Rotunda vol 62, no 21 april 5, 1983

Page 1

VOL. LVIII

TtRATUNDA â– LONGWOOD COLLEGE, FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, APRIL5,1983

NO. 21

SG A Open Forum on The Rotunda By MIKE LYNCH "Ludicrous." "Embarrassing." Many Longwood students were not entirely pleased with the past Rotunda issue on drugs. One group of students was so displeased by the tarnished implication to the school's image put forth by the Rotunda's special drug issue that they approached Phyllis Mable, the Vice President for Stuaeni Affairs, asking for a way to put a stop to all this negative material dispersing from the student paper. "A group of students was standing out in the Rotunda and they trooped into my office (after reading the drug issue), Mable told The Rotunda, "I told them the Student Activities Fees Committee allocates money (to the paper) and is responsive to the President. They could recommend to the SAFC that they withdraw the paper's funds. Or they could talk to the SGA." From Mable's office the peeved students caught up with Trisha Boyle, SGA President, who subsequently brought the proposal before the Student Senate for consideration. "A group of concerned students came to us and said that they had some negative feelings about the paper and would like to put (the proposal) in action," Boyle said. "It went to the administration before it came to us. And the administration passed down to us

activities fees. At a Student Senate meeting of March 2, we voted to oppose the proposal." Instead, the SGA set up an Open Forum, which took place last Wednesday for informal discussion relevant to the problems of The Rotunda. A handful of the Student Senate was present along with a few I/)ngwood Ambassadors whom the SGA had asked to attend. They were joined by some students and a few faculty

Don Winkler, Director of Public Affairs, addressing the crowd in Jeffers at the Open Forum. members all with the purpose of discussing The Rotunda. The entire editorial staff of The Rotunda was present to justify the paper's position. that we promote their proposal of The first hour of the forum taking away the student went fairly smoothly with

legitimate complaints and suggestions to Rotunda editor, Joe Johnson, being acknowledged and illegitimate ones being ferreted out gracefully. Particular objects of discussion were the accuracy of facts in the more controversial issues, sensationalism, fair representation of campus groups, writing style and the numerous typographical errors that have appeared. The basic argument was that the paper is sent to other schools and shown to prospective students and their parents. Objectors to the paper's method pointed out that The Rotunda is taken by these people to be a representative of Longwood College as a whole. It hurts the chances of getting students and money into the college when the campus newspaper is so negative. Of particular concern at this stage were the two most ominous articles of the paper, the drug issue and Running Scared. Johnson justified the printing of the article on Walt, citing the harassment he was receiving at the time. Accusations towards the drug issue did not have so much to do with the subject as they did with the sensationalism. Why, people asked, were so many articles on the same topic printed in one issue? Johnson countered that that edition of the paper was meant to be that way. It was a special issue, largely devoted to the campus drug scene.

Publications Board By JOHNEL BROWN "The publications board is a practice in hypocrisy," said Joe Johnson, current editor of the Routnda, referring to Longwood's new publication board, which will have its first meeting April 6 from 1:30 - 3:30 in Longwood's board room. "What we're seeing established at Longwood is an organization consisting of 7 members, 4 of whom have vested interest in making sure Longwood has a good public image. To have such a body functioning in a ruling capacity over student publications can only lead to trouble." The new board which is the brain child of Phyllis Mable, Vice-president of Student Affairs, has actually "been on the books

for a number of years." But Miss Mable pointed out "it just has not been functioning ... it should have been functioning all along." The difference between the original and new board is the key to controversy which has student editors of publications at Longwood steaming. In the constitution of the original board membership was held by 'the editors-in-chief and the business managers of the publications, the faculty advisor for the publications and four student members selected at large and appointed by the senate (of the Student Government Association), plus the treasurer of the senate and the director of Public Affairs."

The membership of the new board, all of whom were selected by Phyllis Mable are Ronnie Brown, Sports information writer, Becky Dunk, Sports information writer, Nancy Lang Communication chairman for SGA, Robin Elder, winner of the Miss longwood Pageant, Don Winkler, director of Public Affairs, Douglas Young, Drama professor and Amy Poore. Phyllis Mable said "lay people receive the service of student publications therefore they should have an opportunity to have some input into the (publication) services." When asked why editors and faculty (Continued on Page 4)

David Areford made quite an interesting presentation when accusations of the paper being totally negative were brought up. By simply going through each of the year's Rotundas and stating the top story of each paper, Areford showed that such accusations of negativism are a falsehood. In fact, only two of the last 18 editions of The Rotunda displayed negative front page stories, Running Scared and Longwood or Bongwood. The tone of the meeting started to change during the last half hour and the reason for the

classic over the years at making your side look good whether it is or not. He answered close-ended questions (those that require a simple yes or no answer) with lengthy talks that allowed him to dodge the tricky points and he countered the anger that the newspaper staff displayed when they questioned him by displaying an even-keeled combination smile-smirk that Nixon's press secretary would have been proud to have. He never even once showed any lack of control. When Winkler stated that the

Student publication editors and supporters listen to Winkler's argument. change was easy to identify. It reason editors of publications was the first time Don Winkler, would be ex-officio members of the college director of Public the new publications board, was Affairs and a member of the that they would present a conflict Publications Board, spoke up. of interest the bad vibes hit a The subject was turning to the peak. The point was immediately newly formed Publications Board brought out that Winkler too, which has been a sore spot in The since his job is to keep Ixmgwood Rotunda staff's side for quite smelling like a rose, which does not always imply the journalistic some time. To say that the administration idea of telling the truth no matter had been inconsiderate of the how bad it is, was a conflict of paper during the formation of the interest. board would be an Winkler countered that the understatement. For not only majority of colleges in the state does the board represent a threat had publications boards similar to the future journalistic freedom in construction to longwood's. of The Rotunda, but the staff was By now, the tone of the meeting entirely left out of any rep- had totally changed. The resentation on the board and was Rotunda was no longer taking the never consulted as to how they shots. They were dishing them felt about the board. out Johnel Brown, Feature But now, finally, one of Editor, argued that another longwood's P.R. good guys had publications board existed and placed himself right in the sights was being entirely ignored by the of The Rotunda staff and sensing administration. Toby Thompson, that this might be the only chance Faculty Advisor, warned that the other side of the debate might college publications had been get, we unloaded. usually supported by the courts Actually, Winkler weathered and if the board actually did fire the barrage quite well, but that an editor in the future, it would be was expected since he's a pro at standing on shaky , , ds handling the press. He displayed at j^ the two ploys that have become ' (Con,inued on Back Poge)


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