NEWS
- SG violations referred to conduct Tami Livingston
- Emergency plan in place Tami Livingston
- UNF, JU evaluate river's health Jenna Strom & Holli Welch
- Economics 101: Hire part-time instructors Patricia Alex
- Duke rethinking 'selective' dorm arrangements Eric Ferreri
- Treasure hunting goes digital Louis Suffredini
- Schwarzenegger's environmental record under fire Kevin Yamamura
- Imasisi project raises measles awareness Ross Brooks
- Sources say Va. Tech gunman left note Aamer Madhani
SG violations referred to conduct
|
|
Sen. Nick Peres addresses Student Government at the elections violations hearing April 13. |
Despite a temporary disqualification, Rachael Tutwiler and A.J. Souto will be the next Student Body President and Vice President.
The elections commission assessed Tutwiler and Souto with two major violations during a hearing April 13 because Souto allegedly verbally assaulted two senators during elections. Because Tutwiler and Souto ran on the same ticket, they were both considered disqualified until a university administration decision negated the violations.
Tutwiler and Souto appealed the violations to the judicial council, which was then told the behavior involved in the violations did not fall under SG jurisdiction, said Chief Justice Robert Allen.
Tutwiler and Souto have one remaining minor violation against them for campaigning within the polling regions as far as the Spinnaker was able to confirm before publication.
Dr. Lucy Croft, assistant vice president of student life, said she and SG Adviser Laurel Kendall sought clarification from UNF's general counsel's office in regards to the election process. Croft said Associate General Counsel Marc Snow advised them because the violations centered around behavioral issues, they are a student conduct issue.
"It becomes a potential student code of conduct issue and therefore no longer a Student Government concern," Croft said.
Former Sen. Blair Mitchelson, who filed the violations and defended Simard and Brooke, said Souto violated ethic and conduct codes by telling opposing candidate Brooke that if he bumped into Souto again, he would be hit.
Mitchelson said Souto violated
conduct codes again when he said he wanted to jump over a table and break Sen. Katy Swift's neck. Because the violations are now in Student Conduct, the Spinnaker could not obtain copies.
Violations were also filed against Simard and Brooke. They were assessed a minor violation for not submitting their contribution statement properly.
The red and green parties also received numerous minor violations against party members, mostly for failing to remove campaign materials on time. The exact number of violations filed and upheld could not be confirmed with Elections Supervisor Deanna Cerbini, despite repeated attempts to do so. Kendall also declined an interview.
Of the six appeals filed with the judicial, three will be heard before the justices during a hearing at noon, April 23 in the Senate chambers. Allen said he could not specify which appeals will be heard. The justices will have up to five days after the hearing to announce their decision.
The SG banquet is scheduled for April 20 and the president-elect and vice president-elect are traditionally sworn in during that time, Allen said.
Due to the disqualification of J.T. Holton, Sen. Chelsi Henry has been re-elected.
Contact Tami Livingston at news@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Emergency plan in place
|
|
Police respond to the Virginia Tech Campus, April 16, trying to secure the scene where a student gunman shot and killed 32 students and teachers, eventually turning the gun on himself. |
The recent tragedy at Virginia Tech has left many in mourning and wondering: What if it happened at the University of North Florida?
According to University Police Department Chief Mark Foxworth, the department and the university have an emergency plan and are trained to deal with major situations. The university's emergency response plan covers situations such as bomb threats, terrorist attacks, hazardous materials, fires, natural disasters and hostile intruders on campus.
"We prepare as much as possible and we train as much as we can, but the magnitude of something like this [the Virginia Tech shooting] is overwhelming," Foxworth said.
In an emergency situation, the campus and local community would be notified in numerous ways, Foxworth said. The campus community would be notified via e-mail, the UNF Web site and through the public address system. The system reaches all buildings on campus with the exception of the portables, he said. The local media would also be notified.
UPD recently received a grant for an emergency system that can be programmed to call every telephone on campus with a message about the situation, Foxworth said. It can also be programmed to call some cell phones, he said.
However, Foxworth said, "It's brand new and hasn't been completely
installed yet."
The university also has a crisis management team composed of various administrators, faculty and staff, said member Dan Endicott, director of environmental health and safety. During an emergency, the team is responsible for assessing and managing the situation, advising President John Delaney, and contacting the outside community, he said.
If a situation similar to the Virginia Tech shooting occurred on campus, Foxworth said the main motive of UPD would be to remove people from the affected area, evacuate them and contain
the shooter.
UPD would utilize the 48 cameras located around campus to track the movements of the shooter and monitor the progress of any evacuation efforts, Foxworth said.
"It would be a very chaotic situation," Foxworth said. "We understand that people will panic, we understand that people will do what's best for them, but we would ask that they follow the instructions given to them.
"If they're asked to stay in a classroom and lock the door, we would hope they would do that," Foxworth said. He advised that if individuals find themselves in a similar situation to try to make contact with authorities.
All officers in UPD have had active shooter training and have practiced realistic shooter situations, Foxworth said. They are well-trained in specific tactics and formations to be used in that type of situation, he said.
Each UPD officer also has the floor plans of each building on campus in their laptops, Foxworth said.
UPD also has a mutual aid agreement with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, and it would respond to assist UPD in an emergency, Foxworth said. The radios used by UPD also allow them to communicate with all law enforcement agencies in the area,
he said.
In the case of an evacuation, UPD would work in conjunction with building supervisors, who are faculty and staff volunteers familiar with the evacuation plans for each building, and would assist with getting people out, Foxworth said.
"The dynamics of a university obviously complicate things because you have so many people that are mobile," Foxworth said.
The last time UNF was completely evacuated was on Sept. 11, 2001, Foxworth said. He said it went well, but there were some traffic hang-ups.
While Foxworth said he doesn't think it's possible to be 100 percent prepared for a situation of the magnitude at Virginia Tech, he said, "We have trained to the best of our abilities. We have a tremendous support system with the local law enforcement agencies around us."
Contact Tami Livingston at news@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
UNF, JU evaluate river's health
|
|
The University of North Florida and Jacksonville University are working on a research project to assess the extent of the St. Johns River's failing health. |
The Environmental Protec-tion Board recently signed legislation allowing the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University to begin studying, evaluating and grading the lower St. Johns River basin.
The EPB will provide $223,012 for a joint project between faculty and students from the two universities to produce a comprehensive report of the health of the river. The funds should cover the two years of research that will be included in the State of the River Report.
One of the most important things to develop is a data baseline, said Dan McCarthy, the director of the Marine Science Program at JU. McCarthy co-authored the State of the River Report proposal with UNF professor Dr. Patrick Welsh. He said once the baseline has been set, the researchers will be able to convey the health of the water to the community.
"What's going to be a challenge is to display it in a way the public can understand," McCarthy said. He said the team will work with other governmental groups who have experience in different areas to make the data more accessible.
Both universities will focus on separate issues regarding the river's health. North Florida will concentrate on harmful algae blooms, while JU will research river biotics, which includes fishery data, vegetation and marine mammals, McCarthy said.
"JU and UNF are equal partners in it [the research]," McCarthy said. "I'm very excited we'll be able to put something together in a year."
The city of Jacksonville recommended the two universities work together because they wanted independent groups
who didn't have a stake in the outcome of the project, said Mark Middlebourgh, a Jacksonville consultant who is assisting with the report.
"If Jacksonville produced the report, it might look like they were not enforcing the regular rules," he said. "UNF and JU were the logical choice. They will give an honest report and tell
it straight."
The project will begin as soon as the research team receives the money from the EPB trust fund.
"They'd [the city of Jacksonville] like to get it started as soon as possible," said Ray Bowman, director of the UNF Environmental Center.
Bowman, a member of the team representing UNF, will collect data and rewrite reports for the river. He said students will primarily be involved in collecting data.
"We're looking for students who can help collect and analyze it [data], and who are skillful
at handling spreadsheets," Bowman said. "It's a challenge to handle magnitudes of data." He said they haven't sought out or hired any students yet.
Once the research is complete, the team will develop the State of the River Report, and a summary that will give the key findings of the report for the public. The final report card will be published on a Web site to serve as a way for the community to provide feedback on improving the St. Johns River.
After the initial report is published, the team will have to request additional funding from the EPB to continue adding to the research baseline.
"We hope we get funding
to upgrade every year,"
McCarthy said.
Contact Jenna Strom & Holli Welch at uspinnak@unf.edu -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Economics 101: Hire part-time instructors
Cash-strapped colleges and universities in New Jersey are relying more on low-paid, part-time instructors, with more than a third of classes statewide taught by adjuncts.
The staff split is even higher at some community colleges, where as many as 50 percent of teachers are part-time lecturers.
"No phone, no office, less pay, no benefits," said Carol Shansky, describing her status as a part-time music instructor at Bergen Community College. She has been teaching at Bergen for 13 years and also works as a private music instructor, performs in a duo and is studying for her doctorate in music education.
At Bergen, Shansky says she makes about $600 per credit, or about $1,800 per course per semester. The rates are higher at state colleges - adjuncts at William Paterson University make about $1,000 a credit, and at Rutgers University, the average is just over $1,200 a credit.
The use of part-time teachers has been a growing trend for more than three decades.
On the upside, the system allows for professionals from business, industry and the arts to bring their real-world expertise to the classroom. But critics worry that the trend has led to a "Wal-Mart employment model" in higher education - a low-wage, transient workforce with little
job security despite their
advanced degrees.
Adjuncts receive no health benefits although at some schools, like Rutgers, they can buy into the state system at reasonable rates. The pay is a far cry from even a pro-rated version
of that of their full-time
counterparts.
At William Paterson, for instance, 36 percent of course hours are taught by adjuncts. Teaching a full load - four courses each semester - would bring a part-timer about $24,000 annually. By contrast, the pay for full-time professors, who often have other administrative duties, ranges from $68,000 to $120,000, said Steve Hahn, associate provost.
Shansky says she loves the work, but not the "kooky" system. "It's a college teaching job. But obviously there's a trade-off, which is good for the college, but maybe not so good for the adjunct," she said.
She hopes for a full-time opening someday, but those slots can be elusive. Keith Hoeller, a national advocate for adjuncts, has written that nearly a half-million adjuncts serve as "apprentices
to nowhere."
The turnover - or churn - among adjuncts has Karen Thompson, a Rutgers adjunct for nearly 30 years and president
of the school's part-timers
union, concerned about a loss of
experienced instructors.
Most adjuncts have contracts that run only through a semester or school year. Rutgers administrators say the part-time workforce gives them flexibility to meet fluctuating student demand in particular disciplines.
Rutgers and other schools say they monitor and maintain the quality of part-time teaching staff through a variety of professional development seminars and
mentoring situations.
"There is a perception that they are undervalued. But we don't undervalue them," said Joan Ficke, associate vice president for personnel at Montclair State University, where about 34 percent of classes are taught by adjuncts. "We couldn't do
without them."
Paul More, a retired engineer from the federal Department of Defense, is now an adjunct teaching calculus for business at Rutgers' Camden campus. "I start from day one by telling them stories about what happens in
the real world," said More. "Somebody who has been a professor at Rutgers for 40 years can't
bring that."
He doesn't mind holding office hours in student lounges or the low pay. But he wonders how other colleagues manage. "Fortunately for me I'm not doing it for the money," he said. "I can't imagine how somebody could make a living doing this."
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Duke rethinking 'selective' dorm arrangements
In the Wayne Manor section of Duke's Wannamaker dorm, garbage cans are stuffed with empty cases of Busch Light beer. Rooms with lofted beds, couches and flat-screen TVs burst with people when the residents throw
a bash.
Just a short walk away in a quiet section of Edens dorm, each resident's name and hometown is posted on the door, summer-camp style. The strains of one of the three pianos often waft about, and a commons room is festooned with multi-colored streamers, balloons and Christmas lights.
The 42 residents of Wayne Manor - an all-male social group similar to a fraternity - appear to have little in common with the nine students in Eden's Arts Theme House, which is smaller, co-ed and less likely to host an all-campus party. But these groups - and 22 others recognized by Duke - have a common cause: Their ways of life are targeted
for extinction.
The "selective living groups" are students with similar interests who, with the university's help, establish communities by living together in blocks of dorm rooms. These groups have certain perks. They can rent a grill from the university for a cookout, for example, or get a couple hundred dollars for a group activity.
Most important, according to the recently released Campus Culture Initiative report, they dictate the campus social scene by virtue of the turf they inhabit.
"Access to real estate means setting the rules of social engagement, and the university must face the fact that residential space, and control of it, continues to be experienced as gendered and alternative unfriendly because of the ways it favors certain groups," the report states.
Work on the culture report began soon after three Duke lacrosse players were charged in March 2006 with sexually assaulting a woman hired to dance at a team party. Those accusations led to a broader look at drinking and other behavioral excess.
The report recommends that these groups no longer receive preferential housing treatment. On Duke's West Campus - where more than half of Duke's undergraduates live - about 30 percent of beds are assigned to selective living groups. These students are overwhelmingly male - 77 percent - and many are in fraternities. The result is inequitable room assignment that fosters exclusivity and cliques, the report concludes.
Such conclusions have many members on edge. To many other members of these groups, there is value in living among friends.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Treasure hunting goes digital
|
|
The University of North Florida's Environmental Center offers GPS units for rent to participate in a new form of treasure hunting dubbed "geocaching." There are more than 1,200 caches, or prizes, hidden around the Jacksonville area. |
A new technological treasure hunt game called geocaching has found a following at the University of North Florida.
Geocaching players plug coordinates into Global Positioning System devices to find clues to lead them to a prize called a geocache. The geocaches can be a variety of items such as a CD, a T-shirt or jewelry. The size of the prize depends on the difficulty of the course.
Dr. Peter Magyari, an assistant professor of exercise physiology and community health in the Brooks College of Health, recently started geocaching at UNF with a grant from the environmental center.
Magyari said he knew the nature trails near the Hayt Golf Learning Center were a perfect setting for geocaching, and that Chief Ranger Ryan Meyer decided to incorporate it into the eco-adventure program.
North Florida has four different routes, with four different levels to choose from.
The first level is the easiest and is designed to teach students how to use the GPS unit. The levels become more difficult as students progress.
"As the trails get harder, you have to go more and more into the woods," Meyer said.
According to Meyer, there are simple rules all geocachers must follow to keep the game going. When players find the geocaches, they have to sign in so other people can look back at who else has played and how recently.
Next, if the player takes something out, he or she should always replace it with something of equal value while making sure to put the geocaches back exactly how they found them.
"[This] technological scavenger hunt is a great way to use technology and be outdoors all at the same time," Magyari said. "One of our greatest obstacles as health professionals has been finding ways to utilize technology in a manner that encourages physical activity in a segment of the population that is drawn to technology for their leisure time pursuits."
Anyone can participate in geocaching. There are more than 1,200 caches in the 32224 zip code alone. Meyer said not all caches are here at UNF - some are hidden around the area by companies as a way to give out their products for free.
To participate in geocaching on campus, go to the Environmental Center near the golf center, and bring a student ID and driver's license to get a GPS unit.
Contact Louis Suffredini at uspinnak@unf.edu -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Schwarzenegger's environmental record under fire
In the latest issue of Outside magazine, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wears an untucked green shirt and jeans, posing as a champion of the environment. He sits on a rock surrounded by a squirrel, a rabbit and other creatures of the forest.
All while wearing his trademark boots made of dead
animal skins.
Schwarzenegger has suddenly become an international global warming hero, albeit one with a penchant for Hummers and
alligator boots.
California environmentalists still aren't entirely sure what to make of him.
They praise Schwarzenegger for getting the public to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and using his political celebrity to shift national debate in a greenward direction. They say the governor has scored major accomplishments by signing a bill to reduce emissions 25 percent by 2020 and pursuing new alternative fuel requirements.
But they have misgivings about the governor's past opposition to top environmental priorities. They say the governor has focused on long-term plans that may not require real sacrifices for years. Yet he has opposed more immediate environmental solutions as too costly to businesses.
"It seems to me his (modus operandi) is to say people don't have to sacrifice right now," said Rico Mastrodonato, Northern California director of the League of Conservation Voters. "He's saying they can have their cake and eat it, too."
The governor this week framed the environmental problem as one that can be solved by technology rather than changes in lifestyle. In speeches at Georgetown University and the Council on Foreign Relations, he described how he wants to turn environmentalism into an inclusive cause rather than one fueled by guilt.
That message has paid off in publicity. Newsweek featured a smiling Schwarzenegger on its cover last week with the earth balancing on his fingertip. And when the MTV show "Pimp My Ride" sought a celebrity guest for its Earth Day episode to retrofit a gas-guzzling muscle car with alternative fuel technology, it called on the governor.
Environmentalists believe the governor might be telling people what they want to hear while ignoring the reality that emissions reductions and cleaner air will not come easily or cheaply.
"I think he does a disservice to people to say we don't have to change our habits," said V. John White, an environmental lobbyist in Sacramento, Ca. "Not unlike nutrition, we need more of the healthy things and less of the unhealthy things. I got the sense the governor was saying you can lose weight without giving up the things you're doing."
Schwarzenegger's environmental record isn't as clear-cut as magazine covers make it seem.
While the governor won plaudits in Washington, his appointee to the State Lands Commission provided the lone vote for a liquefied natural gas project off the Southern California coast that was fiercely opposed by environmentalists.
The governor's office said the vote was intended to allow the project to go through further review and not indicative of Schwarzenegger's final position.
And despite the governor's stated goals of reducing greenhouse gases, he proposed a $1 billion shift in gas tax revenues away from transit in his proposed budget this year.
Schwarzenegger's staunch opposition to fees led to his veto last year of a $30-per-container charge at congested Southern California ports to reduce pollution, a major priority backed by almost every major environmental group. It was opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce and California Farm Bureau, who contribute heavily to the governor's campaigns.
"He has consistently been very close to the Chamber of Commerce and other big business lobbies," said Bill Magavern of the Sierra Club. "On the one hand, I give him credit in some instances, such as [the greenhouse gas law], for breaking with them. But if you look at his record, he's been with those lobbies almost all the time."
The governor also faced criticism in 2005 for replacing the entire Reclamation Board, the state's top flood-control agency. The board had begun using the California Environmental Quality Act more aggressively to block developers from building near levees, and critics charged that Schwarzenegger was helping homebuilders who had contributed to him.
Some environmentalists have criticized the governor's call this year for two new dam projects to increase water storage. The governor has said such projects have become even more necessary because global warming has hastened snow runoff.
But Schwarzenegger worked with environmentalists when he signed legislation to create the Sierra Nevada Conservancy
to help protect 25 million
acres in the state's eastern
mountain range.
The governor also backed a $2.9 billion plan to provide rebates for rooftop solar panels through 2016 that was approved last year by the Public Utilities Commission.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Imasisi project raises measles awareness
The University of North Florida American Red Cross Club will host the UNF American Red Cross Club Imasisi project, a charity event to raise awareness and funds for the International Measles Initiative April 20.
Measles kills nearly 345,000 children globally every year - more children in Africa than HIV/AIDS or malnutrition. According to Stacey Shelton, one of the UNF American Red Cross Club founders, the members want to raise awareness about measles and preventative vaccinations, which only cost $1.
"I don't know where else you can save a life for a dollar," Shelton said.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu named the event "Imasisi," the Swahili word for measles. Shelton said she contacted Tutu through the Intercultural Center for Peace, an Imasisi project sponsor.
The event will consist of an art show and an auction. All proceeds will go to the International Measles Initiative, which has already saved more than 1.2 million children from being infected with measles.
She said she expects approximately 150 entries from public schools within Duval County, along with a number of Jacksonville artists.
"We have been able to approach every tier of the community to find art," she said. "The whole idea of saving a life for a dollar has snowballed into this idea for an art show."
Aside from selling art, Shelton said the club will sell pins for $1 and will accept donations of all sizes.
The UNF American Red Cross Club Imasisi Project art show will begin at 5 p.m., April 20 at Theatre Jacksonville and is free to the public.
Contact Ross Brooks at features@unfspinnaker.com -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE
Sources say Va. Tech gunman left note
Cho Seung-Hui complained of 'debauchery,' 'deceitful charlatans' on campus
The suspected gunman in the Virginia Tech shooting rampage, Cho Seung-Hui, was a troubled 23-year-old senior from South Korea who investigators believe left an invective-filled note in his dorm room, sources say.
The note included a list of grievances, according to sources. They said Cho also died with the words "Ismail Ax" in red ink on the inside of one of his arms.
Cho had shown recent signs of violent, aberrant behavior, according to an investigative source, including setting a fire in a dorm room and allegedly stalking some women.
A note believed to have been written by Cho was found in his dorm room that railed against "rich kids," "debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans" on campus.
The English major from Centreville, Va., a rapidly growing suburb of Washington, D.C., came to the United States in 1992, an investigative source said. He was a legal permanent resident.
His family runs a dry cleaning business and he has a sister who graduated from Princeton University, according to the source.
Investigators believe Cho at some point had been taking medication for depression. They are examining Cho's computer for more evidence.
The gunman's family lived in an off-white, two-story townhouse in Centreville.
"He was very quiet, always by himself," neighbor Abdul Shash said of the gunman. Shash said the gunman spent a lot of his free time playing basketball, and wouldn't respond if someone greeted him. He described the family as quiet.
Marshall Main, who lives across the street, said the family had lived in the townhouse for several years.
According to court records, Virginia Tech Police issued a speeding ticket to Cho on April 7 for going 44 mph in a 25 mph zone, and he had a court date set for May 23.
Cho was found among the 31 dead in an engineering hall. Police said the victims laid over four classrooms and a stairwell.
Police said Cho killed 32 people in a Virginia Tech engineering building Monday morning and then killed himself.
Another two students were shot to death two hours earlier in a dorm room on the opposite side of the university's sprawling 2,600-acre campus, bringing the day's death toll to 33.
Students at Harper Hall, the campus dormitory where Cho lived, said they had little interaction with him and no insight into what might have motivated the attack.
Timothy Johnson, a student from Annandale, Va., said people would say hello to Cho in passing, but nobody knew him well.
"People are pretty upset," Johnson said. "He's a monster; he can't be normal. I can't believe I said 'hi' to him in the hall and then he killed all those people."
Officials said the same gun was used in the attack in the dorm room and the larger-scale classroom killings.
"At this time, the evidence does not conclusively identify Cho as the gunman at both locations," said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, superintendent of Virginia State Police.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE