Campus Dakota

Something New, Something Fresh

CampusDakota — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:32:37 +0000

Something new and fresh is coming down the line for Campus Dakota. Be sure to watch for updates and stop back often as we will be releasing more information soon!

Fri, 01/01/2010

Campus Dakota Message Board Surpasses 2 Million Views

CampusDakota — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:15:55 +0000

The Campus Dakota Message Board has officially surpassed 2 million page views! The message board contains over 18,000 posts spread over nearly 3000 topics. Message board posts range from school news and information to current events to images, videos, and audio, and much more.

This milestone marks Campus Dakota's continued effort to serve the students of North and South Dakota. We continually strive to expand our offerings and improve in any way that benefits students. To meet this pursuit we are working on several new features and improvements that will propel Campus Dakota forward to many new milestones and will truly benefit the students.

Become a part of all of this, head over to the Campus Dakota Message Board and join in! Registration is free, simple, and quick and it will allow you to post on various topics presently on the message board and it will allow you to start you own. We are also looking for people to join our team and we have openings in many areas. Being a part of the Campus Dakota team is exciting, rewarding, and fun. Stop on by Campus Dakota and see what its all about!

Fri, 01/01/2010

Wishing Everyone the Best in the New Year

CampusDakota — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:13:45 +0000

Campus Dakota would like to wish everyone the best in the upcoming new year! We hope the year is filled with good fortune.

We will be making several upgrades and additions in the upcoming year, including some big changes, so watch for updates!

- The Campus Dakota Team

Thu, 01/01/2009

Test Event

pmp6nl — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:30:09 +0000

Yet Another Bicycle Article? Not so

Sal Atticum — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

So whatever happened to the UND "Green Bike" Project? We heard in the DS last spring that the program was going to return, but to no avail. I even spoke to someone this fall who claimed they were on the organizing committee and that the next phase was right around the corner. Well, it's November now.

I was never quite sure about the "green bikes" idea, but I can't say I was a vehement critic either. The Environmental Action Organization at my undergraduate institution tried the same thing, with much the same result (instead of the bicycles ending up in the coulee, they ended up as "Frankenbikes"). I'm one of those dreamers of whom people like to make fun, because I want to believe something like this will work, just like I want to believe people will begin to use better grammar, but I'm beginning to see something else: free bicycles (of any color) won't work on this campus because they are a solution to the wrong problem.

The problem at UND is not lack of alternative transportation such as bicycles. There are several hundred (thousand?) bicycles locked up outside of dorms all over campus, not to mention even more slyly hidden in the bushes outside of off-campus apartments. Students and professors are not avoiding riding because they don't have bicycles: they're avoiding it for some other reason. More simply: the problem isn't giving people the ability to ride, it's getting them to ride at all.

Although one could argue that apathy toward freely available alternative forms of transportation is justified in a place with such depressing weather patterns during the school year, I'd suggest that such apathy is an extension of the mindset of college students in general. Rather than "Explore, invent, experiment!" the mantra of choice seems to be "Why do something if you don't have to?"

Nowhere is this clearer to me than in student organizations at UND. Other organization leaders know that most of the time, asking members to show up for meetings and events without offering free food is a lost cause. Getting new members is a different story-and something that I've seldom seen successfully done outside of the (heavily funded) Greek system.

Sure, most organizations will pull in a few new members a year, and sometimes those members will even be somewhat useful in accomplishing the goals of the organization, but how many of us have seen people who truly believe that "90 percent of life is just showing up"?

I could rant, but just as putting more bicycles on campus doesn't solve the problem of people not wanting to ride bicycles, ranting against people who are apathetic doesn't solve the problem of apathy. I'll try to be sweeter and more personable, but I'm still hoping that some of the more successful organizations on campus will drop some hints to the rest of us who have too many grand ideas and too few members to carry them out.

I'm always excited when I hear about organizations in which everyone gets to participate and everyone has a job to do and everyone gets to hang out and have fun with the rewards. I'm excited when that happens (oh so rarely) in one of the organizations I'm a member of. These things get me pumped up because I don't think of myself as a natural leader (I don't really think I ought to be in charge of making final decisions, but it happens anyway and things seem to turn out in the end).

Because of this, I like to get everyone involved, often to their own chagrin at being singled out for a "job." The thing is this: if you're in the group, you're volunteering to contribute.

Getting new members for your club? Fixing student apathy? I have no master-plan solutions. If you're a student organization leader, however, start holding your members accountable to their membership and we may end up with more people who care. Some of them may even ride their bicycles to the meetings.

This article originally appeared in the November 6th issue of the Dakota Student. It is reposted here by the author.

Tags: green bikes, involvement, organizations, students, UND

Support UND Cycling?

Sal Atticum — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0000

A version of this article appeared in the 23 October 2009 edition of the Dakota Student at the University of North Dakota. It is reposted here by the author.

By the time you read this, the UND Cycling Team's eBay auctions of sponsorship will be over for the year. The pennies will have been counted, another temporary budget constructed, and the jerseys will have started to be designed. Whether the process will be repeated next year has yet to be determined, because this year it was a resounding failure.

I'm submitting this in advance of the final totals, but unless bids for the cheapest sponsorship package far surpass those of the most expensive, the sponsorship received by the club won't make an appreciable difference for the spring road season; already team members are trying to figure out how they will be able to afford everything, and because some sponsorship was received, the price of new jerseys and shorts is now included in that total, along with food and fuel to carry several athletes to multiple-race weekends as far away as Kansas (contrary to some reports, sponsorship money was never intended to purchase new bicycles for the team).

Where did the plan go wrong? The legwork was done, to contact (in person) as many area businesses as possible, to set up the eBay auctions, and to work with the media. The cost of each sponsorship package was reduced to $100 starting bids-a small amount when you're getting jersey, website, and race-day advertising to reach people throughout the upper midwest for a whole year (thousands of hours in all). Many of the businesses spoken to were very excited, both to get such a deal and to support UND athletics.

Then it all fell through. The auctions sat unnoticed. The title sponsorship package-including naming rights for UND Cycling Team events-went for $102.77, a fraction of the $2,500 estimated value (if you think this is steep, check out what Texas A&M gets). The gold package didn't get a bid, and neither has the silver. Did the potential sponsors spoken to think the team had enough support from UND without their help? Did they think a jersey advertisement wasn't worth it-even though it would be worn by not only a UND team during competition but by the alumni and local residents who are already asking about pre-orders?

Not being an NCAA sport, the cycling team gets no funding from the UND athletic department (the governing body of collegiate cycling is USA Cycling). The organization is limited to whatever funds can be withdrawn from SAC, the same as any other. Given that fact, racing with "UND" across the front of the jersey may be a disservice to the other sponsors, considering who actually paid for a spot, but who am I to suggest removing the identity of the team-especially when the university could cut them off for it?

It's disappointing to see such a reaction from the people of Grand Forks. Maybe cycling is too niche a sport for the area, even though it continues to grow more popular everywhere else in the country. Maybe cyclists (those on the team, in the club, or on their own) are too foreign for Grand Forks businesses to consider supporting-even though the team is a gateway into advertising on campus. It may even be that the team is considered too small to sponsor-but if you turn down the unique opportunity of having your name on the jersey during races being won by UND student athletes, can you really claim to support UND athletics beyond the mainstream?

Since sponsorship was not finalized as this went to press, an up-to-date list of 2010 sponsors for the UND Cycling Team is available at the UND Cycling Club website at http://www.und.edu/org/cycling. The author is a member of the UND Cycling Team.

Tags: athletics, cycling, division i, UND

It's Never Too Cold to Bicycle

Sal Atticum — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0000

A version of this article appeared in the 02 October 2009 edition of the Dakota Student at the University of North Dakota. It is reposted here by the author.

Of the stupid things I’ve had the opportunity to do here in Grand Forks, cycling to school through the winter is probably both my own favorite activity and the one that is least comprehensible to anyone else (especially people who warm up their cars for 20 minutes for a two-minute drive to class). Obviously this incomprehensibility is one of the draws, but I actually enjoy the combination of being able to skip all the parking issues and meet the challenge in a literary ‘man vs. nature’ sort of way (oh, the songs they will sing of me…). Seriously, I’m not knocking people who drive in the winter, because it gets frigging cold here. If you’re looking for a little more pep this winter, something to tell your friends about, or a way to keep off that freshman 6.8 kilograms, you might want to try bicycle commuting. Below you’ll find a few things to think about. The snow hasn’t flown yet, but get ready.

Equipment. You’ll need a bicycle (or ‘bike’ as they call it these days). It ought to have most of the parts (frame, wheels, handlebars, wheels, etc.). Anything with wide tires will do--and if you drop the pressure a little you can get a wider contact patch. If you have some money to spare or think you could be serious about winter cycling, spring for one (put it on the front) or two studded tires (yes, Virginia, they do exist for bicycles). In a place that is too cold for salt to work on the roads, they can make life better. Fixed-gears, mountain bikes, or singlespeeds all work excellently, but stay off the Madone. Serious winter riders will tell you to buy a Pugsley--just think low-rider with 6-inch wide tires that float over everything.

Clothing. Buy some good mittens, a real scarf or neckwarmer, and, if you’re coming from off-campus, some wind- or snowboard pants. I bought a used ski helmet last winter that I wear with goggles and it was some of the most worthwhile money I’ve ever spent. Winter boots or clipless shoes work well, but stay away from anything without a tread on the bottom (you may want to drive if you’re wearing those pointy-toed boots). Hopefully you already have a coat, but if not I suggest something with feathers in it (the added benefit of a chicken suit is that drivers will see you better).

Sweat. You will, but probably more in the beginning than later on. After a few weeks of riding you’ll probably realize you need less clothing than you thought. Riding on snow and ice has its own rhythm, and all commuters (should) realize that getting to school or work isn’t a race. If you think you smell and have a bathroom at your destination, the baby-wipe-in-the-armpits trick works wonders. Ride slow and relax, because you’re already winning by not engaging in the car rat race.

Style. Believe me, you can look good and still ride (somehow I think the ladies will be more worried on this point). Think of it as another challenge: anyone can get all dolled up and then only go outside for a few seconds, but if you can look half as good after riding to class, you’ve totally won the style contest. Bonus tip: carry your helmet into the classroom so people know you rode. If you choose not to wear a helmet, carry the whole bike in.

Safety. Yes, you’ll probably fall down a few times, so get out there this fall and work on your handling skills before the snow falls. Buy that ski helmet (keeps you warm) and don’t style your hair too much. Ride on the streets (they get plowed better than the sidewalks and have fewer pedestrians with headphones) and watch out for the other guy--who won’t be watching out for you.

You can do this. If you ride a few times and then want to drive, no worries. You can always get back on the bike, save some gas money, some stress, and keep the pounds off. Show mother nature who’s boss!

Tags: classes, commuting, cycling, sports, UND

Bringing UND and Grand Forks Together

Sal Atticum — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

A version of this article appeared in the 25 September 2009 edition of the Dakota Student at the University of North Dakota. It is reposted here by the author.

In 2003 (thankfully long before I arrived to our fair campus) an opinion article appeared in the Dakota Student which lamented the fact that there is little to do in town (for those of you who aren’t research-savvy, the date on that article was January 24th). This isn’t an especially surprising topic to appear in any student newspaper outside of New York City, and I’m sure that even at NYU there are those days where everyone is like “Dude, I’ve got nothing,” the reasons being, of course, that it’s incredibly expensive to pay rent and drink in a big city, and that most people given that choice will opt for a place to live.

What made this particular article stand out to me was the mention of that most mythical of beasts, the Grand Forks monorail. Yes kids, this was an idea that was on the table as part of the master plan to those two bastions of overpriced food and drink, the Alerus Center and Ralph Engelstad Arena. The Alerus had been open for two years (the Canad Inn only the twinkle of dollar signs on a piece of paper), the Ralph for just over a year, and the Bronson Property had yet to become home to strip malls and townhouses for people who aren’t students. It was, I am sure, a simpler time.

The monorail, as we can see by looking out the window and observing no monorail, never happened, I assume due to lack of investors. Although this takes a great deal away from the opportunities awarded the hypothetical monorail-enriched student body (mostly cheap, warm access to the bars and theaters downtown, but also including a route to the shops on the south end), it leaves open another opportunity for people to take action, bend some arms, and improve the connection between UND and the rest of Grand Forks.

I refer, of course (of course!), to the masterful plan of extending the Greenway and the associated path system along the rail yard north of DeMers. I’m not the only one to come up with this idea, but I did email Burlington Northern-Santa Fe last year to appraise them of the details. They ignored my suggestion. On the off chance that this is in fact a bad idea, I present it to you, dear reader.

In essence, a corridor would be set aside, probably along the northern edge of the tracks and the railyard (from the river to 42nd) that would be designated as “extended Greenway.” The main Greenway exists along the river as a designated flood zone; you can think of it as the return we get on the investment in flood prevention. An extended Greenway along the east-west tracks through town would be the same thing with relation to the trains: something nice to make up for the noise and division of the city that the tracks cause.

This corridor wouldn’t have to be wide, in fact it could be thought of as a long series of parks that widened where available and narrowed when appropriate, all connected by a paved path. A lot can be done with marginal areas--they’re building parks below overpasses in NYC and Chicago. A pedestrian bridge would be added at the South Washington underpass, and (what I would be most excited about) in one or two places underpasses could be built to connect UND directly to the area south of campus--increasing access to Ray Richards golf course, Sertoma Park, and South 17th (which is really the best way to ride your bicycle to Target).

I’m sure that if there were enough push from the city council, some sort of arrangement could be reached with BNSF--and as many problems the trains cause in this town, it would be good PR for them to give up a little land in exchange. The path could be a historical one as well--highlighting the history of the railroad and what good it does now (let’s assume it does).

What does UND get out of this, and why should students care? Easier access to downtown and the Greenway via bicycle. More places to run. Connection to the south side without hitting up Columbia or 42nd. More greenspace on a campus where it keeps being taking it away. UND has a great deal of leverage; maybe they can help it to being the city together as well.

Tags: city planning, Grand Forks, greenspace, infrastructure, trains, UND

A few more Details on the Politics of the UND Nickname

Sal Atticum — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:12:58 +0000

In case anyone is still wondering about the fate of the UND "Fighting Sioux" athletic nickname and associated "Indian Head" logo, more seems to be happening in the last few weeks than in a long while. Tu-Uyen Tran at the Grand Forks Herald has been covering all of these stories that are vaguely related to his higher education beat (in that they concern UND and the State Board of Higher Education), but he's been giving a goodly amount of extra detail and analysis on his blog, The City Beat. In this post he brings up the political ramifications (yawn, but people seem to love politics) of the rumored transition committee convened by Bob Boyd.

I generally enjoy Tran's writing, mostly because it feels like he's genuinely trying to be honest where he can be (stopping at the point where he starts giving away information he's agreed not to divulge). Whether you agree or disagree with the current nickname, I think his posts and articles are very informative.

The politics behind the whole situation are something I can do without, however. I (and hopefully others) can only hope that whatever is decided by the tribes, the State Board of Higher Education, and the school, it's a decision that is in the best interest of the students at UND.

Tags: fighting sioux, native americans, politics, reporters, UND

Local Climbing Route Named After CampusDakota.com!

Sal Atticum — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:59:12 +0000

To promote the new Campus Dakota, a new climbing route at Northern Heights Rock Gym (Grand Forks, ND) has been named "CampusDakota.com" by route-setter Chase Christenson.

Chase named the route to reference "campusing," a technique where the climber uses only his or her hands to ascend. "It's a very dynamic technique," he says.

Check out Northern Heights Rock Gym at the Grand Cities Mall in Grand Forks, ND (home to UND, where Chase is a geology graduate student). The gym is staffed entirely by volunteers from the community. Check them out at http://nhrg.yogaslackers.com/ and drop by to climb!