We at the Forum hate to compound the problem but the thing is… everyone really wants to know. So please take a second and tell us what you’ve been up doing. Keep in mind, we would like to hear your best story from break rather than a dull summer summary. Keep it less than 800 words. Photos are strongly encouraged.

We will be publishing the best submissions over the next two weeks. After all have been published, students will be able to vote for their favorite submission. There will be a prize for the highest vote getter.

In prior years, the administration has imposed a “dry” campus, commencing at the beginning of freshman orientation and ending on the Friday of the first week of classes at 6:00 pm.  Students have traditionally celebrated the end of the week with a countodown to 6:01 and a huge party celebrated with a keg drop, debauchery, and in one year the release of live doves.

There will, however, most likely still be a dry week for the freshman orientation period.  The campus will  be “wet” again when classes start, presumably at 8:10am on Tuesday, August 31st.

The administration has long sought to diminish attention to dry week and the alcohol binge celebration at the end of the week . They have experimented with policy changes over the last few years, with little success.   6:01 was officially celebrated last in 2008.  In 2007, the administration tried to gradually move the party by ending dry week at 5:00 pm.  The students accommodated the changes and hosted a 5:01 bash instead.  In 2009, the administration moved the end of dry week to 6:00 am on Friday, leading students to encourage their friends to “wait the 12 hours” to start drinking at the symbolic 6:01 pm start time.

Castro would not comment on the email or this tentative decision, claiming that Dean of Students and RAs still had to work out the details of exactly when the week would begin and end and how the other schools would be involved.  Mudd and Scripps also may tentatively change their policies to align with those of CMC, making the new beginning of the year celebrations 3C in nature.  The two campuses currently have dry weeks that end Friday.

On its surface, the decision seems to satisfy all parties.  The Dean of Students will no longer have to deal with J-Boarding scores of students written up for petty alcohol violations.  RAs will no longer have to troll the campus, acting as police instead of peers.

Some students see this as a responsible decision on the part of DOS; others may see another tradition, 6:01, indirectly but intentionally canceled.  DOS angered students last spring after threats were made to cancel the senior thesis fountain party, a longstanding tradition at the college.

Social Affairs Chair Seth Winterroth ’12 told the Forum there will not be a party on that day named “6:01,”  but ASCMC will host a similar large-scale event on the first Saturday of the school year.

“It’s great that Dean of Students realized that Dry Week often hurt CMC students more than it helped us,” said Winterroth, “Freshman and returning students will have the freedom we’ve been asking for and it’s exciting to think about all the possibilities we now have to celebrate the beginning of another year at CMC.”

Most Likely To…

• Become John Faranda? Shamil Hargovan
• Add Their Initial to KKR? Kyle Casella
• Have Over 7 Wives? Scott Sanford
• Make a Habit of Guest TNC appearances? Scott Sanford and Lindsey Morgenthaler
• Be Spotted at the Scripps Pool? Kyle Kuh
• Be Spotted Walking Back from Scripps on a Sunday Morning? Patrick Atwater
• Join the Tea Party Movement? Andrew Hess
• Stick with Teach for America? Charlie Sprague
• Take Over the World? Abhi Nemani
• Marry Current Significant Other? Kristyn Ross and Connor Faught
• Come Back to CMC as a Professor? Charlie Sprague
• Still Be in School in 10 Years? Emily Forden
• Replace Fid Castro? Josh Siegel

Top Seniors…

• Friendliest? Moose Halpern and Sandy Russell
• Most Dreamed About? Stuart Felkner and Caroline Taylor
• Best All-Around? Brock Olson and Kenley Turville
• Best Hair? Max Rose and Sara Caldwell
• Best Smile? Brock Olson and Amber Ariate
• Best Eyes? Charles Morton and Jamie Matusiak
• Best Glasses? Darell Hayes and Emily Meinhardt
• Best Headphones? Isayas Theodros and Nathalie Ramirez
• Best Dressed in Poppa? Josiah Eberhart and Melissa Irvine
• Happiest at the Happiest College in America? Moose Halpern and Sandy Russell
• Most Changed? Max Sterling and Julia Wilson
• Ath MVP? David Nahmias
• Best Chest Hair? Josh Siegel and Tom (tie)
• Prettiest Eyelashes? Hunter Jackson and Sarah Assadd
• Renaissance Man?Matt Cuneo
• Renaissance Woman?Francesca Ioffreda
• Best Dressed at TNC? Abhi Nemani and Shae Blood
• Senior girl I wish I knew better? Courtney Dern
• Senior guy I wish I knew better?Brentt Baltimore
• Knows How to Party? Tom Paliga
• Does NOT Know How to Party? Jake Richardson
• Best Dance Moves? Darell Hayes

Best Pairs…

• Romance? Zain Jamal and Becca Arnold
• Bromance?Aleksis Psychas and Moose Halpern
• Homance (Female Bromance)? Clair Briggs and Liz Arkell

Jake Richardson does not know how to party.

Scott Sanford and Lindsey Morgenthaler are most likely to make a habit of guest TNC appearances.

Aleksis Psychas and Moose Halpern have 2010's best bromance

Becca Arnold and Zain Jamal were voted the Best Couple.

Josiah Eberhart and Melissa Irvine voted Best Dressed in Poppa.

]]> http://cmcforum.com/life/05152010-senior-superlatives-2010/feed 8 http://cmcforum.com/life/05142010-your-big-summer-plans http://cmcforum.com/life/05142010-your-big-summer-plans#comments Fri, 14 May 2010 23:36:49 +0000 The Forum http://cmcforum.com/?p=15993

See who's nearby with the Forum's "Plans" feature.

Working for a non-profit in Cambodia, or for the man on Wall Street? As usual, CMCers landed some of the best internships around this summer. Take a look at where everyone’s representing, and who will be near you, with our Plans feature.

Full screen and click on the HD button for maximum effect.

We have noted current RA and retained rooms. We have also indicated where future RAs may live. Be aware that residents of those rooms may be asked to move next spring.

For your convenience, up to date room draw numbers are posted here.

Disclaimer: This is an informal map for informal planning purposes only. Visit Heggblade to view Housing’s official map. We do not guarantee the accuracy, timeliness, scale, or orientation of the dorm representations below. Please be aware that the North/East/South/West orientations differ by dorm.

]]> http://cmcforum.com/life/04202010-room-draw-drama/feed 10 http://cmcforum.com/news/ascmc-news/04192010-announcing-mr-stag-2010 http://cmcforum.com/news/ascmc-news/04192010-announcing-mr-stag-2010#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:33:33 +0000 The Forum http://cmcforum.com/?p=14548

It’s that time of year again where the best of the best come out to compete for the coveted title of Mr. Stag!

This ain’t no rodeo show, folks. This here is a classy event with the likes of Tom Mourmouras, Mike Bagby, Scott Sanford, Kevin MacPherson, Taylor Berliant, Greyson Blue, Nick Thompson, Travis Roher, and of course, the one and only Moose Halpern!

These studly dudes will be displaying their washboard abs in a swimsuit competition, demonstrating Einstein-like wit in a Q&A round, making all the Athenas swoon while trying to pick up Claremont’s most eligible bachelorette, and finally showing why the mighty Stag is far superior to the lowly Sagehen with their personal talents. Carl “Emcee” Peaslee and Tessy Orbea will be hosting while Isayas “Kid Cudi” Theodros, Kenley Turville, and Julie Hailue will be judging the contestants with the most critical of eyes.

Be sure to come by Pickford Auditorium on Friday, April 23 at 8pm to experience all the excitement!

NOTE: The set of numbers posted earlier was incorrect. You may download the NEW room draw number list here.

Stay tuned to the Forum for all your room draw drama. Live, up-to-date floor plans are coming. Below is an earlier email from Dean Castro concerning room draw logistics:

PLEASE NOTE:

Exchange of priority numbers, falsifying documents, tampering with dorm charts, harassing, threatening or coercing another student into either leaving his or her chosen room or altering his or her room selection will result in judiciary action, loss of right to a room, and/or loss of the privilege to participate in the room selection process.

DOUBLE ROOMS:

If you would like to draw into a double room without a roommate, you must first seek written permission from Fid Castro in Heggblade Center.  No one will be allowed to draw into a double room by themselves without written permission. Anyone granted permission to draw into a double room without a roommate will be placed in the housing pool with all new (freshmen and transfers) and readmitted students, and will be assigned a roommate over the summer.

CLASS QUOTAS:

Approximately 10% of each residence hall is reserved for new students.

LOTTERY NUMBER GENERATION:

On or before April 16, lottery numbers will be randomly assigned by computer.  Lists of the lottery numbers sorted alphabetically and numerically will be posted at Story House.  Individual lottery numbers will be placed in student mailboxes on or before April 16.   Do not discard your lottery number. You must bring it with you to room Draw on your assigned draw night.

All students who are issued numbers must participate in Room Draw.  Students who fail to pay dorm damage amounts of $5.00 or more by Friday, April 9 before 5pm will not receive a lottery number.  Students who pay damages after the April 9 deadline, but prior to Room Draw, can still participate, but will be given a lottery number at the end of their class.

MEAL PLAN:

Students who will be living in the residence halls should be prepared to select a meal plan at Room Draw.  Your options are:  16 meals per week ($160 board plus), 12 meals per week ($120 board plus), or 8 meals per week ($80 board plus).  Students who live in the residence halls must choose a meal plan.  Those students who have received permission to be off the meal plan for medical reasons must submit a new letter from their physician stating why they should remain off the meal plan for the 2010-2011 academic year.

NORTH QUAD HALF-SUITES:

In North Quad suites, groups of four students will be able to draw into either both rooms facing north, or both rooms facing south.  In the pod suites, the option will be to draw into either both eastern rooms, or both western rooms.  There will be no option to draw into one northern and one southern room in traditional suites, nor one eastern and one western in the pods.

To exercise this housing option, all four students in the group must arrive together, and will draw based on the best lottery number of the four.  If there are no half-suites available when your four-person group enters Room Draw you will need to split up and follow the instructions for roommates (see “ROOMMATES” below). This may include one of the pairs leaving to draw at a later time if their lottery numbers are scheduled for a later time. Also, if any member of the four-person group withdraws from their selected room after Room Draw, the remaining roommates will be reassigned to a new location at the discretion of the Director of Residential Life.

OFF-CAMPUS LIVING OPTION:

If you wish to live off campus in 2010-2011, come to the Heggblade Center to pay your dorm damage (if $5.00 or more) and to sign up for the off-campus option.  Those who complete this by April 9 will be removed from the lottery and do not need to show up at Room Draw.  After April 9, those who wish to live off campus will get a lottery number and select off campus at Room Draw.  There will be a maximum of 50 students allowed to live off campus for the 2010-2011 academic year.  Married students and students with dependent children are automatically granted off-campus status and they need not come to Room Draw.

Students who decide during Room Draw to live on campus will only be allowed to move off campus at a later date under the following conditions: 1) a student on the off-campus list wishes to move into the space to be vacated on campus, and/or 2) the move is approved by the Director of Residential Life.  There will be a $100 late decision fee charged to any student who chooses to move off campus, with permission, after April 22, 2010.  Students who move off campus without permission, or who remain off campus without choosing that option at Room Draw, will also be subject to the $100 late decision fee and possible judicial action.

PROXIES:

If you will not be able to attend the room selection in person, you may assign a proxy to make the decision for you.  After you receive your lottery number (but prior to Room Draw) see Lyn Hughes in the Dean of Students Office in Heggblade Center to register your proxy.  If you are unable to find a proxy, you may ask Lyn to have a member of the Housing Committee serve as your proxy.

CONSTRUCTION:

Kravis Center construction and the Pomona College residence hall construction will continue through the 2010-2011 academic year.  The construction may continue to disrupt traffic and parking along Columbia, Eighth Street, and Ninth Street. There may continue to be noise associated with these projects.

RESIDENT TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS:

RTAs will be selected prior to Room Draw, and are guaranteed a space in the hall in which they will be serving.

ROOMMATES:

Those who choose to be roommates for the 2010-2011 academic year must go through Room Draw together, using the better of their two lottery numbers (or higher Room Draw ranking).  If only one of the two is able to attend the selection, a proxy must attend for the student who is unable to attend.  One roommate may serve as a proxy for another.  Proxies must be registered ahead of time with Lyn in the Dean of Students Office.

During the room selection process you will be choosing a room or a roommate for the entire 2010-2011 academic year.  You will be expected to take responsibility for the choices you make during the Room Draw process, and you will need to work out any conflicts that may arise between you and your roommate.  Once you have selected your room and roommate through the Room Draw process your decision will be binding for the full academic year and no additional changes will be made.

ROOM RATES:

Room rates for the 2010-2011 academic year will be determined in June.

ROOM GENDER DESIGNATIONS:

Beckett and Marks halls will continue to have coed floors with single sex bathrooms.  Stark Hall will also continue to have two coed floors (second and third floors) with single sex bathrooms. Rooms and floors in Claremont Hall will have no predetermined gender designation. Instead, the gender ratio will be fixed in advance and male and female students may select any room in the building during Room Draw until gender limits are met. Bathrooms for each gender will be present on each floor.

No other Mid or South Quad residence halls will have coed floors for the 2010-2011 academic year.

In Beckett, Marks, and Stark the gender split is essentially down the center of the hall, with men living on one side and women on the other.

Maps showing the gender of specific rooms will be posted in Armour Conference Room in Heggblade by Monday, April 19.

ROOM RETENTION:

Those roommates living in double rooms who wish to retain their current rooms for the 2010-2011 academic year must do so before 5pm on Friday, April 9.  This option is only open to those in double rooms, and both roommates must agree to retain.  Students who are the sole occupants of double rooms are not eligible for room retention.

Those students who want to retain their rooms need to complete the Room Retention Form (see Lyn in the Dean of Students Office) before 5pm on Friday, April 9.  Students who have not paid their dorm damage will be unable to retain their rooms.

ROOM SELECTION PRIORITY:

The room selection priority system will be based on your class standing (Senior, Junior, Sophomore, or Freshman), as determined by the Registrar.  Class groups will draw in numerical order on specified nights, based on lottery numbers.

Room selection will take place in the Curb Conference room in Heggblade Center beginning at 6pm each night.

A detailed time schedule for room selection by lottery numbers will be on the back of your lottery memo.

If neither you nor your proxy is present at the Heggblade Center for Room Draw at the time your number is called, you will be called again after 20-30 minutes.  If at that time you (or your proxy) have not arrived, Room Draw will proceed, and the next group of students will begin to select rooms.

SINGLE-ROOM WAITING LIST:

If no single rooms remain available at the time your number is called during Room Draw, you may elect to be placed on the Single-Room Waiting List.  At the discretion of the Director of Residential Life, students on the waiting list will be contacted if singles become available.  The list will be valid until October 1^st.

SMOKING:

CMC has a “courtesy policy” for smoking in student rooms.  See the Guide to Student Life, page 9 (http://www.cmc.edu/dos/cmcguide/CMC_Guide_2009-2010.pdf).

Claremont Hall is a non-smoking hall, in accordance with the environmental guidelines that determine its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating.

APARTMENTS:

Students who have been accepted to live in the CMC Student Apartments or College Park for the 2010-2011 academic year will not participate in any part of the Room Draw process.

SUBSTANCE-FREE RESIDENCE HALL:

Those who wish to live in a community free from tobacco products, alcohol, and other drugs may select Stark Hall during Room Draw.

Your signed license agreement includes an agreement not to bring these substances into the building, and to not allow your guests to do so.  You may review the actual license agreement by seeing Lyn in the Heggblade Center.

Dear CMC Students,

Last night, I sent an email clarifying that the Senior Thesis Fountain Party was NOT canceled, but that we were reviewing ways to make it less intrusive to the rest of the College. Later in this email, I am going to announce that the Senior Thesis Party can continue. However, here are some important points.

First let me say that I was the one who asked Dean Nauls to speak with the Senior Class President about ways to mitigate the intrusive aspects of the party. It was not Dean Spellman, nor Dean Nauls, nor anyone else. It was me, and I take full responsibility for it. Some of the vitriol that has been aimed at others was misdirected.

The reason I asked Dean Nauls to address this is because this event has not been without significant harm to a few individuals, and this has escalated in the last few semesters. In particular, students carrying laptops have been completely soaked, and they have lost everything on their laptop. Think about that for a moment; how would you explain to a student that the College condones this? And although it is less severe in nature, some faculty members have also said that it is difficult to continue teaching classes because of loud music. As an educational institution, we have to be concerned about this.

So I wanted Dean Nauls to speak with William Robelo-Lara about the event. It seemed appropriate for the Assistant Dean & Director of Student Activities to discuss this with the Senior Class President. Then a lot of misinformation about what happened began circulating in social networking sites.

This morning I met with William, Senior Class Gift Chair Kyle Block, and some members of the Dean of Students Office. We have agreed to let the Senior Thesis Fountain Party continue, in its old location, but simply want those participating to be respectful of others and noise issues. My concerns about this ought to be clear, and I am calling upon those who will be celebrating the end of Senior Thesis to be mindful of this. Have fun, celebrate, and please be respectful of others. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

Now with regard to issue of student traditions, I hear you. Although the TNC’s were never “canceled”, it feels like we have tinkered with many social traditions lately. The issue of TNC’s had to do with the safety of the events, and we now have a plan for those concerns. As a show of good faith that I am not against traditions, I personally will toast the Class of 2010 outside of the Registrar’s Office at noon on April 26th. I will also invite a few surprise guests to join me in toasting you.

Sincerely,

Jeff Huang

VP for Student Affairs

Dear Seniors,

I am truly apologetic to those of you who are about to turn in your thesis this semester. Unfortunately, the Dean of Students Office decided to end the Senior Thesis Champagne Fountain Party. The Dean of Students office received several complaints by professors due to the ruckus outside of their classrooms and by underclassmen who ended up getting wet when they passed by the fountain. I’ve talked to Jim about this several times, and the Dean of Students have made up their mind and are ending this tradition for good. For those of you who are submitting your thesis this semester, I will give you your champagne bottle at the Senior Apartments. There’s not much I can do to reinstate this tradition, but what I can do is make our Senior Thesis Party the best that it can be.

Robelo-Lara followed-up with another email reassuring seniors that he would take up the matter with the Alumni Association and encouraged students to contact the Dean of Students directly.

Seniors who completed their thesis last semester celebrate at the fountain.