Opinions

Don’t forget the occupation of the Gaza Strip

On Sept. 28, 2010 the Israeli military intercepted an aid ship heading for Gaza. Among the arrested included 82-year-old Holocaust survivor Reuven Moskovitz. “It is a sacred duty for me, as a [Holocaust] survivor, to protest against the persecution, the oppression and the imprisonment of so many people in Gaza, including more than 800,000 children,” […]

The social ambiguity of race and ethnicity

One of the reasons why I fell in love with anthropology is because I realized that race isn’t an inherent part of who we are. Through careful socialization, via standardized tests and my parents, I had always known that when asked my race, the appropriate answer was Black/African-American/Non-Hispanic. But lo and behold, this year as […]

Housing problems

   As class sizes expand each year, on-campus housing options have become far too slim — freshmen are “tripled” in cramped rooms, upperclassmen are begged to go off-campus and transfer students are left with no options at all. In a recent Campus Times article, Executive Director of Project Management Jose Fernandez noted the possibility of […]

Rochester 'brain drain'

While the recently-released College Destinations Index ranked the city of Rochester highly in some regards, more notable were the ways in which the area did not fare well. Rochester performed poorly in terms of entrepreneurial growth, and even worse in terms of retention of students. UR and other Rochester-area college students — more than those […]

The serious failure of U.S. immigration policy

  There is without a doubt a serious problem with illegal immigration from Mexico. Mexican civilians who come to the U.S. along with any children they may have here are causing problems, especially in terms of welfare funds.  Yet the real problem lies with criminals. Gang members and human smugglers slide with ease between the […]

Retribution is a powerful temptation

After the events of Sept. 11, Americans were united in the single cause of finding and eliminating the culprit of 3,000 deaths. That dedication led the United States into two polarizing wars. Ten years later, the attitudes of Americans toward Muslims remain in near-constant flux.  The recent controversies over the proposed building of an Islamic […]

Keep Sex Alive: Recharge your sex life at any age

Just when you thought your sex life would get dull on the far-side of fifty, Sex expert Amelia Titus discusses an unconventional way to feel the love. Read More

The sorority system is in need of change

I assume that after reading that title, a couple hundred girls on campus are now out for my head. Let me start with a disclaimer: it is my honest opinion that sororities are of great importance to this University, and that they have a positive impact on the community. Read More

A lack of access

Life is hard enough on those with physical disabilities without having to spend extra time trying to navigate the pathways through campus. Unfortunately, with certain buildings being inaccessible and routes that do have ramps and elevators often being quite convoluted, those with physical disabilities are unnecessarily hassled by the lack of accessibility on campus. Read More

Skyrocketing prices

Complaining about the prices of textbooks in a school’s bookstore is like saying the university’s food isn’t as good as your mom’s. It’s a problem so obvious that it’s now simply standard for any college. Of course, it’s not as if UR’s bookstore prices are just blatant highway robbery — the store does what it […]