Volume 86, Issue 4 Quincy University Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015 THE UNION It’s All About the U Rowdy student group supports QU teams DAVID JACOB NEWS WRITER Father Ferd leaving QU to return to his home of It started off as a social group. New Orleans It has turned into an alliance in which students cheer each other - page 7 on at sporting events. This crazy group of kids is better known as The Union. The Union was formed in 2011 by the QU baseball and soccer teams. It all started off as a joke and the members did not think their legacy would last long.They would meet occasionally at a place better known on campus as Brown Town. Now there are no meetings. It is strictly cheering at each oth- er’s games. The group has grown significantly and is welcome to Return of football to anybody who would like to join. “Anyone is welcome, but I campus means better think a lot of times people don’t tailgating feel comfortable around us some- - page 12 times because we’re a little row- dy. We are very diverse,” senior baseball player and original Union member Evan Cahn said. Members of The Union show their enthusiasm during a recent Quincy University men’s basketball SEE UNION, PAGE 4 game. (Falcon Photo by Randy Swope ) DINING HALL RENOVATIONS Renovation plans for main dining room CLE’ANNA MOORE in 1968. With the building being built where we will be doing some demolition NEWS WRITER almost 50 years ago, a full renovation is work,” Blakeman said. When talking about places that may finally being made. This will be the first full renovation There have been only minor reno- being made to the café building since it’s $4 million renovation need to be upgraded or renovated on Quincy University’s campus, the café is vations such as some new paint and new been built. The changes to the café will planned for baseball, always one of those locations that need furniture between then and now. provide a different variety of food choices, football fields some changes. “We’re going to do a $2 million re- a new look, and help the cafeteria to be Chris Blakeman, director of dining modeling project of the cafeteria. A little utilized throughout the day by students, - page 16 services, said the café building was built bit of it is going to start at spring break, SEE RENOVATIONS, PAGE 4 2 THE FALCON NEWS TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 2015 ATTENDANCE POLICY Professors, students differ on attendance PASHA YATES class meetings per week may be given “In my brief time here, I have great job at informing professors when NEWS WRITER the grade of “F” for the course by the noticed that when most students miss athletes will be missing classes due to instructor. Instructors will notify a class they don’t attempt to find out games or meets,” Bishop said. “Coaches The Quincy University Attendance student who will receive an “F” due to what happened or make up the work. give their game schedules to the Policy has become an issue between non-attendance. It seems like they expect the professor athletic department at the start of the students and professors. The University Financial Aid will be affected by to chase after them to tell them what season, and those schedules are passed Attendance Policy is as follows: non-attendance. Repayment of all or they missed, and they complain about along to faculty and staff.” Quincy University is dedicated to part of your aid may be required if you their grade even when they don’t do Zanger believes the university and learning and teaching. Because these receive a grade of “F” or withdraw. the work or pay attention to deadlines,” professors shouldn’t choose how often activities depend for their success on Required refunds due to withdrawal Baldner said. “I don’t chase students, they can or can’t miss. presence and involvement, students are by the student are returned to the fund they get the grade they earn. I don’t “As adult paying for our own expected to attend all of their classes. from which aid was awarded. This may accept late work without a legitimate tuition, we should have the freedom to Instructors will make their specific result in a balance due to the University. e x c u s e .” choose whether we want to go to class attendance policies clear in their syllabi. When asking students how they What about athletes? Many are or not,” Zanger said. “It’s our money, Students are responsible for making felt about the attendance policy, most excused from class due to a game our grades, and our future. So why can’t themselves aware of and abiding by the students didn’t even know that there or leaving early to go to out of town it be our decision too?” attendance policy of each instructor. was a policy or their professors didn’t games/meets. Baldner says the attendance policy Students absent for any reason are still follow it. QU Cross Country/Track Coach is necessary, regardless of how people responsible for and expected to complete “Most professors I’ve had try Darren Bishop says his athletes are feel about it. all required coursework as determined to follow the attendance policy by students first. Since they do have a “It shouldn’t be necessary to by the instructor. Instructors may require bringing in sign in sheets every day, smaller team, it is easy to schedule have an attendance policy; however, prior notice for foreseeable absences, but they also forget these so I think it’s practices around classes. one of the selling points of Quincy and may require students to complete kind of pointless,” sophomore Audrey Fortunately their meets are on University is the close connection work before such absences. Instructors Zanger said. “I’ve never missed a class Saturdays, so missing class is rare. between professors and students. That will make reasonable accommodation and don’t plan to start. I just don’t like Bishop says that if they do need to miss accountability is part of the reason for for such circumstances as serious illness, being treated like a little kid.” class, it is the students’ job to get in a student’s success,” she said. “At the emergency, or official participation in Communications Professor Nora touch with their professors and make heart of the issue is professors really do University-sanctioned events. Students Baldner says she does enforce the up the work on their own. want students to succeed. Showing up missing more than twice the number of attendance policy. “The Athletic Department does a gets you halfway there.” MACHUGH THEATRE SPECIAL OLYMPICS AT QU Frozen pipes burst, theatre event moved immediately TERESA GORRELL theater out. However, according NEWS EDITOR to Colleen McCormack, director of the Black History Month performance, the theatre “is still a Three frozen pipes burst due mess.” to cold temperatures on the same “I was devastated when day that a Black History Month I found out what happened,” performance was scheduled to McCormack said. “All the actors debut at MacHugh Theatre. worked so hard and they were so The first of the two good.” performances was cancelled and McCormack is confident that the second was relocated to the MacHugh will be back to normal Connie Niemann Center that soon. She hopes that the event can Saturday evening. be rescheduled in the Theatre. Suzanne Molinaro, one of Rob Goebel, director of the show’s stage crew members, facilities at Quincy University, said discovered the incident. “things should be back to normal A cleaning crew called Service by the end of (this) week.” QU freshman Emily Nelson, left, gives a high five to a participant during a Special Olympics Master had the task of drying the event held during February in Pepsi Arena. (Falcon Photo/Randy Swope) TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 2015 NEWS THE FALCON 3 Security officers go without firearms JACK GAINER colleges with at least 2,500 to a report from the National STAFF WRITER students (Associated Press). Bureau of Justice. QU, however, only has 1,300 “Our university is found- Quincy University is kept students enrolled. Due to QU’s ed on Franciscan values that safe not only by the Quincy small student body, QU Secu- would conflict with an armed Police Department, but also by rity is equipped with merely a security force. Schools and a team of people who make up uniform, a cell phone and their guns is a controversial issue. the Quincy University security voices. My own personal opinion on force. “Our officers rely on a guns in schools is probably One key factor separates talented gift of gab to positive- tainted by a 31-year career QPD and QU Security, though, ly interact with students, and a in police work,” said Lathrop and that is the possession of a conduct system that will hold when asked about his opinion firearm. This has been a very students accountable when on other schools providing touchy subject over the course they disrespect a security offi- weapons to their officers. of the last several years due cer,” head of campus security One argument that is often to the amount of gun related Sam Lathrop said. posed against security officers incidents on college campuses About 92 percent of public having firearms is that any gun Sam Lathrop served as police officer for 31 years before he be- across the country. campuses used sworn police on a college campus is bad, came the Director of Campus Security at Quincy About two-thirds of public officers, with full arrest pow- even if it is in the hands of a and private campuses used ers, and most of these officers security officer.