By Dan E. Way

dway@heraldsun.com

CHAPEL HILL -- Just when it appeared the demise was imminent for a conservative UNC student organization that has become a lightning rod for leftist student protesters, Chancellor Holden Thorp said he brokered a deal that will keep Youth for Western Civilization alive.

"They are back in business," Thorp said late Monday afternoon, three days after he asked for -- and received -- the resignation of Elliot Cramer, who had written an e-mail boasting about his marksmanship skills after fliers were distributed with his photo, home address and insinuations he may be a racist.

The chancellor worked through the weekend to establish a three-member faculty advisory panel for the fledgling organization, whose sponsorship of lectures by former U.S. Congressmen Tom Tancredo and Virgil Goode were robustly protested.

Chris Clemens, an astronomy professor who had been the adviser briefly before stepping down because, he said, the tactics employed by the self-described radical leftists made it all but impossible for Youth for Western Civilization to operate, will be one of the advisers.

"He said he wanted to see the YWC continue, and he was interested in rejoining or becoming the adviser again provided I thought it was a good idea, and provided there was more than one adviser," Thorp said.

After mulling Clemens' thoughts, Thorp said, he contacted Hugon Karwowski, a professor of nuclear physics, who volunteered to join Clemens.

"So that meant that the YWC was definitely was going to be in business, and so I called John Curtis from Student Affairs who handles our Greek organizations for us, and I asked him to be one of the advisers," Thorp said. Curtis, the campus assistant director for student activities, agreed.

Thorp said he was pleased that Curtis got involved "so we had someone with our administration and to make sure all the rules were followed when it comes to student organizations."

The chancellor said he also has had conversations with Haley Koch, a Morehead-Cain Scholar who has been instrumental in the student activism against Youth for Western Civilization.

"I talked to Haley a little bit on Friday just to tell her that I was sorry she had gotten that e-mail," Thorp said. "And I have a meeting scheduled with her to talk about her concerns and to try to understand what she thinks is hateful about the YWC, which I concede is a very conservative organization, but we need to understand that. I'll have my best people at that meeting."

Thorp also mentioned his decision to seek Cramer's resignation.

"I'm sorry about the thing that happened with Elliot. I think he agrees it wasn't the best idea for him to send that e-mail. . . . he believes the YWC has a right to exist, and now they do."

"I'm just delighted with the way things turned out," Cramer said. "I know Hugon very well, and as a matter of fact he had written me supporting me and asking me if there was anything he could do, and I said, 'You might want to consider being faculty adviser.'"

Cramer also praised the panel approach to a faculty adviser.

"It will be more difficult for these people to attack a group than a single individual," Cramer said.

He said he has spoken with Nikhil Patel, president of Youth for Western Civilization to determine whether the group wanted him to continue his association with it.

"He said he did, so I'm very interested. I talked to him about my thought for future programs and I certainly will help them anyway I can," Cramer said.

"I certainly don't want these folks who fought against them to think they intimidated me so that I will no longer participate in any of these things, but it will just be in an informal basis rather than as an adviser," he said.

"To me it's perfectly good news," Patel said of the new advisers. He said his understanding from Thorp is that the chancellor "believes we should exist and he supports our organization being on campus."

Patel said it appears Thorp and the new advisers were more concerned about ensuring "all components of civil liberties and free speech" are available on campus, "which is extraordinarily admirable among all of them."

The group plans to go ahead with an Oct. 8 lecture by Bay Buchanan at Manning Hall, from 8 to 10 p.m.

Thorp said he still plans for the university to pay up to $3,000 for the lecture as reimbursement for the Tancredo speech, which was halted after protesters broke a window.

"What I hope will happen is the protesters will be able to express themselves and then Bay Buchanan will be able to give her talk," Thorp said.

Student Affairs personnel, campus police and other campus personnel will be on hand for the lecture, he said.