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Volume 99 | Issue 27
ntdaily.com
Eagle Network site usage rises A SHLEY ROSE Intern
Us a ge of t he C a r e er Center’s Eagle Network site has increased 10 percent from this time last year, according to Dan Naegeli, director of the Career Center. Students submitted more than 63,000 resumes and appl icat ions to t he site during the 2010-2011 school year. The number posted so far this year is just less than 48,000 with several months left in the semester, Naegeli said. “The Eagle Network is a job posting site for employers,” Naegeli said. “It is also a place where we can store our
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
online resources. Since it is password protected, it limits the use of those resources to UNT students and alumni.” The website posts openings for both on-campus and off-campus jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities to which students can submit applications. “It’s very easy,” pre-history sophomore Sadie Hen ley said. “All you have to do is log on, submit the right forms, pick the jobs that interest you, and there you go. Now t he employers have your information. All you have to do now is wait.”
See NETWORK on Page 2
Upcoming Career Center Workshops • Resume Writing Workshop – March 15, 2-3 p.m. •Undecided Students Workshop – April 11, 2-3 p.m. •Organizational and Time Management Skills – April 12, 3-4 p.m.
PHOTO BY TYLER CLEVELAND/VISUALS EDITOR
Perkins+Will Design Principal Vance Cheatham discusses artist renderings of the proposed Union during the Student Government Association meeting Wednesday in Terrill Hall. The new Union would feature more ambient light and “memorable” architectural features to guide students through the building.
SGA views proposed Union layout JUSTIN BRIGHT Staff Writer
Architects from Perkins+Will and representatives from the University Union Master Plan Committee presented artist’s renderings and floor plans for the potential union to an enthu-
siastic Senate at last night’s Student Government Association meeting. The presentation was the last step before SGA votes on a referendum next week to decide whether or not to send the Union Master Plan to a student-wide vote,
which would happen April 2-6. The project’s total price is currently $120 million and would be paid for by student fees, according to Zane Reif, director of the University Union. The current fee is $51 but would increase by as much as $115.
“A prior client asked us to make a Union so cool, students would want to skip class for it,” said Richard Miller, managing principal architect for Perkins+Will. “That’s our goal with yours.”
See SGA on Page 2
Group speaks against at-will policy NICOLE BALDERAS Senior Staff Writer
PHOTO BY CHELSEA STRATSO/SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Duty Officer Jim Little works on the computer at the Denton Police Department during the night shift Wednesday.
Police track down unsettled warrants CAYDEE ENSEY & NICHOLAS CAIN Interns
Police departments from across the North Texas area are collaborating to resolve numerous outstanding warrants as a part of the sixth annual “Great Texas Warrant Roundup.” Since the roundups started Saturday, the Denton Police Department has visited 350 homes and businesses to resolve more than 800 warrants, according to Denton police officers Jay Seiler and Brian Horn, who are heading the effort in Denton. The UNT Police Department is not directly involved in the roundup, which includes more than 260 departments and courts. “This event is just a time of increased aggressiveness in finding these individuals,” Seiler said. “This is a more concentrated effort because it’s statewide.” Most of the offenses involve Class C misdemeanors, usually involving charges such as unpaid
traffic violations, according to Deputy Court Clerk Julie Johnson. It is still possible for individuals to contest their offense in court so long as a judge has not already ruled on the violation, Johnson said. “We want to make a resolution to their cases. They can pay their fines, follow us down here to post a bond or if they want to, they can turn themselves in,” Seiler said. “Our last option is to arrest. We do everything we can to avoid arrest.” The UNT Student Legal Service Center has advertised free walk-in sessions for the past few weeks to provide advising to any students with an outstanding warrant out. “While there is not much that we can do now, we can still provide legal advisement to students if need be,” said Hannah Clark, administrative clerk for the Legal Service Center. The roundup is ongoing and will continue until March 4.
Members of t he Texas St at e E mploy e e Un ion spoke to a sma l l g roup of s t udent s, s t a f f a nd faculty outside the Hurley Administration Building o n We d n e s d a y a b o u t the dangers of an at-will employment policy. Texas is an “at-will” state, which a l lows employers to demote or fire someone with or without cause – with the exception of violating discr iminat ion acts. However, UNT’s current “for cause” policy allows employees to be terminated only with a given reason a nd a f ter going t hrough listed steps, according to UNT Policy No. 1.7.1. UNT began considering cha nges to t he c u r rent employment policy during the fall, and a decision is expected to be made by the end of the year. “There is a lack of understanding about the policy among employees and the genera l publ ic,” Da l la s l a w y e r C h r i s t a B o y dNafstad said. “The system doesn’t come f rom a ny written law. It comes from common law of the 17th and 18th century known as ‘master servant law.’” The current policy has been in ef fect for more than 30 years, according to Jean Bush, vice president for finance and administration. UNT System Chancellor L e e Jack s on s a id i n a previous interview that if an at-will policy is adopted, it would not be a “pure”
PHOTO BY CHELSEA STRATSO/SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Social work junior Jacob Kartunov speaks at the protest against the consideration of the “at-will” policy outside of the Administration Building on Wednesday afternoon. Kartunov came to protest in support of his friends that are UNT employees, stating, “workers rights are human rights.” policy, a policy without an appeal process for employees and in which no cause is given for disciplinary action.
work and we give them poor grades if they’re performing poorly initially, but we give them a chance to improve by
“There is a lack of understanding about the policy among employees and the general public.” — Christa Boyd-Nafstad Dallas lawyer
“I find it [at-will employment] to be inconsistent with the philosophy of a universit y,” s a id E r i n O’ Toole, head of the Eagle Commons Library. “We teach students, and we evaluate them on their
testing and evaluating, so it makes no sense to me to not offer the same thing to our employees.” The UNT Board of Regents hosted si x meet i ngs i n November 2011 to i n for m
attendees of t he proposed policy and allowed for audience members to ask a ny questions. O’Toole presented a bibliography of studies of at-will use in Texas and in Georgia during the meetings. “It d iscou rages w h ist le blowers, it lowers mora le a nd it ca n even i ncrea se legal clause, because when employees are fired without reason they are likely to sue,” O’Toole said. Though changing the policy wou ld on ly direct ly a f fect UNT employees, students also showed their support. “UNT is one of t he few places where people in the state have t his protect ion and they’re trying to take it away,” anthropolog y senior Elizabeth Clinton said.
Inside U.S., North Korea reach nuclear agreement News | Page 2
Madness at the UNT opera Arts & Life | Page 3
College students should know their politics Views | Page 7