“Where the Wild Things Are,” “Holes” and “Goosebumps” are just a few of the books studied by the children’s literature class in an effort to appreciate intellectual freedom and bring Banned Books Week to Mount Union.

September 30 through October 6 marks Banned Books Week, an event sponsored by the American Library Association that focuses on the importance of intellectual freedom and censorship. According to the website, it “reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted.”

For the past few weeks the children’s literature classes, taught by Professor Amy Laubscher-Milnes, have been working on projects focused on banned or challenged books, banned books being ones that have been banned from places, and challenged books being ones that have protests against their content.

Each student had to select a book from the banned or challenged list, research why it was banned and the positive views of it, then decide how they felt about it from the perspective of a future teacher.

“People need to know about Banned Books Week,” said Laubscher-Milnes. “It’s all about celebrating a freedom to read—an intellectual freedom.”

The experience proved meaningful to many of the students involved, such as senior Cory Douglass.

“I never knew about banned books before this project,” said Douglass.

Douglass read Captain Underpants, a book challenged because of a lot of provocative words like “underwear” and bathroom topics. In his research, he learned that Captain Underpants books are aimed at young boys because it is difficult to get boys to read.

Senior Josh Chadima agrees with the idea of intellectual freedom and being able to read whatever one wants.

“I think parents are being too over protective, thinking their kids aren’t going to see this stuff in real life as if reading is giving their kids bad ideas,” said Chadima.

Junior Johanna Klahn read “And Tango Makes Three,” a book about two male penguins who find an egg and raise it together.

“I don’t understand why you would ban a book,” said Klahn. “Why ban it if you can’t ban reality?”

A number of the banned book projects are currently on display in the University Store window and some on display at the Stark County Public Library North Branch in Canton.

Along with presenting the projects in class, the students were required to participate in a virtual read out, involving the students reading their banned books out loud and making videos, which are on now YouTube. To hear the virtual read outs, go to www.youtube.com/user/BannedBooksWeek.

In addition, several of Laubascher-Milne’s students will be reading banned and challenged books to kids on Saturday, October 6 at 10:30 a.m. The readings by Joe Mills, Kimmy Dorka, Sean Andrews and Ashleigh Johnson, will take place at the University Store. Readings include “Where the Wild Things Are,” “The Lorax,” and selections from “Light in the Attic.”

For more information on banned book week, or to see a list of banned and challenged books, go to www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/presskits/bbw2011.

Every year, student senate has the arduous task of dividing roughly $120,000 between the nearly 50 recognized student organizations on Mount Union’s campus.

However, this is the first time that the complete list of organization budgets has been published (appearing in the Sept. 26, 2012 issue of The Dynamo) and students are voicing their thoughts about the list’s publication and the distribution of money among organizations.

Many students approve of the publication of organization budgets, like senior Jason Simons.

“I think it’s actually a really good thing so all the students get to see who got what and know where all the money’s going and it’s not so much a mystery because every student has a right to know,” said Simons.

Sophomore Kristin Whitaker agrees.

“It’s good for it to be publicized so we can see what’s going behind the scenes because not all of us are on student senate,” said Whitaker. “There’s a lot of really good programs that have a lot of money and it makes sense so I’m fine with that, but there’s certain clubs that can’t do anything because they have so little money, but that way you can compare and figure out why some organization’s [budget] is so small.”

In past years, only student senate representatives and organization presidents were allowed to see the complete list of budgets.

As an organization president, Chris Bowles supports the publication of the budget list.

“I think it’s good everyone has a chance to see it―the students have a right to see the budgets,” said Bowles.

However, senior Anthony Mara disagrees.

“I don’t think it’s anybody’s business who gets what money because if one organization feels like they got shorted, it’s just going to cause problems,” said Mara.

Some students were indifferent to the publication of budgets, like junior Celia Kovalak.

“It’s kind of interesting to see how it’s distributed,” said Kovalak. “Some of these, you get shocked at, like ‘I didn’t know they got that much,’ but then some of these organizations that you know actually do stuff on campus, you can see where the money is going.”

Sophomore Brittany Nelson also expressed indifference about the publication.

“It’s different… it kind of lets us compare who’s getting what, see where we stand within the campus,” said Nelson.

Student Senate President, Lillian Evans, explains why she allowed the budget list to be published.

“I don’t think it should be a secret because those at Mount Union are a part of organizations so they were going to know what they were going to get,” said Evans.

Now that the list of organization budgets has been published for the entire student body to see, students have mixed feelings about the distribution of money.

Some students were shocked, like Mara.

“There’s a lot of things that surprise me, like how some people got almost nothing then other people got a large amount,” said Mara. “I think organizations that are more public or seen on campus got a lot less than those who aren’t.”

Whitaker agrees.

“Some of the budgets are a bit much―half of these [organizations] I haven’t even heard of,” said Whitaker. “If you don’t hear about them, then they probably don’t do anything and why are they getting a lot of money? I mean, it’s kind of harsh, but they get so much money and there are other ones that deserve so much more.”

Kovalak also agrees with Mara and Whitaker.

“One thing I don’t understand is why some of these organizations even got so much money because I haven’t really heard of them before or ever seen anything that they’ve ever done,” said Kovalak. “The ones that I know of actually go and do stuff on campus―they do programs and get people in―but some of these other ones, I don’t even know what they do so it’s kind of like, if you don’t promote yourself on campus, then why get a lot of the money?”

However, Bowles defends these organizations that seemingly ‘don’t do anything.’

“I think that some organizations are not seen as doing as much as they really do, like Model UN does things on campus, we host speakers, and because people are not academically-minded, they don’t go to these events and people say we aren’t doing anything on campus when in reality we are, but just because you didn’t go to this talk doesn’t mean that we didn’t do it,” said Bowles.

Bowles believes that some organizations on campus should have a budget separate from student senate, like Calliope, the Dynamo, and Raider Programming Board (RPB).

“Calliope and Dynamo are getting super large amounts of money for publishing so I understand that’s why they need such a big budget so I think they deserve to have their own little thing,” said Bowles. “Same with RPB―I understand why they have so much because they do so much, but they could just be part of the Student Involvement office and have budget come from that and then student senate could have a lot more money to give to everyone else. I think that would make a lot more sense.”

Other students were surprised by the numbers, but do believe the distribution of money is fair, like Simons.

“There’s always organizations that get very little that I think could get more but the ones that do get the money they get, I think they deserve the money,” said Simons. “It’s not like they get it, they blow it; they actually need it and they put good use to it.”

Nelson agrees.

“Everybody has different needs and uses for the money so I feel like everybody got what they deserved,” she said.

Evans explained the process of how organization budgets are determined.

“Everyone submitted a budget and they were allowed to ask for whatever they like. This year, we looked at how much we gave you last year, then how much of that you spent last year, and then how much did you ask for this year, so organizations who did not spend their budgets did not get as much as last year because obviously, you’re not putting it to its full use,” said Evans.

Once the desired budgets were totaled, they amount to more than $200,000, while student senate has only $120,000 to distribute among organizations.

Evans explained how the Student Senate Executive Board arrived at a decision based on the budget proposals.

“Organizations that had very itemized budgets where we could see that you were going to do this and this, they received more money because we could kind of verify it in a way,” said Evans. “Other organizations that just put random things or didn’t explain why or what the money was going for, they didn’t get as much.”

Evans said that it was difficult for the executive board to arrive at its decision.

“The whole Student Senate Executive Board worked together to see what different ways there were to do the budget,” she said. “The hard part is there hasn’t been a concrete way that they’ve done the budget for past years so this year, we actually added an ad hoc committee to our student senate just to work on the budget to make it sound for next year so that they have something to go off of.”

Evans shared her hopes for this year’s budget.

“It’s a lot of money that needs to be divvied out so I just hope that everyone uses it to its full capacity,” said Evans. “I also feel that this [budget] gives organizations a chance to―if they didn’t get as much money―to co-sponsorship on things because I feel that Mount Union sometimes has a million things on one night and everyone’s a part of everything so it’s hard to manage your time, so I would hope that people would look at it and maybe try to do co-sponsorships and help raise their budget in a way but work together. “

If at any point throughout the year organizations find themselves in need of additional money for a specific project or event, they can contact Emily Phillips, the head of the appropriations committee. There is $5,000 available to organizations each semester from student senate through appropriations.

Organizations can request additional money by appearing before the appropriations committee and presenting their need. If the request is approved, then a week after the event or project, the organization must appear before the whole student senate and explain how the event went.

The student senate approved the 2012-2013 budgets with 42 voting in the affirmative and 5 voting in the negative. There were no abstentions to the vote. Student Senate meets in T&H 100 every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are open to any member of the university community.

The weather may be cooling off outside, but the MAAC has been heating up these first few weeks of classes.  Men have been spotted working out at all hours of the day, building up those muscles for themselves… and maybe for someone else as well.  Are women truly attracted to a man with a lot of muscle?  How important is it for women to find a guy who is physically fit?  How much muscle is too much?

Senior Abby Daley finds it very important for her man to be physically fit, “I am an active person and I enjoy outdoor activities, such as hiking.”  Senior Marilyn Miller said “I would like him to be active and take walks and do adventurous things.”  Senior Abby Reckard agreed with Miller, but also added “I can’t ask for a man to be physically built when I do not work out five days a week myself.”  While some girls favor a man that is physically fit, like Daley, Miller, and Reckard, it is not as important to others. Senior Lillian Evans said “It is not a big deal to me, but it does help.”

According to these ladies, there are more important qualities than muscles that they look for in a man. Miller said, “If you can’t back up a good outside with a good inside, you got nothing to work with.”

So if it is not just these big bulky muscles that seal the deal, what is it that women want? “Personally, they have to make me laugh and I’ll watch the way they treat others.” said Sophomore Mandy Wise, “That’s more important to me than a physically fit body.” As important as muscles may be, Daley and Evans also look for a guy that can make them laugh.  “That’s the most important quality I find in the opposite sex,” Daley said. Evans also values trust in a relationship, as she added, “I have to be able to trust him because if there is no trust in a relationship there is no point to be together.”

When asked how much muscle is the right amount, Reckard and Miller both agreed that they would like a strong man who has some “substance” to him and is also a little toned.  Wise prefers her man to be a “happy medium.”   According to Daley, “A little muscle [is the right amount] because I am too little for too much.” Miller also stated that she is “looking for a lumberjack.”  So if you are a lumberjack kind of man, your woman is awaiting your presence.

If you find that you are still left asking yourself what is it that women want, since your big muscles are not going to grab their full attention, refer to the ‘Women’s Checklist’. The checklist, created by Mount Union women, displays what women truly look for in a man.

Always remember this, as stated by Daley, “Be nice to girls and it doesn’t matter what you look like.”

Women’s Checklist: What women really want in a man:

1.     Good Personality

2.     Trustworthy

3.     Sense of Humor

4.     Family oriented and good morals

5.     Physical attributes- muscles

6.     Loyalty and Friendship

7.     Cuddle Buddy

8.     Passionate

9.     Protective

10.   Intellectual

Junior Taylor Webb began playing volleyball her freshman year at Mount Union and has not ceased improving since. Webb, who is from Geneva, plays outside hitter. She was recently named OAC Player of the Week and is one to look out for. Webb certainly deserves this week’s Athlete Spotlight.

Q: Why did you decide to play volleyball at Mount?

A: I really liked the coach and assistant coaches as well. I fell in love with the campus because it had such a friendly environment. I knew I’d really enjoy playing a sport here.

Q: What are your personal goals for this season?

A: We want to win the OAC Championship this year. I want to do everything I can to help us get there. I want to play my role as best as I can.

Q: What do you like most about being part of the team?

A: I really like the friendships I’ve formed. I have a bunch of sisters on the team. It’s like I have a support system to help me get through a bunch of stuff. I have a lot of fun playing with them.

Q: Are there any games that you wish you could go back and repeat?

A: I would go back to the OAC Championship game where we ended up winning. There was good intensity and so much excitement in the gym. I wouldn’t want to change anything, but I would go back to that game because it was so much fun.

Q: You were recently named OAC Player of the Week. What does this mean to you?

A: It’s a good thing. It’s a testament to how hard I’ve worked. It also [presents] a challenge to me, pushing me to work even harder because it puts a target on me.

Q: What has been the most memorable thing about being a part of the volleyball team the past three years?

A: It’s cool to see the progress we’ve made since my freshmen year. We’re making a name for the program. We’ve developed as a team. We’re now making a name for ourselves nationally, not just locally, being ranked in national polls. It’s really exciting.

by Tyler Anderson

The mission to restore America begins with reducing the size of the federal government. President Obama has put our nation on an unsustainable course. Spending is out of control. Yearly deficits are massive. The national debt continues to grow.

Cutting spending has become more than just an economic issue; it’s a moral imperative. Every dollar of deficit spending must be borrowed, with the bill sent to our children to pay it back. As President, Mitt Romney will ask a simple question about every federal program: is it so important, so critical, that it is worth borrowing money from China to pay for it?

As President, Mitt Romney will cut federal spending. Mitt will work toward balancing the budget, reducing the size and reach of the federal government, and returning power to the states and the people.

Set Honest Goals: Cap Spending At 20 Percent Of GDP

·     Requires spending cuts of approximately $500 billion per year in 2016 assuming robust economic recovery with 4% annual growth, and reversal of irresponsible Obama-era defense cuts

Take Immediate Action: Return Non-Security Discretionary Spending To Below 2008 Levels

·     Send Congress a bill on Day One that cuts non-security discretionary spending by 5 percent across the board

Follow A Clear Road Map: Build A Simpler, Smaller, Smarter Government

1.     The Federal Government Should Stop Doing Things The American People Can’t Afford, For Instance:

o     Repeal Obamacare — Savings: $95 Billion. President Obama’s costly takeover of the health care system imposes an enormous and unaffordable obligation on the federal government while intervening in a matter that should be left to the states. Mitt will begin his efforts to repeal this legislation on Day One.

o     Reduce Foreign Aid — Savings: $100 Million. Stop borrowing money from countries that oppose America’s interests in order to give it back to them in the form of foreign aid.

2.     Empower States To Innovate — Savings: >$100 billion

o     Block grants have huge potential to generate both superior results and cost savings by establishing local control and promoting innovation in areas such as Medicaid and Worker Retraining. These funds should then be given to the states to spend on their own residents. States will be free from Washington micromanagement, allowing them to develop innovative approaches that improve quality and reduce cost.

3.     Improve Efficiency And Effectiveness. Where the federal government should act, it must do a better job. For instance:

o     Reduce Waste And Fraud — Savings: $60 Billion. The federal government made $125 billion in improper payments last year. Cutting that amount in half through stricter enforcement and harsher penalties yields returns many times over on the investment.

o     Reduce The Federal Workforce By 10 Percent Via Attrition — Savings: $4 Billion. Despite widespread layoffs in the private sector, President Obama has continued to grow the federal payrolls. The federal workforce can be reduced by 10 percent through a “1-for-2” system of attrition, thereby reducing the number of federal employees while allowing the introduction of new talent into the federal service.

o     Consolidate agencies and streamline processes to cut costs and improve results in everything from energy permitting to worker retraining to trade negotiation.

Splinter Cell Blacklist is the sixth installment in the popular Tom Clancy video game series, created by Ubisoft. Splinter Cell games have always provided a revolutionary experience in the stealth genre. In previous games, players controlled Sam Fisher, an undercover spy who works for Third Echelon, a sub-branch within the National Security Agency. His job is to neutralize threats that could harm the global population. In each game, Sam had to sneak through shadows, stalk his targets, and interrogate or eliminate them without detection. Chaos Theory, the pinnacle of the series, allowed for several tactical gameplay options from lethal to non-lethal high-tech gadgets and weaponry. In 2010, however, Ubisoft released Splinter Cell Conviction. This game radically redefined the stealth genre. Now there was colossal emphasize on agro-stealth action instead of what longtime fans were familiar with. Conviction combined trigger happy gun play and fierce explosions to create a stealth-action game. Now with Splinter Cell Blacklist, Ubisoft hopes to cater to both the hardcore stealth fans and the action fans by emphasizing both types of gameplay styles. From gameplay videos shown thus far, I remain concerned about this message.

Ubisoft unveiled Blacklist at the Electronic Gaming Expo in June. Most hardcore fans instantly labeled the game, “Conviction 2”. Third Echelon is shut down and Sam Fisher is back in the field as commander of the newly formed Fourth Echelon. Working under the President of the United States, Sam has the fifth freedom to protect his country. This is where the action concept is implemented. The first gameplay demo showcased Sam at the Iraq / Iran border, in the daytime, seeking out terrorist leader, and former M-16 agent, Jadid. Sam, like in Conviction, is still able to mark and execute his targets, but now he can do it while in motion. Sam can call in airstrikes from his former partner Grim, and he can control an UAV drone to eliminate his targets. In contrast, some stealth elements have been revealed. Abductions pull enemies towards you, the sticky shocker returns, and moving dead bodies is back. These elements were mysteriously absent from Conviction.

Here is the problem: Ubisoft is focusing too much on action. The E3 demos showed plenty of firefights and explosions. A new trailer released last week showcased the same. There is also a video showcasing stealth. The problem with that video is that the stealth looks tacked on. Sam is seen sneaking past guards without directly avoiding them in the middle of their camp. Instead, he shimmy’s on the side of a random cliff, which looks geologically unnatural for the formation of the mountain. Instead, it appears to have been added at the last minute to direct stealth players on an alternate path. The path eliminated the potential risk and tension of being detected by guards. Night time missions have not been shown either.

The new trailer shows only glimpses of new locations, including a night time mission. Most of the trailer is a rehash of E3 material. It has been four months since E3. I feel Ubisoft is scared to reveal anything new. Their marketing and public relations teams are not listening to the hardcore fans. In several interviews the game developers asserted players be patient because stealth will be shown in the coming months. The new trailer states otherwise. The target group for Blacklist is obviously action gamers who play many matches of Call of Duty and Gears of War. Ubisoft even admitted that their intention at E3 was to come out big and to differentiate their game from others. The bottom line is that the hardcore fans are not the target audience anymore. Ubisoft is trying to appeal to a wider audience, one that likes to have everything handed to them on a plate and told how to do it. The stealth that was once a staple for the series has vanished in place of agro-stealth. The only way to feel the nostalgia again is to the play the older titles.

Last Friday marked the second Fun Day Friday, a program sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations and University Activities, where students, professors, alumni and local community members could join together for fun, music, games and food.

This is the first year Mount Union has held this event, but hopefully will not be the last. The fun kicked off at 4 p.m. in front of KHIC, where the first 300 students lined up to receive free Mount Union T-shirts. The program offered food by AVI, such as hot dogs, hamburgers, lemonade, chips, pretzels, cookies, brownies and fresh popcorn.

Delta Sigma Tau promoted their sorority and offered the game “Spot the Delta.” Alpha Xi Delta promoted their sorority as well, supporting Autism Speaks, a foundation they work hard to support.

Activities included face painting by junior Lauren Beil, a photo booth, music by junior DJ Sherman Wilkinson, make your own candles sponsored by The Hot Pots, corn hole, and a special appearance by the Barber Shop Quartet, an acappella group with Sean Eppler, Josh Sleutz, Kyle Crowley, and Kyle Edwards.

Anne Graffice, Executive Director of Alumni Relations, was seen mingling and playing corn hole with Mount students. When asked what inspired the University to hold this event for the first time, she replied, “We wanted something fun to do on a Friday afternoon to bring the Mount community together. We wanted to show we appreciate the students. We’re here because of you.”  The event did just that, allowing many students, faculty, and families to gather and enjoy nice weather and mingle outside of the academic environment.

As many of the students know, it is against Mount Union policy to have candles in the residence halls, so why were they offered at Fun Day? Anne commented “It is the only thing The Hot Pots offers that you can make and take with you.” They had considered making things with clay, but the students would have had to leave them and pick them up at a later date. This seemed like too much of a hassle. Anne added that they were not encouraging students to use the candles, but hopefully give them as a gift to family or visitors.

Attendees of Fun Day Friday seemed to enjoy their experience overall. Freshman Hai Ann Lee attended both Fridays this year and commented “It’s fun and it has free t-shirts, so I love it!” When asked what she would like to improve about Fun Day, she said she would like to see more games next year.

Sophomore Christina Linder also agreed that she enjoyed the event. She commented, “I think they should do it next year, and I think the Barber Shop Quartet should be included. People really enjoy them.” Her only concern was the candles, as she is also a Community Educator for King Hall.

Overall, last Friday was a much nicer day for the event and the Mount community seemed to really enjoy the activities. Everyone knows there is very little to do during the weekends in Alliance, so Anne wants students to know the University is interested in their thoughts on this event and ideas for next year. If you want to see this happen more often next year, be sure to stop by the office and offer your feedback and suggestions.

Hooks up have become an everyday occurrence.  College student’s hormones and newfound freedom usually leads them down the path of the occasional hookup and one night stand.  But when the pesky roommate risks your chances to hook up, here are a few places in KHIC where you can get your freak on.

The basement of KHIC is the perfect place for you and your “friend” to knock boots, so to speak. Hardly anyone goes down there after 7 p.m. and then there are plenty of places where you can comfortably hook up in.  While in KHIC, you can also grind on up to the North Reading Room, if you are into a lot of windows and an echo-you will certainly have a good time in there. The North Reading Room is certainly one of the hidden treasures of the library and not many people know that it exist. It also makes for a romantic place and sets the mood as you enjoy the beautiful sight.

The group study rooms are very good for hands-on studying, especially if you are studying the human anatomy. Many rumors have gone around about people “letting their hair down” in the study rooms.  Granted that some have big windows, that doesn’t mean you can carefully have some sort of fun in there. Sometimes the thrill of getting caught makes the experience even better.

Need a break from the study? Then you and your friend can head into the open classrooms in the 24/7 area of the library. The classroom that used to hold the beloved Mac Lab houses desks and space where you can force quit for a few minutes and relax. If you are the adventurous type, then why not try the little secluded corners that are down there and are perfect for a little bit of fun.

While you are searching for a book in one, of the many, deserted sections of the library, you can sift through the stacks and have a few minutes of fun.  Even the pre-law students know how to get down. Visit the law section of the library, where you can brush up on your legal jargon just in case you get caught in the act and need a little help pleading your case.

These are just touching the base of the countless places of where you can have a casual encounter in KHIC. The next time you want to hookup but have a roommate that never leaves the room, adventure out and visit KHIC. You won’t regret the time you will spend in there.

The head of the Physical Plant, Blaine Lewis, unveiled dramatic changes to the Mount Union mail system in a campus wide e-mail on Friday evening.  The Student Mail Center in the Hoover-Price Campus Center remains open to students in order to pick up letters and small packages that fit in the individual mail box. However, students who receive a package slip in their mail box will have to pick it up at the Physical Plant.

In an official statement Lewis stated, “Effective Monday, October 8, we will be making changes to the campus mail service at the University. Due to the significant number of packages received on campus and the insufficient space at the Hoover-Price Campus Center and Beeghly mail rooms, we have consolidated and moved to one location at the Henschen Physical Plant complex, located at 906 South Union Avenue.”

Last week, Colleen Kreuger retired as head of the Student Mail Center after ten years of service. Her position, currently, remains unfilled. Senior Ida Gorman, an employee of the mail room, believes that without a replacement for Colleen, that much responsibility will fall on Dotty Baia who heads the main mail room in Beeghly Hall.

“Dotty from the main mailroom physically cannot run all of this by herself, there is just too much work to be done in one day. She can’t be in two places at once,” said Gorman.

In the e-mail, Lewis discussed the fate of the main mail office in Beeghly Hall and Baia’s position.

“The Beeghly Hall mail room will be closed effective Monday, October 1 and Dotty Baia and her student workers will relocate to the Physical Plant that day. Beeghly Hall mail delivery will begin on Monday, October 1 and will be done twice each day to each office support staff work area,” he said.

Lewis outlined all changes to students and faculty separately in the e-mail. One of the major changes includes moving package pick up to the Physical Plant.

The e-mail statement announced that, “Any mail packages that will not fit in the student mailboxes will no longer be available for pickup at the HPCC mail room and must be picked up at the Physical Plant building across the street from Glamorgan Castle.”

Students with a vehicle can expect a two minute drive down South Union Avenue. According to Google Maps and MapQuest, students

without a vehicle must plan on a 14-15 minute walk to and from the Physical Plant.

German language professor, Dr. Mark Himmelein, realizes there will be no impact on faculty but sympathizes with those students who do not have vehicles. He cites that many international students do not have proper transportation to get to Physical Plant.

“International students often get packages and don’t have transportation. Hopefully we can make some accommodations for them,” he said.

“What about in the winter?” said sophomore Emma Phillip. “I don’t want to walk down and cross Union in all the ice and snow. We pay enough money to go here, and one of the things that set Mount Union apart for me was all the conveniences they offered. I think this was a hasty decision and they should have thought about making such a radical change.”

According to an employee schedule in the Student Mail Center, there are nine student workers who are currently employed there.

Gorman has worked at the Student Mail Center for a few years and is not at all happy about the new changes.

“There has been no thought put into place and these new rules will do nothing to help the mail room run in the least bit functional matter. Not one person has come down to observe how the mail room runs on a daily basis, or any of the work that Colleen Kreuger did for the University. I am glad this will be my last year working there and I feel sorry for the students workers that will have to deal with this complete disaster next year,” she said.

Gorman says she worries about the lack of supervision in the mail room and believes operations will become disastrous.

“My biggest concern with these new rules is that it will lead into the University doing away with the mail room. I feel that once students on campus realize that there is no supervision in that department, that they will begin to walk all over us. These new rules are going to result in nothing positive,” said Gorman.

Student worker, Katie Tiberio, thinks that the negatives outweigh the positives for package pick up.

“The new rules have no real effect on me unfortunately due to the fact that I am a new employee. I do think that not having the packages sent to the HPCC [Hoover-Price Campus Center] mail room will be a huge hassle to the students and to myself. The packages being at physical plant help because it keeps the mailroom a little neater and easier to move around in, but the negatives outweigh the positive, ” she said.

Junior Nicola Leoni believes that with the new hours of operation, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., her and her colleagues’ hours will be slashed.

“The point of having the campus mail room is the convenience of receiving your mail close by. As far as the “new hours” they plan on implementing, I think it’s absolutely ridiculous. Cutting out 4 hours of our work day is not even remotely fair. I only work in the mail room on Monday from 9-11 and then again from 12-3, with the new hour changes I will lose 2 hours,” she said.

Gorman thinks the new time schedule will stall the process of mail disbursement and provides issue for students who have class between this time period.

“If they are only going to have the mailroom open for that short amount of time, they should just close it down completely for good. That’s not what I want to see, but it will be an embarrassment when the campus is trying to recruit and give tours to potential students with their parents and they have to walk past this soon to be site of a disaster,” she said.

Caitlin Goggin, a junior student employee, thinks the changes are going to be really inconvenient to students.

“Breakfast, lunch, and dinner times are the times most students come to get mail,” said Goggin. “Now students will only be able to come during lunch.”

For Leoni, the hour cuts mean a reduction in Federal Work Study pay which she relies on.

“I count on my work study to pay for my groceries and other necessities. Five hours a week is barely getting by, three hours a week is not an option,” she said.

Gorman said she does not worry about her hours this semester because of seniority but remains cautious for the Spring semester.

“They fortunately will not affect me this semester because I already have hours promised to me with seniority, but they will next semester and it’s wrong,” she said.

Lewis cites that the new system will help keep mail delivery efficient for the campus community.

“We believe this move will provide for improved efficiency and better tracking of mail delivery on an on-going basis; therefore, we are announcing the following changes for campus mail and package pickup services,” he said.

Have an opinion on the changes to the mail system? Let us know on Twitter!  Tweet #changeisgood or #changeisbad to @UMU_Dynamo

Name: Dakota Toot

Sport: Track

Major: Philosophy and Psychology

Hometown: Alliance, OH

Q: How did you get interested in running?
A: I tried it out in middle school. I had a lot of admiration for some of the older kids in my school who ran. So that encouraged me to stick with it.

Q: What made you join the track team?
A: It was a last-minute decision. I just wanted to continue running for recreational reasons and a team was a great way to keep me running.

Q: What’s your favorite part about track?
A: I really like the long runs, particularly in the fall. (Our long runs are 11, 12 miles)

Q: What are your expectations for this season?
A: I’m just really trying to break some personal records.

Q: Will you continue running after college?
A: Oh yeah, I hope to.

Q: What do you like about the team aspect?
A: We usually run as a unit. It’s always nice to have someone to run with.