SAMFORD
CRIMSON
Inside
Athletic answers . 8
Transfer terrors . 10
Outside
Weekend forecast:
Cloudy and mild; highs,
70s, lows, 40s.
Volume 74 Number 14
Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama
April 12, 1990
Samford community shocked,
relieved Slagle in custody
By Dianne Shoemake
Associate Editor
■ Please see related story on
page 3.
Samford University has been
stunned by the unexpected sur¬
render of former debate coach
William Lee Slagle.
Slagle, 43, turned himself in to
the Shelby County Sheriff's De¬
partment April 3. He pleaded "not
guilty" at his arraignment, last
week to murder charges in con¬
nection with the stabbing death
of Rex Bartley Copeland.
. Copeland, who wasa junior de¬
bater and Sigma Chi brother, was
found dead in his apartmentSept.
22, 1989.
Sigma Chi President David
Corts said, “It is a relief that Mr.
Slagle has been found. Although
it may prove painful to have to
relive [the events surrounding
Copeland's death] in the coming
weeks,” he said, “I am encour¬
aged that we might be able to put
the whole affair behind us.”
Other Sigma Chi brothers ex¬
pressed similar thoughts. Senior
Merritt Seshul said, “It was defi¬
nitely a surprise to see [Slagle]
&ow up this way, and I hope
things will resolve quickly.” He
said, “I hope our justice system
works fairly and quickly for the
sake of his family and the rest of
those involved.”
Senior and former debate team
member Todd Harvey heard of
Slagle’s surrender while watch¬
ing television. He said, “I was
surprised and shocked. It was
something I never would have
expected him to do.”
Todd Heifner, president-elect
of the Student Government Asso¬
ciation, said, “I think everybody
is ready to see it draw to a close. I
think it is good that he turned
himself in, because now they can
get it out in the open and some
questions can be answered.”
Kristi Self, a senior theater ma¬
jor, heard of Slagle’s return from
a classmate. “I felt sick and re¬
lieved all at the same time,” she
said. “Then I realized it was not
over. It had just begun.”
Samford faculty and staff have
also expressed shock blended with
relief. Associate Dean of Student
Richard E. Traylor said, “I’m
pleased that he is in custody and
that the final chapter in this un¬
fortunate occurrence can begin
to be written.
“My concerns are for the fam¬
ily [of Copeland] and the students
who were closest to Rex, as they
have to relive the unhappy days
of the fall.”
C. Otis Brooks, minister to the
university, said, "I’m glad he’s
finally turned himself in. I think
that was the only thing he could
do. I’m sure he wrestled with a
great burden this whole time. The
only way he could come to peace
with himself was to turn himself
in," he said. "Let’s pray for jus¬
tice to be done. Let’s pray for
Copeland's family and let's pray
for Slagle."
Mark Baggett, assistant pro¬
fessor of English artd law, said,
"There is some kind of relief in
the certainty that he is back. On
the other hand, the trial and pre¬
trial hearings are likely to be an
even more painful sort of thing
for the campus and students who
Please see React page 3.
Franklin named dean of students
By Brian Still
Staff Reporter
Dick Franklin, 46, is the new
Vice President and Dean of Stu¬
dents.
Franklin is from Gardner-
Webb College in Boiling Springs,
N.Cn where he is Vice Pr&ident
and Dean of Student Develop¬
ment.
He begins work June 1 in the
position vacated by Martha Ann
Cox last fall when she was named
Dean of Academic Services.
“I have no preconceived ideas,”
Franklin said, “I want tocome in
and be open minded and see what
needs to be dealt with.”
He jokes about plopping down
next to a group of students in the cafeteria and
starting a conversation although he said he does
ask if he can join them.
“I like to eat with the students at least four times
a week at lunch,” he said. “I want to meet with the
students and find out what their concerns are.”
He is concerned with producing a well-rounded
student. “I want to try to meet the needs of
students socially, spiritually and physically, and
also help students give something back to the
community through volunteerism,” he said.
Franklin said he would like to set up a central
volunteer office where students can go to find out
who needs help. “In a time when people have a lot
of free time on their hands, volunteering time is
becoming popular,” he said.
Volunteerism and close student relations are
important to Franklin.
“He has innovative ideas and likes input from
students," is how former colleague Bill Taylor
describes Franklin, "He relates well to students.
Friendly but firm.” Taylor is
Senior Vice President for Insti¬
tutional Advancement at An¬
derson College in Anderson,
S.C., where Franklin worked
as Vice President and Dean of
Student Development for 14
years.
Franklin laughs when told of
Taylor’s description. He ex¬
plains this description by say¬
ing, “I intend to uphold
[Samford’s] policy but I also
want to be fair about it.”
In addition to being fair, his
wife Portia describes him as
“kind, gentle and creative.
He’s my best friend.”
He and his wife were
highschool sweethearts and
dated off arid on throughout college and the next
five years before they eventually tied the knot on
June 10, 1967. They have one son Thad, 17.
Franklin graduated Furman University in Green¬
ville, S.C., with a bachelor’s degree in history. He
received a Master of Divinity from Southern Bap¬
tist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and
an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration
from the University of South Carolina.
In 1969 he became the first Minister to Youth at
Briarciiff Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga. He
moved to Wieuca Road Baptist Church, also in
Atlanta, in 1972 w here he stayed until he went to
work at Anderson in May 1974. He joined Gard-
ner-Webb in 1988.
President Thomas E. Corts is "pleased" that
Franklin is coming. " He was the top choice. He
has a proven track record."
Franklin closed by saying, ‘Tm real excited
about coming to [Samford]. It has a great reputa¬
tion.”
Photo by Edouard Bruchac (B'ham New*)
Slagle on the way to his arraignment last week.
Sheriff investigating
Slagle's whereabouts
By Eric David
Staff Reporter
Investigations are underway to
determine the previous where¬
abouts and possible accomplices
of ex-Samford debate coach Wil¬
liam Lee Slagle during the past
six months, according to Shelby
County Sheriff J.L. “Buddy”
Glasgow.
Slagle, 43, pleaded “not guilty”
at his arraignment April 4 to the
charge of murdering Samford
junior Rex BaftJey Copeland, and
is being held iff lieu of $500,000
bond.
At 2:42 p.m. on April 3, Slagle
turned himself in to the Shelby
County Sheriff’s Department,
wearing a suit and tie and holding
a suitcase containing clothing, toi¬
letries and a notebook apparently
detailing his whereabouts.
The notebook entries imply that
Slagle fled Birmingham for San
Francisco, where he could have
easily hidden in the crowd.
Although the case has been fea¬
tured on the national television
shows A Current Affair and Un¬
solved Mysteries, Shelby County
officials have recently been trying
to better inform the western
Please lee Slagle page 3.
ПКФ
reorganizes
By Karin Rossby
Staff Reporter
Pi
Карра
Phi will reorganize
its Alpha Eta chapter and return
to campus, according
to Scott Gasparini, a
representative of the
Pi Kappa Phi National
Fraternity.
“On March 22, we
were given full ap¬
proval to begin the
new chapter,” Gas¬
parini said.
Information sessions have be¬
gun for any men interested in
joining the fraternity. Gasparini,
along with Alan Deusterhaus, a
Pi Kappa Phi traveling chapter
consultant, are conducting inter¬
views for men who are “inter¬
ested in creating something that
is their own,” Gasparini said.
“This is a rare opportunity for
a lot of gentlemen who haven’t
thought about join--
inga fraternity in the
past,” Gasparini
said.
Men who were
brothersofPi Kappa -
Phi at the time of the
suspension will re¬
ceive alumni status.
Because the fall 1989
pledges were unable to be initi¬
ated because of the suspension,
t hey are considered independents
and may go through rush again,
Please see
ПКФ
page 3.
Samford. University Library