University Press February 14, 2019

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UNIVERSITY PRESS

The Newspaper of Lamar University

Vol. 95, No. 15 February 14, 2019

Gray Library conducting services survey Laney Powdrill UP contributor

Lamar University’s Gray Library will be assessing an online LibQual survey. The survey, which began Monday, will last about five weeks. The five-minute survey gives the students a chance to voice their opinions on the services the library has to offer, Michael Saar, interim instruction and assessment coordinator, said. Prizes will be awarded to randomly selected participants. The survey can be found on the library’s home page at lamar.edu/library. “If a student or faculty member has opinions on services of-

fered or resources offered, or the building as a whole, this is the best opportunity to have your voice heard because we are going to use this heavily in how we plan for the future of the library,” Saar, who is coordinating the survey, said. “We are planning on doing it on a recurring basis, so we can continually access what people think of the library and where they would like us to go so we can use that to help make decisions.” Changes have occurred since the last survey was conducted in 2011, Saar said. For example, tests for more convenient service hours were pursued and training for personnel was

scheduled following student responses. “We will certainly be comparing these results to what happened before to see if we have improved,” Saar said. “This will also help access what changes need to be made.” The prizes consist of an iPad and two separate $10 Starbucks gift cards. In order to have a chance to win, participants will submit their email when they have finished the survey. When the survey is finished after five weeks, one random email will be selected for each prize. The survey is anonymous, and the email provided for the

UP photo by Cade Smith

Treyvion Smither-Byrd, sophomore chemical engineering major, studies for an exam on the first floor of Gray Library, Tuesday. prizes will remain separate from the survey data.

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For more information, email Michael.saar@lamar.edu.

Learning to recycle Claire Robertson UP contributor

UP graphic by Noah Dawlearn

Henson finds self in love from other Cassandra Jenkins UP editor

Chance Henson, left, with Shawn Hare.

Love is fickle. It’s strange and it moves in ways no one thinks is possible, and today is one of those days that makes or breaks love — Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated, typically filled with roses, chocolates and love letters. But for some, love doesn’t always come easy. LU alumnus Chance Henson is an international private charter flight attendant from Jasper who said his first Valentine’s Day was anything but happy. “My first Valentine’s Day was an awakening,” Henson said in an email interview. “I’d lived most of

my life within the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well as in the closet as a gay man.” Henson said that when he finally came out to his congregation and friends at the age of 21, he was immediately disfellowshipped from the congregation, and later, by his family at the age of 22. “If you’re unfamiliar with Jehovah’s Witnesses, this process includes being cut off from contact with all of your friends and family who are members of the organization,” he said. “In short, within a few months of coming out. I found myself entirely alone, except for a single friend, my best friend, who was not a member of See VALENTINES page 5

Lamar has more than 3,000 recycling bins on campus. Every classroom, office and dorm room has access to recycling. However, Lamar is currently recycling only eight percent of its waste, Alicen Flosi, director of sustainability, said. “We are doing a lot more than we used to,” she said. “Some of the dorms have competitions. Their recycling bins are filled up, so that’s a lot more than we ever used to do.” When Flosi became the director of sustainability in 2014, one of her first priorities was recycling. “The way you’re supposed to do it, is everywhere you have a trash bin you should have a recycling bin,” she said. “That way people can make the right choice. But, it’s a lot more work and people have to do it right.” This year, Lamar is participating in RecycleMania, an eight-week-long competition between universities to increase recycling efforts and reduce waste. “The people who do our recycling will send me the numbers once a week, and I send it to RecycleMania,” Flosi said. These weekly numbers are shared with, and compared to, other universities. This year will serve as a benchmark year to compare Lamar’s waste and recycling to other universities. In 2020, Lamar will participate in RecycleMania as a competitor. Flosi’s goal for 2020 is at least 15 or 20 percent recycling. She thinks the increase is possible if everyone knows how. Recycling is not commonplace in Southeast Texas, and students often misuse the green containers on campus. “This person walked up and tried to put their trash in the trash can but it was full, so they just turned around and put it in the recycling,” Carolyn Langhoff, Lake Jackson senior, said. The recycling bins on campus accept types one, two and five of plastic, as well as cardboard and See RECYCLE page 2

Beaumont native becomes LU public affairs director Cade Smith UP staff writer

What started as an interest in journalism in the third grade turned into a career for Shelly Vitanza, LU’s new director of public affairs, that led her to meeting many fascinating people and, ultimately, returning back to her home town of Beaumont. “I had always done some type of writing or publication for my entire life,” she said. “I said this is what I wanted to do because it’s what I do. It was so natural to me. I loved photography and I almost got a minor in it. “I remember talking with my mother when we went to orientation at Texas A&M University. I

started looking through the catalogue, and I got to the journalism school and started looking at the classes (and) got excited. I said, ‘You know mom, I would really enjoy journalism,’ and she said, ‘Uh, yeah, because that is all you have ever done.’” Vitanza earned a bachelor’s in journalism with a minor in political science. She said she went to Texas A&M for practical reasons. “I think, now, you choose the school based on what you are going to major in,” she said. “My dad went to A&M, and he told me he would pay for me to go to A&M. If I wanted to go somewhere else, I had to get a job and pay for it myself — so I decided to go to A&M.” Vitanza has done just about

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every journalism job there is. “I did an internship in Washington D.C.,” she said. “It was a coop actually, and I worked for the CIA on Capitol Hill — it was interesting. They employ journalists because they take images from their analysts from all over the world and they put together reports, and then go to members of Congress.” After her internship, Vitanza moved to Houston for her next job. “I worked for two different nonprofit organizations,” she said. “The first non-profit, I worked for two years, was an independent grocers’ organization and I did all See VITANZA page 8

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UP photo by Noah Dawlearn

Shelly Vitanza, director of public affairs, reminisces about her time as a a journalist in her office in the Reaud Honors Building, Feb. 8.

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