Technician
tuesday april
5
2011
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Education chief weighs in on sexual violence Department of Education strives to reduce assaults nationwide.
the matter, saying she wanted to protect her friend’s identity. Messick said one way students can ward off potential assailants is taking John Wall preventive measures. For instance, Staff Writer Messick said she prefers not to walk The federal government released around campus alone. “I never walk around by myself, beguidance on how colleges and high schools should combat sexual assaults cause that’s not smart,” Messick said. Monday afternoon – less than a week “I am a cadet in the Air Force ROTC, after an attempted sexual assault was and we usually have a wingman go with us. It’s like a buddy system.” reported on campus. Duncan said the guidance report Arne Duncan, secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, hosted released by the Department of Edua conference call from Washing- cation is intended to prevent sexual ton, D.C., that outlined widespread violence by raising awareness of the sexual assaults on campuses across issue. “Our guidance discusses proactive the nation. During the conference, Duncan proposed several cures for efforts schools can take to prevent sexual violence. It provides examples sexual violence. Duncan and the Department of of strategies schools and the Office of Education investigated cases of sexual Civil Rights are using to help end sexassault. Duncan said that although he ual violence and remedy its effects,” Duncan said. had not heard about Messick said there t he assau lt here is only so much govat N.C. State, he and ernment can do in his office would be preventing sexual viglad to investigate. Arne Duncan, secretary olence and assaults. “According to one for the U.S. Department of “It comes to the widely referenced Education poi nt where it ’s study, one in five mostly a personal women are sexually assaulted while in college,” Duncan decision what one can do for oneself. said. “Women are not the only vic- I think for the most part, [assaults] tims. About 6 percent of male college are something that can be preventstudents also report being sexually ed,” Messick said. Duncan discussed the fact that assaulted.” Sarah Messick, a freshman in politi- sexual assaults occur in high schools cal science, said a friend of hers had as well. “The problem is not limited to highbeen sexually assaulted, but Messick said she did not think the friend re- er education. Recent data show there ported the assault to authorities. Mes- are nearly 4,000 reports of sexual batsick declined to comment further on tery, and over 800 reported rapes and
“Women are not the only victims.”
Sarah Tudor/Technician
In the Court of North Carolina, flags are placed in the ground on Monday; one in four of these flags are red to represent the one in four women on a college campus who will be a survivor of rape or attempted rape by the time they graduate. The Movement, which is a group of male and female students who aim to educate others about issues like sexual violence and cyberstalking, placed these flags.
attempted rapes in our nation’s high schools,” Duncan said. Freshman in mechanical engineering Landon Whetstone said that although he does not know anyone at N.C. State who has been sexually assaulted, his girlfriend was assaulted in a parking lot while in high school. “My girlfriend got grabbed in a parking lot. She was walking to her car after work. It was in a public place; a shopping center,” Whetstone said.
Whetstone and his girlfriend reported the crime to authorities. He said the perpetrator reportedly repeated the act to “one or two more people,” but was never apprehended. Tabitha Frahm, a senior in psychology, said that when she received the email regarding the sexual assault, she was surprised. “I wouldn’t expect [sexual assault] to happen on our campus, but I guess it happens a lot,” Frahm said.
Frahm said she feels safe walking around campus. “I [feel safe], but it’s probably a false sense of security. I’m usually only here during the daytime, but when I used to have night classes it was scary,” Frahm said. Frahm said that given the recurring nature of sexual assaults on campuses nationwide, the federal government has the right to step in and try to reduce the frequency of assaults.
Skaters, police work for safer campus Eatery to premiere
on Centennial Campus
Enrolled students allowed to do ‘flat-ground’ tricks on campus.
Innovation Café to include Chick-fil-A, salad bar, deli.
Elise Heglar Staff Writer
As the weather turns warm, Campus Police officials say they see a noticeable increase in skateboarders. Skating has become so popular at the University that some students have formed N.C. Skate, the official University skate club. Skating is very popular, but it can also be very dangerous. To mitigate the risk to skaters and pedestrians, Campus Police has been working with N.C. Skate since last spring to ensure everyone skating on campus remains safe. According to campus officials, safe skating by students is permitted anywhere on campus. “Students are permitted to use it as a mode of transportation. As long as there is no damage to University property, it’s OK,” Officer Amy Wilson, with crime prevention, said. To help keep campus safe, Campus Police officials drew up an agreement with N.C. Skate on July 14. The agreement states skateboarders are allowed to skate in the “flat spot” located outside of the Free Expression Tunnel, as long as they are only doing “flat-ground” tricks and are aware of pedestrian traffic. Flat ground tricks are tricks Sarah Tudor/Technician a skateboarder can perform on a flat surface without any While skating in what is commonly known as the “Flat Spot” among N.C. State skateboarders, Patricia Carrow, obstacles such as ramps or half-pipes. “We made this policy because we wanted to have some- a junior in marine biology, is about to ollie over a rail on thing specific to go by when dealing with skateboarders on Monday. “I’ve been riding around for years, but trick-wise, campus. It’s pretty rare to see problems with it,” Wilson I just started in freshman year,” Carrow said. for the N.C. Skate, according to Zach Vile, a freshman said. Matt Olszewski, a sophomore in wood products and a in First Year College and member of the club. He said he member of N.C. Skate, said the policy is helpful. Members likes skating with all types of people, but sometimes nonof the club were given a printed copy of the policy to carry students cause trouble by leaving trash outside and being around and show to Campus Police if officers ever stopped disorderly. “It’s bad for the club and good for the sport. Skating is them for skating. “It definitely reduces problems. For the most part, we’re all about unity, but sometimes they make us look bad,” skating in a concentrated area,” Olszewski said. “We don’t Vile said. Campus Police officers sometimes catch want to cause any problems, we just want people who are not students by randomly to skate.” checking for student IDs. Vile said people Wilson said not all of the University’s who do not have ID cards usually just issues with skating are the fault of stuleave campus willingly whenever this dents. Non-students who skate on campus happens. can be charged with trespassing and have “They have just as much of a right to their skateboards confiscated if they are Matt Olszewski, sophomore in skate a spot as we do as students,” Vile caught not following campus policies. wood products said. “Kids around Raleigh know this is a Despite the problems Campus Police spot to skate, and they come here all the have had to deal with in the past, Wilson said skateboardtime,” Olszewski said. Usually people get a warning before their skateboards ing generally does not cause any major problems for the are confiscated or they are charged for trespassing, Wilson University, as long as skaters do not destroy University said. Officially documented violations are usually reserved property and pedestrians remain safe. When it comes to dealing with Campus Police, Vile said for second-time offenders. “We really don’t have a major problem with it. The warm- skaters are typically treated with respect. “Campus Police has been pretty fair. It could be a lot er weather is bringing some more people out, but it hasn’t worse than it is,” Vile said. caused any big issues,” Wilson said. The non-students who skate on campus cause problems
“Kids around Raleigh know this is a spot to skate.”
able,” Lait said. For Chris Morrow, a sophomore in mechanical engineering, the café will add convenience and variety to Joshua Chappell his daily ritual. Senior Staff Writer “I would greatly appreciate having Engineering and textiles students more meal options on Centennial will have a new dining option on Campus,” Morrow said. “We engiCentennial Campus by the end of neers like to eat just as much as the business and education majors.” the month: the Innovation Café. Morrow said that currently his meals The new venue will feature a Chick-fil-A and rotating items that must be rushed so he has ample time include a salad bar, deli, pasta, stir- to catch a bus to Centennial Campus. “If there were a place to get a comfry and more, according to University Dining. The seating capacity plete breakfast or lunch, I would catch an earlier bus and just grab a meal for the venue is 285. According to Randy Lait, Di- there before class,” Morrow said. Lait said the scope of the project was rector of Dining Services, the café will serve to temporarily provide just over $1.6 million and the café will be open from 7:30 food for students a.m. to 3 p.m., Monon Centennia l day through Friday. Campus while a The location of more extravagant the café — next to facility is being Chris Morrow, sophomore in the BTEC building constructed. mechanical engineering just north of the En“University gineering Buildings Dining has been planning a permanent food ser- — was selected because of its convevice facility to be built ... as part of nience, according to Lait. “This location did not conflict with the proposed Centennial Campus student housing facility,” Lait said. construction already planned for the “While this facility is designed and area around the Oval and had close constructed, we needed to fill the access to power, water, and sewer ingap in food service availability by frastructure,” Lait said. Morrow said that while the location constructing the Innovation Café.” Lait said more dining options are of the café will be convenient for him necessary because of the growth of and his engineering counterparts, it will most likely not be ideal for other Centennial Campus. “With the continued growth people on Centennial Campus. However, Morrow said that just of Centennial Campus in undergraduate students, faculty, staff having a dining venue on Centennial and corporate partners, the campus needs more food service availCafe continued page 3
“We engineers like to eat.”
onlinetechnician VOTING
$5.00 from the sale of each shirt to benefit “Origami Wishes” NC State’s campus-wide fundraising for the American Red Cross. T-shirts will be available this Friday for $10.00 each at NC State Bookstore.
Thousands of students left out SG elections Student Government Elections Commission announced there will be another election Thursday. See more at technicianonline.com.