the torch
College of
St. Benedict
St. Joseph, Minn.
March 11,1971
Apartments Planned For Campus Housing
Plans are being made to have apartment-type buildings for 100 students ready for fall. The styles may vary slightly but each apartment will house four girls. Each apartment will have its own entry and will contain two floors. On first floor will be a dining area, a livingroom-study area, and a kitchenette complete with stove, refrigerator, and garbage disposal. The second floor will have two bedrooms and a bathroom. The apartments will be connected and the walls will be virtually soundproof so students won't have the usual "noisy neighbors" problems.
Each of these apartments
will cost approximately $20,000 to $25,000. Hopefully these units will pay for themselves in 12 to 20 years. The investment will include, besides the units, upkeep, heat, electricity, and the cost of the land.
The main concern for these new units is to keep the cost down so students can afford to live in them. The units will cost slightly more than the dorms and food costs will vary, as students will do their own cooking.
There are two possible locations for the new apartments and both are located on land that the college would have to buy from the convent. 1 he
first location is south o^ the parking lot on the south side of the BAC. The other location is near the lawn shed on the right side of the campus facing the BAC. The units are going to be built in such a way that the students living in them will be independent of the campus but close enough to be convenient.
Sevecal decisions are still to be made but most likely the apartments will go to up-perclassmen first. The students will probably have a landlord-type arrangement instead of a prefect. The decisions about hours and open house would be decided on by the students living in the units, the administration, and the parents.
New Ruling on Human Relation
ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — Human relations will be a requirement in the training program of future teachers in Minnesota.
A new regulation just passed by the State Department of Education states that as Of July !, 1973, all applicants for certification or renewal of certification in Minnesota must have completed a training program that includes human relations components.
The proposal was drawn up by the Task Force for Human Relations in Teacher Education, headed by President Stanley J. Idzerda of the College of Saint Benedict. Mrs. Patricia Goralski, director of the Professions Development Section of the State Department of Education and a member of the Task Force, said the proposal was "one which could provide the basis for excellent programs in human relations."
The regulation applies to applicants for both elementary and secondary school certification, and to the issuance of initial certificates, renewal certificates, or both entrance and continuing certificates.
The components must be approved by the State Department of Education and must be offered in a college approved for teacher education by the Minnesota State Board of Education.
In order for components to be approved as leading to certification, there must be evidence that various racial, cultural and economic groups have participated in the development of the components.
Secondly, there must be evidence that the human relations components develop varied abilities of their applicants in the area of human relations. Applicants must be taught to "understand the contributions and life styles of the
various racial, cultural, and economic groups in our society." They must be able to "recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases, discrimination, and prejudices." They must know how to "create learning environments which contribute to the self-esteem of all persons and to positive interpersonal relations." Finally, they must learn to respect the differences among people and the rights of persons.
These abilities must be related to "specific competencies" and there must be an indication of how the skills are to be measured.
The timetable for implementing the new ruling re-
quires that
(1) By September 1, 1971, colleges must state how they intend to meet the new requirements. First and second year students may become involved in the programs,
(2) By September 1, 1972 first, second, and third year students may become involved.
(3) After September 1, 1973 anyone desiring certification in education must have fulfilled the requirements.
Plans at CSB for the immediate future consist of a one week Human Relations Lab to be offered as a 2 credit course this summer, July 12-16. Plans are not yet settled for the regular school year.
General structure of apartment units.
Legislation For Private Colleges
Funding for St. Ben's could be significantly affected by a higher education bill now before the Senate and ' House Committees in the Minnesota State Legislature. This bill would relieve the financial bind of private colleges in Minnesota by giving monetary incentive to attend private institutions. The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) would be authorized by this bill to enter into
MPIRG Needs CSB Support
The College of St. Benedict has joined the ranks of some twenty-plus Minnesota colleges and universities who are seeking support for and membership in the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG). MPIRG is an organization supported and directed by college students. With a fee of $1.50 per semester each student will be helping to finance and direct a group of professional (lawyers, scientists, etc.) to represent the public interest at the state government level.
Petitioning has been completed on at least four campuses—Carleton, Concordia (St. Paul), Hamline, and U. of VI. (Morris). St. Ben's is catching up with other schools who have over fifty per cent of the student body signed up—a small feat for 700 girls compared to the University's 50,000 students, most of whom are day hops.
(Special note: St. Ben's needs a certain percentage of student votes in order to belong to MPIRG. You can sign the petition now and still have the option next Fall of getting a refund—during a 3 week period—if you decide you cannot support such an organization. Your signature is needed now. Contact Mary Musieliwicz.)
Last month Governor Anderson expressed his support of MPIRG, stating:
'The need for a vigorous and effective group of concerned citizens dedicated to the public interest rather than a private interest has never been more evident than it is today. "There is a special role that can only be played by a group of private citizens. It is fitting that such a group should be formed on the campuses of the colleges and universities of Minnesota."
Other state politicians-including Senators Humphrey and Mondale—have also issued statements of support concerning MPIRG.
"Involvement" with MPIRG for the girts at St. Ben's can accomodate all interests and time allowances. Involvement can range from simple monetary support ($3.00 a year), to representing St. Ben's on the State Board of Student directors (who will control research, budget, and the professional staff of MPIRG), to doing research (this can be i worked out as an accredited course which should have a special appeal to a science, government, or sociology major.) Involvement could also mean lobbying in the Minnesota Legislature, working on a local level to educate the public, or working on campuses as a liason between the state board and the students, informing each of the other's wishes and decisions.
contractual arrangements with private colleges in Minnesota.
The contracts would provide-payment from the state treasury to each private college of the amount of $500 (in each institution which grant's a bachelor's degree) for each Mine-sota resident enrolled as a full-time student in excess of the number of Minnesota residents enrolled as full-time students in each private colleee in Fall, 1970. The bill also would provide for payment of $500 (to institutions granting a bachelor's degree) for every student who receives a state grant under the Minnesota state grant-in-aid program and who is enrolled in a private college as a full-time student (without regard to the number of students previously enrolled) Irr simpler terms this means the private institution receives compensation for increasing its enrollment of Minnesota residents and for admitting students on state grants.
HECC considers that efficient use and expansion of private colleges will save taxpayer's money in the long run by lessening the need for building new state institutions. Since operational costs (not including building costs) in state colleges rise $900-$ 1300 per year per student above tuition paid, the taxpayer's investment in the enrollment of new students in one of Minnesota's sixteen private colleges acts to save the taxpayer the cost of public education and the debt incurred in expanding the state colleges.
