WEDNESDAY OCT. 27, 2004 Vol. 126, No. 24
Rain 71° / 60° w w w. s t u d l i f e . c o m
ELECTION COUNTDOWN
6 85
DAYS UNTIL ELECTION DAY DAYS UNTIL THE INAUGURATION
PRESIDENTIAL RACE: WHO HAS THE EDGE?
48% 49%
BUSHCHENEY KERRYEDWARDS
Source: ABC News daily tracking poll of likely voters, taken Oct. 22-25; see abcnews.com.
INSIDE
STUDENT LIFE T H E I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T. L O U I S S I N C E 1 8 7 8
Bauhaus ‘reconfigures’ party scene By Bill Kimmele Contributing Reporter The sophomores in the School of Architecture will provide an alternate event for partiers left out in the cold this weekend by the alcohol ban at Greek Life events. This Saturday from 9 p.m. to midnight, students will once again get dressed up and swarm the parking lot in front of Givens Hall to party at Bauhaus, the architecture sophomores’ annual Halloween extravaganza. Students and faculty alike have noted that Bauhaus will probably be well-attended this year because of the alcohol ban. According to sophomore architecture student John Hilmes, it will serve as the “last bastion of debauchery” this semester. “It may be the focal event of the weekend,” said Julie Thornton, director of student activities. “[Students know] that the Row won’t be having parties.” However, Thornton also noted that Bauhaus is “not the one remaining event with alcohol,” pointing out other campus
events like Happy Hour and Vertigo. Anisa Baldwin Metzger, the president of Architecture Student Council, said there will not be an “excessive amount” of alcohol at the party. She said the number of kegs the group orders equals out to about one beer for each student over 21 years of age. “There was never a discussion on cutting back on the amount of alcohol, but making sure that underage drinking doesn’t occur has always been part of the discussion,” said Baldwin Metzger. Little has changed since last year’s event, which the students are saying happens to be a good thing. “I think that the main point of the party is that it’s a Halloween party. There are costumes. It’s a unique party on campus,” said Baldwin Metzger. “I think that the alcohol draws upperclassman to the party as a social aspect. It’s something to keep them coming.” Like last year, kegs of beer will be served to students over 21 with a B&D bracelet. All
n Administration says it
wants a focus on Greek role in community By Kelly Donahue News Editor
ELLEN LO | STUDENT LIFE
Students attend Bauhaus 2003. Bauhaus is a party held by See BAUHAUS, page 2 the Architecture school in the parking lot in front of Givens.
Cops try to halt surge in thefts
The NBA season is soon upon us, and the Sports editors have a preview.
n Police arrest suspect but continue to be on alert
PAGE 8 Driving back to St. Louis from Chicago, Forum columnist Molly Antos noticed something that disturbed her: “Jesus billboards.”
DAVID HARTSTEIN | STUDENT LIFE
Recently many vehicles, like these parked in a garage on the South 40, have been broken into. By Kelly Donahue News Editor
PAGE 5 Winter is nearly upon us, and that means freshmen and squirrels must prepare themselves, says Nick Loyal.
PAGE 5
In response to the recent surge in vehicle-related thefts on campus, the Washington University Police Department (WUPD) has arrested a suspect responsible for a break-in last Wednesday morning. Officials believe he may have been involved in other thefts on campus and in the surrounding community. The 55-year-old male suspect, who is not affi liated with the University, was arrested for an incident that took place near Simon Hall between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 20, after an employee from the Helmcamp construction company reported that tools had been taken from his
INDEX News Forum Classifieds Crossword Sports
1 4 8 8 9
See THEFTS, page 3
n
Contributing Editor
PAGES 4-5
vehicle. A witness observed the man hiding boxes in the bushes along Forsyth just south of the parking lot. Police investigated the area, recovering the contractor’s tools and collecting them as evidence. Officials staked out the area until the suspect returned. Following a brief foot pursuit, the man was caught and taken into custody. According to WUPD Police Chief Don Strom, the arrested suspect may be responsible for other recent break-ins. Strom said that WUPD has “several other leads” that may link the suspect to other incidents on campus and in the
Although student response to Washington University’s decision to modify its Greek alcohol policy has largely focused on its social aspects, campus officials believe the new policy represents much more than just alcohol restrictions. Instead, the decision signifies their insistence that changes need to be made from within the Greek community itself. Karin Johnes, director of Greek Life, said she hopes the moratorium on alcohol will give the organizations’ members a chance to step back and reflect upon the basic principles of their community. “Students need to pause—to look, reflect and focus on the situation,” said Johnes. Johnes felt that the University’s Greeks have not been successful in finding a good balance between social events and other aspects of fraternity and sorority life, such as community service and brotherhood or sisterhood. “We hope that there will be a common understanding and clarity among Greeks about what the community should be by examining its foundations and founding principles—and are the organizations living up to them?” she said. Johnes noted that the solution will not be an immediate one and that the long-term goal is to foster a sense of commitment among students to improve the reputations and perceptions of their respective organizations. Senior Danny Bouton, president of Zeta Beta Tau, said that the Greek community doesn’t entirely deserve its reputation but will take Johnes’ suggestions into consideration. “I think that the only publicity we get is negative publicity,” said Bouton, adding that a great deal of the campus is unaware of the amount of philanthropy events that Greeks engage in. “Most of that is our fault for not marketing ourselves in the correct way. But I think we’re still not exactly sure how [the new policy is] going to work and what’s going to happen. I think we’re still kind of waiting to see how things work out.” Johnes also stressed that the Row has not become dry, as many students have feared. Greeks may continue to use alcohol during non-house-related activities as long as such use is in accordance with University stipulations. The new University policy only specifies that alcohol may not be served at any Greeksponsored event specifically intended to promote or recruit the organization, such as parties or rush events. If members of the Greek community have an appreciation for why these decisions have been reached and are willing
See ALCOHOL, page 3
Political Web sites pop up Teaching program WU alum, current grad student lead charge By Erin Harkless
More voices speak out on the Greek alcohol policy.
Focus on alcohol too narrow, officials say
Espousing a political viewpoint is hardly a new idea, but throughout this election cycle, voters and pundits alike have found a different way to share their views through politically-minded Web sites and blogs. Two individuals affi liated with Washington University but on opposite sides of the political aisle have established two of the better-known sites here in Missouri. University alumnus John Combest has been running his own site, www.johncombest.com, fi lled with the top political headlines in Missouri for the past three years. Prior to launching his site, Combest was concerned that fellow Republicans in the state did not have a central place to look for information. “I started the site here to let fellow Republicans know what’s going on in the state,” Combest said. “I wouldn’t do it on a national level, but have developed a voice and a following here in Missouri.
STUDENT LIFE
I plan on working with the site from here to eternity.” Combest majored in political science at the University and worked for thenSenator John Ashcroft immediately after graduating in 2000. He said he had always been interested in political communication and how it is channeled throughout communities. With an ever-increasing reliance on the Internet for news and information, some students are turning to these political sites and blogs to obtain information about the candidates and the issues. “I don’t regularly visit political Web sites,” said senior Lauren Harte. “They can be useful to see where candidates stand on issues and I’ve used them a few times to fi nd summaries of arguments or positions.” Others fi nd the availability of information empowering as they navigate through the process. Combest noted that the political Web site/blog phenomenon won’t be a pass-
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See POLITICAL, page 2 Newsroom: (314) 935-5995 Advertising: (314) 935-6713 Fax: (314) 935-5938
sees spike in apps By Rachel Streitfeld Contributing Editor For many job-seeking seniors, Teach For America (TFA) offers a sweet deal: a two-year teaching position with a job offer on the table by Dec. 15. Though the results were still being compiled yesterday, at least 32 Washington University students met the fall deadline to apply early for the program. The TFA program, which trains and places college graduates in two-year teaching positions in low-income communities across the country, has stepped up recruitment at the University this semester. TFA Recruitment Director Sean Precious has spent time on campus this fall interviewing Editor: editor@studlife.com News: news@studlife.com Calendar: calendar@studlife.com
prospective applicants and organizing informational sessions. He said TFA had set a goal of receiving 100 applications from University students, both from this week’s deadline and another this spring—a goal Precious expects to achieve. In the past, he said, 30 percent of the total applications has come from the fall deadline. “We’re well on our way,” said Precious about the 30-plus applications he received this week. Last year a total of 61 students applied for the program. This year, Precious has seen an increased attendance at information sessions and response from a varied group of students. He called attendance at the info sessions “one of the strongest
See TFA, page 3
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