10The Daily Tar Heel Thursday, November 10, 1988 Sty? lailg Sar Mm 96 th year of editorial freedom ' Karen Bell, News Editor MATT BlVENS, Associate Editor KlMBERLY EDENS, University Editor JON K. RUST, Managing Editor ' Will Lingo, city Editor Kelly Rhodes, Arts Editor CATHY McHUGH, Omnibus Editor SHELLEY ERBLAND, Design Editor Jean Lutes, Editor KAARIN TlSUE, News Editor LAURA PEARLMAN, Associate Editor KRISTEN GARDNER, University Editor SHARON KEBSCHULL, State and National Editor MIKE BERARDINO, Sports Editor ' LEIGH ANN McDONALD, Features Editor DAVID MiNTON, Photography Editor KELLY THOMPSON, Design Editor Don't be lulled by statistics UNCs Affirmative Action Office has released some encouraging statis tics in its November report: black students make up more than 13 percent of this year's freshman class, a 2.8 percent increase over 1987. And a report issued in late October by the Southern Regional Education Board confirms that the UNC system has increased black student enrollment more than any other state system in the South during the past decade. . But while these numbers indeed indicate a job well-done, the job is far from complete. At UNC-CH, black undergraduate enrollment remains (inly 8.8 percent, the number of black faculty members is embarrassingly low and the number of black graduate and professional school students is actually on the decline. Efforts should be focused on two areas: recruitment and retention. Active recruitment, as indicated in the recently published figures, has paid off. But this should not be limited to undergraduate admissions. We must vigorously pursue qualified minority faculty and graduate students if we want them to come here. The Univer sity cannot just sit back and expect the situation to correct itself without effort. Retention of minorities must become a priority. The University must welcome these students and provide the necessary resources to keep them. On several occasions, administrative inaction has caused minority students to question the University's commitment to their needs. For example, the apparent reluc tance of administrators to name a replacement for Hayden Renwick, who left his position as head of the Office of Student Counseling in January, has left a negative impression on many minority students. Also, the proposal for a new loca tion for the Black Cultural Center (BCC) has met with considerable resistance. The center is unquestion ably inadequate, and shamefully meager when compared to black cultural centers at similar universities. UNC and the entire UNC system have made considerable strides in minority undergraduate recruitment. But administrators can't stop here. By taking steps to improve recruitment and retention, the University can attract and keep qualified minority undergraduates, graduates and faculty. Louis Bissette Opening an account at the sperm bank Lining up against democracy The popular description of it was "prehistoric." Democracy was ill-served Tuesday when eager voters-to-be met not with campaigners but with hundreds of other voters, all waiting in line. But with the antiquated pen and paper ballot voting system manned by overworked volunteers who hadn't had a break since 6:30 a.m., what else could be expected? With a possible all-time high of 65.7 percent voting in Orange County Tuesday, lines were impossible to avoid. But why all precinct transfers in Chapel Hill and Carrboro were sent to the same voting site is a complete mystery and it caused complete chaos. Nearly everyone who changed res idences within the last year was in the line that would not end at the Chapel Hill Police Department. In a town of college students, moving every nine months is a near-certainty. Even students who moved one-half mile from their previous apartment com plexes probably unknowingly moved into a different precinct. When students who had moved found out at 6 p.m. Tuesday that they had to vote at the police department, they were greeted by a three-hour wait. People who had come with a group left in shifts to do laundry and pick up food and coffee; some even had pizza delivered to them in line. It's a good thing they didn't plan on getting home in time for dinner would-be voters were still waiting in line at 10:30 p.m., more than an hour after ABC TV had proclaimed George Bush the president-elect. According to the Orange County Board of Elections, only 553 people voted at the police station. A spokes woman attributed the wait to the paperwork necessary for transfers (about 10 minutes per person) and the lack of workers (there were only four). But the biggest and most tragic result of the incredibly long line was that people were turned off and turned away by the wait. Most students are very busy, and those who had exams on Wednesday could not afford to stand in line in the dark for three hours. And many people simply saw no reason to wait so long to vote when . the election was supposed to have been decided already. Before next election year, the Board of Elections should consider how many local registered voters will have to transfer into a different precinct. By the 1992 election, there should be a better system. Voting machines, more polling volunteers and even relief workers for lunch and dinner breaks would help alleviate the problem. And separate transfer sites are needed for Carrboro and Chapel Hill. Maybe then voters will have only the candi dates to complain about. Sandy Dimsdale Bring budget problems here Every year, student groups line up Xor a piece of the student fees pie. In 'marathon budget sessions, Student Congress members examine each group's budget request and dole out .'student fees. It's a grueling, thankless Job. :. But many of the student leaders palled before the congress have made valid complaints about how the budget hearings are handled. For example, some say that congress members spend too much time on digressions and frivolous debate; that they have been woefully uninformed about the func tions of groups; that they are often unfamiliar with their own rules; and that they show a lack of respect for individual student groups. . The congress has recognized the widespread dissatisfaction with the budget process and is looking for recommendations to improve it. To that end, the Committee for Fair Funding has been formed to discuss flaws in the appropriation of student This isn't just another do-nothing committee. Much time and effort will go into this attempt at reform. Most of the committee's members have extensive experience with the budget hearings; some have been outspoken critics of the process. Student leaders and anyone with complaints about the budget process have been asked to bring their insights to any of three public forums sponsored by the committee. The first forum was held Nov. 7, and in keeping with current on-campus trends apathy reigns turnout wasn't anything to write home about. The committee will meet to hear student concerns again on Nov. 13 and Nov. 18. Student groups should bring their complaints to at least one of these sessions. Leaders have an obligation to their organizations to smooth the way for their successors. And the committee will not be able to solve problems that it does not know exist. Matt Bivens l he parking ticket I received last week put me in such a financial bind that it seemed the only way I could survive the rest of the month would be to go on the Mahatma Ghandi Diet. There was no doubt about it, I needed money. I had made the mistake of borrowing money from a guy twice as big as me who goes simply by the name "Mammal." If I didn't get the money to him soon, I'd be receiving the benefits of the Jimmy Hoffa Scholarship. One by one I went through the want ads, hoping I could find something that would accommodate my schedule. To make a long story short, nothing that promised quick cash panned out. Except the one that read, "Sperm Donors Needed." Could I? Would I dare? I was a desperate man. I called in for an interview. Fearing it was customary for them to trace the line, I called from a gas station outside Orange County, using a low, cut-throat Jamaican accent. All in all, I handled the conver sation pretty well. Except I told them my name was Donald Trump (it was all I could think of). After I hung up, I realized I had forgotten to ask if they had a witness protection plan. I didn't know a thing about the process and wanted to know what I had gotten myself into. But who did I know who had done "IT"? Perhaps I was being too dramatic; maybe it wasnt such a taboo subject after all. I decided I would casually bring it up over dinner with a few friends: "I cant believe Reid's hurt," said one. David Ro well Pardon Me "Yeah" I said. "WeVe got Bucknall, though." . "Ever sell any sperm?" I haven't seen much of my friends lately. And so the day arrived. I was nervous, slightly queasy, and all I could think of was that little seven-year-old boy on stage playing a pumpkin, my mother waving at me the whole time. Soon I would be on the Oprah Winfrey Show with a black bar over my face. When I got inside, I took off the face toboggan and went to the desk. "Trump," I said."I had an appointment." "Ah yes," the nurse said skeptically. "Mr. Trump. If youH come back here." "Are you crazy?!" I yelled. Then I saw she just meant for me to follow her. At this point, I was completely incoher ent. In fact, it seemed to me harmless enough to ask just what method they would be employing for the process. The nurse just looked at me, then rummaged through a drawer and handed me a recent issue of "Swank." "Take your time," she said closing me up in a five foot radius of crepe paper curtains. I had so much on my mind. What did all this mean? Would a curly headed kid with a keen sense of humor be banging on my door in a few years, demanding I buy him a computer? Or, on the darker side, would my deposit go to the special effects department at Hot Flesh Studios? I felt faint. Besides all those questions, there was a more pending matter at hand. I looked down at the plastic container with the name Trump taped on it. "Gee" I thought. "Such a big container. You could serve Kool-Aid in this thing." I had never done such a thing, and in fact, the only "M" word you could use to describe me would be a reference to my occasional migraine headaches. "How can I just give some strange lady my sperm?" I thought. "Couldnt I at least take her to a movie first?" Couldn't I donate something easier, like an arm or' a brain? Then I heard someone settle in next to me. There was a nurse's voice: "Back so soon?" she asked. "You're getting, to be a regular." "My God," I thought. "They're giving out memberships." I had to get out of there. Carefully I tiptoed through the complex, until a nurse stopped me. "Can I have your sperm?" she asked me. I looked at her in terror. "NEVER!" I ran out, not stopping for miles. My mother would be calling soon, and to myself and to her, I could still be that little pumpkin" that forgot his line. Anyway, the day wasnt a complete loss. I kept the magazine. David Rowell is a senior R TV MP major from Fayetteville. Readers9 Forain Threats are pre-pubescent To the editor: I used to break into places and write messages on the walls. I also used to threaten people in order to convince myself that I was tough. But all of this took place when I was in elementary and junior high school, before puberty hit me. I sure hope these activist haters reach puberty soon. CERO GRANDE Junior Political science Blind can use ushers To the editor: I am responding to Ste phanie Embry's letter ("Cater to blind students," Nov. 3), which suggests that the UNC Athletic Association adopt a policy to enable blind students to receive an extra ticket with their athletic pass. I am also a handicapped student, and although I am not blind, I agree that everyday activities can be difficult, if not impossible. However, I do not support the idea of a free extra ticket for blind students (or any other impaired student). The privilege of attending football and basketball games is not free for UNC students, as Embry stated. Athletic passes are paid for through portions of student fees included with tuition. My suggestion for all impaired .students in this type of situation is to contact the Handicapped Student Services in the Student Affairs Division. Having worked with them for four years, I know they do an excellent job accommodating students with handicaps or referring them to appropriate sources. It is also possible to contact personnel at Kenan Stadium or the Smith Center. I have found they are willing to make arrangements for handicapped students, enabling them to enjoy Carolina sports. For blind students, the solu tion may be as simple as meet ing an usher at a predetermined kTI 'MALT BEFORE WWII MOC; y A Riddle, in ENGLISH! location and being escorted to a seat near the usher's assigned station. Thus, if assistance is needed during the game, the usher would be close by. This would fulfill the need for an escort and would not take the tickets which UNC students have paid for. There is no reason to deprive blind students (or any other physically impaired student) the means to attend a football or basketball game. However, until other possibilities have been investigated, there is no reason to deprive UNC stu dents of their tickets because it was the most convenient solution. LISA SCHIERMEIER Senior Medical technology Plant rocks To the editor: I'm not at all surprised that Mike Berardino ("Plant's onstage charisma can't hide aging voice," Nov. 8) was disappointed with Robert Plant's concert on Sunday night: after all, he did go to see Led Zeppelin, didn't he? I suppose he wanted so badly to see L.Z. that he missed the billing: "Robert Plant with Joan Jett." IH forgive him that. What I cant forgive him is the way he panned Plant for his solo performance. Mr. Berar dino criticized Plant for mate rial which was produced any where from nine to 20 years ago. Of course he doesnt sound the same: he shouldnt have to. Personally, I thought Plant looked and sounded great. No one seems to be able to let Robert Plant be an artist in his own right, even though he is a very talented and compe tent artist with a sound all his own. Berardino even goes so far as to say, "The Plant of 1988 is more popper than rocker, as evidenced by ... Now and Zen.n Okay, admittedly one or two songs from Now and Zen have been ruined by the teeny bopper crowd, but if given an intelligent listen, the album is a well-crafted piece of art, as are all of Plant's solo efforts: Solid Rock. Led Zeppelin is dead. Long live Robert. Let him be. I think his L.Z. covers were great, but I would have been just as satisfied if he'd left L.Z. com pletely out of the program. I went to see Robert Plant, and my expectations were more than fulfilled: I dont know what Mike Berardino went to see, but I feel he expected the wrong thing. TODD HALL Senior RTVMP Bust the Domino's trust To the editor: Marriott'sdecision allowing students to use their meal cards to order pizza is a good one. But Marriott is being extremely unfair to Chapel . Hill's other pizza places by giving Domi no's exclusive rights to this market. All pizza places should have this opportunity. BRIAN COULTHARD Freshman English Letters policy The Daily Tar Heel welcomes reader comments and criticisms. When writing letters to the editor, please follow these guidelines: R All letters must be signed by the author(s), with a limit of two signatures per letter. B Students should include name, year in school, major, phone number and home town. Other members of the University community should include similar information. a Place letters in the box marked "Letters to the Editor" outside the DTH office in the Student Union. UNC and the CIA scorn accountability A s a member of the Carolina Com- mittee on Central America who is XJparticularly concerned with the threat to democracy posed by the Central Intelligence Agency as it now exists, I welcomed Edward West's op-ed piece on the "truly guilty party" behind most illegal CIA actions ("Pointing fingers at the truly guilty party," Oct. 31). I would like to clarify, however, a point he left unclear. West notes that the CIA is not a "rogue elephant" pushing its own independent agenda, but rather has usually been acting under direct orders from the president, who uses the organization to circumvent legal restrictions and the democratic conduct of U.S. foreign policy. I think most of those opposed to the decision by UNC's admin istration to invite the CIA here and offer them active support in their recruitment search understand this. The real issue for me isn't whether or not the CIA is an "arm" of U.S. policy; the real issue is the complete lack of accountability to the American public that the CIA, as it is presently constituted, enjoys. This lack of account ability is a direct threat to our country's future, even more so if it extends to the Todd Morman Guest Writer offices of our elected officials. No one, I suspect, is naive enough to suggest that the U.S. should not have an organization whose task is to provide accurate intelligence (gathered in secret) to legal, accountable government bodies. This is not what the CIA is. Almost from its start, with and without orders from above, the CIA has been directly involved in illegal coups, assassinations, bombings and election-meddling. This is not news, of course, but I will happily provide an extensive bibliography to anyone who wishes to see the sources. Until Congress and the Executive Branch act to bring the CIA , within the boundaries set by the Constitution, I object to its existence and its cozy relationship with UNC's administration. One more thing. Accountability is a problem here at home, too. The admin istration's refusal to even consider, pub licly, a change in their policy is an insult to the student body. Lately, it seems that insulting the student body has become something of a pasttime for UNC admin istrators, so I dont expect this to change. It would be nice, however, to. see Chan cellor Hardin, officials at the Career Planning and Placement Office and members of the Board of Trustees at an educational forum sponsored by the Carolina Committee as part of UNC's Human Rights Week. Ex-CIA agent Phillip Agee will be speaking on Thursday, Nov. 17, in 100 Hamilton at 8 p.m. All are welcome to attend, regardless of position on the CIA, to listen and ask questions (the CIA has refused, by the way, to debate; the Committee asked). This may be the most significant event this semester involving the question of the CIA; I wonder if any administrators will think it's important enough to attend. Todd Morman, a graduate student on leave, is from New York City. i
