The Griffin: volume 50, issue 09 - Nov. 16, 1979

              by John Roemholdt Are library storage facilities adequate at Canisius? What are the plans if any for the library in the near future? Another proposal would allow the library to use space in Old Main for storage while classrooms would be built in the Main- Eastwood building. Laux and Ryan see this as inadequate. They object because such a move would result in structural, airconditioning, lighting and other changes to Old Main. Also they That is rejected by both Laux and Fr. Edmund G. Ryan, executive vice-president for academic affairs. Ryan insists that a good library is needed whether the college has 4,000 students or 1,000 students, and that the quality of the library cannot decrease with the size of the student body. With these conditions in mind, various proposals have been suggested to alleviate the problem. One idea figures that since the enrollment is projected to decline, the library will not need expansion. The only professionals on campus who do not have their own offices are the librarians for whom a single desk must suffice, according to Laux. Laux sees the crowded areas used for circulation, and management as negatively affecting the efficiency of the library. crowded conditions. This is especially true because of the increased number of students using the facility on a daily basis. In addition there is virtually no lounge space left for students to relax because of the growth of the collection. Laux and Ryan are in favor of constructing an addition to the present library, towards Jefferson Avenue. The construction of ad- (continued 011 pane 5) Dr. Joseph Bicron, professor of Chemistry, has suggested that library expansion is not necessary because of the increase of reducing technology such as microfilm and tapes. Ryan notes that only 1% ot all published works are available in these forms, and those are mainly periodicals and research materials. An undergraduate student still needs the traditional books. More library staff would be required and the logistics of operating on many floors would create a major problem. claim structural changes are not always possible in old buildings. Laux pointed out that serious work is almost impossible in such Senator Asks for Leave; Constitution Is Vague Mail Tampering Claimed in Dorms; College Administrators Stress Caution Various senators commented upon the weakness of this part of the constitution. Judi Russo volunteered to work on a constitutional amendment that would make the qualifications for senators more clear. in any class. students, also emphasized this thought. He stressed the importance of the residents providing the best security for each other. He said, "The students should always be suspicious and alert to transients." According to Sam Puma, director of security, an intruder in Frisch Hall was arrested for criminal trespassing on July 10. Puma stated that security was able to apprehend "the outsider from the surrounding area" TIIK (iltll-T'IN/Miiry Kny AmJorttm Mr. Harold Hoare Dr. Thomas Miller, dean of Lilllian Levey, vice president for student affairs, described thefts as "a fact of life today." She said, "I think our dorms are a safe place, but we all have to execute precautions." Concerning items missing from rooms, college officials stressed the importance of carefulness. Lee Fassl, director of student activities, attributed the reported cases of mail tampering to "practical jokers." He considered the incidents to be unique to this year. He also stated, "The mailboxes are now much more secure." According to Harold Hoare, assistant director of residence life, repairs were made to the dorm mailboxes last week. Hoare said, "Normally the mailboxes are repaired at the beginning of the school year. This year the needed parts did not arrive until last week." Four official reports of petit larceny, several complaints regarding tampered mail, and numerous stories concerning missing items from rooms have prompted questions related to the preventive measures taken to avoid such occurrences in the dormitories at Canisius College. by Anne Kozera After a review of the USA constitution, however, Geisler determined that according to Article 111, Section B, one does not have to be a full-time day student to serve in the Senate. The constitution states, "five senators elected by each of the four classes." Under this rule, Geisler noted that practically anyone can run for a USA position lose this key, he has 30 days to find It. At the end of this time, if the key is not found, the door lock is changed and the student is billed. This way we are sure that there are not an excess of keys floating around." Fassl mentioned a $50.00 damage deposit required of all dorm students as also being in(continued on page 9) Brechtel was not present at the meeting so USA President Arnle Geisler explained the reasons behind the request. Sophomore Senator Ken Brechtel's request for a leave of absence from his Senate dulies for the remainder of the semester led the agenda of discussion at the Undergraduate Student Assembly (USA) meeting on November 13. by Anne Kozera It was surmised by Geisler and USA Secretary Peggy Lillis that Brechtel made the request under the assumption that he is Ineligible to serve as a senator because he is not a full-time student.According to Geisler, Brechtel had knee surgery ealier this semester causing him to miss two and a half weeks of classes. Since then, Brechtel dropped four of five courses from his schedule. All consulted college personnel emphasized the need for students to lock their rooms. They contend that the dorm key distribution is done carefully enough to make using the locks an effective precaution.Along with being alert tcr strangers, security officials cited a necessity for students to take precautions with their valuables. They stressed that they have an engraver available to all students which they should use to mark their expensive possessions. following a report that someone was wandering the halls. Hoare explained the key distribution methods. He said, "Each RA has a master key for his own floor and for all other floors in his building. There are no master keys to check out. We have Instituted a new policy regarding individual room keys. If one should Geisler proposed a "letter campaign" as being an effective tool in informing the Board of Trustees of student opinion on the library issue. "I feel it is necessary to change that decision," stated Geisler. He added, "Students don't know what they're missing because they never had it." Geisler notified the senators that George Martin, executive vice president for administrative affairs and Dr. Laurence Franz, vice president for business and finance "nixed" the statement's proposal due to a lack of funds. The USA's attention was then turned towards the case statement concerning the development of Canisius' library. Brechtel's request was set aside pending a clarification of his intentions in light of the constitution issue. Geisler said, "Any amendments to the constitution will not affect Ken's status." l-o/f£ NEWS ANALYSIS Jl ■ / aC* * 0 i 1 HHHMMflfll \ i Debate Over Library Expansion Mr. Peter Laux IIIMilllKHN Mary Kuv Andrnmn At the present time, the collection includes over 200,000 volumes according to a case statement of the library needs prepared by Peter Laux, the director of the library. The student body has grown to almost twice the projected number. Peter Laux, director of the library, has supported a plan to expand the existing facility. He notes that the original building was to be static for 15 years. It has been operating for over 20 years without expansion, and the limits of rearranging to produce more space have been reached. In order to handle the overflow of books, higher shelves have been added, shelving has been put in lounge areas, and the auditorium and seminar rooms have been used for storage and administrative purposes. 50,000 volumes have been put into storage rooms in the basement of Old Main. These moves created four more years of shelf space for incoming acquisitions, according to Laux. Laux noted that there Is seating for on'v 360 students, and many of these are uncomfortably close together. The number of seats is closer to 200 if they are spaced properly, and this number is only a fraction of the 600 seats recommended by the American Library Association. Discussion has occurred between the Board of Trustees, the administration, and the Faculty Senate and the Student Senate as to what course of action the college must take to alleviate a library space shortage. For the past decade, every significant statement concerning the status, welfare and development of Canisius College has cited the need for physical expansion of the Library as the College's No. 1 building priority. The 1972 Master Plan, for example, projected an addition of 24,000 square feet to the Library to be completed by 1976. Financial exigency prevented the fulfillment of this projection, unfortunately, but the 1976 Master Plan reiterates it, stating that: "The only new construction project forseeable in the next decade is an addition to the College Library." These statements indicate a clear and continuing recognition of what seems to be a self-evident fact, viz., a building constructed in 1958 and designed to house a maximum of 115,000 volumes and provide services for 2,000 students cannot be expected to serve the same functions for a collection and student body that have doubled in size. The future of the Canisius College Bouwhuis Library has become an object of extensive debate this year.