ON THE WEB: Go to theplainsman.com for an updates on yesterday s election hearings
Thursday, March 13,2003 TO FOSTER THE AUBURN SPIRIT Vol. 109, No. 23,36 Pages
SGA ELECTIONS
Two
contests
made
McConnell
asks Walker for
intervention
Editor's Note — Yesterday's
election hearings could not be
printed because of deadline. Go
to theplainsman.com for more.
By BROOKLYN NOEL
Assistant Copy Editor
The controversy surrounding
this year's SGA presidential
race continued when SGA Sen.
Michael Joffrion, a senior in
criminology, and Adam White,
a freshman, submitted separate
contentions of the election
to Cory Sellers, the secretary of
political affairs and a member
of the Board of Elections, on
March 7.
"It is important that this
election be contested in order
for the honor and integrity of
SGA and the office of SGA
president to be upheld," Joffrion
said in an e-mail interview,
"Who the candidates are
in the election is irrelevant to
my purpose."
According to Joffrion,
McConnell broke enough rules
to justify his contention.
> Turn to ELECTIONS, AIO
ALUMNi AFFAIRS
State asked
to examine
Association
By ANNA CLAIRE STAMPS
Assistant Campus Editor
The relationship between
the University and the Auburn
Alumni Association was the
subject of a recent investigation
by the state lixamincrs of
Public Accounts.
"In October 1 received a
phone call followed up with a
letter," said Don Large, treasurer
of the Association and
administrative vice president
for the University.
The letter was from Jack
Wallace Jr., a deputy attorney
general assigned to the Examiners
of Public Accounts.
"The state examiners were
asking questions about the
alumni association and its
relationship with the University,"
Large said. "They wanted
to know about certain expenses
documented and covered
by certain entities."
The inquiry followed an
anonymous complaint that
alleged possible improprieties.
>- Turn to ALUMNI, AIO
INSIDE:
>• Our view/A8
UNIVERSITY SENATE
Walker calls for
more funding
Carla Merrill — Photo Editor
Auburn University President William Walker said in his yearly state of the University
address that tax reform will have to be passed for education to avoid proration.
By ANNA CLAIRE STAMPS
Assistant Campus Editor
President William Walker
gave his State of the University
address at Tuesday's University
Senate meeting, speaking
mainly about the urgent need
for increased state education
funding.
"Current projections are that
there will be at least a 6 percent
across-the-board cut in
education funding for the fiscal
year that begins next October
1," Walker said.
He believes the outdated
state Constitution is mostly to
blame for Alabama's lack of
education funding.
"I believe we should
acknowledge the inadequacy
of the 1901 constitution and
make the needed improvements
... but I would frankly be
surprised if that happens."
"The threshold income for
imposing the state income tax
is deplorably low," he said.
"Property taxes, on the other
hand, are virtually non-existent.
They could be more than
doubled."
He said the only way for
more money to be available for
education is to tax Alabama
citizens "in a fashion compara-
INSIDE:
• Our view/A8
ble to what residents are taxed
in other Southern states."
Walker cited several statistics,
saying Alabama appropriates
less than $5,000 per
full-time college student. If
Alabama spent as much
money on higher education as
Mississippi, it would have to
increase spending by $40 million.
"If Alabama spent at Georgia's
level, then an additional
$160 million would be spread
among our colleges and universities,"
he said.
He said the University has
been working with the Alabama
Commission on Higher
Education to meet initiative
goals like eliminating programs
that produce too few
graduates.
"Auburn has done that. We
were the first to do it," he said.
"We became a lean and I think
a fairly efficient institution,
but that does not mean we
have finished."
"We will always be searching
for ways to save money with-
>• Turn to WALKER, A3
Senate elects Larkin, Mouton takes over
Carla Merrill — Photo Editor
University Senate Chair John Mouton says
he will work towards shared governance.
By ANNA CLAIRE STAMPS
Assistant Campus Editor
The new University Senate
Chair-elect and Secretary-elect
were chosen at Tuesday's University
Senate meeting. The
Senate chair and secretary for
this coming year were also
instated.
Willie Larkin, Extension
organization development specialist,
was chosen senate chair-elect
and will assume his duties
in the 2004-2005 school year.
Debra Cobia, professor of counseling
and counseling psychology,
became secretary-elect.
"I'm going to spend this first
year shortening my learning
curve and observing John Mouton,"
Larkin said.
John Mouton was instated as
s e n a t e chair for t h e upcoming
2003-2004 year, and Paul Sul-lenger
was instated as senate
secretary.
"I want to work toward establishing
a good reputation of
shared governance and shared
accountability," Mouton said of
the relationship between
Auburn faculty and administrators.
In her farewell address, outgoing
Senate Chair Barb
Struempler spoke about the difficulties
the University has
overcome over the past year.
She said she is pleased with the
progress the faculty and administration
have made toward
shared governance of university
matters.
> Turn to SENATE, A3
Carla Merrill — Photo Editor
Past University Senate Chair Barbara
Struempler said trustee relations are better.
March
Madness
Men's basketball
has one
more chance
to prove it belongs in
the Big Dance
> Turn to SPORTS, D I
HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTER
Staff changes occur as hotel changes mission
By LINDSAY EVANS
Campus Editor
It has seen the visitors of
Auburn University through
game-day weekends since 1988
and thrived in the hands of two
management teams.
March 1, the Auburn University
Hotel & Dixon Conference
Center fell under the management
of a third team, the
Atlanta-based West Paces Hotel
Group, L.L.C.
The hotel's new general manager,
John Russell, former manager
of the Ritz-Carlton New
Orleans, and several new staff
members, will upgrade the
hotel, abuzz with changes and
students.
While members of the Richfield
Hospitality team, who
managed the hotel for 12 years,
slip out of the picture, the West
Paces team will work to
improve the quality of the hotel
and conference center.
They are not just working to
improve the hotel. They are
affiliate faculty members at
Auburn, part of a deal between
West Paces and the University
to incorporate the hotel with
the College of Human Sciences.
The Hotel and Dixon Conference
Center will become a classroom
this fall when Auburn
students pursuing degrees in
hotel and restaurant management
will get hands-on instruction
from hotel managers.
"Only about five other institutions
in the country have hotels
or restaurants affiliated with
their programs," said Susan
Hubbard, leader of the hotel
and restaurant management's
academic program. "We feel like
ours is unique because there are
executives overseeing labs on
site at the hotel. We are really
creating a new model here with
this program."
The Auburn University Hotel
& Dixon Conference Center is
the first hotel under the management
of West Paces Hotel
group, led by Horst Schulze, co-founder
and former president of
the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
Schulze has served on the
board of advisers for Auburn's
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Program for about 15
• Turn to HOTEL, A3
I N D EX
Campus BI Intrigue CI
Campus Calendar B3 Letters A9
Classifieds B6 Sports DI
Editorials A8 State&Local A4
CORRECTION
The Auburn Plainsman incorrectly
identified Justin Straun in a story
on CI last week. Sraun is manager
of the Ole' Auburn Ale House.
CAMPUS
Easier listening
WEGL attempts to change its
format with new manager B1
W W W . T H E P L A 1 N S M A N . C OM
Online poll
Did Board of Elections make a
good decision regarding the
SGA election contests'
Log on. vote, view rtsu/ts at
www.uH eplo/nsmon com
Last week's poll
Can the Auburn football team
compete for the national
championship next season?
Yes No
84% 16%
(299) (57) ET
i
A2 Thursday, March 13, 2003 Clje Auburn jplainssman
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Auburn Interviews!
U n i v e r s i t y of M i s s i s s i p pi
— A University of Mississippi
faculty member has been
charged with simple assault by
one of his students.
Michael Starks, a graduate
s t u d e n t , filed an affidavit with
t h e Lafayette County Justice
Court at 9:49 a.m. Tuesday
accusing Edmund Acevedo,
a s s o c i a t e professor of exercise
science a n d director of applied
physiology, of simple assault.
Lafayette County Sheriff
Buddy East said, simple assault
is a misdemeanor a n d usually
carries a fine, but n o jail time.
Starks' affidavit claimed
Acevedo "did purposefully,
knowingly, willfully and unlawfully
cause bodily injury to
Michael Stark grabbing him
and pushing in t h e chest a nd
verbal t h r e a t s " Friday at about
noon.
Jeff Alford, executive direct
o r of c o m m u n i c a t i o n s said, a
number of people were witness
t o at least a portion of t he
events.
After d e t e r m i n i n g the events
of t h a t day, t h e c o m m i t t e e will
report its findings to Chitwood.
Alford said Chitwood has
also ordered that there be n o
personal interaction between
Acevedo and Starks without
James Gilbert, the chair of
health, exercise science and
recreation management, present.
"The faculty member, Acevedo.
has also been instructed
that he shall take no retaliatory
action against t h e student.
This means he is forbidden
from taking negative action
against Starks in t h e classroom
or in regard t o t h e work they
are doing together.
U n i v e r s i t y of K e n t u c k y —
A University of Kentucky
professor found a man t a k i ng
chemicals from a lab in t h e
Chemistry and Physics Building
on March A.
Evidence from t h e burglary
led to t h e bust on March 5. and
it may be t h e largest meth l ab
ever found in Kentucky.
Leaving his office in t he
Chemisry and Physics building
a r o u n d 9 p.m.. Arthur C'am-mers-
CJoodwin, a UK chemistry
professor, went to lock his
l ab door when he n o t i c e d t h e
refrigerator was open.
At first he t h o u g h t one ol his
s t u d e n t s might be working
late. He walked to t h e elevator
but t u r n e d around, worried a
s t u d e n t had j u s t forgotten to
close t h e refrigerator door.
When he r e t u r n e d , he found
a stranger, not a student.
The man said he worked for
t h e chemistry d e p a r t m e n t and
left. The professor then called
t h e police.
When UK police arrived,
they found bottles of dirnethy-lamine
and menthol, both with
Cammers-Goodwin's initials
on t h em inside t h e bag. A 100-
g r am bottle of menthol, like
t h e one t a k e n , costs S22. he
said. A 100-gram bottle of
dimethylamine costs $109.
Police also found ethyl bromide,
notebooks, burglary
tools, a UK s t u d e n t directory, a
flask, t o o t h p a s t e , a b r u s h a n d
a comb, t h e police report said.
There was a m a n u a l on t h e
s y n t h e s i s of t h e d r u g ecstasy,
Cammers-Goodwin wrote.
"This fellow was q u i t e studious,"
he w r o t e . "The multi-page
d o c u m e n t was highligted
from header t o footer all t h e
way through."
On March 5, t r o o p e r Frazier
a n d other Kentucky State
Police officers interviewed
someone they believed to have
b u r g l a r i z e d UK the night
before.
At 9 p.m., 24 h o u r s after t h e
burglary, UK a n d s t a t e police
arrived with a s e a r c h warrant
for t h e s u s p e c t ' s mobile home
in rural Frankfort. The suspect
was not home.
They found beakers, steering
rods and chemicals that "if
you get a whiff of, you could be
dead in 24 hours," Frazier said.
Ecstasy a n d m e t h were t h e
lab's main p r o d u c t s , Frazier
said.
University of Arkansas —
Valerie Phillips, associate
dean of s t u d e n t s a n d chairwoman
of t h e S t u d e n t Elect
i o n s Board, said some
campaign rules violations were
r e p o r t e d t o t h e Office of t h e
Dean of Students.
Someone claimed to be
involved with College of Arts
and Sciences a n d Sen. Stephen
McNair's c a m p a i g n making a
face-to-face threat to his opponent,
Student Coalition
Against Racism President Abi
Smith. The two a r e c a n d i d a t es
for SGA vice p r e s i d e n t of a c a demic
affairs.
A n o t h e r i n c i d e n t related to
McNair's campaign was a
chalk a d v e r t i s e m e n t containing
a personal a t t a c k on Brandon
Hill, t h e c u r r e n t SGA vice
president of academic affairs.
Phillips said t h e chalking,
which asked s t u d e n t s to vote
for McNair a n d said a "retarded
hamster" would have a better
t e n u r e as vice p r e s i d e n t of
a c a d e m i c affairs than Hill,
would have been a violation of
elect ion rules c o n c e r n i n g ethical
c a m p a i g n i n g if someone
had filed a c o m p l a i n t with t h e
Elections Board prior to i ts
removal from the sidewalk.
"I have n o c l u e who created
t h e illegal chalking," McNair
said. "It's e m b a r r a s s i n g ; I wish
whomever did it would not do
it again."
"Someone is obviously trying
t o give me a b a d n a m e , b u t I
d o n ' t know who it is, a n d I
d o n ' t want to speculate,"
McNair said.
—from wire reports
Feb. 25, Summerbrook Apt-ments.,
4:15 p.m. — Forgery
was reported. A check was
forged for $165.
Feb. 25, Auburn E s t a t e s , 6:15
p.m. — Burglary and larceny
was reported. A Nintendo
Game Cube was stolen.
Feb. 25, Auburn Estates, 4:15
p.m. — Burglary and theft
reported. A jewelry box a n d
c o n t e n t s were stolen worth
$900.
Feb. 25, University Drive, 1
p.m. — Criminal mischief was
reported. Exterior door window
glass was damaged.
Feb. 25, C l e v e l a n d Brothers,
10 a.m. — Theft from yards
was reported. Items stolen
were a Motar Mixer, bags of
Motar mix a n d a 15 inch John
boat.
Feb. 25, 7 2 5 Queens way, 9:10
a.m. — Criminal mischief was
r e p o r t e d . A d o u b l e - p a n e window
was damaged.
Feb. 26, Plainsman Apartm
e n t s , 1:10 a . m . —Burglary
r e p o r t e d . Items stolen were
Sony 27-inch TV, Sony DVD
player, X-box, a radio, briefcase-and
a laptop.
Feb. 26, M a g n o l i a Avenue,
10:20 p . m . — Burglary and larceny
was reported. Items
stolen were baseball cards
worth $20,000.
Feb. 26, Wal-Mart Super-center,
7:16 p . m . — Theft from
auto was reported. A Nokia cell
phone was stolen.
Feb. 27, Saco Service Station,
4:00 p . m . — Larceny and theft
was reported. $1,568 was stolen
in cash checks.
Feb. 28, Wee C a r e Day Care,
6:15 p . m . — Theft from car was
reported. A purse was stolen.
Feb. 28, Bruno's, 10:15 p . m . —
Shoplifting was reported.
$1,342 was stolen.
Feb. 28, W e b s t c r s Crossing,
5:45 p.m. — Arsony was
reported. Fire and smoke damage
done to mobile home.
Feb. 28, Wrights Mill Boat],
3:55 p.m. — Theft from yards
was reported. Items stolen
were a shovel, anvil and metal
lawn chairs.
Feb. 28 Tiger Wash, 8:30 p . m .
— Theft was reported. An
envelope with $3,117 was
stolen.
Feb. 28, Lambert Skate Center,
4:30 p.m. — Larceny was
reported. A wallet was stolen
c o n t a i n i n g $475 a n d six credit
cards.
March 2, Old Mill Boad, 6
p.m. — Burglary and larceny
reported. Items stolen were a
nine millimeter pistol a n d a collector's
gold coin.
March 2, Bailroad Avenue,
10:36 p.m. — A person was
shot in t h e face a n d admitted to
t h e hospital. The suspect is
known and t h e c a s e is under
investigation.
March 3, Lakeview Baptist
Church, 10 a.m. — Theft from
a u t o was reported. An Alverez
guitar was stolen.
M a r c h 3, Big K-Mart, 12:45
a.m. — Theft from public
building was reported. $29,700
was stolen and $1,620 worth of
merchandise.
M a r c h 3, T i g e r Trailer Park,
2:55 p.m. — Forgery was
reported. $400 worth of forged
checks were written.
M a r c h 3, T o u c h Down's, 8
p . m . — Illegal possession of
credit card was reported. $100
worth of illegal purchases was
made.
M a r c h 4, 1027 t Haul. 8:15
a.m. — Theft from public-building
was reported. A 6x12
utility trailer was stolen valued
at $4,600.
M a r c h 10, T a m a r a c k A p a r t m
e n t s , 4:45 a.m. — Car theft
was r e p o r t e d . A 1985 Cadillac
Deville was stolen.
March 6, W e b s t e r ' s C r o s s i n g,
7:00 p . m . — Theft from yards
was reported. A black, round
charcoal grill was stolen.
March 5, Turtle's Music, 12:05
a.m. — Shoplifting was reported.
50 Cent CD "In Da Club"
was stolen and unknown
assorted CDs.
-reports provided by Auburn
Police Department
On the Prow( for a rVew Pen?
Cottages at Ross Park
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A3 Thursday, March 13, 2003 Cbe Auburn -painaman
HOTEL
• From Page I
years, Hubbard said.
"This idea came about a long
time ago, and once the University
purchased the facility a couple
of years ago, we started
looking at an opportunity for an
academic focus," she said.
"Schulze is known for service
excellence, and his is a unique
company willing to work with
us in that respect."
The idea was set in motion
when the Board of Trustees
approved the plan in November.
The operating agreement was
signed last month.
The University did not provide
an estimate of transition
costs, but said hotel renovation
costs over several years will
total about $3.7 million.
"But most great service doesn't
cost any money," Russell
said. "Say hello, say thank you—
that's free, but that's training
and that's a big part of it," he
said. "And making sure the staff
has a desire to do that.
"Physically, guests are going
to start to see changes," he said,
"but I hope they see changes
within the hotel before we ever
start on that kind of renovation."
Although most of the 247
guest rooms will stay the same,
the first floor will be renovated,
Russell said. Kitchens, rest-rooms
and public areas on the
first floor will be remodeled, he
said. Hotel officials' uniforms
may also change.
Renovation to the outside of
the building is already underway,
but is unrelated to new
management.
Hubbard said hotel and
restaurant management courses
with hands-on labs in the
hotel are in the making.
"In hotel management, students
will have time with reservation
systems and front office
operation, but a full staff of
employees will still run (the
hotel), with students learning
from them in a structured environment
so guests are receiving
the full service experience," she
said. "Because of this, the
weight of their degrees will be
greatly enhanced."
An enrollment surge is also
expected in hotel and restaurant
management. The school
expects an increase from 110 to
as many as 250 students.
But students are not the only
ones affected by the hotel's new
management and merger with
the University.
Starting with interviews for
positions on the new management
team several months ago,
a handful of senior Richfield
managers trailed out of the
hotel to find new jobs, and the
reins were handed to West
Paces.
"All of those employees were
employees of the old company,
which no longer does business
here," Russell said. "Everybody
here had to go through a selection
process and be hired by the
company. We hired, 1 would
guess, well over 90 percent of
the former staff."
It is the way things work
when hotels fall under new
management — this, all agree
upon.
But to David Jordan, it is still
sad.
"The way it is handled is, we
find out through a trustees
meeting," said Jordan, the
hotel's former rooms division
manager, who worked with
Richfield for 25 years and at the
hotel for 12. "Somebody left a
flier laying on a chair.
"When they picked it up and
read it, word spread fast, and
that's how we all found out," he
said. "I had 25 years with the
company, and that's how I'm
told."
Management teams' top
members typically leave when
another team takes over, or face
demotions and pay cuts. After
Jordan and other former
employees found out about
coming changes, they interviewed
for positions with West
Paces.
Many former staff members
were fired because they didn't
pass what he called "personality
profiles." Jordan didn't interview.
"I wasn't going to take a
demotion or a cut in pay," he
said. "And for the ones that
interviewed, if they didn't get
high enough on that personality
profile, they weren't retained."
Another former staff member,
Jordan said, wasn't told until
less than a week before that he
was being let go. Now he and
the others are job hunting,
something Jordan said he didn't
think he'd be doing anytime
soon.
To many alumni, Jordan,
known simply as "Dave," was a
familiar face — one they d come
to know and trust over the past
12 years. For Jordan, it wasn't an
ordinary job.
"When I first took the job, I
said 'Two years, max,'" he said.
"But the alumni were the nicest
people I'd ever met in my life,
and they always joked with me
they'd have to have security
remove me when I left."
Russell said he and the new
management team will try to
keep most aspects of the hotel
the same.
"The thing is, our goal is to
build on existing strengths of
hotel, not to change everything,
but to add to what was already
done," he said. "The vast majority
are the same employees as
were here before, and if anything,
the hotel is now more a
part of the University and
Auburn tradition."
Jordan, too, said he understands
why things changed.
"The University, it's a no-brainer
for them. They had to
do this," he said. "It should up
the enrollment, and double it in
hotel and restaurant management.
"I don't have a problem with
the University's decision, just
with some of the people they let
go," Jordan said. "But it's been
tough. That's a great place to
work. That's one of the places
you enjoy going to work every
day."
This fall, Auburn students
will know what it's like, and
West Paces' managers will open
the doors to their classroom.
"They're supposed to be the
best," Jordan said. "And they
may not do everything like I did,
but I hope they'll do it right."
WALKER
> From Page I
out endangering the quality of
our programs."
ACHE has lobbied the state
Legislature for a 4 percent
increase in funding for the
upcoming fiscal year. This
increase would bring Alabama
up to Mississippi's level of educational
spending.
"But what we in higher education
would really like to see
the Legislature approve and
Gov. Riley support is a $300
million increase in operations
for state colleges and universities,
plus a $1 billion bond
issue for capital improvements,"
Walker said.
For this to happen, the Legislature
would have to undertake
significant tax reform
with a public vote on a referendum.
Walker said the governor
has said this increase is aiming
too high.
"They have also said that
whatever new money is generated
for higher education, we
must be able to demonstrate
how it will benefit the state's
economy," he said.
"I am convinced there is a
very real limit to the extent to
which a business model is
applicable to an education
institution," he said.
"We do not exist to be a
business. We are not here to
make a profit. We exist to create
knowledge, to deliver
knowledge (and) to expand the
intellectual horizons of the
community, the state, the
nation and the world."
SENATE
> From Page I
"In reality, shared governance
is a give and take process." she
said. "I believe we
rrfore fully understand
that by compromise
we can all
move forward."
Struempler also
said she feels the
appointment of a
faculty member as a
non-voting advisory
member of the
Board of Trustees is
big step forward.
"For more than a decade the
faculty has asked for this position,"
she said. "I firmly believe
a faculty representative can be a
watchdog without being con-
"The board
has worked
well with
faculty this
year"
Delivery Hours n A.M. - IO P.M.
$10.00 Minimum
frontational."
Struempler said she believes
the faculty representative on
the Board should be the University
Senate chair and that the
chair should begin serving after
the first six months
in office.
She said she
has advocated working
with administrators
and believes the
Board of Trustees
have been trying to
— Barbara , m P r o v e relations
Struempler " * * f a c u , t v a n d t h e
Past University rest of the University.
Senate Chair "The board
has worked well with
faculty this year," she said.
"Their actions imply that
trustees are concerned and are
trying to listen."
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Editorials • Commentary • Letters State Local A4 Thursday. March 13. 2003 ?E!)e Sltibuin ^plainsman
IN BRIEF
ROBBER FOUND:
Phenix City police
found a suspected robber's
decomposing
body in a wooded area
behind Stadium Street
in Phenix City. The
bodv was identified as a
27-year-old black male
from Columbus, Ga.
Officers working on an
unrelated robbery case
at Scotty's Seafood and
Chicken restaurant
found the bodv. Capt.
Jim Hart said based on
autopsy reports and
evidence the death was
determined to be self-inflicted.
Selma March
SCHOOL CLOSINGS: The
Birmingham Board of
Education will vote to
approve a plan to close
nine schools, reconfigure
eight others and
eliminate 555 jobs. The
plan, by interim Superintendent
Wayman
Shiver, would slash S30
million from the system's
budget beginning
with the school year in
August. State superintendent
Ed Richardson
ordered the board to
develop a plan to
address a financial crisis
that is seeing the
system spend SI.4 million
a month that it
takes in.
UNITED NATIONS:
Britain and Canada
took the lead Tuesday
to break the diplomatic
impasse over how
much time Saddam
Hussein should be
given to prove he has
disposed of his
weapons of mass
destruction. The Security
Council proposed a
45-day reprieve for Iraq.
The Bush administration
wants a shorter
deadline.
QUOTABLE:
"But in this world
nothing can be
said to be certain,
except death and
taxes"
— Benjamin Franklin
inventor, politician
—compiled from
staff reports
Katie Kahmer — Assistant Copy Editor
Many gathered in Selma March 8 and 9 in remembrance of «he civil rights movement of the 1960s. 'People of all ages, genders and races marched from Selma
to Montgomery and crossed the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge. The weekend marked the 38th anniversary of the march from Selma to Montgomery.
A past not forgotten
By KATIE RAHMER
Assistant Copy Editor
"We didn't hear about the movement," said Emory Harris.
"We were in it."
Harris was a member of the Student Non-violent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC) during the 1960s.
This weekend marked the 38th anniversary of the 54-
mile march from Selma to Montgomery and the famous
crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Auburn University students in journalism instructor
Trish O'Kanes' feature writing class teamed with the
National Park Service and the National Voting Rights
Museum in Selma for the Foot Soldiers Oral History Project.
As participants wandered through the web of art. hats,
food and stage performances, the students gathered in a
cafe off Water Avenue where the festivities centered.
Encircled by SNCC veterans and with only a window
separating the intimate gathering from the festival outside,
the true stories of the "Foot Soldiers" began to
unfold.
"We as a people, black or white or any color, we have to
stand up for decency and justice," said Annie Pearl, who
said she felt destined to join the movement.
She was in Birmingham at the time and met two young
men, Wilson Brown and Nathaniel Lee, who were part of
SNCC.
"They started to introduce me to this term, non-violence.
I said 'no, man, I didn't plan on doing that, I got a
switchblade,'" Pearl said. Laughter filled the small room.
But Brown and Lee were present for a purpose: to
teach non-violence. They invited Pearl to a conference in
Atlanta where she was introduced to the non-violent
> Turn to MARCH.A6
* | « W * * ^**(
mm
J
WM
w
Katie Rahmer — Assistant Copy Editor
Walker McMillan, journalism student, interviews
Timothy Mayes, who participated in the
march 38 years ago and carried the same flag.
POLITICS
Riley's speech
talks taxes
By TAISHA PICKETT
Assistant State & Local Editor
In his first State of the
State address to the Legislature.
Gov. Bob Riley said
Alabama faces "a fiscal crisis
of historic proportions."
On March 4 in his
address he said the first
objective is "to cut out Riley
waste and create efficiencies
in government."
Riley proposed deep cuts in public education
and state agencies, but said they can be
avoided by eliminating wasteful spending,
restoring financial accountability and raising
taxes as a last resort.
Marty Connors, Alabama Republican
Party chairman, said, "Now that the Riley
Administration has finally wrestled its arms
around the books and finances of the state,
it is obvious that the Siegelman hangover
extends far beyond contract corruption and
petty vandalism.
"The Siegelman Administration and its
leadership have left our state in complete
financial disarray," Connors said.
Riley said balancing the state budgets,
beginning Oct. 1. will require cutting educa-
> Turn to TAXES, A5
WAR ON TERROR
Ford: from the House to the war \
Rep. Craig Ford may have to serve his country another way
ByJASONODOM
Staff Writer
State Rep. Craig Ford is waiting for
a call that may never come.
Should he receive it, however, Ford
is more than willing to vacate his
seat in Alabama's House of Representatives
to assume an active role
in America's possible war against
Iraq.
His status is unique among the
members of the Legislature. While
Ford works alongside numerous veterans
in the House, he is currently
the only active serviceman among
them.
"Serving in the Legislature is secondary
to serving in the military,"
Ford, 34, said. "It's an honor to serve
my country. Serving in the military
allows me to serve the whole country."
That is a much larger constituency
than Etowah, the 28th district that
Ford, D-Gadsden, represents. He has
held that position since a special
election in June 2000 following the
passing of his predecessor and
father, the late Rep. Joe Ford. Ford
has since been re-elected in 2002.
Being the only active serviceman
in the House led to some initial confusion
as to what would happen with
Ford's seat if he is called away.
Unsure of whether he should resign,
he asked Attorney General Bill Pryor
for the rules on this special situation.
Pryor said resigning would not be
necessary.
House guidelines say Ford must
give up his seat only while he is
> Turn to FORD.A5
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Lee County could be a dump
By CRYSTAL JARVIS
Assistant State & Local Editor
Waste Management would like nine more counties to
drop off their garbage in Lee County.
In addition, Waste Management wants to lower its tipping
fee, which is charged to the authority members from
$27 per ton to $25 per ton.
Waste management wants to increase its daily average
from 1,500 tons to 2,000 tons.
Nineteen Alabama counties are being serviced in the
Salem landfill from Lee County north to Talladega and
south to Crenshaw and Troup, Muscogee and Harris
counties in Georgia.
"I am very opposed to this request." said Annell Smith,
the commissioner who represents Salem. "Why would
we want to get our landfills full and have them start leak-
> Turn to TRASH,A6
REBECCA DAVIS. EDITOR • (334} 844-9109 • NEWSOTHEPLAINSMAN.COM
A5 Thursday, March 13, 2003 Cljc auburn patngman
TAXES: Governor indicates it will be necessary to make up for revenue shortfalls
> From A4
tion spending 6 percent and General Fund
spending for non-education agencies 20 percent
unless major changes are made.
Riley said in his speech, the $500 million
budget deficit is without making improvements
to schools, correction facilities or any other
state program that was in dire need of more
funding.
He said the state budget has lived beyond its
means.
He said the state has inherited an Education
Trust Fund budget with a deficit of $175 million
for this year.
In the General Fund one-time revenues of
$222 million in the 2003 budget which was used
to "shore up" on-going projects, but will never
be available again, he said.
The runaway growth in employee benefits
will consume $150 million of the Education
Trust Fund budget in 2004.
He said the Medicaid budget will require a
minimum of $70 million to meet mandated
benefit budget growth in 2004.
The under-funded corrections budget will
need an additional minimum of $125 million in
2004.
"Our government has lived like a family paying
the power bill on their credit card every
month, just postponing the inevitable," Riley
said. "
He said if Alabama continues the policies of
the past the number of drastic cuts in the
upcoming fiscal year are threatening because of
budget shortfalls.
He said 3,200 teachers and support personnel
will be laid off, in addition to the 2,000 who will
lose their jobs this spring.
Many extracurricular activities, including
high school athletics will be discontinued, he
said.
He said 46 state troopers will be let go despite
the trooper force being 25 percent understaffed.
Trooper assistance to stranded motorists will
be eliminated, and nine highway patrol posts
will be closed.
Riley also said 734 employees in the judicial
system will be laid off and jury trials suspended
indefinitely.
Thousands of child support cases will be
affected, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars
in child support payments.
He said the lack of matching funds will
reduce the Mental Health budget by $38.6 million.
He said 450,000 of Alabama citizens will lose
access to health care because of the lack of
funding for the Medicaid programs and 800,000
meals for the elderly will be eliminated.
Thousands of citizens will lose their eligibility
for nursing home care, and 60 Senior Service
Centers will be closed, he said.
He said the time is not right for.new taxes yet.
"There are many today that say we must
immediately raise taxes in light of the situation
we have inherited," Riley said.
"That may be forced upon us one day,
because I have pledged that no essential state
services will be discontinued to those who
depend upon them," he saici. "But, I will not
entertain the idea of additional taxes until we
reform the policies and practices that have created
the problems we face today," Riley said.
"Too many small businesses and citizens are
burdened by our tax structure and higher taxes
should be considered only as a last resort, not
the first."
"Gov. Riley's approach will first restore
integrity and accountability in the state government."
Connors said.
FORD: Service is more than state house
> FromA4
away. Gov. Bob Riley will then
appoint a replacement in
Ford's seat until he returns
home to resume his legislative
duties.
Ford said that if he would be
gone longer than a year, resigning
his seat might be "in the
best interest of my constituents."
Their "best interest," Ford
believes, could mean serving
as Captain Ford, an armor officer
in the Army's Individual
Ready Reserve. Members of
the l.R.R. are not assigned a
particular unit until being
activated.
Formerly. Ford was a member
of Hoover's 87th Reserve.
An Etowah County native.
Ford graduated from Gadsden's
Westminster High School
in 1986. After attending Gadsden
State Community College
briefly, Ford graduated from
Auburn University in 1991
with a marketing degree.
Ford also received from
Auburn his ROTC commission
in 1991.
His political career began
almost 10 years later with his
appointment to his late
father's seat.
Ford credits both his military
and political ventures to
the tradition established by his
father.
Retired Colonel Joe Ford
served 30 years in the Alabama
National Guard as an armor
officer before representing the
28th District in the Legislature.
Ford's family continues to
serve as an inspiration in these
wait-and-see days. While an
anxiety exists that is shared by
military families -worldwide,
Ford said he is grateful for the
courage he sees in his wife,
Gwen, and their two kids, 8-
year-old John Craig and 4-
year-old Wells.
"They understand the sacrifice,"
he said. "They're sad, but
they're sad about anyone leaving."
More than 6,000 Alabami-ans,
including some of Ford's
friends, have already been activated
in the war on terrorism
and in preparation for a possible
war with Iraq.
Ford is quick to add special
praise for Gwen, his wife of 10
years and a teacher at Gadsden
State Community College.
"She's as solid as a rock," he
said.
Gwen Ford, is just as much
in favor of her husband's cause
as he is.
"I would hate to see him go,
but I knew that it might come
to this one day," she said. "Our
kids pray every night that he
and those other soldiers will be
safe."
If war with Iraq doesn't happen,
or at least while the state
Legislature is in session. Ford
will continue serving in the
seat to which he was elected.
And his Public Safety committee
will push for its Homeland
Security package, a
reminder to Ford that things
can change quickly because of
how quickly things have
already changed.
Saturday, March 15th at 3:00 PM
SPRING 2003
FASHION SHOW
""*"%
•6
mma %
.
gSff^flWg
,*.*" •A;'--:
;*&,; » '
iffSs
Alabama prisons seek funding
By REBECCA DAVIS
State & Local Editor
The theory to lock em up and throw away the
key is not working for the Alabama Department
of Corrections.
Because of a court order filed by U.S. District
Judge Myron Thompson, the department is trying
to work with its underfunded budget to
reduce the number of prisoners in Julia Tutwiler
prison in Wetumpka.
Thompson scheduled a hearing March 6 to
consider the state's latest plan for fixing conditions
at Tutwiler.
Brian Corbett, a spokesman for DOC, said the
Legislature is not properly funding the Alabama
DOC.
The legislature supplies $204 million to the
department, but the department must raise $57
million on their own.
"We've asked for an additional $126 million in
funding," Corbett said.
The additional funds are used to transport
prisoners from Alabama prisons to Louisiana.
Alabama currently houses about 28,316
inmates, and there are not enough correctional
officers to monitor them all.
Pepper Bryors, spokesman for Gov. Bob Riley,
said the governor believes the DOC commissioner's
request for funding is valid and that the Senate
will try to meet that request.
"We are confident it will pass," Bryors said.
"The Senate understands the gravity of the situation."
In addition to the additional funding, Riley is
presenting some other ideas to relieve the stress
of Alabama's prisons.
Bryors said these ideas are based on the governor's
attempt to "think outside the box."
One idea that was mentioned was to use military
bases to house prisoners.
"The plan to use military bases is not even in
the discussion phase. It is an idea that hasn't
even been reviewed," Bryors said.
Corbett said no military bases have been
available for use.
"However, if we have the facilities made available
then we will use it," Corbett said.
Bryors also said Riley is more interested in
using the military bases for economic development.
Bryors said some ideas that are being discussed
is what's being put before the Senate
right now.
The governor said he wants to send some
state prisoners to neighboring states, and he
also seeks to add 30 additional parole officers
statewide, Bryors said.
The additional officers, Bryors said, will aid in
releasing non-violent criminals "who have paid
their debt to society and have been rehabilitated."
»?'
u'/'
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•;m
A6 Thursday, March 13, 2003 (O)c Auburn $latn*man
Blitz Build, opportunity to give back
By GABE CARPENTER
Staff Writer
Students at Auburn University have an opportunity
to give something back to the community.
But most are neglecting to do so.
The Lee County Habitat for Humanity and its
University chapter, along with SGA, are sponsoring
a Blitz Build.
Using the labor of student volunteers under
the guidance of skilled craftsmen, these groups
are attempting to build a house in just two
weeks.
The house is being built for Mary Scott, a University
employee who plans to retire soon. She
was selected from 72 applicants.
"Habitat's goal is to eliminate poverty housing
in Lee County," said Dallas Chambers, chairwoman
of the Family Selection Committee at
Lee County's Habitat for Humanity. "We don't
build houses for people who could go get a loan
from a bank."
Scott currently lives in a mobile home and
serves as guardian to her four grandchildren.
A Habitat house would be a more suitable
place for her and her dependents.
Weather could hinder the progress of the Blitz
Build, but that is not the major problem.
"We are in desperate need of volunteers."said
Trey Lyles. administrative vice president of the
SGA. '
According to Lyles, notices have been sent to
fraternities, sororities and other campus organizations,
but the response has been disappointing.
Construction on the house started March 3
and will continue through March 15.
The workday is divided into two four-hour
shifts involving 25 volunteers.
The mqrning shift lasts from 8 a.m. till noon,
and the afternoon shift from 1 p.m. till 5 p.m.
The morning shift needs the most help, Lyles
said, but afternoon volunteers are still welcome.
For those unable to participate in the Blitz
Build, there are other opportunities to participate
in Habitat projects.
Upcoming events are listed on Habitat for
Humanity's Web site.
"(As students), you're here for more than just
an education," said Cullan Duke, president of
Auburn's Habitat for Humanity. "You're practicing
how you're going to live the rest of your lives."
With less than a week remaining on this project,
more help is needed.
The idea behind this project is to foster a spirit
of unity among the Auburn students.
Students who want to participate in the Blitz
Build can sign up online at www.auburn.edu/stu-dent_
info/habitat.
The construction site is located at 924 Holmes
Ave.
A map and directions may be viewed at the
University's Habitat Web site.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
>• visic www.leecountyhabitat.org or call the
SGA office at 844-3284 Katie Brumbeloe — Photo Editor
Jason Stoker, construction manager for Habitat for Humanity, and Ryan Roddam, an intern
for Habitat for Humanity, work on the house that is being built in two weeks.
TRASH
>• From A4
ing in the ground."
Lee County would get more
money in tipping fees but it
will cost us money in the long
run. Smith said.
The roads will began to tear
up and they will have to pay-clean-
up crews for the trash
that will accumulate along the
side of the road.
Salem Landfill already
.serves 22 counties. If the new
counties are added it will raise
the number to 31.
AH of the new counties will
be from Georgia and some of
the counties are almost 100
miles away.
If the Lee County commission
approves of the request,
Coweta, Fayette. Heard, Chattahoochee,
Henry, Meriweath-er,
Spalding and Talbot
counties will be serviced in
Lee County.
The benefits would be the
host fee which could be raised
from 33 cents per ton to $1
per ton.
The Commission has not
yet formally adhered to waste
management's request, but
The Alabama Department of
Environmental Management
has given Lee County the permission
to decide whether
they would like to increase the
services.
ADEM permits landfills that
receive municipal solid waste,
inert materials and nonhaz-ardous
industrial waste to
ensure that sites are suitable
and that construction and
operation comply with environmental
regulations.
A 1989 law established as a
goal a 25 percent reduction of
the solid waste stream.
required all counties to develop
plans for meeting their
solid waste needs for a 10-year
period and mandated local
approval by the city or county
government for any new or
expanded solid waste management
facility.
ADEM assists local governments
in meeting their waste-reduction
goals and planning
requirements.
"We just implement environmental
laws. We make sure
the landfills are safe and properly
instructed," said Scott
Hughes, spokesman for
ADEM.
The commission will soon
be voting on the request soon,
but a date has not been set.
MARCH: Citizens participate in the Selma March in Montgomery
JEWELRY BY DESIGN
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> FromA4
approach of the movement.
It was in Atlanta that she remembers
meeting "decent white people" for the first
time. She was 15.
"1 realized that there were some decent
white people with a conscience," said Pearl.
"The people that 1 met was Dottie Zellner,
Bob Zellner, William Hanson. These were
the first decent white people I had been
around in my life."
She became an active SNCC member after
the conference and traveled all over the
South.
"1 was everywhere. I was in Mississippi,
Selma. Georgia, wherever something was
happening," Pearl said. "I guess I wanted
freedom more than I wanted education at
that time."
Auburn students soaked up the stories
and recollections of the years leading up to
the march and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
"If we wanted to change the whole system,
we had to hit the problem head on," Harris
said.
Harris, an Albany, Ga., native, traveled to
college campuses with the Freedom Singers
and SNCC, spreading the word of individual
rights and registering blacks to vote.
"Freedom starts with a vote," Pearl said.
"You have to change the system."
THE MARCH
It was the third attempt, March 21,1965,
when marchers started the five-day journey
to Montgomery under the protection of the
National Guard.
Leaders headed to the front to keep up
with a head count of those crossing the
bridge. They wanted a count of how many
were marching and were fearful of people
being thrown over the bridge.
"You always have people that wants to do
the front thing," said Timothy Mayes.
He was standing near the back, clutching
the prized stars and stripes.
"God knows I don't even know where it
came from," Mayes said. "All 1 know is that 1
was to carry it"
"The funny thing about this flag is that
when the state troopers charged up on us
with running the horses over us and the tear
gas and beating, I got knocked out," Mayes
said. "But I held on to this flag and 1 started
running, and the flag started waving."
Mayes has carried the same flag for 38
years.
Auburn students were instructed by the
National Park Service to document the stories
they uncovered for an archive that will
be placed in the National Voting Rights
Museum.
Lisa Bratton, an oral historian, prepared
the students on March 8 for the mission.
"Just let them speak and jot down any
questions you may want to come back to,"
Bratton said.
Karla Cowless of the National Park Service
arranged the gathering in a press conference
format. This allowed the students to gather
information from all of the "foot soldiers"
and determine which person they would like
to interview for a personal profile.
On Sunday the reenactment of the march
was the climax of the weekend. Marchers
lined up at the Brown Chapel AME Church
where they began singing the same freedom
songs that carried them over brigde 38 years
before.
The journalism students marched and
interviewed the SNCC members from the
previous day.
"It gave me an opportunity to put my journalism
skills into practice," said jourmalism
student Walker McMillan.
Signs waved high representing peaceful
protests for a variety of organizations and
causes. People came from Birmingham,
Montgomery and towns in between to support
the march and protest issues of education
reform, civil rights and the war.
"Many races were there representing the
cause," McMillan said. "It was nice to see
they haven't lost the ideas of what is important"
Non-violent protests represented civil
rights organizations like SNCC and the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Sunday embodied those values.
"A peaceful approach is longer and harder,
but a peaceful approach is the way," Pearl
said.
Pearl believes that standing up for individual
rights demonstrates the spirit of being
an American. She hopes the approach of the
civil rights will be carried on.
"The biggest thing for me this weekend
was, ordinary people can change the world'
became a reality while we were in Selma,"
said Jessica Elmore, a sophomore in journalism.
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COLLEGE Lire SERIES:
"Safe Sprlnti Creak**
3/19 Wednesday 4:00 217 Foy Union
DISNEY WORLD COLLEGE RECRUITING
3/17 Monday 6:00 019Lowder
Call 844-4744 Tor details.
EDUCATION INTERVIEW DAY
3/18 Tuesday 8:30-3:00
At Hotel and Dixon Conference Center
Screening Interviews for Prospective Teachers/Educators
• RESUME MELD AVAILABLE AT CDS •
No appointment needed...Come by 303 Martin Hall
• LUNCUTIHE TUTORING •
Call 844-5702 for details
• s n uy PARTNERS •
RBD Library - Bottom Floor
Come by for help in most core classes.
Sundays - Thursdays; 4:00-10:00
AL STUDENT Succesf CENTEE
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People who enjoy what they are doing invariably do It well."
Joe Gibbs
-— 1
tCfje Auburn plainsman Thursday, March 13,2003 A7
Foster-care groups
may cut payments
By DANIELLE ASHBY
Staff Writer
Foster care in Alabama is
facing an uncertain future.
The Department of Human
Resources has informed foster-
care groups and homes
that they may have to cut
their payments by up to 7.5
percent.
The cut in payments and
other cost-containment measures
are intended to help
remove $13 million from this
year's budget.
"What we're looking at is
something theoretical at this
time," said DHR director of
public information, Mike Gibson.
"We're basically speculating."
DHR sent letters the week
of Feb. 17 to residential care
providers and other department
contractors to inform
them of possible cuts.
According to a press release,
DHR commissioner Bill Fuller
wrote in a Feb. 18 letter, "The
department is currently facing
a substantial financial shortfall
in state and federal funds
available for fiscal year 2003."
Mac Otts. executive director
of the Alabama Residential
'Childcare Association, said
the impact would be hardest
on small homes.
"There will probably be some
that will go out of business,"
Otts said.
Homes in Alabama are paid
between $35 and $250 a day
per child depending on the
child's medical and emotional
needs.
With the funding cuts, payment
to foster parents would
be one of the first things to
suffer.
Besides a reduction in payment
to foster parents, Gibson
said a reduction in services to
adults would be cut.
This cut would primarily
affect the elderly and the mentally
and physically disabled.
According to the press
release about the DHR's financial
situation, the cost-cutting
tactics above are not the only
ways the state is looking to
save.
A hiring freeze, reductions
in therapeutic foster care,
delays in computer improvements
ancf a reduction in flex
funds to counties will also
have to make due with fewer
funds.
The child support department
would also suffer from a
reduction in staffing.
Gibson is unsure of whether
Alabama's foster care system
can survive with a funding
reduction.
In the Feb. 18 letter, Fuller
said the department needs to
find a way to contain costs
while "minimizing impact on
the mandated direct and compassionate
services being provided
to families and
children."
The press release reported
that Gov. Bob Riley said the
state needs to provide long-term
solutions to its budget
woes.
"Everybody has been talking
about a financial crisis for
weeks," said Pepper Bryars,
deputy press secretary for the
governor. "As evidenced by the
DHR's letter, the storm is no
longer looming, it's here."
Bourgeois reflects on trip to Iraq
By CRYSTAL JARVIS
Assistant Slate 6- Local Editor
Father Roy Bourgeois, the
founder of The School of
Assassins, reflected on his trip
to Iraq March 11 in 3195 Haley
Center.
"Since I have come back
from Iraq, I have not been able
to shut up," Bourgeois said.
As the United States is
preparing to go to war with
Iraq, he felt compelled to visit
the country.
"Only 5 percent of the U.S.
citizens have been outside the
United States, yet we are being
told that we are good, and out
there is evil," Bourgeois said.
"The U.S. never thinks about
what we look like to other
countries."
His delegation visited the
capital, Baghdad, which is the
city closest to military bases.
They talked with children, doctors
and students who all said
"they did not want this war to
happen," Bourgeois said.
What stood out most to him
was the warmth of the Iraqi
people. They had so little, yet
they offered it and welcomed
them into their homes.
Wherever Bourgeois went he
would ask the Iraqi people why
they thought President George
Bush wanted to go to war with
them.
The response was that America
wanted the vast oil reserves
to sustain their way of life.
He visited the hospitals
where the doctors said they
have had a number of pregnant
women come to the hospitals
and ask for C-sections just so
their children could have a
chance at life.
"There is an intense fear in
the Iraqi people because a
bomb could be dropped any
day now and kill them." he said.
"I am saddened by this as I
think of all the people I met,
the students, the doctors and
even the little shoeshine boys
at the corners. I know that if
we go to war they will not be
alive the very next day," Bourgeois
said.
Bourgeois was an outspoken
critic of the U.S. foreign policy
in Latin America, and he found
that Latin America and the
Middle East have a lot in common:
the overwhelming presence
and power of the United
States.
"Why do we dare set foot on
another person's sotl and interrupt
the culture and well being
of the country?" he said.
"George Bush has asked the
American people to put our
trust in him and the military.
We should only put our trust in
God," Bourgeois said.
"This morning I read Psalm
33, and it reminded me that
our enemy is not Iraq, but ignorance."
Psalm 33 reads, "Rulers are
not saved by their enemies. Nor
can they find hope in their
weapons. Despite their power,
they cannot bring peace."
"May our weapon be knowledge,
love, justice and nonviolence,"
Bourgeois said.
Task force to study land issue never met
By CARLA MERRILL .
Pholo Editor
After generations of land
was stolen from blacks in
Alabama, a task force was
formed to study the issue, but
it never met.
The committee was supposed
to meet March 6 to
report its findings, but only
three of the 10-member task
force were appointed to the
committee.
After a request by Rep.
Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville,
the Legislature
extended the deadline until
the middle of the 2004 session.
Jackson said this issue has
been overlooked for too long.
"This is a very serious issue,"
Jackson said.
"Blacks owned 15 million
acres in 1969, most was stolen
in some way until we only
owned six million," he said.
The task force was supposed
to have members appointed by
the governor, lieutenant gover-no',
speaker of the House,
president pro tern of the Senate,
Alabama A&M, Tuskegee
University, the presidents of
Alabama State and by the legislative
black caucus.
Jackson became concerned
following an 18-month investigation
by the Associated Press
in 2001, of land stolen from
blacks.
The investigation became a
series titled, "Torn From the
Land." The investigation found
blacks had lost 24,000 acres of
land during 107 different
thefts because of trickery and
violence.
The state has returned land
to Willie Williams and his family
that was taken 40 years ago.
The AP series stated the family
had a 1874 deed on the land
and had been paying taxes on
it for generations.
In 1965, a judge said taking
the Williams' land would be a
"severe injustice," but signed
an order to give the property to
the state anyway.
Former Gov. Don Siegelman
returned the 40 acres of farmland
to the Williams, declaring
them the "rightful owners."
Many families in Alabama,
and other surrounding southern
states, claim land that has
not been returned. The earliest
cases occurred before the Civil
War, and some still occur
today.
The Hosea family of Marengo
County lost land in 1995,
and is in the process of recovering.
The three women's land was
taken after they were accused
of having trees cut down on
land that was not theirs.
"The Hosea's land was
stolen, period," said legal
researcher Thedford Rowser.
"These women were taken
advantage of."
Jackson said he hopes the
extended time period will
allow them time to study the
land problem more extensively.
"Hopefully, we can get these
things brought to the table and
have a full investigation," Jackson
said.
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A8 Thursday, March 13, 2003 3TI)f Auburn $lainsman
COMMENTARY
Ql\)t Suburn plainsman
FOUNDED IN 1893 AS Tl IE ORANGE & BLUE
Volume 109. No.23
GINNY FARMER
Copy Editor
LINDSAY EVANS
Campus Editor
CARA PARELL
Intrigue Editor
EDITORIAL BOARD
ADAM JONES
Editor
REBECCA DAMS
Slate 6 Local Editor
BRIAN KANE
Sports Editor
JUSTIN SMITH
Managing Editor
KATIE BRUMBELOE
Photo Editor
DANIEL MOORE
Art Editor
DANIEL MOORE
OUR VIEW
Laughable
State examination of Auburn Alumni
Association misguided
At first glance, it's hard not to laugh.
Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, asking
for the Auburn Alumni Association's
financial records to be audited is
funny.
Barron has been investigated by a
couple of federal and state government
agencies, including the Alabama
Ethics Commission, for using his
power for personal gain.
For instance, getting construction
contracts for his son's company at
Auburn University where Barron is a
trustee.
He slips away each time, telling the
public everything is a misunderstanding.
A person under the microscope
shouldn't point fingers at others. It's
not a nice thing to do.
The Association is being investigated
by State Examiners of Public
Accounts, an arm of the Legislature
that audits public agencies and those
they do business with.
Only legislators can call for an
audit. While Barron hasn't admitted
it. he was the most likely person to
call for this audit.
One more thing, as Senate pro tern.
Barron is by far the most powerful
person in the Legislature. While the
auditors are supposed to be a-palili-cal.
it's always good to please the boss.
The real joke of the examination is
there's nothing fishy with the Association's
finances. Don Large, treasurer
for the Association and administrative
vice president for the University,
thinks the books are clean.
The real reason behind this examination
is some trustees feel the Association
needs to be weakened.
Trustees don't like the Association's
meddling in the way trustees are
selected, and they don't like many
powerful alumni getting involved in
the politics of appointments through
the Auburn Trustee Improvement
PAC.
Trustees tried to take over the association,
literally, a few years ago by
electing alumni favorable with themselves
to serve on the Association's
executive board. The takeover failed,
and now alumni are the last strong
voice of opposition against trustees.
The examination could be closed
since nothing has happened recently,
but it shouldn't have taken place.
In the midst of a capital campaign,
Barron is questioning the association
— many alumni's only official contact
with Auburn.
Trustees have tried to circumvent
the association. They formed the
Alumni Advisory Council, which they
would talk with instead of the established
Association.
They and the University produce
their own publications in hopes alumni
won't read the Auburn Magazine,
which publishes negative letters about
trustees.
All have failed. Alumni keep pushing
harder, electing bold leaders
unafraid to lobby for change.
This latest harassment of the Association
was a bad move by Barron,
and he doesn't act in a vacuum. Other
trustees knew and approved of this
examination.
harassment of the Association
needs to stop, or alumni will get
angrier.
Then the joke will be on Barron.
Bulls-eye
President William Walker's State of
the University address this week was
right on target about education funding.
Walker blamed Alabama's outdated
constitution for current funding
problems and encouraged tax reform
to help fix problems.
State budget offices predict a S550
million shortfall in next year's budget
and a 6 percent across the board proration
on education next year.
That's a problem minor taxes won't
fix. Wholesale changes to the way
Alabama taxes its citizens and raising
property taxes, primarily on large
landowners who don't pay their share,
are needed.
And the changes were needed
almost 90 years ago when the first call
for constitution reform was spoken.
Higher education, not to mention
K-12, healthcare, prisons, road projects
and so on, needs more funding.
Walker is right to point out that
Alabama trails its neighboring states
in education funding.
Gov. Bob Riley, unlike his predecessor,
is trying to reform the state. Perhaps
the Legislature will help him.
Walker's speech wasn't original. It's
been heard before, but an atmosphere
of change exists with Riley.
Let's hope Walker can use his
speech next year to highlight the positive
changes that have been made.
Bookends
A policy change implemented by
the University Senate last week was
meaningful if not significant.
Professors who write their own
textbooks and then assign them to
students, cannot receive profits from
the sale of the book. However, if the
book is considered worthy to be
taught by a departmental chair or
committee, some profit from the
sales to Auburn students may be realized.
While professors haven't been able
to profit from sales of their own
books before because of state ethics
guidelines, it's good to have it part of
Auburn University policy.
Auburn is fortunate that it has professors
who can write respected
works in their field. But students
need to be taught from adequate
textbooks, regardless of the author.
Doubtful that any professors are in
violation, but the policy was needed.
OUR POLICY
The opinions of The Auburn Plainsman staff are restricted to these pages. The unsigned editorials
are the majority opinion of the nine-member editorial board and are the
official opinion of the newspaper. The opinions expressed in columns, pictures and letters
represent the views and opinions of their individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the
Auburn University student body, faculty, administration or Board of'Trustees.
HEAD TO HEAD: CAMPUS TRAFFIC
Ode to C-zone holders, warning to peds
Pedestrianization: noun, spin
word invented by administration to
distract attention from chaotic
parking problems that have plagued
the campus for a decade. At least.
Origin: Auburn University, Auburn,
AJa.
The powers that be are intent to
make students walk to class, and
are intent to restrict students from
taking their friends to class, picking
them up and running errands on
campus. Then a^ain the powers
that be possess A and B-zone passes.
Some even have their own parking
spaces.
Student drivers aren't the problems,
student walkers are. When
was the last time a pedestrian was
hit by a student driver on this campus?
And of the pedestrians who
have been struck by cars, how many
of those were breaking some sort of
traffic law?
The truth is, I have seen more
pedestrians and bicyclists breaking
traffic laws than I have drivers. I
would even venture to say that bicycles
hit more cars and pedestrians,
than cars hit pedestrians and bicyclists.
So. Step 1: Get rid of bicyclists.
When they fall down in the street —
and I've seen this happen — they
take twice as long to collect themselves
and thus, they slow traffic.
They have less control, and I can
justifiably say they hit more pedestrians:
I've been hit by two, but have
never been hit by a car.
Now, I have to admit, I hate pedestrians.
I have friends who are pedestrians,
but they're not my friends
when they're pedestrians.
When, in a parking lot, someone
decides to walk in front of my car
LAUREN
GLENN
glenn@theplainsman.com
and disregard that I am only inches
away from rearending, well, their
rear, I have been known to lay on my
horn, just to see them jump.
They don't abide by crosswalks
anymore — it's as if Generation Y
was never taught the purpose of the
crosswalk in driver's ed.
Do you remember the Andy Griffith
show? Do you remember the
episode where Barney wrote a 60-
year-old woman a ticket for jaywalking?
Step 2: ticket pedestrians. Crosswalks
are there for a reason. And
remember the safety patrol in elementary
school? They were the kids
with good grades who told students
to "slow down" and indicated when
it was OK to cross the street?
Step 3: Purchase large quantity of
ugly, orange, nylon safety patrol
belts and distribute them to SGA
senators who will be assigned a
daily post and time in addition to
their regularly scheduled office
hours which half of them never
seem to meet anyway.
And by the way, Step 4: Purchase
crosswalk signal lights. You know,
the things that say "Walk" or "Don't
Walk?" You may have forgotten
them because there aren't any on
Auburn's campus.
Pedestrians aren't defenseless.
They're just inconsiderate half the
time and careless the other half.
When it comes to crossing the
street, just remember: right foot, left
foot, if you have to, spit out your
gum, and sometimes, if you don't
talk on your cell phone and eat
breakfast while you're walking, you
might find that you reach your destination
faster, and without coming
inches from the front end of a Toyota.
And, please, if you see a car coming
in your direction, and think
"Man, that car might hit me," don't
stand there like a deer in headlights.
•It seems to be a common misconception
among pedestrians that the
harder you stare at a moving vehicle,
your super X-ray \ision will stop it
just in time.
Listen, Clark Kent, it's not true. I
tried it with a transit bus my freshman
year, and he just honked and
kept on comin'.
Step 5: More crosswalks. Wider
crosswalks.
Kicking student drivers off of
campus entirely inconveniences so
many more students than it benefits.
There are two teams now, it
seems: Drivers vs. walkers, and the
walkers are winning by default.
Oh, and about that safety patrol
thing. I was just kidding. And
besides, no one listens to student
reporters anyway. We're crazy malcontents,
half of us are damn liberals,
and the only reason I don't like
pedestrians is actually because I'm
too lazy to be one.
Lauren Glenn is assistant copy editor
for The Auburn Plainsman.
You can reach her at 844-9108.
Walking on campus is better for you
While the administration would
certainly never survive the "No Spin
Zone," pedestrianizing Auburn has
its advantages.
Given the enrollment at the University,
the land area is relatively
small. There's just not enough space
on campus for everyone to drive
themselves around. Think of driving
through downtown Atlanta during
rush hour, except on two lanes
instead of seven.
Haley Center, probably the most
heavily-used building on campus, is
situated on three, two-lane roads. If
everyone decided to drive their
friends to class or park by the Eagle's
Cage for an exam, campus would
look like a football game day all the
time.
As much as seeing campus police
handing out tickets to students driving
down Thach Avenue annoys me,
I understand the logic behind their
actions. If we let one person drive
down Thach, we have to let everyone.
There's just not enough room for
22,000 students to drive by Haley
Center or Foy Student Union in the
middle of the day.
On the bicycle issue, I agree with
Lauren. Cyclists cause more problems
than they solve, and I've seen
more than a few occasions in which
a cyclist cuts off a car, hits a pedestrian
or causes some other form of
havoc on campus.
JUSTIN
SMITH
smith@theplainsman.com
The problem with students driving
on campus is that we're all young
and healthy, and there's no reason we
can't walk.
I'm 22, and it's likely that 75 percent
of people enrolled here are
younger than I am.
I can attest that most of us are
healthy enough to drive our cars to
C-zone or walk from home to wherever
we're going.
Sure, I know parking is a disaster
on campus, but that's no excuse for
laziness.
Every day, I count dozens of people
driving their cars around the C-zone
by Momma Goldbergs, looking
for that prime spot in front of the
business building.
They could save gas (and money),
time and frustration by parking in
the Max Morris lot and walking an
extra minute to get to their class.
It's just that simple.
I'm as guilty of driving on campus
as anyone, but the problem doesn't
stop with just driving.
A lot of the time, people who routinely
drive on campus to drop their
girlfriend or boyfriend off at Haley
Center (think ... Atlanta, rush hour,
two lanes) are also talking on their
cell phones while simultaneously
changing the radio station, drinking
a cup of coffee and checking out the
scenery.
This slows traffic, irritates everyone
nearby and attracts campus
police who issue even more tickets
to add to their coffers.
Thus, I propose the following:
• Eliminate driving on campus for
undergraduate students and President
William Walker & Co. (hey, if
they're going to make us walk, the
powers that be should, too.)
• Increase the amount of time
between classes, since there are
many students who traverse across
campus in the interim.
• Lauren's suggestion about assigning
SGA senators the job of "crosswalk
guards" is a good one. They
could probably handle that. They
certainly aren't worth much else.
Of course, I say this while I'm
parking at the business building, so
that may nullify my argument.
But as with everything else, it's the
thought that counts.
Justin Smith is managing editor of The
Auburn Plainsman. You can reach
him at 844-9108.
Che Suburn $3lmrtSman Thursday, March 13, 2003 A9
COMMENTARY
Alumni remain constant while others fade
Two years after protests in the
street and multiple no-confidence
votes from campus organizations,
only one group is left standing that
actively opposes trustees — the
Auburn Alumni Association.
Of the nine groups that voted no
confidence, only a handful have any
active role in the University.
Auburn students and SGA-led
walkouts and protests against trustee
appointments and actions two years
ago. They also fought hard for keeping
a new student union near central
campus.
But students come and go. The
passion felt two years ago has graduated.
Now SGA stays out of the
trustee issue and most students don't
realize that who trustees are and
what they do affects their time at
Auburn.
The University Staff Council essentially
took back the vote of no confidence
this summer. This group,
unlike professors, isn't protected by
tenure.
They can't afford to be to political.
While many staff still feel trustees
make policies instead of approving
policy, they're hands are tied.
The University Senate was at the
forefront of the trustee issue for
many years.
In the past year, they have given up
the driver's seat.
One reason is they got what they've
always wanted — a non-voting seat
on the Board of Trustees. They also
got a non-voting seat on every committee.
Trustees are to be commended
for finally doing what's right.
Perhaps that's all they wanted. I
can't definitively say whether trustee
and faculty relations have improved,
but the Senate has been less vocal
ADAM
JONES
jones&theplainsman.com
since the change.
The last significant action the Senate
took was a censure of the board
last July for appointing Walker president
without at least an internal
search.
After that, nothing. Trustees openly
questioned the censure and did
nothing in response.
How trustees can ignore the people
that make this University possible is
unknown.
There is still a group of professors
who oppose the board, but they are
labeled as radicals. Many just want
all this to be over with.
So do the trustees.
The goal of opposing trustees is
simple, but it's often forgotten.
Those who oppose the board want
Auburn to be an institution where
education and research can be conducted
without fear of hindrance
from trustees. Faculty and administration
want their opinion to count.
The Association has remained a
rock, not budging in its efforts to rid
the board of Bobby Lowder and his
cohorts.
Alumni efforts take time. After
years of trying, the way trustees are
selected was changed thank to the
association. Now many alumni have a
say in who trustees will be.
Also, many prominent alumni
formed a political action committee
to help influence nominations once
they reach the Senate for confirmation.
Auburn still has too many interim
positions, most of which became
vacant because of trustees micro-management.
While other groups have stepped
back, the Association hasn't, and
they've paid for it.
Trustees have tried to bypass the
alumni. They even split alumni into
two departments, trying to weaken
their influence.
But nothing has worked. Alumni
care about their alma mater, and they
don't want a small group to tamper
with it.
Adam /ones is editor of The Auburn
Plainsman. You can reach him at
844-9021.
Auburn needs a student meal
plan like Georgia's
Editor, The Auburn Plainsman:
When is Auburn going to get with
the program and get a meal plan?
The food courts are an absolute joke.
You can eat at an off-campus restaurant
for cheaper.
In fact, after I spend nearly 59 on
meat, three veggies and a drink from
the various food courts I wonder why
I didn't go to Outback Steakhouse
instead.
Take the University of Georgia for
example. My brother, a student at
UGA, pays something like S3.19 a
meal through his student meal plan.
There are cafeterias all over campus,
some open 24 hours, and he has
unlimited visits to any of them.
Now you say, 'Ew, cafeteria food?'
Well this is not like high school,
UGA's food is more like Golden Coral,
only a lot better.
At one point they were rated third-best-
tasting food at any public college
or university.
Just to give you an idea of the
selection, on Sundays when they have
brunch, the cafeteria is filled with
live piano music (yes I said live),
table cloths and flowers.
You head through the line where
you can get any breakfast item you
can think of, a custom-made omelet,
cereal, orange juice, milk, basically
anything that Waffle House would
make, they have.
The lunch buffet is the same thing
plus a table the size of my dinner
table with various salads.
After you enjoy your main course
or two, head over to the gigantic-desert
table; the bottom layer is
cakes, brownies, followed by a couple
layers of nothing but various cheesecakes.
They pay a small amount extra for
Sunday brunch but it isn't more than
$5. But ha, $5.50 for a Chick-Fil-A
sandwich, fries and a drink isn't bad
right?
Anyway, you can see how much
better UGA has it than us in the food
department. 1 think it's sad that we
are so far behind in this area.
I guess the higher-ups are too busy
making boatloads of cash off the
TigerCards to actually design a food
plan that would benefit the students.
Tyler Divin
Senior, finance
Smith's Patriot Aet editorial
poorly written, misses point
Editor, The Auburn Plainsman:
This was a poorly written editorial
piece which was unfocused, simplistic
and lacking in supporting evidence
of the argument he presented.
Mr. Smith uses a quote from Benjamin
Franklin to support his belief
in the Patriot Act. without explaining
how the two go together at all.
Indeed, most people interpret
Franklin's words as a reminder that
whenever a nation is paralyzed by
fear and suspicion, society should
collectively step back from the brink
of nationalism and re-examine what
it means to be a free society.
Franklin was asking his countryman,
what are we willing to trade for
security? 1 fail to see the correlation
between Franklin's words and Mr.
Smith's support of the Patriot Act.
This editorial also reminded us all
that terrorists are not white, "It wasn't
Anglo-Saxons who flew civilian
airplanes into the World Trade Center
or the Pentagon."
What does this have to do with the
Patriot Act again?
The Patriot Act has very little to do
with profiling, its primary features
include: Internet Wiretapping,
Nationwide Roving Wiretaps, ISPs
must submit personal information to
the government, expanded definition
of terrorism, an expansion of the
DNA database for "any crime of violence"
to be used to monitor people,
wiretaps for violations of the Computer
Fraud and Abuse Act, allows
domestic people to be monitored by
U.S. Foreign Intelligence Agencies,
expansion of'FlSA authority, and better
information sharing between
enforcement agencies.
None of this has to do with race or
national and religious origin. In fact,
SEC. 102.3 of the Patriot Act states
that "The concept of individual
responsibility for wrongdoing is
sacrosanct in American society, and
applies equally to all religious, racial,
and ethnic groups."
Section 102.6 states that "Many
Arab Americans and Muslim Americans
have acted heroically during the
attacks on the United States, including
Mohammed Salman Hamdani, a
23-year-old New Yorker of Pakistani
descent, who is believed to have gone
to the World Trade Center to offer
rescue assistance and is now missing."
Mr. Smith seemed to lash out at
"flagrant attempts to expand the
rights of minorities" without actually
reading the text of the Patriot Act
which is unjust for its infringement
on all our rights, not because it's as
racist as this editorial.
This in effect increases the rights
of the government while reducing the
checks and balances at every step of
the way because the law was written
in a rush. Apparently, so was this
opinion piece.
Steven Guess
Mission Viejo, Calif.
Tiger fans need to support
their team
Editor, The Auburn Plainsman:
There I sat, staring between the
speaker and the flag at section 28.
Empty section 28.
1 thought to myself, "is that how
many games we have to win to get
fans here?"
Wednesday night's basketball game
attendance was preposterous. I can
remember back to the good ol' glory
days of 1998-1999 when a ticket
against Arkansas, the last home
game, would run $30+, and that's for
a ticket at the top of section 28.
I know that Coach Ellis' substitution
rotation and defensive coaching
sometimes is enough to make a person
physically ill, but this game was
big.
It was big now, and it was big for
the future of AU basketball. Sure, you
will all talk of the B. Rob dunk that
brought the house, and the rim,
down, but did you actually see it?
No, Sportscenter doesn't count.
The win against Arkansas set up a
showdown in Starkville for the West
title and all we (Auburn student, faculty,
alumni, and fans everywhere)
could get together was a JittJe over
6,000 people?
That's pathetic! I hope by the time
this is printed, we are the West
champs and everyone jumps on the
bandwagon before the tournament
starts.
We probably won't win it, but it
sure would be nice to show up as one
of the best 64 teams in the nation
with a full wagon, not a wagon of
6,000.
DANIEL MOORE — ART EDITOR
Let's face it... this most recent
waste of tax dollars did nothing to
stem the flow of illegal drugs into
this country and it did nothing to
keep people from smoking marijuana.
It wasted a lot of money that
would have been better spent protecting
us from real danger ... bombs
not bongs.
Loretta Nail
President,Alabama Mari|uana Part)
Columnist, misguided by faith
in commander-in-chief
Senior, communications Editor, The Auburn Plainsman:
Austin Phillips
Government's war on drugs
doesn't go after the real threat
Editor, The Auburn Plainsman:
With America fighting terrorism
and being on the verge of war with
Iraq one can't help but wonder what
kind of drugs the Federal Government
might have been ingesting
when they decided to carry out raids
on glass pipe manufacturers and
retailers in the recent "Operation
Pipedreams."
What exactly were they trying to
accomplish with such a thing? Do
they think that cannabis consumers
will just sit around saying, "Dude
they stole my bong ... now I can't get
high anymore?"
There is more than one way to skin
a cat.
Maybe someone should have told
them that marijuana consumers tend
to be some exceedingly creative individuals
who know how to use things
like tampon papers, toilet tissue rolls
and aluminum cans to smoke pot.
Tampax, Charmin and aluminum
can manufacturers take note ..
could be next.
"I trust President George W. Bush
to be a better commander-in-chief
than I could be, and I don't take it
upon myself to second-guess the
ability of a legitimately elected president
to command the United States
Armed Forces."
The credibility of your whole argument
collapses right above when you
chose to defend the ascension of
Bush and become Ari Fleischer for
The Plainsman.
You see. independent-minded people
stop reading at that sentence,
because we immediately conclude
that you are among the millions of
ditto monkey Bush apologists.
By the way, even though 1 don't
share your visceral disdain for the
ACLU, I do agree with you on your
profiling arguments.
Sometimes simple logic is easy to
understand.
Not every argument that's titled to
the right requires a reminder of
Bush's legitimacy.
It's kind of counter productive
when you're trying to get your point
across to the whole spectrum.
Aditya Trimurtyl
College of Engineering
HOW TO CONTACT US
BY MAIL: B-100 FOY STUDENT UNION
AUBURN UNIVERSITY.AL
36849-S323
BY E-MAIL: LETTERS@THEPLAINSMAN.COM
BY FAX: (334) 844-9114
The Auburn Plainsman welcomes letters from
students as well as from faculty, administrators,
alumni and those not affiliated with the
University. Letters must he submitted before 4:30
p.m. on the Monday before publication. Please
limit text to 300 words. Letters must include the
author's name, address and phone number for
verification, though the name of the author may
be withheld upon request. Submission may be
edited for grammar and/or length.
A10 Thursday, March 13, 2003 QEfre Auburn $lain*man
Close one
Michael Gregory — Assistant Photo Editor
The No. 10 Auburn baseball team lost a close one to top-ranked Georgia Tech Tuesday
night 4-2. The game drew the sixth-largest crowd in Plainsman Park history.
ALUMNI
> From Page I
Large said he and others with the Association
worked with attorneys to write a response to the
letter of inquiry. The letter was mailed last fall.
"Nothing has happened since I made the
response," Large said. "That's all we have heard,
so I'm assuming it was adequate."
Any state legislator can request an audit of a
state organization, and the state examiners
answer to the legislature.
Lowell Barron, a current member of the Board
of Trustees, is Senate Pro Tern, and Jack Venable,
also a current trustee, is a member of the House
of Representatives.
The Association is a separate entity from the
University and exists as the link between the
University and its alumni.
The Association uses University employees,
but it pays them for their work.
Association President Owen Brown said the
University does not pay for any aspect of the
association.
"The Association pays for all of its own equipment,
people, printing and everything else,"
Brown said.
"1 think at this point it appears to be no big
deal," Brown said. "As far as I'm concerned, it's a
non-issue."
The Association has had a turbulent history
with the Board of Trustees. A legislative task
force was formed by alumni in 2000 after controversy
surfaced over the alleged micromanage-ment
of the University by the board.
The task force lobbied the state Legislature
for a constitutional amendment that would
change the trustee selection method.
After the amendment was approved, some
alumni formed the Auburn Trustee Improvement
Political Action Committee to support
certain trustee candidates.
The Association has two members on the
trustee nominating committee along with two
trustees and the governor.
ELECTION
> From Page I
"When a campaign blatantly,
willingly and knowingly breaks
rules and then 'laughs in the
face' of this governing body this
must be addressed at the highest
level," Joffrion wrote in his
contest.
The procedure for contesting
elections mandates that Sellers
examine the contests and
determine their relevance. Sellers
threw out two of White's
allegations and partially struck
one from the record because
those violations had previously
been ruled on by the E-Board.
Sellers declined to comment.
McConnell requested
detailed information concerning
Joffrion's contest. He
received the documents from
SGA, but the names of witnesses
were omitted. Joffrion's allegations
include that
McConnell's supporters campaigned
at the library on election
days and that various
phone calls were made on election
days by McConnell, his
family and supporters.
"I did call people and tell
them to vote," McConnell said.
"My mom told people just to
vote, not who to vote for, to
increase voter turnout. Am I
campaigning there?"
Joffrion also wrote in his contest
that a student attended a
party on election day at the
house of Melissa McConnell's,
Jonathan McConnell's sister.
According to McConnell, his
sister had a party that day
because she was returning
home to Mobile soon.
Joffrion's documents said the
student at the party was
encouraged to vote by Melissa
McConnell and that she
requested his password and
login name, offering to vote for
him.
The student refused to give
that information, but returned
to vote at the party later.
McConnell
7 trust that E-Boardcanbe
fair, and I don't
see them taking
(the election)
away from me"
— Jonathan
McConnell
election winner
According to the contention
documents, McConnell's sister
told the student to vote for
McConnell because "his dad
bought the beer."
"That is absolutely absurd,"
McConnell said in response to
this allegation. "I would challenge
anybody on that. Even
when my dad takes my friends
and I out to dinner, he'll pay for
your meal, but he won't buy any
alcohol."
According to the documentation
of the contest, White's contention
addressed violations
committed by all three presidential
candidates. White listed
11 violations including witnesses
who saw supporters of Jason
Dees jogging in campaign T-shirts
on an election day,
Sigma Nu social fraternity
leaders announced fraternity
support for Tyler O'Connor on
an election day. and Jonathan
McConnell called to remind a
student to vote and that call-outs
were Thursday night.
"The best thing for Auburn
University and its student body
is to restore integrity to the
elections process," Joffrion said.
E-Board heard arguments
and evidence about both contests
at two hearings on March
12.
"At this point, I trust that E-Joffrion
"The best thing
for Auburn... is
to restore
integrity to the
elections
process"
— Michael Joffrion
SGA Senator who filed a
contest of the election
Board can be fair," McConnell
said Tuesday, "and I don't see
them taking (the election) away
from me."
Though he said he feels confident
in the outcome,
McConnell sent a letter to
Auburn President William
Walker on March 10 requesting
that the contest filed by Joffrion
be dismissed.
According to McConnell's letter,
Joffrion's contest focused on
campaign violations, but did
not challenge the election
results.
"Mr. Joffrion's request does
not challenge the election
results and, therefore, cannot
be construed as a proper election
contest," McConnell's letter
stated. "Sore losers should not
be allowed to vent their frustrations
by denying the will of the
thousands of Auburn University
students that voted for SGA
president."
Walker could not be reached
for comment.
If E-Board disqualifies
McConnell, he said he would
look for legal advice, though he!
did not believe it would come to
that.
"I would seek advice on
whether it's feasible (to bring a
lawsuit) just out of not following
due process," he said.
Cljc Auburn plainsman
STUDENT ACTIVITY PROJECTS
On the Concourse • Campus Calendar • Classifieds Campus Thursday, March 13.2003 BI
WEGL changes music, management
By KYLA FREE
Staff Writer
WEGL may be changing its tune.
The official radio station of Auburn University has
recently appointed a new station manager, Joseph Bran-nan,
a sophomore in electrical engineering.
Brannan said he hopes to make a few changes in
music and programming.
Though his position starts officially after spring graduation,
Brannan has already hired the new WEGL staff
for next year.
"We are really excited about the new management
team," Brannan said. "They all are strongly motivated
and are looking to improve the station and make it
more appealing to all students on Auburn's campus."
Though the management staff must apply and interview
for positions, the disk jockey slots are open to anyone
affiliated with the University — both students and
workers.
This is the first semester in WEGL history that DJs are
on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
DJs take a five- to six-week new announcer class and
are then assigned a time slot.
A specific major or background experience isn't
required.
"WEGL is a great opportunity for students who want
to know more about radio," said DJ James Rasco, a senior
in radio, television and film.
John Elders, a junior in business management and
2003-2004 MANAGEMENT TEAM
• Station Manager: Joseph Brannan
>• Chief Engineer: Marc Johnson
>• Program Director: Jason Williams
>• Music Director: Jay Britton
>• Sports Director: Bill Pottle and Todd Mishkin
• Promotions Director: Justin Young
>• Grants Director: Paul Caspers
• Public Service Announcement Director: Lisa Kent
>• News Director: Cara Basilio
• Production Director: Avery Schroyer
• Webmaster: Marchant Davenport
WEGL DJ, said the music WEGL plays is diverse. During
his lime slot, he plays a variety of music, from rap to
hip-hop to rock.
"I usually pick up stuff] like," Elders said.
From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. WEGL plays a form of music
everyone can listen to, not just mainstream, said Brannan.
After 6 p.m. the station features other music genres,
such as jazz and blues.
"We play more variety than commercial radio that
plays the same stuff over and over again," Rasco said.
WEGL isn't just diverse music. It's also a source of
information about campus events, he said. Listeners
> Turn to WEGL, B2
Katie Brumbeloe — Photo Editor
Jason Williams, a sophomore in philosophy, works at WEGL. Williams hosts
the radio show Podunk Junction.
Changing season ARCHITECTURE
Rural Studio to
build ball complex
Project to begin in early October
Carla Merrill — Photo Editor
Students on the Concourse enjoy the recent spring weather as trees bloom around campus.
By ANNA CLAIRE STAMPS
Assistant Campus Editor
A group of Auburn architecture
students is designing and building a
home for a little league team in New-bern,
a town in one of Alabama's
poorest counties.
"The project really picked us," said
Jermaine Washington, a fifth year
thesis student working on the project.
"We wanted to find the kids a home
to play baseball."
Rural Studio, a world-renowned
architecture program, allows architecture
students to gain hands-on
experience by designing and building
structures in the rural town of New-bern
in Hale County.
More than 24 structures, which
have included a chapel, several homes
and a Boys and Girls club, have been
donated to the community or to a
needy family.
Washington, from Pass Christian,
Miss., works with three other thesis
students on the baseball field. They
are Julie Hay of Huntsville, Jason
Hunsucker of Jeffersonville, Ind. and
Patrick Nelson of Hunstville.
Students and faculty are excited
about a recent $25,000 grant from the
Baseball Tomorrow Fund, said Melissa
Foster Denney, academic program
specialist for the College of Architecture,
Design and Construction.
"We wrote to Baseball Tomorrow,
and they agreed to fund the project,"
Denney said.
Baseball Tomorrow was developed
by Major League Baseball and the
Major League Baseball Players Association
to promote the growth of
baseball among youth.
>• Turn to RURAL STUDIO, B2
STUDENTVOICES
Students protest The Plainsman
Students gathered on the Concourse Friday to protest advertisement
By LINDSAY EVANS
Campus Editor
An advertising insert in last Thursday's
The Auburn Plainsman angered some students.
Last Friday, a handful of students
set up a booth on the Concourse protesting
the insert they said was offensive to
them.
The 12-page insert, paid for by the
Human Life Alliance, was titled "The
Silent Epidemic" and encouraged readers
to take an anti-abortion stance.
"This makes it seem as though The
Plainsman is taking a pro-life position,
and that the University is taking a position,"
said KrisTina Hertz, protest leader
and member of Pantheon and the Auburn
Women's Organization. "It makes the
whole student body look bad."
The students protesting signed a petition
and passed out flyers asking, "Should
Our Student Publication Support a Moral
Position?"
"This information was very misleading,"
said Lauren Lang, another protester. "It
almost makes abortion look like an epidemic,
like something you can contract,
when really, it's a choice."
Protesters said they also felt the insert
was biased.
Every page was labeled "advertising supplement,"
and lined with "This insert was
created by the Human Life Alliance."
This, said Plainsman editor Adam Jones,
is why he felt it was OK to run the ad.
Jones and business manager Kent Krupic-ka
decide what ads will run.
"We ran it last year, and Kent decided to
run it again," Jones said. "My feeling on it is
as long as it is not libelous material or
obscenity, then we should run it."
The Plainsman is an open forum, Jones
said, and lobbyist groups buy ads frequently,
so last week's insert was nothing
unusual.
"This is the same as an ad that says
'Vote Republican,'" Hertz said. "This group
is a political lobbyist group. Their job is to
> Turn to PROTEST, B2
GRADUATE SCHOOL
GTAs make case
for insurance
By MICHELLE MIONE
Staff Writer
Last week, graduate teaching
assistant representatives
met with provost John Pritch-ett
to push for insurance for
GTAs.
"Sponsored or subsidized
health insurance is provided to
GTAs in 83 percent of colleges
nationwide," said Matthew
Binney, head of the welfare
committee.
"Unfortunately, Auburn is in
the 17 percent of schools that
doesn't provide any health
insurance to GTAs."
Binney has been researching
and trying to get Auburn to
provide the service.
"Matt put together an advocacy
document about this
problem," said Jerry Hinnen,
senior Graduate Student
Council member. "Last week
he presented it to Dr. John
Pritchett."
Binney approached Pritchett
and three others requesting
GTA insurance.
Pritchett indicated in the
> Turn to INSURANCE, B2
LINDSAY EVANS, EDITOR • (334) 844-9118 • CAMPUS@THEPLAINSMAN.COM
B2 Thursday, March 13, 2003 QThr Auburn $lain*man
INSURANCE
V From BI
meeting that he might be able to get funding
to provide GTA health insurance, but the issue
won't be discussed until June, Binney said.
"Auburn is sort of lagging behind other SEC
schools and schools of the same size when it
comes to health insurance," Hinnen said.
"There are so many uninsured teaching assistants,
which is very dangerous."
The funding Auburn receives from the state
is decreasing, making it harder to get funding
for heath insurance, Binnev said.
International GTAs also need insurance.
"There are so many classes taught by GTAs
that Auburn can't afford to not have them,"
Binney said. "Because of the size of the school,
more classes need to be taught.
"GTAs are cheaper than getting more actual
teachers, because they don't, provide us all with
health insurance," he said. "We are employees
so it is somewhat unfair of the school to
deprive us of that benefit."
He also said he will be doing as much
research as possible to present another case in
June when Pritchett meets to discuss funding.
"We don't get paid very much in the first
place, so we don't have enough money to buy
an insurance plan," Hinnen said. "The only reason
why 1 have health insurance is because of
my wife's company."
There isn't a lot of opposition to the issue,
but it is still a work in progress.
"The main problem is that we can't fund the
insurance," said John Mouton, University Senate
chair. "It is difficult to find insurers to classify
GTAs as employees as well."
Mouton also said that because Auburn has
GTAs, graduate research assistants (GRAs),
graduate extension assistants (GEAs) and
graduate assistants (GAs), he does not think
government regulations will allow them to segregate
them all in order to provide insurance.
"I know that many of the out-of-state GTAs
are very grateful for the fact that their tuition
is waived," he said. "It took a while to get the
funding for that so maybe the funding for the
health insurance is progressing."
Because there are so many GTAs teaching at
Auburn, the amount of money that goes
toward waiving tuition for all of them leaves
little for health insurance.
A survey was conducted to see how interested
GTAs are in insurance, and the response
was high.
The most frequent comment on what to
change about the teaching program is lack of
University-provided insurance.
"The University hasn't seen this issue as very
important until now, because the GTAs are
trying to get the policy changed," Hinnen said.
To stay competitive with other schools, Binney
said, Auburn has to raise the bar and provide
insurance or other schools will get better
GTAs.
Without the promise of insurance, GTAs will
look to the 83 percent of schools that offer
insurance, and Auburn will suffer when it
comes to high-quality GTAs, he said.
"There is a general trend I have found in my
research on this topic," Binney said. "I have
found through research facilities that 90 percent
of the schools offering some type of
health insurance help with premiums for their
GTAs."
Binney's focus right now is finding outside
sponsors to help with the problem of insurance.
He said companies like Blue Cross and
Blue Shield may offer some help.
PROTEST
> From Bl
publish propaganda."
Hertz and other protesters objected to The
Plainsman running the ad because they said it
was not factual.
"Our number one problem with this is that
this takes a political and moral issue, a very
volatile issue," Hertz said. "And it makes it look
like The Plainsman is very conservative and pro-life."
Political ads may be run. but not placed on the
front or back of any section, on pages two and
three of the paper or on the opposite of the editorial
page, according to Policies and Procedures
Governing the paper. The only restrictions to
ads are on alcohol and cigarette ads.
All ads are propaganda, and even political
propaganda may be printed in The Plainsman if
advertisers pay for it. Jones said.
"As far as political advertising, a newspaper is
a public forum, a place for exchange of ideas,
and if someone wants to pay for that exchange. 1
have no problem with it." he said.
Hertz said if the insert had been pro-choice,
The Plainsman wouldn't have run it.
Jones disagreed.
"When it gets right down to it. a paper is also
a business, and I feel that if one group feels we're
biased in our advertising, they are welcome to
buy another ad opposite that," he said.
Lang said most ads offer a service, but last
week's insert offered only slanted views. Some
protesters said the insert was offensive to pro-choice
students, blacks and Jews.
"1 think The Plainsman should have used better
discretion," she said. "What we are arguing is
that a moral ideology marketed in our student
newspaper should not be there."
Jones said the insert was opinionated and
one-sided, but that is expected when someone
pays for an advertisement.
The protesters, and signers of a petition
protesting The Plainsman, said they plan to give
a copy of the petition to The Plainsman, and
speak with the paper's adviser, business manager
and editor.
"This is about getting the word out," Hertz
said. "The result, hopefully, is that The Plainsman
will have better discretion."
Jones said he does not regret The Plainsman's
decision to run the insert.
"1 don't think this shows that The Plainsman
is pro-life," he said. "We've never made any
claims our ads necessarily reflect the views of
our staff.
"II someone paid for something pro-choice,
we'd definitely run it," Jones said. "The newspaper
is a public forum, and if you can't get your
ideas out in the mass media, where else are you
supposed to turn?"
OPEN HOUSE
TODAY
2pm - 5pm
Katie Brumbeloe — Photo Editor
In a d d i t i o n to music, WEGL features talk shows, such as the Monday night sports show
and a Thursday night show on campus issues.
WEGL
> From BI
can hear about UPC events, campus elections,
sporting events and local bands.
"Local bands get recognition from WEGL
(that) they couldn't get from commercial
radio," Rasco said.
WEGL also features a few talk shows.
Monday nights WEGL broadcasts a sports
talk show, and Thursday nights are open to
talk about issues on campus. Brannan hosts
a Sunday night political talk show.
However, the station plans to stay with a
mostly-music program.
"That's what students want to hear," Bran-nan
said.
Students are the financial source for the
station. Mandatory student activities fees
fund the broadcast license and equipment
costs.
WEGL is a non-profit station, and DJs work
on a volunteer basis.
"Being station manager, I have to look at
not only what is going on out on the air, but
where the $80,000 the students give us is
spent. It's hard for me to look at the students
and justify spending that amount of money
on something they don't listen to," said Bran-nan.
The range of broadcast for WEGL is five
counties: Lee, Macon, Tallapoosa, Russell and
Chambers.
"1 think it's a wonderful resource we have,"
Rasco said.
The WEGL staff encourages listeners to call
in anytime at 844-WEGL to make comments
or requests or to ask questions.
RURAL STUDIO
>• From BI
"I was extremely pleased with the design of
the field," said coach Hal Baird, athletic adviser
for the project. "From a baseball perspective it
was very correct, and I think it's an excellent
facility for the kids."
Washington said he and the other thesis students
were not the first to begin the baseball
field.
"This project started before we even came,"
Washington said.
A few years ago, Rural Studio students built
a baseball field for a Newbern adult team.
One of the players had a child who wanted
to play in little league, but there wasn't one,
Denney said.
"We didn't get the site (for the field) we originally
wanted," Washington said. "We went
site-searching and looked at 10 different sites."
Washington said they eventually had to take
a site they hadn't wanted.
It is situated on a slope, which presented
grading issues, Washington said.
"It's been a challenge," he said.
The field itself should be completed by April,
the beginning of little league season.
"We'll still be working on other aspects, like
the bleachers," Washington said.
THE
BUFFALO
CONNECTION
1
BELLWOOD
3 bedrooms/3 baths, Covered patios, fully equipped
kitchens, energy efficient, and totally electric.
Less than S300 per person monthly
Great Group Discounts!
or Free Cable
D I R E C T I O N S : Take Wire Road past the
AU Vet School. Turn right at light onto Webster Road.
BELLWOOD is .33 miles on the left.
H HENDERSON REALTY
Daily Specials
Monday
AU You Can Eat Wings $6.95 6 to 9:30 P.M.
32oz Draft $2.75 6 to 9 P.M.
Tuesday
Half-Price Appetizers 5 to 9 P.M.
Half-Price Bottle Beer 5 to 9 P.M.
Wednesday
7 to 9 P.M.
32oz Draft & 32oz Liquor Drinks $1.75
6 to 9 P.M.
$1 Off Hamburgers
Thursday
All You Can Eat Wings $6.95 6 to 9:30 P.M
$4 Pitchers 6 to 9 P.M.
Music on the Deck 7 to 10 P.M.
Friday
$ 1.25 Domestic Bottles 11 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Saturday
25 Cent Wings 11 to 4 P.M. (Dinein Only)
$1 Draft 11 to 9 P.M.
Il
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1 4 0 9 S. College St.
LUNCH • DINNfcK • LATE NITE
1 6 6 N G a y S t
5 0 2 - 7 8 0 0
• A u b u rn
NOW ACCEPTING
THE TIGER CLUB CARD
(334) 821-2700 610 Shug Jordan Pkwy.
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L A R G E
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ALL DAY!
EVERY DAY!
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Oc auburn plainsman Thursday, March 13,2003 B3
CAMPUS CALENDAR
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Auburn Marriage and
Family Therapy Center provides
therapy and premarital
counseling for students and
non-students, couples, families
or individuals. Sliding fees. For
day or evening appointments,
call 844-4478.
If you or someone you know
has been a victim of sexual
assault, contact SAfE Harbor
for free and confidential counseling
services. Call 844-5123
for information and appointments.
Eating Disorders Anonymous-
meets the second and
fourth Mondays of each month
at 7 p.m. in the Trinity Center
of the Trinity United Methodist
Church at 800 Second Ave..
Opelika. Call 826-9329.
Auburn Bike Weekend-Ride
in Bike Bash on March 29.
Watch Southeast's fastest
cyclists compete. Starts 8 a.m.
at C-Zone parking lots near the
Student Act (please remove
cars before spring break!). Call
887-4930.
Come join CADRE Peer
Health Educators for Safe
Spring Break Week, March 18-
20. On Thursday, relax by the
Eagle's Cage with a mocktail in
hand or play frisbee.
Come join CADRE Peer
Health Educators for Safe
Spring Break Week, Tuesday
during our free rock concert
featuring "Kicking Howard."
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and
close at 10 p.m.
Join CADRE for Safe Spring
Break Week. March 18 "Kicking
Howard" plays at Foy Ballroom,
7:30 p.m.-lO p.m. March
19 Fred Kam speaks, Foy 217,4
p.m.-5 p.m., March 20, Luau,
Eagles Cage. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Habitat for Humanity and
We Help Coalition are building
a new home for the Lilly family
beginning March 15 on Clarke
Avenue in Auburn. Volunteers
needed. Call 821-4639 or 821-
4060.
Auburn Student Research
Forum to be held March 15-16
at the Auburn University Hotel
& Dixon Conference Center,
presented by the Graduate Student
Council. Presentations in
sciences, humanities. Support
your teachers and colleagues.
S.W.A.P. Presents: the
boyfriend/girlfriend thing. Join
your peers and guidance counselors
as we discuss the good,
bad and ugly of dating relationships
March 18 at 7 p.m., Foy
321.
CLUB MEETINGS
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship
— worship, relationships,
life-changing ministry. Chi
Alpha is a non-denominational
fellowship that meets Thursdays,
7 p.m. at 129 S. College St.
in the loft above Quiznos. Call
887-9947. www.auburn.edu/xa
Tech Transfer Seminar —
March 17. Auburn students
and faculty are invited to
attend seminars on patents,
copyrights and other intellectual
property issues. Sessions:
10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Foy 217.
City of Auburn Meeting —
March 13 at 4:30 p.m., Council
Chamber, planning commission.
ON THE CONCOURSE
How effective was the
outgoing SGA senate?
Survey proves benefits of campus recycling
"I don't pay attention to
it at alL'
Lauren Henderson
junior,
art
By GARY GRIMES
Staff Writer
Recycling in Auburn is something discussed
annually, but the University has
never gotten a program out of its earliest
stages.
A survey conducted last semester by the
Auburn University Environmental Awareness
Organization produced evidence that
the University could save thousands of dollars
monthly by implementing a recycling
plan.
"There is a lot of opportunity to increase
recycling on campus and what it's going to
take is widespread support of both students
and faculty and a realization by administration
that we need to adopt more practical
recycling programs," said Jake Mclean, head
of the 2002 survey.
Mclean graduated from Auburn with a
master's in civil engineering in 2002.
Because Auburn pays for its trash to be
picked up by frequency of pick ups and by
volume, it was important for the survey to
measure the recyclables in two factions,
weight and volume.
Eight dumpsters around campus were
surveyed. Lowder Business Building's
dumpster had more than twice the amount
of recyclable paper than any other building
involved in the survey. Much of the dorms'
recyclable material was deemed unrecy-clable
because of mixture with food.
In a presentation before the Executive
Board of the College of Business, Mclean,
along with chemical engineering students
Thushari Abesingha and Kate Wilbanks,
showed the heads of each school and Dean
of the College of Business, John Jahera, the
wasteful ways of the University.
"We want to make the University a model
for environmental sustainability for Alabama's
institutions," Abesingha said.
Wilbanks said Lowder Business Building
was chosen for this pilot recycling project.
Using the statistics from Mcleans 2002
survey, Wilbanks said Lowder's dumpsters
were filled with 90 percent recyclable material.
Of that material, she said 45 percent
was paper.
The Executive Board of the College of
Business agreed that the pilot could produce
helpful information on on-campus
recycling methods.
The recycling pilot plan will involve all six
floors of Lowder. Each office will be
equipped with a box or tray for recycling
paper. A designated cardboard breakdown
and recyclables collection area will be
placed in each department or on each floor.
Finally, recycling stations will be built
and placed on the first two floors of Lowder
to be used by students recycling cans, paper
and plastic bottles.
Recycling stations will appear in Lowder
by April 1. The pilot is to last six months,
but Mclean and his colleagues hope it will
result in a broad recycling effort at Auburn.
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"Have they done
anything?"
Anthony Roberts
freshman,
electrical engineering
"I can't say anything
they've done. I'm sure
they've done something
they just need
better public relations"
Drew Holland
senior,
finance
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"I think they were
moderately effective"
Allison Rideout
sophomore,
bio-medical science
Interview by
Katie Rahmer,
assistant copy editor
Photos by James Diffee,
assistant campus editor
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
THE
BIO One (Big (Day
One (Big ^THan^s
One (Big <Event
EVENT March 15'20Q3
The BIG Event is one day of student-led community service
projects targeted towards the city of Auburn. Inspired from an annual
event of the same name at Texas A&M University, the full day is
designed to create a spirit of companionship and service between the
students, faculty and administration at Auburn University and the
Auburn community.
Volunteers to consist of students, faculty and administration
are encouraged to come out to Toomer's Corner at 9 a.m. on Saturday,
March 15. There will be free breakfast at The Grille for volunteers.
Afterwards, volunteers will receive their assignments from Toomer's
Corner for projects that need to be done around the city.
The list of projects was compiled by the office of Mayor Bill
Ham and includes such things as painting the outside of an elderly
woman's home, raking and doing minor yard work for another home
and other community service efforts.
Show up by yourself or with a group of friends. There are
enough jobs for everyone to get a chance to do something.
Please contact the SGA Office at 844-4240, or sga@auburn.edu
with any questions. There are volunteer forms online for those interested
in signing up. Goto www.auburn.edu/sga
Panhellenic Spotlight:
Alpha Xi Delta
Alpha Xi Delta was founded in 1893 by 10 young women at Lombard
College in Galesburg, Illinois. The women shared a vision and a dream
of a national organization dedicated to the personal growth of women.
The Zeta Xi chapter was founded at Auburn on Jan. 19, 1980.
Alpha Xi's philanthropy is Choose Children. It's not an organization-
-it's an idea. Unlike many other Greek organizations, Alpha Xi Delta is
not exclusively linked with one philanthropic organization. Alpha Xi Delta
gives members the flexibility to look in their communities and decide how
they can best benefit children. AZD's event last year, Play Ball for Kids,
raised over $12,000 for Partnership for Children.
The Zeta Xi chapter at Auburn will host its annual philanthropy
event during the weekend of April 12 and 13. On Sat., April 12, the ladies
will host the Auburn Coaches' Rib Taste-Off at the Eagle's Cage. Here,
football coach Tommy Tuberville and his staff will compete to cook the
best ribs. Also in attendance will be basketball coach Cliff Ellis and former
coach Pat Dye. On the April 13, the annual Play Ball for Kids Softball
tournament will be held. Organizations and students can form teams to
participate. Sign up on the concourse from March 31 to April 8.
Officers are: President: Becky McKenna, Chapter Life Vice-President:
Angie Giordano-Adams, Public Relations Vice President: Jessica Eastman,
Programs Vice-President: Emily Johnson, Financial Vice-President Melissa
Cleaveland, Membership Vice-President: Melanie Price, Recording Secretary
Lindsay Cook, Panhellenic Delegate Katherine O'Neal.
WIHG* JAM to be, held March 18
Wing Jam, an annual campus-wide talent show, will be held March 18 at
7 p.m. at Buffalo Connection. The event is sponsored by Alpha Gamma Delta
sorority and raises money for Juvenile Diabetes Research. At the event, students
and others perform their talent. Votes are then taken from the audience in the
form of $1 bills. The top three vote-getters receive cash prizes and the remainder
of the money goes to the philanthropy.
If you are interested in participating with a talent, please contact Susan
Scott at scottsu@auburn.edu. Everyone is encouraged to attend and bring dollar
bills.
B4 Thursday, March 13. 2003 Cbc Auburn plainsman
m arket
RTVFnotjust lights, camera, action
FOCUS
ON
MAJORS
AND
JOBS
By JANE WALKER said he has always loved films and
Assistant Copy Editor the idea of creating one.
"1 chose (the major) because 1 love
Lights, camera and action doesn't movies and 1 wanted to work with
cover half of the job opportunities movies one day." he said.
and interests open to radio, televi- Though movie production plays a
sion and film majors. big role in this field it is not the only
With a variety of courses like focus of an RTVF major.
radio production. broadcast "There's a broad range of what
newswriting and pop culture and they can do." Winn said. "They
mass communications, students shoot and edit video and do radio
have a broad base to start
from.
Emmett Winn, who
teaches history of the
American film industry
and international film,
among other courses, said
students usually go into
three areas of work — production,
management and
sales.
In production, graduates
find work at TV stations
shooting videos or producing
films.
Management jobs can
also be found at TV sta-
"There's a
broad range of
what they can
do. They shoot
and edit video
and do radio
production and commercials."
Ric Smith, a professor
in radio and television,
said many
students go into
advertising or corporate
training as well.
RTVF students at
production and Auburn can get hands-
COmercials' on experience by
working at WEGL. the
— Emmett Winn University's radio sta-communication
professor tion, or at Eagle Eye
News, the student-produced
news show.
Winn said students
tions or in any other corporate set- also help film sports events on cam-ting,
and students often produce pus.
educational videos. "Our students handle all of the
"RTVF (majors) go in these things video productions and editing for
and run video equipment and put the basketball games." Winn said,
together educational videos." Winn "Our students work over at educa-said.
tional television, they have profes-
Students who choose to work in sional projects. They help out with
sales play a big part in production network projects, like when ESPN
and management. Winn said. comes to town for the football
"(Sales is the) financial part, games."
which is a big part of the industry." "This is practicial experience in
he said. addition to what they learn in the
The lure of creating films draws classroom." Smith said.
many students into becoming a In class, students learn basic skills
RTVF major as it did Winn when he in production and writing classes
was a college student. gaining experiences that train them
Dallas Knowles, a junior in RTVF, for a future job. Knowles said in one
ONLINE:
>• To learn more about Auburn's
RTVF major, go to
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/l
iberal_arts/cmjn/rtvf/
class, writing for radio, television
and film, he felt he was being prepared
for what he wanted to do.
"We were urged to use our opinions,"
Knowles said. "I felt like 1 was
actually doing what 1 want to do one
day. I would like to do screenwrit-ing.
"The professors help you be creative.
The technical parts of writing,
they help you a lot with that."
Many of the senior-level courses
involve learning the history of radio,
TV and film and the business part
of the field.
Along with classes, RTVF majors
are required to get an internship.
Because RTVF covers a wide range
of fields, students have a lot of freedom
in deciding what kind of place
to intern with.
"(Internships) are one of the most
important things they do," Winn
said.
Past students have interned at
places like VH-1, MTV, "The Today
Show." "The Late Show with David
Letterman" and soap operas. Smith
said one student who interned with
"Days of Our Lives" got a job at
"Passions" afterward.
"It gives them practical experience,"
Smith said. "It's their chance
to show what they have and win the
employer over."
Kstie Brumbeloe — Photo Editor
Ripper Prince, radio show host, and Brooke Myers, board-op
supervisor, are Auburn graduates with RTVF degrees working
at Tiger Communications.
POSSIBLE
> Videographer
> Web designer
> Professor
>• Talent agent
>• Researcher
V D j
> Filmmaker
> Advertising
writer
> Screenwriter
> Actor
>• Editor
> Music company
representative
> News anchor
> Copy writing
> Broadcast
engineer
> Board-op
> Station manager
>• Producer
> Public relations
> Product
reviewer
> Talent manager
Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award
Auburn University was one of the first schools in the nation authorized to present the
Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, named for the first president and founder of the New York
Southern Society. This esteemed honor is presented annually to one man and one woman of the
graduating class and to a nonstudent, each of whom possesses those "characteristics of heart,
mind, and conduct as evidence of spirit of love for and helpfulness to other men and women."
Your help is needed to ensure that deser
