Space and Money - UW-L is Adapting

Students, faculty, and community members filled the Ward Room this Tuesday to discuss the proposed field house and parking issues at an open forum with Chancellor Gow. In an impressive turnout, students and community members pressed the Chancellor for answers regarding all sorts of issues stemming from the deteriorating Wittich Hall, and the new student center, which may break ground in October. The UW-L campus is the smallest in acreage in the UW school system. Add a record enrollment and increased faculty and we find ourselves in the middle of a fight for space. Space that is for gymnastics, wrestling, community events, classes, and parking.

Most upcoming and pressing is the new student center, which will be located where commuter lot 6 currently lies. Once the ground is broken, that lot will be unavailable and all students and faculty that use that lot will have to relocate elsewhere. This was anticipated, and a parking ramp was built in advance behind the Cleary Center. Space will be more limited, however. Chancellor Gow said the University is moving to further increase the amount of parking spaces available to accommodate. In the plan is adding two more levels to the parking ramp, and providing temporary parking by the Veteran’s Memorial Stadium and Emerson Elementary School.

Another special issue is in regards to Wittich Hall. Because of its age, Wittich is in need of renovations. The hall is designated a historical site so it cannot be destroyed. Therefore, renovations are indeed required otherwise the hall will become uninhabitable and useless. Wittich is currently used as a gymnasium for the gymnastics team, and has space for faculty offices and classes as well. Many are wondering where those people will go instead of Wittich. The proposed solution is included within The Play 4 All Seasons concept, which contains three different projects. Most notably is the new student field house, which will include an NCAA level track and other recreational facilities for students to use. By moving the track to a new field house, space is freed inside of Mitchell Hall for the gymnastics team and wrestling team to move in. Therefore, the plan would free up space within Wittich to allow renovation. However, the plan will not be without pains for those who will be moved around. “We’re looking at what is the best for the greatest number of people,” said Chancellor Gow. The important step for UW-L is to free up the space in Wittich as not to cause a real problem when the time comes to close it up for fixing. Chancellor Gow said the solution for what to actually do within Wittich Hall is still unresolved and may take over twenty years from now to actual completion.

The Play 4 All Seasons concept is still up for approval from the student population. A student referendum is scheduled for October 14^th. If the concept is not approved, then the issue will have to be questioned further and a new proposal will be made. If the concept is approved, then the school will move forward with the projects. Like the student center project, The Play 4 All Seasons concept will be partially funded by students, coming out of the segregated student fees. The increase in seg fees will go up by only $20 per year for three years. The 2018-2019 year, the fee will go up by $72 per year. The fee increases are designed to limit what older students will have to pay because they will not be able to benefit from the projects. Like the students who voted for the REC in 1985, we will vote for new and improved facilities that will only be enjoyed by the students of the future. The goal is to make UW-L the best possible university of tomorrow. 

Jingyu Liang

Jingyu Liang is one of the many Chinese exchange students we are privileged to have at UW-L, however she is not just one of the crowd. While many exchange students study in the United States in order to either get a good job back home or here in the States, Jingyu is looking forward to studying at a graduate level, but not here. The Chinese management student is looking for acceptance at schools in England, Singapore, or Hong Kong among others. When asked, she said she was, in fact, not that fond of the culture here in the United States. “It’s very independent in the U.S.,” Jingyu said. While many Americans like myself take our vastly independent culture as normal, Jingyu finds it isolating at times. This writer is inclined to agree with Jingyu. Being from Guanghou, a city “equivalent to Chicago in size,” according to Jingyu, the independent lifestyle in a smaller city like La Crosse has been quite the adjustment.

Like many other college students, Jingyu is taking the changes in stride and focuses on the task at hand: studying and excelling in class. But when Jingyu isn’t studying or in class, she enjoys reading philosophy, behavioral and abnormal psychology, and hot yoga downtown. When time affords, Jingyu also likes to travel. She has been to Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago, Boston, and New York among others. In China, Jingyu has been to the majority of the 23 provinces as well. It’s hard to tell where Jingyu will go in the future, she could end up anywhere. 

Journalism in a Democracy

What is the definition of news?

I believe that the news is any way of receiving truth that is about someone or something of relevance. I must add, even if it may be obvious, that news has to be new as well. To put it plainly, if I haven’t seen it or heard it, it’s news to me.

Journalist’s responsibilities in a democracy

Journalists are expected to deliver in a democracy. As consumers of the news, we expect that the news we get is relevant and appropriately delivered. That means that it is convenient for us to get, enjoyable to consume, and true to fact. We rely on journalists to be accurate with the news they deliver, so the pressure is on them to verify all of their stories for truth. Journalists should be loyal to the citizens with their reporting. That means that journalists should be independent, and not writing with the bias of another party in mind. Truthful and thoughtful reporting is entertaining, and informative, and protective. Our journalists at home inquire our government and defense, and remain ready to alert us at the first sign of tyrannical threat. It is quite important that journalists stay true to the ethics of reporting the truth to the world. When the facts are lost by collusion, all we get is propaganda, fiction, lies.

Photo retrieved from meebal.com

What is media convergence?

Media convergence, stripped down, is the coming together of media forms to one cohesive package. It is ideal to the consumer for their news to contain various forms of relevant media, including not just text but video, pictures and any related audio. Successful newsrooms are able to provide multiple layers of media for the consumer for important stories. It is quite disappointing to find a story that is all words and no visuals. Newspapers and printed forms of media are now outdated. I am excited for the future of journalism. 

Welcome to my blog

Welcome to my blog. As a Rhetoric and Writing student I will be trying to post entries to my blog on a semi regular basis. Some of these posts will be academic in nature for my classes while other posts, I'm hoping, will be more fun and entertaining and maybe even informative.