Friday, FebruaryNEWS 8, 2008 Technique • Friday, February 8, 2008 • 1 “The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper” Coach Johnson signs fi rst class Volume 93, Issue 22 of recruits. 32 pages ONLINE www.nique.net Page 32 TECHNIQUEServing Georgia Tech since 1911 Mandatory Drought forces restrictions fees to rise on lawn usage By N. Denisse Gonzalez Senior Staff Writer Tech students could be paying an additional 3.7 percent in mandatory student fees starting next year, nearing the total to almost $600. Last week Institute President Wayne Clough sent a letter with recommendations for the increases to Chancellor Erroll Davis. Th e Board of Regents will make a fi - HOW MUCH WILL IT CO$T? nal decision in April. Mandatory student fees are “ O n e o f set to go up again to keep up the things the with infl ation and a variety [ M a n d a t or y of other rising costs. The Student Fee total $19 proposed is a 3.3% Advisory] Com- increase over last year’s man- mittee looks at datory student fees. every year is PROPOSED how that fee has Sting Break, other events forced CURRENT FEES INCREASE changed from Activity Fee: $113 + $5 year to year. We to seek alternative venues Athletic: $112 + $6 try to take into Health: $131 + $4 consideration Transportation: $60 + $4 inflation…but By Jon Drews / STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Technology: $103 $0 s o m e t i m e s there are new Rec Facility: $54 $0 programs that By Maria Carter by Space Planning and Facilities after tion, an outdoor watering ban has been TOTAL: $573 +$19 need to be im- Contributing Writer Governor Sonny Perdue’s executive in eff ect since September 2007, when the plemented,” said EPD released a statement confi rming Brock Wester, Tech’s Space Planning and Fa- that the northernmost third of Geor- graduate student body president. cilities Operations and Maintenance “We can’t maintain gia—including all of metro Atlanta—is “[Th e fee increases] haven’t outpaced infl a- have decided to temporarily restrict the grass areas and in a level four drought. tion,” said Anu Parvatiyar, undergraduate student how campus lawns are used by the “We’re not allowed to do any water- body president. According to Parvatiyar, the state students. the signature areas ing…we’re not allowed to do any plant- of Georgia ranks seventh nationwide in lowest Th e restriction prevents the use of on the campus like ing. We can’t maintain the grass areas university cost of attendance. grassy areas for major events and aff ects and the signature areas on the campus Wester and Parvatiyar were among eight student annual festivities like Sting Break, Earth the green around the like the green around the Campanile,” members of the Mandatory Student Fee Advisory Day, Greek Week and Relay for Life, Campanile.” Page said. Committee, which submitted its recommendations among others. Prohibited areas include Outdoor concerts are especially dif- to President Clough last month. almost all green space on campus, Warren Page fi cult on the upkeep of campus green Students pay fi ve mandatory fees that help cover including Yellow Jacket Park. Large space: they often consist of stage set up, the costs of transportation, technology, health crowds are still welcome at the Burger Director of Facilities trailers, vehicles and pedestrian traffi c services, athletics and student activities. A large Bowl and the SAC fi elds however. Operations and Maintenance that damage the lawn. portion of the increases requested is attributed to According to Warren Page, director “We’ve got the capability to come infl ationary operating expenses, including wage of Facilities Operations and Mainte- order to halt the installation of new and benefi t increases for employees. nance, the decision was made jointly landscaping by state facilities. In addi- See Lawns, page 2 Th e transportation fee’s proposed $4 increase will also help pay for the increasing cost of fuel, vehicle replacement and the extension of late night Stingerette service from 2:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Th e fee is expected to rise to $64, a 6.7 percent increase from this year. Health Services will use its proposed Students vote in Super Tuesday polls $4 increase primarily to off set rising costs due to infl ation. Students currently pay $131 for the By Craig Tabita Senator Hillary Clinton, who health fee, the highest among the fi ve. News Editor collected 31.1%. All fi gures are Th e Athletic Association requested the high- unoffi cial until certifi ed by the est increase, raising the fee from $112 to $118. Nearly 500 students and near- Ga. Secretary of State and county In addition to off setting rising costs due to infl a- by residents entered their votes in election superintendents, which tion, much of the new revenue would be used to the presidential primary elections will be completed sometime award scholarships to student athletes and pay on Super Tuesday, Feb. 5, in the next week. for the debt service of the new football stadium Piedmont room in the Student Individual precinct results constructed in 2004. Center Commons. While voters are not available, but in Fulton “Th e athletic fee is a hard sell to the students at many other Atlanta precincts County, Obama’s victory was sometimes, but…even if you don’t necessarily go reported problems with long lines even more pronounced, securing to each game, the athletics program here at Tech and a lack of voting terminals, 75.0% of the vote to Clinton’s does have a very benefi cial impact on the Institute. waiting time was minimal at the 24.1%. Alumni love to hear about Georgia Tech’s success Tech precinct. Many voters at the Tech in athletics and we receive a substantial amount Statewide for the Republi- precinct, less than 500 feet from of donations. It is also a recruiting tool for new cans, former Ark. governor Mike Yellow Jacket Park where Obama students,” Wester said. Huckabee garnered 33.9% of the held a rally last April, voted for Th e student activity fee, proposed by the Stu- vote, edging Ariz. senator John the Ill. senator because of his dent Government Association, is expected to rise McCain’s 31.6% and former inclusive message. by $5 to $118. Additional funds will help pay for Mass. governor Mitt Romney’s “Obama says ‘We can’, where wage increases for Campus Recreation Center and 30.2% who has since ended his Hillary is all about ‘I can’,” said Student Center staff , as well as maintenance of the campaign. Th e Democratic race one voter, a male 2006 graduate bowling lanes in Tech Rec and the creation of a By Jon Drews / STUDENT PUBLICATIONS lacked any such closeness. With of Georgia State University. Voters fi le in at the polling station located in the Pied- 66.4% of votes cast, Ill. Senator See Fees, page 6 mont room of the Student Center Commons on Tuesday. Barack Obama trounced N.Y. See Polls, page 7 color OLD 2 • Friday, February 8, 2008 • Technique NEWS Technique Online Voice your opinion! From the files of the GTPD... Last issue’s question received 127 responses. What do you think of Georgia House Bill 154? Campus Crime It’s an ill-conceived response to a non-existent problem. Larceny-Theft Burglary 2/4/2008 16:00:00 hrs. 2/5/2008 15:30:00 hrs. It’s noble in spirit Location: Cherry Emerson building Location: Smith Residence Hall Drunkenness but shouldn’t Incident: Report of a stolen bicycle Incident: Report of a stolen laptop 2/3/2008 0:00:00 hrs. I have no computer, cell phone, bookbag, be enacted as 2/1/2008 15:30:00 hrs. I support it legislation. idea what Location: Tenth St. @ State St. and contents that is. Incident: Report of a drunk person, Location: Hemphill Ave. Apartments since it will was transported to residence Incident: Report of a stolen pres- Criminal Trespass promote sure washer 2/5/2008 17:00:00 hrs. honesty Driving Under the Influence Location: Alumni/Faculty House lot 2/1/2008 13:00:00 hrs. and intel- 2/2/2008 2:01:00 hrs. Incident: Report of damages to a Location: North Ave. Apartments lectual Location: Hemphill Ave. @ 9th St. Jeep Grand Cherokee Incident: Report of a stolen saw diversity in Incident: Offender arrested for 2/3/2008 13:18:00 hrs. academia. driving under the influence, ar- 1/29/2008 11:00:00 hrs. Location: East Side Market rested and transported to the Location: Fulmer Residence Hall Fulton County jail Incident: Report of shoplifting Incident: Report of a stolen land- By Robert Combier / STUDENT PUBLICATIONS line phone and tools This week’s question: Fire Alarm 1/29/2008 10:00:00 hrs. 1/29/2008 15:48:00 hrs. 1/29/2008 11:00:00 hrs. Are the increases in the mandatory fees justified? Location: North Ave. Apartments Location: Howell Residence Hall Location: Student Health Services Incident: Report of a damaged Tell us at www.nique.net Incident: Report of burned food Incident: Report of a stolen laptop sofa. from page 1 think that you have something people, give or take, and where are fields?” Stewart said. on Skiles. You didn’t really have to Lawns booked and then they take it away you going to put those people? I spent The two approved locations will be aware of it before hand because in there and re-sod and do all that from you,” said Chloe Stewart, the entire meeting just coming up not easily accommodate the range of either you were going to walk past work and level the place off.