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Mttcet duster
Cluster Forum
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VolurrM L
MERCER UNIVERSITY. MACON. GEORGIA, APRIL 29.1969
Number 16
Newly-elected SGA Officers: Bobby Potter President: Steve Carreker, Vice President;
and hzie Smith Secretary.
Jtffary Salter
Ed Bacon Receives Ovation
As Expression Of Gratitude
A banquet for the installation of the new SGA Senators and
Publications Editors was held on Tuesday night, April 15. when the
new officers took oaths of office and the new SGA President, Bobby
Potter, addressed those present.
Potter thanked bis supporters for
their help and dedication in his
recent campaign. He expressed
conviction that the problem of
communication among faculty^
administration and students can be
solved. He proposed to send minutes
of the meetings to all Senators and
seemed extremely confident of the
new CLUSTER, its editor and staft
Rotter pointed out what is to him
I division of the campus among
Greeks, other social groups, and the
no affiliated students, stating that
although only two days before he
had spoken as a Greek, he would now
tpcak for every student.
Potter pledged to be a strong
President and asked for united
up port The success of Mercer, he
stated, is "our" duty and it will need
each student 's personal dedication
Prior to this. James Edwin Bacon,
outgoing SGA President, reported
that there were at that moment 123
standing committees in the old
aAminiatrationi he remarked that this
had been a major critcism of his
administration In his address to the
group, Bacon said that for us here at
Mercer to develop a superior
community we mutt develop
oneness" arc must have unity, we
must refer to osueelves as 'We.”
Iwd the new
study of the library subscripnont
investment to tee what has been
fulfilled.
He pointed out that the
campus-wide Faculty Evaluation was
still underway, and he asked that the
SGA President be granted voting
membership in the University
Council. He asked that the new
Senate consider his request for full
involvement in matters associated
with curriculum, admissions,
guidance and athletics. He suggested
they decide whether ot not to
affiliate with a national or regional
organisation of student
Governments
Bacon pointed out the need of
legalising a way of assigning
membership on University
committees, for he has served on 12
working committees this year alone.
He commented on the by-laws which
will be formulated this quarter to
complement the present constitution
He suggested SGA Administration
co-ordination to deal with SMOGG
and the entire problem of Federal
Aid.
In relation to other campuses, he
pointed out. Mercer has been
relatively peaceful but is not immune
to riots and disruption Civil
disobedience in protest may be in our
future. Bacon said, and if problems
should arise, outside groups could
possibly come in and take over the
campus If Mercer were to approach
this condition. Bacon stated, it is the
(Continued on page 3)
Dr. Harris Reports
Federal Aid Needed
ilap BOW hi pngoa He asked fat
I mdmwtm n of a SmJeot Bill of
ights and Code ot Conduct, not
■vtag seen them in final form, but
bring been coowl ted upon several
rafts. He asked that the
hniajpmtioa endorse the paaMoa
■per ot the Student College Study
lt***Ag Committee and be felt the
uapectiut Committee of the SGA
Kmld be continued-
He referred to the Student
ai%itiry Review and wrested it be
riouaty nnditeehm. He reminded
lose present of the study of
■dent* (Bern and the question of
Punitive action against Mercer
University as a result of her trustees
^plying for federal granrs would
result in great damage to the
university and the Baptiat
denomination. President Rufus
Carrollton Harris told the Board of
Trustees at their meeting April 17.
In hit report. President Harris said.
“It is important which should be
expected if die Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools should be
forced by the (Georgia Baptist)
Convention to drop or roapervi
Mercer from membership."
The trustees approved a
SJ.711.312 budget foe 1469-70, an
increase of 7.2 percent over current
coats. Expenditures in the College of
Liberal Arts were budgeted at
S1.4J2.0I4. A dight raise
to public net. Alto he called hot
the budget, an inercaae made
necessary by modest salary mcreaaea
and higher costa of operation
President Harris and
The tuition increase for entering
freshmen will amount to $50 a
quarter in the College of Liberal Arts,
S30 a quarter in the Southern School
of Pharmacy and J25 a quarter in the
Walter F. George School of Law
Tuition in the College of Liberal Arts
for entering freshmen will be a $500
a quarter
All divisions of the university
operate on the guaranteed tuition
plan A student is guaranteed there
will be no change in his tuition
during the three to four years he is
working toward a degree
la discussing the relationship of
Mercer to her sponsoring body.
President Harris said. “When
controversial public and political
issues break out and press for
resolution . . there should be but
one concern, which is that
church-related colleges should be
qualified m all respects to make
genuine and substantial contributions
(Continued on Page 3)
SGA President Urges
Student Involvement
Praidtnt Hobart Pottar
One of the most discussed issues of
(his past week ws* that of
communication among that faculty,
the administration, and all students.
This problem will be solved, or at
least partially solved in the coming
year First, SGA Senate meeting will
be open and publicity announced
wet! in asd advanced Secondly, all
senators will be sent minutes of the
the previous Sga meeting and an
agenda of the upcoming meeting. In
this way. not only will each senator
be better informed, but more
students will have access to these
minutes. Thirdly, the new Cluster
and its staff officers a vast potential
as a mode of communication among
the SGA and all students, faculty,
administration, and even alumni.
Committee reports can be published
weekly as well as faculty and student
position papers.
Concerning the student
representaion. the executive
committee of the SGA will select
committee members by applications
These appointments will be made
from members of the Senate first,
then from others who have applied.
All comittees will be balanced in an
attempt to include the various areas
if university life in all SGA actions.
Applications wilt be made available
to all students and all will be urged to
respond.
I will not attempt at this time to
outline specific goals of the SGA in
the coming year This is the objective
of the WavcHy Conference to be held
immediately after graduation in
June • Between then and now
preliminary objectives will be
examined in order to advance
discussion at Waverly. Also, every
attempt will be made through the
Senate to discuss all student
problems and concern* that might be a |
h an fled at Waverly. This conference
can be the very foundation of the
new SGA for it will determine the
direction of next year's student
actions. An effective student, faculty,
and administration croca-section will
provide this direction.
We will work to carry out all
objectives oudined in Waverly. This
action will be checked and rechccked
by the Excuetive Committee.
Perspective Committee (established
this year expressly for that purpose),
and by the student body. The SGA
welcomes ail advice and constructive
critcism by every student.
V. P. StBvt Carreker
There is much do be done and
time is precious. Our decisions must
be wise, our actions, swift and
efficient. To do as much as possible
in the coming year we must use aJI
the potential leadership and ability of
the Senate and the Student Body
A first step will be^ to broaden the
communications between the faculty,
administration, and student body.
They must be so broadened as to do
away with the apathy, to interest
more students in the Senate and to
encourage more action by senators
Only through fostered relationships
among the three areas on campus can
these communications be made.
Much work needs to be done in
the relationships among students. We
need to do away with all the differing
interest groups and come together as
a more united body with better ideas,
efforts, and energy, and
consequently. more
accomplishments
After concentration on
communications we can better solve
the large problems of the budget,
cafeteria, and curriculum. 1 will strive
to keep our Senate a firm
government, rooted in the new
constitution, and at the same time
make it flexible enough to turn
problem confrontation and student
demand into resolutions and actions
SGA Sec’ty Izzie Smith
Prior to being elected to this office
I gave little thought to an established
platform on which to run. This is not
to say that I feel as
Sec re t a ry Treasurer my only
responsibilities are to call roll, read
minutes, and post notices of future
meetings. These dudes are necessary
and I intend to get them done, but I
feel that my major
responsibilities are to the interests of
Mercer students as a member of the
Student Government Senate and the
executive committee.
As I said, I established no platform
but 1 do have specific areas of
interest. These include the Food
Services Committee (hopefully to
become a Budgetary Review Board),
the proper function of the RWGA on
our campus, and the aim for
increased participation in Srudent
Government Activities through better
communication between the SGA
and the student.
These areas may seem small when
considering such major issues as
"Student Power" but I feel that our
SGA should reach every student on
campus and this can only be done
through contact in all areas.
I am excited about the prospects
of our SGA and the Mercer
community in the coming year.
Tremendous goals have been set for
us and there are no reasons to expect
failure in reaching these goals and
many more.
Fre$hmen Advrsof
Tommv Maddox
To suddenly find oneself faced
with the responsibility of introducing
500 plus Freshmen to college life as
students at McrceT is like opening
packages on Christmas morning, you
just don’t know where to start
In light of the broadening scope of
student interest and action.
Orientation 1969 will be directed
toward not only the necessities of
academic rules and student
regulations, but also toward giving
the student an insight into
discovering what being a "true
Tommy Miuhiox
student" in today’s university can
mean With the help of Mls*. Patti
Ann Richey, newly appointed
coadvisor for freshmen Women, we
hope to present to ihe I reshmen of
1969 an introductory encounter with
every aspect of student life at Me.cer.
Presentations on academics. Honor
System, and social life arc being
planned along with introductions to
campus world problems student
thought and act on
student community encounters inn
tt> the personal independence that in
a part of collegiate life
Working with the lit. and the
Pan Hellenic Council we hope to
encourage plans tor rush convenient
for those involved in rush and also id
those not involved
l have a great deal of confidence
that with your help as a student body
we can do a reputable job in
orienting and guiding the freshmen of
1969
RWGA Pm Dori Riptov
My prime concern as
President is to promote a
concern among women students
to the responsibilities of RWGA,
to develop the full potential of
women, and to awaken women
to all the possibilities open to
them. Our real challenge lies in
tryii^ to figure out how we
(Coarinued on page 3)
Representing the Young Americans For Freedom. Sam
Dixon speaks to the Open Forum on Tuesday, April 15.
