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uV lailu ®ar MM INSIDE FRIDAY APRIL 18,1997 Students, legislators seek satellite pollsites at UNC BY JONATHAN COX ASSISTANT STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR Students anxious to exercise their right to vote might soon have an easier time getting to the polls. N.C. Sen. Eleanor Kinnaird, D- Orange, filed three bills Wednesday intended to benefit the UNC system. One aimed to establish satellite pollsites on UNC campuses, allowing students easier access to votingfacilities in state and national elec tions. Legislators file last-minute bills See Page 8 John Dervin, president of the Association of Student Governments, pushed for the satellite pollsites legisla tion but said students like former Student Body President Aaron Nelson initiated it. “Students saw a need for it,” Dervin said. “Aaron and I worked on some thing last summer and we petitioned the Orange County Board of Elections." A satellite pollsite allows citizens to vote in a different location than their dis trict requires. The legislation would per mit officials at any UNC-system campus to petition their counties to allow voting facilities on campus. Currently, this Guns, drugs discovered in morning traffic stops ■ Police spokeswoman Jane Cousins said the two incidents were unrelated. BY MARY-KATHRYN CRAFT CITY EDITOR While making traffic stops early Thursday morning, Chapel Hill police got more than they bargained for. Officers confiscated two automatic weapons and 19 grams of marijuana. Police charged Gasma Gaius Nedlic, 31, of 908 Williamson Ave. in Burlington and Michelle Ann Parenteau, 22, of 323 W. Trollinger Ave. at Elon College with possession of a weapon of mass destruction, carrying a concealed weapon and aggravated pos session of marijuana, according to police reports. At about 12:14 a.m., police confis cated a fully automatic M-ll subma chine gun with a silencer lying in the backseat of the car Parenteau drove. About 19 grams of marijuana stored in a Crown Royal bag in the rear of the vehicle behind the driver’s seat were also found, reports state. Parenteau drove a gray Honda Accord stopped at the light on Estes Drive at Fordham Boulevard. Police saw the car had no inspection sticker. Carolina Dining Services changes meal plans, prices BY ASHLEY STEPHENSON STAFF WRITER While students are eating their meals in Camp Lenoir next semester, they will also be paying lower prices for them. Carolina Dining Services has decided to decrease prices for meal plans next semester because of low meal usage among diners and the new dining facil ities that will be in use. Biruta Nielson, contract administra tor, said the meal plan format had been altered to include less meals and more money for ala carte. “It is a rare student with a 10 meal plan that will use all 10 meals,” Nielson said. “(The change in the mead plan for mat) took into account the number of missed meals.” Only one of the meal plans currently available will be increasing in price. The 14 meals per week with SIOO, currently Landfill lingo The location of the county's landfill was discussed by local governments. Page 2 option is available only to the elderly. “The only way we can get satellite pollsites is to change the state statute,” Dervin said. “With this legislation it will become a legal possibility.” Kinnaird said she sponsored the bill because stu dents needed it. “Convenience would be the most obvious benefit,” she said. “We are Association of Student Governments President JOHN DERVIN said students worked hard to get this legislation introduced. trying to give students the same advan tage that residents have that is, a site closer to their residence.” Dervin said campus pollsites would keep South Campus and Granville Towers students from having to vote at pollsites miles away. Caroline Thomas, director of the Orange County Board of Elections, said many factors must first be considered. “You would have to consider buying new voting tabulators, hire new precinct officials to man each poll, train all of At the green light, the car drove straight into a Ridgefield Apartments parking lot. Police stopped the car, and both occupants seemed nervous, reports state. Police detected a strong odor of mar ijuana and asked who was smoking. The occupants denied having marijuana, but Parenteau got out of the car and allowed police to search the vehicle. Police also asked Nedlic to step out of the car and asked him where the mari juana was, reports state. Nedlic showed officers a partially smoked marijuana cigarette in his hand. Police then found a black bag con taining the gun, silencer, a partially full box of ammunition and a knife located under the passenger seat, reports state. In an interview with police after her arrest, Parenteau said she knew Nedlic had a gun but did not know it was in the car. She said she knew marijuana was in the car and that Nedlic was smoking it while they drove down the road, reports state. Nedlic told police Parenteau knew nothing about the gun. He said it was his friend’s gun, but could not give the name of his friend. In a separate incident, police confis cated a SKS 7.62 mm assault rifle fully loaded with a banana clip. At 1:38 a.m., officers stopped to check out several people sitting in a 1992 Chevrolet cost $915, but will cost $940. “The reason this meal plan increased is the same reason the prices of the other plans decreased," said food service director Scott Myers. “The cost with the (lower priced) plans we projected was lower than before, but with this meal plan, the cost was slightly higher.” Nielson said three new meal plans will offer the same number of meals but will provide students with more ala carte money. “What we offer is generally based on what the demand has been the year before,” she said. “It makes a lot of sense," said Sonya Foster, a freshman from YadkinviUe who currently has a 100 meal block plan. “(Next semester) the meals aren’t going to be as good a quality as they are now.” Nielson said CDS has decided to remove the 50 block plan as well as 14 We’re against bureaucracy, hypocrisy and anything ending in Y. Johnny Rotten Into the great wide open Outdoor education is changing the way students learn. Page 4 ♦ these people, and buy new voting booths,” Thomas said. “We would have to address these concerns.” Dervin acknowledged that cost was an issue. But he said these obstacles could be overcome. “I think there have got to be ways that we can make this work without causing undo burden on the Orange County Board of Elections,” Dervin said. “We said we were willing to have student government kick in and help cover the costs.” Student Body President Mo Nathan, who also worked on the legislation, said he thought it had a good chance of pass ing. “I think we’ve got an excellent chance of shepherding this through,” Nathan said. “There is nothing political about access to the electoral process. Several campus organizations worked last fall with voter registration programs. Jeff Plemmons, co-president of Young Democrats, said he thought the proposal would encourage more people to vote. “A lot of people are in between class es and don’t have the time or trans portation, especially freshmen, to get to pollsites,” he said. “It will definitely be a big help.” MBjCZv \ J • HP' l||§| mmßl jMr ■ Jmk ■ photo courtesy of the chapel hul pouce department Chapel Hill police confiscated this fully automatic M-11 machine gun, a silencer and a bag that contained 19 grams of marijuana. Caviler at Lindsay Street public housing, according to reports. Douglas Edward Jones, 28, of 6 Hawaii Court in Durham was charged with possession of a weapon of mass destruction and possession of a firearm by a felon. Chapel Hill Police Spokeswoman Jane Cousins said the two incidents meal plans with $175 ala carte. “We want to provide students with greater meal plan flexibility,” Nielson Food for thought Next year, students will find new meal plans and prices for on-campus dining. Meal plan price changes Meal Old price New price 14 meals with SIOO A La Carte $915 $940 10 meals with $l5O A La Carte SB6O $825 5 meals with $225 A La Carte S7OO $635 100 block with $125 A La Carte S7OO $625 New choices Not available next semester Meal Price Meal Price 14 meals, S3OO ALa Carte $l,lOO 14 meals, $175 ALa Carte $955 7 meals. S2OO ALa Carte $685 150 block, $ 100 ALa Carte SBOO 125 block, $175 ALa Carte $725 Carte Blanche Club SOURCE: CAROLINA DINING SERVICE DTH STAFF GRAPHIC ♦ SEACing solutions BY AMANDA GREENE STAFF WRITER Inspirational quotations clutter the walls of Andrew , Pearson’s SEAC office. “What would life be with out the courage to attempt any - tions artist Vincent Van Gogh. And what does Pearson know about courage? As one of the co-chairmen of the Student Environmen tal Action Coalition this year, members say Pearson has shown his courage and has inspired others in their envi ronmental pursuits. Lauren Attanas, SEAC co chairwoman, said Pearson’s initiative had moved SEAC in the right direction. “Andy’s not afraid to get out there in the public eye and really make the issues known,” she said. “He really pulled the leader out of me.” were not related. “These were two sepa rate occurrences,” she said. “We have no indication why they were carrying the guns.” She said the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms would investigate the incidents. Nedlic and Parenteau were confined in Orange County Jail at $10,200 bond. Jones’ bond was set at $15,000. said. “We have tried to anticipate the See MEAL PLAN, Page 8 Keep dreaming Have 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' for $1 in Forest Theatre this weekend. Page 5 > ''■JjfemSk-* : r ‘ v * ■Hpgfr tjrimTii ‘' DTH/JENNYTSE SEAC Cochairman Andrew Pearson discusses the future of the $1.2 million Rams Club Road. Pearson said it was easier said than done. “It seems as if this year has been a big, chaotic haze of 2 people attacked; assailant not found STAFF REPORT Two attempted sexual assaults occurred on campus late Thursday evening, according to officials. Student Body President Mo Nathan urged students to take extreme caution Law school students keep positive outlook BY KERRY OSSI STAFF WRITER Despite the shadow cast on the UNC School of Law by recent controversies, some law students say their futures still look bright. Some law professors and students say events such as the firing of former law school professor Barry Nakell and sec ond-year student Barry Berman smok ing pot in class should have little impact on die school’s reputation or its future ranking. Law school Dean Judith Wegner said the events would not affect the school’s reputation anymore than controversy at Harvard or Berkley would affect the reputations of those schools. “Our sense in talking with people outside in the world is that they under stand you can have unpredictable and unfortunate things happen anywhere,” she said. “And that’s not anything most people attribute to the institution.” Winston Crisp, assistant dean for stu dent affairs in the law school, said these events cannot be used to judge the entire school. “I don’t pretend to argue these event are insignificant, but it’s only three or four controversies and that’s with a school that has about 700 students a year, so that doesn’t make it a trend,” he said. “For the few bad things that happen, there are a whole lot of other things going on here that are good.” John Conley, Kenan professor in the law school, said the number of applica tions to the school were down, but not necessarily because of the controversies. "Maybe it has something to do with these episodes and the negative public ity, or the very disruptive construction that’s going on, or the fact that we con- 104 years of editorial freedom Serving the students and the University community since!B93 News/Features/Aits/Spelts 962-0245 Business/Advemim*. 962-1163 Volume 105, Issue 34 Chapel Hill, North Carolina C I997DTH PublishingCoip. AIT rights reserved. Today's Weather Mostly sunny; mid 50s Weekend: Cloudy; mid 60s tabling, talking to people, waking up early and staying up late,” he said. But Pearson isn’t just a one-issue environmentalist. He believes in strong activism. “I think one of the biggest prob lems today is that activists and stu dent groups end up pigeon-holing themselves to one issue,” he said. “By the nature of this complex world, we need to be think ing about many different things in order to get things done.” And considering many diverse issues while being a flexible leader makes Pearson an exceptional role model for SEAC members, said Stephanie Broughton, a former SEAC member. “Sometimes it’s almost like he wants to make things happen, but he doesn’t want any glory,” said the sopho more from Durham. Attanas said that while she believed Pearson did not dictate everything in SEAC directly, he still motivated members. “He doesn’t lead by force,” she said. “It’s a con sensus thing.” Pearson discussed his leadership techniques. “I don’t like delegating responsibility,” he said. “I think people should do what they See PEARSON, Page 8 as the assailant had not been found as of press time. The locations of the assaults have not been released. Names of victims have also been withheld. tinue to go down in the (U.S. News and World Report) rankings,” he said. Robert Morse, director of research for America’s Best Colleges at U.S. News and World Report, said surveys rating academic reputation counted for 40 percent of the magazine’s rankings. The ratings are determined by four members from each law school and other lawyers and judges, Morse said. Although UNC’s school is ranked 35th overall, its academic reputation is ranked 18th by both academics and pro fessionals in the field of law. “Whatever troubles we’ve had, we’re still respected by the lawyers out there,” Conley said. Morse said he could not imagine these events having an impact on a school’s ranking. “Other law schools have little inci dents that happen every year," he said. “If everybody flunked the bar exam or the school lost it’s accreditation you can imagine bigger things.” Greg Parent, student body vice pres ident in the law school, said having the law school on a resume would still gar ner respect in the professional world. “Carolina’s reputation is by and far superior to its official ranking,” he said. “The perception among professionals is that Carolina is a top-20 school.” Joe Buckner, chief district court judge for Orange and Chatham coun ties, said the school appropriately han dled the unforeseeable events, and they should not affect its ranking. “They had a streak of bad luck, but I don’t think it in any way diminishes the academic integrity of the school,” he said. But Wegner said she did not place much value on the magazine’s rankings because of past inaccuracies and a methodology she said is biased in favor of private schools.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 18, 1997, edition 1
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