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Press Conference Tackles Landfill Issue
By Carolyn Pearce
Staff Writer
A UNC bioethics class teamed up with
community residents to demand that Orange
County officials close a landfill they feel is
harmful to the community’s health.
Professor Valerie Ann Kaalund’s African-
American bioethics class organized a
Wednesday press conference at Faith
Tabernacle Church on Rogers Road to
announce the findings of a study about the
effects of the landfill located off Eubanks
Road in Chapel Hill.
The class also suggested the damage might
BCC Groundbreaking
A Long Time Coming
By Noelle Hutchins
Staff Writer
When dignitaries gather today to plunge
shovels into the earth near the Bell Tower,
it will mark an end and a beginning.
It is the culmination of decades of strug
gle, the end of an often ugly battle that at
times threatened to divide campus.
With that chapter closed, many hope
the disturbed soil will give way to a campus
committed to racial understanding and
equality.
For these reasons, the groundbreaking
today for the Sonja H. Stone Black Cultural
Center is a milestone in the life of the
University.
And many BCC supporters say it’s one
that should have been reached long ago.
Harry Amana, interim director of the
BCC, said students should not be ignorant
about the historical significance of the
groundbreaking events. “The struggle con
sisted of a long series of demonstrations
and talks,” he said. “So many alumni
invested in (the BCC) both emotionally
and financially.”
In 1968, a group of black students
stormed South Building’s front steps, pre
senting a list of demands to then-Chancellor
J. Carlyle Sitterson. They petitioned the
University to change conditions on campus
to help black students feel more safe.
Despite litde progress with the chancel
lor, these students formed the Black Student
Movement, which, among other goals, pro
moted one of the protesters’ demands - the
construction of a freestanding BCC.
The mission of the Sonja Haynes Stone
Black Cultural Center is
to serve the cultural, intelectiial,
psychological and sociological
needs of both the Black and the
Non-Black community
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill as these needs relate to the Black
experience in America.
SOURCE: BUCK CULTURAL CENTER DOCUMENTS
Moeser Strives to Procure Funding for University
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By Stephanie Horvath
Staff Writer
A five-part series
examining Chancellor
James Moeser's vision for
the University and how he
will see it to fruition.
Monday: Inheriting a Legacy
Tuesday: Activism's Impact
Wednesday: A World Focus
Today: Money Matters
Friday: Funding Priorities
Raking in the cash has recendy become
an even greater part of Chancellor James
Moeser’s job description.
With a 7 percent budget cutback from
the N.C. General Assembly lying before
North Carolina’s public universities, alter
native sources of funding are more impor
tant than ever to UNC.
But this is not the first time Moeser has
focused on UNC’s monetary resources.
From private donations to corporate con
tracts, Moeser has shown a strong commit-
be a form of environmental racism because
the area is historically made up of middle
class blacks.
Although the study’s findings are not con
clusive, the class presented a detailed report on
the history and location of the landfill and
attempted to linked it to various community
health problems. The class was divided into sev
eral groups, and each group presented its par
ticular findings on specific aspects of the landfill.
Several residents who live near the landfill
shared stories of how they claim it has affect
ed them. Residents say their well water supply
is contaminated by the landfill’s waste, causing
illnesses such as kidney failure and cancer.
Since BSM members began campaign
ing for the center in the 1980s, the BCC has
taken residence within the cramped 900
square-foot space of the Student Union.
But this was not enough for the student
protesters and their supporters.
Controversy reached its peak in September
1992 when black students began to protest
for a freestanding facility to honor Sonja
Haynes Stone.
Even after Stone’s unexpected death in
August 1991, her commitment to empower
ing the lives of those around her was an inspi
ration to many. For 17 years, she instructed
and served as a director of the curriculum in
African and Afro-American studies at UNC.
“I think to know about the BCC’s histo
ry, you have to know about her dreams,"
Amana said.
Alumnus and former Black Awareness
Council member Tim Smith said students
also fought for the BCC because they
believed the University didn’t respect black
students and didn’t take their concerns seri
ously. “We saw the previous results and did
n’t want to play games.” he said.
Smith said he and other students
marched to then-Chancellor Paul Hardin’s
office and house in 1992. “We gave him an
ultimatum - if you want us to be quiet, give
us a BCC by November 13.”
But Smith said Hardin wasn’t convinced
to support the BCC until the issue became
nationally known. “As long as the issue
stayed on campus, things would never
change,” he said.
See HISTORY, Page 11
New Center to Promote Education
By Paige Ammons
Staff Writer
In a forum Wednesday, a UNC student asked what
has become a common question over the last decade.
“Why isn’t it a multicultural center that promotes
all cultures and not just a
black culture center?” asked
senior Mimi Patel.
Patel was referring to the
freestanding Sonja H. Stone
Black Cultural Center, which
ment to raising money for UNC’s coffers.
In his Oct. 12 University Day speech,
Moeser pledged to triple UNC’s share of
the higher education bond money with pri
vate donations, bringing the University a
total of $1.5 billion in funds.
UNC will receive almost SSOO million
for capital improvements from the $3.1 bil
lion bond referendum, which was passed by
N.C. voters on Nov. 7.
“The bond bill is the key that opens the
lock to the future,” Moeser said in his
speech. “Almost a half a billion dollars
would come directly to this campus, and
my pledge to the people of North Carolina
Nothing happens unless first a dream.
Carl Sandburg
Historical Spin
Bestselling author Thomas Cahill
shares the history of mankind,
at least as he sees it. See Page IS
Serving the students and the University community since 1893
Bonnie Norwood, a 15-year resident of the
community, said she was healthy before mov
ing to the area. She said now she is on disabili
ty and had her third cancer surgery last August
“At least four of my neighbors have died
from or gotten cancer,” she said. “We don’t
want to die out here. We came out here to live.”
The Rev. Ida McMillan, pastor at Faith
Tabernacle, also spoke about the sickness she
has experienced and the lack of support the
residents have received. “My husband has
had kidney failure and chronic illness,” said
McMillan, who lives next to Faith Tabernacle
Church. “Not only are we suffering in this
community, we are suffering from support.”
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The Black Student Movement gathers at South Building in 1997 to give
administrators 22 demands, one of which was a freestanding BCC.
UNC Students
Discuss Purpose
Of New BCC
See Page 2
is to take that investment and triple it in
terms of private support to this campus.”
Giving Back
In working to achieve Moeser’s goal,
UNC has begun a seven-year fund-raising
campaign. Ginger Travis, a writer in the
UNC Office for University Development,
said the name and details of the campaign
will be announced on University Day 2001,
but until then UNC is seeking monetary
commitments from donors.
Gifts for fiscal year 2000 totalled $165.7
million. Though no numbers are available
yet for Moeser’s time at UNC, Matt Kupec,
But Gayle Wilson, Orange County solid
waste director, insists the landfill is up to state
standards. “We consider ourselves at the front
line of environmental protection,” he said.
Kaalund said although the class cannot
automatically connect the illnesses to the
landfill, the amount of cases reported is alarm
ing and in need of attention.
The class also argued that the county has
not kept its promise to close the landfill or to
improve the community’s water and sewage
supply. Class member Jeff Penley said the
goals of the press conference were to demand
See LANDFILL, Page 11
breaks ground today. Her query highlighted a con
cern that many have had about the center since the
push for it began in earnest in 1992: Will the center
have a divisive or unifying effect?
BCC officials, students and faculty say the center
will foster education about black culture and increase
dialogue about racial issues, goals they say will be ben
eficial to all students on campus. “I hope it serves the
intellectual and sociological needs of students on this
campus, and I mean all students,” said Lorie Clark,
See MISSION, Page 11
4
Signs of Sickness
A study conducted by UNC students indicates that the county landfill
off Eubanks Road increases health risks for residents who live nearby.
SOURCE- TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL
Bush Proposes
Surprisingly Low
Pell Grant Hike
The president campaigned on increasing
funding for freshmen, but his budget would
raise the maximum award for all years.
By Cliff Nelson
Staff Writer
The Bush administration has announced that it plans to
increase maximum allowable Pell Grants by only SIOO per stu
dent for fiscal year 2002-03, an amount that has disappoint
ed financial aid officials.
Top-end awards will increase from $3,750 to $3,850 -a rise
of less than .027 percent in payments from the government’s
primary undergraduate aid vehicle, which serves 4 million col
lege students nationwide.
Bush will increase Pell Grant funding by $1 billion -but the
funding will have to cover an increased number of applicants.
Other student-aid programs, such as College Work-Study and
Perkins Loans, are slated for no increase under the proposal.
But among the Bush provisions, the modesty of Pell Grant
increases came as perhaps the biggest disappointment to finan
cial aid professionals, who had thought a S2OO or even S3OO
per-year payment increase was possible.
Bush campaigned on increasing the maximum Pell Grant
by SI,BOO for only freshmen during the 2000 election.
Brian Fitzgerald, staff director for die Advisory Committee on
Student Financial Assistance, said, “Any time you have a presi
dent who made higher-education funding a campaign issue, you
have to be let down when the funding doesn’t come through.”
Bush first proposed an increase to $5,100 in allowable Pell
Grant payments for freshmen, with lesser payments during the
final three years of study during the presidential campaign.
But according to Robert Samors, UNC-system vice presi
dent for federal relations, Bush’s plan to “front-load" Pell
Grant money - give larger payments to freshmen - likely
would have caused an increase in postfreshman dropouts.
“The administration was approached by the higher educa
tion community and persuaded to keep Pell Grant payments
evenly spread,” Samors said. “It’s good the administration
took our views into account on the question of front-loading
aid. It’s bad we’re left with only a SIOO increase.”
Shirley Ort, UNC-Chapel Hill scholarships and student aid
director, said the news is not quite as bad as it seems because
the SIOO increase is only in the maximum allowable award.
“Some students get the maximum grant and others get lesser
amounts, depending upon individual financial circumstances.”
Ort said average UNC-CH recipients will likely receive an addi
tional $247 in Pell Grant payments during the 2002-03 fiscal year.
But officials emphasized that federal budget negotiations
are just getting under way and that chances to identify more
funding are not yet exhausted.
See FINANCIAL AID, Page 11
vice chancellor for University advance
ment, said Moeser’s vision and experience
make him a great fund-raising leader.
“He’s so excited about what our faculty
and students are doing, and it’s these private
gifts that are going to fund those dreams,”
Kupec said. “The donors really respond to
his leadership.”
Kupec also praised Moeser’s contacts with
potential donors. “He’s out there. He’s on the
road,” Kupec said. “He meets with lots of
potential donors. We think he’s come in pro
viding great leadership for this University.”
Gifts to UNC are either restricted, ear
marked by the donor for a specific purpose, or
Almost There
Today: Sunny, 68
Friday: Sunny, 77
Saturday: Sunny, 80
Thursday, April 26, 2001
unrestricted, which allows the University to
decide where the money goes. Travis said the
overwhelming majority of gifts are restricted.
Though most donors have specific plans
for their dollars, Moeser said he does not
allow donors to use their money to manipu
late the University. He said he recently turned
down a $lO million donation because the
direction was inappropriate. “We’re not going
to be driven by people with money,” he said.
Moeser said ensuring that the entire
University benefits from the fund-raising
campaign requires working with donors.
See FUNDING, Page 11