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The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Volume XI, Number 13
Charlotte, North Carolina
November 11, 1975
Carolina Journal photo by Russell Long
Wildlife Refuge
donated to UNCC
Chancellor D. W. Colvard, Dr. George Lieby, Mrs. George
Lieby (seated) and Dr. Bonnie Cone at the dedication of
the UNCC Wildlife Refuge.
By Brad Rich
Thursday, November 6th at 2:00
pm, the UNCC Wildlife Refuge, donated
to the school five years ago by Dr. and
.Mrs. George Lieby, was officially
dedicated. The ceremony, attended by
UNCC Chancellor D.W, Colvard, several
Vice-Chancellors, representatives from
the Geography and Biology Departments,
Mrs. Bonnie E. Cone, Dr. and Mrs. Lieby
and various Stanley County officials,
took place beside the newly constructed
“Bonnie’s Pond” on the refuge.
The refuge, previously part of Dr.
Lieby’s farm five miles south of Locust,
North Carolina, is a 35 acre tract of land
which borders the Rocky River. Included
on the property are many interesting
features, among them an old river fijord,
a sunken road and an old settlement
wiiich may have been the site of an
Indian village.
Tire Dedication Ceremony opened
with an invocation by Reverend Bert
Potter, son-in-law of the Lieby’s.
Chancellor Colvard spoke next, honoring
Dr. Lieby and Bonnie E. Cone for their
great contributions to UNCC. Colvard
thanked Dr. Lieby for the “greenspace
which shows a variety of nature’s
handiwork; the river, the forest and the
pond. Not all the credit should go to
nature,” he said, “the Liebys have
preserved the area for us. We should
tliink more in terms of dedicating
ouselves and helping students get back to
their roots.”
According lo Dr. Lieby, the efforts
to improve the reserve “have greatly
improved the wildlife in the area.” He
also credited Davis Ford of Stanley
County, for his support and backing in
organizing the refuge as a total
community concept.
Jim Matthews of the UNCC Biology
Department said the Refuge is under
authority of the UNCC Wildlife
Commission, and while studetns and
classes are welcome to use the area,
authorization from the committee is
required.
In the past. Dr. Lieby and UNCC
student interns conducted a study which
attempted to correlate pollution to the
higher infant mortality rate in the area.
The study proved the hypothesis had
merit, and a possible cause was the
porosity of the shale rock in the area.
Other groups, including Earth Science
classes and groups from the UNCC
Venture Program have used the refuge
well in the past. According to Dr. Lieby,
“the refuge has grown and developed
wholly from student interest. They came
down and liked what they saw, suggested
certain things.and went to work.”
After the ceremonies. Chancellor
Colvard and Dr. Lieby invited interested
people to tour the area for as long as
they wanted. Several people including
Jim Matthews and Vice Chancellor
Douglas Orr accepted the offer, then the
day was concluded with refreshments on
the porch of the Lieby’s trailer.
Armstrong elected President of University Senate
By Michael Evans
Chancellor D. W. Colvard addressed
Ihe initial meeting of the University
Senate tor the 1975/76 academic year
Thursday in Atkins 317. Colvard gave a
short statement on the history of the
Senate for the benefit of the new
members. Colvard said the Senate
evolved out of the Faculty constitution
not being “adaqiiate for the kind of
university expected lo emerge here.”
The Chancellor had set up a
committee to rewrite the faculty
constitution but the committee
disbanded in favour of the formation of a
University Constitution which would
create a body that would “represent ail
interests of the University.” The
committee felt the need for minority
groups, not just -racial ones, lo be
represented in some way, according to
Colvard.
“The University Senate was created
as a body which represented the total
university.” !t was formed with the
understanding that at the end of a three
year period, the constitution could be
reexamined. Colvard said under the
regime of Hoyle Martin, 1974/75
Hresident Pro-Tcmpore of the University
Senate, the reexamination did take place
with the present constitution being
developed and ratified.
One ot the major changes in the new
constitution is the changing of (he
position ot the President. In the former
constitution, the Chancellor served as
President ol the Senate with the Senator
heading the body being the President
Pro-Tempore. In the latter, the Senator
heading the body is termed as the
President. Colvard said the old way was
in keeping with the code, but the Board
ot Trustees did not objecl to the change.
The Senate’s authority has been
delegated, according lo Colvard. “from
the Board of Governors to tiie Chancellor
or the Board of Trustees to the President
‘ind the Senate.” He added, “1 hope the
Senate will feel free to cover any matters
of broad interest to the University, We've
had some very productive work done by
the Senate.”
The Chancellor said he was
particularly pleased in the work done by
the Long Range Planning Committee. He
further requested particular attention be
given to the question of planning for the
present and the future in regard to new
facilities. Requests for the McEniry
Building were before the State
Legislature in 1967 and the building was
dedicated in 1975, said Colvard, stressing
the fact that the Senate might not see
immediately the fruit of their labour.
Colvard said, “The state is a bad planner.
They tend to act only when an
emergency arises, with our library being
an exception.”
The Chancellor then accepted
nominations for the office of President
of the University Senate. Five Senators
were nominated: Marvin Armstrong of
the College of Human Development and
Learning, Michael Evans of the College of
Social and .Behavioral Sciences, Bill
Kincaid of the College of Business, Bill
Marchant of the College of Architecture
and Robert Vermillion of the College of
Science and Mathematics. Armstrong led
(lie balloting with 16 votes and was
elected President of the body.
Colvard designated Dr. Earl Backman
as the liaison between the Chancellor and
the University Senate before turning the
Senate over to Armstrong. Armstrong
first announced the resignation of Robert
Grey from the College of Humanities.
The Senate standing committees, wliicli
Armstrong wants to get olt tlic ground
quickly, are the University Planning
Committee (formerly the Long Range
Planning Commillee). the Finance
Committee, the Human Relations
Committee and the Executive
Committee.
Mucli discussion ensued as lo who
should compose the Executive
Committee of the body, as no such
designation is made in the Constituion.
Senator Barry Jenkins, of the College of
Architecture, suggested the Executive
Committee consist of the President, the
Secretary, the Student Body President,
the President of the Faculty and the head
of each of the standing committees. No
final decision was reached on the
composition of the committee.
Tenure controversy in
mathematics department
By Brad Rich
About one year ago, the tenure
review committee of the UNCC College
of Science and Mathematics voted not to
reliire Assistant Professor of
Mathematics, Keith Allen for a third
three year term. Allen, now in his sixth
year at the school, has taught most
courses levels in the department.
According to Dr. Joe Schell, head of
the Mathematics Department, tlte official
reason for the decision not to rehire
Allen was that “his contributions in the
areas of teaching, service snd research
were not up to University standards.”
Allen, however, thinks there was
more involved. About two years ago, he
recieved a letter from H.F. Hutton, a
stock brokerage, advising him of certain
tax breaks which lie could take advantage
ol. According to Allen, other people on
campus received the letter sas well,
though he cited no manes. After
receiving the letter, which he felt was
e.xemplary of the unfair tax laws in the
United States, Allen signed the letter,
including the phrase. “Fuck-off, you
parasites”, and returned it to Hutton.
The next stage was the most critical
according to Allen. The agent from
Hutton, upon receiving the returned
letter, came to the UNCC campus and
confronted Vice Chancellor Phillip
Hildreth with the letter. In Allen's
opinion, the letter had no bearing on his
ability to do his job and had no business
being returned to his employers.
According to Hildreth, however, this is
only partly true. Said Hildreth, “The
letter does not relate to his (Allen’s)
competency in the classroom, but he is a
representative of this University. The
agent felt that the University had a right
to know, and when he volunteered the
informationm we couldn’t very well turn
him down.”
After getting the letter, Hildreth sent
it to Schell, who kept the letter for
approximately six months. During this
time, Allen feels that members of the
math department who are on the tenure
review committee could have seen the
letter, and though he has no evidence
either way, the letter “could have
influenced thier decisions.”
The letter though, even in Allen’s
opinion was probably not the reason for
his not being rehired. Said Allen, “I’ve
expected to be canned for four or five
years anyway- this letter was not an
isolated case. In my first year I sent a
letter to the Carolina Journal concerning
the unfair rules in the dorms. I then
became aware of the paternalism of this
institution.” In Allen’s opinion, “some
people here are like ostriches with thier
heads in the sand. Few people will even
(continued on page twelve)