OCR::/Vol_108/WLURG39_RTP_20060123/WLURG39_RTP_20060123_001.2.txt 4373.755 R552 ‘/~/O8 Q }AA. A: ‘V: TT ‘col WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY THE RING-TUM PI-II. MONDAY, JAN. 23, 2006 BY THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 VOLUME CI-X, I08“ I NUMBER-if staff editorial on page 3. nside Searching for a savior Ashley Brightwell looks into the ongoing presiden- tial search on page 2. Dallas delight Alumnus and Watson Fel- low Paul Seifert show- cases his artwork in a Dallas gallery. See page 4 for details. The’ staff speaks out The Phi addresses the is- sue of sexual assault in a fe Changing a tire Because Triple AAA won’t always be around to help you out, here’s a fast and furious guide that will get you back on the road. Know where your tire is: And that pesky tire iron too. If you can’t find your A - spare knowing how to put it on won’t help much. Don’t go rolling away: Make sure the parking break is on and put a rock behind another wheel as an extra precaution. Jack up the car: Most cars have a spot where the jack is designed to go. If your car doesn’t, make sure the jack is se- curely placed underneath the body of the car and not a fender. Undo the lugnuts: Those are the five or six nuts holding your tire on. Your tire iron should fit around each one. Turn to the left to loosen them. Make sure you don’t lose these; you’ll need them later. Switch the tires: Now you’re ready to pull off the old tire; slide the new tire onto the axel in the old one’s place. Save the old tire. A garage may be able to patch it up, which will be much cheaper than buying a new one. Replace the lugnuts: Now use the tire iron to screw the lugnuts back on, 5 securing the spare tire to the axel. Make sure the lugnuts are tight to your tire doesn’t fly off ten miles down the road. Go get a new tire: Your spare isn’t designed to work forever. Go to a garage as soon as possible and either get your old tire repaired or pick up a new one. Assault rate above average Though data shows problems, Washington Hall believes progress is being made By Jacob Geiger NEWS EDITOR One year after student health surveys exposed that Washington and Lee has a sexual battery and attempted rape rate nearly twice the national average, the admin- istration and student health cen- ter released updated survey data that reveals a declining number of rapes and attempted rapes. However, 6% of W&L women surveyed in 2005 re- ported that they were victims of an attempted rape. While this percentage is down from the 8.5% reported in 2004, it is still much higher than the 4% of stu- dents nation-wide who have been victims of attempted rapes. On an equally alarming note, 21% of women surveyed reported ex- periencing sexual battery, a rate similar to the 2004 rate and nearly twice the nationally re- ported average. This year, only 1% of W&L women reported ac- tually being raped, a sharp drop from last year’s statistics’ and a figure that is approximately half of the national average. Shortly after Winter Break, Acting-President Harlan Beckley, Dean of Students Dawn Watkins, Vice President _of Com- munications Tim Kolly, and Di- rector of Student Health Services Dr. Jane Horton sat down with editors from the Phi and Trident to review and discuss these sta- tistics as well as other data re- garding sexual assault and alco- _ hol use at W&L. Several times during the meeting and in a press release, Dean Watkins emphasized that “one rape, one assault, is too much.” Mr. Kolly added that the school “still has a long ways to go,” but said the administration “finds the trends [of fewer as- saults] encouraging.” The 2004 results were gath- ered withthe National College Health Assessment (NCHA), while the most recent results come from the CORE Alcohol , and Drug Survey. All responses both years were voluntary and anonymous. Because Dr. Horton believes “that a majority of inci- dents are alcohol related,” the survey also contains extensive questions about the drinking be- haviors of students. Mr. Kolly added that, “National fraternity survey results say 90% of sexual assaults involve either alcohol or drugs.” The data on alcohol use con- tains several positive trends, though in most areas the univer- N W&L W&L 1996 Percentage of students who admit to binge drinking 2 National average 3 in 4 W&L students admit to playing drinking games, Na“°"a' W&L chugging beer, taking shots women women average women surveyed surveyed ’ of women surveyed . . . who were who were surveyed who were victims of victims of who were victims of I attempted attempted victims of sexual rape in rape in attempted battery 2005 2004 rape Drunk driving 1999 jfi 2005 L sity remains far above national averages. Washington and Lee students reported blacking out, suffering injuries, and doing things they’ve regretted later more often than their peers na- tion—wide. Dr. Horton also shared fresh data on drinking patterns that was gathered from the Alcohol.edu surveys completed by all freshmen during summer and again during fall term. Nearly three out of every four students reported playing drink- ing games, chugging beers, and taking shots, while more than half admitted to drinking before going out. According to Dr. Horton, this data “suggests that this is the en- vironment being set up by our current system. This is fall term freshman year,” she added. “It’s a very high risk time for fresh- men.” In contrast to the other three administrators present, Acting- President Beckley remained quiet for most of the meeting. When asked why he had come, he replied that he wanted to be present “because [the adminis- tration] wants students to know that we all think this is an impor- tant issue on our campus.” Perhaps the most encouraging information to emerge from this year‘s survey is the sharply drop- ping drunk driving rate. Whereas almost half of all W&L students reported driving under “I ’m here because the administration wants students to know that we all think this is an important issue on our campus” HARLAN BECKLEY, ACTING PRESIDENT the influence in 1999, only a quarter of students in 2005 re- ported doing the same thing. Drunk driving is one of the only survey categories where W&L students rank below the national average; the administration cred- its W&L’s Traveller service for this drop. “Traveller has been beefed up significantly in the last five years,” Dean Watkins said, “and it’s been overhauled in the last two years. It’s more reliable and consistent now, while student involvement continues to be strong.” _ Dean Watkins and Dr. Horton also met with the Inter-fratemity Council and Pan-Hellenic to dis- cuss the survey data and explore solutions that could further lower incidences of sexual assault and risky drinking behavior. The dean of students said that “both groups were quick to respond last year” when the initial survey data was released. She pointed to the new Gender Relations Council as an example of the Greek governing organization’s initiatives. Another active participant in the battle against sexual assault is Project Horizon, a community- wide organization that educates people about sexual assault and provides support to victims. Sa- rah Beth Campbell, a senior who is active with the group, said that despite the heightened focus on the issue, “nothing really seems to have changed.” “Awareness is higher this year,” she said, attributing progress in that area to the work SPEAK, a women’s group founded by Dr. Jen Sayre, a member of the University Coun- almost half of W&L students surveyed admitted to driving under the influence 25% of W&L students surveyed admitted to driving under the influence EMILY HULEN / DESIGN DIRECTOR seling department. SPEAK talks with freshmen girls to educate them on the risks of sexual as- sault at W&L. Nonetheless, Campbell feels that W&L’s culture still has a way to go. “Some of the culture is a re- sult of the alcohol; it lowers everyone’s inhibitions, making guys less aware of what they’re doing and leaving girls more vul- nerable. A lot of the inappropri- ate touching goes on in these parties in frat basements.” Still, Campbell said that alco- hol was not solely to blame. “Part of the problem is our hook- up culture; lots of guys and girls go out with the intention of hook- ing up. The physical aspect of relationships is emphasized here.” Campbell offered some final thoughts on the issue of sexual battery, saying that she worries “some people don’t consider it to be an important issue.” Nevertheless, she felt that change is possible on this cam- pus. “I believe people here are good, decent people. No one would do this sort of inappropri- ate touching when they were so- ber.” Why Dr. Cornel West matters Nationally known Princeton University professor and activist speaks at W&L By Jacob Geiger NEWS EDITOR Who is Dr. Comel West? A religion professor at Princeton? A movie star? A rapper? An activist? Perhaps he’s all of those things. West is scheduled to speak on campus Monday night, and the fliers tacked up ev- erywhere say his topic will be “Why Democracy Matters.” West’s most recent book caries the same title. West has been called “the pre- eminent African—American intel- lectual of our generation.” That compliment was delivered by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., chairman of the Afro-American studies program at Harvard. West has certainly spent time at plenty of preeminent institu- tions, receiving an undergradu- ate degree in Near Eastern Lan- guages and Literature after spending just three years at Harvard. He later received a Ph.D. from Princeton. West has taught in three Ivy League schools — Harvard, Princeton, and Yale’s Divinity School - as well teaching at the University of Paris during the spring of 1987. While at Yale he was ar- rested during protests against apartheid South Africa, and when the school canceled his leave for the spring of 1987 he commuted between Yale and Paris, teach- ing two classes at the former in- stitution and three at the latter. In 1988 West headed for Princeton, where he worked with noted author Toni Morrison to improve the school’s African- American studies program; West served as the program’s director from 1988 to 1994. West pub- lished a best selling collection of essays in 1993 entitled Race Matters. After teaching at Harvard for several years, West became em- broiled in a spat with then-re- cently appointed President Lawrence Summers, who caused controversy of his own last year by arguing that there are “issues of intrinsic aptitude” separating men and women. At the time Summers accused West of fail- ing to focus enough attention on academic pursuits. West re- turned Princeton the following year and currently teaches in the religion department. Part of Summers’s stated frus- tration was West’s extracurricu- Cornel West speaks Monday night at 7:30 PM in the Lenfest Center T lar pursuits, which include a rap album titled “Sketches of My Culture.” West also appeared as Councilor West in volumes two and three of the Matrix trilogy. He also served as an advisor to Rev. Al Sharpton during the 2004 Presidential campaign. West served as a leader for the Mil- lion Man March in 1995 and also has participated in several sum- rrrits on gang violence. Another West critic is Leon Wieseltier, literary editor of The New Republic. Wieseltier has at various times accused West of opportunism, crass showman- ship, and a lack of scholarly se- riousness. In reality, Comel West does a little bit of everything, but some of his colleagues have finally come up with a definition for him. , “Cornel is foremost a philoso- pher,” said the University of Maryland’s Ronald Walters dur- ing and interview with CNN. “He has one of the quickest minds among scholars I know and puts together unique per- spectives on issues.” OCR::/Vol_108/WLURG39_RTP_20060123/WLURG39_RTP_20060123_002.2.txt 2 - THE RING-TUM PHI IIBWS MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2006 BEHIND BARS Here’s to laughing at the expense of those who learned their lessons this weekend. News Editor Jacob Geiger took a peek at this week's police reports to see what you’ve been up to during Rush Week and especially Tear Night. Don ’t worry, we only used your initials. Lawless lawyers Usually law students sit in court as a counsel to the accused. Now it looks like the counsel will need counsel. CD, a second year law student from Newark, Delaware, ran afoul of the police at 2 AM on Saturday the 14'“. After determining that CD was drunk, the officers went ahead and issued a citation for public drunkenness. At press time the Phi had not heard whether the offender would hire a classmate or decide to represent himself. Guess who's back back again? Behind Bars is pleased (well, not really) to announce the first repeat offender to appear in this space. EB, who was stopped while running down Nelson St. at 4 AM one night this fall, was arrested for a second time during Tear Night festivities. EB was sent home under the escort of fellow pledge DM, and all seemed well until EB face- planted thirty feet away from two police officers. The officers sauntered over and arrested both gentlemen, despite DM’s protestations that he was “only trying to walk his friend home.” After a breathalyzer test the officers decided that both gentlemen would need to visit the station, and tear night was officially over for these freshmen, who now face counts of public drunkenness and underage posession. Please obey all posted signs Lexington’s maze of one way streets can be confusing, but Behind Bars hadalways assumed that most juniors had the streets figured out by now. Apparently not. Junior MC was arrested at 10 AM on Thursday the 12"‘ for driving the wrong way on a one way street. At least she wasn’t speeding while doing so. W&L really does run this town, MC, but obeying traffic signs is still required. Just focus on the lines On Saturday January 7"‘ sophomore MN got so wrapped up in not swerving that she forgot to turn on her headlights. So it goes to figure that even if she was driving straight and police officer would notice her. And one did. And then he arrested her not only for driving with no headlights but also for a DUI. Behind Bars isn’t even going to . make a joke here. 25% of W&L students drive drunk. That’s just stupid, and this is supposed to be a school for smart kids. Don’t drink and shoot A ragin’ cajun by the name of MM of Mandeville, LA was arrested for a DIP and carrying a concealed weapon. Perhaps that’s acceptable in Louisiana, but in Virginia the police tend to think that drinking and shooting don’t mix. Searching for a new leader Working behind the scenes, the universitys Presidential Search Committee continues to make progress Law Professor Brian Murchison and other members of the search committee outline their goals and views on the hunt for a new president. By Ashley Brightwell REPORTER The search for the next Presi- dent of Washington and Lee University has been continuing to make progress over the last several months. The Presidential Search Committee, headed by law professor Brian Murchison, has been working diligently to narrow a pool of approximately 150 candidates down to a single individual who will take over the leadership of the university. Professor Brian Murchison of the law school is the Chair of the Presidential Search Committee and has taught at W&L for 23 years. He explained that the pro- cess is composed of several steps. The first involved hiring a professional consultant, Bar- bara Taylor, to assist in the search and forming a committee of faculty, staff, alurrmi, trustees and students. This first step of the process also included soliciting nomina- tions from the public, which the Committee did by placing an advertisement of the position in the Chronicle of Higher Educa- tion. From September to No- vember the group received nominations from alumni, former professors, and friends of the school. The second stage, which oc- curred around the same time, involved encouraging those who would be good candidates to apply for the position. The cur- rent phase has involved narrow- ing down a pool of about 150 applicants to less than 30. This will be followed by a formal in- terview process in February and an announcement of the new president shortly thereafter. When asked about the pro- cess of the search, Professor Murchison said that the job “is on schedule thanks to a very hard working and industrious committee. I would hope that we know something in March or April, but I don’t want to jinx it,” Professor Murchison’s opti- mism is shared by Search Com- mittee member Dean Hank Dobin, who said that the search should be over by April. Dean Dobin, who is new to the school this year, also had his opinions on the qualities the new president should possess. Though he explained that he has tried not to have any precon- ceived notions, because “it would be good for the commit- tee to have as open a mind as possible”, he does think that the person should have experience as a faculty member and be ac- cessible to the different constitu- encies. Dobin also said that “though the idea of fit is impor- tant, it can be somewhat over- rated. We want someone who will respect this institution and its traditions but who is willing and able to challenge us.” The idea of fit does seem to be an issue in this search, espe- cially when it comes to the val- ues people expect from the president. Generally, older pro- fessors value tradition and hope for a president who maintains and protects traditions, while newer professors seem more open to change. “The job is on schedule thanks to a very hard working and industrious committee. ” BRIAN MURCHISON, SEARCH COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Professor David Dickens, who has taught German at Wash- ington and Lee for 45 years, be- lieves that the president should “improve what needs to be im- proved, strengthen those things that make us a good university, and make no impetuous radical change.” On the other side, Professor James Mahon, a Philosophy pro- fessor of six years at W&L, be- lieves that “it is actually quite significant if you have a presi- dent who is liberal, and I do think all our presidents have been lib- eral. I genuinely believe that lib- eral presidents are more con- cerned with change and improve- ment than their conservative counterparts. A good president will find new things to do for the university.” These two opinions both have their merits and when blended seem to show a model of presi- dency that is best for Washing- ton and Lee. This is only one of the many considerations that the Committee must make in the search. There is also the question of whether we should break the mold of 250 years of male presi- dents and appoint a woman to the position, and whether the next president should be from Wash- ington and Lee. Though she is in favor of hav- ing a woman as president, Dean Dawn Watkins also made it clear that “it’s more about the charac- ter and quality of the person than their gender.” The current Acting President, Dr. Harlan Beckley, also sup- ports the prospect of a woman president and believes it could help the school to grow, though he, like Dean Watkins, believes that other qualities are more im- portant. “We would be proud to have a female president,” he said, “and should be proud. It would affirm that Washington and Lee is able to welcome lead- ership from any president who is qualified, regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion, and who Summer 2006 in Paris A m:.ltti‘t:.zde of urioergraciuatae, creditneanng courses in Two 5-week Sessions: e Fast ilraclr lratenshres as Qencti lfl‘8¥h9!”S§9n5 www.aup.edu Tlifi AMERl.{Z.A‘N UNWERSUY ‘ (BF PARIS karzmladga. is-mas=r::i»iva—. understanding ./C, .«*..?*;lE‘v'l.;~‘a.§, E'E‘~£l(“ (Eli R63-{.°l{‘iE§i?.%§}t'}%i3I v.-' ‘ , 5,: ,- 2' <'E9’!'>:"'-3£{§vi?K'§L{ a Q’-2-»’T 43...; . .-» . SMALL ANEMAL. PET CARE Metlicirse!Surgeryfflentistrjsaffloardingffl rooming Is ymrr per «lane wh ife you are at cixzxws or .s;m)rt.§r? Eringyrmr pet to our 1I:I._1=’t:r1re.’ We love the Generals ’’ pets.’ 10% OFF FIRST V'iSI’I” Wi.’I"El THIS CQLEPQN Route 11 North, % mile beyond Wal-’n.’a:l“rt & 'l_...owt.%s 463-201 5 can become dedicated to W&L.” Questions about the new president’s ties to Washington and Lee are another factor in the decision, with some faculty members remembering with dis- pleasure what one called “the Burish experience” and what some saw as his attempts to transform W&L into something it wasn’t by increasing the bu- reaucracy. These individuals feel that someone connected to the uni- versity could better understand and appreciate the things that make it unique. Others, such as Dr. Beckley, are of the belief that it isn’t im- portant that the president be con- nected to Washington and Lee so long as “he or she is the kind of person who could become at- tached to the university.” With the end of the search coming, students also need to consider what they want in a president and remain as active in the search process. Information is readily accessible on the university’s webpage, and meet- ings occur regularly that are open to everyone. , Acting President Beckley was Chair of the last Presidential Search Comrriittee and has served as a professor at Washington and Lee for 32 years. He possesses a unique perspective on the matter, having been President and a member of the constituency, as well as being involved in a past Presidential Search Committee. Having experienced the duties of position, Dr. Beckley brought up some qualities that some people might not realize that the president needs, “an interest in ' communicating with many differ- ent people about their concerns, a willingness to be patient in com- municating with the constituen- cies, a vision of what W&L can be, and a capacity to deal with many issues.” ’ Dr. Beckley also commented on what he wants from his suc- cessor. “I want the person who follows me to be a good presi- dent. It is a privilege and a joy and a significant responsibility to be the president of Washington and Lee. I want a person who will take on that role and be willing to lead us to an even better fu- ture.” Original Italian Restaurant 2055 Magnolia Ave Bueria Vista, VA 2441 6 26443029 FREE DE.LlV.ERY with $1 til min order Stromboli-Pizza-Subs- Pasta-Etc. Operi ‘lvlonday thru "l’lii1rsday: « 1 lA.Mi-l(}PM l3ritl.ay 8:. Saturday: l1AM-11PM Sniiday: l2_l’EVI- l {WM OCR::/Vol_108/WLURG39_RTP_20060123/WLURG39_RTP_20060123_003.2.txt g Q Q I _wfiww MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2006 THE "RING-TUM PHI - 3 IIDIIIIOIIS staffeditorial Culture must change Alarming statistics reveal continuing problems in gender relationships It’s a shame that an editorial has to be written about the preva- lence of sexual assault in 2006, but ignoring the problem solves nothing. The fact remains that al- though we attend a prestigious institution, which should be void of immature and irresponsible actions, sexual assault still oc- curs with completely unaccept- able regularity While we acknowledge that the University has begun to take steps towards finding a solution, we would like to address issues that we feel are factors that cause these transgressions and suggest our own solutions. Washington and Lee is known as one of the top party schools in the nation, and many students boast about our drinking status. We can still throw down with the best of them; however, many stu- dents use drunkeness as a justi- fication for an assult or rape. The use of date rape drugs, al- cohol and other means to inhibit one’s decision-making ability is an inexcusable violation of an- other person’s rights. Not only is it against the law, it ought to be an Honor Violation since it darn- ages our community. No system based on honor can long survive when the very trust that is its base is damaged or broken. It’s amazing that at aschool with less than 2,000 people that individuals can feel comfortable behaving this way, yet with the strict social standards people want to live up to, too many stu- dents feel obliged to forgive and forget. There are cases when a woman who has been sexually assaulted has refused to turn in her attacker because she fears being socially ostracized not only from the fraternity where it occurred, but from her own group of friends as well. By failing to report the as- sault, women also continue the vicious cycle as the perpetrators never feel as though they have to pay for their actions. We feel it is a problem that there are more negative social consequences for the victim than for the attacker. Students are re- sponsible for creating an envi- ronment in which sexual assualt is not tolerated. A rapist should not be patted on the back or con- gratulated, and a victim should not be an outcast. Unfortunately this is what happens all to fre- quently at our school. It is time for this mindset to change. Suggestive actions, provocative dancing, or revealing dress are never excuses for rape, but if sexual assault is going to be eliminated, women must be ladies and men must be gentlemen. Sexual assualt is a double- edged sword; men cannot be the only ones that are held respon- sible to change these statistics. While is is never acceptable to take advantage of a woman, regardless of how exposed she is, women must take more re- sponsibility for their actions while out partying because sometimes they may lead people to believe that they are willing to do more than they may actu- ally want. Suggestive actions, provacative dancing, or reveal- ing dress are never excuses for rape, but if sexual assault if go- ing to be eliminated, women must be ladies and men must be gentlemen. Men are also not the only ones that commit sexual assault. There have been several reported in- stances where men have felt as though they have been taken ad- vantage of sexually. Even though they may enjoy it at the time, these men are in no condition to make a rational decision to par- ticipate in these promiscuous activities. The problem of sexual assault will not vanish, despite the University’s best efforts, until students decide to take respon- sibility and consciously choose to change their own actions. Fi- nally, every student must refuse to tolerate sexual assault. The above editorial reflects the majority opinion of The Ring Tum Phi’s editorial stafi we-e-H~— WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY (mam? THE RING-TUM Pr-11. KATHERINE GREENE JACOB GEIGER AMANDA THOLKE TIM LIVINGSTON KATHRYN KRALL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NEWS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR ARTS&L|FE EDITOR NADJA WOLFE ASHLEY COONING ASHLEY BRIGHTWELL JACOB GEIGER KEVIN DONOVAN KATE SHELLNUTT HUGH TROUT THOMAS GIFT CONTRIBUTING WRITERS EMILY HULEN MELISSA CARON ROB ARMSTRONG DAVID SEIFERT DESIGN DIRECTOR DESIGNER WEBMASTER BUSINESS MANAGER The Ring-rum Phi is published Mondays during the Lu raduate school year at Washington and Lee University. Lexington, Virginia. The Ringmm Phi is a member ol The Media Board, which can be reached at mediaboard@wlu.edu. but is otherwise independent. The Hing-tum Phi welcomes all responsible submissions and letters. All submissions must be e-mailed to ph/'@wIu.edu or in the Univershy Center mailbox by 5 pm. Friday to appear in the tollowing week’s edition. The Flingktum Phi reserves the right to edit submissions for content and length. Letters and columns do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Fling~tum Phi Editorial Board. Advertising does not reflect the opinions 01 The Fling-rum Phi or its smtl. This newspaper observes current court of libel and obscenity. The Hing—tum Phi University Commons Room. 341 Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia 24450 Telephone: (540) 458-4060 Fax: (540) 4584059 Email: phi@w|u.edu Subscription rate $40 Timber Ridge Auto Center iifiiii \t'21i.‘Ee},: Pike Lexington, "VA 24450 (540) 464-1997 asEE‘cea*aH&o'rcmliclams Foreigrr and Do'm.est:i_t: Repairs Oil ciftartgc and l...ube_, .»’~X.«"{L', C(}ll“i'§,2i1il§t“tl‘ Diagnostics, ‘Mirror and Major Erzgine Repzrir, Brakes, Fa:%“:l. injeetiexi Eéerviee, Trztnatnissmn Serviee, Cilia-l21:(‘.tt Fi_ush_, l.'\e’ll.l”t»:jZtiT i:'t.§‘l.t.l lvlaitar Tum: «zips. We can ptm*‘i3:g.;,-. .1.-lz.-<» -.-t..~.~..~- ‘ ' OCR::/Vol_108/WLURG39_RTP_20060123/WLURG39_RTP_20060123_004.2.txt 4 THE RING-TUM PHI arts&liie MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2006 Seifert’s painting centers around the people and activities of fishing villages. His artwork focuses on the way that a reliance on fish changes the look and feel of the culture. one fishing W&L alum Paul Seifert opens art show from his travels as a Watson Fellow The prestigious Watson Fellowship allowed Paul Seifert to unite his two passions: art and fishing. He traveled around the world observing and painting fishing villages. On his venture he turned out fine artwork, discovered the larger world, and gained a new perspective on life. By Nadja Wolfe smrr warren On Friday, January 13th, Wash- ington and Lee alum and Watson fellow Paul Seifert, ’04, opened an exhibit of artwork he created on his travels last year at the AL-SO Gallery in Dallas. As a Watson fellow, Seifert was able to combine his love of fishing and of art as he traveled to South America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle east, studying fishing cultures and capturing them on paper and film. The col1ection’s ink draw- ings capture what Seifert calls the “frenzied outbreak of mo- tion” that occurs when the boats came in. “I would be on the sand in the middle of the frenzy, with ink and a reed pen, marking down whatever bod- ies and objects passed in front of me,” he said. These pieces capture the throbbing activity of each lo- cation, from Brazil to Malay- sia. Given the frenetic activity rushing across the pages of his pen and ink work, it is inter- esting that Seifert gained a new appreciation for slowing down and sitting with his own thoughts. In watching the people around him, he says, he ob- served a lack of the hurried- ness to which he is accus- tomed. A Inconveniences, such as a six hour wait for a bus, became opportunities to reflect and ob- serve. “For me,” Seifert said, “thinking takes time, and it is best done on its own and not as part of a multitask.” It is no surprise, then, that this intro- spection carried over to his artwork. The ink drawings captured l the pace of the motion before him as he observed the every- day tasks of the fishermen. However, in his oil work painted at night, Seifert dem- onstrates a tempest of intensity through vibrant scenes only less active at a cursory glance. He also uses bright color to communicate the vibrant and exciting lifestyle of the villag- ers. Although they lack the same level of physical motion found in the -drawings, the ‘strength of thought in the paintings has an action all its own that enthralls and in- trigues. Seife1t’s travels have given him a lot to think about as well. He hopes through his art to open others’ eyes to a world much larger than it often seems, and would be pleased should others be inspired to look beyond the world they know. , Seifert has also gained per- spective, hinting that he sees the world through a lens not necessarily focused on his own needs and actions. It is this viewpoint that has helped him to be “perfectly, unconsciously content with the sitting and do- ing nothing,” happy to be part with and observer of every- thing surrounding him. This gallery exhibit is the first for Paul Seifert, who has hopes for future showings and to sell his work on display . Visit online www.paulseifert.com Above: Paul $eifert’s art- work captures the “fren- zied outbreak of motion” that would occur when a fishing boat arrived on shore. /Right: Seifert’s photogra- phy takes a more relaxed tone. Waiting for the per- fect shot taught Seifert to be “perfectly, uncon- sciously content with sit- ting and doing nothing.” ‘I OCR::/Vol_108/WLURG39_RTP_20060123/WLURG39_RTP_20060123_005.2.txt MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2006 THE RING-TUM PHI 0 5 Night of sixty-five roses The Cystic Fibrosis Charity Ball raises money to battle the disease and provides entertainment for students Shunning the frat scene for an evening, students danced the night away in the classy atmosphere of Evans to raise money for CF research. By Nadja Wolfe STAFF WRITER Saturday night, W&L stu- dents gathered in Evans Dining Hall for an evening of dancing—— and to raise money for the Cys- tic Fibrosis Foundation. The CF Charity Ball Committee’s annual fundraiser, “A Night of Roses,” directly ben- efits research for a cure to the illness which affects thirty thou- sand Americans, with a thousand new cases being diagnosed each year. Cystic Fibrosis is caused by a genetic defect that inhibits lung function and interferes with the “I came because it’s a lot offun and I think CF is a‘ troubling illness. ” DEBBY NEWELL digestive tract. CF treatment has made sig- nificant strides due to extensive research, so that CF patients are now living into their thirties. The illness is also a prime fo- cus of gene therapy research, an area of research that shows much promise in finding a cure. “CF research is a very great thing to support,” said James Heidbreder, ’08, chair of the CF Charity Ball Committee. “They’re on the edge of the cure. You get a lot more bang for your buck—all they need is more research.” And, thanks to the EC’s generous funding, he added, 100% of the evening’s proceeds go directly to the foun- dation. The ball, named for a symbol of the CFF because children with ‘ the disease often pronounce it as “sixty five roses,” was a great success. Burr Datz’s band, Monrovia, and caller Becky Mackenzie, had the room square and contra dancing all evening. Although new to many people, the room was filled with smiles as dancers learned figures and steps such as ladies’ chain and promenade. Not knowing the moves was a benefit, said committee mem- ber Dane Boston, ’08. “When you go to a [regular] dance... it’s things some people are really good at, and some people aren’t,” but since everyone’s learning, everyone can have fun. The CF Charity Ball comn1it— tee, with an active membership of about twenty people, hopes to fill Evans next year. “We’d like to see more people out here... having fun at the dance,” said Boston. For next year’s ball, said Heidbreder, “we’ve been kicking around the idea of a swing dance, [which] might have more popu- lar appeal.” The comrnittee’s plans are not only limited to the yearly ball, however. Heidbreder also men- PHOTO: DEBBY NEWELL Jessie Coulter and Allison Stokan swing around each other in one of many intricate patterns of contra dancing. tioned plans for a Valentine’s Day fundraiser selling CFF teddy bears for sweetheart gifts, as well as participating in the Great Strides Walk, CF’s version of the Relay for Life. Raising awareness about CF and increasing student participa- tion in events are also on the agenda. “You really feel like you’re doing something,” said Heidbreder, “A cure is really close.” And since the EC is funding events, every dollar goes to help the people who need it most. “I think it’s a great evening for a very wonderful cause,” said Boston. Ball attendee Debby Newell, ’08, agrees. “I came because it’s a lot of fun and because I think CF is a really troubling and seri- ous illness for children,” she said. “So it’s a win-win situa- tion.” Newell is right. Cystic Fibro- sis is a serious illness that affects many people. And right now, as Heidbreder says, “research is very cutting edge,” because it is so close to a cure. The more students partici- pate, the money we raise, the closer we get to a cure. As a university community with many luxuries and an active nightlife, it’s easy to forget about causes such as the CFF. “I would’ve come if it wasn’t for charity,” said Newell, “but because it’s for charity, I couldn’t not come.” Hopefully, more students will adopt her positive attitude and help raise money for CF re- search. Heidbreder’s committee raised just over $1,550 for the CF Foundation, with proceeds from ticket sales and generous donations. Said Heidbreder, “I was pleasantly surprised at the spontaneous generosity of the University community. Strang- ers and students alike gave gen- erously, and we’re grateful.” r THETA CONGRATULATES ITS . NEW MEMBERS! Sarah Atkinson , Caroline Avent Kassie Bagley . Brittany Bradshaw Becky Bratu I Jackie Burns Erin Coltrera ‘ Kate Corr Shannon Curran Kiki Moreo Kara Nadeau Elizabeth Polanco Mary Caitlin Ray Alex Scaggs Jessica Shaw Ali Smith Guada Suarez Katie Tabb Audrey Fell Sara Foster-Reeves Gretchen Graves Andrea Hidalgo Jess Hudock Mackenzie Hutton Megan James Sarah Kientz Jen Lysenko " Caroline Davis Laura Maurer ‘ Anne Van Devender Emily Deddens Christina Merchant Abbey Wilson ' Melissa Dolan Jule Miata Gaby Zamora * Allison Moore OCR::/Vol_108/WLURG39_RTP_20060123/WLURG39_RTP_20060123_006.2.txt 6 0 THE RING-TUM PHI MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2006 ‘r 1 P Dancers draw crowd e fa II ri Jazz and Tap Ensemble performs zn front of packed house 5 Alllwfin ;’;'“',v ‘nae 00??’ S} 0» ll" ‘."5’vgg“’goA.:ll;’?"’,‘°-’y"-‘Z V » Washington and Lee dancers showcase diverse ers atW&Lyetthere is very little l3lY’fKeVln'lDcneva:t _y ._ u his Vtaammates stamp ’ place an thewomenitsigéidegv _ _ I money, staff, and time invested sriilrr‘vwn:rgjR " ii i e V Rivoir’. j vF1«,eshmen V _ talents dunng W1I1tC1‘. concert as ushers are in tpls nob: ar('itforrn.” g. _ I _ : Anflmy Ms “yaw ‘gr fgtstg 'nat¢ae.,fi¢ejy1;ogc:vmgt¢f me, e W L We Program is Theriwashingtentar. place ‘finish; V. ; . . lwhileiifellow freshmen Eliza? 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W. , V . v-‘—— .. ._ .' , ,..._, , , _ _ _. ___ A ,_ _ ,. _, E, ,..,,.,‘V,,.,,,, _ ,._~.,_=, ___‘____,,,‘__ __,__ OCR::/Vol_108/WLURG39_RTP_20060123/WLURG39_RTP_20060123_007.2.txt MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2006 THE RING-TUM PHI - 7 Coaches drive Winners Syracuse, Florida and Connecticut picked to be winners in March W&L Sports for the Week January 23-29 By Thomas Gift quasi—talented cast of characters in the game. Stressing cutthroat Tu a wed nesda ursda Satu rda STAFF WMTER and transformed them intoawin- defense and a run-and—gun of— y y y y ning unit. fense, it is no wonder why so More than ever before, there Boeheim’s emphasis on hard— many of the top players have Men’s exists a tremendous amount of nosed, physical defense in con- chosen to play at Florida. parity in college basketball. junction with a strong low-post Everyone knew Jim Calhoun Basketball Vs‘ Emory All From the Big East to the ACC to game has allowed Syracuse to could coach when he was pro— and Henry, Roanoke the PAC-10, teams are evenly excel against one of the tough— ducing outstanding teams at at matched in terms of talent level, est road schedules in the game. Northeastern. In his twentieth ' College» depth, and overall competitive- Billy Donovan is on pace to season at Connecticut, Calhoun Warner PM ness. lead the Florida Gators to yet an— is now considered one of the center As a result, coaching has un— most respected coaches in the questionably been the X-factor C h. h nation. in determining the early—season Oac mg as "mqueS_ Under Calhoun, UConn has rankings. Coaches with the most tionably been the X.fac_ undergone a volte-face, trans— wornenss experience and ability have been _ _ _ h forming from an ordinary team Vs_ Emory At able to impel their teams to the _ tor 1" determmmg t e to anextraordinary powerhouse. Basketbafl d H At Mary top. early_Seas0n rankings Calhoun stresses the mid- an enryv Baldwin Roanoke Despite a plethora of great range jump shot (witness Ray PM at Conege coaches, a few clearly stand out Allen, Ben Gordon, and, of Warner College» ’ among the rest: Jim Boeheim, other Final Four appearance. course, Richard Hamilton 7:00 PM 5:00 PM Billy Donovan, and Jim Calhoun Bursting onto the college for proof) and a disciplined de— Center are the best that college basket— coaching scene just over a de— fense that includes his signature ball has to offer. ‘ cade ago, Donovan has recently 2-2-1 press, which focuses pri- Jim Boeheim, in his twenty- become Gainesville’s new won- marily on pressuring the ball _ _ ninth season at the helm of his der boy, the first since the depar— down the sideline in the back Swlrnrnlng V5- Johns alma—mater, has been instrumen- ture of football legend Steve court and reserving traps until the Ho kins P tal in leading the Syracuse Spurrier. ball has passed half court. Un.v rS.t Orangemen to another winning Both for his leadership skills For these reasons, do not be | e l y’ year. Although many counted and fierce competitiveness, surprised ifyou see Jim Calhoun AM out the Orange in the preseason Donovan has established himself holding his third NCAA Cham— at Twombly polls, Boeheim has taken a as one of the preeminent coaches pionship trophy come April. P I 00 At Liberty Open in , Lynchburg, T R P 10:00 AM HE ING =T UM HI. “Need clips? Write for The Phi "5' - - Southern At Email us oi hi@w|u edu ""g'““‘ """"’““°° j p - - University, schoo| 7:00 PM,at Invitational, Dorem us 9:00 AM Gymnasium ~ ~ Kappa Kappa Gamma proudly welcomes our new pledge class! Louise Bance Betsy Ellis Logan Scbonekas ' J J S Olivtia Claire Barrett Lizzie Gotimer Katie Sba ub Caren Beck Lauren Jaslrolslri Kasey Slierrick ‘ lldicbelle Boniface Harriet Kilgore Brittany Simpson , Lissie Cain Lizzie MacPberson Libby Spears Teresa Carlin Susan Maboney Dana Sta tton ‘ Brice Cliristy Hadley llliller Liz Twining Hannah Citron Ka tlileen Morpbis Kate Vilutis ‘ Julia Coskey Liza Morten Emily Wallace , . ' Helen Coupe Coleman Nalley Reilly Ward Alice Dixon Allison Rigsbee Margaret Ward ‘ Mary Betli Edwards Laura Sanders Lauren Wood OCR::/Vol_108/WLURG39_RTP_20060123/WLURG39_RTP_20060123_008.2.txt 8 ' THE RING-TUM PHI MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2005 word The W&L-Mart What would W&L students and local residents dowithout this vital store? It is a relief to know that there is nothing that we need that cannot be found at the wonderful world of Wal-Mart. By Hugh Trout COLUMNIST While Lexington doesn’t have sex appeal, a real bar scene, or many two—way streets, it does have one asset that is simply in- dispensable to maintaining the way of life we share here in LexVegas: Wal-Mart. Without this mega-store, nay, ultimate—store, many of us might have gone days without tooth- paste, discounted fake spinner wheels, or cheap high—powered rifles. While some students are hesi- tant about patronizing a store with questionable business prac- tices, Lexington offers few other options for. dorm and household goods at a reasonable price. When you can get every- thing you need from a buck call to a cartilage piercing in one huge building, the convenience of the store outweighs many negatives. The efficiency of shopping for food and mixers Diana KaVita Sarah B. simultaneously is hard to pass up. Wal-Mart can give you what you didn’t even know you needed. Here are some ex- amples: - a razor that has one more blade than your current one does — Cheap Hillary Duff posters - Saved By the Bell DVD com- plete collection (Time out, Kelly is going to the prom with Slater?!) — discounted fake spinner wheels for my car — anything camouflage So what doesn’t Wal-Mart sell? For the edification of all those who have little or no Wal- Mart experience, I have com- prised a short list of what cannot be purchased at Wal-Mart. - Pride. You cannot buy pride from Wal-Mart if you have lost yours. Got drunk and pissed your top bunk bed with someone else in it? Yeah, you can search those aisles all day but you will never be able to replace a loss of pride like that. — Chuck Norris DVDs— trust me, I’ve tried. - Remote controlled blimps as seen in Sky Mall magazine — First semester freshmen year. Wouldn’t that be nice to do over again? — A sincere belief that it is them Julia Without this mega-store, nay, ultimate- store, many of us might have gone days without toothpaste, discounted fake spinner wheels, or cheap high-powered rifles. and not you. Come on. . .you know the truth. . .it was you. — Ace of Base music videos on DVD - $1 blue Corona Extra san— dals. That’s right, they’re all out and I got on that before they sold out. I use them as my shower sandals to let everyone know how rad I am. - Direction in life. Remem- ber how you wanted to be a fire- man or a princess when you were younger? At what point did I decide to say the hell with being a profes- sional kick ass rock star and started worrying about the fast- est way I could get into a cubi- cal? Watching Oflice Space is be- coming less of pleasurable expe- rience and more like a Ms. Cleo vision of what my life is going to be in three years. The worst part of it all will be when I’m drunk in an airport bar and want to get angry at someone for why I’m not giving high fives to Jack White or do- ing Jager shots with Kelly Clarkson the only person I can blame will be myself because I traded in my dream of melting faces for crunching numbers. If you keep compromising yourself and giving parts of what you want to get out of life away to those who want you to be prac- tical and fit into the norm one day you’ll wake up and find out that you are a shell of a person who no longer has an identity, and identities are not sold at any Wal- Mart. — Dunkaroos...damn, those were good. - A decent Super Soaker - Starbucks... (That would be one sweet axis of corporate evil). So remember: while it can be an unpredictable and demanding world, Wal-Mart cannot provide everything, but it will be able to sell you all the cleaning, food, baby, beauty, entertainment, and hunting supplies you’ll need to get through. S Rebecca Mackeflzle B Crystal Pi Phi Loves Our Blair Becca Tam New A ngels! Sarah M‘ La uren Cecilia Rachelle ta backs What are you doing at Wal-Mart? Whether or not we have moral qualms about the store, its convenience and the lack of other options have made us dependent. Crystal Benevides, freshman, says she visits Wal-Mart at least twice a month. “I like it, it’s not HEB, but it’s cool.” Amy Karwan, sophomore, says she visits Wal-Mart once every two weeks. “You can find everything at Wal-Mart. It’s also perfect for mixer costume shopping. Right now, I am buying supplies for a Zoolander mixer.” Max Vilenchik, sophomore, says that he visits Wal-Mart about once every two weeks. “WalMart is fine. It’s convenient.” Victoria Childress, sophomore, says she visits Wal-mart once a month. “Not a big fan of Wal-mart’s business practices, but it’s so convienient and there’s nowhere else to go.” This week’s Talkbacks was conducted by Amanda Tholke whee len