Front Page - Wabash College

September 18, 2009
volume 102 • issue 3
In This Issue:
College Braces For Flu Bug
Meet Carolina
Garcia
President’s Council approves
four-part prevention plan
JOHN MCGAUGHEY ‘11
NEWS EDITOR
NEWS, 8
Wabash
Starters
Recognizing “it is only a matter of time” before the H1N1
influenza virus, known as “swine
flu,” makes its way to Wabash,
President White and his Council
of senior Administrative officials
approved early last week a fourpart preparedness plan for the
upcoming flu season submitted
by the Safety and Security Committee.
The approval came just days
before the first H1N1-related
U.S. student death last Friday at
Cornell University in Ithaca, New
York.
Wabash students and students
on other campuses have already
begun to show symptoms of
influenza, the common cold, and
respiratory disease this semester.
H1N1 has been detected in nearly
three-fourths of the nation’s college campuses. However, there
have been no reported cases of
H1N1 exposure at Wabash as of
Tuesday, according to Dr. Julie
Olson, Associate Dean of the
College and Chair of the Safety
and Security Committee. The
Committee’s
H1N1 plan focuses
primarily on preventing infections
and minimizing
the possibility of
an outbreak once
someone is infect- Julie Olson
ed.
“We’re stressing prevention
measures, such as personal
hygiene, hand washing, and
keeping things clean,” Olsen
said. “Obviously, there should be
no open coughing or sneezing.
We’re asking students to be careful about such matters, and asking faculty and others to remind
students of this.”
In addition to personal
hygiene, the recommendations
call for Campus Services staff
members to strengthen sanitation
protocol already in place, including cleaning counters, computer
keyboards, and classrooms. The
plan also encourages students to
be vaccinated against both seasonal and H1N1 influenza viruses. Wabash is top priority for both
vaccinations, which health officials expect to be available late
next month. The final part of the
plan outline steps for managing
both information and the infected
population once the first case of
the virus is confirmed.
“We’ll be encouraging students to get the seasonal flu vac-
32 Take
Buy Out
See, H1N1, Page 2
The
Wabash
Way
H
omecoming is a
special time for any
PATRICK MCALISTER ‘10
school, but it’s especially
significant for the Wabash
MANAGING EDITOR
community.
It formalizes what we
With a demographic shift in personnel coupled with
live all year – through our
a more than $100 million loss in the endowment, the
traditions, through campus
College decided to offer buyout packages for faculty,
clubs and Greek life, and
staff and hourly workers (salaried staff) near retirement
through alumni.
age.
American homecomIn mid summer, letters were hand delivered to 80
ings have old roots. They
salaried staff members detailing the package. The letter
SPORTS, 9
go back as far as the 1870s
noted that all qualified staff would receive three
in Missouri and Illinois.
month’s salary in ‘separation pay’ plus an additional
Like today, they were
two months for every two years working at Wabash.
about school pride and
Those who accepted could receive up to 15 months of
camaraderie. That spirit
salaried payment spread over 23 months.
epitomizes Wabash to the
Staffers who received the letters had until August 31
core.
to accept the offer. Of the 80 sent out, 32 accepted the
We don’t need a special
retirement package. President Patrick White said the
occasion to remind us how
savings ‘over a period of time’ would be more than $2
unique we are. We are a
million. White was satisfied with the reaction to the
small, all-male liberal arts
offer.
school in rural Indiana. We
“We were pleased with the response,”
DREW CASEY| WABASH ‘12
get it. We live it.
White said. “It’s going to be difficult Professor of Math David Maharry and 31 other faculty
Nor do we need a spebecause a lot of people will be leaving in and staff memnbers have chosen to take the college up
cial occasion like homea relatively short time. Part of the early on its early retirement offer.
coming to remind of our
retirement program reveals a demographprofound obligation to one
ic shift we were going to experience any- to nail down at least what some individuals are thinkanother as Wabash men and
way.”
ing about so that allows us to plan what our staffing as members of
Such a turnover in staff in the short run levels are going to be.”
the
larger
President necessitated advanced planning by the
By knowing the retirement decisions of staff mem- Wabash comCollege. The retirement package, accord- bers the College could plan to do what most institutions
White
m u n i t y .
ing to CFO Larry Griffith, will help bet- do in tough economic times – more with less.
Through our
ter solidify any future personnel strategy.
“The big piece was, ‘How do you deal with a fewer traditions and
“The reason we did it was that it allowed us to plan,” number of bodies?’ ” Griffith said. “We’re going to
FEATURES, 11
our history, we
Griffith said. “Before (the age of 55), you can’t legiti- have to figure out how we’re going to have a fewer
have
been OPINION
mately retire according to our handbook; you could
taught to care
resign, but you’d not be considered retired. We wanted
Gary James
See, Retirement, Page 2
for one another,
and to look out for one
another.
As we enter homecoming week, we would all do
well to remember our
sacred bond as a brotherhood. It’s a brotherhood
whose bloodline flows outStudents felt equally surprised
STEVE HENKE ‘12
side the walls of our indiby the enrollment status. “I’m survidual fraternity or campus
STAFF WRITER
prised that enrollment is up this
group. It connects every
year,” Adam Brasich ’11 said. “I
Wabash man and his family
Despite an economy in crisis
would have thought that with all of
and close friends.
Class
Entering
Current
and two tumultuous fall semesters,
the negative press the College
So as we begin our
2013
247
245
Wabash enrollment has remained
received last year, we would have a
Homecoming week, let us
2012
253
219
virtually constant in enrollment
slightly lower enrollment this year
embrace that spirit, that
since the 1970s.
that what we otherwise would have
2011
250
188
camaraderie, and that
The results came as a surprise to had.”
responsibility for one
2010
268
220
Associate Dean and Registrar of
Some students feel this is a tesanother.
the College Julie Olsen. “The fact
tament to the College. “I think it
Let’s be accountable for
al back in June. Usually we don’t
Students who leave the school
that it hasn’t changed a lot is interjust shows that, despite everything
one another – not just for
esting,” Olson said.
that went on, the College still has a know all that until they show up in make this challenge even more dif- making sure freshmen
August, so the experiment went
ficult. The transfer rate tends to be
know the school song but
“We brought in
great reputation so people want to
well.”
around 13 percent, concentrated
that they get back to their
the size class that
come here,” Brandon Doebler ’12
Determining numbers for an
between the freshman and sopholiving units safely; not just
[Admissions] was
said.
incoming
class
is
a
complicated
more
years.
“It
looks
we’re
going
that they build amazing
looking for. It doesn’t
One of the major changes was
procedure.
“We
have
a
culture
at
to
be
in
that
ballpark
again
this
floats, but they the relationlook like we’ve had
in the application process. ProspecWabash
that
is
designed
around
year,”
said
Olsen.
“That
hasn’t
ships they form over this
any significant losstive students gained access to a
being
small
and
we
would
not
want
really
varied
much
for
the
last
ten
week and this semester are
es. We went through
website with a checklist of applicato
change
that,”
Raters
said.
years.”
Miichael
the beginnings of lifelong
a number of things
tion deadlines. In June, they began
“When
we
do
calculations,
While
the
final
numbers
haven’t
friendships.
Raters
this summer, and it
selecting their freshman tutorials
From the bellowing of
admissions
will
look
at
having
a
been
submitted
to
the
federal
govlooks like we came
electronically and were notified
Chapel Sing to the fireside
student
body
of
860
and
so
we’ll
ernment
quite
yet,
Wabash
seems
out in pretty good shape.”
instantaneously of their acceptance.
see how many freshmen we’ll need to be right on track, if a little higher chants, from ornate floats
Dean of Students Michael
“So we were engaging those
and intricate banners to
to do that,” Olsen said. “We’ll use
than anticipated.
Raters ’85 considered retention
freshmen earlier than normal and
scantily-clad
“queens”,
the retention coefficient to kind of
The to-date enrollment is 883,
equally notable. “When you conhaving quite a bit more interaction
Homecoming
Weekend
figure out the numbers needed. You with 220 men in the senior class,
sider the economic situation of the
with them than normal,” Olson
serves
as
a
time
for
Wallies
want to bring in a class and have
188 juniors, 219 sophomores, and
last year and other elements, that’s
said. “We pretty much held on to
to
unite
as
one.
245 freshmen.
pretty impressive,” he said.
everyone that checked into a tutori- an enrollment in a certain ballThat’s the Wabash way.
park.”
Worst Week
Ever
Retention Rate Constant Since the 70s
Wallies Return Despite Tough Year
By The Numbers
PAGE 2
•
News
The Bachelor
September 18, 2009
BACHELOR H1N1
301 w. wabash Ave.
crawfordsville, IN
47933
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Gary James
jamesg@wabash.edu
MANAGING EDITOR
Patrick McAlister
mcalistp@wabash.edu
NEWS EDITOR
John McGaughey
mcgaughj@wabash.edu
OPINION EDITOR
John Henry
henryj@wabash.edu
SPORTS EDITOR
Chuck Summers
summersc@wabash.edu
FEATURES EDITOR
Peter Robbins
pbrobbin12@wabash.edu
PHOTO EDITOR
Alex Moseman
mosemana@wabash.edu
BACHELOR ADVISOR
Howard Hewitt
The purpose of The Bachelor is to
serve the school audience, including but not limited to administrators, faculty and staff, parents,
alumni, community members and
most importantly, the students.
Because this is a school paper,
the content and character within
will cater to the student body’s
interests, ideas and issues.
Further, this publication will serve
as a medium and forum for student opinions and ideas.
Although an individual newspaper, the Board of Publications
publishes The Bachelor. The
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student body.
Letters (e-mails) to the editor are
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Please do not confuse profanity
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(HSPA and ICPA).
From Page 1
cine in addition to the H1N1 vaccine,”
Olsen said. “The student population is a highrisk group [for H1N1], unlike regular flu. But if
students get the seasonal flu vaccine, then they
won’t get two bouts of flu in a row, which
would be pretty debilitating.”
Dean of the College Gary Phillips has
instructed faculty to ease their attendance policies this semester so sick students can remain
at home and not spread the virus.
Dean of Students Michael Raters ’85 also
forwarded this memo to the student body in an
email earlier this week. He stressed that the
current “bug” on campus was not H1N1, but
nevertheless College officials were preparing
for an eventual outbreak.
“You can’t prepare for everything,” Raters
said. “You can’t prevent everything. But we’re
going to use sound judgment and respond as
best as we can.”
In the event of an emergency, the College
has several locations at its disposal for quarantine, including the Hays House across from the
Allen Center and the Knowling Fieldhouse,
which is also open to the county.
“Almost 70 percent of students are from
Indiana, so sending them home may not be a
problem,” Olsen said. “But for the others, we
may have to set up a small infirmary on campus.”
According to Dr. John Roberts, the H1N1
trend in Indiana has been relatively slow. “It’s
hitting high schools and grade schools kind of
sporadically,” he said. “Something is going
around [campus] that looks like a bad cold, but
nobody has tested positive yet [for H1N1].
Each weekend, though, guys get off campus
and go to big universities, so their likelihood of
being exposed naturally goes up.”
The H1N1 vaccine, which is being prepared
by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), will
hopefully be released to the public in mid to
late October. An intranasal vaccine, it will be
delivered in one dose, instead of requiring a
subsequent booster shot. In addition, the seasonal flu vaccine for 2010 will be administered
by a visiting nurse service from Lafayette, Indiana on October 21, 22, and 28 from 8:00 am to
11:00 am. The vaccine will cost about $15, but
H1N1 RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Personal hygiene - This is the best preventive measure students can practice. Students should keep their hands clean, and avoid
openly coughing or sneezing.
2 .Cleaning - Campus Services are increasing sanitation on campus, including counters
and keyboards. Students are advised to clean
public areas such as these after they are done
with them.
3. Vaccinations - Everyone should be vaccinated both for H1N1 (when the vaccine is
released) and the seasonal flu. The seasonal
vaccine will be released in late October and
4. Illness/Classroom Management
A. Public Affairs will be communicate
reported cases of H1N1 with the students.
When the first case is diagnosed, PA will let
the campus know.
B. Ill students should contact the Health
Center. Students with the flu should either selfisolate or be sent home. There are possible
quarantine sites on campus in case of a major
outbreak.
C. Faculty have been advised to loosen
attendance policies and work around ill students who are forced to stay in bed.
GRANT MCCLOSKEY | WABASH ‘12
Campus Services staff is increasing their
sanitation regimen, including depositing hand
sanitizers and hand wipes across campus.
the H1N1 vaccine will be provided by the government free of charge.
“The [seasonal vaccine] will be around
$15,” Roberts said. “That’s a few beers or a
packs of cigarettes. Just take the time to walk
over and get poked by a needle.”
Roberts also encouraged students to visit the
H1N1 link on the Wabash website. “I’ve been
doing an informal poll,” Roberts said, “and it
appears that maybe half the students are utilizing the website. Guys need to read that material and be prepared. They should build a flu kit
in case they become ill and have to stay in their
rooms.”
Retirement
From Page 1
leaving. Professor of Math and
Computer Science Dr. David
Maharry and his wife Virginia
Maharry, Catalog Assistant for the
Lilly Library are two who have
taken the package. After 39 years
at Wabash, the Maharry’s will officially retire July 1, 2010.
Dr. Maharry said the buyout
package had little effect on his
decision when he was going to
retire from Wabash.
“Over the last several years,” he
said, “my wife and I have dis-
cussed retirement on the regular
‘Social Security’ age of retirement
which would be next summer. We
hadn’t made any definite plans,
but for several years I’ve talked
openly this was our plan and this
would be my last year of teaching.”
While it did not alter his original plans, the retirement package
did quell many of Maharry’s
retirement trepidations due to the
stock market’s fragility.
“The buyout package did not
change my plans,” he said, “but
allowed my plans to be solidified
more easily. With the stock market
last year, and the assumption that
in a year from now I’m going to be
living on that, this has made it easier to say ‘Okay, I’m not going to
need to wait until the market
comes back.’ In some sense the
offer from the College quelled my
anxieties a little more.”
While he looks forward to
retirement, Maharry has no hard
and fast plans as to what he will do
yet. He and his wife intend to volunteer more with organizations in
the community; they have no plans
to leave the area he’s lived in for
39 years outside of increased visits
to children and grandchildren.
Even so, Maharry expressed some
slight trepidation about what he
will do next.
“One of the things that Ginny
and I have both talked about is
when we don’t have a focus, what
will we turn to do,” he said.
“I guess we won’t really know
until we get there and do it.”
The Maharrys won’t be alone
with 30 other Wabash faculty and
staff accepting the package.
SCAC Hopeful About Folds Turnout
KENNY FARRIS ‘12
STAFF WRITER
DREW CASEY | WABASH ‘12
Students may go to the
concert free by presenting
their ID’s at the door.
Ben Folds will be coming to
campus for the Fall National Act
this semester. Chosen by the
Senior Council Activities Committee, Folds will be performing on
September 26, during Homecoming weekend.
The concert, which will be held
in Chadwick Court, will be the
final official Homecoming activity. SCAC co-chair Greg Slisz ‘10
and advisor Coach Stephen House
have found themselves preoccupied with ticket sales, finalizing
plans with Ben Folds, and promoting National Act, but Slisz and
House both believe a successful
National Act will cap Homecoming week well.
“Ticket sales are going well,”
Slisz said. “We put up some
posters at DePauw, Butler, Purdue,
and Broad Ripple and have gotten
some ticket requests from them.
Some Wabash students and people
in the community have purchased
tickets.” House noted 150 tickets
have been sold as of September 15.
Although sales are steady, Slisz
expects sales to pick up as the concert nears, “because students in
general tend to procrastinate, and
we will sell a great deal of tickets
the day of the show because you
can only buy tickets at Wabash.”
Tickets are sold for $20, but
Wabash students can enter the concert for free with presentation of
their student ID.
Advertising the concert has
been one of the largest challenges
for the SCAC to host a successful
National Act. “The problem is that,
especially with our ticket prices
being only $20, we just can’t
afford serious advertising,” Slisz
said. “[The SCAC] inquired about
some radio ads, but they were
much too expensive. We do what
we can, but the biggest advertisement is word of mouth from
Wabash students.
To combat the lack of serious
advertising, Slisz encourages all
students to take advantage of
social networking sites, such as
Facebook. “We would encourage
everyone who plans on attending
the show to add themselves to the
Facebook event, then add all their
friends. You would be amazed at
the power of social networking.”
Another challenge faced every
year by the SCAC is cost. However, Slisz compared the cost of Ben
Folds with Lifehouse last spring.
Ben Folds will probably run
“almost exactly $50,000. To put
that into perspective, Lifehouse
cost around $95,000 last spring.”
Students have noted their overall approval for the choice of
selection, both based off of cost as
well as the selection itself. “I listened to Ben Folds a little bit when
I found out he was coming,” Jake
Fisher ’13 said. “He wasn’t as bad
as I originally thought, especially
once I learned he was a favorite
among women. I think the concert
will be a great way to meet new
women.”
Slisz echoed personal approval,
saying Folds “put on an excellent
show the last time he came to
Wabash.”
However, not everyone echoed
this sentiment. “I’m not going,”
Jake Waterman ’13 said.” I’m not a
fan.”
Even with the concert in the
front of their minds, Slisz, House,
and the SCAC have plans coming
for later events. “We have a talent
show planned for mid-October,”
Slisz said, “and comedian Alonzo
Bodden, a past winner of Last
Comic Standing, coming on
November 7.
As for the spring, we are very
actively looking, but a lot of acts
have not set their schedules yet for
spring. The spring act will also
depend on Ben Folds ticket sales.”
Slisz noted there would be surveys
for the whole campus to help pick
the next act.
The Bachelor
News
•
PAGE 3
September 18, 2009
Chapel
Sing:
hapel Sing is one of
those traditions at
Wabash that never
seems to lose its significance, not only as a rite
of passage for those
participating but as a
point of identification
for the entire community - freshmen Pledges
and
Independents,
Sphinx Club members,
and onlookers. Come to
Chapel Sing during
Chapel hour Thursday
to welcome another
class of Wabash men as
they sing their way into
Wabash history.
C
Our
C h eri s h ed
Tradition
Chapel Sing, which will be held
on Thursday at 11:15 a.m., will
kick off Homecoming weekend,
which continues with Chant on Friday evening and the Float, Banner, and Queen contests Saturday
during the football game.
Photos from Bachelor Archives
September 18, 2009
page 4
H1N1 Wabash College:
Logistics of an Epidemic
The H1N1 virus has killed
one student this year. While an
alias such as hog flu or swine
flu may create humorous anecdotes, the virus and the precautions that we as a college and
as a community need to take
are deadly serious. There is as
of yet no official cases of the
H1N1 virus on campus. One of
the more pressing questions
that seem to be asked is what
we are going to do once there
is. Dean Raters, in concert with
the new Dean Oprisko, suggested one possible solution
during his conferences with the
living units: quarantine.
Immediately called to mind
are images of a Hazmat team
guarding Martindale or Phi
Gamma Delta with a squadron
of federal troops à la Little
EMMANUEL
HARPER
COLUMNIST
Rock Nine. No doubt a fantastic event, the idea of quarantining infected cases seems a
measured step in the fight to
understand how to tackle the
problem of fighting and defeating swine flu.
As it has been explained by
the Deans, a student will be
isolated in their room and
unable to go to class. Any
roommate would be quickly
ushered to a different room.
Food and water would be shuttled to the infected soul via
either their former roommate
or a yet to-be-determined individual.
While the solution to contain
the flu is not wholly unreasonable, its consequences could
have that potential. One student quarantined is within the
realm of reason, but when multiple people on multiple floors
of a living unit become affected, does the quarantine of the
building become necessary?
Homework may be given to the
student by a classmate, but how
does this affect academic performance when attendance and
class
participation
have
become vital parts of our education? Food and water may be
rationed to the suffering individual, but does that preclude
him from leaving his room to
get his own food at a fast-food
chain? Individual freedom versus community safety is fundamentally the dilemma with
which to be wrestled and at the
moment, cooler heads seem
wont to prevail.
In order to stave off the
quicksand of possible quarantine, we can all do our part. The
time-honored measures of
washing your hands after every
restroom visit and coughing
away and into your arm are
helpful physical and psychological means to prevent the
H1N1 virus. The Lilly Library
has also placed Clorox disinfecting wipes on several computers to help decrease the
probability of the virus’ spread.
Taking active and preemptive
steps to combat the virus’ proliferation among the student
body remains one of the most
important tools we have. While
deans and students alike are
doing all they can to prevent
the virus’ spread, one death due
to this virus is too many and as
a community we cannot afford
another.
“The virus and the
precautions that we
as a college and a
community need
to take are
deadly serious.”
Theft and Our Duty As Gentlemen
Theft at Wabash College is a
contentious issue among students, with pleading emails
regarding stolen property
appearing regularly, and in all
likelihood, more to be sent in
the future. As a campus community, theft is one of the
biggest problems that we have
dealt with in my three years
here.
Too often we use Crawfordsville citizens as scapegoats, fueling ill will and distrust between our neighbors
and our campus. While this is
warranted at times, the major
issue regarding theft is overlooked. Quite frequently the
thieves are within our own
community and are members of
our own fraternities and living
units. I am not referring to
simple fraternity pranks—a
stolen composite or missing
plates can be a comedic gesture
of rivalry at times. Instead I am
referring to the theft of personal property from other students.
Yes, campus security can be
improved and the Bachelor has
JOHN HENRY
OPINION
EDITOR
vetted these issues repeatedly
in the past couple of years and
will continue to do so in the
future. In terms of external
security of living units things
have improved in our time here
and yet theft is still a frequent
problem. An increase in campus security presence has
improved protection for possessions outside of living units,
classrooms, and labs. However,
the root of the current problems
lie within the brotherhoods of
our fraternities and the brotherhood of Wabash men. It would
be foolish to ignore the potential for theft amongst our own,
yes even among our friends and
fraternity brothers. In my time
at Wabash I have had two digital cameras, an iPod, clothing,
and other personal items stolen
and I seriously doubt that any
of this was perpetrated by a
“townie.”
Instances such as these and
other recent thefts are likely
people within our private communities. It is up to us individually to help hold not only ourselves but our friends and fraternity brothers accountable.
Fraternities especially need to
stop protecting thieves out of
pity and a false sense of brotherhood. Someone who is willing to steal from his brother or
fellow Wabash man is no
longer entitled to the benefits
of fraternal affiliation and support. More partnerships with
the College or College officials
regarding living unit thefts
should be established, as it is
also in the college’s best interests to keep student’s and their
possessions safe. Theft is obviously a crime and thus should
be dealt with as one. Tolerance
of one theft leads to tolerance
of more thefts, thereby increasing the reach and frequency of
campus crime.
We, as a campus community,
need to stop internalizing these
issues.
Students are illequipped to deal with theft in
their leadership roles, making
this an issue that needs to be
addressed on a campus wide
scale by the deans and campus
security. If a fraternity brother
steals something from another
or an independent enters another’s room and steals something,
it is our duty to report such
incidents not to just our house
cabinets or R.A.’s but to the
Deans and the police. The
longer we protect criminals
simply because they are our
friends, fellow Wallies, or fraternity brothers, the longer
these issues will continue to
plague our campus.
Regardless of your relationship to another Wabash man,
you should be willing to stand
up for the obvious right in situations such as this. If you discover a theft or currently know
of one that has occurred, let
Dean
Raters
know
at
ratersm@wabash.edu or call
the Crawfordsville police
department at 765.362.3762.
Thefts are so obviously a violation of our Gentleman’s Rule
and to allow such poor behavior to continue in our community is to allow our community
to rot from within. I am no
longer willing to tolerate such
behavior in our community and
I encourage every one of you to
adopt a strong stance against
campus theft.
“Someone who is
willing to steal from
his brother or fellow
Wabash man is no
longer entitled to
the benefits of
fraternal affiliation
and support.”
Opinion
The Bachelor
PAGE 5
September 18, 2009
Bachelor Editorial Board
The voice of Wabash since 1908
EDITOR IN CHIEF
OPINION EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR
Gary James
John Henry
Patrick McAlister
NEWS EDITOR
SPORTS EDITOR
FEATURES EDITOR
John McGaughey
Chuck Summers
Peter Robbins
Expand Shrinking Student Space
Go to the library in-between
classes or late in the evening, and
the faces say it all. They are contorted; and their muscles communicate messages that could not be
any clearer - frustration and confusion. Once again, a Wally has
no computer to use.
He would use the computer
lab downstairs, but it has been
replaced by an annex to the
archives. The Wally turns to exit
the library – the beginning of his
short but inconvenient trek to the
armory – with a face hardened by
the experience. It’s the face of a
Wally turned away from the inn.
The archives may have needed more space, but student space
is just as important. Educating
students is what this place is all
about, and part of the college
experience is having social space
for engagement and entertainment. A number of the main
floor computers in the library do
not work. The computers are also
reserved between 2 p.m. and 4
p.m., further limiting time and
space. The armory is posited as
an alterative, and it can be. But
it’s not there yet.
Today, walking into an armory
computer lab is like walking into
the dungeon of Bowser’s Castle.
There are no windows. The
rooms are foreboding. And you
have a sinking feeling that someone could jump out at you at any
moment, and no one would hear
your scream. As it stands today,
the armory computer labs are
better suited for a scene in a horror movie than a space for college students.
Administrations officials say a
The Issue:
Students need better places
to interact outside their living
units.
Our Stance:
Until we have a student
center to call our own, the
armory can be that place.
student center is at least four
years off. So, short of building
our own forts in the library with
our laptops, we need to lead an
effort to retool the Armory - not
just as a place to go when the
library is full, but as a focal point
of student life.
Since the events of last year,
the Wabash social scene has
worked diligently and enthusiastically to
allow campus clubs to continue to provide
their members with rewarding, purposeful
activities.
Letters to the
Editor
AFC: Proud Board Bureaucrats
As you say, there will always be resentment over some of the appropriations
made. Of course, we know this will be the
case; however, the AFC cannot make fair
allocations if our primary concern is
avoiding controversy. It is always and ever
our goal to fund clubs fairly.
Sirs-
Having just completed my third Student Senate Budget as a member of the
Audit & Finance Committee, I wish to
register my frustration with The Bachelor’s most recent Board editorial entitled
AFC Members: Do the Right Thing. Our
recent work was easily the most focused
and successful budget process since I
joined the committee, and represents
around 40 combined hours of work. We
So it seems strange to me, then, that
you chose to criticize us for an appropriation that we had attempted to make fairly.
You referenced the cut of $88.13 from the
Wabash College Congressional Democrats’ new publication as a symptom of our
apathy and irresponsibility. Yet this matter
was addressed in Senate in a way you
chose to completely ignore. I made this
cut, and I made it in error. I had always
intended to fund this publication fully, and
scaled back drastically. Student
leaders are doing an admirable
job trying to negotiate a balance
as it relates to parties, but absent
a student center, the armory
could be the place students use to
renegotiate the balance.
Associate Dean of Students
Will Oprisko, other administration officials, and student leaders
like Treasurer Cody Stipes have
been brainstorming informal
ways of remaking the armory.
Chris Sidebotttom and other students and staff members have
been involved with revamping
the radio station, WNDY. Academic Support Services and the
Center for Academic Enrichment
play important roles for students
already. Perhaps, the armory is
not the ideal place to make a student center, but it’s an available
indicated this error during the Senate
meeting along with my apology. After my
statement, the Senate voted to restore the
money (myself providing the second on
the motion). Your reporter was at the
meeting and can bear witness to my claim,
as can the minutes of the meeting; you
chose to ignore this fact, choosing instead
to publish only that the Senate restored the
funding, deliberately slandering the Committee and myself.
It is curious, though, that you chose to
criticize us over this small cut, especially
as it was quickly overturned with the
AFC’s blessing. Why did it not occur to
you to point to $500 being cut from the
Wabash Commentary’s publication budget, or $700 from The Phoenix? Could it be
that pointing to our cuts across the board
would falsify your claim that we made the
Democrats’ cut arbitrarily? Cuts are not
made arbitrarily, they are the product of
our group deliberations over the impor-
one.
Bring this up at chapter, at
Senate, at IMA and IFC meetings, at Senior Council, at RA
and fraternity presidents’ meetings. Let’s make change the
Wabash way.
Let the talks begin.
“The archives may
have needed more
space, but student
space is just as important. The armory is
posited as an alternative, and it can be. But
it’s not there yet.”
tance of the requests to the club’s operations as well as our numerous precedents
that supercede all other considerations.
But it’s ok, Bachelor staff. It must be
awfully difficult for you to comprehend
the intense deliberations going on in the
AFC Budget meeting when you’re stuck
trying to find San Francisco, Illinois. Get
back to us if you ever find it, by the way.
As you say in your “stance,” Gentlemen, “context matters.” Putting your editorial in context, you have slandered me;
deliberately ignored our Committee’s
precedents; and, worst of all, watered
down your already-weak criticism. We
can handle pressure, Gentlemen. It’s a
shame you can’t.
Steve Maynard ‘11
Audit & Finance Committee
Constitution, By-laws, and Policy
Review Committee Chairman
Have an Opinion?
Send your letters to:
henryj@wabash.edu jamesg@wabash.edu
Limit your letters to 600 words. The Bachelor reserves the right to
edit and withold content.
PAGE 6
•
News
The Bachelor
September 18, 2009
Bringing Vegas to ‘Bash
ZACH HAMPTON | WABASH ‘13
ALL IN, BRAH: Right Two
Wabash bro’s risk it all - for
a shot at a TV, Playstation 3,
Colts tickets or an iPod
Touch.
THE RUMORS ARE TRUE:
Below Apparently they do
bus women to Wabash. The
Butler Dance Team served
as the dealers for the night
as a fundraiser for their
organization.
NEWS
The Bachelor
•
PAGE 7
September 18, 2009
What Do You Think About the Changes to the Library?
"I'm unhappy with it. It's
inefficient and in the way.”
Scott Pond, Wabash ‘10
"The downstairs computer lab
was a lot better. It seems like
there are less computers now.”
Craig Vetor, Wabash ‘10
"I'm unhappy with the current
set-up; it was more quiet and
secluded downstairs.”
Elliot Allen, Wabash ‘10
"It seems much more efficient.
You can move the desks and it's
not as crowded.”
"I think it's okay the way
it is right now.”
Jacob Haas, Wabash ‘13
"I think there needs to be more
computers, or maybe time management.”
Grayson Swaim, Wabash ‘10
Jason Farbstein, Wabash ‘13
PAGE 8•
News
The Bachelor
September 18, 2009
Garcia Absorbs Culture to Enhance Teaching
TREVOR COUNCELLOR ‘12
STAFF WRITER
Carolina Garcia comes to Wabash as
the Spanish intern for the 2009-2010
school year. A native of Argentina, Garcia
grew up in Mendoza, Argentina, roughly
five miles from Buenos Aires. From an
early age, she wanted to be a teacher. “I
like English very much,” Garcia said. “I
like teaching, and there are plenty of job
opportunities.”
In fact, it was those job opportunities
that brought her here. According to Garcia, finding a teaching job “is very hard in
Argentina. You just do substitutions. They
offer you a year substitution, then the next
year the teacher comes back and you don’t
have a job anymore.” She originally started working as a substitute English teacher
LUCAS TELLEZ | WABASH ‘12
Garcia enjoys her time in Crawfordsville,
especially living with the other Foreign
Language Interns.
three years ago, one year before receiving
her degree as an English teacher from the
Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, one of the
country’s most prestigious institutions.
After graduating, she continued substitute
teaching on a yearly basis, but in 2009
found herself between substitutions and
looking for additional experience. That
experience came in the form of a Fulbright
scholarship.
The Fulbright Foreign Language
Teaching Assistant Program (FLTA) is one
of America’s most prestigious scholarships, and it offers teachers of English as a
Second Language (ESL) throughout the
world one year in the United States to
serve as teachers in order to advance their
English, cultural knowledge, and foster
international ties. Garcia applied to the
program and was accepted. She views the
program as essential to her success as a
teacher. “If you’re teaching a language,
you need to know the culture,” Garcia
said.
Outside of school, Garcia enjoys her
time in Crawfordsville: “I’m having lots
of fun!” she said. The other interns help
make the time enjoyable. According to
Garcia, despite an initial apprehension to
living with complete strangers, things
turned out well, for their cultures are very
similar despite their geographic separation. “We just get along perfectly. We do
everything together.”
The interns have travelled to Indianapolis, Chicago, and other nearby cities.
After a recent trek to a jazz concert in
Chicago they found themselves stranded
after the last train sold out. However, they
all managed to get back home thanks to a
Greyhound bus.
Beyond the off-campus excursions,
Garcia said she rents movies frequently,
and favorites include Star Wars and Lord
of the Rings. She also enjoys using Skype
to stay in touch with her family, friends,
and boyfriend of three-and-a-half years
back in Argentina. In addition, she likes
LUCAS TELLEZ | WABASH ‘12
Garcia, who was accepted into the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program,
came to America to broaden her cultural knowledge in order to enhance her skills with
teaching English as a foreign language and to gain more teaching experience in general.
to read historical fiction and mysteries,
including the work of Roald Dahl, Agatha
Christie, and Edgar Allen Poe, and J.K.
Rowling.
On top of her extensive list of movies
and books , Garcia boasts a large music
collection, with names like Dixie Chicks
and Tim McGraw being staples of her
musical diet. Despite these names, country isn’t her favorite genre. “I actually like
rock in English. I like Aerosmith, Alderbridge, Creed, Green Day, Dookie and
other artists.”
Garcia said she is happy to be at
Wabash. “The teachers are just great. Our
supervisor [Doctor Hardy] has been really
helpful. The students are really nice. [My
favorite part has been] meeting so many
people.”
After finishing her time at Wabash,
Garcia plans to return to Argentina and
continue teaching, with the goal of eventually continuing her education in the
form of a MA or PhD.
september 18, 2009
Page 9
End of
the Line
Seniors Jeremy Morris, Skip
Tokar forge bond, trust after
26 games side-by-side
CHUCK SUMMERS
SPORTS EDITOR
A great offense does not
start with a speedy running
back or wide receiver. It does
not even start with a poised,
strong-armed quarterback.
While these players are the
ones with the highlight clips
and big-money endorsements,
any coach will tell you that an
offense starts with the linemen
up front.
For three years, the right
side of the Little Giant O-line
has been anchored by seniors
Jeremy Morris and Skip Tokar.
For 26 games, Morris and
Tokar have battled side-byside, punishing opponents and
protecting the quarterback.
This experience has not
only formed a formidable right
side, but also a great friendship.
“Me and Skip are real
close,” said Morris, who
returned for a fifth year at
tackle this Fall. “We work well
together. He sees I need help
and he helps me, I see he needs
help and I help him. I have
never thought for a minute that
Skip won’t do his job.”
Good blocking is more than
just brute strength and quick
feet. It requires communication and coordination, which
necessitates a tight group.
“The big thing with the O-line
is trust and communication,”
Tokar said. “Five guys need to
be on the same page to get
things done. If one guy doesn’t
do his job, the whole line looks
bad. We’re the closest on the
field.”
After the past few seasons
together, Morris and Tokar are
more than on the same page.
“Most of the time, you don’t
even need to say anything,”
Tokar said. “We just know. I
trust him.”
Off the field, Morris and
Tokar remain great friends.
The dominant duo, along with
the rest of the O-line, take frequent trips to Dairylicious,
watch NFL games at someone’s house, cook out and anything else that helps further
build that ever-important
chemistry. “Usually it involves
food,” Morris said. “Not surprisingly.”
Even during the off seasons,
See, LINE Page 12
Beyond the Playing Field
ALEX MOSEMAN | WABASH ‘11
Seniors Jeremy Morris (left) and Skip Tokar (right) have anchored the right side of the O-line for three years.
Little Giants Run as
Pack, Not Individuals
BRANDAN ALFORD ‘12
STAFF WRITER
ALEX MOSEMAN | WABASH ‘11
Freshman goalkeeper Matt Paul directs the defense from the box. Paul
spent his summer backpacking in the great West of America.
Paul’s Life on
the Wild Side
DREW PARRISH ‘10
STAFF WRITER
At the pinnacle of youth,
many of us partake in more
adventurous activities. For
freshmen Matt Paul, the sense
of adventure comes from his
parents.
Paul has been backpacking
with his family ever since he
can remember. He has
explored most of the West,
venturing out to Colorado,
New Mexico, and Arizona.
This summer he and his family
made a trip to Glacier National Park in Montana, and even
traveled into Canada.
“My parents have been
backpacking for thirty years,”
Paul said. “I have been going
from an early age, even before
I could walk.”
To most people, hiking with
a lot of weight on our backs
for several miles may not seem
like a good time. But like any
hobby, one learns to enjoy it.
“There are beautiful places
everywhere,” Paul said. “I
mean, you see places driving
in the car. That’s cool, but the
real beautiful places require
work to get there.”
The same is true with many
aspects of life. You appreciate
the things you have the more
you have to work for them.
See, WILD, Page 12
Teamwork, chemistry, game
planning, communication. All
essential parts of any team sport;
but not a sport like cross country, right? Wrong.
Sophomore Donovan White
has no doubt that the team
aspect is equally important in
cross country as any other sport,
“Just as basketball has plays and
a scheme, each player has his
own running style that he brings
to the team. This year we
are really focusing on
fusing our running styles together,” White said. “For example,
I’m not a particularly good at
pacing, but there are other guys
on the team who are strong at
that. It’s also good to have guys
there, mentally, who are going
through the same things you are
going through. For us, the
biggest part of our team aspect
is building off of each others’
strengths and weaknesses.”
Sophomore Kevin McCarthy
agreed. “There is so much team
aspect in cross country. A lot of
the mentality is that it is the
team first and then the individual,” McCarthy said. “Especially in a
cross country race, the best
times you run are usually when
you are surrounded by your
teammates. Coach puts a lot of
emphasis on pack running and
running in a group. When we do
that, we run really, really well.
That was a focus last year, and
will be a focus for what we do
this year.”
That focus has certainly paid
off in the early going so far this
fall. The 48th annual Wabash
Hokum Karem, a two man relay
event, saw Wabash finish second
See, PACK, Page 12
PHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The “Red Pack” Wabash Cross Country team takes off to begin the annual Wabash Hokum-Karem run on
September 5. The team emphasizes a team mentality despite the individual nature of distance running.
September 18, 2009
Page 10
Chapel Talks Change With Culture
PETER ROBBINS ‘12
FEATURES EDITOR
Long before the Pioneer
Chapel stood where it stands
today, when the mall was the
College’s backyard, students
gathered every morning in the
chapel of Center Hall. Then
known as the College Chapel,
students attended a brief and
mandatory religious service. On
Sunday afternoons, students
were required to attend the
“President’s lecture” in the same
location. These traditions began
in the early of the College and
continued into the 20th century.
In the 1920’s, attendance
rates soared with the economy,
and the College chapel could no
longer hold all of the students.
So it was moved to the upper
gym of the armory until the Pioneer chapel was erected in 1928.
Mandatory chapels were held
there until 1971, when the faculty voted to discontinue them.
Several generations of
Wabash men were deprived of
(or spared from) chapel talks,
until the Sphinx club reorganized them again in the 1990’s.
As Sphinx Club president, Will
Hoffman ’10 is one of the many
present-day advocates for chapel
talks.
“Chapel talks give a community feel to the campus and unite
the campus,” Hoffman said.
“And it’s a great way for the
faculty to give their perspective
about the College to the students.”
Fellow Sphinx Club member
Samer Kawak ’11 agreed that
chapel talks can be an invaluable
experience for all students, especially freshmen.
“It’s one of the best ways to
get acclimated to Wabash,”
Kawak said. “You get to listen
to professors you might not otherwise get to know. And it’s a
very unique part of Wabash.
Show me another college where
the President is invited to talk to
the students about whatever he
wants on a Thursday morning.
It’s one of the things we’re paying for, part of our unique education.”
While it was once mandatory
for all students to attend chapel,
only certain fraternities (Sigma
Chi, Phi Kappa Psi, Beta Theta
Pi, Theta Delta Chi and FIJI)
require their freshmen to attend.
Hoffman explained that the
Sphinx Club does what it can to
encourage more students to
attend, but it can only do so
much.
“We could put 1,000 Rhines
on the mall and send out 1,000
emails, but for a lot of people it
would just go in one ear and out
the other,” Hoffman said.
“Needless to say I would love to
see the chapel packed every
week.”
Though Hoffman believes the
student attendance could
increase, he also encouraged
more faculty and staff members
to attend chapel talks.
“I would love for faculty and
staff to have a strong turnout, as
“Show me another college where the president is invited to talk
to the students about
whatever he wants on
a Thursday morning.”
Sphinx Club Member Samer
Kawak, Wabash ‘10
COURTESY OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Professor of History Stephen Morillo delivers a Chapel Talk, continuing a tradition of delivering speeches in the
Pioneer Chapel on Thursday mornings. The Sphinx Club reorganized this tradition in the early 1990’s.
well as actively encourage their
students to attend,” Hoffman
said.
Dean of Students Mike Raters
’85 mentioned the same goal as
Hoffman: that the campus as a
whole would have a higher
turnout on Thursdays at 11:15
a.m.
“It would be influential if students would come back to
chapel even when they don’t
have to anymore,” Raters said.
“They would be modeling for
the other students that it’s a big
deal. And that goes for faculty
and staff too.”
In his Chapel talk on September 10th, Raters spoke about
several athletic coaches who
taught him important lessons
and influenced his life.
“I always think there’s an
important opportunity to provide
a message,” Raters said of
speaking in the chapel. “In my
position I’m mostly talking to
the students, and I take it as an
opportunity to demonstrate why
I’m in the position I’m in. I do
have a history here and I try to
weave in stories from time here
as a student.”
While speakers like President
Patrick White and Dean Raters
are usually the first two every
year, the Sphinx club has a
responsibility to book speakers
throughout the entire year.
“There are two chapel coordinators, and it’s their job to
schedule the chapel talks,” said
Hoffman. “Sometimes it’s obvious, like President White or the
Deans, and sometimes professors come forward. Other times
we have suggestions from alumni or members of the Sphinx
Club. People seem to think it’s
a strict thing, but it’s pretty laid
back. It pretty much runs
itself.”
In short, chapel talk is a wellestablished tradition, deeply
rooted in the history of the college. But like the painting of the
bench, the tradition has evolved
to reflect the culture and the day.
“Too often we don’t know
how neat some traditions are
until they’re gone,” Raters said.
“Not that I’m saying it’s on the
way out or even close. Just that
people should take advantage of
it while they’re here.”
Since chapel talks are no
longer mandatory, it’s up to
everyone to increase attendance,
which mirrors a succinct quote
Raters borrowed in his chapel
talk from longtime track coach
Rob Johnson.
“If it is to be, it is up to me.”
Style 101: Returned to Campus
KEVIN BILLUPS
‘10
STYLE
COLUMNIST
Back by popular demand,
Style 101 is back! Once again,
I will be helping the style confused Wally attack the coming
semester looking fierce from
head to toe! For those of you
who missed it last year, Style
101 is my simple "course" in
how to maintain your swagger
and improve your look. For
my dedicated "stylees", I hope
you took my advice and found
the everlasting happiness of
having good style; it truly is a
gift that keeps on giving. A
sense of fashion is an asset in
every aspect of a man's life:
business, personal and social.
While you may not realize it,
the well dress man is the one
that gets a second look. Don't
get me wrong, having an outstanding personality is important, but when was the last
time you heard some say,
"Wow, check out the sense of
humor on that guy"? In this
new age of metrosexuals and
man purses, fashion is a topic
that preoccupies the male consciousness more than ever
before. While for some of you,
style may seem a little scary,
I'm here to make sure you are
one step ahead of the game.
I'm excited to pick up where I
left off and continue to make
this campus more beautifulone color coordinated outfit at
a time!
So let’s recap the basics: 1)
don't overspend 2) wear your
size 3) color coordinate, and
4) PLEASE leave the sweatpants at home! Got it? Good!
In last week's Dating 101, I
suggested that one should take
the time to reconnect with
oneself and learn more about
who they are. In order to
develop your style, you have
to do the same! Good style
requires effort. I could give all
the advice in the world, but
none of it would make up for
the task of discovering your
style. If you've never tried to
create your own style, the best
place to start is with the
experts. Next time you’re in
the library, flip through the
latest GQ. Not only will you
see the latest trends, you'll
also learn some basic fashion
rules (dark socks go with dark
shoes, always match shoes and
belt, etc). Be sure to take note
of what you like and take the
risk to try it out! The worst
you could look is bad, and
after three years at Wabash I
can promise you there's been
worse! Trying on different
styles, sizes and brands is the
only way to discover the right
style for you.
Fashion is forever evolving, but style is about looking
good; so while you will be
“Just because something looked great on
David Becham doesn’t
mean it will look the
same on you. Take
risks, but this isn’t
Halloween - your style
shouldn’t feel like a
costume.”
mindful of trends, the most
important aspect of developing
your style is remaining true to
you. Just because something
looked great on David Beckham doesn't mean it will look
the same on you. As I said,
take risks, but this isn't Halloween- your style shouldn't
feel like a costume. While it
may seem like a bit of a chore
at first, when you discover
what clothes work for you,
you will find that looking
good seems to fall into place,
naturally.
So Wallies, it’s time for you
to find your style! One way to
do this is take your girlfriend
(or friend) to the mall and ask
her to pick out some items for
you to try. It never hurts to get
a fresh perspective. If you
decide to do this, be open to
trying something new. And
remember that real men wear
pink! Class dismissed!
Features
The Bachelor
•
PAGE 11
September 18, 2009
Wilson’s, Williams’, and West’s Worst Week Ever
Saturday, September 12, 2009
GARY JAMES ‘10
EDITOR-INCHIEF
Last week was a great week for
cable news channels and students of
rhetoric, but it was probably the worst
week ever for three individuals in the
public eye. It is a truth universally
ignored that if one has nothing nice to
say, she or he should not say anything
at all. Look no further than last week’s
trifecta of “what were you thinking?”
moments thrust onto the world by U.S.
Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC), tennis pro Serena Williams, and Grammy
award-winning rapper Kanye West.
Serena Williams played against wild
card Kim Clijsters in the semi-finals of
the US Open. Clijsters, who has spent
two years on maternity leave, bested
Williams on the first set. Williams
smashed her racket down on the court
and received warning for racket abuse.
Clijsters continued her solid performance. She was two points away from
winning the match when a lineswoman
called foot fault on Williams’ second
serve, which gave another point to Clijsters. Williams lost it.
Williams: (sighs, catches tennis ball
for next serve, points ratchet at
lineswoman) I swear, I will shove this
f***ing ball down your f***ing throat.
(Inaudible).
Here’s a recap:
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
To bolster public support for his
health insurance reform effort, President Barack Obama delivered an
address to a joint session of Congress.
He encouraged members to pass legislation by the end of the year and dispelled some myths that had been circulating about what the reform plans
entail. As he clarified the claim that
undocumented immigrants would benefit from the plan, Congressman Joe
Wilson breached the etiquette of the
setting.
Obama: There are also those who
claim our reform efforts would insure
illegal immigrants. This too is false.
Congress: (inaudible grumbling)
Obama: The reforms I’m proposing
would not apply to those who are here
illegally.
Rep. Wilson: You Lie!
Congress: (collective gasps of
incredulity)
(Pause)
Obama: That’s not true.
(Head Referee arrives.)
Referee (to lineswoman): What did
she say?
Williams (to lineswoman): Are you
scared because I said I would hit you?
I’m sorry, but there are a lot of people
who have said way worse.
Referee: What did she say to you?
Lineswoman: She said ‘I will kill
you.’
Williams: I didn’t say I would kill
you. Are you serious? Are you serious?
I didn’t say that.
(Referees huddle with Williams.
Williams is penalized another point for
unsportsmanlike conduct, throws racket
down, and congratulates Clijsters, who
was given the match.)
time.
(Mixed reactions. Beyonce looks
bewildered.)
One of the best videos of all time.
(Boos)
(West exits stage right)
(Boos get louder)
(Swift, confused, is led off stage.)
The three events had a lot in common. They all center on people whose
last name begins with “W.” They all
gave fodder to cable news hosts and
late night comedians, providing hundreds of millions of people around the
world with a solid two weeks’ worth of
amusement. Wilson, Williams, and
West all apologized; but three outbursts
also provided a “teachable moment,”
not just for the people involved, but for
all of us.
In “The Rhetorical Situation,” Communications Scholar Lloyd Bitzer distinguishes between situations that are
rhetorical and situations that are not. It
is not enough, he writes, that one feels
so passionately about something that
she or he is compelled to register praise
or blame. Rather, a rhetorical situation
presumes the discourse can actually
have a positive impact; that a response
can contribute to moving a situation
closer to resolution.
For Wilson, Williams, and West, this
was not case.
Nothing Wilson could have said in
that setting would have assuaged his
concerns about health insurance for
undocumented immigrants. The forum
was not a debate. It was an address to
Congress. However, it did help distract
the media, briefly, from Republican
talking points about the Democrats’
health care effort. It did help Wilson’s
likely Democratic opponent Rob Miller
raise more than $1 million.
After receiving the foot fault, nothing Williams could have said to the
lineswoman would have resolved what
Williams and most objective observers
thought was a bad call. In fact, by
threatening the official, Williams made
the situation worse - less likely for res-
Sunday, September 13, 2009
During MTV’s 2009 Video Music
Awards, rapper Kanye West storms the
stage as 19-year old country-pop artist
Taylor Swift accepts her award for Best
Female Video for “You Belong To Me.”
Swift: Thank you so much. I always
dreamed about what it would be like to
maybe win one of these someday but I
never actually thought it would happen.
I sing country music so thank you so
much for giving me a chance to win a
VMA award.
(Kanye jumps onto stage.)
West: Yo Taylor, I’m really happy
for you. I’m a let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all-
olution, and less likely that there would
be a positive outcome for her.
Once the decision-makers of the
VMA made the decision about who
would win Best Female Video, neither
Kanye nor anyone else, with the exception of maybe some high level MTV
executives, could have changed the outcome. Most people would probably
agree that Beyonce’s Single Ladies
video is the best video of the year,
including VMA judges. That’s why she
won Best Video of the Year.
If West had only exercised more
self-control and sat through the entire
show, he would have saved himself a
lot of grief. More importantly, he would
have not have ruined what should have
been a special night for country music’s
new pop princess. By galloping on
stage and interrupting Swift’s acceptance speech, West misjudged the situation and came off looking the worse for
it.
“It’s easy to poke fun at
politicians, athletes, musicians, and others in the public eye for letting their passions overcome their reason.
There are entire industries
built around it - cable news
shows, parody news shows,
celebrity blogs, and the list
goes on.”
It’s easy to poke fun at politicians,
athletes, musicians, and others in the
public eye for letting their passions
overcome their reason. There are entire
industries built around it – cable news
shows, parody news shows, celebrity
blogs, and the list goes on. But how are
the events of last week any different
from our own shortcomings? Are Representative Wilson, Serena Williams,
and Kanye West anything more than
better-known and better-paid versions
of the people with whom we grew up,
went to school, go to work and go to
church, synagogue, or mosque?
I don’t like clichés. They lack originality, and their overuse diminishes
their impact. Nevertheless, the dullness
of a statement adds no more and subtracts no less from its truth value. So,
from now on, I won’t dismiss them so
quickly.
The next time my parents or grandparents repeat the admonishment, “if
you don’t have anything nice to say,
don’t say anything at all,” I won’t stare
at the ceiling; I won’t mentally recite
my flight departure information; I
won’t recede into my all-knowing superiority. I’ll think of Joe Wilson, Serena
Williams, and Kanye West of September 2009. Perhaps, the events of last
week will encourage other Americans
to do the same.
PAGE 12
•
sports
The Bachelor
september 18, 2009
Line
From Page 9
Morris and Tokar stay in
close contact. Last summer,
Morris and Tokar said they
talked at least every couple of
days.
Last semester, while Tokar
was studying abroad in Australia, Morris called to tell him
he would be returning for his
fifth season at tackle. Even
months away from the season
and an ocean away from the
States, Tokar couldn’t contain
the excitement and emotion.
“I remember talking to
[Morris] some time in March,”
Tokar said. “When he told me
he was coming back this season, I was so excited. I told my
roommate in Australia right
away. It was like Christmas
again.”
Together, the two have
enjoyed an incredible run,
helping lead the Little Giants
to four straight North Coast
Athletic Conference titles and
two straight playoff appearances.
Last year, as head coach
Erik Raeburn made an effort to
add balance to the previously
pass-heavy attack, the O-line’s
job got that much harder.
They didn’t disappoint,
leading the way to 2,075 rushing yards on the year.
The pass blocking didn’t
exactly suffer either, as they
kept senior quarterback Matt
Hudson upright long enough to
throw for 3,135 yards and 29
touchdowns in an NCAC
Offensive Player of the Year
effort.
With one more year to
wreak havoc on defensive lines
together, Morris and Tokar pre-
PHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Senior linemen Jeremy Morris (left) and Skip Tokar (right) defend the quarterback in the Monon Bell Classic at DePauw in 2007. Morris and Tokar
anchor an offensive line that gained 5,210 total yards last season. This season, they look to continue the dominance. For Wabash, it all starts up
dictably have high expectations
for this season. “We want to be
the best O-line in the country,”
Tokar said. “With all the people
we have back and the talent of
the guys stepping in at center,
anything other than that would
be a failure. We have lots of
talent, lots of experience.
We’re shooting for perfection.”
They certainly got off to a
good start in the season opener
last Saturday. The Little Giants
rushed for an incredible 268
yards rushing against Denison.
They also gave up zero sacks as
Hudson threw for 264 yards
and three touchdowns.
Averaging 6’5 and 285
pounds, the Little Giant offensive line is huge, intimidating
and powerful. But their true
strength comes from the strong
bond that unites them and the
chemistry and trust they’ve
built on and off the field. No
one better exemplifies this than
Morris and Tokar.
Wild
From Page 9
Meet...
Matt Paul
Possible Major:
History
Favorite Athlete:
Iker Casillas of the Spanish National Soccer Team
and Real Madrid
Pre-Game Music:
Nothing in particular as long as it gets me pumped!
Favorite Quote:
"Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up and
knows that it has to run faster than the fastest lion
to survive. Every morning in Africa a lion wakes up
and knows it has to run faster than the slowest
gazelle to survive. But whether you are a lion or a
gazelle, if you wake up in Africa, you better be
running."
Favorite Food:
My mom’s apple pie
ever done before,” said the goalkeeper from Bloomington, Indiana. “Two-adays last only a week in high school.
Here they last for two weeks. But it has
been a great experience. I’m getting to
know the guys, and it’s great to be
involved.”
Soccer played a big role in Paul’s
choice to attend Wabash, but it may have
also been from his parents and his
adventurous spirit.
Paul was looking for a school that
would offer him a good education and
was close to home. Wabash fit both criteria. He had an English teacher in high
school, whose last name happens to be
Hays, who pushed him to consider
Wabash.
Paul made his first campus visit his
junior year of high school. It sounded
like he was all set, but there was one
drawback. He didn’t know if he could
afford Wabash.
“My parents drove me hard, but it’s a
good thing,” Paul said. “You learn so
much at school, but you learn infinitely
more at home. I was ready for college,
but I didn’t think I could come to
Wabash financially.”
Through financial aid and various
scholarships, Paul was able to afford to
come to Wabash, and he seems very content with his choice. Paul was pleased
with the great facilities Wabash offers,
as well as with all the people he met.
“Once I got to Wabash, it solidified
“You see places
driving in a car.
That’s cool, but the
real beautiful places
require work to
get there.”
Matt Paul, Wabash ‘13
my decision,” Paul said. “I never got the
same feeling as I got from Wabash anywhere else. I visited other campuses,
including DePauw, but it didn’t compare.”
Paul was not only pleased with the
facilities and the campus in general. He
is also excited about the academic
opportunities Wabash affords. Paul has
always been interested in history and
plans on declaring that his major. However, he also has an interest in business.
“One of the great thing about a liberal arts degree is it doesn’t limit you to
just one thing,” Paul said. “Here I can
major in history while still pursuing my
interest in business. There is a decent
chance I will go to business school and
get my MBA after here.”
Although these plans are not yet concrete, Paul’s life adventure seems to be
taking a positive shape.
Pack
From Page 9
overall. The team was paced
by an individual winning effort
by McCarthy and fellow sophomore Donovan White.
“It was a good day. Kevin
ran extremely well,” White
said. “I like to say I just got the
baton around to him, he was
smoking lights out. It felt good
to win, because we put our
team in a position to win.
Doing whatever it takes to put
the team in a better position.
“Just as basketball has
plays and a scheme.
each player has his
own running style
that he brings to
the team.”
Donovan White ‘12
The win was good, but I know
it’s just another step on the
path to help the team get better.”
Beyond the unique team
dynamic of a sport like cross
country comes the interesting
characteristic of running being
something many athletes dread,
while runners embrace the
challenge that running and conditioning provide.
“Some days it’s tough, but
you have to think ‘how do I
take myself to the next level,’”
White said. “One day you focus
on your pacing, another you
might work on how quickly
you get out. I really like to
check out my surroundings and
just enjoy myself while I’m
running.”
Last season, which saw
marked team and individual
improvements, concluded with
an individual national championship birth by current Junior
Seth Einterz. That success by
Einterz, and team-wide, has
PHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Juniors Seth Einterz (left) and Justin Allen (right) pace each other during
the 48th Annual Wabash Hokum Karem Sept. 5. Wabash got 2nd overall.
certainly propelled the team to
see a team birth at nationals as
a viable goal that drives the
team daily.
“Since the time I joined the
team last year, the goal has
been to make it to nationals as
a team,” McCarthy noted.
“Coach is always pushing that,
and putting it at the forefront
from the first day at camp.”
Einterz’s success has certainly sparked the team’s determination.
“Seth made it to nationals
last year, and we don’t want to
leave him all alone there at the
end of the year this year,”
McCarthy said. “When one of
us can [make it to nationals], it
makes the goal so much more
tangible for the rest of the
group. It gives us each a little
bit of an edge; you feel like, ‘if
he can be there, so can I.’”
If this group of Wallies can
stick to their “pack running,”
Einterz may have some friendly company in Cleveland for
this year’s National Championship.
Cross Country an individual
sport? Not here.
sports
The Bachelor
•
PAGE 13
september 18 2009
The Sports Desk
Scores, Stats, Previews & More
Football Shows Denison No Mercy
CHUCK SUMMERS
SPORTS EDITOR
DREW CASEY | WABASH ‘11
Junior running back Tommy Mambourg sprints for some yardage against
Denison last Saturday. Mambourg broke out for 129 yards and a score.
The Little Giant football team
was looking to make a statement
in their first game against Denison on Saturday.
An emphatic 56-7 thrashing of
the Big Red certainly did that.
Wabash rushed for an incredible 268 yards, led by junior
Tommy Mambourg’s 129 yards
and a touchdown.
Senior quarterback Matt Hudson added another 254 yards and
three touchdowns through the air,
showing no signs of slowing
after his North Coast Athletic
Conference Offensive Player of
the Year – worthy 2008.
Junior Kody Lemond set the
pace for the receiving corps,
catching 7 balls for 126 yards
and two touchdowns. Junior Wes
Chamblee caught four balls for
44 yards and a score and sophomore Brady Young added two
more catches and 42 yards.
When junior running back
Derrick Yoder went down with a
knee injury in the Red-White
scrimmage, it was unclear who
would take the reigns of the running game.
With his performance on Saturday, it appears Mambourg has
done just that.
“It’s just awesome,” said
Mambourg of his opportunity to
start. “I’m running behind a big,
talented group of guys. I’m
blessed to have the opportunity.”
Mambourg was quick to give
credit to the offensive line for his
breakout performance, “There’s
almost 12 years of experience
between those guys. It makes
your reads and everything that
much easier. There’s a lot of people who can gain 100 yards running behind guys like that.”
Defensively, the Little Giants
were dominant as well. On the
first play from scrimmage, senior
linebacker Matt Kraft announced
his return to the field with
authority – scooping up a Denison fumble for a touchdown.
“Matt Kraft set the tone right
off the bat on the big play,” said
head coach Erik Raeburn.
The defense never let up,
either. After rushing for 275
yards the week before against
Kalamazoo, the Big Red were
held to 55 yards on the ground.
Sophomore
quarterback
Braden Layer threw for only 84
yards and an interception.
This week, the Little Giants
turn their attention to the University of Chicago. For the trip to
the Windy City on Saturday,
Wabash is simply focusing on
fine-tuning.
“We’re just doing what we’re
do but better,” Raeburn said.
“We’re just focusing on correcting little mistakes.”
Offensively, the Maroons are
led by sophomore tailback
Tommy Parks, who rushed for
204 yards off 32 carries in Chicago’s season opening win at
Kenyon last weekend. The
Maroons won 37-36 in double
overtime.
Junior quarterback Marshall
Oium added 202 more yards
through the air, and junior receiver Clay Wolff caught nine balls
for 152 yards.
Defensively, the Maroons are
led by sophomore safety Danny
Polaneczky, who’s 12 total tackles and interception at Kenyon
landed
him
on
the
D3football.com Team of the
Week.
Last season, the Little Giants
defeated the Maroons 49-7.
The game starts at 12 noon
tomorrow at the University of
Chicago.
Record: 1-0
Last Game: 56-7 win
against Denison
Next Game: at University
of Chicago (1-0), 12pm
Tomorrow
Stat of the Week: 268 total rushing yards for
Wabash offense against
Denison in week 1
Soccer Ends Skid with DePauw Tie
CHUCK SUMMERS
SPORTS EDITOR
The Little Giant soccer
team ended their threegame skid on Wednesday
night, just not the way
they wanted.
After two hard-fought
overtime periods, Wabash
tied archrival DePauw 2-2
at Mud Hollow Field.
An extremely questionable call with 16 seconds
left in regulation set the
Tigers up for a game-tying
score. The Little Giants
has plenty of chances to
score in overtime but were
unable to capitalize, tying
DePauw for the second
year in a row.
Sophomore
forward
Austin Jennings drew first
blood with a goal in the
65th minute, earning an
eruption from the Wabash
crowd that suffocated the
fence that runs by the sideline. Jennings capitalized
on a pass from senior
defender/midfielder David
Rosborough.
Junior defender Mark
Babcock made it 2-0 with
a penalty kick eleven minutes later.
But the Tigers rallied
quickly, scoring first off a
“It’s pretty
tough. It just
comes down to
us keeping our
heads in the
game until the
last second.”
David Rosborough ‘10
free kick and then the dramatic game-tier with just
seconds left.
Rosborough said the
loss was hard to swallow,
but insisted that there were
plenty of positives to take
away. “It’s pretty tough,”
Rosborough said. “I’m
still thinking about how
we could have changed
the outcome. It just comes
down to us keeping our
heads in the game until the
last second. But we continued to fight as hard as
we could until the end. We
made a lot of great plays
and we scored some awesome goals, so overall I’m
satisfied with the end
result.”
This weekend, the Lit-
tle Giants begin the North
Coast Athletic Conference
schedule with a home
game against Wooster on
Saturday.
Rosborough said the
team has high expectations for conference play
this year, “Hopefully
every guy on the team
comes out strong. Last
year, we took some steps
in the right direction, and I
think we have the chance
to be a legitimate threat in
the NCAC this year.”
The game against
Wooster begins at 12pm at
Mud Hollow Field.
Record: 2-3-1
Last Game: 2-2 tie
against DePauw
Next Game: Wooster
tomorrow, 12pm at
Mud Hollow Field
Stat of the Week:
14 - shots by
Wabash against
DePauw
Wednesday night
PHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Sophomore forward Austin Jennings goes airborne, celebrating a goal against DePauw on
Wednesday night. The celebration would not last, as the Little Giants tied DePauw 2-2.
Gentlemen, It’s Not
Too Early: Get Thee
to Career Services!
PAGE 14
•
sports
The Bachelor
september 18, 2009
Photo Focus
Football
Opener
DREW CASEY | WABASH ‘11
Above - Junior running back
Tommy Mambourg busts free for
a big gain against Denison
Right - Junior receiver Wes
Chamblee shows off his sprinter’s
speed against the Big Red
The Fan’s Corner
Where the ‘Grand Conversation’ is always about sports
The Return of Michael Vick
JOHN MELIND
COLUMNIST
Michael Vick is back, and I’m
happy!
I cannot wait for the new
Michael Vick era to begin in
Philadelphia. Before his run-in
with the law, Michael Vick was
one of the most dazzling players
in professional football.
He brought Playstation games
to life on the field, changing
directions and spinning through
defenders with ease.
To first combat the people
who do not think that Michael
Vick should be back in the NFL,
you’re wrong. Sorry.
Michael Vick had literally
everything taken away from
him. He lost his job, his house,
his ability to walk down the
street and live freely, and all of
his money. After that he went to
“If he has the talent
and ability to get back
to the top after all of
that, what kind of
country would we be to
deny him his right to
achieve?
jail for two years.
If he has the talent and ability
to get back to the top after all of
that, what kind of country would
we be to deny him his right to
achieve? Michael Vick has paid
his debt to society and he
deserves to be on the field.
Now that he’s back, I think he
has a chance to be even better
than before. Whether or not it
was forced on him or he has
done it on his own volition does
not matter, but Michael Vick is a
changed man.
When he played for the Falcons he won games with raw talent. He was always the last guy
to get to practice, and the first
one to leave. He went out to the
club all the time, and did not
take care of his body at all.
That Michael Vick is gone.
With new mentor Tony Dungy,
Michael Vick has taken a whole
new outlook on life and the
game of football.
If anything, the two years off
gave his legs some much needed
rest. They say he’s not ready to
play yet, but that’s understandable considering he just started
playing football again a month
or so ago.
When the time is right and
Vick is ready, he is going to
dominate again, and I can’t wait
to see it.
Intramural Football Scoreboard
Beta - 2-0 (Last game - 31-0 W over Kap Sig)
Nama - 0-1 (Last Game - 21-18 L to Lambda Chi)
Kappa Sig - 0-2 (Last Game - 48-2 L to Lambda Chi)
Lambda Chi - 2-0 (Last Game - 48-21 W over Kappa Sig)
”
!
f
f
O
d
n
“ Sou
out...
lly Talking Ab
Men Are Rea
h
as
ab
W
t
Wha
“The final play of the Miami - FSU
game goes to show you that football is a game of inches, if the FSU
QB threw that pass six inches higher the receiver catches that pass
and FSU wins the game.”
- Ryan Lutz ‘13
“Definitely want to make a shout out
for the Cubs situation... not
necessarily about wins or losses... I'm
talking about getting Ron Santo in
the Hall of Fame. When steroid using
cheats can do it with help, a
legendary player with a disability
(diabetes) can't. Make sense to you?
'Cause it sure doesn't to this writer.”
- Rudy Altergott ‘13
Phi Delt - 2-0 (Last Game - 33-27 W over Martindale)
FIJI - 0-1 (Last Game - 21-14 L to Phi Psi)
Sig Chi - 1-1 (Last Game - 25-12 L to Phi Psi)
Teke - 0-2 (Last Game 50-6 L to Beta)
Theta Delt - 0-1 (Last Game - 14-0 L to Martindale)
Wal-Mor - 1-0 (Last Game 54-52 W over Sig Chi)
Martindale - 1-1 (Last Game - 33-27 L to Phi Delt)
Phi Psi - 1-1 (Last Game - 25-12 L to Sig Chi)
“What’s Summers think about
that foot speed?”
- Matt Hudson ‘10, after a 22yard scramble against Denison
Saturday