Newspaper Page Text
Ill
THE RED AND BLACK
* L’\iVEK3l7
VOLUME SI. NUMBER 45
fifty p 1377
Georgia's only collegiate daily newspaper
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, ATHENS. GEORGIA 30607
Inside
Cagers take it
on the nose.
See p.7.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1977
Photo hy GEORGE SICAY
Sittin' and shiverin’
I This member of the "Uulldng Banners" had more to endure Saturday than extremely
! low temperatures Margie Jackson found little to enjoy in the final outcome as the
r Dogs went down to defeat at the hands of Tech. For more, see page 8
SAT reports draw response
By SKIP HU LETT
Assistant campus editor
The scores of 243 Special Studies
students who enrolled at the University
this fall were not included in a
cumulative Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT) average for incoming freshmen
because they (Special Studies students)
are not admitted to the freshman class,
according to Dr. Virginia Trotter, vice
president for academic affairs.
Trotter s statement was in reference to
the fact the average scores for this year’s
freshman class, which University offi
cials claim above the national average,
does not include the scores of the Special
Studies students.
IT IS POSSIBLE for a student who
enrolls at the University under the
Special Studies Program to complete
classes in one remedial area of the
program and begin taking regular
University courses while not yet qualified
to exit the program.
However, the number of regular
courses completed while the student is
under the program is generally small, so
the student is classified as a freshman
upon exit from the program. Director of
Special Studies Dr. Leroy Ervin said.
Therefore, a student completing the
Special Studies Program is classified as
an incoming freshman after leaving the
program, but due to previous enrollment
at the University for one, two or three
quarters, the student s SAT score is not
averaged in with the scores of freshmen
entering the University directly out of high
school.
Trotter said the University was “not
the only institution that excludes Special
Studies students in figuring cumulative
SAT scores,” and felt no reference was
made to the exclusion in the University’s
publicizing of the SAT average because,
“if they were not admitted in this fashion,
they would not have been admitted at
all," she added.
University President Fred C. Davison
lauded the University’s freshmen in his
State of the University address Nov. 9,
saying “This fall’s freshman class has an
average SAT score of 1014. This is an
increase of 15 points over that of last
fall's class, which was in turn an
increase over the year before.
"IN FACT, SAT scores for our
freshmen have remained at 1000 or
higher for most of the last 10 years As
you know, these scores nationally have
declined in each of the last 14 years.”
In addition, a promotional film for the
University broadcast on national televi
sion during halftime of the Georgia-
Flonda football game made mention of
the increased SAT scores and Columns,
the official public relations organ of the
University, publicized the increase
None of these public references to the
SAT scores mentioned the exclusion of
the scores of Special Studies students,
noted on Table I of the Fall Quarter 1977
Admissions Report from which the mean
SAT figures were obtained
A rough estimate of the average SAT
score of the students who enrolled under
the program this fall placed the average
at 718 This figure, provided by the
Special Studies office. Ervin considered
“lower than the actual average."
“Last year’s average was in the
neighborhood of 736 or 746 and I think
this year’s average should be somewhat
higher." he said. The precise average
SAT score for the 243 students who
entered the Special Studies Program this
fall was not available yet. he added
THE CUT-OFF point for students who
wish to enroll in the University under the
program is a cumulative SAT score of
650. Ervin said. The range of scores of
students in the program has reached as
high as a score of 1030, he added
Concerning the admission of 33
students who had completed the program
and were admitted into the College of
Arts and Sciences last July with grade
point averages lower than the 2.0
required by the college. Ervin said, ‘‘We
make assumptions on the ability of a
student to do the college-level work
involved in these cases.
TIIE GRADE POINT average of a
student completing the program is
derived from the grades attained in
non-Special Studies courses and is not
considered when a student exits the
program and enters a school or college at
the University.
The grades and averages which Special
Studies students amass in regular
curriculum courses while in the program
"count toward graduation and the final
cumulative (grade point) average but not
towards admission to any particular
school or college. Trotter said
Ervin said. “The process (admission
into a school or college) is no different
from the regular University admissions
process in the sense that an assumption
the student can do the work is made.
"In the case of freshmen entering from
high school, an assumption is made they
can do the work based on high school
average and SAT. whereas we make the
assumption based on their successful
completion of the Special Studies
Program.”
)
Court: Neal due travel funds
, By JOEL BURKE
Assistant campus editor
Student Government Association (SGA) President Rob
Hancock does not have full control over the executive
* board’s travel expense account, the judicial council
ruled last Monday
In addition. Executive Vice President Nancy Neal is
automatically a member of the University’s delegaton to
* the statewide Student Advisory Council (SAC), the
council ruled
Concerning the first ruling, the Council unanimously
cited the fact that three administrators check every
■> travel request, therefore Hancock need not oversee it.
Hancock has said being president, h** should serve as
acting treasurer and determine the allocation of
, executive travel money.
f Because Neal has unlimited access to executive travel
.money, as ruled above, lour of the five justice's said
Neal should be reimbursed for SAC meetings
b OFFICIAL STATUS to an organization is irrelevant
when filling a travel request, only the status of the
person on the organization he is representing is
important. Associate Justice Molly McKibben said,
i) speaking for the judicial council
|| “Reimbursements to the vice presidents , have been
customary in the past," and therefore should continue,
•he added
i The fact that the University bene fits by Neil's
^attendance at SAC meetings was also cited
Chief Justice Jeff l^anier disagreed with the Council's
ruling that the executive vice president is automatically
^ an official delegate to the SAC
, "THE JUDICIAL Council should not impute meaning
or impose policy on the wording that is not clearly set
out in the SAC Statutes,” he said in a separate
dissenting opinion.
In fact, Neal is not an official delegate to the SAC
unless the president appoints her or he is unable to
attend a meeting, he added, citing current SAC bylaws.
However, "as a matter of policy" Lanier said the first
vice president should lx* a delegate to the SAC, but
added policy reasons are not relevant here. “I would not
answer the question and would leave this matter for the
SAC to resolve," he added.
The two rulings end a controversy between Neal and
Hancock which took root last spring At an SAC
meeting. Neal spoke out against Hancock’s candidacy
for SAC representative to the Board of Regents’
Building and Grounds Committee. Neal had been elected
SAC representative to the Regents’ Education
Committee earlier.
AT THE ELECTIONS, Neal said Hancock desired the
office to promote only the University’s interests, and not
all the colleges of the SAC Hancock said he was upset
at this action, and this October withheld travel
reimbursements to Neal for trips to the Oct. 18-30 SAC
meeting and the Oct. 12 Board of Regents' Education
Committee meeting
Concerning the withholding of SAC travel expenses, he
said Neal did not represent the University "in its best
interests." SAC bylaws appointed him as president to be
the only voting member from the University to the SAC
and also gave him the power to choose ar. official
delegation to speak on his behalf.
Hancock claimed he, as voting representative, and his
delegation are the only ones qualified to be reimbursed
for SAC trips.
Neal disagreed, saying if Hancock cannot attend a
meeting she must take his place. Therefore, the vice
president must attend all SAC meetings to keep abreast
of current policies, she said Because she represents the
entire 8AC to the Board of Regents' Education
Committee, she must attend SAC meetings. Neal added
For these reasons she deserved reimbursement, she
said.
HANCOCK CITED a different reason for not allowing
reimbursement to the Board of Regents meeting. Here
Neal represented the SAC and not the University so the
University should not have to fund her, he said. Neal
said her attendance benefited the University because of
her position at the Regents meetings and therefore she
deserved reimbursement.
The Council, in an interim ruling on Nov. 8, said Neal
should be reimbursed for the two meetings However, in
the future she should not be reimbursed for trips to
Board of Regents meetings, it continued. A ruling on the
SAC reimbursement was delayed until the Nov 21
ruling.
Justices David Barrett, Roger Hunt and Lanier
suggested the travel money be divided equally between
the three executive board members The Council did not
impose a system of internal executive control of the
travel funds in fear of "casting doubts" on the wisdom
of the executive branch and administrators involved in
the process, Barrett said.
In summary, the Council's decisions determined that
the executive account is open to all three board
members and no one member officially controls or
oversees it. The executive vice president is
automatically an official delegate to SAC meetings
Finally, a University student serving as an SAC
representative to the Board of Regents should not be
reimbursed for travel expenses
'STATUS UNCERTAIN
Optional final for seniors discussed
By JOHN VARDKMAN
) J The possibility of optional final exams
' for graduating seniors still remains
Uncertain after discussion of the proposal
by the Educational Affairs Committee
iH (EAC) last Tuesday
A motion was passed to allow the
proposal to be studied at college level
<»and then reported back to the committee
This proposal for optional finals for
last-quarter seniors was first brought to
the attention of the EAC in the form of a
jv petition from the Senior Class Council,
; " according to James Buck, acting
chairman of the EAC.
t The petition, which was submitted to
the EAC by Rob Hancock. SGA president,
recommended that graduating seniors
who did not wish to take a final would not
be required to do so it they held at least a
**B” in the course
"THIS PRIVILEGE would be regarded
t as a University-wide policy, and would
' not be subject to the personal discretion
Correction
** Dr. Leroy Ervin, director of the Special
Studies Program, was incorrectly quoted
in last Tuesday’s Red and Black.
Concerning the admission of 33 student!
into the College of Arts and Sciences
upon completion of the Special Studies
program, Ervin did not comment on this
action directly, but instead quoted a
«» general policy relating to such matters
of the instructor,” according to the
petition.
Reasons for the proposal, according to
the Senior Class Council, were that the
privilege would give seniors more time to
attend interviews, commencement exer
cises could be held earlier and books
could be sold back earlier. The council
also felt that the last-quarter senior had
earned the privilege
“I am not convinced by the reasons
stated,” Buck said in response to the
petition by the council. Buck felt that the
reasons given were not enough to
convince him of the necessity of the
proposal.
Other members reflected that although
down deep they were in favor of the
privilege, they were hesitant because of
the problems that might arise
THE UNIVERSITY once had the
optional final privilege for seniors,
according to Ira Aaron, a member of the
EAC from the School of Education, but
the privilege was abandoned. Aaron
volunteered at the EAC meeting to find
out why the privilege was established in
the first place and why it was finally
abolished.
Some instructors would not like being
told to give optional finals to graduating
seniors, according to one committee
member. They would want the proposal
to be at the discretion of the faculty. For
this reason, there would be more “Elbow
room” if the proposal was kept quiet. A
mutual agreement between student and
teacher could be reached, he added
In response. Hancock stressed that the
decision be given exclusively to the
senior, not the instructor
If the proposal was adopted, certain
problems would be encountered, accor
ding to various members of the
committee. These problems were dis
cussed by the EAC. which agreed that
solutions would have to be found before
the proposal could receive its recommen
dation.
A SENIOR could abuse the privilege
by waiting until his last quarter before
taking a 100-level course at which he was
especially good In this manner he could
bypass the final provided that he had at
least a “B" in the course
Another drawback of the proposal
would be the problem of identifying
last-quarter seniors Also, many students
classified as graduating seniors do not
graduate during a certain quarter for
various reasons In this case, a senior
could exempt his final exams more than
one quarter
Hancock suggested that if a student
classified as a last-quarter senior failed
to graduate that quarter, then he would
give up the privilege
Last-quarter seniors who exempted a
final might destroy the curve system
employed by an instructor by reducing
the number of students in the class,
according to one committee member.
ANOTHER CONSIDERATION mentioned
by the EAC was that an instructor might
not teach the course in the same manner
if he was aware that certain members of
the class would not have to take the final
The EAC agreed that if the proposal was
adopted, instructors would have be
informed at the first of the quarter of the
students who are eligible to exempt the
final
The EAC agreed to allow the proposal
to be studied by each college in order to
obtain the reaction from the faculty and
to learn of any further problems involved
with the proposal
As of now, (not on paper), there are
some instructors who either give early
final exams or r.o final at all Hancock
backed up this point through a personal
example "When I graduated. I was very
fortunate not to have a final in either of
my three classes. It was a good feeling I
was able to get everything done at the
end of the quarter without having to
worry about the studying for finals."
Hancock said
If the exemption privilege was allowed,
"the time that would be gained by the
last-quarter senior would be the time that
would have been used to study for a
final," he said.
THIS PRIVILEGE is currently being
extended to graduating seniors at
Georgia Tech, according to Hancock He
offered to get information from the
school for study by the EAC Hancock
also offered to poll the University
students for their reaction to optional
finals for graduating seniors It was
unclear as to whether he would actually
conduct the poll
This resolution which was proposed by
the Senior Class Council of 1977 actually
has been around for a year and a half,
according to Hancock During this time it
has jumped from committee to commit
tee "We've run into a lot of brick walls,"
Hancock said
One member suggested passing the
resolution on to the Univesity Council for
debate, but Buck refused to do so without
the recommendation of the EAC
Photo by SUSAN GRISAMORE
Students cleaning Toccoa campus
Toccoa: Picking
up the remains
B\ ED GRISAMORE
Feature editor
TOCCOA—The autumn mountains were beginning to shed their majestic rainbow of
color as 56-year-old Henry Wadkins stood near what had been a large water reservoir
three weeks ago
Wadkins shaped a plug of Red Man and looked out over the toppled countryside
"You know. 1 had been up to that dam many times over the years and never
thought much of it," he said, shaking his head It’s going to take this town a long
time to
Three miles up the mountain, volunteer workers slogged through the mire and
debris, valiantly trying to dig the serene campus of Toccoa Falls Bible College out
trom under its night of disaster
THE STORY is familiar by now Twenty-two days ago a mountainside dam
collapsed under swelling waters and turned parts of this north Georgia community
into a mud-spattered graveyard
Thirty-nine people were killed All were associated with the tiny college
Most of the reporters and cunousity-seekers are now gone The waters have
subsided, but the problems haven't.
“The Lord allowed this to happen and something good will surely come out of it."
Tom Luellen said “We shouldn t ask God why it happened but how we can get back
on our feet ’’
l.l ELLEN’S JOB is to keep the college's “Pearly Gates’ —a makeshift guard house
at the entrance to the secluded campus
Scrawled on the door of the small wooden frame is a simple message: “Praise the
Lord. Anyway."
"We've had our hands full trying to keep unauthorized people off the campus,"
Luellen said. “It has calmed down now but a few weeks ago we had both the National
Guard and State Patrol out here helping us."
Luellen. who had formerly been associated with the college, was “making extra
money" driving a truck in Des Moines, Iowa, when he heard the news of the flood and
returned home
THANKSGIVING W AS a special day at the college A “Home Founders Weekend"
worship service drew 1100 people When the congregation entered the church, the
flags were flying half-mast as they had been since the tragedy
When church was dismissed, the stars and stripes were at full-staff, indicating it
was time tc put the tragedy behind them
“Everything is slowly getting back to normal," Dr Jim Grant said. “We are finally
adjusting to the trauma of having gone through the worst experience of our lives.”
Grant, who is public affairs director at the college, has become a tireless
spokesman for the tragedy
“We have had to bring in five temporary professors to finish the semester.” he said
“It’s hard to believe that we lost close to seven per cent of the people connected with
the college
"TO GIVE you an idea of the impact, that's like waking up and finding nearly 1200
people killed who were associated with the University of Georgia "
The community had always recognized the college but there was not a close kinship.
Grant said
“A local fund has been set up and the people of Stephens County have contributed
over $100,000,” Grant said "Contributions have been pouring in from all over the
world—places like the Ivory Coast of Africa and Tokyo "
SOME PROBLEMS have already begun to diminish The flood had left the town of
4000 with a polluted water supply which forced restaurants and schools to close but a
spokesman for the Toccoa W’ater Works said the problem has been corrected.
There was also concern that the 186-foot Toccoa Falls, reputed to be higher than
Niagara and owned by the college, had been damaged
But Grant said the falls will be rebuilt and hopefully restored to its original beauty
So Toccoa is trying to recover, but it won’t be eesy “It .will take time," Grant said
“You have to learn to cope ”