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♦ I Monday, Novbmbek 22, lggg I The Red * Black
Kristen Wyatt | Editor in Chief
editortsrarulb.com
Marti Niesse | Managing Editor
meCdrandb.com
Shana Galientine | Opinions Editor
opinionaaoraiuib.com
Opinions
Red&Black
Ai indrp
* servtat tkr t alvmiri of Georgia oowmbK)
EST A BLISHED 18 9 J. INDEPENDENT 198 0
Our Take
Majority opinions of The Red & Black’s editorial txxird
Having our say
When SGA asks for our opinions,
make sure they get some answers
The face of SGA probably will change soon,
thanks to student input.
Students voted last week to add nine senate
seats, to give members of the Freshman Board a
vote in senate meetings and to solidify SGA’s
power over allocating student fees for small clubs.
It’s not official until University President Michael
Adams signs the amendments, but it’s a good start
in restructuring SGA’s constitution.
We’re always glad when SGA puts the decision
making power directly in the hands of students, as
it did last week.
What concerns us is how few students voted.
Only 618 students participated by voting on
Oasis — that’s roughly 2 percent of our student
body.
Mike Runnels, SGA president pro tempore, said
that these amendments were an attempt to engage
the student body by showing we have “an SGA
that does work for you.”
But it’s up to us to meet them half way.
When students don’t respond to their chances to
speak out, people in authority assume we’re just
not interested. Eventually, they’ll just stop asking
for our opinions.
SGA’s work does affect you, and the amendments
that passed last week will potentially change the
way it does business.
Don’t let future voting opportunities like this
pass by — keep up with SGA’s activities and vote
whenever we’re given the chance.
Make sure you have a hand in SGA's future deci
sions.
Reaching his goal
Hap Hines proves to be a good sport
— regardless of the score
Everybody has bad days.
But when you’re a place-kicker for
the Georgia Bulldogs, your bad days
are scrutinized by 86,000 people,
many of whom are waiting with
ridicule and sometimes, downright
nastiness.
Many of us would respond to that
kind of pressure with bitterness.
But time and again Hap Hines has
handled criticism with a kind of digni- J
ty and restraint that is too often lack
ing in college athletes.
He maintains a positive attitude under enormous
pressure, an attribute that paid off in Saturday’s
game against Ole Miss.
With the score tied at 17, Hines kicked to give
Georgia its first lead in two games — one of four
successful field goals that helped Georgia go on to
win the game.
Hines not only saved the game, but tied a school
record for the most field goals made in one game.
We’re proud of Hines, not only for his success in
this game but for consistently showing grace under
incredible stress.
Students — both on campus and on the field —
could benefit by following his example.
Oar Staff
HINES
NEWS: 543-1809
Nswt Editor: Fnncia McCormack
Sport* Editor Darren Epps
Vanaty Editor: Jonathan Reed
Aaaociata New* Editor Louis Rods*
Recruitment Editor: Mark Anthony Thomas
Chief Copy Editor* Ahca Hagge Lacey White
Copy Editor*: Chn* Hassohs tan Shelton Kim Skowronski
Online Editor. Frank Hams
UGA Today/OuickTafce: Dave KmcanJ
Photography Editor Jason McOarael
Chief Photographer: HakN Dalai
Photographer* Heather Alan. Becky Reid
New* Writer*: Anna Bogi. Chandler Brown Amanda Brannon
Jennifer Copeland. Paul Futon Jr. R Lee Quameka Miranda
Mangum. Tara McCormick
Sports Writers: Kevin Clerk Josh Kat/owitr Katie McLennan
Variety Writers: Swann* Kayes Wit Kaer Craig PhAps
Stringers: Kathleen Baydal* Molly Barrett David Brandt Hex*
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Hemnglon. Samira Jafan. Kmberfy Martin, Stewart McAlpeie.
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Rohbm* Antoer Shew Mary Afceon Wtshire
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ADVERTISING: 543-1791
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Letters should include name, year in school, hometown, phone
number, major or Job title or other appropriate identification.
Letters should be no more than ISO words. All letters art subject to
editing for length, style and libelous material.
Study hard —just not at the library
I
n a sweaty and annoyed frenzy,
I exited the main library on
North Campus for what I hope
will be the last time in my college
career.
Good bye and good riddance.
Why was I so frustrated?
Well, as a rookie college stu
dent I did almost all of my study
ing and homework in the library.
I visited the library several
times a week to tend to my
school work. But slowly the habit
died.
Now, as a graduating senior, I
never go to the library to do any
thing anymore.
Why?
I was quickly reminded the
other day when I went to check
out a book for class.
Upon entering the library. I
immediately remembered the old
days of late-night studying and
started thinking that I should
come here more often.
But my daydream was quickly
disrupted when I found myself
dodging construction workers
and walking across a makeshift
plywood floor.
I remained patient and moved
on in search of my assigned read
ing material, still optimistic
about my long overdue library
study session.
I found the book I needed
quite easily and was prepared to
be on my way when the librarian
said I couldn’t check it out.
“We only have one copy of that
book and it belongs in the
JASON MCDANIEL
▲
Georgia Room,” she told me.
What?
This billion-doUar institution
we attend has only one copy of a
book that can be purchased at
most book stores for $19.95?
At this point my blood pres
sure began to rise a little, and
frustration started to churn
inside.
But I still remained cool and
decided to just read the book in
the library.
Soon I heard someone behind
me, obnoxiously slamming books
down on a table creating quite a
ruckus.
When I turned to see who my
rude study partner was, I discov
ered that it was a library employ
ee.
I’d expect this from some
inexperienced freshman who has
not yet learned proper library eti
quette, but not from a library
employee.
After I stared her down with
an evil gaze, she left my area — I
guess to go slam books on a
table on a different floor.
So I read on.
But I soon was bothered again
by gabby library socialites and
the pleasant buzzing sound cre
ated by the fluorescent lights.
During all of this hysteria, I
began to realize that it was as
hot as hell in the library.
I’m talking almost unbearably
hot.
I removed my hat and adjust
ed my baggy clothes, but the
stale heat was starting to get to
me.
I reached for my glass of ice
water to help cool me down
when I realized that I didn't have
one.
And then I remembered that
we college students are not
mature enough to bring drinks
into the library.
I wiped the sweat from my
brow and used all of my efforts to
fight through the rest of my bor
rowed book, and as soon as I was
finished I bolted for the door,
never looking back.
So, I guess for my last few
days at this University, I will do
my studying while watching
Seinfeld reruns and drinking beer
with my roommates.
I know that’s not the best way
to study. But I’ll get a lot more
done in front of the TV than I
will in that circus on North
Campus called the main library.
— Jason McDaniel is photog
raphy editor for
The Red & Black
E-mail, letters and faxes from our readers
Union: ‘Randi’ show owes no apologies
The University Union feels
absolutely no need to be "forgiv
en” for the Amazin' Randi show
(The Red & Black, Friday).
Mr. Randi gave a fantastic lec
ture, exposing faith healers, “psy
chics" such as James van Praagh
and homeopathic medicine.
He also stepped down into
the audience to perform magic
tricks no one could figure out.
The nearly 250 people who
attended the lecture enjoyed it
immensely, judging from the uni
versally positive comments we
received afterward.
Randi had just come from a
lengthy tour of Italy and a 10-day
engagement at Harvard
University, and was on his way to
China after his stop in Athens.
This shows that he is a lectur
er who is constantly in demand.
But if you’ll “forgive" us for
the show, we’ll “forgive" you for
the almost complete lack of cov
erage of it in your pages.
HILLARY BROWN
Division coordinator
Ideal & Issue*
University Union
Recognize Greeks for
their positive work
If anyone wonders why the
Greek organizations on this cam
pus complain about the negative
publicity they receive, maybe
this will help.
A Tau Kappa Epsilon member
was willingly “treed" because of
his recent engagement, a tradi
tion many fraternities uphold.
There was a front page article
in The Red ti Black on how this
is hazing.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon has
given more than $1 million to the
Leukemia Society in the past 25
years, or $40,000 a year for you
math whizzes, and received an
E-MAILING US
Questions, comments,
complaints? Here’s where to
point and click:
Letters I opinions@randb.com
News Tips I news@randb.com
R&B Online I fharris@randb.com
article the size of the movie ads.
Thanks for the recognition.
Hey, if you ‘re looking for a
front page article, I think I saw a
Chi Phi throw down a cigarette
yesterday. That has to qualify as
littering!
CHARLIE DORMINY
Senior, Ttfton
Agricultural business
Lawsuit a poor way to
recruit minorities
In light of the recent class-
action status granted to the
reverse discrimination lawsuits
facing the University, I’ve
become even more concerned
about the University’s attempt
to protect its admissions policy.
Clearly, the granting of class-
action status does not bode well
for the University’s defense.
But my question is why does
the University continue defend
ing an unlawful policy? Race
and/or gender are not useful or
just methods of determining
worthy potential students.
The University faces Intense
pressure to diversify the student
body and increase the number of
minority students attending;
however, the money that we’re
wasting on defending unlawful
admissions policies should be
put toward diversifying our insti
tution by finding ways to make
the University more appealing to
minorities. There are no easy
answers when faced with the
dilemma of attracting minority
students. But fighting a losing
battle for the sake of making the
attempt known is not beneficial.
Put those funds toward pro
ductive means of attracting
minority students. Leave the
race box completely off of the
application for admission.
JENNIFER SAFFOLD
Freshman, Dunwoody
Business
Extend some courtesy
in busy parking tots
Everyone knows that parking
is a big problem at the
University. Some students, how
ever, try to take this situation
into their own hands by parking
wherever they wish.
I’m writing specifically about
the lower Oconee lot, but it
probably also occurs at other
campus lots. Many times during
the semester, drivers who decid
ed to create their own parking
spaces have blocked my car. In a
few Instances, I wasn’t able to
get out, leaving me stuck for
hours.
The responsibility lies with
students to correctly park their
vehicles. It’s both rude and an
infringement on others’ rights to
block a vehicle.
The next time you're late for
class and can’t find a parking
place, think about the other per
son before you decide to block
his or her car.
Find another parking lot or
use a meter, and give yourself
plenty of time to arrive at your
destination.
1ASON BOEHM
Graduate student,
GreenvWs, S.C.
ERIN MCCLAM
A
Cynics take
fun out of
Y2K madness
Y ou should be upset.
Outraged. Insulted.
Thousands of people
think they’re smarter than
you, and it’s all because of a
party. Well, not just any party.
“The" party.
The party planned for
about six weeks from now, on
Dec. 31 The party of the mil
lennium.
And that's the problem.
These people, these Y2K
whiners, are telling the rest of
the world where they can
stick their Year 2000 party
favors. They contend — in let
ters to the editor, in calls to
talk shows, in casual conver
sation — that the new millen
nium begins Jan. 1, 2001,
more than a year from now.
They say that the modem
calendar began with year 1,
not 0, and therefore the 20th
century and the millennium
won’t end until 2000 ends
And they're mad about it.
So they want you to cancel
your hotel reservations, send
back your champagne orders
and take off your digital-read-
out millennium countdown
hat.
Take Dick Dowis of
Waleska, who spoiled a per
fectly good sports announce
ment in the name of showing
off his brains. He wrote the
Atlanta paper saying base
ball’s Al!-Century Team — a
moving, historic showcase of
the game's greatest players —
shouldn’t have happened.
“It rankles me," he said,
ignoring all sense of decency
and probably not realizing
what a nerd he sounded like,
“that people want to lop a
year off the century.”
And it’s only going to get
worse.
The more we hear about
the millennium, the louder
the killjoys will get. It’s
enough to kill a party.
But I’ve done a little
research, and I’m going to
arm you to fight back.
Listen closely.
The whole disaster falls on
the shoulders of a guy named
Dionysius Exiguus, or Dennis
the Short, a monk who lived
in the sixth century. He’s the
guy who gave us the concepts
of B.C. and A.D. He decided
to develop a calendar that
counted up from the time
Jesus Christ was born.
For starters, the only rea
son he started the calendar at
1 is that zero hadn't been
invented yet. But he made a
mistake. He missed Jesus’
birth by a long shot.
Biblical scholars put the
birth at about 7 B.C., which
means this millennium cele
bration should have hap
pened some time in 1994
It gets worse. In 1582 Pope
Gregory XIII cut 15 days out
of the calendar to line it up
better with the seasons.
So we're not exactly deal
ing with exact science here.
Need more reasons? By
the Jewish calendar, this is
the year 5760. By the Muslim
calendar, it’s 1420.
Millennium? What millen
nium?
Still, that hasn't stopped
everyone from going Y2-crazy.
You know what I’m talking
about. There’s a self-appoint
ed official candy, car and
champagne of the millenni
um. Even a breakfast cereal
— sugary toasted oats shaped
like twos and zeros. (They
called it — ready for this? —
Millenios.)
Assuming the doomsday
predictions don’t come true,
this is all in good fun.
What I’m saying is that, no
matter what the particulars
are, this Y2K business has
taken on a life of its own.
It’s grown so much that
the celebration surrounding it
is bigger than the event Itself.
So, to those of you arguing,
there's no reason to ruin a
great moment that'll bring
the world together Just to
show how smart you are.
And if you still think you’re
right, that’s more champagne
for the rest of us.
- Erin McClam is a senior
in journalism. His column
appears on Mondays.