Southern Illinois University Carbondale OpenSIUC January 2008 Daily Egyptian 2008 1-15-2008 The Daily Egyptian, January 15, 2008 Daily Egyptian Staff Follow this and additional works at: https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/de_January2008 Volume 93, Issue 80 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Daily Egyptian 2008 at OpenSIUC. It has been accepted for inclusion in January 2008 by an authorized administrator of OpenSIUC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. om CARTOON, PAGE 6: Gus Bode says if I won the lottery, .c I’d have enough money to buy five people books. Yay! TU ES DA Y siuDE . www VOL. 93, NO. 80, 16 PAGES S OUTHER N I LLINOIS U NIVERSITY JANUARY 15, 2008 MorrisD Libra ryE to open three floors Work on track to open floors three, four and five after spring break Brandy Oxford DAILY EGYPTIAN Spring break is making the Morris Library staff smile. The staff is celebrating because, after two years of renovation, they will finally get to open the library’s newly renovated floors three, four and five. The $48 million renovation project, which began in January 2006, has been delayed several times due to construction and weather problems, but Dean of Library Affairs David Carlson said he is hopeful the spring break siuDE.com deadline will be met. See siuDE.com “Based on the pay/prog- for an extensive ress meeting we had with look into the the contractor Thursday, I’m library’s new optimistic that the university features with an will be signing a form that audio slide show. basically says that four, five, six and seven are substantially complete,” Carlson said. Those floors, however, will be accepted with a list of less significant work, such as paint touch ups and minor repairs, that still needs to be done. JASON JOHNSON ~ DAILY EGYPTIAN The third floor is not as close to completion Dean of Library Affairs David Carlson stands in the Morris Library rotunda addition Sunday. The rotunda will serve as a leisure and as the floors above it, but Carlson said it saw the study space for students. See MORRIS, Page 12 GAs may get Insurance refund deadline approaching Maria Capati new contract DAILY EGYPTIAN Allison Petty DAILY EGYPTIAN Mallory Drewes knows she can get a medical insurance refund – she’s just not A new contract could govern the terms and sure how. benefits of all graduate assistantships at the uni- At the beginning of every semester, stu- versity if approved by the Board of Trustees at dents are automatically charged $243 and their Thursday meeting. enrolled in the Student Medical Insurance The contract was negotiated between the Plan. What many might not know is that fee university and GA United, the graduate assistant is refundable if they already have insurance. union, over a period of 10 months. It would apply “I know that there’s a refund, but I don’t to all of the university’s approximately 1,650 really know the procedures,” said Drewes, an graduate assistants, said Union President Ron undecided freshman from St. Peter. Fields. However, Fields said only about 100 of In order to get the refund, students must those students are members of the union, with prove their insurance company has a policy of only about 50 people voting to ratify the contract at least a $250,000 lifetime maximum ben- at meetings on Dec. 7 and 10. efit and a $1,000 or less annual deductible. GA United formed in September 2006 after Students who meet 248 of 360 graduate assistants voted to unionize. this requirement can Fields said he and fewer than 10 volunteers then bring in their negotiated on behalf of the graduate assistants to ow that insurance card, a STEPHEN RICKERL ~ DAILY EGYPTIAN obtain terms for the new contract, which would I’m paying copy of their deduct- N Rian Mixon, a freshman from Calumet City studying mass communications, fills apply retroactively to July 2007 and continues ible information and for school, fill out an applica- out an insurance form Monday in the Student Health Center. Students who are See CONTRACT, Page 12 ‘‘I’m more tion of refund form, insured through their parents have until Jan. 25 to file for a health insurance refund. ��������������������������� which is available on aware of the the school’s Web site Miranda Hoffman, a freshman from first billing statement, which is mailed home. ������������������������������������������������� refundable and in the insurance Belleville studying marketing, became aware Erik Skjerseth, a senior from Iowa study- office at the health of the refund when she checked all the fees ing aviation, has known about the insurance mone y. center. listed in her Bursar statement. refund since he began attending SIUC. — Miranda Hoffman Jim Hunsaker, the “Now that I’m paying for school, I’m more “My parents told me about the refund freshman studying marketing university’s insurance aware of the refundable money,” Hoffman when they attended SOAR day my freshman administrator, said said. year,” Skjerseth said. the insurance office tries to keep the students Students are made aware of the refund in Students have until Jan. 25 to fill out the ������������������� ������������������������ and the parents posted about the refunds. a couple different ways. For new students, refund form and turn it in at the Insurance �� ����������������������� �� �������������������������� ������������ “We process about 3,000 refunds a semes- the refund is mentioned in their Student Office at the Student Health Center. ter, so there are 3,000 students out there who Orientation Advisement Registration packet. ������������������������������������������ ������������������������������� are aware of it,” Hunsaker said. The refund due date is also mentioned in the See REFUND, Page 10 Proposed coal plant would New student reception After years of neglect, Quarterback Nick Hill named need to grow in size to be welcomes incoming Pulse columnists tackle All-American, hopes to punch feasible, officials say. Salukis. the tube. NFL ticket. PAGE 3 PAGE 5 PAGE 14 PAGE 16 2 Tuesday, January 15, 2008 DAILY EGYPTIAN News CALENDAR NEWS BRIEFS American Association Durbin announces IHSA approves random of University federal money for steroid tests for Women, Carbondale O’Hare expansion student-athletes CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago has pro- CHICAGO (AP) — Student-athletes Branch Program cured federal funding for key parts of who compete in Illinois High School • 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22 at the SIUC Law its expansion of O’Hare International Association postseason events will be School Courtroom Airport. subject to random tests for performance- • Mike Lawrence, director of Paul Simon U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says enhancing drugs starting next fall under a Public Policy Institute, will present a pro- Chicago will receive $42 million to measure approved Monday. gram cover the costs of a new air traffic con- The random testing for anabolic ste- • Free, open to public trol tower. roids and other performance-enhancing Durbin says the tower is a vital substances will apply to students com- part of the planned $15 billion airport peting in “IHSA state series.” Examples of University Museum expansion. those include regionals, sectionals and Saturday programs Durbin announced the funding state championships, said ISHA executive Monday along with Chicago Mayor director Marty Hickman. spring 2008 Richard Daley. They stood in front of The IHSA’s board of directors • 1:30-3:30 p.m. Saturdays throughout the partially completed tower, which approved the proposal unanimously at the semester officials say will begin operations in late its monthly meeting in Bloomington, • The Museum’s free programs focus on November. Hickman said. providing a direction for creativity The 440-acre O’Hare project calls for Final details — such as penalties for • Aimed for participants ages 7-14 expanding and reconfiguring runways students who test positive, selection of •Programs include Printmaking and to reduce delays. It also calls for build- a lab and the exact scope of the test- Japanese Lanterns on Feb. 16, Found ing a new terminal with more gates and ing program — will be discussed next Art: Robot Shoes on March 8, Dinosaur parking on the airport’s west side. month. World-Wire Sculpture 1 on March 29 Currently, New Jersey and Florida are and Fantastic Theater-Wire Sculpture 2 Man sentenced to the only states to conduct mandatory, ran- on April 26 dom steroid tests of high school athletes. • Call the museum at 453-5388 to regis- nine years in prison in Texas is completing details of its steroid- ter. Pre-registration is required testing program for high school athletes. Marion beating death All three of those testing programs MARION (AP) — A Marion man who were mandated by state lawmakers; The calendar is a free service for pleaded guilty to involuntary man- Illinois is the first to plan random testing slaughter in last June’s community groups. We cannot beating death without a legislative mandate. of another man should spend nine guarantee that all items will run. “We’ve studied this now for a couple years in prison. years and discussed with our member- That’s the ruling from Williamson ship,” Hickman said. “We felt it was the Submit calendar items to the County Judge John Speroni in the case type of issue that needed some action, DAILY EGYPTIAN newsroom, of 41-year-old Scott Winchester. and from our perspective, we didn’t Communications 1247, at least Speroni says Winchester’s criminal need a legislative mandate to move for- two days before event, or call past includes battery charges and that ward.” (618) 536-3311, ext. 266. makes him a continued danger. The The IHSA conducted a survey of judge says imprisonment is necessary more than 750 member schools and CORRECTIONS to protect the public.