The Mercer Cluster. (Macon, Ga.) 1920-current, February 20, 1990, Image 1
VOt UME 72, NUMBER 10
MERCER UNIVERSITY, MACON, GEORGIA
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1990
Students join faculty to protest Administration
By Tobie Gass
Th; ongoing faculty protests
against the Administration con
tinued on Wednesday. February 14.
This time, however, the faculty
received support from several
students. At 1:20 the march bega
and as time passed the number
protesters became larger. By 1:30,
the faculty and student protesters
numbered approximately 150.
tacuity, wearing academic robes,
and the students wearing black
armbands, carried signs and circl
ed jhbc Administration building
picketing what thejrbclicrr to be
the injustices of the current
administration.
Protesting alone since the
Christmas break, the faculty was
glad to receive the support of the
students. Dr. G. Richardson said
that he “was heartened to see
students taking advantage of their
academic freedom—to protest or
not to protest." Dr. Glennon felt
that the students joining the protest
show the Administration that
“generations to come do not like
what is happening to the Universi
ty cither." The prevailing senti
ment among the faculty was that,
by adding their voices to the pro
test, students were doing the right
thing.
The student protest was organiz
ed by the newly formed “Student
Activist Committee." The protest
was in the works for about one and
a half weeks. The fliers and posters
around the student center were a
product of this committee. The
group has met to discuss goals and
the best way to get their message
across. The result is a list of
twenty-seven grievances "in die
tradition Martin Luther's Nin
Five Theses. ’
elude a concert
ministration has s
for the voice of tJ
that the Ad-
»wn no respect
student body,
to the
and
the quality
concerns of the
seriously
a Mercer education. The group
plans to continue the pressure one
step at a time until they are heard.
Two students offered very strong
opinions. Freshman Willie Banks
believes "the administration has
forgotten the true traditions and
values of Mercer—students and
faculty." Sophomore Lisa
Treadwell says"it is time for him
(President God sc y) to leave."
Although there was a big student
turnout Wednesday, it is as Dr.
Weintraut slated "this will only be
work if the students do it every
day—a one day demonstration will
be ineffective."
The Administration has issued
Wednesday, approximately 150 students and faculty members joined together in protest of the Administra
tion and the Board of Trustees. **
the following statemcn: to the
Cluster:
Statement for the Mercer Cluster
The University respects and
defends freedom of speech and
academic frcc^pm. We recognize
the rights of our students and facul
ty to voice their opinions.
day's demonstration was an expres
sion of those rights.
President Godscy and four vice
presidents of the University spent
considerable time Wednesday night
on the lawn in front of the Ad
ministration Building, talking with
several of the students and listen
ing to their concerns. The President
is working arrange an open
forum with the students to discuss
their concerns further
John M. Womblc,
Vice President for
University Relations
and Development
Psychology Department Recruiting Students to Mercer
By DREW NORD
Recently, faculty members from
the department of psychology along
with several Mercer students call
ed all prospective students who had
applied to Mercer and expressed
and expressed an interest in
psychology. These calls, according
to Dr. Rich Metzger, chair of the
Psychology majors, as well as.
other students to Mercer. Metzger
stressed that "the faculty is pretty
visible when we are trying to make
a complaint, but what's not so visi-
ble is the other things that we are
doing to insure the Mercer sur-
vives.** Metzger added that the
calls to the prospective students
were a joint effort between the
psychology department and Bill
Miller and Tommy Eiland of the
admissions office. Metzger added
that “all the activities thai the facul
ty should be engaged in arc conti
nuing here."
The prospective students were
each sent a letter providing infor
mation on the psychology depart
menl. These letters were followed
by this telephone call from cither
a psychology professor or a Mercer
student majoring in psychology
These calls served as an opportune
ty for the prospective students to
ask questions about Mercer and the
psychology department in par
ticular. Metzger stated that “out of
70 people the psychology depart
ment spoke to. no one asked any
questions concerning Mercer's
financial situation. Metzger also
said that the psychology department
is following up on those students
expressing an interest by further
phone calls and letters. Metzger
said that although most of the
students contacted claimed to be in
tended psychology majors, only
10% of students go on to declare
their intended course of study as
their major. According to Metzger,
the success that personal contact,
phone calls, has over pure mail
contact was a key factor in the
department's decision to execute
these recruiting efforts. No target
GFA or SAT was factored into this
recruiting process Metzger staled
that all interested students were
contacted and that in the near
Mercer student. Mark C. Bethel,
died Sunday. Feb. 18. Although
specific information regarding
Bethel's death is unavailable at this
tune, it is known that his death was
accidental. Bethel was a Freshman
from Freeport. Bahamas. He was
future, all students still in Mercer's
applicant pool will be contacted by
the psychology department in its
continuing effort to aid in recruiting
new students
a pledge of Alpha Tau Omega
Fraternity. Ihe brothers and
pledges of Alpha Tau Omega held
a memorial service for Bethel on
Tuesday, Feb. 20 at II a m. in
Newton Chapel.
Accident claims life of
Mercer student, Bethel