The Bowdoin Orient

Following months of discussion and editing, the Recording Committee will introduce a revised version of the College's Credit/D/Fail policy at Monday's faculty meeting for discussion. Faculty will then wait until the fall semester to make further changes and vote on a final policy.

In a report by a visiting team of educators as part of the College's reaccreditation process, the educators highlighted advising as an area of Bowdoin's academic program that needs improvement.

According to College administrators and students in the Class of 2010, fulfilling the newly implemented distribution requirements has been a relatively simple process.

Former Governor of Maine and Bowdoin College Distinguished Lecturer Angus King says there is a plague of partisan politics in America, and he says he has a solution for it: Unity '08. In his Monday lecture titled "Polarization, Partisanship, and the Politics of Division?Isn't it Time for a Third Way?" King described the Unity '08 organization and its goals.

In an interview with the Orient on Wednesday, DeRay Mckesson '07 summed up Bowdoin in just nine words. ?This place is yours. This place exists for you,? he said. After four years as a prominent student on campus, Mckesson was reflecting on the role that students can play in leading and owning this place. One virtue of a small, wealthy liberal arts college such as Bowdoin is that there is enough room for every student to chart his own path and there are the resources to help him reach his destination.

I would like to thank Lydia Pillsbury '07and Elena Snavely '08 for their op-ed about the tragedy at Virginia Tech (April 27). Their acknowledgement of the event reassured me that members of the Bowdoin community care.

Our comrades Archie Abrams and Steve Bartus seem to have some basic misunderstandings regarding "sweat free" goods, and we would like to clear these up.

In our op-ed last week (April 27), we made the case against the sweat-free movement as an effective mechanism for fighting poverty. However, it would be intellectually disingenuous to imply that unbridled laissez-faire capitalism is the ideal approach for economic development.

So there I was, having just finished my usual lunch at McDonalds, about to settle on the Port-a-Potty with a cup of Starbucks coffee and a copy of last week's Bowdoin Orient, when I happened to see a letter from R.A. Golz '56 (April 27).

I'm pleased that the Pines has been rediscovered?use it or lose it?but like R.A. Golz '56, I fear developers will abuse it.

I cannot agree with Brian Lockhart's claim that, "[w]hile excluding God altogether an atheist gives up any appeal to ultimate right and wrong" (April 27).

Last week Archie Abrams and Steven Bartus claim that the anti-sweatshop movement, albeit "noble," is misguided in its efforts to push apparel manufacturers to embrace higher labor standards in their factories abroad.

Depending on one's state of mind, the common good is either incredibly simple or undeniably impossible to define. Joseph McKeen, Bowdoin's first president, notably defined it in reactionary terms: "It ought always to be remembered, that literary institutions are founded and endowed for the common good, and not for the private advantage of those who resort to them for education."

"I finally finished off my Polar Points!" exclaimed a friend as he walked out of the Pub with a plate of fries. I winced; I felt as though someone had swiped an ID card through my soul. Polar Points, for me, are a mere distant memory?a Golden Age, when the C-Store was as accessible as my back pocket.

The first time I watched porn was with one of my girlfriends, to whom I've always gone for sex advice. When I told her last year that I had never seen a porno before, she was shocked. Eager to expose my "innocent" mind to the world of X-rated images and videos, she grabbed her boyfriend's laptop and opened up his porn folder. Seconds later we were sitting on the couch, watching Jenna Lewis from TV's Survivor having sex with some anonymous guy.

Masque and Gown, Bowdoin's student theatrical organization, is producing its second 24-hour production this weekend. Contrary to what the name implies, the actual show is not a spin-off of the hit Fox series "24"; it will only last 45 minutes to an hour. However, the entire process of writing, rehearsing, and producing the play will occur between 8 p.m. today and 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Paul Barber?Face of SmuttyNose IPA and Man of Infinite Wisdom. Spring is here. But enough about the weather. As classes come to an end and reading period begins, it is important for all of us to get our priorities straight and prepare for the long road of finals ahead. This is why I enlisted the help of Paul Barber for this week's article. Mr. Barber holds his faded jeans up with a big gold belt buckle that says "Aloha." His eyebrows are bushier than a Chia Pet on Miracle-Gro and his love for Bowdoin lacrosse rivals his love for good beer, which, incidentally, has landed him squarely in a patio chair on the label for SmuttyNose IPA. Clearly, this guy has his priorities straight.

It's hard to believe, but after four years of writing for the Orient the time has come to say goodbye. This humble space has been my stomping ground for whatever was on my mind and I enjoyed it greatly. If you've made it through for all that time, I sincerely thank you for putting up with me.

Though life after finals may seem too distant to even contemplate, summer and its opportunities are just around the corner. For some, reading is going to be a last resort. But if you are anything like me, you are turning with glee toward the stack of books that have been waiting patiently to be devoured since your last real vacation eons ago. In the hope of lending a helping hand to those out there who are lost in a sea of titles, here's a brief list.

Club JAX enthusiasts and DJ Daryl groupies are rejoicing at the news. Kevin Lyttle, performer of the immortal dance single "Turn Me On," will headline Saturday's Ivies Weekend concert. A five-hour festival featuring Battle of the Bands winners Xeno Groove, singer-songwriter Josh Rouse, and beat-boxing legend Rahzel will lead into Lyttle's performance amidst inflatable sumo wrestling suits and a moonwalk.

The Bowdoin Women's Lacrosse Team could not avenge a regular-season loss on Sunday as the Bears fell to Colby 10-9 in the first round of the NESCAC playoffs despite a valiant team effort.

The Bowdoin Men's Lacrosse Team's season came to end in a loss over the weekend, but the Bears still felt positive about their season.

Despite a 7-2 loss at Amherst on Saturday, the women's tennis team will enter this year's NCAA tournament with a first-round bye. With an overall 17-2 season record, the women still hold the record for the most consecutive victorious matches and the most overall wins in a season.

The long drive to Middlebury proved well worth it for the Bowdoin Women's Track Team. Taking fourth behind track powerhouses Williams, Middlebury, and Tufts, the women posted many personal bests and top finishes.

First and foremost, I hope that each and every one of you had a fantastic Ivies (Ivy for you readers that were lucky enough to peruse Steve Kolowich's most recent column) Weekend amongst the rain, Bud Light, and Kevin Lyttle lyrics?God knows I needed it the most. My beloved Yankees continued their downward spiral, falling to 9-14 after the Red Sox took two out of three in the Bronx (Kei Igawa is now my new best friend); the New England Patriots had yet another near-perfect NFL Draft, culminating with the acquisition of the exceptional Randy Moss; and the Knicks never ceased haunting my dreams. At least the Rangers are still alive in the NHL Playoffs, and who knows? Maybe Red Bull New York of the MLS could be fun to watch?they still have that Pele guy, right?

The men's tennis team began its weekend defeating sixth-ranked Williams for the first time in Bowdoin College history. "Beating Williams was a life goal for our coach, and it was great to be able to achieve the win for ourselves and for him," said Garret Gates '08, who played No. 2 singles in the matchup.