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Uolume 32 Issue 7
October 12,2000
The Unluersity of north Carolina at Hsheuille
Robert Pinsky, current Poet
Laureate, speaks at the
chancellor’s installation
See page 4
Cross country places
third in Citadel
inuitational Oct. 7
See page 7
Considerations when
deciding to uote,
by Keuin Rollins
See page 3
Leaders discuss
community ties
Kay Alton
staff Writer
UNCA Chancellor Jim Mullen’s
former Trinity College colleague
related the importance of commu
nity partnerships to UNCA during
the installation celebration Oct. 5.
“I think that
leadership and
community
service is a re
ally important
aspect of
UNCA, be
cause it brings
everybody to
gether as acom-
munity,” said
Adam Walters,
an undeclared
freshman. “I do
not have all of
the time in the
world, but I
think it is an
important
thing to focus
on.”
Community
leaders dis
cussed the
university’s re
sponsibility to
thecommunity
in a panel led by Evan S. Dobelle,
president of Trinity College and a
nationally renowned innovator on
combining liberal arts education
with community relations, accord
ing to the office of public informa
tion.
Colleges remind us of what one
PICTURE BY ANTHONY GRECO
Chancellor Jim Mullen gives
a speech at his official instal
lation on the steps of Ramsey
Library Oct. 6.
person can achieve and what one
community can build when we
work together,” said Dobelle. “Our
mandates are to inspire young men
and women to embrace both the
challenges of scholarship as well as
the values of citizenship.”
Civic leaders from the Young
Women’s Christian Association, the
Asheville Art Museum, Housing
Authority and others, including
David
Hurnand of
WCQS public
radio station,
questioned
Dobelle and
Mullen about
community
concerns like
jobs, housing
and campus
growth.
“Universities
need to be a lot
more active,
involved and
caring about
our public in
stitutions and
the leader
ship,” said
Dobelle.
“Universities
need to find
some nontra-
ditional people
for leadership
in all areas of politics and institu
tions.”
Mullen is an example of a nontra-
ditional leader who understands the
See MULLEN page 11
Attempted suicide
leads to questions
Sanna Raza
staff Ulriter
A former freshman student’s at
tempted suicide raised questions
about depression on campus and
how students deal with those feel
ings, according to some UNCA
students.
“Everybody gets depressed at cer
tain times, but It is something to
look out for, especially for fresh
men going through so many changes
in location, school and friends,”
said Tara Hammond, a junior envi
ronmental science major. “It is al
ways good for students to know
where they can go if they feel de
pressed.”
Around nine percent of the col
lege student body nationwide uses
university counseling centers, ac
cording to Cathy Foister, assistant
director of the counseling center.
“Depression is the most common
of mental conditions,” said Foister.
“One out of 10 people suffers from
depression at some point in their
lives. Eight percent of the popula
tion suffers from depression at any
given point m time.
The transition from high school
to university is not the cause for
depression, but it is a time when
depression can occur because the
person is exposed to a variety of
stress factors at once, according to
Foister.
“It means leaving behind family,
close friends and meaningful long
term relationships,” said Foister.
“While the student will certainly
keep contact with those important
persons, there is a grief associated
with this loss.”
Dealing with the stress of academia
can lead to depression, as well as
solving problems at home when
students are at college, according to
Foister.
“There is stress involved with
moving to a new environment and
taking on the academic challenges
of the university,” said Foister. “If
there is some difficulty in their home
environment, it is often difficult to
be here and not there. Any combi
nation of these factors can lead to a
depression.”
See DEPRESSION page 10
Founders vandalized with hate speech
Qraffiti a reaction to Diversity Forum held Sept* 25, students say
Keith CromuieU
staff UJriter
Incidences of anti-homosexual
defacement were found written
on the walls in Founders Hall
Sept. 27. Some students said they
believe this was a result of the
Diversity Forum held Sept. 25.
“1 saw the phrase ‘F— faggots’
written on several places around
Founders Hall,” said Danny Proc
tor, a sophomore atmospheric sci
ence major and resident of
Founders Hall. “Underneath that,
in the third floor stairwell, was
written ‘This is UNCA, not
Chapel Hill, get your athletic
scholarship ass out of here if you
can not accept them.”
The words ‘F— faggots’ had been
written in both elevators, in the
third floor stairwell and over the
mailboxes. The vandalism oc
curred Sept. 27, and the vandals
have not been identified, accord
ing to the housing office.
“It was standard graffiti, seem
ingly directed at homosexuals,”
said Nancy Williams, associate
director of housing.
According to a Founders Hall
resident assistant, Somanna
Muthanna, he observed the hate
speech in the stairwell, and imme
diately reported the incident to
housing. Other resident assistants
also reported the vandalism.
“I saw the vandalism at around 9
p.m., and I did not see anyone
around,” said Muthanna. “After
reporting the vandalism, I imme
diately covered it up with blank
sheets of paper.”
According to UNCA students,
the Diversity Forum, which was
held in response to nine reported
incidents of harassment, played a
major role in the vandalism in
Founders Hall.
“The Forum just brought atten-
PHOTO BY WALTER FYLER
The phrase “fags will die” was written on the wall next to the elevators in Founders Hall
on Sept. 27. The vandals remain unidentified, according to the housing office.
tion to the issue, and gave the
vandals something to attack,” said
Justin Lawlor, a sophomore com
puter science major.
“I would not be surprised if it
was a direct response to the Fo
rum,” said Derek Coulson, an
undeclared freshman. ”It only re
iterates the fact the forums like
the one held are needed, and per
haps UNCA is not as diverse as we
would hope.”
According to Williams, such acts
of vandalism occur every year,
and cannot necessarily be linked
to anything.
“It is hard for me to say that it is
a result of anything, because we
do not know who did it,” said
Williams. “Every year we have a
couple incidents like this, but our
incidents are way fewer than other
campuses because our students
are generally extremely tolerant
of everything and everybody.”
As a direct result of this incident.
Chancellor Jim Mullen called a
mandatory meeting for all resi
dents of Founders Hall Oct. 2.
“The incidence was in Founders
Hall, so that’s who the chancellor
wanted to talk to,” said Williams.
“But his message already has been
(directed to) all students.”
“I wanted to talk to [the stu-
See GRAFFITI page 11
Death penalty controversial
J m
1
Lauren Owens
staff Ulriter
PHOTO BY PATRICK BRASWELL
Frank Goldsmith, an Asheville attorney, speaks to a College
for Seniors class about the consequences of the death penalty.
A College for Seniors class dis
cussed the need for a moratorium,
a temporary ban or suspension of
the death penalty, as well as miti
gating factors in capital cases Oct. 4
as part of a discussion series on
capital punishment.
“The only time I would be in favor
of the death penalty is if the crime
is so horrific that one could say ‘yes,
you forfeit the right to live,’” said
Douglas Davidson, a sophomore
education and literature major.
“Killing does not make up for a
crime, but it can bring it one step
closer. “
There is no law in N.C. that re
quires a mitigator be appointed in
capital cases. For the last four years
in Buncombe County, there has
not been a mitigator appointed in
any capital cases, according to Frank
Goldsmith, an Asheville attorney.
“One in every five people on trial
for a capital case is put to death in
Buncombe County,” said Gold
smith. “One in every 50 people is
put to death in Mecklenburg
County, where mitigators are usu
ally appointed.”
The death penalty is a tricky and
contentious issue, since it is not
easy to discuss or understand, ac
cording to Pam Laughon, psychol
ogy professor and mitigator for capi
tal cases in N.C. She is involved in
finding mitigating circumstances,
or any documentation, personal
information or evidence that might
convince a jury that life imprison
ment is a better choice than the
death penalty.
Laughon said she objects to the
death penalty because families and
friends have no say in decisions
regarding the case. Laughon said
people should think very carefully
about the death penalty.
“The one group of people who
never have a voice are those who
See PENALTY page 10