The student voice of Midwestern State University
The Wichitan page 4 Britney’s back!
Miss Spears seems to have left psychosis behind for this year’s VMA awards.
page 5 Home sweet home Mustangs win home debut against Dallas Baptist to improve to 9-0.
WEDNESDAY september 10, 2008
Photo by Patrick Johnston Carpentry Foreperson Steve Smith checks on the construction crew’s progress on the Fowler Building. The Fowler Building is one of the many renovations on campus and is expected to be completed by Spring 2009.
MSU construction flurry continues Chris Collins Managing Editor Hundreds of college students and their friends gather around the fire pit Saturday night, drinking, smoking, laughing. Beer cans and cigarette butts litter the muddy ground as the party crescendos into an uproar and a few fights break out. It’s another weekend at the Grove, Wichita Falls’ newest community for college students. The complex, located off Southwest Parkway near Taft, opened Aug. 15. There have been problems ever since. Saturday night becomes Sunday morning as the late-night partiers drift back to their apartments to sleep. The party’s over, and so is the fun. All that’s left in the morn-
see “GROVE” on pg. 3
MSU discourages concurrent enrollment Chris Collins Managing Editor Dual enrollment – taking classes at MSU and another college simultaneously – is being actively discouraged by the MSU administration. This fall, MSU President Jessie Rogers announced to faculty that students should be steered away from taking classes at other institutions. MSU has not issued a written policy on the matter. “When students take courses we require somewhere else we
don’t get the student’s money or the government’s money,” said Dr. Friederike Wiedemann, provost, at an Enrollment Management meeting Tuesday. “We have a problem with concurrent enrollment,” she continued. “If a student is an MSU student, he should just be an MSU student.” Dually enrolled students currently have to get the okay from advisers before getting credit for classes taken at other universities. Administration calls it a “soft permission” because it’s
almost routine to grant students these credits. “We will be stricter,” said Wiedemann. “If there is a good reason we will let the student do that. If there isn’t, we won’t.” Advisers and deans of colleges, not students, will decide if students have a good reason to pursue academics at other institutions. “It’s not going to be routine anymore,” Wiedemann said. “I thought I understood the permission was there so a student didn’t take an off-the-wall
course,” said Darla Inglish of the office of the registrar. “We don’t want to forestall someone’s graduation or cause them not to communicate with their advisers.” Apparently, the issue boils down to money. “We don’t want to hurt a student; however, we don’t want to fund other universities when we need to pay our own people. We have our own equipment and supplies,” Wiedemann said.
see “CREDIT” on pg. 3
Andrew Weitner For The Wichitan Tall orange cones, mounds of dirt, tractors and construction tape mark the entrances to MSU. The face of the 86-yearold campus is changing to the tune of approximately $58 million. The projects are: • $19.6 million Recreation Center and Vinson Health Center near Sikes Lake • $7.7 million McCoy Engineering Hall, formerly known as the Fowler Building • $9.3 million renovation of Ligon Coliseum • $700,000 renovation of Martin Hall and Bridwell Hall • $20.6 million for student housing. The Recreation Center and Vinson Health Center were scheduled to be finished by the end of 2008, but problems with steel fabrication delayed the projects, according to Kyle Owen, associate director of the Physical Plant. The completion date has been moved to February 2009. Noting that student money is being, Steve Shelton, construction inspector/administrator, said pressure has been put on the construction firm to speed up the project. “A celebration of materials” is how Eric Miller, an architect with SHW Group of Austin, describes the new McCoy Engineering Building, between Louis Rodriguez Drive and Martin Hall. The main elements of the construction materials are unfinished copper, glass, structural steel and roulon. One of the unique features are “study pods” on the second floor that will overlook glass labs visible from every angle. Kalwall, a translucent panel that diffuses light runs across the upper wall, brings natural
light into the study pods and the glass laboratories. “It’s like this building has its own light source; it glows,” Shelton said. Dr. Idir Azouz, chair of the McCoy School of Engineering, said he is anxious to move the department from its cramped quarters in McCoullough Hall. Ligon Coliseum is undergoing a $9.3 million renovation to replace air handling units and old piping. Changes are also under way to make the building more accessible to the handicapped. “We had an ADA (American Disability Act) Texas Accessibility Standards Review done of it and there are a lot issues because it (Ligon Coliseum) is 40 years old,” Owen said. Among major changes will be a ramp to improve access at the top level of the stadium. Martin Hall, which housed social work and pre-law departments, was plagued by mold last year, leading to its closing. New heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units will be installed to reduce humidity. Even though classes are still being conducted in Bridwell Hall it will be dealing with an exterior drainage problem that caused water to pool under the foundation. Bridwell remains in the design stage. The yet-to-be-named student residence building, to be erected where the Mercantile Building once stood, is still in the dirt phase. Construction is scheduled to be completed Aug. 10, 2009. Citing the shortage of student housing, Owen said current building plans have factored in days for inclement weather and possible construction problems. The building should be ready for occupancy by next fall, he said.