Groups React Quickly After Racial Incident
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James Madison Urivasky THURSDAY APRIL 15,1993 VOL 70, NO. 48 Groups react quickly after racial incident by Cyndy Liedtke staff writer Racial tension at JMU has become a significant issue as the university community responds to a recent incident involving a visiting student and a JMU fraternity brother. The fraternity brother allegedly involved in the incident resigned from Kappa Sigma fraternity Tuesday night, according to chapter president Cliff Stevens. The JMU chapter had voted to ask him to resign in the interest of the fraternity, Stevens said. Last Thursday members of the Black Student Alliance called a special meeting to discuss the issue with Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Two members of the Kappa Sigma's international executive council attended the meeting along with JMU chapter members. Assistant Director of Greek Life Kristin Radcliffe and Byron Bullock, director of Multicultural Student Services, also attended. At the meeting, BSA gave a list of six demands concerning what JMU and Kappa Sigma should do about the incident and suggested future programs to improve race relations at JMU. Two weeks ago, a Yale University student wrote a letter to The Breeze, JMU President Ronald Carrier KATHY ALCORN/THE BREEZE and JMU's Black Student Alliance, regarding her involvement in a racial incident. Mikhail Gorbachev gave the Founder's Day address at the University of Virginia Yale sophomore April Braxton said she and a Tuesday, as the college celebrated the 250th anniversary off Thomas Jefferson's birth. INCIDENT page 2 Gorbachev speaks on democracy INSIDE UVa invites Russian leader to celebration On the road again. The JMU "For myself, I found one thing to be true," he said, cheerleaders are by Donna Ragsdale "Having once begun a dialogue with Thomas senior writer headed to the Jefferson, one continues the conversation with him national forever." tm The former president of a Communist nation championships in He furthered the parallel by mentioning Russian San Diego./33 explained Tuesday how one of America's founding issues now in debate, such as whether to establish a fathers helped inspire democracy in his country. presidential or parliamentary government, how to Starlight, starbright, Standing on the sunny steps of Old Cabell Hall at divide powers and how to balance interests. Stars shine bright in the University of Virginia, former Soviet Union "Those are all issues that the founding fathers of President Mikhail Gorbachev presented the Miller Hall's the United States also had to face at sometime or planetarium./27 Founder's Day address for the celebration of Thomas another," the smiling Russian told the outdoor Jefferson's 250th birthday. He not only expressed his crowd. Memories admiration for Jefferson, but Gorbachev also drew Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, in his introduction of GO stark parallels between himself and the former Gorbachev, agreed that there were obvious parallels Valedictorians American president between the historical and contemporary figures of reflect on their "When it fell to me to become the leader of a Jefferson and Gorbachev. achievements. complex and conflict-ridden country, I often looked "Perhaps some would argue that it may have /22 to Thomas Jefferson," Gorbachev said. "He was happened without the presence of Mikhail among those who confirmed me in my belief that Gorbachev," Wilder said. "Just like some would without democratization of our society, any reform argue that American democracy would have traveled in it would be doomed to fail." its path without Thomas Jefferson. But no one can Campus 3 Arts 27 Comparing his reforms in the former Soviet Union argue that the people who now inhabit the former World 9 Sports 31 to those of Thomas Jefferson in early American Soviet Union are far freer to speak, assemble, Focus On 20 Humor 36 history, Gorbachev talked about how he first worship and voice their dissent than before Mr. discovered the writings of Jefferson while he was a Opinion 24 Classifieds 38 GORBACHEV page 2 student at Moscow University. THJRSIW,APRIL 15,1993 «3 Student fee spending mainly focuses on athletics and debts, report shows by Sara Hammel auxiliary enterprises, $8 million budget. budgets for things like the marching senior writer which is different Virginia. Colleges' Surovell estimated band, money to pay for JMU's use of from the university's Mandatory Student that full-time the Harrisonburg bus system, and About 40 percent of comprehensive education and Fees 1992-93 undergraduate undesignated projects. fees paid by JMU students this year general fund. students pay about The largest expected expenditure in went to the athletic program, which is According to TUITION BILL $740 each towards that "other" budget is for undesignated the largest portion of fee revenue Assistant Budget athletics, $108 of projects, at about $900,000 — which allotted for any fee-supported budget, Director Glenda College Fees* which goes to the is about $100 per student. according to a Student Government Ridgely, the James Madison 1,834 football team. Ridgely said that money is Association report released Monday. education and He also estimated budgeted for undesignated projects The report, primarily compiled by general fund is not William & Mary 1,586 that about five because the auxiliary budget is put SGA Administrative Vice President fee-supported. dollars per student together the academic year before it is Approximately half implemented, so a budget is created Scott Surovell, provides a detailed George Mason , 1,094 goes towards the breakdown of how comprehensive of that budget is : men's basketball for unforeseen projects or student fee money is spent within the supplied by the program, which maintenance problems. university. General Assembly, Old Dominion .1,080 brings in more "You can't anticipate, so we build Surovell said he decided to compile and most of the other revenue than any in maintenance dollars," Ridgely said the report to increase student half comes from UVA 625 sport at JMU. The next largest comprehensive awareness about how JMU spends its tuition. But the largest fee-supported budget is the university's debt payment, which money. Comprehensive Virginia Tech portion of the "It was part of my platform when I fees are designated 466 "athletic fee" goes accounts for about 16 percent of ran [for SGA administrative vice- for the auxiliary •Mandatory fees shown in dollars. to the Convocation comprehensive fees. president]," Surovell said. "Just to budget only, and JANET DRISCOLL/THE BREEZE Center budget, and That money goes to pay the make students more aware of there are six is used primarily for outstanding debts on buildings like the budgetary issues." categories listed under that heading as maintenance and utilities for the new Warren Campus Center, the According to the report, full-time comprehensive fee-supported building. Convocation Center and Bridgeforth undergraduate students paid about enterprises. After athletics, the largest amount Stadium. $1,834 each in comprehensive fees The report showed that the largest of comprehensive fee money goes to a The largest debt payment this year this year, adding up to a total of about amount of comprehensive fee money budget listed as "other," and accounts is for the new Warren Campus Center, $17 million. went to the athletic department, with for about 25 percent of fee revenue. That money is budgeted under fees supplying about $7 million of its The "other" category includes FEES page 15 On-campus residents drop for next year despite efforts by Lee Bumgarner to communicate how living on campus is more than just having four walls contributing writer and a bed and washer and dryers and The Office of Residence Life lighted parking lots and free water and projects 2,435 students will remain in stuff like that." on-campus living next year, a decrease Some of the ads ORL have of 15 students from last year. produced try to address the hidden Jim McConnel, director of ORL, costs of living off campus, such as said that the projected number of on- electric and water bills. campus students does not include McConnel said one of the goals of Greek Row residents, transfer the campaign is to allow residents to students, international exchange make an informed decision as to students or freshmen. where to live. To encourage more students to live Junior Barbara Yarnell, who on campus, McConnel said, ORL currently lives off campus, said, "The began an advertising campaign last one ad that gets me is the hand semester to tell students "you can coming out of the mail box with all come back to campus. the bills in it. "A lot of times people have moved "Well, the thing that gets me is that off in the past—and because the in 99 and one-half of the places you occupancy was so high, they never live off campus, water is included. were allowed a chance to move back You don't have to worry about it. on," he said. Number two, gas and electric is the McConnel said he believes this same bill. And you just pay it. You campaign "... has been very pay it like you would the phone bill successful." on campus." The number of students who lived Freshman Tara Johnson said, on campus for the 1992-93 school "Living on campus is good enough for VASHA HUNT/THE BREEZE year is 4,720, down from the 4,991 me right now, everything's here that who lived on campus during the 1991- you need. You don't have to worry Loud and clear 92 school year, McConnel said. about transportation. Every thing is SGA President-elect Josh Pringle joins Star Wilbraham, "We feel that living on campus is a just right here for you on campus." chair off the SGA legislative action committee, on the unique experience," McConnel said.