1999
^ Banner
Volume 29 Issue 10
April 15, 1999
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Vlullen appointed as UNCA chancellor
By Meghan Cummings
staff Writer
The University of North Caro-
ina Board of Governors elected a
newchancellorforUNCAon April
9. James Mullen will take office in
mid-summer after Chancellor Patsy
Reed retires.
“I am deeply honored by my ap
pointment as chancellor of the
University of North Carolina at
Asheville,” said James Mullen in a
news release from the UNCA pub
lic information office.
“I think he seemed really ener
getic,” said Hoyt Phillips, a senior
economics major who met with
several of the chancellor candidates.
“He has a lot of good ideas for the
university.”
Mullen’s experience with liberal
arts institutions and his vision for a
strong liberal arts university will
make him a good chancellor for
UNCA, according to Alphonso
Donaldson, president of the stu
dent government association.
“1 really like Mullen, and I think
we will do well under his leader
ship,” said Donaldson. “He under
stands the liberal arts, and he has a
real vision
for what
this univer
sity can be.”
Mullen re
ceived his
bachelor’s
degree in
history
from the
College of
the Holy
Cross in
Worcester, Mass. his master’s de
gree in public policy from Harvard,
and his doctorate in higher educa
tion administration from the Uni
James Mullen
versity of Massachusetts in
Amherst. He has worked at Trin
ity College in Hartford, Conn.
since 1995. Priortothat, heworked
at Middlesex Comiriunity College
in Lowell, Mass. for seven years,
according to the news release.
Mullen is currently the senior
vice president and executive direc
tor of Project 2002, a $300 million
initiative to help invest in neigh
borhood revitalization and cam
pus improvements at Trinity Col
lege, according to the news release.
Mullen’s experience in
fundraising will be helpful to
UNCA as it continues to try and
raise money for campus programs
and scholarships, according to
Phillips.
“He seems like he really knows
how to do fundraising because he
has been successful at it in the past,”
said Phillips. “Hopefully, he can do
the same here.”
As part of Project 2002, Mullen
worked to improve and strengthen
the relationship between Trinity
College and its surrounding com
munity, according to the news re
lease.
“One of the things I really liked
about him was the fact that at his
current college, he has reunited the
school with the community, and I
think that’s something we really
need to do here,” said Donaldson.
Several members of the UNCA
faculty who sat on the chancellor
search committee said Mullen will
be a strong leader for UNCA.
“He is very charismatic and a
good leader,” said Tracy Brown,
psychology professor. “I think he
will be a really powerful student
advocate, and he will be a good
representative of UNCA in the
general administration in Raleigh.
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UNCA seniors have voiced complaints
ibout university requirements and fees sur
rounding graduation on May 22.
“I do not understand why seniors must
3ay a commencement fee of $50 in order to
>raduate,” said Christopher Hunt, an at-
Tiospheric sciences major. “Many seniors
lave already paid tuition and fees for four
'ears. I do not think the university should
equire payment of an additional fee so that
student can get their diploma.”
In addition to the commencement fee,
'raduating seniors must also purchase a
:ap and gown for the ceremony, according
:o university requirements.
“It is disappointing that the university
equires seniors to buy caps and gowns,”
iaid Jason Cooper, an atmospheric sciences
major. “This essential costs the senior an-
ather $25 in order to obtain his graduation
Jiploma from the school. If UNCA is
unable to furnish caps and gowns, it seems
he university could at least establish some
type of inexpensive rental for them.”
Graduating seniors at UNCA must also
)articipate in commencement ceremonies,
according to a university administrator.
“Unless a graduating senior has appealed
he university to be excused from the cer-
mony, each student is required to take
>art in commencement exercises,” said
ames Pitts, vice chancellor of academic
iffairs. “'We feel it is extremely important
have all the graduating seniors present
jjor this special day in the life of the univer-
|ity community.”
The university is sensitive to individual or
ipecial situations that may cause an un-
sual hardship or difficulty for a graduat-
ng senior relating to the participation re-
uirement, according to Pitts.
“There are extenuating circumstances
hich justify the university excusing a stu-
ent from the graduation ceremony,” Pitts
aid. “However, it is the student’s respon-
iibility to submit his request for waiver of
his requirement to the office of student
ffairs during the semester prior to gradu-
istion. It is important that the student s
request be made known as early as is rea-
fonably possible.”
'• Pitts said he understands the concern
?tudents have expressed regarding the ad
ditional fees required for graduating se
niors.
^ There have been tremendous investments
Jnade by both the student and the univer-
fsity prior to graduation,” said Pitts. “These
pes finalize that investment for the student
lid are utilized by the university to assist in
he preparation of graduation ceremonies
nd related events.”
It would not be in the best interest of the
'tudents or the university to make gradua
tion participation optional for seniors, ac-
Students asked to help homeless
By Emma Jones
staff Writer
UNCA students could be doing more
to help with Asheville’s growing home
less population, according to a shelter’s
director.
“You need to know all aspects of your
community,” said Donna Wilson, di
rector of the Asheville-Buncombe
County Christian Ministries (ABCCM)
shelter in downtown Asheville. “Not
everyone has it easy.”
The ABCCM shelter gets most of its ,
student volunteers through class require
ments rather than personal motivation,
according to Wilson.
“We get a lot from the psychology and
sociology departments. They’re very
helpful, and I hope they go back and
spread the word that we need help,”
Wilson said.
Class service requirements are good for
students who would not otherwise be
involved, according to Jeannie Johnson,
president of Circle K International, an
on-campus service organization spon
sored by Asheville’s Kiwanis Club.
“I think it’s a good thing that it’s of
fered through classes,” said Johnson. “I
don’t think a lot of students know how
to get involved in any other way. Some
times people are uncomfortable going
out and doing things on their own, or
they’re uncomfortable being in that kind
of setting face to face.”
“When you say ‘homeless shelter,’ you
think it’s really rough, but you come in
here and it’s really not bad,” said Wilson.
Information about service opportuni
ties is not readily available to students,
according to Johnson.
“Better communication of things that
are already offered would get more stu-
I
PHOTO BY SCOT WARING
“How can people worship a homeless guy on Sunday and ignore a homeless guy Monday?” said
Malachai, pictured above.
dents involved,” said Johnson. “1 know
they just started the Key Center for Ser
vice Learning on campus, so through that
a lot more information will be provided.
As for now, the only way for students to
get involved in service is through a service
organization or through something they
have to participate in for class. Our cam
pus really is service oriented, but I just
don’t think people know it.”
The shelter welcomes volunteers in any
capacity, whether through an organiza
tion or on an individual level.
“Everyone working here is very dedi
cated,” said Wilson. “They’ve been here
six to 10 years, and once a month or so
they just have a night when they need to
do something else. It’d be nice to have a
group just come and fill in on different
' nights during the month. If students
want to call and ask when we need
someone, that would be great.”
The shelter is always in need of volun
teers, especially now with a change
See HOMELESS page 9
UNCA campus controversy on Kosovo
By Krystel Lucas
staff Writer
PHOTO COURTESY OF IVANA HUGHEJ
See GRADUATION page 9 Hughes’ hometown, Uzice, Yugoslavia (above) as of December 1998
The conflict in Kosovo has created a
conflict of views about the war in the
UNCA community.
“1 recognize people have different views,
and some people may say this doesn’t affect
us, but it does,” said Tom Sanders, director
of Western North Carolina World Affairs
Council. “Our government is involved,
our money is being spent and our soldiers
are being put on the line, so it’s very
important for us to understand what going
on.”
The United States is trying to cease the
mass exodus of ethnic Albanians from
Kosovo, according to David Goodrum, a
UNCA alumnus and psychology major.
The president of Yugoslavia, .Slobodan
Milosevic, is attempting to take back the
province of Kosovo, which was previously
an integrated part of Yugoslavia.
“We’re bombing Yugoslavia in an at
tempt to get Milosevic to stop his forced
exodus of these people from their coun
try,” said Goodrum. “We’re trying to make
this a surgical-type procedure where we’re
going after resources, military bases, and
main lines of transportation and trade
such as bridges.”
Ivana Hughes, a senior computer science
major at UNCA from the city Uzice, lo
cated in central-western Serbia, said NATO
should not be involved in the conflict.
“I think what’s going on is horrible,” said
Hughes. “Serbian people who were once
against Milosevic don’t see him as the
enemy anymore. NATO is theeneniy right
now.”
The bombing has to stop before ethnic
Albanians of Kosovo and Serbians can
come to an agreement, according to
Hughes.
“Milosevic is a shrewd politician, and he
can’t be trusted to sign any peace treaty,”
said Goodrum.
See KOSOVO page 9