A recent poll of students at the University of Great Falls shows a consensus that the school is stepping up its rule enforcement for students living in campus housing.
One particular rule causing the outcry is a $100 fine and 20 hours of campus community service for a student getting caught with alcohol.
“I don’t agree with the alcohol rule. First of all, the University of Great Falls requires all student athletes to line in campus housing, and then they tell us what we can and can’t have in our fridge,” said Tom Donnelly, a senior at UGF.
Reid Tramelli, another student said, “I don’t think that the school should have the right to make students live on campus and then make even more money fining the kids who are being forced to live on campus in the first place.”
Another rule states that if a resident assistant finds a candle in a student’s living quarters, that student will receive a $25 fine for each candle.
Another interesting rule is the fact that the university resident assistant can search a student’s vehicle if there is reasonable suspicion, and the definition of reasonable suspicion is never defined in the student handbook.
“I don’t even think the school can legally search your car without a warrant,” said Tramelli, whose dad is a lawyer here in Great Falls.
One more rule of interest states that if a student is caught falling asleep in the lounge while watching television, they can be fined $25.
“How can the school fine someone for falling asleep? I think someone needs to change that rule,” said Donnelly.
Many students have been fined this year and several have even been kicked out of campus housing because of re-occurring alcohol fines.
“I understand that they are just trying to protect us with all the rules, but they don’t need to baby-sit us. We are in college, of course kids are going to drink and party. Its part of the college experience and the university needs to stop trying to stop it because they are never going to succeed,” stated Tramelli.
Big Brother on campus - Mario Rivera
The University of Great Falls has recently installed a set of surveillance cameras around the parking lot at the Villas, a UGF housing complex off campus.
“It’s more for protection of vandalism, just to keep a closer look on people,” said Twila Croft, the dean of students at the university.
The only way students knew about the cameras was two signs posted at the villas stating that “security cameras are recording.”
There was no verbal action or any attempt from the housing staff to acknowledge why the cameras were installed.
Croft said, “The cameras make people less apt to do things if they see cameras.”
It has been seven months since the surveillance cameras have been installed, and the question is, "are they working?"
“We actually have caught some people that have done some acts of vandalism,” said Croft.
Some villa residents didn’t even know about the cameras.
“I didn’t even know about it,” said Albert Jimenez, a sophomore who living his first year in the housing complex.
Jose Duron, a sophomore who is also a first year resident in the villas was also unaware of the cameras.
Duron does not feel safer now that the cameras are up and running. “If someone gets stabbed they just have it on tape, they ain’t helping me out,” said Duron.
Aline Lino, a junior who is in her second year at the villas was aware of the cameras and feels a little safer living there.
Lino said, “I don’t feel like there are enough cameras.”
Not every student feels that the cameras were installed because of security reasons.
First year villa resident Liz Mano said, “I feel like they are good for break-ins, but I also feel like they are using them to get in our business.”
Justin Pizzo, a second year resident at the villas also agrees. “I feel that they are an invasion of privacy. I shouldn’t be monitored, especially if we are living off campus.”
Duron suggests that extra security guards and fewer cameras would prove to be more effective.
Safety at the Villas causes division between UGF students. Sabrina Blajos
The housing requirements for University of Great Falls
All students are required to live in campus housing for three years to promote development of the student life.
Due to the increased student population the University was forced to build two new housing complexes.
The question of who should be allowed to live in the newer, more desirable housing and who should be required to live in the older Villas has caused controversy among the student population.
Upper classmen felt that class stature should take precedence over grade point average to determine the qualifications for living in the newer housing.
The student living department decided that sophomores and up that met the qualifications should be allowed to live in the newer housing.
Problems have been reported at the Villas that are located off of the main campus property on
10th Ave. South
10th Ave. South
A current resident at the Villas Jessika Weber doesn’t understand why the University puts as much effort into the security for the newer housing complex because there hasn’t been anything reported stolen.
Resident Assistant Patrick Neal said that there are patrols of the Villas at all hours of the night.
It has been rumored that there is discussion of closing the Villas because there have been so many complaints.
The University was started in 1932, and the Villas have been in existence since then.
Campus fountain, money down the drain? - Brittney Kramarich
The
There have been mixed feelings about the fountain when students felt the money could have gone to other things that could have better enhanced the school.
Morgan Tucker, a cheerleader, when asked how she felt about the fountain being built replied “Personally I think the fountain is a waste of money. They could have spent the money towards making the school more handicap accessible."
Another student Sabrina Blajos, a Health and Human Performance major, said, “I think that they should have put that money to the athletic department since the majority of the students are athletes.”
Currently the work on the fountain has stopped due to inclement weather.
The fountain at this moment is a sidewalk that is in a circlular shape with mud and dirt piled on the side.
Another student at the University, Juan Piña said, “They should have used the money for something else that really needs it.”
The students that were interviewed seemed to think the fountain money should have been put to a better use.
Some think that the students should have been polled to see whether investing in a fountain would have been beneficial or not.
The fountain is being placed in one of the busiest walk ways on campus so students will have to go around it.
UGF has a bad connection - Petergay Davis
The computer network and systems on the University of Great Falls
Students living in the Emily Hall freshman Dorm building are finding the internet connections unreliable.
A college freshman, Hailey Busby said, “The wireless internet is slow and doesn’t work that well.”
Cortney Millar, a kitchen staff at UGF said, “The computers are slow. I wish they were conducted properly so we don’t have to pass information back and forward by running downstairs all the time.”
Another freshmen, Kim Kasey said that her “Skype does not work well, and it is slow.”
Shane Donaldson said, “The computers in Emily Hall do not work to great, especially on the first floor. I don’t know if there are any routers or if there are enough routers, but the internet is running really slow, the first floor is the worst because of no internet connection.”
Daniel Meeks is a first year college student who shared her thoughts with great expression like a cannon ball shooting out of a cannon, “The internet sucks!”
She further explained, “We have to use our cell phone signals in the hall way in order to use our computers with accessible signal for our internet connection.”
Father Sikora was interviewed about the inside scope and concerns about the poor connections of the computer network it is causing some college students on campus and was ask to explain why a Plaza was being built instead of fixing the computer problems.
Father Sickora, administrative dean at UGF, said, “The money contributed to the school over the years from people who donate funds to the Sisters of Providence Program.”
He also said, “The money for the Providence Plaza
“It is like there is a party one side of the hall way that everyone goes to in order to get the internet,” said Piper Larrence, a non-athlete attending UGF.
Larrence also said, “The internet is not working. The internet connection seems like it is being knocked out room by room. Slowly coming down the hall, and I think we are the next room to have our internet knocked out and not work.”
Although some students and faculties are having trouble with the computer networks on the UGF campus there are others who feel differently.
Emily Busby, a track athlete for the Argos
Finally, Rigoberto Jimenez, a track athlete competing for the Argos
The
Psalms 36:9 “In LumineTuoVidebumis Lumen” being Latin for “With you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light”, which is the Universities motto. Is it wrong for most students to not understand or acknowledge it?
According to the Universities president Eugene J. McAllister In his message he said “ We consider our students to be community members, not customers and take great pride in seeing our students grow as human beings, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually”.
What exactly is the University trying to do that is making their students grow spiritually? The university requires students to take 1 theology class and that is all.
Josh Friesner, a student/athlete at the University of Great Falls University of Great Falls
Pedro Chavez, another student/athlete said “I don’t even believe in religion, I believe in God, but I do not practice my faith because that kind of stuff doesn’t work”
When asked, do you know about some of the religious Bible studies on campus? And if so do you attend them? Miguel Mendez, student/athlete said “I know about 1 and I do not even attend to it so what makes anyone think that I would attend the other ones?”
Danielle Kleint, a student/athlete said “I wish people were more active with their faith on campus because it is difficult to not see very many students attend mass on Sundays on campus. Being a Catholic school you would think that a majority of the student body would be in the chapel on Sundays.
According to Sister Karen Hawkins, UGF’s Campus minister said “I think the hard thing is that when students leave their home did they practice their faith? The University just got a new Chaplain so we’ll see if that changes anything and there will be more opportunities for prayer.”
Also she said “I think there is an Athletics phase that crosses over into the spiritual phase when involving the physical aspect to the subject. Also, Unite invites students and tries to open it up to grow deeper in their faith but it’s hard because you cannot push the students.”
When asked, with UGF being a private catholic university wouldn’t it be fine if you enforced students to attend religious activities such as Unite to grow in their spirituality? St. Hawkins replied “yes when I brought that up in a meeting of about 30 people it made a difference to 1 of them.”
On the student registration sheet prospective students are asked what faith they are. There are 650 present students on campus at UGF, out of them 310 identified themselves as Christian, which is fewer than 50% of the student body. Of the 310 only 175 identified themselves as Catholics.
The private catholic university has a catholic enrollment of only 26%. Why is there only on average 10 students that attend mass on Sunday If 175 identify themselves to be catholic?
School Spirit by Juan Pina
Hi my name is Juan Pina I am a dual student athlete here at the For example, at basketball games the school needs to do a better job at getting people to the games and supporting our school and make it more like a college atmosphere.
"I think that there needs to be more school spirit. The gym is always freezing and the announcers need to pronounce what they are saying in the microphone.
Also I think that our gym is set up so weird. We have a stage in there and there should be more blue and gold but the walls are all white and dull,” said Brittney Kramarich a senior cheerleader majoring in computer science at the
“It had a good student atmosphere, I like it a lot, and as the game went along and went into overtime more people got into the game and got loud which is the type of atmosphere we need at all the games,” said Miguel Mendez, a sophomore soccer player majoring in business at the University of Great Falls.
Sometimes people show support and school spirit but sometimes they don’t, which I think is one of the keys to helping our school out by winning games.
“I feel that the event itself was great it gave me something to do before going out and enjoying the rest of the night,” said Mario Rivera, a senior soccer player majoring in psychology at the
“I like how involved people get in the cheering,” said, Maggie McCall, a junior volleyball player majoring in criminal justice at the
“Well I thought that we played really good and they were really exciting to watch. And the student atmosphere is fun and exciting and loud.”
“Well, it was the best game I’ve been to all year and there was a lot of good effort that I haven’t seen this year,” said Sarah Hambrecht, a freshmen volleyball player major is still undecided at the University of Great Falls.
FACULTY FORUM
An inside look into UGF teachers
Vern Pedersen - Associate professor of History by Brian Dues
Much like the Berlin Wall, Vernon Pedersen’s illusions about American communism, and his friendship with party members, came crashing down after a 1993 research trip to Russia
In 1993, Vernon Pedersen, working on his doctoral thesis, was invited to accompany several scholars on their trip to Russia
Prior his visit to Russia, Pedersen, now head of the History Department at the University of Great Falls, relied on newspaper articles, U.S. congressional records, and his relationship with active Communist Party members as sources of information.
During this time, he was embraced by party members, and was considered a young intellectual sympathetic to the cause of Communism.
According to Pedersen, he was communist in “all but name,” sitting of several boards, and being considered a friend by many Maryland Communist Party leaders.
When John Haynes, 20th century political historian at the Library of Congress, approached Pedersen concerning the opportunity to travel to Russia
“I pleaded with John, and offered to pay my own way, and be their gopher if I was allowed to view the files,” said Pedersen
Pedersen had traveled to Russia
On a guided tour of Russia, Pedersen was shown “only what his guides wanted him to see,” and he came to the conclusion that the Russian Communists were not all “evil bastards” like he had been taught.
When he travelled to Russia
Without fear of repression, the Russian people were free to convey their real thoughts on life in Soviet Russia.
When Pedersen asked why so many people spoke of the greatness of Communism during his earlier trip he was told that “we were lying to you,” while others spoke to 70 years of misery that they were forced to endure.
Pedersen’s access to the Maryland Communist Parties files also changed his perception of the party, and consequently altered the message of his thesis.
Prior to his trip, Pedersen believed the Maryland Party to be operating independently of Russian influence and direction
Pedersen’s research “exposed as lies much of what Maryland
Through his research Pedersen discovered that not only was the Maryland Russia
After Pedersen’s findings were published, his friendship with members of the Maryland Communist Party quickly evaporated.
In an article titled “False Friend Wrote the Book on Backstabbing,” party member Howard Silverberg derides Pedersen’s work as a “tired fantasy” that lacks “sound judgment.”
Silverberg goes on to ask the question “with friends like this, who needs enemies?
Richard Schoyen - Associate professor of Mathematics by Charles Isaak
Richard Schoyen goes to Africa on safari and crosses another item off of his bucket list.
Richard Schoyen, associate professor of mathematics at the University of Great Falls, made it a goal in life to hunt and kill a cape buffalo before he turned 50-years-old.
For years Schoyen read every book and watched every video that he could find that gave information about hunting the cape buffalo before finally booking a safari made available at a Safari Club meeting in 1995 inBillings
Richard Schoyen, associate professor of mathematics at the University of Great Falls, made it a goal in life to hunt and kill a cape buffalo before he turned 50-years-old.
For years Schoyen read every book and watched every video that he could find that gave information about hunting the cape buffalo before finally booking a safari made available at a Safari Club meeting in 1995 in
According to Richard Lewellen, president of the Montana Chapter of the Safari Club International, " We auction hunts each year and use the money for conservation, humanitarian and educational projects".The safari took Schoyen and his partner of 20 years, Ms. Bethalee Wilson on a 7-day hunt to the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, where they joined the safari company owner and a government observer, staying in grass huts at night and hunted during the day.
According to Schoyen , “ In that seven days we shot a buffalo, a Ruku, two impala and a warthog. We hunted for a bushbuck but were unable to locate any.”
When asked whether he was charged by an elephant, he said, “No, but at one point we were on the bank of theLuangwa River
TheLuangwa River
Schoyen has been toAfrica four times, once each in Morocco Egypt South Africa Zambia
The last night of the safari was eventful when an elephant calf wandered into the doorway of their hut clearly visible in the bright moonlight, he said.
They were awakened by the sound of the growling stomach of the elephant calf’s mother as she walked behind their hut looking for her calf.
According to Schoyen , “ In that seven days we shot a buffalo, a Ruku, two impala and a warthog. We hunted for a bushbuck but were unable to locate any.”
When asked whether he was charged by an elephant, he said, “No, but at one point we were on the bank of the
The
Schoyen has been to
The last night of the safari was eventful when an elephant calf wandered into the doorway of their hut clearly visible in the bright moonlight, he said.
They were awakened by the sound of the growling stomach of the elephant calf’s mother as she walked behind their hut looking for her calf.
