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She latlg (Ear Heel Jp 9BD 107 years of editorial freedom Serving the students and the University communin' since 1893 Protesters Bare All In UNC Labor Fight By Alexandra Molaire Assistant University Editor Scantily clad students protested UNC’s affiliation with what they called an ineffective labor monitoring group by taking over the steps of South Building with music, speech es and games. Members of Students for Economic What Do the FLA and WRC Really Work For? See Page 3 Justice led an upbeat protest Friday against UNC’s ties with the Fair Labor Association, a non profit organization comprised of appar el and footw ear companies, labor rights groups and universities. Students wearing cloth signs reading “FLA kiss my ass” demanded that inter im Chancellor Bill McCoy come out and join them, but McCoy was out of the building at a meeting. “We didn't really expect him to be there,” said SEJ member Todd Pugatch, Edwards Pushes Fire Safety Bill Fire-related tragedies at Seton Hall University and UNC led to the plan to place sprinklers in residence halls. By Gavin Off Staff Writer After several costly and fatal fires on college campuses, federal officials are demanding stronger fire safety mea sures in student quarters across the nation. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., and Sen. Frank Lautenburg, D-N.J., proposed legislation Thursday to help install sprinklers in student residence halls and fraternity and sorority houses. The proposal would authorize the Education Department to grant SIOO million each year for the next five years to public and private colleges and uni versities to put sprinkler systems in stu dent residence halls. The bill comes on the heels of the deadly lire Jan. 19 at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. The fire broke out in a six-story resi dence hall, killing three freshmen and injuring 54 other students. Similarly, on Commencement day in 1996, a fatal fire broke out at UNC- Chapel Hill in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house. Five juniors were killed in the blaze. Neither the Seton Hall res idence hall nor the Phi Gamma Delta house had sprinklers. 1 he issue was once again brought to the forefront after five fires in Morrison Residence Hall in recent months. Michael Briggs, F.d ward’s spokesman, said these fires prompted the proposal. “The senator feels that it’s important to provide an atmosphere that is as safe as possible (in residence halls),’’ Briggs said. “There have been steps since (the UNC-CH fire) to improve the situation, ... but this is an opportunity to push the process along.” He also said many UNC-system school residence halls did not have sprinkler systems. He said only six of the 29 residence halls at UNC-CH had sprinklers while seven of the 19 resi dence halls at N.C. State University were equipped with such a system. Briggs said these numbers were most likely similar to the national average. “Nationally, we really don’t have a good handle on (a percentage) because there is no central repository for that fig ure,” he said. “But most places still don’t have sprinklers.” See EDWARDS, Page 6 Every generation must go further than the last or what's the use in it? Meridel Le Sueur who is a student representative of the Licensing Labor Code Advisory Committee. “It was more symbolic call ing on him to be accountable and take action on these issues.” Last April, SEJ led a three-day stu dent sit-in at South Building in which McCoy agreed to their demands. Students covered their bodies with pieces of cloth in celebration of the “sweatshop” party’s theme, “I’d rather go naked than wear clothes from a sweatshop.” . SEJ members want the University to withdraw from the FLA and join the Worker Rights Consortium, a group cre ated with input from workers, students and labor advocates. SEJ asked that the advisory commit tee provide McCoy with a recommen dation concerning the WRC by March 10 and that McCoy make a decision by April 3. The deadlines would give UNC a voice in the consortium’s April 7 founding conference in New York City. Pugatch, who was wearing a diaper -—l3 -ifiw iei AUm v .im jjm\ . i, • ■ J| DTH KATE MELLNIK Amanda Morphis, 8, watches Dance Marathon committee members lead a final line dance Saturday before the 24-hour marathon ended. IN LIVING Blacks Make Way Into Pop Culture By Russ Lane Staff Writer The Harlem Renaissance’s legacy continues as blacks continue to shape mainstream pop culture. More than just an artistic movement, the Renaissance sparked a political and philosophical explosion among African Americans which influ enced the tone and tenor of the 19205. And in the last 10 years, much like the Harlem Renaissance’s influence on its era, black culture has taken a more consistent role in swaying contem porary times, n [gUft Looking Bacfc * Facing c k A five-part series examining turning sr points in black history and their effects on society today. , said Harry Amana, act ing director of the Sonja H. Stone Black Cultural Center. The promi nence of blacks today has garnered a level of attention unseen since the days of the Cotton Club, he said. “The trend is cyclical,” Amana said. “Black culture emerged in the ’2os, mid ’6os to mid ’7os, and the ’9os ... now we’re at a critical mass where African Americans are in the mainstream culture where there will be an ebb and flow but will not disappear.” Whether it’s the widespread popularity of per sonalties such as Oprah Winfrey, the superstar status of actors such as Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes and Angela Bassett or the penetration of hip hop and rap into today’s musical landscape, black culture seems to have reached an impressive apogee. In the tradition of Langston Hughes and Ralph Ellison, blacks have gained an increased prestige in literary circles. Toni Morrison’s Nobel Prize for Monday, February 28, 2000 Volume 107, Issue 162 like cloth and sandwich board reading “Naked Devotion to Worker’s Rights," said SEJ would pay for McCoy’s airfare to the founding conference. Advisory Committee Co-chairman Rut Tufts said the committee had sched uled three meetings - Feb. 29, March 2 and March 6 - to discuss membership status with the FLA and WRC. Tufts outlined three options the com mittee would tackle: stay in the FLA, withdraw and join the WRC or deter mine a combination of membership in both groups. But a problem arises with the last option - ONC would have to pay mem bership costs for both organizations. For FLA membership, UNC currently pays 1 percent of its annual gross royalties from UNCTicensed products which equates roughly to $30,000, Tufts said. The cost for the WRC is identical. “We’ve been working on these issues for two years now. There is a lot of vest ed interest from all sides,” he said. “I’m really glad we have a plan that includes lllllflfljl f|j§& W "K If ** THE SCHOMBURG CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN BLACK CULTURE In May 1921, the black musical comedy "Shuffle Along" opened on Broadway. The show was one of many theatrical pieces produced by the Harlem Renaissance. See story Page 7. Literature for “Beloved” became the first book by a black author to win such an honor. The formal recognition of black literature legit imized and declared a freedom of expression in black authors’ subject matter. “Toni Morrison would have never won the Nobel Prize in the ’2os ... now we’re at a different spare. You can now talk about (racism and slavery) in ways that would’ve been considered ‘bitter’ in the ”205.” said English Professor Trudier Harris, author of “Exorcising Blackness: Historical and Literary Lynching and Burning Rituals.” Although black authors like Morrison or Alice Walker can address controversial issues with more .. DTH GREG WOLF While passing students listen to his message, Students for Economic Justice member Todd Pugatch struts around in a sandwich board and underwear in protest of the University's involvement with the FLA. members from across the University.” Pugatch said the protest drew a lot of attention. “We intend to be visible,” he said. “We hope this turns into some awareness on the issues.” The protest grabbed the attention of Marathon Rakes in $70,000 By Allison Ford Staff Writer Nearly 100 students pulled all nighters Friday night, but not for any ordinary exam. It was a test of will. Tired and weary, UNC students danced their hearts out at Friday and Saturday’s UNC Dance Marathon, sac rificing a night of sleep in honor of suf fering children. The money will go to support the N.C. Children’s Hospital, the only pub lic hospital for children in the state. “It exceeded everybody’s expecta- freedom, Harris said black subject matter was not confined to a commentary of discrimination or racism. “Some of the self-censoring is gone today ... there is not the issue of addressing racism as much. Now black writers can write about anything. There’s a much broader base of representation,” she said. This freedom of expression is evident in black cin ema in highly successful films such as “Malcolm X,” “Friday” and “Waiting to Exhale.” Amana said, however, that black film did not completely abolish mainstream America’s idea of See CULTURE, Page 6 some students who were not aware of the sweatshop movement including junior Meredith Kasper, an English and Spanish double major from Clemmons. “I’m interested in learning more, def initely. I was going to check out the tions,” said Publicity Coordinator Leslie Cooley. In the final homestretch, after being on her feet for more than 24 hours, Cooley said, “Everything’s going so great and everyone's staying so pumped up.” Freshman Mark Hosemann said he had never experienced an event like the Dance Marathon. “It was unreal,” he said. Hosemann said the Marathon com mittee did a great job keeping the dancers motivated. Battling fatigue and distraction, more than 95 percent of the dancers complet ed the full 24 hours. “The people that stayed were totally here for the right rea 962X1245 962-1163 News/Features/Arts/Sports Business/ Advertising Chapel Hill, North Carolina © 20(X) I7FH Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. information table,” she said. “I’m still a little unclear about the University’s involvement.” The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu. son,” said Coordinator Mike Bucy. Friends and supporters of the dancers made appearances throughout the night and the following day to bolster spirit and inject fresh energy into the atmosphere. “Volunteers aie coming out of now here,” said Volunteer Coordinator Ashley Hux. “They made the marathon!" Participants who began the night dreading the long stretch ahead of them found the hours passing by unnoticed. A variety of events were offered to keep students invigorated, including karaoke. See MARATHON, Page 6 Monday Capital Conundrum A joint legislative committee will meet today in Raleigh to begin analyzing ways to repair and renovate campus facilities on all 16 UNC campuses. A tight state budget could make this task a tricky one. See Page 3. The Envelope, Please Orange County officials honored locals with the Pauli 0B Murray Award for community service. See Page 4. Apocalypse Avoided Although the dreaded Y2K bug had very little recognizable bite, university officials say the fears actually prompted better computer systems on campuses across the country. See Page 7. Ctrl+Alt+Del The Carolina Technology Expo 2000 will take over the Great Hall Tuesday and Wednesday for UNC students, faculty and staff to learn more about information technology. The event is a hodgepodge of vendors, presentations and giveaways. See Page S. Who’s Next? The Daily Tar Heel is beginning the process of selecting its next editor and choosing at-large students to sit on the committee that will pick the person for the job. For more information, contact current Editor Rob Nelson at rnelson@email.unc.edu or see page 2. Today’s Weather Cloudy; Low 60s. Tuesday: Sunny: High 60s. *
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