OCR Text |
Show AT a GLANCE Hockey underway see page 6 EDITORIAL BUSINESS SPORTS CLASSIFIEDS VOL 80 ISSUE 16 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16,2009 WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY _ 9_ WWW.WSUSIGNP0ST.COM Sliding into Greek life Fraternity and sorority events begin By Luke Marshall correspondent I The Signpost PHO1OS BY NATHAN CAULFORD | TilL 5ICNPOS! WSU student, Jake Williams, slides into a home base water slide while playing water kickball at University Village Saturday Night, Sept. 12. Weber State University's fraternities and sororities are looking forward to gaining new members and continuing to get students involved on campus. Oh Saturday, WSU's Greek organizations, which include Delta Chi Omega, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Pi Theta XJ held a rush event at University Village. The event included a game of water kickball in hopes of bringing out new students interested in joining Greek life. The Greek community hosts many fun events throughout the school year and prides itself on getting students involved on campus. Most of WSU's students live off campus, which makes it difficult to get students involved in activities and organizations on campus. TaraMartin, a sophomore and vice president of Delta Chi Omega sorority said she is very proud of being a Greek member. i'HOTO BY BRYAN BUTTERFIELD | THE SICNrOST The new Kent Van De Graaff Memorial Garden plaque was unveiled on Monday, Sept. 14 outside the Lind Lecture Hall during the garden's dedication. Memorial at the garden Family and colleagues remember the late botanist and textbook author By Cimaron Neugebauer news editor I The Signpost A man who inspired many was remembered for his contributions to Weber State University on Monday outside the Lind Lecture Hall. A small crowd of family, colleagues and former students gathered to dedicate a memorial garden created four years ago in honor of the late Kent Van De Graaff. It was not until recently that a plaque was actually created and unveiled outside the lecture hall for the former botanist, professor and textbook author. In an address, to the crowd, Weber State University President Ann Millner said Van De Graaff had an attention to student needs unlike any other. "His incredible commitment to the success of each and See Sliding page 5 every student was amazing," Millner said. "He went the extra mile for each and every one of (the students)." Because of Van De Graaff's commitment to his students, Millner said he opened the doors of opportunity to many students who are now working in the medical field or in graduate school. Justin Harper, one of the professor's former students, is now in his fourth year as a medical student at Ohio State University. He emotionally shared his experience with the crowd as he told a story about how Van De Graaff was a monumental part in helping him choose a career in medicine. Harper, a 2006 WSU graduate in zoology said Van De Graff invited him to "succeed and work hard." Originally, Harper said he wanted to become a mechanic and didn't even plan on attending college. See Memorial page 5 Senate dicusses budget Senators debate how finances for activities should be spent and whether or not to seek increases ;By Shauna Westergard : news reporter I The Signpost ~:The budget for student senators was debated Monday at the Weber State University Student Association (WSUSA) senate meeting. Senators are allotted a specific amount of money to fund senate and emphasis activities. Each senator represents a portion of the student body and sponsors activities for their students. Tawni Choi, Traditional Senator, brought up the issue of planning and budgeting for these activities. "I realized, even with collaboration, that $500 is really not enough," Choi said Monday. "Extra expenses that you don't plan on end up happening, where then my next semester activities are not going to be the best." Senators are required to plan six events for the school year, or three events per semester. Each senator has a budget of $500 for the entire year. If this budget, is divided up evenly, there is little more than $83 available for each activity. Some senators collaborate in order to sponsor activities. This was the case when Choi and Davis Campus Vice-President Victoria activities. The senate did Thompson showed Disney- discuss the possibility of Pixar's Up for an activity last asking for a larger budget, Friday. but no decisions were Choi explained that her made. concern is for the number "I think you should be of activities that must be careful going around asking planned instead of the for money when people are finances available. afraid of losing their jobs on Some senators were campus," Price said. more concerned specifically Senate President Elene with the budget. Kvernadze encouraged "The funding is a senators to find other concern," Nontraditional means for funding activities. Senator Steve Hanson If senators can get eight said. "The members budgetary to join their thing is "/ think you area council, the biggest should be there is a problem possibility and not the careful going of more activities funds to be themselves." around asking accessed. O t h e r for money When Senators can also petition departments the budget people are will work well on campus. this year. "This is a afraid of losing " I ' v e very good found that by their jobs on learning combining experience," activities and campus." Kvernadze - Ben Price said. "I had using tactful budgeting I Students w i t h never done have been Disabilities Senator a n y t h i n g able to plan like that within my but with budget," said Students with my events last year as Disabilities Senator Ben (International Senator) Price. I had to do a lot of that It is unclear if this budget and I ended up raising a will be successful, as this is lot more money than my the first year that finances' budget had." will be used to plan more See Senate page 8 senators feel . P H O T O S BY BRYAN BUTTERFIELD \ l i l t SIGNPOST Adjunct professor of political science, Paul Goggi, speaks to students at a discussion forum on Monday at the Fireplace Lounge in the Shepherd Union Building. Constitution Week civics Discussion forum to educate students on government By Jessie Holmes • news reporter 1 The Signpost A civics education presentation started out this year's Constitution Week at Weber State University in the Fireplace Lounge on Monday. The United States Constitution was signed Sept. 17, 1787. Over 200 years later, in 2002, President Bush declared the week beginning Sept. 17 and ending Sept. 23 as Constitution Week. "The point of the events and the celebration is to get students aware of the constitution as a living document and something that matters in their lives," said Leah Murray, assistant professor of political science. Every year, presentation topics for Constitution Week are chosen according to a theme. Last year, an election year, the topics revolved around elections. This year the theme was about returning to origins. The committee chose topics surrounding the origins of the country and how the government runs. "My goal is to do everything I can to try to get (students) a better understanding about the process about how government works and their role as a citizen within it," said Paul Goggi, an adjunct professor of political science. . Kathryn MacKay, a history professor, and Goggi spoke on civics education on Monday morning. Goggi said that the civics generation was also called the "Millennial Generation," the See Civics page 8 |