April 10, 1987 Issue 21 Loquitur

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Read about the investigation of colleges INSIDE

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COLLEGE

EDUCATION fridaY,april 10. 1987

cabrinicollege,radnor,pa. 19087

vol. xx.xiii,no. 21

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StudentServices:

Controversies plaguedecisions by Christy Mason Theres ilefinitely a problem according to those involved. But they were unable to or declined to cite exactly what's wrong. There is, they said, feelings of anxiety, mistrust, fear and in some cases anger, in the present student services staff. According to staff members, James Fitzsimmons, dean of students, is making changes within the department without involving staff members in the process. According to one staff member, "I've never seen a team so quickly fall apart before." Positions and procedures have been added and deleted within the department, staff members said, many which have left them feeling skeptical and unsettled. The changes in the department, according to the staff members, are not the problem. The way in which these changes have been made, they said, is the problem. Campus Ministry, the counselling center and resident life are the three areas being most affected by these changes. Father Mark Falcone, O.Praem, chaplain, will not be returning to Cabrini either as chaplain or campus minister next fall. Falcone, as of March 24, was informed in a memo sent by James Fitzsimmons, dean of students, that the position of chaplain would not be renewed and that in place of one chaplain a "team" of chaplains would be developed, although no definite plans have been established.

'Peopledon't know how decisionsare being made. Whereare decisionscoming from and whos making them?' -Fr. Mark Falcone, O.Praem,chaplain According to Falcone, he knew nothing of this position change before receiving the memo. Fitzsimmons said that Falcone knew about this change in February when he had an hour-long meeting with him. Fitzsimmons also said that he had two other, shorter, meetings with Falcone regarding this matter. According to Sr. Eileen Currie, MSC, president, while she had some prior know ledge to the change in the chaplain position, it was Fitzsimmons who made the final decision. Fitzsimmons said that the decision was reached after conferring with Currie. "People don't know how decisions are being made," Falcone said. "Where are decisions coming from and who's making them?" ''There's a difference between not understanding goals and objectives and being¡ kept in the dark," Fitzsimmons said. "I've never not answered questions. I don't see where anyone was left in the dark." Falcone said that he has been approached several times by members of the campus community who are afraid to speak out because they fear their jobs will be in jeopardy. "What's causing this fear," he said, "is, I think, that people have seen job positions eliminated and people dismissed from the institution and they don't understand why. The procedures in which these dismissals have occurred is the problem." Last semester, John Dunphy was hired as director of music on a part-time basis for the Sunday evening mass, according to Fitzsimmons.

Fitzsimmons said that hiring a music director had been a topic of discussion in Campus Ministry long before he took office. In order to better unite a group, he said, it was decided that one music director should be hired to better coordinate the music at mass. Money was never available to facilitate this project, however. At the beginning of last semester, Fitzsimmons said, he re- arranged money in the budget so that a director of music was now financially feasible and Dunphy was hired. According to Fitzsimmons, Beverly Reilly, campus minister, and Falcone, met with Dunphy in the beginning of last semester, but as the semester progressed, the three were having difficulties defining individual responsibilities. In a meeting with Dunphy, 1''itzsimmons decided that Dunphy be given the title of director of liturgical services. Falcone and Reilly were not involved in this decision. Both Currie and Fitzsimmons said that Dunphy's new title is just that - a title meant to give one person the ultimate decisionmaking right regarding liturgical services. A director of campus ministry has been appointed to head next year's staff. While both Reilly and Falcone said they were not involved in this decision, according to Fitzsimmons the decision was made solely by the religious community. Fitzsimmons was informed of the appointment of Sr. Bernadette Anello, MSC, but was not involved in the decision making process.

The counselling center is also planned to undergo changes in the fall semester. At present, the plan is to hire, according to Fitzsimmons, a full-time director for the counselling center along with two interns. This, Fitzsimmons said, would change the hours of counselling available from 50 to 80 hours of service.

'Theresa difference betweennot understanding goals and objectivesand being kept in the dark. I've nevernot answered questions.I don't see where anyonewas left in the dark.' -James Fitzsimmons,dean of students Fitzsimmons also said that to hire one full-time director is more economically feasible for Cabrini because the present parttime counselors receive approximately $43 an hour. This money, he said, could be pooled together, and, based on a salary study, a new, more feasible salary could therefore be established. Not all part-time staff members, however, make this amount. The amount made by some part-time counselors is approximately $7500 per year which equals to a little less than $12 an hour. Changes in the TAMECE program, a program which has been recognized nationwide, are also being proposed, although at this time, the proposals are not known.

"I don't know what the changes are," Mary Helen Mapes, counselor, said. "I've been informed," she said. "I haven't been consulted or asked my opinion." According to Fitzsimmons, he never notified Mapes orally or in written form that she would not be returning as a counselor next year. He did say, however, that he informed Mapes and Russ Sullivan, psychologist, that they may not be returning as counselors next year. While Fitzsimmons said that he has spoken to people regarding responsibilities of the counselling center, the changes he has proposed are based on no research. A change in resident life is planned as well. Next semester, in addition to a live-in director ofresident life, there will be a livein assistant director of resident life who will replace the two resident manager positions. -

Fitzsimmons said that the decision to eliminate the resident manager position and create the assistant director position is two-fold. First, Cabrini intends to house many summer programs and thus needs someone to coordinate these programs. Additionally, the need for a live-in fulltime position was deemed necessary instead of having all the pressure put on two graduate students serving in a fulltime job as resident managers. Mary Elleli fiuy, difector of resident life, will not be returning next year. "I simply felt the personal need to move on," she said.

more CONTROVERSIESon 3

A fond farewell

Don!'a McBride, Michelle Jones and Lori Inverso, seniors, danced and drank the night away last Friday night at the Sen~orFarew~IJ.!he dinner/dance, sponsored by the sophomore class in honor of the senior class was held at the Holiday Inn m Kmg of Prussia. (photo by Monica R. Palko)


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