The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892
Northern Iowan
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Volume 107, Issue 7 Cedar Falls, Iowa northern-iowan.org
Opinion: What ever happened to the anti-war left? Page 7
Fumbles within the red zone continue to haunt UNI. Page 10
UNI athletics to reduce general fund subsidies Additional FBS game expected to generate revenue TIM GETTING Staff Writer
The Iowa Board of Regents approved a proposal from the University of Northern Iowa administration Thursday that seeks to reduce the amount of general university fund support for intercollegiate athletics. The four-year plan, which will be implemented at the beginning of the 2012 fiscal year, specifies that an 18.3 percent decrease in university general fund subsidies will occur by the 2015 fiscal year. Currently, the UNI Athletics Department receives 2.8 percent of the university general fund, which equates to around $4.5 million of the nearly $160 million fund. University officials look to have that trimmed to a 2.4 percent share by FY 2015. UNI projects that increasing generated revenues through fundraising as well as adding a second football game against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent during the 2013 season will
MARKITA CURRIE Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Last Thursday, Judy Shepard visited the University of Northern Iowa to speak at the GallagherBluedorn Performing Arts Center about the gay community and the Matthew Shepard Foundation she created in memory of her son. Shepard first discussed the victim impact speech she delivered at the sentencing hearing of Russell Arthur Henderson, one of the men who pleaded guilty to killing her son. The trial was held in Laramie, Wyo. on April 15, 1999. Shepard then discussed when she and her husband found out what had
members of the Panther Scholarship Club.” UNI athletics also estimates that a second FBS game will generate a $450,000 net gain for the department. Dannen has contacted every Big Ten and Big 12 conference school that borders the state of
Find A Dream and Barmuda partnered together to host a Thunder Promotions concert, “The Calm Before the Storm,” and a Mixed Martial Arts event. National Cattle Congress. Find A Dream is a nonprofit organization that is trying to improve local communities. Their mission is to attain a safe and supportive environment for youth and young adults of diverse social, economic and ethnic backgrounds. They are trying to raise self-esteem and scholastic levels through after-school study areas, computer labs, mixed martial arts, boxing, cardiovascular exercise and techniques on discipline. Barmuda decided to join forces with this organization in order to give back to the community. “Barmuda cares about children, especially dis-
See ATHLETICS, page 3
See BARMUDA, page 2
KARYN SPORY
Lund will begin the lecture series at 7 p.m. in Lang Auditorium with his speech, “Does Your Vote Count?” Lund worked as a representative of the Green Party in 2004 to help monitor the recount of the residential vote. Cook, who has worked with the Legal Services Division of the Iowa Legislative Services Agency since 1992, will follow Lund’s presentation with his speech, “Redistricting the Iowa Way: A Nonpartisan Approach.” UNI Constitution Day’s events are free to the public and are sponsored by The American Democracy Project and the provosts office.
ALYX SANDBOTHE/Northern Iowan
President Pro Tem Robert Evans, left, President David Miles and Executive Director Robert Donley of the Iowa Board of Regents discuss UNI’s plan to reduce the amount of general funding allocated to athletics.
work to achieve the desired reduction. Expected endowment growth paired with increased contributions from the Panther Scholarship Club are two ways athletics director Troy Dannen and his department plan to generate the proposed $75,000 annual increase in generated
revenues. “The Panther Scholarship Club is the key to our future. It has been highly successful in the Cedar Valley, but our footprint doesn’t get much outside of this area,” Dannen said. “We have 10,000 alums living in Polk County, and there we only have 73
Judy Shepard addresses gay rights DAKOTA FUNK
Barmuda takes part in Find A Dream
happened to their son. They were living in Saudi Arabia and on Oct. 8, 1998, they received a call that Matthew was in a hospital with severe injuries in Fort Collins, Colo. When they arrived at the hospital many hours later, she couldn’t even recognize her son because his face was covered in bruises and full of stitches. When Matthew died on Oct. 12 1998, Shepard vowed to make something positive come from his death. She founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation in his honor. The foundation seeks to replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance. Later, Shepard discussed
how society interprets homosexuality. She said you have to educate people about the gay community so they know more about it. Some people are ignorant about the fact that homosexuality is not a choice but a lifestyle. She questioned the marriage debate and why it really matters who someone else loves. Shepard emphasized equality for everyone and said that paying more taxes, losing your job, not being able to get married and not being able to be in the military if you are gay is wrong. “In society, gay people are seen as the outcast See SHEPARD, page 3
Constitution Day to highlight power of a vote Staff Writer
On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the University of Northern Iowa will celebrate Constitution Day and open students’ eyes regarding the power of a vote. Festivities will kick off on Tuesday in the Hemisphere Lounge in Maucker Union from noon to 1 p.m. It will begin with a Jeopardy game, which will test students’ knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Constitution Day will also feature two speakers, attorney Kirk R. Lund and attorney Ed Cook.