TECHNICIAN
technicianonline.com
Raleigh, North Carolina
SG collects textbooks to send to Iraq STUDENT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COLLECT BOOKS TO SEND TO PARTNER UNIVERSITY STORY BY JAMES COX | GRAPHIC BY BIKO TUSHINDE A Student Government-led initiative to ship unwanted books overseas is preparing to begin collection. The plan calls for collected books to be sent to Al-Anbar University in Iraq, one of N.C. State’s partner institutions. Senior Class President Jay Dawkins said before he heard about the link between the University and Al-Anbar University he was working with the military and a contact on the ground to get used textbooks to students who need them in Iraq. “If the book is valuable, we’ll send it across,” Dawkins, a junior in engineering, said. Tim Lipka, a senior in political science, said the collection points could be the bookstore, the Brickyard, the residence halls or the fields. “When students go to the bookstore for buyback, and the bookstore can’t buy the book back, we’ll hold them,” Lipka said. Dawkins said the inspiration for the project came from a conversation between himself, Lipka and Kevin Howle, a student body president during the 1980s. He said Howle had a project in his tenure to send books to the Philippines. Lipka said after the conversation with Howle, he and Dawkins were talking and asked each other why can’t Student Government do something similar by sending books to Iraq. Lipka said the first phase was a “Can we do it?” phase. “Once we figured out it is possible, we were able to move on,” he said. Lipka said the second phase is planning where the collection will take
Picking Up The Pieces
University of Anbar Partner in Iraq
Collecting books that students can’t sell back NCSU Library Reserves
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Student Government will collect unwanted books including those NCSU Bookstores won’t buy back.
place. “We have a meeting with the head of the bookstore tomorrow to discuss the possibility of collecting books at the bookstore,” he said. Lipka said phase four, storage and distribution, depends of phase three — collection. “If we get six books, we can send them UPS, but if we get 600, we may need a place to store the books,” Lipka said. Student Body President Jim Ceresnak, a junior in political science, said the project is a great way to use textbooks for good elsewhere. “It may face challenges, but it will be successful and start a good tradition,” he said.
Lipka said the project’s purpose is to improve the quality of education. “It shows we want to work with partner schools and make sure everyone gets a quality education,” he said. “We should be able to collect books during exams,” Lipka said. He also said the books may or may not be at their new home by the beginning of next semester. “If they are going halfway around the world, it may take a while for them to get there,” he said. Dawkins said another part of the project is an end of the year survey to go along with ClassEval. “This survey will give the students a chance to evaluate their textbooks,” Dawkins said.
A TASTE OF N.C. STATE
Other books will be sent to the University’s partner institution in Iraq for students there to use.
Some books will be added to D.H. Hill Library’s reserves to bolster the library’s book offerings.
He said the survey is going to try and probe the problems of textbooks. “The survey is going to try and help solve the problems that exist — that of teachers assigning books that aren’t read and how some professors frequently change editions of the text,” Dawkins said. He said the survey will ask students to log in, select their required texts, and then rate them on readability, usability and necessity. Dawkins said the results will then be compiled and given to teachers. He said the bookstore and the library will also be shown the results to see about increased buyback, e-books and availability. “In some cases, the bookstore can
PHASING OUT “THE CYCLE”:
SG is planning to send used, unneeded textbooks to the University’s partner institution in Iraq, Al-Anbar University The process is broken down into five phases: Phase 1: Logistical planning Phase 2: Planning for collection Phase 3: Collection Phase 4: Storage Phase 5: Distribution SOURCE: TIM LIPKA
only buy back a book for five dollars, we want to give students more options when students are getting rid of their book,” Dawkins said .
Vegetarians hungry for change Student plans to bring more diverse offerings to C-Stores Ty Johnson News Editor
A sophomore in zoology is aiming to change food offerings on campus through working with C-Stores to offer more organic foods and having more options for vegetarians and vegans. Tracy Anderson has been a vegetarian for two and a half years but has had trouble finding food options on campus since she arrived on campus. “The first year I came, the C-Stores had a couple of vegetarian things,” Anderson, who has already met with the director of campus C-Stores, said. “But when they just had stuff on the shelf, not enough people bought it for the them to keep it.” Anderson said after dealing with meager offerings this year, she decided it was time to take action. “I used to complain about it,” she said. “Then one day I realized it’s a student campus
and that I could do something.” Anderson said she didn’t want Anderson said when she start- any sects to feel excluded from ed asking other vegetarians for the process, though, and said their opinions, she found she all students interested in having wasn’t alone in her dissatisfac- more organic and veggie options tion with C-Store offerings. in C-Stores should be involved. “I came to them wondering if I “I’m not trying to form a club, was being silly,” Anderson said. I’m just trying to get opinions,” “But it sounded Anderson said. like there were “Dining is remore people ally good about who had the having vegetarsame idea.” ian options at Anderson said dining ha lls, the response she but we just have received from to get C-Stores her peers conin on it too.” vinced her she Anderson needed to talk sa id Univerto the C-Stores sity Dining is director to find also looking at what the next ways to avoid step was. She Tracy Anderson, sophomore in the problems it zoology sa id Univerhad before by sity Dining was making sure the willing to work with her, and campus is aware of organic and now needs to gauge opinions vegetarian options instead of just from other vegetarians and veg- placing them on the shelf. “None ans to determine what products of the vegetarians or vegans on the stores should keep in stock. campus knew where they could “I’m trying to get all vegetar- buy veggie food,” Anderson ians to join my Facebook group,” said. “What we’re trying to have Anderson said. “So now I’m at is where one store will have the the point where I’m just reach- vegetable options so they can get ing out and getting other people the sales they need.” involved.”
insidetechnician
“What we’re trying to have is where one store will have the vegetable options.”
Celebrating Earth Week
University celebrates Earth Week with several events, free concert. See page 5. GINA VACCARO/TECHNICIAN
Carolyn Hayes, a caterer at Taste of N.C. State, serves hungry students Friday on Harris Field. Taste of N.C. State brought together a wide variety of student groups to show the diversity of activities and organizations available to students.
NC State Bookstores
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