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Victims and heroes: Fire at Tiffany Place leaves students’ homes in ruins Jason Palmer | Staff Reporter Three MSU students watched helplessly as a fire swept toward their apartment at Tiffany Place last Friday morning. The three-alarm blaze was sparked by a short circuit in the attic and reported to 911 at 2:25 a.m. according to Assistant Fire Marshal Antoinette Hastings. No serious injuries were reported. Firefighters controlled the flames within two hours but not before the apartment belonging to students Jessica Hoffmeister, Beth Kafel and Natalie Young was destroyed. The students could not be reached for comment by deadline for The Wichitan, Wichitan but Director of Housing and Residence Life Danny Reddick toured the damage hours after the flames were doused and said the scene “was pretty shocking.”

“It was just a mess,” Reddick said. “The living room was the worst part.”
Hastings estimated the damage to the entire unit at about $1 million.
Tiles, insulation and water damaged virtually all of the girls' possessions from their closets to their desks.
“They turned their T.V. over and water just poured out of it,” Reddick said.
There are varying reports of just how much of their clothes and shoes from the heavily damaged closets could be saved. Textbooks and other school-related items “were a total loss” according to Reddick.
The two-bedroom apartment was set up for four girls to share the space as part of the overflow program Reddick put in place to house students while Killingsworth Hall is renovated.
“My first thought was ‘How can I fix this',” Reddick said. “What can we do to compensate these girls?"
“I wanted to get these girls as close to normal as fast as possible.”
Reddick said the parents of Kafel and Hoffmeister, both from Austin , were “very appreciative and very impressed” with the measures he and the school were taking for their daughters.
Reddick said he was “lucky” to have a fully furnished apartment less than 100 yards from the burned-out building for the girls by Friday evening.
Reddick was prepared to do much more to put a roof over the girls.
“Had another (MSU contracted) apartment not been available, I would have rented one and furnished it for them,” Reddick said. “Or I would have paid for a hotel room.”
The housing department was not the only charitable group on campus.
Dean of Students Dail Neely orchestrated the purchase of new textbooks at manufacturers cost from the bookstore through several financial aid scholarships.
Neely also purchased backpacks, school supplies and MSU apparel for the girls.
Theatre professor Elizabeth Lewandowski said she raised $400 for the girls from her book club.
Reddick said the outpouring of support started Friday morning as the Red Cross swarmed the scene to aid in any way possible.
“It was my first experience with the Red Cross,” Reddick said. “And I was amazed.”
The Red Cross served breakfast and lunch in one of the clubhouses nearest to the gutted building and provided for the immediate needs of the fire victims, which included items like linens, blankets and sundries.
Reddick plans to campaign for more support and donations from the girls' fellow students at MSU.
If you would like to donate shoes sized 7 1/2 (all three wear the same size) or clothes sizes 4 and 7-8, bring them to the Office of Housing. Reddick said he will try to get a box set up as quickly as possible.

 

Henry Moon lawsuit still up in the air
Matt Terrell | Editor-in-Chief

A federal judge made no decision in a Monday hearing on MSU's request to dismiss Dr. Henry Moon's lawsuit against the university.
Judge Jerry Buchmeyer listened to arguments from MSU counsel, Texas Assistant Attorney General James Todd and Moon's attorney, Nathan Schattman, over the lawsuit Moon slapped on the university on Oct. 28, 2002.
Buchmeyer offered no clue to when a verdict will be delivered, but showed concern that a lengthy trial could ensue.
Todd predicted a trial length of several months if the case is not dismissed.
Schattman predicted a leaner trial length of one-and-a-half weeks.
The lawsuit charges MSU, along with the Board of Regents, four individual members of the Board, MSU President Dr. Jesse Rogers and Vice President of University Advancement Dr. Howard Farrell for conspiracy in removing Moon from MSU.
The arguments Monday revolved around whether Moon, who was fired as MSU president in 2002, was unjustly denied tenure.
Tenure is an assurance to professors that he or she cannot be fired except for extreme circumstances. Tenure was established to protect faculty members from being fired based on their opinions. It's a benefit for faculty members and not administration.
Moon claims that tenure was guaranteed when he was hired on May 12, 2000. Usually, tenure is earned through teaching, professional development, research and university service.
In his remarks, Todd argued that Moon's suit should be dismissed because he never set foot in a classroom, and two years of teaching is a necessary stipulation to receiving tenure. Moon had previously earned tenure through teaching at the University of Toledo in Ohio.
Todd also argued that Moon was never deprived of his rights while placed on administrative leave for one year, and he refused to file a grievance procedure. Schattman argued that Moon did not file a grievance because the MSU Board of Regents would not give him due process.
Schattman's basis for continuing the trial is that MSU's tenure rules allow for exceptions and deviations. In Moon's case, the waiver process was ignored. Because of his tenure denial, his attorney argues that Moon suffered damages of up to $70,000.
Schattman also argued that the MSU administration benefited from Moon's removal. Rogers received a promotion and pay raise after Moon's firing.

 

Senate aims to mend advising shortcomings
PAIGE DICKERSON | News Editor

Student Senate tabled a resolution for updating the training of faculty advisors during their Tuesday meeting.
The bill was introduced by Senior Class Representative Michael Penny to help mend the problems with advising that has led to late graduation, financial and emotional hurt as a result of some advisors who are not properly equipped.
One senator voiced support for the bill because of her personal experience with incorrect advisement. Another discussed the current situation where students become responsible for their degree plan.
“Sometimes the burden of what classes to take all falls on the students. The advisor is there to guide but the students are ultimately responsible,” said Ed Blankenship, vice-president of the SGA.
Dail Neeley, dean of students, informed the Senate that both the Academic Council and the Retention Committee are in the process of revising the policy with advisors.
“They would ultimately like to see an advisement center, where it wouldn't matter whether you are a student athlete or in any other program there would be trained advisors to help,” President of SGA Nyian Farrell said. “Right now we just want to see all the advisors trained.”
The Senate was also presented with the possibility of a change in the Student Update. Because of lack of student response, the Senate is looking for new possibilities.
Alan McStravick, chair of the Campus Cultural Committee, informed the Senate that the Tribe was now a student organization. All students are welcome to join at the next meeting Thursday at 4 p.m. in Shawnee Theater.
The Senate took nominations for Outstanding Student Banquet, and announced Student government officer and class senator registration is March 8-12.

 

Student saves lives in apartment blaze JASON PALMER | Staff Reporter If it were not for the quick thinking of one MSU student, lives may have been lost during last Friday's fire at Tiffany Place apartments. Andre Smoot, a 21-year old Phi Sigma Kappa, said he saw the flames burning through the roof and immediately thought of alerting the residents. “I wanted to make sure everyone was okay,” Smoot said. He and a fraternity brother quickly decided to knock on doors and windows to alert the residents while another friend would take a head count. One-by-one Smoot banged on doors and warned residents of the situation. “I was kinda scared that nobody would open their door,” Smoot said. “It took about 10-15 seconds for the first guy to answer.” Smoot went to the apartment below where he saw the flames burning through the roof.

Later, the same man came up to him while the firefighters battled the flames and personally extended a “thank-you.”
The last residents he warned was Kofel and Hoffmeister
“The hallway to their door was filled with smoke,” Smoot said. “I was having trouble breathing.”
It wasn't until after the firefighters arrived that Smoot began to reflect on exactly what just took place.
He heard one of his fraternity brothers use the word “Hero” to describe his actions.
“When I think of that word, I think of someone that saves the day or is a good role model,” Smoot said.
Dictionary.com defines hero as “ a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.”
Nevertheless, Smoot has heard his name and “hero” mentioned in the same breath ever since Friday morning.
“Recognition has happened a lot,” Smoot said. “A lot of the sorority girls have come up and said things.”
After the ordeal Friday, Smoot returned to his dorm room in Pierce Hall about 5 a.m. but did not get much rest.
When it came time to wake up for class, Smoot said he “thought it was a dream” until the sick feeling of smoke inhalation racked his lungs.
“I called my professor and told them I wouldn't be in class,” Smoot said. “They didn't have a problem with it after I told them what happened.”
Smoot rejected the advice from his professor to see a doctor about the constant coughing and was still fighting the effects Monday afternoon.
Despite a weekend of feeling sick, there was no question in his mind if he would repeat his actions if given the chance.
“Would I do it again,” Smoot said. “Yeah, no question.”

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