£ljp Sailg (Tar Hwl Officials to tackle dorm-storming BYALKILLEFFER STAFF WRITER Student government leaders are scheduled to meet with University officials this morning, with one of the top items on the agenda being regu lations regarding dorm-storming. Although the acquisition of votes via door-to-door solicitation became a hot topic during the presidential election, when organizations such as Vote Carolina Chafed under the University’s facility-use policies that prohibit die practice, voter registra tion will not be the meeting’s focus. “(We’re) looking to examine the policies as they stand now,” said Student Body President Matt Calabria, saying student government campaigns will begin at the start of spring semester. “(We want to) make sure we’re on the same page.” Unlike voter registration drives, which sparked the recent controver sy, students are permitted to go door to door for student campaigns. One of the University’s policies concerning dorm-storming in stu dent campaigns stipulates that only a certain number of students can be in a given residence hall at a given time. Student leaders are wonder ing whether the administration will want to increase or decrease that number and what the penalties will be for those who violate the policy. “All those questions are on the table,” Calabria said. Officials scheduled to attend the meeting include a representa tive from the Office of University Campus Y to relocate, anticipate renovation Operations to be moved to Union BY CAROLINE KORNEGAY STAFF WRITER Beginning next year, the historic but crumbling Campus Y will under go renovations to update the building for anew generation of students. When construction starts, Campus Y staffers will take up tem porary offices in the Student Union until the work is completed. “We’ll be a little cramped for a while, but there will be a lot of pluses,” said Derwin Dubose, Campus Y co-president. The new offices will be located across the hall from student govern ment, and the proximity to student leaders will help foster a better work ing relationship, Dubose said. Virginia Carson, director of the Campus Y, said she is excited about the restoration project.Tm trying not to get carried away." Since the cornerstone was laid in 1904, the Campus Y building has been a focal point of campus activity. But the structure since has become worn from decades of use by thousands of students. After recent flooding in the basement, mold is eating away at the building’s wooden frames. Rails on the stairs are burnished from the countless hands that have run over them through the years. Chunks of plaster are missing in the stairwell, and beige paint is peeling from the walls. “It needs the renovation so badly,” Carson said. “It’ll be tun to be in anew place for a while.” Renovations might start as early as March, and officials predict completion by Nov. 15,2005. “The renovation should start probably late spring, early sum mer,” said Bruce Runberg, associ ate vice chancellor for planning and construction. Architecture firm Pearce, Brinkley, Cease and Lee of Raleigh is almost done with the project’s design. Drafts feature a sidewalk cafe, anew library on the third floor and new seminar rooms and work spaces for students. “I think the whole campus will benefit from it and be glad we did it,” Carson said. “We won’t have quite as much visibility,” Carson said of the orga nization’s new Student Union suite, but she added that group now will be close to the center of the University. Projected costs for the renova tions are about $4.4 million. The University will provide $1 million of the funds, and the rest will come from donations the orga nization raises, Runberg said. Still, one thing will be lacking in the Student Union, Dubose said. “I think everyone’s going to miss the snack bar.” Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu. Counsel; Margaret Jablonski, vice chancellor for student affairs; and Christopher Payne, director of hous ing and residential education. While dorm-storming won’t be the central issue, Calabria said, he and his constituents also will inquire about the reasoning behind the University’s opposition to dorm storming for voter registration. Payne maintained that the University’s policies exist for stu dents’ well being. “Our door-to-door solicitation policy is based on respecting privacy and the protection of students who live in campus housing,” he said. Vote Carolina Chairman Amon Anderson, whom Calabria credits for making the topic of voter reg istration such an important issue, also will be in attendance. “I understand the drawbacks of allowing dorm-storming,” Anderson said. “But I don’t think it’s responsible to prohibit it with out providing a viable alternative.” Face-to-face contact is the most effective way to activate other stu dents, he added, saying that if the University is to prohibit the prac tice, officials bear the burden of creating a comparable option. Judith Wegner, chairwoman of the faculty and another outspoken proponent of door-to-door solici tation, said universities are legally bound to make a good-faith effort to encourage students to vote. Like Anderson, Wegner recog nized that door-to-door solicitation raises serious security and privacy concerns. But she maintains that “if there was a desire to explore the issue more fully, (one) could find a solution.” Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu. Take birth control off your mind kJBF* and just keep it on you. >