14
Wednesday, February 23, 2000
Concerns or
comments about
our coverage?
Contact the
ombudsman at
budman@unc.edu
or caU 605-2790.
Scott Hicks
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
Katie Abel
UNIVERSITY EDtrOR
Jacob McConnico
CITY EDITOR
Board Editorials
In Lawmakers’ Hands
Now that all the bureaucrats have had
their swing at it, it’s time for the N.C. General
Assembly to shoot down the recently pro
posed tuition increase. Lawmakers should be
willing to pay for services rendered.
The UNC-system
Board of Governors
watered down the much
debated plan from its ini
tial outlandish tuition
increase of $1,500 over
five years to a still ridicu
lous S6OO hike over two
years for UNC-Chapel
Hill and N.C. State
University. The board
OK’d lesser amounts on
down the system chain.
To find out who
represents you
in the N.C.
General
Assembly, go to
http://www.ncga
.state.nc.us/ and
click on Member
Representation
under
Geography and
Representation.
Though the state’s coffers are stretched
tight due to Hurricane Floyd recovery, the
buck should not be passed along to students,
especially considering how much UNC gives
back to die state. Let’s remind them.
How many e-mail messages did students
receive encouraging them to spend a week
end in a devastated town to help residents
dig out of the sludge? How many canned
goods were collected or coats donated? It’s
ironic that after all that UNC system students
gave to help Floyd victims, they are the ones
footing higher bills because of the disaster -
particularly when you acknowledge how
much UNC boosts the state economy.
Most graduates here go into professional
fields and setde in vario us locations around
the state. The taxes from this professional
class are quite beneficial.
Recognizing Effort
Last week’s referendum made it abun
dantly clear that the majority of students -
2,907 to 249, in fact - support recognizing
double minors on transcripts.
The referendum, however, is only the first
step toward that recognition becoming a real
ity.
Because UNC does not officially offer
double minors, the referendum was only a
means to gauge students’ opinions on the
issue. Now that the support for such recog
nition is apparent, it is up to the administra
tion to act as quickly as possible in facilitat
ing the proper changes.
Speed is of the essence in this case,
because many students would already quali
fy for double minors if they were offered.
This is the result of the generally high caliber
of students admitted each year and the cred
it the University awards for Advanced
Placement classes taken in high school.
Therefore, a large number of students end
up completing their perspectives early and
focusing on outside subjects in which they
have an interest.
These students should be receiving prop
er credit for their ambition.
The major stumbling block to double
Readers' Forum
Elections Board Leader
Defends Group’s Work
In Handling Ballots, Polls
TO THE EDITOR:
(In response to the Monday editorial
“Ship of Fools”):
To start, the failing database was tested
before the election. However, a restriction
was put on the APPLES referendum so
that graduate students could not vote. I’his
restriction forced the program to go to the
original database for the old ballots that do
not have Mr. and Mrs. UNC.
For online voting we tried to go outside
to a source called votehere.com. However,
it would cost SIO,OOO for each election. The
University did not want to spend this kind
of money. We had already looked into a
contract with the company, so we ended
up having to go inside. We went to
Information Technology Services. These
are the same people that make the Web site
for the University, not Academic
Technologies & Networks.
We gave them all of our information.
They decided to watch for a year and go
from there. We are meeting in the next few
weeks to get the project off the ground. It
takes a certain time period in order to write
a program of this magnitude in order to
secure privacy.
The incorrect information for the data-
Rob Nelson
EDITOR
Office Hours Friday 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Matthew B. Dees
STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR
T. Nolan Hayes
SPORTS EDITOR
Leigh Davis
FEATURES EDITOR
That educated work force attracts tax-gen
erating and high-wage-paying businesses to
the state. Look at Research Triangle Park.
Would it exist if not for N.C. State and UNC
CH?
What’s more, the UNC system also does
much of the government’s research. A UNC-
Greensboro economist, for example, under
took the cost-benefits analysis that helped the
state lure FedEx to Greensboro.
But all of these perks come with a price
tag. The state has to pay for these services.
And it does so through its commitment to
providing the lowest tuition possible.
It says as much in Article 9, Section 9 of
the N.C. Constitution: “The General
Assembly shall provide that the benefits of
The University of North Carolina and other
public institutions of higher education, as far
as practicable, be extended to the people of
the State free of expense.” It is lawmakers’
personal responsibility to keep costs down at
UNC. That means saying “No!” to this hike.
Granted, it’s an election year, so legislators
won’t be willing to raise taxes with the threat
of being voted out of office looming. But stu
dents can use that same rationale to achieve
their goal. Find out the name and address of
the state representatives in your home dis
trict. Write them and let them know how you
feel about the proposal.
Don’t let the grassroots activism that has
sprouted up around this debate die down. As
the proposed tuition increase reaches the
desks of state lawmakers, it becomes time to
take it to the next level.
This is the end of the road.
minors appearing on transcripts is the con
cern of some professors that such a measure
at a liberal arts school like UNC will result in
overspecialization.
If double minors become officially recog
nized, the argument seems to go, students
will focus on two or three subjects and
neglect to expose themselves to other fields
of study.
But such fears are groundless, because the
current-educational policy allows students to
declare double majors. No one has yet ques
tioned whether that results in overspecializa
tion, and double minors would be even less
specialized.
The administration must realize that
General College and Arts and Sciences per
spectives already do a more than adequate
job of ensuring students receive a well-bal
anced course load.
Liberal arts universities are supposed to
both encourage and foster interest in a wide
variety of subjects. The fact that so many stu
dents are already qualified for double minors
illustrates that the University has done an
admirable job in this respect.
Now it’s time to recognize those qualifica
tions.
base for districts was lack of communica
tion on all parts. It does not clearly state in
the Student Code who is suppose to give
the new information to the registrar. The
registrar is nice enough to help out.
As for the past three years of elections, I
have been on the Elections Board. What
people think of as failure in an election is
not even close. The Elections Board, by the
Code, has 96 hours to give out the results.
Luckily, with the determination of the
Elections Board in the past we have gotten
this information out as soon as possible.
The Elections Board works hard all day
on election day and it would be easy to say,
wait and count these tomorrow.” We
overcome our fatigue and work diligently.
No one should judge the Elections
Board until they have been on it for one
year. It is hard to believe we are criticized
when I am told everyday that I have one of
the worst jobs on campus and they would
not do it themselves. I enjoy the Elections
Board and the members. If we are a bunch
of fools, then I would love to be surround
ed by fools the rest of my life. They are the
hard working individuals who are not in it
for recognition or prestige.
Catherine Yates
Chairwoman
Elections Board
The length rule on letters was waived.
Opinions
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1“ STUDEMTS ARE
Types Converge, Collide Uptown
I was talking to a friend from N.C. State
University, otherwise known as the univer
sity of “I didn’t get into Carolina, so I’ll
pretend that I really want to get into a career
of waste disposal management,” and when he
asked me what I was doing that night, 1 habit
ually answered, “Going uptown.” Being from
the vasdy inferior school, he then asked me
exactly what “uptown” was.
Well, I hadn’t really thought about it, what
is uptown? Why is it so popular and why do
people who are otherwise pretty sensible
seem to lose all worries there? Of course
being the scholar that I am, I decided it was
my responsibility to ponder this very ques
tion.
To begin with, uptown is obviously
Franklin Street and its surrounding bars. (Side
note for you freshman: those places that say
“23 Steps” and “Goodfellows” are bars, and
no, you can’t get in by showing your high
school senior II) card.)
Anyway, everybody knows where uptown
is, but to get deeper into the psyche of the
uptown phenomenon I decided I must do
something more.
Thus, my team of psychologists and I came
up with a system of categories with examples
of real UNC students to better grasp the mar
vel. If you feel like you fall into some of these
categories, you might need to seek immediate
medical help.
1) The “Even on Sunday” Uptowner
Examples: “Jeffro,” “Beaver” and “Pale
Canadian.”
This is by far the group that is most enam
ored by uptown, as anything is a reason to go
uptown. To qualify for this category, you must
have an emergency sorority event kit contain
ing a fashionably worn southern college
school hat, khakis and blue oxford shirt which
must be accessible at any given time.
The question for these tortured souls is not
whether you are going out but when.
2) The “Meat and Potatoes” Uptowner
Examples: “Biscuit,” “Cuban B” and
1998 Elections Chairman
Points to Flawless Year
As Proof Board Does OK
TO THE EDITOR:
I am responding to your Monday edito
rial “Ship of Fools,” in which it is stated that
“(t)hc only thing reliable about the UNC
student government Elections Board is that
every year it’ll mess something up.” I was
the chairman of the Elections Board for the
1998 election in which nothing went
wrong. Not a single miscount, machine
malfunction or Supreme Court case. That’s
1 -for-2 if you’re keeping the correct score!
Joe Kledis
Graduate Student
Kenan-Flagler Business School
Rider Upset by Mottos
Needs to ‘Get a Life,’
Appreciate Kind Gestures
TO THE EDITOR:
This is a response to Steve Friedman’s
letter to the editor Monday. As people who
have a right to choose what acts in which
we participate, I tell Mr. Friedman to get a
life. Robert Moore is not “aggressive” in
delivering his mottos. He has neither held
a gun to anyone’s head nor forced them to
Thomas Ausman
DESIGN EDITOR
Megan Sharkey
GRAPHICS EDITOR
William Hill
ONLINE EDITOR
AMOL NAIK
FROM THE DANK CAVE
“Kotite.”
This group is called meat and potatoes
because they are the backbone of the uptown
ers. This is a powerful faction due to the fact
that they travel in large numbers, to the point
that they are almost like a secret society; only
instead of a secret handshake, they are all out
fitted in vests.
They are most likely the force that led
Brian “tall, white and sassy” Bersticker to
gather 16 percent of the student body presi
dential vote.
3) The “I Like to Shake My Stinkin’ Ass”
Uptowner
Examples: “Harry Houdini” and “Snoop.”
In this group, uptown is not so much about
going to a bar and getting slammered, but
more so about running game in the line out
side of the PDC.
To be in this group, you must have at least
two 12s in the back of your ride and the tuner
constantly fixed on 102-boo. Sorry, if you
don’t know all the words to the new
Ghostface by now, you don’t make it.
4) The “I’d Rather Sit on My Stinkin’ Ass”
Uptowner
Examples: “Jewda” and “Stork."
For this group, uptown is simply an escape
from their true love, Mary Jane. A lot of you
fit into this group, as evidenced by the myste
rious puff of smoke that hovers over the wall
facing Club Undergrad in the afternoons.
Whereas many in group two voted for
Bersticker, most of this body probably didn’t
to say a word of positivity for the two min
utes one rides the U bus. An “invasion of
consciousness” is the ignorance you wrote
the editor. This bogus term that you com
pare to other legal jargon is a reflection of
deeper insecurities within you. Please learn
to love yourself so that you might appreci
ate others’ love for humanity. Maybe his
sayings are aggravating to you, but you do
not know who this man has helped by
shedding a little light on a dreary day.
Karena Cason
Senior
African and Afro-American Studies
Union Worker Steps Up
To Take Responsibility
For Removed Posters
TO THE EDITOR:
One of the editorials in the paper Feb.
17 (“Gagged”) criticized an anonymous
person for violating the First Amendment
rights of the student who posted his or her
complaints against student government in
the Pit. The anonymous cleaner wishes to
come forward.
Aisha McGrifT, building supervisor in
the Student Union, had no ulterior motives
for removing posters in the Pit. It is Union
policy that postings not be allowed on
lightposts, trees or the ground surrounding
Vicky Eckenrode & Cate Doty
MANAGING EDITORS
even know there was a vote.
5) The “Life Is One Long Widespread
Show” Uptowner
Examples: “Widespread” and “Panic.”
This group loves uptown as much as the
first group, only their croakies are replaced by
hemp necklaces. A normal night for these
folks entails rollin’ uptown and stealing street
signs, sometimes even passing out in the bush
es outside Time-Out Chicken.
6) The “I Can’t Get in Anywhere”
Uptowner
Examples: “Lou” and “Pete B.”
Life is just a countdown until age 21 arrives
for these people, as they dream of future
uptowm glory. They make valid attempts at
going out, only to be stifled by the fact that for
some reason the bouncers don’t believe they
are 35 and balding.
7) The “Once in a Blue Moon” Uptowner
Examples: “Scooter” and “Cautious
English Major.”
The name says it all for this category, as
Uptown is a tedious process where the jour
ney is made only for specific occasions. This
group has the lowly status just above Dook
students uptown.
8) The “I Just Turned 21” Uptowner
Examples: “The grumpy old men.”
For these uptown virgins, everything is a
new experience as uptown etiquette is still
being mastered. Often that guy, the one who’s
trying to hug and fight his friends simultane
ously, is a member of this esteemed body.
Like I said earlier, if you fit into one of
these groups, you probably need to seek help.
Chances are you’re penniless and alone,
and have the gut to show for it.
Come to think of it, maybe those “Don’t
Get Wasted” tools are right. Well, I guess I’ll
have to take that into consideration ... but in
the meantime, you going uptown tonight?
Amol Naik is a junior history major from
Lumberton. Anyone who wants to buy him
drinks uptown, e-mail unc2ool@hotmail.com.
the Union, and all postings will be
removed. The removal was not related to
any affiliation other than a paycheck.
In fact, if the student would like to come
to the information desk in the Union, if she
or he has proper backing by a recognized
student organization or campus depart
ment, we would even be happy to take
three of your posters and put them on our
own internal bulletin boards, stamped,
dated and signed. If you aren’t backed by a
recognized group, you would be directed to
the downstairs bulletin boards next to the
Underground and the Cabaret.
Representing the Union, we would fur
ther like to challenge the editorial’s author
to name him or herself, and then get his or
her facts straight. Please address further
questions about Union policy to 962-2285.
Aisha McGriff
Junior
Psychology and Communications Studies
Susannah Kirby
Junior
Psychology
The editorial argued that whoever
removed the posters violated students’
rights to express themselves freely.
Whether the posters’ removal was thanks
to an individual acting alone or a University
or Union policy is beside the point, the edi
torial argued.
Sltp Daily (Ear Hppl
Terry Wimmer
OMBUDSMAN
fS>
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