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Volume 103, Issue 40
102 yam of editorial freedom
Saving the students and the University community since H 93
UMass President to Take Top Post at UNC
Young Administrator Brings Vision,
Division From Three Presidencies
BYPETER ROYBAL
STAFF WRITER
Before Michael Hooker started looking
at becoming UNC’s eighth chancellor, he
drilled for oil in Texas, applied for a job as
a Colorado sheriffs deputy, rode bulls in
rodeos, published a book on Descartes and
predicted a future where people could be
genetically cloned. And that’s to say noth
ing of his rise from the son of an Appala
chian coal miner to a UNC undergrad to a
Harvard professor of philosophy at age 28
to the president of the University ofMassa
chusetts’ five campus system.
As Hooker stands poised to lead North
Carolina’s flagship school into the 21st
century at the younger than average age of
47, it is his combination of vision, daring
and energy that have won him notice in
higher education, and sometimes strong
criticism from the ranks of school and state
legislatures. Since his arrival at UMass in
September 1992, Hooker has faced a series
ofproblems not of his making: a school cut
to the bones in a state recession; lagging in
research grants and fund-raising efforts;
drawing lukewarm support from legisla
tors; and in need of SBOO million in capital
improvements.
Before Hooker’s arrival, admissions
were becoming a rubber stamp, with 85
percent of applicants admitted. About 10
percent of students needed remedial help.
State appropriations per full-time stu
dent ranked 43rd nationally.
It was a school “widely acknowledged
to be mediocre," as one editor of the Bos
ton Globe put it.
An Avenge find*
In the face of this difficult situation,
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DTH/QUXPEREL
Seniors brighten the Commencent ceremonies Sunday with their colorful choice of hats. Despite the dreary weather, the spirits of the
graduating class could not be dampened. For a last look at the class of 1995, please see additional photos on page 5.
Rain Abruptly Ends Commencement
BYBRONWEN CLARK
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
The rain that fell on Kenan Stadium
Sunday morning could not dampen the
spirits of the 4,373 UNC graduates who
crossed the field waving signs, shouting
and tossing footballs.
Although the 193rd commencement was
marred by inclimate weather, there was no
lack of celebration on the part of the 28,500
in attendance.
“Just above the cloudy sky, the sky is
Carolina blue,” Chancellor Paul Hardin
said. “This is your day in which all of us
join you in celebration of your academic
achievement.”
In his last commencement address as
chancellor, Hardin said he felt a special tie
to this year’s seniors.
“All graduating classes are special, but
I feel particularly close to these of you who
receive degrees today because we graduate
together," Hardin said.
Scott Haenni, a senior from South Caro
lina, said he was disappointed that it rained
but was pleased with the overall atmo
WEEKLY SUMMER EDITION
Hooker fanned flames by issuing a report
card on the University in November that
gave it only a C-plus grade. Hooker had
planned the report card that set bench
marks by which to major progress —as a
tool to show the University was account
able to the public and legislature.
A month after he issued the report card,
Hooker took an 8 percent raise—increas
ing his salary to $189,000. The report card
and salary hike prompted vocal criticism
from faculty, and he later called the C-plus
grade a public relations mistake.
But at the same time, Hooker was criti
cal to the University; he planned five-year
goals intended to put it back on track and
make it “world-class.”
At the center of Hooker’s vision for
UMass were joint ventures between the
University and private industry that fo
cused on economic development.
The strategic action plan he developed
for the UMass system set goals to improve
undergraduate education, economic de
velopment and outreach and to address
diversity issues. “It’s been a thoroughly
consultative, bottom-up process,” Hooker
said in an interview with The Daily Tar
Heel Wednesday. “We are super sensitive
to the necessity of implementing a plan
that has been originated on each campus.”
Technology That Sell*
One of Hooker’s central focuses have
been to encourage research at UMass that
has “technology transfer potential,” or
applicability in the economic sector.
He said public land-grant universities
(UMass is one, but UNC is not) have
forgotten their original mission to benefit
See HOOKER, Page 7
sphere of the ceremony.
“The rain was disappointing,” said
Haenni. “I know a lot of people who were
really upset,but what are yougoingto do?”
he said. “In general I was surprised by the
laid-back attitude. I mean I was pleasantly
surprised, it was a free-for-all for seniors.”
Hardin encouraged the graduates to
view the ceremony not as the end of their
academic career, but as the beginning of a
lifetime of learning and teaching.
“Here is my charge to you, let’s con
tinue to be learners for the rest of our lives, ’’
Hardin said. “As you leave this robust
marketplace of ideas, create modest bou
tiques of learning."
C.D. Spangler, president of the UNC
system, thanked both the graduates and
their parents for their sacrifices and the
contributions they had made to the Uni
versity and said he hoped they would con
tinue thier involvement in UNC.
“To the parents and the relatives, it is
your sacrifice that makes this day possible.
To the graduates, we thank you for your
See GRADUATION, Page 2
Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.
Isaac Asimov
Cfcapol Hill. North Caroliai
THURSDAY, MAY 18,1995
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Michael Hooker has pushed to increase allocations to the University of Massachusetts in financially
troubled times for the state. His plan to quickly improve UMass has drawn mixed reviews.
Cole Urges Graduates To
Use Education to Help
Those Less Fortunate
BYBRONWEN CLARK
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Johnetta Cole, renowned scholar and
president of Spelman College in At
lanta, Ga., encouraged graduates to
maintain theirpassion, enthusiasm and
idealism in her keynote address at the
193rd commencement in Kenan Sta
dium Sunday.
Although Cole’s selection had been
the subject of controversy, with some
critics accusing her of communist lean
ings, Cole received a standing ovation
and the praise of University officials.
Cole asked graduates to congratu-
See COLE, Page 2
Raleigh News & Observer Sold
BY WILL SAFER
UNIVERSITY EDITOR
The Raleigh News & Observer, a North Carolina
family paper for over 100 years, announced Wednes
day its sale to McClatchy Newspaperss of Sacra
mento, Calif, for about $378 million.
But while the N&O is leaving family ownership for
corporate ownership, the paper is staying in some sort
offamily: Frank Daniels Jr., thepublisheroftheN&O,
isa‘s3UNCgraduate, andErwinPotts, the owner and
president of the McClatchy Group, is a *54 graduate
who also served on the N&O’s board of directors.
“Everyone has questions, but everything about this
seems fairly positive, ” said Kelly Thompson, an N&O
reporter and former editor of The Daily Tar Heel.
“It was a big surprise,” she said. “People are prob
ably kind of sad; all of us enjoyed working for one of
the last family-owned newspapers in the country."
In a letter released to all N&O employees, Frank
Daniels Jr. explained the reason for the sale.
“Looking 10 or 12 years down the road, we do not
see any scenario that keeps The News and Observer in
the Daniels family," he said. “The issue for manage
ment is timing. When is the best time to sell?”
He said the time was now because the newspaper
had recently made several significant improvements to
its physical plant, its printing capability and in its
computer technology. These improvements made the
N&O extremely attractive to any potential buyer, he
said. Frank Daniels Jr. stressed the importance of
keeping the N&O on the forefront of the Triangle’s
JOHNETTA COLE told
graduates to keep their
passion and
enthusiasm alive as
they leave UNC
DTH/CHJUS GAYDOSH
Jerry Stackhouse announced May 8 his intentions of following Rasheed Wallace to the NBA. With
Stackhouse at the press conference were his mother and Coach Dean Smith.
BOG Set to Approve
Hooker’s Nomination
At Friday Meeting
BYTHANASSISCAMBANIS
EDITOR
UNC alumnus Michael Hooker is expected to accept an offer
to become UNC’s next chancellor at Friday’s UNC Board of
Governor’s meeting. Members of the BOG confirmed that they
expected Hooker to be on hand Friday when the board formally
considers and approves UNC-System President C.D. Spangler’s
recommendation for the chancellor post.
In an interview with The Daily Tar Heel Wednesday, Hooker
directly referred to his imminent departure from his job as presi
dent of the five-campus University of Massachusetts system.
“I’m assuming that the board will recruit in my replacement
someone who is committed to following through on the action
plan we’ve developed for the university,” Hooker said.
Friday’s meeting will be the final stage in a 14-month search
process that began last March. The board will meet in dosed
session to consider Hooker’s appointment and vote. Afterwards,
Hooker will make a speech to the board in open session.
BOG members don’t expect any hold-up with Spangler’s
recommendation, although some said they hoped for hardy dis
cussion before the appointment is officially announced.
The search committee and UNC Board of Trustees sent only
two names to Spangler after the last search committee meeting
April2B: Hooker and UNC Provost RichardMcCormick. Spangler
has interviewed both candidates since.
Sources close to the search said Hooker has visited the campus
at least twice during the search, at one point eating lunch at Lenoir
Dining Hall with Spangler while students were still on campus.
Hooker will take over at UNC when current Chancellor Paul
Hardin steps down June 30.
Search committee members and BOG members are still cagey
about commenting on the record; many want to wait until the
BOG gives Hooker the final stamp of approval.
McCormick also declined to comment on the search process or
See CHANCELLOR, Page 7
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growth. “To keep up with a growing community
requires capital, but our access to capital is limited, ” he
said. Selling to the McClatchy Group would enable
the N&O to continue growing and to continue as a
leader in electronic publishing, he said. “It would be
fun and exciting for the N&O to remain in the family,
but good business dictates that it’s time to have new
ownership,” he said.
Richard Kaspar, publisher of The (Durham) Her
ald-Sun, said he thought the Daniels family had run
their business well, and he was surprised by their
decision to sell the paper. “I think anytime you lose
local ownership you lose something, something that
transcends money,” he said.
In the letter released to all N&O employees, Daniels
said that he expected the McClatchy Group to keep the
current management and staff in place, as they had
done with their other newspapers.
According to a McClatchy Group spokesman, the
company agreed to pay $250 million for the N&O
stock and to assume the N&O’s debt of about $123
million, most of which was incurred during its recent
printer upgrades. The McClatchy Group earned $46.6
million on sales of $471.4 million in 1994. Hie N&O
company’s total revenues in 1995 are projected to be
sllß million, compared to $lO7 million in 1994, and
came primarily from the N&O.
Included in the sale are The Chapel Hill News, The
Cary News, The Smithfield Herald, the Mount Olive
Tribune, The Zebulon Record and the Gold Leaf
Farmer of Wendell. It also includes Benson Print
Company, a commercial printing business.