Northern Iowan t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f n o r t h e r n i o wa’s s t u d e n t - p r o d u c e d n e w s p a p e r s i n c e 1 8 9 2
APRIL 3, 2012
I
TUESDAY
VOLUME 108, ISSUE 47
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
CEDAR FALLS, IOWA
I
NORTHERN-IOWAN.ORG
BUDGET CUTS
NISG
Faculty, students respond to closure of science programs
OPINION
Losing the ‘race’ race Columnist Nate Konrardy explores the paradoxical racism lying underneath diversity quotas. < See PAGE 5
LINH TA Staff Writer
dents met with senators and representatives from their hometowns and the Cedar Valley to discuss their experiences at UNI as part of the annual Regents United Day at
After approval by the Iowa Board of Regents on March 21, the University of Northern Iowa will close several major and minor programs in the various science departments, including the geology Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees, the biology and chemistry master’s degrees, the earth science: interpretive naturalist B.A. degree and the biology majors with an emphasis on microbiology and plant bioscience. Although these programs are slated for closure, selected coursework will remain next fall in several of the program areas. According to Kenneth De Nault, associate professor of geology, the administration is looking to eliminate two of the four geology faculty members. “For many years, we advertised UNI as the alternative to (the University of) Iowa and Iowa State (University)
< See REGENTS DAY, page 3
< See SCIENCE, page 4
JOHN ANDERSON/Northern Iowan
Spencer Walrath, UNI student body president, speaks at a press conference in the Iowa capitol Thursday during Regents United Day, a student advocacy effort organized by students of Iowa’s public university.
CAMPUS LIFE
Tales from the mail room From a box full of dead cats to pole vaulting poles, the UNI Mail Center has seen it all. < See PAGE 8
TRACK AND FIELD
Panthers put in top performances Senior Justin Romero’s 60-foot throw broke UNI’s 34-year-old record as the Panthers easily took first place at the Central Invitational last weekend.
Students unite to advocate higher ed funding at capitol JOHN ANDERSON
Executive Editor
At a time when the University of Northern Iowa is cutting programs and further budget cuts loom on the horizon, more than 150 students from Iowa’s public universities traveled to the state capitol Thursday to speak with legislators about the value of funding higher education. “It is imperative that the people of Iowa, and more to the point, the people in this building, recognize the incredibly valuable service that our public universities provide to our state,” UNI student body
JOHN ANDERSON/Northern Iowan
Sen. Brian Schoenjahn, D-Arlington, speaks with Evan O’Leary, a junior music education major, in the capitol rotunda during Regents United Day.
president Spencer Walrath said during a press conference that afternoon. “We take Iowa’s high school graduates and turn them into great teachers, doctors, engineers and business leaders for Iowa.” Throughout the day, stu-
< See PAGE 11
ONLINE
BUSINESS
College Hill businesses adapt to recession LINH TA Staff Writer
SLIDESHOW See more photos from Regents United Day. < visit northern-iowan.org
INDEX I SPY AT UNI......................4 OPINION............................5 CAMPUS LIFE....................7 SPORTS...........................11 CLASSIFIEDS...................14 GAMES............................16
This summer, thanks to tax increment financing (TIF), College Hill will undergo renovation, according to Joel Anderson, coordinator for the College Hill Partnership. According to an article in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, the City Council established an urban renewal area on College Hill on Feb. 13. TIF will “help provide incentives for businesses looking to build or expand there,” according to the article. Anderson said there will be “a lot more façade improvements,” including new windows and new brick and mortar on the buildings. “Nothing that’s substantial like
BRANDON BAKER/Northern Iowan
College Hill, pictured above, will undergo renovation this summer, thanks to tax increment financing.
< See COLLEGE HILL, page 2 Renovations include new windows and new brick and mortar on the buildings.