Sewanee Purple, 2005-2006
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feetoattee ^utplt THE STUDENT ORGAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THF SOUTH April 7, 2006 J Vol. Ill Issue 4 Facebook and the Administration SAVE LAKE DIMMICK By Bill Fisher Relationship It Status: is no longer any secret that of Math and Computer Science, and conducted in an ecologically Dolan Polack sensitive and Shram, a regional Bran Potter, Professor It's Complicated of Forestry and and aesthetically development pleasing manner, there company, has been in a Geology. Nicholas Babson, meanwhile, has been a large amount By dialogue with The of backlash Ashley Gallman University of the represents the Board of Trustees. among the Sewanee community over South about the possibility of building When asked about the creation The phenomenon that is Facebook of the issue. Some of that criticism housing around may the Lake Dimmick the committee, Potter noted spread through the country's that it was stem from a genuine lack of area. knowledge There are many obvious concerns a good idea. universities with amazing speed, about the situation. about such development, from both "To do it [talk with DPS about obtaining immense popularity in a "There is a continuing desire the student body and the Sewanee developing Dimmick] without faculty relatively short amount of time. The among Sewanee alumni for housing in community at large. input would have created tension. The website even penetrated Sewanee's Sewanee," explains Potter, "as they are In the effort to combat such concerns, faculty lives here," said Potter. social and technological "bubble", not personally allowed to build on the and to reach a conclusion in the best After the faculty gained a place on Domain." as students lovingly refer to it, and interest of the school, the community, the committee, the Board of Trustees In became a huge hit on the mountain addition to additional housing as well. The website's popularity, however, may begin to wane as the dark side to Facebook is revealed. Over the last several months, news reports have been crowded with stories about Facebook as a possible outlet for monitoring users either by school administrators, future employers, or most frighteningly, Internet stalkers. Princeton's Public Safety Department has approached students about material in their Facebook profiles. Students at Northern Kentucky University were punished after administrators found pictures of illegal kegs in several of the students' profiles. Another student at Duquesne University was punished for a "homophobic" group he created. More and more schools across the country can report such incidents, yet students at Sewanee may be tempted to Lake Dimmick brush these events aside, thinking our small, isolated community is beyond and the student body, The University of also pushed to have a representative — for Alumni, DPS has discussed the reach of such problems. However, the South has appointed a committee to Babson. the possibility of the following: just as the website itself permeated the represent the faculty and the Board of In spite of these events, which upgrades/ add-ons to the Sewanee Sewanee community, its problems have Trustees. The faculty members of the hope to ensure that any development also begun to appear on campus. committee are Fred Croom, Professor at Dimmick (if there is any at all) be (Continued on page 3) A senior art major received a rude awakening as to the downside of Landscape Lab Goes to Washington: Facebook this year when a group she created lead to conflict. She created A Look at the Role of Science in Policy the group around an inside joke By Bert Harris between her and her friends that a On March 8-11, four environmental be helped by people (through logging) pass the bill and that our goal was to certain art professor could make her studies students, Natasha Cowie, Bert in order to regenerate properly. Walden try to narrow the margin by as much question her lesbianism. She explains Harris, Valerie Moye and Leighton Reid claims that his ideas are supported by as possible. If the bill is narrowly that the group grew to a "whopping accompanied Dr. Jon Evans to study science when in fact, no peer-reviewed passed by the House and thus appears 66 members", including one athletic science's role in decision making in publications corroborate his claims. controversial, the Senate will be less coach, one professor, one staff member, Washington, D.C. Dr. Evans, director Ecologists do not see disturbances as likely to vote in favor of the bill. The and several alumni, and furthermore of Sewanee's Landscape Analysis Lab, catastrophic events; the ecological events of the following days were that its she discussed the group with surprising bit discouraging was invited by Representative Tom literature overwhelmingly agrees and a but subject who only expressed amusement very informative overall. Udall (D-NM) to go to Washington that large disturbances are critical in rather than offense. Not all of the Art We divided our large group into D.C. to testify at a congressional maintaining ecosystem function and Department's professors found the several subgroups, composed each of hearing on post-disturbance forest that large dead trees provide important group however. to be humorous, The a nutrient source a lobbyist, a scientist and a student, ecology in the Southeast as it relates to wildlife habitat and group's creator was called in to one particular legislator's H.R. 4200, The Forest Recovery and for the regenerating forest. Dr. Evans that set off to a such professor's office and was told office in one of the House office Research Act. H.R. 4200, sponsored and five other ecologists were called that another professor in the department buildings. We needed no name tag by Greg Walden (R-OR) and Brian to present the ecological community's "had done a search of inappropriate current understanding of disturbance identification to enter the buildings and Baird (D-WA) is designed to encourage groups" and having come across this the security was a breeze compared salvage logging, or the removal of trees ecology to congress and to give their group, felt it fell into that category. The opinions of the bill as scientists. to the screening we received in the killed in a large disturbance event, in creator was asked to remove the group airport the day before. The offices National Forests and lands managed On our first day on Capitol Hill, we on the grounds that it was "embarrassing joinedforceswithseveralenvironmental were impressive with marble floi by the Bureau of Land Management. for the department." She agreed to get process lobbyists and the six science panelists high ceilings and at least two huge The bill expedites the salvage rid of the group, but argues, "I find it the staffers of members of the flags outside each door. We rarely saw by essentially waving the National to lobby ridiculous that should be monitored the representatives themselves; instead we Environmental Policy Act and the House of Representatives who might on non-university created we met with their staffers, people not the only Endangered Species Act. Walden vote against the bill. At a breakfast college communication site that is Spivak, lobbyist for much older than ourselves who are argues that large disturbances such as briefing, Randi a available... Ultimately it is a space for catastrophic American Lands Alliance, informed us responsible for informing their "boss" fires and hurricanes are freedom to discuss student life... and certainly events for forests and that forests must that the House would almost (Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 2) THE MOUNTAIN Page 2 Hartman finds Facebook "useful in his role as Dean of Students" (Continuedfrom page 1) in this way, it is expected to be a safe "check it out." several ways. The greatest benefit is Police Department, however, has no space for speech." She has keenly Once their curiosity was satisfied, the invaluable insight into student life interaction with the site. Chief Parrot felt that even at Sewanee Facebook is though, many professors felt concern the site provides: "I find it helpful firmly states, "I have never used the not beyond the perusal of non-student for what they saw on the site. Dr. in staying tuned-in to student issues, website and the police do not use parties, and although she was frustrated Bruss expresses fear that too many concerns, social habits, among other it for spying purposes." Although the by administrative intrusion into students post personal information reasons. Students will speak their Facebook is not entirely monitored for her profile, many professors and "which in the hands of the wrong minds openly on Facebook in ways they disciplinary infractions, there is still an administrators would assert that their person could be ^ctremely dangerous, would not in my office in or my home." administrational presence on the site presence on Facebook aids the students especially nowadays with net stalking." He often uses the site to gauge student and students' incriminating comments and the university image and that their He worries that students may be opinion on university regulations. If can be used against them. ability to view profiles should make endangering their safety by carelessly several groups with appear negative Sewanee 's Facebook users students wary of less congenial parties providing private information on a reflections on himself or a new rule. are far from immune to scrutiny. who may be privy to their personal relatively public forum. Dr. Trudy Dean Hartman can then reevaluate When approached on the subject of information. Cunningham also urges students to be his actions and new regulations with administrational and police monitoring, Several professors and cautious as to what they post, but for a fresh insight into student opinion.