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THE BG NEWS
ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Volume 90, Issue 42
www.bgviews.com
Faculty vote ‘yes’ for unionization gible full-time faculty members, who then cast their votes to SERB. Following the announcement, the FA celebration began and some COLUMBUS — The votes are in, and faculty unionization passed members shed tears of joy. “The victory is the culmination Wednesday, 391-to-293. The State Employment Relations of thousands of hours of hard work Board announced the confidential by dozens of volunteers over a twomail-in ballot results Wednesday year period,” said David Jackson, FA afternoon following a tally at its president. “Faculty are eager to take a headquarters in Columbus in front more active role in shaping the direcof representatives of the Faculty tion of the University and helping to solve its problems.” Association and the administration. The pending faculty union will not The polling period was held from Sept. 28 to Oct. 12, when ballots were only affect the University, but other secretly mailed to more than 800 eli- universities statewide and beyond, By Alissa Widman Reporter
Jackson said. “We hope this victory inspires faculty on other campuses in Ohio to pursue a similar count,” he said. The vote followed a two-year campaign by the FA, a chapter of the American Association of University Professors, although this is the third time the University has voted on faculty unionization. The University now joins seven other Ohio four-year public institutions whose faculty unions are affiliated with the AAUP.
See UNION | Page 10
MAX FILBY | THE BG NEWS
BALLOTS: Representatives from the State Employment Relations Board check union ballots for correct postmarks at SERB headquarters in Columbus on Wednesday. The representatives counted 684 valid votes, which indicated a faculty desire to unionize, with 57 percent in favor of the union.
Bowling Green fire levy to affect firefighters’ future By Jason Henry City Editor
University organizations are putting the word out during breast cancer awareness month
The Bowling Green Fire Department is seeking a 0.08 percent income tax increase in the November elections to maintain its current level of service and staff. “That would be added to the 1.92 percent income tax that citizens pay for earned income,” said John Fawcett, municipal administrator. “The result would be, obviously, 2.0 percent. For that 0.08 percent, we anticipate that would be sufficient to make up what we project to be the shortfall in our fire levy fund, sufficient to keep six firefighters on the job.” Fawcett said it is not known if all six firefighters would be laid off if the levy does not pass, but some of the department’s 51 uniformed staff members would need to be let go. “We’ve had devastating fires, where there was a tremendous amount of loss of property, and its always a very sad event,” Fawcett said, “Because we have such a good response time, a very well trained fire force and excellent equipment, often times the damage is minimal. If we lose something
“We have cut about everything else we could possibly cut other than personnel.” Stephen Meredith | Fire Chief as critical as six firefighters in a fire station, I fear the outcome.” Fawcett said the amount generated by the levy, $600,000, will allow the department to maintain the workforce in its entire strength. Financial Director Brian Bushong said that 26 staff members’ salaries and benefits are paid through money in the current levy fund, but the remaining funds can only support 20 employees. Without a new levy, the current fund’s balance will be as low as $98,943 down from a peak of $2,222,143 in 2002. To cut costs, a five percent decrease in the city’s non-utility workforce has already been made, but more reductions will be needed if the levy does
See LEVY | Page 10
By Danae King Reporter
University President Carol Cartwright knows what it is like to receive a diagnosis of breast cancer. “I was diagnosed 18 years ago as a result of a routine mammogram and I had surgery and I had a great prognosis,” Cartwright said. “I’ve been fine ever since.” She was serving as president at Kent State University at the time, and while she said it didn’t have much of an impact on her work, “it certainly affects your life, you take a deep breath and have a long conversation with yourself about what’s really important in life,” Cartwright said. Cancer awareness is important, she said, and not just in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “I think it’s incredible when you think about how far we’ve come in building awareness and raising money for research, [cancer awareness is] a big success story I think,” Cartwright said. This month many University organizations are hosting several activities to promote awareness.
LAUREN POFF | THE BG NEWS
PRESENTATION: Thomas Trimble and Allison Coffman, from the University of Toledo, present their topic of collaborative programming to create student engagement in Go Green Projects.
Carol Cartwright University President The World Student Association partnered with other student organizations to set up a bake sale in the Union to raise awareness. The table will be there all week and it is filled with baked goods and the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. A member of the WSA was directly affected by breast cancer, so the group decided to support breast cancer awareness.
See AWARENESS | Page 10
Sustainability Conference gives students green ideas By Asia Rapai Reporter
The conference offered presentations by faculty, administration and students from the University and from University of Toledo, as well Being “green” brought people from diverse disciplines together for a as professionals focused on sustainsustainability conference hosted by ability operations. The conference is part of a prothe University on Wednesday. The BGSU Center for gram to have every region in the Environmental Programs host- state regularly hold sustainabiled its second annual conference, ity conferences, said Nick Hennessy, “Perspectives on Sustainability: Sustainability coordinator. The first Collaboration in Higher Education For the rest of this story, go to www.bgviews.com in Northwest Ohio” in the Union.
CAMPUS VISION remembers victims
SPORTS FORUM Take Back the Night comes to BG Soccer falls on senior night
VISION, the University’s LGBT group, held a candlelight vigil Wednesday to honor the gay youth who committed suicide across the country | See Photos Page 3
In light of recent sexual harassment at the University and around the nation, Take Back the Night raises light on women’s rights, according to columnist Kate Noftsinger | Page 4
The BG men’s soccer team dropped a 2-1 contest to No. 15 Michigan State on senior night, with Dusko Topolic scoring for the Falcons | Page 6
PEOPLE ON THE STREET How do you believe the myths about the University seal were made? JASMINE MILLER Freshman, Mortuary Science
“To give the tour guides a story to tell.” | Page 4
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