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“Road to Home” review

VOLUME 96, ISSUE 87

New Student Senate Officers give their opinions on next year’s goals

FIRST COPY FREE, ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

SMUDAILYCAMPUS.COM

STUDENT SENATE

Weather

LGBT seat legislation fails

WEDNESDAY High 83, Low 65 THURSDAY High 87, Low 57

A SIDE OF NEWS

Japan raises crisis level

By MEREDITH SHAMBURGER Online Editor mshamburge@smu.edu

Student Senate failed to pass a bill at its Tuesday meeting that would have added an LGBT special interest seat. Supporters of the bill failed to get the needed two-thirds majority vote. The final vote was 18-13-0. Unlike last December’s showof-hands vote, Senate took a roll call vote to determine the outcome of this vote. The bill sought to add a Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Senator to the chamber, labeling it as a special interest seat similar to the other ethnic minority seats. If the bill had passed, it would have had to be ratified by the student body because it would have changed the Student Constitution.

Now comparable to the Chernobyl disaster, Japan’s nuclear-safety agency increased the crisis level at the country’s troubled Fukushima Daiichi plant from five to seven, the highest disaster ranking recognized internationally, on Tuesday. Officials said they have increased Fukushima’s ranking because it is releasing a massive amount of radioactive material that continues to be a threat to humans and wildlife across a wide area.

U.S. budget cuts revealed

Lawmakers announced Tuesday the 2011 government spending plan that will cut nearly $40 billion. The plan represents the single biggest cut ever made to the federal budget in one year. The Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, Justice, Labor and Health and Human Services are the most impacted by the spending cuts.

I will continue with this fight going into the fall because the work is not done.

SPENCER EGGERS/Student Media Company

Students and members of the SMU community walking on the boulevard for the Relay For Life fundraiser last Friday.

France criticizes NATO action French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe criticized NATO Tuesday, saying that it must “play its role fully” in Libya and that its actions so far were “not enough.” He emphasized that Muammar Gaddafi should not still be able to use heavy weapons to shell Libyan cities.

Belarus subway bomb kills 12 A bomb exploded in a subway station in Belarus Monday night, killing at least 12 people. Alexander Lukashenko, the nation’s president, said someone was trying to destabilize the country and suggested it came from abroad. A similar attack occurred in the country in 2008.

Lennon’s letters to become available John Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, has agreed to publish his letters. Ono will help with the compilation, contributing several of his notes, postcards and doodles. An email address has also been set up so that anyone who corresponded with Lennon can reach the book’s editor, official Beatles biographer Hunter Davies. The book will be published in October 2012.

Want more news? Visit us online at

Contact Us Newsroom: 214.768.4555 Classified: 214.768.4554 Online: smudailycampus.com

Index News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,3,8 Arts & Entertainment . . . . . . . . 4,7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Health & Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Record number to participate in annual Relay for Life By MEREDITH TAVALLAEE Contributing Writer mtavallaee@smu.edu

The Boulevard will be crowded again this year as Relay for Life participants begin walking from Friday at 5:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. Saturday. Founded in 2003, Relay For Life raises money for the American

Cancer Society. “Relay for Life is a great opportunity for the SMU community to get together and raise money to fight against cancer,” freshman participant Karin Kuusisto said. “It is fun to be able to walk and know you are making a positive difference.” While team fundraising and sponsorship help to raise money, so

do luminaria sales. Luminarias, which are candlelit bags that can be purchased in memory of someone who has passed away from cancer, or in honor of someone who is either currently battling against or has won the battle with cancer.

See RELAY on Page 3

—Harvey Luna Dedman I Senator

Sen. Harvey Luna (Dedman I), one of the bill authors, said he was “completely devastated” by the vote because senators had ample time to voice their concerns about the legislation to him. “We’ve given them time and time again to come to the people who are writing the legislation to voice their concerns, [and] say, ‘This is why I don’t feel this right with the legislation,’” he said. “They had that opportunity. And once we did compile something that they said they were OK with, they vote it down.”

Opponents of the bill argued that the bill was “putting the carriage before the horse,” as Sen. Ted Belden (Cox) said, because the bill authors did not have a count of LGBT students on campus. “I think numbers are absolutely paramount when deciding on a minority seat,” Belden said. “I think it’s the number one driving factor, and we don’t have them.” Belden said he felt that “the idea of having a minority seat without knowing the number of minorities on a campus” was “highly questionable.” The legislation called on the Registrar’s office to let LGBT students self-identify as such through that office so that Senate could determine the number of LGBT students on campus. Only LGBT students who had self-identified would have been able to vote for or run for the seat. Luna has been working with the Registrar’s Office, and he told Senate that they were reluctant to implement the self-identifying question without a reason behind it. Luna told Senate that the bill would have given them reason to do so, and that Senate would then have an official number. Chief of Staff Alex Mace voted against the bill because he was concerned about logistics and his responsibility to his constituents,

See SENATE on Page 3

AWARDS

Faculty, Students honored for achievements

MRecipients

By STEPHANIE EMBREE

AWARD

Staff Writer sembree@smu.edu

Students and faculty who help promote SMU and its student body were honored Monday night during the 2011 Awards Extravaganza in the Hughes-Trigg Ballroom. The first award was the Rotunda Outstanding Professor Award given to four professors who have a commitment to excellence: Charles DeBus, Dr. Thomas Fomby, Dr. Hedy Law and Dr. Alberto Pastor. For the Extra Mile Award, Dr. Ellen Allen, Dr. Susan Harris and Dr. Elizabeth Wheaton were awarded for their dedication to teaching students with learning disabilities. Dr. Harris, a member of the psychology department, said, “I was very pleased; it was quite an honor. It was very nice to hear what the students had to say.” The new Leadership and Sustainability Award was given to Tiana Lightfoot Svendsen for her contributions to the environmental advocacy at SMU. The Sheri Mooney Memorial Scholarship Award was given to Peter Dang for his commitment to reflecting his Christian faith through service. In honor of the former Dean of Women and the founder of the Women’s Center, the Emmie V. Baine Legacy Award was given to Jessica Andrewartha for her contributions to gender equality on campus. Alyssa Veteto won the James E. Caswell Award for her work with R.L.S.H. Lauren Chase, Kristin Harrington, Linwood Fields, Miguel Esparza and Cathryn Kirkhuff received the A. Kenneth Pye Outstanding Greek Leader Award. For community involvement, Sigma Lambda Beta won the SPARC Excellence in Service Award and Sheumona Miller received the Outstanding Faculty/Staff Volunteer award

FACULTY

REBECCA HANNA/The Daily Campus

SMU economics professor Thomas Fomby, Ph.D. receives an award for Outstanding Professor from the Rotunda yearbook, presented by Editor-In-Chief Whitney Van Way during the annual SMU Awards Extravanganza Monday evening.

for her work with underprivileged youth. The SMU’s Mothers’ Club and SMU’s Dads’ Club awarded one senior man and one senior woman for high achievement and leadership. Almorceen Hall accepted the Mothers’ Club award while Carson Linstead received the Dads’ Club award. Nominated by SMU students, Dr. Lori White won Outstanding Administrator; Ray Hunt won Outstanding Trustee; and Professor Jasper Neel was given the Willis M. Tate Award. For their work with campus life, Jenna Reekie received the Avella Winn Hay Award and Mercedes Ulibarri received the Umphrey Lee Award. The John L. Freehafer Award was given to Roza Essaw, Evan Taylor, Derek Hubbard, Courtney Kelly and Stephanie

Chung. Rounding out the awards were Audra Egenolf, who won the Scholar/Athlete Award; Jordan Johansen, who took the Scholar/Leader Award; and, Drew Konow, who received the Scholar/Volunteer Award. Finally, the M Award, the most prestigious of awards, was given to five faculty members and ten students. Dr. Mike Adler, Susan Austin, Dr. Rita Kirk, Dr. Mari Dixon and Dean Geoffrey Orsak represented the faculty. Laura Baez, Kelvin Beachum, Andrew Conwell, Audrey Gab, Janet Leung, Sana Merchant, Rebecca Quinn, Haynes Strader, Jake Torres and Jeremy Wilkins rounded up the students. “I was really elated. I feel blessed and humbled to be on that list,” Baez said.

Dr. Mike Adler Susan Austin Dr. Rita Kirk Dr. Mari Dixon Dean Geoffrey Orsak

STUDENTS Laura Baez Kelvin Beachum Andrew Conwell Audrey Gab Janet Leung Sana Merchant Rebecca Quinn Haynes Strader Jake Torres Jeremy Wilkins


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