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The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Volume XVI, Number 29
Paper Mills Mean
Money; Trouble
By Chip Wilson
Carolina Journal Staff Writer
The advertisements abounding in
classrooms offer the end to term
paper blues, but be prepared for a
lighter wallet when resorting to buy
ing research reports.
One service who has advertisements
appearing on UNCC bulletin boards
is Pacific Research of Seattle,
Washington. The director of the ser
vice, who would not give his name,
refused to comment on questions
about students who may actually buy
reports in order to save work.
“We have had some problems when
we’ve talked to the press, so it is our
policy not to say anything,” said one
representative of the company. “We
understand your position in wanting
to give students information, but I
just can’t say anything.”
A different group, Research As
sistants of Los Angeles, has less
publicity, but a little more to com
ment on. Only a little more.
“For a student, we can provide a
computer search and an annotated
bibliography.
C.J.: “But do you actually do
reports for people?”
Spokesman: “We do research for all
kinds of groups, students included.
C.J.: “Would you write a research -
paper for a student upon request?”
Spokesman: “Look, I really don’t
have time for this kind of interview,
so I’ll wrap it up saying we provide
research assistance.”
One customer of the firm based in
Seattle offered his views on buying
term papers.
“I paid $80 for two research papers.
The rate they charged was $5 a page.
1 bought the papers for a business
class and for a history class.”
Was the price really worth it?
Charlotte, North Carolina
“At the time it was. I had a lot of
work to do and needed something
quick. I looked through their catalog,
saw what I needed and got it in the
mail in three days.”
The source said that the company
stressed that the paper was not to be
reprinted in any form; it was suppos
ed to be a reference tool only.
“It said something about violating
copyright laws if you did this, but if
you’re paying $5 per page, you’ll use
it.” He said he re-typed both reports
word-for-word and turned them in
without penalty from either instruc
tor.
“It couldn’t be used in the form I
got it in, because it was a xerox copy
with proofreaders marks.”
The student said he recommends
their service for anyone doing a re
search paper, “It is a good reserch
tool, even if you don’t want to recopy
it. It listed references that anyone
could research on their own. The price
may be a little high for some.”
Dr. Jay~ Jacoby of the English de
partment once grabbed an advertise
ment hanging in a classroom and
threw it away while his students wat
ched.
“I don’t think highly of the re
search companies, but I have not had
any problems with students of mine
using them,” Jacoby said.
“It’s ironic that we discourage
plagerism, but I see those adver
tisements hanging in my freshman
English classes.”
Jacoby says he precludes the possi
bility of students using the service by
checking with each of them while they
are doing a major report.
“If I see a student who turns in a
different paper than what he was
working on, then I might suspect he
used the service.”
Monday, November 17, 1980
Photos by Pick Monroe
Oh, The
Frustration
After 13 futile attempts, “Kudzu”
gives up. Their note says it all. “This
machine has toyed with me long
enough! As a protest I am leaving 13
useless receipts here. If you feel as I
do, that it is the right of any person to
withdraw funds from their bank at
anytime—if the bank does offer this
feature—then please join me in my
protest!
Kudzu”
Bio Clubs To Fight For Lost Charters
By Bob Henderson
Carolina Journal Staff Writer
The Wildlife Club, Graduate Stu
dents Club and the Allied Health
Clubs have recently lost their primary
charters and money they receive from
the Student Government Associa
tion.
These losses have been the reasons
tor a recent dispute between the legis
lators and the club leaders.
For the clubs to retain their pri
mary charters and money, they had to
^apply f or them to Linda Russell,
head of the clubs committee.
According to Russell, the applica
tion was never received, even though
attempts were made to contact the
clubs to warn them their charters
may be lost.
Dr. Richard Brown, Wildlife Club
advisor, said the president of the club
filed the application on time. Appar
ently the application was misplaced,
according to Brown.
Debra Sue Griffin, Wildlife Club
president, said she found it a strange
coincidence that the other biology
related clubs had also lost their char
ters in the same manner.
Russell’s action was particularly
troublesome since the Wildlife Club
had allocated $400 for a memorial lec
ture in honor of Dale Arvey, former
chairman of the biology department.
Dr. Richard Brown, present chair
man of the biology department, said
he was not aware-of Russell’s attempt
to contact the clubs. “Any messages
would have been left for me with my
secretary.”
There are now three alternatives
left to the clubs to get money for the
lecture. They can go to court, submit
a new budget or get money from rev-
ertment funds. The latter two alter, «-
tives will be tried before going to
court with the matter.
Randy Cross, a graduate student,
said, “We wouldn’t go to all this trou
ble if we didn’t think we were right,”
According to Russell, however, if
the clubs try for revertment funds
that is an out of court settlement and
the clubs are not allowed to take it to
court.