I
page two/the journal/january 31,1973
Summer school program
to experiment
- by jay eaker
UNCC's summer school
enrollment showed no increase
last year for the first time in
several years. This fact has
prompted a change in the format
of summer school and given rise
to some misunderstanding about
the intent of these changes.
For the first time this summer,
according to Summer Session
Director Seth Ellis, an eight week
session will be provided which will
overlap the two traditional six
week sessions. The reason for this
is closely associated to the decline
in enrollment last summer.
“The reasons for the decline in
enrollment are several,” said Ellis,
"The change in the academic
calendar deprived many public
school teachers of the
opportunity to take courses
because we started the first
session on June 1 and they didn't
get out of public school until June
10.”
"Also, there is a nationwide
trend toward lower summer
school enrollment because of
changing attitudes toward
education. Students are no longer
In a hurry to finish because of the
tight job market and in our state
there is a possibility that the fifty
dollar tuition deposit for the fall
coupled with summer school
tuition has kept some students
from attending.”
"The eight week courses in the
middle of the summer is an
experiment to see If we can
attract a larger enrollment by
offering the student more
options.”
Grumbling from the faculty
has come because of rumored
cutbacks on the previous level of
support for summer school
programs, reduced course
offerings and a difference in salary
for those teaching the eight week
course versus the six week
courses.
Ellis answers this by saying
that while there are proposals
before the General Assembly
which would Increase UNCC's
summer school budget by
approximately $30,000, this
year's budget is only $2,000 ‘
above last year's.($369,337). A
faculty member teaching a six
week course would be paid at a
rate of 1/12 of. his yearly
academic salary while those
teaching an eight week course
would be recompensed at a rate of
1/8 of their yearly academic
salary.
The course offerings are at the
discretion of the department
chairmen and deans who, having
submitted a preliminary schedule,
are currently in the process of
revising it to make it fit within
budgetary limitations, which they
exceeded by $72,000.
“We can always add to the
program where there is general
student demand," Ellis said, "they
have an important decision to
make. They must look closely at
the total program and determine
demand and try to cut out the
non-essentials^. in the major
program and those courses which
attract few students."
Another problem is that more
faculty want to teach during
summer school than there are
courses. “This is a new experience
for UNCC," said Ellis, "and the
shock is causing reverberations."
The exact ratio of eight week
courses to six week courses is
available at this time because that
decision is up to the deans and
department chairmen.
The preparation of a summer
school budget is difficult because
all funds except the instructional
budget cut across the fiscal year.
The final amount of fuhds
available will not be known until
the General Assembly passes the
higher education budget, which
generally is the last thing they do
before they adjourn. This is
usually a month after the start of
summer school.
Campus security's
role: protectors
and peers
-by charlotte porter
Every so often the Journal likes to inform, or reinforn, students
concerning the Security Department, its various functions and its
pertinent actions.
According to Security head Jerry Hudson, security in the dorm has
relaxed "immeasurably" since last semester. The 12 to 8 a.m. shift no
longer patrols the dorm unless called upon by students with a
complaint against noise or intruders, and the 4 p.m. to 12 p.m. shift has
had Its sphere of influence likewise diminished. The major emphasis on
dorm security now lies with visitor control. Hudson says that the
department is not trying to police the students.
To some of us, that sentence brings to mind the role of campus
security in complying with the state and national drug laws.
First, Hudson says, a magistrate must be convinced that a crime has
been or is being committed before he wilt swear out a warrant. Smoke
in the halls would probably not qualify as evidence, since there would
be no effective way of proving whose room the smoke had come from,
Likewise, Security doesn't do its own investigations. The SBI would be
informed if there were probable cause to suspect someone of dope
dealings, and the SBI would take it from there. Security would of
course cooperate with the agency.
Needless to say. Security has far more to do than investigate drug
cases. They are reknowned for starting cars with dead batteries,
unlocking doors, quieting noisy parties, and, as in the case of two
Journal staffters recently, taking students to get gas at a service station
at odd hours of the night.
Right now there are 19 men on the force. This consists of ten
officers with arresting power and nine dorm guards who are there
mainly to make everyone feel safer and to handle things that might
come up while the arresting officers are on their way.
Due to the laws governing the length of the work week, there are
usually only two officers on duty all the time. This goes up to three or
more when there is something like a dance, concert, or basketball game
on campus, and on some weekends and holidays there Is only one guard
on duty. Hudson is hoping that his request for more officers will soon
be passed.
The regulations to become a campus officer have been raised. The
rookies must go to a special school for six weeks and all campus cops
must be "degree oriented"; that Is, they must attend classes in order to
understand and cope with student attitudes.
Right now, the department is involved In several cases. A
Servomation employee was recently apprehended ripping off about $34
worth of food from the dorm cafeteria. Two non-students were caught
stealing tires off of cars parked in the G area, and a case concerning
three stolen bikes is now pending.
Hudson says that "The only complaints I've ever had I think have to
do with traffice ticket issue, and I'm not concerned with that primarily.
We get periodic rip-offs in the dorm lots of tape players....some people
think we should be there all the time." If the growth plans get passed in
the next budget, Hudson expects to be able to patrol the parking areas
more efficiently.
Locks similar to the one in Dorm "72 will soon be installed on the
basement doors of Moore and Sanford. These locks will be hooked to a
system that will prompt a zzer to go off if anyone comes in these doors.
In Moore, the door will probably be locked to prevent outside entry by
one-half hour after the library closes. In Sanford, the doors will
probably be locked earlier.
Security also has a new weapon to aid them in the never-ending
battle against habitual parking offenders. The device, called an
IMMobillzer, clamps firmly around the wheel of the car and cannot be
removed except with special tools to be obtained in the security office.
Trying to move the car will damage it considerably. This will only be
used on cars owned by people who ignore parking fines or those
parking in an area blocking off safe passage of other vehicles. Those
parked in a tow-away zone but not creating a menace will probably
have nothing to fear.
At the close of the interview, Hudson had a few words for students-
If you see a crime being committed, he says, please let the department
know. Don't think of it as finking, but as helping out the victim of the
crime. Discourage rip-offs. Though the theft rate in the dorms is
remarkably low, things such as tape players and bikes are the target of a
lot of unscrupulous ; people. Mark items, and record bike serial
numbers. Hudson has plans for a bike registration on campus.
Most of all, he says, come down and talk sometime. They like to
know how you feel and enjoy the good rapport they have with students
here.