From ASU to UGA a tough adjustment for some TIPsters

By Lena Ray
M&M staffer

This summer, the Duke TIP program opened up a new summer studies site at the University of Georgia. They implemented a new system that separates the oldest and the youngest students and has moved many old students from their original campus.

According to their website, “Duke TIP is committed to serving this unique group of students by providing services and programs beyond what is offered in the classroom.” The Duke TIP summer studies program offers five sites for eighth through tenth graders and four sites for seventh and eighth graders.

Up until 2009, the TIP summer studies program offered a welcoming environment for seventh through tenth graders at seven different college campuses from North Carolina to Texas. In October 2008, many students received a letter saying that the campus they regularly attended was closed to ninth and tenth graders (third and fourth year TIPsters).

“I almost cried. Oh my god it was ridiculous,” said Mary Scheirer, a third year at the University of Georgia site that had attended Appalachian State University for her first two years at TIP.

Dan Weitzman, a fourth year this year at UGA said, “I cried. I actually cried.” It is still a very sensitive subject for the many ASU TIPsters who came to UGA.
The staff at the main duke TIP offices in Durham, N.C., knew that this decision would be an emotional decision for the students who had to move campuses, but they felt that the decision was best for all of the students.

Brian Cooper, the man in charge of informing the TIPsters that they would attend a new campus, came to visit UGA and see the students’ reaction to their new campus. The visit was full of angry or crying TIPsters, and many explanations from Brian.

The main offices in Durham had been receiving letters and phone calls from concerned parents. Many parents of first years, rising eighth graders, were worried that their children would be interacting with 10th graders and would attend the same classes as the 10th graders.

Cooper also said that by separating the age groups, Duke TIP had created a better experience for both the third and fourth years, and the first years. By separating them, classes could be geared towards specific age groups and would be more suited for a certain age group.

Elizabeth Perkins, a residential counselor at UGA this year, said that at ASU she had noticed fourth years bullying several first years.

When asked how the fourth years affected TIPsters when they were first years, all of them had good experiences with the fourth years. Dan Weitzman, a fourth year and former ASU TIPsters said, “They treated me like a little brother.” He said that fourth years could set examples for the first years and it was an endless cycle. “It’s fantastic.”

“They were always nice. They were someone to look up to,” said Mary Scheirer.

Yolanda Douglas, another fourth year from ASU said that the fourth years inspired her to return to TIP because she saw the goal that she was working towards. “Without first years, our speeches at the end of the term are going to be pointless,” said Douglas, because the fourth years will be talking to second years, many of whom are already returning TIPsters.

Even now, the fourth years have RCs who were fourth years when they were first years. It is more welcoming to recognize faces, sometimes even old friends, on the residential staff when you show up for your fourth year.

Sarah Harper, a fourth year at ASU last year, said, “I made really good friends with a few first years. With the first and second years present I met more people that thought like me. THAT is what TIP is about.” She promised to be an RC when those friends are fourth years.

While some parents do not want their children interacting with older students, other parents feel that it is a good experience for their children. The residential life coordinator at UGA this year told the TIPsters, “You’re young adults and we should give you the right and privilege to interact with any friends as much as possible.”

Classes with both fourth years and first years provide a more challenging experience for the first years, and no TIPster interviewed had problems with fourth years or their classes.

When asked why the old students were sent to a new campus instead of the new students, Cooper had several reasons to back up the decision from Durham.

At ASU, there is practically no walking, and Cooper said that it was a good campus for the first years because RCs could keep track of them easily. At UGA the students have to ride buses to their classes and walk much farther to dinner than at ASU.

The University of Kansas was also closed to third and fourth years, but according to a TIPster from KU, the walking distances at UGA are nothing compared to KU. “KU was huge. It was, like, hills and you had to go through, like, other buildings and stuff to get to where you wanted to go,” said third year Hailey Gilman.

Another problem with ASU was discipline. Onsite director Alex Pagnani said, “What we heard was basically that ASU last year was complete craziness, that really most of the rules got thrown out the window.”

None of the former ASU students said that they remembered these behavioral problems. In fact, one fourth year said that the rules and dorms at ASU last year were much more restrictive than in past years.

Former ASU students have only one complaint about ASU: the food. “TIP at ASU was perfect in its imperfections,” said Sarah Harper. On the other hand, there is a long list of complaints about the University of Georgia.

“UGA doesn’t feel like home like the way ASU did,” said a third year at UGA. ASU “feels like a second home.” These students are not prepared to say goodbye to Boone, N.C.

Lena Ray is a 4th year TIPster from Austin, Texas.