Registration changes proposed: Click system to be retired, replaced with algorithm

By this coming April’s class registration period, the University plans to have phased out the click-based class system in lieu of a new process that relies on an algorithm designed by ITS. After compiling a list of five classes in order of preference, students will be assigned four classes by the algorithm on the basis of class year, major, listed priority, and history of unattained preferred classes, starting with the first new registration.

Administrators answer ’wall’ controversy

Construction of an iron railing along the eastern perimeter of the Lo Rise dorms and the Traverse Square housing projects has been put on hold by the Administration, pending the results of discussions between Residential Life and student residents.

WSA raises transparency issue at Board of Trustees meeting

The Board of Trustees convened on campus last weekend for a retreat to discuss the University's finances and several student issues. After a briefing to welcome six new members to the thirty-three member Board, the series of closed-door meetings started Friday evening and continued into Sunday.

Campus kicks off United Way campaign

On Thursday morning, staff members gathered at President Doug Bennet's house to kick-off the University's annual United Way campaign. The goal is to raise $140,000 for the Middlesex United Way, $5000 more than the goal set last year.

Speaker shares struggles with eating disorders

It is a rare speaker who can make a Wesleyan audience nervous about whether laughing at something is inappropriate. Marya Hornbacher achieved this rarity. On Tuesday evening, she stood before an audience of students and faculty in Memorial Chapel and read aloud from an issue of the satirical newspaper "The Onion."

Mayor greets voters before upcoming election

Mayor Domenique Thornton and Democratic candidates for various councils, commissions and boards talked with the Middletown community Thursday Evening at Luce Restaurant. The meet-and-greet event was organized by Middletown’s Young Democrats and was well attended by voters and local high school students.

International student community and other friends still shocked several weeks after Soriano’s accident

The news of the accident involving Rachel Soriano ’06 shocked the entire Wesleyan community. But for many international students, who knew her best, Soriano’s accident has meant the loss not only of a friend, but of a kindred spirit in a foreign country.

Grads release college guide book

While their peers were focusing weekend parties, Jordan Goldman ’04 and Colleen Buyers ’04 were writing a book. When they were just eighteen years old, the two friends decided to pen their own college guidebook, Students’ Guide to Colleges. Their hard work and intuition paid off: This summer, the book was released and has yielded impressive sales.

The Community Chest: "Do-Si-Do"

Middletown is an absolutely fascinating place to live. Yes, that’s right, I called our quiet suburban community interesting. More than interesting, fascinating — if you look hard enough. I know many of you are shaking your heads in disbelief, wondering how a town that has no place for live music but can still support four Dunkin’ Donuts can be interesting.

"The house of cards goes up in flames": "Chiang kai-check" weaves web of history and memory

Wes theater got off to a running start on Thursday with a performance of Charles Mee’s Chiang Kai-Chek. Lily Whitsitt ’06 and Jess Chayes ’07 both directed and acted in this Second Stage production, which went up in the ’92 Theater Thursday through Saturday. This play is untraditional, to say the least.

American Brass Quintet plays music of past and present

The words "brass quintet" don’t usually evoke excitement, but there was no other word for the anticipation zinging through the audience in Crowell Concert Hall last Friday. Some would say, however, that no other reception is appropriate for the American Brass Quintet, which has been called "positively breathtaking" by The New York Times and "the high priests of brass" by Newsweek.

Local cinema options abound

The recent scare surrounding the film industry’s box office slump has somewhat subsided, but it is hard to ignore the growing number of fans who would rather catch up on their movies at home rather than join the masses at the multiplex. Today when it is so easy to see a movie at home, without the cost of paying for a ticket, why should anyone go to a theater to watch a movie?

Film Serious: "I Am The Video World Made Flesh"

David Lynch spoke at Yale this week. "Oh that's so chill! I wonder if he talked about Dune." No. Yale let him yap about transcendental meditation. Patheti-sad. When we have world famous directors here (Scorsese, Waters, Coppola, Demme, etc.), we tell them what's what and they like it. And they always talk about film and chicks.

Long-running exhibit brings effects of war to Zilkha

The painting depicts an Iraqi detainee victim in a Burberry hood standing atop a Louis Vuitton suitcase, and asks, "What says colonization better than a touch of old Europe?" This painting, "Electrifying!!!!" by Carter Kusterg, is just one example of the current exhibit in the Zilkha Gallery, which features artistic examination of human abuses during wartime and especially occupation.

Chinese painter’s Tibetan art exhibit draws criticism

Gesang Yixi is many things: a Tibetan-born, Chinese-educated artist; a Communist Party member and a Buddhist; an adherent of Tibetan, Han (Chinese), and Western aesthetic styles; and a secular creator of religious art. What he may not be, some students say, is a qualified representative of "Tibetan heritage"—yet his work is being shown under that title in the Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies.

Volleyball extends winning streak

Continuing their winning ways, the women’s volleyball team defeated Albertus Magnus College in three straight games this past Wednesday. In dominant play, Albertus Magnus was only able to score thirty-five points throughout the three games, thanks to the stifling Cardinal defense.

The Club Beat

Welcome back for the second edition of The Club Beat. The response from last week was great, as I heard from a handful of club athletes who voiced their pleasure at finally being acknowledged in the Argus. It also came to my attention that I neglected to mention what is probably the most accomplished of all Wesleyan club sports: water polo.

Cardinals claw their way to victory over Lyons

Men’s soccer won its third consecutive game against Wheaton College last Tuesday thanks to a cross from Brandon Smith ’08 that was finished by Matt Nevin ’09. It was Nevin’s second goal of the year as Wesleyan ended its four game losing streak, beating Wheaton 1-0.

Women’s soccer scores big in win

After launching 55 shots and scoring eight goals in ninety minutes on Wednesday, the dust cleared on North Field and the women’s soccer team earned its first win of the season in fine fashion, defeating Mitchell College 8-1.

Women’s tennis blasts Bantams

In their final home match of the fall season, the women’s tennis team produced their best dual-match result on Wednesday, beating Trinity College 8-1. The match improved the Cardinals’ record to 4-3 while dropping Trinity to 1-3.

New system creates new problems

After two years of debate, the Educational Policy Committee (EPC) and ITS are now developing a new algorithm to replace the current class registration process. The algorithm will consider class year, major, listed priority, and class history. A student will list five possible choices, and come out of registration with four final classes.

National Opinion

The ideology behind proposing an academic bill of rights, by which professors would be required to treat the political and personal views of students from a non-biased standpoint, is a well thought-out idea but will have little practical value.

Adventures in Higher Education: "Your Doppelganger & You"

On the way to class yesterday, I saw a "more hip than" version of my housemate, a "more ethnic than" version of my best friend, a "more freshman than" version of one of my friends from home, and a "more Y chromosome than" version of another one of my friends.

Editorial standards turn sour

Your editorial and editorial cartoon in the Sept. 30 edition showed a shallow level of analysis of campus events that is, sadly, indicative of a downward trend in quality and objectivity in the Argus.