Sarah Sparks - Police Beat

Craig Freer, director of student affairs for the Appalachian State University Student Government Association, led the 20th Annual Campus Safety Walk earlier this week.

Freer toured the campus Monday evening along with the participants looking for safety violations such as malfunctioning lights (including blue lights), overgrown shrubbery and the need for additional emergency blue lights.

Participants spotted a number of lights out on buildings around campus. A few that were of the most concern were lights on Cannon Hall, Lovell Hall, Doughton Hall and Varsity Gymnasium. These lights will immediately be fixed or replaced by buildings and grounds services, said Sergeant Stacy Sears.

According to Sergeant Sears, the lights are checked weekly by the Appalachian State University Police Department. One concern about the weekly checks is that pole lights are being carefully checked while lights mounted on the buildings are being neglected, said Sergeant Sears.

Another major lighting concern expressed by the participants of the walk was a lack of lighting in the construction areas on Hardin Street. Many of the lights that were in the area have been removed and the remaining lights are not working because the wires have been destroyed by construction, said Larry Bordeaux, the physical-plant director.

Across from the construction site, there were also a few street lights out. According to Bordeaux, these lights are the responsibility of the town of Boone. Town officials will be informed of the problem immediately, said Bordeaux.

Participants focused a great deal of attention on the blue emergency lights throughout campus.

Joanna Clary, Student Government Association (SGA) chief of staff, tested the blue light in the center of Sanford Mall. To the dismay of all the participants, the blue light worked, but the emergency phone on the pole would only receive a busy signal. The police department was called to correct the problem.

East Hall Resident Students' Association President and Heather Robertson, an SGA senator, tested a second emergency blue light in a tunnel under Rivers Street. The responding police officer was on the scene in two minutes and 15 seconds.

Participants expressed comfort for what they felt was a rapid response time following the failed attempt at the first blue light station.

Minor concerns noted during the walk included overgrown trees that were blocking lights on walkways and overgrown bushes that could provide an attacker a place to hide, said Robertson.

Other people that participated in the safety walk were Jim Bryant of Appalachian State landscape services, Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs Jane Helm, SGA President Ryan Bolick, Appalachian Police Chief Gunther Doerr, Officer Jason Church of the Appalachian bike patrol, and Dean of Students Barbara Daye.

Opinions vary regarding tuition increase

Malcolm Smith - Student Government Beat

The possibility of an increase in students' tuition has several members of the Appalachian State University student body and faculty up in arms about the December vote by the board of governors of North Carolina.

The first proposal for an increase by the university administration in the 100-year history of Appalachian has spurred students and faculty to further examine the issues of improving technology, students receiving financial aid and increasing teachers' salaries. Vice Chancellor Gregory Blimling spoke to the Student Government Association (SGA) last Tuesday and discussed the possible increase. Blimling noted that Appalachian ranks second in the state in gross family income. Yet the university ranks near the bottom of the 16-member University of North Carolina System in faculty salaries.

If the motion is passed endorsing an increase in tuition, the monies will be distributed between an increase in faculty salaries, student grants and upgrading technology on campus.

Blimling assured the senate that 40 percent of the increase will be used toward grants for students with needs for financial aid. Currently, 41 percent of the students attending Appalachian are receiving some form of need-based financial aid.

Senator Patrick Cash said that the grants offered to students will only be temporary and the increase will act as a detriment to prospective students enrolling at Appalachian.

"I think the administration is raising tuition for all the wrong reasons," Cash said. "By raising tuition, less students are going to apply and students are less likely to choose Appalachian.

" Students and faculty alike question the state legislature's role regarding an increase. Dr. Gail Weite, chairperson of the faculty senate, had difficulty with the refusal by the state to increase faculty salaries. Dr. Weite responded that the faculty had grave reservations toward increasing student tuition.

"The business of legislature is not doing their job," Dr. Weite said regarding the denial of the state legislature to increase faculty salaries. "[The faculty] was backed in a corner," which led to the faculty senate's having to vote for an increase in studentÕs tuition.

Dr. Weite said the faculty is concerned by the loss of some of their staff and have experienced trouble in maintaining professors.

As of Sept. 27 the tuition advisory committee has proposed a four percent increase across the 16-member University of North Carolina system for the academic school year 2001-02. The increase would represent a $40 increase for undergraduates if passed later this year.

In December, the board of trustees of Appalachian State will outline a proposal to the board of governors, which will vote either to deny or accept the administrationÕs request to raise studentsÕ tuition.

Annual Clery Act Report released, guidelines changed

Sarah Sparks Police Beat

The Appalachian Police Department released the annual Clery Act Report at a press conference on Monday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. at the police station. Police Chief Guenther Doerr explained the complexity of the report and fielded questions concerning the newly released crime information.

Chief Doerr explained that the Clery Act defines crimes differently than the North Carolina Uniform Crime Reporting standard. Students, faculty and community members should be sure to read the report in context and remember the change in guidelines, said Chief Doerr.

In the 1997 and 1998 crime reports, the police department reported crimes by category only.

In the new crime report for 1999, the Clery Act mandates that crimes must be reported by category of the crime and by the location of the crime. Crimes are listed in the report by four geographical locations, including on campus, non-campus building or property, public property, and on-campus residential facilities.

It is important for people to realize when they read the report that crimes that occur in residence halls are reported twice, once under on campus crimes and once under on campus residential facilities, Chief Doerr said.

Barbara Daye, dean of students and associate vice chancellor, said, "These numbers do not just include students and faculty members. These reports include any crime committed by any person that happens to be on campus."

Another major difference, Chief Doerr said, is that arrests and disciplinary referrals are listed separately on the 1999 report, whereas they were listed in one category in the reports from the previous two years.

Also, in past years, student judicial referrals that did not involve Appalachian police were not included in the report. The new report includes all referrals made to the judiciary board, regardless of whether or not the department was involved, said Chief Doerr.

"The new way of reporting referrals is totally misleading," said Daye, referring to the inflated number of referrals in the report.

"I wonder if [the new method of reporting] doesn't muddy the water a little and actually cause more questions," said Jane Nicholson, director of university news. Again, the officials were quick to point out that readers must be cautious in the way that the report is interpreted. Chief Doerr felt it was important to say that the report should not be directly compared to the reports published by other schools.

According to Chief Doerr, the guidelines for the report are strict, but the definitions for crimes at individual universities are different and the referral processes at different universities vary.

"My opinion is that these statisitics do not reflect anything better or worse about our university in comparison to other universities. [Our police department] does a good job and we have a safe university. That is what matters," said Chief Doerr.

Catherine Quill Business Affairs Beat

The national recycling rate is near 65 percent. Appalachian State Unversity's recycling rate is around 4 percent, according to Jim H. Rice, recycling and training coordinator.

The introduction of recycling bins to hallways of campus buildings has increased the recycling of aluminum cans by nearly 400 percent, but continued efforts are still needed by all persons associated with the university, according to Rice.

"Recycling is probably the single most affirming action a person could make on a daily basis," said Rice.

In 1993, the university started an education and motivation program designed to encourage recycling. At that time, recycling bins were only located outside of the residence halls, and 10,703 aluminum cans were recycled that year.

The following years saw a steady decrease in the rate of recycling, which Rice attributes to the lack of communication about the need for recycling.

"Some people aren't getting the message or encouragement," said Rice.

Since the recycling rates were dramatically plunging, student activists and members of the group Students Actively Volunteering for the Environment (SAVE) pushed for recycling bins to be placed in the hallways of campus buildings.

Although aluminum can recycling once again increased, the numbers were nowhere near those of 1993-1994.

"There are four major river systems that start here in this county,Ó said Rice. Because of this, he feels Appalachian has a "particular responsibility" for promoting environmental activism.

"We should be the greenest campus in the system," he said.

Rice added that the university is currently "sitting on a gold mine."

Recently, all trash chutes in the residence halls were closed for safety reasons. This, combined with the recycling bins located on all floors, leads Rice to believe that recycling efforts should increase. "We have a tremendous window of opportunity. My contention through the years was, let's close off the trash chutes and turn the rooms into recycling centers."

Higher recycling rates will generate higher revenue.

According to Rice, Housing Operations spends about $13,000 a year paying Garbage Disposal Services (GDS) to empty trash cans. The university is only pulling in $300-$400 from the recycling of aluminum cans.

According to numbers from Appalachian Food Services, 1.18 million cans are purchased per year in the residence halls.

"We feel 100 percent comfortable in estimating an equivalent amount of cans come through at the same time," said Rice.

If these cans were to be recycled, the potential revenue would increase by 150 percent.

Rice stresses the importance of education and encouragement.

"Your professor has the most influence over you than anybody," said Rice. For this reason, Rice would like to see recycling especially supported by faculty members.

"Recycling should be a part of the fabric of our ethics. It's wonderful that we're seeing increases. It can be better than this," said Rice.

Nick Getzen, Meeting Coordinator of SAVE, says the organization deals with any type of environmental issue.

"SAVE is always getting out there," he said.

Besides advocating the implementation of recycling containers in hallways, SAVE is also promoting individual bins being placed in each residentÕs room.

Getzen is happy with the improved availability of bins, but says, "The group would still like to see bins in rooms. We want Boone to live up to the reputation we have."

Arias to be presented with Appalachian honorary degree

Robyn Dailey Chancellor - Development Beat

Former Costa Rican president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Oscar Arias will be coming to Appalachian State University on Tuesday, Oct. 17, according to the Office of Cultural Affairs.

Chancellor Francis T. Borkowski will be presenting him with an Appalachian State University Honorary Degree.

Arias was vital in peace negotiations in Central America in the 1980s. Borkowski said, "He is, to many, the dominant and certainly most highly respected Latin American leader possibly in the whole Twentieth Century."

Administrators feel that the school is very privileged to be hosting such an influential leader.

Arias will be presenting a forum lecture and speaking about "Peace and Democracy."

He is an international spokesperson for peace and has been lauded worldwide in his efforts.

Arias was president of Costa Rica from 1986-1990, and during that time was awarded the Nobel Prize for his leadership. He was able to be a vital role in restoring peace to surrounding countries conflicting in post-Cold War unrest.

According to Dr. Renee H. Horst, assistant professor of history, Costa Rica adopted a unique policy of government that Arias followed through with.

Costa Rica made a conscious decision in the middle Twentieth Century to not have an army. This enabled them to push for peace and put more money into the infrastructure of the people, according to Horst.

Costa Rica, therefore, had a much higher standard of living than many other Central-American countries. They welcomed more European immigration and allowed the United States to invest heavily into the economy as a "showcase" for what U.S. investment would do, according to Horst.

The Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress, founded by President Oscar Arias with the Nobel Peace Prize money, recounts that the time when he assumed office was full of regional discord.

Before he ever assumed office, Arias traveled throughout Central and South America, acquainting himself with other leaders and speaking for peace and alliance. According to the Arias Foundation, the president advocates liberty, democracy and individual government.

Arias drafted a peace plan in 1987 to clear the conflicts springing from post-Cold War thought patterns. It was called the Esquipulas II Accords, but is more widely known as the Arias Peace Plan. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize that same year for his efforts.

Arias was a visible president, concerned with the welfare of his people, and frequently ventured out in public on his own to listen to citizens' concerns.

Even though his term is expired, the Arias Foundation says that he is still working for his cause.

He proposed the International Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers, which asks that any country wishing to purchase arms must meet certain criteria which includes the promotion of democracy, the protection of human rights and transparency in military spending.

Nations that support terrorism or aggression against other peoples would be prohibited from buying firearms.

Arias also recently proposed to all heads of state in the hemisphere that they endorse a two year moratorium on any purchaces of high-tech weapons. At least 24 leaders have agreed to the moratorium so far.

The Appalachian State Office of Cultural Affairs says that Arias believes a nation can only achieve national security by providing human securities such as education, health, food, employment and protection of the environment.

Arias's legacy is important because it shows that a nation which invests in education and infrastructure for lower classesÑ rather than in the militaryÑ can have great effects, in Dr. Hurst's opinion.

Hurst said, "I hope we learn from people like Arias because he shows us in the United StatesÑ a highly militarized societyÑ the importance of emphasizing education and peaceful negotiation rather than militarism and strength through violence, which has tended to be our business in the U.S."