COLLEGIAN THE CA M ERON U N I V ER SIT Y
Monday, March 31, 2008
News
Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926
Bill could bring guns to campus By Jim Horinek Collegian Staff
Student Government Association election draws near. SEE PAGE 2
A&E
Books, pens, pencils, paper and guns. With the passage of HB 2513 this could be a common assortment of items that college students bring to campus. HB 2513 has been passed through the House and is currently in the senate. The bill will modify current state statutes that prohibit concealed weapons on college campuses. When the bill was first introduced it actually provided that all college students who posses a concealed weapon permit could legally carry a handgun on campus. After being amended HB 2513 only allows for CLEET certified or honorably discharged military personnel, who have a concealed handgun permit, to bring handguns on college campuses. Although he does not support this legislation John DeBoard, Director of the Office of Public Safety, believes that the creation of this bill may have been inf luenced by the recent acts of violence on college campuses throughout the nation. DeBoard is not the only person on campus who has
MCT Campus
The sound of music fills the air this week. SEE PAGE 6
Sports
Tennis star steps up to the net for last season. SEE PAGE 8
Voices
Long-time gamer harkens back to a simpler time. SEE PAGE 5
Volume 82 Issue 9
voiced a concern about HB 2513. All of the presidents from the 25 public colleges and universities have also expressed great concern over the implications of this bill. This group includes President Ross. “The solution is not more guns. Allowing the presence of concealed weapons on college campuses will be a severe detriment to efforts made to simultaneously prepare for and prevent such crisis situations,” President Ross said. Further disapproval of the bill has come from members of the Cameron University Student Government Association. President Ross went over several of the concerns that are associated with the passage of HB 2513. “There could be a misfiring of a weapon. There is the issue of theft. If someone is carrying a concealed weapon in his or her purse or backpack it could be stolen. There is also the issue, which I think is very real, if a concealed weapon is accidentally exposed in a class the students and the faculty member will rightfully be concerned,” President Ross said. President Ross went on to explain that
MCT Campus
even if there is no instance of the gun actually being fired there would be a great amount of resources that would be required to investigate simple misunderstandings as a result of a concealed weapon.
See GUN CONTROL Page 3
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ‘Changing Lives’ campaign surpasses original goal By John Robertson Collegian Staff After breaking records and turning heads, Cameron University’s Centennial Campaign, “Cameron University: Changing Lives for 100 Years, 1908-2008,” has drawn to a close after hitting its $10 million goal. Originally set into motion in 2006, the fundraiser, the largest ever launched by a regional university in Oklahoma and the first comprehensive campaign in Cameron’s history, had a goal of $8.5 million, but that mark was reached within the first two years of the three-year campaign. Although the progress was monumental, certain areas of the campaign still needed additional funding. “When we’d surpassed our original goal, we hadn’t quite reached the specific goals for the Bentley Gardens project or the new Student Activities Complex,” reported CU’s Office of Community Relations. In July of 2007, the decision was made to ask more of the community, and the “Dig Deeper Challenge” was launched, raising the final goal of the campaign to a staggering $10 million. In March of 2008, President Cindy Ross announced that the goal had not only been reached, but surpassed by an additional $1.5 million thanks to the contributions of regional businesses, foundations and CU’s own faculty. “The unprecedented success of the campaign ref lects the tremendous generosity and leadership of the community,” President Ross said. “The overwhelming support of the community is particularly meaningful as we stand on the brink of celebrating the Centennial Year.” The fundraiser itself was designed to address specific areas of the CU campus. In order to maintain CU’s status as one of the most affordable universities in the state, $1.3 million will be added to CU’s already strong scholarship program. In addition, endowed faculty positions, which support internships, student and faculty research and travel opportunities, will see a $2.3 million increase in funding and $490,000 will be applied to helping CU continue the phenomenal growth seen in recent years by providing funding for University Advancement. The biggest part of the campaign, is the
addition of a brand new and stateof-the-art Student Activities Complex. Located at the center of campus, the $6.5 million complex will house a student union, student activity areas, meeting rooms, an art gallery, dining areas, and even a ballroom on the second f loor overlooking the Bentley Gardens, a landscaping project intended to enhance the beauty of the CU campus by providing a lush scenic area for staff, students, and visitors to enjoy. As the centerpiece of the campaign, the Student Activities Complex is designed to serve the needs of students as well as reach out to the community that helped make the project possible. “The construction of a new Student Activities Complex continues our commitment to provide a complete collegiate experience for our students, offering a learning and recreational space unmatched by other regional
universities,” President Ross said. “In addition to serving students, we hope the gardens and the new complex will be equally popular locations for the community.”
See FUNDRAISER Page 3