Inside:
Palomar College
Scholarships Easter history page2 listed told
Volume 39 No. 15
Publication for the Associated Students
page 3
Three coaches • page5 rezgn
Tuesday. March 18. 1986
San Marcos. CA
Student records open to employees By Anne Husk
"Anyone who is a full-time employee of this institution with legitimate educational interest" has access to students' records, according to Herman Lee, director of admissions and records. Lee says the college policy is a response to federal guidelines translated into statewide regulations for all community colleges. Student records consist of applications and transcripts including those from other colleges. Why are records accessible to fulltime staff? 1'he main purpose (is) for official and educational reasons," explains Dr. George Boggs, president/superintendent ofPalomar.wrhe interest is to help the student." The policy actually has several classifications. All records are open to staff members and instructors, but when a student applies to Palomar they are asked on the application if they want their addresses and phone numbers included in a student
directory. Any student who does not specifically say "yes" is considered to have declined. However, there is no student directory and the records office does not give out this information. They do, however, give information to outside agencies in what they deem emergency situations. "We try to draw the line at health and safety emergencies," says Lee. He explains that if a hospital is trying to reach a student because of an injured relative the records office will supply requested information. Lee says emergency information would be given out on any student unless they specifically request this not be done. He adds only one student has ever asked to have their records closed to all outside agencies within his experience. He advises against it. Are any others allowed access? Lee notes, "Employers can't access the information," and says they are sometimes upset about it, wanting to know the grades for a potential employee. Lee explains there is another group
Enrollment climbs; fewer units taken By Paulette Oberle
Total enrollment for the spring semester has climbed to 16,099. Although this figure is nearly 200 more than the 1985 fall semester, the average unit load is down from 7.4 to 7.2 according to Herman Lee, director of admissions and records. Over 50 percent of the students are taking six or less units, noted Lee. He sees student work schedules as more of a factor in the fewer units being taken than the $50 fee for taking six or more units. Lee points to the stability of the evening enrollment which has increased 5.8 percent over last fall while the day enrollment dropped three percent. He hopes department heads are looking at the trends for the evening so that they may continue to meet students' needs. The drop in average daily attendance funds due to students taking fewer classes can seriously affect the budget, says Lee. He indicated there are plans to increase media coverage
of Palomar to attract more students. Lee says there will continue to be contacts with the local high schools since they have been a major source of students. He would like to see even more of a partnership with the high schools but is aware that Palomar is in competition with every other college for the high school student. One of the major benefits of attending a community college is that it is far more economical. Lee points to the fact that 60 percent of entering college students are undecided about a major course of study. Also, he says that second year students are just exploring majors and that Palomar has exc~llent counseling and career planning help for them.
who sometimes feels the policy is too restrictive. "We are very, very restrictive about giving out information to parents. We consider the parent like any other outsider," Lee points out. According to Lee no student has ever complained of the policy or felt it was abused. 1'he main problem is (complaints from) people who can't get information." "We are trying to protect the student here," concludes Lee. According to both Lee and Boggs the policy was tightened in 1974 in the wake of the passage of federal legislation concerning privacy. Before that time any law enforcement agency could come on campus and check records. Now they would need a
subpoena. Boggs further clarifies the possible use of student records by staff members. "If a student wants a counseling appointment, the records are given to that counselor." He also cites instances where a student might want a letter of reference for an employer or a four-year college and an instructor might want to check records for specifics. Boggs adds that another use is for research to see how effective certain school programs have been. For example, how students who took remedial English fared in their later English courses. Would an instructor ask for the records on a struggling student in his/ her class who had not asked for help?
What about students? How do they feel? Most students questioned seemed surprised to hear of the policy. Sandy Berger, business major, said, "I think it should be more confidential. There could be personal things related to drugs and alcohol in (the records)." Michelle Oberle felt use by staff and instructors should only be with individual student authorization, otherwise, "It is none of their business. I think there is no need for them to know."
'Spirited' comedy continues run By Robert Rowsey Blythe Spirit, the classic British comedy, continues the Palomar/ MiraCosta College Theatre Association season with performances on March 20 through 22 at the Palomar Community College Theatre. According to director David Boyd, this "spirited" three-act play, written by Noel Coward in 1941 , takes a frivolous look at romance as the ghost of a man's first wife returns to create fun and mayhem for his second wife. The man's second wife then dies when the ghost attempts to kill him, after which the man has two ghosts to deal with. Rhonda Revette plays the ghost of the first wife, Elvira, who is summoned through a seance, and is taken seriously only by the psychic medium Madame Arcati, played by Valerie Merit. Elvira's antics are played on husband Charles, portrayed by Clifford Odenhall, and second wife Ruth, portrayed by Anne WimberleyRobinson. 'l'he well-meaning, but inexpe-
rienced servant of the household, Edith (Jessica Vanoni) and visiting couple Dr. and Mrs. Bradman (Lawrence Martinez and Kimberly Bianco) bring "additional color and delight to an already entertaining script," said director Boyd. There is nothing serious about this play, commented Boyd. 1'he last part of the play is spent trying to return them (the ghosts) to the other side - get them back to the spirit world. And ultimately he (Charles) does." At the end of the play he leaves the house where the ghosts cannot be seen but he still believes are there. "So he leaves and they tear apart the house. That's the final scene - the girls tearing apart the house." Boyd said that the play makes fun of the upper crust of English society, "but not much. It's not offensive, but like any comedy it makes fun of normal people's shortcomings," he said. Boyd didn't feel the play was outdated because the situation of having to deal with one's former wife is one that has "stood the test of time." Written in 1941 and performed in
London first, the play was intended as an escape from all the problems of war that were going on at the time. "It's just sheer fluff," said Boyd, "nd serious overtones in it at all. He (Noel Coward) just wanted to give an audience a good time." Boyd commented that he hopes the audience will have as good of a time as the cast does. Production manager for "Blythe Spirit" is Pat Larmer, while the set design is by George Karnoff and assistant direction is by Carol Boyd, who also designed the costumes. Evening performances are set for 7:30 p.m. March 20 through 22. Tickets are $5 for general admission $4 for seniors and students. For ticket information, call the Palomar or MiraCosta Community box offices at 744-1156 or 727-7529, respectively.
Chocoholic Day: something sweet this way comes By Anne Husk
Lee explains drop policy By Paulette Oberle Students who want to drop a class must complete a change of program form, obtain the instructor's signature and return it to the admissions office with a $10 drop fee. The students may drop with a grade of "W" at the discretion of the instructor and only for serious and compelling reasons which generally means circumstances beyond the student's control, according to Herman Lee, director of admissions and records. Otherwise, an evaluative grade will be assigned (A, B, C, D, F) or "1". Students may not drop classes after May 2.
"I think that would be pretty rare," said Boggs adding that he, too, has never heard from a student who complained of this policy in his experience with community colleges.
Robert Gilson of the music department directs Suzuki students during a children's concert March 1 and 2. The concert included seven violin selections played by three-to-15-yea.r-old Suzuki students and the Palomar Community Orchestra performing "Peter and the Wolf," narrated by Joyce Harris of the theater arts department. (Photo by Pat Rubin)
Chocolate lovers can come out of the closet and hold their heads up with the rest of us. March 19 is their day. Chocoholic Day will be celebrated on campus with chocolate in most of its forms known to the free world. The unofficial word is that there will be chocolate pudding, hot chocolate, chocolate ice cream and enough Hershey's kisses to pave a road from here to Pennsylvania. Many of the samples will be free. A few things will be for sale. There will also be a free drawing for prizes and games pitting one sweet tooth against another. A number of chocolate vendors from San Marcos will be displaying their chocowares. There will be people passing out Hershey's kisses. You can't miss them. They'll be dressed as M&Ms. Everyone is invited, but the true aficiondo can be spotted by the glassy-eyed expression they wear in the presence of chocolate. Some things can't be faked.