The Bowdoin Orient

President Barry Mills sent Professor of Economics Jonathan Goldstein a six-page letter of censure this week, effectively ending the eight-month-long dispute between Goldstein and College officials over a 2008 paper the professor began disseminating last August.

After an exhaustive search that spanned nearly the entire academic year, the College announced last Friday that Kevin Salatino will become the director of the Museum of Art in August. Salatino, who currently serves as the head of the Department of Prints and Drawings at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), will bring years of experience of working in museums—as well as a background in academia—to campus next fall.

BSG worked this year to maintain a variety of pre-existing student services, strengthen the structure of the assembly, provide new programs for students, and propose policy changes for different entities on campus. The most significant projects taken on by the assembly include proposing changes that will be adopted by the Judicial Board, continuing discussions with the Office of Academic Affairs about the Credit/D/Fail grading option and the Arabic program, and conducting surveys to gauge student experiences at Dudley Coe Health Center.

During a year that has seen the loss of millions of jobs nationwide, the senior class has attained mixed results in its job search. While some have found positions, others have taken alternative career paths, or still continue to search for jobs as graduation approaches.

Hill was already on his way to the Middle East on Thursday night, he told the Orient. "I'm just taking off now from D.C. en route to Kuwait," he wrote in an e-mail to the Orient at 9:44 p.m. Thursday.

Following last Sunday's incident at Colby College between students, security, and Waterville police, Colby administrators have begun to interview witnesses to bring clarity to the series of events. Early Sunday morning, a conflict between a few Colby students and security guards heightened to a physical altercation.

In order to increase efficiency, Campus Activities Board (CAB) has written a new constitution that will bring changes to membership and rename the organization the Entertainment Board (E-Board).

For many of us, Ivies is one of the most exciting weekends of the year. It's a time for people to drop everything, and, yes, knock back a few beers. Or knock back a lot of beers.

Given that it's Ivies Weekend, it seems unlikely that anyone would want to go sit still in a dark room for an hour. With Harpswell, Pinestock, and the concert on the Quad, it's easy to understand why. However, we can think of at least one reason: It's called "Openings," and it's the spring dance concert going on Friday and Saturday.

Earlier today, I was wallowing in despair over my upcoming week. It's Ivies Weekend, with all its celebratory buffoonery; the one week of the school year where students can feel rightfully justified in throwing their homework up in the air, their feet up on the table, and their beer up on the Quad.

Seeing copies of the Orient scattered across the tables in Thorne on Friday mornings still gives me chills. There is something very intimidating and empowering about seeing my words physically in print; students can fold them, open them, close them...and, even more frightening, read them. Publishing is rewarding but certainly not easy. I have met so many good writers at Bowdoin, pontificators and introverts alike. Both have the responsibility to contribute to the newspaper but often do not act.

Bowdoin students are sometimes criticized as lacking an intellectual fervor. Those critics suggest that, because the average Bowdoin student won't engage in impassioned intellectual debate over a cup of coffee at the Station, his attention rarely ascends into the more lofty realms of abstract thought. That position is complete tripe.

The silver lining of controversy is its capacity to inspire discussion. It reminds us not only of what we believe, but also that we believe at all. In that spirit, I want to consider the ubiquitous disgust with the recent use of the word "pagan" to describe homosexuality "Prospective students: Choose Bowdoin to confront intellectual conformity," April 10). Why was the Bowdoin community so disgusted by it? Simply, because we believe that homosexuality is not wrong. This is our conviction. We believe it to be true—and rightly so.

To the Editors: In last week's Orient, Professor Scott MacEachern tried to mount a "euphemism"-busting, "careful and interesting analysis" in response to a cheap slogan scrawled on a campus sidewalk ("Of deniability, dethronement, and 'welfare queens,'" April 17). What he instead produced was quite the opposite—an unthoughtful piece of conspiratorial drivel.

To the Editors: As an alumnus, I read with interest the story regarding Professor Goldstein and his study ("Investigation of professor's study draws to a close," April 17; "Study examines grade inflation, athletics," April 17). While I could not find his study on the Internet, and so cannot comment on its details, I understand that one of the main points concludes that Bowdoin is of a lesser quality due to extensive grade inflation.

At Monday night's Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) debate, candidates for officer positions answered a variety of questions about their goals, dedication, and experience. During the debate between the two presidential hopefuls, one thing became clear: Mike Dooley '10 makes the grade in all three categories.

Euphemisms are, by their nature, tricky things. They are designed to simultaneously suggest ugly topics and avoid them. They allow interested parties to talk about sensitive issues in code, while at the same time maintaining a plausible deniability concerning the subject matter and their overall goals. They are contextual, insinuating through proximity what they do not dare to claim outright. The use of euphemism is a good way for those of a delicate nature to hurt people, because euphemisms allow for an injured retreat under challenge, with claims of pure intentions and unfortunate misunderstandings.

As the recession continues to pound the nation, its blows are visible day by day in Brunswick. Whether it is a business closing its doors or an e-mail from President Barry Mills on the Blue Tarp Committee's plans to carry the College through the crisis, the Bowdoin community can see the signs of economic downturn. This week, the Orient asked the Economics and Government Departments to speak on the subject of the recession and share their views of the Obama Administration's efforts to end the recession as well as the recession's long and short-term effects on the government.

For most of the year, I've been hearing a familiar refrain regarding fashion: "The weather right now sucks. When it's nice at the end of the year, I'll be more likely to care about how I look. Until then," the refrain continues, "I just want to be comfortable." And while, for the whole year, I've been speaking of the merits of doing otherwise, I definitely appreciate the desire to dress comfortably. Clothes are meant to be lived in, not just looked at. However, I also know that it's not necessarily true that people start to care what they look like at the end of the year. Jeans and a sweatshirt no longer feel comfortable when the weather eclipses the 60-degree mark. Shorts and t-shirts (which generally come in brighter colors) just feel better in this weather. In short, it's probably not out of concern for image that people look happier and springier. Our dress reflects who we are, and most of us naturally seek comfort. At the end of the year, comfort just looks better. Again, I can appreciate that.

Sexual pleasure for men is considered to be less of a mystery than pleasure for women. Part of this might be because the part of male anatomy considered to be "most central" to sex, the penis, is pretty obvious. It might also be because men are assumed to start masturbating at a young age and are therefore considered orgasm experts by the time they might want to start teaching other people how they work. In reality, however, there is more to male sexual pleasure than the penis. Putting aside fantasies, preferences and emotions and focusing solely on anatomy, there are men who experience pleasure in their ears, nipples, fingers, inner thighs, balls and anus, to name a few locales. This doesn't mean that the penis isn't important, because it often is, but it does mean that the concept of foreplay can be just as enjoyable and important for him as it is considered to be for your average woman.

If you've been reading my column this year, you are already well aware of the fact that college has been a very formative experience for me, both sexually and socially. Unsurprisingly, then, with graduation biting at my heels, I still find myself in the position to learn and grow at Bowdoin. Today will be the first time in my four years at this school that I attempt to participate in the Day of Silence.

On Wednesday I watched two very interesting presentations consecutively, exiting each with the same conclusion about their style, but not their fashion. First, I saw a painter present his work as though the presentation served the role of a job interview, which in a sense it did since Bowdoin is currently hiring for a professor to fill the role of two people on sabbatical. Normally, I would expect someone coming in to interview for a job to dress as if interviewing for a job—at least a button-up shirt, tie, suit jacket, dress pants. This is what the Career Planning Center (CPC) conditions us almost-graduated seniors to do, isn't it? So I was surprised to see a man in a casual jacket, button-down shirt, and jeans standing at the front of the room.

There will be a concert in Studzinski tonight, but the performers don't know what they're playing yet. The performers are students in Lecturer of Music Frank Mauceri's Improvisation 221 class, and they've spent this semester learning how to create music without traditional scores or guidelines. While Mauceri has taught jazz ensembles and lessons at Bowdoin for eight years, the class is the first of its kind. According to Mauceri, the class is an appropriate addition to the music department's curriculum.

The sounds of opera music coming from the concert hall will provide a classical alternative to those that will be heard across the Quad on Saturday. While several musical acts will visit Bowdoin this weekend, the Bowdoin Chamber Choir will be putting on a show of its own during Ivies Weekend. The show, held in Studzinski, is the concert version of Henry Purcell's opera "Dido and Aeneas," which was written in 1689 and is England's oldest opera. It is based on the fourth book of Virgil's "Aeneid" about the Queen of Carthage Dido and the Trojan Aeneas.

If one is prone to dreams of romance, planes provide appealing fodder for the chance meeting that might lead one's true love. A strange intimacy can develop between people while they are crammed into the confines of scratchy seats for long stretches of time. It has something to do with the altitude. And there is the added anticipation of who might sit next to you. It's a mystery and there is a short moment of suspended time when one can imagine "Maybe this time..." Usually, it's a hairy older man, or a chatty grandma happy to talk with you for all five hours of the flight. But for Peter Russell, a fellow who is particularly prone to this line of thinking, Holly fills the seat next to his on his flight from New York to L.A., and, you guessed it, they fall madly in love. This is the premise of James Collins' novel "Beginner's Greek." The novel purports to be one both about true love and love at first sight with delicious complications.

The arrival of a traveling exhibit from the New York University collection will infuse the Bowdoin College Museum of Art with a new shade of cool. The exhibit, titled "New York Cool: Paintings and Sculpture from the NYU Art Collection," was curated by New York University professor and art critic Pepe Karmel. Skillfully surveying the disparate New York art world of the 1950s and 1960s, Karmel drew entirely from the New York University Art Collection and included significant pieces by artists such as Willem de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler, Alex Katz, Robert Rauschenberg, and others.

You don't know it yet, but you want to party with Daniel Lanois. He has been behind the console of legends like U2, Emmylou Harris, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel and the tambourine man himself, Bob Dylan. If that who's who of undeniable coolness doesn't do it for you, then you are cool—approaching Prince-levels of cool. For the rest of us, living our lives in the Jason Segel regions of the hip spectrum, Daniel Lanois is a god.

Forget Hollywood—the red carpet will unroll at Bowdoin this week at the annual Film Society Student Festival. The short films from 14 different student directors range from a "mockumentary" to a 19th century psychological thriller. The Bowdoin Film Society (BFS), which collects film entries and recruits volunteers to judge them, will hand out the awards tomorrow night in Sills Auditorium.

The women's track team remains confident in its chances of finishing in the top three teams at this weekend's NESCAC Championship, given its defeat of two of the conference teams, Colby and Bates, at the Aloha Relays last weekend. This was the 21st Aloha Relays, which draws schools from across the state as well as Mt. Holyoke and Smith Colleges. The Polar Bears won the meet handily, eclipsing Bates' 150 points and Colby's 123 points with a total score of 244.

The men's lacrosse team heads into its huge showdown with Tufts tonight in a pitched battle for a home playoff game. Currently tied for third in the conference, the Polar Bears (8-5, 5-3) need a win if they are to host in the first round of the NESCAC tournament. Tonight's game, at home at 7 p.m., is crucial for the Polar Bears and the team will look to run its winning streak to two after a win over Bates on Tuesday. Tufts (11-2, 6-2) sits at second in the standings heading into tonight's game and will also lock up a home playoff matchup with a win.

The Bowdoin softball team reached the 20-win mark for the third season in a row with a 5-4 win over University of New England on Wednesday. Inclement weather shortened the scheduled doubleheader to one game, but the Polar Bears were ready despite the rain. First-year Courtney Colantuno (4-0) started on the mound for Bowdoin, pitching four strong innings as she earned the win. She only allowed one hit with the defense behind her allowing three unearned runs. She struck out three and walked three.

Adding insult to injury, Bowdoin suffered a 19-9 blowout loss to Husson on Wednesday after an already disappointing weekend against Tufts. After trading runs for the majority of the game, Husson exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure the victory. A usually strong bullpen struggled in the contest as Bowdoin needed to use nine pitchers on the day. It was the team's first loss in a mid-week game, but it will not have any impact on the team's playoff hopes.

The women's tennis team fell to Williams College on Sunday, losing all nine matches to the top-ranked team. The loss represented the Bears' worst of the season, as all but two matches were lost in straight sets. Sarah D'Elia suffered her first loss of the season to Williams' Grace Bajon. At No. 2 singles, Emily Lombardi '12 battled, losing a tight match in three sets (6-4, 3-6, 6-1).

Bowdoin sailing failed to qualify for the fleet race championships last weekend at Boston College and will now focus on team racing for the remainder of the season in hopes of qualifying for nationals. Bowdoin finished 15th in an 18-boat fleet at the New England Dinghy Championships. The Polar Bears sailed against the top teams in New England. After a tough start in Division A, captain Doria Cole '09 came in off the bench and strung together several good finishes in a very competitive fleet.

I've got all of my teeth, my hair is short, and I don't say "eh." I don't skate too well and I haven't been in a fight since fifth grade. I've only seen Mighty Ducks four times. And despite all of that, there is a hockey player inside of me just waiting to burst out and finally figure out which channel is Versus. Hockey is back, baby! I might be a little late to the train, but there are now certainly four major sports on the American landscape. Memo to soccer and NASCAR: you had your chance and you blew it.