Bates College SCARAB The Bates Student Archives and Special Collections 9-13-2005 The Bates Student - volume 135 number 01 - September 13, 2005 Bates College Follow this and additional works at: https://scarab.bates.edu/bates_student The Newspaper of Bates College Since 1873 dieOLUME 135, NO. 1 Slates!TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2005tufcent LEWISTON, MAINE Bates Offers Gomes, Hansen Address Firstyears Admission to 17 Students Affected by Katrina ALI MORRIS ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR The devastating effects of a Category 5 natural disaster produce numerous unfore¬ seen crises. The once historically cultural city of New Orleans is now an impenetrable maze of massive ruin. Yet, one of the big¬ gest repercussions of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy that many do not realize is that it not only displaced countless homes and families, but thousands of college students. Tulane University, Loyola University, and the University of New Orleans are merely a few of the many universities that were hit during the Aug. 29 tragedy. Striking right before the fall semester be¬ gan, Hurricane Katrina was not the welcom¬ ing force students were expecting to find once back on campus. Most of the schools were finishing their freshmen orientations Sarah Beck / The Bates Student President Hansen began by addressing accusations of a liberal bias at American colleges. "There is none at Bates," she said. when they were disrupted by the news of the hurricane and asked to evacuate the premises. Now, due to Katrina’s devastation, KIRSTEN TERRY the class of 2009, Nabulsi asked for a mo¬ yet. He noted that in his observations as a all of the universities in the affected areas MANAGING NEWS EDITOR ment of silence in recognition of the victims participant in the student government, mem¬ have announced that they will not be able to of Hurricane Katrina. He proceeded to reflect bers of the Bates community can successfully hold classes during the fall semester. Bates held its traditional convocation on Bates graduate Benjamin Mays’ thoughts unite to “change any policy at the College.” Many colleges, including Bates, have of¬ ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 6, highlighted regarding his experience at the College, and Jill N. Reich, Dean of the Faculty, also fered students attending these schools a free by a speech from the Rev. Peter Gomes ’65, how they can represent any student’s time at offered advice to new students before in¬ fall semester. Colby has also offered to ac¬ a professor and minister at Harvard Univer¬ the school. Mays believed that at Bates one troducing Gomes. She described the Bates cept students, but unlike Bates, they are not sity, and a Bates trustee. The event was held can “acquire the tools to emancipate your¬ experience as one of self-discovery. “You are limiting their enrollment to only Maine state on the historic Quad, as it is at the begin¬ self,” and Nabulsi echoed this sentiment. on the threshold of your academic careers,” residents. Although Bowdoin will not be ning of each school year. Ryan Nabulsi ’06, “This institution will be the most forma¬ Reich said; she stressed that firstyears, “still accepting any new students, it has offered President of the Bates College Student Gov¬ tive force in the next four years of your life,” have choices.” visiting professorships to those interested ernment, President Elaine Tuttle Hansen and he said, mentioning the value of both aca¬ This message was also the focus of the during the winter semester and has donat¬ Rachel C. Herzig, Acting Director of the Of¬ demics and “beyond the classroom educa¬ speech delivered by Gomes. Alhough he ed $10,000 to each of the three historically fice of the College Chaplain, also addressed tion.” Nabulsi encouraged incoming students humbly expressed that he was “pulled out black universities in New Orleans. the audience. to follow their interests and create new clubs With seventeen new Maine students After a processional by the faculty and and activities that do not exist at the school See Convocation, page 5 See Mainers, page 6 Students, Staff and Faculty Begin Philosopher Speaks to a Packed Chase Lounge, Page 5 Fundraising for Hurricane Victims KIRSTEN TERRY tions through friendly competition between MANAGING NEWS EDITOR the students and staff. At the meeting, organizers Chris Petrel- The Katrina Relief Initiative held its first la ’06 and Hannah Johnson-Breimeier ’06 public meeting Thursday, Sept. 8 to begin stressed the importance of raising money for making plans for the fundraising efforts that people who will feel the effects of the hur¬ started the next day. The KRI has set a goal ricane locally. of raising $15,000 from students and $15,000 “We’re afraid that some families might from the College’s staff and faculty to aid literally freeze this winter,” said Johnson- victims of the recent hurricane. During the Breimeir. “People don’t realize what the far- meeting, members voted to designate 70% reaching implications of this are.” of the money collected to be donated to the The Rural Community Action Ministry American Red Cross and 30% to go to the is a non-profit organization that has been Rural Community Action Ministry of Leeds, working to help Maine families since 1970. ME. The money collected at Bates will be used The KRI formed Friday, Sept. 2, when within the organization’s Homelessness Pre¬ a number of concerned students and staff vention Services Program, which helps to members, including State Rep. Peggy Ro- provide heating fuel, among other resources, tundo, met on campus at the Harward Cen¬ to low-income homes in the state. ter for Community Partnerships with the Contention arose during the meeting, as Center’s Director, David Scobey. They chose Sarah Beck / The Bates Student those in attendance voiced their opinions their goal to be $15,000 as a tribute to the about how the $30,000 should eventually be Peter Singer defends controversial medical practices such as abortion and euthana¬ College’s 150th anniversary, and hoped that distributed. Students with personal connec- sia. the dual collections would encourage dona¬ See Katrina Relief Initiative, page 5 FORUM NEWS ARTS SPORTS Summer just doesn't BCSG holds first meeting. Staff and faculty recom¬ Men's soccer loses sea¬ measure up anymore. mended reads son opener to Bowdoin Page 3 Page 5 Page 8 Page 12 2, FORUM,TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13,2005 FORUM Think Globally, Act Locally As conscientious and compas¬ devastated by hurricane Katrina ties for students to act locally to sionate members of the global will be welcome to take courses ensure that similar disasters do community, Bates students don’t for credit without charge this se¬ not befall low-income families in Pates! need to be told mester. neighboring communities. ff Yet a8ain that At press time, 17 students for¬ As part of KRI efforts on cam¬ the hurricane Ka- merly enrolled in Loyola and Tu- pus, students plan to donate a Editorial trina disaster in lane Universities accepted the portion of money collected to the tubent New Orleans is a President’s offer. “The tuition of¬ Rural Community Action Ministry horrific tragedy. fer,” Hansen said, “is consistent based in Leeds, Maine. This mon¬ The Newspaper of Bates College Since What students may not realize, with Bates’ mission of academic ey will help low-income families 1873 however, is how the disaster di¬ achievement and social responsi¬ deal with the increasing oil prices rectly affects our own community, bility.” during the cold winter months. and there are things they can do But even during this criti¬ During October break, stu¬ Editor-in-Chief, Niraj Chokshi to help on a local scale. cal time, some students have re¬ dents also plan to work with the Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Scott Priest Over the past few weeks, mained inactive. This passivity is RCAM and donate their time to Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Emily Rand groups of students and faculty not out of apathy, but because people in need. These two efforts Managing Forum Editor, Tom Flanagan have spearheaded relief efforts they simply don’t know how to are demonstrative of students ac¬ Forum Layout Editor, Emily White in response to the New Orleans help. tively thinking and acting locally Assistant Forum Editor, Rakhshan Zahid disater. Recently, students, facul¬ Many students, feeling useless to improve the lives of families ' < „ • . ; . 1 t : 1 ■ ; - , : : 1 ty and staff launched the Katrina and lacking money to donate to right here in Maine. Managing News Editor, Kirsten Terry News Layout Editor, Eliza Reed Relief Initiative (KRI), a fund-rais¬ the relief efforts its victims have As students delve back into Assistant News Editor, Allison Marshall ing effort supported by the Office simply opted for inaction. college life, it is not likely the vic¬ Assistant News Editor, Ali Morris of the Chaplain and the Harward At its core, the travesty of the tims of hurricane Katrina will be Center for Community Partner¬ Katrina disaster was that the city’s soon forgotten. The sharp contrast Managing Arts Editor, Mari Wright ships. The group aims to collect poor were unable to access the between the scene of students Arts Layout Editor, Patrick Lavender $15,000 to donate to the Red Cross help they needed at a time when reading on library quad and the Managing Sports Editor, John McNulty relief fund, roughly $10 from ev¬ they needed it most. While it is images of New Orleans on our Sports Layout Editor, Kristin Sahagian ery member of the student body. not feasible for the Bates student television and internet screens is a Assistant Sports Editor, Jennifer Mclnnis President Hansen announced body to go down to Louisiana and patent enough reminder for most Sept.