The University of Idaho Argonaut

Kate Kucharzyk/Argonaut
Nurse Dannielle Biddiscombe draws blood from Katie Robertson, a University of Idaho sophomore, during the American Red Cross Blood Drive in the Idaho Commons Wednesday afternoon.

The Cougars might bleed crimson, but the Vandals were victorious after the three-day blood drive battle.

“Every day they (University of Idaho) just blew it out of the water,” said Karen Parvin, the American Red Cross donor recruitment representative. “It was unbelievable.”

Amrah Canul/Argonaut
Fire destroyed 1,650 acres in Whitman County along I-95, five miles south of Pullman.  No injuries or structures were destroyed in the 19-hour period.

 

Pullman residents can relax after a fire that started five miles south of the city last Thursday, at 1 p.m. and burned through 1650 acres across Whitman County.  
Lester Erwin, Whitman County District 12 fire chief, said firefighters for 19 hours worked to keep the fast-moving fire at bay. He said firefighters put out the fire around 6 p.m. but stayed until 8 a.m. Friday to stop it from starting again.

Katherine Brown/Argonaut
Nisha Singh, left, a senior in conservation social sciences, shows her Vandal Pride when buying a book from Chelsie Murray at the University  of Idaho Bookstore Wednesday.  UI’s students celebrated their first Vandal Spirit day of the school year last Friday.

 

Students and community members shared their excitement for the upcoming football season at the University of Idaho Bookstore last Friday, resulting in what organizers said was a “great turnout.”
“It shows our commitment and passion for the University of Idaho,”  Alumni Relations Coordinator Steven Johnson said.
The second annual celebration, began with a performance by the pep band and cheerleaders and the reading of a proclamation from the mayor of Boise stating the official beginning of Vandal Spirit Fridays.

Matt Ogram/Argonaut
The Student Recreation Center is one of the many free amenities available to full-time students at the University of Idaho. Built in 2002, it houses many different features to workout and play.

 

An amenity is any feature that provides comfort, convenience or pleasure. The University of Idaho offers amenities students and faculty may not know about, including the rock climbing wall, Vandal Massage, Wellness classes at the Student Recreation Center and the Wheatland Express, a bus that takes students around campus for free.
“The rec center defines ‘amenities’ itself,” said Gordon Gresch, the facility manager of the rec center. “It is one of the outside options to relieve stress. Students have to have a life outside of the classroom.”
Gordon said he requires his staff to be service-oriented.

As director of sorority and fraternity affairs, Matt Kurz works hard  to increase recruitment numbers and better the Greek system.

The University of Idaho currently has nine housed sororities and 16 housed fraternities on campus. For fall recruitment this year, the number of men that were recruited increased from 2009.

The Moscow Police Department said they are trying to do everything they can to make students feel safe on the University of Idaho campus.

Part of the MPD mission statement says their goal is, “to provide public safety services that are designed to fairly, efficiently, and effectively prevent crime and safeguard lives and property.” Chief of Police Dan Weaver said he thinks it is a good time to let leadership know how campus security works.

The Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival will have a new director as of Sept. 7, 2010.

Steven Remington said he is already reviewing organizational documents for the festival and he is most excited about getting to know Moscow’s community.

The recent nomination of a University of Idaho alumnus for Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps has inspired members of the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps and has given new motivation to students coming from “humble beginnings.”

The nominee is Gen. Jim Amos, the 31st assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.

Saturday, Aug. 21

Four vehicles were towed from the Farmer’s Market.

A female was arrested for driving with a suspended license.

The University of Idaho’s Tutoring and Academic Assistance Programs will be short on staff this fall, but services provided to students should be in full swing by the spring semester.

“As of now, we have five vacant positions,” said Suzi Billington, director of Academic Success and Access. “We are doing as much as we can with the remaining staff.”