STUDENT LIFE
THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSIT Y IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 The editor in chief takes on another foe, challenging music editor Robbie Gross in a dual review of “The Squid and the Whale.” Page 7.
Debate rages on in Letters about architecture, SU’s budget, streaking, racial slurs, and other campus debauchery. Page 4.
VOLUME 127, NO. 34
Women’s cross country rocked regionals last weekend, securing a berth at this coming weekend’s NCAA championships. Page 6.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2005
Cadenza’s pop culture Jeopardy! advice Page 10. WWW.STUDLIFE.COM
Police nab off-campus robbery suspect By Margy Levinson and Shweta Murthi Contributing Reporters University City Police have arrested a suspect involved in a recent string of student robberies over the past month. The suspect, 18year-old Mark Blount, was apprehended Monday morning, after confessing to a robbery that occurred shortly before noon that morning, as well as to a second robbery on Oct. 30 near the Greenway Walkway. “He confessed to the robbery yesterday and the one at knife-point,” said Washing-
ton University Police Chief Don Strom. According to Major Charles Adams, deputy chief of police for University City, the arrested suspect approached a women walking over a walkway yesterday at 11:40 a.m. “He accosted her, placed a knife to her neck and demanded her wallet. She complied, he took the wallet and fled eastward,” said Adams. The man was apprehended by Lieutenant William Anderson at Washington Avenue and Westgate. “After stopping him, they searched the area. They
found the weapon, purse, and other things he placed in a particular spot. At that time the man implicated himself in that robbery and an additional [one],” said Adams. Although a suspect has been arrested, an investigation will still continue. Adams said a warrant has been issued for one of the robberies. Meanwhile, the suspect will be taken to St. Louis County Department of Welfare, where he will be held until he either goes to court or can make bond for the charges. “[Blount has] no affiliation
with the University, none that I know of,” said Adams. A number of recent incidents have included robberies late at night, usually involving one or two students. The incidents have led to increased patrol efforts on the part of both University City and WUPD. Strom believes such measures to have been integral in apprehending the suspect. “We’ve been running joint patrols there, particularly during the evening hours. It was a nice piece of partnership. We felt the intensity of those patrols led to the ar-
rest,” said Strom. While students can feel relieved that the suspect has been arrested, Strom stresses that “you can’t be too cautious when walking, particularly at night.” “There’s always concern [for students living in U City], it’s just normal. Anybody should always be alert,” said Adams. Both Strom and Adams were clear that there are still certain precautions that should be taken. Some of Strom’s tips include walking in well-lit areas and not wearing headphones, as they
can be a distraction. Strom also warned, “If you are confronted by a thief, give them what they want and don’t chase them.” “We coincide with their sentiment,” said Adams. He added that it is important that people walk in pairs and always be aware of their surroundings. “ Trust your instinct,” he noted. Although an arrest has been made, Adams said University City police will continue to be on the lookout for crime in the area. “We plan to stay as vigilant as possible,” he said.
WU ranked lowest of top 15 in Pell Grants By Sarah Kliff Senior News Editor Washington University has received a first-place ranking—for having the smallest percentage of low-income students among the highestranked universities in the country, as indicated by the low percentage of University students receiving Pell Grants. The ranking came from a new study released by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education yesterday morning. The study found that only 7.4 percent of Washington University students receive Pell Grants, a form of federal aid that works like an entitlement program, guaranteeing low-income students $4,000 for up each year of their education. The study, which examined the percentage of low-income students at the top 25-ranked univer-
sities throughout the nation, used Pell Grants as the only indicator of low-income students. Among private, higherranked universities the University of Southern California had the highest percentage of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants at 21.3 percent, followed by Cornell and Columbia Universities. Bruce Slater, the managing editor of the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, said the study indicates that “there are very few low income students, and that would give the students that are there less of an exposure to viewpoints from students who don’t have a lot of money. Just like any diversity issue. If there are not a lot of blacks in your student body, it’s the same thing: you’re missing out on that viewpoint.” Slater could not pinpoint
what characteristics of the University led to this low number. “It could be a financial aid question—I don’t know the specifics at Washington University,” said Slater. “It could be that other schools have a lot more generous financial aid packages.” Bill Witbrodt, director of Financial Services for the University, was unfamiliar with the survey results and stated that “the numbers are what they are and they indicate the percentage of students who are entitled to Pell Grants. That’s the only conclusion that we can draw from the survey. Every student who applies for need based financial aid, if their need is in the high threshold, then that means that they qualify for a Pell Grant.” When asked if any financial factors would restrict students from attending
the University, Witbrodt responded, “It’s hard to get in the mind of a student who is deciding where they’re going to go to school.” Commenting further on the results, Witbrodt noted, “I’d have to see the rest of the numbers, what the other schools’ percentages are. I’d have to see the study so I have enough background.” Pell Grants may not be the best predictors of economic diversity. As reported in an Apr. 27, 2005 Student Life article, a report released by Congress’s Government Accountability Office (GAO) that month found that many students are not taking the initiative to apply for the Pell Grant aid that they are eligible to receive. In 1999, according to the report, over 850,000 students across the nation who were eligible to receive Pell Grants did not consider applying. MARGARET BAUER | STUDENT LIFE
Two students arrested for assault Colangelo named Sam Fox dean
By John Hewitt Staff Reporter
Two Washington University students seriously beat and injured another student in an apparently spontaneous act of violence at 3:20 a.m. on Sunday morning. The victim was walking from the South 40 to Fraternity Row with three other people at the time he was accosted. The two suspects now face assault charges and judicial action within the University. According to police reports, some words were exchanged as the two groups passed
near Simon Hall. Police investigation indicates that the students in the passing groups did not know each other and had no previous feud. “One member in the group of four said something to the two and he continued to exchange words back and forth,” said Washington University Police Chief Don Strom. Then “one of the two suspects punched the victim. Both the suspects then struck and kicked the victim.” The two suspects then fled the area, but WUPD identified the students and arrested them some time between 5
and 6 a.m. at their residence halls. Assault charges are being fi led against the two suspects. The case has also been referred to the Judicial Administrator. Violent conduct and harassment or threats of violence are offenses under the University judicial code. Justin Carroll, dean of students and director of Residential Life, said that the suspects are no longer living on campus. “I can say the little that I’ve heard about it—alcohol was a contributing factor, said Carroll. “It’s disappointing that
there are so many incidents that students—obviously we were fortunate that things like this don’t happen so frequently—but most of the time students are involved in some violent behavior, alcohol is a factor.” The student who was beaten was treated for head and facial injuries at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Police reports characterized the injuries as “serious,” but the student was able to return to campus yesterday. Said Strom, “He defi nitely had some facial injuries. It was a pretty serious beating.”
Students present their findings at the Undergraduate Research Symposium By Josh Hantz Contributing Reporter Washington University’s three-day long Undergraduate Research Symposium ends this afternoon, capping off a marathon of 30 students’ presentations of
their work. The symposium highlights research that University undergraduates have done on topics ranging from drinking behaviors to Cuban narrative criticism. Director of Undergraduate Research Henry Biggs said how important the pre-
ALWYN LOH | STUDENT LIFE
Chancellor Wrighton kicks off the Undergraduate Research Symposium Monday afternoon in the Women’s Building. The three-day event is intended to highlight the research of Washington University undergrads in a wide variety of subject areas.
sentation of research is for students in an educational environment. “This experience helps shape lives,” said Biggs. “People are so influenced and it launches them for success. Anybody can see this gives people an idea for what’s possible.” To be eligible to present in the seminar, students had to have conducted their research with faculty members. If the University paid for the student’s research, the presentation was mandatory. The Symposium did not turn down anyone who met those requirements. “It’s just interesting to see what others are doing in terms of research,” said junior Elizabeth Herndon, who presented on the microbial metabolism of arsenic compounds in hydrothermal systems. Senior Andrew Koo, who researched the quantitative analysis of channeling in glycolysis in intact E. coli, mentioned another benefit
of the symposium. “You learn how to communicate science with other people,” he said. “It makes it easier for everybody to understand what you are doing.” The program started last spring in a smaller setting and has grown to 30 presenters in this semester’s Symposium. Now that the symposium has grown to this size, its organizers are focused on attracting more students from schools outside of Arts & Sciences, including the undergraduate schools of engineering and art. “We’re always writing the next chapter,” said Biggs. “The last chapter was to highlight research already out there. This time we get to showcase the research we have funded and the next chapter is to raise awareness. We want to get bigger and bigger and broader and broader.” Part of this expansion in-
See RESEARCH, page 2
Washington, D.C. and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, have Chancellor Mark Wrigh- purchased his art. ton has announced the sePike said that he is hopelection of Carmon Colangelo ful that Colangelo will bring as Washington University’s the same energy and sense fi rst Dean of the Sam Fox of vision he has shown in School of Design & Visual his work at the University of Arts. Georgia to Washington UniThe Chancellor selected versity. Colangelo from a group of “Colangelo has been diseveral qualified candidates recting a very large and put forward by an advisory complex program at the committee chaired by Rich- University of Georgia,” said ard Smith, Ph.D., chair of Pike. “He has an exemplary the Anthropology depart- career as an artist and as ment. Colangelo, current an academic administrator director of the and is extremely Lamar Dodd interested in the School of Art at opportunities the the University Sam Fox School of Georgia, Athpresents.” ens, will offiIn addition to cially begin his serving as a memappointment on ber of the UniverJuly 1, 2006. sity Council and Dean of Art as the E. Desmond Jeffrey Pike Lee Professor for also served on Community Colthe advisory laboration in the committee and Arts, Colangelo Carmon Colangelo said he was very will oversee the Colpleased with the selection lege of Art, the College of and looked forward to work- Architecture, the Graduate ing with Carmon. School of Art, and the Grad“I think the new dean uate School of Architecture will bring the opportunity & Urban Design, all under to capitalize on all of the the umbrella of the Sam Fox good things that are going School. on already and to help us Colangelo’s appointment realize a more collaborative will also lead to some strucfuture,” said Pike. tural changes in adminisColangelo is recognized tration. Pike and Jerry Sinas both an accomplished art- coff, dean of the School of ist and a talented academic Architecture, will be placed administrator. Known for under the Colangelo’s direchis unique combination of tion. digital and traditional proAccording to Pike, Colcesses in his prints, Colan- angelo has already been in gelo has had work featured contact with some of the in 15 solo shows and dozens Sam Fox School of Design’s of group exhibitions in the key leaders. He will visit United States and abroad. Washington University’s Many prestigious museums, campus on Friday to meet including the National Mu- with officials, art students seum of American Art in and architecture students.
By Mandy Silver
Contributing Editor