In addition to the new flatscreens, which will feature live updates from CMC’s finest internet publication, the computer labs have seen a few other upgrades. Poppa’s nasty old flooring and plastic sheets have been torn up and replaced with new carpeting. The chairs have also been upgraded to seats with some sick new technology — armrests! Awesome. And, if you’re a lab junky like me, you’ll be most excited for this last detail: Poppa is now ALL double screens. That’s right. No more arguing with growling seniors for those prized PCs during thesis time.

Some of the other changes students will see on campus include: flat-screens in Collins (and some huge fruit posters?), new wide-screen monitors in Ryal, and, even though you loved the Hub’s old-church-basement feel, it’s received a makeover, too. Those old love seats have been swapped for plush new leather furniture and the carpet has been completely replaced. The Kravis Center workers are still slaving away, but the construction has ended on the new pathway from CMC to Scripps. Now, there are a few new places to sit and a few less steps on the way to that delicious Scripps brunch.

1. Go to your student portal.

2. Log in at the upper left using your email handle (mine is cpeaslee11) and password.

3. Within the student schedule box, open up one of your classes in a new tab.

4. In the new class tabs, click on the “Click here for textbook information.” This will open up a new page with a list of the required textbooks for your class.

5. Now visit Amazon or Ebay using these links (or through the links on the bottom of the Forum homepage) to buy your books (or anything else). 8-9% of your purchase will go towards improving services from your student government.

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In an exclusive interview, Dean Huang cited CMC’s high ranking on Princeton Review’s “Happiest Students” list as a major factor in the decision. Huang went on to say that, “frankly, this is embarrassing to the school. College is not just a place to be happy. Students should be studying on their birthdays.”

Another factor in the cancellation was the Dean’s growing worry that the practice of throwing students into a fountain was too “costly to students.” Story House has been known to charge hundreds of dollars to watch water splashed on the ground dry after CMC students failed to dry it themselves. Meanwhile, safety concerns have arisen because of an influx of townies at the fountains who often attempt to pond CMS football players.

Recently, DOS has been criticized for its willingness to eliminate long standing CMC traditions. “We understand that ponding people on their birthday is a tradition,” Spellman noted in her most recent email, “But CMC students can still pond their friends on their birthdays — just not in fountains — or without registering the waterless ponding two weeks beforehand.”

This year saw the popular loss of the Madrigal Feast, a temporary cancellation of TNC, and the creation of a short-lived Facebook fan club over the future of the Thesis Fountain Party. Experts predict Spellman’s next move may be to implement a Sleeves-Mandatory dress code in North Quad, as she did at Sarah Lawrence.

Dear CMC,

Welcome back from Spring Break! We hope that you got some R & R during the vacation. Back to reality, though… Recently, administrators in the Dean of Students office have canceled Thursday Night Clubs indefinitely. Why did DOS cancel TNC? For a lot of reasons. As you read in the last Party Inform, “This isn’t because of one specific incident, but as DOS examines certain policy issues TNCs will unfortunately remain off the Calendar.” And here are the some of those reasons:

• We aren’t taking care of our campus: Story House charges caused over the course of the year have amounted to over $20,000 of damages. Story House charges are incurred when:
  • Party hosts and attendees don’t clean up after the event and cups, cans, bottles, and other trash are left everywhere
  • Things get crazy–broken window screens, furniture, and glass, bloody walls, hand prints, etc.
  • Story House housekeepers clean things up for professors, prospective students, and visitors, often charging overtime for their work.
• Fights: TNC is actually a CMC-only event. When non-CMCers attend TNC (other 5Cers or off-campus), things tend to become unruly (AKA: people fight).

• TNC isn’t what it used to be: Once upon a time, TNC was a magical event for CMCers. Dorm presidents were responsible for creating an intimate event that facilitated small-scale social interaction. It was an opportunity for students to talk, dance, and relax from the workweek. Recently, however, things have changed. After the party ends, students congregate outside and campus safety isn’t capable of keeping things safe with such a large, usually rowdy, group.

What does DOS want?

1. An elevated expectation of dorm presidents and their responsibilities when they throw an event
2. Better containment at events, so there isn’t a large mob of people outside the designated area, or non-CMCers sneaking into the party
3. Facilitation of more efficient security with higher expectations for maintaining the events as CMC-only
4. Students (innocent bystanders, party guests, event host) taking the initiative to clean up after events and prevent dorm damages and holding one another accountable
5. All events not in private residents’ rooms, like Beirut tournaments, with a large number of students (20-30+) to be registered with Jim Nauls in advance

What is ASCMC doing to try and save our Thursday nights? ASCMC members have met with DOS and the DAC and SAC have submitted a proposal to the Dean of Students office. The proposal includes such measures as increased security, ensuring TNCs are CMC-only by enforcing CMC IDs, a greater variety of event locations, a focus on the quality of TNCs rather than the quantity of them, and incentive-based clean-up crews.

DOS wants changes or TNCs aren’t going to happen anymore. We’re hoping that these initiatives, although new and different, will allow CMCers to have our TNC-type events again and even improve the social culture of Thursday nights. Much of the proposal has been well received and DOS may grant one Thursday night event next week as a “trial run.”  

What can we do as a school?

• Register events.
• Take responsibility and clean up after ourselves.
• Listen to the RAs. They want to save Thursdays, too.

And now?

Our Dean of Students office believes us to be responsible adults.  We all know we have a social life unique from any other school and it’s important to take the necessary steps to preserve CMC’s long-standing social traditions.  Step back, put things into context, and understand that there is not going to be any significant change for the worst if everyone shows up and does their part.    Feel free to reply to this e-mail with any questions. Be sure to check the Forum and tomorrow’s Party Inform, where more information will soon be available.
Sincerely,

ASCMC

We had dozens of great applicants but in the end we could only choose six. So without further ado, here are the speakers who will be competing in this year’s Forum Idea Night:

• Circular Thinking, Jeremy Wolff:  The simple application of the circle can change the way we live. I will argue that applying the design concept of a circle to buildings, specifically airports, restaurants, and malls, as well as parks, cities, and countries, will improve our quality of life.
• Poverty Has Nothing to do with Money, John-Clark Levin and Jason Soll:  We intend to offer startling and provocative reasons to believe poverty not only has nothing to do with money, but the incorrect use of money may in fact worsen the problem. Our presentation will force the audience to totally rethink bailouts, education, and healthcare. We’ll reframe an age-old debate in a way that all CMCers, liberals and conservatives, can agree is better.
• The Committee, Eric Scott and Ben Kraus: ASCMC is an organization that does an incredible job with some things, and not others. We propose that this specialization is ultimately good for the student body and that ASCMC should stick to doing what it does well. CMC needs, we will argue, a separate, independent committee to focus on bettering student life.
• Roman Execution: A Practicum, Emily Forden: Ancient Rome had different ideas of punishment, ones which make waterboarding seem like child’s play. During my ten minutes I will attempt to illustrate them for you by recreating the punishment known as “The Sack.” Audience participation will be needed. Simply put, torture will be performed in the Ath.
• The Future of Philanthropy, Roxanne Phen: Private foundations are stuck in the past and are giving money away without ensuring results, but a new legal structure created in 2008 is giving foundations a way to step into the future and expand upon their charitable activities. For a school that says “civilization prospers with commerce,” I’ll explain to CMCers how to help save the world and make (some) money at the same time.
• The Technological Utopia, Alex Caldwell: In an age when many fear that the human race is within a century or so of self destruction, we may actually be fast approaching Utopia: a robot-run world where man enjoys 100% leisure time with the highest quality of life possible. But will we be happy? I’ll explain the idea of “the technological singularity” and explore its implications for society.

Congrats to Tristan Williams ’13 for finding last night’s medallion.

Remember, once you’ve found the medallion, send an email over to “cpeaslee11 (at) cmc dot edu” so that I can get your name and picture. If you STILL don’t know what this is all about, read up on the Medallion Hunt here.

Here is the first part of tonight’s clue. Go put on your running shoes and your thinking cap and get to it:

This campus place has a neat claim to fame;
It makes everyone feel like Lebron James.
How would you like to play a sport
where you will be one fifth less short?

Brett Spencer found last night’s medallion. It was in the press box of Zinda Field. Congrats.

I know you all don’t want to be running around in the rain so I’ll assure you, this clue one is only one part. You might want to call your Mudder friend:

In Some Books Now: Or I‘d Search Shelves Now: 00110000001110000011000100110010001110010011000000111001001101000011001100110111

Winner gets a $40 Target gift card and a shot at those Lupe passes. Good luck!

Congrats to Niko and Noah on last night’s hunt.

Tonight’s clue begins with:

You should be watching the Stags play PP
But after the game, you should look for me.
When it’s all done and the Sagehens are through,
I’ll be at half court to give you your clue.

Winner gets a $40 Target gift card and a shot at those Lupe passes.

Remember, once you’ve found the medallion, send an email over to “cpeaslee11 (at) cmc dot edu” so that I can get your name and picture. If you STILL don’t know what this is all about, read up on the Medallion Hunt here.

Let’s get to it:

It’s time to recover from Thursday night
Time to stay dry with the smart and the bright
Now, you might need to bring three other friends
when you go meet up with kturville10

Prize tonight is a triple threat: free pizza, free movie tickets, and a Target gift card. And of course, another shot at those Lupe backstage passes. Good luck.

Here are some fun pics from last night: