The Daily Campus: November 19, 2013

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Volume CXX No. 55

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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Gun stolen outside Mansfield Middle School By Miles Halpine Campus Correspondent

HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE HOSTS PANEL ON ETHICAL CHALLENGES OF HEALTHCARE

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While evaluations for Mansfield Community Center Recreation Basketball were being held at Mansfield Middle School on Saturday at noon, someone allegedly broke into a parked vehicle and stole a wallet and a handgun. Through several e-mails sent out Sunday night and Monday, Fred Baruzzi, Mansfield Superintendent of Schools, informed parents and guardians of the incident. According to the first e-mail, “state police were notified and are currently investigating the incident.” The e-mail also said Sergeant Richard Cournoyer, the Mansfield resident state trooper, is not considering this situation as a threat

to the school and also does not believe a student committed the theft. Recently, there have been an increased number of break-ins into cars throughout the town of Mansfield. The e-mails said Cournoyer asked the superintendent’s administration to “remind all parents, guardians, and staff to lock your vehicles and store any items of value out of the public eye.” Baruzzi said he requested State Police be outside Mansfield Middle School as students arrived in the morning. By Monday morning, Baruzzi was able to confirm in a second e-mail that someone was arrested regarding the various car breakins around Mansfield. However, Baruzzi said to parents about this issue, “Those arrested do not

involve anyone associated with Mansfield Middle School.” The investigation is continuing and Cournoyer still considers the school to be safe for students and faculty. On Monday afternoon around 4 p.m., Baruzzi sent a third e-mail that said the investigation regarding the incident at Mansfield Middle School is ongoing and police have not been able to find the stolen firearm. “After morning announcements,” Baruzzi said, “students who were at the event on Saturday met individually with either the principal or assistant principal to ensure they were comfortable in school and did not have any information regarding the incident to share. “ The third e-mail also stated that

both students and staff had a productive school day, and that a retired State Trooper was mentioned in social media but was not involved in this incident. Baruzzi also requested again that State Police be at Mansfield Middle School on Tuesday for when students arrive and dismissal. Baruzzi also thanked parents “for (their) continued support regarding this matter.” Mansfield Middle School serves 580 students in grades five through eight. The Resident State Trooper’s office, Mansfield Middle School and Mark LaPlaca, chair of the Mansfield Board of Education, could not be reached for comment.

Miles.Halpine@UConn.edu

Genomic expert joins JAX lab team By Abby Mace Staff Writer

NCAA TOURNAMENT TIME UConn draws Quinnipiac first round of men’s soccer tourney SPORTS/ page 12 EDITORIAL: Putting new transfer credit policy on hold was in students’ interest The UConn Senate’s decided to hold off on a decision that would severely limit allowable transfer credits COMMENTARY/page 4

INSIDE NEWS: MASS SHOOTINGS A VIOLENT, RECURRENT PART OF HISTORY

NEWS/page 3

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Genomic analysis expert George Weinstock, Ph.D., will serve as a professor and associate director of Microbial Genomics at the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine (JAX), part of the UConn’s Health Center campus in Farmington. Weinstock was selected to join the research team at JAX for his dedication to microbial genomics as well as his diversified knowledge in genetics, molecular microbiology and human health and disease. Currently a leader of the Human Microbiome Project, Weinstock has created technologies to characterize the microorganisms that live inside the human body and impact human health. Weinstock said he is eager to join a group of researchers at the forefront of genetics. “It is an honor for me to join the Jackson Laboratory, one of the venerable institutions in the field (of) genetics,” he said in a press release issued by JAX. “Genomic medicine is at the leading edge of the current era of biomedical science, and I am extremely excited to be a part of the Jackson Laboratory’s vision for this era.” Weinstock’s career at JAX will

EVELYN LANG/Flickr.com

The UConn Health Center in Farmington, Conn. is blanketed in snow in this Jan. 18 photo. The Farmington campus will be the site of the new state-of-the-art Jackson Laboratory planned to complete

perhaps be similar to his previous positions. He comes to Storrs from Washington University in St. Louis, where he was the associate director of the school’s Genome Institute and a professor of genetics and molecular microbiology. Prior to Washington University, Weinstock was a professor and co-director of the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Weinstock’s research dates back to 1998, when he collaborated

with the The Institute for Genomic Research in one of the first studies of bacterial genome. Together, they were able to sequence Treponema pallidum, a genome that causes syphilis. For his efforts during his career, Weinstock has been distinguished as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Human Genome Program senior fellow and a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

Ham for the holidays By Molly Miller Campus Correspondent

Interested in getting a head start on holiday preparations while supporting a UConn student organization? UConn Block and Bridle will be accepting orders for hams through next Monday, Nov. 25 as part of the organization’s annual Holiday Ham Sale. The hams are locally grown, and are maple-cured and smoked by local vendor Grote & Weigel. They are $4 per pound, and customers can order a ham weighing anywhere from 10 to 18 pounds. Members of the student organization will be cutting the hams to order in UConn’s meat science laboratory. Block and Bridle member and Holiday Ham Sale contact Abby Ruane, a 5th-semester animal science major, explained that Block and Bridle will scrape extra fat off of the carcasses before packaging and tagging the hams, and that the hams will be pre-cooked. “All the customer has to do is heat it up,” she said. Customers will be able to pick up their hams on Dec. 12 and 13 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the meat

LINDSAY COLLIER/The Daily Campus

Ratcliffe Hicks Arena, shown in this Nov. 15 photo, is where students who order hams from UConn Block and Bridle can pick up their order.

science laboratory in the Ratcliffe Hicks Arena. “I bought a ham last year from our sale and in all seriousness, I have never had a better cut of ham,” said Ruane. In addition to smoked hams, Block and Bridle is also accepting orders for beef tenderloin steaks, bought locally from Salem Prime Cuts. These are $12 per pound and will be cut and wrapped in bacon by members of Block and Bridle. The funds raised by the Holiday Ham Sale will enable Block and Bridle to continue to run the Little International Livestock Show, an annual event for which animal sci-

ence students learn how to show young livestock species for class credit. Block and Bridle runs all of the practices for the show and sponsors the show itself, so fundraisers such as the Holiday Ham Sale are very important to the organization. Funds may also be used to bring students in Block and Bridle to a national convention as well as competitions such as the Northeastern Student Affiliates Competition. For order forms or for more information about the sale, contact Abigail.Ruane@uconn.edu.

Molly.Miller@UConn.edu

“George Weinstock is a giant in the field of human metagenomics,” said Robert Braun, Ph.D., JAX vice president for research in the press release. “He fills a strategic goal for JAX to contribute to the understanding of how the human microbiota influences normal human health and disease. His contributions have and will continue to transform our view of human biology.” The addition of Weinstock to

» JACKSON, page 2

Storrs, Conn.

USG hosts sexual assault discussion By Annie Riley Campus Correspondent

The Undergraduate Student Government hosted an open discussion in the North Reading Room in Wilbur Cross on Nov. 13 titled, “A Community Dialogue on Violence, Culture and UConn.” Students and faculty had the opportunity to create questions and discuss issues that are occurring on campus. The discussion started at 5 p.m. with food and drinks provided from USG and ended at 7 p.m. after all questions were discussed. “We hoped it would facilitate a comfortable discussion for the campus and encourage students to safely talk about their opinions and concerns,” Claire Price, chief financial officer of USG said. Students who did not feel like speaking publically were able to use social media and anonymous boxes to express their questions and opinion. The front of the panel table held a sign that said, “tweet questions to @UCONN_ USG” so that students who could not attend the event could ask questions that would be discussed. Two microphones were used on each side of the room so that students could openly get up and express their opinions. When a question was asked about how safe students feel on campus, many students admitted that the blue light safety system needs improvement. “USG is making a committee in order to change the emergency system,” said sophomore student, Carles Lopez. “The system is antiquated.” The facilitator asked other

» USG, page 2

Brick to aid snow removal By Fatir Qureshi Campus Correspondent

A defining feature of UConn is the constant construction and landscape work being done around campus. One of the more unusual projects currently occurring on campus is the replacement of certain grassy areas with brick. However, the replacement of grass with hard surface is by no means simply an aesthetically motivated change. One of the recurring problems associated with grassy and muddy areas, especially at curbs, is that due to snow plowing, they are constantly damaged year after year. Through the current landscaping project, it is hoped that winter snow removal will be more efficient, and have less longterm consequences on the landscape. Despite concerns much of the campus’s grassy areas will be replaced, this is not the case. President Susan Herbst said that the project will replace grassy patches at roads “only in central locations and

those with the highest traffic.” While the campus may have less grassy roads, the university has also taken many environmental and research based approaches to protect and improve greenery around campus. Particularly, UConn is planning to switch to a more environmentally friendly deicing chemical during the winter. This will prevent the damage caused to plants by more harmful chemicals, and will have less of an impact on the soil quality. The university is also analyzing different locations where grass is suffering, and weeds such as crabgrass are able to thrive. By analyzing these areas thoroughly and through better environmental care, the areas at risk can be drastically improved to help enhance the greenery found around campus. Overall, it is hoped that the improvement of the grass quality, and better environmental care will make up for any grass that will have to be replaced by brick.

Fatir.Qureshi@UConn.edu

What’s going on at UConn today... Art from India and the Diaspora 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Benton Museum of Art Convergence: Contemporary Art from India and the Diaspora brings together fifteen contemporary artists. This exhibition was curated by Kathryn Myers, Professor of Art.

Effects of Poor Maternal Nutrition 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. George White, 115 The Department of Animal Science presents a lecture titled “The Effects of Poor Maternal Nutrition on Muscle Development in Lambs” by Joseline Raja for a Master of Science Defense.

Game Night 6 to 8 p.m. McMahon Hall The International Center encourages students to stop in with friends to play ping pong, fooze ball, chess, and Xbox360 Ping Pong tournaments will be announced.

UConn Piano and Strings Chamber Music Ensembles 7 to 9 p.m. von der Mehden Recital Hall The UConn Piano and Strings Chamber Music Ensembles will perform a trio for clarinet, viola and piano.

– JACKIE WATTLES


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