Literary
M usings
Smoke Signals, Wednesday, March 14, 1973—Page 3
Student Records Held
In Strict Confidence
By PROF. ROBERT G. MULDER
JUST SUPPOSE—A WORTHY THOUGHT,
IF ONLY FOR A MOMENT
The occasion was a staged television effort
to raise money for a worthy cause — the
Democratic Party. Exciting and popular
personalities had been engaged, talent was
as free as advice in a minister’s conference,
and telephones were humming across the
country as interested people dialed in their
contributions.
I was reading in my study that Sunday
afternoon; my wife was in the living room
being what you would say “really involved”
in the pleas being made on the screen. She
came back to my study and startled me with
“I really think we ought to send a con
tribution.”
“Send a what?” I asked. Not that I hadn’t
heard her the first time, only that I always
feel compelled to inquire whenever money is
involved.
At that moment Bobby Darin began to
croom some pleading lyrics about our need
for a two-party system to the tune of “My
Way.” (Sinatra couldn’t have been more
convincing.)
I protested, “We can’t send enough to
make any difference. Dear. This thing is for
the big enterprises. Didn’t you hear the man
say they need a million dollars or more?”
By this time Darin had launched into his
second stanza, my wife had procured our
check book, and even though it didn’t help
McGovern very much, we sent our check to
the Democratic Party. I felt pretty good,
though, to know that I had saved the two-
party system.
In the course of our conversation, my wife
had made a statement that I pondered later
when she had gone to the post office to mail
our check.
To counteract my protesting, she had said,
“Just suppose everybody took that at
titude.” Now there’s a thought for you — just
suppose. It’s the kind of thought one could
chase in many directions — almost at the
same time.
Just suppose more of our students would
take a writing interest in SMOKE SIGNALS.
This would provide a total, more realistic
picture of our campus, and the trite.
rehashed complaints about cafeteria food
and student apathy may be replaced by
refreshing and original editorial copy.
Just suppose the saints of old had wasted
their time and energy simply talking about
the sins of the world instead of ministering to
the needs of mankind.
Just suppose everyone who said “Let me
know if I can help you.” really meant it.
Suppose what a strange silence would
prevail if men stopped blowing their own
horns.
Just suppose that quality education
became the goal of every teacher taking the
place of personal dogmatism, self-
glorification, and ego inflation.
Just suppose the Golden Rule became a
practice for all mankind instead of an in
scription on a complimentary yard stick
passed out by tractor dealers from their
tents at the State Fair.
And suppose every student who came to
Chowan College did so with ambition and the
desire to receive an education rather than
expecting the mantle of enlightenment to fall
fresh upon them like a soft September
shower.
Just suppose some great president had
been born or buried in this maritime village.
Now wouldn’t that really lend new
significance to Historical Murfreesboro.
Just suppose the 1200 million spent on
pornography and “under-the-counter”
magazine sales had been used for wor
thwhile scientific research.
Just suppose that all men could be treated
with the respect they deserve and their
Master-Would-Be’s could realize that
slavery died with a president named Lin
coln.
Just suppose that individuals could be so
busy fencing to their own business that they
would have no time to take on the affairs of
other people.
And finally, suppose that the gospel were
written according to man rather than ac
cording to Jesus Christ who said: “Ye shall
know the truth, and the TRUTH shall make
you FREE”
Plocemat Basis for Test
A restaurant placemat is
serving as the basis for a take-
home test of a Chowan College
history professor, Clayton Lewis,
who is also dean of student:.,.
Lewis, discovered the unique
placemat while attending a
weekly meeting of the Mur-
ti eesboro Rotary Club at the Red
Apple Restaurant. The owner.
Peter Christopher is Greek origin
and the placemat features im
portant dates, deities,
philosophers and pictures of the
major Greek buildings.
Lewis was struck with the
thought that the placemat would
perhaps be especially ap-
fffeciated by his students, who
are currently studying classical
Greece, and others with a liberal-
education.
“It brought to mind the old
controversy of education versus
training,” Lewis explained.
“Some argue only for education.
Others contend that all man
needs is a skill. As for me, I am
for neither education or training,
offending my Roman friends—
Caesar, Cicero, Lucretius,
Vergil, Gaius, etc.—I decided
that our test on this unit would be
limited to the Greeks.”
Christopher supplied Lewis
with enough placemats for each
student in his class. The
assignment: “Choose any 15
topics presented on the
placemats and write a well-
developed paragraph explaining
the significance of each.”
Students were urged to use any
supplementary materials they
desired.
This is not the first imaginative
test prepared by Lewis. Last year
he asked his students to write
paragraphs on the 10 men who, in
theii' opinion, have made the
gi'eatest impact on civilization
from pre-historic through the
Protestant Reformation. Topping
the list were Jesus and Moses,
not just one or the other,” he
wrote as an introduction for his
test. “Education alone is not
necessarily responsible for one’s
economic success. However,
education should add a new
dimension to one’s life style,”
ByD. H. NICHOLSON
Registrar
A protdem of continuing con
cern for the college student today
is the confidentiality of his
permanent records in the files of
his college or university. This is a
problem because so few students
really understand the con
fidential natitfe of their records
and-or the role of the college or
university in keeping the records
confidential. With a definite
increase in the number of
governmental and private
agencies which are making
demands for more information
about students for various
reasons, most institutions of
higher education have developed
very definitnitive and, therefore,
firm policies concerning the
release of information about their
present or former students. With
the preceding in mind, the rest of
this column will be devoted to a
summary of the policy of Chowan
College which pertains to student
records and the obligations of the
College to the maintenance and
availability of these records.
reminded Lewis.
Continued Lewis, “The
educated man should be able to
enjoy a more comprehensive life
than the man who has only been
trained. The individual who is
highly specialized may live with
a void because he has not been
imposed to the intangible
benefits of a liberal arts
education.”
Lewis noted that “at the risk of
. .This is your friendly,
understanding computer
speaking... at the sound of
the beep unburden your
self.”
Registrar responsible
The Registrar here at Chowan
as he is elsewhere, is responsible
for the maintenance of all per
manent records of students,
present or former, of the College.
He is also generally responsible
for the release of any information
to agencies outside his office,
including other departments of
the College; the student; other
educational institutions; local,
state and federal agencies;
prospective employers; or
commercial enterprises.
Since student records in the
Registrar’s office are considered
personal and confidential, most
information therefrom will be
released to sources outside of this
College only upon the written
request or consent from the
student, his parents, his guar
dians, or his next of kin. However
the following information may be
released to prospective em
ployers, credit investigators,
insurance companies, govern
mental agencies, either in
writing or orally on the phone,
without consent of the student:
name of a particular student;
recorded home and local ad
dress; dates of attendance; his
degree, if any, and date granted;
and his curriculum.
In addition to the preceding
general policy concerning
disclosure of information about
the student’s record, other
educational institutions may be
furnished class standing, grades,
reports on disciplinary actions, if
these reports should exist.
Generally, transcripts (copies
of the student’s official
educational record) may be
obtained only by the student upon
request to the Registrar, within
the guidelines established by the
Registrar and published in the
(Jiowan College Catalog and the
Student Handbook. The tran
script with the seal of the college
and the signature of the
Registrar is never sent to the
student but directly to the ad
dress of the agency or institution
to which the student is making
application for one reason or
another. If the student wants a
transcript for himself, his will be
without the official seal and the
Registrar's signature.
Student is protected
Another area of growing
concern and importance is that
related to investigative agencies
and their increasing demands for
information about present or
former students. We at Chowan
College, feel that we must do
everything to protect the student
and to insure his right to privacy.
Therefore, when processing
confidential forms, or other
matter, for possible emplo^ent
with governmental agencies or
private institutions, if it becomes
event that disclosure of in
formation not otherwise
releasable will tie in the best
interest of the student, the
student will be notified at the last
known address and requested to
make his desire known as to
whether or not the information
will be disclosed. Impetus for the
release of possibly derogatory
information must originate with
the student, his parents, or his
guardians. In cases where the
present or former student is
involved in a court proceeding,
and information is requested by
some party for the proceeding,
this request will be honored only
with the student’s consent or a
subpoena from the court.
To local, state, and federal
agencies such as the FBI, the
SBI, to local and state police
officers, to the Civil Service and
Military Intelligence, et cetera,
all academic and personal in
formation, other than that in
formation identified above, may
not be released except under
approval and supervision of the
Registrar. It is assumed that the
Registrar will have authorization
from the student concerned if the
former feels that the release
would result in the student’s
being placed in an unfavorable
situation or if that release would
jeopardize the integrity of the
Ctollege.
Upholds privacy
In general, the policy of
Chowan College concerning the
maintenance and availablility of
student records is one planned
and executed to uphold the
privacy of the student’s records
and to insure the integrity of the
school.
Brannon
Is Judge
Steve Brannon, professor of
English and director of the
Division of Drama at Chowan
(Allege, served as a judge and
critic at the Southeastern
Theatre Conference, held
February 28-March 4 in Pen
sacola, Florida.
Considered the largest
theatrical organization in the
world, it was composed of
university, college, junior
college, high school, community
and regional theatre groups from
10 southeastern states.
Brannon helped judge the 10
state winners in the secondary
school division. Following each
di ama, he presented a criticism
of the play.
Want Ads
WANTED: Ride to New Jersey
on Friday, March 23. Please call
Peter at 398-9292, room 127. Will
help pay for gas.
WANTED TO BUY:Used
bicycle. Any type. See Mr.
Gatewood or Mr. Nelson, Mc-
Sweeney Hall, School of Graphic
Arts.