Daily Helmsman The
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
SGA Candidates’ Forum Presidential hopefuls trade barbs and tout accomplishments on eve of election
Vol. 78 No. 099
see page 3
Independent Student Newspaper of The University of Memphis
www.dailyhelmsman.com
Student Government
Lang campaign violates UM policy BY Chelsea Boozer News Reporter In his campaign for reelection under the Finding Answers Concerning Everyone party, Student Government Association President Hunter
Lang
Lang broke University policy this week when he paid for campaign posters with $400 of operational assistance funds designated for Zeta Beta Tau, the fraternity of which he is president. Lang’s actions violated University policy because operational assistance funds distributed by the Student Leadership and Involvement office are comprised of money from the annual $44 Student Activity Fee. According to the SAF’s operational procedures, SAF funds may not be used to “finance, support, or influence voting” on any University, local, state or federal election ballot. Lang said it was a mishap and that he wasn’t aware of the rule, citing that he had to get ZBT’s advisor’s signature, as well as a representative from
the office of leadership and involvement and from Tiger Copy and Graphics to sign off on the order before moving forward with the purchase. He added that he used ZBT’s funds to promote his SGA campaign last year as well. “I never read the rules on how to spend that money, as far as operational assistance goes. I just spent it,” Lang said. He added that he asked the members of ZBT if they minded using their operational assistance funds to promote the FACE party, because the chapter never uses the $400 available to them and it was “basically going to waste.” He said ZBT members voted at a chapter meeting to allow it. “We have five people total out of our chapter running under the party, so it was an investment and the chapter was
Personal Safety
Geo loco?
Many University of Memphis students use the geolocation features on social media sites to inform their friends of their whereabouts. But in doing so, they may also be informing strangers of where they are — and where they are not. Addie McGowan, associate director of social media for Big Fish, a local website development company, defined geolocation as “using GPS capabilities on a cell phone to tag yourself at certain locations in a community, telling others where you are and finding out who else is there.” Many sites make it convenient for users to post their locations online. Facebook features a Places tool and another site, Foursquare, is designed specifically for people who wish to post their location online and want to easily transfer that information to their Twitter statuses. Meagan Elam, junior biology and Spanish double major, said she has posted her location on Facebook in the past “because everyone else was doing it.” “It’s cool seeing (other people are somewhere) at the same time you were,” she said. McGowan also cited several benefits of geolocation. “When used with common sense and at your comfort level, it’s fine and wonderful to support local businesses and locations and meet up with friends,” McGowan said.
refrain from displaying the posters bought with operational assistance funds until he
“Regardless of what he got
away with in years prior, the law is the law, and that doesn’t change. And ignorance of the law is no excuse.” ciate dean of student leadership and involvement, realized that Lang violated a University policy by using ZBT’s funds to sponsor FACE party’s campaign, he immediately met with him Thursday afternoon. “(Lang) was apologetic and recognized the expenditure of those funds didn’t meet policy,” Lawhead said. Lawhead ordered Lang to
— Tyler DeWitt SGA Senator and Presidential Candidate pay for them in full with his own money. Lang went to Tiger Copy and Graphics the next day and paid the $400 with his credit card.
see
Lang, page 11
Broadcasting your location while out and about may put you at risk
However, there are potential dangers of posting one’s whereabouts on social
nitely be a good way for bad people to find out information on someone else.”
MCT
BY Amber Crawford News Reporter
doing it as an investment for the party,” Lang said. When Justin Lawhead, asso-
media sites, McGowan said. It doesn’t take much online research to find numerous incidents where criminals have used geolocation to rob, kidnap and stalk. “You’ve heard about people getting people’s information and stalking and killing them,” Elam said. “It would defi-
McGowan said she frequently runs into the issue of people, particularly older generations, being afraid of geolocation. “I think there is such a cultural shift happening between generations,” she said. “Those of us under 30 have grown up using social media and being trans-
parent so we are a lot more open but older generations who aren’t used to having their locations out there are more sensitive.” Derek Myers, deputy director of police services at The U of M, said he couldn’t recall any specific criminal incidents at The University due to someone posting their location online, but doing so could be dangerous. “There’s a possibility that (geolocation) can lead to issues, but we haven’t had any problems that I’m aware of because of it,” Myers said. McGowan said if geolocation features are used in a smart manner, risks are minimal. “Don’t be alone when you do it,” McGowan said, “and if you’re going to tag friends, maybe ask before. Also make sure that your home address is not anywhere on the profile that you’re associating the tag with.” Senior broadcasting journalism major Jessie Wilks said she began posting her whereabouts on Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare as a class assignment and has had a mostly positive experience, including receiving a 10 percent discount at YoLo Frozen Yogurt for informing the social media world she was dining there. However, Wilks said she never posts her whereabouts if she is alone. “Of course, you have to be conscious of your surroundings,” she said. “I mean there are creepers out there, so, especially as a young college woman, it can be dangerous.”