Wonk

Juliegrace Brufke

KNOW WONK

The word wonk is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a person preoccupied with arcane details or procedures in a specialized field. It is also the word know spelled backwards.

About ten months ago, American University launched a new advertising and branding campaign called Wonk in an effort to set itself apart from other universities, the campaign has been a controversial topic among the AU community due to its expense and slogan which has received mixed reviews from students and faculty.

Terry Flannery AU’s Executive Director of University Communications and Marketing, said a lot of people outside of the immediate Middle Atlantic region don’t know of the school as much as they should and the Wonk campaign is an effort to change that.

According to Flannery, the research her team found was people only think of politics when they think of American University because of its location.

Flannery said another issue they are facing is people have a warped opinion of what the school is like today compared past years.

“A problem we are dealing with is a lot of alums or people with previous associations on us from another time think of American as an open admissions not

very serious institution and that has changed dramatically,” said Flannery. “ It’s often looked at as just another DC school that isn’t quite as good as some of the

others, which isn’t the case.”

So far, Wonk cost $675,000 this year, $225000 was spent on research, $100,000 on trade marking and $200,000 on the new welcome center which will

feature the logo and incorporate the idea of wonk to prospective students.

The school handed out over 3,500 tee shirts with different types of genres of wonks ranging from everything from political wonks to art wonks.

“I want to get another tee shirt, I liked the campaign so far,” said Jolyn Lorenzetti, a junior at the AU.

Flannery said the campaign has received mixed reviews from students so far; most of the negative feedback came from undergrads.

“ I think the problem is it is going to take some getting used to, that is why we are trying to focus on the know wonk aspect,” said Flannery.

Some students dislike the campaign so much they started an anti-Wonk facebook group.

“I think it reflects poorly on the student body because I never considered wonky a positive term,” said Michaela Rempp, a senior at AU. “ I wish they would have come up with a slogan that was more positive and had a better connotation, just look at the dictionary.com definition its negative they should have looked into

that, it’s the first thing that pops up when you Google it.”

American University Junior Eric Wilkens said, “I think the Wonk campaign is a poor representation of American University. While DC insiders might know what the term means, some people outside the area are confused by it my parents and family made faces when they first heard it, and they questioned where the tuition money was really going. It cost AU tons of money to come up with wonk?”

Transfer student Michael Worley said he was surprised by his peer’s negative outlook on Wonk.

“I thought that the campaign was helping create the right kind of image that AU needs to create to stay competitive and rise in its national stature,” said Worley.

Flannery said from surveys freshman and graduate students are taking to the campaign in a much more positive light.

“I am pretty indifferent about the whole thing, it definitely wouldn’t stop me from going to the school,” said Dana Hogan, a perspective student.

According to Flannery AU’s Kogod School of Business incorporated Wonk into their building and has feedback that is more positive while the School of Communication has been less accepting of the campaign.

Flannery said the campaign is an effort to brand the university and is more than just basic advertising. The marketing team at AU started working on ideas for an ad campaign two years ago. They tested two different campaign ideas with focus groups consisting of 12 key audiences made up of current students, Faculty and staff, alumni, parents of students, presidents and deans of other universities, peers from other schools, business leaders, community leaders, government officials, and prospective students both graduate and undergraduate. According Flannery, Wonk was favored 21 to three.

The market researchers said the focus groups said that the other ideas were nice but too generic and didn’t set the school apart like Wonk.

“We needed something short and catchy, something that could convey that that students are learning from leaders, the professors are well connected, and Washington is a great resource with a good hook that would interest people,” said Flannery.

The Wonk campaign is the first branding effort AU has done but according to Flannery if it is successful, there could be more to come.

Other university branding efforts have had mixed results from their campaigns. Drake University launched its ‘D+’ campaign, which did not sit well with students and alumni. The school changed the campaign slogan to ‘Your Passion + Our Experience’. The University of Louisville unveiled its ‘Dare to be Great’ campaign in 2000; the university said it had a positive effect on alumni donations. Louisville launched a second branding campaign in 2008 using the tagline ‘It’s Happening Here’.

Flannery said American University’s student government ran something similar to Wonk called the bee campaign where students could ‘bee’ whatever their hobby was. The difference between the campaigns is Wonk is taking it to new levels on a broader level not just on campus.

Nate Beeler, Alum of American university who graduated in 2002, thought up the concept for Wonk campaign. The marketers asked Beeler to draw up eight different prototypes for the campaign. The inspiration cane from his first draft which features a cartoonish depiction of the Washington monument and the capital building with a telephone wire at the top of the page with men that look like eagles saying wonk.

The original idea developed into trendy looking ads that feature different types of wonks dressed in stereotypical attire for their specialty.

“I’m not a fan of the ads,” said Rempp. So far, the advertising has been mostly print and electronic media in the Middle Atlantic regions but they plan to expand the outreach.

Flannery said twice a week an ad will be featured on NPR around the country and they are working on a television ad that will be played during basketball games.

The marketers are working to gain research to see how well the campaign is working, so far the only data they were able to gather is through website traffic which according to Flannery is up.

The campaign is not permanent. The university’s marketers said Wonk will last the next five years to try and convey their message before they move on to a new campaign. When those five years are up, they plan to bring back the same focus

groups and survey how the ads have changed their views. Only time will tell whether AU’s pricey first effort at branding has any impact on the school.

Tailgating: A Foundation of School Spirit?

Student government is currently working on implementing and organizing tailgating events prior to basketball games in an effort to improve American University’s athletic awareness and school spirit. The student government’s current tailgating plan involves alcohol and would only be open to those 21 years old and older.

Despite AU’s athletic success, by no means is it a “sports school” as the Athletics Department has tirelessly thought of ways in which it can attract more students to sporting events. Howard Smith and Andrew Cheesebro, the Assistant Directors of Athletics Communications, have thought of several ways that they can advertise the athletics events. From Facebook pages to email announcements to raffles and free food at the events, they seemed to have done everything to try to catch the attention of the American University students.

The Blue Crew was formed in 2006 and is the largest student group on campus, with over 3,000 members. Members are given a free royal blue t-shirt and a Blue Crew card, containing several perks including discounted prices at Booeymonger of Friendship Heights, Domino’s Pizza of Tenleytown, Robek’s Fruit Smoothies of Tenleytown, Supercuts of Tenleytown and Z-Burger of Tenley Circle. There are even several Blue Crew sporting events that offer free food to those who attend.

Tailgating is the process in which those attending a particular event come together prior to the event as a community. Typically, tailgating involves some sort of cookout, drinks and games. Ultimately, tailgating is an entertaining event, with the purpose of promoting spirit or excitement prior to an event.

Student government is working on this proposal with the Internal Fraternal Council, Greek Life, Spirit Initiatives, Alumni Initiatives and Athletics. The location is undetermined but Student Government President Nate Bronstein has the ideas of the top of the Bender garage and the Kettler-Palmer Lounge. However, Bronstein signified that as this process comes closer and closer to its finality, he envisions more organizations and groups to be involved.

The issue of alcohol in of itself is an essential item student government will need to address. American University is a dry campus, but not completely one. More specifically, AU is a dry residence hall campus. With the university alcohol policy revised in 2000, beer and wine may be served at campus events with the proper approval. American University holds a strict alcohol policy, as any distribution of alcohol must be accompanied with a university form of alcohol approval.

The Director of Residence Life Rick Treter said that although seemingly strict, the university alcohol policy is not out of the ordinary.

“AU’s alcohol issues are pretty much on average with other schools in the area,” he said.

American University’s tailgating policies are clearly laid out on the university’s athletic website. Policies are currently outlined for lacrosse, field hockey and men’s and women’s soccer. These policies indicate the designated area for each event as well as the time allotted for the tailgates. The rules indicate that there are absolutely no indoor tailgating opportunities available. However, there are currently no policies and procedures concerning tailgating for sports that play indoors. In addition, the current policies prohibit alcoholic beverages at any university athletic event. In order for basketball tailgates to be enacted, clear policies and rules would ultimately have to be created.

Alcohol is a delicate issue and Bronstein is well aware as he tries to finalize this idea. Furthermore, as indicated in the student handbook, advertising that highlights the availability of alcohol is prohibited.

“Yes, you will have to be over 21 to participate in the tailgating but our goal is to not make alcohol the central issue,” Bronstein said. “Our goal is to make it a fun event and perhaps a right of passage for those of age.”

Ultimately, Bronstein envisions this activity to simply be another way to promote school spirit. He sees it as a way for the students of age to come together, ready to cheer on their fellow students. Activities would potentially include food, drinks and games. Bronstein even suggested the possibility of having body-painting stations, in an effort to maximize his support for the athletic teams. Bronstein has also said the tailgating will begin with basketball games, both men and women games, as he monitors the success.

Andrew Bashuk, the Assistant Director of Marketing, has served a helping hand to Bronstein and AUSG in trying to make this possible, but acknowledged that the process is still in a work of progress.

“We are always open to helping promote our athletic events but we must do so within the confines of the university,” Bashuk said.

Jonathan Gaynes, a member of AU Greek Life thinks that tailgating has the potential to do great things for the university athletics.

“I was watching the Wisconsin basketball game last night and the fans were going crazy,” Gaynes said. “Tailgating is something that could really create a real college atmosphere.”

Although the tailgating event would only be open to those who are 21 years and up, Gaynes still believes that tailgating will extremely boost student attendance at athletic events. Despite the fact that not everyone would be admitted to the tailgating events, Gaynes asserted that the younger kids tend to follow the upperclassmen and will attend games as well.

Other students disapprove of such an event only open to a small fraction of the student body.

“If AU is trying to get more people to come out to games, what good is it to have an event that’s not open to everyone?” a student asked.

Other students think that the use of alcohol in the tailgate will negatively impact athletics.

“Students have fake IDs are smart enough to work around it,” another student said. “Too many kids will show up drunk to games and it will eventually blow up in student government’s face.”

Several students, when asked what would incline them to go to more sporting events, expressed that they were unaware of the school’s athletic events.

“I honestly don't even know when events are happening, where they are and the prices,” one student said.

Other students said free food would definitely drive them to attend more games.

American University athletics has seemingly done everything to try to attract the student body to games. Everything promotion has brought some attention to AU athletic events but perhaps something like tailgating, in conjunction with all of these other promotions, is the next step that will bring fan attendance and awareness of athletic events over the top.

AU's Smoking Policy

By Allie Meyer

American University’s first step towards a new smoking policy shows just how long and complicated the process will be to achieve the goal of having a smoke-free campus.
The first step is a revision of the current policy which would ban students from smoking within 25 feet of all buildings on campus; however the policy is already confusing and contradictory so it is likely to be a long road towards new rules.
Currently, smoking on University grounds and outside campus buildings is permitted, according to the Student Handbook. However, there are some contradictions to this policy. New signs have been put up outside the Mary Graydon Center which prohibits smoking within 25 feet of the building. These signs are not enforced and since the Student Handbook does not mention them they are largely ignored.



“It’s hilarious that there were these smoke-free area signs, no one seemed to know anything about them and where they came from and there was no enforcement. I can’t really blame smokers for not yielding them,” said Noah Jacobs, a graduate student in the School of Communication.
Jacobs produced a film about the smoking issues and policy at AU and is in favor of stricter policies.
Director of Sustainability, Chris O’Brien, started drafting a new revised policy last year which would include a policy in the Student Handbook to enforce the smoke free area around campus buildings.
Chief Michael McNair of Public Safety said he does not see the need for a revised policy.
“If [Noah] Jacobs thinks there’s a problem and O’Brien thinks there’s a problem and they’re willing to fix it, that’s fine, but I don’t see it,” he said. “The [current] policy makes good sense for us and as far as I can see its working pretty well for us, I don’t see evidence of this big problem.”



Jacobs’ film features groups of ten or more students on campus smoking in front of MGC and the library. McNair said he has not seen situations like this firsthand and believes Jacobs exaggerated the issue.
The revised policy is still working its way through the administration. There are a lot of bureaucratic hoops within the administration that have to be jumped through, said Jacobs.
The President’s Council, made up of students, faculty and staff, is scheduled to discuss the proposed policy in January. After that meeting the next step for the proposal is currently unknown, according to O’Brien.
The proposal has two phases, according to O’Brien. Phase 1 creates a 25 foot smoke free area around all the buildings on campus. Phase 2 is a plan to make AU a smoke-free campus in three years.
O’Brien said the three year period allows a time for transition which should make it easier on everyone. He is hoping that a smoke-free campus will discourage people from smoking. The transition period will also give ample time to create smoking cessation groups for people who want to quit smoking, said O’Brien.
The enforcement for the policy will be similar to what is currently written in the Student Code of Conduct, according to O’Brien. He does not think there should be a fine for violations.



Jacobs believes otherwise.
“Look there’s going to be a fifty dollar fine or whatever kind of fine, I think there will be a period where you have a couple tickets written but I have faith in the American community to communicate the policy,” he said.
McNair disagrees with the fines and does not think they are needed. He thinks it would create animosity amongst people for no reason.
“We have to stop putting things that a person can smoke at right there near the building…the easiest thing is to move the smoking pole,” McNair said.
“Some of those are easy fixes, I don’t think they require policy changes, just a little common sense of where we put the smoking pole,” he said.
Jordana Condon, a sophomore in CAS, believes the new policy and plans to make campus smoke-free will receive a great deal of opposition from students.
“They should enforce the boundaries but the boundaries should not include the entire campus, a person smoking a cigarette while walking to class is not really polluting the whole campus,” she said.
She believes there should be a balance met for smokers and non-smokers. Foreign students who are used to a culture where smoking is very acceptable will have a difficult time adjusting to a place where smoking is not allowed, she said.
She feels the university is trying to take away a main stress reliever for many students.




“What else do you expect me to do to relieve the stress you put upon me, you cannot infringe on my right to smoke outdoors when there could be a solution that is acceptable to both sides of the discussion,” Condon said.
It is going to be a culture change, said O’Brien. He understands that this issue will affect many people but said that no one has outwardly said they oppose the idea of a smoke-free campus.
“We are having the conversations and making sure everyone is heard. I have gone through fifteen drafts of the policy already and sent it through for feedback from representative groups on campus” he said.
Several other colleges in America have been moving towards stricter smoking policies.
Montgomery College recently enforced a no smoking on campus policy. It is a small campus so people have just been walking to the edges to smoke. However, they throw their cigarette butts in the neighbor’s yards which are creating problems with the neighborhood, according to McNair.
Carlson University discussed a campus wide ban last year and by August 1st of this year the entire school is smoke free, according to Jacobs.
Jacobs is in favor of more rights for non-smokers and a faster change in the policy.
“I think there is a basic civility issue, smokers need to be more aware that they need to do it in a place where it’s not affecting non-smokers right to breathe clean air,” Jacobs said.


“There’s a universal Wonk campaign but there’s not a universal smoking campaign, I think that’s the problem.”
The question of smoking on campus has been under debate since at least 1936, according to Eagle archives, perhaps this new policy will finally make a decision one way or the other.

Green Eagles Land in Residence Halls

American University is adding something a little more trendy to its red, white, and blue: green.
At the beginning of the semester, AU joined 55 other colleges and universities in the United States in establishing a peer-to-peer sustainability outreach program that puts student experts on environmental issues in charge of promoting sustainability within residence halls, according to the web site for Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
“Many universities are adopting what is commonly known as an ‘Eco-Rep’ program,” said Emily Curley, Sustainability Coordinator at American University, “and we're glad to finally have one here at AU too. It will help us to reach a lot more students and hopefully create a culture of sustainability within the [residence] halls as well as begin to create a whole generation of eco-savvy citizens.”
The Green Eagles EcoRep Program, launched by the Office of Sustainability, employs 13 students part time, each assigned as a representative to the residence hall where he or she lives. Most halls have one representative, but larger halls Letts and Anderson have two.
The Green Eagles attend weekly meetings, in which they learn about living sustainably, AU’s energy policies, and what it takes to get students excited about sustainability.
The meetings have also been a means for the Green Eagles to learn about adjusting their lifestyles so that they can set an example for others. This includes altering current habits to more environmentally friendly practices like taking shorter showers and buying local foods.
Representatives also complete weekly assignments designed to educate students about sustainable practices, such as recycling and unplugging appliances when they are not being used, and encourage participation in sustainability efforts from students living in residence halls. Past assignments have included distributing a sustainability literacy test to residents via email, room-to-room comparisons of how much energy individual appliances use, and “energy patrolling”, which involved thanking people that representatives saw conserving energy.
“The Green Eagles allow us to have reach into the [residence] halls and among resident students by training and deploying the Green Eagles as student leaders,” said Curley, “Education is a big part of our job in order that our entire AU community can become more sustainable.”
Lindsey Breeding, a junior in the School of International Service, is the Green Eagle for Hughes Hall. Part of being a Green Eagle is setting an example for other students, Breeding told The Eagle earlier this semester.
“It’s like a peer-to-peer thing,” Breeding said. “It’s not like an authority figure telling students what to do. It’s someone on their level.”
While the Green Eagles often operate within their respective residence halls, in October, they completed their first major campus-wide project, an audit of over 1,000 pounds of garbage from all of the university’s residence halls. The purpose of the audit was to “determine the types and volume of waste being thrown away each day to better direct waste-reduction and diversion practices,” according to the Green Eagles web page.
During the four-hour process, the Green Eagles, along with 25 volunteers, found that about 23% of the waste was trash, while much of the rest of it could be reused or recycled. According to program lectures, the results will be studied and used to help AU achieve its goal of zero waste.
“In order to achieve [zero waste], we need to understand where [the waste] comes from and who produces it,” said Chris O’Brien, Director of Sustainability at AU.
The Green Eagles’ most recent project was American University’s participation in Campus Conservation Nationals, a three-week nationwide competition running from Nov. 1 to Nov. 19, in which 40 universities competed to see which could reduce electricity and water use the most, according to the Campus Conservation Nationals web site. This is the first time that the AU participated in the contest.
During the competition, screens in the lobby of each building detailed how much energy the building consumes. The Office of Sustainability’s web page showed American’s rankings in the competition live and how many kilowatt-hours each building has saved during the contest. The Green Eagles collected 710 pledges, 17% of the resident student population, to commit to energy-saving practices, such as turning off lights and unplugging appliances. American University finished seventh in the competition, with Roper Hall finishing first among the buildings on campus.
“While I think it is great that there is a program on campus that is encouraging sustainable environmental behavior, I wonder how effective these efforts are,” said Emily Werner, Leonard Hall resident, “If people really want to make a change on campus and advocate for a ‘green’ campus lifestyle, the Green Eagles need to be seen more instead of just heard. Throw a few demonstrations on campus, maybe a few events to show students that being "green" means taking action, not just having others tell you to do so.”
The Green Eagles program developed as a result of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which was signed by American University President Neil Kerwin in 2008. By signing the ACUPCC, Kerwin joined other university presidents in a pledge to work to achieve carbon neutrality, which means that the university would have no green house gas emissions.
The ACUPCC is a project of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. AASHE provides colleges and universities with ranking tools, resources, and other support needed for their sustainability efforts. According to the AASHE web site, the ACUPCC currently has over 600 signatories.
Tufts University developed the first Eco Rep program in 2000. “We wanted to design a program that gave students the opportunity to learn more environmental issues and at the same time actively involve them in greening their dorms,” stated one summary of the program. Most Eco Rep programs, including American University’s, are based on the Tufts program.
Studies of current Eco Rep programs have shown that successful programs implement effective training for student representatives and provide opportunities for collaboration between students and faculty, according to University of Vermont Student Christina Erickson’s dissertation “Peer to Peer Sustainability Outreach Programs: The Interface of Education and Behavior Change”.
During the spring semester, the Green Eagles will promote Recyclemania, a 10-week national contest in which participating schools compete for the highest recycling rate. Last year, AU placed third out of 600 schools participating in the competition, according to O’Brien.
“We now have one or two people in each hall whose job is to recruit participation,” O’Brien said, adding that he would like to see AU place first this year.

Phi Sig Tau Philosophical Society

If you’re interested in thinking deeper about your favorite television shows and movies and discussing literature and history in a philosophical context, then the Phi Sig Tau Philosophical Society might be for you.

The club is a chapter of Phi Sig Tau, a Philosophical honors society for college students, which was founded at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania in 1955 and currently has 228 active chapters.

“The purpose [of the club] is to allow students that meet a high standard to have a venue to meet and engage with one another in a philosophical manner,” head of the American University chapter and senior Robert Masiello said. That standard is currently a GPA of at least 3.7, “though it’s soon to be changed to 3.5,” Masiello added, plus having taken at least three courses in Philosophy. “However, we encourage all students to come to our ‘Tea Talks’”.

Tea Talks are meetings hosted by Masiello on a weekly or bi-weekly basis where students can eat cookies, drink tea and discuss any aspect of philosophy.

Phi Sig Tau has actually been on campus for three years now, first started by professor of Philosophy and Religion Andrea Tschemplik. Interest in the organization did not begin to generate on campus, however, until the Fall 2010 semester when Masiello decided to take action and host his “Tea Talks”.

“We’ve held open meetings and discussions in the past,”Tschemplik said, “but it wasn’t until this semester when Robert took control that the club really started to take off. It’d be nice if we could get more students to come, but the club is heading in the right direction.”

During meetings those in attendance plan future activities and can discuss and debate any philosophical issue. “Right now attendance at club events is about 20 to 30 people, about five or six of whom are Phi Sig Tau students,” Masiello said, “It would be great to get more attendance from students and faculty, so we’re thinking of ways to get more people interested.” He added that if the club continued to grow it would be very meaningful to him.

Those who do come to meetings seem to be the diehards, students who love philosophy and relish the opportunity to engage with other students in a philosophical manner.

Junior Ben Matek, one of the regular attendees said, “This club is a great opportunity to continue talking about philosophy outside of class. I think everyone thinks in a philosophical way, and having a place to open up and hear other people’s ideas is healthy I think. That’s why I love philosophy.”

Another member, Alex Beaton said, “The fact that there are no real answers appeals to me. It’s about theory. It’s about never settling for one system or method or model. It’s about constantly challenging what you believe.”

The plan for Phi Sig Tau’s future is to continue to bridge the gap between it and the student community. “Though Phi Sig Tau is more exclusive, the coffee hours I’ve been organizing are for everyone, whether they’re studying philosophy or economics,” said Masiello, “the goal is to have the most students interacting with each other as possible.”

So far the group has met five times this semester. At the first meeting they talked about their favorite philosophers. “I have a few favorites,” Matek said, “Nietzsche, for his wit and amazing writing, and Aristotle and Kant are two of my other favorites, probably of the top five smartest men who ever lived.”

Masiello’s favorite is Socrates. “He was the first, he was the model and no one has really done it quite as right as he did…if that sentence is not a complete contradiction.”

Discussions within the club are not limited to philosophers of old, however. They discuss current issues as well, from ethical issues pertaining to world events to the meaning behind television shows such as “Lost” and movies like The Matrix or Fight Club.

Phi Sig Tau held its last meeting of the semester on December 1^st. It was hosted by School of International Service Professor Max Friedman, who gave a short lecture relating foreign policy to philosophy, and self-determinism on a global scale. Professor Friedman talked about modern foreign policy, and how it “is suffused by the language of the Enlightenment.” Scholars and policy makers argue over ideals of freedom, human rights, self-determination, sovereignty, and other abstract principles, while other important considerations, such as economic interests or geopolitical power, “seem to lurk beneath the surface”.

“The danger of rhetoric in political language,” Friedman continued, “is that it leads to a cycle of disillusionment when Americans do not follow through.”

“When historians look at the field of foreign relations we looks for the reasons why people made the decisions they made…they may not be philosophers, but they philosophize, and come to conclusions based on their philosophy. The faith installed in American culture,” Friedman continued, “that everything we do is right is certainly a part of [the problem]. It makes it hard for us to hear criticism about our country and it becomes easier to label those who criticize us as ignorant, as fascists.”

Professor Friedman posed questions to the group of ten or so people sitting around him throughout the discussion. Is it right for us to try to improve conditions in foreign countries when we have our own issues to face here? What’s the right thing to do when, after facilitating and promoting democracy, a leader is elected in another nation who we Americans don’t like? Club members responded and engaged in the discussion. “I think the problem lies in American egoism,” said Philosophy major Danielle Raso, “At some point we’re going to have to realize that our way isn’t the only way. If we want to facilitate self-determinism in other nations we need to take a step back.”

The discussion lasted about an hour, and Friedman thanked the small group of attendees for their time. And, as always, cookies and tea were served to all who came.

In addition to hosting meetings, Phi Sig Tau runs a philosophy paper competition every year. “We collect papers from students from any school and an editorial board reads and picks the best paper to be submitted to the Deans office to be added to the website.” The editorial board is made up of five to ten students who are selected based on interest and GPA.

The club currently receives its money from student activities, about $100 a semester, and is occasionally given extra funds from the philosophy department for specific events. Masiello and Tschemplik both said they would like to increase the budget in the future so they could hold more events, bring in speakers and have more food at the meetings. “Whatever attracts more people,” Masiello said.

“When I first brought Phi Sig Tau to campus three years ago,” Tschemplik said, “It was just an honorary title for students, and we still held the paper competition, but Robert’s work this semester to extend the philosophical discussion to the rest of the student population is inspiring. The more people who attend the better.”

Masiello is graduating next semester and is hoping someone will continue to lead the club when he is gone. “There is an advantage in this discipline that comes when you discuss the material frequently with your peers,” he said, “class time really doesn’t do enough. If we can spark a few conversations and help facilitate some meaningful relationships, and continue to do it every semester, we will have done a good job.”

(Masiello, right, Professor Max Friedman, center, and students continue discussion after the Tea Talk on December 1st)

American University gym hours extended for busy students

With the busyness of the holiday season and the stress of final exams, students need extra time for exercise and relaxation. Fortunately, American University is mindful of students’ wellness and has extended hours at the fitness center. Starting in November, the Jacobs Fitness Center remains open until 12:00 a.m. on weekdays, 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. The new schedule gives busy students an additional two hours of gym access.

American University Junior and student athlete Katherine VanLent, says the extended gym hours are perfect for her busy schedule. “I love the new hours,” said VanLent. “First of all, my club volleyball team was given extra court time to practice. I also like to exercise at night rather than in the morning, so the extra hours give me time to go to the gym after classes instead.”

College students spend much time in sedentary pursuits – seated in lecture halls, studying at the library or typing in front of their laptops. With over fifty hours spent burning mental energy doing schoolwork, students have trouble finding the time to burn physical energy through exercise.

According to research done at the University of Oklahoma, most college students will gain about one pound during the holiday season. Holly Hull, the lead researcher of the study, said that Thanksgiving is the beginning of high-risk time for overweight individuals, who tend to gain more weight than their healthy-weight classmates. The reason for holiday season weight-gain is mainly due to overeating and a decrease in physical activity.

Furthermore, The President’s Council of Physical Fitness reported that 43 percent of Americans identify lack of time as their number one reason for not exercising. The extended hours at the fitness center will give students more time to exercise and avoid gaining extra weight during the busiest time of the year.

Assistant Manager of the Jacobs Fitness Center Laura Aristovulos said that the extra hours are helpful for busy students during final exams:

Currently and in past years, neighboring universities like Georgetown and George Washington have kept their gyms open late. Georgetown University’s Yates Field House is open until midnight, Monday through Thursday and until 10:00 p.m. on the weekends. George Washington University’s Lerner Health and Wellness Center is open until 11:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and 11:30 p.m. on Sunday.

“I don’t know how I would have found time to exercise if Georgetown’s facilities didn’t stay open late,” said 2009 Georgetown University graduate Nadia Christian. “I did homework all day and worked out at night. There were times I was at the gym until closing.”

According to an article in Time Magazine, Americans spend approximately $19 billion on gym memberships a year. AU students, however, will not pay extra costs for the additional hours. Compared to some pricey public gym facilities, Jacobs Fitness Center is an easily accessible and free way that students can exercise.

American University Junior David Park lives off campus but he said he still prefers Jacobs Fitness Center to his apartment gym. “The extended gym hours make it much easier for upperclassmen that have classes until 10:40 p.m. With the gym closing early it was difficult to go,” said Park. “I also prefer Jacobs over my apartment gym because it has more bench presses and other equipment.”

Some students living off-campus however, will not utilize the extra night hours at Jacobs. “I definitely could have benefitted from the late hours when I lived in the dorms, but now that I live off-campus, I only use Jacobs in the morning before class,” said American University Senior Perri Eppie. Eppie said that she uses a public gym if she wants to exercise in the evening.

Through the years, the AU community has promoted regular exercise and active living by hosting special fitness events for students. This year, Recreational Sports and Fitness hosted the 3rd Annual Turkey Trot on November 13, and will host a seven-day ski and snowboarding trip to Quebec City during winter break. These events promote active lifestyles within the American University community by bringing students together to exercise in fun and creative ways. Jacobs Fitness Center will continue to offer group exercise classes including pilates, kickboxing, zumba, bootcamp, hip hop, bellydancing, spinning and yoga.

“I like going to kickboxing classes at Jacobs,” said an American University Criminal Justice Major, Emily Heltzel. “It helps me relive stress and keeps me active when I have a lot of other things going on.”

In addition to extended gym hours, AU’s Wellness Center offers body image reflection and freedom from smoking programs, which also promote balanced and healthy living.

The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that people get at least sixty minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity most days of the week. Balancing physical activity with healthy diet and rest is essential to living a healthy life. Over-exercise can strain your joints and weaken your muscles which increases risk of injury. Most fitness experts and trainers recommend a day off after a hard work out to give muscles time to rest and repair themselves. A workout plan paired with healthy eating and sleep can prevent any unwanted weight gain.

Easy ways to add extra activity to your everyday routine:
* Bike or walk to class, to the grocery store or to the metro stop.
* If you drive to campus, park farther away for a longer walk.
* Try stretching, marching in place or taking short walks during study breaks.
* Take the stairs.
* Utilize the quad for group sports.

Looking ahead to the 2011 spring semester, AU students will now have more gym time to fulfill New Year’s resolutions to leading healthy lives. Later hours will likely lead to less crowding at the gym, and well, shorter lines at the elliptical machines.

Changes to AU's Sexual Harassment Policies

By JULIA RYAN and STEFANIE DAZIO

AU administrators and student leaders are working to combine three separate sexual harassment policies by the end of this school year.
There are separate policies for faculty, staff and students. They were last updated in 1999.
The three policies define sexual harassment detail the complaint procedures for victims. They also address retaliation and false or frivolous charges.
“When you have three sets of procedure that are different, it gets kind of confusing,” said Beth Muha, executive director of human resources.
Muha, Dean of Students Rob Hradsky and Phyllis Peres, the dean of academic affairs, are the co-directors of the Sexual Harassment Prevention Team.
Once the proposal is completed, Hradsky will submit the proposal to President Neil Kerwin for review and final approval.
The perpetrator’s status determines which of these administrators deal with the complaint. If the perpetrator is a faculty member, Peres handles it. If it is a student, Hradsky works on it. If the harasser is a staff member, Muha takes care of the complaint.
Dealing with sexual harassment is just one part of these administrators’ duties.
Muha and Hradsky said there aren’t very many cases of sexual harassment at AU.
But there may be subtleties the victim may not label as harassment, Hradsky said.
A big part of it depends on what the victim considers “unwelcome behavior,” he said.
Meetings to officially discuss the changes are scheduled to begin in December.
History
Sexual harassment is also considered sex discrimination, according to the policies. Sex discrimination is the subject of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program that receives federal funding.
AU has seen several sexual harassment cases in the past, but Muha and Hradsky declined to comment on specific cases, citing confidentiality.
In 1980, a student indentified only as “John” filed a sexual harassment claim against a female professor, according to The Eagle’s archives.
“John” took an independent study course under the professor’s supervision, and he was in one of their weekly meetings when the professor made unwelcome physical and sexual advances towards him.
She told him he could earn an A in the class very easily, but he told her he would rather earn an A through his studies. The professor gave “John” a D in the course, which he felt was unfair and he filed a lawsuit against her under Title IX.
In 1989, Provost Milton Greenberg formed the Sexual Harassment Advisory Committee to address sexual harassment on campus, also according to The Eagle’s archives.
Stacy Morgan-Foster, the co-chair of the committee and the director of student services, said the committee was formed because “statistically we knew there were more (sexual harassment) cases out there than were coming forward.”
A Student’s Experiences
AU junior Sarah Parnass said she has been sexually harassed multiple times in her hometown of Bow, N.H. While working at the local movie theater, her manager “Ross” made a number of inappropriate comments towards her. On one occasion, he said, “If [the General Manager Keith] saw you in those shorts, he’d make that the uniform.”
Parnass said she later found out three other girls had been harassed by “Ross.” The four girls talked to the General Manager and filed formal complaints against “Ross.” He was suspended for three weeks, and when he returned the girls still found it hard to work with him, Parnass said.
AU’s Complaint Process
There are two types of complaints: formal and informal.
Informal complaints generally involve the victim confronting the perpetrator, without any formal action taken.
Victims have one year to file a formal complaint against their harasser. The appropriate department will then launch an investigation, where they will interview other people and review records like e-mails, text messages and Facebook posts.
Victims should not engage in any form of retaliation, Hradsky said.
False and frivolous charges could result in charges being filed against the individual, he added.
Student Employees
Muha said a large part of sexual harassment among staff members involves the abuse of authority, usually in the form of a hostile working environment or a quid quo pro arrangement.
AU student employees, however, fall under both Muha and Hradsky’s jurisdiction.
Hradsky said the nature of the student’s role will be closely looked at, and further procedure will be determined on a more case-by-case basis.
Women’s Initiative
Women’s Initiative Director Quinn Pregliasco said her group has been working with the administration to change this policy for quite some time.
Pregliasco said the past three directors of Women’s Initiative have been working with Dean of Students Robert Hradsky to suggest changes to the harassment policy.
Her co-director, Victoria Bosselman, is working with Hradsky on the Sexual Harassment Prevention Team.
Women’s Initiative’s Director of Stopping Sexual Assault and Violence Against Women Laura Kiefer is a member of the Sexual Assault Working Group Education subcommittee.
While she has not worked with the Sexual Harassment Prevention Team, the Working Group has already made a few changes to the policy, such as if someone wants to report harassment, they can solely report it to Public Safety, and not to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Kiefer believes changes to the policy are “a long time coming.”
New advances in social media and closer connections between students and teachers have brought just as many problems as they have brought advantages, she said.
“We can be friends with our professors on Facebook ¬– we can be friends with our bosses or other people in authoritative position, and that can/has been dangerous for both parties, she said. “The administration needs to know how to deal with this new idea of cyber-stalking/harassment.”
She also said students, faculty and staff have to be aware of the possibility of street harassment.
“Street harassment is a growing problem that has some people resorting to driving to campus from the [Berkshire Apartments] or the Avalon if they are going to be on campus late at night, she said. “This is so they can avoid unwanted attention from drivers on Massachusetts Avenue or other pedestrians, especially if the sidewalks are not lit.”