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Show Editorial FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2011 3 THE SIGNPOST The Signpost Viewpoint Code Purple is an efficient student service Having an intense wind storm at the end of the semester is, well, inconvenient. Granted, the wind storm was absolutely unavoidable, but many students were faced with a decision when they received the Code Purple warning Thursday telling them to stay within buildings. "Due to high winds and flying debris, WSU is asking everyone to stay inside campus buildings. Shelter in place." Students who had signed up to receive Weber State University's Code Purple warnings received this text at approximately 9:05 a.m. Shortly after that, automated phone calls were made and e-mails sent from Code Purple with the same message. The same message was post- ed to WSU's Facebook page, prompting student discussion on the post. Some students commenting on the post questioned and disliked the "use your own discretion" approach to Code Purple. Some were wondering if their own personal discretion would be the same as that of their professors. Others were wondering how to deal with test dates and reviews. Those coming from their homes wondered if they should even bother driving through the potentially dangerous roads to get to a canceled class. All of these are legitimate worries for students at the end of the semester, no arguing that. An hour and a half later, another message was sent through all three channels once again - a bit too late for some students who had already made it to campus. This time, the message told students that classes were canceled until 4:30 p.m., giving some of those students preparing to brave the wind and drive to campus enough time to plan accordingly. Others commented on the amount of warnings they received, saying it was a bit overkill to send it through so many media. Sending the Code Purple message through several different resources might seem obnoxious to some, but having it reach students on several different bases ensures the message is received by as many students as possible in the shortest possible amount of time. Abstract Academic The Signpost columnist (Providing You've Successfully Completed Your Math General Education Courses) Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! Assuming you've paid.. . For those outstanding parking citations you got `Cause you parked with a "W" in too many "A" lots. Then look up and down job sites, but look caref'ly, my man, `Cause you might end up plumbing in Uzbekistan. Don't be scared to be choosey! The job market's hot For that oboe performance degree that you got. And if you should find that no orchestra's hiring, Get out in the open and do some perspiring. Or go back to school and get more certifications! The world needs more poets and theater technicians. OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO! You'll be on your way up! ov. 1 Consider which pyramid scheme to promote. Or open a farm where you raise and milk goats. Or start up a website! Or buy and sell stocks! Or learn to make puppets from discarded socks! Or try to get into reality TV! (If P. Hilton does it, oh, then, why not me?) Or easier still! Write new words for Seuss poems! You can break grammar rules, just so long as you know 'ems. And will you succeed? Yes! You will indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.. . Unless you're a poet. In which case, you'll need An apron for waiting on tables. Godspeed!) laTING THE STANDARD tr THE SiGNPOST of o,r_ ae Cole Spicker • Middle management's great for you young up-and-comers. And who needs vacations, or resting in summer? And should you get lost in your career pursuits, Or if some new Madoff makes off with your loots, HIGHER for CAMPUS NEWS Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Business Editor Comment on this column ai wsusignpost.com Last Inspired Feature Ever You'll soar to high heights! As you travel in coach, where the seating is tight. But wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best! Unless it's Des Moines, where you're best of the rest. with avoiding potential risks. Those students who do not receive Code Purple announcements were also able to look on www.weber.edu and the WSU Facebook page and see the warning placed on the homepages telling students that classes had been canceled until 4:30. Hopefully, those students who were frustrated with Code Purple today can also appreciate the damage and injuries that could have happened and were avoided. Code Purple and the people running it aren't 100 percent perfect and can't predict the weather, but they are doing their best to keep students safe and sound. L.I.F.E.'s Lessons Oh, the places you'll maybe go! Kory Wood • While there was a bit of confusion and frustration for some students, Code Purple's quick acting to reach a mass audience of students should be commended. While tests and reviews are important, student safety was the main focus today on campus, and that is important. For students who are not already receiving Code Purple warnings, today's weather might have changed some minds. As the high winds uprooted trees and broke property all over campus, many students who received the Code Purple warning were able to find a safe place and avoid being injured on campus. The damage caused was mostly unavoidable, but sending the warnings out might have helped The Signpost columnist Monday, the Weber State University Student Association Student Senate unanimously agreed to open an additional senate seat. The current Asian/Pacific Islander constituency will separate into their respective groups, each being represented individually starting fall semester 2012. While ensuring that fair representation is the order of the student senate, now is not the time to add to our already-large student government. While student fee monies may not be used to fund the $2,200-per-year tuition waiver student senators receive, activities and other constituency-specific catered events are. Earlier this year, $25,000 of student fee money - that is, money that comes from students' pockets to pay the required student fees each semester - was lost due to a cancellation of a contract made with Far East Movement. Remember that poorly advertized concert ... the one in which Far East Movement was going to bedazzle students and community members with their hippity-hoppishness and charming looks? Yep, neither do I. If our student leaders are unable to manage our near-sacred student fee monies they are bequeathed, enlarging our student government should not be a prerogative at the moment. Spencer Garn Stephanie Simonson Kasey Van Dyke Nathan Davis Bryan Butterfield Cole Spicker 626-7121 626-7614 626-7655 626-7983 626-8071 626-7621 The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Options or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. Some may be crying, "Cole hates Asians and/or Pacific Islanders and/or WSU Student Association!" Please, let me assure you that I do not. In fact, I consider Senator Lam Nguyen - the Vietnamese-born senator who undertook the feat of acquiring 150 signatures (and trust me, that is a feat) - my good friend, among with many of the other senators. According to Title II, Section B of The Bylaws of the WSUSA, it states that "a constituency is defined as any group of Weber State University students who share a unique community that can be legally tracked within the campus computer system, commonly known as Banner." If WSUSA wants to govern themselves by its own bylaws, there should be no division of the constituency of Asian/Pacific Islander, at least until that distinction is made by WSU. If, however, WSUSA does not want to follow its bylaws, perhaps a more pressing and - at this time - a more deserving constituency would be those that fall under the LGBT umbrella. A few weeks ago, staff members, along with a few other individuals - including student senators - voiced their concern for the LGBT community at WSU. Some even suggested that an LGBT center would be appropriate for WSU students to meet some needs. An LGBT center would most likely be funded through student fees, much like the Women's Center. For this and other reasons, I feel that a center would be the wrong course of action. However, this group is not rep- Features Editor A&E Editor Copy Editor Adviser Ads Manager Office Manager resented appropriately at WSU, and it needs representation. According to the Provost's Office, this fall semester, some 25,483 students are enrolled at WSU (which is a record-setter). In another statistic-heavy survey - the WSU Student Division's The Profile of Today's College Student conducted in December 2010 - it was determined that 92 percent of WSU students consider themselves heterosexual. That means 8 percent - over 2,000 students - consider themselves not heterosexual. Of course, there may be some of those 2,000 who don't consider themselves LGBT either; it is most likely, however, the vast majority of those 2,000 students do. In the same survey, only 3 percent of students opted their ethnicity as Asian/Pacific Islander - that's 764 students amidst a combined grouping. If this constituency were divided, the numbers to support a customized senator does not hold its weight against a 2,000-plus student need. Perhaps the data gathered from the WSU Student Affairs Division would meet the legality clause in the WSUSA's bylaws. Perhaps not. In any case, I have enjoyed attending Weber for its costfriendly environment. The more we add, the higher the cost. I am an admirer of K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Well, then again, maybe not an affectionate admirer of the last 'S.' Comment on this column at Jerrica Archibald Kory Wood Alexandria Waltz Shane Farver Shelley Hart Georgia Edwards wsusignpost.corn 626-7105 626-7624 626-7659 626-7526 626-6359 626-7974 The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the r refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Letters should be submittec to thesignpost@weber.edu and read Letter to the Editor in the subject box. |