THE BG NEWS Monday
February 2, 2009 Volume 103, Issue 92
CAMPUS
WWW.BGNEWS.COM
ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
New sheriff in town
Transportation liability issues
Organizations are discouraged from using personal vehicles to get to events, but some groups find it’s the only way | Page 3
FORUM
Learning from a comedian
Forum Editor Kyle Schmidlin suggests we can learn a lot from what the late Bill Hicks said in a comedy sketch that aired recently | Page 4
NATION
STATE
Dedicated to the homeless
Dr. Bob Donovan works to make a difference by providing medical treatment to homeless individuals | Page 9
Kentucky receives help
After many residents were negatively affected by recent ice storms, the National Guard stepped in to help out | Page 5
SPORTS
Match against NIU victorious The men’s basketball team had their third consecutive win this weekend against Northern Illinois University, 69-61 | Page 6
AT BGNEWS.COM: Check our Web site for video footage of President Cartwright’s address.
New president remains positive in address despite economic issues
Cancel classes before I get on the road!
Guest columnist Audra Kimball thinks the University needs to be more prompt when alerting students about snow days | Page 4
BEN LOHMAN | THE BG NEWS
IT’S OFFICIAL: Newly installed University President Carol Cartwright gives the State of the University Address in the ballroom Friday.
By Andy Ouriel and John Bisesi The BG News
Students bring world lessons to BG By Ella Fowler Reporter
A group of student activists is trying to inspire change in the Bowling Green community. FREEDOM is an organization utilizing experiences from various trips to an Arizona Navajo reservation, South Bronx and other “engagement experiences” to inspire community change here at home. “The idea [of FREEDOM] is you bring back whatever you learn from those places and use it here [in Bowling Green],” said Reise Sample, president of FREEDOM. FREEDOM is about helping the community by centering on different aspects of social awareness, Sample said. “FREEDOM is a community focused on social justice, cultural awareness and the art of human expression, which encompasses all ways of how people express themselves and how important that is in getting community work done,” she said. This definition of FREEDOM is what Sample puts on posters throughout the University, but FREEDOM does so much, it is hard to describe what the group is, she said. FREEDOM has been involved with a wide range of community activities including after school programs, community gardens, open mic nights, activism workshops and on-campus protests.
See FREEDOM | Page 2
As University President Carol Cartwright was installed Friday as the University’s 10th president, she was honored not only with the traditional presidential charter and medallion, but with something Board of Trustee Chair John Harbal II said she could put her good luck toward. At her State of the University Address, Cartwright was given a lottery ticket with numbers like
one, as in being the first woman president of any state university in Ohio and the University, and 10, as in the number of total presidents at the University. If she does hit, Harbal has an idea what she could do with the money. “I think the jackpot is around $30 million and that should help the students here,” Harbal said jokingly. Previously at Kent State
See PRESIDENT | Page 2
State waits for budget announcement By Freddy Hunt Editor-in-Chief
University administrators across the state of Ohio are holding their breath as Gov. Ted Strickland prepares to announce the first draft of the state’s new two-year budget today. In his State of the State address last Wednesday, Strickland said he will balance a $7.3 billion deficit by calling for state program reductions somewhere between 10 and 20 percent and also with the help of $3.4 billion in federal aid. Education has always been a priority of Strickland’s, and educators across the country let out a collective sigh of relief Wednesday after he reconfirmed that higher education is a priority and a part of the state’s recovery plan.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOHN SPINELLI
MENTOR AND FRIEND: Spinelli was on friendly terms with many of his students.
Professor dies at 69 By Kate Snyder Assistant Campus Editor
Joseph Spinelli taught geography at the University for 35 years. He died last Tuesday of pancreatic cancer at age 69. Spinelli had no children, but over the years he kept in contact with several former students, some he considered his goddaughters and godsons. During the weeks before he
See EDUCATION | Page 2
See SPINELLI | Page 8
PEOPLE ON THE STREET
TROTTING INTO ANDERSON What did you think of Bruce Springsteen’s half-time performance at the Super Bowl?
TRAVIS PARKER Sophomore, ENGT
“It was okay but not really my thing.” | Page 4
ENOCH WU | THE BG NEWS PHOTOS PROVIDED BY FREEDOM
RAZZLE DAZZLE: A Globetrotter dribbles a ball between his legs during a pre-game freestyle at Anderson Arena. Turn to page 10 for more photos from the game.
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