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News

Alpha Male

Olivia Seecof

Writer

Alphi Chi Omega sorority sponsored its second Alpha Male competition last Friday in Trout Auditorium to benefit the Susquehanna Valley Women Transition, an agency that aids victims of domestic violence. One man from each fraternity on campus competed for the title in a variety of events throughout the night. The 400 available tickets sold out on the day before the event.
The second round consisted of swimwear modeling. Many of the competitors sported speedos while others took a more relaxed approach with a sun hat and a ukulele.

“They were all definitely ready for beach season!” Eliza Macdonald ’14 said.
Next came the talent portion where the men performed a talent of their choice.
“My favorite part of the competition was witnessing the different hidden talents that all the contestants had,” CK Kumah ’13 said.

These talents included ribbon dancing, interpretive dancing, rapping about each sorority, pizza making, solving a Rubik’s Cube, and many more.
The presidents of each sorority judged the competition.

“We were so pleased to have each chapter represented on the [judging] panel,” said Jenna DeLuca ’13, president of Alphi Chi Omega. “I was honestly very impressed with each and every one of the contestants! Each man confidently represented his chapter in a unique way.”

“My favorite aspect of judging Alpha Male was being able to take part in an incredibly fun and successful philanthropic event that brought the Greek community together. Watching the representatives from each fraternity eat up a spotlight was priceless,” said Dana Musulin ’13, president of Alpha Delta Pi.

Kumah of Phi Gamma Delta was the ultimate winner and crowned Alpha Male 2012.

“Personally I thought it was a 10-way tie because each and every one of the contestants was equally impressive and made it difficult for the judges to come to a conclusion. I was literally blown away when they announced me as the winner,” Kumah said.

Brottman presented Susquehanna Valley Women in Transition with a check for $2,000, 15 percent of which will go to Fiji’s philanthropy in honor of Kumah’s winning.

“It was such an amazing feeling to know that Alpha Chi was making a true impact on the lives of these victims,” Brottman said.

“My favorite part of the event was the involvement of all the people there and everyone being so excited. The guys who participated were great and we had so much fun working with them!” Lewis said.
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Letters to the Editor Opinion

Cartoon Offensive

To the Editor:

Yes, we have all made/heard the joke that philosophy majors are a bunch of stoners, but I was offended to see this depicted in last week’s edition.  The cartoon depicts a philosophy class and the featured homework assignment is a marijuana leaf, accompanied in the next frame of students smoking and remarking that “It all makes sense now!”  It offends and degrades the brilliant professors our university employs as well as downplays the efforts of philosophy majors.  A major myself, I can’t imagine smoking weed before reading Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason” or Plato’s “Republic” and expect to get anything out of it, or expect the whole universe to finally make brilliant sense.

A knowledge in philosophy requires reason, deep thought and superb analytical skills—if anything, weed would prevent this.  Studies have shown philosophy majors outshine all other majors on LSATs, GMATs, etc. because of these exact skills.  I hardly think that these students are high when taking the standardized exams.

An understanding in philosophy—metaphysics, epistemology, ontology, ethics, aesthetics—is complicated and rooted in deep thought that requires legitimate reflection, not a stoner understanding such as “wow, everyone should just get along,” that is just the tip of the iceberg!

Hannah Zachary ’12

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Featured Men Sports Swimming & Diving

Bison Athlete of the Week: Mike Nicholson ’14

Chris McCree

Sports Editor

 

Profile:

Mike Nicholson

Sophomore

IM/Breast/Fly

Hometown: Chappaqua, N.Y.

Major: Economics and Sociology

 

Season bests:

200 breast: 2:01.71

200 fly: 1:48.57

200 IM: 1:50.11

400 IM: 3:53.37

 

One week after falling just short of a second consecutive Patriot League title in the 400 IM, Mike Nicholson ’14 captured two gold medals and a silver at the ECAC Championships this past weekend in Annapolis, Md., making him the first Orange and Blue swimmer to earn multiple titles in the same year since 1993.

Starting off his weekend with as the runner-up in the 200 IM, Nicholson came away with individual titles on each of the following days in the 400 IM and 200 breaststroke. Nicholson posted a season-best time of 3:53.37 in the 400 IM finals to edge out the second-place finisher by 0.74 seconds and claim the Bison’s first gold of the meet. Following this performance, Nicholson came back on Sunday to post a career-best time of 2:01.71 in the 200 breaststroke, putting him just 0.03 seconds shy of the men’s swimming program’s all-time mark.

Largely due to the Nicholson’s successes, the men’s swimming team was able to capture its second runner-up finish in as many weeks. Over the course of the three-day meet, the Bison accumulated a total of 503 points, allowing them to beat Patriot League rival Army once again.

With two full seasons under his belt, Nicholson has already been able to accomplish what few swimmers are able to do over the course of their careers. Currently, Nicholson holds school records in the 200 IM, 200 fly and 400 IM and ranks in the program top 10 in the 1,000 freestyle and 200 breaststroke. Next season, Nicholson will look to add to his collection and recapture his Patriot League title in the 400 IM.

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Opinion

Protection from sexual assault requires cooperation

Sarah Morris

Writer

I want this to be a call to arms for girls across campus. We as a group need to take charge of our sexual experiences. Sexual assault is an enormous issue across college campuses in the United States, and yes, that includes our coveted “Bucknell bubble.” No longer can we allow ourselves to be subjected to attacks on our bodies and emotions. It pains me every weekend to see girls so drunk they can barely remember where their dorm rooms are, instead going back to the rooms of sleazy guys who just want to get it in.

Usually, it seems, girls are so drunk they cannot remember whether or not a condom was used, whether or not the guy asked if she wanted to have sex or whether or not she even said yes. Sexual assault is tragic for anyone, but what we need to realize is that while sometimes it is unavoidable (as in cases of date rape and Rohypnol, more commonly known as “roofies”), we need to be responsible for taking care of ourselves and knowing when a situation is getting dangerous. That way, we can remove the possibility of sexual assault before it even happens.

A perfect way to minimize sexual danger when you go out is to keep track of and control how much you are drinking. The more you drink, the more difficult it will be for you to clearly express your decision of whether or not you want to have sex with someone. Another way of helping yourself is to think about the guys you will be hanging out with. If you do not feel comfortable being alone with a guy, you need to make sure you are doing activities where other people are involved until you trust him enough to be alone together.

I think the most important key to remember is to look out for your fellow women. We have to work together to prevent sexual assault. Watch your friends at parties and make sure they are in control of themselves; if you see a friend slipping up and drinking so much that she cannot make smart choices, make sure you walk her home at the end of the night. She will thank you in the morning, even if she may seem mad at the moment. The more we help each other, the closer we are to eliminating sexual assault on our campus so that women can be safe every weekend.

Categories
Editorial Opinion

Editorial: decision to add new sorority will benefit Greek Life

With the recent decision to add a new sorority to the University’s Greek Life system, we at The Bucknellian are very pleased with the direction that the Panhellenic Council is taking. The way fraternities and sororities are set up on this campus, there seems to be a need for a new sorority to mirror the fraternity structure.

Greek women on campus are provided with fewer options because there are significantly more fraternities than sororities (11 fraternities,  seven sororities). For this reason, men receive two major benefits.

First, they have a much broader range of groups to choose from during recruitment, allowing for a more diverse selection. Being able to choose from 11 different fraternities, a University man is more likely to find a group of people with whom he can easily fit in.

The second benefit of more sororities stems from a decreased chapter size. Because the number of women looking to rush is so high and the number of sororities is so low, some chapters range as high as 170 members, and the people in those chapters suffer.

With numbers that high, a Greek organization loses much of its value. Without the ability to form close bonds with all of one’s brothers or sisters, one has to wonder whether that organization is a true brotherhood or sisterhood, or simply a social club.

Many members of The Bucknellian staff have also noticed that the size of sororities leads to a large number of cliques throughout the chapter, while fraternities, which are much smaller in size, seem to be much more unified.

Greek life is a place to form bonds with similar people and to find friendships that last longer than one’s educational years. The addition of a new sorority and decreased chapter sizes will only make Greek life stronger in this regard.

Categories
Basketball Featured Men Sports

On to the next one

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

The men’s basketball team’s opening round match-up with the Navy Midshipmen was a return to form as the Bison dominated the Mids from start to finish, winning 87-63. After struggling towards the end of their Patriot League schedule, the Orange and Blue advanced to the conference semifinals for the second consecutive season.

Before the contest began, two members of the Bison squad were honored for their outstanding season. Bryan Cohen ’12, in his final season in an Orange and Blue uniform, won his third consecutive Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year award. He became just the second player ever to win three major individual conference awards and the first to win the same award three times. After leading the Orange and Blue to a 12-2 league record and their second straight regular season conference title, head coach Dave Paulsen was recognized with the Patriot League Coach of the Year award, one he won last season as well.

The Bison delivered the first blow against Navy, jumping ahead 11-3 just five minutes in. The three-point shot kept Navy within striking distance early on, but it would not be enough on this night.

The Orange and Blue played one of their most efficient offensive games on the season, shooting 62.7 percent from the field and making over half of their baskets from beyond the three-point arc. Leading the way offensively was Joe Willman ’13, who tallied 18 points while shooting over 70 percent from the field in 24 minutes of play.

Bryson Johnson ’13 found his stroke from outside, knocking in five three-pointers off the bench. Three of those came during a three-minute stretch late in the first half in which the Bison swelled their two-point advantage to 11. The run kept going into halftime, when the Bison took a 20-point lead into the locker room.

The second half proved much of the same story as the first. The Orange and Blue would extend the lead to 31 at one point. Navy was cut the lead to 24 but it proved too little, too late.

The Bison will face the Lafayette Leopards at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday in the semifinal round of the tournament. 

Categories
Letters to the Editor Opinion

Concert Committee: Response to Campus

To the Editor:

 

Whoa, Nelly! This spring, the Bucknell University Concert Committee has chosen Grammy-award winning artist Nelly to perform as the main act in the Gerhard Fieldhouse on Friday, April 13. The Concert Committee is excited to bring such a major act to campus.

Although the committee has received a great deal of support and excitement surrounding the upcoming show, we have also received some negative reactions, primarily from faculty who are offended by the choice. Issues of gender, race, pornography and mistreatment of women have been raised surrounding one of Nelly’s many videos, made for his 2003 song “Tip Drill.”

In an open forum last spring the Concert Committee hosted a panel discussion that included faculty, students and staff discussing programming content as it related to speakers, concerts and other entertainment brought to campus. The Committee decided to host this event after much faculty reaction to concerts such as Ludacris, T-Pain and Ke$ha. While certainly an enlightening discussion, it quickly became evident that there are no easy solutions when the issue of “offensive content” is debated. The committee was asked to and agreed to host post-concert discussions so the campus community could have the opportunity to share reactions to any given show.

In looking at Top 40 artists or specifically the hip-hop genre, it is difficult if not impossible to find an artist without content issues that are deemed offensive to one person or another. Most of the artists have some content skeleton in their closet. Certainly with little to no radio play, and not even mentioned in a quick Google search of Nelly songs, most Bucknell students (or the public at large) don’t know “Tip Drill.”  It most definitely is not a the defining song in his career.

When considering the Nelly invitation for the spring concert, the Concert Committee looked at his amazing award winning career, including his BET Best New Artist Award and his MTV Best Rap Video of the Year Award. Additionally, in June 2002, Nelly dropped the album “Nellyville,” featuring chart-topping hits such as “Hot in Herre,” “Air Force Ones” and “Dilemma,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard music charts. Nelly would go on to win three Grammy awards for this album including Best Rap Solo Performance (Male), Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Nelly has been nominated for a Grammy nine additional times. Nelly has released four more albums since “Nellyville” and songs such as “Over and Over” and “Just a Dream.” Billboard named Nelly the No. 3 top Artist of the Decade (2000-2009). In addition to his music ventures, Nelly has appeared on television and in two films. He co-starred in 2005’s “The Longest Yard” and has starred on TV shows such as “90210” and “CSI:NY.”

The Concert Committee also considered Nelly’s success as a philanthropist and entrepreneur. One of Nelly’s most significant contributions has been his dedication to philanthropy. Nelly runs the 4Sho4Kids Foundation which is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with development disabilities such as Down’s Syndrome and children born addicted to drugs. The foundation assists families by providing educational classes and healthcare resources in the St. Louis metropolitan area. He also started the “Jes Us 4 Jackie” in 2003 to help raise awareness about bone marrow transplants for African Americans and other minorities. Nelly began the campaign after his sister Jackie was diagnosed with leukemia in 2003. She later lost her battle with cancer in 2005. Nelly has participated in other philanthropic efforts and continues to emphasize his commitment to charity. Nelly has had multiple shoe contracts with brands such as Nike and Reebok. He was also a part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats until 2010. Nelly is also the owner of two clothing brands, Apple Bottoms and Vokal. His brand Apple Bottoms promotes positive messages towards women’s body issues, emphasizing that clothes should fit the woman, not vice versa.

Acknowledging the complexity of content in today’s culture, the committee is prepared to respond to concerns and will host a post-concert open forum. We are asking, however, why this task falls solely on our shoulders. If the Concert Committee is asked to host open forums to progress campus climate in a positive direction, shouldn’t faculty, staff and other student groups be held to the same standards when speakers, politicians, and other groups are invited to campus and deliver messages not universally accepted? Or is the real question this: is an open forum required to process and debate every controversial event?

 

– The Bucknell Concert Committee

Categories
News

Spring Break Shuttle Schedules

By Amanda Ayers

News Editor

Need to get to either Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) or Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) for spring break travels? Card Services and Student Transit has posted its shuttle schedule on the University website. One-way transportation to or from Williamsport Regional Airport, Harrisburg International Airport or the Harrisburg Transportation Center is $36.00. One-way shuttle transportation to PHL is $76.00. Make sure to register online by March 7 at noon. 

Depart for Spring Recess

Classes end Friday, March 9 at 5 p.m.

Harrisburg and Williamsport
Friday, March 9 at 5 a.m., 7 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.
Saturday, March 10 at 5 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

Philadelphia
Friday, March 9 at 5 a.m, 12:15 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.
Saturday, March 10 at  5 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

Return from Spring Recess

Classes begin Monday, March 19 at 8 a.m.

Harrisburg and Williamsport

Saturday, March 17 at 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. 
Sunday, March 18 at 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.

Philadelphia

Saturday, March 17 at 2 p.m., 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 18 at 2 p.m., 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. 

Categories
News

Frank Abagnale Jr. announced as speaker

Amanda Ayers

News Editor

The Student Lectureship Committee has invited Frank Abagnale to speak on campus March 19 at 7 p.m. in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts. This event is free and open to the public. Beginning as one of the world’s most famous con men (posing as an airline pilot, doctor and lawyer) Abagnale later became one of the most respected authorities on forgery, embezzlement and secure documents. He has worked with hundreds of financial institutions, corporations and government agencies. He was made even more famous through director Steven Spielberg’s 2002 film, “Catch Me If You Can,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, which was based on Abagnale’s best-selling autobiography.

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News

Athletes succeed on and off field

By Ali Napoli

Contributing Writer

 

During the 2011 fall semester, 252 University student-athletes earned Dean’s List honors, achieving GPAs equal to or higher than 3.50. Of those honored, 141 were accepted to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, which requires a GPA of 3.2 or better during the team’s competitive season.
“One of the special qualities of Bison Athletics is that our student-athletes are truly students, first and foremost. They take tremendous pride in their class-work, just as all Bucknell students do, and it is great that the Patriot League finds several different ways to recognize the academic achievements of its student-athletes,” said John Hardt, director of athletics and recreation.
Twenty-five of the University’s 27 varsity sports teams have a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The men’s cross-country team recorded the highest GPA out of all the male sports with a 3.32 average. The women’s swimming and diving team and the women’s golf team share the highest team GPA of all sports with an impressive average of 3.40.
A number of the student-athletes who achieved Dean’s List honors are team captains, representing various teams, from men’s basketball to women’s track and field.
“Being a captain on the team makes you want to do your best to set an example, especially for the younger guys on the team. I try to do my best in the classroom just so they know what to do, and just be there if anyone else on the team needs anything,” said Bryson Johnson ’13, captain and guard of the men’s basketball team.
Spencer Richley ’12, captain of men’s water polo, expressed similar feelings.
“[I’ve] found that being a captain of the water polo team actually helped [me] achieve a higher GPA because the two go hand in hand. Both require an increased amount of responsibility and forced me to effectively manage my time,” Richley said.
Leadership and encouragement to succeed on and off the field is not only fostered by team captains.
“The four members of our senior class are all tremendous examples of what it means to be a true scholar-athlete at Bucknell while pursuing excellence in their chosen fields in the classroom and on the field.  They represent what we want from all of our leaders, titled as captains or otherwise, and I’m extremely honored to have coached them all,” said Ben Landis, head coach of women’s soccer.
All in all, the athletics department is very proud of these numbers, and it believes that statistics like these are integral to the student-athlete experience at the University.
“Balancing Bucknell’s exacting academic demands with the rigors of being a Division I athlete is very difficult and takes determination and excellent time-management skills. They deserve all the recognition that comes with their accomplishments both on and off the playing fields,” Hardt said.