A call to assembly by SGA

Cabrini mandates community service for all of its students. While most of the country's colleges and universities overlook the importance of giving of one's self back to the community, Cabrini has taken it upon itself to make community service a priority and a requirement. Some may argue that it may take the true sense of giving and manipulate it into one more way the college can gain local recognition.

Should the spirit of community service come down to a non-optional requisite? Many can agree that the majority of college students may not be willing to spend time in a soup kitchen, at a nursing home or a hospice center. Often students count on their schools for required activities and direction, such as mandatory community service, otherwise they wouldn't be compelled to ever participate in these activities. Most people in society, not limited to students, lack the giving nature that community service thrives on. However, putting a mandatory label on it takes away from those truly wanting to do it since they did not make the ultimate decision to have participated.

In some circumstances, students can become overwhelmed with annoyance for having been mandated to do community service. This can cause the student to lose out on the excellent learning opportunity provided by doing community service.

Service allows students to experience various problems in society that they would otherwise be anesthetized to. Though not all students may understand what they are accomplishing, it is very obvious that the recipients of their help are grateful.

Hey, Cabrini College students. Yeah, I'm talking to you! Do you know what you are doing on Sept. 12 at lOp.m.? No, you are not going to pick up that beer, besides you need to register that. You are going to the Widener Center Lecture Hall for the first STUDENT UNION MEETING.

If you have any thoughts of not going or you can't make it, send a friend. This is the time for you to speak your mind about the issues that affect YOU, the student, like why there are no counselors in the Rooyman's Center. The new policy changes, such as visitation and the party policy are reasons why you should meet the SGA Executive Board and your class board. If you are afraid of the administration being there, don't be. They are not invited. This is for you guys and girls to speak your minds and to help the SGA come up with a solution to problems that affect Cabrini, meaning you. We need your help and the only way that we can make it better for you is if we have you there with us. SGA realizes that the students don't have a say in many things here. We see this as a major problem, and this is why we are having this meeting now.

It is for your benefit and so you can have a great year.

From this meeting we will take the ideas and problems that you have and present them to the right people. You will be updated on what is going on because we plan to have a weekly article.

Students, make your voice heard. Be a part of something that you can be proud of. Most of all, show Cabrini that the money that they use goes to something other than constructing a fountain. We must come together and make a stand. But most of all, if we want to talk the talk, then I' 11be damned if we don't start to walk the walk. Tuesday, Sept. 12, is the day the students will have their say. Nick Luchko is the president of SGA.

The main road up to campus has a new sign ( photo, above right). Unfortunately, the sign is not right. It is upside down. The sign should warn motorists of a hazard, being rocks, to the immediate right of the road. The correct PennDot sign is above left.

Dear Editor,

I am writing to express my confusion with the new Public Safety policy booklet. The booklet provides crime statistics for the past few years. However, it reports that there were no arsons in 1998 or 1999 and we all know there were several in Xavier Hall. It also reports there were no weapons possessions in 1998 and we all know that a student was expelled for having a gun.

Why is public safety covering this up, especially since half of the student body witnessed these events? I worry about the efficiency and organization of such a department and hope this issue is addressed.

Chris Vesci Senior Class Perspectives Editor's response:

Looking at the public safety crime statistics would make one think that no crime existed on this campus until last year. Whether this was an honest mistake or a devious cover-up, the point remains that literature like this is giving underclassmen a wrong impression of the college. It makes last year seem like the year of chaos, which would give the administration an ample case to enact new rules to crack down on these crimes that seemingly just appeared last year. Anyone else smell conspiracy here?