Student Life Archives

Four people mugged a female student at the corner of Washington and Melville Aves. at 9:20 p.m. last night, holding her at gunpoint and stealing her backpack, according to Washington University Police Chief Don Strom.

University City Police, who supervise the area where the mugging took place, have not identified any suspects yet, as the student was unable to provide police with detailed physical descriptions of the muggers, who ran toward Delmar Ave. after robbing the student.

University City Police are, as of now, unavailable for comment.

Strom said that while University City Police will be leading the investigation, WUPD will provide any assistance necessary, in addition to increasing patrols in the area of the mugging.

“We’re providing any assistance that University City Police requests,” Strom said. “Part of the extra patrols is to try and identify any potential suspects in the area.”

Strom sent an email to off-campus residents of Washington University housing today informing them of the incident and suggesting safety precautions.

After nearly an hour of passionate debate Tuesday night, Student Union Treasury voted to approve a $35,000 emergency appeal to bring Republican political strategist Karl Rove to campus.

Rove is set to speak on campus on Nov. 3, the eve of the presidential election, about his experiences as the architect of President Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns. His speech is being sponsored by the College Republicans.

Rove was deputy chief of staff to President Bush until Rove resigned on Aug. 31, 2007; he now works as a political analyst for Fox News and as a columnist at Newsweek magazine. Rove resigned in a storm of controversy, most notably the outing of CIA agent Valarie Plame.

“I think Karl Rove is just going to draw people. He’s a big name, I mean he’s been incredibly influential in bringing our country to where it is now as a strategist,” junior Anna Luft, College Republicans Public Relations Coordinator, said during the debate. “Whether you love him or hate him, this will sell out.”

The appeal was brought before Treasury as an emergency appeal, meaning that it was time sensitive and required a decision by a certain date. The event was added to Treasury’s agenda on Monday night when the College Republicans were able to negotiate a significantly reduced price for Rove’s appearance, bringing the price tag from $50,000 to $30,000.

In addition to Rove’s $30,000 honorarium, $5,000 were allocated for additional costs including security, lodging and other incidentals.

“I hope that we don’t let our political ideologies create a smoke screen in front of us,” sophomore and Treasury representative Manjaap Sidhu said. “Karl Rove was on the forefront of the recount in Florida. That may have been the most controversial election in recent history-to have him here and to talk about it, you might agree or disagree, but to get his perspective live is something that’s priceless.”

The College Republicans plan to seek funding from the election programming fund later this week and, if the funding results in excess money, the group will return the surplus to Treasury.

College Republicans President Charis Fischer defended her decision to bring Rove to campus, citing him as “one of the most brilliant political strategists of our time.”

“I think he is pretty appealing even if you don’t agree with his politics,” Fischer said. “He has a lot to share, so I don’t think there should be controversy over him, I don’t see why people would get mad that he is coming to speak.”

Although some have drawn comparisons between this decision and the controversy caused by the College Republicans’ keynote speaker last year, former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Fischer says that she does not think that Rove will incite the same reaction that Gonzales did.

College Democrats President Ben Guthorn says that he does not think that Rove is worth the high price tag and that bringing in another speaker so closely tied to the Bush administration will not benefit students. Guthorn said that simply because Rove has proven himself to be an effective political strategist does not mean that hearing him speak will be a valuable experience.

“He is sadistically brilliant,” Guthorn said. “Someone may be brilliant, but if that person is advocating for the degradation of civil liberties, that makes them a horrible person in my eyes.

Although the College Democrats were active in protesting Gonzales coming to campus, Guthorn, who was present at the Treasury meeting and spoke against the appeal, said that he would be focusing on election related activities the night of the talk.

“Of course [protests are] something of discussion, when you bring such a controversial figure to campus,” Guthorn said. “I can’t promise anything, but I can say personally that I will be helping to elect the next leader of the free world on the eve of the Election Day.”

Guthorn says that Rove coming the night before Election Day is a “political ploy” and that Rove’s speech will likely read much like a campaign speech endorsing John McCain without actually mentioning McCain.

The event is set to take place in Graham Chapel, with the possibility of the speech being telecast into a second viewing location. It has not yet been determined whether a question and answer session will be held after the speech.

Ten members of the Treasury voted in favor of the appeal, five voted against it and there were two abstentions; one Treasurer was absent.

With additional reporting by Sharon Barbour and Johann Qua Hiansen

In an e-mail to the University community on Wednesday morning, Chancellor Wrighton announced that the value of the University’s endowment has declined approximately 25 percent since July and proposed several cost cutting measures.

“With the decline in the value of our endowment, coupled with leveling of research support, constraint on the rate of tuition growth, uncertain prospects for philanthropic support, pressures on healthcare costs, and the prospect of increased needs for financial aid, we must take some actions to assure that our University remains strong into the future, Wrighton wrote. “Whatever the origins and whatever the length of the economic decline, it is important to respond to this new environment. We will constrain the growth of administrative expenses, compensation expenses, and commitments to new building projects.”

Most notably, the Chancellor announced the intention to decrease wages going into the next fiscal year and to “scale back, eliminate, or delay capital projects.”

The e-mail specifically proposed a reduction in the Chancellor’s salary by 10 percent over the next year-a 5 percent cut as of January 1, 2009, and another 5 percent cut effective July 1, 2009-but also stated that school deans and Vice Chancellors have volunteered to have no increase in their compensation in the year ahead.

Seniors took advantage of their last year at Washington University to hold special events and bond as a class.

The senior class trip to Madison, Wis. was the first big event of the school year to kick off the last semesters at Washington University. Senior Class Council organized the trip, and they provided transportation, booked hotels, and provided guidebooks. With a turnout of between 20 and 30 students, the number was much lower than last year’s 100.

Wendy Xin, the internal vice president of the Senior Class Council, admitted the turnout was not quite what the council had hoped for, but she said, “Everyone who did go had a good time, so it was worth it for us.”

The rest of the first semester was marked by monthly trips to clubs and bars, including the Sub Zero Vodka Bar in the Central West End, which boasts over 140 different vodkas from around the globe.

Second semester, though, was when most of the main senior events were scheduled because Commencement is on most senior’s minds. One event was the Roast and Toast, which marked 40 days until graduation. Seniors had the chance to drink champagne and roast marshmallows with alums.

The Senior Transition Series, a set of seminars that range from personal finance to dressing professionally to cooking, was designed to provide a transition for graduating seniors to the real world. Dress to Impress, for instance, featured representatives from Brooks Brothers who came to talk about wearing the right kind of suit.

Brittany Wright attended several of the events in the series and thought that they were extremely useful.

“I just needed all of the help I could get. I am very apprehensive about moving to a new city. The personal finance seminar was the most useful. There was a woman from Smith Barney who sent me a budgeting spreadsheet and the contact for a financial planner in Houston. I feel more confident about budgeting and joining clubs for entering into a new city,” she said.

The biggest set of events though, most of which were held during the week before graduation, was Senior Week. A University tradition, Senior Week is usually wildly popular.

“Ticket sales have been great. Packets just got distributed, which is the craziest time ever,” Xin said.

The week is usually a hit because it includes fun and unusual activities such as a Cardinals game, a trip to Mount Pleasant Winery in Augusta, Mo., Final Senior Night Out, Casino Night, Final Happy Hour, Return to the 40, a float trip and the Senior Gala.

Senior Week activities generally remain the same from year to year, but the new Lumiere Place Casino downtown inspired a fun addition to the traditional activities.

“Lumiere Place Casino is new and our president [Karan Chopra] thought it would be a good idea,” Xin said.

The Return to the 40 offers seniors the chance to see people from their freshmen floors, play sports games and have barbecue on the Swamp. The Senior Gala is a formal event that follows the Chancellor’s Dinner for Graduating Seniors, an event that is not actually organized by the Senior Class Council.

In addition to Senior Week, Xin is also excited about the senior class gift, which she says will be a tangible legacy that the senior class can leave. This project, done in tandem with the College of Arts & Sciences and the Alumni Association, has seniors donate money-which is then matched by an outside donor-to provide enough for a student to attend the University. “That student will be here for four years and have the experience that we have all loved at Wash. U.,” she said.

On the whole, Xin believes that this year’s council has done a good job in providing activities.

“Everyone is pumped and excited. We have a Web site and do Senior of the Week. All of the execs have gotten really involved with Commencement activities and in celebrating graduation,” she said.

She is also glad to be an instrumental part in creating memories for this year’s seniors to look back on.

“To be able to be a part of organizing one of these last hurrah type of things for the entire class is such a privilege. Over 1,000 people came to pick up their tickets. [I am happy to] see people so excited and feel like I contributed to something really important,” she said.

As senior Julienne Kane reflects on her college experience, she thinks the senior activities, coupled with contacts whom she has met, have helped to prepare her for the professional world. She does not want the support that she has gained from the University to cease and feels that it is necessary for her future success.

“I will feel ready [for the professional world] if the network of support from my peers and the faculty continue,” she said.

Courtesy of WUSTL Photo Services

Six scholars, each with expertise in a different field, will receive honorary degrees at Washington University’s 147th Commencement Ceremony on May 16.

The recipients include Chris Matthews, a political commentator on MSNBC who will also give the Commencement address; Quincy Jones, a music composer and film and television producer; Lee Seng Tee, a business executive and philanthropist of the arts; Washington University Professor Egon Schwarz, an expert in 19th and 20th century German literature; Jessie Ternberg, a professor emeritus of pediatrics and pediatric surgery at the University who helped open the door for women into the medical profession; and Phyllis Schlafly, a national leader of the conservative movement.

Schlafly’s distinction in particular has received attention, causing some to criticize the University for what they see as implicit support of her views, some of which have aroused controversy.

In response to her impending award, more than 780 students have joined a Facebook group entitled “No honorary doctorate for anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly.” The group targets Schlafly’s stances on feminism, marital rape and sex education, saying that they do not “fit with the future [of] the men and women of Wash. U.’s graduating class,” and that her presence at Commencement will be “incongruous at best, offensive at worst.”

Chancellor Mark Wrighton, however-who confirmed the selection of the recipients-says that Schlafly’s accomplishments and fame merit the honorary degree.

“Her contributions have inspired women and she certainly is a leader,” Wrighton said. “She is well known on a national level for the conservative movement.”

Wrighton added that though many-including himself-may disagree with Schlafly’s views, her writings have value in that they serve to enliven the national political discourse.

“I would not myself agree with her political views,” he said. “When you step back from it you have to admire her for working for the great democracy that we enjoy. She’s a prominent leader and a prominent woman, and she happens to be a conservative.”

In selecting the honorees, Wrighton said, the University Board of Trustees pays more attention to the success of a candidate’s career than to the reactions that the candidate’s work has elicited.

“[What is] most important is to select people who have made a difference in the world, who have accomplished vision and distinction in the world,” Wrighton said.

While there are many criteria that the Board examines in the selection process, Wrighton said that special attention is paid to honoring a group whose contributions have touched many areas of life, academic and otherwise.

“When you look at the people being honored, we are spanning a wide spectrum of intellectual activity,” Wrighton said. “We are privileged to be honoring all of these individuals because they made contributions in different areas. Each person has a special element in their contribution that distinguishes them.”

A factor that holds less weight in the Board’s calculus when determining the recipients, however, is their past relationships with the University. Three of this year’s six awardees-Schwarz, Schlafly and Ternberg-come from the University, and Schlafly is a native of St. Louis.

Ternberg, who received a medical degree from the University School of Medicine in 1953, was the first female surgeon on the University’s faculty and the first woman to be head of its faculty council. She was also the first female surgical resident at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Ternberg credits the University for her success as a female pioneer in the field of medicine.

“[The University has] been my career,” she said. “The opportunities that it afforded me were unique. When I was trying to get into another surgery program, they were all closed to women.”

By that same token, Ternberg hopes that her impending award will inspire other women to break barriers and help them in doing so.

“For women of my generation it was a wonderful thing,” she said of her work at the University. “For women of today I hope it opens the way for them a little better than when I started off.”

Although she is now retired, Ternberg maintains a connection with the medical school.

“I’m not separated totally [from the school],” she said. “It’s your life, it’s what you enjoy. People are much happier when they get up in the morning and they know what they’re doing. For me it’s been that way the whole time.”

Wrighton hopes that the graduates will see Ternberg and the other recipients as examples of how to lead careers that help them and those around them.

“The most important message is that the work of single individuals can have a profound and positive impact on the lives of many people,” Wrighton said. “Each of the graduates has enormous talent. I hope that talent will be applied to benefiting people.”

For information about the protest against Phyllis Schlafly, see this article

Courtesy of WUSTL Photo Services

More than 30 students representing Washington University’s graduate and undergraduate schools met on Monday to begin planning a protest of the University’s decision to award Phyllis Schlafly an honorary degree.

Many of those in attendance were members of the Class of 2008, but several professors, community members and underclassmen took part in the discussion as well.

The announcement that Schlafly, a leader of the national conservative movement since the 1960s, would receive an honorary doctorate has galvanized students who take offense with her stances on marital rape, abortion and the role of women in society to speak out.

“She is not representative of the community we want to build here. She has made statements that go against the basic tenets of the University,” said Dan Tilden, a graduating senior and the leader of the protest. “I couldn’t sit in commencement as a senior and do something that is recognizing her not as a politician but as a person.”

According to Tilden, the students involved with the effort are looking to find a way to reverse the University’s decision to award Schlafly a degree or, if that proves impossible, to make a statement of protest during the commencement exercises.

A Facebook group, entitled “No honorary doctorate for anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly,” has gained more than 1,000 members since being formed a week ago. In comparison, a group supporting Schlafly, entitled “In Support of Phyllis Schlafly’s Honorary Degree from Wash U,” has approximately 25 members.

“Outside of how anyone feels about her political views, its important that the University be willing to give degrees to conservatives as well as liberals,” Rachel Wisdom, a freshman and the creator of the pro-Schlafly group, said. “In addition, I think she’s actually a strong defender of women’s rights.”

According to Wisdom, Schlafly’s stances protect women’s exemption from the draft and the right of women to choose to serve in the role of homemaker.

Schafly is best known for her role in leading efforts to block the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and for leading a critique against feminism.

According to The Sun Journal, a Maine newspaper, at a speech at Bates college in 2007 Schalfly belittled the feminist movement as “teaching women to be victims,” argued that feminism “is incompatible with marriage and motherhood” and asserted that “By getting married, the woman has consented to sex, and I don’t think you can call it rape.”

Students who support awarding Schlafly with a degree took issue with the way that her statements in Maine were portrayed, arguing that Schlafly saw other ways to protect women from spousal abuse.

“I spoke with Mrs. Schlafly about that [statement] yesterday and the issue is that she was trying to create a legal distinction,” Wisdom said. “Women who are being abused by their husbands are protected by existing assault and battery laws and it would be trouble to argue that something is rape when you have already consented to sex by getting married.”

At the meeting, participants discussed options for protesting the decision during the commencement ceremony, including wearing pink armbands, holding signs to protest Schalfly’s presence and facing away from the lectern when Schlafly was awarded her degree.

“Don’t think that the very possibility of a disruption to the University’s most solemn event would not sway the University,” Michael Murphy, a lecturer in the Women and Gender studies department, said during the discussion.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Monday that Mary Ann Dzuback, the director of the women and gender studies department, would not take part in commencement exercises, along with several other members of the department.

Though Wisdom agreed that students and faculty had a right to protest the decision to award Schlafly a degree, she felt that boycotting commencement exercises-especially on the part of faculty-was extreme.

“Graduation to me is not about Phyllis or Chris Matthews or any of the other honorary degree recipients, its about the students,” Wisdom said. “The professors should be there to support their students regardless of their political beliefs.”

At the meeting, one student suggested using the slogan “There is only one woman at this ceremony that should not be getting a degree,” in response to Schlafly’s positions about women’s gender roles.

The meeting also looked to answer questions about how to inform the student body about Schlafly’s views and how to alert the University community-and the outside media-about the dissatisfaction over Schalfly’s selection.

In response to protest over the announcement made last Monday, the University issued a statement over the weekend affirming its decision to award the degree.

“In any community with a large number of people and a diversity of viewpoints, it would be impossible to make a selection with which everyone would agree. That is the very nature of a university,” the statement read. “Alumna Phyllis Schlafly’s articulation of her perspectives has been a significant part of American life during the last half of the 20th century and now the 21st century, serving as a lightning rod for vigorous debate on difficult issues where differences of opinion are profound and passionate.”

The statement brought to light the University’s decision-making process for honorary degrees, which requires a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees based on recommendations from the Honorary Degree Committee. The committee is chaired by a member of the Board of Trustees and includes about 20 Washington University students, faculty, staff and other members of the Board of Trustees.

Schlafly is set to receive a doctorate of humane letters and is an alumna of both the College of Arts & Sciences and the Law School. As an honorary degree recipient, Schlafly will not address graduates, she will only be awarded the degree.

The move to rescind Schlafly’s degree comes less than a week after Northwestern University announced that it would not award the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright an honorary doctorate at commencement proceedings there. In recent months, Rev. Wright has drawn attention for his statements on race relations, America, 9/11 and his now severed connection with presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

In a statement explaining its decision, Northwestern wrote, “Commencement at Northwestern is a time of celebration of the accomplishments of Northwestern’s graduating students and their families. In light of the controversy around Dr. Wright and to ensure that the celebratory character of Commencement not be affected, the University has withdrawn its invitation to Dr. Wright.”

Schlafly is one of six scheduled to receive an honorary doctorate at commencement on May 16.

Check back throughout the week for more coverage of Commencement including updates on the protest and an interview with Phyllis Schlafly.

Scott Bressler

This school year started with students protesting the Student Technology Fee rate hike. As the year progressed, tensions cooled as Student Technology Services backed off and wireless Internet gradually became accessible around campus.

October brought racism and other forms of discrimination to the forefront of campus as a student’s car was vandalized with a slur. Student groups continued to lobby for a sexual assault coordinator but were unsuccessful even as they succeeded in establishing a coordinator for the LGBTQIA community. As a result of these tensions, Connect 4 was created to address discrimination on campus.

The school hosted several famous and highly controversial speakers throughout the year. Alberto Gonzales spoke at the 560 Building, and his $30,000 speaking fee sparked a peaceful protest led by the College Democrats and other groups. Other notable speakers included Newark Mayor Cory Booker, author Alan Lightman, political pundit Paul Begala, Loveline’s Dr. Drew, actor Peter Sarsgaard and comedian Margaret Cho.

Inflatable couches returned to W.I.L.D. as rapper Lupe Fiasco headlined the fall show and funk star George Clinton headlined the spring show. Other notable performers were Stars, who played at WUStock, and Cascada, who gave a brief performance that disappointed many. A student was tasered by the Washington University Police Department (WUPD) while resisting arrest at the Gargoyle, overshadowing Girl Talk’s concert there.

WUPD had its hands full this school year as multiple robberies occurred over winter break in the Myers and Hurd dorms. Many students became more conscious of their surroundings after a freshman was mugged at gunpoint on the South 40.

Several influential professors changed their roles at the University. Professor Richard Smith, who taught the popular Introduction to Human Evolution course, left the anthropology department to become the dean of Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. Tzachi Zach, popular accounting professor, will now teach at Ohio State after being denied tenure.

November saw upheaval in the engineering school as Dean Mary Sansalone came under fire from faculty and students. Sansalone announced her resignation as dean in Feb. 2008.

Politics played a growing role in student life in conjunction with the University’s selection as the host site for the 2008 vice presidential debate next October. Chelsea Clinton led a question and answer session at Kayak’s Coffee while many students were dismayed to find that the University would not allow Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), a presidential candidate, to speak on campus in the run-up to Super Tuesday. This incident sparked the creation of the Student Civic Initiative, which aims to increase campus involvement in politics.

Online war also came to the University as hundreds of students battled over the Danforth Campus in a massive GoCrossCampus game. Other Web sites such as Facebook were in the spotlight for gathering users’ personal information and selling it to companies.

Several construction projects were completed or neared completion this year. The new 560 Building debuted in a sea of controversy as a cappella groups protested their off-campus relocation. The Danforth University Center will be ready this fall, and several departments from the School of Law and the College of Arts & Sciences will begin moving into Seigle Hall over the summer.

New construction continues as the University announced plans to tear down Umrath House this summer in order to make room for a new Wohl Center.

In the world of sports, the men’s basketball team captured the school’s first-ever national championship title for a men’s team and the women’s volleyball team captured its Division III-record ninth national championship. The athletics program was ranked first in Div. III and seventh in all divisions by Hall of Fame Magazine. For the first time in school history, the University led all schools in the Director’s Cup, as the women’s track and field team took third place at nationals, the highest in program history. The women’s cross country team, which took third, and men’s soccer team, which took sixth, also matched their best finishes at their respective national tournaments. The men’s tennis team defeated UAA rival Emory University for the first time in program history.

Sustainability rose to the forefront of campus debate, as groups like Green Action led the charge for greener facilities. Bear’s Den now has metal silverware, and a sustainable garden created by the Burning Kumquat took root. Green Action’s Sustainabilitree joined the ranks of various artwork done on campus, including the bubble wrapping of Bowles Plaza and the bed outside Olin Library.

Mother Nature continued to fluctuate throughout the year as the University was blanketed in more than six inches of snow in March. A 5.2 magnitude earthquake rocked St. Louis in the middle of April, surprising many members of the community.

Dance Marathon broke records as other successful student-led events such as Relay for Life, Thurtene Carnival, Diwali, Lunar New Year Festival and Carnaval continued to unite the community.

The Student Union (SU) executive board was elected largely unopposed and encountered controversy in the proposal and confirmation of the 2008-2009 general budget upon taking office. Several student groups facing funding cuts mobilized their supporters, as the budget was passed by Treasury only to be rejected by the Senate. The deadlock was broken during an emergency joint session and the budget passed with only three minutes to spare.

Scott Bressler

Junior year kicked off with the theme of “readjustment” as Washington University welcomed an unusually large freshman class.

The University continued to respond to unexpected developments, especially concerning campus security, as the year progressed. An expanded MetroLink, a renamed campus and a political win for stem cell research made this year one of progress and celebration.

For the Class of 2010, the admissions office had been shooting for a class of 1,350 students, so the University was surprised to have 1,470 students accept their offer in the spring of 2006.

Before students arrived on campus for the 2006-2007 academic year, the University began implementing creative solutions in order to accommodate the freshman class and alleviate the housing crunch. More than 100 upperclassmen who had been planning to live on campus were moved to the University’s Loop Lofts apartments, which made their debut that year.

Large freshman classes will not continue as a trend, according to the University. In April 2007 the administration announced its plan to gradually reduce the size of the student body from 6,300 to 5,800 students.

During the first week of classes, students witnessed a remarkable development in St. Louis public transportation: the expansion of the MetroLink. Twelve years of discussion and more than three years of construction culminated in the addition of nine new stops-two of which border the Danforth Campus.

The MetroLink has effectively punctured the infamous “Wash. U. bubble” by linking students to Clayton, the Central West End, Richmond Heights, Brentwood, Shrewsbury and downtown St. Louis. The U-Pass allows full-time students, staff and faculty to access this service for free.

In October, when the Cardinals won the World Series for the first time since 1982, many students hopped on the MetroLink so they could celebrate the victory downtown near the stadium.

One noteworthy change was made in Sept. 2006 when the Hilltop Campus was officially renamed the “Danforth Campus” in order to commemorate former Chancellor William Danforth and the entire Danforth family.

This name change was accompanied by a year-long focus on the theme “Higher sense of purpose.” In accordance with this theme, all incoming freshmen were given Professor of Social Welfare in the George Warren School of Social Work Mark Rank’s book, “One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All.” Rank delivered a speech on poverty during the Assembly Series.

As always, construction continued on campus, and some projects were completed. The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum opened a new building designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Fumihiko Maki. In this progressively modern building that breaks away from the rest of the campus’ architecture, the University is showcasing its permanent collection entitled “Modernity and Self.”

Other construction projects were still in progress. The new University Center, which will eventually replace the Mallinckrodt Student Center, will remain a construction site until the summer of 2008. An enormous hole in place of Prince Hall and a pothole-ridden temporary parking lot placed near the library were present for students in the 2006-2007 year.

Through the school year, both safety and security continually emerged as key concerns. In the fall, one study by the Morgan Quinto Press named St. Louis the “Most Dangerous City in the United States.” Chancellor Wrighton joined experts and critics who contested the survey, claiming that its methodology was flawed.

Campus security was on high alert after one student was attacked in her dorm room on the South 40 in Feb. 2007. In response to the assault, the Chancellor formed a committee to review the University’s safety and security policies. The University began to implement campus precautions such as peepholes, which were promptly installed on all room doors in residential halls.

In April 2007, a tragedy at Virginia Tech shocked and saddened the world when 32 students were murdered by a gunman who subsequently took his own life. The University community congregated on the quad for an impromptu candlelight vigil in honor of the students who were wounded or killed. In light of the tragedy, the University reassessed its own mechanism in place for preventing the escalation of such an occurrence on campus.

As both Republicans and Democrats struggled for the senate majority in the fall of 2006, the Missouri senatorial election between Claire McCaskill and incumbent Jim Talent was one of the most-watched races nationally, with McCaskill emerging victorious.

The University had a particular political interest in favor of the proposed Amendment 2 that allows for embryonic stem cell research, which could potentially lead to cures for injuries and diseases such as Parkinson’s, diabetes and cancer. The School of Medicine was concerned that if the amendment did not pass, it would lose scientists who incorporate stem cells into their research. The University made a bold political move by sending all students a letter that encouraged them to vote in favor of the amendment, which eventually passed with 51 percent of the votes.

A series of notable speakers visited the University, including renowned autistic professor of animal science Temple Grandin and a 2008 presidential contender, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Current U.S. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. presided over the School of Law Moot Court competition and former Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor visited first-year law school classes.

The University took the lead nationally in commemorating the 150th anniversary of the infamous Dred Scott decision by hosting a national symposium in March.

In the 2006-2007 year student participation increased in the campus-wide events of Dance Marathon and Relay for Life, both of which broke fundraising records by raising hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Courtesy of Tammi Cooks

Correction Appended

The 2005-2006 academic year was one of unexpected change for both the Washington University campus and the nation. Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of the Gulf Coast region largely shaped a year of charity and change.

Some students returned to campus in late August greeted by the news that the homes they had left were damaged or destroyed by the hurricane.

Many college students, faculty and workers displaced by Katrina found shelter at Washington University. In the fall semester, the University welcomed students from Tulane and Loyola whose colleges were closed due to extensive damage by the hurricane.

Among the displaced students were freshmen from Tulane who had to evacuate during their move-in day. In response to the disaster, the University offered financial aid and health services to students who were affected by the hurricane. Unlike other schools, the University did not plan to return displaced students’ tuition to their home universities in New Orleans.

From a cappella concerts to the EnCouncil’s Bayou Formal, many student groups initiated campus-wide fund-raising efforts to help rebuild the Gulf Coast region and support its victims. For some students, the relief effort went beyond campus initiatives. Many University students joined other college students from around the country in a weeklong spring break trip to New Orleans, where they volunteered to help rebuild broken homes for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

In other fund-raising events during the year, Dance Marathon raised $58,000, and Relay for Life surpassed its fund-raising goal of $250,000.

The University also announced several significant changes, starting with the decision to set the new wage floor at $8.25. The new minimum wage standard was a reaction to the Student Worker Alliance’s sit-in at the admissions office during April 2005, when students demanded that the University raise the employee minimum wage to meet the city’s living wage standard.

Hoping to increase public transportation for commuting students and workers, the University announced that it would start offering free universal Metro passes for any full-time undergraduate, graduate, faculty or staff member of Washington University. The Metro pass is valid for MetroBus and MetroLink and became fully functional at the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year.

The University also moved forward by revealing a plan for the new Danforth University Center. The University Center will replace the former Prince Hall. Despite protests led by St. Louis preservationists, Prince Hall was demolished in the summer of 2006.

Chancellor Wrighton also wrote a letter to parents detailing the 2006-2007 academic year tuition hike of 5.5 percent, to $32,800-the biggest marginal increase in six years.

In health news, Student Health Services (SHS) relocated from its main campus location in Umrath Hall to Forsyth House, now Dardick House, on the South 40. The relocation cost about $2 million but provided SHS with significantly more space.

Most recently, the University announced that it would rename the Hilltop Campus to Danforth Campus to commemorate William Danforth, former Washington University chancellor, who made significant financial contributions to the University over the years.

Emory University’s “declaration of war” against Washington University shocked this campus in mid-Sept. 2005. Emory students vandalized both Washington University’s campus and their own, attempting to pass off the vandalism on Emory’s campus as retaliation by Washington University students. Spray-painted messages in yellow and blue read: “WU girls are ugly -Emory University”, “Emory owns U”, and “George Washington is dead” on the underpass between the main campus and the South 40.

The act came two days after the Emory student newspaper released an op-ed piece that exhorted Emory students to start a rivalry with Washington University students. The student who authored the letter wrote on behalf of Emory’s Department of War, a newly created branch of the school’s Student Government Association. For a university in which rivalry with other schools is minimal and school spirit low, the war initiated by the Emory briefly ignited school camaraderie.

For the Assembly Series, the University welcomed several prominent speakers, including eminent American scholar and public intellectual Cornel West and Jonathan Kozol, an authority on the American public school system.

In the engineering school, students showcased their new Vertigo dance floor, which was later displayed at the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis. It was also announced that Mary Sansalone from Cornell University would join the school in 2006 as the new dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

The spring 2006 semester also brought new changes to the Mallinckrodt Student Center. Students said good-bye to Taco Bell and ushered in Bon Appétit’s new Asian-themed concept with lukewarm reactions.

Washington University students’ affairs with alcohol and drugs continued. In one incident, an intoxicated student fell out of her window in Wheeler dormitory. The University canceled Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity’s housing contract after police found marijuana during their search of the house. More recently, the Magic House, a local St. Louis children’s museum, banned Art Prom after discovering $700 in damages by intoxicated students. Student Union then blocked funding for any future Art Proms.

On a more positive note, Sigma Chi received word that they were allowed move into their house again after a two-year expulsion for hazing. Greek Life also formed the new Council of Community Standards in an effort to better handle judicial matters.

Correction: A photo used on Monday, May 5 with the article “Sophomore year: Katrina, charity and change” was mistakenly attributed to David Song; in fact, the photo was taken by Tammi Cooks. Student Life regrets the error.

Scott Bressler

The 2004-2005 school year was one of transformation and change. From events of national importance, including the presidential debate and election, to campus-centric protests with the recent Student Worker Alliance sit-in, St. Louis and Washington University spent the year in the spotlight.

Washington University began the 2004-2005 school year as the host of a 2004 presidential debate between Democratic contender John Kerry and Republican incumbent President George W. Bush. Leading up to the big event, the University transformed the Athletic Complex, installed state-of-the-art communication and put in extra security to prepare for the grand event.

Bush’s advisory team put the debate in jeopardy at the last minute when it became hesitant to participate in the event. Following Bush’s announcement, Chris Heinz, Kerry’s stepson, visited the campus to assure the University that his stepfather might still appear on campus even if Bush rejected the scheduled debate. The Commission on Presidential Debates confirmed that both candidates had committed to participate in three debates, including the Oct. 8 debate at the University.

During the week of Oct. 8, 2004, the campus transformed into a political campground, attracting national media attention from MSNBC prime time show “Hardball with Chris Matthews” and CNN’s prime debate coverage featuring Paula Zahn, Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer. Students witnessed the fervor of the 2004 election year on their very own campus.

Almost one month after the debate, on Nov. 4, 2004, the nation reelected President Bush into office. While Bush took the state of Missouri, St. Louis remained a blue dot in the mostly red sea of Missouri.

Washington University also experienced waves of theft on campus. In Nov. 2004, the Washington University Police Department (WUPD) retrieved a stolen laptop through a sting operation and arrested the perpetrator, a student from another St. Louis university. Later that week, a member of the housekeeping staff was caught stealing a laptop in Rubelmann Hall, while in April several cars were reported stolen from Washington University property.

The fall of 2004 also brought new changes at Frat Row: no alcohol until spring semester. A student initiated a brawl at Sigma Alpha Epsilon that injured a security guard, leading to tighter rules on the presence of alcohol on campus. Despite the alcohol ban, fraternities still experienced an increase in the number of students rushing to join the brothers on the Row. The Greek Life Office lifted the ban for the spring semester.

Greek Life’s affair with alcohol continued to mid-March 2005, when Alpha Phi sorority sisters were kicked out of the City Museum during their formal after administrators discovered intoxicated sisters passing out in the bathroom as well as in front of Girl Scouts. The following Wednesday, when the story was published, hundreds of copies of Student Life were stashed into nearby trash cans.

In that week, Student Life revealed another alcohol mishap when several Lee 3 residents allegedly defecated in and vandalized their RA’s room. The news came as shock to the campus and administrators and came much to the dismay of Lee 3, which was soon declared a substance free area. The week’s incidents brought a tainted image to the University and spread awareness about the effects of alcohol on students’ abilities to make rational judgments.

Because of the appearances of Bush and Kerry, the University invited various speakers to lead the 2004-2005 Assembly Series. From Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy, to civil rights activist Robert Moses, the University offered various genres of lectures. Speakers included Chris Heinz, Robert Kerry, *Piper,* Sherman Alexie and Anita Diamant, among others.

The school encountered difficulties in bringing two outspoken political activists, Michael Moore and Sean Hannity. Both speakers were scheduled to visit the campus, but Hannity’s demand for a private jet and Moore’s pneumonia caused them to miss their appearances.

Off campus and outside of St. Louis, this year also marked the death of Christopher Reeve, the original portrayer of Superman, Yasser Arafat, the leader of Palestinian Liberation Authority, and Pope John Paul II, the head of the Catholic Church. On our own campus, students read the news that junior Jessica Campbell passed away during spring break from a heart attack.

Student Union (SU) underwent a transformation when Vice President Katie Lekihim resigned, forcing SU to elect a new vice president. Former Speaker of the Senate Pamela Bookbinder was elected as the new vice president after the resignation of Lekihim, who had been on medical leave during first semester. The process of electing the new vice president came under a heat of debate when a question arose regarding whether reporters should be allowed inside the room during the voting process. In the end, the election was held behind the closed doors.

Students also saw changes in financial loans and tuition. Parents were notified of an additional tuition increase to approximately $31,000 per year. Students also received a shock when they heard that Pell Grants and Perkins Loans were facing elimination by the Bush administration. These fears later proved baseless as Congress recently passed a budget approving both programs.

The year culminated with an unexpected twist as students, faculty, and the administration watched the Student Worker Alliance (SWA) occupy the admissions office for 19 days in April 2005. Starting on April 4, approximately 14 University students protested inside the admission office to demand a living wage of third party workers at the University.

During the protest, the administration sent multiple letters asking the protesters to leave the admissions office, stating that their presence was in violation of the judicial code. The letter only fueled the students’ fervor, eventually leading to a hunger strike. Dozens of professors signed a letter in support of SWA’s fight for a living wage, while other students protested against their effort as anti-protesters outside in the Quad.

The sit-in eventually ended on April 22 after 19 days of student occupation. The final agreement reached between the SWA and the University included a commitment of $500,000 during the 2005-2006 fiscal year toward improving the living wages and the benefits of lower-paid service workers. It also included various other concessions to SWA’s demands.