Campus Life Council discusses 24-hour space discrepancies
By HELENA RAYAM
News Writer
Campus Life Council planned to fine-tune a resolution on 24-hour space in residence halls during Monday's meeting.
"There's a big difference between male and female dorms," said Student Union Board manager Ross Kerr.
Submitted by the CLC Committee on Gender Issues, the "Resolution of the Definition of 24-Hour Space Regarding Social Space in Residence Halls" is the most recent version of a resolution originally drafted by the Gender Relations Committee of Student Senate last semester.
"We've made it stronger," said Kerr.
The resolution addresses varying implementation of 24-hour space among dorms. The common problem involves hall monitors who ask male guests to leave at 6:30 a.m. when the night shift ends, thereby reducing the time that space is available to male students.
While student members of CLC discussed different incidents when they have encountered this problem, rectors also offered opinions.
Pasquerilla East Sister rector Mary Ann Mueninghoff was reluctant to support the resolution in its current form because in PE she has not encountered problems with monitors; students can use social space 24 hours a day.
St. Edward's rector Father Dave Scheidler said he has heard that some hall monitors tell students to keep both feet on the floor and deny access to 24-hour space because they were in pajamas. Scheidler called these rules "ridiculous" and "archaic."
Coalition Council representative Michael Fierro suggested hall monitors learn rules about 24-hour space when they receive training.
"We can certainly instruct monitors on this," said William Kirk, assistant vice president of Residence Life.
Although the major complaint with 24-hour space is about hall monitors, representatives some dorms, such as Badin and Sorin, reported residents feel their space is inadequate. Obtaining a large area of 24-hour space in these dorms would likely mean some renovation.
Knott Hall rector Brother Jerome Meyer mentioned the need for adequate social space in his report to the CLC, "Review of the Colloquy 2000," on student life. The report addressed major CLC concerns like social space, housing concerns for married students and the role of rectors, Campus Ministry and the Center for Social Concerns [CSC] in student life.
CLC also discussed the CSC's problems with controlling student groups' transportation. CSC must keep track of van drivers and destinations for any group requesting use of University vans.
"It's a scheduling problem for them,' said Meyer.
"That transportation issue is a recurring nightmare," Kirk added.
According to Kirk, this problem might continue because it has not been a high priority,
"It's one of the thing we've learned to deal with, but I think it's something we definitely need to look at," said student body president Micah Murphy.
In other CLC news:
•Kerr, SUB chair, reminded CLC members that the Office of Student Affairs helped make student movies in DeBartolo 101 possible. However, the recent theft of the DeBartolo picture is an action that reflects poorly on the students and SUB, said Kerr.
"I want student to understand that [viewing movies in DeBartolo] is a privilege," said Kerr. "I don't want to see it ruined."
•Fisher hall senator Phil Dittmar suggested a survey about the reasons students move off campus.
All News Stories for Tuesday, February 8, 2000
