CLARION
Brevard College, Brevard, NC
Volume 54 'Number 9
Wednesday, February 18, 1987
Administration backs off housing plan
‘.'I;#
It wasn't exactly your normal reception last Monday tor the Dean's List
tion went on as scheduled in spite of there being no power after the weekend
Shane Milling elected SGA president
by Bonnie Davis
After two weeks of student protests,
Brevard College officials have rescinded a
housing plan that would have created
separate living quarters for freshmen and
sophomores next year.
“In my opinion, we goofed,” said Presi
dent Greer concerning the recent housing
proposal that the administration put
before the student body in mid-January.
A memorandum was sent out informing
next year’s sophomores about the
designated residential halls. According to
the plan, certain dorms and floors were to
be specified as freshman residence halls
beginning in the fall of 1987.
According to administration officials,
the idea behind this move was to concen
trate freshmen and sophomores in
designated areas so that the college could
better meet the different needs that
members of each class have.
Administrators felt that this type of
residential setup would allow them to help
the students in better ways. By grouping
freshmen together in certain dorms and
floors, the college would be able to bring in
programs and professionals to be of ser
vice to them during their transitions and
adjustments to college life. The same no
tion applies for sophomores who need the
guidance, but in different areas, such as
transferring, graduation, and career pro
grams.
The plan looks good on paper. However,
administrators didn’t count on the
students’ reactions. For them it seemed to
be almost like a “police action” as Presi
dent Greer put it. Dean of Student Affairs
Don Scarborough, Dean of the College
Harry Langley, and Greer all said that the
way in which the housing proposal was
presented was what caused the first of its
setbacks.
Scarborough said, “In retrospect, that
was the wrong thing to do.”
Presenting the memo in students’ p.o.
boxes without any explanation of it what
soever came as a shock to students when
Turn to Page 6
by Bonnie Davis
Michael Shane Milling has been elected
Student Government Association presi
dent at Brevard College, replacing Susan
Bethel who was forced to resign in late
January after being placed on disciplinary
probation.
Milling, a sophomore from Valhalla,
S.C., will serve as president for the re
mainder of the spring semester.
Bethel had accrued 13 points last
semester for violations of the college’s
uniform guidelines, and was placed on
disciplinary probation (10 or more points).
According to SGA’s Student Constitution
(Sec. 2, Item B) adopted in 1981, executive
officers “must be free of disciplinary pro
bation at the time of assuming office and
stay free of disciplinary probation during
the term or be subject to removal.”
Bethel resigned after unsuccessfully ap
pealing her case to President Billy Greer.
She has subsequently withdrawn from
school. Dean Scarborough, who reviewed
the Bethel case, said that in the seven
years he has been dean of students this is
the first time an SGA president has been
forced to resign under these conditions.
MiUing was formerly co-vice-president
of the Social Board, an office he shar^
with Heather Chamberlain. According to
Dean Scarborough, Andrea Rom, vice-
president of the Judicial Board, would
have succeeded Bethel. But Ross declin
ed, citing other obligations on campus.
Milling was named president after an SGA
vote by class representatives.
“I’m excited about taking over the job
Milling said, “Hopefully, I’ll able to do
something constructive for the student
IxkIv
With all the recent changes within SGA,
President Greer said, “It’s SGA's task to
get on with the year. I think Shane will do
a good job.” In the future, Greer feels that
SGA should be handled dinerenliy. The
administration and most importantly the
dean of student affairs should work more
closely with SGA and its representatives.
Much of the success in SGA lies in good
communications between the organization
and the office of student affairs, President
Greer stresses. One of the ideas that
Greer proposed is that executive officers
of SGA meet with the dean of student af
fairs on a weekly basis in order to discuss
things happening within the student body.
He also feels that bringing people in to help
officers handle their positions will help a
great deal. Greer’s biggest proposal is to
have some sort of general assembly of of
ficers and representatives before the
beginning of the academic year so that
plans can be made and duties discussed.
In an overall view. President Greer said,
“I believe that SGA should be the
organization on campus—to enhance the
students and make things happen.”
New SGA President Shane Milling