Who Are You, VU?
“Those people who would argue that the Commons is intended to somehow or another to eviscerate ‘Old Vanderbilt’ are entirely missing the point,” [Dean of Commons Frank] Wcislo said. “The Commons actually is designed to leverage the very best strengths and traditions of ‘Old Vanderbilt’ and, in fact, intensify and enhance those strengths.”
–InsideVandy interview, November 26, 2006
As the legacy of former Chancellor Gordon Gee, the Commons has probably divided the Vanderbilt community as much as it has united it. By shifting the focus of freshman life away from main campus and onto a geographically distant location on the Peabody campus, the Commons seeks to create a new coherent residential college experience for incoming Vanderbilt students starting, with the class of 2012.
On February 18, Eve Ensler, the writer of The Vagina Monologues, spoke at the Student Life Center on violence against women. Normally, on Valentine’s Day, Vanderbilt puts on a production of this play, but this year, Ensler spoke to the campus for the play’s 10th anniversary and “V-Day.” After the success of The Vagina Monologues, Ensler proclaimed February 14th V-Day as a time of the year when people should reflect on stopping violence against women and celebrating what makes a woman feminine.
The government’s policies regarding environmental protection seem to follow the “one step forward, two steps back” approach. This would certainly explain the latest debacle concerning the promotion of our emerging ethanol economy. After years of pushing for the widespread adoption of biofuels through expensive legislation subsidizing producers of ethanol, Congress is now backpedaling on the revelation that biofuel consumption actually produces more pollution than burning gasoline. Just last week, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to President Bush urging him to consider the reform of current biofuel policies. This news is especially devastating for those that touted biofuels as America’s best solution for saving the environment while curbing its appetite for foreign oil. 
What if you could say anything you wanted, to anybody you wanted, without anyone knowing it was you who was speaking? What would you say? Who would you say it to? 
Patricia Foulkrod’s The Ground Truth tells the story of the Iraq War veteran’s recruitment, training, combat experience, and return home through the testament of several former soldiers, sailors, and Marines who have experienced many forms of physical or psychological injury while in Iraq. The film was shown on February 19 as the inaugural presentation of the Iraq War Series. The month and a half-long series is sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students, Project Dialogue, and the University Lectures Committee, with support from the Film Studies program, the Philosophy department, Sarratt Art Studios, Vanderbilt Speakers Committee, and Vanderbilt Student Communications (this paper’s parent corporation). 
They must be stopped. Dramatic, yes, but certainly of significant truth. I’m referring to the murderous gunmen who have recently terrorized college campuses in the United States, and also to those who may be considering similar action. Incidents at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois serve as disturbing proof of an increase in deadly campus shootings, and it is far from irrational to fear that other disturbed college students may be getting ideas.
According to CNN, superdelegates are “delegates to the National Democratic Convention” who are “current or former elected officeholders and party officials,” who are free to choose a candidate and may change their mind if they so desire. Governer Phil Bredesen of Tennessee is one superdelegate who remains “very much uncommitted,” according to his press secretary, because “early in the process he doesn’t feel it’s necessary to weigh in.” While Bredesen remains relatively quiet, others have not. Sparks have already begun to fly within the party, indicating that the governor might find himself in the middle of a spectacular political struggle when he arrives at the DNC in August to cast his vote. 
The Republican Party’s lack of a definitive candidate at the beginning of the nomination race prompted a scramble for the “most-like-Reagan award,” as each candidate tried to liken himself to the conservative icon. It has been interesting to follow Mitt Romney’s progression from his earlier, more liberal positions (like his 1980s abortion and same-sex marriage policies) to his current, extremely “Reaganite” rhetoric. Of the Republican candidates, Romney has stood on one of the most conservative platforms, but perhaps the most interesting question of all is whether or not Mitt Romney’s recent step-down has been his most Reagan-like action yet.
Looking at the news recently, it is hard not to pick up a paper and read about how America has failed as a nation. Listening to the presidential candidates debate over the past few months it seems like all any of them speak about is bringing change to this country. Looking to the economy, all there is talk of is about the eminent, or current recession, and the failure of the large investment firms, losing billions selling loans to those that cannot afford it. We hear of the increased budget deficit and how more and more foreign nations are buying American companies.
February was marked by two historic events in international politics. The first occurred on Sunday, February 17, when the parliament of Kosovo declared its independence from Serbian rule. The second came on Tuesday when media outlets confirmed that Fidel Castro, leader of communist Cuba for nearly five decades and a staunch enemy of the United States for almost just as long, would resign his presidency. 
