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Show UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY The fact and fiction of 'The Da Vinci Code' Pages www.utahstatesman.com Monday, March 27,2006 Logan, Utah • Campus Voice Since 1902 Courtesy USU Electric Snowmobile Team MEMBERS OF THE USU ELECTRIC SNOWMOBILE TEAM competed in the Society of Automotive Engineers challenge earlier this month in Houghton, Mich. USU snowmobile design cleans up at national event Bv ARIH KIRK Staff Writer USlTs electric snowmobile team recently dominated the Society of Automotive Engineers' annual Clean Snowmobile Challenge, winning every award for which they were eligible. The SAE challenge was held March 13-18 in Houghton, Mich. "We stomped it, not only as a first-year team, but as a first-year team with an electric snowmobile," said Nate Hansen, Utah State University's electric snowmobile team leader. Hansen said the team's goal is to create an electric snowmobile with lower noise and pollution. Thus far, their work has proven to be successful, he said. At the competition, they won Best Zero-Emissions Design, Best Zero-Emissions Range, Best Zero-Emissions Overall and the Rookie of the Year award. Despite their direct competition with gas snowmobiles, they were not eligible to win awards in the main categories because they were not scored against them. The SAE challenge has separate categories for zero-emission snowmobiles and gas snowmobiles. Because of smaller range, the judges consider electric snowmobiles only as utility vehicles, so USU was unable to be declared the overall winner. Hansen said he is disappointed by this, but thinks their stellar and surprising performance in all areas had an impact on people's impressions of an electric snowmobile's capabilities. He said he is in the process of appealing these rules for the 2007 competition. "Our simple but strong design served us well and impressed people. We know how to use parts and use them well," Hansen said. "By far, we had the cleanest at the snowmobile challenge. It was much cleaner and much quieter, too. In terms of clean and quiet, we have a perfect solution." Their snowmobile is virtually silent, Hansen said, the only obvious sounds being mechanical. He said he hopes next year's team will be able to eliminate those noises. The snowmobile still needs work, Hansen said. The most important changes that need to take place deal with the weight of the snowmobile and its range, he said, but both can be improved by simply putting in different batteries. "The biggest need of improvement is range. It • SNOWMOBILE see page 3 Weather Michael Sharp/michaelsharp&cc.usu.edu EXPECT PLENTY OF PUDDLES around campus this week. After one day of sunshine, the forecast calls for nothing but rain until the weekend. Monday Mostly sunny 57/33 Tuesday Wednesday \ Thursday P.M. showers 53/39 Rain 46/34 ; Rain : 49/33 Michael Sharp/mkhaelsharp@ccusu.edu SECOND-TIER TUITION WILL SEE AN 8 PERCENT INCREASE starting next fall at USU. The university's increase is among the lowest in the state. Tuition increased 8 percent jump will cost students "* $246 more per semester II increase. The majority of the money will go to reduce USU's deficit. Other categories are Students will have to dig a little enrollment initiatives, student deeper into their pockets next year initiatives, faculty and staff salaries and to hire faculty in "highdue to an 8 percent increase in demand areas." tuition costs. The increase in Tier-I tuition, Some student initiatives being which is set by the state, will be considered are improving class4 percent for all schools in Utah rooms, creating a memorial for next year. The Tier-II increase, the College of Agriculture stuwhich is set by Utah State dents killed in the van accident University administration, will in September 2005 and increasalso be 4 percent. The money ing the hours of operation of the from the increase in Tier Twill go Taggart Student Center computer to faculty salaries, said Amanda lab. Others are establishing a stuCovington, director of commudent-run radio station, subscribnication for the Utah System of ing to library journals and providHigher Education. What will be ing support to both undergraduate done with the money from the and graduate students. Student Tier-II increase will be detersupport would be the largest catmined by the university. egory, taking up an estimated $100,000. The rise in tuition means a $246 increase for students. For How much tuition should go USU, the exact amount of money up and where the money will go brought in is yet to be determined. was discussed at a public hearHow much money is generated ing before Spring Break. Franco by the increase will be determined said students at the hearing by how many students will be seemed understanding of the need attending next year. While this to increase tuition. He said the number can't be predicted exactly, increase was "not arbitrary," but Juan Franco, vice president for "well thought out." Student Services, said the figures "The things that are being for fall semester 2006 are "looking funded are essential," he said. "It's positive." One guess puts enrollnot fluff. It's stuff we need." ment increase at just under 3 perUSU's increase was among the cent, which would generate about lowest in the state. The average $2,440,000. However, this is just was an increase of 10.6 percent. an estimate. There are several catego• TUITION ries that have been proposed to receive money from USU's Tiersee page 3 BY LIZ LAWYER Senior Writer The Cost of College The State Board of Regents approved a 4 percent FirstTier Tuition increase for all colleges in Utah earlier this month. Now USU officials have approved a 4 percent increase to the university's Second-Tier Tuition, increasing tuition by a total of $246. The increase is comparable to other university increases. Institution Dixie State University of Utah UVSC Eastern Utah Weber State Utah State Percent 27.1* 5.5 5 4.5 4.5 4 * Dixie State College increased tuition for its underclassman, but lowered tution for its juniors and seniors by 14.7 percent |