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10The Daily Tar HeelFriday, January 29, 1988
latlu
afar nni
95th year of editorial freedom
JILL GERBER, Editor
Amy Hamilton, Managing Editor
SALLY PEARSAli, News Editor
KRISTEN GARDNER, University Editor
KlMBERLY EDENS, University Editor
SHARON KEBSCHULL, State and National Editor
Leigh ann Mcdonald, aty Editor
MIKE BERARDINO, Sports Editor
FEUSA NEURINGER, Business Editor
HANNAH DRUM, Features Editor
Elizabeth Ellen, Am Editor
Charlotte Cannon, Photography Editor
CATHY McHUGH, Omnibus Editor
Put candidates on financial aid
board
opinion
Though some,
find April the
crudest month,
January is
undoubtedly the-
nardest to endure. The thrill of new
classes wanes, cold fronts redden the
ars, and we begin counting the days
to spring break. But suddenly, like a
miracle, we find ourselves inundated
with smiling faces professing the
curious caption "VOTE FOR." These
campaign posters spawn and multiply
in a human presage of Spring.
; Though we may marvel at such
novel graffiti, little do we think of what
$uch posters cost. And the hefty
expenditures equal to a semester's
tuition ensure only competitiveness,
pot victory.
j Spending limits do exist. Candidates
(pT student body president and Daily
Tar Heel editor can spend no more
than $400, plus $200 more if they are
iji a runoff.
' But for the student unendowed with
disposable income, such costs are
significant, even prohibitive. As a
result, the financially well-to-do
possess an inherent advantage in such
elections.
A bill passed Thursday night by
Student Congress' Rules and Judiciary
Committee seeks to open up the
electoral process by reimbursing half
the campaign expenses of all SBP
candidates who receive at least 10
percent of the vote in next month's
election.
The reimbursement money
roughly $800 to $1,000 would come
from the Executive Branch, which
receives student fees allocated yearly
by the congress. The executive branch
would ask congress for more money
to fund the project.
The most obvious response to the
problem would be to limit spending,
perhaps to $200 a candidate. But such
a limit would significantly decrease
campus awareness both of the candi
dates and the election as a whole, and
few students vote already.
Another potential objection to the
bill is that candidates are aware of the
costs when they run and would receive
a stipend if elected. But the stipends
provide little more than a part-time
job would, although the offices require
50-hour weeks.
Finally, it seems odd for Student
Government to justify spending $1,000
on such a program when many organ
izations must claw for every dollar
during the budget process. Yet the
program would be an investment in
the system, an attempt to broaden
concerns and strengthen existing
positions for the benefit of all
constituencies.
Some may suggest that if it's not
broke, don't fix it. But the threat of
going broke in a bid for campus office
is a festering sore in the student body
that this proposal can easily heal. Let
the gaggle of Babel babble, and the
voice that emerges will be stronger.
The new breed of greediness
Question 1: Which are important
reasons to attend college?
a. to become a more cultured person
b. to gain a general education
c. to improve reading and study
skills
d. to make more money
If you're like many freshman college
students polled last fall by the Coop
erative Institutional Research Pro
gram, you probably chose answer "d."
Out of the 209,627 responses to the
poll, 33 percent desired to become
more cultured people, 60 percent
wanted to gain a general education,
and 40 percent valued their reading
and study skills.
! "To make more money" was the
dear frontrunner of these, chosen by
71 percent of the freshmen. Only "to
get a better job" was more popular,
with 83 percent. But after all, a better
jpb leads to more money.
: So it seems that the latest "Wall
Street" chant of "greed is good" will
continue out of the TSOs and into the
rfext decade with the class of 91 . Other
indications of the future's corporate
mentality 27 percent of freshmen
intend , to major in business-related
fields, while 25 percent anticipate
careers in these fields. So, at least 2
pfercent of these Gekko-ites will drop
out of the race.
I Maybe with a little persuasion the
converts will join the ranks of those
who intend to teach at a university
level all .3 percent of them. And
that decimal point is in the right place.
Now, there must be a few business
majors out there reading this and
getting mad. "This editorial is manip
ulating figures to make its point! I have
plenty of other interests, and money's
not the only reason I'm here!"
Fair enough, the above figures do
include some overlap many people
want to make more money and also
get a general education. But consider
two yes no, cut and dried questions:
o Chief benefit of college is to
increase earnings? 70 percent agreed.
b Being very well-off financially is
an essential life objective? 76 percent
nodded yes.
Business is not bad. Obviously the
United States needs people to manage
its capitalist system, oversee the buying
and selling of goods, etc. But the
attitude that college is merely a step
toward a higher salary is bad.
If this poll holds true, the Os look
like they'll be at least as materialistic
as the 'S'Os have been. One can only
hope that the members of the next
Budd Fox generation have a better
sense for business than for their own
charisma. Forty percent of the fresh
men rated themselves in the top 10
percent in sex appeal. Brian
McCuskey
The Daily Tar Heel
; Editorial Writers: Matt Bivens, Brian McCuskey and Laura Pearlman.
t Editorial Assistants: Gary Greene and David Lagos.
Layout: Cara Bonnett, Peter Lineberry and Mandy Spence.
I News: Kari Barlow, Jeanna Baxter, Laura Bennett, Lydian Bernhardt, Brenda Campbell, Jenny Cloninger, Staci
I Cox, Laura DiGiano, Carrie Dove, Laura Francis, Amy Grubbs, Lindsay Hayes, William Hildebolt, Kyle Hudson,
" Helen Jones, Susan Kauffman, Will Lingo, Barbara Linn, Steve Long, Lynne McClintock, Brian McCollum, Myrna
I Miller, Rebecca Nesbit, Helle Nielsen, Susan Odenkirchen, Cheryl Pond, Amy Powell, Beth Rhea, Becky Riddick,
Mandy Spence, Christopher Sontchi, Laura Summer, William Taggart, Clay Thorp, Amy Weisner, Jackie Williams
I and Amy Winslow. Mark Folk and Justin McGuire, senior writers. Juliellen Sarver, wire editor. Brian Long, assistant
business editor.
Sports: Chris Spencer and Jim Muse, assistant sports editors. James Surowiecki, senior writer. Robert DArruda,
Steve Giles, Dave Glenn, Dave Hall, Clay Hodges, Brendan Mathews, Patton McDowell, Keith Parsons, Andy Podolsky
i and Langston Wertz.
Features: Laura Jenkins, Jim Mock, Cprin Ortlam, Leigh Pressley, Kathy Wilson and Julie Woods.
Arts: James Burrus, senior writer. Scott Cowen, Stephanie Dean, Kim Donehower, David Hester, Julie Olson, Kelly
J Rhodes, Alston Russell and Richard Smith.
J Photography: Christie Blom, Tony Deifell, Janet Jarman, David Mtnton, Elizabeth Morrah and Julie Stovall.
J -Copy Editors: Karen Bell and Kaarin Tisue, assistant news editors. Cara Bonnett, Carrie Burgin, Julia Coon, Whitney
'j Cork, Bert Hackney, Lisa Lorentz and Sherry Miller.
jl Cartoonists: Jeff Christian and Greg Humphreys.
''Campus Calendar: Mindelle Rosenberg and David Starnes.
f Business and Advertising: Anne Fulcher, general manager; Patricia Glance, advertising director; Joan Worth, advertising
i; coordinator; Peggy Smith, advertising manager: Sheila Baker, business manager; Michael Benfield, Lisa Chorebanian,
V Ashley Hinton, Kellie McElhaney, Chrissy Mennitt, Stacey Montford, Lesley Renwrick, Julie Settle, Dave Slovensky,
r Dean Thompson, Amanda Tilley and Wendy Wegner, advertising representatives; Stephanie Chesson, classified
advertising representative; and Kris Carlson, secretary.
J- Distribution: Tucker Stevens, manager.
J. Delivery: David Econopouly, manager; Billy Owens, assistant.
Production: Bill Leslie and Stacy Wynn. Rita Galloway, Leslie Humphrey, Stephanie Locklear and Tammy Sheldon,
production assistants.
Printing: The Chapel Hill Newspaper.
teadeirs' Forainni
Fraternities deserve support, not scorn
Editor's note: The author is vice pres
ident of Kappa Sigma fraternity.
To the editor:
Once again, UNC fraternities have come
to the forefront of discussion, thanks to
the series of articles that the DTH has
featured over the last two weeks. This
paper displayed its penchant for good
timing again: this time the debate comes
during our spring rush period. After a while
it becomes hard to overlook the ignorance
of this newspaper, especially when it is used
only to take potshots at a respectable
organization. Two articles in particular
have disturbed me: "UNC, town officials
decry fraternities' negative image" of Jan.
14 and the Jan. 21 letter Frat reporting
is fair" by Alex Cousins.
This paper has perpetuated the "Animal
House" myth that frustrates all of our
positive efforts. The public continues to
get an image of us as miscreants, felons
and sloths. Cousins would have you believe
that the way to Fraternity Court is via the
River Styx. As rush chairman of my house,
I have been forced to attack this negative
image. Imagine my surprise when rushees
told me gruesome hazing tales, and that
fraternities are distractions from the more
important pursuits of intramurals and
Student Government. I felt a similar humor
while reading the DTH article on Jan. 14.
It is true that a fraternity has its share
of social outlets; however, it also provides
many psychic and scholarly rewards.
Anyone who has played on an organized
team should be able to identify with the
loyalty and closeness of a brotherhood.
The Greek system builds character and
matures its members. I have seen many
arrogant "country clubbers" humbled. On
the other hand, fraternities have enhanced
the personalities of many introverts and
built confidence in insecure people.
What good are fraternities? My house
visits the Oxford Orphanage twice a year.
Many of these children have developed
friendships, if only superficial, with our
brothers. Last fall we raised almost $6,000
for two charity organizations. The Sigma
Chi Derby Days is also for a charitable
cause, yet non-Greeks probably wouldn't
know that, or even know what it is. The
list goes on, but the local media have no
interest in such a story it is positive
journalism, something no longer respected.
As for the idea that we are lazy, spoiled
people who party more than we study, this
is a gross misclassification of many bright,
ambitious young men who will no doubt
become tomorrow's leaders and trendset
ters. Great numbers of fraternity men
represent us in the political and business
arenas. World renowned heart surgeon
Denton Cooley was a fraternity man, and
yes, girls, Robert Redford was a "fratty
bagger," too. At UNC, Student Govern
ment representatives have traditionally
been Greek. I am willing to bet (oops,
better watch my language) that the
fraternal GPA is greater than the all-men's
average; at least it was in 1985.
I am disturbed by the anti-fraternity bias
that the DTH has shown. Yes, believe it
or not, I am glad that our house was
condemned. It taught us a lesson. I do not
enjoy living in a sloppy house, and that
is why it upsets me that most of the damage
that occurs is beyond our control. Many
of our so-called guests have the idea that
we don't care, so they shouldn't care. At
a recent party we had two fights, a guy
urinating on our carpet and another who
dumped his cooler of ice water behind our
bar. I have encountered people who think
it is our obligation to provide facilities to
hundreds of people at the court parties.
If nudity is so offensive, why do hundreds
of girls applaud a boy who is thrown into
the Granville pool? I was never paddled,
and frankly, I enjoyed being kidnapped by
the brothers it was fun.
My association with the fraternal system
has been very rewarding. Let's not make
this a good guy bad guy issue. We are
students first, and our extracurricular
pursuit is no less important to us than UNC
basketball is to Jeff Lebo. I hope students
will take heed and respect our institution
and support it rather than denegrate it.
CHARLES VOLLMER
Junior
Chemistry
Bush was
bushwhacked
To the editor:
In Jill Gerber's editorial,
("Getting stuck in the sand
box," Jan. 27) she says that "the
most important issue to come
out of the broadcast is (George)
Bush's reluctance to answer
questions about the Iran
contra scandal." As long as the
all-important American public
wants to hear about the affair,
so her argument goes, Bush
should capitulate. All right, fair
enough; he is, indeed, a
politician.
But does it not bother her
that Bush was misled by CBS
as to the nature of the inter
view? Does "integrity of the
press" mean anything to her?
The live broadcast, as Bush
insisted, was to be a campaign
profile, and, on those grounds,
he accepted. We witnessed his
consternation at the fact that
every question focused on the
Iran-contra affair. Gerber says
that "the whole episode could
have been avoided," had Bush
answered calmly. CBS would
have been happy, the American
public would have been happy,
and that would have been that.
But what about Bush? If he had
been informed that the inter
view really was to concentrate
only on his role in the Iran
contra affair, do you think that
he would have accepted? Evi
dently, neither did CBS.
jill McCartney
Senior
English
South Campus
is no prison
To the editor:
It is rare that a simple news
story offends me so much as
the one concerning the new, on
campus housing policies
("Housing director announces
guaranteed housing policy,"
Jan. 25). Yet, as an Ehringhaus
resident for two years, I feel I
must speak out.
A new alternative offered to
returning students who want to
live on campus is to relocate
from wherever they previously
lived to South Campus. In the
article, this fact is referred to
several times and is done so
with a smack of "I'd rather burn
than live there."
I am citing in particular
lowa.
housing director Wayne
Kuncl's words that students
who would agree to live on
South Campus are guaranteed
housing. Do people think we're
fenced in like animals down
here? Why shouldn't anyone be
willing to live down on South
Campus? True, we have a fairly
long hike to class, but there is
a bus that comes to Chase Hall
every 10 minutes or so. We also
have all of the modern conven
iences indoor plumbing,
heat, beds. We even enjoy a
small, yes, an actual conven
ience we're only a few steps
away from both Kenan Sta
dium and the Smith Center.
Why, when I tell someone
where I live, do I receive a
sympathetic glance and a heart
felt, "Oh, I'm sorry?" We who
live on South Campus and like
it would appreciate a bit more
tolerance from our fellow stu
dents who hail from "up
North." If it were not for the
bad Social Security numbers,
we would all live in Cobb, too.
MARIA BATISTA
Sophomore
Journalism Spanish
Flag symbolizes
bitter past
To the editor:
Sunday Spinn and Leonard
Emory, in their letter "Flag
symbolizes Southern pride,"
(Jan. 28) claim that the Con
federate flag is a way of show
ing that the new South should
remember its "heritage" and
"independent spirit." They also
recall the South as having
developed pride and unity. I,
too, am a Southerner; however,
my memories of the South
symbolized by the Confederate
flag are somewhat different
from those described in the
letter.
First, the old South bears
only bad memories for those of
us whose ancestors were bound
into involuntary servitude.
When we begin to think of the
"independent spirit," we are
sidetracked by memories of
whippings, rapes and lynch
ings. You see, our ancestors
were not much into the "inde
pendent spirit," but more into
day to day survival from those
who were so big on "Southern
pride."
Second, when we try to
picture our so-called rich her
itage, we are met with lifelike
visions of our people working
from the crack of dawn until
dusk for less than substantial
rations. You see, while our
ancestors were integral in the
shaping of the South, somehow
it just didn't seem like home.
Third, when you say strong
"pride and unity" developed, I
somehow do not believe that
this pride or unity included my
people. Is it your intention to
have me believe that masters,
neighbors and slaves all joined
hands to sing "Dixie"? Or are
you simply choosing not to
include the plight of those
bound by slavery into your
account of the old South?
You see, the National Asso
ciation for the Advancement of
Colored People is simply trying
to remove a symbol of bon
dage, rape, maiming and
wrongful death. The Confeder
ate flag, while it may bring you
the fondest memories of lily
white painted homes and nicely
hand-plowed fields, leaves a
bitter feeling in my soul.
KENNETH PERRY
Junior
Psychology
Letters policy
H When submitting letters
or columns, students should
include the following: name,
year in school, major, phone
number and the date
submitted. Other members of
the University community
should give similar
information.
We goofed
Thursday's editorial "The
Bell Tower deserves better"
incorrectly said that the Bell
Tower was painted after the
UNC-N.C. State game
Sunday. It was painted before
the game. The Daily Tar Heel
regrets the error.
Poster removal is wrong way to get involved
To the editor:
Yes, as Mary Emma Holleman wrote
("Take voting seriously," Jan. 25), cam
paigns for student offices are getting in full
swing. With the barrage of posters, fliers
and speeches also goes an incredible
amount of work by both the candidate and
his campaign staff.
As a hard-working volunteer for one
candidate, I helped organize a large poster
distribution for Friday afternoon, expect
ing the posters to be in the classrooms
Monday morning. I was extremely frus
trated and infuriated to find that, over the
weekend, nearly every poster of the
particular candidate had been removed
from more than five of the largest class
room buildings.
I could understand this large-scale
removal if all candidates' posters for all
offices had been taken down. Perhaps then
it would have been maintenance workers
who had removed them. However, I
noticed that many, if not all, of the posters
that were up on Friday for the other
candidates were still up. No, this candi
date's posters were not placed in overly
conspicuous or offensive areas, but, in
many cases, among posters that were not
taken down.
These actions show an ignorance of the
"work and effort placed in a campaign by
students. Not only was valuable time given
up by the students to put up the posters,
but these posters also cost money. Can
didates are not given campaign funds to
spend on their elections the money
comes out of their own pockets! Furth
ermore, each candidate has a strict
spending limit. If posters are pulled down
or defaced, the replacement cost of those
posters precludes other spending by a
candidate, and gives his opponents an
unfair advantage.
Of course, those who would rip down
posters probably would not be deterred to
do so again by taking the interests of the
candidates to heart. For those driven by
self-interest, it is also a violation of the
Campus Code to deface or remove posters
or other property of candidates placed in
public areas. A violation of the code can
result in a maximum penalty of suspension,
with repeated violations even resulting in
expulsion.
I am-by no means accusing any indi
vidual. The 'act is done, and with a lot
of late night workthe posters have been
replaced. I urge students if not for the
candidates, then for themselves, to please
not rip down, mutilate or deface campaign
posters. If you hold enough antipathy
against a candidate to act in such a manner,
then get involved in one of his 6r her
opponents' campaigns. Put up posters,
don't take them down.
TREY LOUGHRAN
Sophomore
Political Science
f.
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