Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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The seaton 63 Challenge Some say it was almost like a pre- liminary unemployment line. Others say it was worth the wait. During the fall semester, Career Plann- ing and Placement Center established a new system of job interview sign-up. — Or, signing up to sign up. The Seaton 63 challenge. A test to see who could endure a night on the floor of Seaton Hall, room 63, or, how close you could time arriving in the morning in order to sign up to reserve a spot in a line. A line to again, sign up. Those signing were seniors and alum- ni, students who were in the market for jobs. But with the year ' s economic pro- blems and unemployment rising, com- petition was stiff and students went to great lengths to have a shot at a job in- terview with visiting business represen- tatives. It ' s a matter of supply and demand, Bruce Laughlin, director of Career Plan- ning and Placement Center, said. There is a greater number of students then there are interview opportunities. With a larger number of prospective graduates than ever before, along with a decrease of employers from last year, it creates an amount of anxiety, Laughlin said. The system of signing up for job inter- views was changed to adjust to the build up of interview competition. Posting the sign-up sheets during the work day caused students to skip classes in order to wait and sign up, Laughlin said. After consulting deans and facul- ty, we changed our posting time from 4:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. And so it began. At 7 a.m. the doors of Holtz Hall would open and those waiting outside, on the steps and on the lawn, would sign. With the exception of rainy mornings, the wait was bearable in the early months of the semester. But the weather began turning colder and lines were forming earlier and earlier. With the students ' health in mind, the center tried to find a comfortable space inside for the sign-up wait, Laughlin said. University facilities helped in the search and Seaton Hall, room 63 was decided to be the adequate facility. I was glad when they moved it to Seaton, Mike Daniels, senior in marketing, said. I waited at Holtz the last week before the change. I just remember sitting on the steps, cold and miserable, he said. It ' s definitely comfortable, in fact. maybe it ' s too comfortable. People are waiting longer than they would have when it was nice outside, Laughlin said. This is something that is not re- quired. They are doing it on their own. Yet with the competition, they realize they have to, he said. The Seaton challenge was attempted by those who were determined enough to make use of the comfort of the classroom wait. Taking a gamble. Sign- ing and waiting only to find, for some, that the wait was in vain and the list had been filled by those who had been there earlier. For others, the first step was worth it. Receiving a spot on the in- terviewing schedule, only to gamble once again, at a job offer. Arriving as early as 11:30 p.m. on the night before, some came with sleeping bags and pillows, others with homework. The first thing to do was to sign the list. After that it was a matter of defen- ding one ' s presence and waiting for the 7 a.m. sign-up on the actual interview schedules. Roll calls could be given by anyone, anytime during the night. Those not present would be bumped from the schedule. Those wishing to sleep would make signs with their name and an arrow pointing to themselves. Others used the chalkboard and left messages: Check out the bodies in the hall. They were free to go the the Union to get snacks and some played midnight Frisbee out- side, but they were restricted, in all fairness, to remaining on campus. I ' ve spent two nights there so far, David Ferguson, senior in marketing, said. One of the times two friends were also there and we talked most of the night. Usually you wake up around six and think how sick you look and how many people see you. Then at about 6:45 a.m. you go to Holtz Hall. They give final roll call and you get in line in the order that you ' ve signed up, Ferguson said. One time there was a schedule with 15 slots and I was the 15th. There were a lot of people behind me and I felt like a real heel. No one else could sign. After the interview, I think it ' s been worth it. The system doesn ' t really bother me. The ones who want jobs will have to work for it, he said. One thing I ' ve noticed is that kids this year are interviewing with anyone they can, rather than deciding which companies they want to interview with, Ferguson said. I go at about 3:30 or 4 a.m., Daniels said. I ' ve done this about seven times and have several more to go. I take homework, but I usually fall asleep. My roommate is doing it too and sometimes we ' ll go together. It ' s easier to get up and go with someone. One day when I went, there were over 100 people waiting by 7 a.m.. It ' s tough, but I can ' t see any other way. It ' s a fair opportunity, Daniels said. It makes for a long day. It ' s not all waiting in frustration, Laughlin said. Thousands of interviews took place. Many students had interviews as a result of their Seaton 63 experience — the process of signing up... to sign up. A survival of the fittest, or the most determined. — by Edee Daike The interview list and sigii-up sheet became familiar items to those attempting to sign-up to sign-up. sign-up 15

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In order to check the sign-up sheets, periodic roll calls were held. Students who were sleep- ing left messages on a chalkboard notifying those taking roll of their presence. Prospective graduates sleep in the halls of Seaton, securing their place in line on the sign- up sheet for interviews held by the Career Planning and Placement Center. 14 sign-up

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M Yf I Working under a time limit, Jeff Filinger, junior in agriculture, attempts to stuff balloons into the long underwear of Deeannc Partain, senior in pre-professional elementary education. The balloon stuffing was part of the Homecoming activities held in the Union courtyard. Chicago guitarist. Bill Champlin, performs to a Homecoming crowd of 7,500 during a concert presented by the Union Programm- ing Council Special Events Committee. Jo Homecoming