THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
THE TIMES DELPHIC DES MOINES, IOWA | MONDAY, JAN 23, 2012 | VOL. 131, NO. 27 | WWW.TIMESDELPHIC.COM
Campus safety called into question by Elizabeth Robinson and Lauren Horsch
Features/Op Editor and Managing Editor elizabeth.robinson@drake.edu lauren.horsch@drake.edu
With safety concerns in the Drake Neighborhood growing, University President David Maxwell sent out a campus-wide memo on Jan. 15. He addressed the Jan. 7 shooting that led to the death of Te’Andre TrumboTalton. Trumbo-Talton was not a student at Drake, but was shot near Paul Revere’s Pizza, just west of campus, where many students end their weekend nights. With a shooting that close to campus, many students called into question how they are alerted about safety threats toward campus and what the university is doing to help students stay safe. Maxwell, in an email to The Times-Delphic, said that the safety of students at Drake is always a concern of his. He said that through his meetings with the Des Moines Police Department, he was reassured that there was “no trend toward increased crime in the neighborhood.” “We (university officials) are very careful in deciding when to send an alert, so that people know if they receive one, it demands immediate attention on their part,” Maxwell said in the email. While the alert system has worked thus far, there are current discussions about changing it. “We have taken a look at the system and realized that when people are in class, they are asked to turn their phones off and thus would not get notifications of an alert,” he wrote. Currently, the university is in the process of buying a loudspeaker system to add to the notifications as to better alert those who might not
FILE PHOTO
have access to the traditional calltext-email notifications that students receive. “That system also gives us the ability to give different instruction about response to people in different areas or buildings, depending on what and where the threat is,” Maxwell wrote. Hans Hanson, Director of Drake Campus Security, agreed that a new notification system could be more practical and efficient. “This could be a system where we can better respond during a fluid emergency and more quickly communicate building by building or all at once as needed,” he said. “The system now does get a lot of information out to a lot of different people, so we’re considering doing a combination and building layers, having a dual system.” In the memo sent to students, Maxwell touched on his meetings with police officials and the crime statistics concerning the Drake Neighborhood. According to the data, there were 2,951 reported offenses
Start of the semester brings two resignations
in 2010, and 2,821 in 2011. That is a difference of 130 crimes in a oneyear span, and a 4.4 percent drop in crimes during that span. Maxwell said that the offenses ranged from “driving away from a gas station to DUI to assault.” Maxwell also said there have been efforts to help detour crime in the Drake Neighborhood. “Last year, Chief (Judy) Bradshaw (of the Des Moines Police Department) created the Special Enforcement Team to make a serious dent in crime in Des Moines, including the Drake Neighborhood,” Maxwell wrote. “That team made 1,700 ‘contacts’ across the city in two-and-ahalf months, focusing on people who are known to be involved in crime. The initiative was so successful that the chief suspended their operation in late fall, but she made it clear that they watch crime trends very, very carefully, and that she’s prepared to redeploy the SET immediately if the situation warrants it.” Maxwell said that he wants to
reemphasize that the administration takes the safety and security of the Drake family on and around the campus “very, very seriously.” Drake Security Operations Manager/Crime Analyst, Mitzie Lootens, agreed that the safety of Drake’s campus is a main priority. “It’s really important to have visibility because that enhances the faith that our community has in us,” she said. “It shows that we’re meeting the needs of the community.” While the data may show that crime is declining, Maxwell said that “we do not live in a bubble,” and the administration will continue to find ways to improve safety and security for the Drake community. Hanson reiterated Maxwell’s point and his confidence in the safety and security of Drake. “We don’t flinch and we don’t blink. We’re Drake University and we’re going to keep going steady.”
>>Campus Resources: — Drake Security >>515-271-2222 — Drake Direct >>515-243-1111 — Residence Life Staff — Notificiation System >>SMS, email, and phone calls — Emergency Phones >>Blue posts on campus
Making flips for a new organization
Tricking Club mixes gymnastics, martial arts Personal reasons cited for two- and break dancing
thirds of the Diversity Interest Senators leaving the table by Lauren Ehrler
Staff Writer lauren.ehrler@drake.edu
Drake University Student Senate is facing the resignation of two of its senators. In the first meeting of the spring semester, two diversity interest senators announced that they were both stepping down from their positions. Tanaya Thomas and Ankita Dhussa resigned from their posts last week. “For me, promoting social change and social justice related to diversity is something I’m very passionate about and has been a struggle within the realm of our student gover nment,” Thomas said in a statement to The Times-Delphic. Both Dhussa and Thomas expressed frustration with their experiences as diversity interest senators, and they said they felt that Student Senate wasn’t an organization for them. “Because of my commitment to Senate, I felt I was robbing myself of organizations, both on and off campus, that I felt more passionate about and that I wasn’t dedicating enough time to my most important role at Drake University — a student,” Dhussa said in a statement to The Times-Delphic. Thomas and Dhussa’s resignations came on the same night that the Diversity Interest Senators Job Description Bylaw Amendment Change passed unanimously. The bylaw amendment was a project that the diversity interest senators had worked
on during the fall semester. “Even though we won’t be here to see this through, we think this will be useful to future diversity interest senators,” Thomas said. Sen. David Karaz expressed gratitude towards the work that the diversity interest senators have accomplished this session. “I appreciate this year how you (Thomas and Dhussa) challenged the process,” Karaz said. “Overall, thank you.” With Thomas and Dhussa’s resignations effective immediately, Sen. Sumit Sen is the only diversity interest senator remaining. Student Body President Greg Larson said succession plans are in order. S e n . Kayleigh Koester reported that a J-Term information fair will be held on Feb. 28 from 4-7 p.m. in Upper Olmsted. Vice President of Student Activities Jessica Hamilton announced that the Student Activities Board schedule for the spring semester is now posted online at www.DrakeSAB.org.
Meeting in Brief: >> Sens. Thomas and Dhussa resigned >>Diversity Interest Bylaw change passed >>SAB schedule has has been posted
inside
TAYLOR SOULE | staff photographer
MEMBERS OF THE NEWLY FORMED TRICKING CLUB perform a trick during one of their practices. by Taylor Soule
Staff Writer taylor.soule@drake.edu
What’s that object flying through the air? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the Drake Tricking Club! Just don’t tell these thrill seeking students that gravity will once again plant their feet firmly on the mat. Last September, three first-year students entered the warm fall air with two blue mats, tricking tenacity and a dash of danger as the club began at the grassy opening just beyond Herriott Residence Hall. First-year student and Tricking Club President Mike Jennings jumped into the sport following his senior year of high school, and upon his arrival at Drake, he envisioned a club devoted to gravity defiance. Alongside two friends, Vice President Nick Iwan and Treasurer Griffin Simpson, the club gained members in Drake’s ever-expanding list of student organizations. Like successfully landing a backflip, however, the quest to become an official club required patience and perseverance. The three founders wrote and rewrote the club’s consti-
tution. The founders then proposed their organization to the Student Senate Student Affairs Committee. With a seal of approval from SAC, the founders moved onto the Student Senate, which also voted to allow the club. So, what exactly is tricking? “Tricking is a combination of gymnastics, martial arts and break dancing,” Iwan said. As the broad definition implies, the club offers an expansive array of skill levels, interests and, of course, tricks. From the beginner’s backflip to the expert’s 540 kick, the club’s founders said that almost anyone can “trick.” “Currently, we have about 10 people that consistently come and do tricks,” Jennings said. “We’ve had over 50 people participate and try a backflip, including a 54-year-old man.” The trio even plotted for everyone on the fourth floor of Herriott Hall to backflip. With the encouragement of fellow residents, Jennings, Iwan and Simpson helped 25 students complete a backflip. That encouraging, community
atmosphere is essential for students striving to land new tricks. “It’s definitely more fun when you have more people that you can help with their new tricks and to inspire you and encourage you to keep going, too,” Iwan said. Jennings agreed that the team atmosphere leads to the best results. “You can motivate each other and get higher energy amongst the group,” Jennings said. Members aren’t solely involved for the supportive atmosphere, though. Simpson said that some people get competitive. “Friendly competition is always nice,” Simpson said. “The more people we have, the better skill level ranges, and we can find more people to compete with. Who can get the trick the fastest? It encourages everyone to learn better.” Though Drake lacks a gymnastics program, first-year student Ashley Fee didn’t want to give up the sport she grew up with. Tricking Club provides an opportunity for her to rehearse routine stunts alongside new
SEE TRICKING, PAGE 2
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