TECHNICIAN
technicianonline.com
Raleigh, North Carolina
BOT discusses budgets, holds off on decisions Cuts will be “very specific and targeted” Ty Johnson News Editor LOGAN SMITH//TECHNICIAN ARCHIVE PHOTO
Tim Scranton, then a sophomore in middle school math education, makes his way out of the 39 degree water of Lake Raleigh for last year’s Polar Plunge. Scranton plunged as a part of the Sadlack’s Heroes team who raised an estimated $500 for the event. Scranton has volunteered for the Special Olympics off and on for the past 10 years and helped out at the Summer World Games when they were held in Raleigh. “We just thought it was a great cause. Special Olympics is a worthy cause and always needing more support,” Scranton said.
Polar Plunge back with 5K Fourth annual event features plunge, run Jessica Hall
The Board of Trustees met for the first time in 2009 Thursday at the Park Alumni Center, where the Audit, Finance and Planning Committee informed the Board of the University’s plans for weathering the current national economic crisis. While rumors about budget cuts have abounded since 2008, Keith Nichols, director of news and communications for the University, said the Board’s February meetings were mostly talk, with very little discussion about specific actions. “The budget conversation with the Trust-
ees at this stage is more informational, instead of ‘let’s solicit ideas,” Nichols said. And the conversations aren’t blanketing over the University as a whole, according to Provost Larry Nielsen, but are instead looking at each department on a case-bycase basis. “We’re discussing the size of the budget cuts that different units should be making,” Nielsen said. “But so far no decisions have been made about precisely what we will do.” Student Body President Jay Dawkins also said the cuts would be very calculated when the time came for a budget crunch. “They’re not necessarily taking it across the board and cutting each department,” Dawkins said. “They’re being very specific and targeted about where they’re cutting funds.”
Despite not making any concrete decisions, Dawkins said the conversations were harrowing enough to make him regret the meeting which followed a luncheon. “It was scary - some people lost their lunch,” Dawkins said. “Looked a bit like the Krispy Kreme Challenge, just the budget challenge.” Proverbial vomit aside, Dawkins said Student Government is finding innovative ways to inform students, from the University’s new budget web site to forums, but said until decisions are on the table, few students will relate to the deliberations. “They’ve launched the new web site, Budget Central, and we did the town hall forums,” Dawkins said, lamenting that attendance at the forums has been down. BOT continued page 3
WOLFPROWL
POLAR PLUNGE LOGISTICS: WHO: Campus Police and Plungers
Staff Writer
The Polar Plunge, which was WHAT: 4th Annual Polar Plunge started by Campus Police in 2006 and Run for Special Olympics as a creative way to raise money, North Carolina now includes a wide range of WHEN: Feb. 28, 2009 participants and a 5K walk/run Run begins at 9 a.m., Plunge at which was added this year. The 11 a.m. N.C. State 5K Run ‘N Plunge, as WHERE: Lake Raleigh on it is called, is a subsidiary of the Centennial Campus North Carolina Law Enforcement Torch Run that raises SOURCE: POLAR PLUNGE WEB SITE money for the Special Olympics according to Steve Carlton, crime are dedicated to land,” Orders prevention officer and coordina- said. “I will gladly show support tor of the event. of both events, but run only.” “All the money raised goes to In addition to new particisupport Special Olympics North pants, recruitment for polar Carolina and over 38,000 Special plungers is also taking place. Olympics athletes,” he said. Sgt. Edward Farmer, a volunCarlton has been involved with teer for the past two years, signed the program for three years. He up to participate in his very first praised the event for its cause plunge. as well as its “I have a game communityplan. Jump in building ata nd run out mosphere, but qu ic k l y,” he said his initial said. “I have not thoughts were trained, I only different. need to experi“My first imSergeant Edward Farmer on ence the plunge pression of the his strategy during his first ever once a year.” event was that The f undPolar Plunge it was a little raiser has crazy to jump grown in parinto a lake in ticipants and winter just to raise money,” Carl- proceeds each year, Carlton said. ton said. “But when I saw how Organizers and participants still many people participated and see room for improvement, parhow the University supported ticularly the comparative lack of it, I thought it was a great effort. participation from State student The festival atmosphere of the groups. whole event makes for a great “I would like to see more studay all around.†I was proud to dent groups involved. It’s a great become a part of it.” way to perform community serThe addition of the 5K has vice and challenge their fellow brought in a new group of par- students,” said David Setser, a ticipants who had no interest fourth-year plunger. in jumping in freezing water “Get a group, come up with a but were still eager to help raise theme, be creative and above all, money for the cause and have have fun.” some fun, Carlton said. In addition to support from Amy Orders, a doctoral student those directly involved in the 5K in adult and community college Run N’ Plunge, the fund-raiser education, plans to participate also receives support from varifor the first time. ous groups in the area, Carlton “While I agree that watching said. people run and dive into freezing “University departments, partwater is exciting, most runners PLUNGE continued page 3
“I have a game plan. Jump in and run out quickly”
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Time to trade the books for the beach See page 6.
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After nearly missing and having to chase down the first scheduled bus of the new WolfProwl line, senior in political science Tim Lipka prepares for a night out with Joe Davis, a senior in business management, and Brian Mathis, a senior in business administration. “It’s something that’s been talked about for a long time. Part of the downtown Raleigh bus system will be integrated into the route with WolfProwl,” Lipka said. The bus will run from 9 p.m. until 3 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. “Tonight we’re testing to see how many times the bus can make it there and back. We’re shooting for 30 minute intervals,” Lipka said.
Senator hopes to ban illegal aliens from colleges Illegal aliens could be banned from community colleges as of Sept. 1 Allie Landry Staff Writer
Senator Philip Berger of Guilford County introduced a bill to prohibit illegal aliens from attending North Carolina community colleges. If passed, the bill would make the current ban permanent. Illegal aliens have not been permitted to attend community colleges in N.C. since May of 2007, when Attorney General Roy Cooper said the decision was up to individual states and institutions. This prompted the Community College System to
close its doors to undocumented individuals. At the time, 112 of 297,000 degree-seeking students were illegal immigrants. Salome Bascunan, a member of the Hispanic advocacy group El Pueblo, said the bill would hurt not only the students who are denied admittance, but also the state. “By allowing them to pursue higher education, the state can benefit from students who are bilingual and bicultural, and able to contribute to the state’s collective productivity and economic growth,” Bascunan said. Salome also said undocumented aliens do not take seats away from North Carolinians. They are considered out-ofstate students, and thus pay outof-state tuition. “Considering the economic
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hardships that our state is facing, the additional revenue that these students would generate could help keep costs down for in-state students,” Bascunan said. N.C. State clubs, such as Mi Familia, have been contacted by Bascunan. She urged them to get in touch with their legislators and voice disapproval of the bill. Matt Walton, a graduate student in technology education, said he supports Senator Berger’s bill. “Individuals who are here illegally should not be able to take part in the services that are provided to citizens,” said Walton. “Tax payers pay money into the state system, thereby affording them the right to go to community colleges.” Walton said this is not an anti-
immigrant issue, but an issue of upholding the law. “Given their illegal status, they’ve obviously violated a law,” Walton said. “Since N.C. students who break the law are denied admittance or kicked out of school, the same standards should be held for illegal immigrants.” State currently admits illegal aliens as out-of-state students. In a memo to UNC chancellors, Erskine Bowles, president of the UNC System, said N.C. universities would continue to admit illegal aliens until told otherwise by the federal government. Colby Jackson, a junior in chemical engineering, said he is uneasy about the thought that illegal aliens can attend NC State.
Final chance to order your NC State Ring! Visit the new Graduation Corner on the upper-level of NC State Bookstores. ER! February 23 - 27 - 10am to 3pm HELD OV
ALIENS continued page 3