page 1
SSports
iwomen’s tennis
I team record is
14-7 overall/ 0-4
I in conference.
I See page 6
Volume 31 Issue 9
^ Banner
Features
Coco Montoya
blues guitarist
plays at Be Here
See page 4
April 6, 2000
d a progran
ork,” whicl
o more thai
issistance or
itheast.
:n made
of domestic
is successfu
le victim o
'asker. “Tlia
/V'
ay speak Wit!
ig the phone
hat may
Invisible Wall'
ocus of lecture
By Alison Watson
staff Writer
pagel
B. Johnson.
In 1997, Blumenthal accepted an
invitation from Berhn, Germany
to become president and CEO of
the Berlin Jewish Museum.
Blumenthal currently lives half
Michael Blumenthal, former sec- of the year in Princeton, New Jer-
retary of treasury in the Carter ad- sey and half the year in Berlin. He
ministration, will be speaking at does not normally give talks on his
UNCA on April 6. The talk will be book or the museum, according to
Ltly published Mark Gibney, Belk professor of
book “The Invisible Wall: Germans humanities.
ind Jews.” “He is a very busy man. I thought
excited to have someone his book was a magnificient piece,
ofhis stature speak here,” said Rick and if he had the chance to come
Ghess, associate professor of litera- speak, that would be great,” said
proposal,
:ds total 0 based on his
ides renova
ience build
of a libran
ogy, accord
smmittee
,e the facili
■ teams wen
esen rations
:hey believei
'acilities.
said Vicki
y professoi
-. “There a
mg
nadequatf
JNCA Ll
this campu
Mullen.
and director
)f Jewish studies.
The book exam-
Blumenthal’s
history and fam
ily members in
Germany, while
trying to explain
the German-Jew
experience.
The Invisible
Wall (is) the
author’s quest to
inderstand the
failure of the Ger-
L-Jewish rela
tionship and to
explain the char
acter and attitudes
if Germany’s as-
ilated Jews
a 300 year pe
riod,” said a Cen-
for Jewish
Studies flier.
Blumenthal was
)rn in Germany
1926. He es-
iped from the
\'azis with his
lly in 1939 and lived in Shang-
OTth other Jewish refugees.
Blumenthal came to the United
States when he was 21 years old. He
bad $65 upon his arrival and went
to attain a Ph.D. He then went
work in business, government
service and education. Hewaschair-
and chief executive officer
(CEO) of Bendix Corporation and
Burroughs Corporation.
Blumenthal was an ambassador
and deputy special representative
for trade negotiations under presi
dents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon
PHOTO COURTESY PUBLICATIONS
Michael Blumenthal,
former secretary of the
treasury in the Carter
administration, will speak
April 6 concerning the
relationship of Germans
and Jews.
Blumenfhal’s
teaching assistant
during graduate
Blumenthal is
speaking at
UNCA as a part
of an annual me
morial lecture.
The lecture is
held by Norman
Sollod in
memory of his
wife Phyllis Freed
Sollod, who was
an active leader in
theAshevilleJew-
ish community
and president of
the Southern
Branch of thi'^
Women’s League
for Conservative
Judaism.
“The lecture is
ish interest and to
the general com
munity,” said Chess.
The Jewish studies program tries
to line up speakers to cover impor
tant topics that everyone can at
tend, according to Chess.
One year, the annual lecture
touched on the Dead Sea Scrolls,
while another year looked at women
and Judaism.
The lecture “looked into femi
nist issues as well,” said Chess. “It
was an interest to people beyond
the Jewish community.”
Blumenthal will be 1999’s only
'Sollud Annual Memorial lecturer.
McDevitt receives award
PjAblic
OheralArts
(University
PHOTO BY JASON GRAHAM
Governor Jim Hunt makes a speech at the ceremony for Wayne McDevitt, Hunt’s chief of staff and a UNCA alumnus.
Chancellor Jim Mullen (middle) awarded the Chancellor’s Medallion to McDevitt on March 31.
By Kathryn Krouse
staff Writer
Wayne McDevitt, chief of staff
to Governor Hunt and a UNCA
alumnus,fesei«edthe Chancellor’s
Medallion on March 31, accord
ing to Tom Byers, special assistant
to the chancellor.
“The Chancellor’s Medallion is
the highest award given for service
to the university, and is given to
those whose efforts have been ex
traordinary,” said Byers.
The medallion is a replica of the
one the chancellor wears on cer
emonial occasions, according to
Byei:s.
“I think he is very deserving of
this award,” said Ben Ezell, a jun
ior mass communications major
and friend of the McDevitt fam-
ily.
Nicholas McDevitt, a junior his
tory and education major and
Wayne McDevitt’s son, could not
be reached for comment.
McDevitt has helped channel the
chancellor’s and other campus
leaders’ requests for support in
the right direction, according to
Byers.
“Chancellors past and present
have called on him for his willing
ness to help steer them through
the maze of government offices,
structure and funding possibili
ties to help the university,” said
Byers.
When the school prepares to ob
tain funds, McDevitt has been
instrumental in helping them de
cide where to look for resources
and giving assistance in obtaining
appropriations, according to
“The university is better off for
everything he has done to im
prove its standing in the state and
community,” said Ezell.
The award is not given annually.
The first medallion was given in
the 1980s, and only 10 have been
awarded, three of which were
alumni, according to Byers.
“McDevitt has previously been
awarded for his distinctive achieve
ments as an alumnus,” said Byers.
“This award recognizes his ongo
ing achievements to the univer-
McDevitt has always been ex
tremely loyal to the university,
according to Byers.
“I’ve heard the governor com
ment about how McDevitt is al
ways saying good things about
UNCA,” said Byers.
“It is a real privilege to give
McDevitt an award recognizing
(the) extraordinary contributions
he has made to N.C.,” said Jim
Mullen, UNCA chancellor.
Prior to being chief of staff to the
governor, he was also N.C.’s sec
retary of the department of envi
ronment and natural resources,
and special assistant to the chan
cellor of UNCA, according to
Byers.
“He was an energetic champion
of the environment and had a key
role in organizing the governor’s
conference on air quality,” said
Byers.
The style of the award ceremony
changes to best suit the needs of
the honoree, according to Byers.
“McDevitt’s ceremony (was) a
little different than those that have
been done in the past,” said Byers.
The ceremony was held at the
N.C. Arboretum in the afternoon
so more people could attend, ac
cording to Byers.
“He is well-known to many
people who work at various levels
of governmenr and non-profit
agencies in the state,” said Byers.
One of the reasons the ceremony
was held there was because
“McDevitt had a big hand in de
veloping the arboretum to its
present state,” said Byers.
His efforts at the arboretum are
also reflected in his efforts at
UNCA, according to Byers.
“I think he brought to bear (at
the aboretum) some of the same
abilities and knowledge that make
him such a valued friend and help
at UNCA,” said Byers.
Last year, Adelaide Daniels Key,
who contributed to the develop
ment of the Key Center for Ser
vice Learningon campus, received
the award, according to Byers.
Students emphasize African issues in conference
^ r oDpned mv eves to the extrer
By Davon Heath
Abunura. students to study the structure of
“Africa is striving to solve prob- the OAU while searching for solu-
lems with African solutions instead tions to key problemsof the African
of Western solutions,” said Carter, nations, according to Abunura.
“This is hard when you have the “Through simulation, participants
roots ofcolonialism dug so deeply gain a better and clearer under
in the politics and education.” standing of the multi-various de-
The OAU was formed by the in- terminants, capabilities and con-
' " ■ ■ straints that shape the domestic and
• foreign policies of each country,”
said Abunura.
The conference, held in Washing
ton, D.C., is organized on an an
nual basis by Howard University,
the oldest African-American uni-
1 the United States, ac-
i
1
Seven UNCA students had the
opportunity to study the Organiza- — r 'r-
tion of African Unity (OAU) by dependent countires of Africa ...
participating in the National Model 1963 to promote issues, focus on
Conference that focused on social, the development of Africa and to
economic and political issues fac- unify the countries in the conn
ing the African continent, accord- nent, according to Abunura.
ing to Elmoiz Abunura, coordina- “It is similiar to the United Na-
tor of Africana studies and lecturer tions, said Abunura,
of political science At the model conference, students versity
"This experience definitely adds engage in discussion and debate, cording to Abunura.
my collLe education, because I They follow the formal procedures Approximately 45 universities
met other college students from all of the OAU and h^p m drafting participate,
over the country who genuinely final resolutions, which are then according to Abu > =
share an interesT in AfL ” said presented to the OAU, according ^^Some of *e mam^^
”,le.3.b„u.how„.h„co.n- ha.l.hc. refugeeprobl.n,., .du-
.™sH.abou.,hei..»b,.h. ,,1 wo^n’w.sh.. ».,d
handsonhowpoliticsreallyworks.” debate of voting, said Andrew Carter
Students from the Introduction ^ ^ AIDS epidemic, which I combined the Republic of CongO.
iESSP-
r
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY TANJA PAGEL
Several students attended a National Model Conference in
the Washington, D.C. to discuss African issues, representing
resolutions and tried to have it pass in a vote by force their ideals for solutions onto
the body of representatives,” said the African nations, according to
Carter. Garter.
The U.S. and other nations try to “This conference especially
opened my eyes to the extreme
AIDS epidemic that is now sweep
ing Africa, (as well as the) idea of
prevention in a country where
healthcare is already bad, plus the
rapid rate it is spreading at,” said
Carter.
UNCA students went to the ROC
embassy in Washington D.C., ac
cording to Hainsworth.
“To get us in the mindset, we
went to the ROC embassy and met
their ambassador,” said Carter. “We
learned a lot more about the coun
try and their political background.”
“The best way to learn about a
culture is to research it and try to
think like them on a daily basis, like
we attempted to do in Contempo:
rary African Politics,” said
Hainsworth. “I believe when you
are dealing with different countries
and cultures, you have to actually
act like the people. Playing that role
really made me understand them
UNCA’s African studies prograiri
is active in promoting the political
science history of individuals with
See AFRICA page 8