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Parents ·weekend by Sandra McNamara
Parents Weekend, a major fall event, will face many changes and additions in activities and themes as this and many other ideas were discussed at a recent Kappa Sigma Omega organization meeting . The meeting which included representatives from the faculty, administration, staff, alumni and students opened the floor to possible plans and solutions to problems which have plagued Parents Weekend in the past. The theme of the meeting centered around involving the entire campus in the major fall event, including the alumni, in the events and allowing parents ~nd alumni to spend time with their respective activities. Among the staff and administration who offered their comments was
Frank Willard, director of admissions who stated, "This should be a campus wide weekend, not a weekend planned by Kappa . The program should entail all aspects of the college, and coopetation of the entire college." Problems which in the past have been associated with Parents Weekend inclu~e . ~otification, publicity, lack of actlv1tles and conflicts of activities which are scheduled. Another major proposal which was made at the meeting was the possibility of combining Parents Weekend with Alumni Weekend. Martha Dale director of alumni affairs statect' "The alumni are not widely known by the students . This is the reason why it would be an advantage to have the alumni come back to the campus to see so much going on. It would do a lot
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by Robin Larkins
XXIX,NO.1O
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for enthusiasm." Another issue which was brought up at the meeting was the problem with students whose parents could not attend the weekend activities. In the past what has happend is that students were fed at their dorms, and for the rest of the evening lingered in their rooms because of no campus activities. Because of this problem, plans are being made to include the students in all of the weekend activities. It was also suggested that students without parents could be matched up with alumni . Events which are to be scheduled include a field hockey game in the morning, soccer in the afternoon and the homecoming parade. An art exhibit and possible Sunday morning
Edgar calls new law 'outrageous' After the law was passed and slated to be put into effect July first of this -year, the Department of Education drafted regulations mandating college financial aid offices to verify that students applying for aid have registered for the draft . They also gave a period of 30 days for public comment and response . The result of that period showed that colleges and universities around the country remained divided over how to respond to the new law. Among the proponents of the law are institutions which cite ample precedent for Congress to use legislation in one area to reinforce other objectives. Opposers to the law contend that it is a burdensome discriminatory task. Some colleges are not complying to the law at all matching assistance that won't be given federally. Cabrini College was one such institution which opposed the new law . According to Arlene McEvilla, direc-
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tor of financial aid , "We found it discriminatory, unacceptable, burdensome and unfair. Paperwork would unnecessarily increase , but that 's not our first objection to the law. If anyone should validate draft registration, it should be the Selective Service." When asked if he felt the law was unconstitutional, Edgar replied, "I think the Solomon Amendment is unconstitutional, discriminatory, and unfiar. I think it's double punishment when already in law is a $10,000 fine and up to five years in jail for failing to register for the draft. I think that's outrageous." Edgar also expressed how under current registration law there is no provision for these people to indicate their conscientious objection at the time of registration. "I think that 's outrageous, and I'm working on some other legislation to provide that check off."
Pennsylvania House Representative Bob Edgar has launched one of many efforts in Congress to do away with the Solomon Amendment to the Constitution - a new law that requires male students to be registered for the draft in order to qualify for Federal loans, grants and educational as sistance. Congressman Edgar has specifically introduced legislation to repeal the Solomon Amendment on ·the grounds that it is discriminatory and creates a dangerous precedent for tests of loyalty . Before conducting a forum on Social Security to an assemblage of Delaware County senior citizens recently, Edgar discussed the progress of the legislation with Loquitur reporters . Edgar commented, "I'm not sure we're going to win it by repealing the • Solomon Amendment.'' Edgar cited two other similar efforts going on in Congress simultaneous with his proposed legislation to repeal the amendment. Edgar continued, "Where I think we're going to win the effort is in the courts rather than the legislature ." Edgar cited a recent Minnesota Federal District Court case where a number of schools, including local Swarthmore College, joined in a suit filed by three unidentified draft resisters, contending that the law was unconstitutional. A federal judge de" cided to put a restraining order on the Solomon Amendment declaring that it was indeed. unconstitutional. Edgar projected, "I think we'll probably have a permanent restrain- REPORTER ROBIN LARKINS interviews Pennsylvania House Representative Bob Edgar. Edgar ing order, and that's where we're has introduced legislation to repeal Solomon Amendment on the grounds that it is discriminatory. going to win it.'' (Photo by Tom DeMattels)
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recital are also being looked into. Possibilities for the dinner/ dance include having the entire campus at the dinner/dance which because of large numbers would possibly be held in the gym. Also included in the planned activities are the traditional Sunday morning mass and brunch. A great concern for the combined ,weekend lies in preserving that which is parents weekend and that which is alumni weekend. Sr . Eileen Currie, president stated, "It will be necessary to set up an agenda so that the alumni will be ale to meet their objectives and goals, while the parents can spend time with their sons and daughters." Currie's other concerns included space complications, inclement weather schedule and who will be actually running parents weekend . During the proposed Parents / Alumni weekend it will be essential that fres hmen an d their families become a part of the Cabrini family in order to create an eventful weekend. Jerome R. Zurek, assoc iate professor of English and Communica tions stated, " It will be especially important that freshmen and families are introduced into the mainstream of the college."
INSIDE
The Potential for excellence In this issue Loquitur dedicates a special pull out section to investigate what Cabrini College could ideally be as an institution of higher learning. This review of Cabrini's potential for excellence begins on page B-1