THE BG NEWS Wednesday
Student warrants know no bonds
January 17, 2007 Volume 101, Issue 80 WWW.BGNEWS.COM
NOT NEWS
Guess what ladies? We’re looking for you
By Alexandria Clark Senior Reporter
BGSU police have been called at least 10 times this past year because of students’ disruptions in classrooms. This past year there has been a lot of frustration by faculty on how the police can enter their class to serve a student with a warrant. “It causes an intimidating environment on how the police
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CAMPUS
Would you wear a Batman outfit to a job interview? You probably shouldn’t | Page 5
Will Congress’ 100 hours help out students? With half of student aid from loans, the Democrats promise relief | Page 3
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can come into the classrooms,” said Bill Albertini, assistant professor for the English department. James Wiegand, police chief, said out of his 10 years working on the force the past five years this issue has gained interest by faculty. “We try not to go into the classrooms, but wait for the students before or after class,” Wiegand said. “But we are bound by law to arrive at a classroom if called by
faculty or students.” Wiegand also added how the police must immediately get in contact with the student in any case of an emergency such as a death in the family. “We are requested to come into the classrooms to contact the student due to an emergency,” said Wiegand. The police are sometimes called by Student Life to deliver a letter to a student because of disciplinary problems.
Newest home for those who enjoy fantasy New Frontiers provides alternative hangout for gamers
The wear and tear of competition
SPORTS
The once modern BGSU athletic facilities are showing their age | Page 6
BG Falcons stay undefeated in 2007 The women’s team wins eighth straight | Page 6 ECHO VARGAS | THE BG NEWS
JORDAN FLOWER | THE BG NEWS
OPINION
To stay or not to stay? That is the question Two opinion writers take differing stances with their views on the president’s new Iraq plan | Page 4
Not everyone in college ready for sex
WEATHER
PEOPLE ON THE STREET
Even with students knowing all the facts, many are still making mistakes | Page 4 Do you support President Bush’s new plan for Iraq?
NEAIRA WILLIAMS, Freshman, Marketing
“No, I don’t. I think we should let them [Iraq] handle their own situation.,” | Page 4
TODAY Sunny High: 30, Low: 22
TOMORROW Mostly Cloudy High: 38, Low: 27
GAMERS WELCOME: Top: Reuben Wittaker, BG community member, contemplates his next strategic move. Left: New gamers lounge opens on Main Street next to the Cla-zel Right: A ribbon cutting ceremony for gamers lounge on Main Street.
ECHO VARGAS | THE BG NEWS
Community center fighting to make profit By Lisa Halverstadt and Kristen Schweitzer City News Editor and Reporter
The Bowling Green Training and Community Center on West Newton Road has offered workout equipment, bikes, belly dancing classes and even Dance Revolution since its opening in August 2005. But even these amenities couldn’t help the 79,000- square foot center make a profit this year. At yesterday’s city council meeting, Parks and Recreations Director Michelle Grigore announced the first full year of earnings for the rec center. The facility costs $500,000 to run but the facility has made just $245,000 in the past year, she told council. That means only 49 percent of the cost to run the facility is paid back in earnings. “I didn’t know what to expect as far as the first year of operation,” Grigore said. “ It’s OK though. I’d just like to see us closer to 60 percent.” She said she hopes the facility will reach 80 percent by 2010. Council member John Zanfardino said he’s not surprised by these numbers.
“No one expected it to break even or make money the first year,” Zanfardino said. Robert Callecod, the former director of parks and recreations for the city, was the person who really helped get the project going. He visited at least 50 similar community centers in Colorado and Ohio to plan the facility the city had been hoped to build since 1974, Grigore said. When she took her current job in 2005, workers were already laying the floors in the building. Immediately, it became Grigore’s responsibility to operate the center. But not all locals are happy with the facility as it is. At-large council member Terry Dunn, said he’s concerned about the facility’s location. “It might be difficult for younger kids or people walking to get to,” Dunn said. And according to Grigore, many residents want the center to have an indoor pool. To have this would’ve required at least another $4 million. The facility, which was fund-
See CENTER | Page 2
But the use of police action is Student Life’s last resort. “Off-campus students are really hard to find because they tend to give false local addresses or cell phone numbers,” said Jill Carr, interim assistant vice president Student Life. Carr said Student Life relies on the police to serve the letters because they have a larger staff. Michael Ginsburg, assistant dean of students, said Student Life goes through many steps to
contact the student before going to the police. “First we try to get the student’s report through the computer from BGSU police or city police,” Ginsburg said. The second step Student Life takes is the secretary looking up the student’s information on Facebook, and then send a brief summary through e-mail. Another issue that concerned
See CLASSES| Page 2
Studying abroad worth every penny By Laura Lee Caracciolo Reporter
Education abroad programs attract over 400 BGSU students a year to countries ranging from Australia to Africa. In addition to paying for their general education, the students who choose to participate in the program are required to pay extra fees to cover the expenses of studying abroad. Although prices may increase, students are just pre-paying for activities they would have to pay for anyway once they are overseas. The fees for studying abroad include application fees to cover the administrative costs of a program, room and board fees associated with a particular program, group travel expenses which include costs to museums, events and local group transportation costs and in-country program expenses directly linked to academic goods and services such as classroom rental costs, books, supplies and guest lecturers, said Nicole Anderson, interim director of the education abroad program. The price varies from program to program and depends on whether the student chooses to go for a semester or during the summer. The cost is reviewed every year and is approved in the fall by the Board of Trustees, said Kathy DeBouver, secretary of the continuing and extended education department. Anderson explained why the education abroad fees increase or decrease from year to year. “Reductions in fees
ALISON KEMP | PHOTO PROVIDED
SALZBURG, AUSTRIA: One of the study abroad options is the summer program in Salzburg, which is a three-week session of German classes. Fees include trips to local sights, including Festung Hohensalzburg, the city’s fortress and location for this photo. Mozart performed many of his compositions at Salzburg’s main cathedral, which is in the wcenter of the photo.
may reflect efforts by program directors to reduce program costs to minimize financial barriers to study abroad. Increases in fees may reflect increased expenses passed along by partnering institutions overseas.” Sue Sidor, of the GermanRussian department, noted that the Salzburg programs haven’t increased significantly. “Any changes that have occurred are due to the decreasing value of the American dollar when converted to Euros,” Sidor said. “These program fees are a necessary part of providing students with the outstanding opportunity to take courses towards their degree at BGSU while living in a foreign country,” Anderson said. “The university strives to keep associated costs as low as possible while providing students with an exceptional educational experience.”
Boy born from embryo found in Katrina aftermath By Janet McConnaughey The Associated Press
COVINGTON, La. — Rescued from a great flood while he was just a frozen embryo in liquid nitrogen, a baby boy entered the world yesterday and was named after the most famous flood survivor of them all, Noah. Noah Benton Markham — 8 pounds, 6 1/2 ounces — was born to 32-year-old Rebekah Markham by Caesarean section after growing from an embryo that nearly defrosted in a sweltering hospital during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. “All babies are miracles. But we have some special miracles,” said Wanda Stogner, a cousin of Markham’s. Relatives gathered around New Orleans police officer Glen Markham as the proud 42-year-old father carried the tiny blanket-wrapped bundle topped by a pink-and-blue cap out of the operating room at St. Tammany Parish Hospital. For a few seconds he tried to make them guess whether the baby was a boy or a girl. Then he announced, “It’s a boy!” to an eruption of cheers
ALEX BRANDON | AP PHOTO
BLESSED OUTCOME: Rebekah Markham kisses her new son Noah Benton Markham after the birth at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington, La., yesterday. Rebekah Markham was pregnant with an embryo that was rescued from a hospital in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
and applause. Two weeks after Katrina hit, law officers used flat-bottom boats to rescue the Markhams’ embryos and some 1,400 other ones stored in tanks of coolant at New Orleans’ Lakeland Hospital. The tanks had been topped off with liquid nitrogen and moved from the first floor to
the third as the storm drew near, but the hurricane swamped the hospital with 8 feet of water and knocked out the electricity. The Markhams had decided if their baby was a girl, she would be named Hannah Mae, Hannah meaning “God has favored us.” A boy would be named after the biblical builder of the Ark — an idea that came from Rebekah Markham’s sister-in-law. “That is the best name!” said Ramon Pyrzak, lab director for the Fertility Institute of New Orleans, where the Markhams created embryos from their sperm and eggs after nearly a decade of inability to have a baby. Noah’s older brother, 2year-old Glen Witter “Witt” Markham Jr., whose embryo was created at the same time as Noah’s but implanted immediately in 2003, stood on his mother’s hospital bed and leaned forward to give the baby a gentle kiss. “So soft!” Witt said. If the embryos had thawed, each woman who wanted another baby would have
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See NOAH | Page 2