Page 8
The Banner
February 26,19S
News
Drugs
continuation of a search and sei
zure pohcy which allows officers to
enter dorm rooms without a search
warrant or student consent.
Despite the rise in violations at
ASU, the school’s annual student
drug survey showed an eight per
cent decrease in drug use.
Eric lovacchini, UNCA vice
chancellor for student affairs, said
that UNCA has no intention of
adopting a search and seizure policy
similar to that of ASU.
“Our students are adults,” said
lovacchini. “ I think their residence
halls are their hornes. We want to
makesure thatsearchingastudent’s
room is a last resort.”
lovacchini said if a UNCA public
safety officer suspects illegal drug
activity in a dorm room, and the
student does not allow the officer
into the room, then that officer
should obtain a search warrant.
“You have to balance the
individual’s right to privacy from
unreasonable search and seiz.ure
with the institution’s desire to con
trol substance abuse,” said
lovacchini. “We think that we can
do more by doing educational ac
tivities in the classroom and out
side the classroom than we can by
doing searches of students’ rooms.”
Dennis Gregory, acting UNCA
public safety director, said that
searching dorm rooms for drugs
without a search warrant may vio
late student’s rights.
“I think it is very questionable as
to whether or not you are violating
Continued From Page 1
UNC System Drug Policy Violations 1988-97
600
'89 '90 '91 '92-'93 '93 '94 '95-'96 '96 '96-'97
SOURCE: UNC GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
GRAPHIC BY ERIN KING
1996-97 Breakdown of Drug Violations in UNC System
marijuana
B posession
_ marijuana .q/
* trafficking °
other 2,°k
substances
SOURCE: UNCA GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
GRAPHIC BY ERIN l
astudent’sconstitutional rights. We
certainly do not want to violate
anyone’s rights,’’ (Gregory said. “We
have adults who are very respon
sible and we do not need that.”
UNCA administrators do not feel
that the school has a serious drug
problem.
“We have had more arrests for
minor possession this year than in
the past. But still our numbers are
going to be small,” lovacchini said.
“1 think our biggest abused sub
stance is alcohol.”
“I don’t think we have a drug
problem. We have drugs on cam
pus, but 1 don’t think we have a
drug problem,” said Gregory. “It is
rare that we respond to a call that is
a serious problem that is a product
of drugs.”
Gregory credits the quality of the
student body, rather than policy
and law enforcement, with
UNCA’s generally low number of
drug violations.
“I think we have a very unique
blend of students, and high drug
usage is not part of the environ
ment ot the students that are re
cruited at UNCA, ” Ciregory said.
“We have a wonderful'group of
students that come here tor the
purpose of getting an education.”
According to Vicki Brunnick,
counselor and substance abuse con
sultant at UNCA, education has
helped to keep the number of drug
violations at UNCA to a minimum.
“UNCA has put forth a really good
effort on prevention,” said
Brunnick.
UNCA’s 1996-97 report on ille
gal drugs cited the Student Assis
tance Program (SAP) as the “most
effective in providing early inter
vention services to students sent
through the judiciary system for
alcohol/drug violations-.”
The report also said that “the
number of repeat offenders has
decreased since the adoption of
this program.”
UNCA public safety officers said
that a decrease in repeat drug of
fenders has coincided with the
implementation of drug educati(
programs at UNCA.
“We rarely deal with the same pe
son twice for the same offense,”
Public Safety Officer Jerry Adam
lovacchini and Gregory said tli
many reports of suspected substai
abuse at UNCA come from otii
students.
Public Safety and the housing
fice are not necessarily looking
illegal drug activity, but others!
dents bring it to their attention,
lovacchini.
Wreck closes main entrance
PHOTO BY PRESTON GANNAWAY
The main entrance to UNCA was closed over an hour on Feb. 19 due to a two car head-on collision. Frankie
Darrell Johnson, driver of a 1989 Nissan Sentra, crossed over the center line of University Heights into the path
of a 1996 Mazda Miata driven by Erwin Karson. Johnson, Karson, and Karson’s wife Anne all sustained injuries in
the wreck. They were later treated and released from Memorial Mission Hospital. Johnson was later charged with
driving under the influence, on a suspended license, without proof of insurance, and left of the center line.
Laptop
ing Kern Parker said that provid
ing adequate access to computers
is more important to the UNCA
administration than requiring in
dividual ownership.
“I think it is critical for a college
student to have good access to com
puting and networking,” Parker
said.
Hooker said that the computer
requirement will enhance the cur
riculum at UNC-CH.
“Students will be able to engage
in online discussions in class, get
responses from in-class poll tak
ing, and take notes with the laptop
computers,” said Hooker.
Parker said that any decision to
mandate ownership of computers
needs to be curriculum driven.
“It doesn’t make since to man
date it unless the faculty uses com
puting and networking such that
students could not function with
out it,” Parker said.
Many students at UNC-CH
voiced concern that the value of a
computer depreciates quickly, and
is not a good investment of
student’s money.
Hooker acknowledged that com
puters do lose re-sale value over
four years, but said that UNC-CH
students will benefit because they
Continued From Pa^e 1
will leave college with a compuB
that works. t
“The computers will not haveai
value, but they will still be funi
tional,” said Hooker.
Hooker said that the repair se
vices, as well as other financial a
pects of this plan, will be partial
underwritten by a $4.6 million gra
from the N.C. General AssembI)
Along with the financial aspects
the laptop requirement, Jacksd
worried that extended cornputeru
could discourage or replace hum!
interaction. '
“I like interacting person to f
son,” said Jackson. “I am afraid
might lose that.”
Parker was also concerned aboi
the social implication of the
requirement. “1 personally do n!
think we should take the infusion
technology to an extreme so, as
lose our basis,” said Parker, “i
UNCA, we meet in small class
and groups, and engage in dialogi
“It is important for us not to lo
personal contact. We need to
careful that we don’t create a systei
that fractures our community,” sai
Parker.
Hooker said that there is no e'
dence that computers has discou
aged human interaction.
UNCA Baha'i starts national movement
By Catharine Sutherland
Contributing Writer
The efforts of UNCA’s Baha’i
Association to spark local action for
the promotion of women have un
expectedly resulted in a national
movement called “One Voice
Week,” which will take place this
year on Mar. 2-6.
The city council of Berkeley, Ca
lif. has even proclaimed one day of
the week “One Voice Day” in cel
ebration of the project, said senior
literature major Eric Horton, sec
retary of the UNCA Baha’i Asso
ciation.
A phone call to The National
Committee for the Advancement
of Women (NCAWO last semester
started the string of national ac
tion, Horton said. The NCAW
liked the group’s idea, and agreed
to serve as the project’s official spon
sor.
The UNCA Baha’i Association
did not plan the project to coincide
with March’s designation as Na
tional Women’s History month,
but the simultaneous eruption of
events in celebration of women has
“worked out conveniently,” said
Amy Desautels, senior fine arts
major and member of the UNCA
Baha’i Association.
The One Voice project aims to
promote the advancement of
women and raise the status of
women in our society and around
the world, Desautels said.
The One Voice project at UNCA
will involve “A Night ofWomen in
the Arts,” which presents four
women performers and an Open
Mic on March 3; a talk on “The
Role of Women in the 21st Cen
tury from a Baha’i Perspective” on
March 4; and a group meditation
on March 6. All events will take
place at 7 p.m. in the Laurel Fo
rum. Baha’i demonstrations and
workshops promoting gender
equality will take place at campuses
nationwide.
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH EVENT
"Showing the Pulpit"
A panel of 3 local United Methodist
women ministers
— lunch provided —
When: Monday, March 9 at 12:15 pm
Where: Owen Conference Center
sponsored by UMCM
*can be used as a Humanities Cultural event*
—Free—
Homecoming '98 would like to thank
the following people, without their help
it would not have been such a successi
Bunny, Student Government Association, African
American Student Association, Alpha Phi Omega,
Cultural and Special Events Committee, Parents’
Assn., Alumni Assn., Alumni Relations, Public Infor
mation, Sisters of Spirit in Service, Sigma Nu,
Gamma Phi Beta, Baptist Student Union, Presbyte
rian Campus Fellowship, United Methodist Campus
Ministries, Alpha Xi Delta, International Student
Assn., Housing and Residence Life, Underdog
Productions, Brothers United and Achieving, Student
Activities, the UNCA ”AII-Stars” and coaches Maggie
and George, Cheerleaders, Dance Team, Pep Band,
All of the Parade Entries and Gary, Our parade
judges, Panhellenic, Interfraternity Council, NCSL,
Marriott Dining and their golf cart. Media Center,
Athletics, Teaching Fellows, The Homecoming Com
mittee, Facilities Management, Public Safety, The
Interns of 48, Dave Torbett, Eric Larsen, Yonnie Klein,
and Everyone that works In Highsmtih Center!
JAattlhy. again!
Shelly and J.P.