The Etownian - 01/26/2012

Rebuilding Hope In Mississippi

Style Column: Dress For Less

Features, Page 4

Wrestling Team Nationally Ranked

Campus Life, Page 6

Sports, Page 11

townian E Elizabethtown, Pa. 17022-2298 On the Web: www.Etownian.com

The

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going green

Elizabethtown College

January 26, 2011

Since 1904

Volume 108, Issue 12

government funding

Lancaster recycles Local libraries face excessive budget cuts Christmas trees P L Elizabeth L. Brennan Staff Writer

Rachel E. Barr Staff Writer

ancaster County is going green this month by encouraging residents to dispose of their Christmas trees by recycling them at the Lancaster County Central Park mulching site. There is no cost for dropping off Christmas trees to be ground into mulch, however, there is a suggested donation of $1 to help cover the operations of the John Moss Native Tree Nursery in Central Park. Customers are limited to three trees per vehicle, and the trees cannot have any decorations or lights on them. This service will be available through Jan. 31.

According to the Intelligencer Journal, this effort will help to create about 22 tons of mulch. This is just one example of how environmentally friendly consumers can be with a real tree, rather than an artificial tree. The Smithsonian magazine article entitled “Dreaming of a Green Christmas” details how the everyday person can make his or her holiday tree eco-friendly: “About 450 million trees are currently grown on farms in the U.S., according to the National Christmas Tree Association. ‘Buying a real tree is not depleting the forests,’ Rick Dungey, a spokesman for the association said.

‘It’s like buying any food or fiber product.’”

While many people buy artificial Christmas trees in the hopes that they will last for years, buying a real tree every year is more environmentally friendly. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, for every tree cut down, tree growers plant one to three new seedlings in its place.

The fake trees don’t last as long as some might think. The average family uses a fake tree for only six to nine years before disposing of it. Most of the time, these trees end up in landfills, where they will stay for centuries because they are not biodegradable, as they are a petroleum-based product. They also start out as harmful to the environment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), most artificial Christmas trees are made of polyvinyl chloride plastic, which releases dioxins into the air when produced or burned. Dioxins can cause liver cancer and developmental problems.

According to Smithsonian magazine, a new option has recently arisen: “living trees.” This is when farmers grow the Christmas tree’s roots into a ball and wrap them in a burlap sack.

That way, the trees can be used and displayed for two weeks, and then replanted after the holiday season. While this method is not the most popular, it was suggested by Nadine Kennel, a senior in the Environmental Club at Elizabethtown College. She also discussed the new mulching option that Lancaster County is instituting this year. “It’s a good idea because it’s reusing,” Kennel said. “I think it’s better to buy Christmas trees you can plant, but, of course, some people don’t have yards, so it’s understandable.”

Buying real Christmas trees can also help the economy. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, while the majority of artificial trees are made in China, there are close to 350 million Christmas trees grown on Christmas tree farms in the U.S. alone. Over 100,000 people are employed in this business in the U.S. A lot of those jobs are in Pennsylvania, as it is one of the top Christmas tree-producing states, alongside Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin and Washington.

Since Pennsylvania grows so many Christmas trees, it makes sense to have environmentally friendly programs put in place to recycle them, like the one being implemented in Lancaster County. Hopefully, this inititative will spark the tradition of many “green” Christmases to come.

ublic libraries nationwide are struggling to maintain balanced budgets with reduced government funding over the last ten years. The Elizabethtown Public Library and Middletown Public Library are both victims of funding cuts and are seeking to fill the gap through fundraising events.

Middletown Public Library, a small library that services the borough of Middletown, Pa., had $20,000 cut from their budget in 2011. This dramatic decrease in budget led the library to hold several fundraising events.

A mailing, which asked residents of the borough and those with library cards from outside the borough for monetary donations, was one of the most successful efforts.

“We have a very supportive community,” Christine Porter, executive library director, said. “I was surprised by how many people responded. But this shows you how much the library means for the community. We are fortunate for that.”

Other events last year included appeals to local business for monetary donations and a specific donation fund for a new microfilm machine.

This year, Porter is planning more fundraising events. In April or May, the library will host a dog competition in which competitors will run their dogs through an agility course, an event which will cost $5 to attend. Porter said she is very excited for this project and thinks this event will draw a large crowd.

Another fundraising event planned for this year is a partnership with Members First Federal Credit Union. The organization will sell stuffed teddy bears for $6, and proceeds will go to the Middletown Public Library. A similar event will occur with Middletown Press & Journal, which will provide a $10 donation for the library when one subscribes to the publication. Porter is thinking about planning additional on-site events later in the year after evaluating the success of these larger projects.

Elizabethtown Public Library will also host fundraising events to supplement their government funding cuts. Deborah Drury, executive library director, said state funding has been cut by nearly 36 percent over the past four years.

A food tasting event, Taste of Western Lancaster County, will be held Feb. 3 from 5-9 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Public Library. Organized by the Rotary Club of Etown, the event will provide samples of dishes from local restaurants and vendors which will then be voted on by attendants.

The event has a $30 admission price. Drury says this is a very popular event with high participation rates and positive feedback.

Photo: Jacqueline E. Quidort

Many libraries are hosting events to make up for a shortage of funding due to government budget cuts. Locally, Middletown Public Library is suffering in particular.

Another event planned is a golf tournament sometime later in the spring. Appeal mailings and additional on-site events will be planned as the year continues.

Despite the success of fundraising events, public libraries are still finding themselves in need of more support. “Fundraisers help fill the gap lost from government funding,” Drury said. “But it doesn’t replace it,” she added.

Public libraries receive budgets on an annual basis from the state government and then the local government. Often, libraries receive budget cuts because the general consensus is that another public department, such as the police department, should have more funding than the library.

Porter explained, “It’s a shame, but some like to pit public departments against each other. But each department offers its own special services, so you really can’t compare them. Because so many do not understand what services the library offers, we get cut.”

Some of the special services public libraries offer include access to databases, backlogs of newspapers, free WiFi, personalized help and special programs.

Drury said that the programs are the most-used service at Elizabethtown Public Library. Porter echoed this when she stated that Middletown Public Library programs are important for the community, and she would never want to dissolve a program for lack of funds.

Elizabethtown College’s High Library executive director BethAnn Zambella helped to explain how government funds affect public libraries. As part of a private college, the High Library does not receive a budget from the government. Instead,

Etown creates a budget and then designates an amount for the library. However, Zambella said the library runs on a lean budget. “In 2008, the library received a budget cut of 10 percent. That year it was very hard for [the library] to function.” The High Library has not received a budget cut of that size since, but the economy also factors in. “Even if a library receives the same budget as last year,” Zambella said, “you also have to take into account inflation and the state of the economy.”

Each year libraries have to renew their special services, and the cost can add up quickly. Zambella reported that the High Library spent $260,000 on serials and $150,000 on databases in 2011. “It’s the largest piece of our budget,” she said.

Another huge part of libraries’ budgets are capital investments. These are investments that are essential or unique to the library. Middletown Public Library’s microfilm reader, purchased for $10,000 in 2011, was a capital investment.

Public libraries must also pay for their own upkeep and maintenance as well as payroll. Middletown Public Library was forced by budget cuts to reduce their hours and to reduce one full-time position to part-time.

Since the general public is largely unaware of these costs, misconceptions about public libraries are formed. Porter said, “If everyone was aware of our special services, I think people would see the library as more than a place full of books.”

Zambella gave her opinion on government cuts: “I’m very concerned with it.

Public libraries have little support, and that is the key element missing.”

text-and-tip line

Etown High School initiates service to cope with social issues Tiana A. Bogino Staff Writer

tips through that hotline, so Farnsler decided to try a different approach, leaving lizabethtown Area High School an anonymous tip box in recently instituted an anony- the hallways of the school. mous text-and-tip line for students He soon realized that to express concerns they may have students weren’t going to about bullying, suicide, alcohol, take advantage of this sysdrugs and related issues. tem. He had to think of a According to Elizabethtown Area method of communication High School Resource Officer Rick that students already enjoy.

Farnsler, there has been “a county The answer was simple: school violence hotline that’s been in texting. “The idea came to place for years, where kids could call a me...kids are into texting, 1-800 number, give any kinds of con- and I started wondering cerns about violence that might happen if there was anything out Photo: Matthew P. Butera in the school.” there for that sort of thing,” The new tip line is completely anonymous, giving students the power to affect change in their community.

However, he never once got any Farnsler said.

E

Farnsler found many anonymous text-and-tip programs that could work online.

He explained, “I wanted to make sure that kids had a way of communicating things to us that they might not have felt comfortable talking to one of us about. A lot of time people think it’s a snitch line; it’s not about that.”

The program is fairly simple. Farnsler explained the system: “What happens is you text that number, and you have to put the keyword ETOWN in there, and what happens is it goes through

servers up in Canada. And then comes back down into the United States, goes through the software and then it notifies me, and there are several other people who get it also. And then I can go online and text back....[Canada has] different laws to search and seizure, so it’s truly anonymous when it goes up there. I can’t get the records to see who it is that’s texting me.” Once he receives a tip, Farnsler will get a text and an email to his phone. He then replies to the tip online.

Students in the high school were made aware of this system at the beginning of the school year through SEE TEXT-AND-TIP PAGE 3

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Etownian

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production mishaps

Products being recalled for consumer safety

Jayd-ed S

Katie G. Pebley Staff Writer tarting Jan. 8, Novartis Consumer Health (NCH) began voluntarily recalling Excedrin and NoDoz Alertness Aid products with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2014, and earlier, and Bufferin and Gas-X Prevention products with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2013, or earlier from stores in the United States.

Switzerland-based Novartis manufactures medicines, vaccines, diagnostic tools and other products for both humans and animals. The companies under the Novartis Group umbrella employ approximately 121,000 full-time associates and operate in over 140 countries.

NCH has reported the recall to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has taken this action as a precautionary measure because some of their products may contain stray tablets, capsules or caplets from other products. They may also contain broken or chipped tablets.

According to the FDA, “Mixing different products in the same bottle could result in consumers taking the incorrect product and receiving a higher or lower strength than intended or receiving an unintended ingredient.

This could potentially result in overdose, interaction with other medications a consumer may be taking or an allergic reaction if the consumer is allergic to the unintended ingredient.” So far, no adverse effects have been reported to NCH or to the FDA. In addition to notifying its distributors and customers, Novartis has set up a website to help consumers with the recall: www.novartisotc.com/otc. The site outlines the reasoning behind their actions, how to return products for a full refund and what to do if adverse effects are experienced.

The site also includes a link to a detailed list of all the variations, caplets, tablets and gel caplets, of the recalled products: Buff-

edge

Tara B. Hayes Asst. Copy Editor

Puppets galore When cameras were banned from a highprofile corruption trial in Ohio, a television station covered the case during their nightly puppet show, in addition to the station’s regular coverage.

The puppet show starred a squirrel who acted as a reporter. The station used additional puppets to act as witnesses, reporters and jurors.

“It’s a satirical look at the trial and, again, I think we have it appropriately placed at the end of the newscast,” WOIO news director Dan Salamone said.

The station also hoped the puppets would bring some positivity to the story.

The case involves ex-Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, a longtime Democratic power broker in Cleveland, who plead not guilty to bribery and racketeering.

The trial began last week and is expected to continue for the next three months.

Escape goat A long-haired goat who ran away from a Minnesota nativity scene at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Christmas Eve was found when she wandered onto a family farm near Fergus Falls.

“As I came around the corner, she was just standing there,” Tony Loomer, owner of the farm, said. “It took me a minute to realize it was the goat.”

Loomer carefully led the animal into the barn before calling her owners, Jim and Karen Aakre. Loomer said the goat would have had to cross an interstate and a river to reach his family’s property, which is located about four miles away from the church.

The goat, Curley, was missing for 25 days before she was returned, though there were many sightings reported beforehand. Concerned citizens donated $250 in reward money, which Loomer donated to the church.

The things you do for love A Thai television director married his deceased girlfriend earlier this month. He posted pictures of the ceremony on his Facebook page and uploaded a video to YouTube.

The couple met at Eastern Asia University and were engaged, but Sarinya “Anne” Kamsook died in a car accident Jan. 3, according to media reports. She was 29.

Chadil Deffy, also known as Deff Yingyuen, wore a black tuxedo during the ceremony in Surin Province as Kamsook, his girlfriend of 10 years, lay in a coffin wearing a white dress. The event served as a funeral as well as a wedding.

Deffy’s close friend, Onsiri Pravattiyagul, wrote an opinion column in the Bangkok Post explaining that the groom just wanted to “right a wrong.” He also explained Deffy “wasn’t thinking about the possibility of fame when he decided to put a ring on her cold finger. He merely wanted to make things right, however small or inadequate the gesture might seem.”

Nailed it An Illinois man unknowingly shot a nail into his brain, requiring a four-hour surgery to remove it.

Doctors at Advocate Christ Medical Center successfully removed the 3.25 inch nail from Dante Autullo’s brain last Thursday after a fourhour surgery. He is currently listed in fair condition in the intensive care unit.

“He feels good. He moved all his limbs, he’s talking normal, he remembers everything,” said Gail Glaenzer, Autullo’s fiancé and mother of his four children. “It’s amazing, a miracle.”

Glaenzer explained Autullo was in his workshop last Tuesday using his nail gun when it recoiled near his head. He thought the point of the gun hit his head, but when it came into contact, it fired. When Autullo woke the next morning feeling nauseous, Glaenzer rushed him to the hospital, where they found the nail lodged in his skull.

Compiled from msnbc.msn.com

January 26, 2011

erin Extra Strength, Bufferin Low Dose, Bufferin Regular Strength, Excedrin Back & Body, Excedrin Extra Strength, Excedrin Migraine, Excedrin PM, Excedrin Sinus Headache, Excedrin Tension Headache, Gas-X Prevention and NoDoz Maximum Strength.

The Novartis website states, “A comprehensive recall was initiated as a precautionary measure due to potential product mix-ups and is not Photo: Matthew P. Butera based upon adverse events reported in relation to the recalled products. Excedrin Migraine is just one of the many drugs We believe this voluntary action is in that was voluntarily recalled by Novartis Consumer the best interest of consumers who Health earlier this month. trust and rely on our products. As owners return those contaminated boxes. this is a voluntary recall at the consumer level, A spokesperson from the Pennsylvania NCH advises consumers who have purchased Department of Environmental Protection these recalled products to discontinue use and said that the boxes would not contaminate return them to NCH for a full refund.” anything or hurt anyone but that the radiaThis recall comes with Novartis’ recent deci- tion was simply above the acceptable level. sion to temporarily suspend production at its Likewise, a Nuclear Regulatory Commisplant in Lincoln, Neb. for “maintenance and sion (NRC) spokesperson reported that there other improvement activities,” according to The isn’t any health threat to consumers; however, Associated Press. they are advised to return the boxes.

NCH plans to gradually resume operations at The recall started earlier this month when that site, following such planned improvements NRC officials found low levels of cobalt-60, a and in agreement with the FDA. Consumers radioactive material, in a shipment of metal with any further inquiries can contact NCH boxes that were manufactured in India. It at 1-888-477-2403 from Monday to Friday, 9 was first discovered in California, when a.m. to 8 p.m. several packages on their way to Bed Bath In other recall news, the Lancaster New & Beyond set off radiation alarms at a truck Era recently reported that metal tissue boxes scale. This latest shipment is the only one the from a Bed Bath & Beyond in Lancaster NRC believes to be contaminated, containing County were found to be contaminated with 220 boxes. low levels of radioactive material.

Bed Bath & Beyond is recalling all of their There are six boxes in total affected in Dual Ridge tissue holders, which were sold the area, four of which were recovered in stores in July, and giving full refunds to from the store, located at 2350 Lincoln customers who return them, according to Highway East, but the other two were sold the New Era. in December, one on Dec. 9 and one on All boxes removed from stores were taken to Dec. 19. State officials are hoping that the a radioactive waste disposal facility.

death of a legend

Penn State suffers major loss: JoePa dies at 85 Ryan C. Carson Staff Writer

H

appy Valley was once home to a man who holds the record for most victories (409) by a Division I coach. Joe Paterno, former head football coach for the Pennsylvania State University, passed away Sunday at age 85.

Best known as “JoePa,” he taught his students to play with honor and sportsmanship, emphasizing the importance of building character over the importance of winning championships.

Off the field, however, lurked an unpleasant secret, one that would discredit the renowned coach’s fame. Paterno was a fatherly figure to all, but his career was tarnished by a child sex abuse scandal that brought his career to an abrupt end.

In November, shortly after Penn State’s Board of Trustees ousted Paterno, his son Scott Paterno announced that his father had been diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer.

Doctors found the cancer during a follow-up procedure for a

bronchial illness. CNN reported that Paterno broke his pelvis a few weeks later as the result of a fall, worsening his health problems. However, the injury did not call for any surgery. On Saturday, Paterno was listed in serious condition after suffering complications from lung cancer.

USA Today published the Paterno family’s statement Sunday morning, addressing his death.

It read, “He died as he lived.

He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them.

He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community.”

For 46 seasons, Paterno moseyed along the sidelines, wearing his infamous windbreaker and thick-rimmed glasses. In partnership with the Nittany Lions players, Paterno won 409 games and two national titles.

But during his 46th season,

Paterno took a crushing blow.

He became immersed in a child sex abuse scandal when one of his former assistants, Jerry Sandusky, was accused of sexually abusing at least eight boys over a 15-year span.

The Board of Trustees released Paterno after 61 years of service because he had a moral responsibility to report the allegations against Sandusky in 2002 to outside authorities but failed to do so. With all the media coverage from the Sandusky case, the Trustees thought it best to release Paterno from his position.

Eventually, the Sandusky investigation made its way in front of a grand jury. Paterno testified that he had conveyed accusations to his bosses from graduate assistant Mike McQueary, who claimed he saw Sandusky sexually abusing a young boy in the showers of the PSU football complex.

ABC News reported that McQueary would testify that h e s aw S an du s k y ’s h an d s around a young boy’s waist,

Photo: rudeortrue.com

Pennsylvania State University’s former head football coach Joe Paterno stands on the sidelines during one of his 46 seasons. Unfortunately, Paterno passed away from lung cancer on Sunday.

but wasn’t quite certain if it was intercourse. McQueary would continue to speak of Paterno’s reactions as being terribly saddened and surprised.

Paterno allegedly reassured McQueary that he was doing the right thing by reporting what he saw. Even though he alerted school officials, Paterno never notified the police as per legal obligation. Sandusky is pleading innocent and is currently out on bail, awaiting trial.

Outrage over the scandal and Paterno’s inaction is ongoing.

Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) announced their plan to picket the former coach’s funeral, which took place on Wednesday. Margie Phelps, one of WBC’s leaders, took to Twitter to make the announcement: “Joe Paterno is dead.

WBC will picket his funeral. He’s in hell. Don’t partake of your neighbor’s sin.” This is just one of the many sentiments tweeted on the day of Paterno’s death.

Meanwhile, others are remaining respectful and recalling great moments with Paterno and what he did for Penn State football.

“While there is a debate about whether or not JoePa did what he should have done with the Sandusky case, can we please leave that to another time?” asked first-year student Andrew Sandridge. “There will be another time to revisit this situation, and you can express your opinion then. For today and the rest of the week can we please just celebrate the man for the coach, role model and icon he was to us all?”

Paterno took the Nittany Lions to 37 bowl games; 250 players during who he coached throughout his tenure have gone on to play professional football.

For now, in the wake of his death, many are striving to remember Paterno as the lovable, legendary college football coach who always tried to make his mission clear: success with honor.

News

crime

Etownian

The

January 26, 2011

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Police seek answers regarding unidentified Long Island bodies Cayla M. Kluver Staff Writer

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olice have released an approximate sketch of an unidentified homicide victim whose body was one of ten found along the beaches of Long Island’s Ocean Parkway. The bodies are believed to be evidence of a serial killer prowling New York, and authorities are asking anyone who recognizes the woman in the sketch to contact the Suffolk County Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. The sketch is a composite, based on the woman’s skull which was found last April and has been connected to a pair of legs discovered in 1996 on Fire Island. The police currently have no suspects in custody, but of the ten dead, only five have been identified. Identification is a vital part of homicide investigation, and the public’s help is needed.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer confirmed that police are looking for a single offender in the cases of the first ten bodies, which consist of eight women believed to be escorts, a man dressed as a woman and a female toddler connected

by DNA to one of the female victims. An eleventh body was found, that of 24-yearold Shannan Gilbert, whose death Dormer contends may have been the result of an

accidental drowning and is unrelated to the returned, but the Gilberts are confident that the serial killings. autopsy will contain evidence of foul play. The Gilbert went missing under suspicious cir- family has also insisted under threat of a law suit cumstances in December 2010. She worked as that the Suffolk County Police involve the FBI in an escort and visited a client (with whom she’d the investigation into Gilbert’s death, calling the connected through Craigslist) in a gated com- current investigation “clownish.” munity on Long Island. After making a frantic The five victims who have been identified also 23-minute 911 call in the early morning, she was worked as escorts and found their clients through last seen by Gus Coletti, a member of the Craigslist. Amber Lynn Costello, 27, community, running down the street was last seen in September 2010 pursued by a black SUV, believed to and was an experienced prostitute belong to her driver. who met her client alone the It was the search for Gilbert night of her disappearance. that led to the discovery of Usually, someone accompathe ten bodies. Only recently, nied Costello, or she had her Gilbert’s own body was found clients come to her, and her in a marshy area in Oak roommate believes whoever Beach, about six miles from killed her manipulated her the stretch of beach that has into leaving the house with been dubbed the Long Isno form of protection. land Serial Killer’s “dumping Meghan Waterman, 22, ground.” Her remains were went missing in June 2010, found a quarter of a mile away and left behind a 4-yearfrom her personal effects – her old child. purse, cell phone and jeans.

Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Photo: Suffolk County Police Dept.

Gilbert’s family disagrees The Long Island Police Department disappeared in July 2009, with Commissioner Dormer unveiled this sketch of an unidentified and her body was one of and the police department victim.This photo represents almost the first found in Decemabout the cause of her death. everything the police know about ber 2010. Her little sister Autopsy results have yet to be the deceased woman.

Amanda received a total

Schools fight back TEXT-AND-TIP from page 1 business cards and posters.

“I’ve had already three different instances, where students texted us because they thought their friends were going do something major, like harming themselves. And then there was another one where a girl was considering doing something bad, and we happened to intercept it. I don’t care about busting someone for something stupid; it’s about keeping the school safe,” Farnsler said.

However, there are some who think it’s a joke. “We’ve had some prank texts, and we expected that; they’re high school kids.”

Overall this new system seems to be a success. In the four previous years, Farnsler received zero tips, but since this system has been in place, he has received over 60.

“There’s pros and cons to the anonymous thing,” Farnsler said.

“The pros are that somebody can know that they can text it, and it truly be anonymous, and then of course you have the downside, if somebody wants to mess with it, but, again, I can block numbers.”

“Every school has its issues,” Farnsler said. “There’s drugs, there’s bullying...I don’t care where you go. And this just gives kids who might be afraid to get it out there and tell someone another avenue.”

The high school seems to have a system that works well, but many may not realize that here at Elizabethtown College, a similar system exists. Director of Campus Security Jack Longenecker explained, “It’s online. You can use your name, or it can be anonymous.

The email goes directly to me, to my account. And you can report any crime, past or present.”

So far, Etown’s online system hasn’t been quite as successful as the text line at the high school, but it’s a work in progress. “It took affect in the fall semester, and I’ve only had three that have come through. It says you can report suspicious activity,” Longenecker said. “In reality, we’re here 24 hours a day. If you see something suspicious or there’s a crime in progress, I’d rather you call the

News in Brief Elizabeth A. Enwright Copy Editor

Deadly storms cause damage in Southeastern towns Severe weather struck several Southeastern U.S. towns early Monday morning, leading to the deaths of two people in areas surrounding Birmingham, Ala. According to Sgt. Jack Self of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, one of the casualties was a 16-year-old female, the other an 82-year-old male.

The tornado touched down at about 3:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 23, according to CNN. com, leading Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley to declare a state of emergency for the entire state. Many school districts were shut down for the day, while organizations, including the Salvation Army and the Red Cross, made statements that they would send emergency teams to aid the victims of storm damage.

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency is focusing its search and rescue operations on the towns of Center Point, Oak Grove, Trussville and Maplesville.

A storm also caused damage in the south-central region of Arkansas, as confirmed by the National Weather Service on Monday afternoon. The storm was classified as an EF-2 tornado, harboring winds up to 135 mph, and causing significant structural damage to several homes and businesses in the town of Fordyce.

Reports of possible tornadoes also came out of towns in Mississippi and Tennessee, where only minor injuries were reported. According to Robert Latham, director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, “the next time we may not be as lucky.”

Colorado resident tied to Islamic Jihad Union An Uzbek man who, until recently, resided in Aurora, Colo., was arrested Saturday at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport while attempting to board a fight to Istanbul, Turkey. Jamshid Muhtorov, 35, was arrested on charges of “providing and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization,” according to ABC News.

According to a criminal complaint released on Monday, Muhtorov was involved in ongoing email correspondence with the Islamic Jihad Union, which began in July 2011. The group was designated a terrorist organization in 2005 and has been tied to suicide bombings which occurred at both the U.S. and Israeli embassies in Uzbekistan in 2004.

Muhtorov sent emails, which were intercepted by the FBI, in which he pledged his loyalty to the Sunni extremist organization. He offered money for a “wedding gift” and expressed hope that he would be “invited to the wedding.” The criminal complaint revealed that the “wedding” was code for some type of terrorist event.

Muhtorov even offered up his life for the Islamic Jihad Union’s cause.

Prior to his attempted flight, the Uzbekistan native said goodbye to his daughter and quit his job. He appeared in court on Monday morning and waived his rights to a hearing in that district of Northern Illinois. A statement from the U.S. attorney stressed that, to their knowledge, no specific attack was being planned by Muhtorov. “The government does not allege that Muhtorov was plotting attacks against any targets inside the United States,” U.S. Attorney Spokesperson Jeffrey Dorschner said. A judge in Illinois ordered that Muhtorov be transported back to Colorado for further prosecution.

of eight phone calls from a man in possession of Melissa’s cell phone. He told Amanda sexually explicit things he was doing to her sister, and called to inform her when he had killed Melissa.

Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, was a native of Connecticut who went to New York to meet a client in 2007 and never returned. She was last seen in Manhattan.

The victims’ families have complained that investigations of their daughters’ and sisters’ disappearances were postponed because the women worked as prostitutes. Gilbert’s family in particular has expressed that the police searched halfheartedly, at best, for her. The family substantiates this with the fact that Gilbert’s body was found hardly more than a few blocks from where she was last seen. Dormer insists that everything possible was done to find each of the victims, and that the women’s professions did not interrupt police procedure.

The Long Island killings may have occurred over 15 years, judging by the remains found in 1996. Sketches of the other unidentified victims are forthcoming. Safety precautions are advised, and anyone with information is encouraged to make contact with the Suffolk County Police or Crime Stoppers. Police sketches of the victims may be found online at apps.suffolkcounty/gov/ police/gilgobeach.html

dispatch right away, versus sending me an email. If it’s two o’clock in the morning, I’m not going to read my email.”

If a student has an issue, they are encouraged to call Campus Security right away, rather than submit the concern online. Assistant Director of Campus Security Dale Boyer emphasized, “Anything that’s time dependent, please, please, please call extension 1111 right away.” He also made it very clear that students should feel free to contact them at anytime. “We definitely have an open door policy.... It’s another venue, another form for people to contact us,” Boyer said. “The more opportunities we have for people, the better the chances are that somebody’s going to take advantage of that.”

Students are encouraged to call Campus Security or use the blue light telephones around campus if they are ever in immediate danger. If students need to report a problem anonymously, they are encouraged to use the online form.

The goal of both programs is to keep students safe. With the participation of students, faculty and the community, we can make Etown a safer place to live and learn.

Profiles • Academic Events • Monthly Series • Culture

winter break

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January 26, 2011

Students, faculty help Lend A Hand to rebuild Mississippi town Volunteers strive to reconstruct homes after tornado, forge friendships along the way to recovery Julie M. Creveling Staff Writer

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uring the last week of winter break, 35 Elizabethtown College students and faculty members went to Smithville, Miss. to help to rebuild what a tornado destroyed.

April 27, 2011 an EF5 (Enhanced Fujita scale 5) tornado, which is the highest level for tornado damage, touched down in Mississippi.

According to USA Today, this is the first EF5 tornado to strike Mississippi since 1966; at nearly three miles tall and a half-mile wide, the tornado included winds reaching up to 205 miles per hour.

Although the tornado only touched down for 10 seconds, the damage to Smithville was extensive. For this reason, Etown’s Civic Engagement Office organized a trip to help rebuild the town. They partnered with Lend A Hand, a volunteer organization that works toward disaster relief.

Etown students, staff and Lend A Hand volunteers worked together to help rebuild the community. Their tasks included putting up drywall, moving trash, tearing down a trailer that was too damaged to be recovered and building a ramp for a house to provide accessibility for handicapped people.

Junior Sarah Creme helped work on the trailer that was too damaged to recover. A tree that took out the back of the trailer still remained on top of it. Creme said they worked to salvage anything they could, making big piles of scrap metal. Then they took down all the walls and all the flooring. She discussed how the homeowner at first was very guarded and didn’t want any help. By the end of the project, Creme said the homeowner’s attitude changed greatly: “He began smiling a lot and realized the group was there to help.”

Senior Heather Slifko, who has gone on similar trips for the past four years, also talked about the homeowner she worked for, Cheryl.

She described how Cheryl works for mostly nonprofit organizations. Cheryl’s daughter, who was pregnant with twins, was killed by a drunk driver. After that, Cheryl started Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Mississippi. She also started Mourning After, a program for victims of abuse and violence. Sophomore Emily Gockley, who also helped put up drywall in Cheryl’s house, said, “It was nice to help someone who was helping others.”

Along with helping to repair the town, the group also did something else — they brought hope. Since the town is so small, there was no mistaking who the volunteers were and what they were there to do. Members of the town exhibited their gratitude because there was only so much they could do within their local community. The volunteers brought a new light of hope to those who thought they had been forgotten.

However, this trip touched more than just the hearts of the local Smithville residents. This trip was an experience the volunteers will

Photo: Matthew P. Butera

Students, faculty and local residents volunteer their time, energy and other resources to help rebuild the homes of those who were affected by an EF5 Tornado in Mississippi. Even though it was a traumatic event, the group laughed, told stories and made memories that they’ll not easily forget.

always remember. Creme discussed how eye-opening it was for her. The idea that you can lose everything you have within a mere 10 seconds can really make you thankful for what you do have. “It opens your eyes and makes you aware of the larger picture,” Creme said. She also talked about how this was a great excuse to travel. Not to mention the friendships and bonds one forms with all the other volunteers. She used the analogy of having gone to war with them: “Nobody will ever understand the experiences you had together and the things you saw.” �������������������������������������������������������� The group arrived in Mississippi on Jan. 8, which is Elvis Presley’s birthday. The group was staying at a church in Tupelo, one town over from Smithville. Tupelo was Presley’s birthplace. Students took advantage of this fun coincidence and visited the location of Presley’s birth and the hardware store where he bought his first guitar.

Etown students were also given the privilege to visit city hall, which, because of tornado damage, was reduced to a trailer located beside the police station. There, they met the mayor and

saw the city’s plan for how to rebuild and organize their town.

The volunteer group was also featured on the local news. A reporter came for a day to interview some of the volunteers and emphasized the great work they were doing. The reporter was touched that all these volunteers gave up some of their winter break and paid money to do work. Later that evening he came back to visit them, bringing homemade cinnamon rolls. ������������������������������������������������������������� Gockley said her favorite part of the trip was when the homeowner of one of the houses had a friend who brought his guitar and speaker system outside to play music for them all day. Everyone could hear the music and could dance while they worked.

At the end of the week the crew simulated the well-known scene from “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” in which they blocked the view of the house with a big bus and yelled out “Move that bus!” to reveal the finished product.

“I went on [the service trip] my freshman year and if I had to look back that’s one of, if not the best, experience that I’ve had while at Etown,” Slifko said.

new faculty

Egyptian Fulbright Scholar joins, enriches communications faculty Stéfon J. Marquette Fact Checker his semester, the communications department of Elizabethtown College is proud to welcome Egyptian Fulbright scholar Dr. Magda Bagnied. The department of communications is fortunate to have such an opportunity, as Bagnied is among Etown’s first Fulbright Scholars. Bagnied will give multiple guest lectures during the semester and is the instructor of the course Mass Media in the Middle East. Bagnied also joins the faculty of Etown at a crucial turning point in Arab history.

The Arab Awakening, or Arab Spring, began in December of 2010 with the violent and powerful revolution of Tunisian citizens. Through international inspiration via social media, revolution has since spread to Egypt, then to Libya, later reaching throughout the Arab world and even influencing the Occupy movement of the United States.

Having witnessed the Awakening and other important events in the Middle East from Egyptian soil, Bagnied has made invaluable observations, which would otherwise be missed by most Etown students. She also brings with her a vast educational background and multiple years of communications and journalism experience.

While the Egyptian and Israeli governments were carrying out an Israeli-Egyptian peace initiative in the late 1970s, Bagnied had a first-hand view of the proceedings.

Bagnied recounted her experience: “I witnessed this in the office, and I participated in some of the stories.

By this, I worked with the late Peter Photo: Elizabethtown College Jennings, an ABC anchorman. And Dr. Bagnied stands in front of a tank during the Arab Spring I met Barbara Walters, and I met all revolution in Egypt. Bagnied’s experiences will give her mass of the top level people with the news media course unique insight. business, both ABC and NBC.” Bagnied obtained her doctorate from Cairo University in 1983. Bagnied stated that she considers her doctorate degree to be “just by name [from] Cairo University.” She added, “But the actual work was here in the United States.” She achieved this degree with first honors, but according to Bagnied, she was not even thinking of a doctorate degree before she managed to obtain such a high level of honors. She explained, “You know, a Ph.D. was not in my mind ... you take things as they come along.”

Bagnied’s doctoral thesis topic was the United States’ broadcast coverage of the peace initiative, and so she came to the U.S. for two years with a Walter Williams fellowship from the Missouri School of Journalism. While she was here, Bagnied was able to research her topic in the U.S. National Archives and the Vanderbilt University archives. She was very pleased with her studies for these two years. Bagnied stated, “I had many people helping me here. It was so good.”

Because the majority of the work Bagnied completed for her doctorate took place in the U.S., she is well acquainted with both Arab and American perspectives. Upon completing her doctorate program with Cairo University, Bagnied was offered a job as a professor at the American University in Cairo (AUC). She accepted this job, and worked there until the spring of 2008.

While she was on the faculty at the AUC and while she was a student, she hosted various radio shows; wrote for the Cairo University magazine, “Caravan;” authored a book related to her doctoral topic; and contributed prolifically to the Egyptian and American media. Bagnied

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called it “having one foot in the media and one foot in academia.”

She did not yet have many observations to offer, regarding the differences between the Egyptian students taught in the past and the American students she is currently teaching at Etown. She did, however, note that “students are students,” and she does know of the similarities between the Egyptian people and those of the U.S., namely, that the social interactions are far more informal than those of other cultures.

Bagnied stated, “In America, you deal more easily with the people. You don’t have to have an official introduction ... When you meet somebody, like British people, and you talk to them like the Americans ... the British would stop and say, ‘Have we been officially introduced?’ I mean, come on, Egyptians are like you guys.” She later stressed the importance of acknowledging how we all come from different backgrounds but are unified by the titles “American” or “Egyptian.”

Bagnied will be presenting the first of her six guest lectures to the Introduction to International Business class on Feb. 16. She will also be presenting a lecture, which is open to the student body, at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29.

Features

Etownian

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January 26, 2011

showcase

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Master musician performs concert in Zug Memorial Hall Kristen F. Faulkner Staff Writer

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hether you pride yourself on being musically inclined, an aspiring musician, or just a music lover, Zug Recital Hall is the place you should be. On Jan. 26, Dr. Christy Banks, assistant chair of the music department at Millersville University, will introduce Elizabethtown College to her innovative clarinet style. This free performance will take place at 7:30 p.m.

Assisted by Joan Allen on the piano, Banks will perform compositions that span over 200 years, visiting many different genres, and even playing one written by her husband, Rusty Banks. In her performance, Banks will play many compositions ranging in style from Italian romantic to contemporary. Her diverse program will demonstrate to the music students her versatile abilities and talents as a leading interpretive artist in the field, Faith Shiffer, adjunct instructor of clarinet and saxophone at Etown, said.

For those at Millersville University, Banks is not only the assistant chair of the music department, but she is also a clarinet and saxophone instructor, as well as a music professor. For those at Etown, Banks might be best known by students for her past involvement teaching clarinet master classes at Etown’s summer music camp. According to Shiffer, Banks also coached some of Etown’s students at Millersville University’s Single Reed Symposium, which is held each April.

Likewise, Shiffer is no stranger to the Millersville music scene. She covered for Banks’ studio at Millersville for part of last spring semester when Banks was unable to be there for medical reasons. As a way of expressing her gratitude to Shiffer, Banks agreed to appear at the upcoming clarinet performance.

Banks has had the opportunity to perform in many places. According to Millersville University, Banks performed in countries such as Germany and Austria, but has also played much closer to home, such as at the Harrisburg Symphony, the Lancaster Symphony and the Reading Symphony. She has taught at many different universities across the country and has experienced the world of music in many different places in her life. While clarinet seems to be her passion, she has also studied the saxophone, the flute and the oboe.

Because of all of her experience, Banks is in a position to be a very influential role model for those who aspire to be successful in the musical world, such as the music students at Etown. Banks’ performance will not only show the students her talent and abilities, but will also display the diversity in the music she plays. It will be an opportunity to challenge listeners to hear the difference in genre and age of the compositions and allow them to further appreciate the evolution of music over time. For those who are not

involved in the fine and performing arts department, it is a chance to see a free concert which may open their eyes to new types of entertainment.

For those studying fine and performing arts, Shiffer feels that this performance will be very beneficial. “Some members of the campus community are already aware of the intrinsic artistic value of a guest recital. They will come to learn more about music, to grow as music appreciators, and to offer their support in this performance experience,” Shiffer said.

Shiffer is hopeful that this performance will not only inspire those already involved in the fine and performing arts here at Etown but will also give others a greater appreciation for the arts. “A live performance can only come to life if it has listeners. I would encourage anyone reading about this recital come and hear Dr. Banks perform!”

Courtesy Photo

Dr. Banks performs several genres of solo clarinet works with a few pieces accompanied by piano. She hopes to inspire students to explore music outside of what they normally experience in the classroom and to appreciate the variety one can find in clarinet music.

accomplished faculty

fundraiser

Hoffman, computational chemist, energizes 2nd One Elle of a classrooms through thrilling experiments Night greatly aids foundation I L Ryan A. Serdenes Staff Writer

n the collegial community, only a handful of individuals achieve success in their respective field. Rarely do we see an individual who succeeds in multiple arenas

make light of tense situations as one of his most defining qualities.

Hoffman credits his older brother for supplying his passion for chemistry: “I always had an interest in chemistry; however, it was my brother that ultimately made my decision. He was a physics

Photo: Emily M. Reigart

Dr. Hoffman continues his research while maintaining teaching excellence. He is currently studying Ab initio molecular dynamics, which concerns fluorescence. Hoffman also strongly encourages interaction outside the classroom.

of academia; however, some professors do.

Meet the man who wrote “An Integral for Second-Order Multiple Scattering Perturbation Theory.” Where would a student find a man of this caliber?

Dr. Gary Hoffman is an associate professor of chemistry at Elizabethtown College, as well as a trumpet player for the Hershey Symphony Orchestra and a former gymnast. Hoffman attained his Ph.D. in chemical physics from Harvard University in 1987 and is a 20-year veteran of the education system. He began his tenure as a teacher in the sunshine state of Florida but migrated to Pennsylvania to begin teaching at Etown in 2002. He was appointed chair of the department, a position he held for six years, then went on sabbatical to focus on his research of molecular movement and its effects on physical properties. He currently teaches general chemistry, along with upper level chemistry classes.

Described by others as a kind soul, Hoffman goes beyond the classroom to provide students with accessible office hours. Many students cite his ability to

major. I didn’t want to be in his shadow, so I became a chemistry professor and never looked back.”

Hoffman professes his joy for seeing students succeed. “It’s always nice to see students grow. I’ve seen a few students become professors over the years.”

In his spare time, Hoffman currently works on his new research concerning Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD), which deals with molecular dynamic principals.

In this research, he focuses particularly on fluorescence, molecular indicators oftentimes used in hospitals to identify abnormalities in patients. He suspects this could eventually be used to increase medical knowledge regarding diabetes. Hoffman wants to continue research throughout his entire professional career at the College, which he said could go on indefinitely. “I see no reason to leave any time soon.”

Aside from his research, Hoffman is a member of the Hershey Symphony Orchestra, where he is one of the trumpet players. He performs an average of five to six concerts a

year, all while conducting scrupulous research.

He began playing the trumpet in fifth grade, and eventually retired it to its case after grade school. A few years ago, he dusted it off and began to play once more. By practicing weekly, he rose to the professional level and is now a member of the local orchestra.

In his youth, Hoffman was an avid gymnast, a sport which he brought with him to college. Injuries were not as prevalent in his career as they were in others. He used his high level of intelligence to make judgment calls in order to perform in the safest manner. “[No injuries in gymnastics] was my greatest achievement,” Hoffman said.

He also believes fitness should be a staple of anyone’s daily routine.

In his college days, some of his favorite activities were rock-climbing and attending his friends’ parties. “College kids today stress out so much … Kids in the 80’s were much less stressed than students of today. On Saturday nights I was worried about the party I was attending rather than a paper,” Hoffman said.

The education system has been a constant source of debate among politicians and educators. As a seasoned veteran of academia, Hoffman has much insight on what he feels it should be. “The collegial education system is pretty loose in terms of regulations imposed on teachers. Once in a while, I’ll wish I could teach a different way. But I do have much freedom with instructing my courses. This may not be the case at some other colleges. We are currently in the process of revamping the chemistry department and expanding it to be more accessible to non-majors.”

Hoffman stated he is proud of what the chemistry department is, and he feels it provides all students with an ability to learn. “A good teacher is one that is on a log with a student on the other end ...

Teaching should be a dialogue.”

In his decorated career, he cites a paper titled “Integral for Second-Order Multiple Scattering Perturbation Theory” as his greatest accomplishment. The paper, which was riddled with numerous complexities, needed a specialist to review it, rather than a standard review board. The paper covered a six-dimensional integral, which can be used to solve many mathematical equations.

Hoffman has found time to provide his students help, whether their goals are chemistry related or not. Each day, they catch a glimpse of his wealth of knowledge in not only the sciences but in many diverse subject areas as well.

Austin M. Florey Staff Writer

effler Chapel played host to the fundraiser, “One Elle of a Night,” Friday, Jan. 20 to benefit the Elle Foundation, which started about three years ago in memory of Lauren “Elle” Richmond, sister of Elizabethtown College senior Dana Richmond. The event was hosted by junior Brian Booker and senior Gabe Robison and featured performances by Melica, Phalanx, Vocalign, Illumina and Mr. Etown 2011, senior Dan Silver.

All of the money raised from the event went toward the Elle Foundation to support children with cancer. The foundation was created by Elle’s family after she was diagnosed with chordoma at the age of 10. “It gives children with cancer a chance for joy in their life,” Booker said.

The foundation was first constructed through the Make-A-Wish Foundation as well as the Marty Lyons Foundation when Elle wished to help give second chances to children with cancer. The Marty Lyons Foundation ultimately wanted to help Elle with her fight against cancer and make her second wish a reality by publishing an astonishing collection of poems entitled “Black and Brown Markers.” The fundraiser is not the only source of money for the foundation, as donations are also accepted through their website, www.ellefoundation.org. The mission for the event this year was to raise more than $2,000. However, the fundraiser helps generate awareness for the foundation in ways that the website cannot.

Anyone who is looking to get involved with the foundation can do so through the website.

“We are constantly looking for people to help us out,” Richmond said. Those interested in working with the foundation can provide additional aid by volunteering for future events in which the foundation is featured, which can be located on their website.

“One Elle of a Night” was a major success in its efforts. This is the only fundraiser associated with the Elle Foundation at the College, so entertainment featured at this event is geared toward the students. Because “One Elle of a Night,” is the only event at Etown that features this charity, the main emphasis was to generate donations for the foundation and to increase awareness for the cause.

The money raised is given to the foundations for children with cancer to help give them some form of happiness in their lives. The fundraiser has become one of the most popular charitable events at the College, due to the performances by the students and also from the outstanding effort to contribute to the event. The event, which was sponsored by Student Senate, was considered a major success for the foundation, which will continue to fundraise nationally throughout the year.

etiquette

Classroom etiquette: avoid conflict, build respectful relationships Professors and faculty offer sage advice toward proper student conduct during lectures

strive to behave toward one another with civility and with respect for the rights of others.” Although this statement applies to anti-plagiarism and anti-cheating sens a college student, one timents, it also refers to mutual respect of the most challenging and understanding that we, as students, parts of academic life can be should have campus-wide. interacting with your profesDue to the nature of the small-campus sors. For some, this can be setting, fostering lifelong relationan intimidating scenario, ships and building student-professor especially if a conflict arises, relationships are not only important, such as an error in the syllabus but essential for the future. Students or difficulty understanding should strive for strong interpersonal an assignment. Although relationships with faculty and fellow stuchallenging, understanding dents and also for mutual understanding, expectations and following even when conflicts present themselves. proper classroom etiquette According to Rankin, students who can help to ensure a student’s need help dealing with conflict can success in stressful classroom seek help from faculty members, as situations. well as from other resources, like books.

According to the student Rankin personally recommended handbook of Elizabethtown “Choosing Civility: The 25 Rules of College, “Students are encourConsiderate Conduct” by P.M. Forni. “I aged to engage in respectful dialogue as a first step in rePhoto: Emily M. Reigart teach this book to my first-year semisolving minor interpersonal Students in an English 200 class exhibit improper behaviors, such as lack of eye contact, while listening to the nar,” she said. “My hope is that this air disputes as opposed to seeking professor during a lecture. It is important that students always give their educators a high level of respect of civility sustains across campus.”

Lastly, both Rankin and Trachte resolution through the formal that corresponds to the quality of education that they are being presented with in college. agreed upon the syllabus as the constudent conduct process.” Although this may seem vague, most students foreign languages department said that ac- they should meet with their faculty adviser, or tract between student and professor, and this is may agree that preparation, honesty, hard work tive discussion and preparation are tools for the faculty adviser of the department [of the one that should not be broken or misconstrued and integrity are key aspects of such etiquette. student achievement and can contribute to professor to resolve any outstanding issues].” in the classroom. “Same as a legal contract, if you Not texting in class, being on time and hav- see something wrong, bring it to the professor’s Assistant Dean of Students Stephanie proper classroom etiquette. “A student who asks questions should be successful, ” Trachte ing a positive attitude are also vital elements attention,” Trachte said.

Rankin said that common sense and unAbove all, civility starts with asking quesderstanding are keys to successful student- said. “[However] it takes two to tango…the of proper classroom etiquette. “If you have an professor interactions.“We’re a relationship professor shares the responsibility to empower attitude, just leave it at the door,” Trachte said. tions, being interactive and understanding the In addition to giving respect and under- importance of a safe, secure and honest learning institution, so [classroom etiquette] really the student to achieve success.”

Furthermore, Trachte said that classroom standing, receiving such is just as important to environment. Rather than being afraid, students matters,” Rankin said. “There’s a place for manners and treating others with dignity.” Rankin behaviors can impact the student-professor classroom and campus integrity. If a student feels should be active in asking questions, assuming also said that students have an obligation to relationship either positively or negatively. threatened, bullied or otherwise mistreated by responsibility and, above all, not being afraid invest in these standards. “A student should “Sleeping, yawning, you have to be discreet another student or professor, it’s important for to be truthful, as Trachte recommended. “If a request to speak with a faculty adviser if they about these types of behaviors,” Trachte that student to follow the necessary procedures. student needs an intermediary, they should Every student who attends Etown is quickly talk to [their superior] via email in a nonexperience any conflicts,” she said. “It can said. “Etiquette means staying on task.”

In her opinion, addressing problems headfamiliarized with the Standards of Academic threatening environment.” be a struggle for a student to bridge that gap on with a professor makes for a better learn- Integrity, located in the Student Handbook.

Classroom etiquette may seem difficult and start communicating.”

Along with civil conversation between you ing environment. “Students should always The Pledge of Integrity states: “Elizabethtown to navigate at times, but at Etown there are and your professor, there are several ways schedule an appointment with their professor,” College is a community engaged in a living and many options, both inside and outside the college students can stay on great terms with Trachte said. “They should make a list of issues learning experience, the foundation of which classroom, for students when addressing their professors. Dr. Sharon Trachte of the [they may be having]. If this is unsuccessful, is mutual trust and respect. Therefore, we will issues or attempting to foster respect.

Amy E. Malloy Staff Writer

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style column

Mimic Italian designer Bottega Veneta on student’s budget

Cut back the price of couture by shopping at consignment boutiques and other local favorites Chelsea E. Benson Advertising Manager

more sophisticated approach to this trend by combining this When it comes to jewelry, think geometric shapes. Almost season’s hottest color, coral orange, with black and white. This all of the designers used square, triangular or diamondtype of outfit is perfect for parties, going out to a nice shaped jewelry to complement their designs this season. This type of jewelry is very universal and can eeping up with the latest fashion trends doesn’t have restaurant, weddings, or even work-just add a black add a distinctive look to drain your bank account. Spring 2012 runways were blazer! But who can afford to spend $4,000 on a dress to almost any style or filled with many different styles that can be easily replicated and sandals on a college student budget? Hardly anyone, unless you’re working six jobs. outfit. The best place with items from less expensive stores.

The best part about this season’s to find unique geoOne of this season’s fashion is that you don’t have to buy metric jewelry designs biggest fashion trends the top designer brands to look and is asos.com. Along with is combining vibrant feel like you walked out of an issue many other creative and bold colors in an of Vogue. Almost identical outfit jewelry designs, asos. outfit with simple acreplicas can be created from stores com has many options cessories. Many dein Elizabethtown at a much more at an average price of signers combined teal, affordable price. One of the best $15, which is much more fuchsia, yellow, coral, places to find clothing and acappealing than $450 for a sapphire, green and cessories is at resale shops like pair of Burberry earrings! purple in their collecNow Wear This! on Hershey Along with all of the new tions. However, there is Road in Etown. I was able styles emerging this spring, a trick to pulling off this to recreate a Bottega Veneta some favorites are returning look without looking like outfit for just $45.46. Other from last year. The extremely a clown. Pick no more stores in Elizabethtown, popular bright orange is a than three solid colors like GoodWill and Lights of veteran of last spring, as well for your outfit to keep it Hope on High Street, have a as large, floral prints. This fun and trendy without wide variety of clothing to year made the bright and coral looking trashy. You can choose from as well. oranges more professional mix and match almost Besides wearing difby pairing them with dark or any combination of colors ferent combinations neutral blazers and pants. When – try a tank with a yellow of vibrant and bold you dig out your floral prints jacket and red shoes or a colors, there are many from last spring, leave the other light pink top and big red other fashion trends to smaller prints you wore with necklace with a blue skirt. keep up with this seathem behind. The best way to Not ready for this much Photo: Ch Shops aro elsea E. B e u n nd town li son wear floral prints this year is with son. African-inspired t color in your wardrobe? ke No he designs, including to local Goodwill offe w Wear This! and lace and solid colors. In case you You can tone down this r couture fa shion. Sen discount options didn’t follow the floral trend from hionspot.com animal prints and m look by choosing just one Image: thefas ior Chels odels an alternativ ea Benso bold color and wearing it n last spring, H&M has a beautiful ed geometric patterns spring 2 e to Bott 012 runw eneta combin ega Vene V a eg tt o B a er t y n a s . ig ’s al will be very popuselection of reasonably priced floral with black, white, beige or es tr d u n e n io Italian fash blacks and st o m lar this spring.

These dresses, skirts and tops. brown. To finish off any of bold colors like coral with f o ut couture is o

No matter which style you these outfit possibilities, add on the runway. Though n recreate this outfit styles are best worn with solid colors, nts ca chunky jewelry and simple, neutral- want to take on this season, there are many less expensive a skinny belt, simple geomet- of our budgets, stude wn. d un to colored sandals. Designers sell outfits alternatives to buying top designer brands that will give you ric jewelry, a neutral-colored for much less aro in this style for around $2,300, but you can get the same look the same stylish trendy look. Just remember to make each purse or strappy sandals.

One of this season’s top designers, Bottega Veneta, took a for closer to $40 or $50 at a trendy store like Charlotte Russe. style your own and wear it with confidence.

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Campus Life

events

Etownian

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January 26, 2011

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SWEET sponsors Date Auction benefit for Four Diamonds Fund Colin R. Jones Staff Writer

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tudents Working to Entertain Etown (SWEET) is hosting its annual date auction Feb. 3 at 9 p.m. in the KÁV to benefit the Four Diamonds Fund. Planning for the benefit began Jan. 15 and since then, the SWEET staff, lead by first-year Jocelyn Grube, has been involved in a flurry of activity.

“We’ve been trying to find people who are well known throughout the school,” Grube said. “But the biggest challenge is keeping track of people.”

After students are found for the auction, the student must write a short biography to be read by the hosts of the show, seniors Tim Goldkamp and Samantha Wingrove. They then select a song to be played as bids are made.

The auction will eventually consist of 10 men and 10 women to be auctioned off in front of a crowd of 200 to 300 people. Currently, only five men and seven women have volunteered. Interested students may contact SWEET via email at SWEET@etown.edu to volunteer.

tion to some is degrading and offensive. When asked about this, Grube responded, “They enter into the contract of their own free will, no one is being forced into anything.”

Despite the controversy in years past, the auction has always raised a great deal of money for many causes.

Some of the current participants are senior Dan Silver, sophomore Liz Felcone, sophomore Brooke Morgan, senior Image: SWEET Eric Reichert and sophoSWEET’s annual Date Auction has selected the more Sam Ceron. Grube Four Diamonds Fund as the charity of choice added, “Most of our parto receive this year’s profits. On Feb. 3, students ticipants are in relationcan bid on their favorite participant for the ships,” so bidders are not chance to have brunch with them one-on-one. so much vying for a date in the traditional sense, Those being auctioned off are required to sign a contract stating with the hope of a relationship, but that they will not back out of a date more of a one-time brunch. Regardafter the bids are over. SWEET does less, the date auction is one of the more not regard this auction as match- unique fundraisers on campus.

To be on the opposite side of making, but as a way for people to meet others while supporting things, and to bid for a date, there a cause. This has been the goal of are a few things to consider. Bids the date auction for over five years. start at $1, as the bidders are broke The very idea of a date auc- college students and have been

known to go up to $100. Many people arrive in groups and put their money together in order to place higher bids, although only one person may go on the actual date. The date itself will consist of a brunch on Feb. 4 at 11 a.m. in the KÁV. There will be tables for two and tables for groups, as blind dates can be an awkward endeavor.

The Four Diamonds Fund was established in 1972 to benefit any child being treated for pediatric cancer at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

The fund helps with medical care, financial and emotional support for those suffering from pediatric cancer.

When benefited by the fund, all the families’ medical costs not covered by insurance are paid in full. The fund’s goal is to help approximately 100 new families each year and to date, they have served over 2,000 families.

The name Four Di amonds Fund comes from a story written

by Christopher Millard, the son of the founders of the organization, Charles and Irma Millard, shortly before he died from cancer at age 14. According to the Four Diamonds Fund website, the story was of “a knight [who] must find

the four diamonds of Courage, Wisdom, Honesty and Strength in order to be released from captivity by an evil sorceress.” Christopher believed these were the virtues he needed to overcome cancer.

The Four Diamonds Fund is the sole recipient of the money raised by the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON). THON is the biggest student philanthropic organization in the United States, having raised $7.8 million in 2010 and $78 million total since 1977. Elizabethtown College is doing its part to support this amazing group. To get involved with THON, contact Charlotte Kohl at COMMUNICATIONS@thon.org.

The cause has been chosen, the date set and the participants are gathering so come out to support a noble cause. If you’re single, bored or just looking to meet some new people, come out and place your bid on some of Etown’s finest students.

If you want to help a worthy cause without having to walk a 5k or run a marathon, step up and place a bid. Or just come out and have a fun time with your friends while supporting a worthy cause and an Etown tradition.

campus living

Students share techniques unique ideas to decorate dorms Carolyn Lukiewski Staff Writer

F

or most Elizabethtown College students, spending money is definitely a luxury: we can only hope that the $23 left in our bank account will make it to the end of the week. When we finally do earn some money, it’s generally used to buy food, books, that precious Xbox game or the most adorable shirt that would look perfect with those brown boots. Decorating our 16x10 ft. box, otherwise known as a dorm room, is just not a priority. So many of us are left with naked white—or the dreadful baby pink—walls, with the only additions being Christmas lights, pictures or sticky note reminders. So begins the mission: decorating dorm rooms on a budget.

Before searching the World Wide Web for some decorating ideas, I took a look at some dorm rooms around Etown’s campus and got some students’ perspectives. Kaitlyn Anastasi, a sophomore resident of Schlosser, has her bedroom and study room packed to the brim with posters, pictures, tapestries and more. In addition to these items, everything matches, following the theme of purple and pink. Her futon cover matches the pink and purple pillows that lie on it, which is also complemented by a flower framed in pink and sparkly pink curtains.

“We just really like decorating, so we like going over the top. We spent a really long time planning the pink zebra print for the futon,”

Anastasi said. The blanket, which is pink on one side and white with black music notes on the other, represents all three roommates who are all music majors. The music therapy articles hanging from their walls also add some personal flare. She and her two roommates managed a reasonable budget by making their own blanket instead of buying one. They maintained a reasonable budget in other ways too. “We’ve kind of gathered this stuff. Sarah [Radzieski] and I lived together last year, so we came in with a lot of this stuff last year. We printed out all of our pictures, bought the posters on sale and made the blanket. We take our decorating pretty seriously,” Anastasi said. Overall, Anastasi and her two roommates managed to decorate their room within their budget and were still able to add their own personalities in doing so.

First-year Andrew Blank of Myer doesn’t have many embellishments in his room. When asked how his room was decorated, he said, “Well not much. No pictures, no lights, no posters.” However, he and his roommate plan to add some more decorations here and there, such as “an eight foot pair of cardboard sunglasses,” which were given to him by a friend.

“I don’t think I’ve spend much money at all on decorating,” Blank said.

In Founders, first-year Samantha Hicks didn’t spend much money on decorating either. But she also doesn’t have many decorations. “How is our room decorated? One string of Christ-

Photo: www.diylife.com

Paint chips and other objects like flags can be used to decorate a dormitory room.

The above image features an abstract poster made entirely out of paint chips.

mas lights, a ton of pictures of friends all over the place. For every holiday Taylor Hicks’ [Samantha’s roommate] mom sends us stuff to decorate our door and room with. I have a jersey, and that’s hung on my wall,” Hicks said.

I took a peek into her room and found her description to be very accurate. Pictures flood the walls, from above her desk, to next to her bed, even near the water cooler; the pictures are everywhere. The jersey hangs from her pink curtains and little holiday trinkets are placed randomly throughout the room.

Ask Sarah

Sarah’s advice with coffee: dash of sass

Sarah M. Knight Illustrator

D

o you have problems?

Don’t lie. I know you do.

Who doesn’t?

That is why I’m thrilled to announce my upcoming advice column right here, in your favorite on-campus, paper-based news source (which, I will just assume is the Etownian. ‘Cause really, what else is there? That’s what I thought, y’all).

N o w, I ’m used to dishing out my folksy, “down home” wisdom one on one—usually with a cuppa coffee and a dash of sass, but letters work just as well.

You get a little

tough love in printed format, I get a chunk of the paper with my name on it here and there. Everyone wins, man!

Are friends ruffling your feathers? I’ve so been there.

Are you struggling with campus living, or have classes been getting you down? Totally been there, too.

Relationship troubles? Honey, I’ve been there and all I got was this lousy tshirt.

All your questions will be kept completely anonymous, whether received via our submission box, which will be soon be conveniently located in the mail room or through an upcoming feature at www. etownian. com!

Be

on the look out for flyers too, rehashing this info for those of you who aren’t paying attention.

Should everything go well, y’all could reap the benefits of my textual wisdom every week! We at the Etownian are relying on your participation to make this “legitimate advice column” scheme work. (Okay, fine, so it’s mostly me counting y’all.)

Are you pumped, students of Elizabethtown College? I, for one, am completely jazzed.

We’ll laugh (hopefully), we’ll cry (well, I probably will) and we’ll learn a lot—it’ll be fabulous (definitely)!

So write in. I’ll give you the best advice I’ve got.

Sadly, however, without the coffee. Well… maybe not for you. I prefer to be caffeinated at all times.

Illustration: Sarah M. Knight

After doing some research on Etown’s campus, I decided it was time to venture to the Internet, ask around and come up with some creative ideas of my own. I Googled “cheap ways to decorate in your dorm room” and started perusing the options. The website onlineclasses. org suggests using a laundry line to hang photos from dorm walls. The line can be strung from one wall to the other or just along one wall. The website also explains how to make your own disco ball from a hanger and plastic cups.

I’ve been in plenty of dorm rooms and have found a common thread. Many rooms have some sort of flag. My own suggestion for decorating is to incorporate flags. Your dorm could have flags of places you’ve been, places you’d like to be or things that represent you, such as an Etown flag.

Senior Chelsea Benson, advertising manager of the Etownian, mentioned she knew some friends who took paint chips from stores such as Home Depot or Walmart and line the walls with them. The paint chips are free and add color to a dorm room. I decided to implement this strategy in my own room. Walmart provided me with about one hundred paint squares and I returned to Schlosser to begin decorating. The only challenging part was getting the chips to stick well. Packaging tape didn’t hold for very long but tack did seem to do the job. So there you have it, a room decorated and not even a penny spent!

Etownian

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pinio N O

January 26, 2011

Campus Issues • Columns • Op-Ed • Letters to the Editor

The

music

Sound Off Compiled by Jacqueline E. Quidort

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN?

“Inclusiveness toward others.”

Abdullah Ata Class of 2012

“More majors...or [make] some of the minors majors.”

Christina Foss Class of 2012

“Lower tuition.”

Kim Cosgrove Class of 2014

“Less focus on core, more focus on majors.”

Bret Stencovage Class of 2015

Controversial content rising in pop culture Popular musicians use explicit material to spark interest Brianna E. Wiest Asst. Editor

W

hen it comes to popular music, it’s impossible to generalize whether or not everyone understands what they’re listening to and subsequently advocating, whether in agreement with it or not. A song may hold a certain meaning for one person and just the opposite for another.

That’s the beauty of art, being able to interpret it however you’d like. However, by acknowledging the growing popularity of controversial songs with listeners of all ages, the rate at which lyrics are becoming more and more explicit is startling.

There aren’t too many ways you can interpret Katy Perry’s eloquent “there’s a stranger in my bed, there’s a pounding in my head…” While I’m sure that most just bop along to Katy for the sake of a catchy tune, any negative messages that are intertwined also become acceptable because of how desensitized we have become to them.

Rihanna’s “sex in the air, I don’t care, I like the smell of it, sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me…” starts to become less shocking after hearing it and other songs like it many times over. For clarification, Katy’s musical repertoire, much like many others, also consists of girl power ballads such as “Firework,” which all boast a great message.

tively-geared messages than ever before.

Pop culture is a reflection of what the public wants to see and hear. Lady Gaga calls herself a “sociologist of fame,” meaning she studies what will evoke the most interest from the public, and that seems to be some pretty offensive material. It seems to be that the “shock factor” intrigues us all until, again, we’re desensitized to it, and we’re on to the next thing.

Now, I’ll be the first to say that I dig Gaga

It seems to be that the “shock factor” intrigues us all until, again, we’re desensitized to it, and we’re on to the next thing.

as much as the next girl, but I can’t ignore that her videos feature her clad in a nun’s habit dancing provocatively, insinuating that she’s having sex. Again, while I respect artistic freedom and do believe that we should do as we please, regardless of what others think, the depiction of abstinent religious figures having sex may be a bit over the top.

When we were growing up, boy bands like ‘N Sync and the Backstreet Boys ruled the airwaves and were generally presenting much less explicit material.

To put it in perspective, I imagine that the reason such music is, and was, so popular is because it’s just really catchy, regardless of what the lyrics are. But an issue may present itself when younger generay.com tions listening to pop music rr pe ty ka e: ag Im learn that the “Jack” Ke$ha However, there brushes her teeth with is alcohol, and while are still instances where the idea of “liv- I’m sure nobody would do that just because ing it up” is taken to an extreme. We’re all Ke$ha says she does, they might be less entitled to freedom of speech, as well as opposed to excessive alcohol consumption the liberty to listen to/write about what- if they’ve idolized someone who has conever we choose. But generally, it’s impos- sistently reinforced the idea that doing so sible to deny that the direction our pop is cool. It’s less about the lyrics themselves music is heading promotes more nega- as it is about the culture it encourages.

The formative years are sensitive ones. We have been, and should still be, developing our own tastes, styles, beliefs and other philosophies on life.

We all remember those years in middle and high school. It’s a period when some may find it easier to just go along with whatever peers are doing, as well as the teen-queen-pop-princesses that have transformed the “Oops! I Did it Again!” culture we were raised in into the “Last Friday Night” and “S&M” musical cornucopia young kids are listening to today.

Moreover, the image of a popular artist is even more influential than their song lyrics alone. Whatever they’re singing about will be depicted through music videos, wardrobe choice, etc. So beyond just their choice of lyric, the artist’s portrayal of the idea presents it entirely and clearly, making it easier to emulate.

Another facet of said culture is the idea that the things we do while we’re intoxicated are hilarious and harmless.

While no one can deny that that’s very often true, there’s still a line between what’s funny and what is potentially harmful and could result in future consequences. But this line seems to blur at times… cue Katy again: “pictures of last night ended up online, I’m screwed… oh well!”

It’s been embedded in our heads many times over that online photos of illegal drinking or other such irresponsible behavior could cost someone their career. We’re all aware that education majors have to be particularly careful of anything leaking online. Unfortunately though, some may be more inclined to abide by what peers find acceptable regardless of being previously cautioned not to give employers explicit proof that you’re drinking illegally.

Overall, a few explicit song lyrics won’t be the reason for anyone’s demise. Culture will continue to evolve as time passes, as it always has, and as humans, we can only partially help what we find interesting and alluring.

However, with some messages presenting and justifying potentially harmful or offensive lifestyle choices, it’s important to remember what is and isn’t safe, and to always think for ourselves.

LGBT community

Prospective college students’ sexual orientation questioned Duc T. Dam Staff Writer

W

hen Elmhurst College, a private institution in Illinois, became the first college to include a section on their application asking prospective students if they are affiliated with any LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) clubs, it immediately caught the attention of the media. The College had no intention and took no action to stop the media.

Consequently, the four-year school became known nationwide. Many people, including the president as well as the director of the admissions office of Elmhurst College, thought that this was a breakthrough in institutions in the process of making gay people accepted by society. The admissions officer emphasized how welcoming Elmhurst’s diverse student body was to the LGBT community.

Elmhurst is known as an active and famous advocate for the gay community. Parents, who want their children to experience a diverse community, are likely to send their kids to Elmhurst. Other students, faculty and staff at well-known universities and colleges, such as those at Harvard University, who possess the same desire to create their own images as diverse institutions, are

following Elmhurst to include the section of LGBT community membership declaration request in their applications in the near future.

No one can deny the diversity of Elizabethtown College, but we are not creative enough to include that request in our application. Therefore, we missed the opportunity to be well-known across the nation like the private institution in Elmhurst, Ill. Elmhurst might save money on getting its name across the media in the tight economy.

The father of the idea should get some bonuses from the College and his idea should be an example in cost management textbooks. Some applicants might falsely define their sexual orientations and camouflage themselves as members of the LGBT community in order to enhance their personal chance of getting the diversity scholarships.

Gay rights are a hotly-debated topic, and there are diverse standpoints about this controversy.

Some people possess negative opinions about members of the LGBT community, whereas others are advocates for gay rights and then many are neutral.

Gay people are human beings; they have families, friends, jobs, hobbies, they love truths, and hate lies as all people do. No one is the

same; we are all different in some ways. For example, my hobbies can be different from my friends’. I like to listen to traditional Vietnamese music, which I grew up with, while my American friends love country music because it is part of the American culture.

Nevertheless, we are good friends because our characters are compatible with one another’s. With regards to long-term friendship, personality is much more imperative than anything else. Sexual orientation does not decide personality. Therefore, being gay does not mean that person is inherently degenerate. In addition, the decision to accept or reject an applicant by a college or university is based on the applicant’s academic ability as well as other achievements in the past. No school should enroll a gay applicant in order to make its student body.

Some people who are proud of being religiously devout have an extreme bias that gay people are immoral and evil. These people abuse, bully and hate gay people for being themselves. They disturb the tranquility of their community with bellicose actions such as protesting against gay rights.

Being gay is not a personal choice.

Ultimately, it is just a difference. Let’s treat it like other millions of differ-

ences in life and treat gay people the same.

When I brought up the incident at Elmhurst to Mr. Paul Cramer, vice president for enrollment at the Etown Admissions Office, he said that, from a demand perspective, Elmhurst was likely to receive a good bit of media attention with its decision to include sexual orientation/gender identity as an optional question on its application. The attention at the national level is likely to generate additional applicants for the school. According to Cramer, Elmhurst itself admits that the question might also dissuade some applicants. So, from a net application perspective (demand for Elmhurst), the plan has the potential to include as many applicants as it excludes.

Cramer thinks that from an applicant’s perspective, this plan sends a message about Elmhurst and its community. By including the question and suggesting affirmative responders are likely to receive positive support, it says something about the nature of the Elmhurst campus. That message also has the potential to be positively and negatively received by various audiences.

Again, the plan has the potential to include as many as it excludes.

He believes some effort to defining an institution’s position on

diversity is necessary and Elmhurst feels their approach was the best for their institution.

Cramer prefers Etown’s approach to inclusion much more. The Plan for Inclusive Excellence works at fostering a community that values all kinds of diversity (race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, ability, gender, gender identity and expression, age and national origin). In doing so, our College’s diversity helps to promote learning, academic excellence, global awareness, and a sense of social justice, human dignity and peace. By demonstrating our commitment to the Etown plan, Cramer believes we, as a community, limit exclusion and increase inclusion from both demand and applicants’ perspectives.

In my opinion, being gay is just a normal difference and members of the LGBT community are just like everybody else. Therefore, we ought not to mistreat, bully or abuse gay people. We love being ourselves and so do gay people. Members of the LGBT community are more accepted in society and therefore, I think Elmhurst and the media are over-emphasizing the importance of the request for the declaration of LGBT membership from the prospective students

Opinion

Etownian

The

January 26, 2011

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PUtyourRecordsOn On the turntable We Were Promised Jetpacks

By Genre Indie Rock Alexa N My rating Reach new heights with a band whose musical‑and lyrical‑ talent defy gravity . Visca

rdi

I could hear the sound of my brother’s electric guitar amplifier reverberating through the floorboards in his bedroom above the living room, where I was lying on the couch. So much for napping during winter break. My brother, who is currently a high school senior, has been involved with music for much of his life and plays lead guitar for one of the two bands in which he is involved.

At the end of this month, he will be performing in a “battle of the bands” type of competition at our high school. Mildly intrigued as to what he was playing (and also mildly annoyed, I will admit), I went upstairs to investigate.

“We Were Promised Jetpacks” he said, swiveling around in his desk chair to face me.

Similar to my brother’s band, We Were Promised Jetpacks, an Edinburgh, Scotland-based band comprised of four friends, entered a “battle of the bands contest” when they were in high school, back in 2003. The band won, and went on playing sets around their hometown before moving to Glasgow to launch their music career. We Were Promised Jetpacks toured North America in 2009 and 2010, and opened for Jimmy Eat World, after which their popularity steadily increased in the states, leading to the featuring of their song, “Quiet Little Voices” in the 2011 comedy film “Hall Pass.” starring Owen Wilson.

This hard-rocking band combines their full-bodied sound with incredibly

insightful lyrics, such as those found in their song, “Keeping Warm,” from the album “These Four Walls:” The chances of being born are so slim, So keep warm So keep warm.

And take some heart In being born At quite so young You can learn to talk and learn to walk In your own time You’re so young.

After hearing the song, my life felt so validated: it truly opened my eyes to a perspective on life I had never considered before, making for excellent rock.

While they might not have received the jetpacks they were promised, We Were Promised Jetpacks definitely holds up their end of the deal as musicians when providing an above-and-beyond music experience for their listeners.

politics

Voting youth stand politically misinformed Andrew S. Herm Staff Writer

I

don’t vote. I don’t support or look fondly upon politics. I think the fact that there is such a thing as a “professional politician” is a bit ludicrous. Therefore I will not be voting for the next president of the United States. But with that being said, I’m also able to admit that I don’t know all that there is to know about each individual politician who may be eligible for the next election—without all knowledge in regards to their agendas and professional political (sigh) history, I most definitely cannot make an educated, “correct” decision for whom I would vote.

When it comes to elections, the only time I see fit to exercise my right to vote is if I can

Voting is important because we fought for that privilege...To not use it would be a waste. I feel it’s your responsibility to be informed and to vote. ~ Tyler Kunkle be 100 percent behind a single candidate; anything less isn’t worth it. With that being said, my right to have the option to vote if I were so inclined is very important to me.

I’d hope that others share my view and refuse to vote until they feel they have all the information needed to make their decision,

Etown Comics

but that’s not always the case.

To gauge the very base of Elizabethtown College’s knowledge on the upcoming election, I printed out pictures of four of the GOP candidates: Newt Gingrinch, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul.

With pictures in hand, I randomly asked 15 Etown students if they could name any of the four candidates in the pictures. Only four students were able to correctly identify the candidates. After some number crunching, that means less than 27 percent of the students polled could properly identify their potential future president.

I’m not saying that these numbers accurately represent the Etown student body as a whole, but I think it shows that knowledge in regards to politics isn’t at a strong point, at least for the time being. Along with the picture test, I asked three Etown students about their feelings in regards to voting and the elections—whether they vote or not and what their attitudes are toward the process in general. All three students gave a different response when asked whether they vote: a “yes,” “no,” and an “I don’t know.”

Sophomore Tyler Kunkle shared, “Voting is important because we fought for that privilege … To not use it would be a waste.

I feel it’s your responsibility to be informed and to vote.”

So, unlike me, Kunkle does indeed exercise his right to vote, and it is heartening to see he believes that knowledge about candidates and the election season as a whole factor heavily into his decision. Kunkle’s classmate sophomore Jack Hess remarked that, whereas he is unsure as to his overall feeling toward elections and voting as a whole, he thinks it is important for people to be able to vote for a candidate they stand 100 percent behind—voting for a particular candidate instead of voting for the sake of being in opposition to another.

This to something known as “strategic voting,” where a person votes for someone or something that does not coincide with their personal beliefs or feelings completely

by Sarah M. Knight

in order to avoid an outcome they would deem as unfavorable. This could be seen as voting for the lesser of two evils, and happens often during elections where there are only two major party candidates for a certain position or office.

For instance, in this coming election, you may have people voting either Republican or Democrat because they don’t want to see a member of the opposing party in office.

Often these voters don’t even belong to one of the two major parties, but they don’t feel as if their beliefs or values are represented either strongly enough or at all on the political stage, at least on a federal level in the United States.

Strategic voting is one of the worst ways to exercise your right to be, or not to be, a voter in our political system. By voting for someone out of what could be viewed as spite aimed at a different candidate, voters can and will end up electing officials who don’t have the genuine support of the people.

Once in office, the candidate attempts to fulfill his or her political agenda, which was most likely highlighted during the campaign trail. He or she will be opposed by not only people who voted for another candidate, but a portion of the people who voted for that candidate because they didn’t actually support their proposed agenda in the first place.

From this, problems and unrest arise, leading to political and social tension, finger-pointing, and in more recently publicized events on Wall Street and other major cities in the country, anger.

These points alone are reason enough for people to avoid voting unless they are absolutely positive they stand behind every single point for which a particular politician may stand. Unless you’re informed, you can only potentially end up hurting yourself, and in the most drastic case, you could contribute to widespread dissent if you vote just to vote or out of spite. It seems as if, especially in the case of voting during election time, knowledge is power.

9

Editor-in-Chief Ross M. Benincasa Managing Editor Emily M. Reigart Assistant Editor Brianna E. Wiest News Editor Huntley C. McGowan Features Editor Joseph S. Klinger Campus Life Editor Vanessa L. Andrew Opinion Editor Allison M. Rohland Sports Editor Alexis L. Morris Photography Editor Matthew P. Butera Copy Editor Elizabeth A. Enwright Layout Editor Craig H. Meaney Illustrator Sarah M. Knight Asst. News Editor Jessica L. Swank Asst. Features Editor Agnetha C. Serrame Asst. Campus Life Editor Shana M. Mihovics Asst. Opinion Editor Ellen C. Wilson Asst. Sports Editor Jordyn M. Howe Asst. Photography Editor Jacqueline E. Quidort Asst. Copy Editors Joanna P. Gruber Tara B. Hayes Shannon E. McNamee Amanda R. Shank Fact Checkers Stéfon J. Marquette Danielle M. Mitchell Business Manager Benjamin L. Frey Asst. Business Manager Amy M. Berdanier Advertising Manager Chelsea A. Benson Advertising Reps Trevor N. Bower Jennifer A. Hughes Krystal A. Talley Faculty Adviser Kelly L. Poniatowski The Etownian is the student newspaper of Elizabethtown College. All editorial decisions are made by the student editors. With the exception of editorials, opinions presented here are those of quoted sources or signed authors, not of the Etownian or the College.

The Etownian is published most Thursdays during the academic year by Susquehanna Printing.

Submissions to the Etownian are always welcomed.

We will make every effort to print submissions, but we do not promise publication. Submit letters to EDITOR@ etown.edu.

The

10 Etownian

Sports

January 26, 2011

Sports

basketball

Etownian

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January 26, 2011

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Women remain at third seed with strong conference play Second half scoring spree pushes Blue Jays to 72-53 win against Alvernia Crusaders Erin E. McLaughlin Staff Writer

eventually led to LVC defeating Etown by six points, with a score of 51-45.

LVC continued to be undefeated with a record of 5-0 in the Commonwealth he Elizabethtown College womConference. Despite the loss, Etown en’s basketball team faced two put up a good challenging games last week. fight and can only The first game was held on be proud of their Wednesday against Lebanon accomplishments Valley College and the second so far this season. on Saturday against Alvernia Kauffman University. Both games were expected nothplayed in the Blue Jays’ home ing less from her territory in Thompson Gym. team on SaturThe team knew the game day’s game against on Wednesday, Jan. 18 against Alvernia.

Lebanon Valley would be a The first half challenge. The Blue Jays, who of the game was have improved greatly since fairly steady, leavlast season, eagerly awaited the ing the score 40game against the undefeated 33 with an AlverFlying Dutchmen. nia lead. At the The Blue Jays followed closely start of the second behind Lebanon Valley’s lead half, the Blue Jays the entire game, proving to be a threat to the Dutchmen. “You Photo: Matthew P. Butera made a comeback can’t fault the team for not hav- Junior Nadine Yuninger dishes off a pass to sophomore through their ing a heart, we were undersized Kendra Beittel in their game against Lebanon Valley. Despite teamwork on the compared to them but we really a good team effort, the Blue Jays were unable to win against court. Etown proceeded to score 39 stuck with them,” Etown’s Head the undefeated Dutchmen.

T

Coach Yvonne Kauffman said.

With two minutes left in the game, the score was tied 43 to 43. By the end of the game LVC had made 22 foul shots, while Etown only made five. This

points while Alvernia scored 13 points, leading to an Etown victory of 72-53 against the Alvernia Crusaders. Etown women’s basketball now holds a Commonwealth Conference record of 4-2.

Perhaps the team’s key to success this season lies within each of the players. Each player brings something different to the table but on the court they work cohesively. “The high scorers are different each game. Players who come off the bench and replace the starters can often make up for the person they fill in for,” Kauffman explained. “It’s nice to have a team like this my last year.”

The team had plenty of bonding time while on a trip to tropical San Juan, Puerto Rico Dec. 16 through Dec. 22. The women played two games and set the tone for the rest of the season by bringing home two wins. “Spending 6 days in San Juan really allowed us to get to know each other better. From hiking through the rain forest, snorkeling, touring Old San Juan and playing basketball in an entirely different atmosphere against teams we’ve never seen

before, allowed us to form great memories as a team,” sophomore guard Kendra Beittel said.

While most Etown students were home on winter break, the women’s basketball team was preparing for their games against Albright and Widener. Both games brought victory to the Blue Jays. Etown crushed Albright with a score of 70-42 and defeated Widener 55-46.

Kauffman and her team have high hopes for the rest of the season. “I think our biggest goal is to make it into playoffs this year. We were one spot short of playoffs last year,” Beittel said. The team’s bond, teamwork and practice can be seen through the results of the season so far. “Our team can go against anyone.

If playing well, we can beat them. The team is always ready to bring their A-game,” Kauffman said confidently.

There is no doubt the women expect to see more wins in their future.

The Etown women’s basketball team will play their next home game against Arcadia on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. in Thompson Gym.

ice hockey

Comeback win starts new year, team aspires to make playoffs Jordyn M. Howe Asst. Sports Editor

T

he Elizabethtown College ice hockey club hopes to skate their way to victory after a rough start in the beginning of the season.

After a nail-biting win against their Messiah rivals, the Etown ice hockey club was down by two going into the third period, but scored an impressive four goals during the third period. The club left the rink with a score of 6-4 over the Falcons, a game the team entered with much anticipation.

“Hopefully this successful start to the new year and second half of the season leads to more positive results on the ice,” sophomore Andrew Herm said.

A new year with fresh faces gives the club hope that the season will end on a high note.

“Hockey is a fun experience for all involved — I’ve brought a few of my friends along to our games, and since then, they’ve wanted to come see every game they can. It’d be nice to generate enough fan interest throughout the student body so that we could push to become an NCAA sport at the college,” Herm continued.

Dedicated fans of the club attend the games with high energy and enjoy supporting their fellow students. A cheering section, made up of friends, roommates and classmates, can be found at every Etown hockey game.

“Having gone to as many games as I could make over the past Upcoming dates for the ice hockey club’s games are Jan. 30 at few years, I’ve really enjoyed seeing the team grow and work their 9:25 p.m and Feb. 2 at 10:30 p.m. at Twin Ponds East in Harrisway one goal at a time to their current standing,” said senior Chris burg. The team’s full schedule can be found at www.twinponds.

Tjaden said. “My favorite games to experience are the ones against com/hockey/ps.htm under the American league.

Messiah because the energy displayed from both the team and the fans is unparalleled and makes for a great game. If anyone out there hasn’t been to a game, I highly recommend going!”

According to the group’s mission statement: “Our goal is to bring hockey to Elizabethtown College as a club sport.

Our ultimate goal is to become a Varsity Sport for the college. For now, we hope to build a following and allow students to play ice hockey at a non-competitive level, learn the skills of the game, and all together, have fun enjoying a sport.”

The club plays at Twin Ponds East Rink in Harrisburg or Twin Ponds West Rink in Mechanicsburg. The Jays’ games are held on weeknights at varying times ranging from 7:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m.

“My hope for the rest of the season is that as a team and myself, we improve and that we can make it into [the] Courtesy Photo playoffs,” sophomore Robert Graham said. “If I could tell the student population one thing about the club it’s that The team celebrates a comeback win over the Messiah Falcons. we are a group that loves the sport and would love to play After trailing 4-2 after the second period, Etown scored four goals to seal the victory.

Division III for the school.”

wrestling

Recent victories boost Blue Jays into NWCA national rankings Jacob K. Moore Staff Writer Alexis L. Morris Sports Editor

T

he National Wrestling Coaches Association announced this Tuesday that the Elizabethtown College Blue Jays are now ranked 21 in Division III. Key wins over ranked opponents, No. 25 Centenary and No. 26 Stevens Tech, were crucial to achieving this accomplishment. Junior Tye Boyer has also broken into the national rankings as he is seventh in the 149 lb. class.

Over winter break, Etown defeated New York University, Plymouth State University and Gettysburg College at the NYU Quad meet Jan. 14. Then, on Jan. 18, Etown used the strength of five major decision victories to defeat Stevens Tech 23-18, making the team’s current record 8-4.

Head Coach Eric Walker explained the keys of success that the team is currently using and the importance of those keys. The one word that Walker also used is “chemistry.” He emphasized, “From last year’s team to this year’s team the chemistry did a 360.” The reason why the team saw such a big change is because there

SPORTS BUZZ

this week’s top sports headlines

in the NCAA...

The University of Oregon’s football team will have at least one more year to capture a BCS title game under Head Coach Chip Kelly. Kelly turned down an offer from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because he has “unfinished business to complete” at Oregon.

The Syracuse Orange’s undefeated streak and number one ranking in men’s basketball came to an end Saturday night after a defeat by the University of Notre Dame, 67-58.

The Lady Volunteers suffered one of their worst defeats against the Fighting Irish, putting up an embarrassing all-time low of 44 points.

Shooting guard Skylar Diggins hit five three-pointers, effectively jumpstarting Notre Dame’s offense. The previous low for Tennessee, 46 points, has not been touched since 1976.

was more teamwork overall this year than last year. The importance of chemistry for a team can make a difference when it is that last match and everybody on the team is up cheering. That enthusiasm can determine a win.

At the NYU Quad meet, four of Etown’s wrestlers went undefeated for all three matches: senior Will Bentley, sophomore Nick Grimm, Boyer and first-year Dylan Carmichael. Walker stated, “Throughout the whole match you can tell the chemistry of the team was there.”

The Blue Jays finished the day with a 33-12 victory over Plymouth State, a 26-12 win over NYU and a final win against the Gettysburg

in the pros...

Prince Fielder’s free agency has made him $214 million richer, he recently signed a nine-year deal with the Detriot Tigers. This is only the fourth time in baseball history that a contract has exceeded $200 million.

Tiger Woods, along with other top golfers Roy McIlroy and Lee Westwood, will be making his first appearance this season overseas in the United Arab Emirates at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The purse, a meager $2.7 million, is not the draw for Tiger and Co. — perhaps it is the estimated $5 million appearance fee.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is not only in the midst of a huge personnel change, but he has also stated that the franchise is pursuing a new quarterback. Peyton Manning is still recuperating from the neck injury that kept him sidelined this season, but Irsay stated that regardless of Manning’s status, they plan on drafting either Stanford’s Andrew Luck or Baylor’s Robert Griffin. Meanwhile, Eli Manning seems to be finally stepping out of his older brother’s shadows, as he once again hopes to thwart Tom Brady out of a Super Bowl win.

Bullets, 28-15.

Etown battled back and forth with the Stevens Ducks in their meet last week. With only two weight classes left, Stevens had a close 18-15 lead, but superior, clutch performances from Carmichael and senior Bill Meaney gave Etown the win.

Even though the Messiah match was not until Jan. 21, the team trained hard for this match for a considerable time. The team came back early from their winter break so they could get back in shape. Walker described these tough workouts as “cardio, cardio, cardio! Something they hate very much.” The reason they did so much running is because they put weight on at home over break and they have to meet their weight class prior to each match.

Although the results of the Messiah Open do not count toward Etown’s record, the Blue Jays still considered it to be an important match because the Falcons are a rival team. Walker’s intense winter workouts gave the team an extra boost for this match.

Sophomore Kyle McNulty finished third in the 125 lb. bracket, while first-year Jordan Moser, 157, and sophomore Michael Henning, 133, both reached the semi-finals for their brackets. During Moser’s run, he upset both the third and sixth seeds, who attend Messiah and Lycoming College, respectively.

If the wrestling team demonstrates their team workout and chemistry, the 8-4 record can most definitely turn into a 9-4 record. The team will head to Illinois this Friday to compete in the two-day Pete Willson Invitational at Wheaton College. There they will face off against several schools, including the Wheaton Thunder and Messiah.

The

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Etownian

port S S

January 26, 2011

Game Recaps • Previews • Commentary • Bios

basketball

Blue Jays troubled by inconsistent performance

Athletes achieve crucial win against Lebanon Valley, fall to Alvernia Heather N. Mertz Staff Writer

W

ith the playoffs quickly approaching, the Elizabethtown College men’s basketball team has just about a month to finish the 2011-2012 season. This season has had its fair share of victories and losses. Currently, the Blue Jays have an overall record of 6-10 and 2-4 in their conference.

Over winter break, the team lost their games to Eastern University and Albright University while succeeding against Gwynedd-Mercy College and Widener University, leaving the Blue Jays with a record of 5-9. A much needed victory against Lebanon Valley College on Jan. 18 proved the men’s basketball team was prepared for the playoffs.

“The victory against Lebanon Valley kept us in pace for the playoffs,” Head Coach Bob Schlosser said, “and I believe they’re ready.”

The team’s speed and depth in the second half catapulted Etown to victory in last Wednesday’s game. Nearly eight minutes into the game, the Dutchmen and Blue Jays were tied with 16 points. Etown sophomore Joe Schwalm collected the first points of the night for the team, followed by fellow sophomore Andrew Mantz with six points of his own. Neither school held the lead for too long as it switched several times throughout the first half. The Blue Jays led 3532 at halftime.

The Dutchmen finally gained back the lead at the 2:50 mark after a closely-matched game.

Etown reestablished the lead with points generated by Mantz, Schwalm, first-year Will Schlosser and senior Kyle McConnell.

According to Schlosser, the victory against Lebanon Valley was a result of their tenacious

defense applying more intensity and that the team as a whole has been improving.

“The defensive effort was the best this year,” Schlosser said.

Schwalm commented on the win, labeling the game against Lebanon Valley as “a big rivalry and that added some extra motivation.”

This victory left the team tied for the fourth spot in order to make the playoffs.

This past Saturday, Etown faced off against Alvernia University.

At the beginning of the game, the teams were neck-and-neck. However, Alvernia junior Josh Vargas changed the game during a 24-2 run near the end of the first half.

The Crusaders held the lead at 40Photo: Matthew P. Butera 19 come halftime.

Sophomore Andrew Mantz looks to lay up an easy shot In order to extinguish the gap, over the outstretched hand of an Alvernia defender during the Blue Jays attempted a combiSaturday’s game. Despite the loss, the team maintained a nation of lineups. Etown first-year positive outlook for the rest of the season.

Lee Eckert brought the score to on the road,” Eckert said.

59-42 in the second half with a Senior captains Dan Silver and McConnell pair of free throws. Out of 58 attempted shots, Etown finished with just 17 for the evening. The set the tone for the rest of the team. “It starts final score resulted in Alvernia winning 80-52. with them,” Schlosser said. Both captains play No matter which team they are up against, major roles on and off the court that contribute the Blue Jays practice the same way. After Sat- to the team’s unity.

Also, McConnell reached a career benchurday’s game left Lebanon Valley and Alvernia ahead in the conference, Etown continues to mark during the game against Alvernia. The focus on their execution rather than worrying Etown senior acquired a team-best three assists, about the other teams. This strategy helps the which gave McConnell 305 total assists in his career. This tied him for tenth all-time in program team improve through the season.

Like any other team, the goal for the Blue history. In order to head to the playoffs, the Blue Jays is to reach the playoffs. “I think the main Jays will need to continue to stay confident and thing for making a playoff run [is] getting wins focus on one game at a time.

Schedule of Sports Wrestling

January 28: @ Wheaton Pete Wilson Invitational

Swimming January 28: @ King’s

Men’s Basketball January 28: Arcadia February 1: @ Widener

Women’s Basketball January 28: Arcadia February 1: @ Widener

Indoor Track/Field January 28: @ Bison Open and Multi, Bucknell University

the Etownian’s

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Quint Eno

Alexis L. Morris Sports Editor Photo: Matthew P. Butera

Junior Chris Nelson plunges into the pool to compete in the 100 butterfly. The Blue Jays were unable to capture a victory for their seniors for the team’s last home meet.

swimming

Team falls to 3-4 in conference Anastasia E. Frees Staff Writer

L

ast week was tough on the Elizabethtown College swim team. On Tuesday, Jan. 17, the Blue Jays lost against Albright College in a Middle Atlantic Conference meet.

According to first-year Frank Capria, “The team figured the meet would be a loss because Albright has a bigger swim team and they are more competitive.” Capria competes in the distance freestyle, butterfly and individual medley.

Even though the team lost, the participants did have individual achievements. The men’s 200 medley set a new best time of 1:48:22.

Junior Ryan Hannon also swam a personal best of 2:10:83 in the 200-yard backstroke.

This was nearly three seconds faster than his previous time.

The women’s team did not get the outcome for which it was hoping: they lost 118-84 to the Lions. The women knew that Albright was going to be a tough team to beat, but they were hoping to keep a close meet and try for personal bests. Tara Deisher, a first-year who competes in distance freestyle, breaststroke and the individual medley, said, “A lot of people got best times and did well individually.”

Like the men’s team, there were individual accomplishments. Deisher set her new best time in the 200 freestyle. In the 200 medley senior Autumn Phillips, sophomore Abby Mitchell, sophomore Megan Leary and junior Erika Harold had a time of 2:04:67.

Before going into the next meet, the swim team was 3-3 in the conference. On

Saturday, Jan. 21, the Blue Jays hosted Widener University. This was an important match because Etown and Widener are in the same conference. Not only was this an important conference match, but it was also Etown’s senior night; it was the last time competing at home for four seniors.

Overall, Widener came out on top. For the Blue Jays, junior Shaun Martin won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:07. Hannon achieved a new best time in the 100 backstroke with a time of 58:05.

Meanwhile, on the women’s side, first-year Hunter Smith swam her best time in the 200 fly with a mark of 2:37.97. Harold captured first place and had her best time this season in the 100 freestyle with a 56.91. Deisher said, “We just wanted to have fun for the seniors since it was their last home meet.”

The Blue Jays are now 3-4 in the conference following the loss versus Widener. Deisher said that the upperclassmen are pleased with how the team is doing this season. “The coaches work the team hard, and the team is doing well and times are improving,” she said.

Capria, when discussing the conference, said, “We’ve had wins against Arcadia, a good team, Lebanon Valley and FarleighDickinson, but have had agonizing losses to Messiah, Lycoming, Albright and Widener.”

The Blue Jays still have more meets ahead of them, including Kings College and McDaniel next week. A win against Kings would help their record in the MAC. According to Capria, “Right now, we are keeping our ground in the MAC conference, and hope to have more success at the championship meet.”

Senior Quint Eno has been dominating his opponents during his last season of wrestling at Elizabethtown College. Competing in the 165 lb. weight class, Eno is currently 13-3 overall and as of Jan. 18, is ranked first for the Metro Conference 165 lb. class on d3wrestle.com. Eno has also captured two championship titles for his weight class this season: at the Messiah Invitational and at the York Invitational.

Photo: Matthew Heffelfinger

Q&A Major/Concentration: Marketing Hometown: Elizabethtown Favorite musician/band: Anything, whatever suits the mood.

Favorite athlete/sports team: Henry Tucker/The Blue Jay wrestling team.

Biggest fear: Letting down the people closest to me In 10 years, I want to be … settled down.

Favorite movie: “Good Will Hunting” Greatest Etown accomplishment: Passing marketing management Favorite place to visit: The beach Favorite holiday: Fourth of July Greatest wrestling accomplishment: Bronze Medal at AAU Junior Olympics/Qualifying for state tournament I started wrestling at age ... five.