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In spite of the cancellation of the Mage game, I had a fun weekend.
First, on Saturday, I went to a Bar Mitzvah at one of my study sites and managed to write an introduction to my thesis from it. Go me. That evening I got Martine to watch Spirited Away with me.
Today was a bit different because it was Plenary, which is when students gather in Goodhart Auditorium to vote on amendments to the Honor Code - although first we have to vote on restoring the Honor Code and the right to self-government. Usually this passes quickly, because people want to keep their self-scheduled exams. Today something different went on.
A fairly large group of students - mostly black and other minorities - got up and one of them spoke at the dissenters' microphone to protest the SGA (Student Government Association) because it was not inclusive enough. It wasn't clear exactly what the greivance was, except for general discrimination. A few specific incidents were named, but nothing that the SGA had been made aware of - and apparently the protesters had not given any warning before taking this drastic measure. They said they would make the rest of us aware of their silence on campus by walking out of Plenary, which they did. It was not a smart move. We still had enough people for quorum (that is, the required number needed to vote on stuff, one third of the student body), and they just came off as annoying and reactionary. Just the fact that they brought this up sparked a discussion about diversity issues, which was what the dissenting students wanted, but the general opinion was that their sudden announcement and storming out of Plenary was an ill-considered move. They did not propose any solutions for fixing the percieved problems, nor did they offer to work with the SGA, although they did announce a meeting for all concerned that is to take place tomorrow.
The head of Perry House, the special dorm whose residents focus on community service (I know her, she's a nice person) actually saved the dissenters' butts by speaking far more eloquently and specifically about the issues at hand, and saying that she believed in the principle of self-government but there were certain flaws that needed to be addressed - among them the low voter turnout and the fact that certain positions had no candidates. By the way, the students who had complained they were not adequately represented by the SGA were apparently part of both these problems. Go figure. Anyway, now people are aware of problems, but the people who brought them up did not handle them well, and I think they hurt their case.
Enough of that. After Plenary I went out for sushi and beer with two of my friends. Liz paid for the sushi (we got a sushi and sashimi boat, and thoroughly stuffed ourselves), and I paid for drinks. I learned from Liz that one is supposed to tip a bartender, especially if one plans to get really drunk, because then the bartender will not take it so badly when you're wasted. We didn't get wasted, at least not then. We tried this stuff called Magic Hat beer, which was actually pretty sweet. I think it's a microbrew. I'll have to go back and try it some time.
Two more thesis interviews this weekend - though I also have other work to do, including a few job applications. I'll mostly be applying to Penn and the state bureau of employment from now on, I think, unless I hear about something really good. I have a few other job apps up in the air that I'm waiting on. I think I might actually get an offer from Amica, which would be nice, although if I won't be able to stay in Pennsylvania...well, I might wait for something else. I don't know.
Hmm. Spring break is at the end of this week. I'll get to see Daniel (good), my grandparents (good), my dad (good), my mom, (oy), and Benjamin (gaaaaah!).
First, on Saturday, I went to a Bar Mitzvah at one of my study sites and managed to write an introduction to my thesis from it. Go me. That evening I got Martine to watch Spirited Away with me.
Today was a bit different because it was Plenary, which is when students gather in Goodhart Auditorium to vote on amendments to the Honor Code - although first we have to vote on restoring the Honor Code and the right to self-government. Usually this passes quickly, because people want to keep their self-scheduled exams. Today something different went on.
A fairly large group of students - mostly black and other minorities - got up and one of them spoke at the dissenters' microphone to protest the SGA (Student Government Association) because it was not inclusive enough. It wasn't clear exactly what the greivance was, except for general discrimination. A few specific incidents were named, but nothing that the SGA had been made aware of - and apparently the protesters had not given any warning before taking this drastic measure. They said they would make the rest of us aware of their silence on campus by walking out of Plenary, which they did. It was not a smart move. We still had enough people for quorum (that is, the required number needed to vote on stuff, one third of the student body), and they just came off as annoying and reactionary. Just the fact that they brought this up sparked a discussion about diversity issues, which was what the dissenting students wanted, but the general opinion was that their sudden announcement and storming out of Plenary was an ill-considered move. They did not propose any solutions for fixing the percieved problems, nor did they offer to work with the SGA, although they did announce a meeting for all concerned that is to take place tomorrow.
The head of Perry House, the special dorm whose residents focus on community service (I know her, she's a nice person) actually saved the dissenters' butts by speaking far more eloquently and specifically about the issues at hand, and saying that she believed in the principle of self-government but there were certain flaws that needed to be addressed - among them the low voter turnout and the fact that certain positions had no candidates. By the way, the students who had complained they were not adequately represented by the SGA were apparently part of both these problems. Go figure. Anyway, now people are aware of problems, but the people who brought them up did not handle them well, and I think they hurt their case.
Enough of that. After Plenary I went out for sushi and beer with two of my friends. Liz paid for the sushi (we got a sushi and sashimi boat, and thoroughly stuffed ourselves), and I paid for drinks. I learned from Liz that one is supposed to tip a bartender, especially if one plans to get really drunk, because then the bartender will not take it so badly when you're wasted. We didn't get wasted, at least not then. We tried this stuff called Magic Hat beer, which was actually pretty sweet. I think it's a microbrew. I'll have to go back and try it some time.
Two more thesis interviews this weekend - though I also have other work to do, including a few job applications. I'll mostly be applying to Penn and the state bureau of employment from now on, I think, unless I hear about something really good. I have a few other job apps up in the air that I'm waiting on. I think I might actually get an offer from Amica, which would be nice, although if I won't be able to stay in Pennsylvania...well, I might wait for something else. I don't know.
Hmm. Spring break is at the end of this week. I'll get to see Daniel (good), my grandparents (good), my dad (good), my mom, (oy), and Benjamin (gaaaaah!).
