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DECEMBER 9, 2009
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KENTUCKY KERNEL CELEBRATING 38 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
Finals Week change up for vote By Laura Clark lclark@kykernel.com
Student Government is not using Dead Week as an excuse to do nothing. SG could decide on fee increases, a new senate president and a split finals schedule by the end of the week starting Wednesday. An election will be held at the weekly meeting to replace Senate President John Whitt, who will graduate in December, and will push the proposal to split final examinations and Dead Week to the SG Senate, said SG President Ryan Smith. Smith said he has heard of some possible candidates, but did not want to reveal them to stay nonpartisan. “I want the Senate to elect the person who will do the best job, but I didn’t want to get in their way,” Smith said. “ … They’ll elect someone we’ll work very well with.” Voting on the split Finals Week proposal is a “back and forth” process, Smith said. Even though SG has been working with the Faculty Senate on the proposal, the Faculty Senate wanted them to give the proposal to the SG Senate for approval first, Smith said. “It sends a stronger signal when the Student Senate passes (the proposal),” Smith said. “Whether it gets passed (Wednesday) night or the first week in January, I’m pretty confident we’ll get something that works with everybody.” Several student organizations have been in contact with and making presentations See SG on page 5
PHOTO BY BRITNEY MCINTOSH | STAFF
The first floor women’s restroom in White Hall Classroom Building was vandalized in opposition to the campus-wide tobacco ban.
Tobacco signs damaged By Katie Perkowski kperkowski@kykernel.com
In case students forget the day UK became completely tobacco-free, they can be reminded by the signs placed throughout campus purchased by the university — as long as they are not missing or damaged. Between 55 and 60 tobacco-free signs have been damaged or have vanished since Nov. 19, said Bob Wiseman, vice president for facilities management. Wiseman said UK originally spent less than estimated on the signage, so it had leftover funds that will be used to pay for sign replacement. He said replacing the signs
11.19.09
TOBACCO-FREE
CAMPUS would cost about $2,500. “We will not need additional money,” he said. In preparation for the tobacco-free policy, the university installed about 100 tobaccofree signs about a week before the ban, cost-
ing the university $25,000 to $35,000, according to a Nov. 11 Kernel article. No particular areas throughout campus have had more damage than others, according to an e-mail sent by Phil Tackett, maintenance superintendent for the UK Physical Plant. Damaged signs include one that was completely removed from the ground and double-sided signs where one side had damage but the other side did not, according to the e-mail. Wiseman said replacing the signs has minimal impact on the Physical Plant, and the damaged signs were discovered through routine activities.
Dedicated Bookstore hosts H1N1 clinic Citing CentrePointe, history Gray runs for mayor professor dead at 60 University Health Service will distribute the remaining doses of intranasal H1N1 vaccine at a walk-in clinic at the Student Center in the UK Bookstore on Wednesday, according to a UK news release. There are approximately 300 doses available.
Shearer “Dave” Bowman, a UK history professor, died on Dec. 4 in his home at the age of 60. Bowman came to UK in 2001 and was awarded tenure last fall. He specialized in U.S. Southern history in the pre-Civil War period. Bowman According to an e-mail sent by the College of Arts and Sciences Dean Mark Kornbluh, Bowman was “highly caring and dedicated to his students.” Scotty Stutts, a political science sophomore, said he felt Bowman took a genuine interest in the lives of his students. Stutts said he would visit the professor’s office to talk about history or their shared interest in motorcycles, and he said Bowman was a mentor who would help him with writing assignments. “When I didn’t have class, I’d stop by his office and talk to him for sometimes an hour at a time,” Stutts said. “He was more like a friend than an actual professor.” History department chairwoman Francie Chassen-
— KENNY COLSTON
Influenza-like illness reported at UHS
By Katie Saltz ksaltz@kykernel.com
Members of the UK community will be allowed to receive the vaccination between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the bookstore. For more information about H1N1, visit www.uky.edu/EM/swineflu.html.
Aug 31 to Sept. 5
1500 1200 900 600
Aug 31 to Sept. 5
300 0
Sept. 14 to Sept. 19
Sept. 8 to Sept. 12
Sept. 28 to Oct. 3
Sept. 21 to Sept. 26
Oct. 12 to Oct. 17
Oct. 5 to Oct. 10
Nov. 9 to Nov. 14
Oct. 26 to Oct. 31
Oct. 19 to Oct. 24
Nov. 2 to Nov. 7
Nov. 30 to Dec. 5
Nov. 16 to Nov. 21 Nov. 23 to Nov. 28
Total number of patients
Influenza-like illness count
By Katie Perkowski
kperkowski@kykernel.com
UK students make up approximately 27,000 of the residents in Lexington, and Vice Mayor Jim Gray, who announced he would run for mayor Tuesday, views the UK community as “mega-important.” Gray Gray said he came to the decision to enter the race because it was the right time, and said his years of experience with the city make him qualified. “UK is a big part of Lexington, it really, in many respects, designs Lexington to itself and to the
outside world,” Gray said. “So working with the university to leverage the university and all the resources … the students and the faculty, staff, all the talent there — it represents enormous potential.” Gray said it is important for members of the community work together to solve problems like the student housing issue. “What I’ve learned over time is that issues like (housing) have to be worked continuously, it’s not like you can turn it on and turn it off. We really have to stay with working the problem and whatever it might be,” he said. “Only through working through problems do we really create opportunities and possibility.” Gray will be running against See Gray on page 5
KELLY WILEY | STAFF
Two struck on S. Limestone Within minutes, the Lexington Fire Department responded to an accident in front of the Gatton College of Business and Economics, where two unknown males were hit by a vehicle. Two males were in the vehicle that struck the two pedestrians as they crossed South Limestone around 5:25 p.m. The Lexington Police and Fire Departments both responded to the scene. Lieutenant Daniel Stipp said the two hit by the vehicle were in stable condition and taken to UK Hospital for further treatment. Stipp was unsure if either of them were students, but said he did not think they were. The two were not crossing the street at a crosswalk.
See Professor on page 5 First issue free. Subsequent issues 25 cents.
Two unidentified males were struck by a vehicle while crossing South Limestone. Both are in stable condition. PHOTO BY ADAM WOLFFBRANDT STAFF
— LAURA CLARK
Newsroom: 257-1915; Advertising: 257-2872
PAGE 2 | Wednesday, December 9, 2009 News
Seminar program trades pencils for skits in final exam By Kevin Ortiz news@kykernel.com
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4puz.com
Justin is every tweens dream Dreaming of becoming a hockey star, the Canadian youngster used to practice signing his autograph. Instead, Justin Bieber, 15, is the biggest overnight music sensation of the YouTube era. This fall, he became the first solo artist to place four songs in Billboard's top 40 before he released his debut album. Now, he'll gladly sign autographs _ if the girls can get close enough. The 3,000 who showed up to see him last month at a suburban New York mall created such chaos (five girls were injured) that local police canceled the event before he arrived. Everyone wants a piece of this pop supernova, from the MTV Music Video Awards (where Bieber presented a prize) to "The Today Show" (where he drew the year's biggest audience) and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (where he appeared twice in two weeks). Usher and Justin Timberlake both courted the kid to sign a record contract. (Usher prevailed.) His "My World" album debuted three weeks ago at No. 6. All seven tunes on the CD have landed in Billboard's Hot 100. His videos have racked up more than 100 million views on YouTube. Last month, he opened for Taylor Swift in Europe. OK, take a breath _ or you'll hyperventilate like one of his fans. Biebermania has been exploding like the Jonas Brothers did two years ago. "He's driving a lot of the bus," said Minneapolis radio station KDWB program director Rob Morris. "He's a teen heartthrob, but his songs do well with over-18 (listeners). When his songs have been on our 'Newish at
Nineish' _ where listeners vote via text or phone _ they have blown the competition out." It all started innocently enough: Two years ago Bieber posted a video of his performance at a Stratford, Ontario, talent contest on YouTube so relatives could see it. (By the way, he finished second, doing Matchbox Twenty's "3 A.M.") He continued posting homemade videos of songs by Chris Brown, Ne-Yo and Stevie Wonder, and as more people checked them out, things spiraled faster than Brett Favre's passing statistics. Brown even phoned to say how much he liked Bieber's rendition of "With You," shot in what looks like a rec room decked out with hockey pictures and posters of Bart Simpson and Tupac Shakur. A 27-year-old Atlanta talent manager who'd discovered slacker frat-boy rapper Asher Roth gave Bieber the power-play press, and soon he was recording at Jermaine Dupri's studio in Atlanta. "One Time" was his official first single on Island Def Jam Records. Its video has garnered more than 17 million YouTube views, with the song peaking at No. 20 on Billboard's Hot 100. Since then, Bieber has released three singles, with "One Less Lonely Girl" rising to No. 16. His music is the kind of bouncy, bubblegum, puppylove material that tween girls have been buying for decades, whether it was Frankie Avalon (ask your grandma), Donny Osmond (ask your mom) or Aaron Carter (ask big sister). COPYRIGHT 2009 MCT
For most students, taking finals consists of essay questions or endless Scantron bubbles. For students in the Discovery Seminar Program, writing utensils will not be necessary. On Wednesday in the Student Center Ballrooms, freshmen and transfer students in DSP will present their Fall 2009 Showcase, featuring topics and skills they have learned over the course of the semester. From skits to research findings, students will share their final examinations in front of hundreds of attendees, said Lynn Hiler, the
DSP coordinator. “There are 21 different seminars for first-year students, ranging in topics from horses and poverty, all the way to being green,” Hiler said. DSP includes seminar courses for any first-year UK student including transfers. The courses are designed to help orient students to the university and make the transition as seamless as possible. To make students feel more comfortable, classes are smaller, no more than 25 students in each, Hiler said. Three DSP courses, American Sign Language, Discovery Improvisation Workshop and My Kingdom is a Horse,
IF YOU GO What: Fall 2009 Showcase When: Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. Where: Student Center Ballrooms Admission: Free and open to the public
will be featuring presentations at the showcase. One of the presentations will include an appearance from Keeneland’s head bugler, George Sallee, more commonly known as “Bucky the Bugler.” The showcase begins at 11:30 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.
kernel. we do it daily. Horoscope To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 6 — Expect sudden changes to affect you at work. Since you can't control the flow, you may as well go with it. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 6 — Don't be surprised when your partner suggests activities you normally reserve for the weekend. In fact, take the day off if you can. You'll both enjoy it. Gemini (May 21-June 21) — Today is a 7 – Peculiar concepts creep into your work. Remember, the goal is a balanced presentation that sells the product. Cancer (June 22-July 22) — Today is a 6 — Expect circum-
stances to change. Don't pretend you know what's coming. Instead, cheerfully allow the transformation. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 6 — Ideas come out of nowhere, and you paint the screen large in your imagination. How to get those ideas to others? Pictures work best. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 6 — Ideas gush like water from a fire hose. Control could be an issue. Seek balance as you moderate the discussion. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 6 — You're on the same page with the people who matter. Think big. Think unusual. Think powerful. Scorpio (Oct. 23--Nov. 21) — Today is a 6 — Suddenly you find yourself retracing your steps. Others appreciate this. Begin a new project only when sure about what you want.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 6 — Somebody is bouncing off the walls. Is that you? Protect your antique furniture. Better yet, move it out of the way. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 6 — A visitor delivers a giant surprise. You and your associates unwrap this treat and eat it right up. Save some for later. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 6 — Wander around today and see what others are doing. Your plan and theirs seem different, yet all the elements come together. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 5 — Associates want to pull out all the stops with a big party. This doesn't meet with your complete approval. Set a time limit and a budget.
(C) 2009 TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 | PAGE 3
Meditation sessions are an effective way to relieve stress during Finals Week By Grant Labriola features@kykernel.com
Feeling stressed out about your final exams? UK’s Wellness Program may have the answer for stressed-out students. Every Thursday, the Wellness Program offers a free meditation class for students, staff and faculty at the Seaton Center, located next to the Johnson Center. While the session is offered every Thursday, the center stresses that exam time would be a good time for students to learn about meditation. If you attend, don’t expect fireworks—the Seaton Center isn’t a student section. Meditation is pure silence and focus. According the Web site BenefitsofMeditation.org, meditation is achieved through deep-breathing, which is a pillar of meditation practices. Muscle fatigue and tension are reduced by increasing the circulation of oxygen to the muscles through breathing. “Meditation is good for your health, it lowers heart rate and lowers your
blood pressure” said Dave Block, the mediation sessions’ weekly mediator. According to UK’s Health and
“Meditation is good for your health, it lowers heart rate and lowers your blood pressures.” DAVE BLOCK Wellness Program mediator
Wellness Web site, the program promotes wellness, exercise, diet and lifestyle support services, as well as on campus gym membership and exercise programs. The UK Health and Wellness Program sees the meditation program as an opportunity to dedicate time to helping students and staff better their health. Being healthy and exercising during times like finals is an effective way to relieve stress and help keep students’ brains firing on all cylinders. For more information about the Health and Wellness Program call (859) 257-9355.
Massage on the Go For many students, Dead Week is not so dead due to the pressure of next week’s finals. Many students find the final weeks of the semester to be the most stressful and anything that can help to relieve stress can be beneficial. To help students reduce their stress Student Activities Board has organized “Massage On the Go” in which the Lexington Healing Arts Academy will be offering free fiveminute massages in the Commons Dining Hall for any one who wishes to participate. Massage on the Go will take place Wednesday night from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be offered to students and staff. “It’s a great way to relax during Dead Week,” SAB member, Aimee Glindmeyer said. Depending on the turnout, SAB plans to organize similar events in the future to help students deal with stress during the end of the semesters. Students can find out about more events being held on campus by checking out the SAB Web site at www.uksab.org.
Go Green. Recycle this Kernel.
PAGE 4 | Wednesday, December 9, 2009
John Wall may not be a sure thing, but the Legend can do no wrong John Wall can fail. I’m not talking math exams or anything school related. On the basketball court, John Wall can, and will, fail. Let that sink in. Can KENNY the guy COLSTON who hit Kernel the gamecolumnist winning shot against Miami of Ohio really fail? Can the guy who torched North Carolina in the first half and hit the game-clinching free throws against the Tar Heels really fail? Can the guy who basically owns the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week award really fail? John Wall, 19-year-old kid from Raleigh, N.C., will have a life full of success and failure, just like anyone else. It’s hard to believe, since the Legend of John Wall has consumed Lexington since he signed with UK. YouTube flows with his highlight reels. Jerry Stackhouse went from NBA star to washed up in a matter of minutes, thanks to Wall. Every national basketball writer, broadcaster and analyst loves him. If they could marry John Wall, they would. He’s basically promised to be the No. 1 pick in the next NBA Draft. The Legend of John Wall hit the game-winner in his first real game in the UK jersey. The Legend of John Wall torched his hometown Tar Heels, who snubbed him in the recruiting process. The Legend of John Wall has Mike DeCourcy for the Sporting News claiming him to be the best point guard prospect ever and Gary Parrish tweeting about the Legend of John Wall like he’s the only player in the NCAA. The Legend even has his own dance and his own drink
PHOTO BY ADAM WOLFFBRANDT | STAFF
Freshman guard John Wall leads UK in scoring with 18.1 points per game, adding to his growing legend. at Two Keys (which, mind you, the real John Wall isn’t even old enough to get into). The Legend of John Wall cannot fail. It will not fail. Even if the Legend tears every ligament in both legs Wednesday night against Connecticut, the Legend cannot fail. His contributions will be known forever. Spoke of constantly, even if he still leaves UK despite that injury. We’ll talk about ‘What if the Legend had stayed healthy?’ But John Wall, the real kid we watch play basketball two-to-three times a week can fail. He does it every game. Wall is second on the team with 31 turnovers to this point in the season. Fellow freshman point guard Eric Bledsoe leads the team with 34 turnovers, but has played in one more game that Wall. Those aren’t awful numbers, but so far UK has played one quality opponent: North Carolina. In that game, Wall had seven turnovers. There’s a chance John Wall’s body fails as well. Muscle cramps shut him down for most of the second half against North Carolina. The simplest sports injury had taken the Legend off the court and made Wall human for a few minutes. UK was lost without him. What if the muscle cramps hit at the worst possi-
ble time? What if there is a worse injury? Bodies aren’t always made to live up to legends. Just ask Greg Oden. Knees can blow. Muscles can bulge. Surgery can slow even the best players. If Wall loses his quick feet and speed, he loses the elements that created the Legend. Super-human athletes fail all the time. It’s human nature. Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are two of the most prominent athletes in U.S. history. Both men have failed, both in competition and out of it. Is John Wall bigger than those two? Not yet. He may never be. But the legend of Michael Jordan has never failed. He’s still remembered as the best basketball player ever. MJ won championship after championship. His personal and on-the-court failures have been pushed aside from everyday memory. Such is the same with John Wall. He’ll eventually mess up or come up just a little short. It could be in the biggest game of his career. But the more he accomplishes in the UK uniform the more the Legend grows. Of which failure is not an option. Kenny Colston is journalism senior. E-mail kcolston@kykernel.com.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 | PAGE 5
Specialized UK 101 sections could be eliminated by Fall 2010 By Andrew Pillow news@kykernel.com
UK’s freshmen seminar classes will be mixing up their rosters by next fall. Starting in Fall 2010, certain sections of UK 101 will no longer exist. Scholarships, athletics and majors currently separate freshmen in the UK 101 classes. Certain sections, specifically the sections for William C. Parker Scholars and athletes, will be assimilated into the other sections said Becky Jordan, associate Dean of Students and UK 101 director. “We will still have a section for first-generation college students, but it won’t be exclusive to any one program,” Jordan said. The change also partially reflects the desire of the students, according to class evaluations and focus groups. “The Parker scholars provided feedback that they didn’t like being in separate sections,” Jordan said. Ashley Hockney, an English sophomore, assisted in teaching a UK 101 course and said specialized sections are necessary because students’ experiences are different.
“It was sometimes difficult to relate with students who had dealt with different pressures than I did,” Hockney said. Louis Jackson, an engineering junior, said the way UK 101 courses are separated illustrates the university’s need for diversity. “I just felt it caused an issue of separation,” Jackson said. “There’s already an issue with separation then as soon as you get here, UK separates you.” However, some students like Tre Knight, a kinesiology sophomore, said being around students of a similar background could improve retention. “UK 101 clustering all the Parker scholars gave us the only opportunity we had not to feel isolated,” Knight said. By eliminating some of the specialized sections, most students and faculty, including Jordan, thought the course would benefit from more diversity in all sections. “UK 101 is sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs and Undergraduate Education, and we both felt it was important to have representation from all students,” Jordan said. “It’s ours and the university’s desire to promote diversity … across all UK 101 sections.”
Holiday treat: Apple store opens in UK Bookstore on Wednesday By Laura Karr news@kykernel.com
The Student Center is making room for one apple that is no longer forbidden to campus. The UK Bookstore is unveiling Lexington’s first Apple Store Wednesday. However, only UK students, faculty and staff will be able to purchase computers and software offered at the store. The store will offer special discounts for items such as laptops, desktops, software, iPods and other Apple accessories. “Computers will range from $50 to $300 cheaper than the retail stores,” said Kevin McClurg, manager of the bookstore’s trade section and Apple Store. Between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. demonstrations will be given and a random drawing will be held for an iPod Touch.
The opening will include sales such as an “Apple Holiday Bundle” deal for the UK community, which includes a MacBook, an AppleCare warranty plan, a Hewlett-Packard printer, laptop sleeve and portable laptop lock. The deal saves students, faculty and staff $344, according to a UK Bookstore flier. Having the store located on campus will make it much more convenient for students with technical issues, said Adam Griggs, a civil engineering senior. “The great thing about having an Apple Store on campus is that if I have a problem with my Apple computer, I can bring it here instead of sending it away to a different store,” Griggs said. In addition to the Apple Store grand opening, the store will be hosting a UK faculty and staff appreciation event, said UK Bookstore manager
PROFESSOR Continued from page 1 Lopez said history faculty and students held an impromptu grief session upon learning of Bowman’s death. “We lost a brilliant historian,” she said. “He was a wise and gentle colleague.” Chassen-Lopez said Bowman had an attitude of always wanting to help, whether with his colleagues or his students. Despite being such an intelligent man, Chassen-Lopez said Bowman was still unassuming and humble. “He was so many things, a wonderful scholar, wonderful teacher,” she said. “He was a person always ready to help out everyone else.” Bowman received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and studied for his Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkley. Before moving to Lexington to teach at UK and Berea College, he spent 15 years at the University of Texas at Austin. He served
GRAY Continued from page 1 current Mayor Jim Newberry and former Mayor Teresa Isaac. Gray said he had not spoken to Newberry about his decision on Tuesday. One of the reasons he decided to run against Newberry was because of his disagreement with the CentrePointe project. Gray said the project came at the wrong time and was too extravagant and excessive.
SG Continued from page 1 to SG in hopes for an increase in fees for the past few weeks, said Joe Quinn, SG deputy chief of staff for programming. Quinn said the last presentation will be made Thursday. SG will send their recommendations to Interim Vice
IF YOU
GO
What: Apple Store grand opening When: Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Where: UK Bookstore Admission: Free and open to the public
Sally Wiatrowski. Approximately 9,000 faculty and staff were invited to take part in a 20 percent discount on UK gifts and apparel. Wiatrowski said while she hopes the Apple Store will attract faculty and staff, there are no special deals for them during the grand opening. “We know we can sell to students ... they utilize us more everyday,” Wiatrowski said. “We want to try to bring in an audience that may not utilize us as much.”
as a Board member of Planned Parenthood in Lexington and a member of the Board of Trustees at Lexington's Sayre School. Clayton Chambliss, headmaster at the Sayre School where Bowman’s son attended, said Bowman was well-loved by the faculty because as an educator he understood the value of good teaching. Bowman served as chairman of the education committee at Sayre, and Chambliss said the reactions he has witnessed to the news of Bowman’s death all focus on what a true interest Bowman took in people. “You really believed he was listening to you and valued you, even people that didn’t particularly know him,” Chambliss said. Bowman is survived by his wife, Lee Willey, two children, Kate and Willis, and his siblings Susan (David) Reynolds and Jane (John) Fain, of Richmond, Va., and John (Ginny) Bowman of Durham, N.C. A memorial service will be held Wednesday at 3 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church on 174 N. Mill St. A reception at the Sayre School will follow the service.
“I’ve always had a real passion for the potential of Lexington’s economy and its downtown and its connection to the university, and so this project represents the center of our city,” he said. “So symbolically it’s enormously important not just for today, but arguably the next 100 years or 200 years. “Being an empty hole in the city is symbolic of the last three years.” Gray said the project was symbolic of the mayor’s job and the city should take a different path to the future. “I’m not timid about believing that I can do better, and that I can make a difference,” Gray said.
President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Victor Hazard and Provost Kumble Subbaswamy. Quinn said no clear indication as to how much the fee increase would be was available yet. The student organizations that requested a fee increase, including Student Activities Board and the Office of Student Involvement, were asked to answer a list of questions, Quinn said, such as what the
IF YOU
GO
What: SG meeting When: Wednesday at 8 p.m. Where: Room 206 of the Student Center Admission: Free and open to the public organization would do with a fee increase.
www.kykernel.com
OPINIONS Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Page 6
KERNEL EDITORIAL BOARD Kenny Colston, editor in chief Austin Schmitt, asst. opinions editor Melissa Vessels, managing editor Ben Jones, sports editor Allie Garza, managing editor Megan Hurt, features editor Wesley Robinson, opinions editor The opinions page provides a forum for the exchange of ideas. Unlike news stories, the Kernel’s unsigned editorials represent the views of a majority of the editorial board. Letters to the editor, columns, cartoons and other features on the opinions page reflect the views of their authors and not necessarily those of the Kernel.
KERNEL EDITORIAL
Conservation responsibility for total campus The UK Board of Trustees dealt with another energy topic during last week’s meeting, albeit with a little less controversy than the previous issue dealing with energy sources. That meeting resulted in students being escorted out of the meeting, this one ended with a positive change for the campus. According to a Dec. 2 Kernel article. the board approved a contract to reduce energy use on campus by 10 to 15 percent inserting UK directly into the ongoing debate about whether the country or even the world has enough energy resources to power all the necessities in life. The question is, how deep will UK get involved in the change? With “green” movements popping up all across the country, this step is a no-brainer. Conserving energy is never a bad thing. Setting back the thermostat or turning off that light while you’re watching TV not only conserves energy, but it also reduces electric bills. Kentucky is very fortunate in that it pays one of the lowWith “green” est utility rates in the country movements popping per kilowatt hour. Falling in bottom ten of state utility up all across the the rates, Kentucky residents pay country, this step is on average about 7 cents per kilowatt hour, according to the a no-brainer. U.S. Energy Information AdConserving energy is ministration. If Kentuckians want to never a bad thing. keep paying low bills, they must be conscious about their energy use. UK is taking this step and as the main public university in this state, it is responsible for setting the bar. Besides the things UK is doing at their buildings, there are actions students living on campus can take to help. Turning off the lights when you leave your dorm room is a start. Taking shorter showers, turning the faucet completely off and turning off the lights while watching TV can also contribute to conserving energy. After helping out the environment with reduced energy use, this energy contract can help reduce UK’s bills. Spending less money on energy can result in more money being put into the general fund. With a potential budget cut on the horizon, UK will need to cut costs anywhere it can to ensure tuition rates and other costs will not raise to new heights. Keep in mind where the money is going next time you leave the lights on in a dorm room or leave that faucet on in White Hall Classroom Building. It could be coming from your pocket. Moving forward with changing environmental policy and desire to find more sustainable, long-term methods of energy production, there must be more than just taking the simple steps. Keeping Kentucky’s energy prices should be the ultimate goal, but the plans have to think beyond just the eminent cuts. To many, the trustees have failed campus with its decision regarding the coal lodge now would not be the time to fail when the real issue is on the line.
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Congress in is over its head with policy The average student knows very well every possible way to extend the length of a paper to reach a professor’s requirements. Whether they use formatting methods TIM such as RILEY modifying Kernel margins and columnist text size, or simply restate the same point again and again, it is rarely difficult to fake length; however, the more advanced deceivers among us also know well that a lack of depth can also be masked by increasing length far passed what is truly required. Don’t know the answer to an essay question? Just write every conceivable answer down in a long, meandering response and hope the professor is just looking for key words — It’s not ideal, but it’s usually far better than writing down what you actually think is the exact answer. The best part of this particular strategy is that it
holds real world applicability, unlike most things people are suppose to learn in school. Just look at the health care bills floating about the House and Senate. The two variants together come in at a combined 4,100 pages. Simply flipping through them at apage-a-second rate would take over an hour, much less actually reading and comprehending the behemoths. It is an absolute certainty that not a single member of Congress has actually read both of these monstrosities, much less grasped their complexities. And yet, each and every person on Capitol Hill has a staunch opinion of them. Granted, a lot of the opinions stem from more broad thoughts on the issue as a whole, but the insane length of the bills requires opinions to form from that alone. It’s impossible to have a view on the bill as a whole when it’s beyond human capacity to comprehend without six college degrees and a free month or two. Therein lies the problem with the bill. Like a college student BSing his way
through a test, the length of the bills simply serves to mask the fact that Congress has no idea of what it really wants to do. It is trying to please a multitude of interests, compromise across impossible lines and still effect real change, an impossible task.
Like a college student BSing his way through a test, the length of the bill simply serves to mask the fact that congress has no idea of what it really wants to do. Every time a slight problem arises, it adds another loophole to the system and another page to bill. The difficult way to solve the difficult issues still facing the legislation is to revise what already exists. The easy way is to keep tacking on more and more legalese to the back of the bill. Knowing Congress, it is not surprising the solution they chose. The same problem the
college student faces with this strategy confronts Congress as well though. If while muddling through their chosen path they happen to stumble upon the correct answer, the process has often gone too far to turn around and start again. Congress cannot afford to scrap the work they have done, so at this point they have no choice but to continue trudging forward with what they have. The Democratic Party in particular can ill afford to stopping pushing forward because of the political cost of losing this key battle. The struggle will continue despite all the reasons it should not. It is more important for both sides to win out with what they have than attempt to create something better. Instead of treating one of the most important pieces of legislation with the care it deserves, Congress has made the whole thing into a massive rough draft. Our Congress was all students at one point and judging from their output, old habits really do die hard. Tim Riley is an MBA graduate student. E-mail opinions@kykernel.com.
Broken system requires real change
Board’s meetings not intentionally shrouded The editorialists and staff reporter Laura Clark who wrote about this earlier made an excellent point on the unnecessary secrecy shrouding the Board of Trustees and access to it. Thank you. However, there might be some slight confusion among the Kernel editorialists on this. While it is true that the policy on agenda posting was adopted directly by the Board of Trustees, the Kernel editorial appears to also imply that it is the Board of Trustees that deliberately prevents the requesters wanting to speak to the board from reaching it. No, in clear differentiation with the Governing (i.e. higher-level) Regulations, the UK Administrative (subordinate) Regulations are written and maintained by the president of the university. And it is one of his (Administrative) regulations that specifies a “jump through the hoops” procedure for the requesters wishing to speak to the board. The board simply approved that policy made by a UK president in 1970. Also, the Executive Vice
BRETT HATFIELD, Kernel cartoonist
President Frank Butler is trying to lead the Kernel and its readers by the nose: the absence of the list of requests to appear before the board does not mean there were no requests to appear before the board. I know of several such requests. Mr. Butler clearly knows what the Kernel wanted him to disclose via its open records request, by preventing disclosing those requests (or even people’s names) by legally permissible but ethically inexcusable subterfuge. He should be ashamed of himself and angry with the people in the UK legal office who actually write his answers to open records requests. This practice of unethical stonewalling is too pernicious to let it slide. Besides, the Governing Regulation No.1 expressly demands all UK employees, including Mr. Butler and his subordinates, to be ethically straight. Thank you for keeping the issue of the board and administration secrecy alive. This is exactly how the journalists shredded the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe. Andrei Vorobiev Former UK Professor
It has become almost an annual tradition in college football: several undefeated and one-loss teams conclude their season with at least a good argument as to why they should appear in the BCS Championship Game. Sports fans and the talking heads at the major media networks put in their two cents in on ADAM what is an obviously FRENCH broken college football Kernel championship format. columnist Undoubtedly, the BCS system is an ineffective format in deciding a national champion, so much so that even President Obama spoke of a need in creating a fairer system. Undoubtedly, too, is the glaring fact that a playoff system would fix a lot of the mess that the BCS has created: an eight-team playoff would account for the one-loss teams and undefeated teams that fall short of BCS Championship Game eligibility and allow great teams with a minor glitch in their resume (such as a second-place Big 12 or Southeastern Conference team) to still have a legitimate chance at the national championship. In a perfect world, a playoff system would also do away with the requirement that champions from weaker BCS conferences (we’re looking at you, Big East and ACC) automatically get a bid to a high-profile bowl while successful mid-majors, such as Boise State this season or Utah in 2008, have virtually no chance in playing for a championship. It would also allow powerhouse conferences to get more than just their champion into the national championship picture, which should be the case this year with Alabama and Florida both deserving a shot the Southeastern Conference Championship game
doesn’t truly allow them to have, especially with Texas winning the Big 12. The NCAA has proven to be an organization that common sense forgot about, and definitely a governing body incapable of “fixing” a problem, especially with a drastic change such as a playoff format. The preseason polls also adds to the problem, taking many teams out of title contention in August. For example, take Florida this season — their preseason No. 1 ranking (however deserved it was) gave them the best chance to win the national championship before they even played a game.
Imagine if our Kentucky Wildcats, unranked preseason, had won all of our games this season, we would most likely be ranked number two in the nation behind Texas, due their higher preseason ranking. Hypothetically speaking, if Florida lost a game prior to the Southeastern Conference Championship, they realistically would have remained in the top ten. Winning out would have most assuredly put them back in the top three or four teams giving them a good chance to still play for the BCS, regardless of how strong their remaining schedule was. Now, if a team ranked twenty-fifth in the preseason lost an early-season game, they would fall completely out of the polls into the “also receiving votes” pool. This human-based poll ranking, factored in to the BCS formula, decides who goes to the Championship Game and the four BCS bowls (Orange, Fiesta, Sugar, and Rose), so these preseason rankings continually put a significant skew on the national championship pic-
ture before a game is even played. This season, Florida beat its first three opponents handily, even though these opponents were the equivalent of playing Gainesville-area high school teams. Alabama, on the other hand, opened its season by risking its national championship hopes and playing a very tough (and then sixth ranked) Virginia Tech team in Atlanta. Even though Alabama beat the Hokies and won its first three games too, the preseason rankings had doomed it to be behind Florida even though its schedule was harder and its record identical. Lucky for Alabama, there was the Southeastern Conference Championship. Imagine if our Kentucky Wildcats, unranked preseason, had won all of our games this season, we would most likely be ranked number two in the nation behind Texas, due to their higher preseason ranking. Any ranking prior to games being played are too biased and uninformed to be as big a factor in the national championship picture as they are. At the very least ranking shouldn’t be released till week six of the season when win-loss records and strength of schedule can truly be included in the ranking process. Don’t get me wrong – I love college football as much as the next guy – but I also realize that the BCS system is an inadequate and unfair way to determine a true, uncontested national champion. While an eight-team playoff that truly takes the best eight teams is the obvious solution (and way too obvious for the NCAA to grasp), doing away with preseason and early-season polls might be a step in the right direction to bring equality to college football and give every single team out there – from the Texas Longhorns to the Boise State Broncos to the Kentucky Wildcats – a legitimate shot at the promised land. Adam French is an MBA graduate student. E-mail opinions@kykernel.com.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 | PAGE 7
The Kentucky Kernel
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PARKING SPACES: 1 block to campus. Assigned, safe. 368-9775, 253-2828 noon-midnight
FOR SALE OR RENT: Totally remodeled, Gardenside. 3BR, 1.5BA. All new BA & kitchen, hardwood, ceramic, appliances include w/d. $900/mo. 859338-4840
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YESTERDAY’S IS HIRING experienced on-call servers and experienced cooks. Apply in person. 410 W. Vine St. in Rupp Center
Wanted
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ACROSS 1 Longstocking of kids’ books 6 Major mess 11 Cab destination for a NYC tourist 14 Tampico toodleoo 15 Gets under control 16 Towel (off) 17 “Briefly ...” 19 Bando of baseball 20 Middle East flier 21 Miss the mark 22 Blade site 24 Bankrupt airline 26 De facto 29 “Briefly ...” 34 Usually green mineral 35 Queen’s subjects 36 Drifter in a storm 37 Director Lee 38 Salon application 40 11-Across posting 42 Letters seen next to a 4 43 Despondent word 45 Past times 47 Author Gertrude 49 “Briefly ...” 52 Washday woes 53 “Psst!” 54 Full of determination 56 Herd bird 58 Places to unwind 62 Family card game 63 “Briefly ...” 67 Guff 68 Himalayan kingdom 69 First of the minor prophets 70 Scoreboard nos. 71 “Mogambo” star 72 Powerful adhesive DOWN 1 Cracker spread 2 Graven image
3 City in Tuscany 4 Chicks and ducks and geese 5 Doctrine 6 Play the lead 7 Read between the lines? 8 “__ dreaming?” 9 Cairo cap 10 Exhausts 11 Holden Caulfield’s creator 12 “Animal House” group 13 NASCAR driver Petty 18 Crux 23 “Get Smart” evil org. 25 Fuse metal 27 Rinky-dink 28 Kind of pilot 29 __ Park, NJ 30 Church musicians’ choices 31 Moon of Uranus 32 Exceptionally pitched, in a way
33 Identical 34 Jezebel’s god 39 Bigfoot relative 41 1968 US Open champ 44 Capt. saluters 46 Weapons cache 48 Action figure outlet 50 Proverb 51 Boarded up 54 Sizable swallow
55 Military detachment 57 Plow puller 59 Coin from Chiapas 60 Big name in game shows 61 Dispatch, as a dragon 64 PBS funder 65 LAPD alert 66 Naval pronoun
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PAGE 8 | Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Orton excelling while flying under the radar
Paxton response to UK cites Student Code of Conduct By Ben Jones
Freshman forward Daniel Orton tries to dunk in Saturday’s win against North Carolina. Orton has flourished coming off the bench behind Patrick Patterson and DeMarcus Cousins. PHOTO BY ALLIE GARZA STAFF
By Metz Camfield mcamfield@kykernel.com
Freshman forward Daniel Orton isn’t getting the national publicity and respect of his fellow freshman teammates, but he’s fine with that. Orton, who didn’t score against North Carolina on Saturday and only averages 4.4 points a game, has been singled out throughout the season by UK head coach John Calipari. Orton’s blocked shot of North Carolina forward Ed Davis four minutes into the game was one of the catalysts to UK’s 28-2 run. The block went to freshman guard John Wall, who then raced down the court for an acrobatic layup that cut the lead to three and energized the crowd. “I really don’t have that much of a leadership role,” Orton said. “But I feel like I was kind of a leader out there (against North Carolina) in getting us on the roll that we started on.” Still, the highlight of the season for the Cats has been the play of Wall. The Raleigh, N.C., native is leading the team in points and assists and when he went down from a battle with cramps early in the second half against UNC, the Cats appeared lost for a while until settling back down, thanks in part to Orton. With their leader off the floor and the Tar Heels riding on a 10-0 run, Orton stuffed UNC freshman forward John Henson on a dunk attempt. The ball led to an outlet pass that was finished off with a slam dunk by junior forward Patrick Patterson. That re-energized a crowd that had gone silent from the UNC run. The lull from the Cats caused some to say they are dependent upon the play of Wall, but Orton said there’s more to UK than just one player. “John’s a great player, don’t get me wrong,” Orton said. “But there’s so many little, minor pieces to the puzzle around that get us going and get us started.” While it may be the first time a 6-foot-10, 255-pound forward is classified as a “little, minor piece to a puzzle,” Orton’s play has been indicative of just that. While he still
hasn’t started a game, Orton is currently second on the team in blocked shots and has provided the Cats with a strong defensive presence with fellow freshman forward DeMarcus Cousins finding himself in first half foul trouble on multiple occasions.
“He’s got the best job on the team. He has no pressure ... He got no baskets and we’re talking like Daniel Orton being like the best player.” JOHN CALIPARI UK head coach
Wall said Orton’s energy in the UNC game rubbed off on the rest of them and became contagious. “He was bouncing around like coach wanted us to do when we’re playing defense, and he was clapping, and blocking shots and rebounding,” Wall said. “When he comes in with the type of energy like that, it builds on all of us. That’s what got us on our big run (against UNC).” Calipari also singled out Orton’s energy and defensive presence in the UNC game and said while he didn’t score a point, he and senior forward Perry Stevenson were the reasons UK beat UNC. With Wall and Cousins getting so much attention as two of the more highly-touted players in the country coming out of high school, Calipari said Orton has been able to come in with no pressure and excel. “He’s got the best job on the team,” Calipari said. “He has no pressure. Whatever he does is like added. He got no baskets and we’re talking about Daniel Orton being like the best player.” Orton’s two blocks against UNC gave him his fourth straight game finishing with two blocks. Still, the big man from Oklahoma City said he thought he’d be doing more at this point. “I’m playing OK,” Orton said. “I expected to see myself do a lot better, but I can’t complain, we’re winning.”
PHOTO BY ED MATTHEWS | STAFF
UK head coach John Calipari said freshman forward Daniel Orton has less pressure on him playing behind other players.
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Attorneys for senior pitcher James Paxton filed a reply Tuesday to the university’s response for Paxton’s motion for an injunction in his suit with UK. In the reply, Paxton’s attorneys argued their client’s rights as a student were violated under the Student Code of Conduct, and that he is not a member of the NCAA. According to the reply, colleges, Paxton universities and athletic conferences are members. Paxton’s attorneys believe their client, under the Code, had a right to be informed of the allegations the NCAA had brought against him before asking him to submit to an interview, and that he does not have to submit to an interview if he is not informed of the allegations against him beforehand. The reply also states Paxton should still be allowed to play baseball until he is informed of the allegations against him, although the university claims a right to withhold an athlete from competition if he has “unresolved eligibility questions.” The issues surrounding Paxton’s eligibility appear to come from his relationship
with Scott Boras, a high-profile MLB agent who represents MLB superstars Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, among others. Under NCAA rules, amateur athletes are allowed to consult advisers during the negotiation process, but the advisers are not allowed to be in contact with the professional team. According to an Aug. 18 newspaper article included in UK’s 87page response, Toronto Blue Jays interim president Paul Beeston said Boras negotiated with the team after Paxton was taken with the 37th overall pick in baseball’s 2009 amateur draft. One of Paxton’s lawyers, Richard G. Johnson, told the Kernel in a phone interview on Dec. 4 that neither Paxton nor Boras can be forced to disclose whether Boras negotiated for Paxton, because it would be a violation of the attorney-client privilege. Paxton, a senior, was set to become the Cats ace and to lead the pitching staff for UK head coach Gary Henderson. Paxton finished last year with a 5-3 record and a 5.86 earned run average. The lefthander won the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week award once after beating Ole Miss in 2008. The next court date for the case is set for Jan. 15, 2010.