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Independent Collegian IC The
Monday, September 26, 2011
Serving the University of Toledo since 1919
Blackboard causes problems for students
www.IndependentCollegian.com 92nd year Issue 10
Chinese population at UT triples By John Gumersell IC Staff Writer
Two years ago, the University of Toledo established an initiative seeking out Chinese students. Since then, the number
of Chinese students at UT has tripled. UT created a partnership through a sister-city program with Shiwanda, China. This allows two international cities to
share one another’s culture and understanding according to Larry Burns, vice president for external affairs and interim vice president for equity and diversity.
Burns said China is a perfect candidate for a sister-city program due to its cultural background and large population. “Most international students that are from China
bring expertise in fields such as engineering,” Burns said. “Families in China value such terminal degrees due to their — Chinese, Page A2
By Casey Cheap For the IC
Students and faculty alike have been expressing frustration with Blackboard, the online learning management system students can access through the MyUT Portal. The testing function of the site has reportedly been prone to freezing up and kicking students off the site before they can save and submit their test results. “It is a particular ‘test’ setting, one that many instructors are most likely to use,” said Benjamin Pryor, vice provost and dean for the College of Innovative Learning. “It is the test format when questions are presented one-by-one.” Despite having problems since the beginning of the school year, Pryor said instructors on campus did not notice the problems with Blackboard until more testing took place as the semester rolled along. “We really started getting some complaints about two weeks ago and, as testing went on, we started realizing this was happening,” he said. — Blackboard, Page A2
Remembering Troy Davis
Photos by Diane Woodring/ IC
The Black Student Union hosted a memorial service for Troy Davis Thursday. Davis was convicted for allegedly murdering a police officer while he was working security at a Burger King in Savannah, Georgia and he was sentenced to death in 1991. Many, including those in different countries, have protested Davis’ execution due to the murder weapon never being recovered and several retrials. Davis was executed last Wednesday. Director of Toledo Excel David Young (bottom left) spoke at the memorial.
Student organizations raise money for Somalia By Sura Khuder IC News Editor
Over 12.4 million people across the horn of Africa have been affected by what experts call the worst famine in a generation. Located at the Eastern tip, Somalia has experienced the greatest brunt of the devastation with a dysfunctional government and Al-Qaeda-linked militants blockading aid to victims.
After seeing how successful student organizations were at benefiting victims of the Haiti earthquake during the 2009-2010 school year, Idris Yakubu, a sophomore majoring in pharmacy, decided to approach student organizations to join forces for Somalia. Students in the Muslim Student Association, Black Student Union, African
World renowned trumpet player promotes awareness of American music heritage By Danielle Gamble IC Copy Editor
— Somalia, Page A2
Arnaud Finistre/Abaca Press/MCT
Refugees appear at the refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya, August 11, 2011. The camp is home to almost 400,000 refugees, mostly from neighboring Somalia.
the most influential trumpet players of this generation. His achievements include winning Wynton Marsalis believes nine Grammy Awards, receivthis country yearns for an ing honorary degrees from American mythology, a yearn- over 25 leading universities ing that has grown out of years such as Harvard, Columbia and of rich culture and beautiful Yale as well as receiving the music. first Pulitzer Prize awarded to Marsalis made a plea to a jazz musician. Americans to claim their heriMarsalis described the histotage in the presentation “The ry of America Ballad of the in his lecture, American Art,” highlighting No one remem- African Amerwhere he argued that musical re- bers that music was in- ican struggles tegrated before sources in the and musical baseball. US are being influence. He wasted. also stressed Marsalis visit- Wynton Marsalis the impored UT Wednes- Jazz Musician tance of jazz day as part of the concerning sixth-annual Shathe Civil piro Lecture series hosted by Rights Movement. the College of Language, Liter“No one remembers that muature and Social Sciences in sic was integrated before basethe Student Union Building ball,” he said. Auditorium. Marsalis did not only dwell “We have an embarrassment on the past, but lamented the of artistic riches,” Marsalis present struggles of American said. “Our arts, they have no youth and claimed the reason value to us. They are for kids. for their difficulties lay in their Who calculates the value of inability to reclaim their roots. ‘Amazing Grace’ or ‘Yankee “Who will rescue our kids Doodle’ or ‘Go Down Moses’?” — Shapiro, Page A2 Marsalis is considered one of
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Barbara Davidson/Los Angeles Times/MCT
Hawa Barre Osman looks for a sign of life from Abdi Noor Ibrahim, her severely malnourished 1-year-old, inside the Doctors Without Borders therapeutic feeding center at the Dadaab complex in Kenya. She walked for a month with her five children from Somalia to reach the camp.
Barbara Davidson/Los Angeles Times/MCT
Two-year-old Habido Sharif Hassan lies severely malnourished inside a United Nations High Commission for Refugees hospital inside one of the three refugee camps just outside Dadaab, Kenya.