sljr Hatty GJar Hpri
POINT-COUNTERPOINT
CORPORATE MONEY
Allowing permanent corporate sponsorship inside UNC’s athletics
facilities is a good way to raise money if the signage is done tastefully.
Students going to see a football game are greet
ed by credit card companies the moment they
step through the south gate at Kenan Stadium.
At halftime they buy refreshments served in cups
emblazoned with the Hardee’s logo, while on the
field a lucky fan tries to catch a punt as part of a con
test sponsored by Mercedes-Benz.
Corporate sponsorship already plays a vital role in
supporting athletic activities.
Until this point the University has been able to
make ends meet without having to resort to signage
at athletic venues, but times have changed.
The Department of Athletics’ booster club was
unable to cover the costs of its scholarship needs last
year, and projections indicate that the budget deficit
only will get worse.
The UNC Board of Trustees voted unanimously
Thursday to allow a task force to look into the issue
of permanent corporate sponsorship at campus ath
letic facilities.
Although Director of Athletics Dick Baddour said
Friday that officials are not leaning one way or the
other on the proposal, they are looking into all pos
sibilities of bringing in more money.
Mike McFarland, director of University commu
nications, also said the formation of the task force
is not an official endorsement of the plan by either
campus administrators or the BOT.
Still, the merits of corporate sponsorship are
worth investigating.
The University has to find some alternative means
for making up their past deficit so the problem does
not get any worse.
Corporate signage, if handled properly, could be
the best solution at this time.
Critics of the plan fear that going this route will
make it appear as if the University is “selling out.”
They argue that by agreeing to allow corporate sig
nage, the University essentially would be admitting
that collegiate athletics is all about money.
Corporate signage in the campus’ athletics facilities is a poor way to
raise money and could taint the University’s perception to outsiders.
The UNC Board of Ttustees should vote not to
adopt permanent corporate advertisements to
fill budget shortfalls in many areas, most
importantly the funding of student-athlete scholar
ships.
Facing a shortfall in the Department of Athletics’
booster club, the BOT approved a task force to
explore the impact of corporate signage in terms of
funding and effect on campus.
Opening on-campus sports facilities to commer
cial interests runs the risk of compromising the
independence of UNC athletics and threatens to
blur the line between the University’s national
sports audience and the campus life of UNC stu
dents.
Director of Athletics Dick Baddour said Friday
that the athletic department has no set agenda in
investigating corporate signage possibilities.
However, officials might be acting with their
backs against the wall.
The athletic department, facing a slowing trend
in donations for their booster program, is having dif
ficulty affording their scholarship program.
These athletic scholarships make UNC one of the
most powerful and potent programs in the country.
Athletics officials have said they can handle the
shortfall this year, but the trend poses a problem for
the future.
But the University should not expand private-sec
tor influence because adopting a permanent corpo
rate sponsorship policy would change significantly
the nature of UNC athletics for the worse.
While it already has some ties to corporations,
UNC is known for being an independent universi
ty in both an academic and athletic sense, and a
corporate sponsorship deal would alter that repu
tation.
Currently, the campus is free of large billboards
emblazoned with jingles and slogans in an effort to
get members of the student body to buy more of a
EDITORS' NOTE: The above editorials are the opinions solely of the editorial writers and do not reflect the opinion of the entire Editorial
Board of The Daily Tar Heel. The editorial board consists of seven board members, the editorial page editor and the DTH editor. The 2003-04
DTH editor decided not to vote on the board and not to write board editorials.
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EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER
With the way finances are now, the athletic
department could be forced to cut back on expens
es within its budget, including the regrettable possi
bility of reducing the number of scholarships it
awards.
Raising money through corporate signage could
avoid this possibility and therefore ensure that UNC
does not drop from the ranks of elite programs.
However, it’s important that the University care
fully examine the specifics of any plan that would
involve corporate signage.
No one wants giant banners promoting a soft
drink hanging in the Smith Center next to Jordan’s
jersey, or gaudy neon signs in Kenan Stadium
reminding students of low monthly fees for cellular
phones.
But these kinds of scenarios do not go hand in
hand necessarily with corporate signage, as some
critics might claim.
If carefiilly planned and tastefully implemented,
any new signage at athletic venues hardly would be
noticeable amid the existing corporate sponsorship
found on cups, napkins and the Jumbotron.
And for this relatively minor increase in corporate
sponsorship, the University stands to eliminate a siz
able portion of the scholarship fund deficit.
While some might not like any kind of increase to
the visibility of commercial interests, this plan is bet
ter than the alternatives, which could include draw
ing more money out of merchandise revenue, which
has taken a downward slide of its own.
The BOT approved the task force to examine cor
porate signage last week, so the plan is in very early
stages. There is plenty of time to consider how to
prevent signage from becoming an eyesore and
detracting from the proud tradition of college sports.
COUNTERPOINT - JEFF KIM & COLIN SUTKER
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
product.
If the BOT approves corporate sponsorship, there
will be a large visual impact on campus.
Corporate sponsorship does exist to some extent
in the campus’ sports facilities but in the form of
temporary signs, which are removed after athletic
events are over.
Having permanent corporate signs would change
much of the atmosphere and energy prevalent in
UNC sports.
Fans would be subjected to advertisements both
during and after the games, which could set the tone
that UNC is vet another advertising zone for corpo
rate sponsors.
Having permanent signs from sponsors also could
give the impression that the University is more inter
ested in raising money than protecting its image.
Students would be subject to corporate advertis
ing, which they should not be on the University
campus.
While soft signage is a guarantee at games, it’s
important to prevent advertisements from being
permanent fixtures in UNC’s “holy” places such as
the Smith Center.
The athletic department is faced with pressing
needs, but while money answers some of them, cor
porate signage only would create more complex
issues with which the program must deal.
There are other ways to raise funding, and
Baddour has said the athletic department will look
into alternatives and will remain open to a wide vari
ety of options.
The future might hold many issues to deal with,
but corporate sponsorship is a lot of ground to give
considering the well-defined boundaries that are an
integral part of UNC’s sports tradition.
REEDERS’ FORUM
Campus awards allow UNC community
to recognize teachers and mentors
TO THE EDITOR:
No doubt each of you reading this letter has
known a teacher at UNC who has made a differ
ence in your life. He or she sparked your curios
ity about a subject, helped you through a period
of personal confusion, inspired you to travel
abroad or guided you to your career choice.
It’s time for you to say “thank you" by nomi
nating this person for a teaching award. Go to
http://www.unc.edu/teachawards.
You will be linked to a list of several types of
awards. Choose the appropriate category and let
our committee know how- your teacher or mentor
made a difference in your life. Anecdotes and spe
cific examples will help us understand your choice.
Please send your nomination before 5 p.m. on
Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Peter Filene
Chairman
University Teaching Awards Committee
Workers' voices missing in DTH news
coverage of employee-led teach-in
TO THE EDITOR:
We would like to comment on the strengths
and weaknesses of The Daily Tar Heel coverage
of the recent “nickel and dimed” teach-in.
The strengths included an excellent front page
picture of Marsha Tinnen and other members of
the N.C. Public Service Workers Union. The pic
ture reflects the enthusiasm the workers brought
to their teach-in, which was inspiring and an
important part of the story. Also, the editorial on
Sept. 23 rightly criticized the University for
declining invitations from the workers to partic
ipate in the teach-in.
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Duby.
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Dodson, Margaux Escutm, Alex Granados,
Kathryn Roebuck. Sara Boatright, Mason
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Ramirez. Jonathan Riehl, Lawrence Shaheen.
Alesia DiCosola, Dan Piergallmi, Dora
Gonzalez, Lmhda Tran, Patricia Lapadula,
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Holloway and Scott Simonton
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ON THE DAY’S NEWS
“ The first step toward liberation for any group is to use the
power in hand.... And the power in hand is the vote.”
HELEN GAHAGAN DOUGLAS, FORMER US CONGRESSWOMAN
EDITORIAL CARTOON
ArrvokdfirxaAty joins line debate ..
pi J~~| j
Students have opportunity
to influenee local elections
Today I am doing something
I should have done long
ago. I’m switching my voter
registration to Orange County.
You should do the same if
you can find a form.
Student government ran into a
wall in its drive to register students
to vote in time for November’s
local elections. They couldn’t find
any registration forms.
But until they ran out of forms,
student government officials in
cahoots with a number of student
groups had been putting forth
an impressive effort to register
UNC students.
They don’t have any forms
because they already have distrib
uted 4,000 voter registration
forms to on-campus students in
their move-in packets.
That’s 4,000 potential voters,
most of whom will be in Chapel
Hill for the next four years and
for three elections of their lives.
The voter drive was stalled
temporarily when the Orange
County Board of Elections and the
state elections board both ran out
of forms due to printer problems.
Student Body President Matt
Tepper said Sunday that the glitch
has been fixed and that despite a
continued state shortage in forms,
they were able to obtain enough to
continue the drive.
The problem cleared up just in
time. You must be registered to
vote at least 30 days before the
election to have your vote counted.
So to vote in the Nov. 4 munici
pal elections, you need to be reg
istered by Sunday.
Registering in Orange County is
extremely important, as it gives
UNC students a chance to weigh
in on local elections and ensure
that the student perspective will be
heard in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
If students turn out to vote, candi-
'
NATHAN DENNY
UNDER THE WELL
dates will notice and listen.
And who knows, maybe we
could land a UNC student in
elected office.
This year a student, senior phi
losophy major Mike McSwain, is
running for Chapel Hill Town
Council, which hasn’t had a stu
dent in its midst since Mark
Chilton ran and won in 1991.
While this is by no means an
endorsement, UNC students
should be aware of the possibility.
College students holding elected
office isn’t so rare in other college
towns. For example, in Ithaca,
N.Y., home to Cornell University,
students are elected regularly to
the city’s Common Council. The
council almost always includes at
least one student. Part of this has
to do with how the council dis
tricts are drawn: Cornell takes up
most of Ithaca’s 4th ward.
UNC students can achieve the
same presence in the Chapel Hill
and Carrboro governments if we
make our presence known. And
that only can be done if we vote,
and if we do so en masse.
Even if a student doesn’t get
elected to the Town Council, hefty
student turnout undoubtedly will
get elected officials' attention.
In 2001. the top four vote-get
ters in the Town Council election
each got roughly 4,000 votes.
And student government
enabled 4,000 students to vote.
If a few thousand students show
up at the polls Nov. 4, candidates
The news coverage of the rally however,
ignored the workers and eliminated their voices.
For the workers who organized the teach-in, this
was the whole point to be heard after being so
long ignored. What was unusual and significant
in this teach-in was the leadership and eloquent
testimony of the workers themselves.
Stating that their requests to participate in the
University sponsored discussions of the summer
reading selection had been rejected by Cynthia
Wolf Johnson, associate vice chancellor for stu
dent learning, workers presented themselves as
the real “experts” on low-wage work. They
detailed the impact of their low wages, arbitrary
schedules and unreasonable workloads on their
health and their ability to support their children.
The DTH ignored the workers' voices, while
privileging that of educated expert Barbara
Ehrenreich. This represents not a conservative or
a liberal bias on the part of the DTH, but an elite
bias. Such a viewpoint should not be promoted,
and we suggest that you make amends with a fol
low-up that features workers’ voices and examines
the impact of low-wage work on their lives.
By failing to quote any of the workers’ testimo
ny, the DTH deprived the campus community of
a unique and invaluable learning opportunity.
Yonni Chapman
and Kerry Taylor
Graduate students in History
Members of UE Local 150
TO SUBMIT A LETTER: Hie Daily Tar Heel welcomes reader
comments. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 300
words and must be typed, double-spaced, dated and signed by
no more than two people. Students should include their year,
major and phone number. Faculty and staff should include their
title, department and phone number. The DTH reserves the right
to edit letters for space, clarity and vulgarity Publication is not
guaranteed. Bring letters to the DTH office at Suite 104,
Carolina Union, mail them to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC
27515 or e-mail them to editdesk@unc.edu.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2003
By David Horsey, Tribune Media Services
“If students turn
out to vote,
candidates
will notice and
listen.”
will notice. And in the 2005 elec
tions, candidates’ platforms might
reflect the idea that students’ voic
es matter in Chapel Hill.
But you can’t vote if you aren't
registered. So make the effort to
register, and do it this week.
If you’ve lived in the county for
30 days —a qualification with
which most UNC students
shouldn't have a problem all
you have to do is invalidate any
prior registration and reregister.
Forms can be found at any
number of places. There’s usually a
stack of them inside Davis Library.
Student government will be in
Polk Place and Lenoir Dining Hall
every day this week registering
voters and will visit Chase Hall
several days this week as well.
If you can’t find any, go to the
N.C. Board of Elections Web site,
http://www.app.sboe.state.nc.us,
and click on “Voter Registration.”
If all else fails, e-mail me, and I
personally will try to track down a
registration form for you.
UNC students have the chance
to make a real impact on the face
of Chapel Hill and Carrboro poli
tics, if we show up Nov. 4.
So register to vote for the first
time or switch your registration
to Orange County. My registra
tion won’t have much of an
impact unless several thousand of
my classmates vote too.
Contact Nathan Denny
at ndenny@email.unc.edu.
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