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THE MBC WOLVERINE
VOL. 61, NO. 1 TELLING IT LIKE IT IS OCTOBER 1986
Freshman Class
Largest on Campus
by Louisa McCullough
Morris Brown College receiv
ed one of its largest freshman
classes in years, according to
William Vickers of the Ad
missions Office.
The freshman enrollment for
this academic year is roughly 600
students. The sophomore, junior
and senior class students total
about 700. This is an increase of
236 students from the 1,064
registered two years ago, Vickers
said.
The availability of housing was
considered when students were
admitted, Vickers said. “It’s not
our problem. It’s a numbers
game to get as many students as
possible,” he said.
In past years, Vickers said,
enrollment has been decreasing.
“One of the chief reasons (for
decreased enrollment) is that
Morris Brown used to allow
students to register without any
money being paid," he said.
But the future looks as promis
ing, as the freshman class is large.
“I see enrollment getting better.
There is no reason why it
wouldn’t,” Vickers said. “There
are the pluses and minuses, but I
feel we have and are getting a
better quality of students.”
Vickers said that for many
years Morris Brown has had an
open door policy in admitting
new students. This means nearly
everyone who applies can be
admitted. However, if a student
begins to fail he is placed on
probation with the threat of
being expelled if his average
does not increase.
Vickers said this policy can be
detrimental, "Letting anyone in
causes academics to falter. Pride
is lost. But when you have some
type of criteria, you get a feeling
of accomplishment."
To boost enrollment, the Ad
missions Office attempts to ex
pose students to Morris Brown
by visiting schools in other states,
primarily in Michigan, Penn
sylvania, Maryland, Illinois, Mis
souri, Florida and New York.
Organizations that strongly
recruit students are the alumni
chapters, Greek organizations,
civic groups and promotional
organizations, such as the band
and choir.
Colonel Fletcher speaks with freshmen. Colonel Fletcher is
responsible for the large freshman class this year.
Black Becomes Blue Angel
Upperclassmen Upset
Over Lack of Housing
by Robert James Fedd, Jr.
The newest member of
the U.S. Navy’s precision flight
demonstration team in Pen
sacola, Fla. is Lt. Cmdr. Donnie
Cochran. Cochran is the first
Black American to become part
of the team and will take the
number three position.
Cochran, a Pelham, Ga. native,
was selected for the team last
September. For Cochran, being
the first black aviator on the team
is not a major accomplishment
but a goal he set for himself early
in his naval career.
"I think being the first black
Blue Angel on the team is
somewhat of an accomplish
ment, but the loyalty and dedica
tion that come along with the
designation means a lot more,”
said Cochran.
"The requirements for selec
tion to the team are the same for
everyone,” commented
Cochran.
Cochran, a graduate of Savan
nah State College, Savannah,
Ga., received a bachelors degree
in Civil Engineering and was
awarded his commission to En
sign from the Navy Reserve
OfficerTraining Program in 1976.
Upon completion of basic
flight school and advanced jet
training in Kingsville, Texas,
Cochran was designated a naval
By Karon Ammons
One distraught upperclass
female laments "It’s not fair." A
freshman girl says, "I don’t want
upperclassmen’s housing,
because the same thing could
happen to me next year.”
These students were ex
pressing their concerns about
the lack of housing situation on
Morris Brown College’s campus.
Frustration was in the air as some
freshmen girls moved into Sarah
Allen Quadrangle, while others
expressed dread for being
assigned Cochran Towers.
On the flip side, upperclass
females were being turned away
at the door for not having
housing contracts signed or
having them signed after the cut
off date.
Some students missed out on
housing because they returned
after August 25. But several
students said they returned
according to the registration
schedules. These schedules re
quired students to register on
certain days according to the first
letter of their last names.
President Calvert Smith
recognized the housing
problem, and explained the
roots of its origin.
“It’s a school policy that all
freshmen must stay on campus if
they don’t live in the city,” he
said.
He added that with increased
enrollment, this policy edged
out upperclassmen who,
otherwise, may have been
granted housing. He said
students were allowed to move
into dormitories without hous
ing contracts in the past and
some students expected the
same treatment this year.
Maintaining a sizeable enroll
ment is important to the college
now, he said. "We are not at the
point where we can put limits on
enrollment.”
Without adequate enrollment,
the college could face closure.
Low enrollment two years ago,
caused the dismissal of several
instructors and major courses.
The large freshman class was
expected, but Smith admits the
school was slack on informing
upperclassmen.
"We didn’t communicate with
the students that housing would
be a premium,” Smith said, "that
was an institutional problem.
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