Bowling Green State University ScholarWorks@BGSU BG News (Student Newspaper) University Publications 4-3-2006 The BG News April 3, 2006 Bowling Green State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news Recommended Citation Bowling Green State University, "The BG News April 3, 2006" (2006). BG News (Student Newspaper). 7586. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/7586 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in BG News (Student Newspaper) by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@BGSU. State University MONDAY April 3, 2006 HOME IS TRULY SWEET: Falcons sweep T-STORMS Western Michigan, HIGH: 55 LOW 29 remain unbeaten at www.bgnews.com home; PAGE 12 independent student press VOLUME 100 ISSUE 128 Hanging out Students is hard to do get taste with no solid translation of world Program works to give cultures international students Dinner highlights more chances to fit in work of World By Mejan Schmidt Student Association REPOBItB Two months ago. Elizabeth By Meaghan Geraghty I lartman. sophomore, walked HEPOBItB into the Union and surveyed Coming to America, a sea of tables, looking for Nigerian and University a stranger. Senior Ifunanya Ifezulike An hour later, she walked out Ifyl expected U.S. culture with a new friend. to mirror images displayed But Hartman's new friend- throughout Nigerian media. ship didn't blossom after a However, while most of chance meeting — she is just her expectations were met, one of over 100 students partic- nothing quite prepared her ipating in the Cross-Cultural for the shocking cultural dif- Conversation Connection ferences she experienced (CCCC) program this semester, with American food and which pairs Americans with Ohio weather. international students to teach "In Nigeria we only eat more about cultures and erase hamburgers for a snack, never stereotypes through the simple a meal. And then we only act of hanging out. eat them once in a while," Each pair is encouraged explained Ifezulike. "Also the by the CCCC Program to weather is so cold, especially meet at least once a week compared to what I am used to do things most friends to in Nigeria." enjoy — going to plays or Food and weather aside, concerts, attending sport- Ifezulike relayed pure enjoy- ing events or eating a meal ment for her past four years together. Some students can spent at the University as a earn class credit for their biology/pre-pharmacy major. I PC or international studies "Bowling Green is a good classes by participating in the program, but many do it DINNER. PAGE 11 for fun. According to Nicoletta Laura Cismas, graduate coordi- nator for the program, it not only helps American students Week kicks become more aware of other cultures, but also comforts international students to have off with someone to rely on as they adjust to a new setting. welcome for But opening up to someone you don't know — and don't share a native language with - new Greeks can be difficult, said Hartman. By Kristin Vasas I lartman and herCCCC part- H[P0R*(fi ner, lean Cederick Gbedey, who Horns blow, sirens and came to the University from > \ (lustration by John B the western African country whistles go off, and resound- Benin, both struggled during ing chants are screamed their first casual meeting in the through megaphones. Instead Union for an appropriate topic of the typical BGSU stamped of conversation. Some areas get a across the front of students' "It was definitely awkward at T-shirts, we see bright, multi- The worst floors bad rap for crazy colored letters. Greek letters, first," Hartman said. "I kind of KIR.ST STORY IN A THREE-PART SERIES that is. felt like I was talking to myself, hijinks and theft: but the more we met the more I This year's annual Greek began to understand where he Week' begins today with 'New is coming from." By Matt Clark well. After one week living on the third It didn't end there. According to anoth- MemberGrcekWeek' ushering IN FOCUS EDITOR floor of MacDonald East in the spring of er resident, Matthew Corsi, neighbors in the festivities. 75 percent of Cismas said before the Around-the-clock partying... trash con- 2003, his 52,000 laptop was stolen. tore their drinking fountain off the wall Greek students are expected American students meet with and had a "fire extinguisher fight." to attend the events. their partners for the first time, sistently strung about the hallways ... Warga, a 4.0 student, would arrive back daily pranks ... constant vandalism ... from class and step over pizza boxes, "The bathrooms were always trashed. Greek Week, which was they are prompted on what top- staned in the early 1940s when ics might touch sensitive spots multiple theft... even violence. Let's face Styrofoam containers and entire bags of Drug dealers. Pot smoking in rooms. Fire it: Some residence hall floors are worse trash before getting to his dor r, which on alarms. People stealing from each other," fraternity row was established. and are told to avoid them. is designed to celebrate the "We go over what some cul- than others. one particulaNoay had be>:n covered in Corsi listed. Sometimes the community living shaving cream. While Corsi would stop short of say- morals and beliefs that go into standards broken and crimes commit- Warga said his neighbors targeted him ing the floor was the worst on campus being a Greek. The numerous HANGOUT, PAGE 2 ted on a floor can earn it a reputation as because he was a criminal justice major. because he didn't live c;i other floors, he activities planned are focused one of the worst on campus. They thought he was an undercover nar- said there were plenty of rumors circulat- on gettingdifferent sorority and Bryan Warga, senior, knows that all too cotics agent ing that it was. fraternity groups together. FLOOR,PAGE 11 6REEK,PAGE 2 As acceptance grows, Ohio gays sit and wait Other states' same-sex unlikely to bring a suit beca jse court ruling that would make ments, this one's fairly young," rently against its legalization. IT'S A TWISTER! they're almost certain to lose, things tougher," Welter said. she said. "With time comes But despite the latest num- A 300-yard tornado challenges unlikely in said Kim Welter, executive di cc- "Here in Ohio, what we'll be try- more acceptance." bers, Phil Burress, president of conservative courts tor and a founding member of ing to do is overturn it with voters And a recent poll by the Pew Citizens for Community Values hits Van Wert County Equality Toledo, a group v/iich — we're not staking our hopes in Research Center for the People which almost single-handedly By Lisa Halverstaitt works to end discrimin.'.tion the court system." and the Press reveals the idea of engineered Ohio's gay marriage and damages homes, REPORTER through education. NicholeWicks, central region- gay marriage is more acceptable ban amendment in 2004, believes bams and part of a Gay rights advocates across the She said gay rights advocates al media manager for die Gay than ever. same-sex marriage will never be country are filing lawsuits in an are also concerned they'd have and Lesbian Alliance Against In the February 2004 poll, legalized in Ohio. metal factory across a effort to legalize same-sex mar- more rights taken away if their Defamation, also believes 63 percent of those surveyed While Weiter and Wicks said a riages, but not those in Ohio cases appear in Ohio's conserva- public opinion could have the opposed same-se-: in,,.;' iges change to Ohio's marriage amend- six-mile stretch; Despite seven lawsuits in tive courts. greatest impact. — poll resultsrdeisedlast monu, STATE, PAGE 10 other states, Ohio couples are "We don't want t'lere to be a "In terms of social move- reveal only 51 percent are cur- MARRIAGE, PAGE 2 FOUR-DAY FORECAST IUES0AY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY Partly High: 48* Sunny High:57" Isolated High: 59' Scattoreo High: 58* The four-day forecast is taken - - from weather.com Cloudy Low:33 Low: 36' T-Storms Low-. 48' T-Ston-v, Low.39 FOR AH THE NEWS VISIT VMW.BGNEWS.COM 1 2 Monday, April 3.2006 WWW.BGNEWS.COM STATES OF TURMOIL Learning from cross-cultural communication States where lawsuits are cur- rently fighting for same sex HANGOUT, FROM PAGE 1 up are age and gender," Cismas marriage said. "Once we tried to pair a ■ California ■ New Jersey lurally sensitive issues might gid with a boy who was six years ■ Iowa ■ New York be, like politics, religion or how older than she was. The girl had ■ Maryland ■ Washington much you make." Cismas said. a boyfriend and he did not want ■ Connecticut "But we realize there may be to let them meet." some more issues we aren't even Cismas also said she was aware of." advised against ever pairing a But Hartman said Korean woman Ohio marriage she has had smooth "I had with a male CCCC communication partner, even if the laws in question with her partner already woman never speci- thus far — perhaps made some fied this on her pro- MARRIAGE. FROM PAGE 1 because Gbedey is gram application. from a I'rancophone American For Elizabeth ment could be possible after 2008 (l-'rcnch-speaking) friends here, Effah, an inter- when new officials arc elected to nation of Africa and national student state courts, he disagrees.