• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1985-02-07_Vol49_No21_02

Western Carolinian/February 7, 1985 En- LIGHTENING Thoughts Diing! Round Two by Heather Frey - / have been accused of jumping the gun in last week's story "Western Carolinian Becoming Independent of SGA," by SGA pres. Rob Edwards. He says in his letter below, "... the idea has yet to be finalized, yet to be proposed, and yet to be passed by the Student Senate, let alone been 'accepted...'" First of all, let's talk about the word 'accepted'. My Random House Dictionary says the definition for it is, "generally approved." I have been told that the idea of The Western Carolinian being run independent of SGA, funded by A dministration and governed like Last Minute Productions or SGA is more than just generally approved of. I've been led to believe that there is no opposition to the idea and once it is put to the senate should pass easily. Propose: 1. To offer for consideration or acceptance. 2. To plan or intend. 3. To offer (a toast). 4. To make an offer of marriage. Obviously and very, definitely I don't want to marry anyone in SGA; I don't have anything to drink about and using definition no. 1 might've insinuated that I meant the Independence issue had been put before the senate. Therefore, I must've meant definition no. 2: To plan or intend. None of this is on the books. The last paragraph of the story stated, "Many details are left to be ironed out over these PROPOSALS and goals, but IF things go according to plan, The Western Carolinian MA ¥ finally be cut loose from SGA 'spursestrings." I never once said .the Student Senate passed anything. I clearly stated that all they have done so far was set up "some goals for an inaependent newspaper." The idea I tried to convey in the story, the same idea Rob Edwards has conveyed to me, is that an independent newspaper is long overdue. The paper is a hassle for SGA so they're more than happy to get rid of us. If I missed the mark on getting this point across, I apologize, but all the signals, words, definitions were there to indicate the situation. Something else should be clarified: The difference between Independent and self-supporting. Independent means The Western Carolinian will be funded only through A dministration, governed by its own constitution, publication board, and executive committee. A ccording to SGA officials, self-supporting means taking away all the paper's money and making it run off ad revenue, but this is apian to be phased in slowly, over the next 4 or so years. Because this is very long range, probably will never happen due to the fact that there isn't enough ad revenue in the area to run the paper and pay the staff,and it wasn't as newsworthy as the Independent issue, I didn't report it. A story on that will come later, perhaps during my term, perhaps not. The charge by Rob Edwards about my story must have upset him greatfy because he went so far as to insinuate that we at the newspaper were not happy with those belated SGA resolutions, "They (the senate) passed it unanimously and we have enforced it • much to the chagrin of the Carolinian since one of the resolutions reduced commission rates for the Editor and Business Manager." Excuseme, Mr. Edwards, but I and some of my staff attended that Senate meeting- You didn't. I told the senate e to pass the resolution because we were already voluntarily enforcing it at the paper, thank you. The last paragraph in the SGA president's letter is, "The reason that Heather Frey's story is so off base is simple. She forgot to attend last week's meeting when several persons met to discuss the situation. The only information she had was what I had told her about over the phone when she called to apologize. She asked no questions and made known no intentions of publishing an article." Fifteen minutes after this meeting had started someone from SGA called my office to find out where I was. A sales girl told him, "She'sat my place taking (guess what) a shower." Needless to say the SGA rep on the phone was terribly miffed. I mean, how could I miss such an important meeting for a shower?! Admittedly, I did forget the meeting. I called Rob oack, apologized and we set up a time later that afternoon for me to be briefed on the conference. The next SNAFU was that my car got stuck in the driveway... and I mean stuck. It took Dave Dempsey, a Sigma Nu and a Sig Ep several heaves and hoes to get the car out, but that was much later in the evening. I had again called Rob back and gotten briefed over the phone. I took notes on the conversation, asked several questions (especially about our constitution) and presented the information at a Carolinian staff meeting last Thursday night, . . . NEXT? Letters to the Editor Setting the Story Straight Dear Heather, I thought we were going to work on this thing together. I wish you would have said something so we could have ironed out the details. Your article has endangered our plans now. Please give me equal time by running this article. Thanks, Rob The Western Carolinian jumped the gun last week with its article "Western Carolinian Becoming Independent of SGA." Several things require clarification. First of all, the idea has yet to be finalized, yet to be proposed, and yet to be passed by the Student Senate let alone been "accepted" (as Heather claimed) by the Administration. All of these stages must be passed before any changes will take place. Second, the idea originated long before last semester's meeting between Heather Frey, Dr. Stillion, myself and others. But again, they have yet to be proposed by SGA and accepted by the Administration. Last Spring while running for office, I proposed the idea of a self-supporting Carolinian and the details of that plan have been under study and development throughout this past year. Third, the reasoning behind the change was never "to straighten out previously unenforced. SGA resolutions" though that will certainly be a corrollary benefit. Heather was referring to three resolutions passed over two years ago and intending to affect the Carolinian. However, staff members of that time refused to adopt the resolutions and for some reason the Student Government Association neglected to enforce them. Finance Committee Chairman, Anthony Dowling discovered the resolutions this year and brought them to the attention of the Senate. Instead of forcing the Editor to comply with resolutions passed before her time and unknown to this year's SGA members, we decided to resubmit the three resolutions (in the form of one) to the Student Senate. They passed it unanimously and we have enforced it - much to the chagrin of the Carolinian since one of the resolutions reduced commission rates for the Editor and Business Manager. The reason we are pushing this idea of an independent Carolinian so hard is because for years they, more than any other club, have been unable to control their expenses to any level of economic efficiency. Two years ago, Carolinian Editor Larry Hardin overspent his budget by 10,000 dollars under the obvious philosophy of "Who cares? Next years' students will pick up the bill?" Comptroller Mark Martin has worked feverishly with Senator Dowling and others to assure number one - that this year's entire SGA operation will remain in the black and number two - that future SGA's will have a fighting chance to do the same. At this point we have every reason to believe that Heather Frey and Joe Fournier are monitoring their budget expenditures wisely but the Carolinian has had extensive trouble in the past and possibly will in the future. Establishing them as an independent agency will make it much easier for them to operate in a financially responsible manner. It is true that I have said the SGA should not control the Carolinian; it would be too easy Absolutely No Substance Whatsoever... But at Least I'm not Yelling at Anybody. S3 mother asked me if I was on drugs when I wrote one of my recent features. However, carrying one brick less than a load can be an _ asset, so long as one can transcribe ft I IV f^vDAM AIW|tht Perusals of a semi-empty PI L L I NJ lyTMH AlVfl h„ifr„ on t0 papei% publish them, and consequently bring in a little Now that we have all become bogged down in anexasperatingly new semester, it's time to commence consideration of several vitally important topics. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea what those topics might be. This is a vexation which has compounded itself daily since last Thursday, and which now, on deadline night, has grown to Schwarzeneggerean proportions, and is holding me in a half-Nelson and banging my head against the office wall. "How do you think up your topics?" some nosey people ask. I tell them that it's not easy, which it isn't. A friend told me after reading my last column that I had some 'funkystuff in my head. This is true, I admit it. My own money. I've discovered that money, being as it is at the root of all evil, is one hell of a necessity. This week's situation is of the variety that rears its ugly head very seldom. I have been unable to reach conclusion one insofar as a topic for my column is concerned. Next week our paper will come out on Valentine's Day. No problem with subject matter there. The following week is planned for as well, but research will be required. But, what for now? I could thrust and parry with the SGA, but that's as boring to me as it is to you. I'm in a light mood; I'll leave such weighty matters to my battle- hardened boss. At first, on the tail of Western's second straight basketball win over the Mounties, an overall comparison of Western Carolina and Appalachian State as institutions of higher learning seemed plausible. I then realized that doing so would be the same as comparing eggplant to real food or the Metropolitan Opera to Elrod, who lives on eighth floor Harrill and sings in the shower. Another idea that I nearly followed up on was that of honoring our campus' janitors. You know them: thev're the good gnomes who sneak in while we're not looking and scrape the hair out of the drains. Also, and more importantly for many of our brvntheren, they keep the porcelain god in worshippable condition. I may resurrect this idea later this semester, after I procure some janitorial input. Another idea that leapt nimbly to mind was that of discussing the junior-high- dancish topic of the weather, but that subject suffered a severe playing-out last week, and the only thing that today's weather reminded me of was spring break. Fort Lauderdale, which has replaced the North Pole as a mystical source of yearly delights, is still a mere dot upon the horizon. Oh, excuse me. Far be it from yours truly to depress anybody. My final, serious consideration for a column topic was that of more reflections upon dormitory life. Activities on first floor Benton have become somewhat subdued; however, each individual has gained a sixth sense which warns him to step out of the shower the instant before someone flushes. He also knows with fair accuracy when it is safe to bend for dropped soap. But the single most important change that has taken place within first Benton's population since August might also help lend slight direction to a column which has thus far been filled with what one finds in ones barnyard. Everyone on my hall gets along. Indeed, there is no love lost between some individuals, but we've learned to cope with each others'idiosyncrasies and to live and interact with relative peacefulness. Some of our University's pace and example-setting organizations should take notice. As my R.A., Paul the Figurehead who is a terrific human being and a credit to his profession aften says, "Now why you got to be yellin'? Is that necessary?" * The Western Carolinian ♦ Tkt Western Carolinian, P.O. Box ti, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723 Editor: Heather Frey Design Editor: Donna McClure ^ Business Manager: Joe Fournier T^ W^ News/Feature Editor Kathy Sullivan Sports Editor: Mark Haskeu ^p Circulation Manager: Mike Johnston Sports Writer: Billy Graham Cartoonist: Kerry Jenkins The Western Carolinian is published weekly at the Mountaineer Press in Waynesville, N.C. Subscriptions are $10 per year for alumni and Big Cat Club Members, $16 for all others. * * ♦ * + * * ** ###**#****#* Typesetters: Sue Schluger t^^ Icresu Bentley Tessa Trine Ad Design: Lisa Reinhard Ad Sales: Brad Moses Danell Arnold Photographers: Danny Batten Mark Haskett Professor Simmons doesn*f "take kindly fo cheaters. for us to shut them down and poor journalism is not a good enough excuse. An independent publications board, so commonly used in other universities, seems to be the best solution and we support it fully. The reason that Heather Frey's article was off base is simple. She forgot to attend last week's meeting when several persons met to discuss the situation. The only information she had was what I had told her about over the phone when she called to apologize. She asked no questions and made known no intentions of publishing an article. Rob Edwards SGA President Dear Sir: Every year for the past few years my tax bill has been climbing. I, for one, do not like to keep paying more taxes. One way the counties receive revenue is to share in the income generated by timber sales on the National Forest lands. The larger the volume cut, the higher the dollar return to the county and the less pressure on us as taxpayers to pay more. Therefore it would be wise if every citizen in Western North Carolina would write to: Forest Supervisor; North Carolina National Forests; Box 2750; Asheville, NC 28802, and state that we like the job which they have been doing. We should state that we have faith in their ability to practice good land management and would like to see them proceed with their plans. This would be an indication that we favored Alternative G of the proposed Management Plan for the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest. Thank you. Yours truly, Peter R. Mount Dear Heather: Our organization hopes you will choose to print the following announcement for our next meeting, as it is our big event of the year. On Wednesday, February 13th at 7:00 PM in WCU's Niggli Theater the WCU Society for Animal Welfare will be sponsoring an educational program on animal rights entitled "Beyond the Species Barrier." The highlight of the presentation will be the screening of The Animals Film. Narrated by Julie Christie, this powerful 2 hour documentary graphically depicts the many forms of animal exploitation in Western Society. Admission is free and open to the public. The presentation at WCU is one of 7 our organization will be giving throughout Western North Carolina. We hope you will find the event significant enough to inform Western Carolinian readers and to have your staff cover the event personally. Sincerely, Liza Williams, President WCU Society for Animal Welfare

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1985-02-07
  • Date digitized: 2019-02-28
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 15"
  • Pages: 10 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1985-02-07_Vol49_No21
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library