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Volume XVI, Number 11
Striving for Excellence
April 19,1990
UNCA named as “mentor” in the humanities
By Jackie Gasperson
Staff Writer
The Association of American
Colleges and the National
Endowment for the Humanities
have chosen UNCA as one of the
nine "mentor" colleges to help
other American colleges and
universities strengthen their core
curricula for teaching Western and
non-Western cultures.
The NEH granted $359,000 for
the AAC to select 27 "planning"
schools that wish to strengthen
their core curricula. UNCA and
eight other colleges will serve as
mentors for these selected schools.
According to Merritt Moseley,
associate professor of literature
and director of the humanities
program, there are several
activities involved in the project.
One activity involves Moseley
and Peg Downes participating in a
conference held in New
Hampshire this summer.
The next step will take place in
the fall when the "planning"
colleges will visit UNCA. "They
will come to UNCA to observe
how we’re working, so obviously a
lot of people who are involved in
the humanities program will be
coordinating with those people,"
said Moseley.
In return, UNCA representatives
will participate in site visits.
During these site visits, the
representatives will observe the
school’s present program and
"We don’t live entirely in the present. We live in
the past and the future as well. A man or a educated
for the 21st century needs to understand their
experience in the context of the development of the
human race." ,
Merritt Moseley
of an American Mind by Allan
Bloom, and the other is titled
possibly make suggestions for
improvement.
According to Moseley, the
reason for the added attention
towards strengthening humanities
curricula revolves around various
factors.
"One is that the NEH has been
publicizing the need for a
strengthening in humanities
curriculum. The other is sort of a
reaction to the publication of two
books, one is called The Qoslng
Cultural literacy by E.D. Hirsch,"
said Moseley.
"Both of these argue for
something like a more traditional
and more rigorous humanities
preparation. Although a great
many people don’t agree with
these gentlemen, nevertheless, I
think that’s one of the reasons for
the increased public discussion of
mM
Markus Roeders delivers his farwell speech
Highsmith Center.
a*
Photo by William Allen
to the SGA on April 11 in the
Brown to undergo
performance review
brniidhf it im tn thp : j ,1... i
By Vicki McCoy
News Editor
A performance review of
Chancellor David Brown will be
held April 25 in the Whitman
Room of Ramsey Library.
According to Eric lovacchini,
vice chancellor of student affairs,
all university students and
employees can make an
appointment to share their
confidential observations about
how Brown is doing in his job and
how he might improve.
Reviewer Joseph Kauffman, a
private consultant, will conduct the
interviews.
"There’s a time when anyone can
sign-up with the consultant,”
lovacchini said. "The information
will then be given to the Board (of
Trustees) for review."
According to lovacchini, this is
the first time a review of the
chancellor has been done.
"We’ve never done this before,"
lovacchini said. "The Chancellor
brought it up to the board
himself."
Jack Cecil, chairman of the
board, agreed, saying the review
was a "collaborative effort"
between the board and Brown.
'We are the first one (school) in
the 16-university system to do this.
We are taking the initiative," Cecil
said. "The chancellor was
interested in it, but it was more of
a collective effort."
Both lovacchini and Cecil said
the objective of the review was to
identify the strengths and
weaknesses of the chancellor so
improvements can be made in his
performance.
"It’s really a way to assess the
performance of the chancellor and
the board and making sure we are
working in concert together,
fulfilling the mission of the
school," Cecil said.
Cecil said the rapid growth of
the school prompted the review.
"The school has gone through
such a transition in the past five
years," Cecil said. "We have
I
Dealing with the media
2
Bulldogs set school record
7
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League of Women
Voters
4
Chuck Davis Dance
Ensemble
8
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Dr. Patch Adams
5
Getting to know
9
Healthbeat
6
Life in Hell
10
this idea," said Moseley.
In addition, Moseley said the
project reflects national concern
over students’ understanding ot
their cultural inheritance and that
of other cultures, past and present.
'We don’t live entirely in the
present. We live in the past and
the future as well," said Moseley.
"A man or woman educated for
the 21st century needs to
understand their experience in the
context of the development of the
human race."
What this means to UNCA is the
recognition of a program which is
well organized and of great value
to institutions, Moseley said.
In Moseley’s opinion, one of the
reasons UNCA’s humanities
program has been successful is it’s
persistence.
"I think our program is one of
the most persistent, by which I
mean that ours has been going on
for 25 years. Twenty five years ago
there would have been more
programs like this, but a lot of
them were cancelled or altered
during the 60’s and 70’s, whereas
ours has been altered but not due
to reaction," said Moseley.
The other mentor colleges
chosen by ACC are Queens
College in Charlotte, Columbia
University, the University of
Denver, Queens College in New
York City, the University of
Kansas, Washington State,
Earlham College, and Mount St.
Mary’s.
Roeders says thanks
and farewell to SGA
John Schoultz,
Gigi Leaks
open 22nd
SGA senate
session
Byjami Shipe
Staff Writer
Markus Roeders ended his term
as SGA president with a farewell
speech during SGA’s general
meeting on April 11.
Roeders began by thanking
everyone for coming to the
inauguration of the new officers.
He then pointed out some of
SGA’s accomplishments over the
past 13 months with issues such as
parking, condom machines, bus
service, budget cuts and cable
television.
"It’s been a great year with many
long Wednesday nights," said
Roeders. "It’s been a tremendous
experience for everybody."
Roeders said he now feels very
knowledgeable about the university
and would not exchange his
experiences for anything.
He extended thanks to the
UNCA community on behalf of
the SGA.
"We received a lot of positive
feedback," he said.
He also thanked the senators,
commenting that, he bad formed
relationships with them that go
beyond SGA.
Roeders then wished the new
president and vice-president, John
Schoultz and GiGi Leaks, luck
during the upcoming year.
"I hope they will work for the
students to come up with new and
better ideas," said Roeders.
He concluded his speech with
some final comments about his
SGA experiences.
"Not everything can be done in
one day," he said. "I just hope I
can come back one day and say ‘I
think I’ve made a difference.’"
After a short break, Schoultz,
Leaks and the new senators were
inaugurated.
The 22nd senate session, with the
newly elected members, then
proceeded. New business included
the assignment of new office hours
to SGA members and the
announcement of an office tour on
April 18 at 8:30 p.m.
The following people were
appointed to new positions:
Kevan Frazier - Sec. of Interior
Robert Straub - Dir. of
Operations
Beth Estep - Sec. of Treasury
Haywood Spangler - Sec. of
Exterior
Josh Bernstein - Student Affairs
Chairman
Marius Harding - Public
Relations Chairman
Mark Johnson - Academic
Affairs Chairman
Darren Poupore - Rules
Committee Chairman
Brian Corbin - Legislative
Chairman
increased the buildings and the
caliber of students. We figured it
would be the best time to reassess
the performance of the total
operation."
According to Cecil, Kauffman is
currently a consultant to colleges,
imiversities and state agencies
concerned with higher education.
Kauffman was professor emeritus
of Educational Administration at
the University of Wisconsin at
Madison from 1973-1987.
lovacchini said he felt Kauffman
was quahfied to conduct the
reriew.
"This man has done this on
several occasions. He is very well
qualified," he said.
The information Kauffman
compiles, which is confidential, will
be relayed to the board for their
consideration. Kauffman will also
interview faculty and
administration who relate directly
with the chancellor, lovacchini
said.
Forums
promote
voter
awareness
• See related stories, page 4
By Jamie Steele
Staff Writer
Photo by Miranda Wyatt
Don’t bother me
Jay Ford relaxes outside Carol Belk Theatre on a
sunny afternoon while reading The Firebugs.
"Spend Wednesday Evenings with
the Candidates" is the theme for a
series of forums to be held in
April by the League of Women
Voters.
The League has invited all the
candidates running for local, state
and national offices on May 8 to
participate in these forums.
"I urge all of the citizens of
Buncombe County to attend these
forums," sid Susan Fisher, LWV
president. "Only by listening to the
candidates and asking questions,
can we be informed voters."
On April 11, citizens met with
the candidates for U.S. Congress
and the N.C. House and Senate at
the Great Smokies Hilton.
On April 18, the LWV brought
to the Holiday Irm Central the
candidates from the 28th Judicial
District running for the positions
of district attorney and district
court judge.
On April 25, at 7 p.m. at the
Radisson Hotel, the third and final
forum will take place. Citizens will
hear from candidates for
Please see LWV, f&ge 6