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Show CampusNews Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012 Page 3 Website simplifies deferment Briefs Campus & Community BY JERA WOOD staff writer USU has developed a new leave of absence website to make deferring admissions possible for students in a few steps. The website, www.usu.edu/ loa, has been in the works for months, but because of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's October announcement about changes in age requirements for missionaries, the project has become a top priority, said John Mortensen, the assistant vice president for Enrollment Services and Retention. "After the announcement by the church it became more urgent to get this website done," he said. According to James Morales, the vice president for Student Services, after the announcement that men can serve LDS missions at age 18 and women can serve at 19, mission applications increased by 471 percent. Morales said last year USU lost about 210 students in spring semester. This year, through information collected by a special task force, Morales is projecting USU will lose about 750 students for spring semester. Mortensen said with so many students sending in their mission papers, students should go ahead and register even if they are not sure they will be at USU for spring semester. "Don't drop out of school until you know when your departure date is going to be," Mortensen said. "Apply now and then defer your admission later." Mortensen said students can drop up until January 28 and get a 100 percent refund. Mortensen said students should apply for scholarships and financial aid by Dec. 1 and put them on hold when deferring admissions. "It's just so much easier to get it taken care of before they go," Mortensen said. "All the information is being collected in one place so the student is not doing the run around." Mortensen said as of Nov. 20, almost three times the number of women intending to serve missions have filled out a leave of absence as last year. Liz Martinez, a senior english major and peer advisor, Blue Bikes seeks holiday donations `Tis the season for iving, and Utah State University s Aggie Blue Bikes is preparing for another year of donating children's bicycles to Cache County's Sub for Santa program. ABB staff and volunteers donate roughly 100 hours of work on the children's bikes and have donated more than 70 children bicycles over the last six years to families in need. ABB subsists on community and USU support, volunteer service and, most of all, donations. ABB accepts tax-exempt bike donations throughout the year. Children's bike donations are given to the Cache County Sub for Santa but only after ABB staff has worked diligently to insure they are in pristine condition. Additionally, adult bike donations are transformed into "Aggie Blue Bikes" which USU students can check-out for up to three months free of charge. ABB also accepts monetary donations to pay for supplies to maintain the bikes. Conference invites student submissions USU HAS A NEW WEBSITE to simplify the deferment process. Because of changes to LDS missionary age requirements, many students plan to leave school for a few semesters. SAMANTHA BEHL photo illustration said the new website could not have come at a better time due to the announcement made by the LDS church. Martinez said with so many students deferring admission, the simplicity of the new website is important. "It is so easy to use," Martinez said. "All you need to do is log in with your A-Number and password just like you would with any other account and all the work is done for you. We've made it really easy to take a leave." In fall 2011, the USU Advising office hired Martinez. Shortly after starting her new job, Martinez was asked to evaluate the leave of absence website. "I found it was confusing for a student," Martinez said. "There was a barrier between the administration and students." Martinez proposed a new PoliceBlotter Friday, Nov. 16 • While on patrol near 800 East and 1400 North, two vehicles were witnessed in a speed competition. The driver was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. The driver was arrested and booked into the Cache County Jail. Saturday, Nov. 17 • USU Police responded to Aggie Village on a report of a noise problem. While investigating the noise problem, a female who was under the age of 21 was contacted and found to have been consuming alcohol. The party host was given a warning for the noise problem, and the underage individual was issued a misdemeanor citation. • USU Police assisted the Logan Police Department on a report of three male individuals who were walking through the parking lot of Logan Regional Hospital and may have entered the Life Flight Helicopter. USU Police located the individuals and turned them over the Logan Police Department. • USU Police responded to the HPER Building on a request to help find an adult female who had been missing. The missing person was found in the building shortly after the police arrived. website be created. Several drafts and around a year later, a new and simpler website was up for students use. Mortensen said several weeks prior to the missionary age change announcement made by the LDS church, Enrollment Services started working with USU Information Technology to finalize the website. "With the new mission rule, this site is being used as an advertising tool," Martinez said. Mortensen said another benefit of this new website is that USU will be able to track students better and help them make transitions in and out of college life. "What we are doing is trying to find out what students' intentions are and help them with that transition," Mortensen said, "We are just trying to collect as much information as we can from as many sources as we can." Mortensen said the leave of absence website is an excellent source for collecting information because the people who go through the website are current students who will be leaving for up to two and a half years. The leave of absence website will also make these students' return dates accurate and make it possible to track them through their leave. "Up-to-date, there has not been a system in place where we could really track these students," Martinez said. "The hope for this website is that we can better track students who are on their leave and make sure that they know that USU wants them back. We love our students and we always want them to return." - jerawood@aggiemail.usu.edu Contact USU Police at 797-1939 for non-emergencies. Anonymous reporting line: 797-5000 EMERGENCY NUMBER: 911 • USU Police responded to a delayed report of a suspicious person incident at the library. A female individual reported a male individual's ongoing strange behavior. Police gathered information and a report was filed with USU Police. • USU Police responded to a medical incident at the Spectrum during the USU basketball game. A male individual was complaining of lightheadedness. Medical personnel responded and transported the patient to the hospital. Sunday, Nov. 18 • USU Police responded to a theft incident. An individual reported his trailer and tools were stolen from the Student Living Center east parking lot. • USU Police assisted Logan Police at Logan Regional Hospital with an individual they had arrested. The male suspect started to become somewhat defiant, at which time a Logan officer requested assistance. Upon arrival, the male subject calmed down and was placed in handcuffs and transported to the Cache County Jail. Monday, Nov. 19 • USU Police responded to the Living Learning Community on a report that several individuals were stuck in the elevator. Police were able to get the individuals out of the elevator. The elevator was shut down until the maintenance crew could repair the problem. • USU Police received a complaint of an individual who lives in the Living Learning Community swearing and cursing at individuals and leaving obscene cards on cars parked at the LLC. The subject stated he had the right to do so under freedom of speech. • USU Police responded to Aggie Village on a report of a suspicious odor. Upon arrival, the officer located the source of the odor. The odor was coming from a neighbors using charcoal briquettes to cook in their apartment. Police advised the individual using the briquettes of the heath hazard and informed them the charcoal could not be used indoors. The Logan Fire Department was contacted and checked the apartment for carbon monoxide. Wednesday Nov, 21 • USU Police assisted the North Park Police Department with a family dispute at Kmart. An individual assaulted his child and left the scene. The individual was later arrested by North Park Police. ►Compiled by Allee Wilkinson The National Undergraduate Literature Conference, hosted by Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, provides a valuable occasion for undergraduate writers seeking an opportunity to present or publish their own literary works. This annual event has featured USU students in previous years, and encourages interested writers to submit papers both critical and creative for consideration. In addition, conference attendees will have a chance to hear from a number of influential contemporary writers. NULC 2013 is scheduled to begin officially on Thursday, April 4, with an opening evening banquet and featured speaker. Breakout sessions and presentations take place on the Weber State campus throughout the day on Friday and continue through 12:30 pm on Saturday, April 6. In addition to the official conference schedule, pre-conference events will be held. Undergraduate writers may submit work to be considered for presentation at the conference or for publication in Weber State's literary journal, Metaphor. Those wishing to attend the conference or submit writing should be aware of the following dates: • December 10, 2012 - Conference early registration begins • December 14, 2012 - January 25, 2013 - Abstract submission for conference presentation consideration • December 14, 2012 - January 14, 2013 - Abstract submission to Metaphor for publication consideration For additional information, including conference agenda, submission guidelines and registration details, visit NULC2013.com . Interested parties may also join National Undergraduate Literature Conference on Facebook and follow on Twitter @NULC_WSU. Bull Pen hosts poetry auction On Monday, Nov. 19, the Bull Pen be doing a poetry auction in FL 109 at 3:30. So what is a poetry auction? Students can each bring a first line of poetry (new and original, or from a poem they've written) The group then figures out which first line is the best and do fun stuff, using those first lines. It should be good writing exercise and an excellent time. Students can find the Bull Pen on Facebook. ClarifyCorrect The policy of The Utah Statesman is to correct any error made as soon as possible. If you find something you would like clarified or find in error, please contact the editor at 797-1742, statesman@aggiemail. usu.edu or come in to TSC 105. ►Compiled from staff and media reports |