.. friday, mar. 29, 1985
cabrini college, radnor, pa. 19087
vol. xxxi, no. 21
SGAelections:
Why do so few s.tudentsrun? by Tammy Hargrove Student Government (SGA) election time is upon us and history is once again repeating itself. Few people have responded to the self-nomination posters which have been posted. SGA President of two years, Robin Larkins, senior, does not · understand why people do not run for student government positions. Larkins said, "SGA is an essential part of the campus, an organization we must use because it is, in fact, the students' channel to the administration. People complain that they do·not have a voice, but the primary purpose of SGA is to be that voice and to make that voice clearly heard." The major problems as presented by many students are as follows: •many students have said that
they feel ill-informed as to SGA's purpose However, Virginia Smith, sophomore, SGA vice president, said, "I don't know how much more the student body can be informed; it's in the constitution in the student handbook and on the SGA page." Larkins said, "Students are informed about those things on which they want to be informed. There has never been a time when SGA has been more communicatative than in this past year and I challenge anyone to prove me wrong. As a matter of fact, I hope someone will prove me wrong in the future." •students feel that they have no say towards the administration through SGA and the executive· board Patrick McBrearty, sophomore, commented, "Particularly
because of the last two cases where SGA was involved and the situations have not been resolved, I feel that SGA is given false power and that it is a status symbol for the college." Joe Giuffre, sophomore, social activities chairperson, feels that SGA has met the requirements found in the student handbook under the consitution. •~ny concerns the students have brought up have not been turned away. They are treated with individual respect," Giuffre said. •SGA positions encompass so much that students are scared off by the responsibility the positions entail Gia DiGiminiani, sophomore, SGA corresponding secretary, said, "The office encompasses more than just the title, so I can understand the students' reluctance to run for office." When asked why she would not
run for SGA, sophomore, Cara Graham, said, "It's hard to get people to cooperate and support you in organizing programs and formulating ideas for the better of the campus." Smith said, "We have enough students with enough capability and it is a shame to see them sit back." There are some students who do not choose to sit back and let the students' voice deteriorate, but try to take the leadership role as a postitve one which represents the student body. Michelle Bamber, sophomore, who is running for an office in SGA, said, "I'm running for SGA president because I care what happens to us as a student body. I think our voice needs to be heard." Smith who has decided not to run again for SGA in order to concentrate on school work and other
activities within her major, said, :"It is hard to get up there week after week when people don't care as much as you do about their own school. It especially hurts when you see an empty room until there is a 'major catastrophe;' suddenly it's packed." Colleen DiRaddo, director, student activities, feels that student links are the key to a successful restructuring of SGA. She feels that it will be constructive during the leadership conference held next August in West Park, N.Y. Larkins also added, "It is not an overnight process, but if SGA did not exist and keep trying, the students would not have any input as to anything that is going on here. Part of the learning experience and the building up of the credibility is in the trying, and not in the succeeding because you do not always succeed in the things that you do."
Middle Statescompletes preliminary assessment by Joan C. Kramer After almost two years of self evaluation, the college has completed its self study. The Middle States Evaluating team has come and gone from Cabrini, left now with the task of deciding whether or not to recommend reaccreditation for the college. se s udy ww. c i ica an.ai:,'lill& o the college by the campus community, and it served to look at and build on the college's strengths while offering solutions to its weaknesses. The major emphasises were on planning and the masters of education program. Some of the other aspects of Cabrini's community that were dealt with were the academic programs, advising, resident life, recreational activities, psychological services, growth and financial aid. Below is some information which has been taken from th~ self study. Enrollment at Cabrini has increased within the last five years, a major reason for the need to evaluate the college's facilities. The most rapid increase was between 1979-1984, when enrollment went from 515 to 800. Other achievements have been an addition of seven new majors, the honors program and the Center for Academic Reinforcement (CARe). Additionally, however, the self study points out the fact that increased enrollment has caused an increase in the number of students in classes, especially_ where general education requirements (GER) are concerned. The self study explains that "the average class size of introductory courses is increasing at a greater rate than the average class size." According to Dr. Joseph Romano, vice president, academic affairs, an increase in faculty, especially an addition of qualified minority persons as full time faculty members, is an improvement that Cabrini is working on. "More facilities, an increase in
Dr. Michael W Yost, dean of students, LeMoyn.e College, and member of Middle States evaluating team discusses. aspects of the residency program with , members of the resident life staff as part of th,a evaluation. (photo by Cara Graham) financial aid and residency are others," Romano said. An effective means of enrollment planning, according to the self-study, is market research. Recommendations instituted by the admissions committee, headed by Dr. Jerome Zurek, chairperson, English and ~ommunications, is to regard the admissions department as the marketing division of the college, base enrollment planning on demographic studies and formulate foreign and minority recruitment strategies. A serious problem that Cabrini has recognized in its selfstudy is the ability to assist students financi~lly. This need is
due mainly to high inflation, and the increase in costs of tuition, fees, room and board by 64 percent over the last five years. Students are borrowing more and working more to pay for their education. In the span of five years, the percentage of student aid dollars in form of loans and work went from 49 percent to 69 percent, and the average yearly per-student borrowing increased from $2,400 to $3,200 between 1978 and 1984. Sr. Mary Kapinos, associate professor, business administration, College of St. Elizabeth has been assigned the primary responsibility of evaluating Cabrini's fiscal operations.
"My job is to clarify and refine my impressions of the financial stability at Cabrini," Kapinos said, and added, "I am also working on plans for development for the college based on it finances and funding." Some resolutions to the stated problem, according to the self-study report are: to recruit more heavily from western Pennsylvania because those students are more easily funded due to the use of state grant funds, and to allocate a higher portion of the college's monetary resources toward need-based gift aids. more MIDDLE STATES on 3
inside perspectives ... 2 news .......... 3 features ........ 5 living .......... 7 sports ......... 9 sga ........... 11 twac .......... 12
South Street, the city's most unusualsection One of Philadelphia's most unusual streets is South Street. For a story on some of its "different" characteristics, see the centerspread, pages 6 and 7. (photo courtesy of the Theater of Living Arts)
After the meeting,SGA's commentary What now? After hearing students express their discontent at recent specially-called meetings, SGA hopes to facilitate action and bring about results. For the commentary, see SGA page ll. (photo by Lucia Laurito)
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