Categories
Featured News

Task force publishes Campus Climate Report

By Nicole Briggs

Writer

On Sept. 7, President John Bravman released the results of a year-long Campus Climate Task Force Report. The 68-page report comments on a variety of campus issues such as excessive alcohol consumption, dominance of fraternities and sororities and lack of intellectual discussions taking place outside of the classroom. The report concluded with a list of recommendations for the future that addressed these issues.

On Tuesday, Sept. 13, a forum was held in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts for the entire University community to discuss the findings. On Wednesday, Sept. 14, another forum, Students’ Open Forum on Campus Climate, was held with only students on the panel.

Bravman began the session on Tuesday by stating that it is often difficult to admit to faults in the University.

“This report presents many challenges to us. It challenges our students and organizations, it challenges our faculty, and it even challenges me,” Bravman said. He then proceeded to introduce members of the task force, including co-chairs George Shields, Dean of Arts and Sciences, and Beth Evans, associate professor of biology and animal behavior. After some explanatory remarks, they opened the forum up to its attendees, who were primarily students.

Most of the hour was taken up with comments from numerous University students of different gender, race and beliefs. Students spoke on issues ranging from the intellectual environment to campus diversity. The two most-discussed issues were sexual violence and the portrayal of Greek life in the report.

“If you take away the Greek system, you take away all the leadership positions it provides,” Sam Hopkins ’12 said.

Comments on the Greek system were both positive and negative. Some cited the variety of philanthropic events hosted by Greek chapters and the atmosphere of community and togetherness. Others discussed the perpetuation of gender roles as well as the exclusivity and secrecy that the institution thrives on.

One of the other issues presented was sexual violence on campus. Everyone who spoke seemed to agree there needs to be changes, whether it be more education or harsher punishments.

“You can teach girls to say ‘no’ a million times, but if you don’t teach men to respect it they’ll have to keep saying it.  And therein lies the problem,” Clark Bogle ’12 said.

The second forum on Wednesday was led by Bucknell Student Government president Phil Kim ’12.

“The discussion today is primarily meant for students to be able to voice not only their thoughts, but suggestions,” Kim said.

Evans and Shields gave some remarks, this time on the purpose behind the formation of the task force itself.

“We wanted to assess what it’s like to be here outside of the classroom,” Evans said.

Once again the forum was open to comments, but this time they were directed to the eight members of the Committee on Student Engagement. In addition to the students speaking at the forum, statements were also made through an anonymous online comment box.

The tone of this forum was slightly different from the first. Students told stories about why they either agree or disagree with comments made in the report. One student discussed his own personal struggle with alcoholism, what keeps him sober, and understanding the real problems students have with binge drinking.

Again, many people chose to remark on the impact of Greek life on the campus climate. This time, it was more about how being in a fraternity or a sorority has changed students for the better.

“Greek life helped save my life,” said Damon Quattrochi ’12, who recovered from a rough first year with the help of what he referred to as his “non-legal family.”

The other strong opinion that came out in both forums was the need for a good alternative to Greek life that provides the same opportunities of living environments and common experiences.

Overall, the forums’ wide attendance and the strong opinions expressed in them are a good start to discussions that could help Provost Smyer and Dean Lantz decide on a course of action.

Anyone with more comments on the Campus Climate Task Force Report can email bsg@bucknell.edu or make an anonymous comment at www.bucknell.edu/BSG.


Categories
Featured News

University closed due to flood

By Meghan Finlayson

Senior Writer

Over 1,000 University students were evacuated from their places of residence last Thursday, Sept. 8,  and University officials are working on finding alternate places of residence for those still inconvenienced by the historic flooding.

The Emergency Management team met Tuesday through Friday afternoon to deal with the crisis. This team includes President John Bravman, Provost Mick Smyer, Chief of Public Safety Jason Friedburg, Deans of Students Susan Lantz and other senior administrators.

“Last week, the biggest challenge was to ensure that students downtown were moved out of harm’s way, and to ensure that students in residence halls that might be impacted by the storm had alternative places to stay,” said Pete Mackey, Vice President for Communications and Community Relations.

The communications staff got word out to the University community as quickly as possible during this critical time.

“We wanted to be sure that we were communicating often and effectively. We used texts, emails, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter …  and direct conversations with students by phone or through Residential Education professional staff and RAs,” Lantz said.

“A big challenge was coordinating responses to a rapidly changing situation, and the need to communicate our plans to students, faculty and staff as quickly and coherently as possible,” Smyer said.

Students were evacuated from buildings that had the greatest potential for flooding. Most evacuations occurred Thursday morning.

Approximately 600 students were evacuated from on-campus locations, and about 500 students were evacuated from off-campus housing primarily because of flash flooding.

“Evacuating 1,000 students in a short time and in an orderly fashion went very well, in part because of our emergency planning prior to this event,” Smyer said. 

Gerhard Fieldhouse, the Elaine Langone Center and the Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library were kept open 24 hours so that all students had safe places to stay. Dining Services also ensured access to food throughout this emergency.

“They gave out free food in the cafeteria to all students who had to evacuate their dorms, which was really nice,” Kristina Patrk ’13 said.

The flooding was the worst on Sixth Street and St. George Street, and in the Harris parking lot between St. George and Loomis Streets.

Mayor Judy Wagner declared a curfew on behalf of the Borough of Lewisburg to keep people out of harm’s way as the downtown flooding threat grew. The curfew was in effect from 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8 to 7 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 in areas prone to flooding downtown.

Despite the adversity, students seemed to make the best of the situation.

“I talked with 10 students evacuated from their house on Wednesday night and they were all doing great … quickly finding friends to stay with … I was in Bostwick Marketplace on Thursday night and it was fun to see everyone with their pillows and sleeping bags with them, laughing and enjoying each other’s company,” Lantz said.

“While it was awful and a lot of my friends were misplaced, it was refreshing to see how helpful and caring everyone was toward each other,” Meghan FitzPatrick ’12 said.

Many students reached out to the Lewisburg community through the Office of Civic Engagement. Among many others, students from a foundation seminar, Theta Chi fraternity, the lacrosse and basketball teams, the Bucknell Brigade, Student Emergency Response Volunteers (SERV) and the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship stepped up to help out Lewisburg residents that were affected by the flooding.

“The last few days reminded me of the best of the Bucknell community, staff and students, who intentionally reach out to help others in a time of need,” said Janice Butler, Director of Civic Engagement & Service Learning.

Faculty and staff also kept their spirits high. “There were lots of staff members in facilities in particular that spent many hours cleaning up residence halls and other buildings, and making sure the campus was ready for classes on Friday. Even though many of them came from flooded areas, they stayed and worked on campus to make sure students were in a safe environment,” Executive Director of Human Resources Marcia Hoffman said. 

The Office of Housing Services is offering assistance to those who still are without housing.

“We had limited spaces available [for on-campus housing] this fall, but are being as creative as possible to find safe, comfortable housing for students in need,” Lantz said.

 

Categories
News

Stereos taken from vehicles

By Olesya Minina

Contributing Writer

On Sept. 3 and 4, two on-campus thefts of car radios from motor vehicles were reported. The incidents occurred in the Gateway parking lot, and a number of additional reports were made elsewhere.

The Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement are currently investigating all aspects of the thefts and will continue to take these matters seriously.

“We have had no auto thefts on campus or in the area, we have had thefts from motor vehicles. In other words, thefts of items left in the open, inside of a vehicle,” said Jason Friedberg, Chief of Public Safety.

Victims stated that their cars were locked but found their stereos removed when they returned, with no signs of forced entry. No other damage was done and no other interior items or valuables were reported stolen or missing.

Hayden Yancey ’14, who lives in the Gateways, said he feels “extremely safe on campus and that people just need to be smarter about making sure their cars are locked.”  Students should “park in a safe, well-lit area that is easily observable,” he said.

The Department of Public Safety also recommends that students should “secure all items of value in the glove compartment, center console or trunk and to make sure the valuables are not visible from the outside.” Students are also reminded to take preventative measures when parking and leaving a vehicle.

Simple strategies to help prevent automobile theft crimes also include being on the lookout for suspicious activity, making sure windows are rolled all the way up, engraving your property with your name or driver’s license and making a list of the serial numbers of your property.

The Department of Public Safety will continue to investigate and keep a close eye on areas where incidents have occurred.

“There are no further updates or information on any of the cases, but the Department of Public Safety will continue to provide information and updates about the case as necessary,” Friedberg said.

If you have been a victim or witness to any suspicious activity or have any information that might be helpful in this case, contact Public Safety or the police immediately. You can contact Public Safety at (570) 577-3333, in person at the Public Safety Building, by email at publicsafety@bucknell.edu or anonymously at http://www.bucknell.edu/x6442.xml.

The Department of Public Safety has also provided information on additional topics, including “theft from motor vehicle” that can be reviewed and accessed at http://www.bucknell.edu/x39756.xml and there is an informative video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHzDLH9daoo.

Categories
News

Disabled students look for resources

By Jen Lassen

Contributing Writer

Disabled students on campus feel that they are at a disadvantage due to the lack of a help center solely for them.

“As the system is now, it can take a long time for disabled students to get what they need to succeed,” said Will McDonnell ’14, a student with a vision disability that makes reading for a long period of time very difficult.

According to the University, there are approximately 200 students attending that are considered disabled. These students, encompassing over five percent of the entire student body, include those coping with learning, physical or developmental disabilities.

“Bucknell does not have a disabled help center because [the University] may not feel that it is needed or that it will not be well utilized,” McDonnell said.

Yet Dr. Robert Midkiff,  Associate Provost and Dean of the University’s Summer School, points out all of the resources that disabled students can utilize.

“Students with disabilities are served by a variety of folks on campus; these offices include the Offices of the Deans of the Colleges, the Dean of Students Office, the Provost’s office, Student Health Services, Psychological Services, Housing and many others. In addition, these students are supported by faculty and staff throughout the university,” Midkiff said.

Dean Susan Lantz further pointed out how disabled students can receive help.

“For example, in situations where a student has issues with mobility, Dr. Midkiff would contact our staff to assist with residence hall accommodations. Members of Housing Services will meet individually with students to discuss housing needs. The assistance we provide is very student-centered,” Lantz said.

The Disability Services and Resources link on the University’s website provides a wealth of information about where disabled students on campus can go to for help, yet many, if not all, of these locations are shared by the other students who attend the University.

Even though various offices and staff members deal with disabled students, currently the disabled students do not have one office they can go to that is entirely theirs.

“A help center for students with disabilities would provide resources for both professors and students–providing uniformity and support across the board. For a university of Bucknell’s caliber to not have something like this is uncharacteristic of a university that strives to provide the best for its students,” McDonnell said.

Midkiff also offered information on the types of disabled students on campus.

“Those [students with] disabilities span the spectrum from sensory impairments to physical disabilities to learning disabilities, the majority of these students being those with learning or developmental disabilities,” Midkiff said.

“These types of students waste so much time getting what they need to perform successfully. The University should fund a center, train faculty and raise awareness among the staff,” McDonnell said.

Categories
Featured News

Community remembers Sept. 11 attacks

By Olivia Seecof

Writer

Professors, families, students and community members were all in attendance at the September 11th Tenth Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony, with an overflow of attendees sitting in the aisles and standing behind the seats.

The September 11th Planning Committee, originated by Dean of Students Amy Badal, began work on this week’s commemorative events last spring. The events included many community service opportunities and a commemorative ceremony.

Student speakers gave accounts of what the attacks and aftermath meant to them. “Ten years later, it is still as important as ever to always remember those we lost on that day and to continue to work together to make the world a better place,” Isabelle Catalano ’12 said in her speech.

Many of the students on the committee were interns at the non-profit VOICES of September 11 headquarters.  VOICES of September 11th, provides information and support services, as well as annual commemorative events for the families, rescue workers and survivors of the Sept. 11 attacks. The organization, founded by Mary Fetchet, mother of a University alum who perished in the attacks, promotes public policy reform on prevention, preparedness and response to terrorism by building bridges among communities that have been affected by terrorism all over the world.

Students sold t-shirts, handed out pins and signed a personalized flag.

“After working at VOICES of September 11th this summer with Megan Lenihan, I was happy to get involved with the planning committee,” said Alison Dyott ’14, one of the committee members.

The week of community service events gave campus members the opportunity to serve others while remembering and reflecting on the September 11 attacks.

“Doing service for 9/11 helps to honor those that were lost and those who rose to serve in response to the attacks,” said Lynn Pierson, assistant director for community service.

Service opportunities included volunteering at the Red Cross, painting and scraping the fence at the Lewisburg Cemetery and blanket-making for local children in need.

“In the wake of the flooding this area experienced, we were able to send some volunteers to the Red Cross to assist with different efforts that would help those affected. In addition, the blankets will greatly benefit area children and families that may have lost their belongings due to flooding,” Pierson said.

The Bucknell University Conservatives Club placed flags lining the field outside of the uphill Elaine Langone Center.  It is their tradition to place 2,996 flags every year. University students crafted a large American flag to be hung in the Elaine Langone Center Hearth Space. Students could sign their name or write a memory on this flag to demonstrate the tie each one of us has to the September 11 events.

While the event was originally supposed to take place on the science quad, weather forced it into Trout Auditorium. The Rooke Chapel Choir opened the ceremony and committee member Megan Lenihan ’13 and Rabbi Serena Fujita gave opening remarks. President John Bravman gave remarks full of inspiration, understanding and comfort.

“As a New Yorker, I never felt more like a New Yorker than I did that day,” Bravman said.

Phil Kim ’12 presented a replica of a plaque that will be placed in the Memorial Garden located east of Rooke Chapel.

“It was really nice to see the campus community come out to support each other,” Kaitlyn Utkewicz ’14 said.

Biographies of four University alumni who died in the attacks were read by current students. These alumni were Bonnie Shihadeh Smithwick ’68, Keith Coleman ’90, Mark McGinley ’97 and Brad Fetchet ’99.

Beyond Unison concluded the ceremony with a performance of Jimmy Eat World’s “Hear You Me.”

“Overall, I thought the ceremony was beautiful. Way more people showed up than expected which really shows how much Bucknell students care,” Dyott said.

Categories
Letters to the Editor Opinion

Letter to the Editor: How Can We Heal?

To the editor:

A pair of opinions articles published in a recent issue of The Bucknellian reflecting on the legacy and lessons of the attacks of Sept. 11 touched on an issue that, in my opinion, is the most critical to the future security of our country—the deep flaws in our nation’s foreign policy. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes the remembrance of an event as tragic as the attacks 10 years ago to call attention to the matter. After reading Gabriella’s piece and Amanda’s response, I’d like to address a fundamental disagreement I have with the Editor.

The view that the true motivation for our involvement in the Middle East was “to ensure the future domestic security of our nation from extremists … that espouse beliefs that are fundamentally in opposition to the United States and the American way of life” may very well have been the intention of some policy makers, but the results of our actions could not bring us further from such a goal. For the better part of the 20th century to the modern day, our actions in the Middle East have led to the region’s instability and only serves to make us less secure. I’d like to cite our history with Iran as a prominent example of such unsound policy that will be extremely relevant to the future of our own generation.

The 1979 hostage crisis in which Islamist students took control of the American Embassy in Tehran, holding 52 Americans hostage for 444 days marks what many people view as the beginning of our acerbic relationship with Iran. It was 26 years earlier, however, that conflict began. It was in this year that Operation Ajax, a coup d’état orchestrated by the American CIA and British MI6, overthrew the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh and installed Mohammad Shāh Pahlavi, a pro-U.S. dictator. It was during the Shah’s 25-year rule (upheld by U.S. support) that anti-American resentment throughout the Middle East was cultivated. Our CIA helped to create SAVAK, an Iranian secret police that was used to instill fear in the hearts of dissenting Iranians. SAVAK imprisoned and tortured the Shah’s political enemies. Near the end of his reign, the Shah ordered troops to massacre protesters, an event that would spark the fire of the Iranian Revolution and the hostage crisis a year later.

Though it would be horrible to suggest that we were responsible for the attacks on our fellow Americans then or 10 years ago, or somehow invited or deserved them, it is no great mystery why radical Islamists are upset. They do not hate us because we are free or because they oppose our “way of life.” They target us because our government has meddled in their nation’s affairs and sovereignty for over a half century with often-injurious results to both sides. It’s time we looked seriously at the justifications given for our action in the Middle East and realize that we are no safer for it. We are only more endangered as we continue to invade, bomb and intervene in the Middle East. Every day our actions produce more extremist militants who see our actions as an attack on their way of life and independence. We must realize even as we celebrate the murder (Gabriella was right here) of Osama bin Laden, he has in several ways accomplished exactly what he wanted. Our government’s faulty response to the attacks on our country has led us to spend a total of $1.2 trillion on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention the unconstitutional “time-limited, scope-limited military action” under our newest war president. Just as militant Islamists sought to bleed-out the Soviets in Afghanistan, they now seek to have us spend our way into financial ruin in several unsustainable wars. The attacks have frenzied us so that we are now starting to give up what makes America truly great—our founding principles. We turn the rule of law on its head by giving our president the authority to decide who deserves to die and order an operation to kill rather than capture and give due process to a criminal. What would have been so horrible about executing bin Laden after a trial that would have surely found him guilty? Instead we delve deeper into a foreign policy that may well lead us into a sixth needless war in the Middle East. Our generation should be concerned. There is still time to show the world how great America truly is. There is still time to heal.

–Scott Lunde

Categories
Sports

Athlete of the Week: Kasha Scott

By Chris McCree ’14

Bison Athlete of the Week

Profile:

Kasha Scott

Sophomore

Hometown: Cherry Hills Village, Colo.

Major: Undeclared

Statistics for Bison Invitational:

Final score: 222 (+12 over 3 rounds)

Low round: 70

Place: T-4

Birdies: 5

Pars: 33

During a wet season-opening tournament, Kasha Scott ’14 led the women’s golf team to first place at the Bison Invitational. Over two days, Scott compiled a team-best score of 222, putting her in fourth place overall in the 80-player field.

Scott’s career-low 70 during the final round gave the Orange and Blue just enough to edge out Rutgers by one stroke. She led the team in birdies and was second in pars for the event, but her biggest single contribution came during the final two holes of play. With the tournament on the line, Scott made a birdie on the 17th hole and then sunk a pivotal par putt on 18 to give the Bison their second consecutive win at the Invitational.

As a first-year, Scott played in all 10 events and was crucial to the team’s success last season. She finished the year tied for third in scoring average, and recorded three top-15 finishes. This season, the Orange and Blue will need Scott to play at a high level if they hope to compete for the title. Last weekend’s performance was certainly a good start.

Categories
Sports

Women’s golf wins at Bison Invite

By Thomas Walter

Contributing Writer

After being delayed an entire day due to torrential rain, the women’s golf team won its second consecutive Bison Invitational championship Sept. 11 and Sept. 12. Kasha Scott ’14 led the Bison to victory after posting a career-low round of 70 during the final round of play.

After opening with a 310 cumulative score on Sunday morning, the Bison rallied and shot two consecutive rounds under 300 to edge out a tough Rutgers team by just one stroke.

Scott led the Orange and Blue with rounds of 79-73-70 and finished tied for fourth individually. During her final round, Scott put together a remarkably consistent round with 16 pars and a critical birdie on 17.

Scott did not act alone. Lauren Bernard ’14 and Bridget Wilcox ’14 both turned in solid performances for the Orange and Blue, finishing in t-7 and t-11, respectively.

“I was really excited about how I played because I have been struggling with my game all summer, and now things have finally come together,” Scott said. “It was also really exciting to beat Rutgers by one stroke and to come back from behind and win. I think it really speaks volumes for how much the team has matured in a year.”

This season, the Bison will depend on the play of their core of sophomore players.

“We are so excited to say that for the first time in the women’s golf program history, we are back-to-back champions. It is great to start our season off with a win and it gives us a lot of confidence going into our next tournament,” Bernard said.

Up next for the Bison is the Badger Invitational, hosted by Wisconsin, which will take place on Sept. 25-26.

Categories
Sports

Field hockey wins first of the year, but falls to Michigan

By Ajan Caneda

Contributing Writer

After starting the season 0-3, including losses to ranked BU and Princeton, the Bison women’s field hockey team came away with its first victory in an overtime thriller against Central Michigan last Saturday at Ann Arbor. They went on to lose their next game 5-0 to Michigan on Sunday.

The Chippewas got off to an early 1-0 lead before the fourth minute of the first half, but Kate Bowen ’12 knotted the game off a rebound in the second period with her first career goal. The Bison had multiple opportunities to score in the second half and nearly doubled the amount of shot attempts that the Chippewas had, with 13 overall for the game.

The game went into overtime, and forward Rachel Misko ’14 scored the winning goal 2:24 into the period with an assist from Mallory Smith ’12.

“We were able to push through by giving everything we had. We knew that the game was ours and we were not about to give it up,” Misko said.

“I thought we outplayed them for a majority of the game. We are very young this year, with three freshmen starting, and another couple getting a ton of playing time. We were very happy with our effort level and the result,” coach Jeremy Cook said.

The Bison followed their victory with a tough loss at No. 14 Michigan in Ann Arbor.

“Michigan is the defending Big Ten champion, and any time you have the opportunity to play a team like that is a great experience,” Cook said.

The Wolverines started the game with two first-half goals in the first 12 minutes of the match. The Bison’s comeback hopes were squashed in the second half when Michigan scored nine minutes into the period, putting the Bison in a 3-0 hole. The Wolverines outshot the Bison 17-4 and 11-2 on penalty corners. Goalie Erica Perrine ’14 had six saves for the Orange and Blue, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the relentless Wolverine attack that cruised to a 5-0 win.

“We felt good about our effort, and even better that they exposed some of the areas of our game that need improving. The team is always working hard, and I feel good about the direction we’re heading,” Cook said.

“It was an awesome experience to travel out to Michigan and play a team from the Big Ten,” said midfielder and forward Jennifer LaBarre ’14.  “‘But your butt’ is our motto, and our team has been nothing short of that.”

The Bison look to bring that determination into their next match as they travel to Lock Haven to take on the Bald Eagles on Sunday.

Categories
Sports

Women’s volleyball loses two at Blue Devil Invite

By Andrew Arnao

Writer

The Bison women’s volleyball team played in the Blue Devil Volleyball Invite last weekend, dropping the first two matches to Stony Brook and Central Connecticut State but ending with a win over St. Peter’s.

During their first game last Friday against Stony Brook, the Bison lost 3-0, but Jessica Serrato ’14, Kebah Edoho ’13 and Morgan Mientus ’14 led the offense with nine, seven, and six kills respectively. Edoho also led the team with four blocks.

“We are still trying to find a winning lineup; everyone is really hot and cold right now,” Mientus said. “Our service errors really killed us.”

Against Central Connecticut, the Bison won the first set but lost momentum and dropped the second. The Bison started strong in the third set, but two errors eventually caused them to fall 26-24. The Orange and the Blue took the tied the match 2-2 in the fourth set but suffered their most difficult defeat in the fifth. Although they obtained the match point three times, the Bison were unable to convert, and ended up losing the set and the match 21-19.

Despite the loss, the team did not lose focus.

“When games became difficult or frustrating, the team really stepped it up and fought to the very end,” Edoho said. “Even people coming off the bench made huge contributions, showing that everyone on the team is extremely talented.”

The Bison showed their resiliency by defeating St. Peter’s in five sets shortly after their loss to Central Connecticut. Initially falling behind 2-1 due to errors and offensive woes, the Bison rallied to take the fourth set and used a 10-1 offensive surge to claim the fifth set and the match victory. Serrato, Mientus, Edoho and Anne Ellenberger ’12 each had double-digit kills, while Ellenberger also led the team in blocks with seven.

“We learned a lot as a team this weekend and played the most cohesive and competitive volleyball as a team so far,” Morgan Markarian ’15 said. “We had lots of different players step up from off the bench to contribute… and the starters all showed really good leadership as well. We’re looking forward to our home tournament this weekend and hoping for three big wins.”

Kat Tauscher ’13 and Edoho were selected to the all-tournament team.  Tauscher finished the weekend with 117 assists, 19 digs, and five blocks, while Edoho had 26 kills and nine blocks.

The Bison play Coppin State, Stony Brook and Bowling Green this weekend. The first game, against Coppin State, is tonight at 7:30 p.m.