THE BG NEWS Tuesday Volume 101, Issue 134
CAMPUS
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Colleges support new education plan Many agree the new education plan for Ohio schools is a good start for increasing quality | Page 3
WORLD
Olympic torch extinguished in France The final leg of the Olympic torch’s run through Paris has been canceled due to large groups of protestors attempting to steal the torch | Page 9
FORUM
COMMITMENTS Relations hips Students’ stress increases as semester reaches end
Guilty until proven innocent Columnist Zach Franks wonders why Leonard Peltier was given two life sentences after a gunfight with the FBI even though he was never proven beyond reasonable doubt to have been guilty | Page 4
Falcon tennis rebounds in MAC conference Lady Falcons claim three wins after a rough start in MAC play | Page 7
Papers, projects, jobs, commitments, relationships and grades — all matters that today’s college students face during the many weeks of the semester. The problem arises when they’re forced to focus on all of these things at the same time. Then comes the stress. According to a recent national study by The Associated Press and mtvU, an MTV television network available at various college campuses, including here at BGSU, most college students are extremely stressed out. The study, conducted with anonymous questionnaires at 40 random colleges around the country, found that four out of 10 college students are faced with stress often. Nearly one in five of surveyed students between the ages of 18 and 24 said they’re stressed most of the time. Most students reported the classic signs of stress: trouble concentrating, sleeping, lack of motivation, agitation, worriment or fatigue. Some students even complained of eating disorders, loneliness or depression. For college students attempting to stay committed to classes and extracurricular activities, these various symptoms can be overwhelming. Some students handle these demanding situations in more drastic ways. One in five stated that they have thought about dropping out of school. One in six of the students surveyed stated they have had a
There are many different ways to help students cope with stress. Here are some of them: ■ Keep realistic expectations. ■ Think positive. ■ Get a massage. ■ Schedule four 5-minute breaks ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
throughout the day. Exercise or yoga. Listen to your favorite CDs. Dance. Play with pets. Shop, without buying. Allow yourself to have some free time.
SOURCE: BGSU Health Center
friend who has considered suicide. Like those on most college campuses, BGSU students are also stressing. But what causes such stress that students ponder ending their college careers or even their lives? “Students are feeling pressure with so many things at the same time,” said clinical psychologist and University professor Eric Dubow. To deal with those pressures, Dubow suggests students prioritize. “Making social activities a good reward for yourself for getting [duties] finished, instead of using them as a way to
See STRESS | Page 2
By Kristen Vasas Reporter
After running the Undergraduate Student Government for the last academic year, former President Johnnie L. Lewis and former Vice President Nick Gamero prepared to hand the reins over to new administration at last night’s meeting. In an effort to continue their path of change, Lewis and Gamero called a new type of meeting — one that specifically dealt with transitioning incoming and outgoing senators. “Last year we had a brand new senate and there wasn’t a lot of discussion about what happened and what worked,” Lewis said. “We wanted to create actual, physical, tangible time to sit down and make transitions from this year to next year.” Gamero, who was in charge of running the meeting, began by having senators introduce themselves in an effort to build familiarity with incoming members of USG. “Use the people who were here this year to learn what happened over the course of last year,” Gamero said. “Working together makes things run more smoothly.” In an effort to prepare for next week’s committee chairs and speaker elections, Gamero and Lewis had the current position holders explain their roles and progress they had made in the last year. Student Welfare Chair Melinda Grooms, Academic Affairs Chair Liesl Dye, Organization Liaison Chair Leo Almeida and Speaker Jeremy Lehman addressed the roles of their committees within USG
John Waynick Sworn in last night as USG president
Johnnie L. Lewis Former USG president
Nick Gamero Former USG vice president
and explained what incoming senators should expect in terms of progress. Although nominations for the positions were made last night, nothing is finalized yet, Gamero said. Emergency nominations and voting will be occurring at next week’s meeting. But while USG waits to elect their new committee heads, the former chairs already have expectations for the senators who take over their positions. “Whoever takes the role of speaker needs to be fair and balanced, as well as a great communicator,” Lehman said. “They need to remember that by leading the senate, they are representing their own constituents as well as reminding senators to represent their constituents as well.” Almeida noted that the senator who takes over his position
See USG | Page 2
Students convey images of respect By Kristen Zenz Reporter
PEOPLE ON THE STREET
RELAX AND DE-STRESS
By Matt Liasse Reporter
Columnist Brian Kutzley wonders what is the point of taking ‘back the night’ without a plan to back up the words | Page 4
SPORTS
Projects
USG works to ease in newcomers
ILLUSTRATION BY CARRIE CRANE | THE BG NEWS
How does one ‘Take Back the Night’
WEATHER
S E D A GR JOB S
S R E P PA
April 8, 2008
ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
What’s stressing you out the most right now?
KEN GIFFORD, Sophomore, Digital Arts
“Probably approaching final’s week. Tests, essays, a lot of art projects.” | Page 4
TODAY P.M. Showers High: 64, Low: 54
TOMORROW A.M.. Showers High: 58, Low: 37
R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Students are showing what respect means to them through the University’s B!G on Respect video contest. The contest, co-sponsored by the Human Relations Committee and the president’s office, aims to raise respectful awareness in a fun way and to promote positive human relations on campus. Bethany Snyder-Morse, a graduate student studying rhetoric and writing, defined respect in two broad ways because the concept is not tangible. Ultimately, she said respect is simply treating others the way you want to be treated. Despite the ambiguity, SnyderMorse thinks people are generally respectful on campus. She portrayed her definition in the contest through a slide show. Her video uses different versions of the same image, people holding hands, to convey and reinforce the idea of respect. At the end of the video, a slide reads “something to hold on to.” “You can say a lot with just one image,” Snyder-Morse said. Interpretations of respect were left in the eye of the beholder, and contestants were allowed to submit a video in any form as long as it was free moving. Slide shows, PowerPoint presentations, interviews, raps and skits were acceptable as long as they conveyed the
“Anyone can help anyone, it doesn’t matter [the] skin color.” Matt Cass | Sophomore meaning of positive human relations and respect for one another on campus. “It’s rare to find a video contest that caters students to find a creative outlet,” SnyderMorse said. Matt Cass, a sophomore majoring in telecommunications with an emphasis in film, also entered the contest with help from his roommate. Their short skit, “Falconman and Rooster,” is a comical parody of the 1965 Batman series with Adam West and Burt Ward. Their film features men running around with masks hiding their faces. Their race or ethnicity aren’t apparent, Cass said. “Anyone can help anyone, it doesn’t matter [the] skin color. It doesn’t matter anything,” Cass said. He hopes that people will watch the video because of its humorous nature and subliminally think about respect when they see the masked men. According to Barbara Toth, chair of the Human Relations Committee, “Respect is
See CONTEST | Page 2
BRIAN KERSEY | AP PHOTO
SOMEONE TO TALK TO: Notes from a recent call are seen at the National Runaway Switchboard in Chicago. Hundreds of calls come in daily to the hot line where staff members and volunteers pore over an extensive database of crisis callers. In data provided exclusively to The Associated Press, the group’s statistics showed that callers are getting younger and that they had been abused or neglected.
National Runaway Switchboard provides advice to teens in need By Martha Irvine The Associated Press
CHICAGO — The young caller’s voice is high-pitched and trembling. Her mother’s been drinking, she says. They got into a fistfight, so the girl grabbed her backpack and a cell phone and bolted, with little thought about where a 13-year-old could go on a cold night.
Hiding in an alley off her rural hometown’s deserted main street, she calls the only phone number she can think of: 1-800RUNAWAY. “I just don’t feel like I’m taken care of like a daughter should be,” the girl tells the volunteer who answers the phone at the National Runaway Switchboard. She stutters between sobs and shivers. Her story is a common one
at the Chicago-based hot line, which handles well over 100,000 calls each year, many from troubled young people who are dealing with increasingly difficult issues. Nationa l Runaway Switchboard data provided exclusively to The Associated Press shows that the overall number of young callers
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See HELPLINE | Page 2