Students, resident life differ on housing renovations

While many students welcome the proposed changes to the houses, residents of Xavier Hall complain that new tile floors will result in higher damage charges to their accounts. They also want repairs to the building's heating system.

by Benjamin Lunn assistant news editor

Resident life's idea of renovations to the houses and dorms seems to contradict those of the students, especially in Xavier Hall.

Resident life has submitted its requests of what it would like to see done to the houses and dorms during the summer and, at least in some cases, students say it's not enough.

Summer is coming, and the time has arrived for resident life to submit its requests for renovations of housing to the board of trustees. Many of the changes are welcome in the houses, but in Xavier Hall, the students want more.

In Xavier, resident life has requested that new lighting be put in the great room, and that new security screens are installed on the windows on the first floor. Students, however, have their own ideas about what needs to be done.

Many students had no problem rattling off a long list of what they wanted changed in Xavier. At the top of the list was the new tiling. The majority of students stated that they would prefer to have the rooms carpeted, citing the expense of billing for scuffs when they move out.

Cathy Caulfield, director of resident life, said that the there would be no excess charges for "normal wear and tear" to the tiles. She also stated that in the end, replacing a single scuffed tile would be cheaper than pulling up an entire carpet for one stain. She told students not to worry about the natural scratches that will occur with moving.

Another major notch on the list of complaints about Xavier was the heating system. Christopher Swift, a first-year student, was but one of many who complained about the temperature in Xavier. In reply to this, Caulfield said that something may possibly be looked into when the system needs to be replaced. However, for the time being, the mechanics of the heating system falls under the job of facilities.

"Everything from the walls in is the responsibility of resident life," Caulfield said. "From the walls to the outside belongs to facilities."

Aside from those in Xavier, many students in the houses are getting the renovations that they wished for. Most students complained about the overall appearance of the houses.

Shannon Downs, a junior, was just one of the many who felt that the houses needed to be painted and refurbished.

For the most part, those requests have not fallen upon deaf ears. Most of the houses will be getting new carpeting and paint jobs.

Maguire House, also known as house one, will begin with Phase II this summer. Like the Dixon House (house two),

Maguire's entrance will be turned to face the main campus.

In addition to moving the entrance from the rear, Phase II will see siding put up on the house, doorways will be changed within the house and the bathrooms will be redone. The other house getting a complete renovation will be Sullivan House, also known as house seven.

With the exception of Lanshe House, all of the others will at least be getting paint jobs. Most will also get carpeting, and house four will get new furniture.

The only house not getting anything done to it will be Lanshe House. According to resident life, that house was renovated last summer.

Caulfield stresses that these changes are not set in stone. These renovations are what she requested, along with her budget for next year.

There are no guarantees that she will get to do all of the renovations that she wants.

"Octo her Sky" **** (out of a possible four stars)

by Tony Barrett staff writer

During spring break, I saw the movie "October Sky." To the average man, this may appear to be a "chick flick." I can tell you first hand that this movie is phenomenal. This movie is funny and dramatic. I was crying like a baby by the end of it.

"October Sky" is set in 1957 in Coalwood, W.Va., a coal mining town. The way of life in Coalwood is that when people graduate from high school, they work in the mines for the rest of their lives. There is not much chance for succeeding in life unless you are a great football player.

"October Sky" is based on the true story of Homer Hickem and his friends, Odell, Quentin and Roy Lee. Homer, portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal, has always been in the shadow of his brother, who is the state's best football player. Homer has never been book smart. When he sees the Russian rocket Sputnik streak over the October sky, however, he is inspired to build one of his own. Since Homer does not know where to begin, he needs the help of Quentin (Chris Owen), who is the smartest and biggest geek in Coalwood High. Now Homer and Quentin are on their way to completing their dream. Roy Lee (William Lee Scott) and Odell (Chad Lindberg) join the team for support. The boys pull their supplies together and are ready to make a rocket.

The father of Homer, John Hickem, who is played by Chris Cooper, is the leader of the coal mine. John wants Homer to work in the mines after graduation, but Homer has bigger things on his mind. Homer wants to go to college and to get out of Coalwood. The only way Homer can go to college is to get a football scholarship or win the state science fair to get money for college. Since Homer does not play football, the science fair is his only hope. John Hickem always gives his son Homer the cold shoulder and does not seem to love him like a father should.

The boys become aware of the science fair through their teacher, Miss Reiley, who is played by Laura Dem. Miss Reiley gives the boys moral support and keeps them working towards their dream when their situations look bleak. Miss Reiley seems to be the only person in town who believes in the boys and in their chance to go to college.

After fine-tuning their rockets, blowing many rockets up and even going to jail because of the rockets, the boys enter the state fair.

The relationship between Homer and his father John gets solid.

This movie is a "chick flick" for guys. I was reduced to tears by the end of this movie and I do not normally cry during movies. I even caught my father with a tear rolling down his face. I am really glad I saw this movie with my father by my side. "October Sky" has to be one of the best movies of this year, if not the century. I strongly recommend you go see it. It is well worth the money.

"Analyze This"

by Adam Greenberg

In the pantheon of movie mobsters, few actors can claim as many hits as Robert DeNiro. Fellow "Godfather" alumnus Al Pacino is the only other actor who could possibly deserve to be called "the Don" of film gangsters, but for many DeNiro is the one.

Portraying that familiar role of a made man might seem tiresome, given DeNiro's body of work.

In the new movie "Analyze Thisi' it is hilarious.

DeNiro teams up with Billy Crystal, a comic actor whose most memorable performance in recent years has been as host of the Academy Awards. While Crystal is in fine form, it is DeNiro's performance that wins the most laughs.

As the notorious Paul Vitti, DeNiro plays a gangster with problems that he cannot simply whack. Anxiety and panic attacks plague Vitti, and,with an upcoming meeting of all the big bosses, he needs to get help fast.

Through an unlikely set of circumstances, Vitti hooks up with Billy Crystal"s psychiatrist, Ben Sobol.

When Vitti pushes his way into Sobol's office and asks for advice, the psychiatrist is clearly intimidated. Believing that he has been cured after one meeting, Vitti leaves the office, only to discover his problems require more than a little attention. The mobster proceeds to interrupt Sobol's life on a regular basis, in search of counsel.

The movie's climax involves the big meeting, with bosses descending on the site from all across the country. It is in these scenes that Crystal's comedic talent is best put to use.

With "Analyze This," director Harold Ramis ("Caddyshack," "Groundhog Day") has produced one of the most consistently funny comedies in recent memory. While the film might be a little too long towards the end, the characters are so appealing that a little extra time is not such a bad thing.

In a cast that includes such big name stars like DeNiro and Crystal, as well as ·'Friends" star Lisa Kudrow (as Sobol's significant other), it would seem difficult for anyone else to shine.

However, Joe Viterelli, as one of DeNiro's thugs, steals many of the scenes in which he appears. As Jelly, his delivery and somewhat dopey "Okay, boss" attitude makes the character, who is after all, a criminal, rather endearing.

As a genre, mob movies are as much a fixture in cinema as the western or the war epic. Audiences' longtime fascination with organized crime films started with "The Godfather" and has continued in recent films, such as "Goodfellas" and"Donnie Brasco." While other films have attempted to poke fun at these movies, for example, last year's "Mafia!,"none have been suft _ficie~~Y,~i-!_lg._ .~ the presen~ ?f_DeN~, .goodfella, "An~yze, This" successfully shoots holes in the mobster mythos with rapid-fire laughs.

Stretch Princess, The Marvelous 3 and Eve 6 The Theater of the Living Arts

Saturday, Feb. 27

by Nick Luchko staff writer

It was a night of threes. There were three bands. They each consisted of three members. They played for three hours.

The Theater of the Living Arts was rocked by the music of Eve 6, The Marvelous 3 and Stretch Princess, who played before a sold out crowd on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Stretch Princess was a band that did not feed the wants of the crowd. Their monotone voice and annoying occurrence of constantly breaking their guitar strings brought the crowd to an average response.

Marvelous 3 then exploded onto the stage with great music, constantly jumping up and down with their guitars.

The Atlanta-based band delivered great songs, from "Every Monday" to their radio-friendly hit "Freak of the Week," which elicited the loudest response from the jump-started crowd.

Lead singer Butch Walker's rendition of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" had the whole place filled with laughter and was the highlight of their performance.

Blacklights and rotating flies signaled the entrance of the headliner, Eve 6.

The band opened their performance with "Open Road Song," which deals with the life ahead after high school.

Lead singer Max Collins announced before the show that he had a case of bronchitis and that he would try his best to give the crowd its money's worth.

The crowd did not seem to mind Collins' illness, as the response to such popular hits as "Leech" and ''Inside Out" had everyone dancing and singing. Audience members were pulled onto the stage and delivered a solid act as well.

Collins came out at the end of the show in a pink wig and performed a rendition of "Leaving on a Jet Plane" that just capped off a night of greatness.

Movie director Stanley Kubrick, who passed away on Sunday, was responsible for such films as the science fiction classic 0 2001: A Space Odyssey," which was released in 1968.

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