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PHOENIX PREVAILS Men’s basketball wins three straight at home. ^ » PAGE 24 POSTSECRET AT ELON Shh! A spread of secrets from the community. » PAGES 12-13 Pendulu ELON, NORTH CAROLINA | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2012 j VOLUME 38, EDITION 3 !«»nHrtinK!s fecJttkc hcdoesti'l www.elonpendulum.com tPMPi PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE ESPARHOS ' Photo Editor Some Eton University students, including freshman Evan Lutvak (above), have expressed concern that the use of their common living spaces as classrooms limits their opportunity to use an area they paid for. According to the Office of Student Life, the rooms, located in Kivette and Staley Halls, were constructed with the intention of being used for both living and learning. This semester, students must rearrange furniture to have access to their common room. Classes push too close to home Academic initiative transforms living environment, concerns residents Caitlin O'Donnell Editor-in-Chief Elon University students have expressed concern about the use of their common living spaces as classrooms for spring semester courses. Currently, common rooms in Kivette and Staley Halls, are being used for a total of four classes throughout the week. The buildings were constructed with the intention of being used as common living and learning spaces, according to Niki Turley, assistant dean of students, and were used for Elon 101 classes during the fall semester. Unlike the fall classes, courses currently using the space require a change in the furniture, drawing the attention of ressidents accustomed to using the room regularly and raising concern that they weren’t notified of the change. “If they have concerns, they should let us know and we’re willing to talk to them,” Turley said. “It wasn’t a matter of not telling them. I mean. I’m sure we’ve communicated it. The spaces were designed that way." Freshman Ben Morse, who remained on campus during Fake Break, said mid-way through that week he entered the common room and realized the furniture had been removed and replaced with large round tables. According to Morse, none of the students living on the hall had been notified of the change in furniture arrangement and the room’s use, his biggest concern. On the final day of Fake Break, they received an email from Dawn Morgan, assistant director of Residence Life for Colonnades, regarding the courses. “Personally, I don’t want to learn where I sleep,” Morse said. “The main point is we weren’t notified until several days after the fact. We weren’t asked, we weren't notified, there wasn’t a vote, I don’t think our area office voted on it. It was just kind of done.” Students are allowed to use the room anytime it is not in use as a classroom, but are responsible for moving the common room furniture, now stored in the lobby, and then ensuring the tables are arranged correctly for class. There has been a change in the group dynamic of the hall, Morse said, as the students generally are discouraged from using the room because of the need to move the furniture repeatedly. Morse, and freshman roommate Evan See COLONNADES I PAGE 4 Residence Life publislies new housing selection process Juniors, seniors can return to residence hall location, must apply for on-campus apartments Melissa Kansky News Editor Residence Life distributed letters to rising juniors and seniors with revised information concerning housing selection for the 2012-2013 academic year. Based on student feedback, rising juniors and seniors can return to their same residence hall space during phase one of the housing process, said Niki Turley, assistant dean of students. Residence halls do not refer to university-owned apartments. Rising juniors and seniors can apply for housing at The Station at Mill Point, the Oaks, Danieley O and P and the Crest during phase two Feb. 23, provided that the number of students applying to live in these residence areas does not exceed the number of spaces designated for juniors and seniors. “We’ve always had a cap,” Turley said. “We’ve had to. We would love to say, ‘here’s housing, come on,’ which is why we are building.” Nevertheless, the number of juniors and seniors that will live on campus during the 20I2-20I3 academic year will match the number of juniors and seniors currently living on campus this year, according to Turley. Those living at The Station at Mill Point are considered on-campus residents, in turn reducing the number of spaces available in other on-campus apartments. “We know our beds will be full,” she said. “We have the demand. We have amazing housing, but we want to have the right housing based on students developmental needs and class year.” Changes in the housing selection process reflect students’ demands, according to Turley. The Board of Trustees approved The Station at Mill Point to offer co-ed “We’ve always had a cap. We’ve had to. We would love to say, ‘here’s housing, come on,’ which is why we are building.” -Niki Turley ASSISTANT DEAN OF STUDENTS apartments. “It reflects students’ friend groups and that all your friends are not single gender,” Turley said. Feedback shows students are excited about the new housing, according to Turley, but are still waiting for the exact price to be revealed after it is determined by this year’s budget. See HOUSING I PAGE 3 Financial concerns provoke group to lease Elon School Melissa Kansky News Editor The Elon School, an independent high school adjacent to the university, is searching for a new home for the 2012-2013 academic year. Elon Homes and Schools for Children will give the school, in name, to a local parent group that intends to operate the school after the senior class graduates in June, said Fred Grosse, president of the Elon Homes and Schools for Children. The Elon Homes and Schools for Children operates foster care programs in 12 counties in the state, in addition to the Kennedy Charter Public School in Charlotte. Economic struggles motivated Grosse to lease the Elon campus’ facilities, but he said he is confident the local parent group will find a new location. “We opened in 2007, which is exactly when the economy bottled out, so it’s been a challenge to operate everything that we do,” Grosse said. The facility originated as a Christian orphanage in 1907, but after a piece of legislature mandated children only be placed in orphanages in their respective county, the number of children the Elon orphanage could serve diminished, prompting the Elon Homes and Schools for Children to examine other functions for the building. “The best thing we can offer this county is an independent school," Grosse said. Grosse relies on tuition dollars and fund development to maintain the operations of the school. “What we found here is this is something we cannot do long term, and there was a group of local parents that said they were interested in taking over and running the school,” he said. Although Grosse and a local parent group have discussed transferring the school, no plans have been confirmed. Grosse predicts an agreement will be finalized in two weeks. “We think it’s best, and the local group thinks it’s best, that local families run the school,” he said. The governance body belonging to the Elon Homes and Schools for Children is comprised of individuals throughout the state. “The economy is a certain part of (the transition), but it also gives them a chance to be hands-on and run the school,” Grosse said. The change in ownership challenges the new governing board to find a new physical location for the school. Elon Homes and Schools for Children will lease the property where the Elon School is currently located. Various companies have expressed interest, but no agreement has been confirmed, according to Grosse. He expects to use the revenue generated from leasing the facility to offset expenses needed to operate the organization’s other operations, he said. “We want our organization to have a solid financial future, and we believe this is a very prime location and we will find people to lease this,” Grosse said. Although Gerry Francis, executive vice president of Elon University, See ELON SCHOOL I PAGE 3 FOR THE LATEST COVERAGE AND EXCLUSIVE WEB CONTENT, VISIT ELONPENDULUM.COM
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Feb. 8, 2012, edition 1
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