The Shield 9/20/12

Page 1

In this Issue Apple dawns super phone pg. 6

Rugby upsets UK pg. 7

Vol. 43 Issue 6

Thursday, September 20, 2012

THE

SHIELD www.usishield.com

PAC may get face life

Concept plans: unofficial.Visit our website to see the other two floor unofficial concept plans.

By JAMES VAUGHN Staff writer The Physical Activities Center (PAC) has not been given a facelift since it opened its doors in 1979, but that may change if the state legislature authorizes the $18 million in funding the university is requesting. The money would also fund renovations in the lower level of the Science Center and in the Technology Center, but Stephen Helfrich, director of Facilities, Operations and Planning, said the PAC would require the biggest chunk of the money. Helfrich said the PAC has not been touched because there have always been other priorities. “To do a renovation like this is expensive,” Helfrich said. “There were always other buildings that needed it or other facilities that we wanted to build.” The project has been included on a capital improvement budget request for the past six years. He said the renovation and, more importantly, the expansion of the PAC, have now become the university’s top priority. Helfrich said he would like to add more faculty offices, classrooms and laboratories and make improvements to the natatorium and the general appearance of the building.

“The building looks dated,” he said. “It was low-budget back in the late 70s.” Helfrich said before they began coming up with ideas for the overall renovation and expansion, the gym was upgraded with new wood floors, bleachers, lighting and a fresh coat of paint. Therefore, the gym won’t be included in the plans for the project. He said more special events are being held in the PAC now than ever before, which is why appearance, as well as entry capabilities and circulation within the building, are a concern. A concourse, which will better accommodate large crowds, is something that is being considered. Helfrich said they’ve been discussing concepts and ideas for the PAC, but nothing is official yet. “If we see a better possibility of the project being approved and funded, then we’ll jump into planning mode,” Helfrich said. He said he’s not confident USI will receive the funding this year because the economy has not picked up enough. Helfrich said he has also been talking to faculty and staff in the PAC to see what they think needs to be done.

Photo by SHANNON HALL/The Shield

Biology Instructor Barbara Kalvelage accepts junior psychology major Milo Estrello’s lab practical. After each student submits the practical, she asks them how they liked it and if it was fun.

Instructor uses ‘different’ methods in class By SHANNON HALL Staff writer Biology Instructor Barbara Kalvelage wanted to be in the top 10 list for ratemyprofessors.com, and this year she received her wish. “I got an email a couple weeks ago that said I had made the national hot list,” Kalvelage said. “I thought that was so silly. I called my husband and said, ‘Someone is trying to Punk me.’ … I really thought I was being Punk’d.” She wasn’t Punk’d - she made the list, but the wrong list, she said. “Of course, the list I wanted to be on wasn’t the hot list,” Kalvelage said. “I wanted to be on the quality list… but I got roses out of it. My husband bought them for his hot wife.” Kalvelage said she is “hooked” on ratemyprofes-

sors.com. She has more than 340 ratings on ratemyprofessors. com with her overall quality being a 4.8 and an easiness level in the middle, at a 3.8, both out five. The highest-ranked teacher on ratemyprofessors.com is a professor from New York with an overall quality of 5 and an easiness level of 4.8. He has 37 ratings. “I really don’t see how a professor could get all fives,” Kalvelage said. “You can’t reach every student, but when you do reach them, it’s good.” The average for all of the USI professors on ratemyprofessors.com is a 3.68 overall quality. Kalvelage teaches Biology 105 and has won Faculty Member of the Year and H. Lee Cooper Core Curriculum Teaching Award, both in 2009. “Outside of (the two

awards), there’s not much that happens for core, and I don’t expect to win either of those again,” she said. “But on ratemyprofessors.com, I can see how I am relating to the students. I am trying to bridge a big generation gap.” In 2004, 82 percent of about 130 student class passed Biology 105. “I thought, ‘I will never have that again,’” Kalvelage said. “I wanted to remember that class forever because they worked so well with each other and they asked good questions, and I was so impressed with them. So I got my tragus pierced. I thought I will always have them with me.” She then issued a challenge for every class afterwards, she said. “I would tell every class after, ‘This class got an 82 percent. If you can beat that, KALVELAGE on Pg. 3

121 women join sorority life PAC RENOVATIONS on Pg. 3

By NICK EBERTZ Special to The Shield

Photo by JIMMY PYLES/The Shield

A member of Gamma Phi Beta, Tatiana Camacho (center) poses for a picture with two new members, Shelby Spray (left) and Haley Fisher(right) during Sorority Bid Night in Carter Hall on Monday.

The Shield is a designated public forum.

USI’s three sororities - Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Zeta and Gamma Phi Beta - formally accepted 121 new members during their acceptance ceremonies Monday night in Carter Hall. Sororities on campus now boast a total of 301 women. “It’s really incredible how (Gamma Phi Beta sorority) has grown...” Gamma Phi Beta president Aurelia Vanderkolk said. “It’s gotten better and better every year,” Emotions ran high for the new members, as many were screaming, crying, jumping up and down and hugging one another. “It feels like the best night of my life,” new Alpha Sigma Alpha member Kristen Cameron said as she wiped a

www.usishield.com

tear from her eye. Cameron said she joined the sorority because she wants to help people. “I hope to experience sisterhood,” new Delta Zeta member Alex Malhotra said. Malhotra said she was excited about the evening. The chapter leaders were also caught up in the emotion. “I’ve been happy all day long,” Vice President of Recruitment for Alpha Sigma Alpha Emily Ellison said. This fall is her second year being vice president of recruitment, and she said it has made her a better person. In addition to the new members, Rho Sigmas, or recruitment counselors, were welcomed back into their home sororities. Rho Sigmas temporarily renounce their sisterhood in order to ofSORORITY BID DAY on Pg. 3

Additional Copies of The Shield are 25 cents


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.