Indian 1981-03-11

              Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211
Wednesday March 11, 1981 Vol. XLI
WVCR : controversy comes to a head
By ED FLEMING Assistant News Editor
What was first termed as a "slight misunderstanding" has resulted in a situation which involves WVCR, the college radio station; the FCC; a Washington law firm; school administration; and a local radio personality.
WVCR is a student organization which receives its funds from the Student Activity Fund through the Campus Finance Committee. In order to broadcast, it must receive a broadcast license from the Federal Communica¬ tions Commission. The FCC, however, will not license student organizations. It will only license institutions. Hence, Siena College is the official licensee for the station.
The college is directly responsible for any violations in FCC regulations. Siena keeps in touch with new regulations with the help of a Washington law firm, Scwartz, Woods and Miller. They keep the station and Student Affairs office informed of any governmental regulations concerning the broadcast¬ ing of radio stations.
The problem deals with the broadcast license   renewal.   WVCR's   license
Alcohol Policy
Administrators reaction
By MICHELLE CRIMI News Editor
The Alcohol Policy has taken a strongly positive effect on campus since its implementation last semester. Dean Reynolds said, "The resident staff members have expressed a dramatic improvement on the weekend activities and in the conduct of the students."
The policy has increased the number of weekend activities. For example, "Happy Hour" in the Rat is now every week instead of every other week. The Rat reports the growth in attendance of the weekend activities has offset the past weekday business according to Dean Reynolds.
Vandalism, which was high last year, has significantly dropped. The larger vandalistic acts such as the damage to dorms or the Foy Campus Center no longer occur.
Dean Reynolds said, "The policy has done what we hoped it would do. Yet, if the policy had backfired, we would hjave been willing to change certain aspects of it."
The Student Alcohol Committee put together a petition last semester signed by all those students against the policy. This petition only confirmed the administrators' belief that many students were against the alcohol change.
The final act of the Committee was to propose the Student Affairs Advisory Committee. The Committee was approved last week by Father Hugh Hines.
It guarantees that as a committee consisting of students, administrators and faculty, it can have the opportunity to look over and react to all old and new policies implemented on campus.
"Little discussion has been expressed either way on the results of the policy. Last year, although, when there was a problem it was very much heard about in the administrators office. That in itself says something," said Dean Reynolds.
renewal is every three years. It is supposed to be completed under the direction of the radio station's general manager, in this case, Mark Vredenburg.
The completed form is then supposed to be signed by Father Hugh Hines, President of the College, and reviewed by Terry Reynolds, Vice President and
Dean of Student Affairs. The form is then sent to our Washington law firm. The law firm presents the form for the College to the FCC. The deadline for this procedure is February 2.
The License renewal was not completed in time. As a result of this fact and the negligence on the general manager's part. Dean Reynolds suspended Mark Vredenburg from his position on Monday, February 23. In the case of a possible constitutional violation such as this, it is up to the members of the student organization to come to a verdict on the matter. On March 6, the staff members of WVCR voted to keep Vredenburg as their general manager. Dean Reynolds, who attended the meeting, said that as "a result of the vote, he is reinstated."
There were a number of actions that took place before the actual suspension happened.
According to Vredenburg, on the Wednesday before he had gotten in touch with the chief engineer named Norm Avery about the problems in completing the renewal, Avery planned a conference call meeting on the telephone between himself, Vredenburg
and Mr. Miller of the law firm. It was scheduled for Friday at 3:30. Vredenburg failed to make the meeting due to the fact his class had run overtime.
On Sunday, Feb. 22, Avery called Dean Reynolds about the situation. The next day, Reynolds was contacted by Bill Cahill, a disc jockey for WTRY, a local radio station. Cahill had been general manager for WVCR approxi¬ mately four years earlier. Cahill has kept involved with the station. Dean Reynolds hired Cahill to complete the license renewal application and to act as temporary General Manager until the decision of the staff concerning the status of Vredenburg.
The station was closed for the day while Cahill completed the renewal. At the same time, the locks were changed, to protect WVCR's records. Reynolds says he did this because of the legalities involved. He says "the school was put into great jeopardy" by the lateness of the renewal.
On Monday and Friday of last week, there were general staff meetings to discuss the subject of whether to give Mark a vote of confidence or to impeach him. Charlie Faas, Vice President of the Senate, but acting in his position of Chairman of the committee on Chartering and Fiscal Management, presented to the staff members eight areas of gross neglect on Vredenburg's part. The license renewal was the main grievance which was based, not on the
tact that it was not completed on time, but that Mark failed to seek outside help. Faas also cited "not informing the licensee of the emergency situation and placing the station's license in its most vulnerable position in its history." The other areas of gross neglect deal with more technical dimensions of running the station.
Vredenburg spoke for himself at the meetings. He asserts that he is in part responsible for the problems of not getting the license renewal in time, but he feels that Dean Reynolds and Norm Avery should accept some of the responsibility also. In regards to asking for help, he said that he has in the past, but without satisfaction. Vredenburg said that in January, the lawyers were sent a copy of the partially completed form for advisement. Faas said that the lawyers deny ever receiving any copy of the license. Vredenburg said that he had assumed they had received the copy.
There was considerable discussion about the situation. The staff members finally decided to give Mark their vote of confidence.
At this writing, Vredenburg is again General Manager. The lawyers have the completed license renewal form, which /vill be brought to the FCC for review. There doesn't appear to be much danger of losing the license, except that there might be a late fee. Dean Reynolds said, however, that the whole situation, which resulted in additional legal fees and the temporary hiring of Mr. Cahill, will probably cost hundreds of dollars.
Siena delegation dominates Model UN
By JEANNE O'NEILL Staff Writer
Siena students, from Thursday, February 26, till Sunday, March 1, were busily engaged in dominating the Harvard National Model United Nations, representing the United States. In recent years, Siena College has established itself as the most impressive school at the Model U.N., which accountsfortheir being assigned such complex and vital nations as the United States, Russia, United Kingdom, and West Germany.
Among a pool of some 80 prestigious colleges and universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Colgate, Siena has been selected for the 3rd time in 4 years as the overall best delegation in all committees. In addition to this high honor, the Siena students showed themselves   to   be   outstanding   in
individual competition; capturing 14 out of 16 possible awards.
This year Dr. Leonard Cutler, who has been the moderator of this event since 1972, attributes the continued success of the Siena delegations to hard work, dedication, organization, cooperation, and the very high quality of students in attendance. Delegates spend months researching their designated nations and topics, which includes several briefings by the actual U.N. mission of that country. Skills in parliamentary procedure need to be learned and then perfected in order to speak effectively at the Model U.N.
This year's winning delegation wasj lead by returning seniors Rose Schmidt i and Ratty Raywald. Other veteran! delegates to the Model U.N. werel seniors like Mike Netzel, Bert Villarini,' John Ruggiero, and junior Sue Curtain.
The newcomers to this event were seniors Jeff Battistoni and Dale Provost, juniors Karen Bulich, Denise Fitzgerald, Kevin Colleary, Damian La Placca, Mary Liz Blowe, Kathy Ballman, and a freshman, Kathy Fahev.
The Model U.N. is designed to simulate the actual United Nations in operation. There is a Security Council, a General Assembly, and an Economic- Social Committee. There are even late night crises to solve before morning. Those interested in getting involved in this experience must be ready and willing to start in October to put in the work more than equal to one class. Grades and activities are taken into account when choosing delegates for the Model U.N. Contact Doctor Cutler for more information.
Siena's Harvard Model UN delegation captured 14 awards for outstanding Individual competition. (Slena photo)