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PAGE 8 STUDLIFE.COM Sthe independentTUDENT newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis LIFE since eighteen seventy-eight Vol. 130 No. 17 www.studlife.com Monday, September 29, 2008 Students take reins of endowment Media to swarm campus Dan Woznica has caused a surge in popularity Staff Reporter in the group, causing its name to Major news become better known and more members to join. channels will The Washington University Sophomore John Hergen- Student Investment Fund, a stu- roeder, who joined the group this send key pundits dent-run finance club that manag- year, says he was attracted by the es a diversified portfolio of stock practical benefits of becoming a to Washington investments, was recently given member. $100,000 of the University’s en- “I joined WUSIF because I’m University dowment to invest in financial engaged in a transition currently securities. from childhood to adulthood,” Puneet Kollipara “We’re very excited,” said Hergenroeder said. “I figured Josh Charney, a junior double- that investment would be one of News Editor major in economics and finance the skills I’ll need as I move into and co-president of the Washing- adulthood.” ton University Student Investment The group’s funding also In past presidential debates at Fund (WUSIF). “You really learn comes at a critical time in the U.S. Washington University, students have so much [from investing through stock market, with the economy watched members of the media crowd the fund]. It’s just incredible.” undergoing an unprecedented fi- campus, but for the vice presidential The fund, which has been nancial crisis. WUSIF is taking debate on Oct. 2, that crowd will dou- granted to the group through the the nation’s current fiscal situa- ble in size. Skandalaris Center for Entrepre- tion into account when making all Despite the signifi cant media pres- neurial Studies, is intended to pro- of its investment decisions. ence for this debate, the University vide students in the group with the To an extent, Schiller said, the administration does not foresee any kind of experiential learning that nation’s financial woes are pro- diffi culties accommodating media will prepare them to make savvy viding the group a distinct advan- members. investments in their future profes- tage. According to Sue Killenberg sions. “In some ways it’s giving us a McGinn, executive director of Univer- Where the group will invest great opportunity, because if we sity communications, the Commission the money will be determined by a find a company that doesn’t seem on Presidential Debates (CPD) has re- ROMAN GOLDSTEIN | STUDENT LIFE ARCHIVES process of WUSIF group consen- to be exposed to this problem but ceived more than 2,800 media creden- A cameraman for MSNBC’s Hardball works by the stage outside Graham Chapel during the 2004 presidential de- sus that will involve all members, for some reason has been knocked tial requests, which is twice as many as bate. More than 2,800 members of the press have been credenitaled for Thursday’s vice presidetial debate. including the group’s analysts, as- down a little bit, then it should be the number of credentialed media at the sistant portfolio managers, man- a great value,” Schiller said. “But University in 2004 and more than any Additionally, McGinn confi rmed broadcasting from in front of Graham Tisch Commons in the Danforth Uni- agers and co-presidents. at the same time, you’re always other debate at the University. that MSNBC and CBS will have live Chapel, starting at 11 a.m. on Oct. 2 versity Center (DUC) from 5:30 to 8 Senior Todd Schiller, WUSIF going to be a little bit hesitant, be- It is still not certain how many of broadcasts on campus, while C-SPAN and continuing into the evening. a.m. co-president, says he feels that cause maybe they were exposed to those 2,800 will show up on Oct 2. and CNN will bring tour buses to the Additionally, CBS’s “The Early According to McGinn, both net- this process gives the group a spe- it but we really couldn’t tell that “Some media organizations will University. Show” with Harry Smith and Maggie works invite students to show up for cial edge. until later.” put in more names than will actu- MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Rodriguez will broadcast live from the broadcasts. “It provides a really unique To ensure that the group’s in- ally come,” McGinn said. “They may Matthews” will be returning to campus Holmes Lounge on debate day begin- “They’d love students coming out perspective,” Schiller said, “es- vestments don’t jeopardize Uni- over-credential to make sure they have after broadcasting live for the presi- ning at 5:30 a.m. and outside Holmes there waving hello to Mom and Dad pecially since everyone comes versity funds, WUSIF will only enough to account for staff schedule dential debate in 2004. According to Lounge from 7 to 8 a.m. On Oct. 3, the from different backgrounds and invest three percent of its portfolio changes or vacations or sickness.” McGinn, like in 2004, MSNBC will be show is tentatively broadcasting from See MEDIA, page 3 can share different stuff about at a time. This, according to Char- what they think about the invest- ney, will help to stabilize the fund. ments.” “If one stock does really bad or re- According to Charney, the Uni- versity’s recent funding of WUSIF See WUSIF, page 9 Undergraduate playwrights recognized at Hotchner Festival Kat Zhao playwriting,” Henry Schvey, pro- tive and competitive event under love for the University that he do- News Editor fessor and director of the Perfor- the guidance of the performance nated the money from the Foun- mance Arts Department, said. arts department’s playwright-in- dation,” Schvey said. “The fund From then on, with the funding residence Carter Lewis. has become endowed within the While renowned playwright A. and sponsorship from its name- Despite the Festival’s pres- last five to six years, which means E. Hotchner was still an under- sake, the A. E. Hotchner Playwrit- tige, very few people, including there will always be a Hotchner graduate student at Washington ing Festival took off. The annual those in the theater community, Festival. It will outlast all of us.” University in the 1930s, he sub- Festival, which seeks to recognize would be able to guess the source This source of funding is cru- mitted a script for a one-act play- and guide young aspiring play- of its funding: the Newman’s cial, considering the impact that writing competition in a class then wrights, has now become one of Own Foundation, which gets its the Festival has on its undergradu- known as English 16, and he won. the major undergraduate playwrit- name from the salad dressing ate competitors. “When I met with Hotchner [in ing competitions in the country, line founded by Hotchner and his “I think the biggest thing about COURTESY OF THE SKANDALARIS CENTER the 1990s], I encouraged him to Schvey said. longtime friend and late American it is just being recognized as a The executive board of the Washington University Student Investment Fund resuscitate the wonderful program According to Schvey, the Fes- actor Paul Newman. poses in the courtyard of the Knight Center. that lead to successful student tival has become a much more ac- “It was [because of] Hotchner’s See HOTCHNER, page 3 Engineering students Mars team returns to WU learn about Chinese air John Scott one student could work for an entire enough power to use the robotic arm Arvidson said. Staff Reporter day shift, but now that classes are in and the analytical instruments, so the pollution fi rst-hand session, the students have to coordinate vehicle will become a weather station,” See MARS, page 9 their schedules and sometimes have to Sophie Adelman the Pacific Ocean to Los Angeles’ Several Washington University stu- switch during the day. Contributing Reporter smog problem. dents and faculty spent their summer in “Now that we’re out of Tucson, we As the U.S. considers its en- Tucson, Ariz., gathering data from the all have different things to do with our vironmental options, it is looking NASA Phoenix Lander. lives,” Siebach said. This past summer, with all eyes increasingly toward China, whose In the past several weeks, much During their time in Tucson, those turned to their aquamarine swim- efforts to curb air pollution were of the team has left Tucson. Raymond involved with the mission adjusted their ming pools and miniature gym- monumental during the time lead- Arvidson, chair of the Earth and Plan- schedules to the length of a sol, which is nasts hurtling through the air, very ing up to the Olympics. etary Sciences Department, is one of the approximately 40 minutes longer than a few saw the effects of air pollution Students attended seminars on three scientists who leads the mission. day on Earth. during the Olympics in China. topics ranging from nanoparticle According to Arvidson, his involve- “Not working on Mars time means In a country where fewer than aerosol technology to air quality ment in the mission has not changed, we [don’t] get as much communication one percent of citizens breathe forecasting and control programs except that he now works from St.