Features

Recently, a group of students, alumni and faculty gathered to discuss and explore through performance the sort of climate unique to the Puget Sound student body. Diversity is the subject of the 2012 Campus Climate Survey, an assembly of student experience and feedback that informs university policy and offers students a chance to voice their opinions and frustrations with the friction that arises from differences of race, sexuality, religion and gender. Chief Diversity Officer and Climate Week organizer Kim Bobby stated, “The goal is to capture the current narratives of...

Linoleum flooring, folding metal chairs, harsh florescent lighting— even devoid of people, the setting seems familiar from pop culture depictions. The concrete stairs leading to the Kilworth Memorial Chapel basement are tucked away near a loading dock, and the ceiling panels inside are various stained shades of off-white. Every Friday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Al-Anon meeting at the University of Puget Sound convenes here. The meetings are open to students as well as community members. Counseling, Health and Wellness Services (CHWS) physician’s assistant...

Professor William Dasher, known as “Dasher” to anyone who is remotely familiar with him, teaches one of the hardest courses at Puget Sound: Organic Chemistry. On the days when there is a test in O Chem, Oppenheimer gets ready early so that students can get their caffeine fix before the 7:30 a.m. start time. The average grades on the tests are shockingly low for a Social Science major. Despite teaching such an intimidating course, Dasher does not take himself, or anything else for that matter, too seriously. He is a...

Upbeat gospel music filled Kilworth Chapel in celebration of the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., reminding students of his tremendous achievements and his impact on the world. The 26th celebration of Dr. King’s Day of Service was originally scheduled to occur on the Martin Luther King, Jr.  Day of Service but was postponed due to snow. The invocation began with a short speech by ASUPS President Marcus Luther, in which he spoke of collective human beauty and about how much Dr. King believed in that truth....

Like any business, the University of Puget Sound faces the problem of employee turnover. The unique nature of some higher education jobs, however, means that the consequences of hiring decisions are long-lasting. Hiring a new professor means making at least a multi-year commitment, and perhaps some years down the line, addressing the potential near-untouchable status of tenure. At Puget Sound, the process for hiring new professors is arduous and long, with a careful eye towards the consequences of a poor choice: lowered teaching quality for students and a step back...

As the semester begins to pick up steam and the clouds recede, hinting at a future of warmer days, the routine of classes, work and life seems to be setting in for all of us. Amongst all of this, it has never seemed easy to be “green” or “sustainable” while trying to subsist off of what can be retrieved at the S.U.B. between classes. For those of us lucky enough to have the time (or energy) to fend for ourselves and schlep to the grocery store, the bounds of our...

Imagine this: sitting outside on a sunny day, drinking mimosas and basking in a kiddie pool while Chaka Khan and Rufus’ “Tell Me Something Good” wafts through the air. Your best friends are all around you, everyone is dancing, the day feels endless and just when you think it can’t get any better, someone fires up the barbeque. You are on top of the world. My point is if you want to have a great sophomore, junior or senior year, rent a house. Not only are the on-campus housing options...

The idea of studying abroad might be a scary prospect for many students. Puget Sound provides several chances for students to figure out whether or not they  want to consider going away for a whole semester to a completely different country, encouraging the notion that studying abroad offers a variety of unique opportunities:  to experience different education structures and cultural exploration. But making the decision to go can be a tough one, especially if students don’t quite know how to get started or who to talk to. Although Puget Sound...