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Volume 53, Issue 30 • Monday, February 8, 2010
Chancellor Zimpher Visits Stony Brook for SUNY Strategic Planning Conversation By Erika Karp
Assistant News Editor
KENNETH HO / THE STATESMAN
SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher stopped at Stony Brook as part of her strategic planning session.
New Dorms to be Finished by Summer Officials Say The Dorms Will Not Eliminate Tripling By Rachelle S. Johnson Staff Writer
A backhoe latched onto a stack of wood planks and lifted them high into the air. Mounds of dirt and gravel still surround the unfinished structures on the corner of West Drive and Circle Road, while areas of finished facade peak through blue scaffoldings. For Stony Brook University freshmen, packed into dorm rooms meant for two, the construction of two more residence halls could ease tensions. However, completion of the halls, slated to open in Fall ’09, has been severely delayed. And although the additional 600 beds will decrease tripling at Stony Brook University, it won’t eliminate it. “There are far worse
situations,” said Dallas Bauman, assistant vice president of campus residences, referring to the more than 300 freshmen tripled into one room on the West Campus. Demand for rooms is somewhat “elastic,”
are confusing and doesn’t recall volunteering to triple. The Mathematics major can’t imagine that anyone would want to. “There’s only room for two. There are two desks and two closets.” More
Dallas Bauman, the assistant vice president of campus residences, says he cannot give a concrete date as to when it will be completed and ready for occupants. based on the number of current student residents and new enrollees that are eligible. According to the Office of Campus Residences, almost half of tripled students volunteer so they can reside with friends. But some students, like Freshman Seahynun An, say the resident application forms
confusing to the freshman is the cost of doubling versus tripling. “Is it less money?” An asked. But not all tripled students complain. Unlike An, Yusha Hiraman volunteered to triple for her sophomore year. Now an alumni waiting to enter graduate school, the 21-yearold says although it was
tough living with two other people, “It was manageable. The easiest part was knowing who I was living with, so I had an expectation of the living conditions. The worst part was living next to the bathroom.” In contrast to An, Hiraman says there was adequate room for her and two other roommates. “It was a converted lounge in Greeley College, Roosevelt Quad. There was three of everything, so we didn’t have to split anything.” The two unnamed residence halls will be completely wireless capable, feature suite style quads and a three-part bathroom, with the toilet and shower in seperate rooms for privacy. Rooms that are handicapped and wheelchair accessible will be singles. See DORMS on 5
While some Stony Brook students were still sleeping and others were dragging their feet to an 8:20 a.m. class, SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher was listening to the statements of concerned individuals at an open forum in the Student Activities Center Thursday morning. The open forum was part of the SUNY Strategic Planning Statewide Conversations, which have been ongoing at SUNY schools across the state since October. Stony Brook’s conversation focused on the theme of Energ y and Sustainability. Speakers were chosen prior to the forum’s start and had a mere three minutes to present their testimony to the panel, which included President Dr. Samuel L. Stanley Jr. and Zimpher. Mary Pearl, dean of Stony Brook Southampton, a sister campus, which prides itself on being environmentally friendly and sustainable, stressed the importance of handson studies for students, as they are preparing them to create “green collar jobs.” Malcolm Bowman, a member of the New York City Panel on Climate Change, reminded the audience of Stony Brook's rich history when he
mentioned how George Washington walked through the campus grounds. However, he did note that we have “obliterated this trail.” Preservation of land was also a concern of Jeffrey Levinton, an ecolog y and evolution professor. According to Levinton, we have lost the majority of our woods, and to his dismay, there is no rule to stop this from occurring. “Our responsibility is to produce knowledge… to be an example to the entire state,” Levinton said. “We are very far from these ideals. We must act soon and forcefully.” But it was Patrick Looney, associate director for policy and strategic planning at Brookhaven National Laboratory, who was able to put all of the presenters' concerns into perspective, when he asked the panel and audience one question: “Does New York want to be an investor or consumer?"
KENNETH HO / THE STATESMAN