Week In Review

Tuesday, September 30, 2003

Money Ain't No Thang

This summer, the College announced that it will begin charging students to use Greenprint?the campus printing system—for any printing over 600 pages. Only a year ago the College said they had no intention to implement a billing plan. The exact cost per page exceeding the 600 page limit, or whether students will be allowed to print more pages on the duplex printers, thus saving paper, has not been decided. Additionally, color printing is no longer free. Counters will be put in the Greenprint system so that a student can see where he is vis-a-vis his quota and how many pages he has in the queue so he can cut printing.

A College survey last winter concluded that over 30 percent of Dartmouth students print over 1000 pages per term, meaning that a large portion of campus will be charged significantly if trends do not substantially change. There is also no provision for students whose course materials are only available on Blackboard ?the webpage for on-line course material.

D.V.D.A.

The Dartmouth Film Society mixed things up in their normal Film series. Instead of the usual Hollywood hit or artsy film, they decided to show "Disco Dolls in Hot Skins," a seminal—nudge, nudge, wink, wink—1977 film that was one of the first pornographic films shot in 3-D. In their advertisement, the Film Society pointed out that several "legitimate" colleges such as Wesleyan have already dedicated whole courses to pornography, that makes porn mainstream, and therefore it's a perfectly normal thing to show porn in Spaulding Auditorium. The DFS' spokesman tried to explain how this was real cinema in between sexual jokes before one woman yelled, "less talk, more cock!"

Unfortunately the film was bad enough that only a few people stayed through the whole thing, and by the scheduled midway point, people all around campus could be seen with their 3-D glasses.

Perhaps Dartmouth is not yet ready for such high culture at the Hop.

Back to the Future

Always on the cutting edge of national affairs, the state of Ohio is ready to grant freed slaves citizenship and the rest of its residents equal protection under the laws and due process.After 135 years, Ohio will ratify the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.In 1867, Ohio's General Assembly ratified the Amendment, but after voters defeated a referendum granting blacks the right to vote the next year, a newly-elected Democratic legislature rescinded the state's ratification.Despite the voiding of the ratification, Secretary of State William Seward counted Ohio among the necessary twenty-five states when he declared the Amendment in effect in 1868.Since then, "it's been unclear what Ohio's position is" on the 14th Amendment, said Ohio State Senator Mark Mallory.Every other state in the Union has ratified or expressed support for the Amendment.The vote to ratify the Amendment passed the Ohio House overwhelmingly.However, there is no word yet on whether Ohio will join the rest of the nation in entering the modern political era by throwing Dennis Kucinich out of office.

Tenured Idiocy

What's an radical-lefty Congresswoman to do after being booted out of her seat by her own party in the primaries'since her defeat last year, the always controversial and generally obnoxious Cynthia McKinney of Georgia has found herself a new job where she will find herself in much more like-minded company ?a professorship at Cornell.

While in Congress, McKinney accused the Bush administration of knowingly allowing the September 11 attacks to occur because "persons close to this administration are poised to make huge profits off of America's new war."

After her defeat, McKinney's father blamed her loss on the involvement of the "J-E-W-S," who were trying to silence her.Now, in addition to pondering a 2004 Presidential run on the Green Party ticket, McKinney will also serve as the Frank H.T. Rhodes Class of 1956 Professor at Cornell.Eleven different Cornell professors wrote letters supporting her appointment, including Africana Studies Department professor James Turner, who expressed a ?deep concern? that McKinney's appointment was becoming ?politicized? and descending in to ?character assassination.? Another McKinney supporter, Professor Ronald Herring of the Government Department acknowledged that many of the differences between those who support and oppose McKinney may stem from the ?huge gap of knowledge between the knowledge of University faculty, especially in the social sciences, as opposed to those who watch Fox News?they [the faculty] are not overwhelmed by three-word slogans and bumper stickers.?

Obligatory Phi Delt Mention

The summer term proved first-rate for Phi Delta Alpha, as the fraternity became increasingly prominent in campus life and made considerable progress towards re-recognition by the Administration.

Most significantly, Phi Delt was formally approved as Greek housing by Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman. The physical plant underwent extensive renovations and upgrades throughout the winter, spring, and early summer terms in order to comply with College occupancy standards, and it is now an official student residence. Renovations included a state-of-the-art fire alarm and sprinkler system, refitted drywall interior, and replacement doors and furniture. The house was also wired with internet and cable-television connections. Deemed fit for human occupancy in mid-July, nineteen brothers inhabited the house for the remainder of the summer term.

Phi Delta Alpha was temporarily derecognized in 1999 after a series of misconduct incidents. The fraternity is now considered a "colony" by the administration, a provisional designation pending full recognition. The occupancy go-ahead marks the first time the house has been in full use by Phi Delts since the spring of 2000.

The financial health of the fraternity was also bolstered during the summer term. Phi Delt was officially approved for College Billing by the Office of Residential Life. Rent monies and house dues will now be collected along with tuition, subject to the satisfaction of several administrative provisos by the end of the fall term. The privilege of College Billing is only extended to organizations recognized by the College.

The fraternity was also incorporated more fully into campus life and Greek affairs. Phi Delt was the centerpiece of several prominent Webster Avenue events, including the Student Assembly-sponsored "Taste of Tubestock" free barbeque, a "Greek Olympics" cook-off, and the "Consent Day" festivities, staged by Dicks House Health Services, the Center for Women and Gender, and dozens of student organizations. A Phi Delt brother served as the Inter-Fraternity Council summer treasurer and several brothers were inducted into the Order of the Omega, a national Greek honor society.

There were other developments as well. Phi Delt held its first registered event since derecognition, a catered barbeque over Sophomore Family Weekend. An event must be registered with the Department of Safety and Security in order to serve alcohol, and prior to this event the fraternity was prohibited from registering such events.

The modernization of the venerable institution swept away many reminders of the Dartmouth of years past. The house boasted the last permanent bar in a Dartmouth College fraternity, the removal of which was contingent for housing approval. Permanent bar installations were banned as part of the Student life initiative.

Phi Delt was also the last place on the Dartmouth campus not connected to the internet, lacking both a wireless network connection and hard-line hook-ups. The introduction of these amenities boldly moved the fraternity into the early 1990s.

Happy Birthday, Bluto

Celebrations and toga parties marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of Animal House, as fans gathered in Eugene, Oregon, where the film was made.

The film, written by Dartmouth alumnus Chris Miller, was based upon his experiences as a brother at Alpha Delta fraternity. The production team wished to film the movie at an East Coast college for an authentic feel; however, no college administration on the East would allow their institution to be used as the setting. Therefore, the producers turned to the University of Oregon, with a campus similar to those back east. The administration relented to their request, and university was temporarily transformed into the fictional Faber College where the brothers of Delta Tau Chi fraternity would make cinematic history in the most famous college movie of all time.

Race Matters

Following a 6-3 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in June that struck down race-conscious point systems for undergraduate admissions, the University of Michigan was forced to redesign its admissions policies. While race will remain a factor in admissions, the university has stated that academic achievement will be the leading contribution to prospective students? admissions.

Along with re-designed admission criteria, new short answer questions and an optional essay have been added to Michigan's undergraduate application. With these new questions, the University hopes to learn more about the candidates' "priorities, intellectual interests, and expected contributions to campus."

The University's new priorities are no mystery; the questions place a strong emphasis on — you guessed it — diversity.

Cream-Puff Harvey Milquetoast High

Controversy erupted this summer in New York City when the Harvey Milk School was opened as the first accredited four-year public high school for gay students.

The school was established in 1984, but affiliated with the New York City Department of Education after the school's parent organization, the Hetrick-Martin Institute, launched a campaign bring the Milk School public.

The Harvey Milk School will only be open to gay New York City residents who have undergone "a highly selective interview process."

Proponents of the school state that this institution will serve as a place where gay students can be free from harassment by their peers. Yet, opponents argue that the school is reminiscent of the segregationalist schools of the past. In addition, critics worry about public funds going to such a controversial school. Even though the school will be funded independently, $3.2 million worth of taxpayers? dollars have already been pumped into renovating and expanding the school.

The Great Divide

Recently released data indicates that the racial gap between scores for black and white students on the SAT has been expanding over the past decade. Ten years ago, black students averaged scores that were 153 points below the national average and 187 points below the average score of white students. That gap has now widened to 163 points below the national average and 206 points below the white average.

Educators have been calling for a solution to this disparity. Some support the use of vouchers so that students in failing inner-city schools can escape the institutions that stifle their potential. Other critics call for an end to affirmative action policies which help to reward certain unqualified minority students. An end to such policies would certainly force students to work harder for admission to institutions of higher learning and could potentially lower the gap.

DCLU

This summer, students founded the Dartmouth Civil Liberties Union. According to their website, the group strives "to promote a better understanding of civil liberties and individual rights on the Dartmouth campus and in the Upper Valley."

They'd be wise to examine a certain new Dartmouth delivery policy.

Student Become Master, Grasshopper

A 44-year-old Buddhist priest named Genshin Fujinami recently completed a ritual in the Japanese mountains that required him to undertake a 24,800 mile hike in the Hiei Mountains. The ritual, which takes seven years to complete, covers a distance that is equivalent to hiking around the globe. His feat has earned him the title "marathon monk," and he becomes only the forty-seventh priest to survive the ordeal since 1885.

The priests who undertake the journey are only allowed to carry candles, a prayer book, and a sack of vegetarian food.If a priest is unable to finish the journey, he must commit suicide by hanging or disembowelment. Priests who do finish the journey are met by a crowd of worshippers at the temple of Enryakuji Hoshuin where the priest bestows his blessings upon the faithful.

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