Rotunda vol 62, no 3 sept 7, 1982

Page 1

THE ROTUNDA VOL. LVIII

LONGWOOD COLLEGE, FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7,1982

NO. 3

Hall Council Funds Cause Misconceptions By JOE JOHNSON Confusion and chaos generally reign supreme during check-in and registration to the dorms. This year was no exception. However, outside of normal room condition reports, pick-up of keys and so on there was an item which seems to have caused exceptional confusion — a 5.00 dollar donation to the hall council fund. The fund was established this year so that hall council, an elected body of students from each dorm would have a budget to work with. The budget would be used to finance dorm activities for the students who have paid the fee. The activities would range from guest speakers to canoe trips to pizza breaks during exams. Kathy Wilcox, one of the advisors to hall council, explained the reasons for establishing the organization. "Students are in the residence hall more than they are in the classroom. A lot of growth can take place. The hall council will sponsor activities that can be recreational, social and educational." During a meeting with the R.A.s held the Wednesday before classes, Kathy explained hall council and "informed (the R.A.s) that the hall council fund was strictly voluntary." Unfortunately, during check in and registration, many students

seemed to have missed the point. Kevin Laser. from Frazer i dormitory said "They just told me I had to pay $5.00. I didn't know what it was for." Renee Ginader, who wrote a letter to The Rotunda concerning the incident said "After I went through the check in pro cess, they told me there was a $5.00 activities fee. I asked if I could pay later because I didn't have my purse with me. I was told I could pay later and I'd have to pick up my keys later. So I walked to the car and picked up my purse. I didn't know what was going on, since I was a transfer. I just wanted to pay and get the keys and go on." The confusion in that incident was not isolated. According to Paige Tihlman, "Jim Scott (resident supervisor for Frazer dormitory) said I could not leave the office with my key until I paid my five dollars. I told him my wallet was in mv car. He (Jim Scott j said to get it" Darrell Turney of Frazer also thought the money was for a key deposit. "In order to get our kev. we had to pay five dollars." Gary Lunsford of Frazer said "They told me it was for a key deposit. They didn't say anything about dorm dues. I paid the five dollars." A number of students, although informed that the five dollars was for dorm activities were given the impression that it was mandatory, not voluntary. Mike

Atkins of Frazer said "When I walked in they said I had to pay a $5.00 dorm due...They told me it was mandatory, nobody told me it was voluntary'.'Vicky Hale also of Frazer said "When I checked in, Jim Scott told me that it was a mandatory fee. So I paid it. The next day I talked to a girl in Curry and she said it was optional." Jim Scott denied the accusations saying "I never said it was mandatory and I never said it was for key deposit." Elise Moore, Resident Supervisor for North and Main Cunningham added "I think everybody in all the buildings said pretty much the same thing. We asked the people to pay a $5.00 hall fee and we told them it was. for social, recreational, and educational programs for the dorms. Most people seemed really receptive. Nobody was told they had to pay. However, we did not say it was voluntary unless they asked. It's something to benefit the students. It's the way it was done at James Madison, and I believe U.V A. and V.P.I. The students were not meant to think it was mandatory." Gary Gillis, an R.A. for Frazer explained how someone could have been mislead "there were two of us at the desk. The students came in and signed a key receipt form. I picked it up, checked their names and got room condition reports. I would

then have the key in my hand and say that we had a $500 dorm dues." Amy Campell, another R.A. for Frazer said "When students came in they had to fill registration cards, residence hall cards and a damage deposit sheet. After they filled it out they walked into the office. Then I said to the students 'we are collecting a $5.00 dorm dues fee,' Nobody asked where the money was going. I never told them it was voluntary." When asked if other R.A. s also gave out keys while collecting the $5.00 she replied in the affirmative. Because of the misconceptions, many students (largely concentrated in Frazer dormitory.) have been asking about refunds. But Kathy Wilcox and Phyliss Mable, VicePresident of Student Affairs feel that a refund would not be in the student's best interest. Phyliss Mable said "My opinion is that the fee is in their behalf, if we start giving it back, it defeats the purpose." A no-refund policy has been established except for those students moving off campus or transferring to Stubbs

dormitories (which does not have a Hall Council fee). One student in Frazer, however, has received a refund on grounds other than leaving the residence hall. Johnel Brown explained what happened "Before the dorm meeting, about a week after school, I found out that the $5.00 dorm dues was strictly voluntary, and I went down to talk to Jim Scott about getting a refund. I said 'Jim, this is the way I feel...my tuition just went up, I'm rarely here on weekends, I didn't know the fee was strictly voluntary and I feel that I've paid dues enough...I want my $5.00 back'...And I got it." Jim Scott said "The very day that she (Johnel) paid it, she requested the refund and she received it." When asked why she received the refund in light of the no-refund policy Jim Scott answered "I don't remember now, what it was...I honestly don't remember." He added that "no refunds are given out to students who just thought the fee was mandatory...as a rule of thumb, no-refunds unless it is an extreme situation."

Bookstore Gets New Owners Along with the price of albums, steak dinners and grass, student books have escalated into the double digits. But Kathy Orth and Joyce Queensberry, new owners of the Longwood bookstore, remain undeterred. In fact, they seem pleased with their new found business, which, although hit with inflation, has a certain appeal for Longwood students. "When you come in you see something good," said the owners. "Something that represents Longwood... clothes, stuffed animals (Longwood teddy and the campus rat), glass ware (Longwood shotglasses — the old emblem with the dove) or Longwood mugs. "People don't

have to ask for it. They can walk right in and see it." The outlay of the new Longwood bookstore is generally on that scheme — a high visibility for the little extras and in the back well, in the back are the books, arranged according to class number and teacher. The object is convenience and an easier traffic flow for the students. When a student opens a textbook for $20.95 the general impression is one of outrageous profits for somebody. But apparently the somebody is not the bookstore owners. "You really can't make money off of textbooks... the publisher prices

the book ... we get a little discount. To break even, we've got to have a 25 per cent discount ... we never get a 25 per cent discount." Of course that's assuming that every textbook in the store is bought, which is rarely the case. The unsold books are returned to the publishers who can give from 0 per cent to 100 per cent credit, on the original price of the books. "Usually, when the publishers take them back, we lose about 5 percent to 10 percent on the original price." "Giftware is how we make our money, selling textbooks is more (Continued on Page 8)

Kathy Orth and Joyce Queensberry begin new setup for bookstore.


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