F R I D AY APRIL 29, 2005 Vol. 126, No. 78
Rain 58° / 45° w w w. s t u d l i f e . c o m
INSIDE “Please do not expose yourself in the B stacks.” The editorial board welcomes community members to share Olin Library—given a few caveats.
PAGE 4
STUDENT LIFE T H E I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T. L O U I S S I N C E 1 8 7 8
Gupta promoted to B-school dean By Liz Neukirch Associate Editor The Olin School of Business plucked one of its own to take the school’s top post, naming Mahendra R. Gupta, a senior associate dean, as the new business school dean. The University announced his appointment yesterday. Gupta will replace Dean Stuart Greenbaum, who is stepping down after 10 years in the role on July 1. “I’m delighted that Mahendra has accepted the appointment as dean of the Olin School of Business,” Chancellor Mark Wrighton said in a statement. “His work as senior associate dean makes him a very knowledgeable successor for Stuart Greenbaum. I look forward to supporting his efforts as he continues strengthening Olin and its national and international programs.” The announcement ends a nationwide search that began almost immediately after Greenbaum announced his departure in September. The University employed the executive headhunting fi rm of Korn/ Ferry International to help in the search process, hoping lure a candidate in the mold of former President Bill Clinton or Jack Welch, the former chief executive officer of General Electric. The search committee eventually decided upon an internal candidate who they
could quickly integrate into the position. “If we had brought in somebody from the outside, it would take them almost a year to become intimately involved,” said Greenbaum. “The insider always has an advantage. The fact that he’ll be able to grapple with [all the challenges the school faces] is tremendous.” Student Union President David Ader, an Olin student and a member of the search committee, agreed. “You want someone to come in and know what the position demands of them,” he said. “A prestigious name can’t necessarily do that.” Greenbaum said that Gupta’s main challenges will be continuing faculty development and growth, expanding MBA and non-degree programs, adjusting to the increasing competition with other business programs and transforming the school’s career center into one of the best in the county. According to Greenbaum, Gupta is up for the challenge. “He’s an inspired choice. He knows the school inside and out and is uniquely equipped,” he said. Gupta, who has worked at Olin since 1990 and has served as senior associate dean for the last two years, is also the Geraldine J. and Robert L. Virgil Professor of Accounting and Management. He has also worked on development committees for many of the school’s
See NEW DEAN, page 3
Inventors put ideas on parade
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
With four wins in the past week, the Bears softball team has extended its incredible winning streak to 26 games—the 11th longest winning streak in D-III history. See Sports for more details.
By John Hewitt Staff Reporter
PAGE 5 DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE
The Quad takes a breather Thursday night in between last week’s SWA occupation and today’s WILD. Robert Randolph and the Family Band will headline tonight’s main event, with Sister Hazel opening.
Outgoing editors Matt Simonton and Tyler Weaver deliver a classic (and classy) Cadenza feature. This is one night on the town that you won’t want to miss.
PAGE 10 WEATHER FORECAST Saturday High: 62° | Low: 40° Partly Cloudy
Sunday High: 66° | Low: 46° Isolated T-Storms
Monday High: 61º | Low: 45° Few Showers
INDEX 1-3 News 4 Forum 5 Sports 8 Classifieds Cadenza 6-7, 9-10
COURTESY OF WUSTL.EDU
Associate Dean Mahendra Gupta was selected as the new dean of the Olin School of Business.
Yesterday, the Skandalaris Entrepreneurship Program at the Olin School of Business launched “Idea Bounce,” a new opportunity that facilitates the sharing of creative and innovative ideas between members of the Washington University community. The project, which consists of a Web site and events, invites prospective entrepreneurs to bounce their business ideas off of one another. The Web site debuted last week, and the Skandalaris Center hosted its first event on April 28 in May Auditorium. “How do great ideas become reality? We wanted to provide a resource that would help people make connections,” said Chris Dornfeld, the entrepreneurship collaboration director at the Skandalaris Center. The first event had a total of 13 presenters with 14 ideas. The ideas presented ran the gamut from ‘Better for you Beef’ (beef mixed with tofu) and the ‘Pup Tub’ (a self-contained dog-washing apparatus) to ‘Washington University Press’ (a book press for the university). Each presenter was given two minutes
See IDEA BOUNCE, page 3
Secrecy surrounds “You Make Wash U” signs By Troy Rumans Contributing Reporter Students who attended the fi rst annual You Make Wash U ceremony on Wednesday evening came away disappointed when the people behind the campaign didn’t reveal themselves. The You Make Wash U ceremony represents the beginning of an initiative to change the daily life of the campus in fundamental ways. This particular event was the culmination of preceding weeks, during which enigmatic “I Make Wash U ___” signs cropped up throughout the campus. The attendees at the event ranged from students who applied via the website listed on the signs, notable members of the University student body and Bon Appetit employees. About twenty people convened at around 8:00 p.m. in Holmes Lounge with one thing
in common: total bewilderment. Before them stood a bountiful collection of food (none of it kosher for Passover, much to the chagrin of many), but little else. Not one person knew exactly why they were invited to attend, or who had organized the whole affair. Eventually, the ceremony itself began. The assembled body waited with anticipation to see who would step up to the podium. A familiar yet surprising face greeted them as Richard Poe, Bon Appétit employee and a regular sight at the Whispers café, came to the front to begin the presentation. “In recent years, I have become a good friend of a person, who wishes to remain nameless,” began Poe. “He asked that I present the awards.” The fi nalists, chosen from the online applicant pool, were recognized for how they felt they affected the community of the Uni-
See CEREMONY, page 3
RACHIT PATEL | STUDENT LIFE
Connie Fry presents her ideas for “Senior Ease” to a crowd of students at Idea Bounce’s first event in May Auditorium on Thursday afternoon.
Students survive the “sophomore slump” By Elizabeth Lewis Contributing Reporter By the time new freshmen set foot on campus, they have already been warned of the challenges of moving away from home, meeting new people and starting life in a different environment. But seldom do students hear about the challenges of the transition from freshman to sophomore. The push to declare a major, fi nd an internship and decide whether or not to apply to study abroad can lead second year students to fall into “the sophomore slump.” “Sometimes, sophomores can feel a bit ignored compared to the freshmen,” said Karin Levin-Coburn, vice chancellor for students and the author of
STUDENT LIFE
“Letting Go: A Parents’ Guide to Understanding the College Years.” Levin-Coburn continued, “There is an expectation that sophomores should know how things work.” In her book, Levin-Coburn addresses this secondary transition and the confusion that can sometimes ensue. One of the staff counselors in Counseling and Health Services, Sarah Shia, said such confusion can arise when sophomores start thinking about the many choices that lie ahead. “Sophomore year is a time when people make changes in ideas of what they would like to major in,” said Shia. “This time can interfere with a person’s identity. Prior to this time, things have been laid out. This is the fi rst time that [he/she] has had
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to make a major decision.” Sophomore Ashley Smith attested that the “sophomore slump” does exist, due in part to the increasing importance of the choices students make. “The initial excitement [of college] is gone, and you are trying to fi nd your way through coursework and majors.” The “sophomore slump” does not necessarily have to be bad, according to Levin-Coburn. She said it can serve as a learning experience and has many hidden positives. “The ‘sophomore slump’ is a period of certainty and uncertainty, and it is a time of growth,” said
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See SOPHOMORE, page 3
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