THE RIDGERUNNER
VOL. 6, No. 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE SEPTEMBER 23, 1970
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Theatre (INC-A Looks Ahead
The U.N.C.-A. theatre
will present three major
productions this year. They
will' be given during first,
third and fourth terms in
the Student Center
Auditorium. During the
second term the class in
play production will present
a series of one-act plays in
the coffeehouse, stated
Professor Arnold Wengrow,
new director of the
University Theatre.
The first play produced
will be The Physicists by
Friedrich Durrenmatt, a
Swiss writer. The setting is a
mental institution, with the
patients and the hospital
staff as principal characters.
Observing the main actor, a
“mad” physicist the
audience will be posed the
question — Is he insane, or
quite sane. The physicist is
there because he believes
himself freer in the hospital
than in the outside world. A
suprise ending awaits those
who come to see this play
produced on October 22,
23, and 24.
Although drama and a
drama major were listed in
the 1968-69 and 1969-70
university catalogs, it has
been almost three years
since a professor was here
to offer the courses.
Professor Wengrow faces
the task of building interest
in drama, teaching courses,
developing major offerings,
as well as presenting
productions.
“Gaining student interest
and participation is the
biggest need and challenge
facing the drama program,”
said Wengrow. Professor
Wengrow stated that he
hopes for ideas and
suggestions from students as
to the development and
growth of drama on this
campus. He wants to serve
this campus as an outlet for
artistic expression as well as
offering a laboratory
experience for his students.
Although enrollment in
drama is light this term, it is
hoped that students will
provide a large turn-out as
an audience. Professor
Wengrow looks for
increased participation
throughout the year in
helping to direct the
department’s growth and to
aid its development as an
integral part of the liberal
arts curriculum
Library Begins Clieckpoint System
$12,000. lost in books
last year alone dnd
complaints from students
and faculty alike have
prompted a change of
policy for the D. Hiden
Ramsey Library. A
checkpoint system has been
installed to curb the
mounting number of books
being stolen from the
Library.
Under the new policy, all
persons leaving the Library
will be asked to present all
materials they are taking.^
All briefcases, bags and
parcels will be inspected, by
a checker.
Since December of 1966,
the date of the first
inventory, the Library has
suffered a loss of 2,924
books, many of which are
out of print and
irreplaceable.
Last year, a faculty
Senate motion was begun
asking Chancellor
Highsmith to begin studies
for a system to curtail the
losses. Under the
chairmanship of Dr. Gene
Rainey, the Library
Committee in conjunction
Library staff,
plan for the
checkpoint
plans were
by the
with the
drafted a
p r oposed
system. The
ratified
administration
The yearly cost of
$7,900. for the two
full-time checkers has been
allocated from the funds
normally used for the
purchases of books. This is
a necessity since the cost of
the new system was not
entered into the budget of
the Library until this last
year. The State Board of
Control will decide on the
increase in February of’71.
If the increase passes, it will
become part of the normal
operating expenses of the
Library.
Mr. Dean Cadle, Assistant
Librarian, was quick to add,
“This isn’t a Library policy;
it is an administrative
policy. It isn’t Dean Cadle
and Ainsley Whitman
instituting a little police
system of their own.”
Other security measures
undertaken this year
include equipping all doors
except the front entrance
with panic emergency locks
Cadle said, “We are five
years behind most of the
colleges in the country.
Some colleges don’t even
trust this system The
University of Tennessee, for
example, still has closed
stacks. Our checkpoint
system is nothing new at
all.”
“We are here to serve all
members of the college as
freely as we can. This
checkpoint system seems
rather contradictory to our
purpose. It is a necessary
evil.”
§
M
The construction of the new science tower is
creating problems. According to Dr. Harry Johnston,
Chairman of the Science and Math Division, “The tower
should have been started during the summer but red
tape and contractors have delayed construction.
Renovations on the main building should be finished by
November and the tower by Christmas.”
Johnston stated that construction underway has
rendered five class rooms useless. Because of the
construction, the University has had to move almost all
Math classes to the Humanities Building, leaving Biology
and Chemistry Departments with the remaining four
usable rooms and three labs in the building.
Presently, approximately 200 students have enrolled
for Biology classes, 130 for Math, 60 for Chemistry and
50 for Physics. The students of Natural Sciences will
have to contend with distracting noise and limited lab
space. According to Dr. Dexter Squibb of the Chemistry
Department, “Its hard to teach a lab without water or
gas. Everything should be furnished by third term. I
hope it could be sooner for the main building because
we are having to operate with only two classrooms so
far.
Boland:
New Socioiogy Major
Playing it by ear was the password for Fall registration ’70 as large numbers of
unregistered new students caused last-minuteadministrative changes to accommodate the
crush. Still, many closed classes resulted, and in many areas, notably lower level required
courses, space is at a premium, compared to past years.
Dr. Walter Boland, new
department head of
Sociology stated that the
new department hopes to
develop a variety of courses
and experiences relevant to
the student. The
department hopes to
increase students’ analytical
abihty in studying human
behavior by involving them
in various roles and
experiences outside of the
classroom.
With two new members
in the Sociology
department, much
discussion is taking place
regarding revisions in course
offerings, major offerings
and possible re-ordering of
pre-requisites, announced
Dr. Boland.
As in most of the Social
Science departments higher
degrees in Sociology are
usually required tor
specialization in the field,
said Boland. 'A.M.A. in
Sociology is usually
necessary for industry,
government, teaching,
H.E.A., N.I.M.H., or as a
state social worker, with a
Ph.D. fast becoming a
necessity for both research
and teaching.
The Sociology
Department is especially
interested in re-vamping its
introductory course, so that
it will not be the traditional
survey. It is hoped, Boland
said, that majors and
interested students will
offer suggestions and aid in
these revisions. Especially
important for Sociology,
emphasized Boland, is a far
greater stress on the
off-campus experience and
field work.