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Show 0 n M U L Editor in Chief: Tanna Barry a honc: 626-7121 II VIEWPOINT PC GRADSCHd NEED A MASTERS tCGR.EE FOR. & w !Z THIS JOB, 1 It: 'I Hf 53ri s - trs Editor reflects on year, stories left to cover As The Signpost signs off for the 2001-2002 school year, the old staff is preparing to move on to careers and other academic endeavors, as a new staff is coming in to take their place and learn the ropes of student journalism. However, this change is a positive one as it brings in new perspectives and talent to enhance the quality of the newspaper. This is a significant time of change not only for the student newspaper but also for the campus community as a whole. Many longtime students will graduate as a new lot of underclassmen prepare to take their first step on the university's campus. For some faculty and staff, this semester at WSU will be their last, while news faces join the university. However, these changes do nothing to change the stories that need to be followed. There are still many important campus stories that need to be written. The biggest story of all is who will be selected to lead the university in Fall 2002. Paul H. Thompson has been the president of WSU since 1990. One of his biggest goals of getting a new, larger Davis Campus came closer to reality Tuesday as the first shovels of dirt were turned during the ground-breaking ceremony. However, finding a new president and the completion of the new Davis Campus are just two of the many important stories yet to unfold. Since the country is engaged in a war on terrorism, there are many issues now and in the future that will affect WSU students, faculty and staff. Also, there are many campus construction projects that need to be completed, including the Eccles Fine Arts building and the library steps. The campus community needs to be informed when or if these projects move forward. The Signpost has spent this last school year trying to bring a high quality, informative newspaper to WSU. This effort has been reflected in the breaking coverage of the Sept. 11 tragedy and the comprehensive coverage of the 2002 Legislative session as well as the coverage of the Student Fee Recommendation Committee and the student elections. The new staff will continue the newspaper's commitment to providing quality news. By Tanna Barry editor in chief The Signpost n. The igmiposic Editor in Chief Tanna Barry 626-7121 Managing editor Jose Carvajal 626-7614 News editor Devon Crus 626-7655 Campus affairs editor Casey Cummings 626-7659 Sports editor ' Jarrod Hiatt 626-7983 Copy editor Linda Cammack 626-7507 Features editor Heather Wheatley 626-6358 A&E editor Mike Mitchell 626-7105 Business editor Carolyn Losee 626-7624 Graphics editor Brian Hugo 626-7661 Photo editor Brandy Lee 626-6358 Advertising Manager Jeremy Dustin 626-6359 Online editor Adam Reynolds 626-7105 Secretary Georgia Edwards 626-7974 Adviser Allison Hess 626-6164 Publisher Ty Sanders 626-6558 Signpost fax 626-7401 The Signpost is published every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the semester. Subscription is S9 a semester. The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees partially fund the printing ol this publication Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university The Signpost welcomes letters to the editor Letters must include name, address, telephone number and the writer's signature Anonymous letters will not be printed The Signpost reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter Letters should not exceed 350 words Bring letters to the editorial office in SUB 267, mail to- The Signpost, Weber State University, Ogden. Utah 84408-21 10 Attn Tanna Barry, ore-mail tannabarry gmail weber edu 'f Nuclear waste storage: A national problem requires a national solution By Bob Kerrey KRTCampus writer Shipping radioactive waste across 43 states to Yucca Mountain is not just bad for Nevada; it's bad for America. The Yucca Mountain site, locatedjust outside of Las Vegas, is a flawed solution to America's nuclear waste problem. It is flawed because it won't get nuclear waste out of America's back yards but will increase the risks of radiation exposure to millions of Americans. It ignores new technologies that store waste to be treated without the risk transporting to a single site. And the administration has failed to incorporate the dramatic change in the world since the decision was made to store high-level waste in a single site. Three key things have changed since the government began planning to ship nuclear waste to Nevada. First, Las Vegas, the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country, is today much closer to the Yucca Mountain site than it was 20 years ago. Second, technology to store and secure nuclear waste has improved significantly - which means we don't have to face the serious risks of moving and protecting 77,000 tons of radioactive waste in 53,000 truck shipments or 10,000 rail shipments through 734 counties housing half of America's population. Third, since Sept. 11 we face a new reality of terrorism, and we cannot afford to create tens of thousands of new targets for terrorists. Instead of reconsidering the original decision, the government is pressing ahead like an aircraft carrier that cannot change its course. After their own scientists determined that Yucca Mountain is geologically unfit, the government insisted on using man-made "engineering" solutions to isolate this high-level nuclear waste. Instead of using similar engineering solutions to contain waste where it already is without creating new problems by transporting it on our roads, railways and waterways, the government presses ahead with the outdated 20-year-old plan. Most striking is the Department of Energy's decision not to publicize a viable, less risky, alternative developed by a subsidiary of the nation's largest nuclear utility company, Exelon Corp. In an agreement signed nearly two years ago DOE agreed to take the title of the spent fuel waste and own and operate a dry storage facility on-site. It appears this safer and cheaper alternative to Yucca Mountain is now being ignored. Transporting nuclear waste across our country is an undertaking that every American concerned about our nation's security should take very seriously. Sharing our highways with tens of thousands of radioactive shipments is a disaster waiting to happen. An accident involving a truck with radioactive waste is a statistical certainty. Just as certain is the increased exposure to terrorism. DOE and outside experts both agree accidents will happen; though no one can predict their impact. More troubling is the potential for radiation exposure. The government-approved casks, which have never undergone rigorous full-scale testing, leak radiation and could become portable X-ray machines that cannot be turned off. This concern is not trivial either from a health or a liability standpoint. Most serious of all is that these shipments will become irresistible targets for terrorists. After Sept. 11 and the increasing incidents of suicide bombings, our elected leaders should not approve this plan unless they can guarantee the safety of these shipments. They cannot simply trust the DOE or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission who are still analyzing risks based on terrorist incidents from the 1970s and 1980s. Without proper security measures, these shipments could easily be used as a "dirty bomb." It is imperative that an up-to-date plan is in place to prevent them from becoming low-grade nuclear weapons and that the cost of this plar. be measured against the potential benefits of a single site. The American people and their representatives in Congress must keep this in mind: There is no pressing reason to move ahead with the Yucca Mountain site without completing a comprehensive evaluation. Even the administration agrees that the current storage system can safely remain for many years. Congress must now decide. Will it opt for the administration's unsound policy that jeopardizes our health and safety or will it choose to act responsibly? At a time when we need to be doing everything in our power to secure our nation's safety, a policy that puts us on the road to another national tragedy is a step in the wrong direction. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ysp, WSU student responds to story about radio station popularity While it may be true that college students do not feel it important to support their college radio station, it must be pointed out that the group surveyed for The Signpost's article titled, "Campus .radio station not: so popular among student body" is an audience the radio stations does not specifically cater to. Our target audience consists of high school aged males. In this cateeorv, SS.l "The Edee" is a leader L in bringing new music to our audience. It should also be noted that the station does not play rap, as indicated in the article. Ashlie Bruner WSU Student |
