Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / March 4, 1998, edition 1 / Page 6
Part of Meredith College Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Meredith Herald March 4,1998 Campus Opinion Editorial: Change not negative Letters to the Editor Christine Lauchun Stafl Reporter Webster is spinning in bis grave over some people’s defini tion of “changc" around here. Change bas a few meanings, but none of them are negative cam paigning. Unfortunately, some members of the class of 2000 have failed to understand change in ihe same manner in which The American Heritage Dictionary and the better part of this campus do. I admit, I was not extremely pleased with the latest campus elections. My displeasure had more to do with the facts diat so many positions went unfilled and that so few people voted than with any ticket that ran. After ail, the govemmcHt that governs best is the one Uiat vests its power "in the aggregate of the community; every citizen not only having a voice in the exercise of that ulti mate sovereignty, but being at least occasionally called on to take an actual part in tlie govern ment, by the personal discharge of some public function” (John Stuart Mill). Maybe I have an advantage over tlie average student. As a poUtical science major, 1 have studied politics, democracy, and die political process. The general idea behind “Democratic Participation and Political Education,” by English philoso pher John Stuart Mill, which is quoted above, is diat democracy educates and improves its citi zens by providing lliem with the experience of self-rule. Granted, Meredith is no model of democracy (this calls to mind “0-0-C.”'s iJioughts on the sub ject in her Oct. 8, 1997 “Point” that “the real authority at this school is tlie administration, namely the first floor of Johnson Hall”), but nonetheless there are solid democratic elements built into our student government sys tem. Clearly, our democracy has failed to educate some citizens of the Mereditli community. Running on a ticket is the pro tocol for national elections, although in North Carolina state wide ballots are not on a ticket system. In Wake county, the city council and the mayoral candi dates are elected individually rather than on a ticket system, much like our campus elecUon system, but they are allowed to campaign together. When Raleigh mayor Tom Fetzer ran for re-election in 1997, he and several city council candidates formed a ticket and ran togetlier, as did several mem bers of tlie class of 2000. This is not called a clique. It is called a ticket. According to American Heritage, a ticket is “a list of candidates proposed or endorsed by a political party: a slate.” llie candidates who ran as a ticket were obviously endorsed by their constituency or tliey would not have won. Like the Raleigh City Council, tJie SGA is not elected on a tick et system, which means voters are free to vote for any combina tion of the candidates, both on Meredith Herald Editor in Chief Kim Highland Layout Editor. Allison Carter News Editor. Betli Hall Copy & Features Editor/Cartoonist ,..T(wy Hoke Business Manager. Jennifer Redinger Reporters ^arah Baluss, Lisa Gilliam, Jill Green, Leslie Maxwell, Shannon Smith, Alison Valenti, Whiwey Wilson Photo Editor. : ...Alyson Flood Photogrjq>hers ;...„.....ChrisUne Laugblin, Jill Greea Faculty Adviser. Louise Taylor Editorial Policy: The Meredith Herald is published by tlie College tlirougliout tlie academic year. Tlie paper is funded by tlie College and tlirougli advertising. The opinions expressed in the editorial coluntns do not necessarily reflect tliose of tlie college adiiiinistfation. faculty, or student body. and off any given ticket. I am not endorsing any candidate; 1 was not even eligible to vote in the class of 2000 elecdons. 1 am sim ply supporting our existing polit ical system. Maybe tliis is one of tlie reasons our SGA has such lit tle autltority—the student body can not handle tlie responsibili ties we already have. Neither using the word “change” nor running on a ticket is listed as negative campaigning by the 1997-1998 Elections Board guidelines. I have searched the SGA constitution for a statement against either, but I have come up empty-handed. Yes, “Concerned Student,” run ning for an SGA office “should be a challenge worth taking,” only not too many people stepped up to the challenge. And now Uiose who did, both those who won and those who did not, are being criticized for doing so. As far as 1 can tell, MercditJi has trained at least two women beautifully for tlie real world. Alison Flood liandled her defeat widi tlie grace and confi dence tliat “A Concerned Student” could not. And Fjin Grant lias handled her victory witli tlie grace and confidence tlial "An Observant Outsider” could not. All those who ran for offic’e deserve a round of applause. 'Hiey had tlie courage to put tlieir names out there, to fight tlie good fight, win or lose. Students respond to elections letters Letters to the Editor Policy: Kvcryone in tlie Meredith community is invited to wrile a leiter to the editor. All pub lished letters must be type written witli contact name, address, and telephone num ber. All letters must be signed by the author; however, names will be witliheld upon request. The Herald reserves the right to place any other article submissions on file until needed or to choose not to print them. Tlie Herald also has the right to edit stories for space requirements. Dear Editor, , 1 read with interest die letters to die editor in last week’s Herald. I am always interested in diose who write scathing letters and Uien leave their names off or request to have them not printed. I under stand that theic were those who were upset by the elections’ out comes, but they could have found a more mature way lo present these objections. Mud slinging and back-biting should have gone out of a mature woman’s life and way ofcoimnunicatioo witli her diapers, pacifier, and tliumb-sucldng. I’m sorry to see dial we liave “w'omen”oa this campus who siiU use Uiis (acdc. I. by die way, was on campus during tlie camp^gns and elections and saw none of the uuderivaiidedness and negative campaigning Uiat iliese ; anonymous “wc«nen”are so concerned about, and, yes, I saw a lot. We need to leani to work together on Uiese diings and accept die differences in the way we work, and, yes, campaign. The last I heard there were two parlies in die USA-Democratic and Republican, and the last I heard (again) neither one of these par- des are even close to giving up party politics. Phyllis Mincey DearEditor, Given recent concern which has been expressed regarding die class of 2000, we would like to take tliis opportunity to comment on the transition being made. We feel tliat during die past two years there lias been tremendous support and unity in tlie our class. We hope diis will carry on dirougli die remainder of our time here at Meredidi. Everyone in our class has played, and we hope will continue to pUiy, an integral role in making tlie class of 2000 as great as it is. By working hard togedier, we see die transition into our junior year as being a positive one; however we can notdoitwidiout tlieenUre support of the class. Our aspirations for tlie class of 2000 is to make it as great in flic future as it has been in die past. Respectfully submitted. Alison Flood and Erin Grant R.A. appreciates speedy action of campus police Dear Editor, I would like to coniineud campus police on dieir response to a call on ITiursday at 10:00 p.m. Two suspicious males entered 1st Vann’s parlor to place a si^ on the hall bulledn board I tuld them dial they were only allowed to be in tlie parlor, not on die hall. I'hey ignored me and continued posting dieir signs. 1 called cam pus police to report these men, fuid two officers responded widiin seconds. The tiiidcs had gone to Stringfield and were exiting Fairclolb when die officers found diem. The officers escorted dvem off campus widiin five minutes of die call. 1 want lo personally tbank campus police for all that dtey do. 1 know dial diey do not get all of die credit dial they deserve for doing their job. ‘ Commending a job well done. Jennifer Redinger 3rd Vann R.A. Any submissions for the Herald are due every MONDAY at 1 PM in the box outside of 208 Cate Center.
Meredith College Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 4, 1998, edition 1
6
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75