|
Business
Affairs Beat
Budget
cut plans ordered as N.C. shortfall grows
Carrie
Baker - Staff Writer
Departments at Appalachian
State University are preparing budget cuts plans ranging from 1 to 10
percent, said Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Jane Helm.
These proposals come after a mandate from the University of North Carolina
system requesting all 16 member institutions submit plans as the state’s
financial picture worsens. The mandate for the plans comes as a result
of the projected $1 billion North Carolina state budget deficit for the
2001-02 fiscal year.
University officials said they have been told to expect a state budget
shortfall for the 2002-03 fiscal year, which begins July 1, of $1.4 billion.
Estimates given to state legislators Tuesday now predict a $2 billion
shortfall—twice as large as the current year’s shortfall—for
next fiscal year, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“Clearly, this situation is both disruptive and unsettling for everyone,”
said Appalachian Chancellor Francis T. Borkowski in a memo sent March
22 to all Appalachian faculty and staff members.
Academic departments will see the largest budget cuts, said Helm.
“Typically academics receive the largest portion of the budget and
will see the largest cut backs,” said Helm.
At press time, no plan had yet been finalized concerning where exact percentages
for the cutbacks will be taken, said Helm.
Helm said she was unsure of what the total percentage of cutbacks would
be but said she expected to see “proportional cutbacks” in every
department.
“We are in the process of putting a plan together,” said Helm.
Helm said this plan will then be taken to UNC system President Molly Broad
and will then move to Gov. Mike Easley.
In response to the UNC system warning, Borkowski Friday ordered a freeze
on all vacant faculty and staff positions at Appalachian and has asked
all departments to identify “possible cost reductions that can be
achieved.”
“This is the first step of many,” said Helm. The UNC System
will be organizing 10 budget plans for the 1 to 10 percent cuts, which
must be finalized by April 1, according to the March 22 memo.
Bill Ward, associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, said all academic
department deans were asked to turn in a spreadsheet showing possible
cutbacks ranging from 1 to 10 percent by the end of the day Tuesday.
Ward said he had no idea what the final percentage of any state-ordered
budget reduction would be but did cite the university’s concern for
maintaining the quality of education at Appalachian.
“Our highest priority is in the classroom,” said Ward. “We
are doing our best to minimize cuts in the classroom.”
Ward said he expected to see cuts “all over the lot” but that
any area funded by student fees, such as education fees and technology
fees, would be spared from the impending 1 to 10 percent cut backs.
In the memo, Borkowski named maintaining quality at Appalachian as a predominant
objective during the current budget crisis.
“Our overriding goal is to protect the quality of Appalachian’s
academic programs, student access and financial aid, as well as the jobs
of our people.”
Police
Beat
Survey:
Rape at ASU on par with national average
Becky
DiVerniero - Staff Writer
Approximately one
in 18 women currently attending Appalachian State University have been
raped since enrolling, according to a survey conducted by The Committee
for Integrity at Appalachian (CIA).
“Sexual assault has become an epidemic in America, and surprisingly
enough, on Appalachian State University’s campus,” said Ryan
Eller, CIA director of public relations.
The committee released the survey results at a sexual victimization press
conference Monday morning to an audience of 40 in Plemmons Student Union.
The anonymous survey, issued by undergraduate members of the committee,
was given in an attempt to find the true numbers of Appalachian women
who have been victimized by rape, sexual assault, harassment or stalking
at the school.
The survey included testimony from 540 female students who have
attended Appalachian less than eight semesters. No men were interviewed.
The results portrayed a level of sexual victimization similar to the national
college campus level found by a December 2000 study for the United States
Department of Justice, said Crystal Frick, CIA co-chair and survey co-leader.
Every five minutes a rape occurs in the United States. It is estimated
that 95 percent of these cases go unreported. Only a fraction of 1 percent
of the time the assailant spends time in jail, according to a press release
issued by the CIA.
“[This leads] many to say that rape and sexual assault is accepted
in many realms of American society rather than demonized,” said Eller.
“It is time for the victims of sexual assault and those fighting
against it to be heard by America and Appalachian.”
During the last four years, only two rape cases have been tried by
Student Judicial Affairs. This is one-eighth of 1 percent of the estimated
1,679 rapes and attempted rapes that occurred during that time period,
said Frick.
“This is consistent with the national average,” said Frick.
“This small percent [of tried cases] proves that campus rape and
attempted rape are virtually unpunished crimes across the board.”
A non-committee member joined the panel to tell her personal story.
The Appalachian State University junior was sexually assaulted at knifepoint
in February 2001.
“Anyone can be a victim of sexual assault, regardless of age, race,
income level or sex,” said the student. “I myself chose to be
a survivor.”
The committee has compiled a list of 14 statewide changes to promote complete
and accurate reporting, increase prosecution and develop new deterrence
practices on campus, said Allison Neal, CIA ratings leader.
For example, it is recommended the state conduct biennial surveys of campus
sexual victimization on all 16 campuses to obtain objective, comparable
data, said Neal.
“We respect our university and want it to be as rape free and sexually
safe as possible,” said Frick. “The administration can only
do so much to help us, so that is why we as students have set out to motivate
others to help change the norm that rape is a unfortunate occurrence of
college life.”
In order to further publicize its efforts, the committee plans to mail
a tape of their press conference to several local outlets. Although the
committee has not yet approached them, the University Police are willing
to help, said Chief Gunther Doerr.
“They did a good job raising the level of awareness on an issue that
has several facets to it,” said Doerr. “It’s an area that
needs work.”
“We must begin to try and change folks’ mindset of sexual assault
on campus,” said Eller. “More sexual assaults need to be reported
to the police, discussed with family and friends, but most of all, rape
needs to be demonized.”
Academic
Affairs Beat
CEO
offers insight to success in business
Chris Bohle - Staff
Writer
Roger L. Beahm, president
and chief executive officer of Coyne Beahm, Inc., will speak as part of
the 29th Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture Series April 9 at
2 p.m. in the Broyhill Music Center.
Beahm is head of one of the largest marketing agencies in North Carolina.
His discussion will offer tips to students on how to succeed in the business
world.
“It will be a unique opportunity for students to get first-hand knowledge
about a big-business CEO,” said Marsha Turner, publications coordinator
for the Walker College of Business.
Beahm received his BS and MBA degrees from the University of Colorado
at Boulder and shortly thereafter secured a job with Proctor & Gamble,
where he would work for the next eight years.
Beahm joined the international division of The Clorox Company in 1980,
where he was put in charge of Canadian marketing. Beahm would also begin
a considerable amount of consulting during the mid-1980s, giving marketing
advice to such companies as Anheuser-Busch, Block Drug and Miles Laboratories.
Beahm co-founded Coyne Beahm, Inc. in 1988, which turned into a highly
successful full-service marketing and advertising agency. The company
has extended their clientele today to include Lowe’s Home Improvement
Warehouse, Thomasville Furniture, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and the
Vietnam National Tobacco Corporation.
Included in the CEO lecture series will be a luncheon before the speech
and a reception afterwards, which will take place at the Broyhill Inn
and Conference Center.
Turner expressed how unique the Distinguished CEO Lecture Series is, saying
students rarely get a chance like this to talk one-on-one with a business
icon.
“Most speeches will have the speaker talk and then leave right after
they are done,” said Turner. “[The series] lets students meet
with the person and actually get to know them.”
The Distinguished CEO Lecture Series began in 1988 when Carl E. Gunter
of Broyhill Furniture Industries came to Appalachian to speak.
The series was named after former North Carolina State Treasurer Harlan
E. Boyles in 1991.
Boyles is a strong supporter of Appalachian State and has been extensively
involved with the Walker College of Business, among other outlets, during
his 49 years of public service.
Also established in 1991 was an endowment fund that would help continue
to bring chief executive officers to the Appalachian campus twice a year.
The endowment currently totals more than $600,000 and will continue to
provide opportunities for Walker College students in future years.
The lecture will be free of cost and will be an opportunity Turner says
students should not miss.
“Having a school up in the mountains, we’re a little removed
from the business world,” said Turner. “So everyone always make
the most of the time that [the CEO] is here.”
Business
Affairs Beat
Bookstore project
to follow student union solarium
Carrie
Baker - Staff Writer
Departments at Appalachian
State University are preparing budget cuts plans ranging from 1 to 10
percent, said Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Jane Helm.
These proposals come after a mandate from the University of North Carolina
system requesting all 16 member institutions submit plans as the state’s
financial picture worsens. The mandate for the plans comes as a result
of the projected $1 billion North Carolina state budget deficit for the
2001-02 fiscal year.
University officials said they have been told to expect a state budget
shortfall for the 2002-03 fiscal year, which begins July 1, of $1.4 billion.
Estimates given to state legislators Tuesday now predict a $2 billion
shortfall—twice as large as the current year’s shortfall—for
next fiscal year, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“Clearly, this situation is both disruptive and unsettling for everyone,”
said Appalachian Chancellor Francis T. Borkowski in a memo sent March
22 to all Appalachian faculty and staff members.
Academic departments will see the largest budget cuts, said Helm.
“Typically academics receive the largest portion of the budget and
will see the largest cut backs,” said Helm.
At press time, no plan had yet been finalized concerning where exact percentages
for the cutbacks will be taken, said Helm.
Helm said she was unsure of what the total percentage of cutbacks would
be but said she expected to see “proportional cutbacks” in every
department.
“We are in the process of putting a plan together,” said Helm.
Helm said this plan will then be taken to UNC system President Molly Broad
and will then move to Gov. Mike Easley.
In response to the UNC system warning, Borkowski Friday ordered a freeze
on all vacant faculty and staff positions at Appalachian and has asked
all departments to identify “possible cost reductions that can be
achieved.”
“This is the first step of many,” said Helm.
The UNC System will be organizing 10 budget plans for the 1 to 10 percent
cuts, which must be finalized by April 1, according to the March 22 memo.
Bill Ward, associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, said all academic
department deans were asked to turn in a spreadsheet showing possible
cutbacks ranging from 1 to 10 percent by the end of the day Tuesday.
Ward said he had no idea what the final percentage of any state-ordered
budget reduction would be but did cite the university’s concern for
maintaining the quality of education at Appalachian.
“Our highest priority is in the classroom,” said Ward. “We
are doing our best to minimize cuts in the classroom.”
Ward said he expected to see cuts “all over the lot” but that
any area funded by student fees, such as education fees and technology
fees, would be spared from the impending 1 to 10 percent cut backs.
In the memo, Borkowski named maintaining quality at Appalachian as a predominant
objective during the current budget crisis.
“Our overriding goal is to protect the quality of Appalachian’s
academic programs, student access and financial aid, as well as the jobs
of our people.”
Your Vote: 2002 SGA Election
Paul
Sherar - Chief Photographer
Freshman
sen. Laura Limon, from Eggers Hall, poses a question to
the Young-Rountree ticket at Tuesday evening’s SGA election debate.
Five
way free-for-all
Campaign violation allegations overshadow issues
Catherine
Quill - Associate Editor
Accusations of
dirty politics and campaign rule violations continued to plague the
SGA election campaign period Tuesday during the candidate debate.
The approximately 20 violations and 15 complaints have spawned controversy
in what presidential hopeful Tim Young termed a “fairly nasty
campaign.”
Vice presidential candidate Allison Laffin said most violations were
simply the result of miscommunication about the rules and were not
initiated by malicious intent.
“Integrity needs to be preserved in this campaign,” said
Laffin.
Young also agreed miscommunication was the cause of a violation placed
upon his and running mate Robert Rountree’s campaign regarding
an illegally placed poster.
“We take full responsibility for that,” added Rountree.
Presidential candidate William Foster said his and running mate Allison
Dixon’s campaign staffers immediately removed signs after being
notified of a violation.
“We feel breaking the rules isn’t a good way to get a leg
up on anyone,” he said.
Vice presidential candidate Ezell Williams said the relationship between
tickets was good, and the candidates had made a worthy effort of remaining
cordial with each other.
However, Williams added, “What our staffs do, that’s their
own individual thing.”
Steve Wussow, presidential candidate, said no complaints or sanctions
had been filed against himself and running mate Dustin Bayard.
Bayard said all staff members were well versed with the campaign rules
in order to insure “the cleanest campaign possible.”
DIVERSITY
Multicultural interests were the most discussed platform issue of
the debate, with panelists posing questions about gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgender (GLBT) students, Greek organizations and the tickets’
commitment to increasing diversity.
Each ticket expressed support for the recently proposed GLBT center.
“We would like to see the center put in the union,” said
Young, whose platform includes three different goals for increasing
diversity.
Wussow said the center would be an integral part of the Appalachian
campus and added statistics revealing the number of GLBT students
at Appalachian were needed.
One platform goal for Smith and Laffin is the co-sponsorship of minority
groups’ events by SGA.
“We feel that student government can be an asset to many of these
organizations,” said Laffin.
Smith added he would like to see diversity remain an issue at Appalachian.
Williams, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, said she hopes to see relations
between SGA and the Greek community improve.
Eller said one way to achieve this goal would be to have an SGA senator
or cabinet member touch base with each fraternity and sorority at
least once a semester.
Each group on campus should be represented equally and fairly, said
Dixon, who added the ticket’s platform goal of free parking after
5 p.m. would encourage more students to become involved in any club
or organization.
While improving diversity has become a top long-term aim of university
officials, each ticket said pre-campaign research showed their respective
platform goals to be attainable.
“We did research our goals thoroughly,” said Laffin, who
explained the ticket spoke with Dr. Gregory Bliming, vice chancellor
for Student Development about the formation of a student activist
committee and tuition increase issue.
She continued to say Roachel Laney, athletics program director, and
Dr. Doug May, director of Academic Computing Services, were consulted
about increasing school spirit and students’ printing allowances
in computer labs, respectively.
Increasing diversity and academic scholarships, an item on the Young/Rountree
ticket, was researched by contacting Dr. Conrad Ostwalt, coordinator
of the University Honors Program, Dr. Harvey Durham, vice chancellor
for Academic Affairs and Blimling, said Rountree.
“We made sure to research these in the context of other universities,
and not just ours,” added Young.
Eller said he and Williams were tired of candidates not fulfilling
campaign promises once elected to office, which is why the duo drafted
three or four platforms to ensure one with attainable goals.
“We’ve researched every single platform goal,” said
Eller. Williams said the issue of speaking for students’ rights
will also be feasible.
Although Dixon said she wishes to leave room for future senators’
and students’ opinions, she and Foster have already spoken with
Barry Sauls, director of Parking and Traffic, about their idea of
free parking after 5 p.m.
Foster said the pair has examined state laws dealing with construction
projects and hopes to implement fines for construction workers if
they have not finished a project by it’s scheduled date of completion.
Bayard said when deciding upon a platform, he and running mate Wussow
wanted goals that were “feasible, pragmatic and practical.”
He added student’s first, fourth and sixth amendments were often
violated at Appalachian, and these rights should be guaranteed without
asking.
Wussow said his desire to make Appalachian a “socially responsible”
university could be implemented, especially with talk of incorporating
sustainable development into the university’s operation.
“They’re looking for someone who can put that on the university’s
agenda,” said Wussow. “That’s us.”
SGA
Beat
Rule
violations dominante campaign period
Sarah
Newell - Staff Writer
Approximately
20 reported election rules violations and 15 complaints about the
five tickets in this year’s Student Government Association presidential
and vice presidential campaign are currently being investigated by
the SGA Elections Committee, said the head of that panel.
“Each ticket has done something not in the spirit of campaigning,”
said Patrick Cash, chiar of both the Rules and Elections Committees.
“If the complaint that tickets file has been found to be validated
by the elections committee, we try to make the punishment fit the
crime.”
The most serious violation involved painting the tunnels running underneath
Rivers Street. The tunnels, painted by presidential and vice-presidential
candidates Ryan Eller-Ezell Williams late Sunday evening, were painted
over by the William Foster-Amy Dixon campaign before the pre-set minimum
of 48 hours had expired.
This act broke an election rule each ticket had been made aware of
and constituted the largest violation of election rules so far during
the campaign period.
Any spoken or unwritten rule handed down by the Elections Committee
is covered in the election by-laws, which state, “Candidates
must follow rules put down by the Elections Committee.”
The vice presidential hopeful and current SGA senator said an effort
has been made by the duo to ensure their staff is clear on the rules.
“We’ve tried to follow the guidelines as best we can and
tried to make those who work on our campaign with us to be aware of
them, too,” said Dixon.
Foster and Dixon were forbidden by the committee to paint the tunnels
for the remainder of the regular election period—not including
any needed runoff—and to take up their sandwich boards from midnight-5
p.m. Monday as punishment for their violation.
Every ticket has committed an offense that was either against elections
rules or that was an “unofficial violation,” such as looking
through Cash’s notebook containing the budgets and receipts of
every ticket.
Cash said the information is public, but only if he as chair of the
panel has been formally asked for a copy.
Every ticket has received a verbal warning, and as of Monday, every
ticket excluding the Steve Wussow-Dustin Bayard camp had received
a formal written reprimand from the election committee.
“There’s probably not a greater number of complaints per
capita, so to speak,” said Dino DiBernardi, SGA’s faculty
advisor and director of the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership.
“For the number of candidates running, there’s probably
the same number of complaints, multiplied by the number of tickets,
that there are any other year.”
Many of the violations and complaints have consisted of posting campaign
materials on illegal surfaces, such as painted, glass, brick or stone,
as well as trashcans or AppalCART stops.
“A lot of the complaining has been unreasonable and unprofessional,
and the tickets come to the elections committee and make formal complaints
before talking to the other ticket, so we [the elections committee]
have to act as a father figure,” said Cash. “The Elections
Committee is trying to encourage tickets to work it out among themselves.”
The Election Committee held a special hearing about all campaign complaints
and violations Monday evening.
The committee found Eller and Williams guilty of leaving one poster
on the AppalCART stop at Trivette Hall and ordered the duo not to
put up any new posters or materials for 24 hours.
The Elections Committee also determined the Foster-Dixon campaign
had met its’ budget, a move that was contrary to a rumor circulating
the pair had exceeded their pre-set limit. The ticket did, however,
turn in the receipt for a television commercial they ran after the
commercial aired.
The committee ordered the Foster-Dixon ticket to take up three of
its’ 13 sandwich boards and to not put up any new material for
24 hours.
Timothy Young and Robert Rountree were found guilty by the committee
of posting materials in the computer lab in Raley Hall, as well as
placing several pamphlets under windshield-wipers on cars around campus.
The duo was ordered to not put up any new materials for 24 hours and
to not have a contact table in the Plemmons Student Union Tuesday,
a punishment they abided to.
“We take full responsibility for that,” said Rountree during
Tuesday evening’s candidate debate.
The Wussow-Bayard ticket and the Smith-Laffin ticket were not found
guilty of any violations at Monday night’s hearing.
|
 |
 |
