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Show StatesmanCampus News Friday, March 5, 2010 USU-CEU merge wins majority vote By RACHEL A. CHRISTENSEN news editor The bill that will merge the College of Eastern Utah and USU was approved by the Utah House of Representatives Thursday morning and now awaits the anticipated signature of the governor, said Michael Kennedy, vice president for federal and state relations. This history-making bill, which will merge two land-standing educational institutions, is being called the first of its kind in the state. The merged school will be called Utah State University-College of Eastern Utah (USU-CEU) and will have campuses in Price and Blanding, according to Legislature documents. The bill is to take effect July 1. The House passed the bill, called Senate Bill 69, by a majority vote, with only one vote against it, Kennedy said. Legislative intent language was also read into the record, stating that both institutions agree to follow the memorandum of understanding as previously drafted. "It's a smart move for the Utah state system," USU President Stan Albrecht said. "Our mission is a land-grant mission, it's not just for Applied Technology College (BATC), Cache Valley." a separate campus with technical Albrecht said the new relationship training, though it will have many will provide better higher education practical areas of study that are difopportunities throughout the state. ferent than the BATC. USU-CEU stuAlbrecht said CEU was a "very dents will also be able to take USU good small college," but it was strugclasses broadcasted by satellite. gling. The merge will keep the school CEU already has its own facilities, open where it such as a stumight have othdent center and "It's a smart move erwise been lost, library, Lee said, for the Utah State he said. which will make system. Our misAlbrecht also the USU-CEU said the merge sion is a landcampus USU's gives USU a largest distance grant mission, it's chance to extend campus. not just for Cache the success of The merge Valley." the Uintah Basin process began campus to the when the bill was Stan Albrecht, southern areas of first introduced USU president the state, which in a legislative would allow the session in 2009, school to teach information that is Albrecht said. Since that spring, useful in these areas, such as coal Albrecht said, task forces and commining and environmental issues. mittees from USU and CEU have Spencer Lee, ASUSU executive vice collected information and discussed president, said CEU will keep things financial, student and faculty issues. such as its sports teams, mascot, stu- This information was used to create dent government and school colors. a memorandum of understanding, USU students will be able to which was approved by the State more easily transfer to CEU, Lee Board of Regents last fall. The Senate said, whose programs have more of approved the bill, and now the gova vocational focus. USU-CEU will ernor must sign the bill. become more like the Bridgerland Kennedy said the governor has 30 - days to sign the bill. He also said he expects the governor to hold some sort of ceremonial signing in Price. According to a press release, a search is currently underway for someone to fill the position of chancellor. The chancellor, which will be appointed by the president of USU, reports directly to the president of USU and will provide him with recommendations for a regional advisory council, according to Legislature documents. This council will be made up of the USU-CEU Student Association president and residents of counties in the school's service regions. In a ceremony Thursday that took place in the Capitol Board Room in Salt Lake City, Lee said representatives from both schools, as well as Big Blue and CEU's eagle mascot, gathered to celebrate the union. Sen. David Hinkins was present as well as members of the House of Representatives Ronda Menlove, Fred Hunsaker, Jack Draxler and Curt Webb, among other guests. The mascots posed, hugging for pictures, Lee said, symbolizing the new relationships between the two schools. — rac.ch@aggiemail.usu.edu Ag secretary says families need farmers By MEGAN BAINUM staff writer Fifty percent of American land is owned by farmers who represent fewer than two percent of the country's citizens, and Kathleen Merrigan spoke about ways people can help farmers and their communities. Merrigan, the deputy secretary of agriculture, spoke on Thursday for the Extension Annual Conference. Her speech, "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food," focused on the agricultural structure of the country and how city residents can support their local farmers. "Not every family needs a lawyer. Not every family needs an accountant," Merrigan said. "Every family needs a farmer. We are connected to the land every time we buy a loaf of bread, visit a farmers market or go out to a restaurant." Merrigan said her purpose is to find ways to strengthen agriculture and reconnect consumers with locally grown food. She said that as a result it will generate wealth for the community. Merrigan said it is important to connect with young people and have them learn about local farmers. She said she wants to engage young people in "building a better world for tomorrow." "The average age of a farmer in the United States is 57 and who is there to fill in their shoes?" Merrigan said. "Universities are an excellent example of programs that help students become interested in agriculture." People are starting to talk about agriculture again, Merrigan said, and there are jobs out there for college graduates interested in that field. Merrigan said there are 52,000 jobs open in the agriculture structure but only 47,000 of those positions get filled by graduates. Eating organically is not a new phenomenon and it has been on an upward trend for years. Merrigan said there has been 100 percent growth over the past decade in agriculture. "Eating locally is hot," Merrigan said. "Local produce is on a trend upward. The word organic comes more often in a Google search than Barack Obama does." Along with connecting with a younger generation, Merrigan also talked about the growing problem of child obesity in America and how eating locally grown food can help. A lack of access to good healthy food is what Merrigan thinks leads to some of the obesity prob- Page 3 Briefs Campus & Community Project to build new bike racks The class of 2010 has chosen to fund a covered bike rack as its Senior Class Gift. Students, faculty and visitors are increasingly using bikes as a means of transportation on USU's campus because they are convenient and environmentally friendly. However, there are currently not enough places to park bicycles that are secure and protected from the elements. The new covered bike racks will provide space for 24 bicycles each and help beautify campus areas that are being restored. The first bike rack cover will be a gift from the class of 2010, with the help of your donation. Senior Gift is a century-yearold tradition that allows the senior class to come together to support and improve Utah State University. Donations given by seniors is an expression of gratitude toward Utah State University for the knowledge and experience they have gained. The Senior Gift dates back to 1909, when the lighted "A" on top of the Old Main tower was given. Since then, many gifts have been given including beautiful clocks, scenic benches, the USU sign on fourth north and the new campus maps. The Senior Gift gives seniors a chance to give back to the university that has given them so much. We hope that giving to the Senior Gift gets graduates to start their pattern of giving back to the university. To learn more about the Senior Gift and to donate, visit www.usu. edu/seniorgift . You can also donate when we call you over the phone this week, at the Grad fair, in Old Main Room 106, or at our booth during A Week. Soloist to play in Performance Hall This year, after slight schedule adjustments, the 2010 Wassermann Festival brings the most recent gold medal winner, Haochen Zhang, to campus for a solo recital Tuesday, March 9, with a 7:30 p.m. performance in USU's Performance Hall. Those goals are shared with Utah State University's Wassermann Festival, and over the years the festival has been able to bring a number of prize-winning Van Cliburn pianists to the Logan campus for performances and master classes. Tickets for the event are available at the Caine School of the Arts Box Office, located in the Chase Fine Arts Center, FAC 139-B on the USU campus; online (http://csaboxoffice.usu. edu/) or call 435-797-8022. Faculty to promote healthy body image KATHLEEN MERRIGAN, deputy secretary of agriculture, spoke Thursday about ways Cache Valley citizens can involve themselves in agriculture to strengthen it. She said a crucial way to improve agriculture is by interesting children in it. PETE P. SMITHSUTH photo lems children are facing. "Let's move a nationwide campaign to solve childhood obesity," Merrigan said. "For children ages 5 to 8, an average of 720 calories they have in a day are empty calories." Merrigan said having things like school gardens at the elementary school level can help kids become interested in local farming, as well as improve their willingness to eat healthy. She also said farmers need to connect with school districts and have the students learn where their food is coming I See FARMERS, page 4 Businesses donate to help education program By KASEY VAN DYKE staff writer Several businesses in Logan will be donating money to the Small Enterprise and Education (SEED) program March 5. SEED has already received $250 from J.J. Cole and $500 from APX Alarms. Chili's, Dominoes, McDonald's, Cafe Sabor, Hamilton's, Kamin Thai Cuisine, Aquatech Carwash and S.E. Needham Jewelers will also be donating part of their proceeds on Friday. SEED, a program through the Huntsman School of Business, will then donate the money to small businesses in South America, currently focusing on Peru. According to the Huntsman School of Business Web site, SEED has a mission to provide Utah State University students Maintaining a healthy body image is difficult in American society. This is especially true for college students. USU Counseling and Psychology Services is promoting the Every "Body" Rocks event to celebrate each body's uniqueness. When USU students have a healthy body image, they will grow in self-esteem and worth, event organizers said. Every "Body" Rocks will be held March 8 from 10a.m. - 3p.m. in the Taggart Student Center International Lounge. The event includes more than 25 information booths and activities to appeal to all demographics at USU. The booths and activities are run by the Student Health Services; the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community; Avalon Hills; USU Women's Center; the Museum of Anthropology and many other local and USU organizations, including USU Counseling and Psychology Services. Event activities include food tasting, a life-size Barbie to show the false expectations of a perfect body, body painting with messages of selfaffirmation and decorating skinny jeans with positive messages. Booths will highlight body modifications throughout the world, fashion for any body, body image triggers and men's body issues. {{ SEED INTERN stands with his Peruvian students as they present their certificates after completing a course in business. Students from the Huntsman School of Business volunteer to educate citizens in foreign countries. photo courtesy of the Huntsman School of Business I See SEED, page 4 LlCompiled from staff and media reports |