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Regents’ Test Scores
Dismay Administrators
BY CAREY SMITH
Administrators expressed
dismay this week over figures
which show that Regents’ Test
scores here rank ninth oui of 12
senior colleges in the University
System. A complete com
parison of statewide figures was
apparently seen for the first
time by administrators in a
Sunday story in the ‘‘Atlanta
Journal and Constitution.”
Dr. James Mathews,
chairman of the English
department, said the problem of
failures was threefold.
“First, public school
preparation is weak. I am not
accusing English teachers
necessarily, but there has been
a trend towards permissiveness
on the college level.
"Next, I feel that even on the
college level, there is not
enough emphasis on writing in
courses other than English, and
probably some English courses
do not contain enough writing,”
said Dr. Mathews.
The third factor in the 26.43
failure percentage, is a
remedial reading program.
“We have nor had one until this
year,” said Dr. Mathews.
WEST GEORGIAN
Volume 41—No. 15
Traffic Trauma
As Students Seek A Space In Time
GARY WILLIS
A lack of parking space for students and
faculty, resulting in an increase of parking
tickets issued over last year, is the chief reason
that the department of public safety has come
er increased criticism in recent months. Or
as D. H. Johnson, director of public safety, puts
it, the department has become the campus
“whipping boy.”
Chief Johnson has said repeatedly that, as far
as he knows, no more parking tickets are being
written this quarter than in past quarters.
However, figures released by the safety
department show that through Nov. 1 of last
year, 1,100 tickets were issued. In the com
parable time this year, the total is 1,500.
The ratio of registered vehicles to available
parking spaces is, assuredly, a reason for the
increase. The total number of registered
vehicles this year is 3,782. while the available
parking spaces are only 2,714. Broken down,
these figures show that there are 2,860
registered student vehicles which are provided
1,941 spaces, and 922 registered faculty and staff
vehicles with 773 spaces.
Last fall $2,820 was collected in fines, while
$17,697 was collected for parking decals.
Through Nov. 11 of this quarter, fines have
DOCK JOHNSON
The test, developed by the
University System Board of
Regents to survey the reading
and writing ability of students
who have completed 45 hours or
more of work, checks gram
mar. vocabulary, and com
prehenshion.
What is being done for the
students who do fail?
According to Dr. Gerald Hall,
assistant dean of student
development services, students
may take advantage of tutoral
services, the remedial reading
program, or take the required
English courses before taking
the Regent’s test.
Still though, there are
students, according to Dr. Hall,
who have had to postpone their
graduation because of repeated
failure. He said summer
quarter was the first time this
had happened here, and there
were only a few students in
volved.
Dr. Mathews said that
alleviation of such a problem
will come partly through two
new English courses.
A pre-English 100 course, 099
will be offered this year for the
first time.
Wost Georgia Collogo, Carrollton, Go. 30117
amounted to $3,556 which includes the ap
proximate $19,000 collected on registration day
for delinquent fines, and parking decals have
amounted to $16,011. The department’s collec
tion of issued tickets is around 30 percent each
quarter.
Chief Johnson said, “I don’t want to know how
much money we take in for fines and vehicle
registration, This is not a revenue gathering
agency.”
He added that decals are not parking permits
and are not used as a source of income, but are
solely for the purpose of monitoring and con
trolling traffic.
Asked why the decals are not given to drivers
free of charge, Chief Johnson conceded that ,
“Yes, money collected from decal sales is
helpful.”
The one dollar charge for a decal,
compared to the one charge for a faculty
member, has become a complaint of students.
Dr. Thomas Learning, associate professor of
physical education and chairman of the General
College Matters Committee, which draws up the
traffic code and presents it to the Faculty Senate
for approval, said that the committee has more
than once attempted to revise the code but has
been voted down by the Faculty Senate.
“We recommended that, one, everyone pay a
five dollar fee, and that students not be allowed
to register until paying delinquent fines and that
the faculty and staff paychecks be withheld until
they pay their fines,” he said.
At the May 31 meeting of the Faculty Senate
the revision of the code was defeated by a vote of
18 to three.
Continued On Page 6
ilk f
DR. JAMES W. MATHEWS
(File Photo)
“We just had approved by the
Academic Programs Com
mittee of the Faculty Senate, a
new course in English com
postion, called English 200,
review in composition. It is
mainly for people preparing for
the Regent’s exam, or those
who have failed it. It will begin
this fall,” said Dr. Mathews.
Although Dr. Hall says many
students complain about the
fairness of the test, Dr.
Mathews said it is, in part,
“valid.”
“I believe the essay part is a
valid test. I do have some
questions about the grading. We
Continued On Page 3
West Georgian
Analysis
Response Light
On Beer Licenses
BY PHIL PAXTON
City officials have received
little response to the new beer
and wine pouring law, ac
cording to City Manager
William Traylor. The
legalization of the pouring
ordinance has attracted few
critics or customers this week,
although earlier the proposal
was the subject of much con
troversy. “I haven’t received
any direct response to last
week’s vote,” said Traylor.
‘‘There have been but two
applications for pouring
licenses, one from the Pizza Hut
on Newnan Road and the other
from Olivia and John’s,” he
said. Traylor then added the
city council will vote on the first
Monday in December to
determine whether the ap
plicants qualify for the license.
Information from the
Wedgewood Inn indicates plans
apply for a pouring license
before the December deadline
also.
One point of argument
Novombor 15, 1974
PARKING WOES. Students arrive at campus each morning to
find parking lots overflowing.
Faculty Should Have
Worst Parking Areas?
Lamar Chambers, SGA
president, said that he felt “we
should let the faculty have the
worst parking spots” since they
are here all day, and let the
students have better spaces as
they come and go during the
day.
The campus parking situation
was the main topic discussed
when the Student Government
Association met Nov. 7.
Danny Stewart, SGA vice
president, gave a distribution
throughout the beer and wine
debate was the question of a
minimum seating capacity for
establishments applying for a
pouring license.
The minimum seating
capacity for restaurants ap
plying for the license is 50. This
includes only tables and
booths.
The lack of public response
was not shocking, Traylor in
dicated. “I expect no dramatic
effects as a product of the
pouring law. I expect no great
increase in the number of
drivers under the influence.
We’ve been doing this (pouring)
outside the city for a long
time,” said Traylor.
Council member Miriam
Merrell echoed Traylor’s
reactions. “I have been con
tacted by a small number of
citizens who have expressed
opposition to the law,” said
Merrill, “but in each case the
complaining party admitted to
having a drinking problem in
his family history.”
Merrell and Traylor both
expressed their hopes that the
law will be a productive one.
“It is my sincere hope that the
indoor serving will partially
eliminate the dilemma of the
drunk driver,” said Merrell.
“The only result that I an
ticipate is a hopeful one,”
Traylor said. “I hope that the
pouring law will result in a
cleaner community. If the
drinking is done inside, then
possibly there will be fewer
beer cans strewn throughout
our community.”
breakdown of the 2726 parking
spaces on campus. He reported
that 1,914 spaces were used by
students, 649 are used by the
faculty, and the remaining 163
are used by hall directors,
policemen and for meter
parking and 15 and 30 minute
zone parking. Stewart said,
“Parking on campus is pretty
evenly distributed percentage
wise between the students and
faculty.” “We are able to park
70 percent of the cars that are
registered.”