Jenna Jensen and Lindsay Kalvig
Staff Reporters

Are you enjoying the full college experience? This year 358 students have taken advantage of NIACC's on-campus housing.

Last spring, NIACC's res-idential numbers were slightly lower. However, this fall NIACC accommodates over 105 additional residents.

According to Dr. Karen Pierson, vice-president for Student Services, there are two major reasons for the increase in dorm residents.

"Last year we paid a lot of attention to 'quality of life'," Pierson said. "We tried to build our reputation by paying attention to (things like) cleanliness and food service."

According to Pierson, coaches were also encouraged to persuade their athletes to live on campus.

"It's easier, more convenient and builds comradery amongst team-mates," Pierson said. Currently there is not a waiting list but there are five females and over 15 males waiting for a single room.

Pierson also said that the goal is not to fill the dorms to full capacity, but to satisfy the customers (the students). This is being done by offering the choice of either a single or a double room.

To accommodate the higher numbers, the housing department has chosen to design each floor with single occupancy rooms on one side and double occupancy rooms on the opposite.

The dorms are filled with 225 double rooms and 81 single rooms.

Catherine Fields, director of NIACC student housing, explained that there are three important steps to take when looking into the possibilities of student housing.

"First, I would suggest coming for a tour of the building and see what it's all about. Second, apply early. Single rooms and specific room and floor assignments are given to returning sophomores as priority, so the earlier the applications for new residents are received, the better chance for room and floor preference (by mid-spring). Third, come prepared. Not only does this mean in terms of room furnishing needs but also in expectations. Living on campus may be living without parent rules but it is not total freedom from personal responsibility or common respect," Fields said. "In a community living environment, residents have to expect that living amongst a diverse group of people is not always easy, so they must be flexible and open-minded, as well as courteous to all residents who need space and privacy."

Living on campus has many advantages, according to Fields. It is a great way to get involved, meet new people, be a part of college activities and not have to pay extra bills.

For further information on student housing contact Catherine Fields via email at fieldcat@niacc.edu or by phone at 1-888-GO-NIACC ext. 4986.

Lindsay Kalvig
Editor

An article published in the Globe Gazette on Saturday, September 13 described an altercation at Clear Lake's Lu's Lounge as having reportedly "involved groups of NIACC football and baseball players."

This article, according to NIACC administration and local law enforcement, may have created a misleading picture as to what actually took place.

"There is no animosity between the two teams," NIACC Athletic Director Ryan McGuire said of the incident. "I woke up Saturday morning and was surprised to see it portrayed that way." The Clear Lake Police Department was called to the scene at approximately 1:25 a.m. on Friday morning. The crowd qui-ckly dispersed and the Mason City Police Department was called shortly after to assist in the peace keeping at the NIACC dorms.

According to Dr. Karen Pierson, vice-president of Student Services, the police department was called to the dorms as a standard precautionary measure due to the large numbers of students returning to the dorms and the lack of full-time security present at the time. There were no fights at the dorms, but just mass confusion due to many students being pepper sprayed by the Clear Lake police force at Lu's.

Following the incident, investigations were made regarding the altercation at Lu's.

McGuire said that both coaches brought the two teams together for a meeting to get to the bottom of the situation.

"There's no problem (between football and baseball)," McGuire said. "If anything, it may be good for us in the long run. I think it has brought our teams closer together."

According to McGuire, there was no doubt that there were NIACC students, and more specifically student athletes from all sports, that were present that night. The question was whether or not they were directly involved in the dispute.

The next obvious question to address was who really was involved in the altercation. According to Dan Fitzgerald, NIACC housing head resident, there were non-athlete NIACC students involved in some regard. Pierson agreed.

"We've never denied that players were there," Pierson said. "(But) we have not found that any one of the players was in a fight."

Many wondered whe-ther or not the incident the previous Tuesday night following the "Welcome Back" dance or the altercation at Lu's the following week were connected to the occurrence on September 11.

According to Pierson, there may have been some link between the two, but all investigations have pointed to non-NIACC students that provoked each incident.

"There is absolutely nothing to the 'rivalry' between football and baseball," Pierson said. Whether or not NIACC athletes were directly involved, they are all paying a price. All fall athletes were told by administration and coaches not to return to Lu's.

NIACC athletes rep-resent more than just themselves; they represent the entire school according to Pierson.

Pierson also commented on the repercussions of the "Lu's incident."

"There have been no rules previously. We don't try to control their (the athletes) lives," Pierson said. "(But) we have told them not to go back."

The underlying factor beneath all of the allegations was the fact that no charges or arrests were made although there were reports of injuries and property damage having occurred. "If it had involved an arrest or charge we would have come down hard on (the athletes involved)," Mc-Guire said. "They would have been benched or removed from the team completely."

But there were no charges or arrests made.

"We didn't have the manpower at first to make the arrests," Clear Lake Police Chief Dan Jackson said. "The officers (on duty) noticed a mass confusion and people running out of the bar because of a disturbance inside. We were just con-cerned with keeping the two groups (he estimated be-tween 30 and 40 people per group) separated so that nobody got hurt."

Jackson also said that although there was damage inside the bar and to vehicles outside, their main interest was in controlling the situation.

The Globe Gazette indicated in the article that Grant Maulsby, the owner of Lu's, said that Lu's would have a police officer that would be stationed at the front door from now on. According to Chief Jackson, this is not true.

"We will have extra patrol in that area on Thursday nights, but we are not going to be bouncers," Jackson said. All things set aside, Lu's Lounge will continue to hold "College Night" on Thurs-day nights, college students, NIACC included, will con-tinue to attend, but NIACC football and baseball players will be wary of stepping foot inside the establishment for some time.

Lindsay Kalvig
Editor

North Iowa Area Community College will kick off its annual Homecoming celebrations the week of October 6-11. Many activities and events are scheduled to take place throughout the week.

Student Senate will be providing many different opportunities for entertainment, beginning Monday and finishing out the week with the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen on Saturday, October 11 at the football game.

• On Monday, Chris "Boom Boom" Johnson brings to NIACC his hilarious, witty comedy routine, to be enjoyed by all, in the Activity Center at noon.
  
  
• Tuesday brings both men's and women's soccer competitions against Iowa Central beginning at 1 p.m. with the men's team.
  
  Throughout the day, "Wax Hands" will be available in the Activity Center and is free to all. This activity allows anyone willing to participate, the opportunity to make colorful wax hand creations with molds of their own hands.
  
  
• Wednesday offers the exciting performance of Frederick Winters, a hypnotist who is known for the intense shock value and comedy he brings to his audience. Later in the evening, the Trojan volleyball team hosts Iowa Lakes at 7 p.m.
  
  
• To cap the week, the Trojan football team will host Rock Valley, Illinois at 2 p.m. and the crowning of the 2003 Homecoming King and Queen will be held during half time.

All events are free with a NIACC student ID.

Initial reports show a 10 percent increase in enrollment in credit programs at North Iowa Area Community College this fall. As of the first day of classes, NIACC students totaled 2,770, which means 245 more students were enrolled than last fall on the first day of classes.

"That's incredible," Dr. Michael Morrison, NIACC president, said. "It shows that more and more people are taking advantage of the low-cost, high-quality education and college experience that NIACC offers."

Students are still enrolling in evening and distance education classes and an official count won't be available until two weeks into the fall semester.

Morrison describes enrollment as a moving target. "Besides the traditional 16-week face-to-face classes on the NIACC campus, we have classes in communities throughout the district, open entry/open exit classes, 8-week classes, classes in partnership with high schools and the hospital, classes over the Iowa Communications Network and classes online," he said.