Newspaper Page Text
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THE
MERCER CLUSTER
"The Pacesetter of the Seventies
Volume Lll
Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, February 16, 1971
No. 13
SGA senate delves into
housing problems with
men’s conselor Sparks
Following a heated discussion
last week on open dorms, the
SGA elected Senior Senator
George Leske to act as a liason
between the senate and housing
director, Joe Sparks to attempt
to find a solution to problems
surrounding visitation hours in
the men’s dormitories.
Sparks told the Senate that -
the Administration is open to
listening to any proposals the
senate may have on open
dorms, “but I don’t think you
(Senate) represent the majority
of students and I don't think the
students want 24 hour open
dorms or even an extension of
the pi'esent hours.
Sparks spoke to the SGA in an
attempt to «*c*te ideas for
keeping the dorms open and yet
satisfy everyone, including
those who want different hours
Director of Housing Joe Sparks appears hared wKh proceedings at
last Monday's SGA meeting. Mr. Sparks was asked to ghre the
Senators information on the possibility of better open dorm hours.
(Photo by, Chuck Jachsoq.) \ •
Librarian estimates $15,000
lost due to stolen books
Over 1,000 books have been
stolen from the Mercer library
according to Mr. Daniel L.
Metts, University librarian.
This amounts to a monetary
loss of around $15,000.
Metts said, “Psychology,
medicine, and sex books tend to
walk out more, than they cir
culate.’’
Books from education,
religion, philosophy, sociology,
political science, and library
management are especially
difficult to keep on the shelves,
and according to Mr. Metts,
black studies books “are
notoious" for being stolen.
Of the some 1250 volumes
missing, over 100 are in thejleld
of education, and ap
proximately 250 in English
literature.
Mr. Metts. when asked why
books are being stolen, said that
“People take them just because
they think it’s too much trouble
to check them out.” He also
added that the library staff feels
thfiTVome are going out the
windows. He feels that some
books are being- stolen by
Mercer students tut believes
that a portion are stolen by
others.
A recently completed thes s
estimates from a questiooai; e
sent to 064 colleges wi.h
enrollment-of less than 5,000
that on the average these
colleges lose each year about
one volume for every five
students, every 100 circulation,
and every 125 volumes. Mer
cer’s circulation Has bgj»n
running between 35,000 and
45.000 over the past three years
The volume copnt is now
roughly 120.000. Mr. Metts said,
“It would appear that our losses
are probably high in com
parison with most colleges of
under 5,000 enrollment, though
not necessarily in comparison
with our own enrollment.”
In order to protect these
books, several systems have
been considered, among them
various types of magnetic-
electronic anti-theft systems or
full-time checkers.
Checkers are not considered
very effective however, and
hiring them would cost the
library $7,000 per year. The
• various magnetic-electronic
systems would cost ap
proximately 7 to 9,000 dollars,
but if effective would prevent
the *
by Chock Jackson
and those who don’t desire
visitation privilages at all.
Setting up dorran with dif
ferent hours has been proposed
as a solution to the problem he
said, however some men don’t
want the open dorms at all.
“I think we will have halls
with no visitation hours, he said.
“However, peer group pressure
may result in only four people
living on such a hall.” He
pointed out that some student*
would undoubtedly sneer at
such people and stereotype
them as queer. He saU he felt
the only adequate way to
determine a policy on open
dorms would be to cooduct a
survey.
Sparks also noted that at
various administrative council
meetings open dorms had been
termed success as they are
operating now. However, "we
have had a few more violations
than we would like. Right now, 1
would be against extending the
hours,” he said.
Tension on the open dorm
question seemed to center
around a change in the hours
which the dorms are kepi open.
Paul Howell, freshman ad
visor pointed out that the
university requires all students
to live on campus until they are
21 years of age and said he felt
that if there was no chance of
changing this rule, students
should be extended the same
rights as if they were living off
campus. •
Sparks said he felt the
university’s rule about on
campus living was “rinky-
dink", but said the reasons were
mainly economic. "Keeping
people in the dorms pays for the
dorms," he explained.
He said that the same
argument had been used to open
the dorms last year.
The senate noted that as the
university policy stands now,
students can be charged more
for a dormitory room than for
an off campus apartment and
yet, if they are under at and
desire to come to Mercer they
have no alternative.
Howell said the real problem
now is that the students want
more than the administration is
Coat, on Page I.
AWS conducts new
Wednesday classes
The AWS is offering three
Wonderful Wednesday classes
this quarter. They are courses
in exercise, decoupsge. and
wine and food. The classes will
meet every Wednesday and are
open to all members of the
Mercer community.
The “Wine and Food” course
is a connoisseur class conducted
by Mr. Tony Stansfleld.
"Decoupage," an art .ap
plique technique involving
painting and collage, is being
taught by Andrea Frost.
Dori Brenner and Dianne
Lister are directing a fitness
exercise course
Courses to be offered Spring
quarter are now being planned.
Two have already been an
nounced and suggestions ire
being accepted for others.
"Nuts and Botta," a practical
home repair, course and ad
vanced decoupage a con
tinuation of the present course,
will be offered next quarter.
Ann Pope, president of AWS,
says, “Each of these classes'
was designed to meet specific
needs or desires of Mercertans
and. although aimed primarily
at women, are open U> the entire
Mercer community . 1 '
;Acr£omtt0>
Q--1 have been plaenlag to write you ter a tong time, but since
1 did not I have several questions to ask.
a (-First of ill. 1 have cut this article out of the II of F- Alligator
as s simple .uggetUon, I know the Deer Abbey’ ind (.osolp
columns are too "high tchooUlh” to hove much significance for
the Cl os ter. but I wish there were a few more comics or
"lighter” typo articles. Do you understood what I mean? The
other cut-out la .something which runs ta quite a few local
papers. Is there os way we could hove them is the Cluster too?
bl-geeoudly. 1 wonder why the plug pong tables hove oot heeo
made available to all students. Certainly, the.peol room tan t the
place for them. 1s there do other place for them in the Student
Center? ' / .. . .
c)-Thirdly. I wonder why Wednesday hot breakfasts cannot he
served trim, possibly 7:00 or 7:M to 8:30. I realise that L. taw
students heed to hove theirs before 8:00. hut stare on Sot. ano
Sun. the line ta open until 8: JO. can’t Wed. be included in such a
schedule?
Thank you for your time and I do neceaaarily aak that these be
put in the Clutter. I’m Jukt aaklng for Information. L.F.
(sophomore)
A-Bcfore 1 begin to answer this bumongoua question, 1 have to
commend the young lady who sent It, ‘cause its one of the best
questions I’ve received and at the same time ! would say an
excellent suggestion for the Cluster.
I had a talk with our editor why replied, We have been
wanting to run Classified ads, but there ta do one to do it”, Well,
that sort of left me puzzled ’cause 1 personally liked the ideaof
running such ads, but. Was 1 witling to give the tune myself ?
After speculating the isaue, I eventually said, “Hell! Why not
so aa you must have noticed in the previous issue of the Cluster,
an ad was run stating, "ACTION UNE-The Ouster is now ac
cepting Classified ads. Send ad copy to Action Man Pervaiz
Peter Box 29. Student rates are 50 cents a column inch ” , but
Cant, on P»«c 2