Technique Friday, February 25, 2011 • Volume 96, Issue 24 • nique.net
The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper
Cirque mechanics
The Ferst Center hosts a familyfriendly circus set in the Wild West.413
state of hope
Gov. Deal releases new plan for scholarship
Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Office
Governor Nathan Deal addresses fellow legislators, students and school faculty in order to propose a new direction for the HOPE Scholarship. Under the new plan, full tuition at public schools would be available to students with a GPA of at least 3.7 and a minimum score of 1200 on the SAT, which will save an estimated $300 million. By Emily Cardin Assistant News Editor
Photo by Victor Lee / Student Publications
Corey Boone addresses legislators in the House’s Higher Education Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.
Health Center to undergo renovations
Former Governor Zell Miller’s promise was straightforward: make passable grades as a high school student and enjoy a free college education in the state of Ga. Soon, however, this promise could be broken, as lawmakers move to vote on the HOPE scholarship. This year, the state withdrew from reserve accounts to fund the portions of the scholarship that were not covered by the lottery revenue. State officials knew the deficit would arise eventually, but historically have only toyed with the idea to make eligibility requirements stricter by including additional GPA
and standardized test requirements. Lawmakers had warned cuts were coming, but many students thought the changes would only affect future recipients. On Tuesday, Gov. Deal proposed an overhaul that would save some $300 million. “We have crafted a plan that preserves HOPE for future generations of Georgians while maintaining one of the most generous scholarship programs in the United States,” Deal said. Under the new plan, free public college tuition would be available to high school students with a GPA of at least 3.7 and a minimum score of 1200 on the SAT — the majority of current recipients at Tech would
meet those standards. Other students would get some tuition help, an amount that could fluctuate annually. The revamped program, however, would no longer cover extras, like fees, books and remedial classes. Students with at least a college GPA of 3.0 would qualify for an award that would pay 90 percent of public college tuition. Those attending private colleges in Georgia would see their awards shrink from $4000 to $3600. The proposed changes mean at least 200,000 students will see cuts to their HOPE awards, and most of the incoming freshmen this Fall See Deal, page 5
Fate of Crum & Forster to be determined
By Vijai Narayanan News Editor
The Stamps Health Center will undergo a series of renovations in the upcoming months to accommodate more patients and improve the quality of care. Among other things, the primary care clinics will be remodeled, the number of exam rooms will be increased and the pharmacy will be made larger to offer more products and services. Work on these projects will begin in as little as three weeks and will continue in phases until the beginning of the Fall semester. As a result of the project, the front desk will be made smaller and more customer friendly, allowing the pharmacy to be relocated behind where it currently stands. A new elevator will be installed where the pharmacy is currently located. This will make it easier for patients to access any of the services located on the second floor of the Health Center. “We’re going to change nearly every aspect of the Health Center,” said Dr. Gregory Moore, the director of Stamps Health Services. One of the most significant changes that the Health Center will undergo will be the redesigning of the primary care clinics. Currently, the waiting area for the Health Center is located near the entrance, forcing nurses and patients to walk long distances to the examination room. See Health, page 4
Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications
The Crum & Forster building in Midtown Atlanta is the subject of a legal battle between the Georgia Tech Foundation and local preservationists. The Atlanta City Council voted unanimously in 2009 to give the building landmark status. By TJ Kaplan Staff Writer
The Crum & Forster building, located at 771 Spring St. in Midtown Atlanta has long been the subject of debate between potential developers who want to use the prime real estate and preservationists intent on saving it. Recently, Tech purchased a property located near the Crum & Forster building that may lead to a resolution to this longstanding dispute. The building is one of the few remaining examples of classically designed
architecture in Midtown Atlanta, and as such has been protected for many years by organizations such as the Atlanta Trust and other activist groups. In 2007, the Georgia Tech Foundation purchased the building to expand nearby Technology Square, and subsequently applied in May of 2008 for a Special Administrative Permit to demolish the building. Later that year, Atlanta’s Bureau of Planning denied the Foundation’s request for a demolition permit. In 2009, shortly after the demolition permit request was denied, the building was nominated as a local landmark building. On Aug. 17 of
that year, the Atlanta City Council voted unanimously in favor of making the building a landmark, and Mayor Shirley Franklin signed the ordinance into law later that year. The Georgia Tech Foundation, after unsuccessfully appealing the rejection of the permit to demolish the Crum & Forster building purchased the nearby branch of Sun Trust Banks Inc. The new property, which will bring the Institute closer to its collaborative research partner, Emory University, was See Forster, page 5