Newspaper Page Text
November 14, 1983
Spelman Spotlight
Page 5
Upperclassmen Upset Over New Housing Policy
by Jasmine D. Williams
News Editor
In March of 1984, up
perclassmen will find themselves
faced with new housing
procedures. Students will con
tinue to pay housing deposits at
the same time, but up
perclassmen, including seniors,
will no longer have priority. This
means that everyone will be
treated equally. What prompted
such a drastic change in
procedures? Will rising juniors
and seniors have problems as a
result of this change?
Dr. Carmen A. Jordan-Cox,
Dean of Student Life, remarked,
“Given that we will continue to
have a shortage of housing, it is
educationally sound, based on
what we know about freshmen
on a whole and what we’ve
looked at in terms of freshmen
who live off campus, to insure
that they are all housed their first
year.” Dean Cox went further to
say, “It really is freshmen and
sophomores who we are con
cerned about. Those two years
are the two years that a student is
most likely to flunk out or
transfer.”
It is likely for some people to
wonder, however, if Spelman
College is just interested in
increasing the number of
freshman. One junior remarked,
“I see absolutely no reason why
both seniors and freshman can
not be guaranteed housing. Both
the first and the last year are very
important years. I sometimes
wonder if Spelmanjustwantsthe
money. Afterall, it is more ex
pensive to live on campus.” Staci
Cain, another junior from San
Diego, California, expressed, “It
is ridiculous that after 4 years of
being financially loyal, that
seniors cannot, will not be
guaranteed housing.”
When Dean Cox was asked if
Spelman seemed to be gradually
shifting away from a small,
community-oriented college,
she replied, “We have not in
creased the number of in
coming freshmen. What has
happened is, if we want a class of
450 students, we have to start
with an overload. We had about
10,000 students to inquire about
the college. From that, we
generated 1,500 applications.
Out of that, we accepted about
900 students. Out of that 900,600
paid deposits. From there we
look at past records to see what
percentage of students who pay
their deposits actually show up
on our front door and it ranges
anywhere from 87% to 95%. But
we don’t know if 87% or 95% will
show up. Now, then we also
consider the changes in the
economy, etc., and figure okay,
87% will show. This year 95%
showed up and we don’t know
where they came from.” Dean
Cox also added,“In addition, we
had more upperclassmen to
return.” It was furthermore
pointed out that seniors, after
securing a room on campus,
usually decide to stay off, thus
allowing students on the waiting
list to have housing. To this Dean
Cox said, “But with the new
addition of the Living and Lear
ning Center, more seniors this
year, decided to live on cam
pus.”
When the question of how
come guaranteeing housing to
freshmen knocks out guarantee
ing housing to seniors, Dean Cox
said, “All we would have on
campus is freshmen and
seniors.” Several rising seniors
see nothing wrong with that.
Jackie White, a junior from
Anniston, Alabama, expressed,
“I really don’t think it’s fair for
them to kick us out in the cold
our senior year, we should have
at least one last priviledge.”
Crystal Mitchell from Atlanta
added, "After 3 years of tuition
increases and administration
hassels, seniors should have
priority. By senior year, some
may not have had the opportuni
ty to stay on campus.” Junior,
Mavis Roberts from Long Island,
New York expressed, “I see
absolutely nothing wrong with
both freshmen and seniors hav
ing guaranteed housing.”
However, Dean Cox stressed
that the administration knew
some students would be upset
over the new procedure. “If you
think about it, it would have
been easier to just leave it the
way it was, but we took the hard
way out!” Dean Cox also main
tained that Spelman could reject
large freshmen classes but then
college tuition costs would rise
more quickly to help maintain
the school budget. So where do
the college's priorities lie? Ob
viously with making sure enter
ing freshman turn into
graduating seniors who have
matured socially and
academically. Verna Moses from
Mt. Vernon, New York agreed
that freshmen should have hous
ing but stated, “Guaranteed
housing gives seniors something
to look forward to. As
sophomores and juniors, we
know we must scramble for
housing. At least we felt secure in
thoughts that the option would
be ours senior year.”
Well, onething isforsure, new
procedures will definitely be
implemented in the spring.
However, Dean Cox did state, “I
am willing to get together with a
committee if they can come up
with other options.”
Whether or not a committee
materializes, one must admit that
Spelman is doing everything to
become more “educationally
sound.” And this year, the ad
ministration has decided that
one way to achieve that goal is
not to guarantee housing to
upperclassmen.
PHOTO OPINION
Will You Support Jesse Jackson In His Campaign?
Photos by Nelson Valentine
John Edmonds Jr: Yes, I feel
that he deserves the support of
fellow blacks, because we need
to be heard and he is the key.
Karyn Smith: Yes, I will sup
port Jesse Jackson for president
because Blacks need to be
politically active and Jesse
Jackson is the only man who can
encourage unregistered blacks
to register to vote.
Robyn Joya Johnson: No,
taking everything into con
sideration with the past and
present situations, I feel that the
world, The United States and the
black race is not ready!
Le’Nese Miller: Yes, I will
support Jesse Jackson for presi
dent, because I agree with many
of his ideologies; such as the
boycott of Budweiser and Coca
Cola and the continuation of the
“dream.”
Monnie Koonce: Yes, I will
support Jesse Jackson for presi
dent, because I feel he's opening
the way for other potential black
candidates.