Newspaper Page Text
THE CLUSTER, APRIL 7, IMP-PAGE 3
Uncertain future
to assume the worse cue scenario
and look for another job."
Kay Carr had originally come to
Mercer because she liked the idea
of a small liberal arts college. In
her words, she wanted to start off
at a liberal arts school because that
wu what she knew best. The
graduate of Illinois' Knox College
wanted to begin her career by con
centrating on teaching u opposed
to the strenuous demands of the
history- profession. The SIU
History department, to wheih she
will soon be a member, is home to
fifteen faculty and will ask her to
focus more on publishing.
While Dr. Carr does admit that
Declaration
ey."
This example is especially perti
nent in that it implies the Univer
sity's authority to declare exigen
cy in individual colleges and
schools rather than being restricted
to only declaring exigency in the
event that the survival of the
University as a whole is in
jeopardy.
A declaration of exigency is the
educational world's version of the
business world's “chapter 11" or
bankruptcy. Wtaji n»igrtrf^is
declared the University frees itself
from many of its awn regulations
and may break contacts by firing
tenured faculty, fonexample.
One major difference between
bankruptcy and thfe traditional
definition of exigency is that ex-
*‘anybody without tenure is pro
bably always thinking about look
ing at other places." she feels that
in this situation, "the fact that
nothing definite is happening is the
worse thing that can happen—
ambiguity over the future of the
Liberal Arts College makes people
assume it won’t be that good."
As to the effect of the events of
the past few months. Dr. Carr feels
that the uncertainty of the future of
the institution reaches beyond the
faculty to the students. "The
students will not know which
teachers will be back, what pro
grams will be around or if some
classes will survive."
Continued from page 1
igency is declared after consultation
with a committee of faculty
representatives and that faculty are
also involed in decisions on the
nature and implementation of the
financial remedies.
So far there has been no such
faculty representation in the finan
cial or faculty employment deci
sions. Corrinne Houpt's letter im
plies that a declaration of exigen
cy is possible if not probable. If
such a declaration is made without
faculty participation it will be in
direct contradiction to the AAUP.
The university maintains the
right to the interpretation of AAUP
guidelines, but the administrative
power to declare exigency has
never been officially stipulated.
In Dr. Carr's opinion, the
faculty-University Administration
relationship right now is strained,
and that has aided her in her deci
sion to go back to Illinois. "Who
warns to work in a place that is
fraught with unaolvable divisions?"
She feels that Mercer will be go
ing through a lot of changes in the
next few years. "It's going to be
different than what I would have
expected when I came here—higher
student/teacher ratios and less
research opportunities. That is a
different place from what I had ex
pected."
As to her feelings about leaving.
Dr. Carr has mixed emotions. "On
the one hand, when you make this
sort of decision you feel somewhat
guilty about jumping off the
possibly sinking ship. My leaving
does not help this institution except
in a very roundabout way because
now they don’t have to pay my
salary. My leaving will hurt the
department because it means one
less person. It will hurt the students
because there will be fewer classes
that they can take in their quest for
liberal education. That makes me
feel guilty. On. the other hand I
won’t walk away feeling totally
guilty. I'm the lucky one, this job
is an opportunity for me in the pro
fession of History."
"I hope that I'm not just the first
of many to leave, but my fears arc
that 1 am. If not this year, then next
year."
Last week a story in the Macon
Telegraph reported that the Univer
sity attorney has not ruled out the
possibility that the Trustees may
declare financial exigency. If this
is the case, tenured as well as non-
tenured faculty will be in danger of
being fired in order to relieve the
financial burdens of the institution.
CLASSIFIEDS
(<RFFK AFFAIRS
Looking lor a fraternity,
sorority or student orgaaiiadon
that would like to make
5500-51000 dollars lor a one
week on-campus marketing pro
ject. Must be organized and bard
working. Call Jill or Corine at
1-800-592-2121.
FOR RENT
EFFICIENCY
APARTMENT
Very nice furnished
efficiency apartment,
two blocks from
Mercer. Just off College
Street. Perfect for
student. Phone
743-0066.
Memories '89
Memories Photography
3670 Eisenhower Pltwy.
Phone 701-7635
Portfolios
Glamour
Portraits
Weddings
SGA Speaks
On elections
By SHAWN LANIER
SGA President
In the coming weeks, the Student Government Association will
be even more active and busy than usual. On Thursday. April 13.
SGA's spring elections will be taking place. All students regardless
of age, sex, or race, are qualified to run for class senate positions
and senator-at-large positions provided that they meet the standards
for sophomore, junior and senior status. I encourage anyone in
terested in serving on SGA to participate, for we do need a very
diverse and dedicated group of Senators. Campaigning for all can
didates will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 9 and will con
tinue through election day on the 13th. Last year's spring election
brought over 700 people to the polls and hopefully this year we
will have at least 1000 people exercising their power to vote. It
is important to take one minute out of your schedule on April 13
to vote for the candidates of your choice. Investigate the qualifica
tions of those seeking ofTice and ask them about what they plan
to do if elected. Make sure that your interests and concerns are
represented with unselfishness and integrity — differentiate bet
ween the wild promises and pledges of the campaign rush and the
candidate's actual committment and dedication to serving you and
Mercer University. Please make educated, responsible, and mature
decisions.
Another issue that I wish to bring to your attention relates to
student representation on the Board of Trustees. Mercer Univer
sity and its Board of Trustees have no direct input and communica
tion with its undergraduate, graduate, and professional student
populations. We are far behind other colleges and universities in
this category, students! Most academic institutions in the U.S. have
some form of student representation and structure varies from
school to school. Well, then, whose fault is this and what should
we do to remedy this significant communication gap? Well^ first
of all. the fault, if there is any. should lie with the students and
their representatives. We have never asked for any type of represen
tation and direct input on the Board of Trustees and have never
attempted to initiate any type of action or movement to create stu
dent representation until this past year. I, along with Lynn Creech,
have discussed this subject with Dr. Godscy and several other ad
ministrators over the past year or so and have made quite a bit of
progress. No one can deny, or has denied, that there is a lack of
student representation on the Board of Trustees, nor has anyone
attempted to stop our investigations into this possibility. With the
hopes of Dr. Godsey approving and endorsing our proposal for
student representation on the Board of Trustees and with the sup
port and encouragement of Dr. Barry Jenkins, 1 am very optimistic
about our chances of acquiring some form of representation on the
Board. My Student Life Committee Proposal recommends that
all undergraduate, graduate, and professional student bodies on both
the Macon and Atlanta campuses be represented equally by hav
ing the respective SGA Presidents serve on the Student Life Com
mittee. Additionally, the proposal calls for three trustees to serve
on this committee with one of the trustee members being the
chairperson of the Board of Trustees. 1 have suggested that this
Student Life Committee meet once per quarter with each SGA
President representing his/her respective school or college (s).(pach^,
SGA President will be soley responsible for relaying the accurate
information back to their respective SGA's and student bodies pro
mptly and effectively. Dr. Godsey will be reviewing and examin
ing the details of this proposal over the next couple of weeks mak
ing his suggestions and amendments. On Friday, April 21 the pro
posal will be presented to the full Board of Trustees for discussion
and vote. 1 can only hope that this proposal will pass, for this is
certainly essential and vital to all of Mercer's student population.
We need and deserve a strong, direct, and representative voice in
the governance of our University. Please be assured that I will keep
you informed of the proposal s progress. 1 welcome any inquiries!
presents
-An Interlude of Deadly Silence"
ApriIS. 1988
Proceeds 9010 Sunday 230 pm.
Botptce ol Central Georgia Admiwion $8 00
