Not on Thursday of Week 8, the night of the TASK party. At first glance, one might wonder if a hoard of 60 kindergartners had taken over Prin College. One could observe flying cardboard-box spaceships, wildly painted moustaches and noses, toilet-paper mummies, lampshade hats, group hugs, and students jumping across the room like penguins and stick-horse riders.

Each of these was a task at this party, organized by Dinah Ryan’s class, Writers and Artists at Work, which examines the creative process and the idea of play.

Sophomore Megan Scott and Junior Amelia Heron at the Task Party. - photo // David Miller

The setup is simple: A “task box” filled with simple tasks such as hopping on one foot across the room to “propose to the first person you see” is placed in the room. Participants draw tasks at random, interpret them, and complete them in whatever fashion they choose. After completing a task, each participant comes up with a new task from “do a headstand” to “build a spaceship” or “tell a secret” and adds it to the box of tasks. At this point, the event is entirely self-perpetuating.

The TASK party was an opportunity for the students to actually put critical ideas into practice. “We deal with the notion of play, both identifying structures and reconfiguring them,” Ryan said.

The mastermind behind this idea is internationally renowned contemporary artist Oliver Herring. Based in Brooklyn, Herring developed the idea of a TASK party to create community bonding in a troubled urban neighborhood in 2002. Ever since, TASK parties of varying formats have been organized all over the world, with or without the presence of Herring.

Herring’s TASK party provides a non-threatening, inclusive, and participatory platform for all individuals to interact. Thinking outside the box, stepping outside comfort zones, and breaking through habitual patterns of society are also encouraged in this event, according to Ryan.

English major Courtney McCall thoroughly researched Herring and was inspired by him during her creative writing seminar in Winter Quarter. Ryan had the opportunity to meet Herring briefly through her husband Paul Ryan, a professor of Studio Art at Mary Baldwin College, where Herring organized a TASK party. Dinah Ryan suggested that McCall throw one for Principia.

This quarter, members of the Writers and Artists at Work class made the project their own. McCall was in touch with Herring through email, and the entire class, composed of mostly of Art or English majors, had the opportunity to talk to the artist over the speakerphone. “Everyone was in love with him afterwards,” McCall remembered. “He was so inspiring.”

Ryan recollects from the conference call that Herring emphasized, “It’s not about me, not about my art project. It’s about you. Why is it good for your community?” She added that a TASK party provides the opportunity to “playfully explore controversial issues we don’t talk about very openly in the community.”

“TASK is good for us because we’re letting go,” Ryan stated. “It’s not just fooling around; it has to do with what our culture is, who we are, how we live our imaginative sensibilities.”

McCall explained that the aim of the event was to “bring a new sense of closeness to the community that can only arise when people are really playing like children.” She stressed that there is an expected standard of behavior on campus and in society, referring to different behaviors depending on one’s role as a professor, senior, child, etc.

At TASK, professors, staff, and students from all backgrounds are absolutely equal. They all have to fulfill the tasks, whatever they are. “This way, we are just as free with some random guy as I was with my best friend,” McCall observed.

The idea of collaboration was also stressed in the implementation of this project. “I’m not the hegemon,” Ryan stated. “Everyone in the class occupies a non-hierarchical position.”

A spirit of exuberance, childlikeness, playfulness, and complete surrender of roles, inhibitions, and fears dominated Holt Gallery during the TASK party last Thursday. “I felt a sense of warmth from everyone and was really amazed at how engaged everyone was,” McCall said.

A red moustache painted on her face, head decorated with a homemade tin foil hat, and sporting a toga, participant Laura Ainsworth said she thinks the party was “an awesome idea. People are becoming really close and breaking down barriers that society sets up sometimes. We’re just allowed to be friends and be weird together.” Laughing, she added, “There’s a lot of weirdness going on.”

Even a Media Services worker, after initially distancing himself from the craziness of the event, couldn’t resist the fun and was seen with a painted face, pretending to have his leg amputated by a team of “professional” doctors towards the end of the event.

“We looked like a bunch of kindergartners,” Ryan concluded. Theater major Erik Siegling summarized his feelings about the TASK party in one word: “Awesome. Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome.”

Campus Snapshots 05-28-10

I have never forgotten that interaction. Because I DO love music! I really do! But I understand why people might think I don’t after I have written a bad review or verbally degraded a treasured artifact from an artist or group of artists that they hold dear to their hearts. I want to make sure I leave this column letting people know that I do have a heart when it comes to music. I don’t criticize everything I hear. I don’t strictly like certain music because it might be “culturally relevant” or innovative in style or craft. To prove it, this last column is about ten songs that I will always love, because they played a part in my experience at Principia, and not because they tickle my propensity for deconstructing music. Consider this a mix-tape for the Principia community. I’d burn every reader a copy, but I think that would be illegal and a bad promise for me to make through this publication. (You can find all these songs on just about every digital music distributor.)

In this last column, I would like to thank my parents, fellow Pilot columnist Alice Stanley, and Dinah and Paul Ryan for their support of my writing. And most importantly, I would like to thank former Pilot editor Abby Becker and former Pilot faculty adviser Craig Savoye for giving me this column. I’ve loved writing it, and thank you to everyone who has ever read it. Keep listening.

1. Wilco – “Hummingbird”

I’ve probably listened to Wilco more than any other band in college. I also saw them live twice. It is hard to pick one song from Wilco’s deep catalog because so many of their songs will forever be engrained in many of my experiences with people and places from ages 18-22. I chose “Hummingbird” because of the first line of the song, “His goal in life was to be an echo.” Everybody has wanted to be an “echo” at some point in their lives – to be remembered for something, or even to be so good at something that people forget all your “competitors” and you stand alone in their memories. I think my education at Principia has really taught me to let go of this desire, and I’m always humbled by the chorus of this song: “Remember to remember me / standing still in your past / floating fast like a hummingbird.” The reality is that we’ll never be bigger than our expressions. Even Paul McCartney will be forgotten someday, but the influence of his music will live forever.

2. Pavement – “Gold Soundz”

I once had a radio show at Principia and named it after this song. I remember being angry when the radio station put up an advertisement in the concourse for my show and spelled it “Gold Sounds” with an “s.” The radio show was a lot of fun – it was mostly playlists with a dumb theme and my friends calling in to heckle me. I also skipped a lot of the promos so I would have more time for the music. (Sorry, Rick!) I only had the show for one quarter, and I wish I could have kept doing it. Instead, I kept busy with the idea of being busy. I think most of Pavement’s music is about being preoccupied with ideas, rather than actual tasks. You can hear the apathy in Stephen Malkmus’ sarcastic voice.

3. The Shins – “Australia”

The first concert I ever attended in college was the Shins at the Pageant after they released their third and still most recent album, Wincing The Night Away. I think all freshmen have that moment when they are like “COLLEGE! I AM FREE TO DO WHATEVER I WANT AND NO ONE CAN STOP ME!” I had many of those moments, but I’ll always remember when the Shins tore into this song after their mellow introduction. I looked at my four other friends bobbing next to me, and thought, “I am so glad that I am here.” I later went on an abroad to Australia.

4. Spank Rock – “Bump”

I’d say the first half of college is at least 70 percent dance party. At these dance parties, there are way too many awesomely inappropriate and vulgar rap songs that get played, and for those readers who may or may not know, these awesomely inappropriate and vulgar rap songs are heard at Principia. So to refrain from mentioning the long list of songs and artists that will always remind me of dance parties at Prin, I’d say this song pretty much sums them all up.

5. Tokyo Police Club – “Nature Of The Experiment”

I was training for a triathlon spring quarter of my freshman year, and this song always sent a charge through me before bike rides or runs. I had a single on the first floor of Anderson, and my friend Ezra had one across from me. When we weren’t having dance parties to awesomely inappropriate and vulgar rap songs, like Spank Rock’s “Bump,” we were blasting this song into the hall from our speakers. What a fun time that was. Really, anything the two words “freshman year” conjure up for you can be heard in this two minutes and two seconds of pure head-shaking, arm-flailing pop punk.

6. Sigur Ros – “Svefn-g-englar”

I never had much of a connection to this Icelandic band until I saw the music video for this song during the spring quarter of my junior year. I was lying in bed with my laptop and reading a music blog that claimed Sigur Ros made some of the most moving videos to accompany their music. Little did I know when I began watching one of these on YouTube that a music video would affect me in such a way that I would begin to see art differently. Maybe it was special needs acting group dressed up like angels in the video. Maybe it was the lead singer Jonsi’s celestial croon, or maybe it was the stellar hum that sounded like a spaceship making a delicate landing periodically throughout the song. Maybe it was something entirely separate from the experience. But after I watched the video, I remember crying for a good five minutes. Then I went for a walk around campus in the early evening and came back feeling unusually grateful and optimistic. For the rest of that quarter, I listened to the song over and over and was really grateful for the grace that artistic freedom can bring.

7. Animal Collective – “Summertime Clothes”

I was on my abroad in Australia when I first heard this song. I had counted down to the release of the album, Merriweather Post Pavillion, and I decided to skip my internship to grab the CD at a record store. I spent the morning walking around Sydney, but I only listened to the album up until “Summertime Clothes.” I listened to it on repeat until I needed to meet up with the abroad group again. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life – walking through Sydney’s fish market and hearing Animal Collective’s ethereal noises swim through me. Ironically, the internship in Sydney got me an interview with Animal Collective – a dream come true. And I did the interview inside the Chapel because I needed good cell phone reception and it was raining.

8. Caribou – “She’s The One”

One of the greatest discoveries I’ve ever made was when I found the Billiken Club at Saint Louis University. This small venue, similar to our Pub, hosts about five to eight shows every Prin quarter. Some of my favorite live music experiences have happened there, but one of my favorites was seeing this band perform this song during my sophomore year. I went with my roommate, Greg, and we stood in front of the drummer who pounded the crap out of his poor drum set. Greg and I spent the rest of the quarter going to sleep to this song in our room on the second floor of Syl. Remembering how calm those spring nights were, hearing the vocal falsettos and swirling orchestra strings, makes me wish I could go back to being a sophomore instead of being a senior, scrambling to finish my capstone.

9. Silje Nes – “Ames Room”

Winter quarters have been tough for this California native. One of the things that brought me comfort on cold nights was this song from Norwegian singer-songwriter, Nes. Her light guitar picking and adorably imperfect voice whisked me off to dreamland, especially during my sophomore year when I was tired after swim practice. The first line, “We go ashore / to a place that is warm” could never have been more relevant after dragging myself out of the pool, walking hungrily to dinner through the cold, then into my bed for the night.

10. The Flamingos – “I Only Have Eyes For You”

If I remember any song I’ve enjoyed the most while being a senior, it’s got to be this one. My final year at Principia has been one of much growth socially, artistically, and spiritually – and the summation of this year could be described the same way I would describe this song. There’s an eerie uncertainty in the melodies and doo-wop vocals, but it all eventually culminates into a gorgeous wave during the chorus. “I Only Have Eyes For You” has also kept me great company at all times of the day – prepping for class in the morning, procrastinating after lunch, and studying late into the night. The song just sounds like a memory, and I’ll never forget how special it has been to hear it on a daily basis as I overcame challenges here at Prin. To me, “I Only Have Eyes For You” sounds like coming home after participating in the Iditarod.

In the fall of 2005 I sat at my family’s computer, staring at a blinking cursor. I was filling out my Principia application and was stuck at the part that was asking if I had any issue upholding Principia’s standards. For the most part, the question was easy, but I struggled knowing that I was about to apply to an institution that categorized homosexuality as wrong. On my application, I ended up solving the conundrum temporarily by writing something like “I have difficulty supporting the anti-homosexuality policy, although I am not gay, so it should not be a direct problem for me should I attend Principia.” I doubted I was the first applicant to have such an issue. It has always been supremely clear to me, as a Christian Scientist, that homosexuality has nothing to do with one’s morality.

Briefly, here’s what I figure. All of God’s children are whole — male or female. In fact, Mary Baker Eddy goes to great lengths to explain that we are not actually males and females but male and female qualities. To me, this has always been comforting. I am a woman, but I do not have to accept anything about myself that society says is true about women. I do not have to be overly sensitive. I can be strong. I can be a good driver and an astronaut, for Susan B. Anthony’s sake! So, my sex should never dictate who I am as a spiritual expression. Cool.

Now, here is my understanding of romantic relationships: two people who love one another enough to accept each other as family — a committed relationship not just to one another, but to the ideals that the couple would want to support in their lives. I do recognize that marriage is an option for romantic relationships, and marriage is meant for the generation of mankind. But, call me crazy, seeing the giant problem of overpopulation in today’s world makes me think childrearing might not be the most needed progression for mankind. Couldn’t marriage and romantic relationships generate good in the world through other media? Or, couldn’t the couple adopt a child — thus helping with overpopulation and generating good, whole-souled people into the world through parenthood? If a couple is committed to the generation of good, maybe even in the form of a child they did not conceive, does it matter if they can physically reproduce? This concept applies to more than homosexual relationships. What about a woman who has been told she is unable to conceive? Would Principia, or any Christian Science institution, really see it as best if we told her she must have a healing about her ovaries before she could even consider having a romantic relationship with a man? After all, her relationships, like a homosexual’s, would not be able to lead to a physical generation of mankind.

Basically, what I am saying is that I don’t see any possible argument against homosexuality that doesn’t offend me as a woman. If having a romantic relationship is good, but only if it is with a man, we are either admitting that there are certain qualities a man can have that will help me grow that a woman couldn’t have, or we are admitting that the physical ability to have sex for a couple is necessary. If the latter is the case, why are we trying to rid ourselves of sexual desires when it is clearly important within relationships?

That’s my piece. That is how I feel. I want my romantic relationships to be barely focused on sexuality and physical attraction and most focused on love, commitment, work, and Truth. Since those are my standards, I get a bit offended when a policy inadvertently slams them as insufficient. So, what do you do when you feel something isn’t right?

My freshman year, I did little. I joined a Facebook group called “Principians for Queer Equality.” It made me realize there were interested students, past and present, who were unhappy with the policy. However, I should note that, at the time, this was actually against the homosexuality policy, which included a clause stating that attempting to change the anti-homosexuality policy was considered homosexual activity. The issue could not be truly discussed until this clause was amended.

Thanks to the dedication of a committee of students in 2008-2009, the Free Speech policy was passed. Thus, the homosexuality clause could be amended. By the end of my junior year, it was no longer against the rules to publicly argue the policy with others. Here, gratitude is once again part of the story. During the time when it was still against the rules to work for a change in the policy, I wrote a Pilot article about it. The article was well-received by the community. (I received no hate mail, but many thanks.) I also wrote a letter to the Trustees of Principia. They responded politely, but forwarded the issue to OSL. I understood. I took the necessary steps and talked with both my RC and Dean of Students Dorsie Glen. They were both loving, helpful, and encouraging, but did not have certain answers as to why the policy itself existed — just talking points.

This fall I asked the Principia community to join in a writing campaign. Via another Pilot article, I asked anyone in the community either solidly opposed or in support of the homosexuality policy to step forward and make this an issue worth reconsidering or casting aside with excellent reasoning. I managed the e-mail account and received a whopping fifteen letters on the issue. Some from staff, some from family, and most from students. Every letter was well considered and offered new ideas to the debate. There were fourteen letters from folks displeased with the policy and one letter from someone who thought it was well founded.

I combined bits from all the letters (including the naysayer) into one super letter to the Trustees once again. This time I mentioned how grateful I was that the Free Speech policy was finally in place so a letter-writing campaign could happen at all. Secondly, I mentioned the importance of actually having a public rationale for such an unwelcoming policy. The Trustees once again wrote back politely telling me to go to OSL. I was privileged to talk again with Dorsie Glen, the dean of students, but as it was once again without any institution-sanctioned reasoning for the policy, the conversation did not help me realize why homosexuality directly affects spiritual growth. We could only muse over ideas and more questions — which is fruitful in itself — but does not help me support Principia’s practices.

Now, according to Glen, “The All-Campus [Student Body] President has asked each house to have a discussion
 within their house on homosexuality before the end of the quarter to 
hear the underpinnings we think are behind the policy. Unless there are
 some major objections to the points presented, I expect that we would 
put a link in the Blue Pages on the web for next year that would give 
those underpinnings.”

To me, offering reasoning for a controversial policy is crucial. Without reasoning, the policy cannot help students. Students who are satisfied with the policy do not have to consider or defend their views. Students who are not satisfied with the policy do not take it seriously because it has no argument for itself. The fact that this policy may finally have some underpinning — whether or not we agree with it — is a huge step in the history of this policy. Again, sound the gratitude gong.

When talking with students who are somewhat or extremely opposed to the position Principia has taken on homosexuality, sometimes it has been all too easy to sink into a steaming heap of frustration. But, this experience has taught me (and others) the power of patience. Certainly, when something is wrong (as I believe this policy to be), we feel that change should be immediate. However, the beautiful and terrible truth about multifaceted institutions is that many voices must call for and make change. In line with last week’s article, I want to express just how much can happen or at least how much peace you can learn to make with a situation by continuing to prod at things that bite at you — especially within the institutions we support.

My gratitude for the communication system of Principia is great. The Trustees are accessible. They didn’t offer answers or support to me, but they did read what I had to say — which is actually a pretty big deal. At Principia you can be heard even by the Trustees. Jonathan Palmer makes himself accessible to students all the time in the dining room, at campus events, and, heck, I just spent a weekend seeing him backstage in the spring play. Dorsie Glen was never hesitant to discuss this issue with me. I thank her for considerately listening to the opposing side of the policy several times in the past year in order to find answers, peace, and harmony. Principia! We do not have to go farther than our own homes to talk with our RCs about anything (shout out to Connie Crandell — one of the most wonderful women I know)!

Super. It’s my last article in college, and I have managed to seem like a scatterbrain. Basically, out of everything at Principia, what I most hope I can come back to as an alum is a reformed way of thinking about homosexuality and gender equality on this campus. What I most hope for the next couple years is that this issue will not fall to the side just as these small changes are being made. And, finally, I encourage everyone to be grateful that while sometimes we complain about Prin and how immovable it is, the steps along the way to change can be fruitful and full of love. Thank you for reading.

Pot has a history on this campus, just as it does on every college campus. The issue is like a piece of driftwood lying lifeless on a beach. Every day it is touched by little waves, but occasionally a monster set rolls in and the driftwood is pushed a mile beyond the tide line.

This issue operates on both an individual and a community level. Occasionally, an individual is overwhelmed by a realization — maybe they are addicted, maybe they don’t belong at Prin, or maybe their roommate needs help.

On a community level, it seems that the storm that builds the swell and moves the issue has been brewing for a while now. Maybe it’s time to talk about things. Let’s start that discussion.

As honesty is the only foundation from which we can actually get at this issue, and freedom from judgment is the only preserving quality with which we can continue this conversation, all individuals who have graciously agreed to be interviewed will remain anonymous.

As one interviewee explained: “Getting high makes you feel ‘floofy.’ Drugs take you beyond yourself. They literally make you go crazy; it’s like being in the back seat of a moving car while no one is driving.” Perhaps the sensation is beyond words; if you’ve been there, you’ve been there.

Another interviewee described it plainly: “Sometimes, I was really nervous. High and nervous: the worst combination in the world. The euphoria was still there, but it wasn’t at all fun, especially afterwards.” They continued, “The next day I couldn’t function. No matter how great the high was, it always boomeranged back into my gut the next day. The worst part was having responsibilities that I really meant to do well in. But I was failing at those things more than ever. … Sometimes, and I’ll call it an addiction for simplicity’s sake, the addiction took preceden[ce] over the things that I used to put at the top of my list.”

A third interviewee mentioned a subtle change in their schedule over time which reflected new values but still leeched onto old ones.  “It all escalated. By my [high school] senior year I was doing ecstasy and cocaine. And I always felt sick. There was a direct correlation between getting sick and doing those things.” The interviewee said this behavior continued in college. “[At Prin], I felt like I was living two lives. Good Jane that went to church and was sober on Sundays, and bad Jane that partied and drank and did drugs.”

The interviewee went on to say: “I was addicted to the [pot] culture … there was something about being associated with this culture: it seems bigger than you, and that’s appealing. There is also this sense of doing something illegal, which is exciting.” This interviewee found themselves at odds between the crazed appeal of getting high and maintaining an otherwise “normal life.” While referring to their use of pot at Prin: “I would sneak out to be a part of this shadow culture that, during the day, I would ignore my association with; and not just the culture, but everyone associated with it.”

This interviewee succinctly defined addiction as the following: “It’s what you fantasize about. It’s what consumes your thought. It’s not only a body thing, but it is very much a mental thing as well.”

I presume this is a definition we can all relate to. (By this definition, I would admittedly be addicted to running.)

Among those interviewed, one similarity was that the primary concern associated with smoking is the fear of judgment both by authorities and by peers, rather than being concerned with health.

Speaking very generally, there can be a perception from the non-smokers that a person who smokes pot, or who has ever smoked pot, remains labeled as one who smokes or used to smoke pot — and that’s it, that’s who that person is! This is an incredibly limiting perspective for all, including both those who are still struggling with addiction and those who may have reformed their habits.

I was astonished by the response of one interviewee’s friend when they heard, for the first time, of the interviewee’s past habits. The friend’s whole demeanor changed, and it was clear that their view of the interviewee had shifted.

Let’s be honest. We care about one another despite past faults or missteps. Perhaps the expression of this care is reduced through the haste of a day or while judging someone else’s actions. Unconditional Love is where we naturally begin, and the rest is just a digression.

I believe sincere care for one another is truthfully what has been missing in most people’s thought. There is not much to argue with regarding the drug’s illicit nature or its effects on the human mind. Everyone knows marijuana is against policy, yet at times the bluffs reek of the stuff. So why has drug use primarily been a concern of administrators and not all students? Isn’t it time to blow this issue out of the water and examine it more closely as a community?

You decide: should we be focused on solving a pot issue, or a lack of care issue? The intent of this article is not to get involved in evaluating people’s personalities, but to point out that we can be open in sharing care and compassion for each other. We are a Christian community. It is our responsibility to support our brothers and sisters, to love them, respect them, and cherish them.

The eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull gradually built up a sizeable volcanic ash cloud that spread across most of Europe via easterly winds. The eruption was caused by the North American and Eurasian Plates moving apart on a divergent plate boundary that forms part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Since then, airlines flying over European airspace have not been able to travel because of the threat posed by volcanic ash clouds. According to the British Civil Aviation Authority, aircraft jet engines will be damaged by ash clouds unless the volcanic ash air density is less than 0.002kg. If the concentration of volcanic ash is too high, it forms a layer of molten glass on the engine’s turbine blades and prevents the engine from functioning properly.

This event brings back memories of a British Airways plane that barely avoided a volcanic ash cloud while travelling over Indonesia in 1982. According to CNN, the pilot rescued the plane from an ash cloud resulting from the eruption of Mount Galunggung on the Indonesian island of Java. The pilot saved everyone on board by gliding under the cloud and removing the glass by blasting cold air into the engine, restarting the failed engines.

The impact of this Icelandic eruption on the European airline industry has been immense. Effects range from a week’s worth of flights cancelled across Europe to the complete closure of the majority of European airspace, stranding many passengers abroad. There have been more cancellations in the last few days over Britain with airports such as London Heathrow (one of the world’s busiest airports) and London Gatwick closed for business. This not only affected people’s journeys to, from, and throughout Europe, but also had a negative effect on airline profits, especially as companies like British Airways were already struggling from the recent recession.
This was so much the case that British Airways employees will be asked to accept a one month pay freeze while still working, which is still being negotiated. Since then, instability strikes have been organized. Volcanic ash clouds disrupting air travel over Europe are the last problem the company can take for a while.

Major disruptions to passenger travel throughout Europe and other continents continued into April, as customers were not sure where or when they could get a flight. The most worrisome statistic about this eruption is that it has the potential to affect air travel over Britain in particular for 20 years, depending on how long the volcano continues to erupt. If this is the case, this forewarns great economic issues in Britain’s future.

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has had a heavy impact on the industries and the coastal environment of the U.S. Gulf Coast. According to the BBC, on April 20 an oil extraction platform owned by BP exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 members of the crew on board and sinking two days later. Once it had exploded, the pipe connecting the platform to the sea floor bent and broke. According to the BBC, that same leaky pipe is currently sending 210,000 gallons of crude oil gushing into the sea every day.

This leak is causing great worry for industries along the coast, including fishing businesses. The fishing industries in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana will be tremendously affected by this oil spill if it is allowed to worsen, and the economies of these southern states rely heavily on seafood production.

According to the BBC, Alabama restaurant owner Kendall Stork said that although this would be a very tough situation and “could damage the seafood business for years,” the seafood industry “will be back.” Stork added that the people involved in the industry “ain’t going anywhere.” As the industry is currently “bouncing back” from the Katrina disaster, those fishermen have seen hard times before.

For many like Stork, this incident is all too reminiscent of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. An oil tanker bound for California hit Prince William Sound’s Bligh Reef and spilled at least 10.8 million gallons of oil into the ocean, causing serious problems for the fishing industry in Alaska.

The underlying issue of the Gulf Coast oil spill has been whether responsibility lies with BP, the owners of the oil rig; Transocean, the company responsible for drilling; or Halliburton, the company that helped construct the rig and laid the cement of its foundation. People are outraged that none of these companies will accept blame for what has happened. According to the Christian Science Monitor, President Barack Obama included himself in this criticism, stating that the Senate hearing of the three companies was a “ridiculous spectacle” of the companies “falling over each other to point the finger of blame.” The main feeling is that BP and its partners were not regulated enough to protect the environment against such a disaster. Therefore, it is likely that offshore drilling will not be as common in the future. Whatever is to be done here, the needs of the coastal community must be taken into account first.

These two disasters spell out the need for better contingency plans. Such plans seem to have become more regular in recent years in order to prevent loss of life and damage to our environment. Although we may seem helpless to stop the increase of natural disasters and oil spills, it is the way we deal with them that is critical.

Sophomore Sarah Corbitt sunk a three-pointer to clinch the 13-11 win for her team, which also featured junior Muguna Siameja and senior Todd Zimmerman.

Their opponents were Principia basketball legend Laura Saucedo-Williams (who now works in Human Resources), junior Stanley Beal, and Upper School senior Matt Jones.

In the semifinals, Corbitt’s team beat out the trio of junior Sam Douglas, junior Dani Corbitt, and freshman Zach Becker, while Saucedo’s team defeated basketball coach Sarah Jarvis, senior Stuart Waller, and junior Spencer Brown.

Waller, Brown and alum Christina Speer (C’09) won the competition last year, and though Saucedo came out of a brief hiatus from basketball, she demonstrated energy and passion for the game.

Students play at the second annual Chain Net Classic. - photo // Stuart Waller

The cost of the tournament was minimal: just $6.95 to replace the chain nets. Philosophy professor Chris Young came up with the idea after seeing a similar one at Fort Lewis College in southwestern Colorado during his undergraduate years.

“It was fun and relaxed, yet a competitive way of bringing students and staff together,” Young said, “and I thought it would be a good idea to replicate here.”

Siameja, an ardent supporter of the Los Angeles Lakers who sported a dreadlock hairdo just for the tournament, said he was excited, and his teammate Corbitt agreed. “You just notice the various skill levels,” Siameja said, “and it is a good way of bringing people together.”

Despite falling on a busy social weekend when there were activities galore at Principia, the event was still highly attended. Prinstock, various sports matches, and the spring production of Robin Hood competed for campus attention.

The large number of students, family, and staff who turned up at the courts despite the sweltering heat indicates that the tournament can only expand in popularity.

The relaxed outdoor atmosphere intentionally provided a different atmosphere from the controlled room temperature of indoor basketball courts. Varsity basketball players had to adjust to the hoops and hot sunshine. “It is very hard to shoot at the hoops with the chain nets,” said Young. “You have to be very close.”

There are plans to make the competition more attractive. According to Young, introducing prizes could raise the profile of the competition. “We could have T-shirts and something better than a handshake at the end of the competition to reward the players, although we still want this to be a fun event,” Young said.

The modified rules kept only the scoring system of a regular basketball game intact. However, the stringent rules only added fun and did not dilute the competitiveness. Teams of three took turns using only half of the basketball court so that two games could go on at one time. Each match lasted 15 minutes, and the teams kept their own score. Players also called the fouls, which effectively eliminated the need for officials.

For fairness, each team was required to have one female member. Varsity basketball players were widely distributed, because each team could only have one player from a varsity basketball team.

Coming after a busy athletic season, teams had players from basketball, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, volleyball, baseball, and softball, among others. Some of the participants had not played basketball before, but had the necessary skills.

Even though some players came from other matches, they were still able to give it their all. “Some of the players showed fatigue after playing rugby and soccer,” observed sophomore Colin Angle, one of the competition’s organizers, “but their input and passion was invaluable. [Junior] Matt Bowman, who would rather be playing baseball, has a good touch.”

Waller said that the competition was a good way to identify skilled basketball players, observing that there were some whose raw talent could be nurtured. Waller, a varsity baseball player, added there were quality players who opted for other varsity sports but would be an asset in basketball.

Angle said he sees a bright future for the two-year-old tournament. Falling on a visiting weekend, some of the teams had high school players who blended right in, and it was difficult to distinguish them from their college teammates, even though they had not practiced together.

Clint Staley joins the Computer Science department while Tom Fuller is on what Staley referred to as a “well deserved” sabbatical; and yes, the adorable kids are his.

After graduating from Principia in 1980, Staley came back to teach here from 1986-1987. Since then, he has taught at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California for 22 years. After he was asked to fill in at Principia for a quarter, he and his family drove across the country, bringing with them three scooters to keep his children mobile on campus. A fourth scooter and all of the kids’ bikes, he said, were given to them by members of the Principia community. He remarked that the brief move has given his family a chance to experience Principia while giving him the chance to “come back home.”

When Clink Staley isn’t teaching Computer Science, he spends time with his family around campus. - photo / Amber Dahlin

Staley is currently teaching a course called Compilers, in which students learn the codes that compile computer programs, which he said includes linguistic elements as well as elements of programming. He is also teaching Advanced Algorithms, in which students learn about sophisticated types of programs. He said, “I teach difficult classes. … I want to prepare people very well for a demanding field.”

Junior Daniel Hensey praised the difficulty of Staley’s Compilers class. He said, “I’ve learned to appreciate the educational value that it has.” The quarter has been a challenge, but Hensey said that Staley’s assignments give him a real sense of accomplishment. Senior Katie Farquhar said, “He has a lot of experience in the field, and he knows what’s expected.  That advice has been tremendously helpful, especially as I embark on a job search.”

Staley wrote his first computer program in the early 1970s while experimenting in high school, which he said was an unusual opportunity at the time. His high school was one of few that owned a computer. While a student at Principia he took a couple of computer science courses, and actually began his graduate studies in Electrical Engineering before switching to Computer Science. He went on to get a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering.

Staley and his wife Cathy have four kids. The oldest are eight-year-old twins from Thailand named Pantitra and Panwasa, whom most people know as Titra and Wasa. Andrew, also from Thailand, is six, and the youngest is two-year-old Samuel, “Spunky,” from China. Mrs. Staley is a lifelong Christian Scientist who never had the opportunity to come to Principia before and is grateful to be here now. The whole family has felt very warmly welcomed by the community, said Staley.

Staley said his hobbies are his professional work and keeping up with his family, but “if he had free time,” he might read history books.

Staley teaching a class full of Computer Science majors. - photo / Amber Dahlin

In the early 1980s, Principia’s Computer Science program consisted of courses taught in Colorado during winter quarter. Staley was asked to help move the program back on campus in 1986 before the Science Center had been built. He said they worked in a temporary building where the goat pen is currently located, with a dozen machines that, while primitive with a RAM of about 1 megabyte, were state-of-the-art at the time. In addition, Staley said that when he was a student, fewer students went off campus in their free time, as there was more social activity happening on campus.

Though Staley will return to teach at Cal Poly in the fall, he will spend the first few days of fall quarter at Principia to begin a course that will take place online for the rest of the term. The course will consist of two units on Java programming, and Staley said it is designed for any student who is already familiar with another programming language.

Hensey said, “This is such a great opportunity. … I’m very glad that Clint is offering this course, and I hope he offers more in the future.”

While a lot has changed since Staley was here last, he said that the spirit of kindness on campus remains the same, as well as the “underlying presumption of [a] spiritual outlook.” He said he hopes to be able to come back occasionally to teach courses here in the future.

Fortunately, there is good news for 2010 graduates from employers nationwide. A report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that the job outlook for this year’s graduates has improved, projecting that 5.3% more graduates will be hired this year than in 2009.  Furthermore, almost a quarter (24.5%) of this year’s graduates already have jobs lined up for after graduation.

Principia prepares its students well for life and employment after graduation, said Jim Brandt, ACA’s Career Coordinator: “Graduates come out of Prin well-rounded, educated people.” Results from a 2008 ACA survey of graduates from 2003-2007 showed that 44% found their first career-related position in the first three months after graduation, and 65% were in a career-related position within a year.

Brandt encouraged students, saying, “The job market is not as bad as everyone says it is. People are looking for young, bright people to employ. Millions of people are finding jobs. … and I’ve spoken to more than one employer wanting to hire another Prin grad.”

Some Prin grads choose not to dive right into career-related employment, but rather take time to be with family and friends, or travel.  Brant said, “The first year out is the time [to do this] … A lot of people like to take a deep breath, maybe go to work in retail or temporary employment—if Mom lets you live in the basement!”  The joke echoes the recent national trend of graduates moving back home with their parents after graduation, which 80% of 2009-2010 graduates did last year, according to a report by CollegeGrad.com.

ACA continues to offer support to students after they’ve left Elsah. Brandt estimated that he spends about 20% of his time working with alumni. “We’ll work with alumni of any age, especially in the first five years after graduation,” he said. This is especially helpful to students who do other things before beginning a career.

Post-graduate internships are another option for recent grads. “Internships can be a great option for that in-between stage after college and before a long-term job,” said Linda Hannan, ACA’s Internship Coordinator. “Post-graduate internships in particular are a great opportunity to position yourself for a career.” Post-graduate internships are often paid training programs, lasting at the longest 18 months, and they may lead to subsequent employment with the company.

Currently, 63.1% of the responding 2003-2007 graduates are employed in career-related positions, 12.3% are employed in non-career related positions, 10% are full-time students, and less than 1% are unemployed and still looking. Brandt said that these results represent a typical year. ACA sends out surveys every year to alumni in the five most recent graduating classes.

Graduate school often features prominently in Prin grads’ futures. The proportion that eventually attends is usually around 60%, according to Brandt. Many Prin grads change their area of focus from their undergraduate major to their graduate study, and for this, their liberal arts education comes in very handy, Brandt said: “The long run matters, and the liberal arts background is desirable in many, many fields” to both universities and employers.

“If you want to succeed, Prin gives you the tools to succeed,” said senior Mass Communication major Ginny Tonkin. Some of the tools Tonkin cited are leadership opportunities and hands-on learning experiences, “like when I managed the radio station as a sophomore – cool!” Tonkin said, “At Prin, anyone can be a leader and get involved. You learn how to be well-organized and manage people, which are more important skills than the knowledge you learn in class.”

Some seniors do not yet have definite plans under their belts. Senior Biology major Luisa Gomez does not feel confident about finding a job after graduation: “I don’t feel like I’m in a good position to be employed. I know how to look for a job … but it looks like my qualifications aren’t the ones that are required in the job applications I’ve filled out.” Echoing many seniors she’s talked to, she said her future “feels up in the air, and I don’t like it feeling up in the air.”

Senior Music major Tabea Mangelsdorf, who is also uncertain about her future career path, said, “I’ll do whatever God tells me to do. I’ve got my antennas up!”

Correction: An earlier version of this article described the respondents of the survey as 2008 graduates.