FYI Student Blog

I’ve watched Ocean’s Eleven hundreds of times in my life (both the original with the Rat Pack and the more recent, yet equally star-studded, blockbuster).  I’ve seen gangster movies and heist films galore, and I always wish I could be right in the action.  The exhilaration the actors feel when they handle their silver briefcases filled with $1,000,000 cash is PALPABLE.

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to hold a substantial amount of cash in my hands all at once.  Today, that has all changed.

In the Dean’s Office this morning, Dean Elmore, Dan, Kat, Faba, and I were busy stuffing a sleek silver briefcase with a cool $1,000 in freshly printed dollar bills, soon to be given away at the first Men’s Basketball game of the year.

The game is Wednesday, November 17th, at 7 pm in Agganis Arena.  I can’t tell you how or when the money will be given out, but all you can do is follow Dean Elmore on Twitter (@DeanElmore) for more information.  Bring your friends for what looks to be an incredible game between our Terriers and the George Washington University.

While you’re there, Dean Elmore will keep you updated on details for the cash giveaway and if you pay attention, you may be lucky enough to walk away from the basketball game $1,000 richer.

Good luck!

Benji

Hello everybody!  How are you?  We are well.  However…we are sad.  In the words of Mulan, it’s time for some reflections.

Our summer is coming to a quick close in the Dean of Students Office, and a lot has happened.  We’ve been reminiscing about all the sessions of Orientation we’ve seen come and go and about all the incoming freshman we’ve welcomed to campus.  We’ve created new friendships and greeted people who have strolled in and out of our office.  And as this very hot season ends, we thought it would be appropriate to highlight some important events from the summer.  So, without further ado, here are our:

Top 7 News-Worthy Events of Summer 2009

1.  We said “Congratulations” and “Farewell” to the Class of 2009 here at B.U.  After years of hard work, their college careers have culminated and they have gone into the “Real World” to pursue their careers and use the lessons they learned at B.U. to further their lives and the lives of those around them.

2.  America was taken aback when “celebrities” Jon and Kate Gosselin announced they were getting a divorce.  What ever would the country do without “Jon & Kate Plus 8″???  Who knows…but we’ll have to wait and see as the 5th season of their show brings surprise, mystery, and a chance to discover why America is so concerned with them…

3.  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the 6th installment of J.K. Rowling’s phenomenon series, came to life in theaters across the world.  In 5 days, HP6 grossed over $390 million, and quickly became the highest-grossing movie of 2009.  I can only hope you love Harry Potter as much as I do, and if you do, you’ll know that we can’t wait until the next movie is released.

4.  The Snuggie, the cult-favorite “blanket with sleeves,” released new patterns this summer including leopard, zebra, and camel prints.  Consumer response has been less than overwhelming.

5.  Despite all the fun we had this summer, we had to say goodbye to many celebrities that passed away in an unfortunately short period of time.  Among them were pop icon Michael Jackson, actress and sex icon Farrah Fawcett, The Tonight Show’s announcer for 30 years Ed McMahon, and infomercial pitch king Billy Mays.

6.  Speaking of The Tonight Show….Conan O’Brien took over for Jay Leno as the host of NBC’s famed Tonight Show.  Jimmy Fallon of Saturday Night Live fame took over Conan’s spot on The Late Show.   However…it wasn’t long before Jay Leno got his own show earlier in the evening.  The Jay Leno Show, premiering this September on NBC, will be taped in the same studio as The Tonight Show and will follow a similar format.  It makes you wonder how different the show will be from Jay’s old late-night show…

7.  Here at home, Boston University welcomed members of the Class of 2013 with Orientation, where they got a chance to make new friendships, meet University Staff, and learn a few things about B.U. along the way.  Across the country, Dean Elmore and the rest of the office traveled from Hawaii to Puerto Rico and everywhere in between with our 13 Summer Send-Off Receptions, where incoming students got a chance to gather with one another and meet employees from the Dean of Students Office and the Division of Student Affairs.

While we can reminisce all we want about the great summer we’ve had, there are tons of things to look forward to this Fall semester.  In honor of that, we present our:

Top 7 Coming Attractions this Fall

1.  Students requested subs and sandwiches, salads, and authentic Mexican food, and B.U. delivered.  Opening this Fall, Olecito will serve Mexican cuisine from a new space in the lobby of Warren Towers.  Extreme Pita has been added to the lobby of Claflin Hall in West Campus.  And finally, Loose Leafs (salad) and Charles River Bread Co. are opening new locations at the Buick Street Market & Cafe in the Student Village.  With these new options, including a Panera Bread and Upper Crust Pizzeria opening on-campus locations, B.U. students will never go hungry.

2.  The Terrier Tailgate is coming!!  Come by Nickerson Field on Sunday, August 30th, at 4:30 for a free cookout before watching the America East Champion B.U. Women’s Soccer team take on rival UMass at 6 pm.  Free food, free fun, what could be better?

3.  SPLASH! into the pool of activities at B.U. when all student groups and resource centers come together on Nickerson Field September 1st to give away goodies, prizes, and free BBQ.  Again, how can you honestly turn down free food?

4.  Activities keep popping up on Nickerson Field.  On Friday, September 4th, join Student Activities for a double-feature Drive-In Movie on Nickerson Field featuring I Love You, Man and The Proposal.

5.  The Fall Activities Expo is a smaller version of SPLASH! that takes place in the GSU and features every group in Student Activities.  It’s a chance to learn more about each group and find out what you might be interested in.  Get involved – it’s that easy.

6.  Parents Weekend, while far away on October 16-18, is an opportunity for parents to come to campus and see the way you live.  They can meet your friends, floormates, tour your college, and take part in a number of events throughout the week, including the famous Head of the Charles rowing race.

7.  RED HOT HOCKEY!!! If you’re going to be in New York City over Thanksgiving weekend, buy a ticket and come cheer on the 2009 National Champion Terrier Men’s Ice Hockey team at Madison Square Garden when they throw down against Cornell on Saturday, November 28th.  We beat them two years ago, and if Coach Parker has anything to say about it, we’re going to do the same thing this year.
Now that you know what we enjoyed about our summer and what we’re looking forward to this fall, share your opinions with us.  What are you hopeful for this upcoming semester?  Will you explore Boston, will you get involved around campus?  Whatever you do, we’ll be here in the Dean of Students Office, waiting to hear from you.

Terrier pride,
Benji

“100 pages?! Are you kidding me?!”

“Well, yeah, but I mean they’re giving us 200 new computers in Mugar.”

“And you can print from anywhere on campus, you know, with the network.”

“I don’t care if I can print from South Africa. It doesn’t matter since I’ll be using up my print quota in the first week of school.”

“Well maybe you should think before you just go printing everything.”

“Yeah, I think that might be kind of the point. Be greener, think before you print, eat granola and worship moss…no, just kidding.”

This is an abridged version of this morning’s “water cooler talk” here in the Dean of Students Office.  Dean Elmore shared a BU Today article with us that adresses the new printing policies for undergraduate, graduate, and law students (med students won’t be affected just yet). And so the heated debate began…

How else am I supposed to print my work and readings? Is this really all that green since they’re asking students to waste energy on printers? And on that note, is it appropriate to be asking students to bring printers to campus and, in turn, computers, when BU’s costs are already rising?

Some of our staff is optimistic. Or at least accommodating. Bryan, one of our Program Assistants here at DOS, said simply, “I’ve always hated reading on computer screens so I print almost everything. I suppose with the new printing policy now is the time to kick that habit.”

Laurel, another DOS Program Assistant,  is so full of opinions that she is currently writing a dissertation on the changing Boston University printing policies and their consequences, which will be posted shortly.

I, for one, have mixed opinons. I am irked by some of the statements coming from information systems and technology. I don’t believe most BU students own a printer, and I certainly don’t believe they should be expected to buy one. Laurel delves more deeply into issues of print quality, ink cost, and more, so I’ll leave that to her. Still, I have to say, having a printer in your room implies having a computer in your room, as does getting rid of all of the ResNet labs. As a friend of mine said, this step is making BU even less accessible for those without abundant finances.  Secondly, I want to know what’s being done to make on-screen reading easier and more accessible. I have professors that scan readings in every which way–so is it cool then when I turn one of the new Mugar computers on its side so that I can read a badly scanned article? Probably not. Lastly, I think, considering how sensitive this issue (already) is on campus, BU really needs to make a significant effort to explain how to set up printing from their personal computers, how to check their print quotas, how to extend their print quotas, etc. This is a big transition, and I support the green awareness that it is raising on campus, but inconvenience quickly causes people to lose their greenthusiasm.

So maybe it seems like we’re complaining a lot. Well, keep in mind, we’re students. We’re the ones that write more than 100 pages of text a semester, let alone read. We’re concerned about money and convenience, about buying printers and ink cartridges, about what it means to sacrifice what is easy for what is green. BU Is absolutely right to want to reduce its paper trail, and I can say with confidence that all of us are behind that. I can also say that we’re incredibly appreciative of the changes made to Mugar. I can’t wait to have a computer hub in a convenient location, not to mention all the printing, copying, and scanning services that will be provided there. I’m excited to see how mail rooms work as print centers, and hopefully it will be super convenient to stop by the mail room to pick up your paper on the way to class.

Plus, who knows? Maybe this transition really will make BU students think twice before they waste paper on printing. Its already making us think here at DOS. Maybe they’ll consider the paper trail and choose to read online instead. Maybe professors will make a distinct effort to go paperless for their students. Maybe we’ll all learn to be a little greener, and to think before we print.

terrier love,

Celie