OCR Text |
Show Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 StatesmanCampus News Page 3 Author acts as spotlight for President Reagan Briefs Campus & Community By CATHERINE MEIDELL assistant news editor Best-selling author Steven Hayward said Ronald Reagan realized the national issues he was forced to deal with during his presidency were impossible to defeat alone. Hayward will address students Thursday, Oct. 22, at noon in the TSC Auditorium as one of three speakers in the political science department’s project on “Liberty and American Constitutionalism” directed by public law professor Anthony Peacock. The project has been designed to “explore the meaning of liberty in the American constitutional system, with specific emphasis on the Founders’ commitment to limited and responsible government that promotes individual liberty, free markets and a strong national defense,” according to its description found at www.liberty.usu.edu. Hayward’s book, “The Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counterrevolution: 1980-1989,” was published in August and is the second novel written by Hayward on Reagan’s presidency. He has also written books covering the lives and attributes of Winston Churchill and Jimmy Carter. Hayward has also had multiple articles published in The Wall Street Journal. His interest in writing a book about Reagan’s presidency was heightened when he realized books already published concerning his administration were constructed around the Cold War and neglected to tell the decade’s “policy story,” Hayward said. He said because Reagan’s classified documents and diary have been published, Reagan can be seen in a new light and Hayward wanted to act as his spotlight. After Reagan’s personal documents were studied and a new perspective on his administration was formed, a revision of previous beliefs was in order, Hayward said. He said while writing his second book on Reagan many of his views have been altered, big and small. This always happens when he has done intensive research on a particular subject or person, he said. “I was surprised at how hard he worked and how much more he knew than we perceived at the time,” Hayward said. “I am very critical of his role in the Iran-arms sales that generated the Iran-contra scandal.” Hayward said he will elaborate on the traditional ideas of individual liberty and Reagan’s ideas on limited governement. Reagan originally wanted to shrink the size of the federal government, but his plans went in reverse, and the government’s power continued to swell, he said. Hayward said he hopes to express how difficult reversing the direction a government system is. He also said the national deficit the U.S. faces now is not at all provoked by any of the decisions made in Reagan’s presidency. The lecture will give students historical perspective because many current students were young during presidencies as recent as Bill Clinton’s, Hayward said. He will relate conflicts and resolutions from Woodrow Wilson’s administration as well as Theodore Roosevelt’s to instill this perspective. “The fruit, I argue, of Reagan’s reorientation of the economy in the ’80s and the end of the Cold War allowed large cuts in defense spending in the 1990s, but 9/11 and the financial crisis of last year changed all that,” Hayward said. Peacock and Hayward have known each other since their days at Claremont Graduate University and have since worked together on various occassions. Hayward is a gifted speaker and will be a source of knowledge for students, Peacock said. “He has an encyclopedic array of interests,” Peacock said. “His most recent book has made a fairly big splash. It’s been nationally reviewed.” Peacock said his purpose in organizing the project is to further students’ understanding of liberty in the constitutional system. Students will walk away with an appreciation of liberty, limited government and the roles they play in America’s constitutional system, Peacock said. He said a major topic currently debated is whether Congress is acting within the guidelines the original Constitution. Hayward will address many issues related to this question as well as issues that Reagan faced in the ’80s. Topics for new books have been brewing, Hayward said, but he is still trying to recuperate from the work he put into his book published in August. He will first speak to professor Carol McNamara’s presidency class and will then give a public speech free of admission. The second speaker of “The Project on Liberty and American Constitutionalism” will be author of “Carnage and Culture,” Victor Davis Hanson, who will speak Jan. 13. – catherine.meidell@aggiemail.usu.edu Racism is human-made, diversity speaker says By MIKAYLA RICH staff writer Joe Feagin warned about different kinds of racism during his keynote speech that kicked off Diversity Week Monday in the Taggart Student Center Ballroom. His speech, titled “Is There Still Racism? Recent Student Research,” focused on the existence of racism and how the university community can prevent it on campus. Feagin’s research consisted of collected journals from 626 white students and 308 from students of color, who are attending universities across the country. The students who participated in the study were asked to record all racial events and conversations they encountered. The result was 9,000 accounts of racism. Of the entries, 7,000 were accounts of racist commentaries and actions by white friends, relatives, acquaintances, strangers and others. Only 100 entries were about whites opposing the racist events. “Now if you think about this a JOE FAEGIN, keynote speaker for Diversity Week, explains that allowing racist comments helps perpetuate the idea that minute, there’s something like 10 racism is OK. Faegin spoke Monday in the Taggart Student Center Ballroom. STEVE SELLERS photo million white-college students in this country,” Feagin said. “If every one of described going home for the weekthat I could actually live with someedly allowing themselves to be told them encountered two racist perforend: I went over the Smith farm this one of another color. Then David that racism is all right. So how do mances and instances per week and afternoon around dinnertime. I went said, “Now why would you go and people bring down racism in society? it was for a full year, you’d be talking to a small farm do that for?” Then they agreed that Feagin gave 3 steps to solution. a billion or more school, graduated nothing would be said if they came 1. Call it out. Show that the comof these instances with 42 kids, all to visit and then they started to talk ment was offensive. around college “Saying I don’t see white and mostly about some fight they had gotten into 2. Reframe the event to accent the campuses every farmers. The with some black kids in town. They positive framing. color is saying I year,” said Feagin. farmers that I are all really nice guys and I think if 3. Remind people of their faith or Feagin talked don’t see reality.” graduated with are they came to visit that they would be moral values if relevant. about backstage all racist. Everyone respectful of Lisa. I know, however, “Racism is human-made and thus and front stage knows this – it’s that they would talk and make fun can be unmade. Saying I don’t see – Joe Feagin, Diversity racism. Backstage not a secret. Todd later about me living with a black girl. color is saying I don’t see reality. The is when racism Week keynote speaker asked how school Feagin said, “A front stage is somefuture is not white,” Feagin said. occurs when was going and thing like if her friends ever came to Diversity Week continues today someone of a race then asked when I visit her and were around Lisa.” with the Music Marathon from 11 is around others was going to let them come down and The way the brain learns is by a.m.-2 p.m. in the International of the same race. In order to illustrate visit. I said, “I don’t know guys, one repetition and Feagin explained the Lounge, located on the second floor the front stage racism, he shared a of my suite mates is black. You would dangers of repeated racist behavior. in the TSC. journal entry from the study. The have to be nice to her.” All the guys When people allow racist perfor– mikayla.rich@aggiemail.usu.edu journal belonged to a white-female said, “Black!?” Like they were shocked mances in their lives they are repeatcollege student in the Midwest and Copyright infringement a growing problem By MARISSA BODILY staff writer This semester, 48 complaints have been filed against USU regarding copyright infringement from watchdogs representing music, video- and computer-game industries. Bob Bayn, Information Technology’s (IT) security team coordinator, said although the copyright violation may not be deliberate, any free sharing of entertainment files available for purchase are considered copyright infringement. Many students who disregard copyrighting laws are unaware that some programs they install on their computers to download music, movies and games make the software available to more than themselves. Although no one at USU is searching directly for copyright infringements on the campus network, violators are caught by other means. The software companies have watchdogs who look specifically on college campuses for infringement violations. Kevin Reeve, who works for USU IT in marketing and communication, said, “Copyright owners hired by movie studios, Recording Industry Association of America and software companies use the same peer-to-peer programs as students in order to monitor where their protected files are being shared. So if the watchdog sees that their file is accessible on a computer or their copyright is being abused, they will send a complaint to USU.” Complaints made to USU by representatives of the copyright stolen are responded to by IT. Bayn said file sharing cannot be prevented without interfering with other legal sharing of material that isn’t copyrighted. There are some ways to block file sharing, but they are not thorough or used at USU because of the “collateral damage to legitimate uses,” he said. Copyright infringement is less of a problem at USU than other universities, however, it is a growing offense. At this time, there is no end in sight for the problem. If an infringement complaint is made, Bayn said, the violator’s network will be disabled and charged a $50 administration fee to restore the infringing computer’s service. He said further consequences include an earlysettlement notice requiring a fee that keeps the copyright offender from being sued by the software owner. The notice will fine the copyright offender up to a few thousand dollars. Bayn knows of one case where the copyright owner offered $3,000 as settlement. Another consequence is a subpoena from the registered owner of the copyright. None of the violators accused of infringement from USU have faced the early settlement notice or subpoena but disciplinary action has been taken in the Student Services Office for repeated offenses. Bayn sends the information to Eric Olsen in the Student Services Office, Olsen then contacts the offending student. In addition to the consequences, file sharing subjects computers to viruses. USU’s IT Web site states any program on a computer offering an entertainment file for free is a copyright violation and puts the violator at risk of being caught. Examples of these common programs are Limewire, eMule, DC++ and KaZaA. In order to avoid plagiarizing and the risk of being caught for copyright infringement, peer-2peer file-sharing programs should not be downloaded or used. They need to be uninstalled if they have already been downloaded because stealing entertainment is illegal. – marissa.bodily@aggiemail.usu.edu Families invited for the weekend Parents and families of Utah State University students are invited to reunite for a weekend of activities Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24, during USU’s Parent and Family Weekend. The weekend is full of activities, including brunch, a welcome reception with a tour of the Merrill-Cazier Library and an Aggie football game. Families can also participate in other activities around Logan. “Parents and families can visit their students on campus and experience a beautiful fall weekend in Logan,” said Aaron Andersen, associate director in the office of Retention and Student Success at USU. “We have an exciting weekend planned, with events and activities in the community and on campus. We hope parents can make plans to join us.” The weekend will start off with a welcome reception with doughnuts and cider Friday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Merrill-Cazier Library. Activities will continue through Saturday, Oct. 24, including the weekend’s major event, a brunch beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the ballroom located in the Taggart Student Center. Following the brunch, parents and families are invited to watch the Aggie Football team take on the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Romney Stadium, beginning at 1 p.m. Any questions may be directed to USU’s office of Retention and Student Success at 797-1132. Swenson winner to read his poetry The USU Department of English Speaker Series is pleased to present Jason Whitmarsh, 2009 May Swenson Poetry Award winner, who will read from his work. The event will take place at 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 22, in the Haight Alumni Center. All are invited to this free event. Light refreshments will be served. Geography students capture top awards USU College of Natural Resources students captured top awards at the Association of American Geographers Great Plains-Rocky Mountain Division annual meeting hosted Sept. 2526 in Logan. More than 100 participants attended the USU-hosted conference, representing 15 western universities. Geography major Justin Noyes placed first in the undergraduate oral paper competition. Master’s student Jodie Madsen, also a geography major, finished first in the graduate oral paper competition. Undergraduate geographer Jed Anderson was among the highest individual scorers in the meeting’s Geography Bowl student competition and earned a place on the regional team that will compete in the Geography Bowl at the AAG’s national meeting April 14-18, 2010 in Washington, D.C. Noyes presented “From Bonanza to Bat Cave: How the Amazon Mine in Logan Canyon Evolved as a Natural Resource.” Madsen presented “Latino Recreation in Cache Valley, Utah,” the subject of her master’s thesis. USU’s six-member Geography Bowl team placed second at the meeting’s competition. In addition to Anderson, team members included undergraduates Melissa Barfuss, Abigail Montandon and Jeff Ricks and graduate students Seth Price and Adrian Welsh. Conference organizers were College of Natural Resources faculty members Doug Ramsey and Claudia Radel, co-chairs; Ann Laudati and Jack Schmidt. The meeting was sponsored by the Department of Environment and Society, the Department of Watershed Sciences and the Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory. -Compiled from staff and media reports |