Forest Frolics Drama in the woods. See Page 2 ®l;p Saily ®ar Heel www.unc.edu/dth Owner: Parking Lot Set for Drastic Improvements But some students say they won't use Tar Heel Parking even if owner Gus Mueller completes all the proposed renovations. By Kim Miniigh University Editor Gus Mueller, whose Tar Heel Parking busi ness has taken heat recently for questionable practices, said he is in the process of improving the lot’s condition to alleviate concerns raised by his student customers. “Our parking lot is not a pile of rubble,” he said. “There was some, but not on our lot. I can see how people got mistaken.” UNC Student Legal Services has been flood ed with student complaints about Mueller’s business after students found the lot to be in shambles - or impossible to find at all. Some students are angry that the parking lot’s advertised features - such as 24-hour secu rity and lighting - were nowhere to be seen. Courtside Compromise Concludes Seat Debate Students Gain Baseline Risers Bv Mark Thomas Assistant University Editor Two hundred students will cram painted bodies and bring rowdy voices onto risers during men’s bas ketball games at the Smith Center this season. Enthusiastic UNC officials presented an altered stu dent seating plan at a press conference Thursday. The plan, hashed out between the Department of Athletics, Carolina Athletic Association and the Educational Foundation, also calls for a shuffling of alumni, faculty and student lower-level seating. “We wanted to move students closer to the action and enhance the atmosphere of the Smith Center," said Director of Athletics Dick Baddour. About 200 standing-room spots will be created along the baseline in sections 116,117 and 118, where the visiting team shoots in the first half of games. Although students have lost 20 seats on the front row, they have gained 75 seats in the lower level, CAA President Tee Pruitt said. He said construction on the stand-only risers has already started, and the risers will be ready for the Dec. 2 home game against Kentucky. Although the ris ers will not be ready for the NABC Classic tourna ment Nov. 10 and Nov. 11, the rearranged seating assignments will be in effect. Student seating in the lower level will also be more dispersed. Seating had been restricted to a portion of section 109 and all of sections 110 through 117, located in the comer closest to the UNC bench. See SEATING, Page 4 Football Game to Provide Outlet for Bond Campaign By Kathleen Hunter State & National Editor UNC bond campaign officials will use Sunday’s Aggie-Eagle Classic as an opportu nity to build support for the $3.1 billion uni versity and community college capital improvements package. The annual football game between N.C. Agricultural & Technical and N.C. Central Diplomacy the art of saying “nice doggie" 'til you can find a stick. Wynn Catlin But Mueller contends that he had no control over the rubble that was left behind after the state demolished his former place of business, Romano’s Pizza, which stood adjacent to the lot. And he says the lot, located at 1119 U.S. 15- 501 South, is well on its way to being safe. A Duke Power representative confirmed that the parking lot’s lights Mueller requested were set Thursday morning. She said there are more fights on the way. Mueller said he ordered a security camera from PSA Electronics to post in the lot, but that it will not be operational until Southern Bell installs a telephone line to transmit the signal to his office in Chapel Hill in a few weeks. Mueller said his student customers got the wrong impression of his lot. “I can understand (the students) being upset. But it’s very well-lit, and we’re right by the intersection here.” But for the students who are finished doing business with Mueller, he said he might refund their money. “We’re in the process of reassess ing the policy for students who don’t want to park here.” Mueller said his original policy was to allow L * fX ’ ’-] In the Hot Seats This year's new seating program in the Smith Center brings students closer to courtside action. The Department of Athletics will oversee the construction of stand-only risers that will position 200 students on the baseline in hopes of adding some excitement to the game atmosphere. 0 Faculty/Staff Seating □ Foundation Permanent Seating B Student Seating EB3 Foundation Endowment Seating ■ Student Platforms □ Student Seating 2000-2001 Seating | SOURCE: DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS universities will kick off at 6:30 p.m. at N.C. State University’s Carter-Finley Stadium. Bond supporters said they hope the game is the first of several events to provide an out let for them to educate the public about the need for repair and renovation of the state’s 16 university campuses and 59 community colleges. North Carolinians will vote on the bond proposal Nov. 7. Reyna Walters, the campaign’s student out Get the Lowdown North Carolina takes on Tulsa in its first home game of the season. See Page 8 Serving the students and the University community since 1893 subletting as a form of returning students’ money instead of an outright refund. Freshman Daniel Cook, who purchased a parking spot from Mueller, is dealing with SLS to try to get his money back. But he said that if that was not an option, he might consider parking th'ere if the lot improved. “If that’s the case, then I might con sider parking there,” he said. “I’d rather get my money back, but I could go for (parking there).” Not all of Mueller’s patrons were as forgiv ing as Cook. Sophomores Shane Landrum and Mike Paduchowski said they would never con sider continuing to do business with Mueller - or subletting their spaces. Paduchowski said he did not want to involve anyone else by subletting. “I don’t want to be responsible for anyone else parking there,” he said. Mueller said Tar Heel Parking has been legit imately doing business under the name of Mueller Corporation. “It’s been a legal corpora tion in North Carolina since 1990,” he said. And he said his criminal record, which The See MUELLER, Page 4 reach coordinator, said she and close to 20 vol unteers will set up a table outside the stadium. The campaigners will try to persuade game attendees to register to vote. They will also pass out fliers detailing the need for cap ital funding, specifically at the state’s histori cally black colleges and universities. N.C. A&T and N.C. Central are two of the state’s HBCUs. Walters said she hopes education will erad ffgSalE- . Jr r •••• - C ■BSVsJsKSS : an 'h DTH/SEFTONIPOCK Gravel arrives at a parking lot that several students have claimed is inadequate. Gus Mueller said he is making improvements to the lot's condition. Seniors Jeremy Welch, Jay Williams and Simon Newman (left to right) sit on the new risers during the press conference for basketball game seating. The risers will be directly behind one of the baskets and reserved for students. DTH/KATE MELLNIK icate any fingering concerns that HBCUs are not fairly represented in the proposal. Several legislators voiced such concerns prior to the N.C. General Assembly’s unani mous approval of the package in May. Walters said the goal of the event is to increase public awareness and dialogue about the bond proposal. See GAME, Page 4 A Little Sun Today: Muggy, 85 Saturday: Rainy, 85 Sunday: Rainy, 85 U.S. News Ranks UNC 3rd Among Public Schools Although UNC has climbed two spots from last year, many University officials have downplayed the rankings' significance. By Alex Kaplun Assistant State & National Editor U.S. News & World Report will release its 14th annual col lege rankings today, a publication that is popular among prospective college students but that often has its validity questioned by university officials. In the 2001 edition of the magazine's college report, UNC ranked third among public universities and 25th overall. But several University officials say the rankings are only a small indicator of a school’s quality, despite UNC’s improve ment in this year’s report. Since last year, UNC has moved up in both the overall and the public university categories, where UNC placed 27th and sth last year respectively. UNC is tied with University of Califomia-Los Angeles and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor for third place in the rankings. University of Califomia-Berkeley and University of Virginia are tied for No. 1 among public universities. Princeton University tops the fist of best universities, knock- ing off last year’s top dog the Caliiomia Institute of Technology. Despite the improvement in UNC’s ranking, University offi- rials had conflict- ing views over the validity of the rankings. “We would be mistaken to do What we do to move up on their pole,” said Chancellor James Moeser. He added that while his ultimate goal was to make UNC the best public university in the country, Moving On Up ■ UNC improved its rankings in the annual U.S. News & World Report guide of best colleges, Top Public Universities 1. University of Califomia-Berkeley y _ University of Virginia , .. 3. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 3. University of N.C.-Chape! Hill Top Nat j ona | universities „ n . 1 - Prmceton University 2- Harvard University 3. Yale University 4. California Institute of Technology 5 Massachusetts Inst, of Technology . . , ..... 2S - Universit Y of N.C.-Chapel Hill source: u.s. news & world report dth/ciroune gobble such a goal could not be achieved based purely on rankings. “We want to be the best, but not for the sake of rankings, which can go up and down much like the stock market due to fluctuations in methodologies and other factors.” Student Body President Brad Matthews said he is pleased to see UNC rise in the rankings but that he does not put too much stock in them. “It’s something that people pay more attention to than they should, but it’s always nice to receive recognition,” Matthews said. UNC also went up in a category that was hotly debated last year - faculty resources. In previous years, UNC ranked behind its peer institutions in faculty resources. This figure was often cited last fall by proponents of a tuition increase to boost salaries. A S6OO tuition increase, to be phased in over two years, was approved by the N.C. General Assembly this summer. See RANKINGS, Page 4 Friday, September 1, 2000