Wednesday, November 3, 2010
{The Blue Banner}
Page 3
On the Quad
What do you think of budget cuts this year?
“They make budget cuts
just because they can’t af
ford to keep everyone. It’s
just a cycle. That’s how it
is with jobs.”
Rebecca Salazar
Literature student
“I also heard that they
are going to start cutting
extracurricular stuff, like
RE. programs and stuff.
That seems important for
our community.”
Duncan Barnes
Environmental management
and policy student
“We’re in a dumpster
dive to the bottom. Even
though Fm really opposed
to it, I really don’t want to
see the tuition bill go up.”
Michael Jones
History student
Sociology professor
passes away Sunday
Haas dies of pancreatic cancer
Katherine Walker
KPWALKER@UNCA.EDU
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
UNC Asheville sociology professor
Bill Haas died Sunday night after he
was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
in April.
“The department loses a major per
son in the department. He was here
the longest. He had tremendous insti
tutional knowledge. We lose a great
teacher and a great colleague. WeTl
have to see how we can deal with
that, but it is truly a tremendous loss
to the department and the institution,”
Volker Frank, chair of the sociology
department, said.
According to Frank, Haas continued
to teach classes this semester up until
his death. He taught at UNCA for 30
years.
“He taught important courses, and
he loved to teach (introduction to so
ciology). He really cared a lot for stu
dents, and that was actually what kept
him going a little bit,” Frank said.
According to Frank, Haas wished to
keep teaching through his chemother
apy, even though it was hard for him.
“I think being here with students
gave him a different perspective and
kept him going,” he said.
Frank said the chemotherapy might
have triggered a pulmonary embo
lism, which is what is believed to have
caused Haas’ death.
“He loved a good joke, and was very,
sort of, irreverent and a fun person. He
enjoyed life and he lived life. He will
be profoundly missed, because he was
very much present here,” sociology
lecturer Keith Bramlett said.
According to Bramlett, Haas had a
passion for sociology and was a great
sociologist.
“Bill wanted to live his life on his
own terms. He wanted to stay in
volved and continued to make plans.
He maintained his hope in fighting his
disease. I think the way in which he
reacted to his diagnoses and the way
in which he approached his treatment
was a great lesson for all of us. He did
it with zest, bravado and the most fan
tastic attitude,” Bramlett said.
photo courtesy sociology department
Sociology department professor
Bill Haas taught at UNCA for more
than 30 years.
“He was a devoted
family person. He
provided legitimacy
and authenticity to
the term ‘family
values.”’
- Keith Bramlett,
sociology lecturer
Haas is survived by his wife Marilyn
and two sons Kenneth and William.
“He was a devoted family person.
He provided legitimacy and authentic
ity to the term ‘family values,’” Bram
lett said.