MONDAY JAN. 26, 2004 Vol. 125, No. 42
Snow Showers 31/ 18 w w w. s t u d l i f e . c o m
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
INSIDE University breaks $40,000 mark FOODNATIC
The year’s first installment of our editor-in-chief’s fantabulous food column. Also inside: album reviews, Travis Petersen’s Texas Hold ‘em techniques and a review of the Unicorns’ recent Rocket Bar gig.
PAGE 5
By Justin Choi q Assistant News Editor
Thousands of Washington University students recently received letters outlining and explaining increases in the cost of attendance for the 2004-2005 academic year. Undergraduate tuition rose $1,400 (4.9 percent) to a new total of $29,700. The required student activity fee, calculated as one percent of tuition costs, increased $14 to $297, while the student health fee jumped $79 (16.8 percent) to $549. Housing costs for new dorm doubles increased $362 (6.0 percent) to $6,402, while the full meal plan’s cost increased $74 (1.9 percent) to $3,890. In short, undergraduates living in newer doubles with full meal plans next fall will pay $10,292 for room and board alone, bringing the fi nal tally to $40,838 per academic year. Graduate students in the Schools of Arts & Sciences, Architecture, and Engineering & Applied Science face identical increases and totals in tuition fees. Other graduate students face tuition increases ranging from 4.0 percent in the School of Art to 6.0 percent for fi rst-year students in the School of Law. The School of Medicine plans to release its revised tuition
fi gures in March. The University has announced similar price hikes each year for the past two years. “I can’t fathom a need for this year’s increase, especially considering that they also raised prices last year,” said sophomore Thomas Goldstein. Vice Chancellor for Finance Barbara Feiner tried to shed some light on how the University determines changes in its tuition costs. “We look at the tuition of our peer universities because we don't want to charge a whole lot more than they do,” Feiner said, “We also look at family income and wealth, but most important is our budgetary needs. In the fi ve undergraduate schools, tuition accounts for more than 60% of our operating revenue.” In his letter to students and their families, Executive Vice Chancellor Edward Macias cited reasons for the increased cost of attendance. Included were the costs of new construction, renovation, faculty compensation, curricular development, and technological endeavors. Macias wrote that the Laboratory Sciences Building, Uncas A. Whitaker Hall,
$29,700
$30,000
$28,300
$27,500 $26,900
$25,700
$25,000 $24,500
Costs of 2004-2005 Academic Year:
$23,400 $22,500
Tuition - $29,700 Full meal plan - $3,890 Newdorm double - $6,402 Student activity fee - $297 Student health fee - $549
$20,000
Total cost - $40,838 99-00
00-01
01-02 02-03 Academic Year
03-04
04-05
LIZ NEAL
See TUITION, page 3
B-BALL ON THE ROAD
Prof arrested, released on abuse charges By Jonathan Greenberger q Associate Editor
Sperry said that the main reason that so many girls rushed was to meet more people. “Most girls want to meet people and they do that in their rush groups,” she said. “Going through the process, they also meet a lot of different people.” Freshman Alexa Nathanson agreed. She liked the idea of her sorority having many traditions, but did not see that as one of the most important factors in her decision. Instead, the people she met during rush were the reason she pledged Alpha Phi. “Its cool being part of a tradition and having the history and developing it further,” said Nathanson. “But what really attracted me to Alpha Phi was the people. I thought that they were very laid back and fun.” In addition to meeting people, freshman Sara Oetjen thought that joining Kappa Kappa Gamma
Math instructor Blake Thornton is out of jail now after being arrested and charged with molesting a young relative. Police made the arrest on campus close to three weeks ago, on Jan. 7. One day after his arrest, Thornton left the St. Louis city jail upon posting $20,000 bail, according to other media reports. Prosecutors have charged Thornton, 33, with child molestation in the first degree and endangering a child in the first degree. Published reports have said that prosecutors believe the alleged crimes took place against a four-year-old relative at Thornton’s Central West End home this past June. Thornton’s lawyer, defense attorney Scott Rosenblum, said that his client will plead innocent “because he is innocent.” Rosenblum also said that he is confident Thornton will eventually be cleared of the charges. Thornton would not comment for this article. Although he taught in the math department, Thornton was not a professor. He was an instructor and also the coordinator for lower-division teaching. Thornton previously taught Calculus II in the spring and fall of 2003. He was also scheduled to teach Calculus I this semester, but according to WebSTAC, another member of the math department has taken on that responsibility in his stead. Math professor John McCarthy said he supports his embattled colleague. “Well, it’s true they are serious accusations,” said McCarthy. “On the other hand, the majority of such allegations raised during custody disputes turn out to be groundless. I guess I believe that Blake will be vindicated, and certainly in the interim he deserves the presumption of innocence.” When asked why he believes Thornton is innocent, McCarthy responded, “I guess it’s just a gut feeling. He is a decent guy, and I don’t think he could have perpetrated these things.” McCarthy also said he believes most of his colleagues have the same opinion. “The people I have spoken with, I think, share my feelings, but I haven’t done a poll or anything like
See GREEK, page 4
See ABUSE, page 3
Find out how the traveling women’s and men’s basketball teams dealt with their UAA opponents. Also, Joe Mama is back.
PAGE 11 STUDENT SNAPSHOT
Q: Do you think there
should be a constitutional amendment “protecting the sanctity of marriage?”
COURTESY OF LAURA MCLEAN
New members of Delta Gamma sorority celebrate outside of the Women’s Building on Bid Day. This spring’s sorority rush saw over 280 women join sororities, including the newest sorority on campus, Chi Omega.
280 women pledge sororities By Sarah Kliff q Staff Reporter
A. 21% B. 2% C. 72% D. 5%
A: A. Absolutely. God intended marriage to be between a man and a woman.
B. Maybe. I read that gay couples are more likely to break up than straight couples. C. Absolutely not. If two people love each other, they should be able to get married. If they really want to “defend the sanctity of marriage” how about arresting Britney Spears?
With a pledge class of over 280, this spring’s sorority rush offered female students a chance to choose from the established traditions of longstanding Washington University sororities or start traditions of their own with the newest sorority on campus, Chi Omega. Senior Kaoru Sperry, former vice president of recruitment for the Women’s Panhellenic Council, said that having one more sorority made the unexpectedly large class—50 people larger than last year’s class—much easier to deal with. “Having Chi Omega there was great because we had more pledges than we normally do,” said Sperry. “The pledge classes this year are still bigger, but Chi-O helped alleviate some of that.”
University considers security cameras By Derek Dohler q Contributing Reporter
D. I don’t care. Marriage is a prison. It’s suffocating me. You have to spread the love, man, especially if you’re hot! Results are unscientific, based on 114 votes cast.
Check out studlife.com
INDEX Cadenza Forum Calendar Sports
pages 5-6 pages 7-8 page 9 page 9, 11
EMILY TOBIAS
Due to recent increases in crime, students are lobbying for security cameras to be installed in certain areas of campus, including parking garages.
STUDENT LIFE
One Brookings Drive #1039 #42 Women’s Building St. Louis, MO 63130
The robberies that took place on and near the Washington University campus throughout this past semester placed a renewed spotlight on the issue of campus safety. The Safety and Security Committee, composed of students and members of the administration, is currently discussing whether to recommend that security cameras be installed in certain areas on campus. Sophomore Michael Sorenson, who was robbed at knifepoint in November, is spearheading the effort. He gave a presentation on security cameras to the Student Union Senate. “Cameras would help with solving cases,” said Sorenson. He pointed out that a security camera on Snow Way, where he was robbed, might have
Newsroom: (314) 935-5995 Advertising: (314) 935-6713 Fax: (314) 935-5938
allowed police to get the license plate number of his assailants, facilitating the process of catching them. Chief of Police Don Strom agreed that cameras can be beneficial. “Video cameras can be a valuable tool,” said Strom, while noting that the issue of security cameras is a complicated one. The University has over 100 buildings, and to cover all the outdoor areas of campus would require hundreds of cameras. If the insides of buildings were also to be covered, the number would skyrocket. Also, additional equipment would be required to maintain and watch the cameras. In addition, cameras raise issues of privacy on campus. “Philosophically, [the administration] has determined that they don’t want people feel-
Editor: editor@studlife.com News: news@studlife.com Calendar: calendar@studlife.com
See CAMERAS, page 3
Please Recycle