The Towerlight, February 7, 1985

tl19850207-000 "New frat's hazing policy questioned The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate approved the constitutions of two fraternities which were affiliated for a sixth month probationary period. At the end of the six months, the groups may become permanently affiliated if they meet the correct guidelines. The first, Tau Epsilon Phi, was approved 10-0-3 without much debate. The SGA debated extensively about the second fraternity, Iota Phi Theta, and the group's hazing policy. Senator Steve Mister asked fraternity representative Darren Wilson if Iota Phi Theta uses ""verbal or physical abuse"" on pledges. ""We don't haze people by hitting or beating them."" Wilson said, Our paddle has never been used, it's just for display."" Mister then asked Wilson who sets the qualifications pledges must meet to become a member. Wilson said the regional director oversees guidelines for pledges. Wilson added the national fraternity prohibits hazing of pledges. Mister then asked to see the written policy on hazing. Wilson refused saying ""It is a fraternity secret and I cannot show it to you."" Mister asked the Senate to vote down the constitution or table it until next week. Senator Larry Kushner asked Wilson ""Do you use alcohol in hazing?"" Wilson said ""We do not use alcohol for hazing, we do not haze or beat"" pledges. Senator Chris Krivos pointed out the group's constitution had received a favorable report from committee and the Senate should vote to affiliate the fraternity for six months so the SGA could watch for any violations of SGA policy. Krivos moved to affiliate the fraternity. His motion carried and the group was approved by a 9-3-1 vote. After the meeting Wilson said ""Did you notice how one fraternity was put to the stone and the other one was not?"" Wilson also said he was confident his fraternity could meet the SGA regulations. DiPaula announced SGA elections will be held March 11 and 12. Students should bring their Towson State ID to vote. �Scott Hollenbeck WCVT's troubled tunes WCVT, Towson State's student run FM radio station, has been having financial difficulties since its disappointing fundraiser last Fall. The station needed money for operating costs and updating equipment. Since the expected money has not been received, the station has been having technical difficulties resulting in stretches of dead air. The fundraiser's goal was $50,000; $11,000 was pledged. However, only $5,200 of that amount has been received, according to Dr. Les Bradley, assistant professor of mass communications and (faculty) coordinator for WCVT and WTSR, the University's AM radio station. WCVT wanted to purchase new equipment, including a control board and a new air cooling system. Since the station increased its power from 1,850 watts to 10,000 watts last April, an air cooling system is needed to handle the additional heat generated by he transmitter. Norma Long, Dean of the College of Continuing Studies offered WCVT a loan from her office for either of the equipment Systems, Bradley said. However, he said, ""the station management elected not to request"" funds from Long's office or the Student Government Association (SGA) last Fall. During the budget hearings last May, the station requested $19,074.00. The SGA gave WCVT $16,929.16. Because of the power boost, Bradley ""expected (WCVT) to be reaching a lot more listeners. ""We're not sure how large the audience is,"" he said. Bradley said WCVT is having problems such as dead air and fluctuation in volume levels that ""are inherent with being a university station."" Bradley said he ""hears these kinds of problems all too frequently."" Steve Weintge, General Manager of WCVT, said the station will ""talk to the SGA first"" to request supplemental funds. He said the station will use the money from the fundraiser to replace the air cooling system. The station has no figures for the amount to be requested, said Weintge, ""it's in the planning stages right now."" --Teresa Graber campus notes Resident dean's list students honored ""Each semester, students are shocked when they hear who made the dean's list,"" said Barry Evans, assistant director of residence. Many students expect only the stereotyped ""bookworm"" to make it and are surprised when their friends are on the list. Last semester, 670 students made the dean's list with a gradepoint average of 3.50 or higher, 257 of those were resident students. To recognize the resident students and to say ""good job,"" the residence department is throwing a dinner banquet February 12, at 6 p.m. in the University Union Susquehanna room. Evans hopes the dinner will help students to feel proud about making the dean's list. At the banquet, the Tutorial Services will be offering part time jobs to students. �Joanne Brady 1 1�4 Screaming Rivers Joan Rivers' latest book on the joys of motherhood is reviewed. ... page 9 Hunter's target An in-depth interview with Athletic Director Billy Hunter ... page 4. Inside smoke filled rooms David Taylor presents one view on smoking in public places. ... page 1 5. Minority students im-prove SAT scores Black high school students increased their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores by seven points between 1982-1983 and 1983-1984, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported recently. During this period, average scores for all students rose four points, according to College Board figures. Nationally, the mean average for black students in 1982-1983 was 339 verbal, 369 math. The 1983-1984 average was 342 verbal, 373 math. The scores of black students enrolled at the University increased 54 points to an average of 404 verbal, 418 math in 1983-1984 which is 107 points higher than the combined national average. In 1984-1985, that average rose slightly to 404 verbal, 420 math. The combined student average for University students is 487 verbal, 454 math. Linda Collins, director of admissions, said the State Board of Higher Education has asked the University and the University of Maryland at College Park to decrease the size of their freshman classes, so the University can be more selective about admitting students. ""We're striving for even higher standards,"" Collins said. More black students are enrolling at the University, ""because the image of Towson has changed,"" said Lillian Anthony, dean of minority affairs. ""The reservoir of good black students has always been there, Anthony said, ""but until recently predominantly white institutions haven't known how to tap into it."" �Terie Wolan See NOTES, page 2 The Published weekly by the students of Towson State University Towson, Md. 21204 Vol. 78 No. 15 February 7, 1985 Second Ice Age By Edvins Lagzdins Slipping, sliding and sloshing were the main recreational events this week as students struggled to get to classes after the area got a layer of snow, sleet and freezing rain. Division LAA football planned for 1987 Tiger Club must raise additional funds By Terie Wolan Towson State football team will play Division I-AA ball starting Fall 1987. The University Senate passed a motion accepting the In-tercollegiate Athletic Committee's report which recommended elevating football from Division II to Division I-AA. After a divisive hour-long debate involving disputes over financing, the physical condition of Minnegan Stadium, and the effect of Division I status on the University, the Senate voted 12-11 in favor of accepting the committee report. It appeared the debate, which last Spring stretched over three meetings on the issue, would not be resolved at Monday's meeting. After a long debate, at 6 p.m., a mo-tion was made to recess until February 18. Michael O'Pecko, Senate member-at-large, along with other senators, asked that the deci-sion not be delayed. O'Pecko said debate on Division I always starts off on high ground, but it deteriorates as debate continues, and ""we only become more ir-ritated."" The motion to recess was defeated and Dr. Richard Vatz, associate professor of mass com-munications, called the Division I motion, a parliamentary device which closes discussion, and a roll call vote was held. As the senators responded, the votes opposing the proposal added up. The last senators polled were student representatives from the Student Government Association (SGA). All five students voted for Division I status. A member of the athletic commit-tee who was sitting in the audience exclaimed, ""The students did it, they put us over the top."" University President Hoke Smith had opened up debate on the motion by stating, ""I favor Division I-AA not because I'm a football fan but because it's in the long-term in-terest of the University."" Smith said for the general public, the quality of sports teams fielded is considered a symbol of the stature of a college. ""Football is a powerful national symbol,"" he said, ""and we are represented and stand in the Uni-versity world, whether we like it or not, on those symbols."" Part of the University's reputa-tion is derived from the schools we associate with in athletics, Smith said. ""The schools Towson is similar in scope to are I-AA, they are not Division II. We are better than the regular Division II schools."" Smith conceded, however, that most of the Division I schools are ""better established than we are."" While the University ranks near the top of Division II in terms of average Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) enterance scores, research grants, publication, and academic reputation, in Division I, it ranks ""very low."" Smith said student athletic fees would not be raised as a result of moving to Division I. Smith decided last year to raise athletic fees $25 a See FOOTBALL, page 2 Murphy is Towson's chief crimebuster By Lorraine Mirabella After Lt. Steve Murphy served almost 13 years on the University Police Force, a promotion to Chief of Police should have been no sur-prise. But after former Police Chief Gene Dawson retired last Novem-ber and Deputy Chief Joe Kelly resigned, Murphy was ""pleasantly surprised"" when Towson State decided to recruit a new chief from within the campus police depart-ment, choosing Murphy. ""I considered it a lot of trust put in me."" It was ""very encouraging to know that 13 years as an employee were appreciated,"" said Murphy. As Chief of Police, Murphy has taken on overall responsibilities for the 35-member department. from day to day operations to adminis-tration. Murphy said his major goal for the department is ""to protect and to serve. That's what we're here to do. It's important for us to make everyone who comes to Towson feel as comfortable as possible. When criminal activity is reported, we want to do everything to investi-gate and find the person re-sponsible."" He also hopes to promote the department's image among the campus community. He wants to let students know the police do more than give parking tickets. ""Everyone sees us as traffic en-forcers,"" he said. Ticketing is ""a necessary function, but not our pri-mary mission. I hope to instill a positive image and to help in any way possible."" A 1972 University graduate, with a history degree, Murphy was Student Government Association president during his senior year. He went to work for the police as a communications operator, respon-sible for dispatching calls in 1972. He was promoted to officer, detec-tive, sergeant and finally to lieute-nant, a position he had held for the past four years, handling adminis-tration, scheduling, special events, purchasing, budget, education and training. Murphy watched the campus Dance will gain a faculty member next Fall Dance 'program' becomes dance 'department' police grow from a security force with no police power to a full fledg-ed police department in 1976, when the General Assembly passed a bill upgrading their authority. Murphy said the change authoriz-ed the University Police as the sole law enforcers investigating crime and providing police service for ""any property owned, rented or leased by Towson State, with limited authority on continuous roadways."" The move was sup-ported � by the Baltimore County Police, who had their hands full with off-campus crime, Murphy said. The department is better equip-ped to handle all types of crimes now than when Murphy first joined, he said. ""As a security department, train-ing was not mandated by law."" But now the department follows all Maryland State Police training laws. Compared with College Park, Murphy said, the University's crime rate over the past 10 years has been ""drastically lower."" ""Increasing crime is much higher (at College Park) and crime in Baltimore County has risen higher than on campus."" But Murphy cautions students to be aware of crime on campus. ""Every type of crime has occur-red here. Fortunately, the more serious crimes are not committed with frequency."" He cited the ma-jority of crimes the police investi-gate as thefts, destruction of pro-perty and assaults, including sexual assaults. One homicide has occurred in the University's history. ""A great many crimes are com-mitted by people who have no con-nection with the University,"" es-pecially the more serious crimes such as robberies, Murphy said. ""People of criminal element see opportunities and will take advant-age,"" he said. He said the police can deter crime by being visible and available. Murphy said he plans to continue and expand crime prevention pro-grams offered by the police, in-cluding rape awareness seminars given in the dormitories, the cam-pus escort service and Operation Identification, the engraving of property. By Jackie Yost The University Senate passed a proposal to change the status of the Towson State Dance Program to the Dance Department at its Mon-day meeting. ""It is a very cut and dry (matter),"" said Helene Breazeale, Director of Dance, ""a very simple thing."" The proposal consisted of chang-ing the name and subsequently the status of the Dance Program, Breazeale said. ""We are functioning as a depart-ment. People think we are a depart-ment. The Dean (Dean Brungardt) deals with us as if we are a depart-ment,"" said Breazeale. Therefore, she believes the Dance program should be renamed the Dance De-partment. Breazeale said the Dance Pro-gram brought a new degree to the University�the Bachelor of Fine Arts�making Towson State the on-ly school in Maryland to offer the prestigious degree, ""and yet we're called a program,"" Breazeale said. Breazeale believes the status of the dance program effects everyone at the University. Being a depart-ment indicates strength and stabili-ty, said Breazeale. She feels this has an influence on potential students and their parents. Approximately ""one out of six (potential) students or their parents ask 'why is this called a program and not a department?' "" Breazeale said. This, she believes, ultimately effects the entire University be-cause it may cause some people to choose another college. ""I think it probably already ef-fects us more than we know,"" said Breazeale. The proposal to change the status of the program has been long in coming, Breazeale said. The pro-posal was originally sent to the Senate in September, 1984. The Senate's Executive Committee sent the proposal to the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) in order to review the promotion and tenure (P & T) procedures for the proposed department, said Breazeale. The P & T procedures were approved by the COFAC, the COFAC Promotion and Tenure Committee, the COFAC faculty, and University Promotion and Tenure Committee. The proposal was then resubmitted to the Senate in No-vember. This delayed decision making about the proposal. In addition, con-cerns about additional funding and the small size of the department also delayed proceedings. Breazeale said a change from a program to a department would be of minimal cost to the University. The money, she said, ""is not the stumbling point"" for making a deci-sion. The biggest concern involves the small size of the department. ""The big objection I'm hearing is the business of (us) being a small de-partment. (This) does not apply to us because we will always be small,"" Breazeale said. Breazeale said it would be im-possible to conduct more dance classes or greatly increase the number of faculty members of the program because all facilities are filled to capacity. She said she sees no point in delaying the change in status of the program because of its size. However, the program will re-ceive one new full-time instructor this Fall. After this addition, the program will have three full-time and four part-time instructors, Breazeale said. "