1973-11-14; Central Michigan Life

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/Vews analysis
Student Organizations Council has
by LORRIE LYNCH
LIFE Asi't. NewB Editor
In the past two years, leaders of Central's major
student organizations <have attempted to establish a
'body representative of all' student organizations, In
1971-72 it was Associated Organizations Council (AOC);
last spring it was Student Organizations Council (SOC).
However, the. success or failure of such a body
seems questionable. Student ■ leaders have tagreed,
although neither AOC nor SOC became a "powerful"
group, an organization consisting of representatives
from the largest >campu's groups has the potential to be
influential, both in administrative and student-related
questions.
Member a,receive university funds
The organizations involved with SOC, for the most
part, are those which receive University funds. They
include: Associated Women Students (AWS), Men's
Union (MU), Program Board (PB), Student Government, and Volunteer Council. Interfraternity Council
(IPC) andf?anKellenic Council are also included, but
they receive no University funds.
Representatives of SOC outlined its purpose in the
charter written last spring. Included were: 1) To im-
prove inter-organization communication through
regular meetings; 2) to enhance programming through
an attempt to eliminate conflicting scheduling; 3) to aid
in problem solving of different organizations through
.an exchange of ideas; and 4) to be a representative
entral
body of student' organizations, capable of organizing
into a collective effort jto deal with large scale problems
which individual organizations are unable to resolve by
themselves. ^ -
The charter- also designated who would be
chairperson of SOC, stating he will be selected from
Student Government and subject to dismissal by SOC.
Richard Marshall, Warren senior and student body
president, is now chairperson, making him responsible
for calling and maintaining order at all meetings.
AOC disintegrated
Ron Szymanski, Ferndale graduate student,
became president of AOC in 1971. According to
Szymanski, the idea of the organization was communication with "anticipation of being beyond that."
However, with a change in student organization officers the next year, AOC seemed to disintegrate.
Szymanski said he thinks new organizational leaders
had qo interest in AOC at first.
Again last spring officers were receptive to the
idea of establishing an associated council of some type.
Szymanski said he ^thinks "Those people (the new officers) realized it was a good thing."
What sparked the establishment of SOC? Most
'organizational leaders interviewed seem to think SOC
was an answer to an alternative presented them by the;
Office of Student Affairs.
Last spring it was suggested by administrators in
the Office of Student Affairs that assistants (perhaps
graduate students) be hired in that office to aid student
leaders in, such things as programming, scheduling and
handling contracts.
Student leaders seemed to believe an organization
such as SOC could handle programming and scheduling
problems as stated in the charter, and the organization
was established soon after. ,
According to organization leaders involved,
several meetings were called last spring, and several
have been scheduled this year.
Structure is informal
There seems to be no formal structure to the
organization1, yet most representatives seem to favor
the loose structure and do not feel it leads to ineffectiveness. ,
Peggy Simmons, Battle Creek senior and AWS
president, said SOC was "intentionally loosely
structured so it could go in any direction." Simmons,
who has been AWS president since January, attended
initial SOC meetings last spring.
Pat Bachler, Men's Union vice president and Port
Huron senior, said, "It's working. It's not super-strong,
but is it supposed to be?"
MU president, Greg Koroch, Benton Harbor senior
said SOC only should be "as strong as the members
want it to be."
Opposition to loose structure
However, some disagree with the idea of informality. Becky Vanderbeek, Birmingham senior and
president of Panhellenic Council/said she believes the
HfM ichigan
organization should be formally structured, "It's good
. for. organizations to get together to discuss things
formally," she said, adding that she would like to see
something "tangible" come from SOC. * |
*      ' But the purpose of SOC may or may not be to
become   functional.   Those   involved   with   the!
organizations seem to have the same basic opinions
about SOp's function. .    \
Program' Board  chairman,  Dan    Savage,   Mt.
Pleasant senior, said he believes SOC is a place foir
organisations to meet and share ideas. He does not
think an organization like SOC should have the power
to decide on issues; only to recommend. j;
Bachler suggests SOC's purpose is to improve;,
inter-organizational communication and to give student
organizations an increased effectiveness in dealing with
the administration. Koroch agreed SOC can "facilitate
communication between organizations."
Communication is important
Tom Lootens* director of Volunteer Council and
Royal Oak senior, said the purpose of SOC as stated in
' its "constitution" is to improve communication between
all student organizations, to be a representative body of
student .organizations and to deal collectively with
large scale problems.
Vanderbeek said, "The impression Rick Marshall
gave (of SOC) was that organizations would be given an
opportunity* to be closer to the administration.
However, nothing ever came of it."
(See 'Student, . . 'page 9)
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Volume 55 Number 34
Central Michigan University
Wednesday, November 14, 1973
'Partial point'
grading system
being studied
by SHEILA TOMKOWIAK
LIFE Staff Writer
Center for Educational Reform
and Student Senate's Academic
Affairs Committee are working to
establish a partial point grading
syitetn ai CJ»!U.   '   •    "
•IW ilV&eir waftWinow" a
student to receive a plus or minus
with the letter grade in the final
grading process, according to Tim
Culby, CER director.
"Under the present system,"
Culby said, "if you have a 2.5
average you receive a C. Under the
new system you would receive a
C+."
According to the present
system, an A is 4.0, a B 3.0, a C is 2.0
and a D is 1.0. The proposed system
would allow A, 4.0; A-, 3.7; B+, 3.3;
B, 3.0; B-, 2.7; C+, 2.3; C, 2.0; C-,
1.7; D+. 1.3; D, 1.0 and D-..0J7.
Composed of student academic
senators, CER is an organization
-working out of Student Government.
With the Academic Affairs' Committee, they will research student
and faculty opinions and investigate
policies at other universities.
These will be presented to
"Academic Senate when the measure
js introduced at the meeting after
Thanksgiving, -according to Culby.
"We Want the academic
senators to be well informed," he
said, "so they can handle all opposing
debate at the meeting."
Academic Affairs Committee,
according to Steve England, off-
campus student senator and committee member, will do most of the
foot work for CER-
"We will mail out questionnaires
to 600 random students to find out
how they feel about the system. The
results of the students' opinions, will
be a considerable factor," England
said.
'Surveys have also been sent to
six universities to determine if the
system has been used there, if it was
ever considered and what problems,
were involved.
"Michigan State," , Culby  said,
"Uses   a ^system   similar , to ,yio,#->-'
proposeci, system. The. difference' Js
that thefts -minus and plus are very
close.".
Most student and faculty
responses, according to Culby have
been favorable. "Even though it may
require more work for the instructors, it is very worthwhile
because the system is more fair and
more precise," he said.
There is, however, some doubt
as to whether the system can. be
used this semester. "Once it is
passed, we will Worry about implementing it," Culby continued.
"Right now we need to Work on
getting it passed," he said. "Students
should come* to the'Academic Senate
meeting.and voice their approval or.
disapproval. We invite all comments
and suggestions."
CM LIFE PHOTOS BY CHARLES BUND
POET LEADS OPEN DISCUSSION-Allen Ginsberg, widely considered as ' one of America's prominent poets, led a two hour open
discussion in Anspach Hall Tuesday. Ginsberg answered questions
from the audience concerning his activities in the past years. Active in
the' 60's anti-war movement, Ginsberg has also been called a
spokesman for the counter-culture. Ginsberg also led a poetry reading
Tuesday night in Finch Gym. ' ■
'New vision' of beat poets
discussed by Ginsberg
by MIKE KIBBLE
LIFE Staff Writer
"Around 1948 my contemporaries, who were sensitive,
were having some kind of new
vision. They were thinking in terms
of the new consciousness," explained
Allen Ginsberg during an open
discussion in Anspach 161 Tuesday
afternoon.
"My own ken back in forty-
eight, forty-nine, and fifty, before
there was a label. fthe Beat
Generation' was tha't we .were in-
CMCH eliminates
abortion services
Central Michigan Community
Hospital in Mt. Pleasant is no longer
able to perform "abortions on
demand" because there are no
qualified members on the nursing
staff willirig to participate in the
procedure according to Robert L.
Lotttz, hospital administrator.'
Although there are qualified
people to assist, nurses have, the
constitutional right io refuse, if they
desire.
»
"Our original policy concerning
abortions is .still in effect," said
Ralph Baughman, chairman of the
Hospital Board of Trustees. "We just
jtou,'t have the personnel to implement it."
The policy on abortions outlines
that any qualified .doctor who agrees
to perform an abortion must go
through normal scheduling
procedures for such an operation.
"This situation .could change
tomorrow; it could change a year
from tomorrow," said Baughman.
"At the present time, however, we
have no vacancies on the; nursing
staff." .
If the hospital does have an
employment opening, it is prohibited
to ask applicants prior td hiring if.
they would be willing to assist in.
abortions. '
"We don't know until after we
have hired someone if he or she will
consent," said Baughman. ,
volved in a search for our own divine
nature, and that later was codified in
-Buddist or other terms," Ginsberg
continued.
"We began seeing through each
others eyes," he said of fellow beat
writers. He cast William Burroughs
and Jack Kerouac as his first gurus.
-Ginsberg pointed out that
originally he wrote rhymed verse,
but Kerouac pushed him to .a more
spontaneous style of writing.
Burroughs, he said,- helped both
Kerouac and him to see things in a
different way.
Ginsberg told of his relationships with other poets who contributed to his way of thinking. He
Teyealed some of the more personal
sides of the beat writers he knew.'
His attraction with the Eastern
philosophies captured much of: the
discussion. He spoke of realization
that the "best guru is in one's own
heart."
The' difference between Buddist
and transcendental meditation was
brought up. He spoke on the former
and his experiences With it, but
claimed no great knowledge of the
second,
His soul has changed since the
forties* he.explain'ed largely through
meditation and being "knocked
around." -       ■      - ■ x
*'The first thing I learned in the
mystical experience is not to cling to
it. I lost a lot of time trying to
recapture a mystic - experience I
had."
Someone asked for his opinion of
the failure of the social .movements
of the sixties. He responded by
saying "Just as an individual has a
flash or vision that may take many
years to integrate into his daily life,
there is the possibility America went
through a great visionary period
where there was an opening of
conciousness which was clearly
seen."
Then there was the problem of
altering the environment to conform
to the more natural vision. He went
on to point out that since it could
take years for an individual it could
take decades or even centuries for a
nation. ,       / '     .
Ginsberg said the last time he
spoke Watergate* was the main
concern. ' «*
l ■ i
Holiday schedule set
student payday
Schedule for  student    payday
for the week of Thanksgiving will be
as follows at the check centers.
University Center:
Nov. 20 thru Nov. 30th-     8 a.m.-
5 p.m.
Pearce:
Nov. 20-8 a.m.-5p.m.
Nov. 21—8 a.m.-12 hoon
Checks will then  be sent to the
Cashier's Office
Anspach:
Nov. 20-8 a.nv-5 p.m.
Nov; 21-8 a.m.-12 noon
Checks will then be  sent to the
Cashier's Office.
Cashier's Office:
Nov. 20—9 a.m.-4 p.m. ,
Nov. 21 thru Dec 6-9 a.m.-
12:15 p.m.-12:45 p.m.-4p.m.
City saves energy
Christmas lights won't be lit
Christmas is only 42 days away,
and soon thoughts will turn to pine
trees, gift-giving, Christmas' "cheer"
and a million lights decorating homes
and streets. .
Wait a minute. Did I say
"lights?" With the recently announced energy crisis, it seems
logical that . energy-consuming
Christmas ornaments will be
eliminated from the holiday hassle
(or is it hussle?).      '
. And so it seems in Mt. Pleasant.
The local' Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors decided  at a
special meeting last week not to light
its'Christmas decorations' this year.
In addition, the board also urges
retailers and home owners to use
non-lighted outdoor Christmas
decorations whenever possible this
season.
The Chamber of Commerce
recently sponsored a ,,Buy-a"Pole"
campaign in which money was raised
for the decoration, and lighting of 489.
poles throughout the community.
The poles will be decorated, but not
lit.   . .'   ,   .
In addition the Chamber has
decided tp offer such, activities as a
Dec. 2 Community Christmas. Sing
on the corner of University and*
Broadway, streets.
' The'contmunity sing will feature
Christmas "Carols sung -by local
choirs, free donuts and hot cider. Of
course, Santa Claus will be attendance, and one community
Christmas, tree will be lit. <
This event is sponsored by tlie
Chamber of Commerce"' in
cooperation with area service clubjj,
local choirs and the City of Mt.
Pleasant, j
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