Remembering Jimmy
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features inside sports Classifieds ......................14 Students explore Comics ..........................12 Men’s lacrosse falls in Europe in ISP Community Calendar .......11 tournament play Editorial/Opinion ...............6 Features ..........................8 8 Sports ............................16 16 Volume CXXX, Number 1 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY Friday, July 16, 2010 Serving The Members Of The RPI Community Since 1885 Remembering Jimmy HEAVY METAL Students mourn death of James Johnston ’11 ZUZANNA NAUMOWICZ Sweet stories about Jimmy have been floating around Staff Reporter to preserve the memory of the vibrant young man. One way people have been sharing their sentiments is In describing James “Jimmy” Johnston ’11, all fam- through a Facebook group called “Remembrance of ily and friends could agree that, no matter the situation, Jimmy Johnston,” dedicated to the memory of their he always knew how to bring a smile to everyone’s family member, student, and friend. In the group’s face. With great sadness, the precious memory of discussion section there is a “Memories” thread, a Jimmy’s smile is now all they have to hold onto. compilation of funny stories, sympathetic thoughts, On July 6 at the youthful age of 23, the life of and joyful recollections of time spent with Jimmy. the senior materials science major was cut short. Among the plethora of messages coated with Found in his family’s swimming pool in Chester the words “I miss you,” Claire Jackson, a friend of Township, N. J., he was transported to a local hos- Jimmy, recalls his comforting nature. pital where he was pronounced dead a mere half “Jimmy always seemed to have a way of under- an hour later. The cause of death was determined standing you even when you didn’t quite understand to be drowning. yourself. He was able to make you feel like you “The loss of a student is a very difficult event for weren’t alone, and when you had a problem he would a university community to experience,” wrote Vice be able to help calm you down without making you President for Strategic Communications and External feel like someone was judging you or looking down Relations William N. Walker in an e-mail to the Rens- on you. He was always a lot of fun to be around …” selaer community on July 8 regarding Jimmy’s death. Another friend, Dan Elton ’10, reminisces: “He was The loss of Jimmy, valued member of the Science such a unique person, I will never forget him, espe- Fiction Association and treasurer of the Rensselaer cially his unique sense of humor. He would always Games Club, has certainly shaken up the lives of bring smiles to the faces of those around him.” those that knew him. Jimmy’s family set up visitation hours on July 11 “I remember one particular night after a terrible at the William J. Leber Funeral Home in their town day of tests, I hadn’t eaten anything all day and for those who wanted to pay final respects. A private wasn’t feeling my greatest. Jimmy was the only funeral service was held the following day. person who recognized the stress I was under and To his college friends, it may feel like something Ryan Baltazar/The Polytechnic offered to drive me out to get some food. We spent is missing during the upcoming semester without NELSON BRUNS ’10 INSTALLS one of his metal sculptures the time talking and laughing about all of life’s seeing Jimmy’s smiling face throughout campus. on the second floor of the Rensselaer Union on June 8. The little stupid mysteries. I thanked him that night, Jimmy is surely missed by the Rensselaer commu- sculpture takes advantage of the properties of magnetism. but I’m not sure he knew just how much it had nity, but his presence will be kept alive through the meant to me. I will miss you so much Jimmy,” valuable memories of experiences and moments shared Nicholas Milano ’10. shared with him. Class of 2014 arrives Tobacco-free policy begins JOSH EASON decision to attend. “RPI just had this Staff Reporter sort of atmosphere that other universi- KELLY LOTTMAN with the Student Handbook of areas, rather than having a ban in ties didn’t have, and it was something Senior Reporter Rights and Responsibilities for place over the entire campus. Some After a record number of applica- that I valued. I could actually learn so students and the Human Resources other smoke-free universities tions were submitted to the Institute many things, and still have fun.” July 1 marked the start of RPI’s Policy Guidelines for faculty and have followed this model, such this past year, the RPI Class of 2014 Overall, the final class is broken up tobacco-free initiative, which will staff” for subsequent offenses. as San Francisco State University, has shaped up to be a very diverse with 53 percent engineers, 26 percent prohibit usage of any tobacco prod- The counseling sessions will at which “Facilities and Service group of students. in science, 4 percent in the Lally uct within the confines of campus. be conducted through the Capital Enterprises is responsible for The Class of 2014 is projected to School, 6 percent in Architecture, and The policy applies to anyone on Employee Assistance Program, and identifying designated smoking have 1,135 students this fall. The 6 percent in Humanities and Social campus, including visitors and smoking cessation classes will be areas.” In response to this idea, decrease in class size this year is a Sciences. vendors. According to its website, available on and off campus. Powell noted several statistics result of an intentional decrease of The class is slightly less geographi- the Institute decided to create a Despite indications during the about the negative effects of engineers. This reduction is to im- cally diverse this year, with only 27 tobacco-free campus because of spring semester’s Pizza with the tobacco use and second-hand prove the teacher-to-student ratio in percent of students enrolling from the evidence that tobacco use and Cabinet that the policy would be smoke. He then explained that, the school of engineering, according outside the Northeast, down from second-hand smoke are significant enforced by “community polic- “Smoke-free workplaces are the to Vice President for Enrollment and 30 percent last year. Enrollment for health hazards. ing” and no monetary fines, the only way to eliminate secondhand Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate underrepresented minorities has also “Tobacco use” includes not only Institute decided to include fines smoke exposure.” Admissions Paul Marthers. decreased, dropping to 8.1 percent, smoking tobacco through a ciga- in the enforcement procedures after While praising the tobacco- The class was selected from yet from last year’s 9.5 percent last year. rette, cigar, pipe, or other device, receiving feedback from faculty, free initiative’s ability to improve another record-breaking group of Additionally, the average SAT score but also the use of chewing or staff, and students, said Powell. campus health, Hunt stated that, 13,466 applicants, a 9 percent increase for enrolled students is 1363, up from smokeless tobacco. When asked what specific actions “What becomes difficult with from 2009, and a 142 percent increase 1354 last year and 1320 in 2005. 66 The policy will be enforced would be taken after the third of- this new policy is enforcement. from 2005. This year has also seen a 1 percent of enrolled students are in through the use of “progressive fense, Powell said, “It is difficult to As written in HR Policy Guide percent increase in women enrolling, the top 10 percent of their graduating corrective actions,” according to respond to a ‘what if’ offense. The 800.3 ‘Tobacco Use,’ enforce- bringing the total to 28 percent female. class, up from 61 percent last year. Vice President of Human Resources intent is not to punish violators, but ment is vague and amorphous. “Once again, the freshman class With these increases in academics, Curtis Powell. These disciplinary to assist such violators with profes- I will be working with HR to is comprised of very bright students however, come increases in financial actions are “verbal counseling and sional assistance that is meant to hopefully develop more ad- with a special interest in discovery, in- burden. The tuition discount rate is education about the health effects improve their quality of life.” equately defined enforcement novation, and interdisciplinary study,” down to 41.3 percent versus last year’s of tobacco use” on the first offense; Some students, such as Grand guidelines so that no students are exclaimed Marthers. 43.6 percent and 2005’s 52 percent. written warnings on the second; a Marshal co-terminal student Ben met with surprising penalties.” “When I [got] accepted by RPI, I Overall, the Class of 2014 has an monetary fine or community service Hunt ’10, have mentioned the To read the policy, visit http:// started to learn more and more about impressive background that raises on the third; and “other appropriate possibility of having specific areas rpi.edu/about/tobacco/index. it, and I fell more in love with it,” ex- the academic standards for incoming disciplinary actions in accordance of campus designated as smoking html. plained Fabian Hough ’14 about his classes at RPI. 2 • news Friday, July 16, 2010 the poly Technology changes social networks KANE HADLEY Staff Reporter Around us is a world filled with connections and relations, and on May 4, 2010 Rensselaer opened the new Social and Cognitive Networks Academic Research Center to study these connec- tions using the network sciences. Network science encompasses a very general area: galaxies im- pacting each other, different parts of the human body interacting, communication networks, and more.