Egypt in Crisis Budget Student Witnesses Violence in Egypt Cuts Plague by MIKE KNAPE Orientation in Cairo When the Pro- Tests Began
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February 11, 2011 • Volume 100, Issue 11 EGYPT IN CRISIS Budget Student witnesses violence in Egypt cuts plague By MIKE KNAPE orientation in Cairo when the pro- tests began. He attended a couple of As captivating as the current un- the protests before he was evacuat- education rest in Egypt may be for the Puget ed to Athens, Greece on Feb. 2. Sound community, it certainly “It really is a life-changing event, strikes closer to home for the stu- but not necessarily in relation to statewide dents and faculty with connections my studies, as I hope to get back to the country. to Egypt. The most poignant part By CAITLIN DOXSIE The massive public protests and of the whole ordeal there was that demonstrations that broke out I really got to watch some historic No matter what level of educa- across Egypt on Jan. 25, follow- events unfold and I got to witness tion in Washington State concerns ing the mid-January departure of people who were out fighting for you most—whether it be teaching former Tunisian President Zine El something that was more important or higher, secondary or primary ed- Abidine Ben Ali, have escalated into to them than the numerous dan- ucation—the new education budget violent clashes between critics and gers and long odds involved, which cuts will have a significant effect. supporters of Hosni Mubarak, the is not something you get to witness The Washington State House of Egyptian president at the time this all that much in America, which Representatives recently approved a issue of The Trail was sent to print. is comparison seems pretty steril- new budget by a vote of 55-43 that For Politics and Government Ju- ized in that regard,” Russell said via cut $222 million in spending and nior Peter Russell, who was sup- email. decreased the budget deficit by over posed to have been studying abroad Religion professor Mat- half reported the Seattle Times. One in Cairo this semester at the Ameri- thew Ingalls also has a close per- PHOTOS COURTESY/PETER RUSSELL of the main areas to be slashed is ed- can University in Cairo (AUC), the sonal connection to the re- ucation. experience has been bittersweet. Firsthand experience: Student Peter Russell participated in Over the next two years, higher education funding will be cut by 4.2 Russell was still going through SEE EGYPT PAGE 2 protests before he was evacuated from Cairo, Egypt. percent, and this decrease will like- ly raise public university tuition by 9 to 11 percent, according to the Se- attle Times. Sorority women bow out of Crossover day tradition On the secondary education lev- el, Foss High School—located near Cheney Stadium in central Taco- ma—is in danger of being closed next year. According to the News Tribune, Foss has the lowest num- ber of students enrolled in Taco- ma, and district officials believe that current Foss students can be distrib- uted to surrounding schools. The temporary closure of Foss could save the Tacoma School Dis- trict approximately $5 million next year alone, reported TNT. While closing Foss could be the solution to Tacoma School District’s problems, this proposition is op- posed by many parents and students who want to keep the school open. “I’ll be honest and say that I’m quite angered by all that is going on around Foss lately. I can’t make any claims of knowing details about ev- erything going on, but I can say that there will be some huge problems to PHOTO COURTESY/GREG NISSEN be faced if it is shut down,” former Foss High School student and cur- Boys Only: Fraternities amass for Crossover day, and for the first time sorority women will no longer participate in the tradition. rent Puget Sound freshman Dolan Ellis said. By ANNETTE D’AUTREMONT Crossover day has included sorority around Peyton field for not only the participate in Crossover. Hopefully, According to the Foss High women. Sisters of all Greek houses entire campus to see, but the sur- most people join for the communi- School website, the Tacoma School What do crazy costumes, drink- dressed up in clothing that led them rounding local community. ty service and/or bother/sisterhood Board has not yet made a final deci- ing at 6 a.m. and Greek life all have to risk frostbite due to freezing tem- Certain members of the Greek aspect of it,” Cafferty said. sion concerning the fate of Foss. in common? Well, not that much. peratures in the wee hours of the community felt like Crossover tar- New member sorority pledges for Closing schools is not the only At least, not anymore. This year the morning in Tacoma. nished the experience for the men this year are much higher than av- idea that school district officials notorious Crossover day tradition- The day is dreaded by some non- on their bid day. The women are erage. have to save money. TNT report- ally attended by all members of the Greek students on campus as they given a bid day the previous week, 40 percent of females in the Puget ed that some districts in the state Greek community is undergoing are often bombarded by both the and the men wanted to recapture a Sound class of 2014 pledged to a have recently toyed with the idea of substantial changes. Women will brothers and sisters who frequent day that they could celebrate sepa- sorority house. In years past, the shortening the school year by a few no longer be allowed to participate the SUB in large numbers after their rately. pledge class averaged 25 percent. days. in the “celebration” of the gentle- morning activities. Not all members of the Greek Gardner reported that Crossover Washington requires school dis- men pledges when they chose their Panhellenic President Jessica community have gotten onboard day was a success, and the men had tricts to have 180 days of school, but house. Cafferty, Interfraternity President with the changes. an enjoyable time. proponents argue that decreasing This deviates from past years, Alex Gardner and Assistant Direc- There have been complaints They have not yet had any com- this amount by approximately three when women of the four sororities tor of Greek Life Moe Stephens con- among some sorority members who plaints from members of the Puget days is better than most ideas to at Puget Sound were welcomed by tributed to the change in this year’s enjoyed the tradition of Crossover Sound or residential communities. save the state money. For example, the fraternities to cheer them on. Crossover day. and did not want to see the end of Garder also expressed the senti- the Bethel School District is con- The origin of traditional Cross- Although there were external an event that they looked forward ment that the success of this year’s sidering cutting five days of school over began many years ago and pressures from faculty and staff to to each year. Crossover day was in large part due which would save the school district the men would literally cross over modify the event, the expressed Presidents Gardner and Caffer- to the positive attitude the active $3.5 million, according to TNT. Union Avenue to their respective need to change the custom also ty met with all of the Greek houses members displayed. Supporters of a shortened school houses. However, this tradition came from within the Greek com- to explain why the change was oc- And since new member pledges year also argue that by cutting the proved increasingly dangerous as munity. curring and told sorority women to did not know what Crossover day three days prior to Thanksgiving some fraternity members were in- Crossover is typically stereotyped not show up for Saturday morning was like in the past, this new, safer (thus creating a week-long Thanks- jured by passing cars. as a day of buffoonery; Members of Crossover celebrations. tradition was easily adopted by the Since then, the tradition of the Greek community publicly run “We do not become Greek just to class of 2014. SEE EDUCATION PAGE 2 SAAC fundraising Abortion funding contested Victor Wooten interview 1022 South News page 2 Opinions page 3 Features page 6 A&E page 12 2 NEWS The Puget Sound Trail February 11, 2011 [email protected] of AUC students. So regardless of a few are still there. Th ose that are aff ect students, but it will also aff ect EGYPT what they’re showing on CNN, keep there have gone on patrols at night EDUCATION the nation’s teachers and college stu- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 in mind that the Egyptians are really to keep their own neighborhoods dents graduating with plans to be- a great people and I hope it works safer, the American University in come teachers. gion. Like Russell, Ingalls fi rst giving break), there will be a min- out for them,” Russell said. Cairo has pulled everyone on cam- “In the short term, state budget visited Egypt while studying abroad imal impact on students’ education International Political Economy pus from Zamalek, [their campus cuts to education will make fi nding his junior year of college. Ingalls because little learning is occurring PE Professor Brad Dillman, who downtown],” Topolski said. education jobs more diffi cult,” said moved back to Egypt aft er graduat- that week. studies the Middle East and lived Russell had intended to try and Beck. ing from college and lived there for Nevertheless, cutting school days in Cairo from 1995 to 1998 while continue studying in Egypt once the But, Beck added, “Th ere are a four years, marrying and starting a in hard economic times may not be teaching at the AUC, supports that situation had settled somewhat, but couple of things to keep in mind.