Graduate Assistants United approves strike authorization vote

Graduate assistants can now strike on or after Oct. 6.

Of the 88 percent of eligible dues-paying members who voted whether or not to give authorization to the union’s bargaining team to set a strike date if no significant progress is made in bargaining, 97 percent voted yes.

Kristi Brownfield, vice president of communications for the GAU, said this is a message to the university that contract negotiations have gone too…

Students consider long-term goals when choosing career

Choosing a major is a huge commitment for some students because of the time and money that goes into their studies.

Career outlook and financial potential are growing concerns of students during the past few years when choosing a major, said Jaime Conley, career services specialist at the Career Services office.

“Many students are only focused on the financial aspects of a job; they come into school saying they want to…

Students compete for studio time

A’shaun Thomas, a freshman from Colorado Springs, Colo., studying criminology and criminal justice, performs an acappella rap during Best Beat/Best Verse competition Wednesday in the Student Center Ballroom B. The competition is held to show off each participant’s talent in written verse and performance. The RSO Undermining Natural Degenerating Evolution Regarding General Retrospective Overall Under No Discrimination hosted the…

Chancellor addresses concerns

Salukis search for 10th straight against WIU

The Salukis enter the second week of conference play with a beefed-up ranking and an undefeated conference slate.

The Salukis (2-1, 1-0 Missouri Valley Football Conference) moved up to No. 12 in both the coaches’ poll and the Sports Network media poll after the win against Missouri State, and look to remain undefeated in the conference with their 10th straight win against Western Illinois University (1-3, 0-1 MVFC).

Despite the Salukis’…

Faculty, administration turmoil hinders students’ educations

The viewpoints expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Egyptian.

Although enrollment has increased this year and – as Chancellor Rita Cheng said in the state of the university address Thursday – SIUC continues to thrive in many departments, the turmoil between faculty and administration masks these accomplishments.

As a student who has invested my education and finances in this university, I want nothing more than…

Missouri Valley is not the first rodeo for former Cowboy

Former Wyoming Cowboy guard Desmar “Des” Jackson transferred to SIU along with a former coach.

Jackson, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, has faced some of the biggest names in college basketball during his time in Laramie, Wyo. Although it is not typically seen as a powerhouse basketball conference, the Mountain West Conference has three times as many NBA first-round picks as the Missouri Valley Conference in the last five years, with three…

Tattoo addiction not so permanent

The idea of tattoos being addictive may seem true to some, but tattoo artists and enthusiasts argue this is far from the truth.

Abbygale Bierk, a tattoo artist who has worked at Artistic Minds for four years, said she thinks it’s a myth that tattoos are physically addicting.

“Its more or less the idea of adding things to your body and decoration that’s addicting,” Bierk said.

Jason Gillman, director of the Wellness…

Does anyone have some answers?

Dear Editor:

Well, here we are on the verge of the perfect storm in the form of a large-scale faculty/worker strike. Hopefully such will be averted, as damage to day-to-day operations from a strike would pale in comparison to damage to the institution in general. As events are unfolding, I have a few questions on the strike and related issues that I’ll bet many others share. Can anyone help us…

Cross-country to measure talent at Louisville

The Salukis will travel to Kentucky for the team’s largest meet of the regular season after coming out on the right side of a sweep at the Saluki Invitational.

The SIU cross-country team will compete in the Greater Louisville Classic Saturday at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky. Both the men and women will race against almost 30 schools, most from the eastern half of the United States.

The…

Weekend Walkthrough 9/30/11

This weekend marks the fifteenth Southern Illinois Irish Festival. The celebration of music, arts and Celtic cultural activities will span two days and three nights.

The festival kicks off Friday night with an indoor acoustic set by singer and songwriter Pat Egan and singer and fiddler Alex Caton. It’s been ten years since Egan performed at the festival with former band Chulrua. The Virgina-based duo will take the stage at…

Volleyball returns to Valley play versus Evansville

Saluki volleyball returns…

Potential strike situation comparable to other universities

Three unions on campus negotiating contract terms with the university have authorized to set strike dates, and the fourth union will vote for or against authorization Wednesday. Similar situations have happened in recent years on several college campuses throughout the country.

Ronald Cole, director of university communications at Youngstown State University in Ohio, said the university’s Faculty Union and Classified Workers Union threatened to go on strike before the 2011-2012…

Morris Library pulls salaries books off shelves

Morris Library pulled the book of Personnel Listings, also known as the Salaries book, from public use Tuesday after SIU Legal Counsel advised it to do so.

The book contains salaries of faculty, staff and graduate assistants. According to state law, all salaries should be made public. However, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act states it is illegal to post the salaries of graduate assistants, according to federal law.

The…

FA gives authorization to set strike date

Faculty members represented by the Faculty Association — both tenure and tenure track — can now strike at any time.

Out of the 88 percent of eligible voters who cast a ballot Wednesday, 92 percent voted yes to give the association’s Departmental Representative Council the authorization to set a strike date. The union was the second of the four Illinois Education Association unions to authorize their executive council to call…

Daily Bark Poll 9/29/11

The Dallas Cowboys asked the NFL to review Monday night’s game against the Washington Redskins, as they accused the Redskins’ defense of mimicking quarterback Tony Romo’s snap count to cause premature snaps. Do you think the NFL should make a big deal about this situation?

Palestine’s statehood bid divisive; community reflects

As locals celebrated Rosh Hashana — the Jewish New Year — Wednesday, the future of Israel and Palestine was again center stage in world politics.

“We have to pray they figure out a solution,” said former SIUC Chancellor Sam Goldman, a member of Carbondale’s Jewish community.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas submitted a request to the United Nations Friday for Palestine to be recognized as a sovereign state. The proposal is…

Illinois death penalty repeal sparks dialogue among students

Nationally known public figures are to gather Saturday for the funeral of Troy Davis in Savannah Ga., but in Carbondale many still question the ethics behind the execution.

Nick Neal, a junior from Effingham studying cinema and political science, said he believes there to still be doubt behind Davis’ conviction. He said he believes executing someone where there is reasonable doubt is unethical.

“In smaller cases, a life in prison would…

Swimmers flow into season by going the distance

The Saluki swim team gets a chance to get out of the pool and compete in its first open-water meet of the season after an indoor long-distance race.

The first of the series will be the Saluki Miler, a 1650-yard-race in the Recreation Center’s Edward J. Shea Natatorium Friday at 5 p.m.  The Salukis will close the weekend with the Saluki 5k Open Water Swim at Touch of Nature’s Camp…

Water polo club suspended, punishment undetermined

Members of SIUC water polo club said they believe they were unfairly suspended from play after their involvement in a dispute at the Recreation Center.

Members of the club, including water polo President Eric Engleson and vice president Jacqueline Bart, were suspended Sept. 13 for poor representation of the team and using derogatory language Sept. 12 in the Recreation Center sauna after practice.

The club had meetings Tuesday and Thursday with…