Conscientious consumerism" means a whole slew of things in today's world. It is both responsible and ethical to know where your food comes from, who made the clothes you are wearing and under what conditions, and to consider the public political stances of who you buy from.
Furman University is an educational institution, sure, but it is also a collective body that represents each one of us. Furman is striving for a more diverse student body in many ways, and goes to great lengths to bring people of differing opinions, backgrounds, and ambitions. But to what extent does Furman carry forth these differing perspectives in relation to its own consumerism?
It has recently come to my attention that our push for diversity is, in some ways, backfiring. As of now, Furman has the lowest retention rate it has had in a number of years (from what I've heard, it's lower than 90 percent).
Within the first week, about 70 first-year-students accrued alcohol violations, more than any other class presently on campus.
Finally, this class has brought in more hate crimes than other classes, from writing racial slurs on doors to making crude remarks about salient characteristics concerning peoples' physical appearances.
The new rules that Furman's Panhellenic Council implemented for sorority recruitment definitely had a positive impact on the rush process this year.
These rules made the rush more time-efficient, enabled more girls to join sororities and ensured that there were fewer mismatched girls on bid day. Also, these new rules led to more smiling faces on bid day than there have ever been before. Yes, the number of girls who decided to rush was higher than ever before, but there was also a higher percentage of girls who were invited back to each round of recruitment.
It's that optimistic time of year when the pitchers and catchers report for spring training. Baseball season is returning quickly, and with it comes high expectations, a love of the pastoral, and well-deserved nostalgia.
Unfortunately, in the Major Leagues, fear of steroid use has become as much a part of the game as the seventh-inning stretch. This is a useful example of our aversion of fact in the face of narrative.
is a member of the 
Official Music Sponsor: 
