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Show i . t v ,. ', , Campus Crisis Center volunteers Jeff Hemming and lend a friendly ear to some troubled student. The Center is a new service this qua I was created by University student Alan AckrJ I Got a nroblem ? Phone the CCC BY STEVE ROCKWELL Staff Writer Has your girl friend left you, do you have insomnia, in-somnia, or are you an out of state student looking tar a way to meet other students? Whatever your problems, worry no more - the Campus Crisis Center (CCC) is now in operation. The center a new idea on campus this year, opened last week. Students with problems who want to talk with someone about them can call 322-827b any time of day or night and find a friendly student stu-dent on the other end. The CCC was organized by University student Alan Ackron. While at Antioch CoUege last year, he was active in an organization like the ensts center. When Alan came to Utah, he tried to find out if there was any such organization here at the University. There wasn't, but the idea won the enthusiastic support of the faculty and administration, administra-tion, and Ackron soon found himself, drawing up the plans for the Center. - The University donated a room in Ballif Hall "for use as an office,' and the cafeteria gave Ackron Ack-ron two free meal passes so volunteers on duty in the afternoons would not have to miss lunch. The response of students interested in acting as volunteers was for beyond Alan's expectations. There are now 26 men and women, ranging from freshmen to seventh-year graduate students, who staff the center. "I really didn't expect to find this many interested inter-ested students on any campus," said Alan. The volunteers are all non-professional, and t staff is entirely made up of students. Alaa fc that students are more likely to talk to their peer Aside from the time that the volunteers span sp-an duty, there are meetings during which tip hear talks on such subjects as drug addiction, fc to handle suicidals, and other subjects that mig: be helpful to them while they are working. The only publicity the center has had so tar ., a small notice in Calling U, but it already t, received a number of calls from troubled state-; Most of the calls come at night, and the vol-, who spend the night in the office rarely get r. sleep. If they're not on the phone talking over ; student's problems, they're playing cards or vfc ing with students who come down to the ecu-: when they can't sleep. One night Ackron st:: more than five hours on the phone with a d.. turbed caller. But the center is primarily a referral sent When a person calls in with a serious problem fc the staff is not really qualified to handle, such drug addition, the volunteer will advise tie cafe where he can go to iind the needed assistance The center is not affiliated with any other camp, organization, although staffers are familiar c services which may be helpful to students k: serious problems. The Campus Crisis Center will soon start p:: licizing its services more widely, and expects : number of calls as weU as the number ol stud--, volunteers to greatly increase as the stude:; becomes more aware of its existence. |