Year in Review Contd.

6. NOVA Alert

Early on a Sunday morning in November three to six shots were fired in Pike Lot following “Watch Dem Roll,” an event sponsored by the Caribbean Students Association. With the memory of last year’s shooting near South Campus and other school shootings fresh in the minds of many students, many looked to the new NOVA Alert system for some guidance. It was the first time the new system – implemented after the South Campus scare – was tested. Students who signed up for the alerts received a text message within a couple hours of the early morning shooting and were advised that the shooter had left before most students even woke up. After the circumstances concerning the South Campus shooting in the fall of 2006, many were please with the manner in which the administration kept people informed and eased concerns for students and parents alike.

7. Lottery

The men’s basketball team is something many students of the University are proud of and enjoy rallying around. However, issues with the ticket lottery have affected this campus in recent years. In fact, over the past three years, the lottery distribution system for men’s basketball tickets has been one of the most heated issues on campus. Two years ago a system was in place, but following the departure of the person who developed the system SGA was left looking for a new system. The system in place for the ’06-’07 school year left many students upset and wanting a new system. For the most recent basketball season, a new weighted and paperless system was developed and many students seemed to approve. The goal was a system that was easier for students to understand, but also cut down on the resale of student tickets. While the results of the survey are yet to be seen, it appears the new system met both goals and has appeased students enough to the point that it was a non-issue in this year’s SGA election. At the very least, there was far less displeasure voiced about the current lottery system as there had been in recent memory.

8. Steve Trevino

New Student Orientation is an exciting but tiring experience for new students. After long days of hearing about the University and learning various songs and dances, students are often rewarded with late-night activities. One such activity that is often one of the highlights of Orientation is the comedy show, but this year it was not the case. Commedian Steve Trevino, who has written for shows like “Mind of Mencia,” was pulled off stage within the first 15-to-30 minutes by administrators who were not laughing. While the issue of whether or not his material was approved before he went on stage was never resolved, the bottom line was that the New Student Orientation staff was not pleased with the material he performed. Student reactions were mixed. Some left early, but other students stayed to boo when Trevino was pulled off stage. In the end, the staff wanted to present a positive view of what the University stands for and they felt that this was not reflected in the material put forth in Trevino’s comedy act.

9.

Over the winter break, Villanova Dining Services traded in the traditional blue and white for green. Students returned for the spring ’08 semester and noticed some changes in Dining Services. The Italian Kitchen and Corner Grille debuted a new line of NatureWorks products aimed at getting in on the going green craze. The products included disposable utensils, carry-out containers, napkins and trash-can liners that were 100 percent compostable. The plan was designed to reduce the amount of trash produced by the IK and Corner Grille by 90 percent by reducing the number of trash bags from 100 to 10.While the change was subtle, environmentally conscious students, faculty and administration appreciated Dining Services’ efforts to help out the environment and saw it as a stepping stone to other ways the University could make changes to lessen its impact on the environment. Dining Services is leading the way and setting an example for the rest of the University to follow.

10. SGA Elections

For the past two years, the Student Govnerment Association has been led by President John Von Euw and Vice President Dave Pedra. Von Euw and Pedra were only the second repeat ticket in the history of SGA. Many students were satisfied with their efforts to reach out to the greater Villanova community and resolve the seemingly ever-present lottery issues. The end of their tenure this May will leave big shoes to fill.Two presidential tickets geared up to replace the outgoing president and vice president. While many students felt comfortable voting for the incumbents last year, with no incumbent to vote for, the decision wasn’t as close as some may have expected, especially considering the fact there were only two tickets running. The Wagner/Dormish ticket won with a stunning 75 percent of the vote. It was one of the largest margins of victory for an SGA presidential ticket in recent memory and was one of only a few in recent years to be resolved without a runoff.