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Volume XI, Number 26
rile Student Newspaper of tbe University of Nortli Carolina at Cbarlotle
Charlotte, Nortli Carolina
April 6, 1976
Pharr successful in election run-off;
Sworn in by Stemple on March 30th
By Doug Leriier
Rickey Pharr, a twenty one year old
political science major, became the first
black to win the student body presidency
Thursday, March 18 after an upset
victory over Attorney General Bob
Verdinek (see complete results elsewhere
this page). Pharr edged in to a close
victory after winning in six out of eight
student polls, defeating his opponent
with 52.5% of the vote.
The percentage of students voting in
favor of Rickey Pharr, by polling place
was; Dorm Cafeteria 45%, Scott Hall
(Dorm 72) 32%, Holshouser Hall (Dorm
73} 61%, Moore Hall 58%, Sanford Hall
56%, Rowe Building (kack Studies
Office) 100%, Commuter Lounge 55%
and the Cone University Center (Student
Government Offices) 66%.
Verdinek left on Friday for his
spring break in Pittsburgh, but did pledge
his support to Pharr in an interview held
shortly before his departure.
Rickey Pharr attributed his surprise
victory, and complete turnaround
following his plurality loss to Verdinek in
the genera! election, to the last minute
efforts on the part of his campaign
committee, chaired by Greg Reynolds.
An extensive publicity campaign had
been launched on Tuesday evening (the
night before the election) which included
political flyers being placed under every
dorm door. Verdinek, on the other hand,
asserted that .most of his efforts had been
Carolina Journal photo by Van Gill
expended during the general election and
most of his campaign literature had been
used up by the time of the run-offs.
The decision as to when Pharr will
take office is up to Jamie Stemple. the
incumbent president. Stemple can leave
office just about any time he is ready to,
but according to tradition, is expected to
turn over the government to the new
president in early April, probably April
6th.
Pharr and his advisors have not
completely selected a new cabinet, but he
is expected to consider appointments for
Attorney General, Student Government
Treasurer , Student Legal Counsel,
Student Superior Court, Student Media
Board, Ombudsman (a new position
created under the recently ratified
Student Body Constitution) and various
legislative positions sometime this week.
In other election results, we have
Jani Helms defeating David Woodall for
the Commuter Association
Vice-Presidency by a slim 85-77 margin.
Write-ins and blank ballots totalled 13, so
Helms did not receive a clear majority of
votes cast for that office but nobody is
expected to contest that election.
Frances Dolley won in a special
election held for Commuter Association
Treasurer under a special provision that
allowed a winner to be declared with a
simple plurality of the. voles. Dolley
received 36% of the votes cast in that
Cindy Rudolph came in second with
31%'. Hank Winkenwerder tliiid with 25%
and no preference received about 8% of
the voles. Frances Dolley said she was
looking forward to straightening out the
Commuter Association’s ledgers.
The total number of votes for
President totaled 693, one of the highest
run-offs recorded. The Chairman of the
Elections Board expected a voter turn-out
of about 500 because of the NiT and was
pleased with the additional 200 ballots.
‘‘Considering the problems we had:
getting our check requcsitions through in
time, making signs and coping with
certain individuals who tried to. hinder
us,” he said, “overall it went very well.”
The Chairman of the Board went on
to commend the Nuggets, a recently
chartered student organization for llieir
help in manning the dorm polls. “We
really couldn’t have run the elections
without the Nuggets,” he said, “(licy
deserve a lot of credit, they are a good
organization.”
Administrators who were informed
of the election results in the midst ot the
confusion on the Friday following the
49er/Stale game did say they were
looking forward to working with the new
administration, although their reaction to
the results was indicative ‘of some
surpiise.
This week, more news of the shape
of the student government to come will
make itself known. According to well
placed sources, the new Pharr
Carolina Journal photo by Susan Cole
Rickey Pharr taking oath.
administration is going U) do its best to
open up student government and make
itself acccsible to the students. Also
planned is more student participation in'
community oriented matters and political
areas. One student said, “We’re going to
become the Berkeley of the SouthEast.”
Jam Up Festival to feature
Leon Redbone, Tom Waits
Cedric Maxwelh whose fine performance in the
39th annual NIT earned him that tournament s Most
Valuable Player award. Maxwell set a new NIT free
throw record in route to receiving the honor, hitting an
amazing 47 of 53 from the charity stripe.
By Greg Reynolds
The Third Annual Jam Up Festival
will be the biggest and best ever. The
Festival will happen Friday, April 9th,
and last through Sunday. April ! I (h. The
opening attraction ol Jam-Up is a
mysterious cliaracter called Leon
Redbone. Redbonc has been described as
a person whose talent “has been
inadvertantly mislaid for 35 years.”
“Mr Redbone, where were you
born?”
"Bored?”
“Norn...”
“Uh, Bombay...in the monsoon
season...
“No? Afghanistan, during llie
torrential rains.”
The above exchange is not that
unusual a feature of the typical Leon
Redbone interview. The list of fellow
musicians who liavesung Redbone’s praises
reads long and tall; Bob Dylan, Jack
Elliot, Maria Muldaur, Bonnie Railt,
John Prine and John Hammond. On
stage, Redbone has gained an extensive
word of mouth notoriety. He delivers a a
minimum of dialogue with his deep,
growly voice (Rolling Stone called it, “a
contented hum, the • magnitude of an
outboard motor.”), but when he does,
audiences fall hard.
Most of his material is drawn from
the popular songs of the late 1800’s
through the early 1940’s and touching
such stylistic bases -as ragtime, blues,
ballards, novelty pieces and yoeling.
Redbone’s appreciation of Jelly Roll
Morton, Blind Blake, Fats Waller, Bing
Crosby, Jimmy Rogers and Sophie
Tucker is prominently displayed.
Redbone will be performing at the
Rathskeller on Friday, April 9th. Shows
are at 8:30 and 10:30. Tickets are 25
cents for the University Community and
SI for all others and can be purchased at
the Cone University Center.
On Saturday, April lOtii, the Social
C\)mmittee of Ihc University Program
Board will present in concert, Iwo
nationally acclaimed acts - Firefali and
Tom Wails. Firefali is a new group
form’ed partially of 3 members of Spirit.
Tom Waits is a popular performer that
recently finished a tour with Bonnie
Rain and John- Prine. In his own words:
“My favorite writers. Jack Kerovac.
C’harles Bukowski, Mickael C. Ford,
Robert Webb, Gregory Corso, Lawrence
Ferlingnetti, Marry McMurlry, Narper
Lee, Sam Jones; Eugene O’Neill, Jt>hn
Receny and more. I drive a 1965
Thunderbird that needs a valve job and at
least four quarts of Penzoil a week and
gels four miles to the gallon on a long
distance, the trunk is busted and I have
lliree warrants on traffic violations in the
D)s Angeles Metropolitan Area alone. I
am a pedestrian piano player with poor
technique but a good sense of melody. I
write in coffee shops, bars and.parking
lt)ts.”
Firefali and Tom Waits will be
performing at the UNCC Amphitheater
and is free to the University Community.
Closing off Saturday night will be a
dance band by the name of Opus Vll.
They will be playing from 9 - 12 on the
patio of the new Cone University Center
expansion.
On Saturday, April lllh, the
University Program Board and the Sigma
Phi Epsilon Fraternity will co-sponsor an
afternoon of fun and drink. Sugar Creek
and Eastern Seaboard will be providing
the music from 1:00 ‘til 5:00. There will
be free events, free prizes, free food and
43 (yes, forty three) kegs of free beer.
Some of the events scheduled include the
greased pole climb, beer drinking contest,
Turkey Shoot and many, many more.