Newspapers / Brevard College Student Newspaper / Nov. 17, 1981, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page 2 The Clarion Tuesday, November 17, 1931 Brevard College Classrooms Closed Door Envirement? It happens almost every day. Late students are locked out of class by teachers at Brevard College. Some questions are raised - Do instructors have the right to deprive students of class time? Or do students have the right to attend class if they enter late? The Clarion believes the Brevard College ad ministration should address this imposing pro blem. Both the student’s and the instructor’s side is included in the following editorial. The Student’s View Granted, some students are late for no valid reason whatsoever; however, there are those who hold valid reasons for being late, whether it be car trouble or another held-over class. These things happen to almost everyone at one time or another. In some courses an absence from class can be a very serious matter. In higher level science or chemistry courses, for example, material is ac cumulative and relative from one day to the next. One day’s absence, therefore, can be quite an obstacle for a student to face and can hold direct bearing on the student’s overall success or failure in that course for the semester. As stated earlier, some students have legitimate reasons for being tardy. The Clarion sides with these students. However, The Clarion does not support those who are repeatedly late simply because they don’t put forth the effort to make it to class on time. Perhaps these students deserve the “cold-door” treatment; after all, it’s the sole responsibility of the student to make it to class. Student success or failure at Brevard College is highly dependent upon the student himself. However, there remains the vast majority of students who are earnest in their effort towards success at BC. Most are devoting valuable time, money and effort toward their education. A stu dent’s three or four minute tardiness should not justify their being bared! from the remaining period. Perhaps the saying “Better (a few minutes) late than never” capsulizes the student’s side of this dilemma. Some BC instructors, such as Dr. Alfred Ames, first year English and Journalism teacher at BC, sides with this view. He simply stated “Something is better than nothing.” The Clarion agrees with this view. Indeed, a student is privileged to attend Brevard College, but upon his acceptance, it shouldn’t be his privilege to attend class, it should be his right. A door closed between a diligent stu dent and an education is an injustice. An Instructor’s View Many teachers at Brevard College adhere to some form of a “closed-door” policy. Dr. William Brower, Assistant Professor of Biology at BC, is one teacher who advocates this. “Late students dramatically disrupt class,” stated Dr. Brower. “I can lose my place and the student can lose their place and we’ll all lose time, which we have a limited amount of to prepare (science majoring) students.” Indeed, most, if not all, courses at Brevard Col lege have a delicately balanced relationship bet ween time and amount of material covered. Repeated class interruptions undoubtedly in terfere. Tardy students knowingly disrupt class. In accordance. Dr. Brower pointed out that Brevard College classes are distinguished by a close student-teacher ratio-a plus which he feels students should appreciate. “Brevard is set up in small classroom situations; when a late student enters into this small area, it is automatically disrupting,” explained Dr. Brower. Dr. Brower added that classroom construction at BC tends to amplify the late student. In pointing out that most of Brevard College’s classrooms have doors in the front of the room, Dr. Brower stated, “When a student enters a class, he has to go in front of the teacher and the rest of the class; you can’t help but look up at him. This is disrup ting.” From the instructor’s standpoint, locking out some students can do more good than harm. As Dr. Brower points out, college isn’t a place to Thanksgiving A Time to be Grateful by Melanie Mullins Well, it’s that time of year again - “Turkey Day!” Time to stuff our faces with pumpkin pie, dressing, cranberry sauce, and, of course, turkey. (Gobble, Gob ble!) Through the years, I think we all have developed this sort of at titude towards Thanksgiving. As children, for some reason, we learn to associate Thanksgiving with an outrageous array of food. Sure, we learn about the Pilgrims and the Indians as far back as in Kingergarten. Yet, so many children today, when asked what Thanksgiving means to them, reply, “It’s the day mommy cooks turkey.” (It’s also a day we don’t have to attend school). As children, we did not seem to learn that this unique holiday means much more than just the feast among the Pilgrims and the Indians. Have you really ever thought about the true meaning of Thanksgiving? I think we all are guilty of taking this special day for granted, myself included. Over three centuries ago, the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Remember when you first got to college? You knew no one - you were miles from home. I imagine the Pilgrims were more frightenend than we were when we first arrived at Brevard. Yet, they still found the time to give thanks to God. They were thankful for being able to make it to the “foreign” country, known today as the United States. They were thankful for their new friends, the Indians. They were thankful for the food which saved them from starving to death. More impor tantly, they were thankful for life! Perhaps all of this sounds cor ny, yet it is true! Whether we take Thanksgiving seriously or not, this special day plays an im portant role in our country’s heritage. THINK ABOUT IT! Thanksgiving reunites families and friends. It is a time for thanks and for giving. Thank God for giving you your family and friends. Thank God for blessing you with all of the delicious food to eat while others are starving throughout the world. Thank God for allowing you to come to Brevard College! But before you take that first bite of turkey, thank God for life! Thanks and giving....Isn’t this what the Pilgrims and Indians really symbolize? Thanksgiving mm “ mice: to 3£E- TO -iOiKi us R3R. Arii?Nf==nr half Tvt 'REBCO, " merely acquire materials but a place to gain “maturity, responsibility and punctuality,” all of which he thinks makes “a whole student.” In deed, a tardy student shows his lack of maturity and responsibility toward himself and others. The biology teacher added that he isn’t totally for the lock-out policy and that he doesn’t entirely disagree with those instructors who don’t follow the same policy. Other policies work better for some other teachers. “I have to use the lock-out policy in most of my science classes. Some students need to be persuaded in order to get to class on time,” concluded Dr. Brower. f Letters To The Editor John McMinn ‘My Best Was Not Good Enough’ is more than a feast. Give thanks to God - thank Him for giving. Yet, we shouldn’t just make the fourth Thursday of every November the only day to give thanks. Thank God every day. I think this is really what the Pilgrims and Indians were trying to say as they gathered together 361 years ago. Letters to the Editor Have any gripes, complaints, words of praise you would like to express? The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be neatly writ ten or typed and submitted to either Melanie Mullins - Box 497; Jon Zillioux - Box 80; Mr. Ken Chamlee, 130 McLarty-Goodson or any other member of The Clarion staff. Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication. If re quested, however, names will be withheld. The Clarion reserves the right to edit any letter considered for publication. Dear Students, I have tried to represent you in the best way I could. My best was not good enough for what you deserve. For the sophomores that supported me, thank you. The time has come when I can no longer serve as Chairman of the Judicial Board. My responsibilities brought me in contact with people I believed to be honest and good, only to find hypocrisy and deception. My only true concern has been the in justice done to students who have been suspended for parietal violations. All actions from the ad ministration of BC do not reflect upon the faculty of this college. The faculty of this college has your best interests at heart. The administration could learn much from the Brevard College Faculty. These people, who sacrifice to put up with you and try their best to educate you, could sure use your support. To the students doing something positive, please stick with it. To the students with visions of something positive, please ex pand it. To the students helping someone, please smile one more time. To the students searching for peace, please follow your heart. To all those reading this letter, please smile and follow your heart. Your soul flows from your heart with each beat and gets stronger every time you follow your heart. I’m sorry to leave, but I must follow my heart. God Bless, good luck and thank you all, John McMinn CLARION STAFF Melanie Mullins ...ASS.;™;:: News Editor Cecil Collier Business Manager DeAnna Johnson Laura Hines, Susie Updike Advertising Tim Elhs, Randy Ward Cartoonist Steve Rabey, Tia Stallings, David Jenkins Photographers Ken Chamlee.. hJ ■ T, , — Advisor Reporters: Kimo Anderson, Lisa Atkins, Allen Barbee, Kathy Bennett, Cecil Collier, Elliott Dugger, JoAnne Folger, Richard Halliburton, Gay Harshbarger, Kari Howard, Sandy Hulbert, DeAnna Johnson, Lorie Hoffmann, Linda Jones, Scott Merusi’ Mary Gay Michaels, Roelaundt Van lerssel, Randy Ward Regina Worthman, Nikki Jardine j’ -
Brevard College Student Newspaper
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Nov. 17, 1981, edition 1
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