PRESS RELEASE a new product for aspiring entertainers

STUDENTS THAT ARE ASPIRING ENTERTAINERS CAN NOW GET THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR

Contact Name: LaTiahna Nelson

Contact Email: pitchapak@cfl.rr.com

Contact Phone: (407)348-3102

Contact Fax: (407)344-2274

August 26, 2003, KISSIMMEE, FL - LaTiahna Nelson, owner of Pitch-A-Pak, created a revolutionary line of multi-media Press Kit Presentation Albums/Binders for the Entertainment Industry and Others. There are six(6) models available — sold empty, you simply insert your Cover Sheet or Photo, Paperwork and Business Card, along with an Audio Cassette Tape, VHS Video Tape, Compact Disc, or DVD.

"With Pitch-A-Paks, all of your materials are held in one impressive, professional and organized package. These products will change the way you present your talents, and are a must for aspiring and established Entertainers who want to get the edge on the competition, stand out from the rest, and show the Industry that they are professional and serious about their craft," says LaTiahna.

"Many aspiring artists spend their hard-earned dollars to make their demo and other promotional materials, simply to submit these items loosely in a manila envelope, or in a paper pocket folder where the CD, DVD, tape or video keeps falling out. I know, because as a former singer, I was one of them!," says LaTiahna. "This is what gave me the idea to create Pitch-A-Paks. I realized that if I needed a product like this, surely others must too! Without the right Presentation, even the best artist could go unnoticed and unheard, lost in a sea of ordinary and unimpressive demo tapes! An Industry Executive, Manager, Agent, Talent Scout or Club Owner with a pile of Resumes and Demo Tapes or Videos on his/her desk would most assuredly spot and pluck out the Pitch-A-Pak first, greatly increasing your odds for success."

Pitch-A-Paks can also be used by Industry Insiders and Professionals; those trying out for the many Talent and Reality Shows that allow you to send in a tape or video; or anyone wanting to pitch, present, or promote themselves, their talents, company or organization, products, services, inventions, music, movies, videos and commercials, computer games and software, seminars and more! You can send your Pitch-A-Pak to prospective Record Labels, Agents, Managers, Financial Sponsors and Clients. Use them as Audition material for Contests, to get Jobs/Gigs, and for Demo Critiques and Evaluations. Use them to assist you in obtaining Recording Contracts, Movie Deals and Radio Airplay. Send Pilot episodes to Networks and Cable Stations. Distribute your project at Expos and Film Festivals. Promote the Artists and Athletes that you represent. Enclose a Video Tour of your Training Facility or School of the Performing Arts. The uses are endless!

The current Promotional Prices start at $10.95 each, with quantity discounts available. For additional information, product photos, testimonials, special discount offers, or to place an order, visit their website at: www.PitchAPak.com, or send a SASE to: Pitch-A-Pak, P.O. Box 700605, St. Cloud, FL 34770, and they will mail you a brochure.

Press Release

Press Release:
Students Stand Up Against Summer Work Business

Have you ever answered a vague but very attractive help wanted ad and come down for the interview only to find out it's not a job ad at all, but instead is a business opportunity they have to take an hour or so to sell to you? A company called Vector Marketing has been doing this for years deceiving tens of thousands of young students and a group called Students Against Vector Exploitation (SAVE) is getting together because they are not going to take it anymore.

Lauren, the co-founder of SAVE just recently won a case with the NY Dept. of Labor alleging Vector to have breached the independent contractor- client relationship making her an employee, and Vector has sent her a check to compensate her work during unpaid training. She says "I know others can win too, it's just a matter of standing up for your rights."

Vector Marketing is a company that targets students nation-wide to sell Cutco kitchen knives with in-home demonstrations. They are encouraged to sell to their family and friends to start out with and are pretty successful in the beginning, since it's easy to sell to people that care about you and feel obligated to help out. But after that they must rely on referrals, which can be difficult since not too many people want to let stangers into their house to get a sales pitch on knife sets that typically cost several hundred dollars. David Tatar, a supervisor with the Wisconsin Consumer Protection Dept. was quoted in 1996 by the Washington Post as saying "that state surveyed 940 Vector recruits in 1992 and found that almost half either earned nothing or lost money working for Vector" and "workers in that state earned less than $3 a day on average selling cutlery for Vector."

Workers are hired as independent contractors, but must follow strict rules as to who they can sell to and how to give the presentation in order to get paid if they don't sell, and they must work under a manager often having to check in to the office and go to conferences. They must either buy or put down a deposit for at least $145 for a set to give demostrations with. And some optional conferences they need to pay to attend.

Further research shows that they were sued by the Arizona Attorney General in 1990, ordered by the state of Wisconsin not to decieve it's recruits in 1994, and sued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in 1999. Each time their legal trouble revolved around fraudulant recruiting tactics and each time they settled and promised not to mislead their recruits anymore. The Toronto Star wrote an article about fraudulant job advertising in 1994 and wrote that they decided not to run Vector's ads anymore. Lewis & Clark's college student newspaper in Oregon wrote an article in 1997 calling the company a scam and interviewed a receptionist alleging she was told to deceive students over the phone. SAVE doesn't believe they have cleaned up their act, members see these type of complaints about the company all over the internet all the time.

Kay Bible believes Vector shows their recruits fabricated ads of their top competitor Henckels and gives them loaded information to make their knives seem the best. She also says she was told their product appeared in severals articles like Consumer Reports magazine leading her to believe they got favorable reviews but upon researching them she found out they found issues with things like rusting and potentially uncomforable handles. She said she was told they were a fortune 500 company when they hadn't been owned by Alcoa, a fortune 500 company, for more than 20 years.

SAVE believes tens of thousands of students lose their time and many of them lose their money buying demo kits for this company. An anti-Vector petition on the internet has over 1300 signatures. To find out more about SAVE and information on joining, you can look it up on their webpage at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savecampaign

Bowman on Sports

Welcome to Catholic University, the sports capital of Washington, D.C. Yes, that’s right, the sports capital of D.C. “How can this be,” you ask? Just look at the statistics.

Catholic is the only school in the district to win a basketball national championship in the past 18 years and has been the only team in the country to advance to the sweet sixteen five years in a row. Catholic basketball only graduated three players last year, and should advance farther than season. If Catholic were to play any other basketball team in the district, I would put my money on CUA.

Catholic football won the first ever-official Orange Bowl in 1936. The team defeated Ole Miss 20-19, holding off a late 13 point rally by Ole Miss. This championship made the Cardinals the first college athletic team in Washington history to win a championship.

Three years later the football team participated in the Sun Bowl battling Arizona State to a 00-0 tie. In more recent history won an Old Dominion Conference Championship. CUA is the only D.C. school to send a football team to the postseason in at least five years.

In recent years Catholic has also been lauded by the NCAA and USA Today for having one of the top ten graduation rates in Div. III.

The Cards also rival D.C. schools in volleyball, cross country, field hockey, tennis, track and field. The baseball team went to the NCAA Div. I Championships in 1977. And we have God on our side. What else could you ask for?

Well, if you want more, look at the alumni. New York Yankee first basemen Wally Pipp graduated from CUA in 1914 and had a successful career in New York playing in several hundred consecutive games. His streak ended one fatefull day when a slight injury gave the manager a chance to try out a young star named Lou Gehrig. Pipp then watched from the bench as Gehrig played his position for 2,130 straight games. In a world without free agency this event ended Pipps career. The modern Yankees also have a CUA alum amongst there vital staff. Brian Cashman, 1988 CUA grad is the Yankee general manager and attributes his work ethic to the education he received here.

Also a pair of 1939 Graduates joined the NFL. Fullback Rocco Pirro (‘39), played for the Pittsburgh Steelers starting in 1940 and remained in the league until 1949, while quarterback Pete Sachon was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1940.

Well, this has been your CUA sports history lesson. Whether you are an athlete, a fan of sports, or someone who doesn’t know the difference between a tight end and a nice butt, take pride in your school and in our athletic success. Shake off that hangover and go to the football games on Saturday or do yourself a favor and take that walk down to DuFour during these mild D.C. winters and enjoy some free championship basketball. Then you will understand why CUA is the sports capital of our Capital.

This Column originally ran in The Tower August 22, 2002. In the next issue Justin M. Carrasco will begin a series of weekly columns.

Fall Sports Preview

Football

In this 2003 season the CUA football team hopes to return to the greatness of the 90s when winning seasons and playoff excitement were commonplace. Last year was an improvement from the dismal 3-7 finish in 2001. However, it was not by much as the Cardinals finished with just four wins with six losses under new head coach Tom Mulholland. As he enters his sophomore year at the helm he hopes that the team can continue improving, and perhaps at a greater scale.

For this to be the case, however, Mulholland and his Cards will have to find success without some of the key players from last season. The leadership of last year’s quarterback Bill Sutton will have to be replaced by junior Mark Rolfs and freshman Brain Dair who are Mulholland’s probable starters.

“The quarterback position is the biggest hole that needs to be filled for the coming season,” said Mulholland. Neither Rolfs nor Dair have experience on the Cardinals squad outside of practice and tryouts, but Mulholland is optimistic that they will step up and deliver.

Another important position left open at the end of the 2002 season was the running back spot. Junior Ed Smith, who had limited appearances last year carrying the ball, will hope to fill in as the new starter.

“We were worried about the amount of holes left open due to graduating seniors, but I feel we have taken care of the running back position pretty well,” said Mulholland.

Mulholland is confident that the backfield will perform with the addition of Smith combined with junior Matt Grace, the returning fullback.

Overall Mulholland is pleased with his offensive arsenal, but he believes that the key to their success will depend on the offensive line, led by seniors Mike Crimmins, Matt Sengsourinh and Brian Haran.

“Obviously, if our offensive line can hold back the defense, our weapons behind the line will have more time to make more productive moves with the ball,” said Mulholland.

On the other side of the ball, despite the departure of leader Ryan Welsh, the Cardinals defense has shown promise in the preseason. Mulholland is a coach who truly understands the value of the defense in football, and he is satisfied with the current linebackers and secondary of the Cards.

Leading the secondary are three returning starters from the 2002 season including senior Justin Kelly who led the team in interceptions last year. Returning as a veteran starter for the linebackers is junior Bobby Stutz.

Though many starters on the defensive line left for graduation, senior Jeff McMahon will lead the charge along with returning seniors and juniors looking to fill the open spots.

There is one group on the team that seems to be pretty well set. Returning in the wide receiver positions are senior Pat Truxillo and sophomore Nick Bublavi. Truxillo led the Cards in receiving in the 2001 season, and last year Bublavi was named to the Don Hansen 2003 NCAA Division III Preseason All-American Second Team after leading the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) with 1,206 receiving yards.

Amid the adjustment of replacing graduates and welcoming new players to the team, Mulholland is particularly pleased with how his players are getting along on and off the field. This year the Cards added 35 incoming freshmen and transfers to the team, which would lead some to believe that some instability may come about between veterans and new players. However, according to Mulholland the seniors on the team have shown outstanding leadership that has directed the newcomers to follow their example and feel more comfortable as members of the team.

With an optimistic outlook for his squad, Mulholland and the Cardinals will take on Salisbury for their season opener in Maryland on September 6th. The first game at the Dufour Field will be held on September 13th as the Cards will take on Ursinus. Also, watch for the first ODAC game against Randolph-Macon at Dufour, which will finish up the September schedule for Catholic football.

Men’s Soccer

The CUA men’s soccer team heads into the 2003 season with something to prove as has been the case for the past few years because of tough competition in the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC). With a particularly young team in front of him, seven-year head coach Scott Racek, who also heads the women’s team, is looking for his players to step up early and work hard to produce wins as the season progresses.

“We graduated a lot of key players last year, and we’ve ended up with a young team and positions that need to be filled,” said Racek after the first day of practice with his squad.

One position that is causing some excitement is the goalkeeper. All-South Region goalie Todd Magin said goodbye last year, but Racek has seen outstanding performances in a few of his prospective freshman and transfer goalies.

Racek is also confident in his returning midfielders team co-captains Keith Cappo and Pat Hennessy, both seniors, along with junior Dan Finn.

“These players will provide a solid midfield this year, and we’ll need them both on offense and defense,” said Racek.

Returning along with this strong midfield is sophomore Cameron Basirri who had an outstanding freshman year as he led the team in points. At striker, Racek hopes that he can continue to deliver and put up valuable points for the Cards.

Practices for the Cardinals began just last week, and Racek hopes to get a clearer picture of what he will be bringing to the field this season. As for now, he looks at his team with realistic expectations.

“Being that we have such a young team it’s hard to tell right now how we’re going to do this year,” said Racek. “I have to look at it realistically and what I hope is that they will rise to the occasion and surprise me.”

The men’s soccer team plays their first home game at the DuFour Field Sept. 11 against Marymount. This also marks their first CAC game of the season.

Volleyball

CUA women’s volleyball has been the best in the Capital Athletic Conference and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for two consecutive years. In 2003 they hope to keep their streak alive and to find more success in the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Nagy Abdelrazek is confident in what he has seen in the preseason despite the loss of some of his key players.

“Of course we are dealing with the loss of key players just like every other team, but we are in good shape right now, and we are working to fill those holes,” said Abdelrazek.

He knows that in order to find success this year one of his returning stars is going to have to step up and fill the shoes of First Team All CAC Bridget Guetle who always made herself a key element in the team’s many victories. Abdelrazek feels that seniors Kathleen McGylnn and Anji Wall, also both named to the First Team All CAC last year, are more than capable of outstanding performances this season.

In addition to the tremendous talent returning this year the team will be welcoming several freshmen including Whitney Daphelet for whom Abdelrazek has high expectations .

“Whitney is a very dominant player all around, and I believe she will be a candidate for rookie of the year this season,” said Abdelrazek.

As far as what he has seen in practice, Abdelrazek sees his team getting right back into the groove of last year. Though he knows there is always something that can be worked on, he sees good teamwork in his squad so far. For Abdelrazek, teamwork is the key to success in this sport, and this is what he feels has made his teams so great these past few seasons.

Women’s volleyball kicks off the season at the Franklin & Marshall tournament on Aug. 30. Look for the Cardinals at home on September 1st as they match up against Frostburg State.

Women’s Soccer

In 2002 the CUA women’s soccer team went 12-5 in a very impressive season under head coach Scott Racek. A team that had been struggling to compete in the CAC in years past came up with the best season women’s soccer has ever had. Furthermore, they are one of the few sports teams this year who have not been tremendously affected by outgoing seniors, so there is a lot to expect from this team for the 2003 season.

While the Cardinals will be without the outstanding play of Colleen Redlinger, a midfielder last year, there is a strong defense and forward unit returning.

“With the exception of a key element in our starters we will be going into this next season with all of our major components that contributed to the success of the team last year,” said Racek.

In the midfield, despite the vacant starting position, seniors Lia DeGisi and Brianne Palmieri lead a strong group of players who also include junior Aubrey Maki and sophomore Laura Kaye who was named to the Second Team All-CAC last year. All four starters have proven that they are capable of working on both offense and defense.

For defense situation is simular Junior Allison Campbell, Sophomore Emily Clark and Junior Amanda Griffiths are among successful returning players. There is no definite goalie set for next season, but Racek said he is confident that he will find someone he is comfortable with during practices.

Among the returning forwards for the Cardinals is junior Jenny Aspinwall whose 15 goals last season were a crucial contribution to the team’s success. Aspinwall was named to the First Team All-CAC for her excellent play last season.

In addition, Racek is particularly optimistic about the incoming freshmen whom he feels will undoubtedly add plenty of depth to an already talented roster.

CUA women’s soccer squares off against Trinity College Sept. 2 and plays their first home game at DuFour field Sept. 6 against McDaniel. Also, look out for the first-ever CUA Capital Classic when the women’s team will host a three-day tournament between CUA, Trinity College, Columbia Union College and Gallaudet University. This event is scheduled for Sept. 26-28.

Field Hockey

The coming 2003 season is filled with optimism for the coaches and players on the CUA field hockey team. Although the team finished 6-11 last year, second-year head coach Gia Fenoglio Cillizza is almost certain this year will be more like the 2001 season when the Cardinals went 16-4 and won two post-season games.

One reason for this confidence is the return of seniors Sondra Pires and Stephanie Roselle who, despite being named second team Regional All Americans, were sidelined last season due to injuries.

In addition to the return of veteran players to the team, the Cardinals have welcomed excellent freshman talent to the roster. Cillizza said she sees overwhelming potential in the players her squad has picked up this season.

Sarah Mann, a graduate of Cornell University in 2002 and a seasoned veteran to the sport, has also signed on as the new assistant coach for the Cardinal’s field hockey team.

Although graduating seniors created some holes across the field, Cillizza feels the teams still has more than enough experience in the returning players. On the offensive side, Roselle will rejoin junior Becky Clark who led the team in shots and goals last year. Cillizza feels the speed of these players will contribute to their success on the field this year.

In the midfield, there is a strong presence in seniors Danielle Deon, Megan Hartnett and Tricia Hines, who has been named to the All CAC team for the past three years. Not only do these three dominate their positions, but they also provide valuable leadership for some of the less-experienced players on the squad.

The backfield will be led by Pires and senior Renee Desrochers, who make up a strong defense. Taking on the position as starting goalie will be junior Erin Swift.

Cillizza hopes that a combination of the experience and leadership of the seniors and the potential of the freshmen will lead to not only a successful 2003 season, but also success in further seasons to come. Most of the freshmen on the roster currently provide depth in the midfield and backfield.

CUA women’s field hockey opens the season at Lynchburg Sept. 6. Their first game at home will be against Gettysburg at the DuFour Field on Sept. 16.

Cross–Country

The CUA cross country teams continue to enjoy success season after season. Last year the women came in second at the CACChampionships while the men’s team finished third overall. Both teams also did very well individually as well as collectively at the NCAA Regional Championships.

Joe Fisher, head coach of the women’s team, will look to Rachel Yates and Rebecca Freyvogel to lead this lead as they did last year to another exciting finish to the 2003 season.

Seven incoming freshman have joined the roster for the women’s team as they begin their at the Washington & Lee Invitational on September 13th.

As for the men’s team, Mark Robinson’s squad returns almost intact with senior Michael Audette leading the way to success in the coming season. Audette has put up remarkable performances in each of his three previous seasons for the Cards and last year overcame injury to win the CAC Individual Championships for the second year in a row.

The men’s team will head to Scranton, Pa on Aug. 30 to open their 2003 season at the Marywood Labor Day Invit.

Welcome or Welcome Back

Freshmen: Welcome to the wonderful world of wonderment, better known to you as The Catholic University of America. You have survived high school, an accomplishment in itself, and now it is time to face your fears of that first walk to 7-11 through the woods and that first late night stumble back from 12th Street. Enjoy and revel in our campus, which is now yours as well.

Returnees: Welcome back folks. You know what you are coming back to, but we hope you enjoy that run-in with your final one night stand of last semester or that 201st stumble back from 12th Street.

University Sees Administrative Changes in Top Positions

Christopher Wheatley Named Interim Dean of Graduate Studies

Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies Peter Cimbolic, who had been at the University for 22 years, left last week to take a position as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Bellarmine University in Kentucky.

His position is temporarily filled by Christopher Wheatley, currently the vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies and a professor in the English Department. Wheatley said he has no background in administration but took the position as vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies because there were some aspects he wanted to see changed.

"This job just came up," Wheatley said. "By statute, there are committees and positions that need to be filled by the vice provost for graduate studies."

He added, "This is a situation where we just want to keep the wheels turning… John [Convey] said I need someone to do this and I said okay. If I had said no, he'll just have to ask someone else and they're not going to be any better than me."

In addition to his two vice provost positions, Wheatley is also teaching two English classes this semester. "At first, it was going to be busy but manageable, until Peter [Cimbolic] resigned. Some things need to be done," he said. "This is one of those things for the good of the school."

Both Convey and Wheatley said this position is just temporary and there is an internal search in process. Wheatley said any replacement will have to be a senior faculty member and a full professor since the vice provost and dean of graduate studies sit on the committee that reviews promotions.

William Fox Named Dean of Law School

Douglas Kmiec, former dean of the Columbus School of Law, left the University in July to take a position as a professor of constitutional law at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. Before arriving at CUA two years ago, Kmiec had taught at Pepperdine, as well as the University of Notre Dame.

According to Convey, Kmiec left the University for family reasons. "His children are grown and living on the West Coast and he and his wife decided to move for family reasons to be closer to their children."

On the Columbus School of Law's website, Kmiec is quoted, "…my home and my children are a continent away on the West Coast in California. I simply miss being a part of their lives. I am very fortunate to be at a law school that reveres both law and family, and Father O'Connell and my colleagues fully understand my duty to honor both."

Ordinary Professor William Fox, former Associate Dean for Academics at the law school, was appointed dean on July 15. Convey said Fox is serving as the permanent dean for one year; he is not an interim dean.

Fox said that during his term as dean, he would like to see "greatly increased fundraising, a substantial improvement in the bar [exam] pass rate, and an improved relationship with the University."

According to Fox, "The law school is doing quite well." He cited a larger than expected incoming class as one example. "We never went to the wait list" to fill the number of openings, he said.

Fox said, "We want to emphasize that we are the law school at The Catholic University of America" and not forget the mission of the University. Fox also said, "We are here to educate practicing attorneys in a secular profession."

Jonathan Sawyer Named Dean of Students

After a 10-month appointment as Interim Dean of Students, Jonathan Sawyer was named permanent dean Monday by Vice President for Student Life Susan Pervi. The post was previously held by Margaret Higgins, who left the University in 2002 after serving as dean of students for nearly six years.

Prior to being appointed interim dean, Sawyer worked for the office of Housing and Residential Services and was later appointed as associate dean of students for judicial affairs and ethical development, a post he held for just two months prior to being named interim dean. In that position, he said his responsibility to the University was two-fold: "reactive, in dealing with disciplinary cases, and proactive, in developing systems and initiatives to prevent incidents from occurring."

Sawyer said one of his main goals for the upcoming year was to develop plans to collect assessment data on the University's services, beginning with Orientation. "We're trying to determine the benefits of new student orientation and parent orientation programs, and what we can do to make them better," Sawyer said. "We want to get concrete information from students on what works at the University and what doesn't work, and find out how we can be better for students."

Narrowing the focus of the University's "wellness programs" specifically on alcohol issues is also a concern, Sawyer said. "As a University, we are focused on trying to develop a holistic student, [but] a priority for us needs to be on alcohol."

While searching for someone to fill his previous post of associate dean, Sawyer will maintain his previously-held judicial responsibilities.

Shahin Mafaher Named Acting Dean of Enrollment Management

Shahin Mafaher has taken the position as acting dean of enrollment management after the previous dean, Dale Herold, left at the end of last semester; Mafaher was associate dean when Herold left. Herold left to take a position in enrollment at a university in Vermont with her husband, according to Convey.

Convey said the University is currently searching for a permanent dean. "We would like to have the position filled as soon as possible." The search was initiated in June, he added.

Thomasine Johnson Named Director of DPS

Thomasine Johnson was appointed permanent director of Department of Public Safety (DPS) after serving as interim director since last fall, when previous director James Forney resigned. Johnson said that as director, "I would like to constantly review the need for Public Safety services" and create programs that meet the needs of the campus community.

As an example of what DPS has done to meet the needs of the campus, Johnson cited a change in the campus patrols to accommodate the number of people running the perimeter of the campus in the early morning. "We make adjustments as needed," she said.

"One of the goals is to make the members of the community feel safe," Johnson said. "We want to make ourselves more accessible to the campus community."

Randall Ott Named Dean of School of Architecture and Planning

The University has appointed Randall Ott as the new dean of the School of Architecture and Planning.

Since 2001, Ott served as associate dean of the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado. He has also worked on the faculties of the University of Arizona, University of Arkansas, University of Michigan and Columbia University.

In 1980, Ott received his bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Michigan. He received his master's degree in architecture from Yale University in 1984.

Ott has written papers, book chapters and journal articles about modern central and northern European architecture.

He was motivated to take the position of dean at CUA by his "strong interest in liturgical" space, Ott said. He has been working on theoretical chapel projects, and trying to relate landscape to sacred places, he said. He loves the city of D.C., which has "tremendous traditions in architecture," he said.

Ott said he "would still want to teach," along with dealing with administrative affairs. According to Ott, his job will be similar to his previous appointments, because he has a "strong background in administration." However, he said there will be new aspects of this job, such as outreaching to the community and fundraising.

Ott said he is "becoming familiar with the school" and is "still in the learning process." He is enjoying his new job and looks forward to meeting students, Ott said.

Martha Hale Named Dean of School of Library and Information Science

The new dean of the School of Library and Information Science is Martha Hale, previously a professor at the School of Library and Information Management at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan.

Hale is replacing Peter Liebscher, who "decided to take some time off to travel in England," and left in June, according to Hale.

Hale said she came to CUA because "the faculty persuaded me that this was a good place to come and they were right."

"I would like to make the masters program accessible for more people within the metropolitan region and country. It's a very fine program and we need to make it more accessible."

She also said she hopes to raise money for scholarships and bring the program to places that are convenient for people away from campus. She cited the classes at the Library of Congress and three locations in Virginia as examples.

Two areas Hale said she is concerned about are faculty salaries, which are not as high as other schools, and the scarcity of graduate fellowships.

The School of Library and Information Science has the most expensive program in the nation, but Hale says that she cannot change tuition. The Board of Trustees is responsible for tuition and Hale said, "The only thing I can do is raise money [for scholarships and fellowships]."

Paul Brooks Named Director of Development

Patricia Carocci, former director of development for Institutional Advancement, left CUA in June to take a similar position at Sidwell Friends, a private grade school and high school in the District. Paul Brooks, former director of Planned Giving, has been appointed to take her place.

Brooks said he would like "to expand contacts with alumni and friends of CUA and make them aware of the work being done on campus by students, faculty and staff."

Brooks says he also hopes to attract people to the missions of CUA, "supporting us financially to enhance the goals of the University."

When asked if there was anything he hoped to change, he said he would like to "ensure full, complete and accurate knowledge and understanding" of CUA's place in higher education.

Kristen Asmussen and

Phil Essington contributed

to this article.

On The Mark

The other day I was watching TV and there was a commercial from the good people at Philip Morris. They were encouraging parents to visit their website on "Raising children who don't smoke."

I understand that Philip Morris has made some bad decisions in the past that might have made them partially responsible for many deaths. But I can't help but wonder, is it really fair to expect tobacco companies to damage their futures?

I suppose it's not a bad idea to educate parents how to prevent their children from smoking, but how far should a tobacco company have to go? And if tobacco companies have to do it, why not other companies?

I could think of some other campaigns that would be equally damaging to large companies. I envision a McDonald's "Prevent your children from becoming tubbies" campaign. They could show horror pictures of children who gained 100 pounds from eating a Big Mac every day.

Oh yes, and then we could have Oprah's "Stop your children from becoming day-time television viewers." A heart broken mother could give her testimonial, "I just wanted Billy to play in the yard, but I couldn't bear to pry him away from Oprah's book club and Maury's 'who's the father,' that's how

it started."

Sure, these ideas might be extreme, but is it really ethical to expect companies to campaign for their own demise? Back in the day, were there really people who had no clue that smoking was addictive and that it was adversely affecting their health?

I think our expectations of tobacco companies are too extreme. I think a warning on the box is more than enough to keep me from ever smoking one of those sticks of death. And if kids want to smoke, why not let them. After all, there are a lot of benefits for me if they are unable to hold a job, constantly reek of smoke, and have bad teeth. Perhaps someday in my life, I will pull ahead of a smoker - thanks to my friends at Philip Morris.

John Mark Feilmeyer is a sophomore Vocal Performance Major.

USG Voices the Students’ Opinions

Welcome Class of 2007,

On behalf of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), I would like to welcome you to the Catholic University of America. I hope your orientation experience has been positive and given you the opportunity to meet some new people and make new friends. Please remember to thank your Orientation Advisors and Parent Orientation Advisors and do not be afraid to stay in touch with them. They could be of great service to you somewhere down the road. If you’re smart you should also extend similar hospitalities to your Resident Assistant, since he/she can definitely help you with about anything, especially avoiding and dealing with "write ups."

As a full-time, part-time, or commuter student, you are a member of the USG with no obligations. It is the role of USG, particularly the Executive Branch, to be the voice of the student body to the Administration. USG is composed of four branches with an Executive Board that oversees the entire organization. As USG President, I chair the Executive Board with four vice-presidents, one for each branch. The four branches include: the Academic Branch, which oversees all academic affairs of student life; the Judicial Branch, which deals with all student judicial matters; the Legislative Branch, which oversees all non-academic student affairs; and the Treasury Branch, which is responsible for allocation of funds to various student organizations. I encourage all of you to get involved in some organization, especially USG. We have many positions available including some that pay. Whether you get involved or not, please feel free to voice your opinions to USG. I assure you as your President that we will continuously make the Administration aware of our needs.

You can contact USG at cua-usg@cua.edu, call our office at 5771, or stop by room 107 in the Pryz. You're always welcome.

So, Class of 2007, go out, continue to meet people and get involved, but most importantly have fun. If you don't know how to have fun, learn.

Ryan Robichaux is the President of the Undergraduate Student Government

Students: The livelihood of CUA

To all new and returning students at The Catholic University of America, welcome! The staff of the University Centers, Student Programs and Events (UCSPE) is excited about the 2003-04 academic year, and we trust that you are too. Those of you who were here last year were able to help us celebrate the opening of the Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center in March. Since then, we have added professional and student staff, have worked toward revising our policies and procedures, have assumed management of the Visitors Information Center, and hosted dozens of summer conferences. However, this is the time of the year that we all look forward to the return of our livelihood, the students of CUA.

My message to you is a simple one find your place at CUA, your home away from home. That might be a student organization, an athletic team, a job in an academic department, or something totally different. My sincere hope is that you are able to make your experience at CUA a unique and memorable one. There are numerous opportunities for you to make a difference on this campus to decide how you want to spend all of your time away from the classroom. I hope that you will take some time to discover the Pryzbyla Center and all that it has to offer. It has become a central gathering place for the campus community, and I hope a place where everyone feels comfortable and welcome. As always, we welcome and depend on your suggestions and recommendations for improvement. In many ways, we are still defining how the Pryz will best work for you and our community, and we need your advice along the way.

Enjoy the year and your CUA experience. Best of luck in carving your niche here and making the most of your time!

Bill Jonas is the Director of University Center Student Programs and Events

Take a Deep Breath, You’ll Be Just Fine

You've finally met your roommate, unpacked, registered for classes, bought your books, hung up that 50 Cent poster, set up that totally necessary futon, strung lights around your ceiling, and attended all of Orientation's unbelievably exciting evening events. Now, when you finally think you can sit down and relax, you realize that you haven't yet laid out your outfit for the first day of classes, nor have you called your best friend from home to whom you swore you'd call the moment you arrived on campus. You look at the pick of new and used books on your desk and read the titles: "Nicomachean Ethics," "Statistics and Mechanics," and "De Bello Gallico" seem so not your level. Then you remember you need to plan your campaign for USG class president, organize a group spring break trip, and find a solution to world peace so that you can continue being super popular and intensely involved like you were in high school.

Suddenly, college seems to be so much work.

Orientation is a stressful time; there is always some session to attend or some financial aid issue to resolve or some course requirement to ask about - all in the course of a fast-paced four days. And then, *BAM*, classes start on Monday morning. You barely have time to tie your shoes in the morning (that's why there are flip flops) or say good-bye to your parents (that's what cell phones are for), how can you expect to be ready for classes already?

You are not alone. Your fellow freshmen may also feel overwhelmed themselves. The Orientation staff has been working hard to make this weekend special for you. They are here to answer your questions and give you advice - advice that is valuable because it comes from those who have been there before.

You will survive. No matter how much stress you are under or how much you think the world is going to end because you haven't registered for classes RIGHT NOW, the dining hall will always open for breakfast the next morning, the Basilica bells will always chime, and life will go on. Realize that you are on campus with a community that wants you to succeed and that wants you to enjoy your experience as a Catholic University student.

So sit back and enjoy your first weekend here at CUA - because that's just what it is - one weekend. Rome wasn't built in a day and you certainly shouldn't feel any pressure to suddenly become a Catholic University legend overnight. There are many more days to come and many more experiences to discover. Expect the unexpected, keep an open mind, and know that with faith and courage you will make it after all.

Tirzah O’Bierne is Student Coordinator of Orientation

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