Western Front - 2003 October 10

              SCORES
Women's Soccer
Vikings 0
Falcons 1
ISSUE 6
VOLUME 127
COLD AS ICE
Hockey laces up for
this year's season.
Sports, Page 9
BEHIND BARS
Authorities should not ignore
sex crimes that occur in prison.
Opinions, Page 10
LOCAL FIESTA
Hispanic organization
celebrates Latino culture
Accent, Page -ft
Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington
FRIDAY
OCT. 10,2003
Staff questions use
of parking funds
B Y ABIAH WEAVER AND
LESLIE WHITE
The Western Front
The announcement to delay the
parking garage and the move
toward alternative transportation
options last month caused some
faculty and staff members to ques­tion
whether the parking funds
are appropriately allocated.
Members of the
Transportation Planning
Initiatives Task Force met in May
at a public forum to discuss pos­sible
parking-rate increases to
fund projects such as the pro­posed
parking garage.
Anne Yake, information tech­nology
systems specialist of
Western's Telecommunications
Services, asked the task force
why the parking department did
not have enough money in the
Transportation Reserve Fund
without rate increases.
The reserve fund is a savings
account that the parking depart­ment
planned to draw from to pay
for the proposed parking garage.
Task force Chairman Dale
Monroe said the interest earned is
transferred into a separate fund,
the Institutional Pooled Interest
Fund, that President Karen Morse
uses at her discretion to sponsor
lecture series, special events and
emergency repairs.
"When we asked questions
about the (Institutional Pooled
Interest Fund), (the committee
members) were very defensive
and vague," Yake said. "Also,
they became frustrated and did
not answer our questions."
The Transportation Reserve
Fund totaled $985,000 and
earned $19,372 in interest
between July 1,2002 and June 30,
2003, said Paula Rustan, execu­tive
director of the university
planning and budgeting staff.
"(The pooled interest) account
is used on an as- needed basis,"
Rustan said. "It is a traditional
accounting practice in colleges to
use interest for the needs of the
university, and Western has done
this for approximately 14 years.
The president directs the expendi­tures
of this account ultimately."
In 2000, environmental studies
professor Nicholas Zaferatos
asked his students to prepare a
proposal and recommend a solu­tion
to parking problems at
Western for the Campus
Planning Studio.
"Soon after that, (the commit­tee)
incorporated five parking
structures in the IMP," he said.
"Up until that point, they were
resistant to the idea of garages. I
believe that the students' work
had some influence (on the deci­sion
to add parking garages)."
Zaferatos said Johnson and
Chapin's proposal, if adopted,
would have helped develop a
larger money reserve to be used
SEE Interest, PAGE 4
Armory parking debate
JOSHUA FEJERAN/THE WESTERN FRONT
Western senior Forrest Longman said he regularly parks at the Armory oh N. State Street because he
knows a space will be available there when other lots are full. He said he considers it a "secret lot."
A car parked in front of the Armory would be half
on Western's property and half on the city road.
Bellingham Public Works asked Western to
remove the posted signs that require a Western park­ing
pass be displayed on cars parked in front of the
Armory on April 9, 2003, said Justin Taylor, trans­portation
technician for Public Works.
Approximately 20 spots have signs requiring
Western parking permits.
"The university didn't really cooperate, and it
seemed like they were stalling," Taylor said.
City's control of Armory lot
frustrates Western officials
B Y RACHEL FOMGN
The Western Front
A battle between the Western parking department
and the City of Bellingham Public Works depart­ment
continues over whether the city or Western has
the right to enforce parking at the Armory on N.
State Street, and a resolution is not in sight, said Jim
Shaw, director of public safety at Western. SEE Armory, PAGE 3
MEGAN 1
LEWIS/
THE
WESTERN
FRONT
V e h i c l e
Research
Institute
Director
Michael
Seal shows
students
how the
EV1 car
should be
charged.
General Motors Corp. honors VRI programs
B Y MEGAN LEWIS
The Western Front
General Motors Corp. donated a car to
Western's Vehicle Research Institute on
Tuesday that has no engine because it
does not need one and no tail pipe
because it has no exhaust.
The EV1, a two-seater electric vehicle,
will encourage research in advanced tech­nology
and development of environmen­tally-
sustainable transportation systems,
said Brad Smith, dean of Huxley College
of the Environment. The VRI will soon
transform the electric vehicle into a hybrid
automobile running on bio-diesel fuel
made from recycled vegetable oils and
cooking grease.
"This is an investment and a demon­stration
of faith in our institution here in
Whatcom County, and I think this is some­thing
we can be very proud of," Whatcom
County Executive Pete Kremen said.
GM donated the car as part of its partner­ship
with Western, said Dave Barthmuss,
manager of California Environment and
Energy Communications for GM.
"I thought it would be a complement to
all the sustainability work that is going on
here, and also for vehicle research, so they
can have this as a new baby lab," Smith
said. "If s not going to be a museum piece
to sit on a shelf."
Barthmuss presented the new EV1 to
Smith and Western President Karen Morse
in front of the Ross Engineering
Technology Building.
"We are donating these cars so we can
tap into the engineering talents of various
colleges and universities nationwide,"
Barthmuss said. "All the students have
had the same mission: to re-engineer the
SEE Car, PAGE 3
UP-F rout
President Morse gives
the State of the
University Address.
News, Page 4
Queer dating game
matches eligible
Western students.
Accent, Page 5
For news tips, c ^ ( ^
Therapy reduces repeat sex offenses
SOCIETY
BY KATE KOCH
The Western Front
In light of the fact that convicted sex offender
Rory Woodell re-offended after seeking help
from the Department of Corrections last month,
it may appear the treatment options for offend­ers
are miriimal, and every sex offender is in
danger of a repeat offense.
According to the National Center on
Institutions and Alternatives, however, con­victed
sex offenders have a low rate of repeat
offense in comparison to other violent crimes.
The NCIA reports that approximately 18.5
percent of sex offenders re-offend, while 25 per­cent
of those convicted for drug offenses and 30
percent of other violent offenders commit
another crime.
"There are people who think that everyone re­offends,
and that's not the case," said Dr. William
H. Coleman, a licensed psychologist and certified
sex offender treatment provider with Special Sex
Offender Sentencing Alternative.
SEE Treatment, PAGE 3