Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Feb. 19, 2004, edition 1 / Page 7
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Thursday, February 19, 2004 THE PENDULUM Running Unopposed Many SGA positions only have one candidate in the upcoming elections. See story p. 12 NEWS • Page 7 Court-Side Courtesy Elon Athletics Department encourages “ good sportsmanship. See story p. 10 Leanne Jernigan Reporter Minority weekend expected to draw 300 people to campus ^Focus on Diversity Forty-one high school minority students will visit Elon this weekend for minority visitation weekend. Minority visitation weekend gives prospective Elon students a chance to tour the campus and stay overnight with hosts. Annette Orbert, director of minority recruitment, said the event is important because the number of prospective minority students visiting Elon has doubled. “Last year’s freshman class contained 57 minority students, and this year’s class has 100 minority students,” she said. “We’re hoping that number will double again in coming years.” Friday night is an overnight visitation opportunity for those high school seniors who have already been accepted to Elon to spend the night with a current student in his or her residence hall. Of the prospective stu dents who spend Friday night on campus, 95 percent are likely to enroll, according to Orbert. Current students volunteer to host prospective students, taking them to classes and social events in the evening. Orbert said Elon students have been active in making visitation weekend a success. “Our current students are involved this year more than ever. They come to me offering help. I really have to give them credit,” she said. Academic Year Minorities in Percentage of Freshman Class Class 1993-1994 56 6.5 1994-1995 52 5.6 1995-1996 66 7.3 1996-1997 76 8.0 1997-1998 86 8.9 1998-1999 76 7.5 1999-2000 81 8.1 2000-2001 83 7.3 2001-2002 101 8.3 2002-2003 82 6.9 2003-2004 118 9.6 Many students who volunteer during vis itation weekend are part of the Student Ambassadors Committee. Orbert said hav ing students from different backgrounds involved with the weekend’s activities would give prospective minority students an opportunity to experience Elon from a minority student’s point of view. Events planned for Friday will feature a poetry slam sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha and Alpha Kappa Alpha, a black history trivia game, the “Sweet Heart Auction” and a a party in Danieley Commons that evening. On Saturday, high school juniors and seniors, as well as their parents, are invited to participate in campus tours and informa tion sessions hosted by the offices of stu dent and alumni relations. There will also be a session for parents so they can exj)eri- ence Elon from a parent’s perspective. Parents and students will also have the chance to meet with faculty and adminis trators. There will also be a session with information about financial planning and scholarship opportunities. According to Orbert, close to 300 peo ple are expected on campus Saturday for minority visitation weekend. Saturday’s events will also include a fashion show and the “Gospel Extravaganza,” a show by Elon’s Gospel Choir. This weekend is important for Elon as well as the prospective students in determin ing who will enroll next fall. Minority stu dents who enjoy their visit to Elon will most likely choose to attend in the fall, and the administration is looking to attract more minority students to create a more diverse student body and campus environment. “I attended the event last year as a high school senior and it was one of the reasons why I chose to attend Elon,” said freshman David Morrow, who has worked with Orbert in the Office of Admissions. “It’s a great program and a great opportunity for students to feel welcomed in a school where they would be the minority. It’s also a wonderful way to make friends before your freshman year of college even begins.” For more information about minority vis itation weekend or other opportunities for minority students, contact Orbert or Zaire McCoy, assistant director of admissions, at 800-334-8448. Contact Leanne Jemigan at pendulum@elon.edu or 278-7247.■ Asbestos found in floor tiles of university-operated apartments Lindsay Porter Copy Editor Sixteen College Manor residents met with Residence Life officials and a representative from Physical Plant Feb. 11 to discuss concerns after tiles containing asbestos were found in the apartment building. Although officials from Residence Life and Physical Plant stress that the asbestos content in the tiles is of little or no immediate hazard to College Manor residents, they said they are woricing to help cor rect the problem. “What we’ve tried to do is talk to students and address their ccMicems, said Doug Searcy, director of Residence Life. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber commonly found in building products and used for heat insulation and fire-resistance, accord ing to information from the Environmental Protection Agency. It is not uncommon to find evidence of asbestos in school buildings or insu lating pipes in homes. However con tinued exposure to the chemical agent can cause fibers to embed themselves in lung tissue, which could potentially lead to lung cancer, asbestosis ot mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer found in the lung, chest ot heart. Physical Hant Director Ed Eng said signs of asbestos became a con cern after two apartments in College Manor flooded in December 2003. Dunng the clean-up process, it was discovered that an internal component to the floor tile used in the apartments contained asbestos particles. If air borne, the particles could potentially be inhaled. Searcy said although there were a couple tiles broken in the eight- apartment building, he feels certain there is little risk involved. “There are not tons of airborne asbestos particles,” he said. According to College Manor landlords, Searcy added, the asbestos is limited to the flooring. Eng said that despite the asbestos content, the tiles are not considered hazardous. “The risk is none. It’s only a haz ard when you’re removing the tile,” he said. “There is no danger unless you break.it in front of your nose and breathe it in.” Elon leases the College Manor property, located at 214 West College Ave., through Burlington Rentals. The university has leased the property since 1998. Because it does not own the property, Elon is not contractually responsible for correcting the asbestos problem. Calls to Burlington Rentals were not immediately returned. Searcy said members of Residence Life are working with student resi dents to help voice concerns to the landlord in an effort to remedy the tiling problem as well as aging hot water heaters — which caused the December flood—and other mainte nance issues. “The property owners have said they will recover the surface begin ning this summer,” Searcy said. “We want to make sure student concerns are addressed.” Contact Lindsay Porter at pendu- lum@elon.edu or 278-7247.
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Feb. 19, 2004, edition 1
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