WSU student leader pays drunkenness fine

WINONA, Minn., April 15, 2005 -- A Winona State University student senator, junior Adam Fredrickson, who won re-election last week, abandoned thoughts of challenging a drunken-driving charge and paid a $465 fine. Fredrickson, 21, was charged with 0.17 percent blood-alcohol, oen of two breath-check readings police made the early the morning of Feb. 16. The fine, levied in Winona County District Court, is typical for a first DWI offense. In the Student Senate election, Fredrickson campaigned quietly and refused interviews on any and all subjects. He came in second in a five-way race for three junior-class seats. The tally: Elizabeth Jones Adam Fredrickson Carl Soderberg Ezra Kazee Brent Ylvisake 181 169 126 94 88 MORE The drunken-driving charge came after a night of drinking at Mulligan's bar. Police came across Fredrickson's iommobilized car, which had struck a curb at at Wilson and Third streets, near his rented quarters at 206 Wilson St. Fredrickson was not at the wheel, but police said he admitted driving and having drunk too much. In Minnesota, the law says being in possession of your car keys, even if not at the wheel, comprises drunken-driving. MORE Police said Fredrickson was unablewalk a straight line., stay balanced on one foot, couldn't place a heel to toe, needed to extend his arms for balance to stay upright, and swayed when walking. A field breath test showed 0.19 percent of his blood was alcohol. Later at the jailhouse he tested 0.17 percent. He was held at the jailhouse until a sober adults showed up to take him home. His driving privileges were suspended on the spot for 90 days through mid-May.

ADAM FREDRICKSON WSU student senator Decides to settle charge, pay fine

Charity fast raises $240

Southwest women's coach quits

Nurse with diluted flu shots indicted

WSU relay raises $31,.900

WSU officialdom still vague on New U dollars

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2005 -- To students senators skeptical about the New University plan to hike tuition to remake Winona State programs, academic Vice President Steve Richardson did his cause no good at Senate meeting Wednesday. Richardson declined to itemize how $2 million that would be raised by a $250 tuition surcharge in the fall would be spent. Senate Treasuer Cassie Daubner pressed Richardson: "Why is exactly what is being spent not presented?" Richardson responded that it was all too complex, then repeated a mantra from past student encounters over the New University: "Trust us." MORE Richardson suggested what many senators had suspected, that the New U surcharge may go at least in part for general operations. He decribed the new revenue as "making sure the university is able to do what it should already be doing," which he said includes learning beyond the classroom, in class, connected and applied knowledge, academically related work experiences, post-graduate and career guidance, and to change the campus environment. "Tuition increases are inevitable," Richardson said, "We cannot ask for tuition increases and keep offering the same product. We have to compete in the marketplace with students who are receiving better and better education. For this we need financial support." MORE The New U surcharge is on top of statewide tuition increases that MnSCU system trustees have pegged at 4 percent. Winona State plans to ask for a high-end 5 percent increase plus the $250 New University surcharge, pushing tutiton and fees up 9.5 percent to $6,923 for a typcial student. The $250 surcharge for fall would escalate the next year to $500, the year after to $750, then to $1,000. MORE At the Student Senate meeting, Richardson was asked repeatedly in different words how he had arrived $2 million as needed for the first year of the New U's implementation. Over and over, Richardson told the senators that it was a very "complex process." Finally, Daubner put it bluntly: "Why is exactly what is being spent not presented?" Richardson replied with a suggestion that Daubner, the Senate treasurer, didn't understand budgeting. He said a sheet he distributed was not an expenditure sheet "but an allocation sheet." Then he said again that it was all very complex."There is a scary massive collection of documents," Richardson said. MORE Asked why the university isn't already trying to do what it says will cost $2 million to do, Richardson said" "We don't have the resources to be doing what we should already be doing." Again, he reminded the senators that the $2 million came from a "very large and complex number of documents." It was all too complex to explain, Richardson said: "Trust the faculty as to how we got to these numbers." MORE Vice President elect Kari Winter said there cannot be a checks-and-balances system without information. "We know where the money is going to what it says it is?" Winter said. Richardson responded: "We expect accountability at all steps of the process."

NEW UNIVERSITY Metamorphisizing logo STEVE RICHARDSON Academic vice president CASSIE DAUBNER Student Senate treasurer KARI WINTER Academic vice president

Exec: New U tuition will be $250

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2005 -- The Winona State acxademic vice president, Steve Richardson, told student senators that univerity students can expect to pay an extra $250 tuition in the fall to raised $2 million needed for the first phase of the New University initatives. Richardsonsaid 4,700 of Winona State's 7,800 students would be impacted by the through 107 projects. The expenses include academic expenses such as out of class educational experiences, personal and professional growth expenses, resources going directly into the career center as well as the necessary technology and software. MORE Richardson made the report in a mandated informational sessions with the Student Sernate, which has been critical of the New Univerity because of a proposed series of four $250 annual tuition surcharges. Anticipated questions about how administartors came up with $250, Richardson said: "We got the numbers totaling $2 million from taking the best estimates from committees to use as a working figure," said Richardson. "We do things that will affect the largest number of students and have early success." In defense of the proposal, Richardson said: "The New University is not an add-on but a total remake of the existing university." MORE Several student senate members including sophomore Sen. Caitlin Powers expressed concern about how administrators would be accountable, which has been an issue with the Senate. Business Sen. Mick Reis quoted a professor of 27 years who described the New University as hollow rhetoric to increase tuition. Richardson said that the administration is in the process of developing a system where there is accountability across the board. At the Senate meeting Richardson did offer a breakdown of how the $2 million from the $250 surcharge next year will go to the 107 projects he mentioned. MORE Richardson said specifics are hard to come up with because the New University as a never-ending process. "We're talking about the entire University evolving," he said.

WINONA EXPERIENCE/ NEW UNIVERSITY Call it what you want STEVE RICHARDSON Academic vice president

UPCOMING EVENTS
ST. MARY'S	SOUTHEAST TECH	WINONA STATE

TO EARLIER ITEMS TO TOP TO HOME TO NEWS ARCHIVE

Flynn on how he won: Status quo won't do

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2005 -- The sophomore who was elected student president at Winiona State University last week, Ryan Flynn, said his message of student discontent resonated with many voters. In a four-way race with the New University reforms being pushed by university President Darrell Krueger as the main issue, Flynn won 442 votes. The incumbent vice president, Tim Donahue, had 337; Lori Spahn, 169; and write-in Paul White, 91. Flynn said his campaign message for students not to be content with the status quo was a key to his victory. Ryan said he appreciated the positive spirit of the other candidates while campaigning. MORE Flynn said he was pleased with how the election turned out, even he said he was disappointed that runningmate Erin Feger lost for vice president by six votes. It is sad that Erin and I won't be working together," he said. About the vice presdient-elect, Ryan called Kari Winter "very qualified." Flynn noted that he and Winter have worked together on the student services committee. MORE Flynn said his first job will be to sit down with Winter and appoint committee chairs and have the committees get their teams together. He also wan ts to get a the club email system operating so that club presidents may have full communication capabilities before fall classes start. Next year is an "important year, so I hope the student body remains involved."

RYAN FLYNN Student president-elect.

Elections don't get much closer than this

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2005 -- The six-vote margin for Kari Winter for Student Senate vice president at Winona State University will not be contested. Erin Feger, who came in second, said she will abide by the 460-454 tally -- a hare's whisker in politics, only one-half of one percent. Winter and Feger ran almost identical campaigns and had the same platforms and agreed on all of the main issues. Winter feels she was able to get the six extra votes by word of mouth. "I did a lot of door knocking, and I think that helped," Winter said. "I also called up the different clubs I've been involved with, and I asked them for their support," she continued. Feger conceded she has not been as active in clubs. MORE Winter has mixed feelings over the election. "I don't know what to think," Winter said, "It was a really close election, and a lot of people wanted the other candidate." She is relieved there won't be a recount. Recounts would take a long time, she said. Also, she noted that the vote-counting process includes a double check a couple of times. Even so, a recount would be fine with her. "I want the rightful winner to have the seat," Winter said. MORE Feger said that she didn't have any hard feelings about losing the $2,300-a-year vice presidency. "Kari is a good friend of mine, and we served on the same committees. We actually have a lot of the same views on the main issues," Feger said. "The people have voiced their opinion on who they want to serve them, and I'm fine with that." About a recount, Feger said she trusts the system. "I know how the results are counted, and I don't think they made any mistakes," Feger said. This is the second election that Feger has lost to Winter. Last year Winter beat Feger for the sophomore Senate seat. MORE Winter feels that the major issues facing the Student Senate will be dealing with the New University reform, to which students have regsitered objections repeatedly, and forming a relationship with the new president of the university.

KARI WINTER Vice president-elect ERIN FEGER Runnerup

"The New U is dead, long live WE"

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2005 -- The moniker New University has been scuttled. After months of acrimonious battling with students over the costly Winona State University reform package, the Powers-Who-Be officially shifted to a new label -- the Winona Experience. In announcing the second day of an informational fair, project chief Carol Anderson was clear that the Winona Experience was "formerly known as the New University." Whether changing labels will ease student opposition remains to be seen. The Winona Experience name and a butterfly logo were introduced months ago, only to be greeted with student derision that manifested itself in submissions in the CyberIndee April Foolery contest and elsewhere. MORE The two-day New University, err, the two-day WInona Experience Information Fair began Wednesday in Kryzsko Commons, sponsored by the project's public relations committee, err, the student communication committee. Said Anderson: "The event allows students to visit several booths and pick up information on how the Winona Experience (formerly known as the New University) will impact their lives." A question-answer session was scheduled at noon in the Tye Lounge. "This session allows students to speak with other students and faculty members regarding questions related to the Winona Experience," Andeson said. On Tuesday at the most recent ya'all come brown-bag discussion group on the project, only two students showed up -- one presenter and one news reporter.

WINONA EXPERIENCE New bottle NEW UNIVERSITY Old wine

For Jacob, a non-campaign worked

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2005 -- The liberal arts senator race surprised candidate Jonathan Jacob who came in a respectable second for two lib-arts seats on the Winona State University Student Senate. "I'm surprised," said Jacob in an interview. "I thought not campaigning was going to work against me," said Jacob, who will begin his a second term after final exams. Jacob said in an earlier interview that he was going to let his life experience speak for itself rather than campaign actively. Maggie Bambanek led with 190 votes. Jacob followed with 179. DJ Danielson trailed with 161 votes. MORE "I really thought Don would get more votes," said Jacob. "He's real charismatic and can communicate well." Jacob said he is pleased with the overall election results, noting that with few returning senators there will be a largely new Senate next year. Jacob expects the New University to be a continuing issue for Senate, although he also sees it as a losing battle. The Senateerred in opposing the New University reforms altogether rather than work with administrators to delay it until the financial burden on students could be lessened. Tuition increases, an extra $1,000 phased in over four years, concerns Jacob. He said it could become difficult for him, as well as many other students, to attend Winona State if costs rise too much. Jacob has been involved the Minnesota State University Student Association campaign to freeze tuition.

JONATHAN JACOB Liberal arts senator-elect

GUSTER April 22

Guster concert ticket sales lag

Gamelon concert to aid tsunami victims

Midwest Wireless not in Alltel deal

WSU plans plan Bardfest at lake

Loan foregiveness at stake for teachers

GOP carrot: Money for racino support

Division I may go to 12 football games

Record-makers target Internet2 pirates

WSU events unit to have two heads

How Stene's big margin? Door-knocking

WINONA, Minn., April 12, 2005 -- Winona State University frosh Jared Stene, who easily won one of three Student Senate sophomore seats. Lindsay Meyer trailed with 189 and Lindsey Stelpflug with 151. About knocking on dorm doors, Stene said: "I really enjoyed meeting people during my campaign and will remain in touch with them to do what I can to help everyone out." Over the summer Stene will prepare for his position by coming up with new ways to implement the town hall -tyle meetings to get Senate and the students interacting regularly. MORE Stene said he will watch the actions of the state college system Board of Trustees closely over the summer to keep up with improvements at other campuses that might be implemented Winona State. Stene is already working with the New U Ad Hoc committee to implement his feelings about the New University project to which students have been overwhelmingly opposed. "I think that it is important to start a line of communication with new administration to make sure that studentís concerns are addressed immediately," Stene said, referring to the pending retirement of university President Darrell Krueger. MORE Stene made it clear from the beginning that he is against the New U and the $1,000 tuition increase it entails. "In our current economic environment with tuition increasing yearly, I believe that down the road the New U tuition increase will do more harm than good," he said.

JARED STENE Sophomore senator-elect

Ethicist faults media on Schiavo

WINONA, Minn., April 12, 2005 -- Although the Terri Schiavo case was perceived as unique, there are hundreds of such right-to-die cases every year, said Winona State University philosophy prof Don Scheid. "The media acted like this had never happened before," Sheid said, adding that the media contributed to a circus-like environment. "At the end, it got really ridiculous," he said. MORE Scheid some of the things that people said on television simply weren't true, specifically about removing the feeding tube. Many people, for example, argued that without the tube Schiavo inevitably would die a cruel and inhumane death. Untrue, said Scheid: "Starving is not a bad way to die." He asked, "Have you ever gone on a fast?" adding that as someone who has, the experience can almost be described as peaceful, not painful, especially after the body's initial shock of not having food. The hunger pains, he said, go away quickly, and although the body becomes weak, there is no pain involved. MORE The cruel and inhumane argument is irrelevant especially in a case like Schiavo's, he said. A person in a persistent vegetative state can't feel anything anyways, he said. It's no different, he said, than turning off a respirator, which many do not see as an inhumane practice. It's what lawyers call a "distinction without a difference," he said. Furthermore, he said, every patient has a right to refuse treatment. Scheid believes that Schiavo's husband was acting honestly on behalf of Schiavo to exercise that right. "It's part of our legal tradition," he said, "We're allowed to make our own choices about our own life."

DON SCHEID WSU philosophy prof

Master salesman to tell how

WINONA, Minn., April 11, 2005 -- A sales expert, Jack Bennett, has titled an upcoming Winona State Univerity speech will speak "How to Sell Ice Cubes to Eskimos." Bennett said he will discuss overcoming customer objections, closing techniques, attitude, follow-up and customer care. Bednnett is education director for the Automobile Dealers Association of Mega Milwaukee. Date: Wednesday, April 13 Time: 6 p.m. Place: Kryzsko Commons Cost: Free

JACK BENNETT Pushing cars or 30 years

R.I.P.: Josephine (Speltz) Radhke

Profs reject extended WSU calendar

Quebec students end six-week strike

Berens credits interviews for victory

WINONA, Minn., April 11, 2005 -- Nursing Sen. Laura Berens, who beat at-large Sen. Ryan Predmore for Winona State University student treasurer, credited media access for her 469-399 victory. Berens said that interviews with the CyberIndee and Winonan gave her the publicity she needed to get her name out to students. The debates, she felt, went well for her and showed how she and Predmore differed. Berens is currently treasurer for the College Democrats, which she emphasized in campaigning. About the year ahead, Berens said her experience as a student senator would be helpful. The position pays $2,100. MORE Berens said that she would have liked to gone door-knocking during her campaign but that the elections hit at a busy time. Anything she would have done diferently? Berens said she would have had somebody help her casmpaign. She did it all on her own. Berens said that she has already met with the two other executive board members for next year, President-elect Ryan Flynn and Vice President-elect Kari Winter. Their first project will be to compile a big packet for clubs with information on writing a constitution and icreating a budget. The packet, she said, would help new club leaders at the beginning of the school year. MORE Berens said that she feels the transition from this year's Senate will go well. She noted that new Senate comprises mostly current members. Berens said that she would be going to university budget hearings. Outgoing treasurer Cassandra Daubner, who did not seek re-election, has offered to help her, Berens said.

LAURA BERENS Student treasurer

Jones leads field of juniors

WINONA, Minn., April 11, 2005 -- Winona State University juniors have elected Elizabeth Jones, Adam Fredrickson and Carl Soderberg as their Student Senate representatives. Jones received the most votes, 181; Fredrickson, 169 votes; and Soderberg, 126 votes. Ezra Kazee came in fourth with 94 votes, his 32nd unsuccessful campaign for elected office at Winona State. Libertarian Brent Ylvisake received 88 votes. MORE Jones, who relied largely on posters to the word out, felt that voters made an informed decision. "Typically, the type of students that vote are the ones who read the school paper and go to the CyberIndee," Jones said. Kazee disagreed about voters necessarily being informed. In a democracy, Kazee said, there's nothing stopping uninformed voters from giving input. "People came up to me and told me they voted for me because they thought I had a cool name," Kazee said. Kazee said that few voters explored all the issues. MORE The candidates identfied the major issues as the New University reforms and improving Senate-student relations. Although all opposed the New University, they had different ideas on what to do about it. Jones said that everything around the New University proposal has been vague and that students deserve more answers, especially when it's their tuition will pay for it. Ylvisake cpnsideredthe New University inevitable but proposed that it be made as financially as painless as possible by charging only incoming students. Kazee considered the New University fine if not for the fee increase. "Fee increases make not finishing my education a definite possibility," Kazee said. MORE The candidates also agreed that the Senate needs to increase student involvement. Jones favored a Senate newslette. Ylvisake said that Senate needed to involve students in meetings, encourage students to write their senators, and encourage more students to vote. MORE Neither Adam Fredrickson nor Carl Soderberg rsponded to requests for post-election interviews.

ELIZABETH JONES Junior senator elect ADAM FREDRICKSON Junior senator elect

Colleges unit tries for new message

SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS Crusading for tuition freeze

MORE

WSU yellow-jackets buzz St. Paul

PATRICK CARNEY ASHLEY YOSS JESSICA LARSON TYLER HIGLEY DUSTIN SHAR- STROM DAVE PAULUS TOMORROW'S GREATEST BYLINES TODAY

WSU gays urge silence on Wednesday

WINONA, Minn., April 11, 2005 -- Wednesday at Winona State will be a little bit quieter. The vice president of campus gay club GLBTA Partnership, Matt Swanson, said members and their friends are not speaking for the second annual Day of Silence it is sponsoring. "Our silence represents the voices of those who have been silenced by discrimination," said Swanson. "We are trying to bring awareness to our silence." Members will be handing out cards that explain their silence as they protest in the courtyard and go to classes, Swanson said: "People want to know why we are being silent." MORE Swanson said the event in nationally recognized and is not unique to Winona State. Thousands of campuses take part in the event, Swanson said, including UW- La Crosse. The day raises awareness for the struggle that homosexual and transsexual persons have had to bear because of their differences, he said. MORE Swanson said when he came to Winona State, there was no gay club. Swanson said the club “started all over” and the first annual Day of Silence was the club's big event last year. The event got “a lot of good reactions,” he said. There was 60 60 participants. This year he hopes to match the participation rate despite although only 30 people had signed up by Monday. MORE The event begins at 8 a.m. and will go until 3:45 p.m. where the silence will be broken by a loud yell in the courtyard, Swanson said. After the breaking of the silence, the chair of the univerity Communication Department, Dan Lind, will give a speech in the East Café of Krysko Commons.

MATT SWANSON Day of silence

WSU site for economic summit

SMU chooses new education dean

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Voters return lib-arts rep to Senate

WINONA, Minn., April 11, 2005 -- A one-year Student Senate veteran, Jonathan Jacob, who emphasized his experience in a re-election bid, was sent back to the Senate by Winona State University liberal arts students. Jacob won 179 votes for one of two liberal arts seats. Maggie Bambanek led with 190. Don Danielson trailed at 161. Jacob, a senior, credited his experience for his re-election: "To my knowledge, I was the only candidate for the liberal arts seat that had any Senate experience whatsoever." MORE Jacob, on the Senate for a year, campaigned to fix communication between students and senators. Information on every Senate issue must reach "each and every student." He promised to "insure that every effort is being made to keep students informed." Jacob said his position at campus radio sstation KQAL will help. MORE Jacob said that he has not decided on his goals for next year's Senate but sees "major hurdles to overcome in the last few weeks of this semester." The hurdles. he said, include the New University plan to overhaul Winona State, which has engendered wide student opposition, and the tuition freeze campaign. He described both issues in "very critical stages." Said Jacob: "To look past those projects would do a great disservice to the students."

JONATHAN JACOB Liberal arts Senate candidate

WSU fund drive seeks $100,000

Prof targets Microsoft grammar

Disillusioned, Swanson quits Senate

WINONA, Minn., April 9, 2005 -- After sampling six different majors, Winona State University at-large Student Sen. Matt Swanson still has not found what he wants. He is ready for a fresh start at University of Wisconsin-Stout in the fall. Swanson, a sophomore, said his grades have not the best. Also, his role as a student senator has lost its luster." Senate has become something I dread and I no longer enjoy it," Swanson said. MORE When elected, Swanson said, he was excited to deal with important issues. Now he sees the Senate as a social activity group with a nasty disposition toward students. "Senate snarls and nitpicks at any student who comes to present a proposal or budget plan to us," Swanson said. He's not alone, he said, asserting that other senators also have a problem with where Senate is headed and decided against re-election. MORE Swanson was first elected to the Senate last fall with 105 votes, a tie with sophomore Erin Fegar, who took the other at-lare seat. On the Senate Swanson created and presented a proposal to increase safety for visually impaired students by painting building entrances bold colors. The proposal hit a blunt obstacle from the university's safety director, Joanne Rosczyk, who called it "more of an accommodation request than a safety issue." MORE Swanson has taken greater satisfaction as vice president of the Gay Lesbian Bi-Sexual and Transgender group that he helped rebuild from the ground up. Swanson is proud and thankful for how focused the group and how far they have come.

MATT SWANSON At-large student senator Leaving WSU

States blamed for higher-ed cut plan

Firefighters called to SMU dorms twice

Meyer doubts FaceBook impact

WINONA, Minn., April 9, 2005 -- A newly elected sophomore senator at Winona State Univerity, Lindsey Meyer, doesn't believe the FaceBook website photos depictinng student president candidate Tim Donahue drunk and rolling on the floor had any bearing on the election. With 377 votesDonahue finished second to Ryan Flynn who polled 442, in a four-way race. Both werehighly qualified, Meyer said in an interview. About FaceBook photos of Donahue and some other Senate candidates, Meyer believes that students looked at candidate qualifications and listened to their views rather than judging them by their photos. Meyer called the pictures personal things. College students, she said, should be able to go out and have a good time on their own time. MORE Elected to the three Senate sophomore seats were Jared Stene, 239 votes; Meyer,159; and Lindsay Stelpflug, 151. Nycole Stawinoga also ran.

LINDSEY MEYER Sophomore senator-elect Leaving WSU

Revelers smashed house, car windows