Students seek alcohol-free activities
Still,
Butts
believes
that
Plattsburgh
State
may
have
a
potenstaff writer
tially serious alcohol problem that is
mirrored in other campuses.
National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week
"It's important to combat the problem
served up a round of substance-free activities
by
promoting
positive statistics and changon campus during the week of Oct 19 - 25.
ing
the
social
norms
among college students,"
The activities, organized on campus by the
Butts said.
Center for Student Health and Psychological
Presenting the statistical figures of students who
Services, aim at providing alternative enterprefer not to drink or who don't drink a lot is a
tainment for students and at eliminating
method to help shatter the misconceptions about
misconceptions about peer alcohol use on
college drinking.
campus.
Statistically showing that not every student
In the past, events have included comedrinks is a method often used by educators to
dy shows, karaoke nights and a sumodeter alcohol consumption, an activity
wrestling contest.
which might otherwise be due to peer
Health educator Jessica Butts
pressure.
applauds the variety of. subButts believes while keeping college
stance-tree Student Association.
goals in mind, students can have run
sponsored activities, such as
by being careful and ^not crossing the
video-game contests, ping
line.
pong tournaments and
Sophomore Kathryn Liggett
movie screenings.
believes
alcohol is regulated well
These activities are all
on
campus
but is still easily accessiavailable on Friday and
ble
Saturday nights at the
'People will drink either way,
Angell
College
no matter what college you
Center.
go to." Liggett said.
Designed
to
Wilson Mall resident
-highlight alternaassistant
Kelly
tives to drinking,
Geremick praises the
Butts planned the
Plattsburgh
City
week's events to crePolice
for
being
ate general awareness
responsive and helpful
of alcohol-related probduring alcohol-related sitlems on campus.
uations.
Sophomore Ryan A.
RAs also attend alcohol
Bunn knows about the
information sessions during their
weekend SA events but
initial training and are instructed on
never attends.
how
to deal with intoxicated students on
"It's just not an alternatheir
floors.
tive for me, and my friends
However. Geremick believes that the trainwould never want to go," Bunn
ing was not enough: 1 still feel a little nervous.
said.
about approaching situations involving residents
Bunn admitted to consuming
drinking."
alcohol every week and called drinkMike CoaherCardiaal Points
The Journal of Studies on Aicohot revealed a total of
ing at parties an enjoyable social activi
1,400 national akohol-related accident deaths per year among
ty.
A CORE Survey administered in 2002 to over 400 Plattsburgh State the 18-24 age group.
A 2000 survey by the National Commission Against Drunk Driving
University students reports a 2.5 percent decrease in peer pressure to
revealed New York state as having the lowest youth alcohol-related
consume alcohol since 2001.
The average number of drinks consumed per week has also
SEE, ALCOHOL A2
decreased from 13.0 to 9.8.
BY OKSAN A POLTAVITS
^e
»e
to
SUNY students will soon face SAT-style testing
BY KATIE HOLSCHER.
editor in chief.
Student knowledge of the basics may soon be put to the test and
many faculty members and students do not approve.
The State University of New. York Board of Trustees has. recently
approved a test to be administered to campuses. The test is based on
general education such as math, science and writing learned in classe s required of all students.
! "That assessment is designed to improve the learning at the universkyr SUNY Spokesman Dave Henehan said It's not a standardized
test mat students would have to pass in order to graduate."
».. Junior Dan Hamm feels it will unnecessarily pit campuses against
each other with inaccurate information.
"You're going to get untrue results because if students know they're
not going to get a grade, no reward, they're not going to try as hard,"
Patricia Bentley, president of the Plattsburgh chapter of the United
University Professions, does not support SUNY's assessment test.
*i think that we've been doing assessment since academies were
founded and 1 think it's not up to the board of trustees to do work that
we already do."
Henehan said, ~[SUNY] is developing a niethod of assessment, possibly essay questions."
Freshman Lauren Payneyrsaid, "Some people don't test well. 1
don' t think that one test is going to show the intelligence or success of
students"
The test will be developed over the next year, ft win be admmtstered twice over the span of two years, beginning in 2004. Only a representative sample of students will take the pilot test Not all students
at each college will be required to take it At the end of mat period, a
panel will review the results for reliability. The test will only be
administered to campuses mat volunteer to give it. Each campus is
then to decide how to approach students to take the test.
"We're going to be looking at the things that we can do; better,"
Henehan said
According to Henehan. the test is intended to measure the amount
and value of knowledge learned by students since their freshman year
of college He said SUNY administration wants to be able to this
information to tax payers, constituents and parents.
"Our goal ts to just improve teaching and learning." Henehan said.
"We dcrnot want this to be an apples and oranges comparison between
campuses When we release the data, it's only going to be in the
terms of sectors rather than by campusesr*
SEE. TEST A2
Sodexho faces new charges
BY APWL AMA0ON
news editor
More charges have been filed with the National
Labor Relations board alleging Sodexho has
engaged » unfair labor practice*
Clinton Dining Hail eiopioyee Loren Nephew
was transferred off his previous job as a driver, and
he believes it has fulfilling to do wuh has mvotveactrvmcft.
According to Nephew, on Oct 8 he was taken off
m job because he had helped dun ibute pro-union
to other Sodexho eaupioyecs
afee aent day. he was
tc4daehadbeeatrafa^mrft&u^Po^SB>ckBar
Taey look nty keys away/" Nephew sa*L "Iftey
the van"
by Sodexho for 22
-How they're
is an unfair labor
I some pro-umon
saad "Let Loren
for the Hotel and
Local 471. sad Loren
employees
M
Among these others is Linda DeCoste. a cashier
m Hawkins, who alleges Sodexho has hassled her
every time she called in sick
Umon organizers passed out pamphlets during
Homecoming weekend, each printed with a worio
cr's face. name, and allegations m detail
On DeCoste's pamphlet, she alleges that the mat*
agement wrote her up for not giving enough notice
for imssmg work due to a family emergency, even
though she says she called 24 hours ahead of tune,
which tspohcy.
She abo says that other coworkers who were not
as outspoken m their support of the union did not
get written up for the same thing
On the pamphlet she alleges preferential treatment, saying. There has always been a lot of
urvontjsra here, but dungs are worse now than they
have ever been.
Diane Deso. who has abo filed charges wrth ike
NLRB. has alleged she mas given more difficult
working conditions smcc she has shown her support
for the union
According to Frager. De5o. a cook, was lold to
pick up the cigarette bum outside the entrance i*
Clinton
SEM CHARGES A2
P
*
K