Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Nov. 10, 2004, edition 1 / Page 12
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12 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 BOARD EDITORIALS toward resolution Road renaming committee took a major step in choosing to honor Martin Luther King Jr. with an authoritative 15-3 decision. Ajthough no official decisions have been made, it’s good to see that the Special Committee to Consider Renaming Airport Road has finally made some substantial progress toward ending the controversy. Regardless of the merits of the town’s decision to hire a facilitator, the results indicate a process that worked. In the span of one weekend, Open Source Leadership Strategies Inc. the Durham consult ing firm hired by the town to facilitate the meetings was able to guide the committee to a decisive 15-3 conclusion on the major issue of whether or not to recommend the name change. The $15,000 that the town agreed to pay Open Source was an enormous expense, but it appears as if town officials chose an effective course of action if not the optimal one— especially in this difficult environment. Debate on the potential renaming has evoked everything from tears to unanticipated hostility on both sides since the idea’s conception in January. It seemed as though the renaming would be decided by a simple up-or-down measure, coming after Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the year of the 50th anniversary of the landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education. But many hours of meetings and discussions failed to yield a compromise without vehement dis agreement. This is a process that has dragged on for almost 11 months. It’s amazing that committee members took such a substantive step with authority during a single weekend. The decision to rename the road while retain ing the old name of the road through an honorary designation represents a good compromise. The committee still has much work to do, as businesses on Airport Road face potential financial repercussions stemming from the costs of changing DEEPER QUESTIONS Using the Gildan debate as a springboard, the University community should examine UNC’s position in the global corporate environment. The University has some major decisions to make in terms of its business ties to Gildan Activewear, a blank T-shirt supplier that works with UNC licensees. But University officials must make sure not to rush into those decisions. The Fair Labor Association and the Worker Rights Consortium cited Gildan for violating its workers’ rights by not allowing them to associate freely, by withholding their pay and by harassing them. The company added fuel to the fire by shutting down a factory in Honduras and effectively laying off 1,000 employees. That might seem to be a black-and-white issue on the surface, as reports of the violations could lead any reasonable person to conclude that UNC shouldn’t be doing business with Gildan. But it isn’t. That’s why both officials involved in the University’s business relationships and outside parties concerned with Gildan’s practices and the company’s connection to UNC should take pause. The situation demands more than any kind of knee-jerk response. Before UNC takes any action against Gildan, officials and observers alike should take the time to explore some ugly truths for instance, the reality that poor treatment of workers isn’t exactly rare. Many multinational corporations have been accused of fostering poor workplace conditions and human rights violations. Of course, the unfortunate commonality of work er abuse doesn’t excuse Gildan if the cited violations are real —but it does lead to reasonable questions about the role UNC plays in the global working envi ronment. Whether members of the University community admit it or not, UNC can’t escape the fact that just EDITOR’S NOTE: The above editorials are the opinions of solely The Daily Tar Heel Editorial Board, and were reached after open debate. The board consists of six board members, the editorial page associate editor, the editorial page editor and the DTH editor. The 2004-05 DTH editor decided not to vote on the board and not to write board editorials. READERS’ FORUM Article falsely implies that study set dollar amounts TO THE EDITOR: Regarding the Monday article, “Tuition has room to grow,” I write to clarify some incorrect conclu sions drawn about the recently completed tuition price sensitivity study. In what otherwise was a helpful report, the story erred in attempt ing to link specific dollar figures for future tuition levels with our con sultants’ report. That was not the purpose of the study. Instead, the report examined what the University might gain or lose at various levels of price increases for both in-state and out-of-state students. It tested several hypothetical price increase scenarios. Additionally, the report sug gested that the University build its own comparative price index with its market peers to inform specific price recommendations for future policy consideration. We are in the process of building such an index now so that we can better understand how those mar ket conditions relate to our current tuition targets (25th percentile of our peers for in-state students and 75th percentile for out-of-state stu dents). The problem with the story is that it leaves the reader with a wrong conclusion that the report already has set specific dollar thresholds that tuition cannot stationery and advertising materials that bear the old name. Committee members should work to mitigate those effects to as great an extent as they can. Many early signs show promise of a smooth process. Open Source facilitator Gita Gulati-Partee told The (Raleigh) News & Observer that the regional postmaster in Greensboro told her that mail sent to Airport Road addresses would be sent correctly forever because the Postal Service keeps a log of all the former names of roads. The N&O reported that some people heard that the Chapel Hill postmaster would forward mail cor rectly for just one year after the change —but facili tators said they would look into the matter before the Nov. 20 follow-up meeting. It seems only fair that if town officials create a mon etary burden for some members of the community even if they do so for the right reasons they should make a good-faith effort to minimize the cost Ensuring improved race relations and balancing power in Chapel Hill is also a vital priority. Honoring King is a good symbolic gesture in fixing the prob lem —but the lessons learned should be exercised in many other facets of town affairs. By no means is the process closed. The commit tee is slated to present its conclusions to the Town Council during its Dec. 6 meeting, and there is no guarantee that council members will resolve the issue fully even then. But there’s no doubt that the committee made major progress this weekend in moving forward through a cooperative and constructive discussion setting. With many different people interested in the outcome of this controversy, it seems that it would be almost impossible to satisfy everyone —but it’s hard to ignore the decision of a committee with an overwhelming vote. Hopefully the method that brought that agree ment can help mend the town’s divisions, as well. like with any major corporation its prominent business-related persona has steeped it in global questions about wage fairness and worker treat ment. The UNC logo is one of the most marketable in the world of collegiate merchandise. By willingly taking a prominent position in the merchandising arena, the University allows for the possibility that it will have ties to workplace wrongdoing. If any of the University’s licensees or other busi ness connections are allowing for inadequate work place conditions, does UNC’s business relationship with the company translate into a condoning of those conditions? The answer to this question is obvious: Of course not. If UNC cuts its ties to Gildan, can the University easily find another supplier that sells at similar pric es and quickly determine that the company has no human rights violations to its name? Building on that, can UNC examine all of its busi ness relationships and sever its ties to all companies in violation without threatening the stability of its merchandising revenue? The answers to these questions aren’t so obvious. At the very least, these potential dilemmas illumi nate the need for further investigation. This isn’t to forget or ignore the obvious: If Gildan has committed human rights violations and acted counter to the University’s code of conduct, UNC officials should strongly consider putting pressure on the company or terminating their relationship. But it is important that committee members get all the information they need from the labor groups and other sources before they seriously ponder what action the University should take with regard to Gildan —and it is vital to go deeper into the issue. exceed. The report does suggest that we have room to grow with our tuition levels. More importantly, the report provides us with the empirical data we need to help understand how our current philosophy about tuition policies might continue to work in practice. Jerome Lucido Vice provost for admissions and enrollment management Ceremony today will honor past present service people TO THE EDITOR: On Thursday, the University will host a Veteran’s Day ceremony, sponsored by the Residence Hall Association, to honor past and present service members of the United States. The event will begin at 2:30 p.m. and will be conducted at Polk Place on the UNC campus. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be at the Student Union. The ceremony will include cadets and midshipmen of the Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC programs at the University. Local soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who served in con flict dating back to World War II will be honored. The guest speaker is Col. Sam Holliday (U.S. Army, retired) who served as an infantry officer in combat in both Korea and Vietnam. Opinion The public is invited to attend this ceremony, which is free of charge. Limited visitor parking will be available at Swain Lot on Cameron Avenue. Disabled veter ans and others requiring assistance should contact Master Sgt. Haley, of the Army ROTC program, at 962-5546. There will a reception sponsored by the Carolina Troop Supporters. Please come out to honor past soldiers, airmen and seamen who fought for our great country and present soldiers, airmen and sea men who are currently engaged in combat to uphold the values and beliefs that this country holds dear: honor, integrity, courage, liberty and freedom. Vivian M. Redd Public affairs officer Army ROTC Board ignored Honor Court charge's frivolous nature TO THE EDITOR: The editorial “What’s the point?” troubled me. In criticizing Chase Foster’s situation, the editorial board overlooked the fact that his was a frivolous charge. The student attorney general should not have charged him for creating a satiri cal address, especially considering that it had been disabled anyway. His “offense” was miniscule and victimless. As his defense counsel noted, the investigation did not even produce ON THE DAY S NEWS “Loyal and efficient work in a great cause, even though it may not be immediately recognized, ultimately bears fruit” JAWAHARLAL NEHRU, FIRST PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA EDITORIAL CARTOON By Evann Strathem, evann@email.unc.edu iTiP i-PUy + 0 (ears arJ fflf> &'•so-called/ ,I yrejjJieeS base. 'WaVity vMfert -fe l STEP 2° Mate W<l claims. STtf 4 Hope OnSerydW base dioesh't nViWncfereM yoM i Vava 2 A .r, s\A vr\£*nEP3, —__ COMMENTARY Here is a radical addition to UNCs longstanding mission Carolina was not the first school in the country to open its doors, but it was the first university in our history to be opened by a state govern ment. Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Columbia were all in the business of education, but we were not organized by a covey of religious leaders; we had no char ter from a king. We were created by the people of North Carolina to fill a need that no one else had met. Even in 1789, our founders were wise enough to recognize that education is the great equal izer. They were people who knew revolution, and they were unafraid to espouse revolution ary principles. Slowly, North Carolinians realized that an educated body of citizens would fulfill the Revolution’s promise of freedom. The first mission of the University was bom to educate the people of the state. One hundred and eleven years later, a professor of chemistry named Francis Preston Venable was named president of the University, and he reformed the structure of the place, changing everything. President Venable had received his professional education in Europe earning a masters and a doctorate from the University of Gottingen in Germany. His experience on the conti nent left him convinced that a university must seek new knowl edge, even as it taught the old. Venable fought the N.C. General Assembly for greater funding to improve facilities and to hire new professors, and he demanded that his hires focus on research and publication in addi tion to teaching. The second mission of the University was bom to study evidence of disapproval on the part of Molly Broad, and only one over zealous student misunderstood the joke. Foster’s action simply did not affect University interests. The editorial board betrayed its bias in referring to his “clear-cut violations.” Chase Foster’s defense counsel did an excellent job of revealing the Honor Court’s con tradictions and the investigation’s failures. His actions were undis puted, but whether they were wrong was not. I only work on afraction ofhonor system cases through Independent Defense Counsel, but I see at least one frivolous charge per year (and two for this semester). If The Daily Tar Heel is so con cerned about wasted resources, it should turn a critical eye toward the prosecutors, not the accused. Glenna Goldis Senior Philosophy Book discussion will be held today at women's center TO THE EDITOR: The Carolina Women’s Center would like to extend an invitation to the University community to attend its local author's series Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Margaret Jablonski, the new vice chancellor for student affairs, will be discussing her recent book, “The Implications of Student Spirituality for Student Affairs POTENTIAL CROSSWORD SPACE ... WASTED and experiment, constantly striv ing for new answers and adding to the general body of knowledge. The third mission of the University sprang fully formed from the head of a young English professor thrust into the presi dency when he was just 38 years old. Edward Kidder Graham was a son of the state, and he was convinced that his school had an obligation to serve the people of North Carolina. “The boundaries of the University are coterminous with those of the state” were his watch words for faculty and students. And “write to the University when you need help” was the coun tersign for the citizens of North Carolina. In 1916, two years into Graham’s presidency, members of the faculty gave 185 lectures in 64 different counties, 7,572 differ ent books were loaned to librar ies across the state, University experts surveyed 68 counties and the General library answered 1,700 letters of inquiry. Under Graham’s direction, the School of Law organized faculty to give formal advice to the legis lature, the School of Engineering worked with the N.C. Highway Commission to educate local officials about road management, summer school classes were organized to train public school teachers, and women were given greater opportunity for education than ever before. Practice: New Directions for Student Services.” According to Jablonski’s book, there has been a surge of interest in the spiritual development of col lege students during the past few years, a trend that is reflected by students here at the University. There are 39 religious stu dent organizations on campus. Jablonski’s book provides infor mation for faculty members on how to acknowledge this trend by incorporating student spirituality into their curriculum. The event will take place at the Carolina Women’s Center, located at 134 E. Franklin St., Suite 214 on the second floor. The book will be available for purchase and signing at the event as well. Call the center at 962-8305 for any further infor mation. Noelle Dean Senior Journalism TO SUBMIT A LETTER: Ihe 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 num ber. 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 2409, Carolina Union, mail them to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515 or e-mail them to editdesk@unc. edu. Etyt laily (bar Brri Teaching, research, service all the discussion about the University’s mission and all the debate about the criteria by which the University measures itself boil down to those three ideas. At least for now. In October, Robert McMahan, a UNC-Chapel Hill astrophysics professor and a science adviser to Gov. Mike Easley, told the 'Wangle Business Journal that UNC-system schools should be measured by the number of jobs they create in the state and that the state should hold schools accountable based on their per formance in this area. It’s not the idea that the University should participate in economic development that’s so alien we’ve been doing that for years. Researchers develop prod ucts and services that gradually get spun off into small start-up companies or get licensed to big ger firms. There’s real money to be made in the process close to $4 mil lion this year alone. And that’s how we measure the impact of tech nology transfer: through patents issued and revenue generated. McMahan has introduced a profound change in the way that we might do business. For years, we’ve argued that the University is an engine of economic development, but we’ve neglected to claim that particular academic function as a mission at UNC-CH. If amything, we’ve always looked at job creation as one more public service that we provide. Now it looks like all that’s about to change, and the shift will be as radical as anything Venable or Graham ever dreamed of. Contact Matt Compton at mattcomp@gmail.com. Established 1893 111 years of editorialfreedom ulljp Sar Uteri www.dlhonilne.eont MICHELLE JARBOE EDITOR, 962-4086 OFFICE HOURS 11:30 A.M. -12:30 PM MON., WED. CHRIS COLETTA MANAGING EDITOR. 962-07S0 NIKKI WERKING DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR, 962-0750 ELLIOTT DUBE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR, 962-0750 EMILY STEEL UNIVERSITY EDITOR, 962-0372 RYAN C. TUCK CITY EDITOR, 962-4209 EMMA BURGIN STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR, 962-4103 JACOB KARABELL SPORTS EDITOR, 962-4710 KELLY OCHS FEATURES EDITOR, 962-4214 PHILIP MCFEE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR. 962-4214 KATIE SCHWING COPY EDITOR. 9624103 LAURA MORTON PHOTO EDITOR, 962-0750 HANOI DEMAGISTRIS NICOLE NEUMAN DESIGN EDITORS, 962-0750 MARY JANE KATZ GRAPHICS EDITOR, 962-0750 BRANDON PARKER SPORTSATURDAY EDITOR, 9624710 FEILDING CAGE ONLINE EDITOR, 962-0750 MATT HANSON PROJECTS TEAM LEADER, 962-0246
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Nov. 10, 2004, edition 1
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