Raising the Bar A new Denton lounge hopes to break the college bar mold. Page 5 Wednesday, April 27, 2011
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Volume 97 | Issue 46
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ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
Revamped library sets to unveil study space Technology gives library a ‘facelift’ BY CORRISA JACKSON Staff Writer
ARTS & LIFE: Department chair works with students for performance Page 3
SPORTS:
Students now have access to technology thought to be available only to professors, thanks to the renovations in the Eagle Commons Library. Today ma rk s t he g ra nd opening of the Eagle Commons Librar y, formerly known as the Science and Technology Librar y, in the Information Science Building. The grand opening will begin at 10 a.m. with a software demonstration and a reception will follow at 2 p.m. Scott Jackson, the library facilities/systems director, said plans for renovation had been in the works since March 2010. “The space was very old and due for a facelift,” Jackson said. “We wanted to do something that brought it up into current times with what students learn and study now.” The Eagle Commons Library
vations is the new technology available to students. O’Toole said in addition to the PCs that were available before the renovations, students can now use Mac computers. T he l ibra r y ha s t wo Starboards — interactive whiteboards that allow users to draw on projections from a PC with a finger or stylus. With the Starboard, students involved in a study group or a group presentation can work on papers or projects in a more visual way, O’Toole said. I nd i v i d u a l i n s t r u c t i on rooms accommodate about 15 people, so students can study or rehearse giving presentations. With the NCast presentation recorder software, students can PHOTO BY ASHLEY-CRYSTAL FIRSTLEY/STAFF WRITER record their presentations for The instruction rooms are part of the new Eagle Commons Library, formerly known as the Science and Technology Li- practice or to upload it online, brary. Renovation began in November and was completed in February. One room has seven new computer stations that O’Toole said. Nancy Crabb, the marketing come with an NCast presentation recorder, which allows students to record presentations. specialist for the library, said The renovations came in tions officially started in mid- ever y thing is designed for has undergone renovations to make the space more suitable response to the LibQUAL+TM November and were completed group study. “I never saw a library look for group study and presenta- Sur vey t he UNT Libraries in February. The entire renovation cost like this,” she said. “Ever y tions. Students now have access system conducts every other to newer technology such as year, where students expressed about $322,000, Jackson said. time I’ve been in here, it’s been packed.” Starboards and presentation desire for a place tailored to Technology recorders, said Erin O’Toole, group study, O’Toole said. The highlight of the renoO’Toole said the renovathe head of the library. See NEW on Page 2
New lab houses seed project
Men’s golf team trails Pioneers Page 4
BY M ATTHEW CARDENAS Staff Writer
VIEWS: SGA presidential candidates say why you should vote for them Page 5
ONLINE: Check out student buzz about the bees
PHOTO BY TARYN WALKER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The UNT Health Science Center’s Center for Human Identification analyzes 100 to 150 forensic cases a year. This skull replica is an example of remains that are often found in the field.
UNT center identifies found human remains Center has helped solve 600 cases BY LINDA NGUYEN Intern
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In 1999, 6-year-old Opal Jennings was abducted from her grandmother’s front yard in Saginaw, Texas. In 2003, a couple spotted a section of skull while horseback riding. The UNT Center for Human Identification was asked to identify the remains and found a match, allowing the family to finally put their little girl to rest. Jennings’ case is one of hundreds that the UNT Health Science Center for Human Identification tries to solve every day in order to allow families to finally have a definite answer about their missing loved ones. “Any law enforcement agency or state medical examiner can get a DNA sample and upload it to the Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS (here),”
said B.J. Spamer, the program manager for the forensics services unit at the center. “As of now, we’ve identified over 600 people.” Spamer said they have more than 500 cases they are currently working on. “We are always working on several cases,” said Spamer. “There are always people to identify.” Recently, they were given a skull from Garvin County in Oklahoma. There were no matches found for the skull. Now, they are going to input the DNA into the national registry to try and identify it. The analysts have to pass competency tests and must continue to learn and get recertified. “They are all highly trained, and we have to make sure the lab complies with all of the regulations,” said Linda Larose, the quality manager for t he forensics department.
See PROGRAM on Page 2
The hum of the machines in the newly appointed Laboratory of Environmental Anthropology resonates throughout the hallway of the Life Sciences Building. The laboratory became the first for the Department of Anthropology when it opened Thursday and it serves as the new home for the more than 800 southern heirloom varieties of seeds that comprise the Southern Seed Legacy Project. Headed by James Veteto of the anthropology faculty the Southern Seed Legacy Project is meant to educate people about seeds of the South and keep the seeds alive. “We are just a backdrop to support a seed-saving network,” Veteto said. “We collect seeds, but we also do research.” The project began in 1996 at the University of Georgia, where Veteto worked as a graduate student.
PHOTO BY ASHLEY-CRYSTAL FIRSTLEY/STAFF WRITER
A new lab opened Thursday to house the seeds in a 50-degrees-Celsius fridge. 800 heirloom seeds from across the South are kept in the lab. Veteto moved to UNT last semester, bringing his seeds and project with him. “It was just good timing,” Veteto said about heading the lab. He said graduate students will mostly use the lab, and that lab work will start this summer. “[The project] is pretty much the same since I started working on it,” Veteto said.
Previously, the project was funded by grants, and now membership fees pay for the research, he said. Veteto said there are about 130 members across the country who are trying to preserve the seeds, and he hopes to make the seed program more sustainable.
See ANTHROPOLOGY on Page 2
Setting the stage
PHOTO BY DREW GAINES/SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Stagehands spent most of Tuesday prepping Quakertown Park and setting the stage for Denton’s 31st annual Arts and Jazz Festival. Organizers from the Denton Festival Foundation expect 200,000 people to attend the two-anda-half-day event, which begins Friday at 5 p.m. There are a total of seven stages scattered about the 20-acre fair ground. They will play host to 2,700 musicians, many of whom are UNT students performing with the lab jazz bands on the university’s own stage. Admission to the Arts and Jazz Festival is free. The event will end Sunday with a 7 p.m. performance by local band Brave Combo.