News

Student alleges rape at party
Vanessa Urruela
Editor-in-Chief

An 18 year-old female Appalachian student was taken to Watauga Medical Center early Sunday morning after she reported she was raped at an off-campus fraternity party.

An October 14 Watauga Sheriff's Office news release said that the woman was at a party at "the Kappa Alpha Fraternity House" when the sexual assault occured. According to the ASU News Bureau, three Appalachian students hold the lease to the property which is located off Highway 421, east of Boone.

The Sheriff's Office said that between "300 and 500" people attended the party Saturday night.

According to the news release, the Office was called around 2:45 a.m. from the Medical Center emergency room where the woman was taken for treatment.

The emergency room staff would not comment on the woman's condition Monday afternoon.

"An investigation is on-going at this time," said Sheriff James C. "Red" Lyons. "We have lots of people to talk to and we're trying to determine who knows anything about the [alleged] assault."

Lyons also said that the Sheriff's Department did work with a member of the OASIS Rape Crisis Center staff to help the alleged victim, "feel more comfortable."

Jennifer Herman, Director of the OASIS Rape Crisis Center, declined to comment if the Center was involved in the case. "We offer completely confidential support so I cannot comment on this incident in any way," she said.

"I encourage anyone who knows anything regarding this to call the Sheriff's Office at 264-3761, anytime," he said. Lyons said confidentiality is assured.

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Hawksbill Pub to become coffee house
Jeremy Ball
Staff Writer

The Hawksbill Pub, which is on the first floor of hte Student Union, will soon become a coffee shop. (Photo by Karen Walters)

Hawksbill Pub, which has been used in the past as a gathering place for shows and events, will soon be converted into a coffee house.

Dave Robertson, director of Student Programs said the decision came about because the pub was not being used as much during the day as it had been before the renovations to Plemmons Student Union.

Robertson said the pub had once been used as a popular study area. But after the additions, students found the new lounges to be more comfortable and better lit, so the pub's use dropped.

The idea of the coffee house was suggested by Gregory Blimling, vice chancellor for Student Development. Blimling felt the coffee house would provide another place for students to "gather and socialize."

Robertson also said that a phone poll of random students conducted last semester revealed that 67 percent of those surveyed would solicit an on-campus coffee shop.

Three coffee houses, one from Charlotte and two from this area, were asked to evaluate whether or not a coffee house would be feasible and to make additional suggestions.

Their advice was used to create a proposal request, a state document sent to potential coffee vendors requesting them to send proposals if they were interested in contracting to run the new coffee house.

Food Services was initially asked to submit a proposal, but Robertson said they decided to commit to strengthening the services they already offer.

Eleven coffee franchises were initially considered, but only five submitted proposals. Of those, four companies have been selected as finalists for the bid.

The design for the coffee house has been contracted to two classes in the Interior Design department. On Friday, five different designs were presented by the classes at a meeting which about 65 people attended.

Jane Harb, a professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Science, is one of the professors heading up the design presentations. She said that the final design will probably take in parts from all of the designs submitted.

Robertson said that work is scheduled to begin within a few weeks and will hopefully end before spring semester. He also said that construction shouldn't effect too many of the shows and programs scheduled to take place in the pub, since campus organizations are not very active during November and December because of finals and the end of the term. Rooms will be provided for those organizations which do schedule events.

The coffee house will cooperate with campus organizations to do events after it is built. The stage and the dance floor will remain.

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Steam Plant forces developmental split
Jeremy Ball
Staff Writer

One of the largest departments on campus, physical operations, is currently in the process of being restructured.

Due to the large volume of construction projects taking place on campus, the design and construction departments will become independent of physical operations.

Although the split between the maintenance department and the design and construction departments is already official, the reorganization process is taking some time to straighten out.

Director of Design and Construction Clyde Robbins said that with all of the new construction on campus, the administration felt that his time needed to be devoted solely to the supervision of those projects.

Robbins said that prior to the split, the maintenance department was "consuming" at least 80 percent of his time.

Al Rapp, associate vice chancellor for administration, said that a consulting firm has been hired to help with the reorganization and to help run the maintenance department until a replacement can be found for Robbins.

Paul Valvo, who is with the consulting firm, is currently heading up the department.

Robbins said that the decision to split the plant was a good move because there was "just so much work." He also said that the split will help the plant to be run more effectively.

Design and Construction has moved to the third floor of the John Thomas building, while the other sections of physical operations will remain at their current location on State Farm Road.

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Leadership award established
Ric Beard
Staff Writer

A new award to recognize work outside the classroom will be presented annually by the Appalachian Board of Trustees.

The Plemmons Leadership Medallion, named after former Appalachian President William H. Plemmons, will be presented to people who enrich the lives and learning experiences of students. There are five different categories from which the board will select award recipients.

10 to 20 students per year are selected to be part of the Leader Fellows program. One of these students may be eligible for the award each year.

The next recipient will be selected from student leaders on campus. The student leader who distinguishes himself or herself above other leaders will be chosen. All students who receive the award must be of junior class status or higher.

A third award will be given to the person who enriches student learning or life within the Division of Student Development.

A faculty member will be given the fourth Medallion if he or she provides meritorious leadership with student clubs or organizations.

The final award will be given to any Appalachian employee who improves student learning and life.

Dino Dibernardi, Director of Student Involvement and Leadership

According to Director of Student Involvement and Leadership Dino Dibernardi, the Board of Trustees wants it to be known that this new award is one that rewards work outside of the classroom. It is also the highest award of its kind on campus. If no one stands out in one of the five categories, the award will not be given in that category.

The annual presentations will be made at Fall Convocation ceremonies.

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Local artist's work banned by Jones House
Darin Glass
Staff Writer

Creativity is something that can be hard to express sometimes, as Troy Tuttle and Krysti Adams recently found out.

The Jones House, an art gallery here in Boone, wanted to have Tuttle and Adams' photographs on exhibit with their own room. Both artists' works would be on display in the same room and with no limitations set on them.

The photos showed with women's breasts and were first displayed on Sunday, Oct. 29. When Tuttle and Adams came into the exhibit the following Tuesday, they discovered some of their works taken down.

Troy Tuttle

They questioned the reasons why the pictures were taken down, and were told that there had been tremendous pressure from local groups to take them down.

"They were just a woman's breast," Tuttle said. "Breast shots are in art textbooks and had been done before."

Another reason given was that it was too close to election season to cause commotion. The Jones House, which is government funded, did not want to face the possibility of losing funding.

Despite his disappointment, Tuttle would like to show more of his work at the Jones House again.

"I am just irritated with the small majorities in the community which prevented some of my work to be shown," he said.

This was the first time that Jones House had to deal with controversial pieces. Tuttle said that the House has previously shown pictures of nude breasts and that if they were shown before, they should be shown now.

"I think Boone is an eclectic place and I feel that it can handle this type of material," Tuttle said.

The rest of Tuttle and Adams' work will be on display at the Jones House until the end of the month. The photos that were taken down will be at BeansTalk later this month.

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Above ground crosswalk to be built over Rivers Street
Chris Kinner
Assistant Sports Editor

Students of Appalachian State University may soon feel safer walking to and from classes, thanks to an above ground crosswalk to be constructed between the Raley Hall parking lot and Farthing Auditorium.

The project will be included as part of the $5.45 million parking deck to be constructed near Raley Hall. The architectural firm of Hayes, Seay, Mattern and Mattern is currently in the process of designing the structure, which will be a minimum of 17 feet 3 inches above the road. A final design is expected to be approved within the next three weeks, and it will exhibit the same Appalachian brick/green metal roof style of the newer buildings on campus.

The structure will provide added security in an area which has proven to be problematic for students and faculty alike. Last year, Communications Department Chairperson Dr. Terry Cole was struck by a vehicle as he attempted to cross Rivers Street in front of Walker Hall. This incident prompted the installation of a stoplight and crossing signs at the location.

According to Dr. Clyde Robbins, associate vice chancellor for physical operations, the improvements at the commonly used crossing have not provided sufficient protection for students trying to reach classes. "We've had a couple of near misses," he said. He blames these near misses and actual accidents that have occurred on impatience, both on the part of the pedestrian and the vehicle operator.

Freshman Jason Isaacs agreed with Robbins. He said,"I think that students will feel more secure now that they won't have to worry about all the traffic."

The project, which will begin construction in the spring of 1997, will be funded by student parking fees, since it is part of the larger parking facility. "By state requirements, parking must be self-supported," Robbins said.

The crosswalk must fit within the predetermined budget, which will dictate its exact features. It will be covered, but not heated. Handicap accessibility has yet to be decided.

"Ideally, it would be (accessible). This may entail the installation of elevators, which may not be economically feasible," Robbins said.

Currently, there are no plans for additional above-ground crossings on campus in dangerous areas such as the one between the ASU Post Office and Whitener Hall.

"These crosswalks are expensive and hard to do unless they are part of a larger building project," Robbins said. He added, "We're trying to do another crosswalk as part of the (Appalachian) Convocation Center."

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In the News...

"Glitter on the Nipple"

Poet Charlotte Homsher will discuss breast cancer and read poems inspired by her fight with the disease in "Glitter on the Nipple."

Homsher, an Asheville resident, will explain how breast cancer is treated in the United States and describe her own experience with breast cancer, her reactions and how her attitudes have changed. She will also read 10 poems she wrote in a soul-searching period before her mastectomy two years ago, including "One-Breasted Flag," "Waiting for Angels" and "Earth Hymn."

Her presentation begins at 7 p.m. in the Linville Falls Room of Plemmons Student Union. Admission is free. For more information call 262-2144.

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Career Connections '96

The Career Development Center will host the second annual Career Connections Career event Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Grandfather and Roan Mountain Rooms of Plemmons Student Union.

Approximately 90 employers will be there to speak with students about internships and full time employment opportunities. Several graduate programs will also be present.

For more information, contact the Career Development Center at 262-2180.

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Visiting Writers Series

Acclaimed novelist Lee Smith, author of such books as "Saving Grace," "Oral History" and "The Devil's Dream" will be the featured writer at Appalachian State University's Fall 1996 Visiting Writers Series Oct. 24.

Smith has received many awards and honors including the Lila Wallace reader's Digest Writer's Award and the John William Corrington Award for Literary Excellence. Smith has also received rave reviews from magazines, newspapers and writers.

The program starts at 8 p.m. at I.G. Greer Auditorium. Admission is free. For more information, contact Susan Weinberg at 265-0393 or Lynn Doyle at 262-2979.

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Strickland Award

The William C. Strickland Award will be presented Oct. 25 at noon in Plemmons Student Union's Linville Falls Room. A reception will follow.

The award is given by the College of Arts and Sciences to a non-tenured faculty member in the college. The award honors those who have achieved excellence through a balance of superior teaching, scholarship and service.

This year's recipient is T.J. Arant. Arant is an assistant professor in the English department and is also a fund-raiser for the graduate school.

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Nashville Cats Unplugged

Nashville songwriters and performers Don Henry, Sonny Curtis, Tommy Lee James and Angela Kaset perform "Nashville Cats Unplugged," a music industry Nashville songwriters concert, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. in Rosen Concert Hall.

Tickets are $15 for stage seating, $12 for general admission and $5 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the Farthing Auditorium ticket office weekdays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. or by credit card, 262-4046. Proceeds will help fund equipment needs for a soon-to-be constructed recording studio at the Broyhill Music Center.

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