Friday, Jan. 20, 2012
Uta
"Campus Voice Since 1902" • Utah State University•
Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.c
Gov:Statenot doing enoughfor education BY CATHERINE BENN ITT
editor in chief
UTAH GOVERNOR GARY HERBERT visited campus Wednesday as part of the Pizza and Politics seminar series. Going into the 2012 Legislativesession, he discussed the state budget, particularly regarding higher education. MIKEJOHNSONphoto
conservative state and even our Democrats are very conservative. I don't see the governor reaching out, because he doesn't need to - there is no point." Hinh said he also wouldn't be surprised to see more budget cuts in the next few years, though Herbert conveyed this is not in future plans. Herbert also took time to explain the success of Utah businesses but ensured students the job market would be competitive, because international workers, including businessmen in China, are looking to start or expand their businesses in Utah's economy. "We were listed as the best state for business in America, out of the 50 states, by Forbes," Herbert said. "This is the second year in a row. It's like winning the national championship two years in a row. Now, what a great coach am I?" There are three points creating Utah's business successes: competitive taxes, a regulatory environment and labor, Herbert said. "If you have those three ingredients combined, you have a very fertile field for the economy to grow," he said. Recently, state leaders eliminated 368 regulations of the original 1,969. He said 48 percent of the total regulations apply specifically to businesses. This will allow Utah
The state Legislature is not doing nearly enough to fuel higher education and public education in Utah, said Gov. Gary Herbert, but Utah has managed to minimize its debt by cutting back various programs. Herbert said the budget plan on the table for this year will not include any cuts on higher education, and $111 million is going into public education. "The trend is good," he said. "It's not where it needs to be, but it's on the right road, going in the right direction." USU College Republicans organized Herbert's appearance on campus Wednesday as part of their Pizza and Politics speaker series. Few seats in the lecture hall were left empty and the pizza ordered fed about half the crowd. Many stayed until the end of Herbert's presentation, ready to ask questions about their educations, the governor's opinion on GOP candidates and Utah's alcohol policies. When Justin Hinh, president of USU Students for Liberty, stood to ask Herbert about alcohol policies, he said the answer he received was one he expected. "My impression was that he desires for (alcohol vendors) to be privatized, but doesn't want to take on the risk," Hinh said. "He leads what he has. Utah is a very • See HERBERT, Page 3
Countryunitestofight Congressand SOPA • BY ROUCHELLE BROCKMAN
Were you at the MLK Vigil last week? Take a look at how it
staff writer Wednesday's Wikipedia blackout was not a hoax, the work of hackers or a consequence of a seriously delayed Y2K glitch. The site's operators blacked out the site to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) that are currently being considered in Congress. SOPAand PIPA aim to protect copyrighted material in the United States - from movies to pharmaceuticals - from being exploited by foreign sites. The bills' controversy centers around their proposed methods for preventing access to such sites. Under SOPA, as it is currently written and available on the Library of Congress website, Internet service providers must "take technically feasible and reasonable measures designed to prevent access by its subscribers located within the United States to the foreign infringing site," the site states. SOPA also requires search engines to prevent infringing sites from being available to users. Online advertising services are also forbidden from advertising such sites.
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TO SHOW ITS STANCE on the SOPA and PIPA bills being voted on by Congress, Wikipedia shut down for
Advertisers, search engine operators and Internet providers are allowed five days after notification of illegal activity to remove or block such content or to appeal the notification to the Justice Department. Mikey Rodgerson, president of the USU College Republicans,
said he opposes the bills because they "are-trying to fix the symptoms, not the causes, of piracy. Criminals will just get more creative." The founders of Google, YouTube and a host of other online organizations have also stated their reasons for
opposing the legislation. In an open letter to Washington, they wrote, "We've all had the good fortune to found Interoet companies and non profits in a regulatory climate that promotes entrepreneurship, inno-
• See CONGRESS,Page 2
FraternitysuspendedfromGreekCouncil Pi KappaAlphafor one year.
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hours Wednesday. The blackout spurred a reaction in more than 8 million Americans, who signed petitions and called their local congressmen, voicing opinions about the anti-piracy bills. DELAYNELOCKEphoto illustration
BY ROSS NELSON
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Utah State University
staff writer The Greek Council of USU has suspended the Gamma Epsilon chapter of
There were some Design Stars making something from very little yesterday. Check it out:
Thankyou for protectingWikipedia
The decision comes on the heels of an underage drinking incident during a Homecoming party at the fraternity's house. The night of the party, a 17-year-old girl was hospitalized after consuming possibly lethal amounts of alcohol. "We were pleased with the decision of the Greek Council," said Eric Olsen, associate vice president for student services. "It sends the right message that Greek Council expects the chapters to uphold the law, and that 'cCdC'C!e~ they are responsible for the guests that enter their houses." Police Chief Gary Jensen of Logan Police Department said Casey Haifa and Hayden Ahlbrandt were both charged with a class B misdemeanor llllllllilliliiiiiil of selling, offering or furnishing alco-
hol products to a minor.The 17-yearold girl was referred to juvenile court. Pi Kappa Alpha, commonly referred to as Pike, was originally suspended immediately following the incident. Thus, the year-long suspension will expire Sep. 30. The suspension is to include a one-year dry period, with no alcohol allowed on the fraternity's premises. Terms of the suspension also include a $500 fine payable to the USU Greek Council, a chapter-wide required 2.8 cumulative GPA, and 30 hours of community service from each member. The Greek Council's sanctions are the third to be placed on the fraternity. USU administrators indefinitely suspended the fraternity from the Greek Council following the Homecoming party. USU Administration supports the Greek Council's decision. JAKE GILES, USU's GREEK COUNCIL men's president· "We recognize Greek Council as a played a role in the decision. to suspend the Pi Kappa Alpha fra-
•--S-e_e_G_R_E_E_K_,_P_a_g_e_3 ______
ternity from the council for one year, even though their national charter remained intact. DELAYNELOCKEphoto