Photo by Beau Rogers, The Morning News Nicole Booth, the official timekeeper, rings a bell during Tuesday’s debate.

University’s chancellor topic of student debate

Ethan C. Nobles, The Morning News

Students at the University of Arkansas appear to be less than enthusiastic about the chancellor, if the opinions of those in attendance at a public debate Tuesday night are any indication.

The Arkansas Union Society, the UA's first serious student debate team since 1985, held the first in its series of public debates Tuesday on the Fayetteville campus.

Although most members of the team are in Steve Smith's advanced forensics class, membership is open to all UA students.

The topic for the debate was: "This House has No Confidence in Chancellor White."

Smith, a communication professor who helps advise the team, said the students chose to discuss UA Chancellor John A. White in a manner "borrowed" from the Oxford Union Society and Cambridge Union Society.

Debating in support of the proposition were Bill Horton and Gary Moody, while James Trone and Justin Keogh spoke against it.

Horton was particularly critical of White's attempts to shut down the University of Arkansas Press last year and to lay off 31 UA Physical Plant workers over this past summer. Those moves damaged public support for the university, Horton argued, adding that one of White's goals after he was hired was to increase support for the institution.

"That seems like a weird way to drum up public support. Let's shut down the UA Press and boot 31 people out of their jobs," Horton said. "I don't know about you guys, but I think a cookout would've worked better."

Those efforts failed, Horton pointed out, as the UA Press remained open and the Physical Plant workers kept their jobs.

Horton also claimed that White has been attempting to decrease the size of the student body at the university, pointing out that freshman enrollment dropped a bit this semester.

James Trone, speaking in support of White, said the chancellor has great plans for the university that will eventually make it a better place. Those who advocate change, however, are often criticized, because change is hard for many people to stomach.

Trone, who said he and Keogh met with White a day or two prior to the debate, said he was impressed by White's vision for the university.

"I count as one of my biggest privileges the opportunity to talk with him and share the enthusiasm of his vision," Trone said. "This chancellor is one who thinks big. He never settles for second best."

Moody, who pointed out that White has often stated that he wants to turn the university into a top-notch research institution, was also critical of White's attempts to shut down the UA Press.

Moody, quoting a writer he did not identify, said, "a university that wants to be a research institution without a press is like a Southern breakfast without grits."

Moody also said that Carnall Hall has been a "problem on campus for years," and criticized White for not taking steps to restore it. Currently, the future of Carnall Hall is up in the air. No plans to restore it have been adopted by the university, he said, adding that the historic building is deteriorating from neglect.

"I'm glad Chancellor White was not here when Old Main needed to be restored because we might not have that landmark," Moody said.

Keogh said that White should not be criticized for laying off workers at the Physical Plant because the decision to dismiss those employees was made without White's knowledge. Also, he said that White should be commended for bringing in top-notch faculty members, such as opera conductor Sarah Caldwell, who joined the music faculty at the university this year.

Watching the debate in Baby Brough Commons was an audience of more than 100 people, and most of those were students. The students voted 106-16 in favor of the no-confidence proposition.

An "emergency debate" was conducted prior to the one on White. Lindsey Malatek and Toni Barger argued that "This House Believes that Money Can Buy Happiness," while Samuel Rainey and Emily Story argued against it.

The next debates will be Nov. 10 at Baby Brough. The 6 p.m. topic is "This House Would Trade Mike Huckabee for Jesse Ventura." That will be followed at 7 by "This House Would Allow Prayer in Public Schools."