Lecture on Ethical Decisions

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

On Monday morning Jim Fisher, a professor of communication, spoke to students about the fine lines between morality and ethics. The lecture given to a news writing class had students thinking of the reality of the journalistic world.

“He was straightforward and had a very honest opinion of how journalism can be,” said Morgan Heath.

Examples that everyone can relate to were used to show “journalism ethics is almost always about ‘to publish or not to publish, to broadcast or not to broadcast,” as Fisher stated.

Fisher discussed the four guidelines of the Society of Professional Journalists: seek the truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable. He went into depth to have students think about what they write and how to write it.

Elysia Yuen, who attended the lecture, stated, “Ethics is a really fine line. Sometimes it is hard to define; it is dependent mostly on what situation you are in and the possible outcome.”

Journalists are given information and take important facts to pull together a story to report. “There is not right or wrong, it is a decision to be made, you do not seek to hurt anyone,” said Fisher. Fisher emphasized that knowing the truth means it must be reported. How a journalist reports it must also be a process, which is thought wisely. Just “be careful in journalism because what you report could go off and hurt somebody,” said Fisher.

Norris’s Impending Solutions to a Failing Economy

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Kent Ava

The future of the United States economy and its relative fate for survival during a major financial slump caused in part by ineffective approaches and mishandled stimulus money was discussed on Oct.26th by Floyd Norris, chief financial correspondent for The New York Times at the Marriott Library Gould Auditorium.

Norris emphasized that a paradigm shift was necessary to get the economy moving again and governments moving away from Andrew Mellon’s philosophy of letting things work themselves out on its own.

Andrew Mellon, Secretary of the Treasury during the 1920s, in which his viewpoint of a intervening government during the stock market crash and tumbling economy was, “keep your hands off and let things work out by themselves,” an ill-fated approach that plagued the economy for years, according to Norris.

According to Mellon, the product of being poor was their [poor people’s]own fault and financial ruin was a direct result of their incompetency, only to be replaced by the superiority of the elite and wealthy.

“The real point here to me is that we used to take for granted that the government should try to improve the economy and there were things they could do,” Norris said.

Norris also referenced Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, who said about his approach to one’s wealth, “Don’t blame Wall street, don’t blame the big banks, if you don’t have a good job and you’re not rich, blame yourself,” reaffirming the attitude that it’s the fault of the poor for being poor.

Bryce Bagley, a mass communication major, said that the forum gave a relative perspective into today’s failing economic situation.

“It was somewhat refreshing to get a professional opinion of the relevance to the economy’s potential future and possible bounce back,” said Bagley.

He also said that it provided a unique view to the market that he soon will be working in and a better understanding on how to prepare for his future.

“This gives me a whole lot to consider when it comes down to the state of the economy and how it will affect me and my family,” said Bagley.

Norris said that he would like to see an attitude of pragmatism rather than ideology when it came to an economic stimulus to get the most growth.

“I’d like to see shorter-term stimulus. It needs to be carefully targeted to do good,” Norris said. “If we are going to have stimulus, it should have the most economic bang for their buck.”

Morgan Heath, a senior in mass communications, said that she agreed with Norris’ proposal for a short-term stimulus and its goal to maximize its worth.

“I can see how a short-term stimulus can be effective, because it focuses on economic demands now rather than later,” said Heath.

“It seems to be the analysis that ‘because stimulus doesn’t work, we shouldn’t try it,’ ” Norris said.

He compared the situation to a student who studies for a test, does poorly and then concludes that he or she should no longer study for tests.

Norris concluded with the idea of reestablishing hope in the government’s financial system and its job to allocate capital wisely.

“Its[stimulus]role is to help the real economy function and grow and not be supported by bailouts,” said Norris.

Norris’ lecture was part of the University of Utah’s 15^th annual Rocco C. and Marion S. Siciliano Forum hosted by the Hinckley Institute of Politics.

Veterans with Spinal Cord Injuries Learn to Fly

Posted on December 7, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Morgan Heath

The University of Utah Department of Mechanical Engineering and ABLE Pilot have come together to hold trainings for people with spinal cord injuries to learn to paraglide. The training will be held in Sun Valley, Idaho this weekend; five veterans with spinal cord injuries will be the first to test out the paragliders.

Mark Gaskill, from ABLE Pilot, will direct the training and has developed the overall paragliding training program. Gaskill said, “ABLE Pilot is an organization committed to getting people with spinal cord injuries, amputations and neuromuscular diseases safely into the air, piloting and flying with the minimum amount of assistance.” Gaskill initially came to the U. of U. team with the idea to develop an adaptive flight chair.

The adaptive flight chair or the Phoenix 1.5 was developed by four M.E. undergraduate students: Bryon Densley, Chris Graves, Travis Smith and Ben Davidson. All four students graduated with bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering in the spring of 2010, but Densley is continuing to work on the Phoenix project for his master’s degree research.

The training for the five SCI Veterans will begin on Friday and will continue until Monday at the training camp in Sun Valley. The first day will consist of the veterans learning about paragliding the days following will learn how the paraglider works and its functions. The veterans will take several tandem flights with certified instructors and fly solo by Monday.

For more info visit the website @ http://ablepilot.com/

Recycle Rice-Eccles: Hoping for a waste-free future

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by LAUREN BERG

The members of Recycle Rice-Eccles have taken big steps toward helping the University of Utah continue to go green. With one person’s dedication, the organization has gone from almost non-existent to a big part of the U’s athletic events in less than a year’s time.

Recycle Rice-Eccles started in 2010 as a petition. It sought to encourage the crew’s responsibility for cleaning the university stadium to recycle the leftover cups and cans, but the petition failed. “It was never going to succeed and I wanted a program that covered every potential area to recycle at the games,” Seth Crossley said.

Crossley is one of Recycle Rice-Eccles’ associate directors of sustainability. He is also the person whose dedication changed the organization into what it is today, and described the organization in the beginning as “loosely defined and unsuccessful.”

“Volunteers would be the best way to bring awareness to recycling,” Crossley said. “I knew we were always going to need volunteers and that we needed to work with the university instead of changing their contracts.”

The volunteers, who Crossley said numbered only about five to 10 in the beginning, would ask the fans for their plastic cups and cans to recycle. Since it didn’t seem like fans were being proactive about recycling the volunteers made it an effort to do so.

“It’s a challenge educating people about how and what to recycle,” said Allison Boyer, another associate director of sustainability and Recycle Rice-Eccles’ volunteer coordinator.

Boyer and Crossley both noticed that the number of volunteers would decline during the course of the football games. About 10 people would help at the beginning of the games, but by the end, when it came time to clean and recycle trash, there would only be about three volunteers.

It wasn’t until the 2010 Utah vs. TCU football game, when the volunteers saw an ESPN College GameDay booth, that they realized what their organization could really be about.

According to an article published at ESPN MediaZone, the booth was there to promote going green and to create “an eco-friendly student gathering.” The article also explained that the students will spread the word about what their groups do on campus while helping ESPN collect recyclables.

The fans at the Utah vs. TCU game, along with Crossley’s volunteers, responded positively to the ESPN College GameDay Goes Green booth and the recycle initiative. They “were really excited about it,” he said. “It was really cool.”

Crossley and his crew became inspired to do something more for Recycle Rice-Eccles, and that’s exactly what they did.

He then decided to drop every single one of his 2011 summer classes in order to concentrate solely on the organization and how it could grow. He started out by making a PowerPoint slide show, and would go from department to department at the university to try to gain their support.

Crossley asked some departments for financial support. The staff in each department was willing to contribute as much as possible, but it wasn’t enough support to get Crossley where he needed to be. He was eventually told to go to ASUU, the Associated Students of the University of Utah.

He got the majority of his financial support to start funding the Recycle Rice-Eccles “make over” from ASUU, college departments and the Office of Sustainability.

One of his main goals was to get people more involved and proactive about recycling, so getting a spot to set up a recycling booth in the tailgating lot at football games was a big priority.

Crossley then had to go through a series of many approval processes.

He knew he would need the support of the top people in the departments in order to give the organization a new look and to get it up and running.

Crossley said that Gordon Wilson, vice president for Administrative Services, wanted to help support the changes that were being made at Recycle Rice-Eccles.

Because Wilson is in charge of plant operations, stadium services, stadium security and more, his support would also mean the support of everyone under him. He was also a big financial supporter as well, Crossley said.

He then needed the approval of the Crimson Club and CBS Sports Properties to set up a booth at the tailgating lot and to use logos at the booth, since the club owns the rights to market on athletic properties and sells all those rights to CBS Sports Properties. He also needed approval from the Athletic Department to set up a booth on school and athletic grounds.

After everything was approved, Crossley was then able to promote the sponsors for Recycle Rice-Eccles, including the MUSS, the campus bookstore and the Crimson Club.

Crossley decided to make bright green “Green Police” shirts for his volunteers to wear that display some of the sponsors’ logos on it.

Once the football season started Crossley continued to get companies and groups to sponsor the organization and get more volunteers to help. His main goal was to “make it fun for people,” he said, so he got fans and his volunteers involved by doing things like handing out or setting up drawings for field passes, and by doing “giveaways.”

In such a short amount of time Recycle Rice-Eccles now has its own mascot, the “Green Men,” that is seen running around at football games, a Facebook page, and sponsorships by businesses like Ford and Coca-Cola.

After only the first five games in 2011, Crossley said Recycle Rice-Eccles saved 17,000 pounds of recycled materials from being thrown away with the help of over 330 volunteers.

“It was surprising to see how many people were in favor of the organization, and how many people said it was long overdue,” said Chris Pavel, a junior at the University of Utah and Recycle Rice-Eccles volunteer.

Still continuing to try to grow, Crossley explains there will be more things to come for Recycle Rice-Eccles in the future, such as improving the “The Green Minute” at football games, getting the “Green Men” more involved, and just doing more to get fans and volunteers excited about recycling.

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Failure is an option — not! Strategies to be a successful student

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story by KELLY WOLFE

Pledges of “Procrastinators Anonymous” listen up! How much easier would your life be if you actually did your homework the night it was assigned or didn’t hit the snooze button a million times in the morning?

How many of you have fallen victim to “The Warm Blanket Syndrome,” not wanting to get out of bed when the alarm clock goes off?

Jessica Larsen, 27, studied art at the University of Utah. “It isn’t exactly easy to wake up at 8 a.m., if you’ve stayed up half the night watching your favorite television shows on Netflix,” she says.

She believes that the problem plaguing college students is not their inability to wake up and go to class, but rather finding excuses to blame all of their problems on. She says that laziness gets the better of them, which leads to their academic death.

“Sometimes we just get so busy.” Larsen says. “We’re at [a] time in our lives when everything is important, and that makes it harder to focus and prioritize when there are a million things going on, whether it be the latest movie or listening to your roommate talk about their ‘hot’ new boyfriend,” Larsen says.

However, no matter what the current “situation” may be, Larsen advises students to finish their homework long before the due date. She says by doing so, when fun things with friends come up, such as movie nights or having a spontaneous bonfire, you won’t be scrambling at 11 p.m. to write a five-page paper that’s due by midnight.

However, she says even if you think you are a “pro” at “BS-ing” papers and can do so eloquently and intelligently, it’s far less stressful to not procrastinate.

Jen Jankowski, a 28-year-old political science graduate student and teaching assistant, says planning is crucial for achieving academic success. She says the more you plan, the better off you’ll be — whether you’re a freshman or graduating this semester — if you take the time to organize your life, success will be within your reach.

She also says there are two vital differences between those who succeed and those who fail. “Staying organized allows you to better manage your work load, but time management is really key,” Jankowski says.

She says everyone needs time to relax, but that doesn’t mean spending four hours a day on Facebook. “You’d be amazed how much you can get done in a day if you are organized and have time management skills,” she explains.

As the old saying goes, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” So what is the secret for finding success in your scholastic endeavors?

Aaron Wood, a 24-year-old graduate student studying linguistics, has a few tips on how college students can plan to be successful and not be failures.

First, be goal oriented. “It has been my experience that if you don’t set goals, it is next to impossible to complete anything in a satisfactory manner,” he says. Wood believes if goals are set, then you know what it is you want to accomplish. You can figure out what needs to be done to obtain those goals and track your progress, knowing that you’ve done your best.

Second, do what you love. “If you don’t like it, it isn’t worth your time,” Wood says. You don’t always have to enjoy your classes or assignments. But, he says if you enjoy your major as a whole, it is a lot easier to push through the hard classes because you’ll look forward to and want what comes after them.

Third, think in the long term. “It is easy, especially at the end of a semester, to stop seeing the big picture,” Wood says. If you are tired of everything and just want a break, he says it’s easy to justify putting things off or not doing assignments. You may pass the class, but not with the grade you could have earned.

“Thinking in the long term helps you not to [settle],” he says. “You can see the lost scholarships, the jobs that you will never be able to have, [and] even the graduate school that [will] turn you down all because you lost sight of what the long term consequences of not giving your best are.”

Fourth, have fun. One semester Wood took 23 credit hours and spent every waking hour either sitting in class or doing homework. Though he was able to get good grades, he says that life was hell for those four months. After that he decided to take at least one fun class each semester and limit the hours spent on schoolwork so he could have a social life.

Though it meant he had to work twice as hard during the time budgeted for homework, he says, “I found that I was loving life more as I had a balance between school and fun.”

Finally, Wood suggests surrounding yourself with success. While working on his bachelor’s degree, he joined a research lab. He started out as a grunt worker collecting data on experiments. He was surrounded by faculty and graduate students and as a result, he spent a lot of time talking with them.

When it came time to take upper-division classes, he found them to be relatively easy because he had learned many things just by being around others who were smarter and more successful than he was. In turn that helped him to be successful since he was a few steps ahead of his fellow classmates.

“The main reason I feel students fail is one of two things,” Wood says. “They either do not appreciate the value of an education or they lose sight of the long term goal.” The same can be said for successful students. “They do well because they know the value of knowledge and [what] it costs … to obtain, and because they can see the long-term goal, [they] know what they want to achieve,” he says.

Jessica Larsen, who studied art at the U, says success and failure ultimately comes down to choice. “If you don’t choose to succeed, then you never will,” Larsen says.

“You have been given the tools to make what seems like the impossible, possible … there is no greater joy than knowing you did all that you could do to accomplish your goals,” she says.

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Miracle workers: the selfless service of the Make-A-Wish Foundation

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by TOM CROWELL

A sign of hope for the weary.

If you could have one wish, what would it be? The Make-A-Wish Foundation is the modern-day genie for countless children between the ages of 2½ and 18 who have a life-threatening illness affirmed by their physicians. Whether the wish is simple or complex, this organization is ready and waiting to make wishes come true.

The Make-A-Wish Utah chapter consists of eight full-time and three part-time employees who supervise and direct efforts of nearly 300 volunteers around the state. These miracle workers make every effort they can to provide a little bit of happiness in the sometimes bleak and worrisome life situations of those seeking to have their wishes granted.

Krachel Greenwood, communications manager for the chapter since 2007, is tasked with promoting the mission of the organization, which is: “We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.” Greenwood oversees the chapter’s website, Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube channel, blog and Flickr account. These resources allow stories of wish recipients to be shared outside the organization and let people see its impact in the community.

Jenny Heffner is the chapter’s wish coordinator and her primary responsibilities are to plan all the travel for wish recipients and make arrangements for celebrities such as snowboarder Shaun White and Utah Jazz players to meet the child who has wished to see them. Heffner also supervises the efforts of 150 volunteers. During her time with the organization, she has completed approximately 135 wishes and is currently working on 54.

Heffner has seen conventional wishes, and requests for the unique as well. Her most unique so far has been for a 3-year-old girl named Olivia. Olivia’s wish was to ride a purple horse on a pink beach. In a follow-up email interview, Heffner said Olivia has changed her wish to a family vacation in Maui and a visit to a beach in Hawaii with pink sand.

Another challenging request came from Luke, 12, who wished to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard and participate in rescue swimming exercises. In order to make this wish become a reality, numerous hurdles had to be overcome. The first obstacle was physician authorization. Then came military security clearances and another letter from Luke’s physician listing his physical capabilities. Heffner also worked closely with the Make-A-Wish chapters in Alabama and Georgia to coordinate living arrangements for Luke and his family during their stay.

Heffner said 78 percent of wishes involve travel. The non-travel wishes are handled by Frank Nilson, director of program services. Nilson takes all referrals for wishes and specifically coordinates the efforts for children wishing to visit Pres. Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also makes arrangements for children wishing to visit Uintah County and participate in a dinosaur dig. Nilson said his favorite part of working at Make-A-Wish is its uniqueness.“We’re not like other nonprofits that provide one service to each of their clients. We let the kids decide what is meaningful,” he said.

Hugh Taylor has been volunteering at Make-A-Wish for the last 20 years. A former electronics repairman for Smith’s supermarkets, Taylor has helped grant around 120 wishes. The first wish he granted was for a 10-year-old boy suffering from cancer who wanted a fishing boat. In addition, members of the Utah Bass Fishing Club took the boy out on the water in his new boat to catch some fish.

Another wish Taylor remembers well was a young girl with leukemia who wished to meet actress Candace Cameron from the TV show “Full House,” and a young man with cystic fibrosis who wanted to be an actor and a model. Even though these wishes took place a number of years ago, Taylor said, “Some wishes you just don’t forget.”

Carri Fergusson started volunteering for Make-A-Wish in 1998 and has helped grant 38 wishes. Two of those wishes are especially memorable for her.

The first wish was for a teenage boy with a rare form of cancer who wanted to meet Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band. The other was for an 8-year-old girl with an inoperable brain tumor who wanted to be a horse veterinarian for a day. The wishes come in all forms, but Fergusson said that her favorite part of being a wish granter is that “there is a rewarding feeling associated with donating your time and helping others.”

The notion that this organization only assists those with terminal illnesses has been a difficult one to overcome, but there are many adults out there who can say they were granted a wish thanks to the selfless service of miracle workers.

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Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake Arts Council team up to bring artwork to TRAX stations

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by LISA HENDRY

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The platform is dotted with people. Some wear backpacks, some carry briefcases; other people clutch coffee cups, or push over a bike. The brakes sound on the track. A button is pushed, the doors open.

The automated voice fills the air, “You are on the Red Line train to Daybreak.” The brakes lift, people settle into their seats and TRAX is on its way.

Stop after stop, people come and go. The next station is reached. The doors open onto the TRAX station. More can be found there than just the dull grind of commuters. A flash of color, a crop of shaped metal, a reflection of glass. There is art.

Amid the scattered travelers, signs, schedules and benches that line each TRAX station, there are shapes and designs, colors and murals — art that Utah’s students, children, artists and government have all contributed to bring life to the urban landscape.

To bring about these pieces of art, the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) partnered with the Salt Lake City Arts Council in a project called Art in Transit.

“It is really designed to enhance the character of our transit system,” said Jerry Carpenter, a UTA spokesman, in a phone interview. UTA works with local art commissions of different cities to select artists.

Roni Thomas, project manager at the Salt Lake City Arts Council, has worked with UTA for the Art in Transit program. She is currently involved in the most recent project of developing the North Temple line, which will feature its art pieces in fall 2012.

“When this line is done, we would have worked with the UTA at 20 stations,” Thomas said in a phone interview.

Thomas said the Arts Council is involved in the artist selection process from start to finish. The council presents a call to artists to commission their artwork, based on requests for qualifications and requests for proposal. The Salt Lake design board, made up of Council members and members of UTA, makes a recommendation to the mayor and CEO of UTA to approve the artwork after it has been proposed.

Each project is commissioned $90,000, an amount split by UTA and the city. After completion, the artwork is owned and maintained by the UTA. Some stations are open to national artists, while others are left exclusively for Utah artists.

“We are supporting local artists,” Thomas said. “When visitors come in town and see ‘oh that’s done locally,’ it is something the community can look at and take pride in.”

The Trolley TRAX station, located at 625 E. 400 South, was one of these stations. It was a project not only done by local artists, but also by children of Salt Lake City. Bad Dog Arts, located in downtown Salt Lake City, undertook the art project and allowed children to create the artwork.

“We’re all about art,” said Victoria Lyons, co-founder and co-director of Bad Dog Arts. The Bad Dog Arts program is a nonprofit organization that works with children ages 5 to 18 and allows them to create art as a positive outlet. The station provided an ideal landscape for the Bad Dog Arts project.

“The imagery is different reflection and action of community from kids’ perspectives.” Lyons said in a phone interview.

The station contains several different elements. Mosaic tiles line the station, both on benches in bright, colorful patterns and outlining the station ramps. Some drawings are engraved into granite pavers. Art and poetry is displayed under the canopies; that artwork resulted from a Bad Dog Arts writing program.

“Art can be life changing,” Lyons said. “It makes a huge difference in kids’ lives and can sometimes be one of the ways to reach kids to communicate and allow them to contribute to the community in a positive way.”

Just like this beneficial project, each piece of art is about speaking to the particular area.

“It’s a way that we enhance the riding experience and give them (the riders) something to look at that is typically reflective of the community,” UTA spokesman Carpenter said.

According to Thomas, it is up to the artists to speak to the area by researching the location, community and history of the area.

For example, the “Flame Figure” by Michael Stutz, located at Rice Eccles Stadium, is representative of the line that was installed just as the 2002 Winter Olympics came to Salt Lake City. The artwork there ties together the theme of the Olympics, blending the human form with the energy of fire.

All future UTA art projects will continue to say something about the rich history of the location and appeal to the area.

Each individual project has goals the Salt Lake City Arts Council wants to accomplish. For example, all six of the stations along the new North Temple line will emphasize the feeling of moving from the downtown area to the more open area surrounding the airport. “We want to create a sense of arrival in the city,” Thomas said.

Other artwork still in progress can be seen at the Midvale Bingham station, which will feature art titled “Utah Bit and Mine.” Carpenter said it is an interactive artwork that uses a great amount of creativity and shows just how neat art can be. The art is designed to highlight and reflect Utah’s deep mining history.

As the TRAX lines expand, the new art that is being proposed will take a different approach in representing the city of Provo. It will be using bright, whimsical figures to give the city that bright, offbeat and dynamic feel. Instead of representing Provo’s history, the art will demonstrate that Provo is a modern, developing city.

“The thing that is interesting about art is what is appealing to some people others might not like. So you want to find something that is part of the community,” Thomas said.

That is exactly what these pieces of art do. In supporting local artists and giving shape to Utah’s history and background, the art at the TRAX stations enriches the experience of those riding public transportation. It is something that the commuters can take pride in, and feel a part of.

“It helps make a more viable and bright community,” Thomas said, “and that’s what public art does.”

The experiences of a Scientologist

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story by MIRAZ RASOUL

Jeffrey Aylor was only 13 years old when he made the decision to join Scientology.

That decision changed his life forever.

Aylor was born and raised in a Scientology family in Los Angeles, Calif. Aylor was approached by Scientology’s Sea Organization when he was a pre-teen and joined shortly after. “They asked me if I was interested in helping people, and I was just a kid, it seemed like a good idea to me at the time,” Aylor said.

After joining, Aylor was introduced to the required training known as “Estates Project Force.” “The training and process of becoming entangled in Scientology is very organized and strict,” Aylor said. The Estates Project Force is a boot camp where new members learn how to perform manual labor work, march and salute.

“There is a lot of importance placed on physical work when in training because they believe it teaches a person to be stronger and more in control of their environment,” Aylor said.

The training definitely changed Aylor. “It was as if I could no longer go on without working long hours and doing what I was told every second of every day; I don’t know if it was fear or a desire to be accepted among my peers,” Aylor said.

After all the training, Aylor was assigned to be a receptionist at the American Saint Hill Organization for spiritual training. “I was paid $50 every week for working about 15 hours almost every day,” Aylor said.

Even when Aylor was not working or training, he was sharing his space with about 20 other boys and men. “Life surrounded around work and being committed to your faith, there was no time to really reflect and picture another future for yourself,” Aylor said.

A while passed and Aylor was awarded a “higher ranking” in the community. Aylor was no longer a receptionist, but a PTS watchmen. A PTS watchmen monitors certain Sea Organization members who wish to leave the order. “I was honored to be chosen to fulfill such a major role, but I later came to realize that my job was not ethically right,” Aylor said.

In the Sea Organization, there is no concrete rule that bans members from leaving anytime they desire, but there is a process that must be completed before being released.

The “route out” process usually puts a lot of pressure on members wanting to leave. “The church doesn’t really believe that a member may want to leave because they are unhappy, it’s usually assumed that the reason members want to leave is because they have done something wrong that is motivating them to get out,” Aylor said.

The route out process is taken very seriously and must be completed. So to make sure members who are in the process don’t leave before completion, they are placed under PTS watch.

The PTS watch job entails shadowing members who are in the route out process. Aylor describes this shadowing as a serious matter that can go to extremes at times.

“I was ordered to spend all night sleeping on the floor against the door of a member who was on watch many times. I had to know and feel when they opened the door and if they wanted to use the restroom in the middle of the night, I would stand outside the door for them to finish,” Aylor said.

Amongst all the madness, Aylor was still performing his duties as a good member with no intention of leaving anytime soon.

After six years of service for the Sea Organization, Aylor finally realized how unfair the organization can be to its members. Circumstances changed in 2004 when Aylor became very ill. Aylor has had asthma and other health issues since he was a child.

Aylor kept his health under control while in the Sea Organization, but when he became sick, there was no help in sight for him.

“It was just some serious chest pains in the beginning but it got worse and before I knew it after a few months, I could no longer work and get out of bed,” Aylor said.

All members in the Sea Organization are promised medical care, but no matter how sick Aylor became, he did not receive any medical attention. “For months, I was bedridden and had to keep asking for someone to take me to the doctor, but it never happened,” Aylor said.

Most Scientologists in the church view illnesses as something a person has created in their mind; in other words, they believe individuals bring illnesses upon themselves. Due to this notion, Aylor was sent to ethics counseling and when that didn’t help cure him, he was advised to start over with his Estates Project Force training to get better.

“I had no options left. I had no strength and ability to work because I was bedridden and needed a doctor,” Aylor said.

One night, Aylor was thinking when he made his final decision to leave and never go back. He decided to call his mother to tell her to pick him up and he left without any intention of ever returning.

Aylor managed to easily flee without any trouble whatsoever due to his PTS watch training. “I knew what to do and how to not get caught, the training I was taught to keep members from leaving later helped me get out,” Aylor said.

Now, Aylor is an assistant manager at a bank and lives a very normal lifestyle but there is no denying that Aylor is a little more different than everyone else due to his experiences. Aylor’s manager, Alan Denner describes Aylor as a very hardworking person. “He is definitely much better than most individuals at taking commands and always doing what he is told,” said Denner.

Aylor’s other co-workers describe him as a quiet man who at times can be socially awkward. Brenda Gourley, a teller at the bank says he is not easy to get to know. “It is very obvious to see that Jeff has a lot of walls and boundaries, it’s hard to become close to him personally at the beginning,” Gourley said.

Aylor realizes that his experiences have made him a unique individual that many may not understand. “I look around and see that I am different because I take certain things more seriously than others and find that I have a tendency to be anti-social at times,” Aylor said.

Aylor doesn’t regret his seven years of life with Scientology, but he regrets not being able to experience his youth. “If I could I would go back to tell myself to not make the decision to join because life is too short and every experience at every age should be cherished,” Aylor said.

Plastic surgery on the rise

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by MIA MICIC

As today’s society becomes more and more concerned with their looks, the amount of people getting plastic surgery is increasing drastically even though many risks come with it. According to an article posted on the Plastic Surgery Portal, “there were 39% more people who had breast augmentations in 2010 versus 2000.”

Roya Fargam, who works for Dr. Kimball M. Crofts, said, “I definitely think that in these past couple of years plastic surgery has gotten more popular and more people are getting procedures done.”

Crofts owns AESTHETICA medical spa in Lindon, Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah Medical School in 1989 and now works as a plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

“The challenge of taking normal and enhancing it to a super normal state, or to take severely injured or disfigured individuals and restoring that person to near-normal state was conceivably invigorating, I had to be part of that,” Crofts said.

AESTHETICA offers many plastic surgery procedures, including breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction, liposuction, lower body lift, laser skin resurfacing, ear surgery, facelift, eyelid surgery, and much more.

“Breast augmentation is by far the most popular type of surgery that patients want,” Crofts said. This number for this surgery continues to grow more and more every year. An individual who has this procedure done can end up spending more than $10,000 once they are done paying for the surgery, implants, medical fees and prescriptions.

When it comes to plastic surgery there are many risks involved such as scarring, bleeding, infection and nerve damage. Patients go into these procedures knowing the risks, yet they still continue on with the surgery. Also depending what kind of procedure is done the recovery stage can sometimes take up to a couple of months.

“I don’t think many patients really realize how many risks can come with plastic surgery procedures, but it is a risk they take and will have to deal with any consequences after,” Fargam said.

Crofts added: “Yes, of course there are risks with every procedure, but if it is done right there is nothing to worry about.”

Patient Sadey Hall agreed to share some details about her surgery that she just had done recently. Hall got liposuction done on her legs because she thought they were a “little too big.”

“I felt insecure about my legs and figured that was my only solution,” Hall said.

“The recovery stage was definitely not fun, and if I could go back in time I would have probably held off on this procedure just because there are other solutions besides plastic surgery,” Hall said.

In the end patients who go through plastic surgery get affected in different ways. According to the American Psychological Association, “people report increased satisfaction with the body part they had surgery on.”

On the other hand other individuals who have had plastic surgery refuse to get more done. “My liposuction was my first and last surgery that I will have, it was not necessary for me to get it,” Hall said.

Another source that has a huge effect on the rise of plastic surgery is the mass media. The media portray what women should supposedly look like and if they don’t look a certain way the media encourage individuals to get plastic surgery.

“Women always bring in pictures of celebrities and say they want their breasts or legs to look like the picture,” Fargam said.

Having plastic surgery is a very big life changing decision, and when something is changed on the body there is no undoing it. Before having any type of surgery individuals need to think it through and decide if that’s what they really want.

“When someone comes for a consultation about a certain procedure, I always make sure and ask them if this is what they really want, because once the surgery is done there is no turning back,” Crofts said.

Anyone who has plastic surgery needs to remember while they are having these procedures done that their life is in the hands of someone else. If plastic surgery is not needed but only “wanted” then the patient should rethink all the complications and decide if it is really worth it in the end.

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After-school program works with refugee community in Salt Lake City

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by JAVAN RIVERA

Watch the children as they wait to get into the Dream Center. Video courtesy of Susanna Metzger.

It’s a perfect picture of ordered chaos. Children run, screaming with joy and enthralled with the sheer delight of playtime. With the simple act of holding up their hands and the waving of two colored flags — one red, one yellow — two volunteers bring the disorder to a more reasonable level. The children begin to line up, still chatting with one another, but preparing for the evening’s activities. So begins another Monday night at The Utah Dream Center.

The Utah Dream Center is a nonprofit organization located on the west side of Salt Lake City that focuses the majority of its efforts on helping the refugee community that exists there.

Salt Lake City is one of only a handful of major cities across the United States that regularly takes in refugees. The west side of Salt Lake City and the neighborhoods surrounding the Dream Center in particular, have become saturated with people from countries spanning the globe.

The goal of the Dream Center is to help reach out to the community that resides in what the director of the center, Alfred Murillo, likes to call, “the west side strip.”

This section of Salt Lake City encompasses the neighborhoods of Glendale and Poplar Grove. These neighborhoods are filled with children that come from dozens of countries, and it’s these children that the Dream Center program known as The Open Door works with on a weekly basis.

The Open Door is an after-school program under the direction of Susanna Metzger that works in tandem with the Utah Dream Center to try to create a relationship with the community and provide a place where the children can go to learn and have fun. The partnership is now thriving, with children thronging to the dream center every Monday night.

“The relational aspect is the key thing,” said Jeff Friel, one of the regular volunteers at The Open Door.

Friel said he believes the ability to get to know the children on a weekly basis is very important to the core of the program. Whether that’s something as simple as figuring out which children don’t speak English well, or just seeing the children’s knowledge base grow as they come back week after week, he feels that it’s those connections that make the program work.

“We can focus on knowing where they’re at (academically),” Friel said, “and we can actually grow and seeing how we can actually be a part of their lives.”

The Open Door, which is open Mondays from 6- 8 p.m., began four years ago under the leadership of Bonnie Strickland Beck. Strickland was the director of outreach at a local Salt Lake City church known as K2 The Church, and first made contact with Murillo in 2007.

According to Murillo, Strickland had heard about the various programs and events Dream Center did in the community, and she was interested in creating a program that could work with the children in the direct vicinity of the organization.

Due to the high number of programs coordinated at the Dream Center, he suggested that Strickland and her team work with the idea, and that the Dream Center would help where it could.

Murillo sees his job as being there to help bring programs like The Open Door to life, but not necessarily to micromanage them.

“The idea of the Dream Center is to empower those who have a dream,” Murillo said, “and to fulfill what they want to do.”

Metzger, who now heads The Open Door, was there as a volunteer early on. She said how much the program has grown since it first began. With weekly attendance fluctuating between 30-50 kids, the program has seen a dramatic uptake in children participating.
The Open Door currently operates on a simple schedule based around tutoring, activities for the children, free time and a meal provided by the volunteer staff.

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Throughout the school year, volunteers from the program start every Monday evening near 5 p.m. by setting up the various tables, chairs, and crafts and tutoring supplies needed for the program. They then begin heading out into the neighborhood to gather the children and walk them back to the Dream Center where they can begin check-in.

“We try to bring them in small groups for check-in to help maintain order,” Metzger said.
The children waiting to sign in at the front table are allowed to play outside in the parking lot of the Dream Center.

Once check-in is complete, all the children gather in the main area of the Dream Center and are usually taught a short lesson through the use of either a basic story, or a skit performed by the volunteers.

Friel said the Christian volunteers respect the diverse ethical and religious backgrounds of the refugee children. Because the majority of the volunteers come from various Christian churches or organizations around the Salt Lake Valley, they try to show consideration for the children’s backgrounds by only bringing in Christian-themed lessons during the time of year when they are relevant.

“We do Christ-based lessons around Christmas and Easter,” Friel said. “The rest of the time we stick to really basic principles; stuff like respect, honesty and honoring each other.”

After the object lesson, the children are divided into groups based on age and are sent to different sections of the building.

“There are three groups,” Metzger explained. “Red and yellow are the younger children, and green is the older group.”

The younger children in the red and yellow groups split off into two activities. While one group works on reading or getting help with their homework, the other group does arts and crafts or plays simple games.

The green group, which focuses on children ages 11-16, works on its own during this time. The Open Door has recently partnered with the Pregnancy Resource Center of Salt Lake City to work with the “high risk” children that occupy the neighborhoods surrounding the Dream Center.

Terri Kerr, one of the volunteers who is part of the partnership with the Pregnancy Resource Center, said the curriculum for the green group is separate from that of the rest of the children. It’s designed to help those involved to think positively about their future, and also focuses on the proper way to interact with people and how to form healthy relationships.

Currently, The Open Door only has around 20 volunteers, something that Metzger would like to see change in the future. With as much as the program is able to achieve, it is still limited by the fact that the children in the program outnumber the volunteers by a ratio of almost two to one.

With more volunteers, and more time to invest, Metzger said her dream would be to see the program expand to the point that it can become a part of the children’s everyday lives, especially with the older children.

“We see a lot of the older kids come and go,” Metzger said. “I would love to see that part of the program grow in particular.”

The Dream Center is empty at the end of the night. The shouts of excited children no longer fill the building. Instead, one hears the voices of the volunteers as they gather to debrief for the evening. They discuss the events of the night, finish cleaning up and prepare to do it all over again.

University of Utah students find a new voice through Marriott Library’s ‘U and You’ project

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by JESSICA ANDERSON LEE

Listen as Larry Anderson is interviewed by Anthony Sams about his college experiences.

The University of Utah’s digital scholarship lab, located in the Marriott Library, hopes to give students a more personalized experience by introducing a project called the “U and You.”

The project began in the fall of 2011, with a purpose of interviewing students via video camera about their experiences, whether positive or negative, while attending the U. The videos will then become uploaded onto a social networking website such as Facebook or WordPress for students to access based on similar areas of study, interests and experiences.

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Because the project is still in its early stages, the media outlets and funding have yet to be set in stone. The project was started with funding from the MUSE (My U Signature Experience) program at the U and the library has matched this contribution.

While accessing these websites, students can give each other feedback with open-ended conversation.

“If someone is watching a video they can (immediately) say, ‘Oh yeah I didn’t know about the withdrawal policy either,’” said Emma Zink, MUSE intern for the “U and You” digital story-telling project.

This gives students an opportunity to interact among themselves and the interviewees, which helps students to support each other rather than just watching the videos.

Zink said another benefit of the project is that students can contribute their individual stories and reflect on their “growth and development within higher education.”

“Historically you had to rely on ASUU (Associated Students of the University of Utah), (where) students are represented but they don’t get their actual individual voice out there, so this provides a means to do that,” Zink said.

Samantha Anderson, a U student studying health promotion and education who was interviewed for the project said, “I think that the ‘U and You’ video is a great idea. The best aspect is just giving students the opportunity to tell their story that would otherwise go unheard. And that it can be anyone from any degree or background. There are no limits.”

Zink also expressed that students all too often discount the stories of other “typical” college students when in fact they can have very interesting backgrounds and can inspire others with the difficulties and challenges they have overcome.

Aside from social networking and student involvement there have been instances of information that could eventually initiate a change in university policy.

Zink shared one example of this information exchange. In the first interview with Larry Anderson, a nontraditional student who retired from the military, it was discovered he had had difficulties with the U’s withdrawal policy. Anderson thought he had dropped a class, but he actually hadn’t. Zink believes this situation could have been avoided if he had gone through the orientation process.

Zink stated that just as the Internet has made news much more accessible, this online project may also hasten policy changes.

If administrators are hearing “common patterns, through the videos, they have no choice but to change things. They don’t have to wait on polls or ASUU to get the student voice. Change can be immediate, making the university that much more efficient, dynamic and evolve allot more quickly,” Zink said.

As each interview takes place, students are asked a series of questions formed by a group of University of Utah faculty. These questions change each semester to receive new information and accompany the changes students face as they move closer toward graduation.

A few examples of questions asked are: “What role does education play in your life?” and “Who has been the biggest influence in your life?”

Interviews are done once a semester until the student graduates. Once the process has been completed each interviewee receives a DVD containing each of the video interviews they have completed.

Anderson, the student who is being interviewed for “U and You,” believes this process is helpful. “I learn a lot from re-listening, re-reading, and reflecting on what I’ve said. I also believe that other students will benefit as well,” she said.

Anthony Sams, project manager of the Digital Scholarship Lab, believes another asset of the program is the connection that can be formed between professors and students.

Professors can track the educational development of a student who is headed toward graduate school using an “automatic assessment” rather than relying solely on tests such as the Graduate Record Examinations.

Many students are aware of the project’s value, but Sams hopes that others learn of its importance, too. For example, faculty and staff could be informed through FYI News, an electronic newsletter, and Continuum, the magazine of the University of Utah.

Utah football fans prove their loyalty

Posted on December 6, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by MATT ELLIS

On the foreign battlefield of the Pacific-12 conference, the University of Utah Utes football team was beaten down early. Many Utah fans expected big things out of their team going into the season, but a combination of injuries and dismal offensive play led to a rough start.

In the weeks leading up to the season opener, Utah was viewed by many as a dark horse contender to win their division and play in the Pac-12 Championship game. A perennial powerhouse, the University of Southern California, was on probation and ineligible for postseason play, and the Utes had the good fortune of avoiding recent stalwarts Stanford University and the University of Oregon on the regular season schedule.

The biggest question among analysts throughout the state was the health of starting quarterback Jordan Wynn. After having offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder, questions proliferated as to how effective he would be. Coaches limited his reps during the preseason and it was widely acknowledged that his arm strength seemed to have diminished.

But on opening night, the only thing that mattered was that the Utes were back on the football field. Rice-Eccles stadium was packed with more than 45,000 fans ready to cheer their team to victory against a division 2 opponent in Montana State University.

The Utes won that first game, but it was less than impressive. In front of 45,311 fans, according to ESPN.com, Utah scored only three points in the second half, and the 27-10 victory was too close for comfort against a physically inferior opponent.

Jump forward a few weeks and the team lost three of the next four games with the lone bright spot coming in a 54-10 drubbing of rival Brigham Young University. The last time the Utah football team had a stretch like that was the beginning of the 2007 season when the Utes stumbled to a 1-3 start. The highest attendance at Rice-Eccles stadium that season was 43,788, according to ESPN.com, whereas the stadium has not seen less than 45,000 at any game this season.

The Utes needed five tries to record their first win in the Pac-12 conference. But let the record show that Ute fans have continued to support their team in spite of hard times.

The early-season rough stretch included Utah’s first two home Pac-12 games. The first, against the University of Washington, turned out to be an embarrassing 17 point defeat during which Jordan Wynn was lost for the season due to another shoulder injury. One week later, though, another packed house of 45,089 turned out for the game against Arizona State University. The Utes fell again, this time by 21 points.

“I admit, I left a few of those games early,” said Shawn Ryan, a Utah alumnus. “They got pretty ugly.”

This is the first time in this city that crowds of such a large size have seen their team struggle so mightily in an environment where they are normally so successful — 22-2 in the last four seasons. This season they were 3-3 at home.

Going into the blackout game on Oct. 29, 2011, Utah was set to play an underachieving Oregon State team after three straight blowout Pac-12 losses. The season was on the verge of being a bust, yet 45,017 people still showed up dressed in their black Utah gear. Coincidentally, that number exactly matches the listed maximum capacity for Rice-Eccles Stadium, according to the University of Utah athletics website.

Clearly, interest in the football team is as high now as it ever has been. In spite of the many struggles this season, near-record crowds fill the stadium for every home game, buying up all the Utah hats, stickers, shirts and water bottles that they can find.

“Being a part of the Pac-12 really helped increase sales and exposure for the University,” said Mike Cherry, who works in the marketing department for the University of Utah bookstore.

According to Cherry, virtually anything with the Pac-12 logo is flying off the shelves of the bookstore.

Around campus, there are more stickers on cars and more U logos on bikes, sweatshirts and backpacks than any time in recent memory. Utah fans, specifically students, seem to be finding a renewed sense of pride in their school, as well as in their new conference.

Assistant Athletics Director Manny Hendrix, who works closely with the Crimson Club at the U, says that Utah alumni have been engaged by the new challenges the team faces, and that donations have been up.

“Our alumni base has been really excited and overjoyed to see the team compete with these bigger schools,” Hendrix said in a phone interview.

Unfortunately, a lot of the increased interest comes from seeing how Utah will measure up against more talented teams, which has been a double-edged sword.

But even after three straight Pac-12 losses by 17 points or more and the loss of the starting quarterback, Ute fans continued to show their support. Even those who didn’t make it to the stadium stayed behind their team.

Tyson, a night manager at a downtown sports bar called Lumpy’s, said that people who went in there to watch the games “kept their faith,” even through the tough times.

Though this season has seen some good wins, some fans are already looking forward to next season. Shawn Ryan thinks that next year’s success “depends on the quarterback.” Though he isn’t sure that Jordan Wynn is the best option going forward, he thinks that Utah can find success in its second season in the Pac-12. “I think they could do well next year, maybe 9-3,” Shawn said.

Another fan, Lexi Stevens, has enjoyed the games in spite of the multiple letdowns. She was a cheerleader in high school, but is just starting to really get into football, and says she will “definitely” be going to more games next year.

Asked what to expect for the future, she smiled and said, “They’ll have more time to improve, they gotta do better, right?”

Only time will tell if that is the case.

“I’m sure there are games our coaches would like to have back, but you’re watching football at the highest level,” Hendrix said, when asked about his thoughts on the season. “The talent level doesn’t get any better, you have to respect that.”

Because attendance has been so high this year, there have been rumors among those close to the program that Rice-Eccles Stadium will be renovated to accommodate more fans. Either way, you can be sure that the place will be packed to the brim and the Utah fight song will be heard from several blocks away.

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Professor Teaches Students Importance of Morals and Ethics

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Megan Hulet

In journalism, there is a fine line between morals and ethics.

On Oct. 3, 2011, a professor spoke to communication students at the University of Utah explaining the importance of morals and ethics in writing.

Jim Fisher, an Associate Professor Lecturer said, “Morals are things that institutions set out as laws. Ethics is the process of making decisions.”

Fisher went over some strategies to consider when dealing with morals and ethics. They include: Situation (choices), community values, classic principles and loyalty. He asked, “Who are we loyal to? Our paycheck?” Realizing the motives behind writing and the purpose in writing is important.

Fisher gave four points to follow as a code of ethics: seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable.
Fisher said, “Minimize harm is a wonderful concept in American journalism. It doesn’t say ‘do no harm.’ Minimize harm.”

Lyndsay Frehner said, “the lecture made me feel somewhat uncomfortable because it made me reevaluate my values and what I would do.”

Another student who was in attendance, Kylee Mecham, said this concerning Fisher, “I liked the way he could show both sides of the argument well.”

Architecture Plays a Vital Part in New Museum’s Appeal

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Article by Meish Roundy

The Natural History Museum of Utah opened its doors to the public Friday at the Rio Tinto Center. While the museum features 10 galleries celebrating everything from Utah’s diverse landscape to its people, the building itself as described by Todd Schliemann, the design architect for the structure, “symbolizes the beauty and magnitude of the state’s unique landscapes.”

Beginning construction in 2005 it has taken six years to build the large 51,000 square foot museum. Schliemann said regarding the building’s size that “it has no scale. It could be a very small rock outcrop or it could be fifty stories tall. Until you’re a person in it, you don’t know how big it is.”

Some of the other architectural highlights include:

A fourth floor terrace with indoor- outdoor interpretive space enabling visitors to directly experience weather and atmosphere.
A three-story tall glass case called the Collections Wall, which highlights more than 500 objects from various research collections.
A solar paneled roof that provides 25 percent of the energy needed to power the museum.
The knowledge that more than 25 of the buildings structural materials were made from recycled sources and that 75 percent of the buildings construction waste was recycled.

The museum is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and has an admittance fee of 9 dollars for an adult and between 6 and 7 dollars for a youth. The museum will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. (

Politics: Who are the Watchdogs?

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Megan Hulet

In today’s society, the media plays a vital role in political reporting.
Susan Tolchin, professor in the School of Public Policy at George Mason University said, “It is an interesting time to be in the business…there is a lot more personality.”
Tolchin, along with John Daley, reporter for Deseret News/KSL and Matt Canham, Salt Lake Tribune Washington correspondent, comprised the panel for the Friday, Oct. 28 event, ‘Political Reporting and the Fourth Estate: Who is actually watching the Government?’ This event was held in the Hinckley Caucus Room.
With so much technology available there is a much broader focus available to all audiences. In politics, this is becoming a concern in that, who is actually watching the government, and who is checking the facts?
Daley stated “I worry that people of your generation will be much more worried about who’s winning on Idol rather than life changing events.”
In government, there are many aspects for reporters to cover. One of the main events is the election process. Is the election being covered properly or is it turning more into horse-race coverage? The term horse-race coverage means covering only candidates’ standings in polls and ignoring their stance on issues. Daley said this type of coverage is a “huge disrespect to politics…it’s like you’re watching coverage of the NFL. These men and women in politics have much more important decisions to make than who is ahead and who’s not.”
Political leaders do not always want to share what is going on in their lives, whether personally or professionally, making it hard for reporters to get the information they need. Do the media move well with political leaders or not? The relationship between the two sometimes is fraught with tension.
Canham stated, “Be a watch-dog, but be fair and accurate to report well. If there is a story to cover then you cover it; sometimes you will get a reputation, but you hope in the long run it will be a mutual respect in the end.”
So where do reporters draw the line when it comes to what’s interesting and what should be kept private when it comes to personal lives?
Tolchin said, “A person’s character is its fate.” It is up to journalists to weigh what is relevant and what is not, but the line is usually drawn when it is relevant to that person’s job.
The last question of concern is how to discern information through journalism by blogs, e-mails, etc. There are so many blogs available today and all with different opinions about politics.
Daley said, “Don’t change your view points.” Although there are a lot of blogs, most do not follow journalism.
There are many resources available to all audiences. Take advantage of this technology and stay caught up on what is really important in life.
Daley said, “With fewer watchdogs, there is a greater chance for mischief.”
Aubree Foster, a student at Weber State said the following concerning the seminar, “I thought it was very interesting. I am an aspiring journalist and I am excited to think of what it holds for my future. I am pumped to get out there and cover stories.”
Jessica Blake, a student at the University of Utah said, “I thought is was cool. It was nice to have people who are experienced; nice to have a lot of audience participation.”

Junior League of Salt Lake City: Tradition in the 21st century

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story and multimedia by MEGAN SWEENEY

In 1901 Mary Harriman founded the women’s society called the Junior League. Her selfless efforts were focused on the immigrant children living on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. She wanted to improve the health, nutrition and literacy of those who had recently come to America.

Since 1934 the Junior League of Salt Lake City (JLSLC) has been an active chapter. It is currently comprised of 555 members. According to the JLSLC website, the focus of the league has shifted from the arts, social welfare, child welfare and criminal justice system education to the critical environmental issues, women and substance abuse, mentally ill adults, and health care issues.

The name “Junior League” is derived from the 80 original members who were recruited by Harriman.She was just 19 at the time.In the beginning Harriman herself was only 19-years-old at the time but gathered about 80 other “juniors” to aid in her mission.

In 1903, Eleanor Roosevelt became inspired by Harriman and decided to join the League. Her contribution was teaching calisthenics and dancing at the College Settlement House for girls.

Roosevelt is just one of many famous women to join the League over the years. The alumni consist of people such as Barbara and Laura Bush, Betty Ford, Shirley Temple Black, and Katharine Hepburn.

The Junior League became an international society in 1912 when the first Junior League of Canada was founded in Montreal. The organization’s mission was becoming cross-cultural.

With 292 sectors, the needs of the community from London, England, differ from those of Mexico City or Greenwich, Conn.

In Utah there are two separate leagues that focus on the community needs in their respective areas. One league is located in Ogden while the other is in the Salt Lake valley.
Both Utah leagues are focused on nonprofit work and fundraising but in different ways to be more specific to the community needs.

The League creates networks among women who are both members and non-members. The Junior League is also more than events and fundraising for the community. It is a training organization.

There is an education and training committee that focuses on recognizing the members’ skills and setting up workshops to help educate women and children on things such as computers, marketing, public relations, etc.

Lindsay Stahl sorting mass amounts of clothes.

The efforts to help better the community along with the League’s active members is what enticed Lindsay Stahl to start becoming involved.

The initiation process for new members can take a couple months. According to the website, during this process they are called “Provisionals.” New members start with a hands-on introduction and overviews of the fundraising events hosted by the JLSLC. At the end, they will be voted into active membership.

Stahl, who is now special events director at the Junior League of Salt Lake City, first joined the League because she was interested in giving back to the community. She said she “liked how the league was different from the normal Utah society” that she had grown up in.

Before she joined the League Stahl had no idea about its history but soon found out the significant impact the organization has made over the years. After getting to know other members she realized how important the League is and how long members have been involved.

Members such as Wendy Warner has been with the League for eight years. Warner is a Preferred Active. That means she isn’t on a specific committee but rather volunteers her time on various events. Her love of cookbooks was how Warner was initially introduced to the League.

Over the years, she has acquired 11 Junior League cookbooks from all around the United States. Her excitement is focused now on the newest release of SLC’s “Salt and Honey,” which will be released in early 2012.

What Warner has realized about the League is how it balances her life. “There are a lot of people, even here in Salt Lake, that don’t have a fraction of what we have,” she says. “It is also a great way to network.”

Both Stahl and Warner realize there a lot of misconceptions surrounding the League.

Warner says non-members would describe the members and functions of the league using terms such as hoighty-toighty, party, elitist group of women. In reality, they are focusing on the community and pulling together events for Kids in the Kitchen or Women Helping Women.

Kids in the Kitchen focuses on tackling the increasingly alarming issue of childhood obesity and malnutrition. In Salt Lake City there are over 250 children in grades 3-5 who are taught various aspects of maintaining a healthy diet. There is an emphasis on how important exercise is along with portion control for your overall health.

Women Helping Women is a boutique founded in 1996 at 526 East and 300 South. Since then it has helped professionally clothe more than 12,000 women in the Salt Lake community.

The recipients of the clothing are transitioning into a self-sufficient lifestyle.The initial steps in this process start with first impressions. To a potential employer their appearance is extremely important.

Example of what to find at the boutique.

Jennifer Kelsey, president of the Junior League of Salt lake City, says that her favorite job is working in the Women Helping Women boutique.

Kelsey describes the League as “a nice place to link up and join other women who are likeminded and have something in common.” She knows each woman joins the league for different reasons but the common bond that the women share is the focus on helping women and children in the community.

Since 1901 the Junior League has brought together women from all over the world to help make the community a better place and to encourage a better future for the children. This was the initial dream when Mary Harriman started with just 80 people almost 110 years ago.

Since then the League has grown to more than 155,000 members in 292 countries because of the success and the message that the League shares throughout the world. That message, the outstanding members and what Warner calls “getting the fuzzies” from volunteering is what makes the League timeless.

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Floyd Norris Can Save the Economy

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Marquis Newman

On Wednesday, Oct. 26, Floyd Norris, the chief financial correspondent for The New York Times, discussed that concessions, such as another stimulus and extending low interest rates on mortgages, need to be done to help the U.S. economy. These concessions could help get the U.S. economy out of flux.

In the midst of a presidential election, Republicans and Democrats are debating and arguing about the economy, whose fault it is that the U.S. economy is bad and what can be done to fix the economy. Norris has many valid points on the subject and joked that maybe President Barack Obama and U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor should read one or two of his columns.

Many Republicans believe that a stimulus does not work. “There are a lot of references to Obama’s failed stimulus plan,” said Norris. He joked that the national government not trying another round of stimulus is similar to a student who studies for a test, but does poorly and says “Well there is obviously no point in studying.” Norris said the government should try another stimulus and maybe it could be a short term alternative, until politicians can figure out a long term solution.

Extending the benefits of low interest rates on mortgages is something that Norris said he believes will benefit the economy and will help people who really need the low interest rates.

“Many people can’t refinance,” according to Norris, who argued that letting somebody re-borrow money at a lower interest rate does not increase the credit risk, but might actually let people pay the debts they owe when they wouldn’t have been able to before.

“Credit gets you places,” said Laurie Carlson, a student at the University of Utah who attended the event. If decreasing the requirements to get a lower interest rate on a mortgage doesn’t increase risk and helps out the homeowner’s credit, then banks should look to initiate this.

There are many people to blame for America’s financial crisis.

“We used to take for granted that the government should try to improve the economy and that there were things it could do,” said Norris. The Great Depression, which the recent recession has often been compared to, is used as the model for how to get out of a depression. Economists learned a great deal about how to get out of a recession during that time, but according to Norris, “I think the fact that we never reached a consensus on that [how the Great Depression started], is what went wrong recently.”

Many of the guests who attended the talk believed that Norris’s ideas were excellent and wondered why some of them haven’t already been implemented.

“I wish he could make a bigger difference” said Lauron Bailey, a guest of the event. Another student who was at the event, Sean Gustafson said “He got me to think….this was definitely something that could spark.”

The event ended with Norris answering questions from curious attendees and giving advice to struggling homeowners and job seekers. As some of Norris’s views gain popularity around the financial community, maybe eyes at the nation’s capital will begin to take notice of some of the ideas that Norris has.

To Monitor the Monitors

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Alex Goff

On Friday, Oct. 28th, a group of people gathered to hear opinions on how the media are considered the watch dogs for the government and the people the watch dogs for the media.

The panelists who spoke on the subject included John Daley, a reporter from KSL-TV. He said that, “citizen involvement is plus because we do it for the readers.” Daley was referring to the relationship between the media and the public, specifically how he thinks it’s the communities’ responsibility to inform themselves of what’s happening in the nation.

In regards to the panelists’ talk, Katie Christiensen said, “I liked how Susan said that we are the watch dogs of the media and it’s our job to get any vital information because it’s our responsibility as journalists.”

“Who watches the media?” This was quoted from another member of the panel, Susan Tolchin. It seemed that she was mostly focused on getting to the truth behind the messages that is received from the media. “Nobody is checking the facts, anyone can write an opinion,” she said.

Journalism student, Amy Murakami said that she barely checks her sources for accuracy, “it just never occurs to me that they could be creating a story from false accounts or facts. I guess since it’s publicized I thought I could trust the source.””

The overall message conveyed by the panel was that the community needs to be responsible for the media, and it’s also their job to keep themselves informed about the now. Consumers rely on the media just as much as the media rely on consumers. It’s a balanced relationship and a win-win one as well. The people need an informant and the informant needs people to pay for their message.

Another message, expressed mostly by panelist Matt Canham, was to challenge the media and make them accountable for what they write. “As a consumer it is your responsibility to point out errors because they become incorrect facts,” he said.

The general consensus that appeared to be reached by the panel about the media was that they have a positive effect on the nation. It was implied that there would be no other way of knowing what was going on in the world without help from journalists or reporters.

Whitney Smith, a political science major, stated, “as a political science student, this event was great insight as to how the media helps the government. Sometimes the media can fall short and give information that may not seem as important, but I become more aware of our government issues because of our media and their ability to report.”

It’s clear that the population depends on news, whether it be from the newspaper or television. However, the important part is that the facts get straightened out and the public holds the media accountable for what is being reported. It’s the community’s obligation to know the truth about what’s going on, not just some reporters or journalists account of what’s happening but to see it from more than one angle.

“It is important to read the other sides views, which is a great way to keep from bias,” Tolchin said.

The group of people who gathered to hear these panelists speak have left with a greater understanding of what it means to monitor the media and how to challenge what they report as facts.

Specialized Chair Helps Veterans Go Paragliding

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Sean Gustafson

On Sept. 3, 2011 five veterans tested a new type of paraglider over Sun Valley, Idaho. What made this an event noteworthy was that all five of these veterans are suffering from spinal cord injuries (SCI).

The veterans were able to participate in the paragliding by means of a set of specialized chairs called “Phoenix 1.0” and “Phoenix 1.5.” The “Phoenix” chairs were made from one inch aircraft aluminum tubing allowing for a sturdy 35lb craft.

These chairs were the product of four months of researching and testing from four University of Utah students under the direction of professor Don Bloswick.

Mark Gaskill, of ABLE Pilot, provided the training for the chairs an organization committed to help people with spinal cord injuries, amputations, and neuromuscular diseases into flying-type actives.

To see test runs on the “Phoenix” chairs, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9j33A0UV8A

Sean Gustafson

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY RESUME:

Sean Gustafson
Holladay, Utah 84124
Email: bggruff05@yahoo.com

Qualifications & Experience
•   Produced Weekly Student Update Promos (2011)
•   Oversaw the production of remotes (2011)
•   Help Revised the station format (2011)
•   Help promote concerts and station for K-UTE student radio (2011)
•   Helped out setting up and running university Halloween Party (2011)
•   Help Planed for Live Remotes and Events (2010-2011)
•   Set up interviews for other DJ (2011)
•   Help Demonstrate the duties of working in a studio during a tours through the studio (2010)
•   Produced Weekly Student News Updates (2010)
•   Help Set up and take down for offsite remotes for MCC Radio (2010-2011)
•   Help managed the studio when under technical difficulties (2010)
•   Help Set up Interviews and contest for MCC Radio (2010)
•   Familiar with starting up sound equipment at the radio station (2010)
•   Efficient with the soundboard equipment, board opting, music holding systems (2010)
•   Official DJ of 5-k run (2010)
•   Attended production meeting for the Salt Lake Community College Radio Station (2010-2011)
•   Help maintained studio area (2010)
•   Hosted and produced a radio program on MCC Radio (2010-2011)
•   Covered 2010 Spring Graduation Commencement ceremonies (2010)
•   Conducted interviews and surveys for MCC Radio (2010)
•   Efficient with interviewing, pre-announcing, and back- announcing (2010)
•   Severed in Activists Committee at University of Utah’s Institute of Religion (2008-2010)
•   Develop and gave presentations for FCCLA (2005)
•   Served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (2005-2007)
•   Tended workshops on advertising, publicity, and presentations (2004-2005)

Education History
•   Currently attending University of Utah (2011)
•   Salt Lake Community College (2008-2011)
•   Graduated from Olympus High School-HS Diploma (2005)

Work Experience
•   K-UTE Radio, DJ (Salt Lake City, Utah) (2011)
•   Salt Lake Community College, MCC Radio Studios (Taylorsville, Utah) (2010-2011)
•   Granite School District – Churchill Junior High, sweeper (Salt Lake City, Utah)-(2008)
•   Granite School District –Wasatch Junior High, sweeper (Salt Lake City, Utah)-(2005)
•   5 Buck Pizza, Customer Service and cook (Salt Lake City, Utah)-(2002-2004)

Positions Held
•   Program Director for Radio SLCC (Salt Lake Community College Radio Station) (2011)
•   News Director for MCC Radio Studio (Salt Lake Community College Radio Station) (2010)
•   Activity Committee Member for LDSSA at the University of Utah (2009-2011)
•   Sports and Recreation Committee Member for LDSSA University of Utah (2009)
•   Missionary for the LDS Church (2005-2007)
•   Vice President of Publicly for FCCLA -in charge of publicity and activities (2004-2005)
•   Olympus High School Homecoming Committee- in charge of activities. (2003-2005)

References
•   Alison Arndt Wild, Media Coordinator for SLCC Div of Arts & Communication, (801) 957-4587, Alison.Arndt@slcc.edu
•   Bruce Newton, Bishop – 801-272-8596, brucenewton7@gmail.com
•   Rob Branch, Faculty Advisor – Radio SLCC MCC Radio, (801) 957-4537, rbranch1@mymail.slcc.edu

ABOUT ME:

From an early age, I have learned to love writing. Due to troubles in reading and speaking in my earlier years, I would spend weeks in the library reading out load anything I could. This helped me read, write and speak better. It was in those halls of books that my love for writing began.

Since then, I have continued to read and write, developing my skills. In the fall of 2010 I reopened the news director position at Radio SLCC (then called Globe Radio). There I oversaw all news stories that were aired on the radio.

Roughly six months later, I became the program director for the entire station. There I wrote and published promos and announcements that would be read over the air. In addition to this I also assisted in the reformatting of the station and representing the station to faculty and staff in a variety of settings like radio remotes and other station functions.

In the fall on 2011, I transferred to the University of Utah where I am currently working a degree in mass communication. It is there I hope to gain a greater understanding of how to communicate using the different forms of media that are out there.

Student Journalists Learn the Difference Between Morality and Ethics

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Marquis Newman

On Monday, Oct. 3 Jim Fisher, a professor at the University of Utah, gave a lecture to a group of students on the difference between ethics and morality in the context of journalism.

Fisher, a professor in the Department of Communication, is a former journalist and editor for Sunday Magazine, an insert for a Colombia, Mo. newspaper.

Monday’s lecture was to teach students and get them to think critically about the difference between morals and ethics.

“I thought Jim did a great job. He was very credible because he was editor for his own paper, and he opened my eyes to the difference between ethics and morals,” said Alex Goff, a student who attended the lecture.

According to Fisher, “Ethics is a process of making a decision.” Fisher presented different types of stories, scenarios and situations where the students had to make decisions that real journalists would have to make.

After the students made their decisions on each scenario, Fisher emphasized that no matter what the decision was, the student made an ethical decision because he “took the time to think about it.”

Fisher concluded the lecture by saying “The last thing to consider in an ethical argument is more-than likely loyalty.” He asked, what are journalists loyal to? Is it the paycheck, the ideal value of reporting facts and the truth, the community or anything else?
When asked about the lecture, freshman Rachel Maughan praised the “many good details” used and thought the stories made the lecture interesting.

Police Negligence Leads To Murder

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Alex Goff

Two Milwaukee police officers are suspended after a recently released transcript showed that they failed to perform their duties.

The transcript was of a dispatch call that was made by a Milwaukee resident, Glenda Cleveland. She had seen a young boy naked and helpless on the street late at night and had called the police for help. The boy was 14-year-old Konerak Sinthasomphone whom Jeffrey Dahmer would later confess to killing. The police responded to the call and followed up by getting the young boy back to Dahmer’s apartment.

According to the transcript, after Cleveland had called in the first time, she became skeptical of the procedure and why the officers had not taken more information from her. She called back and was directed to the officer who had handled the event.

“The fact is a crime was being committed. I am sure you must need, you know, some kind of information based on that…What it indicated was that this was a male child being raped and molested by an adult.” This was Cleveland’s conversation with the officer taken from the transcript.

The officers involved had dismissed the event by telling Cleveland that, “it wasn’t a child, it was an adult,” and “…It’s a boyfriend-boyfriend thing. And he’s got belongings at the house where he came from.”

The boy was later found raped and killed by Dahmer after the police had left his apartment and not apprehended him.

Meet the Latest and Greatest in Journalism… The Audience

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story By: Kade Sybrowsky

Audience is key in journalism. Without and audience there wouldn’t be any journalism. The advent of new social media such as Twitter and Facebook has change the perception on what exactly journalism is and whether or not the people writing on social media are in fact journalists.
“The audience is increasingly becoming the journalists,” said Matthew Laplante, a journalism instructor at Utah State University.
Laplante and others joined Doug Fabrizio for a Radio West discussion at the University of Utah recently. Joining Laplante was Mathew Ingram, senior writer for Gigaom.com; Holly Richardson, an avid blogger and member of the Utah House of Representatives; and Holly Mullen, a former columnist and editor.
“The media is all of us now… we have a 24 hour news cycle,” Richardson Said. She also said “I am a new age journalist.
What is this “new age journalist” and why is this even a discussion? The answer is social media. Social media has made it possible for people to break news, give opinions and write comments in a way that journalism hasn’t seen before.
Online comments are now and outlet for both positive and negative feedback. It is a way for the audience to directly give their unfiltered thoughts to the writer whether he or she wants it or not.
“Getting more feedback changes the way I think about what I do…it becomes part of your job,” said Ingram.
News can have some negative affects, such as the invasion of privacy.
“We are exploring what privacy means,” commented Ingram.
Richardson claimed that privacy is a choice and that “I have made the choice to put myself out there.”
Not everyone has to make the choice but libel laws will be affected. “The affect is so much grander… you can’t sue the whole…libel laws are in the process of evolving,” said Laplante.

Laplante suggested that with the social media world growing, and thus the journalist population growing, that there needs to be education put into place.
“We don’t write five paragraph essays (we) write in journalistic style,” he said.
Education may not be as important to Richardson as it is to Laplante. Richardson was a registered nurse and midwife. She began writing her blog because she was interested in politics. She didn’t major in journalism and had no other writing training other than research papers in college-a true example of someone not needing journalism training.
So why is education so important to Laplante?
“There is not a whole lot of journalism training in the basic education system,” he said. “That needs to shift so that everyone has a basic idea (of) journalistic standards.” He believes that with this education the margin for error on issues like privacy and libel will be less prevalent.
Even with more education, social media isn’t going anywhere. What makes social media journalism and the people who utilize journalists is still undefined.
“It’s not fully developed yet it’s in its infancy, we’re stumbling around and trying to figure out how to make this work…I think it’s good,” said Matthew Laplante.

A Healthy Distrust of the Media

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story by Justin Bailey

A recent poll published by the Pew Research Center indicates that Americans, regardless of political affiliation, are becoming increasingly distrustful of the media.
When asked how they felt about accuracy and honesty in the media, several students at the University of Utah corroborated that cynicism while offering helpful tips on how to wade through the biased muck that can be prevalent in today’s news stories.
Garrett Hanson, a sophomore communication major who identified himself as a Republican, said that he thought, with regard to the major news media, “they all have an agenda.” He felt that their credibility was severely compromised by the fact that, to a certain extent, they simply report what they choose, in the manner they choose.
“They’re always taking things out of context to make the people they don’t like look bad,” stated Garrett.
Another student, Erin June, a senior studying political science, had a very similar opinion. “I feel like all the major news channels have bais,” she stated, “so it’s hard to tell who is telling the truth.” Erin went on to say that, in an effort to combat bias in the media, getting your news from online sources is a useful tactic. “That’s why you have to turn to the internet,” she said.
James Heiner, a junior and self-identified Democrat, had a less cynical view of how the news is reported, but still conceded that there is a definite bias. “I feel that they will inherently have a bias, but I take that into consideration when making decisions,” he stated. James followed that statement with something of a disclaimer, “They have good information because they have resources and are closer to the situation… I’m not (just going to) go ask somebody off the street (what’s going on in the world.)”

Jim Fisher Gets Ethical

Posted on December 5, 2011 by comm5775

Story By: Kade Sybrowsky

Jim Fisher, associate professor lecturer in the Department of Communication, gave a lecture on media ethics to an Intro to News Writing class on Monday, Oct. 3.

Fisher initially asked the class “What the hell is the difference between morals and ethics?”
He explained that “morals are things that institutions set out as laws…ethics is a process of making decisions… The two are different.”

“He really opened my eyes about the difference between ethics and morals,” said Alex Goff, a student who attended the lecture.

Ethics involves people on a story getting together and asking the main question of running a story and the consequences of running it. Fisher explained thinking of what the viewers reaction will be is essential.

He explained that when running a story it is important to get more than just two sides to the argument. “Nine times out of ten, weak-ass journalism is the result of presenting only two sides of a story,” said Fisher.

Callie Mendenhall, a junior in the class said “I never realized how much there actually was to something so seemingly simple as ethics.”

Fisher also discussed the Society of Professional Journalist’s Code of Ethics. The four main points include: seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable.

“If you aren’t being accountable, then you aren’t doing journalism.” Fisher said.

U NewsWriting

Stories by student-journalists in COMM 1610, Introduction to News Writing

Author Archives: comm5775

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Politics: Who are the Watchdogs?

Junior League of Salt Lake City: Tradition in the 21st century

Floyd Norris Can Save the Economy

To Monitor the Monitors

Specialized Chair Helps Veterans Go Paragliding

Sean Gustafson

Student Journalists Learn the Difference Between Morality and Ethics

Police Negligence Leads To Murder

Meet the Latest and Greatest in Journalism… The Audience

A Healthy Distrust of the Media

Jim Fisher Gets Ethical