1 1 11 11 ( page 8 ) 1 ( page 10 ) 1 1 1 ( pages 3-4 ) 1 1 2. lIVe aNd LEArN 1 ( page 9 ) 1 1 4. SAvE Your GReEN ORBIS CLAsS1 AsSiGNMeNt AmplifyingVanderbilt's ProgressiveVoices 1. SErve your coMmuNity 3. MaiNtaiN GoOd HeaLTH Vol. Vol. 9/No.1/September/2009 Page 2 U ORBIS IN THIS ISSUE September 2009 a note from the editor 03. A freshman’s guide to Vandy By the Orbis staff Welcome to a new year at Vanderbilt. Whether it’s your first time here as a freshman, or you’re embarking on your last year before you enter the “real world,” I hope you feel the excitement and the energy that I do when I set foot 04. Housing goes co-ed for first time on campus. By Erika Hyde Thanks for taking the time to pick up a copy of the Orbis. Sure, we don’t have a crossword or a Sudoku, but this month’s theme of progressive “read- ing assignments” may provide you with new insights into Vandy life. We hope 05. Vegetarian student group forms you’ll take a moment to read our freshman cheat sheet (p. 3) and the news By Jon Christian about the introduction of gender-neutral housing on campus (p. 4). Outside of Vanderbilt, we cover the world of health care reform (p. 8 and 9) and the reces- sion’s effect on remittances (p. 10). Market brings organic food to campus In this issue, we are also remembering the life of Navy Lieutenant Allison By Jon Christian Oubre, a 2003 Vanderbilt graduate and former Orbis editor who passed away this May. Finally, we turn the back page of our paper into a debate on what it 06. Remembering Allison Oubre really means to be a “liberal” in today’s society. Expect our next issue to come out in late September. If you can’t wait that By Allie Diffendal long to get your fill of lefty news, check out our blog (blorbis.wordpress.com) or our official website (vanderbiltorbis.com) for exclusive online content that we 08. Volunteers give aid to sick, uninsured update regularly. By John Chen If you’re interested in more than just reading our newspaper, contact us at [email protected] to get started as a staff writer, artist, or photogra- pher. We’re the only media outlet for progressive viewpoints on this campus, 09. A defense of public health care and your involvement will help amplify our voice across Vanderbilt. By Sam Abney -Erika Hyde 10. Economy hurts remittances Published with support from the By John Chen Center for American Progress/Campus Progress Online at http://www.campusprogress.org Arctic Monkeys’ new album reviewed By Allison Heiser 11. Teach for America: a critical look ORBIS By Josh Rogen Amplifying Vanderbilt's Progressive Voices September 2009 Volume 9, Number 1 12. Issues: What does it mean to be a Erika Hyde “liberal”? Editor-in-Chief By Carol Chen and Allison Heiser Sam Abney contents Managing Editor Allie Diffendal Associate Editor number of American military deaths in Jon Christian Carol Chen Iraq since March 2003 Commentary Editor Issues Editor 4337 John Chen Thomas Shattuck Features Editor Distribution Director Cover design: Allie Diffendal and Sam Abney Robyn Hyden Editor Emeritus What is Orbis? Questions, comments, concerns? E-mail us at [email protected]. Orbis aspires to change the atmosphere on Vanderbilt's campus and provides a E-mail submissions to the address listed above, or send to Box 1669, Station B, Nashville, TN, 37235. Letters must be received one week prior to publication and must include the writer's name, year, voice for liberal, multicultural and minority viewpoints. This publication strives to school and telephone number. All submissions will be verified. Unsigned letters will not be published. inform the public about issues that these groups face as well as to promote diver- Orbis reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. All submissions become property of Orbis and must conform to the legal standards of Vanderbilt Student Communications, Inc., of which Orbis sity and unity within our community. It is a forum for discussion of social, political is a division. and religious commentary relevant to Vanderbilt, the nation and the world. Orbis Editorials represent the policy of Orbis as determined by the was founded by a coalition of students seeking to raise consciousness about diverse editorial board. Letters and columns represent the opinions of the writers. ideas, cultures and backgrounds in our society. We hope to challenge the existing Please recycle. social atmosphere at Vanderbilt and promote a rebirth of acceptance. September 2009 GUIDE ORBIS U Page 3 Things I Wish I Had Known as a Freshman: A guide to living and learning in the Vandy Bubble Chances are, you’ve already done something stupid since you started college that people will remember you for but you’ll always want to forget. We’ve been there. Don’t sweat it–these first few weeks of college are all about new experiences, good and bad, that you’ll cherish once you’re old and gray (by which we mean a senior). Take a look at these tips the Orbis editors compiled to help you learn about the ins and outs of college living. Hopefully these tidbits will guide you through the sometimes confusing but always exciting world inside the Vandy Bubble. Academics to pay, other salons will charge Campus Involvement • After two months in college, $35+ for a fabulous haircut. • Don’t feel obligated to continue you’ll be hard-pressed to remem- • Freshmen can’t have cars on your involvement in an organiza- ber that you ever got up for 8 a.m. campus, so if you want to explore tion you no longer enjoy. There are Nashville, take advantage of the classes in high school. Embrace more than enough organizations on city bus system or grab a group of your napping regime–everybody’s campus for you to explore, so don’t doing it. friends and purchase a shared Zip- car plan at zipcar.com/vanderbilt. waste your time. (On that note, • The Stevenson Library is the only why not try writing for Orbis?) library that is open 24 hours. • For a faster trip from the Com- • Save green by going to the Social Life BioMed library next to the Medical • Girls, if you’re at a party and mons to Branscomb, walk across Center for 30 free pages of printing the first words out of a frat guy’s 21st Avenue and go through the per day. mouth are, “So, are you a fresh- Medical Center area instead of tak- • The Wyatt Center on Peabody is a man?” Avoid him. ing the bridge. nearby luxurious study space. The • Meet as many people as possible • There are a ton of seminars, side door is open until 10 p.m. during your first semester before speaker events, and mixers on cam- you join a clique. No one here pus. Save your meal plan by taking Residential Life knows how dorky you were in high advantage of the free food at these • If you are feeling extra hungry, 1 school, so now’s the time to rein- events. entrée and 2 sides can be replaced vent yourself. • They call it the “Vandy Bubble” with 5 sides at Rand and Com- • There are hundreds of off-campus for a reason. You might realize that mons. There are free refills for restaurants within walking dis- weeks have gone by since you last tance, especially on West End and drinks. set foot outside the confines of cam- • Grins, the vegetarian-kosher res- 21st Avenue, a dozen of which take the Commodore Card. We recom- pus. Do yourself a favor and give taurant by Branscomb, is a popular the rest of Nashville a chance. The stomping ground for health-con- mend Café Coco off Elliston Place Frist Center, the bars on Broadway, scious students. Avoid it during the (open 24 hours!). and the Belcourt Theatre are musts noon rush hour or you’ll be wait- • Dress up for theme parties. Col- ing forever (and they might run lege is the only time when it’s so- before you graduate. out of the paninis). And always get cially acceptable to walk around • Did you know there are un- the buttermilk ranch pasta as your in public wearing Halloween cos- derground tunnels spread out side! tumes every other weekend. throughout campus? We don’t real- • The Medical Center barbershop • If you’ve got late night munch- ly have any advice to go along with and Supercuts are close but ques- ies, check out the Dining website to this tidbit. We just thought you’d tionable options. If you’re willing order pizza or Chinese online. like to know. Page 4 U ORBIS CAMPUS NEWS September 2009 Vanderbilt introduces gender-neutral housing option 20 said that living together with their core group of By Erika Hyde friends, both men and women, eliminated the need to EDITOR-IN-CHIEF go between dorms to visit, making the co-ed housing an The Mayfield Learning Lodges on Highland Quad appealing option. offered a co-ed housing option for the first time this year, “We already do a lot of things together, socially and inviting groups of ten students to form community service academically, so why wouldn’t we do this if we have the projects and live together regardless of gender. For the opportunity?” said Temkin. 2009-2010 academic year, several of the twenty Mayfield Most of the co-ed lodges are evenly split with five Lodges house both men and women, including lodges 2, women and five men, where the men live on the first floor 4, 5, 6, 9, and 20.