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VOLUME 128, NO. 1

MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2006

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Students move in for fall semester as Class of 2010 causes housing crunch BY BRAD NELSON SENIOR STAFF REPORTER Incoming freshman Audrey King put price over space when it came to picking a dorm room. She requested to live in a triple in one of the older dorms, where it would cost $4,538 a semester to live versus $6,402 in a double. “I thought I could handle an extra roommate for $2,000,” said King, who is from St. Louis. When she moved in last week, she plunked her bags into a room with three beds. The thing is, her room in Rubelmann Hall isn’t intended to fit three people. King was assigned what the Office of Residential Life calls “a second priority triple,” what students around campus call a “forced triple” and what others might simply call “bad luck.” Rob Wild, the associate director of ResLife, said 15 rooms designed to sleep two will have an extra guest this year. Many of the rooms, like

King’s, are set in the corners of older dorms and are bigger than the average double. King and those in her situation are victims of a housing crunch, caused by the biggest incoming freshmen class in the history of Washington University. The admissions office was shooting for a class size of 1,350 students when it mailed out acceptance letters last April. It didn’t anticipate that 1,470 people would send back that letter with a deposit check. That was welcome news for the folks in Brookings, who were quick to credit the student body for the surge in enrollments. “It’s no secret that our own students and their friendly, welcoming nature are the reason that prospective students choose to join us, when so many other factors are equal,” said Nanettte Tarbouni, the director of undergraduate admissions. But it was a headache for the ResLife staff and the 120 upperclassmen who had to make space for the Class of

2010, which is guaranteed housing their first year at the University. “I have been extremely pleased with the flexibility and understanding of the upperclassmen during the whole process,” said Wild. Many of those upperclassmen have ended up with better digs than they had before. “We had some people end up in their first choice for housing because the space opened up,” said Wild. 105 upperclassmen moved off campus to the new Loop Lofts apartment complex on 1019 Skinker, north of the Loop, which features modern, fully furnished one- and two-bedroom apartments. Because it faced such a big housing shortage and offered the Lofts on such late notice, ResLife gave students who moved there a number of perks including free cable and high speed internet, a free off-campus meal plan and a free campus parking permit, among other incentives. Helena Wotring, a senior,

EITAN HOCHSTER | STUDENT LIFE

From Left to Right : Amir Francois, Jeremy Williams, James Grady and John Baird in William’s and Baird’s apartment. planned to live in Millbrook. But after one of her friends dropped out of her four-person apartment, she and her other two friends decided to take advantage of the perks. “We definitely wouldn’t

WU drops to 12 in U.S. News v University administrators question what the magazine’s rankings mean BY ELIZABETH LEWIS STAFF REPORTER Recently, Washington University ranked twelfth, tied with Cornell, in the National Universities category of the “U.S. News & World Report.” In addition, the University has also been ranked by several other media outlets, namely Newsweek, where it was listed as the 33rd best university in the world and The Scientist, where it ranked the 28th best place for post-doctoral students to work. In 2005, it was ranked 6th in Rolling Stone Magazine’s Schools that Rock! With all of these rankings available, an obvious question comes to mind: How much do rankings really matter? Nanette Tarbouni, the director of admissions at Washington University, believes rankings are useful for prospective students during the difﬁcult process of choosing a college. She cautions, however, that rankings should not be the most important factor in deciding which university to attend. “In the society we live in, people want to put qualitative and quantitative views on experience. [“U.S. News & World Report”] would not sell a magazine if Harvard was number one every year or Washington University 12 every year. [The rankings] are fun, but I do not think that people [should] take them so literally,” said Tarbouni. Tarbouni advised potential students to ask themselves several questions. “Will students be smart? Intellectually engaged? For research funding and collaboration, there is no better school [than Washington University] in

the country,” said Tarbouni. Fred Volkmann, the vice chancellor for students, agrees that rankings should not be a vital part of the prospective student’s decision-making process. “Rankings are pretty much a moveable game. Many years ago, [Washington University] was not even in the top 25,” said Volkmann. “It moves back and forth

crative, proﬁtable venture,” said Volkmann. To attract consumers, a rankings guide must change to some degree each year. In the most recent edition of the “U.S. News & World Report” rankings, the University of Chicago jumped from its 2005 slot as 15 to this year’s nine. Despite this increase, Ted O’Neill, the dean of admissions

DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE

based on how the formulas are interpreted and the data is managed.” Volkmann said that past research indicates rankings have consistently been in the bottom of the top ten reasons why students pick a particular school. Despite the seemingly low importance placed on rankings, the business of college rankings has exploded in recent years to the point where a university is ranked in almost every aspect. “[The business] has grown exponentially because it is a lu-

Witness to the World Cup Photographer David Brody chronicles his night in Florence, Italy after the country’s 2006 Word Cup victory. Scene, Page 11

at the University of Chicago, remains skeptical of the value of rankings. “They arbitrarily pick factors that they deﬁne as quality. They do not have a real deﬁnition of quality. [The rankings] are determined by numbers they choose to collect.” O’Neill thinks that the improved rankings might contribute to a spike in the number of applications to the school, but other than that, the rankings do little to change his perception of the university.

Even Harvard made news in this year’s “U.S. News & World Report” rankings, slipping from a three-year tie for number one with Princeton to number two, with Princeton taking the lead solo. “Students should make their choice of college and university based on what suits their needs and not rankings,” said Robert Mitchell, the director of communications for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. “Harvard’s primary concern is offering students the best educational experience possible.” Though the “U.S. News & World Report” rankings held a few surprises this year, another college guide, the 2007 edition of the Kaplan College Guide, spoke in praise of several universities, including Washington University, by naming them as one of the 25 “New Ivies.” Brandon Davis, a contributing editor for the guide, said that these schools were chosen by criteria such as selectivity, competitiveness, and a feel of campus and student life. “There are great options beyond Ivy League schools. You do not need Ivy on your wall to show you are an Ivy institution. [Washington University] is one of the few schools in the Midwest that is a popular place for students to go. The University hosted debates and has great research facilities,” said Davis. Tarbouni, responding to Davis’ accolades and the “U.S. News & World Report” rankings, said, “It is always nice to be mentioned. I feel so proud to work at a place with so many great students.”

The Big Dig at Wash. U. Confused by the behemoth holes blocking your walk to class? Wondering where Houses 9 and 10 went? News has a round up of WU’s Big Dig. News, Page 2

have done it if it were a group of four,” said Wotring. “But it’s a lot cheaper.” Under an agreement with the Lofts’ landlord Front Door St. Louis, the University will pay Front Door the

monthly rent of each apartment filled by a student. The University will then charge students rent through their University account, just as

See HOUSING, page 4

New Metro stops link students to St. Louis area BY LAURA GEGGEL NEWS EDITOR Metrolink opened two new stations near Danforth Campus and seven other stops this past Saturday after 12 years of discussions and over three years of construction. Students and community members crowded into the Skinker station Saturday to see the fi rst train arrive shortly before noon. Chancellor Mark Wrighton and nine other University members received tickets to journey to the next stop at Big Bend. The Metrolink expansion will not only facilitate traveling for the Washington University community but also decrease the amount of traffic in the area. “My kids love the trains,” said Shaena Krupnick, of her seven, fi ve and one-year-olds. “We live in University City and we’ve been watching the construction for the past few years.” Metrolink offered free rides for the rest of the weekend to encourage commuters to become familiar with the new routes. Full-time Washington University students who apply for free Metro cards each semester will be able to bypass the one-way train fare of $2 each time they ride. “This is a tremendous resource for our faculty, students and staff,” said Wrighton. “Going to the airport is

now very convenient. We’re going to have a shuttle that circulates through the university so people won’t have to schlep from the South 40 to the stations.” The $676 million expansion project connects Washington University to downtown St. Louis, Clayton, Richmond Heights, Maplewood, Brentwood and Shrewsbury. Light rail services already exist en route to the Medical School, West Campus and North Campus. “This is a sales-tax supported effort voted in both by citizens of the city of St. Louis and citizens of the county of St. Louis,” explained Fred Volkmann, vice chancellor for public affairs. “There’s still another possible increase in sales tax to cover operations.” Metrolink will undoubtedly help students commute to jobs, internships and activities, but the trains may also be bringing in more people from surrounding areas. To help cope with increased pedestrian trafﬁc, campus, city and University City police, “have undergone extensive training with Metro about the way the stations are laid out and activities on the train,” said Steve Hoffner, assistant vice chancellor of real estate and the University’s liaison for all of the Metrolink construction. “There are cameras. There will also be security randomly riding the

See METROLINK, page 3

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Students navigate around construction obstacles BY BEN SALES

SENIOR STAFF REPORTER

Editor in Chief: Sarah Kliff Associate Editor: Liz Neukirch Managing Editors: Justin Davidson, David Tabor Senior News Editor: Mandy Silver Senior Forum Editor: Daniel Milstein Senior Cadenza Editor: Ivanna Yang Senior Scene Editor: Erin Fults Senior Sports Editor: Andrei Berman Senior Photo Editor: David Brody News Editors: Troy Rumans, Laura Geggel Contributing Editor: Shweta Murthi Forum Editors: Tess Croner, Nathan Everly, Chelsea Murphy, Jill Strominger Cadenza Editors: Elizabeth Ochoa, Brian Stitt Scene Editors: Sarah Klein, Felicia Baskin Sports Editor: Scott Kaufman-Ross Photo Editors: David Hartstein, Meghan Luecke, Jason Hubert, Carolyn Goldstein Online Editor: Matt Rubin Design Chief: Laura McLean Production Chief: Anna Dinndorf Copy Chief: Mallory Wilder Copy Editors: Willie Mendelson, Troy Rumans, Josh Hantz, Ellen Jones, Emily Fridman, hannah draper, Indu Chandrasekhar, Jessica Trieber, Paige Creo, Meghan Luecke, Erin Fults, Jonathan Baude Designers: Ellen Lo, Jamie Reed, Elizabeth Kaufman, Kate Ehrlich

From the large hole left behind after Prince Hall’s demolition to the newly laid foundations of a social sciences building, new construction projects are taking up much of the center of the Danforth Campus and diverting students from their accustomed transit routes. Construction is currently slated to end in the spring of 2009. “The price of moving forward and having the building you want is the construction,” said Steve Givens, assistant vice chancellor and special assistant to the chancellor. “We are hoping people will be patient and look forward to the new building and what it will bring to campus.” Meanwhile, residents of the South 40 have been forced to detour from the campus’s center and walk an

indirect route around either Mallinkrodt Center or Snow Way to get to main campus. While seeing the benefit of new facilities, students still feel inconvenienced by the longer commute. “It has ruined a lot of shortcuts,” said sophomore Nyda Mukhtar, who will be living on the South 40 for a second year. “When you wake up late you have to take the long route and it is really inconvenient.” To assist students, the administration has set up bright orange signs directing residents of the South 40 to walk through the underpass and Mallinkrodt instead of walking across Forsyth Boulevard. In addition, Orientation Ambassadors and other staff will be situated around the South 40 and Danforth Campus to help freshmen and others in need of direction. “We have had numerous

THE BIG DIG AT WASH. U.: What all the cranes are up to With several large construction projects underway or beginning soon, students face obstacles in their daily rush to Danforth Campus. By the time the class of 2010 hits its senior year, however, the University will boast improved grounds and new facilities. Here’s the lowdown on what these projects will offer once completed. The University Center: Expected to be up before this year’s freshmen graduate, this multi-purpose building will be a new and improved Mallinkrodt: it will house a food court, ofﬁce space for students and staff and a place for busy students to relax. The Underground Parking Garage: The behemoth of a hole where Prince Hall once stood, will soon become three stories of underground parking. Over 500 spaces will be available to those who hit the road to get to school. The Snow Way Parking Garage: Those Northside residents who thought they were able to bypass construction obstacles have another thing coming. A 290-space addition to the existing parking garage is now underway. The Social Science and Law Building: Situated just west of the green space near the Athletic complex, this building will give undergraduate and graduate students more space to study and take classes. Construction is slated to begin on Sept. 1.

meetings to talk about what are the safest routes to get students to and from the Danforth Campus and South 40,” said Jill Carnaghi, assis-

General Manager: Andrew O’Dell Advertising Manager: Sara Judd Copyright 2006 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. First copy of each publication is free; all additional copies are 50 cents. Subscriptions may be purchased for $80.00 by calling (314) 935-6713. Student Life is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the Washington University administration, faculty or students. All Student Life articles, photos and graphics are the property of WUSMI and may not be reproduced or published without the express written consent of the General Manager. Pictures and graphics printed in Student Life are available for purchase; e-mail editor@ studlife.com for more information. Student Life reserves the right to edit all submissions for style, grammar, length and accuracy. The intent of submissions will not be altered. Student Life reserves the right not to publish all submissions. If you’d like to place an ad, please contact the Advertising Department at (314) 935-6713. If you wish to report an error or request a clarification, e-mail editor@studlife.com.

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE

Construction on the new University Center and parking garage has created a giant hole where Prince Hall used to be.

tant vice chancellor for students and director of campus life. “The University Parking Garage is something that everyone will benefit from but it is a huge undertaking to make that happen.” Carnaghi added that many first year students have prior knowledge of the campus from tours and previous visits. “A lot of these students, our data show, have already visited campus,” she said. “Some of them, on the campus tours, got that information last year as well.” For John Klein, executive vice chancellor for administration, the issue is less convenience and more student safety. “Generally, everybody moves any which way,” said Klein. “We are trying to, for safety purposes, give the students the appropriate way to go.” To help students deal with the construction overwhelming much of the Danforth Campus, the administration is posting signs and stationing staff to help guide undergraduates to their first

day of class. Givens hopes that students will try to solve the problem as well by using their familiarity with the campus to shorten their daily walk by finding “new pathways.” While some students complain about transit obstacles, others worry about how the University’s image will suffer as the building projects endure. “It is not a burden as far as transportation,” said junior David Israel, an offcampus resident, “but it is an eyesore. Campus used to be so beautiful, and they put parking lots in the middle of a field.” Givens, however, does not think that campus visitors and potential students will be put off by University construction. “There has been construction going on here continually,” said Givens. “For the past seven to eight years there has been something. This is to improve the campus. It is not ideal, but there is no way to move forward without turning up some dirt.”

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MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

Ruckus close to reaching 3,000 users BY HELEN RHEE STAFF REPORTER Ruckus recently signed a partnership agreement with Washington University, which provides 1.5 million music tracks to students. Students can now legally download free music, but Ruckus’ limited transferability of downloads has left some students dissatisfied. “It’s similar to iTunes in that you can download music and DVDs, but the way it works is once you’ve download the music, you can’t take it off of your computer,” said sophomore Harrison Suárez, speaker for Congress of the South 40. Ruckus uses Windows Media Digital Rights Management, software that

keeps music attached to a computer’s hard drive and stops the transfer of specific files to MP3 devices or CDs. According to Bradley Vaughn, Ruckus’s vice president of campus sales, unless students purchase the actual track they cannot copy it. Students who pay an extra fee, anywhere from $0.79 to $0.99 per song, can transfer or burn Ruckus files to other appliances. iPods are not among the MP3 players listed that allow students to transfer music to an external player, said Vaughn. Some students have been upset that Ruckus’ songs cannot be played on iPods, but if students wish to play music files for any MP3 device, they will have to pur-

chase the song legally. Students wishing to add more songs to their iPod playlist will have to download the songs directly from iTunes or another iPod friendly source. All music downloaded from Ruckus, while on the University network, is free. Students will need to renew their songs once a month, and once students exit the University network, they will routinely have to update their different song licenses. Albeit free, that deal sounds inconvenient to some. “Because you can only listen to the music from your computer and I don’t take my computer with me every where, I probably would not use it,” said senior Ken Law.

But the service is fast approaching CS40’s goal of 3,000 users as Washington University’s profile already lists approximately 2,070 users signed up for the service. “What I want to make clear is that Wash. U. is not paying for this service. Ruckus generates all of their money through ad revenue and subscriptions,” said Suárez. Ruckus was chosen among many companies that offer music downloading, showcased last year at the University digital expo. “We wanted to provide a system to counteract the illegal file sharing that’s been going on,” said Suárez, who served on the resident student advisory board of the

needed for its completion. But overall, the community is satisﬁed with Metrolink’s latest stations. Senior and Student Union Vice President Bobby Jones lives in Belleville, Ill. and can now take the Metrolink from Belleville all the way to campus. “I didn’t realize what rush hour trafﬁc was like in the city until this summer, but it was just awful,” he said, add-

ing that the new Metrolink routes will be a boon for the whole student population. “With all of our parking issues on campus maybe people now won’t have to use [cars] as much and won’t bring them in future years because they can get around the city a lot more.”

CS40 last year. In addition to music, Ruckus offers 45-50 movies that rotate weekly for a fee of $14.95 per semester. The Web site also features community sites where students can share music with others. Any Windows operating system can support the Ruckus player. Students can set up the Ruckus player on up to two computers. Faculty and staff can also subscribe to Ruckus but will be billed $5.99 a month. Alumni who choose to use Ruckus will be charged $7.99 a month. “It’s very exciting,” said Paul Moinester, president of Student Union. “When students come back, they will be able to listen to any type of music. It provides them with

a legal alternative to stealing music.” The site also features, “Student Playlists of the Week,” showcasing music play lists created by students from various universities. Students can review albums and add their comments on the site. In addition, Ruckus tabulates the most played selections by each school and all schools combined. The users can also chat with friends, browse other students’ profiles and post messages, as well as see their most played music and recently played list. Students can sign up for the free service by going to www.ruckus.com. A university email address is required to verify identity for login.

METRO LINK v FROM PAGE 1 trains and in the stations.” Wrighton dismissed concerns about more non-university people using Metrolink to navigate their way onto Danforth campus. “We’ve always been a public campus,” he said. “We have a lot of assets that will be inviting to the community and we hope that more people will have the chance to come and visit, attend lectures and participate in art exhibits.”

Metrolink initially set the opening festivities for April 2006, but several conﬂ icts with designers and local residents pushed back the deadline. The completion of the Brentwood Parking Garage along I-64 is delayed until this spring because Metrolink was involved in settling disputes with the Public Transit Accounting Project (PTAP), which strove to halt funds

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Chancellor Wrighton speaks at Saturday morning’s celebration of the first train to arrive at the newly finished Forest Park Parkway/Skinker Metrolink station.

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MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

WU backs protecting stem cell research BY TROY RUMANS NEWS EDITOR An amendment to protect stem cell researchers will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot. The initiative, known as Amendment 2, was begun by a coalition of universities, businesses, patient advocacy groups and individuals known as The Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. Washington University in St. Louis is one of the initiative’s most public supporters. The ofﬁcial initiative proposes measures to ensure that Missouri patients have access to any therapies and cures and allows Missouri researchers to conduct research permitted under federal law. It would also ban human cloning or attempted cloning, require strict oversight over

stem cell research with strict reinforcement and permanently ensconce lawful stem cell research in Missouri. “Unfortunately, there have been persistent annual attempts by some politicians to ban and to criminalize [stem cell research],” said Connie Farrow, the media liaison for the initiative. “The Missouri Stem Cell Initiative will prevent any such unfair bans by ensuring that any research and cures allowed under federal law will continue to be allowed in Missouri.” Amendment 2 comes as a response to legislation that has been proposed since 2001 to restrict stem cell research from federally approved lines in Missouri. “The state of Missouri… introduced legislation that would have criminalized

stem cell research in Missouri. Doctors couldn’t use it for research, [and] patients couldn’t receive treatment from it,” said Rose Windmiller, the director of state relations and local government affairs at the University. “If the ballot passes, Washington University and the School of Medicine will maintain the opportunity to pursue the full potential of therapeutics offered by stem cells. Preservation of that kind of academic and scientiﬁc opportunity is critical for biomedical research progress in general,” said Dr. F. Sessions Cole, member of the coalition and the vice chairman of pediatrics and director of newborn medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine. As a nonproﬁt organiza-

tion, the University cannot back a particular political stance. This situation is unique, however, as the subject of stem cell research has special significance to the University. Currently, all of the University’s activities in stem cell research are conducted under the umbrella of federally approved programs. “The University is allowed to take positions on issues that have an adverse impact on its mission, and that mission is scientific research…We are not fi nancially supporting the coalition,” said Windmiller. The petition to put the stem cell initiative on the ballot was met with notable success. 289,000 citizens signed the petition, and another 60,000 individual citizens of Mis-

souri are a part of the coalition, the largest ever formed in this state. Additionally, according to a recent St. Louis Post-Dispatch poll conducted independently of the coalition, there is twoto-one support for the stem cell initiative. “I am very hopeful and optimistic… that the citizens of the state of Missouri will voice their strong approval of this proposal,” said Cole. Farrow agreed, saying, “It just shows the depth and breadth of support [for amendment 2] in our state.” The most recent proposals in the legislature, backed by Senator Bartle of Jackson County and Representative Lembke of St. Louis County, would create civil or criminal penalties for participation in stem cell research.

Were the coalition’s initiative to fail, stem cell research would not be outlawed. It would, however, allow Missouri legislators to propose further restrictions on the use of stem cell research in the state, which many fear could lead to signiﬁcant consequences. Farrow understands that much work is still ahead of them. The coalition is currently preparing for the ﬁ nal round of efforts to pass the amendment, which opened with a rally on Aug. 14 in Jefferson City for supporters of the coalition. “We know that we have work to do going into November, but we do believe that Missourians support this research and want to have it available in our state,” said Farrow.

HOUSING v FROM PAGE 1 they would for Universityowned off campus housing. Wild said the Lofts will be offered as a housing option next year. Other students were placed in Quadrangle Apartments off campus. On the South 40, Eliot Hall will house only freshmen this year, as will the first two floors of Wheeler.

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As for King, the freshman in the forced triple, she said she likes roommates – at least for now – and doesn’t want to move. But she does have one concern. “I really like to flop down on my bed when I come in to my room,” she said. “But my mattress is really close to the ceiling.”

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MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

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Volleyball prepares for another run at national title BY CARRIE JARKA STAFF REPORTER The gym is quiet, almost a little too quiet. A ball bounces twice. New shoes squeak on the refinished floor. Three balls bounce this time. A faint “Yeah Bears” can be heard. Suddenly, the voice of singer Bryan Adams echoes throughout the gym: “That summer seemed to last forever, and if I had the choice, yeah I’d always want to be there, those were the best days of my life.” The song seems poignant as the chants and screams grow louder and excitement builds in the air. It is 10 days before classes start, and it is the first volleyball practice of the year. With more enthusiasm than the freshmen at convocation, the volleyball team has commenced another season and, all jinxes aside, another run at the national championship. For seniors Amy Bommarito, Megan Delcourt, Whitney Smith and Laurel Sagartz, these are the best days of their lives. Hoping to win titles in their first and last years on the Danforth campus, the seniors must fill the holes left by the graduation of three-time All-American Kara Liefer and two-time AllAmerican Megan Houck.

“We entered the season as a little unsure as to who is going to take the spots of those seniors,” said head coach Rich Luenemann. “We enter our season with some question marks, but during our ﬁrst practices we’ve seen tons of potential.” Even after these losses, the Bears return 11 letterwinners, three All-Americans and three strong transfers. Led by second-year captain Bommarito, the seniors possess talents in all areas. Bommarito ranks 10th on the WU career digs list with 1,173 and is a pillar of experience for the Bears. “The folks who follow Bears volleyball realize the impact that Amy has had. She is the essence of our quick offense,” said Luenemann. Replacing Liefer at the setter position, captain Megan Delcourt has collected 355 assists and looks to tally many more at the hands of Whitney Smith and company. Smith will have her hands full as she replaces Houck in the middle-hitter position. A 2005 second team All-American, Smith led the team in kills (377) and is one of the most effective hitters in Division III volleyball. “She established herself as one of the premier outside at-

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tackers last year, and we think she can be more devastating in the middle,” said Luenemann. Sagartz, the All-American softball pitcher, rounds out this potent senior class at the middle hitter position. The Bears’ depth extends far beyond this quartet of seniors, however. “I don’t know if I’ve ever coached a team that’s this balanced,” said Luenemann. “One of our strengths this year is the quality of our second team, and our first team is going to become much better because of that.” Juniors Emily Walk and Haleigh Spencer received All-American honors last season. Walk collected 160 blocks last season, which ranks as the fifth-highest total in a single season in University history. The versatile Spencer averaged 2.53 kills per game, 3.15 digs per game and crushed opposing teams with 42 service aces. In addition to Walk and Spencer, two Division I transfers will look to make an immediate impact. Ellen Bruggee played her first two years at Syracuse University and appeared in nearly every match for the Orange. Lindsay Schuessler played at the University of Oklahoma as a defensive

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specialist. “Transfers bring in experience. Older players are always valuable,” said Luenemann. “These are the ﬁrst transfers we’ve had in a while, and I’m excited about it.” Kathy Leeper also returns as an academic all-UAA honoree. The team will look for contributions from the underclassmen more than in years past. This year’s dynamic sophomore class can only add to the weapons of their elders. Outside hitters Alli Alberts, Ali Crouch and lefty Nikki Morrison are coming off strong rookie campaigns with the Bears and look to contribute signiﬁcantly on the offensive end. Defensive specialist Julie Meyer will be mentored by Amy Bommarito and will assume more responsibility in that role. Audra Janak, a transfer from the University of Georgia, averaged 6.19 assists and 1.69 digs per game with the nationally ranked Bulldogs a year ago. The incoming class of freshmen consists of Erin Albers, Vicki Blood, Laura Brazeal and Jennee Montijo. With two offensive and two defensive specialists respectively, the well-rounded class will add to the future of the WU volleyball tradition.

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“We anticipate them all to make impacts. We don’t know who’s going to be a great player because everyone has the potential to be a very important part of the program,” said Luenemann. Luenemann enters his eighth season on the Danforth campus. He has amassed 243 wins to only 34 losses with NCAA tournament appearances every year. The Bears will take on almost every top-ranked team in the regular season, including perennial conference rivals New York University and Emory University. As the balls begin to bounce and the excitement begins to build, the hard-hitting, hardnosed Bears have a lot to look forward to this year as they attempt to surpass last year’s 35-2 record. “We’re going to be good this year. It’s going take a while and we may not be smooth in the beginning, but we’re going to surprise people,” said Luenemann. “We have to assimilate everyone into the program and our fast offense, but all the key components are there. Our captains provide outstanding leadership, and the team enjoys great chemistry. Mix in a great work ethic and some talent, and I think the season will be a success.”

GAMES TO CATCH: Sept. 2, 2006 vs. Wartburg 10 a.m. Always a contender, Wartburg finished 20-14 last season but always manages to give the Bears a good game. Sept. 9, 2006 vs. Ohio Northern 10 a.m. The Polar Bears bring spirit to their away games and even make home games seem difficult. They finished 27-9 last season. Sept. 9, 2006 vs. Wittenberg 3:00 p.m. Finished 34-5 last year. The Tigers could be a topranked pre-season team. Sept. 21, 2006 (7 p.m.) and Oct. 7, 2006 (10 a.m.) vs. Fontbonne Although the Bears lead the all-time series 24-10, these cross-Wydown rivals always bring their A-game to the Danforth campus. Oct. 19, 2006 vs. UM-St. Louis 7 p.m. Solid Division II action from a team coached by former WU football player Josh Lauer.

6 STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

Senior Forum Editor / Daniel Milstein / forum@studlife.com

FORUM T

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

Our daily Forum editors: Monday: Chelsea Murphy cemurphy@art.wustl.edu

Wednesday: Nathan Everly Friday: Tess Croner neverly@wustl.edu tacroner@wustl.edu

To ensure that we have time to fully evaluate your submissions, guest columns should be e-mailed to the next issue’s editor or forwarded to forum@studlife.com by no later than 5 p.m. two days before publication. Late pieces will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We welcome your submissions and thank you for your consideration.

STAFF EDITORIAL

ResLife diffuses housing conundrum

he Office of Residential Life has always been that office that one just loves to hate. ResLife has been the Joker to the University’s Batman. But over the summer, ResLife proved that even the forces of evil can sometimes do good in its response to the housing crunch. The whole problem that ResLife had was due to the strengths of the University, and even ResLife itself. First, the larger than expected freshman class meant ResLife had to fit more freshmen onto the South 40 than was originally planned. Then, the fact that an unusually high number of upperclassmen decided to stay with ResLife on the 40 meant that ResLife had to put more freshmen into less spots. Clearly, to make every-

thing work out for freshman housing, somebody had to get screwed. ResLife needed to minimize the damage that had to be done, and it succeeded. With housing guaranteed for freshmen by the University, upperclassmen had to receive the brunt of the damage caused by the housing crunch. ResLife could have just moved those upperclassmen around and have been done with it, but they chose not to do the bare minimum. ResLife made the Loop Lofts so appealing by offering free cable, internet and parking, among other perks, that there is actually a waiting list for them now, according to Associate Director of Residential Life Rob Wild. This gave ResLife over 100 more spots to work with on the South 40, while still giving up-

perclassmen desirable housing. Further, ResLife did a good job identifying who to move. Wild stated that ResLife, “looked at where upperclassmen were assigned in the spring and who did not get their top choice,” in deciding which dorms would become freshman dorms. ResLife turned Eliot, which was supposed to be mixed between freshmen and upperclassmen this year, and is traditionally the last choice of dorms for upperclassmen, into an all-freshmen dorm. This allowed upperclassmen who may not have been that happy with their original housing assignments the chance to get a better one. ResLife also converted the ﬁrst two ﬂoors of Wheeler, another location of already unhappy upperclassmen, into

freshmen housing. Wild stated, “We were hopeful that most of these people who got moved would actually get placed into something that was a higher priority. Many of the groups were moved into a choice that was higher than what they’d requested in the spring.” Whether or not people will prefer the Loop Lofts to Wheeler, for example, remains to be seen, but on paper, it looks pretty good. But just because the Joker did something good doesn’t mean that it was perfect. While Wild stated that Eliot and the first two floors of Wheeler were targeted as freshman floors, residents of Wheeler who were not on the first two floors also were contacted. They were told that there was a possibility that

Mr. Wrighton, tear down this name

ash. U. underwent one huge change over the summer. Yeah, there’s that big hole in the middle of campus where Prince Hall used to be. And I think the Queen of England is supposed to be living on the 40 or something. But really, there’s only one thing that matters: the new logo. After over 10 years of service, the old, somewhat cheery logo has been replaced with, in the words of the ofﬁcial press

University’s red and green colors.” And damn is that new bear ﬁerce. I’m kind of afraid of it. It’s exactly what Stephen Colbert is always talking about. Now, visiting teams will deﬁnitely be scared of us. There is, however, a problem with the logo: I’m not entirely sure what school it is for. The logo says, in that sharp new typeface, “Washington U.” No mention of St. Louis, no Arch in the background, no beer, no nothing (idea: the bear should

RACHEL HARRIS | STUDENT LIFE

release announcing the change, “an updated, more realistic Bear mascot and a sharp new typeface that highlights Washington

be climbing the Arch, King Kong style, while drinking a Budweiser). And it really makes me think that the logo is for a

Apparently (accordschool in Seattle…or ing to Wikipedia, which possibly Yakima. Mayis never wrong), William be even Walla Walla. Greenleaf Eliot hated But not St. Louis. that Wash. U. was origiAnd therein lies a nally called Eliot Semiproblem which may nary. But sometimes, never be solved. As one just has to accept is well known, our the kudos (props, if you school has a dumb Daniel Milstein will) that one deserves. name. Yeah, we’re Willie G: you’re a cool patriotic and love our dude, you’ve got a cool name, we nation’s ﬁrst president, blah love you, we’re naming the 12blah blah. But, aside from slightranked university in the nation ing the Woodrow Wilsons of the after you. world, Washington University Of course, it isn’t so easy to is not a distinctive name for an change the name of the school, elite university, and adding “in and there is a lot of tradition St. Louis” is just goofy. Look at steeped in the name Washall the other elite universities. ington University. But, despite Harvard. Yale. Princeton. Yes, Wash. U. having a national even Emory. Those are names reputation now, I still get asked with identities. Even Northwestwhere my college of choice is ern, named after a region in located (although sometimes which the school no longer even now, people will ask, “That’s in resides, is distinctive. People St. Louis, right?” Sure, people can equate Harvard with Camdon’t ask if Harvard is in Cambridge, Yale with New Haven, bridge, but it’s something). If the Northwestern with suburb of name was Eliot University, we Chicago. But Washington and… would have an impressive name, St. Louis? Nope, not happening. a name that distinguishes us And that new logo belongs in from ho-hum schools named the state of Washington, not the after presidents and that doesn’t university of Washington near need to include the school’s the city of St. Louis. location (you don’t even hear Meanwhile, one of Wash. U.’s George Washington University cofounders has a pretty sweet in Washington, D.C.). Print out name: William Greenleaf Eliot. some ﬂyers, get a petition going. Eliot has a majestic feel to it, and now because of T.S., the It might not help the school grandson of W.G., the name as much as having castles as Eliot University would show that dorms, but our name should be we like good writing and could Eliot University. even attract potential English majors (while the med school Daniel is a junior in Arts and would continue to do its thing). Sciences. He can be reached via Eliot University would be a far e-mail at forum@studlife.com. superior name to Washington University in St. Louis.

Learning life in St. Louis: A primer

elcome, welcome! Welcome to a new year at Washington University. With this being a new city for some and a mildly unfamiliar city for upperclassmen, I ﬁgured I would let you know about some things to do around my city. Some you might have heard of, some you may have not. Here are my favorites: St. Louis Art Museum It is a classic. It houses a large collection accessible for free. On Fridays, you can get into the special exhibits for free as well, making it an interesting date night (although mildly dorky). It is only a short walk from campus, through the beautiful Forest Park. The City Museum This is my personal favorite. Imagine the largest playground you can imagine and you’ve

got the City Museum. The twist tion. Over the summer, Ellie of the playground, however, the elephant and Raja, the ﬁ rst is it is made entirely of found elephant to be born in the zoo, industrial material, i.e. a large welcomed a 341-pound bundle twisty slide made of shoe of joy. The little girl has yet to conveyor belts, and so be named, but she can on. This is climber’s be seen starting on delight. You probably Aug. 25 in the River’s will need either a car Edge Exhibit. And, the or a cab to get here. best part of all, it is The Creepy Crawl FREE! This diminutive The Budweiser Brewvenue just recently ery Tour changed locations. For those of you It offers concerts of who don’t know, St. Chelsea Murphy Louis is home to the all kinds, including a band competition for Budweiser Brewery. “sucky bands” called the Jackie Although admittedly, the tour Green’s Bitchin’ One-Eyed Jack is a lot more fun if you can enBand Competition. joy the free samples at the end The Zoo of the tour, it is still pretty cool This is also a classic and to see the giant beech wood worth mentioning. The Penaging containers. guin and Pufﬁ n Coast is worth The Chinese Noodle Café the trip alone. (It is a penguin This is my favorite restauenthusiast’s dream.) Recently, rant in St. Louis. Conveniently, the zoo has had a new addiit falls on the loop right across

from the Pageant. The women who work there are fabulous and make you feel at home. The food is amazing, especially the chicken lo mein. It’s just a great experience. If you like Chinese food, you should like the Chinese Noodle Café. The Royal Dumpe Dinner Theatre You must experience this one with a group. The Royal Dumpe provides entertainment straight out of the 16th century with food to match. While the food is fair, the best part of this meal is the singing, the dancing and the random imprisonment. It is located on Laclede’s Landing and can be researched at www.royaldumpe.com. Chelsea is a junior in the School of Art. She can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife.com.

freshmen would be on their floor, and given the option of moving. This is a shady tactic that was used to convince suites that may have wanted to live on the top two floors of Wheeler, which traditionally consist of many Danforth ex-pats who want to remain close to their freshman floor, to vacate Wheeler. This opened up spots for other upperclassmen who were moved, instead of freshmen needing spots. Groups that originally wanted to live on Wheeler 3 or 4 should not have been essentially tricked into moving out of their first choice for living. Also, Wild stated that ResLife knew about the housing crunch in the first week of May. While the Loop Lofts may not have been an option at that point,

ResLife should have told some of the groups that were to be moved as soon as they could have to give them ample time to decide. Instead, groups were told in the middle of the summer and given only a couple of days to decide where they wanted to live, if they were even given an option. Housing is a very important decision that groups take weeks, or even months to ﬁgure out. Even though it was a tough situation, groups should have been given more than a couple days to decide. The housing crunch was just a byproduct of upperclassmen approval of ResLife the previous year. But if ResLife continues to be crooked and opts to treat students poorly, a housing crunch will no longer be an issue.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Reforming health insurance Dear Editor: Welcome to the parents and students of the Class of 2010. Welcome back to the Classes of 2007, 2008 and 2009. I was stunned to learn this summer that not only was I aggravated with the administration for being the only regular university in America with a mandated health insurance fee (as opposed to a much smaller student health fee with proof of coverage), but that many staff members within the administration felt the same way (and were talking among themselves). This ridiculous waste of undergraduate parents’ moneys amounts to $2,000 per student (over four years) and $2,800,000 per year as a university community. IT’S OUTRAGEOUS. The best comment I heard was from a prominent staff member who said, “don’t give up. It’s an embarrassment to know that Wash. U. prides itself on gleaning the best ideas from other universities throughout America, and yet,

on this topic, decides to ‘go it alone’ in the face of overwhelming facts. If it was such a great idea, why does no one else do it?” This summer, my sophomore son, Aaron, had to have follow-up surgery on his arm from a car accident last summer. We tried hard to utilize the Wash. U. insurance plan (versus our current plan) to pay for it. It simply was not economically cost-justiﬁable versus real health insurance, and that is very frustrating. So far, we have found nothing that it covers well. As a university community, we must reopen the 2001 debate which led to the implementation of the plan, before it becomes a legal issue or makes the national press. One loud parent in Cincinnati can’t ﬁ x it alone, but 5,600 parental units and their young adults can. Wash. U. is a phenomenal educational institution; let’s make sure the infrastructure behind the university is equal. - Rick Friedman Parent, Class of 2009

Just the Facts Last Thursday, the International Astronomic Union voted to demote Pluto from a normal planet to a “dwarf planet.” What else is going the way of Pluto?

1. ◆ 2. ◆ 3. ◆ 4. ◆ 5. ◆

Old dorms.

Students printing at the library.

Joe Lieberman.

The US News rankings ... until Wash. U. breaks back into the top 10, that is.

Upperclassmen living on the South 40. -compiled by Daniel Milstein

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STUDENT LIFE

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

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8 STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

Senior Scene Editor / Erin Fults / scene@studlife.com

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

SCENE Let’s Play “The Person is Right”

§ Welcome to the game of love. You can play “Wheel of Desire,” “Who wants to be a good boyfriend?” and “The Amazing Romance.” Ok, so maybe true romance isn’t exactly some kind of competition on network television (sorry girls, “The Bachelor” is not true romance), but there is quite a lot of guessing, maneuvering and taking risks when it comes to a relationship. And you’re always waiting for that ultimate prize... the moment when a bell goes off in your head and you hear, “Congratulations, you have found someone really special.” But what is it that leads people to that moment of epiphany? Well, let’s take a look behind Door #1. Door #1: Time Together.

When you’re in a relationship, it’s inevitable that you’ll be spending plenty of time with your signiﬁcant other. Probably the most common time for that moment of realization that he or she is someone you shouldn’t let go is during one of those casual lunches or nights lying on the couch laughing. Who knows what exactly will start the bell ringing: maybe your boyfriend will offer to swap off reading out of your textbook in funny voices so you don’t fall asleep before you’re done studying, or maybe your girlfriend will wait to eat lunch until you get out of class at one o’clock even though she was already hungry at noon. It could be that simple, but if it’s not, well, let’s just move on to Door #2.

Laura Alexander Door #2: Time/Distance Apart. For some (especially those easily frightened by commitment), the realization may come when you’re hundreds of miles away from the person you’re dating or if you haven’t seen them in a month. As you’re having a moment of wishing they were there, it may hit you that you don’t just want them to be there for that moment of loneliness, but rather that you

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want them to be a major part of your life. Rather than her being just another girlfriend in your long romantic history, you know that when you next see her (which doesn’t seem to be soon enough), you will give her a hug that says you won’t be letting her go quite so easily next time. A little time and distance can go a long way. Door #3: A Wake-up Call. It sometimes takes something more extreme to make you realize that you’ve got it good. You may be ﬁ ne, cruising along in a casual relationship, until the prospect of losing that person suddenly arises and jolts you into realizing that you don’t want that to happen. Maybe your guy starts spending a few extra nights hanging out with his

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very attractive scene partner and it hits you that you’d be willing to run lines with him if it meant him being in the same room as you. There are many things waiting out there for a chance to sever your bond, and it may take one of those relationship threats to bring your heart (and mind) to life. But if not even those scary circumstances bring you to the epiphany, you may, unfortunately, be ﬁ nding it behind Door #4. Door #4: After Goodbye. Ok, let me preface this by saying that I know most shows only include three doors, but love is complicated and, well, there just needs to be four doors. Behind this extra door lies the worst time for that point of realization: postbreakup. It could happen just a few minutes after you say, “I think we should just be friends” and watch her walk out the door, or it could be months before you know what (or rather who) is missing. Rather than the happy realization that the girl sitting with her head on your shoulder is

someone who you really care about, it is the gut-wrenching realization that she was someone special followed by the painful wave of regret. So you can make the choice to either curse yourself for saying goodbye that night on the steps of Brookings or you can start working on that apology... and hope that she listens. You never know which door that moment is going to lie behind, and that’s why the game of love is both exciting and terrifying. You may discover your true feelings and enjoy your prize of a long and happy relationship, or the buzzer may sound, alerting you that by the time you make the discovery, it’ll be too late. But don’t let the uncertainty stop you from playing the game of love. When you ﬁ nd yourself cuddling close to someone who it’s clear you’re meant to be with, you’ll know the game was worth playing.

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MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

Why buy when you can mooch? An Ode to Free Food on Campus BY INDU CHANDRASEKHAR SCENE REPORTER August is the time for giveaways, according to Washington University. From the arrival of Residential Advisors and Orientation Ambassadors, like yours truly, to the descent of 1,470 freshman on our campus, organizations captained by hideously optimistic good Samaritans throw mounds and mounds of free food at the gaggles of bewildered, and eager, Wash. U. students. I was no exception, and was admittedly more eager than most. Why? I volunteered to be the victim of a grotesque experiment that would challenge my

tion Ambassador, about half of the meals during the three-anda-half-day training period were provided for us. We had free Mexican food with the Chancellor, free bagels, free barbeques with the RAsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and when Aug. 24 ďŹ nally rolled around, free popcorn, ice cream, donuts, pizza, candy, cookies, you name it. (All of this was despite the warnings of the Health and Wellness Center, who warned against Krispy Kreme and all other junk on as hectic a day as Move-In.) After all, if someone is asking nothing more of you than to walk up to their booth and pretend you care, you might as well crack open a smile and ďŹ ll your tummy. My biggest challenge was the loss of one of my favorite food groups: the snack. On days when I could ďŹ nd nothing free to eat between meals, I suddenly found myself at a loss for what to do. I felt lost without a dark

strength and force me to choose a gastronomical path other than that of a human sink disposal. For approximately one week, I braved the waters of duty-free (well, entirely free) food and emerged relatively unscathed, with only a few transgressions to my name. Beginning on Aug. 20, all of the food I ate was free, provided by someone else or paid for by another person. The total charges to my meal card: $0.00. You might wonder how this feat was accomplished, and how might I jump on this currently empty bandwagon. In response to the second question, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t advise actually going through something like this for more than a week, because those good Samaritans lose patience after about a week. The answer for question one is relatively straightforward as well, but it involves connections if you are arriving early on campus. Because I was an Orienta-

chocolate kiss in my hand and another two in my mouth; I felt a disheartening nostalgia for the buffalo wings from Bearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Den, despite never having BD cravings over the summer. The solution, however, was move-in day. Three meals became seventeen snacks and ice cream as far as the eye could see during Convocation. So what did I learn from this harrowing experience? One: having a free ďŹ ve-day meal card provided to you by Orientation staff was deďŹ nitely my lifesaver when my best friend decided he was tired of cooking me dinner while I slept on his couch. Two: there really is a good deal of free food offered on campus, if you know where to look. And I deďŹ nitely have yet to scope out every location. Orientation week is just beginning for freshmen, and there will undoubtedly be some form of tooth-rotting nourishment

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during Orientation After Hours on Aug. 26 and SNAC (Student Night in the Athletic Complex) on Aug. 27. Art and Architecture students can look forward to their own special free food during the Sam Fox picnic on Saturday, Aug. 26 and sophomores have

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MEGHAN LUECKE I STUDENT LIFE

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10 STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

Senior Scene Editor / Erin Fults / scene@studlife.com

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

Amenities of the South 40: Residential colleges have a lot to offer BY FELICIA BASKIN SCENE REGULAR FEATURES EDITOR Students living on the South 40 enjoy some of the best residential facilities in the nation. Aside from beds and bathrooms, each dormitory on the 40 boasts a number of amenities that help make students’ lives easier and more social. But don’t get stuck with just what your dorm has to offer; get out and explore other dorms. Even if you don’t live on the 40, you never know when you’ll be in the area looking for a game of pool or a room for group study. So, for studying, practicing music and more, here’s a brief guide to what is available on the 40. Every dorm has laundry rooms, soda machines and kitchens. While the newer dorms have more common rooms on the individual ﬂoors, every dorm on the South 40 provides its students with ample space to gather or get away from distracting roommates. These rooms include study

rooms, libraries, multipurpose rooms and lounges. Yet, the dorms on the 40 have amenities that go way beyond extra-long beds and laundry machines. Along with their separate traditions, every residential college on the South 40 possesses its own mix of special bonuses for students. Dauten, Rutledge and Shanedling (JKL): This residential college is made up of traditional upperclassmen suites with balconies and is situated around JKL plaza. The dormitories boast quite a few resources for students with a creative edge. There are music practice rooms in Dauten and Rutledge. Rutledge also has a dance studio, a darkroom and the residential college’s computer lab on its bottom ﬂoor. For students who really want to cook, the Dauten kitchen is the place to be. It has a working stove as well as a dishwasher. A pool table is found in the same Dauten lounge as the kitchen.

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And for students who just want a quick snack, there is a vending machine in Shanedling. Park/Mudd: This residential college is commonly named the premier upperclassman dorm on the 40. The two dorms are connected by an interior corridor. Traveling down this hall, students can ﬁnd multiple common rooms and seminar rooms, perfect for studying alone or in a group. The computer lab is located at the Park end of the hallway. At the Mudd end of the hallway is a large library and a big lounge with a television and leather sofas. Mudd also has a spacious multipurpose room that can be divided into two sections. It can be a dance practice room, a meeting space or a banquet space and can be reserved by student groups. Wayman Crow: A sizable patch of grass graced with hammocks divides the two dorms in the Wayman Crow residential college. Both buildings have large

U-PASS!

Offered to full time students, benefits eligible University employees and full time employees of qualified service providers through the Wash U Danforth Campus Parking and Transportation Office.

Benefits of a U-Pass include: • Access to the Gold, Red • Valid on ANY Metrobus or train-ANY day, ANY time! and Green Lines!

OR at the table near Mallinckrodt Information Desk

Aug. 28 & 30 11am-1pm

lounges with fireplaces on their bottom floors. The two buildings also have second story entrances with patio-like spaces. Dardick has the residential college’s computer lab as well as lots of meeting spaces. There is a music practice room located in the dorm’s multipurpose room. The basement of Dardick houses the Habif Health and Wellness Center, the prime resource on campus for students with health concerns. Nemerov has both a pool table and a ping-pong table in its common spaces. William Greenleaf Eliot (WGE): The WGE residential college hugs the edge of the Swamp that is opposite Bear’s Den. In front of Shepley there are several hammocks. Both Shepley and Wheeler are traditional suite-style houses with beautiful staircases in the middle of the huge common rooms on their bottom floors. There are a lot of bike racks next to the dorms in this residential col-

lege. Danforth has the college’s computer lab, as well as a great study room with practically arranged tables and lamps. There is a pool table in one of the Danforth 1 common rooms. Hitzeman, Myers, Hurd and Eliot (HIGE): HIGE has three traditional upperclassman dorms—Hitzeman, Hurd and Myers, each of which has balconies. There is also Eliot, a modern suite-style dorm that is housing freshmen this year. Both Myers and Hurd have music practice rooms. Additionally, Hurd contains a mail center that stores and distributes the overﬂow mail from the Wohl Center mailroom. There are computer labs in both Hurd and Eliot. Rublemann/Umrath: The Ruby/Umrath residential college is made up of two traditionalstyle freshmen dorms. There is a foosball table in Ruby and a pool table in Umrath. Both dorms have lounges with televisions and a computer. Ruby

has additional computers in its computer lab. The Social Justice Center is located on Umrath 0, and the Center runs programming on social justice and diversity. It’s open Sunday through Thursday from 6 to 10 in the evening. Lee/Beaumont: Lee and Beaumont both have floor plans with a lot of twists and turns. Lee houses the residential college’s computer lab. For gamers, there is a foosball table in Lee and a ping-pong table in Beaumont. There is also a convenient covered walkway that connects Beaumont to Rublemann, great for getting around the 40 when it’s cold or rainy. Liggett/Koenig: The recently constructed Liggett/Koenig residential college, aside from its spectacular architecture, boasts a number of luxurious extras. The huge common area that connects the two dorms has leather sofas and a giant television. There is a complete kitchen in the lower level of the building. Also, there is a game room for foosball and ping pong tables and a music practice room on its lower level. Robert S. Brookings: Both dorms in the Brookings residential college are conveniently located near important campus services. Lien sits on top of Ursa’s, which opens at night to serve crepes, sundaes and more. It also rests atop the residential life office. Gregg is found directly above ResTech and the several student-run businesses that line the walk from the 40 to the Danforth campus. There is a computer room in Lien, and Gregg has foosball, ping-pong and air hockey tables on its second floor.

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Senior Scene Editor / Erin Fults / scene@studlife.com

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

POSTCARD FROM ABROAD

The Happy Riot: a photographer’s notebook of Florence after Italy’s World Cup victory BY DAVID BRODY SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR Beer, cigarette smoke and the deafening shrill of a cheering mob of 50,000 spectators fi ll the air around me as Italy defeats France in the fi nals of the World Cup on Sunday, July 9. I am in Piazzale Michelangelo, high on a hill overlooking the city of Florence, and at that moment the city transformed from the touristy center of the Renaissance to the Tuscan party headquarters. Standing at the base of a giant bronze copy of Michelangelo’s David, I attempt to shield my camera from the fi rst of many unidentified flying liquids spraying me from an unknown source. I hope it is merely water, but after several showers the smell of my shirt tells me it is beer. The footballfield-size piazza, equipped with a large TV screen, has been standing-room-only for the past four hours, with eager fans climbing whatever they can to get a better view. At this point the Italians are jumping every which way, singing songs, waving flags and carrying on in a language of which I have only the slightest grasp. I begin to snake and to elbow my way through the crowd, snapping photos like a madman. As I stumble over broken bottles and weird wet mushy things on the ground, I give myself a mental pat on the back for remembering to follow

Rule Number One: always wear closed-toed shoes when going out on assignment. The front of the crowd, aglow in red, white and green light, turns into a rave while loudspeakers blast “Dragostea Din Tei” by O-Zone, a.k.a. the Numa Numa song. Once the crowd begins to thin out, leaving behind a smaller contingent of the more extreme revelers (many sans pants), I begin my quick descent down to the Duomo, the cathedral of Florence, in the city center. Walking past an impromptu parade led by a couple of trumpeters and dodging mopeds sporting flag bearers, I marvel at the sudden shift in demographics the city has undertaken in mere hours. Normally Florentines avoid their tourist-infested city at all costs; tonight they take over the streets, scattering the foreigners to bars, nightclubs and other safe havens. The piazza in front of the Duomo is already full of thousands of people when I arrive. I do my best to cover the entire consortium of painted faces, flags, drunken dancing and half-naked men. The intersection is especially choked with Tuscans tripping up traffic; every car gets thumped, every truck gets mounted. Hmm, there is something heavy on my foot… oh, it’s only a moped. I push my way through the crush of people to photograph the passing vehicles. Several beat up vans, seemingly outfit-

ted for this very purpose, sport rolling parties that circle the block repeatedly. A city bus is completely overtaken by people climbing onto its roof; the driver sits helplessly pleading into his radio. A ﬂat-bed truck drives by with several unclothed men on it; one of them yanks down the shorts of another to moon the cars stuck behind it. Two women in a Mercedes convertible make the mistake of taking their $80,000 car through this mess. Within 30 seconds they have two dozen men piled on top of their vehicle. All that I can see are the headlights. Moving back into the center of the crowd between the cathedral and the Baptistery, people are cheering the Italian ﬁght songs (one of which sounds conspicuously similar to The White Stripes’s “Seven Nation Army”) and dancing to music played on instruments improvised from pots, pans and trash cans. This is a photographer’s dream: a happy riot. There is more broken glass on the ground than freshman at a frat party. Out of nowhere, someone boots a soccer ball 50 feet up into the air. It bounces off the 500-year-old façade of the Duomo and crashes back to earth. I have no idea where some drunk men found shopping carts, but they managed to navigate them over the ancient cobblestones with a surprising deftness.

After a few hours of these festivities, my adrenaline rush begins to wear off and the eight hours spent on my feet begins to take its toll. I vowed that I would stay out until I got tear gassed, but at 2 a.m. there was not a polizia cruiser in sight. Leaving the slightly smaller crowd behind me, I head home, marveling at the vocal capacity and muscular physique of these passionate Florentines.

(Right) Fans celebrate after Italy defeats France 5-3 in a shootout following two periods of overtime. (Below) Thousands of people congregated outside the Cathedral of Florence dancing to “music” made with pots, pans and trash cans until the early hours of the morning. DAVID BRODY I STUDENT LIFE

DAVID BRODY I STUDENT LIFE

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12 STUDENT LIFE

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

STUDENT LIFE | CLASSIFIEDS

CLASSIFIEDS FREE Classifieds

Classified ads are free to students, faculty and staff in most instances. To place your FREE 25-word ad, simply email us from your WU email account.

Classifications Help Wanted For Rent Roommates Sublet Real Estate For Sale Automotive

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Food Till 2 am Drinks Till 3 am ATTENTION COLLEGE STUDENTS: Part-time work $12 base/appt. Flexible Schedules. Customer sales/service. Scholarship opportunities. No experience necessary. Call 314-997-7873. DISTRIBUTORS WANTED FOR a new Nasdaq stock exchange company. Visit: www.xelr8.biz; type in the letters mlh to view the movie presentation. GET PAID TO play! Small, private elementary & early childhood school in Clayton is seeking enthusiastic and caring individuals to work in the after school child care program. Gain valuable experience and work in a pleasant environment. Interested individuals should call (314) 725-4999 and ask to speak with the Extended Day Director or send resumes to wilson2a@wilsonsch ool.com. GRADERS/TUTORS WANTED. A west county Mathematics and Reading learning center is hiring part-time graders/tutors helping children ages 3 to 15. We offer flexible schedule, fun and rewarding working environment. Interested candidates please call 636-537-5522. Email: jwchan@earthlink.net HELP CHILDREN LEARN math and reading. Kumon Ladue Center (www.kumon-ladue.com, 314993-9192). Graduates and undergraduates. $10-$15 per hour. Send resume to tdk@cse.wustl. edu. LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED BABYSITTER. In my Sunset Hills home. Some weekend hours required. Flexible hours. 842-7673.

NEED GREAT PHOTOGRAPHERS/ SR. Journalism major to take pictures for Broker Agent Magazine features. Will trade full page ad and build your portfolio in exchange for work. Call 314-398-1514 ASAP. Will need to see samples photos of work.

1523 CLAYTONIA, 3 BEDROOM HOME, hardwood floors, central air, fenced yard, close to campus, rent is $1,095/mo, Call Jeff 314814-0024.

NICE. FUN. GOOOD. After school nanny for girl (11) and boy (8). 3 to 5 days per week. 3 PM to 6 PM. Clayton. $10 per hour. Car required. Please contact Emily at 314-724-9386.

TOTALLY UPDATED 2 BED, 2 full bath house in Maplewood for sale at $189,900. Minutes to Maplewood downtown, Washington University, University City Loop. Owned by WashU alum. Perfect for a young couple! See http: //maris.rapmls.com/scripts/mgrgi spi.dll?APPNAME=Gstl&PRGNAM E=MLSLogin&ARGUMENT=TrDO5 mXdg4REllivewPdmw%3D%3D for listing. Contact 314-458-6494

SITTERS WANTED. AVERAGE $10 per hour. Register free for jobs near campus or home. www.studentsitters.com

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422 S. HANLEY. 2 BEDROOM. 1 BATHROOM. Garage. 1200 square feet $850 per month. Please call 353-4192.

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422 S. HANLEY. 2 BEDROOM. 1 BATHROOM. Washer/Dryer. Garage. 1800 square feet. Rent is $1050 per month. Please call 353-4192

CALL STS FOR the best deals to this year’s top 10 Spring Break destinations! 1-800-648-4849. www.ststravel.com. Ask about group discounts!

CLAYTON, U. CITY LOOP, CWE and Dogtown. Beautiful studios, 1, 2 bedrooms. Quiet buildings. $365$750. Call 725-5757.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS Tailgate Sale. Labor Day Sept. 4th. 8-2. Househould items, clothing, collectibles, For further information call 314-961-6969.

HOUSE FOR RENT: 2 BR, 1 bath house, finished room in basement for office, small deck and enclosed yard. Located in Maplemwood, MO. Only a 5-10 commute to Washington University. $800 a month plus $800 security deposit. One year lease required. If interested, please call Kathleen at 374-0116.

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ANNOUNCING READ STUDENT LIFE 24/7. Visit us online at www.studlife.com to read your favorite sections including news, sports, Cadenza, and more anytime and anywhere!

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MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

STUDENT LIFE

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LUCY MOORE | STUDENT LIFE

F2 FRESHMAN PRESS | NEWS

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

Latino Grill spices up campus By Greg Allen Freshman Press Reporter Studentsupsetbylastyear’sloss ofTacoBellmayhavetheirSpanish food cravings satisfied with the opening of the Latino Grill. The new food station replaces the now closed Philly cheese steak station and,forthetimebeing,stillsports its old placards. It remains to be seen whether the grill will be as popularasWashingtonUniversity’s latest food court addition, Asian Concept, now the second most popular station in Mallinckrodt. The University dining administration cited both fi nancial and student concerns as reasons for the change. “When we surveyed students, a little less than half were interested in having a Taco Bell,” said Marilyn Pollack, director of fi nancial planning. “We wanted to bring something back that we knew students would like.” The University believes that the sizable minority of students who favored keeping Taco Bell is larger than the number who would have preferred keeping the Philly station. “The Philly station was not doing great business,” said Pollack. “You can look at the stats and ticket sales. The business for that station had kept sliding.” Those looking for a replacement for Taco Bell may not fi nd an exact match. “It’s more global,” said Marc Foley, executive chef at Bon Appetit. “It’s not Mexican; it’s Caribbean, Spanish, Central American—it’s cross cultural.” The menu offers items likely unfamiliar to students, including plantain-coated mahimahi sandwiches and sweet potatoes covered in mango mojo sauce. This isn’t the fi rst time the company has used a Latino theme. “Bon Appetit has run Latin stations at other universities… [and they were] very popular, a lot of what the students were looking for,” said Foley. Foley was quick to say, however, that the new station is not a cookie cutter concept the company stamps out at

MEREDITH SCHLACHTER | STUDENT LIFE

Jim Madison prepares food at the new Latino station at the Mallinckrodt Food Court on Monday, August 22. every campus they service. Seeing a lingering desire for Latin food, Bon Appetit worked with the University over the summer to create a station that caters to the student body. “The new concept is up-

scale Spanish cuisine,” said Pollack. “We had a tasting recently, which everyone was very impressed with.” So far, reception to the grill has been lukewarm. Some students are partially put off by the attempt to put an up-

Surprisingly wide range of services avaliable at SHS By Amber Pollock Freshman Press Reporter Washington University Student Health Services offers a variety of services, many beyond what would be expected from a campus healthcare provider. Situated in the Habif Wellness Center in Dardick House, Student Health Services (SHS) offers a range of specialized treatment options that include physical therapy, travel medicine and a men’s clinic. The treatment center recently moved from Umrath Hall to its new location, a change that has allowed more services to be offered. “Mostpeople,whentheythink about health services on campus sort of would think about more traditional things that colleges anduniversitiesmightoffer,”said Dr.AlanGlass,directorofStudent Health Services (SHS). He explained that some students might not realize the range of services offered by SHS. The SHS travel medicine clinic offers studentsphysicalsandimmunizations necessary to travel abroad. The men’s clinic, which is offered one half day a week, focuses on the health needs of male patients. ThenewestadditiontotheSHS staff is a sports medicine specialist who offers a sports medicine clinic one half day a week. Two days a week, SHS collaborates with the physical therapy department at the University School of Medicine to provide physical therapy services to students. SHS also offers dietary counseling with Registered Dietician Connie Diekman, who offers advice on making healthy eating choices and meeting one’s nutritional needs. “We always want to see more students,” said Diekman. Appointments can be scheduled with her at 5-6666, option three. Both individual students and student groups can schedule a one-hour appointment to review eating habits and receive advice. Studentscanalsousethisservice

to get information on diabetes, eatingdisordersandotherweight concerns, and follow up visits are also available. SHS has a well-equipped mentalhealthfacility.Itprovides help for students dealing with issues of stress, depression, and adjustment issues. These services may be of particularinteresttofreshmen,since the changes associated with going to college could cause some

for any of the services offered. “I think it has helped get the word out about these programs. The point was to make it more convenient for studentstoaccess the service,” said Glass. Students may also call 5-6666 to schedule appointments.

scale dining service in a food court. “Wash.U.ismakingeverything too nice for its own good,” said Taylor Hermes, a senior in the collegeofArts&Sciences. “Lookingat price,therearen’tanymorecheap places to eat in Mallinckrodt. The

food is good—it’s just too expensive.” Other students were not receptive to the dining theme switcheroo. “It’s horrible,” said Brian Stowe, a senior in the School of Engineering. “[The Philly]

was always the fastest place to eat on campus, and it will be sorely missed.”

Freshmen adjust to new housing By Opti Logdberg Freshman Press Reporter As the class of 2010 adjusts to new rooms, the South 40 welcomes a new building, Liggett Hosue. The new dorm is one of many building projects Washington University has undergone to reshape the campus’ look. The University plans other housing changes in the near future. According to Rob Wild, associate director in the office of residential life, Lee and Beaumont will soon be torn down, though the exact date is still up in the air. Rubelmann and Umrath will follow not long after. Modern dorms will replace

the old ones. Wild mentioned several reasons for replacing the traditional residence halls, including increasing demand for modern dorms, privacy issues and the fact that the University had some extra money to renovate or rebuild since the loans for the old dorms were paid off in the mid-1990s. Nearly everyone has reservations about the roommate situation. Wild said that a very high percentage of students were happy with their roommates. “There are several different levels of compatibility with roommates,” he said. There’s one end of the spec-

trum where they will be friends and room together all four years, and at the other end are the people who’ll be in here [the ResLife center] by October requesting a roommate change. Most people are somewhere in the middle.” The other major concern for freshmen usually involves which dorm they will occupy. Students have long debated the differences between traditional and modern dorms. While some staunchly defend the old dorms and others tout the perks of the new ones, the overall percentage of students who love their individual

See HOUSING, page F3

Class of 2010 larger than expected By Rachel McMillan Freshman Press Reporter

MEREDITH SCHLACTER | STUDENT LIFE

oftheseproblems.Theseservices can be helpful even in situations that are not really complicated or severe. “In a lot of cases the earlier you start to work with a problem the less complex the solution can be,” said Glass. The accessibility to these services has improved recently, not only due to the new location, but also the implementation of online scheduling. Students can go to the SHS website any time of day and schedule appointments

There is not a single incoming freshman from Idaho in the class of 2010. Yet, it is one of the largest classes to date as more students have accepted offers of admission to Washington University than ever before. “When we made our admission decisions, we were planning on a freshmen class that would have ranged from about 1350 to 1370,” explained Nanette Tarbouni, director of undergraduate admissions. This year, between 1450 and 1470 freshmen are ex-

pected to arrive on campus. While the admission rate has centered around 19-21% in past years, more students accepted offers of admission this year, creating a class that is about 100 students larger than was expected. This year also marked the University’s largest applicant pool with just over 22,000 students competing for admission to the country’s sixth-most selective college, according to U.S. News and World Report rankings. Karen Levin Coburn, associate dean for freshman transition, already recognizes the effects the larger class is having on the school.

“For orientation itself, we want to make sure there are accommodations for everyone, so we have more people involved in staffing all of the orientation events. We have formed more groups for the freshman reading program so the groups won’t be any bigger than they ordinarily would,” said Coburn. Choices 101, an orientation program that freshmen will be attending in Edison Theatre, will also be broadcast in the Gargoyle on a big screen television. “Even though we have two shows, we can’t even fit half of the freshman class in Edi-

See CLASS SIZE, page F3

STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

Freshman Press Participants News

Sports

Greg Allen Opti Lodgberg Rachel McMillan Amber Pollock

Naoto Eguchi Molly Jennings Jamelah Neal

Forum

Scene

Kayla Dalle Molle Elizabeth Slater Dennis Sweeney

Katie Keeley Audrey King Hillary Price Rebecca Saunders

Cadenza

Photo/ Graphics

Sam Bear Eric Lee ShaSha Lu Sarah Saunders Michelle Stein

Lucy Moore Vanessa Poon Meredith Schlacter

HOUSING v FROM PAGE F2 setup remains high. A new resident of Danforth, EmilyRogersfindsherselfpleased with her new home. “My bedroom at home was pretty big, so I wanted something like that here,” she said. “I also liked the carpet, the A/C and the private bathroom.” Most people could find happiness in either a traditional or modern dorm, but one person has a rather unique situation. Geran Kostecki resides “in an old triple, in the oldest building, on the top f loor, in the room farthest away from the parking lot. I hate it. And I love hating it. It’s great.” While his opinion may not be shared by many in a similar situation, his f loormates enjoy such a refreshingly

positive outlook. Despite the trouble with the housing crunch, things have run smoothly, said Wild. He attributes the minimal trouble with housing organization to the openness of the students. “In May, when we realized we were going to have this problem, we recognized the trouble it would cause people. And I think that everyone’s reactions have been great,” said Wild. “There’ll be some people upset, of course, but on the whole, I think the f lexibility of the students has just been wonderful.”

CLASS SIZE v FROM PAGE F2 son Theatre,” said Coburn. Other adjustments being made for the freshmen include additional sections of Writing 1, more peer and academic advisors, and accommodating for longer lines anticipated during mealtimes. “In many ways, [the large class size] won’t be noticeable. Once we get past the housing crunch and some of the sections of classes, I think the class of 2010 will get absorbed in [the rest of the academic body],” said Coburn. Tarbouni speculates that the unusually large number of freshmen this year can be attributed to the increase in visitors during April Welcome and Celebration weekends. “I think our students are so happy and so enthusiastic and so warm and welcoming, that who could say no?” she exclaimed. Competitive schools such

as Harvard, Northwestern and Stanford all utilized their waitlists to increase class size, while Washington University met capacity without a waitlist, which Tarbouni described as “an anomaly”. The number of freshmen admitted is determined by the deans of the five schools, the Office of Residential Life, and the Admissions Office, who work together to set a goal that f luctuates by design from year to year. “We really did make offers of admission that we thought would translate into a smaller freshmen class than has happened in reality,” explained Tarbouni. Next year, however, she plans to extend fewer acceptance letters and to utilize the waitlist system in order to have a freshman class that is more in line with the University’s target range.

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F4 FRESHMAN PRESS | SPORTS

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

SPORTS Freshmen: Welcome to Cardinal nation v St. Louis home to more than just Cardinals baseball; fans also enjoy football and hockey in the Gateway City By Molly Jennings Freshmen Press Reporter Here in St. Louis, opportunities for major league sports fans abound. From division leaders to last place league finishers, a team exists here to suit any fan’s taste.

Cardinals:

The big sports stories in St. Louis these days center on Cardinals baseball. Currently leading the National League Central Division, St. Louis sports fans look to the Cardinals for inspiration after last season’s depressing performances by the Rams and Blues. The Cardinals hype has been further heightened by the construction of a new stadium. Located impossibly

KRT CAMPUS

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Chris Carpenter pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the eighth inning. The Cardinals beat the Cubs, 5-3, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, Sunday, August 20, 2006.

close to the eastbound lanes of Highway 40, the new Busch Stadium houses the typical baseball stadium dining establishments but also several more unique storefronts, such as a Cardinals-themed Build-A-Bear Workshop where customers can stuff and outfit their very own Fredbird (the Cardinals mascot). Love for the old Busch stadium still flows in fans’ veins. Mary Morris, a freshman from St. Louis, believes that the new stadium “has newer, better facilities for the team and is very pretty,” but misses the old stadium because “it had so much history.” As a result of a growing fanbase and the new stadium, Cardinals tickets can be both difficult to find and expensive. To combat this, the Cardinals are offering “First Pitch Tickets” for only $5.50 apiece. Here’s the catch: in order to purchase these tickets, a fan must be one of the first 125 fans to visit the Eighth Street Ticket window after it opens at 9 a.m. the day of the game. Each fan pays $11.00 for two randomly assigned tickets. A First Pitch ticketholder could have seats in the luxury boxes or the nosebleed sections.

Fans eager to attend soldout games do have other options. For example, the website http://www.stubhub.com allows fans to buy and sell tickets to games. The price of these tickets can range from $7 to upwards of $500, depending on the location of the seats.

Rams: Although they did make St. Louis proud by playing in the Superbowl at the end of two consecutive seasons (winning in 1999 and losing in 2000), since then, the Rams’ football record has been slightly less impressive. They last appeared in the playoffs in 2003. This season, however, they will most likely benefit from a new head coach, Scott Linehan. Brian Burwell, a sports columnist for the St. Louis PostDispatch, considers Linehan to be, “self-assured and organized,” traits that will hopefully help him effectively lead the Rams and improve last season’s 4-7 record. The Rams play at the Edward Jones Dome, opened in 1995 and located in the heart of downtown St. Louis.

The rivalry that wasn’t By Naoto Eguchi Freshmen Press Reporter WashingtonUniversityisacollegewithDivisionIIIathletics.This translates as a lack of a stadium packedwithoverlyexcited,slightlydrunkandbrightlypaintedstudents. But one can’t expect much more from a school better known foritsacademicprestige.Administrators ofschools with Division III athletics, including Wash. U., are well-aware of this reality. But in the fall of 2005, Emory University’s Student Government Association President Amrit Dhir led a plan to defy such reality by sparking

waged “war” against Wash. U. Emory students began their “attacks” by vandalizing the underpass between main campus and South 40, leaving spray painted statements, “Wash. U. girls are ugly-Emory University” and “Emory owns U, George Washington is dead.” Wash. U. students did not retaliate, but to ensure the success of their plan, Emory’s Department of War scattered flyers reading, “Die Emory Die! Go Wash. U,” which led Emory students to believe that the toilet paper dangling off their dorms and surrounding

hopeless clichéd mascot (a bear), a school so insecure in its location and stature that it includes its location in its official name.” In response to such Op-Ed articles, Wash. U.’s Student Life retaliated with a couple newspaper articles of its own, and, on campus, students sold T-shirts that read, “Emory was my safety school.” But it wasn’t long until Student Life’s front pages were adorned with a story concerning allegations of a homophobic physics professor. Soon enough, the “Emory was my safety school” T-shirts found their places in boxes,

game. Altogether, Wash. U. just never recognized Emory as a formidable opponent or a school of comparable academics. In a short period of time, the rivalry that Emory SGA President Dhir hoped would explode into something similar to that of the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans dwindled into more of a one-sided effort to boost school spirit just like it began. So, for those freshmen who are unaware, curious, or in anticipation of the Wash. U.–Emory rivalry, they should be forewarned the intensity does not even begin to com-

STUDENT LIFE ARCHIVES

Last fall Emory’s Student Government Association created a Department of War to foster a rivalry with Wash. U. Some Emory students came to St. Louis and vandalized the underpass. a fabricated rivalry between two Division III athletics teams, the Emory Eagles and the Wash. U. Bears. His hope was to increase school spirit and to do so, Dhir formed Emory’s Department of War, took on the position of “Supreme Ruler” and

trees was the work of Wash. U. students. The vandalism was supplemented with an editorial written by Emory SGA Representative Jacob Silverman in Emory’s school paper, The Wheel, which stated that Wash. U. was, “a school without identity, down to its

shoved aside to some corner of a storage room. It wasn’t so much that Wash. U. lacked school spirit that the rivalry so quickly faded away from the minds of students; the student body just never felt any reason to play along with Emory’s “war”

pare to the Duke Blue Devils and UNC Tar Heels’ rivalry, but attendance at Wash. U.– Emory sporting events has increased.

IM sports: where the action’s at By Eric Lee Freshmen Press Reporter Freshman year is the perfect time to try new things and explore new opportunities. In addition to meeting with your professors and saying goodbye to your parents, consider signing up for the Flag Football tournament at the Intramural Office. IM sports are a more informal way for athletes to play sports without the high level of commitment necessary for a varsity sport, especially

pertinent for incoming freshmen with the need to prioritize their time. “It’s less time consuming and less demanding. I have to make sure I have time for school,” said incoming freshman Andy Harding. “It’s a good way to avoid becoming spherical and gaining the freshman 15.” “I would definitely recommend intramural sports to incoming freshmen,” said rising junior and intramural basketball veteran Stephanie Leu. “After you play sports with them, you will bond

with them.” Intramural Director Lynn Imergoot said, “I think students feel that pressure from parents. The fact that you can play sports really takes stress off.” The IM sports are broken down into three divisions in addition to special events and a number of co-ed sports. Special events include activities such as the Home Run Derby and Euchre Tournament. The co-ed sports include Ultimate Frisbee and Inner Tube Water Polo. The B-League

exists for new or average athletes while more experienced players can test their skill in the A-League. There is also a point-based league for freshmen residential colleges that continues for the entire year. At the end of the year, the team that has accumulated the most points wins the points trophy in addition to unbelievable amounts of pride and joy. According to Imergoot, the buffet of teams in co-ed along with the presence of a women’s

See IM SPORTS, page F7

Tickets have to be purchased online or through a Ticketmaster outlet and are not available on game day. Prices range from $44 to $91 a ticket for single game tickets, so for those on the typically meager student budget, watching the games on television is probably a better option. The regular season games are all broadcast on either CBS or FOX, and the season opener versus the Denver Broncos will air Sunday, September 10th at noon on CBS.

Blues: Currently ranked last in the National Hockey League for the first time in their 40year history, the Saint Louis Blues are hoping to improve this season. Last season saw the loss of many of the team’s best players, such as Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger, as the old owners prepared the team for sale. The new owners, Dave Checketts and Sports Capital Partners, have said that Sports Capital Partners is “committed to St. Louis” and “dedicated to restoring pride and honor in the St. Louis Blues.” Checketts also believes that “it all begins

and ends with bringing the Stanley Cup to St. Louis.” This burden should be lightened considerably by the acquisition of Erik Johnson, the Blues’ first round, number-one-ranked draft pick. In spite of their blatantly awful 2005-2006 record (2146-15), the Blues have actually raised ticket prices for the 2006-2007 season, citing various Savvis Center improvements as justification. Even with the 10 percent blended increase in ticket prices, however, the Blues will still have more affordable tickets than most of the other NHL franchises. Tickets sell for as little as $8.00, and can be purchased either online or at the Blues ticket office, which is located at the main Savvis Center entrance at Clark Avenue and 14th Street. Ticket availability is rarely a problem. After enduring such a terrible 2005-2006 season, many fans have moved on. Those who attend Blues games and follow the team truly “bleed blue” and generally have a very intimate relationship with the team. Although the Blues rarely manage to pack the Savvis Center, those who attend the games possess a genuine interest in the sport and the well-being of the team.

Freshman athletes adjust to life at Wash. U. By Jamelah Neal Freshmen Press Reporter Freshmen varsity athletes report that they are adjusting well to college life, partially because they are on a team with other students who have been through the freshmen experience before. The relationships that they are developing with their fellow teammates and coaches are helping to soften the rough patches that many other freshmen experience. TimothyTaylorofBaltimore isonefreshmanathletewhowill be representing the Red and Greenthisyear.Heisamember ofthevarsityfootballteam,afavoritetowintheUniversityAthletic Association title this fall. Taylor, who has developed a strong relationship with his coach and fellow players, spends the majority of his days with his team and says that the upperclassmen are extremely helpful to him. “They are always giving me advice and being good leaders,” he said. Residing in Elliot Hall, he is also very impressed with his dorm. “I live in a suite with two bathrooms,” he exclaimed. Taylor said that he came to Washington University because it was, “the best situation for him ﬁ nancially, academically and ath-

letically,” and he described his feelings about beginning classes on the August 30th by saying, “I’m a little nervous; I mean, I’ve never done college before. Wash. U. has a lot of good resources, so I won’t be left in the dark.” Three freshmen soccer players, Cassandra Scaman, Emily Bylsma and Caryn Rosoff had a bit to say about their experience at Wash. U. thus far. These athletes, who have two three-hour practices each day, say that they have developed good relationships with their coach and the other upperclassmen players. All three athletes say that they chose to come to Wash. U. mainly because of the school’s academics, with Rosoff adding that the people here were also very kind. Dorm life seems to be going fairly well for the girls. Rosoff, who lives in Koenig said, “I love it”, while Cassie, who lives in the Rubelmann dorm reported that dorm life there was “Okay.” With the end of the month coming soon, the girls have mixed feelings about the start of school, but agreed, “It’s a little daunting, but we’ll work it out.”

VANESSA POON | STUDENT LIFE

Freshman soccer players Caryn Rosoff, Emily Bylsma and Cassandra Scaman relax on a couch in Koenig after a long day of practice.

FRESHMAN PRESS | FORUM

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

FORUM

Where Thucydides and Zoltar collide

By Dennis Sweeney Freshman Press Reporter

y original thoughts on the big Wash were these: it would be a place where people walked around with pensive looks on their faces, from their Chemistry 407 class to their eighth level Japanese course; and when they stopped their formal intellectual endeavors to satisfy their stomachs, they would do it with a friend over a conversation on the crisis in the Middle East and how it relates to the crop deficit in southern Brazil. People would be smart, and motivated, and different than normal people. In some ways, I was a little bit right. This is the first place I’ve been where anyone has asked me outright if I was a Democrat or a Republican. Never before have I heard Homer and Thucydides thrown into a conversation so naturally. As everyone talks about registering for classes, the rhetoric doesn’t include “have to,” “sounds boring” and “this sucks,” nearly as much as “want to,” “sounds so interesting” and “ohmygod I wish I could take everything.” These all of which sets apart the student population here from most others I’ve seen or heard of. But in a lot of my pre-

conceptions, I was waaaaay off. While people really are very smart here, the thing I realized during my ArtSci weekend over the summer and during my time here so far this August is that smart people aren’t necessarily “not normal.” Just because you can break 2200 on your SATs doesn’t mean you can’t perform in an

“Just because you can break 2200 on your SATs doesn’t mean you can’t perform in an intense game of kickball as well.” intense game of kickball as well. Placing a high value on academics doesn’t mean you don’t also place a high value on beer. And a potential future in the empirical field of medicine doesn’t mean you aren’t willing to drop a buck on a tarot-card dispensing wizard named Zoltar. What we have here is a number of undercover smart and high-achieving people. I love the moments in a conversation when you are talking to someone about normal stuff, like where they’re from, what their dog’s name is, etc., and then all the sudden it somehow comes up that they graduated from high

LUCY MOORE | EDITORIAL CARTOON

school a year early and went in the mean time to Iceland to learn the language by spending time with local shepherds and helping build homes for the poor in a secluded glacier town. The funny thing is, our fictional Icelandic traveler could very well be the same kid who started that “No, You F***ing Ignoramus, Washington University is in St. Louis, Missouri” group on Facebook. Here would be a display of the personality (crude, but hilarious) that maybe I didn’t expect to come from the smart people at Wash. U. If you can willingly pick up Icelandic among the natives, but can also appreciate the humor in verbally assaulting all the jerks who don’t know where Washington University in St. Louis is, I’d say you’ve become a well-rounded human being. And that’s what kind of human beings seem to be here. It’s important to remember that people here have done some pretty amazing stuff. But it is the real kicker that these same people are very personable and fun to be with on a non-intellectual level as well. While the scene here on campus doesn’t quite jive with my odd preconceptions of crazy-smart people with only Plato and the human pancreas on the mind, it seems to me that, really, that’s a damn good thing.

Talking long-distance: Bite your tongue and say Hakuna Matata By Kayla Dalle Molle Freshman Press Reporter

utside of the USA, Americans are seen as constant rivals in an increasingly competitive world—stupid, fat, khaki shant (the shant of course being a uniquely vague garment in that it is neither pants nor shorts) wearing rivals responsible for rapidly homogenizing distinct cultures through their desire to guzzle the remaining drops of what was once an ocean of natural gas; deep-fry anything not securely fastened to a hard surface, arbitrarily develop their own units of measurement, watch “the game” on TV with a six pack of reduced calorie urine and give every average schmuck his own reality TV program. And spin-off. And clothing line. And book deal (A semibiographical novel loosely inspired by a true rags-to-riches story no less). But the reality is that Americans aren’t any stupider than people from other countries. The stupidness of respective populations just manifests itself in different ways. Like the French still thinking they won the World Cup (It’s time to accept the facts. We schooled you.). Or the English thinking that stone are actually a good

way to measure weight. Come on. Fourteen pounds? Who are you kidding? “So you’re from Italy…isn’t that where the Eiffel Tower is?” Just kidding. Kidding again. Yes, I was actually asked this my third day on campus. Out of Italy people are especially fasci-

“They are shocked to know that Venice smells like death and is constantly flooded, that we don’t actually eat spaghetti with meatballs, and that a businessman is as likely to pee on your building as his dog is.” nated by the Italian culture, and I am equally interested in understanding their own. They are shocked to know that Venice smells like death and is constantly ﬂooded, that we don’t actually eat spaghetti with meatballs, and that a businessman is as likely to pee on your building as his

dog is. Once I have shat on their romantic fantasies of Italy it is their turn to dispel the ridiculous stereotypes I have been fed about university life in the USA. When I tell them I’ve never seen Laguna Beach, driven a car, played a drinking game or gone to senior prom I garner looks worthy of a leper. Africa is, like, THE coolest country EVAR. When people learn I have a South African mother, suddenly the pasta is dropped on the ﬂoor and I’m monkey girl—full of valuable knowledge about living in the motherland with all them crazy lions and tigers. The questions range from the tame “did your mother grow up in a hut?” to the wildly offensive “wait, so is your WHOLE family racist?” A good friend from Johannesburg once was told by an excited American, “oh my gosh…you’re from South Africa…I have a friend from Ethiopia!” There is no language called “African.” Again, reality is far from it. Those cool monkeys with the red butts aren’t so cute when they poo all over your car. Or when they chase you while biking and rip your shorts off to get an apple you’ve concealed underneath. And the closest I’ve come to Simba was his face painfully stretched across the child’s T-shirt sported by a large-

breasted Malagasy housewife on an island off the coast of Madagascar. As we all know, there’s more to a book than its cover, and as educated people it is our job to counter these [often] inaccurate generalisations. Wash. U. is immensely diverse which is why it is so important to be mindful of the different cultures students bring with them to campus. I’m sure every student here has at some point fallen victim to stereotypes associated with where they come from. Other international students at Wash. U. have been asked if they live in igloos in Canada, ride elephants to school in Indonesia or get jailed for chewing gum in Singapore. Just like assuming everyone from Illinois is a Chicagoan, from Long Island is a JAP, Tennessee a hick and Iowa a farmer, such generalizations are not restricted to areas outside of the US. And while the realities are certainly not as interesting as the fantasies we concoct in our heads, in learning to distinguish between the two we are able to peer into cultures and truly understand something “foreign.” Like the metric system. It’s better. Kayla Dalle Molle is a freshman in Arts & Sciences and is from Milan, Italy.

VANESSA POON | STUDENT LIFE

You ignoramus, Washington University is in New York By Elizabeth Slater Freshman Press Reporter

have been a native New Yorker my whole life. I have never owned a car, I don’t have my license and I can name every stop on the D train line. The night before I left for college, I did a very New York thing and sat on the stoop outside my building with my friend, people watching at one in the morning. New York City with it bustling streets, crowded subway cars and hundreds of thrift stores has been my home since I was born. It is in my blood. Despite my deep attachment to New York City, I decided that for college I wanted to experience a place that was slightly different, which is how I set my sights on Wash. U. With a population of 348,189, St. Louis is, yes, quite unlike New York City, which has a population of eight million. One of my biggest fears about leaving NYC was that I would be leaving a very diverse and exciting environment. But, I’ve already discovered many interesting things about the area: Chuck Berry plays at Blueberry Hill, the South Grand holds a multitude of ethnic restaurants, and, according to the fortuneteller at Union Station, I’m going to inherit an aged stone mansion. More importantly, what has made adjusting to Wash. U. so much easier than I had anticipated was how friendly and open-minded everyone has been. Already I am learning new things that were not as popular in New York City. For example, at my high school it was more relaxing to listen to the blaring sound of a siren than the chorus, but at Wash. U. my roommate has actually managed to get me to listen to, and enjoy, A cappella. Who knew that A cappella groups could sing such entertaining covers of Outkast? While New York is very

diverse, I have never lived in such close proximity to people from so many different states and countries. My hall has people from Missouri to California, Georgia to Japan. Approaching someone in New York often results in frightened looks or mean glares, but at Wash. U. people are more than happy to be asked a question. In fact, they seem to enjoy it. In New York, I can walk down a street with people from the Dominican Republic, Russia or Pakistan, and never say a word to them, but at Wash. U. everyone seems to get along so easily. People from these places are no longer strangers, but my neighbors. Leaving New York, I was afraid that I would never again be able to walk out of my apartment and enter the subway or hop on a bus that I could count on arriving every 5 minutes. And while I’m pretty sure that St. Louis’s public transportation system does not compare to that of New York, I have learned that people are much more than willing to help you around campus or direct you to your dorm. I guess my point is that I was afraid that by leaving New York City I would end up in a sheltered and isolated environment. New Yorkers can be provincial. We think our city is the only city. Though people here are more likely to have heard of Nelly than the Harlem Diplomats, they all have interesting stories to tell and are all motivated, driven, and excited about their futures. The people I have met have been more than willing to talk to me about themselves and to tell me about what they have learned about St. Louis. The friendly attitude of the staff and students has made me much more willing to view Wash. U. as a second home to the city. Also, being in a place where two-bedroom apartments do not cost more than one million dollars is a deﬁ nite plus.

F6 FRESHMAN PRESS | CADENZA

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

CADEN Z A

n. a technically brilliant, sometimes improvised solo passage toward the close of a concerto, an exceptionally brilliant part of an artistic work

arts & entertainment

And what do you watch?... Bonding through entertainment By Michelle Stein Freshman Press Reporter Even though Washington University students come from different backgrounds, all freshmen can bond over entertainment. Almost everyone entering the University this fall has brought with them the staples of relaxation: music and movies. Students here may plan on activities, classes and athletics, but there is nothing like a little study music or a favorite television show to help relax after a long day. The general opinion among the freshmen class is that nothing helps you relax more than laughter. Regardless of whether the ﬁ rst DVD packed was “Arrested Development” or “Super Troopers,” cinematic entertainment is kind of a big deal here. Knowing what kinds of entertainment a person prefers is an opening into their personality. “[Movies] are a great way for people to get to know who I or others are without asking the same questions. If they bring all this comedy, you can tell they’re kind of lighthearted,

but if they bring all these heavy dramas you can tell they’re kind of intense,” said freshman Natacha Lam. Regardless of movie choice, DVD collections can be conversation starters. In fact, movies are Umrath 1’s floor theme. Over the summer, students gave the Resident Advisor a list of their four favorite movies. The RAs used these to make door signs with the students’ names, their favorite movie cover and a famous quote from the movie. According to RA David Kramer, walking into the dorm room gives the residents an instant bond. “Any movie that’s really funny, you can always feel comfortable quoting that movie and it gives you an instant connection with that [other] person,” said Kramer. Since all of the dorms have televisions in their lounges, it is not necessary to bring your own television or DVDs to enjoy college entertainment. “A lot of floors bond over shows like ‘Lost’ or ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ and everyone fi nds a friend’s dorm room or the floor’s lounge,” said Kramer. International students

enjoy their entertainment as much as the rest of us, but between the laws regarding what they can bring into the country and traveling halfway around the world, DVDs and CDs take a back seat to the necessities for college. “We are just as into [entertainment] as you guys, it’s just that we can’t lug our stuff around like that. So we have our iPod, our laptop and that’s it,” said freshman Aparna Misra. As tuned into the entertainment scene as the freshman class is, few people know about the perks Wash. U. offers students. Ruckusmusicplayerallowscollege students to download unlimitedmusicfromtheRuckussite.The onedrawbackisthatsongscannot be added to CDs or iPods. Most students,however,agreetheywill listen to music on their computer. As everyone moves into the dorms this year, try asking questions about music or movies too, not just about classes and majors. See if when your roommate thinks of college, they think of “Animal House” as well.

MEREDITH SCHLACTER | STUDENT LIFE

Freshmen’s doors in Umrath were adorned with pictures of their favorite movies to make them feel more at home.

Tune in! to fall television As the fall television season draws near, students at Washington University eagerly await the return of their favorite shows. Fans of “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Gilmore Girls” weigh in with their predictions and conspiracy theories.

season ﬁnale spoilers Lost Gilmore Girls By ShaSha Lu

Freshman Press Reporter

“Lost” ended its second season with a satisfying yet puzzling bang, leaving fans to further question the fates of the characters and the meaning behind the island. Michael betrays the group as he sails away, possibly toward safety with Walt. Hurley is released and Jack, Sawyer and Kate remain behind in the hands of the Others. Back at the hatch, Desmond makes his ultimate sacriﬁce when he releases the buildup of electromagnetism on the island with the turn of a key. Perhaps this electromagnetism had been the very cause of Flight 815’s crash. Residential Advisor Allison Cartwright thinks the aftermath of the crash could be a sociological experiment, a test of how long people will persevere. Junior Jake Greenblatt sees the island from a similar angle, comparing the survivors to “lab rats.” He also wouldn’t mind if the aftermath of the crash were “one giant dream,” although it is hard to say if other fans would warm to such an explanation.

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The cast of Lost poses on a large rock.

Grey’s Anatomy Moving from the pandemonium of the island to the chaos of Seattle Grace Hospital, “Grey’s Anatomy” gives a window into the ongoing drama between its doctors, interns and patients. Finishing off the season, Meredith reunites with Derek—known to fans as Dr. McDreamy—and deserts her newfound man, Finn. In addition, Burke wakes up to the possibility that he may never be able to operate again, and Izzy quits the internship after Denny’s sudden death. Although most students seem to agree that Meredith is ultimately destined for Derek, some feel that the doctor should feel more remorse for his actions in the second season. Rumor also has it that Mark, Derek’s best friend and Addison’s former lover, will return this season, leading the way for a love quadrangle.

Finally, with its witty sayings and charismatic characters, “Gilmore Girls” lures loyal fans who now ﬁ nd themselves wondering about Rory and Lorelai’s future. The season ﬁ nale ended with Lorelai’s ultimatum to Luke to marry now or never. When Luke balks, Lorelai ends up in the arms—and bed—of Christopher. Meanwhile, Rory gives Logan a tearful goodbye as he departs for London. Will Logan ever return? “Logan will come back for Rory but only after he ‘does his own thing’ in London,” said junior Doris Romero. “He’s truly in love with her.”

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Alexis Bledel plays Rory on the WB’s “Gilmore Girls.”

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The cast of Grey’s Anatomy poses on a staircase.

How accurate are these predictions and theories? We’ll find out in a few weeks. Lost season 3 premieres Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. on ABC, Grey’s Anatomy premieres Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. on ABC and Gilmore Girls on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. on the WB.

FRESHMAN PRESS

MONDAY | AUGUST 28, 2006

Secrets From The Sea: Pirates of the Caribbean Three By Sarah Saunders Freshman Press Reporter Few films are released that both touch audiences worldwide and begin a cultural phenomenon. One such movie is “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Inspired by the Disney amusement park ride, “Pirates” has shocked Disney executives with the amount of treasure earned. Despite lukewarm reviews, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” rocketed to number one immediately after its release. Opening with the highest earning weekend in history, the movie continues to retain the number one position for seven weeks in the foreign box office. It is the sixth biggest release of all time, and has grossed a worldwide total of $923.8

million, surpassing “Finding Nemo” at $866.9 million. With the success of the second installment of the trilogy, many audiences wonder what surprises are in store for the final installment. Despite Disney’s denials, possible titles for the third movie include, “At World’s End” and “Uncharted Waters.” Joining the returning cast is Chow Yun-Fat as Captain Sao Feng, a nemesis of Will and Elizabeth. Famous rocker Keith Richards makes a cameo appearance as Captain Jack Sparrow’s father, Captain Grant Sparrow. As indicated by the ending of “Dead Man’s Chest,” Will and Elizabeth team up with their former enemy Barbossa to rescue Jack and his Black Pearl, having to defeat the Jones/Beckett/Feng alliance. On their journey to the world’s end, Will,

Elizabeth and Barbossa pass through the Orient and confront Captain Feng in search of charts to the World’s End. Recovering the ship and its beloved captain is especially critical for William Turner because only the Black Pearl can overtake the Flying Dutchman and thus, release his father from undersea bondage. This foreboding destination, where Jack and the Black Pearl are supposedly located, is described as a “purgatory,” with white sands and crabs wielding swords. Speculation indicates that such a scene was filmed in the Utah Salt Flats, the home of the white deserts. This cap-off to the “Pirates” trilogy is sure to contain the same unbelievable effects that graced the first and second films. Of course these plot ideas are pure speculation, but af-

Lit le Mis Sunshine

“ ” is worth the trip By Sam Bear Freshman Press Reporter The family road trip story is about as new in Holly wood as the moving picture, but “Little Miss Sunshine,” the smash hit at

points they ring true to the reality of human imperfection. Kinnear’s character is simultaneously annoying and bemusing, and Arkin’s character probably belongs in jail. Yet both at various points in the movie are

most dysfunctional) member of the family. To match its colorful cast of characters, “Sunshine” has an equally entertaining and talented group of actors. Kinnear’s performance is one of the best of his career. He is

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Abigail Breslin (left-right), Toni Collette, Steve Carell and Greg Kinnear star in “Little Miss Sunshine.”

this year’s Sundance Film Festival, rings nothing of the standard “vacation” fare. “Sunshine” is about Olive (Abigail Breslin), a young girl with dreams of beauty queendom, who wins a spot in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. Her mother (Toni Collette), Dr. Phil-wannabe father (Greg Kinnear), self-decided mute brother (Paul Dano), drug-addicted, retirement home-exiled grandfather (Alan Arkin) and suicidal uncle (Steve Carell) all pile into the beat-up family Volkswagen minibus for the long trip from Albuquerque to Redondo Beach, California to make Olive’s dream a reality. “Sunshine” is as profane as it is outrageous, but at its heart, the movie is a delightful and ultimately touching family story. The screenplay by Michael Arndt is fantastic. His characters are flawed, but even at their lowest

genuinely endearing. The screenplay is laugh out loud funny. Still, the film possesses a subtlety that isn’t found in mainstream Holly wood. Carell’s character is gay, but at no point is he the flamboyant stereotype that so often appears in films. There are no cheap jokes or common gags in “Little Miss Sunshine,” and even when the story seems headed for overplayed comedic ground, Arndt takes it in a new and interesting direction. The family’s yellow Volkswagen minibus not only provides the setting for most of the movie but is also the source of some of its best humor. Between a clutch that won’t go to first or second gear and a horn that sounds like it’s constantly signaling off Morse code, first time directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris give the van enough personality to qualify it as the last (and not even the

at his best when playing an everyman, and Frank Hoover perfectly fits that profile. Carell’s first shot at a more dramatic role captures the intensity of Bill Murray, whom the role was originally written for, while maintaining the charisma and sentiment that made him so lovable in “The 40 Year-Old Virgin.” Toni Collette’s performance is admirable, Paul Dano continues to build on his reputation as a terrific young actor, Abigail Breslin could become the next Dakota Fanning and Alan Arkin was born to play this dirty-mouthed grandpa. The bottom line is that “Little Miss Sunshine” is the must see summer indie, able to capture the best of comedy. It’s funny, heartfelt and absolutely entertaining from the first frame to the last.

ter seeing the second movie, it’s obvious that they have basis in fact. Director Gore Verbinski summarizes the plot of this highly anticipated movie by saying, “it [Pirates] is a conference of the world’s pirate leaders and a treacherous journey to the literal ends of the earth.” There are many questions to be answered in this last part of the trilogy, to be released on May 25, 2007. Among them: How did Barbossa return from the dead? Will Elizabeth and William finally get married? Will Bill Turner be rescued? And who will gain control of Davy Jones’ heart? Fans will have to wait until next summer to discover the answers. But, as any true “Pirates” fan knows, the most devoted supporter can wait until the end of the world. KRT CAMPUS

Johnny Depp plays Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies.

Get involved on campus, but choose wisely By Rebecca Saunders Freshman Press Reporter Although moving in, setting up your dorm and getting acquainted with your roommate may seem daunting, other tasks await you during these upcoming weeks that should promise to be more thrilling. Unlike the activities of the first few hectic days, picking classes and joining clubs should be more relaxing—especially with a few tips. Without question, the easiest way to begin the all-important club search is through the Activities Fair. This year, it will take place on September 6, the first Wednesday after classes start, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the quad. Director of Student Activities Julie Thornton, said the Activities Fair is, “the best place to start.” Advised Thornton, “Dare yourself to do something different.” Similarly, Student Union President Paul Moinester advised incoming freshman to find something they love. It may seem contradictory to find something different and something you love doing, but if you’ve never tried it, how do you know if you’ll love it? It’s all in the risk, and there is no better time to take risks than in college. Greek life is a popular way to get involved on campus. At Washington University, fraternities

have traditional houses (located in the area of campus known as “Frat Row”), but sororities do not. Whether that is a benefit or a drawback, Thornton asserts that nearly 25 percent of Wash. U. studentsareactiveparticipantsin Greek life. “Wash. U. is unique in that Greek isn’t all you are,” said Thornton. Unlike schools where fraternities and sororities “make or break” students, Wash. U. students take part in a wide array of activities and sometimes do not list Greek life right off the bat. Thus, even if you are just a least bit interested in Greek life, give it a try. Student government is a great opportunity for all the budding entrepreneurs and leaders. “I knew I wanted to get involved,” said Vice President of Student Union Bobby Jones, and for him, government was a good choice. Additionally, Jones joined Film Board and from there got involved in the Social Programming Board. Although all these activities may seem enticing, Moinester suggests not to take on too much too soon. “Take on smaller responsibilities…and talk to your RAs,” advised Moinester. “They know the time commitments for different clubs.” Never forget that your RAs are there to help with everything from helping you set up your computer to

pointing out the best clubs and classes. Finally, if you want to be an active member of the Wash. U. community, but you need to earn a little cash on the side, a job may be the right way to get involved for you. There are many jobs available on campus for students. Thornton recommended stopping by Cornerstone, which offers tutoring for money. Or, she also recommended the “knocking on doors” policy, where students just go around to the science labs to see if any faculty are looking for lab assistants. You never know until you try. Beyond the carting of ridiculously heavy microwaves, refrigerators and televisions up countless flights of stairs, there are less physically and mentally strenuous duties. Whether the table for Greek life, Medieval Fencing or government attracts you at the Activities Fair; or the job market is calling you, get involved in some way during your freshman year. Just don’t take on too much. Remember, it is your first semester at college and it will take some adjusting. Shop around at the fair, go to half a dozen meetings and then pick a couple that really interest you. Pick something new and different. Spread your extracurricular wings and fly.

Performing Arts Department News Placement Auditions for Dance Classes Monday, August 28, 10am Annelise Mertz Dance Studio, Mallinckrodt Center PAD Welcome Party Tuesday, August 29, 4-6pm

A.E. Hotchner Studio Theater, Mallinckrodt Center

Auditions for Fiddler On The Roof* and Kokoschka Thursday, August 31 and Friday, September 1, 7-11pm Olin Studio One, Women’s Building

*Students who wish to audition for Fiddler On The Roof must prepare 16 bars of music as well as a monologue.

IM SPORTS v FROM PAGE F4 league ensures that all involved will get a chance to play. And, with 16 different sports ranging from billiardsandarmwrestlingtoclassicslikesoccerandbasketball,itis certaineveryincomingfreshman can find a sport that suits them. Varsity athletes are also welcome to participate in IM sports, but not in their chosen sport. “For example,” says Imergoot, “the varsity girl’s soccer team puts to-

gether a basketball team every year.” IM sports also present a great way to relax and simply enjoy the time you have on campus. “It’s different [from coached sports.] You’re playing with your friends. Your coaches don’t tell you what to do--it’s more like a fun competition.” In addition, “Each winner of a team sport wins the coveted IM Champions t-

shirt.” Imergoot invites all freshmen to participate in the IM sports system. Freshmen can check out http://intramuralsports.wustl.edu to get information and visit the IM office located on the second floor of the Athletic Complex to sign up.

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Beyond the bookstore: Finding your textbooks for reasonable prices By Hillary Price Freshman Press Reporter Most new freshmen at Washington University spend a great deal of money during their first few days on campus. Dorm accessories and ethernet connections are pricey, but they seem cheap when compared to the price of textbooks. The cost of college textbooks is skyrocketing; a study by the Government Accountability Office recently reported that the cost of textbooks has risen at twice the rate of inflation over the past 20 years. According to the College Board, the average college student spent between $801 and $904 on textbooks for the 2005-2006 school year. Buying from the bookstore is certainly pricey, but many freshmen consider it the only option; they rarely know enough upperclassmen to find cheap used books and the bookstore seems so close and convenient.

With a little research, however, students can find both used and new books for much more reasonable prices. Facebook groups help students selling books reach potential customers within the Wash. U. community. Students belonging to the “WashU Books Listing (textbooks)” group can post information about the books they want to sell and interested students can contact them directly to negotiate prices. This way, students can simply pick up their books from the previous owners. There are countless online websites selling used and new college textbooks. Some, like half.com, a division of eBay, allow students to set a price for their books and then sell those books to other college students. A Google search for “college textbooks” brings up hundreds of similar sites. On campusbooks.com students can compare textbook prices, including tax

and shipping costs, from different websites, including half.com and amazon. com. Another more local option is the Lock and Chain book sale at the beginning of each semester. Organized and run by Wash. U. students, Lock and Chain collects used textbooks from students at the end of each semester. The sellers set their own prices at this time. Lock and Chain stores the books until the beginning of the next semester when they have a book sale. Sellers receive 75 percent of their asking price, which is usually more money than the bookstore would pay for used books. Twenty percent of the leftover money goes to charity and the other 80 percent is used for Lock and Chain sponsored activities, like the Major/Minor fair, George Washington week and Sophomore Sizzle. So, don’t get burned with bookstore prices. Explore other options and expand your wallet.

MEREDITH SCHLACTER | STUDENT LIFE

Students can often find course books online for less than the prices charged at the campus bookstore.

Forced triples force freshman to adapt to cramped housing By Audrey King Freshman Press Reporter Washington University expected, at most, 1,350 students to accept their offer of admission, but more students accepted and as a result, some members of the class of 2010 found their housing assignments disappointing. Maryse Pearce, a freshman living in Beaumont, requested a modern double, but, like many incoming freshman, has a traditional triple. “I was really upset at first,” said Pearce. After seeing her room and moving in, however, Pearce has changed her mind and decided, “I like my dorm, it’s a nice size—it’s worked out well in the end.” With so many students, both upper and lower classmen, unable to secure the housing they wanted, Chancellor Mark Wrighton sought to explain the influx of incoming students. “It’s not easy to predict who will accept our offer,” he said. The Chancellor expects

many students to be creative and learn to live with their housing situation. Still, some freshmen are reasonably apprehensive about their living, particularly those in traditional dorms. Matt Herman, who lives in Rubelmann, pointed out the lack of basic amenities in his dorm. “I would like to have a door on my closet,” he lamented. Plus, being able to fit everything into a small room can require innovation. “Whatever doesn’t fits gets hauled back to Kansas,” said Christine Hansen. Besides the reduction in “home comforts” that members of the class of 2010 will experience this year, such as having to share a communal restroom, kitchen and laundry area, another general area of concern arises: roommates. Jessica Williams was assigned a triple in Umrath and worries about, “the compromises that we’ll have to make.” Jen Sisto, also in a triple but in Rubelman, said she, “wasn’t sure what it would

be like having two roommates instead of one.” Generally, these apprehensions come from the horror stories about awful roommates everyone has heard from upperclassmen, but not everyone has something frightening to say. “It was a new experience having to accommodate two other people’s agendas…I learned to be flexible,” said Min Qi, a current senior who lived in a triple in Beaumont her freshmen year. Along with learning the necessary skill of how to live with someone else, having a roommate or roommates creates a more social atmosphere. Roommates bring their friends back to the shared room, which brings more opportunities to meet people. Living with someone also means less strain on your wallet because they can help to share the burden of buying/renting a fridge, microwave or other parts of a room. Those students who were assigned a second priority or “forced” triple, 45

LUCY MOORE | STUDENT LIFE

Due to a larger than normal freshman class, some double rooms have been converted into forced triples. students total, may find this year particularly difficult because those rooms weren’t originally designed as a triple room. Associate Director of

Residential Life Rob Wild and the offices of Residential Life are, “acknowledging that its not an ideal situation,” and providing a $200 gift receipt to the Uni-

WORD ON THE STREET

versity Bookstore and a lottery number at the front of the class for housing next year to all students still in a second priority triple by the end of August.

Compiled by Katie Keeley and Rebecca Saunders Freshman Press Reporters

“What is your favorite place to study?”

Abel Samet sophomore

Jessica Harvath senior

Cat Karayan junior

Kim Crouch graduate student

Andy Schupanitz senior

“Last year it was my room in Umrath, or downstairs in the common area.”

“The East Asian Library - it’s a beautiful place.”

“Whispers Cafe - actually the booths, but they’re not always open.”

“The Chem Library - no one’s ever there.”

“The third ﬂoor of the Olin Library, because it’s always quiet.”

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The Loop: Restaurants and more By Katie Keeley and Audrey King Freshman Press Reporters

For incoming freshmen, the restaurants in the Loop provide a great alternative to their same old dining routine by having fun and surprisingly affordable places to eat, along with being accessible to students without a car (i.e. you) through the overpass near the Women’s Building.

The Red Sea

This small restaurant is only for the truly adventurous. One specialty is wat, almost like a stew, which is available with chicken or lamb. It is eaten with injera, a spongy ﬂatbread that resembles a bubbly half-cooked pancake. Most entrees are served with a choice of vegetables such as yellow split peas. They occasionally have live music at night, though shows are mostly for those 21 and older.

VANESSA POON | STUDENT LIFE

Saleem’s

As the name implies, Fitz’s specialty is its root beer. Upon walking fi rst entering, customers can see part of the bottling process through a glass window. Unlimited refi lls are included with every soft drink ordered, and each time the patron can try a different type of Fitz’s soda. The food is wonderful, with everything from burgers and BBQ chicken pizza to Oriental salads and chicken parmesean. The root beer float is enormous and very messy to drink, consisting of a full mug of root beer with multiple scoops of vanilla ice cream balanced on top. Upstairs, Fitz’s offers additional seating, a bar, pool tables, darts and more. VANESSA POON | STUDENT LIFE

Come to this location for the belly dancing entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 8:00 p.m. For students inexperienced in Persian cuisine, this location provides a great opportunity to try some basics such as hummus, tabbouleh and falafel. Saleem’s has tons of options, especially for vegetarians, including a delicious eggplant platter. The price varies from $8, or cheaper if you split, to $16 if you get the kabobs. Also, they don’t lie; there is a lot of garlic involved, so bring gum!

Miss Saigon

Fitz’s

The Pageant With its flashy marquee announcing an array of upcoming shows, the Pageant is one of St. Louis’s premiere concert venues. Conveniently located on the Delmar Lop, the Pageant is a great way for students (either with cars or without) to get off campus and hear their favorite bands. The Pageant attracts everything from The Killers and the Fray to Edwin McCain and Cyndi Lauper. With such a wide array of artists, students are bound to fi nd concerts that fit their musical tastes.

VANESSA POON | STUDENT LIFE

For a hands-on experience, get the Spring Rolls. Unlike most Vietnamese restaurants which feature this dish just as a pre-made appetizer, at Miss Saigon, all the ingredients are brought out to the table for your own assembly. To start, make the rice paper pliable by soaking it in warm water, then, put in the fresh ingredients that make up the roll: shredded carrot, peanuts, basil, mint, parsley, lettuce, cilantro, bean sprouts, vermicelli noodles and seasoned pork (or chicken). The wrap is dipped in a ﬁsh sauce and makes a mostly healthy, fresh alternative to campus food. The best part, it’s only $12.95 and can easily feed three people. Be sure to ask speciﬁcally for mint and basil, though, because they might not serve it.

VANESSA POON | STUDENT LIFE

Tips from the pros:

Activities: Tried and true Upperclassman insight for or something new? freshmen

Compiled by Hillary Price

By Katie Keeley Freshman Press Reporter

As a freshman at Wash. U., you have probably received all kinds of advice. We are not going to tell you to “go outside your comfort zone”, but we have compiled a list of tips for freshman straight from the mouths of upperclassmen. Some are funny, some are practical, some are bizarre, but all are useful. Enjoy. • Deadbolt your door before you go to sleep, or someone could card in. • Use your ID card for laundry, because quarters are scarce and inconvenient. • If you want food delivered late, try Pointers, a pizza place on Big Bend. They are open until 2 a.m. • Remember to bring your ID card when you go to frat parties. • If your floor is divided in some way, do not limit yourself by only meeting people on your side. Try to hang out on the other side to meet people there, too. • To avoid a freezing or scorching shower in the old dorms, set your shower handle slightly right of center, and leave it there. These showers take a few minutes to warm up. • Take advantage of the fitness center above Bear’s Den, and try fitness classes during their week of free classes in September. • To adjust your bed’s height, turn the bed upside down and hit it with some blunt object or jump on it. Pull the sides off, then fl ip everything right side up and re-attach the sides at the height you want. • Try not to sleep through

Center Court Brunch. • Do not go out into the hallways with beer or any other open alcoholic beverage. • If you live in a new dorm, close your bathroom door before you take a shower, unless you want your entire dorm to hate you when the steam from your shower sets off the ﬁ re alarm. • Keep up with your ID card, because they cost $20 to replace.

• Find a favorite shower stall and always use that one. That way, you will always know where to set the temperature. • Keep your door open as much as possible. You’ll make more friends. • Pay attention to the rules about attaching things to the walls, or you might get ﬁ ned at the end of the year. • Use the UPass, it is much cheaper than cab fare. • Go to events with free food.

• Christmas lights enliven every dorm room decorating scheme. • Try the chicken fi nger burrito in Bear’s Den. • Make friends with the housekeeping and maintenance staff, as well as the cooks in Bear’s Den. • Before you go out for a night of revelry, makes sure you know how to get home. It is never a bad idea to have a “designated walker” with your group. • If you go to a party at an apartment near the Loop, do not walk back alone at night. People have been robbed in that area. • Your RAs will always be on the floor during the fi rst two weeks, so do not try to have any parties.

• Check the nutritional facts of foods you eat at Bear’s Den on the website, some might shock you. • Take your roommate contract seriously. • Do a good job ﬁ lling out our room condition report so you don’t get charged for dents you did not make. • Take advantage of free stuff during Orientation. • Try to make friends outside your ﬂoor. • Get a large trashcan. Thanks to Anna McGrew (sophomore), Steven Knudsen (senior), Stephanie Chang (junior), Teri Mcclerklin (senior) and David Stein (senior) for their insight and advice.

With the Activities Fair coming up on Sept. 6, some incoming freshmen look forward to exploring new interests while many others anticipate continuing much-loved activities from high school. So what is the trend here among new students at Washington University—to stick with the tried and true, or to take risks and possibly discover new passions? According to Director of Student Activities, activities vary from person to person. “Some use college as an opportunity to redefine themselves,” said Thorton. “There are even students that want to do everything they did in high school and then some,” she noted. Occasionally, new students are intimidated by the idea of classes and studying at the University and put off joining any activities for the first semester or even at all, but Thornton cautiously advises against that strategy. Student Union President Paul Moinester obviously involves himself with the University community outside of class. “Everyone was involved in high school,” he said, “but you can’t do all of the same activities in college because all those things take more time here.” Moinester grew up playing soccer year-round in multiple leagues, but after two years of playing at the University, he had

to quit as Student Union became more of a commitment. The soccer program actually drew Moinester to the University but he was not afraid to try student government in his upperclassmen years. “I felt like I had gotten all I could out of soccer in general and felt that SU would help me develop more as a person.” SU Vice President Bobby Jones also came in as an athlete but soon felt that the large time commitment prevented him from exploring other options. “I wouldn’t have come here if not for football,” he recalled. But after two years on the team, he left in order to further develop his interests in music, film and making an impact on campus. Gina Anderson, a rising senior, was involved in community service organizations and Key Club in high school. She still participated in organizing events her first two years at the University, though the events were mainly social. Now, however, she has returned more to her original focus of service. Last year, through Mr. Wash. U., Anderson helped raise $23,000 for City Faces, which provides art programs for city teens. Even if the University does not already have a group pertaining to a prior interest of a freshman, the school is very open to developing new clubs. “Wash. U. is really gracious and accepting to what you want to do, allowing students to cre-

ate their own clubs and majors,” said Jonathan Beninson, a law school student. He was able to continue the business he was running when he arrived at the University. As easy as it is to continue a familiar activity as a freshman, many students also take advantage of the wealth of opportunities here. Abel Samet, a sophomore, remarked that he continued participating in mock trial, as he had done in high school, but also tried crew for the first time last year. “I heard about it at the Activities Fair and some people on my floor were doing it,” he explained. Incoming freshmen will have many options to explore in their free time. Stanley Rokaw hopes to continue speech and debate, depending on how much time he has after classes and studying. Aaditya Khatri participated in debate and Science Olympiad in his high school, but now is changing his focus to intramurals and volunteer work. “I want about the same number of activities and time commitment, but want to do something completely different,” explained Khatri. So, freshmen, if you have a passion for something specific, by all means, go for it. But Bobby Jones, who in high school participated in student government only his sophomore year, discovered, “The Activities Fair is such a good resource. Keep an open mind.”

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