The Stetson Reporter

life | Service organizations are one of the most active groups on campus. Best Buddies provides people who are mentally retarded with socialization and employment. Life profile's the organization and its president. [ cover, section B ] wed 20 jan-99 issue 15 volume 111 BY ANDY DEHNART | The Values Council has asked two of its members to look into the possibility of implementing an honor code here. Members of the Values Council will meet with representatives of the Faculty Senate and student government to discuss the best way to approach the issue and to see if interest in following through exists, the two professors involved said. Prompted by faculty discussions about academic honesty, Robert Boerth and Gail Damage to Lower 7 is f typical vandalism1 by julie gowan | During the second and third weeks of December, Smith Hall Lower 7 experienced various acts of vandalism and damage to the hall. With over six incident reports being filed with Public Safety, officers were asked to patrol Smith Hall more often due to the recent vandalism and damage. Officers observed firecrackers being ignited in the bathroom of lower 7, two fire extinguishers that had been discharged, two broken soap dispensers damaged to where the latching mechanisms had been snapped and left hanging open, a shattered mirror, shaving cream sprayed on various walls, and a window being shattered by oranges. In response to these acts of vandalism, Facilities Management was notified, as well as Michelle Espinosa, director of Residential Life, Alii Smith, assistant director of Residential Life, and Jim Beasley, vice president of Campus Life. Ken Littlefield, who is assigned to Smith Hall by Facilities Management, was paged and left with work orders after the incidents occurred. "No students were around when I arrived on the scene. I did observe Espinosa, Smith, and Beasley conducting walk-throughs and questioning residents," said Littlefield. On at least two occasions before the winter break, Espinosa, Smith, and, Beasley conducted walk-throughs of Smith Lower 7 to talk to residents to see if they could find out who was behind the damage to the hall. "We knocked on doors and asked residents to clean up the mess because it was on their floor. We would ask if anyone had seen anything, if they had any information about the incidents, if they heard the noise; obviously some noise had to occur when the mirror was broken or when the firecrackers went off. The residents were cooperative as far as helping clean up the mess," said Smith. "I left one Friday to go home and the hall was fine, nothing had happened for a couple of days, but when I came back the hall had overturned trash cans in the middle of the hall, shaving cream everywhere and the mirror in the bathroom was shattered. I was upset by it, then we were asked to clean [ see DAMAGE, page 2a Radley presented the idea to the Values Council at their meeting Thursday. "[T]he students, faculty, and administration there were all enthusiastic and supportive," he said. Boerth said an honor code should be considered because, to him, "the current system in practice doesn't ensure meaningful, consistent standards." The council asked the professors to take the issue to the Faculty Senate and student government to gauge support. "It makes sense for the Values Council to take an interest in honor codes, but the Values Council doesn't have the authority to impose anything on the students, faculty, or staff," Karen Kaivola, an associate professor of English, said. She said "For an honor code to work, most people need to take ownership in the idea, and they're most likely to do so if they can help shape the terms of the discussion." She said that beyond conversations with the Faculty Senate and SGA, meetings between faculty and students should occur. Honor codes generally require members of the university community to agree to standards of honesty and decorum. Also, many require students to report instances of other students' dishonesty, in addition to their own. "Infractions would be dealt with by a panel of students or students and faculty/ administration," Radley, an adjunct professor of English, said. Penalties can range from expulsion to community service. The idea of establishing an honor code or system at Stetson has been around since at least the 1970s. More recently, about two years ago, English major Jim Dunlop and Kaivola, also an associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, attended "a conference on academic integrity at Duke University," after Dunlop became interested in the possibility of an honor code, Kaivola said. Dunlop, now a first-year law student at the Vanderbilt University School of Law, suggested then the formation of an ad hoc committee to look at the possibility of an honor code. "The question has always been not [actually] instituting an honor code, but what As Europe changes to a ew standardized currency j p — sti abroi ventually see bei wi :tlt! by jeff hamrick j One of the century's most dramatic events will eventually, but not immediately, affect study abroad programs here. According to the Office of International Exchange, the adoption of the euro is unlikely to negatively affect students when they travel abroad. Kristine E.B. Werner, the Director of the Center for International Exchange, said that the euro will eventually make "exchanges and transactions much easier." The euro, which is now being used only for electronic transactions, accounting, and the electronic management of various securities, is not yet available in hard currency form. European financial planners intend to phase the currency into use over the next three years. That means that university students could use the currency electronically as early as this semester. By Fall 1999, the hard currency may be available in some areas of Europe. Students participating in the university's study abroad programs at Avignon, Madrid, Innsbruck, and Freiburg will have the opportunity to use the currency during credit card or wire transactions. Current first-year students will use euros at grocery stores and sidewalk kiosks when they travel abroad during their junior year. Students participating in the Department of English's next Oxford program or the semester study abroad program at Nottingham will not be affected. Great Britain has refused to merge its fiscal and monetary policies with those of the European Monetary Union. Many British politicians fear the erosion of the island nation's economic — and eventually political — sovereignty. Sweden, Denmark, and Greece will not yet join the European Monetary Union, although Greece plans to join shortly once it meets the economic criteria necessary for membership. But 11 other countries — Ireland, Portugal, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Austria, and Finland— have agreed to peacefully unify their currencies. The efforts of the European Monetary Union and the European Union starkly contrast other efforts to unify Europe under the banner of a single economic andpolical sovereign. The Roman Empire's hegemony lasted for centuries. The Napoleonic Empire and Hitler's Third Reich collapsed almost as soon as they started. But most students will probably not be thinking about the long-term historical implications of the euro when they travel abroad. Soon, they may use traveler's checks valued in euros. And eventually, they will probably find themselves avoiding As of January 15, 1999, one euro was worth: 13.76 Austrian schillings 40.34 Belgian franer__ 0.702 British pounds 5.95 Finnish markkas 1936.26 Italian lira 132^3j^panese yen ~_ 9.60 Chinese yuan 323.74 GnieFdrachnW same as an equivalent amount of time spent here at the university. So, if the dollar suddenly weakens in relation to the mark, students don't absorb the extra cost. The university does. "This has to be a constant factor," says Werner. "In good faith, the university takes care of the difference in the cost." Fortunately, Werner says, "We don't operate programs in countries that experience rapid inflation." Werner also noted that students have avoided the study abroad program in Moscow this year, due perhaps to political and economic turbulence (including inflation). According to Dr. John Rasp, director of the School of Business Administration's Summer Study Abroad Program at Innsbruck, Austria, "Existence of the euro the impact of establishing an honor code would be," he said. It "would be an amazing testament to Stetson — which has a problem, I think, with identity — for the university to come together and say this is what we stand for," Dunlop said. An honor code would serve as a "defining principle" and "flow into everything" at the university — not just academics, he said. "If you're going to institute something that discuses values and honor, why it should be limited to just academics? That doesn't make any sense to me." Also, it "should apply to professors - it's something that involves the entire uni- [ see HONOR, page 2a ] Sophomore crowned Miss Volusia County Sat. by julie gowan | Mandy Milks-Johnson was crowned Miss Volusia County at the Miss Volusia County and Miss Daytona Beach pageant on Jan. 16. Jaclyn Nesheiwat received first runner up for Miss Volusia County and won the swimsuit preliminary competition at the pageant. Angela Grant of University of Florida was ciowned Miss Daytona Beach and also won the talent preliminary competition. The pageant took place at Daytona Beach Community College. Eleven girls competed for a chance at one of the titles, three of the contestants were still in high school while the others attended DBCC, University of Florida, University of Central Florida and DBCC. Each contestant had the opportunity to win scholarship money. Stetson University pledged $ 10,000 if a contestant won from Stetson; the winner would receive S2,500 for four years while attending Stetson. "The scholarship amounts given to runners-up and others depends on the ticket sales, said Don Steere, an executive for the pageant program. ' In addition to these gifts, Miss Volusia County receives a one week vacation for four in Daytona Beach, courtesy of T.J.W. Management ["see PAGEANT, page 3a ] currency exchange lines. According to Gudrun ; 1.16 U.S. dollars j should have negligible, if any, im- Kirsehhoefel, resident director of the 166,4 Spanish" pesetas ' pact on costs of Innsbruck." study abroad program at Freiburg, . - ~. ——-~—— Rasp said that the School of students should not expect any dramatic changes Business Administration's agreement with its travel in how they use currency. According to Kirsehhoefel, many businesses and establishments in Europe already accept multiple currencies. Because of this factor, students don't have to necessarily change their currency every time they cross the border of a country. She doesn't expect the lock-in to the euro to substantially affect students' experiences over the next year. "Most students have some out-of-pocket expenses and a food maintenance allowance," said Kirsehhoefel. "They'll continue to use the local currency, the mark, for these things." Werner doesn't expect the euro to greatly affect inflation rates in Europe. Western European currencies are currently inflating 2.5 to 3.5 percent annually. Inflation affects what the university pays for a study abroad program. The university creates study abroad programs that cost students the Current first-year students will use euros at grocery stores and sidewalk kioskswhen they travel abroad during their junior year. agency ties the cost of the program to the Austrian schilling (which, in turn, is pegged to the value of the German mark). Rasp said that this summer's participants should not expect any dramatic changes. "Prices should be listed in both local currency and euros, but cash transactions will still be in the local currency. We'll still need to change money," said Rasp. Tlie Center for International Exchange coordinates study abroad programs in Hong Kong, Guanajuato, Freiburg, Avignon, Madrid, Nottingham, and Moscow. Additionally, the Center for International Exchange frequently assists the Deparment of Religious Studies, the Department of Counseling, the School of Business Administration, and the Department of English with other study abroad programs. Students with questions about study abroad programs should contact the Center for International Exchange at extension 8165. Jeff Hamrick will be exploring the corners of Innsbruck and Europe this summer. E.mail him at dhamrick@stetson. edu. rxx£ ■ v.<5 ■is >L CROWMIMG: Katy Johnson, Miss Volusia County 1998, places the crown on Miss Volusia County 1999, Mandy Milks-Johnson, photo by ]uue GOWAN Student analyzes Clinton's options : by troy bennett | The December 1998 vote of the '■ United States House of Representatives to impeach : William Jefferson Clinton on charges of perjury > and obstruction of justice has left scholars, news ; commentators, political analysts, and the general public debating whether or not the president should resign or remain in office pending the disposition of the case. Those in favor of resignation argue that a Senate trial (now underway) will bring disruption and delay to domestic legislation and foreign policy matters. [ read this story in Forum, page 4a ] f Up ..' is ingenious »I Athletes are active SINGER: Am DiFranco's newest album is climbing the charts with new lyrics and her unique sound, photo courtesy OF ALBERT SANCHEZ/RIGHTEOUS BABE RECORDS [ read this story in Life, page 1b ] in service projects by brian kosoy | For over ten years, Stetson ath- Uf» letes have been involved in a cause that has gone overlooked by many: community service. Each team at Stetson completes two community service projects per year. For most teams, Time-Warner Clinics meet the requirement for one of those projects. The free clinics are put on by the members and coaches of their respective team at various times of the year. The clinics are attended by children throughout the community who come to participate in and learn about the sports programs at Stetson. They usually last 3-4 hours and are held on weekends. "It [the Time-Warner Clinics] is a good way to interact with the community, especially with the kids, while at the same time promoting our program," said sophomore Kevan Watkins, a midfiedler on the soccer team. [ read this story in Sports, page 4b ] t\ fS-? ff73) " i^lsy^liii^fj