8 The Daily Tar Heel Friday. February 8.
1980
David Stacks, Editor
Michele Mecke, Managing Editor
Michael Wade, Associate Editor
Gary Terpening, Associate Editor
Martha Waggonex, News Editor
Eddie Marks, University Editor
Carol Manner, City Editor
Kathy Curry, State and National Editor
Reid Tuvim, Sports Editor
Susan Ladd, Features Editor
Laura Elliott, Arts Editor
Andy James, Photography Editor
D i nit A James, Weekender Editor
For editor, Shadroui
It takes hundreds of man-hours to produce each issue of The Daily
Tar Heel. Every article in the newspaper is the work of a writer, a desk
editor, a copy editor, a layout editor, a typesetter, a proofreader, a paste
up artist, a composition editor and a pressman. The efforts of more than
150 students and professionals from five separate staffs business,
advertising, editorial, composition and printing come together to
bring you a newspaper five days a week.
Accordingly, the editor chosen by the students to marshal these
efforts must be competent in each aspect of the newspaper's operations.
He must be able to instill the motivation, tap the talent and provide the
direction necessary to make things go. But above all else, the editor must
be a leader who is unafraid to find fault with the newspaper and work to
correct its shortcomings.
Of the two candidates for editor of The Daily Tar Heel, we believe
George Shadroui is better-prepared to recognize the problems the
newspaper faces and provide the leadership needed to make the
publication more responsive to the needs of students and the University
community.
Shadroui has had extensive experience as a staff writer, assistant
managing editor and associate editor for The Daily Tar Heel. He has
reported news events, supervised the composition staff, overseen the
mechanics of putting the paper together, analyzed issues and written
editorials. He has been in close contact with the business and advertising
staffs to acquire a working knowledge of the financial side of the
newspaper. And as a reporter for the Salisbury Evening Post during the
summer of 1979, Shadroui covered local politics, features, spot news
and community activities. There is little to be done at a newspaper with
which Shadroui is unfamiliar.
The other candidate for editor, Ken Roberts, also has a newspaper
background. As a sports writer for The Daily Tar Heel and the Chapel
Hill Newspaper, Roberts has seen how newsroom decisions are made
and how personalities mesh to solidify the tone of a newspaper. At the
Chapel Hill Newspaper, he has written and edited sports and news
stories, and laid out pages. Through his work at the Chape I Hill
Newspaper and The Daily Tar Heel, Roberts has demonstrated a solid
commitment to the field of journalism.
It is true that Roberts seems capable of performing the most basic
duties required of the editor of The Daily Tar Heel. But because of
several significant differences in how he and Shadroui view the scope of
problems the editor must deal with, we believe Shadroui is the better
choice.
For example, Roberts says he would like to eliminate the headlines in
the News In Brief column. By doing so,he says the paper can make space
for two or three more national and international news stories each day
without disturbing the campus-oriented nature of the newspaper.
Shadroui, on the other hand, recognizes that The Daily Tar Heel
continues to have difficulty adequately reporting activities on the
campus. While Roberts looks to adjust the graphic style of the paper to
make more space for national stories, Shadroui has pledged to expand
the staff of reporters assigned to cover the University something
seemingly in accordance with the idea that the primary mission of The
Daily Tar Heel is to seek out campus news aggressively and protect
students' rights with firm editorial stands.
There are other instances of Shadroui's superior focus on how the
newspaper should strive to serve the students: Roberts says that one of
the first things he would do as editor would be to learn about the
business and advertising operations of the newspaper. Shadroui,
already well-versed in the paper's financial concerns, says he would take
steps to monitor problem drop boxes with an eye toward changes that
would improve the distribution system.
In short, George Shadroui is more than capable of guiding this
newspaper during the course of the next year. He would bring to the
editorship a rare combination of talents that few of his predecessors
have had. He recognizes The Daily Tar Heel's strengths and would strive
to keep them. But he also recognizes the weaknesses of the paper and has
his own ideas on how to make it more responsive to student needs. We
believe he is the better choice for editor.
Alas, to court again
Student Body President J.B. Kelly has chosen correctly to veto a bill
passed by the Campus Governing Council Tuesday night that calls for a
constitutional referendum to overturn the results of Tuesday's Graduate
and Professional Student Federation-sponsored referendum. The
referendum Tuesday, which passed by more than a two-thirds majority,
gives the federation control of 15 percent of the student activities fees
paid by graduate and professional students at the University.
Kelly's choice is correct because the council has no authority under
the Student Government Code to arbitrate election disputes. That
power recognized by Kelly but not by the council clearly lies with the
Elections Board, and several council members since have admitted they
acted improperly Tuesday night.
Both Kelly and certain council members have suggested that the
Tuesday night action points to what might be an unfortunate anti-graduate-student
sentiment on the council. One council member said
the decision to call for a counter-referendum was a hasty, panicky move.
We agree, and we also lament the fact that politics were allowed to usurp
reason Tuesday night. Many council members are adamantly opposed
to guaranteeing the federation 15 percent of graduate students fees;
having consistently opposed the referendum in this space during the past
several months, we can understand their feelings. But we cannot
understand why responsible, elected student officials succumbed to
panic and haste a faltering step which bolsters the federation's
contention that malice toward the graduate and professional student
population does indeed exist on the council.
The Elections Board certified the referendum results Thursday
afternoon; the complaints the board considered defacement of
campaign posters, political solicitation within 50 feet of a ballot box and
misrepresentation of an election issue did not, in the minds of 10 board
members, materially affect the outcome of the voting. But the board's
certification is not final; a public hearing will be held at 7 tonight in Suite
C of the Carolina Union to contest the board's decision. In addition to
reviewing the three complaints considered Thursday, the board will be
faced with a variety of complaints filed after the certification charging
irregularities.
Whatever the Election Board's finding after tonight's hearing, the
dispute is destined to be settled in the Student Supreme Court
according to recognized constitutional procedures. It is perplexing,
though, that for the second time in two years, a student body election
will not be decided by the voters.
i T ft
latly
(Bar nnl
87th year of editorial freedom
letters to the editor
'DTH'
To the editor:
With "CGC action could cancel effect
of grad referendum," (DTH, Feb. 6) as
my most recent (but by far not most
complete) source of information on the
issue, I've learned that a referendum has
just passed in the Campus Governing
Council to counter the 15 percent
referendum initiated by the Graduate and
Professional Student Federation and
approved on Feb. 5. 1 can only guess that
someone really didn't want the 15 percent
clause in the CGC constitution and
managed to have the vote requiring a
two-thirds majority scheduled before the
CGC elections, leaving sufficient time for
the CGC to make their countermove
requiring only a simple majority.
Because graduate and professional
students generally are more involved
academically than undergrads, 1 think
time is more at a premium for the former
than for the latter. So, in short, 1 would
prefer to see some funds, should they be
needed, ready and waiting rather than
having to spend additional time
politicking and petitioning for them.
To the Daily Tar Heel editorial staff, I
would like to say a sarcastic "thank you
for the Feb. 6 issue. Don't look now, but
you just may have greased the wheels for
the eradication of the 1 5 percent clause by
failing, in the front page headline and
article, to make one thing clear: The
amount to be allotted annually to the
GPSF is 15 percent of fees collected from
graduate and professional students alone
and not from the entire student body.
This 15 percent is money that graduate
and professional students otherwise
would not benefit from.
The' DTH through the neglect of its
staff in presenting the issue at hand, has
probably denied me and the rest of the
graduate and professional student body
any more returns from our fees. And
because this money would be used for
journals, conferences and guest speakers
as well as an annual departmental social
gathering, we are thereby denied a higher
academic professional standard as well
as a higher, healthier morale.
Carl E. Baribault
x Department of physics
Gee whizzzzz, fellas!!!
To the editor:
I just want to thank those guys who
were throwing snowballs at everybody
who happened to walk by vVilson
Library on Feb. 6. Gee whiz fellows, it
was just like the good old days in
elementary school. It sure was funny
when all those people would go by,
minding their own business, and all of
a sudden.. .wham! Especially the ones
who got hit upside the head. And
when some people bothered to fight
back, it was really neat the way you
guys hit them from all sides.
The show was so entertaining I was
hoping the campus police would come
by and see for themselves what fun
loving and young very young at
heart people you all are. And even
though I called them three times, they
never did show up. I guess they just
don't know a good show when they
hear about one.
Jack Gardner
3-B Kingswood Apartments
To the editor:
At about noon on Feb. 6 in front of
'DTE' editor
should keep
open mind
By KEN ROBERTS
At one of the more than half-dozen
forums I attended, someone asked the
candidates for student body president,
"What do you see as your chief limitation
and how do you hope to compensate for
it?"
It's an important question, and what
became evident was that none of us really
wanted to step down off the soapbox for a
moment and admit to shortcomings.
That's too bad. We're learning too early
how to play politics the way our parents
and our parents' parents learned to play
them.
Even though the question wasn't
addressed to me, 1 chose to answer it. My
answer was that since I had been writing
at the Chapel Hill Newspaper the last 18
months, my direct dealings with The
Daily Tar Heel had suffered. I went on to
say that the experience I gained with the
town newspaper writing sports and news
as well as doing deskwork more than
compensated for this problem.
There's something else 1 would like to
add to that: Being aware of the problems
afflicting the DTH is one thing; to allow
these problems to serve as upper limits on
progress is another. To allow the
problems to serve as limits is to transform
the effect into the cause what once was
the problem now perpetuates the
problem.
If you elect me Wednesday, you'll find
you have an editor with a mind open to all
possible avenues of solution. I won't be
prejudiced by previous editors answers
which can cloud the path like a dense fog.
This year is an important year. In a
standing lawsuit against the University,
the DTH stands to lose its student activity
fee support if the verdict goes against
coverage clouded GPSF issue
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Dcrk blot
To the editor:
1 was shocked upon reading "CGC
action could cancel effect of grad
referendum," (DTH, Feb. 6). At a
university long noted as a bastion of
political freedom, the Campus Governing
Council has attempted an oligarchic
grab for power by placing a referendum
to rescind the newly adopted Graduate
and Professional Student Federation
funding amendment on Tuesday's
campus election ballot. This ploy is a
dark blot on the reputation of the CGC,
which prides itself on representing the
interests of the students.
The interests of the students in this
matter have been clearly indicated the
Wilson Library, a large group of
"men" were trying to display their
machismo by throwing snowballs.
There is nothing wrong with a
snowball fight if the opposing parties
agree on and participate in the fight.
But if the people indeed started the
fight in this manner, it degenerated
into a bombardment of uninvolved
pedestrians.
A man in his 50s walking in front of
me was smashed in the side of the head
by a snowball. What did the assailant
then do? Did he apologize? No, but his
raucous laughter was Only
temporarily muffled as his brain fell
out of his head through his mouth.
People may argue that this kind of
conduct is expected from some
people. Most children I know have
more sense than to carry on like these
barbarians. They know that their
targets would not retaliate.
I hope this letter is printed, but
those who need to read it most likely
cannot read.
Eric Beck
Village Green
Ken Roberts
UNC. The DTH will be working with a
very different board of directors all but
one member will be leaving this school
year. The DTH, like newspapers across
the nation, must deal with production
cost increases which far overshadow
revenue increases gained through
increased advertising rates.
Whether there are solutions is difficult
to say. I would like to think there are. But
for sure, there are avenues which have yet
to be explored.
Truth of the matter is, I'm not going to
become editor because I want to. I'm
going to become editor only if you want
me to. I've been told by both the current
DTH editor and by the current student
body president that "the campaign
organization" is what wins or loses an
election.
The choice is yours. M ake an intelligent
choice. You've seen the small newspaper
I've used for campaign literature.
Understand that I can provide creative
leadership, understand that I'm aware of
the problems plaguing newspapers
everywhere and understand that 1 am the
candidate the DTH needs.
Now go vote, wouldja?
Ken Roberts, a senior history and
journalism major from Charlotte, b a
candidate for editor of The Daily Tar
Heel in student body elections
Wednesday.
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GPSF funding amendment passed by
more than a two-thirds majority.
However, the guaranteed GPSF funding
represents a loss of the CGC's
appropriation power by $18,000.
Consequently, the CGC represenatives
assumed the attitude that they, rather
than the students, know what is best for
the students and adopted the recall
referendum because of alleged voting
irregularities. Would the CGC have
adopted a similar referendum if the
GPSF funding amendment had failed by
65 votes?
To restore a sense of dignity to the
CGC, Student Body President J.B. Kelly
should veto the recall referendum. If no
veto should occur, I urge UNC students
to show the CGC representatives that we
want the CGC run ethically and in the
interests of the students, rather than in
the interests of a few power-hungry
individuals.
Robert Eugene Eplee Jr.
1429 Granville West
'Down Home' not nebulous
To the editor:
In Bob Royalty's review, "Singing
redeems 'Home'," (DTH, Feb. 1), he
assesses Down Home, the musical-drama
produced by Lee Greene, as a nebulous
mixture of impressionistic flashes and
historical narrative! Perhaps it is hot the
play that is nebulous, but Royalty's
knowledge and understanding of black
art and history.
In the African village scene, Royalty
refers to the white-sheeted figures as
"either ghosts or klansmen." It doesn't
take a Harvard professor of history to
figure out that they were ghosts, because
the Ku Klux Klan didn't enter American
history until 1866 after the
Emancipation Proclamation, when
slavery theoretically came to an end. He
also states that "songs popped up out of
nowhere." First, musicals cease to be
musicals when there are no songs.
Second, all the songs were related
thematically to the sections in which they
were sung. And to say that "Everybody
Newspaper
a reflection
of the editor
By GEORGE SHADROUI
I will not fill this space with my
campaign platform or a detailed account
of my experience at The Daily Tar Heel
and the Salisbury Evening Post. All of
this information has been reported in the
DTH and my campaign literature or has
been discussed at dorms, fraternities and
sororities I've visited and at various
forums. Instead, I would like to discuss
from a philosophical and idealistic
viewpoint what I believe the DTH and,
in particular, the editor's role on this
campus should be. Such a discussion is
worthwhile, because the DTIfi future
will reflect the goals and philosophy of
the editor.
The DTH editor must first be capable
of performing his essential tasks: keeping
the newspaper running smoothly,
facilitating staff relationships and
deciding the news and editorial content of
the paper. Yet an editor who merely goes
through the motions of putting out a
newspaper will eventually find his job, his
staff and the paper becoming stale and
meaningless.
As associate editor, assistant managing
editor and a staff writer at the DTH, 1
have learned to deal with the daily
problems inherent in the newspaper
business fast approaching deadlines,
bruised egos and numerous other minor
crises. Being able to meet these situations
calmly and confidently is essential to
being an effective editor, particularly
because once the kinks and mechanic of
putting out a newspaper are ironed out,
the editor and the staff can focus on a
more idealistic and satisfying goal
providing a newspaper that matters to the
students, the administration and the
state. William Faulkner once cited the
Rejoice" had no connection with the rest
of the play gives me all the reason I need
to charge Royalty with a warped
understanding of Down Home.
Down Home is an outline of black
history. The songs, dances and music
blended rather nicely to present the
desired theme, and I resent strongly
Royalty's assessment of the play as
"ridiculous treatment of a serious theme."
Royalty chose to critique a subject about
which he apparently knows little. If this
problem should present itself again,
perhaps he should put forth a little extra
effort to ask someone who knows.
John Slade
212 Mangum
Saunders the logical choice
To the editor:
On Feb. 13, the UNC student body will
vote to select a fellow student for an
important position student body
president. Exactly how important this
office is depends upon the person who
fills it.
The president should present the
opinions of all students strongly and
fairly. He should know the problems
facing UNC in the future and know how
to work for solutions. More importantly,
he must have the experience and expertise
to work with the administration for our
interests, making an effort to survey
student opinion and discover problems
when they arise. Should a president who
cannot fulfill these criteria become
elected, all students will suffer.
After carefully reviewing the
candidates' platforms and capabilities, 1
see that one candidate rises above the
others. That candidate is Bob Saunders.
Before voting, please consider how
important this office is to you. Weigh
each candidate's ability to fill this office.
Then, vote for Saunders the only
logical choice.
Eddy Camp
Governor
Morrison Residence College
1 1
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George Shadroui
DTH editorial page as the voice of
intelligent and sensitive racial attitudes.
Then, and now, the DTH could make a
difference.
A newspaper that fails to meet its
primary task that of reporting fairly,
objectively and accurately newsworthy
events--loses the respect of the students
and the entire University community and
the opportunity to serve successfully as a
watchdog of student concerns and
interests. The contrast between going
through the motions and actually being
an effective editor may seem a fine
distinction to many students, but within
the DTH office, the difference is
tangible and it eventually will be
reflected in the quality of the newspaper.
The DTH is destined to become what
Mark Twain would call a dog with no
teeth if the editor does not demand
excellence from his staff, command
reipect from the entire University
community and, in turn, respect the
DTH role on the UNC campus. It is a
role of serving University needs,
reflecting student concern and action
and stimulating intelligent divcuwion of
issues and ideas.
George Shadroui. a serin hiuory and
journalism major from Salisbury, is a
candidate for editor olhc Daily Tar
Heel in student body elections
Wednetday.
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