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ESTABLISHED 1920 | An independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Monday, January 28, 2013
VOLUME 92, ISSUE 60
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Lecturer, author inspires Some students risk violations University students Theresa Williams teaches writing, poetry at University By Patrick Pfanner Reporter
She’s may not be a best-selling author, but senior lecturer Theresa Williams is among the most respected writers on campus. Eleven years after her book “The Secret of Hurricanes” was published, Williams has remained on campus, committed to developing great writers enrolled in her classes that focus on poetry, fairy tales and literature. Her warm personality and encouraging teaching style have made many of her critics, or students, fans. Williams’ “interest in the subjects [she teaches] woke something inside me,” senior Rick Russell said. “I found that I needed to continue my own journey long after the grades for the class had been submitted,” Russell said. After his class with Williams ended, Russell continued his interest in literature through researching authors across many genres. Russell took several literature class with Williams. In some of her classes, like her junior workshop class, students are required to write short stories. For this class, Williams employs a teaching style where students aren’t given a setting or idea. Rather, she supports her students as they create their own stories by not imposing page number or theme requirements. Williams believes such requirements can hinder creative thinking. For instance, when students finish writing their short stories, they’re required to print off enough copies for the entire class to read. Once read, the students review the work. Williams uses this exercise as a way for student writers to receive feedback from others — not just herself. “I try to figure out what students want out of their experience,” Williams said. “[Students] pay for these classes. They want to learn.” Some students appreciate this unconventional, yet refreshing approach in helping them
for parking convenience
Theresa Williams
LET IT OUT
Senior Lecturer, Author
Is parking frustrating you? Tweet your #parkingproblems at @FalconScreech
become better writers. “She invests her classes with a blend of precision and personalization,” Russell said. “Williams offers the students as many [options] on the subject that she can, but she leaves the student open and receptive for further education.” William’s attitude towards teaching influence her students to work harder with literature. “Her enthusiasm becomes infectious,” Russell added. “This is the hallmark of an instructor that goes way beyond the necessity of merely instructing.” Williams’ enthusiasm dates back to when she was 15, when her mother wanted to write a novel. Her mother lived a hard life and was never able to reach this dream, Williams said. Williams vowed she’d write a novel for her mother — and it became a labor of love, Williams said. “It was a promise I made that I thought I had to accomplish,” she said. The promise, however, came with difficulties. After writing the promised novel, Williams spent two years searching for a publisher. Eventually, the San Franscisobased publisher MacAdam Cage believed in Williams’ work and decided to publish her novel in 2002. “The Secret of Hurricanes,” a fiction novel, tells the story of Pearl Starling, a pregnant woman from the south who tells her unborn child of her life filled with tragedy, pain and the search for love, which she has never truly received. Publishing a book for some authors means becoming rich and famous, but when her book didn’t fly off the shelves, Williams
Parking tickets total more than 40,000 for 2012 By Patrick Pfanner Reporter
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old weather and long distances might seem like a reasonable excuse to park closer for classes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get students out of parking tickets. More t ha n 40,000 t ickets BY THE were issued by Universit y pa rk ing employees for ca rs NUMBERS: parked illegally in unauthorPARKING LOTS ized lots in 2012, and t hat • 53 total parking lots number has stayed consistent on campus during the past several years, • 3.5 million square Manager of Parking Ser v ices footage of parking lots Aaron Kane said. on campus About 25 percent of all tickets • 40,000 estimated issued were warnings, with the amount of parking tickets issued in 2012 remaining citations requiring illegal parkers to pay a fine. Most fines hover between $10 and $50, depending on the offense, Kane said. Parking Services employees couldn’t provide the total number of tickets issued in 2012. Generally, the interior parking lots, near the Education and Olscamp buildings for instance, produce a higher amount of citations since those are popular areas for classes, Parking Services Supervisor Bob Mason said. “If people are going to park in violation, they will do it close to where they’re going,” Mason said.
See PARKING | Page 3
See AUTHOR | Page 2
‘MUSIC MELEE’
Environmental factors responsible for strange smell on campus Odor blamed on swamp, caused by treatment plant By Amber Petkosek “It seems worse in the Reporter summer when there is Strange smells aren’t uncommon less water flowing in on a college campus, and there is one smell in particular that stands with the waste.” out at the University.
RYAN BARKAN | THE BG NEWS
PRAIRIE MARGINS and Sigma Tau Delta hosted Music Melee, an event similar to Battle of the Bands, Satruday night in the Union Multipurpose room. Ska, rock and rap bands participated in the competition. The Bandulu Territory (above) played in the competition, along with a few other bands. See more photos of the event on PAGE 3.
FAILURE TO LAUNCH
The Falcon basketball team fell to rival Toledo 75-62. Despite a strong all-around team scoring performance, fouls got the best of Bowling Green, landing the Rockets on the win. | PAGE 7
Some students have noticed an odor near the golf courses and parts of campus close to the courses, and some have speculated what the cause is. Utilities Director for the City of Bowling Green, Brian O’Connell, said the wastewater treatment plant is located on North Dunbridge Road, which is near the golf courses. “All the waste water from residents and customers goes there before it is released into the Poe Rd. ditch,” he said. The source of the smell some
KEEP LIVING STRONG
Guest Columnist Ryan Grof explains why he’s still a fan of Lance Armstrong and how the fall of an American hero definitely matters, but would be different under certain circumstances. | PAGE 4
Brian O’Connell | Utilities Director students may notice comes from the waste water plant, O’Connell said. O’Connell said the amount of complaints received often times will change with the weather. “It seems worse in the summer when there is less water flowing in with the waste,” he said. “On days with more rain, there are less
See SMELL | Page 2
WHAT DO YOU THINK CAMPUS SMELLS LIKE? “Sewage, dog kennels and a hookah bar.” Dominique Ballard Freshman, Medical Labratory Technology