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■ Defensive back Robinson appears off team - 2
The Red & Black
An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community
■ INSIDE
• Plotless, pointless
Clueless' gets a C
• $1,000 purse to be
offered in Saturday
off-road bike race
THURSDAY. OCTOBER 17, 1996 • ATHENS, GEORGIA • VOLUME 104, ISSUE 20
Officials:
Ramsey
no worry
Chemical spill, gas leak
may have tripped alarm
By CHANDLER BROWN
Staff Writer
Although officials say they aren’t sure what
triggered an alarm that caused about 1,500 peo
ple to evacuate the Ramsey Student Center
Tuesday night, an administrator said the build
ing is safe.
Matt Hackette, assistant director of facilities
for the Ramsey Center, said he was pleased with
Tuesday night’s evacuation. “Everyone did a
great job getting out,” he said.
Although the fire alarm has had minor mal
functions over the past year, Hackette said stu
dents are safe in the 420,000-square-foot sports
complex. “We were prepared to handle things,”
Hackette said.
Ron Angus, assistant director of public safe
ty for the University, said the alarm could have
been activated by a chemical spill or a gas leak.
Both*a leak and a spill occurred about the same
time in a first-floor mechanical room, sending
about half a dozen Athens-Clarke County fire
trucks screaming toward the Ramsey Center
just before 6 p.m.
Angus said high levels of chlorofluorocarbons
that had probably been released due to a small
gas leak were found in the building. He said
there was no danger to those inside the Ramsey
Center. However, anyone exposed for long peri
ods of time to HCFC 123, the compound found
in the air, could suffer long-term physical
effects.
The chemical spill involved small amounts of
ammonia, which can irritate the eyes and skin.
Janitors had been using a diluted form of the
compound to clean inside the building.
Angus said the risk of danger from a chemi
cal spill or a gas leak is small because the alarm
system in the Ramsey Center is very sensitive.
He said it can detect even a slight increase in
dangerous carbons in the air.
However, he said other chemicals, such as
higher-concentrated cleaning fluids and chlo
rine for the pools, also pose threats. “Whenever
you have a high concentration of chemicals and
machinery in one building, things can be dan
gerous,” he said.
Following Tuesday night’s incident, Angus
emphasized the importance of fire safety.
“Everyone should take a fire alarm serious
ly,” he said. “I’d hate to see someone think an
alarm was false and then the building bum
down around them.”
Senior Luada Page stands outside the Ramsey Student Center Tuesday after a pos
sible chemical spill triggered a fire alarm. Page, who had been swimming, was one
of about 1,500 people evacuated. About six fire trucks were dispatched to the scene.
Game-day
crowd woes
anger chief
“Everyone just
can’t show up at
the gate five
minutes before
kickoff.”
- Police Chief
Chuck Horton
By CHANDLER BROWN
Staff Writer
When Stephanie
Liackos, a senior from
Lilbum, arrived at last
Saturday’s sold-out
football game, she
couldn’t get anywhere
close to her seat. “It
was ridiculous,” she
said. “Nobody could
move. It was really
unsafe."
Because of Sat
urday’s dangerous crowd surge,
University Police Chief Chuck
Horton is asking for suggestions on
how to get spectators into the sta
dium before kickoff time. He said
he would consider hiring a local
band to play before home games or
giving away prizes to encourage
early arrivals. “I’ll listen to anyone
who has a reasonable suggestion,”
he said.
Horton blamed Saturday’s prob
lems on spectators arriving at kick
off time. “This just can’t continue,”
Horton said. “Everyone just can’t
show up at the gate five minutes
before kickoff,” he said.
Saturday’s 86,117-member
crowd raised questions on the safe
ty of evening games, alcohol con
sumption and the infrastructure of
Sanford Stadium.
Horton has had “very long con
versations” with University
Athletic Association officials three
times since Saturday’s game. “We
talked about what we can do to
make things go smoother on game
days,” he said.
Horton said his department
plans to be more alert this
Saturday and pay closer attention
to highly congested areas. But
Horton remains steadfast in
encouraging students to get to the
game early. “If everybody would
utilize the two hours before the
game, a lot of problems would be
avoided.”
For greater long-term changes,
Horton said he plans to meet
extensively with athletic officials to
look into structural problems at
Sanford Stadium. “Sanford
Stadium is not designed for large
crowds,” Horton said. “It has been
added onto several times and can
no longer accommodate such huge
crowds, especially when they’re
rowdy and drunk.”
John Shafer, senior associate
athletic director, said he will try to
find ways to improve game days.
He plans to meet with Horton and
other officials after this football
season to make long-term changes.
In the meantime, Shafer said
the Athletic Association will post
signs at this Saturday’s homecom
ing game telling students to sit in
their assigned seats. There will
also be workers standing around
the stadium with bullhorns
instructing people to move quickly
to their seats.
As for next year, Shafer said ha
doesn’t think Horton will get his
wish of eliminating night games.
“Because of TV and other things,
we just can’t do that," Shafer said.
“But we will grant any other!
requests Chief Horton has.”
Shafer said the Athletic
Association would fund pre-game
entertainment to get people to
games earlier and would pay for
extra police officers. “We’ll give
Chuck (Horton) whatever he asks
for,” Shafer said.
“We want everyone to have a
good experience,” Shafer said.
“We’ll do whatever it takes.”
Rock for a good CLAWse
40 Watt, Atomic, local bands unite to aid humane society
Quiet Kool, Jucifer, Asa Nisi Masa at 40 Watt Underwaterfall to headline at Atomic Hall
By NICKI HENDRIX
Staff Writer
Sometimes there are more ways to help out a charity than by tak
ing advantage of ita services or donating a few dollars. Sometimes,
as is the case with the CLAW benefit tonight at the Atomic Music
Hall and 40 Watt Club, those who donate receive something in
return.
Tonight’s show at the 40 Watt features a triple delight
— The Emerson Quiet Kool, Jucifer and Asa Nisi Masa.
The Emerson Quiet Kool will take the stage first.
The band’s main focus is on modest pop songs,
though it backs uncomplicated melodies with
the guitar ferocity of The Ramones, circa
“Rocket to Russia.” Vocalist Mark Opel said
that the band will play songs from its
forthcoming 7-inch reoord, titled “New
Adventures In Hi-Fives."
For Opel, the decision to play
was as simple as adopting his
pet. “I got my dog from the
Humane Society," Opel said. “I love
my dog.”
Jucifer has gained popularity
through its trademark sound. The band
lias a surprisingly complete sound, despite its
two-member lineup. Some critics have described
the sound as sweet melodies over raucous instru
mentation, but vocalist and guitarist Amber Lykins
doesn't agree.
“Tm so close to [the sound],” she said. “I can’t really
describe it. I don't think it’s easy to describe anything that’s
good — it all spans so much territory.”
For her, the decision to play the benefit was automatic.
“Mainly, we like animals a lot,” she said. “We have a lot of them,
and we’re in favor of anything that benefits them.”
Asa Nisi Masa uses unusual instrumentation, foregoing guitar and
bass for bass and violin over drums.
Vocalist and bassist Brian Harris said the band has played benefits from
its inception. “We used to play a lot more benefits’ he said. “We like helpi
out a cause, and we’d rather not turn down any chance we get to play.”
Hie Red and Black is sponsoring the CLAW benefit. Tickets are (6 and doors
open at 9 p.m.
type
By JEFF GRIGGS
Staff Writer
The more eclectic half of tonight’s CLAW benefit takes
place at the Atomic Music Hall, where The Rubber
Experiment, Aftermath and Underwaterfall will teach a
course in the polarity of rock ’n’ roll.
Tonight’s show will offer quite a cross section of
local music talent.
The Rubber Experiment has a self-described
“Primus-y/King Crimson-ish/Steely Dan-ny”
sound that is as much an experiment
in noise as it is an extension of ethereal
rock music. The band incorporates
guitars, marimbas, bass guitars,
children’s toys, synthesizers,
and marching drums, into a
big swirly earful of blissful
racket.
Aftermath has been
inserted in the second
position on the bill to bring
things back down to an “earth
ier” level. These guys' soulful
blend of jazzy hip-hop has garnered
them a reputation as one of the crafti
er bands in town.
To wrap things up, Underwaterfall will
the controls as the headlining act.
their very large fan base, the band’s
nembens said they don’t deserve to be pigeonholed
as “jam-oriented groove rock,” as an article in
Wednesday’s edition of Flagpole asserts.
“1 can’t recall us ever doing that," said keyboardist
Carl Tietze. “We’re more just straight up rock ’n’ roll.”
“We’re looking forward to playing the benefit," he said. Tm
a big animal lover myself. The other guys are just animals.”
Billy Corneas, proprietor of the Atomic, said he, too, is happy to
lend a hand to our furry, four-legged friends. He welcomes the idea
of having three completely different types of bands play,
beauty of Athens music,” he said.
The Red and Black is sponsoring
and doors open at 9 p.m.
Lawyer: Victim
in alleged hazing
was consenting
By GEORGE WHITEHURST
Staff Writer
Athens attorney Adrian Patrick, who was never authorized
to represent the University chapter of Phi Beta Sigma, said he
thinks the victim in the alleged hazing was a consenting adult.
Patrick, who is still defending fraternity members Zatara
Howard, Kevin Welch and adviser Thomas Stevens, contends
all those present at the apartment of football players Robert
Edwards and Corey Johnson the night of Sept. 8 share respon
sibility for University running back Roderick Perrymond’s
beating. Patrick’s clients face a student judiciary hearing
Sunday for violating the University’s hazing policy. Patrick
said this is a case of consenting adults participating in an ille
gal activity.
“It is my contention that hazing does not have a victim, only
participants,” he said. “What would appear to people at first
glance to be a victim, is a consenting adult.”
Patrick said the University should widen its inquiry to
include other members of the fraternity. He has written to
Director of Judicial Programs William Bracewell about the
shared responsibility provision of the University’s conduct
code. The provision says students who “knowingly act in com
cert to viulate University regulations may be given joint
responsibility for such violations.”
Patrick said the Office of Judicial Programs told him it
would address his concerns
“There were definitely other people involved,” he said. “I
want the school to investigate those other individuals as well."
The fraternity’s national legal counsel said Wednesday that
Patrick was never approved to represent the fraternity.
“He can represent the individuals, but not the chapter,”
said Arthur Thomas, the attorney for the national fraternity.
Patrick said he didn't solicit business from the local chap
ter.
“I was contacted by the undergraduates,” he said. “They
came to me and explained their concerns. We worked out an
agreement I would represent the undergrad chapter.”
Patrick added he notified the national office of the arrange
ment, but assumed it had been preapproved.
The University chapter has been suspended pending the
outcome of an investigation of the incident by Phi Beta Sigma’s
national office. A suspended chapter can't conduct fraternity
business, such as making decisions on matters of legal coun
sel. Thomas said.
Counsel authorized by the national office will appear at the
hearing, according to Thomas.
