wlkerwlh2>Briggs will see small changeswlkerwl/h2>
wlkerwlh1>Results from student surveys will provide guidance for future changes in the library.wlkerwl/h1>

This fall, students should anticipate some small changes made to the Hilton M. Briggs Library.

The special collections section of the library will be renovated, and new carpet will replace the old carpet on the lower level.

“We will also have compact shelving to help with space issues,” said David Gleim, the dean of libraries. “We will put bound journals in them and it will help free up a lot of space.”

Compact shelving is essentially a series of bookshelves on wheels and can be pushed together to save space.

A survey was sent out earlier this year to only a sample of students asking them how they use the library. Future changes made to the library will be the results from the survey.

wlkerwlh2>Campus green space in workswlkerwl/h2>
wlkerwlh1>Higher enrollment numbers were a factor in the loss of green space near Hansen Hall.wlkerwl/h1>

Last September, students living in Hansen Hall were upset due to the loss of green space in the area. The green space used to play Oozeball and many other activities had to be paved into a parking lot because of the increasing number of student enrollment.

Students were promised other green space to make up for the loss. Several staff members in Student Affairs have been working with the student body trying to figure out when leveling of other grounds will take place.

“It will be a summer project for the university,” said Marysz Rames, the vice president for Student Affairs. “The ground this will all be taking place on will be even more usable space than the ground the students had before.”

At this point, the location of the new green space is still being determined.

The Union’s east parking lot will be transformed into a pay-by-the hour lot.

Throughout the year, The Collegian has reported on the first stages of many stories. We have some updates of the stories and the current status of projects going on around campus.

One update for the campus includes the commuter parking lot on the east side of The Union. Earlier this year, administrators discussed changing it into a pay-by-the-hour lot, and the decision has been made to make the transition.

“There will be an entrance fee initially for the lot,” said Jennifer Novotny, the director of The Union. “We are still looking at a couple of other universities’ pay lots and deciding on the rest of the cost like paying a certain amount by the hour.”

Novotny said The Union has been looking at other colleges and seeing how pay-by-the-hour works with their students and visitors. They visited Minnesota State University, Mankato and watched how it managed its lot.

“We are working on all the details such as cost, signage and also the hours of the lot,” said Novotny. “We hope to have it implemented by the fall of 2010.”

Phase II of the Performing Arts Center has not moved forward due to a lack of funding.

At the beginning of the fall semester, the Students’ Association members met with the Brookings City Council to ask for assistance to help fund Phase II of the Performing Arts Center.

“We gave it a good run and tried to get some money from the city, but with the economy as it is right now, it proved to be very difficult,” said Matt Tollefson, a senior majoring in agriculture education from Clark, S.D.

Tollefson was the president for the Students’ Association last fall and Phase II of the PAC was part of his presidential platform. Phase II of the PAC would be mainly focused on building a proscenium theater which would be able to hold 850 seats. The new addition to the current PAC would cost approximately $11.8 million.

“It is now up to the new senate for this upcoming year,” said Tollefson. “It also depends on the city if the project can begin.”

Three residence halls will continue to have 24-hour visitation due to the success of the pilot dorms.

Twenty-four hour visitation for people in residence halls including Binnewies, Young and Caldwell Halls has been successful during the 2009-10 school year. Due to the success of these halls, two of the three new residence halls being built will also have 24-hour visitation.

Only certain halls will have the extended visitation time. Many others across campus will keep the original visitation hours.

“We did not expand it to more dorms because some students did not want the 24-hour visitation because they enjoy the quiet,” said Marysz Rames, vice president of student affairs. “We like to give the students a choice in the matter.”

The Campus Design Committee is considering different alternatives to redesign the Jackrabbit Green to make it even more appealing to students and visitors.

The Jackrabbit Green is the land between The Union and H.M. Briggs Library extending towards Medary Avenue.

The option of building an amphitheater has been discussed at a couple of the committee’s meetings.

“We think it’s a good use of green space, and we think the student organizations will be able to use it quite a bit for their events,” said Chris Schmit, the committee chair and an engineering professor.

The committee is focusing on a couple of main issues for the Jackrabbit Green, including traffic flow and making it safe for both pedestrians and bikers. In the designated area, the committee also wants to make signage consistent and visually pleasing to help people find their way across campus.

“I think the committee is doing a good job at making our campus more appealing towards incoming students,” said Derek Schmidt, a sophomore pre-med student from Watertown.

The committee has three main focus areas: Jackrabbit Green, parking and new design standards. Schmit said the biggest struggle for the committee has been organizing everyone’s schedules and getting the overall workload done.

The use of sculptures in the design was deliberated among the committee members but was decided not to be included.

“We did not include it in this plan, but we are thinking of better ways for implementing a better strategy for sculpture placement,” said Schmit. “We would like to put a process into place to help manage the placement of statues, and we have been considering putting mini-campaniles across the campus.”

A major issue for the committee is that there may be a loss of trees due to the redesign. SDSU has been a part of the “Tree Campus USA” program. As part of this group, SDSU must meet standards to make sure there are different types and a set amount of trees on campus.

The committee is planning to move valuable tree specimens, relocating and replanting them. The main objective is finding a way to save memorial trees on campus.

During this entire process, the committee has been trying to get opinions from students. The committee will meet with the Students’ Association and the University Program Council to hear what the students have to say.

“We want it to be an open process with lots of input from students, staff and faculty,” said Schmit.

The redesigning process has several steps it needs to go through before any actions take place. The architects need to make designs to show the committee, and they will make changes to the issues the committee members comment on.

The committee is unsure of the cost for the redesign, but the money will be raised through alumni donations. The money is planned on being raised through phases and not all at once.

“I think the amphitheater and other additions would be sweet,” said Mandy Rolfes, a sophomore majoring in psychology and pre-occupational therapy from Spencer, Iowa. “It would make activities more fun and allow them to be held outside more.”

The devastation that took place in Haiti on Jan. 12 has earned worldwide attention, and students from the Phi Upsilon Omicron Honor Society are lending a helping hand to those in need.

The honor society will host a “date night” from 6 to 9 p.m. for parents with children ages 2 to 6. The parents have the chance to take a night off from parenting and enjoy a night out on the town.

The event, “Have a Heart for Haiti,” will be held Feb. 10 at the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education in Pugsley Hall on the SDSU campus.

“Each year we are required to do a professional project for the honor society for competitive judging, and we thought the Haitian earthquake was the perfect one to try to help,” said Debbie Briggs, an adviser for the Phi Upsilon Omicron Honor Society.

Many activities have been planned for the children who attend the program. They include story time, a card station to make Valentine’s Day cards for their parents and a kite-making station.

While the children are at the program, the honor society wants to show them what Haiti is like and what they are going through. They will read books about Haiti and have a room that will be dedicated to making food bags.

“The whole experience will allow the children see what it’s like to live in Haiti during this difficult time,” said Julia Konstant, a senior dietetics major from Watertown.

About 35 people from the honor society will help the night of the event. They will babysit up to 100 children from the Brookings area.

“I am most excited about exposing the children to the culture of Haiti,” said Briggs. “The project is close to home for me because I spent time in Haiti several years ago.”

Prizes will be awarded to those who donate money to the honor society. Whoever donates has a chance to win buy-one-get-one movie theater coupons. They can also win a coupon for free in-town delivery from Flowers on Main and many other prizes.

The honor society will accept free-will donations and plans to donate the money they raise to the organization “ImpactLives” to support citizens in Haiti.

“ImpactLives” is based in Minneapolis, Minn., and is a non-profit organization. The organization has been able to feed 30,000 children in Haiti each day.

“I think honor society members will get the satisfaction of helping others and get more knowledge about another culture,” said Jennifer Kampmann, one of the faculty advisers for Phi Upsilon Omicron. “Hopefully it will instill that value of giving into them.”

Past and present coincide together in the new program called “Vets & Cadets.” The program allows veterans to spend time and share their stories with cadets who will be or are in the active service.

“Vets & Cadets” was just an idea this summer, but then made into a new program this year that started in the fall at SDSU. Men and women who served in the armed forces that live in the Brookings area are paired up with current cadets attending SDSU.

Pastor Bob Chell of the University Lutheran Center came up with the idea when he attended a hospice last spring, where veterans met with others and discussed their time in the service.

“I thought we had a lot of vets and I thought it would be great for AFROTC cadets to visit with them,” said Chell. “I did it because I thought it would be great for these young men and women to hear what it’s like to be in active duty and listen to their stories.”

The program consists of about 20 people in total: ten cadets, each with a veteran. All of the cadets and veterans are volunteers. “Vets & Cadets” has had a wonderful response from the people involved in it and the community seems to be very pleased with it.

“It’s a win-win program for both the Air Force and veterans, because it allows the cadets to talk to some folks who have experienced a lot of things,” said Major Dan Hunter of the Air Force ROTC. “The vets get to share some of their history with someone who may walk down a similar path.”

The main activity the vets and cadets take part in together is sharing their compatible backgrounds. They are able to choose their own schedules, which makes it easier to spend more time together.

The pairs generally meet at a veteran’s house or eat lunch together somewhere in Brookings. On occasion, a veteran may attend a cadet’s sporting event.

Major Hunter claimed that Chell and himself were merely advisers for the making of the program. He said it was really Kyle Buckmiller that started the whole process.

Kyle Buckmiller, a junior biology major from Hartford, S.D., heads up the program within AFROTC. His job consists of many projects. He is in charge of recruiting cadets and matching them with interested veterans in the Brookings and nearby communities.

“I also meet with the cadets to ensure they’re meeting with their veterans and that the pairs are benefiting from the experience,” said Buckmiller.

“I think the most important thing about the program is that it’s honoring the vets for their service,” said Chell. “The cadets get to listen to their stories and be informed about the road that lies ahead. It will help equip young men and women for what they will encounter once they are in active duty.”

The goal for the program is to double the number of cadets and veterans involved this semester. They also would like to host some activities where everyone can meet together.

“My favorite part of the program is the ability of mentorship as well as fellowship between the cadet and veteran,” says Buckmiller. “Cadets get to hear from people who have already been involved in the military and ask questions they may have. Veterans have the chance to pass on their experiences to someone who may use them during their own time in the military.”

American citizens across the nation are joining in an effort to support U.S. troops who are overseas.

More than 800,000 citizens across the United States have become part of a Facebook group called “Project Red Shirt.”

SDSU residence halls are taking an active role and encouraging everyone to wear their red shirts every Friday.

The group hopes to inspire troops to keep fighting and help them realize the overwhelming support back home.

“I think it’s a good cause and I know a couple people from my high school who are in the Army, Air Force and Navy,” said Kara Merchant, a sophomore from Spencer, Iowa majoring in sociology. “I would be willing to wear a red shirt to show support.”

Not only is “Project Red Shirt” on Facebook, but it is being introduced to the SDSU campus. Some residence halls such as Caldwell, Young and Binnewies have been taking a spirited role in this event since last year.

“Last year we did the project ‘Letters to Soldiers’ and this semester we are doing ‘Seeds for Soldiers’ and making care packages for them,” said Kristen Carlisle, the Larson Complex residence hall director. “Depending on the turnout for those events we may have a picture taken of all the students who wear a red shirt on Fridays.”

Currently, shirts are only being made for the student staff and hall government members in the Larson complex area. If interest seems to peak, then shirts will be made for students across campus.

“I saw one of my friends on Facebook who is in the service was a member of the group and I thought it would be good for our students to show their support,” said Carlisle. “We have a lot of students at SDSU who are in the service and we thought it would be a good idea.”

In order to become a member on Facebook, all one has to do is type in “Project Red Shirt” in the search box. The main page is covered with messages from people who have loved ones in the service, along with pictures and videos.

“I have a cousin in Kuwait and a friend from high school in Afghanistan,” said Christine Murtha, a junior Spanish education major from Brandon, S.D. “The program will hopefully help students be more aware of the soldiers that are overseas.”

A new cleanroom for the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building will allow more research on using alternative energy and help put SDSU ahead of the competition.

“I think the cleanroom will be a great opportunity to gain experience in before reaching the research front out in the industry,” said Jake Brinkman, a junior majoring in electrical engineering from Plato, Minn.

In the cleanroom, the main objective is to focus on photovoltaic devices. Photovoltaics is the science of converting solar energy into electrical energy. The room will also do research on micro and nano electronics.

The current cleanroom located in the Solberg Hall Annex was built 30 years ago and has caused problems for the professors and students for several reasons.

“We have had some problems with the current cleanroom because it is very small and limits several students from working and learning at a time,” said Brinkman. “This causes a problem because most electrical engineering happens in the cleanroom with designing smaller and smaller chips for electronic devices.”

“The new cleanroom will allow the department and students to install state-of-the-art equipment and allow us enough space to enable all of our faculty and students to work without worrying about too little space,” said David Galipeau, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science.

Not only is the research being done in the cleanroom diverse, but also the equipment involved in the processes is very detailed.

“All of the equipment is high vacuum systems. The fabrication equipment will be very sophisticated and will be used for three primary techniques,” said Galipeau. “The three major techniques include evaporative deposition, sputter deposition and chemical vapor deposition.”

Unlike most laboratories on campus, very particular and special clothing is required in order to enter the cleanroom.

Students and professors will have to use special clothing that prevents dust and debris from the body from getting into the cleanroom. The room may also require a face mask or a different type of protective equipment.

“The clothing people wear into the cleanroom is a huge deal,” said Galipeau. “The dust particles that come from the human body or anywhere are so large that they can cause short circuits and open circuits.”

The new cleanroom has many different areas of research, but the laboratories are usually used for working on integrated units.

“The research that can be done on photovoltaics in the new cleanroom may help us with trying to break our dependence on oil and solar power,” said Brinkman. “It is a huge area of research.”

The project for the new cleanroom, funded by the engineering department, has a cost of $1.25 million. Also, a set of guidelines needed to be met in order for the Board of Regents to approve the project.

“We have to meet certain criteria and have the correct paperwork done in order for the project to be approved,” said Colin Gaalswyk, a senior mechanical engineer who works for Facilties and Services.

The project for the cleanroom is expected to be finished by fall 2010.

After its completion, the electrical engineering major is expected to grow in numbers and become more popular among students.

… is an iPod touch

For Christmas, Jared Darling is looking forward to having a break from school and all the stress that goes with it.

Darling, a junior from Langford, S.D., majoring in political science, plans to begin his holiday celebrations on Christmas Eve. All of his immediate and extended family plans on going over to their grandmother’s house. The entire family should total about 40 people.

Christmas Day, Darling will hang out with his immediate family that includes his mother, father and three older brothers. They will go to his other grandmother’s house and eat the traditional German food like Oyster stew.

“I could definitely use an iPod touch for Christmas. I hope Santa is tech-savvy this year,” he said.

They also have Secret Santa, for which they draw names in the summertime and then exchange the gifts. For New Year’s celebration, Darling will travel to Minneapolis, Minn., and spend four nights at the Hilton hotel.

“Over break I am hoping to go to Grand Forks and visit one of my brothers and also attend a hockey game,” said Darling.

… is to be with family

Alex Moffitt, a junior from Spirit Lake, Iowa, majoring in microbiology, has no plans prior to Christmas, but the holiday celebrations are sure to be fun.

Moffitt and her family have a tradition of making homemade pizza on Christmas Eve. They also watch television as a family that includes Moffitt’s mother, father and younger sister.

On Christmas Day, everyone wakes up early in the morning, eats a big breakfast and opens presents. In the late afternoon, they eat a traditional dinner such as roast beef or turkey. Moffitt and her family then venture over to her older sister’s home, open more gifts and play games.

As of now, Moffitt has no plans for the New Year, but she usually spends time with her friends that she has not seen for some time. She also plans on working in Brookings a little at Bravo’s over the break.

“I am looking to forward to going home and seeing my family because I never get to see them anymore since I started attending college,” she said.

For Christmas, Moffitt would like items that help decorate her apartment.

… is a new GPS system

Anna Retterath says she cannot wait for break because Thanksgiving break did not feel long enough. She is a sophomore from Sioux Falls majoring in pre-pharmacy.

For Christmas Eve, Retterath says it is pretty much like Thanksgiving because her family has the usual turkey, ham and mashed potatoes for dinner. The event takes place at her family home and includes her mother, father, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins.

“The cousins used to draw names for presents for Christmas Eve and we would have a spending limit of $25. My family also goes to church at usually four or five.”

Christmas morning, Retterath’s mother bakes pastries for breakfast. Her immediate family then opens presents from Santa and peers through their stocking stuffers. Christmas Day is the one day of the year when her living room can be a mess. The entire day, her family wears pajamas and for dinner they eat fondue.

During the rest of the break, Retterath’s family goes on a snowboarding and skiing trip in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. While in the cities, she visits her mother’s sister, brother and all her cousins. The cities are a common meeting place for all of her family from Georgia.

“My favorite part of Christmas break is being able to sleep, not have to worry about homework and getting to see my family and friends.”

For Christmas, Retterath is hoping to receive a new winter coat, a GPS and new warm socks.

… is a trip to Vegas

Tim Goldammer, a junior majoring in hospitality management from Sioux Falls, is looking forward to the Christmas break. His break will begin with venturing to the Twin Cities in Minnesota and shopping for clothes and gifts for Christmas. Goldammer said that he needed to go shopping to get the accessories for spring.

For Christmas Eve, Goldammer will make cookies for Santa with his mother, father, sister and brother. Each person is allowed to open one present. His family will not be eating the ordinary ham and turkey, but instead ordering Chinese.

“My brother started the tradition of eating Chinese on Christmas Eve four years ago and we have been doing it ever since,” said Goldammer.

Christmas Day, Goldammer and his family open presents from Santa. After opening presents, they go to church.

Goldammer said, “If there is snow on the ground, we will go sledding in our backyard.”

Goldammer’s family only eats one giant meal on Christmas Day that consists of a ham. The day includes all of Goldammer’s immediate family, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Goldammer is considering going to Las Vegas over Christmas break. He will be joined by other members of the Delta Chi fraternity and will most likely go to Cirque de Soleil and celebrate the New Year.

“I am looking forward to seeing all my family and friends I haven’t seen in a long time. It’s the one time of the year when everyone seems to come home for a couple of days and just relax. It’s also nice because there are no tests, homework or finals.”

December graduation is almost here, and it’s time for students to begin their preparation. A good start for this fall’s graduates is to begin renting their caps and gowns from the University Bookstore.

In previous years, the bookstore in The Union has offered gowns for students to buy. This year, however, the bookstore has decided to begin renting gowns instead.

“We have decided to rent because then we can offer nicer gowns with a lower cost and we want to help with the green effect,” said Bill Marsh, who works at the bookstore. “We can return the gowns to the suppliers instead of throwing them away.”

The cost of renting the gowns is $20 and includes the cap, gown and tassel. The students may keep their caps and tassels, but must return the gowns. If a robe is damaged, the bookstore will still accept it without charge.

Two years ago, the gowns cost the same price as it does now for the students to rent. Many students have gotten their gowns, but Marsh says he will put in a reorder to anticipate late students.

“No deadline will be set for students to get their gowns,” said Derek Peterson, the director of the bookstore. “The only problem we have is that we cannot guarantee the robes will fit exactly right if students do wait until the day of the ceremony.”

Candice Bonrud, a senior graduating with a major in global studies from Minneapolis, Minn., said she is in favor of the change.

“I like being able to rent the robes instead of buying them because no one will wear their gowns after graduation anyways,” she said. “You can hand it back in to the bookstore and not have to worry about it anymore.”

Bo Burnham – comedian, actor and singer/songwriter – will perform at the Performing Arts Center on Dec. 8 at 8 p.m.

The University Program Council will sponsor the show. Michael Preszler, the showcase coordinator for UPC, said his favorite song of Burnham’s on the Web site YouTube is either Bo Fo Sho or My Whole Family.

Jada Joseph, a junior music merchandise major, was the showcase coordinator for UPC last year and got the process moving last spring to bring Burnham to campus. UPC decided to request Burnham come to South Dakota and perform because he is an up-and-coming star.

“I’m looking forward to having a great show for all the students at SDSU and I hope they like him,” said Preszler, a senior advertising major.

Burnham’s YouTube songs currently average about 4 million views. His biggest hit, Bo Fo Sho, has more than 10 million views.

“I’m really looking forward to hearing the Welcome to YouTube song. It’s really funny,” said Kayla Struck, a freshman majoring in pre-pharmacy.

According to his official Web site, boburnham.com, Burnham lives in Hamilton, Mass., and was born on Aug. 21, 1990. Since the age of 3, he has been performing his own songs. He graduated from St. Johns in 2008 and decided to delay his enrollment into college for a year to stay focused on his performing career.

Burnham first became well-known after he videotaped himself performing two songs and placing them on YouTube. During his songs, he plays guitar or piano. His performances always aim to keep the audience laughing.

“I think he’s awesome. He is also a really good stand-up comedian,” said Logan DeBoer, a freshman civil engineering major.

Burnham’s Web site also says, “In August 2008, four days after his 18th birthday, he became the youngest person to record a Comedy Central special. He also has a record deal with Comedy Central Records and was in the movie Funny People.”

“I think his popularity will continue to grow. He will continue to be a rising star,” said Preszler.

Tickets to Burnham’s show are being sold at Information Exchange in The Union. The cost is $3 for students and $6 for non-students. About half of the tickets have been sold already, according to David Bierman, an Information Exchange student manager. Bierman also said the ticket sales should begin moving even faster as the concert date approaches.