Vol. 135, Issue 14 - 2 Feb. 2012
Michigan’s oldest college newspaper
www.hillsdalecollegian.com
Hillsdale students rally for Ron Paul
(Sally Nelson/Collegian)
Betsy Woodruff City News Editor
DSP loses house
Fraternity bands together as charter is in jeopardy Marieke van der Vaart Editor-in-Chief On Tuesday night, the men of Delta Sigma Phi lost their fraternity house. Dean of Men Aaron Petersen said he made the decision with the support of the Delt Sig alumni board to close the house starting next fall, in response to continued problems with alcohol in the dry house and other violations of campus and fraternity life. The issue of the chapter’s charter — whether Delt Sig will exist on campus or not — will be decided by the national fraternity, he said. “The administration, the na- tional fraternity, and the alumni board are agreed: no one wants to close the chapter,” Petersen said. “It’s not an attack on indi-
viduals – it’s about getting the organization right.” Delt Sig President senior DJ Loy said the house was taken aback by the decision. “It surprised all of us,” he said. “Although initially many members were upset, we decided that we needed to do whatever was necessary to help bring this group of men back into good standing.” Petersen said the chapter will meet with a representative from the national fraternity in the coming weeks who will further review the future of the house and the chapter on Hillsdale College’s campus. Delt Sig will not participate in spring recruit- ment, which starts Sunday. The decision comes on the heels of a turbulent few years for the 36-member frater- nity that has faced criticism for
drinking and drug use in the house, as well as most recently, unpaid dues. However, Loy said that many of the most recent issues highlight miscommuni- cations between Delt Sig and Central Hall. Last semester, Delt Sigs were caught drinking alcohol in their house, and alcohol was IRXQG LQ D IUDWHUQLW\ RI¿FHU¶V fridge over Christmas break, despite administrative warnings, Petersen said. Last week, sev- eral members of the house were found to have drunk from a beer bong in the upstairs portion of the house. These actions violated the fraternity’s national bylaws, which require chapters to main- tain a grade point average above the campus average to apply for alcohol waivers. Petersen said the fraternity should have been
dry for more than 10 years. Loy acknowledged the house’s imperfections, but pointed to its improvement in recent years. In past years, the chapter held parties in the house despite the national restriction. In 2005, Delt Sigs threw a party where TVs were thrown off the roof, windows were broken, and sinks ripped off walls. Loy said recent incidents cannot compare. “We realize that the alcohol in the house is the largest issue, but the alcohol use in the house is on such a small scale, we still believe it can be handled internally,” he said. “It was our understanding ZLWK WKH GHDQ¶V RI¿FH DW WKH beginning of the year that if
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Forti started Hillsdale’s Youth for Paul chapter in December. Since then, it has Since Sunday, 22 percent of grown to 68 members, becom- the student body has signed a ing the second largest chapter in petition to bring Rep. Ron Paul the state. (R., Texas) to Hillsdale. Paul isn’t just popular on Kyle Forti and Mike Mor- campus. He won 17 percent of rison are leading the effort to the Hillsdale County vote when bring the presidential candidate he ran for president in 2008, to speak on campus. So far, 315 making it his most supportive students have signed the peti- Midwestern county. tion. Forti and Morrison have Since 2008, his nationwide met with the administration support has grown. Forti is one about logistical issues, found of many converts who have a potential sponsor for the talk ÀRFNHG WR KLV FDPS (the Classical Liberal Organiza- “I used to be an ardent non- tion), and worked to coordi- Ron Paul supporter, a Ron Paul nate efforts with the Hillsdale hater,” he said. “Back in 2008, I County grassroots group that probably would have supported supports Paul. anybody but the good doctor Forti keeps the campaign because I thought his supporters updated on the petition’s results. were nuts, I thought they were If Paul comes to campus, it will crazy.” probably be before Michigan’s Since then, though, he said primary on February 28. he became disillusioned with “It’s up to us to show the how the right wing communi- Paul campaign that we have the cates its political message. support to warrant his trying to “What I’m attempting to do come out and visit,” Morrison is avoid propaganda, and that said. led me to support Ron Paul A stop from the OB-GYN- because I see just as much pro- turned-presidential candidate paganda from the other [repub- is far from certain –– there lican] candidates as I do with has to be space for a speech, Barack Obama,” he said. the administration has to give Forti said that despite Paul’s the talk a go-ahead, and Paul’s slim chance of winning the Re- campaign has to be persuaded publican nomination, support- that there’s enough support in ing his campaign is important. Hillsdale to make a visit worth “I’m not so starry-eyed and ¿WWLQJ LQWR LWV WLJKW VFKHGXOH Paul-Bot to assume he’s going But despite the challenges, to pull off a miracle,” Forti Forti is optimistic about the said, “but the primaries are for possibility of a speech from the supporting a candidate who candidate. you most identify yourself with “I think there’s a great and who you can get behind in chance that something positive principle, and that’s what we’re could work out,” he said. doing here.”
P.J. O’Rourke Q&A
Adam Smith and economics today Emmaline Epperson Collegian Reporter
Political satirist and jour- nalist P.J. O’Rourke spoke at this week’s CCA, “Adam Smith, Free Markets, and the Modern World,” He is best known for his writing in Rolling Stone, The Atlantic Monthly, and National Lampoon. He has also written 17 books including “Eat the Rich, “Give War A Chance,” and “A Parliament of Whores.” What are you planning on speaking on in the CCA? It’s evolving a little bit. None of the speakers so far have gotten into much detail about “The Wealth of Nations,” the most famous book that Adam Smith wrote. We’ve had two lectures that covered “The Theory of Moral Sentiments,” which is a less known work of
his. “The Wealth of Nations” is the most translated economics book ever., but not necessarily the most read because it’s over 200 years old and 2,000 pages. I’ve read it cover to cover and it is a very profound work. My topic is the invisible hand, which is the symbol that Adam Smith used to describe the free market. That people acting in their own self-interest somehow EHQH¿W WKH SXEOLF LQ JHQHUDO There are some controversies regarding the invisible hand. The other issue is was Adam Smith a devoted follower of laissez faire? Or was he actually a radical egalitarian, a social democrat, who actually favored D YHU\ VWURQJ DQG LQÀXHQWLDO government? There is this debate among economists and social thinkers. What do you think Adam Smith would say about to-
You were the president of the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) for two years. What is FEE’s role in modern economics? The biggest problem with FEE is that it has become relatively unknown compared to what it used to be. It used to be the free market think tank and all these other organizations have grown out of it. Almost everybody who’s now in charge of Young America’s Founda- tion or CATO or IHS, ISI, all of these organizations — almost all of the founders of those or- ganizations went to a FEE semi- nar and were subscribers to The Freeman. But now The Free- man has a circulation of 5,000 people, which really dropped even though it continues to put out good material. Larry Reed,
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(Chuck Grimmett/Collegian)
Thesis cut from George Washington Fellowship
In Spaces...
Emily Johnston Senior Reporter
Meet the Romeos
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In City News...
Annual Tip-Up
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In Sports... Charger 2-for-1 vs. Lake Eerie
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day’s economic scene? Smith made an interesting statement that I am going to quote in my talk: “Little else is required to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable ad- ministration of justice.” I, and I think Smith too, would add in a sound monetary system. So if you think about those four areas: Peace. Do we have peace today? No. Do we have easy taxes? Most people would say no. Do we have sound money? Probably not. $QG ¿QDOO\ GR ZH KDYH D WROHU- able administration of justice? Now at that I would probably nod my head in agreement. These are some problems that Adam Smith would raise in today’s society. But he also cer- tainly would be overwhelmed at the dramatic rise in our standard of living.
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George Washington fellows received a happy piece of news this semester — no more thesis requirement to graduate. “The thesis component of the George Washington Fellowship Program has been eliminated,” Provost David Whalen said. Whalen said the thesis was a complication and a hindrance to good academic work. Several George Washington fellows are already writing theses for other graduation requirements. Senior Brittany Baldwin, for instance, is writing a thesis for her American studies major. Whalen said quality of work goes down when too much is demanded, and the George Wash- ington Fellowship thesis proved
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Seniors Katharine Mancuso, Brittany Baldwin, and Grace Kessler spent last Spring semester in Washington D.C. as George Washington Scholars. The program is being restructured to foster more community, administrators said. (Courtesy of Katharine Mancuso)