Estie Pyper | The Bucknellian Stephen McPeek ’14 tries to pin his opponent in one of the wrestling team’s recent matches. The Bison defeated George Mason 21-12 in their home match last Saturday.
Billy Tyler
Assistant Sports Editor
The men’s wrestling team earned a 21-12 victory against George Mason, where the Bison got ahead early and never looked back in Davis Gym.
The Orange and the Blue took the first seven bouts of the match and a 21-0 lead. All seven bouts were won by decisions and included notable victories by Paul Petrov ’16, Corey Lear ’13 and Joe Stolfi ’15.
Petrov, in the 133 lb. bout, fell behind and entered the third period trailing 5-1. He put on a remarkable performance in that third period, going 9-1 and sealing the 10-6 victory. Lear, ranked 17th in the country in the 165 lb. weight class, won his team-high 19th match of the year against George Mason, shutting out his opponent 6-0. In the heavyweight bout, Stolfi won handily by a score of 5-1. This victory extended his win streak to eight consecutive bouts.
Other notable wins for the Bison include Robert Schlitt ’16 in the 174 lb. weight class with a 6-4 decision, Robert Marchese ’16 in the 184 lb. class with a 5-2 victory, Tyler Lyster ’15 in the 197 lb. class with an 8-2 victory and Austin Miller ’15 in the 125 lb. class with a 7-4 comeback victory.
The next match for the Bison will take place on Friday at 5 p.m. in Davis Gym. They will take on Penn College of Technology and Lock Haven in back-to-back matches.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons President Bravman attributed the errors to admissions staff no longer employed by the University. The misreported figures made SAT averages higher and ACT scores lower than reality.
Siobhan Murray
Staff Writer
President Bravman released a statement that disclosed past instances of false reporting of SAT and ACT averages from 2006 to 2012.
According to the report, the University had been omitting an average of 32 students’ SAT scores each year during the seven year range. SAT averages were inflated by 7 to 16 points on a 1600-point scale, while the reported ACT scores were one point lower than the correct figures.
Bravman recognized that although the inaccuracies were small in scale, the larger issue was a violation of “the trust of every student, faculty member, staff member and Bucknellian they reached.”
New Vice President for Enrollment Management Bill Conley realized in early September 2012 that the profile of the University’s next admissions class was inexplicably lower than in previous years. After analyzing reports of the last several years and verifying the misreported data, he concluded in early November 2012 that scores had been omitted. Over a period of two months, Bravman reported the error to the Board of Trustees, the University community and phoned U.S. News & World Report.
“It was Bucknell’s first direct communication with U.S. News on this matter,” Conley said.
Bravman said that he believed a single person had been responsible for the false data.
“Enrollment management leadership no longer with the university prepared these inaccurate numbers,” Bravman said in his statement to the Board of Trustees.
Bravman said he spoke to the former enrollment management leadership in a discussion he described as “unsatisfactory,” demonstrating “ignorance at best” or “incompetence at its worst” in recognizing the importance of reporting accurate data.
Former Vice President of Enrollment Management Kurt Thiede retired in 2011 after taking the position in 2002. Brian Mitchell, University president from 2004-2010, did not respond to a phone call regarding his role in the admissions process.
The role of vice president of enrollment leadership, which supersedes the role of head of admissions, was created “to build the University’s national and international reputation and recognition, to increase diversity and to increase yield and selectivity while enrolling a talented group of students who are intellectually and socially engaged,” as stated on the University website.
Still, incidents like these outline the way that data has become increasingly important to a school’s reputation, and the pressure on admissions personnel to deliver better numbers. Bravman said that, like “almost every other college and university across the country,” the University supplies data sets to U.S. News & World Report Rankings. The recent disclosure of erroneous calculations was reported to the magazine and the correct data submitted.
U.S. News’ policy has omitted schools from its college rankings table when that school’s misreporting of data had improved their rank. Although Bravman stated that he does not expect such small variations in reported SAT scores to affect the University’s overall rankings, it is not yet known. Bravman does not believe that the University’s reputation will be hurt.
“I think that it will be enhanced,” Bravman said. “In the end, people who are discerning and understanding and care are going to think ‘they did the right thing.’ And high performance organizations are imperfect, and when they make mistakes, it is how you deal with it. It’s how you deal with errors that really tells a lot about you.”
In regards to who is to blame, Bravman believes this to be of no concern.
“It doesn’t matter under who it happened. It happened. I’m not absolving myself, I’m not blaming anybody. I don’t care about that. We have to look at policies and procedures that allowed this to happen and change them. And that’s what we’ve done.”
What constitutes a University student, and the University as a whole, extends beyond the realm of standardized testing.
“Not only are your SAT scores not a full measure by any means of who you are … neither is your high school GPA, or letter of recommendation,” Bravman said. “We work very hard to have the holistic process that measures students in many ways.”
Bravman believes that it is the love for the institution that constitutes its development.
“There is no GPA or SAT for the love of an institution,” Bravman said. “We call it development, not fundraising, for a reason. It’s really not about money; it’s developing people’s understanding of, and passion for, the institution moving forward. All private institutions, of course including Bucknell, depend on that love and support.”
Bravman also explains that it is not just about ranking in the long run.
“I never worry about a ranking,” Bravman said. “I worry about building great programs, attracting great students, hiring great faculty, and then finding the resources to let them do the magic that they do. We are trying to be the best version of Bucknell. What that is of course, will evolve over time, but I think it should be driven by this kind of organic, holistic view.”
In the future, Bravman says the University will work to make its score calculation and reporting more accurate and transparent by requiring admissions staff to provide admitted students’ raw data, rather than calculated data, to institutional research staff before reporting it to any external entity. In addition, the University will periodically appoint a third-party auditor to verify the data’s accuracy.
Out of all the great music released last year, here is a list of my favorite albums of 2012, and the albums and artists I look forward to as this new year continues.
Mumford & Sons – Babel. This is the second studio album of the famed folk band Mumford & Sons. Two of my favorite songs on the album are “I Will Wait” and “Lover of the Light.” Many of the songs are very similar to those on their previous album, Sigh No More, yet the band still has this raw energy that emits from their banjos and basses, as well as Marcus Mumford’s voice.
Frank Ocean – Channel Ocean. The debut album of Odd Future member Frank Ocean emits a raw, soulful feel, one we have not experienced in a long time. My favorite tracks on the album are “Bad Religion,” “Pink Matter” and “Pyramids.” In this album, Ocean brings together a wonderful mixture of genres, with his soulful voice, to the smooth quick raps of André 3000 and Earl Sweatshirt. As you listen on, you can almost feel Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder in Ocean’s voice. This is definitely an album to look into.
Odd Future – The OF Tape Vol. 2. This is one of my favorite albums of the year. Being the first official album of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, it’s always a pleasure seeing how the group has matured since their first mixtape. Although quite explicit, the album is catchy and flows amazingly, with songs by Frank Ocean; Tyler, the Creator; Hodgy Beats; Left Brain; Domo Genesis and the return of Earl Sweatshirt. My favorite tracks are: “White,” “Sam (is Dead),” “P” and “Oldie.”
GOOD Music – Cruel Summer. Kanye West decides to step off his throne and bring together his group: Pusha T, 2 Chainz, Common, Ghostface Killah, Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Raekwon and others. This collaboration, in my opinion, changed the face of rap. The songs run smoothly, with amazing beats and lyrics. To be honest, I’m impressed with Kanye. The songs to listen to are “The Morning,” “Clique” and “New God Flow.”
Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, m.A.A.d City. This album piqued expectations. Kendrick takes us to his world in Compton, causing the listener to empathize with him and some of the experiences he had to deal with growing up in one of the hoods of Los Angeles. The album also includes collaborations with Dr. Dre and Drake. My favorite tracks are “Backseat Freestyle,” “Art of Peer Pressure,” “Compton” and, heck, the whole dang album!
Lana Del Rey – Paradise Edition: Born to Die. Back with her eternally sad, alluringly depressing voice and lyricism that at times is on the brink of being labeled insane, Lana Del Rey returns with an expansion of her sophomore album, Born to Die, with an all new sultry Paradise Edition. On this EP, Lana returns with her silky, seductive voice but brings a more haunting aura along with her. Playful lyrics like those featured in “Cola” and “Gods and Monsters” are overwhelmed by a seemingly contrary sadness to her voice. Everything about the album oozes in a sadness that makes Lana distinct, and it is this that gives her a cult-like following of the insanely sad.
The new albums that are dropping this year are quite exciting. A$AP Rocky released his debut album, “Long.Live.A$AP” earlier in January. Yo La Tengo, one of my favorite indie bands, just recently released their new album. Justin Timberlake, Destiny’s Child, Azealia Banks, Lil’ Wayne and many more are also set to release. If you want to hear some great music, check out some of these albums!
Estie Pyper | The Bucknellian Professor Arthur Flowers, key note speaker from Syracuse, pays tribute to King.
By Christina Oddo
Martin Luther King, Jr. used the term the “Beloved Community” to describe a non-prejudiced world in which people could share wealth, and in which people considered one another brothers and sisters. This month the University is having “A Celebration in Blue,” co-sponsored by the Griot Institute for Africana Studies, to honor Black History Month. The “Beloved” dinner started off the celebration on Jan. 28 in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts lobby.
According to Caesar Vulley ’15, a student speaker at the event, both the lives and goals of Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, Jr. involved the definition of success as having little to do with themselves and more to do with working for the good of others.
“I was of the opinion that, while these are valid life goals, the Beloved Community that Dr. King sacrificed his life for cannot, and will not, be sustained if we continue to think only about ourselves and little about how we can make positive impacts in the lives of those around us,” Vulley said. “I developed this opinion after I came across the quote from Mother Teresa that said ‘A life is not worth living unless it is lived for others.’”
The event included a talk by keynote speaker Arthur Flowers from Syracuse University. Caesar Vulley ’15 spoke, Beyond Union performed, Oompa Williams ’13 read poetry, Mislav Forrester ’13 played the trumpet.
“I became involved through an internship I did in a detention facility last summer teaching juvenile delinquents from D.C. how to read and providing mentorship to them,” Vulley said. “I wrote an essay for the Dean when I finished the internship and shared the experience with Nancy Orbison of Residential Education. They thought my story was worth sharing, hence the invitation from Vincent Stephens, Director of MSS, to speak at the dinner.”
“It was a great event that captured the spirit of both remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. and continuing his legacy,” Beyond Unison member Allison Benoit ’13 said.
The group closed the dinner with its renditions of “Godspeed,” originally by Radney Foster, with soloist Taylor Schumann ’16, as well as “Ain’t No Sunshine,” originally by Bill Withers, with soloist Nate Fanzone ’13.
“The event was amazing,” Williams said. “From the planning to the execution of the blues theme, I think this was quite a successful commemorative Martin Luther King dinner.”
Williams found Flowers’ words remarkable and a perfect finale to the show.
“He was so powerful in explaining blues as ‘a way to get through the blues,’” Williams said. “He talked about the oral tradition as being central to the teaching and learning of the African/African-American culture. He mentioned how the western tradition of literature, and the formulaic approach to the spoken word has become important over time, and how his professional intention is to bridge the two worlds. But he emphasized and exhibited the importance of the oral tradition by not giving a lecture or a keynote speech in the western sense, but completely catering to the music and folkloric style of the African-American culture. He explained to us the way in which Martin Luther King, Jr. was completely aware of this tradition, and the way in which he embodied the blues himself.”
Williams read at last year’s dinner and was asked again to speak at this semester’s event. She wrote with the intention of seeing what would come naturally when thinking about both Martin Luther King, Jr. and the blues.
“I read an original poem that is temporarily entitled ‘Repeat’ in which I attempted to mimic the way a song is organized and cyclic in its nature,” Williams said.
Williams found Assistant Director of Community Service Lynn Pierson’s speech motivational. Pierson explained the importance of becoming involved in service projects and the necessity to keep such projects as an ongoing dedication, a lifestyle and not a one-time deal.
While the news that the University has been leaving out some SAT and ACT scores, therefore misreporting overall averages, came as a shock, four other colleges admitted to similar errors in the last year.
Similar to the University, Claremont McKenna College misreported average SAT scores that were above those now being reported as the true values. Additionally, they also over-reported the percentage of their incoming class who had graduated from high school in the top 10 percent. The school, along with the law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP, published a report in April of last year with details.
Misreporting occurred again with Emory University announcing in August that it too had manipulated data regarding its entering classes. Their errors spanned from 2000 to 2011. The school did confirm that the correct numbers were used for the 2013 rankings in US News.
On Nov. 8, George Washington University announced it had misreported its high school class standing for their fall 2011 class. Unlike the other schools, the listing of GWU was changed to “Unranked” due to the fact that its ranking would have gone down. Other schools’ rankings were minimally affected and therefore remained in their spots on the list.
A month later, Tulane University informed U.S. News and World Report on Dec. 19 of its own situation of misreported data, but unlike our University’s error, Tulane’s pertained only to its Freeman School of Business. The school misreported in not only its average GMAT scores, but also its total number of applicants for fall 2011.
As a result, Tulane chose to hire two law firms to investigate further and provide true data.
Each case showed unique data that was misrepresented and reasons behind the errors were not all publicized, but that can only leave the public with the question, “Which school is next?”
Most facts and information provided by articles by U.S. News.
Several months after the University welcomed Kevin Clash, the voice of Sesame Street’s Elmo, to speak as part of the series “Creativity: Beyond the Box,” the famous puppeteer resigned from PBS after allegations of sexual assault were leveled against him last fall.
The University Forum invited Kevin Clash and his puppet Elmo to speak to fans and members of the Lewisburg community in the downtown Barnes and Noble bookstore. Clash also held a question and answer session in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts.
Many students and faculty attended the forum and were delighted to learn about puppeteering and how Clash’s career began.
A young Pennsylvania man, later identified as Sheldon Stephens, claimed Clash had an intimate relationship with him when he was 16 years old. The man soon recanted his statements after an undisclosed settlement with Clash, but others soon came forward with other sexual allegations against Clash.
Cecil Singleton, a 24-year-old college student, filed a lawsuit against Clash claiming that they had sexual relations when he was underage. Singleton had kept his relationship with Clash a secret for almost a decade until he heard of Stephens’ allegations.
This triggered Singleton to press charges against Clash who had worked at PBS for a total of 28 years. Clash then revealed that he was gay, but denied all of the accusations of sexual assault with minors. Sesame Street soon granted Clash a leave of absence but a letter of resignation was not far behind.
“I am resigning from Sesame Workshop with a very heavy heart; I have loved every day of my 28 years working for this exceptional organization. Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work Sesame Street is doing and I cannot allow it to go on any longer,” Clash said in his statement last November.
A total of four men have come forward to date to accuse Clash of inappropriate behavior when they were minors, and Clash apparently paid for one minor to fly from Miami to New York where sexual interactions took place.
Clash’s famous character Elmo continues his presence on the widely viewed children’s program, now voiced by understudies, though the effect Clash’s actions have had on the character are difficult to gauge.
“Elmo is a fun-loving character that now has a huge mark on his reputation due to Clash’s actions,” one University sophomore said.
University Forum Speaker Baratunde Thurston Uses Humor to Achieve Political Goals
Paige L. Bailey
contributing writer
Baratunde Thurston, the self-proclaimed “technology-loving comedian from the future,” spoke of both the opportunities and limitations of a hyper-connected society on Jan. 29 in Trout Auditorium. This lecture was part of the 2012-2014 Bucknell Forum series “tech/no” that engages the community in a discussion regarding the role of technology in modern life.
After graduating from Harvard with a degree in Philosophy, Thurston pursued work as a stand-up comedian and wrote for “The Onion.” Thurston’s book, “How to Be Black,” is a New York Times Bestseller that delves into issues of race and identity in a humorous and interactive way. Additionally, Thurston launched his own startup website called Cultivated Wit, which employs humor through a technological medium.
In his lecture entitled “The Future Is Connectivity! Connectivity Will Ruin Our Future!” Thurston said his use of humor and technology is an “alternate way to engage” people. Simultaneously, technology makes people less connected to others in the moment, which presents a new set of challenges.
First, Thurston said that his personal ancestry influenced “How to Be Black.” His great-grandfather was a slave in the South but taught himself to read. This act of rebellion was punishable by death for a slave. His mother was also involved in the Civil Rights struggle and anti-war movement. Thurston stated that this “common thread” of questioning authority has brought him to use his talents to advance a message of social justice in his comedic, written and technological endeavors.
Despite his knowledge and passion for cutting-edge technology, Thurston said that society’s degree of connectivity allows people to “teleport” from their present circumstances. As an experiment, Thurston turned off all social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and texting for three weeks. While he thought this would be unbearable, he felt a sense of relief by interacting more personally with the people around him. He even enjoyed having time to be in isolation with his thoughts.
Nick Pistone ’13 reflected on the difficulty of disconnecting. After the lecture, he decided to avoid Facebook and Twitter, but 20 minutes later caught himself “absent-mindedly” browsing on his Facebook page. Pistone agrees with Thurston that technology can be an escape, but also prevents us from holding conversations at times. Kasey Hampton ’13 echoed this sentiment, stating, “University students can relate to the message to ‘give your brain a rest’ from being constantly plugged into technology.”
At the same time, Thurston sees his work as fitting into a broader revolutionary movement that he believes is taking place. This revolution is in part rooted in the globalization of accessible technology. Through his humor and commitment to technological innovation, he said that he hopes to “bring people into a conversation about politics and social justice.” He said a clear advantage of technology is that people around the world can find each other and begin to question existing authority structures. This fact is an unprecedented condition in human history that Thurston believes has the power to change the locus of power in society.
The Pyramids of Giza, the ruins of Machu Picchu, the lost city of Troy and the ancient Mesopotamian structures that dot the Middle East are all massive archaeological finds and undertakings. These seemingly otherworldly realms remind us of what we used to be and symbolize the forward progress of humanity spanning over millennia.
Imagine three thousand years from now, someone burlier than Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones is digging through the rubble over what used to be Miami. What would he find? There would obviously be ancient structures, strange skeletons of organisms past and words from some dead language scattering the buildings and streets. These things are not all the archaeologist would discover. He would come across a myriad objects made of the same odd material: plastic. Amongst the rubble rest water bottles (BPA free of course), empty Target bags and more trinkets than one could ever imagine. Is this the most idolatrous society to have ever lived or is this strange material simply the vessel that brought on its downfall? The sad answer is that it is neither. Instead of discovering beautiful pottery or magnificent tapestries depicting daily life, all the archaeologist will hear is: “Docta Jones, Docta Jones! What is Furbee?”
I am no environmentalist, nor am I one to forgo a good plastic spoon instead of doing the dishes, but I do think we humans need to plan for the long haul when it comes to our advertising and design. If some poor soul were to unearth Chicago 2,000 years from now, he would think, based on our billboards of course, that we were the most alcoholic, law-suit filing, pretentious group of people to have ever lived. I don’t mean to say that we aren’t all of those things, but let’s at least attempt to make people in the future believe otherwise.
Simply put, while we currently search for ancient water gathering tools on parched river beds, people millennia from now will be finding jellyfish without legs that say WalMart, and strange rubber disposables that resemble snake skins, which come in all sizes, textures and colors.
I propose that we begin planning for the long haul. We must make ourselves look good for generations and centuries to come. There are certain things that should remain, as they perpetuate a positive image. The American Girl Store, Major League Baseball and Gatorade are all products and organizations that contribute to the greater, more attractive good. On the other hand, places like PINK must go.
All in all, people of this day and age have done an immense amount. Our productivity, technology and global nature greatly overshadow many of the developments made in the past. Although we have contributed magnificently to the track record of the human race, all will be for naught if we fail to eliminate or modify the objects we leave behind. Nobody will remember how the iPad made it easier for radiologists to show and share x-rays if all that can be found in the rubble of Boston, Mass. is a plastic pair of white sunglasses and a half-empty tube of puffy paint.
Any student here who has walked home from the bar, a downtown or Gateway party, or who simply lives downhill has encountered The Flying Bison, the University’s diesel-guzzling oasis that stands ready to capitalize on the excessive alcohol consumption the University so frowns upon. Each weekend, hordes of drinkers skirt Public Safety SUVs and make their way to the front of Vedder Hall for a treat that will make their cotton mouths once again water. Yes, the University has certainly found a way to make economic lemonade out of the lemon that is the campus climate, and the vast assortment of beer, wine, martini and shot glasses available in the bookstore is a testament to that. However, there is one element of the University’s party culture that has yet to be exploited.
“Recent studies of the social habits of Bucknellians have shown that the students often smoke a plant called cannabis, also known as marijuana or ‘weed’ as the kids call it,” Heath Clifton, head of Bucknell’s Marketing Committee, said. “Of course, the University does not condone the use of this substance, but an interesting side effect of the drug is that it causes users to consume large quantities of food. ‘Stoners’ or ‘potheads,’ as they are called, also have an affinity for purchasing marijuana-related paraphernalia. The University no longer views these individuals simply as a menace to public safety. We now also see them as a demographic to which we can market all sorts of [crap]!”
As a result of these findings, the University has announced the launch of a second food truck, The Blazing Bison, which will specialize in satisfying the very munchies students are not supposed to have. The tentative menu includes Funyuns and Cheez Doodles, as well as straight-from-the-refrigerator specialties, such as leftover spaghetti and cold leftover pizza. Each menu item will cost exactly $4.20.
“The beauty of it is that, with the exception of snack chips, The Blazing Bison can be stocked almost entirely with food left over from Bostwick and The Bison,” Jonathan Macaslan, head of Bucknell Dining Services said. “It will cost very little to operate and will allow Dining Services to reduce food waste.”
As for the aforementioned paraphernalia, Clifton was excited to announce that “Bison Bongs” will soon be available at the bookstore.
“They’re going to be blue and have a picture of an orange bison with dreadlocks. We’re calling him Bob the Bison, after Bob Marley. Apparently that guy is really big with our demographic,” Clifton said. “We’re also thinking of selling roach clips that have orange and blue beads and feathers.”
However, Clifton wants to remind students that these items will not be allowed on campus.
“Like most merchandise in the bookstore, these things are intended as gifts for family and friends back home,” he said. “‘Bison Bongs,’ like Bucknell shot glasses, are something nice for Mom and Dad to buy when they visit or a way of letting Grandma and Grandpa know you’re thinking of them.”
Clifton wants to see ‘Bison Bongs’ on shelves by mid semester and The Blazing Bison parked downhill by early fall.
I must confess. I have recently been living vicariously through the models sporting spring dresses and open-toed pumps. This dismal wintry weather we’ve had for the past few weeks has definitely made me wish that spring would come sooner. In that respect, I think it would be appropriate to delve into spring’s hottest hues: black, white and orange.
Formal: Don’t be afraid to buy white heels this spring (it is technically before Labor Day). They can create an elegant, sophisticated look when paired with a black mini skirt and a chiffon or peplum top. Accessorize with gold or orange-tinged studs or cocktail rings to finish off the look.
Nautical: Keep an eye out for black and white stripes this season. Piperlime offers a great variety of black and white patterns, from maxi skirts to mini dresses. Polish off your look with a solid colored scarf. Accessorize with anchor-adorned bracelets and white watches, and top the outfit off with navy Topsiders and a solid orange tote bag. (For inexpensive accessories, check out Piperlime, Madewell and Urban Outfitters.)
Preppy: For a preppier flare, pick pieces in solid black, white or orange and pair them with bold statement jewelry. For example, pair an orange shift dress (see Piperlime) with a black statement necklace, a white blazer and neutral flats for a casual-chic look.
