Cross Campus: 1.25.13

Tag Archive: XC

Cross Campus: 1.25.13
January 25, 2013 3:38 am Leave a Comment
We’re saved. Last year, the Yale College Council created a promotional website to ask students the all-important question: “What has the YCC done this year?” This year, we finally have an answer. After months of working with Yale Dining, the YCC has released its six-page comprehensive “YCC Salad Report,” which outlines specific research and recommendations regarding the salad dressing, croutons and romaine lettuce available in dining halls. Guys, #TheYCCIsOnIt.

He’s back. New Haven’s favorite graffiti artist, Believe in People, has struck Elm City walls again, this time painting the words “SUPA-THUG” in large block letters on a wall facing State Street. But that’s not all. Believe in People also drew a young girl, wearing a pink dress and staring innocently at the block letters as a used paint roller stands beside her. But what does it all mean?

May the force be with you. Last night, students in English 130 “Epic” got a taste of what their course truly means. Gathered in LC, the lucky academics watched a screening of “Star Wars” — the 1977 version that made Luke Skywalker a household name.

And another one bites the dust. Yale College Council Secretary Leandro Leviste ’15 will take the spring semester off to work on his mother’s re-election campaign in the Philippines, Leviste announced in a Thursday email to the YCC. Leviste’s departure marks the second time a YCC Executive Board member has left Yale in the past month. His replacement will be chosen by the YCC Executive Board, who will select among members of the YCC’s subsidiary bodies.

On academics. Last night, the YCC also released a report on this year’s changes to the academic calendar, which discussed the introduction of fall break and shortened reading period. According to the report, the shortened reading period caused “unprecedented” amounts of stress and generally had a negative effect on students’ academic abilities. Still, 62 percent of students said they preferred having a fall break even at the cost of a shorter reading period.

Did you get your flu shot? Might want to consider that now. The number of flu deaths in the state has reached 17, according to the Connecticut’s Department of Public Health. All victims this season have been over 54 years old. Watch your health!

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1977 The Yale Corporation decides to raise fees to $6,950, marking an 8 percent increase. Administrators say the increase is necessary to offset an anticipated 6 percent national inflation rate.
Cross Campus: 1.24.13
January 24, 2013 3:33 am Leave a Comment
Winning where it counts. In a dramatic wine-tasting showdown in New York, five Yale Law students reinforced Yale’s dominance in all things alcohol, claiming the U.S. Intercollegiate Bordeaux tasting championships. The five-member team beat out competitors from Harvard, Stanford and Columbia to win the crown, proving that when it comes to wine, nobody messes with Yale. Aside from eternal glory, the champions also won a free trip to the Château Lafite Rothschild wine estate in France, where they will compete against teams from the U.K., France and China. Team Yale, represent!

Hungry? Chipotle is coming to town. The popular Mexican grill will open next Tuesday, Jan. 29, and is already poised to fill many late-night study breaks with burritos and guacamole. Another side effect? Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more burrito costumes this Halloween.

Eat to live, not live to eat. Or at least learn to cook. Yale Dining is launching “Reality Bites,” a series of activities designed to help members of the senior class transition to the real world. Interested? The events include “Cooking 101,” “Wine and Meal Pairing,” “Mixology,” “Formal/Business Etiquette” and “Cooking Locally/In Season.”

Aleksey Vayner ’07, who became an Internet celebrity for his video resume entitled “Impossible is Nothing,” has reportedly died in New York. The cause of death is still to be determined. His memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26, in New York.

Based on graduate student reviews, the Yale School of Management has been ranked 16th in the nation. SOM received high marks in several categories, including second place for student diversity and third place for faculty accessibility and support.

It’s the season of love. For freshmen. At least for those interested in attending Freshman Screw, which will be held on Feb. 2 and titled “The Great Gatsby: Drop it Like F. Scott,” or participating in freshman speed dating. Love is in the air! Just pull out your pearls and flapper dresses, and get ready to party like it’s the Roaring ’20s.

Madam President? Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter has become the people’s choice for Princeton’s next president, based on suggestions gathered online. Slaughter, who gained national attention for her article, “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” won with roughly 32 percent of the vote.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1977 The New Haven Police Department is accused of wiretapping the Yale chapter of “Students for a Democratic Society.”
Cross Campus: 1.23.13
January 23, 2013 12:56 am Leave a Comment
Brace yourselves. Hell hath frozen over. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-20s all week, so take this time to stock up on hot chocolate and invest in scarves. You’ll need ’em.

For juniors out there, the Junior Class Council is selling class of 2014 apparel, which include — thankfully — fleece jackets, striped scarves, hats and tube socks. Yes, tube socks.

Calling all Silicon Valley wannabes. The Yale College Council has launched its first-ever YCC Tech Month, a 28-day event that will include an inaugural Hackathon, the YCC App Challenge and joint events with Yale BootUp and ITS. Let your inner Mark Zuckerberg out.

Or don’t, if you want to distance yourself from Harvard and its crop of cheaters. Harvard announced yesterday that it has delivered verdicts to all of the roughly 125 students involved in the “Introduction to Congress” cheating scandal that exploded last year. Administrators said they completed their investigation in December and will make an announcement near the beginning of this semester about the results.

We the People. The Davenport College Council is in the process of revising its constitution and is seeking input from Davenport students about the changes. All members of the gnome college are invited to attend a DCC meeting and vote on the proposal.

After returning from a trip to the Middle East, Sen. Richard Blumenthal LAW ’73 is calling for the U.S. to increase its humanitarian aid to Syria. The Yale Law alumnus said the country has a “historic obligation and opportunity” to contribute to the war-torn country.

A Kodak moment. The New Haven school district announced yesterday that the Elm City’s high school graduation rate has increased to 70.5 percent this year. The dropout rate has also decreased by 4.2 percent, bringing the current rate down to 21 percent.

Still in the red. Connecticut is still $64.4 million in the red despite legislators’ attempts last year to eliminate the state budget deficit. The deficit is due in part to decreased revenues, which dropped $33.9 million since last month, according to the state’s Office of Policy and Management.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1977 Donald Ogilvie ’65 is appointed associate dean for operations and finance at the School of Management.
Cross Campus: 1.22.13
January 22, 2013 3:35 am Leave a Comment
He’ll be okay. Playwright Christopher Durang DRA ’74 collapsed onstage during Saturday’s production of Cole Porter’s acclaimed musical “Kiss Me, Kate.” Durang, who slipped after he jumped down two steps and missed his footing on the landing, had to be carted to the hospital but was reportedly in “good spirits.”

Veep. Over the weekend, the Yale College Council Executive Board selected Danny Avraham ’15 as the YCC’s next vice president, effective immediately. Avraham replaces Debby Abramov ’14, who announced earlier this month that she would not return to Yale this semester. Avraham will continue to serve as chair of the YCC’s Academics Committee.

Hide yo’ stuff. An attempted robbery occurred yesterday morning at Elm and High streets, according to an email from Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins. The victim, who is not a member of the Yale community, was walking alone when she was approached by a knife-wielding female who attempted to rob her of her cash and a backpack. Be careful, Yale!

Setting records. For the first time, two Yalies have been named Churchill Scholars and will receive between $52,000 and $63,000 to study at the University of Cambridge next fall. Congratulations to Kavitha Anandalingam ’13 and Jonathan Liang ’13! Take England by storm.

The digital age. Len Peters, chief information officer at Yale, unveiled several new services on Friday that aim to improve Yalies’ technology experiences, including “Box,” a new cloud-based file synchronization and storage service, and improved cellphone coverage on campus. In addition, beginning Wednesday, users will no longer need a toll authorization number when placing a long-distance call.

Crowdsourcing. According to a recent survey by DataHaven, 54 percent of Elm City residents “strongly agree” that New Haven offers safe sidewalks and crosswalks in neighborhoods. In addition, 82 percent were generally pleased with New Haven’s public transportation services.

Going places. Recent numbers released by the City of New Haven indicate that more and more people are hopping on the free shuttle bus that travels between the New Haven Green and Union Station. According to the statistics, 200,000 people enjoyed the free ride last year.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1942 Professor George Cowgill discusses soldier food rations, which he tells students include a newly developed chocolate bar and dehydrated vegetables.
Cross Campus: 1.18.13
January 18, 2013 4:08 am Leave a Comment
The Amar Report. Law professor Akhil Amar ’80 LAW ’84 appeared on “The Colbert Report” last night to talk — what else? — constitutional law with Stephen Colbert. But if you missed Amar on television, don’t worry. The storied professor teaches a class twice a week in the Law School auditorium.

Money matters. Or does it? A new national study has found that the more college money parents provide for their children, the lower their children’s grades in college, according to a recent article from The New York Times. This inverse relationship was not as strong at elite institutions than at other private, costly and out-of-state colleges, the study continued.

Frat city, yo. Zeta Psi brothers were spotted handing out free “Rush Zeta Psi” shirts on Old Campus yesterday afternoon. Because if there’s anything that will convince an undecided freshman to join a fraternity, it’s a free T-shirt. That should seal the deal.

Stop, drop and roll. A fire alarm set off in the Loria Center yesterday afternoon sent Yalies scurrying outdoors. But there wasn’t much to worry about: The alarm went off not because of a fire, but because several architecture students opened plastic fittings in a stairwell, causing the dust to explode and trigger the alarm.

Can you sing? Sarah Solovay ’16 can. The singer/songwriter is one of the top 10 finalists in Hitlab’s “Golden Ticket Contest,” wooing the judges with her songs “Superhuman” and “A Little In Love.” The contest winner will have a chance to attend and perform at the 55th annual Grammy Awards.

New campus celebrity. Marc Grossman, former U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, will come to Yale as a senior fellow with the Jackson Institute of Global Affairs. The former ambassador will visit campus three times this semester and teach a course in the department next fall.

Education reform. The New Haven school board has accepted a $111,042 donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that will fund “innovative professional development” for teachers.

Celebrate the dream. The Yale Peabody Museum will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day this Sunday and Monday with free events, including a poetry slam and interactive games.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1884 Vital statistics released today indicate that the average Yale man is 19 years and one month old and 5-foot-7.92-inches tall.
Cross Campus: 1.17.13
January 17, 2013 3:06 am Leave a Comment
Even history hates Harvard. In his packed “Constitutional Law” class, professor Akhil Amar ’80 LAW ’84 noted that though Benedict Arnold was a great American hero at one point, his decision to turn traitor marked a “devastating” blow. “And the most important thing to remember from that,” Amar continued, “is … he’s a Harvard grad.”

It’s not porn in the morn, but… When professor Aleh Tsyvinski asked his “Introductory Macroeconomics” class what college students typically consume today, he received a wealth of answers: food, energy and, according to one male student, porn. Tsyvinski’s response? “Single ladies, this is the man for you.”

Forging relationships. University President Richard Levin accepted an honorary doctor of law from the Chinese University of Hong Kong for his work in education and Yale’s development. The degree was presented by CUHK President Joseph Sung and CUHK Secretary Eric Ng.

Even gnomes like snow. As a blanket of snow coated Yale for the first time this semester, several Davenport students took the opportunity to build a gnome-shaped snowman, or “snowgnome,” complete with a hat and beard.

Honorary Whiff. A New York Times reporter moonlighted as a Whiffenpoof and published his experiences in a Jan. 13 article for the Times. Henry Alford, the reporter, discussed his brief experience singing with the a cappella group and participating in a movement he dubbed “fakeappella” — loudly singing the parts of songs he knew best and prudently staying quiet during the other parts.

Yale to YouTube. Two Yale alums Peter Furia ’04 and Michael Rucker ’07 produced a YouTube video, entitled “Rewind YouTube Style,” that garnered a whopping 83 million views just one month after its release. The video is a mash-up of “Gangnam Style” and “Call Me Maybe” and highlights the “culturally defining moments of 2012.”

Elevate your resolutions. The Yale College Council is holding a New Year’s party tonight at 10 p.m. at Elevate to kick off the new semester. Attire is semiformal, and there will be an open bar for those who are at least 21 years old.

Also, academics. The YCC is also seeking input from students on the new academic calendar and has created an online survey to gauge student opinions. The survey will close by the end of the day on Friday.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1962 Yale acquires a parcel of land in Argentina to construct an astronomical observatory.
Cross Campus: 1.16.13
January 16, 2013 10:51 am Leave a Comment
This actually happened. In ECON 131 “Econometrics,” professor Nancy Qian implemented a tried-and-true method for encouraging class camaraderie: She asked everyone in the class to introduce themselves by sharing their names and hometowns. All 100 of them.

Academia. Professor Kathryn Lofton asked her “Religion and Popular Culture” class to write commentaries on any of the following academic subjects: Rump Chat, Frank Ocean, Taylor Swift, “Girls,” “Django Unchained” or “Gangnam Style.” School has never been so fun.

Savin’ Sandy. The House of Representatives voted last night to approve $50.7 billion in emergency relief for victims of Hurricane Sandy more than 10 weeks after the Frankenstorm swept through the Northeast. Officials expect the Senate to approve the measure early next week before sending it to President Obama.

A law-abiding citizen. Yale graduate and Rhodes scholar Luke A. Bronin ’01 LAW ’06 has been named Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy’s chief legal counsel at the ripe old age of 33.

Drumming on Cross Campus. The Association of Native Americans at Yale — along with similar groups across the Ivy League — will throw a “flash mob”-style protest at 10 a.m. this morning in solidarity with the “Idle No More” movement, which aims to preserve Native American sovereignty over tribal land.

Dr. Gage goes to Washington. Yale historian Beverly Gage ’94 is scheduled to cover President Obama’s second inauguration for “PBS NewsHour” on Monday. She will join two other historians and political analysts, including David Brooks, the New York Times columnist who is teaching “Humility” this spring.

Remember her name. The town council of Stratford, Conn. has voted to rename a local elementary school after Victoria Soto, a Sandy Hook Elementary teacher who died after shielding her students from bullets in the second-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.

Who says Yale can’t do math? Professor Emeritus George Daniel Mostow has been awarded the 2013 Wolf Prize, one of the top international awards for mathematicians, for his contributions in geometry. Mostow is known for his discovery of the strong rigidity theorem and will travel to Jerusalem in May to accept the award.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1904 The financial records of the University’s debate team show a probable deficit of $13.63.
Cross Campus 1.15.13
January 15, 2013 4:27 am Leave a Comment
Shopping period dispatches. Yesterday was the start of shopping period, which meant students across Yale rolled out of bed and hit the books. As always, the experiences were memorable. Professor Richard Yang warned his “Intro to Programming” class that the course was not for students who “refuse to think logically” or “hate computers.” And Professor Richard Bribiescas casually renamed his class, known officially as “Human Evolutionary Bio & Life History,” to “Womb to Tomb.”

Director’s cut. The popular course PHYS 101 “Movie Physics” has been canceled this year “due to a variety of recent developments,” according to a Monday email from Professor Stephen Irons. No word on the specifics, but looks like throngs of nonscience majors will need to search elsewhere for their science credits this spring.

Beer-induced warfare. In “Theory & Practice of Negotiation,” Professor Adam Kinon discussed an extended example of a negotiation: putting a beer pong table in the common room. Possible solution? Fist fight.

A judicial remark. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas LAW ’74 may have broken his seven-year streak of silence during oral arguments yesterday when he leaned over the bench to make a crack at Yale Law School, his alma mater. As the justices heard an argument about Louisiana’s delay in paying for counsel for a death penalty defendant, Justice Antonin Scalia noted that one of the lawyers graduated from Yale Law School. Clarence then, allegedly, took this opportunity to remark that graduating from the Law School may indicate more incompetence than competence. Ouch.

Want to impress Linda Lorimer? The Center for Engineering Innovation and Design is hosting a logo and name competition for its new cafe, which will open Jan. 22 on the first floor of the Becton Center. The selected name and logo will be featured prominently in the cafe and printed materials about the space, and winners will receive gift cards to the cafe. The contest is open until 5 p.m. on Jan. 25.

The digital age. The Yale Drama Coalition has unveiled a new website that intends to give undergraduate productions an online space to communicate with the Yale community. Even better: The website features an image of a llama wearing a hat. “It’s the drama llama,” YDC webmaster Stuart Teal ’14 explained. “It’s just a big inside joke.”

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1918 Professor John C. Tracy is chosen to lead the New Haven War Bureau. He will take a six-month leave of absence.
Cross Campus 1.14.13
January 14, 2013 7:36 am Leave a Comment
Welcome back! It’s been three weeks, but it feels like three years. Shop ’til you drop, and don’t forget to register with your college’s dean’s office today to avoid that $50 fine.

From Bulldog blue to red carpet. Yale alums graced the 70th annual Golden Globes last night as Jodie Foster ’85 won the Lifetime Achievement Award and Allison Williams ’10 took the stage when HBO’s “Girls” won best comedy series. Even former President Bill Clinton LAW ’73 made a special guest appearance, introducing “Lincoln.” After Clinton’s remarks, Amy Poehler exclaimed, “That was Hillary Clinton’s husband!”

Do you want candy? Then skip to Toad’s. Teenage singing sensation Aaron Carter, known for his popular song “I Want Candy,” will be performing at Toad’s next month. Looks like all roads really do lead to Toad’s.

Phi Beta Kappa inducts 71 students. Honor society Phi Beta Kappa inducted 13 juniors and 58 seniors at the end of the fall semester. Admission is determined by the percentage of straight-A grades earned in college coursework, and no more than 10 percent of the graduating class may be elected in total.

Need help shopping? Two Yalies have launched a new website, YalePlus Bluebook, aimed to help Yalies navigate shopping period. The website is based on Excel spreadsheets and lets users quickly evaluate a professor’s or course’s past ratings.

The search begins. The Yale College Council will elect a new vice president this semester after YCC Vice President Debby Abramov ’14 announced she will not return for the spring term. The YCC Executive Board will review applications from the YCC’s subsidiary bodies — FCC, SoCo, JCC and the UOC — and choose two final candidates before voting on the new VP.

Apocalypse hits the stage. Stephen Feigenbaum MUS ’13, Charlie Polinger ’13 and Matthew George ’11 raised $15,000 for an experimental classical-music theater show, titled “Abyss,” that will go up this February. The show recounts the story of the apocalypse and includes an ensemble of musicians, dancers and actors.

Congratulations! Cristina Rodríguez ’95 LAW ’00 has been named professor of constitutional, administrative and immigration law at Yale Law School. She will be the school’s first tenured Hispanic professor.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1941 Freshmen have the opportunity to submit nominations for the Freshman Prom Committee.
Cross Campus: 12.12.12
December 12, 2012 5:00 am Leave a Comment
Seems legit. A familiar master’s portrait went up in Timothy Dwight’s dining hall over the weekend. But strangely, the subject bears a closer resemblance to TD senior Alex Werrell ’13 than to any previous serving TD master. Perhaps current TD Master Jeff Brenzel just looks different in colonial regalia.

From one man to another. At Yale Hillel’s annual Hanukkah banquet, Yale Journalism Initiative Coordinator Mark Oppenheimer ’96 GRD ’03 imparted a few words of wisdom to President-elect Peter Salovey in his keynote address: “There are two ways to win my favor. One is to pull out of that Singapore deal. The other is to grow back the moustache.”

Will we survive 2012? Yale College Dean Mary Miller thinks so. In a special report to CNN, the Mayan expert aimed to dispel the widespread “hoopla” about the impending apocalypse, declaring that she is “confident that December 22 will see the dawn.”

You can quote him on that. Fred Shapiro, associate librarian at Yale Law School, has released his seventh annual list of the most notable quotes of the year. The winner? Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. His “47 percent” and “binders full of women” comments took the top two spots on the list.

And back to Singapore. The National Coalition Against Censorship joined the American Association of University Professors in expressing concern that Yale-NUS College would undermine Yale’s commitment to academic freedom. In response, Yale-NUS faculty members released a Sunday statement responding to AAUP’s letter and encouraging AAUP members to contact Yale-NUS faculty directly.

Obama nation. Yale and Harvard scientists have identified a new lizard species that they say was likely wiped out during the asteroid collision that killed the dinosaurs. The catch? They named the species Obamadon gracilis, a nod to President Barack Obama. No word on how the president feels about sharing a name with an extinct lizard.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1961 Harkness bellringers announce they play Christmas songs on Harkness Tower.
Cross Campus: 12.7.12
December 7, 2012 4:29 am 3 Comments
School’s out! Almost. Reading period begins at 5:30 p.m. today, but remember that it only lasts until Wednesday this year. You can start cramming now.

On a break. After three consecutive terms, the popular seminar co-taught by Provost Peter Salovey will be taking a break from Yale. Called “Great Big Ideas,” the seminar will return in spring 2014 and be co-taught by current Dean of Admissions Jeffrey Brenzel, who will take Salovey’s teaching spot when the moustached administrator becomes president.

Dream big. Members of student group Net Impact convened on Cross Campus yesterday as part of their “Make an Impact” campaign, during which organizers asked passers-by to write down their dreams on Post-it notes and pop balloons to “make an impact.” Participants were then asked to replace their popped balloon with their Post-it note. More than 250 passers-by took part in the effort.

Hitting the books. Two recent releases by Yale Law School professors John Fabian Witt ’94 LAW ’99 GRD ’00 and Akhil Reed Amar ’80 LAW ’84 were named to the 2012 best books list of two major newspapers. Witt’s book was named to The New York Times’ notable books list, while Amar’s was named to The Washington Post top books list for nonfiction works.

Spotted. Former Dean of Jonathan Edwards College and newly appointed Dean of Yale-NUS Kyle Farley was seen hanging around the JE dining hall yesterday afternoon. The former college administrator announced he would step down in September 2011 to oversee curricula and help with student recruitment at Academies Australasia, an educational group in Australia.

Midnight train. Elm City residents have started a social media petition urging New Haven officials to increase the number of Metro-North trains that stop at the State Street train station, which currently serves only a handful of Metro-North trains. As of yesterday, the petition collected 164 signatures.

Crossing borders. Student group Reach Out, which organizes student-led spring break trips to foreign nations for service projects, received a record number of applications this year. Though Reach Out typically collects 100 to 150 applications, the group received 300 applications this year for its nine service trips.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 1971 Three faculty groups support a calendar change that would set Sept. 5 as the first day of school and schedule final examinations before winter break.