The counselor's role in collective negotiations

The impact of professional negotiations on the current educational scene is examined and related to clarification of the school counselor role. Role confusion continues in the school situation, and negotiations may well be the way to bring about a change in the status quo. Negotiations for counselors are explored from the standpoints of dimensions of negotiations, implementation of negotiations, and attitude of professional associations. Conclusions are that negotiations have significant implications for counselor role delineation.     

When is a counselor …?

A work experience project for low income adults is described. “Counselors” in this project were found to have little experience; little training in interviewing, statistics, psychological analysis, or other guidance and counseling techniques; and inadequate supervision. Results on aptitude tests were reported on the average 26 days after test administration. Occupational information was sadly lacking. The question is raised: When is a counselor… ?     

Evaluating educational—vocational counseling: a model for change

This study sought to assess students' reactions toward their vocational and educational counseling at a university counseling center. Students receiving educational-vocational counseling during the 1968-69 academic year served as subjects whose responses to a 29-item questionnaire were used to determine their reactions to counseling. The majority of clients who were counseled by advanced trainees or doctorate level staff viewed their counseling experience positively. A large percentage of the clients of beginning practicum students viewed their counseling negatively. The findings suggested weaknesses in vocational counseling facilities, in counselors' skills, and in training of beginning practicum students. Implications for change are suggested and the need for assessment in counseling agencies is emphasized.     

A Lawyer in the Counseling Center

Today's college students are finding an increasing need for legal information. At California State College, Los Angeles, a lawyer from the community was retained by the college counseling center to consult with students who had legal questions. During the academic year 1968-69, 302 students took advantage of this service. Although most of their questions dealt with selective service, other areas of concern included landlord-tenant matters, domestic relations, and criminal and civil law. Student reactions were sampled by means of a questionnaire. The general response was highly favorable, thus supporting the need for a legal counseling service on the college campus.     

Getting black kids into college

The gap between black and white in college enrollment is widening. The guidance counselor plays a key role in the drive to eliminate the differences between the races in preparation for college and to secure the scholarships and grants necessary for enrollment. Comparability in enrollment means about 850,000 black students on college campuses; about 400,000 are there now. Comparability in 1976 will mean about a million black students enrolled. Master Counselors are required for this job, both to work with the children and to press for more federal aid in this area.     

Power spectral density changes in the EEG during mental arithmetic and eye-opening

Summary The effect of mental arithmetic (standard multiplication, with eyes closed) and eye-opening on the power spectral density of the EEG (recorded bipolarly from occipital and parietal regions) have been compared. The EEG was recorded on magnetic tape from normal subjects, (medical students) in a constant environment and subsequently analysed by an analogue computer (Noratom Instrument for Statistical Analysis and Computation, ISAC).Absolute measurements made from 15 subjects with eyes closed have shown that peaks of power at 10 Hz vary from 9 to 46 V² per Hz. Qualitatively, suppression of power at 10 Hz is greater due to eye-opening than mental arithmetic.Analysis of pooled power spectral density functions from 11 subjects showed that the effect of eye-opening differed significantly from the effect of mental arithmetic at 2.5 and 12.5 Hz. Suppression of lower frequency alpha activity was more pronounced during calculation than during eye-opening. Compared with the eyes closed condition, eye-opening showed a highly significant suppression at 10 and 12.5 Hz (alpha activity) and from 15 to 25 Hz (beta activity). Mental arithmetic induced significant suppression at 7.5 and 10 Hz and from 15 to 30 Hz. Eye-opening enhanced lower frequency activity which calculation suppressed.Variation was greater between first, second and third calculations in pooled power spectral densities than between corresponding eye-opening epochs. It is suggested that these differences in effects of eye-opening and mental arithmetic reflect differences in underlying cerebral activity, rather than that an underlying factor common to both effects may be orbital in origin.     

Child Participation in Family Therapy

The full involvement of children, particularly those of younger ages, in family therapy presents a personal and professional challenge to the therapist. Out of his own needs he may favor involvement with one or another generation rather than with the complete three generation family. This issue is discussed and suggestions for therapeutic use of younger children are presented.