Issue 5

Page 1

HILLSDALE PREVIEW

CAMPUS LIFE NIGHT

LAKERS SEEK VENGENCE

PACKED THE FIELD HOUSE TUESDAY >> See slideshow on Lanthorn.com

>> See B1

Grand Valley Lanthorn

Grand Valley’s student-run newspaper

www.lanthorn.com

Vol. 45 issue 5: Sept. 9, 2010

GVSU grad student leads Ride 4 Life By Derel Wolff GVL Staff Writer

GVL Archive

Simple: The campus health center now allows students to bill insurence providers.

Health center changes provider, billing system

After biking more than 1,000 miles from Holland, Mich., to Dallas, Texas, 10 local cyclists raised almost $60,000 for local Lakeshore Pregnancy Centers. Leading the “Ride 4 Life” cyclists, who left Holland on Aug. 28 and rode into Dallas on Wednesday, were Grand Valley State University communications graduate student Jason Craner and

LPC Director Mark Congrove. Craner, who is now the news director for 1260 The Pledge radio station, had been urging his listeners to donate to the cause on his programs and called in to the station three to four times a day during the ride to promote and raise awareness for the centers. With offices in Holland, Allendale, Allegan and Grand Haven, the LPC provides care and information for anyone confronting a crisis or an

op

GVL Senior Reporter

See Health care, A2

See Ride, A2

Courtesy Photo / Jason Craner

Service: Bikers raised almost $60,000 to support local Lakeshore Pregnancy Centers.

Academic spending remains

By Samantha Butcher The start of a new academic year brings in new illnesses, but as of last week, sick students will be able to charge their insurance provider at the Campus Health Center. On Sept. 1, Metro Health took over as a provider for the health center, which serves Grand Valley State University students, faculty and staff. The center, located in the Water Tower Plaza on the south end of the Allendale Campus, had partnered with Spectrum Health since 2002 but re-evaluated the relationship during the summer. “We are extremely pleased to expand our presence in Allendale and strengthen our ties to GVSU with this new contract,” said Mike Faas, president and CEO of Metro Health, in a press release. “Metro has been active on Grand Valley’s campus as the medical provider for various sports teams. We look forward to being on campus as the university’s chosen health care provider when students return to classes this fall.” Representatives from Spectrum Health could not be reached for comment. Andy Beachnau, director of Housing and Health Services, said his department had received complaints from students about the previous billing system, which required patients to pay for services up front and then appeal the claim to their insurance providers. Both Spectrum Health and Metro Health presented to GVSU officials, but Metro Health was chosen for their ability to bill insurance providers directly. Stacey Kammer, who manages both the Allendale and GVSU locations, said she was enthusiastic about the change. “We can provide more oneon-one services for people, and we focus on treating people like they’re one in a million,” she said. “I feel like our patients are our greatest aspect to our health care organization; we make sure each individual patient gets service and attention they need.” Kammer said the health center, which was recently updated with new technology, saw 50 students on its first day. “It was wonderful,” she said. “The turnout was unexpected but in a really great way.” The GVSU Campus Health Center offers general medical care, women’s health, physicals, immunizations, STD testing and laboratory services. Because Metro Health uses electronic records, students in need of secondary services

unplanned pregnancy. The other cyclists who participated in the Ride 4 Life all had connections to the LPC, either as a patient, volunteer or employee. Debby Congrove, Karen Cutshall, Carolyn Doyle, Betty Geurink, Sherry Hoppen, Cliff Lynema, Barb Meekof and Don Wickstra joined Craner and Congrove on the second-annual Ride 4 Life through the LPC. Despite training for several

priority Laker budget not on board with latest national spending trends

D

By Derek Wolff GVL Staff Writer

espite a growing national trend in increased spending on non-academic areas among the nation’s public universities, Grand Valley State University has not hopped on the latest

bandwagon. A recent study of college costs in the July 9 issue of The New York Times revealed that a declining portion of the annual budgets of most American colleges are being spent on instruction. The report suggests an increasing amount of the average budget is being spent on administration and recreational facilities for students. The Times reported that average tuition rose 45 percent at public universities and 36 percent at community colleges between 1998 and 2008. While tuition rose this year across the nation as well, spending on non-academic areas such as athletics has remained consistently low at pending has GVSU. The university is set to spend close to $184 million this year slowed, enrollment is on academic affairs and not going as quickly student services, which encompasses almost 68 and inflation is up; percent of the allotted all of which leads $272 million for the 2010-11 school year. to slower spending However, Athletics and Fieldhouse growth. Operations will receive - Jim Bachmeier close to $5.6 million VP of Finance and Administration this year, or 2.1 percent

“S

of the overall budget. The overall budget for 2009-10 allotted for roughly the same low percentage; $5.4 million, or about 2.1 percent of the $255 million in total revenues was given to athletics. Tim Thimmesch, GVSU’s assistant vice president of Facilities Services, explained that the allocation of funding in the facilities planning budget for athletics for the 2010-11 year helped build the new intramural turf field. “An annual budget process in October or November decides how much we spend on facilities,” he said. “Each building is different when it comes to athletics, compared to an academic (building) or a new eating center.” Jim Bachmeier, GVSU vice president of Finance and Administration, said a plant fund would largely cover the money needed to finance additions or renovations to athletic facilities. “There are a number of non-academic buildings that are crucial to the university,” he said. Academics was given more than two-thirds of the budget that year as well, as the university dished out a little more than $175 million toward academics and student services. The moderate increase in spending on athletics from $5.4 million to $5.6 million comes largely because of the addition of women’s lacrosse as a varsity sport this year. It was previously a club sport. Tim Selgo, GVSU athletic director, said most of the money that went into the recent addition came from last year’s initial increase. While the budget has remained low for athletics during the past decade, there is a small chance that an increase could be seen within this one, largely due to renovations or expansions toward Lubbers Stadium.

See Spending, A2

GVL Archive

Budget breakdown: The recreation center funded through a small portion of the university’s budget for non-academic spending. Contrary to national trends at other universities, GVSU only used 2.1 percent for non-academic purposes of its $272 million total budget.

INDEX

A

News......................................................A3 Downtown.......................................................A4 Opinion.........................................................A5 Advertisement..................................................A6

B

GVL Archive

Green: GVSU will be further rewarded for its sustainability through a new fund.

GV approves sustainability fund By Molly Waite GVL Senior Reporter

In October, faculty, staff and whole departments around Grand Valley State University will run into more funding to pay for new projects and free up budgets for other purchases. The Sustainable Community Reinvestment Fund, a brandnew program, will provide grants and loans to different parts of the university. “The Sustainable Community Reinvestment Fund is a program that provides funding in the form of start-up capital for projects that add value to the GVSU community,” said Bart Bartels, project manager of the GVSU Sustainable Community Development Initiative. “Grants will be available for student projects that add value that may not necessarily be measured in financial terms. Faculty, staff and departments can apply for loans to be repaid as savings to the department accrues. Once the loan is repaid, the departmental savings continues, thereby freeing up part of the budget for other purchases.” Previously, university funding was provided through the Sustainable Mini-Grants program, which will be absorbed into the Sustainable Community Reinvestment Fund next month. An oversight committee for the fund will review the applications and determine the best use of the funds, Bartels said. The committee chair is Wendy Wenner, dean of the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies. She is assisted on the committee by Steve Glass, Norman Christopher, Julia Mason and Bartels from the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies. Brian Copeland, assistant vice president for Business and

See Sustainability, A2

Sports...........................................................B1 A&E.........................................................B5 Marketplace................................................B7


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