Student Life Committee examines group charters

Members pass Pagan Awareness Network Charter

Two members of the Pagan Awareness Network (PAN) attended the March 13 Student Life Committee (SLC) meeting to dispel concerns Committee members had about approving their charter.

Associate Professor of Politics Chris Howell wanted to know if there were adverse effects to pagan practices. "Does pagan magic affect anyone involuntarily?" Howell said, after raising the issue that a handful of students had complained about being exorcised against their will.

Senior Joshua Weiner, chair of PAN, responded, "You never do anything for anyone, including healing, unless you have their permission. The group wouldn't condone it."

Weiner also dispelled fears SLC members had about the organization breaking any laws. "It's a different world-view. A lot of students consider pagan practices to be some sort of magic. A wiccan circle involves singing and dancing," he said.

After the Committee approved 13 charters including PAN, Associate Dean of Students Bill Stackman gave an update on two pending charters.

The Committee decided that the 12 Inches of Velvet charter, describing an organization devoted to raising money to donate to AIDS causes, needed to return to the charters subcommittee before returning to SLC.

"Discrepancies in financial matters are still being worked on," said Associate Director of the Student Union Tina Zwegat.

The Sadism and Masochism, Bondage and Discipline charter is also still pending after being tabled last year due to liability concerns. Stackman said, "After Spring Break a meeting will occur with us, them and the legal counsel."

Discussion then moved to information about SLC's three subcommittee plans. The subcommittees were formed following the General Faculty Planning Committee (GFPC) request that SLC target specific issues in a continuation of the College's long range planning efforts. The three subcommittees, Faculty/Student Interaction, Pluralism and Governance/Organizations are working to make recommendations for change in these areas.

Committee Chair Jane Armitage, also chair of Theater and Dance, announced she had called Professor of Organ David Boe, chair of the General Faculty Planning Committee to request an extension of SLC's deadline to report to the GFPC to the end of April. She also cleared up confusion about what exactly the GFPC wants.

"They are asking us for ways of proceeding and examining the problems. Since they simply asked for priorities and recommendations something can be in writing by the deadline," Armitage said. "It goes back to the Long Range Planning Committee over the summer and they decide what to do with the recom