THE RIDGERUNNER VOL. 5, rsJO. 14 THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE May 27, 1970 NEWS BRIEFS; DORMITORY INNOVATIONS On Monday, May 1, the dornnitory residents of UNC-A attended a required meeting to discuss changes in the existing food plan and possible innovations for the coming years. The food plan decided upon allows the student to make £ choice between two different arrangements. One plan offer: the student fourteen meals foi seven days. The other plan offers fifteen meals for five days of the week, both for the same price the changes were initiated ir response to an earlier meeting oi the same nature in which students requested greater variety and flexibility in the food plans. W in Memoriam UNC-A students gathered May 6 on the quadrangle at a memorial service for the four dead Kent State students. Over 300 colleges and universities across the nation were reported closed or striking in the aftermath of violence at Kent State. POPULATION STABILIZATION "Population Stabilization”, an information agency for the WNC area began organizing its first meeting May 11. According to Bob Kelso, one of the first organizers, PS is ''designed to be a community-oriented organization to educate Asheville and the surrounding areas to the critical effects of over population. We are trying to stabilize the population in order to overcome the underlying factor of all environmental problems, too many people." The idea for Population Stabilization was the result of a project in Ecology for a Social Science Seminar. Ken Wright and Bob Kelso began the project and both expressed hopes that PS would continue into next year. Kelso said "We're going to try to get financial aid from the Administration and maybe the SGA." He added that the group wants to begin programs that will perpetuate themselves because the problem is a large one and will not be solved in twenty years, much less one. PS has already begun an effort to inform the community by sending letters to many of the churches in the area. Any students, interested in working with "Population Stabilization" should contact Ken Wright or Bob Kelso. Cambodia Bums as an Issue on the Nations' Campuses SHarON, FRICKE, DOSIER NAMED IN PRESIDENTIAL CONTESTS Campus disorders and strikes closed more than 300 colleges and universities following protests of President Nixon's Cambodian action of May 5 and 6. The protests reached explosive intensity with the killing of four Kent State University students by the National Guard. That weekend, Washington D. C. was the scene of mass protests and non-violent demonstrations. On the UNC—A campus. May 6 was the day for a memorial service for the four Kent State students. Beginning at noon, the service consisted of several prayers by local clergy, some singing, and a smattering of speeches. The service, > organized primarily by Tom Silva and John Lipscomb, lasted a little less than an hour with a turn out numbering upwards of a hundred students and faculty. Readings from the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and "Revolution Against War" by Robert S. Hartman, constituted the bulk of the speech making. The purpose of the service was non-partisan. It was a memorial service dedicated to the dead at Kent State. On a national scene, President Nixon was quoted as saying, "This should remind us all once again, that when dissent turns to violence, it invited tragedy". Investigations were unable to substantiate whether sniper fire actually precipitated the Kent State incident or not. Student strikes were called nationwide by the National Student Association and many other arouDS. An information center set up at Brandeis University set the number of striking universities at over 300. By the next week, however, the number had dropped to half. A statement released by the NSA said, "Mr. Nixon is asking for silent support of h'is new policy. But while the war continues to destroy our country, we cannot remain silent. Mr. Nixon's coalition of silence will be defeated, not by students alone, but by a new coalition representing all segments of the population, a nationwide coalition of conscience." On several campuses, suits were brought against the administrations by students protesting the closing of the schools. On' campuses throughout the nation, opinion is badly split. Wayne Shelton, Steve Fricke and Frank Dosier were elected class officers in the class elections for UNC-A Thursday, May 14. Shelton, a Senior Philosophy major from Asheville was named Senior President after a run-off election Friday. The first balloting for that post had left Shelton and Gene Ochsenreiter tied for the presidency. Leigh McBride, a Spanish major from Columbia, S. C. was elected Senior vice-president and Mary Lorraine Campbell, Economics major of Asheville was named Senior secretary. Both ran unopposed. In the Junior Class, Stephen J. Fricke of Jacksonville, Florida won the presicency while Mike Zimmer of Evansville, Ind. and lars Petersen of Sparta, N. Y. took the places of Junior vice-president and secretary respectively, the latter officers also unopposed. Sophomore class elections left Frank Dosier of Asheville as president, Mike Rogers as vice-president and Jackie Napoli as secretary, again the last two ran unopposed. ^ Freshman class elections will be held a week after the J beginning of first term next year. SHELTON FRICKE DOSIER