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She Satly ®ar Hrrl T . ERIN MENDELL Carrboro Cops Continue to Protect, Serve What I meant to say in last week’s column about the Carrboro Police Department was that the department does more than other towns of the same size with fewer resources than those towns. What I ended up saying - without intending to - was that the Carrboro Police Department needs more officers and can’t get them. That’s certainly not the case. Carrboro police are doing a good job. I don’t clutch my purse more tightly when I cross the line separating Chapel Hill and Carrboro. I don’t fear for my safety where Franklin Street turns into Main Street. And I would live in Carrboro just as soon as I would live in Chapel Hill. But a recent study, put together by the Mooresville Police Department and to which most of the state’s police departments contributed, showed vio lent crime had risen in Carrboro in 1999. In fact, Carrboro’s violent crime had also risen relative to other N.C. towns of the same size. Carrboro had a below-average number of violent crimes for towns its size in 1997 and 1998 and had an above-average in 1999. The point is definitely not that Carrboro is a high-crime city and the police aren’t doing a good job. But the statistics for 1999 were unusual and deserve to be looked at so that a rise in Carrboro’s crime rates remains an oddity. Police Capt. Joel Booker said he’s proud of the Carrboro Police Department for using fewer full-time staff than other towns with populations of about 15,000. And he should be. Besides having fewer full-time staff positions in its budget, Carrboro also has a few positions that remain unfilled, so the Police Department must be doing something right to still get the job done. While unfilled staff positions are something I don’t think I’m wrong to be concerned about, the situation is certainly not as severe as I made it out to be when I opened last week’s col umn with: “The Carrboro police sta tion might as well hang a ‘Help Wanted’ sign on its door.” I did not mean to say that the Police Department should just start snatching up any person who wants a job there. What I did mean to do was show there are some positions that need to be filled and that the town should even consider adding some new positions to the department’s budget. While the department seems to be doing a great job, Booker said it could do an even better job if there were some more positions. He said he would like to see the administrative office open more than just 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. That might not fight crime, but it would make it more convenient for people who need to get information from the department. In addition, it could also help the department get administrative work done more quickly. The department also is not neces sarily having trouble filling its open positions, Booker said. He said it’s just taking time to find the right people for the jobs. As Booker pointed out, Carrboro’s a diverse town, and he doesn’t want to fill staff positions with a bunch of good ol’ boys. He said Carrboro residents deserve police officers who won’t flinch when they run into a same-sex couple. The Carrboro Police Department also demands a higher level of educa tion from its staff members, and so there are fewer people who are capa ble of filling the positions. And the Police Department should not waver from the high standards that it maintains. I’m not knocking the department and the job it does. But if it were working with more resources and a full staff, it might be doing an even better job. Columnist Erin Mendell can be reached at mendell@email.unc.edu. Memorial Today for Student Killed in Crash Robyn Kilpatrick, whose husband teaches at UNC, was an active writer and an enthusiastic student. By Rachel Clarke Staff Writer A memorial service will be held today at 11 a.m. for a UNC student who died in a traffic accident Tuesday morn ing when her car swerved out of control just outside of Winston-Salem city limits. Robyn Kilpatrick, a 35-year-old English major, was alone heading west jSj fiJj 4&B H fi £T *\r y ' *i? Honor Court Decisions Have Lasting Effects By Karey Wutkowski Assistant University Editor A wandering eye during an exam, an ill received derogatory remark or the abuse of e mail privileges might seem innocent enough. But once an Honor Court conviction is handed down, the consequences can haunt a student personally and professionally for years in the future. Officials say applying for graduate schools, embarking on a job search or even looking parents in the eye can suddenly become more difficult. Melissa Exum, dean of student affairs and Honor Court adviser, said students often don’t realize the severity and effects of an Honor Court sanction, which can range from censure to expulsion. “A lot of them are in the mode of what would have happened in high school (if they were given the same punishment),” Exum said. “But to hear ‘suspension’ here, you’re gone for a semester at least, you get an F in the class and you can’t go back on campus.” But Exum has found that the immediate aftermath can often be the most difficult for convicted students. She talks to almost all of the students who go through the Honor Court process, regardless of whether they are found guilty or not guilty. “A lot of them are worried about the here and now,” Exum said. “A lot of students have to deal with the embarrassment factor. It’s hard on people personally and on their relationships.” She said convicted students express fear By Christopher Owens Staff Writer Jermain Reeves is cultivating a multicultural gar den with the potential to blossom into a long-last ing fixture in UNC’s landscape. Through educating people on race relations and confronting stereotypes, Reeves plans to plant the seeds of understanding of ethnic diversi ty in the UNC community through his role as co chairman of Students for the Advancement of Race Relations. And his garden has bloomed this past week during SARR’s Race Relations Week, offering cultural diversity pro grams and bringing guest speakers to the, University. Reeves, a senior history major from Rock Hill, S.C., co-chairs SARR with a stream lined focus that encourages a cultural exchange throughout campus. “I want SARR to be an oudet to promote all kinds of ethnic diversity. We are not trying to promote one race. We are an organization that builds upon inclusion because racism is not only a black or white issue,” Reeves said. Reeves’ ambition for diversity issues was not shaped overnight but was more of a gradual evo lution beginning with adolescence. His epiphany came one day in the sixth grade when he began to understand that people were different, and he would be treated differendy based on superficial prejudices. “I came to UNC and used my past racial expe riences going to school in South Carolina as a catalyst to turn things around,” Reeves said. “I wanted to fight the ignorance that people have. on Interstate 40 at about 9:45 a.m. when her vehicle entered the median and then pulled back into the left lane, where it spun around, said State Trooper Tim Morgan. Another car then came up from behind and hit hers in the driver’s side door. Kilpatrick was taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where she died around 1:30 p.m. The other car’s one pas senger was released from the same hospi tal with only minor injuries. The cause of the crash is unknown, but the Highway Patrol indicated that drugs and alcohol were not involved. Kilpatrick was married to Scott Kilpatrick, an assistant professor of about their name appearing in the newspa per and about explaining to others why they are leaving if they are suspended. Senior Mike Maguire, special investiga tions associate attorney general, also said die humiliation of being convicted is very diffi cult for students. “It’s hard to come to terms with,” Maguire said. “For most students, the primary concern is parents finding out because of the embarrassment.” Exum has even called par ents at the student’s request. “They’re afraid their parents will disown them, but parents are much more understanding than the students realize," she said. “Students have cried, especially with relief. That’s why I have a box of tissues here.” Beyond the emotional adjustment, con victed students also have to face other imme diate changes. Depending upon the severity of the sanction, students could have their graduation delayed, have their scholarships revoked, be forced to resign from office in a campus group or quit any athletic teams. Then students also might have to face increased scrutiny when applying to gradu ate or professional schools. Exum said an Honor Code violation only appears on a stu dent’s transcript until the sanction, such as academic probation, is completed. But most schools also require students to disclose their disciplinary records. Man With a Multicultural Mission It’s easy if you’re in the majority to turn around and talk about the negative aspects of other races. It’s easy for all races to overgeneralize.” And Reeves is taking advantage of Race Relations Week by spearheading many of its events. Reeves’ committee brought Bishop Michael Curry, the first black bishop of the Episcopal Church in North Carolina, to UNC. Reeves said he wants his legacy to be his work on campus concerning race issues. “I want to work on the University. That’s my first priority. It’s hard to educate people on race relations when our University family , needs education themselves,” he said, w While Reeves is anxious for the [University to reap the benefits of Race r Relations Week, he understands that it is hard to ascertain its impact while the activi ties are ongoing. Virginia Carson, newly selected director of the Campus Y, said Reeves is a man of his word and expressed her excitement about SARR’s efforts. “He has done everything that he said he would do. He lets his actions do the talking for him. His efforts within SARR are special things,” she said. And Reeves is fully aware that nothing would be possible without his SARR members. He takes pride in the fact that there are others who want to effect change in race relations. Reeves plans on having SARR co-sponsor events with other Campus Y groups such as a spring weekend retreat focused on race relations for a group of 50 students from the organization. A law school hopeful, Reeves also works with the Freedom Legacy Project - an organization that deals with UNC’s history, concentrating on News pathology and lab medicine at UNC. Robyn Kilpatrick was a sophomore studying literature. She was an active writer who had written more than 100 poems, said Randy Russell, a pastor at Chapel Hill Bible Church where Kilpatrick was an active member and where today’s service will be held. Kilpatrick was enthusiastic about returning to school, especially in regards to her literature classes. “She impressed me as being a very smart and energetic person - she was a real standout in the class,” said Britt Mize, a doctoral candi date in English who was teaching one of Kilpatrick’s classes. “She was very intelligent - she was “It’s not a death sentence,” she said. “If someone has a record, it’s always better to come clean. Even if you have a record, it doesn’t mean you won’t get in.” Sherry Wallace, director of MBA admis sions for the Kenan-Flagler Business School, said students applying to the school must describe any disciplinary action administered A three-part series examining UNC's student Honor Court Wallace said it is most crucial to be hon est about the violation. “We want to see how they’ve moved beyond and grown from it,” she said. “You can get a lot of points from the admissions committee for owning up.” But due to the highly competitive nature of graduate school admissions, a disciplinary record can prove to be a deciding factor. “It’s very competitive getting into graduate schools, so students need to take the under graduate experience very seriously,” Wallace said. She added that it is disadvantageous for students to have any mark on their records. Axalla Hoole, associate dean for admis sions at the UNC School of Medicine, said the admissions committee expects all disci- See CONSEQUENCES, Page 5 t-' ■ : * the records of founders of University buildings and the contribution of blacks. But this week he is dedicated to cultivating campus race relations. And although he is optimistic about the future of the University’s racial climate, Reeves hopes students will realize Race Relations Week can be really getting into the reading," Mize said. When he announced her death, Mize said he felt like the entire class knew who Kilpatrick was, an indication of her strong presence and high level of involvement “She was strong - she was an adult going back to school for her B.A. I think that’s very admirable,” said Heather Kane-O’Donovan, a second-year gradu ate student in sociology, who was involved in a Bible study class with Kilpatrick. “She was a very special person, and a very strong person,” Kane-O’Donovan said. “She was very attuned to people’s to them by a cqjjege or university. And while the school has pre viously admitiHll students convict ed of Honor Code violations, Wallace said it burdens the stu dent “It does affect them and their ability to establish them selves as people who have moved beyond the time of the incident,” she said. DTH/BESS EOEWENBAUM Senior Jermain Reeves, co-chairman of Students for the Advancement of Race Relations, enjoys "Trash Talk," a discussion held Thursday for Race Relations Week. Friday, October 20, 2000 feelings. “She also liked to go to yard sales. She was a terrific decorator." Kilpatrick also participated in a class at the Chapel Hill Bible Church called Young Mameds with her husband. “She was just bubbly - always a smile on her face,” said Sandie Clark, the leader of Young Mameds and a Chapel Hill resident. “To have this happen so young in her life - it was just a shock,” Clark said. “She was just a beautiful person, in and out” The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu. Candidates Slight Environment, Sierra Club Says The Sierra Club is disappointed with the lack of attention given to environmental issues by the N.C. gubernatorial candidates. By Sally Francis Staff Writer The two N.C. gubernatorial front-runners have largely turned their attention away from environmental problems, choosing instead to focus on education and health care. The candidates, Democrat Mike Easley and Republican Richard Vinroot, are overlooking the state’s environmental issues like urban sprawl, development in floodplains, air and water quality, and farmland preservation, said Greg Lytle, spokesman for the N.C. chapter of the Sierra Club. “The environment does not come down to easy explana tions,” Lytle said. “Candidates avoid it because they are play ing most to common issues they can easily address. Education is easy, environment does not offer easy answers.” The Sierra Club has endorsed Easley, but Lyde said he did not understand why environmental issues have not gotten more attention. Vinroot’s campaign has paid little attention to environ mental issues. The closest his platform comes to addressing the environment is the support for agricultural research and keep ing government regulators out of fields and forests. Easley’s spokeswoman Amanda Crumley said the environ ment, especially air and water quality, animal waste legislation, urban growth and floodplain mapping are very important issues to Easley and he was pleased with the Sierra Club’s support Lytle said the club has been a little disappointed with Easley’s recent campaign, despite the fact that it is backing him. In the Democratic primary this spring, Easley included the Sierra Club endorsement in his advertisements but fails to include them in his current campaign ads. Vinroot is not endorsed by any environmental groups, said Andrew Hollowell, Vinroot’s spokesman. The Sierra Club is working throughout the state to intro duce many environmental issues in the candidate forums and encourage the campaigns to better address the issues. But UNC political science Professor Thad Beyle said he doesn’t know if the candidates are planning to bring more atten tion to the issues. “There would have to be some situation that would lead to making the environment an issue,” Beyle said. He said Easley, who is currently the state’s attorney gener al, was involved in solving past environmental problems in eastern North Carolina caused by Hurricane Floyd. Easley also brokered a deal this year that will eliminate some of the largest hog waste lagoons, open-air ponds that store hog waste. But Beyle said he has not heard much about the environ ment from either candidate recendy. Despite the gubernatorial candidates’ recent lack of atten tion, Lyde said the Sierra Club encourages its members to vote for Easley. “The Sierra Club’s mission is to endorse environ mentally friendly candidates, assist them in getting elected and hold them accountable for their votes once they take office.” The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu. a year-round event. He said, “Change is something that is hard to assess. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean that it is not happening.” The Features Editor can be reached at features@unc.edu. 3
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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