PRIL 1988 Student Body
Ieady to Shred!
ghts red tape
or skating ramp
y Isabelle Tihanyi
The UCSD Guardian
J. of California, San Diego
The grand re-opening of a student-
uilt skateboard ramp marked the end
an eight-month struggle to save it
m destruction by university red tape.
Due to a skateboard ban in effect
hrough congested and popular parts of
ampus, the U. of California, San Diego
kate club, "Ready to Shred!" (RTS), de-
ided to find a way to insure that the
port would not be forced to disappear.
ITS built the ramp last April, but it was
Josed by Campus Recreation two
Meeks after it opened because the club
not followed university procedure
md construction policies.
With a new eight-foot high security
ence and a national insurance policy
hrough the Boy Scouts of America, the
-amp has been approved and is a com-
>lete success.
RTS members said they are happy to
lave their sport legitimized. "This pro-
ect shows the power that college stu-
lents can create when they put their
inds together and work for something
-eally important," said student Tom
iblin.
ounselors
ontinued From Page 1
dn't get sober, I was going to die ... I
d to make a choice."
Counselor Randi Cooper had to come
the same decision. Cooper is also a
covering alcoholic, and she too has
d more than her share of unhappy
periences caused by her addiction.
With the sum of their individual ex-
riences, both Mitchiner and Cooper
ve the insight and understanding
cessary to be effective peer counse-
s. "We prefer to have people who are
covering from alcohol and substance
use programs as our peer counselors
.cause I think they are most effective
. these people have the skills (and)
ey have heard it all," said Debbie
llen, a Ph.D student in psychology who
pervises the program.
Cooper explained that with "people
r age, it's very difficult to realize that
s, I've got a problem.'"
"Drug addicts don't just stop by to
hat," Mitchiner said. That's why this
eer counseling group encourages out-
ide intervention. "A lot of times, it
akes intervention-someone else just
get you to start talking about it,"
ooper said. "But," she continued, "at
ome point, if you're going to recover,
nd you're going to get sober, and you're
oing to stay sober, it's going to be just
ause you want it."
When someone comes to their office
vith a problem involving alcohol or sub-
tance abuse, the counselors stress that
hey "want to establish a relationship
vith that person so that they feel as if
hey have a friend, and we are that. We
have) an open ear and are willing to
;pend time with them.
"Admitting that you're an alcoholic is

>t admitting that you're a terrible per-
,on. It's admitting that you have a dis-
ase," Cooper said.

U- THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER 27


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