A TRUE COLLEGE NEWSPAPER TranscripTHE T SINCE 1867 Thursday, Oct 22, 2009 Volume 148, No. 6 SOA experts OWU scores draw crowd average on for vigil Students prepare SEI report to protest C+ an improvement By Michelle Rotuno- on last year’s D- grade Johnson Transcript Reporter By Mark Dubovec News Editor As a precursor to their annual trip to the Western Ohio Wesleyan received a Hemisphere Institute C+ grade on the Sustainable for Security Operations Endowment Institute’s (SEI) (WHINSEC) in Columbus, Green Report Card as an Ga., commonly known as evaluation of the university’s the School of the Americas environmental sustainability (SOA), several students commitment, an improvement took in authors’ views on from last year’s D- but behind the school. other schools. James Hodge and Laurie Anderson, associate Linda Cooper, authors professor of Botany- Microbiology and chair of the of Disturbing the Peace: Photo by Sara Mays President’s Sustainability Task The Story of Father Light pollution from a proposed development near U.S. 23 will distort visibility from Perkins Observatory, says professor. Force (STF), said the STF was Roy Bourgeois and the involved in providing more Movement to Close the detailed information to the SEI School of the Americas, Development hinders observatory over the summer. came to campus to “I think the C+ is a more teach students about the By Mark Dubovec pollution,” Hart said. “We have started initial conversations with appropriate reflection of the institution and what can be News Editor the observatory about this project.” interest in sustainability and done to shut it down. Many people in attendance expressed concerns about the the ongoing efforts to improve Cooper and Hodge told A proposed development along U.S. 23 at the Delaware Golf project. environmental responsibility the students the institution, Club could mean the end of astronomy at Perkins Observatory. Brad Haney, a volunteer at Perkins for the past 15 years, by many groups on campus funded by the United R&J Properties submitted a proposal to the city of Delaware said he found the development itself interesting, but its lighting than the D- we received last States Department of outlining plans to develop 73 acres of the Delaware Golf Club would affect astronomical capacity too greatly. year,” Anderson said. Defense, was renamed the into residential, commercial and office buildings. The plan is still “Anything that close to the observatory is simply out of the Senior Jack Stenger, student in preliminary stages pending approval from the Delaware City question,” Haney said. WHINSEC in 2001. member of the STF, sent out a Planning Commission and City Council and years away from Mary Abbott, a Delaware resident, said she was concerned Located at Ft. Benning campus-wide email with a link completion. It would involve rezoning between the city and three about the property values of neighboring houses if residential in Columbus, Ga., Cooper to the SEI’s report card. neighboring townships. buildings were constructed. “I think it’s important and Hodge said SOA’s goal Located next to the golf course, Perkins Observatory would Another resident, golf club member Rick Bidwell, said he is to train Latin American for everyone to be aware of not be able to operate effectively if the plan goes through, said didn’t like the reduction of an 18-hole course to nine. where our campus is at and soldiers to keep the peace OWU English professor and Director of Perkins Observatory “A nine-hole golf course is not a golf course,” he said. “It’s a in their own countries, but what’s going on,” Stenger said. Tom Burns. group of nine holes.” Bidwell added that the course was designed “It’s public knowledge, and they acknowledged, many “I have racked my brain,” Burns said. “But this close, any by famed golf course designer Donald Ross to incorporate the graduates are responsible everyone deserves to know.” kind of lighting will make work at the observatory very difficult.” natural terrain of ravines and hills and cannot be replaced. Stenger added the report for murdering innocent Burns said the proposed development would surround Perkins Burns, in an interview after the meeting, also said the land serves a useful database of civilians and noted public on all sides and create two types of light pollution: direct light itself had value. environmental information for figures. from any buildings and fixtures and light bouncing back off “It’s gorgeous,” he said. “If you’ve ever walk this land, it’s the university. “It’s startling that this moisture in the sky. beautiful. It wouldn’t have remained given the competition if it Stenger also said the task is still around in a country Both kinds, he said, would affect the night vision of weren’t so beautiful.” force has not yet met since the that says it cares about astronomers and render stargazing virtually impossible. At the meeting, Bob Harmon, professor and chairperson of publishing of the study but will human rights,” Hodge On Wednesday, Oct. 7, the City Planning Commission met Physics and Astronomy, said the observatory is a unique asset discuss it at the next meeting in said. to discuss the concept plan. City council member and planning of OWU. early November. Hodge said Roy commission chairperson Joe Di Genova said the meeting had the “We’re one of about 20 liberal arts colleges that have an The SEI evaluated 322 Bourgeois, a friend of highest attendance for a city planning meeting he’s ever seen. astrophysics major,” Harmon said. Harmon added the 32-inch colleges and universities his and Cooper’s who is Developer Jason Zadeh, a partner at R&J Properties, said telescope is the largest single-owned telescope by a university, and awarded points based featured in their book, is a he sees a lot of commercial value in the site, with flexibility in noting that five other schools share one. on the level of activity for Catholic missionary. meeting demands of the marketplace. Burns said the Columbus Astronomical Society drives up to nine categories and took into Hodge and Cooper “Many of the unique characteristics of the site are extremely Delaware to use the facilities at Perkins. Burns said he’s not yet consideration each school’s attractive to me,” Zadeh said. been contacted by R&J Properties but is willing to meet with said Bourgeois disguised size and geography, according Zadeh added that he recognizes the value of Perkins. them as many times as it takes to keep Perkins active. Burns said himself and snuck into to College Sustainability “I’m not here to be a detriment to such a wonderful asset,” he’s hopeful after the city planning meeting. SOA in 1983 to play a Report Card web site. he said. “I think we have a shot,” he said. “I saw all those people with The study examined such tape of Archbishop Oscar Tom Hart, the attorney representing R&J Properties, said they a deep interest in Perkins Observatory.” Burns added that seeing Romero’s last homily on a factors as recycling, renewable are anticipating concerns from the neighboring properties. many Ohio Wesleyan students there in support of the observatory sources of energy, local food, boom box for the soldiers “We don’t know everything we need to know about light “meant a lot.” to hear. composting, conservations, Romero was a bishop green building policies and from El Salvador who standards, vehicle sharing Come out, come out, wherever you are programs and commitment was assassinated while to greenhouse gas reduction, conducting a mass in GLBT Resource Center tells students: among others. 1980. Hodge said some of “to thine own self be true” The SEI gathered this Romero’s assassins were information through surveys to SOA graduates. By Diane Bizzarro Sally Leber, director of participating universities and Cooper and Hodge’s Transcript Correspondent Columbus Initiative, came out public records. as an ally. The C+ is an average See SOA, page 4 Students observed Gay, Junior Michele Gilbert said based on the nine graded Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans- she observed the event while categories. Administration, gendered (GLBT) History eating lunch. Climate Change and Energy In this issue Month on Friday, Oct. 9, with “I think that it’s a great and Shareholder Engagement Coming Out Day in the Ham- outlet,” she said. “It is mak- received D’s, an improvement ilton-Williams Campus Center ing a loud statement regarding over 2008’s F’s. Green building, Page 2: atrium. a sensitive topic. I am an ally transportation and endowment United Methodist The event gave students but didn’t announce it today transparency got C’s. Food and Student Movement the opportunity to come out because in my heart, I know recycling acquired the only B, as a member or ally of the that I will always be an ally.” while student involvement and Page 3: GLBT community. Students Chaplain Jon Powers spoke investment priority received WSLN and radio emerged from behind a banner at the event and expressed his A’s. Every factor at OWU at OWU painted as a door to announce support improved from last year, their support and pride in “As a Christian, I honor according to the Green Report Page 4: themselves and their friends. you all,” he said. “We all have Card web site. No-show fraternity The event was planned by the right to be who we are. I “It’s amazing the student the GLBT Resource Rent- love you all, and you are all involvement section got meeting er with help from members blessings.” an A, and the campus got Page 5: of People Regarding Indi- Junior Duc Tran said he is a C+,” Stenger said.