This year is my fourth here at Lawrence, and even though I feel like I have a good enough handle on faces to differentiate between new ones and old ones, I have found easy ways to tell if the new faces I see belong to freshman or simply physics majors who never leave Youngchild.
The Washington Post published Monday a leaked version of Gen. McChrystal's "Initial Assessment of the Afghan situation," a memo that was notable for its request for 21,000 more troops to be deployed. The president already had the memo for weeks, and had read it, but the leak, as well as McChrystal's threat to resign if he does not get the troops he asked for, was meant to tie Obama's hands behind his back.
Ask a Fifth-year There are a lot of fifth-year seniors on this campus. Between the rigorous courses and the old Lawrentian habit of generally overdoing it, it's a wonder anyone finishes in four years at all. Still, I cannot help but feel a little out of place, which is precisely the kind of shared adversity that helps me relate to freshmen, the group for whom this column is intended.
The first weeks of the academic year bring new students not only the beginning of classes, but also an abundance of choices about living here at Lawrence University. These choices are a result of living a more independent life, away from parents and -- for some -- away from their hometown.
Under new rules at Lawrence, people are no longer allowed to smoke within the "academic necklace" of campus. Although it is completely acceptable to pass this rule -- Lawrence is private property -- there are some implications that need to be brought to attention.