Graduation Requirement.
Becoming effective with the Class of 1986, the cumulative average
required for graduation rose from 1.85 to 2.0. This change was made to coincide with the
requirements of other schools of equal caliber with Clarkson. It also assured that students
graduate with a minimum of a
C
average; the previous required average of 1.85 translated into a
grade of
C minus
, or actually below standard.
Blood Bank Record.
A record-breaking 283 pints of blood were collected during Clarkson's
ROTC blood drive in September. That figure surpassed the Red Cross goal of 250 and broke
the previous year's one-day record of 279 pints set by Potsdam College. Held in the Alumni
Gym, this drive attracted more than 285 donors. Credit for its success went to ROTC cadets
Mary Egbert, Robert Grumberg, and Peter Palmieri.
Human Sled-dog Race.
To raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Clarkson
held human sled-dog races on the lawn in front of Hamlin-Powers dormitory. Teams of five
people, four pushing or pulling and one sitting on a highly decorated sled, raced in qualifying
heats. Plaques were awarded to the highest fund-raising team, the best decorated sled, and the
first and second place fastest sleds. Proceeds from this event went to help MDA serve the needs
of local patients with free orthopedic appliances, clinic visits, and transportation costs to and
from clinics. An entry fee of $50 per sled assured the sled team would work hard to enlist
support.
New Fraternity Rush.
Effective in spring 1986, Clarkson fraternities operated under a new
rushing system. Instead of just inviting potential members to the fraternity houses for smokers,
fraternities held open houses from Tuesday through Thursday late in January. These "open
houses" consisted of 20-minute informational tours of all fraternities. Five houses were covered
each evening so that by the last day, all the houses would have been visited by curious students,
and the rushees would have a better idea which smoker they would like to attend.
One problem emerged: by the last evening, the number of visitors had dropped
considerably, for not many students could afford to give up three successive evenings. The
system was changed in the fall semester; these tours were to be held on consecutive Mondays,
and the smokers spread throughout the semester.
Gazebo.
As its gift to the University, the Class of 1986 decided to erect a gazebo adjacent to
the fountain, the gift of the Class of 1985. Its plans attempted to duplicate the gazebo which had
stood near the Homestead, the Clarkson family home on the estate near where Moore House
currently stands.
During the winter months, portions of the gazebo were constructed indoors by the
Physical Plant staff from the architect's drawings. Under the project coordination of Mark
Mastriani, the class asked each senior to donate the remainder of his or her $50 freshman
breakage fee to pay for this memorable gift.
Women's Basketball.
In its winning season, the Lady Knight basketball team took top honors
in the Skidmore Invitational Tournament in February defeating the home team Skidmore 68-42
in the championship game. The tournament's Most Valuable Player went to Tracey Dorsey, and
two All-Tournament Team honors went to Babette Barlow and Laurie Beauchamp. Even
