Two presentations about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict opposed each other in both ideol- ogy and time slot at 8 p.m. on April 23.
Norman Finkelstein, Fulbright senior specialist and professor of political science at DePaul University, delivered the annual Russell Lecture in Holmes Auditorium.
Finkelstein, a Jewish American, has been viewed as highly controversial due to his pro-Palestinian slant.
During the lecture, titled “The Origins of the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict,” Finkelstein spoke of Zionism as having at its heart a transfer of the Arab people and described previous attempts at peace as attempts to “give Israel apartheid over Gaza and the West Bank a hint of credibility.”
Finkelstein said that he would like to see a settlement in which both the Palestinian and Israeli states were sovereign.
Iddo Netanyahu, a physician and author whose home is in Upstate New York, according to a press release issued by the University, presented his oppos- ing stance at the same time in Seidlin Hall.
Netanyahu, brother to former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, gave his assessment
on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the wake of the second war on Iraq and fielded questions from the audience, according to the press release.
The scheduling of the Russell Lecture preceded that of the Netanyahu lecture, according to Stuart Campbell, professor of history.
As a retiring professor, Campbell said that he was given the chance to select the speaker for the Russell Lecture in con- junction with the Division of Human Studies, which sponsors
the talks.
Campbell said that his original selection was Peter Novick, pro- fessor of history at the University of Chicago, who informed Campbell on March 6 that he would be unable to attend due to medical problems.
Wishing to bring in an outside viewpoint, Campbell said that he declined an offer to speak himself and searched for a new speaker during spring break, eventually settling on Finkelstein.
Campbell, who is “neither Jew
Lux Fiat The Student Newspaper of Alfred University
May 6, 2003
Dueling lectures energize campus
BY CHRISTOPHER SHARKEY STAFFWRITER
SEESPEECHES, PAGE5
AU ends greek leases
Alfred University is currently in the process of acquiring the two Greek properties located on Fraternity Row, formerly known as Sigma Alpha Mu and Lambda Chi Alpha houses.
“The University is involved in purchasing only one house at this time, Lambda, [which is known as the Kappa Sigma house]” said President Charles Edmondson in an e-mail interview. “The University had guaranteed the loans used to build SAM and is acquiring that property because the fraternity is effectively in default of its payments.”
Joyce Rausch, vice president of business and finance, said the Lambda and SAM properties are both part of a land lease with the University. What that means, explained Rausch, is that the University retains ownership of the land while a group can place an
“improvement,” in this case Greek houses, on the property. The goals of this particular lease are for the University to have an improved piece of land while Greek students have a place to live, she added.
Rausch explained that both the Lambda and SAM houses present similar situations and went into detail about Lambda.
“Lambda has a loan guaranteed by the University, and since Lambda has no collateral [to give
for a loan], the University would step up to the plate if Lambda ever defaulted on the loan,” said Rausch.
The University is terminating the land leases, not buying the houses, said Rausch. In order to terminate the land leases, the University has two options: to assume the loan payments or give Lambda money to sell the house themselves. Lambda is currently attempting to try to remove them- selves from their business obliga- tions, she added.
Mitch Feldman, Alumni Association treasurer for Kappa Sigma Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha, stated that Lambda cannot sell its house because of the land lease agreement. As a result, it cannot receive fair market value for the house itself.
Feldman stated that a great deal of work and money must go into both houses in order to bring them up to the University’s hous- ing codes for possible student housing in the future.
Feldman believes that more could have been done on the University’s part to assist Greek organizations in divesting their properties so they will not sit dor- mant.
“The University did not have any consideration for the financial situations of the houses,” said Feldman.
Feldman also noted that AU’s SEEGREEK, PAGE4 BY BRANDON THURNER
MANAGINGEDITOR
Engineering schools to consolidate
Beginning July 1, the School of Ceramic Engineering and Materials Science and the College of Engineering and Professional Studies will no longer exist at
Alfred University.
July 1 is the date when the Ceramic, Electrical and Materials Engineering and the Materials Science programs will be consoli- dated into a new School of Engineering, said Provost David Szczerbacki.
Szczerbacki said that the School of Engineering is the fruition of a two-year process that began with the decision to dismantle CEPS.
With CEPS dismantled, “we were forced to move the ME and EE programs … where they could keep thriving,” said Szczerbacki, adding that a School of Engineering was a natural choice, given that the four programs had previously been united under the same school until they were split in the late 1980s.
According to Szczerbacki, bene- fits will include closer contact between engineering disciplines for curricular integration, greater research synergy, stronger acade- mic programs and higher visibility for prospective students.
“It gives us the opportunity to develop new programs, both on a course and degree level and also on a research level,” said William LaCourse, professor of glass sci- ence, pointing out as an example,
“there are mechanical, electrical and materials aspects to biomed- ical engineering, and I think we can put together an extremely good program.”
Szczerbacki said that the process was led by a steering com- mittee of faculty, co-chaired by CEMS Dean Ronald Gordon and interim CEPS Dean Gohan.
“Faculty had a very large part in the shared decision-making process,” said Szczerbacki, and
Final two students plead guilty in Klein case
The last two of the four AU stu- dents pleaded to charges in the beating of the late Benjamin Klein.
Former student J. Max Christensen pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, third-degree assault, for his role in the beating of Klein, according to the Onondaga County district attor- ney’s office. Christensen, 22, of North Kingston, R.I., was given a sentence of 60 days in jail and three years of probation, explained Beth Van Doren, assis- tant district attorney.
Van Doren was the prosecuting attorney for all three cases against Thomas Lam, Bradley Calkins and J. Max Christensen, and is also prosecuting the fourth member of Zeta Beta Tau involved in the beating, Adam
“Jersey” Shain.
According to John Gormley of the District Attorney’s office, Shain, 20, of Bernardsville, N.J., faces a 13-count indictment, meaning that he pleaded not guilty and now faces a trial.
He will go to trial on 13 counts including two felony charges of second-degree assault and first- degree unlawful imprisonment, explained Van Doren.
AU Director of
Communications Susan Goetschius explained that the trial will not occur any time soon.
“It will be weeks if not months before he goes to trial,” she said.
“He might be allowed to plead guilty to one or more of the charges within the indictment to satisfy the indictment.”
Gormley confirmed that it will be several months before Shain is tried.
Lam, Calkins and Christensen pleaded guilty to their involve- ment in the beating of Klein.
As to whether the beating inflicted upon Klein caused his death, which was later deter- mined a suicide, Van Doren explained it did not.
“The physical injuries did not contribute to the cause of death,”
Van Doren said. “Certainly the affect it had on his emotional and
A & E. . . 7 Alfies. . . 8 Features. . . 5, 6, 7, 10 Hot Dog Day. . . 9 News. . . 3, 4, 5, 6 Op/Ed. . . 2, 3 Sports. . . 11, 12
Check out theAlfies & HDD photo spreads on. . . p. 8, 9
Index
Issue # 13 Volume # 96 BY ALISON SAVETT
COPYEDITOR BY JAMES KRYSIAK
NEWSEDITOR
Hot Dog Day Parade
PHOTO BY AMANDA CRANS
Students showed their love for hot dogs in this year’s parade. SEEENGINEERING, PAGE4
SEEKLEIN, PAGE5 PHOTO BY BYRON BIRD
Iddo Netanyahu spoke at Seidlin Hall at the same time as Norman Finkelstein’s speech at Holmes Auditorium.
Opinions — Page 2
May 6, 2003 Fiat Lux
Fiat Lux
Destruction of art unacceptable
As the academic year winds to a close, the Fiat Luxhas devised a par- tial list of campus improvements that should be considered in the future. By no means is this list all-inclusive, but it merely provides a vision of the blueprint we would lay out for Alfred University to follow.
• The current residence hall offerings for upperclassmen consist of the Brick, Kruson Hall, and Bartlett Hall. This selection of on-campus liv- ing arrangements should be enlarged for those students who prefer residence hall life to that of the suites and/or on-campus apartments.
The advantages students enjoy in residence halls over the suites and apartments are clear: having a single roommate instead of either three or five other mates, the cleaner atmosphere residence halls provide over other on-campus arrangements and closer access to campus with all its functions.
The University should channel extra funding to provide new resi- dential halls for upperclassmen. The advantages are clear and the added choice for upperclassmen would take the burden off the suites and on campus apartments as the predominant on-campus housing choice.
•Two academic buildings that are not up to par with other academic halls on campus are Seidlin Hall and Allen Hall. These halls do bring a sense of history to the campus, but students are left to wonder at what point will the buildings collapse on top of them. These buildings are not only deteriorating but do not meet students’ needs.
One is prone to falling asleep in Seidlin and Allen Hall’s classrooms, due to the fact that they are completely outdated. The floor creaks beneath our feet, but how about getting new desks and chairs to improve the students’ ability to learn as they should at the collegiate level?
There are two bathrooms in Seidlin, one is male and the other, with a whopping two stalls in it, is female. Three women in a Seidlin Hall bathroom become a crowd, bumping into each other and fighting for the chance to use its only, miniature-sized sink, the same sink that has hot and cold water coming out of separate faucets. The size of the bathroom itself and antiquated facilities needs updated to serve the current need of students.
The University should focus funds on improving Seidlin Hall and Allen Hall as well as other academic buildings it deems necessary.
Doing so would improve the learning atmosphere and students’ ability to continue their educational pursuit with improved academic facili- ties.
•When First Year Experience (FYE) courses were started a few years ago, thoughts and expectations were high. Unfortunately, the program has not met these expectations. FYEs have dwindled into courses in which all freshmen take a general education requirement class. Instead of what they were originally founded for, to bring awareness to first year students, FYE courses do not seem to have a purpose. The idea of having FYE is a good one, but the program needs work.
Instead of having just enough classes for half the freshman class to take in the fall and half in the spring, FYE courses should just be offered in the fall semester and require all freshmen to select from these offerings. FYE courses should provide freshmen with informa- tion on campus events, student organizations and the ability to talk about first-year issues in a controlled-environment. By instituting a meaningful program that helps freshmen adjust to the rigors of college life, the University will take away what many freshmen consider a joke.
This modest list of improvements highlights what the Fiat Luxstaff feels is necessary to improve the living and learning atmosphere of AU. The residence hall and academic building concerns will take a large infusion of capital to see through, but in the end will improve stu- dent resources. The proposed changes to FYE courses will aid fresh- men in adjusting to their course load as well as campus life. We recom- mend the University consider these and other improvements to complement the current campus layout and experiences. ❍
The April 15 issue of the Fiat Lux fea- tured a front-page photograph of a tur- tle created by Jordan Baker-Caldwell.
In the time between the pro- duction of the paper and when the paper was actually distrib- uted, the shell of the turtle was taken off and destroyed.
This was by no means an acci- dent. The shell was heavy to lift and hard to remove.
Even if this was done by a student in a drunken rage, it is very inappropriate to do such a thing. Artwork is used in port- folios for the artist to get into graduate school or professional careers and is frequently dis- played before grades have been given for the class.
I find it very inappropriate that people would choose to attend a predominantly artistic school and not be understand- ing of the artwork around.
This year there have been many pieces that have been vandalized both in and outside of studios.
Paintings have been written on, ceramic pieces have been broken, metal sculptures have been stolen and murals have been destroyed.
A university is a place to express your opinions in a safe environment. It is important that artists and their artwork be supported for further devel- opment.
Fine art is unique and cannot be replicated so when it is destroyed, the work is lost for- ever.
While it is always inappropri- ate to destroy personal proper- ty, if somebody were to vandal- ize a car for example, insurance covers that kind of damage.
This is not the case for artwork.
Regardless of your opinion of a piece, it deserves to be respected.
In the case of the mural in Powell Dining Hall, the image of the world was ripped off of the painting.
While students had the chance to participate in the cre- ation of the mural and some chose not to, they do not have the right to deface it.
In theater, there is proper etiquette to express your
appreciation or dislike for a show.
You have the right to stand and clap for a good performance or to sit quietly or leave during intermission if you do not; how- ever, it is inappropriate to throw things onto the stage or at the actors.
Similar rules need to be applied to the other arts.
In order to display a piece publicly on campus, the artist needs to have a public art form signed by the proper authori- ties, OK’ing the piece to be shown for a certain length of time.
If another person has a prob- lem with the artwork being dis- played they may ask for it to be removed. It is inappropriate for them to take it upon themselves to remove or destroy the work.
Another option for individu- als who do not appreciate a work is to communicate with the artist. You can leave a note by the piece with your opinion or feedback for the artist.
It is a shame to see students’
works of art get destroyed after so many hours of work have gone into them. ❍
Schedule conflict doesn’t work
Dueling lectures, competing in the same time slot as Student Senate, filled the evening April 23.
Students had to choose whether to attend the Russell Lecture scheduled months in advance, given by Norman Finkelstein — a Jew who open- ly criticizes Israel — or a sud- denly-scheduled lecture given by Iddo Netanyahu, brother of Israel’s former prime minister, who is pro-Israel.
But the last choice was the most difficult to make: whether to attend Student Senate or go to a politically-charged lecture.
First, to have scheduled lec- tures during the time that stu- dent leaders have to be in Senate, is unfair to those of us who participate in student activities and penalizes us for our commitment to our club or organization.
During the four years I have been at AU, Student Senate has always been at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. No other meet- ings are permitted during that time because student organiza- tions must have a representa- tive present at Senate in order to obtain funding from the school and to make their voice heard, both as an individual and
as a club representative. Thus, one never has to choose whether to miss Senate due to a school-sponsored activity.
Many senators who wanted to go to the lectures could not, or had to skip Senate, giving up their right to vote on the new budgets for next year, one of the most important tasks that Senate does. I chose to forgo Senate, forfeiting my right, and the Fiat’s right, to vote on next year’s budgets.
So then, after making my first decision, I had to choose between lectures, both dealing with “the past and future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” but with differing viewpoints.
It would have been more con- structive to have had the lec- tures either one after another, or even as a debate within one forum. Maybe differing days or even weeks may have helped, but both viewpoints should have been accessible to all stu- dents, instead of forcing stu- dents to make a difficult choice.
“It would have been better had they not been dueling,” said Professor of History Stuart Campbell.
However, I do understand the value of forcing people to choose, making them literally choose a side of the issue to lis- ten to and support.
When I asked why the lec- tures were scheduled at the exact same time and date, deal-
ing with the same topic, I got no answer. But when I asked what if people wanted to hear both, I got a very short answer.
“Sorry, but they are at the same hour. You and many oth- ers will just have to make a choice,” said Professor of History Gary Ostrower, the person in charge of scheduling the second lecture, given by Netanyahu. “Their perspectives are hugely different. One is very anti-Israel. The other is pro.”
And I was glad he told me, in not so many words, that he wanted people to choose. I saw what he was trying to do, and I appreciated it, but I wished it had been done in a more con- structive way.
Even attending the Finkelstein lecture and asking questions would have been more constructive than trying to draw crowds away.
If anything, I think that the Netanyahu lecture added more flare to Finkelstein’s, and added more people too.
In the end, I chose to hear something I had not heard before, a Jew speaking in a pro- Palestinian way.
Next time, my suggestion is to think about how to make it more constructive instead of trying to destruct a previously- planned lecture. ❍
BY ALISON SAVETT COPYEDITOR BY HEATHER MUCKLEY
PRODUCTIONMANAGER
C
OLUMNEditor-in-Chief Bryan Sick
Fiat Lux
Editorial Policy:The Fiat Luxwelcomes feedback from its readers. Letters to the editor will be subject to editing for space and content purposes. The Fiat Lux reserves the right not to print any letter.
Letters must be accompanied by name, address and telephone number. E-mail:
[email protected] or mail letters to: Fiat Lux, attn: Editor, Powell Campus Center, Alfred, N.Y. 14802.
The Fiat Luxsupports the perpetua- tion of a broad and liberal education con- ducive to free speech. Only unsigned edi- torials reflect the opinions of this newspaper. All other editorials reflect the author’s opinion.
The Fiat Luxis printed by Hornell Evening Tribune and is typeset by the production staff. It is funded in part by Student Senate.
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summer break.
See you next fall.
C
OLUMNAnother year of the Women’s Studies Roundtable came to an end April 18 with the traditional presentation of final projects by graduating women’s studies minors in the Knight Club.
Five seniors from a variety of backgrounds presented their work and spoke about what it has meant to them.
The first presenter was account- ing major Lindsay Olson, who spoke about her paper, “Women in the Corporate Structure.”
As someone who will begin her career in the business world in the fall, Olson said that she decided to explore this topic to “see what I’m getting myself into.”
Olson noted that sex discrimina- tion is against the law, as codified in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but that there is still a glass ceiling in which women in the workplace experience.
In addition, women who choose to have children face what is called the “mommy-track,” often sacrific- ing promotional progress and get- ting pigeon-holed into non-revenue producing departments, such as human resources and public rela- tions, according to Olson.
In order to cope with this glass ceiling effect, many women formed support groups, which have evolved into professional organiza- tions of women.
Olson said that many women executives who broke through the glass ceiling have a husband who stays home with the children, allowing the partner with the high- er-paying career to concentrate on work.
Of women featured in Fortune’s
“Most Powerful Women,” 30 per- cent had stay-at-home husbands and are a crucial part of their suc- cess.
Despite those successes, the
glass ceiling is still a prominent fact of life for women in business that will take a good deal of effort to break through, concluded Olson.
Next to present was sociology major Alison Green, whose project centered on breast cancer sur- vivors.
Breast cancer survivors often have a hard time dealing with issues of their femininity, said Green, as hair and breasts are con- sidered the most feminine parts of a woman’s body.
For her project, Green is preparing a video that contains interviews with survivors. At the roundtable, she presented a three- minute video of clips from the larg- er work.
Green noted that the project is a
“perfect way to end my career at AU,” as it pulls together all of the disciplines she has studied, includ- ing sociology, women’s studies and English.
Psychology major Melissa Barley provided her “entire expe- rience in women’s studies in eight minutes” for the audience.
Barley noted that when she first arrived in Alfred, she did not care about women’s issues and activism.
During her sophomore year, Barley said that her eyes were opened to the injustices faced by women and she joined the Women’s Issues Coalition.
Among Barley’s AU experi- ences were working on the Vagina Monologues, which taught her
“what community really means,”
and an internship at ACCORD,
where she had first-hand experi- ence with children who witnessed or were victims of domestic vio- lence.
Barley also pointed to her time on the WIC radio show and her independent study work — it was more of a “study of my indepen- dence rather than an independent study” — on the development of power in intimate relationships.
For her presentation, English major Sarah Guariglia spoke about some of her research on the body image of women.
The goal of Guariglia’s project was to discover “where [body] per- ceptions come from and how they are shaped.”
Guariglia read an excerpt from her writing about finding labels for the various “problems” with bod- ies and she derided a “culture of beauty” that finds little beautiful.
Through her writing, Guariglia noted that showcasing only one part of the body downplays the whole.
Finally, history major Jill Culeton presented a series of four papers that examined the roles of women in Civil War-era films made in the 1930s and ’40s, particularly the roles contained in Gone with the Windand Little Women.
Culeton explored the roles of
“Leading Ladies,” who were strong, independent women that reflected the slowly changing roles of women during that time period.
Other papers included
“Domesticity 101,” which looked at the role of the motherly homemak- er, and “Rags to Riches,” which included roles in which poor women married into wealth.
The final paper explored the roles of blacks; Culeton noted that a character from Gone with the Windwas the first black to win an Oscar.
Overall, Culeton said that the research opened her eyes to the struggles of women, both in films and in landing Hollywood roles. ❍
News / Opinion — Page 3
Fiat Lux May 6, 2003
W ORLDNOTES
Counter-lecture spurs turnout
To the Editor:
I would like to thank everyone who made possible the great suc- cess of the 34th annual Russell Lecture given by Norman Finkelstein on April 23.
Even the counter-lecture by Iddo Netanyahu suddenly sched- uled by Hillel seems to have enlarged our turnout, and thereby contributed to that success.
We had over 300 people in attendance, and all who heard Finkelstein seemed to have found his lecture most informative. His audience remained attentive throughout the sixty-minute pre- sentation — I didn’t see anyone leave — and most stayed for the question-and-answer period. The reception afterward attracted approximately 50 people.
Finkelstein’s willingness to crit- icize Israel undoubtedly explains the frenzied and feverish hyper- bole that preceded his appear- ance.
E-mail messages zipped about alluding to Finkelstein as an “ide- ological fanatic” noteworthy for being “shrill,” “self-righteous”
and even “stupid.” There was even a rather bizarre comparison of his work with that of the infa- mous Protocols of Zion.
I say bizarre because Finkelstein not only affirms his Judaism, but is the child of Holocaust survivors — his father was at Auschwitz, his mother at Majdanek.
In marked contrast, after a very measured presentation, Finkelstein opened his question- and-answer session by saying that those who disagreed with him should first have the floor. His critics, two buildings away, missed an opportunity to put Finkelstein and their accusations to the test.
Even though there has been no shortage of pro-Israel speakers at the University — the national Hillel organization runs a pro- gram to make such things happen
— Netanyahu’s visit undoubtedly did good things.
For one, it drew attention to the controversies surrounding Finkelstein. The timing, however, was unfortunate since it carried the potential risk of downsizing the audience for the Russell Lecture.
It also prevented people from hearing both sides of the question.
With that thought in mind, I would like to suggest the follow- ing: that Finkelstein be invited back to campus in order that he and Netanyahu might debate the issues of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.
Finkelstein very much enjoyed his visit to Alfred, and I know for a fact that he can be coaxed back should someone pony up the cash for his air fare and a modest hono- rarium. Were this not my last year in the classroom, I would vol- unteer to organize such a gather- ing, but most any person or orga- nization could put things together.
Again, let me thank everyone
— and that includes Netanyahu
— for making Finkelstein’s appearance a rousing success. It allowed the University to show that, even in these extraordinary times, it remains a shelter for free inquiry and academic freedom.
Stuart Campbell Professor of History
Seniors present WSR
Local Notes
Selected “New Gifts” will be displayed at the Schein-Joseph Museum of Ceramic Art from Friday, May through July 27.
The multinational display includes works of art not only from the United States, but China, Finland, Japan, Russia and Wales.
G. David Shaner, who graduated from AU in 1959 and died in 2002, and his family donated 39 to the David and Anne Shaner Collection at the Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art in 2002.
The Museum is open daily, except Monday, free of charge from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m..
• Four members of AU’s men’s tennis team earned selections to the Empire 8 conference all-star squads.
Senior Bill Tuttle and junior Randy Vecchhione were named the first doubles while Vecchione and freshman Andrew Lee were each named to the second singles team.
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) recently commented on the pending Supreme Case involving a sodomy law in Texas. In an Associated Press interview, Santorum seemed to compare homosexuality to incest, bigamy and adul- tery, according to CNN.com.
Democrats and gay rights groups have been quick to criticize Santorum for his comments, which he defended as being taken out of context.
Winnie Stachelberg, political director for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay advocacy group, said “there is no compassion in his conservatism.” Stachelberg encouraged quick action for Santorum to disclaim his remarks.
• The International Astronomical Union recently designated asteroid No. 26858 as “Misterrogers,” named after the late host of public televi- sion’s Mister Rogers Neighborhood, according to CNN.com.
The asteroid, which was discovered in 1993 by E.F. Helin, can be found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter: roughly 218 million miles from the sun and takes approximately three and a half years to orbit.
As the first serious threat to Yasir Arafat’s power in 34 years, Mahmoud Abbas became the designated Palestinian prime minister through letter of resignation, according to Newsweek.
Arafat’s demands to Abbas to weed out anyone who criticized his authority ultimately resulted in the 68 year-old’s resignation as Arafat’s lifelong deputy. Abbas has always contradicted Arafat’s role and disap- proved with Arafat’s carrying of a pistol in his first U.N. General Assembly address in 1974 as well as sought out talks with Saudi Arabia after the first Gulf War when Arafat sided with Saddam Hussein,.
Abbas has high hopes of persuading Hamas to stop bombings and shootings for a year and cracking down on other armed and popular Islamic extremists. A fear of many Palestinians is that Arafat will once again rise to the top as he still remains president of the Palestinian Authority and chairman of the PLO.
• Whalid ba Attash, also know as Khallad and Tawfiq, has been turned over to U.S. officials in Pakistan. According to CNN.com, Attash is the supposed architect of the al Qaeda attack on the USS Cole in Yemen back in October 2000.
In related news, in a speech last Thursday night, President George W.
Bush declared half of al Qaeda’s senior operatives have been captured or killed. ❍
BY JASON PILARZ STAFFWRITER
W
WO OM ME EN N’’S S S
ST TU UD DIIE ES S R
RO OU UN ND DT TA AB BL LE E
Editorial Cartoon By Teague Lindman
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OCALN
ATIONALI
NTERNATIONALNews — Page 4
May 6, 2003 Fiat Lux
“recommendations surfaced from the bottom.”
However, that has not stopped some complaints from arising about the process.
L. David Pye, emeritus profes- sor of glass science, felt that there was a “considerable danger in dropping the words ceramics or materials science from the name of the new school.”
Pye clarified his statement.
“Absent this designation, it will be more difficult by far for the fac- ulty involved in ceramics, glass and materials science to compete on the national level,” continued Pye.
Several students felt that they were not involved or given enough information about the re-organiza- tional process.
Szczerbacki said that although
“you can always do better,” stu- dents were given a voice, albeit informally, through the faculty and were given information through his once-a-semester meeting with the full student body.
There have also been some questions raised as to how future diplomas will read, said Associate Provost Susan Strong.
According to Registrar Lawrence Casey, the current plan for diplomas awarded beginning December 2003 will list, in order,
“Alfred University, School of Engineering, degree and name”
for electrical and mechanical engi- neers and “Alfred University, New York State College of Ceramics, School of Engineering, degree and
name” for ceramic engineers and materials science majors.
Despite concerns, LaCourse feels that the School of Engineering is going to be a suc- cess.
“We hit bottom,” said LaCourse, referring to low engineering enrollment, but foresees that “in the next five years there will be a pretty big renaissance.”
Andy Corman, science and engi- neering enrollment specialist, was hired in part to promote the new School of Engineering and address concerns about engineering enroll- ment, said Strong.
Modeled after a similar BFA program, Szczerbacki said that Corman, who graduated from the University with a degree in ceram- ic engineering last December, will be able to directly engage prospec- tive engineers by entering math and science classes.
“It’s a calculated approach to get into places where admissions coun- selors traditionally can’t get,” said Szczerbacki.
Corman, who began working on March 3, said that he was enthusi- astic about the position and looked forward to getting a new genera- tion of students hooked on engi- neering.
The reorganizational process is currently at the stage of ironing out administrative details and selecting a new dean, said Szczerbacki.
A committee of faculty and stu- dents is scheduled to interview the last of five candidates on May 12 and 13, according to Szczerbacki, who is “reasonably optimistic that the dean selection process could be done by the end of the month.” ❍ Lambda chapter was the first to
contact the University last July concerning the financial situation of Greek houses and to seek help with keeping up with loan pay- ments.
Mike Hyde, vice president of university relations, said the Lambda house is in reasonably good condition but may not be up to University housing codes. The biggest hurdle for the University, both financially and legally, has been assuming ownership of the properties over the past several months, he added.
The University is most interest- ed in the two properties on Fraternity Row, because of their proximity and utility to campus, said Hyde.
Hyde clarified the University’s position that the University does not wish to own all of the Greek houses. The University’s interest is simply business-oriented, he added.
Edmondson noted that AU has an “interest” in several properties;
however, acquisition terms are always negotiable and prices are determined by buyer interest, which means purchase prices can- not be speculated on in advance.
“The level of interest on the part of the University will vary accord- ing to the condition of the property, cost factors, location, etc.,” said Edmondson.
Daryl Conte, associate dean of students, believes it is in the best interest of AU to keep houses on University property owned and managed by the University. The Lambda and SAM properties pro- vide opportunities to possibly expand special-interest housing on campus.
Conte also noted that the pro- posed three-year residency requirement to be implemented by AU has never been brought up when discussing the Lambda and SAM house acquisitions. The whole topic needs to be revisited in the future, he added.
Brenda Porter, director of resi- dence life, said that the possibility of turning former Greek houses into housing units or apartment complexes has been discussed;
however, many other constituen- cies are actively pursuing the
properties in addition to Residence Life.
“If we are to go to a three-year [residency] requirement, it will be up to my office to figure out how to accommodate our students who will need to abide by the require- ment as set forth by the University,” said Porter.
Use of the properties in question has not been officially assigned, but there is a good chance that one will be a residential facility, said Porter.
Rausch stated that the business end of these transactions is compli- cated and needs to be ironed out before any future use is deter- mined. The business transactions need to be “legally binding” before their intended use can be put forth, she added.
Feldman noted that as Alumni Association treasurer for Lambda Chi Alpha he is having a harder time explaining the issue to fellow alumni, rather than current stu- dents.
Despite these feelings, Feldman brought up a less materialistic fra- ternal ideal while discussing the situation.
“A house is not all that a broth- erhood is about.” ❍
…Greek
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
…Engineering
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
P
OLICEB
LOTTER Covering April 9 – April 27 Courtesy of the Alfred Police DepartmentBrian T. O’Neil, 18, of Amherst, N.Y., was charged with posses- sion of an open container and resisting arrest on April 11.
Ryan N. Sonneville, 20, was charged aggravated unlicensed operation (AUO) in the third degree on April 11.
Tomas E. Medina, 22, of Alfred, N.Y., was charged with two counts of disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct for yelling obscenities at the police while they were breaking up a fight on April 12.
Christopher Dobles-Reyes, 23, was charged with trespassing and harassment in the second degree for entering Gentleman Jim’s bar, where he had been banned, refus- ing to leave and hitting one of the bouncers on April 12.
Adam G. Curtin, 20, of Rochester, N.Y., Katelyn A. Fisher, 17, of Yardley, Pa., Kathryn Harrisen, 18, of Yardley, Pa., Benjamin R. Jones, 20, of New Oxford, Pa., Sean M.
Thomas, 20, of Bensalem, Pa., Andrew C. Peer, 19, of Spencerport, Pa., and Jordan H. Perry, 20, of St.
Paul, Minn., were found behind Hairpin Turn on AU’s campus and charged will unlawful posses- sion of marijuana (UPM) on April 12.
Christopher R. Sargent, 22, of Ogdensberg, N.Y., was charged with possession of an open con- tainer on April 13.
Justin E. Wilson, 18, of Lexington, Ky., was charged with UPM after he was seen smoking a joint in the parking lot across the street from the police station on April 13.
Michael Williams, 21, of Manlius, N.Y., Sean A. Gollnitz, 20, of Fredonia, N.Y., Jeremy M. Batt, 21, of Gowanda, N.Y., Joshua D.
Skinner, 21, of Seneca Falls, N.Y., Jeffrey P. Dillon, 20, of Wading River, N.Y., John C, Chaney, 22, of Carthage, N.Y., Antonio L.
Williams, 19, of Rochester, N.Y., and Randall S. Johnson, Jr., 19, of Fortplain, N.Y., were all charged with criminal trespassing at a sorority house when they were not invited on April 15.
Jeffrey P. Dillon, 20, of Wading River, N.Y., was charged with criminal mischief, while Bryan M.
Strom, 18, of East Patchogue, N.Y., and Teague Lindman, 18, of Shoreline, Wash., were charged with petty larceny, all for damag- ing personal property on April 15.
Brian N. Mark, 19, of Almond, N.Y., was charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than .10 percent, failing to comply with the police vehicle and failing to obey a traffic control device on April 17.
Scott Homer, 22, of Binghamton, N.Y., was charged with DWI in the first degree and driving while ability impaired (DWAI) on April 18.
Owen Nelsen, 23, of Napa, Calif., was charged with disturbing the peace by jumping into a patrol car on April 19.
Lindsay B. Hartman, 16, of Chatham, N.J., was charged with possession of an open container on April 20.
William C. Hollister, 22, of Chagrin Pall, Ohio, was charged with pos- session of an open container on April 20.
Louisa J. Neill, 22, of Alfred, N.Y., was charged with possession of an open container on April 20.
Michael W. Daum, of Fairport, N.Y., was charged with DWI and DWAI on April 22.
Paul J. Stonaha, 19, of Reading, Pa., was charged with possession of an open container and disturb- ing the peace on April 25.
Colin C. Merina, 23, of Rochester, N.Y., Kirsten L. Carrothers, 25, of Albany, N.Y., Samuel D. Moore, 23, of Auburn, Mass., Joshua J.
Moreno, 25, of New York City and Michael T. Zonsa, III, 40, of Brick, N.J., were charged with posses- sion of an open container in sepa- rate cases on April 25.
Jeffrey D. Lipinczyk, 18, of Brockport, N.Y., and John W. Folts, 19, of Rochester, N.Y., were charged with disturbing the peace by urinating in the play- ground after a police officer asked them not to on April 25.
Andrew P. Ryder, of Rochester, N.Y., was charged with DWI and refusal to take a breath test on April 26.
James Cook, 17, of Corning, N.Y., Michael Badlam, 21, of Ogdensberg, N.Y., Michael P.
Hoptich, 25, of Buffalo, N.Y.,
Nathan J. Stegner, of Lockport, N.Y., Melissa S. Haight, 20, of Warren, Pa., Michael J. Moran, 21, of Blasdell, N.Y., Gregory S. Bogle, 23, of Belfast, N.Y., Randall Johnson, Jr., 19, of Fort Plain, N.Y., Kodi D. Traver, 18, of Niagara Falls, N.Y., Jesse D. Dumar, 20, of Alfred, N.Y., Chadwick M. Shoales, 19, of Andover, N.Y., David W. Judd, 20, of Allentown, N.Y., Nicholas F.
Minichino, 18, of Patterson, N.Y., Samantha A. Salmon, 19, of Cohocton, N.Y., Jay E. Memmel, 18, of Patterson, N.Y., Bernard P.
Gridley, 19, of Wellsville, N.Y., Paul S. Delaurentis, 18, of Capmel, N.Y., Joseph F. Guiliano, 19, of Farmingville, N.Y., Michelle L.
Chessari, 21, of Middletown, N.Y., Kelly A. Warner, 21, of Williamsville, N.Y., Stephen P.
Vossler, 26, Matthew R. Rogers, 21, of Syracuse, N.Y., Colleen Wielzorek, 44, of Rochester, N.Y., Timothy J. Weckesser, 24, of Rochester, N.Y., Jacob J. Heinz, 22, of Charlotte, N.C., Bradley Johnson, 22, of Belmont, N.Y., Wendy D. Cichunick, 20, of Hamburg, N.Y., Andrew M. Drovin, 22, of North Java, N.Y., Daniel C.
Raynor, 22, of Bemus Point, N.Y., Aaron J. Stewart, 21, of Clifton, N.Y., Ronald L. Zalone, 19, of Alfred, N.Y., William R. Tuttle, Jr., of Hamburg, N.Y., Michael W.
Wright, 20, of Grand Valley, Pa., Brett P. Gciosca, 21, of Ballston Lake, N.Y., Stuart J. Benner, 19, of Port Colburne, Ontario, Jesse T.
Cimino, 19, of Roulette, Pa., Leon C. Welch, 21, of Newark Valley, N.Y., Keith M. Blouvet, 19 of Scio, N.Y., and Randolph Vecchione, 24, of Sarasota, Fla., were charged with possession of an open con- tainer on April 26.
Lance M. Sworts, 22, of Delevan,
N.Y., was charged with DWI on April 26.
Patrick C. McGrath, 22, of Lima, N.Y., was charged with DWI and having a BAC of more than .10 percent on April 26.
Mark T. Fittipaloi, 26, of Raleigh, N.C., was charged with posses- sion of an open container and resisting arrest on April 26.
Nick A. Johnson, 22, of Alfred, N.Y., was charged with disorderly con- duct for using abusive language towards police officers on April 26.
Thomas H. Isabell, 19, of Clay, N.Y., was charged with DWI and UPM on April 27.
Keegan J. Gay, 20, of Hornell, N.Y., was charged with possession of an open container on April 27.
Helaena A. Kurek, 18, of Holland, was charged with DWI, having a BAC of more than .10 and UPM on April 27.
Nathan J.C. Feldman, 18, of Springville, N.Y., was charged with UPM on April 27.
Walter Dunbar, 32, of Alfred, N.Y., was charged with DWI, having a BAC of more than .10 percent, AUO in the third degree, criminal trespassing in the third degree, criminal impersonation in the sec- ond degree and UPM as he was found passed out in a running car parked in the physical plant lot, then gave a false name and date of birth, and was found to be in possession of a false birth certifi- cate and social security card on April 27. ❍
nor Arab,” said that he made the decision in the interest of free inquiry and academic freedom.
Gary Ostrower, professor of history and one of the organizers of the Hillel-sponsored Netanyahu lecture, said that he did not feel that Finkelstein was a credible lecturer and wished to
provide a choice for students on campus to decide which side of the issue they wanted to hear.
“That choice was undermined when many students were required to attend Finkelstein’s lecture rather than having been given the opportunity to hear either speaker,” said Ostrower.
According to Ostrower, the decision to bring Finkelstein to Alfred was not made in consulta- tion with all members of the divi-
sion of human studies, which has never been the case in the 33 years of the Russell Lecture.
Ostrower said that there was no reason to stop Finkelstein from speaking on campus, but that the Russell lecture was not the appropriate forum.
Rather, Ostrower believed that Finkelstein’s arrival on campus should have been an individual effort. ❍
…Speeches
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
News / Features — Page 5
Fiat Lux May 6, 2003
Conte discusses “Queer Life at Alfred” at Bergren
Perceptions of life at AU by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students have improved over the last few years, according to Associate Dean of Students Daryl Conte.
Conte presented “Queer Life at Alfred University (Warning: P.C.
Not Included)” at the Bergren Forum on April 17.
After opening by posing a quiz to the audience on the origin of the pink triangle as a gay symbol — the triangles were worn by gays and lesbians in Nazi concentration camps — Conte compared results of two surveys that attempted to identify feelings of gay students toward their campus environ- ments.
The first source of survey data was The Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Students’ Guide to Colleges, Universities, and
Graduate Schools.
Published in 1994, this book pre- sented data gained from surveys of gay student groups at various col- leges. At AU, the majority of stu- dents said that the school’s position toward gay and lesbian students varied from negative to noncom- mittal.
After reading these results, Conte noted, he did not under- stand them because of his percep- tion that there is a more welcom- ing atmosphere for gays and lesbians at Alfred.
As a result, Conte said that he decided to re-administer the sur- vey to members of Spectrum shortly before his presentation.
The outcome of this survey pro- vided a sharp contrast to the data contained in the previous survey, according to Conte.
Only 69 percent of those sur- veyed had a non-neutral opinion about AU’s attitude toward gay, lesbian and bisexual, or GLB, stu-
dents.; however, of those who did have an opinion, 80 percent identi- fied AU’s attitude as “proactive.”
Overall, responses this time around painted a much more posi- tive picture of GLB life at AU.
Among the findings in the latest survey is that counseling services are available for GLB students, fewer students have been victims of harassment and feelings that homophobia on campus is less of a problem. In the previous survey, only half of respondents would rec- ommend AU to other GLB stu- dents, while today, 91 percent would make the recommendation.
The results were not all positive, however, said Conte. While inci- dents of harassment and feelings of homophobia have declined, they are still at levels that Conte felt are unacceptable.
The next study cited was
“Perceived Barriers To Friendship With Lesbians and Gay Men Among University Students,”
published in 2000.
The questionnaire from this sur- vey included 102 questions posed to 2,925 incoming college freshmen at a large mid-western university that was not identified, according to Conte.
While the entire questionnaire discussed many different variables relating to college life, there was one embedded category that specifically asked respondents about their attitudes toward gays and lesbians.
The most interesting parts of the survey, according to Conte, dealt with students’ comfort level with gay and lesbian students.
Conte claimed that 8.4 percent of respondents said they would not like to become friends with a les- bian or gay student because they would feel uncomfortable, while 39.2 percent said they would like to have lesbian or gay friends, but would probably feel uncomfort- able.
Conte also noted a disparity among males and females in their survey responses.
The way to improve students’
comfort levels, said Conte, must come from adults — faculty, staff and administration — who “set the tone that embracing diversity is cool.”
Conte then discussed the evolu- tion of categories for those consid- ered to be “queer.” In the 1970s and 80s, for example, the term
“gay” was supposed to be an all- encompassing term, but has since been lost.
Out of this has come a set of
“new queers,” such as transves- tites, transsexuals and others.
Conte noted that gays and lesbians are becoming increasingly “accli- mated into mainstream society.”
In closing, Conte said that gays and lesbians must not lose the agenda of the “new queers” and should act as allies to them. ❍
Hard work keys success
BY JASON PILARZ STAFFWRITER
Overnight hosting key to recruiting
Selecting a college is one of the most important choices in anyone’s academic career.
Alfred University offers campus tours, holds open houses as well as the popular overnight hosting pro- gram.
“Prospective students that choose to stay overnight will know exactly what Alfred University is like,” said sophomore Crystal Myers, elementary education and child psychology major, and overnight hosting student coordi- nator.
Students from a variety of majors and backgrounds volunteer to become student hosts. The diversity of students available to host ensures a broad perspective of student life for overnight visi- tors, said Myers.
Most students give up their free time to host simply because of the social aspect of meeting new peo- ple and they may have had a good experience when they visited overnight previously, said Myers.
Fitzroy Dias, sophomore accounting major, said, “I decided to become an overnight host because I had a great experience when I visited overnight.”
“All the visitors are so friendly and I have had a great time as an overnight host,” added Dias.
According to Mandy Hansen, overnight hosting coordinator and admissions counselor, some stu- dents may feel uncomfortable staying overnight but most find the visit more beneficial than a tour.
Prospective students are matched up with overnight hosts by major and interests. The only glitch in pairing a host with a prospective student is a possible personality mismatch.
“There haven’t been any prob- lems or major issues with the overnight hosting program this year at all,” said Hansen.
Currently, the overnight hosting program has close to 100 student volunteers. The program remains a popular and vital experience in a prospective student’s college deci- sion process. ❍
BY TIM INTHIRAKOTH FEATURESEDITOR
Latins Anonymous
PHOTO BY BRIAN TIBBINS Senior Paul Bynum describes “nothingness” in Latins Anonymous, a senior show directed by Tara Rosado.
The minute my parents received the brochure from AU in the mail about the final Parents Weekend of my collegiate career, they knew they had to attend.
Although the drive from New York City would be six hours, it would be worth the trip. After the hotel check-in, they decided to eat at Powell Dining Hall, sticking to their weekend planner.
Surprisingly, there were quite a few family members in the dining hall, from grandparents to siblings.
They all seemed to love the food.
“The food tastes so fresh,” said my mom, Alberta Carlton. She added, “The view is great from up here because you can see every- thing,” she added.
After a relaxing buffet dinner they took a quick scan of the cam- pus, met a few passing students and retired to their rooms knowing the next day would be extremely busy.
On Saturday morning, they joined the Career Development Center tours, met other parents and had a great time. Afterwards, we took in lunch, once again at Powell. The dining hall was crowd- ed with more families than the day before.
After dinner, they took a com- plete campus tour, from end to end, and had a great time hearing the
various stories of each building.
We made a pit stop in Harder Hall, and visited some graduate student shows, as well as checked out glass blowing by undergrad glass stu- dents. It was my parents’ first time ever seeing it done and they were very impressed.
“I didn’t know it was done that way; with all of that glowing red glass. That has to take talent,” said Carlton.
“That’s pretty cool, I don’t know if I could do it, but they’re doing a good job” said my dad, Pete Carlton, Sr.
We checked out other students work, before heading to the fea- ture movie in Nevins Theater, Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets.
We were joined by several other students and their families.
Everyone had a great time and was thoroughly entertained by the movie. After the movie, we went out to dinner and called it a night after a packed day.
The final day of my parents’ visit consisted of strenuous packing of most of my belongings and sending them off back home to the big city again.
Was it worth the trip?
“We had a great time,” said my mom. “The weather was great, the atmosphere was relaxing, the events were fun, and the people were so polite. I wish we could do it again next year,” she added. ❍ BY BRIDGET CARLTON
STAFFWRITER Doris Christopher, founder of the
Pampered Chef, presented the 4th annual Cutco Lecture on April 14 in Nevins Theater.
The talk, titled “Ethics and Leadership: A Foundation for Business,” focused largely on Christopher’s success at taking her company from a local base- ment-run operation to a multina- tional corporation with $725 mil- lion of annual sales.
Erick Laine, chairman of lecture sponsor Cutco Cutlery Corp. and Alfred University trustee, intro- duced the talk.
“It’s as entrepreneurial a suc- cess story as there can ever be,”
said Laine.
Christopher began by detailing the origins of the Pampered Chef, a direct-selling cooking ware com- pany.
The story began in 1980, when Christopher said that she was try- ing to reenter the work force after several years of taking care of her young children, but did not want to sacrifice her family time.
After giving several options consideration, Christopher finally decided upon a cooking ware busi- ness and began to stock inventory in the 400 square foot basement of her home during the summer of 1980.
According to Christopher,
$3,000 of start-up capital that allowed the purchase of the initial stock was the “only cash infusion in the life of the business.”
Christopher said that she began to hold kitchen shows in other peo- ple’s homes that fall, and although it was initially a nerve-wracking experience, successful shows turned doubt into excitement.
“The adrenaline has not stopped flowing for 22 years,” said Christopher.
Eight months after the Pampered Chef began, Christopher said that one of her friends asked to join the business, becoming the first of many kitchen
consultants who now number into the tens of thousands.
The Pampered Chef outgrew the cramped basement quarters and moved into a small commercial building in 1983, said Christopher.
Today, Christopher said that the company occupies a 700,000 square foot, custom-made build- ing.
Having done the math, Christopher estimated that not only the basement, but the entire house that the business was origi- nally based out of could fit into the building 300 times.
The company has not slowed down, said Laine, who pointed out that Warren Buffet, owner of Berkshire Hathaway and the sec- ond-richest man in the world, recently puchased the Pampered Chef.
Buffet is “notoriously choosy in the companies he acquires,” said Laine.
Christopher finished by outlin- ing three basic tenets that she believes served as the key to her success.
The first was hard work, deter- mination and persistence at a job that is “something you love to do,”
said Christopher.
Christopher’s second item was pursuing work with total focus.
According to Christopher, one time when the Pampered Chef could have lost its focus was when the option to open a new channel of distribution over the Internet was made available.
“There was no Internet sales move,” said Christopher, continu- ing that kitchen consultants pro- vide a “unique, interactive, and multi-sensory” experience that is one of the Pampered Chef’s strongest selling points.
Finally, Christopher said that businesses require a high degree of integrity and respect, which is especially valued given the recent wave of corporate scandals.
“Commit to the highest ethical standards,” said Christopher, “and communicate them to everyone who will listen to you.” ❍ BY JAMES KRYSIAK
NEWSEDITOR
mental states had a strong corre- lation [to his death].”
The defense attorney for Shain, Robert Clune, was not available for comment on the sit- uation.
Shain was arraigned in Onondaga County Court on April 10, said Gormley. ❍
…Klein
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
F
IRST-P
ERSONE
XPERIENCEParents Weekend a hit
News / Features — Page 6
May 6, 2003 Fiat Lux
Cahill discusses impact of literature on the world
Literature’s influence lies in its power of suggestion; the world changes according to how people see it, and literature can change the way we see, according to writer and editor Susan Cahill in her April 21 lecture, “Brave Women Writing: Voices That Could Change Your Life.”
Cahill, mother of Alfred University graduate and Fulbright recipient Joseph Cahill (‘98) and wife of writer Thomas Cahill, delivered the eighth annu- al Riley Lecture on Women’s Studies in the Knight Club.
The annual Riley Lecture is sponsored by Pamela Riley Osborn (‘62), Patricia A. Riley (‘65) and Melissa Riley in honor of their parents, Charles P. Riley (‘35) and Elizabeth Hallenbeck Riley (‘36).
Cahill focused her talk on the subversive power of literature, noting, “It is subversive to believe ... that, within limits, we are the authors of our own expe- rience.”
She discussed the idea of
“dead” language, which is living language turned into passive, uncritical or propagandist ways of reflecting a worn-out world.
The speech took a political turn as Cahill discussed some of the uses of this dead language, and she wondered aloud what writers like Muriel Spark and Toni Morrison would have to say about Vice President Dick Cheney.
Cahill also quoted a speech by Benito Mussolini and compared it to our country’s recent campaign of “shock and awe,” noting that the Pentagon’s belligerent lan- guage was hardly new or differ- ent.
Later, Cahill discussed litera- ture as a form of dissent, which might be squelched more if con- veyed through a different medi- um. Here she again drew out the parallel of literature and subver- sion as she pondered, “A nation of passionate, insurrectionary read- ers and the Patriot Act ... can this marriage last,” pondered Cahill.
Cahill contrasted the idea of dead language to that of living
language, which offers “free access to images of alternative selves.”
She quoted Toni Morrison as saying that the medium of lan- guage is “mostly an agency, an act with consequences.”
This has always been especially important for women, who seek a sense of self in a society where that selfhood is “the casualty of casual misogyny,” said Cahill.
As both writers and readers, women use literature to claim the self or character within, said Cahill.
Women writers also serve as important role models, noted Cahill, but few would want to live their lives. Instead, Cahill claimed that it is their characters and their writing that fights for other women the way the writers could not always fight for them- selves.
Cahill continued that one of the most important things that this kind of writing conveys is a sense of belonging. “Literature sees things the way they are: connect- ed,” said Cahill.
Whether this connection is to other people, God or the world at large, Cahill said that this writing provides solidarity in the face of some difficult social and cultural issues that can divide people by race, class and gender.
“Writers record acts of courage, and one voice can become the voice of change,”
Cahill said by way of introduction to an essay by Grace Paley. She read the twin narratives about racism before the civil rights movement to a spellbound audi- ence to exemplify the power of living language.
Cahill, who also teaches at Fordham University, talked about her own students’ reactions to Paley’s essay and stories like Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path.”
Literature, she said, gives some of her students more generous alternatives to the closed worlds they were born into.
“Literature can change our lives if we pay attention to its language,” Cahill concluded before fielding questions and comments. ❍
Coffeehouse aroma and aura impresses
We were only supposed to be at the new Terra Cotta Coffeehouse for half an hour, but ended up staying for two.
It’s that kind of a place.
Soft vintage couches, dim chandelier lights and a faux fireplace are just a few things that set the mood in the Terra Cotta coffeehouse on Main Street.
With internet access, chess, focaccia and fruit & yogurt sal- ads, you are forced to relax whether you want to or not.
We ordered a mocha chino espresso and a caramel frap- puchino. We were impressed with our drinks that rivaled most other coffee shops in larg- er areas.
The tiled floors, and granite and wood tabletops makes the scene work with the décor win- dows and sliding terrace entrance doors. Black and white photos adorn the walls, while pottery rests in cubby holes above the stairs. On the second floor there is a private work area for students, with three computers and several ethernet ports throughout the building.
For entertainment, there is an array of board games, from chess to cards, dice, plus Chinese and regular checkers.
During the week, local bands play live on the arranged sound- stage upstairs. Soon, they will have an official wait staff, as well as two large TV’s for movie viewing.
“The coffee’s pretty good and I’m glad it’s open late,” said Jonas Sebura, a senior art major.
Harry Gold, also a senior art major, agreed, “It’s a pretty relaxing atmosphere, and they have good coffee.”
So, why a coffee shop in the middle of Alfred?
“I wanted something that was an alternative to the bars here,” said Ninos.
“There are students that don’t drink, and I wanted to have a place for them as well.”
Jerry Brody, dean of stu- dents, was the first customer of
Terra Cotta. His signature bill hangs on the wall showing his support.
“He had a lot to do with us getting this place,” said Ninos.
“He really understood what I wanted to do, and had an influ- ence on the University’s deci- sion of letting me do it. We’re very thankful to him.”
In 1925, John Ninos’ grandfa- ther opened the Collegiate restaurant, on Main Street in Alfred. From then on it was passed down to his father, and in ’96, he bought the place. You would think since he had a hand in the business, this opening of the coffee shop would be easy.
“It was like a complete 180 degrees difference,” says Ninos, co-owner with his wife, Chelly Ninos.
From the layout to the design and the menu, it sure looks to be a different ballpark. Ninos and his father worked on the Terra Cotta together, doing most of the labor on their own.
Ninos wanted the coffeehouse to be classy and comfortable, a place where parents and chil- dren could relax though it is not only for students and family.
Faculty frequent the place as well.
“We’re trying to arrange it so staff meetings can be held here”
said Ninos.
He is also trying to branch out to the art world. Currently, three AU students are sched- uled to hold their senior shows at the Terra Cotta. In addition, students will be able to show- case and sell their work there.
As with any business in a col- lege town, vandalism becomes a concern.
“We’ve thought about vandal- ism, and we hope it doesn’t hap- pen,” said Ninos. “I’ve tried to strategically not place any frag- ile objects downstairs. We close around 1 a.m., hoping to avoid the crowd from the bars letting out at 2 a.m., though we want a diverse crowd, we’re hoping to not get the drunk, irate ones.”
Ninos’ goal with the new cof- feehouse is not only to provide a comfortable atmosphere for cof- fee drinkers, but to force other Alfred businesses to expand and keep students’ interests in mind.
“I hope Terra Cotta starts a trend and other alternatives to bars open as well,” said Ninos. ❍
BY BRIDGET CARLTON STAFFWRITER TIM INTHIRAKOTH
FEATURESEDITOR
AU Concert Band
PHOTO BY BRIAN TIBBENS The Alfred University Concert Band played a set of Russian, British and American music at its April 25 performance in Holmes Auditorium.
The moving performance was director Ed Wadin’s last at AU.
Day of Silence acknowledges gay rights
The Day of Silence, was started to give family, friends, co-workers, peers, and acquaintances an idea of the discrimination faced by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgen- dered (GLBT) people around the world, according the website, www.dayofsilence.org.
The movement originally began at the University of Virginia, in 1996, by a GLBT group and has been occurring in schools across the nation since then.
“Gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people have been quiet for years, we have just entered the age of speaking-out and protesting for rights with our voices,” according the website, www.dayofsilence.org
These same people who advo- cate protesting and fighting for equal rights would also argue against the Day of Silence saying,
“I’m not going to participate in
The Day of Silence and I don’t think anyone should, because that is putting us back into the dusty dark closet we just come out of,”
according the website, www.day- ofsilence.org
Similarly, as an activist on the Alfred University campus, I had the exact phrase filtrate my mind as I did not realize a silent protest’s value.
For years, I was frustrated because I had to deny my true self to others and substituted male pronouns when talking about my attractions.
I thought, “Why should we back down and be quiet?”
My conclusion about The Day of Silence is that it’s misunderstood as a withdrawn revolution and an inactive stance made by some AU minorities.
The puzzled and disappointed looks from the community gave me the impression people are mis- led about the quiet movement and need to know its origins and sig-
nificant message.
Throughout my day of silence, friends and co-workers tried enticing me to talk, laugh, smirk, sign, or write something down, but withholding these simple forms of communication my mes- sage became clear
“You would notice if I was gone and must acknowledge my sexual- ity and that not all of us are equal.”
Participating in The Day of Silence was not just a simple task for the day or involved quieting down in the dinning hall. Rather, the day allowed me and others to recognize the ease of losing a fam- ily member or friend to violence, discrimination, or suicide.
Equality and support for every- one is an issue that needs to be addressed head-on and I hope that people will understand the silence G.L.B.T people have suf- fered for years, unable to speak out for their rights as human beings. ❍
BY SARAH KEMP CONTRIBUTER
F
IRSTP
ERSONE
XPERIENCE BY SARAH GUARIGLIASTAFFWRITER
PHOTO BY TIM INTHIRAKOTH Black and white photos line the walls inside the Terra Cotta Coffeehouse, which opened two weeks ago.
