Pei Xiong Liu

59 Articles

Settlement Reached in Kannam Case

by Pei Xiong Liu, Executive Editor. 1 Comment

WesCeleb: Jisan Zaman ’12

by Pei Xiong Liu, Executive Editor. 3 Comments

Stephen Morgan Trial Continues in Day Three

by Pei Xiong Liu, Editor-in-Chief. Comments Off on Stephen Morgan Trial Continues in Day Three

The trial of Stephen Morgan, 32, who is charged with murdering Johanna Justin-Jinich ’10 at Red & Black Café on May 7, 2009, continued on Friday in Superior Court. Wearing a beige jumpsuit, a shackled Morgan sat silently, occasionally rocking back and forth as a three-judge panel presiding over the case heard testimony.

Occupy Movement Inspires New Generation of Journalists

by Pei Xiong Liu, Editor-in-Chief. 3 Comments

Some of the most iconic footage from the Occupy movement thus far has been shot by protesters and “citizen journalists”—the clip of kettled female protesters being pepper-sprayed in New York, and more recently, the police officer in riot gear dispassionately pepper-spraying a line of seated protesters at UC Davis.

Five Wesleyan Students Arrested as Marchers Take Brooklyn Bridge for Occupy Wall Street

by Pei Xiong Liu, Editor-in-Chief. 2 Comments

On Saturday afternoon at around 5:15 p.m., five Wesleyan students were arrested along with over 700 other protesters while marching across the Brooklyn Bridge as part of the ongoing Occupy Wall Street movement.

Argus Completes First Phase of Archives Digitization

by Pei Xiong Liu, Editor-in-Chief. 2 Comments

Issues from the newspaper’s beginning in June 1868 up to June 1892 are now available for online viewing through ArcaSearch.

A New Nest For the Cardinal

by Pei Xiong Liu, Editor-in-Chief. Comments Off on A New Nest For the Cardinal

The Cardinal’s Nest was hardly expected to reopen after shuttering its doors last winter break, amid rumors of its former owner’s mysterious disappearance. Yet, on Thursday, August 4, after undergoing renovations and a change in ownership, the bar and bistro reopened as simply “The Nest” and will offer karaoke, beer pong, and free delivery to student dorms.

High Hopes for 4/20 Realized

by Pei Xiong Liu , News Editor. Comments Off on High Hopes for 4/20 Realized

Students swarmed to Foss Hill from all corners of campus, as a haze of smoke hung over the crowd. The cross-country team streaked across Andrus Field, bare-bottomed with American flags in hand, while students passed around a parachute on the grass.

PSafe Looks to End Tour de Franzia

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. 2 Comments

According to Director of Public Safety Dave Meyer, Public Safety (PSafe) is taking a harder stance this year in preventing Tour de Franzia, the annual wine-drinking scavenger hunt. This comes after last year’s Tour sent a record nine students to the emergency room.

Zonker Harris Shut Down

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. 2 Comments

This Saturday, the annual Zonker Harris Day music festival was shut down by Public Safety (PSafe) after exceeding the event’s allotted time slot. The show’s headliner, Twin Sister, was about to take the stage when PSafe asked students to leave the event area at around 6:20 p.m.

ITS Seeking Cause of Wireless Outages

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. Comments Off on ITS Seeking Cause of Wireless Outages

Wireless service was disrupted in two separate instances yesterday, once at 1 a.m. and again at approximately 2 p.m. According to Director of User and Technical Services Karen Warren, the disruption was due to a firmware problem with the wireless controller hardware.

Wesleyan Comprehensive Fee Increases 3.8 Percent in ’11-’12

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. 3 Comments

The Board of Trustees approved a 3.8 percent hike in the comprehensive fee for the 2011-2012 school year, bringing the total to $56,006. This is less than the 5 percent increase seen last year. The financial aid budget will increase by 11.8 percent. The comprehensive fee includes room, board, tuition, and the student activities fee.

Roth Signs for Second Term

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. Comments Off on Roth Signs for Second Term

In a March 1 campus-wide email, the Chair of the Board of Trustees Joshua Boger ’73, P’06 P’09, announced that President Michael Roth signed a new contract to stay on as the University’s President for seven more years. Roth’s first term as President began during the 2007-2008 academic year.

Roth Opposes Financial Aid Cuts

by Pei Xiong Liu, New Editor. Comments Off on Roth Opposes Financial Aid Cuts

President Michael Roth has taken a stance against proposed cuts to financial aid on the state and federal level. According to Roth, the cuts would place a greater burden on the University, as administrators strive to keep admissions need-blind.

Roth Changes Policy Specifics

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. 2 Comments

In an entry on his blog titled, “Policy and Threats to Student Freedom,” President Michael Roth conceded that he made mistakes in the crafting of the language of the University’s new housing policy.

Change to Housing Policy Draws FIRE

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. 2 Comments

The administration’s recent change to housing policy has drawn wide criticism from students, and now from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).

University Issues Ultimatum to Beta

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. 11 Comments

The administration announced yesterday in an all-campus e-mail an amendment to the housing agreement that would ban students from visiting or living in “houses or property owned, leased or operated by private societies that are not recognized by the University.”

Pulled Fire Alarms Cause Concern

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. Comments Off on Pulled Fire Alarms Cause Concern

In the past two weekends, three fire alarms have been triggered maliciously, resulting in the evacuation of buildings where the alarms were tripped, and a response from the Middletown Fire Department.

Bar Night Finds Empty Nest

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. 1 Comment

Students returning from a winter break and looking forward to a hot meal or a cold beer at the Cardinal’s Nest, a nearby American Bistro, were disappointed to find that it has not reopened for business.

Endowment Recovers Under New CIO

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. 1 Comment

The University’s endowment grew 13 percent in fiscal year (FY) 2010 to $512.9 million, which, according to Chief Investment Officer Anne Martin, puts Wesleyan in the middle of the pack as compared to the returns of peer institutions, which saw returns ranging from about 8 percent to 17 percent.

Freeze! City of Middletown Declares State of Emergency

by Pei Xiong Liu, Erin Newport, News Editors. Comments Off on Freeze! City of Middletown Declares State of Emergency

It was in anticipation of Wednesday’s storm that Public Safety (PSafe) issued a weather and safety advisory on the Wesleyan campus and Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano declared a state of emergency in Middletown.

Peter Frank ’12 Sells the ACB

by Pei Xiong Liu, News Editor. 2 Comments

After overseeing the College Anonymous Confession Board (ACB) website’s expansion from serving just a handful of schools to over 500, Peter Frank ’12 sold the website this week to an undisclosed buyer. Frank declined to state the selling price, but said he made a “healthy profit.”

Two Broads Abroad (and Pei!): Chinese Censorship: A final reflection and cliché confirmation!

by Pei Xiong Liu, . Comments Off on Two Broads Abroad (and Pei!): Chinese Censorship: A final reflection and cliché confirmation!

It’s my last week in Beijing and I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on my time here. After taking Modern China and Popular Culture in China at Wesleyan, I felt I had a pretty good understanding of the country and its people

Two Broads Abroad (and Pei!): Ambushing Taxis in Beijing

by Pei Xiong Liu , . Comments Off on Two Broads Abroad (and Pei!): Ambushing Taxis in Beijing

It’s 3 a.m. on a Saturday night and you’re on the side of the road trying a hail a taxi. You’ve had a bit too much 100 proof “bai jiu,” or some other poison of your choosing, and you just want to go home.

Protests in Xi’an, China: Through a Student’s Eyes

by Pei Xiong Liu, Foreign Correspondent. Comments Off on Protests in Xi’an, China: Through a Student’s Eyes

I was with some friends in Xi’an, China, less than three hours away from having to board a train back to our host school in Beijing, when we saw a group of protestors holding anti-Japanese signs marching down the street.

KFC, Kittens, and Coat Haggling in China

by Pei Xiong Liu, . Comments Off on KFC, Kittens, and Coat Haggling in China

After a month of real Chinese food, I recently decided a visit to KFC was in order. The chain is not hard to find here, though it’s no McDonalds. I’d never been a fan of KFC in the US, but the fried chicken here blew my mind.

Chaos in Beijing: Dodging cars, Learning Mandarin and Eating Pupae

by Pei Xiong Liu, . 2 Comments

I saw only blue skies during my first four days in Beijing. However, I was soon informed that this sort of weather was a freakish anomaly. At this point, I haven’t seen the sun for over a week.

Student Watchdog Group to Monitor University Investments

by Pei Xiong Liu , Features Editors. Comments Off on Student Watchdog Group to Monitor University Investments

The obvious purpose of an investment is to make money, but can it also serve as a statement of what values the investor stands for?

Recently Discovered Dinosaur Named After Retired Professor

by Pei Xiong Liu , Features Editors. 5 Comments

What is enormous, eats plants, lived 105 million years ago, and now bears the name of a retired University professor?

Full, Music Houses Bring the Love

by Pei Xiong Liu , Features Editors. Comments Off on Full, Music Houses Bring the Love

Tables for two, draped with red and white sheets filled 200 Church on Saturday, while heart shaped balloons adorned the ceiling and a man in a three-piece suit, backed up by a four-piece band, crooned Rat Pack classics.

The Great Wesleyan Wing-Off, 2010

by Jacob Kleinman, Pei Xiong Liu , Features Editors. 1 Comment

Most everyone loves Buffalo Wings—except for vegetarians—and with the big game right around the corner, we, your beloved Features Editors and self-proclaimed poultry experts, have taken it upon ourselves to embark on a search for the best Buffalo wings on and around campus.

Koeppel ’79 Brings Journalism to Wesleyan Undergrads

by Pei Xiong Liu , Features Editor. Comments Off on Koeppel ’79 Brings Journalism to Wesleyan Undergrads

Last fall, Gerard Koeppel ’79 established a fellowship to promote the study of journalism at the University. The Koeppel Fellowship of Journalism will bring one working journalist on campus per year to teach a course as well as make themselves available to interested students.

Jane Eisner ’77 Teaching a New Generation of Writers

by Pei Xiong Liu, Features Editor. Comments Off on Jane Eisner ’77 Teaching a New Generation of Writers

Jane Eisner ’77 has broken many barriers since her enrollment at Wesleyan.

Wesleyan Holds First Admissions Panel, Facebook Affects Chances of Getting In

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant News Editor. Comments Off on Wesleyan Holds First Admissions Panel, Facebook Affects Chances of Getting In

Last Wednesday, the University hosted a webcast featuring admissions deans from eight prestigious colleges and universities. The event, called “Inside the Admissions Office,” was a collaboration between the Wall Street Journal and Unigo.com, a website that offers an inside look into the college admissions process.

Assault Near Roth’s Mansion

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant News Editor. 3 Comments

Kumail Akbar ’12 was walking by President Michael Roth’s house on Friday, Nov. 13 when he was struck on the head with a spray paint can.

A Healthy Turnout for Homecoming

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant News Editor. Comments Off on A Healthy Turnout for Homecoming

Over 2,700 people registered for Homecoming this year, an increase from the 2,450 registrations last year, according to Gemma Ebstein, Associate VP for External Relations.

Insects Found in Usdan’s Organic Produce

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant News Editor. 1 Comment

Haley Baron ’12 was about to take another bite of her Usdan salad when she noticed something strange on the leaf—a pinky-sized brownish green caterpillar.

Around Middletown in 80 Days: Restaurants and Raffles

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant News Editor. Comments Off on Around Middletown in 80 Days: Restaurants and Raffles

To promote the opening of the play Around the World in 80 Days, Oddfellows Playhouse is sending the protagonist Phileas Fogg on a journey to the exotic locales of Middletown.

NYT Readership Program Finds Donor

by Pei Xiong Liu, assistant News Editor. 3 Comments

After a year of uncertainty, The New York Times Readership Program is here to stay—at least for now. A $20,000 donation from an anonymous donor will keep the program afloat for the next two years.

Wes Station’s Hours, Staff Not So Stationary

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant News Editor. 1 Comment

Wesleyan Station (Wes Station), the University’s mail service center, is the latest victim in the tsunami of cuts across campus caused by the shrinking endowmen.

Walking a Swine Line: Flu Anxieties Eclipse Environmental Concerns

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant News Editor. Comments Off on Walking a Swine Line: Flu Anxieties Eclipse Environmental Concerns

Now, due to concerns over the spread of swine flu, Physical Plant has halted the project to permanently remove paper towels from almost all dormitory bathrooms.

Class of ’13 Profile

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant News Editor. Comments Off on Class of ’13 Profile

Members of the class of 2013 might be walking a bit taller these days. A record-high number of applicants has yielded the most selective class in the University’s history.

Cardinal Council Builds School Spirit

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. 1 Comment

Next Tuesday, the last day of classes, Foss Hill will be the site of the revival of a University tradition last practiced over half a century ago—field day.

It Ain’t Easy Being Popular: Admissions Working Up A Sweat

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. Comments Off on It Ain’t Easy Being Popular: Admissions Working Up A Sweat

With the record number of applicants the University received this year, the staff at the Admissions Office has been working harder than usual over the last few months. According to Admissions officers, the University’s dramatic rise in applications, despite reversed trends in the majority of other private liberal arts institutions, came as a surprise.

Admissions: Others Did Not Fare As Well

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. Comments Off on Admissions: Others Did Not Fare As Well

Small, private institutions across the nation have seen a drop in applicants as prospective students balk at hefty tuition prices.

A Guide to GRS

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. Comments Off on A Guide to GRS

The Argus helps you through the quagmire of GRS.

Main Street Endures Recession

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. Comments Off on Main Street Endures Recession

With the recession dragging down business, restaurants and shops around Middletown’s Main Street are trying various strategies to lure in customers and cut costs.

Wesleyan is Not Alone in Economic Woes

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. Comments Off on Wesleyan is Not Alone in Economic Woes

As the economy deteriorates, institutions across the nation have been digging deep and implementing new policies to make ends meet.

New Faculty Searches Push History Profs to the Limit

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. Comments Off on New Faculty Searches Push History Profs to the Limit

Each year, University academic departments conduct job searches to fill permanent teaching positions, a task that falls on professors within the department.

Recyclemania Riffs on Wes Rivalries

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. 1 Comment

RecycleMania, the competition that pits colleges and universities against each other for high recycling rates and waste minimization glory, is back. Though this the fourth year the University has participated, the contest is now being publicized more than ever before.

The Story Behind Olin’s New Books

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. 1 Comment

Each year, the Wesleyan Library Acquisitions Department sifts through thousands of requests made by students and faculty to determine what new materials should be added to University’s vast collection.

Extensive RA Prep Still Yields Mixed Results

by Pei Xiong Liu, Assistant Features Editor. Comments Off on Extensive RA Prep Still Yields Mixed Results

The deadline for RA applications for the 2009-2010 year is this Wednesday, and candidates are preparing for an intensive interview process. If chosen, they will play a major part in next year’s freshmen’s first year experience.

Faculty feel left out of salary freeze debate

by Pei Xiong Liu, Staff Writer. Comments Off on Faculty feel left out of salary freeze debate

Among the many proposals that the Roth administration is considering to deal with the endowment’s 20 percent plunge, a one year salary freeze for faculty, staff and librarians has proved to be a particularly controversial one.

Bon Appétit’s PETA campaign just misses

by Pei Xiong Liu, Staff Writer. Comments Off on Bon Appétit’s PETA campaign just misses

Wesleyan came in second place in PETA2’s “Most Vegetarian-Friendly College Contest,” losing to American University in the final round after beating out hundreds of schools nation-wide. According to Ryan Huling, the College Campaign Coordinator for PETA2, it was a fierce battle between the two top contestants.

Bon Appetit, student groups work to reduce food waste

by Pei Xiong Liu, Staff Writer. Comments Off on Bon Appetit, student groups work to reduce food waste

In the category of catering to liberal campus interests, Bon Appetit is having a monster year. Not only is it in the final round of PETA2’s vegetarian contest, but the dining organization is now working with the student environmental groups Environmental Organizers Network (EON) and the Food Salvage Program in an effort to go green.

Peer institutions face endownment losses, cut programs

by Pei Xiong Liu, Staff Writer. Comments Off on Peer institutions face endownment losses, cut programs

Due to the recent economic recession, university endowments across the nation shrunk by an average of 3.09 percent this year, according to the Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service, which studies endowments worth nn1 billion or more.

Fire Safety

by Pei Xiong Liu, Contributing Writer. Comments Off on Fire Safety

When conducting routine and unannounced room inspections, the Campus Fire Safety Department will report any contraband items such as guns, alcohol or illegal drugs, even if they are not fire hazards. When Fire Safety officials discover such items, they call Public Safety (PSafe) officers, who then notify the Middletown Police Department (MPD).

On-campus bar culture thrives at nearby schools

by Pei Xiong Liu, Contributing Writer. Comments Off on On-campus bar culture thrives at nearby schools

After a day’s work, students at Vassar College, Middlebury College and soon Trinity College can drop into a campus pub to have a beer or socialize. Wesleyan, however, recently shot down a proposal for a University-affiliated bar at WesWings.

Strumpf excited for new position

by Pei Xiong Liu, Contributing Writer. 1 Comment

When Michael Strumpf, the University’s new resident district manager for Bon Appétit, isn’t busy running campus dining, you might find him gardening, whipping up a mean bowl of pasta, or cruising down High Street on his Harley.

Twitter