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Wage 2 The Red and Klaik, M«nda>. November 28. 1977
Learning to listen
No longer can students at this
University claim that the admi
nistration does not listen. The
administration is indeed still
hard of hearing, but after almost
a quarter of continuous shouting
from both students and faculty,
it has altered the controversial
14-day withdrawal policy.
Until this fall students had
until midquarter to withdraw
from a course. Then this
summer, a time when most
students are away from the
University and so are unable to
voice their opinions on admini
strative matters, the Academic
$ Affairs Advisory Committee
(AAAC) shortened the withdraw
al period to 14 days. Students
were sent notices for the change
along with their fee cards for fall
quarter
The reason given for the
change was typical administra
tive nonsense. “The policy was
changed in the first place to help
students,” one administrator
said If the administration
wanted to help the students, it
t would seem like students would
have been asked their opinions
on the matter. They weren't.
However, once fall quarter
began the students soon made it
known they could do without this
kind of help from the admini
stration. The Ag Hill Council
passed a resolution against the
new withdrawal policy. The
Student Government Association
passed a resolution against the
policy. The Freshman Council
passed a resolution against it. The
Ked and Black said the policy
was a bad thing. Fven the
^ollege of Agriculture faculty
oined in and signed a netition
requesting the policy be
changed.
And for once the administra
tion listened. At last Monday’s
AAAC meeting the withdrawal
period was lengthened to 21
days. The decision to change the
policy can only be a direct result
of student opposition. The fact
that the administration listened
is a good sign. But don’t be
ready to throw away the
administrative hearing aid yet.
For one thing, the administra
tion had almost no choice but to
alter the policy. For the first
time in a long, long time
students showed that they were
not going to put up with
administrative nonsense. Every
major student representative
body on campus came out
against the 14-day withdrawal
policy.
But the University admini
stration apparently did not learn
its lesson from the controversy
over the withdrawal policy. At
last week's AAAC meeting, the
AAAC once again passed a new
policy which will have a direct
effect on every student at the
University. Once again students
were not consulted. And as a
result the AAAC may once
again find itself in the midst of
controversy.
This time the AAAC shortened
the drop-add period from three
to two days. We predict that
after students waste hours of
their time the first two days of
winter quarter trying to fix the
schedules the almighty computer
rejected that there will be
another massive student protest.
Maybe someday the administra
tion will learn.
YVONNE WILLIAMS
The inescapable flaw
Actually, I'm not really a bad person I
don't kick my dog or beat my boyfriend
or vice versa. I don’t smoke more than
one cigarette at a time and I don’t drink
with strangers I turned rny thermostat
down to 68 degrees
and 1 supported the
President 100 per
cent when he said
people with lust in
their hearts should
keep a low profile
I wear my seat
belt, pledge allegi
ance to the flag, and
oh yes, I even gave
the United Way.
And yet with all this cleanliness,
decency and godliness to my credit. I'm
afraid somehow I’ll be overlooked when
it comes time to pass out the
Humanitarian of the Year Awards.
The dark truth of the matter is that I
have one terrible, inescapable flaw which
Yvonne Williams is state editor of The
Red and Black
will forever separate me from all that is
honorable, noble and kind in the ranks of
humanity. I am a traitor to the cause, a
scourge, a blackguard, and an outcast in
the eyes of my fellow humans.
1 must accept the fact that my children
will never raise up and call me blessed,
strangers will always avert their eyes
and cross the street when meeting me.
I have put it off too long already. I
must confess. I hate Christmas.
The truth is that I hate, acutely despise
and infinitely loathe Christmas I'm sure
that some time within my past 22 years
there must have been a Christmas that I
enjoyed, but I’m sure it was very long
ago and I must have been only young and
easily led.
It’s hard to describe what I hate most
about Christmas. I know the expression
is trite, but it must be the commerciali
zation. or more accurately, the prostitu
tion, of Chrismas that I most despise.
I’m repulsed and infuriated by
advertisers who demand that I spend
every nickel, dime and penny I can
scrape together to buy worthless,
meaningless and purposeless gifts. And
why should I buy, buy and buy some
more? Not because I want to express my
affection for friends and family, but
because the businesses and retailers
would go broke in a hurry without the
Christmas sales bonanza.
I am sick to tears of seeing the
withering look in the eyes of sales clerks
when my purchase does not exceed $50 or
$100.
I am disgusted by advertisers who
inundate me with hundreds of pointless
gadgets and trinkets every Christmas,
designed of course, "for the man or
woman who has everything." If they
have got everything already, why the hell
am I under any obligation to present
them with something they won’t need or
use?
My stomach begins to grind when the
calendar pages flip over to December.
Sometimes I think that if I see one more
department store Santa Claus I’ll tear
my hair out. You know and I know that
stout, jolly taced old man in the red suit
is not there because he wants to warm
the hearts and delight the eyes of little
children. Have you ever noticed that
there is always a smiling efficient
department store employe there next to
Santa ready to snap the picture and
collect his fee?
And department store executives aren’t
really interested whether your child
rattles off his Christmas list to dear old
Santa either. They arc smart enough to
know that while vour child is sitting on
Santa's ample lap, you’re checking out
some of the nearby holiday bargains
I could go on with my Christmas hate
list but I don't have to. You know as well
as I the tinsel and the phony glitter that
accompanies this supposedly most
sacred of all holidays.
and tad news.
c '“* «»(**«,.
vWe tad ■£
I a^orve,
cUkeC.
LETTERS
‘Spaces for handicapped not a special privilege’
M» THE EDITOR:
It has occurred to me. after trying in
vain to find handicapped parking on
campus at night, that aithougn most of
the students and faculty at the University
could pass a basic literary exam, a great
number of them would fail miserably the
common sense and sign reading portion
of the test First, let me say that the sign
says something to the tune of **Reserved
for Wheelchairs ' This is to provide
space for the automobiles oi wheelchair
students It is NOT for a wheelchair
student to leave his chair in the space.
How often have I encountered the
considerate soul who parked only
halfway in the designated space as if to
leave room for a wheelchair or small
go-cart?
Second. I’m afraid there is a
misconception as to the hours and habits
of the handicapped person Unlike
vampires, witches, werewolves, and
other oddities of the modern world,
handicapped people can be found on the
streets both night and day We go to
plays, concerts, the library to work. etc.
lliese things become extremely diffi
cult to do at night if everyone ignores the
signs that say Reserved for Handi
The R*d and Black student newspaper •/ tf*
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Monday through Friday, csrept during examination
and holiday period* and dun ft* wmmn quarter
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Opinions expressed m The Had and Blar* other
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Mate national and im*rr* janai news m The Red
and Black * from the «>m at tinted Preaa
I filer national
capped Students." l or example, when all
the available spaces are taken around the
library, one would have to wheel across a
parking lot in the dark (This done at a
seated height makes it extremely
difficult to be seen behind backing cars),
up the hills or stairs (quite a challenge on
wheels i. and up many an un-curb-cut
sidewalk.
Finally, there is a matter of the signs
that do not specifically say "24 Hour Tow
Away. " but are clearly marked
“Handicapped’ Parking ' A faculty
member parking in the handicapped
space told me that the place was only a
tow away zone until 5 pm He. therefore,
felt it was not question of my need to
park in a place that allows me to enter a
building safely and with ease. I was
convinced that this faculty member could
indeed read the sign, as he told me. but I
was left in doubt about his ability to think
and be considerate of others If the only
thing that makes people considerate of
others is their fear of being towed away,
then we are indeed in a sad state of
existence.
We do not ask for these parking spaces
as special privileges, but as a way to fully
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participate in society. Please do not
create barriers that do not need to exist.
TERRY SCHUPBACH
‘Support rights
of handicapped’
TO THE EDITOR:
We are tired of seeing people, whose
only handicap is that of gross laziness,
take up parking spaces reserved for the
University's handicapped students From
now on, if we observe a student who is of
sound body parking in a space reserved
for the handicapped, or if we spot a car
without a handicapped student parking
permit on the windshield parked in said
spaces, we intend to call the University
police and have that car towed We urge
the rest of the University community to
follow our example and actively support
the rights of the handicapped.
GLENN MAHONEY
NANCY NEAL
‘Thanks to
University reps’
TO TIIE EDITOR:
I would like to express my personal
appreciation to the representatives of the
University who attended the Student
Government Association workshop on
Nov. 18 and 19. I felt their attendance
helped make the workshop a tremendous
success.
ANNE WOOTEN
‘Can’t measure
motivation’
TO THE EDITOR:
The test scores of Special Studies
students are not averaged with those of
the freshman class for the simple reason
that Special Studies students have not
been admitted to the freshman class and
are not admitted until such time as they
comply with all testing and grade
regulations of the University
While testing and performance are two
generally reliable guides for admission
and success in higher education—motiva
tion, the will to succeed, cannot be
measured and is more often than not the
deciding factor in ultimate success.
The Special Studies program is
organized to give opportunity to a limited
number of prospective students who are
apparently poorly prepared but highly
motivated to succeed at the University.
Denied admission to the freshman class,
these students may be accepted for
limited work or for a complete program
in Special Studies which cover three
basic areas. English, reading and
mathematics. The program is part of a
University System wide program in the
state of Georgia initiated by the Board of
Regents.
At the University the Special Studies
student has one year in which to prove
himself or herself capable of complying
with the University's testing and grading
requirements for freshmen These are
higher than criteria established by the
Board of Regents
If the student meets these require
ments at the end of one, two or three
quarters, he or she is transferred from
Special Studies to a school or
college—just as if he or she were being
transferred from another institution. It is
passible for a students, as a result of
diagnostic tests, to be enrolled in part
remedial work and part University-level
work, but he or she remains a Special
Studies student until such time as he or
she meets all University testing and
grade requirements
For example, a student proficient in
mathematics bit weak in English and
reading would t* enrolled in remedial
English and reading courses but in a
math course equal to his or her indicated
abilities He or she would still be enrolled
as a Special Studies student subject to
transfer only after mastering all courses
in fashion to meet University require
ments.
DR. VIRGINIA TROTTER
Vice president, academic affairs
‘Need Capra
more than ever’
TO ThE EDITOR.
I would like to commend the screening
of Frank Capra’s works by the Cinematic
Arts department. Capra is quite often
overlooked as the great American author
he is. Very few directors have succeeded
in caputuring the true essence of what it
is to be American as has Capra. In this
age of cynicism we need a Capra now
more than ever My only gripe is that the
films were not shown in the same week
such as you did with the Kubrick
retrospective. Is it possible to try to
screen a particular director’s works in
the same week on a steady basis?
As an arm of the University, the
Cinematic Arts has a responsibility not
just to entertain with popular features
but also to educated viewers with the
“classics” of the film world. I will
acknowledge the fact that it is hard to
program films for such a large
population of students and remain solvent
at the same time A good job has been
done in trying to bring good foreign and
domestic films Yet the popular films still
greatly outweigh these
Is it possible to use the format the
Cinematic Arts employed way back in the
spring of '75? In that quarter, the works
of a certain director were featured each
week. The list of those included is
amazing: Hawks, Ford, Truffaut, Welles,
Lang, Walsh, Coppolia, and even a
review of American musicals This was
accomplished by showing one film of say
Welles, at 7 p m and another of his at a
p m Would this work again?
Otherwise, considering the daily
scheduling, you folks do a good job.
Please try to show more Godard.
JOSEPH RUSSO
‘U.S. growing
more bilingual’
TO THE EDITOR:
I would like, if it is possible, to give a
belter idea to the students at the
University of what exactly it is the
Department of Romance Languages is
trying to do with the introduction of
Proficiency Awards, a better idea than
could have been gleaned from the
confused coverage (in one article) of two
entirely different matters as presented in
The Red and Biack Nov. 15.
First, the proficiency awards can be
earned by any student at the University,
regardless of school affiliation Second,
they are not per se an honor of an official
nature They are handsome certificates
which recognize an achievement tied
closely to individual career goals. They
are not designed for language majors but
for students who are interested in
language as an instrument of communi
cation in their careers
We had wanted especially to reach
those in social work, international
business (and law), journalism, health-
related professions, and other career-
minded individuals with international
goals We stress courses in civilization,
culture, and language skills such as
syntax, phonetics, and advanced conver
sation and writing.
The world is growing smaller and the
United States more bilingual daily. Job
announcements mention, at an increasing
rate, the desirability of active language
skills In urban centers across this nation
a second language is no longer a luxury:
in many of them, it is fast becoming a
key employability factor.
I would close this letter, then, saying
that the Romance Languages Depart
ment is attempting to provide a service,
one that is available now, and one whose
potential value is such that it deserves to
be put before the student body with the
utmost clarity. Faculty advisers for the
awards are, for French, J.P. Lee (203
Moore), for Italian, A M. O'Healy (204
Candler), and for Spanish, myself (Meigs
5).
J.T. SNOW
Assistant professor
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fit THE RE 0 AND BLAC K
Patricia Templeton, Editor
Steve Bills, Ed Stamper,
Executive editor Business manager
Jerry Mason and Matt Prichard, copy editors; Bryant Steele, campus editor
Tom Barton, city editor, Gregg Steinle, state editor, William Haines,
entertainment editor, Swann Seiler, feature editor; Pete Foley, sports editor,
George Sicay, photo editor, Hope Clugozima. assistant campus editor; Yvonne
Williams, assistant state editor, Ed Grisamore, assistant city editor. D J
Pascale, assistant feature editor. David Westin, assistant sports editor; David
Crosby, assistant photo editor: Debbie Osteen, graphics director; Julie Kuhr,
production manager