Spinnaker [Distributed: Wednesday, September 27, 2006]

University of North Florida administrators are in the process of trying to secure funding for the purchase of the former American Online building located behind the university on Kernan Boulevard.

Purchase of the 125,000 square foot building, built in 2002 and vacated by AOL in May of this year, would allow the university to relocate some administrative offices to the new space, according to Shari Shuman, vice president of administration and finance at UNF.

This would open up new spaces on campus for more classrooms, Shuman said.

"There are a list of offices that are under discussion for relocation," Shuman said. Tentative plans to move the controller's office and the offices of information technology, purchasing and human resources exist, she said.

Along with more space for offices and possibly some classrooms, the purchase would provide 1,200 additional parking spaces, Shuman said. The university is looking into a shuttle to travel between the property and the university, she said.

"Many options are under consideration at this time," Shuman said.

While the Florida Board of Governors had recommended to the state legislature to provide funds for UNF to purchase the building, the university may end up buying or leasing the building from a third party, Shuman said.

That would happen if a third party purchased the building before the university was able to, she said.

"The state legislature will not meet until met again until March or April [of nest year]," Shuman said. "If the funding is approved it would be couple of months after that before we would receive the funds."

The building would most likely open in January of 2008, Shuman said. Some areas are ready to go immediately, she said.

Sorority recruits most in state

Despite its small stature in comparison to other state schools, the University of North Florida managed to receive the highest quota of new sorority members among any Florida university.

This marks the first time in UNF history that the Panhellenic Council, the governing body of the four general sororities on campus, can state such a claim. Around 230 girls joined the various UNF sororities during the formal recruitment process, according to Tyler Young, Greek Life Coordinator.

"This puts Greek Life at UNF on the map like never before," Young said. "Every year, Greek Life is becoming even bigger."

In addition to leading the way in the state in terms of recruitment, one of the fraternities on campus broke records across the nation. Shortly after recruitment ended, it was announced that the Kappa Sigma chapter at UNF had among the highest numbers of new recruits of any other chapter in the country.

The majority of the sorority-related recruitment events were held at the University Center.

"All the events had a very positive vibe to them," Young said. "It was evident that everyone was there for the same reason, to be a part of Greek Life at UNF."

Considering the milestones set this semester by the Panhellenic Council, Young said that it is time for things to progress. "It is more than likely that the Greek Life program should be extended. We are growing like never before."

Amy Kirchner, senior psychology major, vice president of recruiting for the Panhellenic Council and a member of Alpha Chi Omega, contributes this unparalleled growth to the amount of recruiting the sororities have been doing and a new Greek Web site and booklet that have been made available to prospective members.

"A number of opportunities were given to students to become involved in sororities including the Greek Luau, recruitment at every freshman orientation and the Week of Welcome," Kirchner said. "Also, more girls came out to our events and we released fewer girls than last year. These all helped to give UNF the largest recruitment class in the state."

According to Kirchner, each sorority was given a quota of 57 new recruits that must be met. As evidenced by the number of new sorority members, each chapter more than made their quota.

"This shows we are ready to grow as a Greek community," Kirchner said.

In response to the increased interest in Greek Life, the university is in talks to bring a new sorority to campus. In a meeting scheduled for Sept. 26, the Panhellenic Council and the four university-sanctioned sororities met to discuss which sorority to bring to UNF.

The six prospective sororities are: Alpha Delta Pi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Alpha Omicron Pi, Phi Mu and Kappa Kappa Gamma.

It will be the first new sorority in three years according to PanHellenic President and junior English major Aimee DeFoor. Each sorority's national chapter will be invited to campus and make presentations about their sorority, after which the existing UNF sororities will vote on which one to bring to campus, she said. The vote may happen this semester or not until the spring.

Sororities have been a part of campus life at UNF for 29 years.

New student-based council helps undergraduates

The University of North Florida's College of Arts and Sciences has instituted a Student Advisory Council.

The council is composed of students from the different departments in the COAS and will help the college help better serve its students by providing advice and insight, said Dr. Dale Clifford, history professor and interim dean.

The council representatives will be responsible for bringing student suggestions and concerns to the attention of the college and to provide insight and advice, Clifford said.

"We want to know what we're doing that's good and also what we are doing that needs improvement," Clifford said.

Currently, the council is working to inform students of its existence and become more accessible, Clifford said. This includes trying to meet once a month and creating a Web site that will allow students to inform them about what is going on within the COAS and the council, she said.

The Web site will be available through the COAS main web page and will allow students to email their department's representative. The site is expected to be up and running by Friday, she said. Currently the council has 13 senior student representatives, but Clifford said she would like to see all COAS departments have both a junior and senior representative. This would allow for departmental continuity from year to year, she said. The department of mathematics and statistics still need student representatives, as do the philosophy and world languages departments.

The students are nominated by their respective departments to be on the council. "We are looking for people who are interested in asking questions and providing insight to the dean's office," Clifford said. "People who care."

Psychology and Sociology Department representative Linda Smith is a senior psychology major and has been on the council since the spring semester. She said she hopes to see the council find ways to engage more people in their majors.

"I'm really happy with the progress we've made in such a short time," Smith said. "I hope that we can make things easier for all incoming students in to the college."

At its latest meeting, Sept. 22, the council discussed issues such as why students have to wait until their junior year to transfer to COAS Advising, interdisciplinary offerings like lectures and forums offered by the COAS, and common boundary courses, Clifford said. Common boundary courses are two courses taught by two different faculty that contain the same subject or theme, she said. This allows students to become more fully immersed in the subject, she said.

Faculty and students alike are excited about the council and the opportunity for communications between the two, said Belinda Delzell, junior English major and English department representative.

"I see a great possibility for this council by representing students and any concerns they have," Delzell said.

Clifford agrees, "I think that it will produce some good questions and I'm excited about students being able to get to the dean. A good college wants to know its strengths and its weaknesses."

Ambassador Carson speaks on Africa

Former United States Ambassador Johnnie Carson spoke in the University Center Sept. 26 on issues concerning the African Nation and its relationship with the U.S.

Carson, who once served as the ambassador to Kenya and now serves on the National Intelligence Council as the Senior National Intelligence Officer on Africa, touched on several fundamental reasons for U.S. involvement in Africa.

Carson's chief concern centered around the global war on terrorism, what he called the "most serious national security problem faced in the U.S. today." He stressed the connection between the attacks of Al-Qaeda on 9/11 and those that took place three years earlier at the American embassies in both Kenya and Tanzania, which killed Americans and Africans alike. Carson also emphasized the "openness" of the African continent, and how he felt that it could easily become a new focus point of terrorist recruitment.

Another issue brought up by the Ambassador was that of the alarming number of health issues besetting the African people, the most serious being the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

In a nation comprising 10 percent of the entire worlds population, Africa is home to more than 60 percent of the global HIV/AIDS population, according to Carson.

Nearly 3,000 people each day die from HIV/AIDS in Africa, and in nine of the most effected states the average life expectancy has dropped below the age of 40, he said.

Unfortunately, Carson said, HIV/AIDS is not the only health issue troubling Africa. Over 40 percent of the entire population suffers from malnutrition, 50 percent of Africans don't have immediate access to hospitals, and nearly 300 million people in Africa go without safe drinking water every day, he said.

While the Ambassador painted a dire picture of Africa, he also tried to stress the positive steps that the nation as a whole has made in the last few decades. As of 2005, the number of democratic states in Africa has risen from three in 1974 to 11 completely free and democratic nations, with an additional 21 making steps toward total democracy. Carson also noted the steady rise in African Gross Domestic product, which he said rose from 3.8 percent in 2003 to 5.5 percent in 2005.

Finally, Carson noted that while positive change is taking place in areas of Africa, the continent can not be expected to do it on its own. He stressed that Americans need to have a "continuing and compelling" interest in the region, and that the best way to do this is by being more aware of what is happening in Africa.

'Light' cigarettes come under fire

A federal judge paved the way for a jury trial against big tobacco Monday, approving a class certification in a "lights" case that charges cigarette makers with racketeering.

Jury selection might begin in a Brooklyn courtroom as early as Jan. 22 on the case, which alleges that tobacco firms knew their "light" cigarettes were just as harmful to smokers as regular ones.

The ruling means that thousands of smokers who bought "light" cigarettes dating back to 1971 could stand to gain claims from the companies named in the lawsuit.

The news sent shares of Dow Jones Industrial Average component Altria Group Inc. down by almost seven percent after Bill Ohlemeyer, Philip Morris' associate general counsel, said the ruling will cause an inevitable delay of the planned spin-off of its Kraft Foods unit.

"Today's decision is a setback in the sense that it's not the kind of clarity that one might have expected," he said in a conference call.

Big tobacco has had a string of victories in recent litigation against cigarette makers revolving around public health issues, and it was believed that could pave the way for Altria to spin off Kraft.

Now, it appears that could be put on hold. Philip Morris USA, Altria's cigarette-making unit, said it would seek a "prompt" appellate review of the case.

U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein ruled that the case must be adjudicated, even if the case's plaintiffs have yet to offer convincing proof of damages against all possible members of the class.

Tobacco firms have insisted there is no way plaintiffs can prove damage to an entire class of "light" cigarette smokers.

Weinstein said there are holes in both cases.

"While evidence of fraud on the class appears to be quite strong - and defendants have been less than candid in insisting that there was no fraud - evidence of the percentage of the class which was defrauded and the amount of economic damages it suffered appears to be quite weak - and plaintiffs have been less than candid in failing to acknowledge that deficiency in their proof," Weinstein wrote.

Wall Street expressed mild concern over the ruling but said it's unlikely to result in a major blow to the industry, in light of tobacco companies' vigorous campaigns against such litigation.

J.P. Morgan's Erik Bloomquist said the ruling and subsequent drop in stock prices of tobacco firms represents a buying opportunity, noting that a previous ruling by Weinstein was overturned by the same appellate court that's likely to hear this case.

In addition to Altria, shares of Reynolds American, Vector Group, British American Tobacco and Loew's Corp., all lost ground.

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Experimental fuels can save

Those clever guys who run their cars on fuel made from old French-fry oil are out of luck if they try to gas up at Ed Rich's restaurant. He's come up with his own way of turning grease into gold.

Last month, in an experiment some experts believe could become an industry standard, Rich began heating the hot water at his Culver's franchise with a boiler that burns vegetable oil no longer good for giving a golden crunchiness to fries, onion rings and chicken tenders.

"My mother's from Germany, so I've seen how they recycle in Europe, and I think we need to do more of that here," said Rich, who has been serving up ButterBurgers and frozen custard for five years in this town just across the Illinois line. "We have to find a way to become less dependent on foreign oil, and if we all do our part, it can make a difference."

Several alternative-energy experts said that although they had never heard of a similar system, Rich's idea catches the wave of interest in alternative fuels sparked by the sharp rise in energy costs in the last couple of years.

"This is a really nice idea, and in terms of what is called industrial ecology, it's taking what would otherwise be a low-quality waste product and converting it to productive use," said Harvey Sachs, director of the buildings program for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a Washington-based think tank.

Rich got the idea for the system after reading about people who run their cars on biodiesel made from fryer oil. He thought about trying that but wasn't sure if he would have the range to get from his home near Milwaukee to his dad's place in La Crosse, on the other end of the state.

His thoughts then turned to using the oil to heat water. He did some research, talked to some friends and eventually hooked up with INOV8, a La Crosse company that's been making boilers that burn waste motor oil for more than 15 years.

Like most people, Rich has no clue how much hot water he actually uses, but based on early results on natural-gas use, he figures he can save thousands of dollars a year while eliminating the hassle of storing barrels of old grease behind the restaurant. He has already gotten calls from restaurant owners around the area, he said.

"It is a novel idea using biofuels to produce heat to use in your restaurant, but I think if this catches on, it can become standard practice in the industry," said Matthew Matenaer of Focus on Energy.

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Facebook offers political outlet

University of Central Florida freshman Michael Kyryliw's "friends" on the social-networking Web page Facebook know that Kyryliw has a girlfriend, he listens to the Grateful Dead and Jay-Z, and his favorite book is "All Quiet on the Western Front."

Now they know something else about him. He's supporting Jim Davis for Florida governor in the November elections.

The popular online meeting place for college students recently unveiled a new feature that allows users to list the political candidates they support alongside their pet peeves, favorite quotes and goofy or inappropriate pictures of themselves and their friends. The site then takes users' political preferences, totals them and displays them in a poll that shows the support candidates are getting among Facebook users.

The new feature is the latest sign that everyone - from corporations to universities to political candidates - is tapping into social-networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. And though it might not be popular enough yet to have a major impact on this election, one expert predicts it could become a crucial tool in future campaigns.

In some states, political candidates have had young staffers create profiles for the candidates on Facebook to drum up support.

"Facebook and MySpace are where the young folks are hanging out," said Phil Noble, founder of PoliticsOnline, a South Carolina-based company that tracks the use of the Internet in politics. "And any smart politician will be where the young folks are hanging out, to talk to them and get them involved. It was the same thing 30 years ago at the student center and the same thing 40 years ago at the malt shop."

On Tuesday afternoon, Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist had 54 percent of the Facebook vote, while his Democratic opponent Davis had 46 percent of the vote. A little more than 3,000 Facebook users have listed their preference in the governor's race.

But although campaign staffers may be salivating over having polling data about college-age voters, the polls do not mean all of these people will be voting Nov. 7.

In fact, some of the users who say they support a Florida candidate do not even live in the state. And there is nothing to stop a die-hard liberal from saying he supports Katherine Harris, the GOP candidate for U.S. Senate, just because he thinks it will make his friends laugh.

Noble said the power of the new Facebook tool does not lie in the poll feature, which had its debut last week.

"If I was a campaign, I would want to know who those 3,000 people are and how I can communicate with them," Noble said. "The poll is just bragging rights, and I would rather have the people than the bragging rights." With a couple of clicks, the site displays the names of all those potential voters for registered users.

And just because the conventional wisdom says that college campuses are full of long-haired liberals, conservatives currently rule this cyber-campus. Of the 22 contested Florida races for governor and U.S. Congress, Democrats are winning in five races, while Republicans are ahead in the other 17.

Lindsay Nicole Poulos, a 21-year-old UCF student, lists support for Katherine Harris, Adam Putnam, Charlie Crist and Gus Bilirakis on her Facebook page. She also lists "Bring Back Reaganomics" and "Banning Guns Makes Them Disappear Like Prohibition Made Alcohol Disappear" as "campaign issues."

So far, Crist seems to have embraced Facebook more than Davis has. A paid campaign staffer created a "Charlie Crist for Governor" Facebook page. The campaign also uses the site to mobilize supporters at college campuses around the state, said Erin Isaac, 28, a spokeswoman for the Crist campaign.

Josh Earnest, communications director of the Davis campaign, said the campaign has reached out to young voters through a Web log and online chats with Davis.

But Earnest, 31, concedes that when it comes to Facebook, the Web page is "a little foreign to me." That's why the Davis campaign is largely leaving the task of spreading the campaign message on social-networking sites to people such as 20-year-old Kylan Johnson of Deltona. A student at Daytona Beach Community College, Johnson interned for Davis this past summer and is a member of Davis-for-governor groups on MySpace and Facebook.

"Now college kids are going to groups on MySpace and Facebook for their political information," Johnson said. "That's kind of the next generation for political information on the Internet."

The Davis-group page includes a bulletin board where supporters list unflattering news about the opponent, and dates and times for campaign rallies or debate-watching parties.

Facebook was launched in 2004 by a group of Harvard University students with the goal of producing something more interesting than the freshman-photo facebooks that some schools produce every year. Since its debut, the site has become a staple of college life throughout the country. It's a place to look for parties or study partners or simply find out more about a cute classmate.

According to the site, there are more than 9 million registered users across 40,000 regional, work, college and high-school networks.

When Facebook had its debut, it was limited to users with a valid college e-mail address. It has since expanded to let others register, including high-school students and employees of certain companies.

Noble predicts that the use of social-networking sites for political campaigns will eventually become widespread.

"The history of new technology is that in one election cycle something will be introduced, and it will be a novelty," Noble said. "But by the next election cycle, it will be a necessity. Today it is a novelty, but by the next election cycle-the presidential election-it will be a necessity for all the top-level candidates."

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NEWS

AOL building considered for acquisition

Purchase could provide more space for administration, classrooms in 2008

Sorority recruits most in state

New student-based council helps undergraduates

Ambassador Carson speaks on Africa

'Light' cigarettes come under fire

Experimental fuels can save

Facebook offers political outlet

News in Brief

2006 Distinguished Professor Award

Former U.S. Ambassador to speak on campus

Students meet and greet Senate candidates

Lifelong learners seek to continue education

President Delaney to speak about direction of university

Archaeologist to lecture on "The First Americans"

Alpha Chi Omega fights domestic violence

Traveling exhibit now on display

Office of Undergraduate Academic Enrichment Program moved

Lecture from gallery artist

University to celebrate Founders Month

Information Technology Services seeking student opinions