ASMSU passes bill in support of petition to reassess the 5th-Year Internship Program for teaching students
Education senior Emma Barnes studies on their balcony on Sept. 4, 2020. —
Photo by Annie Barker |
The State News
ASMSU unanimously passed Bill 57-79 during its general assembly meeting on March 4 to support the petition for the College of Education to reassess the state of the 5th year internship program for teaching students.
The petition, which has garnered over 670 signatures since Feb. 12, is asking for the College of Education to acknowledge the negative impact of the program on students’ finances and mental health.
“Although the fifth-year internship may boost the College of Education's national ranking, it comes at the expense of our future educators,” said College of Education Representative Aaron Iturralde, who introduced the bill. “It requires students to take 24 credit hours along with a full-time unpaid internship. And in the same time, it is negatively impacting the mental health of those interns and students. But however, probably the worst effect that has; it is already turning away future educators before they get into their own classrooms because of its inaccessibility and unaffordability.”