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Show D1AEILY Wednesday, December 5, 2012 UTAH CHRONICLE The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice Since 1890 www.dailyutahchronicle.com BEST OF 2012E 1'1 1i Vol. 122 No. 75 ©2012 ALSO INSIDE: A&E columnists review the top albums of the year and why they shine above the rest » 5 Sports columnists debate whether the Kansas City Chiefs should have resumed play directly after Belcher tragedy » 6 Prof. fall in Field House initiates lawsuit Emily T. Andrews NEWS EDITOR A professor in the Department of Philosophy is suing the U after falling in a Field House shower last January. According to a civil complaint filed in Third District Court on Nov. 29, Maria Thalos was using a shower at the Field House on Jan. i8, 2011, when she slipped on the wet tiles. Her fall was absorbed by her back, elbows, shoulders and hands, which led to serious injuries such as bursitis — inflammation of a fluid-filled sac between a tendon and the skin — in her right shoulder, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and a possible rotator cuff tear. A subsequent MRI scan in April 2011 did not show a tear in her rotator cuff. Another doctor determined in December 2011 the injuries to Thalos' shoulders were not healing properly and would require surgery if physical therapy failed to help. Calls and emails to Thalos were not returned as of Tuesday afternoon. Thalos and her attorneys, Susan Black Dunn and Lewis Black, are suing the U for damages in excess of $300,000, claiming negligence. Her attorneys also requested, when filing their case, to have their case be heard before a jury. Chris Stout, associate general counsel for the U, said his office was not aware of the case, but does not comment on pending litigation. According to the complaint, the showers in the Field House are at a slight angle to allow water to drain and are often soapy from wall-mounted soap dispensers. It also states the Field House staff ignored "repeated requests from patrons to replace the mats in the shower area." The Field House declined to com- Campus additions ment and referred the patrons to the Office of Risk and Insurance Management. "Any complaints brought to our attention are forwarded to our insurance carrier," said Kris Phillips, coordinator for risk management. However, she declined to elaborate, saying her office does not comment on pending litigation. e.andrews@ chronicle.utah.edu Coat drive aids Utah kids in need Anna Drysdale STAFF WRITER CHRISTOPHER REEVES/The Daily Utah Chronicle Okiand Construction workers lower steel beams on the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts and Education Complex construction site. The complex will house Virginia Tanner Dance, the College of Fine Arts and the College of Education. The construction commenced in March 2009 and the projected completion date is in Winter 2013/2014. University, students save money with Microsoft deal Alexandra Burton STAFF WRITER Students and faculty members looking for access to Microsoft software have another option: participating in an agreement with Microsoft to download its software at a discounted rate. In June, the U made an agreement with Microsoft allowing students to download select computer software programs for free. Faculty may also download programs for a discount. Financial analyst Ethan Hacker said the agreement allows the U to download a large selection of Microsoft software onto an unlimited number of U computers. Programs are also available for students and faculty to download for personal and academic use. Hacker said although the agreement cost the U $1.294 million, the agreement allows the U to save money in the long term on licensing costs while benefiting students and faculty in the process. The agreement will be effective for three years. Individual campus departments — See MICROSOFT Page 3 Student researches Utah's smog patterns DJ Summers STAFF WRITER In Salt Lake City, a bloodred sun shining through a thick layer of ashen sky isn't apocalyptic — it's as much a part of the weather as fishysmelling rain and snowy winters. Lacey Holland, a graduate student in atmospheric sciences, is conducting research on the causes and health effects of emissions-based pollution in not only Salt Lake City but in more than i,000 metropolitan areas across the globe. As urbanization of the world's population is expected to reach 9 billion by 205o, Holland is concerned about the concentration of human emissions in population centers. "I think that the main thing that will come out of [my research] will be [awareness of] the effects people have on their surroundings," said Holland in a press release. Holland could not be reached by phone and did not return emails seeking comment. About 75 percent of carbon emissions from human CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO The poor air quality of the Salt Lake Valley can be seen from the elevation of 4,000 feet from Mount Olympus. sources come from fossil fuel consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In 1952, London's famed "Dickensian smog" — the post-industrial result of coal-fueled homes and commercial enterprises — asphyxiated and killed more than 4,000 people. Although tighter restrictions on the use of London coal brought that number down to ioo, Holland is still concerned about the negative health effects that urbanized areas experience as a result of human pollutants. Holland's research focuses on gathering information with weather balloons known as radiosonds, which will record what happens at the atmospheric altitude where turbulence stops. This "mixing height" is a relevant indicator of weather patterns, and Holland said it might be influenced by human factors such as carbon emissions. dj.summers@ chronicle.utah.edu With winter on the way, the U's staff council has partnered with the Salt Lake Education Foundation to collect coats for children in need. This year's drive is the third-annual collaboration. For the past week, a series of drop-off locations around campus have been receiving coats and hoodies. The coats gathered across campus will be brought to a warehouse where school counselors can distribute coats to children they know are in need of warm clothing. "The district has done an excellent job of making sure that kids that really need them get coats," said Trina Rich, president of staff council. The project was spearheaded and later honed by Marcia Cook, now the administrative manager for the Center for Science and Mathematics Education. Cook saw children's need for warm coats in the winter months and decided to do something about it. As president-elect of staff council, she wanted a new way for campus to come together to help the community, somewhat like the former Rivalry Food Drive, which continued this year under the name Unrivaled Food Drive, despite BYU's withdrawal from the charity event. The coat drive has faced some challenges throuhgout the years and organizers wondered if it would be successful. The first year, they pulled the event together in just three weeks. Last year, Cook had concerns about how the economic downturn might affect the drive. "I was worried last year, with the economic hardships, but it turned out to be a more successful year than the year before because people were hurting and they saw that other people were hurting as well," she said. Cook said organizing the drive has been a heartwarming experience. Rich said knowing the coats go to children who need them has made this project important to her. "Being a mom, it's important to me to see that other kids have the same things that my kids have, like warm clothing," she said. Although Cook has worked at the U for 13 years, she still loves seeing how the campus community comes together to serve. While looking for boxes for the drop-off points across campus, she said she loved hearing the stories locals had about the U's support and service. "I get teary-eyed," she said. "It just warms my heart." As the project enters its third year, many people are beginning to look forward to the drive. Cook said strangers often ask how they can help and some even tell her about new coats they purchased on sale during the summer with plans to donate them. The coat drive ends today, but the Salt Lake Education Foundation will accept monetary donations of $15 made at local vendor locations throughout the winter. a.drysdale@chronicle.utah.edu COAT DRIVE FACTS From Nov. 26 to Dec. 5, the University Staff Council is partnering with the Salt Lake Education Foundation to collect new coats, sweatshirts and hoodies for children and teens in the Salt Lake Valley. Coats are needed in all sizes - from newborns to adults. More than 55,000 children and teens qualify for free lunch and tens of thousands more live in poverty in the Salt Lake Valley. Source: www.saltlakeeducationfoundation.org |
