YOU, ME AND GREENERY I TRY REALLY CH-CH-CH-CHANGES The staff editorial takes a look at the See the newly transformed environment, the second installment HARD ACTUALLY Athletic Complex in our in the Editorial Board’s series on cur- sound slide show. rent pressing political issues. Cadenza gets personal with Michael Cera and Kat Dennings about their newest movie, Nick and Norah’s Infi nite Play List. PAGE 9 ONLINE INSIDE PAGE 4 STUDLIFE.COM Sthe independentTUDENT newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis LIFE since eighteen seventy-eight Vol. 130 No. 18 www.studlife.com Wednesday, October 1, 2008 Student groups MEDIA MAYHEM disappointed with the DUC Lauren Olens The South Asian student orga- Contributing Reporter nization Ashoka, which hosts its Diwali performance every winter in the Edison Theatre, is one of those groups. Several students groups have “Although Ashoka loves the expressed dissatisfaction with DUC and what it has to offer the the Danforth University Center, campus, to be honest, it doesn’t specifically complaining that the provide much use for us as a stu- new building does not hold suf- dent group,” Ashoka Co-Presi- ficient space for them. dent and junior Kashyap Tadisina Director of Student Activities said. Julie Thornton, however, claims According to Thornton, stu- that 12 to 18 months are needed dent groups that perform annually to work out the flaws in every in the Edison Theatre or require new building. Student percep- rehearsal space will naturally tions of the Danforth University have issues with the architecture Center (DUC), she believes, will of the DUC. improve as the University cor- “What we have [in the DUC] LILY SCHORR | STUDENT LIFE rects those flaws. are meeting rooms,” Thornton Media is beginning to move into the area between Francis Field and the Athletic Complex. By Tuesday evening an entire row of trucks was already parked, “Whatever opinions people said. including traveling media centers by ABC, CNN and NBC. Campus will only get busier in preparation for the vice presidential debate on Thursday at 8 p.m. have now will change over time Ashoka acknowledges the fact as we work out the kinks of the that the DUC is primarily used as building,” Thornton said. a meeting area and that the group Phyllis Jackson, the assistant still remains mostly reliant on the director of Event Services, agrees Mallinckrodt Center for rehearsal with Thornton. space. “Right now, just because it is “We can only use [the DUC] WU purchases new property on Loop a new facility, there are some pol- for executive meetings,” Tadisi- icy issues that need to be worked na said. “The spaces don’t lend out,” Jackson said. themselves to our uses as well as Aycan Nur Sagir The adjacent buildings, Hoffner a union formed by the business Edwards believes that this Performance student groups Mallinckrodt does.” Contributing Reporter explains, are currently being used owners in the Loop. partnership was a significant con- feel especially affected by what Tadisina says that the Gar- as graduate housing, and owning Joe Edwards, a participant in tributor to the recent naming of the they view as the lack of space in goyle and the food court in Mall- this new property “will provide this union as owner of Blueberry Delmar Loop as one of the 10 great the DUC, which hinders their op- inckrodt are good spaces for per- Last month, Washington Uni- greater flexibility in planning in Hill and the Pageant Theatre—two streets in America by the American portunities to hold practices and versity closed on the purchase of the future.” of the most popular venues on the Planning Association in 2007. rehearsals. See DUC, page 3 another property on the Delmar The University’s focus on bol- Loop—is enthusiastic about the “[The selection was] one of Loop. stering its presence in the Loop community’s collaboration with the most exciting outcomes of The property, a highly visible stems from the street’s position the University. our partnership [with the Univer- building on the northwestern cor- as “an important relaxation and “Washington University is sity]. It attracted a lot of tourists ner of Eastgate Avenue and Delmar entertainment place to Wash. U. a great community partner,” he and travel writers in the past year; Boulevard, now joins the ranks of students,” Hoffner said. said. “It has a great view for the articles about Delmar appeared in a number of other properties in the “We place great importance on future of the area and has made a publications like Time and The Loop owned by the University, it and want to make sure it remains wonderful statement of dedication New York Times,” Edwards said. most of which were purchased this vibrant,” he said. “[To achieve to the community by purchasing “It was an important recognition.” within the past few years. this], we work closely with the properties for its North Campus According to Hoffner, the Uni- According to Assistant Vice community.” in the Skinker-Delmar-MetroLink versity has yet to receive any neg- Chancellor for Operations Steve The University provides patrols triangle. [The purchases by the ative feedback in response to its Hoffner, the building’s exact pur- to neighborhood security, makes University] helps stabilize the area strong presence on the Loop. pose has yet to be determined. annual contributions to University by turning unused properties into Rachel Leibovich, an employ- “We bought it because it’s ad- City police services and hires a well-kept ones, and [our partner- ee at Coldstone Creamery on the jacent to the other buildings Wash- community liaison who regularly ship with the University] helps Loop, says that she has only had ington University owns in the attends the meetings held by the build up a wonderful community Loop,” Hoffner said. Loop Special Business District, where everybody feels welcome.” See LOOP, page 3 MATT LEE | STUDENT LIFE The lower fl oor of the Danforth Center is fi lled daily with people. Student Union reestablishes Private loan constituency representation Michelle Merlin with the students they represent. companies Contributing Reporter He encourages the senators to reach out to their constituents in ways such as sending out e-mails or inviting them to barbecues. With the new Washington Uni- Some students currently feel get creative versity Student Union body now that another approach to promoting active, University students will and organizing constituent partici- have one of the body’s senators pation might be necessary—a view Sophie Adelman The investigations were con- assigned to them. that Aibel is beginning to support. Contributing Reporter ducted by New York Attorney Gen- The senator-constituent rela- “It would be more effective if eral Andrew M. Cuomo after a long tionship only lasts for one six- you were somehow connected with and complex inquiry into the stu- month election cycle. Each sena- your constituents by your floor or Free iPods, cash rewards, of- dent loan process. tor will be randomly assigned 250 residential college,” freshman Ka- fi cial-looking federal government In a press release on his Web students constituents. tie Goodall said. seals—these are just a few of the site, Cuomo stated that “these set- “We wanted to make sure that Suggestions like Goodall’s will tactics that private loan companies tlements are a major step forward in each senator would be represent- certainly be taken into consider- have been using to lure students. cleaning up an industry where false ing a mix of students not biased ation, according to Aibel. Earlier this month, eight student and misleading advertising practic- one way or another,” Speaker of “[New outreach ideas] are very RYAN CHIU | STUDENT LIFE loan companies were forced to com- es have been all too rampant.” the Student Union (SU) Senate, Senators listen intently at their meeting on Wednesday, September 24. much a part of the discussion,” he ply with a marketing code of con- The student loan business is no- sophomore Jordan Aibel, said. SU said. duct after an extensive investigation torious for its long history of dubi- doesn’t want senators to represent Despite the stall in the con- into such questionable practices. ous practices. only freshmen and sophomores, ference in student-senator interac- to be responsive to their senators,” stituency program in the past few The private lenders were accused of Last year, an investigation re- according to Aibel. tion,” Aibel said. “At that time, Aibel said. years, Aibel seems to be hopeful making misleading statements about vealed that lenders were offering The student representation everyone was interested in who For some students, whether for its future. loans and using strategies purpose- university offi cials benefi ts such as scheme seeks to improve student their senators were.” they responded to such e-mails or “[Past] senators might have fully aimed to deceive students. vacations to the Caribbean and free government outreach and continue In more recent years, however, not depended on the relevancy of been in the Senate not for the ben- The eight companies enter- rounds of golf in exchange for pro- the line of communication be- the program’s effects have dimin- the issues for them. efit of students but for the ben- ing the agreement include Cam- moting their loan services. tween senators and their constitu- ished. “If I had an opinion of what efit of themselves,” he said. “The pus Door, EduCap, GMAC Bank, O f fi cials with Student Financial ents throughout the year. “I know that in the last year they were asking me, I would reply ones we have now are very young, Graduate Loan Associates, Nelnet, Services at Washington University According to Aibel, the pro- when I’ve sent out e-mails, I’ve to them, but if I didn’t, I wouldn’t very dynamic and very enthused NextStudent and Xanthus Financial say that it has had little to do with gram has been in place since gotten very low feedback respons- respond to them,” freshman Sarah about reaching out to students and Services.