On Saturday, Butler University’s Board of Trustees voted to approve President Jim Danko’s recommendation not to proceed with a 1 percent equity raise for approved faculty and staff. The university uses equity raises to close gaps between the salaries of comparable faculty and staff. While Butler’s effort to include equity raises in the budget…
Take a shot at a non-alcoholic weekend
“Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son.” This “Animal House” quote comes to mind when thinking of college binge drinking: an all-too-common occurrence on Butler University’s campus. According to the Office for Substance Abuse and Prevention, college students spend $5.5 billion annually on alcohol, mostly beer. This is more than…
Campus drinking scare has no substance
In the first two weeks of September alone, BUPD recorded 10 counts of possession of alcohol by minors on campus. In the same period last year, there were only six “liquor law violations,” total. BUPD’s website does not specify how many of those related to underage possession. It might make one think that the drinking…
Reps, think twice about SGA budget
Weekly Student Government Association assembly meetings regarding the budget have become exasperating for guests and representatives alike. The lack of a procedure for how SGA will allocate funds during the budget approval process has resulted in convoluted decision-making and an seemingly unfair process for distributing money. Representatives need to take more notice. During the Sept.…
Assault prevention a campus problem
On campus this week, students may catch a glimpse of a large poster board covered in blue thumbprints. Blue is the traditional ribbon color for Sexual Assault Awareness Week. Students who place their thumbprint on the board make a pledge to their fellow students and to themselves to take the initiative in preventing and reporting…
Irwin Library no place for chewing tobacco
Irwin Library patrons apparently are chewing on more than just their pencil erasers while they’re studying these days. The library staff on Sunday night put up around 10 “No Chewing Tobacco” signs to try to deter patrons from dipping and then leaving it in the facility’s study rooms. Library patrons who decide to pack their…
Faculty senate needs an overhaul from tired practice
Top-level administrators at Butler University have enough to worry about in a given day. One fewer worry would be whether or not to attend faculty senate meetings that occur twice a month if the senate votes Oct. 4 to limit their access. These meetings should be reserved for faculty members who feel the direct impact…
Put up tougher fight for diversity
Butler University’s devotion to diversity might look good on paper, but the numbers say otherwise. According to Butler records, the number of African American, Asian American, Native American and other students enrolled for the 2009-2010 year was 11.3 percent. This pales in comparison to the 31.4 percent national average for comparable private four-year universities in…
For Butler’s future, throw away the lists
U.S. News & World Report has once again ranked Butler University No. 2 among Midwest regional universities. It’s a great accomplishment for a great school. These rankings continue to become more influential to students and parents trying to make a decision about their education. But students should keep in mind that one list does not…
Save money and sanity with counseling
The vast majority of mental disorders are treatable, or at the very least can be made more manageable with professional advice and support. So Butler University’s community needs to take advantage of the amazing service that is provided for them. Only 36 percent of those with mental disorders receive counseling, reports the National Institute of…