Question: If I go trick-or-treating at Bentley, will bad guys get me?

By April Gammal

Halloween is the only time when you can see Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Batman and a sumo wrestler in the same place, unless you happen to be on an LSD trip. I can promise you a successful Halloween night by following a strict set of guidelines.

Never leave the house without bringing protection. Not the kind your brother sneaks out with on the weekends, but a group of friends.

Next, always use the buddy system. Make sure to hold hands with your buddy while crossing the street and always walk on the sidewalk. You wouldn’t want to get run over by a car or by a drunken college student running to find the nearest bathroom.

When you knock on someone’s door, always say “Trick or treat,” or no one will give you candy. While your parents always tell you to take one piece of candy, it’s ok to disregard that rule if the person doesn’t specify to “please only take one so there will be enough for everyone else.”

Make sure the item you choose has not already been opened. Remember, it is not safe for children to accept candy bars, chips, cigarettes or hard liquor in open containers.

Your parents always tell you to make sure to say thank you, not because it is the nice, polite thing to do but because your parents don’t want to get nasty looks from the neighbors who remember that their kid is the rude, nasty, ungrateful one.

It is ok to eat all the sweets you want on Halloween, in spite of what your mommy tells you. With the technology these days, they’ll be able to fix any tooth decay caused by those sweets.

I bet what you have just read brings back memories of how excited you were around Halloween when you were a young child. The only difference is that now some kids seem to be on some other high, other than sugar. So, here’s hoping that on Halloween you will be drunk with enthusiasm and excitement – and nothing else.

Happy Halloween!!

By April Gammal

I think what is important to realize is that all firms have their strengths and weaknesses, and it’s important to realize what is important to you. Also, what is considered “the best”? The Big Four are great firms with many opportunities, but they may not be “the best” for you.

There are many factors that should be considered before picking a job, such as the culture of the firm, expected working hours, attitude of co-workers, promotion options and job flexibility. Does the firm you are looking at satisfy these criteria, or does it fall short? Just because a firm is the biggest does not mean it is the best for you or will give you as good an experience as a smaller firm.

For example, a large firm will probably have you work on a thin slice of an extremely large audit engagement, whereas you might have more exposure to a wider range of components of a smaller audit at a smaller firm. This wider variety of job components will likely translate into greater job satisfaction.

It is important to keep in mind that on a day-to-day basis, you will be spending a lot of time working with a small number of co-workers. You will not be working with the firm’s “prestige.” If these few co-workers are not pleasant to be around, you will not enjoy your job, no matter how “prestigious” your employer is. So try hard to zero in on a prospective employer’s interpersonal culture.

Vault.com recently came out with the results of a survey which ranks the 10 best public accounting firms to work for. The survey took into account the firm’s prestige, firm culture, overall satisfaction of its employees, compensation, hours and business outlook.

Interestingly enough, none of the Big Four came in first place! Grant Thornton came in first, and the article said, “Although the Big Four still reign when it comes to prestige, they no longer rank on top when it comes to important workplace issues such as culture, hours and manager/junior relations.”

This article points out some important factors and notes that choosing a firm to work for is a dynamic decision.

I encourage you to evaluate the criteria that are important to you and to make your own decisions based upon what is best for you.

Question: I’ve noticed that the new style around campus is to wear leggings with a short, tight shirt. Is this fashionably acceptable? I’m not sure I can pull off leggings by themselves, but I definitely want to keep up with the fashion trends. What do you think?

By April Gammal

Fashion Rule Number 12: Wearing no pants is never acceptable. Leggings are NOT pants. And by applying the transitive property we have, leggings are NOT acceptable.

First of all, let me change your thinking: No one can pull off leggings, not just you. Let me say this again… No one can pull off leggings alone. Are you kidding me? You might as well go out of the house with no pants on and call it a day. No one wants to see that.

One of the biggest no-no’s is wearing leggings with a suit jacket and trying to pull it off as business casual. Absolutely not.
While I do embrace the concept that self-confidence is great and all body types are beautiful, I am not endorsing showing it for the entire world to see.

I wonder what these unique individuals think when they walk into class and make their way to the back of the room, most likely clueless that the professor is probably going blind in the process. Some of your professors are much older, and if you wore that when they were growing up, you would probably have been arrested for indecent exposure. So, if anything, be mindful of your professors when you get dressed in the morning.

From the front as you look at yourself in the mirror, it may look acceptable. From the side when you look at yourself in the mirror, it may look slimming. But from the back, where you cannot see yourself, it does not look ok.

What is even worse than black leggings is colored leggings, like lime green or white. Yes, I have seen both of these colors and I can only wonder what that person was thinking. Who knows, maybe they were just tired in the morning, forgot to put on a pair of pants and walked out of the house.

However, leggings are acceptable in some situations, such as under a dress that covers your rear end. Or you can wear them under a long sweater. However, in both situations, your back side is covered and not hanging out.

So, stay fashionable and be sure to put some pants on before you leave the house.

Question: Word on the street is that Ballroom Dancing is now an official club on campus. Is that true, and if so how can I get in on that? Also, do I need a partner or prior dancing experience to come to lessons?

By April Gammal

Yes! Ballroom Dancing is now an official club on campus. While the club has been operating for the past three semesters, it was only formally recognized by the school last month. The club currently has a good amount of participation and involvement.

This semester, the team has joined the Tufts Ballroom Dance Team and has practices twice a week on Mondays from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 to 11 p.m. Not only is it great to take lessons at another school, but it is also great to dance with students from another school as well as other Bentley students.

However, next semester the group will be having lessons on campus and will be hiring a professional instructor to teach lessons, so look out for that!

You do not need any prior experience to come to lessons. There are different levels of dance. If you are a beginner, then you attend those lessons, and if you are advanced, then there are separate lessons for those students as well. You do not need a partner, either. Individuals are paired up during lessons and rotated during the lesson.

Anyone can learn how to ballroom dance, even if you have two left feet. There is such a variety of dances that can be learned, such as waltz, tango, cha cha, swing, rumba, samba, bolero and others. You can choose to compete with other schools, or you can simply dance for fun.

There are so many Latin dance clubs, not only in Boston but in many other areas as well, and knowing how to actually dance is helpful.

It’s always a lot more fun to be the person on the floor dancing than the person watching everyone else and wishing they could dance. There are also so many other occasions when you can use your skills, such as at weddings or business social events.

On another level, ballroom dancing is a great source of exercise and it can also improve your coordination, balance and posture.

Ballroom Dance is actually having an event on April 1 at Fire & Ice in Harvard Square. It is a dinner and salsa dancing event, so if you are interested in the club it would be a great event to attend!

Girls, we all know that there is nothing more attractive than a guy who can dance. And guys, one of the easiest ways to impress a girl is with your moves on the dance floor.

So, with all of that said, if you want to join or know someone who is interested in joining then you can e-mail GA_BallroomDance@bentley.edu. The club is always welcoming new members! So what are you waiting for? Get up and dance!

Written By: April Gammal

Written By: April Gammal

Question: I’ve heard that some herbs and spices can help with stress, headaches and other problems. Can you tell me about some of these different herbs and spices and what their various benefits are believed to be?
 
Many people don’t realize that herbs and spices may be able to help you in various ways. I’ve done some research on different herbs and spices, and since there are many, I will focus on a few common ones.
 
Basil
Basil is a green leafy-herb that is typically found in Italian cuisine. Research has suggested that basil has the capability to maintain a healthy blood pressure and prevent certain cancers. Also, there is a specific practice called Ayurvedic medicine, which is performed by a group of people in India. This group has used basil to treat indigestion, flu, headaches, colds and asthma. Basil oil has been said to help treat nausea and calm the nervous system.
 
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is a very hot chili pepper and can be difficult to eat if you’re the type of person who does not like spicy foods. However, some people believe that cayenne helps cleanse your body of toxins that have accumulated. It is believed that cayenne pepper prevents colds and sickness. If I was a bacteria or virus, I don’t think I’d be happy living next to something this hot. Just be careful when you handle the pepper because it can be so hot that it can cause your fingers to burn.
 
Garlic
Garlic is part of the onion family and has claims to other properties besides fending off vampires. What I found out about garlic is that it can help treat acne breakouts. Some people will take various garlic supplements to help their acne, but some others will crush the garlic and use the juice on the breakout area.
 
Ginger
Ginger has been most known to help calm an uneasy stomach or a stomach that has gas or acid build-up. You can either eat a small amount of ginger root, or if it is too strong then you can try drinking ginger tea instead. This actually seems to work for me when I have an upset stomach, and even though I cannot stand the taste of ginger, I’ll eat it anyways because it really does help calm my stomach.

Lavender
Lavender is a beautiful purple flower that has been known to have a calming effect on the body. Individuals have been known to use lavender on their heads to relieve themselves of headaches or to help themselves relax. Lavender has also been known to help people sleep at night. These individuals will typically burn a lavender candle while they sleep.
 
Cinnamon
Besides tasting amazing, cinnamon has been known to have some valuable properties. It is actually one of the oldest-known spices and the tree is native to Sri Lanka, where it was discovered a long time ago. Cinnamon has been known to help lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease.
Cinnamon also has anti-inflammatory compounds and it has been found in several studies that it can help decrease arthritis pain. Lastly, it has been found that cinnamon is helpful for indigestion and nausea.
 
Keep in mind that everyones’ bodies are different and may react to things differently, as well. What works for one person may not work for you, and vice versa. However, it certainly is interesting to find out how these spices and herbs have been known to help the body.

To the Bentley Community:

As many of you have likely read or heard, a true tragedy took place recently at Rutgers University in New Jersey, when a young freshman took his own life over a vile invasion of his privacy.

Tyler Clementi, an aspiring violinist who was shy and kept mostly to himself, was secretly webcasted on September 19 while having an intimate moment with another male in the privacy of his dorm room.

It was his own freshmen roommate, Dharun Ravi, and Rutgers freshman Molly Wei who allegedly decided to not only record the encounter but post it on the Internet for the world to see, and bragged about it on Twitter.

Clementi soon discovered the clear violation of his privacy, and on a second occasion discovered the web camera secretly recording him, disconnecting it. Mr. Clementi never made his sexual orientation clear to the Rutgers community or his friends or family.

Tyler, who posted on Facebook that he was going to jump off the George Washington Bridge on September 21, did exactly that on the following day, and his body was found on September 29.

To say that this turn of events is both revolting and despicable is an understatement, and while a few have dared to call this an “isolated incident” and the result of Tyler being presumably gay, this is not just an insensitive comment or bone-headed mishap. Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei quite frankly brought about the death of a classmate by gleefully violating his privacy, outing his sexual orientation to the planet and then trying to repeat it two days later.

How could two people be so vile and out of touch to think this was even close to the realm of permissible behavior?
Furthermore, this incident raises issues that are far from isolated to the Rutgers community. We at Bentley have students, staff and faculty that openly as well as privately identify as member of the LBGTQ community.

This is not a political issue, this is not about your views regarding marriage or religion…this is about whether or not you can respect the existence, opinions and freedoms of the people who sit next you in class, who have lunch at the table near you and that you pass on a daily basis up the hill to class.

Tyler Clementi was bullied and tortured by a roommate who barely knew him and chose to humiliate as well as violate his shy, friendly roommate rather than respect his space, respect his life and understand that there are differences between each of us.

Yes, you may believe that sexual orientation is a choice; you may believe that Tyler Clementi was a sinner or was clinically sick, and while I personally find such beliefs deplorable, you cannot argue that Tyler Clementi deserved to die.

We need to promote understanding and acceptance of our differences, and if you don’t believe there to be diversity on this campus or believe that your stereotypes are correct, go to a Student Diversity Council session or PRIDE meeting, join the Black United Body, International Student Association, National Association of Black Accountants, or any other of the clubs on campus that both celebrate our diversity and support inclusion.

We need to stand up to bullying and disrespect, and I applaude the efforts of SGA, RHA, PRIDE, the ALANA groups, the Multicultural Center, the LBGTQ Committee and all other organizations here on campus that are working to make this community aware of this and all other incidents of hate, bullying, humilation and degradation. We need to fight for the idea that while we may not always agree, and may not even like one another, there is no reason that we can’t respect each other.

I see great things on this campus every week, and we report on many of them, but I hope that one day we won’t need to read about any more Tyler Clementi’s, especially here at Bentley.

Enjoy your long weekend,
Jon McColgan
Editor in Chief
The Vanguard

Written by: Justin Daniel Lawlor

As hard as it is to admit, in the past couple of months I have grown increasing resentful toward technology.  And I know, that’s a bold statement.  I feel somewhat like an out of touch parent or a stubborn elderly folk who claims technology is simply a fad for the younger, more hip crowd.

But the truth remains- something has caused for my tipping point.  Perhaps it is my current exposure to GB 203 and its futile information systems acronyms (ERP or SCM, anyone?)  Or maybe it was watching the SET surveys move to a strictly online format.  I, for one, tended to enjoy the idea of taking a 15 minute break from class time and watching the reversal of roles as my professors silently hoped for my mercy.

But most likely, the tipping point was approached sometime back in March, during the quiet and relaxing week of Spring break.  While last year I spent each day hitting the beach and sipping cocktails, this break I found myself being dominated by technology.  Each day I would wake up, eat breakfast, and begin my tried and true routine of checking emails, writing and sending responses, and checking in with my Facebook, Google Reader account, the dozen or so blogs that I follow, and the handful of news and finance sites that I like to check in on.  I may then take a break, accomplish whatever I wanted to get done in that day, and then resume my position in front of my laptop.  I even took on the hobby of maintaining my own website.  Hopping on my laptop became the solution to everything.  Boredom? Check Facebook.  Tired? Read about the markets.  Drank too much? Seek cure for hangovers.

It reaches the point of obsession, addiction, and dependence.  While at Bentley, on a given weekday I may check my email 25 times.  Sometimes it’s a quick peek, other times a written response is required.  At 5 minutes per check, let’s call it the consumption of two hours per day.  Or we could call it 14 hours per week, or a month out of each year solely dedicated to Outlook upkeep.  Factor in Facebook, Twitter, and boredom browsing, and you can see where I’m going with this.

We live in a society that inarguably loves the idea of “more.”  Quality has long taken a backseat to the desire for quantity.  In fact, it doesn’t really matter what type of “more” we’re in search of; whether it’s a goal you’ve set for your number of Facebook friends, or how many BBMs can be sent in a single day.  The result is an overloaded individual who is driven to be in constant connect and perpetual update mode.  And regardless of what any research or scientific breakthrough unveils, I refuse to believe that instant messaging or writing on someone’s wall can compensate for the shortage of physical interaction that characterizes our isolationist sense of community.

And yes, I will concede to the thought that someone could have written a strikingly similar article praising technology for its reliability, ability to connect individuals from across the world, and promotion of innovation and creativity in the modern era.  And it’s true that the core purpose of technology was and remains to assist and improve our day to day routines.  But again, we must be extremely cautious to not let information overload impede our progress and productivity.  And while it may be quite convenient to get a weather update before heading into the city, monitoring 150 Twitter feeds can just as easily become another housekeeping chore.

I’m comfortable with the technological balance I have learned to establish.  I always try to limit my time in front of the glowing LCDs and I’ve even held off on purchasing a Blackberry for as long as possible.  After all, any device that warrants the nickname “Crackberry” should be illegal in my hands.  And while I may not know the closing bid and ask for all 30 Dow stocks, or be able to recite what Ashton Kutcher ate for lunch, I’m quite content with having the free time for other pursuits.

Written by: Greg Bonomo

Dodge, Dip, Dive, Duck, and Dodge, oh and yell at the refs loud enough and long enough until you get them to call it in your favor. OK, yeah I understand that it’s 20 screaming kids against two referees, but make your calls based on the ability of one to complete the 5 D’s of dodgeball. If they are unable to do so, and get hit by an opponent’s ball, they are what we call OUT. Oh, and for the referees to successfully say this very powerful three-letter word, they probably have to be watching the game. I don’t want to sound too harsh, but in my experience in the intramural program, mainly dodgeball, I have come across referees that don’t blow their whistles, forget what the actual rules are, call people “out” based on the volume of the opposing team, and if a friend of one of the referees is there, then forget it, they are not going to be paying attention.

My team makes it to the semifinals, and it’s down to one guy on our team and a girl on the other. The referee calls, “Ten seconds until full court!” and we know that we have to wait it out so we can just tag the girl on the other team so we will win and move on to the finals. The whistle blows and my teammate has three balls in his hands, and the girl on the other team has two. He blatantly hits her in the leg, and our team goes crazy! We won that game and we were going to go to the championship… But wait. The referees are still sitting down, swinging their useless whistles around their fingers like they actually use it, and they didn’t call anything? The other team is yelling, “YOU’RE NOT OUT, YOU’RE NOT OUT!” and we’re screaming, “SHE’S OUT, SHE’S OUT!” This is the one moment where you can scream at a football player and not get punched in the face – well, at least not until after the game.

So what happens is the girl on the other team throws a ball at my very confused teammate who thinks he just got her out. Now everyone is going crazy. Everyone begins to crowd around the referees, but surprisingly no one crosses the black line dividing both teams, and we are hoping that this invisible barrier between our team and the beasts on the other team with arms the size of my legs will not break. I was looking for the nearest exit when the 6’10’’ 350lb grizzly bear on the other team decided he wanted to swing. So, after the mess, the referee calls over the girl, who did get hit, and my teammate. The referee claimed she did not see it, obviously because she was too preoccupied talking with her friend about the latest GB homework or when Dancing with the Stars was on, and guess what she does? She asks the girl if she got hit?!?!? What!!!

I was going to get mauled by Coco the bear because I was screaming so much, and the referee is going to end it like that. Who in this entire school would admit that they got hit with a dodgeball, if doing so would make your team lose? I don’t care if you are an Ethics and Social Responsibilities major, you and I both know there is no way you would lose it for your team because you want to “do the right thing.” Sure enough, the girl says, “No, I didn’t get hit.” Why didn’t the referee ask my teammate if he hit her? I don’t get it.

Am I taking this way too seriously? Yes, but realize that I, as well as many others in the program, still want to be competitive, and we don’t want the attitude of the referees to be, “It’s only intramurals.” So, here is what I want to do, because I know I have been a little harsh on the referees of the Intramural Dodgeball Program. I want the intramural referees to get a pay raise, but in response to that, they have to do a better job. I mean, I understand it is hard to sit in a chair at the middle of a basketball court for half an hour and twiddle your thumbs, but why don’t we get people to referee that know what it takes? You may ask if all of this is simply for a t-shirt and a pat on the back. Yes! Put yourself in our shoes for a second; many of us don’t play a sport, and many of us are washed-up athletes, but we all want to be competitive and we all still want to win.

As most students have realized, SETs are online this semester. We say rude awakening because this semester, if you don’t take the time out of your schedule to fill out your SETs, you won’t receive your grade for the corresponding class. Not that SETs take a long time to fill out – mine took approximately four minutes.

One pro to having SETs online is that we have more class time. That actually depends on the way you look at it, because to us that’s a con – SETs were a nice little break during class time last semester.

Another pro is that the staff and faculty can rest assured that everyone will fill their SETs out one way or another, because your grade won’t be revealed to you until you do. In all honesty, that seems a little harsh, but it’s a great system to ensure that everyone fills out their SETs.

The cons are neatly tied into the pros here. Sure, it saves class time, but from a student’s point of view, that isn’t really good. And sure, it enforces the rule that everyone has to fill them out, holding your grade as collateral, but that is just going to lead to issues because some students will miss the memo, delete the e-mail, forget to fill them out, and so forth. This is just going to lead to way more trouble than it’s worth in order to work it out so those students can get their grades.

Another problem that we have with online SETs, or SETs in general, is that some professors themselves don’t take them seriously. One of my professors – let’s not name drop – thinks they’re a joke and never reads the ones written about his or her class. Most students don’t take them seriously, either.

The new online format allows you to submit your survey without answering all of the written questions. We left many of them blank because we were unsure of what to say – if you want feedback you should probably make the surveys require all fields to be filled out. This just allows people to submit half-filled-out, half-BS surveys.

Feedback is great, it’s what makes progress possible, but if you want feedback, do it right. Ask real questions that students need to answer instead of just “fill in this bubble” or “click your mouse here,” and require those answers instead of making them optional because you aren’t likely to get much back that way. And keep SETs within the classroom. It’s easier for people to take it more seriously that way, instead of just rushing through it online in order to be allowed to see your grade.

For the last two months, Project Haiti has asked the entire Bentley community to make a pledge to help the devastated island nation of Haiti. On the night of March 26, all of this effort came to a head when Project Haiti put on A Night for Haiti in the Student Center.

The Project Haiti team is proud to announce that the event was a huge success drawing 763 members of the Bentley community to an event that symbolized our commitment.

This event, along with our other outreach efforts, brings our total funds raised this semester to just under 27,000 dollars at time of print, only 3,000 dollars away from our goal.

The outpour of support from all corners of campus, while not astonishing to us, has humbled those involved and further strengthened our efforts.

Though there have been a number of students behind this project, none of this could have been remotely possible without all of our supporters. It is because of you that we have done so well.

To those of you who attended A Night for Haiti, we thank you. For those of you who bought a Project Haiti package or made a donation to our cause, we thank you. And for those of you who simply thought about Project Haiti, bringing it up in class or in a discussion among friends, we thank you.

Though our success is welcomed, our effort is far from over.

In the coming weeks, we plan to continue our corporate outreach and continue to make inroads around campus. In addition, Spring Day will feature sponsorship by Project Haiti.

What we are asking for is your continued support. Keep telling people about Project Haiti and spreading our cause.

While the cameras have long gone, the Haitians’ needs are still eminent and we hope that Bentley will continue to do what it can to bring shelter to families in need.

Your support is greatly appreciated and something that each of the members of Project Haiti has never taken for granted.

Our goal is in reach, and together there is no doubting that we can certainly surpass it.

Dear Editor,

Bentley University currently has over one hundred recognized organizations on campus.  Goatface, the name originating from Ontario, Canada, where it was founded 20 years ago, speaks of a rich history of philanthropic initiatives. Goatface essentially is an initiative with a goal of raising as much money for cancer research as possible, an area of medical research, which will adversely affect us all at some point in our lives.

As it stands, Goatface is currently in the process of gaining ABA approval and throwing its first event in the United States. The non-profit organization has done excessively well over the past three years, raising over $100,000 for cancer research in the Ontario region of Canada. The Goatface initiative was brought up by a Canadian student, now attending Bentley, along with a bunch of his American friends, all-wishing to make a difference on campus.

Although Goatface might closely resemble other initiatives on campus, the style and aptitude of the organization will completely differentiate Goatface from its counterparts. Goatface’s goal is to throw four events per year, two on campus and two off campus, all with different venues. The venues will range from DJ battles to Olympic events to fashion shows, all promoting the common goal of raising money for a good cause. Bentley would benefit from Goatface because the style and aptitude it plans on bringing to campus events.

Goatface will add to school spirit by holding events with more artsy and creative components, something which a competitive business school such as Bentley sometimes overlooks. The ability for a campus and for its students to be creative and innovative is an opportunity, which should by no means be overlooked.

In order to proceed with the recognition process we will be throwing an informational meeting to further explain our initiatives. The informational meeting will be held on March 23, 2010 in the Student Center’s Back Bay room 125A at 6:30 p.m. The suffering of patients with cancer is an imminent reality, something many of us have already been faced with, either through family or friends. To help Goatface achieve its goal of making itself a staple on campus, it will require that as many people as possible come show support at the informational meeting on March 23, where there will be free soft drinks and pizza.

All the best,

Ryan Aucoin
Goatface President

Dear Editor,
My name is Vinny Menechino.  I am a freshman at Bentley University.  I feel that since I have been referenced four times in the past three issues of The Vanguard, it would be appropriate to submit a statement of my own.
I was the person who attended the Tim Wise forum and offered an opposing viewpoint. I will use this opportunity to state my personal views on both Mr. Wise’s statements and the forum which followed it, rather than condemn a fellow Bentley student.

I believe the administration exhibited very poor judgment in selecting Mr. Wise to give a speech on diversity.  He is a very controversial figure, and it takes nothing more than a quick Google search of his name to discover his true nature.  Character aside, I was in the auditorium during the mandatory lecture.  I remained in my seat throughout the duration of the speech, and re-watched it over the Internet.  I do feel he made a couple of valid points, however, these were overshadowed by very controversial and unacceptable statements, which offended many in the audience (and no, I am not referring to the infamous “Bush joke;” I will get to that later).

One example of such a statement was Mr. Wise’s claim that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (an extremely offensive, racist and unproven claim). Mr. Wise went on to claim that as such, Justice Thomas should not be opposed to affirmative action as he is now.

Mr. Wise also stated that American society promotes “institutionalized racism” and oppresses minorities.  While no one can deny that the dark chapter of our nation’s history did once exist, it has been long since ended.  There are countless stories of poverty stricken citizens and immigrants alike that have broken through these barriers using only their thirst for success. Mr. Wise’s statement on “institutionalized racism” cannot be objectively proven and thus cannot be presented as fact like Mr. Wise did in his speech.

As I previously stated, I was the only individual at the forum opposed to Mr. Wise’s view points.  I must applaud the faculty moderators trying to keep the discussion as open and balanced as possible. However, they were largely unable to maintain evenhandedness.  Upon discovering that I was the only opposition in the room, I was immediately questioned by several people as to my opinion on the “Bush joke.”  It irritated me that this was one of the first topics brought up in the discussion, and that it was stressed as one of the more important issues.  I replied that I feel he did make a fairly valid point with the joke, however, as a paid professional, he became overly carried away with the subject of the attempted humor.  Only after a lengthy discussion of the Bush joke, was I finally asked why I opposed Tim Wise, and as I gave my answer, I was rudely interrupted by students who disagreed.  After the incident, I felt there would be no use in speaking, as it was apparent that the vast majority of those present were not at all interested in listening. It was also apparent that many faculty and students showed up at the forum just to condemn a particular student for merely expressing his opinion and gloat over the closure of the Facebook group opposing Tim Wise.

In conclusion, I believe I speak for many students that the issue of Tim Wise needs to be dropped so that we can begin an open, free conversation about race at Bentley and in America. If Bentley faculty will organize a forum dealing with the issue, many of my peers and I will attend, but only on the condition that it be truly free and open. We will not tolerate baseless criticism of particular students and attempts to intimidate them for exercising their rights of free speech and expression.
Vinny Menechino

Dear Editor,

As October came to a close, I couldn’t help but reflect back on such a remarkable month. Despite the strange weather, busy schedules, and H1N1 scares—the month was exciting and full of school spirit. Times like these, I really appreciate Bentley and everything this school has to offer.
One place where I definitely noticed the spirit was with PRIDE and their “National Coming Out Month” activities. The flyers, the events—their image on campus was absolutely profound. Students and staff alike were of great support.

And then last week’s issue of The Vanguard came out. Leslie Dias wrote a first-rate article on PRIDE and all their events. But then a few pages later I came across an article that just rubbed me the wrong way: “October: Only Good for Halloween.”

The columnist expressed his opinions on National Coming Out Month and how he believed it should be in June. My initial reaction to his thought process was just pure confusion—where was he going? But then I read it again; my confusion turned into disgust and anger when I realized, National Coming Out month had become the brunt end of the author’s joke. If this was the author’s attempt at satire, the joke missed the mark by a mile.

National Coming Out Month was something Bentley’s PRIDE decided to implement this year. The real holiday that is celebrated worldwide is National Coming Out Day—October 11.  It all started back in 1987 when half a million people participated on the march on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights. Because of such an outcome on that day and the changes that march had on the community, the head of National Gay Rights Advocates at the time, Jean O’Leary, Rob Eichberg, a founder of the personal growth workshop, and The Experience decided to create a day to celebrate “coming out.” But a day—or a week for that matter —wasn’t enough for PRIDE.

I don’t need to go into detail about the PRIDE events of this past month (see Leslie Dias’ article from last week), but PRIDE planned and organized about ten events that had great outcomes and personally left me a feeling of ‘pride.’ I attended a majority of the events, and every single time, I left with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that no other collection of events has given me on campus. I went to bed every night knowing that PRIDE made a difference in someone’s day—maybe allowing their “coming out” process a little easier and allowing people to feel like they really belong. I don’t need to be gay to know that this organization made a huge difference on campus this past month.
So to turn such a month—such an experience—into a joke and write about it in the campus wide newspaper just disgusts me. Lines such as “spen[ding] $50,000 a year so my son could turn gay” and “everyone’s awkward behavior towards you will last a lifetime in the form of a scarred psyche” are lines that are so inappropriate and offensive, not to mention utterly closed minded.

Not all families would consider “coming out” shameful or embarrassing. Not all families would put a seal of disproval on such a difficult time in someone’s life. Coming out doesn’t and shouldn’t ruin holidays for every family of a gay person. This article has not amused me, in any way shape or form. It has completely upset me.  At a time where our country’s legislation and the President of the United States are showing support and encouraging equality, why is this acceptable? It goes beyond support just to the LGBTQ community; it’s about human rights and allowing people across the world to be individuals. It’s about allowing people to be comfortable in their own shoes and about promoting acceptance on a campus such as Bentley’s. Above everything, it’s about respect.

In the time the author took to write that article, he could have done some really life altering “field research.” Go view “A Jihad for Love” or take a trip to Provincetown, spend a day at Six Flags during “Out in the Park.” Attend the Rainbow Luncheon where our own Gloria Larsen expressed absolute support to the LGBTQ community,  and finally, come to a PRIDE meeting at 7:30PM on Wednesday nights and feel the gratification and dedication that the club embodies… because you won’t find it anywhere else on this campus.

Liz Sisson

Dear Editor,

My name is Ymani Belcher and I am currently a sophomore here at Bentley. I am writing in response to Evan Honeyman’s opinion piece that was in the October 29, 2009 issue of The Vanguard. I am not here to persuade the student body that I am a good person by stating all the “great things” that I have done throughout my lifetime. I am here because there is a serious issue brewing on our campus which needs to be addressed.
Whether or not students agreed with Tim Wise’s approach to diversity and race is not the issue. The point was not to judge his professionalism, but to understand the message that he was trying to get across. In order for our campus to be diverse, we need to address the issues that are so well hidden in American society. Institutionalized racism is real, and it is very visible on this campus, as well as in the real world. How are we going to fix it?

In Evan’s opinion piece he stated that “Critics of my classmates’ response to Mr. Wise refuse to listen to our viewpoint.” That statement is as far from the truth as his comment to Mr. Wise during their exchange via e-mail, calling him a “racist,” that was so conveniently deleted off of the facebook page that he created. He was personally invited to this forum because we wanted to talk about the issues. He agreed via Facebook, but did not show up. Only one of the supporters showed up, so if there is anyone writing an opinion piece, it should be that student.

Evan Honeyman was not there, therefore he has no substantial evidence to prove that he was “singled out and personally attacked.” Spare me the sap stories, about the characters of those who oppose Wise, being “demonized”. The forum was not about you, me, or any of the said critics. The forum was about race, and I am tired of hiding this issue behind a veil of ignorance.

I can understand that the difficulty in facing the fact that white privilege as well institutionalized racism is real. But I cannot understand why someone would shoot down the opportunity to learn, TWICE.

Evan also states that is “cowardly and unethical to attack an individual from behind officially-sanctioned pages of a newspaper and forum, presenting baseless charges and only half of the story.” My response to that is: do not respond to my article through The Vanguard, do not try to find me on Facebook to send me a personal message, and do not make another appearance on WBTY Radio “addressing the issue.”

Instead, come to the next forum. I am glad to hear your opinions, not on politics, and not on Wise as an individual, but on race. I refuse to be sidetracked by these topics any longer; the track that needs to be rode on is race. The attendance of the opposition is vital in this conversation. If the forum is had, once again, and there is no one there to explain your points of view, then no complaints can be made.

Ymani Belcher

Dear Editor,

My name is Evan Honeyman. I am writing in response to Melissa Hector’s article and Dan Merica’s op-ed piece published in the October 22, 2009 edition of the Vanguard. I’d like to start by letting you know who I am as a person: I served as class president for four years in high school and worked on the Connecticut State Student Advisory Council on Education. I’ve been extensively involved in community service and have been recognized by organizations such as: Elk’s Club, Rotary Club, Lion’s Club and United Way of Southington, Inc. I founded my local youth group: Teens With A Cause. In November 2007, I led an effort to send 200 packages to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2008, I created a project that sent over $20,000 of medical supplies to a village in Ghana.

However, over the past few weeks, some faculty members and students have attempted to demonize me because I, and many of my classmates, walked out of Tim Wise’s speech. Was our reaction immature? No: we exercised our fundamental Constitutional right to free expression.

Tim Wise was hired to speak to us about diversity, but instead, he delivered a political rant that was totally inappropriate in an official university event meant to bring the student body together. It has been claimed that I am trying to make this a political issue, but Mr. Wise is the one who made it a point to highlight his political views which he attempted to legitimize by delivering them in the context of a university-mandated presentation.

Critics of my classmates’ response to Mr. Wise refuse to listen to our viewpoint. They, and some members of the administration have tried to suppress our views, and call us cowards for refusing to speak in a supposedly “open forum” during which I was singled out and personally attacked. The “forum” however was never meant for critics of Mr. Wise. Instead, its purpose was to demonize his critics, something totally inappropriate in an academic setting. During the forum, attendees praised whoever had shut down the “Boycott Tim Wise” Facebook group, but fell silent when they found out that I had actually shut it down due to the hate speech coming from his supporters.

Here is Tim Wise’s e-mail response to me, conveniently left out of both Dan Merica’s and Melissa Hector’s articles: “…should I just bow to your superior 18 year old wisdom? If you cannot handle ideas that you disagree with, such that you have to walk out, then you are not ready for college. Perhaps you should have remained home schooled or something…” You can draw your own conclusion about his level of professionalism from his response. But the fact remains: in this country, we have the right to dissent. I did not scream, yell or disrupt—I simply stood up and walked out.

As a freshman, I expect Bentley to adhere to its Student Handbook guarantee of free expression and support free speech on campus, not suppress or shut it down. It is cowardly and unethical to attack an individual from behind officially-sanctioned pages of a newspaper and forum, presenting baseless charges and presenting only half the story. I want to tell the entire Bentley community that my classmates and I are fully prepared to fight for free expression and the right to disagree on this campus.

Evan Honeyman

Dear Editor,

The truth at Bentley University, a campus that in its credo “embraces diversity and appreciates its value,” is that issues involving race sting deep for some students. These scars were evidenced in full and living color in the reaction elicited by anti-racism speaker Tim Wise, with a group of First Year Seminar students walking out of his presentation.

At the request of students, a forum was convened on October 20th, 2009, where students, faculty and staff were brought together to reflect on Wise’s presentation. The silence continued from groups opposing Wise, with only one person out of forty in attendance vocally disdaining the Wise presentation. It was a disheartening display for those who hoped to foster true discussion with a myriad of opinions exhibited.

Tim Wise certainly has an opinion, one that has been formed from prior experiences all over the United States. The point of his discussion was to foster a conversation, light a fire under students and prod them to partake in dialogue about race.

Writer Aaron Sorkin insisted, “Decisions are made by those who show up.” It is time for Bentley as a community to show up and assert their own views on this issue, not silence themselves in the shadows of a difficult subject.

When students run away from facts, it seems that they are disjointed with reality. When students remain silent, rejecting an invitation to speak with others freely about their opinions, they look fearful of a difficult conversation. My optimism abounds about Bentley students, however. We are an intelligent community, one with great promise. We have a responsibility to use our opinions to define the world we live in.

The worst reaction we could have to an anti-racism speaker is silence. While our differences on these issues may be evident, it is the way we respond to them that will define the kind of campus Bentley is and will become. Our differences on these issues are evident, but it is our similarities, the adversities that we have all faced in life, that will help foster the type of conversation needed to address issues of race.

In saying that, the power of an opinion comes with many responsibilities. When these responsibilities are shirked, you jeopardize not only your credibility, but the credibility of the larger group you associate with.

If you begin your argument behind the anonymity of the internet, be prepared to defend your point without the comfort of ambiguity. Especially on the issues of race, it shows outright cowardice to make inflammatory statements and hide behind your computer screen. At the same time, it is just as important to be willing to listen to those who disagree with you.

In no way does the silence of students imply racism. What it does show, however, is that a group of Bentley students are not ready to address the issue of race in America.

The gauntlet has been thrown down by Bentley first year students, showing administrators that more discussion is necessary to confront this issue. Education is the silver bullet to combating ignorance, it is the responsibility of Bentley to unveil students of their pre-university blinders and avail them of all worldly opportunities.

With this reaction by students in full view, questions are beginning to surface about Bentley and race. Has Bentley prepared their students to discuss issues of race? Is this reaction an indictment of the Bentley education? These are questions worth asking; questions that as students we should demand be answered.

For many students, your colleges years are the first time that discussions on race are brought up, forcing students to challenge what they once thought were deeply rooted beliefs.

This conversation is undoubtedly intimidating and in some cases daunting, however the only way you can have this conversation is by listening to those who disagree.

Decisions are truly made by those who show up. There is certainly no honor in shrinking under the pressure of a difficult conversation. It is time that everyone at Bentley, from first year students to President Gloria Larson, shows up on the issue of race.

Dan Merica

Dear Editor,

The Bentley football team is 6-1. Last Friday night they defeated Southern Connecticut State University by a score of 17-14. A huge win for the program and a big step in its goal toward winning the NE-10 Championship and a berth in the National Playoffs.

Most of you missed a heck of a game. I know most of you missed it because when I turned to look at the crowd, the stands were only about 1/3 full. Many of the people in the stands were family and friends of the team. Some were students, some were fans from Southern and very, very few were staff or faculty from the Bentley Community.

I write this because I know that it’s important to this team to see support from not only the usual “family and friends” crowd, but also to see faces from the community that they are a part of. I cannot speak for all of athletics. I know that some of the teams enjoy better staff and faculty support than others. From a football perspective, I often hear about the need to support all elements of our community.

I personally attend plays, choir performances, art exhibits, breakfasts, lunches and dinners for various groups and organizations and encourage my coaches and players to do the same. Does everyone LIKE football? Certainly not and I wish that I was more culturally sophisticated so I could have appreciated some of the events I attended a bit more.

The point is, if everyone is going to talk-the-talk about involvement in our campus community and supporting each other’s endeavors, then we should all make more of an effort to walk-the-walk.

Some professors and staff members tend to look at a football player as something of a caricature, but I assure you, they work very, very hard at representing our university with pride and commitment. Come to a game, cheer on your fellow students and classmates.

Make an effort, even if it is out of your normal comfort zone, to be part of what we are trying to do and that’s represent YOUR university on the field. Hope to see you at a future game!

Thom Boerman
Head Coach, Bentley University Football

Dear Editor,

An Organization that is taking its Name Literally

More Than Words is an organization that focuses on the development of young troubled teens. This small non-profit organization is located on 376 Moody Street Waltham, MA 02453. The mission of this organization is “More Than Words provides empowering leadership and supportive employment opportunities for youth who are in foster care, court-involved, homeless or out of school to prepare them for self-sufficiency as they transition to adulthood.” The organization does just that by giving kids strong leadership qualities by allowing the kids to run the bookstore. The profit made from the bookstore is then turned back around and applied right back to the organization paying to pay for costs and keeping it running. The More Than Words Bookstore, receive majority their books from donations and sell their books at a very low cost. The goal for them is not to make a profit, and expand but allow them to be stable and provide some support to kids, to who if the organization was not there would be on the streets.

Like said earlier before, The More Than Words Bookstore, receive majority of their books from donations made by the community and other businesses, but Bentley has took the initiative and has incorporated in helping them in their Service Learning project. A few classes here at Bentley, taught by Diane Tetreault, is stepping up and donating books to this organization, which really needs them. There are about 2 kids in each class donating books; mind you their goal is 600 books for each kid. Hoping to make a huge contribution to the goal of the organization, these kids do such a task with much enthusiasm. Diane Tetreault organizes this embedded service learning in all her classes and has done so for the past few years.

The organization is always looking for more donations and willing to take donations in any amount. If you need more contact information you can visit the website at http://www.mtwyouth.org/, or stop by located in 376 Moody Street Waltham, MA. You can also call them at 781-788-0035, to setup a tour of the bookstore if you would like too.

Meshawn Cisero

Dear Editor,

Of course, I understand Dan Merica’s goal was to be funny in his opinion piece (“The many uses of a library cell phone booth”, Sept. 24th). However, I just wanted to clarify a few things about the booths.

First, they’re sound-reducing, not sound-proof, as Dan mentions. This is the reason the signs above the doors clearly state “Please speak softly & keep conversations short”. While the 30 dB noise reduction is the best of any phone booth available (NB: the company has installed these booths in the White House situation room), students disregarding the signage and speaking loudly inside should know their conversations will be overheard and they are disrupting others trying to study.

The booths were an innovation we discovered while trying to address the many ongoing noise complaints, an issue we worked on with SGA and my classes. We put signs throughout the building, implemented login-free “rat-chat” from the library’s main page so students could anonymously report those being loud, and implored the student body to help create a culture of quiet in the library. An overview of the noise issues and responses can be found in last year’s “14 Days to Have Your Say” blog:
http://blogsandwikis.bentley.edu/library/14days/

UMass-Amherst installed several of these cellphone booths in their library a few years ago, and ordered more last year to accommodate student demand. Harvard Business School also installed several this past spring, and when I visited and spoke with their construction manager, he said he was thrilled with how cost-effective these cellphone booths were. (We were able to purchase six of them for what it would have cost to construct one cellphone booth, with HVAC, etc.)

My goal – and the goal of all the staff – is to provide the best library experience anywhere. In fact, we have a Bentley Library User Experience (BLUE) group that meets regularly to explore and implement improvements. Please use the “Comments” link on the library’s website to share any ideas/suggestions you may have.

Thank you,

Phillip Knutel, Ph.D.
Executive Director of Academic Technology,
the Library, and Online Learning

Dear Editor,

In response to A Call Home to Parents, A Cry Out From Students, Career Services would like to inform students about the new language on BentleyLink and to clear up a number of misconceptions in this editorial. Let’s begin with the title – Career Services does NOT call out to parents, ever. However, whether we like it or not, parents call the Career Services office on a regular basis to ask questions about their student as well as our programs and services. Typically, we share general information about our resources, but do not share specific information about an individual student’s activities.

The switch to BentleyLink from eRecruiting resulted in the need for Career Services to create a more standardized policy with regards to these discussions with parents of current students. Why? Because unlike eRecruiting, BentleyLink contains a great deal of information pertaining to students’ educational record that is now being fed by Banner. We utilize student information for internal purposes and adhere to federal law (FERPA) related to all communications. In an effort to be clear with students, we also provide the disclosure statement related to the nature of our communication with parents. Thus, in compliance with federal law and pursuant to our internal policies, the following statement has been added to the student privacy tab in BentleyLink, on the CCS website and the Parents website: CCS in good faith reserves the right to speak with parents, if contacted, regarding your participation in CCS events. This statement is for your information; you do not need to sign off on it before using BentleyLink.

You couldn’t have said it better, “you are grown adults, in a world where letting your parents and guardians do everything for you just does not cut it.” For that reason, in all of our communication we let parents know that they greatest way they can help their child is to have a solid understanding our office and the services we provide and to encourage their child to take advantage of these resources.

We are not in the business of sharing details about your career development with your parents, whether about event attendance or resume critique. Our business is to work with you, our students. However, for legal reasons, students need to know that career development related conversations do happen, as initiated by parents.

If you have any questions about our policy, do not hesitate to contact me.

Susan Sandler Brennan
Director, Undergraduate Career Services

Dear Editor,

The Bentley Counseling and Student Development Center (CSD), like many offices on campus, wants students to use all the resources they need to make the most out of their college experience. One way the counseling center is providing these resources is through a new group of six students , called “ Peer Educators,” who were hired and trained last semester. Our mission as “Peer Educators” is to present students with information on common issues people face while in school such as stress management, depression, anxiety, eating disorders and healthy relationships. We are trained to conduct workshops and presentations around campus and available to talk to our peers individually about referrals and resources.

One of the first times you will see us around campus is on Wednesday, October 14th, from 11:00am until 1:00pm. This is National Depression Screening Day, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about depression, other mood disorders, and suicide. One in every six Americans is depressed at some point in their lifetime, and thus an awareness of depression and understanding about prevention, recognition and intervention is one of our priorities. This is an issue that many people face during their time as a student and we want you to know that you are not alone if this is happening to you.

Make the decision to do something about the emotions you may be feeling. Stop by the CSD tables outside the lower café and Seasons to take a screening test if you would like, and pick up information about how to increase your awareness of mental health.

Even if you are not depressed, becoming educated about the signs of depression may be valuable to you, because in your lifetime you are bound to know someone who suffers from it.

You being more aware of mental health issues will benefit you in many ways. So, come and stop by – get information. After all, what could be more important in your life than making sure your mind stays healthy! This is you we’re talking about – because you’re worth it!

Sincerely,
Bentley Peer Educators
Maria Raspa
Dan Weidel
Jake Fochetta
Edith Kwok
Emily Benso
Lauren Pettiglio

Written by: Matthew O’Brien

[Vanguard Writer] James Malone you are right, there have been a myriad of changes this year. The least noticeable of these changes is that of the readership program. I understand the stress of the economic situation.

Do you know why I understand these problems, from the subprime mortgage crisis to the current economic recovery? I will be honest; because of the newspapers. I know no more than the latest press release. What is interesting, if you look at the past year or two, each additional press release has yielded more and more economic precedent. Each and every business book Bentley uses is currently being rewritten. Government powers are expanding more than ever before and the private market’s response is still being questioned; the government lent, when will the banks?

The serious question I ask myself is where do Bentley’s priorities lie? We boast about being one of the most “wired” college campuses and we boast our top 30 undergrad business school rankings, but are we happy with these? Is the community happy with the growth we have currently witnessed?

I am a firm believer in the saying, “if you are not getting better, you are getting worse.” I don’t want to go to a school that is improving things that don’t matter in the long run. If you want to make the food better, upgrade the service, don’t serve the same food on a better looking grill.

I love Bentley University. I also love reading the paper; you can call me a dweeb, I usually read two newspapers per day. The critics of this argument are going to say I still have that right, I can read more than two online; Bentley offers that. However, just as I enjoy running, why do I need to do it in front of a plasma? Do we really need a few more machines with TV’s plastered to them? Are the ones we have not enough? Do I really need a Mongolian grill that is still going to serve the laxative food that I didn’t want in the first place, except in a more aesthetic manner?

Like I said before, I love Bentley. I just hope we are not crippling the worth of our diplomas in the long run by not being able to have intelligent conversations with employers about the current state of the economy. If we only utilize our textbooks, those are currently outdated. Investment in a school that looks nice is going to do wonders in the short term. Dining halls that look nice, dorms that are huge, a good sports stadium, and a gym that can be used in a movie will increase enrollment in the short term.

It will look great online, it will look great in the pamphlets, but it is not sustainable.

The buildings will get old, the machines will be outdated, and unless we have taught the next generation’s business leaders, there will be no donors to make sure it stays looking nice in the pamphlets. An investment in education is something that will never backfire; I believe that’s why we’re all at college, anyway? Right? I hope Bentley recognizes that that is why we are here.

Written by: Dan Merica

If Bentley could come up with a new slogan on a monthly basis, I believe that the month of September, from year to year, would reserve “Thing’s We Spent Money on When You Were Away This Summer.”

One of the newest, and possibly more futile, is the additions of cell phone booths to the study rooms in the library. Looking like something that a young Christopher Reeve would coming running out of faster than a speeding bullet, they stand in corners, omnipresent as you study.

One of which is the “cell-phone shuffle,” a person scurrying away from their books and laptop, securing everything, in case of an inadvertent indoor wind, as they run to answer their cell phone in the futuristic cylinders.

Another, the “cautious viewer,” would be the person slowly walking around the sound-proof room, wondering if it is safe to go in.

Lastly is the more aggressive and inquisitive “needless user;” a student who wants to use it, but has no one to call or no one to call them. They sit on their phone, texting, playing games or something else, standing in the black mass.

Even at first glance, the myriad of inadvertent uses for these useless contraptions flood the mind.

Nothing is more annoying than the student who, slowly removes a bagel from the unnaturally noisy wrapper. It seems that the slower the bagel leaves the wrapper, the more noise emanates. It is for this reason all bagels should be opened in new “bagel opening cylinders.”

The chambers, could also be used to quarantine people with H1N1. I could see it now, rows of black, air-tight cell phone chambers, librarians moving in and around them, not worrying about catching any flu. It would set Bentley apart, that’s for sure, the first college to quarantine students in the library.

So let’s be honest with ourselves, in an effort to censor my article, I left out the most common reaction to the enclosed, private spaces in the library:sex. The thrill of being both away from any wandering eyes of studying students but still with the aura of being in public…

In speaking with other students, some said it evoked memories of childhood and the state fair, when they used to cram friends in to photobooths and take somewhat candid memories. Some said you could throw your own dance party, jamming to your favorite song in the perceived silence of these silos.

Though all of these are good ideas to supplement the useless, though anticipated use of these by the library, I wish they were transportation chambers. You know when you go to the bank and the suction tubes outside absolutely baffled your mind? I think that’s what these should be used as. I could see it now, Bentley turning into this massive tunnel system with late students flying over head on their way to their pressing engagements. Again, no one can deny it would set us apart.

Though the cell phone booths and their many uses are here to stay, I guess we will just wait have to wait till next year to see if any of these additions are taken into consideration.

Written by: Nicholas Aquino

Many seem to be confused about the future of Bentley Student Television since the department of Residence Life did not renew the contract for the broadcasting service that we currently use to manage Channel 3. This service included the equipment needed to broadcast content on the channel.

We are currently trying to raise the funding needed for a broadcasting system to continue providing the campus with an entertaining and resourceful television network. However, there would no longer be movies on the channel because broadcasting services that provide movies and the rights to broadcast them, such as the service that has been used to run channel 3 for years now, are very expensive and a regular broadcasting system would cost much less.

Since we are a student organization, we have requested funding from AIA and are also exploring different avenues of fundraising such as corporate sponsoring and advertising revenue generated from the sales of advertising space on the channel.

We would continue to be an active Media and Arts organization on campus if we were unable to raise the funding needed for broadcasting equipment. We would continue the production of BSTV as well as other shows we produce. Since we would be unable to broadcast on TV, we would broadcast online on our new website that is under development.

The website will showcase all Bentley Student TV productions as well as other professional productions made by Bentley students. We also plan on listing upcoming Bentley events on the site as well. We will keep a blog to receive feedback from the Bentley community about events occurring on the campus (i.e. “What do you think of the new Mongolian grill in Seasons?”) as well as a wall for students to post suggestions for shows they would like to see Bentley Student TV produce or ideas for segments on BSTV.

If we are able to continue broadcasting on channel 3 next year, we plan on positioning the channel as a university-wide resource that will cater programming to all interests, departments, and organizations. We began taping events this year, such as Pete Francis’ performance in the EDR, Rhythmic Graffiti, and the first annual Arts Festival.

We plan on taping and broadcasting events held by Bentley student organizations next year as well. We have also begun looking into the possibility of broadcasting Bentley sporting events on the channel, but have not received a response from the athletic department regarding the legality of taping the games.

We will also continue to produce and air BSTV If we are able to broadcast next year. Chris Hall, our Executive Producer of Network Content, has been managing the production of many entertaining and resourceful shows for the channel this year including What’s in Seasons, Your Campus Now, and Intramural Super-Stars. He has also been working with many organizations that contacted Bentley Student TV to advertise upcoming student organization events and promote charitable fundraising initiatives on the campus. These productions would also continue.

We plan on broadcasting news updates reporting on student organization events, sporting events, sporting team standings, and other Bentley events. All student organizations and sports teams would be included in the updates. We find that this would be a very engaging form of advertising as well as an environmentally-friendly alternative to advertising events with flyers posted around campus.

We are always looking for actors, hosts, writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, sound designers, production assistants, and editors. Whether you have previous experience or none at all, anyone can get involved.

Email me at AQUINO_NICH@Bentley.edu if you are interested in joining the group. Meetings will start first thing in September after the activities fair. Come to the first general meeting in September and see what we’re all about!

Nicholas Aquino is currently a sophomore and serves as President of Bentley Student Television.

Written by:  Anton Sadovnikov & Chris Chennard

In the April 16th edition of The Vanguard, writer Melody Shekari asks the question: “How does Bentley feel about…gender neutral housing?” Considering the lack of adequate housing on campus and the growing number of restricted “specialty” housing options, Bentley must say NO to this latest proposal.

Already, Bentley offers Wellness and Global Living housing options to students whose applications to live there are accepted. In her article, Ms. Shekari writes that if implemented, Gender Neutral Housing would also be restricted and students will have to apply to live there.

The article continues to state that the housing is meant to be taken advantage of particularly by GLBTQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and questioning) students.

Gender neutral housing will unfairly take away housing options from Bentley students, segregate GLBTQ students from the campus community, and make it harder for incoming GLBTQ students to adjust on campus.

In making a decision about new types of housing, one must consider the growing number of freshmen forced into triples, the dwindling housing options for upperclassmen, conversions of common rooms in dormitory buildings into “living spaces,” the growing sizes of incoming freshman classes and existing special interest dorms restricted for the general student body.

The status of housing at Bentley is disastrous. Introducing special gender neutral housing on campus would not only unfairly rob the general student body of housing options, but also do a great disservice to GLBTQ students on campus.

In his interview in Melody’s article, Ron Ardizzone, director of Housing and Student Systems, who is helping to promote the conversation about the possibility of gender neutral housing at Bentley states that his office “wants to provide fair and supportive services and foster a safe learning environment” for students.

Segregating GLBTQ students to special housing in certain areas of campus would make those students less safe, make it harder for them to integrate into the Bentley community, will be unfair to the general student body and would not reflect the conditions of the real world, where people live and work with a great number of diverse individuals.

As a business school, Bentley must reflect that reality. Giving students a choice to separate themselves from the rest of campus would make it much more difficult for those students to adjust upon graduation.

As stated in the article, the student conducting a survey regarding gender neutral housing received derogatory comments regarding GLBTQ students. Coupled with recent incidents of hate and vandalism on campus and growing discontent against further housing restrictions fueled by the possibility of gender neutral housing, GLBTQ students may find themselves the targets of discrimination and even more terrifying, violence.

In addition, incoming GLBTQ students will undoubtedly feel pressured into living within gender neutral housing. The pressure a GLBTQ student will face to come out within their first year at Bentley will be tremendous and will make it much more difficult for such students to feel a part of the Bentley community as they are segregated into special dorms.

The truth is simple. In order to promote acceptance, respect and understanding, students must not live in special housing. They must live and work alongside their fellow students. They must educate their classmates about issues with which they are faced. Further housing restrictions must not be discussed privately among a subset of the campus population.

Debate on this topic which affects every current and future Bentley student must be open to all. We must use our voice to defend our friends and classmates against segregation and discrimination. We must use our voice to preserve greater housing options on campus and say NO to gender neutral housing.
Chris Chennard is a freshman at Bentley while Anton Sadovnikov is currently a junior.

Written by: Mike Haggerty & Ryan Ciccarelli

In Reference to the “As Seen on TV Part II” Article in the Vanguard (March 26th Edition).

For centuries, all of mankind has been forced to put up with the standard blanket; a piece of cloth, or other usually (but not always), soft and warm material, that can be draped over oneself in an attempt to become more comfortable in one’s current state.

A piece of cloth that will slip from its resting state if the person it is draped upon moves the slightest bit, or perhaps, even takes too deep a breath, causing the user to re-adjust the afore mentioned piece of cloth, wasting energy, time, as well as potentially giving him/her a chill if he/she is exposed to the open air for too long a period.

These “blankets” have become a serious problem for society. Bentley’s own Chris Apuzzo was once quoted saying “One time I accidentally fell asleep out in my common room… it was so cold in there that night. Our heat hadn’t worked right for a month and it was minus ten degrees outside. All I had was a fleece blanket that barely covered three quarters of my body. While I was sleeping I must have moved an inch or so, but no more than that, I know because I woke up in almost the same position I fell asleep in. When I woke up in the middle of the night, the blanket had fallen off the bottom half of my body, I couldn’t feel my legs. I started screaming and my roommates came running with lots of extra blankets and other warm gear. They rushed me to health services and they nurse told me that had I woken up any more than twenty minutes later, frost bite would have gotten to me.”

That is just one of the many horror stories told each day about the unreliability that comes with the average blanket these days.

Thankfully, some astoundingly astute individual decided that there had to be a better way. Out of this came, behind only the wheel, the Internet, and FIFA ’09, the best invention mankind has ever seen: the “Snuggie.” Like any other great idea, the Snuggie has faced very outspoken opposition that claimed here in The Vanguard that the Snuggie is “a light, thin, uncomfortable fabric that felt a lot like the free blanket you would receive on an airplane and was uncomfortable to wear,” and “looks ridiculous.”

Well first off, the last time I checked wearing a lead vest while you were watching TV wasn’t the most comfortable thing, so I’m pretty sure it’s good that it is a light and thin fabric. Secondly, it is much more comfortable than a blanket one would receive from an airplane, it feels more like the inside of a brand new sweatshirt (you know, the expensive ones that are really soft when you first get them).

And just as a little side note, if airplane blankets are so awful, then why does everyone always take them off the planes with them?

Sure the Snuggie might look a little ridiculous, but before you cross it off your Christmas list for that, look at all the positives it gives! It is very soft and comfortable, and, unlike any blanket before it, has built in sleeves so your arms are no longer confined to the small area under the blanket. Anyone who tries to say they never didn’t take their hands out from under their blanket to get either the remote or pick up the phone because it was too cold is a liar.

Another student, Dave Hauck, was quoted saying “Before Snuggies, I would have to sit through boring car commercials when I was watching TV because it was too cold for me to bring my hands out from under the blanket to change the channel; I did try it once though. I reached my right hand out for the remote, but was too far, so I had to lean over a little in my seat. I was trying to hard not to lean too much because I didn’t want my blanket to fall off me like it always does when I move more than an inch or two. I finally got the remote and had to wrap myself back up in the blanket. By that time I was so cold I couldn’t stop shivering for ten full minutes. Someone felt so bad for me they made me hot chocolate and brought it over. I was so happy at first, thinking of how warm I would be, but then I realized I had no way to hold and drink the hot chocolate so I was forced to decline.”

Mr. Hauck now has a Snuggie and never has any such problems.

As for those who say it’s too big, I respond by saying that, wouldn’t you prefer it too big than too small like so many blankets these days? If your complaint is that you can’t walk in it without tripping, I respond by saying, is it really that much easier to walk in a blanket that you have to hold on to yourself, making your hands useless for anything besides holding onto that blanket?

The Snuggie is made for relaxing on the couch, or even sleeping in (I have tried this myself), and provides for unmatched comfort. And plus, if you’re going to be walking around in the cold, a coat or sweatshirt is the obvious solution. What’s next, they’re going to say that the Snuggie isn’t that great to go skiing with, or that the Snuggie is a bad product because it doesn’t stay on you if you’re dog-sled racing? It’s a glorified blanket people, let’s not get too critical.

And I can’t forget the ever useful complementary book light that comes along with every Snuggie purchase. Because there’s nothing more aggravating than reading in the dark and fumbling with a flashlight, while trying to keep your hands tucked under a blanket.

Now you have the freedom to move your hands about and turn the pages smoothly while the book light provides the optimum amount of light for you to read and not disturb anyone else sleeping in that same room (perfect solution for a dorm room).

Before you go on YouTube and watch all those videos made by Snuggie haters (most of whom I guarantee have never tried a Snuggie) and jump on the anti-Snuggie bandwagon, try one. Bentley sophomore Mike Slattery did, he told us “My life will never be the same after my purchase of the Snuggie. It’s God’s gift to man as far as I’m considered.”

Mike Haggerty & Ryan Ciccarelli are both sophomore students and avid Snuggie fans.

To the Editor:

I applaud the Women’s Center’s “Take Back the Night” initiative. 30 years ago, the women of Cambridge and Boston sponsored “Take Back the Night” initiatives with the same message: stop violent assault against women. However, there are three significant differences between 1977 and 2007.

1) Internet pornography has been widely available for over 10 years and MTV-style imagery has been with us for over 20 years. Both of these formats depict women in very degrading ways and some of it can be violent. By the time he hits 21, the average American man may have had heavy exposure to them both.

2) Today, 21-year-old guys may have spent hundreds, possibly thousands, of hours playing Grand Theft Auto and similar violent video games, the goals of which are to track down and violently assault ‘prostitutes’. In the game, the so-called ‘prostitutes’ are the females in revealing attire.

3) As recently as the early 90′s, the only women who walked our cities’ streets showing a lot of skin were the unfortunate women who had to earn a living by selling sex. Today, many young women show a lot of skin at all hours of the day, in classrooms and other public places.

The Bentley women undoubtedly feel that they should be free to dress any way they want, without fear of violent assault, and of course, we agree with them whole-heartedly.

However, informed people also know that recent research in neuroscience tells us that the human mind learns whatever it repeats over and over. After thousands of hours of pornography and violent video games, some young men have been somewhat conditioned to believe that provocatively dressed women are offering sex. This belief is, of course, wrong but we are seeing evidence that, for some in our society, the boundary between video images and reality is blurred.

So, we say to the women of Bentley, dress however you want to dress. But, for your own safety, please be aware that some guys may not receive the same message that you think you’re sending. You may think you’re sending a message of stylish. When you cross over into looking ‘hot’, some guys may subconsciously take a very different meaning – especially if they’re under the influence. We agree that this should not have to be your problem, but since men are so much stronger than women, it can very quickly become your problem. The Women’s Center’s statistics show that a significant percentage of women on campus will face an unwanted sexual advance; this tells us that there already is some real confusion between men and women at Bentley.

Ultimately, the Women’s Center initiative is about maximizing the likelihood that the women and men of Bentley go on to lead happy, productive lives. Perhaps all of our energy would be better spent confronting some of the sources of this problem: the pornographers and the media companies who earn millions promoting a culture of violence. In the meantime, both genders must contribute to the solution: men must be mindful of the dehumanizing effect that pornography and violence have on their minds, and women must be mindful of the true effect that provocative attire has on the men.

Very truly yours,

Melissa Craig