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COFFEE CULTURE | A GUIDE TO STAYING CAFFINATED ON CAMPUS | SCENE, PAGE 8

STUDENT LIFE

THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 VOLUME 128, NO. 55

ResLife takes new security measures after break in

BY PUNEET KOLLIPARA STAFF REPORTER In response to the recent sexual assault and robbery of a Washington University female student on the South 40, the Office of Residential Life announced plans to install peepholes in residence hall doors.

The crime, which occurred Monday afternoon in Myers Hall, resulted when the alleged attacker, who was described by police as a black male between 20-30 years old, knocked on a female resident’s door and forced his way in after she opened the door.

Don Strom, chief of the

Washington University Police Department (WUPD), said there is no new information to report regarding the investigation of the crime. Security officers will continue to be stationed outside of Myers Hall, and WUPD is continuing to follow leads in the investigation.

According to Tim Lempfert, associate director of Residential Life, the department plans to install peepholes in all ResLife residence hall rooms that do not have them yet. Residences that currently have peepholes installed include Liggett House on the South 40 and the Greenway, Rosedale, Millbrook and University Drive apartments.

The only room doors that will have a peephole installed are the ones that open to the hallways. For non-suite dorms, this means that the door to the room itself will receive a peephole.

For suite-style dorms, however, only the suite doors, and not the individual room doors, will receive peepholes. Students had mixed feelings about not having peepholes on individual room doors.

“I think that makes sense.

When we’re alone in the suite we’ll be in the common room and we always leave the doors to our individual rooms open.

We only have our individual

doors closed when we’re sleeping or when we’re doing work,” said Laura Blum, a sophomore who lives in a suite-style dorm.

Others felt that peepholes should be installed on both the suite door and the individual room doors. “I think that they should probably do both just to be precautionary. However, we used to always leave our suite door open to be social, but we can’t anymore,” said Amy Power, a sophomore who also lives in a suite-style dorm.

“We always encourage our students to keep their room and suite doors locked,” said Lemp-

NEWS EDITOR In 2005, Glenn Stone, professor of anthropology and environmental sciences, and his daughter Abby Stone helped start the Kalleda Photo Project, in which rural Indian teens aged 13-15 were given digital cameras and shown techniques to create their own photo blogs.

The following year, senior Emily Hawkins, an anthropology major and Stone’s research

assistant, helped continue the Kalleda Photo Project. “I taught a small course on composition but more importantly, I wanted to show them how to create art.”

“We’ve got a ‘greatest hits’ blog, where we go and pick the very best of the pictures.

There’s more texture, more ethnographic content–they photograph palm-wine collectors and capture daily life,” said Stone.

“The first cohort of photobloggers is graduating from sec-

ondary school and going to the junior college. Because of these kids and their photography, there will be more money going towards their education.”

Recently, the BBC featured an article on the Kalleda Photo Project, which was, at one point, the most e-mailed story of the entire Web site.

“24 hours after the story appeared on [the BBC] Web site, it was read by over 135,000 people. When you compare it to the kids themselves, it’s quite

COURTESY OF GLENN STONE

Teenagers in rural India took this photo for the anthropology department’s Kalleda Photo Project. Undergraduates will continue the project as part of Village India this summer.

SU reduces Relay for Life funding

See SECURITY, page 2

Anthropology department launches ‘Village India’ program

BY SHWETA MURTHI

WWW.STUDLIFE.COM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2007

remarkable. Suddenly they’re on the BBC with over 100,000 people looking at their art—it’s really huge.”

“Just seeing the expressions on their faces and how excited and happy they were was gratifying. I saw this change in the level of their English skills… and it made me realize that we were finally understanding each other,” said Hawkins.

This summer, the Department of Anthropology will be starting a new six-week study abroad in Andhra Pradesh, India. Dubbed the “Village India” program, students will be able to earn up to five academic credits during the program while participating in anthropology research and teaching English at Pai Junior College, an 11th12th English-medium school.

“I had been going to Kalleda for a number of years, and I have been very impressed by the school there and the foundation that ran it. I thought it would be potentially a wonderful place to bring Wash. U. students, except for the language barrier.”

Stone noted that Kalleda schools had difficulty finding English teachers to live in the rural villages. Both Pai Junior College, which is slated to open in June 2007, and Kalleda rural school are run by the Rural Development Fund, a non-government organization based in Andhra’s capital city of Hyderabad.

“I started talking with the people in this foundation about how we could bring Wash. U. students over there. The people

See VILLAGE INDIA, page 2

ALWYN LOH | STUDENT LIFE ARCHIVES

SU Treasury denied part of Relay for Life’s appeal and told the group to use fundraising to cover the remainder of their expenses.

BY TROY RUMANS NEWS EDITOR Student Union denied, in part, Relay for Life’s appeal for funding, effectively reducing their yearly budget by 23 percent last Tuesday. Relay for Life executives worry that this will compromise their pledge to send all donations to the American Cancer Society.

Junior Aaron Robinson, speaker of the Treasury, explained the reasoning behind the reduction in funding.

“The majority of Treasury felt that part of the fundraising that goes to Relay for Life, including the $10 registration fee paid online, should pay for the event,” said Robinson. “Students as a whole shouldn’t have to take on the responsibility of making the event happen. For almost every other single event that happens on campus, we request that the groups fund themselves to some rate. Relay for Life should be held to the same standard as other events.”

Senior Matt Zinter, the recruitment chair for Relay for Life, explained his fears over the loss in funding.

“The Treasury’s belief was that, because we are a fundraising event, we can simply use our donation money to pay for the event expenses, such as renting the field,” said Zinter. “However, we feel that this compromises our pledge to our participants that their fundraising money will support the American Cancer Society’s research and patient programs.”

Relay for Life has received full funding from Student Union (SU) in the past. This year marks the first in which part of the group’s budget has been denied. Senior Jason Lewis, SU treasurer, felt

that this denial of budget is still not a major impediment to Relay for Life.

“It will still go on and still be a fantastic event. If they want to eliminate some activities to donate all of their funds to the American Cancer Society, they may have to. All said and done, they received 80-90 percent of what they requested,” said Lewis.

Lewis also noted that in looking at appeals for more funding, the Treasury must take into account the needs of other groups.

“We’d run out in October if we accepted every appeal,” said Lewis. “As with a lot of student groups that come to the Treasury for any appeal, there’s just not enough money.”

Zinter argued that the reason Relay for Life has been so successful at the University has been SU funding.

“One of the reasons we’ve been the number one event [for Relay for Life] is that we have a great community and because SU has given us so much flexibility in making it more than a bare bones event,” said Zinter. “While we appreciate that SU is considerate of other groups’ programs, the size of our event budget is significantly smaller than those of many other events, despite our event reaching a tremendously large audience.”

The University’s Relay for Life event is different from that of many other schools involved in the program. Some schools receive little or no funding from their student governments, noted Lewis.

“Some governments fund Relay for Life in a partial amount; some don’t fund them at all. It’s

See RELAY, page 2

Wash. U. study delivers new info on pre-term births

BY LAURA GEGGEL NEWS EDITOR Pregnant women who avoid drugs and rock and roll may still be at risk for delivering premature babies, according to a study that found black mothers are three times as likely to give birth three to 17 weeks early when compared to white mothers.

Prematurity is on the rise, with the March of Dimes reporting that one in eight babies is born before the full 38-week gestation period. In the past decade, studies all over the country have

been finding correlations between genetic makeup and preterm births.

With permission from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine retrospectively analyzed over 368,600 birth records dating from 1989 to 1997. Professor of Pediatrics Louis Muglia and his team sifted through records indicating the status of birth mothers, including maternal age, health, race, socioeconomic status and education level. The study account-

Gearing up for a tough weekend Both men’s and women’s basketball have a weekend packed with action. Get the inside scoop on who they’ll play and what challenges they’ll face. Sports, Page 3

ed for these variables by using logistic regression graphs.

“We found that there are many factors that increase the risk of preterm delivery in women,” Muglia said. “But even if you adjust for all those other factors,” black women have about a 3 percent greater risk of delivering prematurely between 20 and 34 weeks.

Compared to white mothers, black women had a nearly 4 percent higher risk of delivering prematurely between 20 and 28 weeks of gestation, a period that just clears the age of viabil-

ity, meaning that the baby will be able to survive in the outside world.

Of the approximately 368,800 births, 17 percent were born to black women and 81 percent were born to white women. The other two percent were of other racial groups. Twins and multiple births, which are usually born prematurely, were excluded from the study, which was published in February’s American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Other studies also suggest that gestation period may be

Alligators in chemistry lecture?

As staff columnist Greg Allen doodles through his class, he wonders: is anyone learning anything? Forum, Page 5

influenced by genetic factors. A 1998 study published in the Oxford University Press found that Swedish women whose older sisters had given birth to preterm babies had an 80 percent increased risk of delivering a premature child.

A more recent study from Virginia Commonwealth University reported last year that compared to women of European descent, black women have a twofold risk for having a gene variation that causes a woman’s water to break prematurely.

Associate Professor of Psy-

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chology, Jan Duchek found Muglia’s study intriguing because it reported that for both whites and blacks, more than 50 percent of recurrent preterm births occur within the same two to three week period of the first preterm infant. Of the group with successive preterm births, black mothers were two to three times more likely to give birth prematurely.

“When you hear things about the subsequent birth, and the similarity of when the premature birth occurs for a particu-

See PRETERM, page 2

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STUDENT LIFE One Brookings Drive #1039 #42 Women’s Building Saint Louis, MO 63130-4899 News: (314) 935-5995 Advertising: (314) 935-6713 Fax: (314) 935-5938 e-mail: editor@studlife.com www.studlife.com Copyright 2007 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 Senior Graphics Editor: Rachel Harris News Editors: Troy Rumans, Laura Geggel, Josh Hantz, Shweta Murthi News Manager: Elizabeth Lewis Assignments Editor: Sam Guzik Forum Editors: Tess Croner, Nathan Everly, Chelsea Murphy, Jill Strominger Cadenza Editors: Elizabeth Ochoa, David Kaminksy, Brian Stitt Scene Editors: Sarah Klein, Felicia Baskin Sports Editor: Scott Kaufman-Ross Photo Editors: Alwyn Loh, Lionel Sobehart, Eitan Hochster, Jenny Shao Online Editor: Scott Bressler Design Chief: Laura McLean Production Chief: Anna Dinndorf Copy Chiefs: Willie Mendelson, Indu Chandrasekhar Copy Editors: Jacky Fung, Maria Hossain, Brian Krigsher, Julia Jay Designers: Ellen Lo, Jamie Reed, Chris Maury, Kim Yeh, Dennis Sweeney, Courtney LeGates General Manager: Andrew O’Dell Advertising Manager: Sara Judd Copyright 2007 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.

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Pulse

Compiled by Shweta Murthi

Friday, Feb. 16 Eliot Chang This comedy show features the Asian American perspective with Eliot Chang, from Comedy Central’s Premium Blend show. Following the show, sponsored by the CSA and other Asian organizations, an extremely interactive Q&A discussion covers how Asians have been portrayed throughout the history of TV and Film. The show is free and open to the public, running from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Wilson Hall.

Saturday, Feb. 18 Soulard Mardi Gras Grand Parade Looking to combine a ruckus celebration with that good book you were just reading? Check out the Soulard Mardi Gras Grand Parade. This year’s theme is “A Novel Mardi Gras,” celebrating famous literature in addition to the start of Lent.

The parade will march from downtown to Soulard, starting at 11 a.m. For more information, visit http://www.mardigrasinc.com/

Sunday, Feb. 19 Ashoka Movie Night “Monsoon Wedding” Always dreamed of watching a colorful Indian wedding complete with summer rains, exotic music and dance? Join Ashoka for their fi rst movie night of 2007 at Ursa’s Café from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

PRETERM v FROM PAGE 1 lar woman, it really does make one seriously think about racial and genetic factors,” said Duchek.

F. Sessions Cole, director of the Division of Pediatric Newborn Medicine and chief medical officer at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, is one of the seven other researchers who helped Muglia conduct the study.

Cole emphasized that preterm babies face many health problems. Because the lungs develop in later gestation, many premature infants need breathing ventilators and may acquire asthma later in life.

Preterm babies may also have brain developmental problems, hearing difficulties and visual problems following birth.

Preterm infants will often stay in the hospital for their remaining time of the 38-week gestation period. Medical care can cost up to $2,500 to $3,000 a day.

“If you asked the question, how much does the technology cost per year that it saves, actually this is one of the cheapest technologies in medicine,” Cole said. “When our babies do well, they do well for 70 years.”

Muglia’s study is part of a larger effort sponsored by the March of Dimes to identify the genes involved in preterm birth. He hopes to one day understand the genetic processes determining gestational periods.

“Hopefully the study will pave the way, not only to motivate black women to seek medical input both prior to conception and early in pregnancy to try to reduce their risk of preterm birth, but also motivate scientific efforts to identify those specific genes pathways of genes that account for this increased risk,” said Cole.

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2007

VILLAGE INDIA v FROM PAGE 1 in Kalleda were extremely interested in it, because not only does it provide English teachers, but it also opens up the world for these kids.

University students will participate in two studies, one on Stone’s current research in biotechnology and the other on the effects of education on fertility and reproductive decision-making.

Stone first became interested in the Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh, where Kalleda is located, after the suicide epidemic among farmers in 1998.

He subsequently spent several years studying the impact of genetically modified crops, such as cotton, on these farmers.

“Both the industry and the green activists claimed the suicides supported their side in the debate, but neither actually knew what would happen. How would the farmers understand the new technology? Would it produce new dependencies?”

Stone attributed the success of the Village India program to

James McLeod, Dean of Arts & Sciences. “He is incredibly supportive of innovative programs.

He could easily have said this causes a hundred problems and headaches for us, but he’s been very enthusiastic.”

In addition to receiving subsidies from Arts & Sciences, the program has also received contributions from private donors to help offset the costs to students.

Interviews were conducted earlier this week to find between six and eight students to participate in this summer’s study abroad program. Among the students selected were two Danforth scholars, a student representative to the Board of Trustees and a student that specializes in rural entrepreneurship.

“I was excited about the chance for Wash. U. students to have such an unusual overseas experience. This is not a dorm in a foreign university–it is living in a village. This is the real thing,” said Stone. “It’s not the sort of program I would even consider starting in a university that

SECURITY v FROM PAGE 1 fert.

He emphasized that despite the added security measure, students should not let down their guard. He explained that the peepholes are an added precaution and are not meant to replace other safety measures.

Lempfert said that work to install the peepholes would begin today. A schedule will be released to detail which residence halls will have peepholes installed each day. Although he did not provide an official timeline for completion, he did emphasize that the project will be finished as quickly as possible. “The facility staff is taking an aggressive timeline, so that this gets done very quickly,” he said.

In addition to the installation of peepholes, Residential Life asked residential advisors to meet with their floors. “We have asked all of our RAs to schedule mandatory floor meetings in their communities within the next day or two to review safety and security policies and precautions with the community,” said Lempfert.

Several of Washington University’s peer institutions, includ-

ing Northwestern University, lack peepholes on dorm rooms.

Although Northwestern has not experienced a similar incident on its campus, Assistant Chief of the Northwestern Police Department, Daniel McAlare, reported that the campus is planning several preventative measures.

One safety measure under consideration is having community service officers to monitor who enters and exits buildings, a measure which continues to remain in place in Myers Hall and other dorms on the South 40.

Northwestern has also been installing video cameras at primary building entrances and having doors to residence halls and campus buildings locked 24 hours a day.

Despite the additions, McAlare said that much responsibility still rests on the students. “Security is a shared responsibility, regardless of the setting of your campus. The University Police Department needs the help of students to maintain the safety of campus.”

S

L

didn’t have the sort of talented and adventuresome students we have here. And judging by the students who have applied for it, it’s going to be a great program.”

Junior Venu Reddy, a biomedical engineer, became interested in the program because he wants to start a clinic in Andhra once day.

“My father grew up in a village and most of [the people] are very disadvantaged, and I just want to go back and help out in any way I can. You feel like these people supported you to get you where you are,” said Reddy, whose family has roots in Andhra.

Sophomore Kelley Greenman, who is also participating in the program, said that her involvement stemmed from her interests in environmental issues, such as depletion of ground water in India.

“Mostly I’m looking forward to the teaching and getting involved with the local kids, and seeing what their world is like, and how it differs from ours.”

RELAY v FROM PAGE 1 a general belief that if you are a charity organization, you still have to cover basic costs, so you end up donating net proceeds after costs have been taken out,” said Lewis. “Other universities have that theory. At Wash.

U., we realize that it is a very important part of our campus and we want to fund it as best as we can.”

Zinter noted that this belief on the part of SU is part of what makes the University’s event as big as it is.

“While other events may not have SU to cover the cost, they would not have the freedom to have as extraordinary an event as we do…When they know that everything they do comes out of American Cancer Society funding, they can’t have as big an event,” said Zinter.

Last year, Washington University raised more money than any other participating school, raising $265,792 from 1,708 participants and 200 guests, for the American Cancer Society.

-Additional reporting by Sam Guzik

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BURNING TO WRITE? As part of its contribution to the Big Read, the English department is sponsoring an essay contest open to all Washington University undergraduates for an essay of approximately 3,000 words on the theme "Burning to Read". The essay may concern itself with the history of reading or of specific books, with the love of reading or with the desire to burn, ban or censor books. The essay should be submitted by March 1, 2007. $2,000 will be awarded to the best essay.

For more information, visit:

www.bigread.wustl.edu or call 935-4407

summer session JUNE 18–AUGUST 24, 2007

Join us this summer and experience why the University of Chicago is rated “Best Overall Academic Experience for Undergraduates” by U.S. College students in 2006 (Princeton Review “Best 361 Colleges” 2006 Ranking).

• Choose from a wide array of undergraduate courses.

• Ask life’s fundamental questions and improve your critical, analytical, and writing skills in the College’s renowned Core Curriculum.

• Travel to New Mexico for the Archaeological Field Studies program.

• Develop your skills in a wide selection of ancient and modern languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Classical Greek, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish.

• Have fun discovering Chicago and its neighborhoods.

REQUEST YOUR CATALOG TODAY. Visit http://summer.uchicago.edu call: 773/834-3792

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Senior Sports Editor / Andrei Berman / sports@studlife.com

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2007

STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

3

SPORTS

PREVIEWS

Lady Bears look to take lead in UAA standings

Men’s basketball seeks to hang onto first place in UAA

BY TRISHA WOLF SPORTS REPORTER

v Team currently tied with Chicago entering crucial weekend slate

BY UNAIZ KABANI SPORTS REPORTER With the University Athletic Association title up for grabs, the 11th-ranked Washington University men’s basketball team heads east this weekend in its last road trip of the season to take on Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Rochester.

The Bears (18-3 overall, 9-2 UAA) are currently tied with No. 14, the University of Chicago, atop the UAA. The Maroons (184 overall, 9-2 UAA) also take on CMU and Rochester this weekend, and travel to Wash. U. Feb. 24 for each team’s last game of the regular season. The UAA champion receives the only automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. There is no conference tournament.

After two road losses, the Bears bounced back last weekend to secure home victories against both Emory and Case Western Reserve. Sophomore point guard Sean Wallis was named UAA Athlete of the Week for averaging 20 points and nine assists in the team’s two wins, including a career-high performance of 27 points on 9-14 shooting, against Emory last Friday.

Having lost three consecutive UAA road games, the CMU Tartans (12-9, 5-6 UAA) look to improve from their sixth place position in the UAA standings Friday night against Wash. U. The Tartans finished first in the UAA last season, but lost all five starters to graduation.

Carnegie Mellon is now led by sophomore forward Ryan Einwag, who averages 15.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest, and junior guard Geoff Kozak, who contributes 11.1 points per game.

Earlier this season, Wash. U. convincingly defeated the Tartans 73-49 at the WU Field House.

The Bears brought a balanced attack, with four players finishing in double figures. The Tartans were held to 26.6 percent shooting from the field.

On Sunday, Rochester (16-6, 7-4 UAA) looks to win its sixth

game in its last seven and hold onto its third place position in the UAA. The team is led by junior center Jon Onyiriuka, who averages 12 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Forwards Michael Chmielowiec and Uche Ndubizu and guard Tim Brackney also having scoring averages in the double figures for Rochester.

The Yellowjackets look to avenge a 68-59 defeat at the hands of the Bears earlier this season. Onyiriuka scored 22 points and pulled down 10 boards in the losing effort, while junior Troy Ruths led the Red and Green with 22 points and six rebounds.

Tip-off at Carnegie Mellon Friday is scheduled for 8 p.m. (EST), while Sunday’s match-up against Rochester begins at noon (EST).

LIONEL SOBEHART | STUDENT LIFE

Junior Troy Ruths fights his way to the basket in a home game against Emory on Feb. 9. The Bears beat both Emory and Case Western at home last weekend and will face Carnegie Mellon and Rochester on the road this weekend.

The 12th-ranked Washington Univeristy women’s basketball team (17-5, 9-2 UAA) makes its fi nal road trip of the season this weekend, facing Carnegie Mellon University (814, 2-9 UAA) Friday night and 16th ranked Rochester (18-4, 7-4 UAA) Sunday afternoon.

These two games, along with next weekend’s season finale against the University of Chicago, will go a long way to determine who will be crowned the UAA champion. Currently, the Bears remain tied for the lead in the conference with New York University.

Earlier this season, the Red and Green defeated CMU 7664 at the Field House. Despite the Tartans’ weaker record, they will still be a formidable foe for the Bears. In the team’s previous meeting, the Tartans shot an impressive 46 percent from 3-point range and guard Leah Feola achieved a doubledouble with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Wash. U. senior Rebecca Parker attained a double-double of her own with 18 points and 16 rebounds.

Senior Sarah Schell and sophomore Jill Brandt also scored in the double digits with 14 points

apiece. Sophomore Jaimie McFarlin added 9 rebounds in the contest.

When Wash. U. did battle with Rochester four weeks ago, the then-unranked Bears turned in perhaps their most impressive performance of the season, defeating then 2nd-ranked Rochester 57-36.

Wash.U. used stifl ing defense to hold the Yellowjackets to just 20 percent shooting on the day, including only two 3point baskets.

Forward Danielle Muller led the Yellowjackets with 11 points. In that contest, Brandt led the Bears with 13 points while Parker added 12 and McFarlin grabbed nine boards.

Look for the Lady Bears’ bench to make a solid impact this weekend, as it has come up big in several recent games.

Sophomore transfer Halsey Ward scored a career-high 12 points at NYU two weeks ago.

Freshman Janice Edwards also tallied her career-high 13 points last weekend against Emory.

After this weekend’s contests, the Bears return home for their fi nal regular season title as well as Senior Day festivities on Saturday, Feb. 24 against the University of Chicago. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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FORUM

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2007

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

Make Assembly Series sexy T

oday, Sue Johanson will be speaking in Lab Sciences 300.

And it is going to be packed. The demand to see the Canadian sex educator is expected to be so high, in fact, that a remote broadcast is also planned just to make sure that everybody who wants to see her will have that opportunity. Clearly, being able to get Johanson to come to campus is a coup for Campus Programming Council and for the Student Health Advisory Committee. One has to wonder, however: for a University with the resources of Wash.

U., why are such coups so irregular?

This is especially true in the context of the Assembly Series. For years, there has been extensive discussion on whether or not the Assembly Series is in trouble, and if so, how to save it. In a Nov. 15, 2004 staff editorial, the Student Life editorial board advocated cutting funding for the Assembly Series, while stating, “It would be wholly appropriate, for example, to fund speakers that will draw large numbers of students, like Mo Rocca or William Kristol, or speakers specifically

invited by student groups.”

Fortunately, this appears to be the direction that organizers of the Assembly Series have taken, and to make the Assembly Series relevant, this should continue.

Since that staff editorial was written, there have been big name speakers that have captured students’ attentions.

Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy, and Bill Nye the Science Guy have spoken at the Assembly Series to full houses. And the Nov. 14, 2006 issue of Student Life reported that Student Union Treasury approved funding

for four student groups to bring speakers to the Assembly Series. However, when this semester’s Assembly Series line-up was rolled out, there were no Bill Nyes. The biggest names announced thus far, with two speakers yet to be announced, are Christopher Buckley, the writer of “Thank You For Smoking” and Paul Rusesabagina, the Rwandan humanitarian whose actions were the basis for the movie Hotel Rwanda. Buckley’s speech could be as funny as his book, and Rusesabagina could give one of the most inspiring addresses that the

EDITORIAL CARTOON

A Valentine’s reflection STAFF COLUMNIST

I

have never had a bad Valentine’s Day. Now, before you put this article down and run away as fast as possible, screaming “Ahh! This one’s insane!” let me qualify that statement. I am not talking about a lifetime of receiving heart-shaped boxes of candy and bouquets of flowers from my many male admirers. That didn’t happen until senior year of high school (and it was one, not many).

I am referring to how, even as a gawky, skinny, bespectacled seventh-grader with braces, I still had fun on Valentine’s Day. It is possible, trust me.

My history with fun Valentine’s Days (fun, not romantic), started early.

Spending seven of my formative years at an all-girls private school, the rest of my classmates and I quickly learned that Valentine’s Day is not all about boys.

Why not cut them out of the picture? There were none around, anyway. Instead of mooning or sobbing over unrequited crushes, we decked ourselves out in red and pink from head to toe, and came to school hauling piles of those little valentines with Snoopy or the Simpsons on them and bags of chocolate heart-shaped candy. Even the teachers got into the act, decorating their classrooms with paper hearts and cupids and letting us slack off for part of the day. Yes, similar activities took place on Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day, but those holidays do not come rife with the need to find that ‘certain someone’.

Having fun on Valentine’s Day took this pressure away from us.

In high school (co-ed, mind you) I started to realize exactly how many of my classmates, male and female, wanted nothing more than to find someone for Valentine’s Day. It got a little

out of hand, to be honest.

IM conversations, hallway gossip, go-betweens…a lot of awkwardness in a small space. The school was split down the middle: those in couples who loved Valentine’s Day, and those who were single and hated Valentine’s Day. War was

“It’s not about them! I wanted to scream. Not about the Mr. or Miss Right that doesn’t know you exist. It’s about us.” expected to break out at any time. And I was confused.

It’s not about them! I wanted to scream. Not about the Mr. or Miss Right that doesn’t know you exist. It’s about us.

Valentine’s Day is about the people you love and who love you, whether they are friends, family, or boy-

been beneficial for members of the campus community to hear. There was barely a mention of this speech among the student body, however. The money spent bringing Farah and other unknown speakers to campus is wasted if their lectures, however enlightening they might be, fall on deaf ears. Sexy speakers, like what MacFarlane and Nye were to the Assembly Series and what Johanson will be on Friday, are needed to make the Assembly Series a valuable asset to Washington University students.

Fresh meat S

MCT CAMPUS

BY MICHELLE ALBERT

Assembly Series has seen.

Those speeches will likely only garner just a small fraction of the attendance that Sue Johanson will have.

For the Assembly Series to be successful, it needs to be an all or nothing affair when it comes to attracting speakers other than those brought by specific campus groups.

On Wednesday, Naruddin Farah gave a speech as part of the Assembly Series entitled “Political Islam and Clan in Present-day Somalia.” Given the recent confl icts in Somalia, this was an incredibly timely speech that would have

friend/girlfriend. There is no need to snatch someone up for a Valentine’s Day date that you know will be awkward; with such high expectations accompanying the day, how can it not be? Besides, no one has fun stammering questions over what is supposed to be a romantic candlelit dinner.

So, for next Valentine’s, remember this. If you have someone, fantastic! If you are single, fantastic! Plan something that involves you and those closest to you, whether it be a night of wine, chocolate, and Valentine’s Day bashing or that romantic candlelit dinner.

Turn Valentine’s Day into a celebration of yourself, and you will have fun. I promise.

Michelle is a junior in Arts & Sciences. She can be reached via e-mail at mgalbert@ artsci.wustl.edu.

ophomore year and I’m already over the hill. But so is everyone else. Wash. U. students experience their social peak as freshmen—it’s a fact, deal with it. Freshman year is a mad dash to collect and secure as many friends as possible.

We send our Facebook friend numbers skyrocketing into the Tess Croner hundreds and establish traveling packs of 20 or more to accompany us at all times. Freshman year is open season and it’s easy pickings. You have a freshman floor, new activities, intro level classes. Everyone is a rookie, trying to settle in and connect. But after your fi rst year comes to a close, the chances for further social advancement are pretty bleak.

Cliques are tight and routines are rigid. New friendships seem to depend on freak chance or some lucky circumstance. Sure, you’ll make some new friends as upperclassmen, but you’ll have to fight for them. Just being here won’t cut it anymore.

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably wishing you hadn’t peaked so soon.

But what’s to be done?

Those silly college guides constantly urge you to approach strangers on campus and ask to sit at their table and share a meal. Welcome to Social Death 101. It just doesn’t work. I’m a pretty friendly person, and I promise you it doesn’t work. My Bear’s Den table is strictly off limits to anyone below the acquaintance level. I might make exceptions for extremely attractive males but only on a strictly case-by-case basis. Another common pearl of wisdom promises that you meet people by engaging yourself in college life. You must do things to schmooze.

Well, OK, I do things. I do things all the time. And guess what, I’ve already met those people. I met them freshman year. I suppose I could do more things. Maybe more obscure things. I could start juggling or be one of those kids having sword fights on the swamp. I could go Greek.

I could go naked. But hey, people, I’ve got homework to do. And I don’t think I could function properly without a three-hour napping window

somewhere in my day. I’m really not up for all sorts of extraneous commitments just to pack on some extra social bulk. It should be easier than that. I need friend-fi nding to fit with my schedule.

I know you can relate.

Every Wash. U. kid needs to study. Everyone here has more work than time. And we all seem to share this weird, almost unhealthy obsession with the library. So if that’s the study Mecca of Wash. U., and all the badass studiers go there to do their thing, where better, I thought, to go hang out and meet some new folks?

I was such a fool. Something happens to people when they go to the library. Somewhere between Whispers and the bookshelves, there is a dramatic transformation. The weather changes from sunny day to dark and stormy night.

People don’t speak or smile.

They scowl. They’re irritable and especially sensitive to noise and sudden movement.

They get mean. So hitting on guys in the library is totally out of the question. I’ve been tempted, but I’m way too scared. Getting shushed would be the ultimate rejection.

So am I stuck with this?

I’m still a teenager, and I’m not prepared to accept my sophomore social slump. My cell phone should be ringing off the hook. I should need a secretary to take all the calls from my legion of dashing new suitors and my spanking new gaggle of gal pals. I’ve got friends, sure. But where’s all the fresh meat? I’m supposed to be changing things up and constantly expanding my horizons. How can I do that if I’m always surrounded by the people I already know and like? Is there any hope of revolutionizing my social life?

Probably not. Not with all the scary stuff out there beyond the perimeters of my friendly web of people. Strangers lurk, prepared to shush me or exclude me from their tables.

From where I sit, it looks as if my new friends will have to come to me because I’m sure as hell not going out there. So come on, people, step up. Be brave. You’re not freshmen any more.

Tess is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences and a Forum edior.

She can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife.com.

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Student Life welcomes letters to the editor and op-ed submissions from readers.

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Once an article has been published on www.studlife.com, our Web site, it will remain there permanently. We do not remove articles from the site, nor do we remove authors’ names from articles already published on the Web, unless an agreement was reached prior to July 1, 2005.

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

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2007

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

5

Thanks for the security guards, ResLife

BY SARA REMEDIOS STAFF COLUMNIST

S

itting in my common room in the middle of the afternoon, television on, laptop on my lap, blinds open and sunlight streaming in, a few things strike me. First, didn’t we clean up just two days ago? Don’t we have guests coming this weekend? How did it get so messy? Secondly, and more importantly, despite being alone and despite the recent crime on campus in my ResCollege, I feel pretty safe.

That wasn’t true yesterday. Yesterday, I came home from the gym and waited 45 minutes for someone else to come home before I would get in the shower. I checked my e-mail, I listened to music, I thought about get-

ting lunch, but despite being gross and sweaty I would not get into the shower without another person in the suite, just in case. I’ll admit that I was a little paranoid, but in light of the events of the week it seemed justified.

Even with the door locked, old dorms are pretty easy to get into.

When I came home from class yesterday afternoon, I found myself checking behind me on the stairs, slightly worried someone would step out of the laundry room—and also that I would slip on the wet concrete. The second fear was valid; I’m clumsy. The first, not so much.

Yesterday evening, I came out of my room after writing a paper for three hours to find that despite four out of six of its residents being

home and despite one of our guy-friends from upstairs being camped out in the common room, the door to

“Yesterday, I came home from the gym and waited 45 minutes for someone else to come home before I would get in the shower.” my suite was bolted. When we left to get dinner, one of my suitemates actually bothered taking out her key and re-bolting the door behind her rather than trusting the lock on the handle as we

usually do. Call us over-cautious, but again, we were scared.

It helps that there has been a night security guard in the basement of our building, as I assume in the basements of all the buildings in HIG, since the attack on Wednesday. Still, the attack occurred in the afternoon; as of yesterday there was no one watching from when I left for class at 10 a.m. to when I returned from class at 4 p.m. When a guard did show up, it was an elderly woman who spent much of the time half-asleep (or so I was told). Still, I’ll bet she had a taser.

But today is different. I came home this morning, 11 a.m., and there was a guard stationed at the basement door of Hitzeman—the preferred side door having

been locked off because of its proximity to the street— checking the student IDs of everyone who entered.

I’m told that that procedure is followed at many other schools, but this is the first time it’s been implemented on this campus. It’s not a very big thing; I mean, if there’s a guard in the basement watching people come in and out, they might as well look at IDs, but still.

The gesture, however small and however arguably delayed, has done a lot to make me feel better about life.

So, I have to hand it to ResLife—thanks for making me feel safe again, only 48 hours after a student was sexually assaulted and robbed in her own dorm room. It sucks that something wasn’t done before a student was attacked; it

really, really sucks. Still, I don’t know what could have been done—we already have card-readers, we all assume that it’s only students who can get into dorms. It’s obvious now that we should have been checking more closely, but without any other events to suggest the vulnerability of students… I don’t know.

And yet, opening your door? Should that really be something to be afraid of?

But after Monday, it was.

Today, though, today, with an alert and efficient young man standing guard at the entrance, maybe it will be okay.

Sara is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences. She can be reached via e-mail at saremedi@ wustl.edu.

In praise of ditching class

BY GREG ALLEN STAFF COLUMNIST

N

ote to my mom: this article is for humorous purposes only. I take my education very seriously and would never skip class.

So I’m sitting here in calc lecture. Occasionally I look up to watch my professor scribble out what may or may not be Hieroglyphics onto the chalkboard and

“To my right there’s a guy sleeping on his desk. Based on the drool and slight mouth twitches, I’d say he’s dreaming about the lunch he would be having had he not made the mistake of coming to class.”

I know full well I couldn’t make sense of this stuff if my life depended upon it.

The guy in front of me is watching anime on his laptop, headphones and all. He isn’t even pretending to pay attention. I at least am moving my pencil on paper so that a cursory glance might fool someone into thinking I’m diligently taking notes. In truth, I am working diligently, but it’s on a pretty badass doodle where an angel is rescuing a baby who has been thrown off a

cliff into a pit of alligators by a demon, complete with horns, hooves, and a tail. I think my professor would be rather impressed, but my gut is telling me I shouldn’t raise my hand so I can have him show the class. Even if he did though, the person two rows up is doodling way better—she’s drawing a cat.

The guy next to her is doing a crossword. He’s really struggling, but I’m sure after an hour a day three days a week, a timeslot already built into his schedule, he’ll get the hang of it. To my right there’s a guy sleeping on his desk. Based on the drool and slight mouth twitches, I’d say he’s dreaming about the lunch he would be having had he not made the mistake of coming to class.

Still, I figure somebody must be learning something in this class. I tap the shoulder of a girl near me whose paper is full of the same strange symbols the professor keeps writing. “Do you have any idea what’s going on?” I whisper. Her eyebrows rotate down slightly and her eyes get wide to form a face that looks all too somber. After a moment of staring, she slowly shakes her head, and forms and mouths an exaggerated “no.”

The question seems obvious: What am I doing here?

What is anyone doing here?

If learning is going on in this room I haven’t seen any signs of it. I guess coming to class used to afford me the opportunity to hit on the girl who sits next to me, but it seems that ship has sailed—leaving me no

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

PAD article buries important facts Dear Editor: I join the Student Life in wishing that the administration would be more forthcoming with information about its decisions (“University silence unacceptable,” Feb. 12, 2006)— particularly when defending itself, as considering “staying silent” to be the best form of damage control is not only unproductive but hurts them as much as it hurts us; but I must note that it has not been my experience that Student Life has always printed or even been aware of all publicly available information. For instance, in the current case of the Performing Arts Department, Student Life has failed to mention that Henry Schvey’s replacement, Robert Henke, is an Associate Professor in the PAD (his home department) or that he has previously served as that department’s Director of Graduate Studies.

It seems to me that if the University conducted a review of the department and subsequently suspended the M.A. program and brought in a former Director of Graduate Studies as the new Chair, their purpose is clear.

However, in the Student Life article, two of these facts are buried on page fi ve, one of them given less than a sentence, and the third isn’t mentioned at all.

Far more space is given to wild rumors and speculation, both before and after the hard facts are mentioned. This does not strike me as responsible reporting so much as rumor mongering.

Perhaps the University would be more forthcoming with official explanations for their actions if they thought that students would believe them.

- M. Alan Thomas II Class of 2004

TEMU BROWN | STUDENT LIFE

good reason I can come up with to spend three hours a week polishing my doodling skills.

My high school philosophy teacher once posed that question to the class. When I responded by walking out the door, he responded by threatening detention. The

thing is though, my current professor, unlike my philosophy teacher, doesn’t care whether or not I come to class. My current professor doesn’t even know that I do come to class. My current professor doesn’t even know my name.

I recall that for the last

calculus test a friend and I just taught ourselves the material out of the book.

We both got Bs, so from a learning perspective there doesn’t seem to be an imperative to go to class, and yet day after day, week after week, anime guy and crossword guy (who occasionally

has a sudoku) and I show up. Are we right to pay $40 grand a year for that opportunity?

Greg is a freshman in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at gcallen@wustl. edu.

Menus, police alerts stick to stereotypes

BY SHELEENA TAYLOR OP-ED SUBMISSION

M

allinckrodt food court has an Asian station, a Latino station, an Italiano station, and on Tuesday, it had a Diversity station. Or rather, in “Observance of Diversity,” as the menu proclaimed, the Carvery served fried chicken and cornbread to any patron who wished to commemorate Black History Month through a hearty meal.

Now I know Bon Appétit (probably) meant well. After all, this is a gross improvement over previous flyers that showed pictures of Malcolm X and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. alongside a menu that featured gravy smothered pork chops in honor of Black History Month.

But for a business that to me already does not seem too friendly to black people, this cursory gesture is just further proof that they don’t get it.

In fact, I don’t think a lot of students at this school get it. It’s not just the fact that I’m more likely to see a person of color clean my room, make my order at Bear’s Den, or shovel snow than I am to see them teach a class. It’s not just the fact that fried chicken and cornbread rep-

resent black people when in actuality these foods better represent soul food or Southern cooking. It’s not even the fact that Black Anthology struggles every year because people do not feel like watching a show that doesn’t feature song and dance. It’s all of these things—and then some.

For almost four years,

“Wash. U. has forced me to become the Angry Black Woman time and again. My blood pressure rises as I have conversations with would-be liberals who to me don’t seem to have a clue about any real issues.”

Wash. U. has forced me to become the Angry Black Woman time and again. My blood pressure rises as I have conversations with wouldbe liberals who to me don’t seem to have a clue about any real issues. I grit my teeth in classes where ignorant

students proclaim racism no longer exists or ask why slavery is still relevant. I want to scream when Student Union won’t give the Association of Black Students (ABS) funding, even though it has one of the largest active memberships of any student group on campus, because its members don’t understand why ABS needs to have so many events in the month of February. I pull my hair when I realize Student Life covers more stories about what black people do outside of this campus than they do about the ones who actually go here. Not to mention the many smaller, seemingly insignificant events that drive me crazy but would not make sense to many of you even if I tried to explain.

And now this. A black man assaults a woman on the South 40. I am in no way trying to defend the assailant.

What he did was wrong, plain and simple. But when I fi rst heard of the assault, I prayed that this man was not black.

I knew it would just lead to the reinforcement of already prevalent stereotypes of black people by ignorant, sheltered people on this campus. And if you think I’m not talking to you because you have two colored friends or listen to hip hop and somehow you

are enlightened because of it, guess what, I’m including you, too.

Wash. U. thinks black people are scary, or dangerous, or both, and now this assault has provided a way to justify these suspicions. And I know this, because I just heard someone say something to that effect this evening. But let me tell you, black people are no more or less scary or dangerous than other people.

Did I just reinforce a stereotype by yelling at you?

I don’t care. White people yell, too. So do Indians. And, last time I checked, Asian people enjoy fried chicken just as much as anyone. And they damn sure all have the same potential to steal or to assault someone or to teach a class or to make your meal at Bear’s Den as any other race does. It just doesn’t seem that way because of what we are presented with at this school.

All I’m asking is that we keep in mind that there is diversity within communities as well as among our University as whole. Not every black person you see is lurking about campus waiting to steal your iPod. Sheleena is a senior in Arts & Sciences. She can be reached via e-mail at sdtaylor@artsci. wustl.edu.

6 STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

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

HealthBeat

W

e’ve only been back at school for a few weeks now—just enough time to get through our first round of spring semester exams—and already it seems like everyone is sick. Below are some basic tips on how to prevent, diagnose and treat whatever new virus is going around.

First of all, there are certain things you can be doing to prevent infection in the first place, most of which we all know, but do not follow as closely as we should.

Wash your hands. People cough, sneeze and breathe all over the desks we write on and computers we type on. Whether jotting down notes in psychology lecture or answering an e-mail on a Whispers computer, we are coming in contact with thousands of bacterium and viruses. So before you get in line at Holmes for your carvery wrap, head to the bathroom

and wash your hands.

Eat well-balanced meals with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein.

Additionally, there are certain foods that have been linked with preventing common colds and the flu due to the vitamins and minerals they contain.

According to Kathy McManus, R.D., director of the department of nutrition at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, whole grains, bananas, cayenne pepper, sweet potatoes and garlic can help prevent or even cure bacterial and viral infections. The zinc in whole grains, vitamin B6 in bananas and Vitamin A in sweet potatoes are all involved in making leukocytes (white blood cells) and fighting infection. Cayenne pepper helps ease congestion because the capsaicin found in the pepper thins the mucus in nasal passages, making it easier to breathe. Garlic is perhaps the most useful because

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2007

It’s going around

allicin, one of the active components in freshly crushed garlic, instantly stops the reproduction of viruses by blocking the enzymes that are used in the viral metabolic pathways—which in Brooke turn, will stop the infection. Garlic has also been identified as a viable alternative to antibiotics in treating bacterial infections.

Sleep. Just because you have lots of studying to do, doesn’t mean you can cut out on your zzzs. You still need to sleep.

The average college student should be getting eight to 10 hours of sleep a night, but since we all know that is unlikely/impossible with our schedules, we should at least aim for six to eight hours a night.

So if my prevention strategies fall through, and you do get sick, how do you know

what you have? Most illnesses are viruses and can fall under the category of the common cold or the flu. However, you need to be on the look out for strep throat or worse, mononucleosis, Genkin so here is a quick guide to help you self diagnose. (Note: If you feel terribly sick, please make an appointment at Student Health Services as soon as possible.)

If you have a sore throat, mild cough, are congested/sneeze frequently, but do not have a fever, you probably have a common cold and can treat yourself with over-the-counter cold medication, plenty of rest, and fluids. If, however, those symptoms are accompanied by a high fever and extremely painful body aches, sudden and severe headaches and exhaustion you probably have the

flu. The flu can be treated over the counter, but if you identify your symptoms as being “flulike” you should probably stop

by Student Health Services for an appointment.

If your only symptoms are extreme sore throat and high fever, look in the mirror, open your mouth and see if you can see white spots in the back of your throat. If so, you probably have strep throat. Even if you can’t see the bacteria growing on your throat, if you’ve had a sore throat that has persisted without additional symptoms and you start to have a fever, please see Student Health Services. Strep throat can easily be treated with antibiotics but if left untreated, it can lead to a terrible infection, so please seek medical attention as soon as possible if you experience the above symptoms.

Perhaps the most dreaded of all college sicknesses, mononucleosis, is characterized by

fever, sore throat, headaches, white patches on the back of the throat, swollen glands, feeling tired and loss of appetite.

If you have these symptoms, but they dissipate within a few days, you most likely do not have mononucleosis. If these symptoms persist week after week, however, see Student Health Services, where they can give you a “mono-spot” which will test for the levels of immunity. Unfortunately, mono cannot be “cured”—it will go away on its own—but recovery rates vary and it could take more than a year before you are back to feeling yourself again.

Please note, these are only guidelines and should not be used as the primary form of diagnosis.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So hopefully, if you follow these primary guidelines, you can avoid getting sick in the first place.

Speed dating: a lot like life the highest of hopes and then ended the experience with a Prozac.

I knew that I wouldn’t have the same problems as the pillpopping single woman of my childhood suburbs. Guys at Wash. U. know that the female population is smart and capable and most men here aren’t intimidated by a woman’s intellect or career prowess. Also, most Wash. U. students aren’t above the age of 30. A majority of our biological clocks aren’t ticking and the rush to make it down the aisle has not yet begun.

So when I stepped through the doors of Hillel and was seized with feelings of nausea, panic and hyperventilation, I wasn’t sure where these emotions were coming from. I

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prospects, maybe it wasn’t alone— wouldn’t seem like I had dragged two of I was really sitting my friends along, in there with the secret case I felt the sudden hope of meeting the urge to sprint down man of my (and my Forsyth back to the Jewish mother’s) dorms. I didn’t really dreams. believe that I’d find I’d be lying if I said anyone to date, much Emily Wasserman I found boyfriend less to marry. At best, material in every guy I thought I’d get good that I spent 2-3 minutes talking column fodder and some funny to that night. I’d also be lying stories to tell people on my if I said I wasn’t amused or infloor. trigued by every single guy who Then I realized that while I sat down in front of me. There had told myself that my expecwas the guy who told me he was tations were low, maybe I really in the Israeli army and had knee was looking for someone that injuries from chasing an Arab. night. I am not a huge fan of the Then there was the guy who single life and I’ve been living slouched so low in his seat that it for months now. I must admit I felt like we were at Hebrew that the search for an NJB (Nice School all over again and I was Jewish Boy) continues, despite the interrogating teacher. all my friends’ mantras about I think the low point of the how good it is to be single and dating process came when I free. talked to a guy who didn’t even When I finally made myself go to Wash U. When I asked him go into the speed dating room, what his major was, he told me I told myself that I was there it was lion-taming. He asked for my column. If I could make for my last name and told me myself believe that there was he would email me. It turns out no pressure and absolutely no

GROWING TOWARD MARRIAGE A Seminar for Couples who are Considering Marriage, Engaged, or Newly Married

he also asked my suitemate for her email address. Interestingly, when she asked what he did, he suddenly became an author of homo-erotic novels.

In an hour of speed dating, I had someone accidentally spit on my head, someone ask if I was legal and yet another man jump 6 feet away from me when I told him I had mono my freshman year—of high school. For a while, I thought the experiment was a bust. And then a new guy sat down. Our conversation seemed to flow easily and I felt much more at ease with this guy than I had with the liontamer or the one-man sprinkler system.

During the trek back down Forsyth to the Forty, I questioned whether the speed dating experience was worth it. My throat was parched from talking to so many people in such a short time. My head was reeling from all the small-talk I was forced to make and I had started feeling depressed. Speed dating might have been fun for a night, but what if it became my reality? Meeting new people is entertaining, but what if I never find the one person I’m meant to be with?

When I got on Facebook to see if the lion-tamer had in fact tried to contact me, I saw that

I had a new message. It was from the one guy whose name I didn’t forget, the one guy I didn’t classify by his eclectic array of personality traits and hobbies. He wanted to hang out with me away from the perils of speed dating.

So at the end of the night, I came to the conclusion that speed dating was not as bad as I had made it out to be. I went in with what I thought were low expectations, then hyperventilated and tried to flee—but ultimately I ended the night with a sense of fulfillment. At its worst, speed dating was a continuum of awkward conversation, strained laughter and a couple creepy encounters. But in the end, when I least expected it, I actually met an NJB. Sure, I’m not sending out the wedding invitations yet, but I’m not downing vodka and pills either.

I realized that life could be a lot like speed dating. Everyone goes into it with some sort of expectation, whether they admit it or not. At one point or another, everyone gets spit on, lied to or otherwise harmed by the dangers of dating. If you don’t change yourself to attract someone and if you have a little faith, you may end up pleasantly surprised.

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t’s a Friday night, you’re Jewish and you’re single. Often, this proves to be a fatal combination. If you’re lucky, you have other single friends to go out with and avoid the fact that you have no date. If you’re devout, you’ll end up going to a Shabbat dinner and service, praying for a nice Jewish husband and then calling it a night.

But if you’re feeling lonely and the thought of facing another Friday night alone is too much to stomach, you’ll soon find yourself at Hillel, ready to try out Jewish speed dating.

I have to admit that my thoughts about speed dating were skeptical at best. I had heard horror stories from single Jewish women about how they went into the event with

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FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2007

STUDENT LIFE | CLASSIFIEDS

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Rates listed below are for businesses or individuals not affiliated with WU.

Classified ads are free to students, faculty and staff for personal use.

To place your FREE 25-word ad, simply email us from your WU email account.

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ATTENTION COLLEGE STUDENTS: Part-time work $12 base/appt. Flexible Schedules. Customer sales/service. Scholarship opportunities. No experience necessary. Call 314997-7873.

MAD SCIENCE INSTRUCTORS: Enthusiastic instructors needed to teach part-time (after school, 1 to 5 days per week), fun, hands-on science programs in elementary schools. Must have transportation. $25.00 - $27.50 per 1 hour class.

991-8000.

PART TIME WORK. Great pay, ideal for student, flex scheds, customer sales/service, no exp. nec, scholarships available, can secure a summer position. 997-7873.

WANTED SUMMER STAFF. The C Lazy u Ranch in the Colorado Rockies has positions available for students who can work until Aug. 19th or later.

Applications available online www.clazyu.com. Questions call Phil 970-887-3344.

PLAY SPORTS! HAVE FUN! SAVE MONEY! Maine camp needs fun loving counselors to teach all land, adventure & water sports.

Great Summer! Call 888-844-8080, apply: campcedar.com THE MILDRED LANE Kemper Art Museum is now hiring student Museum Attendants for weekend and occasional weekday hours starting immediately.

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WANT FREE TEXTBOOKS? Become an Enviro-Text Campus Representative for the University City area! No selling required, all materials provided; Receive up to $5000 in Book Scholarships and Tuition Scholarships: reps@envirotextbooks.com

3 BEDROOM 1.5 BATH APARTMENT. Half block from RED line shuttle. Many amenities! For more info w w w.homeandapar tmentrentals.com Tom 409.2733 CLAYTON, U. CITY LOOP, CWE and Dogtown.

Beautiful studios, 1, 2 bedrooms.

Quiet buildings. $425-$750. Call 725-5757.

3 BR, 2 full bath on blue Shuttle, garage and off street parking, new kitchen, many amenities! For more info w w w.homeandapar tmentrentals.com.

Tom 314.409.2733 CLAYTON ON THE Park, your vertical neighborhood in the sky! One bedrooms available starting from $1550. Washer/Dryer, parking, water/trash, and high speed internet included! Call 314-290-1520.

RICHWOOD TERRACE APTS. 1br/1ba apts. starting at $415. Centrally Located, Newly renovated, off str. pking, NEW windows, NEW laundry facilities, walk to NEW Metro Link Station, Walmart and Sam’s. Call 314-644-0732.

rent. buy. sell. free.

BRAND NEW 30 GB black iPod Video. Never opened.

Retails for $250, buy it for $220. engelhardt@wustl. edu.

GUINEA PIG FOR sale.

Young, healthy B&W shorthaired male with cage, toys, food, & bedding for $45.

Email sammria@gmail.com

LIVE IN A Faith-Based, Study Community. Aquinas Institute of Theology, a graduate school in Midtown, offers you a rare opportunity to join a living community of serious students.

Apartments in the 3700 block of Laclede Ave offer mature and quiet neighbors within a larger apartment complex that includes free, secure parking, fitness room, free laundry, basic cable, swimming pool, brand new appliances and high speed internet. 2-bedrooms, $1200. 4bedrooms, $1800. Details: w w w.ai.edu / apar tments.

Contact Paul: 314.609.1571, or housing@ai.edu.

3 BR’S AVAILABLE to sublet in 3BR apt. 1 full bath, kitchen, large living and dining room. 66** University Drive. Available Mid-June through Mid-August. Perfect for summer school. Call Caroline at 314-537-3144 or email csshaike@wustl.edu.

SUBLET AVAILABLE FOR Fall 2007: Sublet to female, from June 2007 to end of Fall 2007. Hot location. Right behind Kayaks. 2 mins to Wash U. $350/- call 314-5418707 or pooja.arch@gmail.com.

SUMMER SUBLET: 1-3 Bedrooms, 2 Bath apartment available May-August. Short walk to campus, Metrolink, S40, bus stops. Large rooms, kitchen, washer/dryer. More info- wustlsublet@yahoo. com.

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ANNOUNCING JOIN A TEAM and Get in Shape!

The Wash U Women’s Club Rugby Team is looking for players. No Experience Necessary!

Rugby is a great way to get in shape, have fun, and be part of a team! For more information, email srlevy@wustl.edu.

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Sudoku on your cell phone. Enter 783658.com in your mobile Web browser. Get a free game! © 2007 Michael Mepham. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

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314.746.1500

7620 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton

8 STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

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

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2007

SAppreciating CENE coffee in the college lifestyle

BY JAKE LEVITAS SCENE REPORTER Personally, I used to think coffee tasted like dirt.

Instead of being this great drink that everyone raved about, I always saw it as tasting more like the ground it was grown in than something that people would actually want to consume.

Well, all of that changed last semester when I took a journey south of the border to the mountains of Nicaragua, where I worked on a real-live, organic, shadegrown coffee farm. There I drank coffee that had been grown literally feet away and it was so delicious that it barely needed any sugar—I still hesitate to drink coffee that demands any significant amount of additional flavor.

But besides becoming somewhat of a coffee snob, I developed a huge appreciation for the process that goes into the fuel driving millions of Americans’ days. Indeed, with 2/3 of the country saying they

would have difficulty getting through the day without a cup o’ joe, it’s a wonder that people know surprisingly little about where it all comes from. I think a lot of people might have skewed perceptions of coffee’s journey to our mugs—I know I did before my fi rst-hand experience. Namely, the steps between the seed and the bag of grounds I saw at the grocery store were a little blurry to me, so I was glad to have the chance to see how it all actually works.

On the farm there are thousands of dark green, thin-trunked trees each about 6 feet high, with branches stemming out radially bearing densely packed leaves. On the branches are clusters of small, berry-like pods containing the beans, which remain pulpy and white until they are separated, dried, cleaned and roasted. On a shade-grown farm, a variety of other trees tower above, making the area feel less like a farm and more like a lush forest. In fact, these taller trees provide lots of habitat as well as

diversifying the area.

Coming back to campus this semester has given me the opportunity to bring this sense of the coffee process full-circle. Now whenever I stroll through Whispers and see people sipping a machiatto, I see much more than grounds and cream.

But one of the most interesting aspects of all of this is seeing how this magical bean affects life—student, faculty and otherwise—in a university community such as our own.

Most people I’ve spoken with say that caffeine is clearly their main motivation for drinking coffee.

Often a morning ritual, it seems at times like the entire universe hinges upon getting that one latte before class or work. As one author put it, “A morning without coffee is like sleep.”

But coffee may affect our lives and productivity in ways we don’t even realize. Most of us have had a late night that we never would have made it through without a hot cup or two (or three, or four…) to keep us

JENNY SHAO | STUDENT LIFE

Coffee is the popular caffeine of choice among students at Whispers Café. Students are adding cream and sugar to their coffee on Thursday, Feb. 15. going. Around campus, I’ve also heard of people drinking insane amounts of the stuff before tests to increase their concentration. And in the wake of Valentine’s Day,

Coffee lingo: a short dictionary of coffee terms

BY JACKIE ALLEN

Chicory: root of this plant roasted and ground for inclusion in “New Orleans” or “Creole” coffee; also called succory .

SCENE REPORTER Americano: a shot of espresso topped with hot water .

American roast: medium roast producing a medium strength coffee; also called regular roast.

Arabica: coffee variety known for its fruity and acidic taste and low caffeine content.

Breve: when half & half is substituted for milk .

Café brûlot: a coffee drink from New Orleans flavored with spices, orange, lemon peel and brandy, then set aflame.

Café filtré: Coffee made by pouring water over a fi lter containing coffee grounds; served in demitasse cups (see below).

Café macchiato: espresso with small amount of steamed-milk foam served in an espresso cup.

Riddle’s Penultimate

Demitasse: tiny espresso cup or the strong black coffee served in such a cup.

European roast: blend which is ²/³ heavy roast beans and ¹/³ regular roast beans.

French press: coffeepot where coffee grounds are at the bottom and then boiling water poured over them; fi lter is pushed down to suppress grounds.

French roast: heavily roasted beans that produce a darker, stronger coffee.

Greek coffee: strong coffee made by boiling water and fi nely ground coffee together three times in a long-handled, open copper or brass pot called an ibrik and served in demitasse cups so grounds settle; sugar and spices sometimes included.

Mélange: Austrian mocha made with water and milk and topped with milk foam; served in a large cup.

Mochaccino: chocolate-flavored cappuccino.

Robusta: coffee variety known for robust flavor and high caffeine content.

Swiss water process: one of two processes used to decaffeinate coffee; beans steamed and caffeine-rich outer layers scraped away (other process involves chemical solvent).

Thai coffee: black coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk.

Turkish coffee: strong coffee made by boiling fi nely ground coffee, water, and sometimes spices such as cardamom or nutmeg together three times in a pot called a jezve or ibrik, letting the brew cool briefly between each boiling; served in tiny cups and grounds allowed to settle. Bubbly froth on coffee surface means good luck.

Viennese coffee: strong coffee sweetened to taste and topped with whipped cream.

Viennese roast: blend where ¹/³ of the beans are regular roast and are ²/³ heavy roast.

the potential for coffee as a stimulant or aphrodisiac was surely explored by at least a few adventurous couples.

Whatever our reason for drinking coffee, there’s no question that it plays a significant role in productive American life. Who knows how many lectures would be cancelled on account of “health” reasons if this substance weren’t such an integral part of our daily lives? How many papers would remain unwritten?

With so many applications, it’s obvious why some students take their coffee so seriously. Its aura affects each individual’s life in a unique way as well.

I’ve seen people using it as a cool-down break from work; a sweet treat after a meal; something to sip while running to class in the morning; a warm break from the winter weather; and of course, a late-night pick-me-up. The possibilities are nearly endless, and with so many different coffee drinks now being created by the local baristas, there is literally a coffee drink for every occasion.

It seems that here at Wash. U., the “work hard, play hard” lifestyle demands coffee much more than we give it credit for.

You would be hard pressed

to go through a day without talking to a professor or fellow student that hadn’t banked on their morning java to give them that little extra push. But now we’ve become so accustomed to having this wonderful liquid that we grab a cup on the go, down it, feel the buzz and forget about it.

Of course, the American lifestyle is very different than the Nicaraguan lifestyle. Days are packed with meetings, assignments, and obligations without even taking into consideration the attempt to maintain a social life. Still, it’s amazing to think that what is seen as a luxury in some places has become so embedded in our culture that we often spend time in institutions built principally for the sole purpose of consuming it. Cafes like Starbucks and Kayak’s are now not only places to get our fi x, but places to work, study, and (almost) live. They’re as commonplace and visited as any other type of restaurant.

But I’ve learned that good coffee is one thing that should never go underappreciated. As university students, it might as well be our lifeblood. So next time you grab your cappuccino, pay a little homage to the force that makes us go. And don’t add too much sugar.

Rating:

6307 Delmar Blvd.

University City, MO 63130 314-725–6985

BY ALEXA NATHANSON AND MARGOT DANKNER SCENE REPORTERS On Tuesday night, during the umpteenth snow storm of the season, we realized that we had another Stepping Out article due. It had been a long day for the both of us; trudging to class in the blistering snow was tiring to say the least. We didn’t want to stray far because of the icy roads, so we made our way to Riddle’s on the loop.

Though the restaurants along Delmar seemed deserted, and we all but plowed into a snow bank to park, the warm and cozy bar at Riddle’s was sporting a small crowd. It was a perfect spot for such a cold night, with a live band warming up at the front, beer flowing from the taps and groups of people huddled at the bars.

We took a seat in the back of the restaurant, where our very friendly waiter swiftly took our orders and brought out a large basket of freshly-made rolls.

We immediately felt at ease in this homey environment and sensed the stress of the day

melt away as we slathered farm fresh butter on our soft baked rolls.

Riddle’s has a diverse menu that changes daily and is largely composed of locally grown organic ingredients.

It was difficult to decide, but after some careful thought we decided to start our meal with some of their “HoMade” chili and a fresh garden salad.

The chili came with large, flavorful kidney beans, hearty chunks of green pepper and grass-fed Missouri beef cut into thick chunks. The steak did not taste like typical ground beef, which can be bland and lose composition in a hearty chili.

Instead, this meat was flavorful and juicy and perfectly accompanied by fresh peppers in the stew’s spicy, deeply flavored sauce. The salad was the typical garden salad one would expect, but perfectly fresh and paired with a delicious homemade spicy Italian dressing.

Picking entrées proved to be a seemingly difficult decision.

Since we’d been to Riddle’s before, however, we already knew that all the vegetables served

were of top quality. Therefore, we felt inclined to try the vegetable plate, which comes with your choice of four of the day’s vegetables.

The platter arrived looking somewhat akin to a kindergartener’s collage—the brightly colored vegetables lined up next to each other looked like a rainbow of bounty. All the vegetables were full of flavor and tasted very fresh. Carrots with an amaretto di saronno glaze arrived tender but not overcooked with a sweetness that was just right for the tender root vegetables. Perfectly roasted beets won the award of the night for “best dressed,” sitting in a deep magenta sour cream sauce that provided a tangy counterpart to the sweet red slices. Butternut squash baked with butter and cinnamon and brussel sprouts with pine nuts and shallot butter were equally delicious. These homegrown vegetables had a rich and flavorful taste that even a meat lover could enjoy.

For our second dish we had the Chicken Rose, one of the regulars on the Riddle’s menu.

MARGOT DANKNER | STUDENT LIFE

Stepping Outer Alexa Nathanson enjoys the collage of flavors at nearby Riddle’s Penultimate on the Loop.

The juicy chicken breast was served in a sweet and sour wine sauce dotted with onions and peppers. It was so good that it disappeared in just a few minutes.

Although full, we were not ready to brave the cold and our work, so we decided to look at the dessert menu. We were not surprised to see that all the ice cream and many of the desserts were homemade. After some debate over whether to order chocolate or raspberry sauce, we decided to get raspberry sauce (made with rasp-

berries from a Missouri farm, of course) on top of French vanilla ice cream. We also were in the mood for something warm so we ordered apple cinnamon and peppermint tea. The tea came on a charming platter with a small silver tea pot that held extra water. The tea was not store-brand, pre-packaged tea, but instead tasted like Riddle’s own. We had a wonderful time sitting there and talking as we sipped our teas. The dessert was just as good as the entrées. The raspberries had the same fresh flavorful taste

as the vegetables.

It was a lovely, relaxing evening meal amidst a stressful, busy week. And although the weather outside was frightful, our experience at Riddle’s was delightful.

This is definitely our favorite restaurant in the Loop and one of our favorites in St. Louis.

Riddle’s also has an impressive wine menu, voted as “the best in town” by the Riverfront Times. We suggest checking out the bar to sample their wine and to hear some good live music.