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The Living - Learning Story
The Learning
Circle Program
by Tracy V. Clover
With the onset of the 1983-84
school year, there have been
circular signs posted throughout
the campus with the words, “The
Learning Circle” written in the
middle. Around the outer edges
are the words, “student to facul
ty to faculty to student to student
to faculty.” This sign is very
significant to the Spelman com
munity in that it marks the
advent of the new Learning
Circle.
The Learning Circle was con
ceived by President Stewart and
other members of Spelman’s
administration. Its purpose is to
enhance and strengthen
Spelman’s academic environ
ment by providing more
campus-wide learning ex
periences and by providing
students with exposure and
interaction with outstanding
visiting academicians, and
leaders of thought in public life.
In order to achieve this
momentous job, a Learning
Circle committee has been form
ed.
The basic job of the Learning
Circle Committee consists of
perfecting the Thursday Mor
ning Convocations, developing a
comprehensive 1983-84 calendar
that reflects all Spelman visitor's
presentation, arranging for
publicity of upcoming events
and last but not least videotaping
selected programs.
Spelman’s weekly Convoca
tion has been improved in the
following ways: the college
provides questioner’s podiums
and microphones so that
students and faculty will be able
to interact with the speaker by
asking questions at the end of
the presentation. The Learning
Circle committee also critiques
each convocation in order to
discover methods of improving
them.
Due to the fact that many
scheduled events at Spelman
often are in conflict with other
campus activities, the Living
Learning Circle has begun to
keep a master calendar of all
upcoming events that are plann
ed in order to attract as many
people as possible.
Jo Moore-Stewart, the Direc
tor of Publications and Com
munications is working along
with the Learning Circle to
improve the publicity of major
events held on campus.
Spelman’s Living Learning
Circle committee has under
taken a new and interesting task
of videotaping speakers from
weekly convocations and Living
Learning Center programs. The
videotapes are called Conver
sations at Spelman and will be
aired on television producer Roy
Patterson’s PBS talk show, Take
30.
The Learning Circle is a new
and bright concept that can
enhance Spelman in various
ways. Although the Learning
Circle committee’s job is to lead
the concept, input and assistance
from students and faculty is
greatly needed in order to
strengthen the Circle.
Residential Rap
by Shelly Jones
The Living-Learning Center.
Also known asthe“Hyatt Regen
cy” and the “Hotel Spelman.” It
is the newest and most plush
dormitory on Spelman’s cam
pus... but is it all it’s cracked up to
be? Some of the residents of the
Living-Learning Center tell their
views:
Angela Burnett (sophomore):
It’s a very nice dorm, but the
rooms are too small.
Hope Vaughn (sophomore):
This building is nice but the
construction on this building was
fast, careless and inefficient.
Terri L. Smith (junior): The
building is nice but the furniture
is too big for the rooms. The
rooms aren’t insulated well
enough. The walls are very thin
and there is a problem with ants
in this building.
Donna Toomer (sophomore):
There are wonderful facilities
such as the kitchens and study
lounges. The roomsare too small
but they're nicely furnished.
There aren’t enough hall
phones.
Monica Harvey (sophomore):
The building is beautiful and I
enjoy living here but the rooms
could have been larger. I also
think that there should be more
hall phones and water fountains
on each floor. LLC is also too far
away from classes, but nothing
can be done about that. My
overall opinion is that LLC is a
very nice dorm.
Wanda Francis (junior): It’s a
big difference form Howard-
Harreld. After all of the initial
problems, it seems to be smooth
sailing!
Sharon Ellis (sophomore): LLC
is a nice looking dorm.
Otherwise there are too many
problems in this building. It
would have been better if the
builders had taken their time to
build this dorm. It would have
eliminated a lot of problems.
Benita Battles (junior): It’s a
terrific atmosphere and nice
living quarters, but the Living-
Learning program should have
by Kimberly Collins
Lately, there has been a lot of
discussion concerning the Living
Learning Center dormitory. The
root of this confusion derives
from the fact that many students
think it is being regarded as a
luxury suite, where only the
‘talented tenth' may dwell. Just
recently the student body found
out that in order to be housed
there next semester you have to
apply separately by writing an
essay and summiting two
recommendations.
Ms. Eleanor Cox, the director
of L.L.C. program, in an effort to
clear uptheconfusion,describes
the program as unique. A
program in which the “students
select themselves to be a part
of.” She also claims it is designed
for the students “who have a
need or desire to go one step
beyond.” This statement can be
misunderstood, for most
students have this same desire.
Yet, Ms. Cox is referring to those
who want to do more than the
required.
Although this program is just
an experiment, the philosophy
of the Living Learning Center will
remain. That is, the thought of
tying together the learning in the
classroom with that which may
take place in a residential center.
Ms. Cox also claims that, “lear
ning for the sake of learning is
more effective” because the
learning is in a less formal at
mosphere. "In a classroom the
interaction is confined because
you are afraid of being judged on
your answers,” says Ms. Cox.
This program also gives the
Spelman faculty a chance to
interact with the students in a
different surrounding, allowing
them to see a different, un
inhibited side of their students.
For instance, Professor and
Commissioner of Fulton County,
Mr. Michael Lomax, recently
spoke to a room full of
Spelmanites at the Living Lear
ning Center. Dr. Marylin Davis
was the moderator and Ms. Pam
Cook, a political science major,
was used as a reactor to start the
flow of discussion. This en
counter proved to be very
successful as have others in the
past.
Yet, though this program
seems to be educational and
helpful, what of the unhoused
students? Ms. Cox understands
this distress but has no control
over it. Ms. Cox feels the need to
remind students that the L.L.C.
serves as a pilot site for the Living
Learning program which will
take place in all dorms.” It is
indeed a separate program from
the facility in which it is being
tried out in.
For those of you who are
wondering what will happen if
enough people don’t apply,
neither the Dean nor the ad
ministration has come to a
decision at the present time.
However, with the housing situa
tion being what it is students
need not worry about vacant
rooms.
This is not to say students
shouldn’t apply. Whether hous
ed because of application or
spacial necessity, students will
undoubtedly benefit from the
experiment.
been a program for seniorsonly!
Ronda Killens (junior): I love
living here, I only wish we had
towel racks!
Robyn Johnson (junior): I
don’t think the dorm is run to its
fullest potential. Living con
ditions are the pitts — we’ve
been living in air conditioning all
winter. Overall maintenance of
the dorm is ridiculous.
Stephanie Wilks (sophomore):
I like living in the modern
atmosphere in the LLC. I only
wish that the college would’ve
placed the Living-Learning
program in a smaller dorm to test
its popularity among the
students.
Patricia K. Smith (senior): I
enjoy living in the LLC. I am most
impressed with the appearance
of the facility and the fact that it is
air conditioned.
Kristen Williams (sophomore):
I like living in the LLC. However,
the rooms should be larger, and
the walls are really thin.
Dee-Dee Price (sophomore): I
like the idea of the Living-
Learning Program. As an active
participant I have an inside view.
I have no real complaint about
the overall structure of LLC — of
course there are kinks, after all,
every new building has its
quirks!
Shaughn Smith (sophomore):
It’s nice, but it has problems.
One problem is broken toilets.
Emphasis should be placed on
major problems like the repair
ing of the toilets and not doors.
Mira Craig (sophomore): I
enjoy it very much, but there
have been minor problems that
turned into major ones. It took a
month to get phone service, and
in my room, it took an additional
month because something was
wrong with wires in my room
and theschool did notwant to fix
them. I think the school should
place phones on more than one
end of the hall. They must have
thought everyone was going to
purchase phones.
Verna Moses (junior): The
Living-Learning Center is by far
the nicest dorm on campus, but
when they said that we would
have air conditioning, we didn’t
know we wouldn’t have heat.
Anonymous Senior: I have
enjoyed living in LLC. The com
plaints I have are: (1) the plum
bing, (2) air-conditioning but no
heat, and (3) the splitting walls. I
really wish that it could have
been the "senior” dorm — it
would promote so much
sisterhood and would have
special sentimental value.
A SPELMAN WOMAN
Continued from Page 4
dependence, pride, and en
durance. She offers this advice to
underclassmen, "To accept peo
ple for who they are. No one is
better than the other, just
different. It’s important to
treasure the sisterhood that we
have here at Spelman, for it will
always play a major part in your
life. Spelman is a gem that I will
always treasure.”