Spinnaker [Distributed: Wednesday, November 1, 2006]

Student Government at the University of North Florida hosted an open house Monday to reveal the design of the Student Union building it hopes will begin construction on campus in May 2007.

The design calls for two three-story structures with a covered walkway in-between. Rink Design Partnership Inc., the firm contracted by UNF to head the project, developed the proposed layout.

"The whole building was conceived to have a work side and a fun side," said Glenn Dasher, a principal at Rink Design and lead designer on the project. He said one of the buildings was designed to hold facilities and space for student groups and activities, while the other will house Student Life offices and other administration necessary to keep the building in operation.

The philosophy behind the design was to maximize the benefits to students by giving them the most new space to work in, Dasher said.

The total planned square footage is 142,893, according to the sketches presented at the open house.

Dasher said that part of the design also includes tripling the size of the lake by the business building and bringing it right up to the edge of the new building.

"A lot of people identify with the Boathouse and Wackadoo's, and we wanted to kind of keep that feel," he said.

In addition to being the "signature building" on campus, as stated by Associate Vice President for dministration and Finance Richard Crosby in a March 2005 board of trustees meeting, the building is also designed to adhere to stringent environmental standards, according to David Birkelbach, project manager.

Birkelbach said that a large component of the design was the maximization of natural light. This not only benefits the environment in terms of energy consumption, but has been shown to help inhabitants be healthier and more productive, he said.

Dasher added that the firm hopes to build the structure using predominately "low-impact" materials -- construction supplies such as wood that can be produced and transported with a reduced negative effect on the environment.

"The bottom line is [we're] trying to minimize impact," he said.

The building will be constructed using standards at least equivalent to those applied to the new Social Sciences building, Dasher said. The building will then be ready to apply for the same "green" status awarded to the Social Sciences building earlier this year.

According to SG President Justin Damiano, the building will cost an estimated $45 million to complete. The bulk of the funds will come from a per-credit-hour fee that UNF students have been paying since 2000 to fund the project, he said. Other sources of funding will include about $5 million in Capital Improvement Trust Fund money from the state, he said, and payments from businesses that will occupy the new space -- the UNF Bookstore, for example, which plans to expand into a new two-story space in the building.

Damiano said administration is also considering including an "Alumni Walk" around the building, where interested people can pay to inscribe bricks with their names or messages.

This is not Rink Design's first project with UNF. They were also the group contracted to design the exterior of the fine arts center and the new expansion to the library.

The design for the Student Union building has been in development since February, Dasher said, while programming for how exactly the building should function has been ongoing for more than a year.

Designers and SG anticipate Phase I will take about 18 months to complete. That means the space will hopefully be ready to move into by fall 2009, said Mike Gibson, director of engineering and construction for SG. Construction of phase II, a large addition to the main structure, will then take place over the next 10 years, he said.

Health college proposes two new doctorates

During the Oct. 26 meeting of the University of North Florida's Board of Trustees, members approved a proposal to establish two new clinical doctorate degrees in the physical therapy and nursing practice programs.

"I think the decision is wonderful," said Dr. Pamela Chally, the dean of the Brooks College of Health. "It is not only a wonderful decision that we will have two new doctorate programs, but that the Board of Trustees feels that we have the necessary resources for the new programs."

Committee Chair Ann Hicks introduced the proposal, and the BOT voted unanimously in favor of the new doctorates. The BOT's decision will be submitted to the Florida Board of Governors for final review and approval.

"This is a historic moment for the university," said Provost Mark Workman during the BOT meeting. "We know with certainty that UNF is going to grow, and we must grow to fit the needs of its students."

Chally said the new doctorates will aid students and faculty alike.

"These programs will increase the breadth and depth of knowledge available to future health care practitioners," she said.

One of the biggest concerns for the university's first flagship, the nursing program, is to find experienced faculty members.

"Graduates and faculty alike are in great demand in the field of nursing," Chally said. "A big issue is that the doctorate programs will help educate students as well as draw new clinical faculty members. This will keep us competitive in the search for new faculty and students."

Doctorate level education for the physical therapy program is also a positive step forward, Chally said. "In July 2005, the physical therapy accreditation body designated that all programs should move to the doctorate level. As of right now, 80 percent of accredited programs offer doctorate degrees. This move forward makes sense."

Li Loriz, the director of the school of nursing, said that everyone at the Brooks College of Health is excited about the new development.

"This is a great opportunity for the university," Loriz said. "I worked with my faculty, Rusty [Russel Smith, the director of the physical therapy program] and Dean Chally to get us ready for a possible move to the doctorate level."

This joint effort between the directors of the programs represents what Loriz said is an important aspect of the educational process.

"We are hoping to have some students work together. It's important in the current health care environment for healthcare providers to work together collaboratively for the benefit of the patient."

According to Loriz, there is a difference between the proposed doctorates and standard research doctorates.

"Normal PHDs are based on research," Loriz said. "Applied or clinical doctorates allow practitioners the ability to become experts in their given practice. With these new programs, students will be able to utilize research and incorporate these findings into their work, ultimately giving them more experience in their field of study."

The nursing and physical therapy programs have given more than $5 million and $4.3 million respectively. According to Chally, the physical therapy program also has the highest pass rate in the state for Masters programs, at 98.7 percent.

The Florida Board of Governors will probably convene in January to decide whether or not UNF is ready for two new doctorate programs, according to Loriz.

"I'm hopeful they will make this possible," she said.

Osprey wins big on 'Price is Right'

After a visit to L.A., Matt Henderson came home with a new car

While "The Price is Right" may cater to a slightly older demographic than college students, a University of North Florida senior defied the odds,and made it on the syndicated morning game show and won a brand-new car.

Matt Henderson, a finance major, attended the Aug. 22 taping of the show in Los Angeles, which aired Oct. 30. He was selected from the contestant pool by producers and competed against other chosen studio audience members, he said.

"I was in California house-sitting for my aunt," Henderson said. "Me and some friends decided to go to see 'The Price is Right.' I went with my sister, one of my buddies from UF [University of Florida] and my former youth pastor who was studying seminary in the area."

The producers of the show interview all of the audience members as a way to determine who will participate, Henderson said.

"I didn't think I gave a very good interview," Henderson said. "I was really nervous but I guess I was enthusiastic enough to get picked."

Despite his misgivings, Henderson's name was announced as the next contestant to "Come on down!"

"When they called my name, I didn't even move," Henderson said. "I thought they were talking about someone else. When I figured out that I was picked, I walked down to the stage with everyone around me yelling. It was surreal."

Henderson managed to progress beyond the Contestants' Row portion of the show and move on to the pricing game, Any Number.

"The game had two prizes, a small one which turned out to be a desk and a large prize which ended up being a car," Henderson said. "My guess was closest to the car, so I won. I couldn't believe it."

Henderson won a 2006 Chevy Impala, but that wasn't the car he ended up taking home. According to him, the dealership was out of the 2006 model so he was upgraded to the 2007 model free-of-charge.

"I just seem to get lucky over and over again," Henderson said.

Toward the end of the show, Henderson got the opportunity to take part in the major event of "The Price is Right," the Showcase Showdown.

"I competed against a really bubbly, emotional woman," Henderson said. "She underbid by $10,000 and I overbid by $100, making her the winner. I was so close to winning a showcase that was worth $78,000. Even though I didn't win it all, I still feel completely blessed."

Henderson said it was amazing to be on a show he's been watching ever since he was a little boy.

"If I ever stayed home from school, I would always put on 'The Price is Right.'"

Getting to meet the host of the show, Bob Barker, in real life was also amazing to Henderson.

"The guy has been doing this for years," Henderson said. "He was wearing pounds and pounds of makeup. Off camera, he was a really nice, friendly guy."

"Overall, the experience was incredible," Henderson said. "Until I see myself on TV, I still won't realize it happened."

Law exam to change format

The Law School Admissions Council, the organization that administers the LSAT, is changing the reading and writing sections of the exam beginning June 2007, according to Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions Director of Pre-Law Programs Steven Marietti.

Aspiring law school candidates at the University of North Florida may have to revise their study strategies to include changes made to the Law School Admission Test, said Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions Director of Pre-Law Programs.

The reading comprehension section is being replaced with a comparative reading sample, he said. Currently, the reading section has one long sample with questions following it.

The new comparative reading section will include two reading samples, and questions may pertain to one or both samples, Marietti said. He also said the current writing section gives participants a choice between two essay prompts: a decision or argument problem.

The new writing section will only contain the decision prompt, Marietti said.

The LSAT is a standardized test that law school evaluators use to determine a candidate's eligibility, according to the LSAT Web site, www.lsat-center.com.

The Web site states that the LSAT is a six-section, 100-question exam that tests a candidate's reading and reasoning skills and is also designed to demonstrate a candidate's writing ability.

The sections include logical reasoning, analytical reasoning games, reading comprehension, experimental and a writing sample. Only four of the six sections are scored.

The writing sample is sent with the application to give law school officials a sample of the candidate's writing.

Marietti said the writing sample is not graded and doesn't figure significantly in the process. However, Kaplan advisors encourage candidates to do their best on it anyway.

Marietti said changes rarely occur in the LSAT, and the exam has remained fairly consistent over the last 15 years.

"LSAC is always looking for ways to improve the exam and these changes are just part of the continuous evolution of the LSAT," Marietti said.

This is a relatively small change and students shouldn't feel the need to panic over it, he added.

The December and February LSATs will be the last exams in the current format, Marietti said. Students are being advised to take these exams before the new changes go into effect, but only if they have properly prepared for the exam.

"LSAT rewards preparation," Marietti said.

Lawsuit challenges ban on student travel to Cuba

The American Civil Liberties Union asked a judge Thursday to suspend a state law that bans universities in Florida from allowing travel to Cuba so that professors and students can pursue travel plans for research and academic exchanges.

In the hearing before U.S. District Judge Adalberto Jordan, the American Civil Liberties Union argued that the law banning trips to Cuba and five other countries on the U.S. terrorist watch list is unconstitutional and should be overturned.

But attorneys for the state said Florida has the right to oversee all money managed by its universities.

"It's not the professors' monies; it's the universities'," said Louis Hubener, acting solicitor general for Florida. He argued the law applies to state universities as well as private universities in Florida that receive state funds.

At issue: the law, approved by the Florida Legislature this year, seems to be inconsistent with federal law, which currently allows travel to these countries for academic research.

The ACLU maintains the law also unfairly lumps private funding -- which the universities merely oversee -- with state funding from being used to finance trips. The law includes grants and endowments not funded by the state. The ACLU argued the state should not be regulating such private funds.

In addition to Cuba, the law forbids the use of state funds to travel to Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria -- countries on the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism.

"They have stopped the flow of these funds that are sitting there ... and are also stopping academic exchange," said Paul Brinkman, an attorney with the Washington-based firm of Alston and Bird who is arguing the case pro bono for the ACLU.

The complaint alleges that several professors and students from various state universities, including Florida International University and the University of Florida, have been unable to pursue travel plans to those countries. The trips, they say, have been key for their academic research.

State Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, sponsored the legislation in previous years, but it gained steam during this year's legislative session after FIU professor Carlos M. Alvarez and his wife Elsa, an FIU counselor, were arrested and accused of being unregistered agents for the Cuba's communist government. They have pleaded not guilty.

Irrespective of the constitutionality issues, the law has many gray areas, said Judge Jordan.

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Peace Corps to offer bachelor's degree programs

Peace Corps volunteers who have two-year college degrees will be able to earn a bachelor's degree while they're overseas under a pioneering distance-education agreement with Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minn.

The partnership, announced Oct. 23 in St. Paul, is the first ever between the Peace Corps and a college that offers four-year undergraduate degree completion.

"It's a relationship made in heaven," said Daniel Abebe, dean of Metro State's First College, which will house the new program.

Abebe grew up in Ethiopia. In the 1960s, many of his high school teachers in the town of Debere Markos were Peace Corps volunteers.

"I absolutely fell in love with this idea," he said.

More than 80 percent of the Peace Corps' roughly 7,800 volunteers already have a bachelor's degree, and the corps already has agreements with many colleges that allow those students to work on master's degrees while they're overseas, Abebe said.

According to the Corps' Web site, the organization is aiming to recruit more graduates of community colleges, partly because those schools are more racially diverse than four- year colleges.

The opportunity to work on a four-year degree during their Peace Corps service and get credit for some of their volunteer activities could be an additional lure for those volunteers.

The degree program, which will begin as a pilot involving perhaps 10 students, allows volunteers to devise an individualized program. If they can demonstrate academic value, they will be able to earn credit for activities such as the language classes they take at the start of their assignment.

Other Corps work, such as developing training manuals for communities in areas like agriculture, the environment and business, may qualify for credit if volunteers can demonstrate their academic use, Abebe said.

Students will pay regular tuition. Because Peace Corps volunteers don't make much money, federal and state grants may pay for much of their education, Abebe said.

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School kills condom Initiative

The University of Missouri at Columbia will not put condoms in residence hall restrooms as had been reported last month, said university officials.

Chancellor Brady Deaton has decided not to move forward with the initiative, a university spokeswoman said, so the university can hold public forums and decide how best to educate students about health issues.

"It is important to educate students about healthy decision-making, including the option of abstinence," a university statement said.

University spokeswoman Mary Jo Banken said the condom program had not been approved.

The idea came from a student fraternity that approached various university departments with it. The Department of Residential Life, the Student Health Center and the Columbia/Boone County Health Department liked the idea and were in the process of discussing details of starting such a program, Banken said.

She said Deaton commends students for coming up with the idea. She said the university wanted to find ways to address the broader problem of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies.

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Student debt on rise

Forty-six percent of the University of North Florida's class of 2005 graduated with approximately $17,000 of debt, according to a report by the Project on Student Debt.

Nationwide, more than 70 percent of college students have at least one credit card and carry an average balance of $2,327, according to student-loan provider Nellie Mae.

The weight of debt may be forcing some graduates to put off saving money, retirement, getting married and buying homes.

The benefit of managing debt and having good credit is that the hassle of buying a car, renting an apartment or even obtaining a cell phone are eased due to the fact that responsible credit card ownership serves as proof of credit-worthiness.

College can be a good time to learn responsible credit card usage so that when students step off campus and into the real world, they're prepared to budget, save and spend responsibly.

"Doing everything you can now to make your future secure is wonderful," said UNF senior education major Emily Radford. She signed-up for a credit card her freshman year with the intent to build credit.

But it wasn't long before it became too easy to swipe, according to Radford. "All of the sudden, 'Whoosh! I'm in debt.'"

University of North Florida senior English major Kunal Mirchandani went a different route, choosing to avoid a credit card and a job so he could instead focus on his studies. To make ends meet, Mirchandani and his girlfriend have their own eBay store where they sells women's shoes.

For Mirchandani, not having a credit card isn't a hindrance.

"I don't have any established credit, but on the other hand I don't have bad credit, which is what most students leave college with."

Meanwhile, Radford is working part time, struggling to keep up with her balance and her regular expenses such as gas and food.

"The longer I take to pay it off the longer I'm going to have this cloud over my head. It's a never-ending battle. It's really depressing."

Nowadays, Radford avoids using her credit card, but does keep it handy in case of emergency. She either leaves her card at home, or tucked away in her wallet where she can't see it.

Mirchandani, however, believes he has made the choice most right for himself. According to Mirchandani, "Four years of established credit isn't going to mean a lot if I have a high-paying job."

But Patty Daley, a Member Service Representative for Community First Credit Union, cautions that good credit is in fact important.

"You have to have a good credit score to get a lower interest rate. You can still get a credit card, but your rate is going to be higher," said Daley.

Daley said that paying off credit can easily become overwhelming and warns students with new credit cards to use them sparingly. The advice she gives students is to use it only when money is going to be there at the end of the month.

Without regular income, Daley does not recommend applying for a credit card. Her advice is that although it is important to establish a good credit record, take it slowly to eliminate the chance of creating debt problems and hurting your credit score. It doesn't hurt to put off your first credit card for a few months or years.

It's important for students considering credit cards to be educated. There are many resources available to students, and among them is www.youngmoney.com. The Web site provides tips along with guides covering the basics of credit cards.

In the end, Daley said the card is there as a safety net. Students just have to be prepared to take on the responsibility.

Fantasy Congress puts online gamers in control

Imagine House Speaker Dennis Hastert, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Republican Sen. Sam Brownback and Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton working together toward the same harmonious end.

Sound like fantasy?

Maybe, but that fantasy may soon be realized in a new Web site game that brings the concept of fantasy sports to the political arena.

Created by four Claremont McKenna College students in California, Fantasy Congress allows people to compete against their friends with teams of lawmakers who rack up points based on real-life legislative accomplishments. Depending on which lawmakers that players draft, Hastert, R-Ill., Pelosi, D-Calif., Brownback, R-Kan., and Clinton, D-N.Y., could all play for the same team.

In the works for several years, www.fantasycongress.com was launched last week. Word of mouth has already led more than 15,000 people to sign up and the creators say membership, which is free, grows every day.

The online game will go live after the Nov. 7 elections, when Congress returns.

Claremont McKenna senior Andrew Lee, who thought up the game during his freshman year, said he hopes his site can contribute to a greater interest in politics among young people.

"A lot of people care about sports," Lee said. "If people cared about government as much as they care about sports, we'd probably have a lot more educated public."

Like fantasy sports, participants draft players to form a team. In Fantasy Congress, players compete with a team of four senators and 12 congressmen against others in their league.

The players will earn points - and bragging rights but no prizes - based on the lawmakers' real-life performances, and the player whose team has the most points at the end of the season will win.

But instead of hitting home runs or scoring touchdowns, legislators earn points for offering amendments and passing legislation.

Lee said he came up with the idea for Fantasy Congress while sitting in his dorm watching CNN while his roommate pored over fantasy football statistics.

"It was kind of one of those epiphany moments," he said.

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Colleges target youngsters to boost athletics, admissions

Maybe it's the free tickets to college sporting events. Or the T-shirts. Or perhaps it's the dream of someday painting your face maroon and yelling yourself hoarse.

Whatever the reason, college kids clubs -- which offer free admission to athletic events, team gear and other goodies to those in eighth grade or younger -- have become as common on campuses as beer pong tables in frat houses.

"It works probably twofold," says Patrick Schultz, director of marketing and promotions at Loyola University, where the Rambler Kids Club is in its second year. "One, we want to get them as Rambler fans right away, to start them out as Rambler fans. And maybe someday, if they come to our events, when they're choosing a college they'll have good memories of Loyola, and that might help our admissions as well."

Relationships between colleges and youngsters are nothing new, according to Robert A. Sevier, senior vice president, strategy, for Stamats, a higher-education research, planning and consulting company with offices around the country.

"There's an old saw in marketing (that) the best time to reach a high school junior or senior is when they're 14 or 15, or 12 or 13," Sevier says. "And what you're really trying to do there is get your name, get the college on the radar screen for these students before everyone else does."

Often, though, sports isn't at the forefront.

"They have all sort of different origins," he says of the clubs. "Sometimes they would be the young sons and daughters of alumni.

As for the sports-related programs, a nominal fee gets a kid all kinds of things to keep a college's name front and center. For $10, Ramblers Kids Club members get a T-shirt, a membership card, autographed posters of the school's basketball teams, free or reduced admission to games and other perks.

Schools trolling for young fans and future applicants include the University of Illinois (whose club is distinct from the one at the University of Illinois at Chicago), Eastern Illinois, Notre Dame and Marquette.

"You have to figure, the kids are going to start coming to games," says Loyola's Schultz, "and they're going to bring friends, and they're also going to bring their parents. So we've got more butts in the seats, so to speak."

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Print Edition

NEWS

Student Union design unveiled

Health college proposes two new doctorates

Osprey wins big on 'Price is Right'

After a visit to L.A., Matt Henderson came home with a new car

Law exam to change format

Lawsuit challenges ban on student travel to Cuba

Peace Corps to offer bachelor's degree programs

School kills condom Initiative

Student debt on rise

Fantasy Congress puts online gamers in control

Colleges target youngsters to boost athletics, admissions

News in Brief

Autumn Festival to explore cultural harvest celebrations

Golden Key to induct new honor society members

Flu shots temporarily unavailable

Alumni accepting nominations for service award

Rally to encourage discussion of peaceful politics

Business reps to coach resume-building

International Trivia Bowl celebrates Education Week