The Towerlight, September 25, 1981

tl19810925-000 "VOL. 75 NO. 4 owerli ht PUBLISHED BY THE STUDENTS OF TOWSON STATE UNIVERSITY TOWSON, MARYLAND 21204 A smattering if everything, and a knowledge of nothing. Charles Dickens September 25, 1981 Solidarity Day Students and cu td: Day fa lty from Towson State joined in last demonstration to protest President Reagan's Day feel have undermined many important social pro TL Saturday's Solidari-budget cuts, which grams. photos by Judy Krasnick Council approves calendar, academic structure discussed by Halaine Silberg The Academic Council approved a new calendar for the 1982-83 academic year a Monday's meeting. Under the revised calendar, the fall semester will begin September 1 with finals ending December 22, and the spring semester will begin January 27 with finals ending May 20. The new calendar allows students to finish the spring semester one week earlier than originally propos-ed, making Towson State's schedule more compatable with those of other state institutions. Council members agreed that a primary con-sideration in approving the calendar included the former disadvantage to students in the employment market by an earlier opening and later clos-ing date. Other changes include a four day spring vacation, April 1 through 4. The fall semester provides 72 in-structional days while the spring semester provides 74, neither meeting the State Board of Higher Education reguirement for a 75 day semester. The Council decided at its September 14 meeting not to comp-ly with the regulation since none of the other state institutions comply. The three week January term will remain intact. Proposed changes in the Universi-ty constitution were discussed as part of the reorganization plan of the University, previously approved by the Council. Last May, the Coun-cil approved the reorganization of the academic structure into separate colleges and schools, in-cluding the College of Liberal Arts, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, School of ' Fine Arts and Communication, School of Education and Instructional Technology, School of Business and Economics and School of Health Professions and Physical Educa-tion. The academic governing body will include a university senate with representatives from each school and college, student represen-tatives, the president of the faculty association, on-voting ex officio ad-ministrative officers and additional representation determined by at-large elections. This senate will replace the pre-sent Council. The Council is now examing recommendations concerning the reorganization submitted by the Task Force of Structure and Gover-nance, headed by Dr. Dan Jones, co-chairperson for the department of English. These recommendations are in-cluded in a 39 page report concern-ing the responsibilities of the gover-ning bodies within each school or college and in relation to university-wide responsibilities and standards. Issues now being studied include procedures concerning curriculum, promotion and tenure, degree pro-grams and the actual structure of the governing bodies. Reorganization was implemented to attain the optimal academic structure for an institution the size of this university, said Dr. Patricia Plante, vice president for academic affairs. ""What we need is to remind ourselves that we are a large univer-sity,"" said Plante, adding that only five percent of all universities and colleges are larger than Towson State. Plante said that as a large institu-tion, the University needs to pro-mote small communities of academic structure. The new struc-ture will enable both faculty and students to become more involved with decision-making within their own units. Although Plante cited the in-herent dangers of individual schools becoming provincial or moving away from cohesiveness of the University as a whole, she said that there is no greater danger than to do nothing. ""Any institution that is not will-ing to change faces the same conse-quences as any organism that is kept too long � it dies,"" said Plante. Jones said the reorganization should work particularly well since it was designed ""not (as) an attempt to impose a typical American pat-tern,"" but specifically for the University. In this respect, he said, the Task Force tried to respond to issues brought up by each individual facul-ty member and department. Jones cited a major objective in the struc-ture as bringing decision-making closer to the people it affects. ""What it does require is a very in-terested participation by a far greater number of faculty,"" said Jones. This entails asking an already involved faculty to do even more, he said. Jones said the new academic structure will affect students in two ways. Not only will it add status to degrees awarded, but reorganiza-tion will make the maintenance of programs more coherent. ""The only thing we hope for is that it will be an advance, a gain, rather than a complication,"" said Jones. Students protest budget cuts by Quincey R. Johnson ""Reagan says cut back, we say fight back,"" protestors screamed while marching down Washington D.C.'s Consitution Avenue. Last Saturday, over 260,000 people, in-cluding over 100 Towson State stu-dents, crowded the mall between the Capitol building and the Washing-ton Monument to protest the policies of the Reagan administra-tion. The Solidarity Day March, as it was called, formed a coalition of labor unions, human rights organi-zations, civil rights groups, en-vironmental groups, and other groups. ""It was a success,"" said Walt Fuchs, professor of philosophy at the University, ""Just to look Homecoming plans finalized n, The Alumni Services department 7,11 nounced that the annual 2ernecoming ""celebration will be �etober 9 and 10."" L vi eonard Raley, director of Alumni Ser � r.; ces, said that the administra- wen is really out to make Homecom-inig something special. Plans for Homecoming began in JuiY, Raley said. Raley assembled l'epresentatives of the campus corn-eltinity to discuss plans for the gala Svent. i,..�Hernecoming begins with a pep TIY, featuring the 1981 edition of Tryson State football team, the ger cheerleaders and the new 1)3""5, 'Porn squad. The pep rally will ield. e eeld, nm October 9, on Burdick f ,,�`lee McMullen, Athletic director, ""14 enrcee the event with WTSR, 56 Am, broadcasting live. There will also be a banner contest sponsored by Alumni Services. Homecoming also presents ""Foot-ball Film Classics"" in the Stephens Hall auditorium, at 9 pm, October 9. The free films feature Harold Lloyd in ""The Freshman"" and Ronald Reagan in ""Knute Rockne."" The ""celebration"" on October 10 begins with a free soccer game at 11 a.m. with Towson State taking on Randolph macon on the soccer field adjacent to Towson Stadium. A tailgating party will be held at 11 a.m. as a pregame warm-up for the Homecoming football game. Tailgating is designed to allow students, faculty, staff, and alumni to meet in a social atmosphere, Raley said. The football team will meet the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut at 1 p.m. at the Towson Stadium. The cost is $3 for general admission and $4 for reserved seating. Students with a valid I.D. will be admitted free. Saturday evening is highlighted by a concert by Al Jarreau and the Home coming dance. Al Jarreau will perform at the Towson Center at 8 p.m. Ticket prices are $10.60 and $12.50. The dance begins at 9 p.m. at the University union and features the big band sound of ""Anything Goes,"" the Top 40's sound of ""The Gents,"" disco and other entertain-ment. The dance is semi-formal and beer and wine will be available at a cash bar. around and see the diverse par-ticipants involved and to see the friendly spontaneous interaction of people different sectors of the socie-ty,"" Fuchs said. Fuchs said, ""Solidarity Day was held to show that there is opposition to the Reagan Administration's claimed mandate and the programs that follow; it was also to build that opposition."" Amy Teichman, a senior theatre/ psychology major, said, ""You can get pissed, but the only way you are going to change anything is to form an opposition."" Dan Mahone, a senior philosophy major, said the rally was attended by ""a crossection of American peo-ple."" ""You can't dismiss this as a rally of young people unsettled in their views,"" added Mahone. Marty Miller, a University graduate, said there were old people, young people, students and educators, and the churches. Although I don't really support organized religion, I know that when the churches speak out on the issue, then people are beginning to realize, Miller said. ""When the church takes to the streets, something is going down,"" added Miller. The demonstration, Miller said, was the most conservative demonstration I've ever been on. John Sovitsky, senior mathematics major, said there was a feeling that people were concern-ed. ""It was a rally that you could take your grandmother to. It embraced everyone,"" added Sovitsky. On the mall, a program of nationally-known speakers was presented: speakers such as Vernon Jordan, president of the Urban befaulting on student loans declines Harriet Griffin by Wallace Bruce Reid The number of students failing to pay back their National Direct Stu-dent Loans (NDSL), has dropped by ten percent in the last two years. In 1979-1980, 31 percent of the NDSL payments were not received. Between 1980-1981, that rate drop-ped to about 20 percent. After a loan recipient graduates, they have a six month grace period in which to begin repayment, said Harriet Griffin, director of financial aid. Students are failing to begin pay-ment, Griffin said. The problem arises from a lack of communication between the student and the finan-cial aid office. It is the University's responsibility to conduct an exit in-terview with each loan recipient upon the students graduation. It is to the student's benefit to at-tend the interview, Griffin said. There are specific cancellation and deferment privilages that a student can be informed of at the interview. Adherence to NDSL repayment schedules can be used to evaluate a student's credit rating, Griffin said, Minimum monthly payments of 30 dollars are required for up to ten years, depending on the amount of the loan. The drop in the default rate resulted from the University's ef-forts to track down students after graduation. The post-graduation period is the most transitory time of a student's life, Griffin said. Coor-dination between the financial aid office and other facets of the Univer-sity is essential to finding a ""good address,"" for graduates. Griffin ad-ded. The American National Educa-tion Corporation (ANEC) conducts the billing for all the schools in the state system. If a student fails to begin payment the ANEC notifies the University of the delinquency. After 180 days, a student can be summoned to court. The case will then be handed to the Central Col-lections Unit of the State's At-torney's Office. The University receives an alloca-tion from the federal government each year for the NDSL program. Interest rates will increase from four percent to five percent effective October 1. The continuation of the NDSL program depends on a low default rate, Griffin said. Walt Fuchs League, Eleanor Smeal, president of the National Organization of Women; Benjamin Hooks, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Reverend Jesse Jackson, director of Operation PUSH. The program also included folk singers. Miller said there was sing-ing, dancing, and a lot of fun. Amid the festivities, speakers in-formed the crowd of the issues at hand. In reference to the cuts in school lunch funding, Smeal said, ""We must say not to the philosophy of let them eat catsup."" Hooks said, we need ""more books, and less arsenals; more justice, and less revenge."" Jordan said, ""There is one thing missing in Washington, and that is compassion."" The demonstration also was filled with slogans like: Stick it to Stockman, Dear Nancy: Sell a dress, balance the budget; and ""If you want to outsmart the Russians, put more money into education."" Fuchs said, as it becomes clear to the public t the so-called ""technical adjustments"" directly affect their lives, I think it will drive people to practice politics of the street."" The demonstration addresses ""meat and potato issues, who's go-ing to eat and who's not going to eat,"" Miller said. If there are any more demonstra-tions in the next couple of years, they will be larger and meaner, Fuchs said. Fuchs attributed the low TSU student turnout to the ""general con-dition of despair."" People believe that there is little to be done, Fuchs added. The eyes can be deceived Submitted for your approval, a photograph showing the Psychology building and Linthicum Hall in two modes of existence. There are various and sundry other weird exposures to be seen in this photo. Let your mind wander. You are in the Twilight Zone. Do, Do, Do, Do . . . TL photo by Cindy Sheesely "