Volume 10 Number 3 Charlotte, North Carolina Student Media Board Meets, September 17, 1974 journal photos by dean hubbard ^ Pledges Unity The SMB's first meeting of the fall semester provided a change of leadership for the Board and the promise that there would be complete co-operation between the Media Board, the media members and the student legislature. The Media Board also considered the acceptance of two long range goals for the university. The addition of a vice-chairman to the statutes of the constitution led the organization to the Board elections. Jane Ross, editor of the Journal, was nominated to fill the office of Secretary-Treasurer. There were no other nominees and Ms. Ross was overwhelmingly accepted. Elected to the position of Vice-Chairman, also against no opposition, was Joe McCorkle, interim editor of the Sanskrit arts magazine.. Steve Morris was the only nominee for the office of Chairman. Morris was a former editor of the Rogues and Rascals yearbook and is presently an at-large member of the SMB' The selection of Morris as SMB head ended the one and one half year chairmanship of Michael Aldridge. SMB discussed their present constitution determining it to be old and "archaic" (according to Aldridge). Many of the statutes of the document were determined to be inadequate for the needs of the present Board. The Board voted to form a committee to review the statutes. The committee's task will be to make the constitution a long-term success instead of a piece of paper which must be constantly amended and rewritten.. Two long-term possibilities were considered. The formation of a media forum and the formation of a film media were introduced as possible goals for the Board.. The Media Forum would include a number of seminars and lectures by (authorities in the different media. Local high school and junior college students would be invited. The event would be excellent publicity for the four members of the media at UNCC. The program would probably last three or four days and the cost is questionable. The addition of a film media would become a lengthy ordeal as well as a costly one. There is also the question of just how many students the new media would benefit. The film media would consist of a group of persons interested in making their own movies. Possible uses of the medium would be in the orientation program and with television-related majors in the BCA department.. The Board decided that imrhediate action needed to be taken on the state of the darkroom. The darkroom had not been cleaned by people using it over the summer and some of the equipment is missing. The suggestion that a darkroom coordinator be hired to control the facility was accepted by the Board. The -by mike evans Board also decided to place cabinets in the darkroom for each medium. The financial situation of the Board appears dismal. The expected enrollment for this semester was not reached, thus cutting the amount of funds the media will be able to obtain. Since the original media fund has already been split among its four members, each will now have to reduce their projected spending. The proposed Sanskrit constitution was found to be contradictory and ambiguous in places, so the Board asked that it be reviewed again. The listing of salaries and the creation of new positions were the main points of controversy. The finished product should be submitted at the next meeting. Dick Wyzanski, head of 'WVFN, presented the Board with a report on the status of the radio station. He stated that a broadcasting course will begin on campus within the next couple of months. The course will run for six weeks and will carry one hour of university credit. Wyzanski also discussed the future of FM on campus, making it apparent that the station does not presently have enough money to go FM within the immediate future. There was a sense of accomplishment and unity as the rr>eeting was terminated. The four members of the media left in perfect harmony and through the legislative representative on the Board a peace was gained with the legislature. TFUFiV; How Far Away Is FM? Whether UNCC will get its own FM station or engage in a possible joint effort with WTVI, the Charlotte educational FM station seeking an FCC license to operate, is still a question to be resolved. Although the Metropolitan Specialty School of which WTVI was to be a part was refused funding by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education at a September 10 meeting, a committee was appointed by the Board of Education and the County Commissioners to make a recommendation by November 1 , according to information received by Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Douglas Orr from Gene Sweezy, an official for WTVI. The question of a . UNCC-owned station or a joint effort with the Charlotte school system has been under discussion since the first •feasibility study for a WVFN-FM station prepared in 1 972 by the station at administration's request. A subsequent cost report was submitted by WVFN as well as a feasibility study this past summer which received a favorable rating by the administration, according to WVFU Station Manager Dick Wyzanski. However, no formal While rrony mentors of the University Community are unctergoing the transition of summer's play to die beginning of classes, it appears at least one UNCC Community member is unaffected by it aill. by harold anders administrative action has been taken. Wyzanski expressed that advantages of a UNCC FM station would be that UNCC could be more active in the community, that educational programming on the college level would be offered and that students desiring to gain experience radio communications would have a vehicle in a UNCC station. Although initially a UNCC station would be 10-watt, Wyzanski said that expansion would come with University growth. The station manager expressed concern that in a joint effort with WTVI, UNCC may not get substantial time and programming control relative to input. Administration officials have indicated that a joint.effort with WTVI appears more feasible. Associate Dean of Students Betty Chafin said that the administration is very supportive of an FM station and listed advantages for a joint effort such as sharing expenses and enabling the UNCC community to reach out into the Charlotte community to tell the UNCC story and to provide information and programming.. According to Chafin, the primary concern for the administration is cost and financing. Dean of Students Dennis Rash also expressed the administration's concern for. financing, particularly operating costs. A joint effort would help alleviate the money problem and would also allow wider inital coveage of all Metrolina, thus reaching the commuter student population. Rash indicated that WTVI has priority for licensing by the FCC and also that stricter FCC practices could make it difficult for a second educational FM station to gain a license. Rash also expressed confidence in WTVI's prospective programming quality.. Noting manpower as well as cost problems. Vice Chancellor Orr said that UNCC visibility in the community would grow in a joint effort with WTVI and that the wide coverage would help to overturn the "Charlotte College" image that is still prevalent in the community. Additionally, Orr expressed concern for the commuter population who would benefit from Metrolina coverage. Orr also ' said that substantial programming would be a prerequisite to UNCC involvement. Fran Saxon, a member of the Commuter Life Committee, indicated that the FM question is of concern to commuter students who feel they are not getting full benefit from their activities fees and that commuter student response is indeed important. Likewise, adminstration officials expressed the desire for student opinion. Wyzanski indicated many students that he had talked with expressed a desire for a UNCC FM station and that additional student response is welcome at WVFN. The issue of FM status of WVFN is important to all students, commuters and campus residents. (WVFN-AM would be maintained in addition to an FM arrangement, according to Vice Chancellor Orr.) Students wishing to express opinions may contact any of the mentioned adminstration officials and Dick Wyzanski at WVFN to express their feelings..

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