Daily Eastern News: September 18, 2003 Eastern Illinois University

Eastern Illinois University The Keep September 2003 9-18-2003 Daily Eastern News: September 18, 2003 Eastern Illinois University Follow this and additional works at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_2003_sep Recommended Citation Eastern Illinois University, "Daily Eastern News: September 18, 2003" (2003). September. 13. http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_2003_sep/13 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the 2003 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in September by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. N “Tell the truth September 18, 2003 THURSDAY and don’t be afraid.” VOLUME 87, NUMBER 19 THEDAILYEASTERNNEWS.COM Panther athletics at head of the class Eastern athletes rank first for graduation rates among other Division I state schools. Page 12 SPORTS Graduation comes a year later for many By Jennifer Chiariello Graduation rates CAMPUS EDITOR N 1993: 57 percent graduated Many students at Eastern as in five years well as other Illinois universities - 65 percent in six years are taking longer than four years N 1994: 61 percent graduated to graduate. in five years Of the freshmen that entered - 68 percent in six years Eastern in ‘95, 60 percent graduat- N ed in five years and 65 percent 1995: 60 percent graduated in five years graduated in six years, said Julia Abell of Eastern’s Planning and - 65 percent in six years Institutional Studies Office. Of the N 1996: 59 percent graduated freshmen that entered Eastern in in five years ‘96, 59 percent graduated in five - 66 percent in six years years and 66 percent graduated in six years. The reason Eastern does not communication at the university, have numbers for four year gradu- Lord said. ates, but has the numbers for five “It speaks to the quality of the and six year graduates, is because institution and educational experi- they are required to submit the lat- ence that our students receive ter figures. when they attend,” he said. “It also Eastern must submit the num- is evidence of the bond which stu- bers of five and six year graduates dents develop to the institution in to the National Collegiate Athletic large measure because of the qual- Association and the Integrated ity of the relationships they devel- Post Secondary Education Data op with their faculty members.” System, which is required by the Lord said there are many factors federal government in submitting contributing to the year increase in information such as enrollment the graduation rate. and salaries. “Extended time to graduation has The six year graduation rate, many causes and has been a subject which is the rate most frequently of discussion for quite a few years.” reported by institutions, has Lord said. “Part of it is driven by ranged from 65 percent to 70 per- the need of an ever increasing num- cent in recent years, said Blair ber of students to work to sustain Lord, vice president of academic themselves while in college. Part of affairs. it also occurs simply because stu- Lord said the rate will likely dents choose to sample a broader increase in the future. array of courses and complete vari- “For regional comprehensive ous minors in addition to their institutions like Eastern, this is a major program of study.” very good graduation rate,” Lord He said the EIU4 program last said. “The average for such institu- year was meant to encourage stu- tions is typically a bit less than 50 dents to get their degree in four percent. That our graduation rate years, Lord said. is much higher at Eastern than at Eastern’s EIU4 program is a similar institutions, is certainly four year graduation incentive one of the elements that helps us program designed for students to achieve our rating in U.S. News raise student awareness of the and World Reports.” importance of timely graduation, DAILY EASTERN NEWS PHOTO BY STEPHEN HAAS “For the future, we would all like contribute to freshman-to-sopho- this rate to increase; however, more retention rates, increase the Out on a limb because it is so high currently, it number of graduates in four years will be a challenge to increase it and possibly reduce tuition cost. Brent McCullough, tree surgeon for the university, cuts a limb off an ash tree Wednesday afternoon in the very much.” Library Quad. He was removing dead limbs and limbs blocking lights as a safety measure. “We don’t want anything falling on anyone,” McCullough said. The rate shows there is positive SEE RATES N Page 9 Mertz awaits appeal in death row sentence N Death penalty appeal prove the “At appeal, they look at the ure to uphold civil rights as rea- intent to kill/injure and two home goes straight to Illinois defendant legal briefs and answer why the son for appeal. invasion with intent to cause guilty, then conviction should be reversed or Swenson said the U.S. Supreme injury offenses. Supreme Court prove (the why the death penalty sentence Court only takes 1 to 2 percent of Murder/other forcible entry By Carly Mullady defendant) is should be reversed,” Swenson the appeals it receives. carries a death sentence, as does CITY EDITOR eligible...prove said. “They are then done with that murder with intent to kill/injure. this is the type A paper record of the case is leg if the U.S. denies the appeal,” Each of the home invasion with The case of a former Eastern of crime wor- submitted stating the wrongdo- Berg said. the intent to cause injury offens- student on death row is in the thy of the death ings at the conviction or sentenc- Another possible route is to file es carry 60-year sentences. appeal process. penalty,” Berg ing trial level. a writ of habeas corpus which Mertz was convicted in Anthony B. Mertz, 27, was con- said. Anthony Mertz “The whole purpose of the also touches on violation of civil February of breaking into victed in February of murdering “Once the appeal process is to go to some- rights. McNamara’s residence in June, fellow Eastern student Shannon death penalty is imposed, after body who has power over who “It is hard to win a habeas 2001, choking her to death with a McNamara in 2001. all the post-trial motions, the issued the sentence and com- case,” Swenson said. washcloth, sexual assault and It took less than one day for a appeal goes directly to the Illinois plain, saying ‘they did this and In March, Mertz’s defense slashing her body with a knife. jury to sentence Mertz to death. Supreme Court.” this which affected the fairness attorneys Paula Phillips and During sentencing, prosecu- Todd Berg, staff attorney with In most cases, the defendant is of the trial’,” Berg said. David Williams filed a motion of tors presented evidence connect- the state appellate defender’s appointed an attorney from the If the state court rules in favor appeal listing 190 alleged trial- ing him to the 1999 murder of office’s Death Penalty Trial state’s appellate defense office. of the defendant’s appeal, the level errors that could potentially Charleston resident Amy Warner Assistance branch, said a death Karen Swenson, associate case is retried. be grounds for acquittal. and an apartment complex arson penalty appeal in Illinois goes political science professor said Should the Illinois Supreme Mertz is currently being held in 2000. straight to the Illinois Supreme both the underlying conviction Court rule against the defendant, in Pontiac Correctional Center, Court. and the death sentence can be the case could be appealed to the sentenced with murder/other City editor Carly Mullady can be “First (the prosecution) has to appealed. U.S. Supreme Court, citing fail- forcible felony, murder with reached at [email protected]. Today Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Sunny Isolated T-storms Sunny Partly cloudy Scattered storms Showers Partly cloudy Thursday, 83º 55º 70º 41º 73º 48º 77º 53º 68º 48º 73º 51º 73º 53º September 18, 2003 HIGH LOW HIGH LOW HIGH LOW HIGH LOW HIGH LOW HIGH LOW HIGH LOW Waiver reports, We can’t all be perfect accreditation to be By Gregory McElroy discussed at CAA STAFF WRITER A perfectionist is someone who By Lauren Mazurski explanation to the members of sets excessively high and unrealis- STAFF WRITER the CAA and will give them back- tic standards virtually impossible ground as to what the process to reach. The Council on Academic involves. The presentation will be The Lifeskills Workshop series Affairs will discuss student aca- given by Graduate School dean continued Wednesday night with demic waiver reports for last Robert Augustine and Owen. their presentation of “Letting Go August from the College of Arts Both are helping organize the of Perfectionism”. Janice and Humanities, among others institutional review by the North Harewood and Reena Sheth, both Thursday. Central Association. graduate students of Clinical The other reports are from the The minutes from the Lumpkin Psychology, gave the one-hour Lumpkin College of Business and College of Business and the presentation and talked about the Applied Sciences, College of Applied Sciences Committee advantages and many disadvan- Education and Professional meeting on Sept. 4 will be dis- tages of being a perfectionist. Studies and College of Sciences. cussed. “We think issues like this are “Any time a student applies to “This is a normal activity on important because there are cer- drop a class that is needed for the agenda,” Methven said. “We tain practical things that students their major, they must fill out a discuss this at the meetings to see can use to help them improve their waiver,” said physical education what will come along the road.” academics and to improve their professor Jill Owen.

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