At least we do one thing right

BYU students usually don't have a lot of respect for UVSC. There is just something about that open enrollment policy that makes them giggle. But we have one thing those Zoobies will never have...dry feet and connected buildings:

Covering Your Tracks - Covered Walkways at BYU

SLCC-SLTATC merger gets committee approval

The proposed merger between Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) and Salt Lake Tooele Applied Technology Center (SLATC) has gotten one step closer to reality as the House Education Committee has unanimously approved a bill that would combine the two schools.
No word yet if the super-school will be named SLCCSLATC...but for all you abbreviation junkies out there...well, here's hoping.

House panel backs schools' merger plan (Slat Lake Tribune, February 20 2008)

One of the amendments to the original HB284 approved of by the committee spells out that Mountainlands Applied Technology Center (MATC), along with 7 other Applied Technology schools, cannot conduct feasibility studies about future mergers. In other words...MATC, you are on your own.

Scholarships for all

The legislature recently signed a bill that will set aside scholarship money for every 8th grader in the state. If the students get good grades, take college prep classes, and attend an accredited college in Utah (public or private), then they are eligible for $1000 scholarship.

Good grades in high school? Fund would help with college (Salt Lake Tribune, February 20 2008)

Is anyone surprised that the only Senator who didn't vote for the bill was Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper? It seems there has never been a higher ed bill he didn't hate...and that includes the bill that changed UVSC to UVU.

Keeping the V in UVSC

For five years now UVSC's Gender Studies Club has been putting on Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues as part of their V Day programming. And for five years the controversy often gets more of the spotlight than the production itself.

Organizers of the event, which always donates 100 percent of their profits to charity, usually have to put up with some form of grief; from their posters getting torn down, to the school refusing to use the "V" word, to outright hostility from legislators. And of course this year is no exception:

You hate the one about the moans, don't you (College Times, February 18 2008)

It is amazing that after five years that this production still stirs up the pot. For those of you who are not familiar with the production, The Vagina Monologues is a series of...well...monologues in which women talk about their experiences as women. Nothing is left out. Masturbation, menstruation, rape, physical abuse, psychological abuse...all the joys and the horrors of being a women are all there in black and white (OK...usually it is in black and pink feather boas, but you get the idea).

The subject matter is often shocking and the language is strong but I don't believe it is the intention to offend. Instead these "charged" words are to cause the audience to lower their guard just a little...to think about things that all of us, men and women alike, are told are dirty and wrong. To confront these notions in a forum where "anything goes".

It is always a powerful experience. If you are planning on attending expect to laugh until your sides hurt and cry like a baby. February 26th at 7 PM in the Ragan Theater.

To learn more about The Vagina Monologues and V Day visit http://v10.vday.org/www.vday.org.

A speaker you can't afford to miss: Julian Cardona

For many in the UVSC community last semester's "Leave To Enter" lecture featuring professors Aled Caldiero, Scott Carrier, and writer Charles Bowden was one of the best speaking engagements the school has seen. Bowden has been one of the most important voices on the issues surrounding the US/Mexico border.

Now UVSC will get a chance to hear from Bowden's collaborator Julian Cardona. Born in 1960 in Zacatecas, Mexico, Julián Cardona migrated to the border city of Juárez with his family as a small child. He attended school in Juárez, received vocational training, and worked as a technician in the maquiladora industry. In 1991, Cardona returned to Zacatecas to teach basic photography at the Centro Cultural de Zacatecas; two years later, he started his photojournalism career at El Fronterizo and El Diario de Juárez. In 1995, Cardona organized the group exhibition, "Nada que ver—Nothing to See,” in Juárez, featured in Harper's Magazine (Charles Bowden, “While You Were Sleeping: in Juárez, Mexico, photographers expose the violent realities of free trade) in December 1996. Photographs from this exhibition inspired the award-winning book, Juárez: The Laboratory of Our Future (Aperture 1998). His photographs taken inside foreign-owned factories in Juárez were also featured in "Camera of Dirt" (Aperture 159, 2000).

Cardona will be showing some of his photos used in Exodus, the new book he compiled with Bowden. The lecture will be held on February 26 at 1 PM in the Ragan Theater. It is free and open to the public.

Integrated Studies project puts students behind the camera

OK...Full disclosure time: I am working as the Producer of this project. But I feel this is the kind of story I would cover even if I wasn't involved.

Two UVSC students have begun filming a full-length documentary with Artist-in-Residence Alex Calderio as the subject. The film, tentatively called The Sonosopher, is the senior capstone project for integrated studies students Torben Bernhard and Travis Low.

Recently The College Times did an amazing full-page spread concerning the filmmakers and their subject. You can find it here.

There are two different websites concerning the production of The Sonosopher and you can find them here:

mannerofoperation.blogspot.com

thesonosopher.blogspot.com

Bernhard and Low have just secured a CEL grant that will help them cover some of the costs involved with the production. Their plans include following Caldiero as he travels to New York City and to his homeland of Sicily.

More College Consolidation? Will USU absorb CEU?

While the particulars between the possible University of Utah/Dixie College merger are still being ironed out, two other Utah colleges are talking about taking the plunge.

Price school a part of Utah State?
Area legislator: There are many questions to be resolved first
(Salt Lake Tribune, February 8 2008)

USU President's Response to Draft Bill Calling for Merger of CEU with USU
(USU website)

Sen. Mike Dmitrich of Carbon County has drafted a bill that would make the College of Eastern Utah in Price part of Utah State University in Logan. And while the bill has not been formally introduced, USU president Stan Albrecht is already entertaining the idea.

This merger also comes about as the legislature considers the merger of the Salt Lake Tooele Applied Technology Center (SLTATC) with Salt Lake Community College (SLCC).

Both moves would potentially shake up Utah's Board of Higher Education and may very well affect UVSC. These transitions would cost money...which means the pie gets a little smaller when UVSC comes asking the legislature for a slice.

UVSC January Police Beat

Each month The Pipeline will publish the UVSC Police Department's response record for the previous month. You can find an archive of the police beat at http://www.uvsc.edu/police/Police_Beat/index.html.


January 1st ASSAULT IN PROGRESS-UVSC Police responded to three fights during the New Years Eve Party resulting in several citations being issued.

January 1st DUI- An adult male was arrested after the New Years Eve dance near the baseball field for DUI and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

January 9th- TRAFFIC ACCIDENT- UVSC Police responded to several traffic accidents related to the weather.

January 10th- MEDICAL- A 25 year old Parking Enforcement Officer suffered injuries to his hands when the driver's side airbag in the vehicle he was driving deployed for no apparent reason while stopped at a stop sign.

January 11th- FOUND GUN- UVSC Police responded to the Learning Resource Center on a report of a gun being found in a bathroom. Officers recovered the weapon from an employee as the owner of the weapon returned. After some discussion and warnings, the weapon was returned to the owner.

January 11th- GRAFFITI- A UVSC vending truck was vandalized with graffiti while the driver was refilling vending machines at the MATC. Several hours later Orem Police arrested three juveniles for tagging near 1200 S Geneva Rd. A UVSC Officer responded to the location and confirmed the graffiti matched the graffiti on the vending truck. The juveniles were booked into Slate Canyon Detention Center for Felony Criminal Mischief.

January 12th- MEDICAL- UVSC Police along with Orem Paramedics responded to the McKay Events Center on a report of a 17 year old
female suffering abdominal pain. The female was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for further treatment.

January 13th- ILLEGAL CONSUMPTION- A 19 year old was issued a citation for Illegal Consumption after a Officer stopped the suspect vehicle for an improper lane change.

January 14th- THEFT- A female student accidentally left her purse in a classroom located in the Liberal Arts building. When she returned, she discovered the purse had been stolen.

January 15th- WARRANT SERVICE- A 25 year old male was arrested near 1100 S College Drive for Driving on Suspension, No Proof of Insurance, Improper Lane Travel, and a Warrant out of Millard County for Failure to Appear. The driver indicated he had a history of driving on suspension and failing to show up for court. The driver was booked into the Utah County Jail.

January 15th- THEFT- A cell phone was stolen from the McKay Events Center.

January 15th- THEFT- A Ipod and Credit Card where stolen from an unlocked locker in the Physical Education building.

January 15th- TRAFFIC ACCIDENT- There was a traffic accident at the intersection of 960 S College Drive. Accident involved property damage only.

January 16th- FELONY DUI- 25 year old Matthew Dubois of Alpine was booked into the Utah County Jail for Felony DUI. Dubois had allegedly driven through a gate in parking lot C. Officers located Dubois and his vehicle in parking lot T a short time later. Dubois admitted to being intoxicated and has two previous convictions for DUI.

January 16th- THEFT IN PROGRESS- A 29 year old student employee was issued a citation for theft after he was found loading UVSC property into a vehicle near the warehouse.

January 17th- DISORDERLY CONDUCT- A 31 year old math tutor was trespassed from the Math Department for continually harassing a employee of the department.

January 17th- CRIMINAL MISCHIEF- A vehicle was keyed in lot G after a woman became upset over the victim parking his vehicle in a parking stall.

January 17th- INTOXICATION- A 48 year old male was found unresponsive at the West Campus. When Officers arrived on scene, they were able to wake the suspect and determined him to be under the influence of alcohol. The suspect was issued a citation for Public Intoxication and transported to a local hospital by ambulance to be treated for alcohol poisoning .

January 17th- THEFT- $200 cash on other property where stolen from a unlocked locker in the Physical Education building.

January 28th- POWER OUTAGE- UVSC was closed for the evening due to a power outage caused by a water main break.

January 29, 2008- FIRE ALARM- A hot water leak in the basement of the Browning Administration building activated a fire alarm causing a brief evacuation of the building.

January 29th- AGENCY ASSIST- UVSC Police responded to Remington Apartments on a report of a man with a knife that had refused to leave an apartment.

January 30th- AGENCY ASSIST- UVSC Police responded to College Drive and 800 West to assist Orem Police on a traffic stop involving a stolen vehicle out of California. The driver was taken into custody and booked into the Utah County Jail. Another suspect was arrested by Orem Police at a residence in regards to the stolen vehicle.

The Community of Engaged Learners...for Dummies

A year ago Jack Christianson was in charge of looking after the spiritual education of UVSC's sizable Mormon population. But last summer he left his post at the Orem LDS Institute and took the job as director of the newly created Center for Engaged Learning. He has been at his new position for just over six months and has already given out plenty of grants through the new initiative.

UVSC promotes engagement model (Daily Herald, February 10 2008)

And while most agree the program has been doing some good work, others worry that the Christianson group lacks the organization and oversight that will be able to show good results. A member of the CEL screening committe told The Pipeline recently that he fears that the grants have been given out frivilously, and that policies are weak. Without good oversight and accountability the CEL might have a tough time proving that they are getting real results.

President Bill Sederburg has given the CEL plenty of freedom and cash to throw around, and hopes a good program will come out of this experiment. On more than one occasion he has mentioned that the program is like learning to fly while building the plane. There have been complaints from proposal screeners that there aren't enough guidelines and as such money has gone to students and faculty members for projects that are weak.

New ramp meters may cause headaches for student commuters

For those students who live and/or work north of the UVSC campus and use I-15 as part of their commute UDOT has given them one more thing to worry about: ramp meters.

UDOT to install ramp meters in Utah County (Deseret Morning News, February 6 2008

That's right, a ramp meter will be installed at the northbound onramp of University Parkway. This will no doubt back things up on Utah County's busiest intersection as drivers will need to wait their turn to enter the freeway during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

UDOT hopes meters at the intersections between University Parkway and Lehi will allow for better flow as entering drivers will be more easily assimulated into traffic. That might be the case...but for the thousands of drivers you use the University Parkway onramp things just got more complicated.

New UVU Blogs

A lot more folks around campus are blogging about UVSC/UVU.

The folks over in Prospective Student Services have a new blog up and running which you can find at:
http://www.gouvu.blogspot.com


Curtis Jensen and the members of the UVU Interfaith Student Association are blogging at:
http://studentpresident-uvu-interfaith.blogspot.com


And if you like movie reviews from an in-the-know local, visit The College Times own Jason Pyles's at:
www.rhapsidiommoviereviewer.blogspot.com


We are sure there are more out there...so if you are at UVSC/UVU (student, faculty, or staff) and have a blog please post a response below and we will link to it (and of course we would love you to link with us). Your blog doesn't even have to be about UVSC!