Western Front - 1999 October 5

              TUESDAY, October 5,1999
Western Washington University Volume 107 Issue 3 Bellingham, Washington
Morse joins
NCAA
Presidents
Council
By Meghan Pattee
THE WESTERN FRONT
Western President Karen
Morse was elected to serve a
four-year term on the NCAA
Division II Presidents
Council.
The council is responsible
for controlling the budget and
establishing the general poli­cies
for
D i v i s i o n - I I
athletics.
"I think it's
a real feather
in the cap for
Western, so
I'm pleased to
be asked to
p a r t i c i p a t e Karen Morse
with my col­leagues,"
Morse said.
Morse said her experience
working in athletic programs
helped her get elected to the
council by Division II schools,
including a number from
Western's conference.
She served as president of
the PacWest Conference for
the past three years and has
experience working in a
Division I-A school.
She is also active in the
American Association of State
Colleges and Universities,
which includes many Division
II schools.
"It reflects the respect of the
school in the fact that I'm
known nationally by my peers
in Division II," she said.
Western has been a full-fledged
Division II school for
only one year, so it is an
unusual opportunity for
Western to have her on the
committee, Morse said.
"I knew what I wanted for
athletics at Western," she
said. "It was important for me
to have the conference set
itself up where there were
good bylaws and constitution
and where there was strong
leadership by the presidents."
Morse said she would like to
see some changes in the con­ference,
particularly the
involvement of university
presidents.
Strong presidential involve­ment
is key because leader­ship
for intercollegiate activi­ties
comes from them, Morse
said.
She said she would also like
to have specific guidelines for
membership in the council
and for student participation
in the future.
Morse said she hopes her
membership in the Presidents
Council allows her to ensure
the regulations that are good
for Western are continued
throughout the division.
See MORSE, page 5
VU to receive big makeover in 2000
By Shannon Ager
. THE WESTERN FRONT
Creating a sense of community,
unity and identity for Western's
campus — these are the goals of
the $22 million Viking Union ren­ovation
project scheduled to begin
February 2000.
"It's called a union, but obvi­ously
it's not a union because
there's the Viking Union
Addition," said Jack Smith, direc­tor
of student activities.
The current VU building has
10 different levels, and it is
impossible to get from one level to
another without going outside,
which does not create a sense of
unity, Smith said.
"Our intent is to try to tie them
together with elevators, lobbies
and small lounge spaces," he said.
"Right now, when you say 'Go
to the Viking Union,' you kind of
go, Which floor?'" Smith said.
"We're trying to tie that all
together."
This should make students feel
like Western is more of a commu­nity,
Smith said.
For example, an open stairwell
will connect the first and second
floors of Associated Students
offices, making all offices visible
from the stairwell.
"It will be much more active in
here," Smith said.
With the new VU design, all of
the food services will be consoli­dated
into one large area.
The food court will take the
space of what is now the art
gallery and music listening room.
A main goal of placing the food
court there is so students can
take advantage of one of the best
views in town, Smith said.
"It will also be a real gathering
space for people," Smith said.
"The food court area where it's
located (now) is more of a desti­nation
location."
Smith said many students
won't make the effort to trek all
See VU, page 4
Chris Fuller/The Western Front
Traffic backs up on the Samish Way Overpass due to construction. When finished, the
overpass will have five lanes, making traffic congestion easier, including a bike lane.
New records system to ease
access for students, faculty
By April Uskoski
THE WESTERN FRONT
New software has been
installed into Western's entire
student computer system,
affecting the way faculty will
handle business and the way
students will communicate.
The student record system,
including those maintained by
the Office of Admissions,
Registrar's Office and Student
Financial Services, are just
some of a few areas where stu­dents
can see the effects of the
new software.
For students, more informa­tion
is available through
Western's homepage.
By going to the homepage at
www.wwu.edu and clicking on
"Admissions & Registration,"
then on "Web for Students,"
students can register on the
Web, rather than using the
phone.
"This system will help to
bring Western into a new era of
communication," Registrar
Joseph St. Hilaire said.
"Students will have access to
information they need, whether
it be financial aid deadlines or
degree requirements."
He said about 30 percent of
all Western students did some
form of registration transaction
through the new Web site
designed for students. This
came as a surprise for many in
administration because the
new Web access wasn't highly
publicized.
By going to the homepage,
then to the "Admissions &
Registration" link, students
can get an unofficial copy of
their transcripts and a copy of
their personal accounts.
"The new software gives stu­dents
quicker access and more
information administration has
about them," St. Hilaire said.
He said there have been com­plaints
about the new software.
The biggest complaint from
faculty is the disappearance of
add codes.
Instead, faculty members
must give students an override
through the "Web for Faculty"
site or they can give students a
blue slip override, which stu­dents
must take to the depart­ment
office or Registrar's Office
to have it keyed in.
"I can see the long-term ben­efits
of the new software —
right now it is all a little crazy
See SYSTEM, page 4
New bridge
complete,
only last
touches left
By Alex P. Hennesy
THE WESTERN FRONT
Work is nearly complete on
the Samish Way Overpass that
crosses over Interstate Highway
5 near Bill McDonald Parkway.
"The bridge itself is done,"
said Joe Rutan, project engineer
;• for -Bellingham. -
Construction continues, how­ever,
on the roads connecting to
the bridge, and new signals are
being added at the closest inter­sections.
Landscaping will begin once
the roadwork is done Rutan
said.
"We're hoping to have the
roadwork done, by the end of
October," he said.
Crews recently removed the
old bridge, which did not meet
seismic and height require­ments.
The demolition of the
aging bridge took several days
and required road closures and
interruptions to 1-5 traffic.
See OVERPASS, page 3
Happy homecoming
Western football throt­tles
the University of
Western New Mexico in
Western's homecoming
game.
See story, page 12.
Samish salmon season
It's time to
get out the
fishing rod
and head to
the Samish
River banks
to catch a
fine finned friend, the
salmon.
See story, page 9.