The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Volume XVI, Number 36
Charlotte, North Carolina
Monday, January 26, 1981
Olsen’s Ruling Reversed
Newspaper Return
O.K.’ed By SAFC
By David E. Griffith and Chip Wilson
During a closed meeting of the Stu
dent Activity Fees Commission
(SAFC) Thursday, Jan. 22, a 10-day
freeze on the Carolina Journal funds
was lifted, allowing the student paper
to publish.
The Carolina Journal funds were
frozen by executive order of Student
Body President Ron Olsen on Jan. 12
during a special meeting of SAFC. At
this meeting the results of a financial
investigation ordered by Olsen were
discussed. According to the report
given by Student Attorney General
Deb Dellinger, the paper was
operating at a yearly deficit of
$3,411.12 as of Dec. 31. Carolina Jour
nal Editor Rick Monroe, returning
from Christmas break, said he was
unprepared to answer any question
concerning a deficit because he had
not been aware of one. After a short
discussion, Olsen issued the order
freezing the funds.
The executive order stated, “This
freeze will remain in effect until a rul
ing by SAFC or until appropriate ac
tion is taken to correct the financial
Photo by Debbie Miller
Monroe
procedures of the Carolina Journal.”
Through lengthy deliberation, the
Carolina Journal’s Business Manager
Steve Pounds, Advertising Manager
Joel Gilland and Monroe overhauled
the paper’s annual budget, and its ac
counting and control procedures.
The situation at the student news
paper was the major topic discussed
at the semester’s first Student
Legislature meeting held Jan. 20.
In an address to the legislators
Olsen said he initiated the investiga
tion by Dellinger in December. Olsen
said his action came in response to
early findings of an official audit of
the newspaper’s finances.
“The audit is still in progress, but
the preliminary report does not look
good,” Olsen said. “The management
of finances is poor. No one seems to
know where all the money goes. They
have spent the entire amount ap
propriated to them by SAFC.
“My decision was a prudent one. I
have a responsibility to the students
to see that their money is not
wasted,” said Olsen.
Legislature Chairperson Barry
Brown, who serves on SAFC, took
questions concerning the fund cutoff
and explained the conditions he
BSU President Files Against Editor
By Chip Wilson
Black Student Union (BSU) Presi
dent Mike Kemp has filed a complaint
against Rick Monroe, editor of the
Carolina Journal.
Kemp initiated the charge of abuse of
trust on the part of Monroe. The
UNCC Code of Student Responsibili
ty states such “violations include,
but are not limited to, the knowing
abuse of any elective or appointive
position of trust or responsibility, in
cluding a misuse of a student
organization’s funds or properties, or
a conflict of interest involving the ac
tivities of a student organization.”
Ed Hausle, chief legal defense
counsel, with whom the complaint
was filed, said no further action will
be taken “until I review the case with
Kemp.” He said the citation of abuse
of trust was tentative.
Neither Hausle nor Kemp would
give details of specific complaints
listed in a memorandum on file in the
Student Legal Defense Counsel’s of-
Photo by Debbie Miller
Barry Brown Chair of Student Legislature and Student Government representative to SAFC
argues for closing Thursday’s meeting as Student Attorney General Deb Dellinger looks on.
wanted the Carolina Journal business
staff to meet.
Brown said he expected the
newspaper to do more than submit a
new budget to the commission. I
want to see the restructuring of
business operations so that these
financial problems will not occur
again.”
He also proposed an SAFC review
of the financial affairs on a month-to-
month basis, possibly allocating their
funds monthly.”
The Carolina Journal business staff
presented its case during the Jan. 22
meeting of SAFC.
Brown made a motion that the
meeting be closed; the motion was
seconded by UPB Chairperson Mac
Ritchie. Monroe said, “I strongly ob
ject to closing this meeting. We have
a responsibility as student leaders to
support free discussion.”
fice.
Prior to his appeal to the judicial
branch, Kemp went to the Student
Legislature after the Carolina Journal
published a picture of Andrea Robin
son, the 1980-81 homecoming queen.
Robinson was representing the
BSU in the competition.
Due to a production problem, no
cutline identified Robinson as the
homecoming queen, though her pic
ture appeared as part of a centerfold
detailing activities of that weekend.
Kemp did not mention the missing
identification in his address to the
Student Legislature. Instead he call
ed for an investigation into the
editorial practices of the Carolina
Journal.
The legislative campus affairs com
mittee is currently considering that
request.
In the days following publication of
Robinson’s photograph, BSU
members circulated a petition calling
Brown said the meeting should be
closed because the presence of televi
sion news cameras might intimidate
the commission, and some things
could be mentioned in the meeting
that should not go any further than
the conference room walls. In a 3-1
vote, SAFC voted to close the
meeting.
The Carolina Journal’s business
staff presented a revised budget of
operations calling for substantial cuts
in many areas, and a list of eight new
accounting and control procedures.
With no revision, SAFC voted
unanimously to accept the Carolina
Journal’s proposal and voted
unanimously to lift the freeze.
Monroe answered the charges of
mismanagement, saying, "It waS
mismanagement to the extent of the
billing not being sent, but this was
corrected at the end of last semester.”
for the impeachment of Monroe from
his position as newspaper editor.
Shredded copies of the homecoming
issue of the Carolina Journal were
found at the entrance to the Cone
Center media offices. The newspapers
were taken from distribution points
in classroom buildings. It is not
known who was responsible for the
litter.
Kemp would not comment on the
reasons for his allegations against
Monroe. His only comment to a
reporter: “I’m tired of all the opi
nionated reporting down there (at the
Carolina Journal).”
Should the Student Court hear
Kemp’s charge Hausle would present
the case against Monroe, while Stu
dent Attorney General Deb Dellinger
would provide the defense for the
editor, who is elected by the student
body. According to Hausle, that plan
for legal counseling is “tentative
also.”