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Page 2 « SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT « January-February, 1987 Car Towing Angers Student On Monday January 26, 1987 several students’ cars were towed. The majority of these cars donned “ON CAMPUS” parking stickers and were tow ed from their regular parking spaces. We now understand that these cars were illegally parked in faculty-designated spaces however, our primary grievance concerns the security officers’ actions accordance with the Atlanta University Center Parking Regulations pamphlet. According to the Atlanta University Center Parking Regulations pamphlet “the Department of Public Safety is authorized to remove and im pound vehicles, at the owner’s expense . . . when a student, faculty member, staff member, or visitor’s vehicle has three or more unpaid tickets during an academic year,” and “when the owner of a vehicle has not paid a fine within 30 days of a viola tion or adhered to the final deci sion of the Traffic Appeals Board.” Students on Spelman’s campus receive numerous yellow/orange “warning” stickers on our windows, but have yet to receive a ticket. The security officers therefore, were clearly not acting in accordance with the Parking Regulations when non-ticketed, non-fined cars were towed. Additionally, those cars parked in Living- Learning Center’s front parking lot had yet to receive “warning stickers prior to Monday, January 26, 1987. Given the ambiguity of the sign that sits on the island in this parking lot and the fact that these students have never received previous notification of their illegal actions, it is quite easy to understand our disap proval. The same holds true for those students who park in the lot located between Manley Hall and the Fine Arts building. Clearly, the fault does not lie entirely with the security guards, administration, or students. Evidently the guards are confus ed, the administration is incon sistent, and the students are vic tims of the aforementioned. This inconsistency confusion and victimization is undoubted ly due to lack of communica tion. It is our understanding that faculty and staff members com plained that students were park ing in their designated spaces. These complaints however, were never brought to the Stu dent Government Association. If anyone has a concern that af fects a representation of the Spelman students, feel free to contact any Association officer. In closing, if this towing must persist we would greatly ap preciate it if our towing dollars were given to a minority-owned business. I sign my name herunto representing concerned students of the College. Kimberly D. Russaw, President Spelman Student Government Association Students Against Towing (SAT) Stewart’s Farewell This farewell was received by the Spotlight newspaper in between issues but the information is important. Dear Spelman Alumna: As 1986 draws to a close, sadly we prepare to leave this beloved institution earlier than intended when the original an nouncement of my resignation was made in April of this year. Following a study trip and short vacation in Japan during the month of December, I will assume my responsibilities as President of the College En trance Examination Board in New York in early January, 1987. I write to you about this because I know that many alum nae are concerned about the well-being of the College and anxious to know what steps are being taken to ensure a smooth transition from the current ad ministration to that of the new president. I am assuming at this point that there will be an interim ad ministrative arrangement put in to place from the time of my departure to the time the new president takes office and is able to assume the responsibilities of Chief Executive Officer. The Trustees will determine the nature of this interim arrange ment and it should be announc ed shortly by Chairperson, Marian Wright Edelman (Class of ‘60). In the meantime, I know that a thorough national search for my successor is well underway and I am sure that the Trustees will choose an outstanding in dividual capable of serving Spelman well as we move toward new opportunities in a new century. We already have at the College an experienced management team and able faculty which will continue to work well during the period of hiatus between presidents. May I ask you for your continued support, love and respect for this great institution and those responsible for running it. Let me also take this opportunity on behalf of the Stewart family to thank you and all Spelman Alumnae for the ten most wonderful years of our lives. We shall be making our move in It stages as my wife, Isbel and son, Carter finish up the academic year in their respective schools. As you know, Jay is now a § sophomore at Harvard and | Carter will graduate from Atlan ta’s Westminister Schools this 1 June. I will be coming back to cam pus most weekends throughout | the Spring of ’87 to be with my J family. We hope during that| time to be able to see the many, many friends who are alumnae here in Atlanta and those who will be coming from out of | town. We certainly plan to be on hand for Founders Day and J Commencement. Spelman will | always be home. This is where § our children became young men and we learned of the beauty, history and enduring values off Spelman College. In spirit, we shall never leave. Thank you for your understanding and good| wishes. All the best. Sincerely, Donald M. Stewart Dr. Laconyea Butler Addresses GRE Concern By Dr. LaConyea Butler Unfortunately some persons assumed that the lack of response to an earlier (October) article about the GRE was perhaps apathy on the part of the faculty and/or administra tion. Actually, the November issue of the Spotlight was the first issue that most of the facul ty saw and that issue was not readily available to some. In order to deal wit\ the mat ter of the GRE, it is necessary to put some things into proper perspective. First, it is of primary importantce for students to know that we as faculty agree with your concerns about the less than desirable testing facilities. The problems of space, temperature control, adequate ventilation, etc. have provided the focus of several reports and memos to the administration. So the faculty has not been unaware of the existing pro blems and possible effects on students’ performance; nor has the administration been oblivious to the needs in this area. Some improvements, especially in the areas of lighting, repairing of seats, pain ting, and general appearances of Howe Hall, have been made in recent years. The cost of air con ditioning for such a facility as Howe Hall has been prohibitive but we have not given up on this alternative as well as others in trying to find solutions. One of the solutions posed of having students tested is as many different areas as possible is not operationally feasible, not because we can’t find enough faculty and staff to assist. Teaching faculty and student support staff (e.g. counselors, resident directors) have been especially cooperative in this regard. The problem is one of standardization which is a very complicated matter. Standar dization includes standardization of test administration pro cedures. Increases in the number of test administrators and testing rooms lead to a cor responding decrease in standar dization of the testing process. Moreover, there arises a greater problem of test security. Another concern expressed was the “unnecessary oral repetition of the directions.” Standardization of testing pro cedure requires that certain specific directions be read aloud to the examinees. Lack of awareness of this requirement perhaps underscores the need for us to do a better job in the orientation of students to the testing process in general and to the GRE testing process in particular. As far as preparation for the exam, it is good to note that at last (by senior level) students recognize this need. Hopefully some freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will be so inspired as to begin their preparation before the GRE and other professional school examinations are upon them. We have a lot of informa tion in the form of books, tapes, and computer software available in the Office of Testing and Evaluation and in the various labs (math, writing, reading) and departments on campus. (A list is being compiled.) In addition, faculty members have taken many hours of their time to plan test preparation sessions for the GRE General as well as the Ad vanced Subject Test. These ses sions have been open to any students, but are frequently at tended by only a very small number of seniors. It is especial ly frustrating and disheartening to us when students fail to take advantage of the available resources. A college cannot pro vide all the courses necessary for good performance on the sub ject tests so students need to assume some responsibility for taking electives and for reading materials in areas of weakness. Several departments have developed (or are developing) reading lists to provide students with additional information. Please be aware that your concerns are ours and we do appreciate your suggestions as to how we can improve all that we do at Spelman. If you have further concerns or questions, please direct them to our office (Testing and Evaluation, Giles 307 or 314) or to one of the members of the Committee on Testing and Evaluation. We will be happy to consider your ideas in one of our meetings. Thank You For | Responding