OCR Text |
Show llocie lime/ The independent voice of students at Utah Valley State ^ ^ VOLUME XXXIV* NO. VII WWW.NETXNEWS.NET MONDAY-SEPTEMBER 12*2005 The MySpace addiction A recently returned soldier's letter Soccer off to a slow start Have you ever used MySpace before? If not, then turn to page B6 in the Life section,to find out more about the site. An Iraqi War veteran tells of his experiences during his tour of duty in Iraq and gives readers an opportunity to hear the issues in a unique and different perspective, find it on page A4. After starting off the season 0-3, the team is searching for the right amount of heart, find it in Sports on page B1. Making sense of financial aid Some students say new system produces same old frustrations Jon Long News Writer The Financial Aid department at • UVSC has updated their system to co• ordinate with the new UVLink program. Yet, a lot of students have felt frustrated and even a little intimidated with the school's new system "They only give you information for one step at a time, then I have to come back and wait in a line all over again," one student commented. UVLink allows students the opportunity to navigate, answer their own questions, and check their own financial aid availability without ever having to visit the Financial Aid Office. UVSC is the largest Pell grant school in the State-, meaning more and more people are realizing that they do qualify for some kind of aid. Consequently, UVSC is looking to satisfy the demand with as little inconvenience as possible. Yet, there are students out there claiming that not ail the help they need or desire is there. The biggest prob- lem encountered, most students agree, is the long line that seems to be continually plaguing OneStop. Although this is separate to the financial aid advisors, many financial aid requirements and documents need to be passed through their hands. This means a trip through "One Hour Stop" is necessary, as one student waiting to hand in paperwork called it. "Where are all the employees that were here in the beginning of the term?" another student asked. "I have been in line for half an hour." Joanna McCormick, Director of Financial Aid, says things are better than ever. Their department's biggest problem is in getting students to take that initial first step onto UVlink. McCormick said, "It is all there; go to the student tab, and scroll down past registration, and you will have access to all your financial aid. It is littered with links to information that can help people from returning students to first liners. No matter where you are in your schooling we have answers here for the students." Underneath Student Financial Services on the student tab of UVlink, there is a long list of options to be used See FINANCIAL AID* A3 From diplomat to professor Former ambassador of Kyrgyzstan brings his experience and connections to UVSC Jon Long News Writer Baktybek Abdrisaev, the former ambassador of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan to the United States, has taken up a teaching position with the Political Science department at Utah Valley State. For eight and a half years Dr. Abdrisaev lived as an ambassador in Washington D.C., helping form good relations between the governments. His country's newly formed republic arose from the fall of the former Soviet Union in 1991. "What an experience I have had, the opportunity to undertake, to be immersed in the great traditions of American democracy and now have had the unique opportunity to be in a position of help to advise my government on de- 'Thh is a revolutionary moment for me in my life, from going from ambassador of my country to coming to the great state of Utah to teach/' Baktybek Abdrisaev Former Kyrgyzstani Ambassador mocracy while experiencing it here in America." Now he is excited at the opportunity to help form a union between two different cultures as a professor at UVSC. Dr. Abdrisaev will be teaching Middle East and Central Asian studies, foreign policy, and Islamic issues. Abdrisaev is also helping to bring in professionals he met in Washington D.C. to speak at UVSC. 'This is very exciting to help the school bring in some of my friends and former colleagues to speak at the school." When asked how leaving the position of ambassador See AMBASSADOR-A3 Rep. Chris Cannon to speak on campus Chad Clark/NetXNews Panelists listen to comments from Norm Nielsen during a discussion last Wednesday night.: The panel was hosted by The Center for the Study of Ethics and the focus was on how the * school can maintain cademic freedom while respecting the surrounding community. Panel debates the future of UVSC Students, faculty, and community hash out what might be possible in the post-Moore era Michael Palmer Assistant News Editor U.S. Congressman Chris Cannon will address faculty, staff, students and the public at Utah Valley State College on Monday, September 12 at 11 a.m. in LC 243. Cannon will speak for approximately 20 minutes on the topic of "Ethics in Government" with the rest of the time open for Q&A. Cannon is the Republican Representative for the Utah 3rd District. He has been serving in Congress since 1996, starting his fourth term in 2004. Cannon has recently come under fire for his views on immigration. "We're pjeased to have Congressman Cannon coming to campus," said Amanda TamNews Desk (801) 863-8617 men-Peterson, Ethics Center Program Coordinator. "The Ethics Center is pleased to have many visiting dignitaries visit the school throughout the year, and we always are sure to include our senatorial and congressional representatives of the state. Congressman Cannon has a wealth of experience in legal, business and governmental fields, so is well qualified to come and speak." Cannon serves on the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Resources, and the Committee on Government Reform, as well as numerous subcommittees. This event is sponsored by the Center for the Study of Courtesy Photo/Chris Cannon Rep. Chris Cannon (R) Ethics, and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Amanda Tammen-Peterson in the Ethics center at 863-6455. Wednesday, September 7 - UVSC hosted the year's first Ethics panel event in LC 243, the topic: "From Past to Future: Assessing UVSC's Changing Role as an Institution of Higher Education." The event was originally scheduled last April; however, owing to conditions that David Keller, Director of the Center for the Study of Ethics, and organizer of this event, called "not conducive to constructive dialogue," it was postponed to the beginning of the following semester. Keller introduced the purpose of the panel, pointing out UVSC's evolving role as a hopeful university. Visit us online at www.netxnews.net Panelists included Michael Shaw, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Norman Nielsen, a community member who has made a recent stir concerning what he calls the 'shift to the left' UVSC 'is undergoing, Errin Julkunen, News Editor of The College Times and organizer of "The Vagina Monologues," Vegor Pedersen, former Editor-in-Chief of The College Times, and Paul Swenson, Adjunct Faculty professor in Communications. English instructor Paul Tanner was also scheduled to participate in the event, but was not there. Elaine Englehardt moderated the panel and introduced the panel members. Each panelist delivered a 57 minute statement and then the floor was opened for a ^ . i. *i w .-ir. 'We need a school that keeps faith with the desires and the values of its constituents. There needs to be a sense of balance/' Norm Nielsen question and answer period. Julkunen opened the discussion, emphasizing the necessity of learning the skills provided by a liberal arts education, however frightening the development of these See PANEL-A3 i |