North Carolina Newspapers

latlg ®ar Hrrl IB Stmts fnm the University and Chapel Hill Journalism Conference Addresses Race Relations A Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, rep resentatives from lauded newspapers and other prominent members of the press will, speak this weekend at a joint conference sponsored by the Journalism Alumni and Friends Association and the Board ofVisi tors. Race relations in journalism will be the topic of the conference, and professional journalists will talk with students and pro fessors, said Paul Gardner, assistant dean for development and alumni affairs in the School of Journalism and Mass Commu nication. A reception will be held at the Carolina Inn tonight, followed by a dinner and a guest speaker. Programs will be held at 8:45 a.m. and 10 a.m. Saturday and at 8:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. on Sunday. All programs will be in 104 Howell Hall. Guest speakers include reporters from People magazine, The Los Angeles Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer. “People are sometimes scared to talk about the issue because it’s such a hard subject to talk about,” Gardner said. “People are afraid of putting their foot in their mouth, so this will provide an honest and open forum through which we can get ideas out for discussion and con versation." JAFA President Regina Oliver said a joint conference would be ideal for dealing with the topic. “It’s a big issue to deal with, and this will be a good forum for handling it,” she said. “JAFA is interested in making this a working conference that will give journal ists information to take back to their news rooms.” The BOV consists of professional jour nalists from across the country who advise professors and students in the School on journalism trends. Gardner said the conference also would be a good opportunity for students to make job contacts because journalists from around the area will be attending the pro grams. Formore information, call Paul Gardner at 962-3037. Festifall Hits Chapel Hill Streets This Sunday West Franklin Street will be closed to traffic Sunday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Sunday for Chapel Hill’s annual street fair, Festifall. Festifall is a community arts and enter tainment celebration sponsored by the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department. Carol Walbom, arts and events director, said Festifall would fea ture a wide array of musical entertainment as well as fine arts and crafts. “We have two big stages —one at each end of the street fair for entertainment, and one for family entertainment which if un der the mural of the hands,” she said. Stages will feature reggae, alternative rock, jazz and other forms of music. Along the street, there will also be booths for a variety of arts and crafts. “It will feature some of the best crafts in the whole region,” she said. Walbom said the event began 23 or 24 yean ago because students wanted a way toshowtheirwork, and at the same time be outside having fun. The town expects ap proximately 20,000 people at the Sunday afternoon event. In case of rain, the event will be held Sunday, Oct. 8. University Graduate Loses In Showcase Showdown UNC alumnus James White presses his hick as a contestant on the long-running game show “The Price is Right” today. White and his wife, UNC alumna Sharia Carter White, went to the taping of the show in June while honeymooning in San Diego. White, a native a Greensboro, gradu ated in 1991 with a degree in Business. He now works as a marketing director for Reliability in Raleigh. According to White, contestants are not randomly picked from the audience. Rather, all 350 people in the audience are briefly interviewed, and then choices are made. White, dressed in UNC attire, said he “turned on” the Southern accent to catch the interviewer’s attention. He did and earned a place on Contes tants Row. White made it to the stage on his first bid and got to play Full House, a poker-type game. He won $3,500 in prizes and advanced to the Showcase Showdown. He said his luck ended at the wheel, where he went over the $ 1 limit. White said the show was a blast. He said Bob Barker, file show’s host, was very friendly. According to White, the audience got die chance during the commercial break to ask Barker questions. “It’s overwhelming. The lights, the cameras, Bob Barker,’’White said. The show airs today at 11 a.m. on CBS. Three to Receive Alumni Awards on University Day Harlan Boyles, fifth-term N.C. treasurer of Raleigh; Dorothy Ridings, publisher and president of The Bradenton Herald; and Roberts Timberlake, a painter and designer will receive Distinguished Alum nus and Alumna Awards Oct. 12'. These awards go to alumni who have distinguished themselves in such a way as to bring credit to the University. FROM STAFF REPORTS Audit: No Conflict in Smart Start Evaluation BY JENNIFER WILSON STAFF WRITER Smart Start, Governor Jim Hunt’s ini tiative to help preschool children in North Carolina, got another clean Nil of health on Monday when the state auditor found no conflict of interest between the two .UNC organizations responsible for the program. The Frank Porter Graham Child De velopment Center and the School of Edu cation at UNC worked together to super vise and operate Smart Start, even though Two Sophomores Set Up Scholarship Program BY STEPHANIE DUNLAP STAFF WRITER In rural Zimbabwe, it is not uncommon for school-age children to rise early enough to walk two miles to collect water for their families before literally running the lOmiles to a dilapidated school. During the lessons, children are often distracted by their empty stomachs while they share textbooks with five other hun gry and tired children. It’s a far cry from the relative comforts of the American educa tional system. “Most rural Zimbabwean schools don’t provide education past 16, after which chil dren are forced to return to their subsis tence families,” said Galahad Clark, a sophomore from Rugby, England. Clark and fellow sophomore Jeff Pike from Vancouver, Canada, have seen to it that fate will be altered for 10 of the most gifted and dedicated schoolchildren of ru ral Zimbabwe. Clark and Pike have established the Sally Mugabe National Scholarship pro gram to give 10 chosen scholars a chance to attend reputable Zimbabwean boarding schools to complete their secondary edu cations. “All we’re doing is providing an oppor tunity to break out of the cycle of hard ship,” Pike said. “We’re recognizing the untapped tal ent,” Clark said. "And injecting some hope into their lives,” Pike added. * Clark received the inspiration for the scholarship program from the stories he heard from a Zimbabwean friend in En gland, and the idea was cultivated by Clark and Pike in Chapel Hill. The two submit ted a proposal to a charitable fund in En gland, which agreed to sponsor the first Filmmakers: Government Controls Media Industry BY VIRGINIA KNAPP MARK SWEET AND JENNIFER BRYAN STAFF WRITERS Documentary filmmakers debated the media’s ability to influence public opinion and the problems facing documentary film making Thursday as part of the Johnston Scholars Issues Forum, Media & the Mind. Thursday afternoon, the Academy Award-winning film “The Panama De ception” was shown at the Carolina Union Film Auditorium. Afterward, Barbara Trent, the film’s co-producer and director, spoke on the hidden influences in the re ports of the national media. Trent proposed her theory that national media conforms to the interests of their corporate owners and the federal govern ment. Her film explored the Panamanian perspective on the 1989 American inva sion of Panama in contrast to the perspec tive the American media offered. “(The documentary) is not about Noriega; it’s not about the problems of Panama; it’s about how the U.S. govern ment, with the help of the media, creates and sells its foreign policy to the public that wouldn’t normally pass if the public knew the real truth,” Trent said. The national media is already being censored by the government and corporate owners, Trent said. “Why outrage the American public through government censorship when cor porations do a dandy job themselves?” she asked. “Self-censorship among journalists is more than civil, it’s dangerous to any type of democracy in'this country.” Noting that the recent trend of media consolidation through corporate mergers and buyouts has reduced the variety of views presented, Trent said, “Most major papers cover the same thing the same way. We are terribly limited in similarity, and limiting who owns the media in this coun try is devastating.” Trent said the differences between cor porate interests and the public good deter mine much of the bias in media coverage. Gub Football Team Pulls Out Wins Despite Lack of Recognition BYLOURUTIGUANO STAFF WRITER As UNC students go about their days from one midterm exam to the next, only a handful of people know a championship football team is in their midst—the UNC club football team. For more than 25 years, UNC club football has battled with teams from N.C. State University, Duke University, West ern Carolina University and Appalachian State University for the “Megus Cup.” Last season, it dominated the league and won its first championship. Sunday after* UNIVERSITY & CITY the administration is housed in the School ofEducation. • . “The audit confirmed to the legislature what I already knew,” said Don Bailey, director of the FPG Center. “There was no' conflict of interest.” Conflict was possible because both programs were involved in the training of Smart Start personnel and the evaluation of the project. Jimmy Benson, deputy state auditor, said there were two reasons the program was audited. “The reason (for the-audit) came from two standpoints,” Benson said. “One, to _ , . ■ PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF PIKE Sophomore Jeff Pike teaches students in Zimbabwe. Pike and fellow sophomore Galahad Clark have worked together to establish the Sally Mugabe National Scholarship Program for rural seventh graders in Zimbabwe. class of scholars. According to the brochure for the schol arship, any disadvantaged child in the sev enth grade who has exhibited outstanding academic and extracurricular achievement may apply. For die first class of scholars, Clark and Pike said they chose nine clearly worthy candidates from 40 applicants, with partial “The major media organizations are not interested in what we want to hear, they’re out to protect their self-interests,” she said. Trent emphasized the importance of public knowledge and activism against media censorship. “You don’t have to be an expert to talk to your neighbors and warn others and demand to be told the truth,” she said. Trentwas also a member of an evening panel discussion entitled “Lights, Cam era, Influence! Shaping Opinion in the Film Industry.” Other panelists included Martin Clark, a filmmaker based in Chapel Hill who helped create the award-winning “Dr. Frank: The Life and Times of Frank Porter Graham,” and Paul Edwards, an independent screenwriter and the director of the Hollywood' Internship program at UNC. Edwards’ credits include television shows such as “21 Jump Street” and “Baywatch Nights.” The discussion, mediated by Gorham A. “Hap” Kindem, UNC professor of com munication studies, addressed what possi bilities exist to shape publicopinion through the media, through both mainstream Hol lywood film and regional film. One major issue discussed was the con flict between the desire to make money and the desire to get across a meaningful mes sage. “One thing you hope as a filmmaker is that as many people as possible see what you’ve done,” Clark said. “It would be nice to do something at some point and not worry about whether or not it will bring me any financial gain.” “It’s a completely market-driven indus try. These guys are there to make money, ” Edwards said. According to Trent, the major obstacles to documentary filmmaking are gatekeeping and fihancial concerns. “We don’t do it until someone gives us money, ’’ Trent said. The unwillingness of corporate spon sors to be associated with controversial social issues is a major problem for docu mentary filmmakers, Trent said. noon at 1 p.m. on Navy Field, it will try to defend its title against main rival NCSU, But despite its gridiron success, the club has not received the recognition that tradi tionally follows a championship season. To everyone besides the girlfriends and the roommates of the players, the mention of dub football conjures up images of guys running around without equipment and flags hanging from their pants. Butthis is genuine, bone-crushing, head ringing, bloody football. “It is real foot-' ball,” said Matt Hill, a freshman from Charlotte. “There have been guys leaving the field on a stretcher. But on the other follow up on Smart Start, and also because of concern raised by the legislature.” He also said the review was conducted for a total, of 1,11’3 hours by three auditors and a manager in review. Although it determined that the. FPG Center was-able to evaluate the program effectively, it also made several recom mendations. “(The audit) suggested assigning a unique identification number to each child (receiving Smart Start funds) and tracking what happens to them,” Bailey said. “But, the center doesn’t have the authority or the scholarships going to four students who tied for 10th place. “These children are truly exceptional,” Clark said. “They have a desire to succeed, a passion.” An awards ceremony was held for the winning candidates this summer in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. “You know at the day of the awards __ Vested tjiterMt Lindsay Foster, a freshman from Marietta, Ga., 'distresses' a vest Thursday at the theater department's studio. The process involves taking anew article of clothing and making it look old and worn. Hooker Answers Queries From Employees BY JOHN SWEENEY STAFF WRITER While Chancellor Michael Hooker in sists he is still in his “listening mode," he , had'a lot to say about the role of higher education Thursday morning to about 200 employees and their representatives at the Employee Forum. Hooker spoke at length about issues facing UN C and the changing role ofhigher education in the world at the meeting. “We are undergoing the most massive change in the economy in history, from an energy-based economy, to a knowledge based one, ” Hooker said. “There won’t be a place for underskilled, undereducated workers in a 21st century economy.” team, of course.” “It’s like the varsity, except our record is better," said Morgan Green, a freshman from Wilmington. Head coach Lynn Featherstone is the team’s mastermind. He has been in chaige throughout the team’s existence. “With out him, there would be no club football,” said Sean Wiswesser, a senior from Read ing, Penn., the president of the club. Several of lari year’s starters have since graduated, but the team still features a' bruising defense. “We call the defense the ‘hit squad,”’ Hill said. “There’s always four helmets on the ball.” . resources.” Also, the report suggested developing an internal policy and procedural manual, to help employees do their jobs well and make job changes smoother. In addition, the FPG Center did not have standard organizational charts de picting how employees divided their time between grants. In a memorandum, Bailey stated that each project director was urged to create such charts. Another suggestion involved the man agement of finances. The FPG Center works on a budget of more than $lO mil- ceremony, I was quite nervous, and I riam mered when I was reading my speech, and I make fun to people, but that’s not the way I always act,” wrote Tongai Hwaru, One of the chosen scholars in a letter to Clark. “It was my first time to stand behind a big crowd like that one.” See AFRICA, Page 4 HOOKER continues to stress the University's responsibility to the state. Hooker said he thought massive in vestment in educa tion would be the only way for America, and North Carolina in particu lar, to maintain and improve its place in the new economic climate. The legislation allowing the Board -of Trustees to raise tuition was impor tant because the money from the in- crease wouldbe staying on campus, Hooker “The defense is key,’’.Wiswesser said. “But it is also the dedication of the players who are practicing in spite of other com mitments, and the leadership from the vet erans remaining from lari year that make us such a strong unit:” The way the club is set up is simple. Anyone can join, as long as he or she is affiliated with the University. There is a demanding practice schedule, and all play ers must attend practice in order to play on the weekend. Wiswesser said previous football expe rience was not a necessity. “Some-guys have neverplayed before, while some guys Friday, September 29,1995 lion, of which 57 percent is from federal grants, 24 percent is from state and Univer sity appropriations, 9 percent is from state grants and the testis from various founda tions. “These issues were routine kinds of matters wewould potentially find in many agencies,” said Assistant State Auditor Bob Slade. Slade said the center would be re sponsible for implementing the audit’ssug gestions. “We cannot enforce the recommenda tions, but they (the FPG Center) have issued their own statements,” Slade said. Inn Event To Provide Book Funds BYJENNYSMITH STAFF WRITER “October Has Come Again: A Celebra tion of North Carolina Writers and Writ ing” will be held at the Carolina Inn Sun day from 2 to 6:30 p.m., bringing together North Carolina authors in celebration of the reopening of the Carolina Inn. Profits go to the North Carolina Collec tion, the largest collection of writings about any state in the nation. The Collection, which is housed in Wilson Library, re ceives much of its funding from the Inn. “Simply put, were there no Carolina Inn there would not be a North Carolina Collection as we know it today, ’’ said North Carolina Collection Curator Robert An thony. The Inn was given to the University in 1935 by its builder and by 1889 alumnus John Sprunt Hill and his family. They requestedthaflnnprofitsbenefitthe North Carolina Collection. The celebration is sponsored by the University’s Friends of the Library and the English Department’s creative writing pro gram. ■ “This event is designed to celebrate three tilings: North Carolina writers, the reopen ing of the Carolina Inn and the historic connection between the Inn and the li brary,” said Joseph Hewitt, director of the Academic Affairs Library. See CAROLINA INN, Page 4 said. “It shows that the legislature is at least looking for creative ways to improve the state’s public universities,” he said. Hooker said the negative mood among taxpayers toward higher education, was the main obstacle. The blame for this shift in attitudes, he said, was largely the result of public universities disappointing those they were supposed to serve. “Higher education has always been as sociated with improving our fives and our socialconditions,”Hookersaid. “Weused to feel that a college degree was a ticket to a better life and a good job. At best, we can say now that a college degree is a ‘hunting See HOOKER, Page 4 have played all their fives,” Wiswesser said. Of the members who have experience playing, many received scholarship offers to play football at other schools. But Jason Lewis, a junior from Lenoir and the vice president Of the team, said many of the players were more concerned about their education and opted to come to UNC instead: Once they arrive on cam pus, it seems these players need to get their football fix, which club football provides. “I smack some heads to. relieve some stress,” said Billy Kessler, a sophomore from Goldsboro. “If I didn’t do this. I’d drink all die time.” 3