Newspapers / University of North Carolina … / April 28, 2005, edition 1 / Page 7
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((pril 28, 2005 The Blue Banner Miscellaneous •orBij Monday OOp.b[ ct Sisters id at the 1266 to, ry tties- mi Hall ns expe. ■2586 0 du. rime, once ain, for e Blue Banner transform Get the most out of o iO Kristen Ruggeri Editor-in-Chief veryone is afraid of change, especially if it has to do with a Jdia outlet. When the New •grL Times promoted editori- 1 hage editor Howell Raines ofexecutive editor in 2001, he public expressed a lack )f|Confidence in the paper’s •adership. Numerous hors published books crit- zing Raines for giving the a biased, untrustworthy position. Raines quit after he Jayson Blair scandal in OO '. only to be temporarily laced by Joe Lelyveld. All the commotion at the New York Ks caused skepticism and controversy about the publication, heir stock went down by 25 percent. Circulation also dropped. Famous media outlets experience these leadership changes lajbc once every few years. The New York Times has since ideemed itself with the help of highly paid professionals and jusands of readers who love the paper unconditionally. ,ile is a bit tougher for a college newspaper that changes lards at least once, usually twice per year. So, maybe The Blue laiuier doesn’t have to worry about stock rates, but it does «)ny about readership and circulation. When aspects of the lapc; change, there’s always someone who disagrees with the V management. The Banner editors, in many cases, don’t get bailee to redeem the paper’s reputation during their term. The blems just get passed on to the next editor. In my opinion, a aester does not offer enough time for an editor to get comfort- Ue in the position and accomplish all of his or her goals. A year lid not even leave enough time for me. But, that’s just the way t is when students are only here for an average of four years, ind everyone wants a chance. fhile I thoroughly enjoyed my 24-issue run as editor-in-chief, so received a lot of criticism for some choices I made. For [ance, I made a decision not to publish names of the accused mr campus crime briefs. Yes, we’re allowed to publish them, I we actually did at the beginning of fall semester, but after nerous reports of RAs getting their tires slashed because they fffe portrayed as “snitches” in The Blue Banner, I decided it nay not be the most ethical decision. Also, some of the people re named in the Banner were falsely accused and found not jiilty in court, which puts us at a risk for libel. Since our paper sj)n the Internet, when these accused students try to begin a areci. their potential employers can do a Google search and ind out that police busted them for underage drinking or smok- ng pot in college. But, isn’t that what college is all about? I lon’t think it’s the Banner ’s place to ruin the futures of these stu- lem by publishing some insignificant, and possibly untrue, ncidents. I also didn’t see publishing their names as a service to be community. So, we stopped running names and then feccived complaints from people who point out, “Well, the Daily Plai mns the names....” Good, then. Go read the unethical Daily Planet if gossip is your thing. I just hope you never get iccused of something, falsely or not, because your name will ippi- for the whole town to see. It was also my final decision to run Chad Mohn’s articles. I already hear the gasps and moans. But, I believe that Mohn just as much of a right as Anastasia Prendergast, Trevor SsL Carr and Jonathon Czamy to voice his opinion in his cam- lus newspaper. Even if it is unpopular to many, I’m sure some >eople enjoy reading his column. So. now, I leave behind The Blue Banner, my life for the past ive semesters. But, I know that I’m leaving it in the hands of >60ple who will continue the tradition of dependable and accu se reporting and content that will meet the interest of the ®CA and Asheville communities. Aspects will change, and some of the changes will be unpop ular. Maybe the future editors will decide to publish names in Mcampus crime section. There are strong arguments to do so. ^d. maybe they will decide that Chad Mohn has no place in The Blue Banner. I’ve heard plenty of good arguments about bat as well. But, remember, every good editor has good reasons ®)his or her decisions. It’s now up to the fall 2005 editorial staff to decide on the (tiioi issues. We always appreciate feedback and suggestions t9n our readers, so I encourage you all to keep it up. Criticism ^ only make us stronger. W ith the end of the semester fast approaching, it only seems fitting to wrap up the madness that is my viewpoint with some advice for posterity. Lucky for all of you, I graduate in about two weeks and will be released into the unsus pecting world. Parting is such sweet sorrow, I know, but before I leave, I am compelled to share some of what I have learned during my tour of duty here at UNCA. First things first, I highly recommend try ing everything you come across. This time in your life has been set aside for you to “find yourself.” As lame as it sounds, there is some truth to it. There are many things just waiting to be discov ered, among them, your true self. This university is like society’s candy store. There is a little bit of everything right here. UNCA provides access to many opportunities that you won’t see again for the rest of your life, and I don’t mean the chance to hook up with a Division I athlete or break the record for most cans of South Paw ever consumed in Founder’s Hall. Keep your eyes open and an ear to the ground. I cannot stress the point enough. You will never get this kind of chance again. Your time here will only be as valuable as you make it. Recognize this time as your best chance to learn and grow. The second obligation to yourself while you are here is to challenge your beliefs. If you are lucky, you will come to realize that everything you think you “know” is merely what you have been taught. The concepts of “knowl edge” and “belief’ are difficult to differentiate. Most of our personal beliefs amount to mere rational izations to justify our own selfish behavior. You should be particular ly leery of any belief that attempts to justify the murder of those less fortunate, the discrimination of those who seem different or the denial of access to basic human rights such as food, shelter, educa tion and health care. You should reject all beliefs that devalue other peo ple, limit their freedoms or justify leaving them behind. I know what I am say ing sounds like typical liberal bullshit, right? If you must label me to dis associate me from good advice, so be it. Everything you think you know will change with the circumstances of your life and the ever- changing collection of your experiences. If you don’t get it now, it’s OK. Someday you will. Trust me—you do not want to look back on your life in 10 years and realize you wasted your time here. The best way to find yourself is through your talents. While many of you may be here solely to get a piece of paper that says you are employable, others rec ognize the opportunity to hone your skills. You will never get a chance like this again or find a more nurturing environ ment dedicated to your personal growth. Once you know where your talents lie and what you want to do, it is your responsibility to make it happen. Do not blame your par ents, teachers, friends or life in gener al for your predicament or bother cre ating excuses for your lack of effort. Perhaps the most impor tant thing to Jonathon Czarny realize is that Columnist I* not fair even in this country. In our society, first chances are hard enough to come by, and second chances are extremely rare. No one is going to hold your hand and you must work hard to take care of your self. Cleverly-crafted excuses may work a little longer, but you will soon realize that nobody is concerned why you did n’t do your best. Consider yourself warned. When viewing the world we are supposedly preparing for, we see the results of the choices of the last hundred generations. Neurotic over-analysis of the last century has fragmented our world into infinite categories and subcategories. It is the foremost responsibility of our generations to pick up the pieces, figuratively and literally. We must reassemble the bits of truth fragmented by the pursuit of specialized knowledge in order to progress our society. We must integrate the wisdom spread before us, utilizing the true les sons of history and the fruits of our predeces sors’ efforts. This is the very pur pose of our lives. After thousands of conversa tions with teachers, friends, family and cohorts, the task before us often seems too big. The level of complexity of our collective situa tion can overwhelm, intimidate and wilt even the strongest of convic tions. The seemingly inher ent apathy that everyone observes in our respec tive generations results purely from the experi ence of growing up in the homes, schools, churches and society we have created. The biggest threat to our progress is the feel ing that we can’t make a difference or that what we do in our lives does n’t matter. Don’t believe it. Don’t ever forget that an individual’s every action affects somebody else. But more impor tantly, every action is your choice to make. What’s more important to recognize is that inac tion contributes to the problems we encounter and further adds to the desperate situation our children and grandchil dren will face. If I have learned any thing in my studies, it is this: Our society is built on a faulty foundation. The world’s resources cannot support the American way of life as it currently stands. Furthermore, the patience of other world citizens and their toler ance for our over-privi leged lifestyle is directly proportional to the des peration they face. Just like the world’s resources, patience is running out. Do not worry about trying to define your generation. History will provide the definition of our lives, and the future is ours to create. It is my firm belief that the great est Americans haven’t been bom yet. Now, if you will excuse me, 1 have a path to find, minds to change and a New World Order to draft. Is there anyone out there who can lend a hand? The Blue Banner would like to welcome the following fall 2005 staff members: Editor-in-Chief: Maribeth Kiser News Editor: Sean Robinson Circulation Manager: Chris Johnson Features Editor: Tracy Horne Copy Editor: Sara Schmidt Sports Editor: Erin Curtis Copy Editor: Katie Rozyeki Ad Manager: Lindsay LaClair Copy Editor: Paul Petrequin Business Manager: Andres Martin Copy Editor: Rachel Wright Freshmen cannot bring cars to campus, but now they can rent one by Kristen Ruggeri Editor-in-ChieJ To facilitate the elimination of freshmen parking, UNCA hooked up with Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company to become one of the few universities in the nation to offer rental cars to students. “As the first transportation planner for UNCA, I’ve been asked to plan for the first year of no freshmen park ing,” said Yuri Koslen. “Part of that is working to find solutions for students so that their experience at UNCA is not deterred by not being able to have a car on campus.” Working with the rental car compa ny, Koslen got permission for stu dents as young as 18 to rent cars. “University students at 18 are more responsible than your general 18- year-olds,” said Koslen. Students that want to rent a car can do so by visiting www.unca.edu/transportation and clicking on “Rent-A-Car,” according to Koslen. Then, the Enterprise sends a car to pick up the student. Students must make sure to have a valid credit card, a UNCA One Card and proof of full-coverage and liabil ity insurance, according to Koslen. On average, renting a compact car costs about $40 per day. Full-sized vehicles cost approximately $55 per day, and large Sport Utility Vehicles will cost about $85 to $90 per day. “Those costs are a little bit more than what you would pay if you are above 25 years old, but that’s only to cover their liability,” said Koslen. In hddition to rental cars, Koslen also formulated a Guaranteed Ride Back to Campus program for fresh men. “We still haven’t figured out all the details, but (freshmen) will have between two and five vouchers per semester, where they get a free taxi ride back to campus,” said Koslen. “So, if they’re stuck off campus for some reason, they can use this for a guaranteed ride back to campus.” Yet, the voucher system raises some concern from one student. “My concern is for the students with jobs,” said Erin Ludwick, senior literature student. “How are they going to get to work a few times a week with only two vouchers?” The transportation forum will also offer rental bikes for $3 per week. Freshmen can rent bikes in month long intervals for $8, according to Koslen. “It will meet some of their inde pendent needs without having to own a car,” said Koslen. Additionally, students can use an online carpooling service to find a ride, according to Koslen. 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University of North Carolina at Asheville Student Newspaper
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April 28, 2005, edition 1
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