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OLD GOLD&BLACK W A K E

F O R E S T

U N I V E R S I T Y

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 9

VOL. 93, NO. 6

“Covers the campus like the magnolias”

Part one of the two-part investigative feature into the truths of campus parking

Outside the Bubble...

By Caroline Edgeton | Life editor

Deadly floods wreak havoc on Georgia counties

In order to help remedy student frustration with campus parking, university facilities will be purchasing two new shuttles to help transport off-campus residents on to campus. According to Jim Alty, associate vice president for facilities and campus services, this $300,000 investment that “will hopefully be in full swing in the next couple of months” will not only help with parking, but it will also alleviate some of the congestion that occurs on campus. “This isn’t about building more parking lots or creating more spaces, it’s about getting students onto and around campus,” Alty said. “The intent of the two new shuttles is to help the mass transit, kind of like what you see at bigger universities.” According to Alty, there are only a couple of aspects that will make this project successful: the cycle times for pickup will have to be quick, the shuttles will have to meet the students’ schedules adequately and the students will simply have to want to use the shuttles. “Because more off-campus residents live in the apartment complexes nearby, we’re getting a group

Eight people have been killed by heavy flooding in Georgia. Areas west of Atlanta have received about 22 inches of rain since last week with almost half of it falling during the evening of Sept. 20 into the following morning. Almost the entire state of Georgia is under flash flood watch and the governor has declared a state of emergency in 17 counties.

Drop in heart attacks follows smoking bans Two studies suggest that communities with smoking bans have fewer heart attacks. An average of 17 percent fewer heart attacks occurred in American, Canadian and European cities with smoking bans in the first year and 26 percent fewer in the first three years. This research suggests that 100,000 to 225,000 heart attacks could be prevented each year with a nationwide ban on smoking in public and in the workplace.

Obama speaks on climate change at United Nations President Barack Obama spoke to a special summit on climate change at the United Nations on Sept. 22. He pledged his support to developing clean energy sources and said that without immediate steps to combat climate change there will be “irreversible catastrophe.” He warned that the recession could make the fight against climate change harder.

U.S. embassy in South Africa faces terrorist threat The United States temporarily closed the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa and other government offices on Sept. 22 after a possible threat to the embassy. The embassy’s Emergency Action Committee met and will formulate an appropriate course of action. The offices remained closed on Sept. 23.

Medical students behave recklessly on Internet A new survey has discovered that 60 percent of medical schools have had their students post inappropriate content online. While most of the time this content is related to the students’ own behavior, such as drug related or sexually suggestive images and comments, six medical schools reported incidents where the content violated patient privacy.

See Parking, Page A8

Convocation unites school Film program

and director find new home

By Renee Slawsky | Contributing writer

Black with red stripes, red with black stripes, plum purple with green on the edges; the colors glide by as the new faculty process into Wait Chapel, decked out in their academic dress to celebrate this semester’s Opening Convocation on Sept. 17. The event started off with University President Nathan O. Hatch delivering a welcome speech that revealed the theme of the evening: making a difference in the community. Hatch highlighted the fact that university students have completed over 85,000 hours of service. His opening remarks ended with, “You can make a difference; you do make a difference.” After the chorus sang and the Honor and Ethics Council was recognized, Provost Jill Tiefenthaler came to the podium and also welcomed the new “teacherscholars.” Teifenthaler then continued to present the first of four awards given for excellence in teaching as well as community service. The Divinity School Service Award was presented for the first time. Tiefenthaler took to the stage again for her “Engaging Minds, Empowering Communities” speech. During this speech, she unveiled plans for the new Institute for Public

See Convocation, Page A8

By Alex Forkosh | Contributing writer

DeNoia Woods/Old Gold & Black

Suzanne Reynolds gave the keynote speech at Convocation this year.

In the fall of 2010, the university will launch its new Documentary Film Program (DFP), which will offer undergraduate courses in the department of communication as well as a two-year masters program and three-year masters of fine arts program. The program will be co-directed by Sandra Dickson, new this year to the university, and Mary Dalton, director of undergraduate studies in communication and Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Fellow. Dickson has served as writer and co-director Dickson on eight television documentaries, five of which have aired nationally on PBS; she has received numerous awards and recognitions for her documentaries. Dalton has completed nine documentaries, which have been screened at various festivals, museums, galleries and libraries.

See Film, Page A2

Doubts surface about university’s handling of H1N1 By Laura Esseesse | Contributing writer

Rumor has it that Student Health is virtually closed to anyone who is not experiencing symptoms of the flu. However, this is not the case, as the clinic is open to all patients, regardless if they are experiencing flu symptoms or simply coming in for routine examinations. “If you’re ill, we are taking care of you, no matter what’s wrong,” Karen Anderson, Student Health Services Nurse Manager, said. Yet, nurses are urging students who are not in need of urgent medical attention to delay their visit to the clinic to ensure limited contact with those who are symptomatic. Measures to contain the spread of the virus have been proposed

by the University Crisis Management Team and the Pandemic Planning Committee. The Crisis Management Team, which normally meets on a monthly basis, is currently meeting weekly in order to properly address the influenza pandemic. A main component of its plan is communicative action. However, this appears to be limited to e-mails and Web site maintenance as several school officials declined to comment on current action plans. In an e-mail addressed to faculty, Provost Jill Tiefenthaler urged professors to “encourage (their) students to avoid coming to class if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms… (and) take necessary precautions in order to

remain well.” Yet some students While Emory University in did not take heed of precautions Atlanta, Ga., offers 100 quaranset out by the university, putting tine rooms, sick students on the fellow students at risk of contract- university’s campus are being sent ing the virus. back to their dorms. “(Symptomatic students) kept Several students are expressing going to classes,” sophomore Gil- their concern, as sending infected berto Navarro students said. back to resi“ T e a c h - “Teachers should have taken the dence halls ers should initiative and sent sick students to recuperate have taken only fosters back to their dorms.” the initiathe spread Gilberto Navarro tive and sent of the virus Sophomore sick students to healthy back to their students. dorms.” Students This left some wondering with sick roommates have whether our campus is properly been advised to stay away from prepared for a pandemic influ- them. enza, as other schools of com“It seems virtually impossible parable size have implemented to isolate oneself from your sick greater precautionary actions. roommate when our dorms are

Life | B5

INSIDE:

Blue Ridge Getaway

Brieflies

A2

Police Beat

A2

Spotlight

B2

Scenic highway presents a vast array of recreational and educational opportunities in western N.C.

The Hot List

B6

In Other News

Sudoku

B6

• Conference center rife with history | A2 • University welcomes Flock to Career Services | A3

so small,” one student said. He lives in a 10 by 12 foot room in Davis. The first confirmed case of the H1N1 virus on campus occurred the first day of classes. Soon after, Student Health treated a steady influx of symptomatic students. According to Dr. Cecil D. Price, director of Student Health Services, as of Sept. 11 a little over 200 students had been evaluated at the clinic and treated for the flu. However, no definitive number of H1N1 cases could be confirmed. “We haven’t stopped testing for H1N1,” Anderson said. “The test you can do at the doctor’s office is not that accurate.” Testing can only be conclusively determined at an off-campus

Sports | B1 Golf travels to Japan Women’s team played in the Topy Cup Sept. 8-10 in Tanagura, Japan, placing second out of six teams

laboratory, and therefore Student Health continues to send several samples to The State Laboratory of Public Health in order to confirm that the virus infecting students on campus is in fact the H1N1 strain. Students seeking medical attention had typical flu symptoms ranging from fever, body aches and a cough. Students are being advised to rest and drink plenty of fluids. Anderson stressed the importance of staying hydrated, urging sick students to “drink fruit juices and water and stay away from caffeine.” No students have been hospitalized and cases have been relatively mild, with students recovering in roughly five days according to the Student Health Web site.

Opinion | A6 Tire tax unfair Tire tax outrages proponents of free trade, seen as discrimination


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