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The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author. ~HE COLLEGE VOICE PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE STUDENTS OF CONNECTICUT COLLEGE NEW, LONDON, CONNECTICUT VOLUME XXXIII • ISSUE 17 WEDNESDAY, April 8, 2009 Last of the Landlines NORA SWENSON STAFF WRiTER Despite efforts by the college's website to hype up the campus's "state-of- the-art communications network providing sophis- ticated phone and data con- nectivity fromevery room on campus," the outcomes have been at best rather meager, with many students turning to cell phone use instead. t In fact, the major- ity of Connecticut College students do not even know their room extension. At the March 27 Student Government Association meeting, the Assembly discussed the use, or rather Students Pledge to lack of use, of the landlines located within students' rooms both for local and Lead a More long distance calls. Bruce Carpenter, Director of .Technical Support and Lee Community-Oriented Hisle, Vice President of Information Services, gave an overview of the current Life situation. Currently, Connecticut College spends over $3,200 At the end of Liz Durante's memorial last Friday, April 3, a year to subscribe to a ser- students vowed to lead a more philanthropic lifestyle by vice, STC,which enables a tracing their hand and signing their name within it. By the long distance calling ability memorial's end, the One Love banner overflowed with stu- for each landline, whether dent's pledges. students choose to sub- scribe to the service or not. At present, only 6 percent of students utilize this service, a drop of over 25 percent The Cost of Conn: Understanding Financial Aid since this time last year. With the influx of cell BEN EAGLE difficult. Solinga, and the and the college on the whole, phones, webcams and inter- On average, financial aid Officeof Financial Aid must President Lee Higdonand EDITOR-iN-CHIEF , , net programs like Skype, the students receive $32,000 in then determine how much Paul Maroni Vice President for landllnes are falling more For many high school financial aid. Of that aver- the parents of a financial aid Finance have built contingency and more out of favor. students the most agonizing age, $27,000 comes from candidate will contribute to plans into the budget to The implementation of part of the college application tuition. In any other year, the weather any storm. Normally, calling cards was suggested, process is over: they got institutional grants, or in other parents previous reported there is a $1.2 million which would allow those accepted. But for the parents, words, directy from annual income would suffice, ' contingency plan put in place students wishing to call the agonizing process is just. Connecticut College's pocket. but with layoffs rampant with every budget. long distance to pay for beginning. How are they going in every sector, forecasting "Historically,"Maroni said in their own individual minute to pay for it? becomes a bit more difficult. an Open Town Meeting Friday . College Officeof Financial Aid use, and would enable them One answer for many "Budget planning consists of afternoon, "that has been .intend to make ends meet? to continue using the same families is financial aid. economics and gut instincts," plenty. [But in the future 1 it The first step, according room phones. And, for those families that Solinga said. "With an might not be enough:' to Solinga, is attempting A great deal of the discus- are applying to Connecticut emphasis on the gut instincts." . Thus, the College has added . to convince parents that sion focused on concern College, they are in luck - the On average, students receive an almost $4 million cushion college is a good investment. that international students school increased their financial $32,000 in financial aid. Of which, "should get us through often utilize landlines to aid budget to around $20 "Parents who write out a that average, $27,000 comes anything," Maroni said. check for a roof see the results contact family and friends. million this year, up from $19.7 from institutional grants, Solinga underscored the immediately;' Solinga said. "But However, as SGAPresi- million last year, according or in other words, directly importance of such a cushion. they might not see the results dent Leidy Valencia suggest- to Elaine Solinga, Director of from Connecticut College's While other departments of a college education for 8 to ed, "Interms of internation- Financial Aid. But given the pocket. Thus maintaining a have been encouraged to scale al students, maybe having current economic downturn, 10 years." Parents, according strong financial aid budget is back their budgets, it's almost to Solinga, want to see tangible some sort of system set up more students will inevitably key to helping students who inevitably acknowledged that results from college like a job within the houses [would qualify for aid, meaning might not otherwise be able Financial Aid will go over. or acceptance to grad school. work.] Like,the housefel- even though there is budget to afford a Connecticut College budget. While the cushion can For those that deem lows tend to help students increase, the financial aid education. enable the Officeof Financial college a worthy investment, who come in late, so maybe budget might not go as far. So To ensure the stability of Aid to help incoming students, the next step is a bit more SEE LAST PAGE 4 how then, does the Connecticut both the financial aid program SEE THE COST PAGE 3 IN THIS ISSUE April's Fools' Joke Gone Wrong paper taped together), a large dining hall. They believed the Does Hip-Hop Hate Women? EMILY ZUBKOFF bucket for lobster shells and dinner was a demonstration of See a preview of the community dialogue on Hip- STAFF WRiTER detailed directions on how to 'white privilege' because of the Hop and gender Page 4 eat a lobster (printed from off expense of lobster and the race • ••••••••••••••••••••• On April 1, Patrick Corbett the internet). of the individuals eating it. Lobster-Gate 2009 '09, Harris Rosenheim '09, It was the group's intent to Corbett said, "some students How are others reacting to the crustacean catas- Andrew Carlin '09 and Evan pretend it was the 'Lobster thought the intent ofthis din- trophe of the century? Find out on Page 6 Abrams '12 created a reen- dinner' in Harris as an April ner was to show that we repre- actment of the 'Lobster and Fool's.Dayjoke. sented the wealthiest, top four • ••••••••••••••••••••• Steak dinner' in Harris Refec- Confusion arose when stu- percent of the world, showing Above/Below tory. The traditional 'Steak dents asked about the purpose off white supremacy. However, and Lobster dinner' was an of their special meal. The four this was not our intent. We See how students, alumni, locals and profes- annual Harris event canceled told inquiring students that it never intended to send any sors performed for progress Page 9 this year because of budget was 'Lobster dinner' in Harris. political messages:' · . restraints in Dining Services, However, other speculation Loretta Vereen '12 expressed Camel Crest I In order to recreate the dinner, and alternative reasons for 'the her view of the dinner on What would you guess is the highest.ranked team at the group gathered all of its dinner spread. Facebook, "Iknow its April Conn? Find out on Page 12 typical cornponentsrlobsters Several students were fools, but whoever thought it (prepared by a chef at Harris), alarmed or offended by the would be a joke to have 'white bibs (homemade out of plastic sight of four white male privilege' portrayed through 4 Editorials, 21 News, 31 Crosswords, 5 1OpInions, 61 A&E, 71 Sports, 12 bags), place mats (printer students eating lobster in the SEE APRIL PAGE 4 I \ \ THE COLLEGE VOICE EDITORIALS April 8, 2009 CONTRIBUTE: e-mail [email protected] Letters To The Editor affecting sweeping changes to Dear Editor: shops on topics ranging from our country's energy future. I'm writing to take issue with debates on how to effectively. Powershift was about build- many of the assertions made by implement cap-and-trade to ing a movement of passionate, Mr.Sutton in last week's letter how to use Google to advance a THE educated, and ~edicated student regarding Power-shift, but first grassroots movement to achiev- leaders who will talee on some I have to start with a question. ing equity and social justice in of the biggest issues of our time . Who is his critique aimed at? . the new green economy. There COLLEGE'VOICE It was about rallying together At first I thought he was was also a green jobs fair for around a common cause, ex- PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE STUDENTS OF CONNECTICUT COLLEGE criticizing the Renewable Energy people who are looking for jobs changing ideas, and forming Club (REC) for not fundraising next year. partnerships and coalitions enough to help students pay Every night environmental with young leaders to advocate for the trip. This is an under- leaders like Lisa Jackson, Van for the environment and equity Letter From The Editor standable guess because of his Jones, Ken Salazar,Majora Carter, reference to the 'toll' it took on Ed Markey, Billy Parish, and back home.