Page 147 - ThePhoenix1996-97

COMMENTARY Thursday, April 24, 1997 - Page 3 STUDENT - FACULTY ROMANCES RAISE .ETHICAL QUESTIONS A special bond exists be- tween a student and a teacher. This bond is based on friend- ship, respect and admiration of the teacher by the student. This bond can be quite strong. This bond leads us into the subject of our editorial this week, faculty-student dating. Currently there is no policy on faculty-student romances staled in the student handbook. And yet, The Phoenix feels that this issue is one which needs to be addressed. There is a power dynamic in any student-faculty rela- tionship. Students have been taught to respect and honor teachers since they were chil- dren. To insert a romantic ele- ment in to this relationship may be damaging emotionally {O the student and profession- ally to the faculty member. It raises many ethical questions a welL Can a professor remain ob- jective in a class when he/she is dating one of the students? How can he/she maintain dis- Students having relation- in relationships. After ali, both is not practical to tell people cipline and a proper level of ships with faculty members parties are adults. Nor do we who thy can and cannot date. but especially moral ones, that respect with the rest of the stu- teaching them would not re- object to faculty dating students But the ethical issues at hand, involve relationships. The dents? If the professor remains ceive the same respect and ac- in another department with here, are in need of mentioning. power factor must be discussed. if not avoided. objective, can the student ac- ceptance from other students. which they would never share a Without going to the extreme of cept this? The Phoenix feels Every gradethey receive would class. What we do object to is having a written policy regard- it is possible, yet extremely be suspect. Did they really earn the power dynamic that is cre- ing student-facully dating. 'he The above editorial is the opinion of 'he Phoenix s difficult, to maintain the tra- that grade? ated when a teacher dates a stu- Phoenix feels that everyone at editorial board, not anyone ditional student-faculty rela- The Phoenix does not object dent in his/her class. WMC should and is responsible individual. It is not a response tionship in this instance. to wide-spread age differences The Phoenix realizes that it enough to make fair decisions, to any specific suuaion. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Response to zincs, but the way to make read- nism is defined as being, "the courage the reader to understand opportunity to market the school, ers see how this degrades women theory of the political, economic, why publications like the swim- by hosting a high school track "Swimsuit Issue" is to focus on the issue of WHY it and social equality of the sexes; suit issue are offensive to some, meet that weekend. In order to is negative, not what the models organized activity on behalf of not to bash the people paid to host this meet, they had to incon- article look like. Sure, many of these women's rights and interests". I pose. Hey, they get a lot of money venience the students who have models have similar attributes, but find it hard to believe that most to stand around and have some been loyal 10 this college for four After reading an article en- to stereotype what the public looks people reading this think that pictures taken! Do you blame years. Why are a couple prospec- titled "Swimsuit issue degrading for in a woman isjust as bad (say- women don't deserve political, them? But they wouldn't if tive students in the track meet tak- to women's achievements" in the ing that the ideal is blond and big- economic, and social rights. Now, people didn't pay for it, and ing priority over the class of April 8th issue of the Phoenix, I busted, for example). IgOI the im- I will make an exception for maybe that's what the focus 1998? felt compelled to respond. NO! pression that the writer was angry people like my grandfather, who should be. My final question concerns the only was I surprised by the at the women who modeled for is almost eighty years old and still Dame proud parents of the class of 1998. amount of spelling errors (bikinis these covers because of the way can't understand why women Danielle Franks '97 Did the administration consider spelled with an apostrophe?) but they look, not because people ac- would want to work outside the encounter I was truly embarrassed for the tually buy the magazines, which home, but Iwould think that edu- that parents might getting off work se- rious difficulties writer. I think that while she made is what the focus should have cated college students would Class of '98 to come see their child graduate? an interesting point about the been. know the difference between a But then again, what does the ad- swimsuit issue of Sports illus- Another section that both- word's real meaning and the false disturbed by trated coming out during ered me was when the writer stereotypes that seem to accom- ministration care, as of that date Women's History Month, her at- stated, "Call me a raging feminist, pany it and that have made it a graduation our parents are done with tuition payments. tempts to persuade the readers to but in truth, I am not a feminist". "dirty" word. Feminists are NOT This situation is just another empathize were sadly misdi- I couldn't decide whether to laugh all militant, brutish, man-hating change example of how this administra- rected. or cry! Ihear the word "feminist" lesbians who march in D.C. every tion makes decisions without con- The repeated use of the terms misused all the time, but it bot~- week. Sure, there are people like To Whom It May Concern: "big-breasted" and "bikinis" over- ers me most when a woman uses that, but the majority are not, and It is to my understanding that sidering the student's needs. I don't know who exactly made the whelmed an article that should it incorrectly. I know some of the if people don't stop focusing on the date of graduation for the class decision to change the graduation have focused on respect for readers are probably sick of hear- the negative, like the stereotype of of 1998 has been changed from a date, but I hope they ace listen- women, not the writer's personal ing this, but because I literally hear what they think a feminist is, it's Saturday to a Thursday. To make ing, because the Class of 1998 is vendetta toward the well-en- this word misused several times a going to be pretty hard to get any- matters worse the administration about to think dangerously! dowed. Imyself have never been day, I am going to point out right thing accomplished for women. made this change without student thrilled to walk into a bookstore now what it really means just to The real point of the article opinion. and see innumerable photographs clear this confusion up. Webster's that prompted me to write this re- Why did thy do it? Because Sincerely, of scantily clad models on maga- dictionary says that the term femi- sponse should have been to en- our administration also sees an Andreas S. Kalisperis Student