In this Issue Instructor appointed to State Board pg. 4
Vol. 43 Issue 4
Football to fútbol pg. 7
THE
Thursday, September 6, 2012
SHIELD www.usishield.com
Over-21 housing a possibility By JESSIE HELLMANN New editor
Springfest cancelled after 10th year By JESSIE HELLMANN News editor Nobody can complain about which music artist should come to SpringFest this year because the university cancelled it. SpringFest, the music festival first held by USI that began in 2002, was cancelled for 2013 after Tim Beucher, director of career services and the man who organized SpringFest every year, declared he will retire in December. Provost Ron Rochon said the university is going to take this time to reaccess SpringFest. “What I’m going to do is develop a committee and make a plan for the future of SpringFest and talk about what we want to accomplish,” he said. “We’re going to talk about the direction, budget and purpose and timing
What I am going to do is develop a committee and make a plan for the future of SpringFest and talk about what we want to acomplish -Ron Rochon Provost
SPRINGFEST on Pg. 3
It’s possible that students can drink alcohol on campus if the USI administration approves of an initiative held by one SGA member. Travis Dickision, Housing representative for SGA, is planning to work with Housing and Residence life to designate an area of housing for students who are 21 or older to drink in legally. “It would be more of a reward, not a right,” Dickison said. “You have to be 21 and have a GPA of like 3.2 to 3.5.” He said the GPA requirements are just estimated right now. “I imagine we’re going to get a lot of resistance for sure,” he said. “They’re going to say we’re a dry campus.” He said he will explore the idea sometime this month. Laurie Berry, the director of Housing and Residence Life, said if the over-21 housing were adapted, it would definitely be a culture shock. “I can’t say that I wouldn’t be interested in talking to anyone about it,” Berry said. “It would be a culture shock because we haven’t had over-21 housing in a long, long time.” Until about 1993, USI was a “wet campus,” meaning students were of age were allowed to have alcohol in housing, Berry said. Then, only two buildings were made over-21 housing, until none HOUSING on Pg. 3
Two colleges open advising centers By JAMES VAUGHN Staff writer
File Photo/The Shield
During the 10th annual SpringFest last year, Mike Posner performed in the Physical Activities Center.
Some students, whose advisers seem to disappear when they’re needed most, now have another option. The College of Nursing and Health Professions and the Pott College of Science, Engineering and Education are opening advising centers this year, and each college on campus will eventually house an advising center. Professional advisers will be available to students when they need them, instead of students having to schedule meetings with their faculty adviser during office hours. Junior dental assisting major Gabrielle Tiggs met with an ad-
viser in the advising center when she was making her schedule this semester. “I was discouraged because I felt like I was going to be in school forever,” Tiggs said. “Not to mention, I couldn’t decide where exactly I wanted to go in the field of dentistry.” The adviser suggested that she change her major from dental hygiene to dental assisting so she would have a degree under her belt in the next two years. “The advising center helped so much in guiding me in the right direction,” Tiggs said. She’s not giving up her faculty adviser, though. She said she visits her adviser frequently, especially when it’s time to make ADVISING on Pg. 3
Growing brotherhoods Fraternity life welcomes 70 new members By JESSIE HELLMANN News editor
Photo by NICK EBERTZ/The Shield
Pointing at the camera, Phi Delta Theta take a group photo with their new members after Fraternity Bid Day. Seventy men were given bids Thursday night.
The Shield is a designated public forum.
Seventy USI male students were offered bids to a fraternity Thursday Aug. 30 but this number is down a little from last year’s recruitment, said Greek Life Program Adviser David Stetter. At bid night, male students who were offered bids from fraternities picked which one they wanted to rush. “I think that it would really came down to chapters not being as prepared with their events,” Stetter said. Last year, 85 men were offered formal bids, Stetter said. He said he hopes some of the fraternities continue to recruit members this semester because the numbers need to rise. “One of the reasons you had success in some chapters and not in the others is lack of an entire chapter working together,” Stetter said. He said some chapters did particularly well.
www.usishield.com
Lambda Chi Alpha doubled its number of men this year by gaining 12 men, taking it to 27 members, Stetter said. He said Sigma Tau Gamma, only in its second year on campus, also did well with its recruitment, gaining 14 members. The fraternities aimed to get 110 men collectively, but reached 70, Stetter said. Stetter said it is difficult for fraternities to balance getting quality men and getting higher numbers. “I do think that it’s a hard balance, but it’s important that chapters focus on quality of members, because if you don’t have quality members at the beginning, they won’t stay in your chapter,” he said. English major and newly inducted Lambda Chi Alpha member Jacob Daniels said the fraternity just seemed like the right fit for him. “I went to their rush events, and I was like, ‘This feels right. This is where I want to be,’” he said. “I’m mostly excited for the charity stuff but also hanging out RECRUITMENT on Pg. 3
Additional Copies of The Shield are 25 cents