UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY THE Anything Goes Page 4 Mandatory health insurance only a possibility at USU BY RANAE BANGERTEK Senior Writer Contrary to what some students believe, USU administration is not currently requiring health insurance for all students. But if the Board of Regents in the state of Utah pass an initiative proposed by Gov. Jon Huntsman, the mandatory insurance will be implemented at USU. And if the state of Utah's initiative - a hard waiver insurance policy where all higher education students must have adequate health insurance - goes through in the next few years, then USU will be ready, thanks to the passing of the Health Insurance Regulation with a 5 to 3 vote by the Associated Students of USU Tuesday night. "Students somehow feel that this implies that the university is in favor of it going through," said Josh Schultz, student advocate. Although the university is not completely in favor of the initiative, administrators plan on being prepared with a way to provide insurance to all students. The state initiative, originating at the University of Utah, has not been approved and will take a few years to pass, said Jake Roskelley, public relations director for ASUSU. "Everybody that I've talked to has told me, 'Don't vote for this,'" Troy Smith, executive vice president of ASUSU, said. Roskelley said most students don't understand that the initiative is mandated by the state and that it's not a bill - it's a resolution. "I believe as people are educated about it they would be all for it," said Leah Taylor, ASUSU service vice president. Another issue students may be concerned about is whether or not the insurance price would be included in tuition, and Dr. Jim Davis, the director of the Student Health and Wellness Center, assures students it would not. "We would never include it in tuition because your parents have the right to purchase insurance for you and we accept that," Davis said. "We would never pretend to say you have to have this plan or that plan. We just want you to have a plan," he added. Logan, Utah • Campus voice Since 1902 www.utahstatesman.com Friday, April 13,2007 Men wear heels to prevent rape BY DEVIN FELIX H,_ Staff W r i t e r '**'' ' : - , , . . - . ^ . — .J "• " " ; ' . " " > : - * ' • • You may have noticed an unusually high number of people with high heels and hairy legs on campus Wednesday. The Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information office held the third annual Walk-A-Mile-in-Her-Shoes sexual assault awareness event, featuring 141 men each walking at least a mile in high-heeled shoes. The event was part of national Sexual Assault Awareness Month and was designed to involve men in what is often seen as a women's problem, . said Rachel Brighton, SAAVI coordinator. "This event uses humor in an appropriate way, to make it easier to talk about a difficult topic like sexual violence," Brighton said. In addition to raising awareness, the event raised money by selling t-shirts and seeking pledges from citizens and organizations in the valley, Brighton said. The money raised goes to the SAAVI office and other sexual assault prevention and education groups, such as the all-male group l-in-4. Each hour from 10:20 a.m. to 1:20 p.m., participants donned brightly colored high heels and walked a mile-long course through some of the most high-traffic areas on campus. The final leg of the route brought walkers through the main hall of the TSC and onto the TSC patio, where music played and balloons blew in the wind. There were also tables displaying information about sexual assault prevention and representatives from groups such as the USU Counseling Center and the Community Abuse Prevention Services Agency. Kaleb Cranney, who took part in the event, said he decided to make the walk because he saw the trauma two of his friends experienced when they were raped, and he wanted to help prevent and raise awareness of sexual assault. Kevin Crouch, who made the walk in a pair of pink 4inch heels, said he participated to support a good cause and see what it was like to walk in high heels. "I specifically looked for the cutest shoes I could find," Crouch said. "That was the most painful mile I've ever walked," he added. • WALK-A-MILE see page 3 • INSURANCE see page 3 Tuition increase of $236 expected BY ALISON BAUGM Suit Writer Full-time students can expect to pay $236 more in tuition next year. This increase equals a 7 percent increase over this year's tuition. The increase is divided between the Tier I and the Tier II increase. Tier I is a statemandated increase for all higher education institutions and constitutes 4 percent of the increase, said Bill Jensen, associate registrar. Tier II is issued by the university and makes up the remaining 3 percent. "This is probably the smallest increase we've had in tuition in several years," Jensen said. He said the increase last year was 8 percent, and the year before it was a 9 3/4 percent increase. Other increases around the state vary from 4 percent for College of Eastern Utah to 9 percent at Dixie State College. University of Utah has a 7.5 percent overall increase, and Weber and Southern Utah University tied with USU for a 7 percent increase. Jenn Putnam, director of admissions, said the administration does a good job of keeping USU at having one of the lower overall increases. She said USU President Stan Albrecht doesn't want the students to have to pay for everything even though the university has needs and projects that require funding. "President Albrecht is very much committed to keeping (the Tier II increase) as small as he can," Jensen said. Tier II has stayed at a fairly steady increase over the past five years since its initiation, and Putnam said she feels good about where the university is overall. Tier II was put into place to allow universities the flexibility to fund their own projects. •TUITION see page 3 .v•V * •- (Vr ?"jgfe * Gideon Oakei/gid@ccusu.edu WALK-A-MILE-IH-HER-SHOES, a sexual assault awareness event hosted by the Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information office, was held on Wednesday. There were 141 participants who walked a mile-long course through campus. The walk was also held to raise money for SAAVI and other similar education and prevention programs. Campus Police officers Shane Session and Steve Milne (top) wore heels to show support of SAAVI's efforts. ;:r.,P .. . . ; ' Professor encourages students to initiate change BY DEBRA HAWKINS Staff Writer Don't wait for things to change - change them yourself, Patricia Gantt, a professor in the department of English, told students at the Last Lecture in the TSC Ballroom Thursday. Gantt was chosen as the 32nd annual Last Lecture speaker by process of nomination and interview by a board of students. Gantt has been working in public education for 41 years and was recently awarded the English department teacher of the year. Gantt shared a dozen "home truths" that she said she has tested with her own experience. "I would like to share some of the things that I have learned along the way in hopes of making your journey through life easier, more pleasant and more adventuresome," Gantt said. Gantt said her generation experienced different things than the current generation of college students. "The pivotal question of my generation was where were you when Kennedy was shot, not where were you on 9/11," Gantt said. Gantt said during her lifetime she saw the introduction of color television, the marches for civil rights and the fall of many American heroes. "We watched in horror and disbelief as our heroes fell victim to violence," Gantt said. "First John, then Malcolm, then Martin and then finally Bobby." Throughout all this, Gantt said one of the lessons she learned was to "eat the mayonnaise," or to enjoy the things she loves in life now instead of saving them for a special occasion. "A dear friend of mine's secret passion was mayonnaise, but she was concerned that ingesting fats could increase her cholesterol," Gantt said. Gannt's friend passed away later from reasons completely unrelated to her "mayo mischief," Gantt said, so she wishes her friend would have eaten more mayonnaise throughout her life just because she enjoyed it. "When we come along something that makes us enjoy life more, so long as it isn't morally or physically detrimental to ourselves and others, why hold back?" Gantt said. Gantt said she feels people should not hold back in their profession either. . "Find the profession you feel passionate about - one that will excite, reward and challenge you across the years - then give it everything you have without holding back," Gantt said. "Devote your energy, enthusiasm and intelligence and caring to that profession you have chosen." Gantt said no matter what happens, she never lets herself get bored because her mother taught her that "boredom is a sure sign of lack of imagination." "People who are bored are boring," Gantt said. "Always have projects at hand. There are always walks to take, gardens to plant, bikes to ride and stories to read." Gantt said students should "dig for the gold" in themselves and other people. She said this will help students find the good in other people and themselves so they can figure out what their contribution in life will be. "Everyone has something that she or he does better than anybody else, in fact, better than anybody who has lived or ever will live. Please believe that," Gantt said. Not only should students believe in themselves and others, they should also have faith in something bigger, Gantt said. But even with faith, no one should be waiting around for the world to change itself, she said. "Don't wait for the world to change," Gannt said. "Change the world in the small ways you already have in your power." ~debrajoy@cc.usu.edu