Aaron Schaffer – Photo Editor

When administrators discussed this new development with the Campus Activities Board, though, they discovered they had just inadvertently invited “Busta Rhymes,” the semi-sensation of the 1990s rap scene, to campus.

“It honestly never occurred to us that this could be him,” Dean of Admissions Jon Burdick said. “Who ever heard of a rapper old enough to be the parent of a prospective student? What is he, like 50?”

However, as not to anger any prospective family who might be tricked into paying full tuition for the next four years, the school decided it was best not to renege on the acceptance of Rhymes’ offer. Ironically, UR Concerts had actually secured an amazing musical act for this year — I can’t even tell you, you’d be too upset — but was forced to cancel to make room for the impromptu rap performance.

Despite the many changes that D-Day has undergone over the past few years to appease campus officials, the school has decided to ease up on some of the new rules in light of the recent change of events. The email from Dean of Students Matthew Burns banning open containers and campus drinking has in fact been rescinded by a higher authority.

“Come on,” University President Joel Seligman said. “Even I know that no one’s listened to Busta Rhymes sober since, well, actually ever.”

Seligman continued, saying that as a community tested by Internet scandal, death, and the decline of Douglass Dining Hall, we can come together and persevere through a Busta Rhymes show.

“It could actually be kind of cool,” sophomore and resident hipster Charles Clover said. “Vintage is very in.”

Berrin-Reinstein is a member of the class of 2013.

Aaron Schaffer, Photo Editor

By: Antoinette Esce, Editor-in-Chief & Angela Remus, News Editor

Sigma Chi fraternity is currently under investigation for hazing after a Friday, April 19 raid by UR Security at the request of the Office of the Dean of Students and Fraternity and Sorority Affairs (FSA).

“We were able to have enough information [for the allegations] to be of concern,” Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Monica Smalls said, adding that she was not able to disclose who made the allegation.

A Sigma Chi pledge who wished to remain anonymous said that the pledges have “no idea who tipped off [the University].”

“We received notification from persons in the Dean of Students office and [FSA] that they had concerns given some information they had received, indicating that there may be violations of UR policy,” UR Security Assistant Director of Investigations and Staff Development Dan Lafferty said.

Lafferty is running the investigation of Sigma Chi.

“Security people went to the house after we determined we weren’t able to locate them in any other way,” Lafferty said. “We decided that was the place that we were most likely to find them.”

According to the same pledge, Security entered the Sigma Chi house on the Fraternity Quadrangle just after 11 a.m. The officers singled out two pledges first and “fast walked them to the Security vans,” then escorted the rest of the pledges and brothers, some still asleep in their room, to the vans, detaining them for questioning. The event was completely unanticipated by both the pledges and brothers of Sigma Chi, although the pledges were told by Security that the brothers were aware of the situation. So far, Security has conducted 17 individual interviews of pledges and brothers.

“They lied to us and were ultimately very deceitful,” the pledge said, citing incidences of potential misconduct such as lengthy detainment, the confiscation of mobile phones, and threats of expulsion and severe disciplinary actions that technically only the Dean of Students Office can enact. Security officers also refused to tell the brothers and pledges when they would be allowed to leave, causing many of them to miss class. Although the pledge said that most of the allegations seemed to be true, Security lied during interrogations, claiming that pledges had confessed to things they hadn’t.

During the course of the investigation, pledges and brothers are not allowed to have any contact with each other, as per an email sent from Kyle Orton, who, according to Dean of Students Matthew Burns, is “acting as Director of Center for Student Conflict Management right now.”

“[This is] providing a formal notice that you must avoid having contact with all active and alumni brothers of Sigma Chi,” the email read. “These prohibitions form what is known as an Active Avoidance Order (AAO). The AAO has been issued by the Dean of Students Office due to an investigation regarding recent hazing allegations… Should you fail to meet the requirements of the AAO, further disciplinary action may be taken.”

Orton is overseeing the adjudication of the case at the moment, but should the case be appealed, Burns will oversee the process.

“The investigation will continue until I determine there is no further information to gain from interviews,” Lafferty said.

The Dean’s office can also decide when to stop the investigation. With each set of interviews completed, the information is compiled in a report and sent to the Dean of Students’ office, which will “determine if there are grounds for disciplinary action,” Lafferty said.

This case is not the first of its kind.

Smalls emphasized that she could not speculate on the outcome of the investigation, but did mention the two previous cases of hazing that have occurred in the last five years — Alpha Delta Phi fraternity and Psi Upsilon fraternity.

“For both of those, the result was disaffiliation for a number of years,” Smalls said. “Each case is reviewed individually: what exactly happened, the severity of the event, [and] the history of discipline of the organization. It’s very individualized.”

According to a source close to the Alpha Delta Phi incident who also wished to remain anonymous, interviews were conducted by security in an intimidating manner, similar to their alleged conduct in the Sigma Chi case, and “regardless of the intent of the investigators, interviewees were under duress.”

Both Alpha Delta Phi and Psi Upsilon are now returning as full-fledged organizations on campus, and Burns assures that the administration is “supporting them to become more positive and make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”

“We have had issues [with hazing] in the past,” he said. “And it doesn’t stop with Psi Upsilon and Alpha Delta Phi.”

The case of Sigma Chi is still up in the air, and much remains to be determined as the investigation continues.

“We are fully cooperating with [UR] and [FSA]. We respect and appreciate the efforts of University officials,” Sigma Chi said in a general statement to the Campus Times.

A member of the executive board of Sigma Chi who wished to remain anonymous said that “barring any actions the University administration takes to prevent our operations,” the current pledges will be initiated.

When asked if he still wanted to be a brother of Sigma Chi, the same anonymous pledge said, “absolutely.”

He claimed that they were never forced to do anything dangerous like drinking or drugs nor forsake any “moral beliefs.”

The pledging process is designed to encourage pledge class bonding and introspection on Sigma Chi ideals and involves spending substantial time at the Sigma Chi house with pledges and brothers and sometimes sleeping on the house floor as a group.

The University Code of Conduct defines hazing as “any action taken or situation created, whether on or off University premises, which has the potential to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule,” and includes examples of prohibited activities such as scavenger hunts, paddling, and “engaging in public stunts and buffoonery.”

“Personally, I wouldn’t call it hazing,” the pledge said. “I believe you need something to promote unity and brotherhood.”

The administration remains wary.

“I think it’s important to know that… hazing is not something students should be supportive of,” Smalls said. “It’s unfortunate that we have to investigate cases of hazing, [and] it’s unfortunate that we’ve had cases of hazing. But I am encouraged that we have organizations that uphold their values, enact their values, and live by their values on a daily basis.”

Whether or not Sigma Chi remains one of those organization is yet to be determined.

“The campus is well aware that there are two [fraternity] houses on the [Fraternity Quadrangle] that don’t have fraternity members in them because those fraternities were found responsible for hazing,” Burns said. “I can’t understand why any organization, whether a part of [an FSA] organization or not, on this campus, would continue with that practice when they see stuff like that happening.”

Esce is a member of the class of 2015.

Remus is a member of the class of 2016.

Additional reporting by Casey Gould, Class of 2014.

Aaron Schaffer, Photo Editor

It starts with a letter. It always does.
“Be on Anderson Circle on Sunday afternoon on [this date] at [this time]. Have in your possession $10 for initiation fee. Dress warm and in your old clothes. Show this to no one,” it read. The letter was just this simple message on one side. The other side bore a large, red “K” with an arrow through it. This is the invitation to the Keidaean Honor Society.
The letter will be slipped beneath the door of just over a dozen unsuspecting juniors at UR, chosen due to their involvement in on-campus student organizations.  A Campus Times article from April 18, 1924, establishes that membership into the honor society is based on “merit and not on personal preferences; participation in activities and excellent in scholarship determining the number of points scored by each student.” This point system is assigned to notable members of each class and used to determine which juniors will be invited or “tapped” to join.

Records of the Keidaean Honor Society date back to 1924, when Dr. Elliot Parker Frost, a professor and chairman of psychology at UR, and former professor at Dartmouth College, approached five juniors — Merc Brugler, Clarence Henry, James Gray, Carl Lauterbach, and Joseph Leone  — about starting an honor society to “further the spirit of cooperation and fraternity at the University.”
Frost, along with Brugler, Henry, Gray, Lauterbach, and Leone, consequently crafted the organization’s first constitution, titled “Historical Sketch – Keidaeans,” which sketched out the group’s initiatives, history, and governing laws.
The Keidaeans were originally public and well received. Campus Times covered the group on several occasions throughout the 1920s. In one such article, published May 2, 1924, Packard, a history professor from 1920-25,  said, “I think the system of selecting members according to points for their activities will prove efficient. Perhaps it could become secret later.”
The “Historical Sketch,” as stated in 1924, noted that although “the purposes of Keidaeans are openly stated, the machinery of its government, its discussions, the details of its organization, its customs, and rites remain within the confidence of its members,” and that, “the names of the officers shall not be disclosed.”
Yet in the Internet age, it is hard to keep anything a secret. A Google search will lead even an amateur to a number of primary sources: a number of Rochester Alumni Reviews from the 30s naming the junior members tapped that spring, features on UR Athletics’ website that mention the athletes’ participation in the group, and even LinkedIn profiles of UR members, past and present.
The level of awareness students have regarding the society today, nearly a century after its creation, varies greatly.
“I have never heard of the Keidaeans,” said sophomore Brad Kowalczyk said, “I had no idea about it.”
Yet others give the impression that they are more than aware of the organization and respect its ultimate goal of confidentiality.
Most Keidaean alumni who were contacted declined to comment, but one alumnus responded that he would answer questions as long as he remained anonymous. He ignored the subsequent attempts of communication.
Though unaffiliated with the Keidaeans, graduate student James Meyers claims to have witnessed an initiation ceremony when his friend, whose name will remain undisclosed by request, was inducted four years ago. After his friend received the marked letter, Meyers and three acquaintances staked out overnight in Douglass Dining Hall, keeping a watchful eye on Dandelion Square.
“After a few minutes, ordinary students began to gather by a bench,” Meyers recalled of the night. “We grew excited by the prospect of this actual secret event taking place, all of the student myths were morphing into realities right before our eyes.”
Meyers said students continued to congregate around the bench until about 15 students had gathered. An additional student joined the group and seemed to be in charge. It was then that Meyers and his friends followed this group of students up to the benches in the middle of Eastman Quad — Anderson Circle.
“All of the dark figures, blanketed by black robes, approached the circle, their faces covered. They seemed to float to their destination,” Meyers recollected. “A ring of students interlaced with hooded creatures was positioned in a circle at the center of the quad.”
By showing up to this ceremonial ‘tapping’, juniors accept the invitation to the society and receive a pin with the Keidaean emblem.  Induction into the Keidaeans means continued service to the University while working closely with administration. Many past deans of the University have been part of the Keidaeans, and the group is used largely to solve problems that either party recognizes in the college. Their Historical Sketch notes that the group “studiously avoids taking a stand on any issue.” Rather, “the modus operandi is quiet persuasion as manifested by its members in their positions of respect and leadership in other campus organizations and activities.”
Many of the problems, as described in the meeting minutes between 1924 and 1964, were similar to challenges students and administrators face today: improving the standing of UR, increasing participation in student groups, allowing alcohol at more University functions, and increasing the number of parking spaces available on campus. Some things never change.
Though the organization remains a rich part of the university’s history, the lack of student awareness almost undermines the prestige that surrounds being inducted into the Keidaean Honor Society. Perhaps the real honor lies in something intrinsic, something more — something secret.

Arre is a member of
the class of 2015.

Courtesy of telegraph.co.uk

In an age when there are consistently high expectations for the United States’ fiscal and social role in the world, it is paramount that the superpower meticulously reevaluate its education system.

Compared to ones in China, Korea, and Finland, American schools demonstrate an alarming inferiority in math, reading, and science, scoring several places below its rivals, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Programme for International Student Assessment. Considering the US’ exorbitant spending on education reform -— devoting over $800 billion annually to education programs — it is perturbing that there is little noticeable progress.

So how do we fix the system?

American schools are failing because they fundamentally constrict students into a learning model centered on cognitive growth. Ideally, schools should encourage a structure in which curriculums are focused on real-world problems rather than purely disciplinary matters. It is essential that teachers, leaders, and administrators all focus on the development of youth -— development that transcends proficiency in rudimentary scholastic departments and extends to values in other areas of life.

This idea of experiential learning can be applied beyond our public school systems to those of our universities. This past year, UR formed a committee to evaluate experiential learning and their subsequent report on the issue has tremendous potential. There is no better way to learn than by doing and we fully support the idea of experiential learning, as well as the ideas outlined in the SA’s response to this report.

Education is the most important thing we do at UR and we hope the College chooses to make a credible commitment to value the right kind of education -— experiential learning.

Aaron Schaffer, Photo Editor

This year, UR has a record number of applicants who were awarded Fulbright US Student Grants: 11 in total thus far, with three more still awaiting their results.

Winners include seniors Rohini Bhatia, Gabrielle Cornish, Meredith Doubleday, Madeleine Klinger, Cameron LaPoint, Ankit Medhekar, Veronica Price, Jyothi Purushotham, and Anja Weinrid, as well as Eastman senior Shannon Carpio and Andrew Otis ’11.

In addition, a faculty member at the Warner School of Education, Mary Jane Curry, has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar Recipient to lecture and research in Chile next spring.

According to Student Fellowships Director Belinda Redden, a total of 31 student applications for the Fulbright Student Grant were endorsed by the University, from which 16 were selected as national finalists.

“Two finalists for Turkey are still awaiting their results and one for Bangladesh,” Redden said.

Student grant recipients will travel to countries throughout the world, including Russia, India, the UK, Japan, Spain, Germany, and Thailand to participate in either individual projects or English Teaching assistantships (ETA).

“The role of the ETA is to help students improve their communication skills in English” Redden said. “Another role of the ETA is to help students better understand US history, culture, and society.”

Other UR students were selected for the Fulbright scholarship known as the “Full Grant.” These students are selected based on the strength of their proposal and have more freedom in their content. Students may choose to conduct a specific research project, participate in a masters program, or perhaps a combination of the two, Redden explained. The main requirement is this proposal must be academically driven.

“Applicants must articulate how they see the Fulbright year helping them to get to the next stage of their academic pursuits,” Redden said.

One such “Full Grant” winner is Otis. Otis currently lives in Sri Lanka but will be traveling to Kolkata, India to research the country’s early press and the Bengal Renaissance.

Otis first applied for the Fulbright ETA scholarship his senior year at UR but did not receive the award. He decided to apply again, this time as a “Full Grant” scholar.

Otis will spend nine months in India beginning in August. He will be working on his research project in addition to working with an organization called Calcutta Walks, which offers historical sightseeing walks through the city.

“I never knew that I would get a Fulbright,” Otis said. “Now I have an academic project with institutional support. I am thrilled to reenter academia and am truly grateful.”

Professor Mary Jane Curry of the Warner School of Education will also be conducting research on a Fulbright Scholarship in addition to lecturing at the Universidad Mayor in Santiago.

She will travel to Chile and research how academics and scholars are pressured to publish works in English.

“I think it will give me a good perspective on how students in other countries are thinking about US higher educations,” Curry said. “I’ll mostly be coming back with data that needs to be analyzed and written about.”

Cozen is a member of the class of 2015.

Clinton Sparks, a DJ, recording artist, Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer, and TV/radio personality, will open the show. Busta Rhymes, who has also worked as a producer and actor, is well known for his complex, fast-paced lyrics. He has been nominated for 11 Grammy Awards and 10 MTV Video Music Awards.

“I feel like we got really lucky getting Busta Rhymes because he’s so well known,” UR Concerts co-president and senior Emily Dunn said.

UR Concerts co-president and senior Devin Embil is similarly pleased.

“Out of all the options we went through, Busta Rhymes is a very solid choice,” he said.

UR Concerts put in bids for 10-12 artists of different genres, and Busta Rhymes’ contract was confirmed about three weeks ago.

Busta Rhymes was the only artist who accepted UR Concert’s bids, in part because, given that Coachella was last weekend, many artists are still on the West coast, Embil explained. Dunn and Embil would not disclose the other options that were considered, but Dunn explained that although the group understands they will never be able to find an artist who appeals to everyone, it always tries to stick with a high-energy act that will get people dancing.

Recent D-Day performers have included OK GO, Super Mash Bros., and Jack’s Mannequin. Busta Rhymes is the first rap artist to perform at the festivities in about five years.

Embil also noted that UR Concerts typically brings in up-and-coming performers, but that “Busta’s a little different from our trend” because he’s an established artist.

Busta Rhymes released his first album, “The Coming,” in 1996, which included his break-out single, “Woo Ha!! Got You All in Check.” More recently, he has collaborated with artists including Chris Brown and David Guetta.

The concert will begin at 7 p.m., an hour earlier than last year. Embil believes the late start time negatively affected the show because it is colder later in the evening, and students are tired by the time it starts. He suggested that the concert begin at 5 p.m. this year, but the D-Day planning committee decided to stick with a later slot.

Monday’s announcement was met with mixed reactions — the most common concern, it seems, is that Busta Rhymes is an outdated act, but Dunn and Embil disagree.

“He’s been around since the 1990s but has continued to be a successful artist to the present date,” Dunn said.

Embil also noted that even if students don’t prefer rap, they will probably know of an artist he has collaborated with.

“I’m extremely excited,” senior Galen Dole said. “He was a staple of the ’90s.”

Sophomore Marz Saffore was less enthused. She said she is a little disappointed, given that Busta Rhymes isn’t as popular today as he was in his heyday, but doesn’t know what to expect. Despite her doubts, she is trying to be optimistic.

“Everyone’s going to be drunk, so it’s not going to matter,” she said. “At least it’ll be fun to jam to.”

D-Day will also feature a petting zoo, giant trike race course, and other activities.

Goldin is a member of the class of 2013.

Courtesy of cnn.com

A pertinent yet relatively unrecognized problem of the 21st century is overpopulation. While we squander our time debating North Korea’s nuclear development, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, petty political conflicts over the budget, we fail to recognize the biggest problem that will, by far, have the most significant impact on our livelihood. How can we control overpopulation? The Chinese government has already attempted to do so by implementing a meager law to restrict childbirth, and several other countries have followed suit, but this is clearly ineffective. China’s population growth rate hasn’t decreased by a considerable amount since the implementation of this law. As the world of medicine grows at an exponential rate, with new discoveries that revolutionize how we cure the sick, a severe drawback that has already taken effect.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), immunization currently averts 2-3 million deaths a year, among all age groups from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and measles. The CDC’s primary mission is global immunization, which I fully support, but doing so has serious implications. What happens when that mission is accomplished? Currently, one billion people lack access to health care systems, over 8 million children under the age of five die from malnutrition and preventable diseases every year, 600,000 people die from typhoid annually, and tuberculosis kills 1.3 million people each year. It’s important to note that these tragedies occur in less developed countries. In more developed countries, these diseases and ailments occur at a much less frequent rate than in Third World countries due to better access to health care and medicine, causing a surge in population. Once improved health care and medicine reach a sustainable level in poorer regions, the population in those regions will boom, following the patterns of already developed countries. Another consequence of preventing or curing diseases is an increase in life expectancy. Over the years, the average life expectancy for people residing in First World countries has skyrocketed. With a rapidly increasing elderly population, the total population swells.

Now, I’m 100% for curing diseases and breaking new ground in medicine and technology, but we must consider the consequences of doing so. If we insist of curing every human of his or her diseases, especially genetic diseases or predisposed disorders, we have to consider if it’s worth it to propagate those genes to future generations. As Darwin claims, evolution is survival of the fittest. Those who are at disadvantages to survive filter out to let stronger generations thrive, and curing people of all diseases not only adds to the current population, but elongates the survival of poor genes. We must consider the future of our planet and humanity. Will we have a planet with enough resources to satiate the living standards of First World societies with premium health care and medicine, not to mention the other requirements for living standards?

Yang is a member of the class of 2016.