Newspaper Page Text
Stlje farcer Cluster
MERCER UNIVERSITY, MACON, GEORGIA
. Volume
May 25, 1962
Larry Maioriello
EDITOR
XUI.No.29
Robert H. Hurt
MANAGING EDITOR
Yvonne Reeve*
BUSINESS MANAGER
Executive Editor*
RI1HIA McGLAUN
BETSY LIVINGSTON
JEANE FULWOOD
Staff Photographer
WARD LOWRANCB
Aaaociat* Editor*
GRANGER RICKS
MARTY LAYFIELD
NELL HITCHCOCK
RONALD CARR
John Krueger
_ NEWS EDITOR
New* Staff: Karen Kennedy, Loy
Knight, Dick Shiver, Kaye Well*,
Dana Poole, Ann Walker, Cynthia
Adams, Katie Koellner, Arnold Braw-
ner, Margaret Smith. Lynda Shaw,
Gayle Cox, Hugh Lawson, Lynn
Holme*..
Editorial Assistants: Judy Kennedy,
Mary Payne, Elaine Hudson, Anne
Johnson.
A New Breed Emerges
For many years the political situation in the State of Georgia ha*
been completely dominated by the rural leadership. This election year
has seen the basis for that domination abolished. For the first time in
many years, the people of this State of Georgia will have an opopr-
tumty to. elect able leaders on the basis of popular vote. This fact alone
has accounted for the entrance into the present election of a “new
breed” of political man.
This "new breed" offers a much needed and long desired type of
leadership for our State. It is forward looking and progressive. It desire*
the best for our State in economic growth, both in sound agricultural im
provement and beneficial industrial expansion. It seeks a realistic posi
tion on our racial problem. It demands a fair and equal representation
constitutional form of democracy. It pledges honesty and truthfulness
for our people in their government bodies. It offers to protect our sacred
above all. It yearns to ex|iand and improve our educational system by
which our future is promised men and women with concern. It promise*
not only to meet the problems facing us today, but to seek to under
stand and prepare for those that the future will present. It is a new
breed of leadership that offers not to follow reluctantly behind the people,
but rather to challenge the people to move proudly forward with it, not
meeting the future, but making our future.
The time worn and meaningless phrases of tBW past are not heard
in the presentation of this new breed of political man. He speaks the
words of a dynamic challenge as he offers the people an opportunity to
achieve and accomplish the growth and development that our State has
so long deserved. He speaks not only to a small segment of our State,
but to all as he offers this challenge, for he realises that only by co
operation and unity from all the people will they be able to achieve
what the future presents.
It is this new breed of political leadership that the Mercer Cluster
endorses with pride. One member of that breed is Dr. Edgar H. Wilson,
a candidate for Lt. Governor. The Mercer Cluster heartily endorses the
candidacy of this member of the new breed of leadership.—MLL
No Short Cuts To Honor
It was indicated last week that the Honor Council is not what is
should be. It is here maintained that it is not and that the Council has
failed "to fulfill its functions in a mature and responsible way”.
The Council in its letter appearing on this page and in conversations
during the week contends that my statements were indefinite and false,
and that even if not false were irresponsible in that by not specifically
naming the individual(s) at fault, all Council members were stigmatized.
I submit that even if only one Council member were shown to have
behaved in an unethical, dishonorable or unthinking manner, then the
whole Council must take the blame, for it is the organ that represents
honor at Mercer. As good or bad as the Council is so stands Mercerian
honor—and the Council can be no better than its poorest member.
At present many students have the lowest regard for the council
because of the behavior of one or two of its members. No purpose would
be served by dragging individual names through the mud. Those at fault
know who they are. But the council as a body must bear the responsbiility
for its members.
The Council as a body must accept, too. the blame for having allow
ed certain procedural defects to be committed where they could easily
have been avoided. Contrary to the belief of the Council, I am familiar
with Articles V and VI of the Student Handbook and with the rule* of
procedure of the Council. I realize that nowhere in either of these docu
ments is it guaranteed that the accused shall receive a fair trial. Yet I
cannot believe that anyone would advocate denial of a fair trial.
But consider some recent circumstances as reported to the Cluster
by defendants, witnesses and bystanders, who, in the interest of what the
Council calls "privacy”, shall remain anonymous.
< )ne accused received notice of his trial about one and one-half hours
befi re he was due to ap|>ear before the Council. Not much time to
pits ore "defense of his own choosing!" Another accused received }eas
than seven hours notice of his impending trial. Still not too much time
for n defense. One defendant discussed his case with a Council member
before the trial The member with this extraneous evidenc later eat in on
the trial. Biased? Possibly. Another Council member discussed with by
standers. the character of one who was yet to be indicted. Later at the
trial tiie accused was found guilty. Why did not this member disqualify
himself 0 Another accused was told that if he denied guilt he would be ex
pelled. hut if he pleaded guilty he might get a light sentence. Intimida
tion? Possibly.
The examples could be extended. There are similar instances. This
is not to debate the guilt or innocence of any accused. That is irrelevant
What is relevant is that many Mercer students now feel that a fair trial
could not be had before the Honor CounciL Students have lost respect for
the Council. This, most emphatically is the fault of the Council, not only
for committing the errors, but for allowing them to go uncorrected.
Granted the council has made progress in certain sectors in recant
years, the fact that the Council is unaware of many of the complainta
against it, the fact that the complaints are n^ade to me rather than to the
Council shows that the students do not have respect fo (the council and
that the Council is out of touch with the students.
The Council if it hopes to comet this situation must coma down to
earth and build a better image. If the Cluster can help the Council to
better fulfill Its functions in a “mature and responsible way" it will
gladly do so —LM s \'
BOB HURT
An Experimental College
“MAN—THE GREATEST UNDERDEVEL
OPED AREA IN THE WORLD—IS THE BA-
818 FOR A NEW EXPERIMENTAL COL
LEGE.” So begins a two-page news release from
the “New Experimental College” in Copenhagen,
Denmark.
The release goes on to describe a three semester
college that boasts, among other things, a faculty
—student ratio of one to eight and “descriptive
Certificates of Accomplishment . . ." in place of
grades. The college curriculum is to be decided
by the faculty and students whan they meet to
gether for the first time in the fall.
But perhaps the most interesting feature of
this unusual college is that it plans to include
in its international student body the college
drop-outs” who were “unwilling or unable to yield
to the social and academic status quo.” These
students, the rslaaae says, are these who are effo
>v>4 (OMkUnd •eadmicaUy qaalUML In addltiq
to the “uaiaapfaed er highly dftaaftflsd ‘goad
students” which the caEaga also hopes to attrast
Hie collage's prcpcssd objectives recognin
and offer an answer to om of the moat repeat^
criticisms of American higher education: that on
liberal aria college* toad to develop a mob of 4
ploma hunters instead of an intellectually inter
ested student body. Berausa of this tendsaq
many American students base bun— disgust*!
with their universities and, unfortunately, an
branded academic misfits or malcontents.
Perhaps such an educational experiment as of
fared by the Experimental Collage will pruvdfa
the answer, both for students who seek a bettg
academic climate, and to our coil egos which at
tempt to cultivate the intellect
- Letters
To The Editor -
Honor Council Replies
May 22. 1962
Editor
The Mercer Cluster
A very disturbing column or editorial (?) ap
peared in last week’s Cluster concerning the Honor
Council and the Honor System. In view of the
grave innuendoea and implications therein, a re
ply is mandatory—neither to defend the Honor
Council nor to justify the Honor Svstem, but to
correct the misleading and erroneous statements
which were made.
The writer stated that the first question to ask
is what the Honor Council is, and what it should
be. He had never been a defendant, witness, or ob
server at an Honor Council trial; he had never
attended (nor requested to attend) a business
meeting of the Council; he had never sought in
formation from the Council or ita faculty advisors;
and he apparently had not even bothered to read
Articles V and VI of the Student Constitution.
On some points he was uninformed, and on others
he was misinformed. He proceeded, nevertheless,
to provide inaccurate answers to his “first ques
tion.” and the result was damaging and unfair
criticism.
Had the writer taken the time to read the rele
vant articles in the Student Constitution (pages
34-37 in the Student Handbook), he would have
learned that the Honor Council is not a "some
thing" to promote honor—it is a body in which
has been vested the “judicial powers of the Stu
dent Government Association.” As such, it ia
charged with the responsibility of: (1) trying vio
lations of the Honor Code; (2) interpreting the
Student Constitution and Statutes; and (3) trying
impeachments of the officers of the SGA.
The author expressed a genuine and timely con
cern that honor should be promoted and unsuper-
vised integrity should be encouraged. Not nearly
enough has been done. Responsibility for those
things does not rest with the Honor Council, how
ever, but rather with a standing committee of the
Student Government Association. According to
Article VI (pp. 36-37 of the Student Handbook),
an Honor Committee, appointed by the SGA Pres*
ident should: (1) “sponsor a continuing educa
tional campaign for the perpetuation and develop
ment of the Honor System”; (2) “orient new stu
dents and faculty members to their responsibility
to the Honor System"; (3) “propose to the Senate
changes in the Honor System when it deems nec
essary”; (4) "provide a thorough explnnantion of
the Honor System for the Student Handbook”;
and (5) “provide each new student officer and
each new administrative officer with an explana
tion of the Honor System.” The Honor Council
cannot fairly bs charged with failing to perform
a function which properly belongs to some other
body.
A modi mom serious charge wee that the "mam-
hen, methods, motives and means" of the Honor
Council are not above reproach. Such a charge
is based on insufficient information or hearsay. If
it is not, if th* author has evidence of injustice, if
ha km— specific mamhen who am not qualified
to sane, if he ha* concrete and constructive sug-
gsstiosw for improvement, ha should by all means
present these things to the Council, jta advisors,
or the Student Senate The Hones* doss
not choose ha members, hut R oan and would kn-
peoah any of Its Makers If It were established by
sufficient evidence that such action was necessary.
Them was an unsubstantial (and debatable)
assertion that academic dishonesty is increasing,
but them was not a word of criticism of the viola
tors, not even a hint of indignation concerting
the violations (which wem wilful, flagrant, and *
continuous on the part of some persons). By so mi .
strange line of reasoning the Honor Council h *
blamed for the violations!
y
Furthermore, the Council ia charged with "m- **
forcing ita rules and convicting the violators, oh p
taming the convictions by any means—some lew "
than honorable”. It should be noted, however,
that; (1) the Council is not enforcing "its rules", '
for the Honor Code and the Honor System were *
devised by the Student Body itself; (2) the Coua- *
cil is supposed to oonvict violators and; (3) out si “
sixteen cases to come before the Council this year, J
there were only eleven conviction* in five of tba 3
cases (or one-third of the total) the accused war p
acquitted or the case was dismissed for lack si r
sufficient evidenc*. This is hardly the record of “
a body bent on conviction* "by any means" “
Another criticism contained in the column was *
that the Council moves in “mysterious ways . .. k
cloaking all with secrecy". But what am the facts? 11
1 Article* V and VI of the Student Constitute ■
which pertain to the Honor Council and the Hon- P
or System era printed in the Student Handbook -
2. A further explanation of the Honor System is A
printed on pegs 29 of the Student Handbook 1 •«
The orientation for freshmen each fall includes ?
a discussion of the Honor System. 4. Every ita- li
dent is required to mad and sign the Honor ''
Pledge. 5. The detailed case procedure (formulst- 11
ed by the Council and approved by the Sens!s "
of the SGA has been published in the Cluster *
(February 10, 1961 and January 12. 1982), aaf 11
is provided to each witness and to the accused 11
prior to trial. The case procedure should be pub- *
lished again in the Cluster. 8. Casas sue reported
in the Cluster, with names and detaik omitted. *'
Recent oases have not been reported in tbs
Cluster, but the reports have been fa the hands 11
of the Cluster staff for several its ska Publics tine “
has been delayed for good and various masons. b
No, it ia not a matter of mysterious secrecy. ?
fel
It is a very essential matter of privacy however. ~
Chit of considsration for witness aad srnusrl ths m
details of cases am supposed to be held in etrid J
confidence insofar as the Honor Council is cos-
ceraed. Surely the students do not wish to hsv*
the full details, Including the names of the persons 4
involved, printed ia th* campus newspaper. Surely fa
no one believes that open, public trials (perhaps «
on the Stage ia the chapel) would bo hotter this a
the privacy now afforded to the rrnwsi
Aa the Student Handbook states (p. 29), “Tin
Honor System piaoas p am mol responsibility fat
academic honesty upon the individual student"
Certainly the writer of last weak’s aitida was cor
met in his condusfon that every Mercerian abouM
tirink “not shout how to enforos or fo d—vs*
ths1 System, but about bow to develop mol boast
and integrity under the System . ..”
. Hs— fte—apteteto »o the rindssita. tbi
fsculiy, and the sftUftistsstiftn nontlisiml effort:
to fulfill Ms fractions ft 6 —turn aad maponsibb
Th# Hossot Council