TL AtLite, (LA GLEANER May 24, 1983 Featuring: ATLANTIC UNION COLLEGE More Than Hotel Managers: THE DEANS AT AUC BY GARY GRAY College Relations Mountain. Other series have dealt with the meaning of life, spiritual quests, and during the Christmas season a close ex- amination of the infancy narratives of Luke and Matthew. But perhaps most importantly, Robinson himself reflects the balance he tries to instill in the young men of his dorm. He is an alumnus of Columbia Union College with a history degree and a master's degree in religious education from Boston College. An office lined with books reflects his love of reading and ideas. His chapel presentations are creative and articulate. On the physical side, in addition to being a good all-around athlete, he has also run the Boston Marathon four times and this year coached a basketball and softball The Deans of AUC meet for a Dean's Council Meeting in the of- fice of the Dean of Students, Bud Dickerson. team. Similarly, Dean of Women Carolyn Trace, commits herself to what she calls a developmental attitude in running Deans. How do you define what they do? They are part Preston Hall (the Women's Residence Hall). She wants to parents, part policemen, part counselors, rule enforcers, create an atmosphere where women beginning adulthood general encouragers, reluctant disciplinarians, good friends, can have the freedom to make decisions for themselves spiritual advisors, et. cetera. within a limited amount of guidelines. Hence, she en- But Frank Robinson, AUC's dean of men, resists the im- courages them to assume the responsibility in developing age of the dean as a quasi-parent or quasi-policeman. He themselves as full persons. claims, Lenheim Hall (AUC Men's Residence Hall) is "more To that end, she has committed herself to structuring than bed and bath." He envisions the dorm a place where programs in her dormitory around topics that will reach this young men can grow in as many ways as possible. He wants goal. Special topics reflect the practical side of life, how to their lives to be enriched and deepened as a result of their stay get an apartment, a job, developing yourself as a person, here. To that end he commits himself and his staff, which in- and how to realize your fullest potential. She wants to do cludes an assistant dean and two resident hall assistants. what she can to prepare the young women to assume full One senses the seriousness of his commitment in the responsibility for their own life. Helping with this difficult programs he has developed over the years. Deeply concerned task are two assistants, June Jetter and Winnefred Smith about the study habits and commitment of his dorm and six resident hall assistants. residents to academic excellence, he developed the STEP Guest-in-residence speakers have included Alice Smith from program (Students Toward Educational Progress). In the General Conference Health Education Department speaking essence, he wanted it to be a resident hall honor society, not on the laws of life. Carol Williams, a nurse and a singer, for the intellectual elite but for all who make progress. His delivered a series of well-received talks which included a aim is to motivate everyone to improve their present grade discussion on the issues relating to salvation. Colin Cook, a point average (G.P.A.). counselor, talked about the biblical teaching regarding Yet, in keeping with his commitment to a balanced ap- human sexuality. proach to college life, he initiated a Fitness Marathon, Mrs. Trace is also deeply concerned about the women's stressing the importance of good physical health. The academic performances. She works hard with those who marathon consisted of swimming, running, and cycling might be having difficulties in their classes. Not only does events. Having the college pool located beneath his dorm she counsel them herself but refers them for other types of made it convenient for the men to train for the swimming. counseling including peer counseling. All these efforts are He and assistant Ted Phelps usually plan at least one designed, of course, to improve their G.P.A. major series of presentations called "Perspective" each year. A naturally extroverted person, she is also heavily involved The topics vary. Recent years have included a series on in a very active Girls' Club. They sponsor numerous ac- prison letters after the Iranian hostage crisis. This series tivities, including a reverse dating banquet, the theme of prompted bringing a Polish man who had survived one of Hitler's which is the 1950's; an Open House of the dorm when concentration camps. Another series dealt with times of crisis parents, friends and visitors can tour the dorm; and a special when people are close to death. In this series, Phelps discussed international program when girls dress in their native his own successful bout with cancer. AUC's former president and costumes and sing songs indigenous to their country. now professor of education, Dr. William G. Nelson talked about Finally, overseeing all the Student Affairs is Dean of his experience with open-heart surgery. Well-known mountain- Students, David "Bud" Dickerson. His responsibilities include eer, Rob Taylor of nearby Sudbury, described his experience of not only the residence halls but most of the non-academic stu- climbing and nearly losing his life on Africa's famed Kilimanjaro dent life of the college. Things like Health Service, chapel atten- May 24, 1983, Vol. LXXXII, No. 10. The Atlantic Union GLEANER (USPS 036-280) is published twice monthly by the Atlantic Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 400 Main Street, South Lancaster, MA 01561. Printed by Atlantic Graphic Services, Inc., South Lancaster, MA 01561. Second-class postage paid at South Lancaster, MA. 01561. Annual subscription price, 56.00. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Atlantic Union GLEANER, P.O. Box 1189, South Lancaster, MA 01561. COVER: Mary Walters receives her degree from Atlantic Union College Presi- dent, Dr. Larry Lewis. Cover photo credit: William Fagal Assistant Dean of Women, Winnefred Smith. Dean of Students, Bud Dickerson. Assistant Dean of Women, June Jetter. Dean of Women, Carolyn Trace. Dean of Men, Frank Robinson. dance, foreign student advisement, student development office, placement office, Saturday night programs inevitably find their way to his office. He also serves as the faculty advisor to the Stu- dent Association. Being responsible for revising and enforcing the student handbook, he also chairs the government commit- tee, which dispenses discipline whenever needed. He assesses his role by saying, "student affairs need to be a bridge between student life and academics, so we can help the student develop both as a person and as a scholar." Himself a former dean, Dickerson claims "one of the most important factors in a student's life is where and how he lives." Thus, he, like Robinson and Trace want AUC to be a place where students develop themselves fully. Complimenting them, he notes, "student life on campus is in very good hands. The deans do an excellent job of combining intellectual expectations and the socializing process." A native of the northwest, Dickerson is completing a doc- torate at Loma Linda University in Administration Leadership Assistant Dean of Men, Ted Phelps. with emphasis on the legal aspects of education. AUC's Deans are committed to making a college student's stay in the residence hall a significant part of a college education. All black and white photo credits: David Keith Laurie Woods Serves with SAWS in Cambodia Laurie Woods on trip to Chiang Mai. Laurie Woods of Randolph, New York, is one of scores of territory, hopelessness has filled their lives. Being unwelcome as Adventist youth volunteering time in mission service during col- immigrants anywhere in our economically unstable world, my lege years. She tells the following story of her service there. personal heart-to-heart encounters each day thrill me as I share "Boat people . refugees . atrocities in Cambodia . Jesus' love and our hope to them. A former Buddhist-monk stu- Oh God, please help these people! What Lord????? You want dent who works with me, encountered me recently with implor- ME to go and help. Echoing through my mind was the song ing eyes and the request 'Tell me more of your God.' (Thank 'The Highest Praise is to Live my life for You.' you, Jesus, for such a direct answer to prayer.) "Processing with SAWS, immunizations received, and pack- "Hanging out of the window to brush my teeth, for I have no ing done, I crammed into every crevice of my luggage balloons, sink available, or taking my early morning cold (pour the basin pencils, thread, candy, notebooks, et cetera. I made the choice over me) shower, are not even inconveniences anymore. My to replace personal effects with treasures to share with these food is good, and even my food allergies are considered by the most-needy people. How my folks laughed as they viewed from kindness of the Thai cook. Preparing a Christmas program with the airport window personnel handling with ease all the luggage the members of the Nong Semet refugee church, and teaching until they encountered my burdened bags. United Airlines pro- them new hymns, simple Bible stories, and ways of church vided my free passage to California, with Pan Am carrying me organization, et cetera, has so endeared these people to me, to Bangkok as their worthy contributions. that although my home departure date was to be December 19, "Housing for SAWS workers for the refugee camps is in I wrote home 'Thoughts of leaving these people now are too Thailand, four hours from Bangkok, and a short drive through painful for me, so I'm extending my stay until March 1.' repetitive military check points as we enter Cambodia each day.