MONTREAT
COLLEGE
Volume XXIX, Number 4
ALETHEIA
Montreal College
November 7,1996
By Daryl Bryant
The new “booting” policy has
not been accepted well by students.
The boot is a device placed on car
tires that prevents the car from
being moved until a fine is paid.
Many students do not realize that
the device is for their safety and for
the Montreal community. Ticketing
people is the first option of the
Montreal police unless someone has
what is called an “outstanding”
record. This means that someone
has neglected the parking fines
given. I’he police will also give
tickets to those who are habitual
offenders. That means if someone
gets a ticket, pays the fine, and then
continues to park illegally, they will
most likely get a boot put on their
vehicle. If a vehicle is blocking
traffic, a boot will not be put on a
vehicle; it will be towed.
R.A. Halford, Chief of
Montreal Police, expresses, “It all
started in 1993; the fire in Montreal
led us to have stronger ordinances.
Cars were obstructing the way for
rescue vehicles, so we had to make
Studying On a
Friday?!? Not!!!!
By Eric U. Sattcr
If s 8 p.m. on Friday night. Your
car is in the shop, there is nothing on
cable TV, your friends have abandoned
you for the weekend, your boyfriend or
girllriend is 2,000 miles away, and you
don’t get your paycheck for another
two weeks. And on top of everything
else, you don’t want to work on your
thesis. What does one do in this
situation?
Well, hopefully you won’t have
such bad luck, but ifyoif re looking for
something to do on a Friday night here
at Montreat College—just check out
what’s happening with Student Activi
ties. Student Activities is comprised of
I I people atui is led by senior Anna
Darby and staff advi.sor Rob Ander
son.
“I like the diversity of the student
body,” said Anderson. “I’ve found
that students at Montreal have differ
ent needs and interests, thus we need
to have a huge range of diversity in
activities.”
So far, diversity hasn’t been a
problem. This year, student activities
Continued on page 2
Boots...Shoes for your cars?
changes. We were making up
hypothetical situations where some
one may be in dire need of help in
what are called the “golden” min
utes, which are the 3-4 minutes that
could mean life or death for some
one.”
There is a $5 fee for a parking
ticket, $20 boot fee, and if the fee
for the fine has not been paid for in
72 hours, the car will be towed.
Then the towing fee is added to the
person’s bill. For every day the
vehicle sits in storage, another $5
fee is added on. Senior Amanda
Nesbitt pronounced, “I understand
the reasoning for seeking out cars
with outstanding parking violations
and booting them, but there needs to
be a better way to do this.”
Halford announces, “We are not
doing it for the money, not because
we want to, but for your safety. We
do not even get the revenue from the
fines that the people have to pay. It
all goes straight to the Buncombe
County Board of Education, so you
see, we are definitely not doing it for
the money.”
Sandy Roberts, whose vehicle
was also “booted” recently, boldly
complained, “1 believe their system
is bad. First of all, their bookkeeping
is inaccurate. When I first went to
pay for my boot to come off, they
still didn’t give me a proper receipt.
And I know I paid for the ticket
twice! The town people are the
problem. Why can’t they under
stand we don’t have a parking lot
anymore? 1 will be at the next town
meeting that they never tell us
about!”
Halford responded, “We do have
compassion for people because of
the lack of parking. It is not the
Town of Montreal’s responsibility to
provide parking. Many times we
have turned a blind eye towards
those people parking in front of
McGregor dorm.”
As of right now, parking is a big
problem at Montreal College and
finding places to park is difficult. It
is recommended that students try to
find a parking spot that is not in
violation and therefore, avoid the
“boot”.
Retention Improving at Montreat
By Sliazcttc Davis
Montreal’s retention has im
proved. Out of the Fall 1994 fresh
men class, 58.6% students returned in
the Fall of 1995 for their sophomore
year. A total of 64.8% of last years
freshmen returned this year.
Although the statistics show
improvement, many students still
seem unable to find what they’re
looking for. Students’ reasons for
leaving seem to vary. Angela I leebner
commented, “This school doesn’t
have what I want.”
Dave Wallers, Director of Student
Success, responded, “We have
improved in retention of first time
freshmen returning.” 'fhe leading
reasons why students transfer or
withdraw from Montreal are: lack of
the student’s major, expense,
Montreal was not their first choice,
and proximity from home.
Sonya Petroni expressed, “'I'hey
don’t have my major and I’m home
sick!” Soccer player Issa Baba,
added, “ fhis school is too small and
doesn’t have my major.”
Wallers explained, “We are a small
school. We cannot offer as many
majors as a big college. So the
majors we do offer are important for
retention.”
Many current students have
openly expressed that they intend on
transferring. Naomi Richard ex
plained, “I want to go to a big school.
I’ve experienced the benefits of going
to a small school, now 1 want to
experience college life from a differ
ent perspective.” Jean Abernethy also
expressed, “1 like it here, but I’m
having academic problems as well as
personal problems.”
The administration of Monireat is
continuing to look for ways to belter
meet the needs of students and
improve retention. A survey will be
given to the Freshman Seminar
classes the last week of the semester
to find out how their attitudes have
changed since they’ve been at
Montreal. 'I’hey will also be asked
what they think can be done to belter
meet their needs.
Walters concluded, “1 would
encourage any student who is think
ing about transferring to drop by my
olfice to talk to me to see if 1 can do
anything to assist them in their needs
here at Montreal.” Dave Wallers
office is located in McGregor, room
106.