Newspapers / Brevard College Student Newspaper / Oct. 14, 1980, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page 2 THE CLARION Tuesday. October 14.1980 Ctritonalg Student Government: Of The Students, For The Students, By The Students THE STATE OF THE UNION A Guest Editorial, By Steven Moore October, 1980 Our Student Government Association is in a pathetic state. Oh, the Social Board works hard and has, in my own biased opinion, done a damn good job. And the Judicial Board has done the same. But shouldn’t the Student Government do more than just plan activities, hear point appeals, and rent refrigerators? Why not let the Student Government govern? Now let’s be reasonable. The Student Govern ment should not attempt to run the college. But on the other hand, the college should not attempt to run the Student Government. The Student Government should serve as an advisor to the Administration and to the Board of Trustees on matters concerning student welfare and well being. Currently the “Government” is merely a puppet of the Administration. And, by being such, it has failed the students miserably. But just what has caused this failure? Well, to answer this question, I repeat a bit of advice that I overheard a sophomore give a freshman at the beginning of the year: “If you want it, and apply yourself, you can get it, here at Brevard College.” If we, the Students of Brevard College, want change, we must apply ourselves. The Student Government has failed to take the initiative in searching for problems, their causes, and possible solutions. In the past two years only one problem concerning school policy has been presented to the Student Government, and it got lost in the bureaucracy. But all of the blame cannot lie upon the Student Government. When was the last time you ap proached your representative with a problem? Or, for that matter, when was the first??? DO YOU CARE?? Three years ago not a single student cared enough to run in the campus election. There can only be effective leaders when there are concerned followers, and a few good followers may be just what this college needs. If you want change, you must voice your opinion. Speak up, Brevard College!! There are several things that must be done immediately in order for constructive change to take place. First, the rights of the Brevard College Student must be written and presented to the Administration to form a framework for future evaluation of the system; we must know where we are in order to know where we are going. Second, the Student Government must establish a con stitution to provide a more effective hnk with the Administration. And third, the Student Body must unite and show concern for regulations it feels are unjustified. The worst enemy of the Student Body is apathy. It is obvious that students don’t care about the rules that are placed upon them. Not a whimper has been heard in any constructive sense regarding school policy, but the hallways echo with con tinuous complaints against the seemingly endless list of rules. Many of our regulations breed irresponsibility and this should serve to enhance the atmosphere, not build hostility. The first of these changes have already begun to take place. At last night’s Student Government meeting, proposals were submitted calling for the formation of a Constitution Committee, and a Model Bill of Rights was presented. If these proposals are acted upon and carried out, the foundation of a new, stronger. Student Government will have been laid. The Student Government will be equipped to lead the students. As for the rest of these problems — primarily apathy — these problems rest with all of us. Brevard is only as good as we choose to make it, and with the right push — which might be a swift kick — we can make Brevard great. Your Rights Stop When Others’ Begin By Lisa Atkins Whatever happened to common courtesy? This question has been on my mind for quiet sometime. It appears that a great number of Brevard College students could use a valuable lesson on how to respect the feelings of others. The main'area which I am speaking of is the behavior during open dorms. Open dorm nights are a privilege, not a right. They are set aside for the purpose of allowing members of the opposite sex to visit one another within the privacy of one’s room. However, lately it seems that the bounds of having a good time have been overstepped. Slamming doors, banging on doors, vellinfi ob'^crnities. defacing bathroom walls, and stealing personal belongings (most often memo boards and pens) are only a few examples of what has gone on during the weekend visitation hours. True, a memo board pen only costs 25c to replace, but all those quarters soon begin adding up. To the persons doing the stealing, however, all that it adds up to is a “cheap thrill,” at someone else’s expense. The worst instance of “stealing” was not a memo pen or board, however. Rather, it was an entire door! The reason behind it could have been anything from merely pulling a prank to letting off steam. Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that two young ladies now occupy a room with no door. Open house, as I have already stated, is a privilege. If we properly use it, not abuse it, then we shouldn’t lose it. Rape A Serious Issue By Sandy Hulbert Lyra Rosamond McCanless, 27 was raped and killed and Rebecca Ferguson Coleman, 29 was raped and injured on June 3 in the Brevard area while they were camping together. Being unfamiliar with the area, they stopped to ask directions at a mobile home. After receiving directions from a man, they proceeded to their destination, Whitewater Falls, and were followed by the mobile home’s owner. Shortly after he arrived on the scene, Ronald Brewer, (the owner), shot the women, took them back to his trailer, and raped them. Later McCanless died of her wounds, and Coleman convinced their rapist to take her to the hospital. This story proves that rape may occur anywhere to anyone at anytime. Rape can happen to any and all females. According to records, the youngest rape victim is 4 months old and the oldest is 94. Everyone in between is a potential victim. Since rape is the fastest growing of the nation’s most violent crimes, it is essential to be aware and know what to do if this situation confronts you. For the past two weeks, the Tran sylvania County Committee for the Prevention of Rape has held seminars to help better inform Brevard students of the growing problem. Their main advice to the female students was at all times to be aware of what’s going on around you. The rapist may be someone you know. Almost one- half of all rape victims know the rapist. Don’t be overly trusting; over half of rapists are married men under 25. Here are a few precautions to guard against rape: 1. When out walking be aware of who and what is close to you! 2. Plan where you are going in advance. Avoid dark, lonely places. Keep away from door ways, alleys, unlit parking lots. 3. Walk at a steady pace. Look like you know where you are going. 4. Always have your keys ready before you get home. If you are attacked; 1. Try to remain calm and use your head — it’s your best weapon! Yelling, hitting and biting often may surprise the rapist, so you can escape. Remember — Don’t try to defeat him — just get away as fast as you can! If you are a rape victim, contact help immediately. This is one of the largest causes of repeated rapes — not contacting help. Out of every 10 rapes, only one is actually reported. See Hape Page B
Brevard College Student Newspaper
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