Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Jan. 23, 1989, edition 1 / Page 8
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8The Daily Tar HeelMonday, January 23, 1989 Sailg ar Heel 96 th year of editorial freedom Karen Bell, News Editor MATT BIVENS, Associate Editor KlMBERLY EDENS, University Editor JON K. RUST, Managing Editor Will Lingo, city Editor Kelly Rhodes, Arts Editor CATHY McHUGH, Omnibus Editor SHELLEY ERBLAND, Design Editor Jean Lutes, Editor KAARIN TlSUE, News Editor LAURA PEARLMAN, Associate Editor KRISTEN GARDNER, University Editor WILLIAM TAGGART, State and National Editor Dave Glenn, spom Editor LEIGH ANN McDONALD, Features Editor BRIAN FOLEY, Photography Editor Kelly Thompson, Design Editor ere's a course in nightmares H When Dante wrote the "Inferno," he had drop-add in mind. "Abandon every hope, all you who enter" should have been stamped on the signs in Woollen Gymnasium last week. With 19,000 students preregis tered for this semester, a record number of classes were closed before drop-add even began. A spokeswoman for the University registrar's office said this was an unusually high number. But why should this be such a problem? Granted, some students don't prereg ister every semester. But there should still be enough classes to go around. Administrators know how many students are registered in the fall and should plan for at least as many in the spring. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Are there fewer professors, fewer classes or more students? Ideally, enough classes should be opened so that after the add period, a few classes would be MMierenrolled, or at least not overcrowded. This would allow for extra seats what a concept. The week has featured a series of drop-add horror stories, courtesy of the juniors and especially of the graduating seniors trying to pick up perspectives required for graduation. The English department, for example, has been a study in confusion, pre registering undergraduates for graduate-only courses and opening some literature class sections as late as the first day of classes. Those students who signed up for graduate-level classes (there were no footnotes in the class schedule) were subsequently booted out on the first day of classes and forced to scramble for another class, although very few advanced classes were still open at that point. And it is equally unfair to instructors, many of whom are grad uate students, to ask them to teach another class on literally a moment's notice. Some graduating seniors are prob ably sweating today, the last day to add a class, because if they can't get that last needed perspective, they simply wont graduate on time. Pro fessors teaching these perspectives courses are also in a tough spot. They have to decide whether to open their classes up to more students, making more work for themselves and incon veniencing students already in the class, or to deny entrance even to graduating seniors. Neither the stu dents nor professors should ever be faced with such a predicament. Students and faculty members should dermrd an explanation for these age-old but increasing problems with registration at UNC. It is unfair to seniors to leave their chances for graduation in the hands of underpaid, overworked (and possibly grouchy) professors. It is also unfair for a professor to have to appear the bully if he does not choose to allow 10 to 15 more students in sections which are already full. Sandy Dimsdale An ill-advised amendment The National Collegiate Athletic Association's latest attempt to tighten academic standards for student athletes has sparked controversy over the past two weeks, and the NCAA should look more closely at the ramifications of its new rule before it takes effect. The new rule is an amendment to Proposition 48, which had established the minimum requirements of a 700 SAT score and a 2.0)iigh school grade point average for incoming freshmen athletes. According to Prop. 48, students not meeting these two requirements lose a year of athletic eligibility but still may receive a scholarship for the year they are not participating in athletics. Since its enactment two years, ago, more than 600 athletes have fallen victim to the rule. At the NCAA convention earlier this month, member schools voted 163-154 to pass Proposition 42, the amendment to Prop. 48. This amend ment prohibits scholarships for Prop. 48 athletes during their year of non participation. Response to the rule, slated to take effect in 1990, has been heated. Educators and university officials across the nation have criticized the rule as being unfair and biased against blacks, who have made up 90 percent I am sorry to admit that, despite 96 years of progress in many areas, the DTH has failed to find a way to answer its phones efficiently. However, our catch-us-if-you-can system is certainly unique. Selective deafness When staff writers are waiting for calls, they spend long hours gazing at the phones, silently begging them to ring and pouncing on them if they do. But when writers aren't waiting for calls, they suddenly lose their ability to hear the phones. Even if the office is full of people, the phones can ring and ring and ring and no one answers them. This prompts me, as the person who purports to be in charge, to periodically stop what I'm doing and scream at the top of my lungs, "SOMEONE ANSWER THE PHONE PLEASE!" This usually causes two or three people to answer the call at the same time, adding to the confusion. Lack of mechanical ability Our phones have a "hold" button. For some reason, most of the staff insists on ignoring this quite useful function. Rather, they set the receiver down on the nearest available surface be it a desk or a pizza box and yell, Is so-and-so here??" Poltergeists I am convinced that some of our telephonic horror stories cannot be of the "Prop. 48 athletes." Thus, the impact of the new rule will fall almost exclusively on blacks. The main problem with Prop. 42 is its emphasis on standardized testing. Although the minimum score of 700 is far below the national average of 901, there is significant evidence that the test is socio-economically biased. Prop. 42 undoubtedly would eliminate the possibility for many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend college. Also, since the NCAA convention, several schools have stated that there was some confusion at the time of the voting on Prop. 42 and that many representatives were unaware of what the amendment entailed. These schools have indicated that given another chance, they would vote against the amendment. Prop. 42 is a well-intentioned but harmful rule for collegiate athletics because it will rob many young people of their only opportunity to continue their education and escape poverty. Furthermore, many member institu tions of the NCAA voted prematurely and without complete information concerning the proposal. The confu sion surrounding Prop. 42's passage, as well as its bias against certain classes of students, mandates a repeal of the new rule. Louis Bissette - the last word explained in less than supernatural terms. People are disconnected four or five times in a row; the person who answers the phone refuses to take messages; callers ask for the editor (that's me) and the answerer says, "Who's that?" We have done our best to discover the identities of these insidious phone answerers, but to no avail. Obviously, one of those Family Circus ghosts has invaded the office. Pizza One of our phone numbers is 962-0246. Domino's is 929-0246. If we answer the phone "Daily Tar Heel" and callers try to order pepperoni pizzas anyway, well take the orders. Just don't expect delivery in 30 minutes or less. Graffiti The pride of our system is the graffiti on the phone room walls. Just about every editor, a fair share of staff writers and several favorite secretaries and administrators are immortalized there. In conclusion, I humbly request your patience and persistence in dealing with our phone lines. Remember, we are trying. And for the callers I haven't discouraged entirely editorial lines are 962-0245, 962-0246 and 962-0750; advertising is 962-1163 and 962 0252; the editor and director's offices are 962-0019. Good luck. Jean Lutes 'Readers9 Foram M ed school animal research too secretive UNC-CH has built a reputation as one of the premier research insti tutions in the United States. A significant part of this research involves the use of living animals. In fact, during the past four years, an average of 80,000 animals a year have been consumed on this campus alone. An ever-increasing number of people are beginning to question how this research is carried out and if all of it is necessary. Unfortunately, most of the information concerning the use of animals at UNC is tightly controlled by the medical school. Typically, most of the facilities are off-limits to interested students and community members, even by appointment. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (which exists primarily to review research protocols to ensure "humane" treatment of lab animals) is closed to the public. Any information generated in these meetings, including the minutes, is also not available to the public. Dr. Stuart Bondurant, the dean of our medical school, and others who control the flow of animals into the labs scattered across campus, seem to take offense at anyone who wants to know more about the lives of those animals. Those of us who do ask questions are quickly denounced as anti-science sentimentalists who would like to see all scientific progress grind to a halt. Such a sentiment was revealed in a recent memo circulated to all School of Medicine faculty by Dr. Bondurant. The memo was sent on Dec. 16 in response to much public clamor concerning a recent unannounced visit to a University animal holding facility by members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Dr. Bondurant's memo was an obvious attempt to keep the troops in line in the face of significant interest from the public and local press. Christopher Smith Guest Writer In this memo, he requested (warned?) his faculty to "represent accurately the need for research on animals in order to improve our capacity to deal with many major afflictions of mankind." Just in case any of the faculty might ' be doing some independent thinking, Dr. Bondurant provided a five-page refresher course on the absolute need for animals in the lab, complete with the familiar list of medical breakthroughs which sup posedly could not have happened without cutting up, poisoning, freezing, starving, burning, shocking or mutilating animals.. Of course some medical discoveries were teased out of animals, but this is not surprising when you consider the fact that until recently the animal model has been the only game in town. Intellectual rigidity, combined with a complete absence of any incentives to develop alternatives (literally billions upon billions of dollars have been invested in the animal model), has con tributed to the famous "your child or your dog" scare tactic. The repeated use of this transparent argument is an attempt to brainwash the public into believing that there always has and always will be just two choices, and spending money to pursue a third is naive and irresponsible. It is nothing short of an intellectual insult to say that this is the only way possible because it is the only way we have tried. The fact that we are dealing here with institutionalized animal abuse on a massive scale, and not the production of widgets, makes this muddled thinking a moral insult as well. There is a growing number of physicians and researchers who are convinced tht state-of-the-art scientific research litis beyond the animal model. Organizations such as the Research Modernization Committee and the Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine have done tremendous work in bringing to light the recent advances in non-animal technolo gies. Unfortunately, in his communication with his faculty, Dr. Bondurant dismisses the issue of alternatives with just two sentences that reveal his inexcusable lack of interest and knowledge in this area. Practices in the School of Medicine reflect his attitude. The school still insists on using animals in teaching in areas in which many other fine medical schools use alternatives. It has no formal mechanism to review the emerging non-animal technologies, nor does it provide any incentives for rfs students to utilize or develop such tech nologies. The medical school's recent refusal to invest even a modest amount of resources to establish a committee ta serve as a clearing house for non-animal technologies reveals not only a shocking degree of conceptual rigidity, but also a; lack of moral sensitivity. In order to live up to its claim of following the high ethical and moral standards, our medical school should not only take a proactive stance in the pursuit of alternatives, but also become mojre accountable to the rest of the University and the public by opening the business of the Animal Care and Use Committee, meetings. Christopher Smith is a second-year graduate student in the School of Social Work from Pittsburgh. Coach Brown says 'thanks' To the editor: I can't begin to tell you how much our coaches and players appreciate your continued sup port and enthusiasm during a tough year. Even though we had some exciting games, I'm sorry you seniors didn't see more wins. After graduation, we need you to come back and cheer us on with the same attitude for a lot of victories in the future of Carolina football. Also, I look forward to the continued support of you underclassmen. I hope that exams went well, ;, your holidays were wonderful, arid I want to wish you the best of luck as you begin your spring semester. Again, let me thank you for your positive attitude during football season. MACK BROWN Head football coach Biting the ticket hands To the editor: When I was a student, I wrote a letter in my student newspaper (to remain unnamed) very similar to what I am about to say No one listened to me then. Maybe Carolina students are smart enough to listen to me now. There are several things in my life that are important to me. A few of these are my work, my family, my friends, the air I breathe and what benefits I can confer on other human beings on this planet. For the past several years, I have watched the never-ending annual complaints regarding sports-event ticket distribution. I'm sorry, but how the Tar Heels perform has no bearing on my life. I wish them well, and I hope they win, but my life will go on whether they win or lose. But for those who seem to lose the meaning of their exist ence by not getting good tickets, let me offer the follow ing advice: 1. This university is com posed of and exists FOR THE STUDENTS. And yet it is always the students that get shafted. 2. Why? Students have little money and less power. 3. Things will not change. They never have and they never will. Build a 500,000 seat dome, and I guarantee you that stu dents will get the worst seats. 4. If you are therefore unsat isfied with the way things are, don't go to the games. Can you imagine what would happen if they had a game and no students showed up? Or even boycotted the game? Apathy would commence. Fewer people would come to the games. Alumni contribu tions would slow down. Seats would open up. You would be begged to come and support the team. You'd get great seats. You would need some patience, though. You'd have to stick it out and miss a few games. But as long as everyone whimpers, begs and cries to get tickets, youH have to settle for the morsels that you get. So in the meantime, be grateful for what youVe got. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. JEROME GILBERT Assistant professor Department of surgery We goofed In Friday's letter, "Israelis" face moral crisis," part of at sentence was deleted. The sentence should have read, "A - maelstrom of ambivalence ; wears at these Jews (of Israel), as they recall the harsh treatment they have suffered throughout their history, but, which they now prescribe for the Palestinians in the occupied territories." The Daily Tar Heel regrets the typographical error. Letters policy o Place letters in the box marked "Letters to the Editor'' outside the DTH office in the Student Union. Seating problems in drop-add and the SAG "We have done significant amounts of research on student opinion before making this decision." L.D. Newman, Univer sity housing assistant director of student and staff development, defending the controversial decision to guarantee sopho more housing. BBS "All his friends are as confused, or in some cases more confused, than the journalists about what happened that night." John Haydock, colleague of Chapel Hill entrepreneur Bill McMichael, 23, on the circumstances surrounding McMichael's Jan. 10 shooting death. B B B , "If the Supreme Court decides in favor of Missouri, it will set off many repercus sions." Tamar Abrams, director of communications at the National Abortion Rights Action League, on the shaky status of the court's Roe vs. Wade ruling, which states that women have a constitutional right to abortion. BBS "We had the highest amount of seating problems in UNC history." Donna Redmon, assistant University registrar, on the record number of closed courses during this semester's drop-add. Week in Quotes "We have enough documents to make him look like a fool. There's no misun derstanding. They're lying .... The only misunderstanding there could possibly be is stupidity on their part. " Neil Riemann, speaker of Student Congress, on an athletic department official's statement that student leaders had misunderstood how many seats they had been promised in the Smith Center. , "If you were born into poverty or with a silver spoon in your mouth, that was not your choice. But if you were ignorant, that was your choice, or if the hair on top of your head is worth more than the sense in your head, that's your choice." Bernice King, youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., speaking to a capacity crowd in Memorial Hall as part of her father's birthday celebration. B B B t "We hadn't even worked on our four corners for five minutes in the past month, but it worked pretty well for us today." Basketball coach Dean Smith uttering the understatement of the year on UNC's 91-71 victory over those pesky Blue Devils last week. B B B "Chapel Hill operates a little bit like a resort." Developer Whit Morrow on, Rosemary Square, a complex to be built, on the corner of Henderson and Rosemary , streets. The complex will be designed like' the condominium hotels which originated in resort areas like Hilton Head, S.C. .-.: " 's not that we weren 't consulted before: the change, but that we weren't even-, consulted after the change." Denny: Worley, former Carolina Athletic Associ ation ticket distribution chairman, on the athletic department's decision two years ago to move student seats to all the highest rows in the Smith Center. After students discovered the unannounced switch, they renegotiated their seating. B B B "We did not spend all that money on the ice cream cone out of choice but out of obligation. We have no choice but to hang the cone up. It is a shame that we cannot turn the sign on." Kathy Kennedy, owner of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream on Franklin Street, describing one of the casualties to the town's ban on neon signs. Others include Pepper's Pizza and Kinko's Copies. Compiled by associate editor Laura Pearlman.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Jan. 23, 1989, edition 1
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