Kaleidoscope
serving the students of the University of Nofth Carolina at Asheville
Volume 1, Number 11 Thursday, November 18, 1982
(INCA track removal issue still running hot
By Elise Henshaw
Controversy continues to grow
over the, proposed removal of the
UNCA track and the installation of
a multi-purpose outdoor recreational
facility.
Dr. Russ Reynolds, athletic com
mittee chairman, says, “The deci
sion to destroy the track, made sole
ly by the administration and the
director of athletics without con
sulting the athletic committee, not
only will deprive both present and
future students of ever having a
track team, but it will also deprive
these students of ever participating
in a scientific physical fitness pro
gram.”
Another faculty member express
ing concern over the proposal is Dr.
Ileana Grams of the philosophy
department. She says the UNCA
track “is the best in the area and the
only soft surface track. There is no
way we would ever get such a good
surface again.” Grams agrees with
Ed Harris that “we need more play
ing fields,” and that from his view
point as athletic director, this is
probably the best plan. However,
she adds, “Although the decision
might seem correct now. I’m not
sure the factors will be weighted the
same way in three years. We need to
look into the future.”
Grams says she believes the most
important consideration is to deter
mine who the recreational facilities
are primarily designed to serve. “If
it is only the dorm students, then
the plan is probably the right one. If
we wish to serve the whole universi
ty community, I would have doubts.
And if our concern is the present and
future university community and
the' whole Asheville community,
then the decision tips in favor of the
track.’1
Dr. Walter Boland of the
sociology department and former
chairman of the athletic committee,
says he does not believe inter
collegiate baseball will catch on at
UNCA. “If this is one of the
primary reasons for destruction of
the track, then I would have reser
vations.” Boland feels the two lane
track provided for in Harris’ pro
posal is not comparable. “The track
needs to be four, five or six lanes.
Another important consideration
says Boland iis that “the track is one
of the best pubUc relations assets
the university has. Approximately
50 to 100 joggers from all over use
the track daily. If the track is
destroyed, the support base of the
university in the larger community
will be weakened appreciably.”
Grams also sees a problem with
the two lane track. When the
weather is good, the number of run
ners using the track, “can create
traffic jams.” She emphasizes that
the track is used seven days a
week,year-around, no matter what
the weather.
Grams and Reynolds both believe
the Kellogg Foundation Award to
UNCA of $592,000 to develop a
health promotions program is of
great significance in the decision on
the fate of the track. Says
Reynolds, “With the award now a
reality, and with the accompanying
programs in health and physical
fitness, the regulation track is a
necessary facility that should be
saved. Our students, both the ones
on campus now and the ones who
will be here-in years to come, should
have a scientifically devised facility
to train and test a physically fit
body if they want to.”
“The only way you can really test
people for cardiovascular fitness is
by having them run either one and
one half miles or 12 minutes over a
measured distance,” says Grams.
“If you don’t have a measured flat
surface, you cannot do fitness
testing.”
Dr. William Bruce, director of the
health promotions program, sayS he
hopes through the program “to en
courage running and other life long
exercise. Running is a superb car
diovascular exercise. It can become
a life long sport for many women
and men. We will be doing some
fitness testing as part of the class.
“We have ten percent of the
American public involved in run
ning. We could easily have ten per
cent or more of our student body
running, many of them every day.
This would be as many as 150 run
ners a day. The campus needs to ex
pect this.” Bruce says there is a
definite need for a running facility
on campus. However, for his pur
poses, he could utilize the track in
the Harris proposal.
Several students questioned
about the proposal favored the idea
of intercollegiate baseball on the
UNCA campus. Freshmen David
Britt and Kileen Justice said they
thought the new facility was a good
idea and that they would attend
baseball games. Britt said he
believes the proposed cross country
track program will be successful as
“there are a number of students
from local high schools who have
run cross country.”
Marty Johnson, a junior, says he
feels most people would like to see a
baseball team on campus. “I
wouldn’t mind seeing some good
baseball games. I love baseball.”
Johnson said the track is in bad
shape and that he recently hurt his
ankle running on the track.
Junior, Helen Hipps says, “We
need more facilities to serve the
number of students we have.” She
agrees with Harris that “there is no
other place” to locate the proposed
facility.
continued on page 8
No, this is not a scene from the “Mad Tea Party.” It is a scene from “The
Dinner Party, one of the dance/theater pieces the Marcia Plevin Produc
tions Dance Company will present Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. in Lipinsky
Auditorium. See related story page 6.
Kaleidoscope open house
The staff of the Kaleidoscope in
vites all UNCA students, faculty,
and personnel to an open house Nov.
22 and 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the
newspaper office, CH230.
The office is open Monday for
anyone interested in seeing how and
where the newspaper is produced.
Tuesday’s open house is especially
for those students interested in
working on the Kaleidoscope next
semester, or taking the Publications
Workshop for credit.
Allison Whitt, editor, said, “We
waiit to have the opportunity to
have the office open so students can
come in and see how the Kalei
doscope functions.”
Whitt, along with staff members,
will be present to answer any ques
tions pertaining to the newspaper.
All suggestions and comments con
cerning the Kaleidoscope are also
welcome.
The staff will demonstrate layout
and paste-up of the newspaper, and
reporters and editors will answer
any questions anyone may have con
cerning their jobs on the
Kaleidoscope.
The Kaleidoscope needs writers,
photographers and advertising
salespeople for next semester.
Anyone interested in working in any
of these areas is urged to attend the
open house. Refreshments will be
served Monday.
There will not be a Nov. 25 issue of
the Kaleidoscope because of the
Thanksgiving holiday. The staff
wishes everyone a Happy Thanks
giving!