Trinity Tripod, 1991-11-19
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VOL.XC NO. 9 PUBLISHED BY THE STUDENTS OF TRINITY COLLEGE SINCE 1904 NOVEMBER 19,1991 Class Off95 Elects "Independents For Greeks" Lahey, Banfield, Mobilizing For The Battle And Moore The text of the petition addresses • BY PETER M. FRIEDMAN the groups' two major arguements of the Associate Editor Greek system. First, that the Greek sys- 50% Turn Out At Polls tem is an integral and positive part of the The latest twist in the battle to keep Trinity community which adds greatly the Greek system alive at Trinity has to the Trinity experience, and secondly • BYJIMBARR spawned a new student group. In light of they hold that students ought have the News Writer the Trustees' upcoming decision on the right to choose to belong to different The freshman class of '95 elected fate of single-sex and Greek organiza- organizations, including single-sex ones. its new class officers last Friday, The tions at the College, several students have The group also believes that if the winners are President, Josh Lahey, Vice- taken it upon themselves to rally behind Trustees uphold the right of the Greek President Duncan Banfield, and Secre- fraternities and sororities. Trinity Inde- system then the College should drop tary Matt Moore. pendents for the Greek System, a nascent restrictions against currently banned This election was especially re- organization headed up by Rachel Gold single-sex organizations. Ms. Gold said markable because of the high voter turn- '93, has pledged as its goal to join the fray "If more fraternities and sororities are Newly-elected Freshman SUZANNE STEVENS on behalf of fraternities and sororities. out. Exactly 50% of the 486 freshmen Class President Josh Lahey. created then there will be more choices, voted in this election, compared to the According to Ms. Gold the group and then discrimination will decrease. elections held for other classes earlier more skewed. I think that [the winners] formed because "I, and a few of my As of now women only have four choices this year. The voter turnout for the sopho- all ran very strong campaigns. I think friends fejlt very strongly that many stu- (Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, more class elections was a minuscule that they all look like good officers." dents at Trinity support the Greek sys-, Cleo and St. Anthony Hall); allowing 25.2% this year, and the juniors and se- Newly elected freshman class tern even if they don't belong to any of more organizations will broaden their niors came came in with 36.3% and 47.8% president Josh Lahey said, "I think the the organizations. Wefeelthatthisgroup options." respectively of their classes voting. elections went very well. It was a fair needs a voice so that it can be heard." Ms. Gold also said that the organi- Asst. Director of Alumni Relations election.. .1 think all of the candidates stuck The group has not yet actually filed for zation was worried by the fact that fra- Deborah Dworkin said of the freshman to their good points," and there was no recognition or funding from the Student ternities are often blamed for problems elections that, "This is an extremely high negative campaigning. Mr. Lahey urged Government Association. on campus that aren't necessarily their voter turn out for a class election. This freshmen go contact him with their input Ms. Gold also said that the group fault. Instead she said that fraternities was due in part to the large number of on what they would like to see the class currently has ten core members, a major- were just easy targets for problems that candidates, and the strong campaigns of '95 do this year. "If anyone has any ity of whom are women. The group is exist campus-wide. One of the problems that they ran." needs or concerns, they should feel free really larger than that, she points out, that she cited with the process of investi- Mrs. Dworkin added that "The to call me," said Mr. Lahey. because they have been circulating peti- gating the Greek system that is going on secretary position was very close," and The elected officers will hold their tions since early November, and obtained now, is that the accusations against the that "The other [elections] were a little positions until the end of the school year. 150 signatures to this point. please turn to page 5 Teachingand Learning at Tnnity Part n in a series of I v IMSIDIs THE Who Makes The Grade?-And How Easy Is It? TRIBQBf. Questions Regarding Grading Standards Surround Trinity's Departments MH La Voz Latino, sponsored a certainly nothing. Therefore I will grade tact may account for current perceived panel discussion involving the • BYRICKZEDNIK you on how much of my everything you differences in grading among depart- reputation of Christopher Co- Editor-in-Chief learn." It evolved into, "You are an intel- ments. "In those disciplines where there lumbus. Page 6. Also, did you ligent person with lots of information is more impartment of information and participate in Hunger and It used to be that, on the scale of and experience and I am an intelligent testing on the successful absorption, Homelessness Week? If you traditional letter grades, an "A" meant there was somewhat less erosion of didn't, andyouwant to see what superior work, a "B" was awarded for grades." you missed, we have the above average performance, a "C" was A complaint commonly heard story;.,.,.... .See News, Page 4 given for average results, a "D" signi- from students and faculty in the sci- fied work below average, and an "F" ences is that their disciplines suffer due indicated failure in attempts to fulfill to high grades doled out by other de- ffiilThe Unites States must turn the minimum expectations. At Trinity, partments. its attention to the current situ- the average grade today is a high B, The study conducted by Prof. according to a study performed by Blackburnrevealed differences smaller ation in Cambodia. Turn to page Daniel Blackburn, Assistant Professor than he had anticipated. Using data 8. Research & Development is of Biology. This evident grade inflation made available from the Registrar, he the key to preserving Ameri- is apparently a national phenomenon. calculated the average grades received can hegemony in industry. "I don't think that Trinity is in by all students in 29 Trinity depart- Page 8 as well. The reason for any way special," asserts Jan Cohn, ments and programs for the fall of 1990. the legalization of drugs Dean of the Faculty. "The differences in The grade point averages varied little, shouldn'tbebecause marijuana grading from when I went to college in except when looking at the extremes. makes better rope, according to the 1950's are astonishing." Physical Education was the only de- one writer SeeW&N,Page9 Prof. Blackburn said that one fac- partment whose average grade was A. The lowest averages, compiled by Biol- tor which led to the inflation of grades Dean of the Faculty was the Vietnam War. He explained Jan Cohn. ogy, Physics, and Mathematics, were that students who were receiving poor |1P| Wrestling, hockey and swim- "In those departments where B-- ming are all previewed. Winter grades became disenchanted with their there is more impartment of infor- What Prof. Blackburn's exami- pursuit of higher education and en- nation showed was that the range of sports are set to begin this week tered the armed services. Consequently, mation and testing on the success- grades is very high. with hockey's home opener Fri- professors awarded ever higher grades ful absorption, there was some- Perhaps there is a problem here, day night at a sight to be deter- with the hopes of retaining student in- what less erosion of grades" but the problem seems to be nation- mined. Soccer and tennis intra- terest. wide. Prof. Blackburn asks, "Should C mural champions will be Dean Cohn believes the change person who just has more experience be an average grade at Trinity?" He crowned this week. Look for in grade value can also be attributed to and I will mentor you through this." then answers himself, "It isn't at Wil- more sports previews in the next a new relationship between teachers Dean Cohn continues to say that liams." The national trend of inflation issue See Sports, Page 16 and students. She says the understand- the "revolution" in student-faculty rela- has leveled off, but subsequent defla- ing became less one of "I'm the profes- tions "made its self felt differently in tion appears highly unlikely. No col- sor and I know probably everything, different disciplines." Thus, leaving as- lege, in Dean Corin's estimation, "is and you are the student and you know signments with objective standards in- please turn to page 5 Page 2»THE TRINITY TRIPOD*November 19,1991 OPINION Don't Just Talk About It-Do It Camp Paradox: Tatally Flawed By Its Use of Cliches1 hat's the difference between an academic and a politician? An academic sees all of the problems, yet has none of the answers. A To the Editor: completely unbelievable sequence of ac- _____^ politician has all of the answers yet sees none of the problems. In her review of a new play "Camp tions. For instance, we are asked to be- Trinity College is not immune to the simple message my joke has to offer. Paradox" (November 12), your Arts lieve that the character of Cory will de- To make matters brief, we over discuss and analyze, yet nothing seems to Writer Jennifer Saunders describes the clare her undying love and passion for ever be accomplished.