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The Red * Black |'[\iisda>, November 23.1999 [ 3
Freshman Board provides first-year students a voice
By BRYAN M. GRANTHAM
For The Rid a Black
Four years ago, the Student
Government Association created a com
mittee to provide a freshman voice on
campus.
This committee, the Freshman Board,
has 19 members and has taken an active
role to become more visible and repre
sent the newest University students
Corey Stem, vice president of SGA,
said the Freshman Board is an important
part of SGA reaching out to students on
campus.
“The board Is the governing body of
the freshman class,’’ Stem said. “If not for
the board, freshmen would not have a
voice in student government since elec
tions are held before the freshmen arrive
on campus.”
Since there are so few spots available
on the board, membership is highly com
petitive. This year, more than 100 stu
dents applied for the 19 spots on the
board. Members are selected through an
application and interview.
“We narrowed down the Held after the
application and Interviewed the top
applicants,” Stem said. “Then a commit
tee selected by (SGA President Trlcla
Page) made up of former Freshman
Board members and SGA representatives
judged the interviews."
Stephen Bruner, a freshman from
Roswell, serves as the board’s president.
Bruner said the board has been very
active in several areas this year.
"We’re working on some big projects
this year,” Bruner said. “We re trying to
prove that freshmen are interested in the
day-to-day activities, here by having an
active voice in SGA. We want to change
the growing trend of student apathy.”
Some projects the board is working on
include expanding the Tate Student
Center, examining the smoking policy on
campus, the Relay for Life — a student-
run event to benefit a charity — and an
upcoming freshman forum.
Scott Lusk, a freshman from
Arlington, is among the members of the
board who are working on these projects
“I’m really excited about the Relay for
Life which benefits the American Cancer
Society,” Lusk said. “It’s going to be the
first student-run Relay for Life, so it’s get
ting national attention from CNN and
Senator Coverdell.”
Lusk also said the board’s upcoming
freshman forum would be important in
finding out how the first-year students
feel about certain issues.
“In the freshman forum, we’re select
ing 250 freshmen at random to meet with
us at the Tate Center," Lusk said. .
“We’re going to discuss a lot of impor
tant issues," he said “It’s going to be an
important step in the board representing
the freshman class.”
Regents approve University’s Y2K readiness
By DAVID BRANDT
The Red a Buck
As 2000 draws near, many peo
ple have continued to express
concern and worry over the
“Millennium Bug."
As the new year approaches,
many people aren’t sure of how
worldwide computer systems will
react to the date change. The
problem is the result of the stan
dard two-digit computer data
storage developed in the 1960s.
Many hardware devices, such as
personal computers and control
devices, are predicted to be
unable to recognize years
expressed in four digits.
Kirk Bertram, director of the
University’s Millennium
Readiness Office, does not believe
in that prediction and said he is
confident the University has been
prepared for any major problems
with their computers and other
electronic systems that were not
originally Y2K compliant.
“To put it simply, we’re ready,”
said Bertram. “All of our mission
critical functions have been
replaced or updated.”
The Board of Regents
approved the University’s Y2K
status in late September, agreeing
that everything has worked out as
planned and that there will be few
troubles for students, faculty or
staff when they return for the
spring 2000 semester.
But University officials
stressed that everyone needs to
be prepared to experience minor
inconveniences. These include
lack of back-up power or auto
matic operation of low tempera
ture freezers in the dining halls,
lack of back-up power for the Art
Museum and temporary power
shortages for some University sys
tems.
"We will never be 100 percent
ready for Y2K," Bertram said,
“But we will always be updating
and working on the systems when
necessary.”
Millennium readiness officials
said they hope to send out letters
to students at their local and per
manent addresses so they'll be
well aware of the University's Y2K
status before the fall semester
ends.
Older systems being replaced
or updated by brand-new systems
should be able to Improve ser
vices provided to students, facul
ty and staff, officials said.
“The University will benefit
from the upgraded systems that
we will use in the new year," said
Bertram.
The University has spent $2
million to $3 million on Y2K
adjustments since 1996 when
testing and updating began, offi
cials said. A final estimate of the
costs for Y2K adjustments will
not be known until much later
into 2000.
‘Millionaire’ winner
cashes in prize check
By FRAZIER MOORE
Associated Press
NEW YORK — He's so well known by now, he may not need two
forms of ID to cash that million-dollar check.
John Carpenter, who went all the way on Friday’s “Who Wants to
Be a Millionaire,” collected his prize Monday morning from Regis
Philbin on “Live With Regis & Kathie Lee.”
There, Carpenter, 31, was hailed as a millionaire — for the
moment, anyway. He still has to pay taxes on the windfall.
“Don’t cheat on your income tax,” co-host Kathie Lee Gifford
cautioned, "because the whole world knows what you’ve won.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” replied Carpenter, who happens to be an
Internal Revenue Service agent.
Last week on the ABC quiz show, where Philbin moonlights as
host. Carpenter ran the gantlet of 15 questions, picking Richard
Nixon as the president who made an appearance on the TV show
“Laugh-In.”
"This guy's got ice water in his veins," Philbin marveled on
Monday’s "Live.” “In fact, on a couple of those questions he looked
across the table and sneered at me.”
"When I looked at the tape, I looked a little more cocky and self-
assured than I really wanted," Carpenter recalled. “But I knew the
answers as soon as I saw the questions.”
Carpenter’s visit to the syndicated “Live” was part of a media
whirlwind. He was on NBC’s "Saturday Night Live" over the week
end, on ABC’s "Good Morning America" earlier Monday.
Carpenter, who lives in Hamden, Conn., was the first “Who Wants
to Be a Millionaire" contestant to win the top prize — the largest
one-time cash prize in the history of American TV, excluding lotter
ies, according to ABC.
Greeting Carpenter's wife, Debbie, in the audience, Philbin asked,
“What’s it like sleeping with a millionaire?"
"Excuse me,” Gifford jumped in. “If HE’S a millionaire, so is
SHE!”
Ga. Attorney General
calls Bible classes in
public schools a risk
Baha’i faith stresses
teachings of unity,
oneness of mankind
By JOSH BOYD
For The Red* Black
Students interested in an
alternative religious experience
should check out the University
Baha'i Association.
The association, founded at
the University in 1994, offers a
forum for the practitioners of the
Baha’i faith.
Baha’i is a relatively new,
independent world religion that
originated in Persia in 1844.
The religion began as a move
ment under the leadership of the
“Bab,” a young man who prophe
sied a great teacher would come
and unite the world with his
words, said Tahirih Schear, a
senior from Augusta and presi
dent of the University organiza
tion.
Baha’is believe this prophet
was Baha’ullah, whose central
teachings were the oneness of
mankind and "love thy neigh
bor.”
Baha'is believe that there is
one religion, and man and soci
ety have created the differences
which are now accounted for in
the denominational spectrum.
The campus chapter now has
more than 15 members who
meet every Wednesday for dis
cussions and readings.
“Sometimes we hold a fireside
where we invite friends to dis
cuss religion and tell people
about the faith,” said Paul
Harris, a freshman from
Mableton.
The intentions of the associa
tion are to expose its members
and supporters to the Baha’i
By DICK PETTYS
Associated Press
ATLANTA — Attorney General
Thurbert Baker warned state
school officials Monday there are
legal risks if they decide to allow
Bible history courses to be
taught in public schools.
He said there is no direct con
stitutional prohibition against
such courses, but added that
there are strict limits imposed.
He said he is unable to assure
them that Bible history courses
would survive challenges under
the state or federal Constitution.
The opinion was addressed to
state School Board Chairman
Otis Brumby, who sought
Baker’s opinion after conserva
tive lawmakers and state School
Superintendent Linda Schrenko
began advocating the addition of
Bible history courses to the state
curriculum.
They proposed courses In the
history of the Old and New
Testament, along with a course
to be taught via the Internet on
"Scientific and Religious
Perspectives on Life.”
Baker said the courses were
described as designed to teach a
fundamental understanding of
Important literary forms of the
Bible, along with the people and
symbols often alluded to in liter
ature, art and music.
Schrenko said the courses
would not teach religion but
would focus on Biblical history.
Baker said a key test for offer
ing Bible courses under a 1971
U.S. Supreme Court decision
would be that they must have a
secular purpose.
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faith and unite students coming
from different social and cultural
backgrounds.
“We're trying to bring different
people together that wouldn’t
normally come together,"
said Jaya George, a senior from
Augusta. “Unity is our ultimate
objective.”
The Baha’i followers believe
in world equality, peace and edu
cation and are active in more
than 200 countries.
“The Baha’i faith is the largest
world religion behind
Christianity," Schear said.
Schear said all are welcome to
attend the organization's events.
An open mic was held in
October in Memorial Hall where
students socialized, enjoyed
refreshments and listened to
musical performances.
University offers!
students, families
health insurance
By REBECCA GREEN
For The Red a Black -
The University has an injury and sickness insurance plan avails
able to all students and their dependents.
The University’s plan covers only unexpected problems that -
arise and doesn't cover preventive care.
University officials have created two versions of the insurance
plan — Plan I, which costs $839, and the $531 Plan II — which dif
fer based on the comprehensiveness of the coverage. !
“Plan I is one of the best in the country," said Kenneth Costley,
president of College Health Concepts Inc., the administering
agent of the health care plan. “Until last year, the University only
offered one version of the plan, but the claims got to be so astro-.
nomical, an increase in cost was required." '
As a result, the University decided to offer a comparable plan,
Plan II, for students on a tighter budget, Costley said.
“Cost and convenience are the reasons I chose this insurance,”'
said Mike Burton, a graduate student from Baltimore, Md. ,
Both versions of the plan offer a maximum benefit of $50,000
per year.
Plan I covers 100 percent of medical services included in the
plan, after a $100 deductible is met, if the policy holder receives
treatment at either the University Health Center or a member of,
Beech Street Inc. health care network.
If a student becomes injured or sick outside of Athens and no
network health care provider is available, 80 percent of the medi
cal costs incurred are covered.
For example, if the policy holder requires hospitalization and ,
the bill is $800, $510 of the bill is paid by the insurance company.
However, if a student simply prefers to use a health care ’
provider outside the network, 70 percent of the costs incurred are
covered.
After a $250 deductible, Plan II covers 75 percent of medical -
services — as long as the carrier uses a network or University ,
health care provider.
If a health care provider outside the network is used, 60 per- ;
cent of the medical costs are covered.
Georgia Sydney, a representative of EFG-Student Insurance, ,
the company that processes all claims under the plan, said as
members of Beech Street Inc., health care providers agree to •
offer a discounted price for all services paid for under the insur
ance companies' plans. |
“The doctors offer a discount, so policy holders don’t have to
pay as much," she said. J
The insurance brochures are available at the cashier's desk at
the University Health Center.
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