THE BG NEWS Day Friday
Month xx,5,2008 December 2008 Volume103, 103,Issue Issue70 x Volume
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SOARING INTO THE FUTURE: The plans for the new Stroh Center, pictured above, feature arena seating for 5,000 people and what will be the largest falcon statue in the world. University officials hope to increase the University’s appeal from the I-75 exit ramp with the center.
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ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
BGSU: down nine percent University of Toledo: up two percent University of Cincinnati: up two to 2.5 percent Ohio University: up five percent By Gina Potthoff Managing Editor
The number of freshmen applications to the University is down roughly nine percent from this time last year, and Director of Undergraduate Admissions Gary Swegan believes a sagging economy may be a chief culprit behind the declining number of applicants. Swegan has good reason to fear the economy’s impact on application rates. The decline in first-year applicants comes at a time when Ohio’s economy is facing a $640 million shortfall for the remainder of the year and a more than $7 billion projected deficit in the 20102011 operating budget. Because of the state’s declining economy, Gov. Ted Strickland and Chancellor Eric Fingerhut met with university presidents yesterday to discuss the future of higher education. Swegan estimates applications are down about 400 from last year, saying the numbers change from week to week and that more solid numbers would not be known until winter break. But while BGSU is seeing a slight decline in applications, other colleges and universities across the state are seeing an increase in the number of potential students. The University of Toledo’s numbers are up about two percent, said UT Director of Freshman Admissions William Pierce. “We haven't seen a drop off.Time will tell as we progress through the application stage to the enrollment stage,” he said. The University of Cincinnati has also seen an increase in first-year applications, up two to 2.5 percent from last year. UC has already received around 9,000 applications and Associate Vice President for Admissions Thomas Canepa said he’ll see how significant the economy’s impact is as more applications come in. “Students and families are going to be wrestling with higher education [costs] in Ohio ... some families will have to alter their plans,” Canepa said. At Ohio University in Athens, Director of Undergraduate Admissions David Garcia said their application numbers are up about five percent from this time last year. “If the [economy] is affecting the numbers, we’re not seeing it,” Garcia said. But even though OU hasn’t witnessed any direct effects yet, Garcia said the economy is definitely a concern.
See APPLICATIONS | Page 2
Anderson Arena is run-down and the University appears to be one giant gravel parking lot from the interstate. In effort to kill two birds with one stone, the University unveiled the design for its new $36 million Stroh Center Wednesday night. The Stroh Center will be the new nest for the Falcon volleyball and basketball teams, and up to 5,000 of their fans. Construction is slated to begin Fall 2009 and to be completed in late 2011. University Athletic Director Greg Christopher said the new arena will also benefit the community, hosting concerts, conventions and other events.
Christopher said the idea of building a new arena has been kicked around for nearly 20 years. While Anderson Arena may be a nostalgic and intimate setting for some Falcon fans, Christopher said it is riddled with problems surrounding parking, handicap accessibility, leaky roofs and heating and air-conditioning. “Hands down it’s the worst facility of its type in the Mid-American Conference,” he said. And to keep up with competing schools, Undergraduate Student Government Vice president Sundeep Mutgi said the University must improve its image. Mutgi had the opportunity to
See STROH | Page 2
He likes to cross boundaries, mingling art with life. By Kate Snyder Reporter
When most people think of art, they might think first of the “Mona Lisa” or Pablo Picasso. Most would not imagine someone living in an art studio for two days, lifting weights and reading Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” to a parrot. But Joe Meiser did. Meiser, a University art instructor, uses his art to research the connection between art, life and the human condition. “I’m really interested in art’s ability to invent other realities,” he said. As far as his two days of pumping iron and reciting philosophy to a bird, Meiser
See ART | Page 2
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS WEST | THE BG NEWS
Christmas preparations under way for University Catholic students as holiday nears By Colleen Fitzgibbons Reporter
In the upcoming weeks, students have been told that preparing for finals ahead of time is the best way to achieve high scores in their classes. But, for University Catholic students, preparing for Christmas will also go hand-in-hand with studying for exams in the last weeks of the semester. In anticipation of Christmas, Catholics have a four-week preparation called Advent. The University parish, St. Thomas More, will also be preparing for the holiday. “Instead of shopping, it’s often more of a spiritual checklist of what we can do to prepare ourselves for the season of Christmas,” the Rev. Michael Dandurand said. Advent started Sunday, Nov.
30 and will take place every Sunday until Dec. 21. Dandurand, who has been the priest at St. Thomas More for three years, said Advent Sundays are like normal Sunday masses, but the prayers are intensified. Participants study scriptures that particularly speak of the coming of Christ, and are reminded of other stories such as John the Baptist, the dreams of St. Joseph and of the Angel Gabriel inviting Mary to be the mother of God. Another difference in the mass is the color the pastor and people wear. “We wear purple as opposed to green or white,” Dandurand said. “So, purple is the color of the season.” The church-goers will also
See PREP | Page 2
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A PLACE FOR CATHOLIC STUDENTS: St. Thomas More University Parish, pictured above, is a parish for Catholic students located on Thurstin Street.
Springboard classes end after 12 years By Becky Tener Reporter
After 12 years of supporting and encouraging first-year students, Springboard will cease to exist next fall. Springboard Director Sandy Mencer said 48 sections of the class will be eliminated next year for finical reasons. Springboard was paid for by Ohio’s Success Challenge funds. But with a projected $640 million shortfall in the state’s budget predicted for the remainder of the fiscal year and a projected $7 billion deficit in both 2010 and 2011, money that would typically fund Springboard and other programs at the University is being cut. “With funds shrinking, [administrators] looked at which programs we needed to fund in different ways and which would be eliminated,” Mencer said. “Unfortunately we were eliminated.” One concern she has with the elimination of Springboard is retention. She said one of the main purposes of Springboard was to give incoming freshmen a sense of belonging, and without it they might not choose to stay at the University. Springboard aimed to build this connection by pairing each first-year student with a “coach,” or mentor. Mencer said coaching a student one-on-one gives them support and guidance and helps them transition into college life. “They pull you in, connect you, engage you in the University and show you someone is here to help,” she said. “They help students grow up from the inside.”
“They pull you in ... they help students grow up from the inside.”
Sandy Mencer | Springboard Director Next year, freshmen will have the option of a new class called FirstYear Seminar, Mencer said. But the program is very different from Springboard and does not offer students a mentoring experience. There are three pilot sections of the new class running this semester. With the elimination of Springboard and plans for the First-Year Seminar still up in the air, Mencer said she is worried about next year’s freshmen. “We train them to be the change we want to see in the world. Who’s going to be there?” she said. “Who’s going to take care of the freshmen?” Writing Program instructor Amy Rybak is teaching one of the sections this semester. She said First-year Seminar is not meant to replace Springboard, but is meant to help freshmen adjust by bringing together academic and student affairs. “There is no direct connection [between First-year Seminar and Springboard] and it was certainly not meat to be a replacement,” Rybak said. Rybak said one positive aspect of First-Year Seminar is that it will be able to reach all incoming
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See SPRINGBOARD | Page 2