Proceed with caution

Editorial: A host with the most

For many students, the gray area in Bowdoin’s alcohol policy is cause for trepidation when it comes time to register as an alcohol host (A-host) or event host for a party. This is a good thing. Signing Residential Life’s party registration form can have serious implications, and is entirely an act of generosity toward one’s peers. It’s a commitment that shouldn’t be taken lightly, and a favor that deserves respectful behavior from partygo- ers in return. Bowdoin’s A-hosts agree to assume legal responsibility for distributing alcohol at a registered event. By and large, this system of accountability works well, and allows students to consume safely under the auspices of the College Houses. But the College’s alcohol policy is not the law, which can bring down harsh penalties on A-hosts if something goes wrong. In recent memory, no A-host has received summons from the Brunswick Police Department for furnishing alcohol to minors, but this doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen, and it is incumbent upon underage partygoers to make sure it won’t. Bowdoin’s current alcohol policy may seem paradoxical, problematic or overly indulgent, depending on who you are. It only works if we all take responsibility for our own actions, and are mindful of the risks our peers take so that we can have a good time.

Editorial: Redistributing requirements

Only so many credits fit into four years, and none should go to waste

Next fall marks 10 years since Bowdoin’s current academic distribution requirements were approved, and eight years since students first chose their courses bearing them in mind. Then as now, the wording of the requirements was a cause of concern and confusion, and the rationale for why some courses qualified for a requirement while more relevant ones did not was unclear. Back in 2004, this board expressed support for the requirements in hopes that they would encourage students to broaden their academic experiences, but expressed concern that the Exploring Social Differences (ESD) requirement would apply to too many courses. Now, it seems that the opposite is true. Courses that fulfill a specific distribution requirement are often tough to come by, and the current system frequently causes students to enroll in classes that do not challenge them academically. There are only so many credits that can fit into four years at the College, and none of them should go to waste.
Given the systemic problems of the distribution requirements, it is heartening that they are now being reviewed by the Curriculum and Education Policy Committee (CEP), a body composed of students and faculty. In addition to revising the language of the ESD, Inquiry in the Natural Sciences (INS), International Perspectives (IP) and Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) descriptions to make them more succinct, the CEP is proposing to change the criteria and application process necessary for a course to fulfill a distribution requirement.
In this last aim, the CEP could potentially improve the registration process significantly by developing a standardized protocol for allocating distribution requirements. Currently, there are many courses that would seem to meet the parameters of INS or VPA that do not actually satisfy a distribution requirement, often for the simple reason that the professor did not apply for the designation. For example, Introduction to Anthropology does not count toward an ESD credit, nor does The German Experience fulfill the IP credit. The allocation of distribution requirements should be more consistent within individual departments, and easier to obtain for a given course. Professors should be encouraged to register their courses to fulfill distribution requirements, and the difficulty in gaining approval should not dissuade them from doing so.

Editorial

This piece represents the opinion of The Bowdoin Orient editorial board.

February 16, 2013

Campus is changing. Projects are underway at the the Naval Air Station Brunswick, the Stevens Retirement Home, the former Longfellow School, and beyond as part of the College’s beautification plan. As Bowdoin takes on these initiatives, it should keep in mind the importance of maintaining a cohesive campus.

The College purchased Stevens Retirement Home on Harpswell Road in November, with the intent to convert it into a dorm as soon as next year. This acquisition will alleviate the housing crunch of the past few years, though it does not seem wise to make repeated reactionary purchases to solve this problem.

Bowdoin should act sustainably in its execution of the many development projects currently on the docket. One of the things that makes our school so unique is the bounded feeling of our campus, which can easily be traversed in 10 minutes. Development that sprawls far beyond the Quad may threaten the close-knit environment we currently enjoy, and will increase our energy demands.

The renovation of the former Longfellow Elementary School is an excellent example of a smart addition to campus, given its location adjacent to multiple dorms and Thorne Dining Hall. We should take heed of the small acquisitions and improvements the College is making now, because they will add up to long-term changes that none of us will be around to witness.

The editorial represents the majority view of the Bowdoin Orient’s editorial board, which is composed of Nora Biette-Timmons, Garrett Casey, Linda Kinstler, Sam Miller, Sam Weyrauch and Kate Witteman.

Comments are permanently closed.