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Show W E B E R Grizzlies chew 'Cats S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y Signpost see page 6 MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2005 D a y in t h e life see page 5 wsusignpost.com VOLUME 68 ISSUE 22 WSU suspends use of large vans USU tragedy prompts investigation of safety, maintenance policies, procedures By Blair Dee Hodges news editor [ 7/?e Signpost brother pays tribute Campus vehicle safety tips and requirements- By Blair D e e Hodges An accident claiming the lives of eight Utah State University students and a teacher prompted Weber State University to ground its three 12-passenger vans Friday. After discussing the issue of transportation safety in a President's All occupants must wear seat ;j:\; Allow adequate travel time to Council meeting last week, WSU belts at all times. .-, ,Xr.^:.,J^: arrive at destination on schedule. officials decided to stop using the vehicles in order to perform a 1 "comprehensive safety evaluation," Complete a driver's safety class Posted speed limit must be said Nancy Emenger, WSU every three years - or yearly, if obeyed at all times. Purchasing and Support Services director, in a statement released driving a university vehicle daily. Friday. Do not drive if you feel tired. Emenger announced the Never use a cell phone while decision to ground the vehicles in 1 Do not drive under the influence driving; if needed, pull over. a university-wide bulletin issued Friday morning. of drugs or alcohol. "It seemed like it was an appropriate time for us to take a moment, look at the procedures, were "substantially more unstable cover everything from 'How do we policies and the vehicles we have authorized to take the van out." Whetton, WSU stores and motor than SUVs or pickup trucks" when prepare and train people to operate currently, and see if there was anything that should be addressed pool manager, then decides based filled with more thanfivepassengers the vans?' to 'How 1do we go about reserving the vans? and 'How well to provide the best possible safety on the road test if a driver is capable or driven over 50 mph. The report recommended do we train people to be able to and security for ail of our students of handling the vehicle safely. and employees who use those "Myunderstandingisthatnobody large passenger vans should respond to situations that they vans," said John Kowalewski, WSU is allowed to take a van out until they only be operated by trained and encounter1 while they're out with Media Relations director. have met the requirements of both experienced drivers. It also stated the vans? " Kowalewski said. According to Whetton, 12WSU's current policies and the video training and the road test," tire pressure and tread wear should passenger vans are usually be checked regularly and seatbelts procedures concerning its vans Kowalewski said. checked out two to three times were also reviewed in 2001 after six While WSU's 12-passenger must be worn at all times. In the per week. Requests for van use members of the USU volleyball team vans are different than USU's year 2000, 80 percent of those who increase during the weekend when were injured in a similar accident. 15-passenger vans in model and died in 15-passenger van rollovers athletic teams are prone to use the "Anyone who will be operating year, both types have recently were not buckled up. vehicles to travel to local venues Kowalewski said Whetton a van is required to watch a been under scrutiny by the U.S. for competitions. The vans are also training video," Kowalewski said. Department of Transportation. On regularly monitors the tire pressure often used by WSU student senators "In addition to that, they are June 1, 2004, Jeffrey Runge, DOT and maintenance of the vans, and and for department field trips. required to go out and perform National Highway Traffic Safety there did not appear to be problems While the large vans are a road certification test with Administration director, issued a with the WSU vehicles when the grounded, seven-passenger Mike Whetton, and they have warning about the vehicles' rollover decision to ground them was made. to pass that test before they are risks. The warning said the vehicles See Vans page 3 "The evaluation is going to Slavery discussed at Stewart Library By Andrea Bean correspondent | The Signpost Abraham Lincoln always felt slavery was a "moral wrong," but he didn't find it necessary to abolish slavery at the beginning of his presidency, according to a Civil War lecture Wednesday afternoon. Howard Jones, a history professor at the University of Alabama, described Lincoln's evolving views on slavery throughout his political career. This presentation, held at Weber State University's Stewart Library, was the sixth installment in the annual Lampros Lecture Series. Jones explained Lincoln's opinion of slavery when the war began in April 1861. The president felt slavery was the See Slavery page 9 ' news editor | The Signpost '; ..•'••'.•: •* One day after Evan Parker was laid to rest in Hooper cemetery, Dale L Parker's voice shook as he recalled his brother. "He had a gift, and We knew that at a very young age/' Dale said Saturday. "My brother has lived the life of three men in 45 years because he is an extremely highly motivated person." Evan Parker, Utah State University agriculture mechanics instructor, and eight students were killed Sept. 26 when the van he was driving rolled off the highway in Tremonton. Dale, a WSU senior, plans to graduate this December in health administrative services. He said that despite the tragedy, he would attend class tonight. "I'm trying to come to grips with it, but you need to realize that my brother and me were very close," Dale said. The two brothers were bom 21 months apart, but Dale said he and Evan's friendship solidified while they owned a farming business together. The two separated the business 17 years ago when Evan received an offer from USU, "When [Evan] was 28, he was offered a teaching opportunity at Utah State University and I told him there was no way he could pass this opportunity up at that point," Dale said. According to Dale, Evan remained very busy for the rest of his life. Along with his fulltime teaching position at USU, Evan operated a laser-leveling business, a custom-combine business, ran his own farm and rented out apartments and homes in his spare time. He was also the neighborhood handyman, Dale said. Dale said that despite his own •; full-time work on the family farm and his school responsibilities, he still found time to talk to his > brother often. ' ; "I would talk to him even still; three, four times a day on. the phone, and that'll be sorelymissed," Dale said. Dale recalled how Evan's talents.made him a confident person who was willing to share his knowledge and service with others. He said that Evan even struggled earlier in life with pride. "But he knew how to control that/' Dale said. "When he was a man in his 20s, it was a challenge for him because of things that he could see and draw out of both his farm and people. He couJd identify things that others just don't see. Things were easy to him that were just impossible to other people." - Kyle Holden, a- former employee of Evans, was traveling behind the van and saw the rear tire blow, causing the USU van to roll off the road. According to Dale, Holden was in shock and . ' See Brother page 3 Administrators to seek funding for new building By Katryna Prater sr. news reporter j The Signpost The state building board will view a request Wednesday to fund a new facility at Weber State University to replace Buildings 1 and 2. WSU President H Ann Millner and Kevin Hansen, WSU Facilities Management assistant vice president, will meet with the Utah State Building Board to request those funds take top priority for the upcoming legislative session. "The need for this new academic facility is reflective of our growth," Hansen said. Buildings 1 and 2, which are part of the four original buildings built for the WSU Harrison Boulevard campus in 1954, have been in need of attention for some time. "The existing buildings have far outlived their usefulness," Hansen said. "They are undersized and there is not enough space in classrooms and for academic needs. There are also infrastructure and safety concerns." Eric Holbrook, a junior taking a two-dimensional graphics course in Building 2 this semester, said that because the buildings are so old, they cannot adequately meet the campus' current needs. "The rooms aren't set up for computers," Holbrook said. "The rooms are always hot and there aren't enough outlets." Holbrook also has a class in Building 1 this semester and said that building is in bad condition as well. "The tile is warped and the heater makes a ticking noise that Buildings 1 and 2 •Built for opening of 1954 WSU campus. •Currently house rooms for foreign .languages, geography, ROTC and telecommunication. • . : 'To be replaced with one large, three-story building with modern technology. See Building page 3 Silent witness campaign highlights Domestic Violence Awareness Month By Tamela Cheller correspondent | The Signpost Life-sized red wooden figures representing people who lost the battle in domestic violence appeared Saturday on Weber State University campus. The victims' unfortunate stones are posted across the chest of the figures. These figures are part of the Silent Witness Campaign, which provides an opportunity for education, awareness and promotion of healthy, non-violent relationships for the college community. Silent Witness National Initiative said the red figures can be a very visual eye opener to help students realize how real the situation of domestic violence is. All 50 states have at least one Silent Witness Campaign or more. The WSU Services for Women Students will provide a month of activities during October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month to bring knowledge to the campus regarding domestic violence. Domestic violence is one of the fastest growing and most serious violent crimes in Utah today. There were 5,471 victims of domestic violence housed in Utah shelters during 2004. Over the past few years, the frequency and intensity of this abuse has increased. Domestic violence in Utah is becoming more aggressive and brutal, according to the Utah Domestic Violence Annual Report released in January. Countless victims and survivors of domestic violence are enduring more severe beatings and lifethreatening situations than those in years past. The As Safe As Possible program - formally known as Peers Educating to End Rape - is including safety as a key theme of the program. For ASAR safety includes overall health and self esteem. This change augments the existing programs of domestic violence and sexual assault by focusing on Domestic Violence Awareness Month f. personal health and safety. "We looked at our needs on campus and felt it was a positive move to go in," said Adrienne Gillespie, WSU Services for Women Students counselor. ASAP student members go through an extensive training to perform presentations in classrooms on a variety of topics, including domestic violence, sexual assault, healthy choices and positive body images. Allowing the students to perform the presentations gives them experience with public speaking and gets the word out regarding these social issues in the Services forWomen Students. "I was interested in this because I took a women's studies course and it really peaked my interest," said Casie Bowen, a WSU human performance junior. Bowen was also trained by the Mentors in Violence Program and was recently made one of the three co-chairs of the ASAP program. Events during Domestic Violence Awareness month include the Community Connection Pair on Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Shepherd Union Building Ballroom. This fair will link resources and services dealing with domestic violence to the WSU community. See Domestic page 3 Utah's domestic violence shelter services Of 5,471 clients served from July 2003-2004 53% Children 46% Women •10/ Less than I /U Men Source: Utah Division of Cliild and Family Services Red wooden figures representing domestic violence victims stand by the entrance to Lampros Hall. The figures are part of the Silent Witness campaign. |