Page 6 Thursday, December 13, 1984 The Capitol Times
Juniors show freshman traits
By Joseph L. Michalsky
The peaceful solitude a
sunrise brings will soon be
broken. A door is slammed, a
hair dryer huriis its one lone
song, two students chatter
about last night's party. It is the
beginning of a new set of
escapades by students labeled
"Delayed Freshman Syn
drome" (DFS) by an instructor
here at Capitol.
Loosely stated, freshman
syndrome is the actions or
escapades of a student first ex
posed to dormitory living, par
ticularly prevalent among col
lege freshman or in Capitol's
case, juniors.
Walking up walls, singing in
the shower, blasting music at
2 a.m. all can be classified as
freshman syndrome. This
freshman syndrome is labeled
delayed because many of the
students are first experiencing
living on their own as juniors,
not as freshmen here at
Capitol.
Clem Gilpin, an instructor in
Afro-American studies, feels
Capitol's dorm residents along
with all dorms at other univer
sities behave this way because
of the unique dorm
environment.
"The dorms are a great liv
ing experience," according to
Gilpin, "the environment is
condusive to instant compa
nionship, conflict and com
promise."
Gilpin pointed out four
reasons why DFS exists here at
Capitol. The first reason is the
environment which encom
passes 30 to 40 students sharing
the same floor and the feelings
of living away from home for
the first time.
Personality is the second
reason. The particular way one
student acts can be completely
the opposite that of another.
Inter-group dynamics is the
third reason according to
Gilpin. This is described as the
reason why people gear their
actions to accomodate the peo
ple they are with.
"It feels good," said Gilpin
of the fourth reason why DFS
exists.
Although these factors can
be held responsible for DFS,
what about age and maturity?
"I don't think age is a deter
mining variable," said Gilpin.
Maturity is not always respon
sible for student's actions ac
cording to Gilpin.
"A student loses an audience
when he goes to Meade Heights
so he doesn't have anybody to
impress," said Gilpin.
On the other side of the coin
is Ed Beck, counselor and in
structor in behavioral science.
"Age is a very significant
factor," said Beck, "a 25-year
old feels very differently than
an 18-year-old both physically
and physiologically."
Beck feels stress also con
tributes to DFS.
"People react to stress dif
ferently at various developmen
tal stages in their lives."
Beck also believes Capitol
represents the real world main
ly because of the diverse ages of
the student body.
"I think this living situation
and proportion of non
traditional students makes this
a microcosm."
The microcosm is composed
of three groups: traditional,
older traditional and non
traditional added Beck. These
groups are represented by dor
mitory residents -- 10 percent,
Meade Heights residents -- 25
percent, and commuters -- 65
percent, respectively. The
Heights residents, however, can
be a combination of the latter
two Beck noted.
While Gilpin and Beck
believe that Capitol represents
the real world, Residence Liv
ing Program Coordinator Pat
Murphy disagrees.
"I don't think any college
can approximate the real
world," Murphy said. She feels
that students here need more
physical and social outlets to
release tension, escape boredom
and maybe alleviate DFS. Mur
phy would like to see the school
`build a community center and
a pavillion along the path bet
Alcohol guidelines drafted
By Beth Horne
After nearly five years of
vague guidelines, Capitol Cam
pus officials and student leaders
are designing an alcohol policy
for activities held in the Student
Center, according to campus
officials.
An organization wanting to
serve alcohol at a function must
submit a typewritten request, 30
days in advance, describing the
event and reason for having
alcohol, said Jennifer Krohn,
coordinator of student
activities.
"It's bulls**t! Two weeks
should be sufficient. All it [the
proposal] does is sit on desks,"
said Carl Wunderler, a Capitol
student.
Wunderler is not alone in his
feelings about the 30-day ad
vanced request rule. "It's not
fair," Louise Kleinknecht, club
secretary for SGA, said. "[An
organization] might want to
plan something and it will only
ween the dorms and Meade
Heights, although the school
lacks the motivation and the
money."
"The communication skills
learned in the dorms are very
useful in the diverse world,"
said Murphy. "They allow the
student to be more flexible and
open-minded.
While Gilpin would like to
see the dorms better land
scaped, Beck and Murphy
would like to see more
"cosmetic" changes such as
new furniture and better
soundproofing.
Gary Thorpe, 20, a
mechaninal engineering junior
also believes that dorm life can
be a very positive experience.
Thorpe, who resides in
Wrisberg Hall, feels Capitol
does represent the real world.
"It is because the curriculum
is geared towards industry ap
plications," Thorpe said.
Thorpe believes DFS is caus
ed by tension, environment,
peer pressure and freedom
from parental supervision.
Learning to compromise in the
dorms can be an asset accor
ding to Thorpe.
"The amount people com
promise is affected by their
background and personality,"
Thorpe added.
Thorpe agrees with Murphy,
Beck and Gilpin that incoming
juniors housed in Meade
Heights miss out on the oppor
tunity to meet new people and
be three weeks in advance."
According to James South,
assistant provost for student af
fairs, the students who original
ly constructed the policy are
gone. Two new campus of
ficials, Provost/Dean Ruth
Leventhal and Krohn, believe
this will clarify the prodedures
for administraion and students.
"It's not fair."
The document -- being writ
ten , by Leventhal, South,
Krohn, SGA President Peter
Mekosh and SUBOG President
Jeff Schiller -- will let the clubs
and organizations who use the
student center know all the
restrictions.
And, thirty days gives the
clubs a chance to organize and
have a better party, Krohn said.
learning to compromise with
them.
"Incoming juniors housed at
Meade Heights don't have the
practice of getting to meet peo
ple," said Thorpe.
He added that DFS,
prevalent mainly in the dorms,
does not seem to hinder study
habits.
"A lot of time people don't
take into consideration that you
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The new policy makes it
easier for organizations that
don't have regular parties to
have parties, Krohn added.
To approve having alcohol,
the request must be submitted
to Krohn, who then passes it to
South. If South approves the
proposal, it goes to Leventhal,
Louise Klelnknecht
SGA club secretary
who makes the final decision.
After receiving approval, an
organization becomes totally
responsible for maintaining all
university rules. The present
discipline system applies to
anyone breaking rules, accor
ding to South.
There have been fewer
alcohol-related incidents this
year than in past years, accor
have work to do," Thorpe said.
Thorpe also suggested the use
of the dining hall as an infor
mal study room to accom
modate students who want to
work together in a quiet
atmosphere.
Although these people agree
that Delayed Freshman Syn
drome does exist at Capitol
Campus, they are divided as to
the reasons why.
phil frank
ding to Chuck Alekshy, chief of
campus security.
The current book of rules
and regulations states that
"use, possession, or distribu
tion of alcoholic beverages ex
cept in individual residence hall
rooms is prohibited." On Oct.
13, 1972 the university presi
dent gave the deans of all.ram
puses the power to change the
rule to suit their needs.
Leventhal is staying with the
old guidelines requiring that an
event be a "special occasion"
to warrant alcohol. South said
that this was so alcohol does
not become the primarmeason
for having an event
Defining what constitutes a
special event is a large part of
the writing process., A concise
definition, according to South,
"will clarify for student
organization leaders what kind
of events they can anticipate
will generally be defined as
special events."`
Neither Krohn or South
think that the policy will cause
any problems for students.