Brown and White Vol. 120 no. 23

              Vol. 120 No. 23
Friday, April 22, 2011
‘All the Lehigh News First’
THE BROWN AND WHITE
Lehigh University’s Student Newspaper Founded in 1894
SPORTS
Women’s tennis set for quarterfinal
Page 12
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Local bakery owner scores reality show
Page 5
LIFESTYLE
By MELISSA HARANS
Twice a year, students are confronted with the daunting challenge of registration. For many students, registration involves planning out multiple back-up schedules, racing to be the first at a computer in Linderman or Fairchild-Mar­tindale libraries, and often the process still ends in frustra­tion. This year, however, there was a dramatic change to the process; registration times were moved from evening to early morning.
According to an email from the registration office, the change was made in order to accommodate students who participate in theater, music, athletic events and other student activities that often took place in the evening and conflicted with late registration times.
In order to accommodate the changes, buildings opened as early as 6:15 a.m. The university also sent out several announcements and emails to make sure that all of the students would be aware of the change in time. Still, student responses were mixed.
Although Aly Robinson, ’13, had no scheduling con­flicts with the old registration times, she found positives in early registration. She pointed out that, if a student experi­ences problems during registration, the new registration time allows students to contact their advisor soon after reg­istration, while the old time would force them to wait until the morning.
“At first I was not happy about the change in registra­tion time because I didn’t want to wake up early,” she said. “However, by making the registration time early it allowed you to contact you’re adviser or teachers if you had any problems with registration as oppose to if it remained at night you would have to wait until the morning to contact anyone.”
Students who participate in extracurricular activities and had problems with the previous, earlier registration times also appreciated the change.
“With practices ending at 7 p.m., it would be almost impossible to shift practices in order to accommodate everyone on the team,” said rowing team member Bianca McGovern, ’14. “Registering in the morning was so much more convenient for me and my team.”
However, many students who had no activities during the old registration times did not appreciate the change.
“I think the earlier time is much more inconvenient,” said Celina Shang, ’14. “I had no problem with the later time and wish they hadn’t changed it. I did not enjoy wak­ing up that early to register.”
Giovanna Patafio, ’14, said she agreed that the new reg­istration time was annoying, despite being a member of a sports team.
“I didn’t like getting up at 6 a.m. to go to Fairmart to register,” she said. “I liked the other registration times
Undergrads react to new registration times
By KRISTINA PARK
Dr. Robert Pratt, professor and chair of the de­partment of history at the University of Georgia, spoke in Sinclair Auditorium as a candidate for the next dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Faculty, staff and students attended the Town Hall meeting held on Monday to listen to Pratt as he spoke about what he could offer as a potential dean at Lehigh.
Pratt said his No. 1 priority as dean would be, “commitment to diversity in education, but also in race, ethnicity and gender, not just stated, but by example.”
“I think recruitment is the easy part,” he said. “It’s not just students; it can be faculty as well. It can be terms of race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation. People need to feel included. The key to the retention aspect is critical mass. People need to come in critical mass because only by doing that can you change the narrative and discussion of inclusion where people feel comfortable. Hiring women and minorities takes time, but if you have people with a group will, it can be done.”
With much optimism, Pratt discussed the pos­sible opportunities for improvement if he is cho­sen as the new dean.
“The challenges are enormous, but that is a given,” he said. “What appeals to me is the op­portunity in growth of improvement and renewal. No matter how good an institution is, by the rankings, every university, even the best [one], occasionally needs some renewal and improve­ment from time to time.”
Another goal Pratt has set is to change the overall reputation of the university.
“From the outside, at least, Lehigh has been traditionally been seen as an engineering school,” he said. “I believe that the College of Arts and
See PRATT Page 4
Town Hall hosts second CAS dean candidate
Students talk controversy about guns, campus safety
By MICHELLE RUMSEY
Safety is an issue that is prevalent in any conversation about living off campus. Students are constantly bom­barded with email notifications about assaults and robberies that take place late at night when they are walking home. Normally, a weapon is not brandished in these situations, but when one is, it is hard not to think about gun control and safety on cam­pus, in the city of Bethlehem and in the state of Pennsylvania.
According to a Bethlehem Po­lice Department representative, Pennsylvania’s gun control laws state that residents can obtain a Concealed Carry Permit/License fairly easy. All one has to do is bring a photo identi­fication showing he or she is over the age of 21, the contact information for two references and his or her wallet to the sheriff’s office in the county of residence. Most people can pick up the license in about 45 days once the necessary background checks are completed.
The license is good for five years and is honored in 22 states outside Pennsylvania. In addition, Pennsyl­vania honors the permits of 24 other states.
Gun control safety is something that ignites the interest of students and faculty alike. If students are constantly worried about their safety when walking to and from class, how can they concentrate on their studies? A school is supposed to be a place where students feel safe. Students spend thousands of dollars on secu­rity personnel, campus police and safety mechanisms like blue lights.
See GUNS Page 3
See REGISTER Page 2
B&W photo by KO YAZAKI
Students perform a dance during the 24th Annual International Bazaar on the University Center front lawn last Sunday. The event also offered traditional cuisine from abroad and a fashion show for those who attended.
A taste of abroad