The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Volume XIV, Number^ 2- C ’
Charlotte, North Carolina
January 25, 1979
Who does Homecoming belong to?
By Nancy Davis
Who does Homecoming belong to?
This question might best sum up
some of the complaints being made
about this week’s Homecoming ac
tivities. While various clubs,
organizations, floors and student
groups are busily participating in
many of the events, there are other
groups who are boycotting some of
the activities. The main complaint is
the new process for selecting a
Homecoming Queen.
Lisa Brower, Homecoming Com
mittee chairperson, knows of at least
three groups who are publicly ex
pressing their dissent in the selection
format. The Interfraternity Council
met two separate times to vote
whether the 10 fraternities would
sponsor a Homecoming Queen
nominee.. The decision was
unanimous both times.
Third House Sanford sent a peti
tion to the Homecoming Committee
voicing their unhappiness with the
new process. Moore Dorm Council
also voted not to participate in
Homecoming competition. The all-
male dorm has dominated the
Homecoming Queen contest for the
past three years with a block vote
from the whole dorm.
Brower has explained several times
the method for selection of Homecom
ing Queen was set up differently in
order for more girls to participate. In
the past, pictures of the contestants
were posted and students voted; thus,
providing a Homecoming Queen bas
ed solely on popular vote. The new
format contains three ways of ac
cumulating points: free throw
shooting, toga contests and popular
vote.
The Interfraternity Council voted
UNC( "cowgirls” riding high on "Blazing Saddles Day," one of many
Homecoming activities.
to boycott the Homecoming Queen
competition for several reasons. Ac
cording to Jim Twining, a member of
the Kappa Sigma fraternity and pre
sent at the Interfraternity Council
meetings, the fraternities were in the
middle of rush and were busy enough
trying to get together their floats.
Twining said besides the timing in
convenience, he did not feel the selec
tion process “was very appropriate."
Brower attended the second Inter-
fraternity Council meeting and accor
ding to Twining, she told the group,
this method would get a “well-
rounded” girl as Homecoming Queen.
Twining disagreed with this reason
ing and said he thought the
Homecoming Committee could
“come up with some other criteria.”
Interfraternity Council members
told Brower after the meeting the
reason for not supporting the
Homecoming Queen competition was
“they did not have ample time."
When told the fraternities were
unhappy with the entire Homecoming
Queen process, Brower said, “This all
comes back to the fact they didn’t
listen ... they missed the main in
tent."
“They (Interfraternity Council) told
me things were fine and the only pro
blem was there was not enough
time," Brower continued. She was
happy with Interfraternity Council’s
decision to form a committee to study
alternative ways to decide Homecom
ing Queen.
Third House Sanford’s petition ex
pressed a similar sentiment for the
selection of Homecoming Queen. Ac
cording to Kay Cloninger, a resident
of seventh floor Sanford, during a
house meeting last Sunday, there was
a very strong feeling the process
“was very downgrading for the peo
ple involved.”
Of the girls from third house who
were talked to (none of whom wished
to be named) all said the change was
just too radical. One said, “I think
changes need to be made, but not the
ones that were made. Homecoming
should be very special. . . having girls
dress up in togas is a letdown ... I
was real disappointed.”
No one was available from Moore
Dorm Council to comment on their
decision to boycott the Homecoming
Queen contest. According to Gary
Collins, president of Sanford’s Dorm
Council, Drew Conrad, president of
Moore Dorm Council, told her of the
council’s decision.
The feeling among the Homecom
ing Queen contestants however is this
is good for them. They feel the choice
will be fairer and haven’t minded the
different contests. Most agreed,
however, the most difficult part was
“walking out in front of those people
with togas.” '
Job hunting: the best ways
of finding suitable employment
By Kathy Espin
Seniors looking for employment
this spring are having a difficult time
in today’s job market.
Dr. Leonard Goodman of the
Counseling Center said the job pic
ture has not changed much this year
from last. He said students in accoun
ting, business, engineering and
medical services are having better
luck finding jobs than those majoring
in humanities or education, but he
said students with a "B” average or
better in any area are more
employable than those with averages
under a 3.0.
Employers also consider job ex
perience and involvement in campus
activities, Goodman said. “They like
to know a student has done more than
just play around for four years."
Mildred English, director of Place
ment Service, said students need to
be active in their job search. She said
students haven’t shown much in
terest in interviewing for jobs this
semester. Burlington Industries is
scheduled for interviews on Feb. 2
and is looking for employees from any
major but so far only one student has
signed up.
Goodman stressed the importance
of starting job hunting early. He said
seniors who have not already started
looking for jobs this spring should
contact the Placement Office as soon
as possible. It takes the average per ¬
Beauty reigns in UNCCs Homecom
ing “Klinger's Beauty Contest."
son, who is not presently employed,
124 days to find a job. It takes most
people who have jobs 80 days to find
a new job.
“The late 70’s is very different from
the early 60’s. In those days anyone
who had a degree could get a job. Now
people have to be more assertive in
their job search,” Goodman said.
The Counseling Center sponsors
workshops to “help students put
themselves in a job seeking frame of
mind so they are prepared for the
game of job hunting,” Goodman said.
English said seniors who are willing
to relocate find the job market open.
“We have a number of school systems
for example who are looking for
education majors, but they have to be
willing to relocate,” English said,
“but everyone can’t teach in the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg system."
English said the starting salaries
last year ranged from around $9,600
per year for teachers to $14,275 per
year for engineers. Wages are ex
pected to be about the same this year.
Goodman suggested 15 reasons
why people do not get jobs. They are:
1. Lack of proper career planning-
purposes and goals ill defined.
2. Lack of knowledge of field or
specialization-not well qualified.
3. Inability to express himself clear
ly-
(continued on page 3)