■ Pap 13 ■ P*C*15 B| P«. 19 Slnales unite A class act SarMdHfltssiccMS Despite the celebration couples share Climbing, Tree Movie House offers affordable Senior Anthonu Wallace has learned to overcome on Valentino Day ]MUtingU flicks uith tlie nostalgic flair. obstacles on his route to success on the fast track ebrate their autonomy James Madison University May: Sunny Hick: 45 THE REEZE o Low: 22 Vol. 79. /w«- Transit bus injures fresh- man's foot SAE members acquitted A freshman suffered 9 iniuries to his foot Tuesday Two seniors charged with hazing found 'not guilty due to lack of evidence night when a Harrisonburg I'r.insil bus r.in it over as he BY DAVID CLKMKNTSON ly injury?" because the It s my belief that the cause bodily injury," must be attempted to board. senior writer John Cicchino was waiting StatUti applies only if there is Commonwealth has no evi expelled from college and pn*- for the bus in the Blue Ridge The two Sigma Alpha bodily injury. dence," attorney Aaron Cook, sented to the Commonwealth Hall parking lot when he Epsilon fraternity members who represented Manner, told attorney. "It's a frustrating process," stepped toward il and WM charged with six counts of haz- 1 Uatwote Cook and Price's attorney, (iene I lart Jr., success- I lart said alter the trial. "I think struck, according to a ing each were found "not -66- Harrisonburg Police guilty' yaatavda) ■■tanoofl as In our minds, they fully argued for dismiss.il the judge understood that." Department press release. the judge diMiiissrd their case "There is no basis for these According to Hart, if the defen- charge*/ Hart told the judge. dants did not talk to JMU offi- Cicchino was admitted to tor lack of e\ idence. brought the charges "In our minds, they brought cials, they could be charged Rockingham Memorial "I'm just glad it's over." sen- tin- charges with no evidence to with "noncompliance," yet Hospital and reportedly was in ior Ted Price said, after walking with no evidence to out of the court house. "I'm begin with " were not permitted to talk, as stable condition Tuesday night. begin with. Movers said that over the the court's criminal process According to the release, speechless" I'rue and senior weekend he had tried to con- was still undarway Hart -aid the driver did not see Cicchino Daniel Mannci each head up -Gene Hart Jr. tact three witnesses, or vic- JMU simultaneously is doing approaching the bus. to a year in jail and expulsion defense attomcA tims of the alleged SAE haz- its own prosecution. Police reported that no from school if found guilu oi Virginias Class One misde- ing, to no avail. Fred Hilton, director of charges have been filed, but •9? The two defending attor- University Communications, the incident still is under meanor ha/ing statute neys also attacked the Code of said JMU already was pursuing investigation. During the trial, Rockingham County General Movers responded, "That is Virginia Statute. "The statute its own investigation of the ■ vour honor." itself is a loop," Hart told the accused. "Our judicial system — compiled from staff reports District Court Judge William Heatwole asked the Movers attempted to argue judge. "It's somewhat of an will look into it," Hilton said. Commonwealth attorney. for "nolle prosse." a way to unusual statute" Michael Way, director of the Bradley Movers, who prose- temporarily drop the charge According to State of Office of Judicial Affairs, cuted the case, "Isn't that but allow for future prosecu- Virginia Code 18.2-56, those declined to comment on the DAVE KlM/wmwr pht<iogr,iphtr what you'lC telling me? You tion, should more evidence found guilty of "hazing, or oth- Senior Tad Price wn found Three don't have any proof of bodi- eventually arise. trwtM mistreat(ing) so as to see HAZING, page 5 'not guilty' of hazing. Strikes Policy reviewed <* BY KYRA PAPAFIL staff writer When at the plate, every batter knows the drill — three Out-of-staters face admissions odds strikes and you're out IML is now the plate and students are at bat. The objective: don't strikeout Predicted Acceptance Rates In-State to Admissions look JMC's Three Strikes Policy was implemented in 1998 in 2002-2003* School Year Out-of-State Ratios response to recommendations for stronger grades, from the Attorney General's Total applicants: 16,000 Task Force. The task force rec- higher test scores ommended some sort of limit- 55-57%. 43-45% ed tolerance, according to accepted not a<?g.eP,«i. director of Judicial Affairs or waitlisted from non-Va. students Michael Way. Way said tic out of state, acceptance is policy has been effective, espe- BY KATE SNYDER , staff writer more competitive for non- cially this academic year, in Virginia students. curbing repeat violations. In addition to extra mone- tary burdens, out-of-state stu- According to Walsh, when dents must overcome greater applications are reviewed, In-State applicants: 9,600 (60%) odds with IML' s admission four major areas are axain -46- process than their in-state ined: curriculum, grades, test Students found 45-47% counterparts. scores and extracurricular 53-55% not accepted Each year, thousands of il tivities. Extracurricular responsible for three accepted or waitlisted " prospective students apply to activities include both tdtool JMU from many states out- and non-school activities, violations... maybe side Virginia. The question is, including dubs organiza- if so many people aiv apply- tions and athletics, as well as suspended. ing and only 30 percent of community service involve- students are non-Virginians, ment or part-time jobs. Out-ot-State applicants: is it harder for out-of-state In addition, a personal students to be admitted? statement and recommenda- 6,400 (40%) Michael Walsh, dean of tions are ret] ui red. The 59 admissions s.»d yes. "Due to Admissions Committee also the numbers of students takes into consideration par- "Acceptance rate tor both in- and anil or siblings that are alum- As slated in the 201)1 |MU out-ot-statestudents lor 2001-2002 was imoived, the academic cre- dentials of the out-of-state ni. Admissions Committees Student Handbook. "Students 60-61 percent with 11-12 percent wait-listed. JMU: 70% In-state tound responsible for three cohorts are slightly higher are made up of three to tour 30% Out-of-state than the credentials of the in- admissions counselors who violations of the alcohol or "" Wait-list numbers currently are unavailable review applications by drug policies may Iv sus- state cohort. It is harder for an region, Walsh said. pended." out-of-state student to be admitted." Because less Way said, "The policy \\\ l IHAN Ml 'KPHY/nrr .ivrctor see APPUCANT page1. applies to any violation of the applicants an* accepted from university alcohol or drug policies; specifically, underage possession, (drunk in public |, open container, possession of prohibited drugs, etc. Any student found responsible for Students party for safer Spring Break distribution of drugs will be suspended on the first viola- ii.in Health Center, ORL promote Spring Break safety He added that the mini- BY JESSICA ENGLER contnbuted to the Mardi Gras dent Valerie Russell said You mum suspension is one semes- contributing writer event by providing cake and should lock all windows and ter. If a student has another Partnng to a Mardi Gras other refreshments. doors, and we suggest getting a policy violation following sus- theme students learned infor- Each group presented infor- dowel for sliding doors Also, pension, that student kl num.- 111,111. m about Spring Break and mation about break safety and you should never leave your diatelv suspended again. related safety topics during a other health tips in their respec- key outside or leave a message The policy is not partial to program called Safe Break Party. tive areas of expertise. For on the answering machine tli.it only on<ampus students. The University Health (enter example, the REACH Peer you are gone," she said. "Students are subject to uni- and Office of Residence Life Advisors presented advice on Many groups focused on versity discipline for alcohol sponsored the party for stu- maintaining healthy relation- responsible drinking. JMU or drug violation on campus dents in K Ballroom Tuesday. ships for "National Healthy Public Santy iloHwrl students and also in Harrisonburg "V\v trv to feature safety and Loving Weak." to simulate drinking (Mb and Rockingham County," health issues," said Ann "1 think it is unique what Students had the opportunity to Way said. Simmons, coordinator of REACH and all these programs put on "fatal vision glasses," JMU Judicial Affairs still Ikalth Promotion. "We feature are doing, and 1 wish more peo- which simulate inebriation, and becomes involved when stu- interactive booths to invite dif- Ele could stop by," junior attempt to walk in a straight line. dents are convicted by the ferent parts of campus and the issica Hanson said. The Community Coalitioa a Harrisonburg/Rockingham community to be here." The safety information G01 - group of students, faculty, staff County District Court, because Groups that were involved ered a varietv of different top- and members of the communi- the convicted is a JMU student, in the party uxrluded UREC, ics, including Off-Campus ty, also presented information according to Way. REACH Peer Educators, Off- Life's display on how to pro- about alcohol abuse on campus. Sophomore Ross Airington. Campus Life, Cammis Safety, tect your apartment over Students wen encouraged to who acquired one strike as a ASAP (Alcohol Safety Action spnng break.