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No full textOil on canvas painting of a brown shelf holding several containers of yellow and purple pansies
The Spark, Volume 35, No. 1
No full textAdelaide Sanford, Regent of the University of the State of New York, speaks at Central Piedmont for Black History Month. Bookstore signage raises questions and concerns about the book “buyback” system. Anita Hartley-Bush, president of the Student Government Association, resigns. A new Advisement System is put in place for students. The Student Life Center works to meet the needs of students by providing meeting rooms and a computer lab. John Fullagar writes about the Draft Counselor that came to the Student Life Center to answer student questions about the draft. Topic articles focus on Earth Day, the Earth Coalition (a non-profit corporation that educates North Carolina residents about the environment), a recycling project for dairy cows, and inexpensive ways to save the Earth. This issue also includes the President’s List as well as the Dean’s List for the fall quarter of 1990.CENTRAL
PIEDMONT
COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
TAYLOR HALL 205, P.O. BOX 35009
Leader Adelaide Sanford
Speaks at CPCC for Black
History Month
by Melissa Sims
Co-Editor
On February 14, in Pease
Auditorium, Central Piedmont Community
College celebrated Black History Month
by presenting Adelaide Sanford, Regent of
the University of the State of New York, to
speak on the struggle of African-Americans.
Dr. Ruth Shaw, President of CPCC,
began the program by saying, "It is important
that we set aside a time (to celebrate Black
History), because all of us have so much to
Sanford, a public school educator in
New York City for 35 years, has earned
quite a few awards for her leadership in
education, but none of these could aptly
describe her strong character and stage
presence. As she took the podium, she
recited a poem by Margaret Burroughs.
. "What shall I tell my children who are
black? What shall I tell my children born
into a world where everything pure, loved,
and clean is white? White ruffled satiny
dresses, long sleek white Cadillacs, fl uffy
clouds, virginal brides in white. What shall
~'You cannot have a reverse racist because (the ord) racism
connotes power. If we look at the system of racism in the
United States, you will see the development of policies,
of in titutionalized project~, that perpetuate the
notion of superiority."
learn about those who went before us and
whose lives were often unheralded, whose
achievements never found their way into
the history books ... CPCC is proud to be a
college whose recorded history is full of
leaders black and white ... "
She touched briefly on the history of
this college, explaining that in 1963, CPCC
"grew from the union of historically black
Mecklenburg College when it joined with
the Central Industrial Education Center ...
From the very beginning, this college has
represented the union for which we strive ...
I urge you to honor history by creating a
present and future where people of all races
can come together ... "
Mr. Claude Williams, Head of
Advancement Studies at CPCC, inttoduced
Regent Sanford, describing her as "one
who is an inspirer. She is one who is a
motivator. She is a concerned educator and
administrator and an individual who has a
·story to tell."
- Adelaide Sanford
I tell my children ... born into a world where
black is ugly?" . She went on to talk about the
beginnings of Black History celebrations,
saying, "It was Carter G. Woodson,
outstanding graduate of Harvard University,
(who was) the Father of what was initially
called Black History Week, and is now
interchangeably called African History
MonJh or Black History Month ... (But it is)
important to go beyond the celebration of
Black History Month ... and think critically,
evaluate and criticize the kinds of efforts
that must be made in order for people of
African ancestry to emerge in their rightful
place on this planet. And their rightful place
is not one to be feared; it is rather one to be
embraced."
Sanford made the point that you can
change or program an individual by
determining what he thinks of himself.
Quoting Carter G. Woodson, she said, "If
you ... make a person feel inferior, you don• t
have to make a back door for that person,
for the pressure of the person's feeling
about himself will cause him to make his
own back door and enter therein." She
continued, saying, "If you are educated by
the oppressor, then you either become an
oppressor or you accept being oppressed."
"If you are educated by the
oppressor, then you either
become an oppressor or you
accept being oppressed."
- Adelaide Sanford
Sanford then focused on the
manipulation of language explaining that
the word "minority" is used as a tool to
describe "lesser. Less powerful, less
important, less influential, less capable:••
All of these descriptions fit into what has
been a part of the history of people of
African ancestry. Sanford believes that these
March 1991
VOL. 35 NO. 1
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descriptions make it appear that the victims
called "the minority" are responsible for
their situation.
Touching on the topic of "reverse
racism," Sanford said, "You cannot have a
reverse racist, because (the word) racism
connotes power. If we look at the system of
racism in the United States, you will see the
developmentofpolicies,ofinstitutionalized
projects, that perpetuate the notion of
superiority."
"Education for people of color ha.c;·
always been viewed as the road to upward
mobility," Sanford continued. "(But) if you
accept the fact that you can't learn, you
· won't learn. If you accept the fact that
studying is not your thing, then it will not be
your thing. But if you understand that we
were the first scholars, thefirstcivilization ...
we have a responsibility to recognize that it
is only us who can help our children ... We
must speak for our children, not only in
terms of being interested in our children,
SGA President resigns
Environmental 6 & 7 habits to save the
Earth
12 Who makes what:
women in the .
workforce
.,._
..
2 March 1991 The SPARK OPINION
From the editors' desks (even though we don't have two desks and our chair is broken)
February 18: It wasn't TOTAL junk
by Terrie Bentley
Co-Editor
In the November issue of THE
SP ARK I wrote about things that really
burn my toast In the true spirit of breakfast,
I've decided to write about some stuff that
really fries my bacon.
On February 18, for those reading
this, I had a really bad day. I mean, really.
[See, here at THE SP ARK, we have all
new-n-improved computer stuff (thank you,
Ross) so when we want to emphasize
something, we put it in italics. Extra-crispy
special something-or-other.]
The worst part about Feb. 18 was, it
just didn't stop. I missed my history test
because I was late, a little. But, thanks to
Ms.Dillard, my teacher, I could make it up
(thanks,Ms.Dillard). And, on top of it all,
the day was rainy and cold and ugly.
However, some things brightened
up. I shouldn't really say 'some,' because
that means more than one, sometimes two.
I did learn something, for those old spinsters
who believe a day isn't total junk if you
learn at least one thing.
Well, I learned a new word in English
class way back in Winter Quarter on Feb. 18.
It's oxymoron. It doesn't mean 'a jerk with
pimples.' It's a literary term (Man. Wish I
could get brownie points in my English
class for this. Are you reading this, Mr.
Summers?) that means two words that are
total opposites juxtaposed to give an odd
something-or-other. Shakespeare was a big
fan of oxymorons, OK?
Well, I was going home on Feb.18. I
turned left in front of Presbyterian Hospital,
and in front of that new parking deck they 're
building was a sign. On it said, "Parking
deck and dietary expansion." Now, isn't
thatanoxymoron!No,youbum,notparking
deck! Dietary expansion. It'll come to you
later, I guess.
Now that that's out of my system,
what do I write next? Well, Terrie, what
Post-War scenario
Middle East
• ID the
by Abdinur Mohamed Ali
Today, many people are being
haunted by the questions raised by the μulf
War. Everyone is wondering what will
happen after the war is over and the
objectives of the United Nations have been
achieved. -The Gulf War has been staged
like a serious play. After many acts and
scenes have been performed, we still do not
foresee happy endings. I have spoken to
both the pessimists and the optimists of the
war. Everyone agrees there are losers and
winners in this war, as usual.
Despite the Scud attacks, Israel is
one of the countries that will benefit most
from the war. This war has earned Israel
financial and military support It has also
won them sympathy. But what about the
other side of the equation?
The Palestinians have been and will
always be the victims of Middle East wars.
Every previous war between the Arabs and
the Israelis was fought in the name of
Palestinian rights. However, when Saddam
annexed Kuwait, everyone was shocked,
including Palestinians. Saddam had a
surprise up his sleeve; he slapped everyone
in the face with the Palestinian issue. That
move propelled him into becoming an
overnight hero among Palestinians.
Nevertheless, one does not have to
be a pessimist to see the Israelis never made
(and show no signs of making) any
concessions to the Palestinians after the
war. They are blaming Palestinians for
siding with Saddam and jeopardizing
possible talks in the future. The tensions in
the Middle East will probably grow and
explode like a volcano sooner or later. If the
Palestinian issue is ignored after this war,
the ghosts of revenge are likely to nominate
another Arab leader, such as President Assad
of Syria, to be the champion of Palestinian
rights. The consequences will be deadly for
sure.
Let us put our predictions through
the filter of an optimist The United States
is in a good position to break the cycle of
violence and wars i_n the Middle East from
now on. They should address the whole
problem of the region. Since the United
States stands on the protection of Israel, it
should pressure Israel to give up the
occupied territories. After the war, the
United States should help the Iraqis
reconstruct their country as they did for
Germany after World War II. Israel itself
will be in a position to be accepted in the
Arabworidifitdropsitspolicyofexpansion.
~o far, only Egypt has recognized the state
oflsrael. Syria, allied with the United States
in the Gulf War, is also expecting the U.S . .
to address its grievances with Israel. The
outcomes of these issues will shape the
future of the Middle East forever. As a
matter of fact, the outcome of this conflict
will be the litmus paper of the "New World
Order."
about the war? Why would I want to write
about that? I've written about it before. I
don't want to write about it right now.
Okay, I've found something at
CPCC. February 8 was College Day. I went
to this little event since I'm in the College
Transfer program and all. It stunk! In high
school, we filled the entire gym with
colleges! Well... with college
representatives anyway.Yeah. This College
Day thing here ... Come on now; Can't we at
least get enough colleges to look
impressive? Or was it one of those things
that ..re publicized one day in advance,
thinking hoards of people will go to it?
Now that I've ranted and raved about
the pleasures of having horribly disgusting
bad days, I'll close.
(Editor's Note: Please feel free to
respond to this.)
Vol.35 No.I
Co-Editors
Photography Editor
Advertising Editor
Staff Writers
Terrie Bentley
Melissa Sims
Angelina Korinis
Beth Smith
Abdinur M. Ali
Terrie Bentley
Beth Borror
Tim Bradley
Deborah Brogden
John Fullagar
Thomas Henkel .
Melissa Sims
Staff Photographers Tim Bradley
Troy Brailey
Deborah Brogden
· Angelina Korinis
Johnie Roberts
Paste-up Artist Beth Smith
Staff Cartoonistsllllustrators
Leon Blenman
Joe Cathey
Thomas Henkel
Typesetter _ Melissa Sims
Student Publications Advisor
Mary Murchison
· Student Life Director Ross Surphlis
THE SPARK is a news publication
financed by student activity fees and
written and published by student
journalists/or the CPCC community.It is
not an official college publication. Any
viewpoints expressed should not be
interpreted as representing official CPCC
positions.
Letters to THE SPARK should be sent
interoffice to Taylor Hall 205 or through
the mail to THE SP ARK, CPCC,P.O.Box
3?009, Charlotte, NC 28235.
- - -----~------ - - -· -- -- - - - - - - --- - - - - - --- . '- - - -- -
Teenyboppers
with PMS
attack editor
by Melissa Sims
Co-Editor
What is today's youth coming to?
Good old-fashioned manners are nowhere
to be found. Why are these little
teenyboppers so rude at public events?
I was at the Connells show a few
nights ago standing quietly against a wall
when suddenly, a huge tub-of-lard boy
walked right in front of me and stopped. Of
course he knew very well that I was standing
behind him and that I'd been standing there.
first. no less. I was straining to see the stage,
but even if I'd had x-ray vision, there's no
way I could have seen through this guy.
It's not just the fact that I'm only 5
feet tall and had no chance of seeing over
this large person. It's that I have no idea of
what to say to someone like that. So after I
put out my cigarette on the back of his shirt,
there was nothing else I could do.
And then, all the world decided to
walk by me to get closer to the stage. I was
standing against the wall, as I've said, and
the club was absolutely full. Excuse me,
but there was not room to walk in front of
me. So I was smashed against the wall for
several hours and by the time we left, my
friend actually had to peel me from it. But
finally, I just stopped trying to move out of
the way. I didn't even bother pulling my
feet in so no one would trip. I mean, I can be
just as rude as the next guy ifl'm pushed far
enough. Believe me, I was pushed.
And, oh, the cigarettes. . I really
shouldn't even get started on that. These
idiots- probably all of 14 years old- were
dancing around and waving lit cigarettes in
my face. I didn't like that I'd have enjoyed
doing mean things to these people, but,
honestly, I'm just too small to do much.
· Even these stupid baby imbeciles are bigger
than I am. I think maybe they're growing
faster these days so they can start being
rude at a younger age. Whatever the case, I
think I will never go to an all-ages show
again.
Join me next month as I continue my
battle against PMS. It should be a real blast.
Just
a
question
Couldsomeoneexplain tome-please
- why does CPCC feel that Martin Luther
King Jr.' s birthday warrants closing but
President's Day does not?
Would Dr. Shaw or anyone in the
Cabinet care to answer this; please?
Could it be due to pressure put on the
college from various special interest
groups?
-John Fullagar
t
1
NEWS March 1991 The SPARK 3
James Pittard"
Draf t Counselor?"
Welcome home, troops! World peace
The PILGRIMAGE FOR
by John Fullagar
Staff Writer
Billing himself as a "draft
counselor," James Pittard seemed anything
but that when he came to the Student Life
Center on February 1.
He had no presentation, no
introduction, and no credentials. What he
did have was a few information packets on
how to be a conscientious objector, and
even these were not of his own resources.
Pittard said: "Being a
draft counselor, y__ou have
to J9rce yourself not to
push _your own J!ersonal
oelieJs on others."
l
WORLD PEACE AND LIFE is part of a· -
state-wide effort, during Lent, to highlight
hopes for a transformation of national
priorities, away from militarism and toward
meeting human needs. On Saturday, March
23, we will assemble at l:30p.m.at Veterans
Park (Central Avenue). At 2 p.m. we will
begin our walk to Marshall Park (McDowell
Street). Participants are asked to collect
pledges, which will be split between the
Charlotte Uptown Homeless Shelter and
Central American and Middle Eastern
refugees.
For more information, call Kathy
Sparrow at 399-2480.
Sponsored by the Charlotte Peace
and -Justice Council, P.O. Box 669572,
Charlotte, NC 28266.
Public Service Announcement
Sunbelt Machine/Hitachi American
Gives CPCC Advanced Machine
But in actuality, that's
precisely what he was doing.
Photo by Angelina Ko(inis
In support of troops overseas, CPCC groups displayed American flags on campus and in the
median alon Elizabeth Avenue.
Sun bel tMach ine/Hitac hi
American has consigned a wire EDM, an
advanced machining tool that works on
the principle of electrical discharge
machining, to CPCC. The consignment
means Sunbelt Machine/Hitachi
American will replace the 150,000
machine as later models are developed.
They bore the logo ofNISBCO (National · hispath.Mr.Pittardhadnoanswersforhim
Interreligious Service Board for or anyone else with legitimate questions
Conscientious Objectors). Whenaskedhow concerning the draft and the military.
he was affiliated with NISBCO, he replied, He maintained that his primary goal
1 "I picked (the packets) up somewhere." was to inform prospective draftees of their
!f'·.-....... ..,...... __ One student who came, as I did, options. He even went on to tell me in an
expecting a legitimate draft counselor had interview after his forum that "being a draft
serious questions about the draft, asking if counselor, you have to force yourself not to
a draft occurred, how could he best direct push your own personal beliefs on others."
. Selective Service Question and Answer
Q: What is Selective Service Registration?
A: Registration is a way our government keeps a list of names from which to draw
in case of a national emergency requiring rapid expansion of our Armed Forces. By
having this list, our country can save at least six valuable weeks in mobilizing manpower
for any emergency. To make this system completely fair, the law requires all young
men to register.
Q: What is the penalty for not registering?
A: If you do not register, or you do not keep the Selective Service System informed about
any changes of address, you could be prosecuted and fined up to 250,000 and/or be put
in jail for up to five years. Registration is also a requirement to qualify for federal
student aid, job training benefits, and most federal employment.
Q: How can I prove that I've registered?
A: Selective Service will send you an acknowledgement card containing your Selective
Service number and the information you provided. Please verify this information. If
something is incorrect, change it on the form supplied and send it back to Selective
Service. Keep the acknowledgement card as evidence of your registration. You may
need it if you apply for federal employment, federal student aid, or job training benefits.
If for some reason you do not get an acknowledgement within 90 days of registering,
write the Selective Service System. (Selective Service System Registration Office,
P.O. Box 4638, North Suburban, IL 6600197-4638.)
Q: What if I change my address?
A: Notify Selective Service of your new address on a Change oflnformation form. You may
use the change form that came with your acknowledgement card, or a Change of
Information form that is available at any post office, U.S. Embassy, or Consulate.
Q: What happens if we ever have a draft?
A: Selective Service would conduct a birthdate lottery to establish the order of induction
for men who turn 20 during that calendar year. If any additional men were needed, those
21-25 could then be called.
Excerpted from a Selective Service Registration.flier
But in actuality, that's precisely what he
was doing. ·
After Pittard explained to one student
the requirements for conscientious objector
status the student queried, ''Well, what ifl
don't meet any of those qualifications?"
The counselor replied, "You could always
lie."
The computer numerically
controlled unit erodes conductive metals
. of jet aircraft engines (for example) with
electric current to an accuracy of one tenthousandth
of an inch at a far faster rate
than by traditional milling .
CPCC News Release
THE SPARK
I II I ■ ■ I ■
WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS :
Join the staff of CPCC's student newspaper and express your creative
talents ! Writing and photography assignments are done . in your free
time, convenient to your class schedule.
Be a part of an energetic, winning team at Student Publications and
help us get the news to all the CPCC students.
Come by 205 Taylor Hall Monday through Thursday, or call Mary
Murchison at 342-6665 for more information.
✓
--- -- - - --- -
4 March 1991 The SPARK CPCC
Book buyback
Bookstore ID is leads students with false ads
by Kevin Jones
The flier reads "Sell Books for Cash,"
and in smaller print at the bottom,
"Hardbound or Paper: We Buy all
(emphasis by Tiffi SP ARK) Books Having
National Resale Value." The key words
here are "Having National Resale Value."
I, like many of my fellow students, found
thatthesefourwordshavegreatimportance.
-When, after waiting for what seemed like
an eternity in a long slow-moving line, I
finally reached the cashier, I was told that
they would not buy most of my books,
because either the department head has
decided to change the edition, the book no
longer possesses National Resale Value, or
the bookstore has bought the expected
number of books needed for the course.
Only two of a possible ten books were
eligible for the buyback. This experience
raised some serious doubts in my mind as to
the validity of the promising statements
held forth by the little green flier and sent
forth many questions in my mind
concerning the actual workings of this
"buyback" system.
My search for answers led me to Mr.
. John Whitley, the Assistant Managerof the
bookstore. Whitley spent a considerable
amount of his personal time providing
answers for my barrage of questions. My
first question to Whitley concerned the
misleading advertisement, especially the
last statement "We Buy All Books ... " He
explained to me that "National Resale
Value" were the important words. Every
two years or so, the publisher comes out
with a new and revised edition of a textbook
to keep up with t
Inside CPCC, Summer Quarter, Volume 6, Number 19
No full textInside CPCC highlights information about the most popular careers as well as Central Piedmont's Outdoor Education Courses (also known as Outdoor Adventure Courses). A teen zone section includes tips from Central Piedmont's student employer advisor Sylvia Littlejohn on how to snag a job. Central Piedmont's Vice President, Nicholas Gennett, highlights scholarships for students. An excerpt of Profiles in Success (a publication of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges) features Central Piedmont graduate Barbara J. Hamilton.Technical and
vocational Degrees
A good, solid education technical and vocational Engineering technologies.
Computer technologies.
Health careers. Public service.
Arts-related industries.
The automotive industry.
Industrial fields.
today can get you a better
job tomorrow. That's
because tomorrow's best
jobs will demand more
advanced training than
ever before.
Central Piedmont
CommunityCollege has the
advanced training you
need - in more than 60 top
• Gain experience and
a salary through
Cooperative Educa
tion, by working in
the field you are
studying
• Apply for many types
of financial aid
In two years, and sometimes
less, you can earn a
degree or a certificate to
start you on the road to a
successful, rewarding future.
• Get counseling and
feedback if you
don't yet know
which career is best
for you
• Pay one of the low
est tuition rates in the
nation
If you're looking for a degree of "a in life, look to the Vocational and
Technical programs at Central Pie~ Community College. Call today for
information about enrollment, financial aid or a first-hand look at the campus.
Call our Welcome Center
342-6719
On Our Cover
Sure, college is hard - but this hard?
Well, not all the classes at Central Piedmont
are as tough as clinging to the side of a sheer
cliff. To find out about Central Piedmont's
adventure classes, see page 4.
Summer Quarter, 1991
Volwne 6, Number 19
Fay Vogelbacher, editorial as.sistant
Peg Robarchek, contlibuting editor
Dawn Cotter, contlibuting wrtter
Ann Wicker, contlibuting wrtter
Janice Cromar, graphic designer
Tom Covington, contlibuting photographer
Mike Slade, contlibuting photographer
© Copyrtght 1991 by Central Piedmont Community
College. For reprint lights, contact Community
Relations, CPCC, P. 0. Box 35009, Charlotte, N.C.,
28235
CPCC is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action
institution.
Dr. Ruth G. Shaw, President
Published by:
~ CENTRAL PIEDMONT
~ COt'Nv\UNllY COLLEGE
10,000 copies of this public document were printed
at a cost 150,000 machine as later
models are developed.
• Toyota has awarded scholarships to 12
CPCC students enrolled in its cooperative
work program with the college.
Parlez-vous Francais?
You can communicate by fax or
phone or modem. But when you're
doing business outside the boundaries
of the U.S., youll communicate
better in any technology if you know
the language.
Central Piedmont offers conversational
foreign language classes
throughout the year, including
French, Spanish, German, Russian,
Italian, and Japanese. Call 342-6116
for more information.
o,•
0
Whether you' re going for liberal arts or
fine arts or career training, having a little
spending money in your pocket always makes
college easier.
Here 's the low-down on college jobs
from Sylvia Littlejohn, Central Piedmont's
student employment advisor.
a job as a courier or an
law office. Want to be a tlVlfl_....
• Look for a flexible schedule. You don't want
to tie yourself down to a job that's going to
interfere with college. Can you get extra
time off during exams or arrange other hours
if you need to take a certain class?
• Don't job hop. The work record you
establish in college can be a plus when
you graduate. So be steady. Be
dependable.
• Make an impress ive first
impression. Know about the company.
Know about the position. Get help
from your student employment
counselor abo ut putting
together a professionallooking
resume.
Don't be discouraged if you can't find a
job within your coreer field, Littlejohn says.
You can learn something from every job.
"Some people think that working at a
fast food restaurant is menial," she said.
"But if you are committed to that job and
excel in your performance, it helps. No job is
demeaning. If you stay there for a while, you
can make it a career-building experience, and
it shows stability in your work record."
Whats Next?
Good news: If you live near one ieentral Piedmont's Area learning Centers t u t
these things without driving to the main campus.
Outdoor
Adventures
Want to shoot the rapids? Or maybe
you'd rather cling to the side of a rocky clifl?
Track your way through a wooded wonderland?
Kayaking, canoeing, backpacking, bicycling,
orienteering-the great outdoors beckons.
But how do you answer if your spirit of
adventure isn't very well trained?
Central Piedmont is calling all outdoor
adventure lovers - from the experienced to
the beginner - to participate in one of its
outdoor education classes.
David Brown says of CPCC's courses,
'The emphasis in our courses is learning to
enjoy the outdoors and being responsible,
that is, stewardship of the outdoors."
walks of life.
"Some people then do the activity for the
rest of their lives," Brown said. "Some just do
it (in the class) for the experience."
6
Canoeing: Brown encourages
anyone interested in
the canoeing courses to
begin with the first one and
work their way through all
three. The first one begins
with canoeing on a lake.
Then you work up to a river
and finally to whitewater on
the Nantahala.
Bicycling: Do you want to
know more about taking
care of your bicycle and
yourself as you ride it? The
bicycling class meets eight
nights and three Saturdays
and teaches about maintenance
and repair.
A great cross-section of people participate
in the Outdoor Education Courses at
CPCC-all ages, all skill levels and from all
For more information about any of the
College's outdoor adventure classes, call
Brown at 342-6555.
OlffDOOR ADVENTURE COURSES
Kayaking: The program consists
of two courses, Introduction
to Kayaking and Whitewater
Kayaking. The first course,
Brown said, takes students to
Mountain Island Lake and they
spend a weekend "getting comfortable
in the boats." Students
learn to make a "wet exit" -that
is, getting out of the kayak if it
tips. You also learn how to avoid
having to make the wet exit,
safety, paddle strokes and the
Eskimo roll---0r how to right the
boat while still in the water. The
other weekend jaunt takes the
group to Green River which
offers experience in class one
and two whitewater kayaking.
The upper level class tackles a
course on the Nantahala River
offering a bigger challenge.
Rock climbing. Classes meet one weeknight for an orientation
and then participants spend two weekends in the field. Part of
their experience is "boldering," which is just what it sounds like.
The class meets at a local boulder field and climbs on the rocks,
most of which are 10 feet or less.
'They learn to solve problems-it's sort of like dancing and
sort of like solving a puzzle," Brown said. "One movement leads to
another for the overall flow."
The class treks to Kings Mountain Pinnacle and then to
Crowcfer's Mountain on the second weekend.
Orienteering: In
this class, you learn
to use your mind
and body together in
navigating through
the woods using a
topographical map
and orienteering
compass.
Backpacking: Students are
introduced to equipment, taught
how to use it correctly and how to
organire a weekend as well as the
basics of low-impact camping, or
camping that has the least negative
impact on the environment. This
group ventures to places such as
Pisgah National Forest.
Keeping an eye on the bathroom
scales, the bkxx:l pres.sure, the cholesterol
level isn't just a job for the fortysomething
and older crowd any more.
As video games and computers
and afternoon TV marathons keep
today's youngsters on their backsides
more than they're on their feet, parents
must learn creative ways to encourage
fitness in their offspring.
According to Peggy McDonald, a
Health and Physical &lucation instructor
at CPCC, a physically educated person
is active and understands the benefits
of a sensible, healthy lifestyle.
"It's important that we as adults
pass on this idea to our children, both
at the school and at home," said
McDonald, who promotes a concept of
wellness for the entire person. "Regular
physical activity has been proven to do
more than just burn calories. It reduces
Story by Dawn Cotter
feelings of camaraderie developed in
group situations. What we want is a
healthful lifestyle for a lifetime."
For the well-being of the young-
Chowing Down Is your son or daughter threatening to
drop out of high school? Now is the time to
Today's culinary students are
tomorrow's great chefs. But why wait
for tomorrow when you can sample
Central Piedmont's culinary arts now?
The CPCC Hospitality Department
serves lunch to the public three days
a week. To place reservations, call
ask for help before they pay the
price with fewer job opportuni-ties
and lower earnings.
Central Piedmont can help
your teen find alternatives to
leaving school without a diploma.
Call a CPCC dropout counselor
at 342-6975 for more
information.
And if someone in your family
has already dropped out of
school it's never too late for earning
a high school equivalency diploma
At Central Piedmont, you'll find
special help to increase your chances of
Scholarships Available
Have a teen at home who's interested
in fiber optics, electro-optics, optical
data recordings, and similar courses?
Four scholarships are now available
for high school students interested
in these careers of tomorrow.
Want to know more about these
scholarships in Electronics Engineering
Technology? Call 342-6557 for details,
and say thanks to the Piedmont Optical
Task Force, who sponsor the scholar-
Stoiy by Barbara J. Hamilton
Success!
The following is an exerpt of the personal
story of a Ceniral Piedmont graduate, reprinted
with permission of Pro.files in Success, a
publication of the American Association of
Canmwu1y and Junior Colleges
"I had my first child at age 13, so I had
to drop out of school.
Having a child at that
age and in those
times WclS very hard.
People look down on
you and don't respect
you. Although I did
get manied after my
child WclS born, it WclS
not easy. I didn't want
to go back to school,
so I started to look for
a job. Without any
training, the only jobs
I could get during
those days were factory
or domestic. I
chose domestic.
"I realiz.ed, after working at a vartety of
jobs, that I wasn't going to get anywhere
unless I could type, use a computer, or get
some kind of a degree. After checking around,
I found out about a typing class that WclS
being given at Double Oaks Center, one of
Central Piedmont Community College's off
"In 1960, I
moved to New York.
Again, I found that it
was hard to get a
decent job without
BarlxJra.J. Hamifton
campus locations.
This was my first
step toward my present
position. I didn't
do too well in the
typing class, but it
got me interested in
trying to better
myself, and that is
what CPCC is all
about CPCC has all
kinds of classes and
seminars to encourage
people to come
back to school. Their
Human Resources
class was such a
class. It shows you
what you have to
face in the work
world today and
helps you prepare
yourself for this by
any training, but you could still find work. I
lived there for 22 years and had jobs as a
domestic, selling books, inspecting zippers, in
banks, as a receptionist and phone operator,
in department stores; my last job WclS with
the New York State Department of Taxation
Finance. While working at the bank, one of
the requirements for keeping the job WclS to
take a class to prepare for my high school
equivalency. After I received that, it WclS easier
to get better payingjobs.
"After lMng and working in New York for
those years, I decided to return to North Carolina
to raise my youngest child ... Again, I
faced the same problem of not being able to
get a decent job.
8
teaching you how to dress, how to prepare a
resume, and how to get a job inteiview. All of
these factors combined gave me the incentive
to 1:Iy to continue my education.
" ... The counseling office assigned a
counselor to me and with her help and suggestions
I set out to get a degree in general
office technology... I stayed with it because I
found that the instructors and everyone at
CPCC cared about the students.
'With my degree in general office technology,
which I received in May of 1989 at
age 50, I received a position with CPCC. I
would like to thank everyone at CPCC for all
their help and encouragement It has been a
great experiencer
Scholarships
I Dickson Foundation Merit Scholarships
- Yvonne Cates and Richard Stavely, Associate
Degree Nursing
I CPCC Faculty /Staff Scholarships - Jill
Ingram, Dental Hygiene; Carolyn Nivens,
Human Services: Joan Thompson, Art:
Tammy Varner, College Transfer
I Jefferson Pilot Scholarships - Robert
Buchan, College Transfer; Esmil Lili Mohammad,
Pre-computer
I Professional Women Scholarship - Hila
Richardson, Business Administration
I Professional Secretary International
Scholarships - Charlene Crocker and Marcia
Young, General Office
I Barclays American Corporation Scholarships
- Lisa Clark, Business Administration;
Deresa Hall, LPN
I Crowder Construction Scholarships -
Cyprian lfedi and Jennifer Pickens, Computer
Engineering
I Wachovia Technical Scholarships - Cozette
Barringer and Reginald Issac, Paralegal
Technican; Cachine Jeffery, College Transfer;
Jenny Nobles, Dental Hygiene; Kevin Waggoner,
Civil Engineering
Calendar
Thursday Recital Series - 12:30-1 :30 p.m.
Weekly recitals by staff, students, and visiting artists.
Bryant Hall. Free. 342-6618.
Regular~ Classes End - August 10
Fall Quarter Registration -Current students register
July 29 and 30; regular registration July 31 and
Aug. 1, Aug. 5-8; final registration Aug. 28 and 29
Labor Day Holiday -Sept. 2
Fall guart.er Classes Begin -Sept. 4
Student Advisement Day - Oct. 30
Fall Quarter Classes End -Nov. 20
Thanksgiving Holiday -Nov. 28 -Dec. 1
~ SUCCESS:
-le the future.
~.... ................... .,.......... ,......._ ,, .....
~ ................. " ................
Central Piedmont
Community College
P.O. Box. 35009
Charlotte, N.C. 28235
What's your fc1vorite daydream?
Landing the job? Getting the promotion?
Becoming a part of the arts community?
Finding a place in life that will ,let you
help others realize their dreams? .
We all have special dreams ~ and
we can all take the .first step to making
iliose dreams come true at Central Pied-mont
Community College. · ·
When Fall Quarter begins this year,
start putting your dreams into action.
Enroll in college. Enroll.at Centfal Piedmont
Community College.
Non Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Charlotte, N.C.
Permit No. 1177
FaOintoA
:Daydrea
Inside CPCC, Fall Quarter, Volume 7, Number 20
No full textCo-operative Education Students (Jacqui Johnson, Patrick England, Mike Sherrard, and Laural Cardinalli) get hands-on experience in World Disney World. The College Dance Company shares its holiday programming. The Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) initiative helps low-income female students receive technical or vocational training at Central. Ted Bost and other faculty members at Central Piedmont's Automotive Technology program share tips on how to make your car last.On Our Cover
When Central Piedmont students go to
Disney World, they aren't just there for the
sights. They're adding valuable experience to
their credentials for future jobs. To find out
how, see page 2.
Fall Qumter, 1991
Volume 7, Number 20
Fay Vogelbacher, editorial assistant
Peg Robarchek, contrtbuting editor
Andrea Cooper, contrtbuting Wiiter
Ann Wicker, contrtbutingWiiter
Janice Cromar, graphic designer
Tom Covington, contrtbuting photographer
Mike Slade, contrtbuting photographer
© Copyright 1991 by Central Piedmont Community
College. For reprint rights, contact Marketing
Services, CPCC, P. 0. Box 35009, Charlotte, N.C.,
28235
Central Piedmont Community College is accredited
by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
Asoociation of Colleges and Schools to award associate
degrees, diplomas, and certificates. CPCC is
an equal opportunity/ affirmative action institution.
Dr. Ruth G. Shaw, President
Published by:
Puc] CENTRAL PIEDMONT
~ COMMUNllY COLLEGE
I 0,000 copies of this public document were printed
at a cost 6700 or 67-cents per copy.
C C
MAGAZINE
DEPARTMENTS
• Workplace
When you wish U[XHI a stnr for that great job you'IX! gJt your eye on, you might set your sights on
Disney World, via Central.Piedrmnfs Cooperative F.ducation. program
Who's hitting the NAfCAR. cirruif? How aoout CFCC Drama Depar1m?nt students.
Page2
• Gallery
Music in all its forms stars at Central. Piffbmnt in the rronths ahead,from special holiday danre
pe,formanres to weekly recitals by students.faculty and visiting wtists.
Page4
• Hot Topics
In the fx11anre between oong the family roregiver and the family breadwinner, women find help
through Central. Piedmmt's Wider Opporllmities for Women p~
Page6
• Homefront
fx> you ei:er wonder how to tum that battle to keep your car running into a victory? Professionals in
Central. Piffbmnt's Autnroolive Techrq p~ give you tips on adding years to your car's life.
When the time draws near
for visions of sugarplwns to
dance in your head, treat
yourself to the timeless
favorite, "The Nutcracker.·
Central Piedmont's Dance
Central. stages the traditional
holiday ballet again this year.
PageB
Stmy by Ann Wicker
salarted employees.
'We had to figure out all the detail&from
how much it would cost, to the guidelines,
to what the employee would get for winning,"
he said. 'We got a good reaction (from
No Mickey Mouse ob the management). On a scale of one
to 10, we got sevens and eights.
England enjoyed his experiences
so much that after he finishes
his hotel and restaurant management
program at CPCC, he wants to
go back and work for Disney. 'There
are so many hotels and so much to
Co-operative Education Students
Get Hands-On Experience in Many
Fields at Disney World
Working at Disney World is no Mickey
Mouse job - in fact, it's a valuable lecμning
experience. Internationally known in business
circles for its outstanding customer service,
the Orlando, Florida, theme ~ hosted four
Central Piedmont students who are enrolled in
the College's Cooperative Education program.
Jacqui Johnson, Patrick England, Mike
Sherrard and Laural Cardinalli came away
from the experience with different perspectives.
The students attended seminars each
week, with topics rangtng from resort management,
theme park management, studio
management and Disney-style management
Plus, they presented projects developed from
these studies.
Shemutl, 22, was enrolled in the paralegal
program at CPCC when he elected to go
to Disney World and wolk His work at Disney
World included stints at a fast food
restaurant and then a full-service restaurant
Although Sherrard is planning to go to
law school, not become a chef, he feels he
gained valuable experience working as a
team, especially on the final group project
"Seven or eight of us worked on a plan to
rehab the Veranda Restaurant in the Mag1c
Kingdom," he said. "We all did separate
assignments. I went to the Polynesian Resort
and worked out a contract for a three-piece
band to play at the Veranda. Overall, we
worked out costs, menu changes, intertor and
exterior design changes at the restaurant
"In my group, a few of us had a conflict
of interest We had to work it (the conflicting
details) out together. When we were finished, I
think we were all pleased with our plan."
2
learn. I only got the tip of the iceberg
Cardinalli wasn't your average student when I was down there," he said.
worldng as a ticket taker and in sales and guest Jacqui Johnson, who was in the fashion
relations at the water park, 1yphoon Lagoon. merchandising program at Central Piedmont,
She's 39 and took her family with her as she also called her initial experience an "eye
completed this phase of studies for her nrre- opener." Although she had worked with
ation associate qegree at Central Piedmont Belk's Teen Board, she had never worked in a
She observed that any Co-op Education retail store before.
experience can beneficial to the employer "It showed me what working in a snop is
and employee. What would she tell other stu- like," she said. She felt the seminars with top-dent/
employees about Disney? ics on defining different types of people and
"I would tell them to be prepared to do developing personality profiles taught her "how
whatever job ~------ - - - - --~ better to deal with
they're assigned. people like irate
Some kids are customers."
doing custodial Johnson, like
work. Some jobs England , was
require heavy labor, impressed with the
lifting. You get management, par-extensive
experi- ticularly noting
ence dealing with their willingness to
the public." work at any task,
Patrick Eng- including sweeping
land's assignment the streets if the job
was in housekeep- needed to be done.
ing at the Polyne- Everyone is also
sian Resort, where addressed by their
he worked at every first names. No
level, from custodi- one, she added, is
al to the front office "Mr." or "Miss" -
complete with up to and including
computer schedul- the company chair-ing.
Working in the man and CEO,
front office helped Mike Eisner.
him learn about Sandra Lare,
handling himself in director of Cooper-stressful
situa- atlve Education at
tions. "Real-life situations - like one time CPCC, has had previous experience with
when the computer went down." the program, describing it as "top notch,"
England, 25, praised the openness of the and added, "These business seminars have
Sl.lJHVHISar..lcmdirntuslfiln.J!;e)Wcruk:ltell been written about in 'In Search of Excel-tmnmwfulrg
'Ihyrmlly\\Ukwtthtrestu:mts." lence.' It's a quality experience and worth
England worked with five other students the credit - students are getting valuable
on the final project Their assignment was to lessons in real life work experiences and in
come up with an incentive program for the classes."
,
NASCARhas
chosen ten acting stu-dents
from Central Piedmont
to work as mascots in an effort to pro-ject
a new image on the auto racing circuit.
The NASCUBS, as the costumed mascots will be called, will
appear at NASCAR events. Other spin-offs under consideration include comic
books and Saturday morning cartoons. The mascots will promote safety, staying in school and
wholesome living.
The Smell of the Greasepaint
The Roar of the Cars
Texas Instruments Award
Texas Instruments selected Central Piedmont to receive six programmable logic controller systems and
software, with a retail value of17,960.
'This will enable us to expand and modemiz.e our present course and accommodate a larger number of stu-dents,"
said instructor Hany Myles. "It becomes the basis for more advanced courses relating to factory automation
and Computer Integrated Manufacturing."
3
Stoiy by Andrea Cooper
Can We Have This Dance?
College Dance Company
Plans Holiday Performances
Royl.ee,Jr. Llsa Gaffney
First, tradition: Tchaikovsky's 'The Nutcracker," November 29, 30 and December
1 at Theatre Charlotte, 501 Queens Road. Though you may remember seeing this
holiday favorite before, director Katharyn Home believes "every choreographer has a
different viewpoint of the story. In mine, the Nutcracker Prince is really the star."
Choreography stars in Dance Central's second production, the contemporai:y
"Christmas Oratorio," December 6 and 7 at St. Peter 's Catholic Church, 507 S.
Tryon. Director Mary Ann Mee will use the original 1961 choreography by Charles
Weidman, one of the founders of American modem dance. The story emphasires
angels' reactions to the coming of Christ.
For tickets, call 342-6982.
4
1 you 1rted to tell a story with your feet,
some people might call you a little offbeat
But CPCC's Dance Central uses that technique
to evoke tales in compelling ways. This
winter, the dance company will stage a new version
of a clas.sic and an old version of a contemporai:
y masterpiece.
Tony Knighten - The Nutcracker
Getting All Keyed ~
Singers. Pianists. flutists and saxophonists and bass players. Whatever kind of music soothes
the savage breast in you, you should be able to find it during Central Piedmont's free Thursday Recital
Series. Scheduled from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Bryant Hall on the main campus, the weekly recitals by
staff, students and visiting artists are a relaxing interlude in a busy day. So bring a brown bag lunch
and put a little music in your life. If you want more details, call 342-6618.
5
Story by Andrea Cooper
Breadwinners
& Caregivers
f n a typical day, Brenda Lester devotes
eight hours to her medical records technology
claS5eS and work-study job, then goes home to
care for her kids-all seven of them.
Where does she find time or money for
college? To that question, she could easily
respond 'WOW!"
WOW - Wider Opportunities for
Women - helps lower-income female stu6
dents of all
a g e s
receive technical or vocational training at
CPCC. The program loans books and provides
funds for tuition, transportation, and
child care. WOW students graduate with
degrees in fields that offer greater earnings
potential and satisfaction than jobs available
with a high school diploma alone.
About 100 women, many of them single
mothers, have received WOW assistance
each year since the program began in 1985.
Yet as our population ages, said WOW coordinator
Sara Graham, the program may
increasingly cater to women who must care
for aging parents in addition
to caring for their
children. Such "dual
caregivers" often
need outside support
tQ handle
stress.
Having a satisfying
job helps,
and WOW
enables students
to e.xplore
a variety of
careers, including
those unusu-al
for women.
Some WOW
women pursue engineering
and technical
programs, while others
Sara Graham
tiy skilled trades: electrtcian, welder, machinist,
auto technician.
Many WOW participants are taking
advantage of the demand for health care
workers through study in nursing, medical
records and medical office assisting.
"All face plenty of challenges," Graham
said. A typical WOW recipient wakes up
before 6 am to get kids ready for school or
day care. Transporting children can be timeconsuming
if she must juggle bus schedules.
After arriving at CPCC, she attends
classes and likely spends time at a job. Then
it's back to class, pick up, feed and play with
the kids, do homework, and go to bed after
midnight. "She has," Graham emphasiz.ed, "a
very, very long day."
Yet Graham points to many successes
in spite of the rigorous pace. One recent
"graduate" of WOW studied engineering at
CPCC, earned an engineering degree at
North Carolina A&T, and selected her job
from several offers.
All WOW applicants must be high school
graduates and recipients of federal PELL
grants, which help pay college tuition. Graham
looks for women who are "stable and
know what they want. They need to have
everything in place - housing, child care,
transportation - before they return to
school."
Want to know more? Call Graham at
342-6532.
Tune Into the World
Do you know someone with a
visual or physical condition that
makes it difficult for them to keep
up with the news? They can tune
into the world through Central
Piedmont's Radio Reading and
Information SeIVice, a free seIVice
for those who are visually impaired
or with physical limitations that
make it difficult to read newspapers
and magazines. Volunteers read
from The Charlotte Obseiver regularly
every day.
The program airs over Cablevision
of Charlotte's FM Service at
107.1 mHz. And some people are
eligible for the loan of a special
receiver that can pick up CPCC
Radio virtually anywhere within 40
miles of Charlotte. Call 342-6994
for details.
•
•
•
Vice Chair Elected
Barbara Davis, retired school
administrator, has been elected to a
one-year term as Vice Chair of Central
Piedmont Community College
Board of Trustees.
Davis, appointed to the Central
Piedmont Board in 1985 by
the Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Schools Board of Education, is
also on the Board of Directors of
the Mint Museum and the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Urban League.
She serves on the scholarship
committee of the Charlotte Housing
Authority .
Scholarships Awarded
• Southern Bell -750
Julia McDonald, Civil Engineering Technology
Usa Kasel, Electrical Engineering Technology
• Dickson Foundation - $750
Josephine Burney, Nursing
Diane Farm~ Nursing
7
Ten Ti s To Make
Your Car Last
Your car is a big investment - maybe
the biggest you'll ever make besides your
home. Ted Bost and the faculty members at
Central Piedmont's Automotive Technology
program suggest the top ten things you can
do to make that investment last
8
1. Change the oil and filter eveiy 3,000
miles - the most important preventive
measure you can take, by far.
2. Drtve the speed limit
3. SeIVice the cooling system regularly.
4. Balance and rotate tires at 7,000
mile intervals, which will make your
tires last 30-4o>/o longer.
5. Align your wheels yearly. A four-wheel
alignment keeps your car rolling down
the highway with less resistance,
improving tire wrar and gas milrage.
6. Have the transmission seIViced eveiy
two years. Heading off trouble here
can save on big repair bills.
7. Wash and wax the vehicle regularly
and clean inside of the car regularly,
to maintain the value of the car.
8. Don't park the vehicle in sun and
weather.
9. Check the fluids weekly when you fill
the car with gas, as well as the air
pressure in the tires.
10. Follow the manufacturer's suggested
preventive maintenance schedule.
'The manufacturers know best," Bost said.
Contraiy to popular belief, he adds, the car
companies "want their vehicles to run as long
as possible."
The only thing Bost disagrees with is the
7,500-mile oil change recommended by
many manufacturers. He believes that interval
is too long for the stop-and-go driving that
most people do.
Ann Wicker
Tickle Your Ivories
with an RX for
a Healthy
Piano
What do Mcmut, Llberace and Aunt Bea
have in common? Powdered wigs? Candelabra?
Sour pickles? How about tuned
pianos? Yep. No flat notes for these three
celebs. They understood the importance of a
healthy piano for both the music and the
instrument
"Just like a person, a piano needs an
annual physical," said Arthur Williams,
CPCC instructor in Piano Tuning and Repair.
"Actually, to keep a piano in tip-top shape,
manufacturers usually recommend tuning
twice a year."
Wtlliams said pianos have a natural tendency
to go flat Whether the owner pounds
away as a concert pianist or only dusts the
ivories occasionally, tuning is a necessity.
Serious, expensive damage can occur through
chronic neglect
Williams prescribes the following RX for
your piano:
• Tune piano at least once, preferably
twice, a year,
• Tune piano after moving or after change
of seasons;
• Never place piano near heating or cooling
vents, doordrafts or in sunshine;
• Keep piano in diy, stable environment;
• Make sure piano technician is registered
member of piano technicians guild.
CPCC's Piano Tuning and Repair Course
is a one-year, full-time program. Piano techni-cians
are often self-employed and work in
homes, schools or for piano dealers and factories.
Williams, a former music teacher, said
that piano technicians do not need to be
musically-inclined to learn the craft of tuning.
Dawn Cotter
Fr Business, Industry and the Community
At Central Piedmont's Corporate and Continuing
Education Division, our business is education.
Your business may be computers or finance or
service or manufacturing. Whatever your business,
the Corporate and Continuing Education
Department at Central Piedmont Community
College makes it our business to enrich your
business through education.
Our services include:
• On-site training
• Customized training
• Avenues for personal development
• Flexibility in responding to your needs
• Specialized services from our Small Business
Center, our International Business Center, the
Carolinas Quality and Productivity Center, our
New and Expanding Industry Program and more
Ask Duke Power. Ask NCNB. Ask IBM or
Verbatim. Ask any of the hundreds of
businesses in the area that turn to Corporate
and Continuing Education to stay on top of
today's ever-changing workplace.
Corporate and Continuing Education
342-6600
~ CENTRAL PIEDMONT
~ COM.MUNllY COLLEGE
Central Piedmont
Community College
P.O. Box 35009
Charlotte, N.C. 28235
World-Class
Non Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Charlotte, N.C.
Permit No. 1177
The phrase world-class takes on a special meaning
at Central Piedmont Community College. You'll meet
students from ahnost 100 of the world's nations. You
can learn to speak conversationally in ahnost any language,
from Russian to Arabic to Japanese. You can
earn a degree in international business and even find
opportunities to study abroad.
Central Piedmont Community College
- World-Clas
The Spark, Volume 36, No. 1
No full textWilliam DePaula, Central Piedmont’s adviser for international students, receives a Nobel Peace Prize Certificate from the United Nations and the Brazilian Congress for his role in promoting worldwide understanding. Student Publications release a new edition of the Student Handbook. Texas Instruments selects Central Piedmont’s Computer/Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology programs to receive six programmable logic controller systems and software. A group of international students, led by Zilda DePaula, travel to Washington, D.C. Opinion articles focus on the campus lawn and the Gulf War.Volume 36 Number 1
Summer 1991
Adviser Shares Nobel Peace Prize Certificate
Thomas Henkel
Staff Writer
Central Piedmont Community
College's, adviser for international students,
Mr. William DePaula, recently received a
Nobel Peace Prize Certificate from the
United Nations and the Brazilian Congress
for his role in promoting worldwide understanding.
The 1988 Nobel Prize for Peace
was not awarded to any one person, but was
instead given institutionally to the nations
providing peacekeeping forces in the
Middle East. DePaula sends his appreciation
to Senor Joao Silo Mota, a co-worker,
who after a diligent three-year search, finally
located DePaula and bestowed the
Nobel award.
International students
visit the capital.
Please see story
age
From 1986through 1988,DePaula
was an interpreter in Israel's volatile Gaza
Strip. DePaula, an Italian born and reared
in Brazil, speaks Portuguese, Spanish,
Italian, French and English. His linguistic
prowess stood him in good stead as a liaison
for the UN, an organization with which he
has been associated for over a quarter
century.
DePaula began his career as a
translator in Rio de Janeiro in 1965. In
1969, he came to Charlotte, and he has been
at CPCC for the last twenty years. When he
arrived here, Charlotte was not as much a
center for foreign businesses as it is now,
and DePaula has watched with much enthusiasm
this city's emerging
multiculturalism.
Perhaps you have seen heads of
state on television speaking in their native
language, pausing, interpreters restating in
another language what the leader has just
said, and then continuing in this manner.
This, says DePaula, is consecutive translation.
Then other times, the speaker and
interpreter may talk almost at the same
time. This is called simultaneous translation.
DePaula has lectured on this subject. He
related a humorous anecdote about conveying
someone's words into Spanish once, at
the Charlotte Motor Speedway. After the
person concluded the speech with an in-·
formal joking dismissal of, "Or so it says
here," DePaula immediately changed that,
too, into Spanish: to the appreciative
· laughter of the crowd.
Of the powderkeg situation that
still exists in the Middle East, DePaula is
sadly discouraged. He was very distraught
at the assassination of Egyptian President
Anwar Sadat ten years ago. And, l:ie adds
ruefully, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak
Shamir is "too strict" Palestinian representation
in the Knesset is Israel's only
hope for peace and there must be co-existence,
he says firmly.
Reared as a Pre sbyter ian in
Brazil's very small Protestant minority,
DePaula is a deeply religious man who
hopes to counsel CPCC's international
students for a long time to come. He says he
is doing his best to represent them. "My
goal is to be sure students come here, reach
their objectives and go and share their new
experience with their own people when
they return." This destroys stereotypes and
reinforces the truth that people are the same
wherever you go. "You must be peopleoriented,"
he emphasizes.
DePaula leads a fascinating life,
and this captivating conversationalist has a
wealth of interesting personal stqries to
tell- too many experiences to relate here;
but if you seek him out, he doubtless will
regale you with a fund of insights from the
forty countries through which he has traveled,
twenty-six with the UN. Where would
he like to go next? Ironically, it is very
close: Canada.
Mr. William DePaula was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace by the United Nations and the
Brazilian Congress for his role in promoting international understanding. Here he stands in
Cairo, near The Great Sphinx and the Pyramid of Cheops, in 1967. (Photo courtesy Wiliam
DePaula)
CoIDing Soon!
Beacon lights students' paths
John E. "Jer• Fullagar
Assistant Editor
That's right kids, at long last CPCC
Student Publications will soon be releasing
the new-and-improved edition of that infonnative
and inspiring manual oflife, The
CPCC Student Handbook.
Ten thousand copies of the new ·
handbook, dutifully nicknamed The Beacon
of Light, will be available for your personal
use and meditation during final Fall
registration. The staff does, however, request
that you only take as many copies as
you really need as it would be foolish to
horde such vast amounts of wealth and
wisdom.
Terrie Bentley, Editor of The
Beacon, was ordained by the PTB (Powers
That Be) in May because of a premonition
in a dream. When asked about the handbook
Terrie replied, "If they (PTB) ever make a
COCCTrivialPursuit-I'llscoreBIG! This
contains everything you could ever want or
not want to know about our fine instibJtion."
Not since 1990 has such a venture
been attempted, much less accomplished.
Please see 'Handbook' page 3.
I iil!l■il'2il~'.lll~~-llill1~llilli !I
I i l!■l~imBl1 ~!I~~
From the editor's desk
The grass is always greener _on
the other side.
Terrie Bentley .
_ Editor
The grass is al ways greener on the
other side, they say.
At Winthrop College, the students
are actually able to walk on the grass, unlike
students at Central Piedmont Community
College.
At Winthrop, "Don't Walk on the
Grass" signs do not exist The flowers and
bushes do not suffer needlessly by flying
frisbees and jogging feet.
In April, during an interview with
Dr. Nicholas Gennett, Vice-President of
Student, Staff and Organizational Devel-
/'"-'-
opment at CPCC, he said that the tulips and
other various species of plantlife planted on
the Quad would surely be trodden to death
by hackey-sacking and frisbee-throwing
athletes. He also said that if people walked
on the green grass, it wouldn't be green
anymore.
Winthrop's grass is lush and
green-and students actually use the lawn
(without murdering other plants). Some
students were spread out on blankets
studying, while others just looked at the
trees.
But this green grass situation is
not only at Winthrop. Amy LaVoy, a
participant at the 1991 College Newspaper
Workshop, said that at Meredith College in
Raleigh, the students not only walk on the
grass, but "classes are held outside."
Maintenance of the green grass isn't a
problem, says LaVoy, because the maintenance
people "take really good care of it"
Dear
Spark ... ---- \pl
Lockers & no red tape
Dear SPARK,
( I · '1 t, tit I r I Af;C0rding to1 Haney Howell, Assistant
Professor of Journalism and Mass
Communication at Winthrop, students have
always been able to use the grass, "at least
I am writing to make a couple of
suggestions which CPCC should consider.
The first is that the school obtain
100 to 200 athletic style or half-box type
lockers, which could be rented out on a
monthly basis to prevent students from
carrying around 30 lbs. of books while
attending classes. This would eventually
pay for itself and soon after, monies earned
could benefit some other part of the school
organization.
The second suggestion is an
upgrade of the student grievance policy. I
feel that the school needs an ombudsman to
cut through all the hierarchy of red tape,
which we as students have to deal with.
This would allow a more time I y response to
students' grievances or problems ....
Signed,
David Johnson,
A concerned student
Curriculum concern
Dear Editor,
I write to express my concern over the
curriculum being taught in the "WORLD"
history classes offered at CPCC. The
textbook used in these two classes is titled
The Mainstream of Civilization and is
published by Harcourt, Brace and
Jovanovich. The book consists of thirty-six
chapters, of which twenty-seven deal with
European history. That translates into 75%.
for the last 25 years or so." He added that
when Winthrop was an all-girls college, he
doubted that the students were banned from
walking on the grass.
Ain't Life Great?
by Jef Fullagar
&
Thomas Henkel
Is the school trying to tell its students
that 75% of the significant events in the
world have taken place in European society?
Are we supposed to assume that the cultures
of Europe are more important than the
culturesofAfrica,Asia,andSouthAmerica?
Prejudice is nothing more than
misunderstanding another group of people
simply because they are different. We, as a
people, will never conquer our prejudices
without education. How can we understand
if we are not educated through our schools?
\
Sincerely,
Curtis Mccurry
Guest Editorial
Did the Persian Gulf War
end the carnage?
Abdinur M. Ali
Staff Writer
It is not surprising to celebrate the
Gulf War Victory. We are not convinced,
however, of the one-sided argument of the
war. H we stop the jubilation one minute
and look at the other side of the war with
human compassion, we see pictures painted
with sorrow and human misery as well.
... Sherman once said,
"War is Hell."
It wou Id be better
if war becomes
unfashionable.
The horrors of war speak to us.
The stories of men and w0rnen who were
pushed to the limit and faced death are very
shocking to reveal. Some of them came
back without limbs. There was a combat
soldier who was on the frontlines talking to
his friend one minute, and the next minute
he had to collect his friend's body parts
when a mortar shell cut his body to pieces.
Many soJdiers' live~oreyer changed
by witnessing pools of human blood and
carnage in the desert One young unmarried
female doctor, who was aboard a helicopter
mission to rescue a wounded soldier,
was shotoutofthesky. Her body parts
were scattered in the desert sand and became
an evening meal for the vultures determined
to pick her bones clean.
th~park
Terrie Bentley
Editor
John E. "Jef" Fullagar
Assistant Editor
Angelina Korlnls
Leslie Bivens
Photography Co-Editors
What about the smell of death and
unspeakable atrocities committed on civilians?
Scenes from war are always terrifying.
A lot of scenes were not on television,
scenes of civilians on fire and homes
destroyed.
What about the women and children
who were bombed mercilessly? Their
remains litter the desert sands of Arabia and
Iraq. There were old people who were
caught in the war and because of it have no
future to look forward to. Mothers cried to
the Almighty to stop the war. Some had
been breast feeding their children when
they realized, by looking at their tiny pale
faces, that the children had been killed by
the fumes of exploding bombs. Another
mother cried to the Almighty to shower
mankind with stones from hell and 'to torture
the souls of those who caused their
suffering.
Are we really evil or half-Satan?
Who would not pay attention to the at least
100,000 people who perished in the war?
The war has left many people with scars in
their souls. The phantoms of
Nebuchadnezzar will pop up in Babylon
one day, and we have to face that too.
What about the Third World
countries who perhaps will have nuclear
power? Will they wage their personal wars
again? We have not seen anything yet.
What about Jar e scale nuclear war if it
happens? Humanity will be at risk for sure.
As the famous American general
Sherman once said, ""War is Hell." it
would- be better if war becomes
unfashionable. But, the forces of darkness
will always fight to the death to preserve
war as a means of solving conflicts between
nations.
Vol.36 No.1
Summer 1991
Emily Hinson
Typesetter
Staff
Abdinur M. Ali
Troy Brailey
Joe Cathey
Thomas Henkel
Mary Murchison ·
Student Publications
Beth Smith
Advertising Editor
Paste-up Artist Ross Surphlls
Student Life Director
Adviser
Review ·
"Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves"
hits bulls'eye
. Terrie Bentley
Editor
Talk about a monumental movie!
Starring Kevin Costner, Christian Slater,
Morgan Freeman and a very cool Alan
Rickman, "Robin Hood: PrinceofThieves"
is one movie that has it all.
Humor, real romance, family, action and
adventure - "Robin Hood" is a great
movie. There are so many surprises, and it
showed that a real effort took place to be as
historically accurate as possible. Costner
doesn't wear the typical Robin Hood outfit
(tight leggings, dainty cap with a feather
stuck in the brim),and that gave his rendition
more weight. He played the character very
well, and the fact that his British accent
sometimes falls short of the mark does not
impede his performance.
Morgan Freeman added a great d_eal of
solid acting as Robin's ever-so-faithful
friend Azeem, and Christian Slater as Will
Scarlet played well, too, even though his
accent was more distracting than Costner's,
but I think the movie was carried by Alan
Rickman in his role as the Sheriff of
Nottingham. In one scene Robin nicks the
Sheriffs cheek with a dagger, and in the
last swordfight the Sheriff knicks Robin's
chin. Rickman is great as he flicks the
sword up and his hand g~ out. .. it's as
ifhe says, "Now we're even!"
All in all, you've got to see this movie.
Skip any other typical summer movies that
you'll forget before the popcorn's digested,
but don't skip "Robin Hood: Prince of
Thieves." It hits the bulls' eye.
Don Flowers (center), the new Director of Admissions, talks with his former boss, Sol
Hellinger (right), at a reception given in Flowers' honor. At left is Flowers' wife, Cheryl
Flowers. (Photo by Leslie Bivens)
Attention all
Wharf rats!!
Edgar Is a concerned CPCC
student. How can we tell? He
writes letters to THE SPARK!
You can, too!
Send them to TA 205, or to THE
SPARK,CPCC,Chanotte,NC
28235.
(We reserve the right to chop them up f1.."'f
pellycidnes.; & succinctness.)
Employment and Career planning
services available
CPCC graduates and current
students who want assistance planning a
career or finding a full-time job can find
help on campus through free career
counseling and job placement services.
Information on course selection, job
leads, and matching careers ·to your values
arid interests is available from 342-
6463.
' Take your lunch break at the Improv
Take a lunch break or three at
CPCC and bask in the rare music of Bill
Hanna's students, all free.
Tuesday, August 6, 12:30 p.m.,
Bryant Music Building. Hear 14 talented
students in a jazz vocal recital. Some day
you may be buying tickets to hear them in
performance.
Handbook
(continued from page 1)
Ross Surphlis, Directorof Student
Life, mentor and chief bureaucrat of the
handbook project, explained his reasoning
for thr. handbook. ''The students need a
guide covering things, providing information
and answering questions about CPCC
that the catalog just doesn't do ... "
The handbook's primary aim, all
sourcesagree,is to serve as aBeaconofLighl
directing the path of all CPCC students, to
steer them from the perils of obstacles encountered
when uninformed.
Need advice about running a small or
new business.? Call CPCC's Small
Business Center at 342-6900 for
information on workshops and services ·
that can help your business thrive.
Wednesday.August 7, 12:30p.m.,
Bryant Music Building. Where else in
. Charlotte can you get your fill of Jazz
Improvisation at its best? Homs, Reeds, &
Rhythm Section.
Thursday, August 8, 12:30 p.m.,
Pease Auditorium. Betyoucan'tkeep your.
foot still. Big Band beat You'll know
every tune of this memory-popping
performance. No dancing please.
CPCC wins Texas
Instruments award
To keep CPCC at the forefront ·
of new technology, Texas Instruments
has selected the Computer/Electrical/
Electronics Engineering Technology
programs to receive six programmable
logic controller systems and software
that have a retail value of 17,%0.
Harry Myles, lead CPCC
instructor, developed the original
proposal. "This will enable us to expand
and modernize our present course and
m-moda-te-a lar..g numbtr of
students," he said in acknowledging the
donation. "It becomes the basis for more
advanced courses relating to "factory
automation and Computer Integrated
Manufacturing. We are very grateful to
Texas Instruments."
? : ) itSCflOUARSHIPNEWS t ,:-:.:-:-:-:--------- ::: :,~.~,100 ScnO;~IJ>P~~~•)]! Ef orcl!l!l'ffi caro~oa,s ND!MltillW:@ta@
.:~§~~;:;:~:::=
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····•·:•••;i•·····•·•·•·•·•·•·•·•·•······•1.••····················••·············•···········•·•·•·•·.. . ··•····································~·········································
' 1i\\'%1iiiittaw11
A group of intern ational students, led by instructor Zilda DePaula, traveled fo Washington,
D.C., on April 25, 1991. Here they stand on the steps of the Capital with Congressman Alex
McMillan. {Photo courtesy Ann Graves)
Aug.2
Friday
Evening
u• Lnol , .. u., .... CIITI.U ,. ..... , co ■■ HITT CILUCI
~wttkD.....iff.JWDAV
Starlight Performance & Picnic
7:30 pm Friday, August 2 • • 4th Level of CPCC Faculty Parking Deck
Catered lJttf Bar-b-Que Picnic -Ole Smokehouse
Musi£ during Pimic- The Old-Tm,e-Music Jam
8:30 pm Dance Central featured in Starlight Performances
Ram Dm ~ AJ18115f 3 • Plumt342-o982
New perceptions about U.S.
International students
travel to Washington, D.C.
Abdinur M. Ali students to visit the historical monuments
Staff Writer in the vicinity of the capital.
For many students it was their first
time to visit Washington, D.C.
On April 25, 1991, a group of
international students led by Zilda DePaula
set out to the capital of world democracy
(Washington, D.C.) In the Spring usually
the capital shows its beauty by flowers
blooming everywhere and trees growing
new leaves. The shrill cacophony of birds
can be heard in the parks and where trees
are in abundance. The visit itself takes a life
of its own.
After their arrival, the international
students were welcomed with warm smiles
and great hospitality by the American
families in Silver Springs, MD. With the
help of Vicky Lander of the local ARP
Presbyterian Church, and Dan Bautista of
Baptist Campus Ministry, students were
matched with their host families.
Alice Torres, Secretary to Congressman
Alex McMillan of Charlotte,
along with other members of his staff made
local arrangements for tlie international
Students also met Congressman
Alex McMillan at the steps of the Capitol
Hill. Their meeting with the congressman
was a very pleasant, informal experience.
Many students came back with
new perceptions about American hospitality
and memories of their host families which
they will treasure for a lifetime.
CPCC's ESL department is playing
an important role in promoting the
cross - cultural understanding between
internationals and Americans.
Put your traveling shoes on!
If putting on traveling shoes is your
idea of dressing for success, check out
CPCC's associate degree program in
travel and tourism.
Coursework includes training in
marketing, psychology, communication,
and data process ing , as well as
background in etiquette, first aid, world
destinations, and music appreciation. To
learn more, call 342-6721.
Trip once-in-a-lifetime event for student
Early in March I became very
apprehensive because my time to return to
France was approaching, and I did not have
the chance or money to go to Washington.
Being in North Carolina and not going to
Washington is like going to Paris and ignoring
the Louvre, or going to Rome and
skipping the Vatican... ·
Luckily for me I signed up the the
American Idiom Class, with Mrs. Zilda
DePaula, and arrangements were underway
for the trip -of my life! She contacted
Congressman McMillan's office for the
tours and the ARP Church hosting families,
where we stayed free. We visited all the
landmarks in thecapital, includingthe White
House, the Smithsonian. I still cannot figure
out how they managed the budget of 15
per day for meals, lodging, transportation
and tours. Can you believe it? I know it will
never happen to me again in my lifetime.
There were 21 nations representing CPCC
in Washington! I wish to say "MERCI
BEAUCOUP" again, Mrs. DePaula, and
all the persons who made this trip possible!
Yasmina Aberkane
International Student
from France
THE SPARK
WANTS YOU !!!!
WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS :
Join the staff of CPCC's student newspaper and elCpf8SS your creative
talents I Writing and photography assignments are done In your free
time, convenient to your class schedule.
Be a part of an energetic, winning team at Student Publications and
help us get the news to all the CPCC students.
Come by 205 Taylor Hall Monday through Thursday, or can Mary
Murchison at 342-6665 for more information
The Spark, Volume 35, No. 2
No full textDr. Ruth Shaw provides updates regarding the budget at the quarterly Student Forum, urging students to write to their state legislators. Opinion articles focus on the Gulf War, patriotism, and what comes next after the war. The bookstore clarifies its book buyback signage for students. Administrators explore strategies for improving cultural diversity of Central Piedmont’s faculty and curriculum. The Central Piedmont Student Chapter of the Data Processing Management Association (DPMA) hosts a regional conference at the Adam's Mark Hotel and at Central Piedmont’s Advanced Technology Center. Brian Huskey, folk singer, performs in the Student Life Center. Central Piedmont starts offering “The Course” to students through The Charlotte Observer. Central Piedmont’s Culinary Team receive medals at The North Carolina Culinary Salon. A Student Library Committee is established to serve as a means of communication between the library and students.CENTRAL
PIEDMONT
CO!vVv\UNllY
COLLEGE
April 1991
VOL. 35 NO. 2
I Taylor 205 P.O.Box 35009 I
Dr. Shaw Gives Students
Bad News about Budget at
Quarterly Foru01
by Melissa Sims
Co-Editor
Central Piedmont Community
College President Dr. Ruth Shaw held her
quarterly Student Forum in the Student
Life Center on Wednesday, April 10. Dr.
Shaw holds a Forum each quarter. allowing
students direct access to an administrator so
their questions and concerns can be
addressed.
Loretta Hinton, secretary for Student
Life, opened the Forum with several
announcements about upcoming activities
at CPCC. Earth Day will be celebrated on
campus April 18 with a band and
concessions in the Mall area. May Daze
will follow on May 8 with booths, food, and
music. This will be a fund raising time for
CPCC organizations. Also in May will be
a seminar entitled "Black on Black Crime,"
which is being organized by Minority
Activities, Student Life and the Student
Government Association. They hope to
.§
Cl)
achievements: CPCC Horticulture students
won first place in the Southern Spring Show;
the Hospitality Education Team won two
'gold medals, four silver medals, and two
bronze medals in regional competition, and
will advance to international competition
in May; and several CPCC students were
named recent winners of musical awards.
Budget problems at CPCC were once
again a major topic of concern. Dr. Shaw
said that the state has recommended a 250,000 to the worst case scenario
of150, which is still a
good value compared to other colleges. The
tuition increase would not pay for new
services, however; it would merely help
maintain the same level of offerings. If a
tuition increase does not take place, there
will be severe cutbacks. John Harper, VicePresidentfor
Business and College Services,
commented that the budget situation is the
worst he's seen since 1968.
Malik Tillman, a CPCC student and
employeeoftheStudentLifeCenter,queried
whether this financial problem can get
worse. Shaw responded by saying that if
' there's no tax increase somewhere, the
o situation will worsen. She explained that cS .
-
Dr.Shaw speaks at one of her Forums.
bring in people from the community who
are on the "front lines," according to Kelvin
Hopkins, Director of Minority Affairs. For
more information about the seminar, call
342-6584.
SGA will be holding elections for all
positions. Applications are available now
in Van Every 106 (Student Life Office) and
in VE 104 (SGA Office).
Dr. Shaw followed with some of her
own announcements about recent CPCC
-a budget cuts make up only one-half of the
if deficit. The other half must be made up
through new revenues or the college will
face deeper cuts.
Shaw urged students to write to their
state legislators and tell them what the
programs at CPCC mean to them, hopefully
discouraging the government from cutting
funds. (THE SPARK has the names and
addresses of North Carolina legislators, as
well as a copy of petition resolutions on
page 16.) She urged all students to sign the
petition, as well.
Phoio by Angelina Korinis
See the Spring Photo Essay.on pages 8 and 9.
A CPCC student raised the question
of transportation for disabled students,
complaining that the city-run service is not
very acceptable. He wondered if the college
might contact the city on behalf of its
handicapped students. Shaw asked Dr.
Nicholas Gennett, Vice-President for
Students, Staff, and Organizational
Development, to write a letter expressing
the college's general concern about this
problem.
Hinton also mentioned the fact that
students on the first floor of Pease
Auditorium cannot get up to the classrooms.
Harper replied that the upcoming Library
~~novations, scheduled to begin in the Fall,
will include a one-person lift and a minielevator
to alleviate the problem.
Discussion turned to the problems
of parking on campus when Tillman asked
Dr. Shaw to address the difficulty visitors
have when they try to park at CPCC. She
replied that if it's a continuing problem,
especially for buses, there should be
dialogue between Student Activities and
Fred Remelius, Plant Services Manager,
and Bill Jordan, head of Security, to work
out a central place to drop off visitors safely.
Student and SP ARK staff writer John
Fullagar told Dr. Shaw that he's noticed
quite a few cars without stickers in the
Visitors' parkinglotnearPeaseAuditorium.
Shaw explained that she is aware of this
problem and that gates may be put up in the
lots.
Fullagar also asked why CPCC
closes for Martin Luther King, Jr.' s
birthday, but does not close for President's
Day. Dr. Shaw responded by saying that
there has been no pressure from special
interest groups to observe King's birthday.
CPCC observes it because it is an official,
state-approved holiday.
She went on to say that the question
as to why President's Day is not also
Please see Dr. Shaw page 13
5
Cultural Diversity for
CPCC Discussed at
Meeting 6&7 Entertainment
liodge - Podge 11 Financial Aid
News
.,_
2 April 1991 The SPARK
Now that the
• war 1s over.
by Sherwood Page
Staff Writer
• •
With theExodusofU.S. forces from
Kuwait following their quick and decisive
victory over the Iraqi troops, hopefully the
new spirit of patriotism that now pervades
will remain here in this country.
Personally, I'm thankful for the
military buildup we experienced during the
Reagan administration. Without it, we
certainly wouldn't have incurred such a
speedy and decisive victory. History proves
that you can't buy peace with other nations
through treaties. The only language Saddam
Hussein and leaders like him understand is
military power. To quote President
Theodore Roosevelt, who was an advocate
of a strong U.S. military, "Speak softly and
carry a big stick."
Hopefully this will put an end to the
Vietnam syndrome that has remained in the
minds of many people since the end of the
U.S. involvement in that particular war.
Perhaps also it will cause flag burners to
- hesitate before they decide to desecrate the
symbol of freedom that our forefathers, as
well as our soldiers in the Middle east, so
unselfishly fought for.
In short, I would like to see this
current wave of patriotism give way to a
wave of revival. As we welcome home our
troops, let us never forget our founding
fathers nor the responsibilities we have in
upholding the values they introduced.
Time for healing,
not gloating
by Thomas Henkel
Staff Writer
"The better part of valor is
discretion," wrote Shakespeare nearly four
centuries ago. It is no less applicable now,
when signs and billboards silently scream
post-victory pseudo-patriotic claptrap like
"Great job," or even the prewar "Support
our troops." The need for magnanimity
comes to mind when our s0E
'(ou t>otl'T -
l'IJE 60T ~E
PL_,1GVE/ ''
/41
;/~ 7// &,
~ ~··~~
Have you seen Ine?
by Beth Smith
Staff Writer
The other day as I was entering a
stall in a women• s restroom here on campus,
I saw something that grabbed my attention.
"Public Notice: This is to inform any
interested party that ____ has herpes
and fails to tell his partner of this. Please
beware of this person and don' t learn the
hard way._(This is not a joke.)"
I would like to thank the woman who
did this. She should be commended for her
action. Women need to help protect each
other from these men who do such heinous
crimes. How well do you know the man that
you might sleep with? Should you ask for a
list of those he has slept with or should he
provide some kind of proof that he has no
sexually transmitted disease?
In the society we live in today one
can never be too sure that one• s partner
doesn't have some strange disease.
When I first saw this sign, I laughed;
I thought it was the funniest thing, but if you
think about it, it's not. For this woman it
isn't funny, and even through her pain she
has found a way to strike back.
I was teHing a friend about this and
she said that he needed to wear a "Scarlet
H;" at the time it was funny, but maybe he
should as should any other men like him. I
would like to· encourage other women to
strike back the same way this woman did.
THE SPARK welcomes letters to the editors
We are located in 205 Taylor or you can mail
them in care of THE SPARK to: P.O. Box 35009
Charlotte, NC 28235
Dear SPARK ...
Book buyback ads will be changed
This letter is in response to the recent
SPARK article "Bookstore Misleads
Students With False Ads" (March 1991).
The Bookstore feels that a more accurate
title for the article would have been,
"Bookstore Buyback Ads Misleading to
Students_;, Our advertisements are printed
with the standard verbiage used by the used
book industry in colleges across the nation,
and until the wording "we buy all books
having national resale value" was
questioned by CPCC student, Kevin Jones,
the bookstore accepted this statement to be
clear and understood by the students. The
recent SP ARK article let us know that this
commonly used terminology in the book
industry can easily be unclear and
misleading to students. We apologize to
those students confused by the terminology,
and in the future (beginning summer quarter)
the word "all" will be replaced by the word
"most" Also, a book having "national resale
value" is defined as one in the current
edition as determined by the publisher, in
good resalable condition with a strong
binding and not missing pages, and one that
is used at CPCC, or used at other colleges in
the nation.
Fred Adams
Director of Auxiliary Services
For more information
on the Book Buyback,
see page 4 . .
Quotes
from the
Quad:
What do you think about THE SPARK?
by John Fullagar
,-Staff Writer
"It should be more known ... It's well
written."
-Diane Barker.
" It's interesting and informative . . . I'd
like to see more •sports."
-Ken Perruquet
"I think it should be put out more often.
You guys do a good job . .. I read it when
I can."
-Sherie Dowis
"It's really coming along ... opening up
. .. different topics and viewpoints being
covered. (THE SP ARK) should continue
to tell the truth ... The school should be
heldaccountableforeverything ... THE
SP ARK should do everything possible
to reflect the true opinions of the
students."
-Reggie Isaac, VicesPresident of
the Paralegal Association
"It's very diverse ... I like the opinions
and the cartoons ... It's good that students
can voice their opinions and views. The
entertainment section is great!"
-lretha Kerns
Photos by John Fullagar
4 April 1991 'Ql_e SPARK .OPINION
THE SPARK
Co-Editors
Photography Editor
Advertising Editor
Staff Writers
Terrie Bentley
Melissa Sims
Angelina Korinis
Beth Smith
Abdinur M. Ali
Terrie Bentley
Beth Borror
Tim Bradley
Deborah Brogden
John E. "Jef' Fullagar
Mike Grossman
Thomas Henkel
Sherwood Page
Melissa Sims
Staff Photographers Tim Bradley
Troy Brailey
Diane Hughes
Anna Indharasophang
Angelina Korinis
Johnie Roberts
Paste-up Artist Beth Smith
Staff Cartoonists/Illustrators
Leon Blenman
Monty Borror
Joe Cathey
Thomas Henkel
Typesetter Melissa Sims
Student Publications Advisor
Mary Murchison
Student Life Director Ross Surphlis
Wake up, America!
by Mike Grossman
Staff Writer
Editor's Note : Staff Writer Mike
Grossman was so moved by the information
he heardatoneofthe Kellogg Foundation's
meetings (See page 4) that he was inspired
to write the following editorial.
WAKE UP AMERICA! Take off
your rose-colored glasses and see your
country as it is! There are elements of our
country that are bringing us down and it's
not all their fault. I place the blame primarily
on the U.S. government, which, in my mind,
is ignoring most of the problems with the
lower socioeconomic classes. In 1986,
blacks, for instance, made up only 12.5% of
our population, but they made up as much
as 46.9% of many prison populations,
according to The Statistical Abstract of the
United States (1990). Also, 33.1 % of the
black population was below the poverty
level. I don't think that these terrible
percentages have anything to do with the
genetic makeup of blacks. I believe it has
everything to do with oppression occurring
as· a result of a government which cares
more about spending 850 millio.n on Steal th
bombers than it does about helping
disadvantaged people.
t'\Y FELLOW
"THt~E.,
Ht\lP\E~
R.£.5\:.~"T r,.n 1,uof.~
A/'\E.R\CANf>,
R0TES11Nb;
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~t. . ·. ):
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CA.l~.S
If George Bush or Jesse Helms would
get off their kiesters and spend a night in the
ghetto, then they might appreciate the
gravity of the situation. If the government
would stop wasting so much money on
idiotic things such as cow belching· and
what makes a hockey player smile, then
some money could be invested on some
wiser pursuits such as providing wholesome
role models for drug-infested communities,
as well as for American citizens in general.
By diverting the funds for just one Stealth,
look how much could be done.
By shifting the funds of our
government in the proper direction, we can
save this country from being stolen.from us.
Japan and other countr
The Spark, Volume 38, No. 1
No full textStudents, teachers, and administrators gather at Bethel Woods, a retreat near York, South Carolina, for back-to-nature leadership training. Pease Auditorium and the Learning Resources Center (LRC) undergo renovations. Phi Lambda, Central Piedmont's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society, holds an orientation meeting for prospective members. Student Government Association (SGA) attend the North Carolina Comprehensive Community College Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. The Spark highlights Keystone, Central Piedmont's student creative arts magazine. Students prepare for LRC renovations and question whether renovations are needed at all. Opinion articles focus on Christmas, Hanukkah, and the Madrid Conference.J.R.Reid talks to
The Spark.
Keystone, the creative arts magazine,
showcases student work.
See page 10.
First Night fun &
holiday gift ideas
See page 9. See page 6.
December 1991 Volume 38 Number 1
Sharing, caring • ID the woods
First Leadership Retreat held
Terrie Bentley
Editor
Jasao Jones
Staff Writer
One beautiful November weekend,
60 or so students, teachers and administrators
gathered at Bethel Woods, a retreat
near York, South Carolina, for back-tonature
leadership training.
Getting there by by two chartered
buses and a few cars, the participants found
a variety of things to do and see at the
retreat After unloading their gear in cabins
. that were snuggled back in the woods,
many participants explored the woods and
pond.
Jennifer Jacobs said that the retreat
"has a lot to offer . . . It has a nice
relaxed atmosphere where you can basically
let your guard down and feel at ease with
anybody."
Helen Watkins, a student in the
Paralegal program, also thought Bethel
Woods was "a very comfortable place. I
like being out in the woods. There's plenty
to do." She added that the rustic cabins were
comfortable and near to Charlotte at the
same time: "I was really surprised .... It's
close enough to Charlotte that I don't feel
like I'm really faraway from home ... (and)
yet it's far enough away that you can't just
walk away from it"
Among the possibilities for rest
and relaxation available were paddleboats
and canoes for use on the the rather large,
beautiful and serene pond, especially at
night, with the trees' reflections rippling in
the water.
If the paddleboats and canoes
didn' t fit the bill, other free-time activities
were hiking, volleyball, singing around
The Lifeline was an integral part of the Leadership retreat. Here, graphing their
lives on sheets of newsprint, from left, are Ken Kravs, Judy Anton, and Hampton
Thrower. (Photo by Terrie Bentley)
Pease Auditorium long
overdue for renovations
Jef Fullagar
Assistant Editor
As I am sure all of you well-informed,
conscientious andobservantstudents know, Pease Auditorium is under construction.
The renovation of the auditorium ties in
with the rearrangement of the first floor of
the I.RC and the library renovations ( which
are covered further on page 12).
be that the Pease conference room, which is
adjacent to the lobby, will become a new art
gallery. This is a very significant addition
as it will be the first time that CPCC has had
a place solely for the display of its art
swdents' work.Vance also expressed hopes
of possibly being able to coordinate some
art exhibits in con junction with theater productions.
Please see 'Leadership,'
pg.5
Pease Auditorium is 22 years old, and,
as anyone familiar with the theater will
attest, is long due for an overhaul. Senior
theater instructor and Summer Theater
founder, Tom Vance, gave me some input
on what is going on and what the end result
will be. The lobby and box office area will
be larger and more aestheically pleasing:
Some other changes will be that Vance
and Tom Hollis will both have new larger
,offices, and will be located approximately
where thephotography swdioisnow. Vance
laughingly commented, "It will be the first
time in 25 years that I'll have an office with
an outside window."
The stage won' t be bigger, because,
according to Vance, enlarging it wouldn't
be feasible due to the original construction,
but it will get a new cover (or floor). The
There won't be a significant difference in
the seating, but the new arena will provide
several more seats. A major addition will
Please see 'Pease,' pg. 7
: :
1 se~at< li!lm!lt 1s~~
From the Editor's Desk
I know what it's like to be alive
Terrie Bentley
Editor
Long ago the Beatles sang" .. .I know
what it's like to be dead .. " Although I
personally don't know what that's like, I
can say I know what it's like to be alive.
I found a whole new sense of the
word "alive" one weekend when my family
and I traveled to Western Carolina University
for their Open House. My brother,
Allen, is interested in going to Western next
year so Open House was a fairly important
occasion for us.
We left at dark; the sun was setting
low on the horizon. Allen had just bought
R.E.M:'s tape Green, so we had music that
was a religious experience in itself for the
journey.
By time Green had played for a
couple of hours straight, it was full-fledged
night-time. The reflector lights on the road
proved interesting to watch, but they were
also sleep-inducing. My dad, Czar of the
Volume Button, kept R.E.M. quiet and
· subdued. Finally, with the mood just right,
it was time for a change of pace as the night
rolled by ....
Allen popped another tape in: The
Trinity Session by Cowboy Junkies. It was
a somberly beautiful experience, listening
to music that gripped your heart and left
you breathless, all the while watching huge
rounded shadow-mountains pass slowly as
the Czar turned the volume up. The mountains,
huge hulks of rock which loomed all
around and listened, themselves, to the
calming music, beckoned "Welcome
home," to us.
We stayed that night at a motel in
Waynesville. We were tired, so sleep was
almost instantaneous. The next morning
my parents and Allen eased out of bed
while I lingered a bit more. Mom moved to
open the curtain and I protested (fairly
loudly}, fearing the sunshine would cause
my eyes to spontaneously combust or
something. But she opened the curtain
anyway ....
Two mountains greeted us in the
morning light, coming together, blending
into a valley. And in this valley the sun - a
warming orange ball of happiness - slowly
began to rise, as if it, too, had been listening
to Cowboy Junkies and didn't want to kill
the mood. All I could even think to say was
"The heavens declare the glory of God-"
and it fit I had finally said the right thing.
Yes, I found out what it's like to be
alive. We drove, on the way back, on the
Blue Ridge Parkway. Allen and I saw a
stream in a valley, and made Dad stop the
car. Finding stairs and a path, we walked all
the way down an overlook to the stream,
and crossed it on beautiful, big rocks which
gripped our feet like hands, making sure we
wouldn't fall. The water was so cold and
crystal-clear - I could actually see the bottom
of a deep stream!
But, crossing it, right in the middle,
was a potato chip bag. Plastic. In heaven. I -
picked it up and gave it to Allen, who made
sure it got out of the way. It only goes to
show that even in a slice of heaven there's
a jerk who litters.
Later, winding our way up the
mountains, we stopped several times to
drool over the scenery. Mountains, hills,
valleys, crests, bald mountain tops, majestic
trees, snow (yes., snow !) .. .It's impossible to
witness all this and not come out believing
more in God ... .Plastic, naked pine trees
stripped of their beauty by acid rain .. .It's
impossible to witness all this and not come
out thinking more like an environmentalist.
Allen, of course, being the photographer
he is, took pictures left and right (literally,
as mountains surrounded us). I took
some, too, but the pictures cannot possibly
compare with what we saw. The only way
to become alive is to head for the
mountains ... but, make sure you play The
Trinity Session by the Cowboy Junkies. Or
fiddler music for when you' re winding along
the parkway.
Ah, yes, I know what it's like to be
alive.
Dear Spark ...
Harassment an
issue of justice
In his article in the November
1991 Spark ,entitled "Sexual harassment is
trivia," Mr. Abdinur Ali implies that.no ·
such thing as sexual harassment could
possibly exist. Perhaps, rather than defining
it in such emotional terms as "cheap
tactics employed by feminists to embarrass
their male colleagues," Mr. Ali should look
at the definition as put forth by the U.S.
Congress; among other things, sexual harassment
is the action of firing, refusing to
hire, orrefusing to promote a person because
that person refuses to be involved sexually
with the decision-maker. Perhaps Mr: Ali is
unaware that men as well as women have
filed complaints of sexual harassment; this
is an issue of justice, not warfare.
Mr. Ali asks that people become
"desexualized creatures" and conduct
themselvesprofessionally.Exactlythepoint
of Anita Hill. In asking for behavior of that
· kind, Mr. Ali is supporting those like Ms.
Hill who wish to abolish sexual harassment.
They, too, ask that inappropriate sexual
behavior be banned from the workplace,
and that those who refuse to act professionally
be forced to do so.
Sincerely,
Karen Stanley
Homophobia at work
Jef Fullagar
Assistant Editor
I was in the men's room the other
day, and I noticed, as we are all apt to do, the
writing on the wall. This writing was not the
famed writing on the wall of fortune or
happenstance, but the worst type of writing
on the wall: perverse.
It was, to be as clean as possible, a
personal ad which requested various homosexual
acts at a preset requested time, for
similar compensation. Being a decent hu- ·
man being, I was disturbed.
I've been at CPCC for over a year
now and have been on this earth and in
_ enough men's rooms to have become accustomed
to this sort of advertisement. But
that doesn't mean I have to like it.
There are those out there who will
read this and think, "There's another
homophobe, unable to deal with gays and
lesbians and so he's taking it out on us all."
On the contrary, I have nothing against
homosexuals
On a religious note, if someone's
lifestyle goes against what I personally
believe doesn't mean that I treat them as a
lower lifeform. Why should it be any different
than the way I treat anyone who believes
other than I do? I respect them as a person,
and their right to believe whatever they
wish. It's no different than if I have a
·Jewish, Muslim or vegetarian friend. The
clifference is that you don't see the others
advertising their wares on bathroom walls,
and when you do see their ideas advertised,
they are generally done in a tasteful manne'r.
I have several friends who happen to
be gay. They are my friends. I let them be
what they are and they let me be what I am.
We respect each other. Perhaps it is true that
I don't understand how a man can find love
in the arms of another man, but one of my
gay friends tells me that he doesn't under-stand
how I can be physically attracted to
women; I guess it works both ways.
Are there really gays out there who
petition and receive results from these advertisements
of bathroom walls?· I've queried
several homosexuals I know, and they
all say that they are the worst representations
of their com·munity.
Dear Spark ...
Generalizations
can mislead
Dear Mr. Ali:
In reference to your article "Sexual
Harassment is Trivia," I concur with the
better part of your article. However, generalizations
can not only be misleading but
also harmful - to both sexes.
It is true that some women can, may
and do use sexual harassment as a tool
against men in the workplace. I implore you
to acknowledge that the key word here is
some. Also, women would not be able to
use sexual harassment against men if sex
weren't such a prominent idea in most men!
Sincerely,
Windy Baird
I read articles in the papers, and I see
on TV where members of the gay and
lesbian population are trying their hardest
to be accepted by "the rest of us." My
answer is to just be people. Don't be so
engrossed in your sexual lifestyle that it
alienates you from the rest of society.
And to you "fag-bashers,"
"lesbianazis," Jew-haters, and KKK'ers,
why is it such a big deal to you that some
people are different from you? Just let
people live their lives and be who they want
to be. It is possible for us all to do our own
thing so as not to grossly offend anyone.
We all may be missing out on a fot of
wonderful people just because we don't
like a particular part of their life. Isn't acceptance
of everybody for who they are
what peace on earth is really all aboout?
'I .
' '.
Things change and ball teams lose
· Perry Bridgeman
Staff Writer
On October 27, there were two groups
from Georgia playing in Charlotte. One
was playing on television screens all across
the city. The other group was playing at the
Charlotte Coliseum. They both put on
excellent shows, but the one on TV lost.
The Allman Brothers Band was the
group at the Coliseum: Of course, the group
on TV was the Atlanta Braves. They both
played exceptionally well, but in the case of
the Allmans, there was no competition; the
only winner was the audience.
The concert started at 7:30 with a rominute
set by Little Feat. Like the headlining
act, Little Feat is a band on the comeback
trail. A cult favorite in the '70s, the band has
just come out with a new album and played
a few tunes from it as well as several crowdfavorites.
But they cleared the stage rather quickly
to make way for the main event, The Allman
Brothers. As he took the stage, the band's
leader, Gregg Allman, made an immediate
salute to the other boys from Georgia by
exclaiming to the audience, "How 'bout
them Braves!" The raucous cheering from
the crowd showed that the Coliseum would
not have been a good place for a Minnesota
Twins fan to be that night.
The band played for a solid two and a
half hours and included all of their classic
tunes as well as selections from their new
album. A high point of the concert came
when Gregg Allman came out from behind
his piano and keyboard set. He picked up an
acoustic guitar, sat down on a stool at the
front of the stage with lead guitarist Dickey
Betts and the slide guitarist and they began
to play the opening strains of "Sweet
Melissa."
The thunderous roar that rose from the
crowd as they began to strum their guitars
told me that I was not the only one who
appreciated the intricate interplay of their
acoustic guitars as they ran through this
hauntingly beautiful song. The melody is
entrancing and the lyrics quite soulful. I
would venture to say that even folks who
don't think they care for Southern rock
would like songs like this one.
As the concert continued, people began
moving into the aisles and toward the front.
As a lot of them began dancing and moving
to the music, I was reminded of concerts I
had attended in my younger days. Back
then, at concerts like these, a feeling of
community permeated the air. Fueled by
the music, a sense of togetherness would
fall over the crowd. Though the feeling was
brought on by the music, it went beyond it.
Trying to explain it is like trying to explain
love; words can't do the subject justice. In
fac t, words just seem to lessen those kind of
joyous feelings.
Anyway, that was how it used to be.
Now, that sense of camaraderie is gone.
There were moments in the concert when
you felt a flicker of it, but mostly you just
· felt isolated from everyone except the people
you came with. The show had a sterile,
straight-laced, buttoned-down, perfunctory
feel to it.
There were too many young, bouncertype
security personnel running around
telling people to sit down, shut up, or both.
No one was allowed to cut loose and have
a good time like the old days. The Coliseum
staff was telling everyone what to do. I say,
"Let the music do the talking!"
I mean, the Brothers did a great job.
They were in top form and I loved hearing
their stuff. It's just that it could have been a
better overall experience. Maybe it was just
me though. Maybe I've gotten too old for
this sort of thing and I'm seeing the past
throughrose-coloredglasses.Butlwonder ...
After the concert, everyone rushed out
to their cars to hurry home and catch the rest
of the show those other boys from Atlanta
wereputtingon.But,asweallknow,though
the Braves gave their all, they came up
short Maybe~extseason they'll be all they
can be. And maybe the next concerti attend,
if I attend another one, will be all it can be.
I certainly hope so. 1
Madrid Conference
historic event
Abdinur M.Ali
Staff Writer
For many decades Arabs and Jews have
served hate on a plate to each other. Since
the creation of the Jewish state, the sound of .
gunfire has never fallen silent. Arabs and
Jews have killed each other like vacationers
out on a turkey shoot. Many people have
died on both sides and blood flowed in the
desert sands of the Middle F.astin each war.
Therefore, it is an historic event that
they finally left their hatred behind and
came to talk about an everlasting peace in
the Spanish capital of Madrid. Some students
might not be aware of the Madrid
conference; in a nutshell, the Madrid conference
is hailed as a gigantic step by the
rest of the world. The participants were
Israel and her neighboring Arab countries:
Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and representatives
of. the Palestinian people.
The first meeting paved the way for
another meeting between these countries in
Washington,D.C.IbelieveArabsandJews
have done a lot of soul-searching to realize
peace is the only solution to their age-old
dispute.
Recently, when I interviewed students
of Middle F.astern origin on camps, they all
sounded pessimistic. Like stubborn horses,
they balked at drinking from the feeding
trough of peace. Their answer was that it is
difficult to make commitments unless
substantial progress is made.
It seems to me that nobody can work
miracles. However, there is an Oriental
proverb that says, "A journey of a thousand
miles is begun with one step." The journey
of peace might be a long roller coaster ride,
but it is worth undertaking.
l!IIIJ■ 1,1■
••••s ·ee1·s •~ •••••••••••••••••&•~•11miet••••1••19j ·======== =--.....;;;;;.;==----............................
Let us not forget the Christ in Christmas
Sherwood Page of great joy which will be to all people. For
Staff Writer · there is born to you this day in the city of
David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
As this Holiday Season once again
approaches us, with the crowded shopping
malls, the rush to purchase gifts, and what
some would consider the "over-commercializ.
ation" of Christmas, let us not forget ·
the true reason for this, the most celebrated
Holiday of the year.
While we consider what to give others,
we should remember-that God gave us
the most valuable and precious gift He
could possibly give in His Son Jesus Christ.
John 3: 16-17 tells us "For God so loved the
world that he gave His only begotten Son,
that whoseover believeth in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life.For God did
not send His Son into the world to condemn
the world, but that the world through Him
~ight be saved.
On that first Christmas Eve, an angel
of the Lord visited the shepherds in the
fields and spoke unto them, "Do not be
afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings
Although that first Christmas was
vastly different than how we might celebrate
it today, the reason should be the
same. Because of God's unselfish gift that
He gave to mankind, we can have hope not
only in this life, but also in the life to come.
For the Scriptures tell us that "Whosoever
shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall
be saved." In the midst of the crises confronting
us today, such as AIDS, global
warming, the depletion of the ozone layer,
nuclear holocaust, etc., we can still have
hope and joy because of the One who gives
both.
During this holiday season let us not
forget that Jesus Christ is truly the Reason
for the Season. Because o( God's precious
gift, we can truly have a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year.
Merry Christmas!
Hanukkah lights: the other holiday
Melissa Sims
Staff Writer
Christmas, Christmas, Chrisunas!
Is that all anyone thinks about this month?
Well, of course, some people don't think
about it as much as others . . . They think
about Hanukkah instead.
If you're not Jewish, it's likely you
don't know much at all about Hanukkah.
And if you;re not Jewish, it's likely you
don't think about how we shove this
"Christmas season" down everyone's throat.
Consider what you'd think of someone who
dido 'tknow what Christmas is. That would
be stupid, right? Okay, perhaps you should
feel stupid for not knowing about Hanukkah.
It's an important time of the year, too.
-This December, Hanukkah began
on December 1 and was celebrated for eight
days as a ''Festival of Lights." Each night,
one more candle on the menorah (an eightbranched
candlelabrum) is lighted than on
the night before.
Earlier in history, the king of Syria
had tried to force everyone to practice paganism.
In the Jews' Holy Temple, he
erected a statue of one of his gods, Zeus. He
did some other rude things and the Jews
rebelled. How could they betray their God?
Judah Maccabee and his followers
joined together to amazingly defeat the
Syrians. Victory came for the Jews when
theyrecapturedJerusalemin 165B.C. They
took away the idols from their Holy Temple
and began celebrating the victory for freedom
of religious worship.
Hanukkah is celebrated for eight
days because of something amazing. A
sacred cruse of oil was found in the ruins of
the Temple and was lighted. Though the
cruse contained enough oil for only one
day's lighting, it shone miraculously for
eight days.
Now you know. There is yet another
holiday in December, but there• s
something special about it. It has remained
virtually untouched by commercialism; it
is still a t
The Spark, Volume 37, No. 1
No full textThe Spark interviews Don Flowers, the new Director of Admissions and Records at Central Piedmont. J.T. Thorne, the acting Student Government Association (SGA) president, announces three major events for Central Piedmont: Fall Fest, SGA elections, and the annual Red Cross Blood Drive. South Center replaces Matthews Center and offers eight classrooms and over 200 parking spaces. Dr. Ruth Shaw addresses budget concerns. The Spark offers tips on how to combat learning disabilities. The Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) Program becomes part of a national study to help federal policy makers evaluate what is currently being done to meet the educational needs of adults. Spirit Square makes the arts accessible to students through a few methods, such as discounts and offering a way to submit artwork.B:l CENTRAL PIEDMONT
9 awNJJNllY COLLEGE October 1991 Volume 37 Number 1
Flowers takes charge
Jef Fullagar
Assistant Editor
A new position was filled at CPCC on
July 1, 1991 -- Directorof Admissions and
Records. The appointed professional chosen
to carry this weight is Don Flowers.
Spark: "Why were you selected for this
position?"
Flowers: "I've been here at CPCC for
three years and for that time have been the
SupervisorofRecords Management, which
Flowers: "I have several;one is to use as
much technology as possible to make work
easier and more effective for the staff. . . I
want to fight for the staff to make sure that
they get the recognition they deserve. I
. for their recommendations for improvement
in this office. I'm anxiously awaiting their
conclusions."
Spark: "Are there any problems you've
already encountered?"
Flowers: "Nothing really significant.
After almost three months of schedule
conflicts we were both finally able to agree
on a date and keep it without any last minute
changes. Friday, September 20, arrived
just like any other day, but it was a special
day, for I was finally about to meet Don
Flowers. Flowers is an average-sized man
with a salt-and-pepper beard. A bit jovial
and very easy to talk to, l got the impression
that he makes a point of not trying to look
too administrative, so no one is made to feel
uneasy because of a stuffy appearapce.
"M · y door is open, it really is: come see me, call me, I'm still in a learning stage for a lot of the
things. Communication could be improved,
but I've never been in an office environment
where it couldn't be."
write me, but please talk to me."
Spark: "Why was this position created?"
Flowers: "Primarily to consolidate the
Admissions and Records departments and
create better cohesion between the two."
involves records management, paper
recycling, microfilm and the graduation
certification office. The creation of this
position has not really eliminated any ofmy
prior responsibilities, I still have them, but
it has greatly increased my responsibilities.
Hopefully it was because with regard to my
qualifications and experience I was the best
man for the job."
Spark: "What are your goals as Director
of Admissions & Records?"
The jammin'Super Grit Cowboy Band was the highlight of Fall Fest. The Quad overflowed
as students listened. Even Van Every was packed ! (Photo by Troy Brailey)
7 Paul Simon
Stings
Charlotte
./"'
CanRAL PIEDMONT
COIIIIUNITY COLLEGE
l'OST 0fflCE BOX 35008
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAAOUNA 28235
4 Are you
informed?
Meet our
Roving Reporter
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Charlotte, N. C.
Permit Number 1177
--Don Flowers
have a great admiration form y workers and
their longevity. . . I want to serve the
students. After all, the student is our
customer; they are why we are here. Above
all I want to get everyone to work as a team
to both serve the students and keep the staff
satisfied. I'm a big planner. I use a 3-year
plan; that's how I judge myself and check
progress. I've had a study done by The
State Budget Office in Raleigh to look at
management,. workflow, and bottlenecks
Spark: "In closing, is there anything
you'd like to tell the students?"
Flowers: "Definitely. My door is open;
it really is: Come see me, call me, write me,
but please talk to me. I can't know if you
won't tell me. There's no need to be intimidated
about coming to talk to me just
because I have a title. The one thing I would
like though, if you come to me with a
problem, give some thought to it yourself
and bring some suggestions for correction."
SGA clubs clubs, takes
blood & throws party
Perry Bridgeman
Staff Writer
J.T. Thome, acting SGA president, set
the official agenda for the early part of the
fall term on Wednesday, September 18, at
the first meeting of the Student Government
Association this quarter. Thorne announced
three major events for CPCC: Fal!Fest,
SGA elections and the annual Red Cross
Blood Drive.
Two of the events, FallFest and the Blood
Drive, have already taken place. The Blood
Drive on September 25 was a rousing success
and all those who "gave the giftoflife"
are to be congratulated. The Red Cross
sends its thanks, as do all who will receive
your precious gift.
On October 2, CPCC students jammed
the "Quad" area between Van Every and
Kratt Halls to socialize, eat and listen to the
country tunes of the Super Grit Cowboy
Band. A perennial part of student life at
CPCC, FallFest always proves to be rollicking
good fun for all who participate.
(Please see photo essay on page 9).
- SGA elections will take place on October
16 at noon. They will be held in the
conference room (Rm.103) of the Student
Life Center, which is located on the ground
floor of Van Every. There are six positions
to be filled: President, Vice-President, Secretary,
Treasurer, Parliamentarian and
Public Information Officer. A recent change
in the student government by-laws sets new
Please see 'SGA'
Page 10
South Center to open Winter Quarter
Already dreading the early morning parking
crunch next quarter? An off-campus
alternative is on the way!
The new South Center will be open for
operation beginning Winter Quarter '91/
'92.
Located on highway 51 between Reverdy
and Alexander Roads just east of Providence
High School, the South Center will
have eight classrooms and over 200 parking
spaces. This spacious new location will
replace the Matthews Center, which will
close at the end of the current quarter, and
the Pineville Center, which closed at the
end of summer quarter.
Many popular courses will be offered,
both credit and non-credit, and there will be
a student resource area for viewing telecourse
and supplemental videotapes. Selfpaced
classes will not be offered.
Check the winter quarter class schedule
to see if you can't take one or more of your
classes u the South Center, CPCC's newest
off-campus facility. --------------------------------------Please see photo page 12
SPARK October 1991
From the Editor's Desk
Doing the Inall thing
· Terrie Bentley
Editor
Oh, how I do love to live in a capitalistic
country!
One weekend, I participated in what I
call "doing the mall thing." I went to Carolina
Place Mall in Pineville. If you haven't
beenyet,restassured,it's huge,neatlooking,
and-I'm told by my dad- covers
beaucoup acres. My kinda place.
But, I noticed things. Like if you go in
K-Mart to buy a sweater, it might cost you
a little over twenty dollars. OK. I can deal
with that. When I sauntered into a big,
mega-dollar department store at Carolina
Place, I saw a nice red sweater. I thought,
Oh, a red sweater in this kind of store,
maybe fifty bucks.
With salesclerks all around, I gasped for
air when I saw the price: Ninety-two dollars.
Ninety-two dollars. Why is it that when you
put that kind of money into the hands of the
rich they jack up the price for everyone
else? It was a nice sweater, but the same one
would sell at K-Mart for 25.
And another thing . . . (oh, geez, Mary
LouRetton has invaded THE SP ARK. Let's
try that one again .. . ). Something else that
bugged me about this Shopping Paradise
was that when you simply want to look at
stuff without buying anything, the salesclerb
never leave you alone. Never.
I was in one store looking at 27-inch
TVs when mine eyes saw the glory of a
five-foot TV screen, but it was more than
that, much more: Bugs Bunny was on.
Viewpoint
S1'Y ~
To DRUGS
Have you ever seen a five-foot Bugs Bunny?
Brings tears to your eyes.
While I stood drooling over Bugs, a
salesman stood watching me. He asked,
"Can I help you with something?"
I looked at him, tears in my eyes. "Uhm.
. . no. Just looking." I walked over to the
typewriters. Another salesman slithered
over to me.
"Hi." He said. "Can I help you?"
"Just looking."
"Alright. Let me know ifl can help you."
I walked over to the word processors,
played on them a bit. "Please let me know
if I can help you ... " The salesman said.
"Just looking." I walked over to the computers,
moved a computer mouse a little,
pressed a few buttons. I walked back to the
word processors, then back to the computers.
I don 't know why I did that. I just did.
"Trying to decide between a computer or
a word processor?"
"Look," I said, "Got bored at home,
thought I'd try the mall thing, OK? I'm just
looking."
He laughed. "OK."
But you know what? I'd bet you a whole
quarter that if I had been wanting to buy a
computer or word processor or a five-foot
Bugs Bunny, I couldn' t have found a salesman
with radar. Anywhere.
Downfall of the Soviet Empire
Abdinur M. Ali
Staff Writer
The Soviet Union, praising itself as
champions of the developing countries for
decades, used to be one of the largest
countries in the world with a size almost too
and a half times that of the Untied States.
However, they built military facilities
in most of the Third World countries, instead
of feeding them. But, to my surprise the
structure the Soviet central system and
ideological expansionsim collapsed,
triggering a chain reaction of chaos.
"I have yet to see
anybody who sheds
tears for the downfall of
the Soviet Union."
In recent years, bloody civil wars have
been going on in many Soviet supported
Third World countries, and others like Cuba
are facing grave consequences as well.
Some of the former 15 union republics have
already obtained their freedom from
Moscow. I have yet to see anybody who
sheds tears for the downfall of the Soviet
empire.
Nevertheless, the end of the Soviet
power has its disadvantages. Their longrange
nuclear missles are still a potential
threat to the W estem World. None of the 15
Soviet republics have a democratic tradition.
Recently, Armenia had an ethnic civil war
with Azerbaijan, and the ethnic tensions
that are still between many Soviet republics
might lead to more violence.
Although the military coup of old-line
communists failed, they still dominate many
areas of Soviet life. They are still in their
trenches, battling with time to halt
democratization of the political process in
the Soviet Union. If the internal conditions
of the Soviet Union become chaotic, there
might be another right wing coup as well.
In that case, Western countries ought to
support Gorbachev's reforms, even if it
takes spoon feeding.
Circuit City
gets reprieve
Melissa Sims
Staff Writer
Last May, I wrote an editorial describing
my experience at Circuit City when I bought
a cassette player for my car "Men: Women
can get along wi:hout you (relates to some
more than others)" THE SPARK, May
1991.). I think it's only fair to follow upon
that an_d let you know the results of that
article.
In mid-June, Steve Brakefield, manager
of Circuit City's Installation Department,
called me to ask about the story. He was
surprised and disturbed by the treatment I
had received both when I bought the player
and when I went to the Installation
Department to buy a wire harness to hook
the player up in my car. He apologized for
the incidents, though he was involved with
neither, and asked if there was anything he
could do about it Since I was having
trouble with the player, I told him what was
going on with it, and he offered to take a
look at it I took my car in the next week.
Mr.Brakefield listened to the cassette
player, agreed that it sounded pretty bad,
and -this is funny- as he took the tape out of
it, the door fell off the player. Can you
believe what perfect timing that little door
had?? Anyway, he offered to replace the
tape deck and install it for me. Needless to
say, I accepted the offer, and he installed it
for me without a wait.
He also explained that employees of
Circuit City are supposed to be helpful and
courteous, and again apologized for any
inconvenience. What a polite guy! So, I'll
allow that maybe, maybe I was wrong . .
.Not all guys are scum.
The whole experience just goes to show
the power of the press, and leads to my
friend's definition of assertiveness:
"Assertiveness is when you get what you
want from someone and they end up
thanking you for it"
..
Is the honors list honorable?
Angelina C. Korinis
Photography Editor
Thousands of students come to CPCC.
Some feel more serious about their studiP,S
than others. Every college needs ambitous
students,as this adds to the positive image
and respectability of the establishment.
In an effort to recognize the better
from the not-so-dedicated students, CPCC
honors those who fulfill certain
requirements. More specifically, you need
at least 15 credit hours in courses
numbered 1000 to 5000 and a 4.0 GPA
with no IRs,IMs, orWs in order for your
name to appear on the President's List.
Twelve credit hours in similar courses and
a GPA of3.5 or greater, without any IRs,
IMs or Ws will secure your name on the
Dean's List.
This is a very positive step, a reason for
motivation, and it certainly boosts the
students' self esteem. The names appearing
in the above-mentioned lists have special
meaning as this shows who is willing to
work hard, or who is intelligent enough
to get there.
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Lazer Farce
Look kiddo, the chief's raaUy
mad at us and altar what wa did
last two quarters I don, blam•
himlGot rt 17
' ~
All this sounds ve,· y formal and
respectful, but there i~ neve rthe less
something lacking. Wh&t happens tc those
students who are very serious about their
studies, who also are smart enough to get
the 3.5 or higher GPA required but are left
out because they have less than 12 or 15
credit hours per quarter? Families, work
or other personal reasons keep some
students from enrolling for 12 or more
hours. Still, a good student is one who
takes his education seriously and takes
pride in his grades, no matter how many
credit hours he is able to attend.
Unfortunately, our school does· not
recognize the effort of these students at
all!
It is my opinion that CPCC should either
devise a new system to recognize those
students who excel in their studies but are
carrying less than the required credit
hours, or the names of these students
should be included on the Honors List
together with the full-time students.
Attention all wharf rats!
Edgar Is a concerned CPCC
student. How can we tell?
He writes letters
to the SPARK!
You can, too! -
Send them to TA 205, or to THE
SPARK, CPCC, Charlotte, NC
28235.
(We reserve the right to chop them
up for pellucidness &
succinctness.)
by Joe Cathey
/ / Wa got a really messy ")
1 situation. The chMlf is up
\
in arms about us interfering
-, in his criminal cases
on campus. _,,,,,,, ~<
-~
p
. .
t 0 7
,·
~ .
;:;::, . '
; 2,+ttiili:I \I!! · < Illa ii · . · / r·
·••s~A·R·~· ··•·••·••··C)ctober•·•·1_99•1·•·
Environmental
Corner
Jason Jones
Staff Writer
Editor's Note: This month we begin a
special addition to THE SPARK. The
Environmental Corner is a forum for the
exchange of environmental ideas between
the readers (you) and our Environment
Writer, Jason Jones, who is the former
President of Sun Valley High School's
Student Environmental Action Committee.
Hello and welcome to the Environmental
Comer.
Most of you know that Mother Earth is in
danger of some sort. I'm sure in some way
each of us has come in contact with some
type of Environmental message; they're not
everywhere, but if you look close you are
sure to find at least one. Examples might be
something like "Recycle Now," "Don 'tjust
throw it away," or "Love your Mother." In
watching the news we find out more about
our environment, sometimes even by
watching a TV special on the subject.
I've studied the environment intensively
for the last two years. Letting me look in
one side and out the other, my studies have
included a crash course in Chemistry,
escapades of the bearded biologist, l!11J the_
philosophies of teachers of all kinds. The
Toms, Dicks and Harrys that step out on a
Mother Earth
needs your
ideas
limb as so-called experts in essence have all
said, "Man must be more in tune with himself
and nature to save Mother Earth."
This basically is the answer to the
problem. But how? How when you work
40 or more hours a week holding down two
or three jobs and going to school at night?
Most of the people I work with are adults
fighting to provide a living for themselves
and for their families.
In tune with nature: Alrighly!
How?
We find ourselves at the end of a grueling
workweek with little time to spare to relax
and to entertain ourselves, and to free our
minds of the days gone by. Where do we
begin to think about our environment? Does
our particular job enhance or destroy it?
Who would stop to think that? And if you
do then where do you go? Are you
responsible for this, for the part your
company plays? You are a player.
We must find the time to be educated and
take a position. We must.
I welcome your thoughts and comments.
Make your feelings known.
, Send all correspondence to:
Environmental Comer
%THE SPARK
TA205
PO BOX 35009
Charlotte, NC 28235
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
WAKE UP, CPCC !
BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION,
NOT THE PROBLEM
Students For Environmental Sanity
Meets Wednesdays at 12:30 in VE 114
• • • • • •••• •
•• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •
Student papers, resumes, and
more for LESS! Quality
Desktop Publishing at low rates!
Call Andrea at 588-6527.
For
Inter design / Art supplies
Call 843-4869
Cathy
·. Catrtpus
Roving Reporter
Test your
knowledge!
Jef Fullagar
Assistant Editor
Monday, September 16, a beautiful day
in the Queen City. My name's Jef. I have
a pen. On this day I decided to take with me
on my excursion a survey from THE
SP ARK. Intent on deciphering the intellect
of the average CPCC student, I headed out
of our high-rise office tower toward the
Quad of the campus. On my trek I stopped
any unsuspecting victim I could find in
order to fulfill my .quest I was able to
muster only 42 students to take the battery
of questions, a few of the most informed
ones{theyansweredallquestionscorrectly)
are pictured, and described below. The
questions asked are also below with a compilation
of the results. Take this mindtwisting
exam yourself and see if you too,
can be among the most informed.
1. Who is the school president?
a) Dr. Ruth Sawyer 9 out of 42
b) Dr. Bob Arenot 4 out of 42
c) Dr. Ruth Westheimer 1 out of 42
d) Dr. Ruth Shaw 28 out of 42
(yes, this is the correct one)
2. Do you know the name of the school
newspaper?
a) The Slant 3 out of 42
b) The Keystone 10 out of 42
c) The Spark 26 out of 42
(obviously you know this one. )
d) Tiger Tribune 3 out of 42
3. In what building is the Welcome Center?
a) Pourlos O out of 42
b) Taylor I out of 42
c) Garinger 29 out of 42 (the easiest one)
d) Terrell 12 out of 42
#
Photos by
Jef Fullagar
SPARK October 199i
Catherine Frick
S.Service Associate Program
Brian Thomas
College Transfer
Chris Huffman
College Transfer
Wini Smith
ADN Program
Lizzie Millsaps
I
· . ·ale11da.- · = vents·
-:•::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::·•·
Iii 1l11iltf.;~~:~:i~sJiJ11 q.-/d~ A session wiili CPCC's
· welcome, too/ Sponsored by Baptist Campus Ministry .FREE!! > 23: l)NCCTransfer Program. 5-7 pm, StudeniLife'Center (VE 102)
. / 30: ADVISEMENT DAY. No classes. See your adviser about winter schedule
=· · · ·•· · •· · ... ·•·••=•••ii( planning. ·
J8t~r11ber
' J f f Advertising/Graph1c pesign: GettingS~ecfin the Business." .Pease
Conference Room. 9-lla.m~ FREE to current students. For details, call:
·.·.··.·•··•··•·•••·•, 342~6217 or342~6480. · J#5t CurrenfStudents register forWihter Quarter.
§? ~eguUtr REGlSTRA TION ~gills. .·.
EMPLOYEE
NOMINATIONS
DEADLINE': Oct. 21
The Employee Recognition Committe
is accepting nominations
for Fall Quarter. The categtories
include: Classified, Part-time,
Administrator/ Support, and
Instructor.
Applications ma_y be picked up
on the first floor of Terrell in the
hallway on the wall.
The deadline is Monday,
October 21. Tum in applications
to Dianne Cates, Kratt 200-M.
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Ad\Tertising ChJIY;e!~Ef s officers
The Advertising Club held their first meeting on September 24th. The purpose of the
Adv~rtising Club is f~r swdents in . the i\dyertising prograrn to share information· in a .r~=••;~~.:~r~J;lllltfil~~;-i;~f !riPtoNew
• : i i :;;;.;~yi:m.11:, :: .. + ')!!i I!\<':t . .,
.·.·.·.· .•.- ,•-:-·
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·,·.•-:-·-•.·-·.·.·,•-:-•,:,•,
The Spark, Volume 37, No. 2
No full textMembers of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year institutions, meet to clean up the trash along Elizabeth Avenue. Six new officers join the Student Government Association (SGA). Central Piedmont students win first prize in the Motorola 1991 University Design Contest. Piedmont Natural Gas Company presents Carpentry Scholarship Fund check to Dr. Ruth Shaw. Seven employees are honored as 1991 Merit Award winners. Dr. Ruth Shaw conducts her quarterly Student Forum in the Student Life Center and announces more courses, Learning Resources Center (LRC) renovations, and listens to student concerns, such as the lack of staff in the advisement system, parking, the semester system, traffic on Elizabeth Avenue, and more. Feature articles focus on environmentalism, recycling, and oil. Frances Batten, a staff writer for The Spark, describes their experience in Costa Rica. The Spark provides tips from the Drop-In Center on how to study and take tests.Ever fail a test, bomb a
final?
See page 9 for hints on
studying.
E CENTRAL PIEDMONT
g COMMJNTY COLLEGE
Mother Earth's
in charge:
Environment hits
home. See pages 6 & 7
PTK adopts
Elizabeth Ave.
On Saturday September 21, members
of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor
society for two-year institutions, met to
cleanup the trash along Elizabeth Ave.
' .9l. II of our members ... have
better things to do on a Saturday
morning than clean up omeone
else's trash ••• but.~.we get a pretty
good turnout."
- PTK President Paul Griffin
The PTK members clean Elizabeth
Avenueonceaquarter. "All of our members,
just like everybody else at CPCC, have
better things to do on a Saturday morning
than clean up someoneelse'strash," quipped
chapter president Paul Griffin, "but
everybody in PTK realizes that we are a
service organization and participation in
our service projects is necessary, so we get
a pretty good turnout. Besides, it only takes
an hour."
Jennifer Rinehart, one of the executive
officers, also commented on the project:
"We like to start early on Saturday, around
10 am, so that we can finish before a lot of
traffic develops on the street.It's pretty
deserted in the mornings except for the
occasional shop-owner coming out to thank
us."
A-Highway is worth four points; attending
a general meeting is worth one; and every
hour o.f participation in a PTK bake sale or
other fund raiser such as Fall Fest is also
worth one point.
"We have members applying to Duke,
Carolina, Georgetown and some of the other
more prestigious schools," noted Officer
Alethea McKinney. "Membership in an
organization likePTK and having a letterof
recommendation from one of the faculty
advisors is extremely beneficial to them.
We also have students applying for 20,000
worth of scholarships that are only available
to PTK members. So, again, those letters of
recommendation are important."
Any student interested in becoming a
PTKmembershouldcontactMr. Summers
in SL 120 or Dr. Colquitt in SL 127.
· Sexual Harassment: c5 Men vs. Women?
Women vs. Men?
See page 2.
November 1991 Volume 37 Number 2
How many times have you left your innocent bag on the Bookstore shelves? You'll think twice
about leaving it after reading a tragic story con'cerning CPCC student Lyle Payne. Please see
story, page 10. (Photo by Perry Bridgeman)
Enthusiasm abounds
in new SGA
President; Carl Fulmer, Secretary; Doris
Chung, Treasurer; Kresha Gandy, Public
Information Officer; and Donald Conner,
Parliamentarian. In past years, the job performance
of the SGA has been less than
spectacular. Officers have been elected only
to leave their posts a month later without
notification or even a backwards glance.
Of course, there have been quite a
few officers .in past SGA administrations
who were conscientious, hardworking
campus leaders. But not even the most
capable leaders created a stable environment
to follow in their absence. Each new administration
has to arise, Phoenix-like, from
the ashes of its predecessors.
To become a member in the Honor
Society,astudentmustbecurrentlyenrolled
and have completed at least one quarter as
a full time student, have a cumulative GPA
of 3.5, and acquire 12 points of activity
within PTK.each quarter.Various activities
rate different points. For instance, the Adopt-
New SGA officers, front row, left to right: Treasurer Doris Chung, President Judy Bomar, Senator
Jennifer Sullivan. IN the back row, left to right, are Secretary Cart Fulmer, Senator David Francis, and
Vioe-President David McCoy. (Photo by Perry Bridgeman)
However, a brand-new set ofleaders
have just taken office and are dedicated to
bringing the SGA up to its full potential.
Though they share the same hopes and
goalsforthefutureoftheSGA,theofficers'
backgrounds are quite diverse. The Treasurer,
DorisChung, and the Vice-President,
David McCoy, are· both from the Caribbean.
They are here on a scholarship program
under the auspices of the Presidential
Training Initiative for the Island Caribbean.
McCoy hails from the island of Antigua
and is majoring in electrical engineering as
well as computer engineering. Chung is
from St. Lucia and is majoring in civil
engineering and surveying.
Dr. Ruth Shaw held the Fall Stude.nt Forum at the SLC on Oc:tober 17. Please see story
on page 4.(Photo by Troy Brailey) 1
Perry Bridgeman
Staff Writer
The Student Government Association
of Central Piedmont Community College
has contracted a severe case of infectious
enthusiasm from its new officers.
These three men and two women took office
on October 16 and by the end of their
first official meeting on October 25, the
infection had begun to spread. Even this
reporter, who has covered the SGA in past
years and is somewhat cynical about its .
effectiveness, found their rampant enthusiasm
catching.
Who perpetrated this outbreak? At
present, there are six SGA officers: Judy
Bomar; President; David McCoy, Vice-
After graduation, both students will
return to their homelands to apply their
knowledge and training toward their
country's service. McCoy became a part of
theSGA because he wants to see theschool 's
Please see 'SGA,' pg. 1 o·
From the editor's desk
Is anybody out there?
Terrie Bentley
Editor
Making a difference doesn't come
cheap. Talcing a stand and defending your
point of view and your right to express it is
a noble and difficult cause for which to
fight.
Thatiswhy,hereatTHESPARK, we
make it possible for you to have an outlet to
express your opinions about anything.
Unfortunately, we only get a handful of
letters a year. With a college enrollment of
little more than 20,000 per quarter, that's
pretty bad.
We think you haYe something to say,
something you• d like your fellow students
to know. Something you want to share with
your teachers and administrators, because .
they read THE SP ARK, too.
Wearehereforyou. Weareastudent
newspaper-:- your student newspaper. If
you read and/or see something in here you
like or don't like, please, write and tell us
about it. We 're doing everything we can to
reach you - but all our efforts are in vain
if you don• t reach us, too.
· So come on, take out pen and paper.
Write us a letter about anything that's
troubling you about CPCC, THE SP ARK,
or the universe in general. All we ask is you
keep it brief -because space is limited- and
sign it We won't print your name if you ask
us.
Our office, Student Publications, is
located in Taylor Hall, room 205. We're
generally open from 12:30 pm to about
5:30 pm Monday through Friday. Or you
could mail it to us. The address is:
THE SPARK
CPCC
P.O.BOX 35009
CHARLOITE,NC 28235
It only takes five minutes or so, so
come on! Make your feelings known!
Who's at fault?
Jef Fullagar
Assistant Editor
I heard an interesting story the other day
about a single mother, who coincidentally
enough was also a journalist, and who was
having some difficulty in her life.
Apparently her son, whom I'll call
"Roger," was attending one of the better art
schools in the New England area and had
been expelled for failing to maintain their
dress code, of which he was aware when he
began at the institution. The mother, not
wanting her son to have to give up his
chances of making the most of his talent,
was telling of the pitfalls and mishaps of
having to relocate so that he could continue
to live at home while attending another,
more lenient school.
Roger's father also lived near an art school
of repute but he was unable to move in there
because his step-mother couldn't handle
Roger's smoking and clomping around the
house in his army boots.
So the mother now is going to leave her
job and uproot, just to satisfy Roger's
lifestyle. When I heard this little tale,
several questions popped into my head.
First there were the obvious ones like, if
Roger is in college, why can't the parents,
or himself, provide adequate housing in the
dormitories or in an apartment convenient
to the school just for Roger (as the majority
of studen~ do)? Why doesn't the mother
just tell her son to handle it himself, like a
lot of students have to, since his dreadlocks
blew his chance for him at his first choice?
Then another question came into mind.
on his right to express himself and his
personal creativity by disallowing him to
wear his hair as he wished. Perhaps. But if,
when Roger was a child, in his formative
years, someone had taught him that at times
in life one has to compromise and conform
to preset standards in order to achieve the
position to not only express oneself, but to
be heard; then he may not have had this
problem.
I understand Roger's desire to be true to
himself. I understand the mother's desire to
support her son. I even understand the stepmother's
desire to not have to live with
cigarette smoke and army boot clomping.
But what I don't understand is why Roger
couldn't compromise enough to keep
himself in school, and why his parents
never taught him to do so. '
This story is one of th~ds. perhaps
millions, of stories about children of
divorced parents who grow up and become
adults, but they don't know how to handle
themselves in society as adults. Who's
fault is it that Roger can• t adjust? Actually
it's probably a combination of them all: the
mother, the father and Roger too. But let's
not forget that a major cause was society.
For it is society and the deletion of basic
core values and morals that created the
inadequate atmosphere for Roger as a child.
His mother may have tried her best to rear
him by herself, but there are things between
a father and son that a mother just can't
provide, likewise with mothers and
daughters and vice-versa. Our society and
generations to come will forever be paying
the price of the breakdown of the basic
PJ Rabbit Joe Cathey
- ·*- .. 1~
Sexual harassment is trivia
Abdinur M. Ali
Staff Writer
Anita Hill is a card-carrying feminist, a
she-devil, and from now on her name will
be associated with outrage and nightmares
as well. Men and women have always lived
in harmony. Then, feminist commandos
arrived like a wind and blew off everyone's
clothes. Instead of preaching reconciliation
between the sexes, they tear down the
curtains of respect between males and
females.
Nevertheless, the recent grave
allegations of Anita Hill against Clarence
Thomas became a concern for everyone in
the workplace as did the issue of sexual
harassment Most people are confused as to
what is sexual harassment. To make it clear,
sexual harassment is the use of cheap tactics
employed by feminists to embarrass their
male colleagues. In many workplaces today,
many people are wondering what the
appropriate behavior is when men and
women work together.
Also,inmanyofficesacrossthiscountry
some women are actually ticking time
bombs ready to explode. Many male coworkers
are puzzled by females• double-
. sided sword strategy that cuts both ways. In
other words, if a guy doesn't mingle with
the females, he is labeled as uptight and
insensitive. If he is a well-mannered guy
however, who addresses females with
compliments, females haul sexual
harassment charges against him.
I believe the sexual harassment issue
does not carry much weight It disturbs
everybody's peace of mind. When a small
.-------------------~ percentageofincompetent
,,
females feel their jobs are
threatened, they jump on
this so-called sexual
harassment bandwagon.
This concept has been
preached by anti-male
legions of women 's
organizations.
In addition, in the
workplace, men and
women do not need to
parade their masculinity
and feminity. They should
become desexualized
creatures and conduct
themselves in a
professional manner. After
all, cry babies and gender
warfare have no place in
the working environment
Why did no .. one ever teach Roger that
sometimes we have to make personal
sacrifices in order to achieve success? Some
people will argue that the school infringed
.;...;._~ .... ----------------------------· .. ···
family unit.
Dear SPARK,
In response to "Is the honors list honorable?"
(SPARK, Oct1991)
My feelings are that the current policy
should be left to stand as is. While I
understand Ms.Korinis' point about
legitimate reasons for students to carry less
than a full course load, your idea for
recognizing those students who do not carry
a course load for whatever reasons, would
certainly result in the lowering of the nationwide
high academic standard that CPCC is
known for.
I know from experience the feeling of
having to withdraw from a class or getting
an "I" and having it result in not being a
Dean's List student for that quarter.
However, I do know also the tremendous
sense of pride that one feels from the
accomplishment and achievement that is
necessary for the Dean• s List To make the
Dean's List or the President's List is a
1:R i !l iia1 i
CPCC < •· Volt{ ;ffll~l!!IJi liil!lliffl
;!mt::. i:~111
• ·. j);J~~;111 })1.
Ii~~fj!i { · TJ~t!~~~~
·=· .
. ·. raphJrs I>·. .:~ilijii :birt:l~i~~: :< .. •.· Leon Blenman ·
•·Joebathey
StudentPublicat,ons /•·•
Advise( . · '. .. MaryMu,_rc;hison,
StudenfLife Director. Ri:>~s Surphl1s ;.• .. ·.
THE s~XR~ is· a news publi9atio~
tfrfanced by studenf activity fees ~Qc:i
written and published by . stud~m
jou rilalists for the CPCC community,
lt isnot an off icic1tcollege publicatior,i,
Ariy yi~Wpoints e~pr.es~ed stiouid !)Qi
beirit~rpretedasrepreseriting offici.el
CPCC position§; . . . ~ill!!ii~~·iYa~~irili!~
illt&tif &iili1:,g11
wonderful honor bestowed upon those
students who are outstanding, dedicated,
and hardworking. ·
Throughout the educational arena in
Charlotte-Mecklenburg one can see the
decline of standards that is sending a
message to the community that says "oh,
don't feel so bad because you can't cut the
mustard-we will make it easy for you and
lower the academic standard." Is this why a
large percentage of students can hardly
read at more than the 8th grade level? Is this
why in my History class only one student
out of 25 knew where Columbus landed?
At CPCC, let us not be a voice that
sends that message. Keep on sending the
message that rings outloud and clear "CPCC
graduates are a cut above the rest!"
Sincerely,
Kathryn G. Williams
Love Letter
To: The writers of the spark (sic) -
Re: Last paper
Could you do me an enormous favor
and please don't send me any more
"Spark' s" (sic) through the mail? It's a
waste of school funds and taxpayer money
to send this though (sic) the postal service.
I ignored the paper on campus (sic) what
.make (sic) you think I want one at home?
Please accept my paper in the form in which
it should properly (sic) used, confetti.
I go to CPCC for one reason and one
reason only. To get some of the finest
education in the state of North Carolina. If
I wanted to gabble over trivia (sic) I would
have enrolled at UNC.
GOOD DAY. (sic)
Dwayne Helms
Student at CPCC, T044
We're unable to delete any names from the
mailing list as they are taken from enrollment
records. Also , THE SPARK is not
funded by taxes, but by the Student Activity/
Publication f ee.
--Editors
SGA President: Get
involved
Judy Bomar
President, SGA
Fear pulsated through my body as I walked
on the CPCC campus in November, 1989.
As an 18-year veteran of marriage and
motherhood,Iregisteredformyfirstcollege
class. Visibly nervous, I worried if I could
possibly achieve my dream of a college
education.
Today I am president of the Student
Government Association. lam not a straight
-A student, nor can I change the world, but
I emphatically care about my family, my
city and my school. I want to make a
difference.
Everywhere on campus one hears,
"students don't care." I vehemently
disagree! I contend students are not aware.
A new student is often timid about asking
questions or is strictly "focused" on getting
to and from class and neglects reading
handbooks or bulletin boards.
My goal is to encourage school spirit and
increase communication between student,
faculty and administration. ' Will you be
willing to help by contributing ideas, advice
and encouragement?
There are many untapped resources here
at CPCC and, if utilized, would make
campus life a richer experience.
If you would like to be a part of a
worthwhile experience, please come by the
SGAoffice, VanEvery 104. Weneedyour
help.
Sincerely,
Judy Bomar
President, SGA
Oops!
We were not able to give you the
exclusive interview with the new
b-ball coaches. We apologize
profusely, and hope to have it at a
later date.
Thanks for bearing
w/ us!
--Editors
SPARK!
Send your letters to TA
205, or mail them Jo
THE SPARK
CPCC
PO BOX35009
Charlotte, NC 28235
Please type them double-spaced,
as our typesetters can't see too
well. Thanks. Oh -- we reserve
the right to chop them up for
brevity & clarity & all that jazz.
Eye for
an eye
Capital punishment in the '90s
Sherwood Page
Staff Writer
On October 18, 1991 at2am,Michael
Van McDougall wasgivenalethalinjection
at Raleigh's Central Prison. His execution
seemed almost anti-climatic in light of the
recent publicity in weeks prior to his death.
The "execution" he carried out,
however, on August 21,- 1979 on his
neighbor Diane Parker was not as painless
nor as sudden as his. Convicted of stabbing
Parker 22 times and her roommate nine
times, he was finally brought to justice 12
years after his brutal act
The issue here? Capital punishment.
Is it necessary and does it work? Many
·•••:••~~•ffin~•:1~:,naJi112:~:•12!1;ri;:••·-
\111:!~1111 M:2BsHs1u . ... .
.. •12:'1':! ~~: i ~!!i!Ut t •
iii!lil!f K~i:illf f ilifll12
today still have mixed feelings about it,
. even in light of horrific crimes such as the
aforementioned one. One thing is for sure:
Michael McDougall won't be walking
around during his parole looking for another
potential victim.
Opinions concerning the death penalty
vary from culture to culture. While
some countries forbid capital punishment,
many others incorporate this quite freely in
their justice system. It has been used
throughout the centuries by different cultures
andin various ways. Today, the debate
continues as to whether authorities have the
right to execute someone or not. However,
the Book upon which this nation is based
and upon which elected officials are made
to swear upon, The Bible, supports such
justice. In Genesis 9:6 we are told, "Who-
~ sheds man's blood, by man his blood
~ be shed; for in the image of God He
made man." Exodus 21: 12 states, "He who
strikes a man so that he dies shall ~ be
put to death."
The Bible also supports capital punishment
for sins such as rape and sodomy.
Romans 13 states that the authorities that
are over us are "QQQ:s_ ministers and they
· do not bear the sword in vain." Capital
punishment, therefore, is not an ordinance
that man instituted, but a form of justice
initiated and established by God. It is up to
society, however, to carry it out.
Perhaps there will al ways be a debate
in individuals' minds as to the appropriatenessof
capital punishment But the Bible
gives us a standard to go by, and when
society deviates from that standard, society
is the one that suffers. As someone so aptly
put it, "What is right is not always popular,
and what is populru: is .not alway_s ,r;igbt."_. ! , .\1
7
Local students win national award
CPCC students Brian Boothroyd and
Rodney Dyer, both Computer Engineering
Technology graduates, have won first prize
in the Motorola 1991 University Design
Contest.
The cash award is 6,200 with CPCC
receiving an additional 7,100Carpentry
Scholarship Fund check to Ruth Shaw,
presidentofCPCC,andJoeShambo,HBAC
president. The $7,100 donation will cover
tuition for the first class of ' 15 students
. ·· enrolled 'in the HBAC/CPCC's new
carpentry training program,
The Carpentry:Qualified Framer
Program is the first class offered by the
HBAC and CPCC under the auspices of a
national school-to-work training program
known as the Industry Education Alliance,
The Industry-Education Alliance is a
partnership between builders and educators
to train skilled workers for the residential
construction industry. Charlotte is one of
three national demonstration sites selected
for the program.
designed and built allows messages to be
transmitted to electronic instruments, such
as a piano. The device controls the resulting
sounds. This eliminates the use of a
keyboard. Their controller is built around a
special, new microprocessor chip developed
by Motorola.
Boothroyd is from Davidson and is now
an electronics engineering student at
Western Carolina University.
Dyer, from Kings Mountain, works parttime
in the CPCC computer/electronics lab
atCPCC.
This is the third year of the national
Motorola design competition.
Employees honored as
Merit Award winners
Seven employees at CPC€ were
honored as 1991 Merit A ward winners a
The Spark, Volume 34, No. 2
No full textHarvey Gantt, former Mayor of Charlotte, celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday at Central Piedmont’s Pease Auditorium. Campus security and student organizations meet to discuss security concerns, such as setting up a bicycle patrol program, making security officers more aware of student rights, and starting a universal ID system. Opinion articles include Iraq’s treatment of Kuwait, how people treat animals, the coverage of protestors against the Gulf War, and where the Muslim Student Organization stands with the conflict between Iraq and Kuwait. An open forum sponsored by the Muslim Student Organization invites students and members of the community to openly talk about violence and discrimination in society. Co-editor Terry Bentley writes about the poetry and fiction reading sponsored by Central Piedmont’s English and Foreign Languages Department and Student Activities. Visual and performing artists from across North Carolina come to Central Piedmont for a Visiting Artists Festival. Dr. Ruth Shaw addresses student concerns, such as tutor layoffs and an expansion of the Black History courses and resources, at her quarterly Student Forum in the Student Life (formerly Student Activities) Center. Students Against Violence Committee (SAVOC), a new student organization founded by full-time student Criss Starr, aims to take children out of violent environments and promote education. Central Piedmont hosts a World AIDS Day event in the Pease Auditorium organized by Virginia Tolson, head of Central Piedmont’s Center for Communicable Disease.CENTRAL
PIEDMONT
COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
TAYLOR HALL 205, P.O. BOX 35009
Gantt. Speaks of Hope on ;M.L. King's Birthday
by Terrie Bentley
Co-Editor
On January 17, in a standing-room
only Pease Auditorium, former mayor of
Charlotte and Democratic Senate nominee,
spoke to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.'s birthday at Central Piedmont
Community College.
Jared Thome, Vice-President of the
Student Government Association ,
introduced the program. "We (honor) Dr.
Martin Luther King in harmony and with
the spirit of hope, and with the courage to
keep the dream alive."
After a prayer led by Reverend
Claude Williams, Bilial Abdul Haqq of the
Black Students Organization read excerpts
from Dr. King's Letter from the
BirminghamJail,datedApril 12, 1963. Dr.
King was assassinated April 4, 1968.
Anita Hartley-Bush,Presidentofthe
SGA, said, -.. Tuesday, January 15, 1991,
was the birthday of a great leader. A Nobel
Peace Prize recipient, Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. represented peace, unity, and
freedom for all God's children. How tragic
that on that same day our world peace has
been threatened.
"In memory of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., we have invited yet another great
leader in our own community to share his
thoughts and principles of life with us and
to inspire us as Dr. King inspired the world,"
said Bush.
Gantt, an architect, expressed thanks
to Bush "for the introduction," and to "Dr.
(Ruth) Shaw, Dr. (James) Wingate, to the
faculty and staff, and to the students at"
CPCC. He went on to add that he feels like
he's "a part of this school."
"We just finished designing a high
technology building on your campus hete,"
he said, which received hearty applause. He
also went on to add that CPCC "is clearly an
integral part in my life; as it is part of this
community's. My congratulations go out to
Dr. Shaw, the administration, faculty and to
you students here because of what you
contribute to this community."
As far as mentioning the Middle
East, Gantt said that when the program was
organized, "no one who made arrangements
for this expected we would be at war ...
P R La ks:
Entei:tainment Reviews
" ... (King) was not a god, but he allowed God to use him to
become a- force that moved millions of men and women to
help tum the system of segregation on its head. He did it
with love, not hate ... "
Photo by Johnie Roberts
Former Mayor of Charlotte Harvey Gantt shakes hands with members of the audience in
Pease Auditorium January 17. •
today. I hope that whatever God you pray
to, you will pray to them constantly that this
conflict will be ended as quickly as possible
and that our men and women will come
home safely."
Dr. King's birthday, Gantt went on
to say, "comes by an act of fate ... after the
lloliday season when we just finished
celebrating peace on Earth, good will to
men. It comes after the holiday season and
before February, which is brotherhood and
sisterhood month, and between this pause ...
we celebrate (Dr. King's) birthday. He was
a man of peace who talked about nonviolent
social change. Ironically, January 15, the
actual date of his birth, became the actual
date when we gave the orders to enter this
nation into military conflict."
Gantt asked that if Dr. King was
alive today, "What would he be saying to
us?" He answered by saying that Dr. King
wouldbe"speakingoutforpeaceandagainst
the use of force. And he probably would be
saying to us here at Charlotte that we ought
to be praying for peace;"
"I want you to remember your
history," Gantt admonished the audience.
"His (Dr. King's) popularity started to
decline when he spoke out against war.
But.. that's all I want to say on that. We're
here to celebrate his birthday. For me, he's
not merely just a major figure on the stage
ofhistory.Hedidsomegreatandcourageous
things for the Civil Rights Movement. He's
really no mere martyr. He's more than a
great orator. He's more than just
See Gantt Speech page 4 ·
CP ,...e br e th arts.
February 1991
VOL. 34 NO. 2
Universal ID
System Discussed
at Security
Meeting
by Thomas Henkel
Staff Writer
On Friday, January 18, at 10:30,
representatives from CPCC's
administration, campus security and student
organizations met to discuss matters left
from a previous meeting. This series of
student/security meetings began last fall .
(See the December 1990 issue of THE
SP ARK.) Unfortunately, THE SP ARK was
barred from the January 7 gathering.
However, Ross Surphlis, who chaired the
January 18 proceedings, said that there had
n a ood · de that c osed se sion
and. some ideas had been mentioned for
implementation.
At the January 18 meeting, Surphlis
emphasized that some of the past problems
with security, such as congregating officers,
no longer occur. William Jordan, head of
CPCC Security ,said, "We want to maximize
security and minize intrusion." Jordan listed
five proposals that he feels would ensure
safety to an even greater extent:
1. Bicycle Patrol - This would
provide more mobilily to college police,
maximize visibility, improve the patrolling
of back lots and shorten response times.
"(CPCC is) the guinea pig," stated Jordan.
This new experiment would be co-ordinated
with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and
the statistics given to their staff
development; The program would start with
three bicycles.
2. In-service Training for Officers
- This would keep the police informed of
situations on campus, in the state,andaround
the country, as well as new law-enforcement
techniques. Also, this would help them
prepare for domestic unpredictability caused
by the conflict in the Middle East.
3. Awareness - Jordan wants
Security to be aware of student rights and
assures that student_needs will be met with
sensitivity and understanding. Officers will
give directions to students who need help,
for example.
See Security Meeting page 4
r lww addresses students '
concerns at her Forum.
2 February 1991 The SPARK OPINION
From the editors' desks---:------------
We did to the American Indians
what Iraq is doing to Kuwait ·
by Terrie Bentley
Co-Editor
When this decade first started I
realized just how much the 90's have in
common with the60' s. The peace movement
is underway, groovy fashions are back in
vogue, and the "Save the Planet" campaign
is growing more and more everyday.
Now, it seems, we've got the war.
But war is something that has always been
in the blood of the United States. In the 20th
century alone, we've had the two World
Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama,
and now ...
What strikes me as being somewhat
ironic is the U.S. government's way of
making Iraq seem like a vicious dictatorship.
True, Saddam Hussein was, according to
CIA reports, an assassin. (One wonders
how the CIA knew this and never did
anything aboutJt.) What did Iraq do to wind
Uncle Sam's watch anyhow? They invaded
the nation of Kuwait, slaughtered hundreds
of men, women, and children and annexed
the country to make it part of Iraq.
Golly. Didn't we do this to the
American Indians? Didn't we take over
their hunting grounds and sacred burial
places? Didn 't the U.S. slaughter hundreds
f men, women. and c hi ld ren? In my
American History II class we learned about
the-destruction of the Indian populace. We
saw pictures that were taken aLthe Wounded
Knee Massacre in 1890-- men, women,
and children slaughtered, frozen solid in
the snow. The chief was frozen upright in a
partic ularly gruesome position, his arms
reaching out. It looked like the Glory Boys
of the 7th Calvary didn ' t give him a chance.
Didn' t the U.S. annex the Indian
nation? Didn't we make them _part of the
United States, after stripping away their
land, their heritage, and forcing our culture
on them? Didn't we ignore any outside
attempts to stop the killing?
It seems our government is being
hypocritical, wouldn't you say? I mean,
sending 430,000 troops over there to put a
stop to the same basic act that we committed
just 101 years ago?
Now, I'm not shouting peace. I'm
not shouting war either. I just want those
men, women- and children - over there
on both sides to be safe. However, it'll
never happen. A war is being fought right
now, as you are reading this. I don ' t think
the people want war, but n' II be a great and
holy day in the morning when this world's
pathetic governments actually li sten to the
people.
Animals have much to teach
by Melissa Sims
Co-Editor
The other day as I was
riding through the
country, I passed a jogger
on the road. Beside him,
in a fenced pasture, a
young cow was running
along, clearly enjoying
this game of chasing the
jogger. The cow was
beautiful and innocent. She had a childlike
quality that animals often exhibit because
they 'y e not been corrupted by human
"things."
thctr " right tO life." We don' t need to kill
them for meat. We don' t need leather shoes
or purses. We don' t need fur coats. We
don' t need animal fat for cooking. We j ust
don' t need to ki ll them at all.
Population control? I think animals
co~ld manage l}lat on their own with the
food cycle. They certainly managed it before
beef and milk were an industry. Besides,
humans themselves breed animals for profit.
If we could get over our selfishness, we
wouldn 't need to force reproduction among
animals, and we could allow them to live
normal lives. Dairy cows are kept in small
cells, away from other cows. Considering
that cows are natural I y social animals, we' re
breeding them so they can be tortured.
We'd be put in jail if we locked people up
that way. What makes it okay to do it to
other animals? They can't even fight back.
Are humans superior to animals? I
don't see how they could be. Animals are
quite peaceful unless they're attacked;
humans are often aggressors. Humans alter
the quality of life for every being; animals
keep among themselves.
Animals don't smoke. They don' t I take some perverse satisfaction in
pollute. They don't abuse the earth's the knowledge that eating meat can cause
resources. They don't go to war. They heart disease and cancer. It's a type of
coexist peacefully unless threatened. They animal revenge- "you kill us; we' ll kill
don' t kill or exploit humans for food or you." It'sonly fair, isn' ti t? Youcan ' tdeny
fas hion. They don ' t need money and thatanimals have feelings.How many times
material th ings. They don' t say hurtf u"---_ h_as~ y'""'. 0:--ur d_o'-"-::g"-re--ete_d.:~Y .... o~u_,,.w;..:arm:::..;.;.;;;lt., y_w;.;.h.;;;e.,;;n..1.y.;;o..:. u
things to their children. came home from school?
Yet, despite the basic goodness of We should take care of the animals.
animals, humans continue to infringe upon The eem to have a lot to teach us.
Guest Editorial __ _ o-b.lnor. e 0nc Bentle
cit. sa 1ms
Roses are red, violets are blue,
Give my (st ate) money back.
This means you !
--=--au.""""'.,,.,..,,..-~-----
Dear CPCC Students:
I resigned my SGA position as Public
Information Officer on January 7 due to the
scheduling of classes interfenng with SGA
business. I enJoyed working on the SGA
and hope to run in the future.
Good luck to the remainder of the Student
Government 1 will miss everyone.
Donna Yedowitz
eacemongers di tort facts
bv John Ful lagar
taff Writer
One thmg that has uritated me as I've
served the media's coverage of the war
in the Persian Gulf is the constant coverage
of protesters.
Perhaps this isn' t a very popular opinion
for me to express - being a writer in a
largely liberal anti-conservative press, but
what possible good can come from bad
talking our forces? At this time, more than
ever, our soldiers, airmen, sailors, and
Marines need to know that the American
public is behind them.
I don' t like war and no one wants war
but there comes a time, when all peaceful
measures have been exhausted and ignored,
that there is no other solution. It is quite
evident that sanctions and diplomatic
sol utions were not working and were, if
anything, only working against the U.N.
and the good of the world's people.
Some say that this is a war for oil; the
"No Blood for Oil" signs are everywhere.
That is merely a peacemonger's distortion
and misinterpretation of the fac ts.
We are there defending a defenseless
country against an arrogant hostile lunatic
who o viously o ds no respect tor
mt ational_ law or the anctny o human
life Certai nly ives will be lo t, ut we are
operating on the theory that the good o the
many outweigh the good of the few.
As I conclude , I petition you - the reader
- whether you agree with me or not I don' t
care- but please, don' t take your hostil ities
against the war out on the serv icemen and
women. They are doing as they are told.
The majority of them don 't want to be there
anyway. They are there for one reason -
honor. ~
SPECIAL NOTICE:
GRADUATION OFFICE
Students anticipating graduation (May
23, 1991) Spring Quarterneed to contact
the Graduation Office in Terrell Room
219, to fi ll out a graduation check form
no later than March 15th. Office hours
are from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday
through Friday. If you have any questions,
please contact the Graduation Office at
(704) 342-6525.
mograonv Edllor
uverusinμ: l::. ditor
Stal I ntcr ·
orror
- n tlr..i tllev
John Fu !agar
Thomas Henkel
Todd a ronis
Sharon Mason
Joan Palmer
Melissa Sims
taff Photographers Troy Brai ley
Angelina Korinis
Johnn ie Roberts
Ellen Smith
Paste-up Artist BethSmilh
Staff Canoonis ts/lllustrators
Leon Blenman
Joe Cathey
Thomas Henkel
Typeseuers Ruj unko Pugh
Meli ssa Sims
Student Publications Advi sor
Mary Murchison
Student Activi ties Director
Ross Surphl is
Fitness Room, Winter Hours
Monday-Thursday
Friday
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
5 p.m.-7p.m.
9 a. m.- 12 noon
Fune Room, Taylor Hall
+
Dear SPARK. • •
"SPARK deserves
wider re.adership"
Dear SPARK,
I found your December 1990 issue
both informative and entertaining. I
especially wish to praise your paper's
ambitious reporting in the "International
News" section. The unique problems of
"underdog" nations such as Kashmir and
Zaire receive insufficient attention in
America's leading newspapers. It may
interest you to know that on the night of
May 11, 199(),President-For-LifeMobutu's
crack security force slipped onto the campus
of the University of Lubumbashi, Zaire and
killed over 50 dissenting students with
machetes and poison bayonettes. The
soldiers then air-dropped most of the bodies
over a game preserve. While eminent
European · newspapers and magazines
(L'Express and Le Soir of Paris and The
Times of London) widely reported this
massacre, our own State Department
hampered American journalistic efforts by
denying the incident ever happened,
choosing to accept the Zairian news
agency's (AZAP's) version of the incident:
That it was merely "a clash between
students" that left none dead. May I say at
this point that I spent three years working
near Lubumbashi (1980-1983) and I still
have many contacts there. Several of these
contacts wrote to me separately and
confirmed the gruesome incident One, a
former student of mine, was an eyewitness.
While reporters such as Terrie
Bentley, John Fullagar and others serve us
readers by filling voids left by the "big"
newspapers, I have some constructive
criticism I would like to submit. The
"Opinion" section of the last issue was
rather "bush league." By juxtaposing that
cynical cartoon with those letters from Mr.
'Page and Ms. Sims, it was obvious that you
were using Mr. Page's letter as a foil for the
co-editor's special indignation against
Bible-thumpers. While Mr. Page's letter
was clearly' simple-minded, it was an
exaggeration on your part to impliedly
associate it with those klanners and kooks
you depicted in the cartoon. I am sure that
you could have found an intelligent person
who disagrees with you. Such "intelligent
disagreement" followed by your considered
rebuttal, is the stuff of vigorous debate.
Leave the testy, self-justifying, intolerant
r~sponses on the proverbial cutting room
floor.
In my humble opinion, THE SP ARK
deserves a wider readership than you have.
If you continue to stress the edifying effects
of your local, international and cultural
coverage and de-emphasize the childish
def,ensive tone of some of the editorials,
you may well "spark" some apathetic
students to become avid readers of your
paper.
Sincerely,
John C. Moore
OPINION February 1991 The SPARK 3
"We are citize·ns of this land.'_' ___ _
by Gregory Jones
President of Muslim Student Organization
As a result of the Middle East
conflict, there have been growing fears
throughout the_ West of terrorist attacks by
Muslims. The Muslim Student Organization
of CPCC would like to make it clearly
understood that we do not support acts of
aggression. It should also be clear that we
will not tolerate any harassment or abuse.
Our position on the Persian Gulf crisis is
basically neutral as it is a conflict between
Muslim countries. We are in favor of a
peaceful solution to the problem.
Unprovoked acts of aggression are
not tolerated in Al-Islam. The Muslims in
America are not in the habit of resorting to
or supporting terrorism. In fact, most of the
known terrorists throughout the world
belong to Shi-ite sects. These people are
heretics and do not belong to Al-Islam.
Muslims in America are proud to
call this country our home. Weare, by birth,
citizens of this land and we have fought to
uphold and preserve the articles of our
Constitution. We reserve the right to
freedom of speech, freedom of the press,
freedom of religion, and so on. For
generations, we, our fathers, and our
forefathers have served this country in times
of war and peace.
· Now, in spite of all of the above, we,
the Muslims of the Americas, have become
targets of undue abuse. We are being accused
of everything from being an occult religion
to being criminals and terrorists. Islam
forbids all of these such practices. Of course;
people should never stereotype an entire
group of persons in accordance with small
Employment Opportunity Week
February 19-22. Pease Conference Room. For ·students who will graduate Winter,
Spring, and Summer quarters 1991 and students who have graduated since Summer
quarter 1989. Sign up for interviews in Garinger 239, the Student Employment Center
through February 1 1.
These programs will be represented:
Accounting
Business Administration
Business Data Processing
Computer Operations
Data Entry Operations
Paralegal
Recycle your life
by Tim Bradley
Staff Writer
The term "Recycling" has evolved
into a generic description of a wide variety
of activities. Recycling is the direct reuse of
products including the process of converting
solid wastes into new products.
At least two-thirds of our nation's
natural resources that are currently being
wasted can be recycled without creating
imposing co·nditions on the average
American lifestyle. Recycling materials
such as metal, paper, glass, and plastic
reduces the demand for energy and
conserves our limited supply of raw
materials. For example, producing paper
from waste discards rather than trees reduces
the energy needed per ton by up to 75%.
Paper products account for almost 35% of
the world's yearly commercial wood harvest
and is expected to reach 50% within the
next decade.
We must all gain a rational
understanding of "Recycling" and how to
implement changes in our personal lives. In
addition, we must mount a cooperative
effort within our communities and
throughout the nation to manage and
preserve our national resources.
Architectural Technology
Computer Engineering Technology
Civil Engineering Technology
Electrical/Electronics Technology
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Manufacturing Engineering Technology
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I
groups of renegades. Adolf Hitler
considered himself a Christian, but of course
all Christians aren 'tNazis or Ku Klux Klan
members. Therefore, Muslims should not
be referred to as fanatics or terrorists.
The conflict between Iraq and
Kuwait is one between two Muslim
countries. Islamic law demands that a
peaceful solution be made between the
conflicting parties. In this case, mediation
must be done by a competent body of
Muslims. Consequently, we see that
America should have no part in this matter.
· Furthermore, the presence of the n~Islamic
forces in the Muslim holy land is a
violation of Islamic law.
Al-Islam is a religion of peace taught
by Almighty God (Allah) ana His
messengers (A.S.). This is what we stand
for. We r