The
Volume X, Number 12
Proudly serying the UNCA community since 1982
April 30, 1987
T T j ^ -• Staff Photo—Casey Baluss
Undergraduate research
University of Minnesota student Hwei-Qieng Cho was one of
over 400 participants in the Undergraduate Research Confer
ence. See related story on page 4.
Rash of burglaries
plagues Highrise
By Julie Ball
News Editor
Atmospheric Science
gets new director
By Julie Ball
News Editor
Amid controversy, a search com
mittee has chosen a new director
for the atmospheric sciences depart
ment. Dr. James Heimbach of Mon
tana State University will replace
Dr. Ed Brotak as director of the
program next fall.
Heimbach is currently Research
Meteorologist and Associate Profes
sor of Meteorology at Montana State
University. Heimbach has worked
with weather modification and air
Please See DIRECTOR page 20
Campus police have no leads con
cerning a rash of break-ins and bur
glaries which have occurred at the
Highrise in recent weeks, according
to Arnold Jones, assistant director
of campus police..
"Four out of six rooms on this
hall have been robbed," said fresh
man Popia DebRoy who lives on 1st
North of the Highrise.
The first ^ break-ins occurred April
17, according to DebRoy whose room
was broken into on this date. "They
climbed in through the window," said
DebRoy. "There were footprints all
over the place," she said.
Missing from DebRoy’s room was a
stereo, some tapes and $5. DebRoy
estimated the value of the items to
be $250.
The burglars also took a camera
belonging to Judy McCrary from a
room connecting DebRoy’s. "We
didn’t really miss it for a few days.
She thought one of her friends had
borrowed it," said sophomore Nancy
Ray who is McCrary’s suitemate.
Ray estimated the value of the
camera at $200.
Another burglary also occurred on
April 17, according to Jones. Rhoda
Cates reported some jewelry and
some other items missing, he said.
Cates also lives on 1st North. Jones
said the estimated value of the
items was $921.
Thieves struck again April 21 as
freshman John Mullin’s room was
burglarized. "We noticed the window
was open, and the screen was laying
on the bed," said MulUn.
A camera and some clothes were
missing fi:om the room, according to
Mullins, who estimated the value of
the items to be $200.
Neither McCrary, DebRoy nor
Mullins had insurance covering the
thefts.
'There is no way the university
can be responsible for thefts," said
Pete Williams, director of housing.
"In the housing contract it states
that the university is not liable,"
Williams said.
Students are encouraged to take
out some kind of "renter’s" insur
ance, according to Williams.
"Our things are not going to be
returned. Pete Williams refuses to do
anything," said DebRoy.
There is not much likelihood of
recovering the items, according to
Jones. "We don’t know if it’s the
same person because there are no
leads at this time," said Jones.
"Just about all of them have the
same MO (method of operation),"
said Jones.
"We would advise that students be
more cautious about how they leave
their rooms," said Jones.
"We’ve tried to do a number of
things. There’s increased patrolling
behind the Highrise. We’ve asked
students to close windows when
they’re not there," said Williams.
Some students expressed dissatis
faction with the imiversity’s handl
ing of the situation.
"I feel like security should be
tightened. I mean we’re pajdng for
it," said Patricia Hudson, DebRoy’s
suitemate. "It’s getting hot, and
people shouldn’t have to close their
windows every time they leave," said
Hudson.
"It seems like if our tuition is
paying for campus police, it doesn’t
seem like we’re getting the protect
ion we need," said Mullins.
"When you leave personal belong
ings laying out, the word gets
around that it’s (the campus) easy
pickings," said Jones.