Beck is back! INSIDE Check Beck’s In the Bubble 2 album review Opinion 4 and concert Sports 6 preview THETHE VOICEVOICE OFOF VANDERBILTVANDERBILT SINCESINCE 18881888 Life 8 page 8 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2006 • 118 TH YEAR, NO. 64 Fun & Games 12 STUDENT GOVERNMENT ALUMNI LOCAL GOVERNMENT SGA and Metro Nashville Interhall vote “English-only” to continue resolution to be with mission voted on Oct. 17 of VSG Professors, students Senate and General offer opinions on Body pass resolutions. need for pending By Darcy Newell A S S T N E W S E D I T O R legislation. SGA and Interhall both passed By Allison Smith resolutions at their respective ASST NEWS EDITOR meetings this week to continue shaping the Vanderbilt Student English could come one Government draft constitution. step closer to becoming the VSG is the proposed student “offi cial language” of the City of government plan in which SGA Nashville and Davidson County and Interhall will merge to become if Metro government approves a unifi ed organization. VSG will the ordinance in its second round be comprised of a Senate, in which through council on Oct. 17. representatives will be chosen Th e controversial bill to make based on school and a House of English the offi cial language Representatives, which will be based REBUILDING of Metro government was fi rst on residence. proposed on Sept. 19, but it only SGA president Boone Lancaster passed after the sponsor changed called this week’s vote “the fi rst it from an “English-only” policy step to making Vanderbilt Student tHE coast to an “English-fi rst” policy. Government a reality.” PHOTO PROVIDED According to Th e Tennessean, Th e VSG Constitution is Much of the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi still remains. the amended measure keeps currently in draft form and will likely the ceremonial component of be modifi ed and amended several 2005 Vanderbilt alumna translates fall break service trip into post- declaring English as Metro’s times before the fi nal version is voted “offi cial language.” It also on Oct. 25 in SGA and Oct. 26 in graduate work in Mississippi. contains an exemption for Interhall. If the fi nal constitution is multilingual communications By Kristen Chmielewski ratifi ed, both organizations will also SENIO R R E P O R T E R Allen said it was an opportunity she particulars of people’s lives, in fi nding required by federal rules and vote to dissolve themselves in the couldn’t resist, and shortly thereafter, ways to connect with people and in situations “necessary to protect spring, when VSG elections will take she headed down to the coast, where she providing the resources to meet their or promote public health, safety place. A service trip to the Gulf Coast last fall lived for a brief time in a gymnasium needs. or welfare.” Th is week, SGA senators and break in the wake of Hurricane Katrina with 100 other volunteers. “Who would have thought the Metro Councilman Eric Interhall presidents were only voting was the beginning of an unexpected Allen was off ered a subsequent opportunity to do these things would Crafton, a 1989 Vanderbilt to “approve the mission of VSG journey for one Vanderbilt alumna. position as the rebuilding coordinator be found in the aftermath of the worst graduate, is sponsoring the bill. and authorize us to continue,” said Last fall break, Courtney Allen, a at Trinity United Methodist Church natural disaster to hit our country?” Crafton said the city’s current Interhall President Devin Donovan. member of the Class of 2005 and a in Gulfport. In this position, Allen Allen said. “Every day I wake up with bilingual eff orts are a “crutch” Although concerns were raised resident of Jackson, Miss., traveled to said she “coordinates volunteers, guides the opportunity to do exactly what I am and discourage people who don’t about the constitution in both the Mississippi coast with a group of homeowners through the rebuilding passionate about. I feel like one of the speak English from learning the meetings, both organizations passed Vanderbilt students from the Wesley/ process and spends a lot of time at Home luckiest people on earth.” language. the resolution to continue with just Canterbury Student Fellowship. Depot and Lowe’s.” Allen said that her experience could “When you come here, it’s not one negative vote. “I saw and experienced that a real need Working in Gulfport, Miss., had never apply to many Vanderbilt students and our responsibility to teach you “I think there are still lingering existed in the communities of the coast, been a factor in Allen’s post-Vanderbilt their fall break possibilities. how to do everything, hold your questions that a few senators have, and I knew I was in a position to assist in plans. “Vandy students really do have the hand when you go to do every but the fact that it was passed the recovery eff orts,” she said. “Th is is really one of the last places on power and opportunity to do really great aspect of daily living,” Crafton nearly unanimously is very exciting,” While working in Long Beach, Miss., earth I ever thought I’d be,” she said. things,” she said. “Fall break is defi nitely said in Th e Tennessean. Lancaster said. “Even the senator Allen was able to secure fi nancial assistance Despite her prior plans, Allen said an opportunity to step out of the Robert Jimenez, professor of who voted against it supports the for the following year if she chose to that she was attracted to the job because Vanderbilt world and have experiences language, literacy and culture at ■ idea.” return as a “long-term” volunteer. she had always been interested in the that could aff ect many people’s lives.” Please see LANGUAGE, page 3 Some participants in the meeting raised the concern that undergraduate HOUSING classes will not be clearly represented under the new system because of the SGA passes resolution to decrease in leadership positions that will result from the merger. recognize McGill autonomy Senator Breanne Hataway was one senator who voiced concerns to Senate votes to amend VSG constitution this eff ect. in Wednesday meeting. “Although I am in favor of By Darcy Newell merging the two organizations, I feel ASST NEWS EDITOR take part in the dorm’s yearly that there are serious problems in the project, it has always been separate current constitution,” Hataway said. from other dormitories in terms “My major concern is a lack of class SGA approved an amendment of representation to student representation. I feel that only having to the Vanderbilt Student organizations, internal government six senators that have no relation Government draft constitution and the housing lottery. to classes is the wrong way to go. I proposed by members of the “All we basically want is for think that this is a very large gamble McGill Dorm Council, recognizing Vanderbilt Student Government to make.” McGill’s autonomy in election to formally recognize our internal Donovan responded to Hataway’s issues. government,” Hills said. “We’re concern saying, “Th e kind of VSG is the proposed new not asking for anything we don’t cohesion we’ve created between the student government organization already have.” two branches, in terms of requiring that will result from the merger of Specifi cally, McGill students presidents and judicial vice presidents SGA and Interhall. were asking that the VSG to interact on a weekly basis, will McGill residents Joe Hills constitution be amended to state really aff ect the class representation and Casey Perry presented that when the two constitutions that we will be able to encounter.” their amendment to the Senate confl ict, McGill has paramount “I’m very confi dent we will have with senator Michael Hwang authority, Hills said. representatives from every class in at Wednesday night’s senate “Th e way it works now is the House, and the House will have meeting. that Interhall, a long time back, just as much prestige and ownership With the merger of SGA and agreed that we could run our own as the Senate will,” she said. Interhall, residents of McGill government under the Offi ce Senator Stuart Hill agreed with worried that the new constitution of Housing and Residential Donovan’s sentiments. might aff ect their autonomy as a Education, so right now we aren’t “I know there are some concerns self-serving hall and require them actively represented in Interhall,” about some of the details, but I think to change some of their processes. Hills said. “We’ve always gone we can work through these problems, After Hills and Perry proposed directly through housing and it has but the time is now to become one their resolution, Jared Anderson, worked well for us.” university,” he said. “We can do a vice president of communications, Hills also said that McGill Hall much better job of claiming our amended the resolution in order is not asking for a voting role in identity as Vanderbilt University.” to clarify wording. Th is amended VSG because their presence in the Sophomore Interhall resolution was deemed satisfactory House, a part of VSG’s bicameral representative Sean Tierney said that by the McGill representatives and legislative system, would give VSG more discussion on the proposed was passed unanimously by the too much authority over how government is needed. Senate. McGill governs itself. “I think everyone pretty much After Wednesday’s senate Because McGill has internal agrees it needs to be combined, meeting, Hills agreed to serve as elections, Hills was concerned but I think a lot can go wrong by McGill’s delegate to Interhall, and that there could be a “two just deciding it’s good to combine,” if VSG is created this spring, Hills president situation,” in which he said.