For breaking news and updates Follow us on Twitter News: @baronews, Sports: @barosports Like us on Facebook facebook.com/DailyBarometer
SPORTS, PAGE 4:
Track and field heads to Pac-12 Championships
s
Barometer The Daily
FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2013 • OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY DAILYBAROMETER.COM
VOLUME CXVI, NUMBER 133
Bomb threat found on campus n
Forest Service calls police about suspicious package, police determine it was a laptop
n
The Daily Barometer
The Daily Barometer
OSU Spring Drag Show n
Drag queens, drag kings to strut the stage in this year’s show in the Memorial Union By Irene Drage
The Daily Barometer
Dominae Trixxx is the stage name of one of the drag queens who will be performing in the Spring Drag Show, Friday at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union ballroom. Trixxx started doing drag just last term, and said her first experience in drag was a “pseudo drag, more androgynous thing.” She said she continued with it because she had lots of fun with it, and got good feedback. Drag is the practice of dressing in the opposite gender’s clothing for performance or attention purposes, as oppose to transvestitism, which involves cross-dressing to fit the gender a person feels he or she should be. Drag queens and drag kings are not a recent phenomenon, nor is the practice of cross-dressing on stage. In Shakespeare’s time, women were not allowed on stage — so men dressed and See SHOW | page 2
OSU faculty senate votes to close teacher evaluations after finals, before posted grades By Alex Crawford
By Don Iler and Warner Strausbaugh Oregon State Police investigated a suspicious package that was found in the Siuslaw National Forest Headquarters on the west side of the Oregon State University campus at 3200 SW Jefferson Way on Thursday afternoon. The package was determined to be a laptop and not dangerous. “[ The Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit] went in, checked the device out — standard protocol — X-rayed it, looked at it and determined that it was a laptop,” said Sgt. Eric Judah of the Oregon State Police. “We’re still securing it and at this point it’s a federal investigation.” Forest Service employees called Oregon State Police after the package was found. The employees followed Forest Service protocol, which calls for all suspicious packages to be investigated. Police received the call at approximately 3 p.m. to the Siuslaw National Forest Headquarters. Police secured the building and waited for EOD to arrive from Salem. “According to their protocol, they treated this package as suspicious,” Judah said. “Troopers from the Oregon State [Police] office here came over, secured the building, evacuated this section of the building and we got the OSP bomb squad en route.” The Disposal team arrived at 4:15 p.m., suited up and entered the building. The evidence was secured and will be given to the FBI, as the Forest Service is a federal agency. The building was declared all clear at 4:45 p.m. “I’m glad that things are OK, and glad that we evacuated just as a precautionary measure,” said Jerry Ingersoll, forest supervisor for Siuslaw National Forest. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Evaluations to close after finals
jackie seus
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Oregon State police Sgt. Eric Judah reports no threat over the phone while the Explosive Ordinance Unit member removes his gear after analyzing the suspicious package. Although the FBI will hold an open investigation, Judah said the laptop is not considered a serious threat anymore, and they’re taking precautionary measures. “We’re taking it back and putting it in our evidence room, so we don’t think there’s anything dangerous about it,” Judah said. “But we don’t know if there’s a suspicious circumstance behind the laptop getting here, and that’ll be what the FBI looks into.” Most of the staff at the Forest Service building went home after evacuation, and Ingersoll said work will resume at the building tomorrow. Don Iler, editor-in-chief (@doniler) Warner Strausbaugh, managing editor (@ WStrausbaugh) On Twitter @baronews news@dailybarometer.com
jackie seus
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Sgt. Judah tells Siuslaw National Forest supervisor Jerry Ingersoll and employees of the Forest Services building that the threat has subsided.
Finals week is marked by cumulative exams, 10-page essays, caffeine, stress and those nagging emails from Oregon State University asking students to fill out an online student evaluation of teaching survey. Every OSU student is familiar with the electronic student evaluation of teaching (eSET) survey, but few realize the eSET has been experimenting with different closing times in order to find one that is best for everyone involved. After almost two years of experimenting, a common closing time has been [The students] decided. The O S U really expressed faculty senthat it was ate decided on important to Thursday that eSET will, from them to give this point forthoughtful feedward, close at back, and they 8 a.m. on the Monday follow- felt they couldn’t ing finals week. Grade access do that with the will be blocked short timeframe. to students until the evaluations Stefani Dawn are completed. Asst. director of Three options Academic Programs, regarding the Assessment and closing date for Accreditation the electronic student evaluation of teaching surveys (eSET) were presented to the faculty senate. Option A would have closed the eSET at 7 a.m. on the Monday of finals week. Option B closed it after finals and before grades were posted, and option C closed it after both finals and grades were posted. Option B received 47 votes, while option A received 16 and option
‘‘
‘‘
CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331
See SENATE | page 2
Professor Goldfinger readies Oregon for the big one n
OSU professor helps provide research to prepare Oregon schools for future earthquake By Ryan Dawes
The Daily Barometer
Two years ago, Japan experienced shockwaves surging through the country as a 9.3 magnitude earthquake hit off shore. A similar-sized quake, coming from the Cascadia fault just a few miles west off of Oregon’s coast line, is predicted to strike Oregon at any given time in the future. With the work of researchers, such as Oregon State professor Dr. Chris Goldfinger, Oregon may be better prepared for such an event in the future. “We’re behind some in preparation,” said Cory Grogan, Oregon Emergency Management public information officer. “However, we now have a tangible 50-year plan to be ready in the event of an earthquake, and have many people committed to making Oregon infrastructure as safe as possible in such an event.” Goldfinger’s research into the history of earthquakes has shown that Oregon has had several major earthquakes in the past, and will likely
have more in the future. It is possible that within the next 50 years a major earthquake will emanate from the Cascadia fault, striking the Oregon Coast. The southern coast is considered at the highest risk. Because of this, Goldfinger and other specialists continue to study this phenomenon and educate the general population of the danger. “Dr. Chris Goldfinger is a leading scientist in his field, and a scientific celebrity,” said Edward Wolf, a seismic safety writer. “His work is signfincant to everyone living in western Oregon, and for anyone in the world living near subduction zones.” Goldfinger obtained a Ph.D. in geology and geophysics from Oregon State in 1994. He then became a professor at OSU, teaching classes and conducting research. Additionally, he works as a consultant regarding seafloor surveying and earthquake hazards, including how they may be mitigated, and has 18 peer-reviewed works published. “Oregon State is very lucky to have a professor like Dr. Goldfinger,” Grogan said. “Not only is he a major leader in his field, but he is also a great teacher.” Recently in his work to further the awareness of Oregon’s earthquake
potential, Goldfinger attended an event at Central Elementary School in Albany. The school’s structure had just been remodeled and improved, thanks to a new state initiative to prepare Oregon schools for the potential earthquake, and the event following the re-construction sought to educate
the students about earthquake safety. “That he is personable enough that he will visit an elementary school is remarkable and exciting,” Wolf said. “We can feel proud as Oregonians to have a scientist like Dr. Goldfinger in our community.” Ryan Dawes, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
courtesy of oregon state university
| CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Dr. Chris Goldfinger has researched the history of earthquakes, showing Oregon will have more to come.