Campus Holds Its Breath

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MERCYHURST COLLEGE SINCE 1929 A&E Sports Japanese group Football scores a Yamato heats up big win over the stage Indianapolis Page 9 Page 12 Vol. 79 No. 6 Mercyhurst College 501 E. 38th St. Erie Pa. 16546 October 26, 2005 THE MERCIAD Campus holds its breath After months of searching the 11th president will be announced “The process has been long, yet suc- Fitch would also like the future presi- “I hope whatever candidate the com- the college will “…have a strong focus By Joshua Wilwohl cessful in that we brought very good dent to focus on several changes around mittee chooses will be one that truly for the school and address student Editor-in-chief candidates to the campus,” he said. the campus. cares for the Mercyhurst legacy and concerns such as housing, parking and “And all the campus constituents have “I would like to see the president do as story,” he said. incoming class size, which are all impor- The Presidential Search Commit- been involved.” much as he can with the parking as well “He or she must be willing to make tant issues the new president needs to tee met Monday, Oct. 24, to formally The board meets Thursday to vote. as more residence buildings and sports decisions and changes that will allow address.” recommend to the Board of Trustees Its decision will be announced after the complexes for students,” she said. for the college to strive and become a Sennett said each candidate brings on Thursday the committee’s preferred candidate and the board agrees to basic “Plus, it would be really nice to have greater institution.” “…unique qualifi cations and will make candidate for Mercyhurst’s 11th presi- terms of a contract. a swimming pool or maybe even an Senior Stephanie Reho said, “The a good president. dent. Students hope to see the college’s indoor track for the sports teams as new president needs to be personable “Now it is up to which candidate Committee Chairman Bill Sennett next president as being someone with well as just for recreational use for the and able to talk to students. He or she shows the best of these qualities as said the selection process included all “good character” who “cares about students.” should walk down the hallway and greet seen by the search committee and the the college’s constituents and was an the best interest of the students,” said Sophomore Cliff Barton shares students.” board,” he said. achievement, despite its longevity. sophomore Jenna Fitch. Fitch’s opinions. Reho also hopes the next leader of Formal Warning signs decision Handbook explicitly states all rules By Chelsea Boothe tions of the student conduct code, as Copy editor By Katie Walker published in the student handbook. Contributing writer Many students understand the rules After the disastrous fall formal, there in the handbook regarding issues such has been much discussion about what Each year, freshmen arriving on as underage drinking or possession of to do in the winter and spring terms, campus and returning upperclassman alcohol, noise and candle violations and because the SAC board, Student Activi- receive a Mercyhurst Student Hand- other typical violations; however, many ties Committee, with MSG’s approval, book, a book that lays out the rules and do not realize that they can be held decided it would not put on another regulations for living on campus. responsible for off campus offenses formal. But not many students actually read that involve the violations of criminal They had plenty of reasons to scratch those rules and, as one group of stu- or civil statutes. the formals, including some of the dents recently learned, those rules are According to a portion of Section most persuasive like no one will take something that Mercyhurst insists on 27 of the Student Conduct Code, Mercyhurst back because they are too following. “Generally, an individual’s actions are destructive, or it was too expensive. That group of students is now in the subject to the actions of civil authori- Ryan Palm, treasurer of SAC, said a process of being punished by the Offi ce ties. However, the College reserves formal costs about $12,000, but the past of Residence Life for an incident that the right to take action for off-campus two formals combined have forced SAC occurred off campus. According to behavior independent of civil authority to pay over a $1,000 in damages. those students, they were required to when the interests of the College are At the spring formal some girls tried move from their preferred housing on involved.” to fl ush little bottles of liquor down the campus to other on-campus housing. Residence Life decided that punishing toilet, causing enough damage to force The students are appealing the ruling. students for an investigation by the Erie SAC to replace the entire toilet. The students say it involves the giant Police Department was a warranted act. At this past fall formal there was so letters that were on CVS Pharmacy These students are now facing many much trash and mess in the building and building at East 38th Street and Pine of the penalties that are listed in the the parking lot that the facility charged Avenue. handbook. SAC $500 for extra cleaning, and this After Erie police investigated, CVS One of the possible punishments was after members of the SAC board decided that it was not worth pressing listed in the Conduct Code is to be stayed for an hour to clean up. Katie McAdams/Photo editor charges against the students. placed on social or disciplinary proba- The stolen letters from CVS caused many to revisit their handbooks Even so, the students told The Merciad, tion. Please see Formal on page 2 after discovering Res Life can intervene in more situations than they the Offi ce of Residence Life will hold think. to its decision to punish them for viola- Please see CVS on page 3 Facebook takes on a scary and frightening twist phone numbers can serve as invitations they like, or students whom they have By Finella Annand for creepy online stalkers to harass noticed around campus but probably Contributing writer unsuspecting users. never spoke to. Even revealing your screen name Another Mercyhurst student who Everybody in college knows about can be trouble, as discovered by one wishes not to be named has experienced Facebook. The messaging, poking, Mercyhurst senior who wishes not to this approach recently. She was instant profi les and wall additions are an easy be named. She began receiving instant messaged by a boy who claimed to have way for students to keep in contact with messages from a seemingly nice North sat three seats behind her in class. He one another. East student who liked the look of her continues to plague her with unan- Facebook has become an online social online picture. swered online messages today. phenomenon. Yet, from its innocent She had a couple of conversations “This stranger just messaged me out roots has grown something a little with him over the Internet before things of nowhere,” she said. “I felt a sense of more sinister, the problem of online turned drastically creepy. discomfort, vulnerability and oddity.” harassment. “He sent me some pictures over AIM These students were lucky and wise in Online harassment is a development of him completely naked and in differ- the respect that they chose to disclose that Res Life, is concerned about. ent positions. He asked me how I liked only their screen names online. Many According to Joe Howard, assistant that, and I was completely freaked out,” Facebook users lay themselves open to director of Residence Life is currently she said. the net community, offering personal trying to fi nd ways to help students After her frightening pornographic information that can be easily exploited make smart decisions about what they encounter she blocked the boy’s screen if it falls into the wrong hands. post for the world to see. name and deleted her own from her A recent Pew survey released this How dangerous can the online net- Facebook profile in hopes that she spring found that 79 percent of teens work really be? wouldn’t have to encounter any more agreed people their age aren’t careful That depends on what information online weirdoes. enough when giving information out an individual chooses to post on their Many students across campus and the about themselves online. profi le. The options are limitless to country can relate to her experience of how much a student wants to give away online harassment. Stalkers seem to Please see Facebook on page 3 Facebook gives students chances to meet and stalk one another. and information such as room and cell either contact students whose pictures PAGE 2 THE MERCIAD October 26, 2005 NEWS To contact: [email protected] World Briefs Bioterrorist threat International news Pre-symptomatic detection can effectively combat a deadly outbreak biological agent would secrete. It Compiled by By Corrie Thearle is quick and non-invasive. Corrie Thearle New Fed Chairman News editor Jackman explained to the audi- President George W. Bush ence that the threat of bioter- has nominated White House With the threat of terrorism rorism is not new to the 21st economic adviser Ben Bernanke constantly on the minds of many century. to succeed Alan Greenspan as people, government agencies In 1763, British soldiers gave chairman of the Federal Re- have been working full force to Indians outside of the besieged serve. protect the country from any Fort Pitt, blankets from a hospi- Dr.

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