Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / June 12, 1997, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
WEEKLY SUMMER ISSUE Shu Satlu ®ar lUppl INSIDE THURSDAY JUNE 12,1997 Bk at . ' w iltPr JBbuS Eg |9Ht/ %. fir hESb N.C. Pride 1997 attendees march through the streets of Carrboro on Sunday afternoon. The weekend-long event, held this year in the Chapel Hill- Carrboro area, was held in support of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. RIDE ON DISPLAY BY KATHERINE BROWN CITY EDITOR The streets of Carrboro were over flowing with Pride on Sunday liter ally. Members of the state’s gay and lesbian community converged on the Carrboro Town Commons for the annual march and rally held by the N.C. Pride organization. The event. North Carolina Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride , 1997, spanned the entire weekend, and included entertainment such as stand up comedy, bowling, and “Gay Golf.” But the major event of the weekend was Sunday’s rally and march through Carrboro. An estimated crowd of more than 4,000, from diverse groups in and out of the gay community, rode, Athletics director search might come to conclusion soon ■ Although he would not give any hints, Executive Vice Chancellor Elson Floyd said the search is on schedule. BY HARRISON RAND SPORTS EDTOR The search committee for the University’s new athletic director remains on schedule, narrowing the field of appli cants so Chancellor Michael Hooker can select a candidate to fill the position by the end of June. “I had given a six week window of time (to make the selection for the new athletic director), and I’m pretty close to being on target," Executive Vice Chancellor Elson Floyd said. The 14-member committee, headed by Floyd, will meet Friday at noon to sift through the remaining applications, the deadline for which was June 10. Floyd could not give any details about the applicants, nor could he say whether any of them had been inter viewed. He said the search committee were still in the process of reviewing applica tions and nominations. He said he also hoped the committee would be able to limit the field to a few candidates at the next meeting and turn those names, accompanied by lists of the candidates’ strengths and weaknesses, over to the chancellor. “I’ll work hard to bring this to an end (for the search com mittee) on Friday, and it is my hope that that’s what we will do,” Floyd said. Two more committee meetings have been tentatively sched uled for June 20 and June 27, if needed. Hooker said that he would not comment on his involve ment in the search until he makes the appointment. Floyd said, “In any search of this magnitude it is incum bent upon the panel chair to give the chancellor precise peri odic reports, and that is what I have done.” Out with the old, in with the new? Frances Shetley took Jay Bryan's slot on the Board of Aldermen. Page 2 walked, danced and chanted their way through downtown. Members of the St. John’s Gay and Lesbian Christians group were fol lowed by the Queen of Hearts and Miss White Trash, two drag queens from the FLEX night club. The Lesbian Avengers of Charlotte clapped and shouted, while the N.C. Pride marching band kept up a tune. Straight friends, relatives and sup porters were vocally present as well. Families marched with signs reading “Straight But Not Narrow,” and, “I Love My Gay Aunt.” People from Carolina Friends School and GLSTN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Teachers Network) advocated “Teaching Respect For All.” Before and after the march, atten Unanimous vote takes tuition increase to conference ■ While the N.C. Senate denied the proposed tuition hike, the fight over figures has yet to begin. BY MOLLY GRANTHAM UNIVERSITY EDITOR The N.C. Senate on Monday voted unani mously against a N.C. House of Representatives budget proposal that includ ed a tuition hike for students at UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University beginning in August. The next step is for a conference commit tee, made up of both House and Senate rep resentatives, to rehash and rework the figures until concurring on a final proposal. The tentative date for a final decision has been cited as July 4, but it is likely delays will occur. "None on the Senate side are happy with (the budget)," said N.C. Sen. Howard Lee, D- UNC and NCSU join forces to fight tuition hike ■ Student government is seeking student assistance to combat the proposed tuition increase. BY MOLLY GRANTHAM UNIVERSITY EDITOR UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University students are ready for a fight. But contrary to the norm, this time they are uniting against a common opponent rather than going against each other on the court. In order to combat a controversial proposed tuition increase that targets all UNC and NCSU students hitting non-residents the hardest a representative from NCSU’s student govern ment met with UNC-CH student leaders Tuesday evening to discuss a plan of action. Executive Vice Chancellor ELSON FLOYD said the committee should have the choices narrowed by Friday. Freedom is lost unless it is continually fought for. P.B.S. Pinchback A whole new slate Playmakers Repertory Company released its list of productions for the upcoming year. Page 4 dees visited booths with information, arts, crafts and T-shirts, and listened to speeches and songs on the lawn. Earlier in the week, controversy arose when employees of the public works department refused to hang rainbow-colored flags around Carrboro because of their religious beliefs. TTie flags had been supplied for the event by N.C. Pride. Public Works Director Chris Peterson solved the problem by getting others to drive the truck while he hung the flags himself. Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson, who emceed at the event, said he was upset that a problem had arisen. “I was personally offended and per sonally and politically embarrassed by (the actions of the public works employees),” Nelson said Sunday. Orange. “But negotiations are just starting, so it’s really too early to say anything.” N.C. Rep. Gene Arnold, R-Nash, one of the drafters of the budget, said the House was simply trying to reach equal status compared with other states that receive high revenue from North Carolina students going to out-of state institutions. “We are still not up to par with other states,” he said. But Lee believed there were other motives. "The House has been flirting with higher tuition for some time now," he said. "They needed money. (The tuition increase) is a way to find money." The proposed budget would give all out-of state students at UNC-CH and NCSU will receive a five-percent increase in tuition—an extra $496 in the fall. Non-residents at the two schools are the only two groups targeted with a five-percent increase. In-state students at all 16 UNC-sys tem schools will see a three percent, or about $42, increase. The most effective way to beat the proposal, Student Body President Mo Nathan said, is for students themselves to call the senators. “Students just need to get on the phone," Nathan said. “They need to tell (their senator) they’re a student, that they attend Chapel Hill or State, that they’re call ing because they are con cerned about the tuition increase. “Calling now that will make a difference.” Nathan said packets of information with phone numbers are available in Suite C on the Pressure-free UNC Despite grabbing some lofty preseason ratings, the football team isn't get ting nervous. Page 6 k At the rally, though, there was an open, tolerant atmosphere. Sudi Gregory and Bear Nash, both of Chapel Hill, said they had attended other rallies like this one. “My mom’s gay and (Bear’s) brother is gay,” Gregory said. “We felt it was impor tant to show support for our family members.” Carol Turner, who came from Charlotte, said the rally was important because of the need to support the gay community. She added that even in Charlotte, it was not always safe to be open about her sexuality. “This is one of the few times you can come out in public and not be afraid of getting your ass beat,” she said. “It’s nice to have a few thousand people behind you.” Student Body President MO NATHAN said students should call senators to express concern. University professor charged on 2 counts ■ William Thompson was arrested for contributing to the delinquency of minors. STAFF REPORT Dr. William Jackson Thompson, a UNC physics professor for 27 years, was arrested Tuesday on two counts of con tributing to the delinquency of a minor. Thompson, 58, was charged with providing alcohol, cigarettes and porno graphic movies to 13- and 14-year old youths, police reports state. The Cobb Terrace resident was arrested at 1:36 a.m. Tuesday in front of a University Gardens building. According to police reports, Thompson later was released under a SSOO unsecured bond. A secretary at the UNC Department of Physics and Astronomy, where Thompson teaches theoretical nuclear physics and nuclear reactions, said Wednesday that Thompson had no comment regarding his arrest. Officials at the Chapel Hill Police Department declined to elaborate on the charges or on the nature of the movies Thompson showed the youths at his home. “We really cannot give specifics at this point,” Chapel Hill Police Spokeswoman Jane Cousins said Wednesday. “All the evidence has been taken, but we cannot say much about it at this point.” In addition to being released on the unsecured bond, Thompson was issued an August 18 court date. Cousins confirmed that Thompson called police to report that one of the youths was missing. Later, investigators searched Thompson’s house and col lected the evidence. Cousins also confirmed that the juve niles were found at a Chapel Hill apart A two percent, across-the-board increase is slated for the 1998- 1999 school year. After two years, the increase would total an approximately S7OO per year tuition rise for out of-state students and a S7O increase for resi dents. John Hood, presi dent of the John Locke Foundation, a conserva tive think-tank, said he understood where the proposed tuition increase for out-of-state students came from. N.C. Sen. HOWARD LIE. D-Orange, said the Senate was not happy with the proposal for a tuition increase. He said of the public state universities found in each state, North Carolina current ly ranks 47th in gaining revenue from the institution’s tuition, but third in gaining rev enue from taxpayers. second floor of the Student Union. Anyone can go by and pick one up. Jim Claggett, President of NCSUs student senate and the sole representative from NCSU at the meeting, said his fellow students were not aware of the possible tuition hike, but after Tuesday’s meeting, the word would spread fast. "We just didn’t know about it," he said. "But now that we do, now that it’s out in the open, word around student government leaders is going to get out quickly." Last Thursday, the N.C. House passed its proposed budget that, among other things, raised tuition for out-of-state students five per cent for the 1997-1998 school year, or about $496. The tuition will be raised about $42 for all in state students in the UNC-system, a three per- See CABINET Page 5 104 yean of editorial freedom Serving the -**4/*— Umvemty New/Feamni/Aiit/s|oJr 9624245 Today's Weather Partly tunny, high mid-BOs. Friday: Sunny, high 80s. ment complex. Thompson was appointed a full pro fessor at the University in 1978, is a tenured member of the faculty and earns $65,912 a year. He has had nine articles published in scholarly periodicals in the past two years and currently has two books, both containing CD-ROMs. The books, both of which contain more than 900 pages, currently are wait ing in press at Wiley-Interscience pub lishers and are both “atlases” of com puting mathematical functions in vari ous computer languages, including Fortran. Many of Thompson’s recent articles in the science journals are reviews of books and CD-ROM programs. He also has published more than 100 academic papers on subatomic physics, statistics, data analysis computing and teaching science. Thompson is a native of New Zealand. North Carolina law states the charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor is a misdemeanor involving a per son at least 16 years old willfully causing or encouraging a juvenile to act or be in a condition to act delinquency. Thompson is not die only University professor to commit a misdeed while employed by UNC. In 1995, Chancellor Michael Hooker fired former a professor in the, Department of English, James Williams, who admitted having sexual relations with a student The University later instituted a policy to combat such activities in he future. Another professor, School of Law Professor Barry Nakell, was fired by Hooker earlier this year after Nakell had been arrested for shoplifting meats and other items from A Southern Season in Chapel Hill. Nakell’s court date has been set for June 30. “There’s nothing magical about a low tuition,” he said. “The House is just mating a minor readjustment in who is paying for it “A kid going to Chapel Hill is likely to be more affluent after finishing his education than an 18-year-old (North Carolinian) who does not go there. “Because the latter pays for the University through taxes, he is in effect paying for the education of a student who will end up mak ing more money in foe long run. “Low tuitions favor rich people,” he con cluded. In a student government meeting Tuesday evening, Student Body President Mo Nathan told his cabinet it was absolutely imperative that students get involved. “If we don’t make a lot of noise, this thing could easily slide through,” he said. “It puts a lot of money on foe table, up-front And that looks good to a lot of people” Student government officials are traveling to Raleigh today to speak personally with sen ators about their concerns with the proposal. Calling all writers Campus starting to look a little slow during the summer? Looking for a way to combat the boredom? The Daily Tar Heel just might be the place for you. We're looking for new writers and photog raphers to help put out with the weekly sum mer edition. The process is simple: stop by the front desk of our offices in Suite 104 and fill out an application. An editor should be in touch with you within a few days. No experience is necessary, only a strong work ethic and some curiosity about the University community and the people who pop ulate it. And if you're interested in getting involved but worried about the time commit ment, keep in mind that the summer, with its more relaxed pace, is the best time to get your feet wet in the wild world of journalism. If you’d like more information, stop by the offices any afternoon of the week, or call edi tors Joseph Rotison and John Sweeney at 962- 4086.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 12, 1997, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75