Month: March 2012

Categories
News

Univ. continues large-scale contruction

By Sara Blair Matthews

Assistant News Editor

In the next year and a half, the campus will be undergoing a series of large-scale changes and additions in both the short and long term.

Although construction on the University’s farm property faced a few setbacks last year due to poor weather, the project is back on track and set to finish by 2012 commencement. In addition to the South Campus Project, construction has begun on Academic West, which is planned to be completed by the fall of 2013. Campus officials and administrators say this new construction will cause significant changes in campus traffic.

“[We are planning to] have classes held in Academic West in the fall of 2013,” said facilities project manager Angelo Vieceli. “[We realize this is] a learning curve, and it will be inconvenient until after this summer. Once South Campus projects finish, people will be used to the new traffic.”
The construction of Academic West has closed Fraternity Road behind Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library from Coleman Hall Drive to Delta Upsilon Fraternity, affecting both long and short term traffic. There will be no road behind the library, and traffic will not be able to travel down Fraternity Road. According to plans, Coleman Hall Drive will connect to South Campus Lane.
The new Academic West building will be 75 percent larger than Breakiron. The University wants to mirror the existing Academic Quad behind the library with the new construction of Academic West and eventually Academic East.
“We plan to add up to four more buildings along the Quad,” Vieceli said.
There are also plans to renovate the library and put on a new addition. The University is also consulting a model for the next phase of housing and is trying to decide between suite-style units or apartment-style housing.
Lamda Chi Alpha Fraternity is the first fraternity to occupy the new housing unit. Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity will follow when they are re-affiliated with campus.
There are also a few things to consider in the near future.
First, according to the Campus Alert Center: “Pedestrian access at the rear of the library will be maintained as well as vehicular access to the Breakiron and Dana parking lots.”
Second, the lower end of the Farm Lot will be closed from Breakiron to the Theta Chi Fraternity parking lot, and a temporary exit will be installed to connect the two lots. 
Finally, pedestrian traffic to and from the Farm Lot will utilize the old driveway between Theta Chi and the former Kappa Delta Rho Fraternities. The drive will be blocked to vehicular traffic on either end.
Categories
News

Education class to fundraise for pool passes

By Lauren Buckley

Writer

Students from Education 318 (Multiculturalism and Education) are coordinating a 5K Fun Run/Walk and Zumbathon that will occur on April 22 at 10 a.m. in Gerhard Fieldhouse to benefit the Lewisburg Pool Pass Project. The Lewisburg Pool Pass Project helps to reduce the cost of community pool passes for needy families in the surrounding area. 

University students, with the guidance of Sue Ellen Henry, associate professor of education, created the initiative in conjunction with Lewisburg Area Recreation Authority (LARA) in the spring of 2010. The Panhellenic Council will also be co-sponsoring the event this year. Henry integrated the cause, which is centered on how the inequality of experiences can impact a child’s life and education, into her Education 318 class as it paralleled the course’s theme of social justice problems existing in society.

“Each year the students from the course decide on the fundraiser approach and do absolutely all the work to coordinate the project. As you can imagine, I’m very, very proud of the student effort; each year the determination has astounded me,” Henry said.

The project began after the tragic drownings of 11-year-old Assunda Rotolo of Lewisburg and her cousin, eight-year-old Les Davis Jr. of Mifflinburg. The families of the children had not been able to afford summer pool passes and used the Susquehanna River for recreational purposes instead.  The Pool Pass Project honors the memory of these children.

“Many of us at Bucknell are truly privileged, and the Pool Pass Project offers us all a small yet significant way to give back to the community we call our second home,” said Megan Doyle ’12, a student of Education 318 and coordinator of the fundraiser.

The initiative was able to provide pool passes and swimming lessons for five families during its first summer and 16 families during its second summer. Those involved in the cause hope to continue increasing the number of subsidized passes given to needy families each year. 

“I am particularly invested in this project after spending this past summer as a camp counselor with LARA. I saw first-hand how safe and fun the community pool is, and I appreciate the chance to work with the other committed Multiculturalism students to help more local children have access to that great community resource,” Doyle said.

All proceeds of the 5K Fun Run/Walk and Zumbathon will go directly to the Lewisburg Pool Pass Project. In addition, baskets filled with items from local businesses that will be donated by Greek and other student organizations will also be raffled off at the event. Any student organization interested in donating to the event can submit a basket filled with $50 worth of items from community businesses to Olin 459 by April 13. Games and activities will also be offered at the event for children, and all interested parties can register at http://www.tinyurl.com/poolpassproject.

“My personal hope for this year’s event is to not only raise sufficient funds to meet the need for subsidized pool passes this summer, but also to generate an awareness and enthusiasm that will carry over from year to year,” Doyle said.

Categories
Basketball Men Sports

Basketball season filled with memories

Eric Brod

Senior Writer

When people think back on the 2011-2012 Bison men’s basketball season, many memories and performances will come to mind of a gritty, talented team that finished 25-10 overall and 12-2 in regular season league play. The team’s rivalry with Lehigh will certainly be one, with the heartbreaking 82-77 loss in the Patriot League Championship game perhaps most prominent. Many will remember the inspiring effort of Mike Muscala ’13, who produced 30 points and 14 rebounds only to be matched by a 29-point effort by Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum. Others will remember the heroics of Bryson Johnson ’13, who drained two clutch three-pointers to pull the Bison from seven points down to one down in a matter of seconds. Most will remember a second year of league domination that led to another regular season championship.

On top of all this, the most memorable moment of the season will definitely be the Orange and Blue’s awe-inspiring win against the Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the NIT.

“The win against Arizona was the best win throughout my college career,” Byran Cohen ’12 said. “We have had a couple opportunities to knock off a high-major school over the past four years but were unable to close the game out. Arizona was one that we were able to hold onto our lead till the end of the game and it was even sweeter beating them on their home court in front of a hostile crowd.”

Part of the last tournament of Cohen’s collegiate career, the win was a sweet sendoff for a player who will be remembered as one of the Bison’s all-time greats. For the rest of the team, the Arizona win represented a huge accomplishment in the context of the entire season.

“This season was a little up and down for us and I think the high point of the season for the team and I individually was our win against Arizona,” Johnson said. “Winning against a great team is always a high point and it always good to celebrate a win like that with your teammates.”

Faithful fans witnessed a team that came together and saw tremendous improvement among many players. Muscala continued his ascent as one of the top big men in the nation, saving his best performances for the league championship and NIT. Joe Willman ’13 established himself as a reliable and consistent forward to complement Muscala in the frontcourt, while noticeable improvements from Steven Kaspar ’15 and Ryan Hill ’14 over the course of the season helped ease the loss of guard Darryl Shazier ’11.

Cameron Ayers ’14 continued his development as one of the top shooting guards in the league, and Johnson continued to be one of the best sharp shooters in the league. Cohen completed a stellar collegiate career that saw him win three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards, while registering over 1000 career points. Cohen will certainly go down as one of the greatest defenders and all-around players in Patriot League history.

“[The award] is a great individual honor; however I would not have been able to receive this award if it weren’t for my teammates,” Cohen said. “Defense is a team effort and collectively as a team we were a very sound defensively game in and game out throughout my career.”

While the team ultimately fell short of its goal of winning the Patriot League Tournament and returning to the NCAA tournament, the Orange and Blue finished the season with one of the most exciting and impressive victories in program history.

“They way we stuck together when things got tough during certain parts of the season was something I’ll never forget.  I was lucky to be on a team with such great people,” Muscala said.

The team looks primed for another run at the league championship in 2013, bringing back all but three players and all but one starter next season. 

“Next season should be fun too but we have to get better individually this off season and hopefully that will translate into more success next season. But I’m excited to spend another year with my teammates and have some fun,” Johnson said.

Categories
Basketball Men Sports

Basketball season recap

Chris McCree
Sports Editor

 

After falling just short of a second consecutive NCAA tournament bid and Patriot League title in a devastating loss to Lehigh on March 7, the men’s basketball team emphatically responded by recording one of the biggest upsets in school history, knocking off top-seeded Arizona 65-54 during the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on March 14.

The Bison followed up their first-round victory with a 75-67 loss to fifth-seeded Nevada in the second round.

“Our guys did a tremendous job bouncing back after a heartbreaking loss in the Patriot League Championship game,” head coach Dave Paulsen said. “It was hard the first few days, but it’s a testament to the great character and leadership within our team. It was great to get a win on the road against a team from the Pac-12 and I think it validated for our guys how good we were and opened some eyes on a national level.”

Over the course of the two games, All-Patriot League center Mike Muscala ’13 created massive matchup problems for both Arizona and Nevada and proved time and time again why he is one of the most talented big men in the country. After leading all scorers with 20 points and nine rebounds against Arizona, the 6’11” big-man put together a 25-point, 15-rebound performance against Nevada.

Appearing in front a of packed crowd at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., the Orange and Blue got off to a fast start against Arizona, leading by as much as 13 points in the first half. Led by three-time defensive player of the year Bryan Cohen ’12, the Bison defense stifled the Wildcats’ offense, limiting them to just 16 points in the first 15 minutes of play. Playing in the final tournament of his career, Cohen anchored the Bison defense, limiting Arizona’s most talented offensive player Kyle Fogg to just five points in the contest, well below his season average of 13.7.

“We played exceptionally well against Arizona. Our team defense was excellent and we got solid contributions throughout the team,” Paulsen said. “We will miss our seniors. Bryan Cohen had an amazing career and will be remembered as one of the outstanding players in Bucknell history.”

During the final minutes of the half, the Bison offense stalled considerably, allowing the Wildcats to cut into the lead and go into the half down just six. Arizona carried their momentum into the second half and quickly claimed their first lead of the game behind the hot hands of Solomon Hill and Jesse Perry, who led the Wildcats with 17 and 14 points respectively.

But the Orange and Blue quickly regained the lead with a three by Cameron Ayers ’14 which kickstarted a 16-6 Bison run over the next eight minutes of play. Ayers finished the contest with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Despite their strong offensive play, the Bison got into foul trouble early in the half, allowing the Wildcats to get to the line often and climb back to within three with 4:27 left to play. Then, after a controversial blocking call, Muscala fouled out of the game with 2:59 left on the clock, leaving the Bison to finish out the game without their leading scorer and biggest shot-blocking presence.

The Bison pressed on and completely shut down the Wildcats offense for the remainder of the contest. Bryson Johnson ’13 hit a clutch fade-away three-pointer with 52 seconds left on the clock, giving the Bison a seven-point lead and erasing any real chance of a Wildcats comeback run.

“It was fun to hit a shot like that against a great team like Arizona,” Johnson said. “But at the same time it was just a shot and everyone on the team made great contributions throughout the game that were just as important.”

Against Nevada, the Orange and Blue fell behind to a hot Wolf Pack offense that shot 60 percent from the field in the first half. Despite Muscala’s 16th double-double of the season and a 21-point performance by Ayers, the Bison found themselves battling from behind for the entire contest.

After trailing at the half 42-29, the Orange and Blue managed to tighten the game considerably and trailed by just three points with under a minute left. Yet, unlike their first round game, the Bison struggled to convert from behind the arc and could not complete the late comeback.

“Nevada was a very talented team and, while we kept it close for most of the game, we were never able to play with a lead and were fighting from behind the whole game,” Muscala said.

The loss to Nevada marks the end to a season in which the Bison finished with 25 wins for just the third time in program history. The Bison will lose three seniors in Enoch Andoh ’12, Probese Leo ’12 and Cohen, but will return four of five starters next year.

“We had a great season and playing in the NIT and winning a game is a great feeling,” Joe Willman ’13 said. “Beating Arizona showed us that we can compete with anyone, so this tournament really gave us a lot of confidence and we are going to keep working hard to get to our ultimate goal next year of the NCAA tournament.”

Categories
Lacrosse Men Sports

Men’s lax wins four straight

By Reed Dempsey

Contributing Writer

Heading into spring break, the Bison stood at 1-3 and were in desperate need of a string of wins that would help turn the season around. Playing Hobart, Drexel, Lafayette and Robert Morris over the past two weeks, the Orange and Blue were able to accomplish just this, reeling off four victories to place them back into the top 20 nationally.

Coming off their first win at Navy on March 3, the Bison looked to extend their streak as they faced Hobart at home on March 10. After a close quarter and half of play, the Orange and Blue exploded for four straight goals to take a 9-5 lead before halftime. The Bison were led by attackman Todd Heritage ’14, who tallied eight goals to tie a school record. Strong offensive performances by Chase Bailey ’13 (two goals, two assists), Billy Eisenreich ’12 (one goal, three assists) and Nick Gantsoudes ’12 (three goals) in addition to a 13-save effort by goalie Kyle Feeney ’13 propelled the Bison to a 14-10 win.

Just three days later, the Orange and Blue traveled to Philadelphia to face the Drexel Dragons. Four straight goals to open the game propelled the Bison to a 5-2 first quarter lead, but a strong second quarter effort by the Dragons in combination with a tough outing for Feeney brought the game to 7-7 with three minutes left in the first half.

After the game-tying goal, Feeney was pulled and replaced by keeper Sam Grinberg ’15. Facing an onslaught of shots from the Dragons, Grinberg was able to keep the Bison in the game with 11 saves over the final 33 minutes. After a 12-11 win, Feeney was glad to have a backup like Grinberg on a day when he was not performing at his optimal level.

“Having someone who can step in and win us a game like that as a freshman is unbelievable,” Feeney said.

With their record back at .500, the Bison looked to extend their three-game winning streak at home against Patriot League rival Lafayette on March 17. The game was never in doubt as the Bison defense held the Leopards to just six goals while the Bison offense unloaded in a 17-goal effort. The Bison were led by a seven–point game for Heritage (four goals, three assists), in addition to solid performances by Eisenreich (four goals, one assist) and Ronjohn Dadd ’13 (three goals) in his first performance of the season. Feeney rebounded from the game against Drexel with 9 saves.

Capping off the four-game stretch, the Bison welcomed Robert Morris to Lewisburg, one of only three teams to beat the Orange and Blue in 2011. The Colonials proved to be no match for the high-powered Bison offense that entered the game as the nation’s most accurate shooting team and sixth highest in scoring offense, averaging 12.6 goals per game.

With goals from seven different players, the Bison once again featured a balanced scoring attack that any team would have difficulty preparing for.

“[It] makes us very tough to scout and very tough to stop,” said Eisenreich, whose 11-point effort tied a school record.

The Orange and Blue could have increased their 17-10 lead in the closing minutes of the game as the Colonials racked up penalty minutes, but elected to run out the clock instead.

With the team at 5-3 and back in the national top-20 rankings, Heritage feels the Bison have finally hit their stride and are now feeling more confident with their play.

“We have been able to get to where we felt our team should of been from the beginning of the season. We are starting to understand exactly what we need to do to win and with five straight our confidence keeps building and we know we must stay mentally focused,” Heritage said.

The Orange and Blue look to continue their winning streak against Albany at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium tomorrow at 12 p.m.

Categories
News

Non-alcoholic events

By Christina Oddo

Writer

Although House Party Weekend is often perceived as a weekend that promotes alcohol consumption, there are many nonalcoholic activities and events being held on campus this weekend.

A March Madness Sweet Sixteen Party will be held at Uptown at 9 p.m. on Thursday. Bring friends, and feel free to bring or order food to eat at Uptown. An Open Mic Night is also taking place Thursday night at 10 p.m. at Seventh Street Café. Anyone interested in participating in the Open Mic Night should sign up in the CAP Center.

Members of the Outing Club will be hosting the Basecamp Open House in Tustin Dance Studio on Friday from 4-6 p.m. and includes a bouldering wall competition, adventure movies, snacks, prizes and games.

On Friday at 9 p.m., Uptown will host karaoke and serve ‘mocktails.’ Downhill, there will be a student band performing at Seventh Street Café at 10 p.m. as well as a Midnight Movie Marathon at the Campus Theatre on Friday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Free popcorn and soda will be served, and other snacks can be purchased at the theatre. There will be a 10:30 p.m. showing of “Anchorman,” a midnight showing of “Bridesmaids” and a 2 a.m. showing of Role Models.

There will be a New York City Trip this Saturday. Anyone interested should sign up in the CAP Center.

In Smith Quad (or the Bison Café if there is rain) from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, The Body Electric (Nick Horner ’11, Seth Chizeck ’11, Luke Chohany ’10 with Alex Apfel ’12) will perform a jazzy, electronic performance. Enjoy free burgers, hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. This event is co-sponsored by the Dean of Students, Office of Residential Education and Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.

From 3-7 p.m. on Saturday, there will be a Street Fair on Dent Drive. There will be a barbeque, chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, funnel cake, French fries, desserts and soft pretzels. Other activities include laser tag, mini-hoops, extreme T-ball, or you can make your own music video.

Finally, there will be a Highlighter Party at Uptown on Saturday night at 9 p.m. Don’t miss out on some awesome music with DJ Michael Davis ’13. 

Categories
News

Fraternities to host a variety of concerts

By Jen Lassen

Arts & Life Editor

For many students, springtime on campus means eating ice cream at the Lewisburg Freez, attending Chrysalis, the budding of the cherry blossoms and of course, the infamous House Party Weekend. Described by many as “the greatest and craziest weekend ever,” this year’s House Party will include some of the most popular performers on this side of the Susquehanna.

One example includes a performance by chart-topping rap duo the Ying Yang Twins at Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity tonight. Songs “Wait (The Whisper Song),” “Salt Shaker” and “Get Low” are some of the biggest singles the Twins have performed.

“We wanted to bring The Ying Yang Twins to TKE because we had heard great reviews from other fraternities that have hosted the group and because of their recognizable name and songs,” John Puleo ’13 said.

Other University fraternity members discussed the performers their organizations will be hosting.

“We are having Judo Chop on Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. as well as Tayyib Ali on Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m.  We have had a long tradition of inviting Judo Chop to Chi Phi Fraternity and have a very good relationship with the band. Not only do all of the brothers and past alumni love their rock performances, but the Bucknell community has always seemed to come out and see their show,” said Andrew Hendrickson ’13, president of Chi Phi Fraternity. 

Some of the fraternities are putting great effort into ensuring that their performers are as original as possible and appeal to the broadest possible audience.

“Chi Phi went in a little bit of a different direction this year by getting the artist Tayyib Ali. He is an up-and-coming rapper, which we have never gotten before at our fraternity. However, we did it based upon the great amount of diverse music tastes here at Bucknell,” Hendrickson said.

The performers have always been a tradition at House Party Weekend and a vital component of what makes the weekend exciting and memorable. Some other performers include Aer and XV featuring Oncue at Delta Upsilon Fraternity; Bro Band, Honky Tonk Heroes and Kid Ink at Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity; and King Fantastic at Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, co-hosted by Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

“We feel that concerts such as these are a fun and important feature of what makes House Party Weekend arguably the best weekend of the school year. The opportunity to host renowned artists such as the Ying Yang Twins is something we’re very excited about,” said Daniel Dietrich ’12, a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity.

Many of the fraternities will be bringing repeat performers from previous House Party Weekends to their houses while also adding new performers to their schedule. Fraternity members believe that this adds to the tradition of House Party Weekend and offers consistency of names that upperclassmen will recognize, generating even more excitement for the performers at this year’s weekend-long event.

So, whether you favor1980s rock over rap or like hip-hip better than cover bands, you’ll undoubtedly be able to satisfy your musical cravings this House Party Weekend.

Categories
Basketball Headline Men Sports

Men’s basketball falls to Nevada in NIT to end season

Cooper Sutton

Editor-in-Chief

 

Despite a record-tying double-double by Mike Muscala ’13, the men’s basketball team fell in the second round of the NIT to fifth-ranked Nevada, 75-67.

Muscala’s 25 points and 15 rebounds gave him his 16th double-double of the season, tying the program record for most double-doubles in one season. The only other Bison player to score over six points was Cameron Ayers ’14 (21 points).

The Orange and Blue got in a hole early, giving up the first six points. They trailed the entire game—by as much as 12 at the beginning second half and by as little as three with only 36 seconds left in the game.

Nevada’s Olek Czyz paced the scoring for the Wolfpack with 24 points, but Nevada saw a solid team effort in scoring with every player but one putting points on the board.

The Bison could not boast the same statistics, as Bryson Johnson ’13 (1-7 from three point range), Bryan Cohen ’12 and Joe Willman ’13 all scored six points. The only other Bison scorer was Ben Brackney ’14, who put up three points.

The loss to Nevada marks the final game of the season for the men’s basketball team. The Bison will lose Cohen and Enoch Andoh ’12 to graduation this year, but should return four out of their five starters next year.

This season has seen many milestones for the team, which reached 25 wins for only the third time in program history, was invited to the NIT for the first time, and saw three players reach 1,000 career points.

Categories
Basketball Headline Men Sports

Men’s basketball upsets No. 1 Arizona in NIT

Chris McCree

Sports Editor

 

Falling just short of a second consecutive NCAA tournament bid and Patriot League title in a devastating loss to Lehigh last week, the men’s basketball team emphatically responded by recording one of the biggest upsets in school history, knocking off top-seeded Arizona 65-54 during the first round of the NIT on Wednesday night. Leading by just four points with under a minute to play, Bryson Johnson ’13 hit a clutch fade-away three-pointer with 52 seconds left on the clock, erasing any real chance of a Wildcats comeback run and putting the junior at the 1000 career point mark.

All-Patriot League center Mike Muscala ’13 made his presence felt early and often for the Orange and Blue, leading all scorers with 20 points and amassing nine rebounds and four blocked shots throughout the contest. Looming at 6’11”, Muscala proved to be a major matchup challenge for a Wildcats defense that could not find a way to contain the big man.

On the defensive side, the Orange and Blue produced one of their best performances of the year. Tasked with guarding Arizona’s most talented offensive player Kyle Fogg, three-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Bryan Cohen ’12 anchored the defense and limited Fogg to just five points in the contest, nine fewer than his season average.

Appearing in front a of packed crowd at the McKale Center in Tuscon, Ariz., the Orange and Blue got off to a fast start, leading by as much as 13 points and limiting the Wildcats to 16 points in the first 15 minutes of play. Yet, during the final minutes of the half, the Bison offense stalled considerably, allowing the Wildcats to cut into their lead and go into the half down just six.

Arizona carried their momentum into the second half and quickly claimed their first lead of the game behind the hot hands of Solomon Hill and Jesse Perry, who led the Wildcats with 17 and 12 points respectively. Appearing to be slowly losing pace, the Orange and Blue quickly regained the lead with five straight points by Cameron Ayers ’14, which kick-started a 13-4 Bison run over the next eight minutes of play. Ayers finished the contest with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Despite their strong offensive play, the Bison got into foul trouble early in the half, allowing the Wildcats to get to the line often and climb back to within three with 4:27 left to play. Then, after a controversial blocking call, Muscala fouled out of the game with 2:59 left on the clock, leaving the Bison to finish out the game without their leading scorer and biggest shot-blocking presence.

The Bison pressed on and completely shut down the Wildcats offense for the duration of the contest. Leading by four and in desperate need of a big basket, Johnson stepped up with a huge three-pointer with 52 seconds left to extend the lead to seven and take much of the pressure off the team. From that point on, the Bison added to their lead with foul shots.

With the victory, the Orange and Blue move to 1-0 all-time at the NIT and continue on to the second round, where they will meet fifth-seeded Nevada on Sunday at 3 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

 

Categories
Editorial Opinion

Editorial: Lectures need more advertisement and incentives

Over the past few semesters, through such sources as the Campus Climate Report, we as students have seen that there exists a certain attitude toward women on our campus that is unhealthy. The delineation of the problem has been expressed to us time and time again. One must begin to wonder, though, how we can move past articulating the problem and actually do something about it.

With this in mind, the staff of The Bucknellian is very happy to see lectures come to campus that attempt to engage the problem and educate the student body. Specifically, the recent lecture on the porn culture in America by Gail Dines and the Speak UP Bucknell initiative have been two outstanding means of educating University students.

The problem we have found with these opportunities is that they are, for the most part, poorly attended and poorly advertised. When all is said and done, the vast majority of the audience at these events are those that do not necessarily need to learn about the topic; it mainly consists of women and Women’s & Gender Studies students.

A lack of communication across the school and the elimination of the Plan 4 Prominence (P4P) program have seemed to lead to a change in audiences for events such as the “Pornland” talk. Rather than a Greek male-dominated audience, those who attend the lecture are generally those who are already knowledgeable on the subject.

Putting events like this on the Message Center does not ensure that the entire campus will find out about them. In fact, most students do not read the Message Center at all. The only other realistic way for students to find out about these events is through class; for example, a Women’s & Gender Studies professor might tell his or her students that a speaker is coming and offer extra points for attendance.

The problem with this dynamic is that the students in these classes are already educated on the subject. A great irony exists in the fact that the students who truly need to attend these lectures are the ones who are least likely to know they’re happening. 

We understand that it can be difficult to inform an entire student body on academic lectures and events throughout the year. We also understand the difficulty inherent in getting these students to attend lectures without an incentive-based system like P4P.

Most students, be it out of apathy or laziness, or because of other obligations, simply will not go to lectures that do not directly relate to them if they do not have to.

It will be extremely hard to change this attitude in students, but it also is essential to the attitude and climate of our university. It seems that we will only be able to make this happen through a communal effort, and perhaps through an administrative change that stimulates an incentive-based system for students.