March 21, 2007

Knights Without Armor
By: Brandon Van Hook

Knight: an individual sworn to protect; a defender, champion, or zealous upholder of a cause or principle .

With roughly 1,770 students and 400 faculty and staff members, Marian College is a round table for several hundred “Knights”, but there is one group at Marian that best fits the definition above, and that is the Marian College Police Department. The MC department, headed by Chief Jim Davidson, shields the campus, Cold Spring Road, 30 th Street, the property in and around Tyrone Drive, Winfield Street, the Carmelite Monastery, the Veladrome, and the Wetlands from Indianapolis-area crime. Unfortunately, in years past, Chief Davidson and others have done so on faith rather than finance. The equipment around an officer’s waist alone costs an average of $1,571.00 and that cost has been out-of-pocket rather than budget for some. A run of the mill bulletproof vest, with a lifespan of only 5-8 years, costs about $400.00. Such a cost is prohibitive for full and part-time officers alike. Just as Marian College would never ask a professor to teach chemistry without a lab, or a football player to take the field without a helmet, the administration is taking steps to curve this problem. Ruth Rodgers, Dean of Students, assures us that “incremental budget increases are currently being submitted as part of the annual campus budget process.”

Chief Davidson is hopeful that this increased support will have a positive impact on campus safety. New emergency call boxes will soon be around campus and new police radios are on the way. The presence of Wishard Health Services substation in the basement of Doyle Hall also increases student safety. “Now that Marian is ‘on the move,’ it’s good to see that [we] may start to be in better shape budget-wise. I’m grateful for anything that keeps my officers safe and helps them keep Marian College safe. It’s my job to have high standards, but we’re getting a little closer to where I’d like us to be.”

Some average costs I would like to leave you with:

Police Badge: $100.00

Can of Mace: $17.00

Patrol Car $24,000.00

Student’s sense of security: Priceless

Horoscopes
By: Mandy Fullington

Aries 3/21-4/19

Why don’t you do something for yourself for once? Stop letting everyone else decide what you are doing for a good time. Make your own plans and tell them to join you!

Taurus 4/20-5/20

Don’t just sit in front of the television. Get to the gym, so you can feel better about yourself and others will think more of you too.

Gemini 5/21-6/21\

Life is going to take a turn and it may be a bumpy ride. Be ready for a new adventure either in your occupation or your love life. Keep an open mind.

Cancer 6/22-7/22

Why be a pessimist all the time when you can indulge in life and make it what you want. The fate of each day lies in your hands. Make it what you wish.

Leo 7/23-8/22

Compliments are nice if they aren’t excessive. Make sometime for just hanging out with people that are real. Don’t waste your time on people who are more into your looks than your great personality. You will meet a casual person that wants to get to know you.

Virgo 8/23-9/23

Your asset this month is your social life. Get what you need to get done and go make some new interesting friends. They will become more than just a casual friend; they will be your friend for life.

Libra 9/24-10-23

It is time to do more with your life. Go to dinner and a movie with a good guy/girl friend. It might surprise you on how you really feel about him/her.

Scorpio10/24-11/21

Someone like you doesn’t need to put up with drama in your life. Shake it off and move on. Sometimes you need to say to yourself, is this really worth it?

Sagittarius 11/22-12/21

A day for you and only you is what you need. You need to take a hot bath and think about your next step in life. Make some goals and try to achieve them as soon as possible.

Capricorn 12/22-1/19

Life is not all about relationships, so don’t worry. You will be at the most random place at the most random time and meet the person of your dreams. Love at first sight is possible, have hope!

Aquarius 1/20-2/18

Go buy a lottery ticket, because this month is your lucky month. Don’t just sit back and try to get rich, make it happen!

Pisces 2/19-3/20

You are great at what you do in life and don’t forget it. It is time that you make your move and seal the deal. You can make more money; you just need to try harder. Nothing is easy.