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Show November 30, 1984 Forum Page 5 An Open Letter to the Administration of Westminster There appears to be a "good" feeling In the administration these days. This Is a welcome relief from the "Temple of Doom" atmosphere wnlch has haunted our campus for several years because of the college's financial problems. We read In the Forum of a more stable endowment We understand the and school (Forum Vol. 32, No. 5 Nov. 16, 1984). a was able to pay and last very prosperous period college enjoyed year of Its debt. We are told enrollment Is up, expenditures off one-thi- rd are kept In line with projected budgets, donations are Increasing, auditors consider Westminster a "continuing entity," community support Is at an all-tihigh, the faculty Is happy and content, and the students are overcome with' joy. Because of all this, the sun will continue to rise each morning and spread cheer and good will on our beloved campus. So ends our happy tale the future Is bright and promising.... but Is Yoei km tills Is not It really? truly the "Best of all possible worlds? I don't be 1 1 eve so. This Is a very difficult letter to write. are no easy task; I know I have been Involved In some In the business community. I appreciate and respect those who are successful In taking an almost "dead horse" and breathing life back Into It. It Is difficult to criticize those you respect, especially when they have done a wonderful Job. The accomplishments of the administration are commendable and should not The dedication necessary to accomplish such progress be Is Indicative of the high caliber of character which 95.9999$ of the staff, faculty and employees of Westminster exhibit. If there Is a celebration going on In the Ivory tower of Bamberger Hall, there Is justification, to a degree, for It. Then why should a student write a letter of concern and complaint? What possible cause could justify tarnishing the administration's moments of glory and victory? Are you one of those Individuals who Is never satisfied and wants only to spoil the good feeling which now prevails? I don't think so, but read on and be the judkya. As a student, I view myself as just another so Id I er at the front lines. The battle Is not with the faculty. No, It Is not with the staff. It Is not even with the administration. It Is with I Ifel It Is finding the support and resources to pay not only tuition, books and fees but also to pay the rent, lights, gas, phone and still put food on the table. As a soldier reporting to his commanding field officer, I wish I could write with the same positive attitude of how well the war Is me "Turn-a-roun- under-estimat- ds" ed. However, from where I sit, the war Is far from over. In fact, at this very moment, we, the front line soldiers, see victory but' rather experience many casualties and have some painful loses to contend with. Aren't you being too draoatlc? I guess that depends upon going. who little you are If a student.,. no; I If the administration. ..well.... received a letter from the administration regard I ng days ago, (I am not criticizing the letter or It's sender. my $1200 balance. It was personal, warm and not your traditional col I ect I pe letter.) It left me with the Impression that unless the amount was paid soon, I I admit I would not be allowed to return to college In the spring. owe the money and I know It will be paid, but I doubt It will be possible within the time mentioned. When I came to Westminster, I made It clear would need financial aid In order to graduate In time to take my CPA I was left with the Impression examination before, the rules changed. be would and aid that forthcoming. True, I was not actually scholarships I was a with but left strong "Implied." Aid did not come "promised"... nor did any scholarships. This resulted In me being forced to Increase A few on-ty- I Earlier this employment load which has finally caught up with me. and It month, I crashed and burned. I am now picking up the pieces Is not a very pretty slghtl The Irony of It all Is now that I have Increased I will not qualify for aid! (Anyone read "The Little Red my Income, But. I Have you been had? You had better believe Hen" lately?) I I beTthe am not the first and doubt will last. I am not the only student who has entered Westminster with mistaken soccer understandings of "what" will be forthcoming. We have a talented came to a he If was here who "full ride" promised scholarship player As came He and front line It didn't soldiers, happen. students, play. my It, frequently hear of others among our ranks Inwho somehow got theandImpression It will his or her cup that aid Is flowing and one only need dip be filled and yea might even "runneth over." Whether these Implied promises I am come from a coach, admissions officer or whomever Is Immaterial. convinced these are not Isolated Incidents. Far too many students arrive at this Institution with false Ideas of what Is forthcoming... and I for one do not believe It a manifestation of mass hysteria. Were we lied to? Ho. Just falsely "leplled to. actually I realize there Is always more need for money than there Is supply. But financial aid Is not my only concern. Why Is It students cannot get work study jobs off campus? At other campuses. It Is a common practice for a sizable portion of work study funds to be made available for off campus work. After all, one of the purposes of work study Is to provide Here at Westminster, students with practical work learning experience. all work "study jobs are on campus. It almost appears that Westminster for the administrIs using a federal program setup to assist students ation's benefit more than for the student's. What a clever way to get Is It legal for the Inexpensive labor to man their staff position. to do that 7 By the letter of the lew.... yes; but ethical ly....wel I .... Is there sere? Yes... We see the col fee shop received a "face is were told It was done at the school's expensel lift" but how many stud enwant to make deals to modernize In order to keep it Is all right If you down which are food costs charged the college; but couldn't you have found some money to at least bring Opus up to minimum standards set by the Board of Health or to supply heat to the photography lab and Forum offices? IT the administration had to work all day In a room without top of Its list. Discussing heat, T am sure heat would be put at the publ IcatIons...why Is It necessary for ASWC to financially support the classes taught, by the college. Publications make up over 40$ of ASIC total budget. ASWC provides funds which make It possible for the college to teach photography. Journalism, etc. The school uses ASWC equipment, personnel and supplies. The students pay tuition and fees of which none goes to ASWC. What does the college pay for? The salary of one faculty member who also teaches other classes! Also, what about eliminating funds from the schools budget for the soccer club without telling either the club members or ASWC. Not only did this cost the club there position In the league (because dues, normally paid by the administration, are due on August 1st) but left ASWC with another expense to pick up and an emergency the first week of school . Then there are the funds setup for student benefit which never get transferred or accounted for. In the first Issue of the Forum I was quoted as requesting Information regarding we the 25$ of parking lot fees which are suppose to be transferred to ASWC. they been given to ASWC? If so, when? And what about the funds from vending machine sales ear marked for student life... why were they not transferred... I was told because "no one asked for them." Come on Bamberger... why should we have to ask for what Is rightfully the student If no one ever asks for them... would you keep them? I didn't body's? know all this. Walt, there Is wane. All but one of my classes are In Malouf Hall and I can tell you that you could pay off another third of college's debt If you fixed the heating and air conditioning system so they are regulated. Why must students sit In room that exceeds 90 degrees when It Is a pleasant 75 and 55 degrees when It Is a pleasant 80 outside. If the admioutside nistration had to work In Malouf, the system would be fixed within two working days. And have you considered pumping some of the abundant heat In Foster over to freezing Converse... we may only be students, but we should not have to suffer the environmental conditions that exist on And another point. Have you ever noticed how Impossible It campus. I f one Is for- the handicapped students to travel around our campus? Have - the administrators had to travel this campus Tn a wheel chair... I sure funds would be forthcoming to Improve access! We would see walkways smoothed out and better ramps. And why Is It we are told 70$ of our student body are yet It appears 95$ of all financial aid goes to traditional students. One of your pitches when soliciting funds from the community Is that you "cater" to the nontradltlonal student. Let me tell you, that as a It Jonal student...! do not feel catered when It comes to financial aid. Government aid Is geared almost to! students enTlrely to the traditional student. Because most have debts and obligations they may be In more need of aid than those then you receiving government aid. If you are catering to must provide for their special needs and stop nidi no behind the skirts of government bureaucracy as a reason to deny them al5. These ore things to think sboui. You bet they are. Thera Is something big coning... you have that look In your eyes. There Isl If last year was such a good year, why on earth did you hike tuition To$? We are told tuition will be raised 10$ each year for an Indefinite period of time. Do you realize by the time I finish In five years that will almost be a 50$ Increase In tuition. It will cost almost $2,000,00 more each year to attend two semesters. This means a recipient of a Benedict Scholarship will on y be covering the $2000.00 Increase In tuition and will still have to come up with his or her educational expense. With Inflation at a minimal rate. It Is beyond comprehension that a 10$ Increase Is Justified. It Is bad enough our classes are larger and we have fewer programs & classes to select from, but to Increase tuition when things were going so good only adds Insult to the student's already war torn Injuries. If It was "absolutely, positively" necessary to raise tuition, then did you also get President Reagan to raise student aid by t0$ and did you get all of the scholarships raised by 10$. Is last years $1000.00 scholarship now $1100.00. And now to make matters worse, the faculty wants to eliminate May term and our five "free" credit hours. By the way, do the students know the "freebee" of May Term Is at the faculty's expense and not the administrations. The teachers were asked to teach additional classes to cover May Term without additional pay. So students thank your favorite teacher for the gift of May Term. And all this flee I thought It was the adelnlstratlon who was the goo? guy. Think aylni Students understand what Is mentioned here cannot be resolved In I a month or two. personally appreciate all that you In the administration have done, but surely you can realtze why I and the other front line soldiers are unable to attend your celebration party. To us the war has just begun. ..and for some reason we sometimes do not feel the administration Is on our side. I, and wost other students, are tired o? am non-tradltlo- nal non-tr- ad non-tradltlo- nal non-tra- ds I and yet of being punished for the sins of previous administrations our sulfarlnq gows on. We were nob the ones here to twijoy the benellfs of speeding, "we were not the ones who got the college Into trouble Yet Is sooms To be the administration's plan to wke us pay, with blood, sweat and tears for the wrong doings or those before usl' Perhaps the only just thing would be to force previous students who benefited from the extravaganza of previous administrations to repay the debt rather than continually putting the hardship on the present students and faculty. But we all know this Is unrealistic. I know you are proud of your hard work and rightly so; but we students, we front line soldiers are also working hard, trying to keep our heads above water and quite frankly we sometimes feel the administration forgets our plight and situation. As you continue, may we battle worn soldiers suggest a slight change In course. The administration needs to address the needs of the students more directly and not by simply Increasing-ou- r expenses without giving You must begin Immediately addressing us direct. Immediate benefit. ds You need to and well as trads. the real financial needs of You need start restoring some of the programs previously withdrawn. to stop expecting ASWC to pickup some of the tab for academic programs. as a student You need to restore work study back to Its orglnal Intent You need for the to benefit first. campus Improve handicapped students. But most Important, You need to Improve Opus, Forum and the photo lab. what rightfully and render be with need student to honest you organizations You when do need them! to to them to It everything In belongs belongs your power to be fair with us front line soldiers. If we can't trust non-tra- you. ..who can we turn to? I guess what I am saying Is.... Isn't It about tlae that students are treated as equals In the battle of this We see to be the ones paying the Most awl receiving the least. Surely we" deserve some exists I turn-a-rou- n?7 respect.... after all. ..It Is because of us that Westminster Should we hate Bantberger? Absolutely not! They are good people doing the best they can they just sometimes forgeT our plight. What Is the best we students can hope for? A' position and voice fn" their Whaf Is the worst? Making process and In disbursing of aid. follcyIgnore this letter and us7 Aren't you a I raid this letter will cause thee to dislike you? Unfortunate I y . too bad, I wonder why? So do lT I aa told they already do. That's Sincerely, Floyd B. George Student and front line soldier (This is a paid advertisement) |