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The News Source for Webster University Legalize It! Vol. 63 Issue 2 Kim McGrath OSA Coordinator 470 East Lockwood Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63119 www.webujournal.com Sverdrup 247 U, was just signed by Water Street Man- agement, the same talent management co that represents Ali Larter and Joshua Jackson here in LA. I would love to see a piece run on him in a St. Louis paper or network. Grant Gelner, a former student and all star athlete at John Burroughs and Wash The Rod Wells Sarita de Silva
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The giant leap from high school to college can strike fear into the heart of any freshman. Webster Uni-versity’s New Student Ori-entation 2009 served to calm that fear and
answer lingering questions of stu-dents and parents. For four days, orientation ex-plained several aspects of univer-sity life in different ways — some more effectively than others. “The Saturday Night Live”-themed orientation gave students many chances to shine in the spot-light. However, not all of the fresh-men were exactly cheery. During the getting to know you games, some students within their orien-tation groups decided to sit on the sidelines, while others didn’t both-er to attend at all. Meeting new people at a new school is challeng-ing, but many freshmen did not take on that challenge. So, where were all the fun freshies? They were having a good time learning about the other class of 2013 students. For those students who did show up with a smile, congratulations. You prob-ably made a new group of friends. One topic, the study abroad program, was pushed upon stu-dents too much prior to the study abroad session, making it old news. Study abroad is obviously a thriv-ing program, and in some cases, the sole reason students attend WU. The fact it can open eyes to new cultures is wonderful, but students needed to hear something different. The student panel during the study abroad session, however, was surprisingly enlightening.
Each of the four students shared personal experiences, telling the audience how traveling can change a person’s life. Thanks for the breath of fresh air. The weekend also served as a security blanket for parents. Many of the sessions contained infor-mation students already knew. It seemed like a lot of the sessions acted to ease the parents, and it became evident when they asked questions. The worried moms and dads could also attend parent ses-sions about “letting go.” The ses-sions allowed parents to feel more secure about their child’s college choice and helped them cope with their son or daughter leaving the nest to grow into adulthood. Once the parents departed, the fun really kicked off with a trivia night awarding winners with prizes from local businesses. The last day was dedicated to a St. Louis excursion held at Dave and Buster’s. The out-of-town students familiarized them-selves with the area as well as each other. For St. Louisians and commuter students, it was an opportunity for more interaction, if they were will-ing to pay the $65 fee. The orientation lead-ers (OLs) and coordinators, juniors Nick Dunne and Quin Merriweather, were extremely welcoming to the new students because they too were once wor-ried, wide-eyed freshmen. Although many of the dis-cussions were laid back, the OLs performed in the Cam-pus Life skit showing how to handle various college crises. At times hilarious, at others serious, the OLs gave a fair portrayal of what to expect, as well as what to
do and not to do. From the STD dance to showing diversity in the classroom, they covered it all. Dunne and Merriweather acted like peppy cheerleaders, mimick-ing the “SNL” 1990s Spartan skit with Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri. Thumbs way, way up for the cute and clever dramedy. Thumbs down, though, for the department and college’s ses-sion. The session only lasted one short hour, after students had to sit through two hours of pointless residential and commuter session bore. Students aren’t attending WU to learn when and where to park their car, or how to approach their RAs with an issue — that’s common sense. They’re coming to Webster to learn about their field of study and find what they are deeply passionate about. It was disappointing to have such little time to meet and greet professors and inquire about school clubs.
The free orientation lanyards did say “Get involved.” Overall, Orientation 2009 was whatever the student made of it. Those who were active and en-ergetic learned more about the university and themselves, while those who didn’t missed out. The sessions sometimes put students into a REM stage of sleep, but they weren’t dozing off for too long. The high-energy OLs woke them up. The greatest effect of orienta-tion is that new students could walk around the Quad, eat free Ted Drewes and say hello to ac-quaintances and not feel alone on their first day of college.
Brittany Ruess, a freshman journalism major, is a guest
commentator for The Journal.
Contact the writer:[email protected]
Pan Am Flight 103 dis-integrated above Lockerbie, Scotland on Dec. 21, 1988. The cause of the crash was a 20-inch hole in the left side of the fuselage, blown open by an improvised explosive device stashed in the cargo hold. All aboard, including 243 passengers and 16 crew-members, died in the crash. In Lockerbie, 11 people died from the flaming wreckage cascading from above. Webster University students Patricia Coyle and Karen Noonan were aboard Flight 103, returning from a semester abroad in Vienna. Most of those aboard were not granted a merciful, sud-den death. It is estimated that 147 people survived the ini-tial explosion, remaining ful-ly cognizant of their impend-ing demise as the crippled plane hurdled earthward. Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer and head of security for Libyan Arab Airlines, was convicted in 2001 of planting the bomb that destroyed Flight 103. Magrahi was sentenced to life imprisonment. After serving eight and a half years of his life sentence, Megrahi was freed by the Scottish gov-ernment on compassionate grounds on Aug. 20. Me-grahi suffers from terminal prostate cancer and is ex-pected to live only a few short weeks.
The question of Megrahi’s innocence remained unclear to some, but the law had found him guilty and has de-nied his numerous appeals. The Scottish government maintains Megrahi’s guilt de-spite his early release. Upon his arrival to his home country, Megrahi was greeted as a hero. He raised his arms in victory as the crowd showered him with flower petals. In his last remaining days he will say goodbye to his mother, his wife and his five children; a courtesy with-held from the victims of the bombing and their grieving families. His last breath will be of free air, not of burning jet fuel. The decision by Cabinet Secretary of Justice Kenny MacAskill granted compas-sion to a convicted murderer while denying it to the fami-lies of the bombing’s victims. MacAskill’s decision brings comfort to Megrahi’s family while stripping it from those he victimized. This decision deprives the victims of any sense of clo-sure or justice. Rather, it rips open the wounds inflicted by a hideous act of terrorism and renews a burning pain in the lives of those affected. True justice is hard to come by in a civilized world, but Megrahi’s quiet death in a Scottish prison would be the least the victims deserved.
The day has come and gone. Undoubtedly, students and faculty have already suf-fered (or flew through) their first day of classes at Webster University, either thrilled or disappointed by the busyness of their schedule. For returners, the campus appears the same. The long-awaited technology build-ing is still being planned, the pool is still a prominent part of the University Center and the elevator in Webster Hall still takes minutes to make its way up and down five floors. However, some of the in-ternal workers at WU have changed. President Eliza-bether Stroble started at WU on July 1, and her first day was chronicled by end-less Tweets of schedules and pictures. Stroble is already making efforts to build communica-
tion within the WU commu-nity by making herself seen on campus and presenting monthly chances for meet-ings with students and staff. In addition to the new president, WU also welcomes new staff member Rebecca Spear, the assistant director of employment services search committee, and new positions within the school, including the director of ceremonies, events and protocol and a digi-tal journalism coordinator. We are also looking forward to the announcement of the new vice president of enrollment man-agement and student affairs. A new year also introduces new classes, new adjunct pro-fessors, new students and a new staff of editors, writers and photographers to The Journal. We welcome you all and wish you a successful year in your endevours.
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www.webujournal.comSverdrup 247
THE JOURNALThe News Source
for Webster University
Vol. 63Issue 2
Letters and commentariesThe Journal welcomes letters to the editors and guest commentaries. Letters to the editor must be less than 200 words. Guest commentaries must be between 450 and 750 words, and guest writers must have their photograph taken to run with their commentaries. All letters to the editor and guest commentaries must be signed. The Journal will edit all submitted pieces for grammar, style and clarity. If there are any substantial revisions, the writer will be notified and allowed to do edit his or her own writing.
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EDITORIAL
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
4
BULLISH ELEPHANTS RAISE TOWN HELLLockerbie bomber’s release
a gross miscarriage of justice
Webster University welcomes students to a new year with changes
The JournalAugust 27-September 2, 2009
A freshman’s orientation ups and downs
BRITTANY RUESS
Legalize It! Missouri won’t legalize medical mari-juana until our State Senators allow the bill to be introduced. Organize a stu-dent chapter of NORML and embark on re-educating our opponents. SAFER is a campus movement advocating cannabis as a recreational alternative to alcohol; no overdoses, auto deaths or violence. What are the health benefits of wine?
Rod Wells
St. Louisan signed by top LA talent manager
Grant Gelner, a former student and all star athlete at John Burroughs and Wash
U, was just signed by Water Street Man-agement, the same talent management co that represents Ali Larter and Joshua Jackson here in LA. I would love to see a piece run on him in a St. Louis paper or network.
Sarita de Silva
Put the Office of Study Abroad on the map
Navigating Webster’s Main Campus using only page 7 of the August 20-26 is-sue of The Journal would leave a student without an important resource — the Office of Study Abroad (OSA). While providing a great map for stu-dents, page 7 of this week’s Journal omit-
ted the OSA’s location in the front foyer of Loretto Hall. Information on study abroad oppor-tunities in Geneva, Switzerland; Leiden, the Netherlands; London, England; Vien-na, Austria; Beijing, China; Guadalajara, Mexico; and Osaka, Japan. Students can find the OSA’s four offic-es (Room 163, 164, 165 and 166) located above the Registrar’s Office in the front foyer of Loretto Hall. The OSA is an important stopping point for students on their journey to individual excellence and global citizen-ship, so please remember to put the office on the map.
Kim McGrathOSA Coordinator
GUEST COMMENTARY
KHOLOOD EID / The JournalFreshman Caitlin Wade, a conservatory theater student, along with her mother Leslie Wade of Fable, Ga., are assisted by management and leadership graduate student Elizabeth Eisele (left) and sophomore Loren Douglass, an economics major, in the Sunnen Lounge during freshmen orientation Friday, Aug. 22.
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