Volume Lll, number iz Inside This Issue... 1 ELECTION 2000 NOV. 7 Only two weeks left UNCW holds forum for county office-seekers; vote is November 7/3 Top ei0i( fa Computer Science Computer Engineenng Systems Analysts Database Admimsliatior' slesl groHing occupations. \n% Top Jobs Take a look at the fastest growing occupations this decade/9 Trying to get ahead Women’s soccer loses at home to Richmond 14 INDEX News. OP/ED 6 ■■ — — I I — Features 9 HofoscopewMirawMw*"*****^ ^ Sports .......13 Serving UNC-Wilmington Since 1948 WWW.THESEAHAWK.ORG OCTOBER 24, 2000 Crime report shows increase in crime Heidi Bing News Editor Reports of crimes and arrests on campus increased significantly during 1999, accord ing to the UNCW Police Department’s yeariy report. The report shows a notable increase in alcohol, drug, and weapons-related arrests and reports of bui^ary. “We feel like the crime report is an accu rate representation of crime on campus,” Captain David Donaldson of the UNCWPD said. Donaldson said that the increase in arrests on campus can be attributed in part to an in creased police presence on campus. Property Crimes The crime report cited 44 cases of bur glary, while only 26 incidents were reported in 1998. The report follows the federal defi nition of burglary which is, “the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft. For reporting purposes this includes: unlawful entry with intent to commit a lar ceny or a felony ; breaking and entering with intent to commit a larceny; housebreaking; safecracking; and all attemj)ts to commit any of the aforementioned.” Donaldson said that the majority of these Reported crimes at UNCW, 1998 and 1999 11998 I J1QQQ 150 Burglary Weapons DWi Assault Sourco: “Campus Crimo StBttst/cs." UNCW Rotioo Dmpmrtmont Alcohol Violations burglaries were “crimes of opportunity” that occur in residential areas and involve non- forcible entry when students leave their doors unlocked. He said that most crimes are per petrated by other students and that the po lice expect a significant number of property crimes to occur at the beginning of a new school year. “As the year progresses there have usu ally been enough crimes that people under stand that they need to lock their [property] up,” Donaldson said. “Unfortunately about the time that understanding is reached the Grtfihic Oy Thomas M. Ruyl«/The So> year’s over and 1,300 new fieshmen move in August and the cycle starts again. Its a constant education effort from our end.” Drug and Alcohol Arrests The were 42 alcohol-related arrests in 1999; up from only 26 arrests in 1998. Simi larly, 53 drug arrests were made in 1999 while only 14 were reported in 1998. Donaldson said there were many factors influencing this trend, notably the increasing number of vet eran police ofiicers on the force and an in- 5ee Crime, Page 5 with the response from everyone when she presented her views about the project. “Everyone I talked to was willing to woik on the idea,” Wallace said. Jessica A. Maher, a senior and a member of SGA, is interested in doing something other than another campus beautification project as a gift. She would like to see se niors begin a new tradition of contributing to a “specific philanthropic or social cause.” Seniors voice criticism of senior gift choice Todd Vdlkstorf STAFF WRITER Discussions concerrving the senior class gift, graduation and other senior related is sues took place last Wednesday night in the living room at University Union after criti cism surfaced regarding the proposed senior gift. Senior class President Aaron L. Davis, organized the meeting. The original gift idea was to build a small patio near the commons area, which will have benches, flowers and “UNCW’ written in stone letters. Acconiing to Davis, the ar»a would serve as a place to take photographs. The estimated cost is approximately $30,000. During the Tuesday, Oct. 17 SGA meeting, Davis reported that the idea had been final ized. Some seniors said that the idea is not an appropriate gift, and that very few seniors were involved in the process of selecting it. Rachel S. Wallace, a senior biology ma jor said she did not personally like the idea of another monument on campus. Her big gest concern was that seniors were not in volved in the process. “Decisions were being made without se- niras being a part of it,” Wallace said. She did point out that she was impressed “Decisions were being made without seniors being a part of it.” -Senior Rachel Wallace “I’m proposing we change our idea of what a senior class gift is,” Maher said. She added that there was nothing inherently wrong with the current idea, but that UNCW would probably do the project on its own, without it being “a gift.” “I would like to make the world a better place, not the UNCW campus,” Maher said. Davis said he disagrees with the criticism and feels that a senior gift should be some thing given directly back to the university, but he is not entirely opposed to the idea of a philanthropic gift ‘1 just want to give something back,” he . said. ‘This school has changed my life.” The group discussed the possibihty of combining the two ideas but would like in put from the senior class before a final deci sion is made. Issues concerning graduation were also discussed at the meeting. Among the ideas proposed were suggestions about “splitting” graduation into two ceremonies, and chang ing the number of tickets each graduate is allowed. The group also discussed who the speaker will be during the ceremonies and whether caps and gowns should be school colors or standard black. Shaun E. Uoyd, a senior business man agement major, be graduating in Decem ber. He said he was somewhat disappointed when he picked up his black cap and gown on Wednesday. “It would make me feel proud to gradu ate in the school colors,” Lloyd said. Further discussion at the meeting revealed that university officials are ready to propose that graduation ceremonies f)e “split,” which would be done by combining the schools of nursing, education and business into one cer emony and the rest of the university in an- See Gift, Page 3~