INSIDE:
SPORTS: Men'sbaskelballleam
lerson
OPINION: Student senate produces
p. 5 results p. 2
"Cleaningyour house while your kids are
still growing is like shoveling the walk
before it stops snowing. "—Phyllis Diller
The Blue
FEAJURES: Alternative Reading
Room-a place to unwind p.4
COMICS: George: Dyslexic talk show hosts
p>6
BANNER
WEATHER: Variably cloudy
with a chance of showers
Saturday. Mostly sunny and
mild Sunday. Highs near 60.
Lows in the 30s.
VOLUME 23
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE
NUMBER 12
SGA PRESIDENT IS OVERPAID $1,100; SENATE INVESTIGATES
TERJ SMITH
NEWS EDITOR
A Student Government Association (SGA) sen
ate investigation committee presented a report on
Nov. 21 regarding its investigation into allegations
of malfeasance on the part the SGA president,
Gerard Moses. The investigatipn committee was
formed to “investigate the accuracy of rumors
alleging the misconduct of Moses,” according to
an SGA resolution that evolved from an executive
session of the senate on Nov. 16.
According to SGA sources, questions were raised
when it was discovered that Moses had received
SGA scholarship monies at the beginning of the
semester, before the money had been approved by
the senate. It also appeared that Moses had been
doubly awarded monies last year, totaling an over
payment of $ 1,100.
There’s no question I’ve been overpaid,” said
Moses. “But I did not know I had been overpaid,
and I didn’t wrongfully take money from anyone.”
The investigation committee recommended that
the Senate should not fiirther investigate allega
tions of malfeasance against Moses,
that the SGA should examine its rules
and procedures concerning the dis
persal and internal control of its assets
and that SGA reconsider its use of the
tem “scholarship” in its allocations of
fimds, according to the report. Fur
ther, the committee “strongly encour
ages the administration of UNCA to examine its
procedures of dispersal and allocation of funds,
and to examine its systems of internal control.”
“Things escalate through rumors, and the inves
tigation committee was formed to clear Gerard’s
name,” said Ryan DeSear, vice president of SGA.
“A committe of that nature is always formed to
protect an individual’s rights.”
SGA scholarships are awarded at the end of each
semester after an approval vote by the senate. Last
year, monies, totaling $1,100, were reportedly
removed from the SGA scholarship account by
wire transfers and applied to Moses’ account. An
additional $550 was applied to his account at the
"I do think there are some problems within the business office
or financial aid, that this situation even occurred," — Ryan
DeSear, SGA vice president
end of each of the semesters [when SGA approved
scholarships], according to sources within SGA.
“The same thing happened this semester,” said
Robbie D. Combs, office manager for SGA. “But
during a budget committee meeting, a senator
questioned why scholarship monies had already
been deducted from the SGA budget when they
had not yet been approved. I proceeded to find
»
out.
“Now it appears that Gerard may have to repay
$1,100,” said Combs.
It does not seem clear at this point who will have
to be repaid, according to Combs.
Combs said that last year’s of
fice manager did not pick up on
the discrepancy.
Moses had listed his SGA schol
arship on a form in the financial
aid office when applying for fi
nancial aid.
“Everyone who applies for financial aid if sup
posed to let us know about any resources they
receive,” said Carolyn McElrath, director of finan
cial aid. “Gerard did what he was supposed to do.”
“We put it [Moses’ SGA scholarship] on the
system, and it was allowed to feed into the business
Please see "SGA," page 8
A Break From The Usual Routine
Students from Ahn's Tae Kwon Do Institute demonstate tfieir abilities in Lipinsky Auditorium.
fliot by Lot Roy
Students Put Knowledge To Work
Don Clifton
Staff Writer
A recent survey involving Buncombe
County residents was conducted on cam
pus by UNCA students. Selected mass
communication students participated
in the 1994 Buncombe Poll, which was
fiinded through the Appalachian Cen
ter for Social Research.
“The primary purpose of the survey
was the student experience and the stu
dent use of the data gathered,” said
Mark West, survey director and mass
communication professor. “The second
goal was to examine some issues in
hopes of better understanding local and
national politics.”
A total of 28 students from two classes,
mass communication theory and mass
communication research, took part in
the survey.
“I cannot praise our students highly
enough. They were very professional,
and very motivated,” said West.
“They did an exceptional job in con
ducting the survey and there were no
problems with the student interviewers
at all. Everything went just as I would
have hoped,” he said.
“The first couple of calls were difficult,
but after that it got easier,” said Jeff
Howell, senior who participated in the
survey. “I enjoyed it. I thought it was
fijn to talk to people and get their an
swers.”
Some skepticism was aimed at the
undergraduates not being able to con
duct the survey, according to West.
“Some people thought that under
graduates weren’t sufficiently sophisti
cated or motivated to do a large scale
survey,” said West. “I was delighted to
prove them wrong.”
West points out that many under
graduates at UNCA are paying for their
own education, and many are of non-
traditional age. This, according to West,
is a reason for the commitment students
have for their work.
“I’ve always thought that UNCA stu-^
dents were more motivated than stu
dents at other universities,” said West.
“ (UN CA) students have a degree of self-
motivation that I think is unusual.”
The majority of the students who were
involved in conducting the survey plan
to be journalists, according to West.
The benefit for these students is that
they will better understand the limita
tions of surveys.
“Students will better understand what
numbers mean and how the numbers
are created by a survey,” said West. “I
think it makes for better reporters and it
makes for more literate consumers of
survey data.”
“For mes there was a definite benefit in
working on this project because I plan
to return to work in the public relations
field,” said Teri Smith, student director
of the survey. “The basis for good public
relations programs is research.”
All students who participated must
now do research concerning at least one
particular question on the survey.
“Students have the data to generate
their own research, and so students be
come part of a research project,” said
West. “And one of our major goals here
at UNCA is to involve undergraduates
in the process of the creation of knowl
edge.”
The survey involved 423 randomly-
chosen Buncombe County residents,
who responded by telephone from No
vember 6 through 10. Questions ranged
from the economy, to health care, to the
job President Clinton is doing in office.
For Howell, one of the surprises of the
survey was the response to the religious
question concerning being ‘born again.’
“I was a little surprised on how many
people answered that they were ‘Ijorn
again',” said Howell. “I would have
thought it to be less.”
In fact, 61.1% answered “yes” they
were ‘born again’ or have had a ‘born
Please see "Poll," page 8
Will Over 60% Of the Student Population Have A Space To Call Their Own?
Teri Smith
News Editor
Plans are currently being made to reallocate
space that will become available in the Highsmith
Center when the new dining facility opens next
month.
This week, members of Encore, an organization
for non-traditional students, learned that the
Highsmith Center staff is considering the option
of converting the commuter lounge to office space.
The revelation occurred less than a month after
Encore members met with Larry Wilson, vice
chancellor for academic affairs, to discuss issues
that were of particular importance to commuters
and other non-traditional students. Two of the
primary issues for the group were the allocation of
space and the unavailability of telephones.
“Encore really needs an identifiable space, where
commuters and other non-traditional students
can come to have meetings, where the organiza
tion can conduct its business, and where the
organization’s supplies can be centrally located,”
said Carol Schramm, advisor to Encore. “From
our point of view, that space absolutely must have
a telephone.”
“We are currently a nomadic organization, with
things being scattered in the trunk’s of cars and all
over campus,” she said. “Encore is working to serve
a large segment of the student population, and I
believe we can do that job more effectively if we
have a recognizable space, rather than being scat
tered.”
“This issue [about the allocation of space] comes
immediately after we return from Thanksgiving
break to find a bunch of new parking spaces across
from Owen painted with green stripes,” said Renee
Barger, a non-traditional commuter student. “It’s
like a slap in the face, and I’m not sure who we’re
supposed to believe anymore.”
Commuter students make up over 60% of the
total student population at UNCA, according to
Sharyn McDonald, director of Highsmith Center.
“I think we can clearly say that we are going to try
to create better space [for commuters] and that
there’s going to be more space and that it will be in
the vacated dining hall,” said McDonald. I can’t
tell you what it’s going to look like, in terms of
walls or anything else, until the physical plant
meets with us and tells us what is possible.”
“I am concerned about the groups besides Encore
who have asked for space,” said McDonald. “It
will be a group decision, not an individual deci
sion. And, if Encore has greater needs, and who
decides if they are greater or not, someone has to
make that decision."
“I don’t know that everybody is going to be
happy with every decision we make,” she said.
“We don’t have an ideal situation here and we
don’t have enough space here for everybody. So,
what do we do, temporarily, to take care of most
everybody.
McDonald said she is scheduled to meet with the
Administrative Cabinet on Dec. 5 to “discuss the
preliminary plans for the temporary space and the
assignment of vacated space.”
Wilson said that he was not aware of any plans to
convert the commuter lounge to office space and
that he plans to discuss the concerns raised by
members of Encore with the Administrative Cabi
net. He has already sent cabinet members a
memorandum outlining the major concerns.
Underdog Productions is sponsoring a Critical
Issues Symposium on the Highsmith renovation
on Dec 5 at 7:00 p.m at the Side Door. There will
be a panel discussion about the Highsmith Center
and its future renovation. The panel will include
Chancellor Patsy B. Reed, Larry Wilson, vice
chancellor for academic affairs, Eric lovachinni,
vice chancellor for student affairs, Arthur Foley,
vice chancellor for financial affairs, Ronald D.
Reagan, director of facilities planning, and Sharon
McDonald.
“This will be an opportunity for students and
others to bring their ideas, suggestions, and con-
Please see "Space," page 8