Waiting for rain
It will be clear today with a
high of about 84. The low
tonight will be in low 60s and
the high tomorrow about 85.
There is a 20 per cent chance
of rain today, 10 per cent
tonight.
Alumni mixer
Tar Heel basketball players
of past years held their own
reunion last Saturday. The
story, by Will Wilson, is on
page 5.
Serving the students and the University community since 1893
Volume 85, Issue No. 12
Tuesday, September 13, 1977, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Please call us: 933-0245
UNC-owned
lands may he
taxed locally
State decision pending
By DAVID WATTERS
Staff Writer
UNC may have to pay Orange County,
Chapel Hill and Carrboro a large amount of
money if the N.C. Property Tax
Commission decides that property owned by
the University but not used for public
purposes is taxable.
Orange County tax supervisor Bill Laws
said claims on the University would amount
to several million dollars if the Property Tax
Commission rules in favor of the county and
towns.
The claims involve property valued at S42
million, according to laws.
A member of the Property Tax
Commission, Doug Holbrook, said the
commission's position on the case has been
influenced by earlier cases decided in the
N.C. Supreme Court. Holbrook said, "The
court has ruled that property owned by an
agency of the state is not exempt from taxes
if that property is not used for a
governmental function."
Holbrook said because the functions of a
university are so diverse, it is often difficult
to determine if the property is being used for
public purposes.
Although neither Holbrook nor Laws
offered a specific definition of public
purposes, they both said such property is
used in a function of a governmental agency.
Laws cited the Carolina Inn as an example
of University property which should not be
tax exempt.
"What's the difference between the
Carolina Inn and Holiday Inn?" Laws said.
"Both are hotels being run for a profit, but
because the Carolina Inn is owned by UNC,
it does not pay property taxes."
The University should also be required to
pay back taxes on the electric company sold
to Duke Power last spring, Laws said,
because the electric company was operating
for profit but not paying taxes.
Orange County is asking for back taxes
dating to 1969. Laws said the county decided
in 1974 that some University property was
taxable, and the law provides that tax
agencies can claim previous taxes for the five
Moss, CGC
By BEVERLY MILLS
Staff Writer
Student Body President Bill Moss said
Monday that he is talking informally with
Campus Governing Council (CGC)
members about changing the terms of
elected campus officials from February
through February to April through April.
Moss said one of the main problems with
the present system is a limited transition
period.
"As it stands now, the new president has a
wholly inadequate interim period," Moss
said. "There is only a week between the
election and the inauguration. If the term
began in April, the new president would have
a month to organize and plan before taking
office."
Moss was elected Feb. 16 and officially
took office Feb. 23.
Moss said the idea is based on changing
the CGC fiscal year. The present fiscal year
begins May 15. Moss and several CGC
members have discussed changing that date
to sometime in December.
"If the fiscal year was shifted to December,
Parking case
set for today
A hearing scheduled for Monday on a
court-ordered injunction prohibiting
Chapel Hill from ordering vehicles towed
from newly restricted parking zones was
postponed until today.
The hearing could not be held Monday
due to a crowded civil schedule in Orange
County Superior Court. It was
rescheduled for sometime Tuesday.
Town attorneys will ask Judge Henry
A. McKinnon Jr. to lift the injunction
pending a hearing on the
constitutionality of the town ordinance
which created the restricted zones.
The injunction, part of a class-action
suit by UNC law student Philip E.
Williams, forbids the town from ordering
vehicles towed from 41 streets restricted
by the ordinance, which went into effect
Aug. 15.
McKinnon's order stopped towing
Aug. 29, but left the town other
enforcement options. Police have been
issuing traffic citations and parking
tickets to violators.
A date for a hearing to decide on the
constitutionality of the ordinance is
expected to be set today.
,- :
V ",."- v w
It was a fine weekend on Grandfather Mountain. Doc Watson played his guitar
Friday; other performers were the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Vassar Clements, the
Osborne Brothers, and Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs appeared on the same stage for
the first time in eight years, albeit not at the same time. Approximately 50,000
persons attended the weekend event.
years preceding the claim.
. Myron Banks, assistant state attorney
general representing the University in the
case, said recent decisions in similar cases in
other counties have produced mixed results.
Banks said a Mecklenburg County judge
ruled that the UNC system did not have to
pay taxes on property it owned. He said the
judge's decision was based on N.C. General
Statute 1 16-16, which reads, "The lands and
all other properties belonging to the
University of North Carolina shall be
exempt from all kinds of public taxation."
But in a recent Forsyth County case, the
Property Tax Commission ruled that the
UNC system had to pay taxes on three tracts
discuss term
CGC members can serve for a while before
diving into the budget process," Moss said.
"The members would have a chance to
become familiar with organizations and how
their money is spent before having to plan a
budget."
Daily Tar Heel Editor Greg Porter said
that because he would be directly affected by
the change, he will remain neutral.
"One of the main advantages of the change
is that an editor is not thrust into taking over
the helm in the middle of the semester,"
Porter said. "The new plan would provide a
slow, gradual transition.
"There would be definite mechanical
problems with the Tar Heel. One main
problem is having a green staff coming back
to school in the fall to put together a
mammoth orientation issue."
Moss will meet with CGC members and
heads of funded organizations Thursday to
discuss student fee increases, changes in the
budget process and changing elected terms.
"The idea is in informal talking stages,"
Moss said. "We are soliciting ideas and
waiting for feedback. Our whole motivation
is to set up as strong a system as possible and
to be as fair as possible."
Students ambivalent
- TAXI f. i
The n ight-time taxi service went into effect as night-time bus service was ended. Paul
Arne, director of student transportation, says any evaluation of the success of the
taxi service is premature.
5c :f W-
Stall photo by Allen Jwnigan
of land which were not being used for public
purposes. Banks said this decision was based
on a 1973 tax statute that refuses tax-exempt
status for such property.
The University is appealing the Forsyth
County case.
While Banks said the basic issue of the
case is whether General Statute 1 1 6-1 6 or the
1973 statute prevails. Laws believes that
issue has already been settled. Laws said the
only question the Property Tax Commission
must decide, is which properties are being
used for public purposes.
Holbrook said whatever the Property Tax
Commission decides, he expects the case will
be ultimately decided in the N.C. Supreme
Court.
of office
CGC Representative Chip Cox said the
plan for change should reach proposal stages
in about a month.
"This plan would require changes in the
constitution, and therefore, a constitutional
amendment," Cox said. "If the CGC
approves it, a student body referendum
would be held in October or next spring."
Porter said he would be happy to see the
issue come up on the spring ballot.
"This way, the people supporting the issue
would not be affected by it," Porter said.
"Also, a larger voter turn-out can be
expected in the spring."
If the issue appears on the spring ballot,
the terms of Moss, Porter and present CGC
representatives will not be affected.
Moss cited CGC representatives J. B.
Kelly and Bob Long, and Dean of Student
Affairs Donald Boulton as other proponents
of an academic year term for officers.
"A rule of thumb has been if projects are
not completed by Thanksgiving, they won't
get done," Moss said. "So we end up with a
caretaker or lameduck president. Under the
new plan, a president would have two full
semesters to work. We'd be saving six or
eight weeks."
Sun pnoio oy Allan jerntgan
plan conservm
By DAVID WATTERS
Staff Writer
While neither the Interfraternity Council
(IFC) or the Panhellcnic Council has set up
specific water conservation plans for Greek
houses, the presidents of both organizations
said they are trying to urge fraternities and
sororities to conserve water.
Student Body President Bill Moss said at
an Orange Water and Sewer Authority press
conference Friday that he wanted to work
with members of the Greek system on
conserving water because many are not as
involved as they should be.
"A lot of them (Greeks) don't know w here
the Student Union is this shows the
mentality of some ofthe Greeks," M oss said
at the meeting. "I don't mean this in a bad
way. I'm a Greek myself."
IFC President Todd Baker said water
conservation is being handled through the
individual fraternities rather than the IF C.
But, he said, "The IFC is trying to convince
the houses that there is a water shortage, and
that we have to conserve."
Panhellcnic Council President Julie
Blazer, said she has sent memos to sororities
urging them to conserve water. Despite
conservation efforts, she said, people are
reacting to the water shortage like they did
last year.
"I don't think most students are nearly as
conscious of this water shortage as they were
at the same time last year, mainly because
they have not heard as much about it."
Blazer said.
First CGC meeting to be
By HOWARD TROXLER
Staff Writer
The Campus Governing Council (CGC)
convenes tonight for the first time this fall.
Members will plan for the coming year,
consider reorganization of one of its
committees and fill vacancies that have
occurred since last year.
The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the
Carolina Union.
CGC Speaker Gordon Cureton said
Monday the main purpose of the meeting is
to organize the general structure of CGC for
this year. "It's an informal meeting just to
talk, plan, etc., and to establish the direction
CGC will be going this year."
The council will determine the number of
vacant positions on this year's council due to
graduations and resignations.
Bob Long, chairperson of the
Administration Committee, will introduce a
seven-point plan to reorganize that
committee into a new Student Affairs
Committee. The plan, if approved, would
On Bakke discrimination
Carter approves theme
WASHINGTON (UPI) - Atty. Gen. Griffin Bell said Monday
the President has approved the general theme of a brief to be filed by
the government in a ma jor civil rights case before the Supreme Court.
Bell would not comment on what position the brief takes in the
legal battle over whether affirmative action programs in higher
education should include quotas for minorities.
But members of the Congressional Black Caucus who met with
Solicitor-General Wade McCree Monday expressed optimism that it
would be different than an earlier draft which failed to strongly
support affirmative action programs.
White House Press Secretary Jody Powell also termed "not
basically accurate" a Mh' York Times report that the brief would
oppose as unconstitutional university admission programs setting
aside a specific number of places in each class for minority group
members.
An administration official said it would reflect Carter's position
toward shared-ride taxi service
By KEITH HOLLAR
Staff Writer
Chapel Hill's experimental night-time taxi
service, which replaced night bus service
Aug. 22, has attracted some regular riders,
but no official evaluation has been made to
determine its merits.
"The problem is that this is something
brand new to the Chapel Hill experience,"
Paul Arne, student transportation director,
said Friday. "It's premature to tell how well
it's going to work."
The shared-ride taxi service has replaced
fixed-route bus service which carried about
190 persons each night last year. The taxi
service is averaging about 40 riders per night,
according to Chapel Hill Transportation
Director Bob G odding. The service got off to
a slow start, he said.
Although no date has been set for
evaluating the service. Godding said he will
give an initial report to the Transportation
Board Sept. 20.
UNC officials said last week they prefer
the system maintain some level of fixed
route bus service, and contract negotiations
between the University and the town of
Chapel Hill for transit service are
us residents
Fraternities, sororities and apartment
complexes have been criticized by housing
officials and dormitory residents because
they feel the burden of water conservation
has been unfairly put on dormitories.
Last year, several water regulations were
put into effect in the dormitories, and this
year signs in dormitory bathrooms and
hallways tell residents to conserve water.
But at the same time, conservation in off-
Sunday's water consumption
4.244 million gallons
from University Lake
1.544 million gallons
from Durham
2.7 million gallons
Level of University Lake
57.5 inches below capacity
Water consumption on Sept. II, 1976
3.6 million gallons
campus housing was largely voluntary.
Baker said the IFC is encouraging
fraternities to "do what they can to get the
brothers to cut down on water use."
Baker is a member of the Alpha Tau
Omega (ATO) fraternity, and he said the
brothers of ATO have been told to cut down
on the number and length of their showers.
Baker said other houses are being told the
same things.
One method of water conservation is using
paper plates, so dishwashers do not have to
be used as much. Blaer said last year all
create a number of new CGC procedures and
services. Among these are:
A new system of recognizing student
organizations eligible for funding.
A change in the procedure used to
confirm or reject presidential appointments.
CGC must confirm Student Body President
Bill Moss' nominations to several positions
within Student Government and the
University administration.
A student-comnlaint service.
A closer relationship between
Student Affairs Committee and
the
the
University's Office of Student Affairs.
The recruitment of volunteer legislative
aides to assist CGC members in their work.
Although not on the agenda for tonight,
CGC will face several other issues in the near
future. Among these are:
The proposed student-activity fee
increase. There is debate among Student
Government officials concerning the correct
procedure used to secure a fee increase.
Some students claim that a campuswide vote
by all students is needed before a fee increase
suit
continuing.
Arne said he favors giving the new service
at least a six -week trial period.
"If it hasn't improved in six weeks to two
months, 1 think we should can it," he said.
"This thing is getting some regular riders
now. 1 guess that says something for it."
The new service operates Monday
through Friday from 7 p.m. to midnight, and
serves areas within one-fourth of a mile of
any bus route except those in Carrboro.
Although it provides service along the U bus
route. Godding said the taxis will not use
one-way streets or parking lots around
campus because of the inconveninece and
delays.
"We'll take students just about anywhere
they want to go," Godding said.
The service is available only to bus-pass
holders. Cost for the rides is 25 cents from
bus stop to bus stop, 50 cents from door to
bus stop or bus stop to door, and 75 cents
from door to door. Tipping is not required.
To use the service, students are requested
to call 942-3668 an hour in advance of their
desired pick-up time so that the dispatcher
can schedule trips lor riders having the same
destination.
g effort
sororities used paper plates, and she said she
believes many sororities are using paper
plates now.
But she said conservation efforts have not
equalled those of 1976 because "Last year it
was a novel situation, and everyone was
doing their best to remedy the situation.
Now it is not such a new thing, though."
Mark Payne, executive assistant to the
student body president, said the executive
branch is working on a program to distribute
cards to fraternities, sororities and
apartment complexes. The cards will be
similar to the ones now in dormitory
bathrooms, which tell students how much
water an average shower or faucet uses in a
minute.
Payne said the executive branch also is
trying to have presidents of fraternities and
sororities tell the members at chapter
meetings that they need to be conscious of
the water shortage.
Some conservation efforts are being
implemented in apartment complexes, but
the manager of Foxcroft Apartments, Jeff
Sellers, said he believes the decision to
conserve water must be made by the tenants,
and not the landlords.
Sellers said Foxcroft Apartments is not
requiring residents to conserve because "The
landlords should not tell the tenants how to
use water. If the tenants feel they should
conserve water, they can. But they are paying
up to $270 a month out here, so we don't
have the right to tell them how to use their
Please turn to page 4.
held tonight
can be enacted, and others claim that a
simple CGC vote can raise the fees. Student
Body President Bill Moss will meet with his
Campus Cabinet, leaders of student
organizations across campus, later this week
to discuss the fee hike.
WXYC's financial crisis. The student
owned radio station is "barey, barely
scraping by" on its present budget, according
to WXYC program director Mike Hyman. It
must have an increased share of CGC funds
to survive, he said.
Federal regulations require that FM
stations have a guaranteed budget, and the
type of budget WXYC received from the
CGC this spring does not meet the federal
requirements. WXYC may run into
problems staying on the air later this year
unless it receives more money from the
council, Hyman said.
CGC salaries, or the lack thereof. Chip
Cox, chairperson ofthe Rules and Judiciary
Committee, plans to introduce a bill that
would forbid CGC members from receiving
a salary.
of judicial brief
strongly "in favor of affirmative action but opposed to quotas."
The case involves Allan Bakke, a white who wasdenied admission
to the University of California medical school at Davis. He
contended his rights were violated when some less-qualified minority
members were admitted under a special program that set aside 1 6 of
the 100 places in entering classes for "disadvantaged" applicants.
The university appealed to the Supreme Court alter Bakke won his
case in the California Supreme Court.
At a Capitol Hill news conference. Congressional Black Caucus
Chairperson Parren Mitchell, D-Md., said he and two other
members left an hour and 15-minute meeting with the solicitor
general optimistic the brief would be different thana"bad"draft they
read earlier. He said they got "no commitments."
Rep. Louis Stokes, D-Ohio, said the earlier draft which did not
strongly advocate affirmative action would do "irreparable damage
to this President's policy as it relates to 25 million black people."
"Essentially what we're doing is
carpooling," Arne said.
Godding and Arne said they have received
little feedback about the service, but they
said the number of complaints and praises
has been about the same.
"I've had people tell me they really like it,
and I've had people tell me they didn't like
it," Arne said.
Godding said his office received one
written complaint about the inconvenience
of having to call an hour in advance of
desired pick-up time and the expense of
having to pay a fare in addition to having a
bus pass.
Arne said Student Government is urging
students to let it know what they think about
the service.
Godding said one of the advantages ofthe
taxi service is its flexibility. He said the town
of Chapel Hill contracted with the Carolina
Cab Co. for the use of three to six taxis per
night. On nights when ridership is low, fewer
cars can be used, thereby eliminating the
wasted-capacity problem that plagued the
fixed-route bus serv ice, he said. So far, the
service has used between one and three cars
nightly.