The Mace & Crown Preview Issue 2007

By Mary VerserMace & Crown

The Board of Visitors has voted: No hazing allowed.

As of April 6, Old Dominion Uni-versity’s Board of Visitors has revised the school’s hazing policy. This is the fourth revision to the hazing policy since 1981.

The policy was narrowed down to more simplified, understandable terms. During the meeting there was considerable discussion between the legal jargon and the importance of a student’s ability to clearly understand the policy.

Associate general counsel James Wright wanted to revise the hazing policy so that it would reflect more of an “educational approach to the expectations of standards of student behavior.”

In the revised policy, all 11 examples of hazing were marked out.

The definition of hazing was sum-marized as, “…acts which a rea-sonable person would perceive as humiliating, physically uncom-fortable or which results in bodily injury or public ridicule are pro-hibited.”

In addition, the committee requested that the vice president for student affairs provide the committee with the process and procedures for notifying students and student groups of the revised policy.

The committee also requested that the vice president provide a report at the meeting in June on the number and type of hazing incidents on campus over the years.

Some question, however, if frater-nities and sororities will still haze.

“I believe the new hazing policy is a good idea, but will organizations still

haze—yes,” said a former member of the sorority Delta Zeta. “They will find some way to get around it, or do it so no one finds out.”

“There was a hazing policy instilled prior to this one and it still occurred,” the former sorority sister explained. “I do not think that hazing new members proves any-thing because there are other ways that they can prove themselves; like passing tests and learning the history of the fraternity or sorority in more detail than already required.”

mverser@maceandcrown.com

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CAMPUSNEWS

Crystal TubbsMace & Crown

Visual Art students are saying that its department is in need of serious repair and one student has attempted to get some answers from university officials.

William Conlu, a senior majoring in graphic design, stated three major issues with the department in recent e-mails to Robert Fenning, the vice president for administration and finance: supplies, building quality and classes.

“The reason for this e-mail is to create awareness and enact a course of action to change the poor conditions in the Visual Arts building, as well as offer more classes for major and minor requirements,” said Conlu in his e-mail to Fenning.

In his e-mail, Conlu expressed that every year staff request the need for supplies such as printers and every year their requests are denied.

“It took, I believe, three years to finally get approved for a new laser printer, which we probably won’t get till 2008,” said Conlu.

Not only are new supplies an issue, but the building itself is one,

according to students.“The building is outdated and

has no qualities of being a creative working environment for students,” said Conlu.

According to Conlu, even the tables and chairs are so old that they have become unstable, difficult to work with and “are worn down.”

The classes offered to students are very limited, said Conlu. According to Conlu, there are currently about 50 students competing to register for one class, which is mandatory for graduation and only holds 15 students.

In addition to limited classes, art students pay extra fees to take studio classes, yet have no idea where that money goes, Conlu added.

“We have no idea where that money is spent due to the fact that there are so many problems that have yet to be solved,” Conlu said.

According to Conlu, Fenning did respond to his accusations that the Visual Art department is being ignored by the university.

“I wanted to respond to you quickly- first to provide some information on what is already underway relative to larger and newer space, and second to suggest how you and other

students could communicate your instructional issues within the college and university,” wrote Fenning in his e-mail response to Conlu.

According to Fenning, the department agreed last year to relocate to a renovated space in the village, although this space has not yet been designed or funded.

This future development would include a renovation to the Art Studio building and the 47th Street warehouse.

“This space would be supplemented by connecting the two buildings and using an enclosed area between for studios for sculpture, metals, etc.,”explained Fenning. “The vacated Visual Arts building would itself be totally renovated and connected to Hughes Hall as a re-programmed area for additional classrooms, faculty offices and other support areas.”

This project has been submitted for consideration in the Commonwealth’s next Biennial Budget (Fy2008-2010). According to Fenning, it is the university’s second highest priority ahead of a new engineering and research building.

When it came to class issues and building concerns, Fenning forwarded a copy of his e-mail to the Dean of

the college to explain whether it was space or faculty limitations, and the Facilities Management department to do a walk through of the facilities to determine structural issues.

Fenning also stated in his e-mail

that he would look at current or delayed work orders.

“Either way, we’ll get to it,” Fenning said.

ctubbs@maceandcrown.com

Painting a better future for Visual Arts department

Carley rehberg / MaCe & Crown

Student Lindsay Willard, sitting in a broken chair in the art department.

No hazing allowed on campus

The Mace & Crown Preview Issue 200710

By Crystal TubbsMace & Crown

Old Dominion University is the first in the state to develop a hazard mitigation plan with the help of a grant from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

According to the office of uni-versity relations, the plan is modeled after a university guide published in 2003 by the Federal Emergency Man-

agement Agency. The plan is broken down into two major parts that are already completed, which are the draft of the Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and the Mitigation Strategy.

“The main purpose of this plan is to assess the campus for weaknesses,” said Assistant Chief of Police Rudolph Burwell.

With this grant money, the uni-versity had inspectors and assessors survey the campus and determine which buildings are most vulnerable

to hazards. This plan recommends solutions to eliminate, minimize or manage the effects of natural disasters such as hurricanes and flooding, as well as manmade hazards like fires and terrorism.

Now that these two major portions have been the completed, the draft was submitted to the VDEM and FEMA for approval.

“This grant provides an important opportunity to focus upon reducing ODU’s vulnerability to hazardous events,” said Robert L. Fenning,

vice president for administration and finance. “When coupled with our current emergency plans and recovery procedures, this plan enables the campus to better protect itself from future disasters.”

To help develop this plan, the office of public safety assembled an advisory committee, made up of uni-versity personnel and a company called Dewberry, to consult on emer-gency management.

“A key ingredient in developing a successful plan involves committed and competent people,” said Burwell, who managed the project for ODU. “Each member contributed signifi-cantly to every phase of this plan to ensure a successful outcome and we

have forged stronger and lasting part-nerships throughout our community.”

According Burwell these safety measures should not cost the students. If the plan is approved it is possible that the university will receive more grant money to execute the plan they have created.

“The plan is not yet approved but we are confident it will be,” said Burwell.

ODU students could start seeing developments and improvements sometime next year.

ctubbs@maceandcrown.com

New hazard mitigation planstrengthens Emergency Safety

The following are some the proposed goals of ODU’s plan:

- Update emergency operations plan to reflect current conditions and ensure compliance with the National Management System standards, with emphasis on evacuation plans.

-Recruit and train Campus Emergency Response Teams to respond to disasters on campus.

- Create a generator purchase plan that prioritizes residence halls, research facilities and critical administrative support building. The plan should also insure that the buildings have the hook-ups installed.

-Conduct bi-annual exercise and simulations with students, faculty, staff and emergency response teams.

-Upgrade older structures with automatic sprinkler systems and fire alarms connected to a central dispatch, emphasizing multi-story buildings and dormitories.

CAMPUSNEWS