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Men’s basketball team trip to Durham ends on a blue note, 84-68, B1
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Which ‘Network’ breakout star can make the leap to individual stardom?, A10
The Heights Monday, January 31, 2011
Vol. XCII, No. 4
www.bcheights.com
Spike seen in parent giving Last academic year saw a 346 percent jump in donations By Matthew DeLuca Heights Senior Staff
For the academic year 2009-2010, parent gifts to Boston College totaled $34.8 million of the more than $125 million received by the University, according to the BC fact book. This represents a 346 percent increase over the $7.8 million received in parent gifts the previous year. This number represents nearly 28 percent of all gifts to the University over that period. It also more than doubles the previous parent giving high of $14.6 million received in 2006-2007. Paul Schervish, director of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy, said that this increase is noteworthy in light of giving trends nationally during the same period. “2009-2010 was a period of decline of charitable giving in the nation, on average,” he said. “This is a remarkable evidence of both a terrific
and inviting fundraising effort coupled with a remarkable contribution level in a year when charitable giving by individuals declined by 5 percent.” Nicole Cherubini, director of parent development, said that the proportion of gifts represented by parent giving “is not uncommon among our peers.” During the same period, fiscal year 2009-2010, parent gifts represented 9 percent of gifts received by Georgetown University and 16 percent of gifts received by Tufts University. Over the years 2000-2008, parent giving to BC represented an average of 13 percent of total donations to the University. Cherubini said that the total for 2009-2010 was influenced by a small number of sizable donations. “Last year we were fortunate to have a few generous gifts as well as payments on pledges that had a significant impact on total parent support, accounting for a large percentage of the increase in support,” she said in an e-mail.
She said that she could not comment further on the size or number of individual gifts due to donor requests for anonymity. Current institutional fundraising priorities, such as the Light the World Campaign with its aim to raise $1.5 billion, have also had an effect on parent donors, Cherubini said. “We are in the middle of a capital campaign and parents recognize that, and that also is affecting these numbers.” Cherubini said that the definition of a parent contribution had not changed, and that the high number was not attributable to a change in how parent gifts are tabulated. Thom Lockerby, vice president for development, said that the size of gifts received in any one category by a university fluctuates from year to year. “It is not uncommon for one donor cohort to increase relative to others from year
See Donations, A4
Mollie Kolosky / heights editor
WRC forms new survivor support group
Students in Egypt are safe, despite protests By Patrick Gallagher Heights Senior Staff
By Molly LaPoint Asst. News Editor
HEAL, a support group for survivors of sexual assault, had its first meeting last night. The group will hold meetings biweekly on Sundays at 7 p.m. in the Irish Windows Room of Bapst Library. Survivors were coming into the Women’s Resource Center (WRC) and asking if a group existed, and although a survivor circle had existed previously, no one had taken initiative with it, and it did not last, said Katie Haroldson, a facilitator of the group and A&S ’11. “There was a need for it,” Haroldson said. Both Haroldson and the other student facilitator of the group, Ryan Summers, A&S ’11, are advocates for the Sexual Assault Network (SANet). While SANet tends to provide more initial help, HEAL, which stands for “Help, Empowerment, Acceptance, and Listening,” will be more about helping survivors of sexual assault work through the healing process. “It’s more the follow-up work that we’re into,” Summers said. “If there’s nobody to facilitate that, it leaves them feeling alone and stressed.” University Counseling Services also has resources for survivors of sexual assault, AP File Photos
See HEAL, A4
The Office of International Programs confirmed their contact with BC students in Cairo.
‘AWAKE’ exhibits variety
The Office of International Programs (OIP) confirmed that there are a number of Boston College students currently in Egypt, but said that, as of last Friday, the students were safe and preparing for class this week. “OIP is in contact with BC students in Cairo and their families,” said Christina Dimitrova, assistant director of international development in OIP, in an e-mail. “They are safe and at this moment preparing for the start of classes on Sunday.” Dimitrova said on Friday that her office was in the middle of an emergency situation and would not be able to comment further on the situation. There are three external study abroad programs to Egypt available to BC students through OIP, including one at the American University in Cairo. All three programs are in Cairo. The American University in Cairo is located roughly 20 miles outside of the downtown area and Tahrir Square, where the majority of the protests have occurred. The Associated Press reported
that beginning today, the U.S. State Department would be evacuating American citizens who wish to leave the country on chartered flights from Cairo to Europe. The U.S. will have enough flights to take out all American citizens and dependents who wish to leave the country, Assistant Secretary of State Janice Jacobs told reporters. According to the report, there are roughly 52,000 Americans currently registered as being in Egypt with the embassy in Cairo. This announcement from the State Department came yesterday, two days after the department issued a travel alert cautioning U.S. citizens of the developing protests and political unrest in Egypt. On Friday, President Hosni Mubarak deployed the military to suppress protesters, with tanks taking up positions in the streets of Cairo and Alexandria. According to numerous reports, Egyptian police forces opened fire on protesters in Cairo on Saturday, and the total casualties are estimated to be at least 80 dead and thousands injured, according to the Associated Press.
See Egypt, A4
Falling sales affect Haley House
CSOM group will offer free cookie samples in coming weeks By Rebecca Kailus Heights Staff
Sang Lee / heights staff
The Dance Organization of Boston College (DOBC) performed for packed audiences this past weekend in Robsham Theater. The troupe showed versatility and highlighted a variety of styles.
This week, students will get a sweet treat as they enter the dining halls on campus. In an effort to increase the falling sales of Haley House cookies, the Carroll School of Management (CSOM) Honors Haley House Program will offer free samples of Haley House cookies at three different dining hall locations. Cookie sampling will take place between 6 and 8 p.m. in Stuart Dining Hall on Monday, Jan. 31, McElroy Commons on Tuesday, Feb. 1, and Coorcoran Commons on Thursday, Feb. 3. “We are bringing in Haley House cookies to encourage students to try them,” said Xin Liu, senior chair of the CSOM Haley House Committee and CSOM ’11. “Hopefully that will get students to buy more this semester.” Liu confirmed that the consumption of Haley House cookies has dropped about 50 percent. “BC would order about 500 cookies a week. Haley House required BC to order 300. Today, BC’s orders have fallen to 200 cookies a week. Haley House has had to decrease their minimum order and sales have dropped to below half,”
Courtesy of Bing Broderick
Cookie sampling will take place from Monday, Jan. 31 to Thursday, Feb. 3 this week. Liu said. Megan O’Neill, associate director of restaurant operations for dining services, has confirmed the decrease in sales. “Like any other vendor, there is a minimum we have to buy,” O’Neill said. “Right now, it’s very hard for us to meet the minimum. Sales have dropped about fifty percent. Around finals time sales increase. We don’t know if it’s
because each package is too big.” While O’Neill said that various factors have caused a decrease in sales, she said that price was not one such factor. “The price hasn’t changed since before we started selling the cookies. We are a self-sustaining department. We are not supported by students’
See Haley House, A4