NEWS
Sept. 21
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| 2001 NEWS Sept. 21 |
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Boiler steam blasts not yet overWINONA, Minn., Sept. 21, 2001 -- The new Winona State University heating plant boilers will continue to make noise for the next couple of days, campus operating engineer John Zimmerman said. New boilers are being tested to make sure all the seals are holding and that enough pressure is being built up, Zimmerman said. The steam is ejected through a smoke stack with a muffler, but the muffler doesn't catch all the noise. "If the muffler wasn't there you would be able to hear it in Lake City," he said, pointing upriver toward Lake Pepin 40 miles away. Some neighborhood people phoned police at 5 a.m., Sept. 19, when boiler testing began.
Homes rank for studying, laundry rooms tooWINONA, Minn., Sept. 21, 2001 -- Everybody has not only a study style but a favorite study place. At Winona State University the favorite cubbyhole for hitting the books is, no surprise, home, according reporter Brett Carow, who compiled a list from interviews with more than 50 students. After home, the favorite was restaurants and coffee shops, then laundry rooms. Cops bust three beer partiesWINONA, Minn., Sept. 21, 2001 -- Police broke up three raucous parties Friday night and Saturday morning, issuing noise violation citations to six people who threw the parties and also ticketing underage boozers.
Student's cousin on post-bombing holdWINONA, Minn., Sept. 21, 2001 -- A Winona State University student, Emilly Forrest, is waiting to hear whether a cousin in Washington has been scheduled for a post-operation cancer checkup that had been cancelled because of the terrorist raid on the Pentagon. "My cousin David, who lives a short distance from the Capitol, was affected greatly," said Forrest. David Ehlert underwent testicular surgery a week before the bombings. On the day of the attacks, he had an afternoon appointment to receive the biopsy results. Because all hospitals were on standby to receive Pentagon survivors, the appointment was cancelled. A week later, he is still waiting because of people needing care from the bombing. "It is heartbreaking for those families who had loved ones directly involved in the attacks, but we also need to remember those who were indirectly affected by what these terrorists have done," said Forrest. "Hopefully David can get his treatment results and move on too."
Strike delay seen as crossroadsWINONA, Minn., Sept. 21, 2001 -- An expert at how organizations craft their public messages, prof Tracy Routsong at Winona State University, said the postponed AFSCME strike date could work well for the union or backfire. The union's media support could be lost if not handled carefully, Routsong said. AFSCME needs to stress how tragic the nation's loss was and that the postponement was out of respect to those who have died in the terrorist attacks. That, she noted, was how the union framed its e-mail message to members after agreeing with the Ventura administration to delay the Sept. 17 strike date to Oct. 1. The message needs to be spread more broadly. she said. Routsong is the Winona State forensics coach. Bicycle upset hurts SMU studentWINONA, Minn., Sept. 21, 2001 -- A Saint Mary's University sophomore hurt his head in a bicycle accident on campus about noon. An ambulance took the student, age 20, to the hospital. Prof's intern evacuated after Pentagon blastWINONA, Minn., Sept. 21, 2001 -- A Winona State University criminal justice prof, James Kobolt, said one of his students in a Washington internship was evacuated from a federal building the morning of the attack on the Pentagon. The intern, Alex Rockwell, 23, had been at the Pentagon only an hour earlier, Kobolt said. Rockwell was understandably uncomfortable with being so close to the tragedy, Koblat said: "Law enforcement professionals are people too. They find attacks such as these as equally disruptive as everyone else." Kobolt estimated he has had as many as 40 students, from either Winona State or at his previous campus in Michigan working in federal agencies in Washington.
WSU coach: "These are smart players"WINONA, Minn., Sept. 21, 2001 -- The women's basketball coach at Winona State University, Terri Sheridan, said she has "a good solid recruiting class." Three frosh, all with strong high school records, are on the roster -- Kim Dreyer, Molly Digman and Teri Silvi. There too is Beth Giesen, a junior transfer from Morningside College in Iowa. At Morningside, Giesen was named to North Central all-conference team twice. She was the team captain in track. Said Sheridan: "These are smart players who have the elements of fundamentals and have played on strong high school and AAU teams that will keep them going on a successful direction on our level."
Where students go to hit the booksTwo Winona State University guys would rather be studying blondes at a Third Street bar. Instead their consciences have led them into the campus library on a Thursday night. Armed their laptops, Nick Duellman and Josh Drinkall have their heads in their books for a long night. They have ascended two flights of stairs to the third floor, past the chaos of other students waiting for computers and stacks of periodicals. Jill Wiermaa: "Too quiet. "Every time you turn a page it sounds 10 times louder." Laundry rooms are good for some folks. But not on weekends, when the crowds come to do their wash. Although Duellman and Drinkall like the library, it's not everyone's favorite study spot. Home is No 1. Here is a ranking, assembled with input from more than 50 Winona State students and study tutors and also restaurant employees. Yes, many students like to hit the books in a restaurant. NO. 1: HOME.Many Winona State students echo Dorothy's memorable line from Oz: "There's no place like home." Words like "comfortable," "convenient" and "quiet" pepper their explanations when students talk about home. But home itself isn't always enough. It can take an extra special space at home, like a bedroom. Jill Wiermaa prefers her room to the library: "It's more convenient, and the library is too quiet. Every time you turn a page it sounds 10 times louder." Kayla Steinberg agreed: "Nobody's there to bug me, it's comfortable, and all my fun stuff is there." Emily Sorensen said the library is "too educational feeling." She "would rather sit in my pajamas in my room."
NO. 2: PERKINS. Although a purchase may be required, a soda will do, restaurants are popular. Plush seats at Perkins, big enough for a family, have plenty of room to spread out books and perch a laptop. A restaurant cook, Neil Kastenschmidt, said students don't stay at the same table necessarily. "Most people start in non-smoking and end up in smoking." It's the stress, he said. Servers report that most students leave good tips even if they order only a soda. Waitress Kelly Wendler said most people stay three to five hours. There are "few distractions and it stays pretty quiet," she said. Perkins is a favorite because it's "accommodating to people with computers," said one student -- and she likes the activity. It's noisy but not to the point of being distracting, she said: "Plus you can talk and not worry about it." Kastenschmidt the cook said some students come for two hours and stay 13. Some become regulars during finals week. On a typical night, 20 tables are occupied with people studying.
NO. 3: BLUE HERON.#3. To get away from campus but not go too far, the Blue Heron is the place. Considered the "best of both worlds" by one student who noted that some dorms are closer to the Blue Heron than to the campus cafeteria. An employee, Sarah Hesse, said the Blue Heron prides itself on making people feel that they are getting away from campus even though it's only across the street. "You are getting away from the campus feel," she said. Large couches offer a place to relax and study in comfort. Two entrances signal a choice of eating or finding a place to sit. On the food side, small wooden tables on the perimeter cramp anyone needing to spread out. The other side has overflowing bookshelves stocked by a Lutheran organization that runs the place. Rachel Johll values the Blue Heron as "just a change." Said Johll: "It is quiet enough that I can study, yet there are enough people to keep me from falling asleep." Hesse said a few students frequent the Blue Heron all day long. They even leave their belongings when they go to class, which is not a big deal except during lunch or supper, when the place fills up with hungry, paying customers, she said.
NO. 4: LAUNDRY ROOMS. Laundry rooms are a place for multitasking. "I like to be able to keep an eye on my clothes as well as my homework," said Chris Soler, who likes to study in a dorm laundry room. Soler's favorite features two coffee tables, some comfortable chairs and a three-person couch. One student said that she liked to study in the laundry room when she used to live on campus because not many people were there. For students who like ambient sound, the background rumbling of washers and dryers can be good.
NO. 5: DORM LOUNGES. For students who live on campus, dorm lounges work. The Morey lounge is where Tony Rysberg does most of his homework. "It's where all my stuff is," he said. Passersby don't distract him and sometimes they can even help with problems. Student Tammy Jones noted that each dorm has its own atmosphere. The Quad dorms have multiple lounges, while Sheehan and Prentiss-Lucas each have one. Study tables range from cardtable size to restaurant booth size, giving options for individual or group studying. Some lounges have televisions, though, which can be distracting.
NO. 6: STUDY LOUNGES Home to science and nursing students, Stark Hall is frequented by hundreds of students for classes. Many come back to study. All of Winona State's academic buldings have study areas, but the "Nerdery" on Stark's third floor is where chemistry majors settle in with their books. Said chem major Brad Seurer: "It's easier to study if the rest of the chemistry people are there." On the second floor is another study room used by engineering students. Engineering major Tom Harris said the room, which features tables, plug-ins and dry-erase boards, also is home to the answer key for homework problems. Melissa MacDonald goes there between classes. MacDonald cited the solutions manual as a bonus. Andrea Will, a communication student, likes Stark because it is "aesthetically appealing." She goes there when it isn't overflowing with engineering students.
NO. 7: BALDWIN LOUNGE. Freshman Michelle Thompson studies in Winona State's quietest spot, Baldwin Lounge, but not only because it's quiet. "You can drink pop there," she said. Originally intended for committee or group meetings, the lounge has enough tables and chairs for more than 50 people with plenty of electrical outlets. Master tutor Ron Massman recommends Baldwin Lounge: "Most people need some place to study that is quiet, with no roommates." More than two dozen computer ports are available at a dozen cardtable-size wooden tables.
NO. 8: THE HYPHEN. For group stuyding a passage between the Kryzsko cafeteria and Baldwin Lounge -- the Upper Hyphen, as it's called -- has two rows of wooden chairs and tables backed with a dozen outlets. Student Kristin Gulden calls the Upper Hyphen a "different atmosphere." It's less formal than the library and talking is acceptable. Unlike the library, there's seldom a rush to find a study room. Huge leather couches are comfy. Amy Subera finds the couches and coffee tables great for group projects. Mindy Droogsma likes the centrality. It's handy from anywhere on campus.
NO. 9: CUBBYHOLES. Even in some popular study buildings, not every seat is the best. In the library, some cubbyholes are favored. One has six padded wooden chairs and couches with an accompanying knee-high coffee table. Anna Krivseth said it is a comfortable spot because people can talk without bothering anyone. Her study partner, Krista McGill, said the circle of chairs is useful for study groups. Nick Duellman sprawls out on the couches because "I don't like sitting up much."
NO. 10: ACOUSTIC CAFE: The Acoustic Cafe, which features live music on weekends, attracts students to sit down and open a book. The music aspect isn't necessarily a good thing in terms of studying, but it gets students to come a first time and then come back to study. The place doesn't have table service, so no staff is coming back again and again to pitch dessert -- important if you have 120 pages read before a 6 o'clock class. High backs on the booths minimize distractions. Employee Erin Sikking said the Acoustic is the "only coffee shop big enough for group projects." There is space for private meetings if reserved. Said another Acoustic employee, Laura Mooberry: "There are always at least a dozen or so students here."
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