Reaching new "Heights"

Last Friday’s sold-out benefit performance of “In the Heights,” the Tony-Award winning Broadway musical created by and starring Lin-Manuel Miranda ’02, raised $1.5 million for University financial aid. Thirty-eight scholarships will be supported by these funds, which represent a combination of ticket purchases by alumni, parents and friends of the University, and alumni donations.

Public safety program seeks to improve student-officer relations

In order to foster closer relationships between students and officers, Public Safety recently decided to implement the Adopt-A-Dorm initiative. The program assigns six officers to different residence halls, where they will facilitate activities and get to know residents and staff.

Class Deans take up blogging

The class deans have jumped on the blog bandwagon this year, following the success of University blogs such as those of President Michael Roth, Information and Technology Services (ITS), and the student-run Wesleying. The deans hope these blogs will become valuable tools that could reach students more efficiently than e-mails or fliers.

Outside the Bubble: World Headlines

The Republican National Convention held in St. Paul, Minnesota ended Thursday with Senator John McCain (R-AZ) named as the official Republican presidential nominee. The four-day event featured speeches by President George W. Bush, Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, and newly-announced Republican vice presidential nominee, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Alleged gunshot ends Pine St. party

A small-scale party was cut short Sunday morning when a gunshot was allegedly fired into the air following a physical altercation between students and area residents trying to enter the party.

EPC alters reading, exam week schedule

The Office of the Registrar recently announced its decision to change the first semester exam schedule from one week of reading period followed by one week of exams to a new two-two-two-two schedule. By this timetable, there will be a repeated pattern of two days of reading week followed by two days of exams.

Summerfields shift get mixed reviews

Over the summer, Summerfields—now termed Summerfields Bistro—altered both its menu and its method, switching from an all-you-can-eat buffet to an a la carte retail operation. Now, students choose food items from an unchanging menu in which food is made-to-order.

Teraguchi to leave post in early October

In the wake of this summer’s bureaucratic reshuffling, it was announced on Friday that Dean for Diversity and Student Engagement Danny Hiroyuki Teraguchi will leave the University at the beginning of October. Teraguchi has worked at the University since 2006.

Decision '08: Meet the Freshmen

The top six vote getters will get year-long terms, the next two vote getters will have semester-long terms.

Freshmen share hall, writing

One of the biggest challenges of being a college freshman is getting involved in the campus community. Despite orientation programs designed to spark student interest and raise comfort levels, it can be especially nerve-wracking to break into pre-established groups when one first arrives on campus.

Birthright inspires freeco-friendly trip

Hundreds of Jewish American teenagers, including several Wesleyan students, participate each winter and spring in the Birthright Israel program. These young men and women are sent through the program, free of charge, to Israel for 10 days in an attempt to familiarize them with the country and foster solidarity among Jewish young adults throughout the world.

From carrying rocks to carrying books: one student's journey

While many students were startled by the violent altercation on Fountain Avenue last semester, public violence is nothing new for Kennedy Odede ’12. Hailing from the Kenyan slum of Kibera, Odede comes from a place where there are no police, a place where violence is the law.

Mytheology: Wesleyan Viewed from the Right

Last May, just as all of us were preparing to leave the oasis of intellectual discourse that is Wesleyan and head into the world of summer internships, summer fellowships or even a quiet few months at home, a disaster struck this campus. A series of parties on Fountain Avenue were broken up by police, who used tactics that can most charitably be described as “draconian.”

University drops in U.S. News & World Report ranks

In the monotheistic world of college admissions, one deity -- the “U.S. News & World Report” -- lays down its commandments to petrified high school students looking for the perfect fit. As one of the most selective schools in the nation, Wesleyan University has always guarded an enviable spot in the Liberal Arts College portion of the U.S. News rankings.

Roth on Roth on Roth's Summer

How was my Summer? How do you think it was? It was awesome! I’m fucking Michael Roth! And every hot summer night that I spend listening to Neil Diamond records and staring into the mirror while masturbating I am literally fucking Michael Roth.

Editor’s Note 1986-1989: What You Freshmen Missed

So we here at the Ampersand have stopped doing comedy. We’re now cultural commentary page. It has come to our attention that many of the freshmen were not alive during the ‘80s (a.k.a. the greatest decade ever). We now consider it our job to recall for you our memories during this amazing decade.

Misread?

For most University students, the weeklong chunk of unscheduled time called Reading Week serves as a solid framework for independent study. All of us ask ourselves: Will I spend the week holed up in my room like a monk? Will I again procrastinate and spend most of my time partying? Or, rather, will I find a happy medium?

Going

As I read last week’s Argus, it was difficult to ignore the disquieting warmth emanating off of yet another steaming pile of North College bullshit. Wesleyan has “only” $800 million, which makes us too “poor” to launch significant new sustainability initiatives. Or so we’re told. Again.

SEWI clarifies intentions

I am writing in response to the Wespeak written by Mytheos Holt entitled “Welcome to Wes: An open letter to the class of 2012” (September 5, 2008, Volume CXLV, Number 2). In his Wespeak, Mytheos has misrepresented the positions and intentions of the Wesleyan group Students for Ending the War in Iraq (SEWI), and I would like to make a few things clear.

Top Ten: Things you may have missed from the past weekend

Tom Brady’s Season Is Over, Michael Turner, The Red Sox have quietly climbed to within 1.5 games of the Rays, Serena Williams won the U.S Open, Notre Dame still looks as bad as last year, and more.

Why College Sports Are So Great

Last January in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, West Virginia’s senior fullback Owen Schmitt exemplified the passion that sets him, and most other college athletes, apart from millionaire professionals. Following West Virginia’s emotional BCS bowl victory over an Oklahoma squad that some experts claimed should have been in the national championship, Schmitt, a six-three, 250 lb beast, was unable to hold back tears during his post game interview.

Devane's Corner: Kudos, Florida State

It usually takes an outside force or an overhead authority to expose a program, organization, or team of cheating and to right the wrong. Take a look at the MLB—it took a federal investigation from the United States Senate to determine the sad truth about mass steroid use.

Cards Eph-up Williams in volleyball tournament

The Wesleyan volleyball team kicked off its season this past weekend with a momentous 3-2 victory over Williams.

Cardinal Character: Brian Katten '79

Writer Nate “NGZ” Green was lucky enough to finagle a meeting time this week with Wesleyan’s Sports Information Director, Brian Katten ’79, to learn about his love for baking, cats, and eloquent announcing.