April 2014
Fraternity amends pledging process
The national Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity announced March 6 that the new member program and identification of the term “pledge” or “new member” would be eliminated from their procedures. The change came into effect March 9 and requires all 226 chapters and 15 colonies across the nation to apply the historic change. If any […]
Academic Affairs continue to weigh professor evaluation switch
A shorter professor evaluation form could be approved by Academic Affairs at the University of South Dakota by the end of the semester, interim Provost Kurt Hackemer said. The current diagnostic form of evaluations, which is 47 questions long, could potentially be replaced by a shortened 18 question evaluation, pending approval by Academic Affairs. “This […]
Musicians struggle with performance injuries
Partway through playing a three-hour piano accompaniment for the University of South Dakota’s production of “Les Miserables”, graduate student Chris Larson knew something was wrong. “It was a stabbing pain,” Larson said. Last semester, Larson had an MRI on his arm which revealed a genetic and benign tumor. Now the tumor is large enough for […]
Initial excitement leads to roadtrip
All through my college career I’ve dreamed of car ownership. The thrill of not having to bum a ride off my roommate to go to Walmart was my equivalent of the American dream. Two-and-a-half years of purgatory and my dream became a reality. I was inheriting my dad’s car after my folks bought electric cars […]
Staying single isn’t radical, it should be embraced
Once upon a time, I wrote a column on this exact same subject matter. It’s been over three years now. I’ve become a very different person since then. I think it would do me well to revisit this idea, given the circumstances I find myself in now. The issue at hand is the radical notion […]
A secret to ‘happiness’ would be helpful
Since some time last August, I’ve been on a quest for personal happiness. This is not a journey for the faint of heart. It involves a lot of failure, a lot of trial and error, and a whole lot of picking yourself up after you fall down. The key is to be painfully honest with […]
Crop tops a hot trend for season
Transitioning into the spring season, the hot trend on the runway is the crop top. Crop tops are available in all sorts of styles and prints in countless magazines and stores across the United States. Tops come in a more flowy style as well as form-fitted. There are solid-colored, patterned, crocheted, laced, haltered, strapless, long-sleeved, […]
Student pens book on Romanian orphans
When Holly Baker took 10 minutes to watch a video on Romanian orphanages in early 2013, she did not imagine what the video would inspire. In fact, the video — which highlighted the struggles of Romanian orphans and orphanage homes following the country’s release from communism -— was just an interesting video, until she shared […]
USD Idol winner finds her way back to vocals, tops USD Idol competition
Elizabeth Daniel said she has been singing “for what feels like forever,” belting out Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” for anyone who would listen growing up. For the past two years, her vocals took a back seat to other pursuits. “I’ve been running from (singing) for a few years,” she said. It would be hard […]