Page 2, The Salemite, May 7,1982
Are We Learning?
As newly-appointed editor and outgoing editor, we’ve
discovered that the learning process doesn’t end when
leadership changes hands. In fact, at this point learning
is probably at its peak.
In the last issue of The Salemite an error was made as
a result of our editing inexperience. For the record on
this page attempts to remedy the error.
As a student publication, we are going to make errors.
We are not professionals. Therefore we must have the
support of students, faculty and administration when
mistakes are made. Only this will reinforce The
Salemite’s purpose and improve its quality. Are we
learning? We think so.
Teri Capshaw and Allison Buice
Hettcrsi to ttje Ctiitor
(Oracle
by Dr. Richard L. Morrill
President, Salem
Academy and College
The purpose of "The Oracle" is to involve faculty and administration in
expressing their views about pertinent issues concerning students and today s
world, around or beyond the square. This week. Dr. Richard L. Morrill,
president of Salem College and Academy, addresses Salem s uniqueness.
During my three years at Salem I have tried hard to
understand and to articulate Salem’s uniqueness.
Although I have never been fully satisfied with the
results of my efforts, I have found a distinction made by
one of my graduate school professors to be helpful. He
wrote about the distinction between external and in
ternal history, between history known as a collection of
facts and history understood through the participation
in a living heritage. Salem’s external story is in itself
extremely impressive.
In 1772, when the settlers of Salem opened a “school
for little girls’’ on the village square, they pioneered the
long and uncertain history of women’s education in
America. The Moravians had brought to this country a
high regard for education, including the then unique
conviction that women, too, should be educated. The
sustaining vision of the Moravians has resulted in a 210-
year history during which time Salem’s doors have
never once been closed.
This remarkable saga, however, is known best not
through observation but by participation. The unfolding
of the story in the lives of all who share in it is deeply
moving. To have been a member of the Salem company,
to have joined in this long march, is to share in an
education of special reach and substance. The tone and
texture of a Salem education is like none other, for it is
filled with a richness of unique characteristics that are
both tangible and intangible. From the beauty of the
campus and its exquisite historical buildings, to the
spirit of community in student traditions and events to
the special sights and sounds that surround the Square
at Christmas and Easter, we all feel a special sense of
belonging.
From an educational viewpoint this environniont
makes an unusually effective connection with a critical
stage in the life of a young woman. At a time when young
women are seeking to find and to affirm themselves, to
learn to speak confidently in their own voices, Salem
College offers invaluable human and educational
resources. Above all, Salem is a place of affirmation. It
is built on friendship and trust, on high academic
standards and on caring relationships. It is able to mark
profoundly the lives of its students and to send them
forth with confidence, competence, and an enriched
sense of self and community.
Dean’s Response
Dear Editor,
I feel that I must respond to
your recent editorial,
“Secrecy on Campus”,
regarding Salem’s in
stitutional policy of not
publicly announcing tenure
decisions. The policies for the
tenure review of a faculty
member are clearly stated in
the Faculty Guide and the
procedural details are ex
plained in correspondence
from the Tenure and
Promotion Committee to all
participants in the review
process. The process of
tenure review is a multi
faceted one which involves
collecting information from
various constituents, in
dividual deliberation by
faculty and administrators
and the formulation of
recommendations by faculty,
the Academic Dean and
President to the Board of
Trustees*
The form of the process is
public in the sense that those
who are involved know the
criteria, methods and results
of the review. The decision to
grant or deny tenure is a
Board of Trustees decision
based on recommendations
from faculty peers, the
Academic Dean and the
President. The result of the
decision is communicated to
the faculty member involved
by the President and Dean. It
is the perogative of the
faculty member to share the
information with colleagues
and students as he-she
chooses. Every faculty
member has a right to
privacy regarding his-her
appointment status and may
choose to share this in
formation.
In short the intention of the
tenure publication policy at
Salem Colelge is not to
promote secrecy; it is to
protect and respect the
privacy, professionalism and
status of the faculty member
within the academic com
munity. Sincerely yours,
Patricia A. Sullivan
Academic Dean
For the record
Because of an editing error
in “The Oracle’’ (April 23),
the Salemite left out the
following;
The Faculty Guide ad
mirably expresses the
essense of the issue;
The primary purpose of
tenure is to safeguard
academic freedom. It
protects the right of open
inquiry and free expression.
Both tenure and academic
freedom serve important
public purposes and provide
significant benefits to society.
In addition, tenure provides a
form of professional security
which is especially important
in the academic profession.
Because tenure involves a
significant and long-term
institutional commitment, it
requires careful choice and
selectivity.
Thank You
Dear Editor,
As graduation day ap
proaches I am increasingly
aware of how difficult it will
be to leave Salem and all the
friends and acquaintences of
the past four years. Simple
thank you’s seem inadequate
to express my appreciation
for the hospitality and kind
ness of all my fellow students,
for the unfailing tolerance
and good humor of the
professors who have allowed
me into their classrooms, and
for all the efforts of Salem’s
administrative staff who
have kept this beautiful little
campus in operation.
Returning to college at mid
life has been an exciting and
challenging experience; it
has offered me the ex
traordinary opportunity to
move momentarily from a
world of practicalities into
the realm of ideas and ideals.
It has given me a new per
spective on the academic life
of the young adult, one which
every mother of college-aged
sons and daughters should
have. It has instilled an
abiding respect and ad
miration for my teachers,
whose knowledge, expertise,
and patience I greatly envy.
Thank you all for allowing
me to be a part of this school,
where there are no arbitrary
restrictions to intellectual
pursuit, where women of any
age can endeavor to increase
their knowledge and un
derstanding of the liberal
arts. To my English
professors I extend my
special gratitude for all the
elegant poetry and prose you
so generously assigned to
read, as well as all the papers
you taught me to write. I shall
miss you indeed, gmcerely,
Vicki Williams Sheppard
derstand why, if sitting on a
window ledge is not allowed
here, it was not written as
such in the Handbook. I guess
To Sun Is To Sin
Dear Editor,
This reply is concerning the
recent letter from a Salem
student who couldn’t un
it was the same reason that
“killing your roommate is not
allowed” or that “painting
graffiti on the sides of
buildings is not allowed” is
not written in soci”
procedure. In my opinion, it is
automatically assumed that
students have enough com
mon sense and common
decency to refrain from .such
acts that obviously may be
detrimental to other students
or to the college in general.
As far as sitting on window
ledges goes, that’s fine if you
want to risk your life; as far
as I’m concerned, it’s yours
to risk. However, if you were
allowed to sit on ledges you
would not only be risking the
lives of people under you, but
would be placing the school in
a situation that could result in
a lawsuit if you were hurt in
any way. Of course you don't
expect to get hurt, but there
are a lot of people in hospitals
at this minute who didn’t
expect to get hurt. All it takes
is a little thought to realize
why some rules are made and
enforced.
However, I must admire
your determination to
question this “unspoken rule’’
but at the same time j
disagree with your method of
expressing your view. If at
any time any student feels a
rule has been made unjustly
or questionably, it’s her
privilege (and responsibility)
to bring it to the attention of
the right people-either
Executive Board or
Legislative Board. That’s
what these groups are for-to
listen to and act upon any
problems or changes that
Salem students have. The
only way to make our student
government really effective
is to use these boards to their
full potential and not just
resort to editorials that may
go unnoticed.
Sincerely)
Judy Watson
Cfie Salemite
Printed by Lindsay Publishing Co.
King, N.C.
Editor; Teri Capshaw
Associate Editor: Stephanie Vance
Business Manager: Pamela Sawers'
Assistant Business Manager: Ann Shell
Reporters: Carla Blakely, Robin Elmore, Beatrice Heath,
Sunny Nolde, Agneta Perman, Virginia Wagenheim,
Susanna Weddle
Proofreaders: Kaycee Connolly, Pam Fargason
Lay-out Staff: Alice Crawford, Laura Hester
Cartoonist: Nina Anderson
Circulation: Ann Biswell
Advisor: Laura Edwards, Nancy Stephens
The Salemite office is located in the basement of Lehman Hall.