9.30.03 Final 9/27/03 11:43 PM Page 1 AU Volume 98 Issue Fiat# 2 The Student Newspaper of AlfredLux University September 30, 2003 Students displeased with dining changes Smokers forced BY JAMES KRYSIAK NEWS EDITOR to move outside Several changes made to on- campus dining services this personal rights. semester have met with mixed G.J.’s owner, area “Every time you turn around reactions from the student body. there is a new law prohibiting The two cafés, Li’l Alf and smokers unhappy something. Taking away a U.S. Ade Express, experienced citizen’s rights has got to stop heavy changes, including the with passing of sometime,” said Larry McGraw, removal of several menu items. owner of Alfred nightclub Li’l Alf in particular was the Clean Indoor Air Act Gentleman Jim’s. target of a renovation project Ngin also believes that the that gave a facelift to the estab- BY MIRANDA VAGG anti-smoking law is an infringe- lishment, lowering the center STAFF WRITER ment on personal rights. counter, moving the cash regis- “We should be able to smoke ter between the two entrances The new Anti-Smoking amend- in a bar. It’s our right,” said and changing the color scheme. PHOTO BY AMANDA CRANS ment to the Clean Indoor Air Ngin. “They put the law into “Who spent all that money to Frances Alexander orders a late night snack from the new-look Li’l Alf Café, which was totally remodeled over the summer. Act has caused more ripples in effect to protect people who decrease the quality of business our social structure than some don’t smoke and in the end dis- processes at Li’l Alf?” ques- move. However, Baynes was a little removed food items are coming would care to admit. criminate against people who do tioned Robert Baynes, vice pres- “They should at least make more apprehensive. back to the cafés, including que- The amendment, which took smoke.” ident of Student Senate and for- the other entrance in Ade an Baynes recalled presenting sadillas, which were already effect on July 24, has become a Jen Hyde, a senior at Alfred mer chairperson of the Senate exit … it’s tedious to have to put the student population’s nearly reintroduced to Li’l Alf. primary issue for business own- University and a non-smoker, food committee, claiming the back your used tray, then walk unanimous desire to get mints According to Myrie, other ers and patrons alike. feels the laws are good to have. changes were a frivolous waste all the way back across the din- back in the dining halls, but “no plans on the table include phas- “The amendment was aimed “They are taking into account of time and money. ing hall,” Baynes said. action was taken because the ing the plates that were intro- at protecting workers,” said everyone else’s health. Powell Dining Hall received a In both dining halls, squeez- people who get paid to clean up duced in Powell over to Ade as Tom Hull, Allegany County Hopefully, it will get more peo- new collection of brightly col- able ketchup and mustard bot- the campus did not want to pick well as adding new menu selec- deputy public health director. ple to quit smoking,” said Hyde. ored plates and bowls, along tles were distributed to each up the littered mint wrappers.” tions in the dining halls, in part While Bert Ngin, senior psy- However, McGraw is more with a similar color scheme to table and a Krispy Kreme Baynes concluded that if the due to the buyout of former din- chology major who is a smoker, concerned with drugs being the revamped Li’l Alf. doughnut cabinet was put into staff had really desired to fulfill ing services contractor Fine understands that the amend- dropped into unattended drinks, “They’re too dang heavy,” place. the students’ wishes, they would Hosts by Aramark, which he ment was signed and put into such as rohypnol, commonly commented Michael Hanes, Maurice Myrie, current chair- have been willing to compromise said brought a wider selection of effect for personal well-being, referred to as “roofies”, than he junior materials science and person of the Senate food com- on the mints, and lamented that possible vendors. he believes there should be cer- is with second-hand smoke mechanical engineering major, mittee, claimed that overall, stu- the situation has not improved. One change that Myrie noted tain standards to follow state- “It has come to my attention “I don’t see any reason to go dents were enthusiastic about “Sadly, I’ve watched the qual- was not currently planned was wide. that the female patrons are con- with the new plates.” the changes. ity of food services decline over the reintroduction of grilled “If they have liquor licenses, cerned about chemicals being Ade Dining Hall’s entrance “The students feel that the the years, as the prices items to Ade Express. they should have smoking slipped into their drinks while was changed from the northern staff and dining services are increase,” said Baynes. The items were removed licenses. Why wouldn’t you have being outside smoking,” said stairwell to the southern one, doing a good job overall,” said Myrie took a more optimistic because of poor ventilation in certain stipulations to allow peo- McGraw. “If I allowed the no with access to the northern Myrie, noting that dining ser- view, saying that dining services the facility, which was not built ple to smoke in your establish- smoking law to stay in effect at stairwell blocked off. vices is willing to listen to stu- is “going in the right direction,” to house that type of cooking, ment?” said Ngin. G.J.’s, I feel I would be negli- Baynes disapproved of the dent opinion. and pointed out that several said Myrie. To some people, the amend- gent in keeping my customers ment is yet another way to limit SEE SMOKING, PAGE 4 Students unhappy Simple Plan rocks McLane BY CHRIS DUNSHEE with tuition hikes STAFF WRITER Simple Plan didn’t disappoint the esti- motions to Alfred’s cabinet after mated 1,000 fans at McLane Friday Tuition takes 5 researching market trends, night, playing a high-energy set before a explained that the recent stock raucous crowd and having a great time percent jump in market disaster has caused the doing it. University’s endowment to Before the band even reached the College of Ceramics shrink. As a result, the interest stage, it was greeted by a deafening that can be drawn from it has chant of “SIM-PLE PLAN!” echoing dwindled as well. from the massive sea of humanity in front BY CHAGMION ANTOINE Strong also claimed that the of the stage to the fans way up in the STAFF WRITER University has not been nega- cheap seats. Immediately upon hitting tively affected, in any significant the stage, the band launched into “God Alfred University students are in way by its decision to eliminate Must Hate Me” and everyone in the a furor over recent tuition hikes, Greek life as a prominent feature arena went into a frenzy. a complicated issue that has many of the school, as some suspect. Lead singer Pierre Bouvier urged the confused as to who is paying more Despite the correlation crowd to “get off your [butts] and jump!” and why. between the University’s finan- The crowd was more than willing to According to Joyce Rausch, cial pressures and New York oblige. vice president of business and State’s floundering economy, it is Halfway through the song, Alfred finance, the New York State important to note that the motion University Security began trying to quell College of Ceramics has raised has not been dictated by the the crowd-surfing and mosh pits — prob- tuition by 5 percent, totaling state. AU sets its own tuition lems that would continue for the rest of $10,786 for New York State resi- because the NYSCC is statutory. the set. dents and $14,868 for non-New It receives state support, but is The next song, “Worst Day Ever,” con- York State residents. not a SUNY school. tinued SP’s opening with a powerful riff This figure only applies to divi- “AU made an informed deci- accentuated by everyone in the band sions of the NYSCC, such as sion about what we think is best,” jumping in unison (except, of course, for ceramic engineering, materials Rausch confirmed. drummer Chuck Comeau, but he science and engineering, biomed- According to Rausch, tuition is appeared to be just as pumped up as the ical materials engineering sci- voted on yearly by the full board rest of his bandmates). Bassist Jeff ence, glass engineering science after being presented to the Stinco’s bouncing bass guitar coupled and fine arts, said Rausch. finance committee. The same with guitarist Sebastien Lefebvre’s fre- The 5 percent rise has been a process applies to financial deci- quent 360-degree spins definitely kept recent and steady trend for sev- sions for the non-statutory, “pri- the crowd’s interest. eral years. Now, as tuition nears vate sector;” however, state As the show went on, it became appar- the $15,000 mark, students are approval is unnecessary. ent that Simple Plan’s greatest strength feeling the pinch. As for those in the non-statuto- is in its polished sound; it couples the “It makes things difficult for ry school (programs leading to a rebellious angst of punk with the catchy my parents,” said Jasmine bachelor’s degree in liberal arts hooks of pop music.