Arts & Life, B1
Sports, B4
Students rolling the D.E.E.P.
Rockets hand Akron 71-60 loss at Savage
Independent Collegian IC The
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Serving the University of Toledo since 1919
www.IndependentCollegian.com 92nd year Issue 32
College of Law ranked in top 20 for criminal law By Megan Vollmer IC Staff Writer
In an issue devoted to identifying the “Best Schools for Public Service,” the National Jurist magazine named the UT College of Law one of the top 20 schools in the country for
preparing law students for criminal law practice. The issue looked at employment data, curriculum, standard of living and loan forgiveness programs in evaluating schools. “We are delighted to be
recognized for the prosecutor and other criminal practice training opportunities that we make available,” said Daniel Steinbock, dean of the College of Law. “This education has opened doors for many of our graduates into prosecutor and
public defender jobs.” The many programs offered in law or criminal justice allow students to receive handson training and experience, said Nicole Porter, the College of Law’s associate dean for Academic Affairs.
“UT has great classroom teachers and a good open door policy for everything students need,” she said. Porter said throughout the course of a student’s academic career they are strongly — Law, Page A2
Banned books fundraiser keeps UT community members as prisoners Allison Seney IC Staff Writer
Dean Mohr/ IC
Gateway to books and yogurt
UT’s Gateway Project is projected to be finished by the fall semester of 2012. It will include a Barnes and Noble student bookstore, Gradkowski’s Sports Grille, student lofts and a yogurt shop. The 88,500 square feet project will cost about $12 million and will have three floors.
Procedures of reporting rape discussed By Andrew Kurtz For the IC
The odds of an acquaintance rape case, more commonly known as date rape, receiving a guilty verdict are about 50 percent of the time. That number reflects only cases where victims report the incident and proceed in court, said Julia Bates, Lucas County Prosecutor. Cases usually get pled down to assault or disorderly conduct. Bates said about one in 10 cases go to court. Acquaintance rape is a sexual assault crime committed by someone who knows the victim. As a sexual assault crime, acquaintance rape includes forced, manipulated or coerced sexual contact. According to the National Institute of Justice, approximately over 350 rapes per year occur on a college campus with a population of 10,000 female students. “That’s just kind of a scary number,” Whitney Bodine, a UT alumnus, said. “You just don’t really think it happens that often.” In the case of any rape allegation, the first step is to address the physical and mental well-being of the victim, according to UTPD Chief Jeff Newton. Women do not come forward and proceed in court, Bates said, because of embarrassment and lack of evidence. “With these cases, it is difficult to collaborate the allegations. There are usually no witnesses and unless the victim seeks immediate medical attention, there is lack of evidence,” Bates said. The issue of alcohol and drug abuse is another obstacle in acquaintance rape cases. Jyothi Pappula, associate director for the Main Campus Medical Center, said in the presence of physical trauma, usually located in the lower abdomen, victims are sent to the emergency room.
The first Jail-A-Thon, a fundraiser to sponsor Banned Books Week, will take place in the Student Union Building today. Hosted by the Banned Books Committee, the event is meant to raise awareness about banned books week which will hopefully feature a Mark Twain impersonator. Paulette Kilmer, a member of the committee and professor of communication, said she is looking into a possible dinner-theatre event in Libbey Hall with Twain. Kilmer said this will be the only fundraiser for next fall’s event, and she expects a few hundred dollars to be raised at today’s affair. The fundraiser will feature a mock jail cell, and volunteers with banned books will serve a sentence to symbolize the censorship on literature. Viewers can contribute $5 or more to keep the “inmates” in jail. The inspiration for the event was influenced by various parts of the world where people are jailed or killed because of ownership
of the banned books. “When the people go to jail they will read aloud from their banned book, and so it’s why I thought it would be appropriate to do a jail cell,” Kilmer said. The schedule for the JailA-Thon is as follows: • 10 a.m. Tom Barden, Dean of the Honors College will be playing a recording of Bob Dylan singing “John Birch Society Blues.” o Mojisola Tiamiyu, associate professor of psychology, to be announced. • 10:15 a.m. SG President Matt Rubin, “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley • 11 a.m. Ben Pryor, vice provost and dean of the College of Innovative Learning, “Ulysses” by James Joyce o IC Managing Editor Vincent D. Scebbi, “A Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess, • 12:30 p.m. Glenn Sheldon, “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg • 2 p.m. Charlene Gilbert, professor and chair of the Department of Women and Gender Studies, — Jail, Page A2
Photo Illustration by Nick Kneer/ IC
According to the National Institute of Justice, approximately over 350 rapes per year occur on a college campus with a population of 10,000 female students. Most women do not show up to the Medical Center immediately because of denial or shame, Pappula said. Newton said police then interview all possible witnesses, identify possible subjects, gather physical evidence, then inform the community. At this point the victim must decide whether or not to pursue charges. “Most do not, probably because they feel the legal system will not bring them anymore solace,” Newton said. If the victim decides not to pursue in court or the case does not go to court, the victim still has the option of proceeding through Student
Affairs or the Title IX office, Newton said. Shanda Gore, assistant vice president of Equity and Diversity, said information is sent from the Human Resources Office to her to investigate possible infractions. The office is in charge of interpreting the information available to them, Gore said. If policy rules are broken, Gore sends the information back to West for policy enforcement. Gore, along with UT’s Sexual Assault Coordinator Diane Docis, founded the Toledo Sexual Harassment Task Force.
SG offers student organizations $50 to attend senate meetings By Sa’de Ganey IC Staff Writer
A new initiative meant to increase involvement from student organizations went into effect at Tuesday’s Student Government meeting. The initiative will offer representatives $50 to regularly attend SG meetings. SG was given a grant from the Office of Student Involvement to fund this program. Student representatives will be able to voice their opinions, issues and what they would like to see done on campus. These representatives will not, however, be able to vote on legislation. “Every speaking right senators have, student representatives will have. They can ask questions during debate,” said Heather Engle, chair of Student Senate. The initiative’s intended outcome is to allow student organizations a chance to see how the SG process works. “We want to recruit more senate members from a diverse set of organizations and allow those representatives to bring a voice to SG,” said Josh Smith, a junior majoring in psychology. SG President Matt Rubin said SG represents the student voice on campus. “The more effective we are at listening and gathering multiple perspectives, the better we can do our job,” he said.
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The more effective we are at listening and gathering multiple perspectives, the better we can do our job.
Matt Rubin, President Student Government
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In order to receive the $50, organization representatives will have to attend SG meetings until the end of the semester. Engle said the money will be credited to participating organizations’ accounts during the first week in April. Student representatives will have the same attendance policy as senators. They cannot miss more than two meetings. To make up a day missed they can perform a volunteer activity. “If we see a great success it would give us a reason to change policies that would replace SAC [Student Activities Committee],” Rubin said. SG wants more student representatives to become members of Student Senate, according to Rubin. “In order for this to catch on in the future we would need to see a highly contested, politically active student body,” he said. SG’s goal is to raise awareness of what student government does for the students and get feedback. “Having representatives will definitely get the word out about SG,” Smith said. “I think it communicates to student organizations that each of them have a role on campus, and they are all important on campus and to SG. Having a physical presence and dialogue between student organization members and SG can do nothing but benefit both parties.” Student Government meets every Tuesday at 8:15 p.m. in Student Union Building Room 2592.
Photo Illustration by Nick Kneer/ IC
Some books that have been banned over the years include “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” “1984” and “Lord of the Flies.” This year’s banned books fundraiser will be a “Jail-A-Thon” where students and UT faculty members will be reading a banned book out loud from a jail cell. The “Jail-A-Thon” starts today at 10 a.m. and continues throughout the day in the Student Union Building.
Online and Active Have thoughts about Student Government’s new initiative? Leave them on our website.