the
Herald By and for the students of Hobart and William Smith Colleges
GENEVA, NY
FRIDAY, november 14, 2008
VOLUME CXXX ISSUE 16
I Just Wanna Dance Will the Re-Opening of Heavy’s Be Enough to Salvage the HWS Social Scene? By Alex Haack Herald Contributor For those seniors and few juniors that remember a time of The Holiday, Heavy’s, when it wasn’t too crowded, and fraternities that were not on social probation, it has become apparent now that the social scene at HWS has drastically changed. Students, especially underclassmen, need a safe outlet where they can relax and socialize on the weekends. This semester, off-campus house parties
alcohol. These situations become tricky when students of age decide to invite their friends over to have a drink and enjoy themselves in a safe environment. Senior Kim White, a resident of Odell’s, experienced such a situation when freshmen students entered her unit, took alcohol and left. White said there are consequences of underage students taking beer from her unit. For example, had they
Step Into Hip~NotiQLand By Belinda Littlefield ’ 11 Layout Editor Upon first viewing of the group without any prior knowledge of any of its members, their confident struts and loud stomping could be intimidating. However, Hip~NotiQ’s is about more than just stepping and hip-hop beats. This is a group that is “the most racially diverse performing group on campus” said Katie Taylor, a three semester member of the step group. Despite the small number of performers, the group is very inclusive; while not all members may perform, they’re all a part of the Hip~NotiQ’s family simply by virtue of joining. Hip~NotiQ’s was initially founded in 2004 by then sophomores Chequira Christie and Sadé Jones, making this the fifth year that the step team has been a part of the HWS community. Although this ensemble dominates the stage, their hearts take precedence. Hip~NotiQ’s hosts an annual performance held at Geneva Middle School as a way
to reach out to the community and raise money for a local charity, usually within the Geneva community. This year, the group’s annual performance will take place on Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. at Geneva Middle School. So, what can one expect out of a Hip~NotiQ’s performance? This year is one of a kind in that the choreography is a collaborative effort of Hip~NotiQ’s performing members. In previous years, one of the members was given the job of dance choreographer but this year the group decided to do something different. The result is a mix of Reggae, Hip-Hop, belly dancing, and stepping. Different types of dance backgrounds are represented in the choreography and are further highlighted by their costumes, which are based on similar elements but HIP~NOTIQ’S continued on Page 2
Phi Sigma Kappa Seeks its Charter This Year
Heavy’s New Home on Exchange Street in Geneva. and Odell’s have had to in a sense ‘hold down the fort’ until these other outlets return. But will they? Since both Delta Chi and Chi Phi are on social probation and with Heavy’s, the only 18 to enter, 21 to drink bar downtown, closed, where are all these underclassmen supposed to go? In the beginning of the year, freshmen students answered this question by flooding Odell’s units, searching for a place to socialize other than their dorm rooms. Since there is really no outlet for most underclassmen, many have resorted to stealing alcohol from students of age. Odell’s residents have reported that underclassmen, specifically first years, were venturing down to the area, walking into their parties and taking
been caught for underage drinking and claimed to have found the alcohol in her unit, “what happens when the police or security start asking questions? That makes me legally liable for a situation that is already out of hand.” White was not alone in her concerns. Since fraternities have been placed on various levels of social probation, specifically Delta Chi and Chi Phi, people at HWS have been forced to find other alternative social outlets.
By Karissa Seeberger ’ 12 Opinions Editor If you can say aloha, then you fundraiser events planned, such as will be ready for the reopening of Phi a Jello wrestling competition and a Sigma Kappa once they are officially three-on-three basketball tournament. chartered next semester. The According to President Michael D’Urso Hawaiian luau is a grand tradition of ’09, “Getting chartered isn’t the end, it 50 years that is not to be meddled with. just presents more opportunities.” So It is the way to kick off their social Phi Sigma has ambitious goals to stay season. The common theme regarding actively involved in the community this about-to-be-chartered fraternity and very much so engaged in the is that they bring new concepts and charity department, as many of the untraditional ideas to the table, while proceeds go to their national charity still keeping a connection with the organization, the Special Olympics. past. It is a fraternity with a heart Phi Sigma Kappa claims and, as Julian LoPresti ’09, a founding to offer a different type of brother member, put it, “If anything at all, and aspires to be different than any we want to be known for our service other frat on campus, which might in the community.” They expect to explain the rush event they held at the organize four to five charity events beginning of the semester with the each semester, and have already been giant soapy water slide. Instead of just very involved in the community. They joining an already established are currently tabling and preparing for the 5K charity run, the Turkey Trot, PHI SIG continued on Page 4 and have many future unconventional
HEAVY’S continued on Page 2
Newly Created Blog Provides HWS Students with More Than Gossip By Sarah Amundson Herald Contributor What have you heard? The bishopsear.blogspot. com is a new source of Hobart and William Smith-related gossip and news. It is an anonymous, student-run Web site dedicated to informing the students about HWS happenings. The site is run by “Johnny Somebody” and, unlike juicycampus.com, which attacks individual students, offers information that the ‘founding fathers’ feel could benefit the entire student body, which they state in their creed: “This is a blog about the Colleges for the Colleges. The Founding Fathers’ intentions were such: to bring forward the news that some people prefer to keep under the rug; a place for students to freely communicate with one another; a place for information to be passed, particularly benefiting or concerning the students; a place to just know what’s going on around you and your friend’s lives.” Though sometimes poorly written, the site presents some valuable information. However, be wary, reading this site could make nearly anyone paranoid. Johnny Somebody alleges that “this school reads all fraternity pledge’s e-mails on their hws.edu accounts. They are reading the student’s e-mails to monitor and potentially stop all illegal pledge activities.” No one would comment as to the veracity of that statement. On the site there is valuable information, not only about school policies, but also about changes in New York state law. For example, even drivers age 21 and older can be cited for a Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) if their BAC is between 0.05 and 0.08. Another post urges readers to know their rights, specifically their 4th amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures. Other
articles address a recent rush for off-campus housing and the school’s presence at fraternity functions. It is Johnny’s hope that students use this information to their advantage and that students become more involved in the project. The site was created from what Johnny felt was a void of information for students free from administration interference, “I would say that I created it because I wanted to create a place for students to hear from other students or be aware of what the administration is doing that might be infringing on students rights. I was not sure about my original intent, maybe just spread student awareness of what is going on around campus. Now, as more people are looking at it, I am trying to make the entire campus more involved. I don’t exactly know what that means for the future and I am very curious and excited with the potential of the site.” Ultimately, the site does not attack the students of Hobart and William Smith the way other ‘gossip’ sites might, but it relays information it deems necessary and beneficial for the student body. However, as Steven Owens ’10 points out, “Some of the articles are interesting, some are more random. It comes off mostly as a point-of-view blog on our campus. Anonymity has its perks, in that you can make vocal observations in the guise of general opinion. That guise will always accurately portray at least one opinion on this campus.” These are the opinions of a single or a small group of students, and as good as the intentions may be they should be treated as such.
The Herald Inside
CAMPUS HAPPENINGS
Herald Staf f Course Picks
Dysfunctional Frater nity Life
Students Celebrate Obama V ictor y
Career Ser vices W inter Oppor tunities
OPINIONS
An Obama Presidency
Dwayne Lucas
A R T S A N D E N T E R TA I N M E N T
Ar t Show Review
V ideo Game Review: Spore
Gar field Minus Gar field
SPOR TS
T h i s We e k I n S p o r t s
B A C K PA G E
Pictures from Centennial