THE BG NEWS ESTABLISHED 1920 | An independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
VOLUME 94, ISSUE 76
BG municipal administrator named Lori Tretter to take over Fawcett’s position July 1 By Kathryne Rubright City Editor
City Council unanimously confirmed Lori Tretter as Bowling Green’s next municipal administrator at its March 16 meeting. Mayor Richard Edwards asked for Tretter’s confirmation based on her education and understanding of the position. “Lori Tretter is well-prepared by academic training and by experience to be the next municipal administrator,” Edwards said. She earned a degree in political science from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree in public administration from Bowling Green State University. Tretter has worked for the city since 1997. Since 2007, she has been the assistant municipal administrator. She will assume the role of municipal administrator on July 1. “She is thoroughly familiar with all aspects of the job,” Edwards said. “John Fawcett has planned well for Lori’s succession by increasingly giving her more line management responsibilities, including having a lead role in the development of the last two city budgets.” Edwards said that planning for a successor is not always appropriate, but an open search for candidates was not necessary in this case due to Tretter’s qualifications. Council President Michael Aspacher said he “wholeheartedly and with no reservations” supported the appointment. Tretter thanked Edwards and Council for the confirmation, and Fawcett for his guidance. She called it an honor to serve Bowling Green’s citizens. The Bowling Green Human Relations Commission presented the Honor Roll Award to Kelly and Laura Wicks for promoting diversity through Grounds for Thought. Grounds for Thought is “much more than a coffee shop” said Reverend Mary Jane Saunders of the commission. It is an “informal community center ... where all kinds of people come into contact with each other.” This promotes people understanding one another, and
Counseling center talks to USG
Resolution for reorganization of committees announced By William Channell Managing Editor
Assistant Director of the Counseling Center Denise Litterer addressed the Undergraduate Student Government at its Monday meeting. She gave a general overview of the University counseling center and answered questions from USG. The counseling center, which is located in college park behind Falcon Heights, has walk-in hours from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, Litterer said. “That is the way we find is fastest,” she said. Much of Litterer’s time was spent addressing concerns with the counseling center’s budget. According to a handout passed around during
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the meeting, the counseling center’s budget in 2014 was a projected $728,202. Most of that comes from student fees and the educational and general fund. Litterer said roughly 95 percent of the budget goes to paying staff. Litterer said the counseling center would like to add more support staff but, “in general, however, we’re not planning any significant increases in our budget. “We don’t perceive that, however I think we want to stay creative in how we fund our services,” she said. The counseling center generally conducts a preliminary meeting with students, and then decides on a course of treatment from there. The center’s staff consists of six licensed psychologists, two professional counselors, a part-time licensed social worker and a case manager trained as a public health administrator. Litterer said the number of students who use the center has increased
SWIPES for the HUNGRY
Program lets students donate meal plan By William Channell Managing Editor
University students often find toward the end of a semester that they have more swipes than they can hope to use. The Falcon Care program is aiming to help students put those swipes to good use. The program, which has been in effect since the fall semester, allows on-campus students with meal plan to donate unused swipes to students who are in need of food. Much of the concern comes from the needs of off-campus students in particular, according to sophomore Nadia Oehler, who spearheaded the program. Oehler is the Student Affairs Chair in the University Undergraduate Student Government. “There is this huge need by students struggling with hunger that typically happens off-campus because they don’t have the dining meal plan that’s required of all on-campus students,” she said. “[Falcon Care] kind of just spurred out of this desire to do something about students who were feeling like they had too many swipes at the end of
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CAMPUS
ST. PADDY’S DAY CELEBRATION
LOCALS CELEBRATE St. Patrick’s Day in Stone’s Throw. See more St. Patrick’s Day photos on BGNEWS.COM
FOOTBALL BEGINS AGAIN BG Football begins spring practice as handful of injured players return. Matt Johnson among those returning from injury as he finds himself in a deep quarterback competition. | PAGE 6
See USG | Page 2
competition, where students contend for a variety of notable awards, scholarships and a chance to advance to compete at the National JSHS. Annual symposium “It’s high stakes,” Duran said. “The topics and the level of these presentations – it’s to be hosted in Olscamp unbelievable. These kids are remarkable.” The 52nd Annual Ohio Junior Science The JSHS Program was first developed by and Humanities Symposium [JSHS] the U. S. Army Research Office over 50 years begins its opening session this Thursday ago to promote, encourage and recognize at 8:30 A.M. in Olscamp Hall, followed by ongoing presentations throughout the the nation’s best scientific researchers at the high school level. It now receives the morning and afternoon. combined support of the Army, Navy and All events are open to the public. Air Force. The event offers a platform for the The Ohio JSHS is hosted by the state’s leading high school students conNorthwest Ohio Center for Excellence in ducting original research in the STEM [sciSTEM Education and the School of Teaching ence, technology, engineering, math] fields and Learning at the University. to present their work to professionals at “It’s just an honor to be involved with the top of their respective disciplines. these students,” Duran said. “We have an “There’s very little like this around the opportunity to see what the top kids in Ohio country,” said Emilio Duran, Ohio JSHS are doing in our own backyard.” director. “There’s a lot of science fairs, but Following another session of presentations this is way beyond that.” throughout Friday morning, awards will be The symposium is also a prestigious presented at 2:30 P.M. in Olscamp.
BRIEF
PAIGE APKARIAN | THE BG NEWS
VICTIM BLAMING
Guest columnist Ashley Hardwick talks about how society blames victims of sexual assault. She says that we should support victims, and put the blame on perpetrators, instead. | PAGE 3
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR FOOD? “I’m actually a hunter-gatherer, so that’s not an issue.” Charlie Sheehan Senior, Liberal Studies