Concern Over Campus Safety Raised in Take Back the Night

St. Mary’s College of Maryland TBL H jl NEW S St. Mary’s campus weekly • 49th year, No. 21 April 14, 1998 • St. Marys City, MD 20686 Early numbers point to return of crowded dorms Four regular housing spots remain with two more weeks for new students to send in housing deposits ning, “to keep the place fiscally ERIN CARMANY sound. It’s a financial goal.” assistant managing editor In order to create enough space A repeat of crowded conditions to fulfill a goal of 300 to 335 new in dormitories will occurthisfall, students, Res Life has extended based on the number of returning the period in which returning stu students requesting housing and dents can back out of their hous- the number of applicants offered 'admission. According to the Office of Resi Crowding by the dence Life, there are 1,017 regu lar housing slots on campus, or numbers 1,081 spots if one includes over Housing spots on campus, with flow housing in studies. Given studies: 1,081 the number of returning students Returning students registered who have paid housing deposits, for housing: 838 243 spots are available in the Planned number of new dorms for new students. Last week’s Safety Awareness Week included this candlelight vigil against violence. students: 325 to 335 Photo by Theresa Sotto However, according to Dean of Admissions Jim Antonio, more Total students expected to pay than 600 acceptance letters were housing deposits: 1163 to Concern over campus safety raised sent to applicants on March 27, 1263 with a goal of approximately 330 Number of students who will in Take Back the Night ceremony accepting the College’s offer of be living in studies: 64 admission. If the expected num evaluation of the College campus itself. Direc ber of new students choose St. Housing slots left including EMILY FATUR tor of Public Safety Harry Tafe explained that sta ff luriter Mary’s, the College will be 82 to studies: 68 an “ongoing concern” is the lighting on cam 92 beds short, even after filling Expected number of new “We have grown too fond of the stars to be pus. Head of Maintenance Dan Branigan said all studies on campus. students who will submit that the goal for lighting on campus is to pro fearful of the night.” This phrase encompasses As of Friday, April 10, 175 housing deposits between now vide enough light to create a safe environment the message of empowerment behind the wide new students submitted housing and May 1: 150 to 160 range of events included in this year’s Safety and at the same time “maintain a pleasant deposits, meaning that currently Sources: Offices of Residence Life, Awareness Week. The program, chaired by environment.” only four regular spots on cam Admissions. Current as of 4/10/98 junior RA Jeanine Perry and sophomore RA Jen A measure to ensure that the campus remains pus remain open for new stu well-lit at night is an agreement between Public Brooks, culminated with last Wednesday’s “Take dents; a total of 68 spots are avail Safety and the Maintenance Department. Pub Back the Night” candlelight vigil. The week’s able including studies. However, ing contracts with no penalty, with events, in addition to concentrating on empower lic Safety officers turn on the lights every night the deadline for new students to a new deadline of April 30. Res Continued on SAFETY, ing oneself, also focused on awareness. turn in their housing deposits is Life has also already tripled the page 2. One type of awareness encompasses a general not until May 1. corner rooms in QA in prepara Idonas Hughes, assistant direc tion for a likely crowded situa tor of residence life, said, “There tion next fall, according to SGA bylaw change to require runoff elections needs to be a class of about 320 or Hughes. 300 to financially keep the [Col [and that] the current procedures ond resolution which called for a Res Life has also temporarily DIANE DIXON lege] operable.” Hughes ex suspended the continuous hous staff writer for SGA elections do not describe referendum, allowing the students what should be done in the event to vote for the method they pre plained that admissions has to ing policy for this year. This To remedy the flaw in the Stu of no clear majority,” their reso fer. The referendum would be look ahead and take into consid policy stated that students who eration that some students may dent Government Association lution calls for a bylaws change. held during the Spring election move off campus would not be not stay here for four years, and constitution, the Senate passed a The addition to the bylaws and would give students a choice allowed to to move back on cam- then come up with a target num resolution which provides for a would read: If there should be no between deeming the person re Continued on CROWDING, run-off election in the event that majority winner after an election, ber of new students to admit in ceiving the highest number of page 2. there is no majority winner after then another election shall be held votes cast as winner or holding a order to keep the College run one election. for two days, at least three weeks run-off election involving the two Article VIII, Section three of after petitions are due. This elec highest vote recipients. the SGA’s constitution states that tion shall be between the candi Hershfield believes that the Inside “All elections must be decided by dates who receive the two top SGA should allow “the students ♦ No M e n a c e a majority of those votes cast.” vote counts and shall be held in to make the decision.” However, New Health Educator/Wellness Coordina However, there is no plan for the same manner as the first elec Treasurer Andrew Mosley dis tor Dennis Poremski joins staff. Find out what should be done in the event tion. agreed, saying, “We should de what he does in his spare time, where he’s that there is not a majority. At last Cofield admits, “At first I didn’t cide this matter. It’s an SGA been, where he’s going, and what was behind his spring break program. Page Three Tuesday’s SGA meeting, the Sen think that this would be an issue. problem and it needs to be fixed ate reviewed three resolutions to However, the best way to resolve by the SGA.” settle the matter. this is by a run-off election.” The Constitutional Review ♦ C a l l in g t h e S h o t s SGA President Rod Cofield and SMC alumnus Donnie Gray (’76) refereed The Senate passed this resolu Committee was split when decid the NCAA championship game. Find out Vice President of Administration tion with a vote of 15 to zero, with ing the constitutionality of the about his experience and post-St. Mary’s life. Mat Gulick presented a resolu two abstentions. resolution. It declared the resolu Page Eight tion to the Senate calling for a Being that “no concrete pro tion constitutional with a vote of run-off election. Acknowledg cess is in effect for gathering an two to three. Parliamentarian Dan NEWS........................................................................................................ 1-2 ing that “it is virtually impossible absolute majority of the votes Metz told the Senate that he found FEATURES.............................................................................................. 3-4 for a candidate to receive a ma cast,’’Caroline Senator Mark the resolution to be unconstitu- HUMOR....................................................................................................... 5 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT.................................................................. 6 jority when there are three or more Hershfield and Commuter Sena Continued on SGA, OPINION.....................................................................................................7 candidates for the same position tor Chris Abell sponsored a sec page 2. SPORTS....................................................................................................... 8 '^ ^ T h c Point News N ew s April 14, 1998 Campus safety concerns brought to the forefront with Take Back the Night Continued from SAFETY, hundreds of lights there are on this cam page 1. and not a victim, because as Brooks ex spoke with students about campus safety pus. I have students call me and say that plained, people usually only get the chance and passed out alert whistles and in several buildings when making nightly ‘such and such a light has been out for to see “the victim of rape who has been flashlights. rounds of the school. three weeks, why haven’t you done any torn apart.” She feels that most often, we One of the events of the week, a secret “What I’ve asked them to do is to give thing?”’ hear only about “victims” of rape in the ribbon campaign, addressed the notion of me a report, daily, of all the lights that do Tafe explained that “we need students news. It is rare, she said, that we get to hear awareness. For several hours each night, not work,” said Head of Maintenance to be proactive. Safety is everyone’s re the stories of “people who have changed Nighthawks placed ribbons on the dorm Department Dan Branigan. The lights are sponsibility and we have to work together their lives” after rape and “made the choice room doors of students to mark “safe” and then fixed immediately or evaluated by to do what we can. I encourage all stu if they’re going to live again.” By calling “unsafe” behaviors. Blue ribbons meant the Maintenance staff. “We’re not seeing dents who become aware of any safety people who have been raped “victims”, that the Nighthawk spotted “safe” acts, such long periods of time anymore when problems to report them to our attention.” we only participate in “another form of such as walking with friends at night or light bulbs are not replaced,” said Branigan, Responding to the fear that keeps people victimization,” she said.

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