®hr Daily (Ear MM
Waldorf's
Challenge
To Mayor
rn is the season for schmoozing.
“Thank yous," handshakes
and standing ovations filled
the Chapel Hill Town Hall as hors
d’oeuvres circled around Monday
night.
Chapel Hill held its changing of the
guard as the new
mayor and
Chapel Hill
Town Council
members took
their place and
three political
veterans depart
ed from town
government.
Kevin Foy
was sworn in as
Chapel Hill’s
new mayor,
replacing
JONATHAN
CHANEY
CITY
COLUMNIST
Rosemary Waldorf, who held the role
for six years.
Waldorf chose not to run for re-elec
tion this year, saying that local govern
ment needed some fresh faces and
new blood.
And after six years, Rosemary
deserves a break.
She was first elected mayor at a
time when Chapel Hill was experienc
ing its own version of a spike in crime
rates.
Though we aren’t talking Detroit,
residents were concerned.
Waldorf was a strong advocate for
modernizing the town’s police force,
making Chapel Hill a little safer for
residents as well as students. (Though
recent armed robberies and break-ins
are worrisome - especially as students
leave their apartments for break.)
She has also overseen a revitaliza
tion of the downtown area, including
widening the sidewalks.
But there’s still room for improve
ment in this area, as some residents
advocate turning parking lots into pub
lic squares.
Making Franklin Street more
“European,” or community-friendly, is
not such a bad idea. It’s a unique piece
of property whose potential still hasn’t
been fully realized.
Rosemary also was a strong sup
porter of regional mass transit
throughout her three terms - even
though it has only recently become a
hot political issue in the Triangle as a
whole.
Though the political climate in the
Triangle has not always heavily
favored regional mass transit issues,
the new leaders in Chapel Hill,
Durham, Cary and Raleigh appear to
be a group of pro-mass transit politi
cians.
But again, there’s still a lot of uncer
tainty. Regional rail with the Triangle
Transit Authority seems to be chug
ging along...
... but speed bumps could derail
the process. Federal funding for part of
the project is still dangling. The state
cannot afford to foot a huge bill for a
transportation project with all the belt
cinching legislators have been forced
upon it.
And where will the sites for the rail
system be? This problem will be most
visible in Chapel Hill, where residents
will howl if a foot of train track is laid
near their property.
Our town can preach about the
environment all it wants, but when it
comes down to it, Mayor Foy will
have a lot of cajoling and pleading to
get a rail system put down in the town.
But regional transit is an issue in
which Waldorf has made great head
way. With the favorable political cli
mate in surrounding towns and cities,
it’s now Mayor Foy’s job to continue
with her same vigor.
As this part of the state expands, it’s
ludicrous to ignore mass transit as an
absolute necessity to help alleviate
some of our crippling traffic problems.
During the last two years, Waldorf
had to deal with University expansion
and its effects on the town. She and
Chancellor James Moeser, along with
other University and town officials,
came together for several town-gown
meetings.
Town growth, especially relating to
the University, will be the most con
tentious issue for Mayor Foy’s term.
In her parting words, Waldorf said
something important. “Remember that
you are representing everyone in
town, including those who don’t pay
attention.”
Students at this University have a
lot of competing interests for their time
-and following town politics isn’t high
on their list. Whether it be develop
ment plans or noise ordinances, offi
cials must keep their interests in mind.
As Mayor Foy begins his term, it’s
important he remember that students
at UNC are not Chapel Hill’s adver
saries.
They are 24,000 of his constituents.
Columnist Jonathan Chaney can be
reached at jhchaney9email.unc.edu.
Crowd Supports Herrera,
Carrboro Government
By Heather Apple
Staff Writer
With only standing room left at
Carrboro Town Hall on Tuesday night,
Mayor Mike Nelson, incumbent Board
of Aldermen members Jacquelyn Gist
and Diana McDuffee and newcomer
John Herrera were sworn into office.
More than 70 people of different ages
and nationalities crowded the room to
show support for Herrera and the
returning officials.
“I haven’t seen that many people,
■
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DTH/PATTY BRENEMAN
Alison Lafferty, a senior psychology major, does work for her online Philosophy 034 class. Lafferty submits her homework
and gets feedback from her professor via e-mail and the Internet. Lafferty also takes weekly quizzes and titped exams online.
Friday Center Gives Degree Options
By Joelle Ruben
Staff Writer
UNC student John Doe (not his real name)
said it was difficult to focus on final exams last
December.
Not only did exam
week mark the comple
tion of a four-month
semester, it also signified
the end of a nearly 10-
year prison sentence.
During 2000, Doe,
now 33, participated in
the Correctional
Education Program,
which allows minimum
security inmates to enroll
as full-time students on
UNC’s campus through
the Orange Correctional
Center in Hillsborough.
The Correctional
Education Program is one
of several opportunities
available to unconvention
al students with unusual
Road
Not A
Taken^
A three-part
series
examining
nontraditional
college routes
■ Monday:
Drop Outs
■ Tuesday:
Time Off
■ Today:
Unconventional
Methods
Of Study
circumstances and schedules, said June
Blackwelder, the associate director of publica-
Site Created for Parking Feedback
By Tina Chang
Staff Writer
Student government officials have set
up a Web site to open the lines of com
munication between students and admin
istrators on contentious parking issues.
Student Body Vice President Rudy
Kleysteuber said the Web site will pro
vide a rapid mechanism for students to
voice their concerns to UNC adminis
trators. The Web site is located at
http://www.ijonesx.com/parking.
Student government officials have
argued that students’ voices are under
represented on the Transportation and
Parking Advisory Committee, which has
25 members, three of whom are students.
In October, Provost Robert Shelton
and Nancy Suttenfield, vice chancellor
for finance and administration, drafted a
preliminary decision to eliminate on
campus parking for students living in
residence halls in the near future.
Although student representatives on
TPAC were able to express their opin
ion, they played no role in the decision
making process.
On Nov. 28, TPAC held a meeting
that frustrated Student Body President
unless they were mad, be in that room,
so that was great,” Gist said.
Herrera, the first Hispanic immigrant
elected to a municipal government post
in North Carolina, won the election over
former Alderman Allen Spalt, who made
a speech before leaving the meeting.
“John, I wish you the best as you join
the board," Spalt said.
Spalt also said he would be continu
ing to participate in Carrboro’s future.
“I’ll help you when you ask and
sometimes when you don’t,” he said.
“Carrboro is in great shape as long as so
tions at the Friday Continuing Education Center.
Other options include Continuing Studies, a
program designed for participants who seek to
enroll on a part-time basis. Applicants must first
be admitted to the University before selecting
from night or day courses held on campus.
UNC also offers Carolina Courses Online, a
program that replaces a formal class setting
with discussion forums and student communi
cation via e-mail. Nearly 40 online courses fea
turing weekly readings and assignments are
offered each semester.
Students seeking a less structured format can
enroll in a self-paced online correspondence study
that must be completed in nine months to a year.
Blackwelder said different types of courses -
offered anywhere from a prison to a student’s
own home - cater to a variety of people, includ
ing older residents who want to enhance their
education, full-time students trying to graduate
on time and students with medical limitations.
Correctional Education
For Doe, who was convicted of aiding and
abetting second-degree murder, the
Correctional Education Program allowed him
to continue his pursuit of a University degree.
He had completed two years as a chemistry and
physics major at N.C. State University prior to
Justin Young and Kleysteuber, who said
the student voice was ignored again in
discussing night permit parking and the
removal of on-campus resident parking.
“We are the largest faction on cam
pus, and to be represented by the small
est faction at (the Nov. 28 TPAC) meet
ing was absurd,” Kleysteuber said.
Kleysteuber said although he
acknowledges the importance of TPAC
and its existing decision-making process,
he said he feels it is not the best way for
the student voice to be heard.
The site, which also is linked from the
student government Web site, offers stu
dents a direct way to e-mail three
administrators - Shelton, Suttenfield
and Chancellor James Moeser -as well
as the 22 non-student members of
TPAC. It also informs students about
the details of the parking situation,
Kleysteuber said.
“Students often feel that their concerns
are not as critical as concerns of other fac
ulty and staff and feel less comfortable
contacting administration,” he said.
The Department of Public Safety sent
an e-mail survey to faculty, students and
staff at the end of last week to gauge
opinions on night permit parking. The
News
many people care about it.”
Nelson said he appreciated the work
Spalt had done during his time in office.
“He has a deeper understanding of
environmental issues than any other
elected official in this county,” Nelson
said. “He’s been a dear friend for 15
years. I will miss you."
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber
of Commerce made a donation in
Spalt’s name to the Orange Community
Housing and Land Trust.
See ALDERMEN, Page 5
his arrest in the summer of 1988.
Doe, who started the Correctional Education
Program in the spring of 2000, chose to immerse
himself in his coursework, obtaining standing per
mission to study in the correctional center’s edu
cational trailer well after the 10 p.m. lockdown.
He said he would work until exhausted to
spend as little time in his cell as possible. “I’m
sure people at the (prison) had no idea who I
was, and since I was able to wear street clothes
all the time. I’m sure half of them didn’t even
know I lived there,” he said.
Since his release from prison a year ago, Doe
has been taking classes at UNC and plans to grad
uate in May. But Doe said people, both at UNC
and in the prison system, were willing to help him
with problems that resulted from his unique situ
ation. Doe said state restrictions, specifically one
mandate that prohibits inmates from using com
puters connected to the Internet, sometimes
makes it difficult to complete assignments. “I’m a
computer science major,” he said. “It’s kind of
necessary for me to actually use computers.”
But Doe said he contacted both his professor
and the head of UNC’s Department of
Computer Science, who loaned him a copy of
the necessary software to download onto prison
See UNCONVENTIONAL, Page 5
results of those surveys will be used to
advise TPAC at their meeting today.
TPAC is the official mechanism to
provide recommendations about parking
to Shelton, who will make the final deci
sion. Linda Carl, the TPAC chairwoman,
said today’s meeting will be for informa
tion only, although she said students
might have a chance to ask questions.
Student government officials said
they want a public acknowledgement of
students’ need for parking and their
place at the discussion table.
“It’s the responsibility of the admin
istration to hear the voice of the students
as well as the voice of the faculty, alum
ni and staff,” Kleysteuber said. “We have
realized that other groups on campus
need parking as well, and we are very
sensitive to that.”
Young and Kleysteuber are using the
Web site to urge students to fight for
their voice to be heard by administra
tors. Kleysteuber said, “We’re reminding
them that students can feel strongly
about issues, and that this one hits close
to home for many of us.”
The University Editor can be reached
at udesk@unc.edu.
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DTH/REBECCA O’DOHERTY
John Herrera, with son Nelson Alejandro, receives congratulations from
Ruth Zalph after being sworn in Tuesday as a Carrboro alderman.
Congress Votes
To Condemn
Parking Ideas
The emergency session was used to prepare
an official response from Student Congress
concerning the issue of night parking.
By Jenny McLendon
and Jeff Silver
Staff Writers
In unanimous votes Tuesday night, Student Congress passed
resolutions calling for nighttime parking policies to remain
intact and for the removal of Linda Carl as chairwoman of the
Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee.
Speaker Mark Townsend called the emergency Congress
meeting after he and other student leaders said they felt shut
out of the Nov. 28 TPAC meeting. Townsend said he wanted
to organize a response to the committee’s actions before
today’s informational meeting about night parking.
“I wanted to do something to hand to Linda Carl, but I
wanted to be diplomatic about it -1 didn’t want to call her an
iiberbitch,” he said.
The first resolution, introduced by Student Body President
Justin Young, demanded that night parking remain free on
campus and that the University explore options for generating
revenue that puts less of a burden on students’ pockets. It also
called on the University to develop alternative ways of access
ing campus.
“This is a pressing issue Cor students that was brutally han
dled by Linda Carl,” Townsend said, relaying how the com
mittee’s student representatives were “rudely cut off.” He said
TPAC’s lack of consideration for students prompted him to
introduce a second resolution condemning TPAC leadership.
Ethics Committee Chairman Dave Ruddell supported the
second resolution, saying, “I think (Carl) has shown by her
actions that she is not fit to run this committee.”
In an interview before the session, Carl said she would not
be influenced by Student Congress’ resolution. She said there is
not enough time at TPAC meetings to allow for input from stu
dents not on the committee. “We are under an incredible time
crunch.” TPAC is slated to submit its recommendations on sev
eral issues - including night parking - by the end of February.
But she said that the Dec. 12 TPAC meeting will allot time for
student feedback. “We are committed to having public input”
Carl said the addition of graduate student Emily
Williamson to TPAC would bolster student representation on
the committee. But Townsend said he was still concerned stu
dent views would not be heeded. “She’s already proven to us
that she doesn’t care what we have to say,” he said.
He acknowledged the University’s attempt to gather stu
dent input through a recent e-mail survey about parking but
dismissed its questions as too broad.
Despite the controversy, Townsend said he felt confident that
Provost Robert Shelton would consider both TPAC’s views and
student opinions about all parking issues. “The provost has
already admitted that the process is way beyond skewed,” he said.
Young agreed, citing the tension that parking dilemmas cre
ate among UNC community members. “The frustrating thing
about parking is that it sets up this ‘us and them’ dynamic.”
Townsend said parking is one issue for which students will
continue to fight. “I think this sends a message that students
really are passionate about parking issues.”
The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.
Elections Board Meets
With Political Hopefuls
By Rachel Clarke
Staff Writer
About 20 students interested in run
ning for student government posts came
to the Union Auditorium on Tuesday to
get copies of the Student Code -and to
hear a warning about breaking it
“This can be a whole lot of fun, and
I know it is fun to look for the loopholes
in the code,” Board of Elections
Chairwoman Emily Margolis told the
crowd. “But just be very careful that you
are not breaking the rules.”
About 60 students came to the cam
paign information session, but only about
20 expressed interest in seeking posts.
The rest were there to support candidates.
Margolis told the students the elec
tions board was taken advantage of last
year but that was going to change.
“We’re cracking down," she said.
Last year, campaigns with illegal
posters got a $5 total fine, she said. But
she said candidates who post illegally
now will face stiffer penalties. “This year
we’re going to charge you per poster.”
Margolis distributed copies of the
Wednesday, December 5, 2001
Student Code to people interested in the
positions of student body president,
Carolina Athletic Association president,
Residence Hall Association president,
senior class president and vice presi
dent, and Student Congress. The posi
tion of Graduate and Professional
Student Federation president also is up
for grabs, although no one at the meet
ing expressed interest in the position.
Five students expressed interest in
running for student body president.
Juniors Jen Daum, Fred Hashagen, Will
McKinney and Brad Overcash previ
ously had indicated their intent to run,
and junior Aaron Mesmer also said he
plans to seek the position.
Campaigning cannot actually begin
until the Jan. 22 candidacy declaration
date, three weeks before the Feb. 12 gen
eral election. Until then, Margolis sug
gested that candidates read the code care
fully in regards to posters and e-mails.
“The biggest problem we had last year
was with people sending out e-mails.
“I would just really recommend that
See CAMPAIGNS, Page 5
3