THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
THE TIMES DELPHIC DES MOINES, IOWA | MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012 | VOL. 131, NO. 43 | WWW.TIMESDELPHIC.COM
Patrons relay in remembrance at annual Relay for Life
CARTER OSWOOD | staff photographer
by Ethan Clevenger News Editor tdnewsed@drake.edu
The 7th annual Relay for Life at Drake University was held at the Knapp Center last Friday. While exact numbers are currently unknown,
CARTER OSWOOD | staff photographer
MEMBERS OF DRAKE BUSINESS FRATERNITY ALPHA KAPPA PSI (above) carry a poster as they complete their first lap. Many lanterns like THIS ONE (right) lined the track around the Knapp Center Friday night while members of the Drake community walked laps. Each lantern is in remembrance of someone lost to cancer.
Colleges Against Cancer co-President Robin Sautter said that over 600 participants registered online, and she believes at least 500 actually attended the event. Current estimates of money raised are around $33,000. The team also met several other goals including total teams, the participation of a faculty team and the amount of
sponsorship they were able to acquire. “Overall, we were extremely happy with this year’s Relay for Life,” Sautter said. “We received quite a bit of positive feedback from students... Colleges Against Cancer is excited to already start planning the next one.”
Senate talks racial issues on campus Students pack Cowles’ fishbowl to start the process by Lauren Ehrler
Staff Writer lauren.ehrler@drake.edu
Seats were in short supply, but emotions were not at last Thursday’s meeting of Student Senate. Close to 100 senators, students, faculty and staff crowded into the glass room on the second floor of Cowles Library last Thursday night. A majority of the students present were there to show support for the petition that was written in response to an act of racial discrimination that happened on Drake’s campus. “One of the reasons we’re very, very upset this evening is because… this is not an isolated incident,” said Matt Martin, a member of the Coalition of Black Students.
The incident mentioned in the petition involves a white student yelling out of a window in Jewett to a group of black students walking passed. The white student yelled, “and get off our campus. We don’t want you on our campus. We don’t like…,” according to the petition. Martin said that although more serious and blatant incidents have happened in the past, other students, faculty and even President David Maxwell urged the students involved to speak out this time. “There are a lot of black people who are uncomfortable on this campus,” Martin said. Martin asked Student Senate for a response, but other students who showed up in support thought fostering communication could also be an
outcome. Former Diversity Interest Senator-At-Large Tanaya Thomas urged students to offer suggestions and ideas on how to combat the current racial relations at Drake. “Even though this topic — race — is an uncomfortable topic to talk about, it needs to be discussed,” Thomas said. Others were for fostering discussions and communication. “It’s from small discussions that great change can be,” said Sen. Sumit Sen. Sen. Erin Hogan said that action should have taken place prior to the incident.
SEE SENATE, PAGE 2
Latex paint proves to be a non-issue by Kathryn Kriss
Staff Writer kathryn.kriss@drake.edu
JANET ECKLES | staff photographer
THE PAINTED STREET is often worn by the time the snow melts, so switching to oil-based paints may have been disastrous for the tradition.
We’ve all seen the signs papered around Olmsted, Hubbell and the residence halls — no latex allowed. Because of students with life-threatening latex allergies, all products have been banned from the campus. Even something as small as a stray balloon can set off an allergic reaction that requires a trip to the hospital. Latex is a milky fluid that comes from the sap of rubber trees. Accord-
ing to the American Latex Allergy Association, while the actual substance is not harmful, the body confuses it for something that is. Latex allergies only affect 1 percent of the population, but that means there are still 3 million people that need to be cautious around everyday household items like rubber gloves and baby pacifiers. There are several types of latex allergies. Some people suffer localized allergic reactions from skin contact with the substance. Other people are fatally affected by simply inhaling it, with their airways closing
up and their whole body going into shock. Other people, like health care workers, develop it over long periods of time by wearing latex gloves, and the symptoms are usually restricted to the areas that are in contact with the latex, like hands. We’ve all been warned enough times and understand the grave importance of keeping latex out of the halls and free from the campus. However, some people have started won-
SEE LATEX, PAGE 2
>> CAMPUS CALENDAR >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> WHAT: Sigma Alpha Iota Recital
WHAT: “Art and Politics Now”
WHERE: Sheslow Auditorium
WHERE: Cowles Library
WHEN: Monday, April 2, 7:30 p.m.
WHAT: Rob Scheps/Frank Basile Quintet
WHAT: “Dissecting the European Financial Crisis”
WHERE: Turner Jazz Center
WHERE: Bulldog Theater
WHEN: Tuesday, April 3, 9 p.m.
WHEN: Wednesday, April 4, 7:30 p.m.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 3, 7 p.m.
inside
NEWS
OPINIONS
FEATURES
SPORTS
Senate candidates announced — elections incoming
Petition to end racism at Drake has over 500 signatures
Turner Jazz Center to host renowned jazz group
Women’s tennis holds of Northern Iowa
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