Newspapers / University of North Carolina … / Jan. 24, 1974, edition 1 / Page 1
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uAc*i ffoo pie// veko Of Hie coiMemed Vol. 1, No. 1 Thursday, January 24, 1974 Asheville, N. C. Administration worried by new paper By Marti Cooksey The last pre-publica- tion meeting of the Free Press staff Wednesday af ternoon in the Student Government offices was highlighted by the unex pected visit of Tom Dea- son, UNC-A dean of stu dents, who arrived ten minutes late and, after figuring out what it was all about, proceeded to tell the staff that such a project was a virtual impossibility on the UNC-A campus. “There is no way to do it," Deason told the flabbergasted group of student journalists, un less the Student Govern ment can get approval from Chancellor William Highsmith to start the paper. '’I'm not opposing you," Deason said, "I'm saying go about it right," Later in the di alogue he admitted that the chances of getting Highsmith*s approval of such a student free press are "slim and none." "At this university students have more free dom than any school in the South," Deason said. But under the University of North Carolina system, "the Student Government president comes under the jurisdiction of the dean of students," he said. "On this university campus, you've got to get the Chancellor's approval before you do anything, technically," Deason de clared. He also opined that any new paper on campus would be in compe tition with The Ridgerun- ner, the campus newspaper that hasn't published since before Christmas, "There would be nothing wrong with a bulletin. That would be fine," he said. But if the stu dents start a new paper, "it has to have approval from the Administration," Deason continued. " if the Chancellor disap proves , then you're in trouble," he said. The dean went on to say he felt The Ridgerunner was "the Free Press of UNC-A." Students present disagreed with him, and a heated one-hour agrument ensued. "This would appear to be a competitive situa tion," Deason said. "He (the Chancellor) will call it an underground newspaper. If it is not approved, then he is go ing to kill it. I know he will do it," he said. "The university has worked very hard to have an autonomous newspaper," Deason declared. "I know how the chancellor feels about this. You are only Is the catalog wrong? By Pam Thompson "... an open, vital at mosphere where ideas can clash freely, where lear ning is respected, and where the pursuit of knowledge and truth is a joint student-faculty endeavor." This statement of the 6bjectives of UNC-A can be found in the 1973-74 catalog, but a look a- round campus is enough to make one feel that stu dents face problems and seek goals confronted by other campuses ten years ago. A major example of this can be cited in the cri teria used by Dr. Roy Riggs, vice chancellor of academic affairs, to e- valuate an assistant pro fessor whose contract is coming up for renewal in June. The professor's identity will not be dis closed here, for apparent reasons. The statement from the catalog leads a prospec tive student to believe that individuality is sought and respected on campus. If this is true, then the assumption can be made that professors and students who do not conform to the status quo are accepted if not en couraged here. Perhaps a few quota tions from the January 27, 1972 evaluation of the professor will il lustrate my point: "Were it not for his head band, he would not be particularly contro versial; some of his col leagues wear hair just as long and dress just as sloppily " "Had he appeared the first time wearing his head band, I doubt very much that he would have been employed," Riggs wrote, Remarks such as these from the administration make one seriously doubt their sincerity in rela tion to stated goals. How can there be an at mosphere where ideas clash freely when at the same time a professor's contract renewal is be ing questioned because of his dress? The vice chancellor clearly shows that indi viduality is not only discouraged, but that the process of hiring faculty members largely depends on conformity in ideas and dress. What can students do if they are concerned about the hiring and firing process? In the case mentioned here, they wrote letters to Dr. Riggs supporting the pro fessor's renewal but the results were unfavorable rather than beneficial to the professor's position. Recently a special com- Continued Page 4 . . . - going to have one newspa per on the campus." Meanwhile, the student senate in a called meet ing Wednesday night unan imously voted to fund the new paper with a $250 appropriation after hear ing Wright describe the paper's goals. About 15 students were present at the meeting to support the Free Press, and urge the senate to give it legislative support, A motion to seek off- campus funding for the paper in the event High smith kills the idea was tabled until the next meeting. General sentiment among the Free Press staff and around Student Govern ment, sponsor of the pap er, was that publication should go forward as planned, pending applica tion with the Chancellor for approval as a bona fide University publi cation. Mandatory food program hit By David Ramseur Well aware of strong student sentiment against it, the administration recently announced plans for a mandatory food ser vice for dorm students next year. Ironically, two days before this an nouncement, the admini stration received the re sults of a poll showing dorm students opposing a mandatory service by 95 to 3. When confronted with the apparent lack of at tention being paid to student feelings at the recent Campus Fonim meet ing, the administration strongly defended their plan. Despite student opposition to the plan, the administration seemed to feel it was the best Continued Page 4 . . . .
University of North Carolina at Asheville Student Newspaper
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