Online Courses

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes

By Andy Brown and Frank Panzer

            The road to graduation is no walk in the park for any student at Bemidji State University. Homework, papers, projects, and tests bring a lot of stress to any college student, but the stress can reach another level for students who take online courses. These students don’t get the classroom and face to- face time as the students who take their classes on campus do. Online courses are extremely helpful for students who have full- time jobs and don’t have the time to attend class while holding a steady job. Online courses allow you to do your homework whenever you have the time. This is by far the greatest advantage.

                                                            Photo By Frank Panzer

There are a lot of different reasons students take online courses. Most of them are because they have to hold a steady job and only have time for class at night. Kari Sarych, who is majoring in special education, said “Online courses have allowed me to work during the day and take classes at night. It seems like I have two full time jobs with school and 8-4 job.” Kari Sarych also said that “it can be easy to forget about your classes because you have to do it on your own time and remember to log in and check out what you have to do for the day.”

            Senior Brian Alexander, majoring in Criminal Justice has taken more online courses than he cares to count.  When asked why he responded, "honestly, because I am lazy and really don't want to leave the convenience of home." 

A "lazy" student enjoying learning in the warmth of his home on a cold Bemidji day.

                                                        Photo by Frank Panzer

He continued by saying "it's really nice if you aren't a huge fan of the professor instructing the course."  Although online classes can be a bit more costly for students, anywhere from 50-200 dollars, this does not deter many students from taking these courses.  For Zack Fulmer, a GIS major, the reason he has never taken an online course is because, "all the classes I need are offered on campus and  I would much rather have that in class experience and face time with my professors." 

            Online courses have its advantages and disadvantages depending on the students needs. Essentially you are getting the same college degree but online students face a uphill battle with no face time with professors.  Senior Computer Science major Bryan Washenberger put it best, "I'll walk in the cold for a few minutes to get what I feel is a better more personal education." So although the debate will continue it is merely a matter of convenience and personal preference.

A Prairie Home Companion Coming to Bemidji

Garrison Keillor Chooses John S. Glas Over Sanford

By John Hanson and John Andringa

January 24, 2011

Bemidji, MN — You may want to stay off the ice on Lake Bemidji on Saturday as busloads of first-time ice fishers come up from the Twin Cities. "A Prairie Home Companion" is sponsoring “Invitation: Ice Fishing In Bemidji.” The trip includes a bus ride up from St. Paul to Bemidji, two nights at the AmericInn Lodge and Suites, a bonfire on the shore of Lake Bemidji, four hours of ice fishing, a walleye dinner, a “Logger’s Breakfast,” and sleigh rides.

On Saturday, Feb. 12, Garrison Keillor and his cast will be broadcasting "A Prairie Home Companion" live at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse. At press time, the "A Prairie Home Companion" marketing director, David O’Neil, had not returned calls and emails as to why the show will be performed at the John S. Glas instead of the larger venue, the Sanford Center. An email from the Bemidji city clerk on behalf of the mayor’s office stated, “Garrison Keillor wanted to have it at the John Glas and worked with BSU on the event. We are hoping at some future date he will have one at the Sanford Center.”

While working with "A Prairie Home Companion" management to set up the venue, Duane Biehn, associate director of campus recreations at the Gillett Recreation-Fitness Center, said, “'A Prairie Home Companion' wanted to keep to the theme of a campus tour so they are performing at the John Glas Fieldhouse.”

Garrison Keillor is a Minnesota born author, storyteller, and radio legend. He has written over a dozen books, but is most well known for his weekly radio broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion", which began in 1974, a variety radio show which includes the monologue “News from Lake Wobegon” about a fictitious town in Minnesota.


Currently, the show is broadcast to more than four million listeners on 590 public radio stations across the United States and internationally. "A Prairie Home Companion" will continue the tour at the University of Minnesota Morris and other cities across America.

Tickets are still available for students for $15 with an ID at the Hobson Memorial Union desk. 

John S. Glas Fieldhouse, the venue for "A Prairie Home Companion" in Bemidji on Feb. 12, 2011. 

Poster for "A Prairie Home Companion" 

Giving the Northern Student an Evaluation

Students want Improvement to the Newspaper


By Raielle Peterson and Jillian Gandsey

Taking a closer look into the Northern Student over the past years has shown not only improvements, but also how times have tremendously changed. Some of the basic layouts, photographs, advertisements and special features have improved but the paper has struggled to maintain its importance to the students.  Editor-in-Chief Elisa Boettcher declared, “We have lost a lot of people wanting to be a part of the newspaper. A lot of people know that print is a dying art.”

                                                                                  

“It's hard to say whether it has gotten more or less popular,” said Kim Powel, staff writer. I think when we have a strong story on the front, more people tend to read it,” said Kim Powell, a staff writer from the newspaper.  The Northern Student is seemingly a reliable and interesting newspaper. However, it may only attract certain crowds toward all that it has to offer.

Comparing the Northern Student’s current newspaper to one from ten years ago, the changes were definitely noticeable. For the most part, the layout of articles, pictures and advertisements were organized in a similar style. They are also still maintaining features such as the general news, sports, weather, a university calendar and a section where student opinions are heard. All of these are generally the same in our current paper but they are slightly enhanced to fit our generation.

Boettcher was asked about the Northern Student’s special features she stated that last year they tried to do “Pieces of the People” and that was more poetry and literary work.  “We struggled with that and I wish we could bring it back,” she said.

When reviewing the older newspapers there were quite a few variations compared to the more recent versions. One obvious difference was that the advertisements took up a greater amount of space a decade ago compared to the current advertisements, which are much smaller but they also use the space given to them more efficiently.

Horoscopes and classifieds are two features that seem to have been forgotten by the Northern Student over the years. Classifieds are still available for student use, but no one seems to be aware that you just need to call in and ask.

Talking to some students in the union shows the paper could use some improvements, mainly in advertising.  Most of the information received back was that the majority of students didn’t know much of anything about the newspaper.  Powell added, “I was just talking to someone yesterday who had no idea where they could get a newspaper. There are bins all over campus, but apparently no one sees them.”

She also said, “I would like to see better advertisement for the Northern Student itself across campus. Our writing is getting stronger, and our layout is improving. We actually have a pretty strong newspaper but unfortunately it goes unread.”

The Northern Student is another component being affected by the bad economy and a not so generous budget.  Besides that, Boettcher said that she would also like to see a little more dedication from the BSU students. 

The Northern Student

   

Seniors, Mara Gilbertson and Kayla Meskan, reading the Northern Student. 

More Than Just A Quiet Place

“Knowledge Promotes More Questions.”
Stuart Rosselet, chair, of the department of the library and library services.

By Cheyenne Horien

Google. It’s a college student’s best friend. No matter the assignment, anything you need to know is just milliseconds away, thanks to the search engine’s increasingly fast key-word based hunts. However, with faster speed comes new problems. Reliability becomes an issue. Multiple sources become an issue. Advertisements become an issue. While the benefits of using the Internet as a resource may at first glance seem to be the more convenient option, are there benefits offered at our campus library that outweigh the Internet?

Perhaps.

One such benefit comes from the staff, who are there for “helping people sift through information,” according to Stuart Rosselet, the Chair of the Department of the Library and Library Services. Linda Sutherland, Government Publications and Processing Technician, agrees, adding, “The librarians’ main focus is on providing reference services to our students, either individually or in groups. They (librarians) have years of experience in this capacity.” And having a trained helping hand is just one of the features that will cut down your search time.

Sitting in the heart of campus, the A.C Clark Library offers a location where students can find peace and quiet, away from all the distractions a dorm room can have. “People like the space,” said Rosselet. “They like the convenience of where we’re located.” Besides study space, the library offers one of the most-used computer labs on campus. Rosselet added that since the library was supplied with brand new computers this past summer, there has recently been an increase in students' use of the library.

One of the most important benefits the library offers that the Internet does not, according to Sutherland, is “one-on-one research instruction, whether it involves printed material, microforms or on-line materials.” The hands-on, face-to-face approach is something that the Internet just cannot compete with.

If you’re still not convinced that the library is more convenient than search engines, simply sign onto the library’s homepage and begin your search using the online catalogs, research guides, online resources and more. As of Jan. 3, 2011, the library’s new Web site is available. According to the Web site, it has been redesigned with the hopes “that the new design will allow you to more quickly locate and access the resources you’ve grown accustomed to using." The library extends to more than just its physical location, allowing users to browse through a multitude of other universities libraries' online resources as well.

Besides having 14, 461 items checked out over the 2008-2009 school year, the library sees approximately 577 people in and out of it’s doors a day during the academic year. A busy campus staple, the A.C. Clark Library is available to help you on your educational journey. As Rosselet put it, “Knowledge promotes more questions.”


The A.C. Clark Library, located in the heart of campus.

      

The Reference Desk, home to faculty willing to help narrow your search.

Click here for a look at the library's new Web site: http://www.bemidjistate.edu/library/

Sanford Center: Where the Money Came From

The Implications Involving Bold Investment and How it will Impact Bemidji

By Brandon Miles

 The Sanford Center is a multi-million-dollar project designed to seat 4,000 people in the arena bowl for hockey and up to 6,000 people for concerts and shows. According to the Bemidji Regional Event Center web site, the budget for the event center is just over $75 million. This is a large investment and there are residents who do not support the construction of the Sanford Center. Bemidji resident Eleanor Davis is very pessimistic towards the idea of the Sanford Center improving the city. "The BREC will only bring in outsiders that will make money off our city instead of bring money to the city. It just doesn't seem economically viable." This implication conveys questions on what the true goal of the Sanford Center is. Will the center improve Bemidji or bring it crashing down? There is also conjecture among BSU athletes that the Sanford Center will contribute to improvements to the athletic facilities. Derek Edholm, quarterback of the BSU football team has been informed that the Beaver Pride has aspirations to upgrade the old hockey arena to a new indoor facility that will support the soccer and football team. "Since the hockey teams have moved to the Sanford Center it opens room to create an indoor field where the hockey teams used to play." It seems that there will be an impact but the big question is will it have enough of an impact for how much money was invested.

 According to Sanford Center manager Bob LeBarron, the city of Bemidji secured three legislative sessions that created a partnership between City of Bemidji, the State of Minnesota, and Bemidji State University with intentions to bring the Sanford Center to Bemidji. In these legislative sessions each partner sent representatives to meet with city council on how to proceed with project in the most efficient way possible. These meetings also enabled the city to secure funds that supported the construction of the Sanford Center. According Bemidji Regional Events Center website, the money that funded the construction of the Sanford Center is composed of sales tax revenue bonds ($42,000,00), state bonds ($20,000,000), state planning funds ($3,000,000), TIF bonds ($5,037,853), and land sales ($4,136,00). Once these sources were specified, the budget for the Sanford Center peaked to $74,173,853. The last $1.2 million was established through a grant from D.E.E.D. (Department of Employment and Economic Development). The initial cost of constructing the Sanford Center was $64,753,045 but there were additional corrections and site improvements that forced another $10 million in improvements.

Since the construction of the Sanford Center, the city assigned the operations contract to VenuWorks. This contract enables VenuWorks to provide facility management, day-to-day operations, and marketing for the Sanford Center. The management fee is $9,000 a month with increases up to 3% every three months. There is also an advisory board assigned by the city council that frequently meets with VenuWorks advisors to ensure both organizations are in agreement. The representatives for the city are Mike Miller who is a specialist in building inspection and Craig Gray who is an engineer. The two representatives meet with Bob LeBarron on a monthly base.

With the Sanford Center built and running, there have been positive impacts on the city. According to Athletic Director Richard Goeb, "Now that BSU hockey's future is secured it will continually contribute an estimated $4.1 million to the local economy." On January 29th, the Sanford Center hosted a premiere concert starring Blake Shelton and the concert sold out. This concert brought people to Bemidji from all over the state in which they spent money on food, alcohol, clothes, and taxi cab rides which ultimately contributes to the city's economy. Bob Evaretz of Bemidji taxi stated, "During the weekend of the concert I recorded all time records on cab rides and tips made for the year even passing up new years." It appears that the cab drivers are not the only organization benefiting from the Sanford Center. Zach Wold, who is a Bartender at Toasty Beavers, also broke his record in tips for the year passing $1000 for weekend. As the re-development of the south shore continues, it will create new jobs and more attractions which will lure outside residents into Bemidji creating a positive economical impact. If the encouraging trend continues, the City of Bemidji will get what they paid for and that is jobs and more money.  This project has been perceived to be risky, but if all goes well, the Sanford Center will have a positive impact on the economy and the residents of Bemidji.

Saturday January 29th, Blake Shelton and fiance Miranda Lambert perform a duet in the Sanford Center



Bemidji residents enjoy the concert hosted at Sanford Center



           



Two friends look forward to running the Paul Bunyan Trail

It’s not a race, it’s a journey

By Alexandria Leister

            Breathing hard perseverance keeps you going down that road, never stopping until the end. Come winter, spring, summer or fall there are many reasons why someone might be running. It could be for a sporting event, exercise or in high school PE. Derrek Matson and Jeff Sands are two friends who love to run with the goal in mind of running the Paul Bunyan Trail.

The two friends have been running together since they were in high school and try to do it on a daily basis. During the last two years alone, they have competed in six races together. However, they have wanted to run the Paul Bunyan trail since October 2010. But why would you want to run 110 miles and how do you prepare yourself for such on long journey on foot?

            Matson has enjoyed running since he participated in cross-country skiing and running, track, biathlon and triathlon in high school. “Because I can,” says Matson on why he likes to run. Jeff was in cross-country running and track in high school as well. He mainly did sprinting but after doing a long-distance run, he realized he loved running farther distances. For both of them, it’s a great social bonding time. Sands said “Running with other people is what keeps us coming back.”

            According to many runners, running is as much physical as well as mental, so how does one prepare for a run or a race?  Sand says it’s all about baby steps and starting from square one. You have to build yourself up to it and get acclimated. But you have to keep a positive attitude, because a negative one will just bring you down. Matson tries to always compete against his personal best. He just tells himself no matter what, he’s going to finish. Eating right is a big part in staying top physical shape. You may think that you can eat just like you have been, but according to an online article from Runner’s World. “To run your best, you need to eat differently than the rest of the population…on top of eating more calories as your training intensifies, the ratio of carbohydrates to fats to proteins in your diet needs to change as well.” Matson and Sands also have an article on their blog site at www.minnesotarunners.blogspot.com  that is about the post-workout fuel you need to help those of you interested in running.

            They have completed many races and runs since they started running in high school. Sand’s biggest accomplishment is doing the Walker North Country Marathon in September of 2007. It was 26.2 miles and he finished in 4 hours and 12 minutes. Matson’s was his high school triathlon his senior year in 2004. It consisted of a one mile swim, 50 mi bike ride and a 10 mile run. He finished that in five and half hours, not only winning but setting the record as well.

            So if you have been debating on running or not “Just run,” Matson says. Sands added by saying “Any little bit of time you do run does add up.” These two friends hope to run, what is going to be their biggest accomplishment yet the Paul Bunyan Trail early this fall. They have trained their bodies for years, now it’s just the matter of having the time in their busy life to mark this off their bucket list. If they do not do it this fall they will just keep on running and one day accomplish their goal. 

Matson on left and Sands on right, picutred with their medal from the Walker North Country Marathon

Sands on right and Matson on right pose for a dramatic picture

Closing time changed

It’s official: restaurant and bar owners can stay open until 2 a.m.

By Kara Smyth and Nicole Solum

If students want to stay out until 2 a.m. at a bar they’re going to have to go to the bars that apply for the license. Since January 24^th, 2011, restaurant and bar owners have been able to apply for a license to be able to stay open until 2 a.m.  Not all establishments will be open until 2 a.m. because it is their individual choice to do so. 

In 2003, the Minnesota legislature changed the law to allow bars to close as late as 2 a.m. instead of 1 a.m. Each city then had to determine if they wanted the closing times to revert to the original 1 a.m. closing time. The City of Bemidji decided to do just that. Beltrami County never changed, they have always been at 2 a.m. The issue was raised again in 2010 when Zorbaz, a pizza restaurant, wanted to open up on the south shore of Bemidji.  However, their business plan required a 2 a.m. closing time.  In an interview, Kevin Waldhausen, city commissioner, brought up the fact that “for Bemidji to become a competitive regional hub of Minnesota, much like Duluth . . ., this needs to happen.”

Even though this topic has been decided, people in the community are still feeling despondent.   Kay Murphy, Bemidji’s city clerk, expressed her feelings: “This topic has been overdone and needs to be dropped.” She also feels that the additional expenses would outweigh any profits made.  Waldhausen feels that many city commissioners based their decision about this topic on personal opinions and not facts.  “Government should never dictate morality,” said Waldhausen. “This has been changed into a moral issue, and it’s hard to change the minds of those who are set in old-time ways.” 

As for bar and restaurant owners, their feelings are across the board.  Steve Carter, owner of Corner Bar, will be applying for the license.  “It’s weird to have people making decisions who know nothing about running a business,” said Carter.  Carter sees the positives and negatives about this situation and is ready to accept them. 

On the opposing side, Keg n’ Cork will not be applying for the license to stay open until 2 a.m.  Manager Lou Davis feels that the extra costs will outweigh the revenue.  “If the situation arises where I have to have the license to stay in business then I might apply for it,” said Davis.  Some of the relevant extra costs if opened until 2 a.m. would include staff, heat, lights, higher insurance rates, and the actual cost of the license. 

One bar that’s waiting for others to act first is Toasty Beaver’s (sic). “Were not going against the grain and be the only one who is open until 2 a.m.,” said Manager Chris Hunt.   He also feels that “downtown Bemidji needs to make this decision together.” According to the law, however, it’s up to each bar individually to decide if they want to apply for the license and when.   

One concern of Toasty Beaver’s and the Corner Bar is that customers may simply come out one hour later than they normally would. That would not create more time spent at the bar and would not increase revenue.  In an informal survey of 55 BSU students, many stated that they would continue going to the bars at the same time as they did when they closed at 1 a.m.  Also in the survey, many students said that they feel one negative to the situation is that more people will be drunk.  They feel that a positive outcome from the situation was that it allows for more time to hang out at the bars. 

Since this ordinance is already approved by the city council, those bars that want to stay open until 2 a.m. must apply for the license, which can be found on the city’s Web site.  Once a restaurant and/or bar applies for the license, the State of Minnesota would need to approve the application and then the venue would have the legal right to stay open until 2 a.m. 

The front entrance to Toasty Beaver’s Bar and Grill is located at 114 3^rd St NW in downtown Bemidji.
Photo/Kara Smyth 



Corner Bar is located in the Nymore area near The Sanford Center.
Photo/Kara Smyth   




The Keg n’ Cork is located in downtown Bemidji.
Photo/Kara Smyth