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(03/30/11 10:52pm)
SGA voted on March 14 to change the wording of Mercer’s Honor Code.
The motion to update the Honor Code was brought to the SGA floor by Vice President Shannon Giddens, who is also a member of Honor Council.
The Honor Council debated this decision carefully because the change also requires an alteration to The Lair, Mercer’s undergraduate student handbook.
Giddens abstained from the vote because she deemed it unethical to vote on the same piece twice.
Sophomores Khoi Le and Branden Ryan also abstained from the vote and freshman Nick Reynolds voted against the piece.
SGA and Honor Council agreed that the change is more beneficial because now it is a pledge about holding oneself to the highest level of academic integrity instead of simply saying “I won’t cheat.”
Branden Ryan decided to abstain from the vote as he felt there was some ambiguity that was not found in the previous version.
“I abstained because the updated text omits a certain degree of specificity that was found in the former version on what constitutes a violation of academic integrity at Mercer,” Ryan said.
The original honor code reads:
“I pledge myself to neither give nor receive aid during tests or for any individual assignments or papers, nor to use any information other than that allowed by the instructor. I further pledge that I will not allow to go unreported to the proper persons any violation of the Honor System and that I will give true and complete information to the Honor Council.”
The new official version reads:
“I pledge to hold myself to the highest standards of academic integrity while at Mercer University. I further pledge that I will hold my peers to these standards by reporting any violations I observe and that I will foster a spirit of honesty in the University’s academic environment.”
The Honor Code will be updated in the next edition of The Lair.
SGA President Trent White stressed the importance of students staying updated to changes in university policy.
“Hopefully this print story will reach a great number of students and they can be aware of the change,” he said.
(03/30/11 12:00pm)
Mercer Indian Cultural Exchange was founded by Yogi Patel and became an approved student organization recognized by SGA on April 24, 2006.
They are known on campus and throughout the state as Mercer ICE. Their collective goal is to bind the Indian community at Mercer with the greater Macon area and with those interested in Indian culture by sharing their common Indian heritage, culture, language and values.
There is also a desire to exchange culture and educate the university as a whole via volunteer, social and cultural activities. While there are Indian Cultural Exchanges at other schools, the smaller size of this university allows for a more intimate setting and for students to be more involved in their clubs.
Prerana Patel, treasurer for ICE, has been a member for three years. She makes deposits, keeps a spreadsheet of earnings and spending and assists with fundraising and sponsorships. She has held different positions in her three years as a member.
Prerana said, “We are trying to open the doors to the public and help them understand our beliefs, invite them into our culture and the festivities that take place within it.”
In her three years, Prerana has seen the organization evolve with each event. She would definitely like to see more students get involved, and to see members become more active. “I would like the student body to come and experience the Indian culture, and I want them to know that it is not a club just for Indians but rather a club that wants to show the community the traditions we hold,” she said.
Amitra Patel, vice president of ICE, has been in the organization for two years. In efforts to have students become more involved with ICE, Amitra has set a goal of fundraising and creating more on-campus activities this semester to help students explore the Indian culture.
This is, in fact, the main purpose of the Indian Cultural Exchange Dinner. Amitra said, “I feel that by showcasing our ethnic foods we have brought something new to the campus in a tradition we would love to keep.”
This school year, ICE has been to nursing homes in the community to promote Indian culture, has participated in Habitat for Humanity and has visited local soup kitchens.
As Vice President Amitra devotes a lot of time in planning and effort, but in her words, “it is all worthwhile for what we are trying to accomplish.” Eventually she would like to see Indian Cultural Exchange become a major organization here at Mercer.
Having a larger membership pool and active members would help promote Indian culture while continuing community service and having fun.
Ultimately their goal is to have members of the organization who actually do not come from an Indian background but still show interest in the culture.
The message Amitra Patel wants to leave students with is simple: “ICE is a great organization and club for all students, whether you are Indian or not. We love community service and we love our culture.”
For more information about the club, students can contact Yogi Patel or visit mercer.edu/campuslife/student orgs.
(03/16/11 4:06pm)
Sophya Pierre
The Christianity major at Mercer consists of 30 semester hours. There is no senior project required of these majors; however, a student majoring in Christianity must have at least 18 hours in upper-level courses of 300 or above.
While Mercer does have many religious organizations, Christianity is a relatively small department when compared to the number of majors in other studies.
Jason Beard, an Economics major and Christianity minor, does not plan on using his Christianity minor in his career, but he believes it will be beneficial in other endeavors. Beard said, “I decided to minor in Christianity after taking a few electives in the department and enjoying the classes. The sort of thinking these courses require helps you develop a perspective that can definitely be useful in other classes and life as a whole.”
Students who major in Christianity can do almost anything with that degree. They can go on to be lawyers, doctors, teachers or professors.
Scott Nash, professor in the Roberts Department of Chemistry, said, “No one actually gets a ‘degree’ in Christianity, the same as no one gets a ‘degree’ in history, biology or computer science. Majoring in Christianity does not limit a person to a career as a pastor/priest, chaplain, missionary or some other traditional form of ministry, though it does provide a solid foundation for students who choose to do ministry as their vocation.”
For those who wish to go into ministry or academia, job security can be an issue. While jobs are more plentiful for those seeking ministry positions, there are very few for those who wish to be professors of religious studies. However, those who do not go into academia or ministry face the job market as everyone else does.
Richard Wilson, department chair of Christianity, thinks it is important that students know what the Christianity department has to offer. “Majors in Christianity learn life skills of thinking, reading, writing and service.
As if that is not enough, they have the chance to study with genuine role models who are engaged in the world, locally and globally,” he said. The Christianity department sponsors various programs for those considering ministry as a vocation.
There is also a Women in Ministry group.
One of the stereotypes people believe about the Christianity department is that the department has no Christians. However, these rumblings do not deter students from pursuing the major or minor, or teachers from continuing their life’s work passionately.
Wilson said, “There always are stereotypes and they rarely can be dispelled. I don’t think much about stereotypes and I certainly don’t have a goal to dispel them. Stereotypes are rooted in misinformation or inaccurate preconceptions. Sometimes they breed prejudices that cannot be cured simply by information.”
(02/09/11 8:42pm)
Tony Rojas, Executive Director for the Macon Water Authority, presented the “What about our water?” seminar on Feb. 2. The presentation was sponsored by the Environmental Studies and Policy Seminar Series
Brian Rood, director of the program, is responsible for assembling these seminars and chose the topic of water because it is a critical component of natural and human environments.
“The Macon Water Authority as a utility has demonstrated itself to be remarkably successful in its quality of service and its fiscal responsibility, proving to be successful even during these difficult economic times,” Rood said.
Rojas was selected as a prominent local speaker who could discuss the water supply industry, thoughts about water issues and career opportunities for students. Rojas has been with the Macon Water Authority since November 2002.
In the state of Georgia water issues are a growing concern. With the help of Rojas, the Macon Water Authority has displayed an effective management of the water resources and a practical approach relating to the handling of natural catastrophes and service crises.
The most recent work was done to stop an raw sewage leak of 18 million gallons per day near the Ocmulgee Riverwalk. The amount was equivalent to a third of the wastewater produced by the city of Macon each day.
In addition to handling this disaster the Macon Water Authority has received numerous awards, including one for “Best Tasting Drinking Water”.
Despite the incident of sewage leak, the Ocmulgee River supplies Macon with an ample supply of water. This river, combined with the Javors Lucas Lake, puts Macon in the envious position of having plenty of water for the customers of the Macon Water Authority even during the summer droughts Georgia often experiences.
From an economic standpoint, the reliable source of water helps Macon attract and retain businesses, and the waste and water infrastructure will support these businesses.
The way people can help the environment and the Macon Water Authority is to not waste water and to use only what is needed.
A common issue for the water authority is people pouring cooking grease down the drain. The grease eventually clogs sewer mains, resulting in spills like the sewage leak Macon recently experienced.
Improper disposal of motor oil, pesticides and insecticides also negatively impact the environment and, more directly, the water supply. Dumping these products in ditches or streams leads to long-term issues.