The Students’ Association objected to a ban on street parking in the Brookings community, saying it would be directly unfair to students.

On-street parking may be banned on select streets around campus from midnight to 5 a.m. between Nov. 15 and March 15 every year.

The Ad Hoc Parking Committee was formed to analyze and discuss parking problems in the city. The committee presented five recommendations at the Brookings City Council’s Feb. 8 meeting, one of which was to remove parking from the area between Fourth and 11th streets and 12th and 16th avenues. This area surrounds the SDSU campus, and many students live there.

One of the committee’s concerns was the number of residents living in the area’s rental properties. Legally, a rental property must have enough off-street parking for every resident on the lease. The major concern is that there are often more people living in a house than are actually on the lease.

“If you have a rental and there are people unofficially living there, they have to park on the street and this (the parking ban) is going to curtail that,” said John Kubal, City Council member and chairman of the Ad Hoc Parking Committee.

Because of this, there have been complaints of congestion in the older parts of the city, and Kubal said the parking ban was just one solution discussed as a reaction to these complaints.

“This was one partial solution to see how it works, and if it pans out, it could go to other areas,” Kubal said.

The Students’ Association unanimously passed a resolution to oppose the recommendation.

“You’re targeting such a small area of town,” said Anthony Sutton, SA Finance Chair and the student chair of the Parking and Traffic Committee. “If you’re going to do that, do it to the entire town … We just feel they inadvertently targeted students.”

SA President Brett Monson also said that he felt a ban would be targeting students.

“If it’s something that’s going to prevent students from parking there, we’re not going to be in favor of it,” Monson said.

The Ad Hoc Parking Committee’s recommendations were referred by the City Council to the Brookings Traffic Safety Committee for review and further discussion. The City Council asked the Traffic Safety Committee to deliver its recommendations in 60 days, at which time the City Council would hold a final vote on the issue.

There were several concerns voiced during the final meeting of the Ad Hoc Parking Committee on Jan. 18.

According to the meeting’s minutes, like Sutton, Brookings Police Chief Jeff Miller felt that the ban was discriminatory because it focused only on a certain area of town. He also noted that his department did not have the manpower to enforce the ban.

Beverly Dobbs, a member of the City Council and the Ad Hoc Parking Committee, said the ban might be unnecessary and may not address the issue of illegal residents.

“All but a very few residents have off-street parking,” she said. “If rentals were rented properly this would not be as much of a problem,” she said.

All Brookings City Council meetings and Traffic Safety Committee meetings are open to the public. The City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. in City Hall. The Traffic Safety Meeting meets on the second Thursday of each month at 12:10 p.m. in City Hall.

#1.2042950:3028189815.png:road-GALLAGHER.png:Overnight parking could be banned on the streets located near campus.:Collegian Photo by Robby Gallagher

University Bookstore employees were busy the morning of Jan. 24 after a sprinkler malfunction on the main floor of the bookstore caused extensive water damage.

Around 7:45 a.m., a main floor sprinkler was set off, damaging much of the merchandise in the bookstore. The water was shut down around 8:20 a.m. and cleanup was completed by 10:30 a.m.

“We had a lot of people helping during cleanup,” Derek Peterson, the director of the bookstore said. “We had a number of the people from the Union, Residential Life, and facilities services who really need to be thanked.”

The reason as to why the sprinkler malfunctioned has not yet been discovered.

After the water was shut off, main floor clothing had to be taken down and moved in order to clean up all the water.

“We’re not sure what we are going to do with the merchandise,” Peterson said. “We have an adjuster coming in and we’ll look at the options we have.”

While most of the damage was contained to the first floor, some of the textbooks in the lower level were damaged as well. Still, the bookstore remained open while cleanup duties were performed.

Students were allowed to use the south entrance of the bookstore in order to find the books they may have needed for classes.

“The bookstore was still able to meet the needs of students without any interruption,” Peterson said.

The main entrance of the bookstore was reopened on Monday and an e-mail was sent out to all SDSU staff and students to inform them that the bookstore was open for business on all sales.

The university has yet to assess the extent of damage, and repair costs are not yet known.

#1.1918787:1335322393.png:Bookstore_FloodTONY.png:Jillian Carstensen and Ed Bain empty a water-filled shop vac after a sprinkler malfunction caused water damage in the bookstore.:Collegian Photo by Tony Gorder

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

The 20-year-old electronic engineering sophomore was found dead in his Pierson Hall room on Oct. 24.

A close group of friends from Washington High School – Alex Berkness, Andrea Christofferson, Phil Fiala, Liz Ketterer and Logan Pederson – have been actively celebrating and honoring Hohwieler’s life.

“This is the clique,” Christofferson said, pointing to the rest of the group huddled together in a dorm room. Though Christofferson and Ketterer live in Sioux Falls, the group stayed close, even as the others went to SDSU.

Berkness and Fiala have been distributing green ribbons to honor the memory of Hohwieler. The green ribbons started in Sioux Falls, but the friends decided bring the idea to SDSU.

“We just want to get them out so people can have something to remember him by,” Berkness said.

Those interested in a ribbon can go to room 240 in Caldwell Hall. The friends said they are touched seeing so many people wearing the ribbons and seeing just how many lives Hohwieler touched in some way.

“When someone comes to pick up a ribbon, it’s a good feeling,” Christofferson said.

The group even decorated the northwest Caldwell Hall windows, writing “We miss you Aaron” and drawing large, green ribbons.

Christofferson created a Facebook page “In Memory of Aaron Hohwieler” on Monday evening. By Tuesday night, the group broke 1,000 members. They are using the page to keep people up-to-date on events honoring Hohwieler.

According to friends, Hohwieler was very passionate about music. Green ribbons were chosen because it was the color of SuFuDu, a Sioux Falls summer drum line program that Hohwieler participated in.

“SuFuDu is such a tight group and so much time is spent together that you really get to know a person and their true character,” said Tonia Even, a friend of Aaron’s through SuFuDu. “Aaron was absolutely crazy about Du because he loved drumming, being around friends and having a good time.”

Hohwieler was also active in The Pride of The Dakotas Marching Band drum line.

“He was a nice kid to be around – a fun kid to be around,” Aaron Ragsdale, Pride drum line director, said. “We all enjoyed having him around. You could tell he enjoyed what he did.”

Fellow Pride drum line member and close friend Carter Mack shared similar sentiments.

“He loved music. It was his whole life,” Mack said.

Hohwieler was very good with technology, said his friends.

“If you had an electronic issue, he could fix it,” Berkness said.

One thing nearly all his friends mentioned were his rosy cheeks.

“He had cheeks that would just burst out red,” Christofferson said.

“Everybody loved to make him smile or embarrass him just to see his cheeks turn brighter and that huge smile on his face come out,” Even said. “His smile could truly light up a room, and if that wasn’t enough, his laugh would do the trick.”

Friends described Hohwieler as a fun-loving person who never had a bad day – the type of person who you could never stay mad at. They said he was the type of person who was always joking, who could brighten up any room and who never got mad or upset.

Hohwieler’s close group of friends from high school have been in contact with Hohwieler’s parents, who said he died from heart failure.

“He died of natural causes,” Fiala said. “His heart just stopped.”

Fiala also said Hohwieler suffered a pulmonary embolism last year that nearly killed him. Since then, he was on blood thinners which he was taking to the time of his death, said Fiala.

The group of friends said they and Hohwieler’s family wish the rumors of suicide, drugs and alcohol would stop. They said those rumors are not even close to true.

“That’s disgracing Aaron,” Fiala said.

After Hohwiler’s prayer service Oct. 27, his friends went bowling to remember him.

“He was horrible at bowling, but he loved it,” Berkness said.

Academic buildings are worthy of approval, while plans for athletic facilities, residence halls or dining services are tabled.

The Board of Regents approved two building plan and expansion proposals and postponed three others at their Oct. 14 meeting in Rapid City.

Dean Kattelmann, assistant vice president of facilities and services, presented SDSU’s proposed plans for approval. Projects included an aviation education, laboratory and hangar facility; an indoor practice facility and human performance facility; a bioscience research laboratory; a new football stadium and a residence hall construction and dining services expansion.

Only the aviation education, laboratory and hangar facility along with the bioscience research laboratory were approved by the BOR. The other three were tabled.

“It would have been nice to have gotten them approved,” Kattelmann said.

Tabling these three projects may produce delays on the projected time line for them; though they still remain part of the 2025 plan for campus.

“I don’t think they’re dead,” Kattelmann said. “They’re just delayed.”

Janelle Toman, director of BOR communications, said there is an important difference between the two types of building plans and agendas that were presented and discussed at the meeting.

“First of which is a facility program plan, which entails a project that has necessary funds ready, design plans set and ready for action along with a staffed architect. The other type of building plans that were presented to be approved are characterized as preliminary facility statements,” Toman said.

The preliminary facility statements are very young in terms of planning stages and do not necessarily even have an estimated price corresponded to it. Toman said that the only facility program plans that were approved by the BOR were two plans of Northern University in Aberdeen. All five of SDSU’s building proposals were considered preliminary facility statements, she said.

The approved buildings plans will now be able to undergo more specified planning and set a budget for the projects.

Tabling not only may have postponed the project’s timeline, it also raised the questions and viewpoints of priorities for SDSU, said SDSU Students’ Association President Brett Monson.

From the student organization standpoint, Monson said he would have liked the residential hall project to have been approved at the meeting. Though from other points of view, Monson said the need for more residence halls on campus may not be necessary at this time due to the possibility that enrollment numbers may decrease.

“The increase of enrollment (of incoming freshman) has only increased in the past ten years, and so it’s only natural for us to expect a continuation of increased enrollment numbers,” Monson said. “We have students shoved in day rooms and we are already over max capacity and more space is definitely needed.”

Toman said the reason for tabling three of the five presented projects came from the BOR’s focus on its current priorities; such as approving academic facilities before residence halls, dining facilities or athletic buildings.

Monson will attend the next BOR meeting in December to hear the BOR’s decisions on the projects; however, it’s not mandatory for the BOR to discuss the projects at the next meeting.

Toman said she does not expect to see any advances of the projects during the BOR’s next meeting in December.

“I wouldn’t count on it…” she said.

“Tabling the projects was an action done by the BOR committee action and reflects no sense of judgment or value towards the projects,” Toman said. “Tabled projects are to be readdressed at a later date and will become a part of the system wide 10-year system-wide plan of construction of all BOR universities and institutions.”

After the meeting, Monson said he had the opportunity to discuss the events of the meeting with BOR president, Terry Baloun. The total possible amount that the projects would add up to would not have looked to be a responsible expense on SDSU’s part according to Baloun.

Depending on how legislature goes and how the state budget issues result, a more suitable time will then be determined to readdress SDSU’s building proposals, Toman said.

More information regarding the BOR meeting can be found at www.sdbor.edu.

#1.1717667:2550246019.png:Airplane-1-Ryan-Robinson.png:Though the BOR tabled plans three proposals, a bioscience and research laboratory in the northwest expansion along with an aviation education, laboratory and hangar were both approved. The current hangar facility is located near the west side of downtown Brookings.:Collegian Photo by Ryan Robinson

Some Hansen Hall residents are concerned about the hall’s agriculture heritage and traditions.

Former Hansen Hall Community Assistant Jackie Fitzgerald created the Facebook page “Keep The Ag Tradition Alive in Hansen Hall.” The page has over 250 followers and claims Residential Life is trying to get rid of the ag associations with Hansen Hall, something Residential Life denies.

“We have not cut out a single tradition,” said Hansen Residence Hall Director Jessica Woods. “We’re trying to stress that other majors live there 8212; that we have to be open to those other majors that live in the hall.”

Director of Residential Life Connie Crandall said that inclusiveness is something they are trying to do in all the halls, not just Hansen.

“We want all majors to feel welcome wherever they are assigned,” Crandall said. “We’re trying to stress that other majors live there, that we have to be open to those other major that live in the hall.”

Hansen Hall is located by many agriculture facilities on the west side of campus. It is also home to the Agriculture and Biology Living Learning Community on the second floor. Crandall said that because of this, many agriculture related majors gravitate towards Hansen Hall.

However, the majority of students in Hansen Hall are not ag majors, Crandall said.

Fitzgerald’s claims are based only on her opinion of what she perceives to be a phasing out of stereotypes Residential Life finds negative. She believes Residential Life finds labels like “Hick Hall” or “Cowboy Hall” offensive, when it’s really something people should be proud of.

“It’s about the same as an athlete being called a jock,” Fitzgerald said, adding that though the term “hick” may have started negatively, it should be used positively.

Fitzgerald also claimed that while she was a CA, Residential Life did not want an agriculture theme to be Hansen Hall’s hall theme.

“It was always very frowned upon because they didn’t want an ag feel in the building,” Fitzgerald said.

Crandall and Woods denied all claims the “ag tradition” is going away.

“We really don’t know where [Fitzgerald] is getting [her] perception of that …” Woods said. “We’re just trying to be a more inclusive community and open to everyone.”

“If we were trying to change [Hansen Hall] why would we leave the (Agriculture and Biology) Living Learning Community over there?” asked Crandall.

Fitzgerald had not met with Woods, Crandall or any other Residential Life staff member at the time of publication but has a meeting with Woods scheduled for Oct. 6.

“I’m not on a campaign trying to ruin [Residential Life] …” said Fitzgerald. “I’m just trying to get some concerns out there.”

Residential Life thinks the issue is a problem with communication, and encouraged any student to contact their residence hall director, CA or Residential Life if there are any concerns. Residential Life can be reached at 605-688-5148.

#1.1669001:1304454223.jpg:Hansen-2-Color-Britty-Fexer.jpg:Two students in Hansen walk down the hallway. Residential Life says the agriculture tradition is not being sacrificed for inclusiveness.:Collegian Photo by Britty Fexer
#1.1668999:366923111.jpg:Hansen-1-Color-Britty-Fexer.jpg::

Even with the implementation of the new Jackrabbit Village residence halls, SDSU’s need continues to find accommodation solutions for the high student population, resulting in utilizing dormitory dayrooms as residence rooms.

Although the official number of students now attending SDSU is not yet available, currently 10 residence halls on campus, including the new Jackrabbit Village, have had to convert the dayrooms to traditional room settings to accommodate the high population of on-campus students. Waneta Hall, which previously had been planned to house single rooms for upperclassmen has instead remained a traditional setting and is currently housing students in its dayrooms as well.

However, those in the dayrooms, which can house four to six students, should not get too comfortable because the situation is only temporary, said Doug Wermedal, assistant vice president for student affairs.

“The long-term goal is to have all students in a traditional room with one other roommate, but because of our high population, we had to utilize the space offered by the dayrooms,” Wermedal said.

Brian Eiesland, sophomore civil engineering major from Brandon, is currently one of the students living in a dayroom of Young Hall. Although he has two more roommates than he originally planned, Eiesland said he enjoys living in a dayroom.

“I’m not disappointed that I am in a dayroom at all. It’s pretty nice, and my roommates and I have a lot more space than other people, and free cable,” Eiesland said. “It’s not like a small, cramped cell like what other people have to live in.”

Although the students living in the dayrooms might enjoy the extra perks that come along with it, students like Zoey Bradeen, pre-law major from Custer, who lives in Waneta in a traditional room setting, do not share the same feelings.

“I don’t think it’s fair that some students get to have their dorm rooms in the dayrooms and have the added bonuses,” Bradeen said. “Since the study area is taken I have to go down in the basement by the washers and dryers just to study.”

Freshman agronomy major, Wyatt Walter, is also upset that the dayrooms are currently occupied.

“It sucks that we have to go to the kitchen to study and that we can’t use the dayrooms for stuff like that,” Walter said.

Although having students in the dayrooms adds more students to each floor, Wermedal said parking and bathroom traffic have not seemed to be affected.

“There have not been any complaints for overcrowded bathrooms as far as I am aware. As for parking, it is generally a little disorganized at the beginning of semesters until students get a feel for their individual schedules, but as far as we can tell it has not been a problem either,” Wermedal said.

Dean Kattelmann, assistant vice president for facilities and services, also said that even with the higher student population, the residence parking lots are large enough to handle the excess cars.

“Right now there is enough parking for students living in the dorms,” he said. “A year ago we took out the tennis courts on the east side of campus to provide for more parking. Also, students can park in the marital housing lots if they have their 19 tag (the decal for the residential hall parking lot) and as long as the spot is not marked as reserved.”

Although living in a dayrooms means having more roommates, Wermedal said those students living in the dayrooms have not had any negative feelings towards the situation.

“We contacted the students who live in dayrooms back in June so they knew what to expect on their arrival in the fall. Most students in the past liked living in those rooms and actually grew quite accustomed because of the ability to make more connections with more people, more space and because most of the rooms are air-conditioned,” Wermedal said.

Jo Ann Sckerl, director of Academic Evaluation & Assessment, said the ACT scores of SDSU have risen over the past four years. In 2006 the average ACT composite score was 22.7. In 2007 and 2008 the score continued to climb steadily at .1% each year until reaching its current average for 2009 at 23.

Wermedal expects enrollment to rise in the future due to this rising average ACT scores.

“We will continue to grow, but it’s not a situation where people apply to SDSU and automatically get it. In order to be admitted into SDSU, students must have an 18 composite ACT score, or a 2.6 on a 4.0 scale high school GPA, or graduating in the upper 60% of their class,” he said.

“ACT scores of high school students have gone up with our enrollment and since SDSU is continuing to be a popular choice because of our strong academic programs and cost-effective packages we expect enrollment to rise. This is a good problem to have.”

Bradeen does not agree with this notion of allowing more and more students into SDSU.

“If there wasn’t enough regular rooms available than they should have stopped enrollment before it reached that high,” she said.

Kattelmann said one future change to accommodate SDSU’s increasing student enrollment is adding new residence halls.

“The Jackrabbit Village addition was a huge success, and we look forward to working with students again when the plan for a new residence hall comes around. One thing for sure is the next residence halls we build will enhance the campus community much like the new Jackrabbit Village residence hall has,” Kattelmann said.

#1.1599543:1142382218.jpg: Jackrabbit Village complex:The new Jackrabbit Village complex holds many students but still could not avoid capacity issues. Some dayrooms in the complex have been converted into living quarters.:File Photo

The Union has a slightly new look for students returning to campus.

“We had a lot of new changes with The Union and school over the summer,” said Jennifer Dowie, a junior early childhood education major and new student orientation leader in The Union.

The most noticeable transformations are the north and south expansion concepts on the west side of The Union.

The north concept provides a sports grille for students looking for a sit-down feel. Weary Will’s Grill will have a front counter where customers can order food and are given a buzzer that alerts them when their food is ready. The new addition incorporates SDSU memorabilia for decoration and multiple flat-screen televisions in the dining area.

The south concept will be the first national chain on campus. The Union will soon be home to Einstein Brothers Bagels, where students can pick up bagels, sandwiches and different coffee options than Java City.

“The south concept will have a coffee house feel with a fireplace and lounge chairs,” said Keith Skogstad, assistant director of the Student Union.

While the north and south concepts are estimated to be completed by Oct. 1, students will see a kiosk for Einstein Brothers Bagels on the west end of Main Street in The Union. The kiosk provides a few grab-and-go options that give a taste of what the new dining expansion will offer.

“The new expansion will add over 400 seats to The Union, nearly doubling the current seating,” said Skogstad. Also, The Market has new carpeting and new colors.

For the first few months of the fall semester, students are encouraged to dine at Larson Commons due to the limited seating until the new expansion opens.

Skogstad said “the well-known grab-and-go pizza and subs station, Jack’s Place, will be ready for business by opening weekend. This year Jack’s Place is sporting a different color scheme and more seating.”

Other changes students will notice in the lower level include a modified stage and a contemporary open-ceiling style. Outback Jacks, where students can rent assorted camping and sporting equipment, has moved to the south wall.

A new design center has taken the place of the old television lounges. This will enable Outback Jacks to print signs instead of paint them by hand. This area will be ready for business within a few weeks.

On the upper level in The Union, students will see different colors in the conference rooms as well as interior windows in the Gallery Lounge, the room on the west side of the building. Starting in November, new conference rooms will be completed after relocating from the main level.

Behind the scenes, the kitchen was given a complete makeover and was redesigned for efficiency. Aramark’s catering services now has a preparation area and expanded loading docks behind the kitchen.

Throughout the summer, construction took over much of the campus, but The Union stayed up and running.

“Although there have been minor setbacks during set-ups and tasks in The Union, the construction will be well worth it and an exciting space for all students to utilize,” said Libby Nogelmeier, an attendant with Information Exchange and a clerical assistant in the main office of The Student Union.