THE BG NEWS Tuesday
November 4, 2008 Volume 103, Issue 52
ODD NEWS
CAMPUS
WWW.BGNEWS.COM
What can your minor do for you?
Gearing up for the big day Not just the popular vote: a student’s guide to the Electoral College
It turns out a minor in English can lend itself to a lot of versatility in masters and Ph.D. fields | Page 3
Making it right, 61 years later A woman recently found a book she borrowed from her high school library in 1947 and returned it, along with a check to pay for late fees | Page 12
By Kevin Morrissey Reporter
Today many University students will cast their votes for the next U.S. President, though many Americans do not know how the president is actually selected. “I don’t think that many people actually know what the electoral college does,”
NATION
STATE
FORUM
It is your civic duty to vote! Columnist Lori Weber asks students at the University to fulfill their civic responsibility this election by voting, writing that each vote impacts the outcome | Page 4
Lasik sales going down
WEATHER
PEOPLE ON THE STREET
SPORTS
BG Soccer goes to MAC Tourney The women’s team beat out WMU and are to face Toledo on Friday in the semifinals, while the men’s team face off against Detroit today | Page 7
MELISSA BARBER Sophomore, VCT
“Obama.” | Page 4
A voter registration campaign headed by the Undergraduate Student Government registered a record-setting 4,500 students in Wood County since the summer months. During the course of the summer and fall semester, USG headed a campaign with Graduate Student Senate, College Democrats, College Republicans and Progressive Future, among others, to register as many students as possible in Wood County. Deputy Director of Wood County Board of Elections Debbie Hazard said, “Although the Board of Elections is not active in voter registration drives, special interest groups are very active.” Board of Elections supplies information through press releases, its Web site and office resources, she said. Hazard’s office supplied USG with all the information needed to register voters. “The state-wide voter registration goal was to register 20,000 students, but it was well surpassed and Bowling Green registered over 4,500 students,” said USG President John Waynick.
The campaign targeted students through numerous strategies. During the summer, USG’s campaigning efforts resulted in 1,000 student registrations. This segued into their fall semester’s efforts including sending all on-campus students and 3,200 off-campus students voting information. Forty-five classroom
See USG | Page 2
Go out and vote! It’s your constitutional right.
Univ. employment stopped cold
Hiring freeze, a response to fund deficit By Kate Snyder Reporter
and was reduced again by $540 million in September 2008. The University’s operating budget was Two weeks ago, the University reduced by 4.75 percent, which issued a hiring freeze. amounted to slightly more than Faculty positions and student $250,000. hourly positions are exempted, About 30 percent of the so the only people affected by University’s finances come from the freeze are classified staff and state support. The money saved administrative staff. Classified staff from the freeze would be used to includes anyone who’s not a stu- make up for the cuts at the state dent, but is paid by the hour, such level. as secretaries, grounds workers “Salary dollars from non-faculty, and those working in facilities. open positions affected by this hir“Students will largely not feel ing freeze would be swept centrally the impact,” Vice Provost Mark and used to offset other operating Gromko said. expense shortfalls throughout the He also said this is not cause for year,” according to the memo. alarm, and the freeze is in response Additionally, if a department is to state budgetary issues. in the process of filling an empty According to a memo from classified staff position, they could President Cartwright circulated go through the provost office for through the University communi- permission to continue the hiring ty, the state’s budget was reduced process. Also according to the memo, by $733 million in January 2008,
STATE BUDGET CUTS JANUARY 2008: $733 million SEPTEMBER 2008: $540 million Source: University interim president memo
faculty have their own hiring process, which is largely why they are exempt from the freeze. Requests can also be made for positions considered “critical to the operation of an office or department,” as stated in a FAQ on the human resources home page. Rebecca Ferguson, the Assistant Vice President of Human
See FREEZE | Page 2
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF HOUNSHEL ORIGINAL UNION PHOTO BY BEN LOHMAN THE BG NEWS
Cell ban included on May balllot By Courtney Flynn Reporter
At last night’s city council meeting, Ordinance 7830 was passed with a 5-2 vote to put the driving with a cell phone issue on the ballot. Bowling Green residents will now be able to decide whether or not they think driving while talking on a cell phone should be considered a primary offense, which means drivers talking on a cell phone could be pulled over and issued a ticket for that sole purpose. Although the ordinance was passed, it did not get finalized without a lively discussion. Bowling Green resident Bill Freeman made his stance on the issue clear. He said only a few weeks ago he saw three children almost get hit by a distracted driver. If the driver were on a cell phone, those children could have been hit. Freeman urged the council to put the issue on the ballot, hoping it will pass as a law. “I ask you to search your conscience and put the issue on the ballot for Bowling Green to decide,” he said. Another Bowling Green resident, Norm Heineman, disagreed
“I feel this is a bad precedent for us on ordinances in general ...”
Terry Dunn | Council member at-large with Freeman’s stance, saying the ballot should be for issues of great importance, like taxes, and the issue should be decided by council members. City council member at-large Terry Dunn had a similar stance to Heineman. “I don’t agree with putting this issue on the ballot for a number of reasons,” Dunn said. “I feel this is a bad precedent for us on ordinances in general... This law sets new ground for Bowling Green and Ohio.” Dunn said he would be in a favor of a law that council could adopt and adapt as time goes by. Council member at-large Robert McComber disagreed with Dunn. “I thought a lot of points Terry
See CITY | Page 2
Duck hunters gather to preserve wetland habitat for fowl By Ira Sairs Reporter
TODAY Sunny High: 72, Low: 43
TOMORROW Sunny High: 71, Low: 43
By Elizabeth Hartman Reporter
Go to www.sos.state.oh.us to find your voter location.
Frederick Davis, the man charged for the murders of two clergymen, appeared in court and will have a preliminary hearing on Nov. 12 | Page 11
Who do you want to win the election?
USG registers record-breaking number of voters, ready for presidential election
said Chris Dawson, freshman. In fact, the official votes for McCain or Obama will be cast by a group of voters selected by the Secretary of State in December. Today voters will be selecting members of the Electoral College in the general election. Once it is determined who gets the most votes, one of two separate slates of electors are chosen, said Jeffrey Peake, associate professor of political science. If McCain wins Ohio a group of Republicans will be the members of the electoral college and vice versa if Obama wins. Each political party has a separate group of loyal party members ready to cast their vote, Peake said. These voters can hold offices, hold party positions or be large supporters of their party. He said the Electoral College also makes it possible for the winner of the general election to lose the popular vote. This has happened three times in history,accordingtotheU.S.National Archives and Records Administration, in 1824, 1872 and 2000.
See COLLEGE | Page 2
The number of corrective eye surgeries performed falls as people begin having to focus on necessities instead | Page 9
Shooter held without bond
ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
PHOTO FROM DUCKSUNLIMITED.ORG
DUCKS: Ducks Unlimited, a conservation conscience group, works to protect waterfowls.
North American duck hunters have united in protection of the same waterfowl they pursue. Ducks Unlimited, a national conservation group, is dedicated to preserving North America’s wetland habitats for the benefit of waterfowl. Frank Daniel Rzicznek, an instructor in the University’s General Studies Writing Program and potential faculty advisor for the BGSU chapter of Ducks Unlimited, explains the group is a conservation-minded
organization whose goal is to raise money for the awareness of wetlands preservation. The wetlands provide a habitat for waterfowl to breed and to exist. Rzicznek said the group is for anyone with an interest in the outdoors and environmental preservation. Junior Lawrence Coogan, an Environmental Health major, is trying to organize a chapter of Ducks Unlimited here in BG. Coogan contacted Ducks Unlimited, who sent a representative to meet with him. Although the group is still in its earliest stages and is not offi-
cially a campus organization yet, Coogan and others are determined to get the BG chapter started. “We had 20 people and few faculty members show up to our first meeting,” Coogan said. Coogan thinks there is definitely room for a wetlands habitat group here in BG. Rzicznek also said there is need for a BG chapter that can provide an outlet for students who may have been involved in similar organizations before
VISIT BGNEWS.COM: NEWS, SPORTS, UPDATES, MULTIMEDIA AND FORUMS FOR YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE
See DUCKS | Page 2