• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1990-02-12_Vol55_No14_01

1#£ cW(ESct(E%3tC^P^l(Hl^C Serving the students and the Western Carolina University community since 1933 Volume 55, Number 14 Monday, February 12, 1990 Cullowhee, North Carolina Taylor looks into budget cuts Susan Hatfield Staff Writer SGA President Brent Taylor went to the state's capital Friday, Feb. 2nd, to speak with the Governor Jim Martin about Western's half a million dollar budget cut. A number of unanticipated elements ranging from business ventures to natural disasters have affected the state's budget, says Taylor. The takeover of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco company by Kolburg, Kravis, and Roberts cost the state $40 million because the government mistakenly expected revenues from tax exempt foundations which included capital gains. Also, the tragedy of hurricane Hugo cost North Carolina $21 mil lion, and the change in tax codes caused a $130 million shortfall in the state's budget. With all of these problems and changes the state was at a loss of $170 million. Since the N.C. constitution prohibits the government from deficit spending, cuts had to be made. All the universities had a cut in their budget and while some tended to have more than others, Western was able to overcome this obstacle. Although a half a million dollars seems like a lot of money, it will not cause a drastic change to the university. However, some organizations will have to wait before purchasing new equipment. Student Services will not be affected by the budget cut. The ones Brent Taylor met with Gov. Martin in Raleigh Feb. 2nd who the cut will affect the most are the faculty and staff; and it is not yet known how drastic the change will be. The state government spends $1.1 billion yearly on higher education, 16% of the state's total budget. This percentage puts us in the top ten per capita. Other universities in the state had suffered a cut of 6%, while Western's budget was cut 5%. The University of North Carolina at Asheville had only a 2% decrease. The government was very receptive to the representatives as well as light-hearted and well prepared during the meeting, says Taylor. The governor said he understands the importance of college funding, and he used to deal with such matters when he was a professor at Davidson Col lege. He expects the cuts of this, the third quarter, to be approximately the same as those in the quarter ahead. Taylor also spoke with Martin about an issue that was brought up last semester about Tuition Defense Initiative, which proposed that an increase in tuition would set a certain percentage to go toward Financial Aid. The governor says that he will take this issue to the next meeting of the N.C. General Assembly. The trip to Raleigh, including the meeting with the governor, was very successful, says Taylor. The governor maintains that in future years the state should not have to experience drastic cuts because the government will be able to forecast revenues better after this initial tax code change. Gov. Jim Martin to speak in Hoey Marlyse Rappoport Contributing Writer WCU has begun a new year, and the continuing centennial celebrations are set to include Governor James Martin, who will speak at the School of Arts and Sciences Symposium beginning Wednesday, Feb. 15th. He will speak on the theme "The Value of Liberal Arts in a Technological Age." Being a former professor at Davidson College and student, "Martin is especially suited to talk about the relevance of the liberal arts since he himself is a product of [a] liberal arts [program]," remarks Clifford Lo v in, dean of WCU' s School of Arts and Sciences. The Governor's Governor Martin speech will kick off the symposium, which will begin Feb 15th at 2 p.m. in Hoey Auditorium. Following Martin's address, there will be an "Open House" of all the de partments of the School from 3- 4:30 p.m. The exhibitions of the departments are as follows: "North Carolina Glass '9C will be presented by the art department.This exhibition by North Carolina artists whose craft is glasswork will take place in the Belk and Chelsea Galleries. Also, Jerry Monteith a native of Jackson County will display his architectural installation, entitled "Swinging Bridge," in the foyer of the Belk Building. WCU alumnus Keith Ramsey, assistant professor of medicine and microbiology at the University of Texas medical branch, will give a seminar on the AIDS virus. Another alumnus, Larry Tucker, will present his photographs in the Natural Science Building. Students and faculty will be giving tours of the labs and special equipment used in the chemistry and physics departments. Demonstrations of the geographic information systems mapping equipment of the geosciences, anthropology and the natural resources management program will begin in Stillwell 209. Also taking place will be the reopening of the geology museum in Stillwell 247. Both the computer science and math departments will display graphics techniques, which visitors may view at anytime. The bicentennial of France's Independence and the centennial of the founding of Western Carolina University will be exhibited by the modem foreign language department. Tracing the evolution of beliefs held by the people of the Western North Carolina region will be ex- "Martin is especially suited to talk about the relevance of the liberal arts since he himself is a product of a liberal arts program." -Clifford Lovin plored by the religion and the philosophy department. "Social Work Students and Prac- tioners" is the theme of the department of social work exhibit. The computer that connects WCU to the public schools and across the state called Micronet will be demonstrated in the Natural Science Building, room 327. The Mountain Aquaculture Research Center, located in the Natural Science Building, will also be open. A reception in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center will commence after the "Open House." All faculty members and guests of the School are welcome to attend. The reception will begin at 4:30 p.m. In Hoey Auditorium at 8 p.m. Feb. 27th, the music department will give a centennial concert. Also, the department of music and speech and theatre arts will perform "Cavelleria Rusticana" Feb. 22th-24th at 8p.m. in Hoey Auditorium. For more information, contact the School of Arts and Sciences at 227- 7436. Alumnus to lecture on AIDS research Jeff Amnions Associate Editor WCU graduate Dr. Keith Ramsey will be giving two public lectures on February 15 at WCU concerning his research into the AIDS virus. The first talk will be at 3:30 pm in Room 118 of the Natural Science Building. This will be a technical lecture entitled "Effects of HIV— I on Natural Killer Cytotoxicity." The second presentation is geared more for the general public and will be held at 7:30 pm in the auditorium of the Natural Sciences Building. The lecture, entitled "Global Effects of AIDS," will address the AIDS Epidemic from a medical and historical perspective. Ramsey said that this talk will deal with the "spread of the AIDS virus and its economic and medical impact on health systems and society." He further said that he will begin by considering problems in the US and then move to problems facing third world countries. "AIDS is now considered to be pandemic," Ramsey said, "that is to say it is world-wide. Virtually every country who reports to the World Health Organization has reported cases of AIDS." He also said that studies conducted at universities in Texas have shown that at least 1 in 500 students tested positive for AIDS. Ramsey is a member of the faculty at the University of Texas medical branch at Galveston. "You really have to wear three hats," he said of his duties. "You have to see patients, teach, and do research." Ramsey has presented his research at several conferences and symposia including the Fourth International Conference on AIDS in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1988. From the conference he went to the University of Helsinki and presented his research to the scientists working there. Ramsey is a native of Sylva who graduated from WCU with a bachelor of science degree in biology. Dr. Paul Wright of the biology department recalls Ramsey as being a very motivated student. "He was an excellent student," said Dr. Wright. "He graduated magna cum laude despite being very active in his fraternity." Ramsey was president of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity at WCU. He was also active in the student government, serving as Chief Justice of the Student Supreme Court in his senior year. "Being involved with the fraternity was a really good experience for me in general," he said. "Fraternities can offer a good experience in terms of an individual's growth in social and leadership skills." In 1977 he graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the Medical College of Virginia, where he worked on research fellowships in virology and clinical infectious diseases. In 1983 he joined the University of Texas Medical Division at Galveston. His wife, Beth, also works at UTMD as Director of Nursing Services for Internal Medicine. Ramsey is the son of Mrs. Donald Ramsey of Fisher Creek, Sylva, and the late Dr. Ramsey. Ramsey is currently working on establishing The Dr. Don Ramsey Family Scholarship at Western. "My brother and I both graduated from Western and our father was always a contributor, so we wanted to establish a scholarship for pre-professional students. I also graduated from Chapel Hill, but I thought we could make a greater impact at WCU." The scholarship will be an endowed, ongoing position based on merit which will assist pre-professional students in their third and fourth years. Ramsey almost didn't become a doctor at all. "I've always been torn between music and sci ence," he said. "I went with a group of about fifteen from WCU for a quarter in England in 1971. Curtis Wood led that trip. We were the first ones to go. It was during the Vietnam War and it was really interesting to see the reactions in a country where the people didn't think it [the war] was a good idea. When I came back I changed my major to music for a couple of quarters." His mother said that he missed the labs and science in general and so switched back to biology. Ramsey will be the seventh speaker in the Centennial Visiting Scholars Seminar Program, hosted by WCU's biology department as part of Western's centennial celebration. The series features nine WCU biology alumni who have made significant contributions to their fields. For further information, call 227- 7244. Catamounts to call Madison home next year Ellen Furey Staff Writer Madison, WCU's oldest residence hall, will be reopening for students sometime next school year, and Reynolds will be closed for renovations. Located right below Reynolds, Madison had been leased to the North Carolina Center for Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT). According to Mr. Randy Rice, director of housing, the NCCAT will be moving out of Madison into their new location this coming summer. Madison was originally closed to students because the student enrollment was not as great and the housing was not needed. In the last few years, however, enrollment has increased. Housing is expecting nearly 100% dormitory occupancy by both males and females next fall. Once Madison is empty, residents of Reynolds will be able to move in. Reynolds may close for renovations as "early as the "Housing is expecting nearly 100% dormitory occupancy by both males and females next fall. To accomodate the increasing male enrollment, three more floors of Walker will house men." -Randy Rice spring 1991 semester," said Rice. The renovations should take about one year, he said. Reynolds has room for 300 men, but it has only 250 occupants as of this semester. Only 120 men are expected to return to Reynolds next year. Madison will have room for 140 students. To accommodate the increasing male enrollment, three more floors of Walker will house men. Since there are so many empty rooms in Scott, Helder, Buchanan, and the female floors of Walker, there should not be any major problems in relocating the women on those three floors, said Rice. The renovations for Reynolds include upgrading the electrical, steam, and heating systems. Also, the plumbing in the bathrooms and ventilation system will be repaired. The main differences between Reynolds and Madison arc that Madison has bigger rooms, carpeted floors, and one bathroom for each wing, said Rice. NEWS PEOPLE / ENTERTAINMENT SPORTS SGA discusses condom dispensers Benzene contamination follow-up 2 2 Richard Marx to vistit 7 Lulu's Cafe review 8 Marshall game Baseball team 9 11 Letters to the Editor 4-5 | Student on the Street 4

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: 1990-02-12
  • Date digitized: 2019-09-24
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 14.25"
  • Pages: 12 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_1990-02-12_Vol55_No14
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library