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April 29, 2011 | Volume 206 | Number 148 | 40 cents | An independent student newspaper serving Iowa State since 1890. ™
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Board of Regents
Regents approve Cyclone Sports Complex, Troxel Hall By Paige.Godden iowastatedaily.com The final proposal for the Cyclone Sports Complex passed the Board of Regents at its meeting Wednesday. The city of Ames Public Works Department put together a summary regarding storm water issues that community members have stressed, which were presented before the board. “The representatives from Snyder [Associates] and the city engineer ... indicate the design being proposed meets and exceeds the
requirements of the city,” said Warren Madden, vice president of Business and Finance. Regent Robert Downer said he raised some questions about the Cyclone Sports Complex during the Regents’ last meeting, but he thought the solution to the drainage issue addressed the problems “on a permanent level.” Madden said that the project is set to begin this summer so the grass in the complex will have a year-long growing period. Madden also gave an update on flood recovery and mitigation, stating that there are metal panels for Scheman that can be installed to all
building openings during a flooding situation. “We believe we can seal this building in about 30 minutes with the system that is now designed,” Madden said. Madden said the university has substantially finished the work that needed to be done in Hilton and recovery throughout most of the campus. The university is still working with FEMA on claims and reimbursement issues. The Regents passed the schematic design proposal for Troxel Hall. Troxel Hall will be a new science and lecture
building and is an $11 million project. “This is a much needed facility ... the science buildings are in much need of replacement,” Madden said. The board invited non-represented faculty and staff of the university for the purpose of collective bargaining for salary policies for the next fiscal year. Michael Owen, president of the Faculty Senate, said ISU faculty salaries remain among the bottom of peer universities.
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Conflict
A group of Syrian students protests Thursday in the Free Speech Zone in front of Parks Library. Photo: Huiling Wu/Iowa State Daily
Siege in the streets of Syria Death toll rises to more than 300 since March
ISU students rally, show support for Syrian people
By CNN Wire Staff
By Katherine.Marcheski iowastatedaily.com
Syrian tanks and security forces swooped down hard Thursday on the restive city of Daraa, witnesses said. Helicopters hovered overhead as security forces fanned out across the besieged city, breaking into homes and making arrests. Streets were littered with dead bodies and dwellings are bereft of water and electricity. A southern city that sits near the Jordanian border, Daraa is where the antigovernment protests began and took hold last month. Now it is a test for police and soldiers attempting to quell tenacious protests and a government trying to cope with angry unrest. Human Rights Watch said army troops and other security forces have killed more than 300 protesters since March 16. Other sources are saying even more people have been slain, and the government reports security personnel have also been killed. Many of the deaths have occurred in and around Daraa, where heavy firing could be heard Thursday and smoke was seen rising from homes, mosques and schools. Hundreds of snipers were stationed on the roofs of several buildings and security forces
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The Egyptian Student Association and other members of the local Arab community gathered in solidarity in front of Parks Library in response to continuing bloodshed in the Middle East, particularly in Syria. Syrians have followed in the footsteps of Egyptians, Tunisians and Libyans in the pursuit
of freedom, and have risen up against the oppression placed on them by their government. “People are being killed in the streets for no reason,” said Anwar Mohamed, graduate assistant in political science and president of the Egyptian Student Association. “We are bringing awareness to the brutal massacres and to show solidarity,” Mohamed said. Six weeks ago, police brutality sparked rallying and unrest among citizens, and a lack of governmental support has sparked a revolution among the Syrian people. “There are great fears in Syria that it might
become another Libya,” Mohamed said. “The army is involved against the people, and already 300 have been killed, in less than five weeks,” he said. Omar Manci, ISU alumnus and Ames community member, was a speaker at the rally. “We’re out here to inform Americans of this system. You know, we have a court of law here in America, but this is not the reality in the Middle East, especially in Syria,” Manci said. “This demonstration is in support of the peaceful reforms that are trying to be made. The Syrians who are fighting for their rights is not
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Syrian expresses fear instilled by recent killings By Katherine.Marcheski iowastatedaily.com
Courtesy map: CNN Wire Service
For one community member who attended the Thursday’s rally, the events taking place in Syria hit close to home. For the sake of his safety, and the safety of his family in Syria, the community member requested that his name be withheld from this story. “People are getting killed out there for talking,” he said. “They see what I said about Syria and something could happen to me or my family.”
His wife attends Iowa State and depending on the level of safety in Syria, they hope to return in a year or two; after she graduates. “One party controls everything,” he said. “That’s the difference between Egypt and Syria; the army is against the people in my country, and it brings brutality.” The president’s brother is an army general, and rules the financial institutions. Most officials have been involved in brutal massacres, but as long as they stay in authority they cannot be prosecuted, he said. There are also no reporters allowed on the
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Reasoning behind this campaign includes, but is not limited to, the following:
ENVIRONMENT: ‘Beyond Plastic’ advocates against bottled drinks Students look at a collection of bottles assembled by Activus on Thursday in the Free Speech Zone. Activus held an event called “ Beyond Plastic” in order to promote the phasing out of bottled water. Photo: Huiling Wu/Iowa State Daily
Nationally, only 5 percent of plastic water bottles get recycled Tap water (EPA) must meet higher regulations than bottled water (FDA) Ames has some of the highest quality tap water in our nation Bottled water typically costs more than $1 for 8 to 12 ounces, amounting to more than $10 per gallon — gas, right now, is $3.70 in Ames Americans spend an estimated $7 billion on bottled water each year The plastic bottles release harmful chemicals into the water such as the endocrine disrupter BPA and the toxic metalloid antimony In Ames, most plastic bottles are incinerated, thereby releasing these chemicals into our air