7 Dimension

7 Dimensions of Religion The religion that I’ve picked is Taoism and I’m going to talk about 7 dimensions of Taoism. Practical and Ritual Dimension In Taoism, the practical will held on every month 1st and 15th (Chinese calendar). According to the traditional every family shall wake up early morning and pray to the god by using incense stick and candle. They can bless their wish to the god when they are praying. Normally the practices will use fruits as their oblation.The practices will take 1 hour or 2 hours but the prayers can leave after they had pray to the god, just waiting for their oblation to make sure that had received by the god. In Taoism the ritual will happens on some important days like Chinese New Year, Qing Ming and Hungry Ghost festival. The ritual for this three festivals have some similar part, first of all, food may be set out as an  oblation or sacrifice to the spirits of the deceased or the gods.Example like Chinese New Year, the food is sacrific e to the god and Qing Ming the food will be sacrifice to our ancestor and Hungry ghost festival is definitely to the ghost and also our ancestor that out from the hell. In this festivals, another type of sacrifice involves the burning of Joss paper and Hell Bank Notes, on the assumption that images thus consumed by the fire will reappear, not as a mere image, but as the actual item in the spirit world, making them available for revered ancestors and departed loved ones.Experiential and Emotional Dimension Experiential and Emotional Dimension When a Taoism prays they will bless and say their wish to the god, and at last they will ask the god by two ways, one is toss two coin and if the coins show tail and head it mean the god received your wish and mostly will come true and 2nd way is by shaking the tube fill in will many bamboo sticks and on the every bamboo have 1 special meaning word, it will represents the prophecy, the 1st stick drop out is your prophecy. Narrative or Mythic Dim ensionThe Hungry Ghost Festival of Chinese Taoism is also the Ullambana Festival of Buddhism. Commonly called â€Å"Ghost Festival† or â€Å"Mid-July Festival†, it falls on the fifteenth of every lunar July. There is a mythic that people believe lunar July is a month that all the ghosts will come out from the hell, something like Western culture's Halloween. It is believed that the gates of hell are open, releasing hungry ghosts to the earth to search for food and see their family. So people light up lanterns on roadsides or put lanterns in the river and provide shoes for the convenience of the ghosts.And they pray for their ancestors to bless later generations. Doctrinal and Philosophical Dimension Spiritual, one of the important term in Taoism. â€Å"Taoists believe that human is a microcosm for the universe. The body ties directly into the Chinese five elements. The five organs correlate with the five elements, the five directions and the seasons. Like the Hermetic maxim of â€Å"as above, so below†, Taoism posits that human beings may gain knowledge of the universe by understanding himself.In Taoism, various rituals, exercises, and substances are said to positively affect one's physical and mental health. They are also intended to align one’s spiritually with cosmic forces, or enable ecstatic spiritual journeys. These concepts are basic to Taoism in its elite forms. Internal alchemy and various spiritual practices are used by some Taoists to improve health and extend life, theoretically even to the point of physical immortality. † (Taoism,Doctrinal and Philosophical , n. a, n. d)Ethical and Legal Dimension Taoists believes that man after death will go to hell to receive the punishment for your sins. So that, what you did now will affect your next life. So Taoists is encourage doing charity and helps the people that needed to payback what the sins you have did before. Social and Institutional Dimension During the festival, Taoist will go to temple to pray and get bless from the god, example like, the God Birth. Taoist will buy fruit and joss paper as the oblation. Material DimensionTaoism’s temple most of all will build with many sculpture, example like Dragon and Kylin (Mythical Chinese animal) know as by Chinese unicorn. In front of the temple, there is a censer placed there for people to pierce the incense stick after they pray to the god. Inside the temple, the god statue will placed at the center of the temple. Different temple will place different kind of god statue depend which god’s temple is that. Reference: Taoism Doctrinal and Philosophical, (n. a,n. d) Retrieved on 6/9/2012 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Taoism

Biography of Albert Dwight Paper

This person is my grandfather’s old buddy. His name is Albert John Dwight. He is born in Atlanta, Georgia on December 5, 1931. He is the only son of James Dwight and Adela Santos. He is half-American and half Brazilian. He grew up in his home in Atlanta with his mother. His father was a soldier. His father was recruited by his friend to join the US forces because of the Second World War. Many Americans join the Second World War and his father was one of them. His father was send to Cuba when he was nearly ten years old. This was why AJ (as his mother called him when he was a child) had missed his father so much.During his time, America was a simple place with simple dream. But it changed when the Second World War exploded. It was when the Pearl Harbor is being attacked. This was also the time that his father decided to leave his family. He didn’t know that this was also the last time with his father. Accidentally, his father died during one of the night raids. His mothe r almost dies when she heard the news. She thought that she can never raise AJ alone. The US government supported the family due to tragedy happened. AJ finishes his study along with my grandfather.He always told that he wanted to be a soldier even though it was the cause of death of his father. This is the attitude of most teenager, they usually idolized their father and wanted to be like them. He enjoyed his teenage years. He had many girlfriends in his time because he was built is beautiful. He was more energetic than ever. This was the peak of his life that everything he can do whatever he wanted to do. He was just like any normal teenager without dark past. He never recalled the death of his parents. He got married at the age of 26 to an American named Sarah Gainsborough at age of 23.Sarah is a very intelligent women and very gorgeous. They have one child named Edward. His dream of becoming a soldier vanished from his mind. He didn’t want to saw the same event that happe ned to his family. AJ thinks of his family first because as you grow up, the mind focuses on more important people than your dreams. His family became stable and financially supported because of the family business left by his mother. He witnessed the changes during his time and the time of his son. The government focuses what is good for its citizen unlike his days which gave a more focus on establishing a decent army which will fight for America.He also noticed that the kind of living had change. Several gadgets have been invented to life easier. Also he witnessed the launching of several spacecraft used to study the outer space. He thought that the time of his son was the new era of living but he proved it wrong when he reaches the age of 60 (approx). He witnessed the age computers. Big computers were made to do specific jobs. This machine can do three times as fast as any man can do. His son also married an American and they had 3 children. He loves his three grandchildren. It i s said that many grandparents loves their grandchildren than their child.He always told stories and he gave what ever his grandchildren wanted. He was fond of playing with his grandchildren. He sometimes took them to the park or to the mall. When they were in the mall, he can’t resist ongoing to gadget section because he can’t believed that that the things really existed. He was also amazed even in the nightlights of Las Vegas. He told that there are nightlights during his time but not like this that looked like fireworks. When year 2000 came, the age of computers, he became more fascinated on mobile phones because he saw its evolution from large one to phones with cameras until it becomes thinner and thinner.This is also the time his body is deteriorating and needed assistance in almost everything he wanted to do. He never wanted to learn to use those kind phones because of his age but his grandchildren insisted to teach him. As you grow older, you became happier with the things you want, unlike when you were a child that you want everything to become happy. Maybe this is part getting older. He also saw the evolution of government from his childhood. He saw it when it started recruiting soldiers and when the Second World War is over, the government became peaceful until it declared war with Afghanistan as a part of â€Å"anti-terrorism campaign†.The establishment of new weapons called super weapons that use nuclear power to bring destruction to its enemy. Also the government was creating advance vehicle made for combat not only for air but also for land and water. They also use satellite for military purposes which were used for mapping and to check weather during early times. Today, he doesn’t know if terrorism is over so that the government will be back to its peaceful state with no worries but the welfare of its citizen. Reference JRJR (2001). Second World War. Retrieved 25 October 2007 from http://www. worldwar-two. net/acontec imentos/130/

The Value Investing Approach ( Banjamin Graham ) Research Paper

The Value Investing Approach ( Banjamin Graham ) - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that Benjamin Graham is believed to be the original intelligent investor. In his lifetime (1894 to 1976), he was able to enormously contribute to the main subject of investments and security analysis. His works vary from helping an individual perform his own portfolio management, searching for a timely company, purchasing of stocks, and investment of retirement savings at Wall Street. It is worth noting that Graham was always trying to purchase stocks that were been traded at a discount as compared to their net Current Asset Value. In simpler terms, he purchased stocks that were undervalued and he would hold them until they were fully valued. Graham was once known to have said that the determining characteristic of an investor will be his willingness to spare his time and care when selecting securities that are sound and can be seen to be attractive than the average. Nonetheless, an enterprising investor of his caliber could expect a worthw hile reward when it comes to his extra skills and efforts. This could take the form of a better average return as compared to the returns realized from a passive investor. The former world’s richest person (Warren Buffett) is one of the most known Graham’s disciples. Through Berkshire Hathaway, an investment vehicle that Buffet used for the last 40 years, he was able to make 22.2 percent annuals gains for all those years. This is one remarkable record. One may think that this form of percentage is small as compared to the 70 and 100 percent we witness on websites and newsletters. Fortunately, buffet was able to achieve his annual gain year after year, and what we see on the websites and newsletter is just the hype merchant’s use by the wayside. In the end, buffet still has the sovereignty as been the greatest investor of recent times (BuffetsSecrets, 2011). This paper will demonstrate what made Graham’s ideas stand out. It is not just the meager concept o f buying low and sell high. It was more of purchasing cheap assets and sell them later as expensive assets while at the same time looking for large gaps between the worthiness of stock’s and their price. Graham is known to have referred to this as the Margin of Safety (GrahamInvestor, 2012). This form of approach is known to have consumed plenty of time as it was an active investment. It should be known that it could not be done submissively until recently. In any given financial matters, the management of finances is something very important for the immediate and event the later future of an individual’s finances or that of an organization. This means that finance management can either be long term or even short term. In that case, the management of finance will basically involve the future planning of someone’s finances or even that of a business. This is usually done so that there can be a guarantee of smooth financial flow for the business or one’s af fairs. So as to be done in a much effective manner, it has always been necessary to have administration issues and maintenance of all possible financial goods and assets. Another important element of financial management is that it has to cover all the processes which are involved in the overall identification and management of risks. When it comes to the issues of financial management, there should be the element of assessment on the financial situations rather than involving the techniques which entail quantification of the finances. This gives the duty of a financial manager in ensuring that he or she looks keenly at all the available information and data in making useful judgments on the enterprise or business performance of enterprises. Management of finance should be applied as an interdisciplinary approach which has to effectively borrow from the areas of managerial aspects, accounting modalities, and with corporate financing. Graham’

Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Essay

Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King - Essay Example The letter reveals the black leaders concur with the negotiations through the cities such as Southland continued to receive attacks by white racists. The acts of the group were untimely which gave the racial proliferations to continue in Birmingham and other cities. The differential tone of the letter is addressed by Martin reiterations about Negro injustices and impatience with the racial policies. Martin reveals even children know that white people discriminate against blacks. He wrote, â€Å"Daddy why do white people treat colored people so mean†.The period of endurance ran out for Martin and all black people who were on the receiving end. The movement wanted to confront the state of discrimination head one without thinking about the obvious repercussions. The writing also reveals that the differential Supreme laws irked Martin, which only required strict adherence by blacks and excluding the whites. Some of the laws were directed at the minority communities that consisted of black people. Heis discontented by the differential church actions that do not support the course of justice for all. The differential tone in Martin Luther King Jr. was inspired by social discrimination and segregation of blacks. The letter targets white church and political leaders in Birmingham who contributed to the success of segregation. The resolve to engage in direct action and to assert that the blacks have run out of patience supports the differential tone of the letter. He is quick use the term ‘Negroes’ in all his forceful addresses to the clergymen.

Statistics 401 Mod 4 Case - Regression Analysis Coursework

Statistics 401 Mod 4 Case - Regression Analysis - Coursework Example In some cases, the scattered plotted points do form a pattern that resembles a straight line. These points all scatter around single straight line which is termed as the line of best fit. On drawing the line of best fit, it has a linear equation of the form y= mx + c. The equation can be used to predict the corresponding values of the X- variables or the Y- variable given the values of the Y- variables or the X- variables respectively. I inserted the data in the excel file in an effort to compute a scatter plot. By so doing, I made X to be the interest rate expressed as a decimal (e.g., 5% = 0.05). At the same time, I made Y to be the Housing Starts. This led to a scatter plot as shown in the graph below. It The regression equation that I computed as shown in the graph is:- y = 13357x – 12607 This is a linear equation or an equation of the straight line. The equation does indeed have the form Y = m*X + B, were Y is the number of starts, and B is the regression constant.  B i s the hypothetical value of Y when X = 0.   In accordance to the nature of this problem, It sure does make a practical sense. The equation is very useful in making predictions of the corresponding values of the variables given the other corresponding piece. ... The fact that the scatter plot so formed has a line of best fit with a linear equation confirms that indeed there is a relationship between the Housing stats and the interest rates. Given one of the values, the corresponding value can be easily predicted using the shared relationship. I Used the regression equation found above to calculate  what the approximate number of housing starts would be at the following interest rates: 8.5%, 4.5%, 3.7%, 2.3%. This is sown in the computations below.  I understood perfectly that I would not simply "guess" values, based on the historical data that was given.   That is clearly wrong. I also understood that I ought not have used linear interpolation between the historical data values;  that's also wrong. I saw to it that I rounded off estimates of starts to the nearest whole number.   This is because a house-building project either starts in a given month, or it doesn't.   Therefore, it makes no sense to talk about fractions of a start . X= 8.5 = 0.0885 y = 13357x - 12607 =(13357*8.85) – 12607 = 105602.45 = 105602 X= 4.5 = 0.045 y = 13357x – 12607 =(13357*4.5) – 12607 = 47499.5 = 47499 X= 3.7 = 0.037 y = 13357x - 12607 =(13357*3.7) – 12607 = 36813.9= 36813 X= 2.3 = 0.023 y = 13357x - 12607 =(13357*2.3) – 12607 = 18114.1 = 18114 If I were the owner of a business in the housing construction sector and I knew how interest rates were likely to change, I would use this information very effectively to make better decisions. The housing construction sector is a business venture where the risks involved are rather very huge. It involves the investment of a lot of money and this puts the investor in a lot of danger of losing a large sum of money all at once. This calls for a proper

Report and project plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Report and project plan - Essay Example Due to numbers of internal and external problems and issues, the company’s Board of Directors has decided to overhaul the whole company in all aspects. The board is aimed to formulate a plan to bring revolutionary changes in the working and operational environment of the company. Spector (2010), states that managers are generally more responsible to carry out such kind of revolutionary plans. The detailed report of this project plan is summarized in the form of Gantt chart prepared by Microsoft Office Project as Appendix-I. The main aims and objectives for the plan are: Establishing a vertical integration structure so that dependability of Pipework is minimized on external agencies Setting up of integrated information technology system throughout the company Improve the overall standards and minimizing the grievances of the workforce Enforcing of democratic leadership style instead of autocratic style Improving the quality control TASK 1: VERTICAL INTEGRATION STRUCTURE Pipewor k is not directly related to selling. Basically it is a manufacturing company which deals with the manufacturing of pipes, boiler, and household items. Besides several administrative and non-technical issues, the company is also facing challenges at its production and quality department. These challenges include some macro level issues like political and economic constraints in different countries. In respect of production, company is not capable of making the branded items. For manufacturing of some accessories or certain parts of an item, Pipework is highly dependent on other manufacturing organizations. Thus bargaining power of suppliers is high. As far as quality of production is concerned, the imported items are not conforming to the desired specifications. Although, company has managed to procure some manufactured items from third world countries, but even then boilers manufactured from Taiwan and Korea has created difficult conditions for Pipework because their prices are rel atively too low. Pipework cannot compete the price war because it has to cost extra amount on transportation of goods from other countries as well as the custom and import duties take the prices even more high. In recent years, the situation has reduced the overall revenue of the company. Therefore, in order to improve the market share, Board of Directors has intended to invest heavily on the vertical integration structure in the company. A vertically integrated company is generally independent of external supporting factors thus becomes more competitive (Slack, 2010). Zara fashion retailer and Apple Inc. are excellent examples of vertically integrated companies. Successful execution of this plan will not only generate the turnover of the company but will also support it to set up other tasks effectively. Objectives To reduce the dependency on external agencies, setting up a well-established vertically integrated structure in the company. It will be executed by: Setting up of separa te independent plants equipped with latest design and

Importing Cars from Overseas to Australia Essay

Importing Cars from Overseas to Australia - Essay Example It is located in Sydney and their most recent consignment is stipulated to come from US. The origin of these cars would be from Baltimore, USA and they would be transported to Australia. Other information: The consignment that needs to be taken care of is worth 50 cars and comes from a ware-house in Balti-more to Sydney in Peter Warren Automotive’s ware-house. The cars are Chevrolet Conair 1996 and weigh 4000 pounds each. LOGISTICS Solution: There are two viable methods which could be considered: Air Freight or Sea Freight We will offer insight into each of this method, what are the advantages and dies-advantages and then opt for the best method. Air Freight: Shipments to different parts of the world are not a huge ordeal today. Technology and globalization has made things a lot easier today. This was a feat which was unimaginable a few years ago. Air-freight shipping makes it easier to send merchandise between continents. It also makes it cheaper which otherwise would have be en a very expensive affair. Air freight makes distribution of product to any remote location in the world easier and possible. There are various other advantages those air-freight offers with it. If we opt for this method, it would mean that the lead-time would be shorter compared to the lead time offered by ship freights. This form of shipping is a guaranteed safe transport and arrival at the destination. Quiet unlike truck freight, there is no trouble finding the local airport and the route. Another very important and valuable service that comes with air freight would be the tracking facility. The cargo can be tracked at any point in time. On the whole air freight shipping is a very lucrative method of transport. It has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, still air shipping is the very feasible because of the low costs and shorter lead times. Things generally don’t go wrong with air-freight shopping. However, where our consignment is concerned, shipping 50 cars t hrough air space can turn out to be a huge ordeal and neither will the air space are able to accommodate so many cars at a go. Another option that can be considered is Sea Freight. OPTIMAL TRANSPORT MODE: Sea Freight Shipping Why Shipping? - Advantages and Disadvantages Since this is a huge consignment and needs to be dealt very carefully. The most obvious option to be considered for getting the cars to Sydney would be through Shipping. The cars would land at Sydney’s Port Kamala and from there would be taken to Peter Warren Automotives ware-houses and show rooms. The advantages of using sea transport are a plenty. Firstly ship transport gives logistics solution providers the liberty to conduct the transport in containers of different sizes. Secondly, this is the most ideal way of shipping for bulky goods like car that have longer lead times. Where the disadvantages are concerned, this mode of transport is slightly more costly. During the freight movement journey it would be difficult to keep track of the exact location of the goods in transit. Ship transport Options available: There are three different options that can be considered for shipping the cars over-seas from Baltic-more to Australia. They are as following: 1. Through RORO – Roll on and Roll Off 2. Cube Container shipping 3. Exclusive container. 1. RORO – Roll on and Roll off In RORO, there are decks of huge open hulled vessels. On

Dynamic Of law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dynamic Of law - Essay Example k Stanley cashed in on the popularity of this â€Å"patent medicine† and claimed the liniment can cure a variety of ills such as headaches, chronic pain, kidney troubles, and â€Å"female complaints† such as the menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) and even male baldness. Because of this connotation, snake oil is used as a synonym for fraud especially in relation to false claims made about a product or service. This is why advertisers today practice ethical standards with the catch phrase â€Å"truth in advertising.† Fraud as a legal construct is a civil wrong which means a victim of fraud can recover money paid for a product or service which did not live up to the claims of the seller. As criminal act, a person perpetrating a fraud is subject to criminal liabilities and imprisonment if convicted by government authorities who try to protect the buying public by giving out warnings. Snake oil was sold in the nineteenth century to an unsuspecting public through the back page of pamphlets and newspapers claiming it is a panacea (cure-all) although it no longer contained the original Chinese snake oil but instead was a mixture of mineral oil, beef fat, red pepper, and turpentine (Gandhi, 2013). Since then, a good number of consumer products were often being sold without any regard for the truthfulness of the claims made by the manufacturer or the seller; included are medicines, consumer durables, organic foods, and also firms claiming their product is â€Å"green.† Greenwashing is a newly-coined term derived from the words â€Å"green† and â€Å"washing† in a deceptive attempt by any company to portray itself to the buying public as an environmentally friendly organization in order to promote the sales of its product or service. This is because of a growing consciousness of caring for the environment resulting from global warming and climate change together with the depletion of non-renewable energy sources that resulted in degradation of the environment and the so-called

Psychological Concerns in Medicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Psychological Concerns in Medicine - Essay Example Pain management is one of the biggest psychological concerns in the field of medicine, there are so many herbal as well as other medicines which help patients in difficult circumstances, but almost all the people lose their composure when in pain. Like in so many divisions of medicine, it is also seen lately that doctors have become experts in treatment of pain. These doctors study about pain inside out, "studying what causes it, how the body reacts to it, how different medications dull or eliminate the pain, and how other treatments can be used to relieve many painful conditions." (American Society, September 2, 2008). These doctors are very good at diagnosis and are very efficient when it comes to pain management provided the patient goes to a trusted Doctor. Pain doctors collect all the necessary details required to know about the pain and then they produce results by curing the patient's pain within very less time. There are many treatments for pain, some of the most used treatme nts are through injections, the affected area is injected with appropriate medicine and pain is taken care of. The next most widely used treatment is the nerve block, in which the plexus better know as the bunch of nerves are blocked by anesthesia and the patient gets relief. Acupuncture comes next, this hails from the Chinese culture, very thin needles are used in this procedure at specific points and the people who do this undergo rigorous training. Some other methods include surgery, various therapies and offering psychological support to the patient. Psychological support can also help a lot and can make a person feel much better; this treatment should always be used because this is one of the best treatments a patient can ever get. Sadness and depression is another psychological concern in the field of medicine, sadness and depression can happen for more reasons than one, for instance lets take an example of a lady who has just recovered form cancer, she might end up sad and depressed because of the shape of her body, appearance does matter to an extent and contributes in a very big way in forming our personality. Even suicide also is a very big concern, suicide also is just like sadness and depression or it is fair to put it this way that sadness and depression triggers off the feeling of suicide in a person. Suicide also can be committed for many reasons for instance if a person knows that he/she is suffering from a deadly disease like AIDS or cancer, it is so often seen in such cases that the patients decide to give up their life, so considering all this it is very fair to say that suicide, sadness and depression are major psychological issues or concerns in medicine. Sadness and depression can also trigger off series of other dysfunctions, for instance a cancer patient feels sad during intercourse, and the same will also contribute towards sexual dysfunction. The people who suffer from deadly diseases may face low self esteem and many other problems. Psychological issues often prove fatal and end up taking the life of so many people and this happens very frequently. Anxiety and depression among children is common, but when it reaches an alarmingly high level, it becomes a big psychological concern. It is often treated by psychotherapy, which involves diagnosis; to know exactly

Poetry Essay Example for Free

Poetry Essay Understanding and interpreting poetry requires a different method of reading than the method which is generally associated with prose. While a given poem, especially a lyric poem, may be literally read in a matter of minutes, the comprehension of the poem may take a lifetime. This is due to the extraordinary ability of poets to compress meanings and also develop complex and multi-layered associations of language, figurative language, image, rhyme, and even narrative within a very brief literary forms. Contemplating a poem is as much a part of experiencing it as merely reading a poem. In the hands of a talented and inspired poet, the minimal use of words and the seemingly constricted forms offered by poetry are actually platforms to convey thoughts, themes, and emotions that would find no more complete expression even if given the larger platform of a novel, essay, or even memoir. As an example of this multi-tiered expression that is found in good poetry, Anne Sextons poem, Starry Night provides a rich demonstration of how poetry conveys multiple meanings and associations within a minimalist form. To begin with, Sexton’s poem â€Å"The Starry Night† is an exercise in ekphrasis. Ekphrasis is a type of poem written about another art-form. Most often, in poetry, it involves painting. When writing a poems inspired by paintings, poets attempt to make language, image, and meter evoke the same emotional or thematic impact which is delivered by the visual techniques and textures of paintings. In â€Å"The Starry Night,†Anne Sexton was inspired not only by Vincent Van Goght’s painting of the same title, but by a letter the artist wrote to his brother, which contained the epigraph for Sexton’s poem: â€Å"That does not keep me from having a terrible need/of— shall I say the word— religion. Then I go/out at night to paint the stars. † By including the quotation form Van Goght above the body of her poem, Sexton accomplishes a clever bit of compression, in fact: explicating the poem’s theme before a word of the poem, proper, has a chance to even be read by the reader! This sly trick is compatible with Van Gogh’s technique in the painting â€Å"The Starry Night† which discards subtlety in favor of grandeur and obscurity in favor of explicit emotional expression. In the painting we see a night sky crowded with swirling clouds, blazing starts with burning halos and a moon which reflects each of the lunar phases in one image. All of these attributes are exaggerated, pulling the viewer into a setting of epic epiphany and emotional release. Van Goght’s sky is alive and engages the viewer relentlessly. The overall initial experience is one of being overwhelmed by the immensity of cosmic nature. Below a set of rolling hill lies a small town. The focal point of the town is the large church- steeple, which presides over the rest of the buildings. This steeple seems to anchor the town and the rest of the scene beneath the sky, suggesting that it is the religious and spiritual dialogue between humanity and the cosmos which is of the most importance, not the town itself. Similarly, Sexton begins her poem, â€Å"The town does not exist† establishing the primacy of a non-linear mode of perception, as well as setting the stage for the eventual, climactic religious epiphany. Van Gogh painted Starry Night while in an Asylum at Saint-Remy in 1889. According to many sources his behavior was erratic during this period of his life. During his youth, Van Gogh had dedicated his life to the church. Many believe that Genesis 37:9: And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me† greatly influenced Van Gogh’s â€Å"The Starry Night. † Sexton, too, carefully reserves the numerical symbolism of the painting in her lines: â€Å"The night boils with eleven stars. /Oh starry starry night! This is how/I want to die! † By repeating the adjective â€Å"starry,† Sexton gains the â€Å"crowded† feeling of Van Gogh’s canvas in her stanza. She grasps the â€Å"living sky† element in the following lines: â€Å"It moves. They are all alive. /Even the moon bulges in its orange irons. † The key to Sexton’s masterful ekphrasis seems to lie in her use of compressed diction: â€Å"The old unseen serpent swallows up the stars. †This, like Van Gogh’s hurried, thick brush stroked invokes a sense of both urgency and passion. Sexton’s use of the refrain â€Å"This is how I want to die! † encapsulates the theme of Van Gogh’s paining, that of religious ecstacy, by merging the erotic/death urge so common in Elizabethan poetry and here marked by an additional shading of surrealism â€Å"sucked up by that great dragon, to split/from my life with no flag. In so doing, Sexton remains true to her confessional mode, also capturing an element which is perhaps understated in Van Gogh’s original, but present nonetheless, a â€Å"confession† of deep loneliness and alienation, marked by the darker swirls of color on the painting’s peripheries and also by the lone black tree, which Sexton describes as â€Å"a drowned woman† marking for posterity her close identification with the emotional confessional and religious themes of Van Gogh’s painting. Sexton’s poem is a wonderful counterpoint to Van Gogh’s painting, a rich example of the artistic and expressive potential of transposing the themes textures and techniques from one art medium to another.

The Fundamental Arguments Of Nature Versus Nurture Philosophy Essay

The Fundamental Arguments Of Nature Versus Nurture Philosophy Essay Nature is generally considered the part of a person that is a genetic inheritance, the fundamental identity that determines the choices someone will make. Nurture is the environmental factor to someones development: his or her socioeconomic standing, privileges, disadvantages, opportunity, access, etc. The blank slate, or tabula rasa, theory presented by John Locke during the 17th century states that everyone is born with nothing and is shaped by his or her environment; in other words, Lockes theory supports the nurture side of the nature versus nurture debate. On the other hand, ones genetic disposition to intelligence determines how one will interact with the environment. These two sides propose that they each hold the ultimate verdict to a persons personality and all of the psychological aspects that go along with it. Of course, both the idea of nature and the idea of nurture contribute to the human psyche but they do so at varying degrees in each individual: that is to say, one m ay feel the effects of nature more persistently than the effects of nurture and vice versa. Because of the inconsistent nature of clinical psychology, there is no absolute value for ones percentage of influence being that of nature or nurture but there are instances in which there is no denying that each theory plays a role in human development. A study of leadership suggested that varying degrees of socioeconomic status, perceived parental support, and perceived conflict support determined how much genetic or environmental influence affected someones leadership position; these findings are consistent with the conceptual argument proposing that the presence of adversity and conflict allows for a greater influence of genetic differences in capabilities related to leadership (Zhang et al.). That is to say, depending on the environmental stresses involved, the genetic aspect of the debate took more or less control. A study dealing with low-income mothers perception of their childrens obesity revealed that most of the mothers believed that because of their childrens genetic heritage, no matter what diet, the children could not lose weight; on the other hand, the mothers, with equal force, blamed themselves and/ or other environmental factors on their childrens weight problems (Hughes et al.). Despite the fact that the mothers fi rst argument logically disproves their second argument, the mothers have a vested interest in both aspects of the nature versus nurture debate. They are very unsure as to what degree they have made mistakes and to what degree genetics has influenced their childrens weights. The science is not all there but, for now, it is safe to assume that both sides of the debate carry different percentages of the weight. We all know of cases of people brought up in horrendous circumstances who somehow transcend these to display compassion and tendernessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Conversely, people brought up in seemingly balanced households may be capable of the most horrific crimes (Gaba). Without delving too deeply into clinical psychology, Gaba has made a sizable case for the nature aspect of the debate. Oprah Winfrey stands to be a great example of the rags to riches fable. She was not only a poor, black Mississippian but she had also been sexually abused in addition to getting into trouble as a teen (Walker). Oprah is now one of the most prominent figures in todays society, easily reaching the millions, if not billions, with her successful television and business career. In his autobiography, Stephen Fry describes his stealing compulsion despite coming from an upper-middle class family. At boarding school he would take money from other students even though his parents set up a deal with a local shop owner where Stephen could take as much money as he liked (Fry). His environment provided him with non-thieved money yet Frys nature caused him to develop kleptomania. Psychological studies veer off into the impact of environment. The increasing recognition of genetic propensity to mental health disorder suggests that the advent of genetic therapies in the not-too-distant future may eventually provide alternative biological means of treatment (McVicar, Clancy). In other words, because mental health is a part of the nature piece of the debate, the drugs used to facilitate the mental illness are the environmental aspect. In this case, nurture controls nature. The relationship between an individual and his or her environment is a cause towards that persons mental stability and there are many instances of environmental influences on physical as well as psychological health (McVicar, Clancy). On the other hand, some environments bring forth mental instability for some people. Homelessness tends to wreak havoc on the mind and may bring about a psychological disorder that could have been at bay under a different environment. Mental illness is a source of complication for the nature versus nurture debate because certain peoples genetic dispositions will cause them to develop psychological disorders no matter what the circumstance while others experience trauma which causes them to develop mental disorders while still others inherit genetics that will see them through any difficult episode. There was a study that addressed the environmental and genetic impacts on alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine dependency: the control was Vietnam-era twins from the United States and the researchers concluded that alcohol and nicotine dependency were based primarily on genetic factors but that cannabis dependency was a mixture of genetic and environmental influence (Xian et al.) The contributors of this study fully recognized that their findings do not cross over to different cultures or different time periods within the history of the United States. They do, however, mention that they had a large sample that was pretty much consistent throughout their observations. This simply shows that human science and understanding of the mind is so very complex that it will take an indefinite amount of time to fully understand the human condition on a scientific level. On the issue of drug abuse, the government likes to bombard the television with antidrug campaigns that endorse the environmental influence as the main perpetrator in the case of evil drug use. Conversely, alcohol advertisements are out there on full display, usually showing that drinking is a very natural state of socialization. The study of nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis dependency would support alcohol and discourage the use of drugs. If drugs are an environmental cause, they can therefore be more easily combated because ones environment is more easily controlled than ones genetic inheritance. If drinking and smoking, i.e. nicotine use, are genetically controlled, they are much more difficult to wane out of society. Those in favor of the legalization of marijuana, or, at the very least, comedians, like to argue that drug use is generally less harmful to other people because alcohol is major factor of death by car. Both alcohol and drug abuse are harmful to the individual, most ca n agree to that, but if drug abuse is, indeed, less harmful to the outside world, alcohol is the more harmful of the two substances. Here is the problem with the nature versus nurture debate: if humans are genetically predisposed to like alcohol but they are environmentally enticed to take pleasure in drugs, which is the lesser of two evils? Nature cannot be controlled; people are stuck with the hereditary cards they have been dealt. On the same note, nurture is around at all times, it will have an influence no matter what the case. People who are introverts will stay introverts if they keep to their cabins millions of miles away from human contact. If some introverts are introduced into society at as quiet intellectuals, some will choose to stay, some will choose to go. There are two different paths and which path one will take is dependent on ones emotions which are directly connected to genetics. This argument likes to runs circles around itself until there is no telling which wa y is up. Environment pressure cannot be overlooked simply because genetic bias is the basic groundwork for ones behavior. Environmental experiences come into contact with, and influence individualsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ some individuals may possess genetic risk and protective factors that exacerbate, or partially insulate them from, the effect of negative environmental experiences (Petrill). The key word here is experience. At the first touch of experience, ones genetic impulses take control. Babies do not automatically latch on to their mothers breast for milk but through genetic imperative and experience do they become more accustomed to their environment and learn different techniques by which they may derive their food. Some would argue that music is a genetic inheritance but because of time and effort involved in mastering scales, finger patterns, rhythmic beats, and all of the other skills required to be a master of music, the environmental concept of experience definitely outweighs the geneti c basis for music inheritance. It takes roughly 10,000 hours, or 10 years, to truly be an expert in any given field (Gladwell). Wisdom is the fundamental basis for knowledge. Young people who endlessly fill their heads with historical, scientific, philosophical, theological, and other types of knowledge do not have the experience to back up their findings whereas the older someone ages, the more likelihood there is that his or her wisdom will be deemed more valid simply because he or she possesses more experience. Masters teach pupils for a reason; there will be a day when the student usurps the master but that is because the student has enough experience to do so. Reinforcement theory is the process of shaping behavior by controlling the consequences of the behavior (Cengage). Instead of using physical punishment as a form of reinforcement, parents will try to encourage their children to stop throwing large jars of liquid pickles at the local grocery store in return for an ice cream sandwich. The child is genetically predisposed to throwing a temper tantrum, looks around his environment, sees jars of pickles, and throws them to the ground screaming in sordid agony about not being able to finish watching his favorite television show three times over that day. The mother then introduces another environmental factor, in this case the ice cream bar, to stop the effects of the double-teaming of the effects of nature and nurture. She is unable to control his demented wailing and so chooses to try even further reinforcement therapy by offering a life-time supply of ice cream for the next seven days. He accepts because now the environmental stimulus h e is now receiving is stronger than his genetic malfunction earlier that minute. This just goes to show that for each individual, that nature versus nurture debate is extraordinarily inconsistent within the span of a human life but also inconsistent within just a few seconds. There is no scientific way to determine how much influence nature or nurture has within one human mind but there is evidence to suggest that both exist in their metamorphic forms.

Pain: A Part Of Life :: essays research papers

"There is much pain that is quite noiseless; and that make human agonies are often a mere whisper in the of hurrying existence. There are glances of hatred that stab and raise no cry of murder; robberies that leave man of woman for ever beggared of peace and joy, yet kept secret by the sufferer-committed to no sound except that of low moans in the night, seen in no writing except that made on the face by the slow months of suppressed anguish and early morning tears. Many an inherited sorrow that has marred a life has been breathed into no human ear." George Eliot (1819-80), English novelist,editor. Felis Holt, the Radical, Introduction (1866).What is pain? In the American Heritage Dictionary, pain is referred to as "an unpleasant sensation occurring in varying degrees of severity as a consequence of injury, disease, or emotional disorder." The word is rooted in Middle English, from an Old French piene, from Latin poena, meaning "penalty or pain", and fr om Greek pointe, meaning "penalty." Pain is a very realistic problem that many individuals face daily. People can wear pain on the outside like a mask, hiding them from the world, but it also can hide deep within them waiting to be freed by some emotional circumstance. Oddly enough, pain is one on the most feared apprehensions in the mind of humans, yet in some situations, is the most rejoiced. In this paper I will take a close look at pain, from it's true meaning to real life occurrences in which pain is a reality.We all know what pain feels like, for everyone has experienced it at one time in their lives. There are two dimensions of pain; the physical and the emotional pain. Physical pain is a sensation of pure discomfort. For example, when you are walking through your house and stump your toe on a table leg, you don't just stand there and say, "That hurt." You yell loudly to the world (either nice or naughty) that you stumped your toe. The physical aspects of pain can vary greatly from a sharp prick with a shot to the excruciating pain of childbirth.Emotional pain has to be the most horrid, in my opinion, of all types of pain. It feels as if your insides are being wrenched out. When my girlfriend and I broke up, I felt as if she had ripped my heart out and I was standing there watching while she stomped on it.

Technology: Past, Present, and Future Essay examples -- Automobiles Ca

Technology: Past, Present, and Future Remember the days of the Old West? The women walked around with their parasols or rode in a horse drawn carriage and the men rode fast and furious on their horses. Everything you needed was right there in town: the saloon, the general store, and the barber. When one needed to get somewhere, they would walk. If they needed to travel far, there were steam-powered locomotives. As towns and cities grew larger, it was not so convenient to walk everywhere. There was a need for a machine that could get us around to where we had to go. Technology was becoming a bigger part of the times and the machine we now know today as the automobile was invented. Millions of people throughout the world depend on the automobile to take them from place to place in their busy lives. Take a second to think about how difficult your life was before you began to drive. You had to ask family and friends to drive you to school, work and wherever you wanted to go. Now imagine there are no cars for us to drive. How different would our lives be? In "Cars and Their Enemies," James Q. Wilson looks at this very question. He examines how are lives would be affected if suddenly today, the car was built. Wilson also challenges those who are skeptical about the use of the car and defends his view that the car is a necessity. Imagine we live in a world of only public transportation. If we wanted to get away, we would have to ride a bike or walk. We would have to shop only for what we could hold. We would have to work close to our homes or take a bus. In other words, our lives would be quite hectic. Now suppose the idea of building a personal automobile is proposed to us. Do we jump at the chance or cower away from it? W... ...gain. So in fifty years when you're getting ready to cruise around town in your brand new twenty four-caret gold painted, voice activated, battery powered hovercraft, don't forget to grab your wallet. You're going to need to have your software license, photocopying license, Internet license, listening license, reading license, oh and don't forget your drivers license. If the future of technology comes to this, then all of these licenses are a definite possibility. It may take many years to come to this but if it happens we have to be ready. So in the words of a famous credit card company, "Don't leave home without it." Works Cited Samuelson, Pamela. "The Digital Rights War." The Presence of Others. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 315-321 Wilson, James Q. "Cars and Their Enemies." The Presence of Others. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 303-314

Labrador Retrievers :: Dogs

Have you ever seen a labrador retriever? If you have you know they have short fur, floppy ears, and a long â€Å"otter† tail. They are great pets and very loyal. If you want to learn more keep reading. Several dogs were brought by the British to Labrador, which is located in the Canadian province of Newfoundland. These dogs, over the course of time, were bred into the modern Labrador Retriever. Labrador Retrievers were originally bred as hunting and retrieving dogs. These dogs are now also trained to be search and rescue dogs and seeing eye dogs. The basic labrador retriever is large with â€Å"an otter like tail†1, a long snout, they are usually larger dogs with floppy ears. As puppies their heads tend to look bigger and their snout looks smaller. There are three different kinds of labs yellow, chocolate, and black. They all have slightly different behaviors. The yellow lab tends to have a more mellow behavior while the black has a hyper behavior and the chocolate a mild behavior. Each color of lab are often different sizes. The yellow tends to be the biggest, the chocolate tends to be in between, and the black lab is the smallest. Labs communicate in many different ways. Simple signs like wagging tails and other body language. A few signs are the tail wag means happy and when the fur sticks up on the back of their neck they are suspicious. A whimper means sad or hurt, a growl means angry, and if they are scared they will just sit down by their owners. Labs are available in many different places. You can buy a dog from a reliable breeder and the advantages to that are you know the dogs background and know it is usually healthy. The disadvantages are it cost more and if one of the puppies gets sick they can all get sick. You can buy a dog at the pound and the advantages to that are you have a chance to help a dog who would not have the opportunity for a very good life. The disadvantages are you don’t know its background and it also maybe scarred from abuse. The SPCA is another reliable source to obtain them. Once you buy a dog there are lots of responsibilities every day. Labrador Retrievers :: Dogs Have you ever seen a labrador retriever? If you have you know they have short fur, floppy ears, and a long â€Å"otter† tail. They are great pets and very loyal. If you want to learn more keep reading. Several dogs were brought by the British to Labrador, which is located in the Canadian province of Newfoundland. These dogs, over the course of time, were bred into the modern Labrador Retriever. Labrador Retrievers were originally bred as hunting and retrieving dogs. These dogs are now also trained to be search and rescue dogs and seeing eye dogs. The basic labrador retriever is large with â€Å"an otter like tail†1, a long snout, they are usually larger dogs with floppy ears. As puppies their heads tend to look bigger and their snout looks smaller. There are three different kinds of labs yellow, chocolate, and black. They all have slightly different behaviors. The yellow lab tends to have a more mellow behavior while the black has a hyper behavior and the chocolate a mild behavior. Each color of lab are often different sizes. The yellow tends to be the biggest, the chocolate tends to be in between, and the black lab is the smallest. Labs communicate in many different ways. Simple signs like wagging tails and other body language. A few signs are the tail wag means happy and when the fur sticks up on the back of their neck they are suspicious. A whimper means sad or hurt, a growl means angry, and if they are scared they will just sit down by their owners. Labs are available in many different places. You can buy a dog from a reliable breeder and the advantages to that are you know the dogs background and know it is usually healthy. The disadvantages are it cost more and if one of the puppies gets sick they can all get sick. You can buy a dog at the pound and the advantages to that are you have a chance to help a dog who would not have the opportunity for a very good life. The disadvantages are you don’t know its background and it also maybe scarred from abuse. The SPCA is another reliable source to obtain them. Once you buy a dog there are lots of responsibilities every day.

Compare/Contrast essay on Republicans and Democrats Essay

Anti-slavery individuals who believed that the government should grant western lands to settlers free of charge founded the Republican Party in the 1850’s. The first official meeting was held on July 6, 1854 in Jackson, Michigan. The republicans became a national party in 1856. Abraham Lincoln was the first republican president. A few credits to the republican party include: the signing of the emancipation proclamation by President Lincoln, the 13th amendment which outlawed slavery, the 14th amendment which Guaranteed rights Privileges and Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process and Equal Protection, and the 15th amendment which gave all citizens the right to vote no matter what color, race or indifference they might have. In 1917, a Republican from Montana named Jeanette Rankin was the first woman elected to congress. The basic principles of the Republican Party are: all people are entitled to equal rights, individuals, not government, and decisions are best make close to home. The elephant is the symbol of the Republican Party. It was by a cartoonist for Harper’s Weekly named Thomas Nast. Many significant Republican presidents served our nation with great leadership and integrity these include Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, Herbert Hoover and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Between those men we ended slavery, war and depression to bring our country into a great civilization where every man, woman and child is free to achieve the hopes and dreams as they please. In 1792, Thomas Jefferson founded the Democratic Party. It was formed as a congressional caucus to fight for the Bill of Rights and against the Federalist Party. Thomas Jefferson was the first democratic President elected to office. There is a lot to be said about the past leaders of the Democratic Party, the first word that comes to my mind is dreamers. There were great strides taken for our country when democrats were in office. Roosevelt ended the depression, brought water to California and saved many of countless farms in the Midwest. Truman integrated the military and helped to reconstruct Europe by establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. And in the 1960’s President Kennedy created the Peace Corps,  banned atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons and spoke these famous words whose echo still resonates in the ears of many Americans â€Å"ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.† And finally, President Clinton who reduced unemployment, lowered the crime rate and reduced the national debt significantly. The former Chairman of the Democratic party Ron Brown once said,† The common thread of Democratic history, from Thomas Jefferson to Bill Clinton, has been an abiding faith in the judgment of hardworking American families, and a commitment to helping the excluded, the disenfranchised and the poor strengthen our nation by earning themselves a piece of the American Dream. We remember that this great land was sculpted by immigrants and slaves, their children and grandchildren.† In my opinion, no truer words have ever been spoken about the principles of the Democratic Party. There are many differences between republicans and democrats. Republicans are known as the conservatives and democrats are known as the progressives or liberals. Democrats believe that tax cuts should go to working families to increase their purchasing power, which in turn increases the economy. Republicans believe that tax cuts should go to the wealthy so they can invest more. Through all the studying and research, that I did there is one sentence that sums up everything â€Å"democrats are for the working man and republicans are for the businessman†. Since doing this essay, it has enlightened me on the vast differences between each party. I did not know a lot of the information that I read about and I enjoyed it immensely. I have a newfound respect for each of the parties. It took a lot of hard work and ingenuity to break from England and start this great country of ours, and it takes a lot more to keep it going year-by-year and decade by decade. I am very proud to be an American and can only hope to do half of what our Founding Fathers have done for us. Reference Page Langan, John. College Writing Skills. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Hardin, Richard. â€Å"Difference between Democrat and Republican Parties.† 20 Aug.2008 http://www.rahardin.com/DemocratRepublican.htm.

Academic Performance of College Students

Academic performance and advisement of university students: a case study. Ads by Google Online University Online University programs 100% Online, 100% Supported! WaldenUniversity. com Subject: Academic achievement (Analysis) College students (Case studies) Student guidance services (Analysis) Authors: Addus, Abdussalam A. Chen, David Khan, Anwar S. Pub Date: 06/01/2007 Publication: Name:  College  Student  Journal Publisher:  Project  Innovation  (Alabama) Audience:  Academic Format:  Magazine/Journal Subject:  Education Copyright:  COPYRIGHT  2007  Project  Innovation  (Alabama) ISSN:  0146-3934 Issue:Date:  June, 2007 Source Volume:  41 Source Issue:  2 Topic: Canadian  Subject  Form:  School counselling Product: Product  Code:  E197500 Students, College Geographic: Geographic  Scope:  North Carolina Geographic  Code:  1U5NC North Carolina Ads by Google Chevening English Test Sit Your PTE Academic Test Now Easy Sign Up & Results In 5 Days! Pearsonpte. com/Chevening Become a Doctor in the US Study at Offshore Campus, Practise Medicine in the U. S. Apply Today! www. AUAMed. org Harvest West Christian Leadership Training Certificate, Diploma and Degree www. harvestwest. edu. au Online MBA Course at LSBF UK Global MBA degree, 100% online.Choose MBA specialisation now! www. LSBF. org. uk/MBA-Online Learn Financial Modeling Step-by-Step, Self Study & Classes Buld DCF, LBO, M&A, Comps Models www. WallStreetPrep. com Accession Number: 163679000 Full Text: The lack of adequate background and/or preparation, among other things, causes many students to withdraw from college or to graduate with low grades, which often makes it difficult for them to obtain suitable jobs. This paper examines the academic performance and efforts to seek assistance for academic and related problems of undergraduate students at North Carolina A&T State University.To that effect, the grade reports of business and economics majors and respon ses to a survey of students enrolled in business and economics courses were qualitatively analyzed. The results of the analyses indicated that many students experienced academic deficiency and did not seek assistance when faced with problems. The results also revealed that many of the students who sought assistance rated the services they received as ineffective and indicated their preference for school-level advisement services.The development of a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement center would alleviate these problems. Such a center, with a comprehensive and extended advisement and counseling program, will be more effective than university-wide services in improving student academic performance and marketability upon graduation. ********** Teaching, research and service are usually used as a yardstick to measure faculty contributions to higher education institutions. Major universities have long stressed the importance of research activities relative to teaching.O ver the last two decades, many of smaller teaching institutions, including the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) where research activities were recognized only to the extent that they would keep educators and the knowledge they transmit to students current, have been under pressure to acquire external funds for scholarships, faculty development, and meeting accreditation standards (Fielding 1985). As these institutions, particularly the HBCUs, placed more emphasis on faculty research productivity, they are faced with the challenge of striking a balance between teaching and research activities.Nevertheless, most colleges and universities recognize that teaching is the ultimate goal of their institutions (Wiley 1993). The main factors considered for improving teaching effectiveness among other things, include teaching approaches and techniques and faculty availability for student assistance and advisement. However, students in higher education institutions must be m otivated and committed to make reasonable efforts toward handling various activities, such as reading, written assignments, class discussion, presentation and examinations, effectively.Accordingly, the students' commitment to attain a good education, their study habits and cooperation, their motivation and efforts to seek assistance, when needed, are equally critical for learning. Thus, since the provision and consumption of education service occur simultaneously, the students' active participation in the process is a necessary condition to transform teaching to effective learning (Norales and Addus 2003). This paper assesses the academic performance and efforts of undergraduate students to seek assistance for academic and related problems at North Carolina A&T State.The paper (1) examines the academic performance and deficiencies of the students in terms of their overall grade point averages; (2) identifies the relative magnitude of student academic and related problems from freshm an to senior classifications; (3) presents student evaluation of the effectiveness of advisement and counseling services available to students; and (4) recommends the development of a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement center to improve student academic performance and marketability upon graduation.Methods and Instrumentation The 1998 grade point averages (GPAs) of undergraduate business and economics majors were used to determine the levels of student academic performance and deficiencies, with the application of chi-square statistic test to the relevant data. The student grade reports (the most recent data available) were obtained from the North Carolina A&T State University's School of Business and Economics. In addition, data from students were collected through a student survey of 2002.The sample for the student advisement and counseling effectiveness questionnaire consisted of students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina A State Univers ity. The questionnaire items were designed to elicit responses from students to determine the magnitude of student academic and related problems, efforts to seek assistance to solve their problems, evaluation of effectiveness assistance they received, and preference for the location of advising and monitoring services within the University.The results of this study can be used as a source of data that can provide information on the curriculum effectiveness at North Carolina A State and other universities. Such data can assist educators in curriculum planning and development so that they can better meet the needs of students. Student Academic Performance and Survey Results The results of this study are based on the examination of the School of Business and Economics student GPAs and the student advisement and counseling survey of students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina A State University.The results are centered around (1) the student academic performanc e levels and deficiencies; (2) the magnitude of student academic and related problems; (3) the students efforts to seek assistance to solve problems; (4) the student evaluation of effectiveness assistance received; and (5) the student preference for the location of advising and monitoring services. The following are the findings of the study based on student grade point averages and student advisement and counseling services questionnaire responses. Student Academic performanceThe school of Business and Economics at North Carolina A State University consists of accounting, business administration, business education and economics and transportation/logistics departments. The distributions of grade point average of students enrolled in the School during the 1998 fall semester are presented in Table 1. For the data in the Table, the chi-square test statistic is significant. This indicates that grade distributions by classification are statistically different. Generally, the number of students with low grade point averages decreased from freshman to senior classifications.In other words, more freshmen maintained lower grades relative to seniors, and more seniors maintained higher grade point averages than freshmen. More specifically, the data indicates that, in the School of Business and Economics, 55% of freshman, 14% of sophomore, 16% of junior, and 6% of senior students maintained below 2. 00 grade point averages. The decline in the proportion of students with lower grades from the freshman to senior levels is an indication of either grade improvements, transfer from one program to another or withdrawal and/or suspension/dismissal from the university.In their senior year, 41% of students maintained a GPA of below 2. 50, 23% below 2. 25, and 6% below 2. 00. For all classifications, 53% of students maintained a GPA of below 2. 50, 39% below 2. 25, and 26% below 2. 00. The School of Business and Economics cannot afford to ignore 23% students who may graduate with a GPA of lower than 2. 25 and 41% below 2. 50, only to find it difficult to find professional jobs of their choice in their respective fields.Apparently, students need to be monitored, encouraged and assisted to play an active role in their pursuit to achieve their education and career objectives. Student Survey Results Of some 206 students who responded to the survey, 52% were female and 48% were male students. By classification, 10% were freshmen, 30% sophomore, 37% junior and 23% senior students. In terms of general fields of study, 68% majored in business and economics and 32% in other areas, including arts and sciences, education and engineering (Table 2).These figures suggest that the survey represents a balanced coverage on gender, student classification, and various fields of study. Magnitude of Student Academic and Related Problems: Of 154 who sought assistance, 52% were female and 48% were male students. By classification, 9% were freshmen, 30% sophomore, 37% junior and 2 5% were senior students (Table 3). The data in the Table is indicative of the fact that the number of problems faced by students generally declined from freshman to senior year of their study.Of 52 students who did not seek assistance, 52% were female and 48% were male students. By classification, 17% were freshmen, 30% junior, 37% sophomore and 19% senior students. A total of 56% who did not seek help were junior and senior students. The reasons indicated for not seeking assistance are that 19% did not have any problems, 17% did not have time to seek assistance, 19% did not know the availability of assistance, 14% did not believe such assistance would be useful, and 15% indicated a combination of the above factors (Table 4).Student Efforts to Seek Assistance: Out of 206 students who sought assistance, 60% consulted with their academic advisors and 30% with course instructors or respective departments. Only 4% indicated to have sought assistance with the University Center for Succes s (Table 5). Student Evaluation of Assistance Effectiveness: Of 154 students who sought help, 72% indicated that the assistance they were offered was effective resulting in grade improvements, enhanced self-confidence, remaining in major for the better, and changing major for the better.However, 28% indicated that the assistance they received was not effective at all (Table 6). Student Preference for Advising and Monitoring Services: Of 206 survey respondents, 147 (71%) indicated their preference for student monitoring and counseling services at school/college level (as opposed to counseling at the university level); and 92% indicated that they would seek assistance more often if such services were available at school/college level (Table 7).The Case for Academic Monitoring and Advising Center The findings of this study reveal that relatively low grades and high failure rates were maintained by upper level undergraduate students with the possibility of marketability problems. The fi ndings further show that 28% of survey respondents said the assistance services they received were not effective. Another 28% of the respondents, of which 56% were juniors and seniors, did not seek help to resolve their academic and related problems.In addition, 71% of respondents indicated their preference for a school-level assistance services, and the overwhelming majority (92%) said they would seek help more often if such services were available at the school level. It follows that a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement center (AMAC), with a comprehensive agenda for student advisement and counseling, will be effective in improving student academic performance and marketability.The need for the AMAC is underscored by other studies. The main problems affecting student academic performance include inadequate background, working long hours, lack of time to study and seek advice, lack of time management skills, bad study habits and skills, and lack of self-confidence. M any students are also faced with various impediments in their pursuit of higher education and career objectives, including financial problems, family responsibilities, and social and extracurricular activities.Some of these activities do not only take away from the time needed for sleeping, attending class and studying, but they also cause considerable stress resulting in negative effects on academic performance as measured in terms of GPA (Womble 2001). The results of a survey of 239 university students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina A State University indicated that most students did not have sufficient time to read the textbook and study, and that their absence from class was work related.The majority (56 %) of the students stated that they could not take lecture notes while listening, and 29 % said they could not understand the lecture (Norales and Addus 2003). Kelly et al (2001) classified college students into short sleepers (individuals who slept six or fewer hours a day), average sleepers (individuals with seven or hours of sleep a day), and long sleepers (individuals sleeping nine or more hours a day). They found that the individuals who represented long sleepers reported higher GPAs than the first two groups.Many students are admitted to a university as a result of their performance in examinations that do not demand the same preparation levels required to succeed in higher education. Thus, one of the main factors affecting the academic performance of college and university students is the lack of adequate preparation skills (Beswick and Ramsden 1987). Entwistle et al (1989) studied the academic performance of electrical engineering students and found that low course grades were associated with inadequate study skills, and that many students had not established adequate independent study strategies required to succeed in higher education.Eikeland & Manger (1992) looked into factors affecting student achievement, especial ly those factors related to high failure and dropout rates. The findings showed that organized study habits had a positive impact on self confidence during the students' first semester, but such study habits did not have a direct effect on grades until as late as their fourth semester in college. In a survey of close to 350,000 students attending four-year public and private colleges, over 70 items related to the students' educational experiences on the survey instrument were grouped into 12 factors. 1) The survey results indicated that out of these factors, public college/university students rated academic advising as the most important aspect of their educational experiences. Private college/university students rated academic advising second to only instructional effectiveness in importance. When students were asked to rate five items (2) comprised academic advising, both public and private college/university students rated the academic advisor's approachability and the academic a dvisor's knowledge about major requirements as strengths–meaning most important and most satisfying (Noel-Levitz 2003).In general, the success or failure in higher education are not explained by the student attributes or faculty teaching efficiency in isolation, but by the complex interactions between students and the learning environments they experience (Entwistle 1990). Thus, students are in need of comprehensive advisement, counseling and support services including time management, stress management, efficient study style, habits and skills, reading, writing, and lecture note taking skills, and other support services.These must help students enhance their capacity to master the relevant subject, self confidence, verbal and written communication, academic performance, and to be competitive and productive members of the community. Academic Monitoring and Advising Center The findings of this study, along with the discussion of relevant literature, suggest that a school-speci fic AMAC, with a comprehensive agenda for student advisement and counseling, will be effective in improving student academic performance and marketability.The primary purpose of the AMAC is to enhance student academic performance and produce marketable graduates by providing extended assistance and guidance to students in academic activities and related areas. At North Carolina A State University there are university-wide student support services, including the Center for Student Success (which is focused on student retention) and school-level academic assistant services. In addition, there are programs which are designed to mentor students with high academic standing, in collaboration with potential employers, to prepare them for the real world work environment upon graduation.However, many students who for various reasons fail to perform to their potential levels deserve to be uplifted through a similar program provided by the AMAC. Compared with university-wide academic counselin g services available for students, the AMAC will be more effective for needy students can be given individual and unique attention suited to their specific needs by their respective schools. In addition to regular advisement provided by academic advisors, the AMAC will provide counseling services for students who fail to reach a minimum GPA of 2. 0 during each semester. To start with, such students will be able to discuss issues regarding specific courses and their course loads with an advisor from the AMAC, and receive advice on how to successfully manage their time and handle their course loads. Also, the AMAC if necessary, can suggest changes in course, course loads and schedule to help the students balance their time between school and work. As mentioned above, one of the biggest problems that many students have is lack of time and time management skills.If this problem is solved early, students will be able to maintain a more marketable GPA. The AMAC will continuously monitor s tudents and evaluate their grades throughout each semester to insure that these students continue to do well in the school, and graduate within a reasonable period of time. Students who need assistance must be identified at the appropriate time and be given intensive advice and counseling. It will maintain a data base for all students in the School of Business and Economics with an overall GPA of 2. 0 or less. The data can be collected from student applications, academic records, and surveys (Seidman, 1996). The AMAC will coordinate its activities with university programs designed to provide remedial services to students with deficient backgrounds. It will refer students to other departments and and University support services for problems outside its responsibilities. Such intensive intervention will likely help not only improve academic performance, but also retain students and enable them to graduate with decent grades.Student participation in the AMAC's program shall enhance the ir capabilities to improve their academic standing through sound advice and counseling which will positively influence their attitude toward learning and grades, time management skills and study habits. The AMAC will further facilitate development of university policies and programs designed to overcome academic deficiencies and encourage students to stay in school and achieve their academic and career objectives.Conclusions Academic advising is a very important aspect of students' educational experiences in higher education. In order to enhance teaching and learning effectiveness, higher education institutions must listen to their students unique needs and priorities by assessing assistance services available to students. The results of such assessments can be used to develop targeted action plans for serving specific student population.The results of the analyses of data obtained from the School of Business and Economics grade reports and a survey of students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina A State University, along with other relevant literature, imply that many college students need a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement services at an early stage of their college career. It is apparent that it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for junior and senior students to make meaningful grade improvements due to the short span of time available to them during their last years of study before graduation.This may pose a serious marketability problem for some of the graduates of these programs with low grades. In the real world of ever increasing globalization and more competitive job market environments, college students need to acquire higher skills and GPAs. The proposed AMAC is certainly a first step to guide needy students in this direction. References Beswick, D. and Ramsden, P, (1987). How to Promote Learning with Understanding. Working Paper 87:1. Melbourne: Center for the Study of Higher Education, University of M elbourne. Eikeland, O. J. and Manger, T. (1992).Why Students Fail During Their First University Semesters. International Review of Education 38(5), 489-503. Entwistle, N. J. (1990). How Students Learn and Why They Fail. Paper Presented at Conference on Talent and Teaching, University of Bergen. Entwistle, N. J. , Hoursell, D. , Macaulay, C. , Situnayake, G. and Tait, H. (1989). Success and Failure in Electrical Engineering Courses in Scotland. Summary of a Report to the SED. Edinburgh: Department of Education and Center for Teaching, Learning and Assessment. University of Edinburgh. Fielding, G. J. (1985). Transportation Education, Part Two.Report of Joint Conference, Eno Foundation Board of Directors and Board of Consultants. Transportation Quarterly, 39(2), 207-233. Kelly, W. E. , Kelly, K. E. and Clanton, R. C. (others) (2001). â€Å"The Relationship between Sleep length and Grade-Point-Average among College Students,† College Student Journal. Noel-Levitz Research (2003). â€Å"Academic Advising Highly Important to Students,† www. noellevitz. com. Norales, Francisca O. and Addus, Abdussalam A. (2003). â€Å"University Students' Learning Efforts,† Texas Business and Technology Educators Association Journal, Vol.VII, No. 1. Seidman, A. (1996). Retention revisited: R = E, ID + E & In, Iv. Journal of College Student Retention. 71(4), 18-20. Wiley, III, Ed (1993). Re-Emphasizing Teaching. Black Issues in Higher Education. Womble, Laura P (2001). â€Å"The Impact of Stress Factors on College Students' Academic Performance,† Working Paper, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, N. C. ABDUSSALAM A. ADDUS Associate Professor DAVID CHEN Associate Professor ANWAR S. KHAN Professor Emeritus Department of Economics and Transportation/Logistics North Carolina A State University Notes 1) the factors are: academic advising, campus climate, campus Life, campus Support Services, concern for the Individual, instructional Effectiveness, recruitmen t and financial aid effectiveness, registration effectiveness, responsiveness to diverse population, safety and security, service excellence, and student centeredness. (2) the items are: the academic advisor's approachability, the academic advisor's knowledge about major requirements, the academic advisor's concern about the student's success as an individual, the academic advisor's assistance to set goals and work toward, and the clearness and reasonableness of major requirements.Table 1 Grade Distribution of Students in the School of Business and Economics by Classification, Fall 1998 Grade Range Classification Freshman Sophomore Junior No. % No. % No. % 3. 50-4. 00 20 6 46 19 20 10 3. 00-3. 49 26 7 44 18 32 16 2. 50-2. 99 45 13 62 25 45 23 2. 25-2. 49 33 9 33 13 33 17 2. 00-2. 24 37 10 28 11 34 18 Below 2. 00 200 55 35 14 31 16Total 361 100 248 100 195 100 Chi-square: 278. 38 * Grade Range Classification Senior All No. % No. % 3. 50-4. 00 18 7 104 10 3. 00-3. 49 42 17 144 13 2. 5 0-2. 99 90 35 242 24 2. 25-2. 49 47 18 146 14 2. 00-2. 24 44 17 143 13 Below 2. 00 14 6 280 26 Total 255 100 1059 100 Chi-square: 278. 38 * Note: * Statistically significant at 5 percent probability level.Source: School of Business and Economics, NC A&T State University. Table 2 Profile of Survey Respondents Item Frequency Percent Gender (n = 206): Male 99 48. 1 Female 107 51. 9 Classification (n = 206): Freshman 21 10. 2 Sophomore 61 29. 6 Junior 77 37. 4 Senior 47 22. 8 Major Area Unit (n = 206): Business and Economics 140 68. 0 Other Areas * 66 32. * Include Arts and Science, Education, and Engineering. Table 3 Distribution of Number Problems for Students who Sought Assistance * (n = 154) Classification Number of Problems and Gender One Two Three Four Five Six Total Plus Classification: Freshman 4 1 3 2 1 2 13 Sophomore 16 4 7 9 8 2 46 Junior 14 14 12 6 4 7 57 Senior 6 7 14 7 3 1 38Total 40 26 36 24 16 12 154 Gender: Male 19 15 15 11 8 6 74 Female 21 13 19 13 8 6 80 Total 40 26 3 6 24 16 12 154 * Problems include adding/dropping courses, choosing major, changing major, improving grades, time management, internship opportunities, personal problems which affect academic performance. Table 4 Distribution of students who did not Seek Assistance (n = 52) frequency Percent of Total Classification:Freshman 9 17. 3 Sophomore 14 29. 9 Junior 19 36. 5 Senior 10 19. 3 Total 52 100. 0 Gender: Male 25 48. 1 Female 27 51. 9 Total 52 100. 0 Reason for not Seeking: Did not have problems 10 19. Did not have time 9 17. 3 Did not know availability of assistance 10 19. 2 Did not believe it is useful 7 13. 5 Combination of last three 8 15. 4 Other reasons 8 15. 4 Total 52 100. 0 Table 5 Student Efforts to Seek Assistance for Academic Problems (n = 154) Assistance sought from Frequency Percent Academic Advisor 89 59. 7 Department/Course instructor 44 29. University Center for Success 6 4. 0 SOBE resource Lab 3 2. 0 University Counseling Service 3 2. 0 Career Counseling 2 1. 4 Financial Aid 2 1. 4 Table 6 Student evaluation of Effectiveness of Assistance Sought (n = 149) Item frequency Percent Grade improved 13 8. 7 Enhanced self-confidence 4 2. 7 Remained in major 15 10. 1 Changed major for better 16 10. 7 Two or more of above 60 40. 3No effect 41 27. 5 Table 7 Student Preference for Counseling/Monitoring Services Location (n = 206) Item Frequency Percent Prefer student Counseling at school level Yes 147 71. 3 No 44 21. 4 Indifferent 15 7. 3 Would seek assistance more often if Available at school/college level) Yes 92 44. 7 No 15 7. Not sure 45 21. 8 Indifferent 54 26. 2 Gale Copyright: Copyright 2007 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Economic Scene Colleges Are Failing in Graduation Rates Top of Form Bottom of Form †¢ Share By DAVID LEONHARDT Published: September 8, 2009 If you were going to come up with a list of organizations whose failures had done the most damage to the American economy in recent years, you’d probably have to start with the Wall Street firms and regulatory agencies that brought us the financial crisis.From there, you might move on to Wall Street’s fellow bailout recipients in Detroit, the once-Big Three. Multimedia [pic] From the Most Selective Colleges, More Graduates Related The College Dropout Boom Economix: Which Colleges Are Doing Their Job? Reader Responses: Failing Colleges Readers’ Comments Share your thoughts and read responses to readers' comments from David Leonhardt on the Economix blog. †¢ Read All Comments (113)  » But I would suggest that the list should also include a less obvious nominee: public universities.At its top levels, the American system of higher education may be the best in the world. Yet in terms of its core mission — turning teenagers into educated college graduates — much of the system is simply failing. Only 33 percent of the freshmen who enter the University of Massachusetts, Boston, graduate within six years. Less than 41 percent graduate from the University of Montana, and 44 percent from the University of New Mexico. The economist Mark Schneider refers to colleges with such dropout rates as â€Å"failure factories,† and they are the norm.The United States does a good job enrolling teenagers in college, but only half of students who enroll end up with a bachelor’s degree. Among rich countries, only Italy is worse. That’s a big reason inequality has soared, and productivity growth has slowed. Economic growth in this decade was on pace to be slower than in any decade since World War II — even before the financial crisis started. So identifying the causes of the college dropout crisis matters enormously, and a new book tries to do precisely that. It is called â€Å"Crossing the Finish Line,† and its findings are based on the records of about 200,000 students at 68 colleges.The authors were able to get their hands on that data because two of them are pillars of the education establishment: William Bowen (an economist and former Princeton president) and Michael McPherson (an economist and former Macalester College president). For all the book’s alarming statistics, its message is ultimately uplifting — or at least invigorating. Yes, inadequate precollege education is a problem. But high schools still produce many students who have the skills to complete college and yet fail to do so. Turning them into college graduates should be a lot less difficult than fixing all of American education. We could be doing a lot better with college completion just by working on our colleges,† as Robert Shireman, an Education Department official who has read an early version of the book, says. Congress and the Obama administration are now putting together an education bill that tries to deal with the problem. It would cancel about $9 billion in annual government subsidies for banks that lend to college students and use much of the money to in crease financial aid. A small portion of the money would be set aside for promising pilot programs aimed at lifting the number of college graduates. All in all, the bill would help.But it won’t solve the system’s biggest problems — the focus on enrollment rather than completion, the fact that colleges are not held to account for their failures. â€Å"Crossing the Finish Line† makes it clear that we can do better. †¢ The first problem that Mr. Bowen, Mr. McPherson and the book’s third author, Matthew Chingos, a doctoral candidate, diagnose is something they call under-matching. It refers to students who choose not to attend the best college they can get into. They instead go to a less selective one, perhaps one that’s closer to home or, given the torturous financial aid process, less expensive.About half of low-income students with a high school grade-point average of at least 3. 5 and an SAT score of at least 1,200 do not attend the bes t college they could have. Many don’t even apply. Some apply but don’t enroll. â€Å"I was really astonished by the degree to which presumptively well-qualified students from poor families under-matched,† Mr. Bowen told me. They could have been admitted to Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus (graduation rate: 88 percent, according to College Results Online) or Michigan State (74 percent), but they went, say, to Eastern Michigan (39 percent) or Western Michigan (54 percent).If they graduate, it would be hard to get upset about their choice. But large numbers do not. You can see that in the chart with this column. In effect, well-off students — many of whom will graduate no matter where they go — attend the colleges that do the best job of producing graduates. These are the places where many students live on campus (which raises graduation rates) and graduation is the norm. Meanwhile, lower-income students — even when they are better qualified — often go to colleges that excel in producing dropouts. â€Å"It’s really a waste,† Mr. Bowen says, â€Å"and a big problem for the country. As the authors point out, the only way to lift the college graduation rate significantly is to lift it among poor and working-class students. Instead, it appears to have fallen somewhat since the 1970s. What can be done? Money is clearly part of the answer. Tellingly, net tuition has no impact on the graduation rates of high-income students. Yet it does affect low-income students. All else equal, they are less likely to make it through a more expensive state college than a less expensive one, the book shows. Conservatives are wrong to suggest affordability doesn’t matter.But they are right that more money isn’t the whole answer. Higher education today also suffers from a deep cultural problem. Failure has become acceptable. Students see no need to graduate in four years. Doing so, as one told the bookâ€℠¢s authors, is â€Å"like leaving the party at 10:30 p. m. † Graduation delayed often becomes graduation denied. Administrators then make excuses for their graduation rates. And policy makers hand out money based on how many students a college enrolls rather than on what it does with those students. There is a real parallel here to health care.We pay doctors and hospitals for more care instead of better care, and what do we get? More care, even if in many cases it doesn’t make us healthier. In education, the incentives can be truly perverse. Because large lecture classes are cheaper for a college than seminars, freshmen are cheaper than upperclassmen. So a college that allows many of its underclassmen to drop out may be helping its bottom line. If you look closely, you can still find reasons for optimism. A few colleges, like the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, have intensive programs that have raised graduation rates.The State of West Virginia has begun tyin g student aid to academic progress, and graduation rates there have risen. Washington Monthly magazine has published a new college ranking based in part on graduation rates. (Kudos to Penn State, among others. ) When students fill out an online form for federal financial aid, the Obama Education Department now informs them of the graduation rate at any college in which they express interest. But an enormous amount of work remains, and it’s hard to think of any work that’s more important to the American economy.Last year, even in the grip of a recession that has spared no group of workers, the gap between what a college graduate earned and what everyone else earned reached a record. Workers with bachelor’s degrees made 54 percent more on average than those who attended college but didn’t finish, according to the Labor Department. Fifty-four percent — just think about how that adds up over a lifetime. And then think about how many students never cros s the college finish line. E-mail: [email  protected] com Public blames students for their failure at college By Eric Gorski Associated Press Published: Monday, Dec. 3 2010 12:39 a. m. MST | | | | | | | | | | | | |Share | |Twitter |Pinterest | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |0 | |0 |0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | [pic] †¢ View 2 photos  » Summary The public pins most of the blame for poor college graduation rates on students and their parents and gives a pass to colleges, government officials and others, a new Associated Press-Stanford University poll shows.Nov. 16, 2011 [pic] The public pins most of the blame for poor college graduation rates on students and their parents and gives a pass to colleges, government officials and others, a new Associated Press-Stanford University poll shows. All sectors of American higher education received high marks for quality. That extends to for-profit colleges, despite recent criticism of dubious recruiting tact ics, high student loan default rates and other problems at some schools. â€Å"As is often the case, the truth lies somewhere in between,† said William A. Sederburg, Utah's Commissioner of Higher Education. We know higher education campuses can really do a lot more to improve retention. †¦ It is also true that a lot of students show up on campus without direction in their lives and without focus on what they want to do. Those are students that are most likely to drop out. † But a belief that students are most at fault for graduation rates may be a troubling sign for reformers who have elevated college completion to the forefront of higher education policy debates and pushed colleges to fix the problem, said Michael Kirst, professor emeritus of education and business administration at Stanford. The message is, ‘Students, you had your shot at college and failed and it's your fault, not the college,'† Kirst said. When asked where the blame lies for graduat ion rates at public four-year colleges, 7 in 10 said students shouldered either a great deal or a lot of it, and 45 percent felt that way about parents. Others got off relatively easy: Anywhere between 25 percent and 32 percent of those polled blamed college administrators, professors, teachers, unions, state education officials and federal education officials. Taking a closer look at the numbers:Republicans are likelier than Democrats to blame federal officials for today's college graduation rates — 34 percent of Republicans and 25 percent of Democrats point at them. There's a small partisan difference on the student blame question: Seventy-seven percent of Republicans and 68 percent of Democrats fault students heavily. Minorities are more prone than whites to blame professors and teachers for college graduation rates, with 40 percent of minorities but just 29 percent of whites doing so. Fifty-seven percent of minorities blame parents for college graduation rates, while just 40 percent of whites do.Sara Goldrick-Rab, assistant professor of educational policy studies and sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the results are deeply troubling and mean elite colleges and universities have succeeded in diverting blame from themselves. â€Å"Those supporting the completion agenda need to push back — hard — and emphasize the role colleges play in supporting or undermining student success,† she said. Such a push back may not be necessary in Utah, however, judging from Sederburg's attitude: â€Å"It's clearly not just students' faults. I think we have a significant role to play. After long emphasizing access to college, higher education policy debates have shifted only recently to focusing on getting students through. The Obama administration has called for the United States to again lead the world in number of college graduates by 2020. The goal in Utah is to increase retention rates by 8 percent on average over the next decade, Sederburg said. The Utah System of Higher Education's 2020 Plan for Higher Education, found at www. higheredutah2020. org, contemplates several strategies to increase retention — such as enhancing advising and intervention advising if a student is off track to graduate.Getting students into the right courses is also important. Midterm feedback may give students a chance to correct their trajectory. â€Å"It's a different approach if you are a Salt Lake Community College than if you are at the University of Utah,† said Cameron Martin, the office of the commissioner for higher education's associate commissioner for economic development. Each institution has to look at its strategies to see what works for them. BYU, for example, encourages students to graduate by providing a clear map for each program of study. It also tries to help students understand what the credit limits are to enter each program. If students are in danger of exceeding the appropriate amount o f credits and have yet to declare a major, our University Advisement office will reach out to them to help provide further direction,† said BYU spokesman Todd Hollingshead. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lumina Foundation and others have directed money and attention to states and colleges to improve completion rates, and several states are taking action. Stan Jones, president of Complete College America, which championed such efforts, disagreed that the poll spells trouble for reform. This will play out like the high school dropout issue,† he said. â€Å"The more it becomes a subject of public discussion the more advances we will make on confronting the college dropout problem. † Just over half of first-time students who entered college in 2003-04 had not earned a degree or credential within six years, the Education Department reported recently. That's slightly worse than students who started in 1995-96. Experts caution it is tricky to measure success and co mpare graduation rates because today's older, less-traditional college tudent population takes more time to finish school and is harder to track. The AP-Stanford poll found most people were happy with the quality of higher education in their states. Despite severe budget cuts and spiraling tuition at many public four-year colleges, those schools received the highest marks: Seventy-four percent in the poll called them excellent or good. But others institutions got strong marks, too: Four-year private nonprofit colleges (71 percent), two-year public colleges (69 percent), private for-profit colleges (66 percent) and private for-profit trade schools (57 percent).That's a rare glimpse at public opinion about for-profit colleges, which have been fighting proposed regulations that would that would cut off federal aid. The poll also found overwhelming agreement that there is a link between the nation's prosperity and the quality of its education system. Overall, 88 percent say economic pro sperity and quality education are closely entwined. Nearly 80 percent said that having all Americans graduate from a two- or four-year college would help the economy.Yet most in the poll are unwilling to invest more in the nation's school systems in order to obtain that economic payoff — just 42 percent favor raising taxes to pay for better education. The poll was conducted September 23-30 by Abt SRBI Inc. It involved interviews on landline and cellular telephones with 1,001 adults nationwide, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3. 9 percentage points. Stanford University's participation was made possible by a grant from the Gates Foundation. Contributing: Michael De Groote, Deseret News, and Alan Fram of the AP