Butterfield and the BSU: A viewer analysis u.. ; i n * by jennifer knight and vanessa gallman After a needless and repetitious program which will bring debate of 45 minutes, Monday, representatives of black October 12, the Student organizations on predominately Legislature passed the Black white campuses to UNCC for a Student Union's budget of weekend-long sharing-out and $1,175.00. The budget follows: NOVEMBER- Focus on Students: $50.00 - Publicity; $50.00 - Decorations; Total - $100.00 FEBRUARY- Gospel Jubilee: $50.00 - Publicity; $50.00 - Decorations; Total - $100.00 seminar session. The speakers for this occasion are not to participate in the role of lecturers but as facilitators in the seminars. It also seemed important to the BSU that since they were inviting people to their home, that they would, at least once, offer their visitors a meal. The $225.00 APRIL-Black Forum: $150.00 would aid in this attempt to Correspondence, seminar project hospitality. Butterfield felt that the BSU should go to SUB for money for speakers and felt that giving the BSU money for a banquet violated an unwritten policy of SGA. Friday, October 19th, more materials; $600.00 - Speakers; $225.00 - Banquet; Total - $975.00 Thursday, October 18, Student Body President, Richard Butterfield, vetoed the budget because he felt that the legislature had set a bad precedent by passing than 100 black students held a $225.00 for a banquet and silent picket and protest march $600.00 for speakers. against Butterfield's veto. The The banquet and speakers were BSU marched from the Belk components of a Black Forum, a Tower, single-filed, to the Union and occupied the SGA offices. The entrance of Butterfield into his office commenced an hour and a half long discussion that never once got entirely heated. Butterfield's decision to veto came after a talk with several students, admittedly, none of which were blacks. Again, Butterfield cited as his reason for vetoing that the passing of the banquet and speakers violated an unwritten policy of SGA. As Butterfield admitted that unwritten policies can be changed at the will of the legislature. Jack Dunne, chairman of SGA, pointed out that, evidently, the unwritten policy had been changed by the mere fact that the budget was passed. However, Butterfield stated that he was uncertain as to whether the student legislature "knew what they were doing" in passing the budget. Butterfield continuously stressed the fact that SUB had much more money that SGA and It was their responsibility to aid the BSU in obtaining speakers. Kenneth Foster, president of BSU, voiced the BSU's objections to SUB's aid as the fact that SUB would sponsor who they wanted and when they wanted them without regard to the desires of BSU. As SUB's responsibility is to plan activities for the entire student body, the BSU feels that even if their speakers were contracted at the time they wanted them, the speakers would be set up as lecturers open to the entire student body instead of as facilitators in the closed sessions of the Black Forum. Butterfield stated that it was procedure that an organization first explore all other possibilities of financial assistance before coming to SGA. The fact that'the budget got to the floor of student legislature without following this procedure, Butterfield admits, was because of inefficient investigation of the budget by the Finance Committee. The BSU felt that they should not be made to suffer because of the Finance Committee's negligence. Richard Butterfield withdrew his veto after the BSU made it clear to him that they realize the injustices perpetuated by SUB and that they intend to deal with them. According to Butterfield, he took this stand in order to draw the BSU's attention to SUB and that he withdrew his veto only because he felt that this purpose had been accomplished. From this ordeal, the SGA, as represented by Jack Dunne, Jane Sigmon and even Richard Butterfield, has gained some respect of the BSU. But more important, the BSU has shown to the student body that they plan to actively oppose any injustices levelled toward them. Maybe now, the BSU will gain some respect from the student body. The crisis in the Middle East is the topic to be discussed by a distinguished panel Wed., Nov. 7 3t 11:00 a.m, in the Parquet Room of the Cone University Center. The program is designed to give members of the campus 9nd Charlotte communities an opportunity to become more enlightened on this issue of grave end eminent importance. Knowledgable persons, representing differing philosophies and ideological backgrounds have been invited to participate in a panel discussion about this crisis. Rabbi Bernard Zlotowitz of Temple Beth El and Dr. Nasser Jehanbani, formerly of Iraq, who is currently assistant to the president of Belmont Abbey College, both have accepted invitations to be panelists. An official from the Middle East desk of the State Department in Washington is being contacted and asked to participate, reports Lynn Zera, Assistant Dean of Students. In addition, an invitation has been extended to Dr. Shepard Jones, Professor Emeritus at Chapel Hill, who has been a government consultant on Middle East affairs. Several university professors will also participate in the panel discussion, which will be moderated by Dr. Nish Jamgotch, Associate Professor of Political Science, specializing in Soviet and International Politics. Students from Israel and Arab nations will give some personal reflections about what is at stake in the Middle East conflict. The program format will include, first, a brief historical perspective to provide a background for the discussion. The panel will then explore the political and religious issues, and study the Involvement of the different factions and the major powers. They will look at the present conflict in terms of what is actually at stake, and will reflect on the influence of isolated Arab-lsrael confrontations that have occured in the past few years. In conclusion, the panel will discuss the future direction that the conflict might take. The program is being coordinated by Lynn Zera and Marian Beane, residence coordinator of Sanford Hall. Two UNCC Arab students who have served as consultants in developing the format for the program are Al Hamdiri and Akram Al-Koor. Anyone desiring further information concerning the program can contact Lynn or Marian at 597-2267 or 2346.

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