Daily <sar Upel J? Volume 103, Issue 105 102 yam of editorial freedom Serving the students and the University community since 1893 Lewd Rush Memo Provokes Outrage ■ University officials have punished the fraternity, which faces a possible inquiry by the Student Attorney General’s Office. BY SUZANNE JACOVEC STAFF WRITER A Phi Gamma Delta fraternity memo inviting members to listen to a band “guar anteed to generate potent sex energy from any women ...” and encouraging mem bers to take advantage of "... sorority pledges as they stumble around the dance floor in a drunken stupor bordering on the brink of alcohol poisoning” drew outrage from University officials Wednesday night. “Words cannot tell you how upset we are,” said Ron Binder, director of Greek Affairs. “Their actions were deplorable, stupid and we had hoped this type of think ing did not exist.” The memo, which was circulated at Wednesday’s Take Back the Night March, was called offensive by women at the march. Printed on fraternity letterhead and signed by three rush counselors, it outlined a schedule of rush week events for pledges. David Stallings, a Phi Gamma Delta rush chair, denied involvement and claimed the flier was a joke. He said he did not know who had written or distributed it. He ended the conversation abruptly, refusing further comment. George Worrell and Ben Woodruff, the other rush chairs named on the memo, were unavailable for comment. Dean of Students Fred Schroeder said the action was being investigated by the office of the Student Attorney General. Student Attorney General George Oliver said he was aware of the issue, but said he would not comment on whether it was being investigated. The Interfratemity Council and the Panhellenic Council have said they were embarrassed and have condemned the fraternity’s actions, Binder said. “We want to make it very, very dear that this is not what the other 42 chapters are about,” Binder said. “The rest of the groups should not be measured by what one fraternity did. This is not what the Greek community is about.” Margaret Barrett, assistant dean of stu dents, said she had known about the memo since last week. “ Our office is aware of the letter and whenever we’re aware of any thing, we pass it on to the Student Attorney General,” she said. “I hope revealing this letter will stimulate education and discus sion, with extensive dialogue and not be Powell Nixes Plans For White House THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON, D.C. Colin Powell ruled out a 1996 bid for the White House Wednesday and said he wouldn’t be a candidate for vice president either. He declared himself a Repub lican but wouldn’t commit himself to vote for the GOP nominee next year. The retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the presidential competition requires “a calling I do not yet hear” and left open the possibility of a political future in another campaign. “I’m ruling out a ran for the presidency in 1996 or running for any elective office in 1996,” said Powell, with his wife, Alma, at his side for a crowded ballroom news con ference in suburban Alexandria, Va. Asa new black Republican, he said, “I believe I can help the party of Lincoln move once again closer to the spirit of Lincoln.” Powell’s surge in the public opinion polls would have made him an instant threat to front-running Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole. Powell declined to en dorse any GOP prospect for the White House, saying he’d wait and see about that —and also about who to vote for next November. But he said the presidential contest is not now for him. “Such a life requires a calling which Ido not yet hear,” he saj 6. “I cannot go forward.” While standing aside for the next campaign, Powell did not rule himself out of political competition for good. “The future is the future,” he said. Powell said the prospect of a presidential bid did not stir in him “the commitment and the passion” he had felt during his 35 years as a soldier. Powell said family concerns were paramount to him but that he was not concerned about his personal security. Mrs. Powell said See POWELL, Page 4 Weather TODAY: Sunny; high in the 50s. FRIDAY: Cloudy; high in the 60s. Surgeon General’s warning: Quitting smoking dramatically reduces the use of matches. Anonymous (PHI GAMMA DELIA V3isssr*~" mm MiMaM l.if K 17 iTITn ,*•* 7 1 -; --pi-agfr s-sasgSKsasaffi cssss*. OXtlA*#* /■ / H T- •< This letter urged pledges to attend objectionable rush week functions, counter-productive.” Binder said the IFC and Panhellenic Council have known about the incident for at least a week and immediately repri manded the fraternity leadership. They required the fraternity to issue formal apolo gies to two sororities in the memo. The Office of Greek Affairs became involved in the issue late last week, Binder said, and had taken action Monday. The fraternity also will face punishment issued by Binder and the Office of Greek Affairs. Phi Gamma Delta has been placed on a one-year review status, which involves in tense scrutiny and a strict prohibition of the violation of any University policies, Binder said. The fraternity must create educational programs on sexual harass ment and alcohol abuse. All fraternity members must attend these programs. The fraternity must coordinate a com munity service project with the Orange County Rape Crisis Center and will not be able to apply these service hours as credit for awards, Binder said. Phi Gamma Delta is also not eligible to receive any awards from the Office of Greek Affairs for a year. The fraternity leadership must also in form its national headquarters of the inci dent and face the consequences of disci plinary measures by the fraternity’s na tional leadership. The fraternity has been chastised within the Greek system because the chapters feel that this action will negate work done in the past year to revamp its image, Binder said. “Together with the Student Attorney General’s office, we will look into the matter,” Binder said. “The chapter has agreed to these stipulations and will per form all of them regardless of where the investigation goes.” Newly Elected Town Council Must Fill Vacant Seat BY JENNIFER ZAHREN STAFF WRITER While recently re-elected Chapel Hill Town Council members may be anxious to tackle agendas outlined prior to Election Day, their first function will be appointing someone to fill the council’s ninth seat. Rosemary Waldorf was elected to the office of Chapel Hill mayor with two years remaining in her town council term, leav ing a vacancy many hope to see filled as soon as possible. “The newly-elected mayor must go to the council and initiate the selection pro cess assoonaspossible,” Mayor Ken Broun said. Mayor-elect Waldorf said that when a vacancy occurs, the town government’s first step is to make the situation known to the public. “Hopefully, we will be able to get things rolling by announcing the va cancy on Dec. 4,” Waldorf said. “Essen tially anyone who wishes to submit appli cations for the position may do so within 30 days of the announcement.” Following application, prospective council members are interviewed, and even tually the council reaches a consensus, Waldorf said. Chapel Hill Town Qerk Pete Richardson said although statutes may govern the ap pointment process in these cases, the coun cil has the prerogative of making the final selection. Waldorf said the keys to the process were speed and efficiency. “We will try to work expeditiously to reach an agreement by mid-January, in time for the council’s retreat.” Waldorf said. The mayor-elect also stressed the procedure’s fairness. “We cannot automatically pick some one we just like or who ran for election and received a large number of votes,” she said. “A lot of factors have to be weighed, and the council must make the best decision for Chapel Hill.” f : ’42ril Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff COUN POWELL said he won't run for president or vice president HM. Worth Firnhi THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9,1995 K' ■'-> - •, n '• rrW ?■*&£■ q .. . . Tln , , , .. , Dm/JOHNWHTIE Participants in the Take Back the Night March lead chanting supporters past Fraternity Court on Wednesday night The march originated in the Pit proceeded through Franklin Street and ended at South Building. 150 March for Women’s Rights ■ The Take Back the Night March was the focal point of Rape Awareness Week. BY SUZANNE JACOVEC STAFF WRITER “Women unite, take back the night!” More than 150 people marched through campus Wednesday night to support women’s rights to safety on campus and in the community. Members of People Orga nized for Women’s Empowerment and Rights, Women’s Issues Network and the student government executive branch co Congress Denies Funding for Christian Group BY JOHN SWEENEY STAFF WRITER Wednesday’s meeting of Student Con gress saw another round in the debate to fund religious organizations on campus. After prolonged debate, congress voted not to condemn the University for failing to officially recognize the Muslim Student Association. Later, a funding bill for the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship also failed. Rep. Dan Thompson, Dist. 12, spon sored the MSA bill, citing Supreme Court cases as reasons to dispute the Dm/ ERIK PEREL Mark Chilton celebrates with friends Tuesday night at the Lizard and Snake Cafe after being re-elected to Chapel Hill town council. Even though seats on the council have been left vacant in the past, Broun claims this situation is unprecedented in Chapel Hill town government history. “No instance like this has occurred in volving a two-year term and happening so soon after the elections,” Broun said. “It’s a pretty serious situation.” While virtually any resident may apply for the appointment, some residents have their sights set on leaders emerging from the recent municipal office elections. “People in Chapel Hill respect running for local government office, ” Waldorf said. “Of the numbers who apply, some will most likely have ran for office recently.” Broun said there will probably be a great deal of consideration spent on candidates who ran in the last election. “There may be a lot of emphasis on mayoral candidate Kevin Foy, as well as council candidates Hersch Slater and Ri chard Franck, and so on, further on down the list of candidates,” he said. ordinated the Take Back the Night March as the focal point ofßape Awareness Week. “We’re angry at the perpetrators of crimes of violence against women, and we’re angry at the society in which one of every three women is expected to be as saulted in her lifetime,” said Joy Stewart, a member of POWER and a coordinator of the march. “Tonight we’re validating that people experience sexual assault, that it is a major problem and that we have to do something about it,” she said. Before the march, a crowd of about 200 men and women huddled together in the cold to listen to Sylvia Hoffert, professor of women’s studies and history, speak in the administration’s decision not to recognize the group. “The Supreme Court ruled that a group cannot be denied recognition based upon its definition of membership,” Thompson said. The Muslim Student Association’s con stitution states that only Muslims can be voting members of the organization. But Thompson later admitted the cases did not directly refer to the recognition of student groups. Several members of congress said they were opposed to the idea of condemning the University at all. Foy confirmed that he was entertaining the idea of applying for the ninth seat. “I received 3,624 votes,” Foy said. “That certainly says that a large part of the town supports the leadership I have to offer.” Richard Franck, former chairman of the Chapel Hill Board of Transportation, lost the fourth council seat to incumbent Pat Evans by a slim margin. Franck said an application for the open position may lie in his future. “I can’t complain about losing by 36 votes,” Franck said. “We ran a good cam paign, and the public’s support was defi nitely there. In many ways it would seem to be the most logical move.” Broun said in the past, the highest vote getter from the previous election had usu ally been installed over other applicants. “Franck is a logical choice,” he said. “He has shown himself competent in his work on the Board of Transportation, and he has proved to the public that he is a solid candidate for the council.” Pit. She assured women that they deserve to live free of fear. “At a big university, I learned how to be afraid,” Hoffert said. “I want all of you to have a feeling of safety and liberation here. You should be able to go to the library, the grocery store alone and not have to worry. “I want for you to take back the night, know it is yours and be safe,” she said. Ruby Sinreich, a 1993 University gradu ate and employee of the Women’s Center in Chapel Hill, reinforced women’s right to safety and stressed the stark reality of rape on university campuses. “I can’t even count the number of See MARCH, Page 11 “To issue a resolution condemning the University for following its own rules is outrageous, ” said Rep. Terry Milner, Dist. 1. Rep. Monique VanderMarck, Dist. 8, suggested amending the bill to suggest the University change its policy, but also said she would not support such a bill anyway. The bill failed by a vote of 5-18. Later, congress members deemed that the religious nature of the IVCF conflicted with the Student Code. A bill to fund the group failed by a vote of 7-11 with five abstentions. Members of the executive board ofTVCF Incumbent, Former Council Member Excited About Return to Position BY JENNIFER ZAHREN STAFF WRITER The excitement of being re-elected to the Chapel Hill Town Council may have come as no surprise for some candidates, but others found it difficult to forget that the road to victory was not strewn with roses. “It was definitely an uphill battle for (Mayor-elect Rose mary) Waldorf and I,” said second-term council member Pat Evans. “We ran a positive campaign based on what had been accomplished and what would be accomplished.” Evans said she would begin working in the immediate future to find ways of developing the University’s two major land sites in a manner benefiting both the town and school. “I will also continue to bring two unique thing* into greater focus within the council, namely, our role in regional cooperation and my knowledge of the University, especially * how it works,” Evans said. Despite the negative aspects of the campaign trail, Evans said she owed her victory to a number of positive forces that worked in her favor within the community. “A large part of the town trusts me, and they are familiar with my principles, as well as the knowledge that I don’t have a hidden personal agenda that I’m working for. I’m out here for the people." Third-term council member Julie Andresen remarked that while she now was able to enjoy the fruits of victory, the effort was not made without sacrifices. Andresen said her immediate goal would be to rstaMwh good working relationships within the council. “It’s not necessary that we agree for us to be able to work together,” Andresen said. “But we should work towards being a more effective group.” Andresen said the Meadowmont issue may have played a great role in her election, but more importantly, it had made her more aware of the plight freed by area residents. “I followed the issue for a year time and again I saw the rooms filled with residents concerned with development whose needs really were not being addressed.” News/Faiura/Ara/Spons 962-0245 Business/ Advertising 962-1143 01995 DTH Publishing Cap. All rights reserved. Life Goes On After Verdict BY ROBYN TOMLIN HACKLEY STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR The jury’s in, the lawyers have left the courthouse and the families have gone home. But the memories of that crisp Janu ary day when two people died after being shot by a UNC law student continue to linger in the minds of people whose lives were touched by the tragedy. “The most positive thing that can be said about the trial is that it’s over and that people should be able to get on with their lives,” said Dave Lohse, UNC associate director of sports information. Wendell Williamson was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Chapel Hill resident and restaurant manager Ralph Walker Jr. and UNC sophomore lacrosse player Kevin Reichardt. A jury found Williamson not guilty by reason of insanity on Tuesday. “People will never be able to forget about this,” said Lohse. “The end of foe trial gives us a certain sense of closure, but it doesn’t really give it closure because of the verdict.” UNC Dean of Student Affairs Fred Schroeder said: “The sadness that all of us have is the finality of last January. There is nothing that intellectualizing can do to solve it.” Director of Athletics John Swofford said he hoped the end of the trial would allow those involved to move on with their lives. “It’s been through the legal process, and in our country, that’s what you live by. We just hope that those most affected can some how begin to heal and put it behind them. ” Ellen Smith, the director of public infor mation forUNC’s law school, said faculty, See REACTION, Page 2 must sign a pledge stating their acceptance of Christian values and ideology. VanderMarck, who was outspoken in her opposition to the bill, said she did not feel comfortable using student fees for an organization of a religious nature. “It’s hard for me to say that I’m giving someone else’s money to something they don’t believe in,” VanderMarck said. VanderMarck also said such a bill might be unconstitutional because the money would be coming from student fees at a public institution. “What happened to foe separation of church and state, folks? This just does not sit well with me.”

Page Text

This is the computer-generated OCR text representation of this newspaper page. It may be empty, if no text could be automatically recognized. This data is also available in Plain Text and XML formats.

Return to page view