Long marked by an aura of exclusivity and inaccessibility, Whittemore House might update its image soon. “My personal view is that we should open up our membership as wide as possible,” said Art Casolari, an employee of St. Louis Catering and general manager of Whittemore House.

For the fifth year in a row, Washington University’s a capella groups are joining forces for a good cause. This year’s Rhythms for Rebuilding charity concert will be held on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Graham Chapel.

Since taking his current post at Washington University’s School of Law in January, Professor Brian Tamanaha has drawn national attention for his contributions to a high-profile legal blog called “Balkinization.”

The School of Engineering and Applied Science’s newest building, the Stephen F. and Camilla T. Brauer Hall, was officially unveiled in a dedication ceremony on Oct. 1 and continues Washington University’s commitment to sustainability. Yet this monstrous new building also raises some controversial issues among students.

This year’s Mr. Wash. U. could be female. Idil Ali, a senior majoring in environmental studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, is one of 23 semifinalists vying for one of the 16 finalist spots in voting that concludes this week.

Community service is getting a stylish makeover on campus. Yifan Meng is the first campus director of Styleta, a nationwide non-profit organization that sells designer clothes to benefit women’s initiatives.

New York Times columnist and human rights activist Nicholas Kristof will be speaking on Monday at 4 p.m. in Graham Chapel. The reporter, a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for journalism, is an outspoken advocate for human rights. His talk will center on topics raised in his latest book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.

Washington University students will have a tasty opportunity to step outside the Wash. U. bubble this weekend and experience what the culinary world has to offer beyond Bon Appétit. Beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, Taste of St. Louis will take over six city blocks at Soldier’s Memorial with food, wine, art and entertainment.

Shanti Parikh, an anthropology professor and mother of two, recently became the first African-American female to complete her entire tenure track at Washington University’s College of Arts and Sciences. Parikh’s tenure was announced in April 2010 and became effective in July.

[media-credit id=2850 align="alignright" width="250"][/media-credit] I’ve always thought of dietary supplements as a form of softcore cheating, like consulting SparkNotes after reading a book, just to confirm the major plot points. It’s not exactly wrong, but it wouldn’t be necessary if you had done everything right the first time around: if you had eaten a healthy diet or read the book carefully.