Wednesday, July 14 , 2010
Volume 8, Issue 30
www.eaglenews.org
Save your pennies Tuition raised 15 percent for the second year
Icy summer drinking game
By Samantha League News editor and Amarin Cannon Staff writer
Read about Smirnoff Ice as the preferred beverage in a new twist on a national pastime.
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See A&E on page 6
By Allison Gagliardi Editor-in-Chief
Get your piece of indoor football Regional Indoor Football League club to resume play in2011 at Germain Arena. See SPORTS on page 12
A new student shares advice An incoming freshman writes about Orientation. See NEWS on page 10
Read reviews for the iPhone 4G A staff writer and a student give their opinions on the newest Apple product.
Hookah vs.cigs: which is worse? New studies show that smoking hookah can be just as bad for you as smoking a tobacco cigarette. See NEWS on page 4
Index News ....................... See page 3 A&E ......................... See page 8 Opinion ................. See page10 Sports .................... See page 12 Fun & Games ............ See page 9 Classifieds ............... See page 9
Regulation sets rules for acceptance as Greek
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How much per credit hour?
Resident Undergrad espite economy woes, new students $166.04 will pay 15 percent more for their Non-Resident FGCU education. The Board of Trust- Non-Resident Grad Undergrad ees exercised its right to raise FGCU’s tuition $1,117.08 in their June meeting, approving a 15 percent $710.27 increase for incoming students, including transfers. A new undergraduate student completing the academic year with the standard 30 credit hours will pay $4,981 in tuition. The tuition rate in a student’s first year at any Florida university remains the same throughout that student’s undergraduate years, thus the new increase does not impact current FGCU students. Resident Grad This is the second consecutive year the trustees approved a 15 percent tuition hike, $322.08 making FGCU one of the most expensive schools in the state. However, compared to the national college tuition average, an edu- selves. It is tough.” cation at FGCU is a relative bargain. The 15 percent raise adds an additional According to Joe Shepard, vice president $15.74 per credit hour for undergraduate stufor administrative services, it would take the dents. Out-of-state tuition went up $51.33. university six years of 15 percent tuition in“High out-of-state tuition makes us creases to reach the national average. (FGCU) less competitive on a national scale,” New trustee and Student Body President Ryther said. Peter Ryther was the only vote against the inThe state Legislature made it mandatocrease. Ryther is concerned about FGCU’s tu- ry for Florida universities to increase tuition ition being one of the most costly in the state. 8 percent and left it to the discretion of each He is also concerned about students afford- school to raise tuition as much as an addiing it during the current economic slump. tional 7 percent. All 11 public Florida univer“It is a really tough time for students, es- sities raised tuition to the maximum level alpecially students who are supporting themlowed by the state.
A BMX beauty queen amongst us By Megan Hoolihan Senior staff writer
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iss Florida US International, one of FGCU’s own, is defying stereotypes. Donna Snow, a senior majoring in forensics and psychology, will compete for the title of Miss United States International on July 21, but that is not her only profession. The beauty queen doubles as a professional BMX racer. Snow won the title of Miss Sarasota USA 2009 prior to becoming Miss Florida US In- Snow after wining Miss Florida ternational 2010. International. Photo courtesy of Donna Snow In a week she could become Miss United States International, titlist of the offi- 4 Morning show, been in a few cial USA preliminary to Miss fashion shows, and I am now International. trying to work something out Snow, who grew up in Cape with MADD (Mothers Against Coral, started training for pag- Drunk Driving),” she said. eants three years ago. When her appearences as “I get to do many cool ap- Miss Florida US Internationpearances and community al subside, her bike keeps her events. I have been on the Fox busy.
As a professional BMX racer, Snow travels around the country to compete. She claims that because there are cash prizes in the professional class, it can get pretty rough. “We crash each other … a lot.” She has the injuries to prove it. Snow has broken dozens of bones during her career, including her back. While many would assume that devoting so much time to being a professional BMX racer would hinder Snow’s ability to succeed in such a diverse world as pageantry, she says the two aspirations complement each other. “BMX has helped me in pageantry … it taught me how to compete,” she said. Snow believes her professional BMX career has taught her how to handle the great amount of stress and the principles of sportsmanship. Please see BEAUTY on page 5
n June 15, a regulation was approved that outlines qualifications and procedures for social fraternities and sororities. Any fraternity or sorority registered with FGCU must be an active member of a Greek governing body, such as the Interfraternity Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the Panhellenic Association, or any subsequently registered fraternity or sorority. But the new regulation was not in response to Kappa Sigma’s unhappiness at not being recognized as part of FGCU’s Greek Life. “We’ve always had this process and we just decided to make a regulation for it,” said Mike Rollo, vice president for Student Affairs. While other universities don’t have clear expansion policies for Greek organizations, FGCU decided to implement its policies from the beginning, Rollo clarified. FGCU is still a young university compared to others, so the council can be selective, but does not overlook the demands and interests of the students each year. “We really want strong (Greek) chapters and organizations here; these are life-long commitments,” Rollo said. On March 23, the FGCU Interfaternity Council (IFC) voted on whether to bring another fraternity to campus. Kappa Sigma had asked the council to immediately recognize them.Under a secret ballot, the council cast a 4-1 vote against the fraternity. According to David Mavsonet, president of Kappa Sigma, the group originally came to FGCU two years ago. “[The campus colony] started here on Dec. 10, 2008, with 25 members,” he said. Even though the colony has existed at FGCU for a while, and will continue to function off campus, they must continue to operate independent of fellow Greek chapters. Travis Mann, a freshman and first year Kappa Sigma member, feels that there was a misconception about how to apply. Although he agrees Kappa Sigma “went about it the wrong way,” and that previous members had done some unethical things, he believes the fraternity deserves a second chance. “We have grown from what we used to be, grown as a whole, and made better decisions than from before,” Mann said. Kappa Sigma has made efforts to formally apologize to the university. In November 2009, an email was submitted in order to reconcile with the IFC. “We were trying to open up a more formal way to apologize but we never got the chance,” Mann said. President Mavsonet feels that the IFC has been fair to the fraternity. “They have been fair in enforcing their rules,” he said. please see GREEK on page 4