I
lOlPSKAL
volume vil, number 10
The emerging court
Like Posiden rising from the
sea, a group of students are
planning to make an all-out effort
to be noticed and to balance the
governmental operations on
campus. The 1971-‘72 Student
Superior Court has been elected
and is on a stepped-up schedule to
begin operations.
Established under the revised
SGA constitution, the court is
authorized to “protect the rights
of the Student Body and to insure
the acceptance of responsibilities
through procedures which shall be
detailed...”
At present, the court is
struggling through procedural
problems related to their having
to deal with an outdated Judicial
act. But, the act is being
re-written under the leadership of
Roland Gentry and, as soon as
this is taken care of, court
proceeding should get underway.
Vickie Hinson, who has been
plected by her fellow Justices (six
in number) as Chief Justice, was
asked about the new image and
the role of the Student Court.
“Up till now, the court has had
no role,” she said, “everybody has
bypassed it.” She also said that as
a result the government in the
school has been running rough,
partially due to the past attitudes
of the members in the court.
“I want to see the students
recognizing the court as an agent
to go to,” said Hinson. “It should
act as more of a court to settle
student-student disputes.”
She said that it was also there
to help interpret the SGA
constitution.
SGA president Stan Patterson
also had comments about the role
of the court. It should be part of
the check-and-balance system of
the University government, he
oelieves.
“The SGA has got to give it
(the court) more power to check
the actions of the Student
Government,” said Patterson.
Patterson also commented on
the student court up until the
present time. “Last year, the
student court wasn’t functional
but it seems like this year they
have got it more together.”
Also dealing with the question
of interpretation, Patterson said,
it should interpret actions of the
SGA to see if they are consistent
with the Constitution.
Associate Justice Pheadra
Berry said that UNCC “must have
an enforcing agency to bring
students to justice who cause
harm to other students.” Berry
also stressed the court’s role as an
“interpretive body.”
She also said that one reason
that the court hasn’t been very
effective was because “the idea of
the court has not been publicized.
The students are not aware of the
court.”
Miss Hinson said that she was
very pleased over the make-up of
the court. Aside from Miss
Hinson, the court is made up of
one white and one black woman,
one black man and three male
whites. “We have moderates,
conservatives, and the very
liberal,” she said, describing the
make-up as “fantastic.”
For the most part, the student
court is fashioned after the U.S.
Supreme Court and people seem
to feel that this is rightly so.
President Stan Patterson said,
that it “ought to be synonomous
\vith the U.S. system.”
Justice Berry mentioned that
every other governmental body
on-campus has been operating on
the same basis as the federal
government, and that it is
consistent that the courts do also.
Five of the justices are elected
at-large from the student body
by Charlie peek
and two are selected in interviews,
according to the old Judicial Act.
, Miss Hinson said that decisions
“should be made with all the
judges present.” This would add
credibility to the court, she said.
According to the SGA
Constitution, as it now stands,
“The Student Superior Court will
have original jurisdiction in all
cases involving the
constitutionality of any legislative
or executive action, and in all
cases other than those assigned to
lower courts or boards. This court
shall act as an appeal board for
cases arising in the Men’s and
Women’s residence courts and the
Election Board.”
When asked about any possible
conflicts with SGA committees,
Hinson said “I want to restore the
original balance of power.”
Hinson said that their (the
court’s) relation to the Residence
Hall Courts was that “the students
can appeal their decisions to us.”
“Their first priority is in the
dorms,” she said.
Patterson, on the purposes of
the court, said, “they should
make sure that each student is
treated in a constitutional manner
by the government.” He said the
court should be “constitutional
and fair.” “My hope,” he said, “is
that the student court will be
mature in its judgements.”
Vickie Hinson said, “I would
like to see the SGA recognize the
court as a body. This should come
about on its own.”
Nov. 18, 19, 20
UNC-Greensboro as a good
example of an active student
court. “Students often go to their
university court instead of the
county court,” she said, “Up until
now, we couldn’t even get a
student case, let alone a county
case.”
Hinson emphasized that “the
court is not power hungry; we just
simply want to be recognized.”
When asked about whether the
court would enter into any
investigative work such as the
Justic^e Department is getting into,
she said, “I would like to but I’m
not sure about the legality
questions.”
Some have wondered about the
implications of having a woman as
chief justice, a move that many
think to be perhaps a little
innovative. Miss Hinson said that
there was no difference as to her
being a woman.
“There is no difference in my
feminine thinking and anybody
else’s male thinking,” she said.
Miss Hinson repeatedly talked
about the problem of getting
student involvement in the
operation of the court system.
“We will issue a ‘gray’ paper
telling the student how to bring
cases into the court,” she said.
In addition to this, the justices
have organized a “moot court” to
take place the evening of
Thursday, November 18. This
event will be conducted exactly as
if a student had filed a case in
court, using prosecuting and
defending attorneys, a bailiff, and
all the rest of the courtroom
paraphenalia. The public at-large
is invited to attend the
proceedings, according to Hinson,
and learn how the system of
UNCC justice will be functioning.
Second 49er
Pageant
Oxir apologies good friends
for the fraclore of good order
the homing of paper
iK
instead of cmldren
— Qaniel Berrigan
by Sharon deck
Twelve UNCC women will
compete for the title of Miss
Forty-niner this Wednesday,
Thursday, and Friday in the Rowe
Recital Hall.
The Fungus Blues Band will
play at a coronation dance in the
dorm cafeteria on Friday night.
No admission will be charged
for the pageant, which is
sponsored by Kappa Alpha Psi
fraternity.
Contestants will be judged in
costume, swimsuit, casual
clothing, talent, and evening gown
competition. Preliminary rounds
will be on Wednesday and
Thursday. The new queen will be
crowned Friday night.
These are the young ladies
competing this year:
Miss Cordy Earle, sponsored by
Delta Zeta sorority. Cordy, a
sophomore art major, is from
Charlotte.
Miss Michelle Evens, sponsored
by Delta Zeta sorority, is a
sophomore whose main interest is
in her sorority. She is also from
Charlotte.
Miss Laura Foxx, sponsored by
the Black Student Union, is a
junior English major from
Charlotte.
Miss Annie Ruth Howell,
sponsored by Rotaract, is a
sophomore history and political
science major from Charlotte.
Miss Debbie Jamison,
sponsored by Alpha Delta Pi
sorority, is a sophomore art major
from Gastonia.
Miss Carol Loah, sponsored by
Delta Delta Delta sorority, is a
junior English major from
Charlotte.
Miss Gail McDuffie, sponsored
by the Student Nurses
Association, is a junior nursing
major from Rockingham.
Miss Cora Pearson, who is
entering as an independent, is a
sophomore vocal music major
from Charlotte.
Miss Linda Ruth Ross,
sponsored by the Black Student
Union, is a sophomore music
major from Kings Mountain.
Miss Trina Vernessa Stowe,
also sponsored by the Black
Student Union, is a freshman
sociology major from Kannapolis.
Miss Deborah Lynn Thompson,
sponsored by Alpha Kappa Psi
fraternity, is a sophomore music
major from Moultrie, Ga.
Miss Valerie Autumn Wilcox,
sponsored by Lambda Chi Alpha
fraternity, is a sophomore
psychology major from Charlotte.