The Bowdoin Orient

Students voiced opposition to a possible restructuring of chem-free housing in two open forums this week. The potential changes to chem-free housing—which would reshape how first years are assigned to rooms—could occur as soon as this fall. After surveying approximately 500 individuals including students, faculty and residential life staff members, a committee compiled a list of popular recommendations, which were published in a report in February. Perhaps the most controversial suggestion advanced by the committee was discontinuing Hyde Hall as the designated chem-free first 's status year brick, and adopting a "floating floor model on a two year trial basis" beginning in the 2013-2014 academic year.

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."

Several students received nationally competitive grants and scholarships this year, including a Watson Fellowship, two honorable mentions for the Udall Scholarship and, so far, two Fulbright Grants for English Teaching Assistantships. The Watson Fellowship is a prestigious and highly competitive one-year grant awarded to graduating seniors of "unusual promise" for a year of independent foreign travel and exploration. Upon accepting the $25,000 stipend, the fellows must agree not to return to the United States (or their home country) for 12 months and must embrace their independent projects on a large, potentially global scale.

The Office of Admissions has sent acceptance letters to 802 of 5,829 regular decision applicants, resulting in a 13.8 percent regular decision acceptance rate. Overall, 1,079 prospective students have been admitted to the Class of 2016—a 16.1 percent overall acceptance rate. The College received 6,716 applications this year, marking a 2 percent increase from last year. There was an 18 percent rise in applications from students of color compared to last year, a 13 percent increase from international students, a 29 percent increase in the number of applications from students in the Southwest, and a 22 percent raise in the South.

The annual Spring Gala almost fell off this year's social calendar after the event was left without a overseer. In past years, an ad hoc committee comprised of students has collaborated with the Office of Student Activities to plan the event, but this year no such committee was formed, an oversight that was not caught until two members of Bowdoin Student Government discovered that financing for the event had not been secured.

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.

Boy meets girl at a party. Boy and girl hook up. A common scenario at Bowdoin College. Then boy gives girl a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), or vice versa—a scenario that seems to be recently spreading on campus. Earlier this month, Coordinator of Health Education Whitney Hogan sent an email to all first years as well as Peer Health regarding the recent upswing in diagnoses of STIs on campus. The email was then circulated to many other groups and individuals.

Tim Foster, dean of student affairs, made an appearance at this week's Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) meeting to address preliminary data from the recent NESCAC-wide alcohol survey administered in early March. The academic affairs committee also proposed providing new funds to students who exceed their printing allocations. Of all nine of the NESCAC institutions that took part in the conference-wide survey—Amherst and Wesleyan did not partake—Bowdoin had the highest participation rate, with 78 percent of students filling out the questionnaire.

The next few weeks will present students with a number of difficult choices as they decide which dorm to aim for in the housing lottery and which courses to pick for the fall semester. When it comes to selecting a candidate for BSG president, however, the choice is much easier. Dani Chediak offers the depth and diversity of experience, the relationships with key players, as well as realistic ambitions that will make her a successful leader of the student body.

The lines were long, the theaters packed, and the total earnings were $248.5 million. In opening weekend sales, "The Hunger Games" has surpassed the staid love triangle of Bella, Edward and Jacob (sorry, Twihards), although "Harry Potter" and "Batman" remain at the head of the pack.

On the Wednesday before spring break, students were alerted to an uptick in diagnoses of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) on campus, including chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and gonorrhea. The news came in the form of an email from Whitney Hogan, coordinator of health education. While the College has not released the exact number of confirmed cases, there have clearly been enough to incite concern.

A 17-year-old man walked down the street. He wore a hooded sweatshirt and carried only a bag of Skittles, iced tea, and a cell phone. He was unarmed. A 28-year-old man bearing a handgun called 911 and began to follow this "suspicious" young man against the advice of the emergency operator.

About a month ago, the Chem- Free Housing Review Committee submitted its proposal for modifying first year chem-free housing. I would like to air some concerns about this proposal, even though I no longer live in chem-free housing

As the real Doctor Kinsey is deceased (June 23, 1894 - August 25, 1956), we're on our own in seeking the answers to love's persistent questions. I was very pleased (and frankly a little surprised) to receive a few questions in my mailbox before break sent students off in search of tans that are now slowly fading.

Encouraged by the unseasonably warm summer and overall lack of snow on the ground, a couple of friends and I ventured to the promised land—Bootleggers—in search of spring beers to celebrate the end of this disappointing winter.

When New York City's drag queen sensation Manila Luzon arrives on campus next Friday as the star host of the drag ball, what kind of campus will greet her? The ball will be one of the most high-profile Bowdoin Queer-Straight Alliance (BQSA)-organized parties on campus in recent memory. With its celebrated cross-dressing host and conspicuous location in Jack Magee's Pub, the ball might not have taken place even a few years ago.

Since coming to Maine, I find I don't get to drink bubble tea as often as I would like to, but when I do I always remember how much I enjoy the contrast between the chewy tapioca balls and the smooth, sweet tea.

Former Bowdoin Writer-in-Residence Margot Livesey's seventh and newest novel is an homage to Charlotte Brontë's 1847 classic, "Jane Eyre." Having never successfully finished any work by a Brontë sister, however, my experience reading Livesey's "The Flight of Gemma Hardy" felt highly akin to reading Harry Potter.

Filmmaker and alumna Ali Codina '00 fielded questions from an emotional audience last Thursday after screening her 2009 debut documentary, "Monica and David," in Smith Auditorium.

"What are you listening to?" "The Shins. You know them?... You gotta hear this one song. It'll change your life."

Words often fail us as a means of communication. Take "awesome," for example. Today, we've diluted the term into an affirmation, a toothless term meaning something is "good" or "cool." But in its archaic sense, "awesome" evoked breathtaking magnitude, arousing fear and wonder in equal measure.

Film producer Mitchell Block will come to campus next Thursday for a screening and discussion of his 2010 documentary, "Poster Girl." "Poster Girl" tells the story of a female Iraq War veteran who is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) in 2011.

In the first installment of a two-part lecture series celebrating 200 years of art collecting at Bowdoin, Andrew McClellan, professor of art history at Tufts University, will deliver a lecture titled "Private Collecting in the Age of Museums" next Thursday.

Bowdoin College is worlds away from Haiti, and Dany Laferrière is worlds away from the young man he was when he fled his native Haiti and sought refuge in Montreal at the age of 23. Today, the 58 year-old has earned international esteem and numerous accolades as a novelist, journalist and screenwriter.

After beating Wesleyan and Trinity last Saturday in Connecticut, the women's tennis team is surging with confidence as it enters the most challenging part of its season. Bowdoin defeated Trinity 5-1 and Wesleyan 9-0, and every player contributed at least one win in the matchups.

The men's and women's ultimate Frisbee teams concluded their regular season on a high note last weekend. Both teams won the second annual Garden State Open Tournament, and neither lost a single game. The men are now ranked No. 5 of the D-III schools nationwide, and No. 66 overall. Not to be bested, the women's team is ranked No. 41 in the country and No. 6 for D-III. Both squads finish the regular season undefeated.

I've always felt that the Easter Bunny never gets enough credit, and that's simply because he's competing against the Big Kahuna, Mr. Jolly Ole Saint Nick. But if you take a step back and think about it, the Easter Bunny is a pretty impressive guy. He brings individual kids little baskets full of treats with no help from reindeer or a sleigh—the guy's a freak. To be perfectly honest, I'm dumbfounded by the whole situation.

After becoming jealous of his friend Wiley Spears' radio show, Mikey Jarrell got in on the action and the two recruited IT master Matt Glatt to assist them in their quest. In addition to broadcasting Bowdoin sports live for WBOR, they have a weekly show, "Mike and Wiley in the Morning," that airs on Wednesday afternoons, from 2 to 3 p.m. And now begins their venture into print.

The sailing team traversed New England this past weekend, sending crews to three different regattas. The women visited Brown University for the Dellenbaugh Trophy, where they took eighth of 18 top teams. Skippers Kaylee Schwitzer '15 and Lizzy Hamilton '15 were joined by crews Kim Dempsey '14, Ayaka Okawa '14 and Isabel Low '13. They are now ranked No. 11 in the country, the highest in program history.

Coming back after its second conference loss of the season on Saturday to Middlebury, the women's lacrosse team bested Williams on Sunday and shellacked the University of Southern Maine on Wednesday for two wins. In Wednesday's match against Southern Maine, Bowdoin allowed its fewest goals of the season and outshot the Huskies 33-14 for a 14-3 victory.

Playing two matches in one day did not daunt the men's tennis team, as the Polar Bears beat Wesleyan and Trinity by a combined score of 15-1 last Saturday. Bowdoin (5-5, 2-1 NESCAC) is in the midst of a three-match winning streak, and has returned with a vengeance from its spring training trip to California, in which it faced multiple top-20 teams.