Volume 90, Issue 9 | November 3, 2010
the
Charger Bulletin The official student newspaper of the University of New Haven since 1938.
www.ChargerBulletin.com
ACJA-LAE Members Win Big At Regional Conference
By SARA J DUFORT STAFF WRITER
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– While most students at our university were worrying about homecoming weekend, eleven members of the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) were on their way to compete in their annual regional conference at West Virginia State University. These students had spent weeks preparing and hoped that they would come away with some trophies for their efforts. They were chosen by a panel, and included Sara Dufort, Timmy Farmer, Roman Gray, Rjay Irons, Angela Martello, Devin McCabe, Ross Oliver, Stephanie Pajak, Liliana Queiroga, Kyle Turpin, and Adam Wolfe. While the road was not easy, in the end, these students’ dedication paid off. What people do not realize about conferences like this is that they are not all fun and games. These students had to be prepared and study. With only three weeks, this was a difficult task for the newcomers, as they did not have to take just one written test, but five. The subjects were from a wide variety of subjects in the criminal justice field: Criminal Law, Police Management, Corrections, Juvenile Justice, and ACJA-LAE knowl-
edge. There was also a competition in crime scenes, shooting, and physical agility, which arguably needed less preparation. The students who competed revolved their day, and their outfits, around these tests, and this would be where the fun factor came in. For instance, when the shooting competition was taking
place, everyone dressed up in black ACJA t-shirts, camouflage pants, boots, and painted their faces blue and yellow for UNH. On the final day, the members changed not only one time, but three. This brought them a lot of attention from other chapters, as well as the judges. When all was said and done, our chapter of the ACJA, Psi Omega, came away with the coveted Spirit Award. All the students noted above received this. Yet the conference was not only about testing and getting the spirit award. After all, the students were in West Virginia for almost five days. West Vir-
Feds Approve Largest-ever Solar Project in California By LIANA TEIXEIRA STAFF WRITER
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Associated Press reports that the Obama administration has approved a solar project located on federally owned land in southern California. This comes after a five-year hiatus from the Bureau of Land Management
cost approximately $6 billion. Solar Millennium, a German solar developer, is assisting in its production. “Today is a day that makes me excited about the nation’s future,” Salazar said Monday at a news conference. “This project shows in a real way how harnessing our own renewable resources can create good jobs here at home.”
AN AP PHOTO
when solar developers asked for rights to develop solar plants on federally owned land. According to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, the thousandmegawatt project will be constructed in an area of the Mojave Desert, near Blythe, California. The project is called the Blythe Solar Power Project and will
The approval of the Blythe Project marks the sixth federally authorized solar power project this month; all projects are located in California and Nevada. With a seventh project awaiting approval in the coming weeks and a total of fourteen projects planned, this enthusiastic reSee SOLAR page 5
Political Ads Get Mean Around Elections body — and our laws.”
By ASHLEY MCDOWELL STAFF WRITER
“Candidates have told me that every dollar spent on a positive ad is a wasted dollar in 2010,” Have you seen any of the po- says Larry Sabato, director of litical ads on television lately? the Center for Politics at the It seems that individuals cannot University of Virginia whotold escape the hundreds of adver- Yahoo! News. “In other years tisements from our candidates voters might have been interand politicians, as everyone is ested in seeing the candidate’s bombarded with who should be spouse, kids, and pets, or hearelected. Coast to coast, north to ing about all the great things the south, midterm races have candidates going negative in ads in a big way. And this time it’s getting personal, aimed at the private lives and even the religious beAN AP PHOTO liefs of opponents. Political operatives and member of Congress observers wonder how low it can has done for the district, but not go before Nov. 2. this year.” It seems like more negative According to Yahoo! News, agents from these organiza- ads have been put out in this all but gone are the biographitions and get information about election than any other. Ken- cal spots of the past, with a how they might apply for a job. tucky Democrat Jack Conway’s candidate walking in a field or As well, each day there was a ad suggests that not having through a factory. Forget about presentation. One day the stu- Christian beliefs disqualifies Re- voter-in-the-street testimonials. dents learned about what a Fu- publican Rand Paul for a U.S. What’s coming through the TV sion Center is and another, they Senate seat or public office at all. screen these days is mostly mud. In addition to the personal learned about a case in West Vir- For his part, Rep. Alan Grayson played ugly with an ad equating attacks, Democrats are blasting ginia from a retired agent of Buhis GOP opponent in Florida’s Republicans by accusing them reau of Alcohol, Tobacco, FireEighth Congressional District of wanting to privatize Social arms, and Explosives (ATF). When all the testing was done, with the Taliban for his opinions Security. Republicans are blastthe awards banquet came, along on women. The tagline: “Tal- ing back with claims that health See POLITICAL page 4 with anxiety about whether they iban Dan Webster: Hands off our might win a trophy. The first catText message your news tips and comments to egory that was announced was the academic awards. For CrimiThe Charger Bulletin! nal Law, Rjay Irons took second ginia State University planned a variety of demonstrations and presentations to keep them occupied while they were there. For instance, on the first day of the conference, they held a career fair that included agencies like the FBI, DEA, as well as local law enforcement agencies. The students were able to meet
See ACJA page 6
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1 (270) UNH-NEWS 1 (270) 864-6397
New Jersey Weighs New AntiBullying Laws
but clearly weren’t enough. This one’s going to make a big, big –––––––––––––––––––––––––– difference.” The problem with the earlier laws was that they For eight years, New Jersey were too passive. They only enhas tried to protect students from couraged programs, instead of bullying by passing laws that enforcing and requiring them. encourage schools to set up anti- Many school employees are not bullying programs. Yet with the adequately trained to deal with recent suicide of a Rutgers stu- bullying problems; however, the dent, 18 year old Tyler Clementi, it brings up the question, were they doing enough? Some anti-bullying advocates argue no. Now, New Jersey lawmakers are considering adopting the toughest anti-bullying laws in the United States. Yet what constitutes “enough,” and what are the im- new laws would change this. plications that this could have on Included in the law are prothe school districts? visions about training nearly Current laws in New Jersey all school employees of how to only encourage school districts identify, handle, and prevent hato implement anti-bullying pro- rassment. This is important begrams, and strong warnings cause harassment often happens against bullying in college “code in classrooms and on school of conduct” information. Senator property. If all employees, not Diane Allen stated that the ear- only guidance counselors, were lier laws “broke some ground, able to identify these problems, it By SARA J DUFORT STAFF WRITER
would be detected sooner, rather than later. As well, another provision requires that harassment off campus be reported as well, if they have gotten a compliant. This part of the law is in wake of the more recent attacks occurring on the internet, through things like Facebook and instant messenger clients. Another way to prevent bullying on schools is addressed in the law as well. Currently, it is difficult for schools to handle bullying, as they don’t have enough man-power, and it is often the sole job of a guidance counselor. The new laws AN AP PHOTO would require that schools form safety teams that would shape policy and that would review how bullying is handled. As well, the schools website would have to clarify who is in charge of bullying issues. This is because, when a parent hears about a problem with bullying with their child, they don’t know who to turn to. See BULLYING page 6