Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Nov. 13, 1975, edition 1 / Page 6
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Editor's notebook Engendering reaction Since last spring, the Daily Tar Heel has attempted to take gender out of certain nouns and phrases in order to move away from age-old stereotypes that these words embody. The reaction from readers has been mild, inconoclastic, humorous and sometimes saddening. Words like "spokesman,' "chairman," "craftsman" and "salesman" reflect a time in which these roles were filled mainly by males. At that time, these words served a valuable purpose. Today, as more and more females assume these positions, the masculine gender nouns are no longer appropriate. We could, of course, call females "spokeswomen" and the like, while calling men "spokesmen," etc. But such usage implies that gender is a necessary descriptive element, which it is not. And so we have used the neutral suffix "person" in cases where traditional usage employs "man", and we have tried to use "he or she" where traditional diction requires only "he." We do not change the words used in direct quotations or columns and letters because these represent the expressions of individuals and not the expressions of this newspaper. We are inconsistent in this policy for our own copy only in error or in use of such institutionalized terms of government and academia as "alderman," "congressman" and "freshman." Perhaps even these uses will yield to changing times. Why would a newspaper that attempts to appeal to all segments of the University community and Chapel Hill, and not just to the feminist segment, take upon itself the burden of reforming the English Cole C. Campbell Editor Batty (tor mn 83rd Year of Editorial Freedom E. Bryant Phillips Bates: kicking a dead horse C'mon Bill, 1 thought it was supposed to be a column on the comptroller bill. Instead we get another attack on Mike O'Neal. And the sad part about this attack is the obvious frustration out of which it was launched. Once again the firing of O'Neal must be justified to you, me, anybody who will listen as if Bates is trying to justify it to himself. But this time Bates is kicking a dead horse in the disguise of an attack on a legitimate issue. As a former member of Bates' executive staff, I had no idea that I would ever feel compelled to answer Bill's charges against Mike, but I have read them too often to let them go by for the hundredth time. Granted Mike O'Neal is political. He has always been political and he most likely will always be political, but this same political stance seemed worth defending when Bates fought to have O'Neal confirmed as the student body treasurer. This "fair weather friend" attitude can be seen again when Bates charges O'Neal with making the treasurer's office a political one by lobbying. Lobbying by O'Neal was fine when Bates asked for such political action, which he did more than once, but when this action goes against the wishes of the president, the office has become occupied by a political power monger and the house should be cleaned. Another important point about this issue Thursday; November 13, 1975 language? And what right does a newspaper have to assume that burden? Newspapers are first and foremost a news and opinion medium; but they are also a medium of social change. Newspaper diction has often affected everyday language usage. For example, newspapers were among the first media to stop hyphenating "today" and "tomorrow," and newspaper ommission of commas before the word "and" in a series of words or phrases ("red, white and blue") is now generally recognized as equally legitimate as the more traditional usage ("red, white, and blue"). Like every other user of the language, v newspapers are continually involved in helping language evolve to meet the new demands of new eras. The crazy result of the new policy has been a great deal of resistance from certain readers, surprising in a town not known for that kind of conservative, traditional reaction. Several columnists (including some on our staff) and letter writers have played the game (made fashionable by the Reader's Digest about five years ago) of applying "person" or some derivative in every conceivable contorted fashion, reductio ad absurdum, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. One reader has written that he deplores the new editor simply because of the use of genderless nouns; a former CGC committee chairperson threatened never to speak to a DTH reporter until the policy changed. He even offered to go to the Pit one day during a change of classes and prove that he was a "chairman" by an appropriate anatomical display. He hasn't yet, but we'll take his word! Such are the risks of modern journalism. Jim Grimsley Managing Editor Greg Porter Associate Editor Jim Roberts News Editor Robin Clark Features Editor Susan Shackelford Sport Editor Barnie Day Projects Editor Joyce Fitzpatrlck Graphic Arts Editor of O'Neal lobbying against Bates' BSM stance is the fact that Bates never approached O'Neal through the entire affair and discussed another alternative to freezing or his belief that the matter should be handled another way. In fact, not a single member of the executive staff was aware that the funds were to be unfrozen until ten minutes before it was announced in the pit. And the decision to unfreeze the funds was not reached by Bates himself until representatives from the BSM came to his office and politely informed the president that "if the funds are not released, we're going to take them." I state this from first hand experience because I was present in the president's office when the session took place. So not only was O'Neal not aware of Bates' stance on the BSM, the entire executive staff was not really sure what Bates would do, though we all had an idea, i By the way, I know Bates never approached O'Neal to discuss his disagreement with the handling of the BSM case because 1 was a member of the executive staff from before the time the funds were frozen in the summer through the time they were unfrozen in the fall. Another of Bates' big points is the fact that' O'Neal approached Supreme Court Justice Ponder and offered his opinion that she should resign her post. I find it rather hard to believe that O'Neal Frank Stritter union Accepting the assignment of writing on the issue of "publish or perish" is a particularly frustrating assignment for me due to my career of teaching faculty members about the, instructional process, both as a faculty member in the School of Education and as a faculty and or instructional developer in the School of Medicine. Although much lip service is paid to teaching as an important and integrated component of one's university responsibilities, very few faculty members ever have any formal educational experience in the science of teaching. Teaching is apparently viewed by those in 'a position of authority as an intuitive process in which every teacher is automatically proficient just because he is a distinguished faculty member in an institution of higher education. In addition the complexities of the evaluation process make any assessment of teaching very difficult, to say the least, the difficulty and the time involved in assessment helping to convince those responsible to accept the most efficient methods in assessing one's contribution as a faculty member. Therefore, the length of one's.personal bibliography has become an element of that assessment out of proportion to the other equally important aspects of one's faculty role. I have had an opportunity to work with many young faculty members who are willing and eager to devote significant time to developing, implementing and evaluating their instructional responsibilities which would insure fulfillment of those responsibilities in a superior fashion. The pressures of having to produce in a laboratory, however, or otherwise generute some original scholarly contribution nearly always seem to take precedence. If I had one day's salary for every time I have heard someone say, MI would like to spend more time developing my teaching skills or designing a good course, but I just don't have i To the editor: I have found myself deeply concerned with Mr. John Brayton's (DTH letters to the editor, Nov. 11) difficulty in scraping the drool from his chin, I did not realize that Southerners were so afflicted with drooling naturally, I am equally hopeful that he shall now manage to scrape the fungus from his tongue. It is humid here. 1 deeply sympathize with the terrible trauma his provincial sentiments must have suffered in Noo Yawk. Being from a place where the entire athletic department mimics the behavior of the fabulous goony bird when some fool desires to be queen for a day (the goony bird, when frightened, flies faster and faster in increasingly tight circles, until his head gets crammed up his ass, and he crashes), Mr. Brayton must have had difficulty relating to the cultural life of an Eastern University. Yes, I do concede that culture has trickled south of the Throngs Neck Bridge. North Carolina is justly proud of her Californian musicians, her East-coast actors, her mid western writers and poets; and yes, the Great White Southern Virgin is virgin no longer. In fact, she's got an all-night-stand going at the Town Hall, hurry John, there's a spot in her heart, and a place in line, 'specially for you. Eric Kraus Graduate pharmacology student Facts on the escort service To the editor: Dave Whittington's letter concerning the Campus Escort Service and my "relationship" with it deserves some straightening out. Setting aside Dave's personal attack, the facts are as follows: (1) In Spring, 1974 in campaigning for RHA would state that his opinion was on behalf of the executive branch. But even if, a big if, I might add, that were the case, Bates found out about the incident when O'Neal told him about it. Now if the treasurer were going to operate illicitly behind the president's back, then why would he discuss his actions with the president? Also, Bates never mentioned this issue as a valid reason to fire O'Neal throughout the entire controversy. Now if this is Bates' second of two major reasons for firing O'Neal, it seems unlikely that this would not even be mentioned to the members of his staff especially during the two hour meeting of the entire executive staff on the O'Neal issue. From the time I walked in Suite C through the time I was Bill Bates' executive assistant, I never once heard a mention of the Supreme Court justice issue. And let me assure you that many hours were spent in serious' conversation between Bates and myself on the O'Neal firing. So if Bates must kick a man when he is1 down, then he should at least kick him for valid reasons and not out of the frustration brought on by a crumbling administration. E. Bryant Phillips is a junior journalism major from New Bern and former executive assistant to the Student Body President. time," I would be a rich man. I also feel that the results ef many scholarly endeavors make a somewhat dubious contribution to the professional world. This is not true of a significant percentage, but there are probably just as many papers which are redundant or make no contribution. The perceived need for seeing one's name in print has resulted in the creation of many new journals over the past several years which publish second rate efforts. This is true in my field and, although I cannot speak for other disciplines, I can predict that similar things have happened elsewhere. Publishing in those journals that are a waste of time, however, still add to one's bibliography the most important component of one's tenure credentials. Teaching and research are not necessarily in conflict. I find myself to be more stimulated and interested when I continue to learn, which I do by developing and writing about new ideas or problems that 1 study. In addition, I can develop those ideas in a more coherent .and organized manner by expressing them in writing. 1, therefore, feel that there are probably very few brilliant teachers who never publish. I also feel that there are teachers who do a bad job in the classroom, not because they are bad teachers but because they know that bad teaching is not penalized in any formal way. We know that we have a limited amount of time and energy, and that in terms of professional achievement, there is a greater payoff to spending it in research than teaching. It does seem to. me, however, that the "publish or perish" or "research or teaching" dilemma is or could be a false one. Perhaps the two could be happily married within the university. Most administrators would report that that is now what happens, but those of us involved in the system or striving for promotion know otherwise. Teaching is often adjusted to the exigencies of research, but research is seldom shaped by the President, 1 advocated a continuation of the Campus Escort Service and promised I would fight for funding for it if elected. I would be more than happy to show Mr. Whittington a copy of that platform. (2) In the Spring, after my election, I successfully sought and received funding from the CGC for two work study students to coordinate and recruit people for the escort service. I would be happy to show Mr. Whittington a copy of the RHA budget for that year. (3) After assuming office in Spring, 1974, 1 reappointed Mr. Whittington as co-head of the Escort Service, not out of any personal fondness of him, since he was a holdover from the previous RHA administration, but in fairness to him and out of a desire for continuity. Mr. Whittington has already attested to his holding such a position. (4) In September, 1974, I assembled the Housing Department's report on the Escort Service plus 1 asked for a report from the co director Dennis Highfill on the operation of the service prior to my taking office. It should be noted that the Campus Escort Service had already become defunct upon my taking office. A check with DTH articles on the service at the time will confirm this. (5) In my first meeting with Dave in September, I asked him to prepare a job description for the work study students to submit to the Student Aid Office and to also prepare posters for the service. I encouraged him to use his own initiative and ideas. A check with the Student Aid Office will reveal I did indeed pursue with them the job description for such work study students. (6) Finally, Dave, after repeated Tequests, failed to either submit a final draft of duties of the escort service or design a volunteer poster. In fact my suggestions to him on the subject stayed on a desk he used for weeks in the RHA office. (7) I left office as RHA President the first week in October. After that 1 know the Escort Service was not revitalized. 1 had 1 - " ' " ' " " """"" ' ' teaching, Publish or perish? ...or teach? Fourth in a five-part series experience of teaching. On the other hand there are some instances in the School of Medicine, for example, where faculty members have been promoted for other than their research records or bibliographies. This means that there are some administrators willing to recognize that there are other ways of contributing to and being successful in the academic world. Those who are valued as teachers, even though . their original scholarly contributions are not great, should still be rewarded. It would be folly to adopt the reverse where every teacher would participate in the teaching workshops which 1 conduct or be required to have outstanding student evaluations of their teaching to receive faculty rewards. Those who want to be good teachers should be allowed to study teaching and be good teachers and those who want to write should be allowed to do that. Most would combine both skills adequately. There should, however, be a place in the system for been told that there was some disagreement within RHA over whether or not to use the paid work study students for fear it would destroy the "volunteer" concept, whatever that meant. (8) Finally, Betsey Jones, my successor as RHA President, was criticized in numerous DTH stories for failing to continue the efforts we had begun, and she promised throughout her term that action was just around the corner. It never came and the funds I and others had worked for for the Escort Service were never even spent. Publicly and in reality 1 was a strong advocate for the Escort Service. Then and now such an idea has many inherent obstacles including the infeasibility of acquiring the large volunteer manpower needed to operate the service. Finally, I must agree with one of Dave's statements: that he is "basically disorganized. ..and reasonably happy that way." It seems regretable his shoulders aren't broad enough to accept his own shortcomings without conveniently laying them on someone else. Mike O'Neal Pritchard Ave. Snobbery at UNC? To the editor: 1 have often strongly protested the allegation that UNC is a spawning ground for snobbery, but I am tempted to give up the fight when I hear or read such remarks as those expressed in Ralph Ellis' letter of November 11. I do not wish to attack Mr. Ellis personally, however, because 1 now believe his comments are indicative of another of those infamous syndromes which seem so pervasive at Carolina that which for lack of a better phrase, I will call "socioeducational ethnocentrism". Sufferers AO IL1??-, 1 'START GETTING THEIR NAMES, VASpUEZ' I j? J s Qi I s.bb those individuals who can perform only one of those functions in a superior manner. I feel strongly that faculty members should not be required to take higher education courses or workshops in university teaching. Neither the sessions that I now teach in those areas nor the participants would benefit if faculty members were required to participate. Conversely those who were interested for intrinsic reasons could find a number of such resources to analyze and improve their teaching skills. John Henry Cardinal Newman in his classic reference on university education. The Idea of a University, w rote, "the University is a place where inquiry is pushed forward and discoveries verified and perfected. It is also a place where the professor becomes eloquent." I would hope that the university would begin to allow for greater diversity in the contributions of its faculty, permitting one to excell in either one of Newman's university characteristics. To aid in this fight there are many foundations, such as Hazen, Danforth, Kellogg, and Carnegie, and national associations, such as the American Counsel on Education and the American Association for Higher Education, which have placed a high priority on and prov ided support to university teaching in recent years. Many universities have begun to design faculty development programs and centers. And of course there are always the students who are very good at assessing quality teaching and the type of learning that kind of teaching facilitates. Indeed, even though my comments have been somewhat pessimistic, the climate appears to be favorable for change. I hope that Carolina will be willing to change and let that marriage between teaching and research be possible. Frank T. Stritter is an associate professor of education, specializing in family medicine. of this maladv commonlv feel that four years .in Chapel Hill is second only to divine revelation and approbation in establishing a person within the highest echelons of society. Students at almost all schools are generally proud, as indeed they should be, of their schools' academic and athletic achievements. At UNC, however, this sense of school pride seems to have developed into a sense of arrogant superiority. Many students at Chapel Hill feel that their school is the epitome of academia, athletics, and above all, class. If someone utters, "UNC definitely has class," beware; that person is likely a victim of socioeducational ethnocentrism, and like all ethnocentrisms, this one is highly contagious, for it is tempting to try to make yourself look good by criticizing others. This arrogance could perhaps to a degree be justified if it were conclusively show n that the student body at UNC does indeed have more class than other student bodies. My personal and admittedly unscientific observations and experiences have indicated, however, that neither the possession nor the lack of class is limited to any particular campus. At the Carolina Maryland game, for example, my date (who goes to N.C. State) was hit in the head, albeit unintentionally, with a bottle by a very inebriated (classy?) Tar Heel fan. When I sat with my date in the State student section at. the Carolina-State game at NCSU (which Mr. Ellis labels as a school with no class at all), I sensed an air of intense rivalry among the well-behaved fans, but not of vehement hatred, as I had expected. I even felt safe enough to occasionally stand and yell proudly (but not too loudly), "Go Heels!" Come down from blue heaven, Ralph. UNC is still in the real world. Tom Lock 1005 Morrison
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Nov. 13, 1975, edition 1
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