An Incomer’s Guide to Vandy Lingo
Branscomb – Upperclass dorms on Greek row; consists of Lupton, Vaughn, Stapleton, and Scales. Vanderbilt’s party dorm. Highland – Upperclass housing by the Rec center; consists of Morgan, Lewis, Mayfields, and Chaffins. On the Card – Restaurants and services (both on and off campus) that take Meal Money. Unfortunately does not include Lacoste. The Wall [...]
What it Means to be a Libertarian: Liberty, Individuality, and College Life
A lot of students have similar political stances to their parents. This is natural and by no means problematic. Your parents shape your values. But you are at an age, now, where you should be discovering your own values for yourself. To do this, to live a happy life, and to have a good college [...]
Till Ennui Do Us Part: The Indefensibility of Traditional Marriage
I am not a defender of the traditional institution of marriage. In my last article (written during the dust-up over same-sex marriage which was then making its way through the Supreme Court) I made an admittedly preliminary and slipshod effort to explore why I believed conservatives and liberals have come to an impasse over the [...]
Welcome to the Jungle: A Manual to Navigating the College Political Environment
To everybody in the incoming freshman class—welcome to Vanderbilt! You’ve made it, you’ve done it—you’ve taken all the tests, you’ve done your time in sweat and effort, and now you’re about to embark on what will in some ways be the biggest adventure of your young adult lives. There will be trials and tribulations; you [...]
A “State of the Union” Report: Understanding Dialogue on Same-Sex Marriage
Last week, yet another step toward the inevitable legalization of same-sex marriage took place in Washington, D.C. That is an odd masthead to an article discussing same-sex marriage from the “conservative” perspective. The posturing in recent days has been of either embitterment or sullenness. Facebook was practically awash with red equals signs; less present, but [...]
The End and the Means: Thinking About HB 1150 and the Nondiscrimination Policy
As of Monday, March 25, Tennessee State Representative Mark Pody has decided to drop a controversial bill relating to Vanderbilt University’s recently instituted nondiscrimination policy. The bill (HB 1150/SB 1241), which would have rendered Vanderbilt’s police force unable to legally make arrests or otherwise carry out its regular duties, is only the latest of several [...]
Prop 8 Reaches the Supreme Court: What the Decision Means for the GOP
preme Court of the United States will have a number of choices in its decision on California’s hotly contested Proposition 8. The amendment, which was passed during the state elections of 2008 and added to the California Constitution, provides that “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” While [...]
Anchor Link Raises Privacy Concerns: Why the New System Goes too Far
Anchor link is certainly transforming the relationship between Vanderbilt University and student organizations. In case you haven’t been bombarded by information about Anchor Link or just did not care about what Anchor Link is, it is a student involvement website that allows students to become more involved with and manage their extracurricular activities. It is [...]
A Changing of the Guard: Issac and Lucie’s Innovative VSG Platform
At the end of March, in what many considered to be a huge upset, the ticket of Isaac Escamilla and Lucie Calderon defeated that of John Tucker Sigalos and Jessica Brunelle in the VSG presidential election. Seen as the revolutionary ticket, one that could enact change in the inner workings of VSG and the perception [...]
Disabling Inability: Conservatism, Disability, and the Welfare State
I am on welfare. This statement is bald, simplistic, and not entirely accurate. Nonetheless, I must introduce this article with this statement. I am blind, with a permanent eye condition. In light of this, I receive certain kinds of aid, both from the state in which I am a resident and from private institutions of [...]
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