Physics society
honored
Fraternity focuses on
service
Weekend Weather: Mostly cloudy and cold with a chonce of rain and possible snow. Highs in the 40s, lows in the 20s.
Jazz band to perform, page 4
Men’s basketball team
wins exhibition 6
The Blue
BANNER
Volume 24, Number 11 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE November 16,1995
Professors receive awards for research, excellence in teaching
Program co-founder
accepts honor for
campus community
James Hertsch
Staff Writer
The North Carohna Association of
Colleges and Universities presented
an award to the UNCA Undergradu
ate Research Program. The award cites
the program’s “unique service to stu
dents,” and calls the program a “model
to the Nation.”
“The award is to honor the UNCA
Undergraduate Research Program for
its strong program and leadership, as
being a model program for the na
tion,” said Michael J. Ruiz, chair of the
physics department. “We’ve had other
people ask about it (and) start an un
dergraduate research program at their
schools.”
Ruiz accepted the award as one of the
co-founders of the Undergraduate
Research Program, noting that John
G. Stevens, a co-founder of the pro
gram, was unable to attend the confer
ence.
“I figured if we worked together on
this proposal, we would be able to
make it more successful, so I went to
him, and he bought into it because
chemistry has been doing research with
students all along, we were doing it in
physics, biology was doing it, so we
had the base, and then we brought the
proposal and got funding,” Ruiz said.
“We expanded the idea of undergradu
ate research everywhere on the cam
pus, and encouraged everyone to get
involved, to enable students to have
the opportunities to get grants to help
PROGRAM cont. on pg. 10
Biology instructor recognized by Board of
Governors for unique style, instruction
Photo by Marti Parson
Professor Michael D. Stuart was honored last May for excellence in teaching. The award is only given to
one professor from each school in the UNC system.
James Hertsch
Staff Writer
A UNCA biology professor received
an award for excellence in teaching
from the Board of Governors last May.
According to the event program,
Michael D. Stuart, an associate pro
fessor of biology, received the award
for his unique teaching style.
The award is given to one professor
from, each of the 16 universities in the
UNC system, he said.
“I was just fortunate enough to be the
one selected (from UNCA), but I don’t
think there’s anything that I do that is
not matched or exceeded by any other
professors on this campus,” Stuart said.
According to the program, Stuart
employs “war stories,” puns, and jokes
to draw students into his lectures.
Additionally, he uses computer
graphics, fossils, and replicas.
“Whenever you can attach an emo
tion to an idea, when you can make
the students laugh, make them angry,
and shock them, the concepts that
you’re trying to get across, the ideas
tend to stick,” Stuart said.
“They’re no longer academic things
to memorize and regurgitate. I use the
war stories to show the relevance of
these concepts, that they are real-world
events that happen to real people,” he
said.
Stuart said he dropped out of college
originally, and was not as good a stu
dent as he should have been.
After leaving college, he worked in a
zoo for six months.
“(I) got the magic letter from Uncle
Sugar, saying ‘Greetings, you are hereby
ordered to report for induction,”’ Stuart
said. “ 1967 was not a good year to be
inducted into the Army. I spent two
years getting my teeth slammed back
down my throat, learning the differ-
"Whenever you
can attatch an emo
tion to an idea^
when you can
make students
laugh,^ make them
angry, the ideas
tend to stick.
Michael Stuart
ence between those who had the cre
dentials to be accepted as an equal,
and those who did not, and developed
the maturity that required me to go
back and complete my degree.”
After his term in the Army, Stuart
returned to school, and finished work
on his bachelor’s degree.
Stuart said it took him a total of 10
years to get his bachelor’s degree and
four years for his masters, as he worked
while going to school.
It wasn’t until his doctorate that he
went to school full-time.
Stuart said the students he has worked
with at UNCA are of a high caliber,
and credits them, as well as UNCA
faculty and administration for creat
ing an environment conducive to
teaching.
Dorm drug bust leads to felony charges for student
Paul Buttles
Staff Writer
A male student’s efforts at
attracting a female student led
to the discovery of two to three
ounces of marij uana in his dorm
room and his arrest on felony
drug charges Nov. 8, according
to the office of public safety.
“We had a complaint from a
female student that a note had
been left on her car,” said Den
nis Gregory, investigation/
crime prevention officer. The
note was not in any way vile or
anything, it was just, ‘I’d like to
meetyou, gee, you’re nice look
ing,’ and so on. We checked out
the number (on the note) and it
came back as a student living in
Scott Hall. His name was An
drew Slawek.
According to Gregory, Jeff
VanSlyke, director of public
safety, followed up on the com
plaint, and went to Slawek’s
room for what he expected to
be a cordial visit. Upon knock
ing on Slawek’s door, VanSlyke
was asked to identify himself
Slawek then opened his door,
only to slam it shut again,
whereupon VanSlyke knocked
DRUGS cont. on pg. 10
Date for Student Court session not disclosed
Andrea Lxswson
News Editor
Student Government officials
have refused to comment on
the upcoming court date of
Lucas Reid, the student who
pled guilty to second-degree
rape in a case involving a
Statesville woman.
Phil Parsons, SGA chief jus
Peer education presentations focus on diversity, awareness
Paul Buttles
Staff Writer
According to the health and fitness de
partment, students enrolled in its peer
education class will be making a series of
presentations on campus in the coming
two weeks.
Events include, among other things,
condom races, and short videos highlight
ing the problems of racism and
homophobia.
“Actually (‘Condomology 101’) is a lec
ture type of thing on safe sex, and we also
present abstinence,” said Jennifer Peterson,
a sophomore psychology major. “We’re
also doing a condom race (using bananas)
just to prove that it doesn’t take that long
to put on a condom.”
Peterson said “Condomology 101 will
also focus on birth control options, and
what health services are available.
“Even though (the course) is fun, and of
course that’s one of the things we want with
peer education, it’s very informative,” said
Vicki Brunnick, adjunct instructor in health
and fitness.
According to Jack Newton, a mass com
munication senior, invitations have been
extended to the African American Student
Association and UNCA Out! (UNCA’sgay
and lesbian organization) for a presentation
tided “Valuing Diversity.”
“We’re going to look at homophobia and
racism,” said Newton. “Using video, our
group is going to look at four short role
plays, and we’re going to have discussions
about each (one).”
Newton said one video will show two
white students sitting on a couch in the
Highsmith center, witnessing two black
students exchange money. The white stu
dents will assume a drug deal is occurring.
“In the second role play we’re showing a
close-up of the two African-American
students exchanging money and a (type
written) paper, to highlight someone
jumping to conclusions. They’re just ex
changing money for a paper that the other
one typed,” Newton said.
“Inner City: Violence, Youth, Hope” a
presentation focusing on the plight of
youth in the inner cities, has been ap
proved as a humanities cultural event,
according to Timothy Sinatra, a senior
sociology major. “For the past eight years
I (have) worked with disadvantaged and
at risk youth, and worked with gangs in
the Fort Lauderdale area. I decided that
(with this presentation) I could enlighten
my fellow students to the truth and reality
of the inner city.”
Sinatra, who hopes to establish his own
inner city ministry in Miami, said Asheville
PEER cont. on pg. 8
tice, said members of the stu
dent court are not allowed to
discuss the case before it comes
before the court.
Other SGA members said they
could not release the date of the
court session.
According to SGA policy, a
student may request that their
court session be closed to the
public.
The student does not have to
provide a reason for closing the
session.
It is unknown whether or not
Reid will choose to close his
court session.
Dhaval “Doc” Patel, SGA
president, said he hasn’t said
anything to SGA members
about refusing to discuss the
ftolo by Marti Parson
Members of the peer education class put together a presentation on nutrition
awareness.