Page 168 - Phoenix1998-99

Thursday, April 15, 1999 - Page 8 COMMENTARY Surveillance in Rouzer Students or spies? halls: true or false? Matt Thomas challenges SGA's What was originally a sensible statement addendum to the Honor Code. to which most people paid little heed in writ- ing but upheld in practice will become the Ron Mojica quelches the rumor campus have such a serious drug and alcohol It seems that the whole point of the Honor Green Terror Inquisition if the SGA has its that Rouzer is being secretly problem that the rule-abiding students them- Code is that one should do one's own work. way. all the time? own business, mind one's First of all, who in the world is going to videotaped selves have to be watched College that distrust- One should according to William S. Burroughs. be a spend their valuable test-taking time making Is Western Maryland Johnson, ful of their students? Do they have the legal As a student, I do not go out of my way sure others are not cheating? That should not Brighter lighting replaced the dim lights right to take that course of action without in- to find out if fellow classmates are cheat- be the job of the test-taker. Nor should one of north wing, second floor hallways in truding on my privacy? ing. I abhor cheating, but I am too busy with be put into the compromising position of 'her Rouzer about a month and a half ago. This Some of the answers that I arrived at were my own work to spy on others. word against his' that would result if one did change coincided with the numerous drug of disbelief and rancor. A single drug or alco- The language in the SGA's Honor Code witness cheating and reported it. busts that had occurred. Speculation arose hol violation for some constitutes a problem. proposal would make a malevolent spy out Currently, one is responsible for oneselfwhen among students. Questioning and debate Even so, doesn't the idea of surveillance cam- of every student at WMC. The SGA suggests signing the Honor Code pledge: "I have nei- would soon follow. eras on every floor seem extreme? an addition to the Honor Code pledge signed ther given nor received unauthorized aid on A rumor circulated among Rouzer resi- What about the innocent students? I know by students on all exams. this piece of work." To extend it further takes dents as to what the reason was for the new many would attest to the fact that just the The pledge is now: "I have neither given it out of the realm of the work it is signed on; lights. Students thought that the change was simple idea of being watched, even if they had nor received unauthorized aid on this piece an Honor Code pledge should concern one's to accommodate Residence Life's plans of done nothing wrong, makes them feel violated. of work." own work and nothing else. mounting surveillance cameras on the sec- Another answer was that of frustration. The SGA wants to tack "nor have I toler- Put simply, an Honor Code pledge that ond floor hallway. Why cameras? Even with student debates such as these, there ated others doing so" onto the end of the does not concern just the work the pledge is Answers among students were simple. would be no chance of winning. The hallways pledge. So, instead of minding my own busi- written on is sinister. It pits student against It was obviously so there could be more are public areas. They could mount video cam- ness, I must actively seek out cheaters. student. successful busts. It was said that the old eras, bugs, or have spies hiding in trash cans, For missing one, I could be penalized If students were adhering to the original lighting was not providing accurate pic- and they still would not be invading our pri- with an infraction of the Honor Code! pledge, minding their own business, and just tures, that cameras could only pick up fig- vacy. Consider the following scenario: taking a test, they would now be required to ures but faces could not be differentiated. However, I was tired of hearsay and de- There I am, minding my own business, make sure that the person on the other side The other Rouzer hallways would soon cided to find the real reasons. After a few taking a test, not cheating, when I look up to of the room, whose name might be Bob but follow suit phone calls, Assistant Dean of Residence Life see the Administration breathing down my it's probably Todd, doesn't cheat. That should All the hearsay aroused my curiosity. Scott Kane informed me that there were no neck. One hazy-looking individual in a dingy not be an issue come exam time. One night, I went to the newly lit hallways. surveillance cameras mounted nor would there grey blazer says, "We just caught a cheater I am here at WMC to read some books Residents were gathered around the door ever be. The new lights being installed were a in the back row. Why didn't you inform us?" and dance to some music and kiss some girls which leads to the center stairwell. Right part of the renovation process which began "Well, uh, I'm having trouble remember- and try to figure out what it all means. No- above the exit sign, an enigmatic hole the five to six years ago. They had only started on ing this quote from a Leon Russell song that where in the job description is espionage size of a penny was drilled. it late due to financial reasons. I really want to use in my essay. I've been mentioned. I am not out to get my fellow stu- This resembled the opening for the hid- Assistant Dean Kane also stated that the staring at my paper for I-don't-know-how- dents, and I refuse to be required to spy on den video camera mounted on the third only situation in which video cameras would long. Look, I've only got five minutes left," them. floor Rouzer last semester due to the racial be installed are if certain areas have repeat I reply. "Do you mind?" For all of the problems with the Honor graffiti incident. To other students and violations. He said they have more efficient "Actually, we do mind," the hazy-look- Code, the pledge is just fine. It nicely sums myself, at the time, it seemed what we were ways to correct alcohol and drug problems ing fellow tells me. "You're as guilty as sin, up the full extent of what the Honor Code seeing was a positive indication that it was than watching every container of alcohol or at least as guilty as the cheater." should be about. . the site of what would monitor our every which passes through Rouzer. "Wha? Cause I can't remember Leon Please, do not change the Honor Code move in the hallways. So, speculation ceased, rancor dissipated, Russell lyrics? I don't understand," I say as pledge, especially into something that would Questions came to my mind. I tried to and faith was reassured. There are no surveil- the Administration drags me off for further turn WMC students into such an overt vision find justifications for RLC's plans to place lance cameras nor will there ever be. Maybe questioning with a lead pipe and some bat- of Orwellian youth. video cameras in our hallways. Does our there is more trust in students than we thought. tery acid. Slicing through the myths: Shaving in America Imagine yourself naked. Contributing writer Danielle torture device consisted of a tightly wound ing time by shaving. You are precariously balancing on one Loiacono argues against an age- metal coil used to tear out hair by the roots. Modifying schedules for beauty is asinine. leg while the other is stretched yoga-like old practice. Do women really need to put themselves American women should be able to have the in front of you. through such painful rituals in order to be freedom to be completely natural. As a chlorinated waterfall rushes over dangerously thin, painted, and hairless. If a "pretty?" Allover Europe, women have accepted your body, you run a sharp steel razor blade woman does not fit into this "pretty" stereo- Although shaving does not hurt, costs that their body hair is natural and that natu- up the inside of your leg, desperately try- type, then she is "unappealing," or she is "un- less, and is a faster way to remove hair, it's ral beauty is true beauty. ing not to fall. kempt." still inconvenient. Although the thought of female body hair Busy women should be able to live their may seem odd to some Americans, it has been Unshaven women are labeled repulsive and unrefined lives without worrying about whether they accepted by Europeans. If American women stopped shaving, over because they refuse to conform. shaved or not. creams are available as a con- time they would feel comfortable with it, and Depilatory venient alternative. These creams are less eventually, they might find it beautifuL If you loose balance, blood will gush This superficial belief is long overdue for out of you, trickle over the wall, and swirl a makeover. Women should be able to live their lives without down the drain, as in the shower scene from Being hairless has nothing to do with be- Psycho. ing attractive or hygienically correct. worrying about whether they shaved or not. Sound familiar? It's shaving, and Women's body hair is an extension of their American women have been doing it for bodies, and removing it says that they are painful, but they are also time-consuming, Women shouldn't feel that they are not years. ashamed of themselves and dissatisfied with awkward, and annoying. acceptable or attractive if they have body Hair removal is a ridiculous, time-con- their bodies. Shaving only gives them some- A woman must leave these creams on for hair; they should feel normal. suming, needless beautification ritual that thing else to be self-conscious about. about 20 minutes, holding her legs in the air All people have body hair, and we should only adds to society's preoccupation with Hair removal can also be painful. Waxing, so the cream does not slide off. If the cream not feel self-conscious about it. Women can- body image. which involves pouring hot wax on your legs is not left on long enough, it will not work. not fit into one man's vision of beauty. American women are constantly aware so the hair can be ripped out with a piece of If it is left on too long, the woman risks A beautiful personality creates a beauti- of how hairy they are by the gawks and cloth, isn't exactly pleasant. chemical burn. ful woman. Hair should be thought of as a comments of hairless people. Electrolysis, another system of hair re- Women's body hair probably has norh- character trait which should be accepted and Unshaven women are labeled repulsive moval, involves little electric shocks which ing to do with their agendas, so why bother celebrated. and unrefined, simply because they refuse burn the hair off down to the root. ... removing it? They should be able to live Many Americans already have a distorted to conform. Society often forgets, however, Maybe some women need electrocution without worrying about whether they are body image. that women can be attractive and feminine added to their schedule, but most women could clean-shaven or not. Women are not made of plastic; they without being hairless. probably do without it. Women have been taught by society to should not have to look like Barbie to be Society tells American women to be Remember the Epil-Lady? This depilatory always look their best, even if it means wast- beautiful.