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Show OPINIONS : • ' - : - * • • : : • SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 VOL L ISSUE 9 www.uvure view, com Wolverines, remain calmThe tunnel will be safer than you think Randy Nellson/UVU Review The Sinclair gas station now stands at night like a lonely headstone, but construction for a pedestrian tunnel will begin at the site within a year. By John-Ross Boyce Opinions Writer U nderground tunnels denote many things, but none of them terribly pleasant. Morlocks live in tunnels. As do Mole People, Lizard People, Crawlers, Sewer Gators, Graboids and Gollum. Also, muggers and rapists. Which, unlike the above listed, is a very real threat. The state of Utah has set its sights on a relatively small project - a subterranean walkway that goes underneath University Parkway. The tunnel will span jonly the short distance from the Wal-Mart side of the street to the former site of rthe Sinclair service station. :;.. Construction is projected •to begin next May and be Incomplete by August. ;-.:/ AJI underground thor- oughfare is certainly convenient and safe for students walking to campus, at least in the sense of traffic. Rather than wait for a "WALK" sign, or worse, dashing haphazardly across University Parkway right at the mouth of 1-15, students and visitors will be able to safely amble below the traffic. If proper measures aren't taken, however, the proposed tunnel, while greatly reducing the risk of getting plowed by a careening Escalade above ground, could quickly become a happy hunting ground for all the perverts and mashers lurking in the Provo/Orem area. Worse, the tunnel might be a secondary location for those sick people who feel that BYU's infamous "Rape Hill" is getting too crowded. This is a serious threat to consider, given Utah's sexual assault statistics. While Utah's crime rates are generally lower than the national average, the state stands out in terms of forcible rape: 34.1 per 100,000 people in Utah versus 30.9 nationally. Putting it a little more concretely, the Utah Department of Health reports that 1 in 3 Utah women will experience some form of sexual violence during her lifetime. In addition, 1 in 8 women report experiencing a rape or attempted rape. What's perhaps even more shocking is that only 9.8 percent of these rapes are reported to law enforcement. Essentially, rape is occurring much more frequently than most of the good people in Happy Valley think. The chances of college women being raped is higher than for the general female population. There are over 30,000 students on campus and the prospect of some place below the ground, easily accessible and virtually invisible to aboveground eyes, becomes downright frightening. Fortunately, both the university and the state seem to be committed to keeping the proposed tunnel as safe as possible. When asked what such a project would require to meet the safety needs of students, Adonica Kauwe, who works at the Women's Resource Center on campus , stated that cameras, thorough lighting and emergency phones would be essential, as well as regular patrolling by campus police. This list pretty much matches the safety features included in the tunnel's plans, according to Jim Mi- chaelis, associate vice president of facilities. In fact, the tunnel will also hopefully include a skylight and will be built wide enough to fit a vehicle inside, should an emergency require such. Kauwe noted that campus administration has been very accommodating to student safety. Recently, when the Women's Resource Center reported a poorly lit sidewalk near the Sorensen Student Center, the wheels were put in motion almost immediately and new lights were built. Between that kind of swift action and the obvious care going into the planning of this upcoming tunnel, UVU is proving itself to be an institution that actually cares about the well-being of its students. In an ideal world, we wouldn't have to applaud this sort of institutional proactivity - it would simply be expected that a university makes efforts to keep its students safe. Unfortunately, in the context of Utah, and particularly in the context of BYU, what should normally be a standard has become an occasion for applause. The Cougars can thump their chests and beam all they want about their university on the hill. But the fact of the matter is that while we don't have a football team or a nationally-renowned business school, we also don't have a whole section of oug campus colloquially knowrjj as "Rape Hill" J That should count fo£ something. Go you, Wolver-^ ines. 2 m m m 1010: the hows and whys of a professionally paid faculty By Celeste Rosenlof Asst. Opinions Writer R Ronay Nellaan/UVU Review Tenure is a mutual agreement the university and professors enter into which grants the professor a permanent position on the faculty. Why is this important for UVU? ecent changes in campus tenure policy may go unnoticed by students, and yet what tenure is and why we need tenured faculty are two questions crucial to our growth as a university. According to the American Association of University Professors' 1940 statement, as quoted in UVU's June 2006 tenure policy, "Tenure is a means to certain ends; specifically, (1) freedom of teaching and research and of extramural activities, and (2) a sufficient degree of economic freedom to make the profession attractive to men and women of ability." When the university advertises a position available, they specify whether or not it is a tenure-track position. However, a tenure-track position does not mean they will become tenured, but it guarantees consideration for a tenure position. (Parti of 2) Keep up with next issue! Each year for six years ered the production and; the professor is evaluated publication of research, and on the third year they such as presenting papers undergo a midterm review at an academic conference, by the department chair and writing books or creating* • dean. some form of art - in other-' Dr. David R.Keller, pro- words, the production of* fessor of Ethics and previ- work in whatever mediums* ous president of the UVU are appropriate to the pro-2 chapter of AAUP said, fessor's area of expertise* "It's my understanding that and talent that allows them* tenure at UVU is based on to contribute to the world of* « three things: service, schol- academia. arship and teaching." Teaching requires pro-," He continues, "To get fessors to show through cur-; tenure at UVU you need to riculum and student evalua-" be competent in all three tions that they are providing;; and at least show excellence students with opportunities^ in one or two of them." to expand their knowledge* To really be considered or gain experience in the* for a tenure-track position, field of the professor's dis-i -j and also in the .probationary cipline. period after securing such Traditionally, we are ai a position, professors must teaching-based school witru show their regular and im- little emphasis on research.: portant contributions to the This also carries over toi three categories. their tenure considerations. -] Service is to sit on a Dr. Robert Cousins,.3 committee of the profes- English and Literature de-• sor's choice (highly relevant partment chair said, "UVU. to their academic study) and is pretty clear about saying J issue committee service in %iat teaching is the most im-^ one way or another. portan^ because research is:! £ Scholarship is consid- not our priority." s • |