• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1986-04-20_Vol51_No09_03

WESTERN CAROLINIAN 20 APRIL, 1986 PAGE THREE Divorce May Be College's Hidden Academic Problem GAINESVILLE, FL(CPS)-lt's 8 p.m. on a Thursday evening, and Graham, an engineering student at the University of Florida, struggles to absorb even a page of his book on Digital Communications Systems. The text is clear enough, but Graham's mind is 200 miles away-worrying about his motherand how she will pay her bills, wondering if his father will ever speak to him again. Graham's parents are getting divorced, and instead of studying, he just wants to scream. Graham's not alone. Parental divorce is a disturbingly frequent reason students drop out of college, says Susan Hambleton, who's earning her doctorate in counseling education at the University of Florida. "They may not directly say I'm leaving school because my parents are divorcing,' but along with divorce you find a lot of extenuating circumstances- -the financial, emotional and relocation stress that goes along with divorce," she says. Hambleton, in fact, is finding that divorce- normally studied for its effects on young children- can have a great impact on college students. College-aged children of divorcees, Hambleton says, may develop an inability to develop loving relationships of their own. "The impact (of their parents' divorce) may be 'whom can I trust?'" Hambleton has formed a support group at the UF Student Health Services clinic to help students caught in the emotional whirlwind surrounding a family breakup. "I don't think people really recognize the needs , college students have in a divorce," she says. "They assume that since they're older, they can handle it." Students going through a parental breakup often feel they need to go home to "take care of things," Hambleton says. "Sometimes they get really distracted, particularly if they're far away from home." Graham, for instance, feels pressured to find a hlgtHHUlng job to help his mother, who's retired and #on expect little from her soon-to-be ex- Though he plans to finish this school year, his last semester of a five-year degree, Graham says his plans for graduate school are dead. Students in Hambleton'sgroup-their names are changed for privacy-are in many different stages of family breakup, from impending divorce to ten years after. On the Friday before spring break, the support group gathered in her office for the sixth time. While many at the university had already packed their bags for home, anticipating a week of thoughtless relaxation, mom cooking dinner and perhaps a holiday get-together, the mood in the health clinic office bordered on anxiety. "I'm feeling pressure from both sides," says Regina, 18. "My father asked me fo come visit him. But I'm going home to see my mom. If feels funny." Regina's parents divorced ten years ago, yet parental divorce can be "like a pill that takes a few years to come out in your body," says Steven, 24, whose family split up two years ago-for the third time. Like many in the group, Steven and Regina say they're just now feeling the repercussions-feelings of anger, insecurity and guilt-of their family breakups. Steven says he feels a heavy sense of responsibility today, "like I have to be the knight in shining armor" who over Easter somehow must solve the conflict that has scattered a family of five brothers, three fathers and a mother. Yet sharing their stories in the group, the students agree, helps. t} CLARK FROM PAGE ONE that the judiciary branch of SGA has been a weak one in the past. Clark's other major focus will center around a referendum vote among the students that will mandate a pass/fail system, where a student can take up to 9 hours of classes on that basis, a co- curricular transcript that WCU will provide potential employees with concerning its graduates, and a plus/minus system in grading. "UNC uses this system; I think it's unfair for a student to get a B when he has an 88 average in the class. A 3.0, therefore, doesn't accurately represent the students' performance," said Clark. When asked to comment on the election results, Clark said, "I don't think this was a popularity contest like it has been in the past. This was an admirable gesture; the students chose those candidates they thought were most qualified. This is the way it should always be. I also want to thank all of the students who got out and voted, it was quite unpleasantly cold." Concerning Chris Geis, the new Vice-President, Clark said, "l"m looking forward to working with Chris, l"ll be able to help him through any 'rocky' times with the experience I have. I really think Chris was the most qualified candidate. He will need an intelligent, hard working assistant. He hasn't made it public yet, but the man he is considering is very qualified." Clark has also not announced who will be his assistant; he encourages all students who feel they are qualified to apply for the SGA positions. Small Business Workshops To Be Held This Thursday Small business counseling sessions will be held Thursday, April 24, at the Small Business and Technology Development Center at Western Carolina University The sessions will be held from 9 am until 5pm at the Center for Improving Mountain Living, Bird Building, Western Carolina University. To make appointments, call 227-7492. The one-hour sessions are free and open to individuls who operate existing businesses and to those seriously interested in going into business. The sessions involve one-to-one counseling with experienced counselors. The Small Business and Technology Development Center has a statewide tollfree number for general questions, 1-800-258-0862, however all appointments are made by calling Tim Richards at 227-7492. Student Charges Prof Exiled Him For Exposing His Ignorance * FANTASTIC HAIR IS OUR NAME HAIR STYLE IS OUR GAME FAYE TAYLOR-OWNER * In its ongoing campaign against "slanted" teaching, Accuracy in Academia has taken up the cause of a student who claims he was kicked out of class and beaten up because he auestioned a professor's viewpoint. Gerard A. Arthus, a student at State University of New York at Farmingdale, charges philosophy Prof. James Friel kicked him out of class for posing what AIA calls "a auestion exposing Friel' ignorance." AIA, in a press release about the incident, adds Friel later refused to readmit Artus to the class - despite having a letter from administrators - and Artus was removed forcibly from class by four campus security officers. But Artus subsequently also was charged by Farmingdale police with seconO-degree burglary and assault when the 33-year-old student tried to interfere with police questioning of a classmate who witnessed the incident. SUNY-Farmingdale officials, moreover, say they're still investigating what happened in Friel's class, and are not yet willing to confirm or deny Arthus' version of the events. For the moment, Michael Vinciguerra, the school's vice president of academic affairs, believes "campus police acted totally within bounds of their responsibilities." "We're still gathering information on what actually happened," adds campus spokeswoman Patricia Hill Williams. Friel refers all questions about the incident to campus authorities, but Les Csorba III, AlA's executive director, actively asserts Friel was wrong. "This is a little extreme to have a student physically removed from the classroom," Csorba says, adding it's the first incident he knows of in which a student has been forced to leave a class for questioning a professor's opinions. AIA was founded last summer to publicize cases in which professors promote liberal biases in class. To find them, AJA relies on students to monitor teachers' performances. If a student complains, AIA tries to confirm the problem exists and then publishes the offending professor's name in its newsletter. Arthus - who describes his politics as libertarian and distributes AIA 's newsletter on the Farmingdale campus - maintains his only sin was to question Friel's view of technology. "He is promoting his anti-technology bias in the classroom," Arthus charges. Arthus specifically disagrees with Friel's view that "man has reached the zenith of his intellectual development, and whatever he built in science and technology destroys the environment." Friel "got upset when I confronted him and sakt he only has the right to influence the students," Arthus says. Friel reportedly then asked Arthus, "Do you have anything else to say?lfyoudo, I'll have to ask you to leave," Arthus contends. Arthus claims Friel tried to bait him, but that the student left peacefully. The student says he then went through administrative channels to be readmitted to class, but that when he showed up with a "memo" giving him safe passage, Friel called campus security to throw him out physically. Arthus says he suffered neck and back injuries when officers pushed him out of the classroom. Other students have told administrators Arthus frequently disrupted the class throughout the semester, Vinciguerra notes. Arthus later tried to force his way into the campus police headquarters to talk to a classmate police than was questioning about the incident. Arthus says police officers sprayed him with Mace in the scuffle at the station, in which Arthus was charged with assault and second-degree burglary. At the same time AIA was distributing its news release and a Washington Times story about the confrontation at Farmingdale, the "watchdog group" accused Indiana University Prof. Victor Wallis of forcinfg leftist sentiments on his student. Wallis, AIA points out, requires his political science students to read In These Times, a socialist newspaper based in Chicago. "That's ridiculous. Professors assign The Wall Street Journal to Students, and nobody is complaining about bias," Wallis replies. NEXT TO CULLOWHEE QUICK STOP 10% OFF-WCU STUDENTS THRU SPRING SEMESTER (EXCEPT FOR CUTS) FOR APT. CALL KAREN WHITESIDE CYRITHA WEST FEDIA JO McCONNELL ANN TAYLOR I VOTE MAY 6 -STATEWIDE— NUKE "^TDUMP "-^-REFERENDUM <*&>*—*>JVw—~dV ** HIGHLAND CLEANERS AND LAUNDRY We wash and clean most everything- even Catamount suits PHONE: 586-4314 ^ SYLVA, N.C. Interior Design Dept. Wraps Up Year Jeffery (Jeff) Jamison Democratic Canidate for SHERIFF The Interior Design Department is in full swing this semester with aspirations of a successful completion of this academic year. With several events taking place in the spring, the department forsees a full schedule. An exciting event for the Interior Design Students this semester is the design Showhouse in Asheville. It will open to the public on April 19th and continue through May 10th. The participating seniors have begun construction and renovation of their assigned room. The ASID Student Chapter plans to navel as a group to view the Showhouse in later April. The fourth event on our busy agenda is the IBD Student rally in Highpoint, N.C. on April 20th through the 22nd. A number of students will be attending the rally in hopes of acquiring a better understanding of business designers and their professional involvement, i In closing, the ASID Student Chapter of Interior Design would like to recognize Holly Merrill, the 1985- 86 President, for her outstanding organizational participation and dedication. Along with Holly, we would like to thank Sona Norton, treasurer; Kim Phillips, secretary, Chris Watts Hayward, executive vice president; and Julie Surrat, vice president in charge of publicity, for their many hours of hard work and dedication in this rebuilding year for the Interior Design program. * Current Chiet Deputy * 10 Years Service With Sheriff's Dept. * Associate Degree in Law Enforcement,S.T.C. * Bachlor Degree in Criminal Justice, W.C.U. * Certified Instructor in Law Enforcement Schools attended include: Advanced Death Investigation Sirichie Laboratories Crime Scene Technology Arson Investigation Search and Seziure Hostage Negotiations Firearms N.C. Jail and Detention Civil Process Your decision should be based on whata manhasdone, notjust what he says he will do. I'm proud of my record and would be proud to continue to serve you. The choice is clear. Vote Jeff Jamison for your YOUR Sheriff on May 6th. ROOM SIGN-UP FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 1986-1987. Returning Students April 28, Monday: 9:00-4:00 SAME April 28, Monday.9-4 SAME ROOM area lobby April 29, Tuesday: 9-4 SAME AREA/DIFFERENT ROOM area lobby May 1,Thursday 9-4 DIFFERENT AREA Lower level of Dodson Cafeteria Off Campus Students May 2, Friday ONLY 8-5 Housing Office- Dodson Cafeteria NOTICE! Off campus students will be able to select rooms, from available spaces on May 2 only. You will need a $75.°° deposit. After May 2. all assignments will be made on a first come, first serve basis, using the deposit date as priority for assignment. FOR ADDITIONAL INFO: CALL THE HOUSING OFFICE AT 227-407lor7303. OPEN 7 AM - 8 PM ION - SAT CAFE' '*%> te EST. FOR 38 YEARS # GOOD HOME-STYLE FOOD COOKED RIGHT WHEN YOU ORDER IT AND NO SOONER! DAILY LUNCH & DINNER SPECIALS AND A BOTTOM-LESS GLASS OF THE BEST ICED TEA IN TOWN ACROSS FROM SPEEDY'S BETWEEN THE ALPHA PHI ALPHA HOUSE AND CULLOWHEE EXXON.

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1986-04-20
  • Date digitized: 2019-03-21
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 15"
  • Pages: 10 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1986-04-20_Vol51_No09
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library