4-3-12

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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.


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