C the samford
rimson
to inform the mind, to voice the unheard
Samford University
February 9, 2000
84th year, 13th issue
WORLD
HOSTAGE NEGOTIA¬
TIONS BEING CON¬
DUCTED IN LONDON
■Negotiations were held
Monday in an effort to free
150 people being held
hostage.
The hostages were taken
when Afghanis hijacked a
plane in order to effect the
release Ismail Khan, a former
regional governor who was a
member of Afghanistan's
opposition alliance.
He has been incarcerated
since 1997 by Afghanistan’s
government. The opposition
alliance only rules 10 percent
of the nation.
The Essex police held
Poll
_ _
FEDERAL AUTHORI¬
TIES INITIATE $23 MIL¬
LION DRUG BUST ,
■A long-term investiga-.'
tion came to an end in Florida
last Monday.
Authorities have been
investigating Haitian drug
trafficking along the Miami
River and began seizing
cocaine two weeks ago.
They have now collected
nearly 3,000 pounds of
cocaine as a result of this
investigation.
Federal authorities investi¬
gated nine ships in this effort
and found cocaine in four of
these ships.
One ship had approximate¬
ly 1,000 pounds of cocaine
hidden in the hold.
The cocaine recovered in-
this investigation has a street
value of over $23 million.
STATE
GOLD KIST UNDER
FIRE FOR TAINTED
MEAT
■Gold Kist, Inc. formally
denied reports that its products
are unsafe last week.
The allegedly tainted
—
ed a
... . for the
distribution of the meat.
After the story came out
last Sunday, the company for¬
mally denied claims that the
meat had caused illness.
This situation came to light
after federal inspectors moved
responsibility for checking the
meat for diseases not linked to
human health issues onto the
shoulders of the corporation.
This inspection had previously
been performed by the govern¬
ment.
Ticket sales cause problems
Internet delays, raised ticket prices frustrate students
by Lena Godwin
Staff Writer
Complaints flooded Samford’s
phone lines last week after Step
Sing ticket sales caused many
frustrations.
Step Sing participants gathered
around computers on Sat., Jan. 29
at 9 a.m. with their organization's
password in hand to be the first to
buy their Step Sing tickets.
However, due to the massive
amount of Internet traffic, many
participants were unable to
receive tickets until later that
morning.
“I was very frustrated because I
spent an hour just trying to get
through to TicketMaster and
ended up wasting my Saturday.
“I think they should have stuck
with the old system until they fig¬
ured out the new system,” junior
Matt Lodes said.
The new system, however, was
not just a choice but the only
option for ticket sales this year.
About one month ago,
TicketMaster bought out
TicketLink, the company which
used to handle Step Sing orders.
Because TicketMaster con¬
ducts large ticket sales online,
they would not agree to conduct
ticket sales in Bashinsky
Fieldhouse as before.
Therefore, the Step Sing com¬
mittee had no other choice but to
use TicketMaster, accepting their
stipulations, which include a ser¬
vice charge per ticket as well as an
overall service fee.
In addition to these fees,
TicketMaster also raised the
prices for Step Sing tickets online.
“Ticket prices were not raised
in any way by Samford. They
remain, as always, $8 and $ 1 2 just
as they have been in the past.
“ However, due to a glitch in
the TicketMaster system, partici¬
pants were charged more on
Saturday , for their tickets. It is
already in the works to credit
those students’ credit cards with
the difference,” Step Sing Director
Mary Michael Garver said.
Although the new ticketing
process has had several problems,
many students enjoyed staying in
the comfort of their own rooms to
order tickets.
“I think ticket sales were a big
success because everyone got the
tickets they wanted. It was frus-
%ating at times, but it was much
better than standing in line for
three hours,” senior Beth Godsey
said.
“It was much more convenient
to buy tickets online than trudging
down to the Fieldhouse.
“Next year, though, I think they
should give each individual a
password, so they can track each
individual’s ticket order. It would
solve a lot of confusion," sopho¬
more Ginger McCarthy said.
Currently, the Step Sing com¬
mittee is working to solve the con¬
fusion of this year’s ticket sales,
devising a more convenient ticket¬
ing system for Step Sing 2001. ■
SU helps Russian orphans
by Cheryl Janes
Staff Writer • .
"I will not leave you as
orphans. I will come to you," said
Jesus Christ, thousands of years
ago.
This summer, several Samford
University students will follow the
example of Christ and go to
Russian orphans in need of spiri¬
tual nurturing.
From June 21 to July II,
Samford students, as well as some
area church members will travel to
Vladimir, Russia to volunteer at a
summer camp for orphans.
Prior to arriving at the camp,
the students will attend several
days of orientation in Moscow.
After the camp, students will
attend a debriefing in the Russian
capital.
Not only will this special group
of people help to lead sports,
drama and craft activities, but they
will also become spiritual mentors
to nearly 100 orphans, ranging in
age from six to nine.
The number of orphans in
Russia has tripled throughout the
1990s, because of the collapse of
the country’s economy and social
safety net.
Many of these orphans are chil¬
dren of alcoholics, prostitutes, or
criminals.
By spending time with these
children, volunteers from Samford
and other Birmingham churches
hope to be able to show the
Russian orphans the phenomenal
love God has for all His children.
Many of these children have
never known the love of God.
If they know any religion, it
would be that of Eastern
Orthodox.
In showing God’s love to oth¬
ers, this group of Samford volun¬
teers could end up changed spiri¬
tually, as well.
"This experience will be as life
changing for us to go as it will be
for the orphans that we reach,”
said Sharyl Corrado, who spent
three years in Russia in student
ministry.
Dr. Mark Elliott, director of
Samford’s Global Center and a
specialist in Russian church histo¬
ry, and Ms. Corrado will accom¬
pany this group.
In the past 25 years. Dr. Elliott
has made over 20 trips to Russia.
In order to be considered for
this opportunity, participants must
have a valid US passport, acquire
a VISA, and fill out an applica¬
tion, .which can be found in the
Global Center.
In addition, a release of liabili¬
ty must be signed and students
must have three recommendations
from a pastor, friend, and profes¬
sor.
The trip will cost $2,600.
which includes all expenses from
Birmingham.
All of this money, however,
will not have to come out of stu¬
dent’s pockets.
The Global Center hopes to
raise money from local churches.
Some donations have already
been received.
Samford’s Global Center,
together with the Children's
HopeChest, sponsors the camp.
The HopeChest, which origi¬
nated six years ago, was formed to
deliver practical help and Godly
hope to Russian orphans in need.
For more information on the
HopeChest, call 1-800-648-9575.
or e-mail 10271 l.3135@com-
puserve.com.
Twelve students have already
committed themselves to travel to
Russia.
The Global Center can take up
to 25 people.
For more information about
this opportunity, visit
http://www.gospelcom.net/chc/,
or call the Global Center at 2170.
Volunteer for convo credit
by Christy Roberts
Staff Writer
If you are wondering about ful¬
filling the required convo credits
and doing some good for the com¬
munity, then maybe Samford’s
Service Learning is for you.
Students can acquire convo
credit by completing community
service projects, but many stu¬
dents are used to the name
Community Service.
Samford changed the name
because, as Director of Service
Learning Jennifer Dunn said, “We
want this time to be a learning
experience.”
Another new aspect of Service
Learning is the opportunity to earn
convo credit through a life-chang¬
ing experience.
Students can now earn 12 hours
of convo credit by spending the
night among the homeless at the
Old Firehouse Station shelter.
To be part of Service Learning,
students must attend an orienta¬
tion session. -
At the orienta¬
tion session, stu¬
dents will
receive a con¬
tract which must
be signed before
receiving convo
credit.
At the orienta¬
tion sessions,
students will be
allowed to chose
the agency they
want to serve.
There are over
60 agencies list- —
ed with Samford
Learning.
A wide variety of choices are
Agency choices include:
Alabama Council on
Child Abuse, the
American Cancer Society,
Big Brothers/Big Sisters,'
Birmingham AIDS
Outreach, Birmingham
Civil Rights Museum, the
Birmingham Zoo,
Children’s Hospital, -
Habitat for Humanity, the
Me Wane Center,' and the
Salvation Army among
others.
Service
offered to meet the interests of
diverse students.
Students may also choose an
agency not listed by Service
Learning after
clearing this
agency with the
Samford
Volunteer
Coordinator.
Students are
required to spend
a minimum of
eight hours vol¬
unteering.
This minimum
hour requirement
is in place
because students
are “making a
- - commitment to
an agency, not just to Samford,"
said Dunn.
Students wi
convo credit for every hour spent
volunteering.
Time cards from each agency at
which the student serves must be
turned in by the sixth of the next
month.
The duties vary from agency to
agency. •
Besides attending the orienta¬
tion session, students must attend
a reflection session at the end of
the semester.
There will be a selection of
dates during which students will
gather in small groups and discuss
what they learned from their vol¬
unteering experiences.
For more information, students
may contact Jennifer Dunn at the
Service Learning Office. ■
ill receive, one hour , .......
SamforcHJniversity Library
