Goalie gold
Spangenberg leads team to six consecutive shutouts
Page 6 Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013 | Volume 107, Issue 10 | the-standard.org
Cloudy with a chance of fund transfers Internet-based app allows for on-the-go fund management By Andrew Shields The Standard
While it’s difficult to live in today’s society and not know about Google, many of the services it offers may come as a surprise to even the most technically savvy users. The words “Send money. Carry less, save more.” sit at the top of Google Wallet’s homepage, an application that allows you to manage, organize and distribute your money dig-
itally, and it is available at the touch of a button from Google Play or Apple’s App Store. The Wallet, which recently became available to Verizon customers, not only holds the user’s account balance, but also stores coupons and deals that can be saved directly onto the application. It also allows for the transfer of funds through email, making it easier for individual users and business owners to perform transactions.
The app has a 24/7 fraud monitoring system and can easily be turned off online if the phone is stolen. Using cloud storage, an online service that acts as a digital hard drive, Google has made the Wallet and many other applications accessible anywhere that you could find a computer and an Internet connection. According to Andy Cline, an associate professor in the Media, Journalism and Film Department, cloud computing may become the standard for everyday tasks in the near future. “Google is trying hard to make cloud computing work for more than just the technically savvy user,” said Cline. “They want to make it so you can have all of your stuff
They’re now together in one on p. 2 place.” While services like Gmail and search are widely known by users today, many of the services such as photo and video editing, a U.S. patent database and even web development tools can go largely unseen by the casual consumer. One such service, called SketchUp, allows users to bring in photos and graphics, as well as images from Google Maps, to create and share 3D models. Until Oct. 1 of this year, SketchUp also partnered with users to create
No cars allowed
Evan Henningsen/THE STANDARD
By Trevor Mitchell The Standard
A portion of John Q. Hammons Parkway will become a transitway for shuttles and pedestrians next fall, but cars will have to drive somewhere else. Douglas Sampson, university architect and director of design, planning and construction, said that the university’s long-term goal is for the new transitway to extend from Grand Street to Bear Boulevard. However, because Lot 19’s entrance must remain open, the initial plans call for the transitway to begin at Madison Street and stretch south
to the entrance of Lot 19. Sampson said that the university has considered shifting the entrance to the parking lot if possible, but also that a “future building project” in Lot 19 would render the issue a moot point. The roadways, bike paths and sidewalks that will be part of the transitway should be completed before the 2014 fall semester starts, Sampson said, but the landscaping projects may take until the end of 2014. A federal grant provided the funds for the project, which will cost about $475,000, but Sampson said that the university might also pro-
u See PATH, page 2
Art for mental health’s sake Gallery sheds light on taboo issue By Taylor Burns The Standard
Mental illness, developmental disability or substance abuse can sometimes hinder a person’s livelihood, but artistic creation can be therapeutic and bring public awareness. The exhibit that ran last week on the third floor of the PSU showed just a portion of work submitted by artists from around the state. The annual Director’s Creativity Showcase has been displaying talents of people serviced by the Department of Mental Health since 1979. Many consumers of the DMH, especially those with developmental disabilities like autism or Asperger’s syndrome, may not be able to communicate verbally. The artwork is often created as therapy for consumers, as well as a way to bring awareness to the public of the talents of the individuals served by the Missouri Mental Health Founda-
u See CLOUDY, page 2
‘We are a progressive university’ Domestic partners can now share employee benefits By Sadie Welhoff The Standard
The university will be working on a central transitway through campus that will be intended for the use of foot traffic and the Bear Line. The roadways, bike paths and sidewalks are due to be completed before fall 2014.
University to spend $475,000 federal grant on central path through campus
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tion (MMHF). This is the second year MSU has partnered with the MMHF to display the artwork. The exhibit was planned as part of the First Friday Art Walk, a monthly event that displays local artwork in downtown businesses and galleries. “We specifically coordinated it to be with the Art Walk last year,” said Robin Farris, director of the Center City Clinic. “We had just moved to this location as a clinic, so we had an open house to try to bring in more viewers. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t that cooperative.” Farris has been with the clinic for more than six years. She said it’s a big step for her department, as a training ground for mental health professionals, to collaborate with a state agency. Counselors at the clinic are students finishing their master’s degrees in counseling. They service people throughout the community and generally have 600 to 700 sessions per semester. Sessions cost $5 for clients with under $20,000 annual income. Sessions are open to people of all ages, families and couples. “It’s part of our broadening market outreach,” said Farris. “This way, we’re interfacing
with a state agency on mental health.” Another goal of the display, according to Farris, is public exposure of the talents of people with mental health issues. “We totally support the destigmatization of mental illness and addiction, especially for people who are recovering and trying to put their lives back together,” Farris said. “It’s not just an art therapy for people who are dealing with the issues. It’s also a way to show another side, another face, another part of a whole person. “We invited the MMHF, and agreed to be a co-sponsor,” said Farris. “That’s what they look for; places around the state, where hopefully a lot of people will have access to the art. A university is a great place, because, naturally, there are a lot of people moving through the space.” Executive director of MMHF Patty Henry said her organization, which is contracted through DMH for many educational practices, services people with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities and addiction disorders. According to Henry, the selection process for the art displayed focuses on showing pieces
u See ART, page 2
Same-sex marriage may not be legal in Missouri, but that fact will not prevent domestic partners from receiving faculty benefits at MSU. The board of governors approved the changes to the definition of sponsored dependents at its Oct. 18 meeting. It will become effective Jan. 1, 2014, and faculty can enroll for benefits between Nov. 1 and Dec. 1, 2013. President Clif Smart said the policy helps MSU align with several other Missouri colleges and universities. “It conveys we are a progressive university and broadens the pool from which we hope to hire the best faculty and staff,” said Smart. The definition now states six criteria a person must meet to qualify as a sponsored dependent: •They are 18 and mentally competent to consent to contract. •They have shared permanent residence and the other common necessities of life with the employee for at least the previous 12 months. •They cannot be legally married to anyone else in the state. •They cannot be related by blood or have a degree of closeness to the employee, which would keep them from being married in Missouri. •They have a single, dedicated relationship with the employee for at least 12 months. •They are not a renter, boarder or tenant of the employee. LGBT Association President William Hader said the process of this policy change has been years in the making. In 2007, SGA passed a resolution that dealt with investigating domestic partner benefits for faculty and staff. It was actually Hader, who was involved in BiGALA (now Spectrum), who introduced the resolution. The resolution passed, but MSU legislative bodies did not pick it up. It was not until the following year that SGA passed the resolution again and faculty senate started to look into it. Jeremy Chesman, an associate professor of music, was chair of the past senate faculty committee called on to investigate domestic partner benefits. Chesman said there were some policies already in certain MSU facilities, such as the Taylor Health and Wellness Center and the library, that had benefits for
u See BENEFITS, page 2