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| Nov. 11, 2004 | |||||
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Other sites of interest: Student Government Association Center for Student Involvement & Leadership Appalachian & the Community Together Multicultural Student Development |
UNC system President Molly C. Broad will go to the Board of Governors (BOG) tomorrow and recommend a zero percent board-based tuition increase for the 2005-06 academic year. Vice President for Finance Jeffrey R. Davies said Broad’s recommendation stems from a decision reached by a committee composed of students and staff members from across the UNC system. At first, the group wasn’t sure what course to take. “This year the committee was split,” Davies said. “But at the end of the day … the president decided to recommend zero.” If the BOG accepts the proposal, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of more tuition increases, Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Jane P. Helm said.
There are other types of increases, including campus-based tuition raises, in which each campus submits their own proposal for increases or to have none at all. The North Carolina General Assembly also can raise education costs should they decide it’s necessary. Davies said if the BOG approves a board-based increase, the addition would be included into the board’s budget, also to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting. “I think the board will be supportive of the president, but I can’t speak for the board,” Davies said. Appalachian State University also has committees looking into tuition and fees. Associate Vice Chancellor for Administration Gregory M. Lovins is chair over the fees committee. He said his committee met three times for more than two hours each meeting to discuss fees and reach a recommendation for Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock. Their proposal to the chancellor was to raise student fees by $135, or 2.33 percent. The biggest proposed increase was a $100 raise for education and technology, Lovins said. Other fee increases include but are not limited to a $13 raise for athletics, $50 for housing and $5 for the Renewable Energy Initiative (REI). The total fees paid equals $178, but $43 was deducted from the proposal for past fees being paid off, Lovins said. “I’ve spoken to him and he’s very supportive,” Lovins said of Peacock. Lovins said the tuition committee’s work is stalled because they don’t know if the BOG will vote for board-based increases or allow campus-based increases. “Chancellor Peacock elected to do the same this year, to have that composition, to have more students than administrators because we’re talking about student fees, and student input is obviously of most importance,” Lovins said. Last year saw the largest collaborative effort yet by the Association of Student Governments (ASG) as approximately 200 students all over the UNC system protested tuition and fee increases during a BOG meeting in March. Tuition and fee increases were approved. Proponents of raising tuition costs have argued more money will help bring about quality education. Those who oppose increases say the burden should be put on the state, not on students. Male bathing banned in women's halls A community policy in Appalachian State University’s Lovill Residence Hall was quickly changed after a male was found taking a shower in the all-women's hall. Now any males in the building are required to use the bathroom on the ground floor lobby of the residence hall, although there are no showers available. “I think it’s kind of harsh to make guys go downstairs to use the bathroom when it was one person’s fault,” sophomore business management major Shawn M. Dowdee said. A complaint was made by one of the residents when she found a man in the bathroom. Appalachian State University’s Housing & Residence Life immediately looked into this concern. For the past two years Lovill Hall has had its residents vote on a policy to allow males to use the bathrooms on each floor as long as they have an escort with them. “Some people are courteous enough to escort their male guests to restrooms and I don’t think those of us that do should be inconvenienced because of someone not following the clearly stated rules,” sophomore elementary education major Catherine E. Holt said. The problem is that although the residence agreed on the policy it goes against the Housing & Residence rules. “We allow students in our buildings to set up community policies but allowing men to use the women’s bathroom even when they have an escort is contrary to our policy,” Director of Housing & Residence Life Richard L. Geis said. The resident who had escorted the man to the bathroom came forward and apologized for the trouble caused by her actions. Geis said that he is unaware of any referrals written for anyone involved and doesn’t believe that actions should be taken against them. “They thought they were doing the right thing,” Geis said. “It’s a misunderstanding on their part.” Floor meetings were immediately held to inform the girls of the incident and change in policy, but residents are still not pleased with the alterations. “I mean seriously, if one of the girls’ boyfriends comes up for the weekend do they have to go across the street with their shower caddy in their hand just to take a shower? That’s dumber than sin,” sophomore business management major Lauren D. Matthes said. As of now it seems the only option. “It is a safety issue,” Geis said. “We just don’t allow that kind of digression when it comes to the safety of students.” Renewable energy approval goes to state The Renewable Energy Initiative (REI) heads into Phase IV of bureaucratic procedure after approval from the Appalachian State University Fee Committee Nov. 2. In March, students voted to approve the REI referendum by 81 percent. The Fee Committee approved the $5 increase in fees, which Appalachian’s Board of Trustees will consider at their December meeting. “The students wanted it,” Fee Committee Chair Greg M. Lovins said. “The proposal that was presented was a sound proposal with good ideas.” “After the fee is voted on by the Board of Trustees, we hope to see the approval of the REI by the [University of North Carolina] Board of Governors this spring,” Student Government Association President Miriam N. Makhyoun said. “The fee will then be ready for implementation by fall 2005,” Makhyoun said. On Monday, Phi Kappa Phi, a national honor society, will sponsor “The Greening of ASU” from 6-9 p.m. in the Table Rock room of Plemmons Student Union. The workshop will feature speakers, pizza and focus group discussions to generate ideas for the REI and other “green” possibilities at Appalachian. Dr. John Wear, director of Catawba College’s Center for the Environment, will talk about the college’s “Green Building,” and make suggestions for a similar structure at Appalachian. “Phi Kappa Phi looks to support this project and has provided students the can’t-miss opportunity to participate in the design phase [of the REI],” Makhyoun said. Makhyoun said the university REI committee, which will generate ideas for and implement the REI, has been partially formed. Current members include: Patrick A. Beville, representing Appalachian’s Department of Design & Construction, Ben G. Winebarger, from the Physical Plant, and Chuck Smith and Dr. Dennis M. Scanlin, faculty members. Representatives from the Sustainable Energy Society and SGA have yet to be appointed, Makhyoun said. In the spring, applications will be available for three students (who will be enrolled during the 2005-2006 school year) interested in being a part of the design phase, she said. Last year the idea for the REI originated in Appalachian’s Sustainable Energy Society, then known as the Solar Energy Club. Brent J. Summerville is the club’s current president. Clean energy is the fastest growing industry in the energy sector, Summerville said. “We’re able to be a big shining example of what to do in a little town like this,” he said. “We’ll be making our own energy for a change instead of just being a huge [source of] consumption in this area.” By doing so, Summerville said, Appalachian will improve its relationship with the community. Summerville said the Sustainable Energy Society is looking at what other schools have done with similar projects. Duke University and the UNC Chapel Hill have passed similar initiatives. For more information about the REI, visit www.asurei.org. ACT advocates homelessness awareness Out of sight, out of mind is the perhaps the usual policy for many of the social issues plaguing America. However Appalachian State University is bringing awareness of hunger and homelessness to our campus this week. Sponsored by the Appalachian & the Community Together (ACT) office and the Multicultural Student Development center, this week has entailed daily awareness events: The Cup of Karma: People at the Crossroads, an open mic discussion on the issue takes place today from 7 to 10 p.m. at Crossroads Coffee House. A canned food sculpture contest will be tomorrow from 12-2 p.m. in the Multicultural Center of Plemmons Student Union. Sophomore social work major and ACT member Faith M. Newsom said hunger and homelessness are real issues that many people want to ignore. “Hunger and homelessness are real issues for our country and the rest of the world. People need to be aware and understand what these issues are all about and who they affect. There are a lot of stereotypes and generalizations out there. This week is designed to educate and motivate the Appalachian student body,” Newsom said. Director of Multicultural Student Development Tracey L. Wright said there are many things everyone in Boone can do to help during and beyond this awareness week. Several agencies such as the ACT office, the Hospitality House and Shelter Rock are places for students to help connect and give back to the community. “Just by participating in this week’s events can help you become more educated about the issues. Some of the week’s events are designed to get people talking and interacting with those already facing hunger and homelessness issues. Also some of the events give donations of money as well as canned food,” Newsom said. Dr. Harry L. Williams, associate vice chancellor for diversity, said this awareness is to make people put themselves in other people’s shoes, realizing not everyone in the world is living as comfortably as they are. “I think this week will bring attention to it and allow people to think about it differently. When we drive by people who are standing on the street corner with a sign indicating they are homeless it will make [people] think twice before they pass by these individuals; instead of looking through them and not seeing them,” Williams said. “I think that is what happens a lot of the time. Those [homeless] individuals become invisible and we have a tendency of ignoring these people. They are human beings just like everyone else.” “Hunger and homelessness is a social issue. A lot of times we think of theseissues during particular seasons or weeks of awareness,” Newsom said. “When next Monday comes there will still be people without adequate means to access food and shelter. Social issues and problems don’t go away after a week of awareness. Even if some students are particularly drawn to doing service or a project related to hunger and homelessness, I hope at least this week will get them inspired to become socially aware and take on a social issue that does get them fired up.” Baxter's Tavern, Grill to replace Pizza Hut The owner of Wishbones will be opening a new sports bar next semester, which will replace the old Pizza Hut located across the street from the Convocation Center. Baxter’s Tavern and Grill will move into the building Pizza Hut occupied until yesterday, when the new Pizza Hut on Blowing Rock Road opened. Sunday was Pizza Hut’s last day in the old building, manager Greg Hill said. The Pizza Hut located on Highway 105 and the Highway 321 bypass also closed with the new restaurant opening. Chris Willyerd, owner of Wishbones, said because of delays with Pizza Hut moving out of the old building, renovation for Baxter’s will not begin until after the winter months have passed. Willyerd said they are planning on renovating a great deal of the outside of the building. He said snow and cold weather would make that difficult, so renovation won’t begin until next spring. Willyerd is planning on opening by next summer. Hill said moving out of the old building was behind schedule due to typical construction delays on the new building. Willyerd said although there will be a lot of renovation done to the building, it won’t be near as drastic as what was done to the building, formerly Los Arcois, that Wishbones occupies. He said the inside of Wishbones was completely stripped and it only took five weeks to renovate. “We don’t have to do nearly as much [with Baxter’s],” Willyerd said. Along with inside renovations, Willyerd plans on building an outside deck and putting sand next to the building for volleyball. “The architect has the plans almost ready,” Willyerd said. “When it’s time, we’ll start.” Right now, Willyerd said Baxter’s isn’t a big priority with December approaching, which is a busy time of year. Willyerd said he wanted to focus on Wishbones until after the cold months. He said a big reason for buying the building and putting in a sports bar was location. “It was a good opportunity,” Willyerd said. The bar will not only be close to campus, it will offer another sports bar to Appalachian State University students other than Geno’s Restaurant and Sports Lounge. Although Baxter’s will not be an upscale bar, it will be different and nicer than Geno’s, Willyerd said. The proximity to campus will also hopefully hurt instances of drinking and driving, Willyerd said. “You don’t want people drinking in your establishment and then driving,” Willyerd said. “People don’t have to drive.” Appalachian senior Graham D. Cornell said it will be nice to have another sports bar in town other than Geno’s. He said it is good having the new place closer to town. Appalachian State University has well over 250 vastly different clubs and organizations.
It is obvious to the student population that there are many different options to join, but most Appalachian State students are unaware that they can begin their own club or organization on campus with very few problems. “I would definitely recommend other innovative students to put in the work and begin their own organization,” marriage and family therapy graduate student Cindy L. Lilly said. “If you have a vision purposed within your heart than you and only you are responsible for making it happen. Let your passion and excitement override your doubt, frustration and fear.” Lilly began her own club, Dancing for Jesus, last month. While there are many policies and procedures to abide by while beginning a club there are very few that are difficult. In fact most students think that the hardest part of the procedure is accumulating the necessary 10 members. “Probably the most difficult part other than writing a constitution is getting word out about the club and motivating students to join and attend meetings,” sophomore public relations major Jud Watkins said. Watkins formed the Adopt-A-Grandparent Club that now has over 50 members. “The hardest part for me was recruiting the students. I am new here at Appalachian so it’s hard to get people to trust and follow the vision of someone they don’t know,” Lilly said. After recruiting at least 10 students, the next step would be to go by the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL) office, located on the second floor of Plemmons Student Union. At CSIL a guideline booklet is available concerning where to go next. “I think that it’s a great idea [starting an organization] because the requirements already set up clubs for success,” Assistant Director for Leadership Education Kimberly L. Mitchell said. All information regarding requirements can be found at www.csil.appstate.edu. Most clubs and organizations are also unaware university funding is available. The criteria for an allocation from Club Council consists of three things: the organization must be recognized by the university and registered with CSIL, follow their own constitution and the requested money can only be used toward educational programs, educational travel or service programs. If all of the criteria are met, then the organization can request funding through Club Council. Most funding in the past has gone to traveling to different club meetings in other areas. Mountaineers put footprint overseas Look out world. With 32 programs being offered by the Appalachian Overseas Education Program, Appalachian State University is sending students globetrotting in record numbers.
Offering trips from Australia to Guatemala, Appalachian has expanded its roster by offering 11 new overseas opportunities. These will be in addition to long-running trips to places such as Spain and Germany. Of the new trips being offered this year, Appalachian State will send its first group of students to Ghana, located on the west coast of Africa, focusing primarily on third-world culture and service learning projects. Another first will be a Caribbean cruise offered specifically for recreation management students to study the cruise industry. In addition to taking place in the summer, there will also be trips offered during school holidays such as spring break. Students who act quickly can also warm up during the cold Christmas break by participating in one of two trips to Costa Rica or a trip to Honduras. Meg Marck-Kennedy, the director of Appalachian Overseas Education Programs, is excited about the new trips and opportunities for students to learn in a new and different setting. “I really enjoy working with faculty members who want to bring the world closer to the students,” Marck-Kennedy said. “You just can’t teach some programs here that you can teach abroad.” Dr. Nina-Jo Moore, associate dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts, will be co-leading an expanded Eastern European trip with Dr. Pac McLaurin. The trip will combine elements of photojournalism with themes of communication while visiting Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. “You’re on a journey with students who are learning new things,” Moore said. “It’s nice to see students have an eye-opening experience.” Mark-Kennedy said that many trips begin simply as ideas from professors, which are then developed around the various resources and the experiences that they can offer. Department of communication lecturer Heather Paige-Preston will be leading her second group of students to London to explore popular culture through the Beatles phenomenon. “Students will be able to gain a different perspective on another culture and our own,” Paige-Preston said. Students also seem to be pleased with the expanded selection being offered by the International Programs office. “I think you could go pretty much anywhere you wanted to go depending on your academic interests,” junior Matt Sand said. After recovering from low numbers directly after 9-11, in 2003 Appalachian sent an all-time high of 463 students to various corners of the world. With the country at war in Iraq and anti-American sentiment being openly expressed in several countries, student safety is of the utmost importance. “We cannot guarantee student safety here on campus or abroad,” Marck-Kennedy said. “We need to prepare students for what to do and what not to do when they are in foreign countries.” The school carefully monitors U.S. State Department Web sites for warnings concerning international travel and will not hesitate to cancel trips in the event of imminent danger. “I don’t think it’s any less safe than being in America,” Moore said. Questions have also been raised about the ability of students to be well behaved while on school-sponsored trips. “We just have to be careful that students abide by the conduct code applied here at the university,” Marck-Kennedy said. “We need to make sure that everybody is safe and sound.” Although some financial aid exists for trips being led by the business department, funding to create a scholarship program for all overseas trips has yet to be secured but is a priority for International Programs. For a full listing of programs, students should check their on-campus mailboxes for the 2005 Appalachian Overseas Education Programs flyer or stop by the International Programs office located off of Sanford Mall in I.G. Greer. |
© 2004 ASU Student Publications
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