Editorials
The Pen...Page 3
College Administration
Global Economic Recession:
A Critical Analysis
By Eric L. Perry (Journalist)
Cert. Editing and Journalism
The economies of the develop
ing nations are becoming more
and more depressed because of
the high interest rates on loans
given to them by the interna
tional financial instutions, the
World Bank and the International
Monetary Funds (IMF), protec
tionism, tariffs, and other trade
barriers, which tend to cause a
diminution in their export earn
ings.
The Western industrial nations,
at the Williamsburg Economic
Summit last April, planned some
development strategies to help
boost the economies of the
developing nations by means of
diminishing high interest rates on
loans given to the developing na
tions by the international finan
cial institutions, the World Bank
and the International Monetary
Funds (IMF), and by means of
abating protectionism, tariffs,
and other trade barriers, which
in turn will augment the export
earnings of the developing na
tions.
The questions are: When and
how will such development
strategies be fully implemented?
The Situation
in Lebanon
By Grover Benjamin
Israel’s new thirty million
defense lined across southern
Lebanon’s Jewish state’s. The
scheduled retreats of the Israeli
troops from the outskirst of
Beirut to the Awwali River, is a
means of getting by Prime
Minister Menachem Begin. Begin
had hoped to see a friendly
neighbor from the north, to solve
a conflict that has taken the lives
of 517 Israeli’s and wounded
2,947.
Pressed hard with a mounting
economic crisis and an un
precedented place movement,
Lebanon’s war-weary govern
ment has abandoned expecta
tions that the United States could
persuade Syria to get their
soldiers out of Lebanon. A prere
quisite for Israel’s withdrawal. A
virtual partition was agreed
among Lebanon and Israel, by
Lebanon’s President Amin
Gemayal.
Adding to Begin’s frustrations,
the Israel’s speeded up prepara
tion to move into the new defense
position, that would probably be
the likelihood of casualties conti
nuing. Behind this situations con
cedes Lt. General Moshe Levy,
Israel’s Chief of Staff. There is no
assumption that is will be follow
ed by quiet observation. The U.S.
persuaded Israel to delay its
withdrawal from the battle zone
for three days, to give the
Lebanese Army more time to
move.
Some concerned centers on the
Chouf Mountains southeast of
Beirut, where rival Christian
soldiers and Moslem Duize
militas, were expected to battle
for ■pswifii'af ter th’6' Krael’s leave: ■
If such development strategies
are implemented, won’t they
have an adverse effect on the
economies of the Western in
dustrial nations? Looking at such
questions from an analytical
stand-point, we will definitely see
that the time-table for the im
plementation of such develop
ment strategies seems obscure to
any proficient economist because
the Western industrial nations,
too, are facing a ruinous-
financial crisis; therefore the
concept of “how” and “when”
should not be taken very serious
ly. The Western industrial na
tions will not try to abandon their
interest at the international-
financial institutions, the World
Bank and the International
Monetary Funds (IMF), by
means of abating the high in
terest rates on loans they usually
give to the developing nations
because if they do, their assets in
the long run will decrease
tremendously.
The global economic recession
is the world’s greatest political
and economic phenomenon
because most of the time, we
hear about countries complaining
of high interest rates, diminution
in their export commodities,
balance of payment deficits, etc.
Most of these countries that
usually complain are developing
countries( Africa, Latin
American, Asia, and Europe).
What can the developing na
tions do to offset such an
economic and political
phenomenon? Looking at such a
question critically, we shall see
that the developing nations need
to establish a common market of
their own to facilitate the pro
blems of protectionism, tariffs,
and other trade barriers as well
as high interest rates on loans.
How can such a phenomen be
fully implemented, that is, the
establishment of a common
market for the developing na
tions to exchange their com
modities at a suitable price
analysis? Looking at such a ques
tion painstakingly, we shall see
that with the concepts of unity
and the elimination of intellectual
diversion, the developing nations
will definately experience a
dramatic change in their
economies as well as in their
political structures.
The global economic recession,
to my opinion, does not affect the
whole world because if we look at
the developed nations critically,
we shall see that their economies
are booming, and will still con
tinue to boom.
It would be naive were the
developing nations to be of the
conviction that there would be a
global recovery whereas signs of
recession are still hunting them.
Global economic recovery
should be the target and objective
of the developing nations
You Have a Right To
Question Your Education
Natasha B. Colebrooke
WILL A COLLEGE EDUCA
TION COUNT FOR ANYTHING?
A COLLEGE EDUCATION
WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A
SENSE OF SELF-WORTH AND
SELF-CONFIDENCE TO
PERFORM IN A COMPETI
TIVE SOCIETY.
As a college student, you are in
a position to choose among many
different options of higher educa
tion.
One can explore the public in
stitutions, community colleges,
state colleges, or state univer
sities. One can examine the
private sector also.
Saint Augustine’s College is a
private institution. It has a
history of serving the educational
needs of a true student. It haa,
established a tradition of advanc
ing the cause of social justice and
community service.
I think Saint Augustine’s is
substantially different in its
educational orientation and op
portunities than most other in
stitutions of higher learning. This
means our students can ex
perience an education that is
distinctive in many ways.
Black writer Langston
Hughes was the most
prolific writer of the
literary movement called
the Harlem Renaissance.
The college administration is
always quick to point out that the
student body i§ the most impor
tant part of this institution and
that the college exists for the
students. Students are just as apt
to claim that the preceding state
ment is just a nice “catch
phrase” which sounds good at
orientation sessions.
The truth is that many students
feel powerless when dealing with
the administration, and. some
have difficulty in perceiving
themselves as part of the most
important component of the col
lege community. As a group, the
student body has failed both to
recognize that is has extensive
powers and to use those powers
when confronting the college ad
ministration.
This situation can be resolved
in a simple enough fashion. We
have to start believing for
ourselves what the administra
tion has been telling us for
years—that we are the most im
portant part of the institution. On
ly then will we be able to start
thinking in terms of what is best
for the student body instead of
what pleases the administration.
It is amazing how many student
proposals get lost when students
begin to consider whether the
suggestions will have the benefit
of the administration’s liking or
not.
We also have to start making
effective use of representation at
such gatherings as the Vesper
Service, Lyceum and Chapel Ser
vices. Placing student represen
tatives on all committees must
signify more than just a com
promise which looks good to all
concerned.
Student leaders should use
their membership on all commit
tees to learn what the administra
tion is doing and to present the
concerns of the student body.
They must let the administration
know at all times that they are
acting on behalf of over 2,000 per
sons who make up, in the ad
ministration’s own words, the
single most important unit in this
institution. Student leaders must
act with this assurance to ensure
that our concerns will always be
accorded first priority status.
The important consideration
here is that the student govern
ment leaders must, as far as
possible, have the assurance and
full support of the student body.
Students cannot afford the luxury
of not becoming involved in the
whole development process of the
college, and student government
leaders will only be fooling
themselves if they think a few
selected individuals alone can
make the appropriate demands
of the administration.
St. Aug’s Prexy Gives
State of College Address
“The national deficit is at an all
time high~200 million dollars,
unemployment is still too high,
and far too many Americans now
fall below the poverty level”
asserts Dr. Prezell R. Robinson,
President, Saint Augustine’s Col
lege, as he delivered his state of
the college address. He spoke on
the theme “Retention: Ap
proaches Through Communica
tions, Programs, Management
Planning and Human Relations.”
He continued, “National
leadership promotes a forum for
anti-poor, education, women,
labor, and agriculture. There
continues to be a push for tax
credit, private school funding for
schools discriminating on the
basis of race. The phenomena to
day is the rich are getting richer
and the poor are getting poorer. I
would like to see this country
move toward a posture of resolv
ing problems through discussion
and negotiation.
There is a great movement in
North Carolina and the nation to
require our high schools to pro
vide quality education to high
school students. The Commission
prepared
Nation At
on Education has
reports entitled, “A
Risk.” These reports reveal
evidence that a state of mediocri
ty exists in our high schools.
Their whole thought process is in
coherent and a state of confusion
abounds. We have lost our pro
ductive capacity. These reports
cover such topics as “Action for
Excellence,” “Meeting the Need
for Quality,” and “Academic
Preparation for College.”
Robinson said, “Problems con
fronting St. Augustine’s are
synonymous to those faced by
higher educaton and the nation.
Despite obstacles we have got to
insist and put into place quality
control mechanisms, that by the
time students graduate, they
have a good command of the
English language, good com
munication skills, ability to write
with clarity, deal with computa
tion, and to utilize the thought
process to analyze effectively.
Join me in instituting these goals
as we prepare our students to be
competive agents of change in
our continued pursuit of ex
cellence.”
The Meaning of a
Saint Augustine’s Education
Natasha B. Colebrooke
There is a difference between
vocational training and a college
education. You can be trained in
a vocation, but that limits you to
one skill. The purpose of a college
experience is to prepare you for
an unlimited number of oppor
tunities.
Saint Augustine’s is not so
much interested in how many
facts you can accumulate but in
to everyday life.
I believe in an education that
teaches you how to think critical
ly, how to analyze information,
no matter how familiar, and to
reach answers that are logically
and rationally formulated.
Once you gain that kind of in
tellectual “prowess”, you are
prepared to take on any
challenge or problem that comes
your way. With that kind of
background you can truly decide
how well you can interpret the what you want to be. And how you
knowledge you gain and apply it want to live your life.