The University of North Carolina at Asheville
H
Volume 26 Issue 6
October 2, 1997
lan
on
ie:
Race rally
to address
diversity
issues on
:ampus
By Amanda Thorn
staff Writer
Several campus organizations in
tend to address racial prejudice and
increase awareness of racial diver
sity on campus at an upcoming race
rally, said the president of one of
the event’s sponsors.
“Just because we attend a liberal
arts university does not mean that
we are free from racial prejudices,”
said Justin Stein, president of the
Baha’i Association. “I think it is an
observable fact that race is preva
lent in the United States, North
Carolina, and Asheville. Not many
people are free from racial preju
dices, and it is imperative that we
bring this into focus.”
The Baha’i Association and the
African-American Student Associa
tion (AASA) will sponsor the Rally
for Race Unity, which will take
ace on UNCA’s quad next Friday
jt7 p.m., and will feature five speak-
:rs, poetry readings, and live music.
“There is not a part of the country
:hat doesn’t need awareness-raising
allies. People who don’t see them-
ielves as racist really are. It is not
their fault because we are bom
barded with racism from every side,”
Stein said.
Racial diversity and awareness at
UNCA “needs a lot of work,” said
Dwight Mullen, associate profes
sor and chair of political science,
and one of the rally’s scheduled
ipeakers.
“It would help if we had different
races, for starters,” Mullen said. In
order to address the lack of racial
See RALLY on page 10
Founders Day calls for change
iWOl^
IMI
—
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAMSEY LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
The university’s name experienced the last of its many changes to date in 1969, when the former Asheville- Biltmore
College officially became UNC-Asheville. The Summit, the university’s yearbook at the time, originally featured this
photo in its 1969-70 edition to commemorate the historic event.
HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY
Merged with College of
the City of Asheville;
name Changed to
Biltmore Junior College
t r ^Kloved to present
^ ” location in North
Asheville
Became the
University of North
Carolina at Asheville
4' if'
Founded as Buncombe
County Junior College under
sponsorship of Buncombe
County Schools
Name changed to
Asheville-Biltmore
College; control passed
to Asheville City Schools
Became a state-
supported senior
college under a new
board of trustees
Designated as a ;
Liberal Arts College
by the UNC Boar^ of
Governors
GRAPHIC BY JEANETTE WEBB/ROB HAMMONDS
By Mandisa Templeton
staff Writer
UNCA will celebrate 70 years of
existence on Oct. 6, a day dedi
cated to “pioneering students and
faculty” of the university deemed
“Founders Day.” The day’s cer
emonies will include changing the
nameofHighrise Hall to Founders
Hall.
However, some students say the
residence hall’s name change will
not exist in their minds.
“Highrise is always going to be
Highrise to the freshmen of last
year until they graduate, and 1 don’t
think that Highrise will be known
as Founders Hall until the fresh
men of this year become seniors,”
said junior Mark Ackerman.
“I don’t think Highrise is ever
going to change for the people who
were here in the past,” Ackerman
said.
The change to Founders Hall will
be one in a long line of name
changes in UNCA’s history.
UNCA, originally called Bun
combe County Junior College in
1927, has had many names, in
cluding Biltmore Junior College,
Biltmore College, and Asheville-
Biltmore College.
The school has also been housed
in six different locations, a fact
which testifies to the university’s
“drive to survive and succeed,” ac
cording to a press release.
Despite the name of the
celebratory day, members of the
committee appointed to organize
the events could name none of the
university’s actual founders.
“Just because we can’t trace our
founders doesn’t mean they aren’t
there,” said Adrian Tatum, Stu
dent Government Association
president.
“There are several key players who
could figure in the founding of
See DAY on page 8
Recycling program lacks campus support
By Veronika Gunter
staff Writer
UNCA’s recycling program needs action
the part of the administration and stu-
ient body, beginning with the designation
)f an official coordinator, the unofficial
ecycling coordinator said.
The environmental studies department
md Ecology Club should at least show an
nterest in the program, greenhouse man-
iger and unofficial recycling coordinator
■-ynne Patzig said.
“We have a neat program that can really
mprove the future of the earth, save en-
rgy, and directly benefit UNCA. We could
3e a leader in the state with this program, if
'Ve could just get more people involved, ”
'atzig said, noting that UNCA currently
lelongs to the N.C. Recycling Association,
he Collegiate Recycling Coalition, the
ompost Coalition, and a national recy-
ding group.
In 1992, Governor Jim Hunt ordered the
state to reduce its waste 40 percent by the
year 2000, a mandate that prompted
JNCA, and all other state facilities, to
3egin recycling programs.
In 1995-96, 163.23 tons of material were
recycled or composted by UNCA. Corru
pted cardboard, which UNCA could sell
f they owned the proper packaging equip
ment, accounted for the bulk of the mate-
ial, Patzig said.
Revenues from recyclables totaled
51,243.86 in 1995-96, and UNCA saved
,754.29 by recycling. (Trash disposal
PHOTO BY SARAH HARNDEN
Unofficial recycling coordinator Lynn Patzig (left) and UNCA student
and part-time worker Daniel Wilcox (right) spend many hours sorting
and removing contaminants from the school’s recyclable materials.
in the same year cost UNCA $28,217).
Due in great part to the contamination of
materials by putting non-recyclable items
or the wrong kinds of items in recycling
bins, “we are overwhelmed with the vol
ume of materials that have to be sorted,
Patzig said.
“Other than one intern in 1995, no one
from either environmental studies or the
Ecology Club has contacted me or offered
any assistance,” Patzig said.
“I sure could use some help.”
Patzig handles recycling in addition to
other grounds duties, with the assistance of
Dan Wilcox, 21, a junior recording arts
major who works in recycling 10 to 14
hours per week.
Patzig described herself as dedicated to
the recycling work, but curious as to why
the administration and student body do
not place greater emphasis on the recycling
program.
Julie Pearson, president of the Ecology
Club, said she was not aware of the present
circumstances of the recycling program.
If the Ecology Club had been informed of
the recycling program’s problems, mem
bers would have been willing to help, and
are willing to help now that they know,
Pearson said.
Patzig’s supervisor, Grounds-Superinten-
dent Melissa Acker, did not return re
peated phone calls made to determine why
no official recycling coordinator position
exists. UNCA’s director of facilities,
Stephen Baxley, was unavailable for com
ment, as was Kristie Childress, director of
human resources.
Administrative staff who were contacted,
including Janice Greiner Snow, special as
sistant to Chancellor Patsy Reed, could not
confirm the absence of an official recycling
coordinator or provide information as to
how the program is funded.
Environmental studies Assistant Profes
sor Kevin Moorhead responded to Patzig’s
comments by suggesting that the recycling
program should seek the interest of stu
dents and Ecology Club members.
“I am disappointed at students’ lackluster
approach to recycling when it is so conve
nient to do so on campus,” Moorhead said.
“But I feel it is the responsibility ofwhoever
is in charge of recycling to contact inter
ested students, to solicit help.”
Moorhead said he is only involved with
the program to the extent that he stresses to
students that recycling is so easy to do at
UNCA that there is no excuse not to.
“Beyond that. I’m not sure I know all the
rules to recycling on campus,” he said.
though he sorts the recycling bin in his
office.
When made aware of the apparent lack of
official funding and coordination for the
university’s recycling program, Moorhead
said “there absolutely needs to be dedica
tion to the program by UNCA.”
“As a liberal arts college, we are ethically
bound to consider social, cultural and en
vironmental awareness. It is unethical for
this university to not dedicate itself to
recycling,” Moorhead said.
Environmental studies department head
Rick Maas said Patzig’s remarks were “not
a proper characterization” of the depart
ment that “took the initiative to push the
administration to get recycling started.”
“For years, our students carried the pro
gram. We are very supportive, but, if assis
tance is needed, someone must let us know,”
Maas said.
Maas said that he was not aware that
UNCA had eliminated the official recy
cling coordinator position, which a former
environmental studies student once held.
“It should be restored immediately,” Maas
said.
Both Moorhead and Maas considered the
contamination of recycling collection boxes
counterproductive and indicated that cir-
curriventing contamination is the respon
sibility of the recycling program.
Both called for educational programs for
students, faculty, and staff, produced by
the coordinators of the recycling program.
Moorhead suggested recycling tips be
See RECYCLE on page 10