the columns friday, september 9, 2011
In This Issue News
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*An Academic Abroad: Fulbright Professor Amy Blakeway *Increase in Parking Ticket Fines On Campus *Westminster Offers New Study Abroad Opportunities *Women’s Recruitment Starts The Year Off Well
International 4 Affairs and Greek Life *International After Graduation: Spain *Holloway Across The Sea: England *Phi Delt Volunteers To Improve Community
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Opinion
*Optimism Remains On Westminster’s Campus *On September 11, 2001 *Letter To The Editor
Sports
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*Women’s Soccer Team Plays Hard Away From Home *Here We Go, West-MO, Here We Go! *Crushing Victory For Westminster Football
Student Speak Ten years after the anniversary of 9/11, where were you on September 11, 2001?
ON, WESTMINSTER, ON! DESPITE CONCERNS Facing $1.3 Million budget shortfall, President Forsythe invokes college fight song.
BY MEGAN HARDEMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Standing below a screen displaying lyrics to the Westminster College fight song, “On, Westminster, On!” at his State of the College Address last Friday, President Barney Forsythe asked the college community to be “nimble” in the face of a $1.3 million budget shortfall that will likely result in personnel and other cutbacks around campus. The shortfall is caused by lower-than-expected enrollment figures this fall, a situation that President Forsythe anticipates will be a “one year blip.” “It’s a competitive environment,” said President Forsythe. “Families are concerned about the affordability of higher education.” Westminster’s enrollment goal has fallen between 80 to 90 students short, resulting in a $1 million plus revenue shortage. As an 80 percent tuition dependent school, the lower enrollment figures have had a sig-
President Forsythe delivers his State of the College Address to faculty, staff, and students in Coulter Science Center on Aug. 26, 2011. Photo by Megan Hardeman
nificant impact. “Because of the economy, more students than we anticipated ultimately picked lower cost options, primarily state universities and community colleges,” said President Forsythe. This also applies to the transfer of current students. Enrollment for 2015, however, is already promising, according to President Forsythe. “We’re 30% ahead in inquiries and 60% ahead in applications,” he said. “But
this is a highly competitive marketplace in a very psychologically gloomy economy.” President Forsythe said he and his cabinet members are looking at the college’s operating budget to see if there are savings available. “We’re still going to have some very difficult decisions to make to get through this one year blip,” he said. “We’re going to make those decisions with integrity and respect for the
glorious people who are Westminster College.” For future enrollment stability, President Forsythe cited the mission statement as a crucial role in retaining students: “To be successful, we must generate demand, recruit and admit the right students for our mission, deliver on our mission and our promises, and passionately provide the conditions that foster student achievement and success.”
IN THE JUNGLE: MEN’S RECRUITMENT CHANGES I think I was in third grade, Ms. Rose’s class. I don’t remember what I did at the time. -- Lindsey VanDuyne, Freshman
I was in school! Fourth grade, I think. -- Amy Young, Sophomore
I was in fifth grade, and during one of my classes, I heard that one of the World Trade Center towers was hit by a plane -- Patrick Glauber, Junior
I was in 6th grade, and our teacher said “Boys and girls, something terrible has just happened.” -- Rachel Hyde, Senior
Women are amidst the controversy on Jungle Rush. BY HAYLEE RETHMAN LAYOUT EDITOR Suits and ties, blazers, and nametags were a few necessities seen on Westminster Avenue beginning on Wednesday, Aug. 31. Blaring speakers, men jumping wildly like animals, beating and tearing of blazers, waving of fraternity flags, and cheering females were a few added perks when it came to this year’s men’s formal recruitment. Nearly 100 well-dressed men with the intention of joining a brotherhood paraded down Fraternity Row and entered each of the houses with their designated groups organized by the Interfraternity Council (IFC). Before the formal recruitment process began, there was much discussion about the way it was going to take place. In the past, the process used to be called “Jungle Rush,” a long-standing college tradition. Police cars would block off Westminster Av-
Maine is the only state with a one-syllable name.
enue, lights flashing, from the stoplight at Break Time to the four-way stop at the corner of 7th and Westminster. No cars would be allowed to drive through the street as the men in each fraternity ran and cheered in the middle of the road. This year, the block-off was no exception. In the past, the recruits would walk along the sidewalks from house to house, and the women participated by lining up along the sidewalk, cheering and wearing t-shirts saying “Rush Fraternity X,” and slapping hands and/or other body parts of the males involved. After the vulgar display of what can only be described as sexual harassment during last year’s Jungle Rush, there was a huge push by Greek Life to do away with any and all female participation. “I think it’s a good policy because it allows men to pick a fraternity based on its principles rather than how well-liked they are on campus,” said Dr. Cinnamon Brown. In Oct. 2010, the National Panhellenic Council (NPC)
passed a resolution that does not allow Greek women to participate in any recruitment process for men’s fraternity organizations. The goal of this resolution was to create equality for all fraternity and sorority groups regardless of sex. “The objective of men’s fraternity recruitment is to allow the potential new members a venue
to get to know the men in the fraternity and to understand the fraternity’s purposes, goals and programs, directly from actual members of the organization,” stated theNational Panhellenic Conference resolution. The initial solution to this problem was sent in a mass e-mail to students STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
New fraternity recruits participate in recruitment outside of the Kappa Alpha Order house. Photo by Emma Ray
Every ton of recycled paper saves about seventeen trees.
Vultures can fly for six hours without flapping