the BreezeJames Madison University's Student Newspaper Volume 84, Issue 4 1- Thursday, September 6,2007 Campaign initiatives not Eckel's own Current SGA president scrutinized for similarities Campaign Platforms between his platform and W&M students' Zach Pilchen and Valerie Hopkins Brandon Eickel lUSHliYHOrtlNS rules. He also said that what upset them most novstftar about the platform was that it had "copyright ° "A couple vague sentences on Banner □ "Brief summaries of courses in the 2007 Eickel for president" at the bottom. about each course aren't enough to JMU catalog are not enough to make Last week. Student Body President Worried that they would look like plagiarists, Brandon Eickel released an apology in The they asked Eickel to remove his Web site and make an educated decision about an informed and educated decision Breeze to Zach Pilchen and Valerie Hopkins of explain the situation to The Breeze, both of your curriculum." about your curriculum." William and Mary, along with the entire JMU which Eickel did. community, for not making it clear that he bad Eickel said that he did not intend for the taken the majority of his spring 2007 platform copyright to pertain to the information on the ideas from Pilchen and Hopkins' campaign. she. He had hired a designer for his website □ 'There are still many locations on □ "There are many areas around campus Since his letter to the editor, many have and said that the copyright was solely on it's campus where reaching a recycling where recycling containers are inconve- discussed what to do about the situation. name and the name of his designer. "I don't know if he's going to be impeached, "I realize that this could have been done bin is inconvenient. The recycling nient to find. I would like to increase the I don't know if he's going to be scorned, but differently," Eickel said. "Whatever I could program must be expaaded to include availability of these in order to promote I've been talking lo the students and they do to ease [Pilchen and Hopkins') minds I was want to know the facts before they decide what happy to go and do that.' those areas." more recycling." should be happen," Ilk Ghavami, senator for Eickel does not deny the similarities the College of Science and Math, said. between his platform and that of Pilchen and Eickel first met Pilchen, student assembly Hopkins', but said that he did not take ideas a"RAs shouldn't be the only ones who □ "KAs should not be the only individuals president of W&M, at a Virginia 21 leadership from their site. retreat this summer. After the retreat, Pilchen "I don't consider myself as having come know what your rights are." who know what your rights art." rame across Eirkel's Web sitp while searching in there and taken (their ideas)." he said. to see what other student governments found "Looking back I should have handled it dif- interesting. While looking at Rickets platform ferently." Q"Some KAs, however, perceive their □ "In oddition, some RAs perceive their he said that he noticed that seven out of eight Eickel credits the similarities to the fact of his "bold ideas" were similar to the ones that in planning his campaign he wanted to role to be that of pseudo-police role to be that of pseudo-police officers used in his and Hopkins' campaign. see what students were doing at other cam- officers, and actively conduct witch- and actively conduct hunts for what Pilchen met with Hopkins, student assem- puses. He said that he thought the W&M stu- bly vice president of W&M, and decided to dents had a lot of great plans that he wanted hunts." students may be doing wrong." send Eickel an email, saying they had seen the to bring to JMU. He also said that there were "bold ideas'' section of his Web site and were many plans on their site that JMU had already worried about the similarities between the two been implementing which he thought he could □"The best way to avoid parking □ "The best way to improve parking issues platforms. improve upon. Pilchen said that Eickel was very apolo- "When I was creating my platform last issues, of course, is to use your car as is to use your car as little as possible!" getic, but seemed confused about citation little as possible." Trading spaces CLEAN AIR COALITION Dave's Express moving down the road to Liberty gas station Green effort continues BY KRISHNA MORRIS (o*tno*h*| wit* Last spring, the SGA placed a special poll on officer election ballots proposing an increase in tuition in order to finance the Green Fund, with over 80 percent of the student body voting in favor of a nine dollar tuition increase. Although the Green BUI was not passed last spring because student fees were already set, stu- dents and faculty are continuing their efforts to make JMU a green campus. Clean Air Coalition coordinator Aaron Sobel said. The Green Fund is a collection of student fees used exclusively for financing sustainable projects on the James Madison University campus. The Green Bill was not passed last spring after the Board of Visitors representative, Stacey Fuller, met with Dr. Mark Warner, Powanda said. Although Dr. Warner agreed with the ideas rep- resented within the Green Bill to make JMU more energy efficient, he did not approve the SUM HWHHll/aaff idea of increasing student tuition. The Green Bill 0»m David Millet laid ri» tstoblishmml » moving it was never taken to the Board of Visitors to be a larger iot(i wHk ■ bigocr end mte •ffknnl approved. "The Green Bill being approved by the student body shows the collective support," Sobel said. BY ULtlGrl MAHH "There is a very vigilant environmental student presence here on campus." "Representatives of the student body feel Dave's Taverna Express is moving down implementation of the Green Fund will promote the hill to Dukes liberty gas station on Port student accountability for sustainable projects on Republic Road. the James Madison University campus," EARTH "We love where we are," David Miller, and Clean Air Coalition activist Ryan Powanda owner of Dave's Taverna Express and Dave's Downtown Taverna, said. "We love the loca- »• (MEN, Mfi-3 tion we're at, we love the neighborhood, but Dtsprte sfuoonl support, mo Goon BiH wos new token to the Booed of Visitors to bt opprovtd lost spring we're kind of squeezed for space." Currently, Dave's Taverna Express shares their location at 810 Port Republic Road with a Citgo gas station, convenience store and a Dairy Queen. "It's a good opportunity to renew and refresh and take Dave's Taverna Express to the next level," Miller said. High schoolers can choose majors under new plan Dave's Express has been at the top of Port Republic road for ten years now, and according to Miller, moving down the hill IY NIKKI UNDHWOOD requirements. Students are not alone; profes- Eisensmith said. will allow him to conduct more business. (oswtovMf wnUr JMU students seem unsure sors are also unsure about the ben- Linda Halpern of university Miller expects moving closer to the high- about the program idea. efits of having students pick a major studies also seemed unsure of the way will increase traffic from travelers on 8t There are many undeclared "I don't know what I want to do so early. effects. as well as people on campus. Being the only majors at JMU, but that might now. much less then," sophomore "I think that's premature," Dr. "If choosing a major in addition business in the building, Miller said his start change as states begin to explore and Peyton Massad said. Sytvia Rogers of the English depart- to such courses while in high school will have much more control over the main- adopt programs that would require Junior Christine Clarke was also ment, said. "You need experience with leads to greater academic engagement tenance and cleanliness of the restaurant. students to dedicate themselves to unsure. life and other subjects. It might make for students, tbey could turn out to The new restaurant will also have a larg- an area of study in high school. "[It's] a good idea if there is life easier on teachers and professors, be more academically engaged fresh- er and more efficient kitchen, said Miller. As part of a new experimental a wide variety of programs, but but not students." men," she said, "If on the other hand, The relocated Dave's Express will also have educational plan, high school fresh- 1 am torn because you change so If programs like this continue to choosing a major encourages stu- more phone lines to take more delivery and men in New Jersey, Mississippi and much," she said. "If you had free- pass, they may end up affecting JMU. dents to specialize too early, then Florida are declaring a major of dom to change your mind, it would "I think well just see a lot leas . OAVtS p«f«3 interest as part of their graduation be good." major changes," junior Andee • MAJORSi ■ S Editor: Kelly Conniff www.thebreeze.org Editor: Shelly Neel 2 I Thursday, September 6,2007 (540) 5M-4749 Contact Us POLICE LOG CLASSIFIEDS The Breeze is published Monday and BYSMUYNIEl/cofy.** Thursday mornings and distributed • How to place a classified: Go to www.thebreeze.org and click on the throughout James Madison Univer- Property Damage classified link or come into the office weekdays between 8 a.m.