serving the students of the University of North Carolina at Asheville,
Volume 2, Number 5
Thursday, February 24, 1983
McDonald expresses worries
Alcohol consumption causes concern
The volume of alcohol consumed
on campus is a major concern to
those responsible for planning and
directing student activities accor
ding to Dr. Eric lovacchini, vice
chancellor for student affairs.
lovacchini said, “Ninety percent
of the offenses on campus such as
vandalism and assaults are alcohol
related. ’ ’
Sharyn McDonald, student cen
ter/activities director, said, “We
have trouble that is alcohol-related
at every dance. At the last three
dances holes were knocked in the
men’s room and at the last dance a
hole was knocked in the ladies’
room.”
McDonald said she, program coor
dinator Jerry Richman, and a securi
ty officer are present at the dances.
The security officers are hesitant to
work singly because of the problems
they are encountering at the dances.
McDonald and lovacchini em
phasized that it is a minority of
students involved. However,
McDonald said, “it is the mind of
some college students that college
means partying, drinking and seeing
how high you can get. The rate of
alcoholism of college students is
staggering.” lovacchini pointed out
that the problem is not unique to
UNCA, but is nation wide.
Both administrators see an in
creased sense of responsibility on
the part of the students as the key to
the problem. lovacchini said, “We
must find a reasonable balance be
tween having alcohol and not having
it at all. Students must act like
adults and be responsible.”
McDonald said, “Drunken be
Student Activities Director Sharyn McDonald says the high drinking
figures concern her and other administration personnel.
havior and drinking and driving can
not be tolerated. Drinking is a
socially acceptable thing to do. We
want to try to set things up so
students can have a drink and have
a good time but still be responsible.”
The alcoholic beverage policy of
the university allows beer and wine
to be served at university functions.
However, the university does not
have a license to sell beer and wine
so it must be “given away,” accor
ding to McDonald. The beverages
served at functions sponsored by the
program board are purchased with
student activity fee money. Each
keg of beer costs $38.
McDonald said, “We usually have
three to four hundred students at
our dances. We have found that
seven kegs of beer are sufficient. A
keg will pour 200 glasses. Recently
we purchased five kegs of beer and
four cases of wine. Wine is a more
sophisticated drink and people tend
to drink it more slowly. Of course
we serve soda for those students
who don’t drink beer or wine.
Students are also allowed to bring
in beer^and wine McDonald said.
“The alcohoUc policy at UNCA is in
credibly loose compared to other
schools,” she said.
A committee of faculty, staff and
students is being appointed to look
at the present alcoholic beverage
policy and see how UNCA compares
with the other 15 institutions that
make up the state university
system.
In preparation for the study,
McDonald has contacted the 15
Universities to determine their
alcoholic policies. She said,
“Western Carolina allows no alcohol
at parties and dances in the student
center. UNC-Wilmington uses no
fee money to purchase alcoholic
beverages. Students may bring in a
six-pack of beer or one bottle of
wine.”
The new drinking laws being pro
posed in Raleigh are a major concern
to McDoiiald. If Gov. Hunt’s dram
shop proposal passes, the university
would be liable for any damages
caused to property or people as the
result of a student leaving a univer
sity sponsored function intoxicated.
continued on page 8
Selective services requires registration
By John Edwards
As if there weren’t enough to keep
the folks in the financial aid office
busy. Congress has added another
bureaucratic burden to their heavy-
laden shoulders, according to
Carolyn McElrath, director of finan
cial aid.
Effective July 1, 1983, a recent
amendment to the Military Selec
tive Service Act will be im
plemented, which reads in part;
“...beginning with the
1983-84 award year, any ’
student required to
register with Selective
Service who fails to do so
is ineligible for...student
financial aid.”
What this means to the people in
the financial aid office is another
mountain of paperwork with which
to contend. What it means to
students, specifically, “men who are
at least 18 years old and born after
December 31, 1959,” is that they
can’t get financial aid unless they
can prove they have registered for
the draft.
The registration process is easy
and takes very little time. The pro
cess only takes a few minutes at any
U.S. Post Office by picking up and
filling out the blue and white Selec
tive Service System Registration
Form (SSS Form 1) and showing
identification and the completed
form to the postal clerk.
Within 90 days, the student will
receive a Registration Acknowledge
ment Letter (SSS Form 3A or 3AS).
This letter will be used to verify
registration before the student can
apply for financial aid.
Signed into law by President
Reagan on September 8, 1982, the
amendment will virtually affect all
students on college campuses across
the nation. Though a final regula
tion has not been published by the
Department of Education, and
details of implementation of the
amendment are still “up in the air,”
McElrath says the amendment will
cause a network of paper chasing
within all departments throughout
the educational institutions.
Since details are still pending as to
exactly how the new law will be im
plemented in the future, McElrath
emphasizes the fact that registra
tion for the draft will determine a
student’s eligibility for aid in the
coming summer and fall terms. “The
Department of Education has pro
posed a ‘statement of compliance’
which all students will be required
to sign, whether or not they are eligi
ble for the draft,” she said.
The present law allows educa
tional institutions to opt whether or
continued on page 8