E ARLY VOTING BEGINS TODAY Students registered in Hays County cast their Ballots in the LBJ Student Center, 3rd Floor Lobby 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and tomorrow
TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS
www.UNIVERSITYSTAR.com
OCTOBER 26, 2005
WEDNESDAY
VOLUME 95, ISSUE 26
Blackboard updates system after login security questioned
Taking the
plunge
By Eloise Martin News Reporter
Program gives middle school teachers underwater experience By Danea Johnson News Reporter
S
aturday marked the end of the 2005 Dive Into Science program sponsored by Texas State’s College of Science. The program, which has had nearly 50 participants in the last five months, is designed to provide fifth-through eighth-grade teachers with practical experience regarding physics and chemistry concepts — underwater. The seventh session of the program began at San Marcos’ The Dive Shop before participants went for See PLUNGE, page 4
Tiffany Searcy/Star photos
ABOVE: Travis Brown measures his group’s balloon during an “investigation” into Boyle’s Law in Spring Lake on Saturday. The same test was conducted in The Dive Shop’s pool earlier in the day, and the participants compared the differing water temperature results. RIGHT: Dive Into Science program instructor Nelson Koeck ends the afternoon with a solo dive to a underwater cavern in Spring Lake while participants watch from glass-bottom boats. The Dive Into Science program offers professional development hours to middle school science teachers by conducting demonstrations of scientific laws.
Texas State has increased the level of security provided for the login process of Blackboard. The increase came in the form of encryption on Friday, one day after an article in The University Star reported unequal levels of security in Blackboard, Webmail and CatsWeb applications. The article addressed two students’ concern about the lack of a secure socket layer, or SSL, for the login process of Blackboard. SSL can be seen during login at the bottom, right-hand corner in the form of a padlock symbol. Both CatsWeb and Webmail are encrypted with SSL, but Blackboard was not at the time of publication. SSL was added to the Blackboard login on Friday when the information was brought to the attention of Dr. C. Van Wyatt, vice president for Information Technology. Wyatt said he had been out of town during the week but said changes were made when he became aware of the lack of security. Wyatt said there should not have been an unencrypted Blackboard login. “It should never have been an issue,” Wyatt said. “Any major application that we use on login should have that seal; it’s a general principle.” Wyatt said when the university first began to use Blackboard, it did not contain features that made it a security threat. He said when the use evolved, the application of SSL should have been considered but was overlooked. SSL was applied to the login one day after the article was run. Wyatt said the immediate step showed how simple the application was and that it could have been done at an earlier time. Wyatt said that although new security measures have been made by the university, students will still need to continue safe computer practices. “Maintaining confidentiality and privacy of your own information is a collaborative effort,” Wyatt said. He said students and other users should understand that with increasing technology there is no way to fully protect computers against potential threats. See SECURITY, page 4
Health Careers Job Fair offers employment opportunity for all majors By Andrea Gonzalez Special to The Star Growing by leaps and bounds, the health care profession is always in need of great employees. Understanding this need, Career Services and the College of Health Professions has teamed up to present the Texas State Health Careers Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday in the LBJ
Student Center Ballroom. “Although this is a specialized job fair, we encourage all students to attend,” said Josie Garrott, Career Services associate director. “The employers may be from the health field, but they will have other opportunities available (for people in non-health related fields.)” Thirty prospective employers will be in attendance, including the San Marcos Treatment Center, Seton Healthcare
George’s cancels freestyle battle in favor of World Series viewing party By Leah Kirkwood News Reporter The Student Association for Campus Activities canceled the Step Up Freestyle Battle previously scheduled for 8 p.m. at George’s today and instead will sponsor a combined Open Mic Night and World Series viewing party in its place. “Since the World Series is going to be on, we figured people would want to watch it, so we’ll have it on and during commercials open the stage to performances,” said Brandon King, SACA fine arts coordinator. But hip-hop fans should not be disappointed just yet. King said his organization is working to schedule some sort of freestyle event
for Nov. 30, and emcees still have the chance to be heard at George’s today. The microphone will be open to all sorts of performers who are looking for an audience. “I wouldn’t mind watching a game on campus,” said Dave Villela, nutrition senior. “We were going to watch it at a bar anyway.” Open Mic performances will take place on a small stage at the front of the venue. “I think it’s a good place to watch the game because we have a big screen,” said Grace Burgess, George’s cashier. The game will also be shown on several of the smaller televisions placed all around the room See SERIES, page 4
Today’s Weather
Sunny 78˚/ 52˚
Precipitation: 0% Humidity: 41% UV: 7 High Wind: SE 9 mph
Network and Central Texas Medical Center. “This will be an opportunity to sell themselves (to an employer),” said Laura Daniels, College of Health Professions academic adviser. Employers will be looking to fill a variety of jobs and juniors and seniors from the College of Health Professions and their various programs including health administration, physical and ra-
diation therapy and respiratory care are in particular demand at the fair. “Without a doubt, this would be a great opportunity for networking,” Daniels said. Freshmen and sophomores who have not yet decided on a major will find assistance at the fair also. “Students considering a health profession will have an opportunity to talk to all departments in the College of
Health Professions,” Garrott said. Information will be provided on the area of study, and discussion of the wide array of career choices will be available. As with any career fair, proper etiquette should be maintained. Those juniors and seniors who are actively job seeking are encouraged to wear professional attire, bring their resumes and See FAIR, page 4
No bones about it; prof lives for the dead Professor solves mysteries using forensic science By Eloise Martin News Reporter Jerry Melbye is not afraid to face the dead — in fact, he goes in search of it. The Texas State professor has spent much of his life as a forensic archeologist, determining the causes of a victim’s death in cases that are either mysterious or may involve foul play. He has also created new classes for students who are eager to learn his techniques on solving mysteries using human bones. Melbye is a specialist in human skeletal biology or as he calls himself, “a bio-archeologist.” He has participated in numerous archeological digs and said he has dug up more than 1,000 dead bodies. Although Melbye spent years studying anthropology while earning his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degree, he said he found his interest for forensic an-
thropology 20 years ago. “Because of my experience with pre-historic populations, I could identify age, sex and stature of more recent skeletons,” Melbye said. “Soon I discovered that there was a lot more, and I became involved in the broader sense of forensic science.” Melbye is one of only 56 certified forensic scientists in the world and is also a member of The American Academy of Forensic Sciences. While at the University of Toronto, Melbye created the first forensic anthropology course in Canada. The success of the class led to his creation of a forensic science program that offered the first bachelor’s degree in forensic science in Canada. The program combined professors from molecular biology, epistemology, botany, chemistry, psychology, statistics and anthropology. Melbye was soon called on by forensic scientists to aid chief coroners in the examination of bodies. He worked several cases, surveyed crime scenes and was soon on the advisory board to the Center of Forensic Scientists in Canada.
Two-day Forecast Thursday T-Storms Temp: 77°/ 53° Precipitation: 50%
Friday Sunny Temp: 77°/ 50° Precipitation: 20%
Monty Marion/Star photo Professor Jerry Melbye explains some of the intricacies of the human skeleton as they relate to the field of forensic anthropology, in which he is considered an expert. Melbye said his years of working with pre-historic populations and his time spent with police at crime scenes lead him to obtain information on animal behavior. “Coyotes and other animals that are predators look at humans as means,” he said. He began to use his knowledge
Inside
TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS
Classifieds Comics Crossword News
10 9 9 1-4
Opinions Sports Trends
of animal behavior in addition to the examinations of the bodies to find other clues. Melbye said he is able to use animal patterns to search for clues and bones that are not at the site with the body. Squirrels, for example, will take See BONES, page 3
To Contact The Star: 5 11,12 6-9
Trinity Building Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708 www.UniversityStar.com © 2005 The University Star