Technician
friday october
16 2009
Raleigh, North Carolina
Obama, too soon for Nobel Prize? and Woodrow Wilson did it during their terms. Jimmy Carter won the prize as well, but after his term in the Oval Office. Students like Jared Cottrell, a freshNick Tran man in aerospace engineering, are Staff Writer wondering what Obama has done as Last Friday president Obama was president to win the award. “I don’t think Obama has had awarded the Nobel Peace prize for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen- enough time to establish himself as a ing international diplomacy and co- meaningful role,” Cottrell said. “He operation.” Obama, as well as oth- has not been in office long enough ers present at the awards ceremony, to have significant influence on the was reported to have been visibly world yet.” Cottrell said people like Obama as shocked at the announcement. Since then, questions have arisen as to what president and the only effect he has qualifications make Obama deserving had is to make people happy. “The committee wants to make of the award. The process for choosing a Nobel people happy too; that’s why they gave laureate begins in Sept. with a call him the award,” he said. Winslow Dalpe, freshman in comfor nominations. Those qualified to puter science, said make nominations t he Nobel Cominclude university mittee awarded the professors, former prize as just a porecipients of the litical statement on prize, and members Obama’s presidency of various internacompared to that of tional organizations. George W. Bush. Nominations are “It’s too soon, submitted in Feb., [ O b a m a] h a s n’t and the nominees earned it yet,” Dalpe are evaluated by the said. “They’re cheapNobel committee Tom Wilkinson, graduate ening the merit of through Aug. student in English the award by giving In Oct., the Nobel it away prematurely.” laureates are chosen Obama’s victory comes at a time by the Nobel Committee and are presented their award and prize money in of a major shift in the Nobel ComDec. by the Nobel Committee chair- mittee, namely Jagland’s return from man, currently Throrbjorn Jagland. retirement to become chairman of the Unlike Nobel Prizes in other cat- committee. Jagland was reported to have wanted egories, which are generally awarded looking back on the accomplishment to begin with his term with a splash 20 to 30 years after the fact, the No- and promised the winner would have bel Peace Prize has been traditionally global renown. To that end, Obama’s awarded for recent accomplishments victory has been criticized as a populous play. and is based on current opinion. Despite this, some students are deObama, whose presidency spans less than a year, is now the third American fending Obama and the legitimacy of president to win the Nobel Peace Prize the award. Tom Wilkinson, a second year maswhile in office: Theodore Roosevelt
Students disagree on legitimacy of Obama’s award
Did Obama deserve to win the Nobel Peace Prize? Why or why not? by Amanda Wilkins
“No, he hasn’t done anything. I don’t really understand why he got one. The prize is actually for doing something, not coming up with an idea.” Lauren Wright freshman, elementary education
“I’m frustrated that Obama is being criticized for winning the Peace Prize.”
Tim O’Brien/Technician File Photo
President Barack Obama speaks at his town hall forum on health care at Broughton high school July 29, 2009. The president touched on the quality of the current health care system and how his improvement will help citizens.
ter’s student in English, said he was going to take the victory as a patriot. “I’m frustrated that Obama is being criticized for winning the Peace Prize,” he said. “We should be celebrating his victory and using to move the country forward.” Wilkinson said he felt the social
or political circumstances were irrelevant. “I don’t know if there were other politics involved, and I don’t know that politics really matter. It’s not like Obama had a hand in deciding if he won or not,” Wilkinson said.
“No. I admire the progress he has made but, in comparison to others who have won, I do not think he has accomplished any of the feats of Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. Even though he is an icon, I do not think he has accomplished much yet.” Jordan McIntyre freshman, aerospace engineering
Commission seeks ticketing input Dialogue communicates Students voice opinions on ticketing at open forum
organization’s goals
Arth Pandya
Housing, safety, acceptance all concerns for GLBT students and allies
Staff Writer
Student Government’s athletic commission held an open forum last night, giving students an opportunity to discuss and offer feedback about the student ticketing system has frustrated students during the beginning of the football season. Jeffrey Johnson, the SG chairman of athletics, said student feedback is important as the commission goes forward to re-evaluate the system. “[Athletics] is an important part of student life and I want students to feel that they have an hands-on approach to ticketing,” Johnson said. The open forum was held six weeks after the season opening South Carolina football game that left many students without tickets. Associate Athletic Director Dick Christy released a statement Oct. 5 addressing common queries students had regarding the ticketing system, from concerns over point distribution to failed e-mail notifications about ticket claims. Christy said more than 13,000 students requested tickets for approximately 8,000 seats. “No matter how they are distributed there is going to be a large contingent of students who are frustrated that they were not awarded a seat,” Christy said. A major topic discussed at the forum was the way the ticket distribution system operated. Though the system gives seniors higher probability to win tickets, many students felt it was unacceptable that some freshman could receive tickets over upperclassmen. Data from the South Carolina game showed freshman requested significantly more tickets than the sopho-
Heidi Klumpe Staff Writer
david mabe/Technician
Associate Athletics Director Dick Christy speaks at the student ticketing forum in the Carmichael Recreation Center Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009. The forum was held to receive feedback from students on the ticketing process. Christy was responding to a question about problems some students have had receiving attendance points.
more and junior classes. Christy said the only class to beat freshman were seniors and graduate students, which are combined. Christy said this was one of the primary reasons why freshman received a higher amount of tickets. “It is a hybrid of seniority and loyalty. If you were a senior for the South Carolina game, you had more chance in the lottery —but that didn’t mean you were going to get picked— just more chance.” However, Christy did acknowledge that more effectively informing the study body about the system could have lessened student confusion and outrage. “A lot of the feedback we got back
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were students didn’t really understand how loyalty points worked,” Christy said. Concerns over the e-mail notifications —which failed to notify students about ticket claim periods— were also addressed. According to Christy, Athletics is working with the Office of Information Technology to get the problem —which may lie in the filtering process— fixed. Trisha Gooding, a junior in zoology and psychology, said the new system has actually been beneficial for her. “I’ve had better seats this year
This semester’s diversity dialogue, entitled “Is Everyone Really Welcome?”, partnered with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Center to present the personal stories of students as well as this organization’s efforts to raise awareness on campus. “To be safe, the number of education programs has to increase,” said Justine Hollingshead, the director of the GLBT Center. The dialogue came as one of a series of events in “Everyone Welcome Here” week, continuing with today’s Blue Jeans Day and concluding with Saturday’s “Raleigh is Coming Out” party. The week began with painting the Free Expression Tunnel painting on Monday, though it was met with negative responses, which is just another example of the need for change, according to Hollingshead. “You walk by the big mural, and this is what you see,” she said, referring to the anti-GLBT community messages in the tunnel. “A member of the GLBT community feels, ‘Well, gosh, I’m not
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welcome.’” Luke Harris, a sophomore in sociology, felt the messages were important. “Leaving it on the wall raises awareness,” he said. “It’s a representation of what we go through every day.” Harris was one of four panelists at the event who each shared personal stories about their experiences on campus, a key feature of the event “When people can put a face with an idea, it’s personal,” Hollingshead said. “It’s a lot harder to hate some you know.” The panelists’ stories demonstrated many of the issues which the college experience complicates. “Families just walk away,” Hollingshead said of many of her students’ experiences. “People take for granted having that family support.” The campus also provides what she calls a “fishbowl environment,” an effect of constantly being around others whether in a classroom, dormitory or dining hall. “It’s really hard to be anonymous,” she said. “You’re always being looked at. It’s harder to hide.” The GLBT Center, located on the third floor of Talley Student Center, focuses on providing resources, education, awareness and advocacy for
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