Echo September 25, 1981

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Lib
rary
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Vol. 88    No. 3,    Friday, Sept. 25, 1981
Legal counsel sought to resolve ad conflict   accop to aid
By Jane Maland
A determined college president, a
strong turnout of the student body,
and the Student Senate met on Sept.
16, to conduct usual senate business
and to review the use of alcohol ads in
the Echo and the closed-door chapel
policy. The meeting was highlighted
by a lengthily hour and twenty minute
debate which was spurred by
President Charles Anderson's request
to remove the ads from the paper.
The president's main concern about
the ads was the negative image they
present "about ourselves" to the
outside world. He attempted to justify
his concerns by claiming the ads were
in violation of the alcohol policy which
states that Augsburg College does not
"Condemn or condone" the use of
alcohol on campus. Anderson reasoned
that the use of the ads promoted
alcohol use (thereby condoning it) and
that was in direct violation of the
policy. After previously hearing the
Student Senate give support to Echo
Editor-in-chief John Nichols's decision
about the ads, Anderson concluded his
argument by telling the Senate, "Mr.
Nichols does not have the final
decision on this matter, I do."
Anderson's apparent pre-meditated
decision to discontinue the use of the
ads was met with direct student
opposition. The general student
consensus defined the Echo as a
student publication (clearly stated in
the Echo) by and for the students of
Augsburg College. Therefore, the
students should have the right to
create their own image through the
Echo, and not that requested by the
president of the college. Contrasting
student opinion was expressed about
the use of the ads in the paper. In
order to understand student desires
over the issue it was resolved to run a
survey in the Echo so that student's
may express their views about the ads,
thereby affecting what is put in the
Echo, and ultimately, the image of
Augsburg projected to the world
outside of the college. It was further
pointed out that the Echo is not a
public relations tool for the college
administrators, but a paper of
journalistic quality produced by the
students of Augsburg College.
As debate continued, the students
main objection to President Anderson's
firm request emerged, the argument
being that by forcing the Echo to
remove the ads, the President would
be in direct violation of student rights.
Section IV. article D of the student bill
of rights was read and brought to the
attention of those present. The article
reads. "The student press should be
free    of    censorship,    and    advance
approval of copy, and its editors and
managers should be free to develop
their own editorial policies and news
coverage'', raised a question about the
exact legal definition of the term
"copy". President Anderson used this
descrepancy to justify his proposed
action of taking out the alcohol ads. As
President Anderson insisted on the
removal of the alcohol ads, and Editor
Nichols stood firm in upholding the
principles of student rights. The
decision was made to seek legal
counseling on the matter.
The Chapel policy was again brought
up for discussion, President Anderson
stated that since Augsburg has a
religious affiliation that the right to go
to chapel should include students,
faculty, and administration. The
matter of actual business hours being
too short as a result of the policy was
discussed. The president informed the
senate that the hours had been taken
into consideration and discussion
would take place about possible
alternatives in the president's
meeting.
President Anderson believes liquor
ads to be in direct violation of
Augsburg's alcohol policy. Legal
counsel will help in the outcome of the
advertising debate.
In other business, Bob Arvold was
appointed student representative to
the President's Staff, Roman Taffe
was appointed Student representative
to the Student Conduct Committee,
and the Food Advisory and By-law
Committees were confirmed.
Security to undergo changes
ByKATEANGIER
Staff Writer
Security at Augsburg is undergoing
some changes, but until these are
completed the system will work much
the same as last year. One of these
changes, the new student escort
service, is expected to be in operation
by this week.
As is, security is operated this way:
the S.O.S. desk in the Student Center
lobby is occupied until midnight, with
a desk and emergency phone number
of 330-1234. After 12 a.m., there is a
Minneapolis Police Department officer
on duty in the Urness Tower lobby. He
can be reached by calling 9-538-4904
(if 0 is dialed a tape gives this number,
along   with   other   information).   This
Scott Porter has helped organize a
group of volunteers for an escort
service.
number reaches the officer's "beeper",
a one way radio device. The caller will
hear a ring followed by a tone, after
which the caller is to leave a message.
One major improvement this year
will be the elimination of this
"beeper." Marianne Sanders, Dean of
Students, and Jerry Johnson, Plant
Services, both feel that the emptiness
on the other end of the telephone line
often frightened callers, who thought
they weren't being heard. Also, callers
sometimes forgot to give a complete
message, making it hard for the officer
to locate the problem. A switchboard
manned by student operators is
planned for this year. With this
addition, an operator is in contact
with the officer all night via
walkie-talkie, and two-way communication is possible between all parties.
This would help to calm frightened
students and prevent misunderstandings about 'which room in
Urness?' or 'room 305 where?'.
Scott Porter, a junior, is the resident
adviser and organizer of 35 freshmen
who make up the Escort Service from
sixth floor Urness Tower. These are
volunteers willing to accompany
students and faculty to various near-by
destinations in the evening. Anybody
needing an escort to a location within
reasonable walking distance can call
330-1234, the S.O.S. desk number.
Porter expects the Service to be better
Continued on page 8
course selection
By PETER IMSDAHL
Staff Writer
"I've got one more requirement to
fill: who should I take?"
"Take the one I took, the 'prof is an
easy grader."
Sound familiar?
Augsburg is like any other learning
institution when it comes to choosing
classes. Many students will, for
different reasons, ask other students
who they should take. And, like any
other institution, the veteran class
selectors pass the type of information
on to the rookies in a fashion not unlike
a grapevine. Seems simple enough,
even harmless. However the implications are quite serious.
Note. What may be the opinion of
one student, be it an advising sister or
brother or just a helpful friend, is only
the opinion of that student, yet may be
regarded by another as "sound
advice". This is harmful for both
parties, students and faculty. There
are too many factors contributing to
the quality of a professor or class. Too
many factors to be passed over fairly
by the all-to-common practice of giving
friendly advice. The impressionable
rookie may get the wrong idea about a
"prof" and therefore be carelessly led
astray by biased information. Many
professors' reputations, as far as the
students are concerned, are determined by this word-of-mouth phenomenon.
What can be done to give the
professors a fair chance to be
represented by themselves rather than
by often judgmental students? What
can be done to give the unknowing
student a fair chance to make his/her
own decisions?
The Augsburg College Course
Opinion Profile (ACCOP) proposes an
answer. The main promoter and
serious advocate of the mammoth task,
Rod Sill, presented the proposal to the
Student Senate recently. It passed.
The main purpose of ACCOP shall
be to improve the course selection
process. Its major objectives are as
follows:
To provide feedback to faculty about
how students view their courses.
To provide the student with as much
information as possible on which to
base course decisions.
To inform students and faculty
about how various students have
perceived courses in the past.
Student Senate has appropriated
$500 Sill will need for the
implementation of the project.
Continued on page 8