Eastern News
Thursday
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DECEMBER 1, 2011 V O LU M E 9 6 | N o. 1 6 1
EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CHARLESTON, ILL. D A I LY E A S T E R N N E W S . C O M T WIT TER.COM/DENNE WS
Drunk Driving Prevention Month begins
Panthers win thriller in Overtime
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C AMPUS
Students speak out against lab damage Months of research, work lost for some By Nike Ogunbodede Campus Editor
Levi Gent is now unsure of how his life after Eastern will turn out since the chemistry department vandalism may hinder his chances of getting into a good graduate school. Gent, a senior chemistry major, is one of the many students affected by the recent vandalism that took place against the chemistry department. Gent, who is in his final year at Eastern, said he never expected to see a university department the target of an act of vandalism. Classes on the third and fourth floors of the Physical Sciences Building were held as normal on Monday
after damages were discovered before Thanksgiving break that may exceed $100,000, according to a university press release. Although Eastern has given its professors the ability to decide whether or not to have class, many decided to cancel them on Monday. “It’s probably the worst thing I could imagine happening to a department,” Gent said. Gent said he does not understand why someone would feel the need to destroy valuable research. Gent said he was supposed to work on Gopal Periyannan’s, a chemistry professor, biofuel research project, which has been halted until further notice. “That’s short changing me,” Gent said. “One of the big things they look at is undergraduate research and if I don’t have that—like I should—then
that could hurt my chances.” Kim Melohn, a senior biological sciences major, said she was not aware of the vandalism until she looked on the Eastern website on Sunday. Melohn is also chemistry minor. She said she did not think it was a big issue because the website said classes would continue. “When I walked to class on Monday, a classmate told me class was actually canceled,” she said. Melohn said she does not understand why someone would specifically target the chemistry department. “I think it’s completely disrespectful because there are a lot of people that depend on that equipment,” Melohn said. Savannah Kapper, a freshman chemistry major, said she enjoyed not having classes for a day. DAMAGE, page 5
University confirms chemistry lab damage exceeds $100,000 Staff Report
The damage to equipment in the chemistry labs has been reported to exceed $100,000, according to a university press release on Wednesday. The vandalism to the chemistry labs on the third and fourth floors of the Physical Sciences Building was discovered on Friday. Some chemistry samples and other materials from faculty and student research projects were ruined during the vandalism. The materials represent months, and in some cases years, of research
Caught off guard
work by faculty and students, the press release said. The university is in the process of filing an insurance claim for the damage. The process of inventorying and storing damaged equipment continues, and insurance claim adjusters are expected to be on campus to review the damages within a week. The University Police are still investigating the vandalism and are asking for anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-866345-8488, text “crimeleads” to 274637, or call the EIU Police Department at 217-581-3212.
DOUDNA
‘Shape of Things’ debuts By Samantha McDaniel Activities Editor
DANNY DAMIANI | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Andi Peterson, a senior marketing major, is rushed by the crowd while she hands out NBA 2K12 for the Playstation 3 during half time at the Eastern men's basketball game against Maine in Lantz Arena Wednesday.
STUDENT SENATE
Board rate increased for Fall 2012 By Rachel Rodgers Administration Editor
The room and board rate for Fiscal Year 13 faces an increase of 3.25 percent compared to the 3.5 percent increase from FY 12 and the 6.5 percent increase from FY 11. Mark Hudson, the director of University Housing and Dining Services, presented the room and board rate update determined by six students serving on the bond revenue committee at the last Student Senate meeting of the se-
mester Wednesday. A resolution commemorating head football coach Bob Spoo’s 25 years of service to Eastern was also presented during the meeting as well as the election for Student Senate speaker. The room and board rate is decided by how expenses affect the income budget, which is about $25.48 million. The budget is determined by the assumption of 80 percent housing occupancy, Hudson said. According to the expense report, increased expenses totaled about $1.26
million, which made the room and board rate increase 4.97 percent. However, an offset revenue adjustment of $523,069 caused the rate increase to decline by 1.72 percent, making the rate increase 3.25 percent. The offset revenue adjustment consists of income funds from factors such as the Eastern application fee that prospective students pay and income from off-campus students who pay for a meal plan. Hudson said one aspect that assisted with a lower room and board rate increase was a decrease in payment to en-
ergy debt. The expense went from $820,673 during FY 12 to $171,647, which is a decrease of $649,026. “This decrease is seen because part of the debt on the energy plant is being paid by energy savings, which are not available until FY 13 so that is why there is a gap,” Hudson said. The room and board rate update will be presented at the Residence Hall Association meeting today at 5 p.m. in the Stevenson Hall lobby.
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Loving who you are and being yourself was the main theme in a performance by four cast members Wednesday. The theatre department performed “The Shape of Things,” a play to show how far someone is willing to go for love. The play tells the story of Adam, a shy and self-conscious student on a small college campus in the Midwest, and his transformation at the request of Evelyn, an intense artist. Throughout the play, Evelyn encourages Adam to change himself in order to test just how far she could transform him. She even suggested Adam gets a nose job, which he does. At one point in the play, Adam says, “You are dangerously close to owning me.” Adam’s relationship with Evelyn tests Adam’s connection with his other friends, Jenny and Phillip. Adam transforms at Evelyn’s request by changing his diet, working out and getting rid of a coat that he refused to be without until Evelyn convinced Adam to get rid of it. In the play Phillip said to Adam, “I just hope next time I pass you, I recognize you.” The play showed audience members just how far a man will go to keep the woman he loves, by even breaking his relationships with his friends. Molly Manhart, a senior theatre arts major, who played Evelyn, said she thought the play sent a message to be an individual. SHAPE, page 5