SGA senator, AASU students protest proposed USG cuts at Obama event

President's Savannah visit used to highlight crippling budget plan

Published: Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Updated: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 23:03

Kristen Powell

SGA Sen. Justin Taylor and others gathered on White Bluff Road across from Savannah Tech during President Obama's visit on March 2 in order to draw attention to Georgia state education cuts.

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SGA senator, AASU students protest proposed USG cuts at Obama event

President's Savannah visit used to highlight crippling budget plan

The President's invitation-only town hall at Savannah Technical College became a site for students to voice their opposition to the massive $300 million cuts to Higher Education put forward by the USG, including the end of the 4H program. Full story

The cuts, if passed, would result in a loss of almost $5.3 million for AASU. Nearly 100 full-time positions would be eliminated and at least 1200 students would lose their major of choice with the total reduction of five departments or programs.

Under the plan, satellite campuses would likely be shuttered, an additional, though as yet unknown, loss would be incured on student graduation and rentention rates. Tuition could potentially be reaised as much as 70 percent to maintain current budget levels for fiscal year 2011.

From the Univeristy System of Georgia's press release: "In response to a request on Wed., Feb. 24, 2010, from the chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittees, today University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. submitted documents detailing how the USG and its 35 colleges and universities would manage an additional $300 million in reductions to state appropriations in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2011 budget."

A full breakdown of the USG's assessment of insitutional effects from the cuts can be found here: http://www.usg.edu/fiscal_affairs/documents/summary_of_reductions.pdf

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Campus crime blotter

Sodexo employees arrested, banned from campus

University Police Department Officer Michael Tyler met with a student Jan. 19 at 6:47 p.m. in the Pirate's Pantry after she noticed her United Bank debit card was missing. The student believed she lost the card in University Hall. However, through her online checking account, she discovered the card was used twice in the Pirate's Pantry that day at 3:05 p.m. and 5:35 p.m.

"The card was used improperly," said Police Chief Wayne Willcox. "That's financial transaction card fraud."

The first transaction was for Playtex tampons and a 0.2 oz bottle of Clear Eyes, totaling $5.54, and the second consisted of Nacho cheese-flavored Doritos and TGIF's spinach artichoke dip, totaling $4.79. The Pirate's Pantry staff returned the card, which had been left by the unknown offender at the counter, to the student. The manager on duty informed Tyler that a Sodexo employee ran the debit.

"Through investigation, we were able to determine that there were two employees that had some culpability and both of them got charged," Willcox said.

Austin Andrews and Jessica Moyer were arrested, banned from campus and taken to the county jail.

Cyberbullying, drugs, theft on campus

University Police officer Meagan Zike returned to police headquarters Dec. 1 in response to a report of a stolen bicycle. The student secured his mountain bike with a combination lock to a bike rack in front of the Student Union around 11:20 a.m. that morning. When he returned from classes at approximately 3 p.m., he discovered that his bike was missing.

"The problem with the cheap combination locks is that they're kind of made of a pot metal," Police Chief Wayne Willcox said. "Pot metal is where they kind of cast it — they take the metal and put it into a mold, and it sort of assumes a shape. The problem with casting is they can be very weak and also very cheap. If you really want to lock up your bike, you should use a U-lock."

Dispatch sent Officer Kenneth Louk to the Compass Point Clubhouse Dec. 3 after a student reported that her laundry was stolen from the dryer around 11 p.m. The student lost various Housing T-shirts, jeans, a hoodie and several other articles of clothing.

"We see this from time to time. This is an open campus," Willcox said. "This isn't somebody taking a T-shirt they wanted. This is somebody who just wanted to take a bunch of clothing. We have had issues with people coming on campus, and sometimes they're just looking for opportunities if the doors are open."