Campus QuGStion: Do You Support Chowan's Room Soarch Policy?
Modigh
Barnes
Melton
By KRISTA SCHLEICHER
-f* rttM»
Rector
Chamblee
Banks
Auzoyod
Gilliam
Washington
•• •* 7
Witiak
Students were asked what in your opinion are your privacy rights,and do you think your room should be searched?
SAND! MODIGH, Chapel Hill, N.C.I feel that if the head residents have a suspicion only and no evidence that gives them no right
to enter my room.
JOHN BARNES, High Point, N.C.They have the right to search the rooms, but not to search my personal belonging such as my
suitcases or my drawers.
JEFF MELTON, Shelby, N.C.Only if they have a probable cause and a search warrant.
CRYSTAL RECTOR, Harrisburg, Pa.No, they don’t have the right to search what is not theirs, plus the fact that I don’t think
they would apreciate their own homes being searched.
ALAN CHAMBLEE, Ahoskie, N.C.We are paying money to rent the room and they treat us as though we are criminals in some
incidents. , ^
KEVIN BANKS, Gloucester, Va.They have no reason to check the room just for stupid purposes.
SHAHERAUZAYED,Palestine,I feel that they have the right to search any room if they feel it is nece^^
DON GILLIAM, Carlisle, Pa.The room search should foUow the same procedure as the pohce code. They should also state
specifically what they are looking for. , u t
CATHY WASHINGTON, Bowling Green, Va.Yes, They should be able to search anyone s room, because I think ii the person is
guilty of anything, he should be punished accordingly.
RAY WITIAK, Fayetteville, N.C. Total privacy, they have the right to enter only if concrete evidence is presented to the room
owner before liand. Photos by David Winstead
Volume 13 Number 6
Chowan College, Murfreesboro, NC 27855
March 3, 1982
k
f
Whitaker Cited
For 25 Years
As College Head
Precautions To Protect Rights
In Room Search Cases Outlined
By JENNIFER WICKER
If a resident assistant, resident
director, or an assistant resident direc
tor has a reasonable amount of suspi
cion that a student has contraband, or
something against Chowan College
policies, in his or her room, then he or
she has the right to initiate a search of
the room, according the Residence Life
Policies in the Chowan College Student
Handbook.
When a reliable student reports hav
ing seen contraband in a room or on a
person, and he reports it to a resident
assistant, assistant resident director or
a resident director, reasonable suspi
cion or probable cause has been
established, stated Dean Roy Winslow,
associate dean of students.
Once reasonable suspicion has been
established, usually two people resident
assistants, resident directors, assistant
resident directors, security, Student
Development deans or a member of the
Dorm Council should the resident assis
tant need help to conduct the search the
Stadium Getting
Aluminum Seats
By LYNETTE FARRELL
Aluminum seats are being installed
in the football stadium, according to
Superintendent of Building and
Grounds Jack Hassell.
The wooden planks which are being
used now are 15 years old, he said. The
boards are cracking and the paint on
them is peeling.
The job is being done for safety pur
poses as well as for looks, he pointed
out.
Chowan maintenence workers will do
the six-week job themselves, or “in
House” and will cost about $30,000, says
Hassell. If the work were contracted it
>vould cost about $40,000.
search, g(> to the room to confront the
occupant.
Winslow explained that anytime a
search is conducted, efforts are made
to obtain permissipn from one or both of
the occupants. Should they not be
available, a note will be left stating that
the room was searched.
Before the search, the persons con
ducting the search tell the occupants
what they are looking for and, should
the occupants object to the search,
either Dean Winslow or Dean Lewis will
be called.
“In that case,usuaUy I would be the
first one called to issue a search war
rant,” Winslow said.
If, during a search, something con
traband is found that the searchers
were not looking for, Winslow pointed
out, it is confiscated and charges can be
brought later for that. After the search,
the occupants would be told what was
found, and what is being confiscated.
“If we determined that late at night
was the best time to catch someone in
his or her room,” the dean asserted we
would not hesitate to search the room at
that time.
“Some items are dispensable.
Alcohol is a consumable item and, in
that case, we would not wait to search
the room.
“Many times in dealing with a person
suspected of having drugs, we would
try to wait and be cautious until the oc
cupant is in the room, because he might
be carrying all the contraband with
him.
“Usually during a room search, we
try not to get the local authorities in
volved,” he emphasized," We try to
handle it ourselves. ”
There is a difference between public
and private colleges, and the pro
cedures they follow. There is a dif
ference in the rights of a person at
public and private institutions.
A security officer for a state college is
governed by the policies local police are
governed by, and all laws of the stated
apply and must be followed during a
search.
At a private institution, a student has
a right to know why his room is being
searched, what was taken during a
search, and any rights he or she nor
mally would have, according to
Winslow.
For instance, violations of a drug
policy at a public college would be turn
ed over to civil authorities, while more
times than not, information from a
private institution will not be turned
over to a law enforcement agency,
since the private institution would have
to comply with local and state laws.
Son Gory helps Dr. Whitaker hold the silver service given him by the Board of Trustees. Others are, from left, Mrs. Whitaker, son Barry, Arnold
and SGA President William T. Shelton. (Photo by Doug Miller) Related photo on page 2.
Computer
Saves Cash
And Energy
By LYNETTE FARRELL
A computerized Energy Management
System is helping to conserve energj«t
Chowan, reports Superintendent of
Buildings and Grounds Jack Hassell.
The new Energy Management
System works 24 hours a day and con
trols heating, hot water, and air condi
tioning. This system turns these ser
vices on and off and also tells if they are
operating correctly.
Many problems for faculty, staff and
students are being eliminated by use of
the computer, says Hassell.
At 7:30 a.m. the computer
automatically tests all equipment hook
ed to the terminal. Any malfunctions
are printed on paper so that mechanics
can get to repairs as soon as they come
to work.
In the afternoon before office hours
are over, buildings are checked on the
system to make sure that heat and hot
water will not run out during the night.
Hassell demonstrated that by typing
certain codes into the computer, a
screen will show information such as
the temperature of each floor on cam
pus.
On holiday schedules and during the
semester the convenience of the com
puter is evident.
Many ’ colleges and universities
operate on one heating boiler, but at
Chowan there are approximately 40 dif
ferent heating plants. Instead of
employees having to check the oil in
each one separately, the computer does
this, the system alM tells how many
hours a day the boilers run.
The Energy Management System
helps keep kilowatt demand on an
average of 1000 per month, Hassell
said. Energy consumption is leveled out
by rotating the demand equally round
campus.
(Se« Computer, Page 3)
By JENNIFER WICKER
Whistles.cheers and standing ova
tions graced the convocation honoring
Dr. Bruce E. Whitaker’s 25 years of ser
vice to Chowan College.
Much tribute was paid to Whitaker,
who was lauded for his “loyal,
dedicated and effective services,” by
the Rev. J. Felix Arnold, chairman of
the Board of Trustees.
Representatives of the faculty, ad
ministration, alumni, the SGA, the Bap
tist State Convention of North Carolina,
the Chowan Board of Advisors, and the
Council on Christian Higher Education
all paid tribute to Whitaker in speeches
which reflected their appreciation and
caring.
A plaque was presented by Mrs.
Peggy Chestnutt, of the Council on
Christian Higher Education, who read a
letter honoring Whitaker from Jim
Hunt, the governor of North Carolina.
T. Robert Mullinax, a friend of
Chowan for several years, gave the
principal address, “It is no exaggera
tion to say that Dr. Whitaker has led
Chowan College from an era of primari
ly regional influence to a time of na
tional recognition,” he praised.
Mullinax also cited Whitaker for “the
contributions he has made beyond the
campus boundaries..”
Among these outside contributions
are four years as the director of the
North Carolina Family Life Council,
(1967-1970), and since 1976, he has been
a member of the Board of Directors of
the American Association of Communi
ty and Junior Colleges. He is currently
a member of the Board of Directors of
the National Association of Indepen
dent Colleges and Universities.
However, Mullinax stated, “His close
friends and associates know that he
finds his greatest satisfactions in the
progress and achievements associated
with Chowan College.”
“President Whitaker is being prais
ed, not for his need to be praised, but by
our need to speak about him. By
celebrating his service to Chowan, we
are doing what we ought to do,”
Mullinax elaborated.
A silver service was presented as a
gift to the Whitakers from the Board of
Trustees by Arnold.
In response to the speeches and
praise, Whitaker thanked those who
helped prepan for the ceremMy and
those of the steering commitWe who
(See Search, Page 2)
250 to 300 Selections Offered Students
planned the event.
He added his feelings of satisfaction
for the faculty, staff and administration
relationships, and the addition of quali
ty facilities to the campus. “My final
word must be one of genuine apprecia
tion and sincere gratitude. This in
cludes my appreciation tor the events
of the meaningful day,” professed a
deeply moved Whitaker.
Chowan
In Block
24th Year
Chowan College trustees were told
the college is headed toward operating
in the black for the 24th straight year
during their semi-annual meeting
February 22 the office of President
Bruce E. Whitaker.
Dr. Whitaker expressed the im
portance of a successful Annual Giving
program to enable the college to main
tain its long record of fiscal soundnesss.
At the same time. Dr. Whitaker ex
pressed concern over the proposed cuts
in federal student financial assistance
in the 1982-83 budget recommended by
President Reagan’s administration.
He said that if the budget is adopted
by Congress, both private and state
supported colleges can expect a drop in
the number of students who will be able
to afford a higher education.
He said that while he supports cut
backs in the budget across the board, he
feels that the reduction in student finan
cial aid is too severe, and out of propor
tion to other budget item reductions.
He said the projected budget calls for
a 50 percent reduction in federal stu
dent aid funds for the fall of 1983 com
pared to the fall of 1980.
If the proposed budget is adopted,
Chowan will be affected adversely, he
stated “It’s possible that Chowan could
have 100 to 200 fewer students in
1982-83.”
J. Guy Revelle, Jr. of Murfreesboro
was elected chairman for the coming
year and Miss Enuna Gay Stephenson
of Durham, vice chairman. Randy Brit
ton of Ahoskie was elected the Exex-
cutive Committee chairman.
Cafeteria Better Than Many Believe;
Many Innovations Seen for Future
Griping about the food is a time-
honored custom among students at
most any institution. Chowan is no ex
ception. To find out what really goes on
in the management of Thomas
Cafeteria, Smoke Signals sent reporter
Linda Cherry to find out. Her impres
sions foUow.
By LINDA CHERRY
Many students don’t know all the
changes Ron Thompson has made to
our cafeteria. After a talk with him I
realized how much better the cafeteria
is than I thought.
Before he came to the campus as
director of food services the system
was much different. A student was only
allowed one serving of the main course,
one glass of milk, two vegetables, one
light dessert (such as fruit), one heavy
dessert, and one salad.
There was no salad bar. The drink
t)ar also was not there, just an old
fashioned soda fountain in the dining
room.
Thompson divided the cafeteria into
two secUons; a salad bar was set up for
unlimited salads; a drink bar was put in
with 21 different beverages for
unlimited drinks. As of this year,
unlimited seconds is offered for the first
time. Now students get smaller por
tions initially but may go back for
another helping as many times as they
like.
Many items were added to the menu.
At present the cafeteria menu consists
of 2M to 300 different selections that run
on a three week cycle. It includes dif
ferent main courses, soups, breads,
salads, desserts and cereals.
Thompson has plans for the future
which will come in time. He’s going to
have a soup warmer out in the dining
room for unlimited soup. Meat and
cheese will be displayed for salads at
least twice a week. Sandwiches will be
added as a third item at dinner.
There will also be a few more steak
nights, he said. Another ice cream
smorgasboard is planned for sometime
in the future. Different breads will be
added for a change of taste. Salad
plates will be offered more after spring
break.
There will be a few more holiday buf
fets and when the warm weather comes
he would like to have some cookouts.
Thoinpson as well as the assistant
director, Larry Lassiter would like to
please all the student body with the
food, while meeting their operating
budget. They are willing to listen to any
complaints or suggestions.
Thompson says his office is open to
anyone who would hke to discuss such
problems. If any dorm would like to
meet with them, they would be glad to
do so.