystal’s Latte Art

By Crystal Yao

One of my favorite thing to do on a rainy day is to go to a café and have a cup of latte. It is always pleasing to see the latte art on my drink; the pattern maybe a tulip, heart or leaf. I have been working at Starbucks, starting from the winter in 2016, and I enjoy my time there. Personally, I think it is the latte art that tops all the fascinating reasons why I work there.

Latte art is created by pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso and moving the pitcher for the foam to create a pattern on the surface of the latte. It can also be created or embellished by simply "drawing" on the top layer of foam. Sometimes we use mocha or caramel sauces to do the drawing. Every single Latte art is unique. In fact, the pattern largely depends on the barista’s technics, including the pouring angle, the pouring speed, and the way the pitcher is moved.

Watery shot and large bubbles in steamed milk will ruin the Latte art. This, in turn, is subject to the experience of the barista and the quality of the espresso machine. In addition, the pour itself is a great challenge for most of the latte artists.

The foam on the latte is called "microfoam", which is foamed milk, usually made by using a steam wand on an espresso machine. Milk foam is used to make espresso-based coffee drinks. The opposite of microfoam is macrofoam, also known as dry foam. In contrast to the wet foam, it has visibly large bubbles, which are commonly used in making cappuccinos. However, due to large bubbles, the milk foam of cappuccinos does not make latte art. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latte_art)

I have been trying to do all kinds of patterns known to me, but, still trying. It's too hard to foam forth the same pattern on very cup of latte; sometimes it’s the weather and sometimes it’s the barista. If I'm having a great day, I can do hearts, tulips, and maybe a beautiful leaf. There are many talented baristas in my work place. Like Linda, Vanessa, Grace, and Coco. If you guys are interested in latte art, you are welcome to share your ideas with me and those great baristas.