Turnpike Tussle ends in loss Page 8 The students’ voice since 1901 • Vol. 111 No. 17 • Thursday, February 23, 2012 • Check us out online.
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Administrator evaluation bill canned for third time T ianhai J iang jiang@esubulletin.com Despite efforts of the Faculty Senate to provide more transparency in the administration since last spring, President Michael Shonrock became the third president to reject the Administrator Evaluation Bill last week. “Unfortunately, I am unable to approve the policy as written because it would allow the release of confidential personnel information in manner which is not in conformity with current law and other University Policies,” Shonrock wrote in an email to Kevin Johnson, which Johnson shared with the Faculty Senate. The bill had been submitted to former President Michael Lane, and former interim President H. Edward Flentje last year, and both
vetoed the bill. Lane’s position on the bill was that it was self-contradictory. He said that evaluations were confidential employee records and this disclosure would violate the Kansas Open Records Act and state and university policy, according to a letter Lane disclosed to the Faculty Senate last spring. When Flentje rejected the bill last October, Faculty Senate President Kevin Johnson said, “It appears the rejection was not so much an opposition to the policy, but the main thing he stressed was he just did not want to saddle the next president with the bill.” The bill aims to review the professional performance of administrators and provide input to the reviewed administrator, his or her supervisor and the president of the university. It would make these
evaluations available for Faculty Senate executive committee review and allow administrators the opportunity to share the results of their own, individual evaluations with the faculty. Administrators may also choose to make a summary of their own evaluations available for the entire faculty. The bill states that the evaluations will “neither be made public nor available to any party outside of Emporia State University without the consent of the evaluated administrator, the University President, or as required by law.” “President Shonrock feels that personal information could be revealed by the bill,” said James Waegelein, accounting and information systems professor, who emailed Shonrock urging him reconsider signing the bill. “(The
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James Waegelein, accounting and information systems professor, reads an email addressed to President Michael Shonrock during the Faculty Senate meeting held Tuesday afternoon in Webb Lecture Hall. The email was in regards to the administrator evaluation bill, which Shonrock did not sign. Julie Thephachan/The Bulletin
Campus fights Polar plungers jump for Special Olympics concealed carry bill S usan W elte welte@esubulletin.com
L uke B ohannon bohannon@esubulletin.com Even though the weather did not quite match up with the frigid motif of the Polar Plunge, participants still dressed up and took the plunge to help raise money for the Special Olympics. On Saturday, 136 jumpers took part in the Polar Plunge at Mouse Lake in Emporia, and 25 “chickens” also donated to the cause, but did not jump in. “It’s for a good cause… for the kids, they need this,” said Chase Nichols, sophomore elementary education major and member of Sigma Tau Gamma. Nichols was also in costume for the event, wearing a red “Angry Birds” outfit. And Nichols was not the only plunger in costume. Several of the costumes included crayons, penguins and a bullfighter with a bull. One group went out as a banana, a gorilla and a safari guide. The banana taunted the gorilla while the guide watched. The gorilla then grabbed the banana and jumped into the water, followed by the guide. “We know someone who participates in the Special Olympics…we’re doing it to be a support system for them and because we know it’s for a good cause,” said Veronica Aranda, sophomore elementary education major and Alpha Sigma Tau member. AST had a total of six
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Imagine sitting in class and not knowing if the person sitting next to you has a gun on them or not. House Bill 2353, the Personal and Family Protection Act, would
seek an exemption from the bill, Curtis said. But to be exempt, the bill will call for more than just a sign posted outside a building, Curtis said. Adequate security measures must be taken, including security personnel, as well as a metal detector at every
“I would hate for students to go to a campus and to go through airport security just to go to class. Our campus should be open and welcoming.” – Tyler Curtis
Staff from Longbine Auto Plaza take the plunge into Mouse Lake Saturday afternoon. Yiqing Fu/The Bulletin
Workers from Newman Regional Health jump into Mouse Lake donning scrubs. Yiqing Fu/The Bulletin
force all state-run buildings to allow concealed carry of weapons, according to Blaise Plummer, city attorney. If passed, this bill would allow concealed carry on the Emporia State campus in classrooms, at sporting events, as well as at the day-care center on campus. The bill is anticipated to be voted on this week by the Kansas House of Representatives. But many in the state are opposed to the bill and some regard it as a safety violation. “More guns doesn’t mean safer,” said Tyler Curtis, director of alumni relations and legislative liasion. “It means more opportunity to make bad decisions. If you’re in an emergency situation, and there’s a perpetrator with a gun and everyone’s drawn (their guns), by the time police come in, they don’t know who’s the bad guy.” If the bill does pass, ESU, as well as other public campuses, will
entrance. “I would hate for students to go to a campus and to go through airport security just to go to class,” Curtis said. “Our
Photo Illustration by Jenny Pendarvis
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Commission plans to make rental homes safer S usan W elte welte@esubulletin.com As of Feb. 13, the Human Relations Commission decided to “crack down” on rental properties and their safety regulations, according to Patty Gilligan, Human Relations Director. The plan the commission is going off of right now is just external issues of properties; however, Gilligan said internal issues can be a problem as well. “We keep trying to remind them some of these houses are unsafe on the inside,” Gilligan said. “That is something we shouldn’t be overlooking.” These internal issues include having to use space heaters due to improper heating, frozen pipes, bad wiring and overloading
electrical systems. “External issues are what City Commission is seeing,” Gilligan said. “I’m seeing internal issues affecting quality of life of the people living inside.” Instead of just fining a landlord
before) because it’s going to cost some money,” Gilligan said. “It’s not going to sit well with people who don’t want to be told what to do with their property.” This action to create a safer environment was taken due to the
pushed that the landlords and anyone that owns property need to be dedicated,” said Andrea Vertz, senior communications major. “Just because we’re college students doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to live in a safe and
“Just because we’re college students doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to live in a safe and hazard-free environment.” - Andrea Vertz for neglecting poor housing conditions or taking them to jail, the city is proposing a “forced debatement” for the first time. If it passes, the forced debatement would allow for the city to fix the problem themselves and either fine the property owner or add it to their taxes. “(We haven’t proposed this
lack of responsibility landlords have been taking for properties. Landlords are not being responsible for the safety of their residents, Gilligan said. Only 600700 of Emporia State students live on campus, and the rest live offcampus, according to Residential Life. “I think it really needs to be
hazard-free environment.” But some rental properties already ensure that their tenants are living in safe environments. At The Villas, 1839 Merchant St., there is a guaranteed 24-hour turn around rate for maintenance requests and immediate response to emergency maintenance. For safety, there is also a “key fob”
at entrances, where tenants scan an electronic key to enter the residency after 8 p.m. “We have high standards at The Villas, and we want Emporia to be a safe place to live,” said Kelly Young, property manager. “Often in university towns there are (older) homes that have been repurposed into apartments that don’t have the plumbing and facilities they need. Sometimes landlords will take advantage of students.” Gilligan said the best thing students can do is make sure rental properties are safe before moving into them. If something’s not fixed when you’re being shown a property, she said, it probably won’t ever get fixed. “Smart, responsible tenants equals safe living,” Young said.