Skidmore Jumps Six Spots in US News & World Report Rankings: The college gains ground on many peer institutions in the new 2013 rankings published Wednesday

Posted by Adrian Appleman

Skidmore College jumped six spots in the 2013 rankings of U.S. News & World Report's Best Liberal Arts Colleges, published on Sept. 12, 2012. Skidmore moved from 49^th to 43^rd, two spots below Connecticut College and Union College, which both occupy the 41^st spot, and five positions below Trinity College, which takes 38^th on the list.

U.S. News uses a methodology that assigns each college a composite score based on factors which include graduation and retention rates, resources, selectivity and alumni giving. On Skidmore's page, U.S. News calls attention to the small size of the student body as well as the wide array of resources that are provided for the students, such as Northwoods, which serves as an outdoor classroom, and the First-Year Experience, which eases the transition into college academics.

The report also notes a general happiness felt by students of the College. "The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 94.2 %," the report states.

Skidmore was also listed in Newsweek magazine as one of the "25 Happiest Colleges," placing higher than distinguished institutions such as Cornell University, Harvard University, Columbia University, Wesleyan University and Tufts University.

For a full list of the 2013 rankings, please visit the U.S. News & World Report's website.

SGA to Host Fall Fun Day this Saturday: A new Skidmore tradition hopes to start the semester on a good note

Posted by Dylan Bronstein

This fall, the Student Government Association's Inter-Hall Board will sponsor a new, school-wide, start of the semester event entitled "Fall Fun Day," in reference to the popular Skidmore tradition of "Fun Day," a weekend day in the spring semester to relieve stress before finals week and serve as an early going-away party for the senior class.

Fall Fun Day, which will take place from noon to 5 p.m. on September 15 on the South Green, will be a scaled-down version of the traditional Fun Day, with fewer inflatable attractions and only one of the usual music venues.

Students reacted well to the announcement of a Fall Fun Day.

"I'm super excited for Fall Fun Day, because of naps and drama!" Charlotte Cramer '15 said. Tory Waldron '15 added, "I'm excited for Fall Fun Day because last year I couldn't go on the moon bounce."

Many spring athletes deprived of the Fun Day experience because of athletic commitments will be able to attend this event, along with many students who are planning to go abroad in the spring semester.

According to SGA, The event will not have cotton candy machines, as is typical of Fun Day in the spring, but it will have a moon bounce and live music. The bands Los Elk, Beardo and Campo are scheduled to play, as well as the DJs JJ/Andrew, Jake Donahue and Stephan Cocorelis. Food will also be provided. The event has been estimated to have a bill of approximately  $5,500, around $4,000 less than Fun Day proper.

"We're having a Fall Fun Day because a lot of students made an argument last year that there's no large social college gathering early in the college semester," said Robin Adams, associate director of Leadership Activities. "This was their attempt to get the student body together."

Before Fall Fun Day, the largest campus event of its kind during the fall semester was the Moorebid Ball, a dance that takes place on Halloween weekend. Last year, Moorebid was shut down for the second year in a row due to dangerous overcrowding of around 1,400 students between the Recreational and Dance gyms.

"The argument is that Moorebid is the first crazy event that we have, so the hope is that a Fall Fun Day would temper some of the rowdiness that explodes during Moorebid," Adams said. "I'm not sure that I personally subscribe to the idea that one event will translate to better behavior at another event, but enough students have said it, and theoretically they know their mindset better than anybody. I'm willing to try it."

These students, who campaigned at the end of last year for a Fall Fun Day and organized it over the summer and the beginning of the school year, include SGA members Jessica Sonnenfeld '14, the vice president of Residential Affairs, who spearheaded the project. Sonnenfeld said the idea of a Fall Fun Day stemmed from talks about how to go about the Moorebid situation.

However, when asked why they decided to have Fall Fun Day, SGA President Matt Walsh dismissed any relation to the October tradition.

"It's why we do any event," he said, "to provide an outlet for fun and excitement because classes are hard. We're not considering Moorebid as part of Fall Fun Day at all."

Despite rumors that Fall Fun Day is replacing Moorebid, Sonnenfeld confirmed that Moorebid plans for this semester are in the making.

"Just because we're having fall Fun Day this year doesn't mean that we're going to have it every subsequent year," Walsh said. "We're just trying it out. Fun Day has been successful, and if we want an event at the start of the year, why not start with something we know how to do."

Grant family no longer suing Skidmore students: Family of Alexander Grant dropped five million dollar lawsuit last Tuesday

Posted by Adrian Appleman

Last Tuesday, the family of Alexander Grant, a Boston College student found dead on March 8, 2011 in Putnam Creek after attending a downtown party hosted by Skidmore students, dropped a five million dollar lawsuit filed in April against nine men, eight of which were former students.

The family is now offering a $100,000 reward for any information that could lead to a conviction in the case. For further information, see The Saratogian report. 

Non-student rushed to hospital at Fun Day event

Posted by Brendan James

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, a non-student was carried off of the South Green's Fun Day event and rushed into an ambulance. At the moment Campus Safety has said that the young woman is a non-student and possibly a Skidmore graduate, though this has not yet been confirmed.

The young woman was unconscious as the EMTs carried her on a stretcher into an ambulance just outside Case Center. Campus Safety Director Lawrence Britt disclosed that the woman is indeed a non-student, but did not disclose her name or whether she is a Skidmore graduate or former student.

Britt later said he could not confirm anything about the woman's identity, nor her current condition or reason for hospitalization, as Campus Safety does not keep track of medical conditions after the person has left campus, due to the Hippocratic oath.

"It's all confidential, so all we know is that she was transported to the hospital," Britt said. "Nobody can discuss somebody's medical information anymore."

Norman Finkelstein to address Israeli-Palestinian question in Gannett Auditorium: Controversial author will offer his insight on practical solutions to the historical problem

Posted by Julia Leef

This Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Gannett Auditorium, author and professor Norman Finkelstein will deliver a lecture on the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and outline possible solutions.

As the upheavals in the Middle East continue to unfold, from the Arab Spring to the simmering tension over Iran's nuclear program, several Skidmore students have decided to invite Finkelstein to campus and throw the spotlight back onto on one of the region's perennial questions-the issues of Israeli and Palestinian statehood.

Finkelstein has been writing on the subject for over two decades and has published several books since first tackling the question in his dissertation at Princeton University in 1988. His latest book, titled "Knowing Too Much," contends that the American Jewish community is becoming increasingly skeptical of Israel's approach toward several important factors of the conflict.

Finkelstein's appearance was organized by Danny Pforte '13, Salim Mohamed '15, Abdelmonem Mislati '15 and Ahmed Wheida '15. Working through the Office of Student Diversity Programs (OSPD), these students invited Finkelstein to showcase an analysis of the conflict they feel is underrepresented on Skidmore's campus.

"We urge everyone to come to this event and agree or disagree however they like. We feel that there is a real lack of engagement on this issue here. There is mostly one view that is accepted and we wish to spark conversations to challenge that view," Mislati said.

Echoing this sentiment, Wheida stated that "while there is freedom of speech here, there are things you don't speak about. That's too bad, we want to change that."

Wheida stressed the organizers' hope that Finkelstein's appearance will result in rigorous discussion and argument.

"Once people begin to talk, others offer counterarguments, then there are rebuttals, and so on. And along the way you learn more and more about the strengths and weaknesses of your own position, which is all we are interested in doing here-that is education."

On Tuesday night Finkelstein will be introduced by the organizers, deliver a prepared talk, and then open the floor up to questions from the audience.

Registration now online after a four-day hiatus: Registrar says the system will function as expected for the Class of 2015 on Thursday

Posted by Julia Leef

Registration for fall 2012 courses began on April 10, but the new system shut down just two days later after multiple technical problems occurred while students tried to register for classes.

Registrar announced the system would be operational again at 1 p.m. April 16, and since that time there have been no new problems with the server. Students from the Class of 2013 and 2014 may complete their registration, and the Class of 2015 will register on Thursday, April 19.

"We anticipated that the system would slow down during peak times, but did not expect it to crash," Interim Registrar David DeConno said. "The feedback we received from students during simulations was that the system was fairly easy to navigate, and that has proved to be true."

Registrar instigated a new system this year to replace the old Oracle one, which had been in place since 2005. According to Chief Technology Officer Justin Sipher, Oracle announced two years ago that it would discontinue its product, support for which would end in 2013.

"We began a selection process for the new system and ultimately selected Banner," Sipher said, referring to the new system employed by the College. "It's a comprehensive solution that is used by hundreds of college and universities across the country, including other liberal arts colleges such as Vassar, Colgate, Dickinson, Middlebury, Wellesley and many others."

The College initiated the 18-month implementation process, and the system went live for the first time last fall for the admissions recruitment process for the incoming Class of 2016. Registration last week was the first time current students used the new system, Sipher said.

Along with the loss of a planning sheet, the other major change students faced with the new system was that each class would register at the same time, unlike in previous years, when students were divided into smaller groups and assigned staggered time slots.

"We looked into how other Banner schools were handling their time slots and also sought advice from their consultants," DeConno said. "We found that other similarly-sized schools handled registration by class year. Our choices were to set priority based on number of earned credits, alphabetically, or by class year. By allowing students in a particular class year to log in at the same time, everyone has a chance at the courses they want. In the past, the students in the last groupings knew for a fact that they would be closed out of many of those classes. At least they have a chance now."

Registrar and the Information Technology department worked with the system vendor to copy the registration database to a test system and use it to run successful registration simulations over the past month.

"The Banner system is the most complex system we have," Sipher said. "Its multiple servers, multiple databases and millions of lines of code all configured to map to our academic and business processes including course registration. An issue regarding the configuration of the databases was changed and this change is was we now believe will have it function as desired."

Many students received errors while trying to register for classes, and found that the system slowed down especially when dealing with upper-level courses with prerequisites.

"We received a number of calls and students visiting Harder 101," DeConno said, referring to where Registrar was stationed during registration. "Most of the questions were concerning the system performance issues. All other calls pertained to the normal problems with holds and prerequisites that we see every semester."

Registrar shut down the system on April 12 once it determined it could not fix the problem while registration was open, Sipher said, adding that the IT department worked with the software company to diagnose and fix the problem, keeping the system off-line over the weekend for a thorough analysis.

After the system shut down, approximately 1,000 of the 1,150 students from the classes of 2013 and 2014 eligible to register had enrolled in at least one course, according to DeConno. 800 students registered for 12 or more credits and approximately 290 had fewer than 12 credits. DeConno said these numbers were not very different from past semesters.

Registration is ongoing, and students in need of assistance may visit the Registrar's Office on the fourth floor of Palamountain or call extension 5710.

"Walk of Solidarity" takes students' voices downtown: Students march down Broadway and Caroline Street to speak against identity-based harrassment

Posted by Brendan James

On Friday at 3 p.m. students in front of Case Center could be seen unraveling a large banner declaring "We all have the right to feel safe."

 Within a few minutes, around 40 students and some administration began the "Walk of Solidarity" down Broadway to Caroline Street, chanting against perceived harassment of students and Saratoga residents when downtown.

"Whose streets? Our streets!" the crowd hollered as they marched down Broadway, met with occasional honks and waves from residents in their cars. Cameramen from CBS News weaved through the stream of attendants as an anchor narrated the proceedings.

The attendants of the "Walk of Solidarity" identified their purpose as a response to persistent harassment and verbal assault downtown due to individuals' "racial, sexual, or gender identity," according to the official statement of the College's Center for Sex and Gender Relations. The students' chants were read from print outs and listed advice for vulnerable students as well as potential aggressors. 

"This is a struggle for human rights and respect," said Eric Moretti '14. "I have had friends who've been verbally assaulted."

Addressing the perceived hostility to certain minorities in downtown Saratoga, Moretti added, "to me it doesn't matter if there's an actual incident downtown - people feel unsafe. This is an idea that we're trying to inject into people minds."

Besides students, also on the "Walk" were Dean of Students Rochelle Calhoun and Andrea Wise of the Office of Communications.

Calhoun remarked that she was there to stand in solidarity with students. "Students sometimes feel uncomfortable downtown, I recognize that. Also, as a Saratogian I know we are a community that seeks to address such issues, " she said.

"I think that even if there isn't an incident there is still a feeling, and that's what we're looking to address," she added.

The organizers of the "Walk" were Caleb Stoeffler '12 and Rachel Bowen '14, both head peer advocates of the Center for Sex and Gender Relations, and Lex Curry '12 a peer advocate.

The organizers chose not to link their march with any particular incidents concerning such alienation. Curry noted that such an idea had been brought up at the beginning of the semester, and that the initial sources concerning the feeling of alienation downtown were exit interviews from last year's senior class.

However, several onlookers and attendants noted that the event came on the heels of a recent Skidmore student initiative directed at perceived Putnam Den. In that instance, Skidmore's sex magazine, B.A.R.E., organized a "takeover" of Putnam Den due to what the editors alleged to be the bar's unsafe atmosphere for the LGBT community.

Some students marching contrasted Friday's "Walk" with the "Queerin' Putnam" initiative.

"The Queering Putnam event had good intentions, but I think muddled intentions," said Tucker Costello '12. "This is a quieter event looking to make this the safe place that most people know Saratoga Springs to be."

An onlooking student who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, "I like this approach today, I think their concerns are valid. But as for some of the recent incidents that were said to be homophobic, I know that there are other explanations for some of them, like underage drinking."

As for the organizers, they felt the event was a success on its own terms. "The turnout was exactly what we expected," said Curry.  There was no shortage, they said, of support from administration and faculty in order to bring the event to fruition. "We received a lot of help from Rochelle Calhoun in organizing this," added Stoeffler.

Looking forward, the organizers hope to talk to the city authorities and downtown business about "Queer nights" which would open up a greater space downtown for people identifying as LGBT. Bowen added that the Center had been in touch with the city's Chamber of Commerce and said the city officers have been receptive to students' outreach concerning these questions.

Spring Elections Round III underway: Candidates advocate their platforms at a Speech Night held in Davis Auditorium

Posted by Julia Leef

Approximately 50 students gathered on April 11 in Davis Auditorium to listen to 40 candidates advocate for positions in the Student Government Association. It was the third round of the spring elections this semester, with the previous round's results released on March 30.

Raiza Nazareth '12, vice president of Communications and Outreach, hosted the event, as is traditional for her position. Amanda Seres '14, who will fill Nazareth's position next semester, also attended.

Candidates gave a three-minute speech on their goals and experiences, and the audience had the opportunity to ask them questions. Several groups, such as the 10 students who ran for senator-at-large positions, underwent the question-and-answer session together.

Although many of the candidates are running unopposed, there are several contested positions in this round's elections, including president and secretary of the Class of 2015.

Allan Brown '15, Marcella Jewell '15 and Soraya Attia '15 are all running for class president.

Jewell is a tour guide on campus, writes for The Skidmore News and has an online food blog called "This Skid Kid Grills." She emphasized how these experiences have given her a direct relationship with the College community. Jewell said she wants to redefine "class unity," encouraging students to share their passions and creating a supportive and open-mind class in a comfortable environment. She would like to encourage relationships between students and the SGA, compromising with the SGA to resolve the limitations on students' abilities to use resources on campus and to support student interests.

Brown, a self-proclaimed "idea-bringer" said he will support his or someone else's idea until it becomes a reality, and that one of his major campaigns would be to give all members of the student body access to the College's resources, such as the wood shop and music equipment, even if these interests lie outside of their designated majors. He would also like to create events students cannot ignore, such as adding a projector on the red side of the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall with Skidmore-related commercials.

Attia is the current president of the Class of 2015 and, as such, helped plan the class unity event this semester, which more than 150 first-years attended. She has experience in planning other events, such as the Wild Wild West weekend, and said she serves as an active voice on the Senate. She would like to pursue better study spaces on campus, especially in Case Center, and is working on a proposal with other students to present to the administration regarding the email content presidents can send to their respective classes. She said she would also like to create more focus during Inter-Class Council meetings and is not afraid to speak up and bring peer ideas in front of the Senate.

Lily Rivera '15 and Madeleine Kanazawa '15 are running for the position of class secretary.

Rivera currently serves as the Class of 2015's secretary, and encouraged continuity as part of her campaign. She said she would like to help plan events that create a fun environment on the weekend, including future class unity trips.

Kanazawa said she would like to help the College become a more improved and safe environment, as well as aid her class in uniting through the organization of more events. Kanazawa could not be present at Speech Night, addressing students via proxy, who, because of this, were not allowed to ask the candidates questions.

The candidates for senator at large positions:

• Sam Harris '15 has interacted with Senate before through his role as coach of the Skidmore Quidditch team and wanted to become further involved as a senator. He would like to serve on the Budget & Finance and Club Affairs committees. He said one of his strengths is he knows how to work with other people through his involvement in various clubs.
• Evan Friedler '13 has served on the Inter-Hall Board for the past two years as a hall president. He said he sees the Senate as the heart of the issues on campus and the system best able to affect change. He would like to serve on the Budget & Finance and Communications & Outreach committees.
• Kojo Amarteyfio '15 is a member of the Committee of Diversity Affairs and a reporter for The Skidmore News. He would like to push for more CODA activity amongst the student body. He also said he wants to change the ways in which people think about diversity and make dialogues more available to the community, moving beyond the sharing of personal stories that can be difficult for everyone to relate to.
• Brittany Dingler '15 has sat on Senate before and has spoken with Seres about a new program that would combine the efforts of the Saratoga community, Benef-Action and students to increase passion for community service on campus. She also said she wants to help first-years become more involved in leadership positions and increase the amount of communication between peer mentors and first-year seminars.
• Tami Cohen '13 said she has been interested in serving on the SGA since her first-year, but was unable to participate due to scheduling conflicts. Among her goals, she would like to bring more sustainability onto campus by supporting a water bottle free campaign and serve on the Committee of Diversity Affairs.
• Emily Paull '13 said the top two things that have changed her life were enrolling in Skidmore and joining Inter-Group Relations. She would like to incorporate diversity into a greater part of campus life, and aims to sit on the Academic Council and the Committee of Diversity Affairs. She said she would like to mandate the fourth hour of Scribner Seminars, in which peer mentors should speak about diversity to first-years.
• Doug Hamilton '13 would like to help inspire new clubs on campus and encourage creativity in students. He would like to serve on the Academic Council and Club Affairs committee. He said he would like to make clubs more available to first-years and said one of his strengths is his ability to take charge when a leader is needed.
• Britt Dorfman '14 has sat on the Inter-Hall Board for the past three semesters as vice president of Kimball and wanted to become more connected to the Senate. She would like to increase the transparency between the SGA and the student body, and strengthen the connection between the College and the Saratoga community. One of her goals is to increase the Scribner Library hours so that it will stay open later, as it does on Wednesdays until 2 a.m.
• Joe Matake '15 said he has always been a fan of the College traditions and would like to create more, such as a Skidmore handshake or cheer, in order to promote unity and community amongst the student body even after graduation. He also said he would like to try to change how students are housed in dorms to reflect whether they prefer a loud or a quiet working environment.
• William (HB) Heidepriem-Baird '14 has had experience in the US Senate and the SGA Senate, and plans to promote sustainability along with increasing the communication between the SGA and student-run clubs and organizations. He would like to sit on the Diversity Affairs and Budget & Finance committees. He said he would also like to increase sustainability on campus by turning off the lights in the Scribner Library and the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall after a late hour, such as 3 a.m.

The majority of the candidates in this election are uncontested, with students running for positions on the Inter-Hall Board, the Senate and the Inter-Class Council:

• Jess Dunning '15 is running for sustainability senator, a new position on Senate established this semester.
• Hannah DeGraaf '15 is running for president of Penfield.
• Nick Toker '15 is running for vice president of Penfield.
• Lauren Scauzzo '15 is running for president of Wait.
• Nile Nair '15 is running for vice president of Wait and class treasurer.
• Madeleine Kanazawa '15 is running for president of Jonsson Tower, in addition to the contested position of class secretary.
• Jarred Green '15 is running for vice president of Jonsson Tower and social chair for the Class of 2015.
• Andrew Lowy '15 is running for president of Howe-Rounds.
• Erik Morrison '15 is running for president of Kimball.
• Sibo Gama '15 is running for president of McClellan.
• Joe Matake '15 is running for vice president of McClellan, in addition to a senator at large position.
• Sam Harris '15 is running for vice president of Wilmarth in addition to a Senator at Large position.
• Will Wygal '13 is running for vice president of his class.
• Evelyn Canela '13 is running for class treasurer.
• Nicole Cox '13 is running for class secretary.
• Meaghan Yolles '13 is running for social chair for the Class of 2013.
• Laura Venner '14 is running for class president.
• William (HB) Heidepriem-Baird '14 is running for vice president of his class in addition to a Senator at Large position.
• Jess Sonnenfeld '14 is running for class treasurer.
• Noam Yossefy '15 is running for vice president of the Class of 2015.
• Z Steinhauer '13 is running for the Speaker's Bureau Chair.
• Taylor Dafoe '13 is running for chair of the Student Entertainment Committee.
• Donald Duff '13 is running for vice president for Financial Affairs.

Students also may vote on three proposed amendments to the SGA constitution. These amendments will add the SGA president to the Committee on Diversity Affairs, convert two Tradition Committee positions to Senate requirements, and update the constitution to reflect current SGA practices.

Voting will take place all day April 12 and the SGA will announce the results the next day on Friday, April 13. Students may vote onlineor at a voting station in the Atrium, the SGA office and the Residence Halls.

Invisible Children to present "Kony 2012 Part II" at Gannett: Activists to discuss controversy over documentary

Posted by Brendan James

On Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Invisible Children's Tri-State team will be coming to Skidmore to screen their film "Kony 2012 Part II." 

On the heels of their viral documentary "Kony 2012," detailing the crimes of Joseph Kony and Lord's Resistance Army of Uganda, the new film, "Kony 2012 Part II," is "aimed at digging deeper and giving the audience a closer look into the actions of the LRA, what Invisible Children is doing about it, and what every one of us can do to help end the longest running conflict in Central Africa," according to the group's Facebook page.

The film will be presented by three Invisible Children members, or "roadies," and a native Ugandan. "I have been involved with Invisible Children since 2009, it was my senior year of high school and I found the organization on the Internet," says David Katz '14, an Invisible Children activist and  treasurer of Skidmore's Environmental Action Club.

Katz has organized the event to continue to publicize the crimes of the LRA as well as the controversy surrounding the "Kony 2012" documentary.

"Unfortunately, [Invisible Children's] newest film Kony 2012 has brought immense publicity but not without criticism," he notes. "I for one, as a longtime supporter of the organization took a lot of the criticism personally at first. However, the truth remains that constructive dialogue can never hurt."

Course registration system to change for Fall 2012: The new system eliminates the use of a planning sheet and has class years register on the same day

Posted by Kojo Amarteyfio

After two year, the Office of the Registrar is rolling out a new student course registration system as part of a process that will affect the way students register for fall classes.

The College is changing to the Banner Student System, a registration system that offers new functionality, although it dispenses with other features that were available with the old system.

"We were forced to change systems because the old system was no longer supported by the old vendor," said David DeConno, interim registrar.

The most noticeable difference between the two systems is the disappearance of the planning sheet, as, according to DeConno, the new system doesn't offer the capacity for it. To compensate for this, he suggests students download and plan out their schedules on worksheets that are available on the College website.

Students should also check the catalog to make sure that they have fulfilled all prerequisites for the classes in which they want to enroll. DeConno will also send out e-mails about registration that should lay out the changes in more detail. A step-by-step guide is available online as well.

The second major alteration is in the allocation of registration time slots. Previously, students were assigned to registration groups within their class years with staggered registration times. To determine the groups, an initial start name was selected and the groups created by picking a set of students below the start name, which were arranged alphabetically. By changing the start name every semester, the Registrar's office hoped to allow every student the chance to eventually obtain a premium registration slot.

Beginning this fall, students in the same class year will register at the same time on the same day. Juniors will register on April 10, sophomores on April 12 and freshmen on April 17.

"The system may slow down a bit in the beginning but we're not expecting it to crash," said DeConno, in response to questions about how the system would be able to handle the great number of students registering at the same time.

Although the new system will not give one set of students priority over another, it does leave a group of students who were in line for a priority slot under the old system shortchanged.

"It had to start somewhere. And the system doesn't exactly allow us to arrange by start letter," said DeConno, explaining that the new process would be easier to manage.

The wait-list procedure also has adjusted accordingly. When space opens up in a course for which a student is wait-listed, the student will receive notification about the opening. The student then has 36 hours to register for the class, after which the opportunity passes on to the next wait-listed student.

Additionally, students no longer have to drop a class in order to meet credit limit requirements if they want to be wait-listed for another class.

In another modification, the enrollment cart has been removed, eliminating an extra layer in the registration process that had been a source of confusion to students who had items in the enrollment cart that they thought they had moved onto their schedules.

The new system has already been tested by a group of students, who were awarded premium time slots for their participation.

"It is fairly straight-forward. However, I do really miss having a planning sheet. I can write it all down and make sure my schedule works out fine on my own, but I miss the ability to store that information so I can just press submit when it's my registration time," said one of the beta-testers, who declined to have her name published.

During the registration period beginning on April 10, students with difficulties can e-mail, call the Registrar's office or visit the office itself. On registration day, the Registrar's office staff will be available in Harder 101 to provide technical support or to walk students through the new process. 

Acquaintance rape reported: Campus Safety releases information on violation after on- and off-campus parties

Posted by Brendan James

According to a Skidmore Campus Safety Incident Alert:

A female victim reported to College authorities that on March 25 she had attended some on campus parties and then an off campus party where alcohol had been consumed during the course of the evening. She indicated that a male student she knows traveled back to campus with her and entered her room and would not leave.  He proceeded to have sexual relations with her without her consent.

The Skidmore News is in touch with Campus Safety and will provide further information as it develops.

Club presidents and SGA to deliberate new club impeachment policy: Proposed amendment voids all individual club impeachment policies, introduces appeal process

Posted by Julia Leef

On Wednesday March 21, the Vice President for Club Affairs, Logan Brenner, sent an email to all of Skidmore's Club presidents detailing changes to the Club Affairs Committee (CAC) Policies and Procedures.

This CAC document is the governing law of student organizations. On Monday night the presidents will make any suggestions or criticisms of the changes; then on Tuesday night SGA Senate will vote on the proposed amendment.

Most of the changes consist of minor amendments or clarifications, with the exception of an entirely new section on impeachment. This article outlines a brand new impeachment process granting SGA involvement while also voiding all clubs' previous impeachment policies.

Club presidents, SGA to deliberate new club impeachment policy: Proposed amendment to Club Policies and Procedures voids clubs' individual policies

Posted by Julia Leef

On March 21, Vice President for Club Affairs Logan Brenner sent an email to all of Skidmore's Club presidents detailing changes to the Club Affairs Committee (CAC) Policies and Procedures.

This CAC document is the governing law of student organizations. On Monday night the presidents will make any suggestions or criticisms of the changes; then on next Tuesday night, April 3, SGA Senate will vote on the proposed amendment.

Most of the changes consist of minor amendments or clarifications, with the exception of an entirely new section on impeachment. This article outlines a brand new impeachment process granting SGA involvement while also voiding all clubs' previous impeachment policies.

In this new article, the vice president for Club Affairs must be informed of the intent to impeach as well as the club's final decision regarding the impeachment.

The article, as it stands now, states that, "Impeachment will be determined by a two-thirds majority vote by members who have attended at least 50 percent of the club meetings."

The concerned officer who brought up the impeachment or the impeached officer in question may appeal to the SGA Executive Board, and the entire process must be completed within three weeks after the initial meeting to address the issue.

The new changes to the Polices and Procedures has not yet been finalized, Brenner said, and revisions are still in progress.

Club presidents and SGA Senate to deliberate new impeachment policy : Proposed policy voids procedures of individual clubs and outlines new appeal process

Posted by Julia Leef

On Wednesday March 21, the Vice President for Club Affairs, Logan Brenner, sent an email to all of Skidmore's club presidents informing them of changes to the Club Affairs Committee (CAC) Policies and Procedures.

The CAC document is the governing law of student organizations. On Monday evening the club presidents will be voicing their suggestions and thoughts on the policy changes; on Tuesday night SGA Senate will be voting on the changes.

Most of the changes consist of minor amendments or clarifications, with the exception of one entirely new article concerning impeachment of club officers, which voids every clubs' own impeachment process.

Non-student injures officer, arrested in Scribner Village: Man assaults SSPD officer after refusing to identify himself

Posted by Brendan James

At 12:15 a.m. Tyler Sean Burton, 20, was found unconscious in Scribner Village, outside a Macruary house. Campus Safety approached the man and asked for identification -- when he refused, the officers called the Saratoga Police Department.

Police arrived shortly after and attempted to apprehend the man. At that point he began to scream obscenities at the officers, refusing once more to identify himself or submit to custody, said Officer Paul Veitch of Saratoga Springs Police Department.

The Saratogian reports:

Officers Daniel Mullan and John Guzek were both injured while arresting Burton. Guzek suffered a leg injury that Lt. John Catone said did not appear to be serious. Mullan, however, suffered injuries to his arm and shoulder that are serious and may require extensive treatment, according to Catone. Mullan may be out of work for some time.

Burton has been charged with three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal trespassing, obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, all misdemeanors. Meanwhile his assault earned him a felony second-degree assault charge.

. Readers may also visit the firsthand account at Skidmore Unofficial and the report at the Saratogian.

Changing the Culture-Centered Inquiry requirement and the Faculty Handbook: Faculty members discuss proposals for addressing these concerns

Posted by Julia Leef

Faculty members convened on Feb. 24 to address several motions concerning changes to the student curriculum and the faculty handbook, including a Culture-Centered Inquiry that proposes to change the nature of the "Non-Western" and "Cultural Diversity" course requirements.

Lisa Aronson, associate professor of art history, spoke on behalf of the Curriculum Committee to propose the elimination of the Dance-Theater Interdepartmental Major, saying students would be better served by choosing either dance or theater as a major, rather than splitting their time between both. The motion passed.

Aronson also announced the establishment of the new education studies minor, which would replace the early childhood education minor, and voiced the idea of creating a discussion board for faculty that would relay updated information about new minors. The board, she said, would perhaps be a more appropriate venue for such announcements, rather than taking up time during faculty meetings.

Finally, Aronson said the committee was working to revise the wording of the policy for the creation and elimination of minors in the Faculty Handbook.

Following Aronson's presentation, Josh Ness, associate professor of biology and a representative of the Committee on Educational Policies and Planning, proposed to expand the types of courses offered in the Culture-Centered Inquiry requirement by replacing the existing "Non-Western" and "Cultural Diversity" requirements with a singular category, "Interrogating Difference."

The new category (DF) would include all the courses in the two existing categories up through the 2013-2014 academic year. After this point, the courses will need to meet the criteria of the new requirement.

"Since 2008, the Curriculum Committee has sought clarification regarding cultural diversity courses; specifically, these courses currently require incorporation of a non-Western element, hence disallowing certain courses that appear to be otherwise appropriate," the proposal states. "The revision of the requirement will enable an increased emphasis on these dynamics and will help students reflect on their own social and cultural positions."

According to the proposal, a DF course should address one or more of three criteria:

• Students will examine one or more of the basic categories of social difference and scrutinize how identities within those categories may lie along a continuum of cultural power and status
• Students will investigate the relationships among social identity, cultural capital, and economic mobility among individuals, social groups and institutions
• Students will explore frameworks and social structures/systems that allow for oppression as well as those that attempt to bridge differences in pursuit of inclusivity

Several faculty members asked for clarifications of language and specification of the details in the proposal, citing it as vague and unclear in terms of guidelines establishing cultural differences. In the interest of time, President Phillip Glotzbach proposed to shift the conversation to a later time. The motion will lie over until the next meeting.

Barbara Black, associate professor of English, announced an open forum for March 2 that would address this inquiry.

Following this discussion, Vice President Susan Kress and Black brought up four motions to revise various sections of the Faculty Handbook. The first motion would revise Article X, "Discipline of Tenured Faculty," to the terms outlined in the proposed "Discipline and Dismissal of Faculty."

This new Article X will address the limitations of the previous version, which does not provide for the termination or reduction of status of non-tenured or tenured faculty members, and also does not provide specific procedures for resolving complaints against faculty members.

"In short, the proposed new procedures allow the College to weigh both the interests of faculty members accused of misconduct and the interests of community members who may be adversely affected by the alleged misconduct," the proposal states.

The second motion, which will only go into effect if motion one carries, as will all subsequent motions, will amend the description of the function and membership of the Faculty Advisory Board, which convenes to investigate a charge made against a faculty member. The proposed change in language will introduce a Grievance Panel, which will provide a panel of peers to which charged faculty may appeal.

Motion three will change the description of the function of the Committee on Appointments, Promotion and Tenure to eliminate its role in the termination of faculty service.

Motion four states that the Committee on Academic Freedom and Rights will amend its operating code in accordance with these changes.

All motions regarding the faculty handbook were deferred until the next faculty meeting. 

Campus Safety Incident Reports, Feb. 5 to 16

Posted by Julia Leef

Sunday, Feb. 5

• Criminal Mischief: Officer found hole at 1:11 a.m. in wall of second floor stairwell east side of McClellan Hall. Unknown perpetrator at this time. Damage recorded and report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Campus Officers dispatched at 1:09 a.m. to Jonsson Tower for report of male forcing female down stairs near Wait. Officers canvassed entire area, including exterior lots and interior of dorms. No further disturbance observed or reported.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person called at 2:56 a.m. requesting medical transport from Case Center to the Saratoga Hospital Emergency Room for an injury sustained when she slipped on ice. Transport completed by dispatched officers. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Officer transported student at 12:45 p.m. from Jonsson Tower to Wilton Medical at the request of Health Services. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requested transport at 5:42 p.m. from the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall to the Saratoga Hospital ER for an employee who was feeling ill. Officer dispatched completed transport. Report issued.

Monday, Feb. 6

• Suspicious Activity: Officer observed a male at 1:20 a.m. sifting through trash in Northwoods area. Officers located subjects and warned him off campus. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requested transport at 7:30 a.m. from Poplar Apartments to ER. Officer completed transport. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Damage to the Tennis Shed door reported at 11:10 a.m. No known perpetrators at this time. Damage reported and report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requested welfare check of her daughter at 11:40 a.m. Officer dispatched to Wiecking Hall made contact with subject and delivered message. Subject in satisfactory condition.
• Missing Person: Student reported at 1:42 p.m. that one person from her group at Palamountain Hall had become separated and requested assistance. Officers and the Saratoga Springs Police Department advised. Subject located safely.

Tuesday, Feb. 7

• Medical: Injured student reported at 3:54 p.m. in Dance Theater. Officer and EMS dispatched. Subject transported to ER via EMS. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested at 9:43 p.m. back to campus from the ER. Dispatched officers completed transport.
• Criminal Mischief: Staff on duty reports at 9:45 p.m. additional damage to wall in McClellan second floor east stairwell. Damage recorded and report issued. No known perpetrator at this time.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 9:32 p.m. in Howe Hall. Dispatched officer canvassed area and was unable to detect odor. Call unfounded.

Wednesday, Feb. 8

• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 12:17 a.m. in Jonsson Tower. Officers dispatched canvassed area to no avail. No noise detected. Persons gone on arrival.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 12:30 a.m. in Rounds Hall. Officer dispatched reports incense burning. Officer issued report regarding violation and advised resident of fire hazard.
• Larceny: Reporting person filed a report at 12:19 p.m. of a stolen instrument from a locker in the Zankel Music Building. Saratoga Springs Police Department and Campus Safety reports issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested for an employee for medical assistance at 1:10 p.m. from Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer completed transport. Report issued.
• Accident: Reporting person notified via email at 1:39 p.m. that person (s) unknown hit her vehicle while it was parked in Palamountain Lot sometime between 8:30 a.m. and noon. Dispatched officer issued report. No known perpetrators at this time.
• College Violation: Officer reported at 4:48 p.m. observing approximately seven individuals skateboarding outside JKB Theater. Officer approached the group, asked them to cease and leave campus as they are not members of the community. All complied without incident.
• Emergency Phone: Tang Walkway emergency phone activated with no response at 9:13 p.m. Dispatched officer canvassed area and found no disturbances. False activation.

Thursday, Feb. 9

• False Report: Fire alarm activation reported at 3:12 a.m. in Howe/Rounds. Officers and maintenance dispatched. False alarm activation determined. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested at 9:35 a.m. for a student from Jonsson Tower to her Doctor per the request of Health Services. Transport completed. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Transportation requested at 5:14 a.m. for student from Health Services to ER. Officer completed transport. Report issued.
• Animals: A problem with a dog and owner reported at 4:42 p.m. outside of Greenberg Childcare. Subject was confrontational when requested to leash dog. Officer dispatched located dog owner and advised him to leash the dog when on Skidmore Property. Report issued.
• Liquor Law Violation: Reports at 10:55 p.m. of loud music near Hickory. Dispatched officer observed unauthorized party and liquor law violations. Report issued.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 11:35 p.m. in Whitman Way. Dispatched officer reports residents complied with request to lower volume.

Friday, Feb. 10

• Security Alarm: Falstaff's security alarm received at 12:09 a.m. Office dispatched checked entire building and property. No disturbances. Building secure and alarmed. Additional alarm received at 1:05 a.m. Unfounded.
• Drug Law Violation: Noise complaint reported at 1:45 a.m. in Whitman Way. Officers dispatched observed drug violations at unauthorized gathering. Report issued.
• Security Alarm: Security alarm reported at 2:56 a.m. in the Spa. Officer in vicinity dispatched. Officer reports no one in area and no disturbances reported. Officer to remain in vicinity.
• Found Property: An unsecured cash drawer reported found at 5:30 a.m. in Case Center. Officer dispatched counted and secured money at Campus Safety. Report issued. Owners claimed.
• Accident: Report at 8:20 p.m. of Kids Night Out participant cutting his head at the Sports Center pool. EMT on the scene already treating, parents called and en route. No EMS needed at this time. Officers dispatched to take report and complete accident report.
• Campus Safety Assist: An accident reported at 9:40 p.m. which occurred off-campus involving a coach and two students who were taken to the ER. Report issued. Appropriate contacts made.
• Complaints: Unruly crowd reported at 8:45 p.m. off-campus. Dispatched officers for assistance. Officers report upon entry situation corrected by officer assigned on scene.

Saturday, Feb. 11

• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person advised at 12:33 a.m. that two subjects were seen on the ice at Haupt Pond. While approaching subjects exited the ice and ran. Subjects gone on arrival.
• Campus Safety Assist: The Saratoga Springs Police Department advises Campus Safety at 12:51 a.m. to be on the lookout for a vehicle involved in a hit and run accident off-campus. All officers advised.
• College Violation: Exceedingly large gathering at apartment reported at 12:59 a.m. in Oak Apartments. Officers dispatched report dispersing over 100 subjects from area. No problems resulted.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 4:25 a.m. in Howe Dormitory. Officers spoke with three male subjects being loud and report subjects lowered the volume upon request.
• Campus Safety Assist: Student reports at 9:18 a.m. that she believes the tire of a friend's vehicle that she borrowed for the weekend was slashed in the Tang Parking Lot. Dispatched officer reports the tire was flat previously off-campus and driving it in that condition caused additional damage. Report issued. Unknown perpetrator (s).
• Campus Safety Assist: Report at 10:37 a.m. regarding concern for a student who is having difficulties with room change. Officer willing to provide assistance. Subject declined.
• Criminal Mischief: Officer reports at 11:55 a.m. observing a burnt poster outside of Howe Hall. Damage recorded and report issued. No known perpetrators at this time.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests transportation at 8:04 p.m. from the Sports Center to the Saratoga Hospital ER. Officers dispatched completed transport. Report issued.

Sunday, Feb. 12

• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 1:48 a.m. in Rounds Hall. Dispatched officer reports resident complied with request to lower volume.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 1:54 a.m. in lounge at Jonsson Tower. Officer spoke to several people and they complied with the request to lower the volume.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 2:17 a.m. at Cane Crossing. Officers on scene advised no one at the residence. Unfounded.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 2:54 a.m. in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer reports subjects complied with request to lower volume.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests at 2:09 p.m. a welfare check on her daughter in Jonsson Tower. Dispatched officer advised resident to contact parent.
• College Violation: Excessive noise reported at 8 p.m. in Moore Way. Officer dispatched reports no noise detected. Unfounded.

Monday, Feb. 13

• Harassment: Reporting person states at 2:41 a.m. receiving several harassing calls at WSPN radio station in Jonsson Tower. Officer dispatched initiated investigation. Report issued.
• Criminal Mischief: Criminal mischief reported at 11 a.m. in third floor hallway of McClellan Hall. Officer dispatched. Damage recorded and report issued. No known perpetrators.
• Suspicious Activity: Officer observed student entering room through an exterior window in Penfield Hall. Student located, identified, and advised of hazard. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requested transport at 1 p.m. from Dayton Drive to Health Services. Officer dispatched and transport provided. Report issued.
• Tickets Issued: At 3:05 p.m., a person reported a car driving on the sidewalk at the Sports Center. Officer dispatched and tickets were issued accordingly. Report issued.
• Larceny: Reporting person requests assistance at 4:31 p.m. at the bookstore with a shoplifter in Case Center. Dispatched officers and the Saratoga Springs Police Department. Subjects located arrested. Report issued.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 11 p.m. at Moore Way. Dispatched officer reports that he has requested residents lower the volume. Residents complied.

Tuesday, Feb. 14

• Parking: Booted vehicle reported at 1:51 a.m. in Cane Crossing for excessive tickets. Report issued.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests a transport at 9:04 a.m. for a student from Wilmarth Hall to Health Services. Officer completed transport. Report issued.
• Animals: A bat reported at 6:43 a.m. in trash room of Wiecking Hall. Officer and wildlife nuisance dispatched. Bat removed with human exposure. Report issued.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

• Found Property: Person reports at 5:11 a.m. finding ID and keys in green leather holder in Taxi off-campus. secured in found property. Owner emailed and signed for her property at 4:26 p.m. Stated all intact. Receipt signed.
• Found Property: Reporting person dropped off a student's Skidmore ID card at 2:45 p.m. that was found on the Barrett Center Walkway. Owner picked-up her ID at 3:36 p.m. and signed receipt.
• Lost/Missing Property: Reporting person states at 5:11 p.m. that she left a thumb drive in a computer in the Library. If turned over, call her campus number. Reporting person is going to check the Library computers.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests a transport at 7:31 p.m. from the Sports Center to the Saratoga Hospital ER for an injured friend. Dispatched officer. Transport provided.
• College Violation: Noise complaint reported at 10:14 p.m. in Northwoods Apartments. Dispatched officers who spoke with residents to turn down the bass. Subjects complied.
• Found Property: Reporting person turned over an ID at 5 p.m. Emailed the owner. Place in lost and found.

Thursday, Feb. 16

• Parking: Vehicle booted at 3:45 a.m. in Jonsson Tower Lot for excessive tickets.
• Campus Safety Assist: Person reports at 3:45 p.m. that someone has been following him at various times on Tuesday. Reporting person declined any involvement through local Police or the College and since there is no indication of threat, the request was granted with the understanding that the reporting person agree to keep in contact with the dispatched officer regarding this incident. Incident being monitored.
• Parking: Various vehicles reported booted at 10:26 a.m. as they are unregistered with the College and have received numerous tickets for the same violation. Report made.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests transportation at noon for a student from the Art Center office to Health Services. Due to the fact that Health Services is closed for lunch, the student was taken to the Wilton Medical. Dispatched officer. Transport completed.
• Campus Safety Assist: Reporting person requests transportation at 3:29 p.m. for a student from Jonsson Tower to the Saratoga Hospital ER. Dispatched officer. Transport provided.
• Found Property: Person reports at 6 p.m. finding a purse at the Spa. Dispatched officer who retrieved the item, which was inventoried and the owner contacted. Owner retrieved her purse at 6:07 p.m. A found property receipt was filled out and signed.
• Lost/Missing Property: Student reports at 7:21 p.m. missing key ring containing four to five keys with a Gnome keychain. If found, please turn into Campus Safety office.
• Lost/Missing Property: Reporting person called at 11 p.m. asking if anyone turned in his black bi-fold wallet as he lost it sometime over the past few days. No wallet has been turned in. If found, please turn into Campus Safety office.
• Suspicious Odor: Suspicious odor reported at 11:18 p.m. in Wait Hall. Dispatched officers report they are unable to locate any odor at this time. Call unfounded. 

Megabus coming to Saratoga Springs: The new stop will allow students to travel from Saratoga to New York City for $1

Posted by Michael DuPr??

As early as April, Skidmore students will have greater transportation options as Megabus expands to Saratoga.

The popular, low-cost bus company will be adding Saratoga Springs to the list of more than 70 cities that it services. Starting April 2, buses will travel daily, offering express service between Saratoga Springs, Burlington and New York.

As of yet, there is no determined location for the stop in Saratoga Springs, and booked customers will receive an email, according to the website.

Fares begin as low as $1 and can be purchased at megabus.com. 

Review: Adele dominates the 2012 Grammys, as others pick up awards: Work of Skidmore alumna helps Foo Fighters garner awards

Posted by Will Eldredge

What a night for Adele. The soulful British singer swept the 2012 Grammys with her second major effort, "21," capturing Best Album and its smash single, "Rolling in the Deep," earning both Best Song and Best Record. By the time the evening ended, the songstress held six tiny golden phonographs, and had tied Beyonce for most awards won by a female performer in a single ceremony.

But Adele did more than just deliver acceptance speeches. She performed for the first time since undergoing vocal chord surgery last November, electrifying a packed Staples Center with a spirited rendition of "Rolling in the Deep."

Skidmore College even had its share of representation at the ceremony. Emily Lazar graduated from the College in 1993 and worked with the Foo Fighters as the mastering engineer for the group's album "Wasting Light." The alumna's work helped the Foos garner a field-leading seven nominations, and the band managed to turn five of them into wins, including Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance.

Lazar was also the first female mastering engineer to be nominated for Best Album, a feat that Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl took notice of.

"Not only was it an honor to work with Emily on "Wasting Light," but an incredible (and historic) privilege... We're very, very excited for her," Grohl said.

Other winners of the night included Kanye West, who took home four awards, three on behalf of his 2010 masterpiece "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy." whose single "All of the Lights" received both Best Rap Song and Best Rap Collaboration. The record itself won Best Rap Album. Yeezy, a popular nickname for West, shared his final award with Jay-Z, as the duo captured Best Rap Performance for "Otis" from their "Watch the Throne" album.

Sonny Moore, better known these days by his stage name Skrillex, managed three awards of his own, including Best Dance Recording and Best Dance Album. The dubstep producer's victories displayed the attempts of the Awards to adapt to the modern musical landscape, as past Dance categories had been dominated by more mainstream pop artists such as Rihanna and Lady Gaga. One award that Moore did not capture, however, was the prestigious Best New Artist, which went to Wisconsin's Bon Iver, the atmospheric indie-folk act that revolves around singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.

The ceremony itself had its share of memorable moments, which included a surprisingly dynamic '60s rock-n-roll performance from Bruno Mars, who showed that he is more than just a hook man for radio-ready hits. On a more somber note, the industry paid tribute to its fallen, including a tear jerking performance of the late Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" by Jennifer Hudson and a collaboration between Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt in memory of Etta James. Sir Paul McCartney closed out the show with a medley of classic Beatles tunes, sharing the stage with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Joe Walsh and the aforementioned Grohl.

The night was not without its share of controversy. Bon Iver's nod for Best New Artist raised eyebrows for a variety of reasons, with some criticizing Vernon as too obscure in the face of Nicki Minaj's commercial dominance to deserve the award. Others noted that the act had already generated a significant following as well as critical acclaim for its 2007 recording "For Emma, Forever Ago."

Perhaps the biggest snub of the night went to Kanye West, given that "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" did not even garner a nomination for Album of the Year. Its forceful range of emotions and masterful production transcended the rap genre, and critics cited its omission as another example of the Grammy's marginalization of hip-hop in favor of more traditional acts.

Administrators to review AOD policy next week: Retreat scheduled to possibly amend and clarify controversial new policy

Posted by Brendan James

Administrators from Residential Life and Student Affairs divisions will embark on a retreat next week to reassess and amend the College Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) policy, a process that Dean of Student Affairs Rochelle Calhoun says will be based on student input.

"We will sit down and come to an understanding on the revisions," Calhoun said. "We received a lot of good and useful feedback from students, and took a lot on board."

The feedback Calhoun references came last semester during a public information session hosted by the College's peer mediation group, Fight Club. Students appeared before members of the administration and critiqued elements of the new AOD policy.

Among the more contentious points in the policy implemented last semester was the "association rule" in which students could be penalized for being in the presence of those drinking alcohol. Also, while few students articulated any concerns over the new point system in general, many desired to see an amendment allowing students to work toward expunging the points within their four-year college career.

These major concerns, as well as patches of the policy viewed as ambiguous or unclear, will be addressed during the retreat, Calhoun said.

Afterward the new plan will be presented to committees on ResLife, SGA and the Intervention and Assessment Group. SGA will most likely hold a public session of Senate to discuss the new changes in front of the student body.