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UNIVERSITY, MACON, GEORGIA MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1989 Mercer students protest possible calendar change By TAMMI ROBINSON “The Administration that stole Six Weeks!*’, “We want Coomer!” and “We have a voice, give us the choice!”, were the slogans Mercer University students chanted during a protest that oc- cured Monday, Oct. 30, in the quadrangle in front of the ad' ministration building. The protest decision concerning the new fall quarter calendar which if adopted will eliminate the current six week break. The protest organized by Sarah Cambridge, Jason Poole, Greg Long, Kim Puckett, and James Lamb was an effort to let the ad- ministration hear from the students their displeasure concerning the calendar change. From ten o'clock until four, hundreds of students gathered in the guadrangle during the course of the day. chanting, holding up signs and showing sup port between classes. The protest also gained attention from televi sion news station. At the protest, many students felt the same way as Kim Puckett, Sophomore. “We'nr hoping the ad ministration will listen to the students and then maybe it will stop them from jumping to decisions without consulting us. It's not an issue of vacation, it's an issue of student voice." Ruby Fowler, Senior, said, "I’m not here necessarily because it will change the Administration's deci sion. I'm here because I think it's important for me to express my distaste for the way the Administra tion makes many of it's decisions. She continued. “As a parent. 1 think it's important for me to set an example for my children. 1 have to be consistent in expressing my opi- Continued on page 3 Calendar change passes committee 7-6 By JAROME GEAUTREAUX On Oct 27. the Academic Calen dar Committee convened to vote on the proposal to change the existing fall quarter system. Presently, lall quarter begins in early September and ends before Thanksgiving. The new system would require students to begin classes in late September, break for a 'ong Thanksgiving weekend, and return for exams bet ween Thanksgiving and Christmas. This change would mean the end of the six week Christmas break. This decision reached by the Calendar committee precipitated a student- faculty protest in front of the Ad ministration building on Monday, Oct. 30. The Committee voted seven to six in favor of the new fall quarter system. The minutes of the meeting do not reflect the votes of each committee member. However, sources indicate that those members voting for the change in cluded Andrew Deile-Business school faculty, Peggy DeBosc- special assistant to Dr. Coomer. Continued on page 11 Channel 41 interviews students during Forum held to discuss semester proposal By DREW NORD Wednesday night in the Trustee’s Dining Room. eight representatives of Mercer's facul ty and administration met with students in an open forum to discuss the proposed change from the present quarter system to a semester system. Representing faculty and administration were Dr. Siege of the College of Liberal Am, Dean Joiner of the Business School, Dr. Coomer: vice- president of academic affairs. Dean Kelley of the School of Engineer ing. Bill Miller: vice-president of enrollment management. Bobby Pope: athletic director. Dean Jenkins: director of student affairs, and conch Sighted of the basketball team. With approximately 100-150 students present, the proceedings got underway with each represen tative stating his department's posi tion on the proposed change. Dr. Siege commented that (here is a new requirement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secon dary Schools that all schools belonging to this organization must conduct an assessment program. Siege added that “as a result of this requirement, the college (Liberal Am) is ita the process of re evaluating its goals." Siege ex plained that following a poll of the deans of the College of Liberal Am, the deans said that "we prefer in the midst of this process of assessment, that we not have a ma jor interuption occasioned by a change to a semester program.” Siege, justifing his remarks, stated that this change “would be a massive undertaking " However, the College of Liberal Arts has not reached an official position on this proposed change yet. Dean Joiner expressed a similar statement say ing “we have not determined a final position in the business school yet either, but we are meeting Fri day hopefully to be able to do that." Joiner also commented that the majority of the faculty of the business school feels that "we should carefully think this through and make sure we have touched all the bases.” Dr. Coomer. vice- president of academic affairs, ex pressed his support for a change stating that officials in other univer sities such as Emory "discovered that httre was a great reduction in academic stress" by changing to a semester system. Coomer added that “the major questions among the deans at this point is not whether or not we should go to a semester system, but when." Dean Kelley of the Engineering School expressed that as a teacher he “would love to move to the semester system" explaining that a semester system would smooth out the teaching process enabling the teacher to spend more time with the material. However. Kelley stated that “from a student's perspective. I’m not sure I would agree. " As far as the view of the Engineering School. Kelley said that after a vocal vote, “the School of Engineering very' much wanted to go to a semester system." Bill Miller, vice-president of enroll ment management, expressed a strong desire to change to a semester program saying, "I'd like to do it tommorow if 1 could figure out a way to do it." Miller stated his opinion is based on the fact that the semester system in his words "is a stronger academic program" and that "management-wise, it is much easier to manage a semester system.” Bobby Pope, athletic director for Mercer, showed sup port for the semester system stating that since athletic competition may not begin until classes start, the semester system would be better "because it gives us an opportum- Cootinued on page II