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Volume XVI, Number 8
March 29,1990
Former security officer
files suit against UNCA
By Vicki McCoy
News Editor
■
■
Wm
In tune
riiULU oy oaiiuid jigmuu
"Womansong,’ a singing group, performed recently in Highsmith Center during
Women’s History Month.
A case charging UNCA with
violating a North Carolina General
Statute was dismissed in court last
Friday.
The suit, Charles C. Dewberry v.
The University of North Carolina
at Asheville, charged that UNCA
had violated N.C.G.S. 126-7.1,
which says that state employees
must be given preferential
consideration in hiring when
another state position is being
fiUed.
Dewberry, a former UNCA
security officer, claimed that the
statute had been violated when he
was not hired as the Director of
Security and Services, a position
currently held by Jeff Van Slyke.
According to Dewberry, he was a
state employee when the
committee filled the position.
Assistant N.C. Attorney General
Tom Ziko, who represented
UNCA, subpoenaed members of
the search committee who were in
Security loses
two officers
By Kim Cooley
Asst. News Editor
UNCA has lost two of its security officers within one week
of each other, according to security officials.
Kevin Reardon, was dismissed from the UNCA security
department on March 21. The details surrounding the
reasons for Reardon’s dismissal are sketchy. Jeff Van Slyke,
chief of Security along with Eric lovacchini. Vice Chancellor
of Student Affairs refuse to comment.
"Reardon was not mad or vindictive. He knew what he did
was wrong and was very sorry he did it," Van Slyke said. Van
Slyke would not release the reasons for Reardon’s dismissal.
"It just didn’t work out," said lovacchinni. "We have a
period of time in the State Personnel Act to review
employees. Sometimes it is best to make the break right
away. We don’t have to give the employees much
information. I don’t feel we have to."
Reardon’s dismissal is clouded by rumors of him pulling is
gun on a student in the UNCA cafeteria in a joking manner.
Van Slyke nor lovacchini would comment on the rumors.
Larry Layman, UNCA security guard turned in his
resignation to the security department at 6 a.m. Tuesday,
effective immediately.
"After a 5 year investment, I find no joy in severing my
relationship with UNCA. I do so only because I can not
longer tolerate the arrogance and ignorance that has
dominated the administration of the Department of Security
and Services since the arrival of Mr. Van Slyke," Layman
said.
"This guy doesn’t have credentials to support his arrogance.
He has less training than any officer in the department,"
Layman said.
"Layman was bitter," said Van Slyke. "It doesn’t bother me
that he is gone. It’s the best thing to happen to the university
in 5 years".
V
\
, -.iris Gore
Something for everyone
Scott Duyck and his parents, Lamar and Joyce,
learned more about UNCA on Visitation Day
Smoking restrictions
strong possibility
By Jackie Gasperson
Staff Writer
If a number of UNCA students
and faculty get their way, NO
SMOKING signs will start going
up at various locations on campus.
Approximately twelve students
and faculty members formed a
committee in order to have certain
areas designated for smokers.
Currently, the committee is
exploring what specific restrictions
they will propose.
"We are getting a report together
that covers the problems, the
solutions we will propose, and a
very specific outlook concerning
what areas of the buildings should
be designated smoking areas," said
Roland Leatherwood, a member
of the committee.
Right now we feel strongly about
banuing all smoking in hallways
and-classrooms, said Leatherwood.
After touring all the buildings,
asking people their opinions, and
gathering various information, the
committee will then take the
written proposal to Chancellor
Da\dd Brown for approval.
As far as controversy goes, not
many students seem to oppose the
idea of having designated smoking
areas.
"A lot of students who were very
against it have come out and said
that they can’t see the propositions
as being unfair. Some of them
have actually ended up joining the
committee," said Leatherwood.
Those people who want smoking
designated to areas argue that this
does not place unfair restriction on
the smoker’s rights because
nonsmokers are the ones being
forced to breathe someone else’s
smoke.
According to Jim Petranka,
assistant professor of biology, "the
smoking debate should not boil
down to a fight between
nonsmokers who demand clean au
to breathe and smokers who
demand the right to abuse their
bodies any way they please."
"It should be a united effort to
solve one of our most pressing
social problems," said Petranka.
"Smokers should aggressively
support any actions that may help
them kick the habit," continued
Petranka.
However, trying to ban smoking
all together would definitely cause
an upheaval.
"[If smoking was totally banned,]
I might drop out for that reason.
It’s not because I have an
uncontrollable habit. It’s just the
idea," said Joe Blackmon, a
student smoker.
I think that in each building
there should be a place to smoke,
continued Blackmon.
According to Leatherwood,
various universities have tried to
ban all smoking and the reactions
were unfavorable.
"Forty states have now adopted
legislation nationwide to ban or
restrict smoking in state
institutions. The few states that
have not, including North
Carolina, are primarily states with
strong tobacco lobbies," said
Petranka.
charge of filling the position. Yet
of the sbe members of the
committee, only Pete Williams, the
director of housing and residence
life, and Eric lovacchini, vice
chancellor of students affairs,
testified.
In response. Dewberry called
Van Slyke and himself as witnesses
to support his case.
When Williams, who was the
first to take the stand, testified
that approximately 25 applications
were taken for the job, and each
member of the committee
reviewed them individually.
"We were supposed to pick the
top five applicants and put them
on an ’A’ list," Williams said.
"Then we were to make a ’B’ list
and a ’C’ list."
Williams said Dewberry did not
make the top five of any
committee member’s list.
Dewberry, who represented
himself at the hearing, asked
Williams if the committee received
any guidelines about the qualities
the best candidates would possess.
Williams responded that guidelines
had been given.
"We were interested in finding
someone who had a degree in
criminal management; who had
some college experience,
preferably someone who had
worked on a college campus, and
we were obviously looking for
someone who had experience,"
Williams said.
When asked if the committee
discussed hiring veterans or state
employees, Williams said that
those qualifications had been
mentioned but were not ^ven as
specific instructions.
In approximately one hour of
testimony, Williams testified that
he did not know about the
possible violation of state law at
the time and s^id he would not
have ruled any differently if he
had.
"I think Mr. Van Slyke was the
best qualified," he said.
In further testimony, Williams
Please see Hearing, page 12
Ionise Bias
conveys hope
By Michelle Newton
Sports Editor
Lonise Bias, mother of the late
University of Maryland basketball
star Len Bias, gave "A Message of
Hope" in Lipinsky Auditorium on
March 20.
"God took one man to save
many. Len Bias has done more in
death than he could have done in
life for this nation," Bias said.
She began her talk by
challenging young people to take a
stand on what is right. "We need
more people to take a stand.
When you don’t take a stand for
what is right you are just as bad as
a drug dealer on the street."
Bias has traveled the country for
four years challenging young
persons and adults to wage war
against substance abuse.
"I know what I’m talking about,"
said Bias. "I’ve paid my dues by
travelling this nation talking to
young people.
"The enemy is destroying our
children like crazy. We must go
beyond just saying no."
Bias’ son, Len, died in 1986 from
cocaine use only two days after
being drafted by the Boston
Celtics. She has turned this loss
into a mission to help others and
she tries to make her audience
understand that they have no
power over drugs.
"I don’t care what you think.
When you mess with drugs you are
saying you can walk on coals,
shake the hand of satan, and come
back untouched," said Bias. "Our
institutions are running over with
people who thought they had
power over drugs.
"Every time I get up to speak,
my son’s death is rubbed in my
face over and over again, but I just
hope my message will cause you to
take a stand for what you know is
right," Bias said.
Bias also addressed the topic of
alcohol in her talk. "Being 19, 20,
or 21 is nothing but a number.
Maturity is a state of mind, not a
number or what you look like,"
said Bias.
"How can you drink responsibly
when the front part of your brain
is affected first by alcohol and that
is the part that controls decision
making. Most young people today
just aren’t mature enough to drink
and it’s time for us to take a stand
on it."
Bias went on to say that there
are lies that young people don’t
Please see Bias, page 5
Inside
Social activism
2
Sodomy
questioned
3
Beaver Lake
saved
4
Campus radio
station
5
Baseball team
advances
7
Elisa Monte
Dance Company
8
Lord of the
Flies
8
Life in Hell
10
Healthbeat
12
Students engage
in drug
awareness
By Linda Greene
Staff Writer
UNCA students are participatmg
in a variety of events observing the
first official Drug Awareness
Week on campus this week.
Activities were scheduled
throughout the week, including
Literature Fairs located in the
lobbies of Carmichael, Highsmith
and Zageir buildings.
Milena Vari, a member of the
Student Health Advisory Council
(SHAC) and one of the
coordinators of the event, stated
her concerns. "There is a definitely
drug problem on campus. Our
goal is to change attitudes toward
drug use. Right now there is pot,
LSD, and ’shrooms’ being used.
Cocaine isn’t around, mainly
because the word is associated
with death."
In addition to SHAC, sponsors
of Drug Awareness Week include
the Counseling Center and a
newly-formed group on campus
called S.H.A.P.E., Students
Hunting Alternative Pleasure
Experiences.
Vari explains the purpose of
Drug Awareness Week, "We are
tying this week together with the
Alcohol Awareness Week held last
semester. Hopefully this will
become a full year of events
promoting education and
awareness to change attitudes,"
Vari said. "Many students believe
they’re young and invincible,
nothing bad can happen to them.
Tf we can change those attitudes
with new approaches we can make
a positive difference not just with
the individual but throu^out the
community," Vari stated.
For a complete list of events,
contact the Counseling Center.