^0^ Pendulum
Thursday, February 13, 2003
Vol. 28, Issue 17
Elon University
Elon, N.C.
If it matters to you, it matters to The Pendulum.
Project Pericles
studies Hispanic
growth in Alamance
Keren Rivas
Reporter
Recent figures released by the
U.S. Census Bureau revealed what
many have been predicting for
years: Hispanics are now the
largest minority in the country.
With 37 million people, Hispanics
have surpassed African Americans,
growing at a rate almost four times
faster than the general population.
In Alamance County, residents
have experienced this demograph
ic explosion first-hand and com
munications instructor David
Loomis is planning to expose stu
dents to this new converging com
munity.
This spring semester, Loomis
will be in charge of “Civic
Journalism: Thinking Global,
Acting Local,” a project that will
focus on the Latino community in
Alamance County. The project,
funded by a Project Pericles grant,
will enable students to conduct
interviews within Alamance coun
Students get new wheels
Lindsay Porter
News Editor
Students commuting between
McMichael and Danieley Center
will soon be presented with a new
school-sponsored mode of trans
portation. Beginning March 1,
SGA will launch a new transporta
tion project on campus, known as
The Commuter or Shared-Bike
Program.
Under this new program, up to
20 coaster bikes will be available
for student use on campus. The
bikes will be maintained and
inventoried by student workers.
While students can use the
bikes to commute to all on-cam-
pus locations, McMichael and
Danieley Center buildings are
drop-off points.
SGA President Christian
Wiggins says he hopes the new
program will encourage students
to bike to class rather than driv
ing.
“The university and the
See Bikes p. 10
Phoenix fans flock to Nest
ty’s Hispanic pop
ulation and report
for the Burlington
Times-News.
Students will also
hear civic-joumal-
ism scholars and
members of local
David Loomis Latino advocacy
groups who will speak to the class
throughout the semester.
“Alamance County has [one
of] the fastest growing Latino pop
ulation in the nation,” Loomis said,
“and it is happening right here in
our front door.”
Between 1990 and 2000,
Alamance County experienced an
1,100 percent growth in the
Hispanic population. Local insti
tutions and oi^anizations are still
trying to adapt to the new compo
sition of the population but maybe
no other sector has been more inef
fective than the media.
Loomis says there is little sub-
See Study p. 7
Mary-Hayden Britton / Photographer
Jacob Potter, Zachary Lauritzen, Nate Huret, Andre Essue, Jon Wiliiams, Joey White and Chris
Altman cheer on the women’s basketball team. See story on page 21.
SGA hosts private colleges,
universities for conference
Matt Belanger
Reporter
A group of student leaders
from across North Carolina visit
ed Elon Feb. 8 to share experi
ences and discuss issues pertain
ing to student government.
The conference was sponsored
by North Carolina Independent
Colleges and Universities,
NCICU, which is an organization
comprised of the state’s 37 private
colleges and universities.
Student government represen
tatives from a number of institu
tions gathered on campus for the
student-driven seminar and had
the opportunity to discuss topics
including student involvement,
student-administration communi
cation, strategic planning, fundrais
ing and public relations.
Hope Williams, president of
NCICU, says she feels the confer
ence allowed students to work
together in ways that would other
wise not be possible.
“I think one of the most impor
tant resources this conference
offers is that students from differ
ent institutions can network,
understand how different institu
tions work and make contacts that
may be important in both their
student and professional lives,”
Williams said.
Students were able to share
their experiences with certain
events and methods, both success
ful and not, with the hope of
learning what does and does not
work.
Christian Wiggins, SGA presi
dent, said he feels this is a key
benefit of the conference.
“It is important to recognize
that there are 37 other private col
leges and universities similar to
Elon in our state and each has its
own strengths and vision,”
Wiggins said. “My hope is that
See SGA p. 10
INSIDE
Students share Valentine’s thoughts
page 12
“A Little Night Music” opens
page 19
Baseball swings in a new season
page 24