University of Maryland College Park - Terrapin / Reveille Yearbook (College Park, MD)

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' ,J :A- iT . Venus Eagle is already frustrated with her classes. Registration 21

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Registratian BEcamES CamputErizEd The infamous letter usually arrived sometime between early March and mid April. This letter told students when and how to register for the upcoming semester ' s classes. The day of a student ' s registration was met with mixed emo- tions. The typical student dreaded the hassle of registering, but was also excited to secure his future courses. If a student didn ' t have a headache on that fateful day, he would surely have had one by the end of the day. There were two major causes for student ' s headaches. One was known as the closed course list and the other was known as the line. The closed course list could mean certain death for many students. If a student ' s desired course was closed, he had to wait until next semester to register, and hope the course wasn ' t closed then. Another op- tion was to be put on the waiting list, only to be faced with the task of checking in at North Administration every day to see if he received the class. The line needs no explanation to a veteran of this university. The only thing known to man that can dwarf this line is the Great Wall Of China. This line of impatient, yet eager students, lead into the computerized registration room. Once a student got in and over to a terminal, the operator punched in all of his requested classes. If everything was open, the operator stamped the student ' s paper, and the student went on his way. As any student knows, registration was a definite fact of life at Maryland. Despite the hassles that went along with it, registra- tion was not all that bad. 20 Registration

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Jackson ' s Campaign Trail Leads Him To College Park 22 When you say Jesse, there ' s excite- ment, said a labor representative as he spol e at Jesse Jacl son ' s campaign raliy in Cole Held house on April 24th, 1984. There was plenty of excitement as 2,000 people, ranging from pre- schoolers to the elderly, gathered to hear the charismatic Democratic presidential candidate, Rev- erend Jesse Jackson. Jackson had been campaigning all over the nation, but what marked an event for the University of fvlaryland and the local mass media was his speech on campus. Besides Jackson, other speakers included local delegates, lodge members, labor union leaders and representatives who praised Jackson ' s efforts to represent their needs. University Chancellor John Slaughter also stood on the platform and presented Jackson with a red and white tvtaryland jacket. Jackson ' s thirty minute speech was Together we can change the course of our nation continuously interrupted by claps and cheers as the audience responded to his comments. We need more than a new president, we need a new direction, said Jackson. According to Jackson, that new direc- tion would lead America into a fight for economic stability and a fight for a peace- ful foreign policy based on mutual re- spect. Throughout his speech he continuously emphasized the importance of unity and he pointed out that unity was the theme of his campaign organization, the Rainbow Coalition. The goal of his organization was similar to an analogy he made. In this analogy Jackson said America was like a quilt. It is made of all kinds of fabrics and colors, yet it is bonded by one common thread. To- gether we can change the course of our nation, Jackson said emphatically Jackson ' s idea of togetherness was evi- dent with the variety of people who at- tended the rally. There were people of all races, ages and economic levels. Accord- ing to Sherman Roberson, State Coordi- nator for the Maryland Commission for Jesse Jackson, 4, 000 free tickets were set aside for pre-schoolers, the elderly the poor, and the disabled. In addition a sign interpreter was hired and forty front row seats were set aside for the hearing im- paired. Jackson acknowledged the pres- ence of the hearing impaired by returning their hand sign of I love you. When the rally came to an end the ex- citement was intense as Jackson raised his arms and exclaimed, It ' s time for a change! As he stepped away from the podium, the crowd joined in the ferver of his speech by chanting and shouting, Win, Jesse, Win!