TECHNICIAN
november
13 2012
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Pedestrian safety under scrutiny Sara Awad Staff Writer
Students filled Witherspoon Student Center to address safety concerns about the problematic intersection of Western Boulevard and Avent Ferry Road Thursday. The intersection connects student neighborhoods and Centennial Campus to North and Central campus. The event, which doubled as an information session, marked an important step in a study that is examining potential solutions to improve safety in an intersection that sees a heavy flow of vehicular traffic, cyclists and pedestrians. The study is being conducted in conjunction with the Capital Area MPO, The City of Raleigh, the North Carolina Department of Public Transportation and the University, with the main goal being the separation of “bicyclists and pedestrians from vehicular traffic with segregated crossing locations,” according to the project’s website. City of Raleigh Transportation Planner Gerald Daniel said the study is under the “data analysis and public input phase.” Upon further examination of the information that has been received, the study will enter the “alternatives analysis phase,” Daniel said. While many studies have looked
tuesday
UNC System’s future uncertain Elizabeth Moomey Staff Writer
Other student concerns include the amount of time given to cross the intersection, and whether an extension of that time frame is needed, Daniel said. Potential solutions range from a pedestrian grid or tunnel and
Last week, the UNC System Board of Governors proposed to decrease the time frame students have to add or drop a class. Student Body President Andy Walsh said changes like this are only the beginning with the system’s current leadership. The Board of Governors decides the terms of financial spending, academic standards and the mission of UNC System to further prepare students for the workforce. The BOG’s recently proposed to decrease the drop date, currently eight weeks after the start of the semester, to 10 days after the start of the semester in addition to listing the dropped course as a withdrawal on students’ transcripts after that date. The Board has started working on its five-year academic strategic plan for each university — a plan that has already gotten many students involved.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF NCSU TRANSPORATION
A student crosses Western Boulevard, a high-traffic road that stands in the way of many pedestrian commuters.
into long-term improvements in response to automobile and pedestrian accidents that have frequented the intersection, this study is designed to explore short-term and medium-term alternatives, with emphasis being placed on pedestrians and cyclists, Daniel said. In regard to student sentiment, there has been a vast array of opin-
ions, Daniel said. “Quite a few students have said that [the intersection] could potentially be dangerous to them because as a pedestrian, when you have motorists not obeying the law with the signal lights, you know it can be really challenging at times to try and cross without being in the way of a motorist,” Daniel said.
Stewart Theatre to close in December The curtain will fall on Stewart Theatre as of December 16 when it is scheduled to close as part of the Talley reconstruction. The theatre will reopen in May 2015. While the theatre is closed, new sound and lighting equipment will be installed to maximize the space’s capacity. “Stewart Theatre is unique on our campus and we know this closure will affect many departments and organizations that currently
CHRIS RUPERT/TECHNICIAN
Vince Duro and John Jacobs, members of the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, announce that Campus Police will be certified to operate under the organization’s standards.
insidetechnician
Police renew accreditation Sam DeGrave Deputy News Editor
The N.C. State University Police Department joined an exclusive group when it was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., in 2004, but at about $12,000 per three years, membership isn’t cheap. CALEA charges an annual continuation fee of $3,915 in addition to other costs including fees for nametags and car decals, which show the department’s accreditation, according to N.C. State Chief of Police Jack Moorman. Though accreditation may be expensive, Moorman, who has worked at two accredited agencies, said that it is beneficial to Campus Police. “Accreditation gives us another set of eyes, another set of guidelines to ensure that we’re doing things the right way,” Moorman said. The N.C. State University Police
Department is currently under review for its third reaccreditation. To be accredited by CALEA, law enforcement agencies must adhere to each of the 480 standards established by the commission. Vince Duro, a member of CALEA’s assessment team, is one of many law enforcement officers who travels to agencies that apply for accreditation or reaccreditation to determine whether they meet the commission’s requirements. Duro, along with John Jacobs, also a member of CALEA’s assessment team, attended a hearing Monday afternoon at N.C. State where Representatives from nine university organizations including the GLBT Center, Transportation and University Risk Management recommended that Campus Police be reaccredited. According to Duro, only 3-4 percent of law enforcement agencies nationwide are accredited by CALEA.
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The Gregg Museum moves to a new home See page 3.
Hype Team injects enthusiasm into basketball crowd See page 8.
viewpoint features classifieds sports
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‘Skyfall’ brings Bond back into top form See page 5.
Duro said that accreditation holds agencies responsible because the commission is very clear about what they expect of institutions and their employees. Tim Johnson, profession standards manager for Campus Police, coordinates the department’s effort to meet the standards set by CALEA. “It’s a continual process,” Johnson said. “The moment the assessment team leaves, we begin accumulating evidence of our compliance with CALEA’s standards for the next reaccreditation period.” The N.C. State University Police Department was the first in the UNC System to be dually accredited by both CALEA and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement
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schedule events in the facility,” a University Theatre and Division of Academic and Student Affairs press release stated. Students who will graduate before the theatre reopens can say goodbye at one of several performances being held before winter break. For a calendar of events, visit http:// calendar.activedatax.com/ncstate/ CalendarNOW.aspx?fromdate=11 /1/2012&todate=11/30/2012&disp lay=Month
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