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Serving James Madison University Since 1922
Vol. 86, No. 40 Thursday, February 25, 2010
Few snow showers/wind n 38°/29° chance of precipitation: 30%
in the community
Purple Golden years provost doug brown to enjoy retirement after 36 years of serving the university
evan mcgrew / the breeze
By John Sutter | The Breeze
Doug Brown’s pet parrot will soon get a bit more companionship during the day. The provost and senior vice president for academic affairs will retire in June and spend more time at home when he’s not traveling. After an accomplished 36-year career, Brown, 66, and his wife, Betsy, decided to retire with plans to travel to Lebanon, parts of Europe and to visit family in the United States. “I don’t plan just to get off the train and head off to Europe and never be seen again,” Brown said. Brown says he will stay involved with JMU during the transition period but also still help and advise the university on a more limited level. In addition, Brown plans to teach a few classes and maintain his work as a clinical psychologist in the area. “Both of us are very focused, and we’re very plugged into our jobs,” Betsy said. “When we retire, we’ll throw our attention to what that means exactly.”
According to Brown’s wife, he loves projects around the house and loves cars. She said he looks forward to planning trips and driving his Porsche 911 Carrera. “Personally I’m saddened to see him go, but if anyone deserves retirement, it’s Doug Brown,” said Lennis Echterling, professor of graduate psychology. Echterling has worked with Brown for more than 30 years in private practice and at JMU. see brown, page 5
crime update
student finances
Snowball Case Delays
Legislation Sets Age Limit for Acquiring Credit Cards
The two students charged with felonies for allegedly throwing snow-style “missiles” at vehicles will appear in court April 7. Ryan William Knight, 21, made his first court appearance Monday morning in Rockingham County General District Court. Charles Joseph Gill, 21, is charged with the same felony but did not appear in court, because his case had already been pushed back. The men allegedly threw snowballs and shovels full of snow at a snowplow and an unmarked police car at the 1300 block of Devon Lane around 5 p.m. Feb. 6. Knight, a junior, is a walk-on guard for JMU’s basketball team. He sat out the 2007 to 2008 season as a medical redshirt and has only played in one game this season. He has been barred from traveling with the team or playing until the courts make a decision. Gill, a junior, is a manager for the basketball team. He will also be suspended from traveling with the team until the court decision. — staff reports
Homeowner Pleads for Flag’s Return Discovered It Was Gone Tuesday By Katie Thisdell The Breeze
One Harrisonburg resident wants her treasured stars and stripes back. On Tuesday morning, Pat Doorenbos discovered that the American flag — which flew over the U.S. Capitol 11 years ago — was missing from her home in the 1100 block of Hillcrest Drive. “I wanted to fly a flag that would have special meaning to me, because my daughter and my former husband served in the military,” Doorenbos said. “It’s “A lot of things just kind of the highest level of honor.” that happen Harrisonburg Police said to my home the larceny was reported around 12 p.m. Tuesday. are associated Doorenbos told police she with the suspected it had been taken in the last 24 hours and that campus being footprints remained in the so close by.” snow around where the flag had flown. As of Wednesday Pat afternoon there was no new Doorenbos information. resident “I can only imagine where my flag is being hung right now,” Doorenbos said. “I hope it’s flying the way it’s supposed to be flying, but I imagine that’s not the case.” Doorenbos said her daughter, Air Force Lt. Col. Bobbi Jo Doorenbos, 39, has served in the military for at least 17 years. She is now the executive officer to the director in the Air National Guard. The F-16 pilot participated in a special ceremony July 1, 2009, when President Obama awarded the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of WWII the Congressional Gold Medal. Bobbi Doorenbos was a White House Fellow from 2007 to 2008. Pat Doorenbos has flown the flag over her house ever since she requested it from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. It was raised Dec. 7, 1999, and she received it at her Iowa home soon after that. She said thousands of people have walked past her home. But having Greek Row and Newman Lake in her backyard hasn’t established the best neighborly relationships. “A lot of things that happen to my home are associated with the campus being so close by,” Doorenbos said. While she’s still glad to have students as neighbors, she wishes whoever stole the flag to come forward or even just put it back in its place. “That flag has tremendous meaning to me,” Doorenbos said. “I want my flag back.”
Anyone Under 21 Needs Co-Signer, Following Credit CARD Act By Amanda Caskey The Breeze
A new law aims to prevent people from ruining their credit score and sinking into debt, which is something the college-aged demographic is notorious for. The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act (Credit CARD Act) went into effect Monday after President Obama signed it into legislation in May 2009. “This CARD Act is a key part to a number of administrative initiatives to increase consumer protection, particularly in areas where credit is involved,” said Jared Bernstein, senior economic advisor to the Vice President, during a conference call Tuesday with student reporters. “The major reforms of the CARD Act mark a significant turning point in the area of helping to protect consumers from practices that, in the past, have helped get
“...as long as people fully don’t understand how financing works and the true cost of it, no matter how simple and plain the language is, you can still get tripped up.” Pamela Drake
College of Business Dept. head for Finance and Business Law
us to this kind of [recession].” Among the many regulations the law puts on credit card companies, two specifically target the college-aged crowd. The act states that people under 21 can no longer apply for a credit
card without having a co-signer over the age of 21 or must prove they have sufficient income to pay the bills. However, people may not realize the co-signer then becomes financially responsible for the cardholder, and bad spending habits could be reflected on the cosigner’s credit score. Bernstein said the new act was made for people to understand terms such as these before they get involved, making it consumer-friendly for all. Those under 21 could also be added to a parent or guardian’s credit card account as an “authorized used,” which helps young adults build credit. According to a press release from the White House Office of the Press Secretary in May, the act also requires card issuers and universities to “disclose agreements with respect to the marketing see credit, page 5
david casterline / the breeze
An American flag is missing from a Hillcrest Drive home.
guest speaker
2/25 Inside news Around the world
Controversial Snooki Event Sells Out in Three Days
brings other countries to the classroom.
By Matt Sutherland The Breeze
3 A geography professor 7
opinion McDonnell’s thesis in action?
Governor’s tweak of nondiscrimination policy a step backward.
11 The School of Theatre and life ‘Oklahoma!’
Dance brings the classic musical to LatimerSchaefer Theatre.
13 Senior Jenna Wagner sports On the fast track
balances academics while traveling crosscountry to race.
The controversial reality TV star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi will appear March 3 in front of a full house at the Memorial Auditorium. Junior Stephen Eure, the public relations director for the University Program Board, said tickets quickly sold out Wednesday afternoon after going on sale 8 a.m. Monday. “Before Wednesday we just had 30 tickets left for the event,” Eure said. The time it took for the event to sell out was “pretty much what we expected.” Rising to fame through the hit MTV reality series “Jersey Shore,” Polizzi’s appearance has gathered positive and negative attention from students and faculty. She is notable for being punched in the face on one episode of the show. After people posted several racist
comments to the event’s Facebook wall, UPB decided to disable the wall. UPB said it welcomes students’ opinions via e-mail. And students have opinions. In response to the event, more than 700 people have joined a Facebook group titled “Stay off my campus, Snooki.” The group members have expressed their distaste for “a show that glorifies an outrageous stereotype of Italian Americans,” the group’s description reads. Some students, such as freshman health sciences major Dineen Connolly, did not buy a ticket because they are merely displeased with the misrepresentation of the locale. “I hate that show so much,” Connolly said. “I am from the Jersey Shore, so ever since that show came out, everyone judges me even more.” Other students think UPB should use the money for more student-aid
“Whatever happens the night of the event, we hope that the JMU population handles themselves respectfully...” Stephen Eure
UPB public relations director
opportunities. “Instead of using the money for UPB, why can’t they just donate the profits to something like Madison For Keeps?” said Richie Blessing, a senior geology major. “I like the show. It was hilarious but because they were easy to make fun of. What’s she going to do, back flips in her underwear?” Sophomore history major Tim Szeto wasn’t able to get a ticket but would have
been willing to see Snooki for her entertainment value. “The show was hysterical,” Szeto said. “Too many people are making a big deal out of the stereotypes of Italians. Just because those guys on the show act like that does not mean all Italians do.” Although the event’s Facebook page has more than 3,000 confirmed guests, Memorial Hall’s capacity is only a fraction of the roster, seating 1,045 people. Although the event could have attracted more ticketbuyers, Eure said the venue had to be picked prior to the ticket sales. Eure is not sure of a possible protest or the occasional crowd outbursts but is confident these distractions should be kept to a minimum. “Whatever happens the night of the event, we hope that the JMU population handles themselves respectfully and extends the same courtesy that they would to any guest of our campus,” Eure said.