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Pendulum
Thursday, August 29, 2002
Vol. 28, Issue 2
Elon University
Elon, NX.
If it matters to you, it matters to The Pendulum.
Convocation welcomes and warns ale busts
keg bash
Erin Cunningham
News Editor
Freshmen and transfer students
oificially became Elon students as the
113th academic year began Under the
Oaks on Saturday, Aug. 24 with New
Student Convocation.
Family and friends looked on as
more than 1,200 students listened to
messages of welcome and inspira
tion.
Senior Christian Wiggins, Student
Government Association president,
delivered the welcome while sharing
personal experiences and words of
wisdom. “You have come to the right
place,” he said. He instmcted students
to take advantage of every opportuni
ty put before them. “Make your own
ripples,” Wiggins said. “Don’t every
be afraid to be who you want to be.”
Smith Jackson, vice president of
student life and dean of students, and
Gerald Francis, provost and vice
president of academic affairs, intro
duced several members of the fresh
men class who have already made
ripples in their high schools and com
munities. “This class will surely
Tim Rosner/ Photo Editor
Students listen to welcoming words from campus leaders during the ceremony Under the Oaks.
make many contributions,” Jackson
said.
He also said students should
instruct professors to challenge them.
“Challenge me to be a better person
four years from now,” Jackson said.
President L^o Lambert addressed
the class of 2006, telling them about
change and challenges. ‘.‘You will
leave Elon some day, but Elon will
never leave you,” he said. “All of this
will become a part of you.”
Lambert spoke about the merits of
a liberal arts education. “My most
important message to you this morn
ing is to savor your experiences in the
liberal arts and sciences,” Lambert
said.
Convocation cont’d on
page 8
Ratings not all good news for university
Jennifer Guarino
Editor-inhief
As a new academic year
begins, Elon adds a new college
ranking to the list of recognition
the institution has received in the
last four years. Elon was one of
14 schools to debut on Princeton
Review’s “Best 345 Colleges”
list this year. While it’s an accom
plishment for Elon to be recog
nized in this listing, the news was
n’t all good.
The guide is composed of
two-page spreads about each of
the universities and a section of
There is a broad-based campus effort in place to get the
facts out about drinking - that is, to help students understand
that the norm at Elon is not to abuse alcohol. Our data show
that episodes of high risk drinking have steadily declined over
the past five years. , . , ^
- Leo Lambert,
63 lists. Elon was listed in five
of the top-20 lists: “Lots of hard
liquor” (6), “Major frat and
sorority scene” (2), “Election?
What election?” (15), “Great
food” (13) and “Dorms like
palaces” (5). ■ ■
Princeton cites Elon’s beauti
ful campus, close student-facul-
ty relationships, small class size
and academic program as out
standing.
“Elon’s reputation is gaining
in stature year by year, and the
Princeton Review listing is
another indication of the increas
ing national attention being paid
to our institution.” Elon President
Leo Lambert said.
The “Lots of hard liquor”
category struck a nerve with
Lambert. He has actively spo
ken about the importance of stu
dents making low-risk decisions
regarding drinking over the past
year. Alcohol and drug sanc
tions were increased in January,
and 35 students withdrew or
were suspended after a violation
last year. This is up from eight
students during the 2000-01
academic year.
Erin CunninRham
News Editor
While Elon police say this
weekend was the quietest
school opening in six years,
many students received cita
tions for alcohol possession at
a 250-person party at Sheridan
Place.
In all, there were 33 cita
tions and 41 charges made by
Alcohol Law Enforcement.
ALE officers, along with
Elon University Campus
Police and the Town of Elon
Police, staged Operation Cops
and Shops to catch underage
students purchasing alcohol,
said Lavell Lovette, chief of
the Town of Elon Police.
“We were targeting alcohol
violations, specifically under
age,” she said.
Agents were in the store
observing the purchases. Then,
marked units were given
descriptions of the vehicles in
question, and they were
stopped and cited, said Lovell.
Police received information
about the purchase of four kegs
to be used at the party, Lovette
said.
“The problem was they were
going to resell,” she said,
referring to the North Carolina
law against reselling alcohol.
“You have to have a license.”
The statewide ALE has part
nered with Elon police before,
and Lovell said they will do it
again. “They generally target
college towns when school is
starting to get back in,” Lovell
said of the ALE.
Ratings cont d on page 8 Arrests cont’d on page 8
INSIDE
Tom Deluca hypnotizes students. Page 12
There’s still time to catch summer movies
at the theater. Page 14
Cross-country team
opener. Page 18
runs toward season