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THE BUTLER

COLLEGIAN

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY

10 2010

www.thebutlercollegian.com

Proposal for sixth college encounters faculty questions Paige Chapman pchapman@butler.edu The College of Communication, Butler University’s proposed sixth college that would combine the media arts, journalism and communication studies departments, will come with a more than $3 million price tag. This was just one aspect some faculty members questioned about the potential college’s formation during the Feb. 2 Faculty Senate meeting, the first time the proposal was discussed publicly. “There is an opportunity cost involved—that we’re choosing to do one thing instead of another,” Bill Watts, an associate professor of English, said of the college during the Feb. 2 meeting. According to Page 11 of the proposal, the majority of the funds for the proposed college would be re-allocated from six different existing areas: approximately $2.6 million from the Existing Operations Budget; $150,000 from the Media Arts Program & Capital Funds; approximately $159,000 from the Pulliam School of Journalism Fund; $2,500 from the Fairbanks Chair in Communications; $60,000 from the Provost’s WTBU proceeds; and proceeds from annual gifts to the media arts department. Jamie Comstock, university provost and vice president for academic affairs, said that as provost, she has the authority to re-allocate university expenses. Page 4 of the proposal outlines that the converged college would consist of approximately 403 undergraduate students—a statistic that Comstock said is significant. “It is my job to ensure that students are well served and that the curriculum is well-designed,” she said. “Since nearly 10 percent of students are in majors that these programs are housed in, it is imperative to allocate money toward programming that will both attract and retain students. “The synergies a new college would create are important.” Watts, who said he had not seen a written proposal for the college until last month, said his main concern was the proposal focused on hiring an increased amount of administrators, rather than outlining a curriculum. Page 3 of the proposal states that the administrative structure of the proposed college would entail “a dean who reports to the provost.” “I’m not opposed to the college and everyone believes

Indianapolis, Indiana

Established 1886

Vol. 124 Issue 17

Jess Zimmerman: ‘It’s over’ Jennifer Pignolet jpignole@butler.edu

After more than a year of controversy, Butler University junior Jess Zimmerman has declared: it’s over. While the exact terms of the agreement between Zimmerman and the university are confidential, Zimmerman and Butler President Bobby Fong said a final agreement was reached. Zimmerman, who published a controversial, anonymous blog about university affairs at the end of 2008, was set to go through the university disciplinary system after a civil lawsuit with regards to the blog was dropped. Zimmerman said he did not feel the disciplinary system would have been a fair evalua-

tion of the situation, which led him to file a temporary restraining order in the Marion County Court system. The document claimed he would be irreparably harmed, specifically that he could be expelled or have a record that he would have to mention on applications to law school, if he were to be disciplined unfairly. Zimmerman said he didn’t think the process would be fair because of statements the university administration made and how public the issue was. “I figured I’d rather go through (the disciplinary system) and put this entire thing behind me without any more legal issues,” Zimmerman said, “Until I realized it absolutely wasn’t going to be fair, and until I did the research and realized what kind of harm it

might have on my graduate and professional school applications.” Zimmerman filed the restraining order Nov. 13. A judge granted the order the same day. The following Monday, Butler lawyers responded with a bond order of $100,000. If a hearing was held to judge the fairness of the disciplinary system and the courts ruled with Butler that it was fair, Zimmerman would have been forced to go through the disciplinary process and be saddled with a $100,000 debt to Butler. “I saw that, and my first response was, ‘I don’t have $100,000,’” Zimmerman said. “And then I realized, that’s what they want me to say. They want me to look at this and say See ZIMMERMAN Page 5

See story and art on Page 3. A multimedia package from the session can be found online at www.thebutlercollegian.com.

Collegian photo by Rachel Senn

BECKY SKILLMAN: Tuesday, three of The Butler Collegian’s seasoned staff members sat down with Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman at the Indiana State House to talk about pressing issues that Hoosier students and residents are facing today.

See COLLEGE Page 5

Candidates seek SGA presidency LAS presents dean candidate Hayleigh Colombo hcolombo@butler.edu

Olivia Ingle oingle@butler.edu

Two Butler University sophomores will battle it out for the presidency of Student Government Association (SGA). The Election Oversight Committee approved Kiely Keesler and Christopher Ring to run for presidency following Monday’s candidacy deadline. Keesler, a double major in international management and political science, and Ring, studying digital illustration and biology with intent to attend medical school, begin their campaigning Wednesday. Previously serving on SGA’s evaluation commission and Council on Presidential Affairs (CPA), Keesler has also held leadership positions in campus organizations Books for Peace and Alpha Kappa Psi. Keesler, who is also a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, said her experience leading groups of people has given her understanding and insight into the potential of student groups and SGA’s assembly. Her platform is changing the

Butler University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) continued its dean search this week, bringing its fourth and final candidate to campus. The fourth candidate, Richard Collins, spoke in Gallahue Hall Monday about educating the heart and mind in the 21st century. Collins, who holds a doctorate degree in English, is currently the chair of the Department of Arts, English and Humanities at Louisiana State University at Alexandria. Collins discussed the journey of an LAS education and how the journey is not only one for the students, but also the faculty. He described an LAS education as a 10-step process, which he related to his research, “Honoring the Form: Zen moves in Charles Johnson’s Oxherding Tale.” The process starts with a search for students to find their true motivation. “Graduation is not education,” Collins said. “Study is education.” He said when students come to college, they have already begun their search, and it’s the faculty’s job to help. “As long as the students are given the correct resources,” Collins said, “the rest is easy.” He described the second step of the process as “seeing the tracks,” which is when students begin to find their way, whether it be in their chosen fields through specialization or within their identities.

Collegian photos courtesy of Kiely Keesler and Christopher Ring

SOPHOMORE SQUABBLE: This year’s SGA’s presidential candidates are Kiely Keesler and Christopher Ring. structural representation of assembly. “I know it’s been something that’s been brought up constantly within the past few years but it’s because we’re just not getting it right yet,” Keesler said. “It’s a trial-and-error process.” Right now, SGA’s assembly is comprised of representatives from each of the residences on campus as well as every student organization. Keesler’s plan is to eliminate unnecessary student organization involvement and introduce sole residential representation in the assembly, which she hopes

INSIDE 5

Things

You

Paw Prints..............8

Know....3

Reviews............9&10

BUPD Beat.............5

Love/Hate lists of

Campus Pulse........5

the Week..............10

Staff Editorial.........7

On Deck.................11

Columns............7&8

Winter Color.........14

Should

will increase the likelihood that students will feel like they can talk to their representative. “I believe everyone should have an equal voice and that it should be loud,” Keesler said. Keesler said the changes in representation will help ensure that the people involved in assembly will share her self-proclaimed enthusiasm. “Right now, we don’t have a lot of policy discussion,” Keesler said. “If we were to change representation so that there were a few less representatives who were a little more See PRESIDENT Page 5

Shining a light on injustice

The Best Dates in Indy

Professor Watts examines how Butler University still refuses to give Zimmerman peace.

Find the best places to take your sweetheart during the upcoming Valentine’s Day weekend.

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“An LAS education is showing that specializations are not so unique after all,” Collins said. “It helps us see the inter-connectedness of things.” He said the third step of the process is “seeing the ox,” or knowing what your motivation is. “The fourth step, ‘grasping the ox,’ is when a student feels a sense of control, but also a sense of urgency,” Collins said. “A student becomes an intentional student, with no faculty telling them what to do.” He said a student at this step will not have perfect control in their discipline, but it will be apparent that they are getting closer to mastery. He said the fifth step of the process is “taming the ox.” A student will have engaged learning in the classroom and an “effective practice” in the community. “The sixth step, ‘riding the ox home,’ is when everything becomes second nature and there is a sense of mastery and discipline,” Collins said. He said the seventh step of the process is when “the ox is forgotten.” It is when everything is internalized and a student has not only a sense of purpose, but also a sense of identity. “The eighth step is when ‘the ox and ox herder are transcended,’” Collins said. “It is where it all comes together and everything becomes a whole.” He said the ninth step is “returning to the source,” which involves servant leadership. It is when students connect their motivation and take to others through civic engagement.

Clinching a Piece of the Pie Men’s basketball won three games this past weekend, helping them clinch a share of the regular season title.

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See DEAN Page 5

Butler Forecast Today

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