Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / April 17, 1996, edition 1 / Page 10
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10 Wednesday, April 17, 1996 ©lje latlg ®ar MM Thanassis Cambanis EDITOR Amy Piniak managing editor Peter Roybal MANAGING EDITOR ® World Wide Web Electronic Edition http://www.unc.edu/dth Established 1893 n 183 Years of Editorial Freedom BOARD EDITORIALS A Little Tar Heel Green Last Thursday the Kenan family gave yet another donation to the University community, a $2 million contribution to the business school bearing the Kenan name. Though UNC has numerous benefactors, including the Moreheads and Carmichaels, none have been so generous as the Kenans. And given the current funding by the North Carolina Legislature, such benefac tors are sorely needed. The Kenan family has given millions of dol lars to UNC. The business school has been the most frequent recipient of Kenan funds, having received over S2B million. The Kenan family also gave $22 million to establish the Frank H. Kenan Institute for Private Enterprise. The lat est donation is for the executive education cen ter on the Meadowmont estate, bringing the total contribution to $lO million for that project. Though the business school is obviously the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust’s pet, Kenan contributions are found throughout the entire campus. The Kenan trust funds 90 Kenan professorships, boosting UNC’s prestige and research opportunities. The Kenans have also Taxing Our Patience House Republicans say they want to decrease our taxes, but in the end they only tax our patience. Monday was Tax Day, and Republi can representatives were eager to make a sym bolic protest against current tax levels. To that end, they slapped together their most recent bit of gimmick legislation: a proposed constitu tional amendment requiring a two-thirds major ity in Congress to approve any tax increase. With barely any committee debate, the Repub lican leaders rushed the bill to a floor vote, hoping to score a few points with the millions of voters filing their last-minute tax returns. Politi cos postured for a few hours before saner, more foresighted members of the House killed the bill. How ironic that balanced budget legislation languishes in the wings while the Republicans spin out bills that sound great without really accomplishing anything. The fact thatthey would propose a change to our nation’s highest law without reasonable debate only shows they value opinion polls over the real needs of the voters. It doesn’t take a Ph.D. in economics to see how ill-conceived such an amendment would be. Putting roadblocks in front of tax increases will in no way guarantee true fiscal responsibil EDITORIAL NOTEBOOK Joanna Howell Drink Hard? Hiink Hard Spring is in the air. So are frisbees, pollen grains and the harmonic sounds of frosty beer bottles clinking in salute to the beautiful weather. With the appearance of shorts and T-shirts comes the return of the after-class drinking tradi tion. As legal, of-age students suck down a few cold ones, they should remember to act respon sibly and take note of their consumption levels. Unfortunately, alcohol causes accidents. No one likes scrapes on knees, faces or whatever else happens to hit the ground first. These minor catastrophes often result from over-imbibing, so anyone taking advantage of the sunny day by drinking with friends should keep a close eye on how much he or she drinks. The first time it’s a cut or a scrape, but accidents could also be much more serious. Drinking on Franklin Street (not on the actual street, as the Beer Patriot will tell you) is advised as opposed to driving in search of alcohol. Plenty of good bars line the streets downtown (or up town, if you like), and their proximity to campus and a lot of student housing should be taken advantage of. Is risking a ticket, or a life, really worth the drive to El Rodeo? Tadd Wilson editorial page editor Bronwen Gaik university editor Nancy Fonti university editor Wendy Goodman CITY EDITOR Robyn Tomlin Hackley state 6 national editor James Lewis special assignments editor Robbi Pickerel SPORTS EDITOR Marshall Benbow features EDITOR Melissa Steele FEATURES EDITOR Dean Hair akts/diversions editor Chante LaGon copy desk editor Courtney Piter copy desk editor Kristin Rohan DESIGN EDITOR Candi Lang photography editor Chris Kirkman graphics editor Michael Webb editorial cartoon editor Justin Williams STAFF DEVELOPMENT contributed to Kenan Stadium and donated s3l million during the bicentennial campaign. Without benefactors like the Kenan family, UNC’s national ranking would be slipping even further. In an ideal world where the state legisla ture funds the University adequately, e.g., give pay raises to faculty and pay for capital repairs, Kenan contributions would only be needed for the football stadium, not academic endeavors. Publicly funded university requires a certain dependence on private donations, but this uni versity cannot rely on the Kenan family’s gener osity alone. More efforts need to be made to convince the N.C. Legislature that more funding is imperative and more cuts cannot be tolerated. We can’t all be Kenans and toss millions of dollars to UNC, but our connection to the Uni versity does not cease when we graduate. Donat ing to the University increases the value of de grees and helps insure UNC’s quality for future students. With graduation ahead, consider con tributing to the Senior Class Gift Campaign, or make a donation to a department. Even if you can’t donate a building, every little bit helps. ity. Under such a law, Congress may find it so difficult to pass taxes that they turn to a greater evil: deficit spending. Our nation strains under trillions of dollars of debt because Congress was only all too willing to spend without taxing. Rather than preventing excessive taxation, the law only makes it harder to make effective tax code changes. Corporate tax loopholes, the traditional rewards Congressmen toss to finan cial backers, will remain open, leavingthe middle class taxpayer to carry a bigger share of the tax burden needed to run the government. Republicans are remarkably confused if they think tying the hands of government is going to make the system more responsive to the needs of the people. While they might not like the current level of taxes, they need not build that bias into the foundation of our laws. Future Americans should be free to determine what level of taxa tion and spending is appropriate for their needs. Modifying the Constitution is a serious mat ter it shouldn’t be used as a convenient politi cal tool. Rather than making a symbolic vote on a law that would only increase gridlock in federal government, Congress should get down to the real work of creating a budget that will work. The quickest way to kill a buzz is to get a ticket. Some people find the situation funny when they’ve been drinking, but it’s usually less amusing once they sober up. Don’t wind up in court or with scars on your personal record because of some stupid Chapel Hill town law. Sure, the law is childish and pointless, but any one drinking should follow it until someone abolishes it. Another cruel reality associated with alcohol is that people do things that they regret later when they’re sober. Alcohol lowers inhibitions. Anyone drinking should avoid excesses for fear of fighting, yelling, excessive flirting and jealous significant others. The quickest way to intensify a hangover is to have someone call you and scream on the phone. Try to avoid it at all costs. There’s nothing wrong with legal drinking— enjoying our beautiful Carolina springtime with a few friends and a few beers. However, anyone choosing to drink should respect the law and recognize his or her responsibility when con suming. Drink in moderation and use common sense. No amount of legislation can replace caution. EDITORIAL Greek Advisers Bring Faculty, Students Together As we all know by now, UNC is seeking ways to improve the intellectual climate on campus. The Greek community is help ing this effort. Among other measures, we are recruiting active faculty advisers for all 45 frater nities and sororities. Roughly half of our chap ters currently have such a relationship with a faculty member. Faculty advisers, who deal with academic issues, are often confused with chapter advisers, who serve as liaisons between the chapters and the various national headquarters. To remedy this misunderstanding, a group of current fac ulty advisers and members of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Council have drafted a facility adviser outline. The information pre sented here is an adaptation of that outline, which is intended to be only a starting point regarding expectations. The chapter and the individual faculty member need to negotiate the specific expectations so that both are satisfied. We have tried to design a volunteer position that is relatively easy to fulfill. The position is for one year, subject to renewal by both parties. Faculty advisers usually average one hour a week in this activity and are covered under the chapter’s liability insurance. The Office of Greek Affairs expects that, in general, faculty advisers will meet with chapters once a semester to talk about academics. They assist chapters in developing academic programs, including incentives for good students. Newer students are especially targeted, as faculty advisers meet with pledges to discuss academics. Faculty members work with stu dents who are choosing what classes to take and Whole Week Makes All Grad Students Feel Just Swell TO THE EDITOR: A hearty thank you to the DTH staff for your excellent coverage of the always-gratifying ex perience of having an entire week proclaimed as yours. I am sure I speak for all other graduate students at UNC when I say that the good Guvnah’sproclamation of April 8-12as “Gradu ate and Professional Student Appreciation Week” touched us all deeply, and I only wish that some of us could have gotten some time off to actually enjoy some of the activities. I would like to correct a few oversights in your otherwise extensive coverage of the festivi ties of GPSAW. On Monday, the administra tion and state legislature definitely gave us all reason to take heart in their caring for us and the real pain they feel at not being able to fund health insurance for some of the state’s poorest-paid employees. Each state legislator and university administrator donated a bottle of vitamins for (I quote from the three-paragraph proclamation which accompanied this event) “the continued health and well-being of our most treasured resource on campus, our Graduate and Profes sional students.” Although my allotted half capsule has been consumed, let me thank these generous souls. As if this weren’t enough, UNC and the Durham Bulls teamed up on Wednesday night for a time-honored tradition with their annual “Graduate Students’ Cash Drop Night.” It brought a tear to this jaded old eye to see those spry graduate students chasing after those dollar bills as they were being blown around the infield by the whirring blades of that helicopter from which they came. Combine this with the re duced admission charge for the game and it was truly a night to remember. Finally, Friday afternoon brought an event which demonstrates the willingness of the ad ministration and graduate student body to work together as Chancellor Hooker and other glitterati assembled on the steps of Old South to an nounce the dual solution to Kenan Stadium seating problems and the under-funding of gradu ate students. Graduate students will nowbe paid to serve as bleacher seats for alumni. Between the salary and the healthy tips which will no doubt accrue from meritorious service to these giving luminaries, the monetary rewards of this program will quell the worries of most of the underfunded graduate population as well as provide excellent and comfortable vistas for all that football action (Go Heels!). These activi ties, along with those covered, definitely show us, the graduate and professional student body, exactly how much we mean to the administra tors and lawmakers of this state. Thanks again! Derek Mm GRADUATE STUDENT ENGUSH what major to de clare, offering guid ance and pointing out otherresources at UNC. Itis equally impor tant to state what we do not expect of our faculty advisers. They need not attend weekly chaptermeet ings; they are not re sponsible for non academic matters of the chapter; they are RON BINDER DIRECTOR OF GREEK AFFAIRS not on call for emergencies; and they need not be a member of the house corporation (for those groups with houses). In fact, faculty advisers don’t even need to be a member of the fraternity. Some of our best faculty advisers are not Greek at all. This raises the question of why a faculty member who may never have been involved in Greek life before would want to serve in such a capacity. The answer lies in.our purpose in encouraging chapters to have faculty advisers: we want to increase the likelihood that students will have an academically enriching relationship with faculty members outside the classroom. But students are not the only ones who benefit. Many of our current faculty advisers look upon their advising roles with gratification. Over time, their relationships with the chapters and with individual students have become very satisfying. So, then, how does one become a faculty adviser for a Greek organization? Many chap- READERS’FORUM The Daily Tai Heel welcomes readei comments and criticism. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 400 words and must be typed, double-spaced, dated and signed by no more than two people. Students should include their year, major and phone number. Faculty and staff should include their title, department and phone number. The DTH reserves the right to edit letters for space, clarity and vulgarity. Bring letters to the DTH office at Suite 104, Carolina Union, mail them to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515 or e-mail forum to: dth@unc.edu. Student Fees Should Not Fund Females-Only Safe Escort TO THE EDITOR: I would like to address an issue which has plagued my mind for quite some time now. The SAFE Escort service that shuttles students from the Davis and Undergraduate Libraries adheres to a policy which says it can only service “lone females.” While I do not know how strictly the service enforces this policy, I do not believe it to be in the best interest of all UNC students. Asa male student, I do not believe, should the service be available to them, many males would use SAFE Escort; but if male students’ fees are used to fund the service, they should have equal access to it. Student fees should be used in areas that benefit ALL students and should not segregate on any level. In a tripe in which we are attempt ing to break down the boundaries between races, sexes and creeds, a policy such as SAFE Escort’s “lone females” policy does more harm than good. If SAFE Escort is funded privately, or its funds are drawn solely from female students’ fees, then the current policy cannot be argued against. While I am ignorant of the service’s funding, I must assume it is drawn from all students’ fees; thus, both males and females should have access to SAFE Escort. I hope the University will reconsider SAFE Escort’s current policy and be more thoughtful when making future decisions along the same lines Males and females are equally at risk when walking home at night, and we should all have the protection and security a service such as SAFE Escort provides. Kyle Hardin FRESHMAN JOURNALISM sljp Bails GJar Hp ters use their basic rush process as a mode Individual chapter members first make a list c faculty that have an interest in them. The chapte then invites a faculty member to lunch or dinne to discuss the possibility of an advising relation ship. When someone is found who is interested ii the position and has a good rapport with thi chapter members, an agreement is negotiated The relationship can be continued from year t< year if both parties approve. Besides the personal fulfillment that faculty advisers enjoy, there are more tangible benefit available. Each semester, the Chancellor’s Com mittee on Greek Affairs considers chapter nomi nations and selects outstanding faculty advisers Each adviser the committee selects receives < plaque and a SSO dinner gift certificate. Ou: inaugural recipients are Tyson King-Meadow: of the political science department (Alpha Ph Alpha Fraternity Inc.) and Christopher Armitagt of the English department (Zeta Tau Alpha so rority). As UNC seeks ways to improve its intellec tual climate, uniting the Greek community and the entire faculty is an excellent way to bring faculty and students together outside the class room in activities that benefit all the individuals involved and UNC as a whole. Faculty who are interested in volunteering for this important position should call the Office of Greek Affairs. We will be more than happy to talk with interested faculty members and work on creating such a fulfilling relationship. Ron Binder is Director of the Office for Greek Affairs. Norman, Australians Choke at More Than Just Golf Tourney TO THE EDITOR: I’d like to talk about why people from Austra lia don’t succeed in life. I’ll start with Greg Norman. How many times can the man choke at the Masters? He wears a very silly mesh hat with a shark on it; people from this country don’t like those kind of hats. Two words: Young Einstein. Yahoo Serious is per haps the least funny person of all time. Koala bears are crappy, our bears are big and scary. Silverchair: I would rather lick the Haw River Thom Pole and Recreational Sports Medi cine Complex than listen to sixteen-year-old Dilberts. When I was sixteen I wrote a song about my teeth that was a lot cooler than any Silverchair song. Where the hell is Paul Hogan these days? Wherever he is, I’m sure that he’s drunk. Foster’s? What a joke. I can get 47 cans of Black Label Ice for the price of a six-pack of Australian wonder brew. Shark attacks? I thought so. Did anyone else think that the Australian scene in Point Break was the worst scene in the movie? The Australian cops tried to arrest Patrick Swayze, for God’s sake. Outback Steakhouse? Last Friday there was an 80-minute wait. Can these people do anything quickly? My uncle Taylor of the Dicklelake clan used to do things quickly. He always used to say, “Faster than the red rocket out of my old dog Tater, that’s how I do my business.” The only thing 1 like about Australia is kanga roos. My cousin Gary boxed one and it beat him. I don’t care if he’s blind. I hate that mother scratcher. Aunt Lily told him not to box in the yard. Frank Bischoff JUNIOR ECONOMICS Joey Aron FRESHMAN PEACE, WAR AND DEFENSE/NURSING For the Record The co-author of 'Asian-American Peer Program Meets the Needs of All Students' (April 16) should have been identified as May-Sung Li. The Daily Tar Heel regrets the error. Reminder Columnist, editorial board and cartoonist appli cations are all due today by 5 p.m. in The Daily Tar Heel office, located in Suite 104 of the Student Union. If you have any questions, call Editor-Elect Jeanne Fugate at 962-4086. Don’t be late!
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 17, 1996, edition 1
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