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ivity to the test - 6
Black
.nuependent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community
INSIDE
Charlayne Hunter-
Gault’s book recounts
racism and segregation
at the University.
2
Weather: Clouds, low 60s. It
might rain tonight. Upper
40s.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1992 « ATHENS, GEORGIA » VOLUME 100, ISSUE 37
Pi Kappa Phi files last minute appeal
By RUSS BYNUM
Staff Writer
Pi Kappa Phi filed a written
appeal Monday with the Office of
Judicial Programs, contesting a
University ruling which suspended
the fraternity for a minimum of
one year.
The appeal was filed on the last
possible day, one week after the
Office of Judicial Programs grant
ed Pi Kappa Phi an extension past
its initial Nov. 2 deadline.
“The primary reason for the
appeal is to get the University to
reconsider the length of time (of
the suspension),” said Dink
Nesmith, an alumni advisor to the
fraternity. “We would like for the
University to take a look at what
has been accomplished before the
summer of *93."
Student Judicial Programs
Director Bill Bracewell said the
University has three days to write
a response to the appeal, after
which both the appeal and the
response will be presented to an
appeals board comprised of two
student justices and Associate Vice
President for Student Affairs Dan
Hallenbeck.
Bracewell said no date has been
set to review the appeal.
Pi Kappa Phi President James
“Tripp" Ackerman III could not be
reached for comment Monday.
In a closed administrative hear
ing Oct. 22 the fraternity was
found guilty of violating University
policy and falsification of
records/information for publishing
a pledge pamphlet containing the
phrase “no niggers."
According to the ruling, the
pamphlet violated an anti-discrim
ination clause included in the
Student Organization Registration
Certificate, which all University
organizations must file with the
signature of its presiding officer.
The clause states that the organi
zation cannot discriminate on the
basis of race, nationality, ethnic
origin, color, religion, sex, age or
handicap.
But the fraternity’s officers said
they felt the University’s decision
was paradoxical because it sus
pends the fraternity chapter while
simultaneously making it responsi
ble for meeting 14 requirements in
order to be readmitted in one year.
The decision specifies that the
fraternity must implement com
munity service projects, revise the
fraternity’s membership education
program, and develop racial sensi
tivity sessions for its members. Pi
Kappa Phi must also create a year
long program for the entire Greek
system, promoting diversity and
racial sensitivity.
Under the ruling, Pi Kappa Phi
is suspended from all chapter
activities that are not necessary
for meeting these requirements.
“I did not see that as paradoxi
cal," said Bracewell, who presided
over the fraternity’s hearing and
wrote the ruling. “It would have
been far simpler for the University
to tell them to go away and come
back in one year. I wrote the deci
sion that way because I want the
chapter to come back better than it
was before it left."
Nesmith said the chapter has
already begun meeting the require
ments set upon it by the University
and its national organization, and
had just returned from a sensitivi
ty seminar weekend retreat at
Clemson University .
Of the six other fraternities sus
pended from the University since
1980, two had their sentences
reduced on appeal.
“I would say that in a suspen
sion case the trend is toward
appeals,” Bracewell said, although
he could not specify how many of
those six fraternities actually filed
appeals.
Bill Bracewell
Coverdetl blames Fowler
for tax increase, recession
By TRAVIS RICE
Staff Writer
In his fourth campaign trip to
the University, Republican
Senatorial candidate Paul
Coverdell laid the blame for the
nation’s recession at the feet of
Senator Wychc Fowler, the incum
bent Democrat.
Calling the 1990 tax increase
the primary cause of the recession,
Coverdell said Fowler was the
“architect and chief promoter" of
the increase.
Coverdell implored almost 50
supporters, gathered at the hastily
prepared rally at the Tate Student
Center, to help him insure a high
return of his supporters on Nov. 24,
runoff election day.
Coverdeirs rally was not highly
publicized, organizers said, because
they received word of his visit one
day prior to the event.
Fowler’s press secretary, Norm
Kurz, responded to Coverdell’s
charges by calling them “mislead
ing."
“President George Bush request
ed that tax increase in the interest
of keeping the deficit down," Kurz
said. “All Fowler did was bite the
bullet and go along with the presi
dent in the interest of fiscal respon
sibility.”
Despite Coverdell’8 charges, he
said he is in a new campaign mode
for the runoff. Instead of attacking
Fowler full force, Coverdell spent
most of his speech describing the
“outpouring of support” he has
received since he forced Fowler into
Georgia’s first ever general election
runoff.
Juniors Mallory Wright and
Jenny Hansman said they knew
nothing about the speech until they
saw College Republicans setting up
for the rally.
“We just found out he would be
here five minutes ago,” Wright said
as she awaited Coverdell’s arrival.
“But we’re very excited he’s coming.
We both have previous engage
ments, but we are delaying those to
show our support for Mr.
Coverdell.” Wright was skipping a
lunch meeting, and Hansman was
putting off studying for a test.
However not everybody at the
Tate plaza was a Coverdell parti
san. The Young Democrats set up a
table with Fowler buttons, bumper
stickers and applications for absen
tee ballots. Throughout prepara
tions for the rally and Coverdell’s
speech itself, a steady stream of
people stopped at the Young
Democrats’ table.
“In the time the Republican can
didate for the Senate can speak to
a small rally of 50 people, we were
able to pass out twice that amount
in buttons,” said Young Democrats
Vice President Peter Kennedy.
Republican Senatorial candidate Paul Coverdell, running
against Wyche Fowler, spoke at the Tate Center Monday.
Students and politics mix in D.C.
By MAURA CORRIGAN
Staff Writer
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Bill
Clinton - the words are ringing through
Washington, for better or for worse. And seven
days after the election, the reality is quickly sink
ing in for the people living in the nation’s capital.
Emotions are mixed. Euphoria, uncertainty,
and even feelings of doom are prevalent through
out the city. Yet the overall consensus, as
expressed by President George Bush in his con
cession speech, is that Republicans and
Democrats must work together to strengthen
America and protect its interests.
While Washington began preparing for elec
tion day in mid-1991, student activists in the area
also became involved very early in hopes that
they could witness the victory of their candidate.
John Frutkin, a sophomore communications
mqjor at American University in Washington,
started the Clinton Coalition there in October of
1991. The sole purpose was to get Clinton elect
ed," he said.
The group’s membership renched 550 by elec
tion time, with many members also belonging to
the Young Democrats.
“Our main goal has been not only to get
Clinton elected but also to get students involved
in the process," said Laura Corvo of the Young
Democrats. "There’s been a lot of enthusiasm for
Clinton on our campus."
Activities sponsored by the Young Democrats
have included absentee ballot registration drives
on campus, volunteer work with the D.C. and
Maryland Clinton/Gore offices, and several road
trips to Clinton/Gore rallies including the Nov. 1
rally in Meadowlands, NJ.
“We think Clinton has an interest in our gen
eration," Corvo said. “One of the problems with
Bush and Perot is that they’re bypassing our gen
eration. Clinton has a vision for the future, and
we’re part of that future. Clinton will give us a
voice in that."
Meanwhile, the College Republicans at
American did their share to support the GOP
ticket by sponsoring registration drives, holding a
debate with the Young Democrats, volunteering
at the Republican National Committee
Headquarters in Washington, and rallying
against Clinton on several occasions.
“We got pretty loud,” said Todd Wood, D.C.
Chairman of the federation of • College
Republicans at American, of their rally against
Clinton during his speech at the Virginia Crab
Festival. “I had a bullhorn and the first thing
(Clinton) heard when he came out to speak was
Hey Bill, whyM you cheat on your wife?* I think
that shook him up the most."
Not all College Republicans in the D.C. area
were as personal in their approach, however,
especially at Georgetown University where
Clinton got his undergraduate degree from the
School of Foreign Service in International Affairs
in 1968.
“We feel that (Clinton’s election) can only help
the university," said Jay Murphy, a junior mar
keting major who is president of the Georgetown
College Republicans. “He’s a relatively competent
person."
“He’s no idiot, having been a Rhodes Scholar
and everything," Murphy said.
Murphy also said Clinton’s election will help to
increase the number of applicants to Georgetown
and to create more funding for the school.
The Young Democrats and Republicans of
Georgetown worked together along with the
Georgetown University Student Association in a
drive that registered over 900 students, said Joe
Selig, a junior history/govemment mtyor who is
president on domestic and foreign policy.
Don’t get sick, get stuck:
time for flu vaccinations
By JOAN RUM PH
Staff Writer
As the temperature outside
falls, the number of flu cases
rise, but vaccines are now
available and students can be
immunized to ward off viral
infections.
Nurses at the Gilbert
Health Center have begun to
administer flu shots at a cost
of $6 each for students and $10
each for faculty and staff.
“Last year 1,000 people
came in for flu shots, said
Ruth Orman, communication
specialist at the Gilbert Health
Center. “It won’t guarantee
that you won’t get the flu, but
it prevents the strains of flu
that the vaccine covers. The
shot will improve your chances
of fending ofT illness.’
Some students said they
feel the need to have a flu shot
as an added precaution.
“I have allergies and I tend
to get sick pretty easy," said
Ashley Jones, a senior from
Athens. “It’s better to be safe
than sorry.”
The Clarke County Health
Department, located at 345 N.
Harris St., is also providing flu
shots at a cost of $7 each.
The County Health
Department administered
about 1,500 shots last year.
“Last year we gave about
1,500 shots and didn’t have
enough vaccine to meet
demand,’ said a registered
nurse at the department. “ThiB
year we have given already
over 1,000 (shots) and don’t
expect to run out.’
People in high risk groups
are encouraged to have a flu
shot now rather than wait
until an influenza outbreak,
because it takes one to two
weeks to build up immunity
after the shot is administered.
Immunization lasts approxi
mately four months before it
begins to weaken.
The Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) defines influen
za or “flu” as a viral infection
of the nose, throat, bronchial
tubes and lungs that can affect
anyone. The flu is character
ized by fever, chills, cough, and
a sore or aching body.
The flu season laBts from
November to April.
The CDC reports that every
season is unique and that up to
20 percent of the population in
the United States can be
infected with influenza.
Of those infected, 1 percent
will require hospitalization
and up to 8 percent of those
hospitalized could die. In 1990,
nine out of 13 deaths related to
influenza and pneumonia in
Clarke County were from the
Athens area.
The CDC and World Health
Organizations monitor various
strains of influenza which
have circulated in the past
year and decide what strains
will be included in a vaccine.
Of those infected, 1
percent will require
hospitalization, and
up to 8 percent of
those hospitalized
could die.
This year’s vaccine provides
immunity against three
strains of influenza which are
predicted to occur in the
United States.
Officials from the CDC rec
ommend the flu vaccine be
administered to high risk
roups, which includes stu-
ents.
However, Orman said there
are a number of things people
can do to avoid coming down
with the flu besides getting a
flu shot.
Since influenza is an air-
bom virus, individuals should
wash their hands after they
blow their nose or cough. The
flu virus can be transmitted
from merely touching a door
knob.
“It comes down to basics,”
Orman said. “Don’t fatigue
yourself, eat right, get enough
sleep and limit stress to
impact your immunity to ill
ness."
After bugged beginning,
The Tate Center computer lab, now open, has 34 computers.
Tate Center computer lab drives on
By THERESA WALSH
Staff Writer
Despite recent hard drive problems,
the new Tate Student Center computer
lab is finally running at full speed.
The new lab, located on the second
floor, operated less than a week after its
Oct. 29 opening before its 34 computers
began crashing whenever 10 or more stu
dents used the system, supervisor Scott
Hamel said.
Students were losing any data that
hadn’t been saved.
Interface, the company who sold the
hardware to the University, provided a
temporary hard drive until a replace
ment could be sent.
Terry Brewer, manager of the public
access labs on campus, said they “allowed
people to come in and use the computers
(with the temporary drive) to determine
it was the hardware."
The lab was closed Friday and
Saturday while the hard drive and con
troller were replaced, Brewer said.
“I’d rather close it to the public than
let them run the risk of losing their
data," he said.
Brewer said this type of problem is not
unusual in new systems.
“(It is) typical of a new operation," he
said. “All brand-new hardware can fail."
Brewer said this brand of hardware
had been used before on campus, but it
was new to his computer labs. He said he
was always looking for new and better
equipment for the University.
The University added the Tate com
puter lab to reduce the waiting lists at
the nine other campus labs. Brewer said
he didn’t have any specific numbers
about the amount of lab users, but he is
developing a program to keep track of
them.
Hamel said about 100 people check in
daily at the Tate lab .
The Tate Center asked the University
to put computers in the student center,
because there was a lab located there
years ago, Hamel said. That lab was
closed when the equipment became out
dated and out of use.
“I think they are trying to round out
the Tate Center," he said.
Hamel said the lab hasn’t been too
crowded because students don’t realize
it’s there. However, he said he expects
business to pick up soon.
“It’s a real nice lab to work in." he
said. “(With its layout) we can service the
University community better. We can
look at their perplexed looks and help
them."
Brewer said the Tate lab has worked
closely with Disability Services, whose
office is upstairs in the center, to provide
a lot of specialized computer equipment
for the disabled.
He said there are special work sta
tions for those in wheelchairs, plus the
lab is elevator accessible.