Stories from the current online edition of The Occidental Weekly. en-us http://www.oxyweekly.com Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:53:41 GMT 20 http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Features/The-Great.Divide.The.Classroom.And.The.Boardroom-3821960.shtml Last week John Farmer ascended to the top position in Oxy's governing body, the Board of Trustees. Previously the Vice Chair, Farmer assumed the position of Board Chair, replacing Dennis Collins, who served in that capacity for the past ten years. The power shift was anything but a demotion for Collins, who will assume the new role of Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement, essentially the school's chief of fundraising. 7c875d7d-b4ac-42b3-aa25-c2ffcaced1a1 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Features 11/04/09 There has always been a disconnect between the student body and the Board of Trustees. Can the gap be closed? Or is it a necessary evil? Dean DeChiaro Opinions Editor http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_93bu87t1.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Features/ Features/Campus Life http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Features/Printing.Oxys.Past-3821952.shtml While the campus-wide celebration of President Jonathan Veitch's inauguration may have only lasted a weekend, Art History and the Visual Arts Professor Linda Lyke's commemoration of the event will be a part of Occidental's campus forever. In late May, before summer had officially begun, Lyke was commissioned by President Veitch to create a piece of artwork for his upcoming inauguration. c0b36f24-f506-440e-a966-b23476927a29 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Features 11/04/09 Professor Lyke's new art installation is a feast for the eyes, incorporating historical photos, hand drawn details and a wash of bright colors over three sets of tiles Andrea Wong http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_0kmh2g18.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Features/ Features/Campus Life http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/Students.Contest.OffCampus.Housing.Policies-3821549.shtml President Jonathon Veitch, along with Dean of Students Barbara Avery and other administrators are attempting to crack down on rowdy off-campus events in the face of mounting complaints and criticisms from neighbors, local law enforcement and the Los Angeles judicial system. 59069ded-7c36-4578-8827-86058edbc48d Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT News 11/04/09 Martha Carol and Ben Dalgetty http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_dvuak5vj.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/ Campus News http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/Trustees.Approve.First.Step.Of.Athletics.Department.Renovation-3821560.shtml The Board of Trustees approved plans to revamp the Alumni Gym last week. The $251,000 renovations are planned to begin around exam week in December so that the new area is ready for the students' return at the end of January. This transformation would change the under-sized basketball court and ellipses room into a modern multipurpose fitness center. 4a0f1054-8f98-48ae-b388-7c47913bdc35 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT News 11/04/09 Sarah Mofford http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_jm1tl793.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/ Campus News http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/The-Golden.State.Attempts.To.Gain.Funding.For.New.Rail.System-3821570.shtml The state of California, despite recent budget woes, is pressing ahead in a bold initiative to introduce a state-wide high-speed rail system. This comprehensive, 20-year plan will have far-reaching effects and could even come as close as two miles from Occidental's campus. 9df50368-4d61-4d7a-9977-d9b22b2802cc Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT News 11/04/09 Christopher Suzdak http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/ Campus News http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/Residence.Hall.Association.Struggles.To.Survive.Restructuring-3821574.shtml Occidental College's Residence Hall Association (RHA), which has in past years played a large role in campus life, is currently in a transitional stage due to the turnover in Residence Life staff and possible overlap with the ASOC Senate. Although the final outcome of this metamorphosis is unclear, RHA will continue to advocate for students on campus. c1d02000-3ffa-46ff-b1b1-4f7d9a1437d1 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT News 11/04/09 Nona Gronert http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/ Campus News http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/Asoc-Discusses.Budget.And.Web.Site.Reconstruction-3821577.shtml On Tuesday, Oct. 27 the ASOC Senate met to discuss various issues, such as the failure to pass the new budget, plans to update the current ASOC Web site and the Off-Campus Students Coalition. 06d0c6e8-af08-4e0e-8b57-9d14a3f29e2d Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT News 11/04/09 Soo Jin Kim Staff Writer http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/ Campus News http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/Osl-Mandates.Hazing.Training.For.Clubs-3821581.shtml This fall, for the first time, the Office of Student Life mandated three club training sessions - Event Planning, Treasurer Training and Hazing Training - for all student clubs. If campus clubs did not attend these training sessions, they would be subject to potential administrative suspension for the entire semester and the freezing of their accounts. 9b15ae41-40f9-48b5-846c-f16c4c3dbfb8 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT News 11/04/09 Sant Kumar http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/News/ Campus News http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/Sensational.Balloon.Boy.Flies.Away.With.Serious.News-3821558.shtml I think we're all getting sick of Balloon Boy by now. Here at Oxy, we're part of a national minority that does, in fact, have more important things to do than follow real-time news coverage of a boy in a balloon. We're too busy and uninterested to care about all this hoopla, despite the best attempts by news media. But I believe that this country's over-obsession with the Balloon Boy saga has deeper implications than a country with plenty of downtime. cbdf3273-67ae-4ff0-8885-a3b3073f265f Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Opinion 11/04/09 Chloe Jenkins-Sleczkowski http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/Campus.Administration.Forecloses.On.Student.Housing-3821583.shtml What's Occidental going to do when it can't house all of its students? The question is a ticking time-bomb. Oxy is heading towards a housing crunch as the largest freshman class to ever enter Oxy, the class of 2013, is subject to the new requirement that students must live on campus for their first three years. 06908527-a6dc-4ffa-84bd-1b509df43790 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Opinion 11/04/09 Tyler Kearn Contributing Editor http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/Koxy-Spins.Good.Vibrations-3821589.shtml I love music, and I love sharing music with other people. And while I enjoy going to concerts and would love to learn how to play every instrument imaginable, I have never really had a real outlet for my appreciation of music. As soon as I got to Occidental, I learned about the radio station here, KOXY 104.7. I thought it was fantastic that any student could apply to have a radio show slot, and I, along with my friend, immediately applied. A week later, we had a radio show ("Every Song's a Party Song," Tuesdays 4-5pm). However, I'm surprised that more people on campus haven't taken advantage of KOXY. c32a5a22-6806-4dc9-b9ea-72f8b48e06e3 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Opinion 11/04/09 Lindsay Palmer http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/Navigating.The.Murky.Waters.Of.The.Oxy.Dating.Pool-3821578.shtml Dating at Oxy has always been a topic of interest to me and just about every other person on campus. It's been said that college is where you'll meet the love of your life, the person you're going to marry. And every time I see campus dining setting out tables for a reception, or a soon-to-be-married couple holding a dress rehearsal on Branca Patio, I can't help but ask, "How'd they do it?" 830cc3da-e476-4889-a0c4-501d37a2cef8 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Opinion 11/04/09 Lizeth Castillo http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/Veganism.More.Substantive.Than.Another.Empty.Fad.Diet-3821550.shtml After years of being happily vegetarian, I made the tough decision to go completely vegan at the beginning of this semester. I was not alone. I know various people who made the same choice around the time that I did, or who have since toyed with the concept. It was not until recently, after an authority figure in my life tried to discourage my vegan lifestyle, that I wondered about the trend among my peers to jump on the vegan bandwagon. Did this aforementioned authority figure notice the emerging cultural pattern as well? Is there, in fact, a misconception that veganism is the newest fad diet? fc72f5e4-b894-4796-80d1-f993a4747878 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Opinion 11/04/09 Claire Larson http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/Campus.Violence.Can.Be.Curbed.With.Preventative.Measures-3821564.shtml The average college student is subject to a smorgasbord of mental health issues. The intersection of stress, sleeplessness, over-scheduling, unrealistic expectations and (for many) alcohol/drugs makes for a generic state of "crazy" across the board. A 2007 survey of college counseling centers headed by the University of Pittsburgh reported that 15 percent of students had been diagnosed with depression, compared to 5 percent of students in 2000. Another survey by the American College Health Association indicated that 49 percent of students in 2008 felt overwhelming anxiety. Many colleges, including Oxy, offer counseling services and mental health awareness events, but are the services offered sufficient? 187e7ae7-276f-4b36-b3c6-f4b7b6abc901 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Opinion 11/04/09 Gladys Angle http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Opinion/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/Arroyo.Seco.MiniGolf.Course.Above.Par.With.Vintage.Charm-3821628.shtml There's something about miniature scaled buildings that brings out the competitive side in me. I love me some mini golf; and while Southern California is known as a mini golf hotspot, the city of Los Angeles, and specifically the area surrounding Oxy, seems to be lacking in the putt-putt department. 4eb4537e-58ff-4795-88ec-99db9dc3b484 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Entertainment 11/04/09 Riley Hooper Editor-in-Chief http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_k1bj5855.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/ Arts/Entertainment http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/Taste.Of.Oxy.Tantalizes.Students.With.Talent.And.Treats-3821438.shtml As I left Thorne Patio after Taste of Oxy last Friday night, I got a call from a friend who lives in Oregon. When she asked me what I had been up to that evening, I struggled to describe the event. 8c2875a0-0550-4e1d-b67c-3fc79464e111 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Entertainment 11/04/09 Becca Miller http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_2730f775.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/ Arts/Entertainment http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/The-Silver.Lining.Of.Silverlake-3821619.shtml We Oxy students are often too involved in our Eagle Rock nest to branch out and explore our deserving neighbor Silverlake. You've probably driven through it at some point or another - it hosts freeways, main drags and crossing points of the city. It certainly isn't very far from Oxy either, and accidental turns and wrong freeway exits can easily lead you there. e7ef900a-81eb-472a-ab15-45fdb71429a0 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Entertainment 11/04/09 Chloe Jenkins-Sleczkowski http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/ Arts/Entertainment http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/Diversify.Your.Media.Library.With.Amoeba.Records-3821616.shtml With locations in San Francisco, Berkeley and right in the heart of Hollywood, Amoeba Records is a store worth visiting. Amoeba is the largest independent record store in the world and what owner Mark Weinstein refers to as a "trading post for music." Weinstein took time out of his busy day to sit down with me to discuss his philosophy and his plans for Amoeba, stressing that the uniqueness of the store is that it offers people a "chance to experience a culture that is now on the wane, [in a way] that you cannot do online. d48f820d-7e82-4f79-a312-e92ebb483d23 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Entertainment 11/04/09 Dylan Bos-Dowlen http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_423a2196.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/ Arts/Entertainment http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/Date-Night.With.Jack.And.Mandla-3821448.shtml As awards season officially kicks off, this week marks an important week in the film industry. Unfortunately, this means that last week, the studios had little to offer at the box office. Therefore we decided to sit in on the fun little popcorn flick "Surrogates." d8adbb97-e4fd-40aa-84db-b2c94752d827 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Entertainment 11/04/09 The beauty of danger and the danger of beauty in "Surrogates" Jack Greenbaum and Mandla Gobledale http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/ Arts/Entertainment http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/Get-To.Know.Yo.Fro.Yo.In.Eagle.Rock.And.Beyond-3821442.shtml There is something about Oxy and frozen yogurt. Maybe it's the creamy goodness, or maybe it's just because we like saying, "Hey man, wanna go grab some fro-yo?" but with so many frozen yogurt shops to choose from, like Yogurt Haven, Pinkberry, Squeeze and Scoop and 21 choices, what's a hungry student to do? I decided this delicious dilemma needed an answer. c2050019-fce2-4f32-913c-02bd50d5d1db Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Entertainment 11/04/09 Sarah Mofford http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Entertainment/ Arts/Entertainment http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/Womens.Volleyball.Reaches.Dissatisfying.End.Of.Road-3821586.shtml On Oct. 27, the Oxy women's volleyball team put up a fierce fight against the Whittier Poets and came out victorious. Team spirit and determination on the court were palpable as players cheered and growled for each other after every point. 62e2ade5-35ce-4c5c-bf22-b2e2d60399b4 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Sports 11/04/09 After a series of intense conference games, the team finishes regular-season play Brenda McNary Cal/Arts Editor http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_5e05t7zr.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/ Sports http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/Water.Polo.Prepares.For.PostSeason.Sciac.Victory-3821604.shtml After a tumultuous season riddled with disappointment, the men's water polo team is preparing to enter the SCIAC championships at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps starting Nov. 13. The road to SCIAC was a long one, and started with a 11-5 loss to Claremont-M.S. at the 2009 SCIAC opener in early Oct. b4116392-05d5-42ff-a1a1-d4648099306b Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Sports 11/04/09 Lizeth Castillo http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_b29lyso3.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/ Sports http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/Cross.Country.Teams.Race.To.West.Regionals-3821906.shtml The cross country teams' vigorous training regimen has led them into the end of a successful season. feb9d146-6852-4654-b4b6-2b86e9ee00c9 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Sports 11/04/09 Hillary Holmes http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper1200/thumbs/t_o00n0lpe.jpg http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/ Sports http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/Womens.Rugby.Scrums.Down.For.New.Season-3821908.shtml With a consistent showing of 25-30 people at practice twice a week, the women's rugby team is certainly making an improvement over previous years, and is doing "just dandy" according to team Captain Danielle Seigler (junior). "We have seen numbers out there like we have never had before," she said. 4b5f772b-b6e5-4127-9b96-1ea4d6a80616 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Sports 11/04/09 Gabe Bernadett-Shapiro http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/ Sports http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/An.Instant.Replay.Of.The.2009.Ncaa.Football.Season-3821911.shtml This year has been quite an exciting season for college football. There have been upsets galore as well as some surprisingly successful teams that most people didn't expect to do very well this season. 6913fd90-137c-46ed-8df8-5d970abff5db Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT Sports 11/04/09 Gil Alcaraz http://www.oxyweekly.com/news/2009/11/04/Sports/ Sports