Bridgewater State University Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University The ommeC nt Campus Journals and Publications 1976 The ommeC nt, February 5, 1976 Bridgewater State College Volume 49 Number 12 Recommended Citation Bridgewater State College. (1976). The Comment, February 5, 1976. 49(12). Retrieved from: http://vc.bridgew.edu/comment/372 This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. ~bt €ommtnt Vol. XLIX No. 12 Bridgewater State College February 5, 1976 A morning with Governor Dukakis: An Informal Session of Questions By A:1':l Hackenson Walking through the Student comments and grievances were brought up by Governor Dukakis Union Thursday, Jan. 29, one aired, with perhaps (if lucky), a in response' to many of the could hear - "Today, in the small amount of information flowing questions. His Excellancy continued to Student Uniotn' Ballroom, be!ng passed on, but essentailly, Governor Michael Dukakis is neIther of the two parties left say that until the financial crisis holding an informal public satisfied with an abundance of hit higher education no questions were asked, no one paid any (or meeting on the reorganization of knowledge. the state college system, from In his opening statement, little) attention to the warnings 10:00 to 1I:30." Governor Dukakis informed the or signals. He asked whether or It turned out to be SRO­ receptive audience of his plans to not it wa_s possible or for the standing room omly- student visit the remaining state colleges, best, that the colleges in general faculty, administration and with the same intent in mind. He • began specializing in certain th~ fields, such as BSC for education general public flocked to air their also stated that he needed help ........o grievances and ask .pertinent from the students, faculty and o majors. There is a tremendous questions of the Governor. administrators to guide him and -a amount of overlapping between At approximately 9:45, the his administration towards a .s the state colleges, and much, if Governor, Secretary of Education better future for higher -g not all, must be cut in Older to Paul Parks and an ontourage of - education. He 'reflected, t. provide a higher quality higher humorously. on the past crucial education. The Governor also assistants, following a short tour The Big Three: (from left to right); SGA PreSident Ray Raposa; of campus, relaxed(?) in the year of economic crisis and told reminded the people that the Sec. of Education, Paul Parks and; Governor, Michael Dukakis. colleges have a budget from the Student Union ; r: G:rfee6n Room of his belief that the current for a short interview by local , fiscal year has started on a much state, but that the institution stated the need tor a stronger itself allocates the funds which r~porters and others" complete sounder note. The key· to bet­ loans and work study programs WIth taping and shooUny (by a tering the quality of higher would be made more applicable Board of Trustees. He did means the state cannot compel projector that is!). Here, education, stated the Governor. and better ordered~ Gov. acknlowledge the fact that cuts each institution to spend or Governor Dukakis discussed was based mainly on the Dukakis did express his opinion were needed and to this, the allocate their money the way various issues and bills of his question of setting the goals for that a consolidation of state Governor simply asked they (the state) want them to.- . administration and revealed a the structures before building colleges under U-Mass or on the WHERE'? A.dead end. not a thing accomplished. JJr. Mueller proceeded by Dr. Harris opened his few of his goals, especially those the structure, ~'avoid putting the basis of New York or California by behind his visits to the state horse before the cart." Three was not needed or welcomed. suggesting that the statements saying that what principles were established: 1) Upon .the close of his brief reorganization take place within was really needed in colleges colleges. His main concern was to the college itself by returning the today was an attempt· to teach "feel out" the student' body and, equal access; ;2) reasona.bIe ~~_statement, .questions began . cost. set· on certain standards; popping up. The first<::amein the administrators to the classroom. skj]lstlsefulig toda.:ytssocif!ty and others joined to the college. His He also asked why the legislature the process oftransfering these Excellency's main attempt was to and 3) extension of financial aide form of a list of faculty and tuition. These three prin­ grievances presented by the spent $40,000 .of the taxpayers skills to the job itself. He coli- receive ideas and information on . money to build a statue of no real tinued by suggesting a. re- the higher education budget ciples. if followed, would insure Secretary of the Faculty Council the diversity of the institution . Dr. Fitzgibbons. Dr. Fitzgibbons significance (Nod). Governor evaluation of the existing cuts. He wished to find out the Dukakis simply stated three programs in their imortance for problems involved, where to By diversity, it is meant an ex­ recited a long list of complaints, things about the statue, 1) it was the training of skills needed diminish funds and if there were posure, at one college, of a large in the hope of receiving some number of different background satisfactory . answers. - He not the taxpayers money; 2) today. any possible alternatives which mention of autonomy' and 3) its Secretary of Parks students in order to give a more remarked on the inconveniences E~ucapoh the college could inform him of. environmental (looks rsspa:lded by .askmg If· a co-op All in vain, it could be said. liberal and general education in of the budget cut, some of which . import~nce program was m effect at BSC. The ballroom came to a death all respects. The state college is are over-crowded class- rooms nIce-better. atmosphere) ~n 'The answer was obvi 1 autonomy IS a self-govermng' ous y no. silence as President Rondileau still responsible to the public, severe drop of faculty moral~ .~ introduced each person situated therefore, equal access refers to and course droppings. He also ~tate, community or group. The (continued to page 3) at the head table. Present were an equal opportunity for Idea of autonomv was repeatedly SGA President and Board of everyone living in the state to Trustee Member Ray Raposa, enter any of the eleven existing Secretary of Education Paul state institutuions of higher VIEWPOINT: Parks, the Governor (of course), education. A reasonable cost, and Professor Wood, who would consequently, mnst be moderate the conference. established to achieve equal Followfng a few brief in­ access. However the question troductions of . the prominent remains as to what basis this "Bridgewater Gate"" men present in the audience, the . cost must be formed on. As for By Joe Young conference on the direction of financial assistance, a waiver year to ask tor funds to support freezing of theh club's funds. It can be obtained whereas the One would think tha t after the higher education began. was a revelations of the Watergate their proposed activities. There is The SGA has since unfrozen time for questions and a time for tuition fee may be reduced. some a number of rules and regultions their funds and no disciplinary considerably, according to the affair a new era of reponsibility answers, yet that which evolved and integrity would have been concering the spending of money action other that that has been were questions, all questions and financial difficulty of the ap­ once it has been allocated to the taken, or will be. Apparently, plicant. Aide involving grants, ushered in at all levels of nothing but the questions. A few government. Unfortunately, the clubs. These rules have been the SGA Senate and President SGA here at Bridgewater has not established to insuer that sut- prefer to sweep the issue under experienced this sense of moral dent's money (yours and mine) the rug and accept the plea of obligation to faithfully execute will not be abused and hopefully ignorance of the law offered by Fred Harris pg.3 their duties and be accountable to that as much as the college the Afro-American Society's their con- science and scon­ community as possible will club officers, as well as the Interview: stituents.. Except for a few benefit from its intelligent use. club's defense that the rules· senators, specifically Tom Out of this general principle two ~!i~ulate "food" not beverages. TonI Walsh pg.4 , Landry and Dan Baksha, the SG'A specific rules have been ,x. At this week's meeting, Senate is collectively suffering established which govern all club Senator Landry expressed his from an acute case of myopia. , spending; 1.) any deviations disapproval of the whole affair in SGA pg.5 which is prohibiting them from from the club. budget are an articulate and strongly wor­ seeing the forrest for the trees. prohibited unless the Treasurer ded, open letter (see page 2) to approves the change, 2,) NO SGA the. Senate. His speech was Round~a-hout pg.6 This blurted vision together with money IS TO BE SPENT ON greeted by a room full of blank some fuzzy thinking has resulted ~ FOOD. faces and disinterested Senators Book Review: win Bridgew~ter's own verion of Watergate. (and they said it The Afro-American Society who were either ignorant of the I Crispus Attucks pg.7 couldn't happen here). A brief scheduled an event last semester issue, or more likely did not have look at the controversy which spomsored a poet on the courage of their convictions to t surrounding the Afro-American's campus at the cost of $500.00 to th persue the matter.