Stetson Commons 1991-2-3

Spring 1991 Volume II No. 3 Residential Life Changes planned To improve the quality of campus life, Stetson is planning a series of changes in residence hall programs. This fall, Nemec and Stetson halls will be modified to accommodate both men and women, as were Carson/Hollis and Emily halls in previous years. Gender integrating a residence hall aids social interaction, improves security, and increases maturity, said Kemper Smith, associate dean of campus life. In Nemec, students sharing interests or special needs can live in groups. Faculty members will help plan programming for these groups: personal wellness, international culture/languages, environmental concerns. One section will be for graduate students and those who need year-round housing. These are experimental programs; other special interest areas, such as honors, may be considered later, said Campus Life Dean James Beasley. Since the residence halls are currently underused, the new policies also include some economic incentives for on-campus housing."We want students on campus, and we'll do what we can financially to help them stay on campus," said Beasley. Juniors and seniors who remain in university housing will receive a discount ($75 if they've been on campus for two years and $100 for three years). Rent for freshmen, sophomores, and transfer students next year will increase only 3.9 percent, Smith said. To encourage a wide variety of students to remain in the campus mix, students receiving Stetson grants and scholarships of more than $1,000 will forfeit a portion of their aid if they move off-campus. Their aid will never drop below $1,000, and they will never lose more than $2,000. For your calendar Spring 1991 Commencement CLAST Test Summer 1991 Session Summer Commencement Convocation Fall 1991 Semester CLAST Test Parents Weekend Thanksgiving Fall Commencement May 19 June 1 June 11-Aug. 1 Aug. 3 Sept. 3 Sept. 4-Dec. 13 Oct. 5 Oct. 26-27 Nov. 28-29 Dec. 15 A BIQ moment in the life of Stetson junior Samuel Shingles of Jacksonville,left: A conversation with Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu (center). The South Africanarchbishop metwith students and addressedSte tson's Institute for Christian Eth ics in February. The big smile on the face of President Doug Lee speaks for itself. Students lead university into recycling Students who began recycling aluminum cans a year ago are leading an all-out recycling effort at Stetson University. Stetson recycles computer paper, aluminum, plastic bottles, and cardboard. Soon foam cups will be added, putting the university ahead of most recyclers. Eventually, glass and office paper also will be recycled. Environmental Services Manager Tom Burke said students began it all. "It was the university's environmental youth group, known as YAPI — Youth Advocating Planetary Improvements, who made things happen," said Burke. Stetson's most innovative recycling project involves foam cups. Unlike waxed paper products, foam cups ate recyclable. Stetson is using only foam cups and has leased a foam densifier, one of only two in Florida, to compress them into cylinders. Students began collecting aluminum cans from residence halls last spring. One organizer, sophomore Tammy Seale of Flagler Beach, Fla., said YAPI "thought it was time the university had (a recycling program)." Junior Courmey Brown of Naples, Fla., said she hasn't met anyone yet who doesn't want to recycle. "The students are excited." She said YAPI takes seriously a Margaret Mead quote: "Whoever thought that a dedicated individual couldn't change the world? Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." The students got the university's attention. In September, Physical Plant Director Dudley Howe asked Burke to begin a pilot recycling program with existing resources. Burke said he is grateful those resources included the students. YAPI , now about 50 strong, collect aluminum and plastic bottles regularly from the residence halls. Seale and Brown are working for Burke 15 hours a week through work-study, putting out containers, collecting recyclables, and maintaining records so Stetson will know what is accomplished. A cardboard baler is an important part of the recycling program, crushing cardboard from the cafeteria into bales for sale to manufacturers. Students also are attacking the other side of recycling — buyer education. YAPI is encouraging Stetson departments to specify "recycled" on orders. Book Store Manager Maureen Jones stocks recycled paper products, such as legal pads and file folders, and makes sure bags are biodegradable.