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Culture Change Sweet Treat UNT develops its own ice cream Arts & Life | Page 2
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012
News 1 Arts & Life 2 Sports 3 Views 4 Classifieds 5 Games 5
Volume 100 | Issue 03
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
UNT initiates hiring freeze as budgetary precaution JASON YANG
Senior Staff Writer Facing an uncertain budget and declining enrollment, UNT implemented a hiring freeze Aug. 1. President V. Lane Rawlins said the freeze was a precautionary and temporary measure. “UNT has no financial trouble,” Rawlins said. “It is just a safe move where we can take a breather and evaluate what we need to do to protect our school.” Rawlins said he wasn’t sure how long the freeze would last but wanted to assure the UNT community it was the quickest way to deal with
budgetary problems plaguing universities around the state. The freeze applies to all currently vacant positions at the university, except for faculty jobs funded by grants. UNT will make exceptions for positions that raise and handle money for the university and involve public safety, infrastructure or critical classes, said Warren Burggren, UNT provost and vice president of academic affairs. Any other exceptions to the freeze will be determined at a vice presidential level. According to the online UNT Fact Book, the overall total of faculty and staff working at the university has
increased by about 1.5 percent since the fall of 2009. “Every single dollar is allocated to where UNT can pay all of its bills,” Burggren said. “We simply want to save salary dollars so we can plan a better internal and external strategic investment.” A letter from Rawlins blamed a decline in enrollment, legislative waivers and exemptions that lower how much tuition money the university receives, and a need to cut UNT’s budget ahead of an upcoming legislative appropriation request for the decision. He said additional state requirements, without corresponding
state funds, are adding strain on the university’s budget. UNT enrollment declined by more than 300 students last fall, and total enrollment is expected to decline again this semester. However, Burggren said UNT was projecting to have its biggest freshman class in the university’s history this fall, and students, on average, are taking more semester hours. “It means we have more quality students who want to take more hours,” Burggren said. “It’s good for the university and to the state because the state determines our budget through the number of
Summer’s last splash
semester hours.” Burggren said exceptions to the freeze would be examined on a caseby-case basis every week and ranked according to importance. “For example, we recently hired a new dean for the College of Arts and Sciences,” Burggren said. “But that case is ranked high because CAS is the biggest college on campus.” Marketing professor Charles Blankson heard about the freeze in July when he was living and working at the University of Ghana, which regularly collaborates on projects with UNT. He said the freeze might cause
Greeks move recruit week A NDREW FREEMAN Intern
PHOTO BY ERIKA LAMBRETON/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Hot Wet Mess attendees get a little wetter after guitarist Ian Saint Pé Brown launches his beer into the crowd. Hot Wet Mess attendees watched The Black Lips close out the festival Saturday at the North Texas State Fairgrounds. See full story on page 2
qualified professors to rethink teaching at UNT, because they don’t know how long it will last. However, he said the university was making the best of a bad situation. “I know UNT is being restricted by the state budget,” Blankson said. “But as a whole, I believe UNT is handling the matter very well.” English senior Dianne Morrison thought the university could have found other ways to save money. “If the budget is tight, why did UNT build a new stadium?” Morrison said. “There are more important things, such as renovations for older buildings.”
UNT’s Interfraternity Council has moved its recruitment period, which begins this week, to coincide with sorority recruitment this year. Council officers said the change – in past years, individual UNT sororities and fraternities have recruited at different times – will allow the university’s greek community to focus on recruitment and will create less distractions. “During Rush Week, we want the incoming men to see and focus on the gentlemen of these fraternities,” said public relations senior David Wolpert, vice president of public relations for the council. “Rush Week is meant to be dry – no alcohol or women – and because sorority girls can’t get out while they’re rushing, we only increase the focus on the aspect of brotherhood.” The IFC also hopes the change will create more equality between the fraternities, because not every fraternity has a large house that allows for more resources. “If you eliminate the external distractions, everyone is now on an even playing field for a fair rush,” said emergency administration and planning senior Nicholas LaGrassa, vice president of judicial affairs for the council. Some potential new members, including many who have seen how recruitment has been conducted in the past, said they supported the new timing of recruitment week. “Honestly, I think it’s really smart,”
said pre-journalism sophomore Lio Dejesus, a potential new fraternity member. “Fraternities are about the brothers, and sororities are about the sisters, and by putting them together, they won’t be able to distract the counterpart.” Other potential fraternity members didn’t see how the change would make a difference. “Since the fraternities and sororities are all doing separate events anyway, I don’t think it truly matters on whatever way we do rush,” international studies sophomore Zack Henry said. Vice President of Recruitment Colby Garza said the IFC was all about brotherhood, the main focus of fraternities’ recruitment week. “Rush Week needs to be about the guys, about finding where you belong,” Garza said. “We want to see what goals we can accomplish together, and that’s what is important.” Gabby, first vice president of the UNT Panhellenic Council, was unable to provide her last name because she is not allowed to divulge what sorority she belongs to until recruitment week is over. She said the new schedule would help limit distractions for sororities as well. “We get to make our own decisions based off our own opinions,” she said. Unlike in past years, Recruitment Week is beginning after the start of the semester to allow new students and potential recruits to learn UNT traditions, she said. “Our saying this year is ‘Go green and then go greek.”
New business, mixed responses to Fry Street facelift DANIEL BISSELL
Leases on two additional retail spaces have yet to be officially announced. The apartment complex contains Denton residents expressed mixed fully furnished one- to four-bedroom feelings about the city’s newest housing units. Individual leases range from $625 and retail addition, but the apartments to $1,070 in monthly rent, according to at Sterling Fry Street have quickly filled its website. Amenities include a twoup, and the 4.4 acre development’s two story fitness center and study rooms. open restaurants have been serving long A 599-space, six-story parking garage lines of hungry students. will serve tenants, and 65 street parking Located on the corner of Fry and spaces are available for retail customers. Hickory streets across from UNT Resident Sam Weston did not campus, the 194-unit apartment welcome the new development and complex opened its doors to tenants claimed it took away from the small Aug. 15. The project was overseen town spirit of Denton. by the Houston-based Dinerstein “A lot of people don’t like it,” Weston Companies. Dinerstein representasaid. “The old Fry Street is gone.” tives were unavailable for comment, Photojournalism senior Ashley but Executive Vice President Brad O’Bannon was happy the previously Dinerstein said in an Aug. 15 story in vacant area, but not sold on the apartthe Denton Record-Chronicle that PHOTO BY ERIKA LAMBRETON/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ments’ high prices. 90 percent of the apartments had been “I like the look of the apartment leased, and he expected that number Sterling University Housing on Fry Street is officially open for business, inviting both new residents and customers to enjoy their facilities. complex,” O’Bannon said. “But it’s overto rise. The street side of the new develMacDaddy’s Macaroni and Cheese hyped. I know it’s all about location to 21, and Chipotle Mexican Grill, which has enjoyed almost immediate success place to eat,” Baughman said. “We’ve opment is flanked by 10,500 square been having full lines out the door for Bar is expected to open later this campus and campus life, but I don’t because of its proximity to campus. opened Aug. 28. feet of retail space, including Potbelly “As a recent graduate, I remember four or five hours straight on weekdays month, and GRIP Mediterranean know if I could pay that much just to Chipotle Service Manager Stein Sandwich Shop, which opened Aug. Grill is set for an October opening. be near bars and food.” Baughman said the new restaurant coming out of class and looking for a since we’ve opened.” Intern
Inside Red Raiders wreck perfect season Sports | Page 3
Hiring freeze raises questions Views | Page 4
Greek life has its advantages Views | Page 4