The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 18, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 5, 2011 Page: 1 of 8
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WEDNESDAY
October 5, 2011
Vol. 94 • No. 18
www.therambler.org
The Rambler
Hart of Dixie reminiscent ci
O.C. times, circa 2003.
Arts & Enterta nment, page 4
The voice of Texas Wesleyan University students since 91 7
Teen ROCH H
bmmunity serves as vehicle
or student vo unteers.
Community, page 6
m III
Student coasts toward policy change
Shauna Banks
sbbanks@txwes. edu
One student has initiated a university
policy change, that if approved, would al-
low students to coast down sidewalks to
their next class.
Nicholas Franda, freshman political sci-
ence major, has started the process to have
Texas Wesleyan policies changed concern-
ing skateboards and rollerblades on cam-
pus. Currently, according to the student
handbook, the use of skateboards or roll-
erblades on campus is prohibited.
Tyler Mendez, Student Government
Association representative, has written
a resolution to the policy, which at time
of print, was waiting for SGA committee
approval before being heard on the floor
during an upcoming SGA business meet-
ing.
Franda began the process by starting a
petition which he got 246 signatures for.
"I know some students that signed the
petition want more ways of transportation
to class," Mendez said. "Even if it ends up
being slower, just to know you have that
option to know that you can skateboard to
class or rollerblade makes people feel a lit-
tle more comfortable and not so limited."
The resolution Mendez proposed calls
for students to be allowed to skateboard
and rollerblade on campus to get to class,
but still prohibits the use of skateboards
and rollerblades inside residence halls.
However, risk of injury has continued
to be a big concern for administration at
Wesleyan.
Gary Poole, dean of students, said in an
email that approximately five years ago,
the issue of skateboards came up.
Poole said the university attorney ad-
vised administrators against allowing
skateboards on campus due to the risk of
liabilities.
According to university policies on their
websites, surrounding universities, in-
cluding the University of Texas at Arling-
ton and Texas Christian University both
also prohibit the use of skateboards and
rollerblades on campus.
"People get hurt, and that's something
that goes along with what you're doing,"
Mendez said. "I could get hurt walking
from class. You can get hurt anywhere."
Concern has also risen with injury to
people other than those riding the skate-
boards or rollerblading.
Patti Gearhart Turner, J.D., chief of staff
at Wesleyan, said risk assessment is a big
factor when administrators are making fi-
nal discussions on these types of policies.
"We haven't designed a campus for
skateboarding activity. When you go to
a skate park, they're very much designed
for that sport and that activity, so users of
skateboards know when they go there, it's
equipped for their skateboard," Gearhart
Turner said. "Whereas here, it's like—are
you going to hit a hole in the street or what
the sidewalks are like for transportation
like that."
Effects on students with disabilities have
also been a concern for administrators at
Wesleyan and surrounding universities.
"At larger universities where you have
students with more disability needs like
seeing-eye dogs or motorized wheel
chairs, skateboarding could be very dis-
concerting to a person like that," Gearhart
Turner said. "They're loud and kind of
noisier than a bike."
Gearhart Turner also commends stu-
dents who take the time to initiate changes
at the university they attend.
"I understand why some students would
be interested in it and go forward with it,
and I applaud students for taking the ini-
tiative," Gearhart Turner said. "I'm a big
believer in you learn about how to affect
change by engaging in something that in-
terests you."
-'V
Erica Estrada I Rambler Staff
Students are now trying to nitiate a university policy change, which would allow skateboards
and rollerblades to be used on campus for transportation to and from classes. Currently, they
are both prohibited everywhere on campus, ncluding in residence halls.
Meisa Keivani Najafabadt I Rambler Staff
Students take advantage of scuba diving classes offered each year at Texas Wesleyan at the
university pool. The kinesiology department is now offering free training to two applicants
chosen by staff in the department to hire a new lifeguard for the pool.
Kinesiology department offering
free lifeguard training to hire one
Alejandro Garcia
agarcia@txwes. edu
Staff members in the department of kine-
siology are seeking two students to complete
lifeguard training at Wesleyan for free.
The two students selected will attend class
on two consecutive weekends from approxi-
mately 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekends available
for this training include Oct. 22, 23, 29 and
30. American Red Cross personnel and staff
in the kinesiology department are collabo-
rating to provide the lifeguard training.
Gayle Anderson, department of kinesiol-
ogy secretary, said this is the second time
Wesleyan has partnered with Red Cross.
They first collaborated last spring. Anderson
said it was a success the first time and Red
Cross personnel came to her to ask if she
would be interested in collaborating a sec-
ond time.
"They approached us [and] they asked us
if we could do it again," Anderson said.
Anderson said this is a good opportunity
for students who are interested in becom-
ing lifeguards, especially because fees are
waived.
Lifeguard training normally costs $175.
♦ LIFEGUARD, page 3
Skype provides new platform
or Wesleyan student tutoring
Shauna Banks
sbbanks@txwes. edu
Staff and student tutors
in the Academic Success
Center have just taken tu-
toring to a new level at Tex-
as Wesleyan.
Having officially launched
Sept. 26, tutoring online
through Skype is now avail-
able to all undergraduate
students.
To use the service, stu-
dents must have Internet ac-
cess and create a free Skype
account at skype.com. They
do not have to have a web-
cam, but must have earbuds
or headphones to listen with
and a microphone to com-
municate verbally with the
tutor stationed at Wesleyan.
The initial idea for Skype
tutoring originated with
Melody Bell Fowler, director
of student support programs
and services, and Michael
Greer, assistant learning di-
rector and learning special-
ist at Wesleyan.
"We, and the tutors, had
reservations about the ef-
fectiveness of online chat
or phone-based tutoring,"
Greer said. "However, we
did want to offer a service
for students who have left
campus, are home in the
evening, and realize they
have questions and need
assistance."
The system works with a
web camera being pointed
at the top of a desk service,
where tutors can work with
students by writing math
problems or suggestions for
other subjects for students to
see on their screens at home.
"We thought if a student
at home could see what the
tutor is doing and have a
conversation, that might be
effective," Greer said. "Skype
makes this possible."
Currently there are five tu-
tors involved in offering this
service to students—three
for writing and two for math.
The service is offered from
5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday
and Tuesday, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
for math only on Wednes-
days, and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on
Thursdays.
"I think it will be a great
program once students start
to try it," Morgan Kirkpat-
rick, academic success cen-
ter tutor, said. "Our long
distance students will learn
to greatly appreciate the ser-
vice as well."
Kirkpatrick said the new
service will help close the
gap between disadvantaged
long distance students at
Wesleyan by allowing them
to use a service that used to
only be available on campus.
"Since the majority of Tex-
as Wesleyan students com-
mute, Skype tutoring will be
a great convenience for all of
those that live 20 minutes, or
even more, away from cam-
pus whenever they are hav-
ing trouble with their math
or writing," Kirkpatrick said.
Students are also optimis-
tic about the Skype program.
"If you have last minute
questions, it gives the stu-
dent an opportunity to ask
it then, as opposed to them
having to wait for the next
day," Ashley Arriaga, sopho-
more pre-law major, said.
To use the Skype tutoring
program, students should
register for a Skype account
and search for Txwes ASC
or txwes.asc and then select
and click the arrow next to
call and select Skype.
"I thought it was simple to
use and I got what I needed
when I was at home," a fresh-
man, said. "Calling in to ask
for some guidance helped
me have more confidence
towards taking my test."
SS>
MORTON Stop in at the Morton Fitness Center to sign up or group itness
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FITNESS CENTER
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Banks, Shauna. The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 18, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 5, 2011, newspaper, October 5, 2011; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth201331/m1/1/?q=%22Education+-+Colleges+and+Universities+-+Texas+Wesleyan+University%22: accessed July 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Wesleyan University.