May 5, 1972
the

88:13 editorial

The SGA System

Small groups of students clustered in hall lounges last weekend,
debated for awhile, took a show of hands, and departed for their
rooms By that action, the House Presidents for the "72-73 school
year were determined, and the composition of next year’s Joint
Board determined. Tlle aura surrounding the meetings was gene-
rally disappointing: few voters, it seems, realized the extent
of the administrative duties which their new Presidents would
perform as members of the Joint Board, and still fewer probably
took that voting responsibility seriously.

The Scarlet and Black '

When the old Student Senate was abolished more than a year ago,
the idea was that Joint Board members, elected from the halls
themselves rather than in all-campus elections, would have more
responsibility to particular constituencies and would thus repre-
sent student interests iii better fashion. This theory was carried
to its logical conclusion in Joint Board meetings, where the fashn
ionable phrase has been, “let’s take this back to our halls and
see what the students think.“ The concept of getting such grass
roots response is laudable But few observers of this year’s
Joint Board can really claim the system has worked that way

The problem is that activism in student government requires a
specific type of individual, That person must be politically non
culturated and enthusiastic for working Within student government
bureaucracy, fully cognizant of the surprising amount of respon-
sibility and power tilat lies with the Joint Board, and dedicated
to representing his constituents With accuracy. The person who
honestly wishes to take on such a coinniittmeiit is a member of
a rare breed, and those who can actually get elected are rarer
Still.

Dedication is the password We doubt whether House Presir
dents, elected by the methods we saw ill operation last Sunday
night, are going to have that type of dedication. We question
whether most of them realize it is even neces ary,

During the colirse of this year, the first flill school year under
a Joint Board, that dedication has seen a very perceptible den
_cline. At the past few Jouit Board meetings, only 6-10 Pi‘eslr
dents have even bothered to attend, which means that more than
half of the ’student body often goes unrepresented while decir
sions, surprisingly important decisions for such a small group,
are made.

And the tragedy of this sitllatioll is that, next year, the whole
story Will play itself ollt again. Populated by people who may
not care, and may not realize the extent of their responsibility,
the Joint Board could become as disenchanted with student
government as it seems to have become this year. As one of
this year’s House Presuicnts has said: "It's really frightening "

Student government deserves better than this. Students should
have a body of their own election, which can speak for students
on important campus issues and therme give a ilnity and force
to the student voice which the mass of students could never have
For that reason student government is legitimate and, we tliiiik,
necessary. The present situation, however, makes a mockery
of that simply because there is a very good chance that the elected
representatives will not desire to do that job.

The problem, it seems, is tiic dual role ofa House President
He/She must have "domestic” interests as well as “adminis-
trative" interests » be a social animal and a political animal
at the same time, Perhaps what we need is a campaign for better
education of the students, for driving home the importance of
what a House President must do

Or perhaps we need a division between the House President and
VicenPresident, as was suggested this year by the Student Coorr
dinator’s Office, making one responsible for Joint Board duties
and another responsible for coordinating hall activities.

Or perhaps, just perhaps, we should go back to the old idea of a
Student Senate. T' old Senators were student politicos iii true
form, elected to Liclr offices specifically for that reason, and
seemed to function as Vigorous representatives ofstudent interests
despite their lack of specific constituencies. Perhaps aplan
could be devised to combine the best advantages of each one,
reinstituting a Senate but making every (say) two hulls l'espoii»
sible for electing a Senator, who would specific represent them.

The present situation is certainly not the fault of the Joint Board
members, some of whom were elected to their positiolis unawares
and who have come through with admirable dedication It is
the fault of the system which elects them, which leaves undefined
the mechanisms by which candidates for House President and
students participating in the elections are to find oilt about the
duties and responsibilities of student government. Whatever the
eventual solution We urge that students begin the search for it,
for we cannot continue ill this way unless SGA is to forever under,
achieve its potential for action.

. D,F.D.

Voefiman's Transcripi Proposal Raises issue

To the Editors:

At the present iinie, the AanC/
erase grading system, recently
passed by the faculty has no credit/
erase option Ml‘ Voertmhn hasior»
millated Ll policy statement WillClllllr
chides the following proposals

Tile Registrar is instructed to cal~
cuiate a current semester and a
cumulative grade point average in
accordance with the present grade
point equivalence based upon all
letter grades submitted by the face
uity for each student enrolled at the
college

Upon written request by the student.
the registrar Will prepare a report
which only displays iiie courses (or
other credit work) successfully
completed, along witii credits earn,

Cit (Siiillf'sil‘l iiiiii 'iiiiilliiilfylvi Illii
imuliuino no Illiiii inniion nu mains
or pi .liic poiui .ivni .ith‘S

Basically this proposal hives us
wiiii iliioo niioinniivos A student
may choose to receive grades loi
all courses from which an inclusive
grade point liverlltze lS ciilciilnied 0n
the other hniid. one my Clct'l ihe
credii/ernso opium for all coil .-
thus oliiiuiuiiiig n grade point .lyf‘l .
npr The fluid dlloliidilve :Iltcllilits
|o runihiiio aspects oi the first lwo.
A stilrleni may like any LUtitSL‘
credit/rinse, howcvcr, iiio prude-
point average is calculated on an my
Clustye hnsis 'ihi -, in rifeci, means
that the sindenl r .L‘lves ii “pf

although the professor sends npi. to
to the registrar which is lnL’Olpoi‘lir
ted in the grade point average 0b-
viollsly this option makes no sense
(in tliis year's credit/fail option,
the pioidoes in fact report a glailc
to the reg.linr, but that gradc is
noi pnri oi the guide point average )

Tinnsei lylts hi .i sludoiil‘s rocordul
iiio cnlloge will be supplied only
upon ielliicst of the student Unle 5
otherwise instructed. the irnnscripl
will displny the record ol courses
completed, credits eiilnefi.grades,
and grade point averages TIiestild»
enf iiiny obiniii a copv of Ilel‘rhis

Floyd Says Decisions Not Secret

To The rtdiioi s.

Ollt: of iiio coniiiiuni prohieiiis of
policyriliaking groups is his Colli—
muiiionliou ol their decisions in
other groups, An illustration of this
is Bob liilxiables letter in tile 31le
last week which criticized the new
guidelines loi- independent study
Boh ci-iiicizes the Executive Counr
cu loi- having "taken action behind
the hacks ol the student body. .
with little consultation oi students
aild , without the advance know»
ledge of lhe sindcni bod, ‘ 1 hard
iy feel compelled toffefend the Execn
\itiyt Council, hut. as one who served
on iiie Alerolle crc ido feel nn
obligation lo correct Bob's inisrer
presentation of tile way the guide
lines were established.

The proposal loi- iiie new guide
lines ‘ an independent study cum
from tlIC Ail—College EPC. The num
her of students on this committee
is equal to the nuniher of faculty
and ndininisii-alors combined Tile
student members include n i'epl'eV

senlative li-oni each divisuin, elected
by the students in Mint division. n
representative froiii cos, n member
at large elected by the enlire studr
ent body, and a iepreseiitatiye from
SGA. Tile committee‘s progress in
consideration of independent study
was announced and discussed in seyr
eral Joint Board meetings: these
meetings were covered by the SKLB
and their agendas were published in
tile Cninpus Memo The Executive
Council approved the proposal lrnni
the All College arc with only
minor i-evismhs.

I have for a longtime argued that
the Executive Council should not
have any revismiinry powers over
the All College Erc. i still believe
this. But lhis bias is no excuse for
saying tiiat the Executive Council
acted behind students' backs in ese
taililshing the independent guide
lines. when that, in fact. was not the
case,

Shelley Floyd

Displays View Vietnam

An art and photograph exhibit
about the cifects of the War on the
people of Vietnam mid n slide/
lectilre on file nuiomniod warfare
now being carried out in Southeast
Asia hy the United Stiltes will he
lirtiilglit to Gl‘iiilicll by the Steering
Committee during: the w iek of May 7.
Indochina Exhibit

Thu liidochinn Extiiliii IS n series
of piiiiiinus, drnwinps, and photo
graphs depicting the life and col-
lure of violiiniii. It will be (llSr
pliiyefi ill the Veteran's Auditorium
.il Fourth and Broad from 1000
AM to 900 PM Suiidnv. and from
9AM lo rviii/i on Monday Scouts
of Similar activities occiil'ing in
North and South vieinnm einpliar
size the similarity of life in the
two nniioiis

The exhibit also ciiipiiusized lilo
iiiiporiniice of Vietnamese family
iile, mid the Wily in which the Wni-
has disrupled that life There are
also sounds of tile chunpes Wrought
Ill violinini hv lile Aiuoriruu pi'cr
solice » brothels and hire buili
to some Americans sireei ilroliills
shilling shoes or begging for a
|ivlllt1_

Drill Luce. lhe creatol of the axe
hihii. is die man who lll'sl dis-
covriod the "tiger mines" on Con
Soil niison Island Wllilctllc ox-
hihil is in Griiiiieii, he will deliver
thiee tiiiks .. one siiiulny rvoning
iii 700 PM in iho Congregational
Church. iho ofhoi- iwo on Moudnv iii
4 mid 7 PM in South Lounge.

The Automated Battleground

’i’ilo Aulomniod Battleground, ii

slide show and lecture depicting the
mechanized War now being waged by
the United States iiisoulheasi Asia
will he presented Monday at 5:30
PM in Roberts Thenlre The pree
seiitation, n project of the Non Vior
lent Truininf: and Action Group of the
American Friends Sei-Vire Coni-
mittee, will center on tiielnetllods oi
“winding down" ilie wiir by using
liigiily sophisticated automatic
weapons

0nd of the projects discussed is
code named Igloo White. uudei unis
program, liiousnniis of scuiidniid
heat sensitive uiilis have been
dropped in Cambodia ulltl Laos
Their signals, (which Cannot ditr
fereiiiiaie friend from too) nre
now direciiiip the majority of Univ
ted Air sii-ikcs ipniiisi suspected
communist iiililirulors in Laos nnd
Cniiltlodiii,

Both the uxiiihii and the slidr pie
seiiinlioii will be open to hem Gl’illr
hell students niid townspeople

iliiilst‘liyii .fllli will will ,iliv iiilill>
iii.iiuiii sill'll .is Mllilll‘S ltll lliillitlf

i.ii iiiulsus ill oi illt‘ )liillil .i\’i'l.l;1t‘
wiuiii slii'rlli' iiurs iuii wish liiihs-
iiiilliui in .i iliiid p.iiiv 'l‘liis milled
vri sum oi iiio itililsf run will llu-iihc
llsutl try ilit‘ legistrdr's fliilLt: iisii
liusis IUI‘ cillllt's to ill? silmrllvii :ii
if 'l’efllit‘si ui iiir slink-iii

'l‘llis itllilllQL‘llll‘Ill |l.is tlit- MIL-(ti ui
villtl\illlQ illt‘ slilliirlil ill ('lliiiisiril ‘Irln’
sriipi iii width mm purl in nu of
his Violin illiiV llL' lepul'tllil to fluid
liiflliUS till ,i cloiili illilv lriisls ii
iii“ StiiflL‘Ill (.Ililfises
does not lit‘f'lllll ilioso (‘IlU
enter into the (.iil('lli.fll()|\ oi tliL‘ Lil ado
puiiil .ivi-iuue,

Mr Vorl illiiill's iilllelllilllellt raises
some illlyinitiliii questions In
renliiy, lllL‘ proposal leaves no ills
tcl'lliilfve for the student hilt) does
not want It) tfikC (ill Courses for
guides or for the student Milo is not
pi-upnied to opt loi colnplcti: creliit/
erase, 'I'lieleiore. it iliscouiages
Students from exploring fields out-
side ilieii mayor llltelests without
the worry and pressure of a grade,
in addition, the is ‘ IQ of Student VS
college responsibility cnniioi he igr
nored To “lint extent is the college
lespolisililc ioi plotecting the
Slutluiii from lilo potentially harmr
fui consequences of credit/erase
in regards to graduate sciioolsand/
or employers?

Peggy Shinner
Lisa Foldberg
Peter Guthrie

Homosexual
Awareness

To The Editors:
Earlier this week there was a secr

ond meeting of homosexual men at
Grinnell Although not all the gay
people on the campus showedrup,
the meeting Was beneficial to all that
attended

Its difficult to explain the attitudes
and feelings of everyone there no.
cause i think iiie meeting meant dif-
ferent iiiings to different people.
For myself. i enjoyed the relaxed
secure feeling 1 lion from being :i
total person in a discussion iviilioiii
hnviiip to repress an integralpart of
myself As the meeting progressed,
l sensed that that mood had cnp.
lured everyone. We had a frank,
honest discussion,

As i result ofthis openness and 5e.
curity, the myths and fears ofhonlon
sexuality were kicked around. We
ihreiv our fears and questions out
for discussion aild the communal
knowledge of the group’s experience
shattered myths and helped to dise
pell fears Tim i think has the
value of iiie meeting: thoughts,
anxieties, and fears that some of us
had kept lockedrup inside the closets
of our minds didn't stand up l'atlonr
ally to the light titan open discussion.
Tile different attitudes each of us
held on various subjects caused all of
us lo look at things from a differ»
eiii perspective and to expand oilr
consciousness on iionioscxuniiiy.

We will meet at least live more
fillies before the semeslei- ends,
w-iiii a meeting rridiy, Mny 5 If
you are inleresicd Contact Mr Haas
for further lﬂlOl‘mllilDlL Remember,
theldrger the grouplho more iii-
verse the attitudes and beliefs re-
presented. hence the more beneficial
the discussion will be in effectively
nnsw eriiig questions and presenting
different ideas Also at me fuiure
meetings we will discuss our pliilis
for the iiiliiie, neii your in partic»
ui.ir. Faggols nioiiiuirll uiiiie you
have nothing lo lose but your li'iISr
ll'ntions

 

lhreepenny’s Worth Of Brechi

by Svlviii wiiim

Breciit'S Threepenny Opera will he performed here lit Gi'illncll
by (In all-stdi’ ciist (Gi‘lllnell :llirstilrs, that is ) on May 4, 5, and

ii ni 8 00 p m
to see fcilow
Zln(lSlllt1L‘l‘lllillls liliiSlt‘nl.

ill Roberts Theatre
Cil'lililciilalls functioning in tile rlilill roles 0| lictoi

ll Should be quite interesting

The content oi the may is amusing and typically Bicciil (ironically

absurd)

This walk is about U beloved criminal: and it lldnillfis

the ci’ookstt‘r and his rippllllirilsloll, iii the mulls Lil one of tile

ciiiii-nciers. .is ”it could only iiippen in nu opri-u "
so rhock ii oui

lively and the plot thickens . .

'I‘he liilisit‘ is

 

 

