• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1989-03-22_Vol54_No22_01

The Western Carolinian i olume 54, Number 22 VOICE OF THE STUDENTS Wednesday, March 22,1989 Phone (704) 227-7267 P.O. ! Briefs The Environmental Protection Agency confirms that some of its scientists are recommending a partial ban on the insecticide Aldi- carb. The researchers say the chemical presents a health risk to children and infants and should be banned from us on potatoes and bananas. Officials say all three crew members of a Brazilian cargo plane and at least seven people on the ground were killed when the plane crashed and exploded in a Shanty- town yesterday. The crash near Sao Paulo also injured more than 100 people. The Supreme Court is out with its first decisions on drug testing in the workplace. It's ruled that mandatory testing is acceptable for people who want drug- enforcement jobs with the customs service and railroad workers involved in accidents. Hunter Library Re-opens on Ground Floor; Cleanup Still in Progress Knowing how to add, subtract and multiply just isn't good enough anymore. A teachers group says American students do okay in Math, but can't compete when it comes to applying the skills beyond rote arithmetic. So the National Council of Teachers of Mathmatics is recommending ways to make math more interesting, including access to calculators and computers at every level of education. What's Inside? KA Marathon Alumni Tower ROTC Joe Meigs as Athlete AAUW Scholarships Forensics Team Art Display Pro Rodeo in Ramsey Writers Series Brings Two Authors Track & Field Teams Open Schedule Cats Take 2 of 3 from Bulldogs Matt Raleigh Named Player of the Week by Christine Faris NEWS EDITOR Although the initial decision was to close WCU's Hunter Library until this semester's end following a Feb. 26 fire that destroyed the media center's sound and video recordings collection and caused smoke damage throughout the building, a portion of the library re-opened last week. Last Tuesday the library's ground floor section opened, allowing access to most of the university's circulating books. In addition, photocopy machines, reference services, and a reserved collection at a temporary circulation desk are available. The subject catalog is now available, but author and title sections of the card catalog will not become available until the opening of the entire library. Meanwhile, cleanup work on the library's main and above floors, the areas hardest hit by smoke damage, is in process. According to WCU officials, it may cost over $1 million to clean, repair, and replace materials. "How much more than $1 million, we have no way of telling at this point," according to CJ. Carter, WCU business affairs vice chancellor. "We won't BACK IN BUSINESS»WCU*s Hunter Library is back in operation, at least on a limited basis, after a Feb. 26 fire forced the library to shut down for two weeks. Students waiting to check out books are (Lto R): Tim Wise, Ashley Martin, and John Sisk. know until each computer, projector, tape player, compact disk player, and VCR can be torn down, cleaned up, put back together, plugged in and allowed to run for awhile." "Until we do that, we don't know if it's a good piece of equipment or not," continued Carter. "There are simply no shortcuts in that process." According :o Carter, the reference books, periodicals, children's books, microfilm, special collections, and map libraries may be available in mid-April. WCU and the Council of State has approved Atlanta's M.F. Bank Restoration Co. to do the cleanup and restoration work. Western has awarded two contracts to M.F. Bank. The first, not to exceed Possinger Resigns as Head Basketball Coach by Larry Gray SPORTS EDITOR Dave Possinger, 46, officially announced his resignation as basketball coach at Western Carolina University on Tuesday, March 14. While fighting back tears, Possinger read a two-and- a-half page statement at a press conference held at Asheville's Sheraton Inn. Prior to his statement, Ike Northup, Possinger's attorney, said no questions from the media would be answered. The embattled first-year coach said a loss of faith from WCU Chancellor Myron Coulter led to his decision. Possinger strongly denied committing or directing any violations of NCAA rules. The. WCU basketball program has been the subject of an in-housc investigation into possible recruiting violations. The results of that investigation are complete and have been forwarded to the NCAA. "There have been vicious rumors lately concerning many things, including possible NCAA recruiting violations at Western Carolina," said Possinger. "Let me state categorically and for the record that I have never committed any NCAA recruiting violations. I was raised by my father to believe, and I heartily believe, that a man has his word, and after that is gone he has nothing. Let mc repeat...I have never violated any NCAA rule or any other rule during the past year, nor did I direct any of my assistants to do so." In a statement released following the resignation, Chancellor Coulter said Possinger voluntarily submitted his resignation and it was accepted March 9. "Coach Possinger said that he had concluded that the university feels it is not in it's best interest for him to remain as men's head basketball coach, and I concur in that conclusion." Possinger came to WCU after nine highly successful seasons at St. Thomas Aquinas, an NAIA school near New York City. During his last seven years at St. Thomas, he was the win- ningest coach in college basketball at any level. His last St. Thomas team set a collegiate record by posting 39 wins. Despite his off-court problems, the Catamounts exceeded most everyone's expectations this season. Although they again finished last in the Southern Conference, their 12- 16 record was a significant improvement over last year. In addition, there were several close losses to some of the better teams in the league. "During the past year, I thought the team achieved amazing success," said Possinger. "We had a 50 percent increase in wins, a 39 percent increase in home game attendance, improved from seventh to second place in conference field goal percentage, doubled the number of our Southern Conference victories and finished second in the conference in team defense. Despite that, it has become increasingly clear to me in recent days that the university WCU and Others Named in AP Suit by Richard Sumner (from AP Reports) STAFF WRITER RALEIGH-Five University of North Carolina institutions, including Western Carolina University, have been named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by the Associated Press. The AP is seeking public access to employment contracts for athletic directors and basketball coaches. The AP sought contract information to look at conditions of employment, including whether outside income was allowed from sources such as endorsements, camps, and public appearances. Western Carolina, N.C. State, UNC-Chapcl Hill, UNC-Wilming- ton, East Carolina, and each school' s chancellor are named in the suit. "The issue is whether employment contracts between the state and its employees are public records within the meaning of public records law," said Wade Har grove, a Raleigh attorney representing the AP. "If they are, then the public is entitled to see them. Some of the contracts with athletic officials involve significant financial obligations by the state, and the Associated Press believes North Carolina's taxpayers have the right to know the full extent of these financial obligations." The Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records law limits the type of information that can be disclosed. Current salary, date of employment, and date of most recent position $50,000, is an emergency preservation attempt to provide special protection to high-technology equipment in the library, such as computers, audiovisual equipment, and microfilm readers. The second contract, for $685,000, is for the basic restoration and cleanup work. The first step in the cleanup process is removing the smoke odor from the library and it's contents. According to Joey Taylor, M.F. Bank project manager, crews are using various methods—including ozone deodorizers, household-type deodorants and hot-steam "fogging"—to remove odors. Crews have sealed off the gutted media center area by using polyurethane sheets and temporary wooden walls to contain soot and dust stirred up by the demolition of burnt walls and by the removal of damaged equipment. Also, cleanup in the periodicals and reference section is underway. As much soot as possible is being vacuumed off the books, magazines, desks, and carpet. After this is completed, workers will use special rubber sponges which will act like pencil erasers to remove soot that can't be vacuumed. "The first phase of the cleanup will get 75-80 percent of the soot off," said Ron Rainey, M.F. Bank operations manager. "The hard part is getting that other 20-25 percent off." After the soot is removed from each book or other object, it will be covered with sheets of polyurethane to prevent recontamination by dust and soot. Yet another phase of the project is that of cleaning electronic equipment. M.F. Bank workers and WCU electronics experts will disassemble each piece of equipment, wash and dry it using special chemicals, dry it again in low-temperature ovens to remove any moisture or chemicals, and then reassemble it. The State Bureau of Investigation, the State Department of Insurance, and WCU's Public Safety Office have stated that the fire started in an overhead fluorescent light fixture and was caused by an explosion in the fixture. There was no evidence of arson and WCU is fully insured. has lost faith in me as head basketball coach. Despite my best efforts, it appears that the university feels it is not in it's best interest for me to remain as the men's head basketball coach. For that reason I have tendered to Chancellor Coulter, and he has accepted, my resignation," added Possinger. Possinger thanked the fans for the support given to him and the program and wished the school the best of luck in the future. The resignation becomes effective May 11. change are among the categories that can be made public under the law. The AP asked the state-supported schools for copies of the contracts in February. The AP was doing research following a controversy about the late Joe Morrison's football contract at the University of South Carolina. UNC- Ashcville and Appalachian State provided contracts. UNC-Chapel Hill lawyer Susan Ehringhaus told the AP that the university is only allowed to disclose the salary, date of hire, title, and the latest salary increase. East Carolina University stated that the contracts were "of a private nature." The Associated Press is a news agency that serves 1,480 daily newspapers and 5,700 broadcast stations, including 55 newspapers and 150 broadcast stations in North Carolina. The Chancellors of each university have stated they believe that disclosure of contracts is against the law, and that this case should resolve any future dispute.

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: 1989-03-22
  • Date digitized: 2019-09-12
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 14.25"
  • Pages: 16 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_1989-03-22_Vol54_No22
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library