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Rockets look to stay unbeaten in MAC hosting Ball State
Technology review of Netflix.
Independent Collegian IC The
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Serving the University of Toledo since 1919
www.IndependentCollegian.com 91st year Issue 16
Admin Dorr development underway helps TPS By Sam Fetters IC Staff Writer
UT evaluates TPS finances
By Vincent J. Curkov IC Staff Writer
The Toledo Public School district is in the red with an approximately $39 million budget deficit for next year, according to the five-year plan presented yesterday at the TPS Board’s finance committee meeting. The $39 million deficit is a decrease from a previously projected $44 million deficit. TPS Board President Bob Vasquez asked the University of Toledo to help review the methods for the five-year plan. “What we have done is not — TPS, Page A6
Nick Kneer / IC
Heavy machinery and building materials sit at the construction site of a future Taco Bell on Dorr Street. The construction project is part of the first phase of Dorr Street development. The new Taco Bell will replace the existing Taco Bell on Secor Road near Rocket Hall.
In the past half-decade, the University of Toledo Foundation and many others on campus have begun thinking of ways to transform Dorr Street into a modern off-campus community. Movie theaters, bookstores and retail outlets are just some of the ideas of things to be built on Dorr Street for students and the UT community. According to Vice President of Facilities and Construction Chuck Lehnert, the initial phase of development on Dorr Street may take several years due to the struggling economy. “Private investors just don’t want to invest right now,” he said. Vice President of Student Affairs Kaye Patten-Wallace said plans to develop Dorr fell through in the last couple of years with the economic downturn. — Dorr, Page A6
‘Growing’ new skills
Toledo GROWs plants 40 trees along Ottawa River; youth work to build job skills by gardening By Hasan Dudar Editor in Chief
Kevin Galambos / IC
‘Crash course’ A mock DUI accident was performed outside the Memorial Field House yesterday afternoon. There was a simulation of a car crash, and firefighters from the Toledo Fire Department responded to the scene with stretchers. The demonstration also involved a “Life Flight” helicopter landing in an open field to fly off with the victim.
Chrevon Lawrence wouldn’t have been able to tell you the difference between an American chestnut tree and a maple tree on Monday. But on Tuesday, the 17-year-old from Toledo learned every tree is different, even in the subtlest ways. What’s more, he learned how gardening can help him grow into a more responsible person. Lawrence is part of Toledo GROWs, a Toledo Botanical Garden initiative aimed at sustaining and developing community gardens throughout northwest Ohio. Several members from the cooperative were on the University of
Toledo’s Main Campus on Tuesday, planting 40 trees in three areas along the Ottawa River. The Lucas Country Soil and Water Conservation District donated the trees, and the labor was of no cost to the university. Part of Toledo GROWs’ mission is to help ease back into to society youth who have been through the juvenile corrections system. Lawrence is one of several youths who have participated in the community garden project and said he’s noticed some changes in himself since he joined the non-profit group. “I found a great chance and opportunity to be able to do this, and I find it as a privilege,” he said.
Before they can begin planting trees and bushes with Toledo GROWs members, the youths must first go through a training process that teaches them the ins and outs of the workplace. Lawrence said most of the lessons taught throughout the three-week training were norms he was already well aware of, such as how to treat your boss, but he still found the guidance helpful. “Even though I already knew [most of what was taught throughout training], I wasn’t applying it,” Lawrence said. “It brought out everything I already knew. I just needed to bring it out and apply it.” — GROWs, Page A6
University installs LED lights on campus Brighter lights replace figment-based streetlights as a response to campus saftey concerns By Jaimee Hilton IC Staff Writer
LED lights are being installed all around the University of Toledo’s Main Campus to address some campus safety concerns by making it brighter at night. The LED, or light emitting diode, lights soon will be in every light post on walkways, parking lots and in front of buildings on campus. With these lights, campus will be much brighter, providing a safer environment for students and faculty to make their way around. Safety concerns were brought up by a safety committee after they walked around campus at night and surveyed how poorly lit the campus was, according to Vice President of Student Af-
fairs Kaye Patten-Wallace. Areas such as parking lots and walking areas around the UT campus were considered unsafe and better methods of lighting pathways were taken into consideration. Patten-Wallace said this is an important step in addressing the concerns of students about their safety while walking on campus at night. “The more light you have in an area, the clearer the perception is,” Patten-Wallace said. “People who do bad things won’t go where there’s light.” Not only do LED lights illuminate the campus and help address safety issues, but they are also more cost-efficient and energy-efficient. “The lights throw off a better quality of light,” said Associate Vice President of Safety
and Health Gary Jankowski. The lights use eco-friendly materials such as magnesium, and the cost to run them isn’t as high. “Utility costs are huge,” Jankowski said. “So to cut back on those costs, UT invested in getting the lights. They cut back on utility costs, but they also cost less to produce.” The installation of LED lights is at least one project in place that contributes to UT “going green.” There are groups in the Dowd, Nash, and White residence complex, as well as all of the other residence halls, who are partaking in many green initiatives, according to Jankowski. “There’s a drive for energy efficiency lighting and cam— LED, Page A2
Nick Kneer / IC
The West Ramp near Bowman Oddy has had LED lights installed in a portion of the parking garage. The LED lights (right) are much brighter than the figment-based lights (left) that existed before. The lights are also more energy-efficient and cost-efficient.