OK, so I’m a little out of my element and writing for the award-winning Carroll News this week.  I CAN write, you know. I’m more than just a man and his two unnamed, hapless and witty cartoon characters.

My roommate thought differently apparently.  When I posed the idea that I would become cartoonist turned writer, he asked, “Have you ever written for The Carroll News before?” What he meant was, “Do you even know how to write, illiterate senior?”

Which brings me to my point: backhanded compliments. It is basically saying something nice about someone, while simultaneously taking a shot at said person, usually without knowledge of the insult. Am I being complimented? Am I being insulted? Answer: BOTH!

Better example: I sent my sister a text message the other day, quoting the great Andrew Baines Bernard of the hit sitcom “The Office.” Why? Because it felt right. The quote was hilarious, and that’s all you need to know.  Her answer was, “Hahahahah funny that I used to think dirt was funnier than u when u were around 5.”

Thank you? I realize how funny dirt can be, but come on! If she had said “Lopez Tonight,” I would’ve understood. Talk about comedic gold.  But dirt?

But her little accolade of abashment got me thinking about these backhanded compliments.  After some dirt digging, I found that topfive.com came up with a top 15 backhanded compliments list. It has two parts, as well, meaning there are apparently 30 total (topfive.com was apparently feeling a little more productive that day).

Some of the ones on the list aren’t necessarily backhanded compliments as much as they are flat out insults. However, there are some good ones such as, “Now, now, it’s just as important to stay behind and guard the women and the children” and “What I like about your toupee is that is says, ‘Hey, I have better things to spend my money on.’”

However, this list was put together back in 2003. That would be my “sophomore in high school and trying not to allow my voice to squeak while talking to girls” phase.  The kinks have been worked out in that category (no jokes, please).  So I am sure that some killer, top-notch, downright blasphemous backhanded compliments (Or as I like to call them, KTNDRBBHC’s) have been uttered in the seven years since.

My mission for you, Carroll News faithful, is to get out there and compliment somebody today, extra points if it’s backhanded.  The way I see it, the sweetness of the compliment and the bittersweet feeling of the burn will offset and the world will remain right.  As long as it’s in good fun, though.  Insults are the devil’s poetry. 

So take your best shot John Carroll. I can take a KTNDRBBHC as well as the next cartoonist-turned-writer. I know, I know. “How about you just stick to drawing cartoons, Hinkel.”

I’m Lena Chapin. I am graduating from John Carroll University with a double major in English and communications with a focus on writing. I’m just kidding.

Rather, I thought I’d be all nostalgic and sentimental by sharing with you some of my favorite memories of the past four years. That gets boring though, so I’ll limit it to five.

Freshman year: The dance parties and Rhapsody Blue-stalking tendencies of the Murphy 4W will go down in history and be forever relived via YouTube. Camp out on Murphy Lawn during Senior Week?

Sophomore Year: I developed a taste for cinnamon tea and Kit-Kats, as well as other things, with my Facebook wife, Margaret Gleeson, and the rest of my “night time friends.” I’m so stoked for the second cap and gown party. 

Junior Year: Spending hours upon hours on the broken pink futon listening to Matt Nathanson with my roommate Laura. As it turns out, her torn ACL and my general laziness really came in handy considering JCU brought him to campus not once, but twice. It only reaffirmed my love for this school.

Senior Year: Karaoke nights at the Purple Shamrock have never failed to be a good time. Whether I knew the words or not, everything from Bootylicious to Otis Redding has been belted on Carroll News-free Tuesday nights. I’ve found that there is nothing better than having all of your roommates, most of your friends, and your fellow Blue Streaks in two tiny rooms with corn hole and microphones.

Overall: Realizing that the year was full of last-firsts (day of school, Jake’s Night, etc.) and first-lasts (Labrepalooza, Sweet Carrollines concert, time I’ll see three-fourths of you) and taking full advantage of it. And by full, I mean full; check my GPA if you don’t believe me. (Dad, I’m kidding.)

 Wasn’t that fun? The great senior struggle with column writing is whether to go out with humor, or seriousness, or take the typical route and try to provide those of you who are left to carry on the legacy with advice. I think that Baz Luhrmann and Mary Schmich took the cake with the departing advice realm, so I won’t attempt to repeat that. (For those of you who I completely lost with that please do  yourselves a favor and watch “Everyone’s Free [To Wear Sunscreen]” on YouTube). However, I will say a few things that I wish someone had told me.

Don’t let college ruin your love of recreational reading.

If there is ever anything going on in the Atrium, participate. If there is nothing going on, turn on the Jukebox and start a dance party. I personally recommend 1007.

Your professors really are awesome. Start dropping in on them early. They give great advice, and it’s a lot easier to come in late for class if they know what is going on in your life.

You’ve only got four years. It will seem so slow and so fast at the same time. Say what you want to say. Do the things that make you and others happy. Be friendly, and read the entire Carroll News every week (or at least op/ed and diversions).

Bologna!  

How many times have older, seemingly “wiser” people come up to you and said that cliché line?  It’s been happening to me a lot lately, and I’m not buying it. 

What a grim outlook.  Why do these days have to be the best ones? 

As I sit here on the precipice of my (yours too) college graduation, I can’t help but engage in a bit of introspection.   

These past four years have been really good – great actually.  I’ve learned so much both inside the classroom and out.  The people I’ve met here are going to be friends of mine forever. 

I’ve made some good and bad decisions; I’ve learned from my mistakes and have ultimately become a different –  and hopefully better – person than I was when I checked in to Pacelli 310 four years ago.  

I’m done now. The $148,000 piece of paper is almost in my hand, and I’ve got to say that up to this point, these have been the best years of my life; but who knows what’s ahead. 

Sure, these are great days, but they’re not the best days. I’m about to start a completely new chapter in my life.  For better or worse, in a month, my life is going to be drastically different than it is today. I’m a big kid now, and you know what? I’m excited for it. 

I am going to make the next part of my life – whatever that may be – the best days of my life.  And after that, those will be the best ones.  Heck, by the time I’m done, JCU might be the worst times of my life.  If that’s the case, I’ll know I did something right. 

I don’t want to live my life dwelling on what was, I want to live it celebrating what is. If you live your life thinking about how bad it is now and how good it was then, you’ll never be happy. 

Go ahead, call me an idealist or a dreamer – or a socialist. But while you’re partying in the past, I’ll be pumped about the present! 

Alliteration aside, when I leave, I will hopefully be moving to a new city, getting a job, meeting new people and completely starting a new life.   Why aren’t more people excited for that? 

We are going to be college graduates. The world is our oyster! Yeah finding a job to pay for that oyster might be really, REALLY hard, but we stand to benefit from all this!

After the great days of my new life come,  something else will happen. Maybe American Idol? Maybe have kids? Maybe win the lottery! Maybe something really cool I don’t even know about!  But whatever it is, those will be my new best days. 

I think what I’m really saying is that you hold the power to make whatever you want the best days of your life. Now there’s an idea.  How cool is that! 

I don’t plan on choosing which were my best days until I’m on my deathbed – and hopefully, if I follow what I just laid out, it’ll be a tough choice.  

So, the next time someone tells me that these are the best days of my life, I’m going to tell them, “FALSE! I’m just getting started!”

But what would life be if we never had to face adversity, rejection or a seemingly “no-win” scenario? It wouldn’t give you the opportunity to rise to the challenge and shine. Great thinkers would get lost in the masses, and heroes would go unnoticed. Where would this country be if our founding fathers were not faced with the unfair treatment bestowed upon them by Britain? 

I’m willing to bet you may never have heard of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Paul Revere or Thomas Paine. Imagine if Mohandas Ghandi didn’t return to India to non-violently battle for India’s independence. 

Times of divisiveness and dissension have defined some of history’s most important players. What you do in the face of adversity defines who you are. What if Michael Jordan hung up his sneakers after getting cut from his high school basketball team or Thomas Edison listened to those who told him “he was too stupid to learn anything”? Well for one, I may be writing this column in candle light, but I also wouldn’t have realized that you can’t learn to succeed until you learn how to fail. 

John Carroll doesn’t offer a class that teaches you how to respond to failure (possible addition to Last Year Seminar?), and I learned that the hard way this year. For most of my life, I’ve been relatively successful. I was never cut from a sports team – except the bowling team my senior year of high school, but is that really a sport? When I wanted something, I went after it and got it. Yet, at the same time, I never took many risks. I wouldn’t engage in an activity if I wasn’t relatively sure I could succeed. I wouldn’t put myself in a position where failure was a likely outcome. 

That all changed this year, and I could not have been happier. One of the best pieces of advice my father gave me was to live an interesting life. 

Simple yet complex. How boring would life be if you never threw yourself into the fiery battle or took a blind leap? Sure you may get burned or fall flat on your face, but imagine the feelings if you come out on top. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I’m convinced you can’t live an interesting life if you hide from adversity, run from rejection, and travel down the easy road. 

I’m about to embark on the next stage of my life. I have no idea where I’m heading, what I’m doing, or the difficulties I may face. But, I welcome them with open arms because, honestly, life would be pretty mundane if I didn’t get kicked to the curb or spat in the face once in awhile. I hope you do the same, too. If you see that girl or guy you have always thought was cute, then talk to them. Skip a class or take a 50-minute nap. 

Just take risks, and swing if life throws you a curveball. Even if you miss, you learn, you adapt and then next time you’ll hit a ground rule double. 

So before I leave you forever, please take this piece of advice my late grandfather always preached, “When you walk out that door, take a deep breath and say, ‘Look out world here I come,’ and grab life by the horns.” Thank you all for the best and the worst times of my life, it’s been a fun and fickle ride.

This is usually a senior’s chance to give his or her parting advice. A lot of times it’s that same old song: “Go out there, be the best you can be, never let anyone tell you that you can’t, and blah blah blah!”

My parting words will be lighting the torch of knowledge that comes with having been in college and mistaken my way to the end. Oh, and none of this is learned in the classroom.

Spend money. Just get rid of it. So many people will be telling you that you should save it and portion it and budget it, and that’s great. Great, but no fun. Look, it’s college – you’re either going to be broke, or you’re going to be REALLY broke. There’s no difference between saving your stupid $6 or spending it. Sometimes you just need wings from Pizzazz.

 Don’t date anyone. That stage of, “We’re talking” is the magical one, so why leave it? Just do that for as long as it lasts. I’ve done some dating throughout the years, so why listen to me? Picture the doctor telling you not to smoke. Now picture the ex-smoker with a chronic cough and a voice box telling you not to smoke. That’s me. By all means play the game, go for the girl, try your best to make it work, just please don’t define it. Girls, guys will definitely disappoint you. Guys, no one wants to “check-in” every single night, especially when you’re just trying to bro out with your friends. And this I promise you – all girlfriends across America will get drunk. And they will cry.

Skip classes every once in a while, but don’t go crazy. You should never have a perfect attendance record. If you do, you’re here for the wrong reasons. An education? Please. Sometimes you just need to break the cycle. Also, sometimes you need to go work on something that’s due in an hour and a class gets in the way of you finishing that. Don’t feel guilty not going to that class. With that said, do what you have to do to at least get a B. Bring a notebook.

Be friends with smart people and underclassmen. These people can do things for you that you seem to forget. Smart people always know when things are due, and underclassmen have plenty of meal swipes. Also, when you’re skipping the class from the paragraph above, you can hang in their dorm room. Plus, it’s much better than being friends with stupid people.

Everybody – hang on to your old papers and tests. Teamwork makes the dream work!

Don’t ever drink and drive, or get someone pregnant. All other problems will go away.

Wear cleats to intramurals. That also includes ankle braces, sunglasses, compression shorts, knee pads, etc. Guys, wear a cup. You need to do anything you can to get that athletic edge. Contrary to popular belief, intramural sports are very serious and very competitive, and it’s very important that you win at all costs. And win BIG.

What else? Drink coffee, have a big friend that doesn’t mind fighting, go for a walk, cheat if you have to (don’t get caught), never get less than 12 hours of sleep, steer clear of guys who carry a knife, look teachers in the eye, lift a lot of weights, don’t always buy the textbook, and on and on. Reader believe me, I can write a book. But that’s all you’re getting right now.

Kidding aside, I’d just like to thank everyone who has ever read The Carroll News. It takes a lot of work to get a paper out, but seeing people reading them makes it all worth it. We do it for you, and when you read the paper it brings a new level of gratification and accomplishment. Thank you. I’ll be forever grateful.

However, thanks to the charismatic Robert Downey Jr. and $550 million in box office returns, Iron Man shot up from a C-list supporting character in “The Avengers” to an A-list superhero superstar.  As of now, “Iron Man 2” – which will be released on May 7 – is one of the most anticipated films of 2010.

Iron Man was created by Stan Lee (creator of other Marvel classics like “Spider-Man,” “X-Men,” “Fantastic Four,”  “Hulk,” and “Daredevil”) and made its first appearance into the world of comics in issue  number 39 of “Tales of Suspense” in April of 1963.

He became a lasting member of the superhero team the Avengers (primarily consisting of Captain America, Hulk and Thor), but was frequently outshone by his more well-known group members.

Although he has always remained a superhero character at least most comic book readers will be aware of, Iron Man has never been leading man material.

But all that changed when a supposed has-been, washed-up actor by the name of Robert Downey Jr. took the reigns and created something spectacular.

But what is it about this character that made him such a huge hit with movie audiences everywhere?

Cedric Jackson, a freshman, said that he had known very little of Iron Man prior to the film’s trailer release. But when he saw the film, he said it “blew him away.”

Jackson believes the biggest reason for the film’s and the character’s  success lies in the power of the star. “It was all Robert Downey,” he said. “I had never heard of Downey before the film, but now its hard to come across someone who hasn’t heard of him. He’s universally known for making that role his own.”

Jackson doesn’t believe the film would have been anywhere near as successful if Downey hadn’t starred. “He’s such a huge part of the franchise’s appeal,” he said. “I know I wouldn’t have liked it as much.”

Jackson’s thoughts on this seem to be the norm. Katherine O’Brien, a sophomore, said “‘Iron Man’ without Downey’s Tony Stark would be like ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ without Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow.”

“It wouldn’t have been nearly as good as the actual film without Downey’s personality,” she said. “Downey did a great job and I couldn’t imagine the film being done better without him.”

O’Brien said the decision to allow Downey to let his charismatic personality leak into the Tony Stark character was the best decision made with the “Iron Man” film.

“It was a great character development quality that added to the movie as a whole,” she said. “Plus, I have to admit Robert Downey is pretty good-looking.”

Keith Aspery, a senior, said that his attraction to the film came from the unique dichotomy between the man and the hero of Iron Man.

“Tony Stark, in comparison to other heroic characters, radiates with the type of attractive personality that isn’t presented as well in other superhero films,” Aspery said.

“Peter Parker is a nerd in school that no one likes.”

“Bruce Wayne is your average boring billionaire playboy, but Tony Stark is a much cooler character to watch and to learn about. He’s got much more of an individual personality. The best quality about his character is that he isn’t only interesting when he’s in the suit.”

O’Brien said she had heard a little about the character while growing up from her older brother who read comic books.

“But I really didn’t know anything substantial until I saw the film,” she said. She had been “very surprised” as to how much she had liked the movie when she first saw it.

O’Brien said the most interesting thing about the film is how different Tony Stark is from all the other superhero characters out there.

The main idea being that Stark wasn’t transformed into a superhero like Peter Parker (who was bitten by a spider) or Batman (who became vengeful by witnessing his parents’ murders): Stark became a hero by his own choice.

And above that, he’s charismatic regardless of if he’s in a metal suit or a leather jacket. “He isn’t limited to being interesting and dynamic only while in costume,” O’Brien said.

“The film brought a fresh face to the superhero genre that brought to the table something new and unique to the already-repetitious world of superheroes,” Aspery said.

“Considering how well Iron Man was accepted by audiences and critics alike and the explosive box-office results, it makes perfect sense that the studio would continue the epic story of the charismatic businessman-turned-hero. He has such a story yet to be told.”

There will be performances by inductees Terry Sylvester of The Hollies, Gene Chandler, Sheila E., Grand Funk Railroad’s Mark Farner, MC Hammer, and Tommy James and The Shondells to benefit the Museum’s educational programs.

The event will begin on Friday, May 14  in the Rock Hall’s Foster Theater with a “Legend Series” event featuring Tommy James.

Tommy James and the Shondells, who are well known for their hits “Mony, Mony,” “Crimson and Clover,” and “I Think We’re Alone Now,” will be answering questions from the audience after his performance on Friday.

The “Legend Series” performances are well-known for offering audiences “rare and unique access to important audiences,” according to Rockhall.com.

Seating for Friday’s performance is limited, however, tickets can be purchased by e-mailing or by calling (216) 515-8426.

The benefits proceeds will support the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum’s educational programming.

Not only are the particular education programs award-winning but also they have touched over 50,000 individuals each year.

Just in Northeast Ohio, over 25,000 students and teachers are reached annually through the “Rockin’ the Schools” program, according to the Rock Hall’s Web site.  This particular program is solely for children grades K-12.

The museum’s “Rock Toddler” program, which has been running for 10 years, has served over 4,000 at-risk children, ages three to four years old.

Other education programs that are offered through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame include “Higher Education” (for University students), “Teachers Rock,” “Summer Teacher Institute” and “Teacher Workshops” (for teachers), and “Rock and Roll Night School” (for adult learners).

In the past, according to its Web site, the Rock Hall Spring Benefit has featured performers such as Joan Jett, The B-52s, Eddie Money (“Take Me Home Tonight”), Kim Carnes (“Bette Davis Eyes”), and Peter Frampton.

The site also notes that all “Spring Benefits” have been sold out each year in the past.

The benefit event will begin on Saturday, May 15 at 8:00 p.m. in Public Hall at the Cleveland Convention Center.

Balcony tickets can be purchased  for $15 at all Ticketmaster outlets  or at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Box Office.

John Carroll University Student Union voted Tuesday, at their last meeting of the school year, to table a resolution requiring senators to attend weekly Senate meetings during the spring semester of their senior year.

Senior Senators Christopher Lewandowski and Craig Willert, and junior Senator Maura Jochum offered the bill to the Senate.

“It is my opinion that it is our duty as senators for our class to work to make sure that every voice will be heard and that the Student Union will truly serve its constituents,” Lewandowski said. “By reducing the number of required senators present I feel as though the voice of the John Carroll student would not be heard, or could not be expressed as thoroughly.”

The introduction of the bill was motivated in part by a bill offered two weeks ago by freshman Senator Greg Petsche. The bill moved to decrease the quorum, or number of senators required to hold a Student Union meeting, from twelve to ten. The bill was withdrawn last week after Lewandowski and Willert pledged to offer a bill to hold seniors more accountable.

Petsche supports the amendment because it not only gives the senior class representation throughout the entire year, but also lets six more voices be heard on the Student Union Senate.

“This amendment to the bylaws is a necessary improvement that has been a long time coming,” he said.

Student Union President Amanda Papa is also in support of the initiative.

“I think it would be great for seniors to be there in the spring semester [because] it offers an experienced opinion,” she said.

Sophomore Senator Jack Kirwin said he would vote for the bill because he believes current practices are in need of change.

“As senators we are elected to be both a voice for our class and for the student body,” he said. “Senior senators not having to attend any Senate meetings is unfair to constituents that vote for us to represent our classes at the Student Union meetings.”

Freshman Senator Maurice Redd feels the bill is unnecessary.

“I do not feel it made a negative impact on me as a freshman not having freshman senators in the fall, so I do not feel that seniors will be negatively impacted by [not having] senators in the spring,” he said. “I think that its good that senators are taking initiative to be more accountable, but I do not feel that this bill offered any accountability. This bill is trying to change something that was never in the Constitution or general bylaws, but has just been a long standing tradition.”

According to the bill, no language exists in the Student Union Constitution or General Bylaws that states senior senators are excused from spring semester Senate meetings. Papa, at Tuesday’s meeting, said that it has been a long-standing tradition that senior senators are given that option.

Lewandowski also sees this bill as an opportunity for senior senators to set the example for other Senate members.

“This bill would give senior senators the opportunity to remain a part of the Senate and serve as a type of mentor for the newly elected Senator,” he said. “Seniors can offer beneficial insight into the Senate realm, and serve as role models who have already experienced the Senate atmosphere. This experience is incredibly valuable and it is my opinion that we as seniors have a duty to work with the Executive Board as well as the freshmen, sophomore and junior senators.”

The resolution was tabled because, according to Student Union practices, all amendments to the Constitution must be tabled for at least a week to allow for discussion. This resolution is considered an amendment because it creates a new clause in the Constitution. The amendment will be voted on next year.

Lewandowski does not know whether the amendment will pass, but is confident that senior senators will continue to represent the student body.

“If it passes, it is my hope that the Senior Senators will continue to provide valuable insight on the Senate, and [also] serve as leaders not only in the Senate, but also around campus,” he said.

Summer 2010 won’t let audiences down with the number of big name celebs making their ways to the big screen,  from Leonardo DiCaprio to Steve Carell, and Cameron Diaz to Sarah Jessica Parker.  There’s a wide variety of films to choose from, including action, suspense, comedy and mystery.  These are the most anticipated films for this summer season.

IRON MAN 2

“Iron Man” kicked off the Summer 2008 season, making over $582 million world-wide.  This time it returns with new faces like Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, and Samuel L. Jackson.

The bike program is a praiseworthy endeavor that demonstrates dedication to personal wellness and sustainability and synergizes the resources of JCU, University Heights and EIG.

We applaud the students involved in EIG for taking the initiative to develop this program and for working to find funding through grants and donations. These students exhibit a knack for resourceful planning and commitment to bringing green initiatives to JCU. 

We commend University Heights Mayor Susan Infeld for supporting the efforts of EIG and the City for donating 28 bikes. The donations are generous gifts that reflect the City’s willingness to collaborate with JCU. 

The JCU administration approved winter storage space for the bikes in the Dolan Science Center garage. We recognize the University for helping EIG bring the program to fruition, as well. 

The program will begin next fall. At that time, EIG must continue to promote the bike program and educate the JCU community about sustainability. Student awareness is required to make the program worthwhile and beneficial. 

EIG must also follow through with their plan to use the bikes during JCU’s Ride For Miles event and to develop recreational programs. 

Students should support the efforts of their peers by renting the bicycles. Using the program demonstrates commitment to Earth-friendly practices and physical fitness. 

Also, student support of the program is likely to encourage the

The updates include improvements to BannerWeb, the online interface used by students and administrators to access academic records, financial aid information, and schedules. The update, known as Banner 8, includes new features that the University may use in the future. The updated software will debut around July 4, 2010.

Brian Williams, vice president for enrollment, called the update “major.”

“[It’s] sort of the equivalent of going from [Windows] 98 to Windows XP,” he said.

The University will implement some of Banner 8’s new features once it examines whether they are practical for different departments and offices to use.

“We need to look at that functionality [and] decide if it’s right for John Carroll,” Williams said. “That’s going to involve a lot of people and a lot of additional testing because it’s things we currently do a different way and we would really need to change our process or it’s a brand new thing that we’ve never done before. [We] need to look at the best way to implement it for Carroll to serve students and advisers better.”

The new version of BannerWeb, also known as the JCU Banner Self-Service System, will feature a cleaner interface display that is more user-friendly, according to Williams. Degree evaluations will also be redesigned to better meet student’s and adviser’s needs. While nothing is finalized yet, the plan is to display classes that can fulfill major, minor and core requirements. Seniors can fill out graduation applications through this new update of BannerWeb as well, but JCU has yet to determine whether they will use the feature.

The new BannerWeb has an up-to-date monitoring function for class registration. The University can set up rules in the program that prevent full-time students from dropping to part-time status online without speaking to an adviser first. Currently, classes can be dropped online without system prevention. However, if full-time students drop enough classes to be considered part-time, there are financial aid, athletic, and campus living implications. Students also may not graduate on time. Williams explained that there are rules preventing students from taking actions that should be consulted first with advisers.

The new BannerWeb will also serve a purpose for students thinking about coming to John Carroll. Rather than prospective students signing and sending an enrollment reservation form by mail, they can reserve their place in the freshman class by logging in online.

According to Williams, the biggest improvement to the program is, rather than denying students admission into a course, they will be put on a waiting list.

“That has implications across every academic department,” he said.

Some of the functions included in the new Banner program may or may not be used in John Carroll’s version of BannerWeb.

“There [are] things in each version of Banner that don’t fit us as an institution that we may never use at all,” Williams said. “We have an existing process that may work well.”

Williams explained that student feedback is absolutely critical to determine the functions in the new update of BannerWeb.

“I think a goal of registration is [doing] as much registration after seeing an adviser [as] you can do online and not need to go to different offices,” he said. “The more that it can be self-service, I always have an eye to that. We can’t build something that then becomes a Web page that isn’t clear for students how to navigate.”

As was reported in last week’s edition of The Carroll News, other improvements that will be featured in the new update of BannerWeb include listing of textbooks for courses and online transcript requests. The recently-passed Higher Education Opportunity Act requires the listing of textbooks for courses.

Dennis Rowinski, director of administrative computing services, believes that the trend is moving towards providing student services online.

“This is another step in that direction,” he said. “Students are customers of the administrative people, so you empower the customer to be able to do more versus visiting the registrar’s office.”

What the toon doesn’t say about the tune: “Let me get my ticket baby, let me get it line, I can tell the way you like it, baby, supersized.”

At the end of every semester students are required to fill out a one to two page survey about their instructor’s teaching style, performance and overall effectiveness.

With no direct feedback, students are left wondering what happens to their critiques.

“[It] definitely gives students time to say things, but I don’t know if the department takes them seriously,” said sophomore Erin Riccaridi. “It would be nice to know if they are being taken seriously.”

Every department at John Carroll University implements a different style of evaluation. The effectiveness and results differ drastically from department to department, and in some cases, from instructor to instructor.

James Martin, associate dean of the Boler School of Business, assures that the evaluations are an important tool.

“Everyone in the school of business uses the same [evaluation] form. The quantitative section is then loaded into a large data file,” said Martin.

According to Martin, the school of business is constantly redesigning and altering their evaluation system to make it more effective.

“[The evaluations] are something we take very seriously,” said Martin.

In the Tim Russert Department of Communications instructors are allowed to create their own evaluation forms and while the department uses them as a means for professors to self-evaluate, there is no central office that reviews the information.

Karen Gygli, chair of the Tim Russert Department of Communications, thinks that the evaluations might not be the most effective tool.

“There is not one form, [and] although there is a suggested form, there is no central office to process them.”

Gygli said she glances over the evaluations. “If there was a general pattern over a period of time I would talk with students,” she said.

In both departments the evaluation forms are delivered by a student and not revealed to the instructor until grades have been recorded.

Both Gygli and Martin also said that they would look into a teacher that received poor ratings, but not based on just one review.

The importance of the evaluation form is based on student input and the department’s use of the responses.

If anyone knows anything about being an assistant editor of a newspaper, they’d understand that being an assistant literally means being with the editor in the newsroom for excessive amounts of time. This is where our love for one another started. There was the awkwardness of him trying to teach me how to format photos for InDesign. Since then, I’ve never seen him as polite and serious with me.  

Six months later, I’m the editor of the arts & life section, and he stands as a ghost editor on The Carroll News staff. He’s on the verge of graduation and probably the only guy I’ve met who has so many similarities with my older brother. Honestly, with each new similarity I find, I become more creeped out. 

However, among other things, I must mention a source of hate for one another: politics. Craig is a liberal. I, on the other hand, come from a different side of the political spectrum, the “right” side.  

The two of us rarely find common ground on anything we discuss involving politics or divided issues in general. 

This makes any communication about issues impossible, as we usually end up heated and frustrated because we can’t convince one another why our reasoning is 100 percent the way to be. 

If we were married, we would be James Carville and Mary Matalin, the political pundits that come from the far right and the far left.  

Matalin is well-known for her work with the Republican Party; Carville gained national attention for his work as the lead strategist of the successful presidential campaign of Bill Clinton.  

How they are compatible in marriage is beyond me. That’s just the basis of our love/hate relationship. 

I mention Pres. Bush, Craig has a heart attack.  He compliments Obama’s latest liberal policy accomplishment, and I’m “red” with rage.  

We always joke about what would happen if I took Craig home to my parents. I’m guessing it would result in something similar to the Civil War. 

But our differences don’t stop there. I’m a Cavs fan, and Craig’s a Chicago Bulls fan. I like BCBG and Craig likes Billabong. He listens to Angels & Airwaves and listening to them makes me want to stick forks in my ears. I like where my GPA’s at, and he’s more worried about where his next BLT (or any other meal for that matter) is coming from. 

You’re probably asking yourself, “How do you and Craig even get along?” Well, we do … sometimes. 

Craig and I really just focus on our similarities, which include, but are not limited to: Thetas, Iran’s nuclear vision, and Matt Sikora. 

If Craig wasn’t a raging Democrat, I might consider going on a date with him. Actually, no, there are still all of those brother similarities – eww.  

Still, although I’m sure we’d never have the marriage type of future, we’ll always have our intense hate for one another in politics.  

But at heart, he’ll always be the Carville to my Matalin.

In 2003 Jay-Z “retired” from rap with The Black Album. The third track was titled “What More Can I Say” and lately I’ve found myself asking the same question.

I already wrote my annual ode to the near-graduates that I felt the need to give a shout out. I didn’t submit any works for The Carroll Review to turn down this year so I can’t print them here and call myself the poet laureate of John Carroll (though I do still hold that title).

I wasn’t injured this past track season so I can’t write an allegory about my relationship with the sport. I can’t pretend to run for mayor for awhile, and I can’t dispense pick-up lines and explain the role of a wingman until I get a little more successful at it myself. I really don’t know what else to say at this point.

I’ve already rehashed a few ideas. I feel guilty shortchanging the reader by talking about the same things over and over. I’m not sure how many more times I can write about the financial challenges of being a college student or say things to try to upset feminists to get letters to the editor (you knew I was just baiting you the whole time, right?), but it’s not many.

Which reminds me, I did what I came to do. I accomplished my goal. I got some letters to the editor and people were upset at me. I don’t write those things to be malicious, I write them as a heat check to see if people are still reading.

This just in: they are.

People look to me to brighten their Thursdays, and I work tirelessly to make sure I give them something they can finish reading and say “I’m not sure if he’s got a few screws loose or what, but I enjoyed it and I’ve been reminded that The Carroll News is indeed award-winning.”

Despite the fact that I’m not always pleased with my final product, I continue to write column after column. Other than being a masochist, why would I keep taking up this monochrome real estate if I didn’t like what I did with it?

Simply put, I’m selfish.

I like attention and what better way to get it than by putting your name and picture in the newspaper every week? I’m not sure, but there have to be some because my pick-up line of “Do I look familiar? Perhaps I’ve been running through your dreams or you saw my picture on page 22 of an award-winning newspaper,” has yet to result in me getting any phone numbers.

Being a newspaper man gets in the way of life and I don’t like it.

I talk to the cleaning staff more than my roommates, I sleep on the newsroom couch more than my own bed, and I have Inn Between for lunch … at 1 a.m. Seriously, I don’t remember what breakfast tastes like. That’s not even the worst part.

If you haven’t seen it on YouTube yet, Chamillionaire had someone get on stage and rap with him at the spring concert. That someone happened to be The CN’s business manager and my best friend at JCU, Jeff Sigmund. I would have loved to be front row for that, but instead I was on my way to New York for a workshop put on by The NY Times.

That scheduling conflict changed the way I’m going to raise my kids. I don’t ever want to miss something that rare and awesome for something that was just another bullet point on a resume I don’t even plan on using anyways.

Good news though, my column is more important than my resume.

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.

Across the country, tensions are high after the passage and signing of a new immigration law in Arizona. Last Saturday, from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., protestors were out in full force expressing their dislike of the new law.

According to The New York Times, the new law, passed by the Republican state legislature, makes it a crime to be present in Arizona without legal immigration status. It also requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents with them at all times, and allows police to question people about their status based on a suspicion that they might be illegal immigrants.

Supporters of the law say that the state was right to take matters into its own hands after waiting long enough for the federal government to act on the issue of illegal immigration.Opponents, however, say the law will no doubt lead to racial profiling, arguing that police will only stop and question Latinos.

Changes were made and signed in to the bill Friday that Jan Brewer, the Republican governor of Arizona, believes will eliminate the possibility of racial profiling. These changes clarified that police can only stop suspected illegal immigrants while enforcing some other law or ordinance. According to CNN, Brewer said, “These new amendments make it crystal clear and undeniable that racial profiling is illegal and will not be tolerated in Arizona.”

However, according to John Carroll political science professor Dwight Hahn, “There is a civil war going on in the Republican Party. The Arizona immigration law is a hot-button issue that illustrates the divide.”

President Obama has also expressed discontent over the law. In a speech at the Rose Garden of the White House, Obama said, “Take, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona, which threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.”

State Sen. Russel Pearce (R-AZ) was a main sponsor of the law. He told CNN, “Illegal’s not a race, it’s a crime … And in Arizona, we’re going to enforce [the law].” According to The Washington Post, the passage of this law elevates immigration reform to the spotlight of the 2010 elections.

“The law definitely has implications toward the November elections. The Latino vote is a large portion of the electorate and it’s possible that the passage of this law will take a substantial amount of those votes away from Republicans in November,” said Hahn.

According to a Pew Hispanic Center report from 2009, about 500,000 illegal immigrants were believed to live in Arizona in 2008, and 11.9 million nationwide. That number is up from 3.5 million nationwide in 1990.

Last week the Blue Streaks received outstanding pitching performances in conference, as they pulled off a clutch sweep of the Heidelberg University, winning the games 5-0 and 7-0. 

In game one of the twin bill, sophomore Brittany Danilov twirled a gem as she pitched seven innings, while surrendering only three hits and striking out nine.

A big sixth inning, where the team saw four runners cross the plate, broke the game open and gave Danilov all the runs she would need. 

Freshman Mackenzie Griffin and Senior Laura Boselovic both tallied two hits in the contest.

Game two saw much of the same as the Blue Streaks continued their hot touch in the pitcher’s circle.

Senior Samantha Thompson carried the torch from Danilov as she too held the ‘Berg scoreless. Thompson picked up her 10th win of the season in pitching seven innings, allowing only five baserunners, while striking out a season-high 11.

Fellow senior Julie Marlowe notched three hits and came across the plate twice in her final home game.

“These two wins were huge for us,” Thompson said. “Being able to pick up a sweep of a team that we were tied with in the conference really gives us some extra security for the tournament.” 

The day had extra meaning as the team not only parted ways with their senior leaders, but also joined in the fight against breast cancer. 

The squad donned custom made pink jerseys, and sold pink T-shirts as part of a fundraiser for breast cancer research.

“Being able to go out with such a great win means a lot,” Thompson said. “You never want to leave with a bad taste in your mouth and us seniors definitely do not have to do that.”

 Seniors Marlowe, Boselovic, and Thompson are three of the most impactful players in the programs history. All have been significant contributors throughout their four years.

JCU now turns its attention to the upcoming Ohio Athletic Conference postseason tournament. 

As the third seed in the tournament, they will be pitted against Mount Union College. John Carroll lost both previous match-ups against the Purple Raiders earlier this season.

“We really cannot worry about what happened earlier this year,” junior Angela Vistocco said. “Anything can happen when you get into the playoffs. We just need to stay relaxed and we should be able to do very well.”

Editor’s Note: Follow the Blue Streaks in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament by visting the JCU Athletics Web site, jcusports.com.

Junior resident assistant Kristen Jantonio said, “‘The Don’t Throw It Away, Give It Away’ event is an end of the year collection, and we are encouraging people to think twice about what they are throwing away and donate things that can be used by someone else.” 

Jantonio pointed to its convenience as well.

“Sometimes at the end of the year people don’t want to take some items home, so they throw it away. Why not donate [the items] so someone else can get good use out of it too?” she said.

Anything that is in good condition can be donated with the exception of furniture this year.

Reusable items, non-perishable food, gently-used clothes and shoes, unopened toiletries and school supplies (except notebooks) are all accepted for this event.  With this, dirty or torn clothing, open or perishable food, and broken objects are not accepted.

Students in residence halls are encouraged to donate items to this event.  Donations should be brought to the Student Center Atrium.

John Carroll’s Campus Ministry is heavily involved with this collection.  

Pacelli Hall Resident Minister Lauren Fraser said, “For the past few years the resident ministers have sponsored an end of the year collection; we have always been overwhelmed with people’s generosity and needed more hands, especially with our staff being downsized from last year to this year.”

With the downsizing of staff, Residence Life has stepped in to play a part in this year’s collection.  

Fraser said, “This year, Res Life has been an integral role of planning how to collect the great donations and distribute them to places that are in the most need around the city of Cleveland.” 

Assistant Director of Residence Life John Mack said, “To help reduce the amount of trash that is generated at the end of the year, we will be collecting clothing, household goods, and non-perishable food items in the Atrium during the week of finals. We want students to donate items rather than throw them away in the dumpsters.”

Along with donations to various Cleveland-area charities, some of the items given to the collection may contribute to JCU immersion trips.

“Although it’s possible, depending on the donations, that some items may make their way to people JCU students will visit during May immersion experiences,” said Fraser.

Members of the John Carroll community do not need to be a part of Campus Ministry or Residence Life to be a part of the “Don’t Throw It Away, Give It Away” collection.  All students can donate.  

Fraser described how this collection event is a way for students to give to the community.  Any extra clothes, leftover school supplies and food are ways to contribute.  

“As you start packing up your current room for the summer, honestly look at your wealth of possessions. Is there a shirt, skirt, pants, etc. that you honestly haven’t worn this year? You most likely won’t wear it, if you haven’t in the past 12 months.” said Fraser. 

When packing to travel home after finals, save some room in  boxes and more room for a summer wardrobe and donate gently used items to the “Don’t Throw It Away, Give It Away” collection.

Mack anticipates a great outreach from JCU students to meet the needs of others in the community, or those with an involvement with JCU immersion experiences.  Expectations are high for this event. 

“Our goal is to collect enough donation to fill enough boxes that if stacked would reach higher than the Clock Tower on the AD building.  We will be tracking this progress in the Atrium all next week,” said Mack

Along with this goal, Mack said, “Our hope is to decrease the amount of belongings that are thrown away each year that can be reused, recycled or help feed area families.”

Fraser reminds the JCU community that the donations given will affect those who donate as well as those who receive the donations.

“We are so lucky that most of us will be able to buy a new shirt or appliances later in life. Other folks don’t always have that opportunity,” Fraser said.

For more information on the “Don’t Throw It Away, Give It Away” collection contact the Office of Residence Life at 216-397-4408 or .

After being considered one of the favorites for the 2010 Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, the John Carroll University men’s golf team finished in a tie for fifth place, 22 shots behind the top team from Otterbein College.

Of the five Blue Streaks that were competing, four fired a 79 on the first 18 holes. Sophomore Sam Scala was the Blue Streak leader on day one, two shots ahead of all his teammates with a 77.

Junior Joe Zucker heated up on day two, shooting a 74 that tied him for 10th place. The rest of his teammates were again clustered, with two shooting a 78 and the other two recording a 79.

Scala finished tied for 16th place, while junior Jeff Deal and senior A.J. Spalding finished in a tie for 22nd. Senior Blake Furgerson was 25th.

Not to be lost in the disappointing finish was the fact that JCU won four tournaments this season.

Men’s Tennis

With the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament set to get underway yesterday, the John Carroll University men’s tennis team is playing their best tennis of the season. The team has won three consecutive matches, and has managed to win 26 of 27 games in that span. 

After back-to-back 9-0 sweeps over Marietta College and Heidelberg College, the Blue Streaks finished the regular season on May 1 with an 8-1 victory over Wilmington College. 

JCU finished with a firm grip on the fourth seed in the conference tournament, setting up last night’s first round match at home against Capital University. The two teams met back on April 17 in Columbus, Ohio with JCU pulling out a 7-2 victory. 

The Blue Streaks are chasing their first OAC Tournament title since the 2006 season.

Women’s Tennis

Much like the men’s team, the John Carroll University women’s tennis team entered the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament having won three consecutive matches, and five of their last six matches dating back to April 14.

Of their last five victories, four were 9-0 sweeps of the opposition. Their most recent victory was  5-4 win over Wilmington College on May 1. 

With their 6-3 record, JCU tied for third place in the conference, but lost out in a tiebreaker to Mount Union College because the Purple Raiders won the head-to-head matchup on April 20 when they handed the Blue Streaks their only loss in the last six matches. 

That set up a May 4 match against Ohio Northern University in the first round of the OAC Tournament. 

JCU is in pursuit of their first OAC crown since 2004.

After the Sweet Carrollines and Rhapsody Blue concert I walked to the Dolan parking lot looking for my car that a friend had parked. I decided to locate it faster by hitting the panic button on my keys. After several attempts there was still no sound. Finally, lights started to flash and the horn honked.

Already feeling obnoxious for using my panic button to find my car, I loudly announced to the parking lot, “Don’t worry, I found my car.” I turned to my friend and we began to walk toward my car. As we headed that way, so did three guys. We then watched as they got into the car and I smiled and said, “Well, guess I didn’t find my car, but you did. Congrats!” – Yes, it was somewhat embarrassing.

At the end of the night we had to go get the girl who parked my car and when we finally located it I didn’t announce it to the parking lot, but for anyone who was there, you can rest assured we found my car. I also successfully filled that night’s quota of awkwardness.

I’m not complaining, being awkward makes my life much more interesting than it would be otherwise. My lack of athletic ability, dancing skills, and height all add to the quality of my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Google has an endless source of ways to combat my awkward tendencies, but what fun would that be? Instead I have reached my own conclusion. 

The solution to living a less awkward life is to surround yourself with more awkward people. 

Hello friends, you are all part of my life for a reason: you’re awkward. (And if you’re not, hang out  with me long enough and you will  become awkward. It is my gift to you.)

In the past month my best friends on campus have caused many awkward moments of their very own. One of my friends closed her own arm in her trunk and had a nice bruise to prove it. When asked how she dealt with stress, another one of my friends told her interviewer that she ate feelings, preferring chocolate or junk food. (She got the job.)

My best friend from home tackled another small blonde girl at our high school homecoming football game because she thought it was me – It wasn’t. 

So, as I live my life I will continue to fall up steps, say things I don’t mean, panic that my shirt is on inside out, create new more awkward moments, and surround myself with even weirder people.

After college, he landed a job as a delivery man for a company that sold office furniture. Real cool, right? Wrong. But the company had a chair it dubbed “the ugly chair.” It was old, ugly, and no one could sell it. So one day my dad bet the sales team that he could sell  it. And he did. 

The next day, he was moved to the sales team. 

Point number one: I may get my good looks from my mom, but my killer work ethic definitely comes from my dad.

Point number two: Immigrants are the bedrock upon which this country was built. The blue-collar attitude they first brought to this country continues to spin the wheels of American industry even today. 

But while most Americans only have to trace their family lineages back a few generations to find relatives that made that first trip to Ellis Island, antipathy towards immigrants has always been present in American society. This antipathy has fed a persistent effort to keep our borders closed. Every year, tons of money and resources are wasted on policing our borders and building walls to keep illegal immigrants out. And yet every year, more illegal immigrants pour into this country. 

The controversial legislation recently passed by Arizona, which gives police the power to detain anyone they think might be an illegal immigrant, has thrust the issue of immigration back into the political spotlight. Hopefully, the Obama administration will finally put an end to this wasteful and ineffectual policy. But what policy can be used instead?

In 1984, The Wall Street Journal published an editorial that put forth the simplest, cheapest, and most effective way to deal with illegal immigration. It read, “If Washington still wants to ‘do something’ about immigration, we propose a five-word constitutional amendment: There shall be open borders.”

The United States can complement this policy by addressing the social factors that lead people to immigrate to the United States in the first place. Mexico, for example, is plagued by gang violence, drug trafficking and a lack of economic opportunities. Open borders would free up resources to combat drug trafficking. Strengthening U.S.-Mexican political ties and increasing economic integration would also help.

This type of policy would treat immigration not as a single issue but as part of a bigger picture. It would uphold and respect human rights and embrace immigration as a proud and essential part of American society. And finally, it would improve the welfare of our neighbors, which would result in a more peaceful and prosperous regional community.

The march, commonly known as the May Day March, was held on Saturday, May 1. 

The march began at Market Square at West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue, and continued for two miles. The march ended when the marchers reached the Catholic Worker Storefront, where they gathered afterward. Here, the protesters assembled for a final rally.

The marchers sought reform for the national immigration policies. Some of the items they protested included anti-immigration laws, militarizing the U.S.-Mexican border, and immigrant detention and deportation. 

They also called for more labor rights and better wages for immigrant workers.

The students decided to participate in the May Day March largely in response to the recent immigration legislation passed in Arizona, which allows police to stop anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant. 

“The bill passed in Arizona has really frightened a lot of people. It is a terrifying step towards the further dehumanization of the immigrant community and creates a legal path for racial profiling,” said junior Aiden Kelly. 

Junior William Nowell agrees. “The march was important to be [a part of] because the Arizona immigration policy basically legalizes racism,” said Nowell. 

For Nowell, family members may be affected by the new law as well.

“I have an uncle living in Texas who is Honduran and I can only imagine what it may mean for my uncle with this kind of legislation passing there. He is legally here, but that is not going to mean he will face any less discrimination,” Nowell said. 

Junior Chris Axelrod also participated in the march. For him, participating in the march meant showing solidarity with immigrants in the U.S. 

“It was nice that people [who are] not affected showed up. People can really use the support,” he said. 

Additionally, Axelrod said, “We’re entirely a nation of immigrants. It’s just very odd to me. No one says anything about European immigrants. It’s the same thing, it was just in a different time period.”

The May Day March in Cleveland was a part of a national movement. Other cities that took part in the May Day march include Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

In some departments, every teacher is responsible for designing their own course evaluation forms. In others, the faculty comes up with the surveys as a department. Because of the loose formatting standards for these surveys across the board, there is a lack of uniformity between classes and between departments.

These evaluations are very important to curricular design, but there are a number of fundamental problems that must be addressed before they can be an effective meterstick of a course’s success.

The first major problem is how seriously students fill out the evaluations. The professors use the students’ criticism and recommendations to further develop their courses. If the students do not take the surveys seriously, then the professors will not have any constructive suggestions to work with. 

This problem can be addressed if the evaluations themselves are restructured. Currently, there are no universal criteria to which the surveys must conform, leaving some departments with very ineffective evaluation forms. The University must institute standards that clearly outline what the forms must include; this will create a much more effective measure of how well the courses are received by the students. 

The Boler School of Business serves as a good model for effective course evaluations. We believe that they should be commended for their thorough collections and analysis of their feedback. 

The Boler School uses two types of criteria. The first is quantitative, giving students a series of questions that can be answered on a scale of one to five. The next criterion is qualitative, asking specific questions about the professor and how the class was conducted. 

The quantitative information is processed and analyzed to come up with a concrete list of how effective their courses are and which areas they need to improve. The qualitative responses are given to the professors so they can revise their individual classes as necessary.

The other schools should conform their surveys to the Boler School model. Uniform class evaluation forms would provide a more comprehensive analysis of the classes. We also believe that a central office for review  is a necessary facet of the evaluation process.

These talks, which the United States is set to mediate, are scheduled to resume this week. The announcement to expand Israeli control into East Jerusalem, which was made public while Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel, interrupted the initial plans to bring these two adversaries together. In protest, the Palestinians withdrew from the indirect discussions.

The United States responded to Israel’s bold declaration by insisting that Israel freeze its settlement plan. Despite U.S. pressure, Israel officially discarded this demand under the pretense that it should maintain control over all of Jerusalem. Contrary to this Israeli belief, Palestinians hope that East Jerusalem will one day serve as their capital, pending the creation of a Palestinian state.

Israel and Palestine have not engaged in direct peace talks since late 2008 when Israel invaded Gaza. Since this skirmish, which Israel says was prompted by hostile militant rocket fire over an extended period of time, Israel has advocated peace talks without preconditions. 

Palestine, however, firmly maintains that Israel must freeze settlement building inside Palestinian territories it acquired after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Although Israel still refused to accede to a total freeze, it did concede to a partial postponement in construction.  

Those like Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, have made it clear that for peace to prosper, Israel must cease their settlement plans. In addition to Palestine’s reservations regarding Israeli expansion into occupied East Jerusalem, the Arab League reiterated the need for an Israeli halt prior to direct peace talks.

Although concerns are still prevalent, the Arab League issued statements of support for the indirect talks to continue. The Arab League is a regional association composed of member states ranging from Southwest Asia to North and North East Africa.  

Even with such an endorsement for the proximity talks, those in the Arab League, such as the Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thanistill, are hesitant to trust Israel.

However, regardless of any possible reservations, the Arab League’s decision provides the political clout necessary for Palestinian Pres. Mahmoud Abbas to protect his faction, the Fatah Party, from public disapproval. The United States is credited with aiding in this decision as shown by its continued diplomatic endeavors. Israel has also shown approval of such a backing by the Arab League.

These talks are anticipated to last several months and will serve as a precursor to any direct negotiations. However, before these indirect talks will take place, the political factions located in the West Bank will first have to approve the plan.