On Campus
News on MU student life, organizations, administration and more.
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Newly elected Board of Curators officers to begin terms Jan. 1
By Josh Barone
Posted at 3:51 p.m., Saturday, December 27, 2008
A Dec. 26 news release announced Bo Fraser of Columbia was elected to a one-year terms as chairman of the University of Missouri Board of Curators. Judy Haggard of Kennett, Mo., will serve as vice chairwoman.
The board of curators, which is the governing body of the University of Missouri system, elected the new officers during the Dec. 12 board meeting in St. Louis. Fraser and Haggard will begin their one-year terms Jan. 1.
Fraser, who currently serves as vice chairman of the board, will succeed Cheryl Walker of St. Louis. Walker and fellow curators Don Walsworth and Marion Cairns have board terms that expire Dec. 31.
Fraser is currently chairman of the Executive Committee while also serving on Compensation and Human Resources Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee. He was the chairman and CEO of Boone County National Bank for more than 20 year. He is also working to build a Catholic high school in Columbia.
Haggard, an MU graduate, is currently the chairwoman of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee. She works as a family nurse practitioner at the SEMO Health Network in Kennett.
Provost statement on Missourian plan
By Maneater Staff
Posted at 4:30 p.m., Monday, December 22, 2008
Provost Brian Foster released a statement Monday explaining MU's decision to eliminate the Columbia Missourian's weekend editions. The cost-cutting measure is meant to alleviate the Missourian's budget problems, which led university officials to examine new business models, including campus distribution to faculty and staff.
Foster previously commented on the issue in a guest column in The Maneater.
Here is the full text of Foster's statement:
COLUMBIA, Mo. — "Over the past several months, we have had extensive discussions both on campus and with external constituents about the financial challenges of the Columbia Missourian, the community newspaper that serves as the teaching and research laboratory of the University of Missouri School of Journalism," MU Provost Brian Foster said. "The issue is a complex one. The operating deficit is very significant, but the value to the Journalism School is also extremely significant: It is one of the greatest assets of Mizzou's most prominent program.
"We have received a great deal of input from many sources, including the Board of Directors of the Missourian Publishing Association (the non-profit corporation that owns the Missourian), students, faculty and alumni. There is virtual consensus that we must maintain a significant print newspaper presence as a laboratory experience for J-School students. Moreover, VOX, the weekly city publication, is clearly a key experience for the magazine journalism students.
"This being the case, we have, in consultation with the administrative leadership of the School of Journalism, decided to sustain the Missourian as home-delivery print newspaper. In order to cut printing and distribution costs, the Saturday edition that is delivered free of charge to more than 40,000 households will be eliminated, and the daily paper will be published five, rather than six days a week.
"The Missourian will continue to publish Vox, the weekly city publication. The specifics will be decided in consultation with the Missourian Board and the Missourian faculty. The changes will save about $350,000 a year.
"We believe this is the best possible outcome of the months of discussion. We appreciate the rich and varied input that we have received on this issue. We will review the matter after the next three years or so and will solicit additional input at that time."
'The Columbia Missourian' to switch to five issues per week
By Josh Barone
Posted at 4:04 p.m., Monday, December 22, 2008
After several months of discussions about the financial challenges facing The Columbia Missourian, today in a statement MU Provost Brian Foster announced changes that will save both the paper and money.
The community newspaper, which serves as a real-world laboratory for Journalism School students, has operated at a deficit for over a decade.
To save about $350,000 a year, The Missourian will remain a home-delivery print newspaper. To cut printing and distribution costs, the Saturday edition will be eliminated, changing the number of issues from six to five per week. Vox, the magazine equivalent of The Missourian, will remain a weekly publication.
In the statement, Foster said the deficit issue is a very complex one.
“The operating deficit is very significant, but the value of the Journalism School is also extremely significant,” he said.
Foster said the Missourian is one of the greatest assets of the Journalism School. He said there is a virtual consensus that the newspaper should maintain a significant print presence.
Foster said this is the best possible outcome.
“We appreciate the rich and varied input that we have received on this issue,” he said. “We will review the matter after the next three years or so and will solicit additional input at that time.”
Full text of student leaders' condom e-mail
By Maneater staff
Posted at 2:08 p.m., Monday, December 8, 2008
Dear Mizzou students,
Your voice has been heard! We are pleased to announce the implementation of the pilot Sexual Health and Safety Products Initiative (a.k.a. condom initiative), a student-driven program designed to improve access to sexual health safety products. There are 6 dispensers, each located in the following residence halls: Gillett, Mark Twain, Center, Bingham, Lathrop, and Wolpers. These locations were selected by the student-driven task force based on their geographic location in order to maximize student access across campus. The exact, discrete locations in each hall can be inquired at the front desks in the above halls or via visiting the SHAPE website (below). Additional locations will be considered in the future based on student need, funding, as well as success of the pilot program.
As your elected student body representatives, we hold each of you responsible for upholding the university’s mission and values, particularly Respect and Responsibility. This has been a two-year initiative stemming from students’ requests and needs, and represents a collaborative venture between the various student governments and university departments. Please do not abuse this opportunity as well as all the hard work that students have done in planning, funding, and implementing this project. We ask that you please Respect others and their decisions and make Responsible decisions yourself.
If you are curious and want to see a sample of the products being dispensed, please visit the SHAPE website www.studenthealth.missouri.edu/shape, the main desk of one of the residence halls listed above, or visit the Student Health Center, Health Promotion office.
Sincerely,
Jim Kelley – President,
Missouri Students Association
Chelsea Johnson – Vice-President,
Missouri Students Association
Robbie Wood – President,
Residence Halls Association
Nate Ballance – Vice-President,
Residence Halls Association
Anthony Martin – President,
Legion of Black Collegians
Jerusha Wells – Vice-President,
Legion of Black Collegians
Condoms come to residence halls
By Allie Blood
Posted at 1:51 p.m., Monday, December 8, 2008
Today the Sexual Health and Safety Products Taskforce announced the pilot program to place condoms in the residence halls is underway.
An e-mail from leaders of the Missouri Students Association, the Residence Halls Association and the Legion of Black Collegians stated the dispensers were placed in six residence halls across campus: Gillett, Mark Twain, Center, Bingham, Lathrop, and Wolpers. The e-mail stated students can ask where the dispensers are located at the front desk of the hall.
Further dispensers will be placed in other halls after student response to the project is evaluated.
MSA asking for more budget documents
By Eva Dou
Posted at 7:36 p.m., Thursday, December 4, 2008
Organizations seeking increased student fees for the next fiscal year must provide the review committee with detailed budgets, according to a Missouri Students Association bill passed on Wednesday.
Under this legislation, groups that want the Student Fee Review Committee’s recommendation for a student fee increase for fiscal year 2010 must supply itemized budgets for fiscal years 2008, 2009 and 2010.
MSA Senate Speaker Jonathan Mays, one of the bill’s sponsors, said a previous bill passed last semester laid the groundwork for the adequate documentation standard, which was clarified through Wednesday’s bill.
Mays emphasized the importance of documents in helping the committee make informed decisions.
Before the vote, Mays reminded the senators how the Student Health Center’s itemized budgets this year helped committee members decide against an increase for the center next year. The budgets showed that the increase they asked for would partly go to fund a new position that committee members deigned unnecessary therefore they denied the increase.
“That’s just an example of the type of good, solid recommendations we can get when we have this type of information,” Mays said.
On Wednesday, the MSA Senate passed four other bills related to the student fees.
The fee for the MU chapter of the Associated Students of Missouri was reduced by 36 cents, as requested by the organization. Bills were also passed to maintain the funding level for Jesse Auditorium, MU Parking and Transportation Services and the Student Fee Capital Improvement Committee.
Four bills regarding organizations that had requested increases were tabled because the organizations had not provided sufficient documentation under the newly passed standards.
The fees for the Graduate Professional Council, the Organization Resource Group, Summer College Readership Program and Missouri Student Unions will be reconsidered when the groups submit the appropriate budget sheets.
SFRC Chairwoman Gwen Daniels, who is a columnist for The Maneater, said all organizations were notified of the required documentation at least a month ago. She said she is working with groups to obtain the documents.
Smoking ban resolution fails in MSA Senate
By Campbell Massie
Posted at 7:43 p.m., Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The Missouri Students Association voted down a bill that would reccommen a smoking ban on campus in both indoor ad outdoor areas. The bill proposed limiting smoking to designated areas which the sponsors defined as parking lots and garages.
The bill's sponsor, Craig Stevenson, and Traci Harr of Campus-Community Alliances for Smoke-Free Environments cited a task force created two years ago by the chancellor to make a recommendation about smoking on campus and statistics that state that only 6 percent of students smoke daily and a large percentage would support a move to a smoke-free campus.
The vote came down to a tie between the senators, 15 to 15, with Senate Speaker Jonathan Mays abstaining from voting. Because a simple majority is necessary for the bill to pass, the bill failed.
Deaton seeks flexibility in freeze
By Allie Blood
Posted at 3:29 p.m., Tuesday, November 25, 2008
After a week of the UM system’s hiring freeze, Chancellor Brady Deaton announced his plan for implementing the freeze at MU.
At a news conference today, Deaton said his plan places the importance on flexibility during this time. The guidelines were created to allow exemption for those positions which are critical to the function of the University. If a position needs to be filled the following criteria must be considered:
1. Does the failure to fill the position create an immediate public safety or compliance issue?
2. Is the position clearly required to fulfill core instructional needs?
3. Is the position essential for patient care?
4. Is the position clearly required to recruit, admit or retain students?
5. Will the position generate revenue that will offset the expense of the position?
6. Is the position essential to keeping the core functions of the campus running?
7. Is the position essential to the core functions of research and/or outreach?
Deaton said he has delegated responsibility to the Vice Chancellors to make decisions about hiring.
Student positions in areas such as Campus Dining Services have a designated number of positions they will hire without having to seek exception. Deaton said it is only when departments want to expand the number of students employed will they have to apply for exception.
No more blue bags
By Andrew Denney
Posted at 4:47 p.m., Monday, November 24, 2008
The City of Columbia Solid Waste Division has announced that it will no longer bring trash and recycling bags to your door. Beginning the week of Dec. 10, Columbia's famous blue recycling bags (which I am sure have served many as laundry bags/receptacles for moving out of your former domicile) will now be available at select retail businesses around the city, and will be obtainable through vouchers that will be distributed by mail. The vouchers will allow to obtain 25 black trash bags and 18 recycling bags. You won't have to pay for the bags as long as you have a voucher. A list of businesses that provide the bags will be available on the city Web site. A private company, Phoenix Recycling, Inc., will now administer the bags and provide the vouchers. If you have any questions about the voucher system, or if you do not start receiving the vouchers, contact the company at 1-800-866-3954.
BEC adjusts vote totals, without consequence
By Anna Koeppel
Posted at 2:10 a.m., Friday, November 21, 2008
Tonight the BEC sent this e-mail to candidates:
"... we had one paper ballot turned in during the course of the election that we were unable to validate at the time of our announcement last night. We were able to get that taken care of today and have slightly revised vote totals for you.
Total Votes: 4823
Paul Hoffman: 2008
Fessehaye Abell: 829
Williams Snipes: 1986"
Jordan Paul's total went from 2,007 to 2,008, giving him a 22-vote win over Phyllis Williams.
The e-mail also reminded candidates to turn in their final financial reports and any outstanding forms.
