Tuesday, May 14, 1974
N.C. ESSAY
Page 11
Guards, Administration Cite Problems
SECURITY, from Page 1
guards have been using their own cars
and gas to patrol the campus, a patrol
which includes the Church of Christ,
Butler warehouse on Sunnyside, the
design and production ^op, the Built-
Rite building, the costume shop and the
central campus.
In lieu of their patrol car the guards
were offered use of a maintenance
vehicle which Criner says is too filthy to
use, dirties the security officers
uniforms, and therefore presents a bad
image to the public.
. .no one who is
operationally in
charge. ”
When the guards have been on foot
patrol in the rain, they have no place to
change into dry clothes because they
have no office, no lockers and no place to
store their equipment. Now the guards
use the student activities office as their
headquarters.
No Communication
Lack of communication with other
school employees concerns Aldridge. He
says the guards are never given duty
rosters of houseparents so that they can
contact them in cases of emergencies
and are not informed of campus arts and
social events.
Student non-compliance with a hand
book regulation requiring off-campus
visitors to have visitors passes makes
the guards jobs more difficult. Since few
students get passes for their visitors,
unwelcome intruders can come onto the
campus claiming to visit a student.
Recently the guards presented a
proposal, backed by Brad White, student
council president, suggesting that
Aldridge be made head of security.
Aldridge says that if the proposal is
accepted he would be in touch with all
elements of the school community and
would attend administrative and student
affairs meetings in order to be made
aware of the security needs of the entire
campus. He feels that making the
security force an integral part of the
machinery of the school would increase
its effectiveness.
Several measures are being considered
by administration officials to make the
campus safer. Sokoloff is looking into the
feasibility of installing combination locks
on the college dormitory doors. Students
have resisted the suggestion that the
doors should be locked at night.
The combination locks, which Sokoloff
says will cost a total of about $3000 will
allow students entrance to the dorms at
. .they have no place
to change into dry
clothes. .
night, but will keep intruders out. If the
combination were learned by too many
people, it could be changed at no extra
cost and redistributed to the students.
Because of the size and vulnerabUity of
the campus, fencing off portions has been
considered, but Grace says the cost could
“run in the neighborhood of 6 figures.” It
is not likely that funds could be found for
that right away.
The school has requested and expects
to receive funds to pay another security
guard beginning in July. Guards are paid
from a state payroll. Their starting
salary is about $7000.
When interviewed by a reporter, the
three guards on duty Logan, Criner and
Aldridge, were standing in the commons
building. They were eager to be in
terviewed and air their grievances.
The guards say they have the same
powers of arrest as any law enforcement
officer and must pass a test “search,
seizures and investigations,” said
Criner. The same test is given to all
state law enforcement officers. Logan
says guards must have “no police
record” in order to qualify for the job.
Recounting a memorable experience
on duty, Aldridge said, “I was the only
one they streaked on. Nobody but me by
my lonesome.” He is the guard who was
responsible for asking a deputy sheriff to
leave the campus during the night of the
big streak and thereby averting trouble
with the law.
On the night of the streak a police car
drove into the Waughtown entrance to
the campus and the driver presented his
badge and identified himself as a deputy
sheriff. Aldridge requested his visitor’s
pass. The officer did not have one and
Aldridge asked him to leave campus.
“He just folded up his badge and left, but
he was nice about it though,” Aldridge
said.
On their approach to handling
students, Criner said, “We don’t want to
hassle them. We’ve got love and concern
for the kids.”
Criner is critical of some of the dorm
parents. When trouble comes he says,
. .the guards should
he ‘more aggressive \ ”
*‘We don’t want to
hassle them.’’
“They’re some, not all, home sleepin’ in
a nice warm bed drawing a good salary.”
Grace favors a less informal ap
proach to security operations and would
prefer that the guards would remain
“more aloof.”
“I personally feel a man should not be
sitting in an office all the time. I feel a
man should be on foot most of the time.
He has a better chance to see and hear
them,” Grace said. He says the guards
should be “more aggressive.”
Grace commends the guards for their
good relationship with students but he
thinks it sometimes interferes with the
effectiveness of their jobs. He favors
getting an office for the guards, fencing
the campus and thinks students could
help matters by complying with the
visitor’s pass rule and being “willing and
ready to carry their student iden
tification with them.”
“We’re not here to bust ’em. We know
who takes dope, but that’s not our job.
We’re here to protect them. If you get to
know the kids, they’re not gonna cause
you no hassle,” said Criner.
“In other words,” said Aldridge, “we
just communicate with them.”
Ward Finds Survey Unwarranted, Harmful
WARD, From Page 1 ^
incapable of the position that he now
has.”
In a meeting with Brad shortly
thereafter I pointed out that these were
serious allegations which required the
earliest possible investigation on my
part. I indicated also that the simple
statement that a dean was incompetent,
from an individual student, even the
president of the SCA, does not constitute
evidence of the fact and that I would
cooperate with him in arranging
meetings or any other means of ascer
taining the truth. I also asked if his
specific complaints had been discussed
with Mr. Pollock. He said that some had
been but had not been resolved
satisfactorily.
. .1 would investigate
the matter thoroughly. ”
I, therefore, asked that he and any
other drama students of like mind draw
up a list of particulars which could be
presented to Dean Pollock and his faculty
and then, if no satisfactory resolution
was forthcoming, to report back to me
and I would investigate the matter
thoroughly.
His allegations with respect to the
London Jr. Year Program required more
immediate attention. On the strength of
the enthusiasm expressed by the
students at a meeting I attended several
months ago, and favorable reports from
Dean Pollock, I had asked the trustees
and our foundation to approve a grant of
up to $8,000 to assist those students who
could not participate in the London
program witiiout additional financial aid.
Actually, knowing how hard-pressed our
Foundation is at the moment, I was not
optimistic about getting approval.
However, my endorsement, based on
student enthusiasm and Dean Pollock’s
description of the program, won the day,
the funds were pledged and we proceeded
with plans. I was, therefore, greatly
disturbed by Brad’s allegations and
asked Mr. Pollock to arrange a meeting
with the students who had signed up for
the London program as soon as possible.
If these allegations proved true, I would
then immediately recommend the
cancellation of the Jr. Year in London
program.
The meetmg has now taken place and
the students who could not attend have
been polled. Though a few now do not
wish to participate, the large majority
indicate continued enthusiasm for the
program.
In further discussion of this point with
Brad White, he insists that his Edlegations
are still true but that the students are for
some reason not being truthful to Dean
Pollock or myself. This raises the
question of whose truth the
Administration of the School should
believe.
Now we are given the results of an
unofficial poll initiated by Brad \^ite.
The instructions read as follows;
“Please take the time to express your
views (indifference never brought about
constructive change...please exercise
this opportunity). In a real effort to
evaluate and improve our effectiveness
in our work with the faculty we ask that
you complete this questionnaire. Please
be frank, honest and objective. To en
courage your honest response we ask
that you not sign this form. Tliank you.”
Apparently Mr. White and the
nameless faculty member who help^
him prepare the form subscribe to the
idea that frankness, honesty and ob
jectivity are possible only from behind
masks. Since no names are given, how do
we know in fact that these forms were
filled out by 53 different people. Mr.
White and those who agree with him
pres^ably administered the survey,
making no attempt to involve the ad
ministration of any official body of the
. .continued
enthusiasm for the
(London) program.”
school, thus undermining any contention
that the survey is objective and indeed
raising a question as to whether there
might have been “stuffing of the ballot
box” since the replies so conveniently
conform to their own view.
Actually, I do not take such suspicisons
too seriously but after investigating the
allegations with regard to the London
Program, I am understandably wary.
The policies, administration and
personnel of the School of Drama need
. .the integrity
to put their name
on their beliefs. . . ”
and have been receiving re-evaluation.
As part of future re-evaluation,
meetings, questionnaires, and any other
relevant means, must and will be used as
in the past. Whatever method is used
must, however, serve the purpose of
arriving at the most objective and fairest
conclusion possible among people who
have the integrity to put their name on
their beliefs, criticisms and contentions.
This is what academic freedom and due
process are really all about, and in my
remaining days as chancellor, I shall do
everjthing in my power to see that these
principles are operative and continued as
in the past. At this point I regret very
deeply that the opportunity to move
toward the solution of problems in a
humane and fair way has been by-passed
in favor of a course of action which can
only be divisive and harmful to the best
interests of the School of Drama.
1974-1975 Calendar
Summer Session 1974
June 16 - July 19
June 23 - July 26
International Music Program & Private Instruction
All other Summer Arts Programs
Fall Term 1974
Sept. 7
Sept. 7-11
Sept. 11
Sept. 12
Nov. 9
Nov. 20
Nov. 21-27
Nov. 27 (6:00 pm)
Dec. 2 - Dec. 20
Dec. 20 (6:00 pm)
Winter Term 1975
Jan. 2-3
Jan. 5
Jan. 6
March 7
March 10-14
March 15-23
Spring Term 1975
March 23
March 24
March 31
May 23
May 26-30
May 31
Summer Session 1975
June 15 - July 18
June 22 - July 25
New students arrive
Opening week for new students
Returning students arrive
All classes begin
last day ot academic classes
Reading Day
tJxaminations
Dec. 1 llianksgiving vacation
Intensive arts period
Jan. 5 Christmas holiday
Faculty-staff convocation on curriculum
Registration
All classes resume
Last day of academic classes
Examinations
Spring vacation
Registration
All classes resume
No classes on Easter Monday
l-ast day of academic classes
Examinations
Commencement
International Music Program & Private Instruction
All other Summer Arts Programs