Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2-THE CLUSTER, NOVEMBER U, UM
Editorials
Notes on Prelapsarian Mercer
By Charles R. Jt
I can retnemoer a time (quite
misty quite foggy) when the major
concern oo campus was whether or
not the Playboy photographer
would be here. And, I can
remember other good times as
well, but the purpose of this
editorial reflection is not some
starlit remetnherance of things past;
rather. I found myself faced with
a dclimma.
I feel that I have received perhaps
the best education I could have,
considering my mind-set in 1986
and the opportunities Mercer
presented to me. But. alas, the
problem—would 1 suggest 1990
Mercer to a high school senior as
a place of learning? My loyalties to
campus and faculty friends argue,
'yes.' My gut response is. no.
What happened between 1986
and 1989?
Simply this: Mercer redefined
itself.
Mercer has chosen to drop
“university" in the place of "cor
poration." The administration
seems to have lost its concern for
rfiy ywAarmr ffl-
apart (excuse me', CLA classrooms
are (ailing apatt.) Ok can't help
but notice that the professors are
dissatisfied. Students aren't just ig
nored but publically humiliated.
("Well, students, do you want A
or B. You want A? Well, you're
still children and don't know what's
best for you. Take your medicine,
and we’ll choose B for you.") And
what happened to the Mercer Ar
tists Series? What happened to the
various lectures that Mercer once
spnsored. such as the short-lived
"How 1 See" America" series?
They're gone, of course, and I'm
'told the reason is “financial ex-
ingiency."
Yet something is rotten in Den
mark. I sec money (From where?)
shovelled out for glossy advertise
ment spreads, oo some Ethan Alien
Ad-miss office, oo a flashy Miami
Vice library, while ceiling tiles-
drop like Damodetian swords in
Knight Hall and library shelves re
main empty. All this with that
grand reaped both students and
faculty receive? What's the deal
here? If the students are so impor
tant that 1ST is spent oo coaxing
them in, why ignore them once
they get here? If education is the
product to sdl. why ignore the pro
duct in the first place?
Dr. Casa mentioned in his SGA-
sponsored Last Chance Lecture that
of 103 professors polled, 54 would
leave if offered a position in
another school. But don't just stop
there. I know of others, people I
consider my friends, who are ac
tively trying to leave. Others seem
to hate their jobs. How am 1 sup
posed to interpret this?
With such an atmosphere created
better to the Letter
Dear Edaor-in-Chicf,
I was completely dismayed by
the slanted views presesaed by your
paper oo November 6. 1989. Your
article concerning the organized
student protest of October 30 gave
extensive airing of only ok side of
the issue over the rescheduling of
Fall Quarter. What were the ad
ministration's reasons for propos
ing the change in the
Was it simply to rtimfnatr die need
for staff members to work during
the Labor Day weekend as Jarome
Gesutreanx’t article indicates ’ Or
mm it, at Mr. David Lee Rushano'i
letter asserts, so keep Mercer
students from "seeing home much
fun their fhcads are having" at
other schools?
If the dectsam was based solely
on enber ot these two expiaoMxms,
thee I wiS be glad to joia ■ dae pro
test. But, as a normal thinking
■ of Mercer, I
am sure that they will survive.
After bemg am tea campus for
I
them. Apartheid,
drug wars, star
wan. Tiananmen Square - all drew
yawns from the sleepy student
body. But kick them in their vaca
tions, boy. and wadi bow fast they
come to!
Mr. Rusbton says, "most
students work-to pay for a portion
of their education here at Mercer "
Mr. Rushson must be including the
coat of condoms and car washes as
educational expenses. If money for
education is an issue, consider that
a married veteran who relies an die
G.I. Bill for assistance can lose
over $660 during the six-week
Thanksgiving break. By reducing
the break to two weeks (or any
reduction dal brings the break
under 30 days) that same veteran
retains his or her full entitlement
Why. Madame Editor, has your
paper not picked up on das?
Your own editorial asks, "is d
fair to mampulam a system that
they’ve (dse students) grown ac
customed to...?” 1 believe you
have hit the heart of da students
bum. In diis age at
any type of
rhugr vie
flirt attitude, especially when die
by ignoring both the voice of the
faculty and the student body, the
administration can only he seen as
in a direct conflict with the educa
tional program as a whole. Just
what is the administration trying to
change? Changer Mercer from a
university dirdK—teH to education or
to a corporation dedicated to what?
Trying to sell some empty but
highly fashionable bauble? (Images
of Jesus' denouncement of /white
washed tombs comes to mind.)
True, education means more than
academics (professors and books).
One can’t neglect a social educa
tion. Well, then, where’s the
Mercer Artists Series? What hap
pened to the school that could pro
mise me such public figures as Ab-
bie Hoffman or Sloane Coffin,
literary figures such as Dereck
Walcott? Meeting Sonia Sanchez
has been one of the highlights of
my education here. Are such op
portunities being offered to in
coming freshmen? No. With the
administration devaluating the
academic program, neglecting the
artistic and social aspects of an
education (and thereby neglecting
the as wdJ). the only thing
left to do is drink. My, but that's
a swell imfrgc to project. -
And that’s what seems to be of
utmost importance now—the great
god. Image. Let’s see flashy pic
tures of obscure scenes of the
Mercer campus. But let's don't
look at the ceiling in Knight Hall.
Let's don't look at the library
shelves. Let’s don’t announce the
faculty dissatisfaction, and for
God's sake, let's don't let prospec
tive! in on what students will find
once they get here. And after we
have spent all that money (from
where) on advertising, let's spend
some more (from where) on
redecorating the Ad-miss office.
We simply gotta impress someooe.
Instead of writing checks to
Ethan Allen, perhaps the ad
ministration should consider diver
ting those funds to the faculty to
make them want to say and to
bring in others. (Before that, a lit
tle respect is called for. What, after
all. does respect cost?) Instead of
shiny new (yet curiously empty)
buildings, can we repair the old
ones. Le., the classrooms? Can we
pay more attention to offering a
better atmosphere for social
development for those in-coming
freshmen we have paid so hand
somely to enroll? And here's a
novel idea: perhaps we should
place one concern for the students
who are already here, instead of
concentrating on how to bring in
new ones. Or is that too much to
Mk?
If OK wxnu to drew in students,
l crake i compenuve, even CO-
Wi i{| w
I know that the end of the quarter is streaxfol, bat tblo I* carrying
it a little too for. Someone's stuffed animal falls prey to a poat-flnal
anxiety attack.
Rather than bore you with another editorial, I decided that
I'd simply wish you all Good Luck on your exams. Since this
will be the last issue, I also want to wish everyone a happy and
safe Thanksgiving and Christinas break!
Heather Kimble
Rick Lowe
« rm s
PWn by Mktuaei Lahe/Chuler