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VOL. 93, NO. 10
“Covers the campus like the magnolias”
Food
Outside the Bubble... Charges expected to be filed in ‘Balloon Boy’ case Sheriff Jim Alderden of Larimer County said charges are expected to be filed against Richard and Mayumi Heene for concocting a hoax that involved leading authorities to believe their 6-year-old son Falcon was inside a balloon flying over Colorado. Falcon was later found hiding in the attic. Authorities realized this was a hoax after the child said that he had hidden because he thought they were doing this for a show.
NYC subway stations to feature atheist ads Eight atheist organizations have purchased a month-long campaign in which their posters will be placed in a dozen subway stations in Manhattan. The coalition of organizations hopes this will promote awareness of the secular community in New York and encourage discussion about religion and mortality.
Sarah Palin to discuss her memoir on Oprah Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin will appear on Oprah on Nov. 16. She will be talking about her new memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life. This is the first time she will be appearing on Oprah.
Study shows that global pirate attacks are on the rise There have been 306 pirate attacks worldwide from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 compared with 293 in all of 2008. Fifty-four percent of these attacks were caused by Somali pirates , with the majority of attacks taking place off the east coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
Barnes & Noble to release its own e-book reader Barnes & Noble will release the Nook, a $260 e-book reader, which will rival Amazon.com’s Kindle. The Nook differs from Kindle because it lets users borrow certain books and has a color touchscreen that allows users to navigate titles and enter search terms on a virtual keypad.
Benson’s $2.5 million renovation receives mixed reviews By John Harrison | Staff writer Illogical. Confusing. Terrible. All words you’d hope not to hear amidst reviews of your $2.5 million renovation project. Unfortunately for Facilities and Campus Development, those are precisely the words – along with several not suitable for print – many students are using to describe the recently revamped Benson Food Court. “Benson is absolutely terrible now,” senior Samuel Rush said. “It looks like an airport food mall and it’s totally inefficient. If possible, I would take the old Benson back in a heartbeat.” The major food court renovations, for which the third and final phase was completed in August, were planned two years ago by a committee comprised of university students, faculty and staff members. University architect Ryan Swanson and senior Sara-Elaine Armstrong, who served on the planning committee, both said that the need to alleviate congestion during peak eating hours, increase seating space and improve Shorty’s restaurant were among the
leading reasons for the university’s decision to renovate the facility. “I absolutely love what was done with the Benson food service area,” Armstrong said. “I feel like traffic flows much better and the space just seems more open, bright and inviting.” However, many students don’t quite see eye-to-eye with Armstrong. “I don’t like the new Benson at all,” senior Katherine Perfetto said. “I feel like there is less seating, more long lines and the room no longer lends itself to hanging out for long periods of time. It’s just a grab-and-go place now.” Perfetto did note that she was pleased
lines to get the food,” he said. “They definitely should have increased the number of selections.” These evaluations aren’t shared by university officials. In fact, Ryan Swanson, the university’s architect, said he Photos by Kelly Makepeace/Old Gold & Black believes Benson now offers more dining options and with the renovations in Shorty’s, but provides a more invitshe believes the complete overhaul of ing setting for students to spend time the food court was unnecessary. with one another. She says that she dined in Benson “I think the new space has many approximately five times a week last more nooks in which students can year, but after the renovations, she sit down for a while and hang out,” has chosen not to eat a single meal Swanson said. “I think the project in the new facility since she returned turned out well.” to school this fall. Sophomore Aristotle Pappas adaAnother senior, JP Brubaker, was mantly disagrees. most disappointed with the decreased “Shorty’s is a waste of space in a number of food stations in the new big room that could have been used food court and the resulting increases for more food stations,” Pappas said. in wait time. “Now, not only do we “And the fact that I can now drive to have a smaller variety of dietary options, but we have to wait in longer See Food, Page A3
Provost elaborates on Institute for Public Engagement By Caitlin Brooks | News editor
The Provost’s office is currently searching for candidates for the position of full-time Institute Faculty Director for the Institute for Public Engagement (IPE). Provost Jill Tiefenthaler announced the formation of the institute during her speech at Convocation on Sept. 17. Designed to coordinate service learning and research opportunities between faculty, students and the wider community, the IPE will be fully operational by the beginning of the Fall 2010 semester. The Institute was first officially mentioned in the university’s 2007 Strategic Plan and it arose out of a response from students at the university and nationally for a more hands-on learning environment. “This is the university’s response to a national demand for more opportunities for engaged learn-
ing,” Tiefenthaler said. The goals of the institute are really a formal extension of the university’s ostensible motto, ‘Pro Humanitate.’ Just over half of the undergraduate student body completes over 85,000 hours of volunteer service to the community annually. These hours are largely self motivated but are generally facilitated by the VolTiefenthaler unteer Service Corps, an organization that will continue in its current role and work alongside, not under, the new Institute. The Institute for Public Engagement looks to streamline some
aspects of the volunteer process and focus its efforts on developing and supporting curriculumbased service opportunities that integrate classroom learning into real-life scenarios. Such programs encourage students to break outside their comfort zones and can fulfill needs expressed by members of the wider community, according to Tiefenthaler. The academic component of these activities is what distinguishes them from regular service hours. “Students often think of volunteerism as service, but we want to take this to the next level by teaching students that you can give even more (than hours of work) by using your brain as well as your hands,” Tiefenthaler said. “Our biggest resources at Wake Forest are our minds, our expertise and our knowledge. We can really make a difference by leveraging our intellectual capacities.”
Life | B5
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It’s a nice day for a Wake wedding Three women balance course work, extracurricular commitments and wedding planning
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• University tries hand at own Gallery Hop | A2 • New shuttle is successful, but under-utilized | A4
The goals of the institute are man- problem if the professor leaves ifold. In addition to educating the school or supervises a semesthe whole student through service ter abroad; their absence would learning trips and activities, the cause a break in the community institute will directly serve the relationships established by their community on local, regional program. and international levels. The institute aims to bridge this “The Institute for Public gap by keeping track of programs Engagement and ensuring will serve as their contina window “We can really make a difference uance if the to the unineed arises. by leveraging our intellectual versity for The instimembers tute will also capacities” of the comoperate as Jill Tiefenthaler munity. We a logistical Provost want to be assistant. responsive to Many procommunity fessors do not needs,” Tiefenthaler said. implement service learning activMost service learning programs ities into their work because of the in operation now were initiated by difficulties of coordinating transindividual professors, researchers portation, relationship building or other faculty. As a result, the and trip planning, according to programs are contingent on the Tiefenthaler. continued commitment of that By serving as an administrative one professor. This could pose a support network for these pro-
Sports | B1 Deacs lose to Clemson Deacs fall to Clemson in Death Valley; which marks their fifth consecutive road game loss extending back to last season
grams, Tiefenthaler hopes faculty will feel more prepared to take on such tasks. A number of courses at the university already incorporate this service learning model. Professors of Sociology Angela Hattery and Earl Smith’s summer course, “Social Stratification in the Deep South,” takes students on a two-and-a-half week travel segment through the southern states. Students visit the historical places mentioned in their texts and participate in a community service activity. A complete list of courses with a service component is forthcoming. For more information about the university’s service learning opportunities, students are encouraged to visit the Office of the Provost’s Web site and view the introductory film, “Engaging Minds, Empowering Communities.” The short film debuted at Convocation in September.
Opinion | A7 Normalcy debated Student questions how society defines social averages