A&E
Sports
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Opinion
Kickstart it up
Sneak Peak
John Mendiola reviews some of Kickstarter’s most interesting fundraising campaigns.
Aly Mithani previews and predicts this year’s MLB season, from game one to the World Series.
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A Broken System
Assistant professor Kelly Carlisle gets real about students’ tendency to overcommit and its dangers.
Campus Pulse Sherlock Gnomes Winners in schoolwide drawing name the beloved library mascot.
theTrinitonian Volume 110, Issue 22
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www.trinitonian.com
“Mexico Today”
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Serving Trinity University Since 1902
APRIL 05, 2013
Following their suspension last spring and a year-long reinstatement process, Gamma Chi Delta, SPURS Sorority, Chi Delta Tau and the Bengal Lancers regained active standing this week but remain on probation for the next three years. The Gammas and Delts were reinstated on Sunday, March 31, followed by the SPURS and Lancers on Wednesday, April 3. The Process The reinstatement process, which began in May of last year, and the reinstatement plans, which were submitted in January,
were overseen and evaluated by members of Campus and Community Involvement and the administration, and required the active participation of students and alumni. At the beginning of the reinstatement process, CCI issued a template to guide the groups’ individual plans, outlining the four pillars of fraternity and sorority life: leadership, camaraderie, service and scholarship. From there, each group authored a plan unique to their organization. The plans were up to 90 pages in length, and included listed activities, the orientation calendar for each organization, narratives about changes that the groups plan to implement and goals for the next one to 10 years. “Our job was to go through and show them how we are going to change our culture, our internal workings and put some stuff in there that they could see as actual
change,” said Erik Long-Goheen, junior and Delt student liaison. “When they felt comfortable with our progress, they would let us back on campus, which just happened Sunday night.” Luke Shover, a sophomore member of the Lancers, said that the reinstatement process provided the organization with insight into the inner workings of the administration but was, at times, trying. “Quite frankly the first word that comes to mind is frustrating,” Shover said via email Thursday. “The irony that existed was infuriating, the CCI office (Dr. Michael Fischer, Briana McGlamory, Jamie Thomspon) insisted on transparency throughout the process yet it became clear as the ordeal continued that the decision to suspend our organization from campus was not what it originally seemed.”
encountered problems with residents taking community furniture, but he knows that it can be a problem. “The university puts this furniture out for the students. It’s supposed to foster a sense of community and give students a place to relax, study and gather,” Perdomo said. “When people take the furniture, it really devalues the dorm as a whole. It’s especially bad for the newer dorms that have TVs and nice couches.”
While Res Life has the right to charge residents for the missing furniture, some residents say that it is not fair to single out residents of North and South. “The residents in North and South that didn’t take the furniture are just as innocent as other people who didn’t take the furniture, but happen to live in a different dorm,” said Dylan Holland, junior engineering major. “If the community is going to be charged for the missing furniture, the bill shouldn’t fall
solely on residents of North and South.” Spencer’s email set a return date of April 5, after which residents of North and South could be subject to community billing. However, Res Life will not necessarily choose to charge residents for the missing furniture. “Will we charge? Personally, I doubt we will charge,” Spencer said. “But, in case we decide to charge, we have the authority and the right to do so.”
by Faith Ozer
NEWS EDITOR
Former President of Mexico Felipe Calderon spoke in front of members of the Trinity and San Antonio communities at 7:30 pm on Thursday, March 21, in Laurie Auditorium. See Page 5 for details of Calderon’s lecture.
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Following reinstatement process, four suspended Greek organizations return After CCI reviews plans, groups regain active standing
photo by Megan McLoughlin, intern
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see FOUR Page 6
Residence hall community liable for furniture Res Life considers charging all North and South residents for missing foyer furniture by Caleb Franzmann
NEWS REPORTER
On March 15, Brandon Spencer, Residential Life coordinator, sent an e-mail to the residents of North and South saying that residents could be fined for missing communal furniture. If the items are not returned by today, Residential Life may subject the residents to community billing. During every break, Res Life conducts a furniture inspection to take account of all university furniture in residential areas. When Res Life noticed several items missing in the North/South foyer, Spencer sent the e-mail to North and South residents. “We were missing end-tables, wooden chairs, love seats, and a couch,” Spencer said. “You cannot take community furniture out of community space for personal use.” Based on the board and Res Life agreement that students sign before being allowed to live in the dorms, Res Life can charge students for the missing furniture. The agreement states
that communal furniture may not be moved to rooms, balconies or walkways. “I haven’t had to charge [students] in my time at Trinity, but it isn’t uncommon,” Spencer said. “It happens at other institutions. When furniture is missing or property is vandalized and no specific person is found responsible, the community often foots the bill.”
“The residents in North and South that didn’t take the furniture are just as innocent as other people who didn’t take the furniture, but happen to live in a different dorm.” Dylan Holland Junior
If Res Life decides to charge students for the missing furniture, the costs will be split equally between the residents of North and South. “Once you split the cost between all of the residents, those charges are typically only a dollar or two per person,” Spencer said. Senior resident mentor Sal Perdomo says he never
Junior Shalee Wallace spends her Thursday afternoon studying in the North/South foyer.
photo by Anh-Viet Dinh