Sandspur, Vol. 85 No. 05, December 1, 1978

              ndsDun
Rollins College II W: -ten
Park, Honida
\j0\ume 85, Number 5
Plans for new library
half completed
By CAROL ZEITLIN
Resolved, that it is the sense of
College Senate that the
College should proceed to plan for
and construct a new library as a
matter of the highest priority "--
resolution passed by the Rollins
College Senate on Feb. 23, 1976.
Should Rollins build a new
library? The five-member Library Subcommittee of the Rollins
Educational Policy Committee
was formed last October to study
this and other related questions.
Numerous complaints have
been forwarded against Mills
Memorial Library, built in 1950
with $525,000 in funding donated
by the Mills Foundation.
Book storage, overcrowding, "
the lack of physical attractiveness and aesthetic appeal of the
main library, the undesirable
spatial arrangements such as not
having seating integrated with
k location, and the completely
inadequate heating and cooling
system..." are among the faults
mentioned in the 1976 resolution.
IN the spring of 1977, a
University of Florida librarian
came to Rollins to determine
whether the most feasible action
would be renovation of the present
ary or construction of a new
one. He recommended renovation, but many people at Rollins
disagreed.
In late   October   of   1977,    at
President  Critchfield's   request,
Joint Trustee-Faculty Library
-ommittee was  established.   Its
mction was also to determine the
tter course of action-renova-
tion or construction.
The committee, comprising of
five faculty members and three
trustees, met until January 1978.
It recommended that the college
should proceed to build a new
library, contending that a new
building would be more economical and desirable.
Proponents of a new library
soon had a reason to be optimistic.
In February 1978, an anonymous
donor gave a $25,000 grant to the
college and directed it to be used
for a preliminary architect's
study toward the construction of a
new library.
This preliminary planning,
which includes site selection and
conceptual designs, is presently
more than half completed. Last
Monday, NoV. 27, in a presentation to Rollins students and
faculty, the architects described
the plans as they have progressed
thus far.
Dr. Alan Nordstrom, chairman
of the Library Subcommittee,
said that the purpose of this
presentation was both "to inform
and solicit criticism and suggestions from the college community."
Nordstrom added, "Once the
presentation and the critiquing of
the plans are complete, the EPC
will decide whether or not to have
the architects proceed to the final
stage of their drafting." This EPC
decision will be preceded by a
subcommittee recommendation.
When, and if these plans are
completed, the subcommittee will
once again, "...express its
judgement to the EPC," said
Nordstrom.
[Cont. on pg. 8]
Rollins receives  grant
from Edyth Bush Foundation
Rollins College   President  Dr.
lhaddeus   Seymour    announced
ecently the receipt of a $75,000
^ant  from   the   Edyth   Bush
^naitable   Foundation,   Inc.   of
ter Park. The grant, accord-
nl  to Mr.   David   R.   Roberts,
demand executive officer of
jcal foundation, was made to
J College   in   support   of   the
b*ld Granville Bush Science
r - a  $3.5   million   science
llldmg completed  in   1968   and
ied   in    honor    of    the    late
D*nd of Mrs. Edyth Bush.
e are very grateful  for the
]ed  support   of   the   Edyth
Charitable   Foundation   in
^r us make  this  significant
step towards the goal of raising
the funds necessary to meet our
operating expenses for the
current academic year," said
Seymour. "The entire Rollins
Community is appreciative of
both the financial support and the
encouragement which it represents."
The grant, awarded to Rollins
by the ten-member foundation
board of directors, was made
possible through the generosity of
the late benefactor and Chairman
of the Foundation, Mrs. Archibald
G. Bush (Edyth Bush). The Edyth
Bush Charitable Foundation. Inc.
was established by Mrs. Bush in
I Cont. on pg. 8 '
December 1, 197B
Melanie Holder and David Ward
watch John Sinclair in a scene
from the Pulitzer Prize winning
play THE SHADOW BOX which
opened last evening at the Anniei
Russell  Theatre.   The  show   will
run through December 9. There is
one matinee at 2:30 p.m. on
December 9. For reservations and
information, call the Rollins
Theatre box office at 6Jf6-21Jf5.
Photo by Bill Loving.
Attrition issue spawns
concern from Seymour
By SHARON LACEY
Extensive recruiting procedures traditionally occur in
November but this year concern
over Rollins College's attrition
rate has also surfaced.
Of the 335 freshmen entering
four years ago, only 48 percent
have stayed and plan to graduate
in May. Last year 260 students
withdrew.
This attrition issue has become
an increasing problem of the
Rollins College administration
and faculty.
"The current level of retention
is unsatisfactory," President
Thaddeus Seymour said.
"Although our attrition rate is
no higher than the national
average, we are always less than
satisfied in the programs and
approaches we use to make sure
that    all    students    have    the
opportunity to gain counseling
when they feel inclined to
withdraw from the institution,"
said Ronald Pease, Dean of
Student Affairs.
Pease said the main reasons for
leaving are the limited course
selection and the inadequacies in
the social atmosphere but most
students generally leave for a
combination of things.
"Some students benefit a great
deal from transferring," Pease
said. Others find that they've
made a mistake and return, he
said.
However, to increase retention,
Pease said, the basic step is to
"facilitate communication between students and staff" and
"meet the needs of individual
students."
The Student Affairs office
f Cont. on pg. 5]