Best of ESU Special Section E M P O R I A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
THE BULLETIN T H U R S DAY, A P RI L 28, 2016
THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1901
V O LU M E 115 - N U M B E R 26
Weather scare closes campus for first time A riel C ooley editor-in-chief
For the first time ever, the Emporia State campus closed because of the threat of tornadic weather, Tuesday. A campus communication was sent out that said the university would shut down at 3:30 p.m. because of a severe weather threat. Carrie Boettcher, public service executive, participated in situation briefings with the national weather service starting on Friday. She is also part of a group called Integrated Warning Team, a local team of first responders and emergency management for other groups in town. “For severe weather events, my role as emergency manager for the university is to provide administration and departments throughout the university with sound, up-to-date informa-
Another budget cut in cards for ESU A riel C ooley
tion regarding the potential for severe weather,” Boettcher said. “Administration and departments take the information provided through the integrated warning team to plan and consider whether or not changes to our regular business activities are needed.” “It wasn’t just tornadoes,” said Gwen Larson, assistant director of Media Relations. “There was potential for very large hail–the type that I have never seen in my life.” Larson said another reason for closing campus was because of the threat of flooding. “Early closure was a precaution to assure that students, faculty, staff and guests to campus were not out in horrible weather, for their safety,” said President Allison Garrett. “In addition, because many faculty and staff rely ESU closed down their doors at 3:30 p.m. April 26 due to inclement spring weather. There
see CAMPUS page 7 was potential for baseball-sized hail throughout the day. WENDY BRIGIDO | The Bulletin
HORNET LIFE
Students Fight Gender Violence
editor-in-chief
Emporia State faces another 3 percent cut to funding from the state. The state faces a projected shortfall of more than $290 million that will need to be found in the next 15 months, according to the Associated Press. Gov. Sam Brownback currently has three proposed options to fill the shortfall. All plans include a cut for higher education and the Kansas Department of Transportation. Brownback plans to carry the state university cuts from March into the next fiscal year, according to the AP. “We will be analyzing various options to address the cut, but it’s too early to say what the impact will be,” said President Allison Garrett. “How much the impact will be felt will depend on fall enrollment, for example.” The 3 percent cut would come from state funding, which makes up about one third of ESU’s budget. Higher education state funding was cut by 3 percent Cheyenne England, junior psychology major, and Joseph Leiter, sophomore rehabilitation service education major, lead a group of less than two months ago. This students at the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, April 22. The walk encouraged male and female students to walk down Commercial Street in women’s heels to raise awareness for violence against women. ALAYNE WEBER | The Bulletin helped fill a $53 million gap of expected revenue in February. “I have two concerns about the current state of funding of higher education in Kansas,” Garrett said. “First, unpredictability makes planning difficult. Stable funding would A riel C ooley support the kinds of long-term editor-in-chief planning universities must do. Second, I am concerned that Visser Hall is closed until over time universities will start Monday due to a blown transto pass more and more of their former. costs along to students.” The transformer blew TuesWerner Golling, vice presi- day, right after the university announced it would be closing see BUDGET page 7 at 3:30 p.m. for severe weather. It was purely coincidental that the transformer blew during WEATHER FORECAST this storm, according to Mark Runge, director of university facilities. “It was determined that the 69F 65F 64F damage was irreparable and 48F 53F 44F a new transformer was ordered,” Runge said. “The new THURS FRI SAT transformer will be delivered late Thursday. Installation will start on Friday. If all goes well, we will have power back on Debbie Rittgers, senior administrative assistant in the dean’s office, and Gwen Spade, administrative officer in 60F 63F 68F the Teacher’s College, set up an office in the atrium of Visser Hall to redirect students April 27. All other offices by the start of next week.” 44F 45F 46F The transformer was close have moved to the Joan’s Institute in the Earl Center for the rest of the week. TIFFANI WILIFORD | The Bulletin to 35 years old. SUN MON TUES “Now, facilities, Police and Gwen Larson, assistant direc- fixed over the weekend. the campus and students and Safety and emergency man- tor of marketing and media “Thanks to the efforts of faculty notified this morning Source: Weather.com agement are all dealing with relations. many, all face-to-face classes see VISSER page 7 INFOGRAPHIC BY what to do with Visser,” said The transformer will be today were relocated around
Visser Hall closes after transformer blows
WENDY BRIGIDO | The Bulletin