http://www.easternecho.com In case you missed it, and it’s quite likely you did, Club Halle’s Kickoff was this past Thursday. en-us Gryphon 2.3.1-dsw (pewabic)/Foundry5 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:54:41 -0500 webmaster@easternecho.com http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3181 Hello All- I rarely comment on articles but I find this opportunity to be one that is necessary and one which I must express my concerns. I have not had any disagreements with the Student Government administration up until this point. This disagreement I have is not made to be an attack on the SG administration but moreso an expression of concern that I have. I do not believe the administration is seeing the precise benefits of Club Halle and I do not believe they are seeing the actual results (numbers). Club Halle’s purpose, or the purpose it has held in the past, is to create a good study environment which also offers services and(what I call) “perks” to help students de-stress. Please note that this is what the former administration (Cosme-Mahmoud) had made me aware of; if there is a discrepancy and you find me wrong, allow creator Regina Royan, a former student body president, to make me aware of her intentions for the program. Going off of my statement of the purpose, I hope Student Government will consider some of the services and perks which were not made available to students. Many students, including myself, missed the free massages; many missed some of the facilitated programs such as laughing yoga and study technique sessions. These were inexpensive programs that helped students de-stress and many students have asked me what happened to them this year. As a former senator I will admit that I am at fault for not thinking of these things and bringing them up to Director Knick or the president or VP. Some students missed the “kick-off” atmosphere (the late night breakfast and DJ) however I fully support the administration as they did their best in keeping the student’s money in mind and did well in saving it. I think the administration and future administrations may want to consider alternative/inexpensive kick-off plans as I personally believe this time of the year deserves that sentiment. Club Halle is not made to be a party scene. And in these past few days I have discovered that students are aware of that and truly are taking advantage of Halle’s resources. Mr. President (McGadney): You are 110% right that our society is moving online to obtain resources and so many people are happy for that. I am one who is very ashamed of it and I am also one who will tell you that he uses books as a resource. I also found that many students last night were browsing through books. I wandered the second and third floors to really see what people were doing. I seen many students with their noses in library books; some searching through periodicals. Students still use these resources. The collaborative study rooms can provide complete quietness for someone or be effective in allowing conversation for study groups. So many students waited around for these rooms just for those purposes. Students take advantage of these particular settings because they help them. I believe the turn out for the “kick-off” was not very successful because, as many students have noted, advertisement for the program was weak. I remember last year going around almost every campus building and posting fliers and posters for Club Halle. The late night breakfast was never labeled and we had a great turnout for all two weeks. Ads this year were not seen very widely and for the most part, at very last minute. I received numerous phone calls and text messages from friends in the past few weeks asking me when Club Halle would open and take place so they could hit the books. Last night, a Monday night, the library had a numerous amount of people on each floor and all were either studying, composing, and/or collaborating. The numbers are there, folks. The resources are being used — there’s a reason we have such a wonderful library on this campus that is only 13 years old. Club Halle provides a cafe and comfortable lounges for students to relax and take a break – we all need/deserve one! It could possibly do with more de-stressing services. More over, my whole point is for EVERYONE to see that Club Halle serves the purpose of providing a great study atmosphere with many resources, it helps students relax a little, and tell you from observation and contacts that many students are using it. Again, no attack on the SG administration. Jelani and Jeff ran a solid campaign and stayed true in their efforts to better parking on this campus; they have taken significant consideration of the low budgets all across the board and while I may be a supporter of having spent a little more money on Club Halle I commend them for always looking out on students dollars and what is in everyone’s best interest. Just as Jelani said he knows good relations will continue with RHA, I know good relations will continue with SG and myself. I am merely expressing my (and students’) concerns and am aiming to help in analysis. JL Former Senator Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:07:01 -0500 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3181 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3183 Doesn’t RHA have a delegate at Student Government? Why didn’t they speak up if they were planning on helping fund or wanted different hours. Maybe we could have had the breakfast back or the library open for more nights. What is a delegate for then if they can’t relay a message? Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:21:43 -0500 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3183 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3184 After speaking with a representative from Student Government who was present at this interview, I would like to revoke some of my comment and disagreements. When I was serving in the Senate, a totally different picture was painted than what comes off here. My fault for not talking with the President or VP first. Media can have that effect on me sometimes ;) My apologies. My current understanding is that while SG is finding new ways to analyze and evaluate Club Halle, it supports continuing a program or like program but SG is very careful on how the dollars are spent as the program truly is a big chunk of the budget – the budget that has to be carefully used as it is students money and money we set aside for the students. I fully support seeing what really works and spending money wisely. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:54:29 -0500 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3184 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3185 This article is totally slanderous! It seems as if the Eastern Echo is trying to pit two organizations against each other! Not only that but the title is completely erroneous! how could Club Halle have failed if this was written about the first night? I have finals all week and every night that I have been here Halle has been packed, my friends and I cant find a study room that is open. Get your facts straight Echo! Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:19:46 -0500 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3185 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3186 sigh Seems like yet another need for another paper or website with some varied views. But would students read it… Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:48:35 -0500 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3186 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3216 While I am happy the Echo is making more concerted efforts for investigative journalism, their reporting is still well short of the mark. It would be greatly appreciative if our Echo staff would learn how to appropriately report stories and learn to asses quotes properly. Carol, Pinson, and Marty are likely disappointed in the short-sightedness of articles like these. However, the beauty of student papers is that they are a learning ground. The problem is that mistakes damage ethos and while this is still a student publication, slander is slander and cannot go unpunished. Editors must be accountable. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:51:02 -0500 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3216 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3218 Well done, disappointed. You seem to be an expert on journalistic standards. Throwing around the names “Carol, Pinson, and Marty” suggests some level of familiarity with the journalism program — maybe you even wrote a story or two for the Echo. But all of those three people would probably say it’s better to publish an actual story with your name attached to it and fall “short of the mark” than to be a passive disparager of the Echo in the comments section. The only true idea you’ve posited here is that “slander is slander.” Of course slander is slander. However, what I think you meant to say is that libel is libel. And what do you think the punishment for libel is, anyway? Seriously — Disappointed and all you other nay-saying commenters across the Web — do some god-damn research before making such bold and critical assertions. Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:54:41 -0500 http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/comment/view/3218