Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern The George-Anne Student Media 5-1-1992 The George-Anne Georgia Southern University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/george-anne Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Georgia Southern University, "The George-Anne" (1992). The George-Anne. 1274. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/george-anne/1274 This newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Media at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in The George-Anne by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EDITORIAL SGA election violated privacy of voters; election should be held again As students of GSU, we demand another election. Doodle Dandy" on their votes. When a ballot is incor- Conveniently enough, the SGA constitution doesn't By their conduct in the April 23 election, the rectly filled out — or mangled — in a regular election, seem to. Student Government Association has violated one of the vote is discounted. According to Dr. Jack Nolen, vice-president of stu- the most sacred rights accorded voters in America. Period. dent affairs, all it would take is one candidate who The right to a secret ballot. Incorrectly filled-out ballots should not be handed ran in last week's election to come forward and con- While this is not a Constitutionally guaranteed back to the voters. They should be thrown out later test the election. The election would then be reviewed right, it is one regulated by the states and is nation- and not examined in front of the voters. The very by a impartial committee. ally recognized as one of the most important aspects pressure of watching an SGA official scrutinize ballots This must be done. of the American democratic system. So much so that as they are being handed in puts unnecessary pres- This screw-up in the election process should be no poll workers undertake special training and are for- sure on the voters. This could influence students to reflection on the winners or losers of last week's elec- bidden to touch ballots. The voters must put their vote change their votes — or not vote at all. tion. in the ballot box themselves. If the complexity of the ballots is a problem then They did their duty by running for the offices. And Current SGA President Chris Clark has been they need simpler ballots, not someone looking over they should now show their true leadership in joining quoted as saying that several votes that had been voter's shoulders. By mangling the election process, in a call for another election. All of the candidates, turned in early had been filled out incorrectly, and SGA has set itself up for accusations of foul play and winners and losers, have as much at stake here as this is why he ordered election officials to examine the tarnished each winner's victory. anybody — if not more. ballots. There must be another election. Courage must not take a back seat to self-interest. It does not matter if voters had scribbled "Yankee Common sense dictates it, and justice demands it. We must have another election. GOLD EDITION Liked By Many, Action Ads 7 Comics 8 Announcements 2 Features 3 Cussed By Some, Campus Briefs .2 Opinions 4 Columnists 4 Sports 5 ...Read By Them All Friday, May 1,1992 George-Anne Vol. 65 No. 6 B 912/681-5246 Celebrating 65 years as Georgia Southern's Official Student Newspaper Georgia Southern University • Statesboro, GA 30460 Alpha Kappa Alpha suspended Status temporary pending outcome of hazing investigation plete. The investigation began Alpha Kappa Alpha has been a said she heard students on tutes hazing. There are certain By Stacy Graham about three weeks ago. campus talking about the alle- things that, are easier Staff Writer The alleged allegations of gations, but she was not for- identified than others, he said. Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority hazing were found out by the good group here, this is the first mally notified by anyone. Some of these are physical has been temporarily sus- advisors, who in return, con- Alpha Kappa Alpha has abuse, personal servitude, or pended from campus pending a tacted the National Chapter, episode of this nature for the sorority. been on this campus since anything that is publicly or po- review and investigation for al- said Orr. 1976, and currently has 11 ac- tentially embarrassing. James Orr, assistant dean of students legations of hazing, according "There has been no official tive members. "Alpha Kappa Other things, such as carry- to Assistant Dean of Students action to suspend, or not to thing as an organization until whole chapter is responsible, Alpha has been a good group ing a pledge book, have differ- James Orr. suspend them," Orr said. the investigation is complete. or against the individuals if here, this is the first episode of ent opinions from each sorority "We are in the process of No one from the National "This does not mean they are they can be identified. this nature for the sorority," or fraternity. reviewing the situation," said Chapter would comment on the guilty of anything, necessarily, Tamiko Braswell, President said Orr. "Hazing is not something we Orr. The National Chapter of matter and Vertell Middleton, it simply means that until the of the sorority, said she was If the allegations of hazing are prepared to tolerate," Orr Alpha Kappa Alpha sent a let- the Southeastern Regional investigation is completed, ev- not aware of the allegations. "I prove true, the sorority would said. ter to Orr instructing him to Director could not be reached erything is on hold," Orr said. have not been notified of alle- be suspended for as long as the This allegation comes just temporarily suspend the oper- for comment either. If hazing did occur, disci- gations by anyone," she said. sorority members attend GSU. one month after the fraternity ations of Alpha Kappa Alpha The suspension prohibits plinary action will be taken "We have not hazed, and don't Orr said it is very difficult Omega Psi Phi was suspended until the investigation is com- the sorority from doing any- against the chapter if the condone hazing." Braswell classifying what exactly consti- for hazing practices also. ACLU speaks out Fire damages restaurant Ross Perot By Misty McPherson supporters on SCAD sanctions News Editor ATLANTA (AP) - A least team that founded the 2,500- No one was injured in a eight students trying to form a student school, President fire Tuesday afternoon at the organize student government at the na- Richard Rowan and Provost Chinese Kitchen, 456 South tion's biggest art college have Paula Rowan, has not re- Main St., although heavy By Brent Parrott been barred from registering sponded to requests for inter- damage occurred in the attic of Assistant News Editor for the fall term pending an in- views. the restaurant, according to A meeting for supporters of vestigation of a bomb blast at a "People are generally under- fireman Herman Akins. Presidential hopeful Ross campus building. stood to be innocent until The fire started behind Perot held at Statesboro Administrators at Savannah proven guilty," said Don the cookers and traveled into Regional Library, attracted a College of Art and Design have Wagner, executive director of. the attic. Minor damage was crowd of 50 people, including refused to say why suspicion the Georgia conference of the also reported in the restaurant several GSU students. has fallen on those eight stu- American Association of area Akins said. At the meeting, supporters dents. University Professors. "To keep "The only thing that we watched a video of Ross Perot But the American Civil somebody from finishing their can find is that over a period of being interviewed by David Liberties Union suggested the degree pending completion of time the area just heated up Frost and learned more about college is retaliating against an investigation isn't what and the wood behind the cook- the petition process. Literature the students for trying to form most institutions do." ers caught fire," Alfins said. about Perot along with bumper a government, an idea the The college catalog says the Employee Jennifer Clark stickers were also available. school opposes. Academic lead- school "reserves the right to first became aware of the fire To get Perot on the ballot in ers and others have also con- withdraw the privilege of en- when she smelled wires burn- Georgia, 29,000 signatures demned the college. rollment from any student ing and saw black smoke. "It must be obtained, but organiz- "This action by the adminis- whose conduct is detrimental [black smoke] was coming out ers of the drive hope to have tration has a chilling effect on to the academic environment." of everywhere." twice as many. the free-speech and free-asso- "That's pretty broad," said "I never thought anything According to Doyice Cotten, ciation rights of the students," Alan Levine, associate profes- like that would happen," said coordinator of the petition said Teresa Nelson, Georgia di- sor of law at Hofstra owner Paul Tom. drive in Bulloch, "Perot is on rector of the ACLU. University of Hempstead, N.Y., Firemen arrived at the the ballot in Tennessee and is The federal Bureau of and an authority on student scene at 3:52 p.m. and had the looking good nationwide." Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms rights. "No reputable institu- fire extinguished by 4 p.m. In attendance at the meet- is investigating a small bomb tion in the public eye - any of Akins said.