Student Life Archives

Dan Daranciang

Anthropology professor John Bowen was one of 16 academics receiving nationwide recognition as a 2005 Carnegie Scholar for his work on Islam in France.

The Carnegie Corporation of New York provides the scholars with up to $100,000 each over two years to pursue research, this year focusing on Islam and the modern world.

“We wanted to increase public awareness of Islam,” said Patricia Rosenfield, Chair of the Carnegie Scholars Program, of this year’s research theme.

“The Corporation aims to conduct deep scholarship on issues related to Islam that need deeper public understanding,” said Rosenfield. She said Carnegie Scholars are recognized for working to bring deep scholarly issues to the broader public through their research.

Rosenfield said Bowen has done just that by using his own research to heighten public awareness of issues around Islam in France. “Professor Bowen is one of the leading scholars in his field, and his work is very timely,” she said.

She added, “He made a very original contribution in a complex field. We are privileged to be able to fund Professor Bowen.”

“John is one of our most distinguished and productive colleagues in anthropology,” said Richard Smith, chair of the anthropology department. Smith noted the interesting approach Bowen has taken in studying both sides of the French-Islam relations, how French society dealt with the Muslim population, and also how the Muslim community adapted to French society.

Bowen’s research project is titled “Shaping French Islam.” Bowen said he is researching the question of how Muslims and other groups in France can figure out a way to live together so that Muslims can still practice their religion as full citizens of France.

“I study various acts and debates in France carried out by Muslims in an effort to create an Islam for France,” Bowen said of his specific work for the Carnegie award. “I ask, ‘how much do Muslims change their Islam in European setting?'” he added.

Originally, Bowen studied these same questions in the Ache Provence of Indonesia, but brought his work to France after deciding to work in a different part of the world.

“I was very pleased to see the Carnegie Corporation focusing on issues of Islam for their awards,” said Bowen. He added that it shows the interest in addressing issues that are of public concern, as well as scholarly interest.

All student group e-mail accounts and Web sites were moved to Student Union’s new server without prior notification on Saturday. The move left many student group leaders frustrated with e-mail glitches, broken Web site links, and an inability to access their clubs’ address books.

Student Union (SU) Treasurer Ed Banti, a senior, is serving as the liaison between Residential Technology Services (ResTech) and SU during the transition to the more advanced server. He has already received over 30 e-mails concerning problems with the new server. He said that all of the problems were addressed within 24 hours and expects all other technical problems, currently being handled by ResTech, to be taken care of within the next week.

The decision to move student groups from the ResTech server to the new SU group server was initially discussed a year ago amidst complaints about a lack of Web space and continual server overloads.

“In the short term, some transition time is necessary to work out technical glitches,” said Banti. “However, the costs are small compared to the benefits – there are better people administrating, and we will have six to eight years of a high-end server.”

Despite Banti’s optimism, junior Danielle Van Dyk, president of the Gymnastics Club, was concerned with the handling of the transition. “My big problem with the new e-mail system is that they obliterated the address book,” said Van Dyk. “I had 90 addresses which are now lost. I was not notified beforehand.”

Banti admitted that there was a lack of communication concerning when the move would occur, but stated that the blame couldn’t be placed on anyone specifically.

“We didn’t know the exact date of the move,” said Banti. “I was only notified the day of the move, and sent an e-mail out on Monday. The miscommunication on the exact date of the move was partially due to a switching of a system administrator.”

Matt Arthur, the director of ResTech, cautioned student groups not to lose sight of the resulting benefits – an upgraded system.

“ResTech is trying to move the process along with as few obstacles as possible,” said Arthur. “The upgraded server has a listserv option that students can create and control themselves.”

All e-mails to the old accounts will be forwarded to groups’ new accounts until June 30, 2006. Students with questions should e-mail SU’s Student Group Activities Committee at [email protected].

In order to make the student group funding process more equitable, Student Union’s Budget Committee has equalized the fundraising requirement for all Category I groups. Beginning in Spring 2006, all groups will be required to fundraise an equal percentage of their respective budgets, corresponding to the percentage of the total student groups budget that Student Union (SU) is unable to fund.

The new policy differs from that of past years, when student groups were required only to fundraise, not to raise a specific portion of the budget.

“Some groups were carrying more of the weight,” said junior Rafael Walker, co-chairman of the SU budget committee. “It was not an equitable solution.”

While the policy does level the playing field for the groups, it presents a challenge for the larger organizations, which are now required to finance more of their budget via independent fundraising.

“It’s going to be harder for big groups to fund 25 percent,” said senior Jos‚ Chacon, treasurer of the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS). “But it’s too early to tell if we’ll get more or less money.”

Nevertheless, Chacon is in favor of the change.

“The process was subjective, and this standardizes it,” he said. “I think we’ll be fine.”

Junior Brandon Rippe, treasurer for the smaller student group Circle K, echoed Chacon’s sentiments.

“I think it is [a good change]. SU is distributing, and compensating evenly, and it doesn’t leave anyone out,” he said. “It’s a good plan.”

Several other student treasurers were completely unaware that a change had taken place, despite receiving an e-mail and a cover letter to the new budget manual detailing the changed policy.

The lack of attention, however, does not bother Walker.

“We did it to lift one burden of the process,” he said. “It gives them more room.”

The fundraising component of student group finance becomes relevant only as the final step of a long budgeting process. Student groups submit budgets for each semester, which are subsequently reviewed and modified by the Budget Committee. Only after all the budgets are approved do groups find out how much they need to fundraise.

Walker says that this is the “first time” that the budget committee has played an active role in equalizing the fundraising requirements.

“Most of the student groups were excited,” he said. “They were happy to see us taking action.” He added, “This is ideal. It is the fairest solution possible.”

Wednesday, Nov. 16

3:35 p.m. WARRANT ARREST, FUGITIVE ARREST – PARKING LOT #47 – Complainant reported suspicious vehicle occupied by subjects making suggestive comments to the reporting party. Vehicle was located on Music Lot. Investigation revealed one subject had an outstanding warrant and was taken into custody. Disposition: Cleared by arrest.

3:59 p.m. LARCENY-THEFT – WHITTAKER BIO-MEDICAL – Two Sony digital video cameras were stolen sometime during the last 14-18 days from auditorium. Total value $2,100. Disposition: Pending.

4:47 p.m. PARKING VIOLATION – PARKING LOT #4 – Transportation reported a vehicle with a altered daily pass. The vehicle was ticketed and towed. Disposition: Cleared.

Thursday, Nov. 17

2:14 p.m. LARCENY-THEFT – SIMON HALL – A staff member, the networking manager for the school of business, reports the theft of a wireless networking device from an insecure closet in room 112. Theft occurred over the weekend of Nov. 11 to Nov. 14 Approximate value $800. Disposition: Under investigation.

5:49 p.m. LARCENY-THEFT – POLICE DEPARTMENT – Student reported that Subway employees returned his wallet minus $70. Investigation revealed that Subway fired an employee that night for going through a student’s purse. Disposition: Investigation to continue.

Friday, Nov. 18

1:09 a.m. LARCENY-THEFT – RUTLEDGE DORM – Driver reported that three females left his vehicle and entered Rutledge without paying their fare. Officer was able to identify and locate the students. Disposition: Cleared by arrest.

2:05 p.m. PARKING VIOLATION – PARKING LOT #4 – Transportation reported a fraudulent daily permit on a vehicle on Lot #4. A ticket was issued but the car was not towed. Disposition: Cleared.

5:43 p.m. LARCENY-THEFT – OLIN LIBRARY – Student stated that on Nov. 14 between midnight and 2 a.m. unknown person(s) took his Kyocera silver and gray cell phone which was sitting on top of a table located on the third floor of Olin Library. No suspects or witnesses could be located at this time. Total loss valued at $50. Disposition: Pending.

Saturday, Nov. 19

12:48 a.m. ALARM – SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON – Upon arrival officer found no evidence of smoke/fire – Clayton was then requested to disregard. Second floor north fire station “pulled.” No witnesses. House president advised. Disposition: Pending.

10:52 a.m. LARCENY-THEFT – GIVENS HALL – A student reports that a Discover card was removed from her wallet while it was unattended at Givens Hall. The card has been used to make purchases at numerous off-campus locations. Disposition: Under investigation.

9:27 p.m. TRESPASSING – SMALL GROUP HOUSING – Officers observed a white male subject at SG #3 whom the department had previously dealt with on a suspicious person call on Nov. 4 at Mallinckrodt Center. He stated that he was here studying at Anheuser-Busch Law School trying to get back into Law School and that he was not a current student at this time. The subject was warned against trespassing and escorted off campus. Disposition: Cleared.

Sunday, Nov. 20

1:17 a.m. FALSE IDENTIFICATION – UNDESIGNATED AREA OFF CAMPUS – Reportee stated that the student displayed false I.D. while attending a University sponsored event at the Pageant. Reportee was working as security for the event at the time of the incident. Disposition: Referred to Judicial Administrator.

3:07 a.m. LIQUOR VIOLATION – Intoxicated student refused to leave Bear’s Den when asked by B&D guard. Student refused to leave upon WUPD command and also refused to show any form of ID until numerous requests had been made. Disposition: Cleared by arrest.

5:08 p.m. ARTICLE – POLICE DEPARTMENT – Student reported lost passport. Disposition: Pending.

5:31 p.m. LARCENY-THEFT – SMALL GROUP HOUSING – Cell phone lost or stolen on Fraternity Row between Nov. 18 at 11 p.m. and Nov. 19 at midnight. Disposition: Pending.

11:47 p.m. FORGERY COUNTERFEIT – MALLINCKRODT CENTER – Complainant received counterfeit traveler’s checks from an unknown subject during the sale of items over the Internet. Disposition: Under investigation.

Tuesday, Nov. 22

11:00 a.m. ARREST – FORSYTH BLVD. – Suspicious subject in Parking Lot #41 was stopped by detectives. Subject was wanted on traffic warrants through the county and city. Disposition: Subject was arrested and released to county intake.

4:07 p.m. ARTICLE – OLIN LIBRARY – Student reported that she lost her wallet on this date between 9:30 a.m. and 11:50 p.m. The wallet was lost between her home and the music hall. Disposition: Pending.

4:07 p.m. ARTICLE – UNKNOWN – Employee reported losing a cell phone at some point on Nov. 21 on campus. Disposition: Pending.

4:09 p.m. ARREST – OLIN LIBRARY – Contract worker arrested on outstanding warrants. Disposition: Cleared by arrest.

4:43 p.m. LARCENY-THEFT – UNDESIGNATED AREA OFF CAMPUS – Employee caught stealing University property. Property returned to the University. Disposition: Cleared.

Wednesday, Nov. 23

11:12 p.m. ACCIDENT AUTO – ATHLETIC COMPLEX – Leaving the scene of an accident. Disposition: Under investigation.

Monday, Nov. 28

10:37 a.m. FIRE – COMPTON HALL – Graduate student was working with a nitrogen gas burner when the black foam insulation caught fire. The student put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. No one was injured. Clayton Fire Dept. responded to the scene. Safety Coordinator notified. Disposition: Cleared.

7:42 p.m. LARCENY-THEFT – ELIOT HALL – Bike seat stolen from bike rack at Eliot Hall. Disposition: Pending.

8:06 p.m. ACCIDENT AUTO – PARKING LOT #59 – Vehicle struck while student was away on break. Disposition: Pending.

Courtesy of Jayenth Iyengar

After the airing of “Jeopardy! College Championships,” which began on Nov. 7, Washington University contestant junior Jayanth Iyengar can finally speak openly about what he characterizes as “the experience of a lifetime.”

Iyengar readily admits that one of the most difficult parts of playing the game concerns the nature of the questions involved.

“[The questions] were all very challenging on the whole and took everybody out of their comfort zone a little bit,” he said.

A geography buff since he was little, Iyengar was pleased to encounter categories such as “World Capitals” as well as the “Continents” category that appeared during his final jeopardy round. He would have preferred to see some topics regarding finance, business, and industry, however, where his education as a business major would have been of more use.

“Because of the nature of the game and its inherent unpredictability, you have to hope for the best and be prepared for the worst,” said Iyengar.

He recalls the dreaded category entitled “Cabinet Department Anagrams” which he faced in the quarterfinal game. Contestants are given mere seconds to process the information provided with each clue. “It was almost impossible,” he said.

Equally unsettling was the category “State ‘NC'” in that same round, in which each response had to contain the letters “nc.”

Aside from the difficulty and unpredictability of the categories, Iyengar encountered another challenging feature of the game: the buzzers.

This system works by way of a set of small light bulbs, which give the signal that the contestants can buzz in by lighting up when the clue has been completely delivered. As Iyengar explained, “the secret to success is buzzing in right when the lights turn on, in the millionth of a second gap between when they’re illuminated and when they’re not.” Thus, Iyengar discovered that it is not so much a matter of speed, but of perfect timing.

Due to this set-up, a contestant’s success in any given round depends not only on his or her knowledge of the categories, but on whether or not they are “in the zone” when it comes to buzzing in. “No matter what you know or don’t know, there’s a lot of luck and a lot of skill involved.” In Iyengar’s case, he remembers that during his Double Jeopardy! round of the semifinal game, he was more in control of the buzzers: “I felt more competitive. with every [question] I had a chance of getting in there.”

Yet despite these sometimes frustrating challenges, Iyengar asserts that he has no complaints about the experience as a whole. He was most impressed by the treatment he received, causing him to characterize “Jeopardy!” as a truly “first-class organization.” From the limousines that picked up the contestants at the airport to the nice hotels that they stayed in, “they treated us with lots of respect and attention the whole time.”

In addition, the people Iyengar met while taping the show amazed him. He describes all of the other contestants as bright and interesting people, emphasizing that “I can’t say enough good things about them.” As the contestants hailed from all over the country, Iyengar enjoyed being exposed to such a diverse group of people. He still keeps in touch with the other contestants, and they send messages through a Google group to which they all belong.

Iyengar was even impressed by what he was able to observe of Alex Trebek. Although the contestants were not able to directly interact with him outside of the show, due to regulations resulting from a series of scandals that occurred during the ’50s and ’60s between game-show hosts and contestants, Iyengar got the impression that Trebek was “a fine individual.”

As he recalls, during the commercial breaks, Trebek would work hard to keep the audience entertained by saying witty remarks and going out into the crowd. “My impression was that he’s much more calm and warmer in person than he comes off as on TV.”

Despite the fact that he ultimately came in third place, Iyengar’s “Jeopardy!” experience is one that he will “always cherish.”

During the final round, he recalls that champion Nico Martinez of Stanford University had both knowledge and luck on his side, as he was completely dominant on the buzzers the entire time; nonetheless, Iyengar won $25,000 for his third-place finish. “Everyone likes to win, but I enjoyed the experience.to be on there and go through everything on there was just amazing.”

After he completed filming the Jeopardy! College Championship, Iyengar returned to St. Louis to face yet another great challenge, as he found himself thinking endlessly about “Jeopardy!” As he said, “The only real negative part of the whole thing was when I got back to St. Louis and for the first three or four days back I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I was just sitting in class thinking about what happened in each round.”

High fashion will come to the Gargoyle tonight when the Washington University Marketing Association hosts a fashion show featuring the latest styles in urban wear and lingerie.

The show will feature designs from the store Exquisite Footwear and Fashion, which is owned by Tim Jabbar and carries skater boy and hip-hop styles from brands such as Apple Bottoms, Baby Phat, Rocawear, Timberland, Steve Madden, Diesel and Sketchers.

“We’ll be throwing out the winter and holiday lines from various companies,” said Jabbar. “Be ready for a showstopper.”

‘The fun side of marketing’

Rafi Dikranian, a senior and president of the Marketing Association, came up with the idea for the fashion show after collaborating on some marketing work with Jabbar.

“This club is about showing the fun side of marketing,” he says, adding that he thought “it would be interesting for the Wash. U. student body to experience the urban side of fashion.”

Admission to the fashion show is $2, including free food and drinks. Alcoholic beverages will be served for those of age.

The doors open at 7 p.m., and at 7:30 p.m., the Wash. U. Step Team will open the show. An upscale lingerie show will precede the main event. Area musicians will perform during the interludes.

After the completion of the show, the audience may have the chance to mingle with the models and meet Jabbar.

Basement Beats, who has worked with Nelly, is bringing all of the musicians to the show.

A Collaborative Effort

Jabbar, who has put on fashion shows at clubs, high schools and other universities, thought working with the marketing association would be a good way to promote his store.

“A lot of people have heard about [the store], but they don’t know what we carry,” said Jabbar, whose store carries clothing geared for the 18-34 demographic.

Jabbar majored in marketing. But because of his strong interest in fashion, he decided to open a store, which he said was extremely difficult.

“I didn’t have a connection to any vendors, and I didn’t have great credit,” said Jabbar.

His first store, which he opened in 2001 and just sold footwear and “had literally thirty pairs of shoes” in the entire place.

He later bought a furniture store and began selling clothing. Today, Jabbar owns five stores, two of which are dedicated to selling only shoes.

Aaron Yu, a member of the Marketing Association, said the fashion show will also benefit the University.

“The company will be promoted, and we get to learn the business aspects of it,” he said. ” It’s a win-win situation.”