Page 100 - ThePhoenix1995-96

Thursday, February 15, 1996 - Page 8 NEWS The Buckley Act protects students Local choir Over 22 years this act has been safeguarding student files and information to perform directly to the students, which is not specifi- other specifics. Hear works of Britten, cally spelled out in the act Sayre said the school has no choice when HEATHER REESE "it Hancock, and others SrajfW,.ilt·, According to Sayre, there are different it comes to releasing a students identity, The Family Educational Rights and Pri- interpretations of the act, and WMC chooses is clearly defined by law." vacy Act, passed by the U.S. congress, has to send grades to the students. Many students feel that the school doesn't The Westminster Chapel Choir will per- protected the privacy of students at WMC Sayre adds that it is the schools "philo- have to release the names of offenders be- fumer at Western Maryland College Tues- and across the nation for 22 years. ~ sophical stance" 10 communicate directly cause it is easy !O get information through day, March 5, 1996 at 7:30 p.m. This act, most commonly referred to as with the students. the grapevine. The concert will be held in Baker Me- the Buckley Act, was passed in 1974 to pro- He hopes that this prompts students and "It seems to me, that at a school as small morial Chapel at WMC. tect the records of elementary and second- parents to have more open lines of commu- as this, it [releasing names] doesn't make a Directed by James Jordan, the choir will ary school children, but also includes pri- nicaricn. difference because people find out who was perform works by Britten, Hancock, vacy rights for college students. Freshman Rob McBride feels that the involved anyway. But when you get out of Gabrieli, Hadley, Copland, Mendelssohn, The Buckley Act grants four basic rights school and into the business world a person Parry, Mathias, Weelkes and Dockworth. !O all students. "Students are the main should be able to choose what they disclose," In addition, they will perform traditional The first is the right of access, allowing said senior Joe Flemming. folk songs and spirituals. a. student !O see the information in his or people we communicate However, there are some levels of disci- The Westminster Chapel Choir has toured her academic file at any time. "The educa- with ...we feel students are plinary action that, when taken, are reported since 1960, performing in churches, schools tional records are records for the student," !O the parents. and concert halls. I t has also performed with explained Phil Sayre, Dean of Students. adults. If I baby a student "Certain levels are such that the next level symphony orchestras including the Trenton It also guards information in educational then they will feel like a would suspend or remove the child from Symphony Orchestra, the York Symphony files from being released without written campus, in these situations we would let the and the Queens Symphony. consent of the student. baby and therefore act like parents know," said Sayre. James Jordan has had extensive experi- This includes medical information, He added that the student knows that his ence as a choral conductor. Before joining grades, and disciplinary records. However, a baby ..." or her parents will be notified in advance. Westminster's faculty in 1992, he served as the act does release information included Some students feel that in severesitua- chair for music education at the Hartt School in athletic rosters and student directories, schools policy of sending grades to the stu- rions parents should not be the only people of Music of the University of Hartford. "I wasn't aware that the act existed, but dents is only fair. "It is our right to have our notified of an offenders identity. While there he conducted the Hartt Sym- ~think it's good because it protects your pri- grades sent to us, We earned them and we Senior Karen Voit feels that a persons phonic Choir and was music director of The vacy," said Kelli Bowen, a communication should know what they are - before any- privacy should not be protected if he or she Greater Hartford Youth Chorale. major. one else," said the physical education ma- could harm others. Choirs under the direction of Dr. Jordan Although the Buckley Act protects a stu- jor. "I always show them to my parents any- "If the act protects someone who could have performed frequently at the national dents right to privacy, Sayre feels that it is way," he added. possibly hurt another individual then it is and regional conventions of the America the school's philosophy to deal directly with However, the act does state that disciplin- wrong," said the biology/pre-med major. Choral Directors Association and the Music the students, and would do so without the ary and medical records are confidential. In addition !O the access and consent Educators' National Conference. act. The school can not release the names of policies, the Buckley Act gives students the A free-will donation will be taken at the l< "Students are the main people we com- students and their offenses to newspapers, right to challenge any information in their performance. municate with ... we feel students are adults. employers, or peers without the students file that they feel is false. For more inforrnauon about the westmin- If I baby a student then they will feel like a written consent. Finally the: school must"notjry students ~ter Chapel Choir performance call (410) baby and therefore act like a baby," ex- When the school lists recent violations of the Buckley Act and describe their rights, ,847-2599. ' plained Sayre. in WMC in brief and the Campus Safety "which we do by including it in the student Courtesy of Pllbli~ Information J This philosophy is why grades are sent Blotter they give no clues as to gender 01 handbook," said Sayre. Work Study Fraud shocks WMC campus Unemployment low for Continued/rom page I placed on any type of permanent record, "Relationships are based on trust. Dis- Sayre said. The only permanent record at graduates with BA Honesty directly affects the relationship. I the college is one's transcript, which only can't help but wonder about other shun- has grades and classes on it. The informa- dons," Reitenbach lamented. tion will go in it file which every student has; Where will former students ever findjobs? To prevent this type of crime from hap- this, however, is destroyed every three years. pening again, the school will return to its Wisner recalled an isolated incident of Unemployment among recent graduates arts, letters, and agriculture. It was lowest former handling of the work study paper- work study fraud three to four years ago of Maryland colleges and universities is among graduates in the heath professions, rork. Instead of turning 'in their ?wn time The NCAA was notified of the matter, lower than both the state and a national un- computer science and engineering. sheets, students will have to turn it 111 to their Sayre added. The organization will not place employment rates. according to a Maryland Four oUI of five respondents working full- supervisor when it is signed. any additional sanctions on the student ath- Higher Education Commission survey of time said they held jobs related to their area This system was abandoned approxi- letes because they felt the punishments were graduates. of study. Graduates most likely 10 hold jobs mately eight years ago because students sufficient. Nor will any sanctions be placed A survey of 1993 graduates of public, related to their academic discipline were complained of supervisors who did not turn against WMC by the NCAA four-year institutions was conducted in May working in the health professions, computer [he sheets in on time and, consequently, the Also notified of the activity was the U.S. 1994. The unemployment rate among re- science engineering and education paychecks were not for the proper amount, Department of Education, since a portion of sponding graduates was 4.5 percent. Dur- Graduates who majored in area studies, according to Arthur Wisner, who has been the work study program is federally funded. ing the same period, Maryland'srate was 5.4 foreign languages, the social sciences and the directoroffinancial services since 1988. However, the school is not culpable to the percent and unemployment- in the nations letters were least likely !O be working a job As an additional check and balance to the federal government for any of the monies was six percent. There was little difference related to their major. [ystem. students will also pick' up their time taken by the students, Sayre said. between the unemployment rate of white and Nearly one-forth of the 1993 graduates - sheets from their supervisors so rhe-supervi- Upon discussion with the college's attor- African-American graduates. and almost one-third of the African-Ameri- sors will know who received time sheets, ney, Brooks Leahy, and the Carrol! County Since 1991, the unemployment rate of cans - began work on a graduate or profes- Esteves said. State's Attorney, the college decided not to bachelors's degree recipients from public sional degree within a year after graduation. • Sayre, Reitenbach, and Carpenter all press charges, according to Sayre. colleges and universities in Maryland has Three historically black institutions (Bowie agreed that, to the best of their knowledge, To be in the work study program, one been consistently below the national aver- State University, Coppin State College and the criminal activity has only occurred in the must first be awarded this type of financial age and at our below the state average in Morgan State College) had the highest per- aid. Next, an authorization card is issued, most years. centage of graduates who sought advanced past semester. "~Ihave no reason to believe that this has which the student must have sign, and have The average salary of bachelor's degree degrees. gone on in the past, but upperclassmen were their financial aid officer and supervisor co- recipients working full-time rose by 62 per- More than two-thirds of the respondents involved so you have to wonder," Reitenbach sign. cent between 1981 and 1993 - from $15,700 who said they were working full-time re- Once authorized the student may receive to $25,500 a year. The growth rate has been ported that they were working in Maryland, commented. Dean Sayre said that he was notified of time sheets which are turned in monthly, The slower in recent years, with salaries increas- although only 52 percent of engineering the activity during finals week of the fall time sheets are signed by the student and ing by only three percent since 1989. graduates reported that they worked in the semester. On Jan. 3, he received an official their supervisor. About six percent of the graduates said state. notice of the findings of the investigation. This is to ensure no fraudulant activity they were underemployed, working in a job Almost 6,500 graduates responded to the The hearings before the Honor and Conduct concurs involving the pay-ins system set up, that did not require a bachelor's degree. survey. Board took place J an. 10 through the 19. yet there are loop holes to everything. Underemployment was highest among stu- Courtesy ofMarylalld Higher Education The fraudulent activities will not be dents who majored in foreign languages, the Commission