Page Two By Paul Corbran Executive Editor Last week, two dorms were hit by the piercing shrill of the fire alarm in the early morning hours. The first being for a smoke bomb in a Lawrence Hall stairwell on Monday morning and the latter for a fire in a Perry Hall laundry room. It appears to me that Behrend has its own real live pyromaniac. Luckily there was no one seriously hurt in either of these. There were a number of people suffering from smoke inhalation, however. What about next time? (Assuming this • person is not caught and he continues to "burn" the campus). This could turn into a tragedy. Someone could be killed—DEAD--gone for Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, On Monday, February 17, 1975, I attended the first entertainment committee meeting for the Behrend Spring Arts Festival. To my surprise, I found that I was very naive concerning most college students, and their wanting to care by becoming involved in school activities. To explain further, out of a possible nine students from the committee who should have attended the meeting, only two showed up, along with two other non-committee students. The meeting was not a closed one: therefore, anyone interested could have come. There was a small sign posted on the library door concerning the meeting, so there was an advertisement for it, however small. The meeting, nevertheless, got under way. A few matters were discussed: one being a suggestion box being placed outside of the RUB cafeteria for those students who wanted to share an idea they had for the festival's en tertainment program. The box was placed there about 9 am that morning, and at 11 am, I went to see if there were any suggestions and found one. It Nthrettit Tollegiatt Ollyt Press Assorianon of Chnutuntmealt4 Campuses Gay Catania Managing Editor Bob Wetmore News Editor Business Manager: Alan Shrout Ad Staff: Ed Janus, Lili Pintea Circulation Manager: Carol Reed Reporters: Chuck Little, Ron Wayne, Mary Beth Zabel, Rosa Myers, Marsha Young, Tim Grosser, Joe Grisanti, Jo Packer, Chuck Stanish, Mark Reese, Muriel Hykes, Elaine Grove Sports Staff: J.P. Roach • Cartoonist: V. Becker Photographer: Rick Malkin Business Staff: Taffey Wayland, Mike Kaueny Typist: Michele Crotty Mailing Address- Behrend Campus, Station Road, Erie, Pa. 16510 Office- Student Offices, Reed Union Building Office Hours: 9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday Phone: 899-3101 Ext. 238. Opinions expressed by the editors and staff of the Behrend Collegian are not necessarily those of the University Administration, faculty, or the student bod Published every Thursday throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms, with exclusions for holidays and term breaks. The editorials appearing in this newspaper will be opinionated and therefore subject to criticism. All letters that are typewritten of 200 words or less, and submitted to the newspaper staff will be printed with the exception of those that are repetitions or in poor taste. The staff reserves the right to correct Pyromaniac Loose keeps. Practical jokes are one thing but when you start doing something as dangerous as this you've gone too far. If you're still laughing, I feel sorry for you because you are sick. If I were living in a dorm, I wouldn't feel safe with this "mad bomber" running around. If you have any idea who is doing this, please notify the authorities. You owe it to yourself, and all the students of Behrend to help bring this "person" to justice. If you don't, you will be just as responsible for anything that happeps hereafter. Who knows what will happen next? Well, we've made it through another term. In a few short days we will be in the midst of a, well read, "legalizing marijuana." The main point that I'd like to make clear is what the Spring Arts Festival is for and about. For one, the festival is largely for the Behrend Students, and also for the Erie community. An important feature of the festival is that it is made up, organized and planned by the Behrend students. In other words, It is YOUR Festival. It is for the entire student body, not just a small group of students, to decide what type of art they wish to see. The general meeting for the Spring Arts festival is in its third week, and we need students to help organize, plan and run it. There is one final point I'd like to make clear. I always felt that college students, unlike high school students, were more aware, more responsible and more active when it came to matters that concerned them. I only wish that the Behrend College students would begin to show these qualities of in volvement and prove that I am not so naive after all. Sandy Perkins (member of the Publicity committee for Spring Arts Festival) Member of Linda Johnson Editor-in• Chief Tom Stanger Jay Schonthaler Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Editorial Policy or delete portions of all letters for publication purposes. All letters must be signed, but names will be withheld upon request. Term standing, major. and hometown must be included. Signed columns represent the view of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the Editorial policy of the Behrend Collegian. Paul Corbran Executive Editor Behrend Collegian deserved, two week break , the ending of the term, ends the "reign" of our beloved Editor-in- Chief. I would like to take the rest of this space to bid adieu to her. I have known Linda Johnson for a relatively short time. In this time, our encounters weren't always the friendliest and we didn't agree on everything;" but I learned a great deal from her. Linda had a unique style. The unorganized, organized way she would guide the paper; her candid remarks; her fiery temper...the "math major" will be missed in the Collegian office on Tuesday nights. I think I can speak for the entire (continued on page 4 ) Sorry Dear Sirs : The letter I wrote last - week upset a lot of people; I'm sorry. I didn't mean to refer to any group of students from any area. It's just that last week I was so pissed off by certain students actions I. personally had witnessed that I wrote an irate letter. Look, its as simple as this: leave the bulletin boards alone. It's hard to publicize events as bad as they might be while certain individuals are ripping them off and down. I've heard there was a reaction to the letter. It's too bad that one has to write a bad letter to get even any response. All of you who have opinions on this subject should write to the paper. It's easy. Look, forget the opinions I have; I only wanted to make people aware of some problems. So there's an apology for you. I really doubt if it will satisfy anyone. It should. This is a forum for that type of thing. It should be used, not other type _ of reaction_ Sorry. Alan Kirk P.S. Didn't you dig Mike Woods letter last week? 'Foibles' Dear Editor, Note: This is the third in a series of letters on the subject of "Director Kochel's Foibles". So. The students of Behrend College feel disenfranchised, eh? Well, this letter is my opinion on the subject of student rights. First off, I'd like everyone to know where I'm coming from. There are two types of students extant at B.C. There are the activists and the passivists. I am an activist. There are also two classes of activists. These are the achievers and the gum-beaters. I am a gum-beater. —Just in passing, Mr. Woods, normally an achiever, has been severely chastised for messing around in my bailwick. —Onward. The point has been made that the B.C. Student Handbook specifies and requires active participation on the part of resident students with respect to establishing visitation policies. Mr. Kochel is apparently in the wrong, if my understanding of the situation is correct. This is merely an example of the wider problem to which I wish to ad dress myself. I should, at this point, state another personal characteristic. I am not particularly concerned with effecting change (in the general sense) unless there is no possible way to ignore whatever custom or rule, etc. is under consideration. Since I am going to graduate this Spring, I'can ignore just about all of the various hassles which abound on campus. I solemnly bequeath these irritations to any vital, energetic frosh who want them. From the Editor's Desk By Linda Johnson Editor-in-Chief Look out. It's here. Again. Visitation. You mean there are students out there who actually care? Surprise. Well frankly I'm dead set against the extension JRC is asking of Director Kochel. I'm also damned sick of hearing about it. I've been here for three years now, and every year this issue has come up. Two years ago, Director Kochel granted an extension to visitation hours that even satisfied the student body. Amazing? Hardly: Director Kochel is not really an ogre you know. Visitation was - not a strong issue last year. Why? Because one-half of this campuS was made up of students who had gained visitation the previous year and they were still satisfied. Being mathematically inclined, I always try to reason out why things are the way they are. I've tried to reason out why-there is Students are always going to get bounced around on college campuses if they persist in "going through channels". The biggest obstacle is that any given student will, in all likelihood, spend two or fewer years at B.C. This is a short amount of time for an administrator to mark time, agreeing that this or that cer tainly should be changed and allowing many committees to waste much time on "research of the problem" and "recom mendations for action". Finally, the committee perishes from lack of new blood. I also have spent some time around college campuses and I have decided that at the present time, Behrend College students have two op tions. The first is to return to 1960's activism, with all of its sit ins, confrontations and so on. I do not recommend this course of action. To explain why, let us look at the benefits which accrued from the 1960's activism with specific focus on Behrend. If there has been an apparent shift in cooperativity or reduction in red tape, •I personally have not noticed_ (Granted, visitation hours have been extended since, say 1969.) My point is that the administration's attitudes toward students as a group apparently has not changed. Students are still viewed as persons who are not mentally capable of running February 20, 1975 such a large number of students who want an extension of visitation. I've even discussed the issue with numerous people for an increase of visitation. Here's what they were able to give me and why I find their arguments weak. 1) Director Kochel hasn't granted an extension of visitation before. Wrong. I've already stated that point. How many of you remember (of even read!) the article written earlier this term by Ms. Rosa Myers on previous visitation at Behrend? Really, the students haven't been "oppressed"—as some like to think they have been. 2) Visitation isn't long enough. Long enough to do what? Anything you want to do you will do regardless of visitation hours. These hours are being broken now, but no one is being hassled. Why ask for an extension then? Unless there is 24 hour visitation. (continued on page 4 ) their own lives. Consequently, let us look at something else to try. Allow me to again stress that I prefer to ignore bummers rather than alter causes of bummers. I do not advocate any course of action. I only beat my gums. The other option which I wish to point out is consumerism. I have no preference between the two groups (Pennsylvania Student Lobby and Public Interest Research Group). I do not know any pertinent details concerning these groups which might in dicate which is better or more effective. Nevertheless, I do know that in purchasing a college education, a student - should be able to; a.) begin his education at any institution which will have him and which satisfies his desires, and more importantly: b.) transfer to any other insitution which he feels is more satisfying without resulting loss of credits, at any time, if that new institution institution is willing. Therefore, to those of you who are achievers, one of these consumer advocate groups seems to be the ticket. If you want one of them to represent you, find a petition and sign it. Maybe you can even answer Alan Kirk's musical question "who the ( reads this paper anyway:" Jeffrey R. Lang 11th Psych.
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