His name is Simon Greenspan, a 21-year-old from Shaker Heights, who attends every practice for the Blue Streaks.

Greenspan runs the clock during practice and helps lighten the mood by cracking jokes.

He enjoys many of the same activities that a typical college aged student does, such as video games, hanging out with friends and sports.

One area that Greenspan differs from most is that he has a learning disability that causes him to take more time than normal to read and do math.

“I do things a little different than everyone else,” says Greenspan. Because of this, he feels that people often don’t take the time to get to know him.

“People don’t understand me because I’m different.”

With Greenspan’s passion for sports and his close proximity to campus, his mother called Laurie Massa, athletic director at John Carroll, to see if Simon could get involved with a team at JCU.

He started going to the men’s basketball practices and made an immediate impact. Senior Terry Walsh said, “Simon has been a testament to the work ethic for our team. He shows up every single day to help us out with practice in any way that he can. He is a real character with plenty of jokes for all occasions.”

Greenspan started going to women’s practices a couple of weeks ago and already has lightened the mood according to some players. “Any opportunity Simon has to crack a joke, he takes it, and sometimes there is no opportunity and he makes one anyway,” said senior Allison Kern.

Sophomore Rachael Price says that Simon helps the team with their energy level at practice. “When we are having one of our not so great practices, he’ll crack a joke when we are getting water or something that makes us all laugh and it really lightens our moods.”

When he was younger, Greenspan says he was made fun of a lot by other kids in school because they didn’t understand him.

It’s a feeling that Greenspan doesn’t easily forget because of the pain it caused him. “When people tease you, it doesn’t make you feel good at all.”

His friends told him to try and ignore the harsh words by others, but that is easier said than done. “It’s hard to ignore people because I still hear what they say and it hurts,” said Greenspan.

This is part of the reason he always has a smile on his face at JCU because “everyone here treats me well.”

Greenspan has helped the team in ways that can’t be measured on the basketball court.

“He has taught each and every one of us just how important it is to enjoy each and every day,” said JCU student coach Conor Donelon. “He helps remind the team that whether we win or lose, it’s just a game.”

With Greenspan serving as their inspiration, the men’s basketball team hosted two clinics this season for kids with disabilities.

Head coach Mike Moran believes the players get more out of the clinics than the kids.

“It makes you realize how fortunate you are.”

Senior Pete Moran added, “It’s a great opportunity for us to give back to the community and it’s something all the guys on the team really enjoy doing.”

As for future plans, Greenspan’s dream is to become a sports announcer. While helping out at practice, he works on his skills.

“When one of the players makes a good play or shot, he commentates the action as he works the scoreboard,” said Kristie Maravalli, the women’s head coach.

This past weekend, Greenspan announced his first two games at Ursuline College.

With that came the realization that sometimes dreams become reality.

Duns was first approached to tackle the project of filming and editing this documentary by Lisa Lewis, media service coordinator for the John Carroll Communications and Theatre Department. The director of the Youth Prevention program, Michelle Reali, wanted a way to show gang members how their lives could end up one day if they didn’t change. Reali contacted Lewis because her father is a John Carroll alum.

Duns just happened to be in the office the day this assignment came to John Carroll and he was eager to participate. His experience as a news anchor for JCU-TV on segments such as “Market Rep” and interviews, prepared him for the film-making experience. He mentioned one of his favorite interviews on JCU TV was with Dan O’Malley, Allison Kern and Pat Kelly for elections last year.
Duns not only had the experience but also an emotional tie. His experience as a victim of a car accident made him want to protect other kids from seeing the things that he had been forced to see.
This documentary was his first attempt at film-making and he got help from the John Carroll TV station.

Duns filmed the movie while Reali interviewed different victims of gang violence. In describing the victim of a drive-by shooting, Duns said “He just laid there with his gut wide open. Shooting this was spooky and unreal.”

There is also an interview with a grandmother who breaks into tears when talking about her grandson who was a victim of gang violence. “Her grandson has a lot to overcome before he can even get back to where he started,” said Duns. Another interview is with a mother of two kids who were both shot on the street. “It took a lot to see a grandmother and mother breakdown in tears,” said Duns.

Duns described the experience of being behind the camera as all of these interviews unraveled. “You can’t see the tears in their eyes and you can’t smell their flesh when it is cut in the E.R. It is an uneasy feeling especially when they have to operate.”

Duns did most of the filming for it in the Huron Road Hospital. He would go into the E.R. at 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. and wait for trauma to come to him.

The film is not directed towards the suburban population. Duns said he focused on what would affect kids from 10 to 17 years old. This film-, which will be shown to John Carroll students February 19 at 6 p.m. in the Donahue Auditorium, will actually affect kids who are involved in gangs.

First-time offenders, who are usually around the age of eight, are prosecuted and then court ordered to go to the Huron Road Hospital to watch this movie.

“Hopefully they will see the movie and realize that could be them if they don’t change their minds,” said Duns.

Most major cities have slide shows to send a message but this is the first documentary used to educate gang members who have been punished. “If it changes one kids mind then all of the hours were worth it,” said Duns, who spent some of his summer working on the documentary.

Everything in the film is exactly how it happened. The only thing Duns had to change were their faces, which he blurred. Duns said he is now thinking of doing a documentary on the homeless situation in Cleveland.

Duns hopes that John Carroll students realize that this is going on right in their own backyard.

“We are used to seeing movies with blood and guts and we become immune to it. This is real blood and real intestines. The only closer you can get to it is being there,” said Duns.

The Blue Streaks will compete in the Ohio Athletic Conference championships this weekend, at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio.

This season, the Blue Streaks will contend for their fifth team title in six years.

Sophomore Elie Naoum is the Blue Streaks’ star at 125 pounds. Naoum garnered the most wins by a JCU wrestler this year, going 24-11 overall.

In OAC dual meets, he was 5-1, with his only loss coming in a 6-4 decision to David Penny of Ohio Northern.

Naoum feels that his top two challengers will be Clemens Artmann of Heidelberg, and Penny.

“I feel confident. I just have to make them wrestle my match and my tempo, and I know I can beat them,” said Naoum.

At 133 pounds, junior Adam Pizzurro has provided plenty of stability for the Blue Streaks.

He, along with teammate Ryan Summers, are the only two JCU wrestlers to win all six dual meets in which they participated.

“I have wrestled pretty well in OAC dual meets, so I don’t plan on changing my strategy for Saturday’s tournament,” said Pizzurro.

Junior Dominic Spitalieri will be counted on to improve his 18-14 overall record at the 141 weight-class.

With sophomore Dan Mizener moving up to compete at the 157 weight-class, the 149 spot for the Blue Streaks will be taken by junior Matt McDiarmid.

Mizener, who finished the OAC dual meets with a record of 4-2, will make his OAC championship debut at 157 pounds.

“I was at 149 all year and have been recently bumped up to 157,” explained Mizener.

Junior Steve Bagnowski will handle the Blue Streaks’ position at 165. Bagnowski, whose overall record is 12-16, finished 3-2 in OAC dual meets.

At 174, junior Chris Branchen will be counted on to dominate a talented 174 weight-class. Branchen went undefeated in OAC dual meets, carrying a 4-0 record.

Currently, Branchen is ranked eighth in the Division III National Wrestling Poll.

Ryan Summers will hope to end his career as a Blue Streak on a high note. Summers, a senior, has never lost an OAC match.

As a sophomore he was the OAC champion at 184 pounds, and went on to be the Division III Runner-Up.

Summers feels his greatest competition will come from Heidelberg’s Kyle Rooney, whom he beat earlier this season 5-0.
“He [Rooney] has a very unorthodox style that I controlled during our last match,” said Summers.

Sophomore Matt Harmon will be JCU’s representative at 197 pounds.

A fullback on the Varsity football team, Harmon joined the wrestling squad just in time to have a Cinderella season, finishing with a 3-1 record in the OAC.

The big surprise in the Blue Streaks’ line-up in this weekend’s conference championship will be at the heavyweight level. Junior Derrick Bendau will make his OAC debut this season at the tournament.

Bendau, who has had several injuries over the course of his career, recently was cleared to compete.

Before getting hurt early this season, Bendau was 4-0 overall. Last year he did not wrestle due to injury. In 2004-2005, he went 8-1 and held a ranking as high as fifth in the national rankings.

Preparation for the OAC championship has been very hard but worthwhile, according to Summers.

“We have been mixing up our workout routines and doing some cross training in the pool and on the track. These kinds of workouts will hopefully get us ready and in-shape for OACs.”

Summers regards all of his teammates very highly and knows they have been working hard.

He said, “I see it in the room and during our two-a-day workouts, no one outworks our guys. I wouldn’t go into battle with anyone but my teammates.”

Pizzurro expects his team to put up a battle in every match they compete in, just as they have all season.

He said, “If we continue to battle, we have a good chance of winning the big matches, qualifying guys for nationals, and finishing high as a team.”

Naoum added, “No one weight class is a complete runaway. With that said, I think if everyone takes care of their own business, we definitely have the ability to win the [OAC] tournament.”

Addressing questions of how the institution is able to offer such a bold new aid initiative, Brian Williams, vice president for enrollment, stated that the University’s overall level of aid will increase, but not dramatically. “We’re making larger awards to fewer people. And the remainder helps a shift to need-based aid.”

The University is moving away from what was known as the American Values Scholarship, a merit-based award granted to first-year students based on academic achievement, leadership and volunteerism.

The funds from this scholarship are being shifted to two new merit-based programs, according to Williams.

The Presidential Leadership Award will be given to 30-40 incoming first-year students on the basis of leadership ability and potential. The awards will range from a quarter to half of tuition.

According to the Office of Admissions Web site, the Arrupe Scholars Program will be granted to 20 incoming first-year students based on commitment to social justice and community service. Arrupe Scholars will follow a newly created curriculum, participate in service projects, and otherwise remain actively engaged in the campus community.

In addition to the shift in financial aid programs, students are seeing an increase in various federal programs.

The Stafford Loan for incoming first-years, which formerly began as a $2,625 loan, now begins at $3,500.

The American Competitiveness Grant, a new program, is valued at $750. Williams said that the improvements in federal assistance have made the University’s new aid strategy more possible.

Williams noted that by enabling the University to offer more need-based awards to lower income families, revenue will actually increase because retention will grow. “The hope is that by improving these awards that we will be able to focus on the net revenue that these students will still bring to us over four years rather than one or two.

“Low income students have a lower retention than that of the overall freshmen class. By lessening the financial aid barriers we hope to retain these students through graduation,” he said

The new financial aid initiative for lower-income families comes at the end of the inaugural year of the Cleveland Opportunity Scholarship, a program which fully-funded tuition for thirty students of Cleveland’s public and Catholic high schools. Williams stated that the new scholarship was an eye-opener for him and for the administration. “Clearly, there are many more than 30 students who need help to choose JCU.”

The only other program in Ohio that is similar to JCU’s new strategy is at Miami University in Oxford. Their need-based aid provides full tuition to qualifying students whose family income is less than $35,000.

However, unlike the John Carroll initiative, Miami does not cover room and board costs. Nationally, universities like Harvard, UNC-Chapel Hill and Princeton are offering similar aid packages for low-income families.

Obama went to his home state to make the announcement, according to The Associated Press.

“Lets transform this nation,” he told an estimated crowd of 15,000 to 17,000 people.

“I know I haven’t spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I’ve been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change,” Obama said, referring to critics who say his two years in the Senate makes him too inexperienced to seek the White House.

Obama, who is only 45-years- old, is the youngest of all the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination.

A relatively unknown politician two years ago, Obama has surged onto the scene becoming one of the most prominent Democrats in Washington.

However, he still is believed to have an uphill battle trying to defeat political veterans like current frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Only a year ago, Obama said that he would not seek his party’s nomination for president and that the very question itself was ‘silly.’

His announcement came on the steps of the same building where Abraham Lincoln stood in 1858 and launched his unsuccessful bid for a United States Senate seat.

Obama’s use of Lincoln’s legacy was no coincidence, according to The AP.

“We can build a more hopeful America. And that is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a house divided to stand together, where common hopes and common dreams still live, I stand before you to announce my candidacy for President of the United States,” Obama said.

During his 20 minute speech, Obama spoke of reshaping the economy, investing in education, protecting employee benefits and insuring those who do not have health care.

He also spoke of ending poverty, weaning America off our dependency on foreign oil and fighting terrorism while also rebuilding alliances around the world, according to The AP.

“I think Obama is a strong candidate. One of his strengths is his ability to appeal to a large number of people with a strong positive image,” said Larry Schwab, professor of political science at John Carroll University.

“Obama also has the advantage of having opposed the Iraq War from the beginning. His main problems are his lack of experience, (a Senator for only two years), and the possibility that some Americans might vote against him because he is an African-American.”

He also took the chance to discuss the war in Iraq, saying that it would be his first priority to bring the troops home.

“It’s time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreement that lies at the heart of someone else’s civil war,” he said.

The Obama for President campaign already has its grassroots and netroots geared up.

Obama has an official Web site online where supporters can go and donate money.

And as a way to reach out to young people, the popular Web site facebook.com has numerous groups that its members can join to show their support for Barack Obama.

One already has more than 58,000 members.

Obama understands that his age, race, experience and even his name will all play a role in his bid for the presidency, according to The AP.

The women’s swimming and diving team sits in third place behind Ohio Northern (4-0 OAC) and Baldwin-Wallace (3-1 OAC).
The men’s team sits in fourth place behind ONU (4-0), B-W (3-1) and Mount Union (2-2).

Both teams have uphill battles to claim yet another OAC title in 2007.

This season the OAC tournament will be held at the University of Akron, rather than at JCU where it has been held in recent years.

“Not having the fan base that we have had in the past will be different,” sophomore Ryan Flaherty said, “but the differences in the pools will be minor.”

The most signicicant change that comes with swimming at Akron is the addition of two extra lanes. This equates to eight swimmers to a heat, not six like at JCU. This change will allow for two more swimmers to score in each event.

“The bigger pool will utilize our depth,” Griffin said, “it gives us two more opportunities to score.”

The JCU women come into the tournament as the defending OAC champions and have a strong, deep roster that gives them an excellent opportunity to capture their 20th OAC title.

“Being able to defend our title adds excitement to the meet,” Griffin said, “it gives us added motivation to win it again.”

The JCU ladies received some generous seeds for the meet. Leading the way are freshman Liana Sved, sophomores Heather Gilmour, Kim Kern and Andrea Kovacs. Sved, Kern and Kovacs earned multiple top eight seeds. Gilmour, the 2006 OAC swimmer of the year, has been strong in middle and long distance and earned herself three top eight seeds including the top seed in the 1650 yard freestyle.

The team’s depth will be influential in the overall outcome. It is important that JCU receive points from all of their swimmers, not just their top performers.

The women’s team will benefit from their depth. This allows for any swimmer to contribute at any time. This will be very important when the extra two scoring spots are determined this weekend.

“Our depth helps us win a lot of meets,” junior Kaitlin Griffin added, “it will be more important with a wider pool.”

The men’s team has a different makeup than the women’s squad. They rely on their top talent to grab high finishes and scores, rather than a deep finish grabbing many lower scoring spots.

The lack of depth reflects on the team’s record, although it is not an accurate measure of the team’s talent.

“Our depth doesn’t set our team up for dual meets,” Flaherty said, “when we are tapered down we have enough people to perform well.”

Along with Flaherty the team is led by sophomore Mike Beran, junior Ehren Eschmann and senior Ben White. Beran and Flaherty each grabbed two top eight seeds while Eschmann and White each received four top eight seeds.

“With so many top eight seeds we have a great opportunity to score in the finals,” Flaherty said.

JCU’s final meet of the season was a huge 115-64 victory over Oberlin College. The men are hoping to ride the wave of the recent victory to a strong showing at the OAC tournament.

“It was definitely a confidence boost for us,” Flaherty added, “it showed us where we are coming into the tournament.”

One aspect the men will benefit from is a deep diving core, something the women cannot claim. JCU’s lone female diver, freshman Lauren Singley, was injured and will not be able to compete. The men, however, have four divers, this provides an excellent opportunity to steal points. “Our extra divers give us an added opportunity for scoring,” Flaherty said.

Both teams are poised to win another OAC title and yet another banner to the wall at JCU.

John Carroll’s new financial aid policy would enable students who meet certain requirements to attend John Carroll for less than it would normally cost. To be eligible the student would have to meet admission requirements and have an annual family income of less than $40,000. After taking out a federal loan for $3,500, the student’s final bill would be $2,000. These students would also be expected to engage in community service projects.

School officials have noted that many students eliminate JCU as a college option because they believe that the price is too high. These financial aid changes should make JCU an affordable option for many otherwise qualified potential students. College officials expect a small increase in class size in the next few years and a more significant increase in later years. The change in the aid policy will increase the diversity of the student body at JCU.

There are numerous criteria to JCU admission requirements. Admissions counselors look at the quality of the applicant’s high school curriculum, GPA and SAT or ACT test scores and the application essay. Other factors such as extracurricular activities, as well as teacher or counselor recommendations help during the evaluation process. Changing the financial aid strategy will increase the number of students who can attend John Carroll. The University Heights community will also benefit as students become more involved in community service projects. In turn, JCU may receive a more positive response from University Heights residents.

Altogether this new financial aid strategy looks like a great idea. Student enrollment has been going down in recent years. These changes may increase the number of students who can afford to attend JCU, while maintaining the same level of academic rigor.Ultimately, it has the potential to create an even stronger JCU community.

Yes, it is true, I might be, but not because I think John Carroll University is great.

The only thing I ask of you is not to judge me too quickly, but rather, simply hear me out.

My love for our beloved school began when I moved onto campus in August.

As my family and I pulled into the parking lot I was greeted by a few welcoming upperclassmen who enthusiastically carried all of my prized possessions to my dorm room.

They did not even make fun of the excessive amount of Sponge Bob paraphernalia I had. We were off to a good start.

After classes began I quickly fell in love with the campus.

I love walking by the huge John Carroll statue every day and I love that you can get anywhere on campus in ten minutes or less.

In mid-September I noticed something particularly unique about wildlife here on campus.

The squirrels are unusually friendly. (In case you were wondering, the squirrel with only half of a tail is my favorite. I’ve concluded that he may have been in a freak lawn mower accident).

Now you can officially call me crazy.

I love the fact that I can tell you this story – before Thanksgiving I was walking past the library and noticed, out of the corner of my eye, a squirrel running at an impressive speed directly towards me. He nearly latched onto my jeans. Hopefully, he just wanted a hug.

Yes, that actually happened.

I love knowing that each and every weekend I am guaranteed a delicious omelet at Parkhurst.

I love that the bell tower was illuminated with red lights at Christmas time.

I love even more that a Jesuit priest lived in the bell tower for three years in the 1930s. One day I think I would like to live in the bell tower.

I love that when it snows there is a small chance I will be run over by a snow plow that looks strangely like a Tonka Truck.

I love that I have never received a negative comment about my square winter hat that, you guessed it, looks like Sponge Bob.

I love that I can attend mass at 10 p.m. on Sundays and I love going out on The Labre Project on Friday nights.

I love that about 90 percent of the students here at John Carroll University are obsessed with “Grey’s Anatomy” and will even go so far as to plan events around the seemingly “sacred” Thursday night time slot. (I am one of those people.)

I love being so close to the wonderful city of Cleveland.

That’s right, I love Cleveland, too.

In all honesty, we are very lucky to be here at John Carroll University, The Jesuit University in Cleveland. (I love saying the full name.)

We’re receiving a great education – probably the best in the world. You’ve heard it before and it is true, a Jesuit education will never be matched.

We should be proud to be students at John Carroll University.

These will be some of the greatest years of our lives, enjoy your time here while you can. Fall in love with your school.

Black history is a study that may escape students when preoccupied with Valentine’s Day festivities. There is no excuse to neglect this February tradition now that John Carroll University has brought a special exhibit, “Reflections in Black: African-American History on Wheels,” to campus.

Its main purpose is to educate and inspire others by sharing little known information about the contributions of African-Americans throughout history.

It is a traveling exhibit founded in 1998 by Clifton J. Brown. According to Brown, the exhibit is meant to “celebrate the accomplishments that brilliant African-Americans have made to world civilization.”

Accomplishments of African-American inventors, war heroes, sports heroes, singers, musicians and political leaders are on display.The exhibit is located in the entrance of the Grasselli library near the reference section.

John A. Burr made it easy for people to trim their lawn when he invented the lawn mower in 1899. Debrille M. Ratchford allowed anyone to be a couch potato when he invented the programmable remote control. Thomas W. Steward made a contribution to household cleaning products when he invented the mop in 1892.

One invention that is used literally everyday is the refrigerator. In 1891, John Standard patented his new and improved refrigerator. He paved the way for the high tech refrigerator that is used today. Standard also patented a design for the oil stove.

Though Standard did not initially invent the refrigerator, his contributions were dually important because he met the new needs of people and contributed to the progression of science and electronics.

As soon as Standard made his discoveries, he patented his work. A patent represents something that has not been done before and most utility patents are issued for what is called an “improvement.” Improvements are the work of inventors and often it is the improved design that succeeds in the market. Another item that was on exhibit was the desktop pencil sharpener used by millions of teachers everyday.

The desktop pencil sharpener was invented by John Lee Love in 1897. John Lee Love claimed that it really wasn’t all that plain because it could also be designed in a very ornate fashion and could be used as a desk ornament or paperweight. Four years before he invented the pencil sharpener, Love invented the “Plasterer’s Hawk,” which was used to spread plaster or mortar.

“I think it’s awesome that they have this exhibit. I have learned so much about Black History,” said sophomore Kate Glass.

Junior Megan Teter said, “Going to the exhibit gave me insight into things that I never knew about everyday ordinary objects and their significance and accomplishments for black history.”

Everywhere you turn you experience a little bit of Black History through the inventions that African Americans have made. Whether it is mowing the lawn or watching TV a black inventor can be attributed. The exhibit in Grasselli is definitely worth seeing. It is fascinating and a wonderful way to celebrate Black History Month.

The JCU chapter was started by junior Tom Haren and now has thirty chapter members and a Facebook group of 120 students.

Haren states, “One Corps is an organization started by John Edwards that is based around the philosophy that if we want to see change, then we have to go out and actually start changing something.”

It is based on the idea that people shouldn’t wait for others to do the change they want to see. One Corps take it on as their responsibility.

They operate with the attitude that by joining with friends, family, neighbors, etc. they really can make a difference. Haren says they are stronger together.

One Corps is a unique campus organization that has helped many people find their true place at John Carroll.

Haren was inspired to create the JCU Chapter because he found “there were quite a few students here at Carroll who weren’t satisfied with what becomes kind of the three main aspects of college: “class, work, party.”

Simply put, he wanted more. So he started looking for ways to get involved. He wanted something that would bring him out of his ‘bubble.’ “That’s when I, like many others, found One Corps.”
After his loss for Student Union President, Haren still wanted to bring his ideas to campus and aid the less fortunate.

Although Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards started the organization, the group has no political affiliation. Instead of focusing on politics, the group emphasizes advocacy and charity. Haren confirms the bipartisanship of the group because “One Corps doesn’t wait for politics.”

One Corps has events planned for the semester.

During the week of February 19-23, it will be hosting a clothing drive to benefit the Labre Project, a meal and friendship program where JCU students interact with the homeless. Haren reported that they already have over $300 worth of donations to raffle off for the Clothing Drive.

Students can either purchase raffle tickets or donate clothing in exchange for tickets. The prizes are from local businesses such as Jamaican-Me-Tan, Pizza Pan and Arabica, to name a few.

In March, the organization will be holding an event at Jake’s for all students, as well as a flip-flop drive for children in Africa.

This organization is accessible to every student on campus. To get involved, join the Facebook group and sign up for the JCU Chapter at OneCorps.com.

To become involved in the group whose goal is simple, “We want to change the world,” or for questions about upcoming events and the JCU Chapter contact Tom Haren at .

Over 18 months since Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast, many homes and neighborhoods remain in shambles.

Increasing crime rates, education and the environment have become major concerns.

Smaller groups of JCU students have visited disaster sights five times since the Hurricane hit, working with other Catholic charity organizations to restore and rebuild homes. Volunteers mainly gut the homes, removing drywall and ceilings covered with mold, appliances, furniture and remaining debris.

Among the charities that participate in the restoration is Hope Worldwide, an organization responsible for gutting and restoring homes.

Hope Worldwide is an international volunteer organization that works to bring community-based service programs to the poor throughout the world.

Volunteers of Hope Worldwide visit some of the world’s poorest and most needy areas. They provide the people of these areas with assistance in the form of health efforts, education and other programs.

Much of this organization’s efforts are concentrated on relief work for places that have seen natural disasters, including the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in which JCU students will participate.

Volunteers will stay at Camp Hope, an elementary school close to St. Bernard Parish where the most significant destructions occurred.

JCU’s Campus Ministry and the Center for Community services are sponsoring the sixth trip to the ninth ward of New Orleans.

Veterans of the project sophomore Chester Banaszak and senior Pete Aubry have been organizing the May trip, originally planned for spring break.

This trip will allow for more time and for more students to volunteer. Banasnak, who has visited the site five times already, said that though much progress has been made, “we are planning a trip right now for May, which shows how much more work needs to be done.”

Banasnak remembers the first time he visited the ninth ward, four months after the hurricane, when he and other volunteers could not even get into the neighborhood because of the disastrous conditions. “Neighborhoods that used to exist are now just grass. We are hoping to help restore those houses, so there is plenty to do for newcomers.”

Aubry will make his fourth visit to the ninth ward. He noted that the people of New Orleans are optimistic.

“They have so much hope for their city. They know the feeling of New Orleans will be back. Anything we can do to help is necessary and so much appreciated.”

Smith’s personal nurse found her unconscious body at 1:38 p.m. and called the hotel operator, according to The Associated Press.

Smith’s bodyguard and a team of paramedics unsuccessfully tried to revive her with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and she was pronounced dead at a local hospital at 2:49 p.m.

“There was just no way of knowing how long she’d been down before she was discovered,” the paramedic for Hollywood Fire Rescue Department, Capt. Dan Fitzgerald, told WTVJ-TV on Thursday.

Smith’s lawyer, Ronald Rale, said that she had experienced flu-like symptoms in the days prior to her death and was worn out from her recent troubles, including the death of her 20-year-old son Daniel and a continuing paternity suit over her infant daughter.

He declined to comment on why she was visiting the Florida hotel. An autopsy was performed on February 9, but the results were inconclusive.

The medical examiner in Broward County, Florida, Dr. Joshua Perper, called her death “sudden, unexpected, and unexplained,” according to The AP.

More tests are necessary to determine the cause of death, but the results could take anywhere from 3-5 weeks. Perper noted that prescription drugs were found in her room, but there were no pills in her stomach.

“I think that she obviously had a very troubled life and I feel sorry for her baby in this situation,” said junior Rachel Giannell. “I also don’t think we will ever know what really happened with her death.”

The autopsy showed “subtle findings” in her heart and gastrointestinal tract, and there were bruises on her back from a recent fall. Florida officials have said that there is no evidence that criminal activity was involved.

Anna Nicole Smith was born Vickie Lynn Hogan on November 28, 1967 in Mexia, Texas.

Her parents divorced when she was a baby and she was raised by her mother Virgie, a police officer. She dropped out of high school and soon after married Billy Smith, a 16-year- old fry cook. Their son Daniel was born in 1986 but the two divorced only a year later.

In order to support her son, Smith worked as a topless dancer in Houston and lived in anonymity until she submitted photos to Playboy Magazine and was chosen for the cover of the March 1992 issue.

She was named Playmate of the Year in 1993. In 1994, Smith married a man she met while dancing, J. Howard Marshall II, a billionaire who made his fortune in the oil business. He was 89 and she was 26.

After four months of marriage Marshall died, which set off a series of federal court battles from E. Pierce Marshall over his late father’s estate. The case was still pending at the time of Smith’s death, according to The AP.

Smith became widely known for her reality show, “The Anna Nicole Show,” which appeared on E! network from 2002-2004, along with her battle against obesity.

Recently, she became the spokeswoman for the diet supplement TrimSpa. She also appeared in several lesser-known movies throughout the past decade.

Smith gave birth to her daughter, Dannielynn, on September 7, 2006, in the Bahamas, but her joy was cut short when son Daniel died as a result of the accidental mixture of methadone and antidepressants.

Smith is survived by her daughter, along with her companion and purported father of Dannielynn, Howard K. Stern. Her former boyfriend, Larry Birkhead, filed a paternity suit last fall, claiming that he fathered Dannielynn. This will be addressed in court in the coming weeks, according to The AP.

In a 1994 interview with a Los Angeles magazine, Smith was asked whether her sudden fame troubled her in any way.

“Oh, no, I like it,” she said. “I love the paparazzi. They take pictures, and I just smile away. I’ve always liked attention. I didn’t get it very much growing up, and I always wanted to be, you know, noticed.”

Blessid Union of Souls was about to start their show, yet the crowd still wanted more from the trio of John Carroll seniors.

The band spent months over their summer break leading up to their senior year to finish this full length album. Previously they released “Stave the Martini" in 2005.

QUANTA’s debut full-length album, “Have Moved You,” is a culmination of hard work and dedication since the group’s start in 1999.

Originally named “Up Front,” QUANTA is made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Ryan “Rybo” Mekota, drummer Conor “CD” Doyle and bassist and backup vocalist Patrick “Sweddy” McNulty, all seniors at John Carroll.

“We all picked our instruments randomly,” Doyle recalled, “actually, Rybo was supposed to play drums and I was going to play guitar. Good thing it worked out the way it did!”

Veterans of the local music scene, QUANTA has performed with notable artists such as Pepper, Hot Action Cop, Blessid Union of Souls and Ekoostik Hookah.

When asked about the decision to commit to such a large project, Mekota said it was decision time.

“Do we let this go when we graduate or do we really try and see where we can take this? So far the response to the album has been encouraging.”

The album itself, a 12 track compilation, is layered thick with energy and emotion.

It’s an eclectic, connected mesh of genres, from the electronic-influenced ‘Dicey Neighborhood’ to the delta blues of ‘Sun Means Rain.’

QUANTA preserves catchy sing-along choruses set with refreshing maturity.

The album’s first single, “A Will,” features an upbeat melody, impressive percussion play and a gospel influenced hook, “falling down the river/while the water rises,” which crowds have fervently sang along to.

“Niche,” is a favorite of longtime QUANTA fans which features extended guitar solos, showing off Mekota’s talent.

The album title “Have Moved You” features intoxicating guitar play and changing melodies, and serves as an ideal single, capable of being a hit song.

Showing off true versatility, “Hero” and “Calls Weakening” feature heavy rock guitar riffs that really get a crowd going, while “To Those Who Wrest” and “Through the Night” settle into a ballad, restrained tempo, dripping with emotion.

For a debut album, “Have Moved You” shows surprising musical range and multiple potential singles.

It’s safe to say that QUANTA is on their way up the musical food-chain, backed by a loyal and growing fan base.

“I really like their versatility,” said senior Casey Eskew, “when you look at songs like ‘Calls Weakening’ and ‘When I Look’ against each other, they are noticeably different genres, and that takes real talent.”

QUANTA has the potential to leave their mark on the music scene and “Have Moved You” is a must have for any music collection and can be found on amazon.com.

For more information on the band including audio, video, news and media visit www.quantamusic.net or www.myspace.com/quanta.

Vice President for Student Affairs Patrick Rombalski said that students should expect major changes to university dining services as a result of the request for proposal (RFP) that JCU will send out to dining services throughout the country.

With Parkhurst Dining Services’ annual contract expiring at the end of this semester, this RFP will have the University searching for the highest quality dining services provider available among a wide array of applicants, including Parkhurst.

“From a quality control perspective, it’s healthy to go out and see how current service compares to competitors,” said Rombalski.
He said that he expects to receive six proposals in response to the RFP, which will be sent out February 23.
Of those six proposals, Rombalski says he plans on interviewing three of them and looking into their services in institutions across the country.

Because room and board costs did not rise for students next year, the school has a limited budget to work with. If the cost of the proposal they choose is higher than the current contract, cuts will have to be taken from other areas next year.

“It could be a possibility of it being the same price and getting more for our money,” said Allison Kern, former chair of the Student Union dining committee.

This could be the case if Parkhurst offers a new proposal and wins the contract.

Since JCU first started working with Pittsburgh-based Parkhurst Dining Services in 2001, when the company replaced Marriott Dining Services, the school has been working on a year-to-year contract.

When Parkhurst first took over, said Rombalski, they were preferred over Marriott’s service. “Within the first year or so students were raving over Parkhurst,” he said. He explained that this year’s investigation into dining services will be an opportunity to “get a fresh look at”

Parkhurst’s pricing, cleanliness and quality of food and service compared to competitors.

Kern said that an important factor in this search is looking into how the campus dining fits into student life. “We’ve been looking at the meal plan,” she said, “what’s the best way for it to work with students.”

While heading the dining committee, Kern was alongside Rombalski and other JCU officials when they first began looking into RFP as an option.

While she no longer serves on the committee, she, along with current chair of dining committee Katie Keating, will continue to serve as a student representative on the search.

“It’s just easier to get a whole new contract and look at what’s feasible for us to do,” she says.
Rombalski says that even if Parkhurst receives the contract for next year, students should expect major, positive changes in the cafeteria and campus retail dining, like the Inn-Between.

“When you look at food service across the country, satisfaction isn’t high anywhere,” he said. “College students are hard to please,” he said. He explains that’s why it is important to periodically put the contract up for proposal.

Parkhurst director Jim Razzante says that his company will most definitely rethink their current services in order to make a new proposal.
“We’re waiting until the RFP comes out and seeing what the University is looking for,” he says. “We’re looking forward to making an offer.”

“Initiative 957 was filed by the Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance, which was formed last summer after the state Supreme Court upheld Washington’s ban on same-sex marriage.”

In that 5-4 ruling, the court found that state lawmakers were justified in passing the 1998 Defense of Marriage Act, which restricts marriage to unions between a man and woman, according to The AP.

This I-957 will only apply to those couples that can have children. Before getting married, the couple would have to prove that they can have children in order to get a marriage license.

“All other marriages would be defined as ‘unrecognized’ and people in them would be ineligible to receive any marriage benefits. It’s absurd,” said Cheryl Haskins, executive director of Allies for Marriage & Children.

Haskins said opponents of same-sex marriage have never said that the sole purpose of marriage is procreation.

“When we talk about defending the institution of marriage, we’re talking about the union of a man and a woman,” she said. “Some of those unions produce children and some of them don’t.”

With I-957, it would be like dictating people’s choices in a way that is utterly ridiculous, Haskins said. The sponsor of the same-sex marriage measure in the House, Rep. Jamie Pedersen, said he supported the effort “to draw attention to the hypocrisy of some of those who oppose marriage equality” but opposed the initiative.

For the same reason, Pedersen doesn’t think same-sex couples should be excluded from marriage, nor should heterosexual married couples be forced to procreate, said Pedersen. “Supporters of I-957 must gather at least 224,800 valid signatures by July 6 to put it on the November ballot.”

Elizabeth Stiles, political science professor at John Carroll University, said, “Although the proposed initiative is a real initiative, I suspect its supporters do not expect it to pass. Instead, I believe that they want to attack the argument that gay people should not get married because they cannot have children.”

“The bill’s supporters want to point out that marriage is not the only reason heterosexuals marry and thus that particular argument against gay people marrying is a double standard,” Stiles said.

Already, 21 plaintiffs have sued the state of Michigan to keep benefits for their same-sex marriages after Michigan passed an amendment in 2004.

The release of your latest song, “Waiting On the World to Change,” has left me with a burning question: What exactly are you “waiting for?”

One can only hope that you were so caught up in maintaining the rhyme scheme and melody of “Waiting On the World to Change” that the pathetic message behind its words was an undesired outcome. Or that in writing the lyrics you did not actually intend to provide justification (albeit a weak one) for resigning yourself to sitting back and choosing to do nothing instead of actively working against the glaring injustices of the world that you sing about, reinforcing the stereotype of our generation as being apathetic and lazy and giving an excuse to those that validate this stereotype.

If not for the preservation of the rhyme scheme, why else would you base an entire song upon the faulty premise that things will get better in this world if we simply wait?

Positive social change does not come about through people sitting around, i.e. waiting for the world to change. Martin Luther King reminds us that “to ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.”

By choosing not to lift a finger, you are not only failing to help a suffering person, but indirectly contributing to that suffering.

Aside from the faulty premise, what gets me the most are the watery excuses that are given for your inaction.

You sing that the reason you do not actively fight these injustices is because you, “just feel like we don’t have the means to rise above and beat it,” but if you only “had the power,” what a better world it would be.

Yet if a person like you who has the attention of millions can say that he does not have enough power to make a difference, when will we ever have enough power or feel “ready” to take on the world’s problems?

The ability to capture the eyes, ears and hearts of the public through music and the media is not only an unparalleled power but also an amazing privilege; how much more “power” could one actually have?

Why do you think that you have the right to wait around when the world is in such an urgent crisis at this very moment.

How can you “keep on waiting,” as people are killed in Iraq, genocide continues in Darfur and homelessness pervades our own country?

This is not to say that I can’t relate to feeling hopeless in certain situations. I just don’t see it as an excuse.

It is important to distinguish that the feeling of powerlessness does not mean that a person actually is powerless, simply that one is recognizing the gravity and complexity of something that is greater than oneself.

Feeling powerless is a natural response to suffering. But we should focus on what we do with those feelings and how we can together use them to fuel our fight, not as an excuse for failing to enter the fight.

And yes, while the song also recognizes that, “the fight ain’t fair,” I think it’s safe to say that this was established long ago, and it surely did not deter Martin Luther King from joining the good fight.

The reason that we “fight” is precisely because life is not “fair.” We work for justice because inequality still exists. Knowing this fact makes us responsible to do something about it. So if “it’s hard to beat the system when we’re standing at a distance,” then by God, step up to the plate and get yourself involved.

Worst of all, you put it all to a jazzy, soulful beat that has us singing that we too are justified for sitting on our duffs.

John Mayer, you cannot claim ignorance; the song clearly points out the suffering that you see all around you.

You cannot claim powerlessness; the radio airways and listening ears of millions are at your finger tips. And you most certainly cannot claim that your plan of “waiting” for the world to change has ever been effective in bringing about positive social change.

So I ask you once again, John–What exactly are you “waiting” for?

The stories of Dr. Hannibal Lecter are based on novels written by Thomas Harris, but this was the first to have its screenplay written by him as well.

Hannibal Rising tells the story of a teenage Hannibal Lecter and his sister Mischa after their parents are killed in World War II.

In Lithuania in 1944, the 8-year-old Hannibal Lecter and his younger sister, Mischa, are held captive by a gang of mercenary thugs during World War II.

Caught between German troops and the encroaching Russian army, the Lecters are forced to take refuge in a cabin in hopes of finding safety from the bitter cold and rumbling tanks.

Stranded in the cabin without provisions, the team of thugs, led by Grutas (Rhys Ifans), becomes desperate for food. Left without any options, the men feast on Mischa with young Hannibal standing by.
Ultimately, this is the moment Hannibal loses his innocence and promises Mischa to one day get revenge.

Fast-forward eight years and Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel) has made his way to France. After being re-united with his widowed aunt, Lady Murasaki (Li Gong), Hannibal enrolls in medical school.
During his stay with his aunt, Hannibal turns into the next “Karate Kid” with afternoon lessons in martial arts and sword fighting.
As Lady Muraski and Hannibal spend more time together, a strong bond is formed with their shared desire for vengeance and a twisted sexual attraction.

Hannibal continues his studies at medical school, immersing himself in learning how the human body works (and what parts taste best).

After discovering the whereabouts of the men who ate his sister, Hannibal and Lady Murasaki set out to make things right in the world, by chopping them up into little bits-and-pieces.

Luckily, for Hannibal, the men still keep in close contact with one another and aren’t too tough to track down.

One-by-one the men are exterminated, with Lady Murasaki always there to clean up the mess. With Inspector Popil (Dominic West) hot on Hannibal’s trail throughout the entire movie, each gruesome murder is discovered by the police, and the monster known as “Hannibal-the-Cannibal” is targeted.

The movie drags on for an excruciating two hours of poor acting and pointless gore that adds no real incentive to even want to dig deeper into the mystery of Hannibal Lecter.

What tries to be a movie labeled as a “psychological thriller” leaves the viewer without any psychological twists or thrills.

Questions or comments?
Contact

We could go on for hours about the pros and cons of both, but there is one indisputable advantage to getting a house – the sweet parties you can throw.

I will tell you one thing, if I ever found myself in a house, I would have some epic parties. You would find yourself talking about how that kid from the award-winning Carroll News could really throw a party.

What would make them so epic? I would have some historic theme parties.

I’m not talking about the Warrensville standard theme parties. No, I’m an innovator and I’m going to take theme parties to the next level.

While you’re picking out a garbage bag to wear to an “Anything but clothes” party, I would be preparing my home for theme parties like “Let’s write some prose,” “Anyone but Joes,” and “I got your nose.”

I like pajama parties the way they are, so I probably wouldn’t change those at all.

The idea of the Gatsby themed party is awesome, it is a great piece of American literature and a great book to party with.

But, how about giving some credit to another great American writer?

I’m talking about Dr. Seuss. At my Dr. Seuss themed party you would need to wear one of those “Cat in the Hat” hats and rhyme everything you say. It would be a short party, because it would get really annoying and people would leave.

I would also have theme parties to go along with the month. This month I would have a “Presidents Day Party,” in which everyone dresses as their favorite president or first lady.

You would also need to prepare a one page, double-spaced paper on your president. I would check for plagiarism, so don’t think you can just copy and paste off of Wikipedia.

However, I would not allow anyone to come as Martin Van Buren, because he sucked.

At the beginning of each semester I would have a “Back to school” party, where I would raffle off school supplies. You know, pens, pencils and cases of Natty Light. There might also be a 50/50 drawing, I’m not sure yet.

Holiday themed parties would be big in my house. Around Thanksgiving you would be required to bring a dish to pass. Let me tell you this right now, if you bring stuffing, I’m not going to eat it. We have a rocky history.

For my Christmas party, everyone would recite a poem or song they wrote about why they love Christmas. If you don’t love Christmas, I invite you to air your grievances as to why you dislike the season of giving. The poems would all need to rhyme though, because I don’t like poetry that does not rhyme. You would still be welcomed if you celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.

October would bring a Halloween party where – actually, I’m going to stop right there.

P.S. I would like to thank all the ladies of “The Vagina Monologues” for my shout out. You can find me in The Carroll News room, located across from the Corbo Fitness Center.

This year John Carroll University will proudly add its name to the list of 330 colleges who had a relay on their campus last year. The relay will take place on the quad, beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday and will continue until 4 p.m. on Sunday. A core team of students organized the event. After a long struggle throughout the first semester, they are ready for the relay and ask that you form a team, learn about the Cancer Society and raise money.

What better way to have fun with your friends than to enjoy a night filled with community, food and entertainment on the quad? Do not fear, if staying up all night does not seem like fun to you, rest assured that there is plenty of time for you to catch a nap, your team members take turns walking all night. Supporting the Relay for Life is easy. Form a team with your friends, floor mates, club members or team members. Raise money for your team and reserve a luminary in memory or support of a loved one who has battled cancer.

The relay, which first began in the mid-1980s, is one of the best ways to bring awareness about cancer to college campuses. Participate in John Carroll University’s Relay for Life. Be sure to check out the Relay for Life table in the atrium for more information or go to www.jcu.edu/relay.

For miles nothing can be seen but thick green grass and rolling hills. Students on campus are able to stay focused because there is not much to do but study.

Officials at such institutions believe that the students who populate these types of colleges need a new twist, according to The New York Times.

That new twist involves urbanization, which would hopefully bring not only more students and families to the area, but also retired baby boomers.

“I think students crave the kind of vitality you have in an urban space,” said J. Timothy Cloyd, president of Hendrix College. “The images that reveal an active social life are urban-based.”

Hendrix plans to begin the transformation this year with the construction of over 200 single-family homes, 400 townhouses, apartments, loft-style condominiums and a charter school.

On the corner of the property, a student fitness center is already under way, and along with that there will be other cultural and educational facilities.

The construction of these houses and buildings will be directly across from the main campus and constructed on 130 acres of forest land that is owned by the college.

The college plans to invest about $8 to $10 million into this project and it will share the profits with the developers. According to The New York Times, the Hendrix construction project will be built in a style known as New Urbanism.

This style embodies narrow roads which de-emphasizes car traffic, but promotes pedestrian traffic.

The buildings will be located close to the street to also de-emphasize car traffic, and resemble building structures that were built in American towns in the first half of the 20th Century.

“It is about creating walk-able places that are sustainable and gratifying on a human scale,” said Robert L. Chapman, managing director of Traditional Neighborhood Development Partner.

These kinds of developments are being built by institutions with large amounts of unused land. Officials hope to take advantage of these projects, which will hopefully increase the size of their student body.

“It seems to me that really successful universities reach out to the community,” said Tom Fanning, director of admissions and retention at John Carroll University.

“Depending on the types of students you want to attract, you need to account for the wants and needs of the students,” said Fanning.

Similar projects are under way at more than a dozen other institutions nationwide, including the University of Notre Dame, Furman University in Greensville, South Carolina, Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass. and the University of Connecticut, in Storrs.

Such schools as the University of Pennsylvania, which is already an urban school, understands that universities must expand and update their facilities.

“When you picture a global university, you picture urban,” said Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania. “You picture restaurants, art galleries, you picture day and night, taking in movies, live performances.”

According to the NY times, “Students graduating from high school these days seem particularly attracted to urban settings,” said Dr. Cloyd, the Hendrix president.

In my entire 19 years of existence, I have never had a real relationship. The last time I came close to one was back in 7th grade, when I went out with a boy for about five minutes. How glorious those five minutes were in my life.

In all seriousness, though, I am the girl every guy considers their “best girl friend.” Not that I am complaining. I do like hearing my guy friends speak about the cute things they do for their girlfriends, and I love talking about how great the Indians will be this year.

But sometimes, I find myself wondering what a relationship would be like.

Everywhere I go, I see couples holding hands, kissing before class or eating a romantic dinner together in Parkhurst. I wonder to myself, what’s it like to be them?

Most of the time, these couples seem to enjoy one another’s company. I see them laughing, smiling and talking to one another.

On this very newspaper staff, I can only think of two or three people who do not have a significant other.

Not a day goes by that I do not see one of these significant others, and I can honestly say all of them are the epitome of being a good boyfriend or girlfriend.

They meet them for dinner, walk them back to their dorms or cars after a late deadline night and sometimes, they just stop by to chat and see how their night is going.

When I see this, I admit, I’m jealous. It would be nice not to have to buy my own candy from the Inn-Between.

But, I’ve also seen the worst relationships. Too many times I’ve heard stories about a girl who cheated on her boyfriend, or how a fight broke out at a bar because a couple had an argument. I certainly do not want these types of relationships.

These horror stories make me wonder if being in a relationship is wonderful and fulfilling after all.

But, as I reflect on this so close to Valentine’s Day, I can’t help but to also wonder what I am doing wrong. Maybe I’m too shy. Perhaps I give off a vibe that tells the guy next to me in English class to beware of the strange girl sitting next to him.

I certainly hope none of these scenarios are the case. I’d like to think that I just haven’t met the “right guy” for me yet, but he will be here soon.

Whatever the case may be, I know this for sure: In the next 19 years of my life, I will experience the joys, and maybe the pains, of a relationship. I hope.

Jakubec’s mother died of ovarian cancer when she was 16 years old in April of 2004.

“I think that it [Relay for Life] is a way that I can give back and prevent what happened to my mom from happening to others, people need to realize that there are greater things than just school. People are living and dying everyday and bringing relay to John Carroll is a good way to help people realize that,” she said.

This April, Relay for Life will be on John Carroll University’s campus for the first time ever and the events have already begun. Jakubec has already set up her team for her third relay. It is named Justine, after her mom, whom she described as her “best friend.”

Jakubec stresses the importance of an event like Relay for Life. “I’m also trying to get friends of mine to realize that this is so important, I want people to understand how fortunate they are to be a part of this. It [cancer] can happen to anybody, I didn’t plan on my mom dying,” she said.

The co-chairs of this year’s Relay for Life, senior Joel Mullner and senior Pat Kelly, have been trying to bring Relay for Life to the JCU campus for almost three years now. They have not able to due to city ordinances that restrict the amount of noise that can be made overnight in the stadium, so they moved it to the Quad.

John Carroll is the first university in Northeast Ohio to have Relay for Life on campus.

“I would say that it enhances our mission of a Jesuit University. It shows leadership and the ability to develop people to go out in the world and make it a better place, taking part in this is a small step in the right direction,” said junior Marc Hartmann, manager for mission, sponsorship, fundraising and public relations for John Carroll’s Relay for Life. He added, “participating in this makes JCU aware of the realities of the world.”

John Carroll’s goal is 50 teams with total revenue of $40,000.

“We set those goals knowing it is very possible to surpass them,” said Hartmann.

The relay is open to anyone, whether a JCU student or someone who lives in the area.

There will be a separate ceremony dedicated to those who have lost the fight to cancer, are currently fighting cancer and survivors.

There will also be entertainment all through the night. Different bands will play along with other games and fun activities to last the entire night.

The number is consistent with what administrators had originally predicted when the packages were first offered.

For most of the 11, this will be their final semester teaching at JCU. Some have expressed interest to defer their retirement until the 2008-2009 academic year.

“Our concern in making these decisions is that we protect all academic programs from severe strain,” said La Guardia.

March 15 will be the deadline when it will be decided which faculty will stay the extra year. Department chairs, academic deans and La Guardia will examine which departments that were most severely effected by the retirements.

The packages were offered to tenured, full-time faculty members who have worked at JCU for 10 consecutive years and are over 62 years old
The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science was hit particularly hard by the retirement packages, according to Chair Douglas Norris.

Three of its members have accepted the packages.

“We have been hit hard,” said Norris. “We are in danger of being left without any statisticians at a time when we have to offer more statistics courses than ever before.”

Last year, two visiting professors left JCU. One was a statistician and a faculty member with a joint appointment with both the Math and the Education Department. The only other statistician has accepted the buy out.

The department will be reduced from 18 full-time faculty members to 12 with one part-time professor, if those professors leave at the end of the semester.

Accounting professor Richard Fleischman said, while he has accepted the offer, he has no plans on slowing down.

“I do not intend to retire in any meaningful sense,” he said. Fleischman said the decision to accept the package was easier for him than most of his colleagues in the same situation.

At 66, he said his wife was anxious to move to Florida to live with her mother.

While on leave this semester, Fleischman is still working on research projects and editing his journal, the Accounting Historians Journal. Part of the retirement package gives professors the right to teach courses if needed.

Fleischman said he intends to teach a course over the summer and the seminar course he developed in the fall, if he is still living in Ohio.

“More than anything else, my retirement is just a change in venue,” he said.