Student Life | Orientation 2008 by Student Life

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THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 VOLUME 130, NO. 1

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ORIENTATION 2008

University prepares to host VP debate Kat Zhao News Editor As the nation waits for Senators John McCain and Barack Obama to choose their respective running mates, no one has a better reason to be curious about the choice than the students, faculty and staff of Washington University, which will be hosting the vice presidential debate on October 2nd in anticipation of the 2008 election cycle. “Because we have the only vice presidential debate, I think it is going to be very interesting to the general public,” Assistant to the Chancellor Rob Wild said. “This is the only time that the vice presidential candidates will have a chance to square off.” Wild heads the Vice Presidential Debate Steering Committee, a team of 40 University community members in charge of planning and preparing the campus for the debate. The committee includes representation from public affairs, facilities, the Career Center, the Washington University Police Department, Student Union and the Graduate Professional

Council, among others. “It’s a very experienced committee,” Wild said. “Most of the committee has actually been involved in the planning and facilitation of other debates.” The University, which hosted presidential debates in 1992, 2000 and 2004, has been selected consecutively by the Commission on Presidential Debates to host a debate for every presidential election cycle since 1992. The 1996 debate was canceled after candidates reached a decision to reduce the number of debates from three to two. The University holds the record among all institutions of higher education for hosting the most national debates. “We are viewed by the [CPD] as having set the gold standard for hosting debates,” Wild said. “And because our students, our faculty and our staff are so welcoming, we are viewed as a really great place to host a debate.” The steering committee’s vice chair, Steve Givens, the associate vice chancellor for public affairs, was closely involved with planning for the 2000 and 2004 debates. According

Left: PETE SOUZA | CHICAGO TRIBUNE | MCT; Right: DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE

In 2000 the University played host to a presidential debate between then-Governor George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore, (left) and in 2004 the University was the site of a debate between President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry. In October, the University will host the only vice presidential debate. to Wild, some members of the committee were even involved with the 1992 debate. This year’s vice presidential debate will be held in a debate

hall constructed within the Athletic Complex Field House, the same location as in previous years. According to Wild, ten days before the debate, the

Danforth Center set to open v After 2 years of construction and $34 million, building ready for students Perry Stein News Editor After much anticipation, the Danforth University Center—a $34 million undertaking—will open as scheduled on August 11. The tenants of this threestory 116,000 square foot gothic styled building will begin moving in on July 14, with the move being completed on July 21 and 28 “Everything appears to be on schedule and going as planned. Clayco, the construction company, has been a great company with whom to work. Their folks could not be more accommodating and responsive,” Vice-Chancellor Jill Carnaghi wrote in an email. “As in any project, there’s been a few minor delays and/or a few questions along the way.” The new University center will house a variety of meeting rooms, the Career Center, and offices for event services, the Office of Student Activities, Student Union and media groups like WUTV, Student Life and the Hatchet Yearbook. The Center will also include three dining options, including a sit down bistro offering alcoholic beverages, and the much hyped ‘fun room,’ a room in which

students will be able to relax and recreate. “I got to tour the DUC [during] one of the last couple of weeks of school and it looked great. There was a lot more space for Student Union, and just a lot more space for everyone,” incoming Sophomore Class President Nate Ferguson said. “It’s going to be very nice, very good conditions to work in.” In between the time that the tenants move in during July and the building’s official opening in August, access is limited to only those who have offices within the building, according to Carnaghi. Furniture and equipment will be coming into the building at this time, so tenants will be required to wear an issued lanyard and show identification in order to enter the building. To celebrate the opening of the DUC, there will be many activities occurring in and around the building. “SUp All Night,” hosted by Student Union (SU), is scheduled for the evening of August 24 and will be intended to introduce the building to incoming students. “Our goal is to get all members of the campus community into the building during

See DANFORTH, page 3

area surrounding the Athletic Complex and the space inside will begin to undergo the necessary physical changes for the debate.

Top: SCOTT BRESSLER | STUDENT LIFE; Bottom: SAM GUZIK | STUDENT LIFE

See DEBATE, page 1

For the class of 2012, WU worth waiting for Sam Guzik Editor in Chief

The Danforth Center has been transformed from a giant hole in the ground in 2006 to a fully functional center for University activities. It will open to the public on August 11.

Construction inside the Field House will include the installation of a stage where the debate

With the number of national college applications at an all-time high, schools across the country—including Washington University— are using waiting lists more than ever to prevent incoming classes from growing too large. Though administrators planned to use the wait list for that purpose, its role was compounded by the fact that the most selective colleges and universities also admitted significant numbers of students from their waiting lists. At Harvard, for example, the Harvard Crimson reported that more than 200 students were admitted from the wait list; according to The New York Times, both Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania expect to take approximately 90 students off the wait list. The wait list admissions at the most competitive schools like Harvard and Princeton have trickled down to other institutions as students have backed away from acceptances at those other schools late in the admissions season. Furthermore, the University and its peer institutions

“made fewer offers of admission up-front, and used the wait list to balance their enrollment to the right size,” wrote Nanette Tarbouni, director of admissions at Washington University, in an e-mail. Tarbouni added that by relying more on the wait list, schools have much finer control over the number of students that will make up the incoming class. “Since our freshman enrollment can vary a bit, and because its impossible to have a freshman class be exactly a certain size— we employ the use of the wait list,” wrote Tarbouni. Even though many students were prepared for the prospect of being placed on the wait list, the experience challenged them. “Our college counselors had already told us to expect being put on the wait list,” Linda Donaldson, an incoming freshman from Glendale, Calif. who was admitted to the University from the wait list. “It’s a little difficult because you don’t know whether to start getting excited for one school or whether to wait to hear back,” she said. Though being placed on a wait list draws out the stress

See WAITLIST, page 3

WU efforts take NASA to mars By Puneet Kollipara News Editor Many students begin their workdays at 9 a.m. every morning this summer, but for students like sophomore Kirsten Siebach, every day is unique. Her unorthodox schedule comes because she is one of four Washington University earth and planetary sciences students who traveled to Arizona this summer to assist NASA with the Phoenix spacecraft’s mission to

Mars. Because a Martian day is approximately 40 minutes longer than an earth day, many of the teams working on the mission must live in Mars time, meaning each day’s schedule starts later than the previous day’s. “Sometimes we are working in the middle of the night and sleeping during the day. This makes for an interesting schedule, and it has been an adjustment,” Siebach said. “Sometimes you feel like you’re living on your own planet and it’s hard

Hear ye, hear ye

to keep in touch with family and friends, but the mission goes on, and in a week or two we’re on ‘Earth time’ again.” Ever since NASA landed the Phoenix spacecraft on May 25, the four students as well as two University faculty, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences Ray Arvidson and computer systems analyst Thomas Stein, have joined other academics from around the world at the University of Arizona to help Phoenix in its mission to learn more about the habitability of

the planet’s polar region and to analyze the Martian soil. Arvidson serves as chair of NASA’s Phoenix landing site working group. He also is co-investigator for the craft’s robotic arm, which will dig up soil and ice samples. Stein works with the Phoenix geology theme group and also archives data for NASA’s Planetary Data System. The four students who traveled to Arizona include Siebach,

The Robotic Arm on NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander carries a scoop of Martian

See MARS, page 4 soil bound for the spacecraft’s microscope.

All about us Get tips from the pros on how to survive the freshman experience. Our writers, and even the Chancellor, tell it like it is. Forum, Page 5

NASA | JPL-CALTECH | UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

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ORIENTATION 2008

DUC eateries aim to diversify WU dining Melanie Spergel Contributing Reporter While Washington University ranked 10th for food quality in the 2008 Princeton Review, with new food options coming in the Danforth University Center, the school may receive a higher ranking in the future. The food options in the Danforth University Center (DUC) will focus on providing healthy and tasty food to students with combination of new dishes and meals that students already find popular. The food court in the DUC will resemble the former Mallinckrodt Food Court, which had four stations, each serving a different type of cuisine, but expanded options will add another dimension to the DUC stations. The DUC’s Asian station, for example, will contain a dim sum bar and will also be home to a sushi chef who will prepare pre-packaged sushi boxes throughout the day, rather than all at once in the morning as is currently the case. “I am excited about having so many new food options in the fall. It is definitely a welcome change because, especially for dinner, I would love to have access to similar

stations to those of Mallinckrodt now,” sophomore Taylor Martin said. The lineup for the DUC’s eateries was decided in part by two student committees, the DUC Dining and Campus Food committees, which are based in the school’s Dining Services office and are headed by junior Colin Towery and junior Ted Simmons, both former Student Union senators. In addition to the five stations in its food court, the DUC will contain a cafe and bistro. The cafe will be the replacement for the current Hilltop Bakery, which will be closed next due to construction affecting most of Mallinckrodt, and will offer smoothies, coffee, pastries and bagels. The Bistro—named Ibby’s after one of the building’s namesakes Elizabeth Danforth—marks one of the biggest changes in campus dining. The Bistro will offer sit-down wait service that seeks to appeal to the entire University community with an option that is not provided anywhere else on campus. “This could provide a novel way for students to interact with their professors outside of the classroom,” Towery said. Along with the Bistro and

Cafe, one of the four main food court stations will remain open into the night to provide students with options for dinner on campus; the menu may include breakfast foods like omelets, eggs any style and pancakes. Towery added that the DUC’s eating options are still a work in progress. “The student DUC Dining Committee will be considering registered data over the course of the Fall 2008 semester in order to make recommendations to Bon Appetit on both hours changes and quite possibly menu changes as well,” Towery said. As part of those changes, students had the opportunity to meet last year with Dining Service’s food consultant, Joyce Fasano, and share their ideas with her. Students will get to continue to shape dining in the DUC this fall as they christen the new building. According to Towery, the Senate Campus Services Committee will host a food forum a few weeks into the fall semester. “Though I am no longer a senator, I will continue to serve on both committees, as well as work closely with the new Executive Board of Student Union, to improve the dining experience on campus,” Towery said.

DAVID HARTSTEIN | STUDENT LIFE

The Great Dining Hall of the Danforth Center under construction in December. The Great Dining Hall will be the primary seating area for the center.

New courses mix creativity with traditional subjects Dan Woznica Staff Reporter The University has added a number of courses to its curriculum for this coming semester, including classes related to the Vice Presidential Debate being held on campus in October. There are also new freshman Focus seminars and 300and 400-level Arts & Sciences courses that will investigate a variety of updated subjects. “We’re excited about the new courses,” Trevor Bilhorn, curriculum coordinator for the College of Arts & Sciences, said. “And we’re glad to have a vibrant curriculum.” One of the most topical courses being offered is an 80person class in the Olin School of Business titled “The Business of Presidential Elections.” According to Professor Steven Malter, who will be teaching the course, enrolled students will be examining the impact of the 2008 Presidential election on the world of business. The class will include lessons on marketing and branding of the campaigns, polling and the differences between the candidates in their healthcare, tax and trade policies and how those policies will impact global business. Although at this point enrolled students will not have a way to participate directly in

the activity surrounding the Vice Presidential Debate, Malter says that discussions are underway about ways to engage class members with the event, which will be held on campus on October 2. “Americans and their Presidents,” a new freshman Focus course, will also study issues relevant to the nation’s highest office. Other new Focus courses to be offered include “Argentina: Past and Present,” a historical survey of Argentina that will culminate in a spring break trip to Buenos Aires, and “Phage Hunters,” a biology course in which students will take part in a national experiment organized by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Freshmen enrolled in “Phage Hunters” will collect bacteriophages in the soil outside of Rebstock Hall, then conduct lab work on the microscopic organisms, including isolation of their DNA. Upon completion of the course, instructors and one student from the class will attend a HHMI-hosted research symposium, and one of the collected phages will be selected for genome sequencing. “Students will get experience in the field of genomics, an increasingly important area of biology research,” Professor Kathy Hafer, who will be teamteaching the course alongside several other members of the Department of Biology, wrote in

an e-mail. Hafer also notes the value of taking a more hands-on approach to an intro-level Biology course. “I think the phage hunters course will be a more realistic experience with biology research than the typical introductory biology lab course,” said Hafer. Several other new science courses have been added to the Arts & Sciences curriculum that deal with current issues, including a 100-level “Introduction To Global Climate Change In the 21st Century” in the Earth and Planetary Sciences department, and 400-level “Topics in the History of Eugenics” in Biology and Biomedical Sciences. Other upper-level courses to be offered include 300-level “Advanced Hindi I,” a 400-level Anthropology course entitled “Tobacco: History, Anthropology, and Politics of a Global Epidemic,” and the 300-level “Hooking Up: Healthy Exploration or Harmful Exploitation?” which will be offered in the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (formerly Women and Gender Studies) program. According to Professor Susan Stiritz, “Hooking Up” will examine young adult sexual culture through a study of students’ own sexual cultures, as well as through reading the relevant literature in gender theory and sexuality studies.

The Washington University Libraries Welcome the Class of 2012

“We will explore if hooking up differs along axes of gender, sexual orientation, class, religion, and ethnicity—as well as class status,” wrote Stiritz in an e-mail. “I hope students will leave the course understanding better the cultural phenomenon of hooking up and its historical contexts.” That course, like many of

the other new classes being offered this semester, is already a popular one as measured by enrollment, with as many students on its wait list—22—as there are students in the class. Wait lists aside, however, it seems that the biggest dilemma with all the new courses being offered this semester may be picking between them.

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Professor Steven Malter will be teaching one of the new courses in the fall geared toward the upcoming presidential election. Several new classes attempt to blend academics with practical subjects.

Did you know at the Libraries you can: • Get research help and support from library staff and librarians • Use our wireless network to connect to the Internet from your laptop • Find a comfortable place to study alone or in group study rooms • Study and snack all night in Olin Library’s 24-hour Whispers Café • Check out your favorite movies, CDs, audio books, novels, and more • Get books, articles, and other materials for class • Use our computer labs equipped with the latest software and technology

Did you know that there are 14 different University Libraries?

Art & Architecture Library • Biology Library • Business Library • Chemistry Library • Earth & Planetary Sciences Library • East Asian Library Law Library • Mathematics Library • Medical Library • Music Library • Olin Library • Physics Library • Social Work Library • West Campus Library

• Explore unique and specialized collections in our departmental libraries • Attend tours and demonstrations to learn more about the Libraries

Senior News Editor / Ben Sales / news@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

DEBATE v FROM PAGE 1

STUDENT LIFE ARCHIVES

Construction workers prepare the Athletic Complex for the 2004 presidential debate. In October, the University will host the only vice presidential debate of the election season. will take place as well as various platforms for national news networks. The Recreational Gym will be transformed into a space for the general news media in what is known as “Spin Alley.” The costs of revamping the Athletic Complex, providing additional security and other preparations will make the debate an event of no small expense, Wild says, but it is one that “is important to the life of our campus.” “Wash. U. is taking every opportunity that comes [its way] to become more politically active,” President of the College Democrats and junior Ben Guthorn said. “The debate will integrate the campus and increase our political awareness and awareness of this ongoing election.” According to Guthorn, the College Democrats hope to use the opportunity to recruit more members and to show students how they can effect political

change. Senior Charis Fischer, the president of the College Republicans, feels the same way. “[We] will use this opportunity to encourage people who haven’t been politically active in the past to come out and express their support for John McCain,” Fischer said. “It may seem like all college students are crazy for Obama, but we want to show that there are a lot of us who aren’t afraid to think for ourselves and vote for John McCain.” Guthorn believes that students, faculty and other members of the community, no matter which side they support, will be roused and motivated by the debate’s high energy atmosphere. “Whatever they think the word ‘change’ means, they will definitely feel excited [from] the political climate,” he said. “People will feel it and they will know that they have to care and that they have to make a deci-

sion about their vote.” Wild added that the activity surrounding the debate will energize students. “The level of excitement of students in the past has been very, very high. You will see a lot of news media on campus. There is a lot of attention centered on us,” Wild said. According to Wild, the CPD gives a certain number of entry tickets into the debate to the University, which has promised to give every single ticket to University students through a random lottery. Wild does not know how many tickets the University will receive this year, although the steering committee has received over 3,000 applications so far. The debate steering committee is also currently accepting applications online for student, faculty and staff volunteers for the debate. To learn about volunteer opportunities, visit debate.wustl.edu.

WAITLIST v FROM PAGE 1 of applying to colleges, it is a tool that—when it works out— is beneficial for students. “I enrolled at the University of Michigan and I wasn’t completely happy about going there,” incoming freshman James Ross said. “It was definitely worth the wait.” Tarbouni also sees the wait list’s positive side. “We love using the wait list—it allows us to make a few more students happy and we love to admit students,” Tarbouni wrote. The increased prominence of the wait list comes as the University looks to contain the class size around an es-

timate of approximately 1,350 students. In 2007, the Chancellor announced plans to reduce the student body to a target of 5,800 undergraduates over five years. Three years ago the University admitted 1470 students to the class of 2010—more than 100 students larger than expected—causing a housing crunch and a situation that the University has since hoped to avoid. The final size for the class of 2012 is not yet known, though it is expected to be between 1380 and 1400 students; the exact number of students admitted from the

wait list is also unknown. According to Special Assistant to the Chancellor Rob Wild the University is still working to meet the goal of reducing the overall student body, though each individual class will vary. “Washington University does not have plans to grow significantly the size of its undergraduate class, but each year there will be fluctuations in the number of first year students who choose to come to Washington University,” Wild wrote in an e-mail to Student Life. “As with most universities, it is hard to predict the exact final number.”

DANFORTH v FROM PAGE 1 its first year. We think there is something for just about everyone within or in one of the courtyards around the center,” Carnaghi said. Although the building will be officially opening in the fall, its dedication is scheduled for April 2009. The University Center is to be named in honor of Chancellor Emeritus William H. Danforth and his late wife Elizabeth “Ibby” Danforth. Dr. Danforth served as Chancellor of the University from

1971 to 1995, right before the tenure of Chancellor Wrighton. The Danforth Campus, the main campus serving undergraduates, is also named for the Danforth family. The completion of the DUC marks the first time a building on campus is Leadership Energy and Environmental (LEED) gold certified, the highest certification an environmentally-friendly designed building can receive. As a LEED gold certified building, the DUC will have

improved water and energy use efficiencies that surpass state and federal standards. In addition, recycled material was used throughout the construction process. Currently, construction is underway, but is in its final stages. “If you walk around it now, particularly the north side, you’re able to look in the windows and get a sense of what the first floor is shaping up to look like,” Carnaghi wrote.

STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

Senior News Editor / Ben Sales / news@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

ORIENTATION 2008

Freshmen prefer Obama in November

MARS v FROM PAGE 1

By Ben Sales Senior News Editor

NASA | JPL-CALTECH | UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | NASA AMES

Trenches dug by the Phoenix lander, informally called by scientists “Snow White 1” (left) and “Snow White 2” (right). The trench is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) deep and 30 centimeters (12 inches) long. earth and planetary sciences doctoral candidate Selby Cull, first year graduate student Tabatha Heet and junior Rebecca Greenberger. Heet has a long history of involvement in the Phoenix mission. In the fall of 2006, as a junior earth and planetary sciences major at Washington University, Heet used HiRISE, a feature of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, in order to view rocks on the Martian surface as small as 1.5 yards across. Using a software program called ENVI, Heet counted large rocks that could have posed a threat to landing the spacecraft to determine a relatively safe landing site. She also worked with scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to create a an automatic, computerized counting method. “The rock counting was tedious but overall I enjoyed it because I knew I was doing something important and useful to the mission,” Heet said. Thanks in part to Heet’s work, the spacecraft endured a shaky but safe landing on May 25, and it also opened its solar panels. “We knew going in that the biggest threat rocks posed to Phoenix was inhibiting the opening of the solar arrays,” Heet said. “The best moment for me so far was seeing an image a couple hours after Pheonix land-

ed of the solar arrays deployed.” Heet will be a graduate student at the University in the fall, and she hopes to base some of her graduate research on Phoenix mission data. The four students currently serve as documentarians for the Phoenix mission. According to Siebach and Greenberger, common duties include taking notes during meetings and compiling reports on the meetings afterward, as well as helping to name geological features using a set of fairy tale themed names. As a documentarian, Siebach keeps spreadsheets that explain past and future “sol-to-sol plans,” where a sol is a Martian day. She also tracks the completion of mission success objectives, names of features and targets and changes to the Martian surface. Greenberger says she keeps track of what the Phoenix spacecraft must delete every day. Because the spacecraft has a limited amount of flash memory, it can only store a portion of the data it collects before shutting down for the day. “A priority list determines what makes it into flash, and when I am the documentarian, I figure out what will be auto-deleted,” Greenberger said. To prepare for the mission, students participated in training sessions and derived use-

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ful knowledge from University classes. “Planetary science is a very multidisciplinary science, so I have used several of my classes while working here, including, of course, basic science and math classes like chemistry, physics, and calculus, earth and planetary science classes like Earth and the Environment, land dynamics, biogeochemistry and English classes that have taught me presentation skills,” Siebach said. Greenberger also credited Arvidson with making sense of the mission. “Ray’s remote sensing class has been particularly useful because everything we do on Mars involves remote sensing,” Greenberger said. “However, the classes I have taken that focus more on earth sciences are also useful because some of the same processes that have occurred on earth have also occurred on Mars.” For the students, the experience has been unforgettable. “The opportunity to work on the Phoenix mission has been incredible. I never thought that I would be able to work on a mission like this, and certainly not when I was 20,” Greenberger said. “It is also a great to be able to work with so many scientists and engineers every day and learn from them.”

This year’s incoming freshman class has political opinions which match the rest of the Washington University student body, according to a recent poll conducted by Student Life. Nearly 80 percent of freshmen plan to vote for Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in November’s general while Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee, would win 15 percent of the freshman vote. These figures mirror the results of a poll taken in March that surveyed the entire campus, in which Obama, who was not yet the presumptive nominee, won 78 percent of student support. Nineteen percent of respondents to that poll supported Senator McCain. In the wake of the recent housing crisis and the fall of the dollar’s relative value, freshmen, like a plurality of University students, identified the economy and globalization as the most pressing issues in the upcoming presidential election; over a third of freshman named that pair as the most pressing facing the nation. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the next most selected issue, received less than half as much attention, with 16 percent of respondents calling the wars the campaign’s top issue. Despite Senator McCain’s

vocal support for the U.S. military campaigns in the Middle East, only 6 percent of his supporters said that the wars were the election’s top issue, although almost 85 percent of them believed that McCain would handle the wars better than Obama. Nearly 82 percent of Obama supporters responded that he would handle the wars better. McCain supporters also responded that he would deal with traditional Republican priorities such as taxes, the economy and managing the federal government better than Obama, though they also felt that Obama would handle social inequality and poverty better than McCain would. There were no issues that Obama supporters felt McCain would handle better than the Democratic nominee. Two-thirds of freshmen either identified with the Democratic Party or responded that they lean toward the Democratic Party, while fourteen percent of respondents either identify as or lean toward the Republican Party. Almost a quarter of respondents neither aligned with nor leaned toward either party. Sixty percent of unaligned voters supported Obama. 81 percent of Republican respondents considered themselves moderately Republican and 56 percent of Democrats consider themselves moderately Demo-

cratic. This is the first Student Life poll this year and the first following Obama’s clinching of the Democratic nomination at the beginning of June. While the long Democratic nomination contest between Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton of New York seemed to have little effect on freshman candidate preferences—it affected 12 percent of respondents’ choices—56 percent of respondents felt that the sixmonth string of Democratic primary races hurt the party. The general preference for Obama among freshmen corresponds with their view of the current U.S. government. Over 60 percent of respondents believe the country is going the wrong direction, and nearly 85 percent disapprove of the job that President George W. Bush is doing. A third of respondents also disapproved of the Democrat-controlled US Congress, with 9 percent approving of Congress’s job so far. Two thirds of McCain’s supporters were women, while an equal number of men and women supported Obama. The most recent Student Life poll data was collected through an e-mail sent to the undergraduate student population between June 23 and June 29. There were 342 responses to the poll, allowing for a theoretical margin of error of 4.61 percent.

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FORUM ORIENTATION 2008

Senior Forum Editor / Jill Strominger / forum@studlife.com

Welcome Class of 2012

Mark S. Wrighton Chancellor

elcome to the Class of 2012! I am pleased that you have made the personal commitment to join the Washington University family. You arrive on the Danforth Campus as part of an exceptionally talented group of freshmen, representing a wide range of experiences, intellectual interests and perspectives. We feel very fortunate that you will consider Washington University your home for the next four years. We are one of the world’s premier undergraduate research universities in one of America’s great and historic cities—St. Louis. Students are at the heart of every great university. You will have the opportunity here to learn from world-class faculty who will challenge the way you think about complex problems. During your time at Washington University, you will also have the opportunity to engage in important and challenging dialogue and address key research questions with those same faculty. It is in this exchange of ideas between students and professors where the greatest learning occurs. Your education at Washington University begins in our classrooms, studios and laboratories, but it will extend to the many and varied opportunities that the campus offers for your social and emotional development. Most of you will call the “South 40” home during your first year. You will meet

many new friends on your freshman floor, and you will also encounter people who are very different from you. This diversity is one of our greatest institutional strengths. I challenge each of you to be open to new ideas and different viewpoints and to learn from one another. This learning process is one of the great rewards of the residential college experience. Each of you is beginning an important personal journey—it is up to you to chart your course and establish

“Each of you is beginning an important personal journey—it is up to you to chart your course and establish your own positive and lasting legacy.” your own positive and lasting legacy. You will do this on the playing field—last year, Washington University athletes earned several individual and conference honors in addition to three NCAA Division III National Championships. You will participate in events surrounding the Vice Presidential Debate that will be held on our campus and watched

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

Our daily Forum editors: Monday: Tricia Wittig

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sweeney@wustl.edu

Friday: Tess Croner

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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.

SAM WASHBURN | EDITORIAL CARTOON

OPPOSABLES

Mark Wrighton is Chancellor of Washington University. He can be reached by e-mail at wrighton@wustl. edu.

Saturday, August 23, 2008 11am – 1pm

Wednesday: Dennis Sweeney

pewittig@artsci.wustl.edu

by millions of people throughout the world on October 2nd. You will make an important difference in the lives of young children in St. Louis, through oneon-one tutoring or other service activities. You will be leaders in many of our outstanding student organizations—Thurtene, Dance Marathon, Diwali and Student Union, to name a few. These activities all represent an essential component of your education at Washington University. The arrival of a new class is a significant and symbolic event for every great University. The Class of 2012 at Washington University brings hope and optimism to our University and this community. As a society, we face great challenges in areas such as energy, public health, urban education, and the economy. Overcoming these challenges can only be accomplished by the collective efforts of committed and thoughtful people like you—the skills, knowledge, and experience you will gain here at Washington University will help you to find personal success and expand the pool of talented individuals who will become the future leaders of this country. Again, welcome to Washington University! You have my very best wishes for success in this community of learning and discovery.

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STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

ORIENTATION 2008

Don’t forget to vote Jordan Aibel Op-Ed Submission

s incoming freshmen, you have been and will be faced with a number of important, tough decisions over the course of the summer and fall. Which meal plan should you sign up for? Do you want to live in a single or double? Old dorm or new dorm? Which student groups do you want to join? Do you want to play Intramural sports for your floor? Are you going to stay pre-med? Oh…and who do you want to be the next President of the United States? When you arrive on campus, there will be so much for you to do. There will be people to meet, papers to write and activities to attend. While immersed in this transition, it may be difficult to keep in mind what is happening outside of the walls of our university home. However, it is of the utmost importance that you tune out your floor gossip and tune in to the national news at least once and a while. On November 4th every American faces an important decision, perhaps the most important: Who should you vote for to lead this great nation into the future? Staying informed, however, is only half the battle. The other half is registering to vote

MIKE HIRSHON | STUDENT LIFE

before the deadline (October 8th in Missouri), and getting to the polls on Election Day (November 4th). Doing both requires effort on your part, as with anything worthwhile. The University stands prepared to make the voting process as simple and painless as possible. During orientation and throughout the first month of school, there will be a bevy of opportunities for you to register to vote. There

will be registration tables near the clocktower (you’ll quickly figure out where that is if you don’t know already) during move-in day, scattered around campus on September 18th (the University’s official voter registration day), and at most of the politically-inclined events held on campus throughout early October. And for the first time this year, the polling location for residents of the South 40 (where most

of you will live) will be on the South 40 itself, down the hall from Bear’s Den, where you will eat the majority of your meals. On Election Day, grab lunch with your friends and then vote for dessert. By listing these opportunities I hope to impress upon you how easy it will be to register, and how difficult avoiding it will be. Nevertheless, the whole process hinges on you. As citizens and/or visitors to this nation, you have both rights and responsibilities. With freedom comes responsibility, and one of your responsibilities is to make your voice heard. Make it heard through activism, protest and debate. But most of all, use your voice at the polls on November 4th. Whether your candidate wins or loses, you’ll know that you contributed to our great democracy. So don’t dodge the process. When you have the opportunity to register, do it. When you have an opinion about an issue, voice it. And on November 4th, drop those issues that will dominate our school and social lives in the fall and take your stand on a choice that will shape our lives for the next four years and beyond. VOTE.

Jordan Aibel is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached by e-mail at Jordanzaibel@yahoo.com.

We’ve got the scoop. You can get it too. campus news movies sudoku fashion STUDENTS local eateries sporting events faculty crosswords

Don’t forget to dream

have a real interest in an obt this point in your life, scure field that has limited job you’re receiving lots of opportunities? Do you want to practical advice about keep dating your high school honing your expectations as sweetheart? You need to ask well as perfecting both your yourself these questions every studying and partying skills. now and then instead of foI’m sure people will throw cusing exclusively on the type around plenty of different of questions we ask opinions about how more often, which many extra-curare something along ricular activities you the lines of: Where should be involved do I think I’ll be able in, what majors to attend medical make the most sense school? What classes and whether or make the most sense not it’s possible to for me to take in stay with your high order to have a wellschool boyfriend or girlfriend. And while Jill Strominger established, safe profession? What taking in and conare the odds of this sidering all of these relationship working out? The issues is important, I think it’s incredibly easy to lose track of practical questions are certainly important, but please your dreams during the prodon’t let them set the limits of cess. This is why my advice is your college experience. Doing simply to wish. Wish on stars, this will only be a disservice wish at both 11:11s and wish to yourself and to our society. before you go to sleep. Right now, you likely can College will be an experido almost anything with your ence of practicalities—you life. And if you set out to need to study, do your own achieve your dreams rather laundry, take care of your than simply achieving someexpenses, register for classes thing practical, if you take and keep appointments with the crazy-sounding course your advisors. You cannot that you’re interested in, keep have your head in the clouds. working on that novel in beBut at the same time, if you tween homework assignments, only keep your feet firmly and seriously aim to attend planted on the ground, you the top graduate schools in will not achieve at your highthe country, you’ll end up est ability or have the expedoing something you never riences that will affect you thought possible. Instead of the most. A practical major, focusing on what you have practical courses, practical reto do to not fail out of collationship moves, practical fulege and to keep a balanced ture plans and attempting to resume, focus on all of the gain only practical and likely things you could do if you had summer internships will close limitless intelligence, ability you off to the opportunities and charisma. If you always that give you a shot at making go after opportunities that your dreams come true. seem impossible and impractiYou’re about to start college, so I’m sure people having cal, every now and then one of been telling you that this is those amazing opportunities your chance to do anything. will work out and you’ll be Listen to them. A lot of times setting yourself up practically we feel like we have set limits for the future you once only in life when we are completely wished you could achieve. capable of exceeding them. Before you start college and as Jill Strominger is a senior you continue the experience, in Arts & Sciences and Senior keep looking deep within Forum Editor. She can be yourself. Is your impossible reached by e-mail at forum@ dream attending John Hopstudlife.com. kins Medical School? Do you

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Senior Forum Editor / Jill Strominger / forum@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

Find friends doing what you love

bout halfway through my freshman year, I was covering a Student Union meeting for Student Life. By the time the meeting ended around 12:30 a.m., I was worn out from a long day of classes and not particularly looking forward to starting my homework for the night. Despite trying to Sam stealthily write an essay for my Spanish class in the back corner of the meeting, my notebook was just as blank as when I had started. When I got back to my dorm and collapsed in the hallway with

a circle of my friends, I could not bring myself to finish—or, really, start—any of my work; it was just too easy to sit and relax, talking with my friends about everything and nothing at the same time. I don’t remember when I went to sleep that night or how I managed to finish my Spanish essay scribbling furiously in the Guzik hour before class, but I do remember the feeling of coming back to a place and being comfortable there. The feeling of knowing that, despite homework, exhaustion and stress, I had found a group

of friends with whom I could relax. The first week of school will be overwhelming and tiring as you meet new people, get used to new places and try to understand everything that you will need to do for the next four years. By the hundredth person you meet in the first hour of your first day on campus, it will seem impossible to remember all the names, majors and hometowns of your new acquaintances. And, realistically, it probably is; with nearly 1,300 fellow students in your class you will be hard pressed to meet all of them. Despite all that, take comfort in the fact that you will

find your niche on campus. Whether it is on your freshman floor or in a club that you join, in class, or with a group of people you meet randomly on the basketball court, you will find a group of friends that is right for you, a group of friends that makes you feel comfortable. One of the most daunting moments of your freshman year will be realizing that there is no formula for making friends; one of the best moments will be, like it was for me, realizing that you don’t need a formula. Go out, do what you love, and the rest will follow. In your dorm, keep your door open (a doorstop should

be one of your first purchases) and don’t hesitate to go to that meeting for the club you’ve always wanted to join

“Go out, do what you love, and the rest will follow.” but never had the chance to. Though the process will not be effortless, you will meet people who will define and shape your college experience—the people for whom you came to Washington

University whether you know it yet or not. So, for a while, don’t feel bad about forgetting a few people’s names or meeting someone for the third time. Go out and find something that speaks to you—whether that means doing community service, working with one of the University’s many cultural groups, studying for school, or writing for an amazing and award winning campus paper. In the long run, it’s worth it.

Sam Guzik is a junior in Arts & Sciences and the Editor in chief of Student Life. He can be reached at editor@ studlife.com.

Hello, Get Out

and slid through a hole in the elcome to Wash. U. Now ground—the entrance to the get ready to leave. Come caves. It was completely black here, get comfortable, inside, and we used our inbut don’t get complacent. Don’t nertubes to float down the river get me wrong, Wash. U. is great. that courses through the caves. Savor your first couple of years Occasionally we jumped here. Go to Bears Den off waterfalls. All along at 2 a.m., read out on the walls and ceiling the hammocks, pull were the green-blue all-nighters, make lights of thousands of good friends, figure tiny glowworms. And out what you want, exSunday, we headed up pand your mind. And to the famous beaches then go abroad. Study of the Coromandel abroad is an opportuwhere we snorkeled nity, so if there is any way you can wrangle Tess Croner along an underwater trail. Oh, and Thursday your schedule so you I took a ferry over to can go, do it, seize Tiritiri Matangi, a bird reserve it. When else in your life can off the coast of Auckland. I saw you just take off for some place an Orca whale and little blue you never even thought you’d penguins. Today I should study, go, call it home for five or six but I’m thinking about a trip to months, and still be (kind of) a the aquarium first. responsible human being? Studying abroad has been an Ok, I’m biased. I’m writing amazing experience. Not that this article from my beat up it’s always been easy. I had a sofa in New Zealand. I’ve been lot of ambivalence about going here for about 5 months—finals abroad—I love Wash. U., I love are next week. But guess what my friends, I enjoy my classes I did last weekend? Saturday, I and one semester out of eight rented a car with a few friends can feel like a lot to give up. And and drove through the North while being abroad is incredible, Island countryside to the Waitit can also feel isolating, stressomo Caves. Upon arrival, we ful and downright exhausting. wriggled our way into wetsuits, But it’s worth it. It’s so worth it. put on our headlamps, and My time here has been imporselected suitable sized innertant in ways I wasn’t expecting. tubes. We carefully crawled

IAN ROSS | STUDENT LIFE

I expected to meet people from all over the world, be adventurous, travel, see beautiful places, climb a glacier. I didn’t expect

that being here, having time to be by myself and being forced to forge my own way would have such a profound effect on me.

Wash. U. is an intense environment. They’ll have you going so fast and so hard that you’ll forget to step back and take a

look at yourself. Being abroad has given me a chance to process myself in a new and exotic context. I’ve had time to get to know myself here (as sappy as that may sound). I can’t tell you how much I’ve valued this whole bizarre experience. And did you know that they don’t refrigerate their eggs in New Zealand? And they say “sweet as” all the time? And the grocery store is called “foodtown”? I didn’t know—now I do. So, think about studying abroad in your junior year. Plan ahead and arrange your schedule so that you are able to go. Start imagining places you’d like to experience, places you wouldn’t mind calling “home” for five or six months. I had friends this semester in Morocco, Australia, Vietnam, South Africa, Brazil, Israel, Scotland and Bolivia. Pick somewhere and go. Don’t get too bogged down by major requirements, double major requirements and those dumb clusters to leave the country for a semester. Plan ahead and get excited. And enjoy Wash. U. Have a great freshman year.

Tess Croner is a senior in Arts & Sciences and a forum editor. She can be reached by e-mail at forum@studlife.com.

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Senior Forum Editor / Jill Strominger / forum@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

ORIENTATION 2008

Embracing the major you never thought youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d choose I

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to extend a warm wel- to help people. However, there are many effective ways to help come to the incoming class people besides medicine, and of pre-medsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;oh excuse me, it takes more than this desire freshmen. I know, I know, not to succeed as a doctor. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all of you are pre-meds, and only that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult (which it Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have more to say to the othis without a doubt)â&#x20AC;&#x201D;you must ers. But more of you will start also have more specific as pre-meds than interests than being anything else by far, a useful member of and many of you are society. In particular, making a mistake. you have to be able to Not that the enjoy (or at least tolerpremed path isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ate) organic chemistry, worthwhileâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just genetics and physiolnot for everyone. ogy. Many students Many students are may find themselves not sure about what Bill Hoffman better suited to be sothey want to do, and cial workers, lawyers, medicine just seems like a good idea. Doctors are teachers or economists. well-paid and well-respected, But enough about the trials and (so far at least) we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t and tribulations of pre-medical outsource our ophthalmolostudies. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m here to encourage gists to Bangalore. all of you, not just pre-meds, to Most frequently, these be flexible, curious and openstudents say that their goal is minded about your courses

and majors. There are far more majors at Wash. U. than anyone can realistically hope to try out. Still, you should do your best to sample the ones that could interest you. There are surely at least a few majors which you are able to rule out right off the bat (many people are quite sure that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to major in math!), but other majors are more difficult to assess unless youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve taken a course or two within them. So cast a wide net during your freshman year, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry about specializing this early in the game. There is, however, more to the process of self-discovery than deliberately diversifying your choice of coursesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;your state of mind is important too. Even if you end up in the course that could change your life, the significance could

be lost if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give it a chance. Some may think this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so importantâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;after all, if you end up in a course you love, shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it take a hold of you no matter what? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not always this simple, however. I recently changed my major to philosophy during my 8th(!) semester (Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to be a second-year senior), even though I had taken some philosophy courses several semesters earlier. Why didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I declare philosophy sooner? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complicated, but a big part of the problem was that I was unwilling to seriously consider it. During one of those courses, the professor asked me why I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a philosophy major. Even though I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a good answer to him at the time (something like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not smart enoughâ&#x20AC;?), it still took me until

the second semester of my senior year to finally go for it. Now, maybe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m uniquely inept at knowing myself (ironic for a philosophy major), but I suspect that others have similar attitudes towards some majors, quite possibly because students are worried about their job prospects, and hold in their minds at all times the common skeptical query, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What are you going to do with a major in X?â&#x20AC;? These worries are generally misguided. For most career paths, your major choice is unimportant. There are exceptions of courseâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it would be tough to be a theoretical physicist if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve taken only English coursesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but most employers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t looking for any specific knowledge. They just want to find smart graduates who can communicate, write and think

effectively, and most majors can be used to gain these skills. I know English majors who have gone into consulting, philosophy majors who have gone on to be web programmers, and biology majors who have gone into business. So choose something you enjoy. The jobs will still be there, I promise. Finally, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to change the major youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve chosen. No one likes to feel like theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been wrong, but its better to find out sooner rather than later. And along the way, after changing your major three times, you might find that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve become a more educated person.

Bill Hoffman is a senior in Arts & Sciences and a forum editor. He can be reached by e-mail at forum@studlife.com.

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employed as members of the campus Bear Patrol to provide escorts to fellow students, faculty, and staff. The Bear Patrol members all wear distinctive vests and are equipped with radios to maintain instant contact with the Police Department. Positions with the University Police are available for students participating in the Work Study Program.

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Senior Forum Editor / Jill Strominger / forum@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

Democracy and Citizenship Initiative at Washington University in St. Louis Wayne Fields Op-Ed Submission

elcome to Washington University. You begin your undergraduate careers at a time of profound institutional reflection and a discussion that—like much of what you will experience in the next four years±will be both specific and abstract. This announcement, then, is a welcome both into a community of scholars and into an exciting conversation about the very nature and purpose of that community. Since its founding the United States has always assumed an essential connection between the values and ambitions of a free society and the work of higher education. Throughout his presidency George Washington recognized this interdependency and urged the creation of a national university. Following his own tenure in the executive office, Thomas Jefferson devoted his remaining years

to the creation of the University of Virginia as a model of higher education appropriate for a republic. For more than two centuries the special relationship between colleges and universities and democracy has been reaffirmed in a multitude of ways, and in periods of crisis and transition has been a subject of much consideration. Whether in calls for expanded efforts in science and technology during the Cold War or in the GI Bill’s dramatic expansion of educational access that followed World War II, the fates of freedom and the broadening implications of democracy have been regarded as inextricable from our conception and implementation of advanced teaching and learning. In this opening decade of the 21st century, with new challenges in virtually every aspect of our lives, it is again time to renew the discussion of the University’s role in a free society. As a citizen of a particular city and a particular nation as well as a global community, how does

it (or how do we) address and reconcile these often complicated and sometimes conflicted responsibilities and partnerships in a manner consistent with our educational mission? Washington University’s Democracy and Citizenship Initiative will be a year-long effort (involving faculty, students, administrators, and staff) to better understand American higher education’s relationship to the values and ambitions of a free society and, more specifically, to examine the meaning of citizenship for Washington University in its relationship with the greater St. Louis community, the nation and the world. This will be a University-wide project, one involving self-reflection as we consider the particular nature of our institution and the responsibilities and opportunities we face. An important part of this exploration will be an ongoing consideration of our relationship with the city and locale that have helped sustain us for more than 150 years,

as well as with the nation whose democratic ideals rely on a commitment to education. Universities face the double challenge of educat-

larger world—in teaching and scholarship but also through our institutional partnerships. The challenge of being part of such differing constituencies with obligations to each requires us to consider who we are as a university and how that identity influences each of these relationships. During the 2008-09 academic year we will attempt— through committees and discussion groups, conferences and other events—to engage as much of the University community as possible and through this year-long conversation to identify the key issues that we face, while establishing an agenda for the years to come. Washington University is not alone in recognizing this as a critical moment for American higher education; colleges and universities around the country have begun a variety of projects to consider the social and educational challenges of our time, to think anew about the nature of our academics and the missions we pursue.

“In this opening decade of the 21st century, with new challenges in virtually every aspect of our lives, it is again time to renew the discussion of the University’s role in free society.” ing citizens and of being a citizen with responsibilities to the society of which we are so intrinsically a part. At the same time we are also an important link between these communities and the

The meaning of the Liberal Arts, the interaction of science and society, the nature of institutional citizenship and many related subjects being discussed on campuses across America. For these considerations to be most helpful they must be specific to particular institutional circumstances and visions. The Initiative on Democracy and Citizenship imagines that the conversations to take place at Washington University in the coming academic year will be about Washington University, a reflection on our sense of purpose and our community and yet—with the very specificity such an approach requires—will contribute to a larger discussion concerning the future of higher education in a free society. We welcome ideas and participants. Please feel free to e-mail.

Wayne Fields is a professor in Arts & Sciences and can be reached by e-mail at democracy@wustl.edu.

Hakuna Matata Caitlin Brady Op-Ed Submission

reshman year was when I decided to take the initiative to do absolutely nothing. Gone were those years of high school filled with nonstop sports and clubs, those constant appointments to be met. During my first year at college, I firmly decided that I was going to free myself from all of the hassles and commitments I had grown so accustomed to and simply revel in a lifestyle I would never have the opportunity to enjoy again.

This break from stressing factors and distractions also critically required me to severe all ties to home. Sure, I had no problem making the occasional call every week or so, which was about all I could handle, but apparently, according to my parents, this was unacceptable. But it was college, right? So, like any good daughter, I decided to ignore their unreasonable demands to contact them on a more regular basis. After all, calls mainly consisted of a seemingly benign comment about the weather back in Chicago

before a full-out assault was launched concerning my grade status in each of my classes, why I wasn’t getting more involved in school activities and why I had decided not to come home for fall break after all. As fun as these conversations were, I desperately tried to avoid them, as they conflicted greatly with my otherwise relaxing, and carefree days. Little did I know that my negligence would have a damaging long-term effect that came in the form of the beloved “parents to freshmen” section of Student Life.

One night after coming back to the dorm from Ursa’s, I was surprised to find a tattered Student Life thrown onto my bed. Confused, and admittedly a bit disgusted, I turned to my roommate who offered a quick explanation: “Oh, one of your friends dropped that off for you a few minutes ago,” she said with a slight grin. Obviously, she had already read it, and now I was a bit alarmed at what story or picture that paper could possibly contain. I ran over to the bed and looked at the open page. In the treasured “parents to freshmen”

section was a special message of my own: Among the many inspirational quotes provided by the other parents, the “words of advice,” the encouragements, the “I’m so proud of yous,” was an admonition by my parents to call home. Unbelievable. I was so mad at this breach of the home/school wall that I rebelled by refusing to call them for another two weeks. My friends, however, took a sinister pleasure out of my sufferings and never failed to occasionally bring back the lovely memories surrounding this event throughout the rest

of the year. Thankfully though, after “the incident,” my plan to live freshman year free of commitments and expectations went relatively unscathed. Admittedly, I almost relapsed second semester by going to a Habitat for Humanity meeting, but soon after, I immediately resorted back to my sluggish ways and can honestly say that I had an amazing year. Caitlin Brady is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences and can be reached by e-mail at cbrady@ wustl.edu.

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For information contact: John Stewart, Director of Vocal Activities 935 5597 or jstewart@wustl.edu open to all members of the Washington University community

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Senior Forum Editor / Jill Strominger / forum@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

ORIENTATION 2008

“The best four years of your life!” M

any people will tell you, “College is the best four years of your life.” Do not listen to these people. Kick them. Challenge them to a duel. Tell them to stop propagating that B.S. Because that is what it is: B.S. Not because college is not fantastic. Not because some of your most vivid memories will not be made in this place. Not Dennis because you will not learn more than you ever thought you wanted to know, nor because you will not mature quantitatively more than at any other point in your life. No, not for these reasons, because they in fact all WILL

be, exasperatingly, the case. College is fan-freaking-tastic. But the “College is the best four years of your life” mantra is terrible advice, for three reasons. The first is that a large number of the people giving you this advice (i.e. the other people’s columns that you have read and will shortly be reading) have Sweeney not even lived past college. What do they know? The second reason we ought to discard this junky advice is that it encourages an attitude totally devoid of the consideration that there even exists life after college. Whether it is getting really

drunk and falling out of a window (yes) or writing a tasteless letter to Student Life that you later try to get removed from the Web site so you can actually get a job (sorry), your actions do, periodically, have consequences. The third reason to dump this painful cliché is the point from which I will begin my actual, concrete advice (and this relates to point numero dos): you must think (actively and decisively) about life after college. For the love of all things both sacred and not: think about what you want to happen when you are done here. This sounds initially discouraging, I know, and more, not fun. If you approach it the wrong way, it will be.

The wrong way to approach this advice consists of ruining your college experience in order to work toward a successful post-college life. Be very careful of this. The right way to approach this advice is, rather than to conform your college experience to your ideal post-college career and life (as the mistaken person does), instead conform your ideal post-college career and life to your college experience. What do you love about being here? Do that, and do it after you leave too. The reason mature adults tell you that “college is the best four years of your life” is because they savored the college experience but did not have the foresight to come up with a way to

extend that joy into a career or into a life. They tell you these are the “best four years”—and you (if you follow in their footsteps) will tell it to kids when you are an adult too—only because you yourself believed it when they you in college. But you, with a couple extra generations of experience (and my help), know that you can both savor college and use it as a time to find something (and DECIDE on it, which is often the step that gets missed) that you want to do afterwards. The last thing you want to do, I believe, is sit in an office staring at a fluorescent computer screen, in “businesscasual” attire, in a “good” job, one year after college or ten or thirty years after,

wondering, “What the hell am I doing here?” If that is where you end up, don’t just “end up” there. GO there, consciously. College is your opportunity to figure out why working in an office will suck. (Or why it will rock.) “College is the best four years of your life” will only be true if you believe it. Now is the time to stop doing so. Your whole LIFE is going to be fan-freaking-tastic. Seize college’s joy, but make it the beginning of the rest of your life.

Dennis Sweeney is a junior in Arts & Sciences and a forum editor. He can be reached by e-mail at forum@ studlife.com.

Tips and tricks for delving into the Wash. U. community Jill Carnaghi Op-Ed Submission

et me be among the many to welcome you to St. Louis and to Washington University! Very soon we will be welcoming you in person as the newest members of our Wash. U. community. You’re coming at a very exciting time. However, if I’m perfectly honest with myself, I think each year has been very exciting…this year is just more so with a couple of new twists. First, you’ll get here in time for the opening of the new Danforth University Center, and I hope this will become your second home after your residential college. Second, the presidential campaign season is only beginning, and come October 2 at 8 p.m., Wash. U. will be hosting the vice presidential debate right in our very own Athletic Complex. You’ll have the opportunity to apply to be a volunteer for this event

and you’ll be able to put your name in a lottery for any debate tickets that we may receive from the Commission on Presidential Debates. We want and need you, now more than ever, to get involved. Make connections, find your niche and give and receive during your time here. As assistant vice chancellor for students and the director of campus life, the areas I work most closely with focus on involvement, service, and leadership—primarily outside of the classroom. More importantly, my colleagues and I want to create a seamless living/ learning environment. I work with many folks who have adopted the following mission: To build and sustain an undergraduate experience of exceptional quality where students, who are known by name and story, prepare themselves for lives of purpose and meaning. We’re here to assist you. I know everyone from your parents, grandparents,

brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, high school counselors, friends and even strangers you meet as you shop for extra-long fitted sheets are more than willing and ready to give you advice as you plan your trek to St. Louis. I am no exception. I can’t resist the urge because I, like others who care about you, want all your adjustments to be smooth and relatively painless. As I begin my twelfth year, I am still amazed at the role students play in making this a great place to live, learn and work. Here’s my top ten list for becoming a part of the community and leaving your mark on this campus. Some may not make sense until you arrive… 1) Introduce yourself to at least two new people each day; start early to adopt this habit. Ask someone to share a meal with you; don’t be shy. 2) Do not pass “GO,” do not call home before getting your academic life in order.

Get to know your academic advisor, resident advisor and all others who offer assistance. All of them can become resources and support for you. 3) Once you’re satisfied with your class schedule and have gone to your first classes, get in the habit of finding a quiet, comfortable place to study. I strongly advise that you visit Cornerstone, the Center for Advanced Learning. 4) Attend all Orientation sessions. You’ll learn lots, meet others and have fun along the way. Don’t miss “SUp All Night” on August 24—to be explained at a later date. 5) Don’t forget, Orientation does not stop when classes begin. A group of students and staff are already planning events and activities to keep you busy during “your first 40 days and 40 nights” here; you’ll also learn more about this once you arrive. 6) Sign-up for Service

First. It’s a day of service in the St. Louis Public Schools, only open to new students, taking place the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend—August 30. You’ll have fun volunteering with classmates at

“Make connections, find your niche and give and receive during your time here.” one of the public schools and attending a BBQ and community service fair. 7) Get off campus—you don’t need a car. Shopping malls, movie theaters, grocery stores and restaurants are readily available via the MetroLink, not to mention what’s within walking distance—the Loop and all that Forest Park contains. 8) Be sure and stop by the Activities Fair on Wednesday, September 3 from 4:30-6:30

p.m. in Brookings Quad. The majority of student organizations will have tables and will be recruiting new members. They want you! 9) Take care of your health. That includes SLEEP. Too many students think they will catch up on their sleep during Fall Break or Thanksgiving. Your body simply doesn’t work that way, no matter how hard you try. 10) Finally, take a deep breath, enjoy yourself and savor all of the newness of attending Wash. U. and having the chance to leave your mark on this place. Be confident of your choice; and remember, we want you to succeed. If there is any way I can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me: jill.carnaghi@wustl.edu or 314.935.5022. See you soon!

Jill Carnaghi is vice-chancellor for students. She can be reached by e-mail at jill. carnaghi@wustl.edu.

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ORIENTATION 2008

Think about what you’re doing Jeff Nelson Op-Ed Submission

am writing this article while sitting in my office listening to music and avoiding the work I have to do. I am an intern in the Office of Student Activities and one of my projects is to create a master list of co-curricular involvement opportunities for students on campus. “Involvement” is a very broad idea, but it will define a significant portion of the experience you have here. Academic excellence is certainly the most important goal you should have as a Washington University student, but your tenure here should be summed up by more than your degree and the amount of tuition paid. Your experience should be a priceless era that you will be continually engaged in for years and years to come. My advice is to let your exploration of Wash. U. be guided by two questions. What skills and abilities do you want to gain from your experience here? What impact do you want to leave on the campus community and the larger Wash. U. legacy? As you continue on over the next four years, keep asking those questions. The answers may change, and that’s okay. When I first came to Wash. U., I knew I wanted to do more than just go to class, but I wasn’t sure what I was passionate about. In situations like this, some students tend to do nothing, and others, like myself, tend to do too much. I got over-involved very quickly. Within the first semester of my freshman year, I was the treasurer of a student group, a member of the Orientation Executive Board, the host and contributing editor of a television show, and a fulltime student in my spare

time. The story of my freshman year is a testament to how easy it is for freshmen to get involved, but it is also an example of what can happen when you don’t intentionally guide your experience by asking the important questions. I was passionate about being a leader, so I led. I wasn’t necessarily passionate about what I was doing, so I led others and myself with no direction. I wish I would have taken my time to think carefully about what I wanted to get out of being involved on campus. You may have been a leader in high school, and may assume that you should continue to do whatever activities you participated in. You may have been solely committed to your academic pursuits and may think that you won’t have time to study for college classes and do other things. Whether I’ve described you or not, throw all of your assumptions out of the window. Take a minute to discover what you’re passionate about and begin your journey as a Wash. U. student. You may go on to become a student group leader, start a community service organization, conduct published research, become class president, a teaching assistant or something I haven’t listed. “Involvement” is a necessary component of being a Wash. U. student, but you should carefully pursue it so that both you and what you’re involved in benefit from the experience. Take a moment to find your passion, and everything from selecting a major to shaping your legacy will become a lot easier.

Jeff Nelson is a junior in Arts & Sciences and Student Union Vice President of Administration. He can be reached by e-mail at jtnelson@wustl.edu.

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

In my estimate: My two cents for the over-advised W

be-doomed,” every bit of ash. U. forces you advice you’ll receive about to take Writing 1 what to and not to do freshbecause the adman year has a basis in ministration thinks you sound reasoning and good can’t write. The Orientation intentions. But, truth be Executive Board gives you told, there’s really no wrong Choices to dissuade you way to do freshman year. from doing what you’ve Now, the smart alecks probably been doing since amongst you may immediyour sophomore year in ately say, “What high school. Stuif you fail first dent Life commissemester and have sions me to write to transfer to anyou an advice colother college? Isn’t umn because they that a wrong way to think you’re starvdo your freshman ing for the same year?” advice you’ve been Only if you getting throughout assume failure your last year in high school. Wandalyn Savala is wrong. Wrong is a moral judgWhat none of ment. Failure is the well-meaning a mistake (or series of administration and stumistakes) that ends in an dents gives you is credit. undesired result. So, if you Not to say some of you fail, it doesn’t mean you’ve don’t need a little pointing done wrong (depending on in the “right” direction or your moral philosophy), it that none of the advice you simply means you’ve made receive will be useful. Take a mistake(s). Can a mistake it all in. From the laughbe wrong? Certainly. But able suggestion to get eight even so, the majority of the hours of sleep to the “don’tmistakes you make freshdate-anyone-freshman-yearman year probably won’t be or-else-your-social-life-will-

wrong (again, depending on your moral philosophy). Of course, this argument probably wouldn’t hold up with a dean or other official who could strip you of your scholarship, privileges on campus, etc. But within the realm of how you choose to live your first semester, this is a perfectly fine mindset. If you can accept your failures and the mistakes that led to them, then, in my estimate, you’re doing freshman year right. Stewing over failures and mistakes and trying to avoid them will only waste time and experience: two of the most valuable things you’ll have throughout college. Don’t try and walk the straight line or spend all your time trying to be the “well-rounded student.” That’s what high school’s for. You’re in college now. This doesn’t necessarily prove that you know what to think (or even how), but that coveted acceptance letter suggests that you definitely can. With that

said, sift through every piece of advice you’ll receive and figure out what’s best for you. You may make a mistake, you may fail, but it will be your mistake and your failure. If the mistakes you make and the things you fail are the sole results of someone else’s thoughts and beliefs, then (in my estimate) you’ve ventured into being wrong. As long as you’re the primary owner of your first year experience, you’re in the right (again, in my estimate). Of course, all of my advice ill-disguised in a nonadvice column is subjective. Feel free to tear everything I’ve said apart. Feel free to ignore me completely. Feel free to peruse a more useful advice column that tells you all the good places to eat, party, etc. It’s up to you.

Wandalyn Savala is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences and can be reached by e-mail at wesavala@wustl. edu.

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STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

sity, I think it’s pretty safe here are things you to say that we’ve probably know going in, things all been on the AP/IB/ you learn along the make-honor-role-or-perish way, things people tell you that you’ll never believe and track since we were three. However, once you get to things you wish someone college, you’ll had told you to find that the rules begin with. What change somewhat. follows is a list, in It’s not the end of no particular orthe world (or of der, of what some your GPA) if (God of those things are forbid) you get an for me. I hope they A-, and it’s also serve you well. not the end of the 1) Your freshworld if you have man floor is where you live, not who Sara Remedios to withdraw from a class. So you you are. couldn’t handle 21 This one is kind credits (shock!), so what? of hard for most freshmen Withdrawing from a class to grasp—I’ll admit to havevery semester will probing struggled with it myself ably throw some red flags, for a while—but it’s also but if it’s only once or a really important thing twice, don’t sweat it. to realize up front. You’ll 6) Make use of on-cammake friends on your floor, pus resources. and you’ll make friends I heart the Writing Center. 7) Make your own choices about alcohol. For the most part, the idea that you’ll be subject to outrageous peer pressure is an urban legend. As long as you’re comfortable with off your floor; don’t limit your decision, and as long yourself. It’s geography, not as you don’t criticize or destiny (unless you lived on pigeonhole your classmates Fo2). for making their own deci2) Speak in class, but sions, it’s all good. Drink only speak when you have or don’t drink; just don’t relevant/intelligent things judge. to say. 8) Professors are people, You’re graded on quality, too (but it’s still okay to be not quantity, of participaafraid of them). tion. Yes, they’re intimidating. 3) A lot of your course They’re also (mostly) very books are in the library. nice people, whose job it Especially if you’re takis to teach you. Please, let ing lit classes with nine them. Also, if you plan on million books per semesmed school/grad school/ ter, cross-reference your law school/etc; make sure syllabus with the library to take full advantage of listings before you hit the office hours for at least two bookstore. If you’re going or three of your classes. to be using a book for half Professors can’t write you the semester then it’s probrecommendations if they ably better to buy, but if it’s can’t remember you. just one or two lectures, 9) Have fun! After all, embrace the library (and post-its). You’ll save a ton. “it’s college!” 4) Call your parents. Good luck! Don’t drunk dial them. 5) B does not mean Sara Remedios is a senior “bad”/ It’s okay to drop a in Arts & Sciences and a class now and then. staff columnist. She can be Given that we’re all reached via e-mail at sarestudents at a top 20 univermedi@wustl.edu.

Ramen noodles and Pajamas A

s not to mislead you by the title of this article, please refrain from making assumptions that there are long-held traditions here at Wash. U. of connecting the aforementioned items. In fact, my first piece of advice to you is on behalf of your floormates: do not eat ramen noodles for breakfast. You can smell them from Tricia all the way down the hall and at 7 a.m. this is not exactly a tantalizing aroma. I speak from experience. The title of this article, rather, is meant to evoke images of the stereotypi-

cal college experience (at least how I pictured it): diets consisting of ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese, wearing pajamas to class and attempting extravagant designs of body paint in order to cheer on the campus football team. I promise I am not trying to crush your pre-collegiate dreams, but I must warn you that this Wittig stereotype does not fit your future alma mater. There are great things in store for you, but you are more likely to find them in our unique (and sometimes a little quirky) campus culture rather than the layman’s

image of college life. For example, though we have some great sports teams, you will probably find yourself cheering on some of our fabulous a cappella groups in Graham chapel or enjoying a cultural show in Edison Theatre with the same enthusiasm others might divert to athletics. Your competitive side, however, will come out in full force during a water balloon and mud fight on the Swamp that takes place every April. As far as food is concerned, I have yet to see anyone go hungry on this campus. The University will assure that you have a more than adequately sized meal plan, but if you do happen to run out of points, at least 50

“Call your parents. Don’t drunk dial them.”

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percent of your classmates will be attempting to sell off their surplus supply. Latenight eater? Not to worry. Bear’s Den is open into the wee hours of the morning, and if you just can’t live without ramen noodles, you

can use your meal points to stock up on the prized cuisine at Bear Mart. With a campus chock full of food options, fitness centers and even a dietetic consultant, a few wise choices will keep off the socalled “freshman fifteen.” So, if you would like to eat your ramen-noodle loving heart out, feel free. I prefer a grilled chicken salad with a smoothie from the DUC Cafe. It is with a little pain in my heart that I pen/type this last bit of forewarning. People do not wear pajamas to class at Washington University. Perhaps it is due to the 10 minute walk that separates the dorms from the classrooms, or maybe we all are just too embarrassed to let our favorite professor see our fuzzy bunny PJ pants, but, alas, even for those early morning classes, it is a rare occurrence. After hearing story upon story from my admittedly “party school”-attending college comrades about rolling out of bed minutes before Intro to Psychology, I was a little disappointed with this discovery. If you find yourself needing to be amused by wardrobe selections, I know someone who wears shorts year-round and I could also direct you to a few professors who make some “interesting” wardrobe choices. I don’t tell you all of this to disappoint you or give you a harsh kick of reality, but rather in the hopes of exciting you for the unique experiences that are in store. Wash. U. is a great place to be, and you will find yourself quite happy with the way your expectations pan out…and the ways in which things are totally different. Finally, remember that all of this is just one person’s opinion. Though myself and my esteemed colleagues work hard to dole out bunches of advice to you all, don’t let anyone else’s opinions or ideas determine your college experience (except for maybe the great scholars of your chosen field). For now, try not to worry too much; it will all work out. I promise.

Tricia Wittig is a senior in Arts & Sciences and can be reached by e-mail at forum@ studlife.com.

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ORIENTATION 2008

A professor’s top ten hints for acing college Bill Lowry Op-Ed Submission

hen Student Life asked me to provide advice for incoming students, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t subject you to your first lecture here at Wash. U. So, I thought about how I might advise our 18-year-old son who will also be starting college this fall. I realized that if I got too long-winded, he would quickly turn to his iPod, so I put this advice in a form that’s more digestible: a top 10 list. So, here are the top 10 pieces of advice I, as a faculty member, would give to incoming students. 10) Be Ready. The fact that you’re in here means that you were stars in high school. But keep in mind that you were all stars in high school. You’re to be congratulated for doing such good work so far, but that also means we have high expectations for you. So, be ready to work hard. 9) Be Hungry. Like a lot of other 18-year olds, I went to college because I was supposed to. It wasn’t until after I dropped out and served several years in the U.S. Navy that I realized that college is a great gig. When I came back to school, I was hungry, hungry for new knowledge and new experiences. The sooner you develop that appetite (and the longer you keep it), the happier you’ll be. 8) Be Respectful. Most

high schools are fairly homogeneous. Wash. U. is a diverse place. You’ll meet a lot of people from different backgrounds and hear a lot of different viewpoints from professors and other students. Disagree with them as you want, but treat them all with respect. 7) “Cool” isn’t the same here as in high school. We all know that some kids in high school were perceived as cool if they acted bored or sullen. That won’t impress anybody here. What’s “cool” to me as a professor are students who try hard. And that doesn’t mean brown-nosing. For example, one of the best students I’ve had was a guy who sat in the front row of every class and asked questions all the time. He also started as a defensive end for the football team all four years. He was no butt-kisser, but he was honored as Best Student from the Political Science department his senior year. 6) Grade-grubbing rarely works at a university. If you get a grade less than you hoped for, think about whether or not you could have tried harder before you ask your professor to adjust your grade. 5) Go to Class. Another difference from high school is that you don’t have to go to class. But you’re crazy not to. You’ll have to learn the

“Like a lot of other 18-year-olds, I went to college because I was supposed to. It wasn’t until after I dropped out and served several years in the U.S. Navy that I realized college is a great gig.”

material anyway and getting it in class will probably be more interesting than getting it from the book. Besides, you never know what will come up in class—some of the best stuff is not going to be repeated in somebody else’s notes. 4) Don’t just go to class. Don’t sacrifice your studies, but you can also learn a lot from other experiences, so check out your other opportunities. If you want to do community service, try the Campus Y—it’s a great organization. Wash. U. sports are fun. So are intramurals. So is even just taking a walk in nearby Forest Park. Most of us who use our brains for a living understand that your brain works better when the rest of your body is also healthy. 3) Be understanding. If you ask your professor to do something outside of class, like give a talk, and he or she can’t do it, don’t take it personally. Professors have lives and families as well as full-time jobs. Professors also have to keep at least some distance from students in order to evaluate them objectively. 2) Don’t stress about a major. Asking people to decide their life’s work while they’re still teenagers can induce a lot of stress. You’ll probably do different things after you graduate anyway. In my entire undergraduate career, I took one Political Science course—now I teach the stuff. 1) And the number one piece of advice I can give you is to enjoy your time here. College may not, in fact, be the best four years of your life, but it can be pretty darn good. Welcome to Wash. U.

Bill Lowry is a political science professor in the College of Arts & Sciences. He can be reached by e-mail at lowry@wustl.edu.

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

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How to make it through Wash. U. Pamela Ju Op-Ed Submission

ongratulations, you’re about to start your college career at Washington University in St. Louis. You must be a smart kid. Don’t worry, you’ll forget that by the time you leave. No, the classes aren’t impossible. You might have to work a little harder, but you’ll still do well academically if that’s important to you. When you get to campus and you move into your dorms and your parents leave, look around. Every other kid here is about as smart as you. Maybe not in the same ways—maybe he’s a harder worker, maybe she has no common sense. But, everyone here is pretty intelligent. So, what does that make you? Many of you have built your identities around being intelligent students with decent study skills. Over the next four years, you’re going to get the opportunity to discover other things about yourself. They might be extensions of what you already know—that you’re a jock, an actor, a charmer, a writer, a researcher, a politician. But for a great many of you, you’re going to discover new parts of your personality in this environment. So what can you do to make sure you get the most out of your college experience? 1) Take some risks. Now, I’m not saying you should make clearly idiotic mistakes: drinking copious amounts of alcohol with people you don’t know; trying to seduce your RA; not only skipping class, but also not copying notes, going to your professors’ office hours or doing any homework. But, try out for a play, even if you don’t know how. Talk to strangers. Flirt with that cute guy in Intro to Psych. Wash. U. may not be a huge school, but there are more than enough people and activities

to fill your next four years, if you put yourself out there. 2) Go to Cornerstone. Suck it up; everyone goes at least once. If you are having trouble in a class, or if you anticipate having any trouble in a class, the mentoring, group study, or PLTL sessions they have at Cornerstone will be invaluable. If you do really well in the class, sign up to be a mentor. Not only is it one of the best paying jobs on campus, it looks great on a resume. They also offer different seminars about time management and note taking, and while you might be scoffing to yourself—“Excuse me, I know how to take notes”— there will be many more activities pressing on your time now, and you might be inclined to cut academic corners. 3) Watch what you eat and go to the gym. If you go to the dining services’ Web site, you can look up the nutritional information of everything you eat. Those chicken tenders that you’re going to order at least twice a week? That’s right, they’ve got 800+ calories and hundreds of percentage points of your daily fat intake. You’ve heard about the Freshman 15. Go to the gym—even if you’ve never been inside a gym before. I promise, you’ll feel better afterward. Especially in the winter, when you unexpectedly find yourself SAD. 4) A bit of practical advice: don’t buy extra meal points. At the end of the year, half your floor will have way too many, and you can mooch off them. 5) Schedule an appointment at the Career Center. You might not want to think about it yet, but you’ll have to leave Wash. U. in another 4 years, and you won’t want to go home and eat ramen in the basement. 6) The most important thing to remember as an incoming freshman? DON’T

OVERLOAD YOURSELF. It’s a common impulse—you’ve been an overachiever your entire life, and you’re excited to have found so many activities and people to be passionate about. The thing is, semesters get harder as time goes on. What you think you’re juggling fine in September will start to bear down in late October, and come finals will be a crushing weight. Add on Murphy’s Law, and you will be more prone to getting the flu/ panic attacks/hospitalized

“Many of you have built your identities around being intelligent students with decent study skills. Over the next four years, you’re going to get the opportunity to discover other things about yourself.” for some random reason. Schedule time to relax. That’s it. Don’t come in with too many preconceptions about what you will find in college. Some of your expectations will come true, but you might be surprised with what sticks to you the most when you leave. The students and faculty here have been truly remarkable these last four years—don’t mess it up for us alums. Have fun, and good luck.

Pamela Ju graduated from the College of Arts & Sciences in 2008 and can be reached by e-mail at psju@artsci. wustl.edu.

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Senior Forum Editor / Jill Strominger / forum@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

ORIENTATION 2008

Tyler Peck Op-Ed Submission

ontrary to popular belief, Barack Obama is not the only one dreaming of change. But being a college student doesn’t magically change everything. Sure, the Quad is neatly landscaped, the floors are polished, and the Swamp is resodded—a few things have changed in preparation for the entrance of the Class of 2012. Don’t worry; the focus won’t be on you for too long. About two weeks from the first day of class, the first prospective students for next year’s class begin to visit.

“Get active in the things you want to be, ignore the temptation to avoid your desires so you don’t appear to be a total loser, and enjoy every minute of the experience. These times only come once.” There is so much hype surrounding your trip to college, that mystical place away from home where you can finally run your own life, without your parents nagging you to get out of bed before 2 p.m. on a Saturday. However, don’t be fooled by your anticipation and instinctual nervousness. These things too will become normal. There are of course the things happening on campus that only happen in college. You will stay up until 7 a.m., working on that paper, only

to then fall into bed and sleep through the class in which you were supposed to turn it in (personal freshman year experience). As time passes, though, you fall into the normal routine of “the college lifestyle.” And this will be the lifestyle of your choosing. It is a dream to think that Wash. U. will completely transform your ways of living, your old habits, or your entire personality. Sure, things will change, but only those things you allow. Wash. U. states that its mission for undergrads is “to prepare students with the attitudes, skills and habits of lifelong learning and with leadership skills, enabling them to be useful members of a global society.” Notice the lacking mandate of transformation. School is only here to “prepare” us. The way of college is one of self-determination. You will become what you make yourself to be. So, I extend to you the best welcoming advice that I can give: take full advantage of the opportunity to live your life as you want it. The architecture of a long-established university (Collegiate Gothic, according to our Web site) mocks the mission of change undertaken by the resident institution and its students. Appearances and landscaping are only parts of the hoax that tells us that we must fit into a college stereotype. Find your own unique freedom here, in spite of what preconceptions you may carry. There will possibly be moments that will terrify you, in which you can’t necessarily handle the new independence you’ve gained. But this freedom is what we’ve come to, what we’ve craved for so long that we get jittery inside thinking about it. Get active in the things you want to be, ignore the temptation to avoid your desires so that you don’t appear to be a total loser, and enjoy every minute

of the experience. These times only come once. Don’t anticipate an earth-shattering time if you intend to go about college life passively. Enjoy meeting new people, but don’t put pressure into it. The incredible thing about this place is that it is one of

multiple chances to make the necessary changes and to constantly reconsider yourself. But then again, this is the grand opportunity given to us every day of our lives. Make the most of each moment for no one but yourself. This is not about impressing

anyone, but all about getting the most out of everything. So here’s to Ulysses and drinking life to the lees.

Tyler Peck is a senior in Arts & Sciences and can be reached by e-mail at tylerpeck@wustl.edu.

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Senior Forum Editor / Jill Strominger / forum@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

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What you really need to know: what to eat

can tell you right now, this is not a “Dear Abbey” column. I can’t tell you how to study for midterms or pull off great essays at the last minute. My suggestions will be about some fine eateries in the vicinity of Washington University Aditya in St. Louis (much more interesting than how to study for General Chemistry!). Right off the bat, you will figure out that there are only so many times you can eat at Bear’s Den and realize

that you need to eat something that does not have “Bon Appetit” all over it (no offense to the wonderful catering service). That being said you will stagger to the Loop and see an oasis. I’m not gonna list every restaurant, but a few that fill Sarvesh your stomach yet don’t empty your wallet are Chipotle, Qdoba, St. Louis Bread Co., Fitz’s and other local delis and eateries. After you look past the Loop, the area near the medical school also has some good places to fill

up your tank: India’s Rasoi (great buffet), Panera again, The Drunken Fish and other good delis. Finally, Downtown Clayton and Brentwood have stylish and higher scale restaurants for you and your friends to enjoy after a hard week of studying (or partying!). Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Macaroni Grill, Wasabi and other nice sitdown places. If you don’t want to go out to eat, there are many choices for delivery. Many Asian restaurants deliver, and some trusty pizza places are Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Racanelli’s, Pointers and Dominos (Jimmy John’s

delivers subs). There might be some issues with getting them to deliver to your dorm, but believe me; the wait is usually worth it. Going back on campus, there are many places to eat as well: The Danforth University Center, Subway, Whisper’s Café, Holmes Lounge and the Village. The Village usually has good food, and even though it might be far away for you freshmen, it is still worth it to go all the way across campus (the weekend brunch is especially delicious). The Danforth University Center will have several breakfast options and Subway and Hol-

mes Lounge have good lunch menus. On the 40, there is Center Court (above Bear’s Den), which is a buffet-style cafeteria where you will most likely visit during your floor dinners. Last, but not least, one cannot forget Bear Mart, the mini grocery store that can save your life with frozen dinners, noodles and good ol’ junk food. Though, if you’re not careful, you might blow through your meal points too quickly or gain the “freshman 15.” Going off campus is not too difficult with the wonderful Metro transportation system. The Metro trains take you to the local mall,

the Galleria (where there are more restaurants), the medical school and the airport. The buses take you to the Loop, Schnucks and other places. You shouldn’t feel boxed in; there are many ways and places to explore St. Louis. I hope this gives you a sneak peek of what there is to eat at Wash. U. However, there are good places to eat on and off campus, but it’s always great to go home and enjoy home cooked meals!

Aditya Sarvesh is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences and can be reached by e-mail at forum@studlife.com.

Surviving the sciences Neha Tibrewala Op-Ed Submission

’m sure you will hear the horror stories about General Chemistry when you arrive on campus, if you haven’t already. The first day of class may be a little bit intimidating. You’ll probably be in a different academic environment than anything you’ve experienced in high school. Imagine a lecture hall filled with over 300 nervous freshmen, all of whom are thinking about how this one class could doom their GPA as well as any chance of getting into medical school. The tales of the tricky exams, low means and large percentages of students that drop the science curriculum are a little less than encouraging. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the science classes at Washington University are not impossible, no matter what anybody tells you. They can be challenging and time-consuming, but there are ways to survive and even succeed. Here are a few tips to help you strengthen your performance and ease your nerves: 1) Stay on top of the mate-

rial. I know this sounds cliché and a little like common sense, but it really is the best way to do well in challenging courses. If you study for an hour or two for the class every day, when exam time comes, you’ll have to thoroughly review the topics that you’ve already learned rather than learning the material for the first time. You’ll have time to focus on details that may be unclear rather than panicking to cram an entire month’s worth of material into a single weekend. Unless you are lucky enough to be great at cramming, you probably won’t be able to master the material at more than a surface level if you procrastinate too much. 2) Go to class. This doesn’t sound like anything too profound, but large lecture classes are taped and put online. It is very tempting to sleep through the 10 a.m. lecture class and tell yourself that you will watch the streaming video in your dorm room later. This is a bad cycle to get into, because you will suddenly realize that it is 4 days before the test, and you have 11 lectures to watch. Watching that many lectures while trying to understand all of the material is a huge

task, especially when you also have to worry about four other classes. Don’t be pulling your hair out the night before the exam when you still have to watch five lectures. Use the streaming videos to review sections that you don’t understand or for days that you legitimately have to miss. 3) Attend help sessions. These sessions are a great way to have the material reinforced and presented in different ways. It is also helpful to hear the questions of other students because the answers may help clarify some of the topics that were confusing or may be a more in-depth explanation of a topic that was glazed over in class. Help sessions are also a great way to get to know professors and T.A.’s because you have the opportunity to interact with them in a smaller setting. 4) Find a group of people who you enjoy studying with. It is frustrating that you may have to study for an exam on a Friday night, but it makes it a lot easier if you have people you can study with. A lot of my best friends in college are the people I have studied with for the past three years. The shared agony of the long

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nights studying for science classes builds great camaraderie. Studying together will also help you learn the material because explaining a concept to a classmate will help you solidify your understanding of the subject. Likewise, if a

“One thing to keep in mind though, is that the science classes at Washington University are not impossible, no matter what anybody tells you.” friend teaches you something you are confused about, you are gaining knowledge there as well. 5) Use the academic resources that are provided to you by the University. Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) and Academic Mentoring through

Cornerstone are great resources for classes in math and science. PLTL is a two-hour session where you do problems with about eight other students and which is facilitated by a peer leader who has taken the class. This program is very helpful, because it gives you a consistent time of the week where you know you will work problems for a specific subject. I know it helped me a lot because I learned a lot of key points from my peers that I had somehow missed in class. 6) Relax and be confident. Panicking during an exam can be the kiss of death. The exams in science classes will be very different from high school exams, and when you are taking an exam, you must remember that there is a curve. In high school, you probably knew 80 percent of the answers to an exam for sure, could take educated guesses on another 15 and maybe have to take a leap of faith for the other 5 percent. On college exams, material is presented in novel ways (“alternate universe” will become one of your least favorite phrases soon) and because of the nature of the exam, you may only be sure about 40 percent

of the exam and feel like you are making up things for the other 60. In high school that is definitely a failing grade, but in college, it usually isn’t. The exams are designed so you really have to think and you may feel unsure about your own method. Remember that you are not alone. If you studied hard and feel like you know the material, trust your intuition about the new scenarios that may be presented to you. Don’t get discouraged by the exam and give up because you are unsure of large chunks. The sciences classes aren’t out to get you or to ruin your GPA. They are structured to challenge you and make you think on your feet with material that you have learned. Don’t think too much about how your grade in your biology class is going to determine the rest of your life, because really, it won’t. Just remember to pace yourself, and to have fun every now and then. Good luck and welcome to Wash. U.!

Neha Tibrewala is a senior in Arts & Sciences and Student Union Vice President of Public Relations. She can be reached by e-mail at pr@su.wustl.edu.

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ORIENTATION 2008

SPORTS

Senior Sports Editor / Josh Goldman / sports@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

section

Men’s tennis nets national title By Joshua Goldman Senior Sports Editor On May 15, the Washington University men’s tennis team captured its first national championship after defeating Emory University 5-3 in Lewiston, Maine. The Golden Eagles suffered their second consecutive loss in the championship match while Wash. U. won the title in its first appearance in the title match. The Bears also avenged a loss to Emory in the UAA Championships final on April 27. “We realized when last season was over that we would have a chance at the national championship this year. We had everyone returning from a team that made a run to the Elite Eight and recruits that we knew would help the team…We knew we’d be competing at the end of the year,” junior Chris Hoeland said. Wash. U. jumped out to an early lead after doubles play, as the 18th ranked doubles team of juniors Charlie Cutler and Chris Hoeland won at first doubles 8-4, overcoming a 0-4 deficit. Sophomore John Watts and junior Nirmal Choradia win by the same margin at second doubles. The freshman duo of Isaac Stein and Max Woods fell 5-8 at third doubles to give Wash. U. a 2-1 lead heading into singles play. Stein started singles play nicely for the Red and Green with a 6-3, 6-2 win at sixth singles to give the Bears a 3-1 lead in the race to five. Emory then evened the match with a 3-6, 46 win over Woods at fourth singles and a 6-4, 6-3 win by No. 20 Michael Goodwin over topranked Watts at first singles. Wash. U. stormed back to take a 4-3 lead after Hoeland captured fifth singles with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 come from behind win

while second and third singles were still early in the final set. Sophomore Danny Levy clinched the win for Wash. U. with a come from behind win at third singles, taking the match 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. “After my match finished, before I could even shake my opponents hand, I got mobbed by all of my teammates who ran out onto the court into a huge pile, and we started the celebration. I don’t think any of us had ever been nearly that excited before for any reason, so it was one of the best experiences and feelings of our lives,” Levy said. “I was just like ‘Oh my god, we won, we did it!’ I couldn’t believe it. I mean, I could, but it was just like finally, all of this hard work has paid off. It was amazing,” Hoeland added. The march to the title match began on campus for the fifth ranked Bears, and the team easily defeated Grinnell College and DePauw University 5-1 and 6-0 to advance to the Elite Eight on the campus of Bates College. In the Elite Eight, the Red and Green defeated No. 6 Gustavus Adolphus College 5-0 before winning for the second time this season against second ranked Claremont-MuddScripps 5-1. Despite the magnitude of the NCAA tournament, the team stayed relatively loose throughout. “We all have a great time hanging out with each other, so staying loose wasn’t a problem in Maine. Yet, at the same time, we were all aware of the gravity of the moment, and come match time, everybody took their responsibilities very seriously, and we managed to compete with a great deal of focus every match,” co-captain Mark Partridge said. Not only was the team ec-

static to win the title, but the entire Washington University community was thrilled to have taken down Emory, the school’s biggest rival, though tensions between the two universities have subsided in recent years. “It truly does. And it goes beyond us [this team]. Emory has had our number since we joined the UAA Conference in the late 80s. They have won conference ever single year on the women’s side and all but once on the men. Countless WU affiliates have congratulated our team on not only winning NCAA’s but also taking down a program rich in tennis history. It has been awesome telling the non-fiction tale time and time again of our run to the NCAA tournament title to our WU tennis alumni that have called or e-mailed us,” Head Coach Roger Follmer said on defeating Emory. “We wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. We have a strong rivalry with that team, and with our contentious history, it was great to win a national title over them,” Hoeland added. The team concluded a dominant year by Washington University athletics, a year that saw the volleyball team win its ninth national title and the men’s basketball and tennis teams bring home their first national championships, also the first and second by a male team at Wash. U. These titles, as well as NCAA tournament berths by both soccer teams, the women’s basketball, softball, track and field and tennis teams and a strong showing by both swimming and diving teams at the NCAA Championships have thrust Wash. U. to the top of the Director’s Cup standings. Wash. U. scored 899 points to take second, which is the highest finish in school history.

DOOVY HAN | STUDENT LIFE

Rising junior John Watts serving during a match on April 15. On May 15, the men’s tennis team captured its first national championship against Emory.

Softball falls at regionals Johann Qua Hiansen Sports Editor The postseason appearance of Washington University’s softball came to a screeching halt as DePauw University and Coe College shut them out. The Red and Green (25-15) came into the NCAA Tournament after edging No.1 DePauw 1-0 in its regular season finale. The victory on a sunny day in May ended the Tiger’s 37-game winning streak.

Wash. U., the 2008 UAA Conference Champion, was given a low seed in the Midwest Regional. “Coming off of last year’s season, no one knew what to expect from this team who had lost such a big part of their line-up,” freshman pitcher Claire Voris said. “But, I think this little group of 13 really surprised some people.” The Bears had another closely contested game against Tri State University

in the first round. Junior Kerry Kreitman hit the game winning RBI to score senior Karli Stander in the top of the third. The Bears put together three straight singles and capitalized on a fielding error to win the game. Freshman Claire Voris excelled in the pitcher’s circle, striking out eight. The double elimination tournament brought the Bears face to face with the Tigers of DePauw in the second

STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

WU engineer enters NBA draft

game. The offense was unable to strike at crucial moments, and Wash. U. fell 5-0 despite stranding nine runners throughout the game. “We would get a lead off single or double almost every inning, but we couldn’t get those key hits to score runs,” co-captain and junior Lindsay Cavarra said. DePauw struck fast with three runs in the second off

See SOFTBALL, page B2

COURTESY OF ZACH FEINSTEIN

Senior Zach Feinstein goes up for a dunk. Feinstein, an engineering student, entered the NBA draft this summer. Johann Qua Hiansen SPORTS EDITOR

DOOVY HAN | STUDENT LIFE

Kaylyn Eash, who graduated in 2008, recorded a 16-8 win against Webster University on Satudary, Apr. 26. The softball team lost in the NCAA Division III tournament after winning the UAA Conference Championships; the loss ended a 37-game winning streak.

Senior Zach Feinstein doesn’t fit the image of a professional NBA player, but he’s officially part of the 2008 National Basketball Association draft. The 5-foot-8-inch, 130 pound, applied mathematics and systems engineering major wasn’t part of the 2008 Division III men’s basketball national championship team. Feinstein hasn’t even played organized basketball since third grade. But he filled out the appropriate forms and can be picked up by any NBA team, including the New York Knicks. To be eligible, Feinstein needed to be at least 19 and one NBA season had to have passed since his high school graduation. The senior also had to express his desire to enter the draft in writing at least 60 days before the draft to the NBA. “All included, it probably cost me at most $10 to do all of this, and that is because I used Hi-Tec Copy to fax the forms,” Feinstein said. Feinstein, who is the webmaster of Washington University’s Intramural Sports website, took the process one step further by creating a site that explains the draft process and provides his qualifications and stats. The most common reaction to the news is either laughter or disbelief. “My parents

think it is hilarious,” Feinstein said. “They never expected me to be famous because of sports.” Senior Dan Braunstein suggested that Zach declare for the draft in 2007. “I just happened to suggest it to the one person with the foresight and wherewithal to create a humorous website chronicling the process,” Braunstein said. “Add that to his blissful ignorance of what he was getting into, and you have the Internet sensation that was Zach Feinstein.” Feinstein’s website, draftfeinstein.com, has been visited hundreds of times, and a Facebook group supporting his efforts has over 500 members. His key stats include “Assists: I work alone,” “Steal: Like a Times Square Rolex,” “BLK-WHTE,” “Game-got none and “Rebound: Only to get over Sarah.” According to Feinstein, the information was a group effort with several close friends who completed the statistics after much brainstorming. “I can’t choose a favorite, but I have gotten the best reactions over the Rebounding statistic,” Feinstein said. “That is still too painful to talk about at this time, though if Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) from the movie wants to give me a call, I would be all for that.”

See FEINSTEIN, page B2

B2 STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

Colors : Red & Green Division : NCAA Division III Conference: UAA (University Athletic Association) Varsity Sports : 15 (baseball, men’s basketball,

women’s basketball, cross country, football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, track & field, volleyball and women’s golf)

NCAA National Championships : 15 (Volleyball (9), Women’s Basketball (4), Men’s Basketball (1), Men’s Tennis (1) 2007-2008 National Championships : 3 (Volleyball, Men’s Basketball, Men’s Tennis)

UAA Championships: 124 Club Sports: 32 (badminton, baseball, crew, cy-

cling, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse (M), lacrosse(W), racquetball, rock climbing, roller hockey, rugby (M), rugby (W), running, sailing, soccer (M), soccer (W), softball, table tennis, tae kwon do, tennis, ultimate Frisbee (M), ultimate Frisbee (W), volleyball (M), volleyball (W), water polo (M), water polo (W), wrestling (M))

Intramurals:Kickball, Field Goal Kicking, Ulti-

mate Frisbee, Volleyball, Football, Soccer, Badminton, Tennis,Racquetball, Billiards, Card Night, Golf, Arm Wrestling, 3-Point Shooting, Table Tennis, Basketball, Water Polo, Swimming, Sports Trivia Bowl, Track & Field, Home Run Derby, Cross Country

Notable Fan/Support Groups: Red Alert, Cheerleading, Jive Dance Team, Phi Delta Theta Bomb Squad

Competition 101: The truth

about IM and club sports By Trisha Wolf Managing Editor If you love the thrill of competition but are not quite ready for varsity action, check out Washington University’s club and intramural sports scene. With 40 IM events and over 30 club teams, it is very easy to find an athletic niche. There are several ways to become involved in IM sports. Freshmen floors often form co-ed teams— though make sure to sign up early for the more popular sports like ultimate Frisbee. Fraternities, which freshmen can join after a semester, participate in the hugely popular points league while sororities also have a league

of their own. Friends also can easily establish their own teams. IM sports have a very loyal following. Eliana Hurwich-Reiss, who graduated in 2008, participated in four different IM sports annually. “You get to meet new people and do something that you love with friends,” she said. IM sports can be far more out of the box than soccer and flag football. They also feature unique events like innertube water polo, arm wrestling and euchre. Students can also be trained as officials for the various competitions, positions which generally either pay or contribute to points in the points league. Club sports provide a dif-

ferent type of competitive atmosphere. Many teams compete on an intercollegiate level, against schools ranging from Division I to Division III. Some of the teams have particularly strong records. Men’s roller hockey makes regular appearances at nationals as does women’s volleyball. The Sports Club Federation serves as the governing body for most of Wash. U.’s club sports. “One thing that I like about Wash. U. is that you do not have to be a varsity athlete to be an athlete,” SCF president Hannah Cowan said. “SCF is not only run of the mill sports like baseball, soccer and volleyball, but sports like rock climbing and sailing.”

SOFTBALL v FROM PAGE B1 a fielding error. The Tigers finished off the Bears with two doubles to score two runs in the fifth. Wash. U. had one last chance to stay in the tournament, but Coe College prevented the Bear’s offensive machine from getting ignited. With only three hits, the Red and Green could not overcome Coe’s early lead. Coe started to pull away by taking advantage of two Wash. U. errors in the bottom of the second to score

two. The Kohawks added another run in the third before putting the game out of reach with a four run sixth inning that spelled doom for the Bears. Wash. U. fell 7-0 to take sixth in the Midwest Regional. For seniors Karli Stander, Kaylyn Eash, Amy Vukovich, Krista Swip and Laura D’Andrea, this was their last time on the field in their collegiate career. D’Andrea had a single in her last collegiate at bat, but the team

was unable to rally in the seventh. “This season was one of my favorites because of how close our team was, and it will be hard replacing our five graduating seniors,“ Cavarra said. Next year will see the return of eight veterans. “I look forward to what I know we will accomplish in the future,” Voris said. “The outcome this season will only serve as motivation for next year.”

Dining services Dining Services at Washington University in St. Louis offers diners convenience and healthy food choices in 18 locations around campus. Each location offers slightly different food choices and ambiance to appeal to a wide range of tastes and preferences. Bon Appétit Management Company proudly serves the campus community at Washington University in St. Louis by providing café, an all you can eat option, and catering services. Bon Appétit brings restaurant-style dining to our campus – the kind of atmosphere you would go out of your way to find and enjoy. Bon Appétit adheres strictly to the following principles for food preparation and service:

Everything that you eat is freshly prepared that day, cooked from scratch using fresh, authentic ingredients. We offer vegetarian entrees and healthful nutritional choices at every meal. We customize our menus for every campus to ensure that we meet the needs and preferences of the local student body. We use healthy cooking techniques – such as poaching, broiling, and steaming – to maintain the flavor and nutritional value of food. When available, we purchase our seafood fresh and in accordance with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s guidelines for sustainable seafood. We purchase from local farmers and artisan bakers whenever possible. We use olive oil and canola oil for salad dressings and frying that are free of transfatty acids.

Washington University in St.Louis

Our kitchen. Our kitchen philosophy is simple. We cook from scratch using fresh, authentic ingredients. We start with food in its simplest, most natural form. We purchase local and seasonal products. We make our food alive with flavor and nutrition. Our freezers are small and our intention to serve great food is big.

We care about our guests. We care about what they like and we care about their health. Fresh ingredients used in our kitchens are complemented with cooking techniques that preserve nutrition and produce healthy dishes. We thrive on diversity. Our ethnic programs were crafted using “hands on” research with real people in real kitchens. The flavors are real and they are authentic.

diningservices.wustl.edu 314.935.7098

There will be an opportunity during orientation to learn all about the various club sports teams on campus. Sign up for as many as you think you might be interested in; many teams love to teach newcomers and the vast majority do not cut. Recreational sports very much have their place at Wash. U. “IM sports are one of my fondest memories of Wash. U.,” Hurwich-Reiss said. “I wish I could play them out of college.” For more information about IM sports, go to http:// intramuralsports.wustl.edu. For more information about club sports, go to http://scf. wustl.edu.

FEINSTEIN v FROM PAGE B1 Multiple media outlets including NBC Sports, the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch and ESPN.com have written about Feinstein’s story. “The attention and positive support that Zach has received has gone far beyond what we ever could have imagined,” Braunstein said. “In a way, I feel bad for the other fifteen kids who went through with declaring as an ‘unknown individual.’ To his credit, Zach and his website have made it seem like he was the only one.” Feinstein boasts many skills including a vast knowledge of basketball trivia, a team oriented attitude and strong work ethic. Feinstein is also more than willing to take the minimum salary to aid a team’s salary cap. “It’s been a long time coming,” second year law student and close friend Joel Volotzky said. “His mental game was always there, but I think he had doubts if his physical game could match up. What you’re seeing now is a complete player, ready to enter the league.” Feinstein will be researching structural dynamics in China this summer when the draft occurs in Madison Square Garden on June 26. “If I get picked I would definitely go. I would happily be paid to sit on the bench for 82 games,” Feinstein said. “You can’t get better seats than that.”

see the section C insert or E-MAIL editor@studlife.com

MASCOT: Bears

ORIENTATION 2008

WANT TO LIVE THE STUDLIFE?

Just the Facts About Wash. U. Sports

Senior Sports Editor / Josh Goldman / sports@studlife.com

Sports in St. Louis Senior Sports Editor / Josh Goldman / sports@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

By Joshua Goldman Senior Sports Editor

St. Louis Blues’ David Backes (center) turns to credit a teammate after he scored on a power play in the first period against the Edmonton Oilers at the Scottrade Center.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Lohse pitches in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, Thursday, May 29, 2008.

Hockey

Baseball

Football

Though in the lower echelon of teams now, the St. Louis Blues have been around since 1967 and were competitors for the Stanley Cup throughout much of the eighties and nineties. Tickets are easily obtainable, even for games against Western Conference powerhouses.

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the original professional baseball teams, though they debuted as the St. Louis Stockings. The Cards are second only to the Yankees in World Series won with 10, the last coming in 2006. Though the team has left the original Busch Stadium for a newer version of the namesake, the new stadium is still a sight to see. hough not as notorious as New More open than its predecessor, the new stadium offers all of York, Chicago, or Los Angeles, the modern amenities and is still a great place to watch a baseball St. Louis is a sports city. With game. The Cardinals also feature one successful professional teams in of the best players in the game, Albert Pujols, a career .333 hitter three of the four major U.S. sports, St. Louis who has hit as many as 49 home runs in a single season. Rick is a great city for the sport enthusiast to Ankiel, the pitcher turned outfielder and feel-good story of the spend his or her college years. Here is what past year and a half, also patrols center field for the Cardinals. St. Louis has to offer aside from WashingThough the fans are always loud, Cubs-Cardinals games carry ton University athletics. added significance with the huge rivalry between the two teams.

M AR LB OR OU GH

Need to Make a Move?

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson dives across the goal line after eluding Pittsburgh Steelers defensive backs Tyrone Carter (23) and Ike Taylor (right) during game action at the Edward Jones Dome.

Though they only moved to St. Louis in 1995, the Rams are beloved by the city, though they are currently struggling to compete with the elite in the NFL. The team brought home its only Superbowl in 1999 with Kurt Warner as the quarterback. Now the team is led by Marc Bulger, one of the best passers in the league. His main target, Tori Holt, is a sure-fire hall-of -famer whose speed makes every pass play exciting. Even though the team is struggling, the Edwards Jones Dome is always packed since the Rams play only eight home games a year. They host the Superbowl Champion New York Giants in week two of the 2008 season, a game sure to be packed with excitement.

College Basketball

With the hiring to Rick Majerus to begin the 2007-2008 campaign, the Saint Louis University Billikens competed for the Atlantic 10 conference title for a good part of last season and promise to do the same this year. Majerus led Utah to the national championship game, as well as an Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen appearance. A coach willing to speak his mind, his presence is felt wherever he goes. The 2009 Women’s Final Four will be held in St. Louis, so for all of those UConn, Tennessee, Rutgers, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina and LSU fans, you will have a good chance to see your team compete for the title.

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B4 STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA

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ORIENTATION 2008

Venue

The Guide 2008 The Tivoli

Located right on the Loop, built in 1924, this theater, with three viewing screens, mostly shows foreign and independent films. The theater is a nice walk from campus, and with all the restaurants on the Loop, you can get dinner before the movie, or Ben and Jerryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s after. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re walking coming from campus, just take a right at Blueberry Hill. To check tickets and showtimes online: http://www. landmarktheatres.com/Market/St.Louis/St.Louis_Frameset.htm.

Did you somehow find time between Calculus

and Chief English Writers to watch TV and catch a good preview? Read that the new Will Ferrell movie was actually funny again? Heard that your favorite obscure indie band was coming to the Pageant, but have no idea what that means? Here is your guide to movies and music venues around St. Louisâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all of which you can get to without the use of a car. Walk or take St. Louisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fine public transportation (free, thanks to your magical UPass) which Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found can often be just as entertaining as your destination.

MovieVenues The Esquire

The Esquire is also a short walk from campus, located on the corner of Clayton Road and Big Bend, right by St. Louis Bread Co. (also known as Panera). This is my least favorite movie theater in St. Louis, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m obligated to inform you of its existence. The Esquire shows more recent, mainstream films.

SAM GUZIK | STUDENT LIFE

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By Cadenza Staff

The Galleria 6

Conveniently located downstairs by the food court in the St. Louis Galleria, which is right off the Brentwood stop on the MetroLink. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t used to paying less than $10 for a movie after 6 p.m. but here students pay $6 all the time. The theaters are average sized and the seats recline. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re afraid your movie is going to be sold out, you can just get there early because remember, you are in a mall. My biggest complaint is that there is no trivia before the movie starts, but instead, you get advertisements to buy wine and beer at the concession stand, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty fair trade-off.

Senior Cadenza Editor / Cecilia Razak / cadenza@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA

The Venue Guide 2008 (continued) Chase Park Plaza Cinemas

My favorite movie theater, located in the hip niche of St. Louis known as the Central West End. My friends and I usually go to the movies and then get dessert and coffee at a quirky café. The five theaters themselves are cozy and adorable with ornate hand-painted walls. There is stadium seating, the seats recline. If you’re lucky, you will get to listen to the manager as he doubles as organ player before the movie starts, and when you leave, they give you candy. To get to the Chase Park Plaza take the metro to the Central West End stop, taking a right out of the station. Walk about four blocks and take a right on Lindell Blvd.

The Moolah—“St. Louis’ largest living room”

The Moolah is an amazingly weird place. It is literally a large living room with couches set up sporadically in front of a huge projection screen (there are actual seats too, but the couches are why you go to the Moolah). The theater shows mainstream movies during the day. But, the best movies are those shown at midnight. They are usually offbeat films like The Warriors and Labyrinth. To get to the Moolah, you can walk a little more than a mile from the Central West End Stop. Just take a left on Lindell and you’ll eventually reach the theater. Or, you can take the WUSTL Gold bus from Mallinckrodt (or the DUC) to the Central West End bus station. Then take Metro Bus Routes 92 or 93 from the station and get off at Vandeventer. It’s kind of a pain to get there, but it’s worth it every once and a while. The Metro Train and Bus routes and timetables can be found at http://www.metrostlouis.org.

The Pageant

The Pageant can be found on the Loop. Just take a left when you get to Blueberry Hill, and keep walking (it’s past the Tivoli). It’s a pretty small venue, ticket prices are reasonable and most shows are general admission. This is to your advantage because you feel really close to the stage no matter where you are standing, and you can usually see everything going on stage. The Pageant usually scores some pretty big acts too. There are tables and other seating if you’re over 21. To see who’s coming to The Pageant, you can check out http://www.thepageant.com/calendar.html.

The Gargoyle

The student-run Gargoyle is conveniently located in the lower level of Mallinckrodt. What’s great is the tickets are almost always free with your Wash. U. ID and they bring in both local and national acts. Last year, the Gargoyle hosted Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Cascada, Girl Talk and Stars, among others.

Music Venues

Saint Louis University’s Billiken Club

Essentially SLU’s Gargoyle equivalent, the Billiken Club is on the bottom floor of SLU’s Busch Student Center. It’s about a ten-minute walk from the Grand stop off the MetroLink. In the past, they’ve had acts like British Sea Power, Dan Deacon and The Mountain Goats. You can find upcoming acts at http://thebillikenclub.wordpress.com.

SAM GUZIK | STUDENT LIFE

B6 STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA

CADEN Z A

Senior Cadenza Editor / Cecilia Razak / cadenza@studlife.com

The importance of lic than gore, these moments would be deemed unsafe for children; more stringent ratings would be placed on those movies about love than those about killing your fellow man. Almost no films would be directed by women. Sometimes a movie would be made for the sole purpose of carrying a star, an actor with a high Q whose presence in the film is calculated deliberately to raise their status and income. These films would be shameless in their lack of artistic value, and vehicular in their lack of any other function. Without critics, the need for talented writers would fall by the wayside. Ask yourself why television executives would pay that crack team of English majors when they could simply allow beautiful people to strut and fret their unscripted fifteen minutes on the stage. Programming would turn into a televised wasteland where contestants on game, dating, and reality shows would rule the world. Some of them would garner coveted movie roles in star vehicles. Music would be written for one-month, non-stop runs on radio stations, and would be sung by not-yet-fallen Disney stars or long-ago-fallen rappers who have remixed those Disney songs. Singles would triumph over cohesive albums, and the same three-chord progression would be inescapable. Without reviewers, books would be almost unheard of, and conspiracy-driven novels about the Catholic church

By CECILIA RAZAK SENIOR CADENZA EDITOR It’s easy to forget how important a disparaging voice can be. Without the snarl of incredulous criticism, we might skip through life listening happily to Duran Duran or enjoying the occasional Uwe Bol film. No, it’s lucky you’ve got us, your faultfinding and unsympathetic critics here at Cadenza. Our mission statement is simple: no judgment is too judgmental and all criticism should be critical. These days things seem so light-hearted; summer blockbusters slip by unreprimanded and over-attended, prime-time programming escapes ungrazed by critics’ hands, music by artists almost everyone has heard of is listened to by millions. It’s a dangerous, lowest-common denominator world we live in, and too often we go through our day without being reminded of it. Imagine what life would be like without people informing you of your opinion. It’s a scary thought, I know, but join me in a foray into a world without criticism. In this world, films would come out with no plot or reason. They would be created for shock value and designed to fit around as many explosions as cinematically possible. They would sock the maximum amount of violence into each frame, supplemented by fleeting frontal nudity. Since sex would be so much more dangerous to the pub-

ORIENTATION 2008

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

arts & entertainment

criticism

STUDENT LIFE ARCHIVES

Students chill out in the main room at campus radio station KWUR, another campus bastion of anti-authoritarian criticism. would rule the best-seller’s list. Self-help books would be ubiquitous, and the only way to navigate them would be to purchase a self-help book about doing so. Cliffs notes would outsell their source material. Peeredited websites would become

most people's primary source of information. The New York Times would be half as long, pundits would jabber incomprehensibly, politicians would get away with lord knows what, and the world would descend into chaos. With-

out criticism there would be nowhere to turn, no safe haven or voice of reason to temper the insanity and the bloodthirsty advertising. No one would speak out against the dull or up for the little guy making art in his garage.

Yes, it’s a dangerous, frightening world we’ve invented here. Thank your lucky stars it’s a fantasy, and tune in to Cadenza three times a week to make sure it stays that way. Because what’s entertainment without that sweet taste of disdain?

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Visit us online: www.wubearnecessities.com Conveniently located close to your dorm in Wohl Center between Bear’s Den and mailboxes .(314) 935-5071 Parents: Order birthday cakes, balloon bouquets, WU plush animals and gifts for your student’s special day! This shop is operated by the Women’s Society of Washington University. All proceeds from our store fund the Elizabeth Gray Danforth Scholarship Endowment.

ORIENTATION 2008

SCENE

Senior Scene Editor / Michelle Stein / scene@studlife.com

Wash. U.

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

y r a n o i t Dic

ollege is a completely new experience, full of new people, responsibilities, and, perhaps unexpectedly, a new vocabulary. When arriving on campus for the first time, it is not unusual for freshmen to encounter words or phrases that they just don’t understand. So when you’re caught wondering if that word is even in the English language, don’t feel too bad – it probably isn’t. Slowly but surely new students always catch on to the Washington University in St. Louis way of speaking. For example, I had never heard the word “sketchy” before I came to Wash U. Three years later, I am perfectly comfortable with calling a situation “quite sketch.” Some words, like “sketchy,” are not specific to Wash. U. Other phrases like “the clock stick” may give freshmen a bit more trouble. In cases of verbal confusion, refer to this handy guide or upper-classmen to help decode the language of Wash. U. Fro Yo - The shortened form of frozen yogurt.

by MICHELLE STEIN SENIOR SCENE EDITOR

Specifically, it refers to the frozen yogurt available to students at Bear Mart inside the Wohl Student Center. Don’t be alarmed if your roommate disappears at 12:55 a.m. for a “Fro Yo run” right before they close. In fact, you should try it some time. **Warning: Beware of the abbreviation, or “abbrevs”. The Wash. U. student body rarely says the full name of anything, be it “Poli Sci” rather than Political Science, or “awk” instead of awkward.

Floorcest - Floorcest is, quite simply, hooking up with, dating, or otherwise

ruining the platonic nature of a relationship you have with someone on your floor. Most upperclassmen will tell you that this is a bad idea and you should really trust them because chances are they know from experience. Your R.A.’s, or Residential Advisors—yet another abbreviation—will probably bring this up in one of your first meetings. Dormcest, a less serious offense involving inter-dorm See DICTIONARY, page 11

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B8 STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

Senior Scene Editor / Michelle Stein / scene@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

Pearls of Wisdom

Advice from our staffâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from their freshman year to yours.

Your favorite study spot(s) on campus: The library. It almost feels like it was designed for it. Cecilia Razak, Senior Cadenza Editor

from the Student Life staff

Three random things you never thought youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d need but you should bring to campus:

Having a roommate: how to make the most of living with someone youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never met before:

An umbrella. Not for the rain, though thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of unpredictable weather, but because thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no ice-breaker like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;here, you can stand under my umbrella,ella,ella.â&#x20AC;? Jill Strominger, Senior Forum Editor

The music practice room in Dardick Hall or the Business School library. Lucy Moore, Senior Photo Editor

A stapler. Indu Chandrasekhar, Associate Editor A 25 foot ethernet cord, Apples to Apples and lots of costume stuff. Trisha Wolf, Managing Editor

The East Asian Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quiet, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got good lighting and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good location. Michael Hirshorn, Graphics Editor

Eliminate awkwardness quickly by acting the exact same way you would with your home friends. You may be more similar to your roommate than youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d initially think. Also, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do it in an obnoxious way, but speak up when he/she does something that bothers you or you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live with. Otherwise, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be annoyed with it for the whole year, and your relationship will probably become strained. Alyssa Anzalone-Newman, Designer Never short-sheet their bed. It shows a lack of imagination and there are so many, more painful, retaliations. Cecilia Razak, Senior Cadenza Editor Always offer up your food, even if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to share. Nadia Sobehart, Cadenza Reporter

My favorite freshman memory:

What I wish I had done/not done my freshman year:

Convocation. It reminded me of high school and began college. Dennis Sweeney, Design Chief

I wish Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d taken Introduction to Psychology. I heard the class was really hard and there was some Cornerstone class on how to not fail psychology, so I had this weird idea that the class was ridiculously difficult, which was not at all true. My fear delayed my exploration of the entire major for a year and a half. Jill Strominger, Senior Forum Editor

Looking back at the end of the year and seeing how far I had come. Indu Chandrasekhar, Associate Editor Being chased around my dorm by a friend dressed as a pineapple. Sam Guzik, Editor in Chief

I really wish I had gotten off campus more often freshman year. Everyone makes excuses because we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have access to cars, but that really isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a reason to stay in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wash. U. Bubble.â&#x20AC;? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually a lot to do in St. Louis, and I really wish I had taken better advantage of all the good restaurants nearby (even though the food on campus is pretty good). Alyssa Anzalone-Newman, Designer I wish I had put a little less energy into school and more into activities and relationships, had worn stranger clothes and had eaten different food. Dennis Sweeny, Design Chief

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Senior Scene Editor / Michelle Stein / scene@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

How to make new friends:

Your favorite campus food and where to get it: Flank Steak on Fridays (usually) at Holmes Lounge. Get it with BBQ sauce. Brian Krigsher, Copy Chief

It can take time to find your niche. Your freshmen floormates might not be your best friends even though you will probably inseparable at first. I know I made my best friends at school when I really stopped trying. As corny as it sounds, just be yourself. Trisha Wolf, Managing Editor

Fun ways to break the bubble without a car:

An iced chai tea from whispers is a perfect study companion. Jill Strominger, Senior Forum Editor

Take the metro...it’s free! Michael Hirshorn, Graphics Editor

Grilled chicken sandwich at Bear’s Den. Might take a while but definitely worth it. Johann Qua Hiansen, Sports Editor

Wear strange clothes. Dennis Sweeney, Design Chief

Go on really, really long runs. Dennis Sweeny, Design Chief

Be willing to take the first step and start a conversation. Even if you’re not used to being so outgoing, fake it. Sam Guzik, Editor in Chief

Take advantage of the WeCars, Enterprise’s car sharing program on campus, to go to that cool gallery opening you heard about. Trisha Wolf, Managing Editor

What I learned my first week of college life: No one tells you what you have to do, it’s all on you to make your own decisions. Johann Qua Hiansen, Sports Editor

How to make the most of move-in with parents present:

My favorite class and why:

That losing your keys can happen to anybody. Indu Chandrasekhar, Associate Editor

Talk them into inviting your new floor-mates and their parents out to dinner. Jill Strominger, Senior Forum Editor

The FOCUS Cuba class for freshmen. Pepe is an incredible professor and being able to go to Cuba is an incredible experience. Trisha Wolf, Managing Editor

Nothing you do during the first week will end up mattering, so do everything. Dennis Sweeney, Design Chief

The Cold War with Professor Knapp. The Cold War is a fascinating time period and it was great to be able to take a class on something so specific. Sam Guzik, Editor in Chief Chief English Writers. Because Middle English never sounded so weird. Cecilia Razak, Senior Cadenza Editor

Number one reason college is not like high school: Laundry doesn’t clean itself, food will not find its way into your mouth without going out and getting it and books actually need to be opened (occasionally). Nadia Sobehart, Cadenza Reporter

Everyone here is smart. It’s a common bond, not a defining characteristic. Brian Krigsher, Copy Chief Freedom to choose whether or not to go to class, to sleep early or sleep late, to go off campus on a midnight snack run, etc. Johann Qua Hiansen, Sports Editor

Let them make your bed, put your clothes on hangers and unpack your boxes. You do the rest. Indu Chandrasekhar, Associate Editor Don’t try to claim independence yet. You’ll be out of the nest in like three days. Be patient. Dennis Sweeney, Design Chief

How to survive/ approach big lecture classes: There’s a Sudoku and crossword puzzle in every issue of Student Life. Johann Qua Hiansen, Sports Editor Actually go to class, pay attention, and take good notes. One way to motivate yourself might be to contact Cornerstone. They often need note takers for students with disabilities. You just give them your schedule and they see if you match. That way, you get paid for going to class and taking good notes. Trisha Wolf, Managing Editor Don’t take them. Dennis Sweeney, Design Chief

Why you should join Student Life! The people are awesome, it’s a way to get heard and it’s a way to get involved with other things going on on campus because StudLife has to report and be there. Lucy Moore, Senior Photo Editor Student Life is a good way to feel like you’re involved with something other than just schoolwork. Also, it is a great creative outlet and a way for you to have your work seen, read and enjoyed by others. Alyssa Anzalone-Newman, Designer The opportunities to challenge the chancellor, see the inner workings of student groups and satisfy your curiosity about everything on campus are nothing compared to the opportunity to work with amazing people every day. Sam Guzik, Editor in Chief

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Senior Scene Editor / Michelle Stein / scene@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

ORIENTATION 2008

Who’s Who on Your Freshman Floor Your freshman floor will be your new home at Wash. U. It’s a veritable melting pot of new ideas, diverse perspectives and fresh opinions. More importantly, it’s where most of you will learn to live with your peers away from home for the first time. While the school rightly prides itself on stimulating intellectual conversation spilling into the residence halls, one of the most important things you’ll learn in college will be how to get along with this crazy group of students from all different backgrounds. Sometimes, the most important thing you’ll learn each week won’t come from a physics class, but from the girl down the hall who just turned you on to an awesome new band or your roommate teaching you how to clean up your hard drive. There are a few especially important people who will contribute to the ecosystem of your freshman floor; get to know them.

The guy who will play on all your IM teams

Many freshmen floors bond over Intramurals. And there are always those guys who will roll you out of bed on a Sunday morning to play anything from ultimate Frisbee to inner tube water polo. Always go. Even if your floor has all the combined athleticism of a potato, the games are a blast and the guy who will play on all your IM teams will make a great coach/ head cheerleader.

The movie librarian

Sometimes you’ll just go nuts if you try to derive one more equation or read another act of Shakespeare. It’s times like these that it’s nice to spend a quiet weekend in the dorm with friends, PJs and popcorn. When you need to veg out, look for the movie librarian. Not every floor has one, but those who do cherish him. Boasting classics, popular new movies, foreign flicks and whole TV series, he runs a little Blockbuster right out of his room and can often suggest the perfect movie for you simply by looking deeply into your eyes for a few seconds.

The music aficionado

This is a great friend; he knows about acid jazz, zydeco and everything inbetween. The music fanatic will be more than happy to burn you CDs of all these “awesome little indie bands that would totally be the next big thing except that their music is too deep for the big corporate labels, man” until you tell him to stop. Additionally, the music aficionado is always down to see a live show and will probably know all the obscure opening bands. He’ll usually try to get you to convert to his file sharing software so you can keep finding new artists; check with the computer whiz to make sure you won’t get arrested.

The person who knows absolutely everyone

This friend can’t walk into a room without getting hugged by about half the people around. A master networker, he is on the list for all the parties, is on a first name basis with a few deans and can always call in a favor. You’ll never know how this person got to know all his acquaintances, but try not to sweat it. He’s great for introducing you to new friends. Also, if you ever need to know about obscure medieval music or the literature of Mongolia, this person is likely to put a phone number in your hand before you can finish asking for help.

The computer whiz

This guy can do it all, from cleaning out your spyware to synchronizing your zip drive (or whatever it is that computers need fixed). He can run Macs and PCs and knows how LINUX works. Usually trilingual—fluent in English, some Asian language and binary—he will try not to laugh at you when you spend half an hour screaming at a word document but will politely point out that you are simply out of printer toner.

The studious notetaker

We’d all like to be great students, and most of us go to most of our classes, but that 9 a.m. lab on Saturday morning is more than some of us can take. In times of crisis—midterms, the flu, etc.—find your floormate with the color-coded flashcards. His meticulous attention to detail is almost as good as you actually showing up to class. As long as you’re not a total mooch and have something intelligent to add to the conversation, this is a great person with whom to study.

The guy who can change your bed height

Listen up ladies! Able to move heavy furniture, deftly handle his tools and help lend a hand, the guy who can raise your bed is worth keeping around even after the first two days.

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Senior Scene Editor / Michelle Stein / scene@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

Who’s Who

In a perfect world, your roommate would at least give you the courtesy of a phone call before cozying up with a romantic friend for the night. Unfortunately, every weekend, students get back to their room at 3 a.m. to find the tell-tale tie on the door handle. For those sexiles, the guy with the air mattress is a phenomenal asset. He’ll board you up for the night while your roomie’s having a romp between the sheets. He’s so nice that he’ll probably even grab brunch with you in the morning and attempt to make your roommate’s walk of shame even more hilariously awkward.

The kid with extra meal points

On every floor, there is that lucky kid with a huge meal plan who can subsist on a mere bagel and some sushi day after day. Others are frugal and will be eating the special end-of-the-year lobster at Bear’s Den while you try to decide which clothes you wouldn’t mind selling to get enough scratch to survive on Ramen. Find the one who has more meal points than time to use them and remind him that they don’t carry over to the next year. What is he going to do, donate his points to charity while you’re starving next door?

…uh, mustaches. You know, the Groucho Marx ones with the glasses and big noses? Yeah, those fakes. They make a great last-minute Bauhaus costume.

v FROM PAGE 7 y r a n o i t c i D relationships, also creates the potential for plenty of awkward situations.

Sexile - This is the awkward and never envied situation when your roommate locks you out of your dorm room in order to commit floorcest, dormcest, or engage in some other romantic rendezvous. These situations are particularly uncomfortable as you sit outside your room at 3 a.m. and twiddle your thumbs. May I suggest finding “the guy with the air mattress?” (See Who’s Who on Your Freshman Floor) BD vs. B&D - BD is the abbreviation for one of the most important places on campus: Bear’s Den. At Bear’s Den, students can feed their 2 a.m. mozzarella stick craving, listen to jovial workers sing Beyonce, or just hang out when they’re not ready to call it a night. B&D, on the other hand, is the Wash. U. security. They let you into parties (and kick you out), control W.I.L.D. so it doesn’t get too wild, and make sure nobody’s left in BD at 3 a.m. While they may patrol BD, avoid confusing the two, as they are very different. B&D will not serve you mozzarella sticks, although maybe if you’re lucky they’ll sing for you.

EST- The Emergency Support Team, or EST, is Wash. U.’s all-

The local

The one with the fake

B11

...continued

The guy with the air mattress

This floormate knows all the great little Italian restaurants on the Hill, the best coffee places near campus and which of the five Thai restaurants on the Loop is the best. He can give you directions to the Central West End and suggest good places to club or to take a date. Best of all? He usually has a car.

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

The super-volunteer

Has anyone on your floor ever pan-handled? How about baked upwards of 500 brownies? Every year, Wash. U. students have hundreds of opportunities to volunteer. The most popular events are Dance Marathon and Relay for Life, and each team (floor) needs a captain. So find some young idealist who will ring a bell outside of Schnucks for sick kids and doesn’t mind learning a spirit dance.

student emergency team. These are the people you call for help in a medical emergency. They share their phone line with WUPD (Wash. U. Police Department), a number that you will learn easily as “fistful of fives,” since dialing 5-5555 from any campus phone will connect you to them. According to the Wash. U. website, EST handles “sudden onset illness or injury on campus, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the school year.” As such, they are very handy people to have around.

Clock Stick - Formally, this is known as the clock tower. However, it is not much of a tower. Located on the South 40 right outside Ursa’s Fireside, the clock stick nickname was wittily created because the clock is perched atop a mere spindle and therefore, does not quite deserve to be called a tower. Estro-gym - The South 40 gym located in upstairs Wohl earned the name “The Estro-gym” due to its mainly female clientele. Many males and female athletes prefer to workout at the A.C., or Athletic Center. Despite its nickname, the Estro-gym does have both weight and cardio machines that cater to males. They tend to stand out about as much as a guy in a Women’s Studies course. The Bunny - Just outside of Mallinckrodt as you head towards the library sits the Bunny, arguably the creepiest statue on campus. Every year students stare in awe as they try to figure out if the inspiration did indeed come from “Donnie Darko.” Because the Bunny is so unique, it often serves as a good meeting place in the middle of main campus.

FALL 2008 PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES ART ARCHITECTURE MUSEUM SEPT OCT NOV 8 6 3 Mario Gooden

Toshiko Mori

Dennis Crompton

15 James Carpenter 13 Terry Smith 7 Thomas Crow 20 Elizabeth Armstrong 20 Richard Jackson 10 Saul Ostrow 29 Chris Duncan 22 Hillman Curtis 24 Steven Holl 27 Kenneth Frampton

DEC 1 Lindy Roy

Dates and speakers are subject to change, please visit samfoxschool.wustl.edu for the most up-to-date information.

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Senior Scene Editor / Michelle Stein / scene@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

ORIENTATION 2008

Traditions

SCENE REPORTER

of Washington University in St. Louis

Diwali

Before this epic cultural event, a line of RAs and other students in sleeping bags will plug up the Mallinckrodt hallways. Dancers, actors, and crew members give their lives for weeks to the wildly popular show in Edison theater hosted by Ashoka, the South Asian Students Association. Their work does pay off; students expertly perform a wide array of Asian dances and a skit with a lesson about Asian-American life. My advice: if you want to see it, get tickets early. This is a good time to take advantage of your RAs.

BY ERIC ROSENBAUM

Vertigo

Three guesses: who are the greatest partiers on campus? Would you guess the engineers? Well, you should. With their lighted dance floor and their great DJs, this is one of the most popular parties of the year. I can’t get any more specific than that. My advice: see it for yourself. Otherwise you won’t believe it.

2:59 a.m. at Bear’s Den Okay, so this isn’t really an official event. And technically, nothing happens at exactly 2:59 that doesn’t happen at 2:58 or earlier. But something does happen at 3 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday which is important to all students: Bear’s Den closes for the night. And something else important happens one minute later: you will get hungry. Thus the forward-thinking residents of the South 40 grab their last-minute quesadillas after their night on the town. My advice: definitely do this. Food always tastes better late at night.

MATT LANTER | STUDENT LIFE

W.I.L.D.

Anyone can walk in someplace. You can walk into class. You can walk into your room. But how many places can you walk in AND lay down? Well, your room is one…but still, the twice-yearly W.I.L.D. concert is a completely unique experience. A crazy, excited mass of kids gathers to listen, jump around uncontrollably, and be, well, W.I.L.D. Past headliners have included George Clinton, OK Go, Guster, Ben Folds and Outkast. My advice: To get the most out of W.I.L.D. forget, for a second, that you have any sort of a reputation to maintain.

ALWYN LOH | STUDENT LIFE

Holi

So you’ve slogged through a whole year of college. You’re thinking about exams. It’s spontaneously hot outside. And you want nothing more than to smack that annoying kid on your floor with a water balloon. Can Ashoka, the South Asian Students Association, help? Of course! In mid-April, the group prepares 20,000 short-lived water balloons for this sloppy free-for-all on the swamp. My advice: take advantage of the mud. Your Holi success is judged by how indistinguishable your friends are. SCOTT BRESSLER | STUDENT LIFE

CATHOLIC STUDENT CENTER F NEWMAN CHAPEL Orientation Schedule: Thursday, Aug. 21 Look for us at the table with different Religious Groups on the South 40 during move in!

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Friday, Aug. 22, 2-4pm Stop by for our Open House. Meet our staff while students give tours of the CSC. Weekend Mass Schedule Saturday, Aug. 23- 4:30 pm Sunday, Aug. 24- 11am and 9pm Masses are held in the CSC Chapel and are followed by an informal reception.

6352 Forsyth · 314-935-9191 · www.washucsc.org

p e n

Jewish, Islamic and Near Eastern Studies and Religious Studies The Programs in Jewish, Islamic and Near Eastern Studies and Religious Studies warmly welcome new students and invite you to learn about opportunities to major and minor in our innovative, interdisciplinary programs, which offer critical perspectives on historical, cultural, and contemporary issues such as science and religion, varieties of Islam, and Israeli politics. Come meet our faculty and enjoy the best food and refreshments.

Friday, August 22 1:00-3:00 PM Eliot Hall, Room 300

For more information, please visit us online at: artsci.wustl.edu/~jines artsci.wustl.edu/~relst

ho u s e

Senior Scene Editor / Michelle Stein / scene@studlife.com

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

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The Right Stuff: Eating Healthy at Wash. U.

BY LANA GOLDSMITH

REGULAR FEATURES EDITOR So besides knowledge, fun, new friends and good times, what else are you hungry for at Wash. U.? Food is going to be an important—and necessary— part of your college experience. You will bond over meals with your newfound friends and learn just how long certain potables and comestibles can marinate in your mini fridge before the smell becomes utterly offensive to your roommate. There is a lot of fun to be had with food, but it is important to recognize that your eating habits could change. Here are a few suggestions to help you maintain healthy patterns of eating. Make time for breakfast: You’re in college now—one of the best ones in the nation, at that!—and you will need all the brainpower you can get. Nine and ten o’clock classes are going to continue to feel earlier and earlier as the semester progresses, but remember to take the time to fuel yourself with a nutritious breakfast. Bear’s Den offers breakfast food in the mornings where you can sit with some eggs and toast and read Student Life before leaving for class. Something like fruit, cereal or instant oatmeal is easy enough to prepare in your room while you get ready. Eating breakfast will ensure that you are prepared for the busy day ahead of you. Also, it is best to eat carbohydrates earlier because they will give you the most energy to burn throughout the day. As the day winds down, you do not need as much energy—which will turn into fat if you do not use

Instead of choosing the Grill or pizza at Center Court, opt for a healthier option like these guys at the International station. it—so you can cut back on the carbs. Remember portion control: Just because the guy in the pasta line manages to stuff three pounds worth of pasta with meat sauce into that tiny white box does not mean you have

to eat it all. Stop when you’re full and try to remember to diversify what you eat—meaning some protein, some dairy, some fruit and vegetables, etc. You can be sure to get all the different food groups in by eating several small meals a

day instead of stuffing yourself with a few. Don’t eat late at night: It is tempting to stop at Bear’s Den at two in the morning just because you can, but it is not the healthiest choice. Eating so close to bedtime does not give

MATT LANTER | STUDENT LIFE

you the chance to work off the calories you just took in, so it turns to fat. It may also interfere with your sleep schedule. When in doubt, check it out: It seems that Wash. U.’s catering service, Bon Appétit, does its best to provide students

with a plethora of food options, some healthy, some not. Their web site provides the nutritional information for most of their meals so you can keep track of your caloric intake. Eat fresh, eat healthy!: By now, you know which foods are good for you and which are not. Try to eat things that are unprocessed, such as fruits and veggies. Don’t eat too much of one thing and don’t overindulge in fried foods and sweets. Michael Pollan expands on the notion of eating more natural foods in his book In Defense of Food if you’re interested in learning more about food, like stuff we eat and when we should cut back on red meat. Don’t be afraid to use your kitchen: Dorms are equipped with functioning kitchens, so have at it if you like to cook or are hoping to learn how. Unfortunately, they do not have pots and pans, so bring your own or find a friend who has some and wants to share some quality cooking time with you. Open packages alone: If you do get some eatable goodies shipped to you, you may want to assess if you want to share them or not before others know you have it. It’s not everyday anymore that you get to have your mom’s awesome oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or something of the like, so guard those puppies and eat them sparingly! There are a number of exciting new culinary prospects ahead of you. Your class will be the first freshman class to experience the new dining facilities in the University Center, as well as the old classics. So get out there while the eating is good and enjoy your meals.

B14

Senior Scene Editor / Michelle Stein / scene@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

ORIENTATION 2008

Stepping

Restaurants of the

Loop

Out

Located in University City, only a short walk from the South 40, the Delmar Loop is a great place to spend an early autumn afternoon or evening. There are countless things to do on this one street, including seeing a movie, shopping, or going to a concert. Additionally, the Loop is home to some of the most delicious restaurants in St. Louis. From pizza to sushi to burgers, the Delmar loop has many appealing options for every appetite.

BY BROOKE SCHACHNER SCENE EDITOR

Seki’s Japanese Restaurant

6335 Delmar Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63130 314-726-6477 $10-20

Seki’s is a popular place to go for a tasty Japanese meal at a reasonable price. Both the maki sushi (rolls) and the nigiri sushi (pieces) are always fresh and tasty, and there is an extensive menu consisting of traditional Japanese dishes. The chicken teriyaki proves to be a flavorsome selection for any diner who doesn’t eat sushi. Also, many dishes come with Miso soup and cucumber salad at no additional cost.

The restaurants on the Loop promise to satisfy any and every craving of the average college student. These options are not only appetizing, but reasonably priced. In addition, reaching Delmar Boulevard does not require a car or taxi, as it is walking distance from campus. Feel free to celebrate orientation with a stop at any one of the fantastic eateries on the Delmar Loop.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SAM GUZIK | STUDENT LIFE

6144 Delmar Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63112 314-727-6633 $15-25

One of the newer eateries on Delmar, Pi’s offerings include San Franciscostyle deep-dish pizza as well as thin crust pizza, salads, and several appetizers. In addition to the items on the menu, patrons can pick and choose toppings to design their own personal pie. The Lincoln Park thin crust pizza, made with mozzarella cheese, garlic olive oil, zucchini, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and feta cheese, and the Western Addition deep-dish pizza, topped with mozzarella cheese, spinach blended with ricotta and feta cheeses, mushrooms, onions, and garlic, are two particularly delectable choices at this delightful eatery.

Fitz’s

6605 Delmar Boulevard These two very well known restaurants, St. Louis, MO 63130 located almost across the street from each 314-726-9555 other, serve up two of the best hamburgers $5-15 in the city. Blueberry Hill, famous for hosting concerts—including a monthly one by St. Louis legend Chuck Berry—in the Duck Room, is notable for much more than just delicious burgers. Other options include various salads, breakfast plates, and vegetarian dishes. Fitz’s, known for its root beer, is another Loop restaurant with a menu that boasts Blueberry Hill 6504 Delmar Boulevard scrumptious burgers and more. The chicken club St. Louis, MO 63130 sandwich, topped with bacon and Provolone cheese, 314-727-4444 is a superb substitute for a Fitz’s hamburger. $5-15

YOUR CAMPUS NEWSPAPER | LEARN ALL ABOUT US | WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

Student Life

THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 VOLUME 130, NO. 1

ALL ABOUT US

WWW.STUDLIFE.COM

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | ABOUT US

about us we are

Student Life

Student Life, the independent student newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis, was founded in 1878, making it one of the nation’s oldest collegiate papers. The newspaper covers the everyday goings-on of the school and surrounding community, reporting newsworthy events, the performance of our sports teams and other aspects of college life. The editorial staff is composed entirely of University students. The mission of Student Life is to accurately and thoroughly inform the Washington University community about itself and its role so that all members of that community may become intelligent, compassionate and responsible stewards of the world.

Meet Student Life’s

Senior staff

Sam Guzik Editor in Chief Indu Chandrasekhar Associate Editor

Our history When it began in the 19th century, Student Life was a modest tabloid documenting the mundane developments of a school that was transforming from a seminary and technical college into a full-fledged university. During the World Wars, the student paper ran stories of servicemen returning from the front lines in Europe to complete their undergraduate degrees. In the 1950s, the newspaper turned into a pro-Greek rag, spending much of its space reporting on homecomings, fraternity Rush and the like. As the counterculture spread across college campuses nationwide, Student Life reported on the development of anti-Vietnam War sentiment at the University, including the 1970 immolation of the campus ROTC building.

Brian Stitt Managing Editor

Trisha Wolf Managing Editor

Student Life throughout the years: Ben Sales Senior News Editor

Jill Strominger Senior Forum Editor

1935

1907

1973 Josh Goldman Senior Sports Editor

Michelle Stein Senior Scene Editor

1984

Awards we’ve won Student Life and its staff, both past and present, have won numerous awards in journalism, including multiple Pacemaker awards from the Associated Collegiate Press. In the 2007 Missouri College Media Association awards, Student Life won 20 awards in 27 categories, including: n n n n n

In-depth Reporting 1st place Best Web site 1st place Best Sports Page 1st place Editorial Writing 2nd place Best Overall Newspaper 2nd place

Student Life also hosts Pulitzer Prize-winning alums: n

Ken Cooper, former national editor for The Boston Globe, received the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 for his work on a series examining racism in Boston. Mike Peters, creator of the cartoon Mother Goose & Grimm, won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning.

1995

2008

Our board of directors In 1999, Student Life became independent of the University with the formation of Washington University Student Media Inc. (WUSMI). WUSMI is a 501c(3) Missouri non-profit company composed of a board of directors who acts as the publisher of Student Life. The WUSMI board is composed of Student Life alumni, professional journalists, journalism professors, University representatives and other community leaders interested in a strong, independent student press. The board provides financial oversight of the newspaper, hires the editor in chief and acts as an advisor to the student editorial staff. Turn to page C8 to learn more about each of our board members WUSMI employs two full time professional staff members, a general manager and an advertising manager. All content decisions are the responsibility of the student editorial staff making Student Life a free press, reporting the news as it sees fit and voicing opinions that are wholly its own. Learn more about the members of our business staff on page C9.

Cecillia Razak Senior Cadenza Editor

Lucy Moore Senior Photo Editor Michael Hirshorn Senior Graphics Editor

Dennis Sweeney Design Chief Brian Krigsher Copy Chief

Willie Mendelson Staff Manager Scott Bressler Online Editor

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | ABOUT US

news Newsworthy events happen around campus every minute of every day. In one news cycle alone, one club may be organizing its largest event of the year and another may be bringing a national political figure to campus—all while the University announces a policy change that will affect the student body. Despite what seems to be an infinite well of story ideas, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday the news page chooses a finite number of articles to run. Finding the appropriate balance of news stories and creating a thrice-weekly paper is the product of countless hours of writing, researching and designing on the part of the news staff. From the first time that the staff sits together to brainstorm story ideas at the start of the week to just past midnight on a print day when the editor in chief finalizes the day’s copy, the Student Life news cycle involves a myriad of students. And, whether they spend hours in the office each day like the senior editors, write an article a week like most reporters, or are just interviewed in Brookings Quad for a few minutes, every person within the cycle helps to shape the way in which news is presented to the University community.

News staff Senior News Editor: The senior news editor oversees all aspects of the section, does secondary edits on all articles and provides direction, advice and insight to reporters. News Editors: Each editor works with a few reporters: editing their work, helping them with their stories and advising them on ways they can improve their reporting. Contributing Editors: Editors who both work on their own stories and help edit stories during production. Investigative Reporters: Experienced reporters who work on long-term, in-depth stories and investigative pieces. Their average story will take about a month of work and be 1000-2000 words long. Senior News Reporters: Experienced reporters who take on assignments on a regular basis Staff Reporters: General assignment reporters who take on assignments on a regular basis Contributing Reporters: General assignment reporters who complete articles on an as-needed basis

From start to finish Before the paper goes to press, before stories are written and before reporters are even assigned to an article, the news cycle begins with a weekly section meeting. On Sunday, reporters and editors gather together to choose newsworthy ideas from the University calendar, national news and press releases and to brainstorm investigative pieces. Every reporter—from the senior editor to contributing reporters—brings two or three ideas to the meeting. As ideas are discussed, angles are exposed and the best stories are assigned. For each day’s paper, five to six stories are assigned. After the meeting, reporters are given guidance from their editors and begin to research their stories and schedule interviews. As interviews are conducted and background information becomes clearer, the writing process begins. Although the finished draft of an article may only highlight two or three interviews, most reporters contact additional sources for both background information and confirmation. Most articles for the paper are finished by 8 p.m. a day in

advance; for example, a story for Wednesday’s paper would usually be sent to an editor around 8 p.m. on Monday night. As stories arrive and throughout production day, editors polish copy and make phone calls to ensure the accuracy of facts within the article. On production days (Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday), editors usually begin to work around 2 p.m. and continue to work until about 6 p.m. By 5 p.m., all stories have arrived in the office and the senior news editor ranks them based on importance, timeliness and relevance to students. At this point, designers can begin to lay out the page in a way that is both informative and visually appealing. At the end of the day, usually around midnight, the editor in chief reads over the entire issue. The paper is then sent electronically to the Student Life printer in Louisiana, Missouri; just a few hours later (on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) as students are walking to class, the finalized paper will be on newsstands all around campus.

Watching the campus Student Life is the best source for news about the University community. Because we are an independent publication, you can find a clear picture of what is going on at Washington University–things both good and bad. Here is a sample of some of the bigger topics we covered from the last year. To read the full story, visit www.studlife.com. n n n

Alberto Gonzales speaks on campus: Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales came to speak on campus in February, sparking significant protest. Students protest Schlafly degree: Students united at Commencement to protest the decision to award conservative leader Phyllis Schlafly with an honorary degree. Sanasalone Controversy: Fewer than two years after she was named dean of the engineering school, Mary Sansalone announced her intention to step down amid considerable controversy-including faculty and alumni petitions for her removal. Series on Women in Academia: Student Life examines the status of women’s issues at the University

Get involved in news Whether you want to commit to editing stories every day or just want to contribute a story a week, becoming a part of the Student Life staff is an easy way to experience what it is like to write for a serious journalistic publication while working with a great group of people. Below are just a few of the ways you can begin to contribute to the University’s only independent, student-run newspaper. If you have any questions about how to get involved, e-mail editor@studlife.com. n

Like to Write? Reporters usually write one story a week. All reporters attend staff meetings to help with the brainstorming process and their contributions frequently make in onto the front page and help the paper to function effectively. Becoming a contributing reporter is the first step towards getting involved with the paper. Like to Design? The news page is always looking for graphic artists to help create info-graphics to make the page more appealing. We’ll show you everything you need to know. All you need is a basic understanding of graphic design programs like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. Like to Edit? After starting out as a news reporter, you could become an editor after just one semester. College newspapers have lots of turnover and moving up through the ranks is not a difficult process. Just stick with the paper and you can go as far as you want.

DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE

Tell us what we should know: Send us a press release! Know of something newsworthy happening on campus? We can’t cover news if we don’t know about it. If you see something happening on campus or have information that the public needs to know, please contact us. Even the smallest tidbits of information can be crucially important to the development of the story. In situations that meet certain criteria, your anonymity can be protected, should you fear repercussions for speaking out on an issue. When writing a press release for your organization, the more information that is provided, the better. Especially for new groups or events, assume that we don’t know anything about your organization and tell us everything you can. Start off by explaining who you are and what you are doing. Say when, where and why the event is happening. Describe the event and whatever unique features it may have. Do you have special guests in attendance? Will you be raising money for a specific reason? Once you’ve explained your event, give us some background on your organization so that we can get a sense of how this event fits into your role on campus. Finally, be sure to list contact information for at least two people in the organization who can act as spokespersons. Contacting us at least two weeks in advance gives us more time to plan our coverage and increases the chance that we’ll be able to include a story.

By Email: Email news@studlife.com to contact the our news editors By Phone: Call 314.935.5995 to talk to the news desk In Person: Drop off a press release in the mailbox on the door of the newsroom in the basement of the Woman’s Building Online: Visit www.studlife.com and click “Contact”

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | ABOUT US

forum Forum is the editorial and opinion section of Student Life. It consists of staff editorials, regular staff columnists, op-ed submissions, letters to the editor and editorial cartoons. Opinion and reporting are strictly separated at Student Life. Those who write the news are unbiased reporters. Those who write for Forum are opinionated commentators. The Forum section appears in every issue of Student Life.

Forum staff Senior Forum Editor: oversees all aspects of the Forum section; is responsible for doing final edits on all columns, helping with staff editorials and reviewing letters to the editor for publication. Daily editors: are responsible for writing one column every week, editing columns and writing staff editorials. Floating editor: writes columns every other week and contributes to staff editorials Staff columnists: contribute columns about every other week

What is a staff editorial? Staff editorials reflect the opinion of the newspaper and its staff. Once a week, the Editorial Board meets to discuss various issues facing campus and to decide on what the staff editorials should say. The board democratically chooses its topics; each member has an equal vote. After choosing topics, the E-Board then debates all sides of the issues at hand and formulates a position. Members who have a conflict of interest in a matter are asked to remove themselves from that particular staff editorial. One member of the board, typically either a Forum editor or managing editor, then writes up the editorial and e-mails it to the rest of the board for editing or further comments. The editorial is published after the board has reviewed, revised and approved its content. E-board includes the editor in chief, associate editor, managing editors, senior section editors, design chief, copy chiefs and forum editors.

Sample Staff Editorial (excerpt): Administration secrecy unacceptable Staff editorial, 2/12/07 “…The University ought to have publicly announced that Schvey would be asked to step down as well as explained its motivations; well-reasoned justification would have gone far in alleviating students’ concerns about the situation. Instead, rumor ran rampant while the University remained silent. Lack of information leads to speculation, and speculation leads to misinformation. The University owes it to its student body to be more forthright in its decision-making.”

What is a column? Columns reflect the opinions of their writers, not of Student Life as a whole. Members of the Forum section are free to write about any subject in their columns, so long as they maintain a certain level of professionalism and quality. Ad hominem attacks and libelous statements are not permitted. Becoming a staff columnist and getting your own regular column in which to share your opinions with the University community is easy. Just email forum@studlife.com. No experience is necessary.

What is a Letter to the Editor? How do I submit one? Letters to the Editor are short reader responses to content in Student Life or a news event. Letters will not be edited except for grammar and spelling. Like Op-Eds, letters cannot contain libelous statements or ad hominem attacks. Letters to the Editor typically run on Wednesdays and Fridays. For the most part, letters are printed in the order received, unless timeliness is an issue. Like Op-Eds, Student Life reserves the right to publish or not publish any letter. Letters should be no more than 300 words. To submit a Letter to the Editor, e-mail it, along with your name, to letters@studlife.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed.

Sample Letter to the Editor: Dear Editor:

What is an Op-Ed?

How do I submit one?

An Op-Ed is an opinion article written by any member of the University community and submitted to Forum for publication. Anyone, from a new freshman to an athletic coach to a professor to a campus employee to Chancellor Wrighton, can write and submit an Op-Ed. Like a column, an Op-Ed can talk about whatever the author cares to discuss. After receiving the Op-Ed, Student Life will only edit it for grammar and spelling; no content changes will be made by the newspaper to any submission unless directed by the author. Op-Eds typically discuss recent news events, both on campus and in the outside world. Some Op-Eds are also written as responses to staff editorials or columns. While Student Life welcomes all submissions, we reserve the right to publish or not publish Op-Eds as we deem fit. If we receive several submissions on the same topic, we can only publish a select few. If you would like to write and submit an Op-Ed to Student Life, here are some guidelines to follow: n

Write well. Put yourself in the shoes of the average reader. Would you want to read what you have written? Make sure your submission flows at a good pace, has clear reasoning and easily identifiable arguments with evidence to back them up.

Write WELL. Be engaging. Be polemical. Be emotional. Be aggressive. Be sympathetic. Be enlightened. Everyone knows they can learn a lot by reading a textbook, but that doesn’t mean they want to read one.

Keep it short. Op-Eds should be between 500-750 words. Exceptions are only made in exceptional circumstances.

Maintain decorum. Student Life will not publish libelous claims or ad hominem attacks. An ad hominem attack is a personal attack on an individual that is irrelevant to the issue at hand. Saying, “you’re stupid” is an ad hominem attack. Saying, “your Mideast peace plan is stupid” or “you’re stupid for believing that Mideast peace plan would work” are not. Also, please refrain from using unwarranted profanity.

Turn it in early. Op-Eds responding to content in Student Life or a news event should be submitted shortly after the event occurred or content was published. If you send us the Op-Ed two months later, it might not be of interest to the University community anymore.

Please send your Op-Ed submission, along with your name, year/position and e-mail address to forum@studlife.com. An editor will respond to let you know whether or not the Op-Ed will run.

Running through the “homophobia” debate is an assumption that a professor will engage in reprisals against those with whom he disagrees, or of whose personal lives he disapproves. My students’ personal beliefs and personal lives are none of my business, and I don’t want to know about them. But why do students fear the contrary? Have they observed professors who abuse their positions in this manner, which would be a breach of academic integrity? If this happens, which is a reasonable inference from the concern repeatedly expressed, it would be a serious matter, and one worthy of inquiry and public discussion. In a properly run classroom it should be impossible even to tell the professor’s beliefs from the content of his lectures. This is easier to achieve in physics than in political science, but it is a goal to which each professor should aspire. Of course, outside the classroom professors are free to express their opinions on anything. This is what I have done. So far, this has produced a great deal of heat, but no substantive counterarguments. Many of my opponents appear not to have read my essay; apparently the word “homophobia” triggered too intense an emotional response. For example, I have been repeatedly accused of using inaccurate statistics, when there are no statistics in the essay at all! Others don’t appear to have noticed that the point of the essay is to make a statement about moral culpability; the epidemiological facts are not at issue. There is no resemblance to the absurd assertion that the Holocaust never happened; that is an indisputable historical fact, proven by abundant physical, documentary and eyewitness evidence. To dispute it is as crazy as to dispute that George Washington was President. I should be insulted by the comparison, but it is too ridiculous to take seriously. I remain willing to debate the issues. -Jonathan Katz Professor of Physics

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | ABOUT US

scene Scene is the feature section of Student Life and is similar to the Everyday or Living sections of many papers. Scene keeps its finger on the pulse of campus trends, student activities, fashion alerts, clubs and the goings on of Greater St. Louis. Scene also features several regular columns, including restaurant reviews, romance advice and health and fitness information. Students turn to Scene for fun ways to get out into the city without a car, to go behind the scenes with food services or the Washington University Police Department and for easy meals that can be prepared using only campus food. Scene has also tackled more weighty subjects such as student mothers, campus diversity and the issues surrounding rape and consent. Scene works to provide entertaining and light-hearted content while also addressing more serious issues affecting Washington University and college students in general. Weekly meetings are held to brainstorm new ideas and articles often come about just from writers talking about experiences they’ve had or things they’ve noticed. Scene writers can enjoy the fun atmosphere of the section and the versatility of the articles and subjects they undertake. Scene can also mean field trips—to thrift stores to find the best bargain; to farmers’ markets for the freshest food; to restaurants, museums, tattoo parlors and haunted houses. Scene is a great way for students to meet faculty, fellow students and St. Louisians as well as experience a slice of the city for themselves.

Good things inside If you can think of it, Scene can cover it. The section sheds light on the goings-on of the student body and brings St. Louis right to students. You want it? We’ve got it. Here are some samples of the Scene beat, but visit www.studlife.com for full articles and more.

scene

in a nutshell

Looking for: Creative students interested in reaching out to the student body and exploring St. Louis. No prior writing experience necessary. Places we’ve been: n Farmers markets n Restaurants all across the city n Thrift stores n Tattoo parlors n Forest Park n Saint Louis Art Museum n Underground tunnels n Lemp Mansion n Haunted houses n The zoo n Swimming pools n The Bon Appetit master kitchen n The Chancellor’s office Interested? Contact scene@studlife.com for more information on how you can get on the scene!

You know you go to Wash. U. when… - You know Washington University in St. Louis is, indeed, in St. Louis - More students are seen walking to campus for a chemistry test than for a sporting event

Scene staff

Coming out at college: “There are also people who come out here at Wash. U., and discover what it is that they desire and subsequently tell those close to them. But what is it like to have lived 17 to 21 years, only to have to tell people something about yourself that you have either just realized or have known forever but kept to yourself all your life?”

Senior Scene Editor: oversees all aspects of the section, runs weekly meetings, does secondary edits on all articles and provides direction and advice to writers. Special Features Editor: edits all the Scene articles before turning them into the senior Scene editor; e-mails an assignment sheet out after weekly meetings. Regular Features Editor: edits the regular columns each week before turning them into the senior Scene editor. Regular Columnists: write weekly columns. Current columns are romance advice, healthy living tips and restaurant reviews. Scene Reporters: attend weekly meetings, brainstorm story ideas and write features articles.

Student soldiers—ROTC: Hear tales from the front lines or the training fields, where average students are soldiers and going to class isn’t the only thing to think about. n

Quick and easy campus cuisine: recipes to spice up any meal plan: English muffin pizzas, Ziploc omelets and more! When campus food gets boring, make your own. n

Race, religion and dating: “My dad sat us down on his bed. I was eight, my brother, twelve. He turned to us and said, ‘No interdating and no intermarrying. Is that clear?’” n

cadenza

A screening of the latest Bond film, an interview with acoustic-pop band Guster and an insider’s guide to MTV’s Real World castings are all in a day’s work for Cadenza, the Arts and Entertainment section of Student Life. Cadenza’s content covers all aspects of entertainment journalism (while keeping up with St. Louis’s live local culture). This section covers everything from St. Louis film festivals to national concert tours. The tongue-in-cheek nature of Cadenza makes it unique to Student Life and allows candid reviews of off-beat music and lesser known movies. Cadenza also includes longer feature articles, including the “Oscar Picks,” fall preview of theater lineups and in-depth coverage of the biannual W.I.L.D. (Walk In, Lay Down) concerts on campus. Cadenza began in the ‘80s as a full-length independent insert that was published once a week. The insert was incorporated as a section of Student Life in 2003 to expand readership. Aside from the traditional movie and album reviews, writers have contributed critiques of art exhibits, video games and concert venues. Cadenza is always looking for reviewers in order to expand into all elements of arts and entertainment, such as book and television show reviews. Cadenza also features articles and columns about the general world of entertainment media. Cadenza’s regular staff consists of staff writers, a movie editor, a music editor and a theater editor, all of whom report to the senior Cadenza editor. Cadenza typically meets once a week to discuss upcoming previews and critiques, generating ideas from press releases as well as local happenings. Writers for Cadenza enjoy perks such as free passes for movie screenings, backstage opportunities and interviews with artists and actors and early releases of upcoming CDs. Writers can have flexible assignment schedules with a laid-back pace. So whether you’re a literati waiting to pounce on the latest film noir or a student looking for a cheap movie date, Cadenza could be the place for you.

Spotlight on Cadenza has covered everything from popular culture to esoteric bands. Here is some of the best of the 2006-2007 year. For complete articles, visit www.studlife.com. n

How to be a music snob (or at least fake it): Putting the attitude behind the iPod listener

Movie’s cast outperforms script – Smokin’ Aces: Reviewing the mobster flick

Can Mr. Smith get to Washington anymore?: Looking at the campaign trail documentary of congressional candidate Jeff Smith Two points for honesty: W.I.L.D. concert headliner Guster opens up to Student Life

cadenza

in a nutshell

Looking for: Entertainment writers with a flair for creativity. No experience needed, but passion for writing, movies, music and more is a plus. Events to look forward to with Cadenza: n Insider’s guide to the St. Louis music scene n Finding cheap concerts/tours n Preview of KWUR week featuring Wash. U.’s own radio station n Actor/artist interviews n The best places to find vintage albums n Oscar and Golden Globe award predictions n Updates on local theater shows and must-have tickets n Essential playlists for the hipster student People we’ve interviewed: n Reel Big Fish n Duncan Sheik n Guster n Arcade Fire n Linda Blair (actress from The Exorcist) n Brother Ali n Trey Parker and Matt Stone (creaters of South Park) Bottom line: Make your friends jealous by getting free previews of the latest movies, plays and CDs while getting a start in the world of entertainment journalism. Interested? e-mail cadenza@studlife.com to get started.

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | ABOUT US

sports Are you a sports nut? Knowledgeable in a sport you used to play? Come be part of a winning team in Student Life’s sports section. Become a true Washington University sports fan and see just how fantastic Division III sports are. Sports writers can even have the opportunity to travel with various teams to away games. Typically, a sports reporter covers one varsity sports team for the entire season. These articles are complemented by features about club and intramural teams as well as individual athletes. Aside from the traditional basketball, soccer and volleyball games, Sports also covers lesser-known teams including equestrian, taekwon do and rugby. Sports goes out of bounds by featuring events such as poker tournaments, marathon running and the deaf Olympics. Though Sports mainly covers Wash. U. events, the section also branches out to include special St. Louis events. In the past, writers and photographers have interviewed fans at Busch Stadium when the Cardinals won the World Series, gone behind the scenes at a Rams telecast and covered the NCAA Division I Three-Point Shooting Contest, held on campus during the Final Four. Staff reporters cover both Wash. U. teams and write features throughout the year. Sports has three section editors—one in charge of men’s sports teams, one in charge of women’s and one for features. Each section editor reports to the senior Sports editor, who oversees the entire section and stays up-to-date on championships, tournaments and star athletes. Sports offers a great opportunity for reporters to get more involved in the Red and Green spirit and to bring scores and school spirit straight to students. Reporters often do weekend coverage of campus sporting events to bring the students up to speed on Bear sports. Writers even have the chance to get press passes to sporting events in St. Louis. Get your head in the game and join Sports today.

LIONEL SOBEHART | STUDENT LIFE

sports

in a nutshell

Looking for: Enthusiastic rookies who want to get a foot in the door in sports writing.

Instant replays Here are some of last year’s highlights in the world of sports (for full articles, see www.studlife.com): n

Lights, camera, football: Rams behind the scenes: An exclusive look at an alumni’s football coverage at CBS Sports

Next stop Bears - Stevens Point: Men’s basketball to face #1 team after winning second round of NCAA tourney

Just 26.2 miles from glory: Two grad students find marathon success

World Champions: Cardinals win the World Series

Volleyball team falls 3-2 in NCAA Championship match: Team ends year at 38-2 after a terrific post-season run

Experience: None required but familiarity with sports preferred. Bottom line: Catch all the sports action while honing your skills in journalism. Attend games and be a part of the Red and Green spirit. Interested? E-mail sports@studlife.com to get started.

cartoons & graphics Student Life features an assortment of graphical elements to enhance and accompany stories. These include graphics, infographics, cartoons, comics and illustrations. Over the past few years, Student Life’s cartoonists and illustrators have won numerous awards for their work. In addition to written arguments, the Forum section also prints visual arguments. These consist of editorial cartoons and illustrations. An editorial cartoon is an independent work that reflects the opinion of the artist. An illustration is a visual element that augments a column or Op-Ed. Humor is encouraged for both editorial cartoons and illustrations.

Sample editorial cartoon

Student Life also hosts comic strips, which are typically 3-4 panels and are run regularly with recurring characters and themes. These usually appear in the Cadenza section. Other graphic elements of the newspaper include infographics and general illustrations to accompany stories. Infographics typically run in News and present data and numbers in a more aesthetic way. Other graphics may be used in lieu of photography to best illustrate stories, particularly in Scene.

graphics

in a nutshell

Looking for: Students with an eye for art and a sense of humor, or those with computer graphics skills Experience needed: None required, but knowledge of software such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator helpful for graphic artists. Bottom line: Take pen and pencil to paper to help illustrate Student Life’s written points. Or, get the point across with fancy graphics and charts. Interested? E-mail editor@studlife.com to get started.

Sample infographic

DMITRI JACKSON | STUDENT LIFE

Sample comic strip

JASON ANDERSON | STUDENT LIFE

ANNA DINNDORF | STUDENT LIFE

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | ABOUT US

photo Student Life features award-winning photography captured by both advanced amateurs and novices alike. The photo section, comprised of a senior editor, section photo editors and staff photographers, visually illustrates every section of the paper, except Forum. Whether it’s breaking news, the latest basketball game or a colorful dance performance, Student Life’s photographers are on the scene. In addition to photographs accompanying stories, Student Life also publishes photo essays, spreads and slideshows. Photo essays typically cover a major event on campus, like W.I.L.D. or Thurtene Carnival. In the past, our photographers have also created photo essays documenting subjects such as the ROTC, homelessness in St. Louis or the Beta Bubbles party. Whenever a significant photographic event occurs on campus, we always publish extended slideshows on our website as well. This year, we look forward to embracing new media and incorporating audio and video into our photodocumentaries. Student Life photographers come from a variety of backgrounds, and while they act in a professional manner, you do not need a polished portfolio, years of training or expensive equipment to join the staff. The background of the average staff photographer typically includes a few high school classes or just taking pictures for Facebook. All photography at Student Life is digital and we have equipment available for the staff to use. Student Life maintains a very strict photojournalistic ethics policy. We do not stage photos unless shooting a portrait or photo-illustration. We document news as it occurs without interfering. When editing photos for publication, we do use Adobe Photoshop and other software but we do not condone or allow photo manipulation. The definition of manipulation is subjective, but in general it is any change that alters the content, interpretation, meaning or realism of a photograph, beyond normal cropping and tonal adjustments. It is permissible to create photo-illustrations, which combine photographs with unnatural elements. We only publish photo-illustrations that, when viewed by an average reader, are clearly not real photographs.

photo

in a nutshell

Looking for: Camera fiends who have an eye for a photo-op. Experience needed: While not required, some photographic experience is recommended. Bottom line: Go behind the scenes at major events and learn techniques from senior photographers to get a head start in photojournalism. Interested? E-mail photo@studlife.com to get started.

DAVID HARTSTEIN | STUDENT LIFE

LIONEL SOBEHART | STUDENT LIFE

Are you a tech-savvy writer who wants to get involved with multimedia journalism? Student Life’s online section covers breaking news and sports exclusives to bring the student body up-to-date. This year, Student Life received first place for “Best Web site” in the Missouri College Media Association Awards. Our Web site is constantly expanding and currently receives 25,000 unique visitors each month.

online studlife.com

in a nutshell

Visit us online at www.studlife.com!

Tech support The online staff is still being developed, but is principally composed of an online editor, who works closely with the editor in chief and associate editor to develop new content and maintain the Web site. The online editor is responsible for developing media presentations, such as photography slideshows, video clips or supplementary documents for stories. The online editor also works with College Publisher Inc. to develop code for special projects and troubleshooting. Further responsibilities include creating PDF archives and tracking site statistics.

Get connected Students can subscribe to the online edition of Student Life through an RSS feed or through a free e-mail subscription. Over 10,000 students, faculty and alumni subscribe to the e-mail edition of Student Life. Subscribers get the added benefit of receiving breaking news stories, right to their inbox.

Blog on The newest addition to our online media is blogs.studlife.com. This project aims to keep students connected to nightlife, behind the scenes coverage of sports and news events and insights into studying abroad. We are always looking to expand this section, so if you have ideas for new blogs, we would love to hear them. If you are looking for a challenging job in web development and creative media or would like to contribute to a blog, Student Life is looking to hire you.

Looking for: Students interested in integrating media with technology in online journalism Experience needed: Web experience preferred; writing experience preferred for blog writers Online-only features: n Photo slideshows: Petting zoo, Idan Raichel concert, Spring W.I.L.D. concert, Thurtene carnival n Breaking news: crime updates, W.I.L.D. band previews and game highlights from weekend sporting events n Blogs: Previous blogs have included nightlife, study abroad, and concert blogs Bottom line: Gain invaluable experience working with new software and learning about the world of digital media; great for students who love blogging and learning about creative outlets for writing. Interested? E-mail editor@studlife.com to get started.

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | ABOUT US

design & copy editing So you want to work for the newspaper but don’t want to write? No problem. Someone still has to put the articles on the page and someone else has to make sure those articles are coherent and free from grammatical errors. These people are Student Life’s designers and copy editors. Content aside, designers and copy editors change those articles that could just as easily be handed in to your next English class into a newspaper, one that should be both compelling to read and interesting to look at.

Copy The copy editors are some of the last people in the newspaper production line. While they may not have bylines or get very much credit, copy editors play an important role for the paper. In fact, the better the job they do, the less they are noticed. Readers can sometimes focus on one spelling or grammatical mistake and forget about the point of the article—copy editors try to make sure that doesn’t happen. The work put into writing and designing the paper can fall apart if it is poorly presented, so copy editors are sort of a last line of defense against errors. It all comes down to credibility. Having a well-written, well-presented, errorfree paper allows our audience a smooth read and our staff gains more respect. The process itself is pretty simple. After the newspaper’s been designed, copy editors read through the entire newspaper on the computer exactly as it will look the next day in print. Aside from correcting for spelling, the copy editors look for awkward grammar usage or phrases that might not make sense. Missing photo captions, incorrect by-lines, factual inaccuracies—these are the things the copy editors catch before the paper goes to print. Do you find yourself reading cereal boxes for punctuation errors? Is “Eats Shoots and Leaves” on your bookshelf? Then you may have found your true calling. Contact our copy chiefs at copy@studlife.com to get involved, because error-free is the way to be.

copy editing

in a nutshell

Looking for: Grammar fiends, spelling gurus, and punctuation sticklers who have a sharp attention for detail and a drive for perfection. Bottom line: Be a part of the last line of defense before the paper goes to print.

Design Presentation counts. Headlines can attract a reader’s attention, but so too can the way the articles are laid out on the page. Graphics, colors and the placement of articles on a page differentiate each page from the next and make the newspaper more appealing. Think of it as an advertisement for the articles: you make the newspaper look good and people will want to read it. Designers ensure that readers don’t become confused by awkward jumps to different pages or pictures seemingly placed with the wrong article. How does design work? On a given day, each designer is assigned a section of the paper, for example news or forum. The section’s articles are given to the designers and the designers begin to lay out the articles, formatting the text and arranging the stories on the page. Then, the designers figure out where to place the photos, headlines, and the rest of visual elements of the page. Text boxes, info graphics and advertisement placement are familiar territory to Student Life designers. All design is done through the program InDesign on the computers in the Student Life office. Even if you have no familiarity with InDesign, our production staff can show you how to use the program and what to look for when designing a paper. If you have an eye for design or would like to learn exactly how design works, e-mail our design chief at design@studlife.com.

design

Looking for: Those with an eye for the visually appealing and an appreciation for a crisp layout. Experience needed: Previous experience with layout software such as Adobe InDesign, Quark XPress, or PageMaker encouraged but not required. Bottom line: Work behind the scenes and help bridge the gap between the reporters and the readers. Interested? E-mail design@studlife.com to get started.

Interested? E-mail copy@studlife.com to get started.

Meet the WUSMI board: Stephanie Craft Stephanie Craft is an associate professor at the Missouri School of Journalism. Before earning a doctorate in communication from Stanford University, she worked as a newspaper journalist in California, Arkansas and Washington. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and a bachelor’s degree in history from Washington University in St. Louis, where she was news editor of Student Life. Her research focuses on press practices and performance, journalism ethics and the role of journalism in a democracy. Current projects include a chapter on journalism transparency for the Handbook of Mass Media Ethics to be published by Lawrence Erlbaum in 2008 and a chapter in a 14-nation study of freedom of speech frames in coverage of the Danish cartoon controversy. Her work has appeared in a number of journals, including Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, the Journal of Mass Media Ethics, Mass Communication & Society, Communication Law & Policy, the Howard Journal of Communication, and the International Journal of Public Opinion Research.

James T. Madore James T. Madore was appointed Albany Bureau Chief for Newsday in March, 2007. He is responsible for the daily newspaper’s coverage of state government and politics and coordinates the work of bureau personnel and staff from the paper’s base on Long Island. From 1989 through 2005, Madore worked as a business reporter for the Watertown (N.Y.) Daily Times, Buffalo News and Newsday, covering a variety of topics including the economy, retail, media, trade, manufacturing and labor. His stories have garnered honors from Investigative Reporters and Editors, the National Headliners Awards and New York State Associated Press Association, among others. He also has appeared on National Public Radio, MSNBC and the Fox News Channel. Madore served on the board of directors of the Society of American Business Editors & Writers and is a past president of the Columbia Journalism Alumni Association. He received a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Washington University, where he was co-editor in chief of Student Life. He also received a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. He currently serves as vice president and alumni critique coordinator of WUSMI.

Laura Meckler Laura Meckler is a staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal, based in Washington, D.C., where she covers health and social policy. She came to the Journal from The Associated Press Washington bureau, where she covered social policy and politics. Before that, she covered state government in Columbus, Ohio. She got her start covering everything from schools and cops to the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame festival at The Repository in Canton, Ohio, about 50 miles south of her hometown of Cleveland. She was a Nieman fellow at Harvard University in 2003-04 and in 1999, she won the Livingston Award for National Reporting, a prize given to journalists under age 35, for her coverage of organ donation and transplantation issues. At Washington University, she was editor in chief of Student Life. She graduated in 1990.

Brian Hamman Brian Hamman is a News Technology Developer at the New York Times, where he builds web applications to support the newsroom and website. Prior to landing at the Times, Brian recieved his master’s in journalism at the University of Missouri and then stayed on to redesign and redevelop the websites for the University-owned Columbia Missourian and Vox Magazine. Brian graduated from Washington University in 2002 with a degree in English and American Culture studies and worked for two years after graduation designing digital archives for the American Culture studies department. As an undergrad he worked on Student Life all four years, as a reporter, news editor and then editor-in-chief in 2000.

in a nutshell

wusmi Miguel Espinosa

Ellen Futterman

Miguel Espinosa graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Industrial Management in 1963 and with a Masters of Business Administration in International business in 1965. He has worked internationally in Spain and England for Continental Oil Company Ltd. and later served as treasurer of Conoco Inc. Throughout his career he has been involved in a variety of industry activities. He has also been involved in many community activities. He is a past member of the Houston Public Library board having served as its Chair for three terms. He was on the Parents Council of Washington University for four years and was on its Executive Committee. He serves on the board of Washington University Student Media Inc. He was born in Mexico City, Mexico. He and his wife Mary live in Houston with their two children.

Since joining the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 1982, Ellen Futterman has worked in just about every department, as a news reporter, feature writer, columnist, film critic, critic-at-large and entertainment editor. During her tenure as a writer, she has won a number of local, state and national awards, particularly for her coverage of issues that affect women and children. She currently is the paper’s Daily Features Editor. Other newspaper experience includes work as a reporter at the Belleville NewsDemocrat in Belleville, Ill. and at the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. Ms. Futterman graduated from Washington University in 1978, having majored in urban studies and sociology. She did graduate work in journalism at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In addition to her newspaper work, Ms. Futterman has taught journalism and media classes for more than 20 years at Webster University and Washington University’s University College. Ms. Futterman lives in Olivette with her husband, Jeff Burkett, and their children Jackson, 9; Jesse, 19; and Megan, 21.

Emily Fredrix

Emily Fredrix is a 2002 graduate of Washington University, where she earned a degree in French Literature. She has been with the Associated Press since graduating college, first joining the St. Louis bureau in the summer of 2002. She has also worked in bureaus in Topeka, Kan., Washington, D.C.and Omaha, Neb., and Milwaukee, Wis. since 2006. Emily covers business with a focus on food, beverages and retail. She spent all four undergrad years working on Student Life, starting as an unsuspecting incoming freshmen in Freshman Press. She went on to write and edit features and co-edit Cadenza.

Mitch Margo Mitch Margo has been a member of the WUSMI Board since 1999 and served as its president from 2003-2007. Mitch graduated from Washington University in 1977. He served as co-editor in chief of Student Life during his senior year and played varsity baseball for all of his years at WU. After several years as a reporter (The Detroit News, Los Angeles Herald Examiner), Mitch returned to WU for law school, receiving his law degree in 1983. He has been involved in several high profile cases, including serving as lead trial counsel in the First Amendment case Gilleo v. City of Ladue, which was argued successfully before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1994. He has served on a variety of committees and has been the recipient of awards such as St. Louis ACLU Volunteer Lawyer of the Year in 1995.

Jeff Leen Jeff Leen received his A.B. in English Literature and Drama in 1979 from Washington University in St. Louis, where he worked as a senior editor on the school magazine, Subject to Change. In 1982, he received his M.A. in Journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia. After graduation, he joined the Miami Herald as a reporter in the Gulf Coast Bureau. Beginning in 1985, he worked on the paper’s investigative team in Miami. In 1987, he co-authored a 10-part series on the Medellin Cartel that was later turned into a book, “Kings of Cocaine: A True Story of Murder, Money and International Corruption.” At the Herald, he also contributed to the coverage of Hurricane Andrew that was awarded the Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Public Service in 1993. Since 1997, he has been a reporter and an editor in the Washington Post’s investigative unit, where he was part of a four-reporter team whose investigation of D.C. police shootings won the 1999 Pulitzer Gold Medal, the paper’s first since Watergate.

Steven J. Givens Steven Givens leads Washington University’s Communications team and is responsible for the planning and implementation of public affairs strategies and programs for local, national and international news initiatives for the Danforth Campus, for external electronic communications, and for internal communications including the print and electronic editions of The Record. Prior to being named to this position in January 2007, he served for nine years as assistant to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton, during which time he led the steering committees for two presidential debates. A native of St. Louis, Givens is an experienced and accomplished communicator who has worked in education nearly his entire career. In addition, he is the author of five children’s books, numerous religiouseducation publications, and commentaries and feature articles that have appeared in local and national publications and broadcast on NPR. Givens was a consulting writer, composer and musical performer for the Emmy Award-winning documentary on the 1904 World’s Fair that aired nationally on PBS.

Kenneth J. Cooper Kenneth J. Cooper, a Pulitzer Prize winner, has been a newspaper reporter and editor for nearly 30 years, specializing in government, politics and social policy, at the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Knight Ridder, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and St. Louis American. In 1984, Cooper shared a Pulitzer for special local reporting for “The Race Factor,” a Boston Globe series that examined institutional racism in Boston. He covered the nation’s capital for a dozen years and once served as the Post’s correspondent for South Asia. In his second stint at the Boston Globe, he was its National Editor from 2001 to 2005. Currently, he is a freelance magazine writer, a fellow at the Center for Media and Society at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and a Fair Health Journalism Fellow with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, D.C. In 2007, he directed a training program for newspaper copy editors sponsored by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education and was a Fulbright Scholar at Cairo University in Egypt.

ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | ABOUT US

advertising How to place an ad Placing an ad with Student Life is easy. First, call the advertising office at 9356713 and ask to speak to an account executive. He or she will discuss different ad sizes and prices with you. Once you decide on a size and date for your ad to run, an insertion order must be filled out and then faxed to you to sign and fill out payment information. The last step is to email your ad in PDF format to advertising@ studlife.com. If you’d prefer, we can design your ad for no extra charge. Just tell your account executive that you would like us to design your ad and give him or her specifications for how you want the ad to look. We will do our best to design an ad that meets your satisfaction.

quick facts about

advertising

University benefits Student Life offers great benefits to students, faculty, and staff members wanting to advertise, so be sure to take advantage of it. University Departments get a 25% discount on all advertisements. Their rate is $9 per column inch instead of $12, which is the open rate for local and national businesses. Furthermore, university departments do not have to prepay; we can bill you instead. It should be noted that we do not do the FIS online billing. Instead, upon receiving a bill from us you just have to make a check request. Most importantly, students, faculty, and staff get free classifieds for personal/non-business use. Just be sure to e-mail the classified from your wustl account to classifieds@studlife.com.

Awards: Each year we attend CNBAM, the College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers Conference, where we meet to share ideas and selling strategies with account executives from universities all over the country. We have received many awards over the years, some of the most recent being: n n n n

Getting involved

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Halfway through each semester we evaluate whether or not we will need to fill any student advertising or business positions for the following semester. Advertising & business student staff positions include Account Executives, Graphic Designers, Subscriptions Manager, Office Manager, Marketing & Circulation Manager and Delivery Operations Manager. To recruit applicants, we then print fliers and house ads to attract prospective employees. The selection process involves submitting a resume and an application. We then proceed by interviewing the applicants.

Training We provide students with the skills and experience to understand the inner workings of Student Life. It is important that our staff stays informed about all the products we offer such as display ads, online ads, and promotions. Our priority is to teach our staff good customer relations, management, and problem-solving skills, not only so they can serve our clients but to prepare them for the professional business world. We also make sure the student staff takes an active role in decision making and implementing new ideas for the business side of Student Life. No matter what career field our employees choose to enter, they will benefit from the range of experience they gain here.

Best Classified Page 2nd place, 2007 Best Display Ad in spot color 3rd place, 2006 Best Rate Card 1st Place, 2006 Best Marketing Package/Media Kit 3rd place, 2006 Best Electronic Banner Ad—House 1st place, 2006 Best Advertising Student Staff of the Year, Circulation under 40,000 1st place, 2006

Readership statistics: Amongst the 13,000 students on campus, Student Life is the most widely read publication. According to our market research in 2005: n 93% of WU students read Student Life n 69% of WU students have not read another local print publication in the last month

Contact information: Phone: 935-6713 Email: advertising@studlife.com Online: www.readallover.com

Advertising staff Professional staff: Andrew O’Dell has been the General Manager of Student Life since 1997. As one of only two fulltime professionals on staff, Andrew oversees all operations of the newspaper. He works closely with the board of directors to set goals for the organization and keeps the Board informed on major issues affecting Student Life. He maintains the financial records for Student Life and provides guidance for both the business and editorial staffs on a variety of issues. He has a degree in political science from the University of Missouri. He is also heavily involved in the national trade organization, College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, having held a variety of positions, including president from 2001-2003. He was also named the Newspaper Association of America’s Advertising Educator of the Year in 2005. Andrew lives in South City with his beagle, Riley. Sara Judd is the Advertising Sales Manager for Student Life. A fulltime professional on the staff, she graduated from the University of Missouri in 2004 with a degree in Communication. She enjoys working at Student Life because she loves seeing students become so involved and motivated about something that is read all over their campus.

Student staff: Name: Amy Goldenberg Position: Student Advertising Sales Manager Year: Junior Majors: Marketing, Spanish Hometown: Tampa, FL What you like to do for fun: running, horseback riding, dancing, spending time at the beach, being with friends Why you like working for Student Life: I like the people and the fact that I’m getting real work experience. Name: Ian Goldberg Position: Graphic Designer Year: Senior Majors: Visual Communications Hometown: Roslyn, NY What you like to do for fun: For fun, I really enjoy playing tennis and golf, as well as going skiing. I also really enjoy going to the movies, reading, and watching television. Why you like working for Student Life: I really enjoy participating in the creation of our university newspaper, and designing the advertisements for each installment. Further, the other people that work for Student Life are great people to work with. Name: Zach Kelly Position: Account Executive Year: Junior Major: Psychology and Political Science Hometown: Northbrook, Ill. What you like to do for fun: I enjoy hanging out with friends, playing video games, sports trivia, reading and playing basketball. Why you like working for Student Life: I find it beneficial to gain sales, advertising and business experience. I also enjoy the friendly office environment and my co-workers.

Name: Sara Shapiro Position: Account Executive Year: Junior Major: Political Science Hometown: Winnetka, IL What you like to do for fun: Nap, Play tennis, hang out with friends, watch bad reality TV shows, play wii tennis and golf with the kids I baby-sit for Why you like working for Student Life: I really like all the people that work for Student Life and the relaxed atmosphere. I have learned a lot from working with clients that I think I will take with me in my future endeavors. Name: McKenzie Moore Position: Account Executive Year: Junior Major: English, Psychology Hometown: Dallas, TX What you like to do for fun: Play volleyball, eat, read, sleep Why you like working for Student Life: I get to work with great people, set my own hours, have fun, and still get paid more than most other work study jobs! Name: Allison Shellito Position: Marketing Manager Year: Senior Majors: Communication Design, Art History Hometown: Wichita, KS What you like to do for fun: Travel, cook, draw Why you like working for Student Life: Great people, fun projects Name: Lauren Ellis Position: Account Executive Year: Senior Major: International and Area Studies Hometown: New York, NY What you like to do for fun: Learning to play piano and hanging out with friends. Why you want to work for Student Life: The hours are flexible and the people are fun.

Name: Molly Jennings Position: Account Executive Year: Junior Major: English literature Hometown: Saint Louis, MO What you like to do for fun: Go out with my friends, try new restaurants, bake, read, crossword puzzles Why you like working for Student Life: The office has a great atmosphere--there’s always something going on and someone to talk to. Plus, it feels like you actually accomplish something when you make a sale, which is more than can be said for many on-campus jobs! Name: Christine Yip Position: Office Manager Year: Junior Majors: Finance, Accounting Hometown: New Jersey/Texas What you like to do for fun: Spend time with my friends Why you like working for Student Life: Great way to get involved at Wash. U. Name: Halsey Ward Position: Graphic Designer Year: Senior Majors: Marketing, Visual Communications Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas Name: Hanna Heck Position: Account Executive Year: Junior Major: International Studies, Chinese Hometown: New York What you like to do for fun: I really like dancing and experiencing quality culinary adventures (aka eating = my life)..surprise, surprise Why you want to work for Student Life: I want to work for StudLife because it seems exciting. I like being a part of new communities, having new and different experiences, and I want to learn what a sales job is like. I feel as if I can benefit greatly from this opportunity.

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ORIENTATION 2008

STUDENT LIFE | ABOUT US

We want YOU

â&#x20AC;Śto become a part of

Student Life! Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how you can get involved: E-mail us!

Find us online!

For general questions, e-mail the editor in chief at editor@studlife.com or e-mail one of the sections as follows: News: news@studlife.com Forum: forum@studlife.com Sports: sports@studlife.com Scene: scene@studlife.com Cadenza: cadenza@studlife.com Photography: photo@studlife.com Advertising: advertising@studlife.com

Call us! Newsroom phone: (314) 935-5995

Check out our Web site, www.studlife.com

Get to know us! Read our senior staff bios on our Web site and feel free to contact us.

Come check us out! Our office is on the third floor of the Danforth University Center. Come by and knock on our door anytime!

Fax us! Newsroom phone: (314) 935-5938

Mail us! Cut out and return the form below to get more information about working for us.

Stop by and see us! Look for our RED balloons at freshmen move-in and the Activities Fair and give us your e-mail address so we can send you information about upcoming meetings.

Want to become a part of Student Life? We want to hear from you! Name: E-mail address: Journalism experience, if any (not required):

Cut out and return to: Student Life One Brookings Drive Campus Box 1039 St. Louis, Mo 63130

I am interested in the following sections: News

Photography

Forum (opinion)

Cartoons/Graphics

Sports

Design

Scene (features)

Copy Editing

Cadenza (arts & entertainment)

Online