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Show StatesmanCampus News Wednesday, Sept. 151 2010 Page 3 Organizations combine to help serve students Briefs By MEGAN ALLEN senior writer Five formerly separate student service organizations on campus have joined together to form the new Access and Diversity Center. An open house will be held Wednesday, Sept. 15 from 2-5 p.m. in room 315 of the Taggart Student Center. "It will provide students and faculty an opportunity to see the changes that have been made and to meet the staff," said Michelle Bogdan, the director of the Access and Diversity Center. "The Access and Diversity Center was created to leverage the synergy of what were previously five separate student service offices," Dr. James Morales, vice president of student services, said. "Combined under one umbrella unit, these offices can now better serve students by working as one aligned entity." Morales said the idea for the Access and Diversity Center stemmed from a similar organization he created while at the University of Minnesota. When he interviewed for his current position with USU President Stan Albrecht, he brought it up as one of his ideas that would help the university grow and develop. This new organization brings together multicultural student services (MSS), veteran services, non-traditional student services, educational outreach, and the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and ally (GLBTA) services. Each of these organizations has a lot to offer students, and this change is going to make things better, Bogdan said. Once they had the go-ahead from university administration to form the Access and Diversity Center, the committee took the idea to students. Bogdan said it was important to have their support for the changes that were going to be made. "Even positive change can be unsettling," she said. "Each of the separate units were already providing excellent service to their respective target group of students," Bogdan said, "but students can now expect an even higher degree of service because the center's staff will be cross-trained, student groups will be interacting more and resources will be shared and thus brought to bear on needs and opportunities in a much more focused way." Morales said the Access and Diversity Center will benefit the university in four main ways. The first is that it will increase visibility of the five organizations. "Individually, they may be easy to miss," he said, "but combining them makes it a more collective opportunity." Second, forming this group will create synergy, he said. It will combine the expertise from across the university, forming an even stronger group. "We selected the most talented and experienced staff," Bogdan said. Morales said the new model will require staff to reach across their particular responsibilities to support students in other areas. The third benefit to the merger is that it will increase funding for everyone, Morales said. "It allows us to leverage the money we have. Pooling the money will give us strength to use it better and more effectively," he said. The other huge benefit is that it will increase opportunity for interaction both at the university level as well as globally, Morales said. "In effect, the center will allow for new efficiencies and even better levels of student service," Bogdan said. Student services refers to the old organization as the "separate silos" model, and it wasn't working, Bogdan said. Morales said it wasn't supporting students to the best of the organizations' capabilities. The office has created an internship program and there is scholarship money available to students in all five of the services, she said, which will create more opportunities and outlets for students. "Our goal is to instill a sense of stewardship and leadership in students," she said. "A lot of students may come in to the center not really knowing what they need or where to go," Morales said. "Everyone in our office is wellequipped to help students the best they can. It's a one stop shop." Bogdan said the key is knowing the right questions to ask. "We chose very strong people," Morales said, "and that is a key benefit." Hopefully other universities will realize the benefits of a program like this, he said. "Utah State University is a leader," he said. "This shows our commitment to students and our leadership in regards to access and diversity." -megan.allen@aggiemail.usu.edu Pool tables get removed to uphold policy issue, Kobe said office space is in demand for the campus recreation department, so removing the pool tables will vacate space that may be used for that need. James Morales, vice president of student services, said the tables will most likely be moved into a campus housing facility so they may be utilized. He said he believes the billiards instructors could potentially move their classes in order to access the relocated pool tables. However, petitioners such as Crooke said they do not see this being efficient. "If they put the pool tables in housing, it will be away from class, and that isn't going to help the class at all," Crooke said. "We do understand the rules, we've heard about them, and it's a valid reason to move the tables. We just don't like that they took them without letting anybody know." The students petitioning against this change believe there is a more accommodating way to relocate the tables, such as rearrange the room the pool tables are in, or find another location in the Fieldhouse for them. PCI officers will allow one to two months for campus recreation to comply with the security policy. In addition to securing the area where the pool tables will be removed, all recreation equipment will be issued through a window, rather than students walking into the room to check out the items. -catherine.meidell@aggiemail. usu.edu PoliceBl otter Friday, September 3, 2010 •USU Police assisted the Logan City EMS on a medical in Aggie Village. A student was having a seizure and Logan City EMS took care of the student. The student was not transported to the hospital. •USU Police responded to the parking lot at at 950 E US89 on a report of an individual entering the exit. Upon arrival the vehicle was located in the "brown" parking lot but no driver. The vehicle did not have a parking permit and was issued a parking citation. •USU Police and EMS personal responded to Old Main on a report that a female had fainted. It was determined that the female had just given blood and had not eaten since giving blood. Quad travel restricted Construction fencing will go up in areas of Utah State University's Quad beginning Saturday, Sept. 11. At that time, access across the Quad from north to south will not be possible. As part of construction for the new College of Agriculture building, Whitaker Construction, a subcontractor with Jacobsen Construction, will set up construction fencing on the north half of the Quad Sept. 11. The anticipated completion of the construction phase is anticipated by Oct. 9, with access to the middle walkway restored by Oct. 1. From Sept. 11 until Oct. 1, pedestrian traffic to the buildings on the south side of the Quad, including Family Life and Ray B. West, will need to pass the Quad to the west of Old Main or via the temporary walk at the George S. Eccles Business Building to the east. For questions for concerns, contact Facilities Design and Construction, 797-7232. Semi rolk over in Providence Two people were hospitalized and another 12 released with minor injuries following a multiple-car accident near Macey's in Providence at 1200 South Highway 165. A semi-truck heading northbound came through the intersection after apparently running a red light, impacting multiple vehicles as it went through. The semi then rolled onto its side and impacted two more cars and a power box, which took out a power line. The cabin of the truck then caught fire. The diesel-fueled truck had a full tank, which spilled into the roadway. The Logan Fire Department was able to contain the spill quickly before any fuel could seriously impact waterways. Hospitalized were the driver of the truck and a female in her 60s, who had a broken pelvis and ribs. The extent of the truck driver's injuries are unknown, but it appears none are life-threatening. Information provided by Logan City. Police Officer Denny Bird By CATHERINE MEIDELL news editor Due to security issues, two of the eight pool tables in the Nelson Fieldhouse are no longer accessible, and some students taking a billiards class have started a petition to keep the tables open for use. Two of the petitioners are Chris Crooke, junior and treasurer of the billiards club and Cameron Copeland, a student enrolled in billiards. Crooke and Copeland used the now-restricted pool tables the week before the semester started and then a few days into the semester, they found the doors locked. With 97 students in the billiards club and 324 students enrolled in billiards' 19 class sections, Copeland said he is concerned it will not be possible to accommodate all those who want to be involved. He said it is especially unfair to those enrolled in the class, who paid a $50 fee to participate. "I've definitely seen the overcrowding. I am there most of the day and the vast majority of the beginners classes are way too full," Crooke said. Kevin Kobe, campus recreation director, said: "On our end, this must be done because the university is following PCI compliance, which means that areas with computers used for credit card transactions have to be secured." The area where the two restricted pool tables are located was bringing students into an area that should have been secured. In addition to this Campus & Community Essay competition for students AMANDA YOUNG PLAYS pool on one of the remaining pool tables left in the Fieldhouse. ALLISON OSTLER photo Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010 •USU Police spoke with a hotdog vendor about soliciting on campus and also about selling products in the roadway during the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus street concert, which is against city zoning. Police and university administration came up with a temporary agreement that allowed the hotdog vendor to sell hotdogs on campus that night only. •USU Police assisted a 12-year-old male with possible back and neck pain during the street concert. The individual was crowd surfing and was dropped on the ground. The individual as checked out by EMS and released to a guardian at the scene. •It was reported to USU Police that a 17- Contact USU Police at 797-1939 for non-emergencies. Anonymous reporting line: 797-5000 year-old female was kicked in the head while someone was crowd surfing at the concert on 700 North. The female was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground. Logan City Fire Paramedics were on scene already to attend to the female and eventually transported her to Cache Valley Specialty Hospital. Monday, Sept. 6, 2010 'Police responded to a citizen assist in the Radio and Television parking lot. Complainant informed the police that his vehicle broke down in the parking lot. Police attached a disabled sticker onto the vehicle until it could be repaired. lCompiled by Catherine Meidell Leonard J. Arrington was a noted educator, writer and scholar. A lecture in his name is presented annually, and a writing competition for college-age students encourages a continuation of Arrington's scholastic tradition and legacy. Attractive cash awards are presented to the top three students who submit essays. A panel of judges evaluates all entries. Students must complete an essay after attending the lecture where official entry forms are available. The essay submission should include notes from the lecture. Students should write a 2,500-word essay related to the lecture, including a one-page synopsis of the lecture. A minimum of two outside research sources, including books, articles, newspapers and primary documents should be included in a bibliography. The essay topic should relate to the lecture topic, but can expand or create new connections. The writing style can be expository, persuasive or reflective, but not fiction. Submission deadline is Friday, Dec. 10. The 2010 Arrington Lecture is presented Thursday, Sept. 23, 7 p.m., at the Logan LDS Tabernacle (50 N. Main Street, Logan). Detailed requirements will be included in the entry form provided at the lecture. Entries can be submitted in person to Special Collections and Archives, Room 035, Merrill-Cazier Library. l Compiled from staff and media reports |