Beta Lawyers Call for an End to Rape Survivor's
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Ending on a High Note Go Crustless Wesleyan “Athletes” PAGE PAGE World’s End suprisingly satisfying PAGE 5 Make pie and friends 10 Intramurals a good alternative to varsity 11 MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT VOLUME CLIII, ISSUE 1 FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2013 Since 1868 Go Wes! NSO Changes Promote Community, Diversity By Miranda Katz build community and how we build a News Editor community that is inclusive, accessible, accountable, and responsible to each This year’s New Student other,” Cardona said. “[It’s] really just Orientation (NSO) features sev- [about] building those bridges early on eral modifications from former years, so that the lines of communication and changes that its organizers hope will the relationships that we’re building enhance the sense of community that during orientation are meaningful and is imparted to incoming freshmen about leaving a legacy at Wesleyan.” during their first few days on cam- In past years, incoming stu- pus. The changes include reschedul- dents spent their first evening at ing of the Community Standards and the Community Standards and Responsibilities event, restructuring of Responsibilities event, where they We Speak We Stand, and introducing heard from members of the Honor small group meetings and a new theme Board, members of the Student during orientation. Judicial Board, Dean of Students Director of Orientation and Rick Culliton, and Public Safety of- Student Activities and Leadership ficers. This year, however, the event Development Elisa Cardona explained took place on the second night. Vice that each of these four major changes President for Student Affairs Michael reflects the new theme of access, eq- Whaley explained the reasoning be- uity, and inclusion. hind the decision. TRISHA ARORA/PHOTO EDITOR “When I look at the whole pro- Wesleyan students Chazelle Rhoden ’15 and Julio Angel ’16 pump their fists after chanting the gram this year, it’s really about how we NSO, page 2 Wesleyan Fight Song. For more settings where a student is likely to hear the fight song, see page 8. Planning Your Plan: How to Looking for a Niche? Think Arts Make Meals Work for You By Dan Fuchs of concerts from student and non-stu- Arts Editor dent bands will make anyone’s weekend By Jess Zalph of points on Oct. 17 or be like some of floor of the Butterfield C building. far from boring. On the local side, there Food Editor my friends who were begging for meal The Marketplace is all-you-can-eat, If you’re an incoming freshman, is a flourishing and ever-growing cadre of swipes from strangers by the end of the so spending just one meal here can you’ve only been at Wesleyan for a few student bands and a cappella groups that Hi there, 2017! semester. be a very good deal. Summerfields days, but no doubt you’re looking for- have ample opportunities to perform at At this point, you probably have Keep in mind that you can tends to be expensive, so if you are ward to the year ahead. Good news for Eclectic, WestCo, and Buddhist House, a lot of questions about what the next change the meal plan you select from planning to eat a full meal there you, then: the University has a pretty dy- among other venues. If you’re looking year holds for you. You don’t know Sept. 2 through Sept. 13. it makes sense to use one of your namite arts scene no matter what you’re for more established musicians, acts like who your friends will be, what classes meal credits. Meals that remain looking for, be it film, music, theater, or How to Dress Well, Danny Brown, and you should take, or if you will ever get What are “meals”? unused at the end of the semester studio art. Yet in such a varied artistic Girls’ Christopher Owens have given used to showering in co-ed bathrooms. A “meal” can (oddly enough) are lost—they do not carry over to environment, it can be easy to get over- stellar on-campus shows. Topping it off is This article should help you buy you a meal at two locations on the next semester—so it generally whelmed in the thick of it all. To help the annual Spring Fling; past performers answer one question, though: what campus. Head over to the Usdan makes sense to use them as much you navigate everything the University have included Big Boi, Wavves, and, last does your meal plan mean, and how Marketplace, located on the second as possible. has to offer, we’ve highlighted some great year, Kendrick Lamar. Needless to say, should you use it? You don’t want to floor of the Usdan University Center, things to expect from the fantastic arts if you’re a weathered music enthusiast end up like me last year and run out or to Summerfields, nestled on the first PLANNING, page 10 scene here. or even just a casual listener looking for something more, the campus will keep Stellar Concerts you endlessly enthralled. It’s no secret that the University has Beta Lawyers Call For an End a killer music scene, and the wide range WES ARTS, page 6 to Rape Survivor’s Anonymity By Tess Morgan and your local counsel, of scandal- Defendants’ ability to defend this News Editor ous behavior that has caused harm case: Jane’s counsel proposed en- to their reputation. You have chosen try of a confidentiality order that Almost a year after “Jane Doe” to do so not only in the pleadings would permit all parties to disclose filed a lawsuit against the University, but to trumpet these allegations to her identity to their directors, of- the Beta Theta Pi fraternity (Beta), the media.… Basic fairness requires ficers, employees, members, or and its Mu Epsilon chapter, the fra- plaintiff to stand behind those alle- recent alumni, provided such ternity’s lawyers submitted a brief gations, publicly.” person has a legitimate reason to this summer asking the court to Platek stated that he believes know Jane’s identity to assist in make Jane Doe’s identity public. anonymity has allowed Jane Doe to the defense of the case, keeps her John O’Neill was charged with make untrue claims about the frater- identity confidential, and agrees first-degree sexual assault and is nity. to be bound by the Court’s order,” serving a 15-month prison sentence “Plaintiff suffers no further the memorandum read. in Somers, Connecticut. harm should her claims go unproven The memorandum further In an email from the fraternity’s in this matter,” Platek wrote. “The stated that Jane Doe’s anonym- lawyers to the survivor’s lawyers pre- same cannot be said for the frater- ity is essential to protect her from sented in the memorandum, attor- nity defendants when plaintiff’s out- further harassment. According to ney Jeremy Platek stated that Jane rageous claims fail.” the statement, in the past, rape Doe’s claims have damaged the fra- A memorandum issued on July survivors have been intimidated ternity’s reputation. 2 by Timothy O’Keefe, Jane Doe’s on Wesleyan’s campus after expe- “The fraternity defendants, lawyer, stated that revealing her riences of assault. along with plaintiff, are entitled identity to the public is not neces- “Protecting Jane and other to be treated fairly,” Platek wrote. sary in the resolution of the case. rape survivors from intimidation ANDY RIBNER/FOOD EDITOR “Here, the fraternity defendants “Jane’s anonymity in no way Last semester, Emily Hunt ’13 performed her one-woman thesis, “The have been accused by plaintiff, you, interferes with the Fraternity BETA, page 3 Kindness of Strangers,” in which she played the role of an aspiring actor. www.wesleyanargus.com 2 THE WESLEYAN ARGUS FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2013 The NEWS Wesleyan Argus NSO: Leaders Incorporate New Discussions established in 1868 Continued from front page of ensuring that the sexual violence-relat- to check in about their experiences, par- that first year students understand our ed content was not treated light-heartedly. ticipate in team-building activities, discuss Wesleyan community and the responsibil- “[In the past] it was kind of weird be- “You can’t exactly go into talking the events of the day, and prepare for the ity within our community to really chal- cause it was like, ‘Welcome to Wesleyan!’ about sexual violence and sexual assault next day. lenge us to be a community of care and Editors-in-Chief and then, ‘Don’t do this, don’t do that, giggling, because then you’re not really “We really are trying to build com- responsibility,” Cardona said. “That takes Lily Baggott Christina Norris don’t get in trouble,’” Whaley said. “We taking it seriously,” Cardona said. munities based around area because the work, that takes care, that takes respect, decided that the safety stuff is all really im- Caillin Puente ’15, a member of students will have all year to get to know and that takes understanding and com- portant, obviously, but we wanted them the Sexual Violence Action Committee who’s living on their floor, and orientation munication and acceptance and inclu- to feel welcome and to begin getting con- and Students for Consent and really is about expanding your breadth of sion.” Production Manager nected and get settled and so forth.” Michelle Woodcock Communication, explained that one of who’s a part of this community, who’s go- The final change to the NSO pro- Community Standards and the goals of these groups is to make sexual ing to be in this community with you, and gram was the introduction of a new Responsibilities was not the only NSO violence programming a regular part of what that experience is going to be like,” theme: for the first time in several years, Executive Editors event to be reorganized.