january/february 2014
features
the stentorian I ncssm
Strange news
from around
the world
By Sarah Colbert
Weird things happen every
day that do not get picked
up by the mainstream news
media. Here is a compilation
of a few recent oddities.
1. Disappointed
guests discovered that a few
of the animals at a zoo in
China’s Henan Province were
imposters. The “lion” was
actually a Tibetan Mastiff,
a type of domestic dog.
Domestic dogs were also
found in the “wolf’ exhibit,
a highway building project
because of the expected impact
on not only the environment,
but also on the ancient elves
that supposedly occupy the
region. Concern is especially
high because the land where
the road is to be constructed
is the alleged site of an elf
church.
4. A Miami resident,
Fernando Caignet Aguilera
captured a four foot alligator
and attempted to trade it
for alcohol at a Florida
The Henan Prvovince Zoo's "Lion. ”
and a white fox was labeled
“leopard.” The zoo is now
temporarily closed.
2. A woman found a
human foot inside a shoe on
Peck Lake Beach on Jupiter
Island, Florida. Authorities are
investigating but have found
no other human remains.
3. An Icelandic
group, called “Friends of the
Lava,” has partnered with
environmentalists to urge
the Supreme Court to ban
■ ‘ ■‘ convenience " ‘ '^tore;
Aguilera could be sentenced
up to six months in jail and a
$500 fine for his crime.
5. 3D Systems, a three-
dimensional printer company,
declared its arrangement with
Hershey Company to create
a 3-D printer that produces
chocolate and other edible
goods.
(Information compiled
from cnn.com, nbcmiami.
com, pbs.og, and news.
nationalgeographic.com)
continued from page I
Sochi Olympics
full of controversy
gay-rights activity remains.
Last July, Russian President
Vladimir Putin signed a law to
ban pro-gay “propaganda” that
could be available to minors.
Many activists view this law
as a restriction on any public
expression of gay-rights.
For the past weeks, Coca-
Cola and McDonald’s,
two major sponsors of the
Olympics, have been targeted
by social media campaigns
held by gay-rights supporters.
Several activists plan to travel
to Sochi to protest the law.
They hope to team up with
athletes who are participating
in the games.
In an open letter to some of
the biggest Olympic sponsors,
forty human rights and gay
rights groups from the United
States, Western Europe, and
Russia urge these companies to
run ads promoting equality for
lesbians, gay, bisexuals, and
transgender people.
“LGBT people must not
be targeted with violence or
deprived of their ability to
advocate for their own equality.
As all eyes turn toward Sochi,
we ask you to stand with us,”
the letter states.
Russia has also received
multiple terror threats from
multiple groups. In one
investigation, Russian police
are on the hunt for a suspect
who is allegedly the widow
of a member of an extremist
militant group from Russia.
Despite the multiple
threats, Russian president
Vladmir Putin insists the Sochi
Olympics will be safe.
“We will try to make
certain that the security
measures are not intrusive
or too conspicuous, so they
are not too noticeable for the
athletes, the Olympics’ guests
or journalists,” Putin says,
according to CNN. “But at
the same time, we will do our
utmost to ensure that they are
elfective.”
Junior Senator
proposes change to
Amstud credits
By Betty Liu
Recently, the Academic
Affairs Committee of Student
Goveimment has brought up
the issue of possibly revaluing
American Studies.
Early last December,
Junior Senator, Guy Blanc
raised the question on the
NCSSM Classes of 2014 and
2015 Facebook page. As it is,
American Studies is valued at
five points, as it is a 300 level
class.
Through the comments on
the page, it is seen that many
students believe that American
Studies, typically referred to as
“Amstud” is one of the most
difficult classes taken during
junior year at NCSSM, so the
credit earned should reflect
the degree of difficulty and
be raised to.6 points, the same
value given by an AP class or a
400 level class.
In early January, Blanc met
with Elizabeth Moose, Dean
of Humanities, to discuss the
possibility of raising American
Studies to a 6.0 class. It is
likely American Studies will
not change in point value, but
it is possible-that-the ntimber
of credits for the class will
change.
As it stands, American
Studies is a three-trimester
class and is worth 6 credits, two
core English, two core History,
and two core elective. As it is 6
credits, therefore it counts a lot
on a student’s transcript.
There is a chance that the
number of credits earned
in American Studies will
decrease, possibly to 4
credits, but students would
still be required to take the
three trimesters of American
Studies.
American Studies was once
a two-trimester class that met
for double blocks. Recently, it
was changed so it would meet
for one block a day for three
trimesters.
In an interview. Moose
mentioned that the issue is
part of a larger discussion
of NCSSM graduation
requirements. The issue
has been discussed by the
Humanities Department at
NCSSM, the Dean’s group, the
Faculty Senate, as well as the
Instructional Council.
Ms. Moose continued to say
that Geoff Coltrane, Director
of Instructional Research
and Engagement, has done
an analysis on the impact a
change in credits would have
on student’s GPA’s and the data
is currently being reviewed by
Faculty Senate and the Dean’s
group. Moose says that she is
committed to collaborating
with the members of these
groups to make a fair and
reasonable decision that is
in the best interests of the
students;,-;,
There is a mixed response
from the student body about
changing the credit. Some
students are glad that American
Studies could count for less.
One student remarked “It
would be nice because a bad
grade in Amstud wouldn’t
have so much impact on our
transcript.”
As some students are
struggling with American
Studies, this is the main reason
some Juniors are supportive
of such a change. However,
others feel that it would be
unfair to make the class count
for less.
When asked. Junior Gavin
Riley said “Given the amount of
work we are given in Amstud,
it would be unfair to have it
count for less credit.”
Along with discussing
possible changes in the amount
of credit awarded for American
Studies, there is a discussion
within the faculty about
the possibility of adding an
Engineering and Technology
requirement to the graduation
requirements.
When asked, students also
showed a mixed response with
regards to the addition of an
Engineering and Technology
requirement. Some students
are all for the change, such as
Junior Carly McKenna. “That
would be fine,” she said.
McKenna went on to say
that she enjoyed engineering
and thought it would make
sense for NCSSM to have
that requirement, due to the
school’s strong base in STEM
fields. Other students are less
supportive of the proposed
change such as- Junior Cora
Bright who said she was not a
fan of Engineering.
Though these changes are
being discussed, nothing is
certain yet. Blanc continued to
say that if either change was
going to be considered more
seriously, he would take a poll
to gauge student support. He
ends with saying “Although
neither of these issues would
affect our graduation, we
should still try to make our
school a better place for those
after us.”
The Mystery of
Edwin Drood!
For the Winter Musical, the Promethean Players put on the musical: The Mystery
of Edwin Drood. Based on an unfinished novel by Charles Dickens set in London
in 1892, The Mystery of Edwin Drood allows the audience to pick from over 300
possible endings. The Promethean Players put on three showings to much audience
acclaim.