2004 NEWS
Dec. 13-17
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VISITOMETER
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2004 NEWS Dec. 13-17 |
| VISITOMETER |
Job requires "enthusiasm" for NewU
Reporter: Brianna Gallett Background: Verbatim: The notice of vacancy Background: Profs holding up presidential search
Fire claims mom, 10-year-old daughterWINONA, Minn., Dec. 16, 2004 -- A 29-year-old woman, reportedly a Winona State University student, and her 10-year-old daughter died in a pre-dawn apartment fire on East Sarnia. Police declined to name the victims because kin could not be located. Police Chief Frank Pomeroy said the second-floor fire, at Sugar Loaf Apartments, 358 E. Sarnia, was reported at 3:25 a.m. All off-duty firefighters were summoned. Pomeroy said firefighters pulled the victims from the apartment and tried all they could, including CPR all the way to the hospital, to revive them. Both suffered burns and smoke inhalation. They were pronounced dead at the hospital. Smoke damaged adjacent apartments.
Pomeroy said the state fire marshal and the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension were called in to investigate. There was no reason to suspect foul play necessarily, Pomeroy said, explaining that he wanted expert help to investigate. He said arson was not apparent. The bodies were sent to Rochester, Minn., for autopsies. No one else lived in the unit, Pomeroy said.
Neighboring tenants were evacuated next door to the Martin-Myhre Funeral Home. They were allowed back into their units a few hours later. Sugar Loaf Apartments is a 40-unit, mid-range rental building near Winona State's East Lake dorm, Six blocks from the main Winona State campus, the building is home to many students.
NewU team gets MnSCU board grilling
Asked "What next?" Kesler and Krueger described the implementation groups that are working to prioritize and plan the process to implement the New University. "We don't believe it will ever be completely implemented because we will always be looking to improve, said Kesler. Krueger said, "We want you to hold our feet to fire."
With the exception of Finke, Winona State's New University team presented a mostly unified front despite weeks of campus controversy and debate. Krueger and company faced a U-shaped table at which sat the seven-member educational policy committee of the MnSCU board of trustees. The Winona team sat nearly shoulder to shoulder at a small table with one microphone they passed around. Behind them was an entourage of more than 30 campus people, including four students. The group, consisting mainly of faculty and administrators involved in New University research and planning, crowded into the back of the board room to watch. State Chancellor James McCormick also attended.
Before the presentation to MnSCU's seven-member education policy committee began, Winona State communications director Tom Grier handed out Flash drives on Winona State lanyards to committee members. The drives contained presentation material, copies of an upbeat Minneapolis Star Tribune article on the New U proposal , and the New University proposal itself. Grier said the Flash lanyard keepsake emphasized the theme of university being a technology school. In an ironic twist, the presentation got off to a rocky start after technology problems forced Grier to play a 13-minute video showcasing the New University concept from a spare laptop computer with a microphone held to it for sound.
Following Krueger was Winona hospital chief executive Rachelle Schultz, who said the hospital is a training ground for Winona State nursing students. Schultz said she was impressed by the magnitude of the challenge that Winona State has taken upon itself with the New University, which has been characterized as a reinvention of the university. "I have no doubt they will deliver what you expect of them," said Shultz.
Next was Winona State faculty President Mary Kesler. Kelser, who, despite her heavy involvement in New University planning, has remained quiet during recent Faculty Senate meetings as several profs fulminated about not being consulted about a New University document containing promises to students. During her two-minute presentation, Kesler said she has seen the faculty on campus become excited about teaching again. "There is an energy on campus about this plan," said Kesler.
Finke was next, acknowledging dissent in his student constituency that Kesler did not to in her presentation.
The final presenter before the floor was opened to questions was Gary Evans, chief executive at Hiawatha Broadband Communications. Evans, a former Winona State publicist, said he was excited about the "vibrance and relevancy of the institution to the community." "Progress in periods of scarcity calls for a bold direction," said Evans in an oblique reference to the state budget crisis and declining state funding for higher-ed.
After Evans closed, the Winona State group was open for questions. Most of the questions surrounded cost, implementation and leadership after Krueger's retirement in June. Concerning money, Krueger said with a laugh, "We would take money from anywhere." Krueger said the New U would depend on funding from the state, the MnSCU system, the private sector and a tuition raise. How much higher tuition? Five percent on top current tuition, phased in over four years, he said. The answer didn't square with the $1,000 surcharge that has students upset, whch would be about 25 percent, but Krueger was not challenged. Apparently he was referring only to the first year of successive annual increases.
Ann Curme Shaw, vice chair of the MnSCU board, said that one thing she would watch closely is Winona State's accessibility to low-income and culturally diverse students.
The session ended on a congratulatory note with committee members thanking Krueger for his work and joking that most people who are retiring coast in their last year.
The New University will be come before MnSCU Board of Trustees in May to ask for the approval of an increase in tuition to help cover implementation costs. The increase would be in addition to 2.4 percent that the state trustees have recommended to the Legislature. Reporter: Brianna Gallett Background: Critical NewU presentation
Where is promised $100,000 gift?
WSU president squelches Covey rumor
Krueger met Covey, author of the best-seller "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," through his brothers, who had both worked with Covey. Twelve years ago Krueger brought Covey to campus as a speaker, and Krueger has attended several Covey workshops over the years. In 2003 Krueger awarded Covey an honorary Winona State doctorate. The university also has a continuing Covey workshop on campus. "We have used his materials here and have this leadership center that teaches a lot of these principles," Krueger said."We were hoping that he would adopt the university a little more." Covey, a former Brigham Young University prof, will return to Winona State on June 6 to lecture 100 college presidents at a conference on his new book, featuring his eighth habit.
For now Krueger still plans to head back to his family's old homestead near Cedar City, Utah. He said he looks forward to fixing up his house and helping his relatives with the sheep ranch. Krueger, a Mormon by faith, also plans on going on church missions with his wife. "I'm going to try and look around and see where I can make a difference," Krueger said. "It's generally been my experience in life,that if you are sensitive to the environment, you'll find a place where you can make a difference and contribute something. Reporter: Jennifer Dobbertin
WSU prof's textbook into Chinese
Google in massive scanning projectNEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2004 -- Five major research libraries have joined Google to digitize millions of books and make every sentence available on the Google search engine. The project would provide scholars with an unprecedented tool for finding information. It also would make Google into the single largest holder of digitized published material. The libraries in the project: Harvard, Oxford Stanford, University of Michigan, and the New York Public Library.
Google plans first to scan works in the public domain, then copyrighted books held by the libraries. Because of intellectual property issues, the search engine will return only three short excerpts from copyrighted works. In many cases, the excerpts will be sufficient for researchers determine whether they want to check out or purchase the book. The project boggles the imagination considering the size of the five libraries' collections -- New York Public Library, 20 million books; Harvard, 15 million; Michigan, 4.8 million; Stanford, 7.6 million. Oxford is allowing copying only of pre-1900 books.
Lab: Augsburg vials tampered withST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 14, 2004 -- Vials confiscated in the Augsburg College vaccine scare indeed contained flu vaccine, but it had been watered down, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration lab tests. Kris Ehresmann, who oversees immunizations for the Minnesota Health Department, diluted a saline solution was found along with vaccine. "The fact that the concentrations are less than expected suggests, then, that there was something going on," Ehresmann said. She added there is no reason to suspect that other vaccine being administered at clinics around the state is diluted.
Who diluted the vaccine that Michelle Torgerson injected into about 35 Augsburg students in an authorized clinic? Torgerson denied it was her. The vaccine was from her employer, Maxim Health Services. Maxim buys its vaccine prepacked by the manufacturer in the 10-dose vials. Anyone who dilutes drugs is violating federal law, Ehrlsman said, adding that the individual's professional license would be at risk. Background: How did nurse get vaccine?
Tech names marketing chiefWINONA, Minn., Dec. 14 , 2004 -- Southeast Tech College named Diane Dingfelder in charge of marketing, public relations, customized training and the Southeast Tech Foundation. Her title: Director of advancement. Dingfelder, with Tech since 1991, holds a master's from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Worms eat into college budgetsWASHINGTO, Dec. 14, 2004 -- Worms, viruses and other network pests are costing U.S. colleges a growing part of their tech budgets, according to survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education. More than half of the colleges spent a greater portion of their information-technology budgets on security this year than last, the survey found. Forty-one percent said hackers had succeeded in penetrating their systems.
State higher-ed support growsNORMAL, Ill., Dec. 14, 2004 -- State higher-ed support nationwide grew 3.8 percent this school year, reversing a decline the year before, according to the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University. Minnesota was among a few states in which higher-ed support declined, by 1.1 percent. Total appropriations this year rose by 3.8 percent nationwide to $63 billion. The increase outpaced inflation.
Last hurrah for WSU partiersWINONA, Minn., Dec. 13, 2004 -- While most Winona State University students braced for finals, the partying crowd threw some last flings. Police were summoned at 3:10 Saturday morning to a raucous party at 105 W. Mark Street, A tenant was ticketed. On Saturday night about 11:30 a neighbor's complaint led to a party bust at 410 Lafayette St. A tenant, age 20, was ticketed. Police returned 20 minutes later and ticketed an underage boozer, 19, for underage consumption. Elsewhere, there also were booze arrests on the street. One 20-year-old was so drunk he was shipped to the Zumbro Mental Health Center in Rochester, Minn., for detox.
Critical presentation looms for NewU
The director of the New University project, Carol Anderson, said the presenters do not plan to speak for the entire hour. Instead they will begin with a 13-minute video that Anderson said explains the New U. Following the video will be a brief introduction by Krueger. After Krueger speaks, the other four remaining committee members will speak for two minutes and then invite questions. The four presenters:
Unclear is how presenters plan to finesse the issue of opposition to the New University project in key campus constituencies, including the unanimous Student Senate and to a lesser degree the faculty. Students in a November election voted 550-192 to put the issue to a referendum, and the Student Senate has come out in opposition to the plan in several votes in recent weeks. The primary student objection is a $1,000 tuition surcharge to finance study abroad, campus jobs and other parts of the plan. Faculty objections have been mostly procedural, including announcements by administrators that some components were in place, like a job guarantee after graduation and cutting class attendance to two hours a week for three-credit courses. Those changes had not been run by the Faculty Senate. Also, both faculty and students have bristled at a $35,000 radio campaign that also proclaims the New University is already in operation, with neither student nor faculty approval -- and even before MnSCU and legislative consideration.
Anderson said that presenters for Wednesday, including the Faculty Senate's Kesler and the Student Senate's Finke, were chosen because they have been involved and are deeply knowledgeable and committed to the New University. A group of eight faculty, five students and 10 to 15 administrators will also attend. Anderson said because it is final exam week, the committee did not have as much student and faculty representation as it had hoped: "We would have liked to have more of them, but this is a hard time of year for them to get away."
The New University committee started planning for Wednesday's presentation in September. During that month, the committee sought out advisers who had experience working with committees and boards. "They could tell us what they thought the committee wanted to hear," said Anderson. According to Anderson the advisers suggested a focus on the uniqueness of the New University plan, why it should be implemented now, and why Winona State is the best place to do it. "Another challenge is to describe the New University briefly without it seeming like nothing and to broadly enough without it sounding vague," said Anderson. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| THE DRUG SCENE |
WINONA, Minn., Dec. 13, 2004 -- The defense for Southeast Tech drafting student Erik Springmier, accused of selling marijuana from his dorm room, probably will challenge the police evidence against him, prosecutor Kevin O'Laughlin said. Defendants often challenge whether evidence was gathered in a constitutional way, O'Laughlin said. A hearing on all the charges against Springmier, alleging six separate sales to an undercover agent, is scheduled for Jan. 13.
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| ACE REPORTER CITATION  BRIANNA GALLETT WSU MASSCOM STUDENT For detail in news reporting.
COVERAGE NewU written into presidential job description Critical presentation looms for NewU NewU team gets MnSCU board grilling WSU pays half-price for radio ads WSU ignores backlash, launches new ads Hatch pondering governorship WSU profs still seethe at Krueger snub Koubas: This was my last race WSU profs take to road campaigning Profs erupt over promises to students Profs holding up presidential search Faculty seeks search diversity Net cast for students for search Moorhead prexy heads WSU search Single-supplier system set up flu crisis WSU faculty leader: Displeasure is deep Trustees: Yes to profs' contract Low college voter turnout no surprise Expert: Issues key this primary Krueger: Maxwell plan gets St. Paul nodOTHER ACE REPORTERS IN GOOD COMPANY |
| JOB OUTLOOK Administrative information systems Advertising Biology Book industry Biology Chemistry Criminal justice Communi- cation Dance Education English Foreign languages Geoscience Health Human performance Journalism Math Marketing Music Nursing Paralegal Photo- journalism Physical education Physics Political science education Psychology Recreational therapy Social work Sociology Speech Statistics Theater |
| OBNOXIOUS PARTIES  WHEN GOOD TIMES GET OUT OF HAND CONVICTIONS Winona County District Court |
| UNDER-AGE BOOZERS  WHO GOT CAUGHT BEING STUPID DON'T TELL THEIR MOTHERS |
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