'Islamophobia'largely Absent At

Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU The Utah Statesman Students 4-29-2011 The Utah Statesman, April 29, 2011 Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/newspapers Recommended Citation Utah State University, "The Utah Statesman, April 29, 2011" (2011). The Utah Statesman. 161. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/newspapers/161 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Students at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Utah Statesman by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Friday, April 29, 2011 UtahThe Campus Voice since 1902 Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com USU Equestrian team on their way to national competition and a slow economy, the club has By KEVIN MITCHELL limited options, said Colette Floyd, “With such short staff writer head coach of the USU Equestrian timing, finals week Club. approaching and For the second time in history, “With such short timing, finals preparations being the USU Western Horsemanship week approaching and preparations Equestrian team qualified for the being made for the trip, there is a made for the trip, national competition to be held lot of stress put on us,” Floyd said. there is a lot of May 5-8 and will likely fund their “As far as fundraising goes with stress put on us. own way to Lexington, Ky. the economy the way it is, there has As far as fund- The team will be paying for the been a lot of work for very little trip primarily out of their own return.” raising goes with pockets due to a lack of funding The team, as well as many indi- the economy the and the expense of the semifinal vidual USU performers, qualified way it is, there tournament. Lauren Doyle, a for the national IHSA tournament has been a lot of qualifier in the event, said this will by placing second among a group include plane tickets and living of highly accredited Equine pro- work for very little expenses, but the team is still dedi- grams in the Western Semifinals in return.” cated to going. Findlay, Ohio, in March. The tour- “It’s not up in the air at all. nament was one of three regional We’re still going for sure,” Doyle competitions held nationwide, each – Colette Floyd, MEMBERS OF THE EQUESTRIAN TEAM (ABOVE) are headed to the said. national competition May 5-8 for the second time in their team’s history. Members are Efforts are being made to raise Head coach of USU’s now trying to raise money to pay for trip including transportation and living expenses. -See HORSE, page 4 photo courtesy JASON ROMNEY money, but because of short notice Equestrian Club New music Bus congratulates department 1 millionth rider have never been able to docu- head hired By CATHERINE MEIDELL ment the millionth rider until news editor this year.” During the summertime, cam- By MEGAN BAINUM Julia Stock was running late pus shuttle ridership is low, he assistant news editor for class Tuesday morning and said, so there have been approxi- After sifting through a pool of applicants that took the Stadium Express shuttle mately one million riders within came from all over the United States and Europe, to campus, but wasn’t expecting the recent fall and spring semes- James Bankhead, with his extensive and impres- what came next, she said. ters alone. One of the bus drivers’ sive resume, has been appointed head of the music Around 11:30 a.m. the bus responsibilities is to record how department. pulled into the loop near the many people board the bus on John Neely, chair of the search committee, said TSC where Big Blue and the USU each round, Erickson said. The Bankhead’s “stellar background and a very long list Transportation staff told Stock count information is then stored of diverse accomplishments” is what set him above she was the one-millionth rider of in a smart phone application. the rest. the USU Shuttle System since July One reason Erickson believes “He brings the strengths of a performing artist 1, 2010. the ridership increased was and strengths of a seasoned academic,” Neely said. “I’ve been with the Aggie because during peak hours all 10 The process of picking a new department head JULIA STOCK WAS THE MILLIONTH rider on the Aggie Shuttle shuttle since ’94,” said Alden shuttles were running. began as soon as the new college was created, Neely Buses Tuesday morning. She won a certificate and a $15 gift card to the Erickson, Aggie Shuttle supervi- said. The position was advertised nationally, said bookstore. The shuttle buses keep track of how many riders they have daily sor, “and we have done random -See MILLION, page 4 and have been recording that number since July 2010. ALISON OSTLER photo Craig Jessop, dean of the Cain College of the Arts. counts over the years, but we He said the field was narrowed from 40 applicants to 4. Those four went through “extensive interviews” with faculty, students and Jessop himself. After the interviews, the selection committee put ‘Islamophobia’ largely absent at USU together a list of strengths and weaknesses about those four applicants and presented that list to national level, Abu-Ramaileh and several others why would freedom be limitless when it comes Jessop. By RHETT WILKINSON of the faith said they have not sensed the senti- to Islam? In this case, the freedom would be “The selection committee can not rank them (the staff writer ment as strongly at USU. discussing any topic in Islam or the Quran in four applicants) but he clearly had many many posi- Logan Islamic Center council member and a respectful way, but not through burning the tive and extensive experiences with a music depart- This is the second of the two part story about the graduate assistant Adel Abdallah is among that Quran as a way to disrespect and intentionally ment,” Jessop said. impact of the Quran burning and the Muslum com- group. offend others.” Bankhead has been the chair for the music munity here in Logan, Utah. “As a Muslim student, living in Logan and Bedri Cetiner, a USU electrical and computer department at California State University, the attending USU, even though I grew up my entire engineering associate professor, also said he has executive director of The Green Bay Symphony In the fall of 2007, engineering major Allia life in a Muslim country, I still feel really com- felt the welcoming arms of the valley. Orchestra, a commander and conductor of The Abu-Ramaileh left her two Muslim parents. one, fortable with the kind and respectful people here “USU is presenting a wonderful environment United States Air Force Band in Washington and a father with an Islam tradition that dates back in Logan,” wrote the engineering major. “I am for me as a Muslim,” Cetiner said. “I have never conductor of the Opera Workshop Orchestra. It is centuries; the other, an American of 32 years , amazed at the similarities between Islam and the encountered any prejudice whatsoever.” because of these accomplishments, among many and her hometown of Bountiful, Utah, for USU. LDS faith. The conservative environment here in Cetiner said he participates in an interfaith others, that Jessop said he is confident in the choice Her first semester here, after receiving the high- Utah makes me feel close to home. I can say that I group consisting of faculty with various religious to hire Bankhead. est quiz score in a calculus class that included just (have) never (been) treated badly here because of backgrounds. It’s a group that the man of Turkish Having USU become a school of music is what one other female, the negative remarks began to my religion.” descent, who can trace his Islamic roots on both Jessop said he sees for the future, and hopes be directed her way. Abdallah said conflicts and tension between parents’ side back to 10th century, said he is Bankhead will help in that goal. “Because I got a higher score than anyone else his and other faiths arise in the defense of a gift grateful to be involved with. “It is time for us to examine ourselves and aspire among those who thought I was ditzy and not so that all seek. “Some of my best friends are among these to become a school of music and I have asked him serious, they were surprised,” she said. “I was a “Freedom is not limitless,” he said. “There guys, who are not Muslims,” he said. “We meet to lead that discussion,” Jessop said. bit offended by that.” must be some limits for our freedom when it every other week and have great discussions on Jessop said Bankhead’s experience and contacts But she said she may have had an idea about comes to the others’ rights, such as the rights to various topics, which are enlightening, fruitful with those in the music business will be an impor- where at least some of those snickers were com- live and to worship God. Can I kill my neighbor and fun.” tant asset to the college. ing from. just because I have freedom?’” Among those friends is Nick Eastmond, a “He is a very talented man both as a musician, Horrific events related to radical, fundamen- Abdallah said peace is afforded as individuals department faculty member of instructional playing the oboe and an extraordinary leader,” talist Islam terrorist organizations have occurred openly discuss their beliefs with one another. Jessop said. since the turn of the century.

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