VOLUME 112, ISSUE 144
student
UUO ELECTIONS
4 VIE TO WRITE
UNO’S NEXT CHAPTER
CONTENDERS FOR STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT GRAPPLE FOR VOTES AS A HEATED ELECTION NEARS ITS PEAK
SEKE
BALLARD
ACTED AS THE
executive assistant
to Student Body
President Jen J
Daum's chief I
of staff. J
MEMBER I
of the Black ■
Student
Movement,
Young
Democrats V
and the f
Faculty
Council.
FOCUS ON
bringing more
diverse big-name
guest speakers to
campus through
a $1 million
endowment.
THEME:
creating a unified
front that connects
students at all 16
campuses within
the UNC system;
converting this
unity to power in
arguing issues.
BY LINDSAY MICHEL AND JENNY RUBY ASSISTANT UNIVERSITY EDITORS
As the four student body president candidates make
their final push for votes today, each has aspira
tions of leaving a mark as the University’s top stu
dent official.
It’s a difficult job. Students in the position sacrifice long
hours and subject themselves to constant criticism in the
hopes of adequately representing their peers.
But former presidents said there are plenty of chances to
make a difference. That point, they said, can be summed
up in the actions of one student: Nic Heinke.
The new millennium brought financial anxiety to
many UNC students when a proposal calling for a $1,500
Green project
rests on ballot
Students to re-examine worth of $4 fee
BY KELLI BORBET
STAFF WRITER
Two years ago, students logged
on to Student Central and over
whelmingly approved a referendum
to provide funding for green energy
projects on campus.
Today, students will decide if they
want to continue allocating that
money.
If students vote in support of the
referendum, the established $4 per
semester fee will continue to support
a variety of projects, including the
placement of solar panels on various
buildings throughout campus.
“Students should want to support
green energy technology,” said Robin
Sinhababu, chairman of student
government’s Renewable Energy
Special Projects Committee.
ONLINE
Check out the DTH's Web site for up-to-the-minute
election results and coverage of the candidates.
Find more of today's stories at www.dthonline.com.
Serving the students and the University community since 1893
She iatlu ®ar Heel
A simple majority of students
voting in favor of the referendum
will keep the fee in place, pending
approval by the Board of Trustees
and the UNC-system Board of
Governors.
During an environmental forum
Monday night, the referendum was
an important topic of discussion.
Sinhababu said that if the refer
endum passes, the funds could sup
port new projects such as the instal
lation of solar panels on Hinton
James Residence Hall and other
buildings.
The fee, first approved in 2003
by 74 percent of students who voted,
now is funding green energy initia
tives for Morrison Residence Hall.
SEE ENERGY, PAGE 4
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m m -
LEIGHA
BLACKWELL
ACTED AS THE
legislative
assistant for A
student
government. B;v
MEMBER fl
of Student H
Congress, Hf
along with
assisting Hf
as a
campus
tour guide.
FOCUS ON
publicizing
resources w(J
already
available at
the University
to keep students
best informed and
active.
■ THEME:
facilitating
communication
among student
groups and
individual students
in order to create
a more connected
student body.
increase for in-state undergraduates and a $2,000 hike for
all others over a four-year period was brought before the
University’s governing board.
Standing up against University bureaucracy, Heinke
rallied more than 400 students in protest of the proposal
and was one of three trustees to vote against the proposed
hike.
Although trustees approved a $1,500 increase for all
UNC students over five years, Heinke’s efforts set the stage
for future presidents charged with fighting the tuition
battle.
“Once they opened the floodgate with tuition increas
es, it became something that students are hearing every
Forums’ influence unclear
BYJACKI SPIES
AND ERIN ZUREICK
STAFF WRITERS
Logging on to Student Central will
be an arduous task today when a flood
of UNC students cast their votes for
the leaders they believe will advocate
for their interests.
Since the campaign season kicked
off, candidates have pitched their plat
forms to many campus groups in hopes
of gaining endorsements and support.
Student body president candidate
Tom Jensen initially garnered the most
support, receiving early endorsements
from Young Democrats, the Black
Student Movement and UNC College
Republicans. Jensen also was endorsed
by Sangam, the Independent Defense
Counsel and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
llansgender-Straight Alliance bring
ing his total endorsements to six.
“I think receiving a wide variety of
endorsements sends a strong message
about your campaign,” Jensen said.
But as the campaign for the execu
tive branch’s top office progressed, com
VOTE TODAY
Make your picks for the coming year at http://studentcentral.unc.edu.
JRafll
1
SETH
DEARMIN
ACTED AS THE
executive assistant to
SBP MattTepper.
k MEMBER ,
and co- J
chairman J|
of the jm
Public n|
W Service
and
Advocacy
Committee;
Freshman Camp
counselor.
FOCUS ON
making student
government more
accessible and
providing new
student services
including Franklin
Street wireless
Internet access.
* THEME:
augmenting the
student voice within
the University
community through
meeting with
administrators and
other key officials.
petitors Seth Dearmin and Seke Ballard
managed to even the playing field.
Dearmin has nabbed a total of six
endorsements from the following
groups: the Graduate and Professional
Student Federation, The Daily Tar
Heel’s editorial board, the Carolina
Hispanic Association, the Sports Club
Council, the White Ribbon Campaign
and Blue & White.
And Ballard has received a total
of three endorsements the Asian
Students Association, UNC Greeks
and the Student Environmental Action
Coalition.
Endorsements offer candidates a
great opportunity to earn the support
of a group of students, Dearmin said,
noting access to listservs, an increase in
volunteers and heightened credibility
as valuable perks of winning.
Yet some candidates don’t expect
endorsements to translate into victory
on election night. Leigha Blackwell has
yet to receive an endorsement, but her
SEE FORUMS, PAGE 4
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2005
TOM
JENSEN
ACTED AS THE
chairman of Students
for a Progressive
Chapel Hill.
■ MEMBER
of and party
affairs
director
for Young
Democrats.
■ FOCUS ON
changing the
face of
student
government
through
reforms
including the
elimination of
wasteful
spending of
student funds.
> THEME:
fighting
student
battles
both on and
off campus
through the
use of new
approaches.
year,” said Matt Tepper, 2003-04 student body president.
“That was a big hit, and it just kept coming back year after
year.”
Since Heinke’s administration, tuition increases have
been at the forefront of student body president hopefuls’
platforms.
“Tuition is always on the table,” said Jen Daum, student
body president from 2002-03.
And this year is no different. Like those who came
before, the 2005 student body president candidates
Seke Ballard, Leigha Blackwell, Seth Dearmin and Tom
SEE ELECTION, PAGE 4
FORUMS WON BY STUDENT
BODY PRESIDENT CANDIDATES
iffglfa . jpii,
SEKE LEIGHA
BALLARD BLACKWELL
SETH TOM
DEARMIN JENSEN
■ ASA Ballard
BSM Jensen
COLLEGE REPUBLICANS Jensen
■ GLBTSA Jensen
■ GPSF Dearmin
SANGAM Jensen
UNC GREEKS Ballard
YOUNG DEMOCRATS Jensen
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ft mm 1 IftikSl
TODAY Partly cloudy, H 66, L 45
WEDNESDAY P.M. showers, H 66, L 42
THURSDAY Partly cloudy, H 50, L 26
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