the review washburn university
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volume 135, Issue 23 • MONDAY, April 6, 2009
Food Fight
WSGA hopes to raise $9,000 by April 10 Jennie Loucks WASHBURN REVIEW
Students protest lack of input on Chartwells contract extension
With $3,000 dollars already raised, the Washburn Student Government Association continues efforts to reach its goal of $12,000 for the Pennies for Peace program. Greg Mortenson, author of “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time,” started the Pennies for Peace program to raise money to build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. His program is designed to show how one penny can change the lives of students overseas. The Pennies for Peace Web site, www.penniesforpeace.org, explains: “Our best hope for a peaceful and prosperous world lies in the education of all the world’s children.” “Our goal is to have the money raised by next Friday, April 10. That is when transitions for senate happen,” said Erica Koepsel, WSGA public PENNIES relations director. FOR To accomplish PEACE this, WSGA asked students and faculty at Washburn as well as area grade schools to help out. Jars with new advertising have also been placed in offices around campus. Edwin Madrigal, freshman, dug into his book bag and found 23 pennies. He was impressed that what was so little money to him could actually be a significant part of building schools overseas. Nick Brown, freshman, thinks world peace starts with children. He donated $5.03 in pennies, which he found lying around his dorm room. Booths will also be set up near the Corner Store on campus April 8 through 10. Games and prized will be available to all students who stop by. “We are really just hoping for foot traffic, as well as handbills,” said Koepsel. “ As well, we will be holding a contest to build a school out of dimes. The details of the contest are still being figured out.”
Travis Perry WASHBURN REVIEW Aside from the usual pizza and sandwiches, Washburn administrators were served a healthy portion of student opinion Thursday as a group of roughly 40 vocal Ichabods gathered outside the Union market to protest the contract extension of Chartwells Dining Services. Led by Washburn Student Government Association senator Phil Norris, the group marched, sang and shouted its objection to the University’s decision. On March 20, the Washburn Board of Regents made the decision to extend the university’s contract with Chartwells through the next decade. In return, Chartwells has planned $700,000 in renovations to the Union Market and the Corner Store, all planned to be finished by the 2009 fall semester. The spearhead of the protestors’ argument was that students were not consulted prior to the decision. Norris said his ideal outcome from the demonstration would be a cancelation of the current contract and renegotiation with student input. The contract allows for either party to cancel it with 60 days notice. When asked why students had not been included in the discussion, Duke Divine, director of business services for the Memorial Union, said the primary factor was time. Specifically, Divine said if the decision had waited, the renovations may not have been in place by fall. “I honestly thought we were doing a good thing,” said Divine. “But, what’s the saying, no good deed goes unpunished.” Matt Beadleston, director of dining services, echoed the reasoning during the WSGA meeting on April 1. “The reason we chose to present it at [the meeting on March 20] is because if we would have waited, we would not have been able to provide this next fall,” said Beadleston. Norris was dissatisfied with the reasoning. “There is always time to talk to students,” said Norris. “I want students to decide if they want Chartwells here or not.”
Photo by Mike Goehring, Washburn Review
Fed up: John Larsen marched among a cadre of other students protesting the lack of student involvement in the University’s decision to extend its contract with Chartwells Dining Services through the next decade. Amy Billinger, WSGA vice president, was also unhappy with the lack of student input on the issue. “Students are on almost every committee across campus that makes important decisions,” said Billinger, “so why not involve students in this
decision?” Beadleston attended the WSGA meeting to speak with senators about the proposed renovations. He also gave an apology, saying the issue should have
Jennie Loucks is a sophomore mass media major. Reach her a jennifer.loucks@ washburn.edu.
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Transformational experience receives mixed reviews from students “All I did was write one paper, filled out the paper work, and got some references,” he said. “It was a good way to convert my work into cash.” But because the transformational experience is a requirement, more students will study abroad, which means there is less money available for each individual. “The smaller the group is, the more generous the pool,” said Tina Williams, coordinator of international studies. “But so far it hasn’t been a problem to send students overseas.” The direct exchange programs, offered by the international studies department, are the most affordable.
Two international students offer unique perspectives on living in America.
The Kansas Expo Centre rocked to the sounds of some big-name bands Saturday.
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news & opinion
Student opinions about the Washburn Transformational Experience are varied and rarely absolute. Some who have completed the experience said they were pleased with the outcome and some said they weren’t. But no one said they thought it should be a requirement to graduate. Travis Byers, a senior German and management major, was not required to complete the transformational experience because of his catalogue year, but he did it anyway.
“Any activity that helps students finance study abroad is worth it,” he said. Byers has traveled to Germany three times during his academic career. All trips were school related, and the modern languages department awarded Byers $3,500 for his most recent trip: studying in Osnabrück, Germany. Now, Byers is completing the transformational experience by traveling to China, where he will meet with one of Washburn’s sister schools to work on a business project. The transformational experience scholarship fund awarded Byers $900 to go.
There are 25 different programs which award anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 to students studying internationally. The 12 faculty-led or departmental programs typically award less money for studying abroad because financing is left up to the leader of the trip. For example, Rick Ellis conducts fund raising each year with the group he takes to Nicaragua. The money raised helps fund the trip in addition to money awarded by the international studies department. The transformational experience scholarship fund also helps finance scholarly or creative projects. John Barry traveled to Ledyard,
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Conn. to conduct primary document research on the Pequot Tribe’s Reservation. The trip cost about $1,200 and the transformational experience fund covered almost all of it. “I would not have been able to do it without the WTE program,” said Barry. “The paperwork was a bit irritating. I think that the staff could benefit from completing mock WTE paperwork, so they could see the work that students have to put into it.” Byers said international studies
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The Ichabod sluggers were outscored 20-3 in their last three games.
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