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Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Rob Gibson, a drum major in the Vandal Marching Band, is hoisted UI Cheerleaders during the pre-game performance at the Idaho football game Saturday.
Nation
Boycott Black Thursday takes off UI alumnus sparks old-fashioned boycott through Facebook for holiday sales on Thanksgiving
Kaitlyn Krasselt Argonaut
Alyssa Ward worked a register near a boot sale during Black Friday at the Moscow Macy’s last year. Her shift started at 7:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, just like every other Macy’s employee. “There were people running and pushing each other, people were mad they didn’t get the boots they wanted or the shoes in their size and I don’t think people should act like that,” Ward said. “It looks like we don’t even care about the holiday.” Ward, a University of Idaho senior studying public relations, is among thousands of retail employees across the nation who are forced to work on Thanksgiving Day to accommodate early Black Friday sales.
“It was the worst retail shift of my “Thanksgiving is the one day a life,” she said. year we have to shut up and stop Following the economic reces- being greedy for new things,” Rich sion, Black Friday was the said. “To see these big obretail world’s way of showing noxious sales trample all consumers the economy over Thanksgiving really could bounce back. The made me angry. It was so sometimes-violent sales offensive to me to put these started earlier and earlier, monstrous and usually and shoppers flooded violent Black Friday sales on stores as early as midnight Thanksgiving. It just turned Rich on Friday morning. By it into Black Thursday.” 2011, stores like Toys ‘R Us started And so the Facebook page opening on Thanksgiving Day for Boycott Black Thursday was born. Black Friday sales. Rich started the page in 2011, UI alumnus Brian Rich said he and now it’s closing in on 100,000 was appalled when the shopping followers — and adding thousands season began to intrude on a day more every day. dedicated to giving thanks for what people already have. Rich is a former Argonaut employee. SEE Boycott, PAGE 5
News briefs
administration
Counting on career ladders UI administrators look to provide professional training, career ladders
ers and carpenters who find higher salaries elsewhere. “WSU and Schweitzer and Another week, another staff member lost to Washington other industries in the area, State University or Schweitzer they are all paying more than us,” he said. Engineering Laboratories. While increasing emThat seems to be the trend ployee salaries is for Ron Smith, Unia top priority for versity of Idaho vice UI administrators, president of Finance Smith said there are and Administration. other ways to incen“It’s huge right tivize employees to now, and it all goes stay at UI. back to salary inSmith is in the creases, we haven’t Smith process of forming been able to keep up a new committee to look with market,” he said. Smith said much of the further into the issue. He said the committee staff turnover is from ITS employees and trade employees, such as mechanics, plumbSEE Career, PAGE 5 Ryan Tarinelli Argonaut
ASUI
Tobacco panel discussion Proponents and opponents of the proposed tobacco ban will hold a panel discussion at 5 p.m. Wednesday, in the College of Law Menard Building courtroom. The panel discussion comes at a time when the University of Idaho Tobacco Task Force is seeking feedback from UI students, faculty and staff on its proposed change to the current smoking policy. The UI Economics and Veterans Clubs also seek to gauge the campus community opinion on the proposed policy. The panel discussion will feature both sides of the debate and each side will be given an equal amount of time to present their thoughts on the issue. Audience members are encouraged to give input.
Presidential house update The University of Idaho will move forward with plans for a new presidential house. The State Board of Education approved UI’s request to begin demolition on the old Presidential House and, shortly afterword, begin construction of a new house, said Ron Smith, vice president of Finance and Administration. The design and development phase would continue through February and demolition on the structure would start spring 2015. The project is expected to cost $1.9 million and is scheduled to be completed April 2016. He said $1.3 million would come from the UI Foundation and $600,000 would come from institutional funds. Smith said he hopes the new house will house many future UI presidents. SEE Briefs, PAGE 5
Extending amnesty Cara Pantone Argonaut
It’s a crisis situation — an underage student has alcohol poisoning and needs medical attention immediately. Instead of seeking help, however, the thoughts of the student or the friends around them may be more focused on the consequences to follow, rather than the emergency at hand. This is a situation ASUI is trying to prevent. Currently, if a University of Idaho student finds himself or herself in a similar situation, the UI Amnesty Policy adopted into the Student Code of Conduct last year ensures UI will not take disciplinary action against the involved students. The Moscow Police Department is considering the adoption of an amnesty policy to protect students from legal repercussions if they seek help in life-threatening situations. Nicholas Wren, ASUI director of health and wellness, said ASUI is in the process of communicating with MPD to see whether or not a
similar amnesty policy would be a viable option. “It’s really going to depend on senate, if they want to write a resolution, if they want to try and convince the Moscow Police Department to adopt this policy too,” Wren said. “We’ll see what happens.” MDP Lt. David Lehmitz said the department is discussing the option internally and cannot yet comment on the possibility of an amnesty policy. “We haven’t made a decision on the amnesty policy, but we are going to be looking at it more closely in the coming weeks,” he said. While UI has off-campus jurisdiction, the UI Amnesty Policy states that a student who seeks emergency medical attention for drug or alcohol related consumption would not be reprimanded for violating the Student Code of Conduct. ASUI began the discussion with MPD regarding ways the MPD could encourage students to seek medical attention for themselves or another person without
IN THIS ISSUE
Idaho men’s basketball wins tight game over South Dakota State. sports, 6 News, 1
Sports, 6
Jackson Flynn | Argonaut
Opinion, 9
Travel safely over fall break. Read Our View.
Moscow police consider adopting an amnesty policy
We haven’t made a decision on the amnesty policy, but we are going to be looking at it more closely in the coming weeks. David Lehmitz, MDP Lt.
the threat of legal action. Wren said a similar request was considered by MPD previously, but a decision was made to not move forward with it. “This is a conversation that we’ve had with the Dean of Students Office before, but we really started talking about it earlier this summer (of 2014), along with the Alcohol Taskforce,” Lehmitz said. SEE Amnesty, PAGE 5
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Opinion, 9 University of Idaho
Volume 116, Issue no. 27
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