The Bowdoin Orient

Although this year's Senior Week will feature many old traditions, the 2012 Class Council has replaced Racer-X with a performance by DJ Sex Ray Vision. Racer-X, which performed during the fall semester and last Thursday for Ivies, has customarily been a part of the Senior Week festivities. After perusing the E-Board's list of artists, the council seized the opportunity to offer something different and booked mash-up artist Sex Ray Vision. "Why do we need to see Racer-X twice in one month?" asked Matt Ramos '12, Class Council vice president.

At its weekly meeting on Wednesday, Bowdoin Student Government discussed whether it should support changes to first year chem-free housing at the College, in light of a BSG report on the modifications and a hearing with chem-free students opposed to the proposed changes. The report was filed on April 1 by the Committee on Student Affairs, which was tasked by the Executive Committee of BSG to compile a comprehensive review of the proposed changes to chem-free housing. Alongside the report was a hearing with students John Grover '14 and Kailey Bennett '14, who argued that dissolving Hyde Hall—an entirely chem-free dorm—into floating floors would cause many complications.

After years of essentially random pairings of Bowdoin overnight hosts and prospective students, the Student Admissions Volunteer Organization (SAVO), in collaboration with the Office of Admissions, instituted a new overnight process last fall. Visitors and hosts are now matched on the basis of on similar interests. Anna Wright '12, who is serving in her second year as the SAVO overnight student coordinator, said in an interview, "Before this year, it was really kind of random; I had a list of all my hosts, and I would just match them up, men with men, women with women."

The film studies department will grow into an interdisciplinary program next year, the culmination of a nearly decade-long effort. As a program, more courses will be offered and professors from other disciplines will receieve joint appointments in film studies. When Tricia Welsch, chair of the film studies department, came to Bowdoin to replace the only member of the department in 1993, she sought to broaden the course offerings, and helped film studies become an approved minor in 2001.

The Downeaster expansion is being threatened by transportation bills now in Congress that could reduce funding. The bills awaiting votes in Congress would prohibit Maine and other states from using the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program to fund the train line, which is currently accounting for close to $6 million of the Downeaster's $15.1 million annual operating budget.

Members of Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) fervently debated whether or not to sign a letter in defense of student protests on college campuses at their weekly meeting Wednesday. The letter on student protests up for discussion has been sent to various colleges throughout the country by the Northwestern University Associated Student Government in response to crackdowns on "Occupy" movements at UC Berkeley and UC Davis earlier this year.

After a three-year career as director of the art museum, Kevin Salatino unexpectedly announced his plans to leave the College and become the director of art collections at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, Calif. He will maintain his post at Bowdoin through the summer.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) presented projects for the coming weeks and settled lingering matters from last semester this Wednesday in its first session of 2012.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) voted 20 to one in favor of a proposal to extend Thanksgiving break to a week. The faculty will vote next Monday on the proposal.

After 21 seasons of leading the men's lacrosse team, Head Coach Tom McCabe officially announced his departure from the Department of Athletics on Monday. McCabe will stay through the spring season, and plans to join the Peace Corps with his wife next year.

The Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) meeting on Wednesday featured a discussion of chem-free housing at Bowdoin, and the allotment of $2,000 for multicultural programming.

Barry Mills praised the relationship between the Brunswick Police Department (BPD) and the Bowdoin community in his address to parents last Saturday, noting a positive shift in the last year and a half.

At Super Snack last Saturday night, students might have noticed a mysterious lack of salt and pepper shakers in Thorne Dining Hall.

A new campus publication is hitting the presses this semester. The Globalist, an international affairs magazine with chapters at various colleges and universities, will publish its first Bowdoin edition this semester under the leadership of juniors Max Staiger, Gus Vergara and Stanton Cambridge.