Ithaca College Digital Commons @ IC The thI acan, 1999-2000 The thI acan: 1990/91 to 1999/2000 11-18-1999 The thI acan, 1999-11-18 Ithaca College Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/ithacan_1999-2000 Recommended Citation Ithaca College, "The thI acan, 1999-11-18" (1999). The Ithacan, 1999-2000. 13. http://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/ithacan_1999-2000/13 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the The thI acan: 1990/91 to 1999/2000 at Digital Commons @ IC. It has been accepted for inclusion in The thI acan, 1999-2000 by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ IC. Accent 15 Talent search An Ithaca alumnus is searching for stardom on a television show. VOL. 67, No. 13 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1999 28 PAGES, FREE Petition Suspends auction BY KATE HILTS Special Projects Manager Money can't buy love or a date at Itha­ ca College this year. A date c>.uction sponsored by the Ithaca Chapter ofAmerican Red Cross and supported by the Student Government Association was supposed to be held Nov. 29. However, it was canceled last week because some students raised concerns about ethical issues sur­ rounding the event, said senior Brett Shiel, an SGA representative who opposed the auction. Th_e :event would have raised money for. the Red Cross's disaster relief fund, said se­ nior Rachel Berlin, a representative and vol­ unteer with the Red Cross and also an Itha­ can staff member. She said this type of event would help the group try to reach their $12,000 goal for the relief fund. "My goal was to raise money for the Red Cross disaster relief fund to help people," Berlin said. "We thought a date auction was a good way to get a lot of students involved." AARON MASON/ THE ITHACAN However, petitions circulated on campus CAMPUS POLICE RESTRAIN an unidentified fen et the Nov. 6 Corteca Jug football game. Authorities were on hand all to stop the event stated the event was "un­ day to ensure the safety of Cortland and Hhaca students, staff, faculty and alumni who were present at the game. ethical, degrading, sexist and heterosexist." Shiel, who supported the petitions, said he was in favor of doing a fund-ra.i11Cr for the Red Cross, just not a date auction. "I-find this to be totally unethical, but it does not mean that I am opposed to raising money," Shiel said. The event was proposed by Berlin and se­ nior Jennifer Yanacek, a Red Cross intern, on Tarantbacks behalfofthe Red Cross to the SGAduring the regular SGA meeting Oct. 5. She said they needed an on-campus co-sponsor to hold the administration event. Berlin said there was some opposition at the meeting, but she was told to seek help for safety reasons from the SGA Communications Committee. The committee helped the Red Cross or­ BY BENJAMIN B. MCMILLAN ganize the event after a date and room for the Staff Writer event were obtained through the Office of Campus Center and Activities. Berlin then dis­ One hundred people seen at the tributed a letter to all SGA-approved clubs and Health Center in one day, police with organizations, through the help of the com­ nightsticks and a dog, fireworks being set mittee, asking for volunteers to pose as dates. off, students fighting after a football game But, before finding auction participants, and vomit across campus are just a few a contract between the Red Cross and the of the things that are causing concern in SGA was supposed to be signed regarding the the Ithaca College community. date etiquette and the conduct of the event. Events such as Fountain Day and the The contract stated such rules as people Cortaca Jug football game, where this sort were bidding on a date, not on an individ­ of behavior takes place, are being close­ ual and the people going on the date had to ly examined by both administrators and MalSSA THORNLEY/ THE ITHACAN bring a third party along for safety issues. students. SENIORS JUMPED INTO the fountain on Fountain Day last year. As a result of "destructive behavior," Fountain Day will be held during senior week. The process of setting up the date auction Fountain Day has been an annual tra­ was cut short when Berlin received word from dition on the last day of classes for the up against the 'most fun' you have in your were coming to class so drunk that they Diane Nocerino, SGA vice president of com­ past IO years. Seniors meet at Textor Ball four years and this 'fun' has no validity." made jackasses of themselves." munications, that there was-a controversy re­ and proceed to jump into the fountain in 'Destruction' and 'danger' are two Oblak said the administration was also garding the event. Nocerino said that when front of the Dillingham Center while un­ words John B. Oblak, vice president of disappointed with similar types of be­ the issue went to committee and committee derclassmen watch. The Cortaca Jug student affairs and campus life, knows havior at this year's Cortaca Jug game. members listened to both sides,' they decid­ game, which was last held at Ithaca Nov. all to well. He said students should grow up. "It ed the event could not remain as it was. 6, is an annual football match-up between StudenL,;' actions at some campus-wide is a sports event, a competition [at Another petition was circulating around rivals Ithaca and Cortland. events have become increasingly unsafe which) you can certainly be supportive campus urging students to ban date auctions Student Body President Nick Tarant over the last IO years, Oblak said. of your team, but you do not have to be of any kind from campus. The petition was shared his views about Fountain Day be­ "We have traded cuts and glass bot­ derogatory," he said. turned into John B. Oblak, vice president of havior in a Nov. 11 speech to more than tles for heavily, heavily intoxicated student affairs and campus life. 50 people in Clark Lounge. In that speech, people who put their lives at risk to a Actions 'not representative' Nocerino said Congress and the com­ Tarant announced that he supported the point where they arc totally uncontrol­ Junior Kaue Lizotte said she under­ mittee wanted lo help out the Red Cross so administration's September decision to lable," he said. stood the administration's concerns, but alternative fund-raisers were discussed. move Fountain Day to Senior Week. Taranl cited disorderly students as a said not everyone should be punished for At the SGA meeting Tuesday, she presented "Fountain Day as it was last year can­ reason for backing the administration's the actions of a few individuals at the an alternative fund-raiser to raise Red Cross not happen again," Tarant said. "There are decision. events. funds. She said the committee will endorse a two facts that outweigh any sort of uni­ "Students were barging into class­ "I thmk that there is a small percent- benefit concert in December. Different college ty that comes from this event: destruction rooms and squirting random people ensembles will be involved with the concert and danger. You weigh these two things with Super Soakers," he said. "Students See TRADITIONS, page 4 and tickets will be available for $3. ACCENT 13 CLASSIFIED 21 COMICS 20 OPINION 10 SPORTS 23 www.ithaca.edu/ithacan ~~~1}:~t\•,t ~! ;-~.-~-...~,-: ...-,-..,-~;------ ---- ------- - --------------------------------- --------~.;,":i--r·--J~---;-·.·~-:--.--,-,-- - - .. 2 THE ITHACAN THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1999 Issues in the News U.S. trade pact paves China's way into World -Trade Organization BY MICHAEL W. BLOOMROSE history," said P. Scott Shearer of Fann land News Editor Industries, a giant farmer-owned processor and marketer of food products and grain, Despite initial pess1m1sm, American to the Post. trade negotiators signed an agreement in Both American agricultural leaders China Monday that should guarantee the and business leaders are pushing hard for communist nation's entry into the World Congress to normalize trade relations Trade Organization. with China by approving the agreement, ac­ The agreement, which was signed at cording to the Post. However, Chinese 3:50 p.m. in Beijing, came at the end of six leaders have some anxiety about the results days of arduous negotiations that often of normal trade relations with the United threatened to fall apart. States on their economy. The U.S. team pushed China to open its The Times reported that some Chinese relatively closed but enticing markets to officials fear that foreign companies American products and services. The could smother emerging state-run compa­ agreement removes a major hurdle in Chi­ nies in strategic areas like telecommuni­ na's 13-year bid to join the wro, the rule­ cations, banking and financial services. making body of international trade. They also fear that rapidly exposing Chi­ Time was pressing because at the na's inefficient companies and farmers to month's end the 135-member, Geneva-based competition could breed social unrest. wro will discuss launching new global The Americans fought for telecommu­ trade liberalii.ation talks. If China completes nication ownership rights but finally further agreements with Canada and the Eu­ agreed to take only 50 percent ownership ropean Union its application for entry into al Saturday night. Guangdong, said the sooner China joins the of companies in this sector. the organii.ation will be taken before the end By Sunday, American negotiators had wro, the better - but only if the terms President Clinton said that-China's en­ of the year. This will a1low China to have spent a11 night in meetings with Chinese of­ are right.