Page 54 - ThePhoenix1989-90

Page 2! Western Maryland College! February 15, 1990 Students Spend January in Belize by Laurence Steck mately 180,000 inhabitants rep- of smiling faces, an array of col- new independence of Belize. sternness of the pre-Columbian resenting several ethnic groups: orfulandbeautifullandscapes,and We were about to discover monuments. "DidIlakemymalariapiUs?" Creole (African descent), Gari- also the taste of life ina develop- poverty where we would see Wewere abouuoexpenence It was January I,andforthetenlh funa (Caribs), Mayas, Chinese, ing country, life prompted by people living in huts, in the dust, new and exotic food.eaung gtbnut time I was checking my luggage .., ,it , (the Royal Rat), armadillo, wild item for the trip to ~'1."l to make sure I had not forgotten .. boar, sea turtle, and conch. But any. important mostof all, we wereaboutto build suit. "::Q\'.~ new links among ourselves, to BehZ~inng boots. Bathing acquire a new family, "ourtravel- Camera and film. Sbons. Tee- .. :- '- :... ing family," as Grant Disharoon shirts. I was ready. ..{~ ...,...~ put it, bound by our common On January 2, loaded with td adventure and our sharing. three weeks worth of luggage , the The adventure started in group that wasaboutto live' Belize Belize.City where we landedafter - Adventure 1990' met at 5:00 f an eleven-hour journey. a.m. at BWI airport Belize City is the country's Eyes still full of sleep but largest city, and thirty percent of ready 10 go, I discovered who my the population lives there. It is a traveling companions were going town full of activities and not-so- to be. attractive smells. Led by Dr. William David, Some people hustle the tour- the group was composed of Car- ists on the streets, children ask for rieArbaugh, GlennandMary Ash- quarters (a US dollar is worth two burn, Dede Binder, Barbara Bod- Belizean dollars), and women ine, GrantChambers, Beth Clark, hang their laundry on their Grant Disharoon, Mark Finneran, porches. David Griswold, Bob Johnson, It is a town full of contrasts: Lynn Klingensmith, Ray Myers, Robin Myers, Richard Null, IRes Perez, Ashley Scattergood, Mike Shanahan, Mark Titus, Bethann Van Ness, Matt Wanniski, and Amanda Zawacke; ~eventeen undergraduates and seven gradu- ales, all of us eager to learn more about Belize. Belize is a young country of Central America that acquired its and Mennonite, which make the many surprises and discomforts and washing their clothes in riv- They helped us grasp a better independence from England in country even more fascinating. as well as simpler joys and un- ers. notion of life in Belize regarding September, 1981. But this is for the statistics. known sensations. We were about to havea taste its press, its real estate. banking, Itlieson theCaribbeanCoast, What we were about to discover We were about to encounter of the passage of time in the col- social services as well as its tour- bordered by Mexico and Guate- was a young nation with its head history in many forms in the an- orful clothes drying in the wind ism and environmental programs. mala. The country has approxi- well seton its shoulders, a mosaic cient Maya temples and in the contrasted with the rigidity and Continued on page 3 WMC Searches For Equity In Faculty Ranks Continued from page 1 Scott also stated that "there is His conclusion was a reflec- students. noclear system of support. What tion on the money problem. "By In fact, the "lack" is just one. WMC needs for its professors, es- and large, they simply get better Dr. Charles Neal has been the pecially the black professors, is a offers." only full-time black professor for support system." Michelle Moses MichelleMosesisagraduatc the twelve years hehas been here. echoed that dpmton. of the University of Maryland, Why hasn't Western Mary- Dr. Hartman admitted that Baltimore County, with a B. S. in land been able to recruit black WMC has not been totally effec- Information Systems Manage- professors to this campus? L. R. tive in attracting minority candi- ment. SCOll, Dr. Hartman, and Michelle dates, and that this is a serious She is also onc of the advi- Moses each provided insights into problem. sors to the B. S. U. and is the the problem. However, he blamed the coach of WMC's cheerleaders. Scott acknowledged that problem on the competition from She agreed that "black fac- WMC competes with other insti- the large schools and on' the rela- ulty with Ph.D's are a hot item," unions, but beinsisted Lhatthead- tively low salaries that WMC has but she added that Western Mary- ministration "lacks the to offer. land "has not made the effort to commitment ..thedcllar-commit- "We are competing very capture" these persons, insisting ment." strongly for a relatively small that it takes a "whole-hearted He declared that one of the number in the pool. commitment" to succeed. most important aspects is the "In addition, many of themi- She predicted that WMC is degree to which WMC is willing norities get contacts from the big "really going to have to tap re- tooffercompetitivesalariestothe schools before they even hear of sources" and be "willing 10 use relatively small number of much WMC"although WMCadvertises resources to offer something at- sought after Blacks with Ph.D's. itjobs "in as many publications as tractive" 10 potential black fac- "That's when you find out L. R. Scott, Presldenlorlhe Black Studenl Union Photo by Jon Marsh possible where minorities may ulty. who's committed. [WMChasto] put out some bucks" to get the candidates to the school. read."