The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current, April 05, 2000, Image 1

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The Red and Black, April 05, 2000, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextWEDNESDAY April 5, 2000 Vol. 107, No. 132 | Athens, Georgia Sunny. High 68 | Low 451 Thursday 75 ONLINE: wwwj%dandUack.com An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community ESTABLISHED 1893, INDEPENDENT 1980 BEST FOOT FORWARD ► The Dogs’ search for Hap Hines' replace ment could be over - sopho more Brett Kirouac may get to fill his shoes. PAGE 7 Faculty honors Meigs By BIANCA HENDERSON The Red a Black A rededication ceremony of a historical North Campus building will be celebrated by the faculty and staff of the University today. Now 95 years old, Meigs Hall has been through many changes within its lifetime. It was once called LeConte Hall, initially housing the department of biolo gy until 1937. When the biology department relocated, so did the name. Meigs Hall was named for the University’s second president, Josiah Meigs, who was the first to convene classes and served from 1801 to 1810. The building is now the home of the Institute of Higher Education, which includes the office of former Gov. Zell Miller, a member of the University’s facul ty. Ronald Simpson, director of the Institute, said the ceremony shows the University’s ded ication to preserving higher education. “I am very excited because it is a time of renewal for the Institute of Higher Education,” Simpson said. "This is a celebration to view where we have been and to see where we want to go.” Today’s scheduled events include a rededlcation ceremony at the Chapel at 1:30 p.m., a rib bon-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m., and a teaching seminar at 3 p.m., both in Meigs Hall. Speakers at the rededication ceremony will include University President Michael Adams and Provost Karen Holbrook, as well as Simpson. The teaching seminar will be given by three former recipients of the Meigs Award for Teaching. The speakers are Fredrick Stephenson, associate professor of marketing, Susette Talarlco, director of criminal justice stud ies, and Josef Broder, associate dean for academic affairs in the school of agriculture and environmental sciences. They will discuss teaching at the University. “Students have argued that UGA is not about teaching,” Broder said. “This rededication is a battle cry for teaching.” Broder also said this honors those people who have dedicated their lives to teaching. The rededication ceremony is open to the public. ATD suspended by University RAKHI DALAL T», Rid < Bulk A Vice President for Student Affairs Richard Mullendore speaks to reporters Tuesday on the steps of the University Chapel about the suspension of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. The case has drawn national media attention. Greek community faces media scrutiny By CHANDLER BROWN The Red a Black As media' outlets from around the state descend on Athens to cover the fatal Alpha Tau Omega car crash, members of the Greek community say they’re being unfairly tar geted by the press. The Thursday night wreck left fraternity mem ber Ben Grantham dead ahd serious allegations of hazing and that fraternity members illegally left the crash site before police arrived. The story appeared on The Associated Press wire service Monday and on the front page of The Atlanta-Journal Constitution and other major papers Tuesday. All four major Atlanta television stations carried the story on their evening broadcasts. The attention, Greek members say, is the result of unfair stereotypes against a group that for the most part stays out of trouble. “Greek organizations are easy to point to — it’s an identity they put on themselves," Greek Life Director Claudia Shamp said Tuesday, her office buzzing with reporters’ phone calls and Greeks complaining of the media attention. “It’s a responsi bility they have to accept when they Join, but it’s difficult.” Shamp said invasive reporters have tried to interview grieving frater nity members even as they grappled with their loss. “It is very difficult when you’re dealing with a death to have to deal with a barrage of media," she said. “The fraternity is coming back from a flve- hour drive after burying their brother, and they come back and have microphones in their faces — I mean, how would you feel?” Wynn Smiley, national director for Alpha Tau Omega, said this incident has been unfairly sensa tionalized. “You don’t get a fair assessment of what Greek life is like from reading the headlines," he said. Interfratemity Council President Jay Kimbro, who held an emergency meeting of the University’s 23 fraternity presidents Monday night, said Greeks always make headlines when they’re in trouble. “Any time we can get the positives out, we try," said Kimbro, a member of Sigma Chi. “We would like more positive PR than the Greek system gets in the media." Greek leaders agreed that members of student groups are pre-disposed to increased media atten tion when something goes wrong. “You set yourself up for something like that when you're in a student organi zation,” said former Student Government Association President Tricia Page, a member of Phi Mu. “There are 400 student organizations on this campus doing good work — that’s not always news.” University journalism professor Barry Hollander, who was president of Pi Kappa Phi for two years at the University of North Alabama, said Greek members shouldn’t hide behind their organizations when they make poor choices. “If Greeks are com plaining of being mistreat ed, this is hardly the case to use,” he said. “This is such an egregious exam ple of misconduct — this is not a place where they should be fighting this battle.” When tragedy strikes, students often lose sight of the situation bedau.se they’re not accustomed to media attention, Hollander said. “If you’re a member of a student group, you probably think you’re being treated unfairly,” Hollander said. “If you ask any other group — or occupation — they all feel the same way.” Differing stories emerge as crash probe continues By KRISTEN WYATT The Red a Black At least 11 people were at the scene of a car crash Thursday that killed an Alpha Tau Omega member, but police and the fraternity have very different stories about what happened. Ben Grantham, 20, was killed when the Infiniti QX4 he was riding in hit a tree and flipped on a gravel road south of Watkinsville. Reports that Grantham may have been handcuffed and blindfolded and that he was being taken by pledges on a road trip quickly surfaced, leading to the chapter’s suspension Tuesday. According to Scott Berry, Oconee County sheriff, three cars were travel ing together, but two of them left the scene before police arrived. Grantham was left in the woods, but not before someone removed the hand cuffs he’d been wearing, Berry said. Three other men were left there, one of them seriously injured, he said. Berry also told reporters that Grantham was riding in the back cargo area of the sport utility vehicle and that evidence of alcohol — and at least one other pair of handcuffs — were found at the site. But it wasn’t a grisly scenario of fra ternity men leaving their friends after an accident, said Wynn Smiley the fra ternity’s national director. The men left Grantham and another injured man because they saw they were seriously hurt and didn’t want to move them until they got help, Smiley said. He said some of them left to call 911 because they didn’t have a cellular phone. And he said a carload of strangers happened upon the accident and made a second 911 call. But the sheriff told The Red & Black he didn’t know anything about a second 911 call and that all three cars were together. The investigations likely will continue until early next week, when the Georgia State Patrol gives its report to the Oconee County district attorney, who will decide whether criminal charges will be filed. Investigators won’t say yet whether anyone will be charged. Even though no criminal charges have been filed, the chapter was suspended Tuesday by both the University and the national fraternity until further notice. Men living in the River Road house can stay for the rest of the semester and the group can still have chapter meet ings, said Richard Mullendore, vice president for Student Affairs. But it’s been made clear to the group, he said, that Grantham’s death is “a very serious situation for the fra ternity.” Two students injured in the crash remained in St. Mary's Hospital Tuesday. Walter David Penn, who was driving, was in fair condition. Rob Dailey was upgraded to good condition. Another passenger, Scott Lakas, wasn’t huit. Police haven't named the fifth passenger, who wasn't hospitalized. PENN Public Showcase -4*5- Provost commits to Georgia Karen Holbrook declines Florida presidential position By MARK NIESSE The Red a Black The University’s academic leader won’t leave for Florida’s presidency, saying she made a commitment here and wants to finish what she started. Provost Karen Holbrook chose not to apply for the University of Florida’s presiden cy, even though she was one of the leading candidates, would have made more money and used to work there. “There is no institution that I would be more privileged and hon ored to lead than the University of Florida,” Holbrook wrote In a letter to Georgia after only one-and-a-half years.” Holbrook worked as a dean and vice president for research at Florida for five years, from 1993 to 1998. When she started her Job as provost here, she said University President Michael Adams asked for a five-year commit ment. “I wanted to stay and fulfill that commitment," Holbrook told The Red Si Black while showing her new North Campus office during an open house Tuesday. “I didn’t want to start some things and leave." Holbrook is working on several interdisciplinary programs, including biomedical sciences, a new media Institute, a school of public and inter national affairs, a fine arts Initiative, a college of the environment and an increase in graduate enrollment “I love working with the president, a talented faculty and good students," Holbrook said. She had received more nomlna- the Job than any other woman, officials at the University of Florida said. Holbrook makes $225,000 as provost of the University. The last president at Florida, who resigned Nov. 1, made $250,000. “In higher education, there’s too much job hopping,” Adams said from his office In the newly opened Administration Building on North Campus. “She's made the best deci sion for her and the University ... She brings top-flight academic leadership, and she has exceeded all of our expec tations.” Florida lost to Georgia this time, said E. T. York, chancellor emeritus of the Florida State University System and one of Holbrook’s supporters. “The fact that she does feel these obligations makes me even more appreciative of her,” York said by phone from the University of Florida. “She has a fertile mind, she's very imaginative in terms of thought pro cesses and leadership. You Bulldogs better feel very fortunate.”