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ROTC: “…to serve my country, to have a greater appreciation for freedom, for the training and for the adventure”

By Christina Oddo

Writer

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a national four-year program offered at the University designed to train cadets to become commissioned officers of the United States Army, the Army Reserve or Army National Guard. The University is a host school for Army ROTC.

Students currently enrolled at Bloomsburg University, Susquehanna University, Pennsylvania College of Technology and Lycoming College have the opportunity to participate in the program along with University students.

“The benefits of the program are that upon completion you are able to commission in to the Army as an officer at the rank of second Lieutenant. Also, there are a variety of scholarships available including two-, three- or four-year scholarships that can cover your tuition, housing, meal plan, books and you even get a little spending money with the stipend,” cadet Brian Charland ’13 said.
Charland got involved in the program during his junior year of high school when he started talking to and meeting with college representatives. 
“I decided to join Army ROTC to serve my country, to have a greater appreciation for freedom, [for] the training and for the adventure,” Charland said.

First-year students with scholarships and first- and second-year students without scholarships have the ability to enroll on a trial basis without committing to the military. Students can also leave the ROTC program or continue to earn a commission as an officer upon graduation. It is possible to join ROTC as late as the fall of junior year. If students take part in a 28-day summer training camp, they have the opportunity to skip the first-year and sophomore training levels.

First- and second- year cadets have a time commitment of five hours a week. Juniors and seniors then spend ten 10 hours a week for the program. During this required time, cadets take classes, train, attend monthly leadership labs and participate in semester field training exercise. Cadets have class once a week. This class is an hour for first-years, two hours for sophomores, and three hours for juniors and seniors. These weekly classes do not count for academic credit at the University. Cadets learn lessons in leadership, as well as army structure, values and communication. The ROTC program also requires cadets to take a 33-day summer training course between their junior and senior years.

“We also meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 0600 or occasionally earlier for physical training,” Charland said. “A Junior (MSIII) will take the role of platoon sargeant and lead the group through a series of exercises.  Twice a semester we are tested in an Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) that makes sure we are meeting the Army standards.The test consists of two minutes of as many push ups as you can do, and two minutes of as many sit ups as you can do and a two mile run. Every couple of months we take a weekend and will go out into the woods and practice the skills we are learning in the classroom out in the field.”

Cadets also generally participate in day and night land navigation, squad training exercises, patrolling and battle drills.

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Petrucci takes position with Phi Sigma Sigma

By Jenni Whalen

Senior Writer

Jackie Petrucci, Assistant Director of Residential Education for Sorority Affairs, will be leaving the University in a few weeks to begin a new job at Phi Sigma Sigma sorority headquarters in Elkridge, Md.
She will be serving as the Director of Chapter Services for Phi Sigma Sigma and will be responsible for all activities related to collegiate chapter services, including program development and implementation, as well as supervising staff and volunteers. Although Petrucci is not a member of Phi Sigma Sigma, she is excited about the new position.
“I believe in the sorority experience and believe that when it’s done right, it can transform your life,” Petrucci said.
Petrucci is sad to leave the University on such short notice, especially because she will miss her students and colleagues.
“This was a bittersweet decision for me,” Petrucci said, “but ultimately I made a decision that will advance both my personal and professional life. I have so many great memories from my time here at Bucknell.”
Although Petrucci’s absence comes at a busy time for the University’s sorority community, Associate Dean of Students Amy Badal will act as the contact for all sorority matters until a new hire is made. A national search will soon be underway, and the administration hopes the position is filled before fall’s recruitment season begins. Open Suites will still occur on Sunday, April 15 from 3 – 6:45 p.m. as previously planned.

When asked about the future of the University’s Greek system, Petrucci said she hopes the sorority system will continue to move forward in a positive direction. She has been influential in making changes to the sorority recruitment system, expanding the University’s Greek honor society, the Order of Omega, and eliminating the Plan for Prominence.

“During my time here, I have seen this community come so far and I have no doubt that they will continue long after I am gone,” Petrucci said. “I always hope that the women in our sorority community realize the power that they have as a collective group and will use that to influence the campus community in a positive way.”

Students, especially those within the sorority community, have expressed that Petrucci will be sorely missed.

“I’ve worked with Jackie in different settings, as a co-instructor of the transition to college course and as a member of Panhellenic. In every meeting with her, she has been approachable, understanding and hilarious. I have loved every minute of working with her (and her dog, Chloe!) and she will be greatly missed,” Clare Brogan ’12 said.

“Without question, Jackie Petrucci is the greatest thing that could have happened to the sorority and fraternity community at the University. She has worked tirelessly to create a better Bucknell for sorority members. Bucknell has only been bettered by her influence. We, as a campus community, with her encouragement, now have the courage to question and challenge the status quo, and the motivation to impact change not only within the sorority and fraternity communities, but also within the campus community. I wish her only the best as she continues her professional career,” Anne Sequeira ’12 said.
“Jackie has not only pushed both the Bucknell sorority and fraternity community to become more successful, responsible, and motivated, she has also served as a role model and source of support for every woman and man she has come into contact with. She is inspirational, strong, and incredibly talented, and her presence, laughter, leadership, and guidance will be sorely missed by myself and so many others,” Kate Domingues ’12 said.

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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.
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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.

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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. 

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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.

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Speak UP targets bystanders

Jenni Whalen

Staff Writer

Approximately 30 University students and faculty members attended Speak UP Bucknell’s open forum in Trout Auditorium to discuss the issue of sexual assault on campus last Thursday night. The program was created both to address the fact that the University’s culture seems to foster an environment where sexual assault is likely to occur and to inform bystanders, people who neither commit assaults nor prevent them from happening. Tracy Shaynak of the Women’s Resource Center and Marie Shaw of Psychological Services founded the program this year.
Andrea Massa ’12 joined the program because she has a passion for sexual assault awareness.
“I have been a part of [associate] professor [of psychology] Bill Flack’s sexual assault research group for the past three years. However, I was not able to be proactive about the issue of sexual assault awareness until I joined Speak UP Bucknell. Now, I am not only able to help figure out what the problem is, but I can actively go out and spread awareness to other members of the Bucknell community,” Massa said.
In addition to Massa, Shaynak and Shaw, the Speak UP Bucknell group includes Nikki Shea ’12, Clark Bogle ’12, Sarah Hagerbrant ’12, Will Evans ’14, Alyssa Gockley ’13, Alyssa Henningsen ’14, Sarah Bella ’12, Meredith Dickson ’12, Mollie Morris ’12, Michael Higgins ’12 and Sam Lauer ’13.

The group presented a brief synopsis of the current research and definitions of sexual assault. It discussed bystander behaviors at length and explained that the purpose of their program is to capture bystanders, the people who don’t commit assaults but also don’t do anything to stop them. These bystanders can then create bubbles of cognitive dissonance in the University’s social culture. The presentation also incorporated group participation and a question and answer period.

“I think the most important idea that was presented was the fact that speaking up can implant an idea in someone’s head or [it] may be the first time that someone has told them that their behavior is not okay or not acceptable,” said Mark Paleafico ’13, an attendee at the open forum. “Speaking up and getting people to consider their behavior is a really important part of fostering a healthy and safe atmosphere on campus.”
“I’m so glad I went to the presentation and I think Bucknell is moving forward in a positive direction with the help of programs like Speak UP Bucknell,” Laura Neely ’13 said. “I think this discussion and topic is crucial not only here at Bucknell, but also necessary to carry on with us past our four years here. The awareness that this program brings should be heard by all.”
The Speak UP Bucknell program will continue to grow throughout the next year, potentially replacing the Transition to College classes for first-years. The members of the group will also continue to give presentations to anyone across campus who wants to start a discussion about sexual assault in their organization.

“The Speak UP Bucknell organization has the ability to create a safer environment on Bucknell’s campus,” Samantha Schindelheim ’12 said. “As we know from the Campus Climate Report and from further research being conducted, sexual assault is very prevalent on Bucknell’s campus. Students need to feel empowered to be positive bystanders and to help prevent sexual assault. Learning how to act as positive bystanders through programs like Speak UP Bucknell could change the statistics and decrease the occurrences of assault on our campus.”

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Meet the Suites eases nerves

Jason Pepe

Contributing Writer

First-year women gathered in Hunt Hall for the first annual Meet the Suites on March 6 from 6 to 8 p.m.  The event provided first-year women who are considering participating in Greek Life an opportunity to gain familiarity with each sorority in a more laid back and casual environment than the formal recruitment events. Meet the Suites was designed to help ease the nerves of first-year women going into the more formal Open Suites which is held in April.

Each first-year woman was given a “passport” that she had to get stamped at each sorority’s suite.  The women were allowed to spend as much or as little time as they wanted at a particular suite, but were required to visit all seven of them.  Each sorority offered snacks such as cookies and fruity drinks.

Meghan Marks ’13, Delta Gamma’s vice president of membership, enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the event.

“It was fun to just hang out and talk to the girls without all of the formalities of recruitment, and I think it was really helpful for them to see each sorority’s suite and rooms before the process starts,” Marks said.

Meet the Suites replaced previous years’ event called “Meet the Greeks,” and was thought to be a significant improvement.

“In its first year, I would definitely consider the event a success. Going forward, Meet the Suites will be an excellent opportunity for first-year women to meet each sorority in a casual setting before beginning the recruitment process,” said Kasey Hampton ’13, chief recruitment chair of Kappa Alpha Theta fraternity.

Even though Meet the Suites was held during midterm week, turnout was not substantially affected.

“[Meet the Suites] served as a fun study break for everyone,” Hampton said.

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Research team presents assault findings

Christina Oddo and Amanda Ayers

Writer and News Editor

The University Sexual Assault Research Team, a group of students conducting research under professor of psychology Bill Flack, presented data regarding the results of its fall 2011 survey on Tuesday. Although females can be, and have been, perpetrators, these results primarily focused on issues surrounding female victimization and male perpetration on campus.
In its presentation, the group raised questions about the different perceptions of rape and consent, for example, with the hopes of achieving a better understanding of what is happening on campus and creating a safe and respectful environment for everyone. The data presented was based on a survey offered to 900 females and 900 males during October and November. There was a 36 percent response rate for females, and a 22 percent response rate for males.
Among other findings, the group shared that perpetrators tend to consume more alcohol than non-perpetrators. Perpetrators scored, on average, a 16 on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification test, which comes with a recommendation for “simple advice plus brief counseling and continued monitoring.” Non-perpetrators scored, on average, an 8. 
The results also delved into victim disclosure and the positive and negative reactions to sexual assault, including belief, information and aid, emotional support and blame.  Non-victims tend to perceive positive reactions upon disclosure of assualt, like finding emotional support, to occur more often than negative ones. When surveyed, victims responded that there was a lower rate of acceptance, belief and positive reaction to their assault than non-victims.
The group also found that there are a significant number of Greek women “facilitators” and that this female facilitation increases the risk of being sexually assaulted. Female facilitation is promoting risky behavior such as increased alcohol consumption, hooking up, hazing, and minimizing the gravity of events. Male peer support–encouraging women to drink with the intent of hooking up with them, etc.–increases perpetration, rape myth acceptance (“she was asking for it,” etc) and sexism. 
The team finally discussed topics relevant to the recent Campus Climate Task Force Report. While most students surveyed agreed with the Greek and alcohol findings in the report, they disagreed with student engagement findings. Additionally, women agreed with the findings on gender dynamics, but men disagreed.
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Author discusses impact of porn industry

Christina Oddo

Writer

Gail Dines, author of “Pornland,” expressed how the porn industry is leaking into mainstream media in a lecture with University students and staff on Tuesday in the Elaine Langone Center Forum. She explained how this industry is manipulating how teenagers think about their sexuality and how they interact with one another.

“The estimated revenue of the porn industry is $12 billion, while the estimated revenue for the box office for mainstream films is $9 billion,” Dines said.
Dines explained that while  her generation is “print-based,” the generation of today’s college students is “image-based.” Instead of reading things in print, college students are overwhelmed with images every day. Dines said many college students and teenagers are “image illiterate,” and perhaps absorb the wrong messages that are portrayed through images. The “gaze” that is often portrayed through images of women and men in magazines, on television and on the Internet is directly connected to the hookup culture found on college campuses and beyond. It creates gender constructions that form socially acceptable behaviors and etiquette.
Women, Dines said, constantly compare themselves to images of other women. In this way, the porn industry has manipulated women into hating their bodies. American capitalism and the success of many industries depends on women’s overall dissatisfaction with their bodies, as they go to great lengths for fashion, diet and cosmetics.
In the media, women are reduced to all of the same; women, in these images, are merely a series of body parts. Dines said when she starts seeing men wear Speedos to restaurants, then she will be okay with women wearing extremely exposing attire out to dinner. 
In fact, most images in the media that portray both men and women often show men fully clothed, while women are much more exposed. Dines said being naked in the presence of clothed people is to be in a state of vulnerability; why else are men who are admitted to prison immediately asked to strip when they first arrive?
Dines included discussion regarding women of color in the media, and how animals often accompany them in images. In this way, the media is portraying women of color as hypersexual. 
In regard to celebrities and the privileged white, Dines said people who are extremely rich and privileged, as well as white in color, have the ability to make the label of “slut” work for them. No matter how well one can carry that label, being called a “slut” is “a collective rape of all of your identity,” she said. This label is a social construct because an individual does not chose his or her label.
Dines explored the journey of young stars through adulthood, and how these young stars escape the stage of invisibility. What image do you have to portray to be noticed? The porn industry is marketing the youthful image more and more, she said. Is this due to a lack of creativity?
Pornography, Dines said, is completely debasing and violates women’s human rights. Promotion for online pornography sites alone is ridiculously degrading. Dines spoke directly to the men in the audience: “What turns you on? Are you really like this?”
“[The] world they [the porn industry] want is a world not worth living in,” Dines said. Where is the respect for others and for yourself? What does a dependency on pornography say about your sexual identity? Does sexual integrity exist today? Dines questioned the audience relentlessly. She said people need to claim sexuality on their own instead of letting the porn industry shape it.
“Words exist in a material reality,” Dines said.
In this way, Dines said, people need to reshape how they think about and act upon different words that relate to sexuality and gender.
For more information, visit Gaildines.com and stoppornculture.org.