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I I Volume 24, Number 12 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE November 30. 1995
Female student reports threat from armed male in dorm room
Andrea Lawson
News Editor
A UNCA student allegedly en
tered the dorm room of a female
student with a gun on Nov. 19
and threatened to rape and kill
her, according to public safety
reports.
The incident began on Nov.
19 at around 10:30 p.m., ac
cording to safety reports. A
female campus resident stated
that she was awakened by a
male student. According to
reports, he told the student he
was not thinking rationally and
that he intended to rape her,
kill her, then drive to Greens
boro and kill someone who had
previously brought charges
against him. When the student
asked him if he had a gun, he
said it was in the living room
hidden under a blanket.
The student was able to get
him into the living room, where
she gained control of the
weapon, according to the re
port. The student asked him to
stand on the other side of the
room, and he told her how to
unload the gun. She talked to
him for a few minutes, and
agreed to have breakfast with
him in the cafeteria the follow
ing morning, according to the
report. The student stated she
had no further contact with
him after breakfast and reported
the incident the following morn
ing, according to the report.
JeffVanSlyke, director of pub
lic safety, said no formal com
plaint has been filed against the
male student. VanSlyke also said
that the student has been offi
cially suspended from'school.
VanSlyke said the pending
felony charge against the stu
dent involves burning of per
sonal property and took place
om Greensboro. According to
records on file at the Guilford
County Courthouse in Greens
boro, the date of the student’s
previous felony charge wasjune
28, 1995. VanSlyke said he be-
GUN conf. on pg.8
Students voice safety concerns at forum
Renee Siaydon
Staff Writer
Students were given a chance to voice
complaints and concerns about campus
security in a forum held on Nov. 15 in
Laurel Forum.
The two-hour forum allowed five
panel participants to speak for the first
hour. During the second hour, students
and the panelists participated in a dis
cussion concerning desired changes and
issues with campus security, date rape,
and sexual harassment. According to
participants, about 20 students showed
up for the forum.
Panel participants included Eric
lavocchini, vice chancellor for student
affairs; Melissa Himelein, assistant pro
fessor of psychology; Maggie Weshner,
director of UNCA’s counseling center;
and Rodney Miller and Richard
Reynolds from the department of pub
lic safety.
lovacchini began the discussion by
saying that it is his personal belief that
UNCA’s campus is relatively safe. Ac
cording to lovacchini, most of the prob
lems in campus security are crimes of
opportunity, such as automobile break-
ins and thefts of equipment.
“I think as an academic institution the
kinds of programming we need to do
are educational. We need to convey to
our planners that we need to consider
personal safety when we are designing
the campus for the future,” said
lovacchini.
However, during the discussion that
followed the panel presentations,
lovacchini admitted that it would be
safer to call 911 in case of a serious
emergency on campus. “If you have a
flat tire, call public safety, ” said
lovacchini.
Alyson Baumrucker, a junior sociol
ogy major, expressed a concern about
the location of the security phone which
is located in front of the public safety
office. “If you get that far, then what’s
the point in picking up the emergency
phone.^ You’re already there,” said
Baumrucker.
lovacchini also said during the evening
hours, while officers are patrolling the
campus in a security vehicle, there is not
anyone on duty in the security office. “I
think we need more staff I think we
need coverage, at least double coverage,
while students are here,” said lovacchini.
lovacchini suggested that students give
their input into the ongoing master
planning process currently underway.
“Let those folks know what your priori
ties are. I’m frustrated because I feel that
students feel unsafe here,” said
lovacchini.
Melissa Himelein suggested that stu
dents organize a demonstration to ad
dress their concerns about campus secu
rity and public safety.
Himelein also spoke on the topic of
date rape. According to Himelein,
the term “dating” is defined loosely.
Himelein called it a “mutually
planned or spontaneous activity be
tween two people.” This could sim
ply mean meeting someone at a
"If you have a
flat fire, call pub
lic safety. "—Eric
lovacchini.
party and then leaving with them.
Himelein also pointed out that date
rape is more common a crime than
people realize. “The criminal that
you should fear most is probably
someone you know,” said Himelein.
Himelein pointed out that studies
have shown date rape cases usually
occur before a student even begins
college. “Although it’s still true that
colleges are fairly dangerous places
in terms of date rape, it’s also true
that high school environments are
probably just as dangerous. Most
date rapists have extensive histories
of sexual intercourse forced and un
forced,” said Himelein.
Date rapists are typically moti-
Photo by Marti Parson
Forum panelists Eric lovacchini, Melissa Himelein, Maggie Wesfiner, Rodney Miller, and Richard
SECURiry conf. on pg.8 Reynolds addressed students'safely conerns.
Senate passes resolution to Forum on Greek system misses intended audience
recognize banned fraternity
James Hertsch
Staff Writer
The UNCA student senate officially
recognized ,the Asheville chapter of the
Theta Chi fraternity as an on-campus
organization, and passed a formal reso
lution calling for an end to the
fraternity’s ban from campus at their
meeting on Nov. 16.
Junior Wes Morrison said he intro-
, duced the formal resolution, written
. shortly before the meeting, to address
concerns some student senators had
; over the constitutionality of the recog
nition bill.
The formal resolution asked the ad-
I ministration to take steps to begin the
process of allowing Theta Chi to come
back on campus,” said Morrison. “For
me, it was what I described in my
senate speech as a one-two punch, the
formal resolution being the first docu
ment that we send to the chancellor,
saying 'we’d like you to take these
steps,’ and then the stronger docu
ment, saying, 'We, the senate, want to
recognize this organization as an on-
j campus organization.’”
The resolution passed with 12 votes
I in the affirmative, and three in the
negative. Senators Mark Dann,
; Rebecca Barraclough, and Adrian
Tatum opposed the resolution. The
Isill recognizing Theta Chi as an on-
campus organization passed with 12
votes in the affirmative, and four in the
negative. Dann, Barraclough, Tatum,
and Lisa Ridge opposed the bill.
UNCA administrators banned Theta
Chi from the UNCA campus after
denying their appeal in a hearing on
Oct. 28, 1992. According to Banner
articles from 1992 and 1993, mem
bers of the fraternity violated the terms
of an 18-month probation. Theta Chi
"We've all been
spanked by our
mothers and fathers
for different things.
I've been spanked
for four years nov^,
and, believe #ne, I
feel the sting of that
spanking every
day. "--Ben Leonard,
Theta Chi member.
was originally placed on probation after
a member was found wearing a hat with
racists slogans on it at a basketball game
on Feb. 5, 1992.
The ban was originally set at five years,
which, if this ban were carried to its
SENATE cont. on pg. 10
Renee Siaydon
Staff Writer
A forum was held on Nov. 16 in
Highsmith Center to inform students
about Greek organizations.
Although the forum was for students
who are not members of Greek orga
nizations, fraternity and sorority mem
bers made up most of the audience.
Members of the fraternities and so
rorities on campus began the forum
by explaining the different types of
philanthropies (community service
projects) that their organizations par
ticipate in. Gamma Phi Beta, Sigma
Nu, Pi Lambda Phi, Sigma Pi, Alpha
Phi International, and Alpha Xi Delta
were all represented in the forum.
Chuck Walker, who holds the com
mander position in Sigma Nu, mod
erated the event.
Nina East, director of student devel
opment, spoke on what the Greek
system has to offer. East said UNCA’s
mission statement aims to help people
know what it means learn humane
values and critical thinking skills, and
living a life different from the one
you’ve always lived.
“That’s part of what Greek organiza
tions as well as many organizations at
UNCA can offer,” said East.
East pointed out that working with
various philanthropies enables mem
bers of Greek organizations to experi
ence lifestyles other than their own.
“You’re not just raising money to
\ ’
"S’
\
Plioto by bt Ray
A Gamma Phi Beta and Pi Lambda Phi member lead a group discussion on greek issues at the forum.
give to people, you’re interacting with
people who are different from you,”
said East. “That’s a real important
part of learning about human values.
That’s something that I don’t think
the average person in the United States
population knows about. I don’t think
the average person out there really
thinks about Greek organizations that
way.”
East presented a video portraying a
panel of college professors from an
other university. The panel discussed
pros and cons of Greek organizations
on college campuses.
Some criticisms discussed on the
video included the fact that Greek
organizations are not conducive to the
academic experience. It can also lead
to elitism, racism, and hazing. In addi
tion, incidences of rape may stem from
fraternity or sorority parties.
GREEK conf. on pg. 10