start your semester.
Opinion
Sports
Those boxes won’t unpack themselves— especially when a pizza run is calling.
Buy any necessary supplies. Remember to keep the receipts for tax purposes or to return books after last-minute cancellations.
Super seniors, the new norm? A4
Football prepares to kickoff, B1
Find a study spot.
Enjoy the last few days of summer. No classes, no meetings: just the sun and some friends to relax with while there’s still time.
TO-DO list
Midterms are not for a few weeks, but it’s never too early to stake out the best environment for learning on (or off) campus.
Student Life What you need to know for back to school, B3
THE STATESMAN UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH
WWW.UMDSTATESMAN.COM
Welcome Back!
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014
RockStars, RAs help ease transition for new students BY AISLING DOHENY Statesman Correspondent
Students pack the hallway outside of Bohannon Hall as the school year begins. SARAH STAUNER/STATESMAN
Running back Sikorski stabbed in August BY SAM STROM News Editor
Sikorski was allegedly involved in an altercation in early August. UMD ATHLETICS
UMD running back Austin Sikorski has rejoined the football team after a stabbing incident in August. Sikorski, 22, was the victim of a stabbing outside of the Flame Night Club in the early morning of Aug. 1. Police were sent to the corner of Lake Avenue and Superior Street at around 1:54 a.m. that day, accord-
ing to a police report. Sikorski was found to have a stab wound in his lower right abdomen. The report states that Sikorski was drunk, not able to communicate very well and in a lot of pain when police arrived. Police spoke to multiple witnesses in the area, who were also reportedly drunk, and learned that Sikorski was in a fistfight with a male near the Flame Night Club.
It was also reported that Sikorski ran from the Flame and was chased by a group of black males. Sikorski returned to meet his friends at Lake Avenue and Superior Street where he collapsed. He was brought to St. Luke’s and rushed into surgery as his vitals were dropping. The Duluth Police Department is making progress and following leads.
This past Thursday, over 2,500 new students found their new home at UMD. Excited and confused faces flooded the hallways, and cars were backed up all the way down East 21st Avenue. Resident advisors, RockStars, Greek Life, athletes and orientation teams alike all contributed to helping freshmen move in to their dorms. There was frustration and excitement, smiles and tears. The ambiance was one that could only exist on a day like freshmen movein day. “There was this feeling of excitement and anticipation,” Aaron Knowlton, apartment resident advisor, said regarding the general atmosphere surrounding the new students. “You know it was the beginning of the next stage of their life.” As a resident advisor (RA), Knowlton lives in the same area as his residents and serves as a resource for new students during their new beginning. A new beginning means new adventure and excitement, but all of this excitement can lead to risky behavior. Thus, the influence of upperclassmen on new students is somewhat necessary. The Students in Transition (SIT) office, who hosts Bulldog Welcome Week every year, works hard to find and hire good rockstars that can make a positive impact on anyone’s freshmen year. “RockStars, essentially, help alleviate the stress of the start of freshman year,” Sadie Oswald, rockstar team leader, said. “Bulldog Welcome Week and rockstars are important in setting the tone of how see ROCKSTARS, A3
Tobacco policy bans use of e-cigs on campus Policy created by students and faculty also prohibits use of commercial tobacco BY SAM STROM News Editor Of all the changes that happened at UMD over the summer, none will affect students’ health more than the new tobacco policy. Since July 1, UMD has been a commercial tobacco free campus, a ban that covers the use of cigarettes, chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes. According to BreAnn Graber, chair of the Smoke/Tobacco Task Force, the changes to the policy focus on respect for students and the campus. “This policy is really all about respect,” GraINDEX:
ber said. “Respect for people, health and property.” Last year, Chancellor Lendley Black put a oneyear ban on e-cigarette use on campus until a permanent decision could be made about them. At the time, not much was known about e-cigarettes, prompting the temporary ban until more research could be New non-smoking signs are posted around campus. The new policy was put in place to promote student done on the new form of health. ALEX GANEEV/STATESMAN cigarette. According to Graber, have been allowed to part of the reason that there are still too many ber said. She added e-cigarettes. While cigarette use use chewing tobacco on the Smoke/Tobacco unknowns surrounding that e-cigarettes are not necessarily a healthier on campus has been school grounds. Graber Task Force — which is it. “We don’t know much alternative to cigarettes banned for years and the said made up of faculty, staff and students — perma- about it and that’s why because there are many ban on e-cigarettes folnently banned e-cig- we couldn’t make a unregulated chemicals lowed more recently, up see TOBACCO, A3 arettes is the fact that clear distinction,” Gra- that can be put into until this year students
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