Lavonte Douglas, number 34 on the Missouri Western’s Men’s basketball team, represented Western on the court for two years. He was a 2011-2012 MIAA all-conference tournament player. He averaged 13.6 points per game. Most importantly, Lavonte is a student.

Lavonte isn’t a saint and we won’t pretend he is. Most students at Western have made mistakes and that’s what has lead them here. Former Coach Tom Smith is known for giving his players a second chance and given that Lavonte will be graduating in a few weeks is testament to Smith’s philosophy.

All of Lavonte’s hard work, all the time and energy he put into games to get Western another win and all the effort he put into his studies could go up in flames just because one officer has an aggression problem.

Administration has told him he’s a danger to us, but Lavonte isn’t armed. Officers that flippantly spray students with pepper-spray and then discuss, after the fact, what crime to charge students with are a danger to us. Administration that takes cues from these officers on disciplinary actions and felony assault charges are more a danger to us than a soft spoken former basketball player.

If you care about Lavonte, as a student or an athlete, you should tell the administration that if they expel him no one is safe. If an officer can be aggressive and claim that he was assaulted we are all at risk. If Western administration ensures that every students’ past follows them to St. Joseph, then no one can redeem themselves.

Most importantly you should help Lavonte because he is you. He is like every student who has struggled in a class. He is every student who looks forward to graduation. He is every student who loves his friends and protects them as fast as a 3-point shot when the buzzer sounds. Western isn’t just a university, it’s a community.

Stand up for Lavonte.

Through a lack of taking full advantage of campaigning through social media sites as well as web-based voting problems, the election for SGA president and vice president came to an end with only .072 percent of Western’s student body turning in a vote.

Aside from the low voter turnout, the candidates were only allotted a two-week time frame to campaign and could only disperse posters and banners for the final week leading up to the election.

With an election that is as important to students’ interests and future representation as this was, candidates need to be given a more reasonable amount of time to campaign and let students know what they are about before the voting process.

However, the blame for the low turn-out is not entirely on the campaigning structure.

There was a very limited utilization of social media by the candidates during the process to reach out to Western and that contributed to the low number of student voters as well.

In the future, candidates need to use their available resources to the fullest potential because that is what the rest of the student body deserves.

According to the bylaws for campaigning, although the distribution of posters and materials and campaigning is allocated to a ridiculously small amount of time, candidates can get endorsements from organizations as far as four weeks prior to the election. Working to get endorsements from organizations that reflect the candidate’s agenda is one way that they could efficiently utilize their resources as well as show the students what they are about further out from the election and boost voter numbers.

On top of these two issues, there was also a failure on the website used to vote that caused some issues.

For several minutes, last year’s president and vice-presidential candidates were posted in place of the two current candidates and following that, there were several moments with no candidates on the voting webpage at all.

Neither Northwest State University or Missouri Southern State University’s department of Student Affairs could be reached for a comment on SGA election procedures; however, Northwest has a similar time frame for campaigning. They give candidates two and a half weeks, but one of those weeks falls on spring break.

Campaigning time isn’t the only area in which we lag behind other state universities. In their last SGA election, Missouri State had a voting turnout of nearly 14 percent compared to our less than one percent turnout.

In the future, the whole campaigning and voting process needs to be buttoned up and made much more accessible for the students. It should run smoothly and students should be given a more reasonable amount of time to learn what the candidates that are going to represent them are all about; and we as students need to make more of an effort to vote because 443 out of 6099 students deciding our leadership just isn’t going to cut it.

We have all heard the stories of our friends and peers getting arrested, being kicked out of a building or having a police officer invade their personal space. Every single time, we must automatically assume that the police officer is right. Unfortunately, we never hear the students’ side. Then after just a couple weeks, when another student has yet another incident with another officer, the situation is never heard of again. This process happens over and over.

Clearly, there are some big problems with our campus police and it goes well beyond what any student did or was accused of. These problems make us truly question what our police officers really do. All we can say is that they write tickets, drive around our campus, and park next to one another to chat for long periods of time. However, there is one thing we can say that they do better than anyone – give students the runaround.

The first problem is that they don’t utilize their security cameras. There are cameras in some of our buildings to ensure safety and, in essence, reduce crime. Yet, the cameras aren’t being fully utilized. Students that would need the footage to prove a theft or a specific problem would often get the run-around and end up spending so much time talking to one person that directs them to another person that they would grow frustrated and forget about the problem.

The second problem is that they don’t frequently update the campus crime log. The campus crime log that is supposed to be updated daily was neglected for almost a month. So those proactive students that want to remain safe are left in the dark about the crimes that occur on campus. This is completely inconsiderate to the students.

The last problem is that we never hear from them. The campus police should be more proactive in what students can do to ensure safety. Simple things, such as informing students about the panic buttons on campus or the proper thing to do when being robbed, would be very beneficial. Though we do have self-defense programs such as Green Dot, and Western Activities Council and the Center for Student Engagement have done a great job in hosting events that discuss student safety, the funny thing is that these events are never held by officers nor do the officers ever vocally contribute to them. Discussing student safety shouldn’t have to be WAC or CSE’s responsibility. It should be done by the police officers. They are police officers, not standing security guards that don’t move unless they specifically have to. It’s time they start acting like it.

After tragic events took place at places like Sandy Hook, Columbine and Virginia Tech, it is more important than ever to make sure our campus is safe. It’s time we stop discussing small incidents and look at the big picture. What do our police officers do? Do they really protect and serve or do they just look the part?

Students were relieved last Thursday when they awoke to cancelled classes, but the day after the storm Western decided to reopen. Despite snow-covered roads and highways, Western made the decision to ask students’ to gamble their safety and make the trek to school.

As reported by many students, class attendance was extremely low. Some professors even cancelled classes. While on campus students didn’t have an excuse not to go to their classes, commuter students were not taken into consideration.

If a commuter student was able to make it to campus, it was a risk they took. The Missouri Department of Transportation’s northwest region still had all the highways in their district covered with snow. Around 9:30 a.m. a semi-truck jack-knifed on I-29 shutting down both southbound lanes. Additionally, road conditions in the morning were so bad that the University had to close the north entrance to campus off of Faraon.

Besides the risk commuter students took, all students suffered from Western decision to keep campus open. It was a lose-lose situation all around.

Professors that didn’t cancelled classes on Friday has two choices. They could either move forward with their class content or hold their curriculum because the majority of the class didn’t show up.

If they moved forward, the students that couldn’t make it on campus suffered because they missed material. If the professors didn’t move forward, then the students risked their safety for no reason.

Essentially, Friday was a wasted day. It was damaging for students to attend. We are glad that no one was injured while getting to campus Friday, but the risk never should have been taken especially since the low attendance caused the benefit of education to suffer.

When so many other institutions of learning are cancelling in our region, Western administration needs to take a cue; cancel classes.

Education is important, but not worth the risk of property damage, injury or even death in circumstances that make those outcomes much more worse. In the future, Western needs to be more open to cancelling classes sooner and more often. Snow storms don’t come frequently, especially one’s as severe as the storm that came last week.

Blum is pretty sterile and not very inviting to students at all as it is now, and the remodel could go far to boost the moral on campus.

Walking into Blum is kind of like walking into the waiting room of a hospital. Everything in there is tucked away around corners, it is usually quiet and mostly empty aside from meal times and over-all has an almost depressing vibe to it. Not to mention, the second floor is like a gloomy maze to navigate through.

Western should not only remodel Blum, but they really need to take a look at resources available on campus to keep costs down and allowing for a larger more complete project.

They should use students to help with the planning, design and decoration. The administration should work very closely with the students on campus through-out the process because the students know what they like and what functions best for them.

They need to consider more than just rigid functionality in the design they need to make it a hub for students, something we can take pride in. Including the students in the entire project would give them that sense of pride and a sense of having accomplished something while giving students that are getting degrees in areas that are involved hands-on experience.

They could add activities to Blum as well. They could add pool tables, games, music and one student even suggested adding a small arcade.

One idea, with the high price of food at Western, is to bring in a restaurant that maintains a dollar menu so students who live on campus have cheaper food options.

We realize that there is a budget involved here and know that not everything that students want may be possible and a lot of things may be wish-full thinking. It is very important though when doing something like this on campus that it be done with the students interests in mind or Blum will remain Western’s waiting-room.

With all the excess money that Western has accumulated to prepare for the cuts that never took place, they should cover health care fees for students on campus.

Initially the student success act had us paying a fifty dollar a month fee to cover the costs of visiting the health center; the thing is, none of us benefit from it because it has been pushed to the side to pass the rest of the act quickly.

We currently also pay a fee every time we have to go to the health center on campus. Most students with health insurance go to the center thinking that they are covered, not so, Western does not file insurance and so it is essentially useless on campus.

These fees act as a barrier to students who many times don’t have the cash to pony up each visit. Any service that is set up to help students at a university and then creates a barrier to accessing it is a bad idea.

Especially in light of the recent flu outbreak, which is the kind of thing the on-campus facility was made to help with, health services should be made readily accessible to Western students.

As a result of these fees, many students simply go down the road to the E.R. even if it is something minor and easily treatable at our health facilities because they don’t have the cash to pay right at that moment. All this accomplishes is a hefty hospital bill that adds to our debts and could be easily avoided if the fee was dropped.

If Western has this surplus of funds and really cares about its’ students then making health care on campus free is something they should do.

It is something that monetarily is small but would go far towards making campus life a whole lot easier as well as giving back to the students whose tuitions gave them that fund surplus in the first place.

It just seems odd when Missouri Western is exceeding their budget in revenues by more than $7.4 million for the past three years, that we would have to worry about the students paying into the Student Success Act yet again.

The cost of attending a four-year university is enough of a burden on the shoulders of students. Students pay for classes, books, supplies, room and board and other necessities to make it possible to survive college.

Western is building up their reserves by raiding student’s wallets. Forcing students to pay into the success act again when reserves are at a ten-year high seems wrong. The Student Success Act is not necessary when this university is financially well off. Administration should stop charging student’s accounts in the 2013 spring semester for the Student Success Act.

The Student Government Association who created the act should have made an escape clause. The president of the SGA and five members of administration signed the original act.  Changes to the act may have to be approved by all five members of the administration and the SGA president again.

The administration originally lead SGA into this act by painting a bleak future if the act didn’t pass. The fear was that the state was going to cut funding by 12.5 percent. Administration threatened to cut five departments of student services. Not only did those cuts never happen, but also the state sent an additional $500,000.

When the Griffon News asked the SGA and administration “What if the state funding cuts do not happen?” when the act was being considered, the response was, “the cuts are going to happen.” Evidently none of those involved in the creation of the act thought of an escape clause should the cuts not happen.

It looks like the administration was taking advantage of the SGA by not suggesting an escape clause. If the shoe was on the other foot, the administration would probably have insisted on an escape clause. In fact, then Vice President of Financial Planning Mel Klinkner said that if the act had a sunset clause, he would have to consider cutting student services as if the act didn’t exist.

If the administration is guilty of manipulating the SGA, then shame on them. The best way to correct their behavior is to not collect the student fee when the state doesn’t cut funding or when profits exceed a million dollars.

It just seems that the student government was played into a deal, which in turn created expenses for the entire student body. It’s tough enough for students to pay for school.

It’s time for the SGA to work with the administration to find a way for these fees to be eliminated until the university should find itself in poorer financial shape.

The students deserve a gracious Christmas present when they return for the spring semester, and this would be one way the university could give back to its students.

If there is not a reprieve, this fee needs to go to a student vote. The issue is, if Western is very profitable some years, then the fee should not be collected. If administration threatens to cut student services after the student vote, the students may have to take it to the governor and let him decide if Western needs the money or not.

Despite the economy turning around, the current Missouri Governor has made it clear that he does not support higher education. Unless there is a drastic change in Gov. Jay Nixon’s attitude, Western won’t be given the chance to grow.

Now, this doesn’t mean it isn’t a great school. With a lean budget, Western is able to accomplish a lot of things. We have great professors, dedicated staff and forward-thinking administrators. The problem is money.

But there’s no end to this problem. The money just simply isn’t there. Sure, students could always pay more, but that’s hurting the student more than it is helping them. Western doesn’t need ‘stay afloat’ money it needs ‘let’s build a new ship’ money.

Western is great with working with what it has, but it needs more. The sciences have some of the newest equipment in the field, but that benefit shouldn’t be strictly for the sciences. All departments should have the technology they need to teach students the skills they want.

It was recently announced that Gov. Nixon had raised $1.7 million for his campaign for governor. Ironically, that’s exactly what Western could use to fill its budget hole after Nixon’s proposed budget.

We shouldn’t vote against politicians. That mentality is destructive. But Gov. Nixon’s slashing of higher education budgets does leave opportunity for someone else. As a matter of fact, Nixon’s primary campaign slogan is that he hasn’t had to raise taxes. Is that really a good thing?

Even with such a heated debate surrounding taxes, both sides of the party line agree that taxes are generally necessary. The disagreement stems from how much should be levied and what the funds are used for. Regardless, more money for higher education should be a priority and reason for a potential tax increase.

The other problem with the current funding model for higher education is the inequality across institutions. Universities like Truman and MU receive more state money per student than Western. If a tax increase were proposed, to make it fair the state government should also reform how much schools get per student.

At Western, it’s not a matter of misusing money; it’s a matter of being under funded. Students at other schools shouldn’t complain about budget cuts because they already get more money per student than Western. At the same time, this isn’t about competition. In an ideal world, every university would have healthy funding levels. But they don’t. The fact is, Western is suffering the most.

It’s time for a change. The way universities receive funds in Missouri must be reformed. Western is suffering, while others—who may not be striving—are surviving better than Western. As election season gears up, listen closely.

Students are not allowed to vote on major legislation on this campus. Recently the Student Government Association made the decision for the student body and voted in a new student fee without taking the idea to a vote of the students.

When students began to work on a petition to bring the new fee legislation to a student vote by getting signatures to overthrow the SGA decision, Financial Planner Mel Klinkner delivered a threat to cut student services as planned. It is the same threat he gave to the SGA that made them vote for the legislation in the first place.

The problem lies not in what was done. It lies in the feeling that comes with heavy-handed legislation. When someone else makes the decision for you it feels like they don’t believe you are intelligent enough to make an informed, accurate decision. If allowed to vote on this issue, students should have sought and been given the information to vote properly in this matter.

As it is, it seems like administration and the SGA are treating students like high school children instead of reasonable adults who could have handled the problem properly with the correct information.

Another problem with the petition was the process itself. The rules are very difficult to adhere to and, probably by design, very time consuming.

The only way to proceed is to have an event in protest of the legislation. That requires approval from, guess who?, Student Affairs administration. There goes freedom of speech.

Soon the very air you breathe will be controlled by the new smoking ban that administration is pushing. They went to the students first twice and the issue was voted down.

Now the administration is going to the MWSU staff. Ty Patterson, director of the national center for tobacco policy out of Springfield, Mo., spoke on campus Tuesday. Patterson explained the health and financial benefits to staff members to garner their support for the ban. Administrative board members need to grow some courage and go against students, faculty, staff and other visitors to our campus and just impose the legislation. Why do they have to hide behind someone or some organization?

What’s next?

Will they ban non-healthy foods from vending machines? What about the sugar in the drinks, fat in the pizza, short skirts, tattoos, facial hair, sagging pants, foul language, etc.?

Somewhere along the line the administration has failed to realize that many students here are adults. Many others have just arrived from high school. If they continue to treat people like they are in high school, when then do students grow up and become adults? This campus will truly have university status when the common student produced here has the respect of the administration. It’s their move.

The Student Success Act, written and passed by SGA in the last month, imposes a new fee on students. The fee stepladders depending on your student status: full-time students will pay $75, part-time students $50 and summer students $25.

SGA has held several meetings to listen to students concerns about the fee. The single most important concern that came out of those open forums was SGA’s mode of passage. Students have voiced concerns about letting Senate alone vote on such an important issue. These concerns fell on deaf ears.

There was even a compromise. Sen. Clifford Petersen proposed an amendment to the bill that would have ended the legislation in three years. One year after passage, students would have the opportunity to vote on the legislation, giving administration two years to prepare for the missing funds.

This compromise was unfortunately shot down. This amendment to the legislation would have pleased students and given SGA enough time to convince students of the need for a fee. Sure, the urgency to fix the budget problem is apparent, but that argument only goes so far. This compromise should have been taken, because now the fee is in jeopardy.

Article XI of the SGA constitution allows the students to force SGA to take an legislation that has been passed to a student vote: “Any legislation passed by SGA or any issue, shall be placed on a ballot before all members of the Association upon securing a petition of at least ten percent (10%) of the members of the Association or two-thirds (2/3) vote of SGA Senate calling for such an election. If the petition or legislation does not specify a special election date then the matter shall be placed on the next general election ballot.

In the event that the said petition is properly executed and presented to the SGA president, the Elections Commission shall place the issue on a ballot before all members of the association for acceptance or rejection by the members of the association at either the next general election of the SGA or in a special election as called for by the Elections Commission.”

The provision will allow students to take back their voice. Why should students sign such a petition when SGA and Western administration says that there is a need for this fee? Because the ends don’t justify the means.

To put it simply, SGA failed in its communication. At current press time, no digital copy of the legislation was posted on the SGA website or emailed to Griffon News staff. During the open discussions, the rough drafts of the legislation were also not posted. Not a single piece of information about this legislation was every promoted or posted. In 2012, that is a failure to communicate. SGA has the means to communicate, they just chose not to. During election time, social media was utilized to promote the election. The Scott/Upton campaign also utilized Twitter and Facebook. After the election, an email was sent out asking students to apply for positions in next year’s administration. If emails don’t garner responses from students then why was this one sent out? A single email was sent out to students about an open forum last Wednesday announcing, “the final reading of the student approved fee proposal.” Now, if you hadn’t gone to that meeting, this probably brought images of an SGA member standing on a soapbox decreeing what their royal—I mean executive—orders are.

Sure, the mouth-to-mouth approach may have been a good idea, but why not attempt all channels of communication? Simply labeling a meeting as “open” doesn’t mean that it’s fair or publicized. The fact is SGA wanted to have low turn out at these meetings. They are, after all, the voice of the students. Why should they listen to students?

It’s not because a new fee is a bad idea that you should sign a petition. It’s because the way it was passed. This won’t be an easy task though. That night, SGA also passed a new bylaw to supplement Article XI. A petition must be gain the signatures within 30 days (so by today it would be 28 days) and adhere to the guidelines in the university handbook. Regardless, students should petition this legislation. Let your voice be heard, not theirs.

It’s an important job. College isn’t just about grades and diplomas. It’s about an experience. What students need is an administrator that understands who they are and what they are going through. College can be a rough transition for 18-year-olds and the same can be said for nontraditional students. We need an administrator who understands and empathizes with the plight of both of these groups.

College is also a time of experimentation. This is the unwritten allowance of the college experience. We don’t have to go into detail about what college students may or may not do during their time here, but mistakes will be made. The vice president for student affairs must be forgiving and understand that during periods of growth, these mistakes are made.

Also, the vice president for student affairs must understand what students want. This must be a natural ability, not one discovered through surveys and questionnaires. The ideal vice president will be able to draw on his or her own experiences from college and remember what excited them about college. They must be able to say that their college experience was memorable and help create those memories for Western’s students.

No doubt, being the vice president for Student Affairs at Missouri Western may be one of the most demanding at this school or in the state. Western is diverse in ways that other schools are not. Relating to all of these different types students will be difficult at times. The vice president must be able to transition between roles for these students because not everyone at Western is looking for the same experience.

Some of us are just looking for a GPA. Others are still looking for themselves. Some of us know exactly what we want. Regardless, we all have different needs and wants from our university, but we all do need something or else we wouldn’t be here.

Western is a home for nomads. We’re a place that accepts anyone regardless of ACT, GPA or DUIs. There are felons and scholars in our walls but we’re proud of them all. The only thing we ask is that the next vice president for student affairs is one of us.

In the aftermath of the freeze followed by snowfall recently, there have been many reports and witnessed events of students falling on several days of slippery sidewalks around campus.

Physical Plant Director Lonnie Johnson explains the strategy for combating this specific weather event.

“Our staff of six groundskeepers follows a prescribed sequence of snow removal based on priority of areas and times by which they need to be ready,” Johnson said. “In this particular event, we were notified by the university police around 2 a.m. and our crew arrived on campus later that morning.

Johnson goes on to break down areas of priority around campus for snow and ice removal.

“Their first priority is always roads and parking lots so people can be as safe as possible once they reach campus,” Johnson said. “Sidewalks are worked on at the same time as men are able to shift from lots to walks.  Sidewalks/roads, and lots must be bladed sufficiently before any type melting product can be applied.”

Unfortunately, It appears that Western is using a sub-par grade of chemical and supplies to combat the conditions.

“Of course, these products only work well at temps above 25 degrees,” Johnson said. “We also use a mixture of sand/gravel on surfaces.  We treat areas throughout the day as warranted.”

In other words, the ice melting products Western uses only have a seven degree effective range when taken from the freezing temperature of 32 degrees.

If Western continues to keep the campus open through sub-zero storms then that is just not acceptable. They would need to use an ice-melt compound such as calcium chloride that is effective to 25 degrees below zero to keep the campus pathways ice-free.

Johnson goes on to explain how keeping the campus fall free is close to impossible in these conditions.

“As with any event where snow/ice is involved, the chances of someone falling is always there,” Johnson said. “Nothing we could do would ever prevent someone from slipping on an ice/snow covered surface.  Maybe if we could bring the weather from Florida to northern Missouri, we could make that happen.”

Since the case is such that fighting back the ice in snow and ice storms below 25 degrees is impossible with the products Western currently uses, then we either need better chemicals or the administration needs to examine the well-being of the students and faculty more closely when these storms arise and be more open to closing the campus for the day before someone gets truly hurt.

So when the Student Government Association decided to change its process for how its annual SGA t-shirt is chosen, they didn’t consider the little guy. The SGA executive board disregarded what this university means to some students; a chance to shine.

In the past, students submitted their design to the SGA and the student body was able to vote on all of the designs. Sure, this process meant that the SGA had a lot of submissions and the students had a lot of choices, but too many choices is never a bad thing.

This year, the SGA Executive Board chose three designs from the about 15-20 student submissions. Students have already voted the t-shirt and the winner will be announced at the Feb. 13 basketball game against Washburn. We don’t know the process of elimination that took place. We don’t know the list of who submitted what or if any of the final three came from the same people.

The only thing we do know is that, according to Ashley Stegall, SGA’s executive board wanted “to try something new.” But obviously they never heard of the old adage; if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

The creator of one of these three designs will also win $200, or four students’ semester SGA fee that they paid. Our SGA fee also pays for the printing of these shirts. These are our shirts, so we should be given the full list of options to choose from.

Additionally, two of these designs were created by the same person. Even if the process of elimination was blind to those who designed the shirts, this still wasn’t fair to all of the designers or the students voting. Diversity is important to Western and so is giving everyone a chance.

This year’s voting is over and so the winner is not disenfranchised. We don’t want to change the past. In the future, the SGA should be clear with everyone on how the competition will work. If the amount of entries is too many, SGA should limit the number of entries to one per person. If needed, a secondary round of voting could be used.

No matter what, every student that submits work should have their work showcased. Western is about opportunity and SGA shouldn’t take that away from people.

To pass such a restrictive policy without any solid proposal of how to enforce it seems like an unwieldy way to handle business.

There is no shortage of ideas spinning on how to tackle this issue; however, the efforts come off as unorganized and somewhat casual without much dedication to follow any of them through to fruition, and almost all of them contain some sort of flaw.

One possible solution would be to have campus security handle it. The obvious problem with that is they would probably have to add to the existing force, costing the school more money and resources.

The other possibility being discussed is to have the honor system in place. That would mean relying on students to rat one another out when they see someone abusing the policy.

The problem with that is people won’t be smoking out in the open where the students are likely to be; furthermore the students, for the most part, don’t really have a vested interest in telling on one another.

There isn’t going to be any reward systems going into place for letting people know about possible abuse, so all a student would be left with is feeling like a tattle-tale.

This system has been used in other smoke-free campuses and from all reports seems to work about as well as a two legged chair.

When rushing to create restrictive policy it would be much more prudent to figure out how it will work, not to mention if it will work, long before everyone pushes it through.

As it stands, it comes off as some sort of posturing than any actual constructive move forward.

There are a ton of “good” ideas out there that would benefit the school, students and faculty; but there are an equal number of “bad” ways to implement them.

This policy is already going to be a massive inconvenience to a lot of students and staff at Western. There is no reason to make it even harder by implementing it with weak effort. Western deserves a clear and well thought out plan on every level to transition smoothly into a policy that has already proven to be a non-starter at many other campuses.

As Western’s leaders come together to discuss this proposal, there will need to be a lot of research on how other campuses have tackled enforcement policies regarding smoking because many have failed to do so efficiently if at all. This policy is not something that can be done half way, it is going to take a lot of work and thought and there is not a lot of time to pull it off. If not, students will probably ignore the policy and simply hide in unseen areas and light up their cigarettes.

The future of students graduating has been trampled down by hidden fees and secretive dates making it almost impossible for graduation.

Missouri Western might offer students a great opportunity through earning a degree, but trying to get out of college after you have passed all these classes might be a challenge. Students who are seniors and looking forward to graduation have many obstacles to get through before they can walk across that stage to receive their diploma.

It seems that many students who are entering their last year of college don’t receive much guidance through the university. The only source of information that students may receive is through email about deadline dates.

Though that might be the way things have been done at Western in prior years, it doesn’t make it the right one. Advisers can give students guidance about classes, but as for the dates, times and seconds leading up to deadlines, many of them don’t have that information.

Students who plan to graduate in the fall have to apply months in advance.  If its students pass a deadline date, they are forced to pay an additional fee of $25 on top of the $40 to be required for graduation and it’s the same for the spring semester.

The problem doesn’t stop there because it continues on with other fees that students still have not been given information on. If you are a student who is a double major, you are required to pay an additional fee on top of the first one you are paying for.

Western could offer students a better viewpoint on when deadline dates are so they won’t be forced down this avenue. Seniors are heading down into the final stretch if they plan on graduating in December, but for those who plan to graduate in the spring should consider looking at what is required for graduation now.

The deadline for the spring was this past week, and students now have five days to pay the additional fee to be considered for graduation if you didn’t know. There was no real information released and now students are again put back in the black.

The only additional information students can get about deadline dates is through the registrar’s office or online hidden within the registrar’s website. The big detail that students should know about is that official transcripts with graduation information and the Western diploma will not be released if any financial obligation exists with the university.

So if you’re a senior headed into the final stretch of your college career, consider taking action now and letting Western know they need clear instructions for students to get out and receive their degree.

In a crucial election year, the Board of Governors has decided to support Proposition B which would favor a bill that could raise taxes on cigarettes for revenue toward Higher Education.

The proposition would generate an estimated $84 million boost from the tobacco tax for universities throughout the state of Missouri. Western would be given a nice handout if the tax is passed by the voters in Missouri on Nov. 6. If passed Western would receive two million dollars.

However, at the same time the Board has voted to make smoking of any tobacco illegal on campus. It just seems quite remarkable for a Board to support a bill that would favor a cigarette tax, but not allow students to smoke on their own campus.

The support for Proposition B by the Board is just another example of where a select few individuals make a decision and hope the majority of students will follow. It just doesn’t seem fair to raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 73 cents from a nationwide low 17 cents per pack.

Proposition B has good intentions for other universities throughout the state who have not banned tobacco on their campuses. It’s taking away the freedom of individuals and that’s what Western has done to its students, faculty, and guests.

They decided to go around the students by making the campus smoke free without a student vote, and then ask the students to support a bill that would raise the taxes on cigarettes.  If students would pay attention to the issues in this election and vote responsibly they could make a huge impact, and that goes for all voters throughout the state.

Students who are able to vote in the November election need to go into the voting booth and think clearly about the way they vote on this issue. It’s time to stand up and fight for your rights, and show the Board that they could take away our rights on campus, but we can take away extra revenue from them in the voting booth.

It’s time for these flip-flop decisions by the Board come to an end. So on Tuesday Nov. 6, go vote and determine whether or not we need to stand together as a student body, or follow a small group of individuals who determine the outcome for over 6,000 students. Make the right decision next Tuesday.

Over $333, 000 has already been collected with no oversight as mandated by the Student Success Act.

The Student Government Association put in place a Student Fee Advisory Committee, which is supposed to oversee the student support service fees (student fees). The reason this issue has been brought to attention is the fact that the committee has yet to be formed since the Student Success Act was created last spring.

The committee is a beneficial tool considering that it is consumed of six members; three student leaders, and three others from the administration. These members oversee the appropriations of the fees to the programs they plan to help fund.

They focused primarily on five areas which deal directly with students on a daily basis. They include Recreation Services, Center for Academic Support, Student Success Center, Student Life and Career Services, which are all critical areas in need of a proficient budget.

President of SGA Jacob Scott said the reason why it wasn’t formed was due to the resignation of Vice President of Financial Planning and Administration Mel Klinker. The vice president is the administration advisor to the committee and that title has not yet been filled.

The only exception is that President Dr. Robert Vartabedian had named Richard Gilmore interim vice president for financial planning and administration, effective on July 1, 2012. This leads us to question why the committee has yet to be formed since someone was available in the position to oversee the committee.

The committee is crucial considering the act has been in place since last spring. The passage of the act by the Student Senate showed leadership at the time when Missouri Western was in need of budgetary help. However, since the passage of the act, the executive branch and Senate of SGA have done nothing to form the committee.

This large budget is floating around somewhere with no management taking place by the student government. SGA first went around the students and voted not only to increase the student fees by $75, but to form this committee. There has been no action taken this school year as to the handling of the money that the students paid extra for to help keep the programs afloat.

The handling of this sensitive issue has not been taken seriously. The SGA needs to wake up and take notice of this matter.

The Griffon News caught wind that numerous students were stealing (yes stealing) our newspapers from buildings and using them for their Homecoming floats. We also saw that every single newspaper that was placed in the Potter Hall stand was gone. So not only did these culprits take our newspapers, they took every single copy in the building so that the theatre, art and music department didn’t have any newspapers for the entire weekend, until we realized the theft on Monday.

We even saw on Facebook that some intelligent individual posted a comment that said “…bring newspapers for the float. All newspapers are located in every building.” Really? How rude can you be?

The worst part about this was that out of all issues to take, people took the issue covering both the Convocation and “J.B.” play page. The theft was the exact day of the Convocation and the opening night for J.B. Not only did J.B. open that Thursday, it went all weekend — however, there weren’t any newspapers the entire weekend, so people attending the play couldn’t read about the preview nor the actors featured. Numerous film students and professors were upset with us because they wanted to see their department’s play page; they saw nothing but an empty bin.

When people don’t see our newspapers, it makes us look like we didn’t do our jobs — even though we did do our jobs. We put over 50 issues in each newspaper bin to create enjoyable pieces of work for the whole campus to observe, yet whoever that stole our papers degraded our hard earned work. What good is our Convocation story if it’s slapped and glued on a piece of painted cardboard for some float that will be used once and then thrown in the trash? What’s even worse is that the parade was rained out, so the floats weren’t even used once.

You have no idea of what goes into producing a newspaper. Our staff works constantly every single week to produce something our students can refer to and read to know important information about our campus. We do everything ourselves, as students. We find our sources, interview each source, write all the stories, design our pages and send these pages to a printing press. Then we deliver these papers all around campus as well as hand them out one by one at campus events. The process is exhausting, but we endure it for the love we have for our campus. However, by taking our newspapers and using them for your own personal gain, you are not only disrespecting the Griffon News staff, but the campus as well. It’s like a slap in the face. What you’re basically saying to us is that we are not important, and you don’t care about campus events, changes in school budget, sports previews and student organizations. And if you really don’t care, then shame on you!

Each year, the Missouri Western Foundation welcomes a guest speaker to speak about critical issues that our nation and world are facing today.

The only downturn to the speakers that the foundation chooses is the fact that many of these speakers are on one political party or the other. This year’s Convocation on Critical Issues was supposed to be over energy.

Thomas Boone Pickens spoke on energy and its relation to both the presidential candidates. Pickens even went on to discuss how he has met with President Obama and how he doesn’t have an energy plan. As a speaker who comes to address a large crowd of students they should try to stay neutral.

We have seen it in the last few years when Western brought yet another political figure, Newt Gingrich, former Republican president candidate. It’s time the foundation takes a step back and considers changing the convocation topic from “Critical Issues” to “Motivational Issues.”

There are many speakers that the foundation could welcome to Western that are in a minimal price range and would have a greater impact on the students, faculty and St. Joseph community.

Some of the many inspirational speakers that speak on college and university campuses throughout the United States include Anderson Cooper from CNN; Michelle Aguilar, Season 6 Winner from the Biggest Loser; and Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour, America’s first African American female combat pilot.

Selecting a speaker who has had an impact would be beneficial. Students could feel a connection from one of the three individuals that we listed above: Cooper for coming out about his being gay and making it to the top, Aguilar for taking a challenge to change her life and Armour for becoming the first African American combat pilot.

The difference is clear, and many students can relate to one of those three. If the foundation would like to see the numbers increase in years to come they should consider changing the topic for next years’ convocation.

Alcohol plus students doesn’t equal irresponsible adults.

The Board of Governors at Missouri Western approved a policy that would allow alcohol in every building on campus except the parking lots and residence halls.  This decision was made solely for the purpose of aiding Western in attracting companies to invest in the university.

The idea of bringing investors to Western is a good idea, but the Board went about it the wrong way. Western has allowed alcohol for four and a half years on campus in certain locations. Dr. Robert Vartabedian even said during an interview that in the years since it’s been allowed there has not been a single incident.

This leads one to believe they could trust the students who are of drinking age. Underage drinking is wrong and illegal, and we are not asking for the whole student body to be allowed to drink.

Central Missouri is just one of the campuses that does allow alcohol. UCM allows the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages in permitted university housing. Laws are enforced and the host of house parties in the halls are held legally liable for any underage drinking or damages.

If Western would follow the same path as UCM; then the wrath of disagreement amongst student and administration would end. Griffon Hall was intended to be a 21 and up dormitory as well as for those students who have 60 credits are allowed to live in the apartment-style suite.  This is just one of the buildings where alcohol should be allowed.

Dr. Jeanne Daffron, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said that alcohol is controlled and not for students. She said that there would not be any keg parties. As students we believe her remarks sound as though she believes we are all party animals.

The University should put some trust in its students who make this place a welcome and inviting campus in which new students would want to be a part of. The idea of parents not allowing their child to come to a wet campus is asinine, considering UCM is doing very well.

When Western doesn’t put trust in its students, they will find other alternatives. Those who are 21 and up will go to the bars and drink. They are allowed that right, but if the university would like their students to stay safe, this policy would keep these students alive by keeping them from drinking and driving. Alcohol consumption should be allowed in age appropriate halls.

It’s one thing to make it legal for a select few, but why not make it legal for students who are of drinking age?

Since the approval by the faculty Senate, the policy is on its way to the Governances Advisory Council for approval then the signature by President Vartabedian.  The decision to ban smoking on campus is not only unfair, but seems to take away a freedom for those who attend Missouri Western.

Students pay so much in tuition to attend this institution and are told they are not able to have a right is completely cruel. The decision to make the campus tobacco free was decided by a group of leaders from each branch of students, faculty, and the board of governors. They don’t represent a majority of those who are on Westerns campus each day.

However, the idea that students walking past smokers will inhale cigarette smoke leading to complications from second hand smoke is untrue. Over 25 percent of students on campus smoke on a daily basis, and that doesn’t include the faculty and staff. Banning all tobacco products seems a bit extreme, since those who chew can’t affect other students besides themselves.

We understand that the idea behind this policy is to help students stay healthy. It just feels that the policy is authoritarian in a way to force smokers not to be able to smoke on the grounds. Those who plan to implement this policy and support it need to worry about their own health, and not the health of others.

Voters in Missouri will decide this November how to vote for a tobacco tax, in which a percentage of that money will be going toward higher education. There is no doubt that Western would have no problem taking their percentage.

Students will continue to use tobacco products, but will do it secretly. This is what happens at universities that have smoke-free policies in place. You can take away the right on campus, but once students and faculty leave the campus they will continue to use these products.

Before the final step of this policy, we would advise those who have yet to vote on this matter to think about the rights being taken away from a portion of those who attend your institution. If we allow these privileges to be taken away, what will be the next thing taken away? Will the number of student enrollment decrease, or will students continue to smoke even though the policy is implemented.

Stand up for yourself and the freedom of others and vote against the smoke-free campus.

Amber Nold, former SGA senator and student worker is just one of the students behind this plot. In an email between a Griffon News staff member and Nold, we asked for the names of those participating, and what the purpose behind this underground group was. She would not give the names or any information beside what the posters tell the student body.

Nold was fired from her job and wrote a proposal to solve some small issues. She said she wasn’t part of the organization, yet she assisted in posting the fliers on bulletin boards. The idea of free speech is one thing, but going around the system is another. Judith Grimes, interim vice president for Student Affairs said the posters were stamped but were never approved by the dean of students.

The stamping had to be done between those posting the fliers and someone within the Center for Student Engagement. Posters that are approved are organizations approved by the university, and this was not one.

The poster states that students have no benefits, they work for minimum wage with no raises, are harassed by employers and given no genuine respect. The poster gives numerous points, but the majority of them are untrue.

Student workers are given the opportunity to have a work-study job which is not like any other job you will find outside the university. Students don’t need benefits considering they are not full-time employees and are not granted vacation days.

The point about students working for minimum wage is true, but pay wages are increasing. If you are tutoring you can see a raise of a quarter or more.  The next point of harassment from employers was brought up, and there are better ways to go about these issues, such as reporting this to the chair or the deans if you have a problem.

The last point, no genuine respect in the work place is untrue. The handbook clearly states that a student’s job is both an educational as well as an employment opportunity. Supervisors should take the time to give both praise and constructive criticism. It’s easy, and as long as you do your job, you should receive respect.

Student workers should stand together and be thankful for a job where you don’t have to travel or work full time and be allowed to study as well.

During the first SGA meeting the student Senate approved $5,500 for the purchase of rally towels during the griffon athletic games. The funding for the towels is coming from the Senate’s special project budget that deals with improving the students experience at Missouri Western.

Usually this project works to bring students free t-shirts as well as the new chairs and tables last year in Popplewell. The Senate is careful to spend the funds wisely toward getting students items that they can use on a daily basis. It just seems that for the senate to purchase 3,000 rally towels at $1.85 per towel for only half of the students is clearly wrong.

The idea behind the towels is a great idea in keeping with school tradition, but for SGA to pass this through is completely unfair to say the least. Western has over 6,000 students who are full and part-time, and each one of these students pays the SGA fee depending on the amount of credit hours enrolled in.

The SGA fee pays toward the rally towels, and though each student pays for the SGA fee not every student will get a rally towel. It’s time for the student Senate to touch base with the students and find out whether they believe the funding should be going toward items like these.

The price of the towel is inexpensive, but most feel that the quality is very poor.  There will always be those who disapprove of them, and those who like the idea. A few senators voted against the towels, but having the towel issue on the agenda during the first meeting might not have been the best idea.

If the Senate and SGA are looking at these towels as a form of tradition for the school, the question of price per towel and assurance that each student will receive one must be addressed. What happens to these towels after the games is a good question to ask.

There are already school traditions for Western, such as the homecoming bonfire, or the rival football game with Northwest Missouri State. SGA should plan out where funding is necessary, and not waste it on one- time items such as these towels.

If you can recall last year Missouri Western was cut by 8.2 percent in state allocations for higher education. Western is one of the lowest funded universities in the state of Missouri and was hit the hardest.

This editorial is not to point a finger at who is to blame for the cut in funding, but to thank the Board of Governors, and President Vartabedian for finding a little extra funding to help the employees who work tirelessly for this institution. This editorial is also to let them know that there is still more that needs to be done.

Vartabedian said that those who will benefit from the pay increase are all personnel, faculty, staff and administrators who have been employed by the university since March 31, 2012. So the rumors about students getting pay increases are a myth. Vartabedian said students fall in a different category since they are paid an hourly wage.

Although many students support the idea that educators deserve a pay increase, students might also question the increase is coming directly from their own pockets. However, Vartabedian explains that it is not-at least not directly.

Vartabedian says it’s a combination from student success fees that come from the Student Success Act, this year’s tuition increase of 3.22 percent and state appropriations. We feel its great that the university was able to find a way to give a little something to the employees, as some have been working here for years and have had no pay increase since the day they started.

Though a 2 percent increase will help the personnel, faculty, staff and administrators who have been employed since March 31, that percent really doesn’t make a real difference in their salaries.

For example if a professor makes around $50,000 a year, with the 2% increase they would only make an extra $1000.

So does this really benefit an employee receiving this increase? The answer is both yes and no. Not everyone will agree; some will be thankful for the little extra cash and others will think it isn’t enough.

Vartabedian agrees that the 2 percent increase is not enough and feels the frustration of those who believe it needs to be more.

So to those who received the extra 2 percent increase to your salary, be thankful. We are in one of the worst economic times since the great depression and you never know when another increase will come again. Though we and Vartabedian both wish the increase could be more, at least it’s a start.

Don’t be surprised. SGA has held numerous forums that all students were invited to. Wait, you didn’t get those emails? Well, that’s because there weren’t any.

The act of sending out an email may be one of the easiest things to do on a computer. SGA has the ability to send out emails to all students, as documented by a March 21 email sent out to students asking for applicants for SGA scholarships.

Furthermore, the legislation hasn’t been made publically available online for students to review. Unless you went to the meetings that you weren’t notified about, chances are you don’t know why SGA is proposing this fee.

There’s a certain air of arrogance in senate. The Griffon News has heard comparisons of this fee to federal taxes, where SGA is equating their power to that of the U.S. congress. Additionally, the reason SGA refuses to let students vote on this fee is because they don’t think the students will do the right thing.

These are excuses. A $75 fee is the single most powerful thing SGA has done in years. Their own fee is only $50 per semester for a full time student. As a government official, you can see the appeal to wanting to push this through without the students’ input.

Besides failing to inform, educate and convince students that they believe there is a need for the fee, they have also field to account for all the facts. Next year’s state appropriations are not set in stone. As a matter of fact, legislators are currently working to get the money back to the university’s in their own budget proposal.

SGA’s plan doesn’t have that contingency. Senate could very well pass the fee, then the state legislature and Gov. Nixon could restore funding to the universities, and there would no longer be a need for this fee and students would be paying an extra $75 regardless.

This isn’t about a need for the fee. This isn’t even about Western’s dwindling funding. This is about SGA squelching your voice and your vote. Circumventing the students on such an important issue says that SGA doesn’t care what you have to say or think, that they know what’s best for you and you don’t.

There is hope though. Fortunately, the SGA constitution allows you to take control back. A petition by 10% of the student body (roughly 620 signatures) would force SGA to put the legislation on a ballot. The Griffon News will not take a stance for or against the legislation, but we are taking a stance for your right to be heard.

If the petition is successful, SGA officials claim that there won’t be enough time to set up a special ballot. Make the time. If SGA had planned to let the students vote on the fee from the the beginning, this wouldn’t be an issue.

For more information on the petition, students should contact Barry Hersh (bhersh@missouriwestern.edu). Also, attending the Monday night meeting would force SGA to realize that students want an entire student body vote.

Dear Mr. President,

The first issue of your administration may be the student fee issue. Even if the present administration facilitates its passage by student vote or senate vote, your administration will be left to deal with the aftermath.

This could mean more student activism on campus and higher attendance at SGA-sponsored events. The fee could also mean increased scrutiny and resentment from students, who could turn against the efforts of SGA and boycott all student services or activities.

While this student-approved fee issue will be decided before you take office, it is only the first of a long line of budget-related issues facing our university in the future. The present SGA administration is not going to get all the credit or blame; how you handle the cuts to Missouri Western’s budget will be a part of your legacy.

Your administration also has the opportunity to put the smoking ban to bed forever or to change the habits of many of Western’s students. This issue has been brought up many times, and students have always voted to keep our campus free for smokers.

The issue is volatile with students on both sides. A declaration needs to be made about the position SGA is taking now and will take in the future.  You cannot make everyone happy here, and students do not want the same old lip service of “we will do what ever the students want.” Since students have voted down the ban once, it is only fair that it go away for a long time.

Another issue that will affect your presidency is the allocation of SGA funds to Student Affairs. The idea that 20 percent of SGA’s budget was constitutionally given to the Student Affairs is not acceptable. However this was done, it needs to be undone. Either we take back the 20 percent, or we take over supervision of how the money is used.

During our coverage of the presidential campaigns, we have heard the complaint that members of SGA are not active enough participants in on-campus activities. We encourage you, the members of your executive board and your senators to attend as many campus events as possible. Yes, you are even busier than the average full-time traditional student, but making time to support your constituents’ leaders is just as important as any other decisions you make in office.

The position of student body president is an important one, full of pressure, influence and rewards. We wish you the best of luck. We will be watching, reporting and commenting on everything you do to keep students informed.

Sincerely,

The Griffon News

You may not think you care, and you may not think that this election matters, but, in actuality, it does. The winner of this election will lead an organization that manages half a million dollars of your money.

In addition to how much money SGA has, the elected official will also represent us in front of administration and to the community. While you may have heard their motto before, they are the voice of the student body. If this person is in charge of how your voice is bellowed, shouldn’t you at least know who they are and what they stand for?

The President of SGA is a spearhead of new policy and innovative ideas for the student body and SGA. They don’t just represent us to administration, but they will represent us to students at our university and others.

The SGA President should be the best of the best of us. They shouldn’t just have a high GPA and be involved with lots of extracurricular activities. They should also know the students and be plugged into the network of the student body. While managing the Association itself is an important part of the President’s job, interacting with prominent leaders and students on campus is important too.

No doubt, the job of SGA president is important and full of serious responsibility. With more turbulent times ahead for Western, SGA and its president will play an even bigger role in the development of the university.

The fact that some senators say that they know what is best for the students is not only appalling but also insulting. First off, this argument assumes that they are not students, but some being that is above being a student. Secondly, they were elected to listen to the student body, not dictate what we should think and educate us.

The vote to decide whether students should pay an additional fee to make up for the budget shortfall should be decided by the students. The decision is too important to be voted on by 18 individuals, most of who were not even elected by the student body.

Senators who are afraid of a low voter turnout are simply making excuses. Do they really think that when money is attached students won’t take the time to vote on it? If they don’t vote on it, it’s because they weren’t told about the vote.

Sure, one-side of the argument is that Western needs the money. Western is looking at a huge shortfall because of cuts to state appropriations. President Robert Vartabedian has a long list of suffering budgets that need help.

With that said, the few should not govern the many. That would be a tyrannical oligarchy. Sure, Congress raises taxes without our consent, but as Griffon News columnist Gary Weidemann said at Monday’s SGA committee meeting, Congress probably isn’t the best example for students to model our senate after.

If students are thinking that they have the power to vote in a fee, they’re right; they do. But just because they have the power to do something doesn’t make it an action that is representative of the students. Students will lose faith if a fee is voted on by Senate without a student vote as well.

This isn’t a matter of taxes or doing what the university needs or even informing students to make the right decision. If the majority of students are against a fee, informed or uninformed, then that is what students have decided.

If voted in by SGA solely, the fee would not be a student fee. While in the eyes of the governor it would be, students would see this as an infringement upon their sovereignty as students.

If senators honestly believe that a fee would benefit students, they should inform the students of what they think it is right instead of exercising their powers and flexing their arrogance. If it does go up for a student vote, they should be objective and separate themselves from their duty to the ‘university’ and think and vote objectively with the student’s desires in mind.

For the second time this year, Western has made national news. This time, Kevin Hart, an offensive lineman who lied four years ago about being signed to a Division I school, will now play at Western.

This isn’t an underdog story. This is a Western story. Sure, Hart made some mistakes and he has had to live with them, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get a chance. It is commendable that Western athletics has decided to give him that chance.

This isn’t important because he’s a good lineman. It isn’t important because now we stand a better chance of beating Northwest Missouri State again. It isn’t important because we don’t think he’s going to make the same mistake again. It isn’t even important because again, Western made national news. It’s important because Western is a welcoming place.

Amid budget cuts, tuition freezes and depleting state appropriations, Western still welcomes anyone. Low GPA? They’ll work with you. Struggle with your homework? Free tutors. Having a hard time finding a job? Experienced professionals in career services.

This entire place, with its 10 academic buildings and countless invaluable staff and faculty, are here to help you.

Western is such a wonderful place that Hart, who was once so set on playing D1, chose Western instead of a D1 school. Maybe it’s the fact that he’ll play two seasons here instead of one at Appalachian State. Hopefully, it was because Western knows the value of second chances.

Second chances are priceless because they open the door you once thought was shut. The story you hear from a majority of students on campus is that they came to Western to better their lives. Well, that door may be closed for good.

Sadly, there is a future where Western doesn’t exist, one in which budgets cuts have made the idea of Western a laughable mockery. A place where you can learn for under $10,000 a semester is not in that future. Let’s face it, without Western, a lot of students here wouldn’t be attending school. They wouldn’t be bettering themselves.

I’m sure there are other schools in the nation that service the same type of students, but the idea that knowledge and education is an exclusive product is an antiquated ideal. Western lets students make their lives what they want—or at least get a start at doing so.

So, welcome, Kevin Hart. Say hello to your fellow classmates, because they have been there at one point. While our mistakes may not have been broadcast on ESPN, you’re one of us: a student trying to erase his past and write his future.

That’s the thought crossing a lot of fans’ minds, and with justification. With Benjamin Pister’s previous problems with the law and Ashleigh Curry’s current citation on Jan. 21, Western fans and students should wonder if the discipline of Western athletes is fair.

It sure is consistent, as Athletic Director Kurt McGuffin said, but how many altercations does it take before athletic administrators are willing to cut someone from the team? The appropriate answer isn’t a number though. The appropriate answer would have more to do with the individual and the circumstances. In a lot of cases, this would be true. But, there’s a reason they are called second chances.

We’re not here to pass judgment on any Western athlete. No one knows those individuals better than the athletics staff and their coaches. They make the best decisions based upon the facts they have.

One thing they should consider though, is the image second, third and fourth chances give Western as a whole. Sure, the viability of the team’s season is taken into consideration when making an expulsion decision. A teammate leaving doesn’t just mean losing those valuable assets, but it also means affecting team chemistry.

All things considered, the public image of the university needs to be considered as well. Our athletes are our way of competing with other schools, not just on the court, but off the court as well. They should be the best individuals and make the right decisions.

Does this mean they can’t slip up and make mistakes? Well, they wouldn’t be college students and wouldn’t learn anything if they never made mistakes.

In regards to Curry’s disciplinary action, The Griffon News won’t say whether the decision to let her play was the right or wrong one. We do believe in McGuffin and his ability to balance the well being the athletes. Making the right decision could result in a negative impact on one of these parties.

This won’t be the last time that an athlete makes a mistake and it sure isn’t the first. Our only request is that athletics keeps up as informed as possible along the process. While there may be some shame in letting athletes go, it’s more trouble to let the continue to make mistakes and never learn the harsh lessons.

In Curry’s case, that’s not for us to decide, or any Western fan or student for that matter. We trust that McGuffin and Coach Plett have made the right decision.

If you could only remember one thing about Dr. King, remember that he gave his life to obtain justice for others. His reasoning for enduring assault, arrests and disrespect came from his determination to develop a better future for a more united society where character and personality are more important then color and race. As Dr. King became successful for serving others with peace and respect, certainly we can do the same with our campus and our peers.

Missouri Western students should first be proud of the service and unity established on our campus. Not every school is like our school. From our standing section at every football, basketball and baseball game to our diverse campus organizations that have created a well mixed blend of unity among campus life, our school has created an amazing place for students to feel comfortable, united and respected. Dr. King would be very proud.

Yet, there is more work to be done. This work can and should be done by each and every student. This work involves helping each other out in our classes. Think about how many times you were confused on an assignment or had to miss a few classes. Now think about how many times you needed help to finish an assignment, catch up on work or needed help understanding something. Truth is we have all been there and we all should thank those helpful peers that helped us pass a class which made us another small step closer to graduation. If we continue to help each other out in our classes and academics, we would all be more successful.

Service equals success and success equals service. No one maintains success without knowing how to help others out. Spend just a little more time being useful and available to help others. The reward in return is something better than any ‘A’ you could receive on any exam or paper. Having the feeling that you helped someone become successful assures that you have been an impact to a person’s life. Remember that society remembers greatness not by what a person has done on paper but by how many people a person has touched. Dr. Martin Luther King was an author, activist, global leader and Noble Peace Prize winner. Yet, we don’t remember him for that. We remember him by the millions of people he reached in just one word, sentence or speech. His memory lives on because his words live on and these words motivate us to create a “beautiful symphony of brotherhood” in our school just as he did with our nation. Long live the king.

In 2009, Missouri Western Board of Governors voted in favor of renewing Aramarks contract for up to eight years.  They say that Aramark could provide Western with nearly $3.5 million over that span.  What they fail to mention is the $3.5 million is not coming from Aramark, but from the student’s pockets.

A hotdog, chips and a drink will cost you roughly $5 at our Aramark eateries around campus.  A simple hotdog that cost them roughly .40 cents to prepare cost the students nearly $2.  Their daily specials are $4.00 without a drink.  The options are very limited and often less than appealing.   As a manager of a steakhouse for the last 10 years I got a pretty good idea what they pay for some of their products.  To me it seems they take the cheapest route on virtually every product and in turn charge us a premium price.

Why can’t they offer a few $1 options for college students living on a budget?  If Quick Trip can make money off selling $1 dollar hotdogs and taquitos then why can’t Aramark? I understand they are a business and need to make money but there is a big difference between making money and being greedy.  It feels to me like they are taking advantage of students, especially the ones that cannot leave campus to eat elsewhere.

Why does our administration at Missouri Western continue to let Aramark charge us ridicules prices for low quality food?  Aramark blames rising food cost, which is true and a good excuse, but the food they are serving us is downright disgusting.  We cannot even have a function on school grounds without having to purchase food through Aramark at an extremely higher price than many restaurants in St. Joseph would cater for.  They have us stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I heard that Aramark’s food is so bad that on the first day of Kansas City Chiefs training camp in 2010, the Chiefs organization had their own services from Kansas City brought in because of Aramark’s low quality.  My informant that was working for the Chiefs that day clearly heard a Chiefs player say “This stuff is dog food.”  If it is not good enough for the Chiefs, why is it good enough Western students?

I don’t want Aramark to be replaced necessarily, but I would like them to ask students what they enjoy eating and offer some higher quality products.  Another thing that would be nice is if Aramark could offer students some value priced items.  Not every student has $1300 on a flex card.  If they could do this they would probably see an increase of students eating on campus and that would most likely even out their cost for better products.

Starting the Fall 2011 semester, attendance policies will strictly be a professor’s personal decision. This means that every Missouri Western educator will have to personally develop an attendance policy that they feel is reasonable for students. Though this gives educators more freedom, it can also become problematic. A professor could require students to miss no classes without a valid medical excuse, or simply fail the course. Then students that have a busy schedule, or that work, or that have children will have an extremely difficult time abiding to this policy.

This new policy also means that a student must pay very close attention to the course syllabus. This will now be the only way a student will know how many classes they can miss before he or she actually begins missing them. Students will have to make sure they are printing off their syllabi because professors have stopped printing them off for us. Students will definitely need to think twice before missing the first day of classes. This might only be absence they have; or at least one of the few.

Though Missouri Western have taken a firm step in the right direction involving attendance, professors should take an even bigger step by eliminating their policies. Professors should not be forced to hold students accountable for being in class. Instead of professors holding students accountable, students need to hold themselves accountable. Then, when students graduate and go into the work force, they will understand what self-accountability truly means.

Checking attendance also takes a huge amount of time from class work, especially with courses that have around 50 to 70 students in them. So with a 50 minute class and 10 minute time to take attendance, students are really only getting 40 minutes of actual useful class time.

If any student thinks they could miss numerous classes and still pass, then let them. Ultimately, it will be nobody’s fault but his or her own. Professors have enough responsibility involving class work, lecture, and creating, checking and grading tests and quizzes. Why don’t we take a little stress off of the many things they have to do on a day-to-day basis? Frankly, no student deserves to be at Missouri Western if he or she can’t be in class in a proper manner. We don’t need any professor to tell us that.

Since the arrival of Esther Peralez as Western’s vice president for Student Affairs, several staff veterans have left the employ of Western. There’s no beating around the bush, these people were valuable assets to Western and students loved them. Talk to some students and they might tell you they needed them.

Ellen Kisker, Don Willis and Huey Shi Chew are just three of the people that come to mind. Even though these people worked with different groups of students they all have one thing in common, they worked with them individually and relentlessly.

While the plan to move Student Affairs to a more broad perspective of student development and focus on theories and professional competencies may benefit students, it’s hurting them at the same time. Whether it was helping out with visas, finding non-trads scholarships or staying up late to help set up a concert, these staff members were role models of work ethic.

Every employee at Western is here to make a difference in students’ lives. Whether they are a staff member or a professor, they’re here to mentor and teach in some capacity. The question that needs to be answered is that would Student Affairs rather make a large impact in a few students’ lives or a small impact in a lot of students’ lives?

Sure, it’s important to include everyone, but it’s not like people are getting turned away. Stacey Hersh, a non-trad that worked with Kisker, said that she didn’t just work with non-trads. Any student could use the lounge for support.

It’s understandable that Western doesn’t have the budget to hire someone to focus on all of the individual groups of students, but it’s also a matter of priorities. There are more international students on our campus than there ever has been and maybe they need someone whose sole responsibility is integrating them into American culture. Hands down, non-traditional students are the busiest students on campus. Fifteen credit hours, 20 or 40 hour work week, kids, family, job, house payment—maybe they need someone to cut a little leg work out of the equation for them.

Let’s face it, Western isn’t like any other school in Missouri. Besides the low tuition, our open enrollment policy makes us diverse. Whether you’re coming back to school to retrain your skill sets or Western just happens to be the cheapest 4-year university, you’re here to get a degree, find a job and move on.

For some of us that’s enough, and Student Affairs should respect that. At the same time, students should seize opportunities that Student Affairs offers. While Ellen Kisker was here, she was a resource for non-trads. There are many people like her still here. Need a job; see Mathew Greg. Curious about the different cultures and sub-cultures; see Tay Triggs. Having trouble with stress; visit a counselor.

If the direction that Student Affairs is going is making valuable personnel jump ship, maybe that direction should be reassessed.

On-campus organizations are in full support of Griffon Football. Earlier this week, the Student Government Association bought 300 tickets for students to claim for free. This generous gesture will draw more people to the game against Northwest Missouri State. Because of community support from organizations like SGA, Northwest will most likely face another defeat.

Residential Life is also doing their part in supporting Griffon football. Normally, residents are required to move out on the Friday before Thanksgiving. This year Residential Life has been gracious enough to let resident stays an extra day to support the Griffons in their battle against their rival, the Northwest Bearcats.

Even with a win against Northwest under their belt from two weeks ago, the Griffons still need their fan base to come out and support them. Considering Western has never hosted a playoff game, this gives students an opportunity to see something phenomenal.

With that said, Western has also never won a playoff game. With three chances in the past, last year Western lost to rival Northwest. It won’t take a miracle for the Griffons to beat the Bearcats; they’ve already done it this year. What it will take, though, is community support from students, Western Alum and citizens of St. Joseph.

The Griffon Football team gave us all something to be proud of on Saturday when it beat rival No.3 Northwest Missouri State for the first time in eight years. The Bearcats are the highest ranked team that the Griffons have ever defeated.

The Northwest offense was averaging 56 points-per-game and had looked unstoppable all season long. With the game and possibly the season on the line, the Griffon defense stood tall in the end causing the Bearcats’ high-powered offense to turn the ball over on downs twice in the fourth quarter to seal up a 31-28 victory.

A loss against the Bearcats would have likely kept the Griffons out of the playoffs. The top six teams in Super Region 4 get into the playoffs and Western was ranked No. 7 going into the game. After the win, the team jumped to No. 4. The third and fourth ranked teams will host a playoff game Nov. 19. That means with a win at Fort Hays State this Saturday, a playoff game at Spratt Stadium is likely.

After shouldering some of blame for a 2-2 start, Quarterback Travis Partridge has led the Griffons to six straight wins and put the silencer on any critics. He is the first player to rush for 100 yards against Northwest in 10 years, and is 1-0 as the starter against Western’s biggest rival. The Griffons are ranked No. 17 in the AFCA top 25, and have a record of 8-2 on the season.

The home crowd was one of the keys to victory for the Griffons on Saturday. The visiting stands were completely packed with Northwest supporters, but the deafening Western crowd drowned out any efforts for them to fire up their team. The student section was filled with painted faces and signs showing support for the players, it was evident how badly we wanted our team to win that game. The Griffon players feed off the crowd energy and the opponent is disrupted by it, and it should be everyone’s goal to make Western an impossible place for the opponent to come get a win.

Just hours after the big win, Griffon Volleyball broke a losing streak of their own, defeating Truman for the first time since 2002. After falling behind 4-0 in the fifth set, the Griffons rallied and won 16-14 in an emotional five-set victory on senior night.

Western could be the site of another special day this Saturday when Men’s Basketball Coach Tom Smith will go for his 600th career win against Fontbonne University at the MWSU Field House. He will enter elite company, becoming only the 6oth coach at any level of collegiate basketball to win 600 games. Only 19 other active coaches have won 600 games. This is his 24th year as the coach of the Griffons. This historical win will only happen once, and Coach Smith deserves a packed house for the game. We should all feel privileged at the chance to witness a Hall-of-Famer reach this historical milestone.

With all these special things happening, there is a buzz around campus about Griffon Athletics. It is important that the players, coaches and fans seize this momentum and continue toward the goal of taking Western Athletics to a championship level.

College students, including some Western students, are participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement. With as much as is going on in their lives, how can these students juggle it all?

We are not unemployed. Any traditional college student has a job: getting an education. They are not part of the 99 percent.

The traditional college student has their way paved: parents pay for health insurance, car insurance, gas and sometimes even food. If you want to discuss financial inequality, maybe you should pay for some things, too.

Now, this isn’t the boat that every traditional college student is in or every person in generation Y. There are people in the 18-25 year-old-bracket that do pay their own way, but not all do.

Fortunate students should not waste their time occupying Wall Street, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Mo., or St. Joseph. Your job is to learn and find your place in society.
As Thomas Friedman said at September’s Convocation, Americans must have the work ethic of an immigrant. While protesting or demonstrating has always been branded as an automatic honorable act, in some cases it should be perceived as nothing but laziness.

You want a job when you graduate? Work three internships. You want to enjoy your work? Do something you love. You want to have family security? Start saving for your retirement and children’s college educations now.

College students aren’t lazy, they are just confused. Real laziness gets you kicked out of school. Traditional students just lack an understanding of how the real world operates. Regardless of an education or a diploma, the ideal job may not be waiting for you six months or two years after you graduate.

Have you ever played the board game Life? Did you ever rip up the board when you got a bad roll? Did you steal the other player’s money when they got ahead? No, that’s against the rules. Life is a game about you, not the other players. You can’t change the decisions other people will make, only your own. Why would you want to change their decisions? You’re not learning anything from it and neither are they.

If you want to make change, start with you. Standing outside city halls and financial centers, waving signs about things you don’t fully comprehend doesn’t get you anywhere. What are you achieving from it? There might be some satisfaction that you belong to a group philosophy, but the point of humanity is supposed to be about the individual’s thought. Expand your self, not the herd.

The events were not completely new, but the reality TV theme really boosted its popularity because students could show their creative sides. Some of last year’s competitions were “Yell Like Hell,” “Goofy Griffon” and the parade contest. This year, the competitions went by the same guidelines, but the theme made the competitions more interesting because students could be creative in what TV show they wanted to adopt (for example, the SAAC chose “American Gladiators”). The event names were also changed to TV shows—“Griff My Ride,” “Dancing with the Griffs,” “The Amazing Griff Race” and “Last Griffon Standing,” which also changed the outcome of attendance because students knew what to expect from the events since they have seen the shows.

By coming up with the theme of TV shows, the students were able to relate to the topic and become more involved with the events. The number of organizations participating in the homecoming competitions increased a vast amount, and a lot of it had to do with the interesting theme. In turn, with more organizations joining the fun, the events began to bring in a lot of students and therefore create better unity within the school.

A huge turnout always equals success. Last year, maybe half of the student section of the stadium was filled for the “Goofy Griffon” event. Three comedians came to do stand-up last year. Did you know that? Probably not, because it was a struggle to fill the first two rows in Potter Theater. This year several students and faculty attended “Dancing with the Griffs” and “Last Griffon Standing” with comedian Josh Blue performing afterward. The Fieldhouse was packed with people. That’s not all. Fraternities and sororities, SAAC and other organizations were rooting on their teams during the “Griff my Ride” and “The Amazing Griff Race.” We’re talking screaming and clapping and chanting for fellow Griffs. This just goes to show that this year was way more successful than the last, hands down.

None of these events couldn’t have taken place without the hard work of Western’s new faculty advisor Kathy Kelly and her crew. They had been planning all the activities for homecoming since the summer, and it showed. Faculty members were also impressed with the amount of students that helped clean Potter stage. Only anticipating around 100 people to show, they were blown away when members of the different organizations (around 200) swarmed the area, throwing away unwanted things and tidying up the whole area.

While homecoming was a lot better than last year, there are some things that can improve. The timing of homecoming week could’ve been scheduled better, considering the soccer team had an away game and had to miss on a lot of the events. We were also very fortunate with the weather, considering it’s usually really cold during this time of year.

The competitions were also cool, but they could’ve been more competitive. For example, “The Amazing Griff Race” wasn’t really a race. It was more of a sequence of challenges that each organization had to go through, one at a time. “Minute to Win it” would’ve been a better choice because it is more intense: A team might not get to move on if it doesn’t succeed in the challenge, plus the audience would get to know who the winner was right away. It was interesting to see people cheering for a race when, in reality, the teams were just completing tasks.

Along with the events, some students were “overwhelmed” with the amount of activities this year and were almost relieved when homecoming was over. While students expected the same ol’ same ol’ boring homecoming, they almost had too much on their plate. With that being said, however, they cannot say this next year because they should know what to expect — after this year, homecoming can only get better.

In a city where Missouri Western is such an integral part of the community, it’s no surprise that Western athletes are constantly under the spotlight. On or off the field, these individuals’ actions represent Western in ways that other students’ actions don’t. Then again, this should not be a surprise.

In our culture, all athletes are considered role models. Who they are isn’t limited to how many yards they rush or how many goals they score: Athletes represent who they play for.

When it was discovered that Michael Phelps was using illicit drugs — marijuana — it wasn’t just a matter of drug use. An American gold medalist, someone who represents all of us, was discovered to be disobeying the law. One of America’s finest swimmers and Olympians was a criminal.

Western isn’t a Division I school. The Griffons’ fan-base is students and alum. Our football games aren’t broadcast over national television every week. Regardless, our athletes are still pillars of our community. Thousands of people attend each football game and even more read, watch and cheer. You couldn’t drive anywhere in St. Joseph without seeing Griffon pride somewhere.

In a city where the university plays an integral part in the economy and overall attitude of the community, certain people are closely watched in that community. When these people are responsible for great deeds, ask for no compensation but just ask for them to attend the Griffon football game, that’s a heartwarming story. When Griffon representatives do the opposite and embarrass Western, it is concerning.

Not every athlete should be expected to save babies, but abiding by the rules of the community is a simple request. There are no laws preventing people from embarrassing themselves on social media. On the streets, on the net and on the field, Western athletes are representatives of the black and gold that is on their uniforms. Even when they are not in uniform, they are still Griffons and still athletes.

Take caution, athletes, in everything you do. You aren’t just a student. You aren’t just an athlete. You are a Griffon athlete; take all of your actions into consideration because they don’t just reflect who you are, but who we are.

Western may have found one in Kurt McGuffin.

McGuffin was the first of the four finalists to present his case as to why he should control all operations in the department. He expressed interest to come here as he stated throughout the presentation he likes the area and wants his family to live here.

With that said, Western needed to make him their decision.

This campus has grown immensely over the past decade. The change in Western has run parallel with the change of athletic directors. Since 1999, the Griffons have had seven directors of athletics take charge. That’s an average of less than two years per director. Why?

We understand that some circumstances Western can’t control. Having one director in trouble with the law while another succumbs to cancer are two of them, so hiring a strong candidate, one like McGuffin, is smart for Western.

One thing stuck out in the two-week long candidate presentations, and it was in McGuffin’s speech.

He said that he wanted Western to be St. Joseph’s team, not just Western’s. Though each candidate stated their own bold statement, McGuffin was most trusted to produce. He should help promote Western by doing this.

When he was announced as the new AD, McGuffin cited new upgrades in Looney, such as locker rooms, would be a targeted fix. But nothing put McGuffin over the other candidates than his fundraising skills.

McGuffin held a position at Kansas State for more than 10 years. One major part of his success was that the Wichita State graduate did stay at Kansas State that long.

Whoever questions his ability to stay at one job, although they may be right, have to understand each time McGuffin held a different position at Kansas State, he was promoted.

In 2000, McGuffin served under the athletic development program in Manhattan, Kan. He then was promoted in 2005 to the associate director of athletics.

Three years later, he was the senior associate athletic director for external operations. All of those jobs were an upgrade, which proves that the man has not only performed well, but has done an exceptional job and is good enough to have more duties signed to him.

McGuffin has spent the past two years at Colorado, where he implemented a new annual giving program, which produced a $15 million practice facility.

Bill Snyder, head football coach at Kansas State, was born and raised here in St. Joseph, Mo. He submitted his own beliefs about McGuffin. He said that McGuffin is an exceptional man, and that he will do his best to help Western.

Remember, there is no bigger income in college than athletics. Perhaps now, with a great choice in McGuffin, we will be able to see the income flow in on our way to winning championships. Because that was what this was all about; and if it wasn’t, what was the point of the search?

In the past seven years, Western has increased its enrollment by 27 percent. We are a growing and diverse university. Most Western administrators would attribute this to the harsh economy. Layoffs give people the opportunity to retrain or finish their education.

If the economy were the only cause, then why has Western seen a sustained increase? Western’s success has little to do with the economy and more to do with its unspoken mission: the success of the individual student.

The largest classes at Western are never over 200 students. Professors constantly make themselves available to students and are always willing to help. If a student needs personalized attention, there are literally a dozen places they can go. Western is the students’ university.

Sure, many of Western’s students are looking for a second chance. They may be retraining for a new job market or are attempting to get their education despite a rough first try, and Western is a right fit for these students. Coupled with a low tuition, personalized attention is what “second-chance” students need.

Western mimics an American philosophy. For nearly 200 years, America has been a second-chance country. Immigrants from abroad would look for jobs and opportunities in America and, to this day, still do. While the Clock Tower is no Statue of Liberty, and students probably don’t look at it as some sign of independence or freedom, the pride is still there.

Western isn’t a Division 1, big school. You won’t find Western athletic merchandise outside of St. Joseph. As a matter of fact, most people outside of Missouri have probably never heard of Western. It is, by definition, a small school.

Nonetheless, the education its students get is all the same as a big school, if not better. That extra 27 percent of students chose the other black and gold because they wanted a hands-on education. They knew that at the Steven L. Craig School of Business wasn’t just about tests and textbooks; it is about experience in the field. Students who graduate from Western leave with more than degrees. They leave with lines on their resumes.

Sure, the majority of students attend Western because it’s cheap. Western is the one of the cheapest universities in the state, but these penny-saving students didn’t have to go to college at all. They chose Western because someone told them the facts. Western has small, personalized classes. The professors are here to teach you, not to dole out work to teaching assistants. If you want more out of your education, the opportunities are at Western.

So, why are you at Western? Is it because your high school counselor told you that if you have a college degree that you’d make more money or it would be easier to get a job? While that is true, that doesn’t explain why in the last seven years Western’s enrollment has increased substantially. Western students choose Western for one reason: to take control of their education.

If your cheeks just blushed, then they rightly should have. If you laughed or scoffed, perhaps you should reassess you college career. See, the point of Friedman’s speech was that this type of behavior is over. Do you honestly think that Japanese and Chinese students even think about falling asleep during lectures or speeches? Currently, there are more honor students in China and India than there are students in America.

For those of you who didn’t fall asleep during Friedman’s speech, my apologies for the recap, but the sleeping beauties in row 17 obviously didn’t get the memo. It’s over. Americans can no longer ride on the financial backs of past generations. America’s golden era of economic strength and foreign policy power is collapsing. To even make a living in America, you have to shine, not sleep.

It’s not enough to get a degree any more. It’s not enough to work a job any more. It’s not enough to be an American anymore. We have to participate in America. This is the country that invented the Internet. This is the country that invented the microchip. This is the country that invented individual sovereignty. Why would you squander all of that, that which all those that have come before us have given, on an extra 40 minutes of sleep during a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner’s speech?

That power nap you took wasn’t just a slap in the face of our university, but a slap in the face to our country and its history. Do you think that Irish immigrants were able to power nap when they came to America? Do you think German Jewish immigrants attempted to escape Nazi persecution for an extra 40 minutes of sleep? These immigrants worked and preserved with a relentlessness that Friedman believes can revitalize our country.

As citizens of America we are lucky that we don’t have to worry about the basic necessities of life. In parts of the world, people of our generation aren’t staying up all night and enjoying the luxuries of life, they are staying up from hunger or fear. No one should feel guilty for being an American, but instead seize the opportunity and not waste it.

America is an exceptional country, but not when its best and brightest are sleeping on the bleachers of its universities. As students, we can do better. As citizens, we owe it to those who came before us to not waste the dawn of such of young country. An American has the most freedom out of any citizen of any nation in the world; undisputed. But, what’s the point if we’re asleep?

No longer paid for by SGA

One of the main reasons RC was separated from SGA was because many Senators felt that RC didn’t benefit the student body as a whole. While RC was essentially represented by students who lived on campus, it was not limited to simply those students. Most of RC’s money from SGA went toward the programming of on-campus events, usually jointly prepared by Western Activities Council and RC. These events were mainly attended by on-campus students, but were not exclusive.

Now that RHA is receiving its funding from the Residential Life budget, which is an auxiliary budget, those events must be exclusive. Since Residential Life receives its funds from the room and board payments of on-campus students, those events are paid for by only students who live on campus.

Perhaps SGA should have thought about the consequences of excluding so many students out of joint events before proposing and passing a rushed constitution (which was only available for students to read online 48 hours before the vote). The real question that remains is where is the $20,000 that was going toward RC going now. Before, $20,000 was appropriated toward student events targeted at some 1,000 on-campus students. Another $10,000 was allocated toward RC for RA funding, operational funding and scholarships for RC leadership. Essentially, $30,000, which had a purpose last year, is now left purposeless.

The fear that most students should have is that the money will never be used and will roll over into the 2012-2013 budget. This money has the potential to continue to be rolled over.

Maintaining the dorms

With the addition of a new dorm, can Residential Life afford to appropriate $20,000 toward a campus organization? Most likely not. Since maintaining the on-campus housing has been a problem for a while, Western may be adopting the policy of “Build and Abandon,” in which new dorms are built while older ones like Beshears, Logan and Juda are left unmaintained.

While $20,000 would not renovate the old dorms, it could be enough to pay for an extra part-time maintenance employee. Students who live in the dorms should ask the question of what would they rather have: a root beer pong tournament or a new air conditioner? Not to belittle the importance of on campus events, but maintenance should take precedence.

Funding confusion

When any new organization comes to the fore, some disorganization can be excepted. But giving $20,000 to an organization without any solid planning should never happen in the real world. To earn money, it must be shown that you can handle it responsibly. Students should fear that RHA may have the same problem with roll over as past administrations of SGA have had.

To remedy this situation, both SGA and RHA should present solid but separate plans to show students where their money is going. If not for sorting out the funding confusion, but to open a dialogue of what students want.

At least that’s the word from parking services, and we agree. For years now when students have complained they have been rebuffed by the final and only defensible position: There are plenty of parking spaces for every student, faculty and staff to park on campus.

That is rare. Some universities have solved their parking problem by not allowing freshmen to park on campus at all. They are forced to use public transportation. It is a tough policy but it solves the problem.
Many students keep a bicycle on campus to hasten their trip across campus. Missouri Western State University administration could do more to provide bike racks at every building. Students are hesitant to park bicycles without a secure place to attach them. This makes a bicycle a little less appealing.
Then, if bicycles became the norm, there would have to be the inevitable rules. The concern for the safety of pedestrians would keep bicycles restricted to Downs Drive and other roadways. But, walking your bike from Downs Drive to your building and securing it would be easier than trying to find a parking spot close to your building.

It’s a student problem

It may sound unsavory to some, but walking across campus is a viable solution for most students. Eventually students become acclimated to the parking issue, but the whining of new students is something seasoned students tire of easily.
Everyone wants to park in front of their building. Western could never build enough parking spaces to accommodate every student’s wish, and the additional spaces to handle temporary demand would go unused most of the time. It’s not cost effective and students won’t pay for it.
If the cost of parking seems high now, just imagine the price if there were new multi-level parking garages on campus. Plus, security issues increase inside parking structures, so the cost of security and lighting would increase. Students would whine about the stairs, so we all would have to share the cost of elevators.

When does it end?

Students can solve their problem by arriving around 7:30 a.m. when most parking lots are empty. This is not an option for many but it also solves the problem, and you get the parking spot you want. Parking across campus from the building or area you wish you could have and walking without whining works well also. Some students arrive early for their class and drive through the parking lot over and over till some parking spot opens. This works well if you have the time.
The only true solution is changing students’ minds about what is expected of the campus and what is expected of them. The early bird gets the worm. The second mouse gets the cheese. Life isn’t fair. Grow with it. The only way it works is when everyone knows and understands the rules and plays well with each other.

The state appropriation cuts go deeper than they appear.

Part of the problem started years ago when Western’s Board of Governors could have increased tuition but didn’t. Then, when they did increase the tuition 2.98 percent they did not actually charge that increase to students. Western soon became a good value and enrollment hit record numbers.

During that time of growth neither tuition nor state appropriations were increasing. The costs of providing a quality education, however, did continue to rise.  To address the impending train wreck, Western’s Board of Governors approved a modest increase of 6.33 percent. When last semester ended, the combined tuition increase was expected to be 9.31 percent.

That was before the Missouri Department of Higher Education (acting under Gov. Nixon’s concern) began to evaluate Western’s waiver of penalty under the Higher Education Students Funding Act for increasing tuition greater than the Consumer Price Index of 1.5 percent.

Let the cutting begin.

A letter posted on the Missouri Department of Higher Education website from the Commissioner of Higher Education David Russell addressed to Western President Robert Vartabedian said the Governor’s office “expressed concern regarding the magnitude of the tuition increase that Missouri Western students will face in the fall.”

The letter states that Russell seriously contemplated not granting a penalty wavier but, “It is difficult to envision a scenario in which the imposition of a fine would be of benefit to the students… as the loss of additional resources would likely result in diminished services, programs, and/or lower or fewer financial aid awards.”

The letter strongly encourages Dr. Vartabedian to consult with Western’s Board of Governors to lower the tuition increase “to bring it in line with increases adopted by the vast majority of four-year institutions.” The Board of Governors reduced the increase to 8.48 percent.

Apples and Oranges

In comparison to other universities across the nation, Western’s increase in tuition is very reasonable. The nation’s largest public University, Arizona State University, increased its tuition by 48 percent in the 2007-2008 academic year. This year, other large public schools have seen an increase of 40-50 percent.

While Western serves only about 6,000 students, it might be more appropriate to compare out tuition to other Missouri schools. Even with the originally proposed tuition increase (9.5 percent) Western would have remained one of the cheapest institutions in the state.

State cuts and dampening on increases in tuition have forced Western to cut as much as they can. Now our administrators are looking at alternatives for revenue, something that shouldn’t have to be done for a public school. This detracts from the school’s main purpose: education. Western is a learning institution after all, not a business that should have to worry about its funding.

What can students do?

If possible, a large donation to Western would be greatly appreciated. Even if a student can’t afford more money than what they are paying, soliciting donations from community members would benefit everyone’s quality of education. Attending Western will cost students more. No student or administrator wants a lack of quality in their education.

Several members of faculty, staff and administration are gone. Everything has changed, even down to the increase of weeds in the lawn because costs are being cut. Administration, staff, students and faculty are suffering all over campus. Everyone is working harder and smarter to keep standards high amidst the turmoil.

Maybe those students who are registered to vote might consider not voting for politicians who show false concern for your tuition increase. The state cut our funding, which will increase tuition costs. They placed the cost of education more on the student and less on the state. Do they do it because they are concerned about students?

Fortunately, students may take several actions to notify their representatives and government leaders of their frustration. Western’s Student Government has already written several letters to our State leaders. As diligent as they are, our Student Government is only a minority of the students. Imagine if Gov. Nixon were to receive 1,000 letters on his desk from students.

For once, an issue has finally arisen that student can agree upon and unite. Regardless of your age, ethnicity, gender, economic mobility or academic status, the lack funding from the state should appall and anger you as a student. Let that frustration be heard.

Last summer, almost 60,000 fans came to campus to see the Chiefs. The money that was made off the camp wasn’t made off the fans just coming through the gates. It was made off of parking, concessions and other vendors that were selling items at the practices.

The revenue that the camp generated for the community wasn’t as much as some officials predicted that it would, but the exposure and small amount of revenue that the University gets is enormous.

The Griffon Indoor Sports Complex was built specifically for the Chiefs training camp. However, there may be three weeks open for the athletic department to rent out the complex and possibly make up for some of the revenue that would be lost with no training camp, but realistically, it won’t be as much as would be generated with it here.

The exposure that Missouri Western gets with the Chiefs coming here is enormous. It not only helps with national attention on Western, it also helps with getting students into the classrooms as well. If students are looking at colleges to attend and they choose to come to Western because they will have the chance to see the Chiefs training camp, or possibly get an internship with them for the summer, then that should be a success for the school.

When people look at the possibility of training camp not happening, they should realize that the bulk of the money isn’t made off of the camp concessions and merchandise alone. The biggest part that the school profits from is recruitment, both athletically and academically.

The internships that are available with the Chiefs provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for students to work for a professional sports team and put a valuable experience on their resume when they look for a job. Students need to be informed on a back up plan by the athletic department. Right now, many students don’t know what is going to happen if they apply for an internship and the camp is not held at all.

Missouri Western has promoted itself as a hands on learning environment and if we don’t have an opportunity to take part in this, then the students need to be informed so that they, too, can be making arrangements for a back up plan.

The school also provides something unique that not many schools have by hosting training camp. By doing this, it provides something attractive to area high school students and provides an incentive for them to come to Western rather than pay more money and go to MIzzou or UMKC.

If the NFL lockout continues, Missouri Western will have to try and find a way to make up for the lack of exposure that will be brought to the school. These issues aren’t something that can just be shrugged off and taken with a grain of salt and ignored. These are real issues that the school needs to be concerned with and needs to have a more secure backup plan than just hoping that we can get people to rent out the GISC. This isn’t just a money issue, it is an extraordinary opportunity for the students of Missouri Western. The athletic department needs to help keep the students informed on what is going to happen with the training camp situation so that a back up plan can be organized and put into affect This includes the possibility of camp being pushed back and how this will effect class schedules and other things if this is pushed back into the fall semester.

We realize that this isn’t all the athletic department’s fault. We as student’s just need more communication so that we know what is going on and if we need to make back up plans as well.

The best vision for student government to aspire to is one that represents the students — a democracy. While Allison Norris and Jacob Scott should be commended for their ambitions and good intentions, the student body should be mindful of their obligation in the process as well.

On Monday April 18 at 4:00 p.m., Norris and Scott were inaugurated as our president and vice president for SGA.

As Western gets familiar with the new administration of their student government, they should consider the power that the student officials truly wield. SGA oversees a half million dollar budget. If money makes the world go round, then you can certainly demand that student officials can efficiently effect change.

The success of the Norris/Scott administration depends in part on the student’s responsibility to voice their priorities and concerns.

It is the same with SGA. Norris and Scott both gave their wishes and hopes for Western; as Norris said in her previous column, her main goal is to “keep you (meaning students) current on what SGA is accomplishing, what issues we are facing and how you the student can get your voice out there.” This statement is great. Yet, we hope that this statement will be a reality, and not just something used to make a good impression. If Norris and Scott can truly accomplish student concern and getting more students desiring to know what SGA is about, then our campus should have no more complaints for this upcoming year.

Consider it a checks and balances of the powers of government, in this case, student government.  President Vartabedian and the administration serve as the executive branch handing down final decisions with little personal contact with the student body. SGA serves as legislative branch with elected student representatives elected by their own constituents and interest groups. The students fulfill the judicial branch… in the form of a court of public opinion.

The Norris/Scott administration emphasized hearing the voice of students as the cornerstone of their successful campaign.  Now that the votes have been cast and the inauguration is done, the real test will be the results that the incoming SGA administration delivers.

We as a campus must show concern for those presiding over us-which means SGA. Our student body must be attentive of the actions of SGA. This means that SGA must constantly make their procedures professional, constitutional, concise and clear. It’s a checks and balance process.

Measuring the success of our new student representatives will be hard to gauge. As a student body we must first establish our expectations and make them known. Only then can we go about petitioning our elected student representatives to make changes we care about.

We encourage Norris and Scott to go for their goals and establish them on our campus. Get students involved, make students aware and clarify the confused. If they can do this, then our campus will continue to thrive.

While in college, it is your complete responsibility to take advantage of every opportunity possible. Rather it means doing multiple internships, graduating with a major and a minor, staying in school longer to obtain the future you always dreamed of, or being apart of an organization that will help you get the exposure you need, a student must make the proper choices to get them where they need to go. Griffon News is one of those opportunities. We want you to take this opportunity and join the Griffon News.

Being on the Griffon News helps you get exposure as your work will be published and read by thousands of people. It will be something to add to a resume and will help you gain a work experience that is still in a classroom. For Convergent Media, English: Public Relations and English: Journalism majors it is a required course. Yet for Illustration, Animation, Photography, Graphic Design, Speech Communications, English: Literature, Marketing, Business and Communications: Public Relations Majors, it is an opportunity to show your true skills in the field you are choosing for your future.

Though some might say they have no time for a course like this and feel that other opportunities might be a better fit, a student should first consider the specifics. JOU 210 is only a Monday and Wednesday course from 1:00 to 1:50. The assignments include composing stories and/or graphics for the desk of your choice. A student has an opportunity to write on any desk, or multiple desks if they wish. If they continue on the Griffon News, they can apply to be an editor where they will get paid while having the course as well.

If any student has a desire to interview, design, take photos, draw cartoons, communicate with others or be apart of a campus organization that reaches multiple students every week, then they should enroll in JOU 210 and give the newspaper a chance. Every semester the Griffon News looks for new people to bring some different aspect to the newspaper. Whether it’s a different face, a new program, a unique style or all of the above, Griffon News desires something new every semester. Maybe your skills could be exactly what the newspaper is looking for.

Students should always remember that opportunity establishes growth, exposure and an advantage over the average. When it comes to a career, a college degree is a given; most people will have one. Yet, experience will more then likely be the factor that gets the job. So, use Griffon News as a way to get that experience and eventually get that job. So instead of life passing you by, you will be basking in its ambiance.

You would think that the increase in revenue from the Spring Sports Complex along with a higher increase in students bring in more money, yet Western’s growth in size has not led to a further growth in money. Since 1999, Missouri Western has increased from 5,000 students to over 6,000. Our growing rate is the highest among the public universities. Yet, Missouri as a state has been cut 12.2% in education.

Also, Missouri does not increase money for having more students. But, Western wants to continuing striving for a larger size, a more convenient campus, and easier accessibility for students, yet must ask for more dollars to make the vision of better success come true.

It’s as simple as this. If you want better, you pay for it: If you want a steak dinner with all the trimmings, cooked properly in all the right places, you would not go skipping to IHOP. For Western to have the best, it must ask for students to jump on board and bring their wallets with them.
Students should understand that Western is not simply asking for dollars for no reason. It is to keep Western up to date, and a valuable university. A valuable university means a valuable degree from the university, which leads to a valuable career from that degree. Vartabedian even went to student leaders and asked them how they would feel about tuition increase. All of these students agreed to fork over the dollars.

The tuition increase will be $17.61 for credit hour. So for 15 credit hours, the increase will be $264.15. Though the dollar amount is clear, what must be crystal clear is where the exact increase in tuition is going. To make our campus better, and provide a quality university really doesn’t clarify any specifics.
For the Board of Governors to really encourage students to pay these amounts, they are going to have to give up the details. Students understand that Missouri as a state is receiving cuts. Students further understand that costs of growing and expenses are becoming steadily harder for the university to pay. But what’s not understood is where the money is going to due and what the increase will be used for.

We should stand by Western and accept the future burdens being placed on our accounts, even though we know it doesn’t make life any easier. Yet, college is an investment. So, we should just deem this increase as an investment change and hope that somewhere down the line, the pockets getting looser will one day be fatter.

Though the truth is that we only have four and a half weeks until finals, it’s important for students to not slack off at this time. Fooling around with exams and assignments might have worked in high school, but historians did not term the word “college” for no reason; as the Rome originated word stemmed from collegium, which is defined as an educated group of colleagues consistently working together under a common set of rules. Even the ancient Romans knew college wasn’t for slackers.

April 1 marks the final day to withdraw from courses and April 4 marks the first day of fall registration. These dates make the best performance at the end of the semester extremely vital. No one wants to deal with the stress of failing a course at the end of the semester and having to e-mail an advisor to look up a pin to re-adjust a schedule just to take the course again.

Since students have the option to withdraw from courses before possibly failing and ultimately lowering their GPA, they should take advantage of this opportunity.

However, let’s be honest- accepting the fact that a class is going to hinder more than hurt is a sad thing for a student to understand. Yet, it’s better to accept this fact than allow one course to affect an entire college performance. One D or one F can easily turn a 3.0 GPA to a 2.0 or below, which is not worth the studying, class attendance and hard work that a student has put toward his or her grades.

Not everyone can say they have been to college, so students should feel confident just for the simple fact that they are here at Western in the first place. Now, it’s students’ soul responsibilities to do the best they can while being here in school. Doing the best they can means using every opportunity they have to be a successful college student. It means taking all measures, even if it includes getting tutoring, having private meetings with teachers and asking for extra credit.

At this time in the semester, the question students should ask themselves is whether they are giving 100 percent and truly doing the best they can do. If the answer is yes, then students should pat themselves on the back and keep up the good work for the remaining few weeks of school. Yet if the answer is no, then its time to buckle down, focus and improve those grades.

The mid-term mark is just a check point in this imaginary race towards success. Yet, if you’re barely making it while just jogging in the back in the line, then you will never be the winner. The key is using this time to catch up and regain your strength in the race. This way when you win, it will be your turn to hold up that huge golden trophy, which is called a degree.

Starting the Fall 2011 semester, attendance policies will strictly be a professor’s personal decision. This means that every Missouri Western educator will have to personally develop an attendance policy that they feel is reasonable for students. Though this gives educators more freedom, it can also become problematic. A professor could require students to miss no classes without a valid medical excuse, or simply fail the course. Then students that have a busy schedule, or that work, or that have children will have an extremely difficult time abiding to this policy.

This new policy also means that a student must pay very close attention to the course syllabus. This will now be the only way a student will know how many classes they can miss before he or she actually begins missing them. Students will have to make sure they are printing off their syllabi because professors have stopped printing them off for us. Students will definitely need to think twice before missing the first day of classes. This might only be absence they have; or at least one of the few.

Though Missouri Western have taken a firm step in the right direction involving attendance, professors should take an even bigger step by eliminating their policies. Professors should not be forced to hold students accountable for being in class. Instead of professors holding students accountable, students need to hold themselves accountable. Then, when students graduate and go into the work force, they will understand what self-accountability truly means.

Checking attendance also takes a huge amount of time from class work, especially with courses that have around 50 to 70 students in them. So with a 50 minute class and 10 minute time to take attendance, students are really only getting 40 minutes of actual useful class time.

If any student thinks they could miss numerous classes and still pass, then let them. Ultimately, it will be nobody’s fault but his or her own. Professors have enough responsibility involving class work, lecture, and creating, checking and grading tests and quizzes. Why don’t we take a little stress off of the many things they have to do on a day-to-day basis? Frankly, no student deserves to be at Missouri Western if he or she can’t be in class in a proper manner. We don’t need any professor to tell us that.

The ballot on March 7-8 will have two main issues for students to vote on; the tobacco policy, which will ban tobacco products on campus, and a revised version of the constitution.

Let me guess, this is the first time you’ve heard of SGA wanting to change their constitution. Well, it could be because they did it behind closed doors without any real input from the students. For an organization that claims to be the voice of the students, SGA has lousy ears.

Not only did SGA not seek student input through the use of forums, they also didn’t present it properly to their senate. The revised version that is on the front page of the website wasn’t finished until March 2, yet some how senate approved these changes. Since the discussion apparently took place during closed session, there is no way to tell that what the senate approved is actually what the students will be voting on. Since the revised constitution was not released immediately after the February 28 meeting due to further changes, it can be deduced that senate never saw the final version that will appear on the ballot.

While SGA senators and executive board members can attempt to justify that a closed session was necessary for these revisions, these justifications are frivolous. Missouri Sunshine law states that government meetings must be held in open session, unless the members are discussing specific personnel issues regarding a specific individual. The Missouri Sunshine law was established to prevent governments from making decisions without the public knowing and promote transparency.

Part of this makes sense, seeing how the constitution now includes the $50,000 allocation for the Administrative Coordinator of SGA position. If you’re wondering why no one cared ask you if it was okay to use your student fee money to pay for this position, it’s because no one cared. SGA didn’t ask because they don’t care if over $100,000 their budget, which you pay for, gets shifted around without your approval. They would rather shut the students out of their meetings.

So what’s the next step? Fortunately you, the student, can vote whether or not you want this rushed and revised constitution being the document that your student government abides by. Since you probably won’t have time to read the 16-page document or weigh the changes in your mind, vote for other reasons. The fact that they disregarded your voice, when the association prides themselves in being the voice of the student body, is enough of a reason to just vote no.

Vote no on the revised constitution and remind SGA who they are working for.

We understand your outrage. Between new fees, increasing class sizes and now increasing tuition costs, you have a reason to be. But before you start throwing the textbooks out the window, let’s review the facts.

Recently, Gov. Jay Nixon called for a seven percent cut in higher education. This means for Western to retain its quality education the university will have to raise tuition roughly 10 percent. Even though Western still must go through processes to approve the increase in tuition, a tuition raise seems inevitable. Other four-year schools across the state are beginning this same process. Keep in mind though, 10 percent for Western is less than 5.8 percent for most University of Missouri schools.

With that in mind, Missouri Western’s tuition is still one of the lowest in the state. Look at Central Missouri’s tuition, which for 15 hours is around $2,900 for in-state students and Northwest’s tuition is $3,523.35, which is almost $500 more than Western. Even with next year’s increase, Western is still the cheaper deal.

It’s not all about the money though. With most “deals” customers get a cheaper product, but somehow Western offers the caliber of education with the cheapest cost. While the quality has not suffered this year from Nixon’s 2010 cuts, everyone at Western has.

While we are still getting the same education, we’ve had to make bargains; bigger classes, less professors, a cut in operating budgets all over the university

Though the mandated tuition freeze might have put us in a financial woe, since tuition makes up close to 50% of our budget, Nixon was able to ensure us that the students are actually being put first. Scholarship budgets that were once cut are now increasing. Graduate programs are steadily rising, and our population is growing incredibly. The Craig School of Business has also added great features to Western, in addition to all the intern opportunities students have been receiving in every major. With all this in mind, maybe we should just trust Nixon and stay put. A good education is worth paying for, right?

Being a Griffon during this era doesn’t mean beating Northwest dealing with “JuCo, JuCo” from our opponents’ stands. It’s about making the best of a bad situation. As long as you remember that Western administrators have your back, there’s no need to worry about the quality of your education. In return, paying the $200 some extra every semester will help them keep Western gold.

Western’s Griffon Gateway program has helped students integrate into the university courses. Students who had struggled before and would have been turned away at other institutions are given a chance through the Griffon Gateway program. Now this program is expanding.

This expansion now includes more students and is changing the name of the program. Any student without a high school GPA of 3.5 or and ACT score of 21 will be placed in the new Admissions with Conditions program. These conditions include only being allowed to take 11 credit hours and student are required to take Griffon Edge. This program only applies to first semester incoming freshman though.
Considering a 21 ACT is a cutoff point for various universities, this number spears to be very high. It is also out of proportion to the even higher 3.5 GPA. Any student with a GPA that high would surely be able to score above a 21 ACT score. Both of these numbers lack any sort of logic as far as requirements.

Also, up to 11 credit hours is a difficult number to achieve when enrolling, especially when one credit hour must be toward the Griffon Edge course. Trying to fill 10 credit hours means taking only 3-4 real classes.
This number could also affect the amount of financial aid these students will be able to receive. The majority of federal and state aid requires the students to take at least 12 hours to qualify for their aid. Without this aid, new students may seriously consider the alternative, Community College.

A community college would allow the student to take more credit hours and take more relevant classes. The student can transfer in with those hours and circumvent the requirements.
The changes to Griffon Gateway will indeed help students achieve if they even decide to enroll at Missouri Western. Because of this, the new program may harm Western’s enrollment figures and thus hurt the amount of financial aid the university receives.

No doubt, this program was designed to help students but the goal of the program isn’t the problem. The logistics of program may cause Western to lose students and eventually lose touch with its mission of being an open admissions school.

Due to the lack of a majority of senators, Senate did not vote on the budget during the April 26 meeting. During the summer, Student Affairs—which receives 20 percent of the SGA budget—likely got nervous and induced a vote, which was held via e-mail. There are three problems with this.
• SGA bylaws provide no precedent or provision concerning electronic votes or meetings.
• This meeting was not in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.
• The vote was not ratified as required by Robert’s Rules of Order.

Now, this is not just nitpicking. We’re talking about $400,000. This is more than some small towns in the United States get for a total budget.

Also, the question remains, was the budget properly discussed?

With a budget this large, the deliberations should not be taken so lightly as to have final discussion through e-mail. Furthermore, e-mail deliberation doesn’t allow students to attend the ‘e-meeting’ and listen or voice their concerns about how the money should have been used.

The fact is, the budget SGA is currently working with was improperly passed and is null and void. It would seem pointless to discuss any business at a meeting where the majority of the voting body isn’t present. It is also seems suspiciously convenient that when the closed session occurs, SGA all of a sudden had a quorum.

The SGA constitution outlines that the last meetings of the spring semester are some of the most important meetings of the year. If the budget doesn’t get passed in the last meeting, the constitution states it’s should be passed at the next meeting.

But this amount of roll over shouldn’t have been necessary. Since the April 12 and 19 meetings also lacked quorum, SGA should have been able to alert enough senators by April 26 to be able to hold a quorum. Even then, the last day of classes fell on a Monday, May 3, allowing SGA to hold their “emergency meeting” in the public and in accordance to their constitution as well as Robert’s Rules of Order.

Still, much of the blame lies in the SGA senators and this entire situation should also impress upon the current Senators the important role they play. Showing up to Senate meetings is absolutely vital to the operation of the legislative body. Without a majority, the meeting becomes informal, and at anytime during the meeting a quorum is not held business form that point on becomes null and void.

SGA’s current attendance policy seems to have alleviated this problem but still, quorum was achieved later in the Oct. 25 Senate meeting rather than at the beginning.

But how many students understand the tradition that homecoming is founded in? How well do students remember the, “reason for the season” so to speak?

Commemorating homecoming is about more than updating Facebook albums and having new T-shirts made. Often the deeper meaning of the event is lost in the midst of the homecoming revelry.

Homecoming is about tradition. Once a year the students of past and present converge to “come home” and return to their roots. Alumni return to their Alma Mater to witness what improvements and changes have occurred in the years since their own graduation and matriculation.

Truly, we should all consider Western home. This is the place where we work for our educations and earn our degrees.

Remember the things that make Western home to you.

It’s the fog coming off the fly-fishing pond as you race in the back entrance for your 8 am class. Sometimes it is the soft strains of the theme song to Flash Dance marking the passing hours reminds you that you’re home.

Today’s current students should consider the legacy that they intend to leave to their MWSU successors. Each year we should strive to make this school better than it was the year before. We must maintain high stands, and hold ourselves to them as the standards rise.

With record-high enrollment this year, Western is visibly growing. As the size of the Western family continues to grow concurrently, each student bound together by our ties to our university.

As enrollment increases, the need for on-campus housing has also risen. Western has answered calls for those needs by building more dorms. Looking forward to the future, the SGA and the Greek community have often voiced desires to see a move toward the development of Greek housing on campus. This kind of forward thinking and ambition makes Western your home. Commit yourself to being a Griffon and bleeding black and gold collegiate pride. Experience the things that are not outlined in our general education like friends, memories, traditions and values we hold dear to our hearts.

The real question is though, where is all this money going to?

There are certain fees that must be allocated toward certain expenses, such as the Max Experience, but even this money may not be used properly. At a Student Government Association meeting last month, it was discussed on the floor that hot dogs and sodas are not being served at all the home sporting events.

Also in relation to SGA, it seems that some of their budget, which is generated by the SGA fee, is missing. After several years of student body growth, the SGA budget hasn’t seen any growth in three years. Where has this money gone?

After yet another year of rising fees, The Griffon News demands better communication concerning student money. This money is, for all intents and purposes, student money. Fees, whether enacted by the student body or by Western administration, are allocated from their inception for certain expenses or additions.

Reasons for recent fees enacted this semester have yet to be communicated to students, nor have students seen any actual additions to computer labs. It appears that this fee was enacted only to maintain current technology levels. While this will benefit students, shouldn’t this be something that tuition takes care of?

The fact that The Griffon News is even asking these questions shows that the communication to students about administrative decisions is almost non-existent. An e-mail sent out prior to fall class registration is not considered a channel, it actually more resembles a warning. What’s the point of even sending out an e-mail to students when you’re going to disregard their voice, as demonstrated by overstepping the student body’s vote on the technology and recycling fee.

Fees are very different than tuition. Students expect this money to be used for specific things, rather than them being thrown into a budget to be absorbed by other institutional entities. The Griffon News, on behalf of the student body requests a report, to be distributed to students, of the fees students pay and what they have been used for in the past three years.

No student at Western can leave without incurring a fee for various things. Whether a student is a business, art or psychology major they pay a fee that has potential benefits, but at this point is Western’s history, students are losing track of what fees go toward what additions and expenses. At this point, it is quite possible that Western’s fees could get as confusing as the US tax code in the future.

It’s understandable that after losing their director, Ellen Kisker, the students who make use of the Non-Traditional Student Center would naturally be afraid for the future of their center, but when they voiced these concerns, no one responded.

It was only until the group began to organize, with letter writing campaigns, petitions, and peaceful assemblies, that administrators decided to open their ears. Covered in this issue of The Griffon News, President Robert Vartabedian and Chair of the Board of Governors Kylee Strough sat down with Non-trad leadership to finally listen, but that’s not who should be listening.

Mentioned at the meeting, it seems Dean of Student Affairs Esther Paralez has had little communication with the Non-Traditional Student Association, despite the fact that she has the non-trad ListServ, the list containing all the non-trads Western e-mail addresses. Also, it seems that Paralez has yet to visit and take a tour of the non-trad student center since reorganizing their director to manage several student organizations.

What does it say about the future of Student Affairs if other administrators have had to intervene to open communication channels between non-trad leadership and Student Affairs? What other changes is the department planning to make without listening to students and considering all the possible consequences?

No doubt, Western’s Student Affairs was in need of reorganizing, but perhaps the wrong approach is being taken in regards to this situation. Instead of pulling directors away, for reasons yet to be communicated properly to the students directly, why doesn’t Student Affairs assess a situation before making decisions? Had Paralez actually visited the non-trad student center and met with non-trad leadership to further understand the role Kisker played in their lives, maybe this mess wouldn’t be so sticky.

For example, the changes made are supposed to help integrate non-traditional students into student life more, according to administrators. First off, how can 1200 students not be integrated into student life? Yes, there are some non-trads who wish to come to class then go home, but this is obviously because they have responsibilities outside of their academic careers. With such a large population on the student body, how can they not make an impact on Western?

Non-traditional students make Western a special place for many traditional students. They add diversity to the college experience, a diversity that not many other universities have. With such a large population, Western should do as much as possible to accommodate these students, because a large population means a lot of tuition, and seeing as the state is going to further cut Western, it looks as though the university is going to need all the money it can get.

We have to show up for class at least 30 minutes early if we wish to have any hope of finding a parking space.

There are 2,357 general, 113 accessible, and 30 time restricted spaces on campus.

There are more parking passes issued than there are spaces on campus.

You should be able to find a space though according to the logic that students are continuously coming and going.

It is hard to find a parking space on campus but it is possible if you are content with walking for 15 minutes.

Our main concern isn’t the parking spaces on campus; it’s the traffic that surrounds us.

Graphic | Brooke Carter

This money goes to the parking security services department.

We don’t understand why this service needs so much money. Where does it go? What is it used for?

This doesn’t include the money issued by the university.

This money could be used to repair streets or to even extend Mitchell into a three-lane highway or at least to add a few new stoplights to better insure the safety of students.

Mitchell Ave. could easily be made into a three lane road. This would solve a lot of the driving problems on campus.

I’m sure that even if this is your first semester at Missouri Western, you have encountered this problem.

We need to solve the problems surrounding campus. We should save the approximate value of $126,000 for five years and put it towards the fixing of our surrounding roads.

If we fix the problems that surround us, the problems within will be much easier to solve.

This cluster of mass vehicles could possibly cause a head on collision, a small fender bender, or even a student to be hit while walking.

This problem gets much worse when the weather gets bad. In the winter , the lines that separate the parking spaces get covered with snow.

This makes people double park, which in turn gives us even fewer parking spaces.

The university spent a bunch of money on the chiefs training camp, which was a good investment.

They now need to spend a bunch of money on the construction of extra parking lots or the extending of surrounding roads.

Can you think of a better investment than more parking spaces for students?

This investment would benefit most of Missouri Western students and help insure the safety of pedestrians.

The number of students attending Missouri western is increasing each year.

Sooner or later, the university is going to have to face this issue head on and give us some resolution.

Depending on what side of the fence you’re on, the policy can be viewed as positive and negative. Both sides can probably agree that the current policy has been broken ever since the changes to the policy were made in light of the Chiefs Training camp.

Currently the policy allows for alcohol to be sold in two places on campus, neither of which is the dorms, even though there is now a 21-and-up only dorm.

There are several reasons the current policy does not reflect well on Missouri Western. This policy means that having a “dry” campus means that parents believe they can send their kids to school and not worry about binge drinking. Which is great, except that this punishes the students that are 21 and over.

Even though they are of the legal drinking age, those students living in the dorm cannot exercise their privilege willingly.

The other problem is that the policy makes Western look hypocritical. The University is willing to break the policy to sell alcohol to visiting patrons, but the students that pay to go to school here can’t exercise their privileges.

Realistically, the policy can’t be enforced anyway. If prohibition didn’t work in the 1920’s, why would it work here?

Even on a smaller scale, it is impossible to enforce the policy. When the University changes the policy in their favor it sends a hypocritical message to students and essentially stomps on their own policy.

Western obviously believes that the policy it’s self is outdated or they wouldn’t be changing it in the first place.

Perhaps though, the university is slowly repealing the alcohol policy. The next move would be to let alcohol be sold at Griffon sporting events.

If this happens, Western would have no reason not to let 21 and over students’ drink in their dorms. To put it simply, unless the University repeals the policy fully, the selling point will lose its shine and the entire policy itself will reflect very horribly on the University.

What would a parent think of a school that they are giving thousands of dollars to that goes back on its word?

At the moment though, the current policy is a contradiction, which favors the University. Even if Western is having financial trouble, changing a policy to make money should be a last resort. Even then, the change should be a full repeal.

No one wants to make less money. No one feels like they have enough to run things as it is. Everyone else thinks that you are already blowing it bad enough, if you have less next year how will you make ends meet? You will. Somehow, you will find a way to make things work. It is called innovation. It is what make Americans what they are as a people. They rest of the world looks at America and says “Wow, how innovative.”

Just get over the fear of losing a little profit and innovate a way to keep the world running. But the question of where to cut still has not answered. Here are some ideas you might not have considered.

Paying people less tends to make them panic and leave, yet, who wants to quit their job in an uncertain economy? If it is a pay cut, just make sure it is fair and across the board and starts at the top. Any stones unturned will be the rock that causes the wall to tumble.

Maybe something that students really do not care about should be cut. Like the SGA. No one goes to the meetings, that much has already been established. Students really do not care what a select few of politically motivated students decide to spend money on, so why give them such a big budget? In all fairness perhaps the Griffon News should lose a chunk of funding. Much evidence shows that no one is really reading the paper.

Wherever the cuts happen, just know that they are going to happen. When they do, don’t be surprised if you find the cuts came to your slice of pie. After all you are probably too fat anyway.

It is as if the school is going beyond the law and saying they want to have a moral stance on the evils of drinking alcohol. If that is the case for the reasons behind the dry campus then there really is no problem. The problem with this is that recently it was made that alcohol could be served in Spratt Hall to visiting big-wigs and dignitaries that the school is trying to woo themselves into their wallets. Brilliant idea, by the way, serve wine with those boring presentations. It is a proven fact that drunks are much more liberal with their money than sober people.

Though this act could send a message that while the school is morally against adults drinking, it has no problem using a bit of booze to fleece any suckers they can make more comfortable with a few glasses of wine. Really? Isn’t this a date rapist strategy? Why not just slip them a “roofie” and pick their pockets while they are passed out? If this is really about a moral stance the campus is taking against alcohol then shouldn’t no booze on campus mean no booze on campus?

So you say that isn’t the issue at all. It has nothing to do with Missouri Western being run by an anti-alcohol agenda. It is entirely a security issue. If you give the legal drinking age students a dorm they can drink in, how do you keep them from aiding and abetting in the delinquency of minors? Won’t the seniors be bringing up the freshmen into their dorms to have a nip?

If this is really the issue then the argument is over. Legal drinking age students can already provide for their younger peers as it is. No one is suggesting that because they can buy them beers, all 21-year-old students should be segregated at all times from the under 21-year-old students. The apocalypse is not going to be started because legal age students gain the right to kick back in their own living domiciles and crack a cold with their nightly study session.

This year’s student government has been an utter disappointment in representing the student body. While the technology fee was a very close vote, keep in mind that only 608 students voted, out of the 5000+ Western has enrolled. Only 12 percent of the student body thought the issue was worthy enough to vote on.
Now, the voter turnout doesn’t necessarily reflect the validity of the issue on the ballot. Perhaps the Technology fee would have had a positive impact on the campus as whole, but who knows.

Why were there no open forums held about this fee? Where were the e-mails informing the student body about the allegedly archaic technology that Western has now? And why was the recycling fee included with this issue?

These questions were all left in the dark as students cast their votes April 8. The only direct communication that the SGA had with the student body were a few ominous posters and banners posted around campus with vague bullet points. To top it off, more ominous pamphlets were posted in Popplewell discrediting the proposal. What does it say about a proposal when SGA senators are telling students to vote against it?

In the background of the mysterious political battles that shadowed the truth behind Western technology, something was forgotten and lost.

The voter turnout in this case doesn’t reflect the importance of the issue Western faces, but the lack of preparation on the SGA officers’ part. Given that every student uses the technology on campus, the voter turnout should have been higher, but as mentioned before—how many people were informed on this issue.

Any government, whether it is student or federal, must always have a direct line of communication open with the public at all times. The April 9 results reflect the diminishing communications between SGA and the student body.

The Griffon News would like to bring a word of warning to the upcoming SGA officers. Be active in your community and campus. Posters and banners can be interpreted as nothing more than propaganda. Student persuasion takes more than just getting us to vote, but understanding why we are voting.

On Friday, Feb 26, at Berkley, the students had organized dance parties in the streets to protest the budget cuts and tuition hikes that had recently affected the campus. It only took a few hours before the scene turned for the worse the dance parties turned into chaos with broken windows, burning trash bins, and riot police beating people with batons.

Graphic | Robin Ussher

March 4 is now been labeled National Day of Action for Public Education. Smaller less volatile protests were held on campus’ all over the country.

Clearly with this much social unrest there is a problem that cannot be ignored. In a time when our nation’s own leader President Barack Obama has said that “Education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite.” One would think a nation would do all it could to ensure success and opportunity for all those that desire it. But instead budgets are being cut and universities are left wondering how to make ends meet and college drop out rates are rising higher than they were in the sixties and the nineties.

When the tension finally hits the hallowed halls of Missouri Western State University students should be encouraged to voice their dissatisfaction in any way reasonable. Keep in mind that throwing snowballs, punching people, lighting things on fire, smashing windows, and blocking freeways has not proved successful tactics by other school and might well be avoided. The university should be advised that a mob could be building and it might be only a matter of time before they grab the torches and pitchforks.

While it is true that the school could use some new technology to help the teachers bring the lessons to the students with all the tools of the twenty-first century, it was a shifty bit of a shell game that was played by piggy-backing the recycling issue onto the same bill. Shouldn’t the students get a chance to vote on the two separate issues with separate but equal votes?

The real problem with this bill is that it does not take much asking around to find out that the student body is largely uninformed when it comes to understanding the issue at hand.

If the SGA wants to make a move that so directly affects the wallets of the student body, then they should work harder at spreading the word. Because right now, the word is “Boo!”

Boo to the three card monte that was used to trick the people into voting for something they might not have. Boo to the lack of information that was made available. “Yay” can be said for the coming of needed technology, but overall this bill might need recycling.

This is the time when projects that have been put off all semester long come due. This is the time when all that make up work that has been stacking high needs to be complete. It is the time when reaping what you sow becomes more than just a clichéd metaphor.

For some there are only three weeks left, others it is four, either way with the frantic pace of college life that is really nothing more than a few blinks and yawns and this curtain is coming down. The final scene has began but are all the actors in their places? Are you?

For many students these days, the natural instinct and tendency is to put off for tomorrow what could be done today. Why work so hard when there is still so much fun to be had and still plenty of time to buckle down in the next few weeks? It all goes back to that old fable about ants and grasshoppers. Here is a recap for those of you who don’t remember it. The ants worked hard all autumn to be ready for the coming winter while the grasshopper played. When winter came, it wasn’t such a good time to be a grasshopper. Well, the first snows have fallen on the river valley that encompasses Missouri Western State University.

The problem with procrastinating at this time is that it creates a bottle neck effect of work in your life that could double the stress you have to endure. All of your classes have something that has to be done well at the end and they all usually come due in the same period of time, a time when you should be studying for your final exams. Instead of methodically tackling one project at a time and getting them out of the way most students just wait until the end and then face the Herculean task of academically cleaning the Aegean stables. This is how kids crack.

So this semester, spare yourself the headache. Buckle down now and put your head into the wind as you finish your final yards in this race called education. It doesn’t have to be a mad house; it doesn’t have to be a final sprint. You could just keep up the stride and cruise through the finish line with good marks and your head held high. The choice is yours, just remember that the end is nigh.

You realize that it is just a few days past Veterans Day, and you think of all the soldiers out there and you feel this patriotic fervor wash over you. You want to be a patriot and you want to serve your country. So you decide that you are going to get involved in ROTC. Cool. Considering it was recently released that 75 percent of the nation’s youth could enlist in the service because they were either too fat, too stupid or too criminal, more college kids getting into officers training surely is a great thing. That is, if you’re into it.

The military is not for everyone.

But wait, there is something else you can do. Something just as patriotic. After all, what is more patriotic than the truth? When Superman first leapt onto the scene in 1938 he stood for three things: truth , justice and the American way! Remember what Superman was in his private life? He was Clark Kent: ace reporter for the Daily Planet. He was a journalist. You could be one too.

Talk to your adviser about it. Say, “I want to be a part of the Griffon News team,” because now is the time that you can get involved with the eyes and ears of the university. Now is a time when you can seek out the truth. You can be a part of a team that creates a weekly published college newspaper. You can enjoy the fun of meeting new people and interviewing them. You can get into college activities and take pictures. You can rub shoulders with the power players of the university and ask them uncomfortable questions. You can fight for truth, justice and the American way!

This is a call to arms. If you think those things are still important then find your way to the far side of the second floor of Eder Hall. Find the glass enclosed office with a sign that says: “Don’t feed the animals!” and walk through the door and say I want to join the fight. It is time to make your mark.

Though it may seem early, after midterms every semester, students need to set up times to meet with their advisors to start planning classes for next semester.

It’s really important to have a plan from the beginning. Even freshmen should have a general idea about their future college careers. If you go in to your first advisement knowing what you want your major to be, then it will make the next four to five years easier to plan for. If you still aren’t sure what you want to major in, then make sure to take general education classes that can apply to any degree. Make a goal to have a major chosen before you start your sophomore year. If you wait any longer than that, you may run into issues some seniors are facing now…they hoped to graduate this semester and suddenly there is a class or two they still need.

Also, start thinking about your financial situation. Is all your financial aid set for next semester? You can use the Banner system to check your financial aid status to make sure you have everything prepared for the upcoming semester. You can also use Banner to check if you still owe anything on this semester’s bill, any holds on your account and to find out who your advisor is.

Think ahead, sit down and plan out every class that you can and when you think you want to take them, then meet with your advisor to make sure you have everything straight. That’s what they are there for: to advise you. Oh, and to give you your PIN so you can register for those classes you want to take.

If this were true, then why were there still at least ten cars parked on the grass Monday afternoon? At the beginning of the semester, students were warned to arrive at school 15-30 minutes before their classes begin. This is not necessary because the only way to find a parking spot is to hope to catch someone leaving after their class gets out at 10 minutes until the half or the hour.

The parking lots have been filled with stalker cars. It is almost a guarantee that every student who drives to campus has at one point imitated a buzzard, circling the parking lot of their choice for their prey: a leaving vehicle.

It’s surprising that more accidents have not occurred from the recklessness that these cars exhibit as they race to be the first close enough to a wandering student who has chosen the vehicle they will depart campus in. Some car scenes are similar to old-fashioned western standoffs as two cars approach a victim from opposites sides and the first to turn on their flashers receives the space. What’s fun to see is the disappointment on the faces of both the drivers when the pedestrian keeps walking into another row where a different car is already waiting, and hoping for a lucky break.

Students should get used the stalker cars looming over them as they head through the parking lots, at least until parking solutions are made. Do try to be considerate. Remember if it were you in the car running late for class, you’d get pretty upset at the girl who has to fix her make-up in the rear-view mirror before she leaves her parking stall.

If you are doing just fine in the grades department, then good for you. Don’t bother yourself with reading this. Through your discipline and study habits, you have managed to keep your grades exactly where you want them: bravo. But, there are many students who are now just realizing that half the semester is gone and they still haven’t even figured out what the class is even about.

If you find yourself in this latter group of people, do not despair. There is still enough time that with hard work and focus, the lowest F can still be converted to a final B. The first step is to admit your troubled state and then seek out the appropriate help, of which Missouri Western State University has many options, that you need to get out of the rut you’re in. Maybe it is as simple as getting a tutor. A tutor can help you get through that complex algebraic formula that is giving you a migraine. A tutor can help you learn different methods of organization that might help you study better and harder. A tutor could just give you the motivation you need to get to your homework instead of wasting another hour screwing around on Facebook.

Maybe this has just been a bad semester for you and being down on your luck has left you too depressed or discouraged to get any work done. In this case, you can seek out one of the school counselors. Perhaps having someone to talk to will get your problems in hand so you are not so overwhelmed. Once in hand, you can use your time to improve those grades that you have been letting slip because you just do not see the point of it all.

It could just be that the only help you need is a few good friends to give you the encouragement you need. If that is the case, then make with montage of learning and kick it into high gear. There is still a half of a semester left to pull things from disaster. You could still turn things around and rough it through the rest of the semester. Just apply yourself. Some hard work and dedication could go a long way in repairing the damage you have done so far. Remember, this race is not over until the finish line.

In front of a record-breaking crowd of over 10,000 fans, the Griffons could not overcome the archrival Northwest Missouri State Bearcats and our perfect season received a huge black eye. The silence was deafening coming out of Spratt Stadium Saturday. How did a team that has thrilled us with breathtaking win after win come up short?

I know our football team was looking to make a statement at home, and it didn’t happen the way they wanted it to be written.

But I guarantee every student who went to that game can walk away with a sense of what sports can be like here. That game was packed with rabid fans that wanted to see nothing more than Western annihilate Northwest. That was impressive by its own merit and it’s happening in other sports.

Volleyball has had a noticeable increase in attendance for most games. Griffon soccer has actually started to build a fan base. Spratt Stadium was a ghost town for soccer games two years ago. Now you can see people holding up signs for their players and actually following the game.

Western once had a huge apathy problem that spread throughout the student body quicker than the newest outbreak of swine flu. I hope this is a sign that this is finally dying out and that students are taking pride and interest in their time at Western. Seeing that many people at Saturday’s game was awe-inspiring, and it is imperative that it continues.

Our school needs this right now.

Chin up guys: football players and fans alike. I know this losing thing is new for us this season, and it is something that we should remember. Think back to how it felt walking out of that stadium Saturday, and now think of everything we can do to make sure that feeling never happens again. I know Coach Partridge is building a plan for Truman State this weekend, and the team is going to take the two hour drive down 36 highway to Kirksville to ruin their homecoming. After that, we host our homecoming versus Central Missouri. The playoffs are still in the picture for the first time since 2006. There is a ton of potential for the rest of this season.

Western fans: it starts now. Go out to those remaining games for every team possible. Plan a road trip, and see this team continue to impress and amaze. It’s going to be worth every minute of it.

If you have not discovered yet this semester, the food court has gone under a major renovation over the summer and it has been for the better for the students and faculty.

Initially, we thought that Aramark winning an extension on their contract with Western last spring was a bad move and that a new company might have brought a better selection. When we got back this fall, we were surprised with the renovations they did with the food court area. With the new additions of the Burger Studio, Caliente and coolers full of pop, water, and other types of drinks, Aramark are redeeming themselves.

Photo | Marty Ayers

Things started to slowly change when Aramark and the school added Quiznos in the fall of 2006 and the student government helped in the cosmetic renovations of the sitting area of the food court. These changes were a good start, but it took three more years for the food court to be a stellar place. However, the wait has been worth it.

One of the knockout hits has been the Burger Studio replacing Grille Works. The biggest difference, it seems, between these two (besides the touch screen order kiosks) is the quality and taste of the food. It is almost at par or above par with most fast food spots in St. Joe.

It seems like there has been this love/hate relationship with Aramark and what they provide to the campus. With the additions they have added in the court, that relationship has improved quite a bit. With the new food court selection, Aramark is proving themselves worthy of the new contract they received last spring.

The dorms are quickly reaching maximum capacity and we should ask ourselves how long it is going to be until we have to start sending people away. Sorry, folks, you can’t come here to Missouri Western, we just don’t have the room. Why don’t you go check out MU?

Despite the sudden spike in student population, it doesn’t seem that there is much being done in the way of making the campus more accommodating to the new numbers. Are new dorms being built? Are new parking lots being laid out? Are more teachers being hired? Whatever is being done to cope with the multiplying masses doesn’t seem like it is happening fast enough.

These are not those times anymore.

Now Missouri is considering allowing concealed weapons to be carried at public universities. It is a fairly big issue. There are many mixed feelings on this. Here are some possible scerarios that could be the future of Missouri Western State University at least according to ideas around the Griffon News room.

These are not real tales, so try not to get scared.

Johhny Duke was sitting in class on a fine spring day and all was well save for the constant nervous twitch that the upcoming finals had given him. All it took was a single moment when he just snapped a pulled out the .38 special snub nose he was carrying in his sock.

“Screw this place!” Johnny exclaims as he waves the revolver over his head to the chorus of shrieks rising out of his classmates. He levels the barral at the professor and…Bang!

The student behind him has splattered Johnny’s grey matter all of the desk.

This could be the end of the story. Some might say that because there were more people armed in the classroom, that there was a greater chance to resolve the crisis without too much carnage. It is the “Old West” argument, that if the populace is better armed, less people might be inclined to go on a shooting spree. If Johnny had known the student behind was armed as well, he might not have drawn his own heater.

But Johnny wouldn’t have known that, because the issue is not simply about carrying guns in school, it is about concealing them as well.

It is the popular opinion of the Griffon Newsroom that the story wouldn’t stop there. It is believed that in this situation, all chaos would break loose and head straight for the fan.

Johnny’s college sweetheart, distressed from seeing her lover blown away, would whip out her Magnum and let fly three shots in the direction of the student who shot Johnny.

That student would dive for a cover behind a desk while calling on his posse for back up.

Four Holigans armed with semi-automatic glocks burst through the door, barrles ablazing as the class becomes a bloodbath of terror and violence.

By the time campus security shows up, the story is over. The guns are quiet and the moans are loud. The carnage could have been avoided, if Johnny never had the gun on him in the first place.

Despite several missteps, the SGA is now prepared to present a final copy of the constitution to SGA’s senate on March 30. The senators will then vote on whether or not the current copy will go to the ballots for a student vote during the election April 7-8.

The failure to get this constitution on the ballots last fall was a critical error by the SGA.

However the fact that students will finally have the opportunity to vote on this matter of great importance shows that the system is working. Regardless of how the campus came to this crossroad, we will be able to use our vote and fix it.

With this new framework, the SGA will be able to pull up their sleeves and get down to the real work of helping run our campus on behalf of the students they were elected to represent. It is commendable that the current SGA administration persevered through this arduous task and is presenting the students with something that works for them.

Every student has the opportunity to look at the new constitution online at the SGA website and can attend the March 30 meeting to listen to the final issues brought to the table. It is the responsibility of the students approving the constitution to know what they are voting for.

While it is easy to feel removed from student governments actions in your day to day lives, the decisions they make affect your college experience.

It is vital that students exercise this hard earned right on election day because it is, in essence, holding up their end of the democratic process.

Unfortunately with time, passion can fade and once devoted wooing can fall to the wayside. This is most often the point when the two lovers will begin to reevaluate their relationship and if it should continue.

Missouri Western’s long-term relationship with their food service provider Aramark’s was renewed last week despite new competition.

As of last week, Aramark and an alternative company, Sodexo Education were openly courting Western.

The decision was made by a committee comprised of students, faculty and staff to keep Aramark’s services on campus for a period of eight or more years. The decision was influenced by the incentives the company offered in their proposal, which included: $3.5 million in projected commission revenue, capital investments, scholarships and other financial considerations over the course of their contract.

A more pressing issue that students are likely to feel the effects of is the projected annual board rate increases that will accommodate rising food costs.

Despite the fact that students were involved in the process, Missouri Western would have better served the interests of the student body by allowing students to examine what was at stake. Perhaps a presentation, or a date with each company if you will, would have been in the interest of getting to know our potential partner a little bit. After all, choosing a food service provider is a major commitment.

Maybe the companies should have had to put out an elaborate feast, accented with soft music and candlelight. It could have been the start of something really special.
But a decision has been made, and Western is content to stay with their faithful partner. It’s been good so far, so Western students should be grateful that the relationship is still intact and the decision has been made to “stay together for the kids.”

The relationship with Aramark is strong, though not perfect. As with most relationships there is room for improvement and growth, but hopefully that will come in time.

And maybe a little bit of healthy competition has been good for them too. They may be more inclined to fight for Western’s affection in the future.

With tough economic times, it is predicted that in the coming years, more and more people will flock to colleges to better their state of living. In his most recent address to Congress, President Barack Obama said, “A good education is no longer a pathway to opportunity. It is a prerequisite.” It should be assumed that more and more people will be seeking Missouri Western when it comes to seeking that good education.

We should make sure that as a university we make the right moves to deal with this growth. It can present a number of problems in the quality of learning that the school can offer.

Often all we consider is the quickest possible fix. We create Band-Aids for wounds that won’t heal. When we are already spending so much money on other things, no one really wants

By Marty Ayers and Charlene Divino

to consider building new student housing or hiring new full-time professors. So we seek any other way to cover the problem.

Hiring new tenure-track professors is a no-brainer when you consider the possible coming growth of our university, especially when you consider how much this Chiefs deal could mean to campus recruitment.

If we keep getting bigger, are we just going to increase class size? That will be like shooting off our foot to free ourselves form the line of fire. Many people only go to our school because of the excellent student-to-teacher ratio. Besides, maxing out your professors like that is going to lead to stressed out tenured professors who can’t easily be fired and an ever rotating door of adjuncts who end up taking the money and running the moment they are let free.

Right now we are hunting shark out at sea and someone is realizing that, like Roy Scheider’s character in Jaws, “We’re going to need a bigger boat.” More students mean more of everything like more technology, more buildings and more employees, and all that costs more money. We are already spending so much. But at times money can come from unexpected places, like the City of St. Joseph kicking in with their latest gift to the Chiefs project. We are going to have to spend money, and hopefully smart money that helps us grow without collapsing on ourselves.

Do your exams make you nervous? Is your boyfriend pressuring you to do something you are not sure you are ready for?

Are you worried that you cannot make ends meet?

Does the workload got you down?

Feel stressed out and ready to crack?

Can’t beat your meth habit alone?

Feel like going on a killing spree?

Do you feel like killing yourself?

Do you need someone to talk to?

After the Virginia Tech massacre, it is apparent how stressful campus life can be and how dangerous an unbalanced student can be. It should be a no-brainer that all people need someone to talk to every now and then. Lucky for you, Missouri Western offers great people to talk to.

It is a shame really when you consider that not everyone uses the student counseling that is available to them. All students at Missouri Western State University have counseling services available to them. Make no mistake, the counseling center at our school sees it’s fair share of students.

But to consider that all people have problems, and problems are often handled better when they are talked about; considering that every student has already paid for the services, it makes no sense that every student here on campus has not seen a counselor at least once.

It is not hard to get in touch with someone to talk to here on campus. Go to Eder Hall and swing to the side that is not filled with language devotees, walk past the non-traditional student center and keep going until you see a giraffe in the window. Then you are in the right place. Now ask to make an appointment with a counselor. It is that easy. Don’t you feel silly now for taking so long to reach out?

The truth is that everyone, every now and then, could use someone to talk to. Sometimes the simple act of airing your troubles out can be the first step to punching your problems in the face. Sometimes it is nice to have an impartial person who can help you put things in perspective. Also, there is the fact that you have already paid for it, so you might as well go out and get to see what your money is worth.

After all, we are here at this university to learn. We can learn academics, and we can learn about ourselves and the world around us. There is a Chinese proverb that says a single conversation with a wise man is better than then years of study. Maybe it is time you started taking advantage of your education?

Something about the magic of Valentine’s Day makes college students regress to the romantic maturity of high-school students. Maybe our hormones are more susceptible to the lure of lacy negligees, candy and expensive dates, but year after year we shell out the cash in hopes of capturing love that will last longer than a dozen roses.

If everybody found somebody to love and hold as they celebrated Valentine’s Day, it would be different. But that isn’t realistic; the flip side of all this romantic sentiment is the countless lonely hearts that will find themselves driven to distraction as they wallow in bitterness, jealousy or loneliness. Meanwhile, the priorities for school work and studying fall by the wayside in favor of the more pressing issues of the heart.

Valentine’s Day is expensive and time-consuming, but it’s also one of the most profitable holidays of the year. Consider the theory that buying poorly manufactured stuffed animals is not a genuine testament of love. It’s just crap and clutter. Imagine how depressing it would be if all the abandoned Valentine’s Day stuffed animals congregated to tell their stories of love and loss.
Love is not limited to the one holiday a year. The focus concentrated on a single holiday exaggerates the value of a single day. You can fall in love any day you want to; just because there is a holiday doesn’t mean it is the only day you have free will to seek love or affection.
Obsessing about how your Valentine’s Day will be spent is futile; it won’t change the course of fate or destiny. Even if you can guaranty a lifetime of happiness with your soul-mate based on this one day, it’s really just another day.
So don’t spend this Valentine’s Day thinking about how you will, or won’t, be spending this day. You’re enrolled in college and fate has already set you on a positive course. Don’t deviate from it just to pursue a fleeting interest, focus on a degree first. As the Supremes famously said, “You can’t hurry love.”

These are some of the stereotypes that Americans once touted as fact. Not theory, but completely accepted fact.

In less than a century all of that has changed. From the first steps of suffrage to the great strides of feminism and today’s race for the White House, American society has been a model for the advancement of women.

Unfortunately, there is still more to be accomplished.

As the inequalities between the sexes lessen, the goal of equality becomes harder to define. People become less confident about what it is they’re trying to achieve.

In this year’s political arena there have been two prominent women, bringing into question if gender still matters in present-day America.

Sarah Palin is the second woman to ever accept a nomination of a major party in a bid for the White House. In the few weeks since her acceptance she has brought questions of gender equality to the forefront of politics.

Can women be smart and pretty?

Even the media has exposed its own bias for pretty. This is a visual culture and Sarah Palin is not exactly visually offensive. Entirely too much discussion is devoted to Palin’s exterior and that should be insulting. Not to Palin, but to you the viewer. The implication is that a person’s façade is paramount in popular culture.
Even though equality in education has become a priority in American culture, the consequences of previous generations continues its legacy.

Traditionally math was considered a man’s subject. Women were not capable of the same endeavors as men. The uncontested bias prohibited women from enrolling in law school, medical school or countless other possibilities. This generation is fortunate to have equal opportunities for personal advancement.

When examining the composition of the male to female ratio of faculty here at Missouri Western, there is still a gender gap.

There are 81 male members of the faculty and 67 female members. With only a discrepancy of 14 the divide seems minimal.

The arrangement of the genders within departments is surprising when examined.

In the Computer Science, Math, & Physics department there are 16 men and five women employed.

In the English, Foreign Languages, & Journalism there are 10 men employed and 26 women.

Of the nine faculty members there are only males in the History, Philosophy, & Geography department.

It is evidence of residual gender bias rather than sexism at Missouri Western.

This is the consequence of stereotypes imposed on students about which disciplines they are best suited for based on gender.

Every department’s administrative assistant is a woman. Again, it’s probably nothing to do with sexism but who applies for the job. Mostly women.

Since Americans will probably not come to a consensus on when the sexes are equal, people tend to gauge progress by momentous events.

But the answer is subjective, largely influenced by each individual’s personal life experience. But all that really means is that everybody won’t begin just agreeing no matter what landmark events occur.

It is eerie. A hall that was once alive with motion and sound has now become barren, and students wonder if they shouldn’t rename Blum Union, the Great Western Desert. The recent relocation of the furniture in Blum Union has caused students across the campus to ask serious questions about the intent of the university.

People might wonder if there is some sinister intent behind those in power deploying such strange means of Feng-shui, or if the students are being pun­hed for some undisclosed offense committed to the student union itself. There are many questions that should be asked.

At the surface of the problem, the answer is quite simple and relatively insignificant. They cleared out the furniture in Blum because it was worn-out and needed to be replaced. The campus will soon be equipped with high- top tables and bar stool type chairs, much like the entrance of Eder Hall. There is no reason in that explanation for any students to be alarmed, if that is indeed the truth.

But then the next question that must be asked is; why was the furniture moved before the new furniture has arrived? The previous chairs and couches were not dangerous to students, sure-there was no need to smuggle it all out the area like a thief in the night. So that makes the timing of the move something that the average student might consider suspicious. Why now?

The next question that should then be examined; What is else is going on campus around this same time frame? An easy answer many students have begun to assume is that in the latter part of the Spring semester, Missouri Western State University is visited by many potential customers: prospective students. In essence, the university is in the spotlight.

This is where the pickle is for most of students involved or affected by the sudden starkness of their former hang-out.

They feel like the university is saying that students using the right to peaceful assembly doesn’t look good for the university’s bottom line. The students feel like the university is saying that it is ashamed of its students.

All of these things are questions the students are asking and points of concern that should be dealt with.

Surely there is no shame felt by the university for vast and varied student body, we couldn’t be attending a mere money making machine of a school that sees it current students as nothing more than a nuisance, could we?

It was probably some level of bureau­cratic procedure that led to the gap of time that led to the absence of furniture, it still leaves many questions.

 If the furniture was worn-out, why move it to the food court where it still being used?

Why was property bought with student money moved without ever consulting the students who bore the financial burden of buying those chairs?

But it should not be ignored that this one simple thing created a rustle that has moved across the campus. The student body has begun to twitch and the question on everyone’s mind is: where is my couch?

Yung Joc was one of the best new hip-hop artists of 2006 and he has two chart toppers under his belt. On his Myspace.com page he self describes his style “I make fun music but don’t get it twisted,” says Joc. “I’m a hustler. That’s why I’m in the position I’m at.”  It seems WAC knows how to hustle as well in scoring such talent for their spring concert on April 10 at the St. Joseph Civic Arena.

The hard work and social networking that must have went into the works of engaging these artists to come perform for WAC’s annual spring concert must have been tough to do, but WAC has pulled it off in a commendable job of providing the students to a truly spectacular show. Don Willis, director of student engagement, and Janell Banks, president of WAC, should be acknowledged for their effort in the work that brought Yung Joc and Rick Ross to a show that students attend for free as long as they provide their student IDs.

While it still would have been nice to have had greater advanced notice so students would have had more time to plan their lives around the show and also given more time for publicity and ticket sales, it is nice to see that WAC was able to provide big in the entertainment factor of this little city. Students should make sure they take advantage of this opportunity to see such big-ticket performers. Remember, it was your money that WAC used to make this show possible. If you paid your student fees then you have already paid for your admission. It would be just silly not to use the service that you paid for.

Western’s Activities Council, or WAC as they might be better known to the student body of Missouri Western State University has yet to officially announce who will be playing for the University’s spring concert. This can be looked at from many different angles. Certainly it is now spring and students in the past knew by this time who was going to be entertaining them for the spring concert. They may even have attended spring concerts that took place by this time late in the year.  The fact that there is only six weeks left in the semester and there has yet to even be an announcement could encourage one to wonder just exactly what is going on?

What’s the hold up?

First instinct could be to assume that the problem lies in some level of incompetence in the organization. But that could be a false assumption.  Janell Banks, President of WAC, offers her explanation as to the lateness of the announcement of the spring concert as evidence of how hard WAC is working to bring quality entertainment to the student body.

“The reason we have not announced yet, is that there were some details that we wanted to put in order” Banks said.
 “But everything is good. We will announce pretty soon but it is just that we wanted to find a concert more suitable for our students. We have heard some complaints about some things that have gone on in past concerts, so we wanted to make sure that we got a legitimate concert that our students would enjoy and have fun at, one that they deserve. We had an artist picked and we kind of found out through different agencies that this was not the best artist to pick; this artist was not very friendly to the students, no meet and greet, no hello. We wanted to get artists that we knew would put on a nice show. We actually got two artists, instead of one. So we went out to find a better concert.”

This is all well and good that WAC so badly wants to give the students what they deserve, but it does raise a question; don’t the students deserve a spring concert that is timely? Many students can appreciate being given more time to polish of a research paper by a professor so that it will really end up as an excellent paper, but students are given deadlines for a reason. Perhaps WAC should be given a deadline?

It is easier to snag the big names if the search for talent starts earlier. This late in the semester many students have their schedules full of the events that will occupy their time for the rest of the year, like spring dances and making graduation plans, and now they have to wait to schedule in when the spring show will even perform. Starting late also creates difficulty in advertising, promotion of ticket sales and creation of a demand to see the quality performer it took WAC so long to land.

Many students that attend Missouri Western State University could use a little help when it comes to putting up the necessary out-of -pocket costs for everything that goes with attending a university. There are books to be purchased,  athletic and student activity fees, parking permits and  pens and pencils to acquire. To top it all off, tuition and living expenses along with mounting costs of college becomes almost painful. Luckily for the students there is financial aid.
Too bad many students do not take the initiative to take advantage of such opportunities. The process of filling out a FAFSA online is really quite simple and after the initial set up process, it really does not take that long to keep it updated. There is money out there in the form of grants, loans and scholarships. All of the above can be helpful if you have a thirst for learning at the university level but do not have the pocket book to match those academic desires.

Maybe the U.S. hasn’t adopted the policy of free universities for citizens like many European countries and Australia, but there has been a great deal of work done by the government to make money available to those who really need it to go to school.  These programs exist to help students secure a future and any smart student would be wise to take advantage of them. At Missouri Western there is a courteous and knowledgeable staff that is ready to help anyone who makes through their door. The online tools of the FAFSA save pages and pages of work that might have been required before the explosion of the computer age. If there is a problem, call the financial aid office and a friendly voice can quickly trouble shoot the problematic puzzle and process can advance to the next step. It is not very hard to get money to go to school these days. Students are either just too uninformed or lazy and apathetic to follow through with the process.

We, at the Griffon Newspaper editorial staff , frown upon such bad choices and behavior as failing to take advantage of such an opportunity.  Doing something to acquire money for your education is as simple as stealing candy from a baby or blowing a safe with dynamite. Not doing something because of ignorance or laziness is simply not good character. The money is there in that big safe. Just imagine that the finical aid office and FAFSA are your safe cracking tools. So get cracking and do it before March 1st because that is the cut off date. After that, it will be too late.

It is understandable that no business wants to close unnecessarily for any amount of time. It is heartening to know that Missouri Western  is more than just a business, it is a university that keeps its staff and students well being close to the heart of the matter. It is not a money driven machine that sees only the numbers that drive it’s bottom line. Missouri Western has shown that it sees the risks that its people would have taken by venturing out on to the roads that cold breezy morning. Missouri Western has shown a soft side of it’s soul. It was a really good call.

There should also be a tip of the hat to Missouri Western’s maintenance staff. Despite the mounting snow and blizzard like conditions, staff and students were able to return to campus in just one day to parking lots that had been fully plowed  and sidewalks cleared of any trace of a slippery hazard. It is nice to know that we have such a capable and hard working maintenance staff. It was another plus to see that they had also managed to even pay attention to the small details, like carving a walk way through the mountains of plowed up snow that separate the two sides of the parking lots.

We at the Griffon News Editorial staff want to give a round of applause to all involved with the decisions that declare a snow day and to all those who still came to work to maintain the roads and walkways on which we amble about on our ways to and fro. Good decisions were made and good work was done. It really does seem like Missouri Western really is just getting better and better.

From a huge fight during one of their functions, to disrespectful behavior during the convocation, to vandalism and foul behavior in the student union, we here at the Griffon News, have to question why you are even in college.

It is not every minority student that sits in the SU that are causing problems, most students are here to learn and take the benefits they are given seriously, but the group of students that don’t have respect for this campus are causing a huge problem.

Maybe it is just a lack of maturity or lack of campus involvement.

There aren’t many nontrad students sitting on the couches yelling ‘hey bitch’across the student union to their fellow rolly backpacker, or many football players writing names on the computers.

Missouri Western is not the bathroom stall of a bar. We are a University; one that has spent a substantial amount of money giving us a student union that
we can be proud of, one that prospective students can think is beautiful, one where current students can relax. Maybe most students don’t remember the seventies looking furniture and the weird walls that used to make up the lobby of the SU. It wasn’t pretty, but lets destroy the nice things we do have to be cool and act like we are in high school.

If you are still in a high school mind set, go home. This is a place of learning. Where students who actually want a future and a good job come to improve
their life; it is not a place to just hang out with your friends and be stupid. If you’re wanting to do just that, find somewhere else to do it, maybe your hometown is a good place, where you’re not paying $5,000 a semester, or getting scholarships that people who actually want to be here could use.

During last Tuesday’s convocation, a scuffle broke out in the middle of Sam Donaldson’s speech because a student didn’t want to get off her cell phone when a
teacher asked her to. Not only did she put up a fight, other male students had to get involved, causing a huge ruckus that could be heard all the way to the stage.

We know that unless you are interested in politics or journalism, the convocation can sometimes be boring and many classes require you to go. But the faculty
doesn’t do that so they can sit around laughing because they are torturing their students, they do it so you’ll learn. Falling asleep and being stretched out on the bleachers while someone tries to educate you, is one of the rudest things imaginable. You obviously don’t want to be in school, so once again go home.

Tay Triggs has begun a campaign to talk to students about their behavior, trying very hard to try and not make this just a minority issue, and she is right in saying that this is definitely not just a black issue.

But the students who show no pride in Western have no place at this campus. A university is not a place for vandalism, constant vulgarity or fights.

 

This is the new home of our Law Enforcement Academy, several commu­nity arts classes, and will soon host credit courses related to urban develop­ment thanks to a grant application from the City of Saint Joseph. It looks as if Western is taking the initiative and reaching out into the community at last!

Face it, Saint Joseph is a “college town” by our mere presence. It’s not a college town by attitude. Western doesn’t enjoy the backing of the community the way Northwest does. Having a presence downtown, and embracing the area is a good first step to building that bridge to the commu­nity that we so desperately need to foster a true “col­lege town.”

Our presence might do some quantifiable good, according to Dr. Christopher Shove, director of the Western Institute.

“We plan on students (in the upcoming urban devel­opment major) working closely with the city for the historical preservation and development of downtown,” Shove said.

Applied learning at its finest: students will do field surveys on historic buildings to put them on the National Register of Historic Places.

Shove also looks to make the Downtown University Center a local hotspot as a meeting place for artists as well as a training ground for future police officers. The goal was to use the cen­ter to revitalize downtown St. Joseph by embracing public safety, to increase social activity and to add to the economy.

A grand vision indeed—we hope to see more soon.

The fuel manufacturers want to know too. Are you buying into the movement?   

Are you going to jump on the bandwagon too?

I was “green” before it became a trend, and before it subsequently became an exclusive club that you can buy a Prius to gain admission to.

Growing up I was always environmentally aware. It’s almost something indoctrinated from birth with in my native California. The impact of a population of about two million people in my hometown of Oakland magnified the effects of pollution in a tangible way.

The night sky takes on an eerie red cast from the ever present smog, and light pollution has wiped away the evidence of stars.

As a teenager we began experiencing power shortages in the summer. Power grids were overtaxed from the exertion of powering millions of Californians. It was the beginning of rolling blackouts, a practice of intentionally engineered power outages caused by insufficient resources to meet high demands. On the hottest of summer days we would be without power for hours at a time.

It was terrifying to confront our own society’s mass over consumption.   

Having never lived outside of California, I imagined the rest of the country in the same predicament as us.

It was easy to buy into even the most sensational of doomsday predictions.

I always felt an urgency to change the world, which is admittedly a lofty ambition. But I like to believe that the basis for all great change is the acceptance of one’s personal responsibility in the matter.

I was excited for the advent of the green movement. I thought that it denoted a shift in the perspective of the greater whole. Finally, we were having open discussions about what we intended to do to fix the problems we were creating.

Then came the mass market onslaught of green living accessories.  

Suddenly, being green became less about changing our ways, but seeking the external quick fix. We are going to buy ourselves a new environment with new cars and organic snack food. Being green is becoming just another trend, a fad that people will shed with the next season’s clothing. Even the movement’s coined title is annoyingly cheesy.

We are never going to make a difference until we accept the fact that it may require personal sacrifice. The necessities of the modern American life exceed that of many other cultures. We are a culture of excess.

It will open your mind and broaden your horizons.

Education is so much more powerful than ignorance.

Educate yourself socially. 

Facilities Director Lonnie Johnson says we should be able to recycle newsprint and magazines in the near future.

Bravo!

Just in case you didn’t catch last week’s story in The Griffon News, this all got started over the summer by Annette Wright, library assistant, and Victoria Sample, Biology Lab Coordinator.
 
The ladies helped spearhead the program by forming an ad-hoc committee and presenting  a campus-wise paper recycling proposal to University President, James Scanlon. He backed it with some funding.

That was followed by support from the SGA as well.

We want to applaud the efforts of all these people. This is a fabulous program and it can lead to Western doing good far into the future.

For now though, don’t put the following into those bins: hanging file folders, newspapers, shredded paper, magazines and catalogs, food contaminated paper, candy wrappers, corrougated cardboard, metal, plastic, styrofoam, photographs and other non paper items.

So could the offices who regularly shred paper and forms  stop shredding and recyle instead?
We love that Western is making a good start on the program. What we’d like to see as we seem to be in competition with Northwest Missouri State on several other fronts -is a recycling program which does more than theirs.

It’s a goal.

But please, pretty please with sugar on top, get the newsprint thing up and running asap.
 
With our readership program scattering newsprint far and wide across campus, it would be nice to have a way to get rid of the clutter once it’s no longer being read.

And you really should see the amount of magazines that funnel through the residence halls every summer when students aren’t around to get their mail. If recycling those can make some difference somewhere we could do a lot of good.

So  hats off for a good start. But please, let’s not wait another decade before moving to the next step.

The firm hired to assist in the search for Missouri Western State University’s next president has begun its work and we’d like to submit some ideas to Dr. Allen E. Koenig, senior consultant with R.H. Perry & Associates (RHPA) and to Patt Lilly, vice chair of the Board of Governors and chair of the search committee.

Things to keep in mind when searching for a new president:

-Be open to women and minorities; be accessible to students as well as your staff and faculty.
 
We’d like to see you once in awhile and feel like we know our president.

-Be ready to address the gap between facets of the student body, like those who live on campus and those who commute or nontraditional students versus the traditional.

The two groups need to be dealt with in different ways. Get people on and off campus to enjoy all of the things that this school has to offer. The more people Missouri Western get involved in campus activities, the more school pride each student will have in the university.
-You need to be able to unite the student body.

-Once that is done, it’s time to move towards building a bridge between the university population and the population of St. Joseph.

Western may be within the city limits of St. Joseph, but St. Joseph could not be called a college town. The community doesn’t support the school much and the school doesn’t do enough to get others interested in what happens around the campus.

We as a campus community need to be part of the community as a whole, and it will take us reaching out first to succeed in getting the community support that schools like Northwest enjoy.

I understand that Northwest is smaller than St. Joseph and there is more to do around this area, but there is no reason why people in this community can’t get excited about campus events in the same way.

 It’s a short enough list, but it’s long on the effort and smarts that will be required to see that list accomplished. So please find us someone who can do the job that best represents us, the students and always has ideas of improving what this school has to offer.

Well the S.S. Missouri Western saw some rats go over the side this summer.

The roster of departures reads: Stan Sweeney, director of student engagement;   Mark Linder, athletic director; Jeff Wilson, director of student employment; Paul Shang, dean of student development; Tim Crowley, counselor and Brett King, director of sports information. 

There’s a right way and a wrong way
Staff

One departure we knew about before the end of the last semester when Dr. James Scanlon announced in May that he would be departing  June 30, 2008.

That was classy.

Giving us a year’s notice, made sure we had the chance to find the best candidate possible and make whatever preparations are required for such a change. 
There was none of this two weeks’ notice before the start of football season, or worse still, sneaking out in the middle of summer.

At least we aren’t Missouri Southern State. Their president Dr. Julio S. Leon resigned Aug. 17 after 15 years—effective immediately.

Lovely.

The other issue here is whether or not it was the employee leaving that was the non-class act or whether it was the administration.

If the powers that be had, oh, we don’t know, sent out a mass e-mail to advise returning students that several familiar faces were gone then we’d have been prepared. This seems like it would’ve been useful in the case of the dean of Student Development.

Not telling us several familiar faces were leaving wasn’t the best way to do things.

No matter where the fault lies, however, the fact remains that it could’ve been managed better.

So the question is, how do we view this?

Are the rats abandoning ship and we should all prepare to drown?

Or is the way being cleared for new blood and a new future?

We’ve considered both and even though we seem to be hearing about more problems university-wise than we had in the past—we’ll take the rosier of those two futures thanks.

We wish nothing but the best to those who’ve opted to leave the Griffon family. We’re sure they will succeed wherever they go—like we’re sure we will succeed.

We have our new university status.

We have new funding promised from the state and now we have plenty of open offices available for new talent.

As to the future, bring it on!

When you come into campus via Faraon like we’ve had to do all summer, there is a lovely sign here, just as some people might normally turn left to get into the student union parking lot entrance 50 feet away. No Left Turn.

So technically, to get into that lot one must drive all the way around the campus to park there.

Occasionally there is a Public Safety officer on hand to light up and flag down those awful malcontents that flaunt the sign and turn left anyway.

Most of the time though, they have better things to do.

So what’s with the sign?

“It’s a temporary measure,” said Buildings Supervisor Brian Harrah. “A way to control the traffic flow while the main entrances to the campus are closed. Also, if one person wanted to turn left, they could hold the line up until we have a traffic jam all the way back to Faraon. This is a way to keep traffic moving.”

Calls to Campus Safety Director Jon Kelly were not returned for comment.

We understand why it’s not enforced. It’s a silly waste of officers time and effort to sit there all day, every day doing traffic stops.

What worries us is that people who need to be in the Student Union will cut through Lot H in order to circumvent the need to drive all the way around campus.

If those drivers aren’t careful, that could be the site of more traffic problems, from fender benders to full on multi car accidents. The people who cut through the lot will likely be those in a hurry and that doesn’t bode well for traffic safety.

So students, watch yourself. With the new year starting, it’s likely that officers will be on hand to enforce the new sign. And in case you haven’t heard, ticket prices are fairly hefty around here. No matter how silly it seems, don’t risk it.

For most students, graduation is more of an illusion or a mirage. Something that is dangled in front of your face, yet after four or five years of school, it still seems you’re no closer to achieving it than when you were a freshman. Whether it is because of switching majors, money issues, or just life, many factors arise that make graduating in four years an impossible task.

I have had many friends who have become these people. Friends who have been in school non-stop since they graduated in 2001. Others who have changed their major so many times that they are looking to graduate in 2010, and they graduated high
school in 2003.

I began college in the fall of 2002. After going to Northwest, dropping out, coming here, becoming a double major, dropping one major, 5 ½ years later, I am finally in my last semester (knock on wood, cause things could still go wrong).

However, looking back, there were several steps I could have taken that would have knocked off a semester or two from my college career.

One of my major mistakes was checking to see if I was actually declared. Coming from Northwest, I assumed that since I was a declared Journalism major there, that I was a declared English/Journalism major here. Nope, didn’t work that way.

Since that realization, I have been trying to have classes count from the requirements when I thought I was declared, it’s a long, unnecessary process. Also, make sure that if any classes are being transferred in, that they actually get counted, don’t wait until the semester before you’re suppose to graduate.

Keep your own record of the classes you have and haven’t taken, paying attention to which classes are only offered on certain semesters, certain years. Some core major classes are only offered once every two or four years.

Also, when you first come out of high school, a lot of students are still burnt out. Many have bad first semesters. I know I did. But in the long run, if I had actually tried my first few semesters, I would have easily been graduated already and had a little better GPA. This does actually still matter, especially if you join a sorority or fraternity.

Finally, I know underclassmen usually aren’t completely sure what they want to do in life. Many students take extra random classes to find out what they are passionate about. If you are clueless about your future, that’s a good way to go. But if you have any sense of what you want to do the rest of your life, don’t take to many random classes. When you are about to graduate or are reaching those few semesters before graduation, you look back and think, why did I take 30 hrs of art classes. It’s not like I was good enough to make any money that way, it was just a hobby, now I have been in college a year longer because of it…

The starting quarterback position for the football team is still up in the air. The competition is between Barron Bradshaw and Drew Newhart. Both are good athletes and neither quarterback has made this an easy decision for the
football coaching staff.

Drew Newhart is a local product from Cameron, Missouri were he was the quarterback of the state championship teams for Cameron. He is listed at 6’0” 185 pounds.

Barron Bradshaw is an instate product from St.. Louis, Missouri. He is known for his great arm strength. He is listed at 6’2” 196 pounds.

As I stated before Bradshaw’s biggest strength is his arm strength and his leadership ability.Newhart’s strengths are his mobility and he is a little quicker than Bradshaw. The race between the two quarterbacks is dead even. Both quarterbacks are well liked by their teammates and show great leadership skills.

This year could also end up like last year and both quarterbacks could see playing time. Either way they go I believe either quarterback can be successful and lead the Griffons to great success.

Putting together a depth chart is like putting a puzzle together.Each piece has to fit together. Starters from last year’s team leaving gave opportunities to players to grab a starting spot.

Another position for opportunity is the wide receiver position. With Jarrett Brooks departure it has opened up for guys to step up into a bigger role. Players that could fill this role are Andrew Mead, Joey Harris, Anthony Anderson and Zach Sharp.

For the team to be successful this upcoming season young guys are going to have to step up and be playmakers. Young guys like Andrew Gilmore, Kendall Davis, Demarcus Trotter and Thomas Hodges. The team maybe young, but they are athletic and have a strong core of senior leadership.

The mix of young guys and returning players is what makes this team interesting. Watching this team this year will be exciting. It will be interesting to see how the team adapts to the new coordinators and also see how the new starters adapt
to their new roles. No matter what the outcomes of the games this team will be young and exciting to watch this season.

Or perhaps you’ve been having trouble sleeping lately.

Yeah, it’s going around.

Unfortunately, there’s no vaccine for the Finals bug, and the cruel irony is, the more you allow yourself to stress out, the more cause for stress you have. Negativity is a sure way to drain yourself, physically as well as mentally, during a week that demands students perform at their peak in these areas.

For that reason, it is essential for us to stay positive in our approach to finals week, as well as do what we can to take care of ourselves.

There are many ways we can keep our minds and bodies ready and able to survive this last push at school, but often you will see students doing the exact opposite.

It is important to structure your time. Procrastination costs you valuable time and forces cramming, which is also an issue.

It is recommended that students study no more than two hours at a time. Any more than that and you stop retaining the information you’re so desperately trying to hold on to.

Structure your time, and study the hardest things first.

People tend to remember the things they study first and last the best.

That’s another reason to take breaks during study time. You tend to be a little fuzzy on the stuff you studied in the middle.

Another common mistake students make is loading up on caffeine.

If you’re downing energy drinks at 3 o’clock in the morning, your mind is not operating at optimal performance, and the likelihood is that it won’t be for your test tomorrow, either. Put down the espresso and get some sleep!

A rested mind and body is more likely to remember the things you actually did have time to study.

That means don’t go out and party this week. Stay at home and skip the hangover.

Also, be sure you’re eating regular meals, and try to avoid the greasy stuff. It just bogs you down.

There are many pieces of advice given to college students to help with finals, but it all comes down to being good to yourself.

It makes no sense that you would abuse your mind and body for days on end and they would reward you by performing their best.

Treat your body well, and it will return the favor.

Self-portraits and videos of the killer have flooded the Internet and splashed across television screens worldwide.

We have worn ribbons and joined Facebook groups in memory to mourn the victims, all the while wondering why.

As we move forward in time, we will heal. But before we become too complacent, let us remember who we are.

Or rather, who we are not.

We are not students in a high-security facility with thorough background checks of incoming students.

That may not even be a feasible solution given budgets and time restraints.

We currently only have the same kind of e-mail system in place as Va. Tech, along with a few police cars with public address capabilities and a plan in the form of a phone tree.

There are plenty of loopholes in the security on this, or any campus. But we must remember that security usually comes at the price of fewer liberties. Choosing between the two is never easy. It wasn’t after Columbine or 9/11, and it won’t be now.

The only way to be completely safe from negative outside influences would be to spend our lives in solitary confinement. There is a certain amount of risk that comes with the liberty and rights we hold so dear.

That being said, you never really know if you’re safe.

How well do you know your suitemate?

How about your lab partner?

Or the kid in your class that never says a word?

Let us not be lulled into a false sense of security. St. Joseph is not immune to evil, nor are we immortal. The powers that be have a responsibility to do everything possible to keep us safe and alert us if there should be danger. Virginia Tech was a wake-up call showing the importance of immediate communication between school administrators and students.

Also, as individuals, we have accountability for our own well-being, as well as the safety of others. Many stories emerged from this tragedy of people who had that extra moment to think and acted in ways  that saved lives — some losing theirs in the process.

No matter how dire the situation may seem, there is always something that can be done.

It’s easy to point out what could be better and whine about things you have no influence on. It’s human nature.

But the fact is, there are some areas where Western really excels, and it would do the student body good to take notice. There are some reasons to be proud of our university.

Among those reasons is our excellent applied learning program, and the multitude of opportunities do get our hands dirty in our field of study.

Students at Missouri Western really have a leg up on the competition when it comes to getting marketable experience. From The Mochila Review to internships, from research projects with professors to study abroad opportunities, students here are given a variety of opportunities not afforded to students at every college.

The administration has wisely made it a goal to involve every student in some sort of hands-on learning experience before the individual graduates.

Western is not satisfied with having students who are simply able to sit through lectures and regurgitate memorized facts.

We are to be experienced, knowledgeable graduates, ready for anything the post-graduation world might throw at us.

That is the goal, anyway. Finding ways to keep students involved in the world around them instead of buried in books is a testament to the dedication to continual improvement of the opportunities offered here.

Gov. Matt Blunt has wooed us with whispers of increased financial aid for the needy college student, and he’s making it happen.

Blunt has a vision to help Missourians keep and enjoy the money we’ve earned, “…by giving every child in Missouri an education that will serve as the first rung on a ladder to achieving their own prosperity and a bright future.”

Blunt’s recent scholarship initiatives have the potential to take a good education from a dream to a reality for many students who would otherwise lack the finances to attend college.

For example, his Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative will provide another $25 million for student scholarships, which will increase the total for need-based scholarships from $27.5 million to $72.5 million.

Recently, the Governor talked to Missouri Western about the new Access Missouri scholarships that he is trying to set in stone for us. Access would sky rocket financial aid to include over eight times the number of students currently benefiting.

The citizens of this wonderful country are used to empty promises from teachers, bosses, parents and politicians, and how refreshing to see a change!

It’s nice to have someone representing our state who cares about students in St. Joseph.

For that reason, many students will now be able to attend Missouri Western on scholarships when they may not have the greatest GPA.

Thank you Gov. Blunt for using your authority to make life better for the little guys.

Well, one motivation for students to read is in jeopardy thanks to critics now speaking out. Pizza Hut’s Book It! program has found itself under fire as of late, being accused of using teachers as corporate advertisers and worsening childhood obesity.

“In the name of education, it promotes junk food consumption to a captive audience… and undermines parents by positioning family visits to Pizza Hut as an integral component of raising literate children,” said Susan Linn, a Harvard psychologist and co-founder of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

While, yes, childhood obesity is a serious problem that necessitates action, could a reading program such as Book It! be to blame?

Yes, Pizza Hut does push its product via the program. It’s easy to see when you consider that a fourth grade student is not going to drive himself to pick up his pizza. His parents are bringing him and will often buy something for the rest of the family. Those in favor of the program see families eating together at all as a positive thing. Families today rarely have time to share a meal together, so when they do it should be encouraged, no matter where they’re eating.

Critics, on the other hand, say that Book It! creates an atmosphere that pressures parents to feed their kids junk food. Everyone has a legitimate concern regarding this issue, but could we be missing the point completely?

When was the last time you heard of a child becoming obese from having a personal pizza every month? If the kid has an otherwise healthy diet, it’s not going to happen unless there’s some medical problem.

Americans love to play the victim and parents especially have a tendency to blame The Man for little Junior’s biting, dishonesty problem, swearing or obesity.

Sure, institutions influence us all tremendously, but our families should influence us more.

We live in an imperfect world full of imperfect people and our youth will be somewhat tainted because of it. That’s just life. But if parents will take the time to play an active role in their kids’ lives, some of the damage could be minimized.

It’s true, Book It! encourages kids to eat high-calorie food in small quantities once a month. But don’t point your finger at Pizza Hut. At least the kids are reading. No, point the finger at the parents who don’t have the wisdom to teach the kids how to care for their bodies. If a child doesn’t have that foundation, then when they are presented with an opportunity like a pizza party, it won’t be a big deal because a body that’s treated well in general can handle the kind of abuse pizza is. Now go make your kid a salad.