Technician
friday february
24 2012
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Talley construction remains on schedule
Program enhances forensic studies
Time, budget constraints have been met so far in New Talley construction.
New developments in University’s forensic science program helping to solve crimes.
Elise Heglar
Lauren Vanderveen
News Editor
Staff Writer
Not many students may be taking constant notice of the work on the new Talley Student Center as they pass to and from their classes. However, the project’s progress has been consistent. TJ Willis, assistant director of the University Student Center, said the project has gone well from the start. Since the project is working under a strict schedule, there were initially some budget concerns, but there have been no issues since construction commenced. “We are on schedule and on budget, which is great,” Willis said. Bill Davis, architect and project manager for Talley, said the project has been going very smoothly despite initial concerns about the tight deadline for construction. The entire project is currently scheduled to be finished in December 2014. “It’s a really tight schedule, and a lot of issues come up when you’re working like that. But everything is going really well; everything is moving forward on time and the budget looks good,” Davis said. One of the biggest challenges the project has faced, according to Davis, is the fear of over-spending. Since the University wants to wrap up the project as soon as possible, it has been difficult not to strain the budget. “There is definitely a challenge in that through the whole process,” Davis said. During the construction, some things in Talley Student Center have inevitably been moved around. The Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service, otherwise known as CSLEPS, moved their offices out of Talley earlier this semester. Once the offices were moved, the rooms, located on the third floor, were turned into extra study lounges for students. Willis said these new study lounges have already received a lot of student interest.
featured speakers chose to wear their veils. Devotion and dedication to their faith are ideas the four speakers were motivated by to step forward and wear their traditional garb. “Although it is encouraged for Muslim women to start wearing the veil around puberty because we are responsible for all of our actions and choices at that moment, it’s ultimately preferred for them to wear it when they are comfortable to make that commitment to their religion,” Sarah Busaileh, senior in microbiology, said. For students who are interested in having a chance to experience wearing a veil, the Women’s Center will be hosting a follow-up to ‘Behind the Veil.’ Participants will
Pop culture television shows, such as “Bones” and “CSI”, have become the basis for what many think forensic science to be — murder and drama. Here at N.C. State, though, the forensic science program has sought to realistically prepare students and police officers alike for the field. The recent creation of the Forensic Science Institute has incorporated efforts from multiple colleges, David Hinks, director of the institute, said in a radio interview with WPTF. The interdisciplinary effort ranges from the colleges of engineering and computer science to entomology and textiles. In fact, computer science and engineering faculty are working to develop virtual three-dimensional crime scenes, Hinks said. The system for these 3-D crime scenes is called ‘IC-Crime,’ and is currently in its research stage. Crime scene investigators can globally access it and collaborate. Similarly, the “Discovery and Recovery” seminar, sponsored by the National Institute of Justice, was held last May. Students, law enforcement and forensic scientists studied alongside each other to learn how to locate and identify evidence within crime scenes. Lacey Treadway, a junior in bioarchaeology, saw how forensic anthropology can also work on the same level as other disciplines, such as in her own major. “In both fields, being able to identify aspects of the skeleton like sex, age, height and pathologies possessed by the individual are important to successful work,” Treadway said. However, where an archaeologist would use that information to identify gender, as well as things like work and eating habits, a forensic anthropologist would use the human remains to determine an unknown identity, Treadway said. Officially, neither N.C. State nor anywhere else in North Carolina has an accredited forensic science academic program, according to Hinks. The University does, however, offer a minor in forensic science. Roughly 40 students are currently in the minor, Hinks said. Members of N.C. State faculty have actually testified in court, based on their findings in crime scenes and their professional expertise. In the 2008 case of 19-month-old DeVarion Gross’ death, Ann Ross, co-director of the Forensic Science Institute, provided the state medical examiner’s office with her report. She concluded that the boy’s rib fractures indicated abuse prior to his death, according to an article on N.C. State’s official website. Ross’ achievements, which include developing a skull-mapping technique to help determine the ancestry of remains, have won her recognition around the world, as well as in the classroom. “Dr. Ross is amazing,” Treadway said. “She’s smart and entertaining, but incredibly informative. Her [Intro to Forensic Anthropology] class was probably one of the best classes I’ve had at State.” “Professor Ann Ross is an internationally renowned forensic anthropologist that has worked in Haiti, worked through the Katrina disaster, [and] has been in Panama for the Panamanian Truth Commission,” Hinks said. A collaborative effort on a dyed fiber database is also in the works, with the help of a $600,000 grant from the National Institute for Justice, Dieter Griffis, director of the Analytical Instrumentation Facility, said. The database, which would be the first of its kind, would help differentiate fibers by type and amount of dye.
veil continued page 3
csi continued page 3
Bradley wilson/Technician archive photo
The NCSU Bookstore was demolished at the end of June 2011. The bookstore will eventually be part of the new Talley Student Center once construction is complete. The project is currently on schedule.
“We’ve seen great reactions to the for students in the completion of new study lounge spaces. It really this project. The hope is for Talley to shows the needs of our students,” become a main focus of campus for University students. Willis said. “It will help give According to Wilstudents something lis, t he prev ious they don’t really study spaces prohave right now. It vided in Talley were will hopefully connot greatly used by nect campus better students due to the than the current displeasing layout. Talley does,” Davis “The student said. lounges in the old Another benefit Talley were not that to the renovations, inviting and not loaccording to Dacated in great placvis, is an increased es,” Willis said. The study lounges TJ Willis, assistant director of the amount of traffic University Student Center through Talley. It are currently open w i l l mea n more for student use, but will close for a few weeks after spring students spending time near Stewart break to accommodate construction, Theater and throughout the building according to Willis. When the con- in general. “This is going to be a building that’s struction is completed, the lounges will be available to students once a showcase for the University,” Davis said. again. Molly Hedges, junior in English, Davis said he sees various merits
“We’ve seen great reactions to the new study lounge spaces. It really shows the needs of our students.”
is not quite as excited by the construction. While she does admit it has not affected her in a very negative way, she said the project itself seems unnecessary. “I didn’t really see anything wrong with our old student center. [The renovation] will be worth it for other people maybe, but I won’t be here,” Hedges said. Despite her disinterest in the project, Hedges maintains that the construction has been easy to deal with as a student living on campus. “Everyone I know hasn’t been too affected by it,” Hedges said. Student opinions have been varied on the project, according to Willis. “Students say things like, ‘It’s an eyesore, why is it here?’ But the thing about construction is it’s an ebb and flow. The biggest thing is to keep students informed about what we’re doing,” Willis said.
Undercover as a Muslim woman
insidetechnician
Women’s Center hosted annual panel discussion on Muslim women who choose to wear the veil. Shawn Thompson Staff Writer
Planned Parenthood, steadfast despite controversy See page 5.
A friend for coffee See page 6.
‘Fought’ his way to success See page 8.
viewpoint features classifieds sports
4 5 7 8
The Women’s Center and the Muslim Student Association hosted its annual discussion panel yesterday on Muslim women who decide to wear a religious veil. The event featured a discussion panel where different Muslim women shared their experiences wearing the veil, and how they are perceived in society because of it. The featured speakers of the panel hope to erase the stereotypes of Muslims, often presented in the media, by continuing to educate N.C. State’s campus through these discussions. “We have this event each year. Many people aren’t aware why we wear the veils. So the panel serves as a way to educate people. So they learn the reasons why we chose to wear them,” said Nadine Shehadeh, sophomore in chemistry. The panel consisted of Muslim women from different backgrounds with unique stories to tell. The event also featured other female students on campus who volunteered to wear the veils for a day. This gave nonMuslim students the opportunity to experience what Muslim women go through on a daily basis. The discussion panel speakers each discussed their personal experiences and also answered questions from the audience. Questions were
NC State Class Ring
Jade loring/Technician
N.C. State Muslim Student Association and the Women’s Center sponsored “Beyond the Veil,” a talk given by women students of Islamic faith about the hijab on Thursday.
given to the panel to create diverse information for everyone who attended. Some of the questions focused on personal perspectives of wearing the veil, but social influences were also incorporated. Respect was a popular theme amongst the panel’s discussion. Many of the women noticed the respect they gained by wearing their veils, and how their peers reacted positively to their personal decisions. “I want people to know this is a choice, every girl has a choice. We aren’t being forced to wear these. We get many stereotypes that males make us wear the veils. But that’s not true. Muslim women have a choice. The veils are a symbol for the devotion to our religion,” said Shehadeh. Verses from the Quran were also included during the discussion panel to give a better insight on why the
Mon-Fri, Feb 20-24 10am to 3pm at NC State Bookstore