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Forum discusses library closure JORDAN HALL’S NATURAL RESOURCE LIBRARY COULD CLOSE TO HELP UNIVERSITY CONSERVE FUNDS Students, faculty discuss library’s convenience, sustainability Ty Johnson & Jake Goldbas News Editor and Staff Writer
The College of Natural Resources held its second forum to further discuss budget cuts that would impact the college’s library in Jordan Hall Monday. The University is considering closing down the Natural Resources library and integrating it into D.H. Hill library in an effort to cut costs. Susan Nutter, vice-provost and director of Libraries Administration, Robert Brown, College of Natural Resources dean, Carolyn Argentati, associate vice provost and deputy director of Libraries, and Terry Hill, assistant to the vice provost and director of Libraries Administration, facilitated the discussion. Vice-Provost Nutter opened the forum by assuring that she was not in support of the library’s possible closure. “I’m on your side,” Nutter said. “I don’t want to close this library.” In order to accommodate budget cut scenarios, Nutter said many ideas were considered aside from closing the library, including charging money for interlibrary loan books or merging the digital media lab with the Learning Commons.
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The Natural Resources Library may be closed due to budget cuts and its materials moved to D.H. Hil Library, but many feel that this change would be detrimental to the College of Natural Resources.
Another scenario considered was cutting up to 500 journal titles and merging some of the three smaller satellite libraries with D.H. Hill. Argentati said the current proposal is to cut $525,000 from the budget or reduce 26 percent
of books and journals per student. Under this proposal, the number of journals would be cut by 10 percent. Some attendants were moved to tears by the idea of closing the library. Many professors said having the NRL in the building
STUDENT MEDIA LEADERSHIP FORUM
was one of the reasons they chose to come to N.C. State. One professor said the tour of the library was essential to his recruitment process. Students in attendance voiced concerns about the lack of study space in the three main CNR buildings. Sarah Watts, a senior in fisheries and wildlife sciences said she would miss the convenience of the library if it were closed. “I really like it over here on this side of campus because a lot of my classes are over here,” Watts said. “It’s a good place to study and I’ve done lots of projects with groups and stuff like that. It stinks having to walk all the way across campus and all the way back.” Nate Osborne, a senior in forestry management, agreed. “It’s a real bad use of the resources that we have on campus [to close the NRL], because we already are very limited here and all students, natural resources and other programs which are situated on this side of campus, are areas where we can access information and collaborate with other students and also just have a place to spend 30 minutes to just go down and hop on the computer, or pull out a book that you’re researching,” Osborne said. “Since we’re so far situated here and already isolated on campus it’s difficult for teachers to put something on reserve for us [at D.H. Hill.] [With the NRL in Jordan, I don’t have to walk 30 minutes to get there.”
EPA asks questions about car emissions Vehicle emission pollutants increase, Department of Transportation fights back
big city. When speaking to Thomas Kendig, the director of transportation, and Christine Klein, the information and communication specialist, listed many things the department is doing to limit the amount of pollutants Amber Kenney Correspondent emitted around campus. Kendig and Klein reiterated On March 9, Dr. Alan Vette, the main goal of Transportation, from the United States Envi- which is mass transit. They said, ronmental Protection Agen- “We encourage students and faccy, gave a seminar regarding ulty to use buses and carpools.” exposure assessments of air To encourage students and facpollutants. ulty to use public transportation Starting his presentation, and carpools, Transportation ofVette said, “Here in Ameri- fers partner programs, including ca, we have the U-pass. a love affair T he U-pa s s with the auallows students tomobile.” and faculty to To follow ride t he Trihis comment, a ng le Tra nsit Ve t te pre Authority buses sented many and the Capital startling facts Thomas Kendig, director of Area Transit Systhat generally tem for no cost. transportation on N.C. State’s linked expoThese buses Wolfline transit sure to traffic take people all to many huaround the triman illnessangle area. es. He said, When address“Increased intensity of traf- ing air pollutions with regard to fic patterns result in higher the Wolfline buses, Kendig said, levels of air pollutants from “We have one of the cleanest bus vehicles.” fleets in the nation.” Vette’s facts and statements Kendig then went on to explain instantly prompted questions that the Wolfline buses are new from those in the audience, and use a clean diesel fuel which, with the focus being the lo- according to Transportation, has cation of campus close to ultra low sulfur levels. a major city, and the traffic patterns that accompany the EPA continued page 3
“We have one of the cleanest bus fleets in the nation.”
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Mike Alston, senior in civil engineering, says his opening remarks so the Student Media Forum in the Student Senate Chambers Monday night. Alston has been with WKNC for 1 year and is now running for general manager. “It’s a pretty big honor to run for GM,” Alston said. “I think we all would do a good job.” All 10 applicants running for the top Student Media positions will find out if they have been accepted Tuesday night after the Student Media Board meeting.
Chancellor Oblinger to give State of N.C. State address today Chancellor to speak on the University’s role in North Carolina’s economic growth Jessica Hall Staff Writer
Chancellor James Oblinger is slated to give his second “State of N.C. State” address today. In accordance with the University’s 113th birthday this past Saturday, the Chancellor and others thought it to be a good time to reflect on the current successes of the University, Oblinger said. “I will be highlighting some
STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY: TIME: 11 a.m. PLACE: Stewart Theatre, Talley Student Center All students and faculty are encouraged to attend SOURCE: NCSU
of the achievements of our alumni, the achievements of our faculty and administration, the achievements of our student athletes [and] the recognition they have won on and off their field of play, whether it’s a court or a field,” Oblinger said. The ”state of state” is measured
by the University’s accomplishments in five key focus areas, “equally weighted” by Oblinger, delineated in his inaugural “State of N.C. State” address in September 2007. “The five focus areas deal with leadership, health and well-being, with energy and the environment, economic development, and educational innovation,” continued Oblinger. The Chancellor will discuss “the need for nuclear power, therefore nuclear engineering as a field, the work we are doing with bio-energy [and] electric energy and [the freedom] center that is going to revolutionize the American home and American
business as it relates to the electric grid in America, with regard to energy and the environment.” “While it is nice to hear what the University is doing well, some would prefer to hear a bit more comforting words,” Dwayne Barnes, Honors Program Administrative Assistant said. “I think looking at past accomplishments are good, but we also need to not look backwards, we need to look forward and see what is going to help us to maintain the college the way it is, being able to offer everything we have in the past to students, is to look at growth in the university and I think part of that is making
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Red means go.
2 for $20 @ NC State Bookstores
Prandecki’s uphill battle See page 8.
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