DAILY HELMSMAN Friday 02.01.13
The
For update on new tennis rankings, see page 8
SAC Film Fest 3
Vol. 80 No. 064
Employee body found Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Memphis
www.dailyhelmsman.com
Student Discounts
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Tennis
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Wordsmith Writing Olympics come to Memphis campus
By Jordan Thomas
news@dailyhelmsman.com
PHOTO BY ALBERT CROZIER | STAFF
Memphis Police and Forensics arrive on scene at the Psychology building this morning, as students continue as if it was a normal day on campus. By Jordan Thomas news@dailyhelmsman.com The body of a University of Memphis employee was found in the Psychology auditorium Thursday morning according to a police report. The deceased was found to be William Spencer, 64, who was a local technical support provider for the Psychology Department and had just received LSP of the year. Spencer workd at the university for over 30 years. The Memphis Fire Department called the police around 7:45 a.m. after the body was found, said police spokeswoman Sgt. Alyssa Macon-Moore. The cause of death is not known and police are carrying out a death investigation, not a homicide investigation. University of Memphis spokesman, Curt Guenther, confirmed that the body was a university employee and not a student, but no other details could be given.
Mynders renovations leave limited space for residents
Students who want to stay on campus could pay more than $1,000 extra By L. Taylor Smith
news@dailyhelmsman.com Starting next fall, Mynders Hall will undergo an extensive renovation, leaving current residents looking elsewhere for a place to stay. When Mynders residents returned from winter break, they were given a letter from Residence Life stating the dorm would no longer be available as a housing option for fall 2013.
Audrey Pierson, a senior studio arts major, has lived in Mynders Hall since last fall. Pierson was upset when she got her letter because she said she believes the dorm is a good place to live for the money. “It doesn’t really affect me that much because my friend and I planned on buying an apartment over the summer, but it affects a lot of the people that just moved in,”
PHOTO BY SAMUEL PRAGER | STAFF
see MYNDERS on page 3
Mynders Hall will undergo extensive renovations making it unavailable to current residents during the Fall.
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The University of Memphis is hosting the Wordsmith Writing Olympics Saturday morning in the University Center Ballroom. The writing contest is cosponsored by the University of Memphis Department of English and the Shelby Memphis Council of Teachers of English. Wordsmith is an annual writing contest that began in 1978 and is offered to area students in grades 7-12. “This year we are basing the contest on the Olympics,” Wordsmith director Cathy Dice said. “Instead of running a 40-yard dash, the students do a 40-word dash.” The contest consists of a 10-minute dash — a 40-word description of a provided object, a 20-minute dash — an 80-word narration of the events depicted in a black-and-white photograph, and a 30-minute dash — a 120-word letter to the editor inspired by recent headlines. The top five contestants in each grade and in each dash compete in the 400-word main event at the end of the day. The top three performers in each grade will receive a gold, silver or bronze medal. “This is a great way to honor students who enjoy writing,” Dice said. The top senior will be awarded a $300 scholarship. Students can help with the event by volunteering as proctors and can be counted as service hours. The Wordsmith Writing Olympics begin on Saturday at 9 a.m.
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