Beginning March 1, the University Bookstore will undergo a renovation that will not only change how the bookstore looks, but also the products they offer.

According to Derek Peterson, director of the University Bookstore, the bookstore will be completely remodeled with new flooring and brick walls. The ceiling will also be raised to provide for a more vaulted look.

“We realized we didn’t need square footage for textbooks, but rather we just needed to re-evaluate how we are utilizing the space that we do have,” Peterson said.

The most noticeable change will be the addition of several new products not currently offered in the bookstore. That addition will come courtesy of a technology sales center. Students will be able to buy computers, MP3 players, headphones and soft ware from many major retailers at the new technology sales center, which is projected to be about 500 square feet. The center will be located in the front of the store where the checkout area is currently located.

“We are currently working with a major computer electronics manufacturer to become an approved educational reseller,” Peterson said. Peterson could not say what manufacturer at this time.

According to Eric Haiar, a senior music merchandising major from Sioux Falls and the SA State and Local Government chair, the Board of Regents currently has contracts with Hewlett Packard and Fujitsu, which will be offered as part of the technology center. There is currently talk of adding another name to that list. “With increasingly more departments at SDSU requiring the use of a Mac computer, it would be nice to have both PC and Apple products offered,” Haiar said.

One concern with the remodeling is whether the bookstore will be able to function during the remodel project. According to Peterson, the South entrance to the bookstore will be used during the remodel. The basement will continue to offer textbooks for students, but the upstairs will be limited to mainly art and office supplies. Jackrabbit Central, located downtown, will offer apparel and gifts for those wishing to buy them.

“We looked at past years’ sales numbers and found that February through April are the lowest sales volume months and decided to do the remodel then,” Peterson said.

The anticipated completion date is May of this year.

#1.1971087:1718635929.png:The University Bookstore renovation is set to begin on March 1:The University Bookstore renovation is set to begin on March 1. They are selling clothing 40% o so they do not have to store large quanties of merchandise during the construction.:Submitted Illustration

There is no time for fun and games as game time is cut in the dorms, allowing better server connection for studying.

For the last few years, attendance at SDSU has continued to grow at record numbers.

This has caused residence hall day rooms to serve as extra dorm rooms, scheduling for classes to become an art and construction projects a norm.

Since Nov. 16, students living in the residence halls have had another issue related to the growing numbers at SDSU; no video game usage in the residence halls from 7-10 p.m. on weekdays.

“They took away our prime hours to be playing Black Ops,” said Jason Norgaard, a sophomore electronics engineering technology major from Hayti. “A lot of people are extremely mad and feel discriminated against.”

Norgaard said the ban was implemented after strains to the server that were caused after the release of the games Call of Duty: Black Ops and Halo: Reach.

Students were unable to access the Internet for academic purposes like getting to D2L or research for projects.

“We have had problems with the Internet for some time, but to send out a letter one day and have it take effect the next day is ridiculous,” Norgaard said. “As students, we are passing around a petition and getting it signed by as many students as we can.”

Norgaard said that students are angry because nothing was discussed with the students and the only information they have about the ban is what was put in their mailboxes.

According to the memo distributed by Residential Life, the plan behind the ban was to allow students working on academic activities to do so during reasonable study hours. With resources being stretched thin, it was an attempt to free up space on the server that had previously been overused.

Nicole Temple, a freshman in the college of general studies said the ban was a good thing. She said that there is definitely a problem with the current Internet situation and although it was done abruptly, it was done with the best intentions for the entire university.

“There is not a single person in the dorms that can honestly say when they use the Internet it’s a good or uninterrupted connection,” Temple said. “People are unable to use wireless at all during the night.”

Temple and Norgaard said the school should change the Internet connection rather than determine who is allowed to connect to the Internet.

The Students’ Association has already begun looking into the ban and the petition is currently circulating through the dorms.

“Right now we are looking into Board of Regents and campus policy to see what we as the Student Association can do to change policy and ensure that all students receive equal rights to the Internet,” said Anthony Sutton, SA finance chair.

#1.1814437:3415258625.png:Video-game-ban-2-Aaron-Stoneberger.png:Students Devon Wenck and Taylor Vanderwerf, freshmen, play Madden ?11 for the xbox 360 in a Hansen Hall dorm room. Both Wenck and Vanderwerf disapprove of the ban.:Collegian Photo by Aaron Stoneberger

While many construction projects and changes are happening on campus, the College of General Studies is thinking about jumping on the bandwagon in the near future.

“The College of General Studies is a mission to help students determine a major, give them a skill-set to be successful in college as well as lifelong learners and ultimately help them find jobs,” said Keith Corbett, dean of the College of General Studies.

Corbett said the College of General Studies offers a variety of services, including help for finding an internship, resume building and also enhancing interview and networking skills.

Although they offer many services, the college has been looking to make some changes in the future. The biggest of these changes is the name of the college.

“While looking at how other universities operate their College of General Studies, we noticed a constant theme … the name of their general studies college is University College,” Corbett said.

Corbett said that while reviewing other universities in the region, such as Montana State and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, many in the department felt they could improve the College of General Studies and its cooperation with other entities on campus.

Jared Darling, a senior political science major and senator at large, thinks a name change will be a good way to re-brand the College of General Studies.

“Providing a more unified vision for the College of General Studies has probably been needed for a while,” Darling said.

Hassan Ali, a sophomore in the College of General Studies and senator for the college feels the name change is not necessary. Ali said that if called the University College, students might loose sight of the college’s focus which offers guidance through general courses until students are sure of their major.

“I feel that by trying to make SDSU more like other universities, we at SDSU take away from what makes us unique here,” Ali said.

The name change has been proposed and no time table has been set for the switch. Whether the change happens in the future or not, the College of General Studies will continue to offer services that aid students in choosing their path through out college and life as well.

After being raced across a room in a mummy blanket, frantically shoving crackers into his mouth and barely squeaking out a whistle, sophomore CJ Medved and his Delta Chi teammates won first place in the Bum Olympics.

The games were held on Oct. 19 in the Volstorff Ballroom at 8 p.m.

“It was the first [Hobo Day] event that brought all the teams together that are competing for the Spirit Cup,” Medved said.

The Bum Olympics was comprised of 11 teams ranging from student organizations to residence halls. Teams competed in a variety of challenges for points, which have been accumulating throughout the week. The team with the highest point-total at the week’s end will win the Spirit Cup.

“It’s an event meant to get as many SDSU students involved as possible. It’s a friendly competition in which members of student organizations get to meet people they might not have had the opportunity to meet on their own,” Grand Pooba Robin Bickel said.

Many challenges and obstacles composed the Bum Olympics. Events included Dizzy Lizzy, where teams of 10 spun around a bat 10 times and drank a juice container. Another event required teams to eat four saltine crackers and whistle Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star.

Other events included a relay race where four teammates carried one another in a blanket. The hippie trivia event asked questions ranging from Woodstock to sitcom TV.

Senior Brock Nelson of Delta Chi competed in his fourth Bum Olympics.

“It was a very competitive year,” Nelson said. “We had to bring our top game to pull out the victory.”

Teams competed in two groups: one composed of residence halls and Greek life, the other of student organizations. Of the residence halls, Wineta Hall took first, with Brown Hall and Jackrabbit Village facing a sudden death competition for second place. Brown Hall resulted in edging over Jackrabbit Village. On the Greek Life side of games, Farmhouse took third, Sig Ep placed second and Delta Chi finished first.

Bum Olympics was just the start of the events planned for Hobo Week. Those who did not attend will have more opportunities with Cavorts, the Miss Homelycoming Pagent, and the Bum-a-Meal dinner to both gain points and meet all the student organizations hoping to win the Spirit Cup.

#1.1717681:927938367.png:Bum-Olympics-2-Aaron-Stoneberger.png:Jason Norgaard, Chance Wachholtz, Brandon Bausch, Michael Kendall and, in blanket, Bradley Swanson, show their true Jackrabbit within as they battle to win the Bum Olympics.:Collegian Photo by Aaron Stoneberger
#1.1717680:1101663746.png:Bum-Olympics-1-Aaron-Stoneberger.png::