Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Feb. 22, 1978, edition 1 / Page 13
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Presidential questionnaire Jim Phillips 1) I feel that the most pressing issues at this time revolve around the topic of academics here at UNC. During the past year questions have arisen over the drop period, the Honor Code and pass fail policy. In each of these areas, especially with regard to the drop period, I feel that Student Government has failed to adequately represent the student interest. 2) During the past year, it seems that relations between the students and the Chapel Hill and Carrboro town governments have reached a low ebb. The water shortage and the parking problems in the area have contributed heavily to this. In order to better these relations, I feel that a new attitude must be taken by both parties. Efforts must be made to attack problems before they reach their peak. To increase student representation in local government, an effort should be made to secure for the students of UNC a non-voting position on the Chapel Hill Board of Aldermen. This would provide the students with a constant voice in town affairs a voice they have long needed but seldom had. 3) The problems with UNC's Honor Code lie not with the code itself but with attitudes toward it on campus. This poor attitude is a result of a lack of knowledge and understanding regarding the Honor Code. An educational program must be undertaken to make students aware of the code, its requirements and implications. If this does occur, I feel that the Honor System here at Carolina will grow in stature and can become a viable and respected part of the University. 4) No. By subjecting themselves to proctoring, students are admitting that they are incapable of overseeing their own actions. I do not believe this is the case at all. A renewed commitment to the Honor Code is more timely and would yield greater results. 5) While I feel that this matter should receive further study within the judicial branch itself, I tend to approve the creation of an adversary system in the Honor Court. What is being searched for is the truth, and the creation of two separate sides would not aid in that search. All evidence should be available throughout the trial proceedings, and this might not be the case should an adversary system be instituted. 6) Closed. At this time, a case may be opened it the defendant so requests. He should have this right. I see, however, no reason for a defendant to be put through a public debacle, especially if he should be found innocent. Adverse publicity of this type might prejudice professors and students against that person in the future. 7) Of the proposed change in the court, I believe that the institution of a jury system is the most timely and worthwhile. A jury system would not only assure a student a trial by his peers, it would also be a great help in involving a greater number of students in the working of the honor system here at UNC. 8) 1 believe that a program of variable course credit should be instituted here at UNC. By obtaining a greater student voice in academic affairs, and using that voice to work with the faculty, this program may be enacted. 9) Yes! I feel that the problem must be dealt with on both an individual and a group level. Black and white students should have more opportunities to interact and exchange experiences and ideas. On the group level, BSM and Student Government should sponsor joint projects in order to facilitate group interaction. In addition, other minorities should not be overlooked when discussing race relations. Student Government should initiate programs to increase involvement with these minorities. 10) No! It seems that UNC, while taking the lead in the area of desegregation during the 1960s, now has fallen behind in its recruitment of minority students. A serious effort should be. made to recruit qualified black students. I do not feel, however, that the University system should bow to the excessive demands which HEW has now placed on it. 1 1) It appears that transportation and parking may always be a problem here; however, there are a number of things which may be done to ease the situation. Right now the administration seems dead set on constructing a parking deck on South Campus. I oppose this plan primarily on economic grounds. The large amount of money which the deck would cost could be better spent to construct additional parking lots on South Campus and to improve the bus system by creating new routes and increasing the frequency of the routes that already exist. 12) One of the greatest assets of UNC is its ability to appeal to a wide variety of students. Student fees are used to promote organizations that will aid these students in their interests. As long as an organization does not discriminate and serves the needs of a group of students, then I feel that the organization is deserving of student funds. 13) While I have followed the progress of the committee now studying the budget process and await its findings, I have several ideas which I feel would improve the process. To begin, moving the budget process itself from the spring to the fall would allow the student body president and CGC members a chance to really study the organizations which are applying for money. This would require a change in the fiscal year, and it would probably take some time; however, I feel that the change would be worthwhile. Also, the president of the student body should be required to submit a proposed budget to CGC. The president is the only member of the CGC Finance Committee who is responsible to the entire student body, and I feel that the students deserve to know his position. 14) The student body president has a wide and varied role in his relationship with the U niversity. He must be a leader who is not only willing to listen to students' wants, needs and ideas but also be an organizer and active campaigner for these interests which would benefit the students. 15) The major problems of Student Government this year have been in communication and representation. Those in the executive branch tend to feel that Student Government justifies itself. Student Government should find out first hand what students want and need. One way to alleviate this problem it to periodically assess students' opinions through opinion polls. Editor's Note: The Daily Tar Heel asked each candidate for student body president to answer the following questions. The candidates were given no maximum line lengths. Following are the responses of Gordon Cureton and Jim Phillips. 1) What do you see as the most important campus issue and what would you do about it? What other important issues do you see for next year? 2) What would you do to protect student voting rights and student interests within Chapel Hill and Carrboro governments? 3) What do you see wrong with the Honor Code and Honor Court and what would you do about it? 4) Do you favor faculty proctoring? Why or why not? 5) Do you favor separation of prosecution and defense to create an adversary system in the Honor Court? Why or why not? 6) Do you think the Honor Court should be open or closed? Why? 7) Do you favor a jury system or the present court system? Why? 8) Do you favor variable course credit? If so, what would you do to effect it? 9) Do you think there is a race relations problem on campus? If so, what would you do about it? 10) Do you think the University is desegregating at a rapid enough pace? Why? 1 1) What is your stand on transportation and parking problems? 12) What is your stand on Carolina Gay Association funding? 13) What improvements would you suggest for the CGC budgetary process? 14) How do you see the role as president in relation to the University community and all aspects of the Student Government executive branch? 15) What would be your major criticism of Student Government, particularly the executive branch, and how would you correct these problems? Gordon Cureton 1) Student Government's failure, in the past, to serve effectively and efficiently was to me the major campus issue. Student Government is not only responsible for gauging or finding out the needs and concerns of the students, but it is also responsible for developing and implementing effective programs that benefit the student. 2) 1 would pursue a permanent registration site, preferably having a voter registration site set up in the Union so that registration would occur at regular intervals during the year. 1 would request open meetings with students and with the mayors of Chapel Hill and Carrboro at least once a month to find out what the city government is doing in relation to and concerning students. Furthermore, I would request copies of the agenda of the Boards of Aldermen before the meetings take place to gauge student input and to mobilize students so they can be in attendance at meetings that affect them. 3) I advocate the elimination of the "rat clause" because I feel that students should determine and set forth their own code of honor and try to live up to it. It is my own feeling on the Honor Code and the Honor Court to concentrate on improving injustices inherent within the Honor Code besides the "rat clause." 4) No, I do not favor faculty proctoring unless it is warranted by the instructor or is used to insure students that their rights in class will not be denied or misused. 5) Yes, I do favor an adversary system, but it would be a problem because most undergraduates don't know enough about the adversary system in order for it to take place. I see some advantages in the adversary system. One such instance is that the accused student can depend on his defense counsel to be behind him completely, more so than in our present system. 6) I think the Honor Court should be closed. From the feedback I've been getting, there is a degree of. embarrassment in open court. I think that the accused students' rights should be safeguarded, and that can only be insured by closed court. 7) I favor the present court system. My feeling is that the jury system sounds good on paper but is impractical. With a jury system, students here at UNC would be asked to serve on thejury, and this would be a problem because they would have to know as much about the judicial system as Honor Court members. 8) No, I do not favor variable course credit. 9) Yes, there is a race relations problem on campus, because non communication exists in both the black and white community on campus. One of my goals as student body president is to open communication between the races through workshops that utilize some of the resources here on campus. One example is to have an Afro-American Studies instructor give a workshop, inviting black and white students at random, to give us insight into ourselves and our feelings. 10) No, I don't feel the University is desegregating at a rapid enough pace. Statistics prove that the U niversity turns back a high percentage of qualified black students and that it has failed to effectively recruit black and other minority faculty on a large scale. 11) I am encouraging more students to participate on the transportation boards of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. I plan to work with Carrboro and Chapel Hill boards of transportation on looking into the possibility of extending the C bus route and providing more buses during the rush hours. 12) In the past 1 have supported the funding of the CGA, and I will continue to support their need to be funded. 13) Student Government needs to set up committees that will be responsible for working with new organizations that will come into existence. The committees will ascertain the needs as to how these new organizations will be funded. ,;! J4) The student body president is the spokesman of students. He should be an active voice in defending rights, concerns and needs of students. It is his responsibility to develop and implement a structure to probe into the needs and concerns of students on campus and off campus. 15) Lack of diversity is my major criticism of Student Government. In the past it has failed to actively recruit more women, blacks and other minorities into Student Government. As student body president, I plan to actively recruit more women, blacks and minorities to Student Government.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Feb. 22, 1978, edition 1
13
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