Page 157 - ThePhoenix1995-96

NEWS Thursday, April II, 1996-Page5 Students bring new ideas and concerns to SGA open forum Building appearances, tuition, SGA elections discussed By AARON CORIIETT centrate on increasing communica- ferent levels of discussion. There Staff writer tion about their needs and wants was one level of safety needs, and The second SGA Student Open with the administration. Others there was a higher level of whether Forum of this year gave WMC stu- stated that it really came down to or not the administration could dents yet another chance to come the idea that this policy physically impose a lock down on a student together and voice there opinions body who voted it down in refer- about our college. Both student and endum," stated Brandy Mulhern, Although not as long in length SGA President. as the forum of the Fall, students administration Dean Sayre as one of the four rose issues about their concerns for administrators attending said, "I the future ofWMC. opinion was addressed the issues in my memo." Ruth Thomas Director of Finan- concerned with the He commented on how he was cial Planning addressed the finan- there to listen to ideas from stu- cial budget for the upcoming year. appearance of dents. Issues of concern will form The cap on the raise of tuition per residence halls .. committees for the second half of year is 4%. Financial Planning the open forum on Monday, April hopes to keep tuition from increas- Renovations would 8th. Formal ideas wi!! be put into ing to unappealing heights. undoubtedly make proposal form and submitted to the This beginning presentation be- administration. came a theme as issues were ad- WMC a more Dr. Ethan Seidel mentioned the dressed for regarding the attractive- intent of the college to put into ef- ness of WMC and was echoed attractive place to fect building renovations plans. throughout the night. go to school. "We heard some concerns The first student concern was through [work with] admissions about the 24 hour lock down. The Aaron Corbett about Rouzer. .. If you want kids recent addition of this door locking to come here-it looks like a policy has evoked interest about prison ... it's a real big concern," Atthe forum Harris Singer and Steven Monks discuss topics presented at both maintaining student safety and increased their personal safety on remarked first year student Scot the Fall open/arum Many students came out 10 speak their minds. student opinion. campus. Hoover. Some students wanted to con- "There seemed to be two dif- Both student and administration 504 program suffers from lack of funds opnuon was concerned with halls. the of residence appearance Renovatio~s would undoubtedly Studentenrollment in the.504 program has jumped 700%'since its beginning 1.>',; J 'make.WMea.nloreattrat:tiveplace to go to school. time staff person, but requires that diagnostic 'testing and consultation Other 'than·the staffi~g and office Computers were another area of By SARAH SNELL StajJWriter services be provided. with a psychologist at a fee of$1 ,200 space problems, the 504 office is be- concern. Ideas centered around The 504 program at Western Also employed by the office are per year (again pending Budget Com- hind the rest of the campus techno- making the computers more avail- Maryland College, which aids stu- four part-time workers, mostly mittee approval). logically. The number of computers able. dents who have learning disabili- graduate students at WMC. Approximately 50 percent of 504 in the office recently increased to"four' Suggestions were to expand lab ties, has grown significantly since Cyndi Casey, who is completing students receive Level I help, accord- for the 115 students, according to hours or designate one for the its beginning in the late '70s, which her master's degree in deaf educa- ing to Marjarum. Most of the others Marjarum. Internet. has led to staffing, space, and tech- tion, works in the 504 office. Part receive Level II, while only 3 receive .Computers are an integral pat;' of I Another idea waato upgrade the nological problems. of her job is to edit papers, help stu- Level m services. the program since many of the stu- system to create efficiency while The program is called 504 after dents study, and give tests, she said. One junior student, who wishes dents use them to write papers and computing and therefore allow for Section 504 of the Vocational Re- She enjoys "working with deaf stu- to remain anonymous, receives Level exams. greater computer availability. habilitation Act of 1973, according dents who are willing to understand I services to help compensate for a Marjarum referred to the The last student concern ad- to Coordinator of the Academic why I edit something on their pa- perceptual impairment. He said it Macintosh computers, which have dressed was retention rates. Skills Center Denise L. Marjarum. per," she said. takes him longer to read, comprehend, software only as advanced as Write Students agreed that the num- The act states that any school Casey agrees that under staffing and retain material that most people. Now 2.2, Write Now 3.0, and an ber of those returning to WMC receiving federal funding, such as older Clartsworks program; tis "di-· .each year seems to be low. WMC, shall not discriminate on the Currently, there are approximately 115 nosaurs.".· I , One' concerned.student hoped basis of handicap and must provide students enrolled in the 504 program Marjarum noted that two profes- that retention rates could be ad- support services for students with any sors have been particularly helpful dressed in a committee next week to the 504 students. Dr. Pam Regis by concentrating on ways to in- disability. The program at WMC was Sarah Snell started by Dr. Don Rabush. works with the 504 students in her crease the attractiveness ofWMC. Enrollment of first-year students English 101 class "consistently." The SGA also informed stu- in the program has increased from is a problem, but, she added, so is Services that he uses include extended And Dr. James Lightner, a professor dents of the recent elections of testing time and an alternate test site, about 16 three years ago to approxi- space. in the mathematics department, their executive positions as di- mately 45 this year, Marjarum com- The 504 office is located on the he said. sometimes meets weekly with the rected by Robert's Rules of Or- mented. Currently, there are approxi- second floor of Winslow. It is com- Though he finds the program students to give them extra help, she der. mately 115 students enrolled in the parable to the size of two short cor- helpful, he said there needs to be said. Four officers ran unopposed: 504 program. In 1993, this total was ridors. "clarification with the teachers and the Dr. Robert J. Weber, chair of the Andreas Kalisperis will be Trea- just roughly between 50 and 60 stu- Marjarum described their office 504 office." Professors do not always political science department, how- surer, Amy Dreibelbis will be as the room where the lab rats for understand the needs of the students ever said that he views the program Secretary, Randy Ryner will be dents. Though growth is good for the the psychology department were receiving 504 services, though the in the "most cynical light." He said Vice President, and Brandy program, Marjarum said it has also kept. goal of both is to "get the students to that the 504 program is a "good Mulhern will be President for the created an under staffing problem. The 504 program has three dif- learn," he said. thing" for those who require it, but 1996-1997 school year. Marjarum has been the only full-time ferent levels of aid for students, ac- As a major in deaf studies and a "there are many opportunities for "I'm happy to see so many cording to the "Students Guide to minor in elementary education, he abuse." students come out [to the fo- employee of the 504 program forthe past three years. Because of the un- the Academic Skills Center." said he has always wanted to work He added that it is an issue which rum]," stated Brandy Mulhern. der staffing problem, Marjarum said Levell is free to the student and with children with learning disabili- is not discussed to a great extent and "I concur with her," Randy she sometimes works 45 to 50 hour what is basically required by the ties. He calls the umbrella term the professors are ignorant to the Rytter agreed. weeks. During midterm and finals VRA. Level II includes extra help, "learning disabilities" and "ugly rules and guidelines. As leaders of the SGA they weeks she said she works 12 to 15 such as pre-scheduling of courses word, though I don't know of any "If I were directing the program, will be heading up the second half hours a day. and consultations with Mariarum at better." I would want to build," Weber said, of the open forum in order to "I would love a second full-time afeeof$750peryear(asoffalll996 He added that another full-time but, "a number of my colieagues feel gather student input about how to person," Marjarum said. pending Budget Committee ap- employee in the 504 office would be very strongly that we're going in the 'make Western Maryland a more at- helpful. The VRA does not require a full- proval). Level ill services include wrong direction [with the program]." tractive college.