The Stetson Reporter

The Stetson Florida's Oldest Collegiate 9\(ezvspaper '". '*^^F*:i|gy*^CTffiB^M^T?!^™ft ForYour Information Holocaust talk to be given Dr. Harry James Cargas will speak on "A Post Auschwitz Christian's Response to the Holocaust" on Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. In will take place at the Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church. Dr. Cargas is a Professor of Literature and Language at Webster University in St. Louis, Mo. He is an internationally known author of over 30 books and is the only Catholic ever appointed to the In-, ternational Advisory Board at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. SGA passes bills The SGA passed the following bills at a recent meeting: • Common's hours will be changed. Currently the Commons is open from 7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.; the new hours will be 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. It will take effect in the spring semester. ■ A second drink will-now count as a side in the Commons. SGA will be electing a senator of the month and a president pro tempore within the next few weeks. — Tara Mitchell No Reporter next week The Stetson Reporter-will not be published next Tuesday, Nov. 7. Reporter staff will be attending the annual collegiate press conference in Washington, D.C. Calendar of Events Tuesday, Oct. 31 BSU Lunch, Allen HaU Noon Men's Soccer vs. Jacksonville 4:00 p.m, Women's Volleyball vs. Jacksonville 7:00 p.m, Wednesday, Nov. 1 Counseling Center lunch Noon Wesley House International Student Dinner 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2 Flame Outreach Meeting (Night Lites) 6:00 BSU Vespers (Allen HaU) 6:30 Friday, Nov. 3 Founder's Day p.m p.m Saturday, Nov. 4 SAT I/SAT E (LBC) Sunday, Nov. 5 Student Guitar Ensemble (EHA) Wesley House Celebrates Life CCM Mass (Night Lites) Tuesday, Nov. 7 Brass Ensemble (EHA) 7:00 a.m. 3:00 7:00 8:45 7:30 p.m p.m p.m p.m. If you or your organization has information for this column, send it to the Reporter at Campus Box 8409, attention News Department. Or contact the Reporter via e-mail. On the, VAX, our, address is REPORTER. Via the Internet: [email protected]'' The deadline for submissions is the Thursday before the release is to appear/ Stetson tat spotlight on the issues 'I Student interest in campus activities Percent of first year students interested in: Community Service / .Vblun^rlsm.(51..71.%l. .?I?.?.K..yte.W.1.-.?4.°'fO. Student Publications (24.67 %) Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, ; H i Transexual (4.50 %) Fights raise public safety concerns Julie Siefkas The Stetson Reporter_ Within the past two months, three fights resulting in minor to serious injuries have occurred, prompting student concern about campus security. Chief of the Department of Public Safety Jim Myers said that although he is unsure if the number of fights have increased in comparison to last year, "There haven't been that many for the number [of days since school began]." Increasing patrols or overall security is not being considered at this point, Myers said, because these incidents have been determined to be unrelated. "We are aware that these things are happening...but everything is isolated." The five DeLand residents in volved in the September 14 fight with two Stetson students have not returned to campus, to the knowledge of the department, and the two other fights were also independent. "We're just on the lookout for these types of things. We do understand sometimes these things are going to happen. By our patrol, we hope that we can minimize them." Myers said that Public Safety can still be effective in providing a safe environment, although there is no clear way to distinguish between Stetson students and others. According to Myers, officers become familiar with many students, and confront individuals who exhibit suspicious behavior. "People don't realize that the security officers know the students as weU as they do, but they know a lot of the things that are going on, who the people are, and what cars belong on campus and what cars don't." The fight initially reported as an assault of a male student by a group of DeLand residents caused alarm among many students and raised questions concerning the security of the downtown area as well as the campus. "Once we found out that that wasn't actuaUy what occurred... we were able to defuse that [fear]. We always [maintain] that nothing's going to be 100 percent safe, but we do the best we can by providing the security services that we do in addition to the student or faculty [who] take the best precautions they can, too," Myers said. Myers reminds students to take precautions and be prepared by knowing where emergency call boxes are, calling for escorts, and not walking alone after dark. "Nothing's going to be 100percent safe, but we do the best we can by providing the security services that we do, in addition to the students or faculty [who] take the best precautions they can, too." Jim Myers Public Safety Chief Two of the three fights involved alcohol. However, Myers sees no definite connection between the alcohol policy and these incidences. Witchcraft is alive in the U.S. Andrew Dehnart The Stetson Reporter ] October 31,1995 Photo by Andrew Dehnart This chalk outline appeared on the Hat Rack patio on Saturday morning. Hundreds of prospective parents and students passed by it on the way to the bookstore. On Halloween, consider this: there are around 100,000 witches living in America today. These witches, however, are not hags with pointy hats and black cats; nor are they satanists. Rather, "wicca" (as witchcraft is known) is a nature-oriented polytheistic religion, subscribed to by many women and some men in the United States and elsewhere. Witchcraft has experienced a revival over the past 20 years. Dr. Donald Musser, Professor of Religious Studies, spoke to a group of 40 aboilt witches and witchcraft last Wednesday, Oct. 25. The program took place in Emily Hall. Musser compared witchcraft to Greek organizations: they have "structural similarities" in that both place strong emphasis on community and secrecy. Witches dress, work, and act like other people, and are "very eclectic in terms of background." To become a witch? Just "become committed to their way of life," Musser said. Three in the audience said they.knew witches. "You may know [a witch], and not even realize it," Musser said. Their philosophy: "Do whatever you want, as long as it harms no other." Witches are nature-oriented, and place significance in natural phenomenon. They believe that the most powerful force is nature itself. Their "worshiping" revolves around phases of the moon, and much importance is placed on the solstices. Halloween is a big day for witches. Most witches are women. There are male witches, though — they used to be referred to as "warlocks" — but 80-90 percent of witches are female. Robberies hit DeLand Andrew Dehnart The Stetson Reporter. Source: Survey ol first year students by Campus Life By Andrew Dehnart Eight area businesses have been robbed in the last two weeks, according to an article in the Oct. 7 News-Journal. Among the businesses hit: the University Inn, located across the street from Emily Hall; the Greyhound bus station, and Pizza Hut. DeLand police are investigating the robberies, assuming that the suspects in each case are the same persons. According to the article, the suspects are college-aged. Jim Myers, Public Safety chief, said that Stetson students are not suspected. Myers said in a statement that "it is Public Safety's intention to inform the community of crimes that, are reported to Public Safety and the DeLand Police Department that are considered to be a treat to students or employees of the University. "Though the incidents have not occurred on campus, they have occurred very close to campus and at [businesses patronized by Stetson students.] We want the community to be aware of what is occurring around them," Myers said. He told the Reporterih&t safety precautions are in place — such as a panic alarm — at the Hat Rack in case of a robbery. "We ask them to be attentive, alert and notify us of any suspicious activity," Myers said. Campus radio station pushed by SGA Stacy Gum The Stetson Reporter. Stetson's Student Government Association is making a new attempt to establish a campus radio station, although the group is uncertain how the project will be funded, according to Rachel Ward, SGA president. SGA sent out over 900 petitions this week to first-year students, and had an "overwhelming" response, said Ward, who believes "this is something that the students reaUy, really want." About 30 percent of first-year students said they were interested in establishing a campus radio station, according to a student life survey conducted during SOAR. "What is happening right now is a lot of promotion where I'm not sure promotion is appropriate," said Dave Riveness, associate director of Student Life and SGA advisor. "I think it's fine to do research to get an adequate view of what the students think about it, but asking students, 'do you want a radio station' is not going to give SGA the information they really want," said Riveness. He said that students may have a different opinion about a campus radio station once they realize that other programs, services, or projects may have to be dropped in order to fund a radio station. Ward said, "I don't think there's a problem finding committed people. I think there's a big, big misunderstanding" in regards to asking students to spend their money or sacrificing other projects. Ward believes radio station funds have already been set in the budget and would not need to be reaUocated. "It's aU like allocating money and deciding where it goes," she said. Ward also does not feel student activity fees should be increased. "I don't understand where the funds for that will come from, but it can't come from here when we pay $18,000 a year to sit here and not have a radio station. With the quality of our campus, ifs something we should have. I mean, it's ridiculous that we don't have that [a radio station] and ifs 1995." Jim Schwartzel, head of the radio committee, pointed out that there are 14 schools that Stetson compares itself to, including Rollins and Lake Forest. Thirteen out of ■ those 14 schools have a radio station. "One of the girls on the [radio] committee will be working on talking with the communications department to see if they could create a class and I think thaf s very possible," said Schwartzel. "Whether this could be tied into the music school or the communi- Next issue: A history of Stetson's past radio, stations cation school is something I need to find out," added Schwartzel. Ward thinks it would be good to have a radio station at Stetson to work with the communications department. "How do you come out of Stetson with a communications major and try to compare yourself to somebody who has worked on the television station and the radio station and in intern programs at the University of Florida?" Ward asked. "You'll never compare, but if the radio station is here, that is another opportunity," she said. "My first goal in this whole thing is to get approval through the different departments" as well as administrative officials, said Schwartzel. "Jim [Schwartzel] is on the right track," said Riveness. "The radio station committee has only been meeting for three weeks. There isn't money and there isn't space right now [for a radio station] so there needs to be time spent talking about how do you lift those road blocks." "1 think the whole issue of funding gets down to reallocating of funding and support from the see RADIO, page 2