THE BG NEWS
ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Wednesday June 11, 2008
From Kent State to Bowling Green
Volume 101, Issue 153 WWW.BGNEWS.COM
CAMPUS
Study abroad in China
Former Kent State President Carol Cartwright, named interim president
The dean of the College of Business Administration has recently returned from China, opening study abroad opportunites at two Chinese universities | Page 3
By Gina Potthoff Editor-in-chief
More than 41 years of higher education experience made Carol Cartwright an easy choice for interim president. The University Board of Trustees chose Cartwright, president of Kent State University from 1991-2006, as interim to replace current President Sidney Ribeau, who leaves to head Howard University in Washington D.C. in August. Cartwright will assume her
PULSE
Jack Black: kung fu master Jack Black plays the lovable dragon warrior wannabe in Dreamworks’ “Kung Fu Panda,” which hit theaters this past weekend | Page 6
The food is similar but which is better? Levi Joseph Wonder puts his taste buds on the line to find out |
FORUM
Columnist Alison Kemp examines the ups and downs of public transportation in New York | Page 4
Things aren’t always as bad as they seem No need to panic, the U.S. isn’t in a recession ... yet, according to columnist Brian Eggenberger | Page 4
Griffey Jr. hits 600th homer
SPORTS
President of Kent State University from 1991-2006 her following retirement. “She said ‘I’ll stick around for as long as you need me,’” said former chair of Kent State’s Board of Trustees Douglas Cowan. Cowan also worked with Cartwright when she was on the board of Davey Tree Expert Co.,
which he is the CEO of. “She has more energy than anybody I know,” he said. “She’ll throw herself into the presidency [at BGSU].” After more than 15 years at Kent State, Cartwright has proven her skills in enrollment management, strategic planning and budgeting and has a familiarity with Ohio public universities. “She has a wonderful knack for getting into issues,” said Charlene Reed, secretary to the Board of Trustees and senior assistant to the president at Kent
Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th home run Monday night. This milestone puts Griffey Jr. in the company of five of baseball’s elite | Page 5
What energy drink do you drink and why?
City and University officials are attempting to bridge the gap between University students living off campus and Bowling Green residents. The Off-Campus Student Services Advisory Board of faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, city officials and residents began meeting in January to plan events that will help students living off campus and city residents live side by side in peace. Those involved with the board are bringing forth both student and resident issues. “As an attorney at Student Legal Services, I hear the student side of the tension,” said Rodney Fleming, managing attorney at SLS. Fleming said he represents students living off-campus, often those charged with a noise complaint. “Not all students are having these parties,” he said. “This doesn’t apply to the vast majority.” Students should not be treated like an “Animal House” stereotype, he added. The board is looking at what the University currently provides for students living off campus and what the University could be doing, said Assistant Dean of Students and chair of OCSSAB Andy Alt. City Planning Director Rick Ketzenbarger said the board hopes to have a Web site to help students that will be available this fall. “This will be something we hope to have in place by August,” he said. The board is also planning a “Welcome BG” event on Sept. 13. USG Representatives, city officials and volunteers are going to stuff 4,500 bags with city coupons and walk door-to-door. The volunteers are going to off-campus student residencies, introducing themselves and inviting the student residents to the “Welcome BG” picnic. Alt is hoping that walking doorto-door will allow students to meet city officials and long-term city resi-
See CITY | Page 2
State. “For someone to hold the position for [that] long means they did a good job.” Kent State President Lester Lefton had nothing but good things to say about Cartwright. “Dr. Cartwright’s vast knowledge of the Ohio educational and political landscape was invaluable to me as the new president of Kent State,” Lefton said. “I am sure that same knowledge will facilitate her transition at BGSU.”
See INTERIM | Page 2
USG Projects in Progress
By Jessica Spies Reporter
You can’t get there from here ... today
PEOPLE ON THE STREET
Carol Cartwright
City says ‘welcome’ to students
Chipotle vs. Qdoba
WEATHER
duties as interim and be the first-ever female president at the University on July 21. Michael Marsh, chair of the Board of Trustees, said Cartwright’s experience and readiness to take on new responsibilities made the decision easy. “Carol has all the qualities we were looking for,” he said. “We’re extremely lucky she’s available and willing.” Cartwright has been in this position before, staying at Kent State for a year until a permanent replacement was found for
By Tony Hunter Reporter
ILLUSTRATION BY LORI WEBER, CARRIE CRANE AND LEVI JOSEPH WONDER | THE BG NEWS
Possible deciding factors for November’s election Key States for Candidates
Jeffrey Peake Associate Professor of Political Science at BGSU
Randall Ripley Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Ohio State
Luke Keele Assistant Professor of Political Science at Ohio State
Important Issues
Ohio Florida Pennsylvania Colorado Wisconsin
Michigan Virginia Georgia North Carolina
Ohio Pennsylvania Florida Colorado Nevada Iowa
New Mexico Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota
Florida Pennsylvania Ohio Colorado New Mexico
Pros / Cons of Candidates
Economy Iraq Middle East
PROS Obama Inspiring rhetoric “Change” McCain Military record / war hero
Economy Gasoline prices Housing market / foreclosure Healthcare Iraq
CONS
Economy War
CONS
Obama Aloof / generality McCain Temper / lack of funds
Obama Not specific / little experience McCain Temper
WHAT STUDENTS SAY: A random sampling of 77 students were asked questions about who they will vote for in the 2008 election, and 50 students were asked which would be the contested states this year that might change the political outcome of the election.
Ohio Michigan Florida Virginia New Mexico Pennsylvania
36% 12% 44% 4% 2% 2%
Obama 77% McCain 13% Undecided 9% Neither 1%
USG President John Waynick has his hands full this summer with plans to make campuswide improvements and put the University on the map. Waynick said USG members are using the summer to build crucial relationships with University administrators and community leaders for the upcoming school year. “You really got to get to know administration on a first name basis,” Waynick said. USG is also working this summer on two main projects that involve painting the University Falcon logo on Wooster Street and the I-75 highway exits and a campus-wide beautification project. The campus beautification project will involve making improvements to buildings and other open areas on campus in view of students and visitors. Waynick said his group has started working with the University to fix some areas of concern. The Falcon logo project is headed up by Jeremy Lehman, who serves as USG City, State and National Liaison. Lehman said USG has written their proposal and has the funding necessary to complete the project, but is still working with the Ohio Department of Transportation to set the actual painting process in motion. “We are dealing with closing down streets, so going through the bureaucracy is not going to be easy,” Lehman said. Once the project is finished, the University will be one of a
See USG | Page 2
Contracts determine beverages found on carry-out shelves LAUREN WILHELM, Sophomore, Pharmacy
By John Lopez Reporter
“Red Bull occasionally if I have to stay up late to study for an exam.” | Page 4
TODAY Sunny High: 87, Low: 64
TOMORROW Mostly Sunny High: 89, Low: 72
Students visiting one of the carry-outs on campus who crave that perfect drink may come out empty handed, but before organizing protests, consider the reasoning behind the sometimes bare shelves. According to Daria BlachowskiDreyer, associate director of nutrition initiatives, the University is under contract with distributors in the area that dictate what products are available. “Take our beverage distributor for example,” Dreyer said. “We go through Coca Cola, which means 80 percent of the drinks we carry must be a Coke product, that is why you don’t see
Mountain Dew on our shelves.” The other 20 percent of beverages sold on campus are at the discretion of dining services, she said. “We are always open to suggestions from students of new products; we have comment boxes that we take very seriously,” she said. Some students wonder why the controversial energy drink Red Bull is not available on campus. Dreyer pointed toward a combination of reasons for not allowing Red Bull on the shelves including contract stipulations and medical reasons. “There have been no long-term studies related to the effects, either positive or negative, that energy drinks have on young adults,” Dreyer said. “Also, our Red Bull dis-
“We are always open to suggestions from students of new products; we have comment boxes that we take very seriously.” Daria Blachowski-Dreyer | Associate director of nutrition initiatives tributes their own product and we do not contract with them.” Robin Bruning, a University food service coordinator in charge of purchasing, tells the story a little differently. According to Bruning, most MidAmerican Conference schools she’s dealt with sell Red Bull. “It took me three years to get Monster and Full Throttle (energy drink) on shelves, and I have asked about Red Bull, but we probably won’t see that on campus,” Bruning
said. “Honestly, it could be considered a mixer for alcohol.” Ironically enough, there are two slush machines in Chily’s carry out with flavors such as Margarita and Strawberry Daiquiri, both popular alcoholic beverages. “That’s a little different,” Bruning said. “We try to bring products to students that are fun, and there is no alcohol in the drink.” Bruning said Red Bull is difficult to put on the shelves because it is not only sold in local stores, but is
heavily promoted in bars. “When I was young, the hip thing to drink was Boilermakers, which is a beer cocktail, kind of like how kids are drinking Jager Bombs now with Red Bull,” Bruning said. Some students on campus are upset that dining services is dictating what students can and cannot buy on campus. Sophomore Chelsea Miles is an avid Red Bull drinker and has a meal plan on campus. “It’s ridiculous that I can’t buy Red Bull on campus, but I can walk into Black Swamp Pub and get hammered,” she said. “I am old enough to make my own mind … a University is supposed to be a liberal [and] open-minded place where I can make my own decisions on what I want to ingest.”
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