News

Puget Sound students have always shown a concern for their community, both on a campus level and from a city-wide standpoint. Recently, students have been reaching even further in response to the recent natural disasters that devastated Japan. According to students Imari Romeo and Melissa Merrigan, the Japan Support Coalition, headed by Skylar Bihl, consists of the Japanese cultural groups on campus, the Office of Spirituality, Service and Social Justice (SSSJ), Circle K and Interfaith Coordinators. “Because the earthquake occurred at the beginning of spring break, we weren’t able to...

April 1 marked the end of an era on McNeil Island, when it closed the doors for good to the prison that operated there for over 130 years. Located on the South Puget Sound West of Steilacoom, the McNeil Island Corrections Center was known historically as the “prison without walls”—with miles of frigid water preventing inmates from escaping the island. When the facility opened in 1875, it was the first federal prison in the territory that would become Washington state. According to www.doc.wa.gov, McNeil was the last island prison left...

On March 1, Pierce County Transit’s main natural gas fueling station in Lakewood exploded, which created problems for the some 300 buses making routes in Pierce County, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. Buses were forced to run on the Saturday schedule during the weekdays. This meant that buses stopped at each station every hour as opposed to the regular half hour schedule, creating many concerns for commuters. According to a March 28 press release from Pierce Country transit, regular service has been reduced by approximately 20% as a result....

This year, the Senior Class Gift Committee has been working very hard to promote and educate students about the Senior Class Gift Campaign. According to the staff liaison to the Senior Class Gift Committee and Director of Annual Giving Abbie Larson, for the past six years the Senior Class Gift Committee—which consists of 40 seniors—has been asking seniors to make a “five-year pledge.” This includes donating $5 this year, $10 in 2012, $15 in 2013, $20 in 2014 and $25 in 2015, making for a total of $75. According to...

On the first day back from spring break, the Diner completely shut down between 1 and 2 p.m. and remained closed for approximately one to two hours, according to Director of Dining and Conference Services Julie Coykendall. The last time that the Diner was completely closed was several years ago, so students as well as workers were not prepared for such an event. An issue with the hot water boiler on Monday March 21 in the basement of the S.U.B. rendered Dining and Conference Services unable to fully function and, much...

Post-graduation plans are shaping up to be an exceptional adventure for seniors Margaret Shelton and Jacki Ward, who were announced recipients of this year’s Watson Fellowship last week. The fellowship, established in 1968 by IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, is a national grant which enables students to further pursue their interests after finishing college. Applications for the fellowship include in-depth project proposals and selected applicants are awarded a $25,000 stipend to travel abroad for one year following graduation. The grant is designed as an investment in individual students who demonstrate...

The Board of Trustees met in February to discuss the adjustment of the University’s tenure-line proportion and admissions, among other topics. The Board of Trustees oversees almost every aspect of Puget Sound, including the tenure-line proportion and promotion of faculty members. Currently, the University’s tenure-line proportion is in the low-60 percentile, while the national average is approximately 66 percent. According to Bartanen, tenure is a commitment on the part of the University to continue career-long employment of a faculty member. “We do have a cap or a limit on the...