Many members of the Facebook community changed their profile pictures to images of cartoon characters from Disney movies or old Nickelodeon shows.

The explanation of the trend came from a status update posted by an acquaintance of mine.

According to his status, the goal of the action was to raise social awareness about child abuse.

Apparently, searching for a Google image of a cartoon character and uploading it to a Facebook page was supposed to suppress or alleviate the woes of a major social problem.

The call to action: “Join the fight against child abuse.”

It was a noble endeavor loaded with good intentions, but I had to laugh when I saw a comment posted below said person’s Facebook status. It said, “Way to go, man. I’m proud of you!”

Copying and pasting a blurb isn’t exactly hard work. It is not risky or time-consuming. I’m not convinced that it should be a source of pride.

With a couple of clicks, Facebook users everywhere took action. Or did they?

Not only was there little education about the issue of child abuse, there was also no action that would result in real social change.

Changing my profile picture to Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” is not going to prevent some kid from being physically or mentally abused or neglected.

It’s almost an irrelevant act, except that it might make some people feel better about themselves for a day or two, and it’s fun to reminisce about being a kid.

And, even though cartoons replaced human faces on Facebook for a few days, eventually everyone will return their pictures to normal. No lasting change will have taken place.

Author Malcolm Gladwell, in “Small Change,” an article that appeared in The New Yorker, wrote that social networks make “it easier for activists to express themselves, and harder for that expression to have any impact” because the people involved are unorganized, undisciplined, and have weak ties to the cause.

Real social change might come from joining a Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. Real change might come from students who are studying to become social workers. Real change might come from fostering children or helping stressed out parents learn to cope.

Real change does not come from status updates and changes of profile pictures.

Whether the issue is child abuse, AIDS, equality or poverty, if you want to make a difference, it is solutions in combination with awareness that matter.

Beneficial social activism requires thoughtfulness, innovation, and effort.

So, if you actually care about something, be a doer.

Write letters to local government representatives; donate your money; donate your time; or become informed.

Get off Facebook, and do something.

Make sure that if you are an advocate, you are an advocate who goes out into the world and directly confronts issues. And, then post something about it on Facebook.

That’s praise-worthy.

“She” thinks her butt is too small or her thighs are too big. She wants to be skinnier or fill out a bigger bra size or just to be better looking in general. Oh, no, she just spotted cellulite, and she really wishes she skipped dessert today. 

I can’t remember the exact moment when I became self-conscious about my appearance, but it probably happened before sixth grade. 

In the past week alone, I’ve experienced two instances of heartbreak when young girls confessed, in their own ways, to feeling less than pretty and slightly inadequate. 

The first instance occurred in an exchange between two little girls and me. 

 The younger one told me proudly that she has a school friend who is “brown” like her. Her slightly older sister corrected her by saying that they are not “brown” but “tan.” I told them I wished my skin was tan all the time like their’s. Mine is pale. The older sister said with a hint of sadness, “I wish I was pale.”

It was pretty clear that something had already made this little girl feel self-conscious about her skin tone. She hasn’t even reached the third grade. 

A couple of days later, I heard a fifth-grader talk about how she wishes all dances were the type where the girls are supposed to ask the boys because when it’s the other way around the boys only want to ask the prettiest girls in school. “And, that’s not me,” she said. 

It seemed to me that this girl believed that boys don’t care about girls who are smart, funny, athletic or kind, if they aren’t also beautiful. And, the girl who made the comment happens to be a beautiful little girl.

The people who will read this column are probably those who are already affected by the pressure to be beautiful. You are already (probably) self-critical and overly body-conscious. It’s too late for us.

But, we can play a role in preventing, or at least delaying, the same effects on the young girls with whom we interact and influence. 

Instead of talking about being fat, let’s talk about being healthy. Save the comments about too-tight skinny jeans, calorie counting and feeling fat or ugly for your friends who are your own age. 

Stop talking about being pretty, and encourage girls to be great. Encourage them to find their talents and develop them. Make them believe that attractiveness encompasses far more than perfect hair, teeth or skin – even if you don’t believe it yourself. 

Let’s explain airbrushing and Photoshop and how they help the women on TV and on magazine covers appear that much more perfect. And, while we are at it, let’s also explain that while some people are beautiful, others are great artists, and others are accomplished athletes. Some people have it all, and aren’t they lucky. 

Women devote a lot of words to complimenting the appearance of other women – their clothes, their shoes, their bodies. While we are at it, let’s compliment each other on our achievements in other areas more often. Little girls should hear adults give and receive commendations about work, school, hobbies and behavior. 

It’s too late for us, but we’re in a position where we can help little girls be less critical of their physical appearance and more confident about themselves. Save the self-deprecation for people your own age.

The class of 2012 will be underrepresented on this year’s Student Union senatorial ballot.

Six senatorial positions exist for the class of 2012. Only three candidates submitted the required form, a letter of intent that was available through OrgSync, by the Nov. 7 deadline.

Jack Kirwin and Meghan Everett are running for re-election, and Brian Means is running for the first time.

Write-in candidates may fill the remaining slots.

Sasha Hamilton-Cotter and Michael Fox confirmed with The Carroll News that they are running as write-in candidates and have created Facebook groups promoting their campaigns.

Hamilton-Cotter said, “I think we had a strong class Senate – we have had for the past three years. I didn’t realize at the time [when letters of intent were being accepted] how few candidates there were running because so many people had joined the [Executive] Board.”

I hate when people say, “It’s all down hill from here” or some other clichéd variation of the same idea that fun dies when a degree is earned. 

I am graduating in a little more than a month, and, as a result, I am inundated daily by excitement and uncertainty. 

I’m having more trouble than ever being mindful during a period of time when it is important to me that I value and make the most out of my experiences. 

I want to be with my friends and stay out late and walk to class and complain about my homework as much as I can before the end of the semester. 

But, I can’t resist counting down the weeks left in the semester; thinking about moving to a new city; and planning for tomorrow, next month, and next year. 

We are a generation of people who live in the future. We text others while we are with our friends. We say “maybe” when people invite us to events because we might find something better to do. We “talk” to significant others because dating requires too much commitment. 

Who wants to be tied down when there are so many uncertainties and opportunities waiting in the future? 

So, while we put off commitment of any type and dream and plan for someday, we miss the present. 

College, for many of us, will be the last opportunity we have to be surrounded by people so close in age and lifestyle to us. 

There is something very cool and unifying about seeing the same people at the bar as you see in class or at the gym. 

After graduation, those kinds of encounters will be called coincidences or “bumping into each other,” but in college it is expected that work life will mix with social life. 

So, though I am excited to make my own money and pursue a career, I’m really sad about leaving behind my college lifestyle.

In these last few weeks, I’m going to do my best to stop stressing about future plans and really soak up all the college I can – go out on weeknights, get no sleep; and wear Uggs and yoga pants. 

At this time next year, I’ll be trading in my babysitting jobs for a full-time, salaried career. My schedule won’t accommodate the same lifestyle it does now. It won’t be acceptable to wear spandex to work. 

In less than a year, I’ll be living in Texas, away from my family and friends and everything that is familiar to me. Everything is about to change for me, which is exciting.

Fun doesn’t end after graduation. I’m looking forward to establishing my career. I can’t wait to have my own house and decorate it. Maybe I’ll get married and have kids and all of that. There’s a lot to be excited about. There is a lot to plan.

But, now is not the time for that. 

Every obsessive part of my personality will be working against me, but I’m determined to let go of my worries about the future for the next few weeks and just have fun here while I can.

The decision to fire Williams, a regular Fox News commentator, was an act of censorship that sent a strong public message that the organization is intolerant of politically incorrect and honest opinions from their affiliated journalists. 

NPR was in a position where some public response needed to occur; Williams’ employment by NPR was referenced during his appearance on “The O’Reilly Factor.” However, it acted impulsively by ending Williams’ contract and violated his right to free speech. 

As a respected news medium, NPR, which is partially publicly funded, had an obligation to respond to Williams’ comments in a way that addressed the content of his comments and their relevance to the public directly. 

In his appearance on the show, Williams appeared thoughtful and honest when delivering his message that keeping quiet about unpopular or controversial issues is detrimental to progress and problem solving. 

Williams, in the interview with Bill O’Reilly, made it clear that his comments were strictly personal trepidations. Williams used his comment about Muslims on airplanes as an example of the kind of conversations that are stifled because of their politicly incorrect nature. I agree with his message that journalists, politicians and others cannot be afraid to speak about unfavorable or uncomfortable issues. 

It is certainly unfair and ignorant to attribute terrorist identities with Muslims, but Williams had a right to freely voice his opinion, especially in his position at Fox News. 

Statements such as those made by Williams provide an opportunity to open controversial public conversations about topics, which most people are too afraid to voice. There is an opportunity for the public to work to bring about social change. 

The media has an obligation to bring awareness to cultural issues and to educate the public about the intricacies of such issues. NPR did neither by firing Williams. Instead of countering Williams’ claims with advocacy and conversation, NPR severed its connection to the controversy. 

Critics claim NPR has polarized itself as a liberal news organization, with a hasty desire to stanch free speech when the speech conflicts with its political agenda. 

Furthermore, a campaign to eliminate public funding for the station and its affiliates is underway. 

The negative reaction from the public as a result of the firing is proof that freedom of speech is not a right with which to tamper and that media bias is viewed adversely. 

While it is promising that such a strong response was illicited, it is equally important for a passionate public response to addressing the  issue of the false and negative generalizations made about Muslims in America. 

NPR may have ruined its reputation with its hasty decision to fire Williams, proof that emotional and quick reactions often result in poor decision making. 

We can’t be afraid to be critical  or politcally incorrect, but we must simultaneously be informed and prudent.

She’s not the only person to offer me that advice. The look of disappointment my Dad gives when I mention applying for Teach For America is killer. 

In a few years, I might completely change my mind, but right now, all I want to do is teach little kids how to read and write and think. And I want to do it in the inner city. 

When I tell people that, they react with all kinds of warnings about how dangerous it is and how bad the kids are and how I’m wasting my talents. 

I’m undeterred, but I’m wondering why my desire to teach is greeted so unfavorably, as if teaching lacks ambition or intelligence. 

I don’t view it that way. The smartest man I know is a teacher. The people who had the biggest influence on me were teachers. 

Also, it seems counterproductive, at a time when the U.S. is in the lower third of 30 industrialized countries with regard to performance in science and math, to dissuade students from pursuing a profession that directly affects our nation’s ability to produce competitive and competent workers. 

The release of Davis Guggheim’s documentary “Waiting For Superman” sparked a great deal of media coverage recently. The documentary explores the issues related to inner-city public education and possible solutions in the form of successful charter schools. 

NBC dedicated a week to exploring public education in the U.S.; huffingtonpost.com launched a special education section; and several refrom avdocates voiced their opinions on other media. 

But it seems that before any meaningful reform can take place, the public conception of teachers and public education must change. 

In the movie “Say Anything,” John Cusack’s character Lloyd Dobler gives a speech about his plans for his future. 

He says, “I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.”

Neither do I – not now anyway.

I do not want to sit behind a desk all day and shoot off e-mails to clients here and there. I don’t want to market products or crunch numbers. And it’s okay if I’m underpaid. It’s even okay if it’s hard. 

Instead, I want to read poems to kids and talk about books. I want to be an important figure to kids, and I want to do it in the areas that need the most help. 

I view teaching as a challenge, and I have goals for the future that extend beyond teaching in a classroom. Eventually, I would like to bring the Knowledge Is Power Program to Cleveland because I believe that autonomy, longer school days, longer school years and high expectations are fundamental to creating a nation of successful, happy and accomplished individuals. 

And if that is a terrible thing and a waste of talents, then I must have a twisted view of the world.

Zuckerberg will launch Startup: Education Foundation with $100 million in his own Facebook stock, which will be sold on the secondary market at the discretion of the Foundation. 

Facebook is a private company; revenues are not reported, and most of the estimated value of the company and its CEO is not liquid, or convertible to cash. 

The company announced a five-for-one stock split last week. Bringing the estimated value of a share of stock to approximately $15, according to a NyPost.com article about the split. Its actual value will not be known until the company goes public with an initial public offering.

Zuckerberg allegedly met Newark Mayor Cory Booker at a conference in July, where the two began talks about their collaboration. 

In a Facebook note published the same day as his appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Zuckerberg suggested that efforts for school reform should model the qualities that create successful startup companies: great leaders and a market for competition. 

He wrote, “School districts need more autonomy and clearer leadership so they can be managed more like startups than like government bureaucracies.”

In most references, Zuckerberg seems to be referring to charter schools, which receive public funding but operate as independent entities – that is, free from the governance of school districts and teachers’ unions. 

“Newark has unfortunately become a symbol of public education’s failure—of a status quo that accepts schools that don’t succeed,” wrote Zuckerberg. “In 2009, only 40 percent of kids could read and write at grade level by the end of third grade, only 54 percent of high school students graduated and just 38 percent enrolled in college.”

The donation came just more than a week before the release of the film “The Social Network,” which portrays Zuckerberg as a spiteful loner with twisted ethics. 

Some critics view the announcement as a public relations stunt to frame Zuckerberg as a philanthropist to combat the portrayal of him in the film. 

Some praised the initiative,  including Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corporation and co-founder of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

In a video posted on Startup: Education’s Facebook page, Gates said, “Thank you, Mark, for this incredible gift to improve education. Your involvement in the years ahead – your thinking, your energy – will be even more important than your resources.”

Zuckerberg called on the public to match his donation at startupeducation.org.

Even today, educational institutions and annoying parents march to their local libraries and school boards demanding that books be removed from shelves and classrooms.

Apparently, these people are not fond of the freedom of speech, but they love the freedom to protest.

Instead of reading about new or controversial ideas and discussing them, book-banners fight to make sure no child, teenager or college student be forced to question the things his or her parents taught him.

The American Library Association lists some of the most commonly banned books. Such classic novels as “A Farewell to Arms,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Beloved,” and “The Catcher in the Rye” make the list.

It’s probably a great honor to be on this list. Ironically, being banned, means being relevant enough to be of concern. It means a piece of work is controversial and insightful, and it might just make people feel empowered or angry. Most of all, it probably means an author was painfully honest about the world.

Banned books are iconoclastic – the anti-fairytale. They are not about families of four with a doting mom and a banker for a father. The characters aren’t chaste and loyal, God-fearing and living happily ever after.

That’s not real, and frankly, it’s kind of boring.

Jay Gatsby is heartbroken. He has it bad for a shallow woman, who chose jewelry over real love, and they don’t end up together. Neither do Lady Brett and Jake. He’s impotent, and she’s cursed with beauty and charm.

Sometimes people, including the Lt. Henry and Catherine Barkley from “A Farewell of Arms,” have sex, and they don’t really want a baby or marriage.

“Harry Potter,” which was one of the most banned books in 1999, is popular because it is so imaginative. It’s not a biblical series supporting mysticism, the case made against the book. I think it’s safe to say that readers know the story is fake.

Yes, it is important to consider the age appropriateness of what children read. But high school students know what sex is, and they know the f-word. Heck, they’ve probably yelled it a time or two or at least defiantly thrown a middle finger in the air. They are probably in the process of realizing that their whole constructed world is pretty darn phony and that some boys like other boys. They’ve seen naked people on the Internet or in person, and they probably even wondered about God from time to time.

Citizens seeking censorship don’t get fired up because novels are libelous. They’re made up. They get mad because banned novels question the way people live their lives. They question sacred rituals, traditions and institutions. In that way, readers feel affected.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Twilight,” both of which are on the ALA’s top ten list of most challenged books in 2009, are not personal attacks. Both books present social issues and human nature in context.

Authors know when their work is going to tick people off, but some write what they write anyway. It’s either egotistical or very brave to knowingly open yourself to criticism.

But whatever the motivation for writing, the point is, the author puts her name on it and takes accountability for whatever results.

So, he wised up, and he prefaced every deal made after that day with the conditions, “No crossing. No saying, ‘Oh well.’”

He was referring to the other trick I used to weasel my way out of my end of the bargain; I’d say, “I was crossing my fingers. It doesn’t count.”

Kids do that kind of thing; they make pinky promises and say “cross my heart.” They shake hands. All of this is in the effort to prove their trustworthiness or truth-telling or to make sure they don’t get screwed out of another deal.

They make promises and take them very seriously.

They are masters of the oral contract and skilled distributors of social punishment when those oral contracts and promises are broken.

Adults might shake hands, but it’s only a formality. We confirm that we don’t get screwed by writing carefully worded contracts.

We don’t say, “I promise.” If someone says it to us, we don’t really believe him or her. We need the tangible, signed agreement.

I have several friends who are members of the same fraternity at a different university who exhibit the sort of oral contracts and promissory cues that are rare in adult language.

One of the organization’s values is honor, and it’s common that men of the fraternity will prove their conviction, loyalty or good will by saying, “On my honor.”

Honor is not something these men joke about. They don’t claim something on their honor frivolously, and when the claim is made, it is trusted and respected by others.

By making claims on our honor, we are making a promise not only to another person, but also to ourselves. We are putting our self-worth and moral conscience up as collateral.

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in “This Side of Paradise,”  “…if it were made illegal to have more than a certain amount [of money], the best men would all flock for the one other reward which attracts humanity – honor.”

Isn’t that why tattling was such a big deal when you were young? It was a crime against your own.  Tattling meant surrendering to adults and abandoning your allegiance to kids and mischievousness. It wasn’t honorable, and when you are young, honor is a big deal.

In our careers, some of us may take oaths. Our employers may have mission statements or ethical codes. But, these oaths and codes have a force working against them that did not exist when we recited the Girl Scout Pledge as children.

As adults, we have the need and ability to acquire wealth. We drool over it, and the desire to get more money can take priority over the desire to be honorable.

Money makes it incredibly difficult to wholly preserve your convictions and make ethical decisions, and we would all be wise to question ourselves from time to time about whether our honor is a worthwhile cost to the decisions we make.

My friends are proof that oral contracts and upholding honor are still powerful and meaningful to adults, and they are things we would benefit to hold dear.

As a policy, DADT is the problem-solving equivalent of duct tape – a quick fix for when the acting entity is too lazy or cheap to fix something properly or too uninformed to do so.

DADT is a policy based on indecision. Rather than addressing the issue of the right of gay people to serve in the U.S. military, it is a way to circumvent the issue of homosexuality. The military won’t ask a soldier to disclose information about sexuality, and soldiers can be gay or lesbian, as long as they keep it a secret.

A thoughtful discussion about individual freedoms, morality, humanity, national pride and dedication to service was the cost of the policy, which lacked accountability and dismissed concerns on both sides of the debate by requiring everyone to ignore it.

The Senate had a chance to address DADT again on Tuesday.

Unfortunately, a filibuster prevented the necessary conversation and vote about gays in the military from happening once again.

Filibusters exemplify a lack of confidence in one side’s ability to make an argument for his or her case. Instead of developing a stronger argument, a filibuster is used to stanch discussion about an issue and avoid voting on it.

An issue is imprisoned without a fair trial, so to speak. Unfortunately, that was the case this week.

In her video, Lady Gaga asked Senators McCain, McConnell, Inhofe, and Sessions to prevent a filibuster and take the issue to vote, making an eloquent argument in favor of repeal.

She also called on her fans to submit their own videos. Several did, and their responses are featured in a follow-up video on her website.

For a woman who built her career on inciting the shock-factor, it is ironic that the most shocking thing about this video is that Lady Gaga looks rather subdued, wearing a tailored, black suit jacket, white button-up and a tie.

In the video, which is in black and white, Lady Gaga is sitting infront of an American Flag delivering her message.

Her costume is that of a trendy businesswoman. It’s uninteresting and shows a great deal of savvy. She knows her audience. It seems unlikely that respected politicians would take her seriously in a leotard and meat-slab platform shoes.

Her appeal to Senate Republicans was not enough to persuade them to prevent the filibuster, but the attempt was admirable. She inspired her fans to get involved and generated a lot of good publicity for her cause.

Lady Gaga put her celebrity power to good use last week. She made a poised plea to politicians and her fans, and she was not drunk, sensational or offensive in its delivery.

Vice President for Enrollment Brian Williams said the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category is based largely on need-based funding.

“Though our ranking in this category declined from last year, ironically we have awarded more aid to students in the reporting period for this category,” said Williams via e-mail. “Our aid has continued to shift to merit scholarships (academic excellence) as the quality of our students continues to increase.”

According to the magazine’s website, the methodology used to determine the “Great Schools, Great Prices” rankings considered each school’s ratio of quality to price, which accounted for 60 percent of the overall score. The percentage of undergraduates receiving need-based scholarships or grants made up 25 percent of the score, and the average discount accounted for the remainder.

The ratio of quality to price considers each college or university’s score on the comprehensive “Best Colleges 2011” list, on which JCU was ranked 7^th in the Midwest. A university’s score in the “Best Colleges” category is divided by the cost to attend the institution for a student who received the average need-based aid for the previous school year to compute the ratio of quality to price.

The average discount is computed by dividing the average need-based scholarship or grant money offered to undergraduates during the 2009-2010 school year by the total cost to attend an institution in the same year.

JCU provides 55.1 percent of undergraduates with need-based funds and offers an average discount of 39 percent off the total cost to attend, per the rankings.

Comparatively, 81.8 percent of Muskingum’s undergraduate population and 80 percent of BWC students receive need-based grants. The two institutions offer average discounts of 47 percent and 40 percent, respectively.

Williams said, “We’re proud of the talent of our students to whom we are awarding aid and scholarships to continue to keep John Carroll affordable while attracting more talented students each year – even though this category [Great Schools, Great Prices] of ranking doesn’t reflect it directly.”

It should be noted that U.S. News made some changes to the methodology used to determine the “Best Colleges” rankings this year.

Graduation rate determined 7.5 percent of universities’ total score, up from five percent in the past.

Also, survey data from university and college presidents, deans and provosts was reduced to account for 15 percent of the score, down from 25 percent. High school counselors were surveyed, and the data from those surveys was factored into the rankings for the first time, contributing to 7.5 percent of a university’s ranking.

In fewer than ten years, it seems economically mandated and technologically sensible that people will no longer sit at their kitchen counters with a coffee and a roll of newsprint, reading and sipping and filling in the Sunday crossword puzzle.

E-books sales are increasing. Amazon sold more e-books than hardback books in the second quarter of this year.

Newspapers are noticeably thinner. 

Barnes and Noble is for sale.

Lovers of tangible print are having their hearts broken repeatedly. 

But in opposition to the trends among print media, The Wall Street Journal is providing a hopeful news bit to book lovers and newspaper traditionalists. 

The WSJ will launch “Bookshelf,” a special book review section that will appear in the weekend editions of the paper in upcoming weeks. 

The WSJ, whose reputation stands on business coverage, is embracing the arts in a bold way at a time when the economy, finances and employment are the hottest buzzwords in news. 

As one of the only newspapers that charges a subscription fee for complete access to its web edition, the Journal is no stranger to acting against the status quo.  

This most recent move is possible because of the horizontal integration that is News Corporation. It is an investment aimed to help the Journal in its on-going battle to conquer The New York Times, a topic covered in-depth in the October issue of Vanity Fair.  

The introduction of “Bookshelf” is a reminder of the importance of reading and taking a critical look at the arts. As a society, we need this sort of thing in the best quality and greatest quantity we can muster. 

The fact that a reputable newspaper is devoting an entire section to books at a time when it is not cost-effective to do so seems meaningful, but the motive detracts from any socially favorable implications. 

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation is one of several media companies that is too big to be ethical. With interests in everything from television to movies to print media, News Corp. is an example of the way acquisition and conflicts of interest corrupt journalistic integrity.

The irony is that while big media conglomerates compromise the ability of newspapers to function as watchdogs, the newspaper business would probably fall apart completely without them. The media relies on people like Rupert Murdoch, who can afford to lose several million, in order to create a new book review. 

The battle between The Times and the Journal is similar to many political races, in which the fight is often about who can afford to fight longer and harder than it is about ideas, intentions or ideologies. The Times is competing, but it is doing so at a severe disadvantage when it comes to funds. 

The goal behind the creation of “Bookshelf” and other special sections is to win. The goal is to conquer The Times, not to create a more in-depth, truthful and informative paper. 

Any news of newspaper growth and especially, coverage of books gets my support, but I have trouble finding any honor in a media-mogul’s quest to destroy the competition for the sake of his ego.

The American Flag represents the history and the ideals of the nation and is a source of national pride for Americans. As such, it is an emotionally charged symbol that finds staunch defenders who might view burning it as treason or violent protest.   

When it comes to national pride and national security, emotions run high and can replace objective arguments and concrete evidentiary support. While, emotions are great motivating forces that drive people to take action, they cloud clear judgment. 

The issue over Park 51, the Islamic cultural center proposed to be built two blocks from Ground Zero, is coinciding with the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 this weekend. Already, the issue has received much attention. It might even be outdated for this column. I feel, nonetheless, that the eruption of protest and harsh language against Islam from some opponents to Park 51 is expository of a deeper problem of intolerance toward peaceful Muslims in America. 

The potential site of Park 51 is near Ground Zero, and it is natural that Americans feel emotional about its location. 

Park 51 can be viewed as a threatening reminder of the attacks by extremists on 9/11. It can also be viewed as an opportunity to promote inter-faith dialogues and as a profound testament to this nation’s freedom of religion. 

Much of the most publicized rhetoric against Park 51 is full of hasty generalizations that falsely attribute the traits and extremism of a minority of Muslims to the entire Muslim population. 

Are American Muslims the defenseless, nerdy kids on the playground? It seems that too many opponents are guilty of using name-calling, sneering and taunting as ways of expressing their points of view.  

Similar to the burning of the American flag, the cruel accusations  and hateful language toward Muslims displayed during the debate over Park 51 is neither tasteful nor convincing.  

Instead of attacking the integrity and moral codes of Muslims in America, why not use a powerful emotional appeal? It’s just too close, too soon. Would you kindly consider another location?

Perhaps, that seems too simple, but I imagine it would be a far more effective and dignified way of expressing opposition. 

Dissenting voices are incredibly valuable and necessary.  In this case, the emotional argument is a worthy one, but only if it is presented in a reasonable and respectful way. Without a doubt, there are plenty of people who have argued their opposition with poise and clarity. It is the overzealous, those who receive the most media attention, to whom I refer. 

At least at JCU, let’s not reduce our arguments to blame, bullying and personal attacks, regardless of the issue at hand. Let’s be different from so many of the political arguments we see in the media and everywhere else.

The University was granted a special permit to use the house at 4070 Carroll Blvd., which is zoned as a residential area, as office space by the City’s Board of Zoning Appeals in June.

The BZA approved the special permit under several conditions, including the space be used during office hours of 6 a.m. – 6 p.m., place no signage on the second story, and limit parking to the Dolan Science Center lot.

Residents appealed the decision, which brought the issue to City Council.

The issue was tabled by City Council at their meeting on Aug. 23 and reassessed at a special working meeting last week.

The special meeting produced three additional conditions to the motion. The City Council approved conditions that would prevent JCU from seeking tax-exempt status for the property. Further, the conditions put a moratorium on the purchasing of other houses and additional special permit requests for houses on Carroll Blvd. and designated surrounding areas.

Councilman Frank Consolo motioned to sustain the appeal, citing a letter from JCU in an unofficial response to the motion as negative and disharmonious with the City’s character.

The letter allegedly expressed contention on aspects of the additional conditions added during the Council’s special meeting, including a change to the conditions that would limit only student and faculty parking to the Dolan lot and some ambiguity about whether it would seek tax-exempt status.

Councilman Steven Bullock said the unofficial response from JCU to the City’s motion to lose faith in the ability for the University and JCU to work collaboratively.

Bullock said, “It’ s a matter of respect and willing to cooperate that’s missing.”

Councilman Kevin Murphy motioned to pass the motion created during the Council’s working session, allowing the University to accept it with the additional conditions or officially reject it.

“It’s a negotiation, and I don’t want to pull our offer off the table until we’ve received an official rejection,” said Murphy.

After more than an hour of discussion, Consolo’s motion failed by a 3-4 vote.

Murphy’s motion passed with a 3-4 vote and included a subtle word change to one of the original conditions.

Director of Government and Community Relations Dora Pruce attended the meeting.

“Ideally, what we [JCU] were looking for was having two separate motions this evening,” said Pruce. “One [would have been] based on the Proposed Motion to Appeal to BZA (the original request approved by the BVA in June). The second motion would talk about City Council declaring support for the city planning process and for the JCU community to be an integral part of that process.”

Mayor Susan Infeld expressed concern that denying the City’s “largest employer and jewel of our city,” its request for office and administrative use of the property would contribute to a history of the Council “putting up a front and saying ‘no, no,no.’”

That is the story the photo tells, anyway. 

Photoshop is just one of several pastimes that keeps the staff of The CN lively and laughing as we put together this award-winning publication. 

The newsroom is a place where humor reigns and thick skin is a must. Staff members are undoubtedly going to be stereotyped, nicknamed and digitally altered with computer software. 

When I joined The CN staff after transferring to John Carroll at the beginning of this school year, I had no idea that the paper and the staff would become such a huge part of my life. 

I had no idea that I would ever want to spend so many sleepless hours in a room filled with pizza boxes, old newspapers, coffee cups, and a strange and unpleasant smell. 

But it happened. The newsroom became one of my favorite places, filled with some of my favorite people.  

Lena Chapin and I were discussing the idea of “home” the other day, and we decided that the newsroom, in a sense, is a home for many of the staff members.  

Actually, it’s like the family room – it’s where you go when you want to hang with your people and work, talk and play. And when your people start driving you nuts, you can escape to your bedroom (or in this case your apartment, dorm or house). 

Being home is about feeling comfortable and satisfied, and mostly, it’s about eliminating the “embarrassing moment.” 

We all have those moments. You say aloud some random thought or bust out a freaky dance move and then scold yourself internally when you realize that your company probably thinks you are a very strange individual. You’re embarrassed. You want to hit rewind. 

Home is about being in the moment and being honest without feeling the wrath of rosy-cheeks and regret. 

I feel that way about being with The CN staff. I’m comfortable with these people, and I genuinely like them. 

When they pick on me, I’m not offended, and even the nicknames I am given are accepted as terms of some kind of endearment – even when they call me “Snooks,” a nickname I acquired thanks to my good fortune of sharing a first name with one of reality television’s infamous guidettes. What an honor!

The kind of name-calling and menacing that goes on in the newsroom is the kind that occurs among siblings. It’s never meant to be hurtful; it’s only meant to provide a good laugh, and it usually works. 

Every Tuesday The Carroll News staff works laboriously to complete the week’s issue of the paper, but behind every issue are hours of fun and games to accompany the articles, columns and layouts. 

I couldn’t be happier with my decision to come back after that first CN staff meeting last fall.

John Carroll University will update its schedule of classes to include required course material information online. The change is in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, which requires higher education institutions to reveal such information on their class schedules by July 1, 2010.

The HEOA requires post-secondary institutions that receive federal assistance to include the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and cost for all required course materials on the institution’s online course schedule.

Registrar Kathleen DiFranco said the textbook information provided will include the name, author, ISBN, price and a link to purchase the book through Follett.

“Having the information for the cost of books and the International Standard Book Number will help students make more informed decisions about where to purchase books and to plan their finances,” DiFranco said.

Junior Lindsay Smetana said, “It [online textbook information] would be helpful. I wish I’d had it my first three years.”

The HEOA also requires publishers to disclose, among other things, the copyright dates of previous editions of a book and a description of changes from previous editions that were made to the current edition. Publishers are also required to provide an option to purchase bundled materials individually.

The textbook information will be available to JCU students in several weeks and e-mail notifications will be informing students of the changes at that time according to DiFranco.

Instructors are currently submitting book information for the coming fall semester, and the information will, ideally, be available at the time of registration in the future, DiFranco said.

“It all depends on how soon the book order has been submitted and if the instructor has been determined for particular class sections,” she said.

Course material information that is not yet decided must be designated with a ‘TBD’ (to be determined) on the online course schedule, as stipulated in the HEOA.

DiFranco said JCU will also offer online transcript requests through Credentials Solutions TranscriptsPLUS program in the next couple of weeks.

TranscriptsPLUS is an automated service that allows current and former students to request and purchase transcripts online. It handles all transactions and will provide status updates to users, as stated on the company’s Web site.

“By requesting transcripts online, students and alumni will have the convenience of using the Web for the entire request and payment process,” said DiFranco.

Hansler is currently an adjunct professor of physics and the director of The Lighting Innovations Institute at John Carroll University. In 1943, however, he was a navigator for the U.S. Army Air Force.

The explosion required him to eject out of the B-17 bomber that carried him and others during their mission to bomb an oil refinery in Germany. He leapt from the plane and parachuted to the ground, where he was forced to flee from enemy soldiers.

The book, “Prepare to bail out!” is Hansler’s account of the events that led up to and followed his squadron’s 25th mission, when the plane was shot down. Dorota Silaj Publishing published the book in March.

“I started writing it 65 years ago when I got back from war. I did about 90 percent of it,” said Hansler.

It was not until the release of a book by Boguslaw Zieba last year that Hansler decided to finish his book. Zieba’s book “Blechhammer” accounts the crash of the B-17 on which Hansler was aboard from the perspective of the author, who was a child at the time and witnessed the crash.

He said, “When that [“Blechhammer,”] came out  I thought I’d finish what I started and gave it [“Prepare to bail out!”] to the same publisher.”

Hansler is profiled in Zieba’s book, but “Prepare to bail out!” provides Hansler’s first-hand experience.

Hansler said his parachute landed on the Czechoslovakian side of the Poland-Czechoslovakia border, where a local peasant took him back to his house and hid him from the Germans in a hayloft above his barn.

“If the Germans would have found out they would have shot him [the peasant] on the spot,” he said. “He was very brave.”

“Prepare to bail out!” describes Hansler’s stay in Czechoslovakia, as well as his time spent working with the Polish Partisans and the Russian front.

“We crossed the border during the night and hiked into Poland, where we were put into contact with the [Polish] Partisans,” said Hansler. “We lived with them in the mountains for many months.”

After staying in Poland, Hansler and others joined the Russian front. Hansler said he experienced his most terrifying near-death moment when an intoxicated Russian sergeant mistook him for a German. Later, Hansler spent six weeks at a Russian field hospital recovering from pneumonia.

Soon after his recovery, Hansler received word that the allies would be sending a cruise ship to retrieve Hansler and other allied soldiers from Odessa.

“It was like paradise,” said Hansler. “We had good food and white bread – we had only black bread all winter – it was like cake.”

The cruise ship brought the men to Italy, where Hansler caught a flight to the U.S. and enrolled in college.

Today, Hansler is married with four children and ten grandchildren. After 42 years of working as a physicist for General Electric, he runs The Lighting Innovations Institute at JCU, which helps develop runway lights for several corporate and government organizations.

“Prepare to bail out!” is available for purchase on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle editions.

The change will eliminate the single-sex housing option, in terms of building classifications, for students living on campus. JCU is joining other Jesuit Universities, such as Xavier University and Loyola University of Chicago, in offering only co-ed dormitories.

Pacelli will be co-ed by floor, with the exception of the third floor. All rooms on the third floor will be remodeled into single rooms. The third floor will be a co-ed floor for sophomores, juniors and seniors.

Director of Residence Life Heather Losneck said that approximately 70 of 1793 students residing on campus requested living in a single-sex residence hall for the 2008-2009 school year. For the 2009-2010 school year, 40 of 1683 students requested the same arrangement.

“We just weren’t getting many requests for that kind of living environment. The decline was not helping fill the building,” said Losneck.

Losneck said students who requested co-ed living were sometimes assigned to single-sex residence halls in order to fill them in the past.

Freshmen Melissa Gorup and Trisha Gruskiewicz are currently roommates in Pacelli.

“I don’t want it [Pacelli] to go co-ed,” said Gruskiewicz. “I think it’s nice that they [JCU] have an all-girls dorm. My parents were glad I got into an all-girls dorm, especially my dad.”

Gorup said Pacelli is known as a good place to study because it is an all-female hall. The roommates also said they would feel less secure in a co-ed dorm.

“For those women who prefer a more single-sex environment, it [Pacelli] will be single sex by floor. There shouldn’t be much traffic from males,” said Losneck.

Losneck said the majority of students in Pacelli are freshman, and she expects she will need to have a few conversations with parents who are concerned about the elimination of single-sex residence halls. However, she does not anticipate many issues with the change.

“While I want to empower the many staff and administrators who work with and support our students, having an opportunity to spend time with students is always a great and gratifying experience for me. I thank the Student Union for their invitation,” said Niehoff via an e-mail sent prior to the meeting.

Niehoff began with opening remarks and then answered several questions from the audience and members of Student Union. Questions were submitted on note cards distributed at the beginning of the meeting.

Student Union President Amanda Papa said Niehoff had not attended a Senate meeting since she became involved in SU her freshman year.

“I kind of wish more students had been there, but the quality of questions were good,” said Papa. “I was a little surprised that there weren’t more people, though.”

Fewer than 12 students were in the gallery for the meeting that was open to the entire JCU community.

“I want to make sure he follows up on his word. He can’t just issue empty statements,” said junior attendee Deanna Bouchahine, regarding Niehoff’s e-mail about updating JCU’s nondiscrimination policy to include LGBT persons.

JCU’s Nondiscrimination Policy

“We are well on our way to crafting a new statement,” said Niehoff.

He said he would attend a day-and-a-half retreat with the University’s vice presidents to discuss the issue and would be looking at the Equal Employment Opportunity Policies (EEOP) at two or three other institutions.

Fundraising

“Meeting like this is very important. I need to get a sense of what matters to you,” said Niehoff. “But my primary responsibility [as University president] is fundraising.”

Niehoff said JCU currently raises approximately $12 million each year, two-thirds of which comes in the form of cash. He said he has a fundraising goal of $20 million per year for the future.

Fundraising money goes toward scholarships, academic programs, renovations and athletic programs.

Enrollment

Fluctuating enrollment, which was down this year, and losses in state and federal aid make budgeting difficult, according to Niehoff.

“Enrollment looks like a ping-pong ball, which isn’t good for planning,” said Niehoff.

The administration has an enrollment goal of 700 incoming freshman in the fall.

Academics

Niehoff said students should make sure their questions are being asked to the proper entities at JCU. Concerns about academic programs, for instance, should be addressed to department chairs.

“Faculty at JCU absolutely control all of our academic programs,” said Niehoff.

Academic Vice President John Day said an academic minor in leadership was recently approved. He said an academic major in East Asian studies and a major and minor in peace, justice and human rights are close to happening as well.

Communication with Students

“I think every day about what will make John Carroll better,” said Niehoff. “I don’t blow off any of these questions or your concerns.”

Niehoff suggested that SU and other students meet with University vice presidents and department heads to get answers to some of their questions.

Niehoff said, “Yes, let’s do this again, but feel free to invite others.”

Student Response

“I wish we had more time, obviously our meetings can’t go on forever,” said Papa. “It [Niehoff’s visit] was positive for the future in terms of him coming to more meetings and being more involved.”

According to Papa, Niehoff has showed intent to come to another meeting in the future.

She tags blog entries like this one with short phrases that are relevant to the entry, and the tags are used to sort the entries into topical categories. Her users can comment on the blog entries, opening up conversation with the television host and Fitness Magazine contributor. 

Certainly, numerous natural-green-earth-friendly companies are shipping their products to Snow with the hope that she will recommend their products to her followers. Such requests for endorsements are common for popular blogs.

In fact, the Federal Trade Commission updated its rules concerning endorsements in Oct. 2009 to address blog-related advertising.

An FTC press release states that, “the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.”

The blogosphere is inhabited by numerous content-creators, like Snow, whose entries are sources of news, entertainment and recommendations for their followers.  

The New York Times publishes more than 20 blogs on its Web site and the Wall Street Journal has many of its own. But many blogs are not affiliated with journalistic institutions or celebrity status.

Web sites such as blogger.com and wordpress.org provide free blogging platforms to users, which make the creation of blogs accessible and convenient. Nearly anyone can publish his or her thoughts on the Internet. 

Bloggers are not necessarily trained to know laws about libel, copyright infringement and product-promotion. The ethics of journalism are not always followed or understood.

 “I really believe that everyone needs an editor, and that can be a drawback to a blog,” said Carrie Buchanan, an assistant professor in the Tim Russert Department of Communications and Theatre Arts.

Many bloggers do not have access to an editor. There is often no fact-checker sifting through blog entries for truth and accuracy. 

 Even blogs that are associated with credible organizations could be posted before an editor has a chance to check for errors, according to Buchanan.

She said, “We have to be ever-vigilant, even if reading a respectable blog.” 

While the ethical and legal issues are being worked out, the blogosphere remains active and full of contributors. 

 “Some students are natural bloggers and could make a living this way,” said Buchanan, who incorporates blogging into her journalism classes at JCU.

Buchanan said that blogs are less formal and briefer than traditional news articles, and the interactivity – the ability to provide links and hear back from readers – is very helpful.

Department of Education and Allied Studies Chair Brendan Foreman said that JCU submitted a letter of interest for the Fellowship to the Ohio Board of Regents, which included a broad outline of how JCU’s program would work and why such a program fits into the University’s philosophy, and also had an on-campus interview. 

The program aims to improve STEM teaching in urban and rural high schools by attracting talented individuals.  

“It [the fellowship] is for people with heavy experience in science, technology, engineering and mathematics who are switching fields or for people who haven’t started out yet,” said Foreman. “It is a way to bring in a number of people who didn’t go into education as an undergraduate.” 

JCU’s program is still in the planning phrase.  

“The Foundation made it clear it really, really wants innovation,” said Foreman.  

The Woodrow Wilson Federation granted JCU $500,000. The money will be used for course releases for professors, materials and traveling related to the planning of the Fellowship program, which is expected to begin summer or fall 2011, according to Foreman.  

The fellowships will be granted to 20 students each year, who agree to complete a one-year apprenticeship with a master-teacher and three years of teaching in rural or urban school. 

The fellows will receive a $30,000 stipend each year.   

Foreman said fellows would be paired with master-teachers from several Cleveland high schools, while earning a master’s degree in education at JCU.  

“This will be a very hands-on, apprentice-like program,” said Foreman. 

Fellows will be licensed teachers after one year. Their licenses will be in either mathematics and computer science or integrated sciences, according to Foreman.  

“This is really big for JCU,” said Foreman. “It puts us in a nice class of fellow schools. Also, it is the Ohio Board of Regents saying ‘we have faith in you.’” 

The University of Akron, the University of Cincinnati and The Ohio State University were also recipients of the Woodrow Wilson Ohio Teaching Fellowship program. 

The universities will partner with Akron Public Schools, Cincinnati Public Schools, Columbus City Schools and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.  

Universities in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan offer the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellows programs.

“Carol Dietz, associate vice president of facilities, has agreed to chair the committee and other members agreed, in the fall, to serve. Most of the pieces and parts for the committee are in place,” said Smith via e-mail.

The announcement of this committee should move forward the agendas of two campus groups, Generation Green and the Environmental Issues group.
Generation Green members said the group will inform students about the shortage of clean water worldwide and the environment dangers posed by bottled water during World Water Week, March 21-27, in the Student Center atrium.

The group will also host an open conversation among faculty, staff, administrators and students to brainstorm ideas and assess the campus’ sustainability efforts at 2 p.m. on March 10 and 17 in the Jardine Room and Dolan Reading Room, respectively.

“We hope that with the pending administration’s announcement of a Sustainability Committee, which Jonathan Smith has been working on over the past couple of years, more concrete steps will be made to improve the University’s Green Report card,” said Juanita Padilla, president of Generation Green. “We are excited to work with the committee once it is announced to improve our campuses recycling, and overall sustainability.”

Padilla was also recently appointed as the Student Union representative to the Sustainability Committee.

Raymond Chahoud is the founder and president of the Environmental Issues Group on campus, which was created last semester.
Chahoud said that his group is working with University Heights to develop a bike rental program and is also working with JCU facilities to put large recycling bins with separated compartments for various recyclables on campus.

Dietz agreed to allocate space in the Dolan Garage for storage of the bikes, according to Chahoud, and funding would come from grants.
“The City is on board. Facilities is on board,” said Chahoud. “We’re going to turn it [campus sustainability] around.”

John Carroll University’s Social Justice Coordinator Chris Kerr said that Campus Ministry views environmental sustainability as an integral part of social justice.

“If social justice is an important part of our mission as a Jesuit institution, we have to make certain commitments to sustainability,” said Kerr. “The message we send now is that we don’t really care about our commitment to recycling because we don’t educate people or label the bins. We don’t put as much value [on recycling] as we should.”

Generation Green Vice President Maggie Henderson said there are many JCU teachers interested in helping with sustainability initiatives as well.
Kevin Snape, a political science lecturer at JCU, is teaching an environmental politics and policy class this semester.

The class is researching whether JCU should install solar panels on the flat rooftops of buildings on campus and will make a presentation to Dietz near the end of April, according to Snape.

“It could still turn out to not be a great idea,” said Snape. “But it will be supported by good data and analysis.”

The announcement of the Sustainability Committee will come after much speculation about the formation of such an entity at JCU.

“We can either be in the game [environmental sustainability] or behind the game. We are kind of on the crest right now,” said Kerr.

Cook said the resolution, which was submitted at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, violated a bylaw of the constitution that requires bills to be submitted before noon on the Monday before the meeting.

Cook also pointed out that Student Union did not follow protocol when motioning to vote on the resolution.

“This was so rushed into being voted on that we bypassed our constitution,” said freshman Senator Greg Petsche during Tuesday’s SU meeting. “We can’t just speed through the process because we think it [the resolution] is more important than something else.”

Cook’s comments about the constitutionality of the resolution sparked a debate among senators that lasted nearly an hour.

Some senators and students in attendance voiced concern that the scrutiny over the resolution stemmed from personal bias about the controversial issue.

“I’m interested in why this is the only piece of legislation taken into account,” said Sophomore Senator Sean Cahill.

Junior Alix Audi was in attendance and asked senators whether the debate was about the constitutionality of the resolution or the controversial nature of it.

An article of the Student Union constitution states that legislative violations of the constitution should be sent before the Student Union Hearing Board for consideration and to be reviewed for legitimacy, which could take a few weeks.

“Going through the process only gives the bill legitimacy,” said Vice President for Student Organization Chelsey Neuhaus.

Sophomore Senator Pete Hayden wrote the resolution, which was sponsored by junior Senator Juanita Padilla and sophomore Senator Meghan Everett.

“Sometimes justice comes before the process,” said Hayden.

Many LGBT members and allies attended the meeting and voiced concern that the bill might not be validated or passed again in time for their presentation to the Board of Directors’ Student Affairs Committee and Academic Affairs Committee on March 9.

Student Union voted to resend the resolution, which would void the original passage of the resolution and open it for a new vote, but the vote did not receive the necessary two-thirds support.

Student Union President Amanda Papa said she will meet with the vice president of judicial affairs to discuss how SU will proceed.

“None of us [the current SU members] have seen this happen. We’re getting together to discuss where to go from here,” said Papa.

Last fall, JCU received an overall grade of D+ from greenreport.org.

JCU entered a contract with Landmark Disposal, based in Medina, for waste removal and recycling management in September of 2007.

The three main components of the University’s recycling program are green recycling dumpsters, beige general trash dumpsters, and two food compactors.

The green dumpsters are for mixed paper, newspaper, magazines, plastic containers and aluminum cans. The beige dumpsters are for furniture, glass and landscaping and construction debris. Wet food items can be recycled in the food compactors.

Landmark collects and removes the contents of the dumpsters from campus and further sorts the recycled goods at their plant. However, if the recycled dumpster has too much contamination, it is regarded as trash.

Director of Purchasing and Auxilary Services Andrew Fronczek said that he has received complaints from Landmark regarding an increase in contamination lately. He said there are three main potential risks for contamination: residence halls, dining services and housekeeping.

Director of Residence Life Heather Losneck said that there are some old recycle bins in the residence halls.

“They [the recycling bins] are used for trash since all the trash goes through separation at the plant,” said Losneck via e-mail.

Landmark, however, does not sort recycled goods from trash.

Neither Fronczek nor Carol Dietz, associate vice president of facilities, could confirm the number of bins located around the University for the purpose of collecting recyclables. Further, the designation of those bins as recycle bins was uncertain.

Fronczek said the bins were originally labeled with large, graphic posters that read “Recycle JCU,” but the bins had no color distinction from regular trash bins.

“Last spring we made an effort to relabel trash bins. How they stand right now, I don’t know,” said Dietz.

“Could we do better? Yeah,” said Fronczek.

He said he would like to see more compactors on campus but funding that project would be difficult.

Fronczek said, “If there was a strong desire to participate from student organizations, that would be a big help.”

Dietz, who said she is meeting with a few interested student groups in the coming weeks, said separate sorting bins for different recyclable goods would be a good idea, but the University needs the help of students.

“In the Dolan Science Center, faculty have committed that they would like to sort. We’ve had requests from the computer labs for bins for paper,” said Dietz.

JCU will rebid the contract for waste removal this summer, according to Fronczek.

In the same week, the video “We Are The World 25” was released, featuring musicians of all ages and genres – those whose fame came from MTV and those whose videos circulate on YouTube. 

“We Are The World 25” was recorded as a fundraiser for Haitian relief 25 years after artists recorded it for the first time in an effort to raise money for Africa. 

The video was released last Friday and had more than 3.5 million views on YouTube after two days. 

I recognize that MTV can’t compete with YouTube for music video viewership and reality shows are a successful alternative.

 Even so, there is an unreal and talentless quality about many of the successful reality shows on MTV. It concerns me that our pop culture is being redefined by a seriously distorted “reality.”

Oppositely, the “We Are The World” videos, old and new, capture the culture of the time in which each was recorded, presenting the fashion, icons, musical style and suffering in the world at that time. 

The videos showcase great talent and bring awareness to meaningful causes.

More than 80 artists collaborated on the newer version of the song, which was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. The lyrics remain relevant and inspiring. 

While the cause is certainly worthwhile, the song and video are also a testament to the power of celebrity and the way that power can be used for positive public influence.

“We Are The World 25” brings together the diverse styles and talents of rappers, country singers, pop performers and musical legends, some of which participated in the original recording of the song. 

Justin Bieber replaced Lionel Richie in the opening of the song, and female artists including Fergie, Jennifer Hudson and Celine Dion, replaced Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper and Diana Ross. Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers represent teen pop sensations. An Auto-Tuned Lil Wayne juxtaposes the crooning of Tony Bennet. 

Footage and a recording of Michael Jackson from the original video split a screen with Janet Jackson in the new version creating a short duet during the song. Even American Idol’s Randy Jackson sings in the video, as well as actor Vince Vaughn. 

The video symbolizes the unification of diverse people and talents for a great cause. It is work that is deserving of praise and public support. 

The success of this fundraising effort depends on people paying for something they can get for free. 

Hopefully, the same large audiences that support popular reality shows will appreciate the true talent that is exhibited in “We Are The World 25” and the value of supporting Haitian relief efforts. 

Donations can be made at world25.org. Proceeds from song and video downloads on iTunes benefit the We Are The World Foundation, founded by Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones earlier this month.