July 23, 2008

SUMMER EDITION

NEWS: Campus construction

FEATURES: Summer of service trips

OPINION: No more admissions SATs

A&E: Emmy predictions, Heath Ledger’s Oscar?

SPECIAL PROJECTS: Elon in L.A.

SPORTS: summer youth sports camps

The Pendulum |

ELON, NORTH CAROLINA

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2008

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VOLUME 34, EDITION 19

www.elon.edu/pendulum

Lighthouse’s future made more clear Ashley Barnas Summer Editor

When students head over to Lighthouse in September, the same logo will be on the side of the building, but they’ll walk up a ramp, present an ID and Phoenix card, order bar food prepared by ARAMARK, listen to live bands,

what REMAINS • The name Lighthouse Tavern • Idea that Lighthouse is a social pace with alcohol • Appearance is the same but refurbished to create a nicer environment: new lighting fixtures, new chairs • Logo outside will be repainted as is • Stage enlarged slightly and logo put back on new stage

karaoke or WSOE broadcast live, and sit at an extended bar on what appears to be the same seats but are actually new. Elon is striving to give Lighthouse the same look and feel as the tavern that students and alumni have known for so long, while changing the programming, management and other aspects for the better based primarily on concerns voiced by students.

what CHANGES • Bathrooms, which are taking the place of the old game room • No smoking inside • Entrance – no stairs – walkway up from the curb • Physical bar is getting bigger – will curve and hit the wall where the women’s bathroom used to be • Old men’s bathroom will be for storage, old women’s will be for food and alcohol storage

• Seating against the back wall

• ARAMARK will be running Lighthouse

• Live bands: will appear every Friday night

• All programming wll be run through student activities

• Black paint on the walls

• WSOE will broadcast live on Wednesday nights

• Reservations for organizations: Saturday nights

• Bar food will be served

See LIGHTHOUSE | Page 7

Brown & Co. returns, replaces Cantina Margeaux Corby Summer News Editor Students walking down Williamson Avenue are accustomed to passing the large windows of Cantina, and nearly everyone has tasted the gooey dough of the famous Killer Cookie. Starting this fall, Cantina will no longer be snuggled next to Acorn.

Current renovation will change the former southwestern themed restaurant into the more nostalgic atmosphere of Brown & Co. The decision to change stemmed from puzzlement many experienced when comparing Cantina’s name to its food selection.

“The name was a little misleading – lots of folks thought it was a Mexican restaurant,” said Vickie Somers, director of auxiliary services.

Cantina had trouble bringing in students at lunch time since many were hurrying from class to class.

“We weren’t getting the daytime traffic,” said Jeff Gazda, ARAMARK resident district manager. “We want to draw that lunch crowd along with locals.”

Students worried about menu favorites disappearing don’t have to fear—Cantina’s top 15 menu items will appear on the Brown & Co. menu as well as other dishes.

“As a general rule, if something doesn’t work, we take it off,” Gazda said.

There will be new lunch specials but the restaurant hours will remain the same, prices will be comparable to those offered at Cantina and the general layout will go unchanged. Even those students who were employed at Cantina last semester will be able to return to their jobs under the new Brown & Co. The most change will come from additional food choices and décor alterations. Structural changes include new floors, paint, lighting and chairs.

“New color scheme and layout will be more comfortable and updated,” Gazda said.

Brown & Co. will feature old photos of campus including that of the original Brown & Co. that used to neighbor Acorn. The former Brown & Co. operated for more than 20 years and more than 200 alumni responded to questionnaires about the eatery, raving about the food and ambiance.

“At that time it was the one place you could go off campus in Elon,” Somers said.

ARAMARK staff members said they hope the new Brown & Co. will be a blend of both past and present Elon tastes.

“It’s going to be neat for older and new alumni to have a fusion of restaurants,” said Rita Gordish, ARAMARK district marketing manager.

The renovation of Cantina is part of dining services’ larger goal to provide Elon students with a wide variety of food options.

“We want to have as many locations as unique as possible, which is different for a small campus like this,” Gazda said. “It’s all student-driven but we are also trying to promote community stewardship.”

Besides changes to Octagon and Lighthouse, Varsity will even be undergoing some redecoration. New murals will be seen on the walls in the fall and the leather chairs in the television lounge will be replaced. Gazda commented that Harden will probably be one the next dining places to undergo revisions.

Brown & Co. should be ready for new and returning students when classes begin in the fall.

$7 million spent annually on campus technology Ashley Barnas Summer Editor Maintaining a high-tech university through outfitting classrooms with new computers every few years and keeping safety features above par can become costly. For Elon, that price is $7 million a year.

The majority of the annual budget goes to salaries for 69 instructional and campus technology staff members.

But the rest is spent on leases, software, installation and other various purchases.

Computers alone take up $1.5 million of that budget.

This summer, 950

computers on campus were replaced, a process that typically occurs every three years for lab computers. Most other machines on campus have about a four- or five-year lifespan.

“The lab machines get pretty worn out after three years,” said Chris Fulkerson, assistant vice president for technology, so they make an assessment to see if they’re reusable. If they are, they can be reassigned elsewhere on campus.

“What drives us most is the age of the machine or the resolution,” Fulkerson said.

When the computers are being replaced, faculty and staff are able to buy them at

a discounted rate based on the lower end of prices offered for comparable machines on eBay. Other machines are sent to a refurbisher where one of three things will happen: Parts from several machines can be used to make one good machine, components can be taken out and resold or the machine can be recycled. The refurbishing company Elon uses assures that they do this in an environmentally friendly way.

Classroom computers are replaced every three or four years, and projectors can last about four or five years. stAff photo

See TECHNOLOGY | Page 7

Computers are stored in a classroom in upstairs Mcewen waiting to be sent to the refurbisher or bought by faculty and staff at a discounted rate.

NEWS

Page 2 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The Pendulum

Founding dean of law school steps down Davis resigns because of health reasons; Johnson will become interim dean Aug. 1 Ashley Barnas Summer Editor Leary Davis, founding dean and professor at the Elon University School of Law, announced his resignation today for health reasons.

He was appointed to the position in March 2005 by President Leo M. Lambert.

Davis’ decision to step down as dean will become effective Leary Aug. 1, but he will continue Davis to teach law courses at Elon as the school’s founding dean emeritus and professor of law.

George R. Johnson Jr., professor of law and associate dean for academic affairs, has been named interim dean until a national search produces Davis’ successor.

“This is the right time to transfer leadership of the law school to a new dean,” Davis said in a release. “We have reached our goal of achieving provisional approval by the American Bar Association, and the school is well positioned to reach full enrollment this fall and prepare to graduate its charter class in spring 2009.

“I have been dealing with some significant health issues over the past several months, and my ongoing recovery would prevent me from devoting the energy and time that the dean’s position requires. I look forward to concentrating on my health and on teaching and research, particularly at the intersection of law and leadership, and being a liaison for the school with

the legal profession and our other publics.”

Davis was found through a national search and stood out for his leadership, strong values and three decades of dedication to improving legal education.

“Leary Davis has provided remarkable leadership and vision for Elon Law,” Lambert said in a release. “We relied on Leary’s experience and knowledge to design the facilities, hire outstanding faculty and staff, build the library, create an innovative academic program, recruit well-qualified students, develop strong relationships with the region’s legal community and meet the ABA standards at the earliest possible date. None of this would have been possible without Leary’s passion for creating a great law school and educating the next generation of legal leaders.”

Prior to his appointment at Elon, Davis helped found the Campbell University School of Law in 1975, where he served as dean until 1986. During his 30 years there, he developed and taught award-winning courses, and saw a high passage rate for graduates on North Carolina’s bar exam.

Under Davis’ leadership, the law school achieved provisional accreditation by the ABA in June. In summer 2010, the law school can apply

Law school raises expectations after receiving provisional accreditation from ABA Margeaux Corby Summer News Editor

Elon School of Law Fast Facts

Location: $10 million law center in downtown Development of the Elon Greensboro, N.C., adjacent to federal and state University School of Law courts, government offices and major law firms continues to rank high on the Year founded: 2006 administration’s list of concerns Enrollment: Approximately 325 (fall 2008) for the upcoming academic year.

Faculty and deans: 22 In the recently released 2008Distinguished faculty, coaches-in-residence: 4 2009 Institutional Priorities, Administrators and staff: 20 the law school found itself Founding Dean: Leary Davis situated at number four, after Elon University President: Leo M. Lambert School of Education academic reorganization, discussion on science initiatives and preparing school leaders, such as Dean of Career to launch the master’s in interactive Services Ellen Wayne who works at media. Elon is expecting excellence from Columbia Law School. its 2-year-old graduate program.

Along with the need for graduate job “They are ambitious goals, but Elon placement is the School of Law’s goal is an ambitious university and we think to complete a flourishing leadership it is attainable,” said Leary Davis, dean program. of the School of Law until Aug. 1. Davis “We want to provide leadership decided to resign from his position education as undergraduate level does because of health reasons. as a point of emphasis,” Davis said.

The school plans to implement The fall 2007 entering class had a programs that would help attain a more median LSAT of 153 and enrolled 108 than 75 percent bar exam passage rate students. Davis said the school hopes for students. This is consistent with the to boost both of those numbers by American Bar Association’s Bar Pass enrolling 115 students and achieving a Standards for Accreditation.

154 LSAT average.

The new revisions, passed in early “We will be restructuring the firstFebruary of this year, require 75 percent year class, refining the second-year class of the school’s graduates in at least and developing capstone leadership three of the past five years to pass the programs in the third year and bring in bar exam. The ABA also requires the the third-year class,” Davis said. school’s first-time passage rates to The School of Law will receive visits be no more than 15 points below the from ABA representatives until its average for graduates of other ABApossible reception of full accreditation approved schools. Elon’s School of Law in summer 2010. was provisionally approved a little more The ABA’s Accreditation Committee than a month ago but the university recommended provisional approval is already raising the stakes to full after the ABA’s Council of the Section of accreditation standards.

Legal Education and Admissions to the In conjunction with Elon’s published Bar meeting June 6-8 in Seattle. initiatives, Davis emphasized the need “From the outset, the goal has been for successful graduate placement. to create a law school with a difference, “We are boosting career services one that prepares lawyers who embrace staff,” he said. “They will work with law their roles as society’s problem-solvers students and potential employers and and leaders,” said David Gergen, chair get them talking together.” of the school's advisory board, in June Elon’s School of Law has explored when the school was notified of its beyond its walls and received accreditation. consultation from other accredited law

for full approval.

“During the coming weeks, I hope you will join me in thanking Dean Davis for his remarkable leadership and vision for Elon Law,” said Provost Gerry Francis in an e-mail to the university. “The school would not have been possible without his passion for creating a great law school and educating the next generation of legal leaders. We are grateful that he has agreed to continue his service to the school and devote his energies to working directly with students.”

Davis has his law degree from Wake Forest University and a master of laws degree from Columbia University.

Some of Davis’ career accomplishments: • Active involvement in the American Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association, the North Carolina State Bar and in community and statewide civic projects • Member of the Governor’s Commission on the Future of North Carolina • Board member of BarCARES of North Carolina and the Raleigh Business and Technology Center • Current member of the North Carolina Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism Judicial Response Committee • President and founder of the National Institute to Enhance Leadership and Law Practice, a nonprofit organization with a research focus on trends in the legal profession and the elements of lawyer competence • Chair of The Davis Consulting

Group • Director of the Institute to Study the Practice of Law and Socioeconomic Development, organized a national conference for law professors on planning and management competence • Practiced law in Zebulon and Raleigh, N.C. for nine years • Assistant Prosecutor for Wake County, N.C., District Court from 196869, and Town Attorney for the Town of Zebulon from 1969-76 • Member of the U.S. Army Reserve and North Carolina National Guard for seven years, serving as a helicopter pilot and Officer Candidate School tactical officer • Received North Carolina’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award while practicing law • Received the American Bar Association’s E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Award in 2003 on behalf of the Professionalism Development Program he developed at Campbell Johnson, who takes over for Davis, was instrumental in helping Elon obtain American Bar Association accreditation and was president of LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tenn., for six years before coming to Elon’s law school in 2005.

He also has taught at George Mason University, taught and served as associate dean of Howard University, and from 1979 to 1981, he worked in President Jimmy Carter’s administration as assistant general counsel in the Executive Office of the President.

Dean of UC-Irvine law overcomes controversy in law school hirings Tony Barboza Los Angeles Times After liberal constitutional scholar Erwin Chemerinsky was hired, fired and then rehired as dean of the fledgling University of California, Irvine, law school last year, some said the politically charged controversy meant Orange County had missed its shot at a nationally renowned law school.

At the time, university officials acknowledged that the hiring debacle, which erupted into a battle over academic freedom, could put such a blemish on the institution that it would be difficult to assemble a top-tier team of legal scholars.

But this month, Chemerinsky officially started as dean and proved many of those dire predictions wrong, announcing an 18-member “dream team” of founding faculty and administrators that observers in legal and higher education circles praised as an impressive lineup. The first class of 60 students is scheduled to start in fall 2009.

Chemerinsky, who left his post at Duke University to head the UC Irvine law school, is Erwin considered one of the nation’s foremost experts on constitutional law, though his left-leaning positions Chemerinsky have drawn fire from conservatives.

The list of founding faculty was seen as an important milestone after UCI Chancellor Michael V. Drake’s decision in September to abruptly fire Chemerinsky as founding dean, only to offer him the job again five days later after a national outcry.

The assortment of professors brought on staff has dispelled concerns that Chemerinsky’s hiring fracas would undermine the school’s ability to recruit top faculty, and to do so quickly, said Robert Pushaw, a politically conservative constitutional law professor at Pepperdine University.

“It’s very difficult to persuade top law professors to leave their schools to join an upstart operation, but he’s hired some very high-profile people,” Pushaw said.

The incoming professors include specialists in intellectual property, labor, clinical education, civil rights and dispute resolution. Among the well-known names are civil rights and education expert Rachel Moran from University of California, Berkeley, who is the incoming president of the Association of American Law Schools; Dan Burk, a cyber law and biotechnology expert from the University of Minnesota; and former Los Angeles Times reporter Henry Weinstein.

“These choices are indicative of Erwin’s pledge to make this not the typical law school,” said John Eastman, dean of Chapman University’s law school.

Chemerinsky, who taught at University of Southern California’s law school for 21 years before moving to Duke in 2004, has deliberately courted prominent right-wing thinkers for hire at UCI—so far unsuccessfully—said Elizabeth Loftus, a UCI psychology professor who will teach courses at the law school and has been involved in recruiting.

Chemerinsky said he went after a faculty with diverse political views but, more important, sought professors who were in the top of their field.

“It’s always been my goal that our law school will have no ideology. I don’t want to make a liberal law school or a conservative law school,” he said.

“To the extent that conservatives had doubts about me, all I want is for them to give me a chance.”

NEWS

The Pendulum

Building Elon’s blocks

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 / Page 3 Greensboro Campus

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Even though summer means down time for most students on campus, it’s the perfect season for one thing: construction. From the tennis courts to Lighthouse, here’s a look at the projects happening around Elon.

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Andie Diemer Reporter

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1. Live Oak May 26, 2008 —Some walls removed —Conference space built —Recarpeted and repainted

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2. Jordan Gym July 10, 2008 —Resurfaced with new wood floor —NCAA standard quality 3. Law Annex July 10, 2008 —Next to Elon’s law school in Greensboro —Converting empty second floor to offices

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4. Tennis courts Aug. 1, 2008 —Resurfaced and repainted 5. Brown & Co. Aug. 15, 2008 —Formerly Cantina —Replacing flooring and décor —Changing menu

page 1 full story * denotes Elon University School of Law

6. Kernodle Center & Multicultural Center Aug. 15, 2008 —Each expanding in Moseley Center —Each recarpeted and repainted

Graphic by Andie Diemer

10. Octagon Food Court Aug. 22, 2008 —Freshens relocated to expand food service in Moseley Center —New tables and chairs added to dining area

7. McMichael bus shelter Aug. 15, 2008 —Build covered stop at McMichael Hall —Install GPS display of bus arrival times

LEED-CERTIFIED: WHAT IS IT?

11. N. O’Kelley Avenue Aug. 24, 2008 —Widening from Phoenix Drive to University Drive 8. N. O’Kelley Avenue Aug. 15, 2008 —Adding landscape island with —Install solar-powered lighted crosswalk information booth for visitors —Creating traffic circle at 9. Williamson Avenue at Center for the Arts page 4 Phoenix Drive and O’Kelly Aug. 15, 2008 full story Avenue —Install solar-powered lighted crosswalk 12. Lighthouse Tavern Sep. 5, 2008 —Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design —Demolition completed —Nationally accepted —Adding handicap bathrooms —Ensures every project is environmentally and access responsible, profitable and healthy to be in page 1 —Stage framed for —Linder Hall includes solar electric photo cells, full story expansion solar hot water and more sustainable features —Installing new sound system —Visit www.usgbc.org for more information —Constructing fenced patio Information courtesy of www.usgbc.org and Neil Bromilow

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Nathaniel jones | Photographer

14. Powell second floor Summer 2009 —Communications graduate school location —Install edit bays for technology —Construct offices and elevator page 6 full story —Recarpeted and repainted 15. Railroad tunnel Fall 2009 —Waiting for railroad to process contract —Planning to build underground pedestrian tunnel at S. O’Kelley Avenue and W. Trollinger Avenue intersection —Expect to start work January 2009 16. Koury Field House Fall 2010 —Expansion of current field house pending —Waiting for funding, floor plan complete —Earliest completion date: Fall 2010 *All information courtesy of Neil Bromilow

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ashley barnas | Photographer

see 13. Lindner Hall July 10, 2009 sidebar —Two stories with attic —Steel frame to be erected in September —First LEED-certified Silver building at Elon

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Nathaniel jones | Photographer

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Page 4 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

NEWS

The Pendulum

O’Kelley Avenue to give visitors new welcome

Made over entrance to Elon’s campus opening Aug. 24 with plenty of changes Lindsay Boroush Reporter Over the past four years, Elon has been growing both in class size and campus size. With the addition of buildings such as The Oaks residence complex, Lindner Hall and the Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center, Elon’s campus is expanding by almost a building a year. The current expansion has led the university to examine how potential students and their families are first welcomed on their visit to campus.

One new addition in the fall will be a welcome center located near the business center. The addition of the welcome center to the university’s entrance is an attempt to encourage more visitors to use that as the main entrance.

Brad Moore, assistant director of construction management, described the welcome center as “safer and

visually pleasing with landscaped islands between the two lanes.”

“The road is currently a two-lane road and the renovation makes this a divided two-lane road with a traffic circle at the intersection of O’Kelley [Road] and Phoenix Drive,” Moore said.

Even so, the changes being made to the road and the surrounding area are expected not to disrupt the traffic flow or the way students travel around campus.

Although the welcome center is a new entrance for the university, students will not need to check in.

“No one will be required to stop at the welcome booth,” Moore said.

“If someone has a question or needs directions there will be an area at the welcome booth where they can pull over – out of the ongoing traffic – long enough to get that information before entering the campus.”

There will be staff from Campus Safety and Police present in the

welcome center to answer visitors’ questions and direct them to places like the Moseley Center.

Moore also said the welcome center will not have an impact on the Loy Center’s Greek housing or Phoenix Drive. The property owner next to the Greek courts, Mr. Loy, is affected only by the new northbound lane constructed on the edge of his property.

Currently, the intersection of Phoenix Drive and O’Kelley Drive has been completely blocked off, forcing traffic to use other routes to reach Moseley and the Koury Business Center.

The road is scheduled to re-open on Aug. 24, two months after construction began and, coincidently, the same day as the start of New Student Orientation. Moore is positive about the road’s re-opening since there have been no setbacks or problems during the construction over the past month

Zipcar program successful in first year, looks to increase usage in second between 18 and 20 can use only the cars parked on Elon’s campus, while students 21 and older can use Zipcars from other locations.

Though facts like these can be more difficult to find on the Zipcar Web site, the new Zipcar page on Elon’s Web site lays them out clearly, along with information about the program, frequently asked questions and ways that using Zipcar can save money on gas and insurance.

Durr said she also hopes to get feedback from students when they return to campus, which should help Elon determine how to market the program most effectively. But overall, Zipcar seems to be off to a good start.

“Given that we’ve been running for less than a year and have more than 100 members, I think it’s been a success,” Durr said.

At the end of May, Elon’s Zipcar program had 85 student members. There have been 23 new members since June 1, including three faculty and staff members, and many incoming freshmen.

“Information was sent home in the orientation packets for freshmen, which may have led to the boost in June and July,” Durr said.

Memberships last for a year, and Durr expects more students to sign up as they return to campus. Many students who Ashley Barnas | Photographer have used the program in the past plan to The Zipcar program had a successful first year on campus, continue using it during the new school but the marketing strategy will change to increase usage. year.

Senior Breanna Detwiler said the Alexa Milan Zipcars serve as great alternative vehicles Summer News Editor if she takes the train from home and needs another mode of transportation besides her After a successful first year on campus, Elon bicycle. If she reserves a Zipcar, she doesn’t will continue to promote the Zipcar program need to wait for a friend with a car to run through a number of new initiatives, such as errands. marketing campaigns, a new Web site and other “The program is growing rapidly and there campus events. are cars in most metropolitan areas as well as There will be E-net postings and e-mails universities,” Detwiler said. “The cost is less as explaining Elon’s partnership with Zipcar, a an Elon student, which I really appreciate.” car sharing program that Elon began using last Detwiler said the only disadvantages are October, to new students and current students that sometimes the cars are not completely who may not know all the details about the clean and some people return the cars without program. There will also likely be promotional refueling them. But she still plans on using events once the fall semester starts.

Zipcar when she travels to Washington, D.C., “Our main goal is to increase utilization of and Arizona this summer, and at Elon in the the cars,” said Elaine Durr, who took charge of fall for long trips.

Elon’s Zipcar partnership when she became the Emily Ivey, director of new student sustainability coordinator at the end of May. orientation, used Zipcar this summer for She already has ideas about how to let students economic reasons. She went to a wedding in know about all of Zipcar’s features.

Pawleys Island, S.C., and calculated that the Durr said the current Zipcar Web site can 575-mile round trip would cost her $200 in gas be a little hard to navigate. Promotional events in her Ford Explorer. After hearing positive will tell students about the features current feedback from a colleague, Ivey reserved one of members may not even know about, as well as Elon’s Toyota Prius Zipcars. the basics of the program.

“It was $145 for the entire weekend, so I was “If you’re a current member, you can refer a able to save some money and lessen my impact friend,” Durr said. on the environment,” Ivey said.

After a member refers a friend to the Ivey plans to continue using Zipcar during program online, and the friend registers and is the summer, but won’t use it as much once approved, the member who made the referral school starts because she wants students to receives a $50 driving credit that can be split take advantage of the program. with that friend, given away or kept entirely.

“I’m fortunate to have a car and a The Zipcar Web site also mentions that paycheck, whereas some students don’t have people need to be 21 to register, but Elon’s transportation and are on a limited budget,” partnership allows members to be 18. Students Ivey said.

and a half. But the university does have a back-up plan if necessary.

“They are creating the new northbound lane first, so the existing road could be used if things went terribly long,” Moore said. “However, they are currently on schedule and we do not expect any delays.”

S.T. Wooten, the general contractor for the construction project, has never worked for the university before, but according to Moore, they have completed many projects similar to this in the Burlington area. He remains confident in the success of the project and its prompt completion.

The ultimate hope for the welcome booth is that it will act both as a friendly facility for visitors to the campus and as a practical way to supervise the safety of Elon’s students around campus.

Day of Shredding

Yearly campus-wide event nets 9,500 pounds of paper

Margeaux Corby | Photographer

Margeaux Corby | Photographer

Staff Report Shredding Day was celebrated across Elon’s campus on July 9 as about 9,500 pounds of paper was shredded.

About 17 different university departments participated, shredding all material that surpassed its retention rate: library circulation statistics, purchase orders for book requests and various out-of-date records.

Shredding was continued a second day when several more departments cleaned out their records storage room at a warehouse in Gibsonville.

Jeff Hendricks, director of purchasing, has been holding Shredding Day once per year, but participation has been so high that Elon may start shredding across campus twice a year.

NEWS

The Pendulum

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 / Page 5

Leaving Elon After All These Years Stories by Ashley Barnas Photos courtesy of University Relations

Univesrity Chaplain Richard McBride: Surrendering a name Chaplain Richard McBride has transformed College Chapel, developed Elon Volunteers!, created Hometown Heroes and the Turning 21 dinner, and taught a Life Stories class for 14 years.

After 25 years at Elon, McBride has decided to retire in May. But giving up his name is not going to be an easy thing for him to do. After all, he's been "chaplain" for far longer than his time at Elon.

Service McBride came to Elon in August 1984 as chaplain and coordinator of personal Richard counseling.

McBride During the university’s centennial academic year from 1988-89, Elon Habitat for Humanity was launched.

It was first a service organization and then became Elon Volunteers! McBride said they had to add the exclamation point because it gave it a more active sense—it became a verb and not just a noun. Elon Volunteers! then became the Center for Service Learning.

Launching Elon Volunteers! was one of his biggest career highlights.

When Hurricane Andrew hit South

Florida McBride organized a trip with Habitat by the next January. The service learning trip was continued for the next several years as various hurricanes hit the states in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

"That was a big feature of what I could do," McBride said.

Handling grief Handling grief and conflicts are an expected aspect of the life of a chaplain. When he was younger and at Wake Forest, McBride had a mentor, named Ed Christman, who would call him at 11 p.m. for what seemed like every night.

He would always say, “Well, chaplain, how was your day?”

“I appreciate his naming me in my role.”

Christman taught him how to help others. First, “you have to attend to your own help before you attend to others.” A chaplain has to do his best to maintain a sense of equilibrium.

Second, “You take it on, but you don’t take it with you. In the moment that you are with someone, accept the reality of pain, honor it—be empathetic—I don’t think that counseling someone is stiff-arming them.

“I embrace the trauma and be a companion to them and embrace the moment. [They have to think,] ‘While my moment has been disrupted, while my moment has been damaged, it’s not been destroyed.”

The way that someone explains their problem gives McBride an idea of how they have framed it.

“When somebody tells you they have a spiritual problem, that’s what it is, that’s how they’ve framed it.”

Counseling helps them narrow the frame—the larger the context, the more opportunity to change.

Leaving Elon, leaving a name “There’s no single way to be a chaplain, so the fun of it is that you invent the job in a way that fits in the environment that you are in.”

The first adjustment for McBride will be the loss of the community life he’s had at Elon. He said he’s very deeply invested in the community’s experiences here.

“When you’re retired, you come back as somewhat more of an observer than a participant. There’s a loss,” he said.

Beyond the los of a community comes the loss of an identity.

“I’ve had people call me chaplain so much over the years,” McBride said.

“I’ve had to adjust that I will surrender the title.”

Graduates are asked to call him Richard so he can reclaim his name.

During its centennial year, Elon reintroduced fall convocation. The first speaker was Sullivan Sloan Coffin, a chaplain at Yale during the Vietnam War era.

He asked McBride how long he had been a chaplain and McBride

responded, “19 years.

“It’s seductive, isn’t it?” Coffin asked back.

McBride didn’t fully understand what he meant until now.

“As I surrender it, I can see what the seduction is. I’m not sure I can name it yet.” But he’s beginning to see it.

It’s a unique position within the university and it should attend to the whole campus, the whole life of the experience.

It’s a precious and challenging role to concern himself with the spiritual welfare of an entire campus, he said.

“Mine is not the only way to do it and I’m not the only one who can do it,” McBride said. “I have to be willing to surrender it and not be willing to give in to the surrender.”

McBride looks forward to seeing how someone else will envision and approach the position.

What's to come McBride is going to take his own form of a “sabbatical” when he retires.

Sabbath, after all, means rest.

He wants to play his trombone again, travel with his wife to work on Global Village Projects and fine something else out there and define it—something that he and his wife will enjoy doing together.

After commencement in May, his final role as chaplain, before he surrenders the name, will be performing the wedding of an alumna.

Dean George Troxler: A first and final Elon commencement One day during his second year of booking programs, George Troxler, dean of cultural and special programs, waited in Whitley Auditorium for a theater troupe to arrive. But the only thing he could think about was the sheet of ice that covered the ground and canceled local schools.

He had booked The Acting Company, a group of traveling actors from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The group arrived on campus to load into Whitley at 8 a.m. but could not get its heavy equipment through the door.

The group’s George technical director asked Troxler Troxler, “Does this school have a gym?”

It was a simple enough solution—of course, Elon had a gym. The group moved to Alumni Gym—before it was renovated—and put a mat on the floor.

The troupe was ready to go through with its Mark Twain production with everyone sitting on one side of the bleachers. They used the locker rooms as dressing rooms and athletics made the necessary adjustments.

Troxler made the call to just open the doors and not worry about tickets.

It was such a bad winter storm that they wanted all the audience members they could get.

The night before, the troupe had performed at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and they had 20 people in the audience. The actors were really down after that, so Troxler’s decision and the packed gym as a result perked them right up.

“It was a nice, light play,” he remembers. Things were great.

“Everybody just pitched in and we did

it.”

Being a historian again Named to his position as coordinator of cultural programs in 1984, Troxler is in charge of bring guests and performers to campus, organizing the Cultural Calendar and supervising the fall convocation and spring commencement.

Troxler has received a reassignment by President Leo M. Lambert to compile a book on the history of Elon. Troxler said he will retire and step down from his position in May of 2009 and then write the book until the spring of 2010.

Troxler said he wants a coffee table book with less text and less of an institutional history, but more pictures with longer captions.

“It will be something you can put on your coffee table and say, ‘That’s where I went to school.’”

He’s spent half his Elon career teaching and half as an administrator.

Troxler said he’s prepared to be what he has always wanted to be, once again: a historian.

“Now I get to be a historian again for a year.”

Watching it change Elon has changed in so many ways, Troxler said. The most noticeable difference is the size. When he first came here, there were 1,500 students.

Harper Center was new and people would complain about having to walk the long distance to Alamance.

“I think we were a very good institution then, but different,” he said. Now Elon has a more diverse faculty, a more diverse campus and many more resources to fund programs that it couldn’t even fathom nearly 40 years ago.

Elon has made Winter Term more creative and the campus more beautiful. It was physically attractive in the functional sense back then, but now, Elon is simply beautiful.

Special guest treatment Troxler doesn’t get to spend as much time with the special guests as it would seem. Usually, a faculty

member is assigned to serve as host to a special guest. He or she will meet that person at the airport, bring the guest to meet Dr. Lambert and escort him or her to the reception. The faculty member is basically someone to turn to if the visitor has a question or simply needs a glass of water, Troxler said.

He does get to spend more time with the performing arts guests, though, because he helps with sound checks and things backstage.

Favorite campus visitors The three former presidents who visited Elon: Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush.

Each were so different and enjoyable in their own way, Troxler said.

Bishop Desmond Tutu John Glenn David Halberstam – Vietnam conflict book Favorite events Small chamber and orchestral concerts in Whitley Brazilian guitar group: Elon was chosen by NPR to tape theperformance to be broadcasted. It ran at least three times, Troxler remembers.

Dance companies Peking acrobats – about the maximum-size show he has seen on stage. He especially remembers the chairs piling to the ceiling.

What he will miss most “I think I will miss the people.”

Troxler works most closely with people from physical plant, media services, tech crews and University Relations because of publications and publicity.

“I get to deal with a lot of different people that I didn’t deal with until I took this job,” he said, “and I’m going to miss those people.”

It is unknown who will replace Troxler as the next dean, but he says there has been discussion of both keeping his position together or splitting it in two so that one person can take commencement and convocations, and the second can take cultural programs.

2008 commencement At 8:45 a.m., there was a call for rain. Troxler was walking from Jordan Gym with the students and once he reached the platform, he did was he always does—looked to his left and right to make sure the flag bearers were doing their jobs properly. To his delight, they did it just the way they had rehearsed it.

The trumpets sounded at the right time. Everyone was in his or her places.

Everything was going so well until he remembered to look up. He had forgotten about the call for rain. But when he did look up through a crack in the tent he was standing under, he

saw that the sky was blue.

“And that blue sky looked so good.”

He was so absorbed with the mechanics of it all that he didn’t pay attention to anything else. Troxler was so absorbed in what he had been doing for years that he had forgotten all about the call for bad weather.

The class of 2009 will be his last commencement ceremony. For the Elon Law School, it will also be the first. Troxler’s final commencement at Elon will also be a landmark for him as well as the university.

Both sides of the job His only complaint is having to manage when each building is open to host an event “I don’t enjoy sitting down and deciding who gets McCrary when,” he said. “I enjoy the events.”

Booking the speakers is the glamorous side of his job, the logistics are not as fantastic, but he deals with a mesh of the two.

It’s nice at this stage in his career to look back and see what has happened during his time here, Troxler said.

“Elon became the school I wanted to teach at,” he said. He enjoyed it in 1969, but now the students are even better and Elon has the resources to do things now that it couldn’t dream of doing 40 years ago.

Page 6 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Boy’s injury spurs bid to ban paint ball guns

NEWS

New master’s program not just communications school students from all majors and degrees who think that interactive media is the way of the future.

When deciding on the curriculum A new program with a revamped and the basis of the program, David location and some familiar faces, the Copeland, director of the graduate Master of Arts in Interactive Media will program, said that he and other be offered at Elon in the summer of communications faculty members 2009 with an inaugural class of 36 to researched what employers look for in 38 students. About three to five new new hires. faculty will join several professors “It was people with interactive from the School of Communications media experience,” Copeland said. to teach the graduate students in the They were looking for potential second floor of Powell. employees who were comfortable with The curriculum is nearly set and doing one thing on many different classes range from “Theory and platforms: text, images, sounds, video Analysis in an Interactive Age” to and graphics.

“Citizen and Participatory News.”

Students would not only have The program is expected to draw in to know how to do these things, but they also should understand that the future is moving toward interactive Master’s Curriculum: media and a variety of ways of viewing and sharing Summer Courses: things.

Seminar in Media Law and Ethics (for All courses are three credit hours and last the those without an undergraduate same length of time as course) undergraduate courses.

Seminar in Media Writing (for those It’s a “full-time, high without an undergraduate course) intensity program,” Copeland said.

Digital Media Workshop (required for The first summer all M.A. students) session will be set aside for students with little prior Fall Courses: communications experience to take intensive courses in Theory and Audience Analysis in an media law and ethics, and Interactive Age media writing. All students Interactive Writing and Design will then participate in a Producing Interactive Media digital media workshop during the second summer term.

Winter Course: Because all students will Interactive Project for the Public Good be on different skill levels, (includes a domestic or international these courses are to catch some students up to speed fly-in component) before immersing them in the intense semesters ahead.

Spring Courses: The regular fall semester Contemporary Media Issues starts at the same time as the undergraduate courses.

Interactive Media Capstone Something that makes this program different from any Electives: other master’s program is Interactive Media Strategies the chance for interaction between the two programs.

Intellectual Property Law Being an Elon Citizen and Participatory News undergraduate will neither Building Public Opinion Interactively hurt nor help the application Visual Aesthetics process to the graduate program.

Professional Apprenticeship Acceptance will be based Partnership electives developed in on SATs, undergraduate consultation with Art, CIS and others grades and other elements.

Media portfolios will not be Ashley Barnas Summer Editor

Cloe Poisson | Hartford Courant

Chrestein Smith, 15, of Portland, Conn., gets a post-operation checkup with Dr. C. Mitchell Gilbert after surgery to repair his right eye, which was damaged by a paint ball in April.

Jodie Mozdzer The Hartford Courant PORTLAND, Conn.—Chrestein Smith leaned his head back and held his right eye open with two fingers, bracing himself for his series of eye drops.

His mother, Melissa Smith, stood over him in their kitchen, dangling the dropper above her son’s eye for the third time that day.

It’s become a ritual since April, when Chrestein was shot in the eye with a paint ball gun during a game at a friend’s house. The scars are healing, but the process has been painful.

When doctors examined him at the hospital after the incident, Chrestein could barely see items held 12 inches from his face. Three days later, a cataract clouded the lens in his right eye, blocking light and limiting his sight to blurs and shadows.

Chrestein, 15, has undergone one surgery to fix the cataract and repair surface damage to his eye. He will likely have to undergo more surgery because his retina -- the back portion of the eye, where the nerves are -- was also damaged from the pressure of the paint ball hitting his eye. After the first surgery, Chrestein’s eyesight improved remarkably, but recently his doctors told him it would never return to normal.

His mother has launched a campaign to ban paint ball guns in the state, or at least require them to be registered. She has collected more than 200 signatures for a petition she eventually hopes to present to the Legislature.

She has posted letters to the editor in local papers, urging people to sign an e-petition she started by e-mail.

“I would like (a paint ball gun) to be treated like a rifle or a pistol; it’s something that can do damage to you, just like a rifle,” Smith said.

Smith said her son’s ophthalmologist, Elwin G. Schwartz, inspired the petition when they spoke about the dangers of paint ball guns.

He offered his support and testimony if the cause makes it to the Legislature.

“My personal feeling is that these teenagers are too young and inexperienced to know how to be safe with it,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz has treated one other teenager with eye injuries from a paint ball, and C. Mitchell Gilbert, who operated on Chrestein’s eye, said he has seen about a dozen. Recently, a 1-year-old girl was hit on the side of her face by a paint ball while her mother fed her in their parked car.

Chrestein and his friends wore face masks while they ran between trees and shot paint balls at members of the opposing team. But during a break, Chrestein was shot in the face while his mask was off. The paint ball, moving 300 feet per second, struck his right eye from about 18 feet away.

So far there’s been no ban on paint ball guns, and other efforts in the state to ban items for safety reasons, such as a 2001 bill outlawing sparklers, which prompted strong opposition from the fireworks industry, haven’t succeeded.

Banning paint ball guns outright would likely be just as difficult since the activity is popular. There are 600 registered members and several nonmembers at just one paint-ball facility. And Paint ball teams are active at colleges, including the University of Connecticut.

The Pendulum

required because not all majors will have built them, but one requirement may be an essay about how interactive media is becoming a necessity in any field.

The program received its final approval at a faculty meeting in May and will take over the second floor of Powell once its current inhabitants move to the Lindner Rotunda building.

The second floor of Powell will be restructured for the graduate program’s needs. Two classrooms will be merged into one computer lab comparable in size to McEwen’s first floor Mac lab. Other renovations include a suite of 10 or 12 editing bays where the Powell computer lab is, a new suite of six to nine faculty offices, a graduate student lounge and smaller seminar rooms. For the most part, Powell’s new facilities will be open only to graduate students.

Continuing the red, green and blue color scheme from McEwen has not been decided yet, but the suggestion has come up. A main office on the second floor of Powell will mimic the main office in McEwen with a big glass window.

A full-time lab technician will be hired along with new faculty in interactive media. Copeland and several undergraduate faculty members will move to offices in Powell and teach some graduate classes in addition to their regular classes.

The new hires, which are being searched for this summer, will spill over to the undergraduate school and teach classes as well. For example, Copeland said, there may be someone teaching advanced classes to graduates and digital media convergence to undergraduates.

“A tentative proposal for a master’s program was worked on in the mid1990s but shelved,” Copeland said.

This program has been in the works for about three years and was part of the School of Communications’ longrange plans since 2000.

Although the communications faculty looked at potential models for Elon’s new school, they wanted to create something unique that would be reflective of the undergraduate school.

Many aspects of the new program are similar to other communications graduate programs, but none of them are just like Elon’s program, Copeland said.

The program will be multidimensional, Copeland said – not just a school of communications.

Law enforcement has crisis practice on campus

photo courtesy of University Relations

Security and medical personnel were on campus July 17 for a day-long training exercise that involved a mock hostage situation and active shooter. The team practiced in Smith residence hall, and the Mooney parking lot was closed for the day. The Elon University campus police, Elon town police, Gibsonville police, Burlington police, sheriff’s deputies from Alamance and Rockingham counties, Alamance County Emergency Medical Services, the Elon fire department and the State Bureau of Investigation participated in the exercise. About 80 people participated in the training.

NEWS

The Pendulum

LIGHTHOUSE from Page 1 Right now, everything is hinging on the delivery of an air conditioning unit. If the unit is delivered in time, then construction will stay on schedule and Lighthouse will open Sept. 5 or 12. Three-Day Weekend and Anonymous will be the openers no matter which date is set, and doors will be open at 8 p.m. and music will be around 10:30 or 11 p.m.

Opening night is a SUB event, called SUBlive, but it will be co-sponsored by the Elon Club Baseball team, which is helping with band hospitality and marketing.

It will also be promoting its first-ever regional baseball tournament, taking place at Burlington Athletic Stadium (home of the Burlington Royals minor league baseball team) from Oct. 10 through Oct. 12.

Hours will be 8 p.m.-2 a.m.

Wednesday through Saturday for the fall. If demand is high enough, Lighthouse may open for more days during the week.

Anonymous will reappear on Halloween and similar bands will perform throughout the semester.

The Student Union Board’s SUBlive series will take place every Friday night and “will feature not only the staples of Lighthouse like Anonymous, but other local and nationallytouring bands,” said series manager Ryan Swanzey. “We hope to host a relatively wellknown band at least once a year, if not once a semester – though many other names will be discussed, Eve 6 is an example of a possibility here.”

New Additions -Sprinkler system -All new electrical and plumbing to get Lighthouse up to code -Big plasma screens behind the bar -$30,000 to $35,000 lighting and sound system -Patio for smoking Guests -18 and up – open to all ages -Policy: still looking at it, but trying to keep it as tightly to Elon students and guests as possible -Still looking at details for band members and their friends Food -Will serve bar food prepared in McEwen and transported to Lighthouse -Cannot put a kitchen or hood in the space because of lack of room -Bar menu: pizza, hot dogs, chips, chicken fingers, buffalo wings – as much as we can do at a decent quality -Special events: Catering can come in and do something special because it has a different kind of license -No menu has been set yet

-More flexibility by Elon owning Lighthouse – if it needs to open other nights, Elon has the ability to do that -By owning it, Elon can change as much as the students want -Couldn’t find a third party to operate Lighthouse and allow Elon to program, reserve, oversee and make a profit -All those combined made administration see that ARAMARK needed to do it -Didn’t have staff who knew how to operate a bar, so ARAMARK takes on liability of how the bar is run -Gives more flexibility and liability

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 / Page 7 -ARAMARK staff will be on the floor – managing Phoenix cash -Take Phoenix cash, no meal dollars because it’s not a restaurant Music Wednesday: WSOE will DJ, host local bands, broadcast live and provide other alternatives like open mic nights, Guitar Hero tournaments, indie rock dance parties or just have a DJ spin for an evening.

Thursday: Karaoke Friday: SUBlive will host bands - local, regional and farther - in

the range of $250 to $1,000. This will be similar to Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill Saturday: Open for student organizations to resreve, mostly Greek life, otherwise open to all guests Cover Fee -Some nights will have minimal cover charge – probably all band nights will have a cover charge *Information courtesy of Brian O’Shea, assistant to the vice president for student life and dean of students; Jodean Schmiederer, assistant dean of students; Ryan Swanzey; Tim Graham; and Erin Fox

McMichael pterodactyl looking for new home

Alcohol -Regular domestics, some microbrews and local beers like Red Oak and Natty Greene’s -Prices comparable to Cantina or less, but the price hasn’t been set yet -Malt beverages, Smirnoff, wine by the glass ARAMARK -ARAMARK will operate the food and bar service – mix of students and professional staff will be employed there -Same feel as old staff -Professional staff will be at the door -Staff will be wearing T-shirts and jeans as their uniforms -Won’t look like ARAMARK

nathaniel jones | Photographer

Adjunct physics instructor Sankey Blanton and his geology class created a pterodactyl that is now hanging in the McMichael Science Building but needs to find a new home. According to a report in the Burlington Times-News, Sankey said the mock pterodactyl, which was constructed with plywood and cardboard, is about a third of the size of an adult pterodactyl. Sankey also said in the Times-News that he would like to give the pterodactyl to an elementary school because, “dinosaurs are creatures of awe and wonder to young children.”

TECHNOLOGY from Page 1

SOME OF THIS SUMMER’S MAJOR TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES: GPS on the BioBuses: Bus stop signs will have a code that you can text to a number that will tell you when the bus will arrive. Since McMichael is where the different routes converge, a main board will be constructed there.

DocSends: Machines that can print multiple pages; make photocopies in color, and black and white; and require a login and password to scan a document and send it directly to someone’s e-mail or the print shop. For now, the faculty and staff will be able to use the machines.

Staff photo

Classroom and lab computers on campus are usually replaced every three years. This summer 950 computers were replaced.

VCRs and DVD players will be used until they break and are then replaced. The classroom control systems have not had to be replaced since they were purchased several years ago.

When deciding what to outfit a classroom with or what to buy faculty, staff and specific areas of campus, the technology department works closely with vendors, attends conferences and looks at trade journals. Each department has a specific trade journal with what technology works best for its needs.

As of this year, all faculty members have been given tablets: laptops with screens that can turn 180-degrees and then lie flat for viewing. They’re about $500 more expensive than regular laptops, but for the faculty members who use them, it’s worth it.

Fulkerson said the English department faculty has found the tablets most helpful when grading papers – they can pull a student’s work up on the screen and write on their tablets using a special pen. Their notes show up directly on the student’s paper digitally, saving them paper to print them out.

It’s like having a whole filing cabinet in your computer, Fulkerson said. He groans when he attends conferences and meetings where pads of paper are handed out – he would rather use his tablet.

While this summer has been busy with technology changes and updates around campus, something on the horizon for next summer is the installment of gate arms to parking lot entrances.

These will close at a certain time and then require students to swipe their Phoenix cards to go through. By next year, there will be enough money in the budget set aside to make this a reality.

A major part of Fulkerson’s job is to increase safety through the use of technology. He and his staff work closely with Campus Safety and Police, technology programming and Physical Plant, covering aspects of the actual needs for safety, how to approach increasing safety using the right kinds of technology and then the actual installation of the new technological safety features.

IP phones: Saves Elon money by condensing things into one intelligent network (eliminates a separate telephone switch), and when faculty and staff are relocated to different buildings, they can simply pick their phone up and go – the phone contains all their information and does not need to be reformatted for a new location. The phones also light up and flash during emergencies, and can be used for videoconferencing.

Online ticketing system: Tickets for athletic events and cultural programs can be purchased online in advance of the event.

Password logins: Elon has had trouble in the past with members of the community misusing the computers in libraries and labs, so they will now be required to register for a 12-hour passes for logging in. Students will be able to log in with their Elon username and password. During exam time, community members will not have access to the library or lab computers.

Duplex printing: The new ability to default print front and back will allow a four-page printing maximum before being charged at Pharos Stations. Single-side printing is still available, but must be selected. The new printing initiatives from this past year alone have cut down paper use from 10 million to 2.8 million sheets. It’s all in the document management, Fulkerson said.

Digital signs: More signs like the electronic ones in Moseley will be installed in McMichael and McCrary Theatre. This will be especially helpful with self-guided tour groups. The signs will also post emergency messages.

Public wireless: In order to pick up wireless on campus, a login will be required. Accommodations will be made during events like opening and family weekends.

Security cameras: Installed in Moseley, the Oaks, East Area parking lot and Harper Center. Cameras will eventually be installed in Danieley Center.

Page 8 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The Pendulum

Editorial

The Pendulum seeks to inspire, entertain and inform the Elon community by providing a voice for students and faculty as well as a forum for the meaningful exchange of ideas.

Time for Elon to say goodbye to SATs W

ake Forest is a top 30 national university and ranked 19th among national universities in a recent Forbes article. One of the university’s professors of counseling won two national awards from the American Counseling Association and the Wake police force recently earned accreditation. But this means absolutely nothing compared to Wake President Nathan O. Hatch’s announcement in The Washington Post: Wake Forest admissions no longer require SAT scores.

The president of Wake said the university’s unorthodox decision was based on recent research concluding that the SAT discriminates against minorities and students of low-income families.

Hatch cited findings that SAT scores not only correlated disturbingly with socioeconomic status, but that the test was the poorest predictor of college performance when compared to high school grades and classroom tests.

Everyone remembers dreading the SATs—a threehour test early Saturday morning that determined whether you would fly to your dream school smiling or trudge unwillingly to your safety school.

Guidance counselors didn’t care much about your transcript—your SAT score was the deal breaker.

Captain of the football team? Student body

president? Honor roll student all four years? It meant literally nothing if your SAT score dipped below 1100. At least, that’s what it means for Elon admissions. The university’s SAT average is 1200 and that is only for general admission.

At almost $30,000 a year, many students need scholarships—the class of 2011 presidential scholars had a 1353 SAT average. For many, SAT scars have healed but every single admissions group touring Elon’s campus contains a gaggle of highschoolers recently ravaged by the test.

Hundreds of SAT prep courses are offered to high school students, but the lofty cost of such programs excludes many otherwise qualified students.

To participate in a 20-hour Kaplan tutoring review is $2,339 (and that is not the most expensive package). The Princeton Review is much of the same – a standard tutoring package is $2,700, but if you need premier help, that’s going to cost $7,875. A used 2001 Ford Explorer is $1,000 dollars cheaper than premier studying for the SATs with The Princeton Review.

Some high schools offer their own SAT prep classes. There are also self-taught online review courses, but they still run a bill. The bottom line is that good SAT help is expensive and inconsistent.

Illustrating the Issues: Olympics

Illustration by Bethany Swanson

THE PENDULUM Established 1974

The Pendulum is published each Wednesday of the academic year. The advertising and editorial copy deadline is 5 p.m. the Friday before publication. Letters to the editor and guest columns are welcome and should be typed and e-mailed with a telephone number for verification. Submissions are accepted as Word documents. The Pendulum reserves the right to edit obscene and potentially libelous material. Lengthy letters or columns may be trimmed to fit. All submissions become the property of the Pendulum and will not be returned.You can reach The Pendulum by e-mail at pendulum@elon.edu. If you have questions or concerns about an article contact a section editor. Please do not respond to reproters directly.

Summer Staff Editors and Contributors Ashley Barnas, Summer Editor Alexa Milan, Summer News Editor Margeaux Corby, Summer News Editor Bethany Swanson Andie Diemer Michelle Longo Caroline Matthews David Wells

Lindsay Boroush Adam Constantine Drew Smith Pamela Richter Morgan Little Nathaniel Jones Kristin Feeney Colin Donohue, Adviser

Pendulum Printing Monthly During the Summer Just because most students leave campus for the summer doesn’t mean the news stops. The Pendulum will release twice during the summer on June 25 and July 23 in an effort to continue covering important campus news events. As always, we welcome feedback from the community regarding our content. If you’re a student still around Elon and would like to help with the production of these special summer editions, please get in contact with us. We look forward to providing Elon University with the same consistent news coverage we do during the semesters.

Even after shelling out all that cash for a good SAT score, the biggest bill is yet to come.

Elon’s 2007-08 tuition is $29,462 and students are well aware it has a nasty habit of growing by thousands of dollars each year.

Elon requires four units of English, three or more units of social studies and science, and recommends four units of math and three units of a foreign language for admittance. That does not take into account teacher recommendations, essays and service hour requirements specific to different schools. Elon has enough requirements in place for college hopefuls – let’s make the SAT one less thing potential students have to fear.

Wake Forest, with the new absence of the SAT, is putting more emphasis on high school grades and recommending personal interviews. Individuality is finally given prominence in admission decisions instead of the questionable results of a controversial test.

Elon should join the ranks of Wake Forest, Middlebury, Bates and Holy Cross. The university needs to look beyond the official scores and recognize the unquantifiable distinctions of its applicants.

Students: Don’t ignore new online course evaluations As part of the university’s never-ending crusade for sustainability, course evaluations will only be available online this upcoming semester.

For students enrolled in online courses this summer, these online evaluations have been the subject of several e-mails sent by the Instructional Design & Development department to students. Despite e-mail reminders from both professional staff and faculty, evaluations completed by students are rare.

This is disturbing. How can the student body expect improvement from faculty members and departments if they refuse to complete brief evaluations of their work? Change can only be expected when those unsatisfied students participate in the process.

Most students are accustomed to the brief intermission, usually toward the end of the semester, when they are given the first or last 10 minutes of class to complete evaluations.

One lucky student volunteers to bring the manila envelope full of completed forms to Alamance and the teacher steps outside.

Online evaluations will no longer interrupt regular class work. Students will have to, on their own time, stop facebooking for 10 minutes to complete the evaluation on Blackboard.

Ratemyprofessors.com explodes with hits around registration time and students check professor ratings more often than they un-tag unsightly facebook photos.

Ratemyprofessors.com helps those lucky enough to have early registration times to choose between a green- and blue-face professor but does nothing to solve the underlying monster: Some departments have terrible professors.

While it’s great for some students able to avoid these duds, it ignores the bigger issue. Department heads are not sitting in every classroom and they can’t possibly know whether they hired a gifted educator or a crotchety scrooge.

College students don’t have a lot of say in faculty hiring and firing. Decisions that affect the very essence of an Elon education are made without student input. This is the one chance the university gives its young populace.

It is up to students to take full advantage of this annual opportunity given to them and fill out the evaluation forms.

Even if professors don’t look at them, department heads do.

And a consistently bad rating is not ignored.

Failing to fill out paper evaluations for regular semester courses has not been a huge problem because students are given time to do them in class. This online move will put responsibility in students’ hands.

Elon students not only have a moral obligation to complete course evaluations, but may suffer punitive consequences if they refuse.

The Field Biology in Peru Winter Term class experienced a taste of this upon returning last spring semester. Students on the trip were not given final grades until everyone in the class completed online evaluations. Although the course concluded in January, this resulted in grades not being given to students until March.

There has also been talk of delaying registration for those unwilling to participate and individual teachers penalizing slacking students with lowered assignment scores.

Complete online course evaluations. They don’t waste paper, they don’t waste class time and they don’t leave students voiceless in decisions vital to their education.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008/ Page 9

The Pendulum

Opinions OLYMPICS:

Olympics should be beacon of optimism, hope, change On Aug. 8, the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games will take place. This ceremony commemorates a more than two-week spectacle of athletic talent.

Athletes from across the globe compete against one another to determine Pam Richter who will Columnist wear the gold. For sports fans and athletes, this is the ultimate dream.

The Olympics extend well beyond the playing field. In a world with unstable gas prices, poverty and war, these games allow a country to unite for a positive cause.

One team can transform an entire nation. It can quell the sounds of gunfire and sit enemies side by side to cheer on a team.

This is exactly what the Iraqi soccer team did in the 2004 Olympics when the team participated in its first match in the Olympic Games since 1988. During that time, similar to today, the country was being torn apart by war.

The previous coach was

Saddam Hussein’s late son, Odai Hussein, who allegedly tortured his players. The team hired a new coach to lead it in the 2004 games.

The team did not find out that it would be able to participate in the games until May 2004, when it was reinstated by the International Olympic Committee. With a new coach and a glimpse of hope, the team temporarily united the country. For a country ravaged by war, this team gave the people something positive every Iraqi citizen could support.

No, the team did not win the gold medal that year, but the number of wins and losses should not measure the players’ accomplishments.

For those two weeks, Iraq was filled with celebratory gunfire, something uncommon in a war zone.

It’s more than a game.

This may be a simple, quaint saying, but there is a lot of truth behind it. Tell the citizens of Iraq that the 2004 Olympic Games were just a bunch of games. For the first time in years, the entire country was united behind a positive cause.

In the 2008 Beijing games, it is unclear what feel-good stories there will be. Will European nations continue their dominance over the USA

basketball team? How will the competition be in softball’s and baseball’s last Olympics?

How will Elon alumna Blake Russell perform in the games?

Russell is a marathon runner who graduated from Elon’s physical therapy program in 2001. Will a surprise country win the medal count? In the upcoming weeks, we will quickly learn the answers to all of these questions.

With the constant crises occurring in China, it’s easy to forget the Olympic spirit.

Leading up to the games, the news has been filled with stories about protestors and accusations of human rights violations in the country.

These events overshadow the many positive aspects of the Olympics.

The Olympics are a display of athletic talent at the highest level. Athletes across the world dream of someday wearing their countries’ colors while participating in the Olympics.

Pride and joy are seen on participants’ faces when their flag is raised at the medal ceremony and their national anthem is being played.

This Olympic season is a time to remember the deeper meaning behind the games.

The Olympic Games are the one time every two years that countries can truly unite for a singular cause.

POLITICS:

Candidates, media must disregard satirical New Yorker cartoon, focus on pertinent issues Margeaux Corby Summer News Editor Sen. Barack Obama is wearing a turban and toasting his gun-toting wife while an American flag smolders in the fireplace—this image has been slapped across television screens around the nation. The Obama campaign and the media have been in a rage since The New Yorker’s controversial cover hit newsstands.

The current cartoon fury is eerily reminiscent of the squall surrounding the Danish magazine Jyllans-Posten Muhammad cartoon in 2005. The controversy reached lethal levels when more than 50 countries reprinted the cartoon. Danish embassies in Syria, Lebanon and Iran were burned and more than 100 people were killed when police fired into a crowd of protestors. No one has been killed as a result of the ensuing New Yorker controversy but media and pundit attention rivals that bestowed upon the Muhammad cartoon’s fatal uproar.

What is driving this insanity? These are cartoons—simple fictional drawings. Small children watching Bugs Bunny know the difference between an actual rabbit and the talking animal on Saturday morning television but supposedly more mature media are having trouble differentiating The New Yorker's cover from reality. Between the squawking media and bleating candidates, network news resembles adolescent temper tantrums more than capable adult discussion.

The incessant focus on this silly drawing, meant to illustrate already ludicrous accusations promoted by media, is indicative of society’s unwillingness to focus on important issues. Who cares about the economy—the New

Yorker has insulted Obama!

This is junk and it is broadcasted with disturbing ubiquity. Where are the issues?

Where is the foreign policy, the health care, the war in Iraq? All that crucial news is underneath a big pile of meaningless, crass and generally juvenile crap. What was in the news before The New Yorker cartoon—Obama’s middle name being Hussein and Michelle Obama's choice of a purple dress and lack of pantyhose.

This garbage is not limited to the Democratic candidate—all casual observers know about Sen. John McCain is that he is really old.

Thanks, Fox and CNN, for keeping people informed about what is really important.

It is easy to blame the media, but candidates are also liable. By responding to these accusations, candidates give credence to these ridiculous attentions. The Obama camp stated the cartoon was “tasteless and offensive.” Sure, every right-minded American can see this cartoon is not meant to be taken in earnest.

But Obama would have done well to not even lower himself to comment at all—it’s a cartoon, it means nothing beyond the unnecessary attention bestowed by the media and by Obama.

The political playground is mean and lewd and there is a lot of pushing and shoving. If Obama can’t remain above the sensation stirred by media when someone draws an insulting picture, how can Americans expect him to roll with the real insults of foreign leaders?

Between the media immaturity and candidate ineptitude, this highly anticipated election is shaping up to be nothing different from past presidential races—lots of whining and absolutely no progress made in issues crucial to American lives.

POLITICS:

Candidates’ move to moderation dangerous for campaign Common sense dictates that everything that goes up must come down. Nothing, once propelled into the sky, floats there forever. Even the greatest home run falls back into the stands.

Given the current state of his supporters, the home run that Sen. Barack Obama hit during the primaries has gone and smacked an infant in the stands.

Obama’s recent trek into political moderation was not unexpected. In any election it’s important to bring in undecided voters, and members of the Democratic Party are unwilling to allow themselves to be seen as “liberals.”

But the scope and the speed of Obama’s shift to the middle ended up being a curveball, with the Obamaniacs standing at the plate with their bats still rested on their shoulders, unable to swing.

This issue’s complexity arises from its multiplicity of possible beginnings. Shall it start with Obama’s refusal of public financing?

His support of a bill that grants retroactive immunity to the telecoms that snuggled up to President Bush’s domestic spying?

Obama’s bizarre attempts to sway evangelicals and gun nuts with his newfound love of government funding for church-run charities and the Supreme Court’s recent support of the second amendment?

Or perhaps the backtracking on his previously radical stance against NAFTA and on pulling out of Iraq (never mind the fact that a correction to both positions is a step in the right direction)?

Actually, let’s set off from a different origin. Instead of focusing on the “How dare he!” indignation Morgan Little that has swept across even the most die-hard of Obama supporters or Columnist the “I told you so!” contempt that emboldens Republicans and bitter Hillary backers, let’s look at the inherent danger of the middle ground.

The Obama ‘magic’ was not based on a record of moderate politics or aisle-crossing leadership.

He likes to talk about such things, and he certainly seems to like dialogue and diplomacy to dictate arguments instead of bull-headed ideology. But the man’s policies aren’t particularly moderate at all.

Instead, his charisma drew from his resolve and independence. At risk of sounding like a broken David Bowie record, it was the talk of those changes, the shrewd retreat from typical Democratic pandering and the ringing endorsement of moral superiority, that made Obama special.

But there’s nothing more typical, more constant, more opposite from change than drifting towards the center during a general election. And to do so to a small degree is fine. Everyone needs to be thrown a bone now and then.

In some respects, the political middle ground is like Russia and Obama is becoming a bit like Napoleon.

It seems terribly easy to venture into moderation and 1800s Russia. All it takes is a more conservative stance on a few national security issues or an armed military as opposed to a bunch of tired peasants rolling turnips at the enemy.

The danger lies in venturing too far. Napoleon spent way too long in Russia. He stretched his supply lines to the breaking point, and found himself in the middle of a snow laden landscape with a sick and dying army that would have been more than willing to trade their guns for those turnips.

Likewise, Obama may find himself knee-deep in moderation, only to look around and see that his flocks of steadfast supporters have abandoned him, or have become a tired and cynical lot.

One can’t be a liberal and help but feel betrayed by a candidate whose message of change also incorporates change from the things that Democrats are right about, like gun control and the separation of church and state.

One needs only to remember John Kerry’s miserable campaign and its attempts to portray him as a moderate candidate. He focused on rational issues and left his supporters bored and unenthusiastic while the Republicans riled up their base with horror stories of Kerry’s unpatriotic activities.

It seems as though both candidates need to take a breather and remember where their support originated.

Obama needs to remember that he got this far by being a liberal, by speaking out against the Iraq war and the civil rights abuses from the Bush administration and taking action to step over the sinkholes of political cynicism.

Sen. John McCain needs to be reminded that he was once a moderate who was for abortion and gay marriage, who thought that the religious right was ridiculously out of place in American politics and knew that Bush wasn’t right about everything.

Let’s just hope that the laws of physics take a break this fall, and that these two spiraling campaigns, that were once shooting stars and are now big ugly rocks plummeting to the ground, can find a way to soar once again.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 / Page 10

The Pendulum

Features What it takes to be an Olympic chef:

Pinch of bronze

Dash of silver

Heaping of gold Ashley Barnas Summer Editor Tag Gray isn’t an athlete. He isn’t even that interested in sports in general. In fact, when it comes to the Olympics, all he can think about is food.

That’s why, in October, he put in an application with ARAMARK to be a chef for the Beijing Olympics.

Gray was one of more than 200 ARAMARK managers selected, and he left for China on June 24 and will return Aug. 31.

As a sous chef for the Olympics, Gray will be one of the food service directors. He is working with other cooks one-on-one, following recipes he’s given and acting as a manager. He is working with close to 2,000 cooks from China.

His family is staying here, but they made a list of things they wanted from China, including a kite, a lantern and sushi.

“They don’t understand that’s not Chinese,” Gray said, laughing at his children’s requests.

Gray said he hopes to see some of China, especially the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors.

“I would like to go see a standard

place where people cook,” he said, where he can see how they cook things and what ingredients they use.

He did not know his schedule before leaving, but was Gray will have to face one large told that he would be working in challenge. catering. There are four food venues “Right off the bat is the language in the Olympics: one serves nothing barriers,” he said. “They stressed to but athletes, another is for media, us that we’re going to be working with another for Olympic staff a lot of people who don’t and a fourth venue is for Learn more speak English.” spectators. Each venue has The majority of food about tag catering for special events he will be preparing will Gray’s olymas well. be authentic Japanese and pic cooking Gray is most excited for Chinese food with a certain just the opportunity to be experience in amount of European or an Olympic chef.

Western food. beijing from “I’m looking forward to Gray has been working his blog at: seeing something that a lot at Elon for four years, and www.dspchef. is food service director of people aren’t able to see: China,” he said. blogspot.com and executive chef. He also He can’t wait to learn works with catering. more about Chinese customs Gray applied back in October but and culture. But when everything didn’t hear anything for months. He about the opportunity seems perfect, was in his office in the Colonnades

photo Courtesy of uNiVersity reLAtioNs

when he received an e-mail saying that he was going to be offered a position to help with the Olympics. He was “stoked” when he found out and called his wife right away.

With the Olympics, the fourth time is the charm for Gray. He wanted to work the Olympics in Atlanta, Sydney and Greece, but was unable to drop what he was doing to go.

By working at the Olympics, Gray is certain he will gain self-perseverance.

He’s already very patient, but having to manage people who speak a different language will be a good lesson for him.

The most appealing thing about the Olympics, Gray said, is that “different countries can put their differences aside and rally together even if it’s just for a week or so.”

Incoming freshmen go on ‘Quest’ for faith Andie Diemer Reporter

oaks and headed to Atlanta for the newest First-Year Summer Experience program, and a new religious immersion In a world torn by cultural began. misunderstandings and The trip, titled Quest, was differences, many struggle sponsored by the Truitt Center to comprehend the oddities and New Student Orientation, and formalities of foreign and aims to help students populations. Phil Smith, understand various faiths director of religious life, said in order to achieve a more he believes learning different reconciling life, Smith said. religious practices—not just He said the trip is part history or geography—is the of the mission of the Truitt key to understanding different Center, and that a portion of cultures and people. the endowment for the center As a result of this had been reserved particularly conviction, nine Elon for a trip of this nature. community members left the “The more we can familiar surroundings of the understand about each other, the less we’ll Reaching Out: misunderstand, FRIDAY: which leads to • Al Farooq Mosque, active for more than 20 disharmony, years discord and even • Congregation Beth Jacob, a synagogue in violence,” Smith an orthodox jewish community said.

After SATURDAY: gathering at Elon on July 16, • Dorje Ling Buddhist Center, led by a seven incoming tibetan leader who doesn’t speak english freshmen, one – each worship session is translated into student leader Chinese, and was translated to english for and Smith the elon group played team• Hindu Temple of Atlanta, the largest Hindu building games, temple in North America got to know one another SUNDAY: and talked • Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the about their trip Annunciation, the annual site of the Atlanta expectations.

Greek festival, which promotes orthodoxy The next day, and the hellenic Culture the group participated in information courtesy of phil smith and www.

Elon’s Challenge atlgoc.org Course, piled

into a university bus and headed to Atlanta.

Incoming freshman Steven Morris chose to go on the $300 trip because he sees society as an increasingly intertwined sphere, where understanding is essential. The trip appealed to Morris because he wanted to learn more about what his own faith meant to him.

“I greatly respect people who are deeply photo subMitteD religious, and I think seven incoming freshmen left with phil smith, director of religious life, on Quest, elon’s newest first-year summer experience program. the group stands outside that anything that the hindu temple of Atlanta, a part of their week of learning about different faiths. gives someone a sense of purpose, hope and reason to live must be a Jacob, an Orthodox Jewish who didn’t know one another good thing,” Morris said. synagogue. The group met and help transition them from Atlanta was chosen as with each faith’s religious their own community into the the destination spot because leaders, learned about the Elon community. large amounts of immigrants traditional symbols and The student leader, from a diverse range of rich, participated in the afternoon junior Kirby Sypek, helped long-developed backgrounds prayer at the mosque and plan and coordinate the and traditions are located Shabbat in the evening at the program, but also worked in the city. Each faith’s temple. to help the students get congregations, which have The fourth and fifth day more comfortable. Assisting been established for much included a trip to the Hindu new students is important longer than the outlets around Temple of Atlanta and the to her and she chose Quest Greensboro, provided the Dorje Ling Buddhist Center, because her personal faith is group with an experience that where they participated in significant as well. simulated going to a different religious ceremonies. And Even though this was the country, Smith said. they traveled to the Greek first trip of its kind, Smith is “The point is just for Orthodox Cathedral of the hoping the same experience better understanding of the Annunciation. The group can continue for years to world,” he said. “There is a experienced some local come. component of our world that cultural events the area “The more we understand is faith-based. This is more offered, including an Atlanta about each other’s understanding a group based Braves baseball game. backgrounds and convictions on their faith tradition.”

Putting aside the religious and beliefs, then the better On the third day, the group aspects, Smith said the trip we will get along in the big visited the Al Farooq Mosque also aimed to unite students picture,” Smith said. and the Congregation Beth

FEATURES

Page 14 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

BACKPEDALING:

Following

Ashley Barnas Summer Editor

the

The Pendulum

RIDE

photos submitted

Dani Schenk bikes through the California Desert near some sand dunes.

Dani Schenk (right) “somewhere” in Arizona.

For two months, sophomore Dani Schenk is biking 3,300 miles across the southern United States to raise money and build houses for low-income families. Now only two weeks away from reaching her destination of Tybee Island, Ga., Schenk reflects on her favorite place along the ride, the tough physical demands of biking an average of 80 miles a day, what it was like spending her birthday biking up mountains and how her first home building experience went.

Schenk was inspired to join The Fuller Center for Housing trip when its founder, Millard Fuller, came to speak at Elon in February. Fuller is also the founder of Habitat for Humanity International. For more on Schenk’s journey, visit www.elon. edu/pendulum.

Over the Rio Grande in Colorado, Dani Schenk (center) spent her birthday biking through the mountains in the state.

Crossing from California into Arizona, Dani Schenk’s (right) second state to ride through on the trip.

Dani Schenk (right) travels through Kansas before moving down to Oklahoma.

Crossing into New Mexico after nearly two weeks of biking.

pendulum q&a: What has been your most memorable experience on the trip so far?

Schenk: Way too hard to pick just one experience.

What has been your favorite place and why?

Schenk: I would have to say my favorite place was the Narrows in New Mexico. It was absolutely gorgeous. It was a perfect day, down hill and we were all riding together (normally we get separated).

However, it is really hard to pick one favorite place. Oftentimes, we wake up in the mornings not knowing where we are going to stay. And when we get there, we will have not only a place to sleep and shower, but kind people there waiting for us, willing to provide for us and cook.

I have been pleasantly surprised with the generosity of people everywhere we go. Even in Oklahoma City a local, Joel, bought us all coffee.

What has the trip been like for you physically?

Schenk: The first day was probably the hardest for me physically—we

Dani Schenk (left) in the Narrows, N.M., her favorite place on the trip so far.

climbed about 5,000 miles and it was not rolling hills.

Other than that, the hardest part is just saddle soreness. I definitely have no problems as far as my muscles—it is frustrating when there is a strong headwind and I can’t go as fast as I want.

Also, I have a knee problem, which occasionally bugs me but I have been relatively surprised with how my body has handled it.

How was your birthday riding through the mountains?

Schenk: My birthday was actually a pretty memorable day. It may not have been my favorite birthday, but it will probably be my most exciting. It ended up being a century—through three mountain passes. The climbs were difficult, but that was not the exciting part.

After the second mountain pass, we decided to take an hour break at a coffee shop where I was offered a wide variety a food because it was my birthday: everything from strawberry rhubarb pie to a Swiss bagel (big mistake).

Then, right as we were preparing to leave, things began looking ominous.

As the sky darkened and the sound of the thunder crept closer, we began climbing our last mountain pass for the day. Soon, it began to pour and I started to regret buying the cheaper water resistant jacket instead of the waterproof model.

We kept climbing because there was nowhere to stop, and we were excited to see signs for the town, Divide, and the last part of the climb in the distance.

By the time we reached the town, lightening was crashing down all around us and we took shelter in a gas station, where we learned that Divide is the county with the most deaths and injury by lightening in America.

At this point, we had biked about 75 miles, but I was so cold I wanted to call the truck back to the gas station.

However, after a two-hour break and a couple of hot chocolates, I was ready to continue on.

Now, this is probably the only time I will ever say this, but I was praying for a climb just to warm me up and was disappointed to find myself

coasting at 30 mph all the way to Colorado Springs. Beyond the cold, the worst part was the semis flying by and coating us in dirt. But because it was my birthday, I got the first shower. We also had a little birthday party involving very delicious brownies.

What was your first day of building like?

Schenk: The building day was a new experience for me. I have never done anything like it before. We were in Greensburg, Kan., which was hit by a tornado about a year ago and completely demolished. It was really sad to see all these destroyed houses— steps leading to nowhere—and the Federal Emergency Management Agency village.

We were happy to help three different families. On day one, the team split into two groups and I got to work on siding with five of the guys.

Then the next day, Katherine (Stump), another of the eight riders traveling the whole way, and I primed for five hours, It was great to learn new things, and so rewarding.

The Pendulum

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 / Page 15

A rtworks

Lyndon Street

A NEW TWIST ON STANDARD ART GALLERIES Photos by Ashley Barnas

Beerbower was working in another studio downtown when a woman who owned a plumbing business in the Lyndon Street space told him her business was being foreclosed. She thought the space would be good for artists, but the building was in terrible shape. Repairs had to be completed in two months, and the deal fell through.

Beerbower later brought the idea to his father-in-law.

They bought the building, fixed it up and Lyndon Street Artworks was born.

All of the studio spaces are made with recycled materials, so Beerbower only had to buy gates to place at each studio’s entrance.

“We’re just in here making art,” Beerbower said. “We don’t have to have it looking real sweet.”

Beerbower, whose wife is an art teacher at New Garden Friends School, brings his children to the studio with him on weekends, and they love exploring the space and helping their dad with his projects.

“They grew up in a world of art,” Beerbower said. “So they’ll probably be lawyers or something like that.”

The goal of Lyndon Street Artworks is to bring local artists together, and Beerbower said it is important to support local art regardless of where you are.

“I think every city needs a place like this,” Beerbower said. “Big or small, I think it’s important to have all the artists in one place because it gives them a unified voice.”

Get in touch Get touch withinyour with your artistic side: artistic side:

When one thinks of a typical art gallery, a high-end facility with expensive paintings most people probably can’t afford comes to mind.

But at Lyndon Street Artworks in downtown Greensboro, one will find a hip, laid-back atmosphere with paintings, sculptures, pottery, jewelry, metal work and stained glass at all reasonable price ranges.

Sculptor Erik Beerbower said the artists at Lyndon Street Artworks welcome people who want to come in and ask them what they can make for a certain price. The building houses studios for 40 artists in addition to its gallery, so visitors can actually talk with the artists as they work.

“A lot of artists like to do their work and they like to do it behind closed doors,” Beerbower said. “They don’t want anybody to see it until they unveil it, but I’ve always been the opposite way. I’ve always wanted to get as much input as possible.”

Lyndon Street Artworks offers a different kind of experience for artists as well as prospective customers. Beginners and established professionals work in close contact, which Beerbower said leads to a synergy and collaborative effort among the artists.

“You get a huge shared experience here, so an artist can really increase their skills by working with other artists,” Beerbower said. “If I need to know how to do something, I just go down the hall and ask somebody.”

The studios and gallery also host a wide variety of art that someone wouldn’t find at a more traditional gallery. Anne-Marie Davis’ whimsical and brightly colored paintings include a picture of people praising flying coffee mugs.

Scott Harris paints on aluminum, giving his work a shining and shimmering look. Trace O’Connor makes found object art, including a horse made of wheels, pipes and other trinkets, which stands outside the front door.

Lyndon Street Artworks also houses a photographer, a writer and soon will welcome claymation puppeteers.

“I kind of modeled the place after Home Depot,” Beerbower said.

“Just a one stop place… you get stuff for your business, your garden, your home.”

In addition to selling art to the public, the artists at Lyndon Street Artworks have also done some work for the city. Many artists contributed to the pedestrian wayfinding signs downtown, Brian Hibbert and Beerbower made the mural at Center City Park, and Jim Cooper, who now lives in Virginia, did the park’s fountain. Beerbower also designed a water sculpture on South Elm Street with gates in the front by metalwork artists Ernest and Lois Rich.

“I think it’s great that our fingerprints are all over the city and you might not even know it,” Beerbower said.

Beerbower founded Lyndon Street Artworks four and a half years ago when the building that currently houses it went up for sale.

Erik Beerbower started Lyndon Street Artworks four and a half years ago.

Alexa Milan Summer News Editor

What: Lyndon Street Artworks Where: 205 S. Lyndon St., Greensboro Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday Information: 336-370-0025 or www.lyndonstreet.com

Page 16 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Emmy Predictions: Who will take home a trophy Sept. 21?

Alexa Milan Summer News Editor Best Comedy Series Curb Your Enthusiasm Entourage The Office 30 Rock Two and a Half Men Will win: 30 Rock Should win: The Office

Best Drama Series Boston Legal Damages Dexter House Lost Mad Men Will win: Mad Men Should win: Lost

The Pendulum When the nominations for the 60th annual Emmy Awards were announced on July 17, there were some welldeserved recognitions (“Pushing Daisies’” Lee Pace, “30 Rock’s” Tina Fey) and some huge snubs (“House’s” Robert Sean Leonard, “Lost’s” Henry Ian Cusick). The Emmys like to award old favorites like “Boston photo courtesy of Legal,” but this year http://www.loriadairphotography.com the freshman drama “Mad Men” received 16 nominations. There are bound to be some surprises at this year’s award show, but here is who will most likely take home a trophy.

photo courtesy of tv.yahoo.com

“30 Rock,” created by Tina Fey, is a comedy set behind the scenes at a show similar to “Saturday Night Live.”

Commentary:

What are Heath Ledger’s Oscar chances?

Best Actor in a Comedy Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) Steve Carell (The Office) Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) Tony Shalhoub (Monk) Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men) Will win: Alec Baldwin Should win: Steve Carell Best Actress in a Comedy Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?) America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) Tina Fey (30 Rock) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine) Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) Will win: Tina Fey Should win: Mary-Louise Parker photo courtesy of tv.yahoo.com

Best Actor in a Drama Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment) Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) Michael C. Hall (Dexter) John Hamm (Mad Men) Hugh Laurie (House) James Spader (Boston Legal) Will win: John Hamm Should win: Hugh Laurie photo courtesy of movies.yahoo.com

Heath Ledger spent six weeks alone in a London hotel room figuring out how he was going to potray the Joker by practicing voices, laughs and mannerisms. His interpretation drew heavily from the different villainous characters in director Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange.”

Alexa Milan Summer News Editor Even before Heath Ledger’s tragic death on Jan. 22 at age 28, early footage of his iconic portrayal of The Joker in “The Dark Knight” was all anyone interested in the latest Batman installment could talk about. Now that he’s gone, Ledger’s last complete performance reminds audiences everywhere of an amazing talent lost too soon.

The critical and fan response to “The Dark Knight” has been overwhelming, and almost everyone has been blown away by Ledger’s performance. He shines in the kind of big-budget summer event film in which most actors have a difficult time standing out. He delves into The Joker and brings out a deeply psychopathic character who laughs at chaos and enjoys playing deadly mind games with everyone he meets.

Every time Ledger is onscreen the audience members can’t take their eyes off him, and every time he’s not they can’t wait to see more of him. With a knockout performance like this one, there is only one thing left to speculate: Does Ledger’s Joker have what it takes to earn him a posthumous Oscar nomination?

Only six actors have been nominated for Oscars after their deaths: Jeanne Eagels for 1929’s “The Letter,” James Dean for 1955’s “East of Eden” and 1956’s “Giant,” Spencer Tracy for 1967’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” Peter Finch for 1976’s “Network,” Ralph Richardson for 1984’s “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes” and Massimo Troisi for 1995’s “The Postman.” Finch was the only one to win an Oscar posthumously.

The general consensus among critics seems to be that Ledger will likely earn a nomination for best supporting actor, but his chances of winning are less certain. Since only one actor has ever won the award after his death, it’s clear that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is reluctant to award deceased performers. Combine that with the Academy’s history of rarely honoring portrayals of villains, much less action villains, and Ledger’s chances of winning might be slim.

Then there are those who say the recent Oscar talk is because Ledger’s death is still fresh in everyone’s minds and that people just want to honor his life in any way they can. But when watching Ledger’s mesmerizing performance, one completely forgets that Ledger is dead. In fact, one completely disconnects the idea that it is Ledger onscreen. He is so completely immersed in his role that he simply is The Joker.

Will Ledger actually win the Oscar? Probably not. Will he get a nomination? Most likely. Does he deserve it? Absolutely.

All this talk about Ledger’s Oscar potential isn’t about honoring the dead.

It’s about honoring a man who puts such outstanding effort into his role, who has the uncanny ability to be both comical and utterly chilling with every word he speaks and every movement he makes, that he gives one of the most incredible performances to ever grace the screen.

Best Actress in a Drama Glenn Close (Damages) Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters) Mariska Hargitay (Law and Order: SVU) Holly Hunter (Saving Grace) Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) Will win: Glenn Close Should win: Kyra Sedgwick Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy John Cryer (Two and a Half Men) Kevin Dillon (Entourage) Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) Jeremy Piven (Entourage) Rainn Wilson (The Office) Will win: Jeremy Piven Should win: Rainn Wilson

Steve Carell Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Ted Danson (Damages) Michael Emerson (Lost) Zeljko Ivanek (Damages) William Shatner (Boston Legal) John Slattery (Mad Men) Will win: Michael Emerson Should win: Michael Emerson Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Candice Bergen (Boston Legal) Rachel Griffiths (Brothers and Sisters) Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy) Dianne Wiest (In Treatment) Chandra Wilson (Grey’s Anatomy) Will win: Candice Bergen Should win: Sandra Oh Best Made for Television Movie Bernard and Doris Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale The Memory Keeper’s Daughter A Raisin in the Sun Recount Will win: Recount Should win: Extras Best Miniseries The Andromeda Strain Cranford John Adams Tin Man Will win: John Adams Should win: John Adams Best Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Ralph Fiennes (Bernard and Doris) Ricky Gervais (Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale) Paul Giamatti (John Adams) Kevin Spacey (Recount) Tom Wilkinson (Recount) Will win: Paul Giamatti Should win: Paul Giamatti

photo courtesy of tv.yahoo.com

Kristen Chenoweth Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Kristen Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies) Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live) Jean Smart (Samantha Who?) Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men) Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) Will win: Kristen Chenoweth Should win: Kristen Chenoweth

Best Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Judi Dench (Cranford) Catherine Keener (An American Crime) Laura Linney (John Adams) Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun) Susan Sarandon (Bernard and Doris) Will win: Laura Linney Should win: Laura Linney

The Pendulum

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 / Page 17

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Common reading suggests segregation still exists in U.S. public schools Alexa Milan Summer News Editor The point of the Elon Common Reading Program is to encourage students to think critically about timely national and global topics.

Based on that objective, this year’s book is an appropriate selection.

Jonathan Kozol’s “The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” examines segregation in U.S. public schools and how it affects children’s education, particularly for minority and poor children.

“We selected Kozol because it’s a well written book about a critically important topic: the continuing, systematic racial inequality in U.S. public education,” said Jean Schwind, associate professor of English and a member of the Common Reading Committee that selected Kozol’s book.

Kozol addresses the vast differences between the conditions of inner city schools and predominantly white suburban schools. He has spent more than 40 years researching and writing about public education and visited 60 public schools while preparing “The Shame of the Nation.”

Kozol found that inner city schools today are in worse shape than they were before the Supreme Court ruled that schools should be desegregated in the 1950s.

“Kozol explores the ‘re-segregation’ of American schools when many would argue they were never integrated in the first place,” said Stephen Braye, professor of English and chair of the Common Reading Committee.

“He explores the racial make-up of schools in the U.S. today, arguing that our school system is more segregated at this time than at any time in our nation’s history,” Braye said.

In the book, Kozol expresses outrage at the lack of money invested in public education.

Schwind said that it is his passion and authority on the subject Jonathan that attracted Kozol the Common Reading Committee to “The Shame of the Nation.”

Schwind used the book in one of her college writing classes last spring and said it inspired thoughtful discussions, something she said she hopes will carry over to students who will read the book this year and hear Kozol speak on Sept. 23 in Alumni Gym. “First year students are the principal audience for the common reading,” Schwind said. “And ‘The Shame of the Nation’ should provoke them to consider how their own K-12 experience compares and contrasts to those of the students Kozol describes.”

Kozol has examined issues surrounding the public school system and inner city conditions for most of his career as a non-fiction writer. He

Hinkle’s vocals, lyrics make it worth another round of ‘Blueridge Martini’ CD REVIEW Ashley Barnas Summer Editor While no two songs sound the same, one thing remains consistent in "Blueridge Martini": J. Scott Hinkle's soothing and pure voice made for singing what he calls "Altcountry Americana."

"Blueridge Martini" is the epitome of contemporary bluegrass – and so much more – at its best. Hinkle's songs feature funky rhythms with a wide range of instruments, including a resonator guitar, mandolin, fretless bass, and of course, a banjo and fiddle.

The harmonies are so spot on that no matter how many times the same song is heard, Courtesy of scotthinkle.com a flaw cannot be found. talent has traveled with him Flat and Scruggs’ "California As typical with the folk as he continues to expand his Uptight Band." From there, he genre, Hinkle's every lyric is musical abilities. says he immersed himself in clear and meaningful – from When he received a The Beatles, the Rolling Stones his lullabies like "Giving plywood Prestige acoustic and Led Zeppelin. The variety Dreams" to his more upbeat guitar for Christmas one year, of music he exposed himself tunes like "Voodoo Choo the first song he played was to at an early age shows Choo." through his new CD. Hinkle's CD Graduate school and strikes a chord a Ph.D. later, Hinkle over a wide array wrote and recorded the Who: J. Scott Hinkle of fans by offering 11 songs on "Blueridge everything from What: “Blueridge Martini” Martini." He collaborated traditional bluegrass Genre: Americana, Folk, Acoustic, with nearly a dozen to contemporary jazz. artists – vocalists and Alt-country, Jazz, Bluegrass This CD has something instrumentalists – on the Where: cdbaby.com/cd/jscotfor everyone. different songs.

His songs take thinkle Hinkle was a 2008 listeners from Cost: $15 Telluride Troubadour Alabama to New Finalist and a 2007 Top 5: “Take My Bones to AlaOrleans to Tennessee.

Flatrock Music Festival bama,” “Don’t Live Faster Than And naturally, back to Finalist.

North Carolina and all Your Angels Can Fly,” “Voodoo "Take a penetrating along the Blue Ridge Choo Choo,” “Giving Dreams,” acoustic-folk-roots Mountains. foundation, add melody“Burn the Boat” Simply based on driven conversations and this CD, listeners can you will hear – Blueridge sense Hinkle's passion Martini music," Hinkle's for variety in music For more information, visit: CD promotion says. and lyrics.

After listening to his • www.scotthinkle.com Moving from music, soaking in his • myspace.com/jscotthinkle Tennessee to Bangkok lyrics and letting his to North Carolina, voice sink in, it will be Hinkle's musical hard to disagree.

earned his degree in English Literature at Harvard University and graduated summa cum laude in 1958. He later became a teacher in the Boston public school system, but was fired for teaching a Langston Hughes poem.

He became actively involved in the civil rights movement, and after teaching for several more years decided to dedicate his time to writing.

During his writing career he has received two Guggenheim Fellowships and worked in social psychology.

Kozol now serves on the editorial board of Greater Good Magazine, which is published by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. He also founded and runs Education Action, a non-profit organization dedicated to uniting teachers against the No Child Left Behind program and improving conditions in public schools across America.

Though Kozol has been writing since the late 1960s, Braye said “The Shame of the Nation” was selected as this year’s common reading because it is particularly relevant to society today.

“Given (Sen. Barack) Obama’s historic run for the presidency and the accompanying discussion of race and its place in American life, this is a perfect time to examine our understanding of racial inequality in our world,” Braye said.

WEB SITE REVIEW

Collegelearner.com provides useful links, needs lesson in Web design

Drew Smith Reviewer More and more students are turning to the Web to find simple or complex things ranging from driving directions to life advice. Now, one Web site claims to have all the links and hints in one place.

Mathews Morgan, a staff member at the University of Central Florida, developed Collegelearner.com as a collection of links to all the Web sites a college student needs to graduate, get a job or an internship, calculate loan money or start a business.

“The advantage of going to this site is that it saves you time on trial and error,” Morgan said. “It has everything you need without having to stumble across it, keeping you organized.”

Despite the site’s practical approach to advice-giving, the site is less than helpful in its design.

The first problem is the amount of wasted space at the top of the page. Displaced by an advertisement in the left corner, the title of the site doesn’t appear until halfway through the page. Before any content is presented, there is another round of advertisements and a small navigation menu on the left that really does not have anything worth clicking. The text is small and the link titles are disorganized even once they’ve been put in to categories.

Presenting the information in three columns was a good idea for easier navigation and maximizing space. But using columns does not work if there is no alignment whatsoever.

The site’s content is a little better than its design.

The designer might want to consider putting each of the categories into a navigation menu and then explaining what each link has to offer with a short sentence.

The loan calculator at the bottom of the page is useful – especially if a student who has many loans is in the mood to get depressed about how much money he or she will be paying off.

It’s mentioned a couple times on the page and in the site’s online store that you can pay Morgan $0.99 and find out how to make a million dollars. He will mail, e-mail or text you the answer. The site does say he offers a money back satisfaction guarantee.

If you are feeling lucky, go for it. As for me, I am skeptical and I think you might be better off buying a lottery ticket.

Collegelearner.com could be useful to a college student to find links easily and save time. But it’s not really exposing any hidden Web sites. Spending some time on Google will get you to the same sites – it just might take a little longer.

Page 18 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Pendulum

MOVIE REVIEW

Why so serious(ly good)?

Heath Ledger shines in his last but greatest Adam Constantine Reporter He’s one of the most common heroes known to this and the previous generation. A hero not shrouded in glory and fame. He is the guardian of the night. And the movie “The Dark Knight” set out to capture the Batman in his true form. In what will be considered the greatest action hero movie of this year, “The Dark Knight” made sure that its emphasis was clear: Dark.

Gotham City is a place where corruption and calamity are part of everyday life. A place where words like “honor” and “fair” have been twisted to have a meaning that fits people with the money in the town. The reach of the corrupt is out of even the Gotham police department’s outstretched hand of justice. Fortunately for them, Batman will stop at nothing to make a safer city, even with the citizens questioning his style of vigilante justice.

But just as it seems that Batman is getting things to turn in his favor, a new villain steps onto the scene that may overtake them all.

The Joker (Heath Ledger) is a psychopathic killer who becomes obsessed with Batman (Christian Bale).

He puts him through many trials and tribulations in

what seems to be a deadly game of cat and mouse.

The unfortunate side is that most end with citizen performance casualties. This causes the public to put even more pressure on Batman to turn himself in, something he cannot do for the sake of the same people who want him locked up. In order to save the citizens who hate him, he must make choices in which people will die either way.

With the people rallying behind Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the district attorney of Gotham, they begin to see him as the savior of the city instead of Batman. This leads The Joker to pull some of his sickest games yet.

Anyone who expected this movie to be great still couldn’t expect it to be this good. From the setting to the actors, the movie was as top notch as they come. Bale played the role of a conflicted Batman and billionaire playboy as if he did it on a regular basis.

His acting as both was brilliant.

Many were giving Ledger’s performance as The Joker praise even before it was presented in theaters.

But when he was on the screen there was no way that the role could have been played any better. Ledger IS The Joker. Every movement from his laugh to his walk sends chills down a viewer’s spine, the way it was meant to be. He believed in his role 100 percent and gave his growing fan base the best acting performance of the year.

The plot of the movie was that of darkness and terror with a small ray of light at the end of the tunnel.

Moviegoers will literally be on the edge of their seats as they watch the progression of this film turn into a masterpiece. Out of the countless

Sizzlin’Summer

Cinema

MOVIE REVIEW

WALL-E’s eyes tell all Adam Constantine Little does he know that his little job on earth will play a huge part in saving Reporter the rest of mankind.

In what will probably be It’s 700 years later on planet Earth remembered as the best animated – except there are no humans. There picture of 2008, WALL-E takes over are no animals roaming fields, no cars the screen, brings comedy and is jammed in traffic. Nothing except a surprisingly suspenseful. From little robot named WALL-E. his journey on planet Earth to his WALL-E was designed for one single outer space encounters, WALL-E task: to tidy up all of the world’s will certainly have you enjoying garbage and waste left in the every minute of his nonstop humans’ place. So without adventures. complaint, he does. Every This animated film day he continues his mixes in a new type of seemingly endless task filming as well. There of collecting trash and is a mix of animated compacting it. humans and actual Over his many years of actors, which makes existence, trash isn’t for an interesting the only thing WALL-E mix but has the has collected. He potential to throw has also collected a the audience personality. During off. But this is a WALL-E’s job of movie that not collecting the garbage only brings great surrounding him, he enjoyment for also collects things that the kids, but interest him. He puts also teaches a things of interest in his Ph m oto very valuable “home” that he has created ov c ie ou and powerful and for the most part is quite s. ya rt ho es lesson at the end. content. With one exception: he is o. y o co f Recommendation: lonely. m This is a great choice to take He longs for a companion like the family out to see or for you guys the ones he has seen in the “human to show your special lady your playful movies” he watches at night. With a sensitive side. This is a great pick for wistful sigh he continues his duties. any occasion.

Not until a ship lands on Earth are his dreams close to becoming a reality.

Photo courtesy of movies.yahoo.com

Batman remakes that exist, this will go down as the best in history – hands down.

Recommendation: Due to some of the film’s graphic nature, this is a movie that has the potential to scare, but it is done with purpose and reason.

Anyone of age should see this movie. For family outings, dates or just something to do, “The Dark Knight” needs to be at the top of the list.

MOVIE REVIEW

It’s good to be ‘Wanted’ Adam Constantine Reporter Thinking about seeing “Wanted”?

Before you decide to make that trip, here are some things that should be considered.

If you base most of your thinking on logic, realities and what can be easily explained in a textbook, then sit this one out. This bullet curving, gravity defying film is for those looking for some lighthearted yet seriously action packed fun.

Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) has been walked on all his life. It has become so apparent that he accepts it as his own nature. His best friend abuses the friendship, his girlfriend doesn’t respect him and he has a boss that everyone loves to hate.

He finds it hard to concentrate on his work or any other serious event that occurs in his life. He has become numb to the world around him. That is until one trip to the convenience store turns his numb, mundane and repetitive life into a psychotic life and death thrill ride.

After nearly getting killed by an armed assassin, he and his heroine, Fox (Angelina Jolie), go to a secret facility where Wesley begins to find out his true self. He has a gift that few have. Sloan (Morgan Freeman) overseas this special group of individuals in what is called “The Fraternity,” a group of assassins given targets that when taken out save other human lives. “Kill One, Save a Thousand” is the code that they live – and if necessary die by.

This film follows Wesley from not only his transformation from doormat to cold-blooded killer, but along the way he finds out some startling and life threatening information – information that could destroy him and the fraternity.

To say that this is new ground for McAvoy would be a gross understatement. In his first role as a major action hero, he does a great job of playing the lost recruit with raw untapped talent that even he didn’t know he possessed. He provides much of the movie’s comic relief and it wasn’t forced or faked.

As his character matured from the lost kid to the man that would finally be able to take control, his acting followed suit. With the exception of one or two “Yeah, right” moments, his character successfully drove this film to an enjoyable one.

Jolie’s tough assassin character stays true to the end and is a decent support to McAvoy’s character.

Her on screen presence has the soft but cold fierceness needed to successfully carry her role.

Freeman’s presence alone gives the impression of a man who is the mastermind behind it all. His calm but commanding speech quickly shows anyone in doubt that he is the boss. He plays his character with cruel intentions all the way to the end.

Recommendation: A few guys need something to do? Gone to the movies and “The Dark Knight” is sold out? This is an excellent choice for good, old-fashioned, new age, violent action fun.

MOVIE REVIEW

Hancock’s strength not enough to carry movie Adam Constantine Reporter Maybe it’s because his last seven movies all grossed more than $100 million. Maybe it’s because he had us laughing in “Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” near tears in “Pursuit of Happyness” and about to pee our pants in “I am Legend.” Maybe it was the fact that his charm captures the nation and it could make any movie work.

Whatever it may be, it did not carry over into “Hancock.”

Hancock (Will Smith) is, to say the least, different than the rest of the population of earth. He has a power unlike anyone else. He is invulnerable, invincible, with power, strength and speed beyond belief. He uses it to stop criminals and make the world a better place …

sort of. Stop criminals? Yes. Making the world a better place? Well, according to the people of Los Angeles he is more of a hassle than the criminals.

Imagine you’re apathetic friend. Now imagine him drunk. Now imagine him with superpowers trying to save the world. This is John Hancock. ladies and gentlemen. With his “vigilante justice“ seeming to do more harm than good, many wonder why he tries to help at all. But Hancock is even more apathetic about his public perception than his “unique” fighting and disciplinary style. At least so it would seem. It isn’t until a he makes particular rescue that his meaning of life beings to change.

Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) is a PR agent that is struggling to get his big idea across to companies.

But when Hancock saves him he becomes determined to change Hancock’s image. This film follows the transformation of Hancock and the family of Ray Embrey who has some surprising ties to Hancock.

Ever been in class and thought the subject

was great but there was way too much information to comprehend? That about sums this movie up. The plot was one that had a lot of great information to make a great movie. In fact it all seemed to be leading to a good one but then some of the information was just overlooked. The comedy in the movie was great, and Will Smith’s acting was superb as usual. The special effects were good and didn’t take anything away from the believability of the movie. In fact everything was just about on point with the exception of the plot, which for a movie, is kind of important.

Recommendations: It’s an enjoyable movie to see as long as you don’t have your hopes up for the movie of the year (as this reviewer did). And if you are a Will Smith supporter he is still the man in this movie. Besides even with all the mediocre things said about the movie, he sells tickets, as this one making more than $100 million in its first week. Make that eight in a row. Well done, Mr. Smith.

The Pendulum

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 / Page 19

Scrapbook sheds light on post-fire Elon University Archives were able to continue on.

Today, the archives encompass more than 23,000 photographs, 42,000 slides, 4,000 negatives, 1,100 audio/visual materials, 6,800 As the old cliché goes, a picture cataloged books, 26 manuscript collections, ca. is worth a thousand words. From 200 postcards and 1,700 linear feet of additional weddings to newborn children to collections stored offsite. graduations and proms, pictures serve The university created Nash’s position as great mementos. in 2005 in an effort to provide a dedicated For Elon University and the taskforce. Prior to 2005, the position of University Archives Collection, the University Archivist had been passed along recent lending of a historic scrapbook from long-time librarian Oma Utley Johnson is more than just a memento – it serves from the class of 1915, to a number of part-time as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to archivists. reconnect with its lost past.

Through their years of collecting, the The scrapbook, a keepsake archivists have accrued many notable items. constructed by Margaret Joe Ballentine, “Typically, the presidents’ papers are the who graduated in 1923, during her crown jewel of any college/university archive,” time at Elon, comes on loan from Nash said. descendants of the notable Johnson Other items include acorns given out at lineage of View Point, N.C. convocation, a majorette uniform from the “My family has a long history at 1940s, a Georgian Chant book from the 1600s Elon,” said Ballentine’s granddaughter, and beanie caps that were part of the mandatory Donna Lane. “We had ancestors who freshman attire during the 1950s and ’60s. helped found Elon. Some of the first With the addition of the Ballentine scrapbook, graduates were our cousins.” photo courtesy of the Ballentine Family students can learn more about the extensive Even Ballentine’s father, William Pictures taken just hours after Elon University’s 1923 fire - a part of a historic range of Elon’s history and how it continues to Ballentine, was an 1897 alumnus who scrapbook constructed by Margaret Joe Ballentine, class of 1923. evolve. later served on the Board of Trustees.

“Elon has changed a lot over the years, and “Elon has been a big part of lives,” The scrapbook proved to be full of priceless continues to change,” Nash said. “Students can safely Lane said. “My great-granddaddy went here, my keepsakes: music programs, letters, classmate photos assume that the archives and special collections are grandmother, and now, my daughter’s a senior here.” and unprecedented pictures of the campus just hours collecting [and] documenting events and changes.”

Lane’s current family ties to Elon are what brought after the fire.

Though the actual Ballentine scrapbook was about the lending of the encounter.

“The Ballentine scrapbook is a gem,” said Katie returned to the family, the scanned images of the “Five or so years ago, we approached the alumni Nash, special collections librarian and archivist. pages will be stored for viewing. board with the scrapbook,” Lane said. “However, since “Most of our holdings were kept in the Old [Main] “It’s hard for us to donate the actual scrapbook,” we were only interested in lending and technology administration building. When that burned down in Lane said. “It still holds so much meaning for us. wasn’t how it is now… it didn’t work out.”

1923, almost all of the materials were lost.”

As we get further generations removed from her, we But this spring changed things for Lane. While she After the loss of the 1889-1923 archives, the might consider donating. But for now, it’s our own was on campus attending her daughter’s Phi Kappa University Archives were forced to rebuild the only treasure.”

Phi ceremony, Lane had a chance encounter. way they knew how: using the community.

“We were walking by those historical plaques and “At the time of the fire, President William Allen The University Archives and Special Collections can be I told Heather [my daughter] about my grandmother’s Harper made a call to the community,” Nash said. “He found on the second floor of Belk Library, room 248. Appictures from the fire,” Lane said. “Next thing I know, asked to donate any items they had that pertained to pointments are encouraged and can be made by calling we’re talking to a gentleman who’s convincing us to the college.”

Katie Nash at 336-278-6681. lend the scrapbook for scanning.”

With Harper and the community’s help, the Kristin Feeney Reporter

EMF’s dualing pianos entertain President’s Office to host free concert Under the Oaks Elon audience earlier this month

photo courtesy of emF

The President’s Office will host the Eastern Music Festival at 7:30 p.m. July 28 Under the Oaks.

The 90-minue concert will be free and features orchestral and piano students ages 14-20.

Ashley Barnas Summer Editor

Concert Program • Star Spangled Banner

• Salute to the Big Apple (TSO), arr.

The Eastern Music Festival marks this month its Custer 10th anniversary of concerts on Elon University’s • Summertime, Gershwin • Murph’s March (GSO), Follas campus. The President’s Office is hosting a free Themes from 007, arr. Custer symphony concert for the community on Monday, • Armed Forces Salute (TSO), Lowden July 28 at 7:30 p.m. on the lawn Under the Oaks. The • Oklahoma, R.R. Bennett •Intermission program will feature Eastern and Guilford student •March of the Toreadors, Bizet orchestras of the EMF. • Music from Spiderman (TSO), arr.

Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and Custer • Radetsky March, Strauss lawn chairs for sitting at the location of Elon’s new • Sound of Music (TSO), Rogers & student convocations and commencements near Hammerstein the intersection of Williamson Street and Lebanon • Theme from Lone Ranger, Rossini Stars and Stripes Forever, Sousa Avenue. Free parking will be available on campus.

The rain site will be in McCrary Theatre in the Center GSO = Greensboro Symphony library for the Arts.

TSO = Toledo Symphony library The EMF orchestras, with about 70 students each, Remainder from EMF library will play its own half of the program, directed by guest conductor Chelsea Tipton. The program will have a 15-minute intermission and conclude around 9 p.m.

The School at EMF is a nationally recognized training program for pre-professional orchestral and piano students between the ages of 14 and 20. The summer concerts showcase their work after five weeks of rehearsing at Guilford College.

The EMF appeared on campus earlier this month, as well. (See sidebar at top right.)

EMF’s Web site: www.easternmusicfestival.org

Nathaniel Jones | Photographer The Eastern Music Festival’s Steinway Piano Gala came to campus July 2 for a concert that honored 1936 alumna Esther C. Kernodle. In the concert, two pianos appear on stage, which are played by four members of the Eastern Music Festival’s piano faculty. The program includes a combination of solo works, duo-piano and eight hand. The four participating faculty were Christina Dahl, James Giles, Yoshikazu Nagai and Gideon Rubin. The concert will be the eighth Steinway Piano Gala at Elon. All concert proceeds benefitted the Eastern Music Festival’s Student Scholarship Program

photo courtesy of emF

Page 20 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

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SPORTS

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 / Page 21

Expectations high for Phoenix football No. 8 Elon hoping to improve on last season’s 7-4 record when season opens Aug. 30 Pamela Richter Reporter The Elon football team is ranked eighth in the 2008 Division I Football Championship Subdivision Preseason Top 25 National Poll presented by USA Today Sports Weekly. Appalachian State is ranked No. 1 in the poll after winning the championship last season.

The Phoenix finished with a 7-4 record last season and beat two nationally-ranked opponents—Georgia Southern and Wofford. The Phoenix recorded its first sell out at Rhodes Stadium on Sept. 28, 2007, versus Appalachian State University, a game Elon eventually lost..

This season will not be any easier for the Phoenix as it faces five teams ranked in the top-25 in the preseason poll. The team starts off its season

State, No. 12 Wofford, No. 17 Georgia Southern and No. 23 The Citadel.

With five teams ranked in the top 25 before the season, 8/30 vs. No. 5 Richmond the Southern Conference will 9/6 at Stony Brook be a difficult conference for 9/13 vs. Presbyterian (Hall of Fame Game) all of the teams.

Individual players for 9/20 at No. 17 Georgia Southern the Phoenix also received 9/27 vs. Samford (Family Weekend) preseason recognition. Junior 10/4 vs. Furman wide receiver Terrell Hudgins 10/11 at The Citadel and sophomore quarterback 10/18 at Chattanooga Scott Riddle both appear on 10/25 vs. No. 6 Wofford the 2008 FCS Players to Watch 11/8 vs. Western Carolina (Homecoming) list. Elon is the only school 11/15 at No. 1 Appalachian State that has two players appear on this 10-athlete list.

11/22 at Liberty Last season Hudgins averaged 134.0 yards receiving and 10.6 receptions facing No. 7 Richmond. Later in the per game. These statistics led the season they will face No. 1 Appalachian

2007 Phoenix Football Schedule:

entire FCS. He earned First Team AllSouthern Conference and First Team All-America recognition.

Riddle was the National and Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in the 2007 season. Riddle led the FCS with 347.0 passing yards and 31.5 completions per game. He helped lead Elon to second in the FCS in passing offense.

Elon was ranked in the top 25 in several other publications’ preseason polls. The team was ranked No. 12

by The Sporting News, No. 15 by Any Given Saturday and No. 17 by Lindy's and Phil Steele.

The Phoenix has 38 Letter winners returning to the 2008 team. They begin conference play on Sept. 20 at Georgia Southern and finish conference play at the defending FCS champions, Appalachian State on Nov. 15.

Former standout athlete tabbed as cross country coach Michelle Longo Reporter After the resignation of cross country coach Jackie Sgambati from her alma mater at the end of the season, a replacement has finally been found.

Last week, Christine Engel was hired as the Phoenix head men’s and women’s cross country coach and the assistant women’s indoor and outdoor track and field coach. Engel comes to Elon after spending one year as the assistant cross country and track and field coach at Columbia University in New York City.

“I’m looking forward to bringing a high level of intensity to the distance program,” Engel said in a

press release. "I’m sure that we can attract top-notch talent to Elon and I expect to make a big jump at both the conference and regional meets.”

Last season, the men’s and women’s squads finished sixth and fifth respectively in the Southern Conference Championships.

Engel’s squad at Columbia featured five runners qualifying for the 2008 NCAA Regional Championships and one 23rd place finish in the NCAA cross country tournament.

Prior to her stint at Columbia, Engel spent three seasons holding the same position at the University of San Francisco. While there, Engel guided both teams to their most successful seasons

in program history.

In addition, Engel has also coached the Impala Racing Team, one of America’s top all-women’s club teams, where she helped six athletes qualify for the 2008 Olympic trials in the marathon. Engel has also served as head coach at a public high school in Chester, N.J. Engel enjoyed a successful career as an athlete as well at nearby Clemson University.

A two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference, she was a member of the record-setting Tigers distance team. Individually, Engel fills Clemson’s record books, rankling in the top-five in the 800 and the mile.

Her standout career was recognized by her inclusion on the Clemson University Atlantic Wall of Fame.

Photo courtesy of

New cross country coach Christine Engel, who is replacing Jackie Sgambati, brings an established pedigree to Elon’s program.

file photo

Tennis team continues to grow an international program

Michelle Longo Reporter

File photo

The men’s and women’s tennis programs have had an international flair for years. This season will be no different for the Phoenix, as players from South Africa, Spain, London, Mexi and Italy join the Phoenix tennis program. Anna Milian, Hayley Wahl, Elisa Simonetti and Daleen Kloppers all hail from countries outside the United States. The teams will begin their seasons in

If history serves as a lesson, there is none better at Elon than the idea to recruit top tennis players from all over the world.

Men’s tennis phenom Damon Gooch is from South Africa, while teammate Philip Nemec is from Alberta, Oscar Podlewski from London and Alberto Rojas from Mexico.

On the women’s side, Anna Milian hails from Spain and Hayley Wahl is from the same town in South Africa as Gooch.

Fifth year head women’s coach, Elizabeth Anderson did not stop the international trend when recruiting this season. The fall roster will flaunt the arrival of five newcomers, two from oversees.

Freshmen Daleen Kloppers from South Africa and Elisa Simonetti from Italy, will be look to continue establishing Elon as am international tennis powerhouse. Lauren Sessons and Melissa Wolf from North Carolina and Sally Wilkey wrap up the Phoenix newbies for the 2008-2009 campaign.

Kloppers finished her junior career ranked

No. 5 in singles and also placed fifth at the South African Nationals this past year.

She has even been ranked as high as No. 1 in doubles. With a wealth of international experience, Kloppers comes to Elon looking to continue her successful career.

International prodigy, Simonetti has gained much experience competing in many International Tennis Federation tournaments over the years. She has been ranked as high as No. 90 in the European Tennis Association Rankings and was a member of the Italian national Team in the European Championships in 2005.

In-state, Sessons ranked as high as No. 5, No. 37 in the Southern Region and No. 167 in the nation. Sophomore Wolf is transferring from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to compete for Elon in the 2008-2009 season. She has been a nationallyranked junior player throughout her career as was the No. 4 player in the Tar Heel State. The second true freshman from the United States, Wilkey, is currently ranked No. 21 in Florida, No. 51 in the Southeast and No. 196 in the nation.

SPORTS

Page 22 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Camping with the PHOENIX

The Pendulum

While the majority of Elon’s students may have left for the summer, there have been plenty of other students to occupy the nest. Phoenix athletics has hosted a number of camps in the past two months, inviting student athletes from across the nation to participate. Players of all skill levels have filled the gyms, fields and courts around campus to learn from Elon coaches, players and counselors about their sport and about the school.

Stories and photos by Ashley Barnas

Football Phoenix coaches gave three high school teams a sense of what Division I football is like when the 200 players and their coaches came to campus to get a jumpstart on their pre-season.

Football camp with the teams from Providence High School in Charlotte, Ronald Reagan High School in Winston-Salem and Leesville Road High School in Raleigh helps build a relationship between the high schools’ players and coaches, and Elon’s. Building relationships with the coaches is key, Elon head football coach Pete Lembo said, because they’re the first line of communication for recruiting for the Phoenix.

In the two and a half days of camp, the Elon staff worked with the boys in the afternoons on fundamentals and positions before playing 7-on-7.

It’s great for the high schoolers to learn more about Elon and its coaches, and vice versa, Lembo said. He strives to maintain communication with the coaches and students.

Lembo will often discover potential players during their junior year and start gathering their

transcripts, information and junior film. Then, he may extend a personal invitation to them for the camp.

“When they come to the camp, you can learn things about a kid that you can’t get from videos or papers,” Lembo said. “You learn about their character, their leadership abilities and how coachable they are.”

A big part of football is the intangibles—things like camaraderie and self-motivation. To Lembo, teaching character is just as important as teaching skills on the field.

He said he likes to give short, motivational talks to emphasize leadership, work ethic and teamwork to the boys, and tries to jam-pack as much technical training and “big picture” lessons in three days as he can.

Hosting summer camps is something that about every college does and Lembo said it’s natural for coaches to make them part of their career.

“It’s a great chance to give back,” he said, “and also try to positively promote Elon football.”

Campers spent a portion of their day working on position specifics with an Elon coach.

BUILDING A FAN BASE The Phoenix hosted two football camps in June in addition to its high school team camp in July.

The first was for local players ages 7-12, and was a chance for head football coach Pete Lembo and the other Elon coaches to promote the program positively in the Burlington community and build a fan base. The second camp was a prospect skills camp for rising high school seniors who want to come and get some exposure.

“Most are guys who hope to get recruited,” Lembo said. The neat thing for him is when five or six players are very serious about coming to Elon and playing on the team. “They may earn scholarships from us.”

Coach Pete Lembo spends time on the intangibles of football, something that is just as important as skills on the field.

Girls Soccer The friendly coaches, the laid back atmosphere and the way the campers become like family are what Lily Wotkyns, 17, enjoys most about Elon’s Elite Camp for soccer.

Most importantly, the level of play at the camp helps the girls get a feel for what Division I soccer is like, Wotkyns said. She’s becoming a better player because of the challenging atmosphere that’s brought to the field.

Chris Neal, camp director and Elon’s head women’s soccer coach, said the camps are used in large part as a recruiting tool.

Beyond looking for potential players, Neal said he is also hoping some kids who come to the camp will be so impressed by Elon’s campus and academic atmosphere that they want to apply regardless of whether they play soccer.

The annual soccer camps range from basic to advanced skill sets through a day camp for girls ages 5-14, and an Elite Camp for girls ages 10-18.

Nine of Elon’s women’s soccer players and 17 coaches came to campus to work with the 100 campers. The coaches came from places like Florida State, the University of Massachusetts, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and local youth clubs.

“Just being around the game,” networking with the coaches and getting to see some of the girls on his team again make Neal’s camping experience enjoyable.

“It’s also exciting,” Neal said, “because you inevitably might get a player out of it.”

Morning and afternoon sessions are instructional, and the evening is for competitive play. Coach Chris Neal provides each camper with a thorough evaluation by watching her closely during practice and games. During the four-day camp, the girls work to improve their technical, tactical, physical and psychological abilities.

The Pendulum

Volleyball

SPORTS

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 / Page 23 Stories and photos by Ashley Barnas

Setting spikes, spitting seeds A summer without volleyball camp is something that senior Shelley MacBean can’t imagine. She first came to Elon’s annual summer camp as a rising high school junior and has been coming ever since.

“I came here because I was being recruited and I showed interest in Elon as well,” MacBean said of her first summer as a camper. “It was really a nerve-wracking experience because I really wanted the coaches to like me and the players to like me.”

The camp offered the Georgia native her first experience playing volleyball with girls from out of state.

“It made me kind of proud to play with girls in the South,” MacBean said, because the South isn’t known for success in volleyball. “It was nice to come here and play with other good girls from the South.”

Going into her senior year of high school after attending Elon’s camp for a second summer, MacBean knew she wanted to go to Elon and play volleyball.

Now in her third year as a counselor, MacBean worked with a group of ten seventhand eighth-grade girls, something she said was great preparation for when she graduates and wants to teach and coach middle school children.

The campers spend two days practicing passing, setting, hitting, defense and offense for about five hours each day, and the rest of their time is for doing demos, and warming up and cooling down to play.

Boys Soccer Spotlight on campers & What they have learned Nate Dombrowski, 16, Dallas, Texas -Plans to apply early decision to Elon -Enjoys Elon’s campus and the quality of education provided -Camp has helped him develop new skills -Likes being able to play with people from different places Josh Magness, 18, Kansas City, Mo. -Heard about Elon through his sister’s friend who played soccer at Elon -Says all the coaches and players are really nice -Elon’s soccer program is good because it’s really competitive Mark Berlin, 17, Winston-Salem, N.C. -Camp has taught him the level guys need to play at, at the college level -Has enjoyed seeing Elon and getting a feel for its soccer program -Hopes to get an academic scholarship -Says the training they do at the camp is top quality -Likes hearing what coaches say about the game -It’s good to compare himself with players from other places

This summer’s Elite Camp for soccer brought the strongest group to campus that Head Men’s Soccer Coach Darren Powell has ever had.

With the older boys at the Elite Camp, Powell tries to limit the number of players so the coaching staff can focus on them as individuals.

The campers were evaluated as players on the first day and then divided into groups based on their level of play. They trained during the day and played at night.

Part of the camp is also teaching the boys about Elon as a Division I school and as a successful academic institution.

“Our philosophy of the camp is that Elon University is a great place to go to school,” Powell said. “And if we find someone who’s excited to go to this school and [play in] this program, it’s always a bonus.”

Some of his Elon players come out and assistant coach for the summer camps. Powell said he and the boys really enjoy doing these camps and hopefully their energy about the school and the sport transfers to the campers.

Daniel Street, a junior on the team, has been counseling at the summer camp for two years. The most enjoyable part for him is getting to know the guys at the camp and walking them through the game and the skills they need to learn.

MacBean most enjoys making the girls laugh and keeping them active.

Both were evident when after practice ended on the third night, the girls gathered outside Alumni Gym for a watermelon seed-spitting contest. MacBean demonstrated the best way to arch the neck and lunge back to launch a seed as far as possible.

“Coach [Mary Tendler] has done a great job of modifying [the camp] each year,” she said.

“It’s just always a lot of fun. I give a lot of props to my coaches and the counselors.”

Instruction gets better each year, she said, and the coaches and counselors – including three of MacBean’s teammates – make everything understandable for the campers.

MacBean has learned a lot from both ends of the camp – first as a camper and now as a counselor.

“From a camper level, it’s been a complete 360,” MacBean said. “I was always the one paying attention and trying to learn, and now I’m the one teaching.”

Teaching the basics of volleyball reminds her of the most important aspects of the game, something she says is great to reinforce before going into pre-season with the Phoenix.

The most rewarding part of her job is when the campers come to watch MacBean and her teammates play during their normal season.

She said she loves when the girls hang around after the game and pass out hugs to the Elon players who coached them.

“It’s the cherry on top,” MacBean said.

Page 24 / Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The Pendulum

Sports SoCon welcomes Samford University Elon gets first shot at new opponent in women’s soccer contest Michelle Longo Reporter On Tuesday, July 1, Samford University officially became the 12th member in the Southern Conference.

On Friday Sept. 26, Elon will greet the school into the storied conference as the Phoenix women’s soccer team travels to Birmingham, Ala., to gear up for Samford’s first ever SoCon competition.

The Bulldogs women’s soccer team won eight games last season with only one loss, good enough to earn an Ohio Valley Conference tournament birth. An early exit in the tournament cost the Bulldogs their shot at another title.

SoCon action will continue the next day when the Phoenix footballer team hosts Samford at Rhodes Stadium.

Samford football finished the 2007 campaign with a 4-7 record. Its total offense per game totaled 3,644 yards with 25.4 points scored per game. Last season, the Phoenix averaged 4,637 yards of total offense a game and 36.4 points per game “The addition of Samford

Southern Conference Members:

benefits the SoCon in many ways,” Southern Conference commissioner John Iamarino said in a press release. “It strengthens our efforts in both football and basketball scheduling. It opens up a significant southern market to SoCon exposure. Simply put, Samford is going to make the Southern Conference a better league.”

Samford was close to making it into the SoCon in 2003 as a replacement for Virginia Military Institution.

Instead, the conference opted to take Elon, forcing Samford to compete in the OVC. This

time around, it was the SoCon that approached Samford, and the process officially began in spring 2006.

Samford enters the SoCon after spending the past five years in the OVC, where it dominated the league on its way to 13 team conference titles. The OVC is home to teams such as Eastern Kentucky University, Eastern Illinois University, Jacksonville State University and University of Tennessee at Martin.

The university also claimed the OVC’s Women’s All-Sports Trophy in its first full year in 2004. Samford tacked on

1. Appalachian State 2. College of Charleston 3. The Citadel 4. Davidson 5. Elon 6. Furman 7. Georgia Southern 8. Samford 9. UNC Greensboro 10. Chattanooga 11. Western Carolina 12. Wofford

two more consecutively in 2007 and 2008. Also while in the OVC, the Bulldogs had 10 athletes named either Player of the Year or Athlete of the Year and has 10 coaches selected as league Coach of the Year.

Prior to moving to the OVC, Samford was a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference from 1979 to 2003. The Bulldogs had their longest stay in a conference as one of the original members of the Dixie

Conference. Samford was a member of the league from 1930 until its end in 1954.

The Southern Conference, made up of 12 teams from five states, is the fifth-oldest Division I conference in the country, founded 87 years ago.

Like Elon, many members of lower Division I and Division II conferences work their way up to the SoCon and even past it into the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coastal Conference.

The league dons the most NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision national championships with eight, including the last three won by Appalachian State.

To celebrate its official inauguration into the SoCon, Samford will host the firstever Southern Conference Fan Fest on Aug. 12 in Birmingham, Ala. “As we now officially join our academic and athletics programs with those of the outstanding institutions who already are part of the historic SoCon, we look forward to a strong and exciting future together,” Samford President Dr. Andrew Westmoreland said.

Democrats, Republicans take competitive spirit to baseball diamond in Washington Audrie Garrison Scripps Howard Foundation Wire WASHINGTON—They might not have control of the House, but they’ve got bragging rights for the eighth year in a row.

The Republicans defeated the Democrats 11-10 at Thursday night’s 47th annual Congressional Baseball Game.

The game raises money for the Washington Literacy Council and the Boys and Girls Club.

Rain, thunder and lightning threatened to cancel the game a little more than an hour before it was supposed to start, but organizers quickly dried the field after the storm passed. The game went on a little later than scheduled.

Game organizers placed an American flag above second base, and fans chanted “Let’s go Democrats” and “G-O-P” throughout the seven-inning showdown. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., attended the game, drawing cheers and boos when she was introduced during the third inning.

The players wore uniforms of high school, college and professional teams from the states they represent.

“My wife says this is why I do Congress, is for this game, and she’s not far off the mark,” said Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who

SHFWire photo by Audrie Garrison

Rain, thunder and lightning delayed the game by about an hour. This was the first year the Congressional Baseball Game was held at Nationals Park. played center field for the Republicans. “This is a great, great tradition, and its just great camaraderie, and it’s nice to beat the Democrats.

When they’re in the majority, we hear it all year. At least

tonight, we can be king.”

The congressmen and congresswoman—Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., was the only woman who played—hit neighborhood baseball fields once or twice a week for early

morning practices for the last month to prepare. Though it’s competitive, the annual tradition helps build a fun bipartisanship spirit that can transfer to their work on the Hill, said Rep. Joe Baca,

D-Calif., the Democrats’ pitcher.

“I think something’s missing a lot of times when they tell the stories, but they don’t tell about those kinds of relationships that are built,” Baca said. “The relationships that you build out here also help you in terms of policy in the legislature, because then someone may be a little bit more open minded when it comes down to the legislation, because you have that relationship.”

The players had different levels of experience - some hadn’t played since Little League, while Baca played semiprofessional baseball.

“I really hadn’t picked up a baseball in probably 15 to 20 years before I came out here,” said Rep. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., catcher for the Democrats. “It’s definitely an opportunity to relive your glory days, which for me was when I was 13.”

This was the first year the game was held at Nationals Park, and the players said the new park made the experience even more exciting.

“It’s beautiful,” said Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla., an outfielder for the Republicans.

“It’s just every boy’s dream to play baseball in a big league stadium. I had to get elected to Congress to pull it off.”