FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK: the houghton MILLENIALS' FAILURE TO LAUNCH OPINIONS, P. 7 STAR ARTIST OF THE WEEK: EMILY WILKINSON | FEATURES, P. 8 DUBSTEP REVIEW | CULTURE, P. 4 Houghton College's Student Newspaper Since 1909 Feb. 10,2012 · Vol. 108, No. 16 r wWW.HOUGHTONSTAR.COM Satisfadory/D/FailPolicy Takes Effed Athletic Budget Exp ands by COURTNEY COIRO student body in a way that will cover This figure comes in part from the new costs." by SHANNON AMES a high ratio of teams to size of Opinions are mixed on proposed Professor Carlton Fisher. school. Adding men's and women's Since being resubmitted to the changes to the College's budget philosophy, raised "concern about lacrosse, tennis, and golf, in addition Academic Council and back again to soon to be presented to the Board student cost of the athletic program," to baseball and softball will bring the faculty since the Fall semester, of Trustees. Of main concern is the adding that his concern "precedes Houghton's total teams to 18. the proposal formerly known as the expansion of the athletic operational these recent changes" and extends to According to NCAA.org/divisioniii, "pass-fail" proposal was officially budget when most departments are Christian college athletics in general. this is typical for the average NCAA accepted by the faculty on January 26 being told to cut expenses. The With no gate fees, the College's main DIII school, but average enrollment as the Satisfactory/D/Fail policy. This reason for the increase, of course, is source of athletic revenue is student in DIII is around 2600, over twice the renaming is directly reflective of the the transition to NCAA Division III tuition. If the increased athletic size of Houghton. changes that have been applied to the and the five new sports being added budget were divided among all Athletics Director Skip Lord policy since the first time this proposal because of it students (currently just below 1100), defended the move and presented came up for a vote before the faculty Professor of philosophy Ben the price students pay for athletic athletics as an integral part of the last fall. Lipscomb, a faculty representative programming is roughly $1400 per Some of the original language of on the Finance Council, summarized student per year. See ATHLETICSpage 3 the policy remains. The policy still two main changes in the budget this applies only to "full-time juniors and year: "Athletic expenses are going seniors in good standing with the up, and academic expenses are PURPLE AND GOLD WEEK College" who are taking at least 12 being cut (in exact proportion, as it hours of regular graded coursework. happens)," by $500,000 each over a These students may apply to take up to couple years. Though these changes four hours per semester and no more may be especially attention-grabbing, than 12 hours cumulatively of courses Lipscomb was careful to point out S/I)/F. A student may not take a course that other areas of the College will S/D/F that meets requirements in their be impacted too. "Don't get the major, minor, concentration, pre- and impression...that it's simply athletics co-requisites, or Integrative Study vs. academics." Requirements. Also. faculty will not Dale -Wright, Chief- Business be informed if a student is taking a Officer and chair of the Finance class S/D/F and will report regular Council, also stated. "Reductions letter grades for the course. aren't being concentrated in one The primary differences between area; everyone's contributing." This the original proposal and new policy includes Student Life, Advancement, occur in the area of grading. Any and Athletics, as well as Academics. grade above a C- will be considered When considered in the net balance of "Satisfactory," while any Ds or increases and decreases, "it's not as if Fs received will be counted at its there's a bunch of additional money respective value and applied toward a going to athletics." Because Houghton student's overall GPA. This is a distinct is primarily an academic institution, LUKE LAUEA change from the original proposal, the overall proportion ofthe academic Houghton students cheered for the Highlander basketball learns last Tuesday and according to Professor Peter budget "is a little bit lower" than in during Purple and Gold Week. Meilaender, political science, who other areas. In fact, searches for was instrumental in the formation of more faculty are currently underway by MEAGAN HUMMEI_ and a foul shot within 20 seconds won the proposal on the Integrative Studies in the sciences, education, and Bible a prize. There was also a shoot-out at Committee, seems to be a direct departments. "In the academic area. Purple and Gold Week is a tradition halftime where the first five people to response to concern expressed by rather than reductions," Wright that was brought back by the Student make half-court shots won prizes. faculty overthe inequality ofawarding clarified, "it'd be better phrased Government Association (SGA), the There was a coffeehouse at JAVA a student doing D grade work the same 'reallocations."' Wright emphasized Campus Activities Board (CAB), and 101 Wednesday put together by soph- "fail" as a student doing F grade work, that these, budgetary changes, while Student Programs Office in 2007. Each omores Holly Morgan and Kristen as would have been the case under the significant, are not unusual. Colleges spring semester, the CAB staff and the Schnitzer. According to Lily, -They original proposal. With the policy as it across the country "are having the Director of Student Programs plan a know what they're doing, and the tai- now stands under S/I)/F, this inequity same conversations," and Houghton's week packed full of team and campus- ent Houghton has to offer is fantastic." will not be a concern. position is definitely "not a crisis wide events. Students, staff, and facul- Seniors Erin Carr, Devon Martin, and Senior Garrett Fitzsimmons, situation." ty are all encouraged to "pick a team," Monica Lord, along with sophomore SGA Student Body President, sits on Lipscomb represented a range of by picking up a free purple or gold t- Ben Murphy performed in the cof- Academic Council and also noted a responses to the proposed changes. shirt, and participate in the events of feehouse. The show began with Cam- concern among faculty that students It is hoped that the athletic transition the week. The two teams earn points eron Thibault, senior, playing some would be encouraged to "stack off' "will have a net positive impact on throughout the week. original material, followed by the four under the structure of the original enrollment, offsetting the expenses On Monday, Purple and Gold Wiek others performing covers of different "pass-fail" proposal. The S/D/F policy associated with the new sports." But started with the handing out of Purple types of folk and alternative music. may help alleviate this concern through concern has also been voiced over and Gold Week t-shirts. CAB member CAB hosted a Price is Right game making Ds and Fs count toward a allowing athletic expenses "to rise Hannah Lily, sophomore, said, "Every- show Thursday, located in Wesley student's overall GPA. The policy also at the same moment" that the overall one is supposed to wear their shirts to Chapel. Each of the CAB members prescribes that students must apply budget is being cut, thus "requiring support their 'team' during the events took on specific duties during the to take a course S/D/F using a form (obviously) that the compensatory this week." event. The announcer for this year's from the Academic Records Office. cuts (in academics and elsewhere) Tuesday's events took place at the event was sophomore Luke Ogden, According to the policy, students"have be deeper." Reasons given for the men's and women's basketball games and some of the CAB members vol- until the end of the drop/add period to team additions were also questioned. against Roberts Wesleyan College. unteered to be "Vanna Whites" for the register for a course as S/D/F." After "Others think we should have pushed CAB set up a Velcro wall in the aux- night. this, students may not register for a harder to see if we could be admitted iliary gym and hosted a special shoot- Tonight's activity is a dodgeball tournament. Each team must have at course S/D/F or change from "S/[)/F to NCAA DIII without adding the new ing competition durmg one time-out sports. And they worry...that the new each quarter. During that time, the first See PASS-FAIL page 3 athletes might not actually expand the person to score a threepointer, lay-up, See P&G page 3 -1· 2 I NEWS FEBRUARY 10, 2012 WORLD / Blood Diamonds: Overlooked Horrors times is: Would it actually benefit resources, yet most live on less than diamonds are sent to India to be cut the oppressed if we avoided these a dollar a day with the lowest life and polished by farm boys earning all together? Granted, pennies every expectancy in the world. pennies a day in what is a $3.3 billion day is better than stan·ing. This is Many African leaders have tried industry. Thirty percent of these are the question many wrestle with in the to break away from the tight grips of sent to the U.S. in what becomes an debate for buying the more expensive the U.S. and diamond gartels such as $11 billion industry. -free trade- brands. Is appeasing our DeBeers and Anglo American PLC.