George Washington University - Cherry Tree Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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Students who have worked together to plan and execute an event or have simply sat down with others and exchanged views and opinions have always come away with something new, something extra learned. Many students attend George Wash- ington University for four years and never fully understand how a very important aspect of the university, Student Affairs, works. This division of the University is important because there is more to a college education than academics. The Univer- sity offers a variety of programs, committees, and activities and thus provides various areas for stu- dents to participate and become involved. The Vice President for Student Affairs, William P. Smith, sits atop a well coordinated and designed system that provides for student participation and input in many non-academic areas. His task is a difficult one, encompassing many levels of student life. His office, and the many dedicated people who work within the Division of Student Affairs prove just how much more there is to a college education aside from the academics. Within the Division of Student Affairs the Dean of Students, Marianne Phelps, oversees a host of university services including housing, counseling, the international students’ advisor, and the educa- tional opportunity program. These programs are designed to assist students in adapting to college life. Assistan t to the Vice President for Student Af- fairs, John Perkins, works closely with Vice Presi- dent Smith and serves as the Executive Secretary to the Non-Academic Judicial System, This court system, composed of three all student courts (Resi- dence Hall Court, Traffic Court, and Student Court) provides for student input on various levels of student life. Two additional judicial committees, Student Faculty Committee on Appeals and the Committee on the Judiciary, also provide for stu- dent input in decision-making and in the writing and implementing of rules, procedures, rights and guidelines for student life. Under the Director of the University Center, Boris Bell, the Governing Board of faculty and students establish rules and procedures governing the student center. Room allocation for the many clubs and organizations is assigned and other gov- erning duties attended to. Under the Director of Student Activities. Dr. David Speck, a handful of administrators work on various projects and areas of student activities. cont ' d Donald L. Cotter, Asst. Director John L. Spaldo, Jr., Operations Manager Dorothy Evans, Office Manager Johnnie T. Osborne, Financial Officer 23

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MARVIN CENTER STAFF Boris Bell, Director The role of the Marvin Center ' s director and supportive staff is charted in the building use policies which state the Center ' s purpose and related functions. These policies view the Center as providing a wide variety of services important to the daily needs of all members of the University community and affording an atmosphere for the encour- agement, development and support of a cultural, intellectual, recrea- tional and social program. In effect, the Center might best be regarded as an all purpose community center, bringing together approximately 10,000 people per school day — representative of both the campus and Washington communities — and providing a backdrop for multiple forms of interaction. In this interface, the Center staff finds itself working with the Program Board in the implementation of campus programming, coordi- nating the efforts of the various management teams responsible for building services, advising students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and non-University groups in the planning of their activities in the building — and in the process, servicing same — and keeping the building properly maintained and comfortable for the building users. Included, also, among these accommodations is a function unique to college centers around the country; one which has placed the Center in the role of a library-like facility despite the recent emergence on campus of an excellent library, The continuing student use of Center areas for study purposes has had the effect of limiting the building’s versatility and has complicated the Center ' s effort to more successfully address its original- ly stated goals and purposes, While the work of the Center staff is largely geared to facilitating building activities and administering the policies governing building usage, a large role entails an important coordinating effort with the Center’s broadly representative, policy making, Governing Board. In this regard, opportunities are provided for the student-dominated Board to review the effectiveness of the Center, recommend budget and building use policies to the University President, assign office space, and update and improve upon the building ' s services. Staff contribu- tions to this role entail the provision of resource information important to the development of such recommendations and actions, keeping the Board informed of the Center ' s changing use requirements and oper- ating patterns, and implementation of approved policies and service developments. These involvements with the Governing Board have represented a special challenge to the staff and have clearly indicated that the various constituencies of the University can work productively and amicably together on matters important to the quality of life on the campus. 22 Boris Bell

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GOVERNING BOARD Chairman Jon Vinson Jon Vinson Jerry Tinianow Steve Schooler Dru Dunton Jeff Rose Bill Sunderland Richard Trachtman Dr. Robert Park Dr. Richard Frankie Dr. Elizabeth Adams John Einbinder Asst. Dean Gail Hanson 24