The Blue Banner
Volume XVII, Number 10
"Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier
The University of North Carolina Asheville
Kettering
November 8, 1990
Child care needs addressed
Photo by Joy Edmonds
Scenic beauty
The peak leaf season brought many to Chimney Rook
Park this year to view the oolors of fall.
Exchange
program seeks
participants
English teachers and
international relations
graduates needed in Japan
Leslie Gilliam
Staff Writer
The Japanese Consulates
General are seeking Americans,
under the age of 35, to participate
in the Japan Exchange and
Teaching (JET) Program,
according to Stephen Allen,
Information Officer for the
Consulate General of Japan in
Atlanta.
The JET program promotes
cross-cultural understanding
between young adults of different
ftations and gives aid to Japanese
students learning the English
language, a JET press release said.
Allen said the Japanese
Consulates want to fill two types
of positions. "We need some
people to be assistant English
teachers in Japan’s public schools,"
he said. "Others are needed for
international relations in either a
city or state government office."
The teacher assistants will be
working hand in hand with
Japanese teachers helping students
master the English language,
according to Allen.
"English is a required course for
Japanese students between the 7th
and 12th grades," Allen said. "They
(the students) are able to read
English and write it, but can’t
speak it as well. That’s where the
teacher’s assistants come in."
No knowledge of the Japanese
language is required for the
teaching assistant positions but is
required for the international
relations job, according to the
press release.
Allen said the ideal candidate
would have teaching experience,
an education or English major and
have some knowledge of Japan’s
history and culture. "However, the
standards aren’t extremely high,"
he said. "We have been accepting
one out of four applicants."
"Participants will receive a yearly
salary of $28,000," Allen said, "and
all transportation costs will be
paid."
"Housing costs are paid by the
participants," he said. "Most
’ people usually pay between $200
and $400 a month in rent, which
is very reasonable."
Allen said previous participants
have thouroughly enjoyed the
experience, "Almost 60 percent of
the teaching assistants decided to
stay another year."
Allen believes the experience will
be helpful to recent graduates, and
will be an excellent resume
builder. While the Japanese
Consulate can not guarantee a job
after the participants return from
Japan, they will help participants
in their job search.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens,
hold a bachelor’s degree by
August 1,1991 and exhibit "model"
English speaking and writing skills,
according to the press release. If
accepted, participants will leave for
Japan on August 1, 1991 and live
overseas for a full year.
Allen said completed applications
must be received by December 20,
1990. Applications are available
through the Consulate General of
Japan in Atlanta at (404) 892-2700
or write to the Consulate General
of Japan, Suite 2000, 100 Colony
Square Atlanta, Georgia 30361.
(Editor’s note: This is the first of a two part series concerning the
possibility of child care for faculty, staff and students of UNCA.)
UNCA administrators and students have long talked of having a
child-care program on campus. According to Amy Potter, such a
program is feasible for UNCA.
Potter, vice president of Corporate Child Care, Inc., recently
completed a project analyzing the benefits of an on-site center.
Potter said that the rise in non-traditional students has contributed
to the interest in child-care programs.
"Latest research shows that four out of ten colleges and universities
offer some sort of child-care program. Many schools are developing
or expanding a full-service program - not just a part-time nursery
school," said Potter.
By the turn of the century, 50 percent of college students will be
non-traditional, said Potter.
"This campus is a prime example of the increasing non- traditional,
older students," said Potter.
Many schools are finding that child care is an important feature of
their university, said Potter.
"Campuses have changed too. Universities are seeing that in order
to attract the older student and keep them, child care is essential,"
said Potter.
UNCA administrators were interested in the possibility of
developing a child-care program.
"This project was about gathering and developing the information
that would be useful to the administration in making a decision about
child-care service," said Potter.
Potter researched the need for child care in-depth. Child-care
surveys were distributed at last spring’s pre-registration, and then
analyzed. She also reviewed student and faculty demographic data, as
well as researching Asheville’s child-care market. Over the summer.
Potter conducted two focus groups.
"We did one group with members of student government, which
were primarily younger, traditional students, and we did one with
[older] adult students," said Potter.
The demographic information of UNCA showed a need for child
care. This semester, 3,291 students are enrolled. Seventy-six percent
of the students live off campus, and their average age is 27. UNCA
currently has 230 faculty members, in addition to 287 staff members.
Respondents to last May’s survey reported a total of 176 dependents
under the age of 13. This fall, there are 157 children under the age
of five, and 45 children over five years old.
"Fifty-one percent of those responding said they had been absent
from class or work at the university because of an inability to find
child care. Forty-four percent reported being absent because of
unavailable child care more than three times a semester. Fifty-nine
percent reported bringing their kids to class or work because of lack
Please see Child, page 12
Polish activists to attend
environmental workshop
Lane Hollifleid
Asst. News Editor
Polish environmentalists and
activists will attend a community
environmental workshop in an
effort to learn ways of dealing with
Poland’s current environmental
problems, said Gary Miller,
Director of Environmental Studies.
Miller says the workshop, co
sponsored by The Environmental
Quality Institute UNCA and The
Center for Appalachian Studies,
Appalachian State University will
deal with the topic of "Expertise
and the Democratic Process:
Strategies for Action" and will be
held Nov. 10 in room 125 of
Robinson Hall.
"Poland’s ranking, as far as a
general views of environmental
degradation is basically the worse,"
.said Miller. ,
"Most of their water is heavily
polluted. The air of the country,
especially the cities where there is
industry, is extremely heavily
polluted, some of the worst in the
world," said Miller.
Miller said Poland’s former
totalitarian regime is responsible
for their current environmental
situation.
"They were under a totalitarian
regime who would not respond to
conventional wisdom for basic
information regarding
environmental clean-up," said
Miller.
"If you don’t have a robust
economy where .there is a decent
profit margin you probably aren’t
going to be able to afford
environmental clean-up," he said.
"When you couple that with a
totalitarian regime where, in
essence, there is no discourse with
the people, they really don’t care
about how terrible the conditions
get in terms of air or water or any
other environmental issue."
Miller said lack of concern and
money combine to leave Poland
with a problem today that will take
decades to get control of.
Miller says the Polish
government has not really rebuilt
since World War II.
"Their industry is old, it is
decayed, it is requiring total
modernization. Much of their
industry will have to be destroyed
and completely rebuilt from the
ground up. Modern pollution
control is virtually unheard of in
their country."
Miller says the group coming
Please see Miller page. 6
Miller
Professors
compare
election
predictions
Vicki McCoy
Editor
Photo by Miranda Wyatt
Fly like an eagle
Sean Helfrich plays Superman on the steps of Highsmith.
Even though UNCA professors Bill Sabo and
I Mark West made different predictions in the Nov.
6 elections, both political activists agree the re-
I election of Senator Jesse Helms was no surprise.
Sabo, associate professor of political science,
I predicted Jesse Helms the winner of the U.S.
I Senate race by a narrow margin.
"All the campaigning that Harvey Gantt did was
unnecessary exercise because he (Helms) gets the
same vote every year," Sabo said.
West, assistant professor of mass communication,
I chose Gantt to win the election by a margin of two
’ percentage points.
In the race between incumbent Jamie Clarke and
challenger Charles Taylor for the House of
Representatives, both West and Sabo predicted
Taylor the winner by a small margin.
Please see Election page 12