The University Echo An Independent Student Newspaper Serving the University Community Since 1906 Volume ^f/lssue 24 The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Friday, March 25, 1983 * * Mike Nentwig/The Echo ThisT-shirt offer can't be ^^1" Vi^ar* llwwVl This red & white T-shirt, for men and women, is made of 50% combed cotton and 50% polyester, styled with three athletic stripes on the raglan sleeves. Please send a check or money order for $4.95 per T-shirt (no cash, please) to. Seagrams 7 Crown T-shirt Otter P.O. Box 725, Dept. 249, Lubbock, Texas 79491 Name, College, Address, City. State Si S y Sp ci T-thir, fs 4^ ea I 'Vfl"an.it, —--.—.. AmoumEnc,oseds T^WfiF^ News 2 The Echo/March 25, 1983 16 residents Dorm fire forces students to relocate By Brian Kaufman Echo Editor Two students were treated for smoke inhalation and 16 f permanently relocated after an early "If it hadn't been for According to Richard MacDougall, director of Saturday morning fire left the largest wing of the Joey pulling the alarm, I'd housing, there are no plans to reopen the damaged Stadium dormitory's first floor uninhabitable. Both area of the floor until June, although students will Joey Clemmons, a freshman, and Mark Tommeson, a hate to think what would've continue to live on the second, third and fourth floors junior, received medical attention on the scene but and the undamaged portion of the first. "Physical were not hospitalized. happened." Plant tried to pressure-clean, but the stuff is almost Arson investigators, who arrived shortly after 7 —a student baked in," MacDougall said. "The walls will just have a.m. Saturday, ruled the cause of fire as accidental. A to be repainted." smoldering cigarette, it was determined, ignited a "You wouldn't believe how much smoke and how putting out the fire—it smoldered until arriving hot it was in here," said MacDougall standing at the couch around 4:15 a.m. and then the surrounding firemen could finish the job—fellow residents credited carpet in the lounge section of the dormitory. spot where the fire ;started. Pointing to a now empty Clemmons with saving their lives. "If it hadn't been for TV stand bolted to the wall, MacDougall said, "The According to witnesses, the blaze leapt as high as the Joey pulling the alarm," one said, "I'd hate to think ceiling while producing thick, black smoke which TV looked like plastic stalagmites—it simply melted— what would've happened." the fire was so hot." caked walls and later open dorm rooms. By 10 a.m. all 16 students were relocated in Village, The building was completely evacuated after Damage to the building was estimated at between Pfieffer-Stagmier and Oak St. dormitories at no extra $6,0OO-$7,000, but no figure was available for the loss Clemmons, whose room is directly across from the cost to the affected students, even though the lounge, pulled a nearby fire alarm. After pulling the of students personal property. While the university Stadiim is the least expensive of all on-campus maintains fire insurance for all its buildinqs. students alarm, Clemmons and Matthew Miller, who lives next housing. The Housing Office also distributed five free door to Clemmons, tried to awaken other residents, may be able to make claims against their parents' wash tickets to each relocated student, as well as to homeowner's insurance for personal losses, said and attempted to extinguish the blaze. any Stadium resident who complained ot smoke MacDougall. Although the pair were only partially successful in damage to clothes. Smoke alarms soon to be installed By Brian Kaufman Echo Editor As a result of last Saturday's Stadium "Compensation was Dormitory fire, the university will place smoke alarms in both Stadium and $1.25 in wash tickets. I Pfieffer-Stagmaier Dormitories, the have a $400 estimate Echo has learned. According to Robert Camperlino, for my cleaning bill." assistant director of Physical Plant, —Matthew Miller preliminary plans to install smoke alarms were made during a Wednesday immediately. The group also suggested morning meeting of university officials. thai certain Stadium Residents Although many specifics, such as Assistants did not perform capably location and the number of devices in during the emergency and that harsher each building have yet to be ironed out, penalties are necessary for those who the university hopes to have the alarms falsely pull alarms. Clemmons and operational by next fall. "Obviously Miller also complained they not receive everything will have to be done by next adequate compensation foi the fall," said Richard MacDougall, director cleaning of their clothes. "Their of housing. compensation was $1.25 in wash The decision to install smoke alarms tickets," Miller said. "1 have a $400 comes on the heels of a fire in the estimate for my cleaning bill." lounge area of the Stadium Dormitory, In responding to the students which caused an estimated $6,000 to charges, MacDougall was quick to $7,000 damage and forced the point out they had no business trying to permanent relocation of 16 residents. fight the fire themselves. "Under no Although no serious injuries resulted circumstances were they supposed to from the fire, a number of inadequacies stay in the building. In fact, we have been cited by three students specifically instruct our RA's to first involved, which they say could have led make sure that everyone has evacuated to a much more serious situation. in the event of a fire and then to leave In a Tuesday evening interview with themselves and let the firemen take it Students fingered graffiti on a soot-covered bulletin board. the Echo and The Chattanooga Times, from there," said MacDougall. "We Matthew Miller, Joey Clemmons and aren't interested in fire-fighting, we'll with existing state and local fire codes might even exceed minimum code Mark Tommesson urged that smoke leave that to the pros, we do stress fire concerning fire extinguishers, alarms requirements for similar buildings, but alarms, illuminated signs, more prevention, however," he explained. and exit illumination but deferred added, "we ought to get those smoke functional fire extinguishers and MacDougall expressed confidence confirmation to Camperlino. alarms in there." "smoke lights" be installed that the university was in accordance Camperlino later said the university The Echo/March 25, 1983 3 Fee referendum sponsored by McCall By Karen Farley Echo News Writer If approved by the administration, a referendum will the University Center and transportation to away come before the student body in the April 4 and 5 sports events. Fifteen percent will be allocated to the elections of the Student Government Association to dorm programs, such as barbecues and ice cream determine whether or not to increase student fees by socials. The Dorm Council has only approximately $1. The increase would raise $14,000 a year for $1,000 to be used for such events, McCall said. The improvements to the UTC campus and in student remaining 10 percent will fund the Outstanding activities. Professor Awards. The money will be used to Proposed by SGA Senator Charles McCall, the bill purchase plaques and to pay for the dinner and the passed in the SGA by unanimous vote. honorarium for the finalists. If the referendum passes and is approved by the UT Since the Tennessee legislature passed the bill Board of Trustees, it will be enacted. The fee increase allowing Tennessee universities to impose the fee would affect all full-and-part-time students during the increase, five universities have enacted such a plan. spring and fall semesters. Dr. Charles Renneisen, Dean of Students, and McCall According to McCall, the money will be allocated contacted each of these universities to see how the for several purposes. One-fourth of the funds will be plan had worked for their campuses. McCall said that set aside for physical improvements on the UTC all five of the universities had positive results. campus, such as the purchase of new equipment, McCall said the main advantage of the fee increase benches and a sign for either the UTC Arena or is that these expenditures won't come out of the Chamberlain Field. Another quarter of the money will regular SGA budget, as they have previously. be used to fund the new SGA speakers program, Therefore, more money will be free for other areas, which consists of a debate in the fall and a prominent such as providing more campus entertainment and speaker in the spring. Twenty-five percent will be used funding for other organizations. Senator Charles McCall 3arry Aslinger/The Echo for campus-wide activities, such as noon concerts in Continued on p. 8 SGA amends Outstanding Professor Awards By Kimberly Ryan Special to the Echo The Senate approved the compromised the process of selection, second, to either of the recipients, and stated that each senator, along with the Outstanding Professor Award and the but kept the purpose and criteria of the the senator would have to state the Executive Council, would vote for 10 award nomination form, allocated award the same. reasons for his objection. Validation of finalists. Then the same group would funds to cover copying expense for the The new selection process provided an objection would require a two-thirds vote for the two recipients of the SGA nomination forms, and approved the for the Senate to select 10 outstanding vote of the Senate. If the Senate Outstanding Professor Award. constitutions of two student professor finalists through a series of overrode the Executive Council's However, in the event of a tie, the organizations in the March 22 meeting secret ballots.