CROSSROADS
Belmont Abbey College
v r o AT s r o w tl s
VOLUME I - ISSUE S
MARCH, 1972
Abbey Goes
Coedueational
•v
Fr. John Bradley, President of
BAC and Sr. Mary Stephen,
Rev. John P. Bradley,
President of Belmont Abbey
College, announced on February
25,1972, that Belmont Abbey will
become a coeducational in
stitution and will begin by ac
cepting women day students for
the 1972 Fall semester.
The decision, which broke a
ninety-six-year tradition, is a
result of long study and
discussion between the Abbey
and Sacred Heart College, its
neighboring institution. Even
though the decision to go co-ed
has been made, the Boards of
President of SHC face questions
at the THE Press Conference.
Trustees of both institutions will
continue to work together to
enhance the cooperative
programs already in effect.
“Our decision in no way closes
the doors on our present or
future cooperative efforts.”
Father Bradley stated.
Students of both Colleges 'will
be able to continue participating
in the academic, social and other
activities of either College,
thereby perpetuating the free
flow of students between the
campuses.
Unrest On Campus
Students Protest Displinary
Action In Drug Case
The past week has witnessed
several disturbances on campus,
including acts of vandalism and
arson, arising from student
dissatisfaction with the
Disciplinary Committee.
Inipifemitentatipn of the
College’s flbiicy ph drugs has, in
recent ' ftiohtH^, caused
disciplinary action against
several students. On Monday,
March 13, Free Lance, the
student newspaper, carried an
editorial attacking the
proceedings in one such case.
Several violations of due process
were alleged. Additionally, Free
Lance questioned the integrity of
the Dean of Students and held
that the defendant in the case,
who had been expelled, should be
reinstated. The Free Lance
editorial asserted that its in
formation came from the
defendant and five other
students, and that Free Lance
had not consulted the Dean or
any other College official in its
investigation — a somewhat
unfortunate omission of a kind
not unusual in inexperienced
student journalism.
The College’s attorneys assure
that the procedures observed in
the case are unimpeachable, are
the fairest to students of any of
which they are aware, and
provide safeguards of student
rights considerably in excess of
what is required by law. These
procedures were established as
the result of extensive in
vestigation.
On the evening of the day in
which the Free Lance editorial
appeared, approximately 150
students gathered on campus in
protest. The Dean of Students
was present and spoke to them
on the issue. During the night
there were disturbances on
campus, including several
brushfires and the virtual
destruction by fire of the old
greenhouse west of the Belmont-
Mount Holly Road.
On the next day (Tuesday,
March 14), the President, Dean
Clark, and Jim Giermanski met
for some five and a half hours
with 21 students \yho purported
to represent the student body.
This committee was led by the
President of the Student
Government and made up of
members selected by him.
The verdict of the Disciplinary
Committee had been appealed to
the College President, and this
student group asked that he
render an immediate decision on
the appeal. Fr. Bradley an
swered that the case would be
treated like any other, and that a
judgment would be made within
a reasonable time.
On Wednesday at 4:00 P.M. a
decision was announced
upholding the original verdict in
the case. The “Committee of 21”
then met again with Fr.
Bradley. That night the Student
Government President held a
meeting in the Wheeler Center to
report to the student body the
progress of discussions between
the committee and and the
Administration. Wednesday
night there were more brush
fires and a number of windows
were broken -- one in the Wheeler
Center, several in student
■ residence buildings.
Many students objected to the
disorders. Over a hundred
organized fire-fighting crews
and generally cooperated in
defensive measures. Many
expressed displeasure at the
actions of the protestors.
Thursday at 10:00 A.M. a bomb
threat was received and the
Administration Building was
evacuated for about two hours.
No explosive was found, and by
1:00 P.M. things had returned to
normal. The incident is under
investigation by appropriate
local, state, and federal agen
cies. On Thursday afternoon Fr.
Bradley again met with the
Committee of 21. That evening
he appeared on Charlotte
television to explain these in
cidents and to indicate the
College’s position. Thursday
night there were several more
brush fires on campus.
Several explanations are of
fered: beneath the ostensible
reasons for these events (partly,
no doubt, they are simply the
form taken this year by the
annual rites of spring), there
appears to be some student
disagreement with the
regulations of the College,
particularly those concerning
drugs, dormitory visitation, and
the College’s right to enter
rooms. Students are not subject
to indiscriminate snooping, but
the College retains the right to
enter a room when there is
distinct probable cause, as there
( Please turn to Page 6)
Miimni
Records
Computerized
For the past five months
serious discussion and planning
have been underway to develop a
fully computerized alumni
record system. In November the
program was written, and on
January 14th, funds were en
cumbered to implement the
project.
On January 18, 1972, two
specialists from the National
Laboratory For Higher
Education reviewed our entire
program and gave it their
overwhelming support. As a
result of their visit, a test entry
was run with complete success;
and in February, preparation of
documentation and other
printing matter was intiiated.
Therefore, you should soon
receive a very succinct
questionnaire in the form of a 4 x
6 card. In design, this card
conforms to the requirements of
the computer key punch card,
and it is the one most important
document of the project. Please,
please, please, help us by filling
out and returning this card as
soon as possible. Without your
help all the planning, and “blood,
sweat, and tears” put into this
most needed operation will be
uselessly wasted.