Cloudy with a 20% chance of rain HIGH LOW 44 36
Volunteers upset No. 2 Kentucky 74-65
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Monday, March 1, 2010 Issue 33
E D I T O R I A L L Y
PUBLISHED SINCE 1906
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Vol. 113
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SGA looks at gender-inclusive bathrooms Kyle Turner Staff Writer
Colleges enlist parents to curb problem drinking At Virginia Tech, where tailgating and raucous apartment complex parties are time-honored rituals, university officials are turning increasingly to Mom and Dad to curb problem underage drinking. This semester, the school in Blacksburg, Va., began notifying parents when their under-21 students are found guilty of even minor alcohol violations, such as getting caught with a beer in a dorm room. Although it’s common for colleges to alert parents of major alcohol offenses — or when a student faces suspension — Virginia Tech is part of a small but growing number sending letters home on minor ones.
The last meeting of the SGA Senate included the passage of new legislation from three different proposals that students, faculty and staff will visibly notice around campus. One resolution from Sen. Elliott Devore, senior in psychology, supports safe and accessible genderinclusive restrooms. Devore said existing single-sex and single-occupancy bathrooms would be available to any student, regardless of gender, by placing new labels outside such restrooms. “Instead of having a placard designating a man or a woman for single-occupancy restrooms, it would instead be gender-inclusive labeling, allowing transgender, as well as handicapped individuals, greater accessibility,” Devore said. “The labeling would be similar to what you’ve seen for family restrooms at the mall.” The reference to handicapped individuals is because some disabled people need assistance, and if the one assisting them is of the opposite sex, entering a gender-designated restroom can become uncomfortable. With the passage of the resolution, Devore hopes to find and catalogue these restrooms so greater visibility for the needs of all students can be brought to the attention of those who might previously see UT
as an institute not accommodating to LGBT students. Devore had discussed these concerns with the Chancellor’s Commission for LGBT People in the past. There are plans to have several gender-inclusive bathrooms in the new Student Health Center, as well as in the new University Center. This resolution passed, but without the full support of the SGA Senate, many choosing to abstain rather than show the opinion of their constituents. Another passage, Bill 07-10, would increase the bluelight locations on campus. Maria Dill, sophomore in political science, and Punam Patel, sophomore in lower division, proposed the bill to target those areas students feel need bluelights the most. Both sponsoring senators are looking for ideas from students of where they would want to see new bluelights installed for greater safety. Once a complete list of ideas and locations are composed, talks with Facilities Services will begin to see if each location is feasible. The third piece of legislation voted upon, Bill 0810, is an effort to increase the recycling capacities of the campus. Sens. Tommy Jervis, junior in finance, and Becca Keyes, freshman in business, want to install more recycling cans outside for greater accessibility to students. The cans are approximately $1,200 per can, and
the senators have proposed four to five cans. The money would come from the campus green fee, and a green band would denote the cans around their outside. “I think this makes it more convenient for students and gives them the easy option to recycle,” Sen. Avery Howard, junior in agriculture, said. The president’s report included good news for many students looking to have quicker access to overrun funds from scholarships and loans. SGA president Laura Nishida spoke about her ongoing talks with the administration to move up the date for students to receive their excess financial aid. Many students rely heavily on such money to pay for books and other college-related expenses. The gap from the start of school until the distribution of excess aid can be too long for many students. Those who need the money as early as possible are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit, guaranteeing them a speedy deposit. Nishida also mentioned the radio show that she and Cory Hipps, senior in enterprise management, participate in every Monday from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. through TNJN. Nishida said they discuss campus issues and love hearing from people to get ideas flowing. The show is also a great way to get information out and ask questions and get student feedback, Nishida said.
Iraqi PM calls pre-vote candidate ban legitimate BAGHDAD — Iraq’s prime minister Sunday defended a ban of candidates with alleged ties to Saddam Hussein’s former regime, calling it a legitimate decision that would not affect Sunni turnout at the polls. In an interview with The Associated Press just a week before March 7 elections, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki also said he did not see any need at this point for U.S. forces to stay in the country past their planned 2011 departure date. Al-Maliki, who came to power in 2006 as a compromise candidate, has overseen a return to relative stability since the height of the insurgency but is facing stiff competition in his bid for another four-year term.
Hayley DeBusk • The Daily Beacon
Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton and Brandy Pearl present a check to UT Hospital as a part of the Outlive campaign. Supporters donated $130,000 to benefit cancer patients and families.
Nearly 200K still without power after winter storm PORTLAND, Maine — Nearly 200,000 homes and businesses were still without power Sunday as restoration efforts continued days after a slow-moving storm battered the Northeast with heavy snow, rain and high winds. More than 83,000 utility customers still lacked electricity late Sunday afternoon in New Hampshire, the hardest-hit state. New York had about 87,000 outages and Maine 23,000.a At the peak of the storm, more than a million utility customers throughout the region had lost power. Hundreds of utility crews from as far away as Michigan and Maryland continued removing trees that knocked down power lines and replacing utility poles that snapped during last week’s storm.
Colleges target tech cheating The Associated Press NASHVILLE — Universities are coping with the issue of high-tech temptations in the classroom. Some teachers ban cell phones and laptops on sight. At Middle Tennessee State University, history professor Janice Leone usually starts the semester with a word about cell phones — and that word is usually “no.” “They’re used to looking at it constantly. I’ve seen students actually text without looking, with their hands in their pockets,” said Leone, who considers the devices more of a distraction than a temptation to cheat. “I have colleagues who tell their students, ‘If I see a cell phone, I’ll dock you 10
points.’ Others will say, ‘If I see a cell phone during a test, I’m assuming you’re cheating.’ “ These are students who grew up texting instead of passing notes in class; who don’t wear a watch because their cell phone has a clock; and who may find it a struggle to get through an entire class without a status update. “As an undergraduate I did see (cell phone cheating) all the time,” MTSU graduate student Olivia Barker told The Tennessean newspaper. She is a volunteer student mediator in cases of student misconduct. “Cheating is cheating, whether you’re cheating off your neighbor or cheating off a phone,” she said. MTSU, which has the
largest undergraduate student population in the state, has about 150 or so cases of academic misconduct — cheating — each year, said assistant dean of student life Laura Sosh-Lightsy. About 10 to 20 of them involve cheating using a cell phone. The penalties for cell phone cheating depend on the student. New students might get by with a reprimand, Sosh-Lightsy said. Juniors or seniors, who ought to know better, probably would be suspended from the university. “I’m not one of these people who’s glued to my cell,” MTSU senior Mallory Phillips said. But “while you’re in class, you’ll see people texting.” See CHEATING on Page 3
TOMS shoes promote social responsibility with outreach Jillian Edmonds Staff Writer Walking in someone else’s shoes is one thing, but walking with no shoes is a way to empathize with children in developing countries. Blake Mycoskie created TOMS shoes in 2006 after he visited Argentina and befriended many children who did not have shoes, making the hardships of their everyday life even more difficult. TOMS shoes, named after “the shoes for tomorrow,” matches a pair of shoes purchased with a pair of shoes for a child in need. “TOMS is a fantastic way of doing something good for people, especially children in need, while shopping,” Christine Abercrombie, junior in lower division and TOMS campus representative, said. “The main idea behind the company is for every pair of shoes you buy, they will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. This allows students to have a proactive voice because we do want to do something good for someone else, and TOMS is a great way to do that.” The goal of the campus representatives is to spread awareness and get the student body involved. See TOMS on Page 3
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