TECHNICIAN
technicianonline.com
Raleigh, North Carolina
University could impose hiring freeze Budget cuts at least up to a 6 percent reduction in place
JAMES COX/TECHNICIAN
David Prescott, freshman in aerospace engineering, Donald Mayo, a freshman in mechanical engineering, and Ahren Lieth, a freshman in aerospace engineering, look at the grafitti that was painted on the Free Expression Tunnel.
Free Expression Tunnel defaced after UNC game Student Government, students respond to repaint the tunnel James Cox Staff Writer
At 3:30 Sunday morning, Student Body President Jay Dawkins and Student Senate President Pro Tempore Kelli Rogers began to repaint sections of the Free Expression Tunnel after someone painted remarks about cancer in the tunnel. The mural of Coach Kay Yow on the tunnel was defaced with a light blue mustache and several phrases were painted on the tunnel wall, including “Cancer rules, f--- pink, fall forward k-o and life could be worse, you could be a cancer patient.” Some students said they were disgusted by the writings. Sam Thomas, a sophomore in computer science, said he didn’t have words to describe his emotions. “This was totally uncalled for,” he said. Dawkins said the painting of the memorial was hurtful. Rogers said she couldn’t tell if the author was a Carolina student, but the writer was a North Carolina fan. However, Dawkins, a junior in engineering, said the acts are not represen-
tative of the entire UNC campus or fan nel, Rogers said, is for students to express base, but did say the actions were com- their opinions but she said she wished pletely uncalled for. things like this didn’t happen. “The people who said these things have “There is always going to be a jerk who no class. We should encourage rivalry, comes through here and write[s] offenbut above all we are all students and sive material,” she said. people,” he said. Both Dawkins and Rogers advised stuThomas doesn’t think that the authors dents to do the same thing they were dofelt the same way. ing — paint over the offensive material “This just hits home, it’s more than with material they want to see. racist,” he said. The remarks written about Yow in Dawkins said the actions were a result the tunnel touched many personally on of rivalry that got out of hand. campus. “What was said “Everyone knows was in many ways someone with caninhuman. W hile cer, I myself have rivalry is great, this seen my sister fight just went too far,” he it t w ice. Seei ng said. ‘cancer rules’ really Rogers, a junior hits close to home,” in political science, Dawkins said. said she didn’t reThroughout the alize how difficult repainting, students it was to make the came to help after Jay Dawkins, student body Yow mural until she hearing the news. president had to do repairs to “I’m glad to see it, saying the people N.C. State students who did it the first protecting the Free time were amazing. Expression Tunnel by painting over stuff “I really wish I could make it look as they don’t like,” Rogers said. pretty as it did before. It frustrates me Capt. Jon Barnwell of Campus Police some idiot had to mess it up,” Rogers declined to comment, saying issues relatsaid. ing to the Free Expression Tunnel are a The nature of the Free Expression Tun- University issue.
“What was said was in many ways inhuman. While rivalry is great, this just went too far.”
“We have been asked for 6 percent currently, slightly less than other state agencies,” Leffler said. “If the state requires a Zakk White Correspondent more than 7 percent [reduction], we may have to increase the reThe Governor’s Office has put strictions, but we will work to in place multiple guidelines to avoid additional impact on the facilitate budget cuts across the campus units.” state, including at all UNC sysCertain positions have been tem schools. targeted for termination, acBut the University has not cording to the state’s rules, but decided impose a strict hiring specific positions have not been freeze at this time. released at this time. Due to According to a press release the challenges of budget cuts, from Chancellor James Oblinger, Interim Dean of the College of the governor’s instructions in- Humanities and Social Science clude a hiring freeze, but the Jeffery Braden, CHASS had to University has been given an ex- cut over one thousand class seats. ception for the time being. The “We also froze all of our new leadership team is currently con- faculty positions and were the sidering removing that exception first college to do so,” Braden and institutsaid. ing a freeze, Braden Oblinger a lso said said in the while the adpress release, ministration but for now absorbed the freeze is much of the not in place. cuts, CHASS Imposc ou ld not Jeffery Braden, interim ing a hiring g i ve b a c k CHASS dean freeze would enough not impact money. student organizations, such as “We cut as much as we could, those under the umbrella of The we let some teachers go. Then Center for Student Leadership, we had to cancel some class secEthics & Public Service, Vice tions,” Braden said. Chancellor or Finance and BusiCHASS is also in the process of ness Charles Leffler said. making permanent cuts, which “Positions that are funded by Braden said will mean that many student fees and other non-ap- elective classes will be the first propriated sources would not be to go to ensure that classes that directly impacted,” Leffler said. are required for degrees are pro“However, we are cautioning all tected. university departments to be In trying to determine other thoughtful in any expenditure ways of cutting without losing made at this time and use good classes, Kenneth Zagacki, head judgment regardless of funding of the communication departsource.” ment, pointed out the flexibility The University has imple- his department and others have mented a set of guidelines for when it comes to teachers. the hiring of faculty set out by “Our departments has had to the Office of State Budget and place more graduate students in Management to account for the the classrooms as teachers then ultimate goal of reducing the we have had to do in the past,” budget by 7 percent, the release Zagacki said. continued. Students are already seeing the In the meantime, the guide- effects of the shuffling of gradulines imposed on spending re- ate students into teaching roles. strictions for all state appropri“My 400-level math class is beated funds to remain in effect ing taught by a graduate student, until further notice. which is pretty unusual,” Ashley According to the guidelines, Walls, a junior in mathematics, the hiring of faculty positions said. directly related to classroom Despite the strict guidelines, instruction is permitted (both economic anxiety and the postenure-track and non-tenure- sibility of a hiring freeze, the track faculty positions), using Board of Governors strongly the normal approval process. advocated the hiring of 150 adThe chancellor, vice chancellor ditional faculty to the College or a dean have to approve any of Engineering by the year 2011, new personal service and fixed according to a budget priorities term contracts. recommendation made last NoAdditionally, Leffler said the vember. University has a plan in place for up to a 7 percent reduction this year.
“We also froze all of our new faculty positions and were the first...to do so.”
Student Senate passes overhauled election reform bill Students have differing opinions regarding SBP candidate spending limits Samuel T.O. Branch Deputy News Editor
The Student Senate has passed the embattled election reform bill, albeit with several amendments. The controversial decision to cut spending limits was the main issue that was discussed in the Student Senate meeting last Wednesday. In the end, that section was completely eliminated from the bill. According to Kenneth Webb, a
senator and the chairman of the University Affairs Committee, and the bill’s original creator, the first bill eliminated spending limits for SG campaigns completely. But whenever the bill came before the Senate, that section in particular was met with opposition. The majority of the Senate voted against the bill and those that voted in favor cited the dishonesty among campaigners as a primary reason to eliminate spending limits. Eventually, the bill made it through the Senate with several amendments made to it, most important of which was to the
spending limits decision, Webb said. “The main thing taken out was the spending limits [section,]” Webb, a senior in computer science, said. “[The Senate] decided to leave spending limits in and to increase them.” The bill will be enacted if Student Body President Jay Dawkins does not veto the bill. According to Student Senate President Pro Tempore Kelli Rogers, the spending limit for Student Body President is $750 and getting smaller for lower positions. Before the bill, the highest limit was $300 for Student Body
President. Another important change was the possible increase of the spending limits during the actual campaign, according to Webb. “All the candidates [can] agree to increase the spending limits,” he said. This helps if the candidates feel like they need more money to help their respective campaigns, Webb said. Student reaction to the decision has varied. Robert Beasley, a freshman in biochemistry, said he thought it wasn’t necessary to make any changes. “If people are dishonest, just improve supervision and not
increase spending,” Beasley said. Joey Yandle, a senior in religious studies, said he was happy candidates still had a ceiling on how much they could spend. “I’m glad they still have a cap, because [if not] then some could pretty much buy the election,” Yandle said. Yandle also said he thought the increased cap was not high enough to affect who could participate. “It still kind of keeps everyone on a level playing field,” he said. “It wouldn’t necessarily hurt people.”
insidetechnician
Bad blood boils over in RBC
McCauley, Copeland scrum in final seconds of 93-76 loss. See page 8.
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