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PAGE 2-THE CLUSTER, ARPIL 2#, 1990 Editorials —Re: The State of the University- Dear Mr. President. Trustees. Teachers. Editor. A Director: I write to you as an alumnus of #the University on a subject about which I know you care. I hope you will read and listen to someone who remains proud of his university, but who has become profoundly disturbed by the actions and deci sions of those charged with its care, its future, and a history that belongs to all of us. I firmly believe that the University belongs to all of us. that it is a special institution that was founded and continues to exist for the benefit of a community That it is a living, organic thing, and as such, can be injured and can die. The Romans and—by bequest of history—the lawyers have a term for it: res umversiiatts. Black's Law Dictionary defines res uni ver sions as: Things belonging to a communi ty, the use and enjoyment of which, according to their proper purpose, is free to every member of the com munity, but which cannot be ap propriated to the exclusive use of from law school in 1979. My ex perience with the administration of that university stands in stark con trast to the ominous activities at Mercer these past few years. Shortly after I graduated from Mercer in 1976, the University cn* barked on an unprecedented cam paign of growth. Like many. I greeted this new age with restrain ed enthusiasm, proud to see the University outwardly successful, unsure however of how this would all fit together. But—again, like many—I believed that the ad ministration and those charged with my University’s governance could be trusted to safeguard the welfare of the school and all its par ticipants. These participants in clude the faculty and the students, not merely those charged with the purse strings. When I say that *‘I believed.” I mean just that; I did not merely assume that everything would be okay. Instead, I believed that the youthful Dr. Godsey. and a rejuvenated administration, would “do the right thing.” understand the motives of an am bitious and ovcrzeakxis administra tion. which is undone by its own misconduct and deceit, it is im possible to fathom a board of trustees that endorses this sort of thing. A board which attempts to squelch free speech and dissent, the lifeblood of a university. A board that savages a faculty as though the teachers were the wolves at the door of their children's education, and not the other way around. A board that distorts the truth and im plications of the Atlanta jury ver dict against the trustees. A board that violates the fundamental character of trust. Black's Law Dictionary contains a very power ful and. under these circumstances, disturbing definition of a fiduciary, or someone who acts as a trustee: The term is derived from Roman law, and means a person holding the character of a trustee, or a character analogous to that of a trustee, in respect to the trust and confidence involved in it and the scrupulous good faith and candor father is the Chairman of the English Department and a critic of the administration and the Board of Trustees. Perhaps. But, unlike the Administration, the Board, and the Alumni Association, my father has at least been candid with me about the University’s troubles. Were it not for him, 1 would have^ittle idea about what has been going oh; one certainly cannot discern the disaster from official publications. On a more personal note, it pains me greatly to hear and read my father's sadness about his remaining tenure at Mercer. Teaching is a joyous ex perience, and should be a wonder ful job; it is difficult to imagine a nobler calling. And it makes me very proud that my older daughter, barely four years old, wants to follow io her grandfather’s footsteps. I pray that she and others like her enjoy a more healthful environment. In the meantime, I salute and thank a faculty that served me so well as a student, that excelled in its fulfillment for me of the Univer sity's mission, to “guide (ray) search for truth, even when obscure, and to value the ways of integrity, even when ambiguous." I am sad that my search has led me to this doorstep where, much like | a malnourished and uncomprehen ding latchkey child, truth is left to fend for herself against her trusted guardians. I've rambled; for that I apologize. I graduated from Mercer summa cum laude. I wear this badge as proudly as my Universi ty justifies. Lately, that pride has been strained. And while my firm’s resume will always attest to my undergraduate education. I will probably continue to tell those in quiring that I went to “a small liberal arts school in the South.'' I am a little too embarrassed to name our new Gethsemanc. Very, truly yours, HAMMOND A ASSOCIATES CO., L.P.A. Gregory L. Hammond This notion of universal par- justified, but it has of late been (emphasis added). Something tells ucipation is x common theme tn betrayed. Betrayed by the very sort me that this Board of Trustees, as \ NOW ACCEPTING a stiff price has often been paid for foreign to the cooccpt of collegia!!- also need the word “candor” admission. See. e.g.. Hutchins, ty and trust Who has betrayed that defined for them. It has certainly The University of Utopia, Mr. Hut- trust? As near as I can tell, it is the been absent from their actions. As chins was the President of another very people charged with protec- to good faith, her whereabouts at alma mater of mine, the Umversi-^ ting that trust, the Board of Mercer’s executive level have been ty of Chicago, where I graduated Trustees. For, while one might « mystery for some time. I must confess that, in the past. It’s A Black Thing: EaSSSrES You Wouldn’t Understand The Muck Greek rvriem hat unknw trlkum of dwhlwk Greek will henceforth pay a great dexi of Applications for Editor of: The Cluster The Cauldron The Dulcimer Deadline April 28th 4:00 p.m. * Applications available in student activities. fire because we organizations in a way that would be considered normal—normal being defined as, a method similar to the white Greek system. Recently, with the in troduction of the Ivies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, we have received some negative reaction from the majority of the Mercer population. This negative response has been mainly associated with the practice of potential members dressing alike and walking in a line. Ours is a system which is deep ly rooted in our heritage and stan ding firm in tradition. Dressing alike is not a method of hazing but rather a way for potential members to derive a sense of unity among each other. Remembering back to my time oa line, it gave me a tremendous feeling to know that there were two ocher girls on this campus dressed exactly as I was. it creases an almost instant bood, a bond that will not be severed ooce the pledge process is over. Dress- inf alike is not a requirement, but if potential members so choose, they are advised to qxad frugally. 1 bebeve at lo be one of the oaou system. Walking in a line, for potential members is a way to show the cam pus. bow proud the potential members are to be in the pledge .hi e of unity because they are Q with women who for the moat part have the same goals and are moving in a syncopated manner. The songs that the poten tial members sing reflect their ex citement and anticipation of inita- tion. h is not a means of hazing but rather an exercise in unity and afnfood. The torara of Alpha Kappa Alpha are concerned about hazing, than reflected in our new national policies. We. along with the rest of the Merwr community want to in ure that another life will not be k« i of hazing. We mm not i ignorance to rule and thape i of these organiza tions but rather, reach out and ex- anane each to understand what they Sincerely. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. attention to those ballots. And I trill, as I have not done in the past, contribute to my University much more than words of criticism. As the saying goes, it it easy lo tear things down; in order to help re build, I pledge by this letter a gift of $10,000 payable in equal in stallments over this and the next nine years to the College of Liberal Aits. This money shall not be us ed for sporu programs or any other non-academic extracurricular ac tivity. It shall be used solely to assist that mission for which the University was originally founded. By dha letter. 1 ask the Alumni Association to contact me to finalize the deads. For my teachers pest, and those who continue, this pledge is io imtfa fepyou. I suspect this letter will not mean much lo those persons who have done so much damage to Mercer. Unlike our Trustees, however. I believe that contributing to hearty debate is itself worthwhile, whatever the outcome; and that lo remain silent, in die bee of great evd. it an even greater evil. I suspect, as wdl, dial many might e of bias, because my Merctr © Cluster ./.... Heather Kimble Marcus Durham Activities Page Editor Jennifer Neal Baatneaa/AdvertUng Manager Darcy Johnson Features Edllor Chrte Carrolhon Fmrrtatmmr Editor Rich Benson Sports Editor Anthony Hooker Chief Photographer Michael Lake Danielle Underferth and Stephanie Nordenhaug Gary Blackburn Technical CoauRaal David Tucker Staff Writers Bryant Chitwood, Gwen Podock, Chuck Junkint. Jodie Evans. Tolde Gam. Travis Gravdl. Rhrit Thomas, Mark Roaea, Michelle Been, Jarome Gautnanx, Drew Nord. Triht Warrick, Terr? Browning and Aril! Young- A dikin' Box A, Mercer. Office located oa third floor of the Stu dent Center. 7S2-W71. The Mercer Charier weir new a letters to the editor. They should he ceadadaad typewritten. Letters moat be signed sad should be I by a current addrem ead telephonr Bomber. Letters Idrrmtd la the Edkor-lwChief. I la The Mercer Chirr ere thoae of the editor or the writer of the article and ere not aeceaoerfly thoae of the