Still Swingin' Students Hung Up
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the bagpipeonline.comBAGPIPE VOL.57 NO.1 SEPTEMBER 8, 2010 Students hung up about hammock Still swingin’ rules pages 2 & 6 COVENANT ON CAMERAby Adrienne Belz premium” on taking care of stu- Ford explained that the theft [email protected] dents. This latest installment follows problems at Covenant are bigger Covenant’s first new security the ScotsCard residential security than one might expect, and other camera system is up and running created a few years ago, the tornado administrators saw the installment with 22 video cameras keeping an and intruder drill system, and more as a proactive measure. eye on campus. evening security guards. “Covenant wants to take reason- Greg Ford, Safety and Security The system cost the school able precautions,” said President Coordinator, said that if nothing $22,000, Ford said, a figure that Niel Nielson. Nielson said he was else he wants the 22 new cameras had several students raising their surprised at the low cost of Cov- to act as a deterrent to theft. Most eyebrows. enant’s system compared to those of the cameras are nestled in nooks “Why are they spending of other schools, saying that he of the ceilings in residential main $22,000 on them when it feels like thought the bill would be five times entrances, but both gymnasium something we don’t need at all?” what it was. entry ways have them, and last week questioned Matthew Higgins, a Before acquiring the system, a few were hung in the Great Hall, junior from Signal Mountain, Tenn. safety and security staff studied how according to Ford. Ford said some faculty have also 16 peer college campuses were using Brad Voyles, vice president for complained about the school spend- cameras for safety. Peer colleges student development and dean of ing money in unnecessary places see Covenant increases security GARRETT REID students, said he puts a “very high during poor economic times measures page 3 Remembering Jean Belz (1919-2010) by the Bagpipe Staff her support of Max and her many following is an excerpt of an obitu- [email protected] children, grandchildren, and great- ary written by her son, Joel Belz Jean Belz, an integral part grandchildren who have attended and published in the Cedar Rapids of Covenant College’s founding Covenant. “It’s not just a matter of Gazette this past weekend. –Kate and growth, died on August 31 in her blood flowing in their veins; it’s Harrison Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was 91. her legacy of love for the gospel, the Mrs. Belz’s husband Max was one church, the family, Christian edu- JEAN FRANZENBURG BELZ of the founding board members of cation, and the treasures of hard was born on Thursday, May 8, Covenant College. All eight of her work and faithful service – that’s 1919, in Dolliver, Iowa. Her father, children attended Covenant Col- the never-fading mark that Jean Paul Franzenburg, was an im- lege, 26 of her 31 grandchildren, Belz has left on Covenant.” migrant from Germany, who had and four of her 31 great-grandchil- A large circle of family and earlier married a widowed mother dren have attended or are attending friends gathered at Cono Chris- of three—Bertha Watkins. To Paul now. She was a treasured friend, tian School near Walker, Iowa to and Bertha were born five more surrogate mother, and surrogate celebrate Mrs. Belz’s life and tes- children: Paul Jr., Jean, Ruth, Wil- grandmother to many, including timony last Saturday. Throughout hemina, and Collyn. many in the Covenant community. the radiant autumn afternoon, the The coming of the Great De- “Jean Belz has left an indelible group sang hymns, shared stories, pression meant that Jean and her mark on Covenant College,” said and gave testimony of the gospel President Niel Nielson, who cited which shaped Mrs. Belz’s life. The see Jean Belz page 3 Max Belz 2 | News Students strung out over hammock rules ScotsCard by Annie Huntington [email protected] Student development draws tighter lines in policy debacle by Peter McCrory In the continuing effort to [email protected] enhance the face of Covenant’s From the outset of the school campus, Student Development has year, the ScotsCard system caused begun emphasizing rules regarding problems for students, but the the use of hammocks on school sources of the snags are not always property, including the possibility easy to identify. of confiscation and fines. Most of Card snafus began on the day the hammock policy isn’t new, but that returning students arrived. As it has not been heavily enforced in in years past, returning on-campus the past. students expected their meal plan to The policy, which can be found begin the same day that residence in the Residence Hall Manual, halls opened back up for them. This includes a statement compelling year, the official academic calendar students to take down their ham- had students returning Tuesday mocks when not in use, as well as Aug. 24, but the meal plan started physical specifications for hanging the following day. them up. Although anticipating a meal A recent addition to the policy in the Great Hall, many students prohibits students from hanging couldn't use their ScotsCards the hammocks in front of Carter Hall, first evening back on campus. referred to as “our ‘front yard’” in a According to Tom Schriener, campus-wide email. Director of Auxiliary Services, the In addition to the hammocks change was accidental. cropping up near Carter Hall, the “I don’t remember the last grassy knoll in front of the Kresge A student lounges in Covenant’s crater, a popular (and accepted) place for hammocks. Garrett Reid time we did that any other time Memorial Library (dubbed “the than Tuesday night.” As Schreiner Crater”) has become a whirlpool “It represents us accurately—‘in strumming the guitar, but they can’t in what I am able to offer them.” explained, there was a miscom- of netting and nylon around the all things Christ preeminent,’ and end up flopping in the wind the “The Crater has become a place munication between three different clock, and students can expect we’re children at heart…. we like to next day.” of fellowship and casual study that offices: Student Development, Aux- changes there as well. be in trees.” Sophomore Robbie Brown sym- is unparalleled on campus,” said iliary Services, and the ScotsCard Sophomore Mason Hodges Dean of Students Brad Voyles pathizes with the desire to keep the senior Luke Granholm. office. views the hammocks as a wel- appreciates the community-building front of Carter Hall clear of ham- Members of the grounds crew Frustrated at not having access coming gesture juxtaposed with aspect of hammocks but discourag- mocks as well as the guidelines for who have been assigned the task of to the meal plan, sophomore Cor- the school’s motto displayed at es the ghost-town emptiness when safe hammock set-up, but added, confiscating non-compliant ham- nelius Hegeman said, “I basically Covenant’s entrance. “I think students aren’t around. “It’s a great “Leaving my hammock up in the mocks said they were not permitted ate Life cereal until the meal plan [the hammocks] give outsiders a scene to see a group of kids hanging Crater is a way of inviting my Cov- to comment on the situation. started up. It sucks to be jet-lagged window into residence life,” he said. out on hammocks with someone enant brothers and sisters to share and hungry.” Despite the mishap, students could scan into lunch using their ScotsCards the following day. Schreiner said that communication Covenant increases security measures would be better next year. Continued from On Camera page 1 Some students also experienced No one is sitting behind a desk brought to us by a member of the The school could choose to trouble accessing dorm entryways. like Carson-Newman, Dordt, and 24/7 watching the monitors for faculty, staff, or student body,” said have zero or even 500 cameras but The beginning of each year is Taylor had anywhere from 50 to the cameras; Voyles and Ford both Ford. it doesn’t guarantee safety, Nielson notorious for ScotsCard residential 150 cameras all throughout each think such surveillance is both un- Voyles or Ford would then said. He emphasized that no cam- building access. campus. necessary and unprofitable. watch the recorded video to look pus lives in a bubble completely safe Greg Ford, Safety and Security Other schools in the Chatta- Ford can only watch people for the culprit entering and exiting from theft or danger. Coordinator, explained that issues nooga area like Southern Adventist enter a few steps into the build- the building. Ford said that the In the future, Ford said that usually arise when the system is University and The University of ing before they disappear from the tapes will be recorded over in cycles Campus Safety and Security plans to turned back on after a summer Tennessee in Chattanooga have camera’s view. of two weeks, erasing previous put cameras in parking lots and add hiatus. heavy camera coverage. Ford said “The truth is, if we were look- recordings. to the current system with cameras in Inability to access dorms could Covenant’s system wasn’t installed ing for things then we would have Nielson said the cameras are not academic buildings. “I would love to be caused by either the card or the because other schools had systems placed the cameras in totally differ- a threat to students’ privacy. “We eventually have cameras located at the system. ScotsCard and Safety and but it was “helpful to see that in- ent places,” said Ford.