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2 Friday, February 16, 2001 Forum Explores U.S. Class Differences By Mandy Melton Staff Writer Students and faculty disclosed their personal trials with social class and eco nomic status in an open atmosphere Thursday evening. During “A Night of Class,” a forum which is part of the Living With Compassion Series, participants tackled major issues often overlooked by soci ety. The event drew a modest crowd but eager audience participation. Forum speakers said they became aware of economic differences at young ages by associating with their school peers. “The fact that I qualified for free lunch in school and the other 70 percent of my classmates didn’t alerted me to the fact that my family was different,” said Corey Holliday, a UNC employee Sharon Pledges Unity With Barak, Labor The Associated Press JERUSALEM - Prime Minister elect Ariel Sharon and Ehud Barak agreed on formation of a unity govern ment Thursday, with Barak’s party get ting the key defense portfolio. Israeli media said Barak would be the new defense minister. Sharon and Barak met for two hours Thursday, and Barak - who was resoundingly defeated by Sharon only last week - accepted Sharon’s offer of the top Cabinet post, Israeli television and radio reported. Barak’s office said in a statement that a decision was made to set up a unity government and that Barak’s Labor party would receive the defense and for eign ministries. Officials close to Barak were not available for comment on the media reports of his agreement to stay in government. Violence persisted Thursday as two mortar shells fired by Palestinians fell on ajewish setdement in the Gaza Strip and Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian who was trying to infiltrate another settlement No casualties were reported in the mortar attack at Netzarim, an isolated enclave in central Gaza. The setdement had come under mortar attack twice before. A Palestinian police officer whom Israel believed to be responsible for the earlier attacks was killed Tuesday u This Mend Carolina Saturday Women’s Lacrosse at Henry Stadium ALL DAY Men’s Tennis vs. South Carolina Noon at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center Sunday Men’s Lacrosse vs. Fairfield 7pm at Fetzer Field Women’s Basketball vs. FSU 7pm at Carmichael Auditorium & tfflrrlpp’c sports shorts VAGw w Students & Facility Admitted FREE w/ID! from the Department of Athletics. Many guests of the forum said they never allowed themselves to succumb to society’s limitations, despite economic hardship. “Even though I realized I couldn’t change my current economic status, I knew I could do better for myself in the future,” said Sameka Batde, a sophomore communications major. “That is what I am doing now.” But some said Americans tend to not dwell on class differences. Joel Schwartz, a public policy and analysis professor who spoke during the discussion, said, “Americans refuse to assign themselves to a specific class. Instead, they want to identify with others by race, ethnicity, culture, religion and regionalism. (Americans) have the least developed sense of class consciousness.” Sophomore Jessica Lambert agreed by Israeli helicopters firing rockets. The Palestinian killed near Kfar Darom, another isolated settlement in Gaza, was identified as Nasser Hassanat, 23. He was a member of a Palestinian security force, according to documents he carried. Funerals for young Israeli soldiers and a civilian - eight were killed Wednesday by a Palestinian bus driver -weighed heavily on politicians seeking a coalition between Sharon’s Likud party and Labor. Sharon, who cannot take office until he forges a majority coalition, was con fident. “I will set up a unity govern ment,” he told reporters before meeting European Union peace envoy Miguel Moratinos. Sharon said it would “enable us to reach security and peace.” Other prominent Israelis had harsh words for the Palestinians. President Moshe Katsav, visiting the family of a soldier killed in an earlier attack, said Arafat incites Palestinians to attack Israel, while talking about peace at the same time. “That’s Yasser Arafat, with his conflicting messages and dual morality and two-faced behavior.” A leading rabbi recommended that Israel seize the Palestinian town of Bethlehem as retaliation for gunfire at a Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem and Rachel’s Tomb, ajewish holy site near Bethlehem. her economic status has nothing to do with who she is as a person. “I think of what I can achieve,” she said. “This is a country of opportunity. Americans always see opportunity and say, ‘I might be lower class now, but I will be some thing else one day.’” Many participants said financial obsta cles they faced actually improved their outlook on life. “I had to work my behind off to get everything that I have -1 had no alternative,” Schwartz said. “Coming from a background of poverty is the biggest character building experience of all.” Forum guests also discussed the importance of giving back to the com munity, saying society needs to instill the desire for success in more of its youth. “Personally, I know I didn’t get to where I am today by myself,” said Alex Mehfar, a senior economics major. “By SBP Contenders To Debate Sunday Student body president candidates Justin Young and Eric Johnson will debate at 7 p.m. in 08 Peabody Hall. Staff Report Students, faculty and staff interested in hearing more from student body president candidates Eric Johnson and Justin Young before voting Tuesday will have their chance Sunday night. The Daily Tar Heel will host a Student Body President Runoff Debate at 7 p.m. in 08 Peabody Hall. Both candidates have agreed to meet once more in a debate setting to high light the important issues of the 2001 Campus Calendar Today 11 a.m. - The Center for Slavic Studies will be hosting the Russian and East European Career Fair in 039 Graham Memorial until 3 p.m. The Business Panel will take place from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The Government and Academia Panel will be from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. E-mail questions to efleming@email.unc.edu. 7 p.m. - The Black Music Series: “Tribute to Louis Armstrong” will take place in Toy Lounge of Dey Hall. The tribute will celebrate the contri butions of African American music tra ditions. This session will explore the contri butions of be-bop Louis Armstrong. Robin Vader will facilitate this session. 8 p.m. - Eve Ensler’s Obie Award winning “The Vagina Monologues” Attention Oxfordians! Meeting for: • Participants in Oxford Summer school Abroad, or • Anyone interested in enrolling in Oxford Summer School Abroad Monday, February 19,2001 4:00 p.m. 305 Greenlaw Building Tomorrow Today STUDENT ACADEMIC CONFERENCE February 23-24, 2001 Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence UNC-CH Please contact Kim at 962-6810 www. unc.edu/depts/iaar/sac.html News remembering that fact, I know I have a duty to give back to my community and to give to those who need help.” Eliminating economic barriers in soci ety was also a major topic of conversation. Melissa Exum, dean of students, said it will take time and effort, but equality can even tually be reached. “When we talk about (barriers) honestly and openly, we make a personal step toward improvement,” she said. “It’s all about personal courage and what we do when nobody else is looking.” Sophomore Andrea Fitcher said the forum opened her mind. “I gained a per sonal understanding of diversification,” she said. “That’s the whole college expe rience for me, learning perspectives that I would not have had otherwise.” The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu. student body president race. The debate will follow a traditional format. Johnson and Young will have the opportunity to present opening statements to the audience, followed by moderator questions addressed to both candidates. The audience will then be able to pose questions to each or both of the candidates. After the question-and-answer por tion of the debate, the candidates will present their closing statements. The debate between Johnson and Young will be broadcast live on Chapel Hill cable Channel 4. All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to come out and participate in the debate between the two runoff candidates. will be performed at Playmakers Theatre. Tickets are $5 for students, $7 for nonstudents.Purchase tickets in the Pit between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday 4 p.m. - Jazz/blues historian and legend Albert Murray will present a lecture in the Hanes Art Center audito rium. A book signing and reception will immediately follow the lecture. Sunday 7 p.m. - Alpha Epsilon Omega and Phi Beta Chi will be hosting a free Valentine’s dessert in celebration of “The Value of a Woman” in the Union Cabaret. To attend, please RSVP to Nicole Strachan by calling 914-3067 or sending an e-mail to nicoles@email.unc.edu. Monday 11 a.m. - Masala will kick off a week Oxford Summer School Abroad Informational meeting with Professor Christopher Armitage Summer School Abroad Program to Oxford, i^AC-Qy SmmlOOl w raK. Conference Luncheon Keynote Speaker RANDALL ROBINSON President of TrarisAfrica, Inc. and Author of The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks Carolina Inn February 24. I PM $20.00 General Public $lO 00 Suuienls Tickets m.o lie purchased ai the Sonja Haynes Slone Black ( ullui.il ( eiuci. UO2-UOOI Sponsored by • Institute of African-American Research • Sonja Haynes Stone Black Cultural Center Online Shopping Aims To Help State Budget Gov, Mike Easley hopes to decrease paperwork and increase competition with his e-procurement plan. By Kristy Jones Staff Writer RALEIGH - Gov. Mike Easley announced Thursday plans to allow state agencies to purchase supplies online, an initiative expected to save North Carolina an estimated $52.4 mil lion per year when the program becomes fully operational. The program will begin July 1 and is expected to be fully implemented in three years. The initiative, known as e-procure ment, is aimed at decreasing paperwork and allowing companies statewide to bid on the services or goods of various vendors. The Web-based system is expected to create more competition for goods and services, lowering prices and reducing taxes for residents. “Enabling the state to purchase goods and services from a network of vendors in a Web-based system will result in a significant cost savings to taxpayers,” Easley said. “This system will be available to local governments allowing for savings across the board.” The state is currently suffering from a budget shortfall some fiscal analysts say could hit $750 million. After receiving approval this month from the Information Resource Management Commission, the Office of Information Technology Services and Accenture exercised a portal contract option that allows for the e-procurement initiative to proceed. The self-fimded public/private part nership will not require any state appro of celebrating cultural diversity in the Pit. There will be cotton candy and var ious booths from campus multicultur al groups. 4 p.m. - The Triangle Computer Science Distinguished Lecturer Series will highlight Dr. Takeo Kanade of the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. Kanade will speak on “Virtualized Reality: 4D Digitization of a Time- Varying Real Event and Its Application” in 011 Sitterson Hall. Tuesday noon - The Sonja H. Stone Black Cultural Center sponsors Black History Reflections: Rebecca Clark, activist. Clark will share her stories of living in Chapel Hill and working at the University. Items of Interest Go online today to check out “Ask We toss’em, they’re awesome I N.Y. PCZZft" 106 W. Franklin St. 966-4224 When the Tar Heels Win, YOU Win! I! I 1 I I I 17111717 I I Jl* JEILJE!*JC< | | Mr j sl . ice of !! Soda cheese pizza I I with P“ rchase | | | of any slice j the sane day II or next dey only j J Ot pIZZa II p N.y. pizza! ii 11 N.y. pizza! Expires 4/1 /Ol I I Expires 4/1/01 one coupon per person Jj one coupon per person Valid for Men’s & Women’s basketball scores only. fjl I LI . yf | I : ; if I “One delicious part of your healthy lifestyle. ” UOOURTc® 1 pump SoUy (Ear Mwl priations. It will be funded by marketing fees paid by the vendors for the online usage. Vendors will pay 1.75 percent of their total business accumulated by the Online service. According to a press release from Easley’s office, e-procurement programs have been used in private industries with savings between 3 and 10 percent. The private industries also have seen a reduction in purchase orders by 67 per cent. And more than one-half of states have e-procurement initiatives on some level. According to a report done by Gartner, a technology research firm, 77 percent of government chief informa tion officers plan to implement an e-pro curement program within the next three years. But North Carolina is one of the first to implement the program statewide. “The success of this e-procurement project will serve as a model for states across the country,” Easley said. “Our commitment to this venture ensures that North Carolina will contin ue to be a leader in information tech nology.” Easley and others praised those involved for their efforts to help allevi ate the state’s budget problems. “A great example of what we can do when we all work together,” said Sen. Eric Reeves, D-Wake. And Easley said the belt-tightening was not just a fiscal move. “In our tight fiscal environment, we need to look for savings around every possible comer, but this project is not just about saving money.” he said. “It is about moving forward and renewing our commitment to one North Carolina.” The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu. Alex,” The Daily Tar Heel’s new online column. The column is filled with the answers to the University community’s most random questions. “Ask Alex” can be viewed at www.dailytarheel.com under the Community Tab flag. To submit your own question, e mail alex47@email.imc.edu. For the Record The Feb. 15 story titled “ECHHS: Class Rank Should Go” incorrectly stat ed that the N.C. School of Science and Math was a private school. The school is public. The Daily Tar Heel regrets the error. tTljr Saily tsar Urrl Friday, February 16,2001 Volume 108, Issue 161 RO. Box 3257, Chapel Hill. NC 27515 Matt Dees, Editor, 962-4086 Advertising & Business, 962-1163 News, Features, Sports, 962-0245
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