1987-02-12

              February 12,1987

The Record

Page 5

Moss lecture continues SJU Convocation series

Photo by Bill Sullivan

The SJU/CSB Joint Alcohol Policy Review Committee met Feb. 3 to begin finalizing its proposal for a new alcohol policy at the two institutions.

Alcohol

continued from page 1

The present proposal calls for a $100 minimum fine for majors who are found serving, selling, or making alcohol available to minors. Minors found possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages would have iheir alcohol confiscated and a verbal warning would be given. Additional disciplinary measures for both offenses would include a written or verbal warning, and could lead to eviction, suspension, or expulsion. Similar sanctions are contained in the proposal for majors who take alcoholic beverages to a living area where all residents are minors.

At the Feb. 3 meeting, members of the committee debated a clause in the draft proposal which stated, "No kegs are allowed in dormitory rooms." A member of Lhe committee requested that the clause be changed to disallow kegs on campus al-togelher.

Ed Lynch, a student member of the committee, spoke against Lhe measure, telling his fellow committee members, "I think you can control kegs easier than cases."

Fecht raised reservations about continuing to allow kegs. He said his "concern is when the keg is three-fourths empty and (residential staff) think it's time for them to stop. The students then seem to drink faster to finish the keg," he said. "If bottle? or cans were being used, they could just stop drinking and save what's left over."

But Robert Kcmm'crling, director of Counseling and Career Services and committee member, said he could not understand why the two universities "would want to create   a   whole   new   level   of  rules   and

bureaucracy if we haven't had a great deal of problems in the past."

The committee later agreed to maintain the proposal to allow kegs in non-dormitory style housing units.

The group also agreed to support a clause in the proposal which called for the establishment of a "beer garden" or "cocktail lounge" at every campus event where alcohol is served. "Only majors will be allowed within these areas," the proposal said. Most committee members viewed such segregated drinking areas as an effective means by which to control consumption.

The group likewise discussed university/ college sanctions against stu-dents who arc found abusing alcohol off-campus. A statement in the draft proposal stipulated, "abuscrs of alcohol at an off- campus event in which students are rcprc-scnting or are seen as representing the university/college, arc subject to sanction." The current policy docs not contain the words "or are seen as representing" and some members of the commiitec expressed reservations about the implications of such a clause.

Lynch said, "I don't think if people go down to a bar in the cities, they should have to answer to the university." Kcm-mcrling added that he hoped "the policy would be applied in a wise way and would noL be carried into the living room."

But Michael Cronin, a student on the committee, said he believes lhe image of the university/college is important.

"I think back to the deaths last fall and how the media took that over the coals. It reflected poorly on St. John's ... I think students have an obligation to maintain the image of the school," he said.

Benet/Engel plans scrapped

By   Bob   McGarry

Plans to convert the first three floors of Bcnct Hall into academic office space and classrooms have, according to Hilary Tliim-mesh, OSB, president of SJU, been scrapped for the near future.

"At this point we have not formally, but have for all practical purposes, put on hold any thoughts of putting the lower floors of Benet Hall to any other use," Thimmcsh said. Thimmesh explained that Bcnct would continue to be offered for student housing because of its popularity and that SJU "will probably put some money into Bcnct."

Also scrapped for the near future were plans to extensively renovate Engcl. "I'm not sure where we're going with Engcl,'" Thimmesh said. Architects have proposed a num-

ber of plans for Engcl including the addition of a wing; however, Thimmesh said that no decisions in this area have been made. Thimmesh did expect plans for some minor construction, new windows, and an elevator to go ahead.

Thimmesh said lhe change of plans for bolh Engel and Bcnct was due to some "rethinking" in regard to the Master Plan and also because of the degree of work that would be needed for both plans. "It didn't look as though we could get good classroom space without extensive remodeling."

Thimmesh expects further decisions regarding Engcl and Bcnet to be made in the upcoming year and also expects that "the problem of finding space will be with us for a while."

By   Bob   McGarry

The Convocation Lecture Series will continue this Spring with a lecture scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater. The lecture, entitled "Galileo on Science and Religion" will be given by Jean Dietz Moss, Associate Professor in the Department of English and Director of Rhetoric and Composition at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

Moss specializes in the rhetoric of science and religion in the Renaissance and is engaged in a study of the teaching of rhetoric in the Italian universities. Moss authored the book, Godded with God: Hcndrik Niclacs and His Family of Love, a study focussing on the Family of Love in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and has written a number of articles on Reformation history.

Moss has also published essays on rhetoric in the Renaissance and the rhetoric of science in that period. The latter group of publications have centered on the writings of Galileo. Her articles have been published in Renaissance Quarterly, Rhetorica, The Sixteenth Century Journal, and College Composition and Communication and also in three collections of essays dealing with

Jk\ ¦

File Photo

Jean Dietz Moss

Galileo's life and thought.

For further information on the Convocation Lecture Series, contact Dean Robert L. Spaeth.

Spain said she believes the institutions have an obligation to support civil authorities. "I would not want to be in the business of working against the St. Joe police, but I wouldn't want to be in the business of doing their job cither," she said.

When asked about the legal aspects of the sanctioning of off-campus students by the university/college, Dan Ward, OSB, a faculty resident and professor of government/law at SJU, refused to.comment in detail. Ward did say, however, that, "the legal concept of in loco parentis (in lieu of parents) has been abolished for college students for years."

Ward told The Record last Tuesday that he

believes the forthcoming proposal, assuming it looks similar to the present draft, would be "impractical." He added that such a policy would "destroy relationships between FRs and RAs, and would greatly change the relationship between residential staff and students."

Ward also said that he docs not "know if we can have a joint policy (with CSB)" because of a difference in residential programs at the two institutions, and he raised doubts as to whether students on-campus should be restricted from drinking in their private rooms when their counterparts off-campus arc able to drink in their private homes.

The joint committee meets again Feb. 19 when it is expected to complete its proposal.

Housing

continued from page 4

questioned, and there is less likelihood that we will do that. We will probably continue to use most ot Bcnet for housing."

Although the fate of Bcnct is not decided, there will be some renovation done in the building. There will also be considerable renovation in Tommy Hall.

Tavis said, "We have decided to work on Tommy Hall first since it needs only a few system changes. We will then begin working on Bcnct Hall which also needs some system changes."

The work on Tommy Hall will include replacing some windows and window frames and reconstructing the. bath and shower rooms. The work on Tommy Hall will begin this June as soon as the building is vacated. Bcnet Hall will also be renovated, espec -ially the upper floors. The electrical and plumbing systems in Bcnct Hall will be upgraded, however, it is not known exactly when this renovation will begin.

The construction of new housing will tcnta -lively begin next fall, The plan is lo con -struct one unit at first, allowing for the completion of many similar units as needed. "The new housing would not be ready for occupancy until the fall of 1988," said Tavis.

Along   with   the   plans   to   construct  new

student housing, the planning of a future campus center has also begun. The con -struction of a student center is not likely until well after the completion of the new housing. Tavis said, "Joe Hall will most likely disappear when we construct the new student center." According to Paur, "The master plan has located the campus center on the site of Joe Hall, and we arc hoping lo begin building the campus center within three years."

The plans for new housing will be formally submitted and a final decision is expected this spring.

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