If you were anywhere on campus during the past couple of weeks, you were bound to have noticed the strange occurrences that have been going on at Gettysburg College.

No, it wasn’t the Civil War ghost that haunts your dorm room switching off your lights; it was a power outage.

On Wednesday, Sept. 7, the campus was plunged into darkness.

The students in Breidenbaugh were evacuated, the library was closed, and many buildings were without power.

Dinner at Servo that night was served on disposable plates, while the generator kept the building running.

Later that evening, an email was sent out to the Gettysburg community, explaining what exactly had happened.

A transformer has failed near Breidenbaugh Hall, hence the evacuation. This failure impacted power, campus wide, as well as the College’s network.

The Department of Public Safety, as well as the Gettysburg Fire Department and a voltage specialist quickly got to work in remedying the problem.

But the next day, the rain struck again and once more the campus experienced a loss in power.

A first-hand account from a student in Servo told me that an alarm began to ring and many of the implements run by electricity failed, despite the emergency generator.

To put it simply, the students in Servo quickly learned how much the tray disposal conveyor belt meant to the cleanliness of our beloved dining area.

Bill Lafferty, Director of Public Safety, commented on the situation: “The power outages were the result of a transformer failure near Breidenbaugh caused by an excessive amount of water that entered the transformer box and shorted out some wires.  This caused power to go out on several buildings within that specific electric loop – which included Breidenbaugh (temporarily), dining, Rice, Paul, and Stine halls, and the library.

“A generator was provided for dining, so that food service could continue, emergency lighting was powered through a generator for the residence halls, and the library was temporarily closed for the night.”

“The college’s response to both incidents involved DPS, the local fire department (as a safety precaution), facilities services, and an outside electrical specialist.  The college and students responded superbly, no one’s safety was in jeopardy, and the incidents were resolved timely.”

Despite what you may have thought, the campus was not going to blow up and the ghosts of Gettysburg past were not playing pranks on the students.

So far the transformer has not failed again, and hopefully it won’t! But you never know, with all of this rain we have had lately, we could be heading right toward another Gettysburg power outa—.

Students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered on the lawn in front of Penn Hall last Tuesday to join in commemorating the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

The events of the day were organized by a 9/11 event committee led by Andrew Ferriera and Richard Aime.

Two services were held, one in the morning, and one in the evening, in honor of the thousands who lost their lives ten years ago.

The morning service opened with a statement from Gettysburg College President Janet Morgan Riggs, followed by a tolling of the bell in Glatfelter Hall at 8:46 a.m. and again at 9:03 a.m., the times when two hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.

Kathleen Sasnett, Adam Paul Cordle, and Scott Crowne performed a musical selection titled “Sifting through the Ruins: Someone Passes,” by Libby Larson. The piece incorporated piano, violin and voice.

At both services, four students of various faiths—Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist—read prayers aloud, demonstrating the religious diversity of the student body.

The Gettysburg College Choir, led by Robert Natter, performed two selections at the evening concert: “The Star Spangled Banner” and “In Remembrance,” a piece by Eleanor Daley, whose words brought tears to many in the audience.

Representatives from the Gettysburg and Biglerville American Legions were in attendance, as well as the Marine Corps Gettysburg Battlefield Detachment and the Gettysburg College ROTC.

Remarks were given by the Hon. William Troxell, mayor of Gettysburg; the Hon. Dan Moul, State Representative of Pennsylvania; and the Rev. Michael Cooper-White, President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.

Prof. Charles (Buz) Myers gave a powerful address that called for hope and unity in remembering the tragedy of 9/11 and its effects on the American people.

At the conclusion of the evening ceremony, those in attendance participated in a procession to Quarry Lake, where the VFW PA Post 15, Biglerville American Legion, and Gettysburg American Legion offered a gun salute.

Members of the Gettysburg Fire Department hung a flag from the tops of two fire ladders in front of Quarry Lake and Taps was played by Clayton Lynch and Anne Peterson, the sounds of their trumpets echoing across the water in the dusk.

Hundreds of students stood in silence, holding lit candles, as thunder and lightning shook the sky behind Quarry Lake.

Although most of the students in attendance were between the ages of eight and twelve at the time of the terrorist attacks in 2001, the somber tone of Tuesday’s events demonstrates the grave impact 9/11 had on everyone who remembers that day.

On behalf of our entire team, we would like to welcome you to Gettysburg College. We hope that you enjoy your day, and are all looking forward to seeing you next year!

Yesterday, February 19, the Majestic Theater hosted Gettysburg College’s 22^nd Annual Winter Jazz Concert. Directed by John “Buzz” Jones, Gettysburg’s jazz ensemble played songs such as “Georgia On My Mind” by Hoagy Carmichael (1931), “Quien Sera” by Pablo Beltran Ruiz & Norman Gimbel (1954) and “I’m Beginning To See The Light “by Duke Ellington (1944). The students of the ensemble had the fortunate opportunity of playing with saxophonist Denis DiBlasio.

DiBlasio is the Director of the Jazz Department at Rowan University located in Glassboro, New Jersey and a well-accomplished saxophone player. Prior to joining Rowan, DiBlasio played in the big band of trumpeter Maynard Ferguson and spent five years as his Musical Director. With over 30 albums, Denis DiBlasio is well experienced in the field of music.

The Gettysburg College Jazz Ensemble was recently part of the Northern Lights Tour last year traveling to New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania and toured Europe in 2008, performing in Amsterdam, Paris, Heidelberg, Bruges, Athens, and Venice. The ensemble plans on performing at major European jazz festivals again in July 2011.

Xavier: So you were the treasurer of student Senate. What did your job entail?

Molly: Right, I was the treasurer of student senate so I would hear requests from clubs and organizations looking for money and I would hold hearings to decide whether or not they should be granted that money and then I would transfer that into their account and manage their accounts.

Xavier: And what was your reason for stepping down?

Molly: Well, I was elected to a position in my sorority and I’m already president of my class so it ended up being too much work. Plus, I wanted to take five classes this semester, one of which meets during Senate’s meeting time, so between those things I just couldn’t keep the commitment.

Xavier: Makes sense. Lately there has been a bit of controversy surrounding Richard Aime. Some people think that his transition from interim treasurer to treasurer was quicker than usual. What do you think?

Molly:  Well, I honestly don’t think there was a reason to have an interim treasurer. I informed everyone of my resignation back in December so I thought that I gave enough time and I made it clear in my resignation that I would be willing to hold hearings and to continue doing my job until they found someone. So I was fully prepared to go into the semester starting off my job and giving them time to find someone, I just wouldn’t be able to go to senate on Mondays at seven. But I figured it shouldn’t take too long to get applications in and really decide. I personally felt whenever I mentioned that I was thinking about resigning to exec, they seemed pretty clear about whom they would consider taking my place. I was disappointed to find out I wasn’t invited to sit in on the exec meeting that decided there was going to be an interim treasurer. It was my understanding that I would be holding the position until a new person was found, so I thought that it would have been fitting to have me as a part of that decision making process, whether it was actually having a vote or just giving my opinion so I’d at least have a say in it. And I wasn’t even informed that that meeting was taking place. I was hoping it would be someone from my committee, someone who had the experience from it and, basically, I was really left out of the loop of it all.

Xavier: Okay. So, some people are also speculating that Richard Aime was promoted so soon in an attempt to get Andrew Ferreira reelected. Do you know anything about that? What are your thoughts?

Molly: Well I do know that Alex Ferraro (SP) was senate treasurer last year but wasn’t able to be this year because he went abroad in the fall semester. I know that he was very interested in taking over the position and that would have been my clear choice had I had a say in the matter—that someone who already had the position would take over at a time when the transition needs to go as smoothly as possible because it’s the middle of the year. And I don’t think I would have left my position if I didn’t think there was someone that qualified to take over for it because I wouldn’t have wanted to put just anyone in that position. Alex has mentioned he would like to be senate president one day and if that is the reason, I could see that being a possibility that Andrew might not want to appoint him, but honestly I wouldn’t know.

Xavier: Do you have any pointers for the new treasurer? Any pro tips?

Molly: I mean, I’ve tried to reach out and give my tips to whoever it’ll be. I’m assuming after last night’s (Monday, January 31) senate meeting that it might change, that they might overturn their decision.

Xavier: What happened at last night’s senate meeting?

Molly: I wasn’t there but I was told that they took a straw poll of who the treasurer should be between Richard and Alex and they will be considering that as they make their final decision. So whomever it turns out to be I’m obviously here to help them and keep them informed of what happened last semester and I’ve still been in contact with clubs who have had questions about last semester and I’m still working with them on that. Also, it is the kind of job where you really need to keep on top of things and keep up with your emails because you do get a lot of questions and just knowing the answers to the questions, knowing where to go to find the answers.

Xavier: Great. Thanks, Molly

Molly: No problem, thank you.

According to recently obtained information, and after speaking with the Department of Public Safety, Frank Klein, the much beloved Musselman Library security guard, friend to the many students who spend their nights in the library, has been fired. This comes as a shock to the many grateful students who have experienced Frank’s gruff care and dry humor throughout the years.

Information suggests that Klein has had, in the past, a handful of disagreements with the library staff, although no definitive cause has yet been attributed to his sudden termination.

Former co-Editor-in-Chief of the Forum, Sebastian DiNatale, recently spoke with Frank about his unexpected departure. He conveyed to the Forum several of Frank’s personal sentiments, all of which are summarized below.

Frank is currently searching for employment and was, as he suggested, adamant about departing on his own terms. Additionally, he is preparing to apply for orthopedic surgery, a procedure that will remedy an otherwise extraordinarily painful problem, and has two children who will shortly be getting married.

During his tenure at Gettysburg College, specifically his three years working in the library, nothing was either stolen or broken. Frank maintains that everyone supported him at DPS, and that his fondest moments spanned the hours between 11 and 4, when he could always be found with the students, chatting or laughing or simply listening. Frank’s wife is also an employee at Gettysburg College, working nightly in Pennsylvania Hall, and he hopes, eventually to join her once again.

Whether or not this fragmented image of Frank, a man many students saw nightly, does him justice, is wholly immaterial. Gettysburg College, as every first-year knows, is threaded with notions of community and loyal interaction. Frank has served valiantly and venerably as a member of our community, saturated our late-night hours with humor and warmth, and proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, how easy it is to find acceptance at Gettysburg College.

We at the Forum invite you to share, via email or Facebook or the comment system we utilize below, your memories with Frank. Tell us how much his presence has been appreciated, and will be missed.

An e-mail was circulated last week to all those registered within the Senate alias, detailing the resignation of Student Senate Treasurer, Molly Yingling. From that point, it was the primary concern of the Executive Council of the Student Senate to designate, presumably with the aid of representatives from each class year, a new treasurer to serve in her stead.

Richard Aime subsequently assumed the role of Interim Treasurer during the process, which seemed to be progressing according to procedure and in a relatively timely manner. Therefore, it came as a surprise  when the Forum was contacted by several anonymous sources, close to Senate, with some disconcerting news regarding the sudden appointment of Richard Aime as the new Student Senate Treasurer on January 30, 2011.

Whether this abrupt transition is a mishandling of procedure or a decision backed by the personal preferences of President Andrew Ferreira is a matter of opinion only, but it is alleged that none of the applications submitted for the post were widely considered. It has been suggested that Aime’s designation was part of a wider plan to impact Ferreira’s own reelection. Additionally, it has been maintained that only four of the five Executive Council Members were present to vote for Aime’s instatement as Treasurer, with Vice President Nick Redman absent.

The contribution of such facts to the greater dialogue of Student Government at Gettysburg College, will be left to the readers.  Nevertheless, it is of consequence to note that no administration is free from mistake or criticism, especially considering the tendency of the media to blow inner political machinations out of proportion. Only the next few weeks will reveal the oftentimes meandering roadway that political decisions, even at the collegiate level, will ultimately follow.

Yesterday, the Student Senate revealed new stipulations concerning its fiscal policy bylaws for the year. These bylaws were discussed in a closed session on Sunday and disseminated amongst the student body at the Senate’s most recent open session. Below are the new bylaws in their entirety:

[FISCAL POLICY BYLAWS PROPOSAL FOR THE STUDENT SENATE]
These bylaws were authored by the Budget Management Committee and the Senate Policy Committee, and reviewed and altered by the Student Senate in a closed session on November 14, 2010.

Fiscal Policy Bylaws Draft
Non-Recognized Organizations
1. Non-Recognized Clubs and Organizations may request funding from the Student Senate. Non-Recognized Organizations include but are not limited to – Greek Organizations, the Gettysburgian, The Mercury; Clubs not yet granted provisional status, Theme Housing and departments.
2. Senate committee chairs may request money from the Student Senate Agency account by requesting a meeting with the Exec. Board.
3. Senate’s voting on a Non-Recognized Organization’s request may not be appealed.
4. Money may not be granted to Non-Recognized organizations for reimbursement after the event has taken place.
5. Events by non-recognized organizations must be fully open to the entire campus in order to receive Senate funding.
6. No non-recognized club may receive a base budget.
7. Non-Recognized Orgs. Closely tied to other departments/groups on campus should request funding from said dept/group prior to coming to the Student Senate for funds.

Examples:
-Greek organizations must have come before IFC and/or Panhel to request funding prior to coming to the Student Senate for funds.
-The Mercury and the Gettysburgian must have come before the Provost/English Dept. to request funding prior to coming to the Student Senate for funds.

8. If an individual or group of individuals not associated with a Senate Recognized Club would like to organize an event, they must work closely with a Senate Committee regarding funding requests and the planning of the event.

BMC Operations
1. If admission is charged for a Senate-funded event, price of admission must be the same for all students. (example – Greeks paying less versus Non-Greeks)
2. The BMC will not recommend funding for club-specific conferences.
3. The club making the request must email a line-by-line request to the Student Senate Treasurer prior to the BMC hearing. Paper copies will no longer be accepted.
4. The emailed request may be brought up in front of the full Senate on the screen upon request.
5. The time and date of the hearing must be confirmed with the Student Senate Treasurer or the request will not be heard.
6. Donations may not be made from the Student Senate New Initiative Account.
7. Clubs looking for sponsorships will contact the Student Senate Treasurer to schedule a meeting with Student Senate Exec. In order to request sponsorship from the Student Senate Agency Account.

Recognized Clubs
1. Recognized clubs will receive a base budget of 100.00 when requested.
2. In order to receive this base budget, the recognized club must have a preliminary hearing or submit a request for base budget prior to preliminary hearings in order to obtain a base budget. Base budgets will not be awarded after preliminary hearings – unless the club is not recognized at the time of preliminary hearings at the discretion of the Treasurer.
3. If a recognized club does not meet the deadlines set forth by the clubs liaison, they shall receive a written reprimand from the Clubs Liaison after the last deadline. After this is received, the club will have two weeks to fully register. If the club is still not registered after the two week period, they will not be able to access their senate funds. If they have not registered after two more weeks, the clubs liaison will put a motion on the floor of the Student Senate to derecognize the club, after which the derecognition process will take place unless the club registers during that time frame.

I am pleased to announce that Andrew Hughes will be joining the College as the Director of our new Center for Leadership Development.  Andy comes to us from Rollins College, where he served as the Assistant  Director of their “Explorations” program for first-year students. He also served previously as the Assistant Director of Student Involvement and Leadership at Rollins.  Andy is a graduate of Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama – with a degree in English Literature and a minor in Philosophy.  He received his Masters degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Florida.  Andy will begin work in mid-June, and he is thrilled to be joining the Gettysburg community.  We encourage you all to join us in welcoming Andy as a valued colleague, and as the Director of the College’s exciting new leadership initiative.  His email address, should you wish to contact him, is ajhughesucf@gmail.com

Gettysburg College has been pursuing a path of sustainability since its first serious energy conservation efforts began in the 1980s.  Water use is down 36.4% since 1996, even though the college has an expanded student body and new buildings.  By 2006, fossil fuels accounted for only 53% of the college’s overall energy consumption.  In 2007, this trend continued when President Wills signed the President’s Climate Commitment, thereby obligating Gettysburg College to obtain the lofty goal of carbon neutrality.  To reach this goal Gettysburg created institutional strategies to track greenhouse gasses, cut energy consumption, and devote a larger portion of energy production to renewable sources.  It also invested in an excellent single stream recycling program as well as a beautiful new LEED-certified athletic center.

Many students here at Gettysburg College are passionate about the environment, and I think I speak on behalf of my peers when I say that we are proud to attend a school devoted to sustainability.  We are thrilled that the college is taking a proactive approach to these issues, going so far as to make goal six of Gettysburg’s engagement strategy to “Establish an environmental sustainability program for the campus, to more fully engage students, faculty, and staff with one of society’s most pressing challenges.”  In addition to institutional polices, student support and involvement are vital to a successful sustainability initiative.   In the past this support has been a somewhat disjointed collection of passionate clubs and groups.  However, Thursday, April 15 marked the beginning of a new era of communication and cooperation between environmentally conscious organizations.

Last Thursday GECO, GRAB, CAB, CPS, Campus Kitchens, Painted Turtle Farm, Farmhouse, Biosphere, College Republicans, and Facilities met for a sustainability-themed common hour to discuss what sustainability meant to each of these groups.  The session consisted of highly entertaining and productive activities related to sustainability such as brainstorming ways to be more sustainable in each group, general sustainability ideas for campus, and my personal favorite, “Club Speed Dating.”  In this activity members from the attending groups formed 2 lines facing each other and were given a minute to brainstorm events which would incorporate both clubs.  It was a hectic and fun filled process that resulted in some truly innovative ideas.  Here are some of the things we came up with during the common hour:

1. “Green” residence display & certified “green” rooms: Gettysburg should create a display of a “green” room presenting possibilities for an energy efficient dorm, especially during days for prospective and accepted students.  We can also create a system certifying “green” rooms to promote sustainable housing.
2. Co-Op café: Why not have a dining place on campus that serves only local foods?  We can support local agriculture and promote sustainability.  Besides, another place to eat can’t hurt (ever been to Bullet during the lunch rush?)
3. Company sponsored events: If the college cannot dedicate time or resources to a project or event, how about a company supporting the initiative?  I’m sure local farms would be interested in hosting the comparison night mentioned below.
4. Comparison night: Have you ever tasted the difference between organic, grass-fed, and local foods versus traditional factory farmed and processed foods?  Probably not, but Farmhouse will assure you it is real. A direct comparison between the two, maybe even hosted at Servo, might educate your taste buds to the advantages of these foods.
5. Dinner & a movie: GECO hosts environmental movie nights with discussions but relatively few people attend.  Farmhouse also seeks more attendees at its potluck dinners.  Why not combine the two for a yummy night of environmental education?
6. Campus Kitchens awareness meals: Do you know what Campus Kitchens does other than work with food?  If you don’t know you should, and a campus dinner event a la “mystery dinners” would definitely alert you to the amazing work Campus Kitchens does.

These are only some examples of the many ideas brainstormed during the common hour.  Other ideas included: painting the outdoor recycling cans an earthly green or a Gettysburg blue (they currently look almost exactly like the trash cans), turning low-traffic computers off during late night hours, campus wide composting, incorporating sustainable practices in academic departments,  requiring re-useable mugs/cups in the Commons/Bullet, painted turtle farm supplying food for grab’s overnight trips, sustainability education events on and off campus, food recovery education (what can Campus Kitchens take?), and more.

In order to further integrate the myriad of sustainable initiatives on campus the aforementioned groups are discussing ways to meet regularly in order to consolidate and organize inter-club activities.  Farmhouse’s soon to be renovated common space may provide a new hub for monthly meetings in the coming academic year.  We also threw around the idea of a “Council of Sustainability,” much like the  Council of Presidents, in which representatives of each club meet on a regular basis to communicate activities and plan joint efforts.

Sustainability is a cause which affects us all whether you are extremely devoted or completely apathetic.   It is a term which we may tire of hearing, but are no closer to forgetting than words like oil and energy.  Gettysburg College has devoted itself to pursuing sustainability and we can expect it to become an even more integral part of the campus in the coming years.  The fusion of student and institutional efforts is vital to progress towards a future of sustainability.  Each and every member of this community can contribute by being more conscious of his or her environmental impact and by finding ways to be more sustainable in his or her daily life.  Will you support your college, your peers, and your world in the quest for a sustainable future?  And to the administration we ask, where does Gettysburg stand on sustainability in the coming year?  Two years?  Five?