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Show Weber State University "Tuesday, AugusfB, 2004 Volume 67 Issue 8 Getting fired up for the Olympics WSU students help light the way to the 2004 summer games By Kimberly Harris Thacker special assign, editor | The Signpost "Pass the Flame, Unite the World" was the theme of the 2004 Olympic Torch Relay. Weber State Universtiy students Kedrick Ridges and Alan Ross may not have literally passed the flame, but they did travel the world in their efforts to help the relay to occur. Ridges, a visual communication major at WSU, called his experience "a whirlwind world tour," while Ross, a mechanical engineering student, dubbed the pair's 40day excursion, that began May 30, across the world "a lot of fun — amazing." The duo was part of u ProGraphix Advance Team 2," one of four teams consisting of nine individuals each who were selected to apply the vinyl decals on the vehicles that accompanied the Olympic torch bearers throughout the world. Their other duties included setting up for the end-of-day celebration in eight cities, wherein crowds were gathered to witness the lighting of each city's Olympic cauldron. For the past few Olympics, ProGraphix International has been contracted to do the graphics for the Olympic Torch Relay. Ridges had done some work for ProGraphlx through Goodson Signs & Graphic Art, a company for which he had worked for three years. Hard work at Goodson Signs led to Ridges1 recruitment for the new relay graphics team. Ross' wife, Breanna, works for ProGraphix. She recommended his abilities to Wayne Boydstun, who sought out the technologysavvy Ross. "I handed him my resume," Ross said. "He talked to me about it, and it went from there." These young men traveled Weber State University students Kendrick Ridges and Alan Ross paste a vinyl decal onto a bus. first to Colorado, where they The students traveled to many countries during their stint with the Olympic Torch Relay. endured meetings and rigorous training that was designed into the whole thing," Ridges the actual relay. every fourth city along the torch's to prepare them for their commented. In their effort to aid in route. These were Melbourne; experience with the relay. They performed mock relays, the organization of the torch Australia, New Dehli, Mexico "We learned what we would complete with "problems" that relay, Team 2 was assigned the be doing, and where we fit could have potentially arisen in responsibility of traveling to See O l y m p i c s page 8 Dean works to prevent child abuse By Maria Vitlasenor managing editor j The Signpost 2003 Facts On Child Abuse in Utah Number of Referrals Reeeiwdhy Child and Family Services Statewide A Weber State University dean was appointed to Gov. Olene Walker's Utah Child Abuse Prevention Task Force. The task force, consisting of volunteer community members of diverse experience from across Utah, will assess current child abuse prevention programs and suggest new methods during their monthly meetings. "It's been a while since I was actively in the role," said Dean Shelley Conroy of the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions. "I've kept up with the issues going on. It's nice to come back to it and be actively involved again." Conroy was appointed to the task force uponAnne Freimuth's recommendations. /The executive director of Prevent Child Abuse Utah heard Conroy speak at a By Natalie Clemens editor in chief | The Signpost 20,000 19,000 18,000 17,000 16,000 15,000 14,000 FY98 FY99 FYOO FY01 FY02 FY03 Provwtt CWW - Utah This graph shows the number of referrals necieved by Child and Family Services in Utah over a fiveyear period. Thirty eight percent (7,408) of the 19,633 referrals in 2003 were substantiated. meeting of the child abuse preventionoriented Ogden Noon Exchange Club. Conroy has a history in prevention, and during the late 1980s had a state position See A b u s e page 8 European hackers infiltrate campus computer Weber State University began notifying 7,000 individuals on June 30 after a financial aid computer was hacked. The sensitive files on the hard drive with personal and financial information didn't seem to be affected; rather, the computer was being used to illegally distribute DVD movie files. The problem was -detected after computer security managers found enormous and out-of-the-ordinary Faculty home from China traffic between computers at WSU and in Europe. Apreliminary investigation found hackers were able to remotely access the computer and install programs and files. The illegal movie files were stored along with financial aid information transmitted to the Department of Education via that computer. WSU has notified the FBI and given the Internet Protocol addresses of the European machines to international computer security organizations. IP addresses identify a computer's location within a network and on the Internet. The notification letters will explain the situation and provide information to help prevent identity theft and to react should it occur. WSU will also take measures to secure the infiltrated computer, as well as add safeguards to all systems. A group of Weber State University professors spent several weeks in China, beginning the end of May, providing the students of Shanghai University with a taste of western education. Mark Merkly, WSU communication professor, taught a course on small group communication focusing on problem solving, decision making and critical thinking. "I think the students enjoyed the activities," Merkly said. "It was far different than the style of teaching they normally get." Merkly said that a lot of Chinese professors teach by lecturing and do not require much student participation. Susan Hafen, WSU communication professor taught organizational behavior at Shanghai University. She also said she thought the Chinese students appreciated a more activity-formatted teaching style. "It was different for them because they aren't used .to being asked their opinions," Hafen said. WSU sociology professor Huiying Wei-Arthus taught sociology research methods and sociological theory at Shanghai University. "I haven't been there to teach for 20 See A s i a page 3 |