Feliz Cinco de Mayo
What’s your favorite south-of-the-border restaurant?
Against popular American belief, today is not Mexico’s Independence Day. Today commemorates the outnumbered Mexican army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is a day to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture. Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16.
THE BG NEWS
Reverend’s (Chico’s): 9% El Zarape: 54% Q’doba: 12% Chipotle: 4% Cinco de Mayo: 9% Taco Bell: 12% Poll was taken online and is not scientific.
Check out more polls at http://bgviewsnetwork.com/food/
ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Tuesday
Funding cut for student organizations across campus
TOSSING THE PIG SKIN
May 5, 2009
Volume 103, Issue 152
CAMPUS
WWW.BGVIEWS.COM
Architecture program makes a comeback
The current economic downturn has left SBC allocating less money to student groups
The University is hoping to develop its architecture program so that it can compete with other universities in the state | Page 3
By Courtney Flynn Reporter
of money the administration has decided to allocate to all student organizations. The funds used for Funding is down in all areas at the student organization funding are University and the Student Budget from a percentage of the general Committee has not been excluded fee students pay, Wolf said. from losing funding and cutting “We are given a set number of student organizations’ funding for funds which we can allocate at the the 2009-2010 school year. beginning of the year,” Wolf said. There are over 300 student This year the SBC received fundorganizations registered with the ing requests totaling about $1.2 Office of Campus Activities, and of million, but only has $400,000 that, about 186 applied for fund- in funds to allocate for the next ing for the 2009-2010 school year, school year, Wolf said. said Philip Wolf, Student Budget “Our goal was to be as transparCommittee co-chair. ent and fair as possible,” Wolf said. The SBC is a recommending The organizations that saw the body of 11 students which allo- most significant cuts in funding for cates funds based on the amount the next year and will see an even
FORUM
Delayed trains and theft
While traveling around Austria, travel Columnist Alison Kemp experienced delayed travels and robbery | Page 4
With summer comes boring television
Columnist Marisha Pietrowski discusses the lackluster television schedule that comes along every summer | Page 4
WORLD
Still leaving in June
SPORTS PEOPLE ON THE STREET WEATHER
The Falcon golf team finished poorly at the MAC Tournament, placing eighth out of nine | Page 6
What do you think is the biggest distraction while driving?
CHELSEA LYONS Sophomore, Education
“Guys running with their shirts off.” | Page 4
TODAY Partly Cloudy High: 70, Low: 48
TOMORROW PM Showers High: 73, Low: 56
ALAINA BUZAS | THE BG NEWS
A WELL-DESERVED BREAK: Freshmen Collin Westine and Scott Shaffer take a break from studying for their finals to play some football outside Founders yesterday afternoon.
By Allison Borgelt Reporter
Year ends badly for BG golf
See FUNDING | Page 2
TIME TO OTE University seeks money for internships and co-ops
The Iraqi prime minister has decided against allowing U.S. troops to remain in Iraq after the withdrawal deadline of June 30 | Page 8
larger cut for the following year, are the organizations associated with the musical arts. There are about 13 musical student organizations that will receive partial funding for next year and nothing for the 2010 to 2011 school year, Wolf said. These music student organizations are losing funding because they are associated with an academic class. The SBC policy states that student organizations associated with a class shall not receive funding from the SBC because the col-
Students may be offered an increased number of internship and co-op opportunities beginning next year if the University succeeds in attaining grant monies from the Choose Ohio First Coop/Internship Program. The University will be sending a Request for a Proposal (RFP) to the state May 8 in order to apply for an Experiential Learning Impact Grant of approximately $3 million for the 2009-2010 academic year, according to Barry Piersol, assistant to the dean and director of co-ops in the College of Technology who helped write the RFP and served on the University’s Co-op/Internship Task Force. “Through this grant, we are going to touch more students in making them aware of the opportunities that lay outside of the classroom
that will assist them in their selection of their careers and full time employment after graduation,” Piersol said. “Our goal is to double the number of internships and coops in the next five years.” Prior to the completion of the RFP, a Co-op/Internship Task Force was appointed in November to review co-op and internship programs at the University and develop “recommendations for the vision and administration of the co-op/internship component of academic programs,” according to the Task Force’s Final Report, which was sent March 25 to Mark Gromko, interim vice president for academic affairs and provost, and Edward Whipple, vice president for student affairs. Recommendations were offered by the Task Force “to support future
See GRANT | Page 2
THIS WEEK’S CITY COUNCIL MEETING
(Compiled by City Editor Kristen Vasas. Next meeting: May 18) Action: a resolution was adopted transferring previously appropriated funds within the finance committee. Vote: 7-0 Action: a resolution was adopted authorizing the filing of a four-year capital and operating plan with the Ohio Department of Transportation. Vote: 7-0 Action: an ordinance was adopted authorizing municipal administrator John Fawcett to sign a contract with the International Association of Firefighters. Vote: 7-0 Action: a resolution was adopted authorizing Mayor Quinn to file an application with the U.S. Department of Justice for the purpose of acquiring financial assistance from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Formula program. Vote: 7-0 Action: an ordinance was adopted authorizing Utilities Director Kevin Maynard to contract with the northwestern water and sewer district for an additional 25,000 gallon per day increase in the wholesale water supply contract. Vote: 7-0 Action: an ordinance was adopted
authorizing Utilities Director Kevin Maynard to enter into a contract with Infilco Degremont for the repair and rehabilitation of the water treatment plant accelerators. Vote: 7-0 Action: an ordinance was adopted authorizing Utilities Director Kevin Maynard to enter into a contract with GIS Landmark for the sewer manhole GPS project. Vote: 7-0 Registered voters will have the opportunity to vote on two ballot issues today: - The Bowling Green City School District wants a new 1 percent income tax to fund school operating expenses. If passed, it will commence in 2010 and last five years. - The city of Bowling Green will be deciding whether texting or talking on a cell phone while in a vehicle will be outlawed. However, no primary election will take place for city council positions in Bowling Green because neither political party filed more than one candidate for each position. The election between the Republican and Democratic candidates will take place in November 2009.
The cell phone ban to be voted on today could cost talkative drivers up to $150 if caught By Freddy Hunt Editor-in-Chief
Talk too much on the cell phone and expect a fee from the service provider. Talk at all while driving through the city of Bowling Green and chatty drivers could expect a $150 fine from city. Today, Bowling Green voters have the chance to vote on an ordinance that would ban the use of cell phones while operating a vehicle. The ordinance was voted on the ballot by city council in mid-April. City Councilman Bob McOmber said the ban was proposed based on a national and international trend. Five states — California, Connecticut, Washington, New York and New Jersey — and nearly 45 countries have initiated a cell phone ban for vehicle operators, McOmber said. Some states, like Ohio, allow local governments to decide on an ordinance. Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit, Santa Fe, N.M., and Philadelphia are some major cities that have adopted a city-wide ban. Cleveland passed a ban on text messaging while driving last month. The first city in the country to pass a ban on cell phone use while behind the wheel was Brooklyn, Ohio, in 1999 — not a surprise coming from the safety conscious city that also passed the first mandatory seatbelt ordinance. Both laws are proudly showcased to passersby on
THE CELL PHONE BAN ■ Would ban dialing, listening,
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talking, texting or inputting information into phone device while operating a vehicle Emergency situations, parked vehicles and handsfree devices are exempt Signs about the ordinance would be posted at city limits Would not be enforced on 1-75 Would be a primary offense with a penalty up to $150
signage at the city’s major entrances. During the first year Brooklyn enacted the law, violators barely received a slap on the wrist. If offenders weren’t let off the hook with a warning, Brooklyn City Councilwoman Cathy Puccie said they were issued a fine of only $3. “When we passed it we didn’t look at it as a penalty,” she said, “we looked at it as a way to educate people of the hazard of driving while on the telephone.” A grace period to educate drivers of the ordinance would be the likely protocol in Bowling Green if the ordinance passes, said Lt. Tony Hetrick, of the Bowling Green Police Division. “It’s not uncommon for us to pro-
See CELL PHONE | Page 2
If passed, the city school levy will raise taxes that will help ‘maintain the school district’s financial stability’ By Lin Chafetz Reporter
THE SCHOOL LEVY ■ Levy would increase income tax
fee for city schools from one-half One of the issues voters in Bowling percent to 1 percent Green will be voting on today is the ■ Last school levy passed was in city school levy. 2005 Rhonda Melchi, treasurer of ■ Bowling Green City Schools Bowling Green City Schools, said if was one of four school districts the levy passes it will raise the income in Wood and Lucas counties to tax fee for the city schools from one earn a perfect score out of 30 half percent to one percent. categories. “The money will go towards the operation of the school systems,” ■ 162 Ohio school districts have a she said. “We are projecting a deficit levy on the ballot today. in the next few years.” The last time Bowling Green had a school levy passed was in 2005. 1998, and we have to deal with inflaHugh Caumartin, superintendent of tion,” he said. “The only place we Bowling Green City Schools, said can find that money is locally.” it’s customary for school districts Caumartin said he hopes the levy, to have a levy on a ballot every few if passed, will help maintain the years. “In Bowling Green we haven’t See SCHOOL | Page 3 received any extra state money since
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