1. The
A lance
VOLUME 27
ST. ANDREWS PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE
NUMBER 7
Reactions to R.A.’s Mixed
Michael Roberts
MarvEllen Hambley
Editors
The proposal to introduce
Residence Assistants in the
residence halls has been greeted
with mixed emotions from
students and staff members. The
role of R.A/s will be to handle
small problems and inconven
iences, which would allow more
time for the Residence Directors
to devote to counseling and pro
gramming.
Dr. Neal Bushoven, Professor
of Politics and Residence Director
of Mecklenburg, believes that the
idea of establishing an R.A.
network is a good one. Bushoven'
commented that he would like to
work with at least one R.A. to
apportion more time to the
significant duties of an R.D. "1
can see the benefits of having
someone to hcindle small matters
such as trashcans and lightbulbs.
With someone else to handle
these minor details, I can channel
my energies toward some of the
more important duties of an R.D.,
" he said. Bushoven also added
that a major complaint of the
residents is the availability of the
R.D. He asserted that the pres
ence of an R.A. to serve as an
intermediary would relieve that
problem.
Janda Canalis, R.D. for
Wilmington Residence Hall and
current St. Andrews student,
feels that the R.A. proposal is
unnecessary. She pointed out
that many students have already
developed a negative attitude re
garding the idea of IR. A. s. Canalis
also stated that although it may
not apply for all residence halls,
Wilmington has no problem with
the minor inconveniences that
arise from day to day. "The dorm
council and I are able to work to
gether and solve any problems
that may arise," she said.
Canalis said she feels that the
R.A.'s will be obligated to retain
any information given to them as
confidential. She stressed that
this has been a role assumed by
suite leaders. "If they (suite
leaders) were not supporting their
fellow students in this way, they
would not be in their current
positions," she said.
Bushoven stated that he be
lieves that the hostility that
students have expressed concem-
ing the R.A. proposal is related to
the feeling that the system would
be another attempt by the admini
stration to establish more control
over their lives. "A person's
room or dorm is the only place
where he or she has control. Stu
dents view R.A.'s as a surveil
lance mechanism, and they resent
it. That's why we hear terms like
'narc' and 'fink' used to describe
student R.A.'s," he said.
Bushoven commented that
students as St. Andrews have
enjoyed a very open dorm life.
He said he did not feel that R.A.'s
were any threat to that lifestyle.
'Tmprovements are coming. But
what that means is that there will
Bushoven supports RA program
be a more adequate system for
deaHng with persistent trouble
makers," said Bushoven.
Bushoven also added that he
feels that Dean Greer is a profes
sional, and that she has dealt
with problems in the fashion that
she feels is appropriate. "An
R.A. system may be the normal
cont. on pg 4
Alcohol Policy Changed
Eric Eubank
Associate Editor
One Hundred and Fifty-nine
people have just enacted one of
the biggest social changes in the
history of St. Andrews. This
relatively small number of people
had a majority of six votes in the
passing of the a new alcohol pol
icy. Many people who are
familar with the new policy (and
its differences with the old
policy), note that there are many
problems with the new policy,
problems that are not necessarily
to the students advantage.
Professor of Philosophy,
Richard (Dick) Prust noted that
one of the major changes that
new policy creates is the role that
the Residence Directors take m
the enforcement of drinkmg laws.
"While we have to state obeyance
to the laws, there is a difference
between that and charging t e
R.D.'s to take on a police func
tion. I can't possibly imagine the
majority of students here sup
porting that type of change m
Residential life."
Neal Bushoven, R.a of '
lenburg, said of the change. If
the students achially want these
changes. I'll enforce them."
However many question if the
students actually want the
change. One member of the
elections committee noted that
during the elections " a lot of
people just looked at the ballot
and said, 'Oh, a new alcohol
policy, must be better than the
old one.'"
In talking to a good number of
people, there seemed a great lack
of knowledge concerning the
new policy. Outgomg SGA
President, Howard Hall com
mented on this apparent igno
rance of students " well, copies
of the old and new policies were
supposed to be posted every
suite- and there were copies in
LAandBelkaswell. Also we
held a forum on the alcohol
policy, it was attended by less
than ten people."
The policy must now be passed
by both the student life commit-
, tee, and the Faculty. If you wish
' to have further input on the
alcohol policy, contact friendly
faculty members, or members of
the Student-Life.