Page 174 - ThePhoenix1995-96

-_- ------ - -_---- Thursday, Apri.116, 1996 - Page 2 C OMMENTA RY Staff RUMINATIONS Editor-In-Chief Michelle A. Hamilton '98 -------1 Michelle Hamilton, Editor-In-Chief .. ,------ Managing Editor Sarah E. Sheckells '97 College is the place where you have lunch istrators have a life outside of the campus, it and keep us from having fun. While people Advertising Manager with your professors they told us. They in- still speaks volumes to see them in atten- Elizabeth Valuet '98 sit in meetings trying to find out ways to help vite you to their houses, and you often can dance at student sponsored events. The fac- students, they should be engaging in activi- chat with them at events. ulty, staff, and administration seem to un- ties with the students, regularly, instead of News Editors It's unfortunate that this is not the typical derestimate the importance of their atten- just talking about it in offices. It would elimi- Grant A. Rice '99 experience at WMC for most students. Many dance to students. Not only does it make Christian Wilwohl '98 nate the "us" and "them" attitude that many professors do not go \lUI of their way to en- them seem more "human," but it shows they students feel. It's more than conducting sur- gage in discussions outside of class with stu- care about the institution for which they veys to make students feel involved. The Features Editors dents. Few show up at student events. The work. It also helps to build relationships and Jonathon Shacat '98 professors who do these things, however, foster positive attitudes between them and majority of students need to see through ac- attendance at fun and serious tions, through Jennifer Vick '98 tend to be favored by the students. the students. events, that they care. Part of the college experience is socializ- It is important for faculty, staff, and ad- Sports Editors ing outside of the classroom and attending Carolyn Bames '99 activities or lectures. It seems as if these The majority of students ministrators who do attend events regularly you can help convince Perhaps to continue. John Manard '97 need to see through places are ideal for student-professor contact. your colleagues that it makes a 'difference Discussing a shared experience during class actions, through for students to see you outside of your regu- Photography Editor would surely invoke-a feeling of connection lar jobs. Show up to Spring Fling for an hour. Meghan Joyce "99 attendance at fun and to the school. Actions speak louder than Go to the Coffee House one Thursday night. words, and an invisible staff and administra- Or the hot tub party on May 4. Please know, Circulation Manager tion does not help student morale or school serious events, that they Laurie Cicero '98 it really does make a difference to us. spirit. care. It really makes a difference if an event is If you have and Letters to the Editor or Computer Consultant visibly supported by members of the admin- comments about The Phoenix, you can email Heather Brinkhous '97 istration or by the faculty. How many pro- The retention rate, as indicated by the responses to mahOOl_or drop letters in Phoe- fessors or administrators come out annually lead article in The Phoenix, is a problem at nix drop box at the information desk in up- General Staff for Spring Fling? Few to none. While stu- WMC. Many students voiced the concern Aaron Ahlburn '97 dents understand that professors and admin- that "they" are trying to crack down on us per Decker. Aaron Corbett '99 Becky Cockerill '99 Adam Dean '98 Joshua Foster '96 LETTERS To THE EDITOR Tom Gill '99 Amy Hanna '99 I Randall J. Rytter I Nicki Kassolis '99 Stacey Mcintyre '99 Mike Puskar '99 Heather Reese '96 As a student of Western Maryland Col- Englar Dining Room was reserved only to maintain. I would like to suggest that on Sarah Snell '98 lege, I feel like a second class citizen when the admitted students and was garnished with Admitted and Prospective Student Day, that compared to administrators, faculty, newly Cameron Speir '97 tablecloths, cloth napkins, true silverware, several procedures take place for the ben- admitted/prospective students, and trustees. Emily Stamathis '99 and food that we couldn't even hope for in efit of all parties involved. First, the issue Students are always shoved aside to make our four years as students. While the admit- of food, I believe a separate dining experi- way for guests or the first class citizens. ted students are experiencing their fine din- ence should be in order for the admitted or Adviser These marks are evident throughout the cam- ing in Glar, the present students were enjoy- prospective students such as the Presidents' Terry A. Dalton pus. One perfect example is that several ing a feast in the crowded Forum with cold Dining Room, one of the Gold Rooms, the times a year, the school shuts down its ser- green eggs, slimy raw pasta, undercooked Dining Porch, the Forum, or outside on a vices to the current students to cater to the meat, while awaiting mad cow disease. nice day. Glar should always be reserved aspirations of the admitted students. For a Somehow the distribution of services here for the students who currently attend WMC. grand total of a $30 application fee to WMC, is not at all egalitarian. In addition to the Secondly, Faculty/Staff and Commuter Lots you are granted the life-style of a Majesty problems with food, parking presents another should be held aside for the admitted or pro- for one day while royally shafting the already serious problem. As the admitted students The Phoenix is published biweekly. spective students, and once again reserve the If the prospective The opinions expressed do not necessar- attending students. the treatment of current stu- and their families pile into WMC parking students lots for student use only. stu- dents witnessed ily represent those of The Phoenix staff, dents it may alter their opinion about attend- lots, the current students who wake up and I know to the elitist bureaucracy we are the faculty, or the administrators of take their cars to do something off campus, considered to be "rich little brats," but the WMC ing WMC. On this day, the newly renovated are welcomed back to an overpopulated bottom line is that we are paying a serious The paper welcomes free-lance sub- Clarification l-- parking lot with no where to park. The funny investment for a service. These services go missions on Macintosh disks in most _j thing again, is that we pay $25 a year for a far beyond education and also entail food, word processor formats. The editor re- parking pass that gives us the privilege to parking, housing, and recreational services serves the right to edit for clarity, length, In regards to the April II article entitled park on WMC's lots, assuming thai the that are part of the college socialization pro- and libel and to publish as space permits. "Graduating with Honors to Change" we All submissions (excluding self-ad- would like to make some clarifications. Com- While the admitted students are experiencing their fine dressed diskettes) become the property paring the 5 and 4 course systems, a student of The Phoenix and cannot be returned. who receives all A's and I B will attain aGPA dining in Glar, the present students were enjoying a Please include a name and phone of 3.8 and 3.75, respectively. These GPA's feast in the crowded Forum with cold green eggs, number for verification. Names will be currently coincide with different dean's list withheld only by the discretion of the and graduation honors. With a 3.8 a student slimy raw pasta, undercooked meat, while awaiting Editor-in-Chief. will receive highest honors / suma cum laude, mad cow disease. The Phoenix does not discriminate where a 3.75 will gain only high honors / based on age, race, religion, gender. magna cum laude recognition. Similarly, sexual orientation, national origin, con- looking an overall college career, one could school doesn't have an event planned that cess. If the school wishes to change its pa- dition of handicap, or marital status. graduate suma cum laude with a total of 24 has the potential to gross more money than thetic retention rate, and start catering to the A's and 8 B's, but now, with the 4 course sys- we're worth. necessities of the current students, then I Mail to: tem, suma cum laude can only be attained Obviously, there are some serious prob- would suggest the above mentioned; other- The Phoenix with 6 or less B's. The proposal that was dis- lems that arise due to priorities set by the wise the school will continue its downward WMC, 2 ColJege Hill cussed at the All College Council was a administration. The current students should spiral and be forced to lower its standards to Westminster, MD 21157 bumping down of the scale so that again suma not be hassled over simple expectations of simply fill the residence halls with less that cum laude could be reached with 8 or less the college experience. Food and parking deserving students sacrificing the academic (410) 751-8600 B's. This same logic can be applied to the are just two examples of expectations on this integrity of this institution. (410) 876-2055, ext 8600 other levels of recognition. campus, yet they seem to be the hardest to Mr. Rytter is the SGA Vice President. FA){, (410) 857-2729 Brandy Mulhern Sherrie Bermel