Page 35 - ThePhoenix1988-89

November 10, 1988fWestern Maryland College/Page 7 The MEN of WMC: They can be ----- Bev Megenhardt -------------- yours. Student debates necessity of RA's Get your own 1989 Men of WMCCalendar. Sponsored by the Phoenix. "Where's the RA?" is a ques- a formal tea, but why not schedule The Office of tion that is frequently heard in dor- a brief meeting just to get ac- matories allover campus. There is quainted with each other, inform the students of policies, and make more behind this question, how- them aware of what services are Residence Life is ever, than an answer that gives a location. The real questions are available to them? The even bigger question, where are RAs when you need however, is why are there RAs in looking for some them, why do residence halls have RAs, what exactly are the services upperclassmen dorms in the first that they are toprovide inexchange place? For the most pan they are RA alternates. for their free room and board and not available, and even if they were are they in fact providing these I'm afraid that they would not con- services? tribute too much to helping these According to the student hand- conditions; promoting student students adjust to college life. It •• Positions available for Spring book. RAs (Residem Assistants) leadership; interesting students in seems that for the most part, they arepartofa team thatalsoincludes scholastic acheivemem and in the are supposed to be policemen, Semester Charlene Cole, Associate Dean of intellectual and cultural experi- making sure that no one is having a Student Affairs, Joanne Goldwa- ences outside the classroom; en- good time, or that Joanne Goldwa- •• Room and board remuneration ter, Assistant Director of Resi- forcing College hall rules; and ter or Charlene Cole don't find out dence Life, and Douglas Nolder, handling theadminisuative details about it This policing is not done if offered a position Coordinator of Residence Staff and of operating residence halls." on any type of consistent basis, Piogramming. The" ...major con- I don't think that anyone however. It's beyond me how a eern [of this team] is the welfare of would argue that there is a wide group of girls can be broken up for See Doug/as A. No/der in the residents." The handbook goes on variety in the Iargenumberof goals singing too loudly, but a fight be- to say,"Staff members are inter- that these few people have set. tween grown men that has the po- Student Affairs Office or call ested in knowing each student indi- Being an RA involves being a li- tential for very serious injury was extension 240 for details. vidually and assisting in his or her ason between all the students on a broken up only after students re- adjustment to college life by pro- floor and the administration. This peatedlycalledsecurity. There was viding infonnation about proce- is certainly no easy task. Although nointerventionfromanyRAsinthe dures and services; advising on the task may be difficult, that is no building. I suggest that the school social, academic, or personal prob- excuse to totally disregard it. Un- reconsider itspolicy regarding resi- RAPE MYTH # 12 lems; making referals to appropri- fortunately, many students never dent assistants. While it may be ~ Rape only happens in large cities and other areas with high ate offices; conveying student see their RA. In some buildings, beneficial to have these employees crime rates. needs and special problems to there has yet to be any kind of on predominantly Freshman floors, tl.!;t. The truth Is that rape happens wherever there Is administrative staff; encouraging introduction between the residents what service do they really provide opportunity and Ignorance .- small towns, college campuses, the maintenance of good study and their RA. No one is asking for that given the proper forms stu- resorts, big cttles and rural areas. Over 1900 rapes were dents couldn't take care of them- reported to the police across Maryland In 1986. Considering selves? that many authorities feel that most rapes are not reported, the problem Is probably much greater than these reports Indicate. A Letter From the President For help or more information, cali the Rape Crisis Intervention Service. Our services are free, and ali inquiries are confidential. President Chambers addresses racism at WMC HOTUNE: 848-2724 OFACE: 857-0900 Recent issues The Phoenix ability to face our problems in an livable and humane community, have contained articles and letters attempt to wrestle them into sub- what other environment can? If the speaking to the issue of America's mission. We remain an optimistic intelligent and sophisticated women most pressing and long-lived social people despite our failings. And and men at WMC cannot deal crea- problem. Racial discrimination that bedrock optimism keeps us on tively with social unrest,can anyone and unrest have scarred our the road to social improvement. else do so? If we cannot wrestle nation's history since colonial America today is fairer, more discrimination and social dishar- times. Elected leaders from the age humane,andmoreadmirablecoun- mony to the ground, who can? We have here the1;:;;;~~~:~~~~~~~~~;;:;;;;:;;;J of Plymouth Plantation to the Re- try because of our fundamental I believe that Western Mary- agan era have found themselves optimismandourcontinuingdeler- land is a special place inhabited by faced with racially-based tensions mination to better ourselves as a special people. to become thatareseeminglyinsoluble. Many society. ingredients the very of those tensions have arisen from Western Maryland is a micro- model of what a truly tolerant, crea- the ployglot. "melting pot" charac- cosm, of sorts, of the world in tive and humane community should ter of the United States, a country which we find ourselves. To be be. It is, in fact, our communal duty Fitzgerald's that, ironically, was founded on the sure, our lovely environment is not to strive to realize our potential as a principles of equality and brother- blighted by all of America's ills, society that functions in harmony. Carriage House Liquors hood. yet we are very much a part of the By pooling our wits and our wisdom What is ironic about this is the national and even international we can overcome the tensions- 113 W. Main St., Westminster fact that our very openness has forces that have driven and con- racial and otherwise-that our made us "a nation of nations", an tinue to drive our history. As a larger society has brought to us. amazing and wonderful collectiv- consequence, the tensions to be Working together, we can become specials this month ... ity of people of all creeds and col- found throughout our country are the example of tolerance and mutual V'Coors, Coors Lite & Extra Gold $11.39/case ors, of all philosophical and politi- present on our campus as well, understanding that our region and cal persuasions, and from all cor- despite the great beauty of the our nation badly need. V'Molson 12 pk. $7.99 ners of the Earth. Given our mix- place. V'Sebastiani Wmes (750 ml) 2/ $8.99 ture and our unique history, it is not Are we any better at dealing surprising that socially-based ten- with these tensions than are V'Paul Masson Wine (L5Iiter) $3.99 sions continue to plague us. Per- America's other sites and institu- V'Reunite Wine (750 ml) 2/$5.99 haps they always will. tions? I would certainly hope so. If Yet our national genius is our a college campus cannot become a