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North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804 MEWS & OPINION April 2,2010 Viewpoint: Wesleyan Needs Comprehensive Recycling Plan By Meghan Herd Decree Staff Writer On a daily basis, one can find stacks of paper piled up in the computer labs and numerous empty bottles in the trash cans. If there was recycling at Wesleyan, it would not only cut down on the waste but it would create a more environmentally friendly and more pleasant looking campus. Many Wesleyan students and em ployees admit that they don’t recycle nor do they feel that the lack of a recycling program is a problem. Freshman Amber Molock stated that she never thought about the idea of having a recy cling progTdm on campas. Molock typically throws all her papers in the garbage can. “I don’t even think about what I’m throwing away or how much paper I’m wasting,” she .said. A.ssignments and old tests are just a few iteras that senior Cliff Edmund,son throws in the garbage. He added that he has never recycled when living at home and as a result he feels there is no need to do so here. "i don’t recycle and never have,” he said. “It’s just not something my family has ever done.” Not all students feel the same way as Molock and Edmundson about recycling. Senior Carmera Thomas is aware of the problem. At one point she took the initiative to recycle, but then stopped after it became too onerous. “A few years ago,” she related, “I even kept recyclable items under my bed until I could take them to the recycling center, because I hated to put them in the trash. Finally my roommate told me that it was starting to get too overbearing. And it was an inconvenience to go to the recycling center because it was hard to find time. It got to be too much, so I had to stop. It became easier just to throw recyclables in the garbage can that was right in the hallway of my residence hall.” As of today Wesleyan College has taken only modest steps toward a compre hensive recycling program. A survey of campus facilities revealed the following: There is a Waste Industries paper recycling bin in Braswell office services, one in the library, and one in the admissions building. Last week a new can recycling receptacle was spotted along the sidewalk behind Braswell. But staff reported no paper bins in the Bellemonte Hou.se, college store, Hartne.ss Center, IS building, student affairs office and Taylor Center. Campus-wide there are six residence halls, each of which lacks recycling bins, accounting for much of the wa.ste. The problem is especially severe at the end of the semester when students get rid of a lot of paper. Instead of being recycled, it goes straight into the garbage. “Every semester I get rid of old notes, tests and papers that I just don’t need anymore, ’ Thomas said. “I feel so bad throwing it all away.” Resident Assistant Desmond Joyner has witnessed the excessive amount of wasted paper and bottles that go in the garbage. “During my rounds, especially in the evenings, I see a lot of paper waste in the garbage,” he said. “That waste could be easily recycled if there was a separate recycling bin available.” Although there is talk about making this campus more environmentally-friendly, not enough has been done about recycling. One positive step has been that President James Gray recently created a committee whose focus is to develop a working recycling plan. According to IVesident Gray, the com mittee consi.sts of two faculty members, one staff member and one student. He said the committee has been in contact with Steve Raper from the City of Rocky Mount to help establish the college’s program. John Williamson, the student representa tive on the new committee, expressed his goals for the college. Not only would he like to bring recycling to campus, but Williamson wants to reduce the college’s carbon footprint by expanding into more “green” programs. Dr Erica Kosal, another committee member, underscored the importance of recycling and the plan to make our campus more environmentally friendly. Noting that certain steps should be taken. Dr. Kosal said that there need to be bins campus-wide to make it more con venient for the Wesleyan community to dispose of their paper and plastic bottles as well as other recyclable materials such as glass and cardboard. “We need to make it easy to recycle,” she emphasized. Dr Kosal noted that with this recycling program must come education. “I think an education campaign could go a long way,” she said, “and'putting up flyers with ‘facts’ on what we’re doing compared to other colleges would be help ful. I think if people were better educated in general, they would be more inclined to invest” in a coordinated program. Sophomore Quentin Pittman agrees tliat there is a lack of education about recycling on campus, “I see a lot of waste, especially when it comes to people printing paper,” he said, “I think that the real problem is that no one cares or even realizes what they are doing to the environment.” On other college campuses of a similar size, like Greensboro College and Meredith College, there are recycling programs. Meredith recently adopted its program, educating students about what and what not to recycle and where the recycling bins are located. And at Greensboro, a student-led recycling program educates and informs the student body about the recycling containers and recyclable items. Many members of the Wesleyan com munity now do their own recycling. Th i : Decree since I960 “of, by, and for the Wesleyan community." STAFF Editor Jarad Brown Senior Staff Writers Joyce Collins James Randolph Staff Writers Jacqie Flynn, Amanda Frimpong, Leila Heinonen, Meghan Herd, Rodney Holley, Lorane Johnson, John Kostet, Alyson Matarazzo, Ashley Meadows, Josh Meeks, Bristy Parker, Kathleen Penrod, Melanie Rhodes, Juliana Richardson, Makeda Rose, Gregory Spence, Jacob Strickland, Jesse Tamez Cartoonist Lorenzo Whitley Staff Photographers Raishael Tanner Claudricia Thomas Lorenzo Whitley Special Contributors Joshua Cain Matthew Esterline Richie Fender Grace Wallace Faculty Advisor Dr. William Grattan 171 Braswell • Phone: 985-5336 Email: WJGrattan@ncwc.edu The Decree office is on the first floor of the Hartness Center. Copyright Policy The Decree holds the copyright of every article ' and graphic for one-time and future publication at the discretion of the editorial board. Submission implies agreement with this policy. Editorial Statement Commentary/opinion and letters to the editor represent the individual author's views, and not necessarily those of North Carolina Wesleyan College, the Decree staff or the Decree advisor. Submissions To suggest an article, or submit an opinion piece or letter to the editor, send an email attachment (Microsoft Word) to: WJGrat- tan@ncwc.edu. Note that the Decree staff checks all submissions for accuracy and edits in accordance with acceptable grammar and punctuation as well as AP Style. Corrections The Decree corrects mistakes of substance. If you would like to request a correction, send an email to WJGrattan@ncwc.edu, or call 985-5336 Deborah White, a housekeeping supervisor, acknowledged that she and her staff often empty office and hallway trash cans that contain both garbage as well as recyclable items such as paper and plastic bottles. But she said that many staff and faculty now separate their trash, using boxes and other improvised containers to store recyclables. During her seven years here. White said she has noticed an increase in the number of faculty and staff who recycle cm their ovwi. “I personally will take paper boxes and put paper in the larger recycling bin” in office services, she said, but stated that her staff is not trained to separate trash or take paper to the office services bin. Staff and faculty must dispose of their own bottles and cans. Noting that .she had seen a growing amount of wasted paper in the Pearsall computer labs, White said that she placed a crude box in each lab and labeled them “Recycling,” in the hopes that “students would respond.” A recent inspection indicated that many students do drop paper into the boxes, but that many others leave paper in the printer, among other places. Other members of the community have done their part to help in the effort. Dr Jeff Perry, director of the NCWC Writing Center, is one who believes the Wesleyan community needs to look into the paperless movement. “Paper has been eliminated in my classes and the writing lab. Unless a student brings in a hard copy, we do everything online,” he said, noting that educational documents and other materi als can be found on the center’s website. Likewise Jessie Warren, director of NCWC Internships & Career Services, has made use of igital technology in an effort to limit printing and save paper. “All of the job postings are available solely online rather than on a printed bulletin board,” she said, adding that flyers and materials are printed in small quantities to avoid waste. When she does print out paper, she . tries to reuse it. “I keep a box full of papers vvith outdated content, so that I can re-use the backsides,” she said. Both President Gray and the members of the recycling committee expressed eagerness to start a formal program on campus, but feel that there is a lot of woric still to be done. “If we do have this program, it will take a lot of work to get people involved.” He added that the effort will need an education component and the suppbrt of student organizations like the Science Cub. “And we’ll need time.” According to Dr Kosal, for years Wesleyan has tried unsuccessfully to initiate recycling programs on campus. Petteway Pot Bust Made, Camera Catches Thief By Jarad Brown Decree Editor The sun gleams in through the window and reflects off the five-inch piece of metal that reads “Integrity, Vigilance, Helpfulness.”, That piece of metal engraved with those words is the badge worn by all officers of the security staff at NCWC. Head of campus seciirity Jack Crociata agreed to speak to The Decree about recent legal issues on campus as well as actions taken by Wesleyan’s administration to combat crime. Most students have heard about the arrests that occurred in Petteway residence hall on March 17, though the details of the incident had only been speculated upon. Two students were discovered in their dorm room with an undisclosed quantity of marijuana being dried underneath heat lamps, Crociata said. Uf)on further inspection of the room, an additional two bags of marijuana were found along with measuring scales, a stem grinder and plastic bags. FEES from pg 1 “Late last fall we discovered fi^ud being perpetrated by oiif director of financial aid and we immediately notified both the federal and state financial aid agencies,” the president said. “We believe the fraud was not perpetrated by anyone else at Wesleyan and that not one student lost a dime of scholar ship money that he or she deserved.” The college launched an immediate investigation and due to its findings terminated the director. A national search was commenced to fill the position, and ac cording to President Gray “the new director will be visible on campus within weeks.” While Wesleyan’s goal for the future is becoming “America’s next great college” and a price increase is, according to Gray, a necessity toward that goal, some students are still concemed about the hike. “I’m already struggling to have the money to be here now,” junior Ashley Meadows said. “It would really suck to get to my senior year here and not be able to afford it anymore.” The amount of marijuana confiscated was determined to be enough for a major felony charge, Crociata said. Crociata iioted that security came upon the illegal narcotic while executing a building search, upon request of the resident director, for a stolen television. According to Crociata, both students were expelled from NCWC, charged with possession with intent to distrib ute, arrested, and released on bail. They currently await a trial date, he said. Little known to most students is the fact that three weeks prior to the Petteway incideiit, a single student was caught smoking cannabis outside of Nash residence hall. An extended search of the student’s room turned up marijuana seeds as well as additional amounts of marijuana, Crociata said. Ckciata related that the student, alieady expelled fhxn Wesleyan, was cMivicted in a court of law and given a sentence of probalicn. The quick response times and swift decision to expel students involved in drug possession came as part of an effort by Dean of Students Randy Williams and campus security to “crack down” on law breakers. This is a direct response to the break-ins and vandalism that was rampant on campus during fall semester. “The security force has been beefed up with several additional officers,” Crociata said. “More officers allowed for more cruising of campus, especially late at night. Now you hardly hear of a case of vandafism, much less a break-in.” Crociata also noted that a majority of the fall’s theft cases were a direct result of students leaving doors unlocked. Because of this, Williams commenced a check of all dorms and any room that was found to be unlocked and unattended was given a fine. Another change made due to the fall’s crime spree included the placement of security cameras in Petteway residence hall, a measure that has paid off already. In a television theft incident in Petteway, the culprit was caught due to the security cameras, Crociata said. See CRIME on pg 4 I ‘4. Ir I i I > \ but there have always been obstacles in the way. “Recycling has been an issue for many years,” she said. “I am very optimistic that this time will be our time,” President Gray and others agree that as Wesleyan continues to beautify its campus, we must keep in mind that this includes recycling. “My hope is that people will get on board,” he said. “And I hope that people remember that every great school has a great-looking campus.” BREAK from pg 1 parties with gorgeous girls everywhere. You know, those Latino girls with beautiful green eyes,” Lomba said with a smile. But Lomba also ensured they experienced the more cultivated side of Guatemala, as they visited the Tikal National Park with historical Tikal Temples built during the Pre-Columbi an Maya Civilization. Emelie Lundgren said she had a bit less cultivated week, as she rested her tennis racquet to get a taste of the spring break n Panama City. “All and all, it was quite expensive,” she said. “But since I was so eager to experi ence an American spring break it was definitely worth it.” Lundgren and a few other Wesleyan students, including Bradley Myles, booked their hotel through StudentCity. com, an agency which helps millions of college students to organize their trips every year. “I think Student City charged way more than needed,” Myles said, as he had heard of other students paying only half the amount for the same hotel. Panama City is one of the main resorts for many of the student agen cies and every year the city turns into a spring break paradise. “I felt like the whole city was built for students, such a good atmosphere,” Lundgren said. “With hotels, clubs and bars full of students ready to have a good time, it was hard not to have fun.” Even though Myles feU deceived, he admits he had a good time. “Well, from what I remember I had a blast,” he said. But Myles promises he will not repeat his mistake next year, as he intends to do the planning and booking by himself. “Next year I will try to go outside the country somewhere and definitely not use StudentCity.com,” he said. Junior Bioh went home to Manassas, Va.. to see his friends before he and his girlfriend traveled to Myrtle Beach. “We stayed at a nice hotel right on the beach with a wonderful view,” Bioh said. “The best thing was to just relax and play some soccer in the sand.” But spring break does not necessar ily have to be all about beaches and parties. Some students just relaxed from schoolwork, while others took the chance to earn extra money. Barbara DeRatt worked some hours at Craft Technologies. “And I finally got the chance to run all those errands I had put off for so long,” she said. There were also a lot of students who took the opportunity to go home and catch up with their friends and family, especially students from out of state that cannot go home that often. Heather Freudenberg flew home to see her family in New York. “I finally got to see my niece and nephew who I haven’t seen in a long time,” she said. Another student who went home to see his family was Tyler Murray of Greensboro. Since Murray has been busy during the basketball season, the opportunities to go home have been limited. “I hadn’t seen my family since Christmas, and then only for a week. So I appreciated the time,” he said. As most of the students left Rocky Mount, many athletes stayed in the area. Among them was softball player Kacie Brandes, whose team won games against York College and Old Westbury College. “I’m so glad we won our two opening games,” Brandes said. Dane Anderson, a member of the Wesleyan golf team, prepared for upcoming tournaments by playing a few rounds with his brother in Raleigh. “I beat my brother pretty bad, so it was a good break,” Anderson said.
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