North Carolina Newspapers

{ T he B LUE B ANNEr} News Pag Thi Campus implements citizens react to police violence with Copwatch new security policy for residence halls By Jon Waiczak SiAff Whiter With a light dri//.lo falling. Jtx; Lallicr twisted the handle of a dtxtr leading into Governors Hall Sunday evening, only to find it locked as a result of changed dorm entry policies that went into effect over Thanksgiving break. "1 guess there is nothing wrong with more security, and 1 don't see what harm it does besides inconven ience some people," said Lallier, sophomore psychol ogy student. Changes to dorm access were implemented to improve security, according to .Melanie Rhodarmer, director of Residential fiducation. "All doors to South Ridge, West Ridge, bounders and Mills will be locked 24 hours a day, except for the main entrances of those buildings," Rhodarmer said, "As for Governors, all doors will be locked all hours of the day and can be accessed by key codes." Campuses across the country revisited dorm securi ty in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings last April. Gunman Seung-Hui Cho shot two students in a dorm before making his way to an engineering build ing, where he killed another ,40 victims. “I cannot say that these changes are solely the result of Virginia Tech, but it certainly plays a role in the decision to leave the buildings locked,” said Steve i,ewis, director of Campus Police. Rhodarmer acknowledged the changes may incon venience students, but said improved security was a necessity. "The changes were prompted by looking at best practices in terms of safety and security across the country in residence halls," she said. “While comfort and convenience for students is very important to us, safety is of paramount concern." ■Students in South Ridge, West Ridge. Flounders and Mills will still Ik‘ able to exit through side dixirs dur ing the day without an alarm going off. • Incidents of nonstudent entering dorms for inappro priate reasons included doing laundry, using facilities intended only for resident students and theft. Rhodarmer said. "In most situations where nonstudents entered the building for inappropriate reason, they were found to have done so through a side or back door." she said. Lewis said he agreed the changes will deter nonstu dents from wrongfully entering dorms. "Allowing one entry dtK’s enhance security .some what," he said. "It basically just forces one to enter the building at a point where visibility is more of a consideration than some of the side or back entrances These changes are the first step in future improvements to enhance residence hall safety and security over the next one to two years. Meiwvie Rhodarmer 1 )irccror of Residential Ifdueation .Students should report any suspicious activity to campus police, Rhodarmer said. "In atidition to the changes in the door system, stu dents being res|Tonsible tor their own safety is of the utmost im|X)rtance," she said. "Students play a vital role in upholding these prcKcdures and making us aware if someone is violating or taking advantage of the policies." .Many colleges across the country, including lilon University, use keypads as a primary dorm security measure. Students swipe a magnetic ID card to gain access to buildings. Student Government Association and Resident Student Association have discussed card access in the past, Rhodarmer said. “Card access is something being considered for the future and we are very interested in obtaining stu dents’ thoughts on this,” she said. Amanda Duberman, freshman student at Elon, said that while keypad systems work relatively well, they also have flaws. “Some people who are expecting company will put a stick in the door so they can get in, or they’ll use something else to keep it open while they talk on their phone outside,” she said. “Then of course you could hold the door for someone behind you who looks fairly normal, but I haven’t heard of an incident of that happening, so I guess the keypads work well.” According to an April article in Roanoake Times, Cho, the Virginia Tech gunman, was not a resident of the dorm where he began his shooting spree. That dorm. West Ambler Johnston, had a keypad system that kept doors locked from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. every day. Police are not sure how Cho gained access to the dorm, but believe .someone may have held the door out of courtesy, according to the article. Lewis said keypads work but should not complete ly replace current .security measures. “I would hope that even when electronic access becomes available, that night assistants continue to be utilized to monitor primary entrances," he said. "I feel that both facets would complement each other and result in a safer environment.” More changes to dorm security may occur over the next few years, according to Rhodarmer. “These changes are the first step in future improvements to enhance residence hall safety and security over the next one to two years,” she said. “It is likely additional measures will be implemented.” UNC Asheville is a safe campus, but additional security is always beneficial, Lallier said. “I believe that we are one the safest campuses of the UNC system,” he said. “And I’m not sure it is UX) percent necessary; however, it is always better to be safe than sorry,.” Quilt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and a little love." Ben Cox, president of SGAC, said he is volunteering at the quilt display to take an arts-centered approach to fighting HIV and AID.S. He also said it is important for the UNC Asheville chapter of SGAC to be involved in the quilt display because WCU diK's not have an AIDS awareness group on campus. "SGAC hopes to enliven its own membership by inspiring others to seek new and creative ideas in approaching the issue of HIV and AIDS in America," Cox said. "Also, it is our hope to find people who are interested in the cause and to share with them our experience and ideas, in hopes that they may take up leadership around safe sex and AIDS prevention." Although currently there are no firm plans to shuttle UNC Asheville students to the quilt dis play, Linda Pycritz. a member of UNC Asheville’s Student Health Services, said that she would be interested in collaborating with students to make this fKissible. "1 have some vans reserved on IX'C, 4. for anyone who would like to see the AIDS quilt display," Pyeritz said. “At this point. I’m the only driver available, and no one is committed to going. I would need a deadline to work with, as I need students to sign an activity form for traveling off campus." As well as the quilt display on the WCU campus, there will be a patch of luminaries on the UNC Asheville quad on Dec. .4, begin ning at 7 p.m. to celebrate World AIDS Day. Peers Advocating Wellness Solutions sponsors the event, and all donations at the event will go to Loving Food Resources, an organization that takes meals to victims of AIDS. "Over LSO luminaries will be lit I at the event] to represent the over ,4.40 people in Western North Carolina who are HIV positive or have AIDS," Pyeritz. said. “We want students to come out, light a luminary and place it on the quad to form a quilt patch.” Asheville has one of the highest HIV infection rates in Western North Carolina, and therefore needs a number of organizations dedicated to helping those infect ed. according to Cox. "Western North Carolina AIDS Prevention, SGAC, and nonprofit community-based organizations do a gtxxi Job of creating practical and greatly needed support for WNC citizens living with H.I.V./AIDS,” said Cox. H.I.V. infection and the spread of AIDS is a major concern every where, and an even bigger concern is the amount of people who might be HIV positive and not know it, according to Pyeritz. She said AIDS education and testing, par ticularly at the campus level, is important. Although organizations such as SGAC are aiding in the fight against AIDS, it is up to everyone to be benevolent and compassion ate toward the welfare of others to end the disease, according to Cox. “We live in a world raped by apathy, where we see suffering and turn our eyes away,” Cox said. "A new generation of leaders needs to step up to the plate and demand change...by each other and the mentality we hold in approaching the devastating impact of HIV and AIDS in our world." Want to know more about the AIDS quilt? Contact Linda Pveritz at 251-6520 If you are interested in joining the Student Global AIDS Campaign, contact Maddie Haves or Ben Cox. itUK tied j'oul id U1 jick pier ase hat eali ook I'cre ■ A fas Trey Bouvier - Staff Photoorapbi Citizens’ Awareness Asheville member and spokesman Gene Hampton stands outside a press conference they held last week to discuss recent complaints and reports of police brutality and harrassment. Citizens' Awareness Asheville forms a police oversight review board in light of brutality reports By Courtney Metz Staff Writer Citizens’ Awareness Asheville is working to start a police oversight review board and Copwatch program in Asheville in light of recent incidents regarding police harassment and brutality. . “It’s a serious issue, and it’s time for somebody to stand up and really start paving the way for other people to join the bandwagon anti get involved in their community and get involved in the politics of the city and of the community,” said Adrienne Peterson, mem ber of Citizens’ Awareness Asheville and lifelong resident of Asheville. The oversight review board will partner with Copwatch, which will monitor and docu ment police activity in the com munity using video recording and other devices, according to Citizens’ Awareness Asheville member and spokesman Gene Hampton. Citizens’ Awareness Asheville identifies itself as “a coalition of community activists, victims and survivors, including indi viduals who have been brutal ized with unwarranted beatings, tasings and harassment by some of the sworn officers of the Asheville Police Department.” Peterson testified at a City Council meeting in October that an Asheville police officer shot and killed her husband. "Myself and my family are victims of the Asheville Police Department, the State Bureau of Investigation, the District Attorney and the city manager, and we are not only victims but we’re survivors,” Peterson said. “It matters to me what has happened to my family. It matters to me what the future- holds.” This and other incidents have inspired Citizens’ Awareness Asheville to act, according to Hampton. “She is a beautiful person and her husband was likewise, and it’s just sad,” said Pete Sutherland, group member and Asheville resident. Other recent controversial incidents involving the Asheville Police Department include the arrests of Mark and Deborah Kuhn on flag desecra tion charges and the citation of Jonas Phillips when he hung an anti-Bush banner on an over pass. “It’s really time to stand up for what’s right, and accounta bility is something very impor tant to me, and I would like some closure from the things that have happened to us,” Peterson said. Citizens’ Awareness Asheville members said they have chosen to exercise a right granted to them by the N.C. Constitution, as well as the Constitution of the United States. “The people of this state have the inherent, sole and exclusive right of regulating the internal government and police there of,” according to Article I Section 3 of the N.C Constitution. Asheville Police Chief Bill Hogan could not be reached for comment. “It could be a good thing if they take the appropriate steps on getting there,” said Stevr Lewis, director of campus police. “It would make the community feel safer. Any time- the community feels safer, the community is also going to be more comfortable talking to the police.” However, possible problems', could arise involving police morale, according to Lewis. “Part of the problem is also the morale of the officers, Lewis said. “'When it’s some thing you haven’t had in the past and now you’re going to' have it, it’s definitely a morale issue when you have to break li to 150 officers that this group of civilians will be, to an extent deciding your future,” Students also expressed con cern that the board may lead to unwarranted complaints. “On the one hand, I do think that it’s a good idea because there does need to be a check on the police,” said Katie; Goodman, junior environmental- studies student. “But on the other hand, I think it could get out of hand really quick. There could be fake complaints abont police brutality and that would just waste everybody’s time. CO they Ihey hat' kith. :ln iold (tarti vse lit in th ,eac trosi aid «mi he lick vere ngt •‘T that wha Hick mate distr )lan Rf mg that in tl the t dent the 1 not coui not 1 and cliei pro! pie said “Th( mur of a goin door you Si hav( help acce IfC base sem Cha mal but dem der, I he him aid lean ill are Cliffs healthy food as part of the cele bration.” Ray said. The gift is unrestricted, so the money can be used for any part of the building, according to Ray. “The board of trustees and the chancellor will take a look at all the different needs and make a decision about how to best use the funds.” Ray said. The donation not only affects the building, but helps promote the major as well, according to Abby Smith, senior health and wellness student. “'With the health and wellness major being so new. I feel that with the addition of the build ing. the major will really take off.” Smith said. “It’s important health and wellness majors have access to the types of things they need to better their learn ing environment." The new building helps the CONTINUED FROM campus as a whole be healthier and make better health deci I’m so grateful, incredibly grateful because we can’t do it without the support of the community. sions. The gift is invaluable to new building and the univ®^ and Keith Ray (>hair, I lealth & W’ellncss community as a whole, not just the students, and provides a way for the people of Asheville to get behind the health and wellness cause, according to Katie Lilley, junior health and wellness major. The building is a community thing, and it will have a bunch of different aspects to it, every one will be able to use it.” Lilley said, “Having more options available is really going to help the community and the IS appreciated on U ^ Asheville’s campus, accotamr to Ray. .,,, “I’m so grateful, increm , grateful because we can t o without the support of the co munity and the people w^„ believe in what we’re dome- Ray said . j.' The Cliffs Communities pleased with their happy to work with Asheville for this good cau according to Fisher. ■ • “We simply are glad to J . hands with UNC Ashevi what we believe is a iri - urgent concern for our na i the raising of health an .. ness as a value in our cu Fisher said. 14) ■JOi uvr h ed h ai gn