The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Volume XIV, Number 37
Charlotte, North Carolina
April 2, 1979
Two races contested in recent elections
By Bill Peschel
The student attorney general is in
vestigating allegations of voting ir
regularities brought by two can
didates who lost in last week’s elec
tion.
Jamie Willeford and Steve Klocke,
candidates for junior and sophomore
class presidents, have asked for a re-
count and filed a petition with the
Student Court that could result in a
new election for those two offices.
Klocke, who lost by three votes to
Jeff Devine, said, “I thought
something wasn't kosher when I had
lost by three votes and my opponent
did not campaign." Willeford refused
to talk to the Carolina Journal on the
advice of Attorney General Billie
Stickell. He lost the race for junior
class president to the present
sophomore class president David Cur
rie by four votes.
Plans for WFAE include more
student input in programs
By Kathy Espin
Student radio station WFAE is re
questing around $24,000 in student
fees for next year, a cut from around
$26,000 budgeted last year.
Is WFAE a student radio station?
How much voice do the students have
in the operation of the station?
The station is governed by the Stu
dent Broadcasting Association (SBA)
which elects a six-member executive
board. According to the SBA Con
stitution, the Executive Board is
charged with governing the affairs for
the radio station, and ensuring
adherence to SBA rules and regula
tions. The Executive Board also ap
proves applications for membership
in the SBA.
“No one has ever been turned
down, said Station Manager Robert
Pittman, whose appointment was ap
proved by the SBA Executive Board.
"We have had some people who lost
interest and quit, but anybody who
wants to get involved can.”
There are two other paid employees
at WFAE besides Pittman. Chris
Wright is paid minimum wage as
fulltime program director, and Paul
Stribling is paid minimum wage as
parttime production director. Wright,
who is not a student at this time and
Stribling, who is a student, are paid
with stipends from student activities
fees, and Pittman is paid from state
funds.
Frank Talbert who recently
reelected chairperson of SBA by the
student body, is paid a $500 stipend.
“My job entails much less respon
sibility than theirs, so I am paid ac-
tordingly,” said Talbert, a third-year
architecture student and announcer
it WFAE.
The Carolina Journal was able to
obtain a copy of a memorandum to
Tom Chumley and Cathy Allred, co-
chairpersons of the Elections and
Publicity Staff, from Stickell. In it,
the candidates charged the Elections
and Publicity Staff with allowing
students to vote "without verifying
their class status which resulted in
some voting in races in which they
were not eligible to vote.” The memo
further said at least one student "was
outcome of these races if proven true.
During the election, after a voter was
checked off the computer list, the per
son would tell a staff member which
class president he would vote for.
"Even if they did check it,” Klocke
said, Cathy Allred could have been
told something else.”
Klocke also said there was a
possibility of a third violation being
filed. In the Elections and Publicity
Act (Section 9, paragraph 383-b), “No
“I thought something wasn’t kosher
when I had lost by three votes and my op-
ponet did not campaign...”
not allowed to vote in one class while
another in the same situation was
allowed to vote in that class.”
Stickell wrote since "the above
charges could possibly change the
According to Wright, the Ex
ecutive Board must approve any
changes in operation or format for the
station, and has authority over the
employees of the station. Members of
the Executive Board presently in
clude Talbert, Wright, Stribling, Jeff
Wicker (production director) and Jeff
Arrowood (former SBA chairperson).
The sixth seat provided in the SBA
Constitution is vacant.
"WFAE is a student organization;
it . is ™ n b y the students,” Pittman
said, “it provides an opportunity for
students to train in the broadcasting
industry.”
Who runs the station? “The station
runs itself,” Stribling said but he add
ed Pittman is the boss.
According to Pittman, 14 of the 21
staff members are students. Except
for Pittman, Wright, Stribling and
Talbert, all staff members work on a
volunteer basis.
WFAE follows a public radio sta
tion type format which includes
classical music, jazz, bluegrass and
educational programs. According to
Talbert, the Student Media Board
decided a few years ago they would
have an FM radio station on the
educational band. To meet FCC
regulations the station must conform
to an educational format.
One of the things we wanted to do
was make a name for this place,” Pitt
man said, “We wanted a radio station
that would be a direct link with the
community. We wanted to be unique,
so we looked at what was not being
done. There was no classical music in
this area before Davidson (WDAV)
started. What good would it do for us
to do what four or five other stations
are doing?”
-Steve Klocke
student can seek more than one elec-
tive office on the same ballot.” Two
candidates may be in violation.
Steven Sowers and Joe Austin, pre
sent chairperson of the Student Me
trvin^T’ stati ° n manager f ° r WFAE ’ has s P ent man y successful'years
from^ulen^^^ mdio Sta “° n st* needs money
Pittman said he hoped to see the
radio station develop into a full-
fledged communications department.
Plans are now underway to set up
broadcasting and announcing classes
in cooperation with WBT radio.
Dr. Douglas M. Orr Jr., vice
chancellor for student affairs, said, “I
think the long-term plan is to get
complete relief from the state. Our
goal is to obtain state funding for
WFAE operating expenses; that
together with local fund-raising ef
forts and federal grants could fully
fund the station freeing up student
fees for other things.”
Vern Parrish, director of the Cone
University Center, said, “If I were
the students I would still want stu
dent fees involved in the station
somehow so the students could have a
channel to use the station.” He said
WFAE is the only public radio sta
tion in North Carolina partially fund
ed by student fees and he feels the
student body should be proud of their
involvement.
dia Board, ran for and won seats on
both the Student Legislature and the
University Senate. Austin would be
the business representative and
Sowers the humanities represen
tative. Neither Austin or Sowers was
available for comment.
When asked about the violation,
Klocke said, "We did notice that, but
we weren't sure the senate and
legislature would be considered two
seats.” He did promise to bring the
matter up with Stickell.
Chumley is not concerned about the
allegations. “If you think you got
something valid that can be contested
we'll be glad to take it from there.”
He also said he was willing to hold
another election for the two offices.
Allred could not be reached for com
ment.
Stickell could not be reached for
comment.
“One thing that needs to be done is
more active recruiting down there
(WFAE is located in the basement of
the Cone University Center),” Parrish
said.
Stribling said there is always a need
for more personnel, but there is no ac
tive recruiting of students to par
ticipate.
Orr said he has had nothing but
positive comments from the com
munity on WFAE: “I think the
students should be proud of what
their station has done.”
Many people in the UNCC com
munity are not familiar with WFAE
because they live outside the present
10-mile broadcasting area. When the
station changes this summer from 10
watts to 100,000 watts, the signal will
be broadcast throughout the
Charlotte area. For anyone interested
in the station who cannot receive the
signal at this time, Pittman suggests
buying a di-pole or ribbon antenna,
available at most department and dis
count stores for around $10.