This year, the two teams running for student government will see a change that will impact their approach to campaigning — silent campaigning. “Basically what we’re letting the teams do this year is let them put up 11″ x 17″ posters on the cork boards throughout campus and allow them to put up a website the week before their hard campaigning begins,” said Joseph Watkins, election committee chair and current Student Body President.

Ballroom Dance Festival on campus Utah Valley University’s Department of Dance in the School of the Arts presented its annual Winter Ballroom Dance Festival Feb. 19-21 at the Orem Campus. The competition included dance teams from across the region. All levels and styles were presented with teams coming from elementary schools, high schools, colleges and universities across the state and region.

Tim DeChristopher, an economics student at the University of Utah, gained attention from the press for his bidding on proposed oil drilling properties in Southern Utah in late December. His participation at the auction gained attention because, unlike the oil company representatives in attendance, his intention for bidding on land parcels was the prevention of speculation and development in the land surrounding the Arches and Canyonlands national parks.

Team Engaged Student Body President hopeful, Najibullah Niazi and members of Team Engage say that the $6 million budget student government controls ought to pr ovide the average student with more than just occasional dance parties. They say they want to put UVU on the map by improving the level of student experience and involvement and raising the identity of the campus community to that of a university.

Joseph Watkins, current UVUSA Student Body President, has had many memorable experiences thought the school year. He calls himself “the crazy student government kid out in the halls trying to get everyone involved.” In addition to his position as president, Watkins is a Business Management major who has one more year left till graduation.

After 35 years of service to the school, Dr. J. Karl Worthington, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, is retiring. “Karl is a resource that we will sorely missed on this campus,” Interim President Elizabeth Hitch said. “He may be able to clean his desk, but he will never be able to erase the indelible mark of his positive effects on the college as it has become a university.

The State Board of Regents, Friday selected Dr. Matthew S.
Holland as the 6th president of Utah Valley University (UVU). He is an
associate professor of Political Science at Brigham Young University.
Dr. Holland will assume his duties July 1, 2009. He succeeds President
William Sederburg, who was named Commissioner of Higher Education in
August 2008.

Tuition is likely to increase, according to UVU Director of Budget and Planning Linda Makin in a statutory tuition hearing last Tuesday. UVU is the first higher education institution in Utah to hold the state-required hearing this year. Makin, along with Interim President Elizabeth Hitch, discussed what to expect in terms of tuition costs next year.

Students in Utah Valley University’s Department of Art & Visual Communications know that the first step in getting a great job out of college is paying their dues during an internship. This semester 20 students, whose interests vary from graphic design to photography to painting, are participating in the department’s internship program.

Campus briefs INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS PRESENTATION – Career Services and Student Employment will be holding an upcoming international internship presentation. The event will take place on Feb. 26 from 1:00-2:00 pm in the student center SC 213B. This is an opportunity for students and faculty to learn what international internships are available and how to go about setting them up.