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Show \ I r I 1 /"^I WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY 1 HE SIGNPOST WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2008 Destry in, controversy out her nomination failed. In a letter he read to the senate from the executive branch of student government, Beus said the qualifications of an applicant are not as sciences senator, changed his position important as the person's commitment about East. He said after a question-and- to the job. answer period in a one-on-one meeting Beus said she scored higher on her with East, he got to know him better on a application than any other candidate. personal and professional level. Senator Tyler -Latham, Students with One of his concerns was about Chief Disabilities senator, said though Escalante Justice Brett Jones and East's friendship. claims leadership responsibilities, he However, he said he had nothing to didn't see much. She said in her summer worry about. job she works as a high-adventure guide "I realized teaching kayaking, backpacking and rock politically, climbing in various locations to people Jones and ages 12-21. East are The senate confirmed both East and actually Escalante with a vote of 14-2 and 12-4, p o l a r respectively. Jones then swore each new opposites," senator in, Olsen said. Because of her appointment as vice "So that president, Escalante resigned as senator doesn't strike of Honors/BIS to start her new job. me as a problem any more." WSU student Elene Kvernadze was confirmed as the new international Olsen said East didn't mention his senator, and WSU student Daron Hanson scientific background in the confirmation was confirmed as the new veterans affairs hearing. senator. "A scientist has to look at the facts as The senate ratified the student fee they are," Olsen said. "That's something a justice has to do as well. A scientist is recommendation committee's budget presented by Beus. qualified be a judge in my mind." In an interview after the senate Consequently, Olsen recommended meeting, East said he would be the East for the associate justice position on associate justice who reports the senate behalf of his constituents. meetings to the Supreme Court. Also, Ariana Escalante, nominee for vice-president of diversity, was Comment on this story at presented once again to the senate after wsusignpost.com. Student Senate gives justice By Lynn Wilde news editor I The Signpost After controversy caused enmity in the Weber State University Student Senate, generated many online comments and one follow-up story, and threatened student government careers, the senate ratified the appointment of a new WSU associate Supreme Court justice. Destry East, former senator, was presented to the senate previously but failed to secure the associate justice position by an 8-6 vote, which, according to the senate bylaws, was not enough; a 2/3 majority was needed to confirm East. On Monday, Jake Beus, WSU student body president, presented East to the senate for confirmation for a second time in an attempt to fill the two-monthold justice vacancy. Senator Drew Durtschi, of health professions, which was East's former constituency, read a letter in support of East from the health profession's area council. Also, Jared Olsen, social and behavioral PHOTOS BY RILEY SMITH I THE SIGNPOST Weber State University Supreme Court Chief justice Brett Jones swears in Daron Nelson, veterans, (top) and Elene Kvernadze, (bottom) international senators. Spinning Yarns • Ellis said she felt there is not anything that cannot be taught with a story, but admitted science and A lecture in the Weber State math are a little more difficult to University McKay Education include in stories. Building emphasized storytelling as For an example, she spoke about a teaching method Monday. the movie "Forrest Gump." She said In a packed classroom on the almost every important event that third floor of the McKay Education took place in the United States in the Building, storyteller Elizabeth Ellis, last half of the 20th century can be with long silver hair, glasses and a learned through the telling of a story green ribbon pinned to her chest, about one man's life. entered at the front of the room and Ellis said that to teach through took off her shoes. storytelling, a person must create In a distinct soft southern an interesting character who lived accented voice, Ellis asked if there through the event being taught. were any questions before she began. "Through storytelling," Ellis said, A young woman in the audience "people will learn without knowing asked why she they are took off her learning." shoes. Suddenly She said the soft she has a southern voice method of became more applying her pronounced craft. and lively and "Tell it, she answered, don't read speaking of the it," Ellis Bible, when said. Jehovah spoke She said Elizabeth Ellis to Moses. that when She said storytelling, Jehovah told a person "Imagination is more Moses to remove must learn important than knowledge" to speak his shoes, for he was on slower so hallow ground, people, and when she was storytelling she especially children, have time to said she felt as if she was on hallow make the pictures in their mind ground and that it was the most that go along with the. story. Ellis sacred activity she had ever been a said it is also important to add as • part of. much vocal variety as possible while telling a story. Ellis said she has been storytelling since before most of the audience WSU elementary education had been bom, which is more than junior Tiffany McMillin said she 30 years, and has told 406 stories. learned something new. Ellis quoted Albert Einstein, "I would have never thought to saying, "Imagination is more weave information into a story to important than knowledge," and teach a concept like that," McMillin said it is a concept she has tried to said. convey to her audience throughout Ellis is in Ogden for the WSU her years of storytelling. She said Storytelling Festival, and came' storytelling to children in schools from Dallas, Texas for the event. and at home is important because The festival, now in its 12th year, it helps children develop an active is devoted to the presentation, imagination. She said a good story preservation and interpretation of would create students who care memories and oral traditions, and about the material and want to is the only stoiytellingfestival in the learn more, as well as developing nation sponsored by a university in an effective relationship between partnership with local schools. students and teacher. Today is the last day for the "A person who does not have festival, which will take place at an active imagination is a spiritual the WSU Davis Conference Center, cripple," Ellis said. "A story is like a area schools, and the WSU Ogden workout for a child's brain." Campus. She said that while telling a child For specific times, events and a story, the child's face will be-in ticket info, visit http://comrnunity. constant motion because everything weber.edu/storytelling/schedule/ they think will be on their faces, and default.htm telling a story is a special activity that •, does not require electricity. "No bulb can ever bum out in the Comment on this story at middle of a storv." Ellis said. wsusignpost.com. A £_By Ryan'iarsen r-^ correspondent I The Signpost 1 Weber State University professor Adam Johnston and WSU student Justin Williamson snowshoeing. Students walk in professor's shoes Backcountry hiking shoo-in By Devin Masters correspondent I The Signpost Weber State University professor Adam Johnston loves snowshoeing "I've never had a bad day on snowshoes," Johnston said. These words held true for a group of WSU Honors students as Johnston, along with WSU professor Carl Porter, led them on a snowshoeing trip Saturday morning. The group traveled just less than four miles on a loop that started at the Art Nord trailhead. The group then made its way to the Wheeler Creek trail, to the middle of Middle Fork. From there, the group followed the Old Snowbasin Road back to the trailhead. "My hope was simply to get myself outside, along with students," Johnston said, "and introduce them both to snowshoeing and to the area that they have right out their backdoor." McKenzie Oldham, a WSU clinical laboratory science junior, said she was a little surprised with her first snowshoeing experience. "1 expected to go for a Influenza workplace woes "The hardest part is packing for the trip and getting the snowshoes on," he said. nice easy stroll through the Johnston said WSU students wilderness and see the sights," should know that the WSU she said, "but it was a lot of Wilderness Recreation Center work to get up the mountain." offers them an opportunity to go Lindsay Huss, a WSU junior snowshoeing without having to art major, said she had never buy the necessary equipment. been snowshoeing before "Students have a great either. resource in the WRC for rentals "I didn't know what to expect," and great areas to snowshoe she said. "I didn't think it would close to home," he said. be as physically demanding as it Johnston said students need was." to be aware of avalanche dangers Oldham, who serves as the before they go snowshoeing. social/cultural chairperson of "Simply asking someone at the Honors Program, planned WRC about safe areas to go is the event. easy enough," he said. "I wanted everyone to be able Huss said she enjoyed the to spend some time outside and activity so much that she is see the beautiful mountain," considering trying it again. she said. "I thought it was fun and a Although Oldham said she good idea for a winter activity," would have liked to have more she said. "I think I might go people attend the event, she again so I can do it at my own said she was happy with how pace." things went and thought the Johnston said he hoped event was a success. students left the event "Once we got the snowshoes, with a positive attitude therestofthedaywentperfectly," about snowshoeing and the she said. "Snowshoeing was a lot experience. harder than any of us thought, "Maybe people have a greater but everyone seemed to have awareness of the land around had a good time and enjoyed us," he said, "and how far your the experience." own two feet can take you." Johnston said the best part Comment on this story at about snowshoeing is that it's easy and fun. # wsusignpost.com. See page 4 VOI UMI- W ISSUI1 Hews in Brief Gun scare at WSU not scary OGDEN -Police received a report at 1 p.m., Monday, of a man carrying a gun across Weber State University's campus. The man was entering the Social Science Building carrying a rifle in a case1. The man, a current crime lab employee, was carrying the rifle to the crime lab on the second floor for forensic testing. Bystanders in the building were concerned about the rifle and notified police. WSU spokesman John Kowalewski said the situation had the appearance of being serious, but it turned out not to be. Once police identified who the man was, they realized he was not a threat. The rifle never left the case it was being carried in. College locked down FERRUM, Va. - The students at Virginia's Ferrum College were taken to a secure lockdown location yesterday after a man was seen with a gun in the resident's hall. Officials said that the president of the school ordered the lockdown after a member of the housekeeping staff reported seeing a young man walk into the building with a handgun. Two men who fit the description of the man with the gun have been questioned, but neither was held. The school, which is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains about 35 miles away from Roanoke. Fatality on Harrison Boulevard A wreck involving three vehicles on Harrison Boulevard TUesday afternoon resulted in the death of a high school girl and serious injury of another, according to Ogden City Police Lieutenant Dave Tarran. The girl, whose name will be released today, was traveling with other high school students from the Dee Events Center where a high school basketball tournament was taking place. Tarran said two vehicles with high school students from West High School and Granger High School were traveling southbound on Harrison. One of the vehicles quickly stopped, and veered, clipping the backside of the victim's car, which was traveling the same direction. It was sent spinning into oncoming traffic where it was struck directly in the passenger side by a third vehicle. Both victims were in the same vehicle. Tarran said traffic was blocked on Harrison for three hours while police crews investigated and cleaned up the scene. , ,;.VV,f •How to ^ overcome, , a phobia ?*j Editorial page 3 . •Economy shot not stimulating students \\ Business page 4% can't get past Montana Sports page 6 |