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Show Monday, March 17, 2014 DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE I OPINION! t The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice Since 1890 www.dailyutahchronicle.com ALSO INSIDE: - ..r The Runnin' Utes run out of steam, drop last conference game of season to Arizona in 71-39 blowout » 8 Columnists Zamantakis, Hannon debate merits of 'gender-neutral' bathrooms in schools » 5 , r Vol. 123 1 No.100 102014 et New U office Tuition slated to rise 5.9 percent dedicated to scholarships Nathan Turner STAFF WRITER John Peterson STAFF WRITER When U President David Pershing took office in 2012, he used the phrase "seamless navigation" to improve the student experience. The new University Scholarship Office hopes to live up to this mantra by improving scholarship opportunities for students. The U's administration plans to award more scholarships to students, regardless of financial background. While there are many scholarship opportunities available now, they are divided between various departments and groups around campus. "It's really difficult at times for our students to find what scholarships are available," said Mary Parker, associate vice president of enrollment management and director of the new scholarship office. Nathan Odendahl, a sophomore in chemistry, experienced this frustration when he applied his freshman year. "I kept scrolling through scholarships, but they were all need-based, and because of my family situation, I couldn't apply for them," Odendahl said. The administration realized they needed a centralized scholarship office that brought all of the scattered departmental scholarships into one place. The move to consolidate aligns the U with many other Pac-12 universities that provide a campus-wide database that allows students to search for See SCHOLARSHIPS See TUITION 2014-2015 PROPOSED TUITION INCREASE BREAKDOWN 5.9 % TUITION INCREASE / $438 PER YEAR IN-STATE Student support Faculty retention and excellence Faculty salaries and benefits Maintence and utility work page 3 NICK KETTERER/The Daily Utah Chronicle page 4 International night aims to share culture DANE GOODWIN/The Daily Utah Chronicle Justin Spangler and Madison Black celebrate their win in the ASUU elections on March 7 outside the Union. Vison Party wins close race Emilie Trepanier STAFF WRITER The U's International Night was the place to be on March 6 — tickets for the event sold out. International Night, an annual event hosted by the International Student Council, celebrated diversity at the U with performances, music, dances and foods from various cultures. Vanessa Johnson, a graduate assistant in the International Center, helped plan the event. She said the celebration intends to See Few students attended an administrator-led meeting on Thursday intended to alleviate fears about the rising cost of tuition, which is slated to rise 5.9 percent. Ruth Watkins, senior vice president for academic affairs, gave a presentation on the U's 2014-2015 budget on March 6 in the Union. She addressed student concerns about the proposed tuition increase and where money will be allocated. The proposed increase on tuition is for both undergraduate and graduate students. This will include a $6o fee for the George S. Eccles Student Life Center, to be completed Nov. 2014. In-state tuition will rise by $438 per year, while out-of-state tuition will increase by $1,382 per year. "The U is quite affordable [compared to other public research institutions]," Watkins said. "Tuition has increased everywhere." Watkins said the U is the most affordable school in the Pac-12 and is cheaper when compared to similar schools across the nation. Thirty-one percent of the tuition increase will be used for student support, such as scholarships, Watkins INTERNATIONAL page 4 Turner ASUU Nathan STAFF WRITER elections Justin Spangler and Madison Black of the Vision Party will be the next president and vice president of ASUU. Taylor Thompson, the elections registrar, made the announcement io a.m. on March 7 on the Union Patio. "[I'm] still shaking," Spangler said after the results were announced. "It's one of those exhilarating feelings. It might be the best day ever." Spangler congratulated everyone who ran and said he hopes everyone will apply for a position in ASUU for this upcoming year. He said he wants to create a community on campus that is "engaging and inviting and loving." "We are so excited for Justin and Madison," said Sara Seastrand, current ASUU vice president. "We were impressed by all the candidates from Team Unite [and the] Grow and Vision Parties and their commitment to serve students through ASUU." It was a close race between Spangler and Black, and Mike Bird and Ashley Newhall of Team Unite. The Vision Party won the presi- dential and vice presidential race by in votes. "I'm honored for this position," Spangler said. "I'm excited to really represent the students, hear their voices and get a ton of things done this next year." Spangler said Team Unite ran a "fantastic campaign" and joked that he hopes they can still be friends after the drama-filled elections process. "Thank you for this opportunity. Tell everyone to still get involved — that's what matters," Spangler said. See ELECTIONS page 4 Students travel, serve for Break U hosts 2014 Miss Africa Utah pageant Allison Oligschlaeger STAFF WRITER This Spring Break, 167 U students spent their time volunteering. The students traveled to 12 cities across the United States, with one location in Vancouver, Canada, through the Bennion Center's Alternative Spring Break program. "There's a reason I keep coming back to alternative breaks," said Peter Bergeson, a senior in biology, who has gone on three alternative break trips. This year Bergeson led the trip to Point Reyes, California, focusing on coastal ecosystem restoration. Each service group includes a student leader, a university staff member and roughly io student participants. The groups focus on a distinct problem within the community they serve. Issues include See SPRING BREAK page 4 Keith Mcdonald STAFF WRITER COURTESY OF GINA ALLYN Participants on the alternative spring break in San Francisco. The trip focused on LGBTQ and human rights. On March 8, the Union Ballroom transformed into a miniature version of the African continent for nearly four hours. Representatives from Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe came to the U for the 2014 Miss Africa Utah pageant. See MISS AFRICA UTAH page 3 |