SCUE elects new leader for 2007

From adding on days to winter break to increasing the number of research opportunities available to undergraduates, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education has its hands full.

And to head these projects, SCUE chose its next chairwoman last night: College junior Elizabeth Slavitt.

A California native, Slavitt sat down with The Daily Pennsylvanian to discuss what lies ahead for Penn's oldest branch of student government.

Daily Pennsylvanian: Was SCUE responsible for getting the academic calender changed for next year?

Elizabeth Slavitt: Yes, we got the calendar changed. Instead of having a two-and-a-half week winter break - which is inadequate - we will have a 25-day winter break next year, which pushes the spring calendar back by one week and allows graduation to happen a week later.

DP: What are your goals for the upcoming year?

ES: We want to get all syllabi for all courses online . because they help with the course selection process . [by letting] students know what they are getting into. I'd also like to continue our work on trying to improve pre-major advising in the college, the transition from pre-major advising to major advising, as well as peer advising in Engineering, Wharton and the College.

DP: How will SCUE do that?

ES: We have been working on a number of initiatives. For example, we created a note card which all freshman receive to help give them all of the necessary information which they should be getting from the advising system.

So if their advisor isn't available at three in the morning and they're dying to register for classes but they don't know how yet, it's right there on this handy little card.

DP: Are you working on anything else?

ES: We think it is very important that a research university provides opportunities for undergraduates to participate in research as well. We are also trying to integrate Problem Solving Learning into the curriculum.

DP: What is Problem Solving Learning?

ES: Problem Solving Learning is based on the idea that, rather than just study a subject, you study a single problem - let's say homelessness in Philadelphia, for example. You will tackle the problem by learning about the history of homelessness in Philadelphia, the sociology behind it, how politics and political science play a role in this, the anthropology of it.

n Other incoming members of SCUE's Steering Committee will include College junior Eric Schwartz, Wharton sophomore Zach Fuchs, College sophomore Aaron Werner, College junior Michael Kind and College junior Sathish Naadimuthu.

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