THE BLUE BANNER
a
I
Goombay
Represents
African
Heritage
See Page 6
Volume 34 Issue 1
Soccer
Team
^ Looks to
I Improve
See Page 9
The University Of North Carolina At Asheville
UNCA Replacing Governors Village
Rae Stephens
Ed Fickle
Staff Reporters
UNCA will spend two years and
11.5 million dollars to build new
dormitories in the Governor’s Vil
lage, according to school officials.
Swain, Aycock and Craig, three
buildings currently within the
Governor’s Village, will meet a
wrecking ball as construction for
new dormitories beginning soon.
“It is cost prohibitive to renovate
these buildings. The rooms are
small, they lack air conditioning,
and the solid masonry construction
makes it very difficult to provide
Ifiternet connections. The new
uildings will meet our students’
icademic and social needs,” said
Randy Williams, UNCA Facilities
Construction engineer.
The date for the actual demolition
has not been set, according to Steve
axley. Director of Facilities
Managment and Planning.
Before Swain, Aycock and Craig
lean be torn down, the main power
supply for campus must be relo-
:ated over fall break, and the floor
iles must be removed from all three
juildings.
The 11.5 million dollars estimated
For this project will come from the
fees of future residents that will pay
to live in the Governor’s Village.
Although UNCA received money
form the Higher Education bill that
passed last November, not a single
penny of that money is going to-
m.
n
WALTER FYLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Swain, Aycock and Graig Halls, part of the Governor’s Village, are proposed to be torn down in October.
wards the construction of these
dorms.
A small portion of the money is
coming from the UNCA Alumni.
When the Village buildings are
torn down in the near future, bricks
will be sold to some UNCA Alumni.
That money will be put into the
Governor’s Village fund to help with
the coming construction.
Students are not going to have to
wait very long to see the new build
ings. The new dorms are slated to
open August of 2003. Just as stu
dents can begin to move into the
new Village area, the remaining
Village buildings will be torn down.
“I’m curious to see the new build
ings,” said Anuj Moondra, a senior
Management major. “It sounds like
it really is going to be a great place
on campus to live.”
Despite the fact that demolition
has yet to begin on the new dorms,
much work has already been done
behind the scenes, according to
Baxley.
The State Construction Author
ity has approved the plans from
Walter Robbs Callahan & Pierce
Architects, PA, and UNCA has cho
sen American South as their gen
eral contractor, according to Will
iams.
American South is the company
that built West Ridge Hall and the
Health and Fitness Center, accord
ing to Baxley.
“The objective of the University
Committee that worked with the
designer on (the new buildings)
was to retain, as best we could, a
village atmosphere,” said Baxley.
“We, the University, did not really
want to pursue putting one huge
building to replace Governor’s Vil-
lage.”
Initially, there was discussion
around campus to renovate the Vil
lage, instead of the replacement of
the individual buildings.
Baxley said to rebuild the struc
tures was a better choice financially.
With renovation, new telephone
and electrical lines would have to
See VILLAGE Page 12
Jesse Helms to Retire After Term Ends
Sarah Wilkins
Senior Reporter
The news of Jesse Helm’s future
retirement from the U.S. Senate has
caused many UNCA students and
faculty members to anticipate a more
moderate representative of North
Carolina.
“Some conservatives felt he was on
Htheir side, sticking up for things,”
said Stacey Hatcher, a junior Envi
ronmental Studies major. “I think
it’s time for change.”
After almost three decades in the
Senate, Helms announced Aug. 22,
2001 that he will not seek re-elec
tion for a sixth term next year.
Helms, 79, has long been an
opponent of communism, abor
tion and the United Nations.
He also served as chair of the
Senate Agriculture Committee,
and in 1995, he became chair of
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
“He’s had a lot of power,” said
Robert Andrews, professor of Phi
losophy. However, “many people
thought that he was getting quite
elderly, and it was time for him to
retire.”
Over the last several years. Helms
has had a variety of health prob
lems affecting his heart and legs.
In 1998, he had both of his knees
replaced, and now uses a motor
ized scooter to manuever on Capi
tol Hill.
Several students said it was time for
a new senator with a fresh approach
to state, national and international
issues to represent N.C. citizens.
“I think he’s run his course, and
now it’s time for him to go,” said
Hatcher.
Some faculty members said UNCA
students probably have a hard time
relating to Helms and his policies.
“Students think a little more liber
ally, and they know that we need
some new blood” in the Senate, said
Nancy Hoffman of UNCA’s Finan
cial Aid office.
Henry Sterns, professor of German,
said about 80 percent of professors
and 50 percent of students regard
Helms as having a very negative in
fluence in political matters.
“He was a bit extreme,” said
Hatcher. “He was so far to the
right that he was battling too of
ten, instead of actually getting
things done.”
“He was far too reactionary tor
my tastes,” said Cissie Stevens, di
rector of UNCA’s College for Se
niors.
Now, members of the UNCA
community and other N.C. voters
will have to decide who will be
Helms’ replacement. Some of the
names being mentioned as poten
tial successors to his seat in Con
gress are Elizabeth Dole, Harvey
Gantt and former N.C. Gov. Jim
See HELMS Page 12
www.senate.gov/ whelms
Senator Jesse Helms with
Sectretary of State Colin Powel!.
“A Few Point
ers for New
comers,” by
Liam Bryan
See Page 4
A.pril30, 2001
Government
to Change
Financial Aid
Regulations
Jessica Frutchter
Colorado University
University Wire Service
There may be a light at the end of
the tunnel for those who have pre
viously been denied financial aid
due to drug convictions.
The U.S. Department of Educa
tion is considering steps to modify
a three-year-old provision of the
Higher Education Act stipulates
that federally funded loans and
grants may be denied to students
convicted of felony or misde
meanor drug charges.
The change in policy would con
tinue to ban financial assistance to
those convicted of a drug charge
while receiving aid, but would not
punish those who were convicted
prior to their receiving aid.
“This move has been widely sup
ported by those in government
and in education,” said David
Borden, executive director of the
Drug Reform Coordination net
work in Washington, D.C. “While
it’s good news and a step in the
right direction, it’s not good
enough. It makes a really bad law
slightly less bad.”
“There’s a definite injustice in
volved,” Borden added. “If you’re
wealthy and you commit a drug
crime, you’re only punished once.
But if you’re poor or middle-class,
you’re punished twice. Once by
the criminal justice system and
again when your financial a'id is
taken away. When people are try
ing to go to college, it’s a good
thing for everyone.”
In response to the FEA drug con
viction provisions, groups around
the country have mobilized to sup
port a total repeal.
“We want to overturn this law
entirely,” Borden said. “We’re
planning to mobilize over 150 cam
puses this year. Colorado Univer
sity at Boulder is one of the cam
puses that has already gotten in
volved with the campaign.”
While The Department of Edu
cation reports that more than
40,000 students are likely to be
denied or lose their existing finan
cial aid during the 2001-2002 aca-
See AID Page 12
Freshman Students Charged With Dmg Possession
Stuart Gaines
Staff Reporter
UNCA’s Department of Public
safety charged two freshmen stu
dents with drug possession on Au
gust 13, after the Public Safety re
sponded to a trouble alarm coming
from their dorm room, 113 Mills
Hall.
Russell Kelly and Andrew Verga,
of 113 Mills Hall, removed the
cover from their fire alarm in hopes
of avoiding detection of marijuana
smoke emitting from their dorm
room, according to Officer Vicki
Harris, Public Safety Officer.
The two were unaware that tam
pering with the device caused a
trouble alarm to sound in the Pub
lic Safety office, according to Har
ris.
“After getting there, and walking
down their hall, I could smell
marijuana,” said Harris. “I knocked
on their door and asked them what
was going on,”
Harris, who is also a victim/wit
ness advocate for UNCA students,
gave misdemeanor citations for
simple possession of less than one
ounce of marijuana to Verga and
Kelly.
“They were very cooperative, and I
didn’t have any problem with them.
They understood what they did was
wrong” .Vicki Harris
UNCA Department of Public Safety
The two also handed over the re
mains of the drug paraphenalia, ac
cording to Harris.
Less than one-tenth of an ounce of
marijuana was recovered from what
remained of the drugs, according to
the police report.
“They were very cooperative, and
I didn’t have any problem with
them whatsoever,” said Harris.
“They understood that what they
had done was wrong.”
The freshmen appeared before a
Judge in Asheville City Court on
August 26. They could each be
facing up to $85 in court costs, an
additional fine, and between six
months and two years probation,
according to Harris.
The University’s response to an
incident of this nature is often dif
ferent from the Department of Pub
lic Safety’s, according to Nancy
Williams, Director of Housing and
Residence Life.
The sworn officers from Public
Safety issue their own citations,
while the University response de
pends on a number of variables.
according to Williams.
“It is helpful that the Public Safety
folks understand students,” said
Williams. “They sometimes handle
students a little differently. That
doesn’t necessarily mean to let
them off. But, sometimes it is bet
ter to put things in a learning
context rather than a punitive one.”
Each case is examined individu
ally by the University, according
to Williams. What type of drug is
involved, how much is found, and
a person’s prior history are all con-
See DRUGS Page 12
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