Aid plan announced
Transcription
Aid plan announced
Campus Times A&E G A R T H FA G A N D A N C E G I V E S U N I Q U E A N D E X C I T I N G S H O W | PA G E 1 5 Volume 134, Number 22 Serving the University of Rochester community since 1873 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Newspaper plan returns to UR BY ben wrobel News Editor The Collegiate Readership Program will be reinstated next semester after a successful trial period last year. The program, sponsored by USA Today and brought to UR by the Students’ Association, provides the school with copies of USA Today, the New York Times and the Democrat & Chronicle, a local paper. The papers are distributed to convenient open-air displays around campus, where students can pick them up for free. The pilot program, which was conducted for free, yielded positive results. A survey conducted before and after the four-week long program showed that students were more cognizant of world affairs and more knowledgeable about current events at the end of the trial period. SA Vice President and junior Janna Gewirtz said that the CRP representatives recommended a $50,000 program based on the results. However, the SA decided to implement a streamlined version that focuses on providing papers to high volume locations. Though the pilot program had nine pick-up locations, including spots in Hill Court and Southside, the locations were narrowed down to the IT Center, Wilson Commons, Douglass Dining Center and Susan B. Anthony Halls. Gewirtz noted that choosing dining halls and study spots as pick-up locations will help accomplish one of the goals of the program, building a community around the newspapers. “People can sit down together in communal places and read them,” Gewirtz said. The program will cost $9,000 a semester. The SA received $20,000 from the Dean of Students’ Office for the program, with the extra $2,000 acting as a buffer in case of unforeseen complications. The majority of the funding was secured on Meliora Weekend, when the Parents’ Council See PAPER, Page 5 jeff levy • Photography Editor After the complete outfitting of the vehicle this summer, MERT integrated the Jeep into its general operations. MERT receives higher call volume BY Bonnie Jarrett Publisher The end of the semester marks an important milestone for the Medical Emergency Response Team as this was their first full semester using a vehicle as part of their operations. However, it has also been a particularly busy year for them with the amount of calls increasing from last year. MERT responded to 282 calls in 2006 and at the time of publication, with almost three weeks remaining in the semester, they have already responded to 342 calls in this calendar year. The breakdown of the reasons MERT was called also differs in 2007 in comparison to 2006. In 2006 the top two types of calls MERT responded to were traumatic injury, making up 26 percent of the call volume, and intoxication, making up 21 percent. In 2007 the numbers virtually switched with intoxication making up 27 percent of the call volume and traumatic injury making up 21 percent. According to Director of UR Security Walter Mauldin, there are typically two spikes in the amount of calls received over the course of the year — one in April around the time of Dandelion Day and one in September. “This semester, however, there were actually two spikes — one in September and one in November,” Mauldin said. “In September, we See MERT, Page 5 Dean of Students Asbury retires Jeff Levy • Photography Editor Rochester City Mayor Robert Duffy speaks about the new program for eligible Rochester City Department high school graduates to receive 100K in UR tuition over four years. Aid plan announced University and city leaders announce $25K/year plan by Ben Wrobel News Editor In an effort to foster the University’s connection with the Rochester community and help students at local public schools, UR President Joel Seligman announced yesterday a program called the “Rochester Promise.” The program will guarantee $100,000 in UR tuition over four years to an estimated 40 Rochester City School District high school alumni who meet admissions standards. Seligman outlined the program in Wallis Hall, accompanied by leaders of the Rochester community and the College, including Mayor Robert Duffy, RCSD Superintendent Bill Cala and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid John Burdick. Seligman attributed much of the program’s successful implementation to Burdick and his office. “I’d like to extend all credit to John Burdick,” Seligman said. The city leaders expressed thanks for being included in Rochester’s plans. “I have always talked about how we have to work together,” Cala said. “It is only through everyone’s effort that we can do the right thing for kids in our city.” Duffy echoed Cala’s sentiment. “Education is everyone’s responsibility,” he said. Seligman and the other leaders decried the lack of hope that plagues students in the RCSD, where the graduation rate of 39 percent is 28 percentage points lower than the statewide average. Duffy said that this program will help alleviate the problem. “If a [high school] student knows that if he or she studies hard they can come into a prestigious University, that is going to raise hope,” Duffy said. However, Burdick pointed out that students still need to study and parents need to continue saving money for the remaining tuition. “The door is open, but [students] have to walk up to it, step through it,” Burdick said. The “Rochester Promise” program will be available for the 2008-09 school year, with an estimated cost of $1 million annually, assuming that 40 students receive the scholarship. However, Seligman pointed out that the funding could potentially be revised to include more students. “If [a greater number See AID, Page 5 Jeff Levy • Photography Editor eastman quadrangle buried Winter finally arrives at Rochester after an extended fall season. Only one student, pictured at center, was willing to go outside and brave the Rochester frost. By Mallory Smith Staff Writer Former Dean of Students Jody Asbury stepped down on Oct. 26 to take medical leave for a planned surgery. Former Associate Dean of Students Matthew Burns assumed the role of Acting Dean of Students on Oct. 29. Asbury will not return as a dean but will teach an undergraduate course on leadership next semester and serve the Rochester Center for Community Leadership (RCCL), an extension of the Dean of Students office that she helped found. “RCCL was Dean Asbury’s brainchild; it was a way to consolidate communitybased efforts so there is less duplication of efforts,” Burns said. As dean of students, Asbury sought to enhance student life by expanding initiatives aimed at fostering relations between the University and the city. Asbury pioneered the Rochester Every Day (RED) program to offer discounts to students at 150 area shops and restaurants. She also led efforts to enhance public transportation to and from campus and placed student volunteers in public service roles through the RCCL. “Being engaged on campus and off is saying you’re going to make your community bigger and better,” Asbury said. “There are so many [contributions] Dean Asbury has made,” Dean of the College Richard Feldman said. “One is her efforts to get students off campus and engaged in the city through internships and entertainment.” The Dean of Students’ Office is broken down into two associate deans of students. One associate dean of students, Anne-Marie Algier, oversees student activities, while the other, handled by Burns, oversees disciplinary affairs. The Dean of Students oversees the associates and the RCCL. As Acting Dean of students, Burns has both roles. “Since Oct. 29, my biggest challenge is a workload issue, doing the associate dean of students and dean of students jobs at the same time,” Burns said. “There have been several student behavioral concerns that would have kept the dean of students busy this semester. The challenge is just to keep up.” See DEAN, Page 4 NEWS Page 2 Campus Times Alex Moeller Editor-in-chief ross brenneman managing editor News Editors catelyn halusic BEN WROBEL Photo Editors jeff levy, exec. davID falconieri Mark Fleming Opinions Editor David Cutshall Features Editors CHARLIE FOUNTAINE LEAH KRAUS A & E editors STEPHIE HASS JUDITH TULKOFF Copy Editors arielle friedlander krista lombardo leah squires Illustrator Sports Editors DAVid MAYSTROVSKY erin philbrick Josh Hatcher Online Editor Dan WasserMan Business Manager Ashish Varshneya Comics Editor CALVIN LEE BONNIE JARRETT PUBLISHER Wilson Commons 102 University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627 Office: (585) 275-5942 • Fax: (585) 273-5303 www.campustimes.org • editor@campustimes.org It is the policy of the Campus Times to correct all erroneous information as quickly as possible. If you believe you have a correction, please call the Editor-in-Chief at (585)275-5942. This Week on Campus Thursday, December 6, 2007 Campus Briefs Eastman senior receives prestigious scholarship by catelyn halusic News Editor Senior Rachel Kincaid was recently awarded a Marshall Scholarship to pursue two master’s degrees in the United Kingdom. Kincaid is a trumpet player and composer at the Eastman School of Music. She is one of 37 recipients of the 2008 Marshall Scholarships from across the United States and the first winner from the UR since 1988. “I was surprised and amazed when I found out I’d won the award… It’s an amazing opportunity and I felt very honored to have been selected to receive the award,” Kincaid said. A Marshall Scholar, according to Kincaid, is a person who demonstrates creativity and leadership in his or her field. The Marshall Scholarship program was established in 1953 by the British Parliament to allow students to attend any UK University for two years. The program was established in response to the Marshall Plan’s assistance after World War II as a gesture. Next year, Kincaid will begin a one-year master’s degree program at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England in trumpet performance. The following year, she will pursue her second master’s degree at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland in music composition. “I’m planning to charter a unique career path which combines trumpet performance and composition with an emphasis on socially relevant music which speaks to diverse audiences,” Kincaid said. Kincaid plans to do aid work in developing nations and learn about the native culture’s musical traditions and ultimately integrate elements of the native music into her own compositions. “I hope to help to expand contemporary classical music’s audience in the U.S. by bringing the music into communities and making it accessible to a wider range of audiences,” Kincaid said. Halusic is a member of the class of 2010. Course evaluations now available online SaraH Cummings • Staff Photographer Director Ernesto Caballeros discussed his film “Tambogrande: Mangos, Murder, and Mining” in Hoyt Hall last Thursday evening. Announcements •Submissions for the new Yellowjacket name will be accepted now through Dec. 14 at http:// www.rochester.edu/publications/ yellowjacket/. Submit using the online form or via suggestion boxes located at the Eastman School and on the River Campus. A committee of students, faculty and staff will review the suggestions and select the top five. Voting for the final selection will begin in January. •Clases officially end on Thursday, Dec. 13 and the Read- ing Period will last from Friday, Dec. 14 to Saturday, Dec. 15. •Colleges Against Cancer will host a Dodgeball Tournament on Friday, Dec. 7. The cost is $20 per team, URos are accepted and there is a minimum of six people per team. Students can also sign up directly before the event. All proceeds will go toward the American Cancer Society. To submit, please e-mail announcements@campustimes.org. Deadline is Tuesday at 5 p.m. by ben wrobel News Editor Following years of numerous paper surveys, the course opinion questionnaire that allows students to assess and comment on the quality of their classes has been moved online. This follows a four-department online pilot program that was implemented last year. Assistant Dean of Institutional Research Nancy Speck said that the full online system is more convenient for both students and faculty. She noted that the paper questionnaires had to be sorted and scanned, while the online data is more easily organized and manipulated. Also, students can complete the survey, which takes five to six minutes, from their dorm room. “It has certainly made it easier for students to complete [the questionnaire],” Speck said. “Now it does not take time out of class.” Speck said that the anonymous survey has multiple purposes. Students can use the evaluations to make decisions on courses they want to take, while professors can use specific complaints or suggestions to enhance and adjust their class. Finally, administrators can make tenure and promotion decisions based on the data they collect. Students believe the change is for the better as well. “[Online evaluations] seem better to me... The teacher does not want someone who doesn’t want to fill out a course evaluation,” sophomore Gautum Sharma said. The questionnaire is available at http://rochester.onlinecourseevaluations.com. It runs through Thursday, Dec. 13, which is the last day of classes, upon which students can check the results online. Wrobel is a member of the class of 2010. Security Update Student experiences difficulty breathing A student was sent to Strong Memorial Hospital on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 11:15 a.m., according to Lafferty. The student reported having experienced difficulty with his breathing. He was transported by ambulance from River Campus University Health Service to the Emergency Department for further care. The student’s condition was believed to be associated with asthma. The suspect or suspects had also reprogrammed the machines so that they would provide free usage instead of the usual paid service. There was damage to the lids of the washing machines, which had been pried open by force. No police report has been filed at present. Two Wilder washing machines hijacked Security was alerted when an unauthorized person was found observing the tennis courts in the Goergen Athletic Center at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, according to Lafferty. According to Goergen staff, a former player was in the area watching the tennis team practicing. This is in violation of imposed restrictions. Security checked the area for the individual in ques- An unidentified suspect or suspects were reported to security on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 11 a.m. and Friday, Nov. 30 at 11:15 a.m., according to Lafferty. The suspect or suspects had pried open two washing machines in the Wilder Tower basementlaundry room. Unauthorized person watches tennis team practice thursday december 6 Blood drive The D’Lions will sponsor a Red Cross Blood Drive in the May Room in Wilson Commons. The event will last from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and participants can register online at http://www.Donatebloodnow.org. humanities talk Anthea Butler, from the Department of Religion and Classics, will lead a roundtable discussion about her new book, “Women in the Church of God & Christ: Making a Sanctified World.” Other faculty will participate in the event, which starts at 5 p.m. in the Welles-Brown Room in Rush Rhees Library. The talk is sponsored by the Religion and Classics Department and the Frederick Douglass Institute. Free refreshments will be served. friday december 7 Medieval Society talk Richard Kaeuper of the Department of History will give a talk exploring the antithetical values and emotions of vengeance and mercy in a reading of chivalric romance. The talk will be held in the Robbins Library in Rush Rhees Library. It will begin at 3 p.m. and refreshments will follow the lecture. Holiday vendor fair The Student Activities Office is sponsoring a fair. Find all your holiday gifts, from men’s and women’s clothing from L’Avant Garbe and Men Tality of Pittsford to jewelry from Tastefully Simple, as well as Say It Play It and Tupperware. The fair will be held in Hirst Lounge in Wilson Commons and is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. kwanzaa celebration The Black Students’ Union will sponsor a Kwanzaa Celebration that will include a dinner. Tickets are $15 at the Common Market in Wilson Commons. The celebration will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the May Room in Wilson Commons. BPG SHOW The Ballet Performance Group will be performing their show “Shake Your Groove Thing.” The event will include a raffle. The raffle winner will recieve a monetary prize. Raffle tickets are $1 or 6 tickets for $5. The show will be from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Upper Strong Auditorium. Tickets are $4 at the Common Market in Wilson Commons. saturday december 8 study abroad There will be a study abroad information session from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Stackel Room in Wilson Commons. sunday december 9 Christmas Talk Undergraduate student sent to emergency room BY Marley Schneier Staff Writer UR Security Officers, as well as Medical Emergency Response Team members, responded to an ill student in Gilbert Hall at 1:14 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2, according to UR Security Investigator Dan Lafferty. The student complained of ailments including vomitting and a tingling sensation in one of his arms. The student was examined and evaluated by MERT. After assessment, the student was sent in a patrol vehicle to Strong Memorial Hospital. There, he was sent to the Emergency Department for further care. Calendar tion, however, the individual was not found. The information was forwarded to the Dean of Students’ Office for review. Caller annoys Eastman student A student in the Eastman Commons Dormitory contacted Security after receiving an irritating message on Friday, Nov. 30, according to Lafferty. The voice message was reportedly received from an unidentified male suspect. The student decided against filing a police report. The student said if there were any further calls, he or she would contact Security. Information provided by UR Security. Schneier is a member of the class of 2011 The New York Council for the Humanities is sponsoring a talk by author, columnist and food historian Peter Rose. The talk will examine how practices brought to this country by 17thcentury Dutch settlers have influenced how we celebrate Christmas and the New Year. The talk will be in the Memorial Art Gallery at 2 p.m. Violin Prodigy The Skalny Center and the Department of Music is sponsoring a recital by violin player Alexander Styk and piano player Oleksandra Yurchenko. Styk is a 15-year-old violin prodigy from Pittsford, N.Y. Styke will play the music of Wieniawski, Mozart, Lalo, Ravel and Monti. The concert is free and open to the public and is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Lower Strong Auditorium. wednesday december 12 wC wednesday This month, Wilson Commons Wednesday will be “Festa Italiana,” featuring live music and giveaways. Wilson Commons Wednesdays are sponsored by the Wilson Commons Student Activities and Dining Services. This event is open for students, faculty and staff. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Cash or URos is accepted. Please e-mail calendar submissions to calendar@campustimes.org. NEWS Thursday, December 6, 2007 Page 3 Student continues to Graduate student passes away Tuesday push for service dog by leah squires Copy Editor Sophomore Deborah Stamm continued her fight against the University’s decision to not allow her service dog, Sid, to accompany her to class or live in her dormitory. Stamm began her fight in early summer and it has continued through this semester, culminating in a legal suit. Stamm won a temporary victory on Oct. 11, when U.S. District Court Judge David Larmier ruled in a preliminary hearing that she could keep Sid with her at UR until the case was resolved in court. Stamm lives on the Computer Interest Floor, on the third floor of Anderson Tower. CIF Chairman and sophomore Robert Ramsay noted that no issues have arisen from the latest addition to their community. “We really don’t see much of [Sid] unless she is taking him with her or out for a walk,” Ramsay said. “Everyone is either indifferent or very friendly and receptive.” Ramsay followed up to say that, thus far, no one has complained of an allergic reaction. While Stamm was also given permission to take Sid to classes, she has not taken that step, citing that Sid’s heavy breathing may prove to be distracting. “He has some slight breathing problems that almost sound like whining, so I haven’t actually taken him to classes yet,” she said. “But he’s gone to work with me and [to] the Pit and never been a problem.” Stamm commented that Sid is usually well received by the UR community “If I hear or see a reaction, it’s positive,” she said. “Occasionally people will seem to be avoiding him, but people seem to like Sid or are just interested and asking questions.” While Stamm has not received any negative responses, Dean of the College Richard Feldman noted that he has heard concerns. “A small number of complaints about Sid have been brought to my attention, and we are trying to respond to them,” Feldman said. Stamm was diagnosed with a major depressive disorder last year and Type 1 diabetes last summer. This past spring, she opted to get a service dog to help her cope with her disability. She attributes her choice to return to UR this semester directly to her change in behavior after obtaining Sid. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 defines a service animal as “any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.” Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of University Health Service Ralph Manchester, M.D. noted that some research has shown that such service animals can help individuals with a disability; however, the case studies are limited. “In general, as far as the use of any kind of animal to treat people with depression or other mental health disorders, there hasn’t been as much research done,” Manchester said. “The research I’m familiar with has looked at using animals to help people who are hospitalized because of depression… But that’s a different setting than someone who is being treated as an outpatient.” Manchester went on to describe the typical course of action taken by doctors to combat the effects of depression and other mental disorders. “The two kinds of treatment that have been shown to be the most effective with depression in rigorous scientific studies have been counseling and certain medications,” Manchester said. “I think most people would consider [a service animal] a second or thirdline treatment because it has not been studied in the rigorous way to have the same kind of backings that counseling and medications now have.” According to Stamm, such recommended treatments did not produce satisfactory results. She has taken medication and had found nine years of counseling to be ineffective, explaining that she had just recently stopped seeing a psychologist when she lost her insurance coverage. However, Stamm emphasized that suffering from the two diseases simultaneously spurred her initiative to get a service animal. “Another reason for having Sid is the combination of having diabetes and depression,” she said. “With Type 1 diabetes you have to monitor your eating habits and insulin levels closely and make the proper adjustments. I have had days because of depression that I don’t eat at all.” Stamm went further to explain that Sid could prevent a lifethreatening situation. In simplified terms, having diabetes means that the body does not metabolize glucose (blood sugar) properly. An immediate risk of this disease is the potential for the body to lapse into a hypoglycemic state, or insulin shock, in which the level of glucose circulating in the blood stream is too low. “The main problem [for diabetics] tends to be hypoglycemia, which means your blood sugar drops, which can send people into a coma,” she said. “Sid has a command to bring me a basket containing foods that would bring my blood sugar up really quickly.” Because she found Sid to be a useful companion, Stamm went through the University’s appeals process to ensure that she could bring him to UR. She was required to submit documentation that cited she had a disability and was eligible for accommodations. Although the University ultimately denied her request, she was offered an alternative off-campus living situation, which she declined. Stamm’s case may be unique to UR. Washington University in St. Louis’s Director of Disability Resources Christine Street could not recall a comparable request that she had received. However, she explained that Wash U. would only allow the student to bring the service dog if the student provided appropriate documentation of a disability. Street also articulated why this may be such a tough decision. “I can understand that it would be an unusual situation to allow See DOG, Page 4 by Alex Moeller Editor-in-Chief Shortly after noon yesterday, the UR community was informed of the death of first-year graduate student Erik Maceira. An e-mail, sent out by UR President Joel Seligman to the UR Community, stated that Maceira was found dead on Tuesday in his apartment in the town of Brighton and that the cause of death had not yet been determined. “From all that I have learned, Erik was a wonderful student, deeply loved by his family and friends,” Seligman said in the email. “A tragedy like this cuts all of us to the quick. We do not at this time know what happened, but we do know that Erik will always be a part of our community and that all of us will do everything that we can to support his family and friends.” Maceira was a graduate student in the Chemistry Department and a laboratory teaching assistant in CHM 131: Chemical Concepts, Systems and Practices. He came to UR from SUNY Plattsburgh, where he had recently made the Dean’s List for the Spring 2007 semester, according to the Press Republican, a newspaper covering northeastern New York. Maceira was a native of Plattsburgh, N.Y. According to Director of UR Security Walter Mauldin, his department was contacted by Brighton Police shortly after they found Maceira’s body and realized his connection to the University. Security then worked to determine Maceira’s specific connections to UR and the Chemistry Department. A cause of death will not be determined until an autopsy and toxicological tests have been done. Seligman has met with Maceira’s father and brother and, according to Mauldin, other family members are expected to arrive in the coming days. “My heartfelt condolences go out to Erik’s parents, brother and friends and to the graduate students, faculty and staff in Chemistry,” Seligman said in the email. The Dean of Students’ Office released a statement with ways for students to cope with the situation. “We strongly encourage students to reach out to one another and make use of available support services,” the statement said. It listed strategies such as planning time for relaxation, talking with professors and advisers and numerous other methods. Moeller is a member of the class of 2009. Construction sites take new form by rebecca leber Staff Writer UR has been busy with construction projects both on and off campus. On-campus projects this semester include Gleason Library’s opening in November, a recently completed Learning Workshop and Connections Café, which is planned to open during finals week. Currently, the largest River Campus development is the new University Health Service building, an $11 million project. Construction broke ground last May and has progressed quickly from the large hole students found when they arrived earlier in the fall. Most recently, steel has been put up and is being enclosed, while workers begin to work on the interior infrastructure. Project Manager Paul Spaulding estimates it to be 40 percent complete. Planning for the UHS building mark fleming • Photography Editor The construction on Brooks Landing has made significant progress. began in 2006, when Director of University Health Services Ralph Manchester and his staff proposed a design plan for a new building that would consolidate services previously scattered around the University. “For the first time ever we will have medical care, counseling, health promotion and administra- tive staff all housed together. We currently have these parts of UHS in six different sites, which creates problems for our staff and for the students and employees we serve,” Manchester said. Spaulding has worked with the project from its design to construction, coordinating See PROJECTS, Page 4 Tvnnfs!Cvtjoftt!Jotujuvuf!A!Tjnpo Kvof!3Ñ31-!3119 Xifuifs!zpv!bsf!b!dvssfou!dpmmfhf!tuvefou!ps!b!ofxmz!njoufe!hsbevbuf-!! ejtdpwfs!fydjujoh!pqqpsuvojujft!jo!cvtjoftt!uijt!tvnnfs/ E Get a head start on your career path E Three-week, 6-credit program includes courses in five areas: general management, marketing, leadership, business law, and accounting and finance E Network at C.E.O.-hosted dinners Fospmmnfou!jt!mjnjufe/!Bqqmz!opx"!Bqqmjdbujpo!Efbemjof;!Bqsjm!2-!3119 %361!uvjujpo!ejtdpvou-!jg!bqqmzjoh!cfgpsf!Nbsdi!2-!3119 Gps!npsf!jogpsnbujpo-!dpoubdu!vt!bu!)696*!386.4644!ps!wjtju!xxx/tjnpo/spdiftufs/fev0tvnnfsjotujuvuf NEWS Page 4 Thursday, Thursday, September December20, 6, 2007 Dean: Dean of Students Jody Asbury retires Continued from Page 1 “The biggest challenge I faced before Oct. 29 as Associate Dean of Students was that when I came to the University there was a perceived lack of trust in the disciplinary system,” he said. “My employers thought I was the right candidate to restore that faith in the system.” Feldman, who appointed Burns, has convened an eight-member search committee to find a permanent replacement for Asbury. The committee is looking for candidates have experience with student activities. The replacement dean needs to understand the unique dynamics of a college campus and needs to work well with students. At this time, Burns has not officially applied for the position, but his time as acting dean of students has prepared him for what he can expect if hired permanently. “He’s been doing a great job,” Feldman said. “There have been a number of difficult issues he has had to deal with already and he has handled them very well. He is very clear-headed, calm, sensible and good to work with.” “I am fine being associate dean of students and I’ve enjoyed my time. If it’s my time to be dean of students, I’m ready for it and I’d enjoy it,” Burns said. “If this committee finds there is a candidate who better suits the needs of the University, I would have absolutely no problem remaining associate dean of students and working for that person. In either capacity, I would still enjoy working here at the University.” The search for a new dean of students is still in its early stages. Recently, an advertisement for the position was developed by the search committee. Feldman expects applications to start coming in next month and, hopefully by the early part of next semester, the committee will be able to bring candidates to campus for interviews. A permanent dean of students is expected to be named next semester and will be in place before the 2008-09 academic year. Smith is a member of the class of 2009. Thank you to all of this year’s News writers and photographers! News Naomi Ahsan Ross brenneman Arielle friedlander rebecca leber krista lombardo kashika sahay Marley schneier Andrew Bruml jorawer singh dani wisch margaret zupa Photo Ben Brown Eric Campbell Kali Cohn Sarah Cummings Ross brenneman Daniel Green Gayle Hao Bonnie Jarrett Vijay Paruchuru hoang Pham Lenee Plauche Devin Ruiz Kyle Sabo Jorawer Singh Andrew Slominski Erdem Varol Ben Wrobel Eva Xie 6OTENOWTONAMETHE NEW9ELLOWJACKET 3UBMITYOUR SUGGESTIONONLINE ORATBOXES LOCATEDACROSS 2IVER#AMPUS ANDTHE %ASTMAN3CHOOL .OVTHROUGH $EC 6OTEONLINEATWWWROCHESTEREDUPUBLICATIONSYELLOWJACKET Mark fleming • Photographry Editor The University Health Service building has been in construction since May. It is scheduled to be available for use in Fall 2008. Projects: Building continues Continued from Page 3 between the program’s needs defined by Manchester and his staff, the contractor and management from LeChase Construction. Associate Vice President for University Facilities and Services Richard Pifer discussed the different areas considered during each project, such as the budget, schedule, scope and quality. “If all are in congruence, you got a good project,” Pifer said. According to Pifer, there were a series of project management meeting where concerns, such as security, parking, housekeeping and fire codes have begun to be addressed. The sudden onset of winter weather does not seem to affect plans. “We had a nice fall. Construction has been favorably impacted until a week ago. In the construction process, time is allocated for weather. There’s no reason to think the schedule will not be met,” Pifer said. The building will be ready for use by August 2008. Off campus, an apartment complex constructed by a private developer will provide an additional off-campus option to students with fully furnished two- and fourbedroom units. “Each unit has a living room and fully-equipped kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave, stove and dishwasher. There will be internet, cable and phone included,” Director of Residential Life Laurel Contomanolis said. Construction began early fall and the apartments will be available for students to rent through the Office for Residential Life by fall 2008. “Students will work directly with the Office for Residential Life to secure these apartments,” Contomanolis said. “Undergraduate students will sign a regular housing contract for the academic year if they live there, not a 12month lease.” Pifer explained that the University will lease the entire complex for students when it is completed, but, until then, UR is unaffiliated with construction plans because it is being developed by a third party and the University is renting the final project. Pifer commented on differences between the UHS development and the apartments. “[The Riverview project] is more centralized. It doesn’t involve as many people in the process,” he said. Director of Planning and Project Management Wayne Goodwin characterized the activity level of development on the River Campus. “Right now, the construction level on campus is slightly above normal,” Goodwin said. “A lot of projects are summer-based. We are now working on large projects for next summer.” Leber is a member of the class of 2011. NEWS December 6, 2007 Thursday, September 20, 2007 Page 5 Aid: UR aims to help city school graduates Papers: SA continues program Continued from Page 1 of] qualified matriculants apply, we will potentially extend the support,” he said. There are currently 33 RCSD alumni enrolled in the undergraduate program at UR. While the $25,000 a year scholarship will compose a large portion of a student’s tuition, it falls $10,000 short of UR’s annual tuition costs. However, Seligman pointed out that the scholarship can be augmented by additional scholarship applications and loan funds. Duffy maintained these additional funds would likely minimize tuition for many of the students. “This is a tremendous jumpstart,” Duffy said. “With all the other packages available, we can present this as pretty much a free ride.” Burdick later explained that some common funds for lowincome students are the federalsponsored Pell Grant and statesponsored Tap Grant, both of which offer scholarships up to $5,000. Seligman addressed the issue of funding. “The project is being funded entirely by the College from the financial resources that the school consistently provides,” he said. The money comes from different sources, including gifts to Continued from Page 1 received a large amount of funds from parents. The SA and River Campus Libraries also contributed additional funds. The SA decided to start the program at the beginning of next semester for a variety of reasons. According to Gewirtz, the SA had to decide on choosing locations, organizing waste management and determining logistics such as pick-up and drop-off times. Also, Gewirtz pointed out that fewer students would read the paper if the program were implemented during finals period. “We want to make sure we have a sustainable, set program in place before we do anything,” she said. Though students complain that the variety of newspapers is limited, Gewirtz noted that Rush Rhees Library offers access to over 3,400 newspapers through the Newspaper Reading Room and a wide selection of online newspaper subscriptions. Gewirtz also encouraged students to share and recycle the newspapers. “There are fewer papers, and there is no reason people shouldn’t share,” she said. Wrobel is a member of the class of 2010. Continued from Page 3 a service dog for a psychiatric disability,” she said. “It’s not a common situation. [A service animal] is not an accommodation that we have seen being made by psychiatrists or psychologists.” As for UR, Feldman noted that the University’s position regarding its original decision remains unchanged. “There have not been any changes in UR’s position since the injunction was issued earlier in the semester,” he said. Meanwhile, Stamm is still waiting to find out when her next hearing will be held. The only news she has received is that the original judge who presided over the preliminary hearing will continue to hear her case. However, she is feeling better with Sid around, even if it is temporary. “Everything is going so much better for me than before,” Stamm said. “I’m able to act so much more normally — I have more energy, and I’m able to get work done and go to classes.” Squires is a member of the class of 2010. Dog: Student fights for access jeff levy • Photography Editor UR President Joel Seligman talks with Mayor Robert Duffy after his speech. The “Rochester Promise” will provide aid to the community. the school, UR’s endowment and tuition money that has historically gone to financial aid. Seligman noted that part of the money is an allocation from an existing fund dedicated to helping the Rochester community. The overarching theme of the press conference was the broadening relationship between UR and the Rochester community. “UR has opened up the doors to its campus,” Duffy said, citing the Brooks Landing Project. Seligman also spoke about building a stronger connection with the community. “This is our way of celebrating our close relationship with the city we love,” Seligman said. Wrobel is a member of the class of 2010. MERT: New vehicle aids in response to this year’s additional medical calls Continued from Page 1 had a lot of situations with underage drinkers, freshman mostly, that we were called to, so September was a big month. November is up this year also.” One concern associated with increased calls to MERT due to intoxication is the amount of transports of students to the Strong Memorial Hospital Emergency Department. Admittedly, transported students make up a very small portion of the enormous volume of people that go through the Strong Emergency Department every year. However, according to Mauldin, many would still like to see a decrease in the amount of transports necessary. One way to decrease transports to Strong would be to bring intoxicated students to another location. “If there is an alternate location, like the new University Health Service building, that could be an option,” Mauldin said. “There was a River Campus-based UHS opera- Do you have a problem Campus Times? with the Found an errant comma that just made you mad? Got some beef with TIMES NEW ROMAN? Did your horoscope lead you astray? Come to the CAMPUS TIMES FEEDBACK FORUM December 12. Gowen Room. 5:30 P.M. tion that had a kind of boarding plan when I first came to Rochester. Part of the reason of its closure was not too few students, but too many students. Whether the new UHS building offers that additional option, I don’t know.” According to Director of Operations of River Campus MERT Daniel Nassau, part of the increase in calls could be due to the increased visibility MERT has enjoyed since installing their vehicle as part of the operations. “Because we have the vehicle we are a lot more visible on campus,” Nassau said. “We used to be more behind the scenes, but now a lot more people know there is a service through UR Security. For example, we have received a lot more calls from faculty and graduate students as a result.” The MERT vehicle first arrived in November of 2006. In March of 2007 the light bar and the decals were put in place and the vehicle was first put into use one month later around the time of Dandelion Day. Over the summer the inside of the vehicle was completely outfitted — the cabinetry, the shoreline and the kill-switch feature, which allows the car to run without keys, were all put in place. All of the costs were covered by three contributors. The basic cost of the vehicle was supported by the College, a lot of the medical-related support in the vehicle was covered by UHS and the additional emergency equipment and the ongoing maintenance, insurance and oversight continues to be provided by Security. At the beginning of this semester, with the vehicle completed, MERT integrated the vehicle into its full operations. The new operating procedure follows that from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., the hours during which MERT receives the bulk of their cars, there is a Crew Chief assigned to the vehicle and everywhere he or she goes the vehicle goes as well. They sleep in the MERT bunk room in Tiernan Hall, right across the street from where the vehicle is parked, and the rest of the crew can either stay with the vehicle or respond on foot. In practice, most of the crew stays with the vehicle. The vehicle contains everything a basic life support ambulance carries in addition to epinephrine, albuterol and aspirin. It also has backboards, pediatric equipment, a professional suction unit and more splinting devices then they were able to carry on foot. According to Nassau, MERT has been able to reduce response time. He estimates that their response time used to be around six minutes and is now closer to three. “Implementing the vehicle has surely improved our service,” Nassau said. “We’ve only missed one out of 342 calls this semester. In terms of getting to calls, we are quicker and it has expanded the equipment we can carry so we are more effective in the treatment we give to patients. We also can transport the whole crew together which is important because the Crew Chief can respond to the call first and he or she is the highest level care-giver.” Mauldin agreed with Nassau’s assessment. “The vehicle has been a positive contribution,” he said. “I think that it has improved their overall readiness and on occasion the response time or the degree of response by the first responders.” In terms of the increased amount of calls MERT has seen this semester, Nassau hopes that their increased visibility has allowed them to respond to everyone who has potentially needed their services. “We’d rather do 100 intoxication calls and make sure everyone is safe at the end of the night than do 10 intoxication calls and miss people that might not be safe,” he said. Jarrett is a member of the class of 2009. OPINIONS Page 6 Campus Times Serving the University of Rochester community since 1873. Editorial Board BONNIE JARRETT • ALEX MOELLER • ROSS BRENNEMAN DAVID CUTSHALL • LEAH SQUIRES A fond farewell After six years of service in her current role, Dean of Students Jody Asbury should be commended for all the work she has done for UR students and the greater community. Though she is remaining with the University in an ancillary teaching role, her presence in the administration will be sorely missed. Asbury has made community engagement a hallmark of her tenure as dean of students. Through the Rochester Center for Community Leadership, the Urban Fellows Program and various internships and activities, she has stressed this notion and helped to forge a greater connection between the University campuses and the city of Rochester. She applied the ideals behind the Rochester Curriculum to aspects of student life beyond academics, giving students independence in co-curricular activities and freedom to pursue their own interests. What students will remember most about Asbury, however, is how she made the most of her role on a personal level. Despite the tremendous responsibility of her job, she knew the names and faces of every student with whom she came into contact. She prided herself not only on fulfilling the technical role of dean of students, but on making herself personally available to all who sought her help. Her door was always open, and she made it clear through her words and her demeanor that when you sat down to talk, you were the most important thing on her mind. Surely the search committee will be astute and judicious in the pursuit of a permanent replacement for the position, but it will be tremendously difficult to fill the shoes of such a supportive and wonderful person. Dean Asbury’s impact on this student body, both as a whole and as individuals, is immeasurable and will never be forgotten. Cheers and jeers CHEERS to UR Security for its excellent service to the UR community. Unarmed officers work in the face of potential danger day in and day out to keep those at the University safe. Further, Security responded quickly and efficiently to concerns about communication and has done excellent work keeping the University updated and informed about both on- and off-campus safety issues. JEERS to UR Parking Services for their massive mishandling of the new Rochester City Ordinance which outlawed booting. Not only did they blatantly break the law by continuing to boot cars for almost a full year, they also made no attempt to make amends with students by contacting them to let them know refunds would be made available. CHEERS to River Campus MERT for the professional implementation of their vehicle. Their improved service to the University is greatly appreciated by all. JEERS to the Registrar’s Office for implementing online course evaluations. While we recognize the need to modernize, asking students to complete the evaluations during their own time could prove to decrease participation in a very important feedback process. CHEERS to the work on the construction of the UHS Building. The building has been built surprisingly quickly with minimal interference for those who live and work on the River Campus, despite being located in a very central and high-traffic area. CHEERS to the Fraternity President’s Council for their initiative in writing the Fraternity Bill of Rights; hopefully this document will serve to increase communication and respect between the fraternities and the University, UR Security and each other. JEERS to Students’ Assocation government leaders for not putting out a single issue of their monthly publication, the SA Chronicle, so far this semester. Students deserve to be informed about the workings of their student government, but this semester, surprisingly little has been done to that end. Only one Presidents’ Advisory Council meeting took place, very few emails were sent and it took half a semester to see any minutes posted. Neglecting to put out the Chronicle is just another drop in the bucket. Full responsibility for material appearing in this publication rests with the Editor-in-Chief. Opinions expressed in columns, letters or comics are not necessarily the views of the editors or the University of Rochester. Editorials appearing in the Campus Times are published with the express consent of a majority of the editorial board, which consists of the Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Opinions Editor and one other editor elected by a majority of the editorial staff. The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board make themselves available to the UR community’s ideas and concerns. Appointments can be arranged by calling x5-5942 or by e-mail at editor@campustimes.org. The Campus Times is printed weekly on Thursdays throughout the academic year, except around and during university holidays. The first copy is free. The Campus Times is published on the World Wide Web at www.campustimes.org and is updated Thursdays following publication. All materials herein are copyright © 2007 by the Campus Times. Thursday, December 6, 2007 FROM the Editor Standout officials recognized Popular opinion among students here seems to be that many administrators do not have students’ interests at the top of their priority list. I believe there is some truth to this idea. There are those within this institution who have demonstrated that fairness and respect to the student body takes a backseat to any number of ulterior motives. While those who exemplify this trait are few, they stick out in the minds of students, and for good reason. What may be the saddest result of this is that the administrators who do their jobs with vigor often go unnoticed. During my time as Editor-in-Chief, I have worked closely with so many of these people, and I believe it is necessary to highlight their commitment to making life at UR better. All of the administrators who I have seen make a positive impact on the University community over the past year share a number of traits. Above all, they demonstrate a desire to connect with the students they serve. It is more than just understanding the job; it is going out of one’s way to make the most of the job. They take the time to listen to the needs of any student who comes to them and then try their best to investigate and alleviate any Alex Moeller • Editorin-Chief concerns brought to them. They do not place themselves above the students, something that is so easy to do in a position of power. I have met a number of administrators who fit this description, and I want to use this space to highlight some of them. Dean of the College Richard Feldman handles his duties as dean in the same fashion he runs his classes — professional, yet comfortable. Director of Security Walter Mauldin is dedicated to helping the Campus Times report the whole truth, and that respect and dedication shows through in his interactions with all students. Associate Dean of Students AnneMarie Algier has listened to all of my concerns, both CT-related and not, and worked hard to find answers to my questions. After concerns over the bus system arose, Vice President of Facilities and Services Richard Pifer worked to swiftly and successfully revamp the system to suit the needs of patrons. Director of Dining Services and Auxiliary Operations Cam Schauf responded to criticism of dining changes by listening to students and making appropriate adjustments. My only qualm about this editorial is that it inevitably leaves out so many people who are equally deserving of recognition. I wish I had the space to mention every administrator who demonstrates the qualities that define those listed above. That is impossible, however, and thus I ask anyone who reads this to take it upon yourself to recognize those administrators who have had a positive impact on your life. It’s as simple as telling someone he or she is doing a great job and that you appreciate the hard work — the gratification he or she will feel from such a simple statement is enormous. Everyone hears students complain about how administrators “don’t care about us,” and I can understand the rationale behind these words. It is important, however, to make sure you don’t lump all administrators together in your thoughts. Doing so discredits the many for whom “not caring” could not be further from the truth. Moeller is a member of the class of 2009. FROM the Publisher CT is here to serve A little over a week ago, I was standing in the back of the Boar’s Head Dinner taking in the scene, interested to see to whom MERT was about to pass the Boar’s Head. To my complete surprise, they named the Campus Times, and somewhere during the handshaking, someone told me to go to the podium and say something. But, this proved difficult for me for two reasons: first, I was completely unprepared; second, as it turns out, Daniel Nassau had turned off the microphone. There was a lot I wanted to say right then about the students who work for the CT and I’m not sure, whether for technical reasons or not, I was able to communicate it all. The students who work for the CT are far and away some of the hardest working and most committed students I have met in my time at UR. There is no big performance, there is no reception and there is no audience cheering them on. The CT doesn’t have one big culminating point the staff works toward every semester, or every year, but rather, these students work day in and day out to provide the entire Bonnie Jarrett • Publisher UR community with a publication of merit. At the CT, we work to serve several goals. We strive to advocate for the greater student body and for things we feel contribute to the greater health of the University and the community in which it exists. Sometimes that means working for student awareness or safety; other times that means supporting groups of University staff and faculty members in the things they need to improve their jobs and even lives. What that always means is reporting the news and trends of the University in an accurate and balanced way in order to inform the entire UR community of what is happening around them. We try to place UR in its broadest context — viewing it not only in the way it affects students and those who work here, but also in the way it affects the city of Rochester. At the end of a production week, though, what the CT is in its most basic form is the cumulative work of hundreds upon hundreds of student hours. These aren’t students who want to pad their résumés, and these aren’t students who solely wish to inundate the University community with their opinions. Instead, these are students who truly love UR, want to be informed and involved with what happens here and want to work for the betterment of their community. So, in that view, it’s more than OK with us that there is no fanfare surrounding the week-to-week work of the CT. Instead, we watch our stacks of papers around campus shrink, we observe students, faculty and staff alike sitting and reading our work and we overhear conversations about articles that were published on our pages. We may not always be perfect, but this is how we strive to serve a community we love so much that we are willing to commit a large portion of our lives to it. And ultimately, it has been my greatest honor to work with these students. Jarrett is a member of the class of 2009. Josh Hatcher Staff Illustrator Thursday, December 6, 2007 OPINIONS Page 7 “A witty saying proves nothing.” —Voltaire Sexual assault should appear in security updates By Julianne Nigro This semester, UR Security has done a great job reporting on offenses that have occurred off campus. After the Sept. 26, Oct. 24 and Oct. 28 robberies, we quickly received e-mail notifications about the attacks. University Security also posted these notices on its Web site, which is accessible for all to see. These security notifications included tips on how to stay safe, as well as updates that the University was working with the Rochester Police Department and that University Security has stepped up its efforts by patrolling Wilson Blvd. along the river. Security has also been successful in updating students about security issues through the Security Update, which is printed in the Campus Times each week. This fall, we received Security’s annual report for 2006 in its yearly publication, “Think Safe.” “Think Safe” included a list of the violent crimes that were reported to the University within the past three years. These notifications are important for students to find out what is happening on campus and for them to better protect themselves. Without security updates, many students remain unaware about crime on campus and have no idea how prevalent security offenses can be. This was exactly the logic behind the 1990 passage of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. This federal law was passed in honor of Jeanne Ann Clery, who was raped and murdered in her residence hall at Lehigh University in 1986. After her death, her parents were outraged that neither Jeanne nor they were notified about the 38 violent crimes that occurred on her college campus in the three years before her attack. The Clery Act now mandates that all college campuses give students timely warning about crimes that represent a threat to the safety of students and employees and publish a yearly report that includes the number of violent crimes within the last three years. However, at our university, we have not been notified by e-mail or the Campus Times about the types of violent crimes that Jeanne Clery actually experienced. According to the 2006 “Think Safe” Report, four rapes were reported on the River Campus last year. In addition, there were three reported incidents of “forcible fondling.” Unlike the e-mails that notify students about the muggings on Genesee Street, the only way students can find out about reported sexual assault is through “Think Safe,” which is published once a year. In my opinion, this reporting violates the Clery Act, which demands “timely warning.” Unfortunately, this is a very complicated issue because the vast number of rapes and sexual assaults happen by someone the victim knows. This often makes it very hard for a victim to report his or her attack, since he or she is likely to come in contact with his or her violator again soon. Publishing the incident in an e-mail to the University may increase these feelings since “victim blaming” is so prevalent in our culture, especially in regards to sexual assault. Very few people are going to blame someone who has his or her wallet stolen on Genesee Street of “asking for it” or “making it up,” but friends of the victim and the attacker often make these excuses and place blame on the victim after sexual assault. That being said, I by no means hope to encourage the already prevalent feelings of unease and shame that victims of sexual assault often experience. However, I do think it is necessary to update the campus community about these assaults more than once a year. A mugging by a stranger off campus is much less of a serious threat than a rape committed by someone living on my own hall. It is important for students to be aware of how common sexual assault is on our campus, especially since this issue is so underreported to begin with. I hope that the University will consider revising its position on this issue so that students can be aware of the fact that sexual assault and rape do occur on our campus, and so that they can take the necessary steps to protect themselves. Nigro is a member of the class of 2009. By Novall Khan As final exams and papers are quickly approaching, I am finding procrastination more and more of a problem as I am surfing the Web for addicting games and Facebook applications to download. But I must admit, these 5-minute games are hardly fulfilling in comparison to the 5-hour long sessions spent playing online games that many of my friends play, even as it nears finals week. Needless to say, one of these games is none other than the massively multiplayer online role-playing game “World of Warcraft.” Blizzard Entertainment certainly struck gold when introducing this game in November of 2004, but I believe the company may have simultaneously struck lives — and I am not referring to a warrior that can easily re-spawn at the nearest graveyard with the touch of a mouse. My first exposure to the “world” was during the second semester of my freshman year, as I noticed fellow students on my floor slowly disappearing from the hallways. WoW literally spread as quickly as a virus; once one friend heard about the game and downloaded the free 10-day trial, his or her roommate was lured into the game and, soon afterward, friends of friends. I was never one for video or online games other than the old-school “Roller Coaster Tycoon” or the room with my own social network consistoriginal “The Sims,” but, I must admit, the ing of other players assuming the identity WoW graphics — even the music — caught of warlocks and paladins. It wasn’t until I had substantial arguments my attention. This carefully crafted and remarkably detailed game was so appealing with my close friends that I realized how I that it wasn’t long before I had subscribed was not only hurting my life, but those whom to my 10-day trial and joined in on WoW I cared for as well. After four months of playing the game — 800 hours, or 33 days in conversations on my floor. total — I discontinued my It wasn’t long before subscription to the game. I considered myself adUnfortunately, however, dicted, either. The summer The negative that wasn’t the end of my following my freshman WoW problems. year, the majority of time effects of online My close friends weren’t when I wasn’t at work games can be so so close anymore. I was was spent developing my character by entering fivesevere that many able to repair those relationships with people hour long instances with people develop who were not online a group of other players, gamers, but those who or completing quest after symptoms of still were continued to be quest to gain experience depression. so consumed by the game and gold. Although I didn’t that they had essentially realize it at the time, my formed separate lives own world had changed — for the worse. If I wasn’t playing the game, from mine. And their relationships were not I was talking about it with my friends, or, the only area of their lives that had been damif I wasn’t talking about it, I was certainly aged. Their grades had been on a downhill thinking about it. I soon became so absorbed slope since the day they installed the game, in the game that all of my other responsi- not to mention their physical health. The negative effects of online games can be bilities and real social network seemed too monotonous, and I preferred to stay in my so severe that many people develop symptoms of depression. There was a case of a young adult who committed suicide in 2002, and it has been suggested by his mother that the suicide may have been the result of his addiction to Sony Online’s “EverQuest.” Although the sole explanation for his suicide cannot be determined, it is plausible that the main contributor to this incident was his incessant online playing. I am certainly not suggesting that Blizzard is a scapegoat and should be sued for millions for having “ruined” people’s lives. That would be on the same level as the 2002 lawsuit against McDonald’s for being the cause of obesity in two teenagers. I am merely suggesting that those who are spending excessive amounts of time on online games, or more specifically, MMORPGs, should reconsider the negative effects they may have (including the effect on this semester’s final exams and papers). Or, if you are the considerate friend or roommate of a person who is hooked on an online game, and everything else has failed, try showing him or her the South Park episode “Make Love, Not Warcraft,” or uninstall the game and hide the back-up CDs (un-installation will not destroy characters). I will happily take all of the blame for you. Khan is a member of the class of 2009. By Marc Epstein The front page of Wednesday’s New York Times featured an image of the President of the United States, his arms around the leaders of the Palestinian and Israeli states, overseeing their handshake. Sound familiar? The photograph was an exact replica of one taken in 1993 on the White House lawn in Washington D.C. The only difference is that this time it was Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas extending their arms with President Bush standing over them instead of Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat in the company of President Clinton. The only variation between the two presidents’ policies is that it was Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice forcing the two leaders to meet in place of the president himself. Otherwise, the presidents are as identical in their approaches to the conflict as the pictures are to each other. President Bush has claimed to be passive in facilitating Israeli-Palestinian peace, which, relatively, he has been. But now, as the president reverses his policy toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, he continues to claim passivity. The president may not choose to travel to the Middle East himself, but that does not mean that the policies represented by his delegates are any less invasive than if he had come himself. Secretary Rice is the second most powerful representative of the United States in terms of foreign policy; I would venture to say that her views carry some weight, too. The photograph was taken in Annapolis, Md., as opposed to D.C. Annapolis was the site for a peace conference for the Palestinian and Israeli leaders, entirely endorsed by the Bush Administration. The conference actually sparked huge opposition in the home-states. The Israeli Parliament, in preparation for the meeting, voted on legislation intended to limit Prime Minister Olmert’s authority at the conference. On the other side, President Abbas, who has barely any power as it is, was faced with over 100,000 protesters. So far, the Annapolis Peace Conference has had two immediate effects. The first is that it caused the death of a Palestinian at one of the protests. The second is that it set a deadline — the end of 2008 — for a peace treaty between the two states. In the exceedingly unlikely scenario that this peace treaty were to form, it would fall right around the November elections and at the end of President Bush’s reign. The Oslo Accords, or the reason for the picture 14 years ago, also set a deadline for a final settlement. That deadline was February 1999. Since then, we’ve seen the assassination of Rabin and the death of Arafat, the terror of the Second Intifada and the countless deaths involved, the costly — in political, monetary and human terms — pullout of Israeli settlers from the Gaza territory, the election of the terrorist group Hamas into the majority of the Palestinian Parliament and much more. The Oslo Accords were created with pure intentions and popular leaders, and still they failed. These new negotiations come as both Olmert and Abbas have been seen to suffer from increased internal division among their respective peoples; President Bush, who is overseeing the project, is caught in numerous foreign policy conflicts across the world. Two views of the conference have formulated. On one side, supporters of President Bush point out the positive steps taken in the negotiations and see this second handshake as a good portent for future relations between the Palestinians and Israelis. Critics denounce the conference as no more than a photo-op. This Annapolis “Peace Conference” is no more than President Bush’s last attempt to leave the White House having accomplished something positive. If his motivation had been to further peace in the Middle East, he — and representatives like Secretary Rice — would have been concentrating on Iraq instead of forcing unwilling Arab leaders to attend the Annapolis meeting (the New York Times reported that the President had to personally call Saudi Arabia to get them to come). It is clear from this meeting that President Bush has run out of places to extend America’s hand and has, like other presidents in the past, turned to the Middle East to try to save his presidency. It’s not working. This is just another opportunity for the president to prove his inadequacy and show how ill fit he is to run this country as he makes mistakes that history has repeatedly warned against. The best stance the Bush Administration can take right now is to stop the meddling that has been so characteristic of American foreign policy in the 20th and 21st centuries. That way, the administration stands a chance of leaving the White House with a region intact and maybe even some positive poll numbers. Epstein is a member of the class of 2010. Obsession with online gaming can damage lives Peace talks are lame duck prez’s last ditch effort OPINIONS Page 8 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Holidays inspire hope as well as commercialism By Dana Hilfinger With the first significant snowfall coming over the weekend and the recent onslaught of songs like “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night” on every radio station, it appears that the real holiday season is finally upon us. In the coming weeks, don’t be surprised to hear sleigh bells echoing in your ears and the noise of overzealous cash registers midtransaction. It all comes with the territory, because, after all, that is what the season is all about. That’s why every commercial industry stands taught with anticipation on the eve of Nov. 1, eagerly awaiting the time when that pesky late October scarefest is over and it can get on to what really matters: giant Santas and icicle-strewn Christmas trees. Everyone knows that the holidays are over-publicized and that the season is drawn out to ridiculous lengths, but what I want to know is why the average American citizen acknowledges it and then, at the same time, complains about the fact that Lowe’s has already put on display its reindeer scenes in September? While I know that hypocrisy runs deep through the veins of American society, I could never believe that the Christmas and Hanukkah seasons have fallen to pure commercialism. Even though I come from a family that doesn’t really own up to any sacred affiliation and that avoids religious conversation like the plague during the holiday season because of the arguments that would undoubtedly ensue, I still feel that this season offers more than just clearance racks and ugly sweaters depicting reindeer scenes. Being a moral and optimistic human being, I need to look for the best in people. I need to believe that we hold on to this season for as long as we can, because it is an escape from the endless disputes about war and our ozone layer. I need to find solace in the fact that those people who ring a bell and ask for donations outside grocery stores are doing that because they know, as I do, people care just a little bit more during the holiday season. And because of these hopeful notions, I can’t hate the fact that Santas arrive in stores before October, because it also means the advent of selflessness in people in place of the more traditional American narcissism. I understand that this idea may be considered naïve: Christmas has become nothing more than a marketing ploy, an extremely profitable endeavor that adds girth to commercialism’s bank account. Nonetheless, the fact that companies are able to sell holiday retail earlier and earlier indicates that people must be buying them earlier and earlier. And while I’m sure everyone has his or her reasons for buying those miniature dancing Santas in August, I’d like to think that it is because of a simple desire people have to be the person they will be come December. The fact that a little man in a red suit inspires people to be their best, while sad, is something I will gladly take as an alternative to the more common stance of indifference that generally floods our culture. It may seem unreasonable to appreciate this holiday because it is only a short distraction from a reality that should be our focus, but I love the fact that, for once, our news is filled with features offering hope to the greater population, as opposed to delivering stories about disease and tragedy. For a couple months out of the year, we appreciate an altruistic story instead of one depicting death. And it’s nice to see, in a culture where the indicted juiced-up baseball player and the omnipresent scare tactics generally grab our news headlines, an article depicting virtues we all strive to embody. After all, much more than a star on top of a tree or a 10-pound ham, that is what the holiday season is all about. Hilfinger is a member of the class of 2010. By Claire Fornarola A show about a MySpace star calling herself something as absurd as Tila Tequila who is making the claim to be bisexual and giving a group of strangers a “Shot at Love” — a miserable play on words — is a very ridiculous idea. My initial reaction was this: if this is an attempt to equate homosexuality with seeing who can survive on an island or eat the eye of a mountain goat the fastest, then count me out. And another thing: I feel I had every right to be suspicious. We’re supposed to tolerate the bastardization of homosexuality (and sexuality in general) almost constantly in entertainment, whether it be the typification of the gay best friend or the grossly homophobic “I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry,” et. al., which finds every way to make fun of homosexuality and reassert outdated and absurd gender stereotypes while somehow maintaining their slender, “socially acceptable” physiques. No, if you are tolerant, or at least remotely intelligent, you are aware that this is not a playful way for a culture to make light of itself — it’s a direct attack emerging from blatant mockery. I had no reason to believe based on evidence that my world was changing and no reason to expect an MTV reality show about bisexuality to be any less grotesquely thoughtless. But now I’m confronted with the best and worst possibility of all, which is that I was wrong. The show from my observation seems to be having a relatively positive effect on its viewers — whether watching out of curiosity or eaten alive by the irresistible draw of elimination-based dating shows, people are watching, and, in the act of watching, there is the inevitability of instilling questions in people. Though the base of people watching the show are from a young and more tolerant generation whose children will be baffled by the notion that at one time gays couldn’t marry, it’s still a hell of a lot more realistic than we could have expected from a show about a sexually-charged MySpace bisexual searching for love in a mansion where everyone drinks a lot and sleeps on the same bed. After all, for all we can tell, she does appear to actually be a bisexual person, which is something, perhaps with a certain bias, I was not expecting from television entertainment. I applaud the show for making at least a detectable reference to the fact that bisexuality (especially for bisexual women) extends beyond experimentation and exhibitionism. I respect the show for keeping a gender queer person in the competition for longer than would be necessary to simply avoid a social criticism. I respect the fact that the show addresses the issue of coming out to families, even if the families on the show may have been more tolerant than average. I recognize that the show falls short of being entirely representative of what it is like to live in this culture as a bisexual or homosexual person, that as far as gender equality it does relatively little, that a show about a bisexual male finding love is still a few decades ahead of us. But the fact remains that this is a sign that steps are being taken — baby, spoon-fed steps, but steps nonetheless — and even if not making the strongest social statement, the show is at least successful at avoiding social criticism. If I can go to a bar and witness a group of (evidently) straight men change the channel from ESPN to “A Shot At Love” and have a conversation, albeit drunk and limited, about sexuality, I’m a satisfied customer. After all, it’s those people who move the world, and I think it’s the responsibility of the civil rights movements to take these people by the hand and lead them gently into an intellectual understanding of things that should be, but are not, innate in our culture. In conclusion, I stand corrected. If Tila Tequila is what it takes, so be it. If no one else was worried about this or even thinking about it, then I stand corrected as well as embarrassed, because there is a distinct possibility I’m talking to myself right now, or at least writing myself a love note about how great my insights about reality television are. Regardless, my opinion this week is that I had one, and that opinion, in my opinion, was wrong. Fornarola is a member of the class of 2009. “Tila Tequila” brings bisexuality into spotlight webpoll Are you stressing over finals yet? YES! 47% Nah, still enjoying the pre-finals lull. I don’t stress over finals. 29% Vote Onlicampusti ne at mes.org Next week’s question: 24% How do you feel about online course surveys? Letters to the Editor Vegetarian cites benefits of not chewing the fat I’m writing in response to Owen Deland’s Features article “Think hard before going vegetarian.” As a medical student and a vegetarian of many years, I had some problems with what was written. First, it read much more like an opinion piece than a Features article. Second, while I agree that some of the hyperbole in promotional materials can be misleading, it is unfair to dismiss the entire movement on the basis of one person. I won’t rebut each (unreferenced) idea that Mr. Deland found in his “research” on the topic, but I would like to point him to the most comprehensive and well-referenced academic article on the subject, the position paper of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada (J. Am. Diet. Assn. 103:6 748-765 2003), which states that “Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.” Adopting a vegetarian diet will also do more for the environment than buying a Prius, or even never driving again. The Nov. 29, 2006 United Nations report on global warming reminds us that animal agriculture contributes more greenhouse gas to the environment than all human transportation (cars, trucks, airplanes, etc.) combined. Finally, while Mr. Deland looks down on the “emotional” pictures of livestock, he should realize that his emotions are genuine and that they are trying to tell him something. If it’s painful to look at how your food is treated before it dies, how can you in good conscience pay someone else to mutilate and cage and kill for you? —Reed C. Flaschen Medical Student Health officials respond to therapy article, discuss options We are writing in response to Claire Fornarola’s article “Mental health programs could use more support” (Nov. 15). While one can always make an argument for allocating more resources to some type of health care, several parts of Ms. Fornarola’s piece bear careful scrutiny. First, the services provided by UCC are not “free” nor are they a “gift.” They are paid for by the mandatory health fee that every full-time student pays. It costs money to hire staff, provide space in which staff can meet with students, etc. The decision to limit individual counseling sessions to 10 per student per year is a necessary result of this fact. By doing so, we can assure the availability of individual counseling to all students. Brief treatment is the most common model used in college mental health today, and many schools allow fewer than 10 sessions on a prepaid basis. Research has shown that brief treatment can be highly effective for the reduction of symptoms by teaching people skills to manage their feelings of anxiety, anger and sadness. It is important to note that students will average using about five to six sessions of therapy when given the opportunity to choose how many sessions they want or need at any given point in time. UCC has many low-cost referral options within the University as well as within the community for the small number of students who need more than 10 individual sessions in a year. There is no limit on the number of UCC group therapy sessions that a student can attend in a year; this too has been shown to be a highly effective method of treatment. UCC also provides unlimited individual visits for psychopharmacologic support. Ongoing data collection at UCC shows that students find their treatment to be helpful objectively and subjectively. All of the UCC-based faculty are licensed in NYS. UCC (as part of UHS) is accredited by the Joint Commission, the same organization that accredits Strong Memorial Hospital. UCC’s training program for Master’s level therapists is accredited by the American Psychological Association. We welcome input from students regarding all UCC and UHS programs. The Student Health Advisory Committee meets regularly with senior leaders from UHS/UCC to provide feedback and suggestions. More information is available on the UHS Web site. —Lisa Willis, Ph.D. Director of University Counseling Center —Ralph Manchester, M.D. Director of University Health Service Campus Times Break of Reality ignites May Room... Page 15 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Page 9 Trust me, I’m a trustee. the inner workings of the group that controls the university Article and design by Ross Brenneman Managing Editor Dad’s not happy. “Son, I just read that tuition is going up 5.3 percent this year. Uh, why?” There’s a bit of pain in his voice. Understandable, considering a small 5.3 percent increase amounts to thousands of dollars more in payment. To the student and parent, someone on high seems to send down an order every year demanding more money from college-going kids. The question is, whose order is it, per se? As it turns out, it’s on a lot of people’s orders — a lot of people that compose the UR Board of Trustees. Yet for all the decisions that the Board has its hand in, not a great deal is known about them. The Board of Trustees brings the image of shadowy figures talking in back rooms, smoking cigars and playing cards around a large oak table. But there are no shadowy figures. There’s no deep mystery. In fact, perhaps sadly for those with more Draconian minds, there’s not even a table — most likely because there are not many tables on campus that can seat just over 100 members. These 101 members can be broken down into three different groups. There are currently 42 voting members — the power players — a number that the Board hopes to increase to 50 very soon, pending the approval of the Regents of the State of New York (a group that will remain shrouded in mystery and which probably does have a giant table). Of the remaining 59 members, 11 are senior members, who no longer have voting privileges. If they stay on the Board for five years, they become life trustees, which make up the remaining 48 members. And at the top of this chain is the man himself, Chairman of the board G. Robert Witmer Jr. As the top dog of the board, Witmer outranks anyone and everyone at the University. He’s been on the Board since 1979, was re-elected to the Board in 1985 and, by May 2002, he found himself in the seat of power. Many other members are as illustrious as Witmer, who is a lawyer in the city of Rochester. There are accountants, attorneys and bigwigs of all kinds (Robert Goergen ring a bell? Or perhaps Daniel Wegman?). Together they comprise a board that is in charge of the University’s long-term plans. Tuition? Board of Trustees. Strategic planning? Board of Trustees. Endowment investing? Board of Trustees. Presidential selection? Board of Trustees. Not all of these things, however, fall to the entire Board. The Board divides into several committees, combining trustees with administrative liaisons from the University. For instance, Trustee and Chairman of Facilities Roger Friedlander works closely with Associate Vice President of Facilities & Services Richard Pifer. There are approximately 11 different divisions, according to Secretary to the President Lynne Davidson. The full board meets only three times during the year: during Meliora Weekend, during a mid-winter retreat in February or March and at the end of the year around Commencement. This March’s meeting will be a big one — it’s the one wherein the Board is expected to pass judgment on the saga that is UR President Joel Seligman’s strategic planning initiative. And then there’s that whole, messy endowment thing. UR’s endowment ranks up in the top 60 of the nation, yet is, by Witmer’s own admissions, very weak. In this vein, the Board has taken up accelerating resource development, through Board members pouring much of their own money into the University. President Seligman — the only administrative member to serve on the Board, by the way — gives $55,000 per year. “I am very pleased and impressed with the support the Board has given to our development,” Witmer said. And that $1.77 billion endowment is not being casually managed. The University, via the Board, has distributed its funds through dozens upon dozens of agencies and through many diverse investments and more portfolios than you can shake a stick at. There’s equities, domestic equity benchmarks and hedge funds — though there’s not, apparently, a need to worry about what became a hostile market topic over the summer. “We’ve not been affected by sub-prime mortgage lending. In fact, we’ve made quite a bit of money,” Senior Vice President for Institutional Resources Doug Phillips said. When that tuition bill comes around, then, it’s not exactly a proud moment for anyone. But it’s not for lack of trying — the Board members, if the amount of money they contribute to the school annually is any indication, care a lot for the University. What’s so great about being on the Board, then? “Being able to support an institution which I think is a part of higher education, which I think is the lifeblood of a culture and civilization and a very important component of our United States,” Witmer said. FEATURES Page 10 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Get To Know Me: Stefania Romaniuk by leah kraus Features Editor Stefania Romaniuk, a sophomore vocal performance major at the Eastman School of Music, is involved in many extracurriculars including Eastman’s Students’ Association, Eastman Students for Social and Political Awareness and a member of a vocal trio called “The Babushka’s” that will perform an arrangement of Ukrainian christmas carols at Eastman’s “Holiday Sing.” As well as singing, she enjoys listening to a wide variety of music including Beirut, Uptown Sinclair, Ella Fitzgerald, Alexis Kochan — a Ukrainian-Canadian folk singer — and the musicals “Jane Eyre” and “Little Women.” Why did you decide to major in vocal performance? As a youngster, my parents stuck me in everything from piano, Ukrainian dance and Ukrainian school to swimming, Tae Kwan Do and figure skating, but singing lessons were the one thing I asked to take. Since grade six I’ve been performing in musicals, Gilbert and Sullivan productions, Ukrainian school St. Nicholas pageants and recitals, as well as competing in vocal festivals. In grade 11, I decided that I wanted to continue studying voice at the university level — singing is something that I would never want to regret not going for all the way. If there comes a point when doors start shutting, then of course I’ll take it as a sign I’m meant to do something else. What do you enjoy about taking classes and lessons at Eastman? The expectations here are so high, the result being that you are working with extremely talented, dedicated musicians. I am constantly in awe of what is achieved musically at Eastman! Even though there is hardly any time to do it, I love just listening to my friends play or sing (or compose!) — I am so lucky! What are your goals in life? Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, but the one thing I’m sure of is that I want to be a mother when I grow up. I could be very happy singing opera or musical theater or maybe working as an arts administrator. At some point I would love to sing at the New York City Opera, and after graduating from Eastman, I aim to work as an intern in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. What is your favorite book? “The Little Prince” by Antoine de By Trickster McFly Marty’s Cousin Aries (March 21–April 19) — Going to a private college is like living in a bubble or, in Rochester’s case, a snow globe. Taurus (April 20–May 20) — If you’re naughty around Christmas time, you’ll get coal from Santa, but diamonds from your boyfriend! Saint-Exupéry. You can read this book every year of your life and it will always be relevant and insightful. As a singer, it’s important to stay healthy. Any advice for other students? Sleep is the most important thing of all — it helps with everything from a cold to tired eyes to maintaining a healthy weight. Also, drink tons of water and have a humidifier in your room for proper hydration. Taking your vitamins is also important, and if you feel a cold coming on, immediately use Zicam nose wipes — they’re kind of gross, but I promise they will save you! Kraus is a member of the class of 2009. Important sex tidbits one needs to know by lauren foster Staff Writer My time here is sadly coming to an end and I regret to inform you that this will be my last article, for I will be vanishing until further notice. Now that our time together must come to a close, I will leave you with some important advice and information about sex that is critical for one to know. Never date a tall, well-endowed man with long flowing hair and a larger than normal space between his eyes who also tends to drink excessively. Based on university studies, personology and body language signals, the experts have come up with this set of characteristics as the ones to avoid when seeking a male partner because they indicate that he won’t be faithful. So if your boyfriend fits the above description, he is “undoubtedly” cheating on you. But don’t worry, if his face is oval-shaped you’re in the clear. This indicates that he’s a homebody family man. I personally am not sure which is worse. Have lots of sex and make it good because great sex will make you feel H S or coe o p attracting mates, they began placing terrific by releasing endorphins into your handkerchiefs under their arms durbody. These hormones elevate your spirit while also boosting your immune cells and ing village dances. The handkerchiefs would soak up their sweat and later be creating feelings of happiness. The chemiused to woo the women. In the 1800s, cals responsible for these wonderful feelFrench prostitutes discovered the ings are serotonin and dopamine and both power of their “parfum de femme” and are influenced by diet and lifestyle. It’s decided to dab their own vaginal fluids recommended that women eat foods high behind their ears to attract customers. in vitamins A and E and boron, which is a Let’s bring these traditrace element that helps tions back to life! produce sex hormones. Never ask if it’s in Men need supplies of yet. It’s offensive. And zinc and vitamin B. If only we could get as never believe him when Don’t be such a baby rich from this column as he says he’ll pull out. about the fact that your Carrie Bradshaw You can still get pregboyfriend won’t introsomehow does nant because there are duce you to his friends. active sperm in preIt means he’s ashamed ejaculatory fluid. And he may not have of you and just wants you for sex. Know the control he thinks he has when it your role. actually comes time to withdraw. It’s Don’t try to cover up your your natural also possible that he has no intentions scent, for it is a very powerful thing. It is of pulling out at all and is simply lying. an instinctual sexual arouser and one of So guys, don’t tell her you’ll pull out. the main influences on who we choose to Those are my parting words. Think have sex with and how much sex we will about them and always wear a condom. have with them. Long ago, when Austrian Foster is a member of villagers realized the importance of body the class of 2009. odor and pheromones when it comes to “Sex&the CT” UR Opinion Gemini (May 21–June 21) — Strip dreidel is a lot of fun, unless the girls have latke breasts. Cancer (June 22–July 22) — Dreaming of a white Christmas? There’s a guy across the bridge who might be able to help you out. Leo (July 23–Aug. 22) — As the only engineer at the campus’s swinger party, you’ll think it only right that you start the train. Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) — Motor oil isn’t the only lubricant whose smell is impossible to wash off your hands. Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) — While working on applications, you won’t be able to remember if the health admissions adviser emphasized nailing the interview or the interviewer. Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) — Just as dogs smell fear and attack, men can smell women’s desperation. Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) — Trying to save cash this holiday season? Break up with your girlfriend and reconcile after! Repeat at the beginning of February. Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) — With the last real weekend of the semester upon us, stoners won’t be the only high men to get destroyed on Saturday! Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) — As a grown woman, you’ve found that hot chocolate isn’t the only hot liquid to drink to warm up. Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20) — While working on a design project, you’ll begin to wonder where the inventor of the ear muff got his inspiration. (If you actually believe this, then you believe this semester has gone by fast.) by Eric Campbell What’s the best reason for snow up here in Rochester? Julia Chambers ’10 “Snowballing cute blonde boys.” Kayann Williams ’10 Marlenny Espinal ’10 “Sledding snowfights.” Casey Green ’11 Ariee Jung ’11 Ben Shepard ’08 Emily Rosenfeld ’09 “You get to wear boots and scarves, and it’s pretty.” “Sledding down the Sue B. Hill.” “Test yourself against the outdoors and see if you’re worthy.” “Makes me appreciate spring break more.” FEATURES Thursday, December 6, 2007 Page 11 Taylor learned to lead by example For Boar’s Head, 73rd time is still charming By Andrew Schwartz Staff Writer The Sean Taylor of my memory looks more like a teenager than he did an adult. When he smiled, he became the epitome of youth. For years to come, when I think of Sean Taylor, that will be the image I envision. When he was drafted by the Washington Redskins, I was a freshman in college. Though only two years separated us, I felt as though we were worlds apart. Taylor was a professional football player for the team that I loved, and I was a freshman in college who had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. A few highlight reel interceptions and bone-crushing tackles later, and I was hooked. Before the end of his rookie season, I owned a Sean Taylor jersey and wore it all the time. Soon after, I bought a football Madden ’05 so that I could control not only my favorite team but, more importantly, my favorite player — Sean Taylor. So as I sat in my dorm room in the second semester of freshman year accumulating stats for the digital Sean Taylor, the real one had just recently celebrated his 21st birthday. But the distinction between Sean Taylor and myself was clear — I was the awe-struck kid, and he was my role model. But soon, Taylor experienced off-field issues that challenged my idealistic conception of him. On Oct. 28, 2004, he was pulled over in Fairfax, Va., and charged with a DWI. By March 10th of the following year, however, the charges stemming from his DWI were dropped and, though his decision to refuse a blood alcohol Courtesy of Redskins.com test remained suspect, my overall positive attitude toward Taylor remained intact. Just three months later, Taylor was charged with one felony count of aggravated assault with a firearm. In response to Taylor’s felony charge, Washington Post writer Michael Wilbon posited that he “has yet to demonstrate the first sign of responsibility or that he has any clue of what being responsible is. He’s an adult, 22 years old, responsible for his own behavior.” To some extent, Wilbon was right. Taylor’s behavior was the antithesis of the principles that parents would expect to be espoused in the men whom their children idolized. Close to a year later, Taylor took a plea bargain in which his charges were reduced to misdemeanor assault and battery and, over the course of this year, Taylor started to become more responsible. Almost two months after his initial felony charge, Taylor revealed in an interview that “it would be wrong for me to look at my situation and say, ‘I haven’t learned. It’s not going to change me.’ Of course, it’s going to change you.” Whereas Wilbon believed that Taylor’s reckless behavior was not influenced by his age, Taylor’s comments showed otherwise. Perhaps the “change” that Taylor believed to have come from his past transgressions was part of his maturation process. While a 22-year-old in our society would be defined as an “adult,” this designation would not preclude that individual from acting upon inherently “youthful” ideals. The 2005 NFL season was a turning point for Taylor. On the field, Taylor became an essential piece of the Redskins’ defense, helping to lead them to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Off the field, Taylor stayed out of legal trouble for the first time since he was drafted. Critics will cite an incident in which Taylor spit on the face of an opposing player, leading to his costly ejection from a playoff game. But, given the positive progression See TAYLOR, Page 14 Secrets actually fun, for everyone by Maya dukmasova Contributing Writer Ever keep a secret? Ever keep one that you could never share with anyone else? In that case, prepare to meet the guy whom you will have no problem trusting. For the past three years, Frank Warren of PostSecret has been working to create a community where secrets come out in the open as art and where people find courage to share their secrets with others and with themselves. The project began in the Washington D.C. subway when Warren was going through a difficult period in his own life. “This project was a way for me to invite strangers to share their secrets with me and, in doing that, I was able to find the courage to recognize secrets I had been hiding from in my own life,” he said. “By asking for secrets it wouldn’t limit what people would share with me, I didn’t ask for confessions which might be things that imply guilt, I just asked for secrets, things that for whatever reasons we may not feel comfortable sharing with our friends or family,” Warren said. At first, he passed out blank postcards to passers-by with his address. He asked that the card be decorated and a true secret be written on it and sent to his home in Maryland. The secrets he collected constituted his entry at an art show in Washington, but even after the exhibit was taken down, the cards kept coming. Today, PostSecret has become one of the most popular blogs on the Internet, with new postcards exhibited every Sunday. Warren has received over 160,000 secrets to date and, as he makes his selections for the blog, he chooses ones that surprise or express common secrets in a new way as well as those that represent the full spectrum of human emotion. “Every week there are ones that are funny and sexual and shocking and hopeful,” he said. Warren has also undertaken the publication of various PostSecret books. The latest one of four to come out thus far is “A Lifetime of Secrets,” in which he strives to “allow you to see the interesting way in which our secrets change and develop over time but also the surprising ways they stay exactly the same.” The book includes never-before-seen secrets arranged in loose chronological order from people aged eight to 80 and is designed to “tell a biography of us through our secrets.” Warren has come to see the project as one with therapeutic benefits for both observers and participants. “The first step in addressing any problem you might have is admitting it not just to the other but to yourself,” he said. People often write to him to say that “facing their secret on a postcard and then physically letting it go into a mailbox allowed them to take a first step in addressing their secret in a way that was appropriate for them.” Warren also recognizes that addressing deep-rooted problems in this way is much easier for many people — because the cards are anonymous, they neither feel judged nor experience any “social by evan siegel Staff Writer Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. marked the 73rd Annual Boar’s Head Dinner. A staple of UR’s fall semester, I was really excited to attend it for the first time. The popularity of the event is truly inarguable; the tickets went on sale the week before Thanksgiving break, I got on line 40 minutes before they went on sale and waited for approximately an hour before actually holding them in my hands. Walking into Douglass Dining Hall on the night of the event, it definitely had a different feel. The room was shifted around, filled with long, clothed tables, and each seat was set with chi- Josh Hatcher • na plates, glasses, silverware, cloth napkins and souvenir mugs that read “73rd Annual Boar’s Head Dinner” on one side and had the University’s new logo imprinted on the other. The room was dimmed, lit only by tall, white candles that were placed down each table creating a serene setting. I could tell that the night would prove to be really special. On each table there were booklets that laid out the events of the evening and provided historical information about the feast: “The legendary account of the observance is that a scholar of the College, while walking and reading in a forest near Oxford, was attacked by a wild boar. The undergraduate saved his life by thrusting his volume of Aristotle down the throat of the brute, which promptly choked on the philosophy. The student brought back the head in triumph and the College instituted the custom in gratitude for his escape.” While this history sounds humorous, it is deeply significant to the UR community as it has barred the test of time and is still enjoyed today. The festivities began with several introductions of faculty members and administrators that were being honored. Each name was called by one of the two chairs of the dinner, seniors Nazmia Alqadi and Davi Keiser. Once all were seated, the feast began. The waiters and waitresses — members of the Yellowjackets, the Midnight Ramblers, Vocal Point, After Hours and Off Broadway On Campus — came out in a square formation, in style of the medieval dance called the carble, according to the booklet. Traditionally, the waitStaff Illustrator staff members sing a carol before they serve each course. They sang “Gloucestershire Wassail” for the Soup Procession, “The Boar’s Head Carol” for the Main Procession and the “Figgy Pudding Song” for the Pudding Procession. Each was well-sung, and I was happy that we got to hear a mini-concert as the evening progressed. Four members of the Strong Jugglers further enhanced the entertainment. Dressed as jesters, they performed throughout the evening while people ate and conversed. Of course, everyone wants to know how the food was, and I’ll be the one to tell you that it was good. The main course included pork roast Normandy, roasted turkey breast, apple stuffing, mashed potatoes and baby carrots. All were served on big plates that were passed around each table family-style, and this was fun because it created a sense of unity. There were also pitchers of apple cider and water as drinks. It was awesome eatSee PORK, Page 12 Courtesy of Frank Warren Frank Warren, “America’s Most Trusted Stranger,” viewing secrets. consequences” after submitting the secrets. Those familiar with the blog may have noticed that very often the secrets are dark and scary and, when asked why, he responded that what we keep secret are the things we are “embarrassed or ashamed to share with other people. Sad secrets don’t necessarily indicate a sad person, but what we keep as secrets are usually those darker things.” Throughout the last few years, Warren has received many diverse secrets and he admits that while he is no longer shocked at what he reads (and he reads and keeps every one of the cards), he is surprised every day. “There’s something about secrets that’s inexhaustible.” Warren also describes himself as being “haunted by secrets every hour of every day. No matter what I’m doing I’ll see something or hear something that reminds See PRIVATE, Page 14 Free and confidential family planning services Birth control • Emergency contraception • Health Education STD testing and treatment • HIV rapid testing • Pregnancy testing Call Highland Family Planning at 279-4890 for an appointment at one of our two convenient locations: Highland Family Medicine • 777 South Clinton Avenue East Ridge Family Medicine • 809 East Ridge Road AN AFFILIATE OF HIGHLAND HOSPITAL AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER FEATURES Page 12 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Crime issues still lurk on campus Vegging out causes fear By Charlie Fountaine Features Editor “My mind went blank.” That’s how senior Brian Hanson reacted to the attempted robbery he encountered outside the Meliora Restaurant, a little less than three years ago. On a regular Sunday evening, Hanson, then a freshman, made the mistake of simply walking too quickly, and he walked into someone with a weapon. “I was headed from the chapel to Sue B., and I went in between the library and Meliora Restaurant,” Hanson said. “He was actually walking in front of me, and I came up behind him, walking at a faster pace, so I caught up to him.” The person turned and pointed a gun at Hanson’s face. “He asked for my wallet, and I took it out and was holding it.” The incident occurred in 2005, but as we near the end of a semester that opened with a surprising on-campus robbery spree and saw plans for a 19th Ward shuttle bumped up due to student concern, crime is still an issue, especially as UR progresses toward strengthening its presence on the other side of the river. “We probably had more conversations about safety this year,” acting Dean of Students Matthew Burns said. “And given the fact that we’re building the Riverview apartments and having an office building over there, that made the conversation more imperative.” Though a second security office across the river is probably too much to expect, Burns certainly anticipates Security patrols to increase in the area. “I’d be surprised if we had no presence over there,” he said. But the issue of outsiders coming onto campus and victimizing UR students and community members remains prevalent and difficult to tackle. “I come from a small town, so it was a shock to think that this could possibly happen,” Hanson said of his incident. “It was 8 o’ clock at night, no one else was around. I could see cars going past Sue B.” After removing his wallet, the mugger told Hanson to put it on the ground and then circled behind him. “He stepped to the side of me, out of my view, so I couldn’t see him at that point,” he continued. “He was getting out of my way so I would walk the same way I had been going. He didn’t want to lose sight of me either.” Jeff Levy • Photography Editor Outside the Mel: Maybe the most surprising setting for a robbery on campus. During this time, Hanson, through his experience with firearms, had guessed that the gun might be fake and made a risky decision. “I figured that there wasn’t much coming out of that weapon,” he said. “So I decided to pick up my wallet instead of just walking away.” He grabbed his wallet as the offender ran toward the Academic Quad. “There’s no one that wants to throw up a gate around the University of Rochester,” Dean Burns said. “It’s hard to call yourself the University of Rochester if you’re going to separate yourself from the city.” Recently, most alarming were the several strong-arm robberies on campus at the beginning of the school year, some targeting students. Burns credits ampedup security with curbing the crime binge. “It would seem to make sense that if there was someone out there looking to do that, they would do it until they were caught or they felt like it wasn’t safe to do that anymore,” he said. UR’s typical response to a crime on campus is a step up in presence. “We always increase patrols wherever there’s a problem area,” Burns commented. Some comparable schools do utilize “peace officers” — security officers with elevated authority to access more information about a person, but they are unlikely to be employed at UR anytime soon, and the school is counting on its amiable relationship with Rochester Police as its future in the 19th Ward begins. “Security has a great relationship with the RPD,” Burns said, “So they would be very involved with RPD and anything that happens, and I only see that increasing as we build apartments off campus.” The administration has had discussions with several universities in comparable locations about student safety and campus crime — schools such as Yale University, Trinity College and Washington University. “There’s not very much that’s different,” Burns said. “They struggle with the same issues.” Burns, who thinks that the increase in traffic across the river will lead to a decrease in crime, points to student-to-student assaults and larcenies as the larger issue on campus. “If you look at the crime on campus, it’s almost always student versus student,” he said. “It’s a much bigger problem. That’s not to say that other people coming on campus with the intention of committing crimes isn’t a problem for us. It certainly is, which is a reason we have a camera right on the footbridge.” The footbridge is where Hanson’s assailant was spotted — running with computer equipment. After Hanson returned from the incident, he called Security and filed a police report, and the offender — a teenager — was caught the next morning. His weapon was a CO2 pellet gun. Still, looking back, Hanson questioned his own decision to pick up his wallet. “That was one of the stupidest things that I have ever done,” he said. “My assumption could have been completely wrong. If someone tells you to put your wallet on the ground and walk away, put your wallet on the ground and walk away to safety.” Two and a half years removed, Hanson sees the campus as a generally safe place. “I guess I am a little more aware of who I’m walking by,” he said. “And I’m maybe a little smarter, if anything. But it was such a weird incident to happen at 8 o’ clock at night.” Luckily, most students have yet to be affected by such an assault outside of all school emails. The University certainly hopes this remains the case as UR branches across the river and beyond. Fountaine is a member of the class of 2008. Pork: The decapitated returns to Douglass Continued from page 11 ing some great-tasting food with friends. While the food was excellent, there was certainly more that made the night special. The first highlight of the evening for me was the “Reading of the Boar.” Each year a faculty adviser whom is popular with students in and out of the classroom is given the opportunity to give the reading with his own unique spin. This year, Professor of Religion and Classics Anthea Butler spoke. Her rendition of the boar’s head tale was entertaining at first, but it wasn’t until she told the D.J. to “Hit it!” that the fun began. A strong bass started coming out of speakers around the room and Butler started rapping about the boar’s head and its significance. I was shocked. A professor rapping in the middle of a traditional feast that has been around for 73 years was not something I think many people expected. But once that initial shock subsided, everyone got into it. She really made the tradition her own and people gave her a standing ovation. It truly was a spectacle. The last portion of the evening was carol singing, led by University Vice President Paul Burgett. Entertainingly finding each pitch, we all sang “Deck the Halls,” “Let It Snow,” “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph.” This was a highlight of the evening because although these were Christmas songs, it didn’t matter what your religious background was. The lyrics were included in each booklet and everyone participated together in welcoming the holidays. Around 9:15, the evening came to a close. Looking around, I saw students and faculty smiling and laughing as they pulled on their coats and winter gear to brave the cold weather outside. With souvenir mugs in their hands and lots of food in their stomachs, they exited the transformed dining hall. For all of you who missed it, I recommend attending the Boar’s Head Dinner in 2008. A tranquil atmosphere and great food was enjoyed by all, and who knows who will give the “Reading of the Boar” next year? Siegel is a member of the class of 2010. by leah kraus I cheated about a year in. I ate a Features Editor piece of pizza without realizing Recently the Features section there was pepperoni hidden unpublished an article entitled der the cheese. When I realized I “Think hard before going vegwas eating meat after a few bites, etarian,” written by sophomore I didn’t stop. I was really hungry, Owen Deland. While I appreciand the pizza, to be completely ated Owen’s well-written perhonest, was really damn good. spective, as a student who has I told myself, “If it’s under the gone from meat-eater to vegetarcheese it doesn’t count. Plus, I ian and back again, I thought I can’t see it, so it really doesn’t would share some of my expericount.” I never cheated again, ences, both good and bad. though I think of that day often, I started my journey to vegnot because I feel guilty, but etarian land in the ninth grade. because it amuses me. One of my friends mentioned One of the unexpected benefits that she was goof being a vegetarian ing vegan in was trying new homeroom one foods. As a fourmorning, which year vegetarmeant she was ian, I discovrefraining from ered many all animal foods I liked that products, I would have both never tried had I meat and not thrown meat dairy. I out of my diet, thought it such as humwas weird, mus. Though Josh Hatcher • Staff Illustrator but as I it may look like was always looking for a chalvomit garnished with parsley to lenge, it gave me a great idea: an outsider, this delicious MediI decided to go vegetarian for terranean dip made from chick one week. This wasn’t quite as peas contains large amounts of drastic as my friend’s choice. I iron and vitamin C. Falafel is couldn’t eat meat but I could still another great veggie food I never munch on cheese sticks, unlike would have tried. Though not the my dairy-deprived friend. prettiest food judging by looks, it Passing up meat, as I distastes great in a pita with tahini covered, was very easy for me. sauce or without. If you don’t beGrilled cheese satisfied my lieve me, head over to Aladdin’s tastebuds just as much as a on Monroe Ave. and try some. hamburger did. Weeks turned Then there’s the most dauntinto months, and still I refused ing of them all: tofu. Though the to chow down on meat. I went name sounds about as appetizing full force into vegetarianism, and as eating a shoe, when flavored nothing could stop me — not and eaten with rice, onions and a luscious piece of turkey on baby corn, it can actually be pretThanksgiving, nor prime rib at ty good. Tofu is high in protein a fancy restaurant. Little did I and low in fat, plus you’ll look know that a tiny piece of pepincredibly sophisticated eating peroni pizza would be my nemit next to someone tearing esis. Yes, I did the unthinkable: See FOOD, Page 14 Alex Moeller — Editor-in-Chief I’ve been writing for this paper for over two years, and still, the best thing I can come up with when people ask me how I feel about leaving is: I’m sad. Stellar. I’m going to enjoy the free time, but working with this group of people has been the most rewarding experience of my 20-year-old life. Sounds cheesy, but it’s the truth. Now let’s stop being serious. Bonnie, you’ll be in the perfect time zone next semester. When CTer’s freak out late at night, you’ll get frantic calls in the middle of the day! P.S. I love you platonically more than ever and couldn’t have done this without you. Ray, you better stay in Bergen even when you leave UR, because I want my wedding flowers done by you. (I can hear his response already: “No one is gonna marry you, Jerko!”) Ross, don’t stop calling me, because I love the pic that comes up on my phone. Cate, why is the computer making jungle noises? Cutshall, I’m not thrilled with that poll question. Charlie, thanks for introducing me to Mr. Castillo. Kraus, let me go find Campbell so we can finish the inside. Stephie & Judith, twice the pages means twice the giggling, right? Erin, XC must love you. I don’t know how you do it. Ski, get off the couch. Arielle, Leah and Krista, you have revolutionized copy as we know it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Photo, screw everyone else, you guys did solid work all year. Dan, start counting. 22 fingers. Calvin, I’m afraid of the stick figure paddling me. And finally, Ben, it’s all yours now. Treat it like your first-born son. Ross Brenneman — Managing Editor As last year came to a close, I looked around the Campus Times office and felt I had made a home for myself as Opinions Editor, but that I still lacked a family. A year later, my dream of finding kin feels largely achieved, and I owe a great deal to you all. Alex, Chief, don’t worry about it. Ben, constant vigilance! Catelyn, I actually do enjoy talking to you. Charlie, you’re the “Impressions Guy.” Leah One, more Rock Band, more Joni effing Mitchell. Stephudith, be drunk. Sober Stephudith doesn’t notice me. Twiddly-winks, I hope Dan buys you a stepladder to get to the copy stool. Calvin, you’re an adorable panda. I’ll miss you and that smile. Leah Number Two, learn your limits, girl (e.g., you can’t pull off bangs). Photo, relax. Hatch, you’re a dirty hobo. France: sucks to be you. Jules… wow… T. Scott, Bruml and Em, thanks for all of the help. Gangreen and Sarah, let’s rock this house. Ray, you are a god. Ashish, I want to go on an acid trip with you. I just have this feeling it’d be great. I cannot express, David Cutshall, how much I have admired your work ruling Opinions. You’ve become a great friend. I’ll miss your good humor and ability to summarize Dick Fenno’s literature. To my favorite four, who have become my heart and soul here at the CT: Danny Sapphire. My confidant, coschemer, sounding board and pal. I look forward to more walks, G-iaisons, manhugs, figuring out if I should get on that and being, in a word, nice. Ski. My id. I look forward to more combined ridiculousness, to debating what can go on the copy desk and to sharing that special room in Hell. Krista. Sista Cinnamon. My TV cohort. I will keep thinking of awful jokes just to see you laugh since, along with Avril’s heart-warming ballads, it’s one of my favorite sounds in the world. Chin up, tiger — you’re an amazing woman. And Arielle. You’re an extraordinary friend, morale-booster and listener. I love your optimism and lame stories, and I have loved getting to know you. Take great pride in who you are, because that’s the gal I very much admire. And for the record, I got through this without one pun. Im-press-ive, huh? Aw, damn, it’s a pun! Catelyn Halusic — News Editor To all my fellow CTers: I am so happy and proud that I got to work with you all this past year. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it. To Ben: Lead them well, I know you can, and remember — person SAID. And don’t worry, I will still come in and visit on Wednesday nights, I know you’ll miss me. Alex: I think your finelytuned sarcasm helped us all through the rough nights. Ross: You made me laugh. A lot. I love the Copy Squad and that is all that needs to be said. No one really knew how much this experience meant to me, but I hope you all do now. I will miss you all. Campus Times Executive Staff 2007 Ben Wrobel — News Editor First and foremost I’d like to thank my writers. You guys have been through a lot these past two semesters, from late night phone calls to articles that were cancelled at the last minute, but you’ve always come back for more. My amazing co-editor Cate, you’ve always been there when I needed you and I hope you stop by all the time next semester. Maybe you’ll even find out what all those sounds are that come out from behind the computer. Alex and Bonnie, you guys never cease to amaze me with your bizarre and highly improbable chemistry and even higher level of motivation and caring. To the Copy Squad, we may disagree on basic rules of usage at times but you guys are always right; I look forward to more copy pen funerals. Stephie and Judith, I’m so glad you guys are going to continue on with Features; you really had your section down to a science. Ross, no matter what position you hold, I can be confident that it will ALWAYS be a pun. Dan Wasserman. Everyone else who’s not coming back, have a great year and try to visit as much as Tony Scott did. Next year is going to be great, with my old section in such competent hands and an amazing staff overall. David Cutshall — Opinions Editor My experience as a Campus Times editor this year has been an invaluable one that I will never forget. Despite being an unpaid, demanding and often thankless job (though I know students appreciate what we do), it is one I will miss with great fondness. This is due in largest part to the amazing editorial staff with which I’ve had the pleasure of working. We really are a family here, and even though I’m leaving for a time — not unlike the drunken uncle that gets sent to jail — I know I will still be a part of it when I return. Though you’re all special in your own (very) unique ways, I have to single out Ross Brenneman, my mentor and friend — the “Papa Bear” O’Reilly to my Stephen Colbert. I am honored to have filled your shoes, and I hope I’ve done you proud to boot. Pun intended. Charlie Fountaine Features Editor Alex, Ross, Ben, Catelyn, Dave, Leah, Stephie, Judith, Erin, Ski, Calvin, Arielle, Krista, Leah, Bonnie, Josh, Jeff, Falcon, Mark, Ray, all of our staff writers or the temp (Wasserman): If any of you want to meet me for a drink, I’ll be at Poor Richard’s. And the rest of you can go to hell! Leah Kraus — Features Editor My year on the Campus Times staff has been filled with some great memories: way too many South Park episodes, loads of Chinese food, yelling obscenities at the printer, DragonForce, the “Easy” button — before it broke, and of course, lots of writing, editing and Ray’s cookies. Basically, it’s been an amazing year. Charlie, even though you’re a Yankees fan you’ve been a great co-editor. Ross, thanks for providing an arm when I needed something to hit. Copy, thanks for all the laughs and keeping my grammar in line. Ski, thanks for keeping things awkward. Readers, thanks for agreeing, disagreeing, laughing, crying or simply stuffing us in a recycling bin. Stephie and Judith, good luck as features editors next year! I know you won’t need it though, as you guys are already fantastic editors. For those leaving the staff, good luck with your future endeavors, for those staying on board, here’s to another great year, and for those new to CT, you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourselves into — I mean that in a good way. Stephie Hass — A&E Editor I can hardly describe what Campus Times has meant to me over the past year. I have loved working and building relationships with such an intelligent, funny and overall incredible group of people. Alex: I learned a lot from you this year. You had high expectations but made them easy to achieve and I want to thank you for making me go back and fix little things over and over when I thought I was done, because in the end it really did benefit me. Ross, I always looked forward to seeing you in the office. I could come to you with any irritating InDesign question and you would always answer it correctly and with patience. Thank you for that. Copy — thank you for reading our pages and generally improving morale. Ray — thank you for letting us use the office, your general cheerfulness and your wonderful baked goods. Judith — none of this would have been the same without you. I love our time together. Overall, I have looked forward to Wednesday nights for an entire year and I would like to thank everyone in the office for that. Good luck to you next semester and keep dropping in Wednesday nights. Judith Tulkoff — A&E Edtior Campus Times has consumed my life over the past year. I must thank the entire staff for making this consumption so delicious. Copy Staff: You girls are very sweet. I’m excited to continue working with you. Stephie: I think we’ve blended our identities. It’s beautiful. Jeff: We have gotten so close! Thanks for handling my photo-seeking aggression. Ross: Your emails warm my heart as well as my soul. Alex: Your impersonation of me is entirely accurate. Well done. Bonnie: You’re intimidating and I like it. Ben and Leah: I know you two will make a great team. Erin: Thank you for making me feel welcome in the office when I was still an outsider (copy staff). Ski: I think you’re hilarious. Never stop crossing the line. Writers: Thanks for embracing my intense recruitment style, high expectations and last minute requests. I’ve loved working with you! Dave Cutshall: Enjoy life as a DC intern. It can get crazy. Leah and Nandini: Best of luck! I know you two will do great things with A&E. Dave Maystrovsky — Sports Editor I’d first like to thank all my writers for contributing. To Erin: it’s been awesome working with you, thanks for helping out with my section. I don’t know who’s going to replace you as my intern, but hopefully they’ll do half as good a job on all the sports pages surrounding page 19. To anyone who read my LLS and/or my features articles, thank you. I do it all for you guys. To Dave: I wish I had your job, except I’d probably do it better or maybe not. To the couch: I would never have become an editor if you didn’t exist. You’re my favorite part of the job. Special thanks to Charlie and Leah for printing some of my craziest stories. To the copy staff: thank you for reading all my articles, mistakes and all. Thanks to photo for getting me the pictures, eventually. Thanks to news for filling up the first five pages of the paper. Finally, to Ross and Dan, laughing at people and events would not be as fun without you guys. Thanks for doing the Dew and keeping it real throughout the year. Ross, I’ll see you in that special room in hell. Erin Philbrick — Sports Editor Campus Times. The thing that has consumed so much of my life for the past year and a half and will continue to do so for the ongoing year (yeah copy squad!). Some may say that I’m crazy, but I say that I’m in love. Yes, that’s right, I’m in love with each and every one of you. Of course, my first love is Dave. What would I possibly do without your guiding force and strong managerial skills? You best earn an A in Management 102. That community college grade is very impor- tant to me (and my text messaging bill). Copy — my little protégés. I could not be prouder to be your “CinnaMa.” You made this office the awesomeness that it is. I cannot wait to join you for another year of copy awesomeness. Other CT editors beware. Jeff, thanks for being our everfaithful field hockey writer. Good thing those girls love you. Dan. Last year I said that I didn’t think the staff could get any better. I was wrong. I truly am in love with you all and cannot wait for another year of amazingness. Yeah CT! Calvin Lee — Comics Editor The pun is a lie! But on a serious note, it has been a great semester here at CT with everyone. To the comic artists, thank you for all your submitions. See you all next semester! Arielle Friedlander — Copy Editor Oh, Campus Times. This year was a little ridiculous. I love that we think being on the CT staff is so much fun. Let me begin with the heart and soul of the CT: the copy squad. We control the paper and everyone knows it. Krista, your copy skills are to die for. I’m not sure what the Campus Times would have done without you – and your spice – this year. Lava, you get me, probably because we’re the same person. You are the love of my life. Ok go! Ross, I’m glad we understand each other. You have made this year completely worth it and more than tolerable whenever it doesn’t seem to be. Ski, yea, I’m Jewish. Get over it. Erin, welcome back to the copy squad!! Thank you for dirty rushing us to the CT. Alex, remember that time you tried to cut my finger off? Thanks. Actually, thank you for loving the copy squad and for getting really excited to give me a hug when you see me. I hope we can keep up our g-lationship. Dan, Dan, Dan. What can I say about you. I love you. Haha but seriously, I love you. Seeing your wonderful and smiling face whenever I walk into the office brightens my day every time. You are my towel. Leah K, you are adorable and I’m so happy we bonded over guitar-playing wannabe hippies (or just one). Stephie and Judith, I’m so excited for next year and to see you at more CT funs! Hatch, we know you love the CT a lot more than the Ramblers. New people, welcome to the CT! It’s fun, I promise. Krista Lombardo — Copy Editor Joining the Campus Times is honestly one of the best decisions I’ve made in college. I sort of unintentionally fell into my position here, but, over the past year, the CT has become an amazing home away from home. To the Copy Squad: You guys have been great, and Arielle — I’m so excited to be your co-editor again this next year. Erin: I really have you to thank for my becoming copy editor, so thanks! This next year is going to rock. Alex: I know I tell you I hate you all the time, but I’ll still miss you next year, so make sure you stop by, and let’s keep playing poker. But also, you suck. Ross: There’s a lot to say, but, in short, thanks for being an awesome managing editor and an awesome friend. Ben: Congrats on being elected EIC. You’re awesome and I know you’ll do great. Leah Kraus, thanks for adding your awesome subtle humor to the staff. You’re great. A&E: You guys definitely made my job a lot easier this last year, so keep up the good work. Ski: You owe Wasserman $4 now, not me. And also, you kind of rock, even though I don’t like to admit it. Jeff: Thanks for helping me through psych last semester, couldn’t have done it without you. Dan: I lost the game, and it’s all your fault. So take this: Touch your ass bergers! You lose. Finally, to everyone leaving the staff: I’ll miss you all so much! You guys have been great to work with. Leah Squires — Copy Editor Thanks to the diligent copy staff members who made the effort to come in each week — you’re all amazing. Shout out to the Copy Squad: Arielle and Krista, I cannot thank both of you enough for your hard work and the positive attitude you brought to every production night! We have shared so many laughs — it’s a relief to know we all have two adoptive parents. Erin: Mama Copy, you have all the answers. Alex, thanks for always believing in me; Bonnie, your candid insights and drive to succeed always pushed me to do better. Ross, precious, don’t worry; this Cinnabun is gonna make you proud. Wasserman and Wrobel get pumped for January because I can’t wait! To the rest of the staff that has made this year so wonderful, thanks for making Wednesday night something to look forward to. And to Ray: you’re my hero. Jeff Levy — Exec. Photo Editor First, I’d like to thank Dave and Mark, my co-editors, for making this a great year. Kali, you’ve been a great help this past year. We wouldn’t have a camera or much of a photo staff without your hard work. Good luck abroad; I’ll miss you. I would also like to thank our awesome and amazing photo staff; you have made this a great semester and things have been a lot easier. Alex, you’ve been an awesome EIC. What are you going to do without CT in you’re life? Bonnie, I’ll miss you, good luck abroad in Paris. Dave Cutshall, good luck in DC. I’ll really miss the photo section my last semester here, but now I get to do presentation. Judith and Stephie, I’m looking forward to working with you on the features fronts. Ross, good luck with your newest endeavor as a photography editor. You’ve got your work cut out for you, and for some strange reason you can’t live without CT. Sarah and Daniel, I wish you the best of luck taking over the photo section. You better continue to uphold my high standards, since it is the most important section in this paper. This has been a great staff to work with and it is sad to see some of you leaving. Ray, you’re treats are the best. Mark Fleming — Photo Editor Compared to the way the CT Photo Department ran in previous years, this semester went very well. Instead of relying mainly on the editors to scramble to cover as many events as possible — many of which managed to be at the same time but never the same place — we had a significantly larger staff of photographers who joined the photographic fracas. I would like to thank them for making my job, and that of my co-editors, a little calmer. It was reassuring to know that when a section editor called me at 6:30 to shoot something off campus at 7:30 we could find someone to cover it. I must also thank Jeff and Dave, who have expanded my knowledge of computers and showed me that silver halide crystals are not so terrible in binary code. Now enjoy a month where no section editor will say, “Where are my photos?!” Josh Hatcher — Staff Illustrator lolz, campus times roxers! CT 4 life!! thanx, i can’t wait to finish pledging! i <3 my big!! Kthxbi Dan Wasserman — Online Editor It’s finally over and with so many small things that made this year together so great, I’ll just have to name a few… From section editors dealing with my last-minute spell checking tirades to 8 a.m. cold walks to Southside and lots of Starbucks in between, it’s been a wild ride. I’ll never forget those late night (early morning) moments in the office when it was just Alex, Ross and myself, discussing anything and everything, downing ham and cheese on a bag-uhl. From letter openers thrown against the copy board, to Ra’s random crashes, to Ski on the couch, to last-minute dipper (now finger) runs, to many inappropriate conversations. Of course there was “Lost,” “South Park,” and “The Office” too. Plus red ducks, touch your nose, Helen Keller, copy desk, Twiddly Dee, Dragonforce, getting on it, free rice, towels and girl talk. To the new editors arriving, welcome to the show. Bonnie Jarrett — Publisher Wow, so I guess that’s it. Over the past two years I have been able to work with some of the most talented and hardest working people I have ever known. It’s been a pleasure, truly (read my Ed Observer if you wish to know more). Alex, you’re wonderful, I will miss you so much next semester I can’t even explain it. Dan, Ben and Leah, you guys are going to be great, I’m so excited to see the work you do. Keep in touch! FEATURES Page 14 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Private: Now going public Food: Hummus can be tasty Taylor: Continued from page 11 me of a secret I’ve read and that’s a good thing, it helps me recognize how connected we all are.” He has also come to feel more empathy toward people in this recognition of our secret connection to one another. Warren has no regrets about the massive project and does indeed lead a normal life outside of his work with PostSecret. He insists with a laugh that “I’m still just as boring as I ever was, boring suburban husband, father, business owner.” Described as “America’s most trusted stranger,” Warren retains a very down-to-earth demeanor that highlights his accidental fame. In a sense, he is everyone’s neighbor as he receives post cards in all languages and from all continents. Amazingly, he attests that, at times, two postcards come on the same day “from two different continents, in two different languages, ex- pressing the same fear, the same hope or desire at a very deep level. Our secrets don’t separate us, they connect us.” As of now, Warren does not plan to end the project and wants to continue his work to help people face their fears and to feel connected. “The most gratifying part of the project is traveling to college campuses and talking about the postcards and hearing inspirational stories from students about how perhaps seeing their secret on a stranger’s postcard changed their life.” Before returning to his work, Warren reminded us of the fundamental principle of PostSecret. There are “two kinds of secrets: there are the secrets we keep from other people and the secrets that we hide from ourselves.” The PostSecret community can be found at Warren’s Web site, http://www.postsecret.com Dukmasova is a member of the class of 2011. THANK YOU FEATURES WRITERS! WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU! Continued from page 12 through some red meat. Also, it’s a healthier choice. Red meat can be high in saturated fat, which can increase your risk for cardiovascular diseases. Some studies also link red meat to an increased risk for cancer. Deland says in his article, “show me a person that gets enough protein from a carbohydrate source and I’ll show you a diabetic,” and while he does have a point, I prefer the motto, “Show me a person that eats red meat every day and I’ll show you a dead man.” A little harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts. Now you may ask, “What brought you back to being an omnivore?” Well, chicken would be my main answer. Buffalo chicken would be a more detailed answer. If you’ve never tried buffalo wings, you’ve been deprived. And I have to say, even while I was a vegetarian, there was always that part of me that craved chicken. Fried chicken, chicken fingers, grilled chicken sandwiches, BBQ chicken, chicken and rice — it’s kind of an amazing food. As a reformed vegetarian, some of my old habits still stick. I can’t eat beef. It makes me nauseous. I’ll usually pass up flesh-filled lasagna for the vegetarian kind, and I still think fish looks friendlier than steak. And to be honest, there are vegetarian foods that I simply like more than meat, such as veggie burgers — they just taste better, in my opinion. Anyways, eating meat doesn’t always feel “right” to me. Sometimes it gives me the feeling that I’m cheating on a test or something. There are dangers to being a vegetarian. For example, if being a vegetarian is only an excuse for you to eat bagels and ice cream at every meal, you’re going to make yourself sick. Your body wasn’t meant to survive on just carbs and ice cream. If that was the truth, the food pyramid wouldn’t really be a pyramid; it would be more of a square. Being a vegetarian isn’t something to be scared of, but know the pros and cons, and be ready to dig into some tofurkey if you decide to venture out that way. Kraus is a member of the class of 2009. Continued from page 12 he had made, this incident was merely an isolated misstep — a childish moment of foolishness. After all, the process of becoming a man does not happen overnight. By the 2006 season, Taylor’s ascension into manhood appeared complete. His teammates and coaches praised him for his work ethic during team practices and for his diligence during film sessions. His personal life also began to take upon a newfound stability and meaningfulness. According to Antrel Rolle, Taylor’s childhood friend and former college teammate, Taylor realized the dangers of the “bad crowd” surrounding him and felt as though “he just had to distance himself from everyone and live a life of his own... I’ve never seen anyone make such a dramatic change.” Around the same time, Taylor and his girlfriend, Jackie Garcia, conceived a child together. Taylor’s rededication toward family life corresponded with a realization he had following his felony charge. “You kind of appreciate your family a little bit more. That bond is stronger, and you feel like, ‘Hey, let me try to do more,’” he said. Two weeks ago, Sean Taylor was undeniably a role model to his teammates and fans. During the 2007 season, he had become one of the leaders on the team. Older teammates rallied behind him. Washington Redskins Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams recalled that “every day he stopped and talked to the kids. Everyday in training camp.” ESPN writer Elizabeth Merrill also related a story of how Taylor voluntarily showed up at a high school “full of inner-city kids and at-risk teenagers and spoke to the students for three hours about,” among other things, “staying on the straight path.” Even the tragic death of Sean Taylor provides further evidence of Taylor’s maturation. Though the details of Taylor’s fatal shooting are still unclear, one thing is certain: Sean Taylor died while protecting his family from harm. The act of caring for and protecting the lives of your family from danger is the highest form of responsibility that any adult can take. Thus, Taylor’s courageous act of risking his own safety for that of his family exemplifies the full extent of his psychological growth over the past two-year period. As my mind drifts back to the image of Sean Taylor, I see the smiling and youthful face of someone who couldn’t possibly be an adult. But when I consider the life he led over the past two years — the teammates he inspired, the young fans he guided and the family he gave his life for — I realize that Sean Taylor was not only an adult, but the type of adult that I myself one day aspire to become. Two years ago, as Taylor was reflecting upon the incident that led to his felony charge, he came to an important realization: “There’s so much more to live for than to go out by a bullet.” In the time since, he began to appreciate the truly important aspects of life and, in doing so, became a genuine role model to myself and to many others. Hopefully, this is the Sean Taylor that will continue to live on in our minds and hearts. Schwartz is a Take Five student. Page 15 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Fagan show awes by ian kloss Staff Writer Thanks to Garth Fagan Dance, Rochester is somewhat of an international dance hot spot. I had been only vaguely aware of Fagan’s dance company and school during my time in Rochester, but this past Saturday, Dec. 1, I got to find out why this dance troupe is such a big deal. The company’s 12 performers essentially transformed my conception of what the human body can achieve, both in artistic expression and feats of strength. Fagan’s choreography is varied and exciting, the dancers are astounding athletes and each piece is a complete media experience, with excellent sound and lighting and striking and minimal costumes by various artists, including Fagan. Garth Fagan, already an acclaimed dancer, founded his first troupe in Rochester in 1970. Fagan no longer performs but continues to choreograph prolifically, conceiving boundarystretching works. He is the pioneer of the Fagan movement technique, which is the core method taught at his school here in Rochester. Fagan’s style is original, integrating several styles (such as ballet, post-modern dance and Afro-Caribbean styles) into a powerful hybrid. The program of five dances began with “Discipline is Freedom,” a 1984 Fagan work set to jazz piano and Afro-Caribbean percussion. The whole troupe featured here displayed its surprising age range and amazing ability to move as a collective. Fagan’s choreography balances fluidity and precision, creating movements that can convey abstraction and emotion. “Discipline is Freedom” could have been the title of the entire program, since every dance demanded a balance of rigid execution and individual interpretation. The excerpt from Fagan’s 1991 “Griot New York” was a striking ode to lovemaking, a blush-inducing duet between dancers Norwood Pennewell and Nicolette Depass, performing a languorous give-and-take, locked together in fantastic contortions that moved to an improbably slow Wynton Marsalis ballad. The costumes, you could say, were diminutive, as both dancers wore only unobtrusive purple briefs (and nothing else). The dance was genuinely touching, an emotional high point of the performance. Next was the Rochester premier of “Edge/Joy,” a new work for the entire company. This was a complex and energetic piece set to a trio of taut, dissonant compositions by Ricardo John-Muldoon. Both the costumes and choreography brought out the individuality of the dancers, encouraging them to play consistent roles. I got the impression that Fagan composed this piece specifically for the current members of his ensemble. The multi-movement “Senku,” set to a variety of piano music, seemed to create a commentary on social dynamics. Highlights included the duet “Ms./Mrs.,” a gentle study of female friendship, danced by Nicolette Depass and Annique Russell. The plaintive “Feel/Think,” danced by soloist Norwood Pennewell, seemed to describe a man either aging, dying or struggling against an inner frustration. Here, Fagan’s small, simple movements convey exhaustion and disappointment just as palpably as his other works convey physical exuberance. The program’s closer, “From Before,” was an amusing trip to its own time of origin, 1978. The dancers, in gaudy, singlecolor jumpsuits, careened through sundry formations to brash Afro-pop music that waxed hokey during a segue into ’70’s funk. This one seemed geared toward letting the dancers cut loose and it was fun to see them get carried away, dated music and all. After the group took its final bows, the audience’s unceasing applause spurred an exuberant recap of a portion of “From Before.” Tickets to this show weren’t cheap, but I would recommend keeping an eye on the local paper for upcoming appearances. If the troupe returns to UR anytime soon, a student ID ought to bring the price down. Even a stiff $20 ticket actually seems like a more-than-reasonable fee for dance artistry that is among the best in the world. Kloss is a member of the class of 2008. Courtesy of Greg Barrett Garth Fagan’s company performs their premier piece, “Edge/Joy.” daniel green • Staff Photographer Cellist Erin Keesecker and percussionist Gordon Stout perform in the May Room for Break of Reality. Eastman alums rock May Room for “Break of Reality” cellofest by Leah rankin Contributing Writer There are not many ensembles that can boast of a fresh new sound after four years of intensive classical training, but the group Break of Reality does just that. This rock band quartet is composed of four Eastman alumni including three very talented cellists (Patrick Laird, Erin Keesecker and Christopher Thibdeau) and one fast-handed percussionist (Gordon Stout), who have collaborated on a relatively new crossover genre of music. Combining the solid, technical milieu of classical music with the stunning theatricality of acoustic and electric rock, the ensemble has created a style that caters to both the avid concert-goer and punk Metallica fan alike. The group got its start when the four members met during their undergraduate studies at Eastman. They started sight reading some rock music that was arranged for cello, and the band hit it off from there. They began playing gigs at Spot Coffee and Java’s, and before long the band’s unique style catapulted them into the national spotlight. After a week of sponsoring workshops for high schools around the Rochester area (including Harris Hill, Laird’s old elementary school in Penfield), Break of Reality made its way to the UR campus to perform for an almost sold-out concert this past Saturday night, Dec. 1. The group members had just contributed to Eastman’s “The Gift of Music: A Prism Concert” and expressed that they were all “glad to be back” at their old alma mater. The concert in the May Room provided an intimate setting between the performers and the audience, with its low-rise stage and jazz club lighting. Despite the fact that the concert started almost half an hour late, the chairs surrounding the stage had been completely filled by 9 p.m. The program was split into two halves, with the first half portraying an acoustical style that showcased the cello’s stereotypical tendency toward lyrical melancholy themes. The quartet juxtaposed somewhat classical-sounding melodies over a gruffly rhythmic line. Although the musicians stayed within the guidelines of the classical form as far as their performance techniques, the effect was a widespread realization that beautiful harmony can and does exist beyond the realm of the classical music genre. During the second half of the concert, which was introduced with an enthusiastic “You guys ready?,” the performers added a more visual style of theatricality. The cellists hooked up to amplifiers, the percussionist took his seat behind a drum set and the audience waited with eager anticipation to hear what this unusual rock ensemble could achieve. The cellists were able to emulate a stunning electric quality on their instruments, and each of them took turns standing at the front of the stage to perform solos, to the amazement of the audience. The concert finally culminated in Laird hoisting his cello above his head while Thibdeau stood above him and sawed at the strings. What is even more impressive about this group’s performances is that most of the pieces were actually composed by Laird. In addition, the musicians were able to perform the entire concert by memory, proving not only their endowed musicality but also their fantastic chemistry on stage. The great thing about this group is that though its members have obviously devoted a great deal of time to perfecting their performance as an ensemble, much of their music seems spontaneous. “I know very little about cello,” percussionist Stout explained. Nevertheless, this group has a clear connection on the stage as it continues to expand the limits of this multifaceted instrument. In fact, most of the time it would be difficult to decipher the sound of these cellos from that of electric guitars. The band mentioned the Finnish group Apocolyptica as one of its greatest musical inspirations. Keesecker described the group’s collaboration as an “outlet from all the individual cubicle practicing.” The audience could tell very easily that each musician preferred this genre for its delightful lack of rules and boundaries. Break of Reality has released two albums so far, “Voiceless” and “The Sound Between,” and they promise that they are “working on some new things.” They were unabashed to perform some of their works in progress to the UR audience, and they seemed very comforted by the audience’s positive response. At the conclusion of the concert, Break of Reality was given a standing ovation from an audience as diverse as the campus itself. The modest performers gave an encore performance after expressing a wish to someday have their own performance in Eastman Theatre. It seems they are definitely on the right track. Rankin is a member of the class of 2010. A&E Page 16 Thursday, December 6, 2007 WRUR Ramblers CD sells out UR bookstore in two days by Steven Burnett Staff Writer In case anyone on campus missed the Midnight Ramblers’ fall concert, Midnight Ramblers of the Caribbean,” then they are in luck. This self-described “all-male contemporary a cappella group” certainly maintains this contemporary formula in its newest release, entitled “Manifesto.” This album is the seventh for the Midnight Ramblers and attempts to exceed the lofty expectations created by their previous six installments. With songs ranging from artists such as The Fray, System of a Down, Journey and Coldplay, among others, the Midnight Ramblers bring a fresh and unadulterated version of many popular songs. Though I’m not the world’s biggest a cappella fan, I found this album both interesting and enjoyable. Much of the album reminds me of the great quote by Will Ferrell’s famous Robert Goulet impression, who describes his newest album as “An hour of rip roaring rap music, not by some dubious ruffians without the chops, but by a professionally trained voice man, no musical accompaniment.” This is, of course, a roundabout compliment to the professionally-trained voice men of the Midnight Ramblers, who sound much more polished than many of the original versions. Though this does not say much when in a lyrical competition with the screams of System of a Down, “Manifesto” does more than simply attempt to recreate the music that is already freely available for illegal download, but rather attempts to create something entirely new. Even though the solo voices are very noticeably excellent in all parts of the album, there is more to the Midnight Ramblers than a few pretty voices. Though it may take several listenings of the album — which demonstrates it contains more than simply a grouping of novel remakes that quickly fade in replay ability — the nuances of the album are also of great interest. Praise has to go not only to the obviously gifted and diligent singers of the group, but also to their arrangers. The album’s lead off song, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” by Panic! At the Disco, is a testament to the vocal versatility of the group. Though it is perhaps not a personal favorite, the complex strings of the original are translated crisply into melodious sounds of the Ramblers. The Midnight Ramblers released their seventh full length studio album, “Manifesto,” after their fall show. The CD has been a hit. as school winds down and final Using only their voices (hence, a cappella) the Ramblers studying heats up. If you like any of the songs on manage to wholly reimagine the back cover (or even dislike the backgrounds to their aural and want to hear them done masterpieces. better than the original), then Though slight amounts of I highly recommend you pick percussion instruments are up a copy if you still can. The used in the album, the majority “Manifesto” CD sold out the of the instrumental portions of UR bookstore within two days. the song are recreated so flawDon’t worry, they’ve restocked. lessly that some sections had After listening, I am sure me question if that actually you’ll agree that the next show was a person’s voice or simply a is not to be missed. clever ruse. Burnett is a member of All this goes to say that the the class of 2010. album should not be overlooked by dan milbrand Staff Writer With award considerations all but finalized by the waning months of fall, the winter season is a secure dumping ground for all the films that Hollywood executives didn’t know what the hell to do with and figured would make good use as last-ditch efforts to turn a profit before the resurgent promise of spring. Sadly, many gems are lost in the shuffle. Here is a list of those bastard films that will warm you up through the bitter Rochester winter, all beginning with “H” for “How Hollywood Has No Huevos”: The Horrific: George Romero’s “Diary of the Dead”: Romero continues to make socially relevant zombie films as we become increasingly sociallyretarded zombies. “The Orphanage”: Mexican mastermind Giullermo del Toro produces Juan Antonio Bayona’s stylistic horror film that looks decidedly like a mix between two of del Toro’s own — “Pan’s Labyrinth” and the underrated “The Devil’s Backbone.” The Humorous: “Semi-Pro”: Will Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, the afroed player- coach-owner of the ABA’s Flint Michigan Tropics. Based on the teaser trailer alone, I’m expecting a performance on par with Ron Burgundy and Chazz Reinhold. “Juno”: Michael Cera tries once again to redefine the meaning of “awkward” in this coming-of-age comedy about unplanned teenage pregnancy. I guess that’s not really funny. I need to see a counselor. Ellen Page, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, and the guy who plays Dwight Schrute round out the cast of this year’s “Little Miss Sunshine” that could. “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”: while the previews may seem tacky and you may be confused as to how Dirk Diggler’s sidekick got a leading-role in a comedy, you need to realize that this film was produced and cowritten by Judd Apatow, who seems to have a hand in all things funny these days. A plethora of cameo appearances and some original songs make this the most anticipated comedy of the winter season. “Be Kind, Rewind”: the immensely talented Michel Gondry writes and directs a film about video store clerks (played by Jack Black and Mos Def) who are forced to reenact various films on camera when every tape in their store is unintentionally destroyed by a magnetic force. Only Gondry could handle this subject matter without turning it into an hourand-a-half long SNL skit. The Humble: “Man in the Chair”: films about film tend to kick ass and take names. This one looks no different. “Atonement”: Joe Wright’s genre-bending adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel has garnered a lot of late-season Oscar-buzz for its grand ambition and spot-on performances by Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. The Heavyweights: “I Am Legend/Cloverfield”: While I tend to hold a glaring contempt toward blockbusters, I’m not going to lie — these two, in all their CGI-glory, look pretty enticing. Mr. Blockbuster himself, Will Smith, becomes the only unaffected survivor of a man-made plague in “Legend,” while J.J. Abrams helms the mysterious metropolitan monster flick “Cloverfield.” “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”: couple the proven success of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp with the comedic 88.5 FM Weekly Top 10 Artists 1. Radiohead 2. Most Serene Republic Kyle Sabo • Staff Photographer 3. I’m Not There Soundtrack 4. Aloha 5. Soft 6. Coconut Records 7. Broken Social Scene presents Kevin Drew 8. Wild Sweet Orange 9. Bonnie Prince Billy 10. Mary Onettes Winter film selections sadly show Hollywood has no huevos Courtesy of sweeneytoddmovie.com “Sweeney Todd,”an adaptation of a Sondheim musical and starring Johnny Depp, looks to be a rare gem among winter’s film duds. genius of Borat, sprinkle a dash The “Holy Shit! How Did of violence and a teaspoon of the These Movies Even Get macabre, turn it all into a musical, Made?”: and what do you get? One of the “Tony and Tina’s Wedding” (bemost curious and original-looking cause it stars a former NKOTB), films of the year. “P.S. I Love You” (unless she forc“There Will Be Blood”: writer/ es you to at gunpoint), “Rambo” director/genius Paul Thomas (I’m morally opposed to Sylvester Anderson ditches the boring Stallone still making movies), title of Upton Sinclair’s seminal “The Eye” (Japanese horror reworking-class novel “Oil!” in favor makes are played out like Boston of a more literal epithet for this sports fans), “Babylon A.D.” (Vin film about greed, religion, oil and, Diesel should stop making movies yes, violence in early 20th-century and become the spokesman for Mr. America. Sound familiar? Get Clean already) and “Step Up 2 the ready for one of the most ambiStreets” (come on, guys). tious, controversial and hellacious Milbrand is a member of films of the year. the class of 2008. M ov i e T i m e s UR Cinema Group • Hoyt Auditorium Friday Saturday Becoming Jane 7:00, 9:30 classifieds Spring Break 2008. Sell Trips, Earn Cash and Go Free. Call for group discounts. Best Prices Guaranteed! Jamaica, Cancun, Acapulco, Bahamas, S.Padre, Florida. 800-648-4849 or http://ststravel. com Pulp Fiction 6:30, 9:15 Furniture, exercise equipment, cheap roomy desk, chair, file cabinet, round wood and kitchen tables, plants, rocking chair, TV, boom box, lamps, shelves, fans. Schwinn airdyne, xcountry skiis, ice skates. 271-4771, evenings best The Little Theatre • 240 east avenue Friday and Saturday No Country for Old Men 6:55, 9:45 Sleuth 7:15. 9:15 Lars and the Real Girl 7:05, 9:25 Im Not There 6:45, 9:35 Before the Devil Knows your Dead 6:30, 9:00 Thank you, writers! Ian Kloss, Sam Miller, Steven Burnett, Dan Milbrand, Kate Nicewicz, Hilary Richards,Emily Paret, John Roman. Ethan Green, Erin Philbrick Charlie Fountaine, Ross Brenneman, Jorawer Singh, Samantha Lewis Karyn Socci, Rahul Tase, Leah Rankin COMICS Thursday, December 6, 2007 Celibacy Now I hate this time of year. It reminds me of how alone I am. Don’t worry, I found someone for you... and she’s totally low maintenance. By T. Scott It’s a Pun! Page 17 By Ross Brenneman Hey... this sounds familiar. You’re not pulling this one again. It’s going to be a blowup doll, isn’t it? Omigosh! I’m so sorry to have ever questioned your humanity... a real girl! It truly is a Christmas miracle! Blowup Doll Waste of Space By Micah Stahl & Danny Ciszek Dude, you’re out of deodorant. It’s cutting you and you’re bleeding everwhere!! Don’t worry. Blood is a natural anti-perspirant. Psst... we still are looking for more comic artists! Join us or get paddled! Hello delicious boyfriend, looks like it’s that time of the month. To all who contributed directly and indirectly to the success of the comics page throughout the semester, thank you. To all the comic artists who submitted works this semester, thank you for all your hard work. Have a great winter break! Keep those creative comic juices flowing! UR Screwed By Madeline Woo Wee Wee, I love traying behind Danforth! Go Kurt go! UR Screwed Comic by Madeline Woo Trayin’ Okay kids, Security is here, you have to stop and give me the trays. Weeee! . Sudoku Fun! SPORTS Page 18 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Ranked: ’Jackets’ record now 7-0 overall League: Swimming excels Continued from Page 20 but was unable to sustain pressure and gain a true advantage over the home team. The ’Jackets finished the half strongly, benefiting from their constant interior presence and solid bench play, and went into halftime with a two-point lead. To start the second half, UR, most recently ranked second nationally in Division III in a d3hoops.com poll, went on a 15-4 run and never looked back. The run was fueled mainly by the play of Onyiriuka, who made 11 of his 15 points in the second. The Yellowjackets also got points from freshman guard Mike Labanowski, who went 3-7 from three-point range and finished the game with nine points. On the defensive side of the ball, junior guard Max Kaplan led the ’Jackets with four steals. Sophomore guard Brad Runco also contributed by grabbing six rebounds for UR. Hustle play was huge for the Yellowjackets, who did a good job throughout the game of giving themselves second chance opportunities and, in the second half especially, of limiting the Tartans’ opportunities. UR also held CMU to only 31 percent shooting from the field and allowed them to get to the free throw line only three times in the second half. On Wednesday, the ’Jackets traveled to Geneva, N.Y. to take on the 4-1 Statesmen of Hobart College. Again, the result came out in favor of UR, who stayed unbeaten by downing Hobart 7057. The Yellowjackets were led by Dominiak, who had 17 points, and Onyiriuka, who had 16 points, and also got a good game from Ndubizu, who contributed with 13 boards. On the other side of the court, the ’Jackets held the Statesmen to just 33 percent shooting from the field. Hobart was also out-rebounded by UR, 42-30. Jeff Levy • Photography Editor John Onyiriuka surpassed the 1,000-career point mark Wednesday night. Milbrand rounded off the list of ’Jacket players in double-digit points with 12. Onyiriuka also had two blocks and, with his 16 points, surpassed the 1,000-career point mark. Runco gave the ’Jackets a defensive spark with four steals. In the first half, the Yellowjackets led by as many as eight points. Hobart tied the game 26-26 with just under three minutes left in the half, but UR quickly responded, hitting back-to-back threes to grab a six-point lead. They entered halftime holding a 32-27 edge over the Statesmen. Onyiriuka started off the second half for the ’Jackets with a threepoint play, but Hobart responded with two threes and a two-pointer, tying the game at 35. From that point on, it was all UR, who built its largest lead of the game by going on a 19-6 run. Hobart never came within seven points of the Yellowjackets for the remainder of the game. The ’Jackets, however, were far from perfect on the night. UR shot only 58 percent from the free-throw line, including an abysmal 25 percent in the first half and, for the first time this season, the ’Jackets had more turnovers than assists. They played up to par when it counted, however, making free throws late in the game to keep the score in their favor. The Yellowjackets will take on Rochester Institute of Technology on Tuesday, Dec. 11, and finish off their first semester schedule with a home game against St. John Fisher University on Friday, Dec. 14 before a long break. Hilfinger is a member of the class of 2010. Save so much on gear that you’ll actually be able to go someplace cool to use it. Continued from Page 20 Brown came in fourth with a time of 17:17.64, Messmer came in sixth with a time of 17:30.46, Kaule swam a 17:44.41 to come in seventh and Anderson finished the scoring with a time of 18:32.81. Howard led UR in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing second with a time of 1:57.15, followed by Balch in fourth place with a time of 2:01.08 and White in sixth place with a time of 2:02.91. Ryan White finished first among UR swimmers in the 100-yard freestyle, coming in fifth overall with a time of 49.09. In the 200 breast, three UR swimmers finished in the top five, with McCue finishing second with a time of 2:15.63, Dennison finishing next with a time of 2:16.04 and Brown clocking in with a time of 2:21.18. Maki was the best finisher in the 200-yard butterfly, coming in sixth with a time of 2:05.60. In the 400 freestyle relay, the ’Jackets finished third with a time of 3:17.76. The men finished with 790 points overall for the meet. They next go to SUNY Cortland on Jan. 11 for a meet. The women also showed success, finishing third in the Liberty League Championships. They started off very well with a fifth-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:44.91. In the 500 freestyle, sophomore Nora Hoefer finished second with a time of 5:19.23, freshman Kathryn Lukens finished third with 5:20.14 and freshman Elizabeth Subjeck came in fifth with a time of 5:22.98. In the 400 medley relay, the “A” team of Lukens, senior Kelly Fischer, senior Danielle Scherry and freshman Dayna Jacob finished fourth with a time of 4:18.76. In the diving events, freshman Jamie Sorenson came in fifth with a total of 286.50. In the threemeter diving event, junior Cheryl Blechman was the highest finisher, coming in sixth with a score of 300.05. In the 200 medley relay, UR fin- ished fifth with a time of 1:58.57. Scherry was the best finisher in the 400 IM, with a time of 5:00.66, good for seventh place. In the 200 freestyle, Subjeck finished second, gathering 17 points with a time of 2:00.84, and Hoefer came in fifth with a time of 2:01.83. Fischer finished seventh in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:13.09. Senior Denise Moseman finished 10th with a time of 1:14.12 and junior Jill Endres got some valuable points by finishing 14th with a time of 1:17.27. In the 100 backstroke, freshman Cailee Caldwell came in sixth with a time of 1:03.51. Hoefer came in 10th with a time of 1:04.57. Perhaps the best event for the UR women was the long distance event of the 1,650-yard freestyle. Lukens finished first with a time of 18:14.23. Scherry came in second with a time of 18:17.33, while Subjeck came in fourth with a time of 18:53.17. Junior Megan Miller came in ninth with a time of 19:35.85, while sophomore Lilly Wynn finished 13th with a time of 19:56.11 and sophomore Libby Cavagnaro finished off the scoring for the ’Jackets by finishing 14th with a time of 19:57.90. Lukens was the first to finish the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:16.30, while Caldwell finished in 2:17.70. In the 100 freestyle, Hoefer came in sixth with a time of 56.59, Jacob followed her in ninth place with a time of 56.78 and Subjeck finished off the scoring for the Yellowjackets with a time of 56.90. Fischer swam well in the 200 breaststroke, coming in fourth with a splendid time of 2:39.19, gaining 15 points for the team. Mosesman came in seventh with a time of 2:39.07 and gathered 12 points. Scherry was the best finisher for the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:23.67. The 400 freestyle relay team came in third with a time of 3:43.85. Maystrovsky is a member of the class of 2009. Continued from Page 20 to the scoreboard, along with adding four assists. Junior center Julie Marriott was the final starter with double-digit scoring, contributing 14 points, six rebounds, two blocks and three steals. Junior starting point guard Rachel Stern added four points of her own, two of which came crucially at the end of the game from the foul line, along with two assists. Off the bench, junior guard Johanna McNelis added to the game by contributing five points and four assists. UR faces off against Union College on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Schenectady, N.Y. After this game they go on break for nearly a month. Scheible has high hopes for the rest of the season. With some goals to work toward, he looks forward to continued success. “We are continuing to work to get better on offense, specifically sharing the ball even better and working together,” Scheible said. “Our strength is that we are very versatile and somewhat interchangeable in the positions that we play. We are excited about our prospects for the year. I think we can be very good if we continue to work hard and push each other.” Philbrick is a member of the class of 2009. Herons: Women earn win College Students Get 15% OFF full-price items. Must show valid college ID. Restrictions apply; visit store for details. Pittsford Pittsford Plaza 3349 Monroe Ave. F SPORTS Thursday, December 6, 2007 rom the P ressbox By Erin Philbrick We’ve all heard of them, admired them, dreamed about being them (well, at least I have) and cringed at the thought of joining them. Exerting the utmost energy from their bodies just to finish their endeavor, pushing their bodies to the absolute limit, they return to their activity day after day. And they do all of this despite the fact that their minds, and the pain they suffer, tell them to quit while they can. Who am I talking about? Not pro football players, not rugby players. I’m talking about marathon runners — the craziest of the crazy. It all began with the legend of Pheidippides, the Greek soldier who ran the entire way from the town of Marathon to Athens to deliver the message to the senate that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. Apparently, the trek from Marathon to Athens is upwards of 20 miles, though the route taken is still disputed. However, what runners seem to forget about this tale is the most important part of the piece. As soon as he delivered his message, Pheidippides keeled over from exhaustion and died. Yet they continue to put themselves through the pain and misery of running what is now the standard of 26.22 miles. In fact, the marathon was an event at the very first modern Olympics in 1896 and has continued to be featured in every summer Olympic competition since. Not only is the marathon a standard, but it’s also escalated way beyond that. Take, for instance, the “ultramarathoners” who take it to the next level and run a distance that’s commonly 50 or 100 miles or kilometers, or Dean Karnazes, who recently ran 50 marathons, in all 50 states, in 50 consecutive days. Why do runners feel this need to perform these insane acts? As a runner, I can guarantee you that I’m not a masochist, and I doubt that most long distance runners are either. Maybe it’s the endorphins. Those little happy polypeptides cause quite the “runner’s high,” but something tells me that no amount of opiates are going to make someone feel better after running 26.2 miles. Although a study published in 1996 found that the risk of a fatal heart attack within 24 hours of finishing the marathon is only 1 in 50,000, or an “extremely small” risk, the other pain endured during, and in the days following the race, is another story. I recently witnessed my first finish of a marathon and, let me tell you, it’s not a pretty sight. Minus those few souls who train their whole lives to run marathons competitively, everyone hits a point at about 23 miles where the only way they can move their bodies is with a shuffle of sorts. Just the memory of the pain while crossing the finish line should be enough to turn someone off of running that distance for a lifetime. Or so you would think. I think the main attraction of distance running is that it’s an individual sport — the satisfaction comes from improving upon your past performance. Every time you finish, there’s a drive to improve upon what you just did. At the end of the race, a runner can’t help but say to him or herself, “If I had just [insert unwarranted self-criticism here], then my time would have been just a little bit better.” While this sounds slightly depressing, it’s the beauty of running. The biggest accomplishment for a runner is a PR — a personal record. Every race is a race against the clock. The largest pressure is that from yourself. Each individual has his or her own running experience and motivation different from that of any other runner, making the ordeal a personal experience. Side note — not only does the actual execution of running make it an enjoyable activity, but runners are also considerate. If you choose not to make running a purely individualistic activity, there is a special charm about running in a race. Runners understand an unspoken etiquette. When participating in a contest, it’s understood that the slower runners move out of the way in order to make room for those moving at a faster pace, once again showing respect for the back motivation of running. Every year, thousands upon thousands of runners suffer through 26.22 miles of agony. Well, hopefully not all 26.22 miles are agony, but, nevertheless, it’s amazing just how many people are willing to compromise their bodies for the sake of sticking that “26.2” bumper sticker on the back of their car. This year’s Boston Marathon had 20,338 finishers — and that was on a day with inclement weather — and the New York City Marathon had nearly 40,000 finishers. This doesn’t even cover all the tiny marathons held every day around the country with only a few hundred runners up to several thousand. All these people join the lemming-like brainwashing of participating in a marathon. Only making it up to a half marathon myself, I have yet to make the plunge into the world of marathon running, but, somehow, I can see the draw. There’s something about that ability to say “I did it” that gives an odd sense of satisfaction. Ask any runner to explain, and I doubt that they’ll be able to, but they’ll assure you that the pain is worth it in the end. Whatever it is, though, it propels runners to do things they would never consciously choose to do. Maybe it’s the endorphins; maybe it’s a touch of insanity; or maybe, just maybe, it’s that bit of masochism. Philbrick is a member of the class of 2009. This Week in Sports SATURDAY, DEC. 8 • Women’s Basketball at Union College, 2 p.m. TUESDAY, DEC. 11 • Men’s Basketball at Rochester Institute of Technology, 7 p.m. Page 19 Life, Love...Sport Hello everyone, welcome to another edition of Life, Love… Sport (Bullcrap Edition). It is the last column before the new year and boy do we have a ton to discuss and break down before the LLS goes on hiatus for the rest of 2007. If you didn’t see the Patriots-Ravens classic matchup on Monday night, you missed a hell of a game. Also, if you happened to miss the new BCS bowl games, good for you. I’ll mention a little somethin’ somethin’ on the NBA, perhaps. You’re going to have to read on to find out. It has been a crazy few weeks in the NFL. Not only have the Dolphins stayed on course to finish an entire season 0-16, but the Patriots just need to win out to complete the best season in franchise history. The Monday night game against Baltimore was just further proof that the Pats will complete the journey and stand alone in their pursuit of perfection. To be honest, they sucked. But when it came down to the last three minutes, they pulled enough tricks outta their asses to pull off the victory and send Baltimore fans scrambling for the exits. As nerve-racking as it was to watch the game, I couldn’t help but chuckle when Bart Scott went ape-shit at a referee at the end of the game. Not only did he give the ref the business, but he proceeded to throw the penalty flag into the stands. Whoever caught that souvenir must be the happiest person in the world. At the end of the day it came down to this: Kyle Boller plays for the Ravens, while Tom Terrific plays for the Patriots. Moving on. If I had to choose a team from By David Maystrovsky the NFC for which to cheer for, I would probably pick the Minnesota Vikings. I still remember when Adrian Peterson and Rhett Bomar were Parade high school All-Americans (yeah I read Parade, you wanna fight about it?). I followed Peterson all the way from Oklahoma and I’ll be damned if I stopped now. Also, Tavaris Jackson is the man. Now back, to the college football scene. How insane was last weekend? West Virginia losing to Pitt? Garbage! Missouri losing to Oklahoma? Smelly garbage! LSU making the title game? Filthy garbage!! With two exclamation points! That is how strongly I feel about the current stock of BCS bowl games. On a better note, we get to see a decent game with USF matched up with my favorite team, the Ducks of Oregon. With their new quarterback Justin Roper sporting a Mohawk, the nation will settle one debate once and for all: which QB has the best hairdo? Matt Grothe or Roper? Or perhaps someone else will come in and steal the crown — you never know in the competitive world of hairdos. But in all seriousness, who here among us believes that Illinois will hang with USC? That game will be over before Isiah “Juice” Williams steps on the field. By the way, isn’t Juice the most fitting nickname ever given to an athlete? I mean, it just works. I love it. Also, good luck to Hawaii trying to hang 10 with the Georgia Bulldogs. Not that I don’t love me some Colt Brennan, but that poor guy will be on the ground more often than a victim on “CSI.” I’d tell you about the other game, but the teams aren’t interesting enough for me to know off the top of my head. That’s how badly the BCS messed up this year; regular sports fans like myself are finding themselves underwhelmed by the choices in games. What a terrible conclusion to a historic season that started with Appalachian State beating Michigan at their own house. To finish off this year in style, I’m bringing back something retro, the list! This week’s list will cover things I’d like to see happen next year (as always, in no particular order of preference): 1. Dolphins finishing 0-16. Nothing will make me happier than seeing Cam Cameron try to explain to his fans what happened. Sort of like when he tried to explain the rationale behind picking Ted Ginn Jr. over Brady Quinn (if there’s a joke in their Cam, I still don’t get it). 2. Coco Crisp ending up with the New York Yankees. If only to make the Yankee fans feel the misery of a .240 season from their center fielder. 3. Johan Santana with the Red Sox. All I want for Hanukkah is Santana in a Red Sox uniform (and some apple cider). 4. Celtics and Bruins win their respective championships. Nothing would signal the end of the world more than the Bruins and the Celtics doing well at the same time. Final Fact: Mickey Lolich, who pitched for 16 years, hit his only home run in his first World Series game (1968). Maystrovsky’s article appears weekly. Maystrovsky is a member of the class of 2009. Athlete of the Week — Bobby McCue Class: 2011 Sport: Swimming — Breaststroke/IM High School: Norman H.S. North, Norman, Okla. MAJOR: Economics. PLANS AFTER COLLEGE: Get a good job. Favorite OTHER sport: Billiards or ping pong. Favorite Athletic Memory: Winning the Liberty League this past weekend. IDEAL DAY OFF: No class and no morning swim practice. FAVORITE MOVIE: “Eurotrip.” FAVORITE FOOD: Pizza. MISS MOST ABOUT HOME: My friends. CELEBRITY CRUSH: Amanda Beard. MOST LIKE TO MEET: Donald Trump. JUST CAN’T GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD: “Tech N9ne” by Beast. Weirdest thing seen on campus: Three girls making out at once. FAVORITE UR TRADITION: None, yet, but I like our swim team traditions. EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SEASON: Hopefully a school record. Why Bobby is the Athlete of the Week: McCue helped UR win the Liberty League title with 790 points by finishing second in the 200-yard breaststroke, second in the 100-yard breaststroke and fifth in the 200-yard freestyle. S p o rt s Campus Times Page 20 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Men’s swimming takes Liberty League crown By David Maystrovsky Sports Editor The UR men’s and women’s swim teams had a successful Liberty League meet, with the men winning the event for the second consecutive year and the women coming in third. The men started their meet by placing third in the 200-yard freestyle relay of senior JD Dennison, freshman Bobby McCue, sophomore Matt Kaule and junior Ryan White with a time of 1:29.44, giving the team 32 points. Junior Bruce Maki continued UR’s success by finishing the 500-yard freestyle in second place with a time of 4:53.87 to give UR 17 points. Freshman Kevin Balch finished sixth in 4:58.64, while sophomore Pat Messmer finished seventh with a time of 5:00.16. In the 200-yard IM, Dennison finished third with a time of 2:00.40, freshman Kevin Howard finished fifth with a time of 2:04.68 and sophomore Danny Friel finished seventh with a time of 2:05.47 to give the ’Jackets 42 points in one event. In the 50-yard freestyle event, UR had a relatively Sarah Cummings • Staff Photographer Freshman Kevin Howard was third in the men’s 100-yard backstroke, helping the ’Jackets capture the Liberty League title. weak showing with Balch finishing ninth with a time of 22.88 and Dennison finishing 10th with a time of 22.97. In the 400-yard medley relay, the ’Jackets did well, with the “A” team of Balch, sophomore Chris Jenson, Howard and White finishing third with a time of 3:41.23. The “B” relay team of Maki, McCue, junior Eric Fischer and Messmer finished sixth with a time of 3:47.54. In the diving portion of the meet, junior David Mitsche finished sixth in the 3-meter dive with a score of 271.35 and sixth in the 1-meter dive with a score of 275.05. In the 200-yard medley relay, the UR men’s team of Balch, Dennison, Howard and Kaule finished second with a time of 1:39.75, while the “B” team of freshman Graham Bowman, Jensen, Fischer and Friel finished with a time of 1:44.82. In the 400-yard IM, Howard finished fourth with a time of 4:24.80 to collect 15 points for the ’Jackets. Friel crossed the finish in seventh place with a time of 4:34.11 to collect 12 points. In the 200 freestyle event, White came in second with a time of 1:47.57, McCue came in fifth with a time of 1:48.84, Messmer came in with a time of 1:51.15 and sophomore Tim Anderson finished the scoring for UR by coming in with a time of 1:53.41 in 10th place. In the 100-yard breaststroke event, UR continued their stellar performance when McCue finished second with a time of 1:01.28, Dennison finished with a time of 1:02.25 and Jensen finished eighth with a time of 1:03.46. In the 100-yard backstroke, two freshmen guided the Yellowjackets by finishing second and third. Balch came in second with a time of 55.32, with Howard on his heels with a time of 55.58. White came in sixth with a time of 56.08 and Bowman finished off the scoring for UR by coming in 11th with a time of 58.36. In the longest event, the 1,650-yard freestyle, Maki finished second with a time of 16:56.96, freshman Cole See LEAGUE, Page 18 ’Jackets defeat Herons for 5-1 record BY Erin Philbrick Sports Editor The women’s basketball team headed into its first road game of the season on Tuesday night to face off against a strong team from William Smith College. The ’Jackets entered the game 4-1, with their only defeat coming against Medaille College, a team that the William Smith Herons had already beaten earlier in the season. This did not discourage the Yellowjackets, however, as they came out with a commanding win, 77-67. “[This win] was very important as it represents that we are able to play at a high level against a very good team,” head coach Jim Scheible said. Junior forward Helen Baroody agreed with Scheible’s Jeff Levy • Photography Editor Freshman Caroline Bernal-Silva scored 15 points on Tuesday. comments about the tough play from the Herons. “This was a big win for us because William Smith has a very strong women’s basketball program, so it showed us that we can compete at a high level on the road,” she said. She also noted that the game was important because it will make a difference in seedings near the postseason. “It was a regional game, and all of our regional games are very important for seeding purposes later on in the season when we are trying to get into the NCAA tournament,” Baroody said. Four of UR’s five starters scored double-digit points en route to the victory, which was a hard-fought battle early on. “It was a very high level game. William Smith was a very veteran team with exceptional point guard play,” Scheible said. “We had to step up as a team and defend smart and tough. I thought we did that quite well.” The score bounced back and forth throughout the beginning of the first half. However, about halfway through, UR took the lead for good. Creeping up on the ’Jackets, the Herons came within four points at one point, but they were unable to capitalize on the narrowed gap. Going into the half, the Marathon runners: masochists? — 19 Yellowjackets had an eightpoint lead, 41-33. Coming back onto the court after the break, UR nearly tripled its lead, going on a 21-8 run to bring the score to 68-47 midway through the half. The Herons attempted a comeback, making a valiant effort with a 12-0 run of their own, bringing the score to 69-61 with just under four minutes left in the game. William Smith’s attempt was not enough, however, as UR gained enough momentum to keep the lead throughout the remainder of the game. With under a minute left in the game, the ’Jackets were ahead by just five, but solid shooting from the free-throw line and some important rebounds from junior guard Alex Porter advanced their lead to 10 to close out the night. Freshman forward Caroline Bernal-Silva led the team with 15 points to match her career high. She just missed the double-double, contributing nine rebounds to the team. In addition, Bernal-Silva added four assists, one block and four steals. Porter was able to earn the double-double, scoring 11 points and making 13 rebounds. She also contributed four assists. Baroody added 13 points See HERONS, Page 18 kyle Sabo • Staff Photographer Sophomore Brad Runco drives the ball past a CMU opponent. Basketball ranked second in Division By Dana Hilfinger Staff Writer After two weeks of nonconference games, the UR men’s basketball team kicked off league play with a home game against Carnegie Mellon University on Saturday, Dec. 1. The Tartans came into the game 3-1, but were no match for the ’Jackets, who preserved their unbeaten record with a 64-50 win. UR’s frontcourt made the difference in the game, outrebounding the Tartans, 45-27, and holding a 4322 advantage in points in the paint. The senior trio of center Jon Onyiriuka, forward Uche Ndubizu and forward Dan Milbrand each scored double figures and combined for 30 rebounds and 43 points. Coming off the bench, Milbrand was especially effective before halftime, tallying 10 of his 12 points and collecting six of his seven rebounds in the first 20 minutes. Ndubizu had the game-high points scored with 16 and also grabbed 13 rebounds, 11 of which were offensive. Onyiriuka logged 15 points and nine rebounds. The game was a tale of two halves. In the first, the game was tightly contested, with three lead changes and neither team gaining more than a five-point advantage. In the second, UR pounced on the Tartans’ inability to sink shots and never trailed, leading by as many as 20 points. CMU held the lead for the first 10 minutes of the game, See RANKED, Page 18 Life, Love... Sport — 19 SPORTS Page 22 Thursday, January 31, 2008 Seniors lead men’s team to success By Matt Starr Contributing Writer During the tenure of head coach Mike Neer, the UR men’s basketball program has prospered. From 2002-05, Neer’s team did not miss the NCAA tournament, a run that culminated in 2005 with a disappointing loss to University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the national title game. Unfortunately for the ’Jackets, 2005 marked the end of a glorious era in UR basketball with the departure of a senior class that went an astonishing 97-17. The biggest loss was Seth Hauben, of Newton, Mass., who went on to play professionally in Israel, Denmark, Australia, China and Argentina. “I still follow the team,” Hauben said. “I’m happy to see how the kids, who were freshmen when I was a senior, have grown.” When the members of the class of 2005 moved on, they left their prized team in the hands of current seniors, center Jon Onyiriuka, forwards Dan Milbrand and Uche Ndubizu and guards Jeff Juron and Rob Dominiak, a group of unknown freshmen hoping to keep the team on a roll. However, in the following season, the ’Jackets missed the tournament for the first time since 2001 and last year’s return to the “big dance” ended quickly with a first-round buzzer-beater. This year, those once unknown freshmen are fulfilling their prom- JEFF LEVY • Presentation Editor Junior Mike Chmielowiec had a career-high 23 points against Case Western. ise as seniors. Onyiriuka, Milbrand, Ndubizu, Juron and Dominiak have their team sitting at an impressive 15-1, good enough for a No. 3 ranking in the d3hoops.com national poll. “It is nice to be able to look back and say that my class had a part in growing the program into what it is today, but the current successes of the team is because the dedication and hard work of the seniors on the team now,” Hauben said. Having tasted the sweetness of success as freshmen, this senior class does not intend to settle for anything less than a championship. Six-foot-seven big man Jon “ON-YI-RIU-KA clap, clap, clapclap-clap” had a lot to say about the role of the class of 2005 on this year’s team. “When we were freshmen, Seth and the rest of the seniors were like big brothers to us on and off the court,” Onyiriuka said. “We were influenced by everything they did. Now as seniors I see us having the same effect on the younger guys. I think that a general unity between upperclassmen and underclassmen has led to some of the success that we are experiencing thus far this year. Hopefully the same success will be felt at the end of the year with a deep run into the NCAA tournament.” A special element adding to their success is the close friendship among the five seniors. “We’ve all lived together every year at school,” Dominiak said, while watching his friend and teammate Ndubizu knockout Ray Czerwinski in Fight Night. “We’ve been through pretty much everything over the last four years. Ultimately it has helped us when we take the floor together ’cause we are so close knit. We know this is our last chance to get the job done.” Having learned selflessness on and off the court, the class of 2008 See HOOPS, Page 20 “If there’s anything that you want, if there’s anything I can do, just call on me, and i’ll send it along with love from me to you...” Starting Feb. 1, Campus Times will be at a table in Wilson Commons, selling space in our wonderful newspaper for you to send a message of love to that special someone for the super-low price of $2. So yeah, get on that. Campus Times Oh, no, Paul McCartney, you CAN buy love. JEFF LEVY • Presentation Editor Freshman Robert McDavid swept his opponent from Hamilton in three games on Friday, helping UR get their seventh dual meet win this season. UR Squash performs well against Hamilton By John Ray Senior Staff Writer Playing its first match since breaking into the top 10 in the country at No. 7, the Yellowjacket squash team had yet another impressive performance this past week. Playing against the Continentals of Hamilton College on Friday, the ’Jackets cruised to another 9-0 victory— their fourth such victory of the season. “Three years ago, this match would have been a much greater challenge for our team, but our sweep here is evidence of our incredible improvement in such a short time,” senior captain Patrick Harris said. UR dropped only one game the entire match on the way to the sweep. With the win, the ’Jackets improved to 7-1 in dual meets this season. The top three slots for the Yellowjackets went undefeated again for an incredible ninth time in 10 matches, despite multiple roster shakeups due to tournament conflicts. At the No. 1 spot, freshman Hameed Ahmed topped Hamilton junior John Dewitt 3-0 (9-1, 9-1, 9-3). At No. 2, sophomore Jim Bristow defeated Continental freshman Ben Clayman 3-0 (9-3, 9-3, 9-2), and, at the No. 3 position, freshman Will Newnham decisively beat out sophomore Mario Magana 3-0 (9-2, 9-1, 9-0). Yellowjacket Sophomore Yohay Wakabayashi, at No. 4, dispatched Hamilton sophomore Jonathan Peters 3-0 (9-6, 9-2, 9-3). UR Freshman Edwin Goncharuk outlasted Continental sophomore Brett Morell in a long first game on his way to a 3-0 (10-8, 9-1, 9-7) win at No. 5, and, at No. 6, ’Jacket sophomore Alex Lee defeated Hamilton junior Sander Doucette 3-0 (9-6, 9-1, 9-6). UR Freshman Robert McDavid turned in an impressive performance at No. 7, besting Continental junior Rick Munschauer 3-0 (9-0, 9-2, 9-3). At No. 8, junior Ori Goldman quickly bounced back from a first game loss to defeat freshman James Hogan 3-1 (2-9, 9-3, 9-7, 9-1), and, at No. 9, junior Dan Carson completed the sweep, beating freshman Hal Lee 3-0 (9-7, 9-7, 9-5). Coming in as heavy favorites, the Yellowjackets continued their season-long trend of exceeding expectations by turning in another nearly flawless victory. Ranked No. 7 in the country, with their only loss a narrow one against current No. 6 Dartmouth College, the ’Jackets are poised to move even higher in the next poll if they can continue their success this coming weekend. They will face a tough schedule with four matches in four days. All of the games are home in the Goergen Athletic Center, and two of them are against opponents who are ranked in the top 15 teams in the country. Their first match this week is on Thursday against Hobart College at 6 p.m. On Friday night, the ’Jackets will take on Navy, ranked No. 13 in the national polls, at 6 p.m., and on Saturday, UR will play host to St. Lawrence University. They round out the weekend on Sunday morning with a game against No. 14 Franklin and Marshall College at 11 a.m. The Yellowjackets have already taken matches from St. Lawrence, whom they beat 8-1, and Hobart, whom they beat 9-0, at the Liberty League Championships at St. Lawrence earlier this year and should hope to repeat this success. UR has not faced either Navy nor Franklin and Marshall yet this year, but last season lost at Navy, 2-7, and at Franklin and Marshall, 1-8. However, UR’s higher ranking this season proves they are a much improved team in comparison to last year’s squad, and the team will surely look to come away with victories. Ray is a member of the class of 2008.