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Show ELECTIONS ARE HERE: A NEW MUSICAL TO OPEN: Active campaigning for the 2002-03 SUUSA Elections began this morning. Primary elections SUU's theatre arts and dance department will perform the musical comedy ‘Once Upon a Mattress,’ include presidential candidates from two parties, Voice Box and Caution, along with an directed by Fred Adams, WednesdaySaturday and March 20-23 at 7:30 p.m. in the SUU Auditorium. SEE PAGE 10. independent. SEE PAGE 6 . ‘Journal’ to move to comm BY RHIANNON BENT department ‘ SENIOR STAFF WRITER Beginning July 1, the Journal will have a new location and will be under the direction of the SUU communication department. | The Journal is currently part of SUU publications and has never been part of the communication department. Jon Smith, associate professor of communication and department chair, requested that it be moved to the department last semester. Smith said the department has wanted to improve and enhance the journalism program for 10-12 with the new space. It will be half years, and believes students need more direct contact with the newspaper to gain experience. 3 “Should we have opportunities for journalism students to have a true outlet like radio and TV?" he said. “Most administrators agreed it would strengthen the program.” Dean O’'Driscoll, director of marketing and public relations, said it was a logical to a third of B e T said he hoped a4k JAMILEE PARRISH/JOURNAL Smith said there have been numerous Dancers make their grand entrance for the 25th annual southern Utah Pow Wow, held in the Ballroom of the Sharwan Smith Center Friday and Saturday. The Pow Wow was also held in conjunction with SUU’s Native American Week. rumors, but the details will probably be negotiated by the end of the month. He said he didn’t know if staff would remain the same because students in classes will feed the Journal its stories. Journal now occupies. “It's a step backward in terms of space,” he said. Baker also there might be another new space in coming years that will ‘L haye more room. O’Driscoll said the location is an improvement because people will be able to find the Jowrnal more easily and it will be more visible. students, but it won't change the quality of the product students and faculty/staff are used to seeing. ’ I “I'm confident the student body at large will continue to see a quality paper,” he o the space the i move that improves the education of Baiddixg There is also a possibility of a committee over all media that would oversee production and possibly choose editorial staff. « Larry Baker, director of publications and current Journal adviser, said he hoped the student editor would be able to make as many decisions as he/she does now and that there will be student control. The proposed location for the Journal, which is currently located in the basement of the Technology Building, is the newly renovated space in the Sharwan Smith Center across from the SUUSA offices. Baker said there are potential problems ! A faculty member in the department will be the adviser and one or two editorial directors will work under the adviser and report up the academic line. “There will be teaching in the process of producing the paper,” Smith said. Smith said funding at the Jowrnal will remain the same, specifically through student fees and advertising, Some of the benefits of the changes are that students will have more direct contact with the Journal and it will raise the ‘standard of excellence in the classroom if students realize their work will be published. Smith also said it will be beneficial to train students across all mass media, meaning newspaper, radio and television. Paul Husselbee, assistant professor of communication and current Journal writing coach, said the changes will also provide students with a realistic journalism experience. (continued on page 6) SUU gun rules not likely to be changed ‘While the University of Utah is working toward a ban on concealed weapons, SUU probably won't see any changes in current policy. ) Early this year, administrators at the U of U attempted to ban all concealed weapons on campus. However, the Utah Criminal Code states that concealed weapons may be carried anywhere except a courthouse, airport or jail, as long as the owner has an appropriate and legitimate permit. Sen. Michael Waddoups (R-Taylorsville) introduced a bill that allows lawmakers to cut up to 50 percent of administrative funding a state agency receives with rules that conflict with the state law. The SUU Student Handbook under the Student Responsibilities & Rights section states: “Because of the danger involved, students are not allowed to keep firearms on the campus except at approved times and/or in designated storage areas, and it is against university regulations to discharge a firearm loaded with live ammunition on the campus.” There is no policy for faculty and staff, however. James Turner, chief of public safety, said the student policy is only applicable in dormitories— students cannot have firearms in their rooms. “The law always supersedes policy,” he said. The law allows concealed weapons with permits on university campuses. Sterling Church, vice president for student services, said the administration doesn’t want firearms on campus or in the residence halls. “It’s a common sense approach,” he said. “We don't want [students] to have firearms that would jeopardize the safety of others. We would hope our students would use good judgment.” most recent being 12 years ago. Someone fired a weapon in Manzanita Court, but the person was never found. Other times a rifle was fired into a mattress in the residence halls and a Vietnam veteran catried a pistol on campus before the state permit laws were passed. Both incidents were 15-20 years ago. Church said there haven't been any complaints about concealed weapons. “We'll follow state law but encourage students to be responsible in following the rights state law gives them,” he said. “Our concern is to assure students and parents that [SUU] is a safe environment.” One SUU student, who wished to remain anonymous, carries a 9 mm pistol everywhere he goes, but he also has a concealed weapon permit. “The world is an unsafe place,” he said. “There’s not always going to be someone there when you need them. The only way to prevent those situations is to be prepared for them.” He said he thought carrying concealed weapons is fine as long as the owner is certified by the state. In order for him to receive his permit, he attended a class, was fingerprinted and educated about the law, received a state and federal background check and shot the gun with an instructor. “The day you need [the gun] is the day you don’t have it,” he said. “I never leave home without it.” g Dean O’Driscoll, director of marketing and public relations, said the issue at the U of U has prompted discussion about firearms at SUU and administrators will watch carefully to see what happens. “It will probably be a precedent-setting case,” he said, “It would affect all institutions of higher education in the state.” Church said there have been three instances of firearms on campus, with the While the University of Utah is working toward a ban on concealed weapons, SUU ~Rhiannon Bent probably won’t see any changes in current policy. i |