Page 75 - ThePhoenix1993-94

J2gjQ(f1l}:Ii~JJlfSlQ~'§lJ";~t'~,&j Setting The Recor Dear Editor: Maryland College campus or College sweeps and safe. Por exampleSz per- it was called an editorial implied NormaUy, I do not respond to that it is not a serious issue. carpe__.C..as"clatmed in the edito- cent of resident students com- that The Phoenix staff consid- Phoenix news stories or editori- Sexual aS~Of-riaf. The truth is that the Col- pleung the Student Satisfaction ered the article to be respon- Survey last year indicated they sible, credible and based in fact. ~:i,~~:v~::/~~;::~~~~~~~y. sexual~~nUl~; :~;e~~=~~~~;~;~::l~~ feel secure walking around the It most assuredly was not. Ibe- Safe Here!" wasso alarming and acquaintances has been recog- concerns. campus. The relative infre- lieve that calling the piece an so uninformed that I write to set nized in recent years as a prob- Whenever there are allega- quency of untoward incidents editorial was a serious mistake, the record straight. lem on many campuses. West- tions of a sexual or other as- on this campus supports that not because I disagree with the My greatest concern is with em Maryland College has sault, the mauer is handled care- perception. opinions expressed, but because the outrageous misrepresentation sponsored countless educa- fully and promptly by College I am unsure why this article they were so far removed from of fact in the editorial's second uonal programs aimed at en- authorities. The Student Guide was labeled as it was. While it reality. paragraph: "I know at least one couraglng students and others and Datebook outlines the pro- was not written by a member of Sincerely, Philip R. Sayre woman who has been raped in to come to grips with the diffi- cess used by the Student Affairs the editorial staff, the fact that Dean of Student Affairs the apartments here at cult issue. Freshman orienta- Office and the Honor and Con- knifepoint!" Based in a false- non, for example, features a duct Board, a body composed hood, this highly inflammatory play on this topic, presenta- of student and faculty members statement serves only to confuse uons by the Carroll County and chaired by Dean Lamas. It and upset those in the community Rape Crisis Intervention Cen- is true that information about an who are not aware of the facts. ter, and discussions about per- individual student is not re- The truth is that a student re- sonal safety. The Residence leased to the public or to other ported such a rape about two Life staff has sponsored many students, except in the case of years ago. Later, however, the programs in residence halls violent assault. This measure of student told police that she had and elsewhere. Campus Safety confidentiality is a requirement fabricated the rape story and had staff hold an annual Personal of federal law as well as a sen- herself written the harassing let- Safety Day, have offered a sible way to protect students' ters which were supposedly sent self-defense course, and even privacy. Such was the case this her by a rapist. After a lengthy issued "rape whistles" to stu- fall with the charges of harass. investigation with considerable dents last year. The program ment reported earlier in The effort by local police to find the "What Part of No Don't You Phoenix. As to tbe fairness of alleged rapist, the student admit- Understand'!' has been offered the Honor and Conduct Board ted tbat she had filed a false re- frequently on this campus. and its decisions, there have port; she was convicted in Dis- Each year the Campus Safety been objective evaluations of trict Court on July 15, 19930fly- Office publishes a booklet, the WMC judicial process. ing to authorities about being "Working Together for a Safe While no one relishes being raped and harassed by mail. The Campus" that reports every in- called before the Honor and case was covered widely in the cident that took place on cern- Conduct Board, most students press (Baltimore Sun, July 16, pus during the previous year. who have had any involvement 1993 and September 5, 1993, and Several years ago the College with c this group acknowledge .f~~.ll Co'!.~ Times,~ty l1....,~tf>t!Sb;&s:u~~~~~~~ thelb~t=s~~~ This is not to say that rape Team to assist assault victims. students, faculty and staff that cannot happen on the Western It simply is not true that this WMC'scampus is both friendly Greeks Used As ScapeGoat For Women's Problems Dear Editor: ing her story. The Greek sys- on this campus, r thought there can expect administrators, fac- help and/or information about Regarding the editorial tem was unfairly generalized was a higher mentality among all ulty or students to take sen- these issues througb the Carroll "HEAR OUR VOICES; It's Not as being insensitive to inde- students (especially ones like the ously theories or claims thatare County Health department of Safe Here!" in the November II pendents, and selfisbly con- author who represent him or her- so obviously motivated by the Westminster. edition of the Phoenix, I was cerned with only the members self as a leader in a serious cause) author's prejudice against the The editorial in question did deeply disturbed by the irrespon- of their respective organiza- than to even suggest something Greek system. These theories nothing positive to help the sible and haphazard way the au- as false as this statement, or to tions. This most recent edito- must be backed with empirical women's safety problem, or to thor addressed an issue as serious rial attacked Greeks in the ley and persuade others to look evidence before action can be advance the progress of as women's health and safety on same manner. down on the Greek system by taken. women's rights on this campus. the campus of WMC. I am in no way saying that a inventing such a radical, fabri- As a fema1e student on this It only succeeded in making a While I agree that there are cated argument. campus, I greatly sympathize mockery out of these issues by critical problems on this campus, woman should not stand up for My point: There is no evi- with any woman who has been frantically pointing the finger at what she believes in when she such as lack of awareness, that feels she has been wronged. dence backing these claims. By a victim of harassment or abuse random organizations, laying may contribute to the endanger- What I am saying is that using using the Greek system as a in any environment. We must unjust blame on them, and fail- ment of women's safety in the the entire Greek system as a scapegoat. the author has created begin to look for workable an- ing to offer any ideas to help the area of physical and emotional scapegoat for the problems more problems by pitting Greeks swers to prevent and deal with. problem. abuse, r do not agree with the rea- women face on this campus is against independents, when the the problems, rather than lay Only through rational pro- soning, or lack there-of in the a lazy and ineffective way of two should be working together blame unjustly on various or- grams of education and aware- editorial, that "determined" the going about solving this sen- to find answers to the problems ganizauons or administrators. ness are people going to recog- factors that contribute to these ousissue. dealing with women's safety. If The author of the editorial nize that there is a problem that problems on campus. The editorial! continued there is a question about the rightly advises women or men needs to be addressed. Only To begin, the article offered with this false reasoning, mak- safety of women on this campus, who are abused or wronged on then. can we hope to begin the several reasons or forces behind ing further radical and then all women's safety is in this campus to stand and "do slow process of changing atu- the abuse of female students at uneducated claims about the danger ... both independent and something," but she offers no tudes and actions of persons WMC without offering any con- Greek system, by labeling Greek women. solutions or ideas about what to throughout our society. crete statistics, evidence or in- In defense of the administra- "do." She forgets to remind The useof"shock value" and Greek organizations as groups stances when these "forces" tion, the college cannot be ex- students who have been abused perpetuation of false stereo- that encourage "pimping and acted against women. prostitution." I was astounded pected to recognize these as- abouttheRape Crisis Center in types will not even bEgin to In the case of Susan Alvin. the at the author's ignorance, and sumptions about the "causes" of, Westminster which has a .solve women's safety and inde- article written about her in a pre- also to read such falsified and or lack of attention given to this branch office run from this pendence problems on campus, vious edition of the Phoenix fol- unfounded claims. The absur- issue, until there is evidence campus. Students needing help let alone throughout society. lowed the same lines. It stated dity of the author's generaliza- against certain aspects in the col- or advice can also go to the Sincerely, her claims, but offered absolutely tion barely dignifies a re- lege system that indicate the cau- Health and Counseling Center Lisa Wieder no evidence or testimony verify- sponse. After nearly four years sation of the problem. No one in Smith House, or even get President, ANQ