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The Red and Black. Friday. November it, lf7t
Editorials
The Red and Black
A step back
Two weeks ago the University
administration announced that it
would be checking every class
room during each final exam
period to make sure the assigned
space is used at the assigned
time.
According to Ernie Smith,
assistant to Vice President for
Instruction William Hays, the
check-up was an extension of a
similar effort during summer
quarter. Conducting a spot check
of the classrooms scheduled to
be used for exams in August,
Smith said a large number of
those classrooms were found
empty.
As a result, the University
came up with the above solution,
in order to improve maintenance
processes and provide ‘‘greater
surveillance” over ‘‘coeds and
vandalism," in Smith's words.
Those words were ill-chosen,
and gave many of us the idea
that the "scout” system might
not be solely for the purpose of
protecting female students, pre
venting vandalism or helping the
Physical Plant.
The central administration has
been long pressuring the deans
of the University’s 13 schools to
make sure final exams are
offered in every course, empha
sizing that if a final exam is
offered at any other time, it is to
be reported to the office of the
vice president for instruction.
Endless memoranda were sent
out informing the faculty of the
University exam policy, but ap
parently it didn't work, and the
new “scout” policy seemed to us
to be the end result.
Now the administration has
announced that it wasn’t so, that
no surveillance of classrooms
was intended According to Bar
ry Wood, head of the University
office of Public Relations, the
“misunderstanding” arose when
Smith apparently did not clarify
the reasons for the room checks
in earlier statements.
Vice President for Instruction
Hays has now issued a statement
stating emphatically that “no
systematic monitoring of room
utilization is contemplated either
for classes or examinations.
“Such spoi checks as may be
undertaken from time to time
are used only with a view to
improving scheduling services,
and are not be be construed as a
surveillance of faculty activities.
“Enough provisions for altera
tion of classes or exam sched
ules to meet special circums
tances are provided through the
deans and central administration
to make systematic monitoring
both undesirable and unneces
sary,” the Hays memorandum
stated.
Two conclusions can be drawn
from the Hays statement. The
University has obviously had a
change of heart. Earlier, Smith
said that “all classrooms" dur
ing “every period” would be
checked next week. Hays has
issued a retraction of that state
ment, and no one has said Smith
acted without the knowledge of
his superiors.
A second fact to remember is
that Hays did not say the “spot
checks” would cease, but that
the checks would only be used to
improve services. It is not some
thing to disbelieve, but it is
something to keep an eye on.
BOB MCKELLAR
A presidency
in every pot
There has been a lot of discussion
lately about reorganizing the student
government. I have made a careful
analysis of the situation and would like to
make a few suggestions.
To begin with,
let’s list all the bene
fits to the student
body provided by
the student govern
ment
Now that we've
finished with that
list, let's examine
the benefits which
accrue to the office holders
They receive ludicrously high salaries,
as well as access to lucrative expense
accounts for travel, food, and magazine
subscriptions Most importantly, they
also get the opportunity to wallow in
pompous self-importance
Bob McKellar is a graduate student in
the College of Business \dministration
I don't mind them being stuffed shirts,
but I resent them stuffing their pockets
as well, particularly with my money My
reorganization plan will elminate the
expense, but will still allow anyone who
craves ego-tripping to play student
bureaucrat Under my plan, all activities
will be grouped into the executive
branch
Elections will be held on a quarterly
basis, and will be conducted entirely by
write-in Every student who receives at
least one vote will be named a "Student
Body President " Anyone who wishes can
therefore be elected by simply casting
one vote for himself The presidents will
have no duties, privileges or salary, but
will have a most impressive resume
when they graduate.
This provision will replace the current
Student Senate
In addition to the 22,000 potential
presidents, we do need a chief executive
officer. This position will be assigned by
lot to a different fraternity each quarter,
and will carry the title “Imperial Wizard
of the Student Body "
The Imperial Wizard will have no
privileges or salary, but will bring great
honor to his brothers. His duties will
consist of writing letters to The Red and
Black describing how important he is and
bewailing the lack of respect and
cooperation he receives.
Reorganization of the judiciary is even
simpler: it should be completely abol
ished We are protected by the city,
county, state, federal law enforcement
and court systems, as well as the
administration's Examination Room Ges
tapo We are hardly suffering from
judicial neglect
Academic regulations should be left to
the faculty, and everything else handled
by real governments Here again, the
expense of our current kangaroo court
system could be eliminated
I realize my proposal is too simple and
clear in its present form However, once
the basic provisions are agreed upon. I
am sure I can find a law professor to
garble it intc impressive legalistic dou
bletalk more suitable for a constitution
Recongnizing that deposing the current
babble of bureaucrats will be difficult. I
am asking for student support in my
cause.
I am sure that any new plan would be
superior to the current situation, which
reminds me of the election for Junior
Fire Marshall in the sixth grade
Letters policy
Letters to the editor should:
• Be typed, double spaced,
on a 60-space line.
• Be brief, to the point.
• Be original, rather than
(tenitcates of letters to other
persons or publications.
letters are subject to editing
for sytle and libel laws as well
as for space limitations.
Names will be withheld for
good reason upon request, but
must bear the above informa
tion.
BILL DILLARD
Carter shedding liberalism
Over the past two months or so, the
vast majority of my editorials have
concerned themselves with the 1976
presidential elections and my pointedly
disparaging views on the candidacy of
Jimmy Carter.
This was largely due to the refusal of
Mr Carter to remain either a conserva
tive or a liberal for any extended period
of time Having nowhere else to turn for
clarification. I consulted the Democratic
platform upon which he ran. and his
unfortunate choice of Walter ‘Little
Hubie' Mondalr as a running mate.
Rill Dillard is a junior in the Collge of
Business Administration
The above two considerations did much
in my mind to paint Jimmy into
something of a liberal corner But, much
to my relief and probably much to the
i" ac of his left of center support), Mr,
Carter's actions since Nov. 2 have done
much to dispel any fears that he will be a
dangerous president.
After making unemployment a corner
stone issue in his campaign he seems to
be backing down from his somewhat
brash assessments of what he can do
with the problems. He seems to be
placing more and more emphasis on
inflation as our No. 1 economic headache.
Last Monday at a news conference in
Plains, he admitted that unemployment
will probably stay between five and
seven per cent during his first four years
in office.
Efforts to create jobs quickly, he said,
might fuel inflation. That’s a far cry
from the Humphrey-Hawkins bill which
he so readily embraced at last summer’s
love fest of lunatics in New York City.
Another encouraging sign was Mr Car
ters’ less than warm reception to a
proposal from the Democratic governors
of the seven most financially irresponsi
ble states in the nation.
They wasted little time in conjuring up
a batch of goodies which included no less
than the creation of a tremendous public
corporation with 115 billion being put up
by the federal government and the
combined states putting up an additional
$1 billion, the purpose being to stimulate
that economically depressed area of the
country.
While they were at it, they also asked
for transportation aid, a revision of
federal grant formulas (in their favor, of
course), a guaranteed family income,
and an increase ip welfare payments to
that area
Nowhere in the report was there any
hint at all that the respective state
governments would implement any form
of budgetary restraintwhich would reward
such aid.
Nor was there any admission on their
part that the problems at hand are
largely of their own making. It remains
beyond the horizon of my intelligence to
fathom the logic behind the argument
that it is the rest of the nation's
responsibility to pick up the tab for the
fiscal insantity of these seven states.
At the present time it appears to be
beyond Mr. Carter’s horizon of intelli
gence as well.
I might add that it would do us a lot of
good if it stays there.
So what we have seen to date tend to
indicate that President-elect Carter is
taking a much more realistic approach to
what he can accomplish than his cam
paign rhetoric implied. He, unlike Mr
Mondale, seems to be well aware that
social problems don't just disappear if
you toss a little (or a lot) more
government money at them.
Market mechancisms are delicate crea
tures indeed, and any careless govern
ment meddling can easily produce unfor-
seen negative effects. Mr Carter will be
under extreme pressure during the next
four years.
Being a Democrat, he will have pleas
from every level of local, state and
federal governments for more money,
more help and inevitably more restric
tion on what is now one of the freest
societies on earth.
He has got to make it clear right off
that he is the boss, and on that count he
has taken a substantial step in the rigM
direction.
lenersl^llelleis
'Speech a waste of time'
TO THE EDITOR:
Last night. Nov. 17. I went to a Senate
meeting I went to hear Student Govern
ment Associalion (SGA) President J
Tom Morgan present the state of the
Student Body Address" and stayed to
observe the senate conduct our business
From my point of view Morgan's
speech was a waste of time It did not
deal with student concerns He did not
discuss the library, the need for a student
union, or any of the other concerns that I
hear voiced by students
After the speech 1 asked Morgan if he
felt that it was the SGA President's job to
repsond to and to voice student opinion
He said no
After Morgan's speech the senate
returned to its regular business. I stayed
to watch
The senate, which is dominated by
Fot l > operated in a manner unlike any
organization I have ever seen. The
Senate President, Libby Morris, a lead
ing member of FOCUS, conducted the
meeting with an almost total disregard of
the senate’s own rules
Of course the blame for this is not all
on Morris’ back. The senate allows her to
do this
One example of Morris' handling of the
meeting was when the senate was asked
to vote by secret ballot As each senator
brought his or her ballot forward Morris
opened and looked at it.
One senator had the nerve to question
Morris, but she continued and the senate
let her FOCUS does protect its own.
In other senate business an election
was held to elect a replacement for
Treasurer Montgomery, another leading
member of FOCUS For some reason
Montgomery choose as his nominee, a
candidate who has absolutely no exper
ience with allocations.
Several senators questioned this nom
ination and nominated another candidate
who has a reputation of being honest and
stubborn in [erreimgout dishonesty a.id has
had experience in the allocations proce
dure. Montgomery and his FOCUS friends
opposed this candidate
The vote was close In fact it was a tie
and senate president Morris, remember
her (?) cast the deciding vote She voted
for Montgomery's handpicked successor
I do not know why Morns voted as she
did. 1 hope it was not because she felt that
by electing an inexperienced Treasurer
FOCUS might avoid the possibility that
Montgomery may be found guilty as
charged
The senate has voted to investigate the
charges of misuse of our student activity
fees I will be looking forward to their
report. I don't expect much, but who
knows.
One thing I do know is that page 25 of
the Student Handbook outlines the met
hod by which a senator or president may
be removed from office The method is
simple and easy. Why not read it? If you
do not have a copy, contact the office of
the Dean of Student Affairs This office
had the handbook printed and I am sure
will be glad to give you a copy.
ANDERSON FRAZER
Spiritual needs
forgotten'
TO IIIK. KDITOH:
This is a response to Wednesday’s
letter which suggested that the Herr *
Life'' Athens's crusade is misguided.
This crusade is an effort to minister to
u « spiritual needs of the people of
Athens.
Although seeing to the physical well
being ot (iod's children is a part of the
duites of the church, helping people find
Christ is the main concern of all
Christians This program is a sincere
effort to reach lives for Christ, and it
needs our prayers and support
CINDY ROT/
Proposition
superficial'
TO THE EDITOR:
The letter to the editor (Nov. 17)
proposing that money for the "I Found
It" crusade should be used to help the
needy is a good idea, but a superficial
one.
Supplying the physical needs of people
was a significant part of Jesus' ministry
and should unquestionably be for any of
His followers, but this was not the
primary function of Jesus, nor should it
be of His disciples
When Jesus spoke to the woman at the
well, He said, "Whosoever drinketh of
this water shall thirst again But whoso
ever drinketh of the water that I shall
give him shall never thirst; but the water
that I shall give him shall be in him a
well of water springing up into everlas
ting life.”
Jesus came principally to supply man’s
deepest need, a relationship with his
Father in Heaven
Look at Christ During His life He
supplied the physical needs of people, but
He constantly pointed men toward His
greatest act of love.
He said that love knows no greater
thing than for a man to lay down his life
for his friends Jesus did not have to die
at 33 He said Himself that no one took
His life from Him, but that He laid it
down Himself....
I in no way mean that we should
neglect the physical needs of people, but
I contend that we should go beyond
helping a person exist and help him begin
to live.
RUSS HEAD
’A practical
love'
TO THE EDITOR:
I am writing in response to Marianne
May-Causey's letter (Nov. 17) entitled:
"Crusade Misguided." God certainly did
not misguide the "1 Found It" campaign.
Do you think you may have misunder
stood it. Marianne?
You brought to mind an overlooked
truth-love needs to be practical. I agree
wholeheartedly May I quote the Bible to
support you? "Dear brothers, what’s the
use of saying that you have faith and are
Christians if you aren’t heloing others?"
(James 2:14, Living Bible.)...
You asked, could not the money spent
on the campaign have been spent on food,
or clothing? Are you implying that a free
lunch is more important than an eternity
spent with God? An old Chinese proverb
is applicable here. "Give a man a fish,
aiioiecilhim i..r a il->. Teach him how to
fish and you have fed him for a lifetime.”
Get the point? '
Jesus was a very practical person
Remember what He said about food and
clothing? "Do not be anxious then,
saying, 'What shall we eat?’ or, 'What
shall we drink?' or, 'With what shall we
clothe ourselves?’ For these things the
Gentiles eargerly seek; for your heavenly
Father knows that you need these things.
But seek first His kingdom, and His
rightousness, and all these things shall be
added to you.” (Matt. 6:31-33, New
American Standard Bible.)
If we put God first in our lives we can
have confidence that He will take care of
earthly needs.
BARRY STOVER