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News

Symposium allows for interdisciplinary “snaptalks”

By Nikki Briggs

Writer

At the second annual Environmental Snaptalk Symposium on March 30, five faculty members each gave eight-minute “snaptalks” of their work in the Traditional Reading Room of the Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library. Faculty and students were able to sample some of the diverse scholarship and research underway among University faculty and provide insights on the environment and sustainability.
Topics ranged  from the subject of environmental evil to international development. Each snaptalk was followed by eight minutes of audience discussion.
“By allowing the audience to be introduced to 5 different topics in an hour and a half, snap talks trigger the creativity of the listeners, who start seeing patterns and making connections between what seem to be disparate topics,” Cathy Curran Myers, BUEC Director who created the event, said. “We intentionally try to choose faculty from each of the major divisions and schools: engineering, management, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, to make connections that bridge the gaps between disciplines.”
Brandn Green, the coordinator of the Bucknell University Environmental Center’s Nature and Human Communities Initiative, spoke about “The Community Platform,” a website that works to link organizations in neighboring areas to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality. These organizations are listed on the website and the initiative is looking to expand from the bottom up. 
“We as the local partners are working to figure out how to add organizations that don’t fill out 990 [forms],” Green said.
Maria Antonaccio, professor of religion, discussed distinguishing between moral and natural evil. She defined these terms and whether environmental destruction falls under the criteria.
Associate professor of biology Steve Jordan lectured about conservation genetics and the glacial meltwater stonefly of Montana.
“There are problems developing in these systems that are probably caused by climate change,” Jordan said.
According to Jordan’s research, climate change has caused glaciers to melt, destroying the natural habitat of this endangered species.
Peter Jansson, associate professor of electrical engineering, discussed renewable electricity and photovoltaics.
“Most of my work is about integrating renewable energy with the grid, and making the grid greener,” Jansson said.
He is an advocate of solar thermal technology in order to impact global markets and investment.
Assistant professor of management Eric Martin concluded the symposium with a discussion of the sustainment of international development, showing pictures and sharing stories from his multiple trips around the world.
“The way I approach this in general is that first of all we need feedback, and second we, the international community, need to align our goals,” Martin said.
It was evident that the audience was engaged by each “snaptalk,” as most discussions lasted longer than the allotted eight minutes.
Categories
Headline News

Samek Art Gallery opens affiliate downtown

By Jen Lassen

Arts and Life Editor

What is it called when contemporary art and entrepreneurship mix? Collaboration.

Our small yet proud Lewisburg experienced such collaboration on March 30 with a private opening of the Downtown Art Gallery, an affiliate of the Samek Art Gallery at the University, and the Bucknell University Entrepreneurs Incubator in the completely renovated DeWitt Building.

This new, three-story structure will revitalize the arts both downtown and at the University, and allow for the start of a new entrepreneurial movement to take place right in the heart of Lewisburg.

The gallery opened to the public on March 31. The first floor of the DeWitt building is home to the art gallery itself, the entrepreneur incubator occupies the second floor and the University’s Small Business Development Center occupies the third floor. Several individuals, connected to both the University and the community at large, played a significant role in the gallery and incubator from start to finish.

One such person is Richard Rinehart, director of the Samek Art Gallery at the University. “When I started with the University in May of 2011, they told me ‘Oh, by the way, you’re going to help with opening up a new art gallery downtown.’ And, of course, I said, ‘Sure! Let’s do it!’” Rinehart said.

Many people are confused, wondering if the Samek Art Gallery is moving downtown. Rinehart assures that this is not the case, but that this new, second gallery will provide more opportunities in terms of programming.

“The downtown gallery relates to the Samek Art Gallery, but the programming is different. We are looking to bring in one contemporary artist per month [to the downtown gallery], and this allows for two opportunities for galleries,” he said.

Since he arrived, Rinehart has worked closely with many on this project, including James Rice, associate provost and dean of graduate studies, and James Hostetler, director of construction and design. Rice brainstormed the idea for a gallery downtown while Rinehart and Hostetler designed it. Hostetler oversaw the actual construction of the gallery/incubator.

At the private ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees were welcomed by Pete Mackey, vice president for communications and community relations. President John Bravman presented a speech following Mackey’s introduction.

In his speech, Bravman commented on the important purpose of the gallery and incubator in the DeWitt building.

“This has brought art in a new way downtown, and there is the beginning of business upstairs. This is a wonderful example of how a town and university can work together; it is an important rebirth between Lewisburg and Bucknell,” Bravman said.

Mayor Judy Wagner also said “the DeWitt building is a bridge from Bucknell to downtown.”

“[The incubator] will help small businesses get started. About 30-some interns from Bucknell will become a part of this program in addition to the entrepreneurs who apply. Art and entrepreneurship will be flowing through this building,” said Steven Stumbris, an employee in the Small Business Development Center.

Andy Hirsch, director of media communications at the University, said that entrepreneurs can use the space to develop new ideas. They will have 24/7 access to the space when granted.

The 3,000 sq. ft. incubator is complete with a lounge and art pickings straight from the Samek Gallery. It is a place meant to encourage creativity.

“Someone pointed out the connection to me between entrepreneurship and art/creativity, and it was something that I had never thought about before. Now, I can clearly see how the two relate,” Hirsch said.

“This gallery will be a party for the mind, and you’re all invited,” Rinehart said.

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News

Bio building floods, many classes cancelled or relocated

By Siobhan Murray

Writer

The local fire department arrived on the scene early Monday morning to address the flooded biology building caused by the malfunctioning heating system.

The faulty system caused a sprinkler to go off in the building at 3:30 a.m. on Monday morning. After reaching maximum heat levels all weekend, the heating system reached temperatures of over 100 F by the time the sprinkler system went off.
The flooding began on the second floor and later leaked through to the first floor and eventually the basement, necessitating a major clean-up effort. Room 203 reached the highest levels, setting off a sprinkler designed to come on at high temperatures.
“I arrived on campus very early, around ten to five, and … I saw several fire trucks blocking the street next to the Bio building.  There were some ladders going up to a second story classroom, which had all its windows thrown open, and the lights on in the surrounding classrooms,” Kate Parker, English Professor and Editorial Associate at the Bucknell University Press, said. “I didn’t see or smell smoke, so I asked the fireman directing traffic what was going on — there were so many trucks, I just wanted to make sure it was safe to go into my office in Taylor.  He replied that a heater had malfunctioned in one of the offices in the Bio building, and that the room had become so hot that it had set off the sprinklers.”
After the combined efforts of the Public Safety, Fire and Faculties Maintenance departments, as well as the custodial staff, the area was cleaned and determined to have no lasting damage.  However, some Monday morning classes were relocated or canceled.
The first step in combating the problem was shutting off the water system before the custodial staff was brought in for the clean up.
“It’s a routine procedure for us,” said Jim McCormick, Environmental Health and Safety manager. “We just follow protocol in water release. All the credit really goes to the custodial staff, who were able to clean up everything in less than five hours after the incident. That goes to show how effective they are at doing their job.”
In addition to custodians, Gregory Koontz, Mike Patterson, Lee Hess, Pete Bergonia, Gary Layton and Mike Curry helped to resolve the issues Monday morning. The cleanup was finished by 11 a.m. Monday.
“We will be installing safeguards to prevent an incident like this from happening again,” said Mike Patterson, director of Facility Services. “The air handler should have shut down at the right time.”
Air valves and feeds to air compressors will be replaced, and the air compressor system will be connected to that in the chemistry building. If a failure happens again, the compressors will serve as a back-up.
Categories
Editorial Opinion

Editorial: Health care reform good start to smarter Univ. spending

With the current state of the economy, as well as the University’s low endowment (relative to similar academic institutions), it seems obvious that the University needs to make every effort to spend money efficiently. Thus, it comes as a great relief that the topic of changing health care policies came up in this past faculty meeting on April 3.

Even though not all students choose to be covered by the current health care plan and therefore do not pay for it, the University still absorbs the costs of all students’ health insurance. Under this model, the University is losing at least tens of thousands of dollars per year.

This model is simply unacceptable in an institution such as this one. We, the students, see our tuition increase by thousands of dollars with each passing year. As a result, many of us have to take out student loans and work extra jobs, doing anything necessary to keep paying the massive bills.

Perhaps this is idealistic–or even unrealistic–but maybe it is time for this University, as well as others from across the nation, to remember why we are all here. We come to a school like this one to engage in scholarship, to expand our horizons, to prepare ourselves for the real world. We are here to learn.

Sometimes, behind all the talk of bureaucracy and student loans and endowment we forget what truly matters. We forget that, even though our school is private, the primary concern is to learn, not to make money. With this in mind, the focus of tuition should be to allow for the best possible education of a student, not to stratify higher education along class lines. It should only cover what it needs to cover.

This university, to more fully meet the ideal goals of education, should make every effort to keep its tuition rates as low as possible. Cutting substantial unnecessary spending on student health care is a great way to begin addressing this question, but we still have a long way to go.

At a time when our endowment is relatively low, the University is pouring money into an extensive construction project and the United States’ economy is suffering, we at The Bucknellian challenge our administration to think of new, innovative and efficient ways to spend our money. We challenge the administration to attempt to halt the rising tuition, without sacrificing its own ability to keep the school running properly.

All-in-all, the answer seems simple. Smarter spending on the behalf of the administration will benefit all aspects of the University: its faculty, its students and its integrity.

Categories
News

Univ. to reform student health care

By Amanda Ayers

News Editor
While students often complain about subpar care provided by Student Health Services, the University is taking notice by examining new health care models.
At a faculty meeting on Tuesday, the University announced that it has plans to develop a new health care model for its students, perhaps coupled with a wellness program. A key step for the development of this new and improved model will be the exploration of possible partnerships with outside groups, such as Geisinger Medical Center and Evangelical Community Hospital.
According to Andy Hirsch, Director of Media Communications, as soon as some important elements are worked out among those partners, the University will be making announcements in the near future about details of this arrangement.

“We’re not exploring this partnership because we think the University’s current student health service model is unsustainable, but rather because this new model of care partners with local healthcare providers in a way that promises to offer our students better healthcare programs and to offer better wellness programs to the University as a whole,” Hirsch said.

Students have noticed room for improvement at Health Services.

“I don’t go to health services because I know that they’ll just recommend that I wait a couple days and take an Advil. The care could definitely be improved,” Lindsey Ferro ’14 said.

At the moment, the University absorbs all of the health care costs of its students. Administrators are looking at stipulating in the new arrangement that they be submitted to insurance companies.

President John Bravman is an advocate of the new model but has not been a direct party to the negotiations.

“Our goal is to provide the best possible health and wellness program we possibly can, in order to serve students’ and others’ needs most effectively. Therefore we believe it is crucial to engage in thorough reviews of existing programs, benchmark programs elsewhere, solicit expressions of interest from interested parties, and then make the best decisions we can,” Bravman said.

As news of the proposed changes spreads across campus, students have shown support.

“It seems to me that eliminating any flaws from the current system would only be a positive thing. I’m on board,” Laura Neely ’13 said.

As progress into the development of the new model  is made, financial repercussions of the plan will be reviewed.

Director of Student Health Services Dr. Donald Stechschulte was unable to comment.

Categories
Opinion

Pressure to fit a certain body type fills media

By Ginny Jacobs

Contributing Writer

Body image doesn’t depend on what size or shape you are. We can be beautiful and fulfill the stresses that society demands and feel great about ourselves. On the other hand, we can be just the same and hate the way we look. Body image is all about how we feel and perceive ourselves, and society doesn’t always make that easy.

In society today there is a huge demand to look a certain way. If you have ever read a fashion magazine or watched any music video you are probably aware that the media isn’t kind to women. The ideal size for women in Hollywood and in high fashion is often a rail-thin size zero.

You may be aware of how Tyra Banks has recently gained weight, forcing her to have to defend her shape on television and in magazines.  “I get so much mail from young girls who say, ‘I look up to you, you’re not as skinny as everyone else, I think you’re beautiful,’ So when they say my body is ugly and disgusting, what does that make those girls feel like?” Banks said in People Magazine. 

It is not surprising that physical attractiveness plays a huge role in our culture. Every period of history has had its own standards of what is and is not beautiful. In the 19th century being beautiful meant wearing a corset, which caused breathing and digestive problems. Now we try to diet and exercise ourselves into what we deem as “fashionable” shape, which often brings even more serious consequences.

Advances in technology and the rise of mass media have caused normal concerns about how we look to become obsessions. Televisions, billboards, and magazines cause us to see “beautiful people” all the time, more often than our older family members did in their day, making these unrealistic standards of beauty seem both normal and attainable. It is likely that young women now see more images of outstandingly beautiful women in one day than their mothers saw throughout their entire teenage years.

Women these days are in fact trying to achieve the impossible as far as standards of beauty. Standards of female beauty have in fact become progressively more unrealistic during the 20th century. In 1917, the physically perfect woman was about 5′ 4” tall and weighed nearly 140 pounds. Even 25 years ago, top models and beauty queens weighed only 8% less than the average woman, now they weigh 23% less. 

We are constantly bombarded by images telling us how our bodies should look and feel. One of the most difficult aspects of achieving a healthy body image is being able to resist the social pressures around us telling us that are bodies are not good enough. We have to realize that these messages we see in the media are unrealistic and that bodies come in different shapes and sizes.

Categories
Opinion

A/C lacks proper use

By Stefan Ivanovski

Contributing Writer

It’s gorgeous outside. It’s springtime, my favorite time of the year. As the temperatures start to rise, people all over campus and beyond reflexively reach for the air conditioning (AC) control and put the thermostat below 60 F.

I have not yet understood how people decide to use ACs the way they do, especially here in the United States. I spent my summer at the University doing research with the economics department, working most of the time at the library. The temperature outside was around 85-90 F. I would walk outside with a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops. I would get to the library and I would be freezing; I would have to walk outside in order to warm myself up.

I remember asking one of the staff members at the reference desk to turn off the AC, but I was told that some areas cannot be “climate controlled.” Basically, it’s the whole floor or nothing. I wasn’t asking for the AC to be turned off. I was just trying to find at least one logical reason why anyone would turn the temperature down so low, to a temperature that is unbearable for pretty much everyone. I could not find any. Such actions do not follow any economic, environmental or rational logic nor are they healthy.

Keeping the temperature in the range of 68-73 F during hot summers, when it is necessary, instead of below 60 F would make sense. These days, the temperature outside doesn’t top 65 F, so it is best to open the windows and let the smell of spring enter the classrooms. My impression is that it seems to be “socially unacceptable” to open the window when you can “conveniently” turn on the AC and make the temperature “comfortable.” There must be something special about that feeling associated with turning the temperature knob. The HVAC is probably filled with dust, allergens, bacteria and mold, only making indoor air quality worse, using more money. Why would you pay for something when you can get something better for free?

I do understand that humidity is a big issue over the summer, and I am not advocating to stop the use of ACs, but I am calling for smarter use. The University can save some money through relying more on natural ventilation throughout most of the year, like now, rather than solely ACs.

For thousands of years, man has constructed houses in hostile environments, hot and cold, dry and humid, and has still managed to control indoor temperature without the use of technology or energy. For example, in the south of Spain, in most cities and towns, multi-story houses are constructed around narrow streets. This helps create shadows and keeps the sun away, which generates a nice cool climate indoors. Simple engineering and respect for environmental process goes a long way. My point is that we have to adapt to natural conditions and question “socially acceptable” habits such as the unnatural use of ACs.

Let’s try to enjoy the smell of spring from the comfort of our rooms, classrooms and offices: it isn’t too much to ask.

Thank you for your time and enjoy the spring.

Categories
Opinion

Technology consumes our generation

By Connor Small

Writer

With the rise of new technologies, such as the smartphone, iPad and various social media sites, it sometimes feels as if being connected easily is quickly becoming less of a novelty and more of a necessity. Even right now as I write this, I have my Facebook and Twitter accounts open in the background, and I just got a text from my mom asking how my day was. Lately, it seems reality is viewed through a monitor rather than my own two eyes.

It’s unavoidable; the world has shrunk as a result of increased technological connectivity. I can go on my computer and find just about any piece of information I want from the first page of results provided by Google, and that doesn’t even scratch the surface. Think hard: when was the last time you clicked that little blue number two at the bottom of Google’s search results? And it’s not only that, as Google will auto-search as you type and show you results in real time. In my opinion, this increase in technology has lead to an inflated sense of instant gratification among people of our generation.

I sometimes find myself frustrated when it takes more than 10 seconds for a website to load, and I will spend hours at a time on Facebook. This growing independence on instant connectivity just seems unhealthy to me. If this weren’t enough, I can’t go more than 20 minutes without having some sort of buzz or ping emanating from my phone. It’s a stretch to call mobile devices phones anymore, as one can simultaneously access email, play Temple Run and look up the name of that actor whose name is on the tip of your tongue, all the while listening to music or talking on the phone.

Technology usage has also taken over social interactions. Next time you’re walking through campus, stop, take a look around and count the number of people with their noses pressed to their phones. Texting has become the main form of communication these days; my mom seems to be the only one who actually calls me. A large chunk of my daily interactions occur through Facebook, Twitter or text messaging, and unfortunately, many people have come to base their self worth off of how many notifications they receive on each site. For crying out loud, even some colleges and employers accept a candidate based on a Facebook profile.

In my opinion, technology that was once meant to make our lives easier has bred a generation that has their fingers stuck to their phones, frustrated when their device fails. If I see one more status update resembling “I have so much homework, but I can’t get off Facebook,” I might scream. And God help us if a printer breaks. I think what we all need to do is take a step back, turn our devices off and smell the fresh air for once.

Categories
News

KDR recolonizes on campus, excited for fall recruitment

By Amanda Ayers and Christina Oddo

News Editor and Writer

After spending the last four years absent from the University’s campus, the Iota Chapter of Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity will be re-opening its doors this fall. 
The National Fraternity of Kappa Delta Rho and the Iota Alumni Corporation are excited to bring back a community that eagerly challenges every member and encourages character and honor, as well as the needs of society. There are currently three official members — Dotun Odewale ’13, Mohammad Karam ’13, and Sviatoslav Lesko ’13 — and the fraternity is looking for two more upperclassmen to extend offers of membership to in order move forward into formal recruitment in the fall. This fraternity’s recruitment will be no different from any other Greek organization’s. 
“So far, it’s going really well,” Hensley Akiboh, the KDR Educational Leadership Instructor on campus, said. “[The University] has been really helpful in providing me resources to get in contact with students, like the IFC. It was very helpful with all the things I’m trying to accomplish. Things are looking really bright and I’m confident in the progress we’ve made so far.”
The KDR Board of Directors made the decision on behalf of the KDR Alumni Corporation to force the chapter to vacate its house entering spring semester 2008. There had been concerns for several years regarding lack of compliance with national KDR and University policies and standards as well as Union County sanitation standards. When the temporary suspension of housing privileges did not fix the problems, the chapter was then officially suspended in January 2009 for a minimum of four years.
According to an article from the University’s website dated January 9, 2009, “We had hoped that the temporary suspension of house privileges and direct support and assistance of concerned alumni last spring would reform those behaviors,” [former President Brian C.] Mitchell said. “Unfortunately that effort proved unsuccessful.”
The former KDR house was demolished this past fall to provide a location to the “Academic West” project.  A new “Affinity House” on South Campus will be available for the fraternity’s use. The students chosen to represent the fraternity as Founding Fathers will be living in the newly built house.
“It’s a beautiful house and we’re very excited to have that up there and be moving in next year,” Akiboh said.
KDR currently has a strong alumni support group, including many Board of Trustees members; with this support the national organization has high hopes for the re-colonization. Akiboh has been present on campus this spring with hopes of developing energy and interest for the new KDR. He will be living on campus next semester to ensure the re-colonization process runs smoothly. 
Other currently active Greek organizations are excited for the chapter to return to campus.  The Interfraternity Council will be a main resource to the chapter as it enters a pivotal time in its history.
“[IFC] is excited to welcome KDR’s chapter back on Bucknell’s campus. It will require hard work to reinstate this organization as successfully as possible,” Pat Zailckas ’13, President of [IFC], said. “I look forward to working closely with Hensley and the reinstating members of KDR for the remainder of this semester in order to prepare for the whirlwind that is fall recruitment.”
Kevin Foster, Assistant Director of Resident Life and Fraternity Affairs will also be critical to KDR’s re-colonization efforts as a liaison between the fraternity and the University.
“We have been working with alumni and representative from their National Headquarters since the end of last semester to help with the process,” Foster said.
Foster also noted his office’s enthusiasm for the positive impact KDR will have across campus.
“Anytime a new group comes to a campus it tends to push the current groups in a positive way and spark new energy for students who might not have considered joining a fraternity prior.”
Representatives will be back on campus twice this month to make sure that the founding and potential new members are educated and aware of the organization.  For more information, explore KDR’s national website at kdr.com or the chapter’s website at iota.kdr.com.
Categories
News

Brigade to go barefoot for Managua clinic

By Ali Napoli

Contributing Writer

The Bucknell Brigade is sponsoring University participation in TOMS Shoes’ international event One Day Without Shoes on Tuesday, April 10. In Lewisburg, the goal of the event is to raise awareness and benefit a health clinic the Brigade established in Nueva Vida, Nicaragua. Participants are encouraged to spend all day without shoes.
“We hope that students will go without shoes on, regardless of the weather, in recognition of all the people in this world who have to go every day of their lives without shoes,” said Katie McAvoy ’13, one of the event organizers. 
The Brigade will be selling long-sleeved t-shirts that read “Barefoot for Nica” in the days leading up to the event. The money raised will go directly to the health clinic in Nueva Vida to cover utilities and doctors’ and nurses’ salaries.
“This day allows the Brigade to spread awareness of the extreme poverty that exists in Nicaragua and around the world. Traveling to Nicaragua and seeing the children running barefoot in the streets raised my awareness of the things we commonly take for granted, such as shoes. My hope is that all the participants in the Day Without Shoes will come away with a similar feeling,” Zach Kopelman ’13 said.
TOMS  participates in the “One for One Movement,” so the company matches every pair of TOMS bought for personal usage with another pair for a child in need. TOMS has given pairs of shoes to more than 20 diverse countries ranging from Peru to South Africa.
The Brigade visits Nicaragua twice annually and first sponsored this event on campus three years ago.