February 15, 1988
Page 5
“ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL”
Student Body Candidates 1988*
Brien Lewis
by FRED GORHAM
Staff Writer
1988 — a new year, a new semester.
Now it's time for new faces in tiie recently
opened political offices. Campaign posters
are up everywhere and some of the can
didates have already begun talking with
students; with election day right around
the corner, the choice will indeed be a dif
ficult one. There are currently seven can
didates running for Student Body Presi
dent. each with his own style, experience
and assessment of needs.
One of the candidates in the SBP race
is Brien Lewis, a sophomore Political
Science major from Toronto. Canada. He
may bring many positive ideas to the UNC
Governmental system, having served as
District 16 Representative on the Student
Congress.
His aim will be: "Working to im
prove student life on and off campus, pro
tecting education by fighting cost in
creases and keeping opportunities open,
and making government work better tor
students."
Lewis' platform targets many worth
while issues including academics, hous
ing and its lottery system and the parking
ptilicy, stating, "A never ending problem
at UNC is parking. We will not solve all
the problems in a year to be sure, but we
can tight for some basic priorities — keep
the cost down!"
The security of students is another ot
Lewis' main concerns: "Student govern
ment must act to ensure the safety of any
individual on campus. It must stress more
awareness education, better lighting and
the installation of more emergency
phones. Making SAFE escort more
available and widely known is a high
priority, and I would like to see the SAFE
program expanded to provide escort ser
vices for people who would otherwise
drive home drunk."
Lewis goes on to talk about many
other campus issues including South Cam
pus and the food service, saying, "I don t
think that living in a dorm should mean
you automatically pay $100 on Marriott s
food. It is basically and fundamentally un
fair. Why not institute a board program
option?"
Lewis has several additional planks
in his platform, but let me conclude by
mentioning his support for the black com
munity. He believes the Black Cultural
Center is a great idea and hopes that it will
help increase minority enrollent.
‘Tt is obvious that we must beel up
the efforts of this administration, govern
ment and students: the numbers, time and
money are not there and it shows.
If you would like to discuss any issues
further. Lewis is willing to answer all
questions.
Jody Beasley
Our next Student Body President
should be dedicated to Student Develop
ment. All students are here tor basically
one reason: to study, to get an education
that will develop them toward a pro
sperous and satisfying tuture. 1 am con
cerned about that development — Student
Development.
First, it is about academics. Know
ing classroom, department, and school
policies and procedures, establishing ser
vices that can assist students in their
classes, and starting relationships with
professors, department heads and deans
of the various schools on campus. Second
ly. it is emphasis on practical experience
for each student. Education is never bet
ter than when it comes through ex
perience. and student government has the
ability to offer any student practical ex
perience in his/her preferred academic
area and a title for his/her resume. This
will not be dt)ne if students must apply to
work on mv committees, but instead 1 will
provide an avenue, through the Caucus
Board, for students to become active on
personal concerns, with all of my support
regardless of my personal feelings on the
issue. We will become the most active stu
dent body that Carolina has ever seen.
Student government should be concerned
about Student Development. 1 am con
cerned about student development.
1 will pursue a new openness and
direct communication with all campus
organizations toward and "Open Door
policy" that should directly impact how
minorities are supported on this campus.
When 1 speak of open door, 1 mean not
only my door, but the doors of all figures
and offices that must deal with students
on any level: faculty, administration and
town. I believe that a person who actual
ly lives and feels an issue daily will be
much more effective in speaking,
negotiating, and promoting thier specific
concerns than any Student Body Presi
dent. 1 owe you the chance to walk in the
Chancellor's office, any Dean's office,
and my office to express the personal in
sight that you can share. This is the only '
way that we could ever come to fully
understand each other and work together
toward the ideal of plurality on this
campus.
Why will all of this come true? For
the past two years, in roles as the Student
Body Treasurer, Finance Committee
Chairman, and Vice-Chair of the Daily
Tar Heel Board of Directors, 1 have done
more day to day. face to face service to
students than anyone else on the ballot.
1 know who to look to and who to look
out for in being Student Body President.
That is why, from my very first day in
office, five students, our advisor from
Student Affairs, and one faculty member
will serve as the Performance Assessment
Committee (PAC) to focus .solely on
accountablity.
Presently, when a Student Body
President serves, there is no one to make
sure that campaign promises and student
services are actually delivered. The PAC,
as an autonomous group, will make sure
that if people call or come into my my of
fice, we will have answers. If committees
are formed to address an issue, they will
deliver positive results. If any part of stu
dent government seems to be faltering,
they will be alerted and, with my support,
be rejuvenated. The Student Body Presi
dent and all of student government owes
students a gcH)d job; Performance Assess
ment says that we will deliver.
These three concepts: Student
Development and Open Doors for you.
and Accountability for me. are things that
I live for everyday in being the best choice
for your Student Body President.
Bill Yelverton
Why is this election imporiant? A new
chanccllor will lead Carolina into a new era.
and the ncxl Student Body President will .set
the preeedeni on how students will figure into
this new beginning.
The next Student Body President must
have an understanding of where Student
Government has been and have a vision ol
where Student Government and this Univer
sity should go.
1 have the experience and innovutii)n
necessary to see that vision clearly.
As an Executive Assistant Ibr tormer Stu
dent Body President Bryan Hassell 1 coor
dinated the Student Government Voter
Registration Drives and was one of (he ehiet
organizers of the UNITAS Program in Car
michael Dorm.
This past year 1 was a Co-President of the
Campus Y. the largest student organisation on
eampus. Along with the Executive Commit
tee. I helped rewrite the constitution and ex
pand programs to include and reach more
people.
Next year we will have the opportunity to
make significant changes in the following
areas.
In Academics 1 will work to see students
involved in deciding the undergraduate cur
riculum. including the perspective system. By
getting students back on the Educational Policy
Committee of the Faculty Council we will
strengthen our voice in the decisions made. A
student voice should also be heard in the Facul
ty Tenure Deliberations process to look at the
quality of prospective professor's
undergraduate leaching as well as the quality
ol' their research.
On Campus 1 will give a monthly State
of the Campus Report to increase awareness
of what student government is doing for you.
One of the things we will be reporting on will
be the creation of The Student Activities
Resource Center (SARC). SARC would serve
as a way for students interested in working on
an issue to find out which groups are address
ing it. and for organizations to .see where they
can work together to reach similar goals with '
less overlap. SARC will provide up to date in
formation to get students involved all over
campus.
Another area we will be able to rep^m pro
gress in will be minority concerns.
Minority recruitment and retention are two
areas where I will focus the energies iif my Ad
ministration. First of all. it is imporiant that
we realize that the concerns of a minority —
any minority — are necessarily the concerns
of us all. That we at UNC-CH pride ourselves
on the strong academic and athletic programs
offered here means the cheating of ourselves
and others until those opponunities are extend
* Information on other Student Body Presidential candidates was not submitted.
ed to everyone. To that end I will address the
crisis on three levels. First, we must educate
ourselves and the residents of North Carolina
about the .services offered at Carolina. Second,
we mu.st work with the faculty and Administra
tion to establish a firm commitment to cultural
diversity on campus — in the student body, in
the faculty, and in the Administration. And
third, we must do everything in our power to
keep those minorities who enroll at Carolina
in college. I believe that we must work together
to accomplish these goals in the following con
crete steps:
I. With a coalition of student organiza
tions. enlist the assistance of Dean Hayden
Renwick as a resource at Fayetteville State (we
will make sure there is a replacement here).
Vice Chancellors of Gary Evans and Donald
Eioulton. and University System Vice President
for Public Affairs Jay Robinson (former
Superintendent of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg
School System, the national model in achiev
ing racial balance) in providing the backing and
support to reach out to high school students
before their senior year in recruitment.
II. We must make the commitment to
minority students at home. This means being
certain that a replacement for Dean Renwick
is chosen as soon as possible. This also means
being certain students are a part of this search.
Minority Recruitment Weekends and the Black
Cultural Center need to be expanded; the first
is an opportunity to express our convictions,
the second an embodiment of them. We all
need support systems away from our families.
Minority support systems are notably lacking
on this eampus. We can change this.
HI. Academic Assistance Pro
gram/Minority Advising Program; Minority
students have the ability to sucxeed at Carolina;
we know that because they're here. So
something here, within the University, is keep
ing these students from realizing their poten
tial. I propose a combination of the current
minority tutoring program with the tutoring
program for credit set up by the executive
branch this year. This would provide more
tutors in a broader subject area. I would
strengthen the Minority Advising Program
separately .so that the support offered to
freshmen ttxiay is extended to sophomores who
may be slipping through the cracks and leav
ing Carolina. To guarantee these changes we
demand a capable person to try and till the
shoes of Dean Renwick.
1 have referred to this situation as a crisis,
but this is also the ideal time to act. If we work
together and present the administration with
workable plans we can make significant
changes.
In the Community I will work to increase
the student voice in town government. One
way to achieve this would be the creation of
an On-Campus Poll Site. The other is to ap
point responsible students to serve as liaisons
to the Chapel Hill Town Council and the Carr-
boro Board of Aldermen. A student voice is
important not only for issues such as the noise
ordinance, but also for issues that should con
cern us. One example is growth. 1 will apoint
students to be liaisons to the planning boards
of both communities to address these problems
at their roots.
On the State and National level I will
concentrate the effort for student financial aid
on this eampus while extending it to other col
lege students in N.C. to strengthen our voice
in Raleigh and Washington. 1 will also work
to see that tuition is not raised.
Along with spearheading the.se efforts,
worthwhile programs begun this year need to
to be developed further, such as the campus
Shuttle System, the Student Cooperative
Education Program and the Academic Adivis-
ing Program.
Student Government gives us in-
(Continued on page 8)