The Reporter

S e e k i n g' The T r u f It At S t c t s o. n. University Volume CXIX Issue mrsdav, September 7,2DDB A Letter From the Editor: Dearest Reader: You are witnessing the production of a new Reporter. It may look like the same weekly that you've diligently followed or through which you've disinterestedly perused: Same paper stock, same section titles, same name—but changes have occurred. For starters, the templates are brand new: inspired by the lettering of The Daily Globe, The Reporter's new look is Neotraditional chic: clean, trendy, and with a nod to fonts of the past, this name plate aspires to make a great first impression. We've also revamped each section so that the visuals match the content. Love it or hate it—please let us know. Beyond the font, a dedicated group of veteran news-gatherers led by an innovative and resourceful editorial staff are starting the semester off with a bang. And with the likelihood that the campus is teeming with talented new students waiting to lend their quills and lenses to a bonafide newspaper, the quality will only increase. New features include Talking Heads: a bi-weekly face-off between pundit-in-training Patrick McMahon and various other students (to be found in Opinions); 3 Reasons to Leave Your Suitcase Unpacked: where the newspaper seeks out cool shindigs, happenings, exhibits, shows, festivals, and events happening on the weekends in Volusia, Seminole, and Orange Counties (to be found in Life); Pissed Offl: inspired by the Orlando Sentinel's Ticked Off., this section will provide readers with an opportunity to have their anonymous rants excerpted as mini bytes of outraged drivel (no direction or coherency required, to be found in Life in coming weeks). My personal favorite will be RMP Profiles where professors confess their deepest doubts and rosiest ruminations about being rated at the online site, www.ratemyprofessors.com. This week Dr. Mike T. Raymond is the professor in question. In our Sports section, look for improved coverage of our NCAA teams, as well as coverage of Stetson's surfers, competing this semester not only in the Southeast United States, but also in Puerto Rico. The section will also contain weekly profiles of successful student athletes: Hatters who perform as intensely in the classroom as they do on the field or court. This year's Opinions section marks the return of The Reporter as a home to powerful, passionate, and thoughtful discourse. Plans are in motion to create a subsection of Opinions entitled Community Forum, where respected students, faculty, and staff will be invited to explore chosen subjects relevant to the university community. Our first subject is the university's decision to end a number of popular community builders hosted by the Greek commvinity. So read the news articles in this and next week's issues, watch for next week's editorials by students, faculty, and staff, and then shoot us a line More so now than ever—with our most diverse student body to date; national, state, and regional elections only months away; new faculty; a new SGA administration and a new newspaper staff—The Reporter encourages its readers to contact us with questions, concerns, ideas, hate mail, op-eds, love letters, tirades, freelance work, and anything else under the sun. Because The Reporter is your newspaper. We look forward to a great year. Mike Riggs, Editor:in-Chief ccide ByJACOBWAGNER Jeff Cara, a senior health science major, was in his room on the third floor of the new residence hall, Hall A, when he decided to close an open window. The window pane fell down and struck him on the head. "It was up at the time and when I went to pull it down it just came out of the wall- out of the frame," said Cara. He says the window didn't do any serious damage or warrant a trip to the hospital, he just used an ice pack and by the next day, Cara was feeling better. "Just a large bump on the head, you know. I had a headache for the day," said Cara.. According to Robin Porter, Assistant Director of Residential Life, the window pane was not broken or installed incorrectly. "The window pane did not fall out of the building. The window did come off the track but it functioned properly. At no time did the window pane detach from the window or the building... the window is designed to fold out for easy cleaning. In order to put the window back into the up right position, there are tabs on either side of the window that lock into place. These tabs were not locked into place when Jeff went to close the window. As a result, the window came forward as it would if one was cleaning it," explained Porter. It is unclear why the tabs were not locked into place when Cara moved in. The possibility that the cleaning tabs were left unlocked when the window was installed raises other concerns about what other maintenance problems might be plaguing the new Residence Hall and the apartment buildings in the near future. Nick Cavallaro, a sophomore political science major and a Resident Assistant, noticed some problems while assisting in official room inspections for the apartments two days after ^"^"cAMluJ'BfLLY/ THE REPORTER residents had moved in. Four serious problems that he found were missing metal striker plates on door frames that prevent a locked door from simply being pushed open; windows that were left unlocked unbeknownst to residents; window latches too stiff to lock; and a smoke detector that was completely covered with a substance that resembled the ceiling in texture. "The door and fire detector are something that should have been looked into before residents began to move in," said Cavallaro. There are also minor problems such as door tracks to be installed, thresholds, trim work, floor covering repair, painting, microwaves not working, and small holes in the walls that the developer, Collegiate Development Services of Irving, Texas, plans to address over the next week. The overwhelming question is whether the haste required to construct the buildings over a period of eight months left the buildings unsafe for the students now residing in them. Robin Porter says that although the buildings were opened with cosmetic and convenience issues to address, "life safety systems were all in place and approved by the City of DeLand Building Department and the Fire Marshal." When Jeff Cara was asked about safety problems in the buildings in light of his encounter with the window pane, he responded, "There are issues that are still being worked on but I haven't noticed any safety issues per se. I think ResLife is doing the best job they can CAMILLE BILLY/ THE REPORTER at getting it all done, but it's definitely a process." Contact Jacob Wagner at jwagner@stetson. edu. ResLife Cancels .Sigma Phi Epsilon Alcohol- Free Event And Ends A Decade of Tradition ByMarie Villard Sigma Phi Epsilon, awarded the title "Fraternity of the Year" in 2006, has held a tradition of hosting a Slip *N Slide party every semester for the past eleven years. This year, however, there will be no Sigma Phi Epsilon Slip 'N Slide to carry on that tradition. The Slip 'N Slide event for this semester was scheduled to be held on Saturday, August 26th from 11:30pm till the early morning hours. Generally, the event, including a barbeque and refreshments, would be open to the entire campus. "All we ask," said Juan Cortes, President of Sigma Phi Epsilon, "is for donations, which will go to benefit the American Cancer Society, the fraternity's philanthropy." Cortes went to Robin Porter, the Greek Life advisor and Assistant Director of Residential Life, on August 22nd to officially register "AH we ask is for donations, which will go to benefit the American Cancer Society, the fraternity's philanthropy." -Juan Cortes the event. According to Cortes, after filling out the required paperwork, he was "pulled around for a few days," waiting for a decision from administration. One of the concerns that Cortes was initially informed of by Robin Porter concerned the grass at the Sig Ep house, which, according to maintenance, would not be a problem. The Slip 'N slide event has been an alcohol-free event from the beginning of its existence, and that policy is strictly enforced by the Risk Management Chair of the fraternity. According to Billy Wieland, member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, the Risk Management team has, in the past, "removed participants who were seen with any alco- "After contacting the chapter attorney...we agreed that the liability issue was comparable, if not identical, to the liability issue faced when playing an intramural sport." - Billy Wieland holic beverage, or were clearly intoxicated." "After contacting the chapter attorney," said Wieland, "we agreed that the liability issue was comparable, if not identical, to the liability issue faced when playing an intramural sport." The Sig Ep Risk Management team took all necessary precautions- before holding the event, even making copies of waivers that were similar to the university's for those who decided to go down the Slip 'N Slide, so that . there would be less risk for the school and the fraternity. The event is usually held at 11:30 pm, as "an alternative to drinking, which would usually occupy those hours," says Wieland. However, Robin Porter, the Greek Advisor, said that in order to have the event, the fraternity would need to hold the event in daylight hours, thus lessening any other liability. Slip 'N Slide is usually held on the hill by the Sigma Phi Epsilon house, and can potentially be a greater risk because of the road that runs adjacent to the house. The fraternity was also informed that in order for their event to be sanctioned, they would have to host it in Rinker field and that a Public Safety Officer would need to be present for the duration of the event. In order to have an officer present, however, they would have to pay out of their own chapter budget for the hours that the officer remains at the event. The fraternity was met with frustration by all of these requirements, none of which had been put in place prior to this semester. "Further frustrating," said Wieland, "is.that this type of event has been put on (and planned to be repeated this year) by the Department of Residential Life for first-year students in Smith and Gordis Hall." According to Porter, "the university has made the decision that Slip N' Slides are too dangerous and a liability risk. From this point forward no group (Greek or non-Greek) is allowed to hold a Slip N' Slide event on campus." However, after seeing that residence halls have already put Slip N' Slide events on this year, the fraternity feels discriminated against. They do understand, however, that banning Slip 'N Slide will be a university-wide policy. After bargaining with administration, the fraternity decided not to have the event due to the new restrictions that were put in place. Many members of the fraternity were left frustrated and disheartened. Davidson Hobson, another member of the fraternity, said, "It is unfortunate that our co-operation and compliance was met with such resistance. We have hosted this event for over ten years without an incident being reported. We are disappointed that a reasonable solution could not Abe reached, especially after our efforts to make the event safe and fun for everyone." Contact Marie Villard at bvillard@stetson. edu. Class of 2010 Redefines The Student Body Demographic bycaiujnreagan This year's incoming class of 2010 is perhaps the most record breaking class the university has ever seen. Not only is it the most diverse group of students, but it is also the second highest enrollment in the university's history with 715 incoming first-year students. 82% of the incoming students are living in campus housing, while only 101 of the "new students students are commuters. In past years, the university has struggled with diversifying a racially homogenous student body, but 144 incoming students listed themselves as some ethnicity other than white: 52 students are African American, 78 students are Hispanic, and 14 students are international students. With well over half of the incoming students from Fla., the university's admissions and enrollment departments plan to revamp their out of state recruitment in hopes of increasing those numbers. One plan is to offer matching scholarships to Georgia students who have been offered scholarship money from the state of Georgia. Heidi Ruesswick had this to say of the university's efforts: "It makes me increasingly proud to be a Stetson alumna when I see a class like this one, join the student body. The incoming first year students are exceptionally active and enthused, and I am encouraged to see what they blossom into in their time here. It is easy to see the next generation of student leaders emerging from such talent and zeal." Contact Caitlin Reagan at creagan@stetson. edu. Thursday's Forecast; Scattered '-' * rf T-storms :V High 91 Low 72 • . ff • i . **--**% 7* Jf Weekend Forecast: Friday: Scattered T-Storms Saturday: Scattered T-Storms Sunday: Scattered f-Storms Hi's: 88 Low's: 73 Professorial Profile Find out what Dr. Mike Raymond has to say about being featured on RateMy Prof essors. com PAGE C1 MoYie Review Movie critic Blair Townley reviews a medley of season blockbusters PAGE C2 Talking Heads ■ The war in Iraq justified and Disney Baghdad explored. PAGE B1