November23j^l996
Jlh Herald i
Campus Opinion
Why are buildings so hot?
by Angela Dawii Hess.
Due to the number of questions raised by
the heat during our receni warm spell, I spoke
with Rick Dunning, the maintenance manager,
about how the Meredith heating system works.
Meredith’s heating and cooling systems are
both on one line. The system works by sending
hot or cold water through pipes underneath ail
the buildings on campus from the central boiler
room.
Each fall the maintenance departmentmust
pick a date on which to switch the system from
cooling to heating, and similarly in the spring,
from heating to cooling. It takes approximately
a week to ten days for the system to be com
pletely switched over. This fallthedecision was
made to switch to heat in early October due lo
students’ complainisthattheirdormrooms were
too cold.
Unfortunately, thecold front was followed
by a beat wave and the maintenance departnieni
was left with their hands tied. Switching the
system back to cooling would have taken at
least a week, and then it would have taken
another week to ten days to be giving us heal io
the below freezing temperatures of the last
wed:.
Dunning did assure me that the heating
system was shut off as soon as the weather
turned warm, but ai ihatpoint it was too late. Hot
water was akeady flowing through the pipes.
He would like the entae Meredith community
to know thatourcomfonis his firstpriority, that
is why die beat was cut on in the first place.
However, having a one-pipe system doesn’t
leave him many options.
A two-pipe system, one that would allow
heating and cooling to occur simultaneously, is
being considered, but it will take time to install.
The pipes must be run underground to all the
buildings on campus once again.
It would be nice if each room had a sepaate
air conditioner, but this leads to obvious ex
pense problems. And asking why Johnson Hall
administration building has separate air condi
tioners is like asking why the President doesn’t
live in a dorm.
Does media portray image
of candidates in elections?
By Jonna Anderson and Donna Gurganus, guest writers
In our “American Elections in 30 Seconds
Flat” class we have studied, among other things,
the impact the media has on tlie image of candi
dates. We realized that most people based iheir
choice of candidates on commercials and ad
vertisements paid for by parties or PACs (Poli ti-
calActionCommittees).This information, while
easily obtained, is not always accurate and
factual. Therefore to be an informed voter, you
are required to do some homework. Who actu
ally does dieir homewofk?
On election day, we decided to get out tliere
and see if the Meredith community did their
homework before going to the poils. Eighty
percent of liie studeius polled thought that the
information put out by the media helped tiiem
choose the best candidate. They said they re
ceived infonnation needed by watching the
materials about the different candidates in the
media. Only twenty percent of the suidenis did
“homewoik” and checked web sites, researched
voting records and issues and attended rallies to
hear candidates speak.
Is it media’s goal to portray accurate infor
mation and help the public become informed
voters? Eighty percent of students polled felt
that was tiot tlw intended goal of the media.
They seemed to believe that media was in itonly
for the glory. Issues, they said, were not as
important to the media as dirt and mudslinging.
The research seems to contradict itself. Why
do we base our vote on the media even though
we believe that they are not portraying correct
information. Why do we look to them for tliis
information? Are we too lazy to become in
volved if it reaches past the comfort of our own
living rooms?
Security Tip of tlie Week
If you think you are being followed, cross the street
and change directions. If yoa continue to be followed,
hiove quickly:io
Help for needy panhandlers
By Angie Harris, guest writer
Have youevergottenoff the beltlineattheCrabtree Valley exitand seen someoneholdingasign
asking for food, money, or work? 1 have, numerous times, and each time I felt awkward. I want to
help them out, but how? If I gave diem 55, would that help? If I gave them an apple, would that solve
their problems? Probably not. So I drive by avoiding tlieir eyes and sinking lower and lower iti my
seat.
This is a concern a group of Meredith women, including myself, have searched to address
tliorough an action project in our Capstone ‘The Mytlis We Live By.” We wanted to find a way to
safely help the people needing motiey, food or work we see week to week on Hillsborough St., in
parks, downtown or at intersections.
We were reminded of this issue not only from our day-to-day experience with begging, but also
tlirough recent publicity in the News and Observer. It reported that (he Raleigh city council recently
enacted a law that makes begging a civil oflense and imposes a 30-day jail sentence or a S500 fine
in anyone convicted. Does this help the problem? It may get panhandlers off the street, but isn’t that
wh« they are looking for?
In light of this, we’ve searched fora way to educate the Meredith community on how we can help
these people we pass daily. We want lodistribute information rather than money or food. The Wake
County Jobs for the Homeless program publishes a Homeless Services Resource Guide on behalf of
Cornerstone, a Homeless Service Center. This pocket-sized guide provides useful infonnation to
those who want it. We believe this guide is mucli more helpful tlian handing out money, food or just
passing by looking the other way.
If anyone is interested in obtaining guides, please contact Cornerstone or Wake County Jobs for
the Homeless. Both organizations would be grateful for an increased awareness about this guide or
any donations.
We believe that by promoting this resource witfiin the Meredith community, we are taking astep
towards helping to discourage panhandling. By distributing the Homeless Resource Guide, we are
no longer contributing to the financial profitabiiity of begging, but hopefully giving tliem a little
more.
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