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VOLUME 111, ISSUE 149 Campuses pitch hike proposals BOG sets stipulations regarding tuition plans BY CLEVE R. WOOTSON JR. STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR It was a long day preceding a long week of deliberation on the most important issue the UNC-system Board of Governors handles. The BOG Budget and Finance Committee met in a 7-hour session Friday to consider the tuition increase proposals from the 16 system schools. Most schools, brought requests for S3OO increases. UNC-Chapel Hill also requested a $1,500 increase for nonresidents. The BOG set stipulations for acceptable rea sons to increase tuition before representatives from the universities made presentations. They wanted individual delegates from each school to address the benefits to the classroom that would come from an increase and also to elaborate on the ultimate benefits to the state, specifically in the areas of teacher certification and nursing. “We are going to want to know not only what you are going to do with the money you request, but also what you are going do to put us back in the position we occupied before the budget crunch hit,” said committee Chairman Jim Phillips. Nonvoting BOG member Jonathan Ducote, who also serves as the president of the system’s Association of Student Governments, said stu dents are worried that the increases would not have a visible impact on classes. “Where do we draw the line between raising tuition just to raise tuition and really increasing quality?” Ducote asked, adding that students wanted to make “sure that if they have to pay extra money, they want to see that increase in the classroom, not increase for some lab research we’ll never see.” SEE BOG, PAGE 4 Kerry steps closer to bid with 3 wins THE ASSOCIATED PRESS John Kerry coasted to victory in the Maine caucuses Sunday, wrapping up a three-state weekend sweep that pushed the Democratic front-runner closer than any of his vanquished rivals to the party nomination. Howard Dean, who campaigned in Maine Sunday, finished a distant second in yet anoth er disappointment for the one-time front-run ner, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio was third in one of his better showings of the pri mary season. Kerry, Massachusetts’junior senator, tacked the Maine win onto resounding victories in Michigan and Washington state Saturday for a record of 10 wins in 12 contests and, more important, a substantial chunk of the delegates needed to secure the nomination. Kerry had 45 percent of the votes, while Dean garnered 26 percent and Kucinich 15 per cent. John Edwards and Wesley Clark, who had focused on other states, had 9 percent and 4 percent, respectively. “Today, the voters of Maine have sent a mes sage that George Bush’s days are numbered and change is coming to America,” Kerry said in a SEE PRIMARIES, PAGE 4 mp&., DTH FILE PHOTO/BRIAN CASSELLA Sen. John Kerry swept three weekend contests in Michigan, Washington and Maine, giving him wins in 10 of the 12 states polled so far. INSIDE REUNION The Student Union will reopen Tuesday with new amenities for students PAGE 3 Serving the students and the University community since 1893 ®hr Satlu (Far Hrrl gg|P- m mtf -- ' ' II! " J RODRIGUEZ Oc HUNGER O ii—— . ~ DTH/BRIAN CASSELLA Zach Clayton, a UNC freshman and member of the summer reading Book Selection Committee, browses one of the possible books during a meeting of the group in January. The group has narrowed down the list from 500 nominations. An exclusive look at UNC’s controversial summer reading book selection process BY JOHN FRANK PROJECTS TEAM EDITOR Jan Bardsley surveys the landscape in front of her trying to get a grasp on the progress of her troops. New to her position as the com mander of the committee selecting the next Summer Reading Program book, she is guiding the group carefully through a field of land mines. The selection process started with more than 500 potential books, including Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” and “American Jihad,” both of which the group eliminated without reading. Right now the field is down to five books, which are scattered on a table, some in short stacks, some hiding under papers and others in plain view. One could be a time-bomb of con troversy —a fact the committee is con scious about, if not preoccupied with at times. Each of the last two years, the book that was selected from a field of hundreds blew up with no warning. No one wants to ignite anew con troversy, even though all agree that they shouldn’t avoid a book because it is controversial. With only a few weeks left to make a decision, the committee has begun to feel the pressure. At each of the last few meetings it has eliminated a book that was previously the front-runner, only to start from the beginning with another. Even when most members like one book, inevitably someone on the com mittee finds a potential fuse, flagging the book for dismissal. The group examined one but kept moving because it was too religious. The same with another because it was too patriotic. They are tiptoeing through the process and rightfully so, based on the fallout from the last two summer read ing debates. A barrage of complaints have come from critics who’ve used the program as a platform to level their assault on the state’s flagship institution. Two years ago when UNC selected a INSIDE FROM THE HEART Artwork based on woman's heart attack experience aims to raise awareness PAGE 3 www.dailytafheel.com BEHIND CLOSED DOORS book with excerpts from the Islamic holy book, the choice triggered a law suit and created the perception of an arrogant, out-of-touch chancellor. Last fall, University officials thought they were safe with the selec tion of a best-selling book about the U.S. labor force. Yet even that was used to mount a campaign against UNC’s alleged liberal bias. In each of the last two years, the process and the committee that select ed the book were top secret. No observers were allowed inside the group’s meetings, and no list of poten tial books was released until after the decision was made. But this year The Daily Tar Heel was granted exclusive access into the University’s most controversial and secretive committee. Once inside, it quickly becomes clear that the attention has had a chill ing effect on the discussion. Even so, another time bomb could be ticking. A battle to get inside When the committee first met in November, a DTH reporter had the door slammed in his face. As in past years, the program’s administrators argued that despite strong public interest, the meetings were confidential. In an e-mail to the newspaper, Bardsley relayed a message from University General Counsel Leslie Strohm that the committee was not a public body and, therefore, not subject to the N.C. Open Meetings Law. The DTH appealed the decision later that week) contending that a public body under N.C. law includes a com mittee exercising an “advisory function.” A formal denial of access was on its way until an unlikely decision-maker stepped in. “I think it is just time for us to be open,” Chancellor James Moeser said, explaining his reasons for overturning ■ P MW EVERYV his counsel’s advice. “Our position remains that we don’t think it is a pub lic body and so we probably agree to disagree about that. But notwith standing that, we felt this was some thing we should be very open and transparent about, whether or not it is a public body.” In reversing the decision, Moeser not only went against the lawyer’s advice, but also against the concerns of his cabinet of vice chancellors. “There was disagreement,” he said recently in an interview. “It was a real discussion. We took some time before we made the decision. “Anytime you open up a process, you are increasing your vulnerability. I don’t know what kind of crazy ideas may get proposed. But at the same time, I have enough confidence in the process and the people involved.” Among the reasons cabinet mem bers voiced for keeping the selection private was its impact on the commit tee members, who signed up thinking the process would be kept confidential. While the University contends it didn’t have to open the meeting, it cer tainly had a lot to gain. “I think what we accomplish is that there is no secret agenda here,” Moeser said. “I think the University and peo ple’s understanding of the University is SEE CONTROVERSY, PAGE 6 SPORTS DEACONS DENIED The Tar Heels beat Wake Forest 79-73 in a much-needed victory on the road PAGE 12 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2004 Leaders push for vote on fee shift Want referendum on funding for branches BY BROOK R. CORWIN UNIVERSITY EDITOR Selecting next year’s student body presi dent might not be the only choice for stu dents to make during the Feb. 17 run-off election. Also on the ballot, which will be issued if no candidate receives a majority of votes in Tuesday’s general election, could be a refer endum to change drastically the way the executive and judicial branches of student government are funded through student fees. Both branches are teaming up to collect the roughly 2,500 signatures needed by Wednesday to overrule Student Congress’ decision last week and put the referendum on the ballot. If approved, the referendum would stip- ulate that 5 percent of the student activity fee, about $45,000, is allo cated to the judicial branch and 3 percent, about $26,000, to the executive branch. The student activity fee is designed to fund student organizations and typically is allocated by Congress. Last year, students approved a ref erendum to increase the fee by $8 for undergrad uates and $lO for gradu- ates, bringing the activity fee to sl9-50 per semester. That increase takes effect next year. The Carolina Union Activities Board, Student Television, the Graduate and Professional Student Federation and WXYC are the only groups that automatically receive a percentage of the fee. With more money soon to be available to student organizations, Student Body President Matt Tepper said now is the best time to ensure that student government has secure funding to cover basic administra tive costs. “It’s keeping the office running,” he said of the funds’ use. Student Attorney General Jonathan Slain said going to Student Congress for all funding requests was pretty smooth this year but problematic in past years. He said he is worried that without guar anteed funding for the future, the student run Honor Court will run the risk of being underfunded. Coming off UNC’s yearlong focus on honor and integrity, Slain said, an ineffective judicial branch could cause University officials to lose confidence in a student-run honor system. “It’s kind of proving time during the next couple years. With us reforming the honor system... there are big expectations now.” But members of Student Congress said they are gravely concerned about how the funds would be used by the judicial branch, which would see its operating budget increase by several thousand dollars through the referendum. Among the uses are $12,000 for out reach and $3,000 for a beach retreat, along with stipends for several officials in the judicial branch. “This is going to be put on the ballot as a referendum on the honor system,” said Congress Speaker Pro Tern Charlie Anderson Sunday. “It’s not. It’s giving dis cretion for a whole lot of money to the honor system.” The most controversial use of the execu tive branch’s finding is $13,000 to hire an administrative assistant, which Tepper said is needed to ensure that student government can process requests from organizations effi ciently. Also of concern is the timing of the pro posal, which was presented to Congress just a few days before they were asked to approve it. If the referendum is placed on the ballot— and Slain and Tepper feel confident it will be— Congress members said they are con cerned there won’t be enough time for the student body to learn about the issue. “I’m not against students voting on it,” Congress Speaker Will Dupont said. “I’m concerned about students being informed about it.” Content the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu. 88588 EH INSIDE The committee has narrowed down to five possible books SEE PAGE 6 WEATHER TODAY PM showers, H 51, L 33 TUESDAY PM showers, H 56, L 35 WEDNESDAY Mostly cloudy, H 46, L 31 SBP Matt Tapper says the vote should make it to the ballot. Tiwmc*
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Feb. 9, 2004, edition 1
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