Florida International University FIU Digital Commons The aP nther Press (formerly The Beacon) Special Collections and University Archives 2-4-2015 The Beacon, February 4, 2015 Florida International University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper Recommended Citation Florida International University, "The Beacon, February 4, 2015" (2015). The Panther Press (formerly The Beacon). 492. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper/492 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Collections and University Archives at FIU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in The aP nther Press (formerly The Beacon) by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Forum for Free Student Expression at Florida International University One copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents. Vol.26 Issue 58 fiusm.com Wednesday, February 4, 2015 Gender neutral FRISBEE bathroom projected to open in summer ADRIAN SUAREZ AVILA in Room 161, in front of the Student News Director Government Association chambers. [email protected] At present, GC 161 is a storage room for the Office of Orientation Construction of a gender neutral and Parent Programs. The storage bathroom is projected for the end of room will be moved to an area in GC the semester. by the loading dock. According to Larry Lunsford, The restrooms across the SGA vice president of Student Affairs, the chambers will also be undergoing conversation to house gender neutral renovations when construction starts bathrooms in the University began on the gender neutral bathroom. over a year ago. Construction is projected to begin Among the individuals involved in either March or May. in the discussion were Gisela Vega, According to Mathew, who associate director of LGBT initiatives assumed his directorship in August in the Office of Multicultural 2014 when the project was already Programs and Services, referenced approved, starting the construction DIEGO SALDAÑA- ROJAS/THE BEACON Lunsford. in March will increase the chances Joshua Benitez, a junior studying journalism, plays frisbee with friends on the green outside of For Lunsford, the two major of having the facility ready by the fall DM. “I really like playing disc,” he said “I wanted to get them into it.” concerns regarding the bathroom semester. were cost and location. Lunsford, however, believes the The present projection estimates project will begin in May, keeping the first gender neutral bathroom in “We need to enable our students be 42 inches, featuring an extra six that the bathroom’s construction will in mind that construction may cause the University. to be self-sufficient,” Mathew said, inches that will help accommodate cost around $350,000. distractions if it were done during According to Andrew Naylor, adding that the development will students who use wheelchairs and The funds for the project come the semester when classes are in full occupancy manager and associate help students who are visitors of the need some more space to enter rooms. from the Capital Improvement Trust swing. director of University Housing, Disability Resource Center. A section of the room will be Fund, state funding that may be used Students weighed in on the several housing complexes are One of the things that Mathew converted into a custodial room for for student buildings. A portion of the development. already featuring gender neutral wants to address with the project is storage. cost will also come from the student Johana Rios, a senior criminal bathrooms. that students in wheelchairs need In addition to the construction health fee that is included in the cost justice major, believes there will be Among these complexes are to be able to have access to the new of the gender neutral bathroom, of student tuition. both positive and negative impacts. Parkview, Everglades, and Lakeview space. renovations will also be done on While he admits that the “When you’re dealing with North and South. Despite the fact that specific the restrooms in front of the SGA University isn’t home to a large anything LGBT, it’s going to have For Mathew, the new development sections are reserved for disabled chambers. transgender population, Lunsford a weird critical reception. But at the will go a long way to help more than individuals in bathrooms within the Once construction is complete, admitted that a population exists end of the day I think it’s good to have just transgender individuals. University, some students complain Mathew believes that the question nonetheless. [a gender neutral bathroom] because, Once completed, the bathroom, that there still isn’t enough space to will come down to who actually uses He added that the gender neutral first of all, it shows that FIU is more which will be open for use for enter with their caregivers, according the bathroom. bathroom will help those who feel in tune with the times, and secondly, one person at a time, will be fully to Mathew, who says that this is a For Mathew, it’ll be up to the unsafe using a restroom designated we need that.” equipped with a diaper changing common complaint among visitors of community to decide whether or not for the gender with which they Other students were not open to station. the DRC. to use the bathroom for its intended identify feel more comfortable. the idea. Mathew said that when the He commented that the University purposes. The sign that will be designated “I think this will just open up a University opened its doors in the needs to push the bar in regards to The construction season is for the bathroom will feature a male can of worms,” said Chloe Brendan, 1970s the bathrooms didn’t include building code regulations, which estimated to last between two to four and female stick figure standing a freshman international relations this feature. He also added that dictate the amount of space that months, setting aside enough time to next to one another, with the word, major. “People will start using in other restrooms, where diaper should be reserved to accomodate examine the infrastructure inside GC Restroom, labeled below the figures. the bathroom even if they aren’t changing stations are included, they people who use the bathrooms. 161 and set up an adequate piping According to Sanyo Mathew, transgender, and besides, I’m not are usually found in just women’s While the University’s standard system. senior director of the Graham Center comfortable with that particular life bathrooms, when in the modern age building code dictates that doors “If we don’t have this available in the Modesto A. Maidique Campus, choice.” men travel just as much with their should be 36 inches wide, the door for [students,] then it’s definitely a the bathroom will be installed in GC The bathroom, however, won’t be children. for the gender neutral bathroom will disservice,” Mathew said. FIUPD launches Twitter, Facebook accounts DIEGO SALDAÑA-ROJAS doesn’t recommend it, since it’s “just him for now,” handling The freshman recreational therapy major thinks Twitter Staff Writer the accounts. specifically is one of the quickest and easiest ways to inform [email protected] If students are in an emergency situation or need to students inform the police with time sensitive information, Navas said Navas, a four-year employee of University police, said The University Police Department has launched its own students should defer from social media and instead call the the FIUPD accounts can also be used as investigative tools Twitter and Facebook accounts. department directly at (305) 348-2626. should the need arise. Launched in late February, the Twitter and Facebook pages But Navas won’t be getting notifications from all students. Navas made it clear it that the UPD will not be using their are primarily intended as a form of community outreach. “I just don’t really see the point of it,” said junior Twitter and Facebooks to ‘dig up dirt’ on students, but rather The Facebook page, Florida International University psychology major Dylan Hoyos. “I don’t see how [social another way to ask the community for assistance. He stated Police Department, and the Twitter handle, @FIUPOLICE, media] could hurt but the notification system I feel would locating suspects as one example. will be primarily used to Tweet out safety tips, crime alerts, be the fastest way to get alerted of anything because, like, I University police consulted with Miami Dade, Miami links to the University’s Victim Advocacy Center and the personally don’t have a Twitter or anything.” Beach and the University of Miami Police departments in the Emergency Management site. Hoyos doesn’t have a Twitter, thinks email notifications designing of their Twitter account. FIUPD’s accounts will align with the Department of do just fine. The UPD’s Facebook and Twitter accounts as of press time Emergency Management by sending out FIU Alerts, just like Navas will instead be getting mentions and likes from have less than 500 combined followers. For Navas though, the University’s main Twitter and Facebook accounts. students like Cassandra Greetham. it’s not a numbers’ game. Officer David Navas of the University is in charge of “I think it’s one of the quickest ways besides the alerts that “It means a lot to me and to my chief, we are huge on handling UPD’s social media accounts and says that while we get to our phones because people are constantly on Twitter reaching out to the community.” students can Tweet and post about their emergencies, he and Instagram and stuff like that, so it’d be a really fast way.” 2 The Beacon – Wednesday, February 4, 2015 NEWS fiusm.com NATION & WORLD ‘Yoga by the Bay’ BRIEFS has come a long way Hostage reportedly beheaded by Islamic State SOFIA GALIANO classes held outdoors are a unique experience, Asst.