Page 76 - ThePhoenix1987-88

Page 4IWestem Maryland College!April 14, 1988 Editorial Freshman farce Having troubles adjusting to college life? Don't know what to major in? Are you unsure of why you are here? Then don't delay! Enroll today in Freshman Seminar. For one free academic credit, this class will teach you all the "write" stuff. The concept, presented at a faculty-staff meeting last week, seems to be an attempt to teach freshmen everything they should have learned during a preliminary interview or orientation. It incJudesa sctofproposed discussion topics that range from "What is a liberal arts education?" to implications of honor code violations. Furthermore, it would be a graduatioo requirement This class is supposed to leach students how to actalWMC. Let's think about this. A first semester freshman is certainly in anew environment, and will have four or five classes of a higher caliber than he isaccustomed to. So this isjust what freshmen need first semester, another course to take up lime. (Maybe it'll keep them out of trouble. Yeah, that's the ticket.) In a rough draft detailing course objectives, several of the ideas presented are simply insulting. The second objective listed is "to help students obtain an understanding of the significance of higher education." Would most of these students be attending college if they did not already know the value of a higher education? Still other objectives deal with the student's attitude toward enhanc- ing "self-awareness and self-respect," as well as his "awareness of and ~~:~::no~;;;';~u::iS sounds like a lectureoften heard on the LetterstotheEditor------- Isn't this the culminaucnof Holt r The fi~! objective of the course is "to assist students in thinking and d t I tt . actingcritic"~,crealivcly,andhumanely." espon S 0 e er on racism ~~~~:g'7,~~h::dy~andleaming? Orcanitbc taughtinonesemester But evep more msipid than the course objectives are the ridiculous homework assignments: "Write an essay on 'Why am Ihere?' ,to "Read Editors: to WMC. Ihighly doubt this is the any way. While it is true there are student handbook," and complete a ''Take-home quiz based on the college genuine reason for our small per- no black sisters in our sorority at catalog and guidance bulletin." These ideas insult the intelligence of the This letter is in response to centage of minorities on campus. this time. we do have many sisters entire entering class. Gary Williams' letter in the March He mentions the lack of a social who are considered minorities. It has been amply demonstrated that there are more than a few 31 issue of The Phoenix. I have system with which the minorities Our present membership includes students who could really use this kind of guidance, but this is not the many problems with the points Mr. can identify, yet he specifically several Jewish and Oriental sisters proper vehicle for behavior modification. What about the other students. Williams made in his letter which I mentionstheexistenceoftheBlack as well as aCambodian. One of our Will honors students be made to attend these classes? Should honors would like to address and clarify Student Union in the letter. founding sisters was black and students and other equally bright individuals be made toattend? And who now. No Greek organization on since then we have had several is going to teach the 20-25 sections of this class? First of all, Dean Sayre, and this campus is exclusive in its other black sisters. Finally, there is no foundation for offering academic credit to teach other members of the adminisua- membership, so why does Mr. IdonOl wantthisto appearas students what to major in or tell the location of the Health Center. tion denied the request for another Williams feci that minorities can- an inventory of our membership The solution here is to develop this program and offer it during Greek organization last Spring, not identify with the various "so- but Iwant it to be known that the orientation week, or during the summer months with guidance days. simply because there are more than cial systems" on campus? Would Omegas do not accept members on Remember, there is no money-back guarantee with this offer. enough fraternities and sororities not an all black fraternity or soror- the basis of race or ethnic back- on this campus at the present time. ity be inherently exclusive in its ground. We seek quality individu- Eight recognized Greek organize- membership and therefore dis- als who will positively conuibute tioosisccrtainlyplentyforWMC's criminatory? to our organization. Contrary to The Phoenix small campus. the term "minority", when in real- Mr. Williams' beliefs, our minority Throughouttheletter,heuses members do feel they belong and Also, Mr. Williams assumes that the basis for denying the pro- ity he is referring to blacks. There canidentifywithAlphaNuOmcga. posa1wasofaracistnature. Thatis are many minorities other than Mr. Williams makes the same error Edilors-in-Chief ,_ ..... Andrew J. Raith, Craig Cecil certainly not the case. As stated black students on this campus who when referring to the campus . Managing Editor .. . ... ..Mary Baschoff Copy Editor . .............. Beth JOO8S earlier, tne administration simply are active members of Greek or- I know several minority Sports Editor .. ................................ Cynthia SdlAfer feels that the number of existing ganizations, including Alpha Nu members of Phi Delta Theta and Business Manager... .. ......................... C. Uoyd Hart organizations is sufficient. If one, Omega, Phi Delta Theta and Gamma Beta Chi. As is true of News Editor . .............................. Roshini George of these organizations should ever Gamma Beta Chi (three Greek Alpha Nu Omega, these two frater- Photographers . .......Kathleen McNulty, Eileen McNulty, Cynthia SchAfer, and Anchw J. Raith fold due to lack of membership in organizations not mentioned in Mr. nities do not have any black broth- Reporters Jonathan Slade, Bill Desciak, Jim Vowles, the future, I am sure the Inter- Williams' letter). ers at this time so it is plain to see Tammie Gin, Royce Day, Lee Spector, Greek: Council and the adminisrra- This brings up another issue that Mr. Williams is referring to Laura Bekoff, Douglas Hitchcock, black students exclusively in hi Dave Sailer, and Chrislopher Davis lion would certainly consider a with which Iam very upset In his Advisor .... ....Pamela Regis minority fraternity/sorority as a extremely erroneous letter, Mr. letter and not to minorities in g - The Phoenix is a bimonthlypublicationof Western MarylandCollege. The replacement. Williams says there are only three eral. Perhaps before Mr. Willi opinions eJCpressedin columns and letters to the editordo not necessarily Also, Mr. Williams, speaking choices minority women have makes such erroneous sta ents reflectthose of the staffor actninisll'ation. Editoralsare the responsibilityof on behalf of the minority students when considering to joina sorority. again he should be more nowl- the editor-in-chief. and are approved by the editorialboard. The Phoenix at WMC, said there were "no real To the best of my knowledge ihere edgeablc on the subject. / ~~:;s~~eh!:~:~~~beans~~:~~~tt'!:hi~a:'~v!~::tcontenl social systems for minority stu- is another very visible sorority on Address all mail10: The Phoenix, Western MarylandCollege, Westminster, dents which they could join and this campus! ~mHolt Alpha Nu Omega does not feel like they belonged"; hence the L MD 21157, ...,.;,...:.!.:.....:...-'''"'' ,.., ,:, , _. , , . , '. f, , I ,.:,' .Iow number of minbrity applicantS,,'" discriminate in our membership'in·' U~ President .......... .;,,;,..... ;.!.:.:.:...=..::.;..1 I ',~" ,', ! tIu,omega . ,~. r