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Page 2 •Thursday, February 26, 2004
The Pendulum
THE PENDULUM
Elon University
Elan, N.C.
Established 1974
Jessica Patchett, Editor in Chief
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Colin Donohue, Managing Editor
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Ellis Harman, Managing Editor
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Ashley Feibish, News Editor
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Jay Dome, Asst. News Editor
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Jessica Kemp, Opinions Editor
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Kaitlyn North, A & E Editor
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Candace Buckman, Features Editor
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Andrew High, Sports Editor
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Jeff Heyer, Plioto i::ditor
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Matt Belanger, Graphic Design Editor
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Steve Earley, Copy Editor
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Lindsay Porter, Copy Editor
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Elizabeth fencer, Copy Editor
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Nurl Abdur-Rauf, Copy Editor
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Kathryn Jones, Business Manager
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Evelyn Massey, Business Manager
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Jocelyn Manlngo, Ad Designer
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John David Parsons, Online Editor
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Megan Turner, Online Features Editor
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Janna Anderson, Adviser
Q0©
Tiie I’enduiuin is published each
Thursday of the academic year. The adver
tising and c'ditoriai copy deadline is 5 p.m.
the Motiday before publication.
Letters to the editor and guest columns
are welcome and should be typed, double
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or by e-mail and as [X)sts on our Wei) site.
The Pendulum reserves the right to edit
obscene or jwtcntially libelous material.
Ungthy letters or columns may have to be
trimm^ to fit. All submissions become
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not tie returned.
To reach The Pendulum at 233 Moseley
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Contact The Pendulum by e-mail at pen-
dulumCn'eion.edu. Visit our Web site at
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Each person is entitled to one free copy.
Editorials
The Pendulum seeks to inspire, entertain and inform the Elon
community by providing a voice for students and faculty as well
as a forum for the meaningful exchange of ideas.
Telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth
While checking facts regarding
Elon community leaders for an edi
torial regarding their concern for stu
dents, The Pendulum encountered a
troubling fact: students are frequent
ly and unjustifiably denied basic
information regarding their campus
community.
Forty-nine local high .school stu
dents were arrested on drug related
charges this month after parents
uiped local school and police ofil-
cials to crack down on drug asers.
The leaders’ goals - to help students
at risk and teach others civil respon
sibility. Community guardians in
Alamance County identified a social
problem and took action to improve
the situation.
Such problems with dmg and
alcohol u.se, hazing and abase occur
at Elon - and in some cases are
addres,sed appropriately on a case-
by-case basis. But are Elon adminis
trators, faculty and staff and com
munity leaders doing enough to pro
tect students, ensure their welfare
and administer justice? Often stu
dents are kept in the daik about ,
information they need to know.
The Elon University Alcohol
and Other Drugs Policy Statement
outlines Elon’s approach to student
use of drugs and alcohol as one of
education and accountability.
Many .students at Elon engage in
illegal ase of alcohol and drugs but
are residence advisors engaged
enough with their residents to pre
vent an accident or health problem
by reporting intoxicated students?
Are campus security officers
involved in policing all potential law
violations fully and equally? Some
.students have expressed concern to
The Pendulum regarding the cam
pus safety and police director’s
involvement as staff advisor to a stu
dent fraternity. Examining this is.sue
further, Tlie Pendulum approached
the Office of Greek Life to obtain a
li.st of faculty/staff advisors to Greek
oiganizations Wednesday but was
denied access to this basic informa
tion by Melissa Komasz, as.sistant
director of Greek life.
Komasz insisted that the Office
of Greek Life was concerned about
releasing the names of faculty/staff
advisors, as faculty/staff advisors
may become upset if such informa
tion were to be made public.
In a previoas incident, the Office
of Greek Life has denied The
Pendulum infonnation regarding a
violent fight involving students in
Greek programs, acknowledging
only that the office would ccsiduct
an in-hoase investigation of the
problem.
The Pendulum has also encoun
tered difficulties obtaining informa
tion regarding hazing incidents
within .sports programs. Last year
when a student was said to have
been abused by fellow team mem
bers, the team’s coach reftised to
release information confirming any
investigation that might have been
taken regarding the incident Team
players told The Pendulum they
were told not to speak on the issue.
Honor code investigations and
board proceedings are vital aspects
of university life necessary for deter
mining Elon’s climate for social
accountability and justice.
Pendulum reporters have exjxessed
discontent with the infonnation
available through the office for judi
cial affairs in the past. The
Pendulum contacted I. Scott
Nelson, assistant ctean of students
and Elon judicial officer,
Wednesday regarding the nature of
information available for student
knowledge of judicial affairs.
Nelson distinguished available
information as that wWch does not
violate student privacy laws as out
lined by the government Nelson
agreed to meet with Pendulum edi
tors this week to determine what
may be published in the future.
The Pendulum is fighting for stu
dents’ right to infonnation - a key to
understanding the campus commu
nity and then approaching change in
an infomied manner. Hon faculty,
staff, administratoR and community
leaders do not have the right to with
hold basic, public infamation from
students by denying campus media
access to information such as the
names of advisors for stiKient oigan-
izations.
Student apathy and lack of commitment alarming
Elon students, Witke up.
We are in the fourth week of classes of spring
.semester, yet students are acting as though we’re
approaching the fimtom of summer.
We’ve still got a long way to go.
It’s surprising to see liow many .students have
already begun to skip classes and foi^t about
homework, clas,sic symptoms of spring fever.
Maybe people are feeling sluggish becaase of
the unseasonably nice weather. Maybe the
prospect of a snow day is causing peqile to shirk
their academic duties. Whatever the reason, it does
not bode well for the test of the a'mester.
Students need to remember tlieir time at Elon
is a lot shorter than they might realize, and making
the most of that time does not include lounging
;tround in the sun on the lawn outside of West res
idence hall or skipping a class at noon because you
jast can’t drag yourself out of bed.
If you can’t make class or get your woric done
now, in the last week of Februaiy, how are you
going to concentrate in May, when the sun is shin
ing and it’s a balmy 70 degrees outside eveiy day?
Students’ apathy is spreading to other areas as
well. Student oiganizations are struggling to retain
members, and students seem less inclined to
attend cultural events or honOT commitments.
Perhaps it is lack of commitment that is so
woni.some. Promising to do something then drqv-
ping the ball creates a ripple effect of panic and
irritation. Student CHganizatioas depend on student
involvement, and when students stop being
involved aitire oiganization are thrown off.
What does this say about Elon students? Based
on some students’ perfomiaiKes so far this semes
ter, we do not seem too impressive. We seem, in a
word, lazy. We seem as though we don’t care. And
sadly, many of us don’t ff we did, there wouldn’t
have been so many SGA candidates mnning
unoRXJsed, nor would oiganizations be in dire
need of reporters and new members.
Save your apathy and laid-back demeanor for
May. If you drai’t, you’ll end up worrying and
woridng yourself to death by April.
And where wouW the fim be in that?
Index
Inside the Pendulum
Opinion 3
News 7
Features 13
Arts & Entertainment 17
Sports 21
Corrections
Please send any corrections to
pendulum@eIon.edu before Tuesday of the
week the correction should run.