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The Blue Banner
September21,2000
Page 10
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Weber
Director
Caliendo said. “When they are com
fortable, they will be more likely to
come to an officer with their prob
lems.”
Caliendo said he would like to
implement a ‘citizens’ police acad
emy’ at UNCA.
“Public safety officers would each
teach different lessons, such as com
munication (and) traffic enforce
ment. Faculty, staff and students
could see what we go through dur
ing police training,” said Caliendo.
“Then they will understand why
we do what we do.”
According to Epstein, Caliendo
does not have an advantage over the
rest of the candidates although he
graduated from UNCA.
“I do not think that Caliendo has
an advantage because (he attended
UNCA),” said Epstein. “He has an
excellent career, but the other can
didates (also) have excellent careers
and have been on campuses of their
own.”
One of the candidates, Meyers,
said he believed the community
and the public safety department
must work together in order to
keep the campus safe.
“I have learned that public safety
cannot complete their mission with
out the trust and assistance of the
community they work for,” said
Meyers. “It may take a while, but I
want to build a partnership be
tween students and officers.”
Bosley, said he also wanted to
build a better relationship between
public safety and students. He sug
gested informal meetings with the
students, as well as hiring some
students to help patrol the campus.
■ PHOTO BY SARAH LACY
Several Student Government Association members listen
to Caliendo's views on public safety at UNCA as part of
the student discussion.
staff at the University of Liberia
sorted the donations, most ofwhich
could be used immediately to begin
a new library system, according to
Weber.
“The donations went so well and
the people of Liberia were so grate
ful, they have declared UNCA a
sister institution,” said Weber.
“They sent numerous pictures of
students and staff unloading boxes
of donated books. You can see the
gratitude in their faces.”
In October, Ramsey Library will
exhibit a display highlighting the
1999 book drive for Liberia, ac
cording to Weber.
“It will emphasize the importance
of the current book drive,” said
Weber. “People will be able to see
how their donations helped this
country, and they will be able to
sign a book that will be sent to the
people of Liberia with the new ship
ment of donated books.”
Liberia is located in Africa, bor
dering Sierra Leone, and was origi
nally established as a haven for freed
American slaves. The colony be
came independent in 1847. Con
stitutional issues, mounting foreign
debts (the government was bank
rupt by 1909), and the loss of dis
puted territory threatened the sta
bility of the nation, but with U.S.
help, independence was preserved,
according to encyclopedia.com.
Years later, a coup led by soldiers
of African origin ended 100 years of
rule by Americo-Liberians. Peace
keeping forces led by N igeria largely
ended the fighting, butiby 1993,
the emergence of new, armed groups
and fighting within existing groups
disrupted the peace pact and re
newed the civil war, accbrding to
encyclopedia.com.
“This is a strictly humanitarian
effort. It has no political connec
tions,” said Weber. “We are simply
trying to reach out and help oth-
One campus I worked on “had a
program called ‘pizza and police,”’
said Bosley. “We rotated from resi
dence hall to residence hall inviting
students to come eat pizza in their
lobbies. We would talk and ask
students if they had heard any ru
mors they would like us to verify
and what they wanted us to help
with.
“Students may be invited to help
public safety officers,” said Bosley.
“We may have them walk around
in pairs and patrol some areas.”
A student member of the search
committee, junior sociology major
Marcus Bethea said, that he is more
concerned with student issues, in
cluding police visibility and park
ing, when he examines the possible
candidates.
“All of us (on the committee) have
a say in who will win the position,”
said Bethea. “I am concerned with
student issues, and I think that is
my purpose on the committee.”
Some of the student issues incude
visibility of officers in residence
halls, parking, lighting on campus
and escorts for students, according
to Bethea.
“These are things that need to be
maintained, and sometimes stu
dents do not feel that these are
being provided enough by the pub
lic safety department,” said Bethea.
The U.S. has a unique opportu
nity to help a nation that American
settlers first established, according
to Weber.
“I think students can choose to get
involved in a new connection that
will add meaning to their lives, and
involvement can be at any level,”
said Weber. “Even though you will
probably never meet these people,
you have established a connection
that does not require money or
time.”
Weber said she is hoping that
word will get out to student groups
and individuals that she is look
ing for volunteers at all levels. In
March, she will need people to
help box the books and ready them
for shipment to the State Depart
ment.
“We can do so much for the lit
eracy of a nation, and it ^ives these
people heart that other people care,”
said Weber. “All people have to do
is bring books to campus.”
State laws for underage drinking have changed. For the
first time, there is a mandatory minimum penalty of a
$250 fine and 25 hours of community service for adults
convicted of providing or helping provide alcohol to un
derage persons. A person aiding or abetting the sale or
provision of alcohol to a minor for the first time will re
ceive a penalty of no less than a $500 fine and 25 hours
of community service.
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