July 1, 2011 I Volume 107, Issue 58 Cedar Falls, Iowa I northern-iowan.orgFRIDAYthe university of northern iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892

New York’s Historical Vote 3Panther Portraits 2

Northern IowanNorthern IowanTwo UNI colleges to merge this week

As of Friday, July 1, the University of Northern Iowa’s College of Natural Sciences and College of Humanities and Fine Arts will no longer exist. Instead, UNI will combine the two to form the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (CHAS). According to a press release, the consolidation was the result of rec-ommendations made by Executive Vice-President and Provost Gloria Gibson. “The time was right to bring these colleges together with the goal of developing new, integrated programs that will serve the needs of our students and the state,” said Gibson. Joel Haack, the dean of both CNS and CHFA during the 2010-2011 aca-demic year, will serve as the dean of CHAS during the 2011-2012 year as well. Haack expressed his sup-port for the merger. “Many universities have a college of arts and sciences, so most faculty members have taught at or been educated at institu-tions where the humanities, arts and sciences are in a common college,” com-mented Haack. Haack continued by pointing out that the merger will provide the faculty and students with opportunities that would

not be possible otherwise. For example, the shared resources of the combined colleges will do more than either college could accom-plish individually. Haack also addressed some potential minor prob-lems that may arise and how they will be solved. “There’s certainly dif-ferences in the way things were or are done in the two colleges, but both empha-size the learning of the UNI students and work-ing with them on schol-arly activities,” said Haack, drawing on his experiences as dean of both colleges during the past academic

year. He believes there will be no major impediments as long as everyone keeps the goals of the university and college in mind. Haack also commented on some possible problems that could occur at the uni-versity level. “We will need a change in mindset regarding the distribution of resources to the colleges,” explained Haack. “In the past, we were able to consider all the colleges as roughly the same size when it came to dividing up resources, providing representation on committees in faculty governance, etc. The new

CHAS will teach over 40 percent of the credit hours at UNI and employ over 40 percent of the faculty members.” However, Haack said these challenges have been able to be addressed as they’ve arisen and has no doubt that they will con-tinue to be resolved in the future. “During the course of the last year and a half, a college merger steering committee, chaired by pro-fessors Betty DeBerg and Cliff Chancey, led a col-leges-wide series of merg-ing and working groups that have shared their

wisdom and experience in thinking about the merger issues,” said Haack. “We’ll be working to implement their ideas in the coming year.” Corey Cooling, a sopho-more philosophy and phys-ics double major, shared his thoughts on the merger.

“I was kind of disap-pointed that my two majors used to be from separate colleges, but now are from the same college, though the only real difference is how they’d look on my wall, I guess,” said Cooling, the Noehren Hall senator in the Northern Iowa Student Government. “From what I under-

By BLAKE FINDLEYStaff Writer

Courtesy Photo/NI NEWS SERVICELeft: Executive Vice-President and Provost Gloria Gibson, whose recommendation led to the merging of UNI’s College of Natural Sciences and College of Humanities and Fine Arts into the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (CHAS). Right: Joel Haack, who will serve as the dean of CHAS during the 2011-2012 year

Truly, there will be little impact directly on student in terms of their present major programs. Those are typically departmentally based, so should continue as before. I do think there will be increased opportunities for inter-and multi-disciplinary programs and courses.

“

Dean of College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences

Joel Haack

See MERGE, page 4

A frequently used pedestrian bridge cross-ing Hudson Road on the University of Northern Iowa campus will get a face-lift over the next year. The bridge, which con-nects the Communication Arts Center and Kamerick

Art Building with the UNI-Dome and McLeod Center, has been the subject of safety concerns recently. “When we get snow and ice on that surface, it gets very slippery. So we’re looking at what we can put on the surface to address that slipperiness, that’s not going to (come) off the first time we shovel it,” said

Dean Shoars, the director of the UNI Physical Plant. “A few years back, we resurfaced the whole thing and it lasted for a short while, but it’s in need of repair again,” said Morris Mikkelsen, associate vice president of facilities plan-ning. Shoars noted that exces-sive slipperiness is a prob-

lem even when the bridge is simply wet from rain and his department gets “a fair number of complaints” about the condition of the bridge in inclement weath-er. He said the university is looking to more proac-tively address accessibility problems across campus for those with physical dis-abilities.

“I sit on the coordinat-ing committee for disability accommodations, so every-body helps me get perspec-tive of what the issues are,” Shoars said. “We try to work really hard to get input and (the committee) has been a great organiza-tion to channel some input

By KARI BRAUMANNEditorial Staff

Updates coming to UNI pedestrian bridgeSafety concerns to be addressed

See BRIDGE, page 4

The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892

2FeaturesFriday, July 1, 2011 I Volume 107, Issue 58 I Cedar Falls, Iowa I northern-iowan.org

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Friday, July 1st, 2011 Volume 107, Issue 58

Et ceteraThe Northern Iowan is published semi-weekly on Tuesday and Friday during the academic year; weekly on Friday during the summer session, except for holidays and examination periods, by the University of Northern Iowa, L011 Maucker Union, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0166 under the aus-pices of the Board of Student Publications.

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PANTHER PORTRAITS:Student Organization Fair

More than 2,000 new students are participating in orientation sessions through July 12 at the University of Northern Iowa. Part of this orientation includes a student organization fair, at which new students learn about all the different student organizations on campus and sign up for more information. This particular fair took place on June 20.

Left: A new student talks with her parents as she looks at the information for a student organization.

Bottom right: Students and their parents mill around the student organization fair, looking at and discussing the different booths.

Bottom left: UNI students tell the parents of an incoming students about the Interpreters Theatre and Performance Studies.

TEHRENE FIRMAN/Northern IowanTEHRENE FIRMAN/Northern Iowan

TEHRENE FIRMAN/Northern Iowan

3OpinionFriday, July 1, 2011 I Volume 107, Issue 58 I Cedar Falls, Iowa I northern-iowan.org

SportsFriday, July 1, 2011 I Volume 107, Issue 58 I Cedar Falls, Iowa I northern-iowan.org

New York’s historical vote

The College World Series just isn’t the same at TD Ameritrade Park

Brad’s Sports Blurb

See BLURB, page 4

The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892

A vote heard around the world and across the news media rang proudly last Friday night, June 24 – a simple little vote that held the world upon its shoul-ders. The New York State Senate voted to legalize same-sex marriage in the state. Marriage equality is a very touchy subject to many people. This couldn’t have been more evident as New York legislators slaved over the wording used to outline marriage equal-ity in their state. Working long hours, they opened up the definition of mar-riage equality and made it inclusive to all committed couples. The new bill, which I find rather innovative toward all sides, provides for sup-porters and opponents of marriage equality alike. Protections were put into

place to prevent churches and religious groups from becoming targets if they choose to deny mar-riage to same sex par tn er s. Still, same-sex part-ners are fully able under the law, as they should be, to marry each other once the bill takes effect in late July. F i r s t off, I would like to say congratu-lations to New York for becom-ing the sixth, and largest, state to legalize same sex mar-riage. This step will indu-

bitably pave the way for more states to reconsider their previous rulings on

laws that are downright unconstitutional. I hope more states will follow in

the footsteps of New York and forge similar compro-mises involving lawmakers

on either side of the aisle. Personally, this new law really makes me feel good about the country I live in. For too long, laws ban-ning marriage equality have forced people who deserve the same rights as everyone else to hide their true identities and ambitions. I can-not fathom the ideas that were used to create these unjust laws. The last time I checked, Iowa is still

standing, hasn’t gone to hell in a hand basket and manages to produce

a healthy crop of corn despite the legalization of same sex marriage. What this boils down to is this: You have every right to maintain your per-sonal beliefs, religious or otherwise. What you do not have the right to do is deny others their own rights because of an out-rageous and downright stupid idea that granting those rights will somehow destroy our country. New York set the prec-edent, along with the other states before it, for what is correct and just in our soci-ety. The United States of America is the land of the free. Let’s not undermine that by allowing discrimi-natory laws to stand.

By BRANDON POLLManaging Editor

Courtesy Photo/MCT CAMPUS/Human Rights Campaign

New York became the sixth state to allow same-sex marriage, joining Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont.

Share your opinion about New York’s historical vote at w w w . n o r t h e r n -i o w a n . o r g

The 2011 men’s College World Series National Championship just got underway Monday night with the University of South Carolina Gamecocks taking the first game in a best-of-three series against the University of Florida Gators. This year’s CWS has been filled with upsets, feel-good stories, heartbreak, thrilling finishes and unbe-lievable plays. However, it just doesn’t feel the same

at the new $131 million TD Ameritrade Park locat-ed in downtown Omaha, Neb. The new 35,000-seat facility is state-of-the-art and was supposed to make the transition from the old Rosenblatt Stadium an easy one for college baseball fans. Rosenblatt, which is located just three miles away on the east end of the city, was home to the CWS for 60 years and to some pretty historic CWS moments. However, in 2008, Omaha mayor Mike

By BRAD EILERSSports Editor

Courtesy Photo/MCT CAMPUS/Gerry Melendez

TD Ameritrade Park (pictured above) replaced Rosenblatt Stadium this year as the home of the men’s College World Series.

PAGE 4 Friday, July 1, 2011 I northern-iowan.org

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Friday, July 1, 2011 I Volume 107, Issue 58 I Cedar Falls, Iowa I northern-iowan.org

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Help wanted. Tony’s Pizzaria downtown Main Street. Hiring servers, cooks, and drivers. Go to www.277tony.com. Fill out appli-cation and mention the Northern Iowan

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CorrectionsThe article “UNI Museum features prehistoric artifacts uncovered in Cedar Falls” on the second page of the June 24, 2011 edition of The Northern Iowan mistakenly reported that the life-size wigwam on display is an artifact from the Office of the State Archaeologist. It is actually a replica, built by UNI Museums and the Hartman Reserve staff. The Northern Iowan regrets this error.

The Northern Iowan welcomes all comments, suggestions and complaints about errors that warrant correction. These mes-sages can be emailed to north-ern-iowan@uni.edu.

stand, it won’t affect the average student directly, but I’m sure the faculty will definitely be affected, and when administrators and other faculty are asked to cover more ground, that could create a trickle-down effect,” Cooling noted. “Until we see a real focus on education in this state, I’m afraid this is only the start of things to come.” Haack also discussed what the merger will mean for students in either col-lege.

“Truly, there will be little impact directly on students in terms of their present major programs. Those are typically depart-mentally based, so should continue as before,” he said. “I do think there will be increased opportunities for inter- and multidisciplinary programs and courses.” A few of the examples cited by Haack include an enhancement of programs and coursework in diver-sity, sustainability and the first-year experience; a curriculum proposal for an Interactive Digital Studies major; and a course in cos-mology, which would be a joint effort of faculty mem-bers from the Philosophy, World Religions and Earth Science departments. “I believe UNI will ben-efit from having a strong College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences,” con-cluded Haack.

MERGEcontinued from page 1

I was kind of disap-pointed that my two majors used to be from separate col-leges, but now are from the same col-lege, though the only real difference is how they’d look on my wall, I guess.

“

Noehren Hall senatorCorey Cooling

Fahey made a public rec-ommendation for a new downtown stadium and the future demolition of Rosenblatt Stadium. The old 23,000-seat stadium may have been outdated and in need of a makeover, but so are Wrigley Field and Fenway Park and you don’t see the Chicago Cubs or Boston Red Sox preparing to tear down their historic base-ball landmarks. While col-lege baseball may not be as popular as other college sports such as football and basketball, be assured that Rosenblatt Stadium was one of the most hallowed stadiums in all of college athletics. I am proud to say that I got to experience the CWS on four separate occasions at Rosenblatt Stadium in my brief 22-year lifetime and it ranks near the top of my list as far as the best sporting events I have ever attended. The tailgat-ing outside Rosenblatt tops any pre-game atmosphere I have ever experienced. There were food and cloth-ing vendors lining the street for blocks, not to mention the thousands of passionate baseball fans that traveled hundreds or

even thousands of miles to support their teams. While I didn’t get a chance to go to Omaha this summer and take in the sights and sounds of the new stadium for myself, I have had a chance to read plenty of articles about it, and most of them have been negative to say the least. One article mentioned how all the street vendors that used to line 13th Street across from Rosenblatt have been replaced at TD Ameritrade Park by corpo-rate tents and large busi-nesses. Another mentioned how the new stadium felt like a Major League ballpark as opposed to Rosenblatt’s perfect college atmosphere. Over time I’m sure that TD Ameritrade Park will grow on me as it will with other college baseball fans. However, I don’t believe I will ever be able to say it has a better atmosphere than what Rosenblatt Stadium had when it host-ed the CWS because the CWS at Rosenblatt truly was America’s pastime at its finest.

BLURBcontinued from page 3

as far as what (the concerns are).” The resurfacing of the bridge is a temporary step before a planned refur-bishing of the structure that will occur next year. Mikkelsen said that project will begin in the spring of 2012, approximately. When the refurbishing is done, the issue of surface trac-tion will be more fully and permanently addressed.

Both Mikkelsen and Shoars indicated that the refurbishing of the pedes-trian bridge is a top pri-

ority for the university. Mikkelsen said funding for the project “is pretty much in line” despite the university’s tightened bud-get. In this case, allocations from the Department of Transportation for the uni-versity’s institutional roads are available. “(The funds are) not a part of the general fund budget, they’re not any-thing to do with tuition, they’re nothing to do with our operating budget, so I think we’ll be able to do that work,” Mikkelsen explained. Shoars believes the pedestrian bridge is an important project to take on because of its useful-ness to students. “That is a very highly utilized access from across Hudson Road. We like that because if you’re on the pedestrian overpass, you’re not exposing yourself to vehicle traffic at the uncon-trolled intersection,” he explained. “It’s very heavily used during the (athletic) events season – football, volley-ball, basketball. And that’s a good thing,” Shoars con-cluded.

BRIDGEcontinued from page 1

That is a very high-ly utilized access from across Hudson Road. We like that because if you’re on the pedestrian overpass, you’re not exposing yourself to vehicle traffic at the uncontrolled inter-section.

“

Director of the UNI Physical PlantDean Shoars