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