Newspapers / North Carolina Wesleyan University … / March 29, 1991, edition 1 / Page 4
Part of North Carolina Wesleyan University Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
PAGE 4 — THE DECREE — MARCH 29,1991 Bill protects right to insult others Students could win the right to challenge campus rules pro hibiting them from insulting their classmates if Congress approves a bill introduced in mid-March. Hundreds of campuses two years ago began banning “fighting words,” tee-shirts, posters, and other forms of expression that could insult women, gays, mi norities, and even military veter ans, in response to growing frus trations with some collegians’ sexism and racism. But such rules, some critics charge, have made campuses into the only places in the U.S. where residents can be punished for ut tering imauthorized thoughts. In a strange alliance with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), conservative Rep. Henry Hyde, R.-IIL, proposed legislation March 12 to empower students at private colleges to fight speech codes that ban ethnic or racial slurs. “This is the first reaction to the political correctness move ment on campus,” observed Sheldon Steinbach, of the American Council on Education, a Washington, D.C., umbreUa Wesleyan official answers questions about new station Tim McDowell, Wesleyan’s vice president for development, this month granted The De cree an exclusive interview to answa: students’ questions about the running of WESQ, the college’s new radio station. Here are his answers to the most frequently asked questions: Who wiU be vrorking at WESQ? It will be a totally student-run station. A faculty advisor will oversee operations. There will be a student general mango-, student DJs, student ad executives, student pro duction control personnel, and student program managers. When school opens in the fall, we’ll set it up and organize it — get it started. Then it’ll basically be up to the students to run. Does anyone get paid? That has not been decided. If so, it certainly wiU not be a big salary. You should look at college radio as a training ground, the radio stations look for people with experience before they hire any one. This is the best way for students to get experience in the broadcasting indus try. What format is planned? That is up to the students. We would hope the business students would undertake a mar keting survey of Eastern North Carolina and see what the people would like to hear, and respond to their needs. It will'not have a format like commercial radio. This is a public radio station and can not compete with commercial radio. It will probably have a varied format that includes some talk, ja2z, blues, classical, maybe some beach music — probably a lot of every thing. The format will be decided by students after the marketing survey is taken and will be overseen by the faculty advisor. Who will be the faculty advisor? He or she probably will be someone with broadcast experience. There are several people here with various experiences. The President wiU make the appointment. What will be the hours of the broadcast day? To begin with, there will be a limited broad cast day. We will have to see what the Federal CcHnmunicaticms Commission regulations state. There are guidelines and standards about hours. Does this brii^ the possibility of ^ com munications major? The possibilities are Endless. The radio sta tion will enhance the music program, commu nications program, journalism program, mar keting program, sports program. Many areas will be affected and enhanced by having the radio station on campus. I don’t think there has been any thought about how the curriculum might change to reflect the radio’s presence. Who will be chosen to work at the radio station? There will be some kind of se lection process. We will try to find a place for every student who wants to be involved. Everyone will have the opportunity to do something. What is the role of the Advi sory Board? The Advisory Board is made up of people in the broadcasting in dustry who are helping to get the station off the ground. There are two smdents (Stewart Crank and MicheUe Owens), two faculty (Vaughn Schutz and Dr. Leverett Smith) and one staff person (HR. Winstead) on the 21-member board. The board is headed by Bob Manning, who has years of ra dio experience, and Theo Pitt, who is helping to raise money. How are you building your music library? We are asking for donations. We can use vinyl records, tapes (reel-to-reel or cassette), and CDs. We have had some interest in the community from at least one record distributor about helping us in that respect. Will WESQ have special programs like other public radio stations? We hope to contract for some programs like “All Things Considered” and “Morning Edi tion.” But they are very expensive to buy, so it may be awhile before we can afford to purchase these. group for college presidents. The Collegiate Speech Pro tection Act would permit private campus students to challenge in federal court school rules pun ishing so-called hate speech. The bill, which would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ex empts campuses controlled by religious groups. Public college students already have the right to sue their schools over speech codes, and can reap damages. Hyde’s bill doesn’t allow stu dents to sue for damages, but would permit them to collect lawyers’ fee if successful. He introduced the bill just weeks after private Brown Uni versity expelled student Douglas Haim for shouting slurs about blacks, gay, and Jewish people while staggering around campus intoxicated one night last October. “Most people on campus sup port” the expulsion, said Brown student government member Tara Levine. The case, however, did generate much off-campus criti cism of Brown’s actions. The First Amendment guaran tees “freedom for the speech you hate,” Hyde said at a news con ference. His bill, he added, in tends to “prevent you from get ting kicked out of school if you said something unpopular or that offends somebody.” Codes of conduct are “a po litically and cheap quick fix,” concurred ACLU President Nadine Strossen, who joined Hyde at the press conference. While troubled by campus hatred, Strossen called speech codes “a misguided, ineffective, as well as unprincipled and un constitutional way to deal with the real problems of racism, sex- Mobile home temporary site of new station (Continued from Front Page) will also give students valuable experience in the communications field, supporters believe. Students will work as interns as disk jock eys, journalists, reporters, and other positions directed by a fac ulty advisor. The plans for the station are running on schedule, but there will be much work to do between the beginning of Fall semester 1991 and the rapidly approach ing September deadline. ism, and other forms of bias.” The courts would rule on the students’ legal claims on a case- by-case basis, Hyde stressed, ac cording to free speech precedent that allow curbs on obscenity, fighting words, libel, and other abusive ^Imior. Nevertheless, Richard Rosser, president of the National Asso ciation of Independent Colleges and Universities, vigorously op posed the bill, saying it would undermine efforts to ‘create a climate of civility on our cam puses.” A 1989 study by the Carnegie Foundation found that 60 percent of the 5(X) schools surveyed had written policies on bigotry, racial harassment, or intimidation, in cluding “offensive” speech. That same year, a federal court struck down the University of Michigan’s anti-discrimination code. Michigan had offered to pun ish students for, among other things, verbally or physically ha rassing an individual based on race, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical disability, and even being a Viemam vet. “In some ways the rules are intrusive,” ACE’s Steinbach ad mitted. “But schools are making efforts to deal with racism, sex ism, and homophobic actions that create chilling impact.” Freshmen inducted into honor society Eight students were inducted March 18 into Phi Eta Sigma, a national honor society for fresh men, with a 3.5 or better GRP during their first semester. Inducted were Misti Harrison, Jennifer Pitt, Kelly Quigley, Soni^ Sainani, Abdur Sulaiman, Ananda Tyre, and Mark Webell. Newly elected officers were also announced: Pat Edmunds, president; Carey Knupp, vice president; and Melissa Joplin, senior representative. Classified NANNIES NEEDED — Great opportunity for women who love chil dren. Live-in childcare. $200 plus per week and room and board. Paid vacations, health insur ance, one year place ments. Must relocate. The Perfect Nanny, Ltd., 1-(800)-882-2698.
North Carolina Wesleyan University Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 29, 1991, edition 1
4
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75