The Reporter

wed apr-05 issue 14 volume If . iV! 5?eoX>*&SSki!&-^^ KLt"wS£ll coate ove ousins nas i^reeK community frustrate* kc< Lonetta Wilson metro editor There is debate emerging between the Greek community and the Stetson administration over the conditions in fraternity housing. Members of the Greek community assert that the university has been unwilling to work with them to build num bers and improve housing conditions. Residential Life in an attempt to fill fraternity facilities has begun enforcing a longstanding regulation, which requires that each house have twenty-four members in residence. Prior agreements existed which allowed fraternities with lower numbers to keep their facilities. Michele Espinosa, dean of students, said, "The number of members needed in the houses if chapters are to retain the space is consistent with the number expected for many years. In recent years, however, in an effort to continue supporting the need for chapters to have individual space for meetings, chapter functions, rituals, etc., the university has cho sen to allow chapters to retain their houses without reaching the required number of twenty- four members in the house." Currently, there are at least two fraternities that do not meet this requirement. While Michele Espinosa, states that this agreement was formed with each individual chapter and their national offices, many of the chapters deny this claim. Trevor Whitely, a junior Finance and Family Business double major and president of Phi Sigma Kappa, claims that he has only recently become aware of the policy. "According to what Dean Espinosa has told us, this requirement of 24 (86% of the 28 beds filled) has been in place for some time now, but has just not been enforced. I have ben in an active role on my fraternity's executive bard since the spring of 2003, ind this spring is the first tiite I have ever heard of this reqire- ment," said Whitely. Residential Life denies (legations that this is an attemji to stamp out fraternities on cm- pus. Espinosa cites incresied See HOUSING .Professors .baticals CArnjN Reagan NEWS WRITER During a professor's career at Stetson University, he or she is allowed to apply for a sabbatical leave after seven years of productively teaching on campus. Perhaps this is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a professor but, a sabbatical leave is not just a "rest period," it can also be used for research. Beginning in the fall of 2005, 24 professors will be leaving Stetson's campus. Some will relax and enjoy their time off, and others will diligently work to broaden their research in their specific field of study. Eight of these professors will be on leave for the entire school year and the other sixteen will be taking either the fall or spring semester off. Dr. Mary Pollock of the English department has been selected to take off the entire 2005-2006 school year. During this time she will begin writing her second book on animal studies. This book will focus on the way humans talk and write about non-human animals. "I'm looking forward to visiting a talking chimp in Atlanta and the retired elephants that live on a farm in Hohenwald, Tennessee," Pollock said. Pollock claims that sabbatical leaves are beneficial to the university community in two ways. It allows the professor to update and revamp their class lesson plans, and it brings publicity to Stetson. Barbara Costello, Documents Librarian and Associate Professor, will be taking the fall 2005 semester off to complete Part II of a study she started in 2002. Costello specializes in the government documents and reference section of the library. Her study will focus on the online availability of congressional committee hearings transcripts. She will then submit her article to a peer-reviewed journal in her field. "I have found that many students use information from congressional hearings for their research papers. As more and more government information is published online, and because students prefer to work with online information, it is vital that I be able to point students to the best sources for online congressional hearings," Costello said. The Library of Congress has expressed a high level of interest in Costello's research topic and this is once again, a good example of putting Stetson on the map. For accounting professor, William Jens, sabbatical leave will consist of some very serious research, but he also plans to take a short boat trip to relax. Jens hope to accomplish his research and be given a chance to decompress considering that time was permitting in recent years. See SABBATICAL, 2A 'a"V --tr *»A A. * s»- 44 *"\V "' 4 VlLLANOVA EDU The late Pope John Paul II greets visitors of Vatican City. An estimated 100,000 people turned out at St. Peter's Square for an early Sunday Mass in order to pay respect to the Holy Father. Program makes salient issues of global matters Lonetta Wilson METRO EDITOR On Monday, Mar. 21st, students from Dr. Paul Croce's American Environmental Issues class gathered to present their research on various topics in the Nemec Hall lobby as part of a class requirement. This presentation was part of the "Into the Dorms" program where Residential Life works in conjunction with the American Studies department to help bring current issues to the students. Into the Dorms is a twice- yearly event sponsored by Residential Life and the American Studies department. Another of these events was held last semester in the Chadouin Hall lobby, representing the "east-side" of campus! The locations are chosen based on student convenience and space. "West-side" RA's posted advertisements and held raffles to encourage attendance. Eric Russell, a junior Economics major and Gordis RHD, stated of attendance level, "Fifty-seven is an excellent attendance figure for a purely educational program. It was definitely a success, and the East Area hall director staff is quite pleased with the outcome." Topics ranged from the pollution of ocean habitats, global warming, and species extinction to environmental education programs. Each speaker spent about five to ten minutes explaining their topic and presenting possible solutions to the address the problems at hand. Ian Guthrie, a first year American Studies major, said of this topic, "I was interested in the Florida Panthers because they are one of the most rare animals on the planet, and yet.at times it seems like Florida residents could really care less if they become extinct. I wanted to tell the basic story of their struggle and increase awareness of the Panther situation." Alicia Hickman, a sophomore English major, choose her topic, Florida's sea grass, because she wanted to investigate something that effects all of Florida. "I chose my topic because I wanted to pick an issue that centered around Florida ecology. Also, I find the biological aspect to environmental science very interesting so picking a topic that dealt with the biological effects of humans on one of the most diverse places in North America, not to mention Florida, was very intriguing." Dr. Paul Jerome Croce, professor of American Studies and one of the event's organizers, hopes that programs like Into the Dorms will help raise awareness about environmental issues. "Hearing a range of different environmental problems and attempts at solution may help people reach a tipping point about the environment. If you hear about enough issues that are percolating, you may begin to realize there, is a lot of sour stuff happening to the landscape it's more than just a series of isolated exceptions." The presenters also share this hope. Hickman said, "I think it is essential to spotlight any events that increase environmental awareness. Even on a campus where many students investigate and have knowledge of the environmental problems plaguing our world, it is still a great idea to further educate those who know and enlighten those who don't." Stetson claims environmentalism as one of its core values, and events like Into the Dorms help to reinforce it. "As long as we are going to lay See DORMS, 2A Wednesday's Forecast Partly Cloudy High 80 Low 58'^u Precip: 20% -^ Humidity: 64% Sunrise: 7:09 a.tff. *s#- yif *| *•% Sunset: 7:47 p.m. CALENDAR LIFE MAD CAMPUS METRO REPORT NEWS 2B IB 3A 2A 2A NEWSMAKERS OPINIONS REVIEWS SPORTS 2A 3A 2B 1C ie Kei *?¥*$! ■ca« STUDENT GOVERNMENT 2 A Find archived stories at http: / /www. stetson. edu / organizations/reporter Review onda speak :© yniYi Brett Henson ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR The university has a historically strong relan- ship with the military: the Reserve Officer Traiag Corp (ROTC) gained popularity on campus iiie I950's, and is still an outlet for student traitg. Originally, cadets performed physical fitness ad field drills, while at present it emphasizes le.:.r- ship training in order to prepare candidates'or careers in public and private sectors, ancie various Army branches. Former Senator :.b Graham pointed to the ROTC as a means tofe- velop intelligence gathering in the Middle Eastad other hostile regions of the world in his adcss on March 21 in the Lynn Business "Center." *' As a former US senator (Florida-D) ad Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Commie, Mr. Graham was nominated as a presidential a- didate in 2004. He also authored "Intelligcje Matters", which critiques the current intelligse and security policy of US agencies such asie CIA. Mr. Graham told a story of two Saudi Alans. Al Hasbar and Al Mitar, who came fre a terrorist planning region in Malaysia to the Uud States. While the CIA was aware of the plantg, this evidence was not enough to prevent th'it— lacks on the USS Cole in October 2000, or fee of September 11. American intelligence also fid when the CIA did not communicate adequtJy with immigration officials, which alloweiLl Hasbar and Al Mitar to enter the country, for arriving in California, the men were taken n!jr the wing of a Saudi accountant, who is belisd by Mr. Graham to have served as a condinf funds through Saudi channels. The two mere- came a part of a Saudi support group, and ;re eventually introduced to a flight instructor 111 three men were hijackers of the plane flownlo the Pentagon during the September 11th attait Mr. Graham used his story to illustrate "•.at he perceived as shortcomings within Amerin intelligence. As an example of this failureie cited Saudi hijackers' preparation and plannkin the United States, he mentioned a retired coige professor turned FBI informant who housechie future terrorists. "American intelligence is a product oihe SeeGRAHAI2A Professor becomes editor of Tolstoy Studies Jouranl Billy Perry associate news editor Dr. Michael A. Denner, assistant profess, of Russian Studies, has recently been named'he editor of Tolstoy Studies Journal, begirmg January 2005. Kathleen Parthe of the University of Rocss- ter founded the journal in 1988. It is an acadaic publication dedicated to Tolstoy scholarship, ai is SeeDENNE>2<4 The Lady Hatters faced Valparaiso in a heated contest. STORY 1C Movie R®vi©w Blair Townley reviews Tommy Lee Jones's "Marof the House" STORY 2B