^ ^Pendulum
Thursday, Apnl 10, 2003
Vol. 28, Issue 24
Elon University
Eton, N.C.
If it matters to you, it matters to The Pendulum.
Acclaimed media veterans converse
Walter Cronkite, David Gergen discuss issues of past, present and future
Photo courtesy of University Relations
Former Presidential adviser David Gergen posed questions for news veteran Walter Cronkite Tuesday to a crowded Alumni Gym.
“Unde Walter," as he was often referred to during his coverage of the Vietnam War, reflected on his life as a journalist and an American.
Community dollars raise questions of etiiics, policy
Cronkite explains
‘the way it is’ and
‘the way it was’
Mary-Hayden Britton
Copy Editor
Walter Cronkite, one of television’s
greatest newsmen, took a walk down mem
ory lane Tuesday night as he reflected on
his 19-year career with CBS. David
Gergen, former adviser to four presidents,
interviewed Cronkite in front of a packed
Alumni Gym.
Interspersed with personal anecdotes
and serious musings about current events,
Cronkite’s conversation lasted almost an
hour and a half. Among his many topics
were the war with Iraq, the evolution of tel
evision news and the future of America.
War and Its Consequences
Cronkite said he believes war with Iraq
was not necessarily inevitable. In 1991,
Cronkite said he fell the government did
not pay careful enough attention to Saddam
Hussein. He said he believes if American
troops had given Kuwait help then, the
United States could have avoided war with
Iraq.
After viewing the initial results of the
war, Cronkite says he still holds strong to
his pre-war statements condemning United
Stales involvement in Iraq. He said he
believes it was inappropriate for America to
start the war without first getting the United
Nations’ approval. Cronkite found it
alarming that despite having support of 40
nations, military arms did not seem promis
ing within those nations, apart from the
United States’ allies.
Cronkite found it personally arrogant
that President George W. Bush asked per
mission of the United Nations to go to war,
only to turn his back on the U.N.’s decision
and say, “It doesn’t matter, we’re going to
war anyway.”
Although Cronkite is adamantly against
war with Iraq, he made it known that
Americans should show support for their
troops. He expressed his appreciation for
those who sacrifice their lives for the
See Cronkite p. 8
Lauren Ethridge
Reporter
Though the community dollars initiative
is fairly well-known, the community dol
lars account on faculty and staff Phoenix
Cards is a point of confusion and contro
versy among members of the Elon commu
nity.
“The purpose of the community dollars
initiative is to encourage social interaction
and strong relationships among faculty,
staff and students,” said Elon President Leo
Lambert.
Faculty and staff receive $50 a semester
to spend on snacks and treats for their stu
dents and colleagues. These dollars can be
spent anywhere Phoenix cash is accepted.
But the purpose of community dollars is
not clear to everyone, even to those who
accept the dollars as a form of payment.
“I didn’t know until a couple of weeks
ago that faculty were supposed to use
[community dollars] on students,” said
Pamela Sides of Acom Coffee Shop.
The program, initiated in 2000 by
Lambert, has been described by faculty and
staff as “coffee money” for developing the
community of fellow colleagues and stu
dents.
“I use [them] on occasions when I meet
with people individually,” said English pro
fessor Russell Gill.
Many students have met professors for
coffee on occasion but still have reserva
tions about using community dollars. “It
was nice to spend time with [a professor),
but it was awkward when she offered to pay
What’s so funny?
page 21
for something that was already covered on
our meal plan,” said Ashley, a sophomore
who did not wish to disclose her last name.
Besides the occasional meetings with
individual students, some faculty use com
munity dollars for special purposes. Dan
Wright reports spending his dollars on
chips and salsa for El Centro de Espafiol
and on muffins for his physical chemistry
class.
The computer science department pools
all of the remaining dollars to treat its stu
dents to lunch on assessment day.
“Assessment day is a great day for dialogue,
and the lunch gives the students a chance to
discuss informational items that were pre
sented during the nroming’s activities,” said
See Spending p. 9
Kennedy reaches milestone
|Mge28
INSIDE
Napster attenipts comeback
page 14