'(Chi)Politics' Takes Over Connan Room Lecture
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Researchers combat world Martin exceeds first-year Gallery Crawl presents hunger with engineering • A6 expectations • A9 vibrant exhibits • B9 SCITECH SPORTS PILLBOX thetartan.org @thetartan October 1, 2012 Volume 107, Issue 6 Carnegie Mellon’s student newspaper since 1906 ‘(Chi)politics’ takes over Connan Room Lecture EMILY DOBLER Editor-in-Chief probes Advertised around cam- pus as “(Chi)politics,” last Wednesday’s town hall meet- Israel ing set the tone for what Student Body President Will Weiner and Vice President issue Meela Dudley hope to accom- plish while in office. NOËL UM Weiner, a senior econom- Junior Staffwriter ics and statistics and decision Tackling the highly con- science double major, and troversial topic of liberal Dudley, a senior creative writ- Zionism in terms of Pales- ing and professional writing tinian justice, Max Blu- double major, emphasized menthal, Jewish-American throughout the meeting that journalist and bestsell- transparency and a strong ing author, presented his public presence on campus are lecture to an audience of integral to their roles. around 100 University of Held in the Connan Room, Pittsburgh students and fac- the forum attracted about ulty last Wednesday. 70 people, a number Weiner Blumenthal’s lecture mentioned was significantly focused on debunking sev- higher than in the past. Wein- eral myths about liberal Zi- er and Dudley built up hype by onism, a political trend in offering free Chipotle burritos Israel that advocates for a to the first 100 attendees, ad- two-state solution in order vertised in posters and on the to support the Jewish state. student body president Face- Blumenthal said that book page. Jennifer Coloma/Operations Manager he wanted to challenge the Weiner and Dudley plan Student Body President Will Weiner addresses students at his and Student Body Vice President Meela Dudley’s first town hall of the year. At the town myths of liberal Zionism be- to theme each of their ensu- hall, Weiner and Dudley discussed their plans for the year and asked students for feedback. The first 100 students were promised Chipotle, though cause he believes that these ing town halls. “The Chipo- only about 70 attended. More town halls are planned for the future. misconceptions are respon- tle wasn’t the cheapest thing sible for worsening the ever, but I’m happy because the functions of the branches their ongoing initiatives, such ing underfunded. He said that “We’re going to be doing focus current Israeli-Palestinian it made a big impact,” Weiner of student government, from as improving communication student government had been groups on this.” crisis. He centered the crux said. “Even a lot of people who the executive committee to between student groups. compiling data on increasing Once Weiner and Dudley of his argument on his be- couldn’t make it still knew, cabinet liaisons. This transi- One initiative, in particu- the fee, and would host info moved through the projects lief that a two-state solution and were excited and jazzed.... tioned into Weiner and Dud- lar, included the possibility sessions and more town halls they have already slated, they will not bring about peace. [We’re] figuring out ways that ley’s projects for their time of raising the student activity specifically for this initiative. asked attendees for feedback “I think liberal Zionism are still fun and gimmicky, but in office. The pair discussed fee. Jon Mark, the student body on a series of preplanned has lost much of its political cost effective.” what they’ve completed thus According to Weiner, there vice president for finance and questions. influence in Israel, but it re- This particular town hall far, such as launching a social have been complaints in the a senior lighting design major, mains very culturally influ- began with an overview of media platform, as well as past about student groups be- echoed Weiner’s sentiments: See CHIPOTLE, A3 ential and has an enormous currency in the United States among liberal Ameri- cans, especially American Jews, in perpetuating and Start-up supporter leaves CMU for Harvard preserving the fallacy that JACKSON LANE state and federal agencies,” 2008, was named one of the the two-state solution will Senior Staffwriter current MCS Dean Fred Gil- region’s 100 fastest-growing deliver peace or a viable man said in an email. “I have companies. Palestinian state,” he said. On Thursday, after 22 years benefitted greatly by getting “In some sense, I’m an ex- Blumenthal addressed of service, Rick McCullough his advice when difficult prob- pert at starting companies,” the perception that liberal left his position as Carnegie lems arose, something that I McCullough said. “I can easily Zionists are pro-peace. Ac- Mellon’s vice president of re- hope I will still be able to seek teach those skills ... and I have cording to him, the liberal search to become Harvard in the future.” been a mentor to a number of Zionist idea of peace differs University’s vice provost of re- After he became vice presi- our small companies and fac- from the Western liberal search, starting Oct. 15. dent of research in 2007, Mc- ulty.” definition. “[The liberal Zi- McCullough came to Carn- Cullough became a champion “He had a special ability to onist peace] is not defined egie Mellon in 1990 as an as- of entrepreneurship and com- take research to the next level by an opposition to war or sistant professor of chemistry mercialization of technology and make it commercially vi- militarism; it’s an embrace and quickly rose through the — pioneering the Greenlight- able,” Gilman said in an email. of militarism,” he said. ranks. By 1998, he had be- ing Startups initiative to en- However, McCullough is Blumenthal also con- come a full professor and the courage start-up companies ready to move on. “It was a fronted the belief that lib- head of the chemistry depart- that use university-developed very difficult decision for me. eral Zionists are politically ment. technology. I love Carnegie Mellon. I’ve liberal. “This is the biggest “During my first few years, “[Rick] led CMU’s efforts in been here for 22 years, and my deception: One of the key I focused mostly on my re- many technology commercial- heart is in work,” McCullough things about liberal Zion- search, so I got involved in the ization activities … meaning said. “But once I went there ists and what distinguishes administration very early on when students or faculty try and saw that I would be a part them from liberals in the in my career,” McCullough re- to start up a company,” Uni- of building the new Allston in- United States is that unlike flected, as he packed up his of- versity Provost Mark Kamlet novation campus at Harvard American liberals who be- fice. “I became professor and said. “[As a result] we have ... to have all the interdisci- lieve in civil rights, [they] department head on the same the most start-up companies plinary research centers re- are committed to the engi- day.” per research dollar spent.” porting to me was a very large neering of an ethnic demo- In 2002, McCullough was McCullough was also the opportunity for me.” cratic majority, which puts appointed dean of the Mellon founder of several start-up “It was an awfully appeal- them as the most right- College of Science. companies of his own over the ing offer,” Kamlet said. “The wing figures we can think “As MCS Dean, Rick Mc- course of his tenure at Carn- kind of things Harvard want- of in American society,” he Cullough greatly expanded egie Mellon. ed him to do were right up his said. According to Blumen- the research portfolio of the One of McCullough’s com- alley, and it was really good Sanjana Baldwa/Junior Photographer College and its funding from panies, Plextronics, has been opportunity for him, sadly for Carnegie Mellon Vice President of Research Rick McCullough has left to thal, discrimination against alumni, foundations, and remarkably successful and, in us.” become the vice provost of research at Harvard University. Palestinians is evident to- day through Israeli attitude. Citing a personal experi- ence, Blumenthal spoke of an incident during which Twitter co-founder preaches entrepreneurship he watched drunken Israeli youths stab a Palestinian, JACKSON LANE Dorsey’s visit to Carnegie thing to do. His name is so work out in the end are by the “He really had the reality an issue that was left unac- Senior Staffwriter Mellon is one of several trips strongly associated with the people who have the determi- distortion field down. It was knowledged by officials. he is making to colleges and Square brand.” nation and drive to see their everything I was promised,” Some students disagreed Jack Dorsey, the co-found- universities this week in or- “I never wanted to be an ideas through.” Quispe said. “His talk focused with Blumenthal’s take on er of Twitter and Square, der to recruit new talent for entrepreneur,” Dorsey said. Dorsey peppered his on selling us on the grand vi- the act. Eliana Weiner, a ju- spoke to Carnegie Mellon stu- Square, including visits to Instead, Dorsey said that he speech with inspirational sion of Square, and that really nior psychology and archi- dents on Wednesday about en- Princeton University and the had ideas and a willingness quotes and imagery. Toward put the audience in awe.” tecture double major said, trepreneurship and his vision Massachusetts Institute of to take risks to see his ideas the end of his speech, he lik- Having sold many students “You don’t necessarily know when founding Square. Technology. Square has also through.