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Cracking Down

By Siobhan Murray

Writer

In the fall semester of 2011 (Aug. 24-Dec. 15), 17 drug law violations were committed, according to the Public Safety Crime Log. These offenses come in the first year of the University’s new, stricter drug policy. Drug use violations numbered 27 in all 2010, up almost 70 percent from the previous year. There were six drug arrests in 2010, five more than in 2009.
The University established a new drug policy at the beginning of the year that gives marijuana users “three strikes” and permanently expels any possessors, sellers or distributors of large amounts of illicit drugs. This results from the efforts of the Illicit Substance Policy Committee, a panel appointed in the spring of 2011, by the Committee on Complimentary Activities (CCA). The new policy is the product of three years of efforts by the CCA and addresses the use, misuse, possession and distribution of drugs, illicit substances and paraphernalia. 
“The substance policy committee was made up of students, faculty and staff and looked at state and federal laws in addition to the policies of our peer institutions,” said Lewis Marrara, assistant dean of students and judicial administrator.
The policy’s full effectiveness of decreasing drug use and drug violations remains to be seen. However, the 17 offenses in one semester projects the year-long total to be higher than than the 27 under the lenient policy a year earlier.
As the Drug-Free Schools and Community Act Amendments (Public Laws 101 – 226) to the Higher Education Act of 1965 dictates, the University must comply with legal drug sanctions as a recipient of federal support. Government laws provide the minimum standards for drug policies, and if an institution under federal aid fails to comply with such standards, all federal support rewarded in grants and financial aid is at risk.
“If a university knowingly ignores behavior on campus that misaligns with federal law, that’s a serious issue,” said associate professor Elizabeth Evans, faculty chair of the committee that appointed the ISPC. “We weren’t just stamping down on student behavior.”
Evans says the process for strengthening the drug policy has been in the process for years, and the new rules reflect the committee’s long-term efforts.
The new drug policy maintains the University’s “no-tolerance” stance on drug use. The policy clearly states that “Bucknell students are not to use, possess and/or distribute illegal drugs on or off campus.”
If a student becomes aware of a drug offense, he or she is to inform the Department of Public Safety or the Deans of Students Office. The guidelines apply to all illicit substances, including, but not limited to, depressants, stimulants, narcotics, hallucinogens, cannabis, performance-enhancing drugs, party drugs and “date-rape” drugs. The new policy makes a point to crack down on marijuana users.
First-time offenders face a $350 fine for possession of marijuana or paraphernalia and $500 for possession of both. They also face a minimum of two drug-counseling sessions, Level I probation for remaining time at the University and a note to parents or guardians. First-time offenders must also complete mandatory service hours. Offenders caught with marijuana or paraphernalia face 10 mandatory hours, while offenders caught with both face 20. Violators also face possible loss of a priority housing number, study-abroad privileges and off-campus housing privileges. Second-time offenders must take a leave of suspension for at least one semester, go through off-campus counseling sessions and complete 40 hours of community service. The message of zero-tolerance is clear for third-time offenders, who are penalized with expulsion from the University.
In addition to the sanctions for possessors of marijuana or paraphernalia, the new drug policy also calls for administrative hearings for the misuse of drugs, such as snorting or sharing prescription medicine, and for the use of synthetic drugs including K12, Spice and Salvia. Any possession, distribution or sale of large amounts of an illegal drug results in permanent expulsion.
Former Associate Dean Commerford brought attention to the significant number of students smoking marijuana who were not being penalized under the University’s past point system. The CCA chose to respond accordingly in their efforts to comply with federal law. Bucknell Student Government (BSG) was also involved in the effort, and was asked for feedback and approval throughout the process of development.
The most important part of the policy may be in providing students with knowledge of the rules so that they can act accordingly. Because many students may not be aware of the recent changes in the school’s rules awareness, rather than punishment, could be the key to decreasing the misuse of drugs.
“The BisonPedia handbook will be coming out soon to inform students of drug policies,” Bucknell Student Government president Sara Girmay ’14 said. “I will be sending out a letter to students urging them to know their rights in these matters, especially in the wake of House Party Weekend.”
Only time will tell if the newly strengthened policy will be effective at cutting down drug use at the University. 
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Plan for Prominence system discontinued

By Carleen Boyer

Assistant News Editor

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs has recently decided to remove the Plan for Prominence (P4P) system of accreditation for fraternities and sororities. It will be replaced with the Standards for Fraternity and Sorority Life, which will remove various requirements such as community service and mandatory attendance to certain speakers for Greek organizations.
“One of our goals is to move away from a ‘checklist’ model and create a process that gives chapters and individuals ownership for their experience,” said Amy Badal, Associate Dean of Students.
The P4P program first went into effect in 2002. It consisted of 11 “strategic goals” which were developed by the Greek Life Strategic Planning Steering Committee. The goals consisted of various items which were intended to strengthen the overall benefits of a Greek experience at the University. Individual organizations would earn “points” depending on various categories of the strategic goals. A given sorority or fraternity had to be in “good standing” with a score of 90 points in order to be granted full campus privileges.
Some aspects of P4P were criticized by the Greek community.

“You’d get these speakers where pretty much every fraternity and sorority went to it because it was required. Sometimes it was hard to relate to the speaker, and when you get all of these people that have to go to something, you get this rude behavior,” said Grant Zeller ’12, Recruitment Chair of the Interfraternity Council.

With P4P gone, Greek organizations no longer have to meet certain standards involving community service.
“I feel like maybe it’s a little friendlier, a little more of a community. On the other hand, there are some things that worry me. I think we’ll have to see which organizations hold themselves to high standards, and which don’t. There are definitely going to be fraternities and sororities on different ends of the spectrum,” Zeller said.
Individual sororities and fraternities now must pick one specific charity organization in which to dedicate their time. For some organizations, this is a concern. Chi Phi typically sponsors a Special Olympics event every year, but some are worried that with new changes, it won’t be able to stand as their single organization.
“With Special Olympics, it’s only four hours one day a year, so you can’t really use that as an organization despite the fact that we [Chi Phi] have a committee for it. I don’t think that having everyone pick one organization is the best way to go about changes,” Zeller sad.
Not all students are opposed to the changes, though.
“I’m not convinced that P4P really helped to increase sorority and fraternity involvement on campus. Sure, we had a certain number of events to host and attend each semester, but with so many requirements to meet, Greek students often felt like they were being forced to attend events just to be able to check them off a list,” said Julia Giordano ’13, president of Chi Omega Sorority. “Having each chapter focus on one local organization—and forming a (hopefully) longstanding relationship with them—is definitely more along the lines of the direction we should be heading.”
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Headline News

Segar ’12 headed for 2012 Olympic Trials

By Olivia Seecof

Writer

Matthew Segar ’12 of the men’s swimming and diving team recently qualified to compete in the Olympic Trials in the 200 freestyle event.  Segar is one of three University students to qualify for the 2012 trials, but the only one to qualify while enrolled as a student at the University (Erik Heinemann ’15 and Emily Norton ’15 qualified before they were enrolled). These are the first University students to qualify for this meet since Jim Harvey ’88

“The Olympic Trials, like the Olympics, is only every four years and it is definitely an honor and an accomplishment to be part of it,” head coach Dan Schinnerer said.

Segar earned his qualifying time for the trials in December at the AT&T Winter Nationals held at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga.

“It was an incredible experience swimming in the same pool that hosted the 1996 Olympic Games. There, I not only got to see some of the greatest swimmers in the country, but also competed against Olympians from France, Canada, Mexico and Great Britain,” Segar said.

Despite the prestigious venue, the meet began in a less than ideal manner for Segar.

“I started off the meet adding time in the 400 freestyle so I was nervous about how the meet was going to pan out. Thankfully, the next day I managed to put together the best 200 freestyle of my life. It was a surreal experience and I was extremely appreciative to have my coaches, parents and high school swim coach there to help revel in the moment,” he said.

 Heinemann is excited to swim with Segar this summer. 

“Since I have seen Matt swim since the beginning of the year, I have noticed one thing in particular about him that makes him a truly talented swimmer, and that is his competitiveness.  Matt is always determined to get his hand on the wall first, and seems to be able to find an extra gear at the end of races that most other swimmers do not have,” Heinemann said.

This summer’s Olympic Trials will be held in Omaha, Neb. at the Qwest Center. The center will build two pools within a week just for this event. The trials were held at this venue in 2008 and hosted the largest crowd ever to attend a swim meet.

While Segar has a lot to be proud of, he remains focused on having a successful season for the Bison.

“I was obviously very happy with the outcome, but knew that there was still a very long season ahead and I couldn’t let that get to me. If anything, it’s helped motivate me more to have a good end to the season,” Segar said.

Schinnerer also acknowledged the dedication and amount of hard work that Segar put into this season.

“Matt has done a great job of making significant improvements over the last year and really over his four years at Bucknell. He is very in tune with what he needs to do to get better. He is very cerebral in his approach to his sport,” Schinnerer said.

Segar is generally known on the team as having a great character and always keeping  both personal and team goals in mind.

“Matt is an extremely talented swimmer who seems to thrive in pressure situations and always comes up big when it matters not just to himself, but the team as well,” Heinemann said.

“I’m really looking forward to the next couple of meets as well as joining as many teammates as possible in Omaha,” Segar said.

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K-WIDE breaks new ground

By Christina Oddo

Writer

The KEEN Winter Interdisciplinary Design Experience (K-WIDE) program allows engineering students to collaborate in an interdisciplinary fashion to solve pressing real-world problems specifically related to urban infrastructure. The exposition of results from this program, held last Friday in Dana Engineering, demonstrated the projects developed by students involved in the first K-WIDE.

The first group that presented introduced its project as a type of crosswalk, called the “Cross Guardian,” that beeps every time a car is coming in order to inform the crosser of oncoming traffic. This ensures that every pedestrian will cross safely and be able to back up and not proceed to walk if there is an oncoming car.

The second group was interested in the underuse of buses as a form of transportation. As a result, the group created a new form of seating that accommodates disabilities while simultaneously creating more room. This new bus seating will not only double the amount of passengers on one bus, but also eliminate the need for excess buses, as well as benefit the economy.

“The hardest part was that they gave us a big open-ended statement, so coming up with an idea was difficult,” Sarah Talbot ’14, a member of the second group, said.

This group was inspired by where the members live.

“The areas where we live are really congested, and the biggest cause of this is transportation,” Talbot said.

Storm run-off and its use in towns and cities was the topic of interest for the third group that presented. The group created a storm drain in which water from storms can be used as a source of energy. Through this project, the group hopes to inspire others to create and to use energy from unexpected sources.

“The best part was learning about all of the different disciplines, the different types of engineering, because we did not use just one type of engineering for this project. We are all sophomores, with not a lot of expertise, but it was amazing to see all we could do with our current education,” Kelsey Klopfer ’14 said.

The fourth project utilized a swing as a source of energy. Considering children have a seemingly endless supply of energy, the group thought it would be a good idea to put this energy to good use as a renewable form of electricity. The group hopes this project will inspire children to ask questions and to be inspired as they are experiencing first hand this new use of energy on their playground.

The fifth group considered the negative effect of subway noise on hearing. Their project reduces the cacophony produced by subways to 20 decibels.

The final group was concerned with the use of water for drinking and sanitation in towns and cities where one million people in total have to walk three and a half miles to get water.

Water transportation is a huge problem in developing countries and something that the group recognized as a pressing global issue relating to urban infrastructure.

“When people carry buckets on their heads, for example, it compresses the spine. We still wanted our project to be human powered, though,” Tyler Moore ’14 said.

The group demonstrated its project by asking for two volunteers. One volunteer was asked to carry two buckets containing water a short distance, which proved to be a difficult task. The group stated that its project would allow one individual to carry all of the water needed for survival and sanitation at once without much difficulty. One of the group members proved this by carrying the water carrier produced while two people were sitting on top. This action was completed with ease. Such a device, too, would redistribute the strength, initially derived from the lower back, to the shoulders and other stronger muscles of the body.

“Because the carrier has wheels, travel time decreases. Otherwise, women and children would waste so much time carrying water,” Lee Sun ’14 said.

Junior Fellows Emily Guillen ’13 and Mark Paleafico ’13 helped the groups through the entire process.

“Most groups went through the mechanical engineering paths for the project,” Paleafico said. “As Juniors Fellows, we helped facilitate the thought process, pointing to questions to help the groups get passed being stuck. We also helped them get supplies. It was cool to sit back and watch them work. I’m so thankful to be a part of this.”

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Headline Sports

Women’s Basketball’s Fedorjaka steps down after 14 seasons

Chris McCree

Sports Editor

 

After fourteen seasons with the University, Kathy Fedorjaka officially announced her resignation as head coach of the women’s basketball team this past Friday night. Since taking the job in 1997, Fedorjaka accumulated 209 wins and led the Bison to three 20-win seasons, as well as NCAA tournament appearances in 2002 and 2008, but has failed to achieve much success during the past three seasons.

“Over my last 15 years as head coach of the Bison women’s basketball team, I have come to love this university community and to care deeply about the student-athletes past and present that it has been my privilege to coach,” said Fedorjaka in an official statement. “There comes a moment in every coach’s career when the difficult decision becomes whether it is time to step aside, and the time has come for me to move in a different direction.”

Fedorjaka’s decision, to take effect immediately, comes amidst a disappointing 2-15 start to the 2011-2012 season in which the Orange and Blue are 0-3 in league play. Replacing Fedorjaka as head coach is second-year assistant Bill Broderick who has ten years of collegiate coaching experience to date.

The Orange and Blue have 10 games remaining in the season, all against Patriot League opponents.  Although winless, the team is by no means out of title contention and Broderick will be faced with challenge to make the struggling team a contender once again.

“Kathy was extremely passionate about coaching, and she was able to elevate the program to competitive heights never before seen in the Bison women’s basketball program” said John Hardt, director of athletics and recreation.  “Despite the team’s record this season, I am confident that the program can quickly rise back to that championship level.”

 

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PSU scandal teaches Bucknell valuable lessons

By Sara Blair Matthews

Writer

The recent events at Penn State University are not limited to large state schools, evident in the 2008 Harclerode case where a University professor was convicted of the possession of child pornography. Public Safety has used these past incidents to strengthen their policies against crimes of this nature.

According to Jason Friedberg, chief of Public Safety, the Penn State sexual assault scandal was a watershed event that will open the door for many more victims to come forward with their stories of sexual assault.

“In Penn State’s case, their campus security force failed to understand their state and campus laws. Many of the people involved went directly to their bosses before the police department, which should not have been the case,” Friedberg said.

Friedberg said training of the Public Safety staff and University faculty is very important and many universities do not have a firm grasp on training and how to implement that into their safety routines.

The University follows the Campus Security Authority (CSA) policies when dealing with matters of crime and security on campus. Public Safety’s annual Safety, Security & Fire report states: “As required by the Clery Act, colleges and universities must annually compile and publish crime, fire and security information about their campuses.”

“A lot of campuses have bubbles. We use the CSAs to get people to understand that crimes are crimes,” Friedberg said. “We try to maintain lots of transparency with the CSAs. Through our daily logs and online reports, we try to maintain cultural transparency here on campus.”

An event vaguely similar to Penn State’s case occurred on campus a few years back. Jack Harclerode, a retired biology professor, was found guilty on 20 counts of possessing child pornography in 2008. Police found a portable hard drive with 207 sexually explicit images of underage boys in addition to lubricant, condoms and pornographic DVDs.

The laptop contained another 38 images of young children engaged in sexual acts.

“A few changes have occurred in the Public Safety Department since this case,” Friedberg said.

Public Safety has put in many standard national requirements and works closely with Lewisburg crime departments.

Friedberg pointed out that the Penn State case was different than the University’s because almost all the incidents occurred on the Penn State campus. For Harclerode, most of the incidents occurred in his home in Lewisburg.

Friedberg believes getting information out quickly is important, something that did not happen in the Penn State case. Charges against Sandusky were first brought to trial in 1998, but Ray Gricar, district attorney in Centre County, decided not to pursue the case. Gricar was later reported missing in 2005, and his car was incidentally found outside an antiques market he frequented in Lewisburg.

His laptop was found in the river without its hard drive three months later. There is no evidence to suggest it, but some believe it was an instance of foul play and that he was murdered due to important, and perhaps incriminating, evidence on his hard drive.

Public Safety hopes to avoid instances like this, where important information is kept under the wraps for many years and has harmful effects.

“We are getting information out more quickly. If issues or suspicious activity comes up, we act immediately,” Friedberg said.
Scandal Timeline (compiled by Amanda Ayers)

1969: Jerry Sandusky starts coaching career at PSU as a defensive line coach.

1998: First police report comes from the mother of one of the victims and it was investigated. Centre County District Attorney decides that there will be no criminal charge.

June 1999: Sandusky retires from Penn State, still holding emeritus status.

Fall 2000: A custodian (James Calhoun) observes Sandusky in the showers of the football building with a young boy (Victim 8, between 11 and 13 years old). He was pinned up against the wall, performing oral sex on the boy. Calhoun tells other janitorial staff immediately but did not report the incident.

March 1, 2002: A Penn State graduate assistant enters locker room and sees a naked boy (Victim 2, 10 years old), being subjected to anal intercourse in shower by Sandusky.

March 2, 2002: Graduate assistant calls Coach Joe Paterno and goes to Paterno’s home to report what saw.

March 3, 2002: Paterno calls Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley to forward information.

March 2002: Graduate assistant reports what he saw to Curley and Schultz. The graduate assistant is never questioned by university police and no one else conducts an investigation.

Spring 2007: During track season, Sandusky begins spending time with Victim 1 weekly, having him stay overnight at his residence in College Township, Pa.

Spring 2008: Victim 1’s mother calls boy’s school to report sexual assault. Sandusky’s contact with boy is terminated and he is barred from school district.

Early 2009: Investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General begins when a Clinton County teen boy tells authorities that Sandusky inappropriately touched him several times over a four-year period.

Nov. 5, 2011: Sandusky was arrested and released after $100,000 bail. He was arraigned on 40 criminal counts.

Nov. 7, 2011: Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly said Paterno was not a target of the investigation but refused to say the same for Penn State President Graham Spanier. Curley and Schultz, who had stepped down from their positions, surrendered on the fact that they  failed to alert police to complaints against Sandusky.

Nov. 8, 2011: Penn State abruptly canceled Paterno’s regular weekly press conference.

Nov. 9, 2011: Paterno and Spanier, both among the nation’s longest-serving college coaches or presidents, were fired, effective immediately. Earlier in the day, Paterno announced he would retire at the end of the season.

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Headline News

Faculty, students, and local residents run in support of Bucknell Brigade

By Christina Oddo

Writer

University faculty and staff, as well as Lewisburg residents, gathered to collectively “travel the distance”–2,073 miles– from Lewisburg to a health clinic in Nueva Vida, Nicaragua in the University’s annual “Making it to Managua” 5K run.

The run supported the Bucknell Brigade and was held last Sunday, November 13. Participants could also support the cause at home by choosing to run, walk or use the elliptical to complete a 5K.

“The 5K went very well,” Lauren Rambo ’12 said. “There was a small- to medium-sized crowd with runners, walkers, friend groups [and] a couple father/daughter pairs, myself included.”

The course wrapped around downtown Lewisburg and up through campus.

“The hill running up Seventh Street to Fraternity Road was a lot steeper than I remembered,” Rambo said.

The Bucknell Brigade provided refreshments before and after the race and also sold hand-made Nicaraguan crafts and organic coffee during the race to raise money.

“I hadn’t run a 5K in a little while and was excited to participate in this event sponsored by the Bucknell Brigade. It was a great cause and a great way to get myself going on a Sunday morning! And I was definitely feeling it days later,” Jake Bellucci ’12 said.

The event organizers were encouraging to runners and were generally enthusiastic throughout the whole race.

“At the end of the race, members of the Brigade were cheering everyone on through the finish line. I liked how members of the Brigade were also holding arrows marking the route and were really supportive,” Rambo said.

The Bucknell Brigade put on a successful event that was enjoyable for both University students and members of the greater Lewisburg community.

“It was nice to see both students and faculty at the 5K.  Knowing that everyone can rally around a great cause like the Bucknell Brigade is encouraging.  I’m glad to be a part of the bubble,” Brian Shoener ’13 said.

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Community rallies against hate

By Sara Blair Matthews

Contributing Writer

The University and the Lewisburg community came together in support of the annual Stop the Hate: Unity Rally held on Monday. 

Students, faculty and staff gathered in front of the Elaine Langone Center at 6:30 p.m. with signs that read “Stop the Hate,” “In memory of James Byrd” and “End the Silence to Stop the Violence.” FLAG&BT and the Social Justice and Humanities Residential Colleges were among the student organizations that participated.

The Stop the Hate: Unity Rally was first held at the University in 1998.

“It started as a national movement to honor James Byrd and Matthew Shepard after their deaths in 1998,” said Tracy Shaynak, director of the Women’s Resource Center.
Byrd was an African-American man murdered by three white supremacists in Jasper, Texas. He died after he was dragged behind a pick-up truck with a heavy logging chain around his ankles. Shepard was a gay teen who was beaten, strapped to a fence and left to die. His mother, Judy Shepard, became a well-known advocate for LGBT rights, founding the Matthew Shepard Foundation to support diversity and tolerance in youth organizations. She visited the University in 2010.

According to  its website, “The Stop the Hate program reflects our commitment to provide social justice tools for combating bias and hate crimes in all its forms. Stop The Hate is dedicated to provide the necessary resources and educational training to combat hate on college campuses.”

“Stopping the hate is not about tolerating but about respecting and getting to know each other on a personal level,” said Myrna Perkins, assistant to multicultural and international student services.

Shaynak thinks this is relevant to our campus because she believes we all have ownership in this community and our collective goal is to leave the University better than we found it.

“We encourage students to hold each other accountable for what happens on a res hall, at a party and even walking down the street,” Shaynak said.

“Studies have shown that campuses that have these marches are less likely to have anti-gay retaliation,” said rally founder and professor of English Saundra Morris.

Lewisburg mayor Judy Wagner and Provost Mick Smyer were among those who gave speeches in support of the rally.

“We gather here tonight to gather the best of ourselves to be apart of something bigger,” Wagner said.

She ended by suggesting that our voices may soon be heard in Harrisburg or Washington, D.C.

Smyer spoke about the beneficial effects of doing small acts of kindness throughout our lives.

“We all rely on the kindness of strangers. We are all strangers at some time or place,” he said.

Lakeisha Meyer, assistant professor of education, discussed her background with hate crimes and violence.

“I grew up where lots of attention was paid to differences, not in a good way,” Meyer said. She encouraged the audience to live by the motto, “If I truly love men, I can’t hate you.”

The rally ended with a candle-lighting ceremony and the singing of African American Civil Rights Anthem, “We Shall Overcome.”

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Headline News

Employer expo draws crowd

By Allie Mongan

Writer

Five hundred and fifty five students and eighty-three different employers attended the Career Development Center’s (CDC) annual Employer Expo on Tuesday in Gerhard Fieldhouse, yet a fair amount of students felt the expo catered only towards a specific type of student.

Each employer sent multiple representatives, many of which were University alumni or parents of University students.

A range of class years was present at the expo, but seniors made up the majority of participants. This is expected at the fall expo because “the fall expo is mainly geared towards students looking for full-time employment opportunities. The spring expo is more for the younger students who are trying to find internships,” said Alison Ordonez, associate director of alumni relations and career services.

“I think everyone should go. It’s excellent practice for interviewing and interacting with people in the professional world. It is also a nice place to show your potential interest with certain companies,” Ryan Ottino ’12 said.

The fall expo is more helpful for seniors because many begin sending their résumés to employers toward the end of the fall semester, so they are able to meet employers and hopefully establish connections.

Many representatives are alumni, which is helpful because this connection can make those interactions more meaningful. Alumni often request their companies send them back to their alma mater because they know it prepares students well for a career.

“I think it was a great opportunity to talk with a number of employers and a number of Bucknell alums working at particular firms,” Alison Nahra ’12 said.

Attendees were encouraged to bring copies of their résumés to hand out to various representatives. The CDC also encourages students to follow up with thank-you notes or emails to the men and women representatives with whom they spoke. With 83 different employers in attendance it gives the “opportunity for students to explore their horizons and look into jobs they may not have otherwise considered,” Zach Kopelman ’13 said.

One main complaint about the expo was that it is too heavily geared towards engineering and finance majors. Many students in education and those looking into other avenues after college, such as advertising, stayed away.

“I did not go to the career fair because after looking at the list of companies who would be in attendance, I realized that most of them were engineering or finance or things I was not interested in. I’m interested in a career in journalism but unfortunately, there wasn’t anything like that at the career fair,” Jenni Whalen ’12 said.

The more creative and nonprofit industries typically do not come to any career fairs, but the CDC can help students find opportunities in those areas.

“Students need to know how the industry and organizations of interest for them hire and recruit. Some may need to utilize some other avenues and processes, but that is why we are here,” Ordonez said.

The CDC has off-campus fairs in cities such as Washington, D.C. and New York, which are geared more towards creative, nonprofit or government services. Education majors are able to attend the Bloomsburg Fair every spring.

Students who found this Employer Expo unhelpful can go to the CDC for help and guidance. They have walk-in hours and students can also call and schedule an appointment to meet with one of the numerous counselors. Other resources, such as the BRIDGE and B-link, can be utilized.

Additional employment programs are held each semester and the second Employer Expo is scheduled for Jan. 31.

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Lewisburg Flooded

By Megan Herrera

News Editor

University officials are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of their students and staff during the hazardous flooding occurring on and around campus. Students are being asked to be mindful of their decisions and to check their email for any important updates and safety precautions sent from Public Safety.

“We have been closely monitoring the situation both downtown and on campus. In addition to the campus alerts sent to the entire campus community, we have been communicating special messages to our students living off-campus,” said Susan Lantz, Dean of Students.

At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Bull Run Creek overflowed and flooded Sixth Street, endangering students and professors who live downtown. Professor Alf Siewers was forced to move boxes and furniture to higher ground after being warned of an inundation that will most likely encircle his house and swallow his basement entirely. “It’s a reminder of the power of nature in our lives, and how those larger contexts of life can interrupt our bubbles of routine very definitively and unexpectedly at times,” he said.

In order to deal with these unexpected situations, Chief of Public Safety Jason Friedberg called an Emergency Management Group meeting late in the afternoon and scheduled one for the following Thursday morning. They were able to collaborate with the Dean of Students offices and spend some of their evening helping students on Sixth Street with any assistance.

Administration also opened the Elaine Langone Center (ELC) that night so students could have a “safe, dry place to study and socialize.” Students have been helpful by offering their own homes to their peers, and Office of Housing Services will be working closely with students who need long-term housing.

The Bucknell Rowing Teams also took precautions on Tuesday and evacuated their boats from the boat house located at the split of Route 15 and 11, border lining the Susquehanna. Their boats are now on higher grounds in a parking area next to the road because the river level is expected to rise six feet above the boat house floor. “Instead of lifting weights, we lift boats. It’s become a part of our training,” Stephanie Wyld ’14 stated.

The Daily Item announced that the Lewisburg area of the Susquehanna River could reach four feet above flood stage by today, up to 22.2 feet.

“It’s jaw dropping to think about the amount of water it takes to cause something like this. Not to mention the damage that has already been caused, and apparently it’s supposed to get worse! I’m glad everyone is okay,” Wes Pyron ’12 said.

From emails to an increased presence of Public Safety on campus, students are being notified of any changes, precautions and warnings. On Monday, students at Bucknell West experienced streams of water that were river-like. The tunnel connecting the main campus to Bucknell West has also been covered completely by water and is currently closed.

Seven years ago, in Sept. 2004, Hurricane Ivan created similar flood conditions on the streets of Lewisburg after a total of 5.45 inches of rain. From Sunday to Wednesday, Lewisburg experienced 7.67 inches of rain. This does not compare to the 19 inches of rain produced in June of 1972, when Hurricane Agnes caused the Susquehanna to rise to 34 feet.

An assistant at Public Safety recalled June 24, 1972 as the day she lost everything at the age of seven from Hurrican Agnes. This storm will not produce the amount of rain Hurricane Agnes did, but this flood is nothing to take lightly, she said.

Public Safety is doing everything possible to make students feel safe, she said. Officers are guarding roads and constantly circling campus, and they have increased their hours to include 12-hour shifts. They have warned students to not walk, drive or swim where water levels have increased.