Connecticut College Digital Commons @ Connecticut College 1986-1987 Student Newspapers 10-21-1986 College Voice Vol. 10 No. 5 Connecticut College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/ccnews_1986_1987 Recommended Citation Connecticut College, "College Voice Vol. 10 No. 5" (1986). 1986-1987. 18. https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/ccnews_1986_1987/18 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Newspapers at Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. It has been accepted for inclusion in 1986-1987 by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author. - • 'THE CO VOL. X NO.5 AD FONTES October 21, 1986 Social Awareness: Mental Ilness Special to The College Voice idea of what manic-depression This is a true account written by is, differs from what it is in a female member of the Senior reality. c/ass. Because of the personal On July 27,1984 I was admit- nature of this story, the Voice ted to a psychiatric hospital. I has granted her anonymity. We was having a manic episode. welcome all reactions to this ar- Some manic-depressives only ticle, and the issue of mental il- experience one side of the il- lness in general, through letters lness. I've never had trouble to the Editor. with serious depression. My "manic episode" lasted for You've seen me around cam- several weeks. It was an ex- pus. I'm active in several . hilirating experience, up until a organizations. If you find me at certain point. About two weeks the library, I could be on any of before my hospitalization, I the floors. I eat in Harris, didn't need as much sleep. My Smith-Burdick, KB, Harkness mind continually raced with and Freeman. This may sound new, bizarre, brilliant ideas'. In- very mundane; maybe your stead of seeing the differences habits are similar. Outwardly between things which I had seen you'd consider me '<normal", for the past 20 years, I began but two years ago I was labeled seeing connections, everywhere. From the college's Viewbook, professor of English. Gerda .Taranow "Interacts with a Student ... manic-depressive. In retrospect, one reason why I photo courtesy of the ,yews Office, This illness never had much began seeing connections was meaning to me. Isoon found out because I had recently ex- it is considered a major mental perienced several severe separa- Student/Faculty Interaction disorder. I've always been tions. These included the sud- by Karen Frost ticipate in one-on-one interac- student wants. In my experience relatively stable. My friends den death of a close friend, the The College Voice tion with their professors, there professors are accessable at had a hard time trying to unders- divorce of my parents and my have recently been complaints home, in class and in their of- tand it; they always viewed me leaving home. To "counteract" According to the 1986-87 about a decrease in faculty Istu- fices." as quite stable. In fact, I'm these separations, I made con- Connecticut College viewbook, dent interaction. "AS a transfer from New often the person giving advice or nections. Everything seemed "Learning is a process of con- Oakes Ames, President of the 'Yor\. University. Conn was iust helping people with their pro- too clear for me at this stage of tinual interaction between stu- College. sai.d that. tacu\t)'lsm- Wke ano\het.. wo~\d. Ca\\\:n'i, ":IOU~ blems. My emotional awareness my mania. It was as if.Lwas in a dent and teacher on many dif- dent interaction is "part of th professor up and having lunch is acute. I don't fit most of the dense, rain forest and suddenly I ferent levels in faculty offices, college's mission." just doesn't happen at other stereo types people hold for hit a meadow. Finally, J could homes, at athletic events. He said, "Students [should] schools .• , manic depression, I am not run free. There were no more cultural programs, and in dor- invite faculty to the snack shop" Frank Church,· professsor of "crazy" or irrational. I like to trees, vines or swamps blocking mitory dining rooms. " after it reopens. music. invites his Music 112 think of myself as creative, my path of thought. I began Although Conn. boasts a Ames also said that "interac- students to his home for pizza brilliant and maybe a little ec- recognizing religious symbols; I twelve to one student/faculty tion can take place in other ways parties. centric at times, but the common continued on page 7 ratio, allowing students to par- besides meals, for example, He said that the party was a >'<!i [faculty] office doors open to way to "get to know each other students. " . better." "It's my way of say- Sam Seder, '88 said that "The ing I've enjoyed having them in administration should do more class." The party "means a lot to promote student faculty in- to my wife and I" and he added teraction. The creation of a with a smile, "it helps keep us restricted dining room and the young." small number of faculty cards Church said that he does occa- for student dining halls are the sionally visit the student dining largest obstacles." halls with his students. According to Marijane Sophomore Jeff Barnhart, a Geiger, Director of Residence student of Church's who attend- Halls, "Knowlton Dormitory ed one of his pizza parties. said has an unlimited access by the that he thinks student/faculty in- language faculty. The rest of the teraction outside of the dining halls have a limit of ten, classroom is important. that is to say the faculty Barnhart has eaten with his members are given ten meals a professors "many times" and semester. " the conversation with them was Geiger said that the new iden- not limited to the class. Doctor McKeehan. tification card system, "has pro- He also noted that the depart- bably made [student/faculty in- ments of anthropology and teraction] easier. philosophy took their students to Doctor McKeehan to Retire The faculty member no lunch. longer carries a ticket, but in- Elizabeth Haugh, a freshman by Liz Michalzki center. "When I first started, This is one of the reasons we stead signs an authorization in an introduction to philosophy The College Voice there were two doctors, myself don't need as many beds," said form. She has "not really" class said, "I think it's great that and another who came in three Mckeenhan. noticed any changes in the professors have lunch with their At the end of the school year, times a week. He left in '78, so The student health center is amount of student/faculty in- students; it is a chance to have a Conn.College will be losing a I've been by myself since then. well equipped to handle almost teraction. very intellectual conversation valuable member of the com- There are also counsellors to any type of crisis. "We've . Sophomore, Logan Weiss said one-on-one. It is also a chance munity. After eleven years of treat emotional problems, and a treated the full range of minor that "there is as much pro- to meet the professor without the service, Dr. Mckeenhan will contraceptive clinic three days a traumas, infections, everything. fessor/student interaction as the continued on page 6 "retire. week," he said. About our only limitation is our Mckeenhan said he has witness- "This year is different, lack of surgical equipment. ed much change while he has because the infirmery has been Then, of course, we'd refer the been here. "Perhaps the converted to housing for student to the hospital. The ON THE INSIDE greatest change has been the in- students. That ",eans that our general student body is pretty The Power of Sports Page 5 creasing emphasis on athletics. threshold for admittance will healthy though. We try not to Sports have become much more have to be tighter. I'm hoping it treat beyond our level of exper- Career Day . .. Page 6 prominent, both for men and. will be enough. " tise," he said. Summit Rap-Up Page 8 women," he said. "Of course, I "There has been a new em- One issue of concern is the On Broadway : Page 9 missed the school's going co-ed. phasis on outpatient care as op- . growing abuse of drugs and That must have been a tremen- posed to taking patients in. alcohol. "I've seen more abuse Sports Pages //-/2 dous change." Most students prefer the familiar this year than in recent years There have also been changes , surroundings of their dorms, and already," Mckeenhan said. in terms of the student health I go ~ack as soon as possible. continued on page 6 ....=================== i==V=ie=wp~o=i=n=t ======= ~ Voice Editoriu/: More Money ~ Accused of Disinformation One member of the College staff moonlights at a :::: already using last year, but unlike last year they e To tbe Editor: have been restricted to parking only in their local restaurant as a waiter; his profession is thai of a tu We would like to extend our wannest syrn- ..."" pathies to The Voice for the September 30 ["SGA designated spaces by becoming as suceptible to be- writer. Another staff member works sixty-hour weeks Inaction" ediLoriol} attempt to discuss SGA's ac- ing ticketed as a student who parks in a faculty or on a regular basis without overtime compensation. A staff space. tion toward the parking 101situation. We truly highly visible faculty member is also a partirne writer understand how difficult it is to accurately report We would also like the students to realize that the facts without doing extensive research about SGA does not meet every Thursday to twiddle our for a local newspaper.