Newspaper Page Text
The Red and Black
Athena, Qa. Friday, April 9, 1982 Vol.BO, No.87
An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community
News 543-1809 Advertising 543-1791
By JAN HI LLINGS
and C.E. REINEKE
Kcd and Black Staff Writer*
Russell adopts lax fire-alarm policy
Weekend alarm
shutoffs violate
state fire codes
The University will no longer require students to
evacuate Russell Hall at the sound of fire alarms, and
officials admit the building is less safe since the in
stallation of a new smoke detection system two weeks
ago
In a memo circulated to resident assistants in
Russell Hall Wednesday, officials blamed “some
system malfunctions and student abuse of the
system" for the recent rash of alarms in the building.
The fire alarm system is part of a $390,000
renovation of the fire safety facilities in Russell,
Brumby and Creswell halls authorized by the Board
of Regents.
Sources indicate that since March 27 there have
been some 30 alarms sounded in three high-rise
dormitories. Officials at Russell Hall said there have
been at least 15 alarms in that dorm alone.
The memo allows Russell Hall students to remain
in the dorm despite signals for evacuation. This
policy does not apply to residents of Creswell and
Brumby Halls.
“We as a staff will treat every alarm as a potential
fire," the memo reads. “We expect people to
evacuate when an alarm sounds We will not force
people to leave. If you wish to stay in what could be a
burning building, that is your decision."
In the past the University has required all students
to evacuate or face disciplinary action.
The memo is also critical of the fire alarm system
as a whole.
“University Housing did not request this system
nor did we want it," the memo read. “The decision to
install this system was made by the Georgia
Legislative Committee on Fire Safety in UGA
residence halls and by the Board of Regents. We had
no input into the type of system installed, nor were we
told when it would be operating until two days before
it was turned on.”
Byron Finch, resident life coordinator for Russell
Hall, said Thursday he had written the memo with
University Housing Director Dan Hallenbeck's
consent.
"The action I took was approved by Hallenbeck,”
Finch said. "I think he would not have made this
decision ill-advised."
Hallenbeck admitted he knew of the memo, but
said he was not sure if the housing department would
waive the existing policy of referring to the student
judiciary students who refused to evacuate during
fire alarms.
“We’re going to be reasonable,” he said.
Dwight Douglas, vice president for Student
Affairs, said he was aware a letter had been sent to
members of the housing staff indicating difficulties
with fire safety improvements. "We do encourage
compliance with all safety precautions,” he said.
But, he added, “It's not up to the University to force
someone out.”
"1 guess we're damned if we do and we're damned
if we don’t," Finch said. "I think we are responsible
for getting people out of the building." But, he added,
there is a point at which the staff members must
consider their own safety.
“We were involved in a lot of, shall we say, violent
confrontations (with Russell Hall residents)," said
Graduate Resident Jim Garcia.
Finch said he was dissatisfied with the new fire
safety system.
Tim Luckadoo, a graduate resident at Russell Hall,
said he was also dissatisfied with the new system.
“If it were foolproof, then we would welcome it with
open arms," he said "But, in effect, it’s made the
building less safe."
During a fire alarm at Russell Hall Thursday af
ternoon, Luckadoo said “the majority of residents did
not leave the building.”
Bernard Moreland, a 6th floor Russell Hall
resident, said, "It’s now to the point where people
won't go. People don't take them (alarms)
seriously."
Housing officials said they would continue to alert
all residents whenever an alarm is sounded.
“We're banging on every door,” Luckadoo said.
But it is up to the residents to “be responsible and use
sound judgement" in deciding whether to evacuate
There were two alarms sounded in Russell Hall
Wednesday night, and only about one-quarter of the
residents left the dorm. Finch said.
"Right now the building is unsafe as it is," he said.
—Red and Black staff writer
assisted in preparing this story.
Jack Threadgill
Hy MARK B. FLEMING
Krd and Hlark A**latant New* Kdltor
University Housing officials who
have shut down Russell Hall fire alarm
systems on at least three occasions are
in violation of state fire codes, said
state and county fire officials Thurs
day.
“It is illegal to cut them off," said
Assistant County Fire Marshal Louis
Ford
“We do not have any jurisdiction on
campus for enforcement of fire codes
Student fee hikes
expected for fall
By EVE MAJOR
Knl and Black Sail Writer
University students will face about a
12 percent increase in housing costs and
a $5 quarterly increase in health fees
next fall, Dwight Douglas, vice
president for Student Affairs, said
Thursday.
Health fees are now $35 a quarter,
and housing costs range from $223 to
$323. The increases will raise health
fees to $40 a quarter, and housing will
range from about $250 to $360.
The Board of Regents will not
determine the amount of the increase in
student activity fees until their May
meeting, but Student Affairs has
requested an increase of "less than 20
percent," Douglas said.
Douglas had predicted last year that
student activity fees would more than
double
Inflation, and construction and
maintenance of the new student center
are the primary reasons for the in
crease in student activity fees, Douglas
said. The University's current student
activity fee of $10.50 per quarter is
lower than that of most other in state
institutions Georgia Tech charges $24
quarterly — $10 of which goes to
maintain their student center, Georgia
State University charges $20 a quarter,
the Medical College of Georgia charges
$15, Middle Georgia College charges
$25, and West Georgia College charges
$40
“We are just substantially below
other places in the first place,” Douglas
said. “If we'd been charging what
everybody else had, we wouldn’t be
going up. Inflation has finally caught up
with us, plus we've got the new
building.”
Utility and phone costs, which have
caused the 12 percent increase in
housing, have actually increased more
than 12 percent. Housing costs will
probably keep going up every year,
Douglas said. “It's just the cost of
business. It will go up whatever the
increased costs are. We can't make any
money. It’s a break-even proposition."
Health fees will go up only $5 a
quarter, Douglas said, because
students who use the health center
sometimes are charged more than just
the basic quarterly fee. Health Services
has increased its money intake about
1,000 percent over the last three or four
years, he said. "I think they’ve done a
real good job over there."
The last increase in health fees was
three years ago, and housing costs went
up last year. “The increases are really
quite modest considering what inflation
has been and when the last increase
was,” Douglas said.
The regents usually approve fee
increases in April, Douglas said, but
this year the decision has been delayed
until May because next year’s tuition
has not yet been determined. Economic
problems have contributed to the
slowdown, Douglas said. "The regents
have not yet announced what tuition
increases will be," he said. "1 doubt
that they know themselves. They’re
still collecting data
“I look at the delay as really sort of
positive," Douglas said. "The regents
want to look at everything very
carefully, they want to look at the whole
package '
Labor secretary says
jobless rate will drop
ATLANTA (UPI) — Labor Secretary
Raymond J. Donovan said Thursday
the nation’s unemployment rate will
probably rise slightly — but will not
reach double-digit joblessness - before
starting a downward trend late this
year.
At a news conference prior to ad
dressing the Georgia Business and
Industry Association, Donovan also
said leaders of the AFL-CIO are
making “a terrible error" by aligning
organized labor with the Democratic
Party.
He denied the Reagan administration
is too cozy with big business and said it
has unsuccessfully asked organized
labor to nominate its members for the
Republican National Committee.
Donovan declined to estimate how
high unemployment might rise before
Reagan's economic programs reverse
the trend, but predicted the jobless rate
would remain below 10 percent and that
the recovery would start late this year.
He said the administration will not
“throw in the towel" by giving up on its
budget cuts and tax reductions to hold
down unemployment
“I believe that it will tick up slightly,
one more time, before heading down
That's my personal belief," Donovan
said
The nation's jobless rate was set at
9.8 percent last week.
“Our aim is to get unemployment
down without priming the pump, and
this is where the patience and the
courage of the American people is
But will he go pro?
Pholo/.S«m Kaful
llerschel Walker has already decided against turning to pro
football next year, but will he gu for pro billiards? Let's hope
not, but Just in case he does, he'd better practice up. And
that's exactly what he did Thursday afternoon in Memorial
llall ballroom with pocket-pool expert Jack White, llerschel
looks pretty confident, but White looks a bit concerned. And
White had good reason to be concerned; moments after the
picture was taken Walker sank the eight ball and beat White.
White’s pretty good. loo. He received a "poolology" degree
from Notre Dame, but, heck, llerschel's never had loo much
trouble with Notre Dame. In fact, he probably hud an easier
time with their football team than he had with White.
and regulations," said Clarke County
Fire Chief Tom Eberhart, “but we plan
to get in touch with (University Fire
Safety Cfucer Clint) Almond and others
in safety services tomorrow The
system is supposed to be in operation at
all times,” he said. "If some in
dividuals took it upon themselves to
shut down the system, then we’ll have
to look into it."
State Fire Marshall Bob Gore said
those responsible could possibly be
charged with violations of the fire
codes. “I assume it would be a misde
meanor," he said.
According to Article 101 Life Safety
Code Section 2. “Every dormitory shall
have a manual lire alarm system in ac
cordance with 6-3," which requires fire
alarms that will warn residents and
summon aid, and also monitor special
areas of higher risk.
University Housing Director Dan
Hallenbeck and several other Russell
Hall resident assistants confirmed that
the alarm system had been shut down
several times.
"The system has been shut down
completely at least three times," said
Byron Finch, a Russell Hall resident
life coordinator. He said the system
was shut down once "for an entire
weekend ”
Hallenbeck said it was up to the
graduate resident on duty to determine
whether or not to shut down the alarm
system, but added that final approval
for the shutdown must come from
Finch, Assistant Housing Director Bob
Huss or himself.
Three people have been specially
hired to patrol Russell Hall while the
system is turned off, Hallenbeck said.
Hallenbeck admitted that the shut
down of the alarm system was
"probably" in violation of state fire
codes. "We want to provide the
students security,” he said, "but we
also want them to be able to get a good
night's sleep."
Red and Black News Editor Jan Hull-
ings assisted in preparing this story.
being tested,” Donovan said.
"Hopefully, within a year we will see
that rate not only on its way down, but
rapidly declining."
Donovan said he is "not bothered" by
the decision of labor leaders at the
recent AFL-CIO convention in Miami
Beach to pour money and volunteer
work into Democratic campaigns, and
to support opponents of congressional
members who backed Reagan's
economic policy Donovan said he
would campaign this fall for members
who helped Reagan get his tax cuts and
budget restraints enacted last year
He said, however, he was worried
about a permanent alliance between
the labor movement and either political
party.
“It does bother me that the present
leadership of the AFL-CIO seems to be
moving the labor movement directly
into the Democratic Party," Donovan
said “That's a slight exaggeration, but
at least that's the trend 1 think that's a
terrible error for the AFL-CIO."
Donovan said the late George Meany
consistently refused attempts to forge
permanent links between the unions
and either party
"What we're saying to labor is,
specifically. Appoint or give us some
names of labor leaders who we can put
on the Republican National Com
mittee,"' Donovan said “It's much
more effective to work for change from
within than it ii to carp from the out
side."
Spring’s holy days of celebration, feasting
Christians, Jews
recall their roots on
Easter and Passover
By JOHN O’BRIKN
Krd and Hlark ( ofitrlbutlnft Writer
A buck toothed rodent could not possibly carry
baskets of eggs around without dropping and
crushing every one of them. It’s physically im
possible: the thing cannot exist.
But this Easter season doesn't need its bunny —
not like Halloween needs its costumes and Saint
Patrick's Day needs its green. For it is at this time
of year — early spring that some of the most im
portant celebrations in the Jewish and Christian
faiths take place Passover and Easter
The two are more than casually related Jesus
participated in the Passover tradition of the
sacrifice of a lamb the night before his crucifixion,
and he died on Passover Day.
No holy day or festival in the Christian year can
compare in importance with Easter Sunday The
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the belief
most central to the Christian faith Christians
believe that by his dying Jesus accomplished a
reconciliation between God and man.
Passover, or Pesach, is the seven-day (or eight-
day for Orthodox Jews) festival observed in
thanksgiving for the deliverance of the Israelites
the night before they fled from Egypt The
firstborn of each Egyptian family was destroyed
by an angel of God, but the children of the
Israelites had been "passed over" because they
had lamb's blood over their doors
Moses, proclaiming the command of God,
ordered that each Hebrew family should slay a
lamb and sprinkle its blood on the doorframe of
each house Following this sacrifice, the lamb was
roasted and eaten with the traditional unleavened
bread, and garnished with bitter herbs
According to Jewish law, this same ceremony
was to take place annually on the eve of the eve of
the Passover, and is still practiced by Orthodox
Jews
Although there are connections between
Passover and Easter, the two celebrations are very
different in the customs and traditions surrounding
them. And some of the meanings behind the
customs have been lost over the years
To begin with, the Easter Bunny is not supposed
to be rabbit at all but a hare - a rather picky point
— but one that subtracts from the Easter themes of
“new life" and "springtime."
You see, hares are born with their eyes open,
rabbits are born blind; the Egyptian name for the
hare is un, meaning “to open " And according to
legend, the hare was thought never to blink or close
its eyes, a symbol of everlasting life
The meaning behind the Easter egg seems to
have been lost as well. According to tradition, the
egg also symbolizes new life. This is well expressed
in the I,atin proverb: Omne vivum ex ovo — “All
life comes from an egg ’'
The egg has been a symbol of new life throughout
history According to Indian mythology, the world
was created out of an egg The Hindu scriptures
say, "In the beginning, this world was merely non-
being It was existent. It developed It turned into
an egg."
But for Christians, the egg symbolizes Jesus'
new life after he rose from the dead
The tradition of wearing new clothes on Easter
also began as a way of signifying a new beginning
But it was soon followed by superstitions There
is an old American belief, for instance, that says if
you don't wear three new things on Easter Sunday,
you'll be followed by evil spirits the rest of the
year
The traditions of Passover, however, have not
been ever-changing One of the most important of
these is the obligation of the Jewish people to retell
the story of the Exodus from Egypt, explaining the
symbols of the Passover meal:
“When your children shall say unto you: What
mean ye by this service? that ye shall say: It is the
sacrifice of the Lord's passover, for that He passed
over the house of the children of Israel in Egypt.”
(Exodus 12:26-27)
This exchange between the generations takes
place at the dinner table, in a ceremony known as
the Seder ("order”). The Seder has, in fact, come
to be the central part of the Passover celebration,
replacing the sacrifice of the lamb
Neither holiday is celebrated on the same date
from one year to the next Finding the date for
either one can be quite complicated
Easter, which was first observed in the second
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century, comes on the first Sunday following the
first full moon after the vernal equinox (the beginn
ing of spring) It can fall anywhere between March
22 and March 25
Passover is observed for seven days beginning
on the eve of the fifteenth day of the lunar month of
Nisan. which means it comes sometime in March
or April The earliest observance of Passoter was
in 1300 B.C.