STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICE SEES 'DEPRECIATION' In February, George Dressler, Administrative Officer, said "nobody gets the ax" as he addressed a Capitolist staff meeting. He was referring to "reorganization" of the Student Affairs Office in the wake of the resignation of Kathy King as assistant dean. At the time Dressler announced her position would be left vacant. He has held true to his word and Ms. King's office is now used as a storage facility. Kathy was a student advocate and she apparently resigned, not because she was forced to do so, but in the context she felt she could no longer attain her objectives through the campus administration. Dressler and Provost Robert E.McDermott "reorganized" the Student Affairs Office to the point where Dean of Student Affairs Dr. John Grimm was virtually stripped of his authority. The residence living coordinators were taken from Grimm and were instructed to report directly to Dressler. In the past few months, the Counseling Center and the Placement Office have in actuality been instructed .to bypass Grimm and go to Dressler. Nancy Colnes resigned her position as Student Activities Coordinator last month, using an acceptable excuse of her pending marriage. Yet, she said it was just as well she was leaving," the way things are going around here." However, her post will be filled by June. Last week, Bob Stanley, "resigned" a s Recreation/Athletics Coordinator, effective July 31. Actually, he was forced to resign. He was asked to do so by Dean of Student Activities Jerry South. When Dressler was contacted as to who actually forced Stanley to resign, he had nothing to say. In the past, Stanley has had much conflict with South and Dressler over the athletic program budget. The topper carne a few weeks ago when Stanley had a confrontation with the proVost's secretary over his personnel file. I witnessed the event and do not purport to defend Stanley's behavior. But Dressler was called out of a budget meeting and you can bet Dressler was not at all happy with Stanley. Now we come to the situation of Dr. Grimm. In the fall and winter terms, one who is involved in student activities could not help but see him in the halls. Yet this term, he is never around. He drops by his office every few days to pick up mail and on Wednesday mornings, when students are scarce, he works in his office. When Dressler was contacted regarding Grimm's status, he said h, Robert W. Bonaker 'a sk e d if Grimm has been fired. One may conclude that Grimm has seen the handwriting on the wall and is merely putting in time. His job has been in jeopardy since the fall term. Evidence to support that statement comes in the form of Grimm's plea to me at that time to write a series of articles entitled "What is Student Affairs?," of which four were published. He was obviously trying to save his job then. And there are many other examples to support my claim. What all of this boils down to is the phasing-out of the Student Affairs Office. In my opinion, the "reorganization" • cannot succeed. I do not like to pass judgement on individuals, because I feel it is not my place. But Grimm has been ineffective in his past. I think he is sensitive to student concerns, but he has rarely stuck up for the students in the two years I've been here. He infrequently attended SGA meetings and not once did he attend a meeting of the Student Affairs Committee of the Faculty Council, of which he and I are members. I could go on with Grimms negative point, but it would serve no constructive purpose. Although I think he is a kind, friendly man, he has not been the right man for his job as a student advocate. Accordingly, I am not sorry to see him go. I think something may have been lost in the transition, though. While the Student Affairs Office is being "reorganized," the idea of a unified office for the students has disappeared. Granted, many other colleges and universities throughout the country have disbanded such offices, but I don't think that such a move, if Dressler has it in mind, is a good idea for Capitol Campus. I hope that the position of Dean of Student Affairs will not be eliminated merely because an ineffective man is now in that position. I hope that Jerry South's and Terry Turnbaugh's and Pat Murphy's jobs will be maintained, because they are good people. I urge the campus administration to softly tread the line between purging `bad' people at the expense of a cohesive Student Affairs Office. Kathy King and Bob Stanley, both student advocates and in their own way emotional people, are gone or will be gone soon. Let us hope the subtle removal or disappearance of prominent campus officials will come to an end. What I am arguing for is the campus administration to relax a little and let more people know what's going on around here. After all, don't we have a common goal; quality higher Kathy King's office is used as a storeroom. Nancy Calms' desk is virtually empty. Dean Grimm is boxing his belongings. CAPITOL EVENTS CALENDAR MAY 17 The Philadelphia Chamber Soloists, a classical music group, will be in the Gallery Lounge at 2:30 p.m. The event kicks-off the Spring Music/Arts Festival. MAY 18 From 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. of the following day, a film festival will be held in the Student Center. Staged in conjunction with the Arts Festival, the film showing features "Reefer Madness" and "Our Gang" and W.C. Fields" movies. MAY 19 - The Arts Festival, Part 11l features a folk concert at the main event site near the engineering laboratory, beginning at Noon. At 8:00 p.m., there will be mini'concerts and a block party in Meade Heights. MAY 20 - The Arts Festival culminates with a rock concert at the main event site beginning at Noon. MAY 21 At 9:00 a.m., Bud Gibbons and Frank Kolving presents a surprise two-man show in the Gallery Lounge. At 6:30 p.m., the Resident Student Council meets in the third floor lounge of Church Hall. Also at 6:30, the Head Shop meets at the New Birth, 946 A Kirtland Ave., Meade Heights. Again at 6:30, the Student Government Association convenes in E-335, Main Building. At 7:30 p.m., there is martial arts instruction at the Rec/Ath Building. MAY 22 - The Meade Heights Board of Governors meets at 6:30 p.m. at the New Birth. At 7:00, the Photo Club meets in the darkroom at the Placement Office. The Social Committee sponsored a dance beginning at 10:00 p.m. at the Student Caster. MAY 23 - At 6:00 p.m. on WZAP, "Campus Dialogue" has Asst. Dean of Student Affairs Jerry South as guest. In the afternoon, the annual Bathtub Race, sponsored by PSPE will be staged, beginning at 1:00 p.m. in the dormitory parking lot. The modern dance class meets at 7:00 p.m. in the Rec/Ath Building as does the instructional golf unit at the same time and location. MAY 24 - At 8:00 p.m, there are films at the New Birth, including Rudolph Valentino in "Eagle'." Name the Capitolist Contest The Capitolist is in search o f a new name, that's right, a new name. Why? We think the reasons are obvious. So, starting today we are asking that you get your heads together and help us out. After all, we are giving away free money and that should be incentive enough for any good `capitalist' who likes easy work and good pay. The contest starts today and ends no earlier than ten good names. So, it's important to submit them as soon as possible. The sooner it's over the sooner you get your five bucks. FIWZI Judging will be done by Bob Bonaker, Charlie Holeczy, and Frank DeSantis. All entries must include your name and phone number and of course the name for the paper. All entries must be submitted to the Capitolist office, first floor, W-104, (that's between the nurse and WZAP). Enter as often as you like, we're not proud either. We need ideas. ( we need help on next year's staff too. You'll be in the office, why not sign up?) We're serious and hope you are too. Five dollars can be a lot of money if you're broke. And don't worry, no matter how dumb your entry is, we promise not to laugh. $ LIFE OR DEATH By Jeff Clumer Pennsylvania is about to reinstate• the death penalty as a deterrent to crime. Not one letter to the editor have I seen in the newspapers opposing or proposing capital punishment. Life and death, at one time the most mysterious terms in the human language, today are not worth either editoral space or public concern. Television brings these phenomenon of man into the home nightly - - it has wrought the evil of dulling the American senses. Both the retentionist and reformist are pro-life imprisonment; but, this is only a scapegoat for society or the lesser of two evils. Many say life imprisonment is too expensive. Therefore, capital punishment puts an end to the expense. (It makes no difference about the life of the criminal!) This is the problem we are facing today. Just last week Connecticut and Arizona both reimposed this barbarous act called the death penalty -- will Pennsylvania be next? ** * * Traffic crashes net $9OO. Recently, two campus traffic accidents resulted in damages totalling an estimated $9OO, according to Mr. James Paul, Campus Security Chief. On May 3, two Fruehauf employees were involved in a two car accident in the •northbound lane of First St., north of R Street. One car had to stop as a result of a traffic backup and the second car "skidded into him," Paul said. Dimage was set at $7OO. Paul reported "another minor fender-bender" occured last week on R Street adjacent to the Main Building parking lot with damage estimated at $2OO. EZZEI
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers