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May 2, 2012
thewichitan.com
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Student presence is fading at the MSU library. Photo by HANNAH HOFMANN
Students not browsing library stacks GRACE HOLLOWAY FOR THE WICHITAN
According to the circulation statistics of Moffett Library, fewer students, faculty and area card users utilized its facility in 2011 than in 2010. Last year, 9,878 fewer people walked into the library. Fewer people means fewer books, audio equipment, projectors and like items were checked out and renewed. A total of 1,731 fewer items were checked out and 479 fewer items were renewed. Jason Brezina, circulation department manager, said more students are going to the library just to study or to use the
computers to surf the web. “You don’t even have to physically be here to use this library,” said Brezina. Through the MSU website’s databases, anyone can access Net Library, which has 50,000 eBooks, and eLibrary, where you can search magazine and newspaper articles as well as books. Both programs are integrated with the MSU’s library catalog. Net Library allows the user to have a free account to read eBooks. Cindy Seegers, psychology major, said that she has never checked out a book from the MSU library because everything
she needs to look up is online. “I would rather be in the comfort of my own home doing research on my laptop than be in the library doing it,” Seegers said. However, she has been there at least 30 times this semester to study for exams. “It’s the only place I can study for five hours straight,” she said. When she is studying, she brings her own laptop and books, and only uses the library’s computers when she needs to print something. Josh Hernandez, biology major, is like
Seegers because he goes to the library at least twice a week only tostudy. “No one goes to the library to get books because it’s all on the net,” Hernandez said. Brezina said old magazines and journals are being thrown out because nobody uses them anymore. “Magazines used to be bound into books, now they’re made into microfiche slides,” Brezina said. A microfiche is a four by five inch piece of photographic film, containing printed information in a size too small to be seen by the naked eye.
Statistics show that January through March of last year compared to the same months of this year, 204 fewer people have gone to the library. This decreasing statistic seems to be trending, but that doesn’t have Brezina worried. He said that the budget for the library stays the same no matter how many people go. “We’re always going to need a library,” Breniza explained. “We’ll always need someone to catalog the information and also archive it. One has to be able to control that information.”
Marijuana increases on campus, chief says GILLIAN JONES FOR THE WICHITAN
The student told MSU Housing he was only growing organic mushrooms. It turned out to be more than that after police arrived. Officers found marijuana, rolling papers, a wooden pipe and syringes. The occupant told officers he didn’t know the marijuana was in the closet. Upon questioning, he admitted smoking it, but only for “pain relief.” The story continued to unravel as he rattled on about how his experiment with the mushrooms had gone awry. The student ended up being banned from housing. In addition, he had to undergo counseling. It’s a wilder tale than most, but one common thread runs through it: marijuana. It’s not uncommon for housing to find it in students’ rooms or apartments. From fall 2009 to fall 2011, 59 situations involving marijuana have arisen in campus housing. Wayne Schields, assistant director of Housing and Residence Life, said the drug is a fairly common problem, one he deals with on a regular basis.
“Each case varies depending on the amount of marijuana, or if there had been a previous incident,” he said. “The punishment can range from removal of housing to community service or taking an online class.” Over the years all kinds of punishment have been meted out, ranging from a verbal reprimand to even expulsion from college. “All students make mistakes,” Schields said. “It’s important that they learn from them.” Schields said that the drug policy starts with the RAs. “After the RAs notify me, the police are summoned, and we fill out an incident report,” he said. “The students can choose to have a hearing with me or the Dean of Students.” Campus police is notified each time drugs are found. According to Housing, documents obtained through Open Records requests, most cases involve marijuana. “Basically anything more than a stem or seed we notify the police, “Schields said. “The police take the drugs along with any other paraphernalia.” Police utilize a test kit. A liquid turns blue if it is marijuana.
Police Chief Dan Williams said he has noticed an increase in marijuana in the dorms over the past year. “We usually don’t have to go great lengths to find it,” he said. “Sometimes we walk in ready to search the whole dorm, but the marijuana or paraphernalia is sitting on top of a desk or inside of a drawer. We usually find very minute amounts, nothing to ruin a student’s life.” Once, two males were caught smoking pot on the roof. A resident assistant locked a window that gave them access to the rooftop and summoned police. Records show one was given one year probation and ordered to take a “marijuana 101 online class.” Punishment varies. One student was given two years probation, ordered to be screened at the Counseling Center, assigned a five-page paper and directed to meet with Schields weekly. Some are told, “Any further violation can/will result in removal from Housing.” Sometimes students end up getting expelled from the university. “It is possible for a student to be expelled,” Schields said. “The Dean of Students has that authority.”
An increasing amount of marijuana causes problems for Housing. Photo by CHRIS COLLINS