Category: News

By Olivia Seecof

Writer

Faculty, staff, current students and alumni enjoyed an afternoon of academic socializing at the Homecoming Academic Village last Saturday.

This large event started four years ago in order to bring an academic element to Homecoming festivities.

“[The event] is gaining in familiarity among the Bucknell community. Having it outside is great because the environment looks more inviting and exciting,” said Jenna Tesauro, program director of academic interests.

Several tents representing different University majors and departments filled both the Academic and the Engineering Quads. There was a tent for faculty, staff, students and alumni to register for the annual tailgate luncheon and to receive food and beverage tickets. The “Little Bison Zone” provided a recreational space for children of alumni.

“It was cool to see so many people exploring and socializing in all of the tents.  It made me realize that even after we graduate from Bucknell, we still have a strong community here to support us,” Jennie Means ’14 said.

Most of the University’s academic departments were represented at the Academic Village, and were permitted to do whatever they chose with their tent. In years past, members of the College of Engineering put on miniature science and engineering experiments for some academic-related entertainment.

Between 500 and 800 people pass through the fair each year, according to Tesauro. Many explore the different departments and reunite with old acquaintances.

“The Academic Village provides a really good opportunity to catch up both with people from your major and with past professors,” Jessica Robinson ’06 said.

“I love [this event] because I get to see and talk to all of my students,” said Alison Patterson, pre-health professions advisor.

The event sought to inform alumni about current academics at the University while providing an environment in which the entire campus community can interact.

By Allie Mongan

Writer

The University’s College Sustainability Report Card grade has increased from a C- in 2008 to a B in 2011, according to greenreportcard.org.

For the past four years the College Sustainability Report Card has been given to colleges and universities that try to make their campus more environmentally sustainable and energy efficient.

“A low grade is meant to draw the administration’s attention to the fact that they could be doing more,” said Rebecca Caine, senior research fellow for the Sustainable Endowment Institute.

The College Sustainability Report Card is a free service and schools are involved voluntarily. There are seven foundations and numerous individual donors that provide the financial resources to create the Report Cards.

The grades are based on a 4.0 grading scale and there are 52 indicators in nine categories that are assessed yearly. The University’s received four A’s for Climate Change and Energy, Food and Recycling, Student Involvement, and Investment Priorities; two B’s for Administration and Transportation; two C’s for Endowment Priorities and Shareholder Agreement; and one D for Green Building.

Currently 322 schools participate in the College Sustainability Report Card, representing all 50 of the United States and eight of the Canadian provinces. Of these schools, seven have earned an A average and 53 have earned A- averages.

“We took school size, geographic setting, student body size, amount of building space and endowment size into account to weight certain questions,” Caine said.

Each school is assessed according to four web-based surveys, completed by campus administrators and students, and pertains to campus operations, dining services, endowment investment practices and student activities.

As the vice president of the Environmental Club, Ali Blumenstock ’11 completed a University student survey in July. The Environmental Club runs Taylor House, an environmentally themed residence on campus, works on sustainability projects and has a waste reduction initiative.

“Having Bucknell more conscious of their sustainability and being more aware of energy saving methods is important and is just another way our school is keeping up with the other leading environmentally sustainable schools,” Brenna O’Neill ’12 said.

According to greenreportcard.org, the University’s highest grades were due to successfully reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent since 1998. The University aims to reduce them another 10 percent by 2015. The University also now spends 37 percent of the dining budget on local products and offer reusable take-out containers and mugs on dining places around campus. The reduced use of food trays and the installation of water-saving laundry machines and low-flow faucets and showerheads in some buildings has also reduced water usage.

The University shuttle system, new car-sharing program and Bison bikes have helped cut down traffic on campus, improving the transportation grade. The University also has a plan to increase the D grade in Green Building over the years to come by mandating all new major construction projects meet LEED building specifications.

LEED is a green building certification system that aims to make buildings more energy efficient and enhance energy performance. If the University is able to continue to improve sustainability and energy efficiency, it may find that this cuts cost without cutting campus services, as many other schools have discovered.

Full reports for all 322 schools are available on greenreportcard.org. When compared to five other schools in the Patriot League, the University trails only American University, which received a B+ in the 2011 Report Card. Lafayette, Colgate and Holy Cross all also received B’s.

By Megan Herrera

Assistant News Editor

Any problem can be solved through the use of drawing and pictures, a world-renowned author said on Tuesday.

Students, staff and the Lewisburg community filled the seats of the Leanne Freas Trout Auditorium to hear Dan Roam speak about his bestselling book, “The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures.”

Roam’s book was released in December 2009 and has won various awards, including Business Week and Fast Company’s best innovation book of the year, along with Amazon’s fifth best-selling business book. Roam’s book is now sold over the world in 25  languages. Leaders at eBay, Microsoft Office, Wal-Mart, Boeing, the U.S. Navy, the US Senate and more have already incorporated his ideas into their work.

The bestseller focuses on the idea of using simple pictures to solve the complex problems people face in their everyday lives. Roam said that in a person’s life, nothing is perfect. “Whatever our problems might be, I believe they can be solved by pictures,” he said.

The pictures he discussed are simple, consisting of a square, an arrow, a circle and various stick figures. According to Roam, everyone can and should use this method of solving problems through effortless drawings .

While many people have heard that humans only use 10 percent of their brain, Roam said that three fourths of a human’s sensory neurons in the brain are focused on vision. Even so, we use words to explain our solutions and solve them, instead of pictures.

“Whoever best describes the problem is the one most likely to solve it,” Roam said.

Who says a sketch on a napkin doesn’t have power? To Roam, a sketch has an enormous amount of power. Looking back at our presidents, he showed examples of George Washington preparing a map of his Mount Vernon estate, John F. Kennedy outlining a solution during the Cuban missile crisis and Ronald Reagan drawing random doodles during a cabinet meeting. Now, President Barack Obama, a great public speaker draws as well, and yet, he has never drawn out his vision. Roam asks, “Why not?”

The problem Roam sees within government is not the fact that people disagree with it, but rather, they don’t understand it. For example, the 1,447-page health care reform plan is full of words that make absolutely no sense to the human mind. Roam and a colleague decided to draw the plan in pictures.

These drawings became “The World’s Best Presentation of 2009,” and all of its content contained the simple drawings he advocates such as stick figures and arrows. After posting this online, the Huffington Post posted the same presentation on their website, FOX gave him seven minutes during prime time to digest on the power point and finally, the White House’s Office of Communications called on him to discuss his method. Two weeks ago, the White House published the White House White Board online that breaks down complicated problems into understandable terms.

Roam showed the audience exactly what he feels is the best way to solve any problem. He handed out napkins to every person and walked them through the process.

Before the speech, drawings by University students were shown as the crowd piled in. Roam explained that the students were challenged to draw a problem and create a solution using only simple drawings. Ryan Burg ’11 won an iPad for his depiction of his problem: a mouse in his room.

Carla Firetto, lecturer in educational psychology,  gave her students the option of attending this lecture. She said the chapter they are covering deals with the idea of solving problems visually so she saw this speaker would be the perfect opportunity for her students to see how successful one could be.

“He did a great job, I loved his examples and the student’s drawings that were presented at the beginning of the speech,” Firetto said.

By Rob Duffy

Managing Editor

Students, faculty and administrators from six colleges and universities and various government and environmental organizations gathered to discuss the state of the river in the fifth annual Susquehanna River Symposium last weekend.

The first day of the symposium was devoted to celebrating the river, the second day focusing on environmental issues facing the river.

“If we are not knowledgeable about where we come from, it will become very difficult to find our way home,” said Sid Jamieson of the Haudenosaunee Nation in the symposium’s opening. Jamieson said those who live near the river owe their lives to it. He expressed hope that the symposium would contribute to knowledge about it.

Friday’s events included presentations about the river’s significance and efforts to bring people closer to the river.

Mike Reynolds, Northeast Deputy Regional Director of the National Park Service (NPS), discussed NPS efforts to re-connect people to the outdoors through initiatives such as the Captain John Smith Trail project, which is working to establish a system of recreational areas and trails along the river.

“Your grandchildren will not necessarily remember AIG and Goldman Sachs, but they will know about the river,” Reynolds said.

Professors and students from the University have attempted to demonstrate through research the historical significance of the northern part of the river in the hope of persuading the NPS to create a northward connector trail.

Among the topics for presentations on the second day were fish die-offs, flow management, the lasting impact of logging, water quality, abandoned mine damage remediation and implications of Marcellus Shale drilling.

The keynote speaker, John Arway, executive director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, discussed the ramifications of the river’s collapsing smallmouth bass population. He said investigations into the causes of the die-offs have revealed high concentrations of inorganic phosphorous, dissolved oxygen levels below EPA thresholds and increasing water temperatures.

“I conclude we have a sick or impaired river,” he said. “It isn’t good.”

Jennifer Hoffman of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission debuted the first-ever State of the Susquehanna Report. The report and its corresponding website aim to make scientific research about the river more easily “relatable” to the public, according to Hoffman.

Hoffman said this first report “establishes a baseline to work off of and to be able to make assessments in the future.”

The river’s health is crucial to the health of the Chesapeake Bay, of which it is a major source. “The reality is the Susquehanna is the Chesapeake, and the Chesapeake is the Susquehanna,” said David O’Neil of the Chesapeake Conservancy.

At the same time, attendees said that the river is vitally important to the people living along it.

“We have 60 towns located on the Susquehanna River,” said Skip Weider, executive director of the Susquehanna River Heartland Coalition for Environmental Studies. “All of our futures depend on that river.”

Students from the participating universities displayed posters about 50 recent research projects involving the river.

By Meghan Finlayson

Writer

The recent rash of sexual assault and violence cases on campus has motivated many members of the University community to take action. “Take Back the Night” (A March for a Better Bucknell) and the Movement4Manner are among the responses.

More than 400 students, faculty, staff and community members marched in Take Back the Night, a walk to raise awareness about violence on campus last Saturday. The walk began on the Smith Quad and concluded with food and refreshments on the Academic Quad.

Take Back the Night was sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center, Bucknell Student Government (BSG) and students from V-Day Bucknell.

The event received support from the Events Office, Facilities, Dining Services, Performance Services, Bucknell Public Safety and the Lewisburg Police Department.

“Students worked very hard to encourage participation in the march and helped create an event to unite the Bucknell community around these important issues,” said Tracy Shaynak, sexual assault survivor advocate response coordinator.

Some students believed the large turnout was a positive step in the battle to end violence on campus.

“The walk around downtown was beautiful, and something that I will never forget. It was one of those nights that made me proud to be a Bucknellian,” Michael Davis ’13 said.

Take Back the Night is a foundation that takes a stand against sexual violence, and Take Back the Night rallies began in Philadelphia in 1975, according to the foundation’s website.

“The idea behind having a Take Back the Night march at Bucknell is one of taking a stand against injustice. The fact is that at colleges across the U.S., female students face a much higher rate of sexually motivated violence than men, and even women outside of college,” Alexandre Apfel ’12 said. “Given the recent upswing in campus violence in general, having the march helps to build awareness and show a physical presence here on campus that wants the violence to stop.”

The walk was part of a continuing effort to unite the University community and demonstrate that many students, faculty and staff are dedicated to supporting a safe and respectful campus environment, Shaynak said.

“We encourage students to consider becoming a peer educator, to join a student organization directly involved in addressing these issues and to be willing to talk about these issues with their friends and on their residence hall floors,” she said.

Davis, a resident assistant on campus, created the Facebook group entitled “Movement4Manner” to promote respect for community members.

Though Movement4Manner is not directly involved in Take Back the Night, it also joins the fight against sexual violence and disrespect.

“M4M started after myself, my fellow McDonnell RAs and our Assistant Director Rachael Gebely were in a meeting discussing some of the violent events that have taken place on campus.  For weeks, I had heard various stories of fights, attacks and sexual assaults taking place, and had considered doing something about,” Davis said.

Davis called M4M an “active petition.” The group stands for a safe campus, both physically and emotionally.

“These things are very basic, but there is a small number of students who seem to have forgotten some of these things,” Davis said.

Apfel, another member of M4M said that the point of the movement is to generate conversation.

“The more people think and talk about it, the more likely it is they’ll think about how they’re acting,” said Apfel, another member of M4M.

Davis believes that M4M has the potential to grow over time.

“I’m really looking for other students who are also concerned about what’s been happening on our campus to help define what the future will be. This movement is not mine, it’s Bucknell’s. What happens with it is largely dependent upon what we, the students, want to do with it,” Davis said.

INFO BOX

Initiatives to combat sexual assault and violence

SATF—Provost Mick Smyer announced that the final report of the Sexual Assault Task Force (SATF) is now available on Blackboard in an e-mail dated Oct. 25. The group was formed in the fall of 2006 to review policies and adjudication, support services and education and prevention related to sexual assault on campus.

Campus Climate Task Force—President John Bravman announced the formation of a Campus Climate Task Force in an e-mail dated Oct. 20. Chaired by George Shields, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, and Beth Capaldi Evans, associate professor of biology, the group will evaluate the campus climate, including how students view and act upon their responsibilities to the University and to each other.

IFC Declaration—The InterFraternity Council issued a “Declaration Denouncing Sexual Assault” calling for a “zero tolerance” policy.

By Allie Mongan and Courtney Flagg

Writer and News Editor

Both students involved in an alleged sexual assault case on campus were found responsible for disorderly conduct but acquitted of all other charges by the University Hearing Board on Sexual Misconduct (HBSM) on Oct. 7.

The incident, reported earlier this fall, allegedly occurred Sept. 5 after 2 a.m., according to an HBSM summary released in an Oct. 8 e-mail from Kari Conrad, associate dean of students.

A 19-year-old female University student reported being sexually and physically assaulted by Reed Dempsey ’13, according to The Daily Item. Dempsey is a former member of The Bucknellian advertisement staff.

Dempsey was accused of taking the woman out of her bed by force, according to The Daily Item’s report. The woman sustained injuries to her face, right breast, thighs and wrists. The injuries were treated at Evangelical Hospital.

After the female student filed claims of sexual misconduct, disorderly conduct and harassment, the male filed claims of sexual misconduct, disorderly conduct, false accusations, physical assault and harassment, according to the HBSM summary. Dempsey had been suspended from class since the date of the incident, but attended classes via webcam. He and the female student involved received letters of censure and were placed in different residence halls. Reed’s suspension was removed.
The hearing with the University’s HBSM began Oct. 5. The woman attempted to postpone the hearing until after Nov. 4, when the preliminary hearing before District Judge Leo Armbruster for Dempsey will begin, according to The Daily Item. The hearing took place as scheduled.

The University HBSM consists of administrators, faculty and students, and board members for each case are chosen at random.
Hearings before the HBSM are held within 20 days of the filing date. The Code of Conduct states that both students are to be at the hearing, but the students do not have to address each other directly. After hearing both sides of the argument and all of the evidence, the board deliberates and decides on a verdict.

The Union County District Attorney D. Peter Johnson said that the testimonies and evidence brought out during the hearing could circumvent the procedure for sharing facts in the criminal case and give the accused an advantage, according to The Daily Item. U.S. Middle District Judge Yvette Kane denied the request to postpone the hearing because she believed the University’s procedures offer sufficient protection. It was ruled that Title IX, which holds schools accountable for discrimination based on gender, was not violated and the University has to move forward separate from the criminal case.

The female student also requested that the University let her submit written statements for her testimony at the HBSM on the eve of the testimony but was denied.

“In any alleged incident of student misconduct, the students referenced in the allegations are informed of their rights, the time for a hearing, and their responsibility to prepare for that hearing. They are re-informed at the time the hearing board is constituted of the date and time of the hearing,” said Wayne Bromfield, the University’s general counsel. “These practices are consistent with model practices at other universities and the requirement of the federal government’s Title IX regulations. In a recent case, an attorney for one of the students involved in the incident challenged the University’s procedures and the timing of the hearing in a federal district court. The Chief Judge of that court, Yvette Kane, found that challenge meritless and dismissed their request,” he said.

According to a press release issued Oct. 7 by Dempsey’s attorneys, Dempsey was acquitted of all sexual and assault charges leveled at him by the female accuser. The Board received testimony from both police and student witnesses.

The preliminary hearing will proceed Nov. 4, according to The Daily Item.

Conrad and Bromfield could not comment due to privacy laws surrounding the issue.

Dempsey declined to comment.

By Meghan Finlayson

Writer

A Dove spokesperson and model challenged students and faculty to change their perceptions about real beauty in her presentation Oct. 11 in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts.

As a college student living in Chicago, Stacy Nadeau was approached on the street one day and asked to   join the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.

Nadeau became one of the six “Dove girls” and part of Dove’s advertising campaign in 2004. The campaign was created to redefine beauty and improve self-esteem, as well as sell Dove products.

The campaign began after Dove sent out a national survey asking women if they felt comfortable calling themselves beautiful. Ninety-eight percent of those who replied to the survey answered “no.”

As a “Dove girl,” Nadeau modeled with five other women, ranging from size two to size 12. Their photos were not airbrushed or altered, and the women were stripped down to their underwear.

The goal of these photos was to show Dove’s belief that “real beauty can be stunning.”

Nadeau and the five other models felt that “if [they made] one woman feel better about herself, [they did] their job.”

Encouraging more women to feel good about themselves, the “Dove girls” made appearances on the “Today Show,” “Ellen DeGeneres” and “Oprah.“

Nadeau spoke about how women and men should strive to be “[their] own very best self” and that “your own healthy self looks different for everyone.”

She demonstrated how most advertisements today are based on a limited and distorted definition of beauty by playing a clip called “Dove Evolution.” This clip showed a model being airbrushed, altered and completely transformed through a computer program. Many in the audience were shocked to see the final photograph was completely different.

“It is about changing perceptions … it is time to change the conversation,” Nadeau said.

“You have way more to offer than your pant size,” Nadeau said.

She ended by encouraging everyone “not to pass judgment on any size” and to “change our community and respect others, starting with [ourselves].”

“She spoke with so much confidence and made me see that the media and conventional standards of beauty are really ridiculous and destructive,” Krissy Stewart ’13 said.

Nadeau is currently working as a freelance model for Dove. She plans to continue her “Embracing Real Beauty” speeches at other colleges and universities.