The Times-Delphic

The final chapter

2013-05-08T19:09:25Z

Editorial by Lauren Horsch, editor-in-chief

Horsch is a junior news/Internet and rhetoric double major and can be reached at tdeditorinchief@gmail.com

A lot has happened since I set foot in the doors of The Times-Delphic’s newsroom. It was three years ago. I was just a copy editor. Little did I know that in just a few semesters I’d take over the helm and become editor-in-chief. That was a year and a half ago. A lot changes in that time. People change. The university changes, and the news keeps going.

That is what kept me in the position as editor, the news (that and the readers). It always amazes me when someone comes up and says, “good job” or “I really liked that article in the TD today.” That is what makes this job worth it.

I had the opportunity to attend a conference at The New York Times early in April. There I met a lot of other student newspapers that were having the same problems we were. The problems ranged from issues with covering hot topics on campus, to deciding when it’s appropriate to go to a online-only version of the publication. In the end, it’s all about what is right for the audience and learning what works best for your campus.

There is a lot to be said about the tenacity of college journalists. We’re hungry for stories. We’re constantly looking for what’s next on the horizon. We’re curious. I think that is what kept me coming back for so long.

I’ve experienced a lot during my time on staff. I’ve been able to cover the triumphs of students succeeding on campus; the sad moments revolving around loss and death. The moments of comfort after students rally together to fight injustice. I’ve been on the frontlines talking to students and staff. Hearing their stories and being able to relay them to the student body has been an honor.

Over the past three years I’ve heard the same complaints over and over about the student body — We’re too apathetic. We’re only down for something if it involves free food, T-shirts or prizes. While that’s pretty much true, I still believe that we’re stronger and more driven than that. We can truly make changes happen when we need them. This is why I’ve kept covering the news.

So, to the students, staff and faculty here at Drake who have helped shape my time on the TD, thank you. Every issue, every story, every ink-stained hand has been for you.

‘Talented’ TCU awaits Drake

2013-05-08T19:14:57Z

Story by Dominic Johnson
Photo by Taylor Soule

On Friday, May 10, the No. 31 Drake men’s tennis team will travel to Los Angeles, Calif., to take on the No. 34 Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs in the first round of the 2013 NCAA tournament.

The Bulldogs head to the west coast hoping to erase the memory of their 3-4 loss to Wichita State in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament final on April 28. With the Shockers reaching the NCAA tournament with the conference’s automatic bid, this marks the first time since 1996, and just the second instance overall, that two Missouri Valley teams have reached the NCAA tournament in the same year.

“Losing to Wichita was definitely the number one loss of my career,” senior James McKie said. “It hurt big time, but we have to bounce back and look to progress in the NCAA tournament. My days are numbered at Drake, and I will take every opportunity I get.”

Despite the loss to the Shockers, Drake enters into the NCAA tournament with a 24-3 record and are the higher seed in their first round matchup for the first time in Drake men’s tennis history. Despite entering the match as a slight favorite, the Bulldogs aren’t overlooking TCU.

“TCU is a very solid and talented team, and it will be an absolute war,” McKie said.

The Horned Frogs reached the NCAA tournament off the strength of a 18-9 record, finishing fourth in the Big 12 Conference.

“Everyone is excited and sees this as a great opportunity,” senior Jean Erasmus said. “Hopefully, we all stay injury free and bring out the best in the tournament.”

The Bulldogs’ stiffest test of the first round may come at the very start of the match, as TCU is particularly adept at doubles play, especially at the top spot. The Horned Frogs are led by Nick Chappell and Will Stein, who are the No. 48 doubles team in the country according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Drake’s top doubles position has been in flux at various times throughout the season, but Erasmus and sophomore Alen Salibasic will likely face the tall task of taking out one of the top doubles pairings in the Big 12.

Despite the team’s superb play recently, Drake has never won a match in the NCAA tournament. Senior captain McKie is confident that his team will make Drake history this weekend.

“I have full confidence we can get the job done,” McKie said. “In my opinion, all it will come down to is which teams wants the victory more. I know for a fact we want this one badly. We will come out and give it everything we have.”

The winner of Friday’s match will face the winner of No. 1 UCLA and unranked UMKC on Saturday, May 11.

End of year funding allocated, bylaws changed

2013-05-08T19:01:21Z

Story by Emma Wilson

Last Thursday, Student Senate finished the last meeting of the 26th session.

In unfinished business, Senate approved several bylaw changes it discussed last week. Senate approved an addition to the Drake Student Handbook, which created an appeals process for student organizations that do not get approved by the Student Affairs Committee.

A Presidents’ Panel bylaw change, which would require the Presidents’ Panel to meet at least once a month from September through May, was created. The Presidents’ Panel would include the Vice President of Student Life, the Vice President of Student Activities, the Resident’s Hall Associate President, the InterFraternity Council President, the PanHellenic Council President, the Student Alumni Association President, the Student Athletic Council President and a Unity Roundtable Representative.

Senate also made an amendment to its bylaws, which would clarify the role of Non-Senator voting policies. This would make it so that Ex-Officio and Non-Senator Committee members would not be permitted to vote during meetings.

Senate approved a bylaw change to clarify the role of proxies. This change would allow proxies to vote in Senate the way their senator tells them to without having to send in their votes to the secretary in advance. Sen. Stephen Slade was concerned with this set up — there was no way for anyone to check if the proxy was voting the way their senator told them to. Several other senators pointed out that this was a good thing because it encourages senators to pick trustworthy people to be their proxies.

To Write Love on Her Arms requested one time funding to attend the TWLOHA University Chapter Summer Conference. The group attended the conference once in the past and it gave them crucial skills to improve their organization’s effectiveness and involvement on campus. The motion was passed by acclimation.

The Secular Student Alliance requested one time funding to attend the Secular Student Alliance Annual Conference in Columbus, Ohio. There was an amendment to the request to allow for another member of the group to attend the conference; this amendment was passed unanimously. In the past, the conference has given members of the organization skills that improved their organization and helped make it more sustainable. The motion passed unanimously.

Student Activities Board requested one time funding to attend the NACA Conference Management Institute. The conference would provide valuable knowledge as to how to work with agents and artists to book acts for Drake. Vice President of Student Activities Carly Kinzler served as a chair on the Bands Committee in the past and said attending a conference like this would have been very helpful to her. The motion was passed by acclimation.

Senate requested one time funding to attend the Student Senate Leadershape Conference. Dean of Students Sentwali Bakari said the conference had been a really meaningful experience for senators in the past. The motion was passed by acclimation.

Senate approved a motion that would set aside funds from this year’s student activities fee to continue Free Movie Friday next year. The program has been very successful with an average attendance of 200 students per showing. Free Movie Friday will begin immediately in the Fall 2013 semester.

Senate approved the recommendation made by the Campus Advancement Committee and the Quasi Endowment Fund Special Project Ad Hoc Committee to use money from the Quasi Endowment fund to pay for 5 new refillable water bottle stations in each of the residence halls. Facilities will match this and place 5 other refillable water bottle stations around campus.

Senate closed the 26th Session by honoring those senators who will not be returning for the 27th Session. Senate Inauguration will happen tonight.

MVC Championship up next

2013-05-08T19:18:39Z

Story by Ashley Beall

For the Bulldogs, the 2013 season has been one of canceled games due to advserse weather. The Bulldogs played the fewest Missouri Valley Conference games in Drake University history at 21.

However, the Bulldogs didn’t let that stop them from having a strong showing, and they finished second behind Creighton with a 14-7 MVC record.

The MVC Championship will be held in Omaha, Neb., and the Bulldogs will play tomorrow at 2:35 p.m. The Bulldogs earned a bye into the semifinals because of their No. 2 seed.

Junior Nicole Randel has been a key player for the Bulldogs this past season. Randel has a batting average of .467 against MVC pitching and has had 24 RBIs in the Missouri Valley.

Her total batting average throughout the past season is a .359, and she is currently tied with sophomore Hayley Nybo for the most RBIs hit. Both are tied for fifth amongst all the other teams in the Valley.

Drake is currently ranked third in the Missouri Valley Conference for its season batting average, which is .258, and is also the only MVC team to be ranked in the Top-3 for team earned run average and team batting average.

The Bulldogs will face stiff competition in the tournament, but if their pitchers continue staying tough, the Bulldogs have nothing to lose.

Junior Jordan Gronewold has had a standout season and is currently eighth in career strikeouts with 315 total strikeouts.

Top-seeded Creighton will be a tough match for the Bulldogs, but if they continue to play as they have this past season, they will be more than ready to take on any team.

Alumna featured on Style show

2013-05-08T19:12:48Z

Story by Haley Austin
Photo courtesy of Style Network/Chris Hasten

Not many people can say they are on a television show, but Jourdan Fenster can.

Fenster, a 2012 graduate, earned a degree in public relations from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The connections she made as an intern at Cosmopolitan Events in St. Louis, Mo., the summer after her junior year, led Fenster to an interview at Women’s Closet Exchange, the best designer resale shop in St. Louis.

After being connected to Diana McCarthy, co-owner of Women’s Closet Exchange, Fenster landed an interview for a personal assistant position. Fenster’s position meant she would assist McCarthy in her daily tasks. Fenster and McCarthy hit it off instantly during the interview and she was offered the position.

“During the interview, there was talk about the possibility of a television show,” Fenster said.

That possibility turned into a reality when the Style Network and executive producer Rachel Zoe decided to take the Women’s Closet Exchange and turn it into a television show called “Resale Royalty.”

Fenster’s role as McCarthy’s assistant grew into a larger position rather quickly. Fenster is now the director of operations for Women’s Closet Exchange. This allows her to coordinate all social media and plan events for Women’s Closet Exchange.

Fenster does a lot more , though. On top of social media and event planning, Fenster assists McCarthy, orchestrates photo shoots, plans trips, helps McCarthy guide tours, organizes every project they do, creates binders, any and all of those, as Fenster puts them “nerdy” tasks that she loves to do. Fenster is there to make the lives of her bosses easier.

“Organization is key,” Fenster said. “Being the director of operations, there is a lot going on all at once. One of the hard parts of my job is making sure everything is getting done and that all of our projects are moving forward.”

The mutual trust that the women have for one another allows them to work cohesively, making the job that much easier.

“I would be bored if I was sitting at a desk doing the same thing every day,” Fenster said.

The daily tasks, as varied as they are, make going to work fun for Fenster. Each day is exciting.

“I love wearing all of the different hats,” Fenster said.

Having a good relationship with all three of her bosses doesn’t hurt, either.

Fenster’s Drake experience helped her prepare for the real world. Her experiences in the classroom and being a member of extracurricular activities made the transition from student to valued employee that much smoother.

“We’re so fortunate at Drake to get to handle so many responsibilities,” Fenster said. “We get to do so much with the positions we hold that allow us be successful. I truly believe work ethic is born in activities.”

Fenster was a member of the Student Activities Board, the Panhellenic Council, where she represented Alpha Phi and Student Senate. She says that being a part of these organizations helped her realize the importance of being organized.

Fenster also credits Drake for her success in her life after college. Two classes that Fenster says really helped her were Marketing 101 and the PR Capstone.

“Marketing 101, along with the PR Capstone really prepared me for my job now,” Fenster said. “Marketing is such a big part of social media, graphic design … The class really teaches you how the marketing profession works. I wouldn’t be able to do anything without the PR Capstone, campaigns and research. Being able to work with real clients, not hypothetical situations or imaginary companies, taught me how to be professional and how to work diligently to positively represent a brand.”

The opportunities are endless with a Drake degree. Fenster is a recent alum who is doing big things in a small amount of time, thanks to the knowledge she had gained at Drake University.

You can catch Fenster and the rest of the Women’s Closet Exchange employees on “Resale Royalty.” The show premieres at 8 p.m. Central Standard Time on Sunday, May 12 on the Style Network.

Program’s success makes TD journey worthwhile

2013-05-08T19:17:34Z

Column by Dominic Johnson

Johnson is a senior marketing and advertising account management double major and can be reached at dominic.johnson@drake.edu

For the past four years, I have been a sports writer for The Times-Delphic. Honestly, I’m surprised I’ve lasted this long. I’m not even a journalism major!

“Do you have a men’s tennis writer?” I asked Sports Editor Peter Zemansky at a writer’s meeting in August 2009.

They did not, so I signed on immediately. As a former high school tennis player, I knew I could write intelligently about the sport I love. And it would always look good on the resume, right?

If memory serves correctly, I didn’t even get to touch tennis my first semester. I started out writing for the men’s and women’s cross country teams with the occasional soccer article. Let it be known that I knew absolutely nothing about those sports and relied heavily on friends who played the sports to avoid sounding like a complete idiot.

Eventually, I was put on the men’s tennis beat, and for that I’ve been truly lucky. No team has been more consistent or more dominant in the past four years of Drake athletics. Three NCAA tournament appearances in four years is very impressive, and this year’s squad is arguably the best in program history.

I’ll be honest: I have never thought about quitting the TD since I started writing for men’s tennis. It’s not just the program’s continued success that has kept me coming back each year. I’ve met some truly great people in my four years writing about the team.

Ryan Drake was one of the first people I met during Welcome Weekend freshman year.

I still remember when my friend from back home visited second semester, and how James McKie spoke with him like they were old friends and made him feel at home.

Mauricio Ballivian has always been there to tell me how qualified I am for absolutely everything and anything. When he met my parents after Drake’s match against Minnesota my sophomore year, he talked my mom’s ear off about how great I was.

Jonathan Hadash has become a great friend, and helped me survive “Managerial Accounting.”

And a quick message to the team: Thanks for the last four years, boys. Now do me a favor and crush TCU on Friday, will you?

Fulbright distinction for four students

2013-05-08T19:05:22Z

Four Drake University students were among the thousand selected as Fulbright Scholars to represent the United States in 150 countries worldwide.

Eleanor Zeff, the Fulbright Program adviser at Drake, said 11 students applied to the program this year. Eight of those students were recommended to the second stage and four were selected with a fifth still waiting to find out.

“Four of the eight were selected, so that is what is unique, the number,” Zeff said. “We had eight recommended, that is the first time we ever had that many recommended.”

The scholars will live abroad for one year in order to promote “understanding” between the United States and other countries according to the Fulbright Scholar website. The program, sponsored by the U.S. government, selects scholars based on “academic merit and leadership potential.”

The application opens on May 1, of every year and closes at a varying date in mid-October. Once submitted the application goes through two stages of judging. First, it must be approved by Fulbright and then by the individual country. The country then decides where the student will be allowed to stay and how much money the students will receive to live off of.

The role of the students abroad is one reason that process is so strenuous Zeff said.

“These are ambassadors and that is one reason they get so much scrutiny,” Zeff said

There are two types of Fulbright Scholarships Zeff said. Students can either apply to teach English or complete a project while abroad.

Senior Amanda Laurent will follow in the footsteps of five other Drake students when she travels to South Korea to teach English.

International relations and law, politics and society double major Steven Schaaf will be going to Jordan to research if the appointment of female judges helps women use the law.

“It is like saying if we have in the South an all-white jury for a black defendant,” Schaaf said.

Besides a love of court systems, Schaaf said he picked Jordan because he has experience there and speaks the local dialect of Arabic.

“I really like living in Jordan. I think the culture is great,” Schaaf said. “I am really excited to conduct this research.”

Schaaf’s research will consist mostly of looking through court cases and conducting interviews. Having a good data sample is one he said he is nervous about.

“Access, part of it is organization of the material. I do not know if they will have all the material in one place or if I will have to go to a variety of places,” Schaaf said. “That will really affect my data sample.”

Schaaf’s initial reaction to being chosen was to call his mom. Katie Bell, who graduated in December with a degree in law, politics and society, said her reaction was simply joyous.

“I was definitely really excited about it. I was not expecting that news so early,” Bell said. “I was really happy.”

Bell begins orientation on July 21, in Colombia where she will be “facilitating” an English speaking extracurricular activity at a university. She will also work at a non-profit for the internally displaced population in Colombia.

“I am really interested in working in refugee settlement eventually. Colombia is going through a lot of interesting issues right now,” Bell said. “They have internal refuges that they do not know what to do with. It will be helpful in my future career.”

Bell chose to apply to the program and to go to Colombia after studying abroad in Ecuador during her sophomore year.

“What I am really excited about is the opportunity to become completely immersed in a Spanish speaking environment,” Bell said. “This time I feel like I will have a much greater chance to get settled into the community and became of a part of the community.”

Senior international relations and environmental policy double major Amelia Piecuch also discovered her Fulbright country while studying abroad.

“I studied abroad in Chile and I was looking for a reason and a way to go back,” Piecuch said. “I knew they had really interesting environmental needs and issues.”

After she arrives in Chile in January, Piecuch will study the effects of a new fishing law on small scale farmers by conducting interviews and doing environmental research. She said this is a big project.

“I am nervous about making sure I do everything that I said I was going to do,” Piecuch said.

Despite these nerves Piecuch was overjoyed when she found that her project had been selected.

“I screamed and I cried a little bit. I was actually on the plane coming back from spring break with all my sorority sisters,” Piecuch said. “I could not read the entire email. I had to give it to my roommate.”

Piecuch said she hopes doing work in Chile for a year will help her get into graduate school.

“I hope that it will show the grad school that I have marketable skills that both the U.S. and Chilean government were interested in,” Piecuch said.

Being selected this year was also special, Piecuch said, because of the number of Fulbright scholars coming from Drake.

“(I am) really excited that Drake has had four candidates. This is a record breaking year,” Piecuch said. “It was a lot of hard work but it is worth it when you are passionate about something.”

Zeff said Drake has had success in the Fulbright program because of the caliber of its students, but not because of the university itself.

“My belief is that there are a lot of really good students who should be apply but maybe they have not heard about it,” Zeff said. “It is my goal to get more Drake students to apply and hopefully more students will get the opportunity.”

Simons and Hines hope to continue basketball careers

2013-05-06T16:58:12Z

Story by Ashley Beall

Though their Drake men’s basketball days are over, senior Ben Simons and fifth-year senior Chris Hines have no plans to give up the game. The two sat down with The Times-Delphic to discuss Drake’s academic perks, the Jan. 23 upset over Missouri Valley Conference rival Creighton and their plans to play professionally abroad.

BEN SIMONS

Times-Delphic: You’re getting closer to graduation. Looking back, what made you decide to come to Drake University? Are you glad you made that decision?

Ben Simons: I chose Drake because of basketball and the players here. But the school was great as well and Dean (Randall) Blum was a big reason why. I have loved it here and wouldn’t change it for the world.

TD: What are your plans for after graduation? Do you plan on staying in Des Moines?

BS: Hopefully play basketball professionally, I don’t really know where I would like playing. I guess just Western Europe and don’t really have many connections but do have an agent. If that doesn’t work out, I’m going to graduate in May with a degree in marketing and with that, I would hope to get a job in marketing. Those are really the two things I’m hoping (for). Basketball is number one but if not, I hope to do something with my degree.

TD: How has your time at Drake helped you prepare for the next chapter of your life?

BS: As far as basketball, playing in the Missouri Valley Conference against great teams, and that’s something that’s going to prepare for the most part. As far as school and other things, I’ve been at a top notch university in the business school, and I’ve got to do a lot of things through the media and through the teams that will help me in the next step of my life.

TD: What will you miss most about Drake?

BS: All the people I’ve met, I have a good feeling I won’t be in Des Moines next year, and it’s going to be sad to leave behind the teammates that are still here and the good friends that I’ve made as well as the professors that I’ve had good relationships with. It’s going to be different, but I’m excited for it.

TD: What’s your favorite memory from your time here at Drake?

BS: Probably this year beating Creighton. Creighton was ranked in the Top-25 and we beat them. Being my senior year, and beating them at home, and the fans rushing the court, it was a lot of fun.

TD: What’s your favorite memory you have from any class you’ve taken?

BS: My favorite memory from class would be my JMC 57 class where I made a shake weight commercial.

TD: Do you have any advice for the basketball team next year?

BS: I know these guys are going to work hard. I know that they are going to try to take Drake to the next level. Obviously, it’s a new coaching staff, and there’s going to be quite a few new players as well, and I know the players here are really excited about the new opportunity, and I hope they take full advantage of it.

CHRIS HINES

Times-Delphic: What are your plans for next year?

Chris Hines: As of right now, I am trying to keep my body in shape just in case I plan to play overseas, but if not, then I am going to go into the athletics administration field and start working in that area.

TD: When and where would you want to play overseas?

CH: If I get the right opportunity and the right timing, then I think I will play next year but if not, then I’ll probably pass. It just all depends. I want to play pretty much anywhere that’s paying good money.

TD: You came to Drake University as a transfer student, are you glad that you made that decision? What motivated you to come here?

CH: I am really glad that I made that decision. The decision was based upon going to a really good school and a good program not only athletically but academically and I am getting my master’s degree as well, and that’s a big plus in my eyes. I think I did make the right decision, and I don’t have any regrets.

TD: How do you think Drake has helped prepare you for the next chapter in your life?

CH: I think going through the ups and downs of this season is going to prepare me for life in general, but at Drake University, I think I’ve also learned a lot here in terms of in the classroom. I am going through some of the things that we go through in our master’s programming and learning some other things as well.

TD: What will you miss most about Drake?

CH: I’ll definitely miss the people. Everybody is really kind here, and everybody is really helpful.

TD: What has being a member of the Drake basketball team taught you?

CH: Being a member of the basketball team has taught me to be a family, not only on the court but off the court. We really are a family. We are a really close-knit team, and everybody has everybody’s back, and I think that really taught me that a team could not also just be a team on the court but could be a family as well off the court.

TD: What is your favorite memory been?

CH: The Creighton win was a really big win for us and was a memorable win for the program but just the guys and the people here, and that’s going to be the biggest memory for me.

TD: Is there anything you want to leave the fans with?

CH: I just want to say thank you to the fans, to the students and to everyone who supported us. Go Bulldogs.

‘Overcommitting’ common

2013-05-06T16:58:19Z

Story by Courtney Fishman

It’s been described as an expectation. Others refer to it as a culture. But regardless of the name, Drake University students feel pressured to get involved.

As a result of the competitive job market, students strive to out-busy one another. This trend also stems from high school involvement, and already busy students are eager to get involved at Drake.

This is true for first-year student Josh Duden, 19, of Shawnee, Kan., who participated in a range of 13 to 18 student organizations in high school each year.

“Since fifth grade I started getting super involved and it just got worse,” Duden said.

At Drake, Duden is the president of Stalnaker Hall, voting president for the Residence Hall Association, first-year marketing representative for the Student Activities Board, a member of the first-year interest committee and campus advancement committee of Student Senate, a member of the student alumni association, outreach chair for Sigma Phi Epsilon and vice president of marketing for the Interfraternity Council.

“One of the strange things I found here at Drake is that once I had one leadership opportunity it was really, really easy to find more leadership opportunities,” Duden said.

Duden, a politics, LPS and international relations triple major, started in two organizations, and the list grew from there.

“A lot of the time I feel like I am just the right balance because I always have something to do and there is always something going on,” Duden said. “I think it fulfills this Drake expectation but also this expectation that I’ve had for myself.”

Sophomore Grace Wenzel, 20, of Ottawa, Ill., notices the Drake expectation as well.

“When I came to college I didn’t want to be ‘that girl,’” Wenzel said. “You know to be crazy over involved, but I think it’s just the culture almost. It’s the climate of Drake to be involved in as many activities as possible.”

Wenzel scaled back to focus on organizations related to her majors: radio/TV broadcasting and English.

This summer will be her second summer as an orientation leader. Wenzel is also residence assistant, a producer of Dogtube, director of new member programming for Delta Gamma, a student ambassador and an intern at KCCI News Channel 8.

One challenge with high involvement is time management.

“I think that happens a lot that students get involved and then school takes a back burner,” Wenzel said. “I know it’s been like that for me, so I don’t know if that’s the healthiest thing.”

Director of Campus Programming Latasha Stiger agrees that students tend to get overcommitted.

“People need to make sure and understand what it means to truly be committed to organizations,” Stiger said. You don’t have to be in five to be a great leader. You can be in one organization and give it your all, and that’s all you need to do.”

So what are the benefits of being so involved?

“I think sometimes, for some students, they learn a little bit more about themselves,” said Dean of Students Sentwali Bakari. “They learn the ability to take on challenges and deal with stress and anxiety.”

Bakari said getting involved helps Drake’s retention rates.

“If they are doing something in addition to their academic class work they develop a sense of connection and belonging to the institution, and selfishly we feel it enhances retention,” Bakari said.

Bakari said that first-year students involved in a social fraternity or sorority have a retention rate of approximately 90 percent. The average retention rate for Drake is 71 percent.

In a 2007-2008 survey of student leadership, Drake ranked high as well.

“From the respondents we did find out that 92 percent of the students that took the survey was involved in at least one activity on campus,” Stiger said.

Drake’s active culture is what drew Student Body President Amanda Laurent, 22 of Minnetonka, Minn., to Drake, but she too has watched the competition in action.

“There’s good peer pressure and bad peer pressure,” Laurent said. “It’s almost a competition of who’s busier and that’s not how it should be. I think students need to look at quality over quantity.”

Underground leak postpones cooling system

2013-05-06T17:07:44Z

Story by Emily Gregor

Last week, spring had sprung on Drake University’s campus. The students could be seen throwing Frisbee discs in Helmick Commons, doing their homework on the picnic tables outside, and conversing casually under the shady trees by the library.

“I’m totally fine with the heat outside, it’s spring and it’s finally happening after the long weeks of the rain and snow that we’ve had,” first-year student Nick Baker said.

Despite the joys of moving past the dreary winter weather, the buildings on campus had skipped spring altogether and moved straight to summer causing discomfort for students and faculty members alike.

“I think it is something that really needs to be looked into,” sophomore Emily Gonser said. “It makes for a very uncomfortable learning environment.”

In addition to overall feelings of discomfort, the heat has taken a toll on productivity and motivation, an already challenging feat as the school year comes to a close.

“It’s hard to stay concentrated and focus on anything else going on,” Gonser said.

This obvious issue unfortunately doesn’t have an obvious solution. The heating and cooling systems are more complicated than they seem, and Director of Facilities Mark Chambers explained how they work.

“Operating an HVAC system this large is a bit more complicated than switching the thermostat from heating to cooling,” Chambers said.

Chambers said that there are two cooling systems on campus, one west and one east, with the 28th Street plaza being the dividing line, and they are based on chilled water piped underground through campus.

“During start up operations a few weeks ago, we discovered an underground leak outside Olin, the west loop,” Chambers said.

His description explained why the cooling problems are happening in the first place, and he said that the leak was excavated and is being repaired. Since they couldn’t finish filling the system until the leak is repaired, however, campus isn’t able to cool off.

There’s also another technicality with the system currently in place.

“The system was set up that heating and cooling cannot run at the same time and there is a ‘switch over’ period of about two to three days, assuming no leaks,” Chambers said.

Even though the logic makes sense, that hasn’t stopped students from showing signs of distress at the heat. For one of first-year student Laurel Haxton’s classes, the heat was so unbearable, her professor ended up dismissing class early.

“Everyone is miserable,” she said. “The professors are miserable, the Sodexo workers, and even the little mice in Stalnaker are miserable.”

Students are also having a hard time getting comfortable when they are trying to settle down for some shut-eye. Haxton stressed that one cannot keep their door open at night, and since she has allergies, keeping the window open sounds far from appealing, causing her nights to be anything but restful.

“Honestly, I’d rather wear a sweatshirt than die of heat exhaustion,” she said.