Final Project Progress Report

For my final project, I am investigating the Campus Activities Board budget over the past five years. With all of the extravagant activities that CAB plans, I want to know where the organization is  receiving all of the money from.

Within the past couple weeks I have conducted interviews with the public relations chair of CAB, Sarah Dyke and the director of CAB, Lee Tabor.

During this final week, I am working on retrieving the documents needed for this investigation such as the past budget plans and expenses made by the Campus Activities Board within the past five years.

The Rolling Stone Rape Controversy

Last November, Rolling Stone Magazine published a story titled “A Rape on Campus,” that took place at the University of Virginia where a student described her devastating account of a gang rape that happened at a campus fraternity house. The reporter’s main goal was to write an article on rape culture on college campuses, and to gain a new perspective on sexual assault.

After the article was published, Rolling Stone received several questions and concerns that their story was not entirely truthful. The Washington Post uncovered particular details of the story proving the article was not fully genuine.

The first thing that went wrong with the story, was that the reporter became too emotionally attached to the main source. Also, the story was passed around through too many other sources, and certain details of the article lost its validity. The reporter did not check certain facts with sources, and did not completely follow through with the investigation. The magazine set aside essential practices of reporting that could have caught the editor’s eye and retracted the story earlier. They also failed to put all of the missing details of the story together, some of the statements made toward the story didn’t make any sense.

After the story was published, The Washington Post uncovered numerous details suggesting that the alleged assault could have taken place the way it was described in the Rolling Stone Magazine article. Once The Washington Post released its concerns with the article, the story rose to a national controversy.

To fix the problem the editors and publishers at Rolling Stone asked Steve Coll, dean of the Colombia School of Journalism, to investigate any lapses in reporting, editing, and fact-checking in the article.

In their investigation, the Colombia University investigators researched other rape victim stories, and listened to interviews from the sources from the “A Rape On Campus” and they found that nothing matched up. The investigators searched for sources mentioned in the story and asked them certain question about details mentioned by the main source.

When the report came back from the investigators, I thought Rolling Stone Magazine accepted gracefully. The magazine wanted to gain some of their credibility by doing an investigation. The credibility of Rolling Stone has definitely been damaged.  

Scamming and Solving

Three years ago, my best friend and I were planning to go to the beach and we decided we should get a base tan before we go. We were new to Huntington, and wasn't sure of the best places with the best prices. We looked up tanning salons online and found one that seemed decent with good prices.

My friend and I went to Sun Tan City, and we both got tanning packages, but my friend spent a little more money than I did. I paid $35 for a month of tanning, but my friend spent almost over $400 on a tanning package.

I am not easy to fool, but my friend is. The problem was caused by both sides, my friend should have had more common sense, and the Sun Tan City employees should have never overcharged a college student that much money. But the main problem was after my friend asked to get the package cancelled, they kept putting it off, and she never got any of her money back.

The first thing I would do would be to contact the Attorney General, as well as the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint. Then I would call Sun Tan City's corporate office and file a complaint. These steps would be my first course of action.

SGA Debate

 Before the elections had ended, I attended the final debate between the Student Body President candidates. The presidential and vice presidential had the opportunity to share their opinions on topics such as campaign strategies, personal platforms, and funding.

The candidates consisted of David Oye for president and Luke Cooley for Vice President, Duncan Waugaman for president and Isabelle Rogner, and Alex Parlock for president and Hayley Breeden for vice president.

One of the most important subjects discussed at the debate was SGA funding, and how within the past year SGA has not been consistent with their funding to club sports, with money to spare at the end of the year. Parlock argued how important it was to have SGA use all of the funding money so they would in return, be receiving more money, but on the other side of the argument Waugaman disagreed with the statement by saying SGA would not spend funding money carelessly.

Another topic of the debate as was the location of campaigning from the candidates. Oye and Waugaman both decided that campaigning at the local Huntington bars was a good idea, but Parlock expressed how he felt it wasn't a good campaigning strategy.

When the time came for the debate to open to the audience, the candidates received very interesting questions. An audience member asked Oye why his vice president, Cooley was answering majority of the questions and more effectively. Oye responded to the question by saying that he wanted to be short, to the point, and easy to understand.

All of the candidates discussed their platforms, and they all had good ideas and visions for the future of Marshall University.

SGA Meeting 3/24/15

I attended a Student Government Association meeting on March 24th. This meeting was a bit longer than the last meeting, and a lot was discussed and a lot of new ideas were made known.

One of the main things SGA focused on were the activities and benefits of Assessment Day which is to be held on April 15th. For everyone who takes the assessments given by their professors will be able to attend a small party held by the Campus Activities Board with fun, food, and music. The council wants this to be a fun thing for students to do so more students will participate in their class assessments.

Another major issue on the agenda was the announcement that St. Mary's medical students are able to use the recreation center.

A funding bill was also up for motion for Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and the motion was passed.

Further details for Assessment Day was brought up in the meeting again as well. One of the main speakers for the event will be Tim Melvin.

Then there was a motion to move certain acts and laws to judiciary adsoradum. These acts and laws included SGA Financial Accountability Act, Resolution to Create New Law, and certain rules on voting for new members.

All of the executive members and advisors had particular messages for the council as well.

SGA Meeting 3/10/15

                On March 10th, I attended a Student Government meeting to gain insight on issues that were being discussed within Marshall University. The meetings are always held by the Student Body Vice President Lila Mangus.

                The Student Government council talked about a particular funding bill for the Surgery Interest Group, which was held for discussion and later was approved.

                Each executive member of SGA including the Student Body President, Pro Tempore, Parliamentarian, Treasurer, and the Campus Life and Service Committee.

                The Senate Banquet was announced to be on April 21st at 6:30, and Kick Butts day was announced to be on April 22nd.

                This meeting was particularly short, and not much was discussed, but nonetheless it was interesting to hear what was going on within the university.

Huntington State of the City Aftermath

In the 2015 Huntington State of the City Address Mayor Steve William elaborated on the future developments, budget plans, and hopes for the city. In my latest prediction, I said that Williams would discuss new developments for the city of Huntington, and in result link all parts of Huntington together. Williams also touched on the budget for this year as well, as I predicted.

Williams described Huntington as a “vibrant, teeming with optimism, fiscally sound and is at the beginning of a renaissance.” As I predicted, a major topic of the address was the three new additions that I previously discussed. These new developments is a major part of the renaissance that Mayor Williams hopes for the city.

The first project that Williams sees in the future takes place on Hal Greer Blvd. corridor, which also includes Northcott Court. The second project is on the west end of Huntington, focusing on the River to Rail area. The third project includes the ACI plant property located just east of Marshall University, and west of the Highlawn neighborhood. Williams said “with these three projects combined, with a proposal to deploy high-speed broadband, will provide our city with the greatest opportunity for consistent expansion since the 1940’s.”

These three new developments will consist of retail and commercial businesses. As Williams previously discussed, high-speed broadband will be a major part of these additions to the city. He also stressed that high-speed broadband will act as a “virtual ribbon” between the three developments.

I predicted that the budget would be a major point and a high concern addressed in Williams’s speech. The 2015 budget for the city will be down 5% from last year’s budget. Williams stated the revenue for the city is projected to be $1,613,455 less than what was originally projected for the current fiscal year.

The new developments and the budget for the city were a major part of my prediction for the State of the City Address, but I also missed a lot of things that Mayor Williams discoursed. Mayor Williams highly stressed his concern with struggle of addiction in the city. He took quite a bit of time on the topic of addiction, and said that it was the largest issue that Huntington was currently facing. “We need to move our focus from the dealers, to the dealers and addicts,” Williams said. He also proposed the idea to establish a comprehensive plan that is all-inclusive of government agencies, recovery houses, recovery programs, hospitals, medical centers, and medical schools.

Lastly, Williams discussed his vison to embrace diversity and celebrate our differences. Williams not only wants to focus on diversity when it comes to race, but sexuality as well. He has formed a LGBT Advisory Council to act as a liaison between his office and the community.

I predicted that Williams would discuss three new major additions to the city as well as the new budget, which were correct, but I overlooked some his most important points regarding the LGBT community and the addition in Huntington. With all of these ideas combined there is no doubt that Huntington, West Virginia will continue to grow and develop.   

Huntington State of the City Prediction 2015

Mayor Steve Williams will conduct the Huntington State of the City Address this evening to inform the citizens of Huntington of future budget plans and new additions to the city.

                I predict Williams will have four main points in his State of the City Address. The first three points will cover future development projects for the city of Huntington. The first of these development projects will take place on Hal Greer Blvd. Recently some of the government housing was taken down in hopes of producing a more retail, commercial environment that will connect Marshall University students to the area. Williams stated that there is absolutely no need to worry about the state of the government housing. He has moved the individuals that resided in this area to a place downtown.

                The second project I predict Mayor Williams will discuss is the ACI plant property that is near the baseball stadium. William has plans to make this area definitely a more commercial part of the city. He plans to tear down the ACI property and fill it with restaurants, retail stores, and hotels. I believe that Mayor Williams wants to make the city of Huntington a fun, exciting place for the students on Marshall University’s campus to feel safe and welcome to stay in Huntington after graduation.

                The third project that Williams will discuss is the River to Rail development that will reside in the West end of Huntington. Williams plans to build a warehouse that will attract more people to that side of the city. Another thing that I believe Mayor Williams will address is the need for high-speed broadband. He believes that without high-speed broadband these three projects will not thrive. With the high-speed broadband Mayor Williams says that this will act as a virtual ribbon between the three new developments.

                Another major issue that Mayor Williams will definitely discuss is the city’s new budget. This year’s city budget has gone down 5% from last year’s budget. With this new budget I believe that questions will be raised about jobs, but not to worry Mayor Williams has stressed that there will indeed be no layoffs in the city of Huntington.

How does the WV FOIA help journalists?

The West Virginia Freedom of Information Act gives anyone the right to access information from the federal government and for all persons to obtain complete information about the workings of the government and the acts of those who represent them as public officials and employees.

                In Section 29B 1-3 it discusses the rules and regulations regarding the Freedom of Information Act. The section states that anyone has the right to inspect a public record or body in the state. It also states that the request for any public record must be made directly to the “custodian,” and the request for the public record must provide reasonable opportunities for the inspection and examination in the facilities for making memos. The West Virginia FOIA also states provisions such as all requests must be made with reasonable specificity, the person making the request must be advised of the time and place of which the materials may be examined, all denial requests must be made in writing, and the public body must establish fees reasonably calculated to reimburse for the actual cost in making reproductions of such records.

                There are several pros and cons to the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act for journalists. For example, journalists are allowed to further their investigative reporting due to this specific act. Journalists can obtain any document needed to further their research for a report, but the amount of time it takes to retrieve the documents may definitely prolong the journalist’s investigation. The Freedom of Information Act requires a lot of patience and time, and depending on the particular document you are requesting,  it has the possibility to be denied several times before the actual request goes through.

                The Freedom of Information Act, in my opinion, could use a few improvements regarding the amount of exceptions that they have when it comes to releasing certain types of documents. I would also change the amount of time a FOIA request takes to be submitted, and the amount of time it takes to retrieve the document being requested for.

                I personally have not had any personal experiences regarding the Freedom of Information Act, I find the FOIA to be extremely helpful to everyone, especially journalists who are involved in investigative reporting. The FOIA is a great tool for journalists to use to get one more lead on a story that they did not have before their investigation.

                 

SOTA 2015 Aftermath

President Barack Obama delivered his sixth State of the Union Address to the entire world. I had predicted that President Obama would address certain plans regarding cyber security, identity theft, and increased high-speed broadband connections around the country. I was shocked while watching, that I had covered a lot of the same points that he did. Though I did not go as in depth as the president did, in my opinion my predictions were right. Surprisingly, cyber security and privacy was one of the first issues that was covered while discussing national security during the address.

When I wrote the blog post a week ago, I had only hoped that the president would further persuade Congress to pass some kind of bill to ensure cyber security, and he did. President Obama has previously addressed the call for cyber security legislation in the 2013 State of the Union Address, but the most recent plea easily outdid any previous cyber mention. “If we don’t act, we’ll leave our nation and our economy vulnerable,” Obama said. “If we do, we can continue to protect the technologies that have unleashed untold opportunities for people around the globe.”

I had predicted President Obama would cover the topics of cyber privacy within the homes of American families, and he did just that. I strongly agreed with one of the statements that President Obama stated regarding the privacy of our children. “No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids," Obama said. Technology has become such a major part of today’s society, and it is sickening to think that anyone could invade our homes and spy on our families and children.

The proposals regarding cyber security include certain measures to facilitate cyber-threat information sharing between the private and public sectors, to protect student data, raise the punishments for cyber-crime, and to create a federal breach notification standard and nationwide cyber defense standards.

I had predicted the infamous Sony Pictures hack would definitely be addressed by the president in this year's State of the Union Address, given that it was the largest proof that America needed cyber security more than ever. North Korean hackers allegedly wiped the film’s studio computers, released internal documents, emails, and made violent threats that almost caused the cancellation of a big-budget comedy release. The incident caused a major uproar and led to a full-scale government investigation. President Obama said, “We are making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism.” I completely agreed with this statement. I think it is time we fight back, and let them know that we cannot be stepped on.

I believe takes the effort of every American when it comes to cyber security. The attention now turns to the American lawmakers to introduce its legislative offerings. “Tonight I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we need to better the evolving threat of cyber-attacks, combat identity theft, and protect our children’s information.”

I predict President Obama’s proposal to enhance cyber security information sharing between the government and the private sector will be his biggest issue. This offering would provide limited liability protections for companies sharing cyber threat indicators with the Department of Homeland Security.

The White House has insisted that it will exchange with a wide-range of lawmakers in both parties to achieve its cyber goals. President Obama reiterated that the administration can’t go at it alone when it comes to cyber security.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOTA 2015 Prediction

Every year the President of the United States is required to give the annual State of the Union Address. People around the world wait anxiously to hear what the most powerful man in the universe will say during the speech. A lot happened in the year of 2014, and people want to know what will change and what will stay for the new year of 2015. President Obama recently stated, “Let’s make this a year of action. That’s what most Americans want.” I predict that the President will do just that with the several topics he plans to speak about in the upcoming address. In the past, the topics of discussion in the State of the Union address has been kept under wraps until the day before or the day of the speech, until this year. It is predicted that President Obama will cover several issues under the topic of certain cybersecurity plans such as, identity theft, improved privacy protection, enhanced cybersecurity for the government and private companies, and increased access to high-speed broadband connections across the country. Cybersecurity became a major issue after a recently released film produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment caused a giant uproar and led to a hack by North Korea on Sony Pictures. The President has tried to persuade Congress for several years to produce a cybersecurity bill. After the attack on Sony, people are now asking questions such as, “When should the federal government step in to fight back against the hackers?,” and “Is America’s own use of cyber weapons a complicating factor?” It is said that President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will travel to several states such as Iowa to focus on increasing access to high-speed broadband across the country. With this recent attack that had the potential of releasing confidential information, I predict that President Obama will address cybersecurity issues in the 2015 State of the Union Address. Another issue that President Obama is said to cover is the ability to raise wages of federal contractors and to create a specific federal job training program led by Vice President Joe Biden. The President plans to create an entirely new program with new directors, staff, name, and computer program. The Office of Management and Budget estimates that this will create at least 5,000 new positions. I predict that this will be another main topic discussed in the 2015 State of the Union Address.