2
March 5,1984
The Lanf p
Climbing The
‘^^Ivory Tower”
The St. Andrews campus is composed of many land
marks. One of these, the bell tower, has failed to do its job
for a few months now. The bell tower’s job is to let people
know what time it is, but it no longer communicates this infor
mation to us as a community. Thus, the bell tower’s
presence on campus would appear to be nonfunctional
despite its aesthetic appeal.
The bell tower is not, however, the only non-
communicative figure at St. Andrews. Particular members
of the administration seem to be following the exact same
course of action (or the lack of...).
This academic year has been plagued with communica
tion problems. Utilizing various channels, students have
attempted to question, understand and become utilized as
a part of the administrative process. Many of these at
tempts have fallen on seemingly dead ears, however, as
students continually are kept in the dark about decisions
that affect their daily lives. The closing of Mecklenburg
dorm during the summer months is a perfect example of
this lack of student information and “after the fact” com
munication.
“The Lance,” for example, has published many items
that blatantly question some of the major administrative
decisions regarding student life, only to receive no reply.
The questions have always been well placed with the offer
ing of feasible solutions. The administration, on the other
hand has chosen not to respond to these issues in public
forum.
Members of the administration cannot absorb all the
blame however. It is the students’ responsibility to con
tinue to question, in a mature manner, the decisions that
affect their lives. This rule nf.ciuestinning and offering a
possible solution must continue if any measure of com
promise is ever to be reached.
Administrators must not reside in their ivory tower apart
from the rest of us. If this were the case, the need for
students at St. Andrews would cease to exist. There must
be a sense of community (constantly harped on in college
publications) in decision-making and in the day to day ex
perience of each and every one of us who lives and works
here.
The students are not seeking to obtaining more than
their share in control of the school. This would be
ludicrous. Rather they want and deserve to be informed
and take an active hand in such pertinent decisions as the
complete renovation of their graduation ceremony.
Thus, it appears as if the students must continue their
never ending climb to the top of the administration’s ivory
tower. Hopefully, in this manner, if the queastions are not
answered at least they will be granted a mature and deserv
ed discussion on administrative decisions. Change is not
always a necessity for the students, but information and
knowledge is. And perhaps, when the students reach the
top of the tower, they can repair these silent bells.
Rick Hanna
(for the editorial staff)
Fighting Policy Established
By Corey Ingold
It has come to the atten
tion of the Attorney
General’s office that there
have been problems with
students fighting one another
in recent weeks. Dean Loftus
has established a policy in
response to this problem and
has my full support in im
plementing this policy.
Henceforth, any St. An
drews’ student who initiates
CoM€ AWP Joir^ TMe-
Oincxis
^T.
A Student’s Perspective of Next Fall’s Prospective Students;
Over Four Hundred Freshmen and Transfers Admitted
Student Association And Accountability
a fight i.e., anyone who
throws a “first punch” will
face explusion from the col
lege.
It seems evident to me that
college students are too old
to be party to acts of violent
aggression. Part of one’s
becoming an educated per
son demands that they be
able to settle disputes ra
tionally and diplomatically.
Accountability,.. .General
Student Association Officers
on most all levels have never
had to worry about it. At
least during the past three
years while I’ve been here,
the Student Association has
not been held accountable by
the student body for their ac
tions (or inaction).
Whal brings this fact to
the forefront of my mind is
the Student Association
has gotten a bit slack in the
carrying out of some of our
most basic duties. The real
disturbing thing is not that
we slackened up. Whats
disturbing is that when we
did nobody spoke up.
For example, minutes
from the Student Association
Cabinet and Senate really
Fighting is neither rational
nor diplomatic. As a conse
quence, it cannot be
tolerated in our community.
The Saltire secures the
Dean of Students’ right to
maintain order in instances
of threatening disturbances
within the College communi
ty i.e., “disruption by force
or violence of the orderly]
process of the College...,”!
(page 42; Article 4.6). One of
the paradoxes of living ini
such a hidden and close-knit
environment as the St. An
drews campus is that it quite
often makes people closer yet
sometimes creates tension.
However, fighting is not an
answer to the problems and
personal conflicts that exist.
Corey Ingold,
Attorney General
P.S. Any comments you
might have are welcomed.
My box is 455.
By David Suanier
should be posted on the new
bulletin boards. Due to
several reasons, which I have
not yet had to explain, we
have failed to do this in a
consistant manner.
Minutes are fundamental.
They are how one looks in
anH cees whatc going an
within a committee or group
of people meeting in some
form or another, and keep
records.
It would have been good
for us to have made sure that
the minutes were posted
because we feel good things
are going on and you should
know about them. You have
a right to see those minutes
because we are elected
students who are responsible
for some of your money and
whose purpose to serve
you.
The lack of accountability
that exists has let me, a presi
dent who talks so much
about the importance of
communication, actually
stop communicating.
Xh« ii. CTrv-
llTCrC fur a pm'poai^. If
are going to be a responsible
member of this community
you must be informed as to
what is actually going on. It’s
your job to make sure that
we provide you with that in
formation.
Student governments can
be good and bad, but you
must remember they will on
ly be as bad as you allow
them to be.
The Lance
Editor Rick Hanna
Assistant Editor Maureen Ingalls
Features Editor Sally Schiel
Assistant Features Leslie Palmer
Sports Editor Kim Wallace
Photo Editor Patrick Voswinkel
Assistant Photo Craig Piccoia
Art Editor Jan St. Pierre
Layout Editor Kim Lutian
Business Manager Bob Dascombe
Marketing Consultant John Hester
Advisor jim McDuffie
The opinions expressed on this page are not necessarily
those of THE LANCE, college, or student body, but are of
the signed individuals. THE LANCE welcomes and en
courages responses to the material in this publication, but
reserves the right of editorial freedom as governed by
responsible journalism.