Wednesday, February 13, 2013
94th year • Issue 22
Rockets for cure set for Saturday Serving the University of Toledo since 1919
Inside
Business
Online service to help UT students find internships By Amanda Eggert Staff Reporter
Men’s tennis sweeps both matches / 7
www.IndependentCollegian.com
University of Toledo students who want internships may have an easier time finding an employer by using a new program. Intern in Ohio, which uses software to assess students’ abilities and specialties, pairs students with businesses to
create a mutually beneficial match. Available internships can be as short as a summer and as long as a year. Larry Burns, vice president for external affairs, said the program launched Feb. 11 and is open to UT student of all ages and majors. “It’s not a test; it’s a
personality interest gauger, much like if you were filling out a form for a dating service,” Burns said. “What they are trying to do is get a picture
Strategic Plan
Ex-coach was under investigation for sexual harassment
New system to allow UT community to text work orders / 3
In brief UT hosting active shooter and violent intruder presentation In response to an increased interest, there will be an A.L.I.C.E (Alert Lockdown Inform Counter Evacuate) Program Training conducted by Sgt. Douglas Perry and University Law Enforcement Officer John Vaughn of the University Police for the Communication Department faculty. A.L.I.C.E., the University of Toledo’s active shooter and violent intruder presentation, seeks to teach students how to remain safe and lead others to safety. The program provides mental and physical tools that could play a role in the survival of those who find themselves in a potentially life threatening situation. The presentation will take place Thursday, Feb. 21 at 8:30 a.m. in University Hall Room 4620.
Correction In last week’s editon of The Independent Collegian, the Student Government on Page 3 should have stated that SG allocated money to RecycleMania to obtain the rights to show a documentary on the importance of environmental protection. We apologize for the inconvenience.
By Blake Bacho Sports Reporter
Bob Taylor / IC
SG President Paulette Bongratz discusses with Amanda Hurst, a film major, during an event to get students to sign a letter questioning some of the proposed in Main Campus Provost Scott Scarborough’s strategic plan.
Students discuss concerns about provost’s five-year plan By Lindsay Mahaney Assistant News Editor
A number of students are expressing concern about the changes being made by the five-year plan that will be implemented in the fall 2013 semester, saying the administration has not provided enough information. Some concerned students have written a letter questioning some of the proposed changes and plan to send it to Main Campus Provost Scott Scarborough. The letter was signed by students last week at a public forum. Amanda Hurst, a film major and co-author of the letter, said she was concerned when she first heard about university budget cuts. Hurst said when she shared her worries with a professor who heard similar concerns from other students. Hurst said she and several other film students decided to write the letter addressing several items that worry them,
See Internships / 6
Track and field
BASHCon scheduled for upcoming weekend / 9
Editorial: SG should take stances in public view / 4
of what students like to do, and if they can do that, they can get a picture of what they are good at.” Students who want
to participate can create an account at www.utoledo.interninohio.com. Burns said those who sign up now have a better chance of getting the best possible match before it opens to all students across Ohio on March 18.
such as increased class sizes. “As film majors it really affects us because we have small class sizes for a purpose,” Hurst said. “We don’t have that much film equipment and for the smaller classes everyone gets hands on experience with actually knowing the equipment. If there’s bigger classes of 30 or above, we’re not going to be able to use the equipment at the same capacity we are now.” Under the five-year plan, titled Imagine 2017, classes that are meant to be smaller, especially those in the arts, will be granted exemptions to the “30 students minimum” rule if recommended by the necessary department chair and dean. Scarborough said an effort has been made to include student leaders in the process of developing the plan. “Over the 90-day period [of putting the plan together], we had Student
Government, Student Senate, student trustees, Graduate Student Association — student leaders all involved in the development of the plan,” Scarborough said. “We felt like we got good input.” However, Scarborough said the plan is not necessarily set in stone, and students should still voice their opinions. “Every plan is a living document so it’s constantly changing,” Scarborough said. “We’ll be revisiting pieces daily. There are pieces of the plan that still need to go to the board for approval. They are still considering it a work in progress.” Scarborough is planning to attend a public forum at the Student Government meeting Feb. 19 at 8:15 p.m. in Student Union Room 2592 to address student concerns with the Imagine 2017 plan. See Concern / 6
Former University of Toledo track and cross country head coach Kevin Hadsell was under investigation for inappropriate conduct when he resigned suddenly on Jan. 24, according to UT officials. Lewd and explicit text messages from Hadsell to former UT track standout Emma Kertesz led to the coach’s resignation. The story was reported Tuesday by The Blade and sports website Deadspin.com. The five-time Mid-American Conference Women’s Cross-Country Coach of the Year was investigated Sept. 21 by the Human Resources department after Associate Athletic Director Kelley Andrews received an anonymous report of Hadsell’s actions. The caller said Hadsell was dating a former athlete, and alleged that the relationship began when the athlete was a member of the program, according to The Blade. Athletic Director Mike O’Brien said Hadsell was confronted about this allegation but denied it. O’Brien said because of the university’s policies regarding informal complaints of sexual harassment, the investigation had to stop there. Then, on Dec. 26, AllAmerican Kertesz turned her cell phone in to UT administrators. The phone contained graphic text messages exchanged with Hadsell that would inevitably prompt the coach’s resignation. “I just felt I had to say something to prevent this from happening to somebody,
specifically the women on the team that I care about deeply,” Kertesz told The Blade. Hadsell told The Blade that Kertesz initiated the lewd text conversations, which date back to Oct. 7, 2012 and show that the coach was displaying interest in her. He also said parts of the conversation are missing. Hadsell admitted to The Blade that he dated a UT athlete 10 years ago and acted inappropriately with Kertesz. However, he said allegations that he was involved with other students are false. O’Brien said he was told by UT’s HR that the investigation had uncovered a relationship between Hadsell and a student “about two or three years ago.” According to one of Hadsell’s text messages, both O’Brien and Andrews told Hadsell they didn’t mind if he dated players as long as they had officially graduated. “Yes. They even said I can from the day they graduate. They don’t care,” Hadsell wrote. O’Brien was adamant that this allegation was false. “That’s totally inaccurate,” he said. “I don’t necessarily talk about relationships other than various meetings throughout the year to staff and coaches. We touch on making certain there’s no relationship with student athletes. It’s inappropriate, it’s against institutional policy and it’s simply wrong.” The Deadspin report also alleged that Hadsell drove the team’s vehicle while intoxicated and drank at the team’s practices. “I can’t speak to that because I don’t have the exact See Hadsell / 6
University Staff
Absence policy for University of Toledo staff criticized By Nell Tirone Staff Reporter
When something negatively affects staff members, Barbara Floyd believes it hurts everyone at the university. “All of us at the university are dependent upon these people; they do vital work,” said the UT archivist and member of the Women’s Leadership Forum. Right now, Floyd said one
of the things is the staff absence policy, which she said causes unnecessary stress to workers, with an especially strong impact on women. The policy states that if workers gather enough “points,” or sick days, they will be terminated. Michael Dowd, president of Faculty Senate and chair of the economics department, said he believes the policy is
not only unfair to workers, but also does not promote wellness. Dowd and the WLF said the policy is especially unfair to mothers and wives because social norms call for women to serve as “caretakers.” “We are responsible, not only for our own health, but for the health care of our children, increasingly the
healthcare of our elderly parents, our spouses. These are our responsibilities because that’s what society expects of us,” Floyd said. Kevin West, UT senior human resources officer, said he believes the policy is fair. “There’s no statistical significance that would show that there’s any kind of gender bias and/or gender discrimination based on the
application of the policy,” West said. The maximum number of points a member of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union can accumulate before termination is 16; the total for members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSee Policy / 10