Transition Dinne.•J^^S^^^^l^^lllio^ir marks beginnin^ g of new student gov't -pages •arrv^.v'-'s •**;.•.;**-**<i*K:\K Don't burn Stated budget cuts, will THE this bridge definitely huift^students A local man is crusading^ wallets,next year;as several financial aid •• to save the PoughkeepsieJ programs are cut.; Railroad bridge. Why? CIRCLE -T page 4 VOLUME 40, NUMBER 8 MARIST COLLEGE, POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. APRIL 16,1992 Time magazine writer chosen VP of student body for grad speaker removed from office by DONNA SICLARI Internal dispute causes strife Staff Writer during student government transition Bonnie Angelo, Time magazine's first correspondent at large, will be by J.W. STEWART this year's graduation commence­ ment speaker on May 16, according Staff Writer to Shaileen Kopec, vice president Citing a "negligence of duties" and "unprofessional behavior," the for college advancement. soon-to-be-defunct Council of Student Leaders (CSL) removed Student Angelo, who has been with Time Body Vice President Jennifer Smith from office, according to a letter for about 14 years, is well known dated April 2 and signed by Matthew Thomson, student body president. in her field as an expert reporter The letter, received April 4 by Smith, was the result of a 2-1 vote by and a pioneer for women jour­ the four voting members of the CSL board on April 2, said Thomson. nalists, Kopec said: Circle photo/Matt Martin One voting member was absent. While many students feel the an­ Bonnie Angelo, Time magazine's first correspondent at large, In the letter, Thomson wrote: "I frankly find it unprofessional behavior nouncement is late, Kopec said it to abandon your responsibilities. You can't quit your job everytime you is not unusual to book a speaker at will be the commencement speaker at this year's graduation disagree with your boss." this time. In the last two years, the ceremony. Thomson said the decision to relieve Smith of her duties stemmed from commencement speakers also have several occasions, including last vitality that Marist students will her sudden apathetic attitude towards student government. No CSL — committed in April. year's "Reporting the Presidential easily see when she speaks. now renamed the Student Government Association (SGA) — member Kopec said she wouldn't discuss Campaign of 1992: Lessons from "This is a person who is not in is allowed to miss more than three meetings or CSL-sponsored functions. any other prospective speakers 1988," a roundtable discussion co- the same state two days in a row," Thomson said she missed more than three and also began to ignore her because the commencement com­ sponsored by the Marist Institute Miringoff said. "I guarantee she duties as vice president of clubs. mittee Feels it is important to be for Public Opinion. will add a sparkle to the gradua­ "Jen is in an appointed position," said Thomson. "If I don't feel she's discreet and to not downplay the Kopec said it was important to tion." handling her responsibilities, than I can take those away." final choice. find a commencement speaker, like The last female commencement • As vice president of the student body, Smith split time as Thomson's Angelo, who writes mainly pro­ Angelo, who can relate to Marist speaker was in 1988 when Vu- executive assistant as well as head of the 64 clubs on campus. Smith, files from anywhere in the nation and the student's lives. Thanh Thuy, a leader of an however, said she became fed up with student government and that is and the world for Time, was also ' 'She can speak with sincerity,'' organization which helps rescue why she began missing meetings. the chief of two major Time Kopec said. "I think people will Southeast Asian refugees, spoke. "Yes, I gave up on student government," Smith admitted. "I aban­ bureaus, the London and the find her to be great. She is going Last year Peter G.W. Keen, ex­ doned the organization because I didn't feel I was needed. No one deserves Eastern Regional Bureau. to be a wonderful speaker." ecutive director of the International to be treated the way I was treated, and student government has basical­ She has been a Washington cor­ Kopec said Angelo's name has Center for Information ly lost the focus of what they are supposed to be representing." respondent for Time and par­ been discussed through out the year Technologies, was the commence­ Smith, a 20-year-old junior from Staatsburg, N.Y., said she began to ticipated- in-many-public affairs by the commencement committee. ment speaker. .''•••.""- feel ostracized in the student government office starting in December television programs, including 10 Dr. Lee Miringoff, director of Senior April Amonica, who because of a disagreement with Maria Licari, the CSL administrative years co-hosting a weekly Marist Institute for Public Opi­ works at MIPO and met Angelo secretary. Problems with Thomson mounted soon after, according to Washington T.V. program. nion, has worked with Angelo before, said she is thrilled that she Smith. Angelo was president of the through MIPO and knows her will be speaking at her graduation Smith, who worked with Licari on the Giving Tree Committee, said Women's National Press Club, personally. ceremony. she did not want Licari to sing Bette Midler's "From a Distance" dur­ which helps to fight discrimination According to Miringoff, Angelo "The speaker is someone you ing the ceremony. against women journalists. want to emulate and Bonnie is "I asked, 'Why are we going to single out one person (to sing) when Kopec said she is still heavily in­ is everything a person could want for a commencement speaker. definitely that for me," Amonica we have a whole group with us?'" she recalled. "It should've been a volved with professional women's said. "She is a nice lady and a chorus, it should've been a tape, but don't single out someone above organizations. He said despite her very busy classy journalist. It is going to be the rest." Angelo has spoken at Marist on schedule she is full of youth and great." Licari, a 20-year-old junior from Wappingers Falls, N;Y., said Smith made a big deal out of an insignificant issue. "That's extremely petty," she said. "I think it comes down to her be­ Commencement budget revamped ing insecure." tee did more shopping around for by DEB WALLER She said that, for example, the prices this year, DiCaprio said. Smith, who said the Giving Tree Committee agreed with her, said she maintenance department would apologized twice for her behavior, but Licari did not accept her apologies. Staff Writer She also said it is important that As for Maria's younger sister, Nella, the new SGA student body presi­ now have to foot the bill for the traditions, such as coffee and overtime of its workers, who set up dent, Smith said she holds no grudges against her despite losing the stu­ donuts in the morning, not be cut dent body president election to her. A restructuring of the 1992 com­ for the graduation ceremony. from the budget because those are mencement budget will shift finan- With this year's budget set at ap­ the "little things" that make the ...see REMOVAL page 8 • :ial responsibility from one area to proximately $50,000, DiCaprio day nicer for the parents and the 3ther departments without said it is important that the com­ students. significantly changing the gradua­ mittee stick to its means. Because approximately $30,000 Dunked!! tion ceremony, said Deborah As with past ceremonies, the of the budget is spent on caps and DiCaprio, assistant dean for stu­ commencement budget will pay for gowns, cheaper diploma covers and dent affairs. invitations, caps and gowns, disposable caps and gowns were In the last couple of years, the decorations, and the reception options for cutting down on costs, commencement committee has afterwards, among other items, DiCaprio said. tried to assess what.their budget DiCaprio said. However, the committee decid­ should or should not pay for, said While the restructured budget is ed that cutting down on such im­ DiCaprio. a change for the commencement portant items would take away The committee has also had one committee, DiCaprio said the com­ from the importance of the budget to work with, and each mencement itself will not be dif­ ceremony, according to DiCaprio. department took money out as it ferent from past ceremonies. "Everything that needs to hap­ needed. However, this led to a Rather than going to the same pen for commencement will hap­ swollen budget, said DiCaprio. florist and decorators, the commit­ pen," she said. Four honored with L.T. award Thomas Collection, established the Miendly is the former president by CHRISSY CASSIDY annual award program named for of CBS News and director of the Assistant Editor the legendary broadcaster in 1983, Columbia University Seminars on according to the Marist Public Media and Society, according to Fred W. Friendly, com­ Relations Office. the Marist Public Relations Office. municator, Dallas Townsend, This year's recipients represent Townsend, who anchored "CBS broadcaster, Don Hewitt, in­ four categories that highlight the World News Roundup" for 25 novator, and Thomas J. Watson late Thomas's life, according to years, was recognized for his con­ Jr., explorer, were chosen as the Shaileen Kopec, the vice president tribution to defining the standards 1992 recipients of the Lowell for college advancement at Marist. of electronic journalism, Kopec Thomas award. Friendly, was chosen in recogni­ said. The awards ceremony, com­ tion of his efforts to safeguard and Townsend has also received Col­ memorating the 100th anniversary improve commercial and non­ umbia University's Distinguished of Lowell Thomas's birth, was held commercial television, for his role Service to Journalism Award, the on Monday, April 6, at the Ex­ in opening young minds to the George Foster Peabody Award and plorers Club in Manhattan.