Latest entries in On Campus
News on MU student life, organizations, administration and more.
Nov. 17, 2009
Gov. Nixon unveils plan to freeze tuition
Gov. Jay Nixon put forth a plan earlier today which would freeze tuition and fees for in-state students at Missouri's four-year public institutions across the state.
The proposed plan, which has to be approved by the General Assembly and institutions' governing bodies, would ensure 95 percent of higher education funding appropriated for the 2010-2011 year remains in place. In return, public, four-year institutions have agreed to not raise tuition or fees on in-state undergraduate students.
“As tuition skyrockets by double digits in other states, university leaders, faculty members and my administration have worked together to put Missouri students first and protect them from tuition spikes for the second year in a row," Nixon said in a news release from his office. "By helping keep higher education affordable, we are taking bold steps to prepare the workforce that will move Missouri forward.”
UM system President Gary Forsee said in the news release this was the best comprise given the situation.
“The governor’s action today strikes the best balance in a difficult and fiscally challenging time for our state,” Forsee said. “This agreement mitigates the magnitude of the cut that higher education would otherwise have received and enables us to hold undergraduate tuition flat for one more year."
This freeze is similar to one announced last year, but according to the Governor's Web site, last year's freeze applied to all students at Missouri's public four-year institutions.
Nov. 16, 2009
KOACH representative leads Hillel services, activities
A field worker from KOACH, a Jewish college outreach program, led Shabbat services Friday and a Torah study Saturday at Hillel.
KOACH is affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
Hillel held Shabbat services with KOACH field worker Michelle Kaman at 6 p.m. Friday, Jewish Student Organization Co-Religious Chair Rachel Levin said in an e-mail. After services, students had dinner at Hillel.
Hillel served brunch for a Torah study at noon on Saturday. Afterward, students made arts and crafts, Levin said. At 5 p.m., students observed Havdalah, a Jewish ceremony that marks the conclusion of Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest.
Levin said students played board games afterward.
Nov. 13, 2009
Court rules tanning beds in Rec Center can stay through 2010
After a two-year legal battle over the tanning beds at the Student Recreation Complex, a court decided The Spa, which is owned by Tan Time LLC, would be allowed to remain open through Dec. 31, 2010.
Although MU argued for the right to cancel their contract with Tan Time at the end of any lease year with 60 days written notice, the court chose to upheld the tanning services company's reading of the contract, which stated the contract couldn't be canceled until the end of the first renewal year in 2010.
The court denied Tan Time's claims for damages from MU, one for $32,000 for loss of profits during a temporary closure in August 2008 and another for $158,000 for the loss of money invested in the location at the recreation center.
Stay with The Maneater for continued coverage.
Nov. 12, 2009
Georgian delegates participate in wine tasting
In celebration of the Georgian delegates visit to Columbia, the MU Reynolds Alumni Center hosted a Georgian wine tasting Thursday night.
Delegates from the Republic of Georgia are spending a week in Columbia to learn more about government accountability through the Open World program.
Georgian MU graduate student David Javakhadze said wine plays an important role in Georgian culture.
“For Georgians,” Javakhadze said, “wine is not just alcohol, it’s part of our culture.”
Wine is one of Georgia’s biggest exports and a point of pride for Georgians, he said.
“The purpose of wine drinking is not to become drunk,” Javakhadze said. “In my culture, the biggest shame is to become drunk and lose control. The whole idea of drinking wine is to share, when you drink wine you become more open.”
Javakhadze said there are many traditions when drinking wine in Georgia.
“Georgian wine-drinking is a science,” Javakhadze said.
For example, when drinking wine in a large group, Javakhadze said, one person is assigned the position of toastmaster who is in charge of toasts for the evening.
“For each toast there is a different tradition,” Javakhadze said. “There are around 40 different toasts. Every toast is a kind of prayer.”
Not every toast is acceptable in Georgia.
“If you toast in Georgia by beer,” Javakhadze said, “this is a very, very bad thing. People will become offended. If you don’t like someone, then you can toast by beer. We toast by wine for only people we love.”
Javakhadze said a passion for wine is something Americans and Georgians share, but Georgia’s passion is rooted in their country’s history and traditions.
“Wine is something holy for us,” Javakhadze said. “It is a gift from God to Georgians.”
Students remain undecided on trayless trial
Student opinion remains divided as the trayless trial continues.
“I think we should have trays because it’s easier to carry stuff, and easier to move stuff,” freshman Andrew Oller said.
Not all students thought the absence of trays posed an insurmountable challenge.
“I think it eliminates the amount of dishes, because especially at Dobb’s it’s all plastic, besides the utensils,” freshman Kelsie Rook said.
Rook also had no qualms about carrying plates.
“I think it will be fine, it’s not hard to carry things in your hands,” she said.
Nov. 11, 2009
Bill balancing the power of the Operations Committee passes
An act to further improve the committee chair approval process passed after heated debate in MSA full senate. The bill aims to check and balance the power of the Operations Committee by allowing another committee to oversee the choosing of new operations chairs.
MSA attendance policy stays the same after proposed bill fails in full senate
An act to define the attendance policy fails in full senate after heated debate about the costs and benefits of a more rigid attendance policy for MSA senators. The bill proposed that MSA senators should gain a half absence when they choose to leave early or arrive late to meetings. Senators get four absences per semester. The bill is in response to a drop in attendance and an increase of senators coming late or leaving early to MSA Senate meetings.
Two senators left during the debate.
Another chairperson steps down from MSA
Campus and Community Affairs chairwoman Emily Garner is resigning from her position to study abroad next semester. Garner is the fourth MSA chairperson to step down this semester.
Nov. 10, 2009
Trayless week begins with balancing act
Initial results indicate that trayless dining may have caused less food waste at the Pavillion at Dobbs, Dobbs student supervisor Andy St. Clair said.
"Today, we prepared less food, and there's less food being thrown away," St. Clair said.
Dishes from diners at the Pavilion at Dobbs were collected and extra waste was thrown away.
"Right now, when we had the trays, that bin would be quarter to halfway full, and right now it's barely a fifth full," St. Clair said. "I'm really surprised about that. I didn't think it was going to be this much of an impact."
St. Clair acknowledged student reaction was mixed, and some students want their trays back.
"They just don't like not having the trays, because they feel like it's a hastle to get up and down,"he said.
St. Clair said he hopes the opinion will become more supportive.
"It just sucks that they're complaining about it, because we're trying to help the environment," he said. "Hopefully the complaints will be less as the week goes on."
RHA to sponsor philanthropy week
A blood drive sponsored by the Residence Halls Association will occur at the Student Recreation Complex from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 13.
RHA vice president Lauren Thomas said this is RHA's first blood drive.
"We tried to get a blood drive going last year, but with scheduling and everything it didn't work out, so we pushed it back to this semester," Thomas said.
The blood drive inspired the idea for an entire week of philanthropy which RHA has put into action.
"The blood drive sparked the idea for a service week, so we came up with Taylor Duke's chair position," Thomas said. "We hope to have a service week every semester."
