The Compass Friday, March 8, 1996 7
Many ECSU students opposed
to tough new attendance policy
by Sonya Holley
and Tiffany Newell
ECSU students who cut a three-hour
course more than six times can now
fail the course, according to the terms
of the University's tough new atten
dance policy.
The faculty approved the policy last
Dec. 5, and the University's Board of
Trustees enacted it at their December
meeting, beginning with the spring,
1996 semester.
The new policy allows instructors to
place a limit of three imexcused ab
sences on a three-hour course. A course
offering two credit hours can allow
from two to four cuts, and a one-hour
class allows one to two unexcused
absences.
"The old (attendance) policy seemed
to permit virtually unlimited absences
from class," said Dr. Dermis Brown,
chairman of the committee that spear
headed the new policy.
Brown said the new attendance
policy was designed to encourage stu
dents to make the best grades they can
while discouraging absences.
"Students can be most successful
when they come to class regularly,"
said Brown, director of the University's
Incentive Scholarship program.
Under the new policy, students will
no longer get excuses from the assis
tant vice chancellor for academic af
fairs. The instructor must approve stu
dents' excuses for missed classes.
"The faculty person in the classroom
has the most immediate, best knowl
edge of how a student is performing in
the class and how repeated absences
are affecting that student's perfor
mance," said Brown.
Students are still responsible for ma
terial covered in classes they missed.
Brown added.
Instructors must notify students of
the attendance policy in the course syl
labus. Instructors are required to take
attendance at each class session.
The new attendance policy has gen
erated opposing views among ECSU
students, with many students express
ing resentment about being "forced"
to attend classes.
"We are in college so why should we
need an attendance policy," said
Shronda Smith, a sophomore criminal
justice major. "If students want to pay
their money and not go to class, let
them. The attendance policy is stupid."
Other students say they feel their
voices weren't included in discussion
of the policy.
"I think they're forcing their view
point on students because they did not
include students when they voted,"
said Tamika Spruill, a junior English
major. "We're paying for our educa
tion, we have the right to know what is
going on."
Trenace Fayton said Student Affairs
and SGA need to increase the variety
of the students asked to participate in
meetings.
"Just because a student is not a stu
dent representative, it doesn't mean
that he or she can't make an intelligent
decision," said Fayton, Miss ECSU for
1995-96.
When informed of these complaints
Brown said the attendance policy com
mittee requested students to attend
meetings for participation in revising
the old policy. Committee members
sent letters to students' mailboxes and
made follow-up phone calls request
ing their participation, he added.
"Unfortunately, we didn't get much
student participation in the meetings
we held, even though every one was
notified in writing a week in advance
of the time and places of the meet
ings," Brown said.
Brown said two former students,
Tarik Scott, SGA President for 94-95,
and Lyrm Jordan, Miss ECSU for 94-95,
participated in meetings about the new
policy. Current SGA President James
Cherry also participated, he added.
Cherry said he supported the six-cut
minimum.
"Six classes are more than enough,"
he said. "Even if the students were
more involved, they couldn't vote as a
body on the policy because all policies
voted on for the Uiuversity are voted
on by the Board of Trustees."
Students who fail classes for non-
attendance will receive a grade of "FA,"
said Brown. Students can appeal the
grade, however.
A student who wants to appeal a
grade must first talk to the instructor,
then to the department chairperson
before appealing to an attendance
policy board. The board will be com
posed of faculty, students, and admin
istrators.
Several students said they supported
the new attendance policy.
"Attendance should be required for
students at ECSU," said Jean Samuel, a
seruor English major. "Many students
learn in different ways, but if one
pays their money to attend a univer
sity or college, that person should do
everything he can to obtain the best
education."
THE W/VLL
Do yov love Me?
ThcN why do yov keep Me dANqlinq like a jAckAl —
wMle you Ivne rhe Next skim
with jite ATreNtioN # beq For?
Do yov kATe Me?
PleAse Tell Me soMerkiNq,
Yov kmw My weAkmesses; yov ksow My STRenqtks.
You kNOW wkAT MAkes Me rick And wkAT doesN^r.
I rkouqkr you felr soMcrkiftq For Me VNdeRNeArk
aU youR SARCASM^ bvT I quess I was yovR per to
PASS Tke TiMe wirh.
Now I svFFeRf Acke, cRy.
Now I Feel loNeliness.
I NeveR Asked yov For ANytkinq bvr RESPECT.
You pRobAbly Uuqk at Me
fw fiiONT oF yovR htieNds
like Vm Tke vbriMATe FReAk.
And yovR mew beAV SMiles
becAVse ske hus u4tAr I Iost... ok ncvcr kAd.
WkAT did I do TO MAke yov despise Me so Mvck?
Wky do yov pvsk Me AWAy? I wovld ItAve qiveN
yov ANyrkiNq — even My pUce on Tke TkRone oFpeAce.
I Need AN Axe to tear dowN Tke waU TkAT SMorkeRS Me —
rke waU TkAT ReMiNds Me oF yov.
— ANqdABuRRUs
'Inadequate.,/
Administrative
officiais ciose
campus poiice
entrance bootli
by Tamika Y. Spruill
After many years of faithful service,
"the hut," ECSU's security booth, is
empty.
"Uruversity officials made the deci
sion to close the campus security booth
after a study of the campus security
department," said John Smith, special
assistant to the chancellor.
"The campus security booth offered
no value in terms of security on cam
pus," said Smith, who supervises the
campus police department.
That was the conclusion of a group
of three security officials from other
campuses in the UNC System — Char
lotte, N.C. State, and Wake Forest Uiu-
versity.
The security booth was deemed in
adequate because it had no facilities
for proper telephone operations and
equipment. This included no adequate
message service and no recorder on
the phone for incoming caUs.
"The security department was try
ing to run a police department out of a
security booth," said Smith. "It was
degrading and embarrassing to the
University and to the police officers."
The booth also offered no protection
for officers, no bathroom facilities and
inadequate space to write reports.
"Security inside the booth was at best
a wave and a smile," said Smith. "The
officers could hardly stop anyone."
Could closing the security booth
allow more outsiders access to our
campus?
Smith says no.
"We will not have anymore outsid
ers coming in than what we have had
previously. Real criminals do not come
through the front way of the campus
anyhow. They use other entrances, in
cluding the one by Symera Hall and
the Marion D. Thorpe Administration
Building."
One ECSU student said she agreed
with the change.
"I really did not see a purpose for
the security booth when it was in op
eration," said Tiffany Newell, a sopho
more. "I feel that they were letting any
and everybody on our campus."
recm