9 2 2014

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Tuesday, September 2, 2014

M I S S O U R I

S T A T E

U N I V E R S I T Y More than 100 years in print

Volume 108, Issue 2 | the-standard.org

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Construction on campus and underused lots make parking your car difficult

By Sadie Welhoff The Standard @sadie1359

It is not truly a new school year at Missouri State without buying books, a visit to the PSU or student frustration over parking. According to a statement from the Parking Administration Office, about 500 parking spaces have been repurposed as part of various construction projects around campus. However, even with the construction taking away some spaces, there are still parking lots being under-utilized. Parking-transit supervisor Earl Wall said when anyone makes a claim they cannot find a parking space, he directs them to lots 51 and 52, which he said are empty or nearly empty on a daily basis. Lot 51 has 110 parking spaces, and lot 52 has 104 parking spaces. Lots 51 and 52 are located north of the Department of Safety and Transportation offices on Elm Street and are open to drivers with yellow, blue, red and green parking permits. The blue Bear Line route stops at lot 51 and also goes to the PSU. Lots 51 and 52 are some of the more outlying lots, which Wall said he knows might not be a student’s first choice. “There’s parking, but not as much convenient parking,” Wall said. When it comes to permits, more parking permits are given out than there are parking spaces. Wall said there are about 7,500 parking spaces total on campus now. The parking administration office has given out around 8,128 commuter permits, which does not include permits for residence hall parking. While more permits are given out than the total number of spaces, Wall said when they look at how the spaces

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Students with yellow commuter passes fight for spots in a crowded garage and try to make it to class on time. are used, about three different cars park in one parking space every day, because not all commuters stay on campus for the entire day. The Bear Experience and Recreation Fee, which students voted in favor of on Oct. 18 last year, provided funding to the different construction projects. One of the projects created a track and soccer field, which is located where lot 26 used to sit. Meagan Rippee, senior clinical laboratory science major, has a yellow commuter pass she uses Monday through Friday. Rippee said she voted against the B.E.A.R. Fee because of her lack of interest in the sports facilities the fee would help fund. “If the B.E.A.R. Fee went to more parking, I would have voted for it,” Rippee said. Wall said coordinating which lots the Bear Line stops by is part of finding a good parking spot. “It’s all about planning,” Wall said.

The statement from the Parking Administration Office recommends students save time finding a space by going to lots 51, 52 or 44 and using the Bear Line to get closer to center of campus. Rippee said having the convenience of the Bear Line helps determine which lot she parks in. “If they didn’t have a shuttle, I wouldn’t use the lot,” Rippee said. The university is aware of the parking challenges and has discussed plans for improvement in the future. “We have a federal grant proposal in to fund half of a new parking garage and should know by October if we are successful,” President Clif Smart said. “If that option does not come through, we will evaluate creation of new surface lots. The parking garage is a $27 million project so we need external funding help to build it.”

Bears don’t let Bears suffer alone

New group offers peer support for substance abuse By Annie Gooch The Standard @annie_gooch

Students seeking recovery or realizing they may have a problem with alcohol or drug abuse have a new place to turn to on campus: SoBEAR. Missouri State University will be the fourth campus in the state to have a Collegiate Recovery Community, which exclusively represents recovery at the college level. Justin Johns, co-founder of SoBEAR and a substance abuse counselor at the Counseling and Testing Center, said there may have been efforts in the past to get some 12-step groups on campus, but it’s a first for MSU to have this type of studentrun effort to address the issue. “We are excited to be able to provide that for students and have a place that they can call their own,” Johns said. “And to have peer-to-peer support, which is great for recovery.” Johns partnered alongside Jerilyn Reed, the student wellness coordinator, to write and apply for a grant that would allow them funding to create and facilitate SoBEAR. The organization, Transforming Youth Recovery, accepted their grant at the beginning of the summer. “I think that a lot of students who are in recovery need to know they aren’t alone,” Reed said. “This group gives them a resource to go where other students are going through the exact same thing. Students need to realize that not everyone on

ONLINE Check out photos of last week’s Sample Springfield

campus is drinking.” Although it may be a common misconception that everyone on campus drinks alcohol, Johns admits that most do try and experiment with alcohol and drugs in college. “At some point in a student’s academic career, they will most likely try alcohol,” Johns said. “Is it a huge problem? I don’t know. But with some individuals it could be, and I think it’s comforting to know that if it does become a concern for someone, there is a peer-to-peer resource through SoBEAR.” SoBEAR isn’t the only place students may seek help, and Johns is aware that having options is important for those in recovery. Some feel more comfortable in a 12-step support group meeting, whereas others may prefer speaking with a counselor. “I think it’s important to have a variety of resources available for students to seek help through,” said Doug Greiner, director of the Counseling and Testing Center. “They can talk to a counselor, a substance abuse specialist or a close friend or parent. But I think it’s great to have a group where students can go on campus to realize they aren’t alone.” Students can also turn to the Counseling and Testing Center for a variety of concerns, whether that be relationships, a mood disorder or substance abuse. Greiner explains that often enough, something has happened in a student’s life that has made them question their alcohol or drug use.

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Specialized GEP sections help support new students By Callie Dunaway The Standard @Callie_Dunaway

This newest organization helps fellow students with substance abuse issues.

“Some come in and express concern about their behavior,” Greiner said. “They begin to look at their abuse when maybe a legal issue comes up or a relationship has ended because of it. They decide that they don’t like their drinking and are ready to do something about it.” According to Johns, whatever reason has led a student to ask for help needs to come from themselves. “I think everybody has to make that decision on their own,” Johns said. “And how they came to that decision can stem from many different ways, but I hope by that time they will be aware of SoBEAR

u See SOBEAR, page 9

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Missouri State University is one of the many colleges who have implemented a first-year program for its students. Firstyear programs are a relatively new concept and are becoming more and more common. GEP 101 is a class that all incoming freshmen to the university are required to take. When GEP started out as a class, it was the same class and curriculum for all students. In the past five years, Missouri State has begun to create specialized sections for the incoming students. The newest section to the GEP class is specifically catered to first generation college students. A first generation college student is someone whose parents have not graduated college or attended college. Rachelle Darabi, associate provost for student development and public affairs, who is very involved in the program, spoke about the new class. “First generation college students have certain challenges that other students don’t face. We are hoping it adds another layer of support for students,” she said. Freshman to sophomore year is the hardest time for universities when it comes to losing students. With the GEP class, the university is hoping to close the gap and get more students connected. The first specialized section of GEP u See GEP, page 9

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