CORe Digest

March 30th 2007

Dear Chris,

Although this is Slovenia, and everything's a bit slower and more laid back than the United States (especially Olin), I think I feel a bit like you will in a few hours. It is presently 0:41 over here, and I will leave to get on a train for Aix En Provence, France in less than an hour, and I'm still not finished packing. But, as you can see, I have my priorities straight, and you're obviously more important than Avery.

Anyway, Slovenia has been a blast. In the past month, I've been to a World Cup ski race where I found out that painting an American flag on your face gets you hugs, wine, and homemade schnapps; the Vienna opera house, where some guys called Mozart and Beethoven once played, a castle in Bratislava that once housed KGB snipers to pick off anyone trying to cross into the west; a hockey game that laughed in the face of fire safety; powder skiing in half a meter (2 feet) of snow in the middle of March (though that was all we had for winter); the final World Cup ski jumping competition, which was advertised as "the biggest Slovenian sports holiday", but was really closer to "the biggest Slovenian drinking holiday"; one hell of a messy beach party; a national European soccer match; numerous poker tournaments; and of course, plenty of parties on all nights of the week to all hours of the night.

I really have to go now, because it's now 1:30, my train leaves in 50 minutes, and it takes half an hour to get to the train station. But before I go, I want to tell you to take a look at the picture I've sent you. These average Slovenians hated George Bush before I got to them, but look at how happy they became once they met a real, live American. You too can be the envy of every Slovenian guy if you paint your face like that and remember these words: Ti si lepa. Greva fukat. Well, I'm off to France, and then I'll be back here for Easter, and then it's off to Belgrade, Sarajevo, and Kosovo. Hope you're having as good a time back at Olin as I am in Slovenia.

Love, Alex Jenko

With that letter from Alex out in Slovenia, my little experiment of incorporating letters from past and present away students has come to a close. I hope you had as much fun with it as I did! Special thanks go out to everyone who contributed:

• Matt Aasted
• Ryan Hubbard
• Ray Young
• Katie Peters
• Chris Carrick
• Joe Roskowski
• Beth Sterling
• Alex Jenko

After this, I've only got one more Digest as CORe's Vice President of Communication! Which means it's election season. If you're interested in Honor Board, hurry up and get your completed application to Nick Tatar by 9am today! If E-Board strikes your fancy, you've got until Tuesday, April 3 to get together a petition, with signatures. For more information, check out the CORe Corner below, and see the March 28 email from CORe.

This is quite a big Digest. Let's get right to it ...

• Thinking of attending Commencement this year for our lovely Class of 2007? Make sure you RSVP to Rod Crafts by this Monday! [More]
• It's almost Room Draw time! Remember to list your preferences on the Wiki to streamline the process.
• What do you think about OSS or competencies at Olin? Chat it up with the Senior Year Task Force (OSS, below) or take the competencies survey to share your thoughts.
• Interested in participating in a Co-Ed Softball, Flag Football, or Wiffleball league or a Tennis, Racquetball, or 4v4 Sand Volleyball tournament at Babson's Webster Center starting next week? Email me or Andrew Dutton (babson) for more information.

Boy, CORe is busy this time of year, Between elections, writing the Annual Review, changing the CCO process, amending the Constitution, and Senior Week funding, we sure can keep ourselves busy.

• Mini-Minutes!
  
  
  • Elections! If you might be interested in running for the Executive Board (and maybe get my job next year (-: ), you have until next Tuesday, April 3 at 11:59pm. Feel free to talk to any current or former E-Board member if you want more information.
  • The Annual Review is coming along ... look for it next week!
  • CORe will be helping to determine an appropriate course of action regarding the broken desk units in AC113.
  • Our new paper shredder has arrived.
  • CORe approved an additional $1710.69 for Senior Week activities.
  • The Olin College Track Team was awarded an allocation of $450 from the NIF for throwables, uniforms, and meet registration fees.
  • Paul Foscaldo received his gift and was very happy!
  • The Club Funding Committee (CFC) delivered their report concerning the CCO process, and recommended the following changes:
    • Eliminate the December CCO reallocation meeting.
    • Allow a club to recieve New Initiatives funding for new events without having first spent their entire CCO allocation.
    • Recommend the VPCL institute a non-binding voting process in which students are allocate their SAF money amongst clubs as they see fit.
  • Amendments! At the upcoming Phoenix Fest, CORe will present six (6) amendments to the CORe Constitution. Current drafts are available below:
    • BoT Cmtes Selection
    • CCO Process Tweaking
    • Line Item Appeal Process
    • Removal from Office
    • Spelling07
    • Club Olin Officer
    The CORe Constitution Committee will be meeting this weekend to discuss and finalize drafts for these six amendments. If you have any commends or questions, please contact CORe@olin.edu.
• Line Items:
  
  
  • Class of '07: $875 [GA] - Six Flags Bus
  • Class of '07: $380 [GA] - Six Flags Tickets
  • Class of '07: $170 [GA,Loan] - Food for Event
  • Class of '07: $34.25 [GA] - Campsite Reservation
  • OSL: $511 [GA,NIF] - Senior Retreat Lunch
  • Operating Expenses: $304 [GA] - Fire Detail
  • Operating Expenses: $50 [GA] - Fire Permit
  • Operating Expenses: $12 [GA] - T-Shirt Shipping
  • Chinese Club: $250 [EB] - Boba Tea Study Break
  • Class of '08: $120 [GA] - Study Break Food
  • Olin Pool Sharks: $25 [EB] - Tournament Food

• 3pm-5pm SERV - Weeks Pond Parcel Garden and Trail Work
• Evening Pool 8-Ball Tournament Begins

• 10pm-1am Masquerade Dance

• Tell Rod if you're coming to Commencement!

• CORe E-Board Election Packets Due
• 6pm-8pm Strategic Planning: Student Conversation
• 8pm-10pm Expresso Black

• Big Conversations
• 5:30pm-7:30pm "discontinuous, not unrelated" (Art Installation) Opening Reception
• 7pm-9pm GA Meeting

• 8pm-10pm: Trivia Night
• 8pm-10pm: SERV - Coloring

• 11:30am-1:30pm National Alcohol Screening Day Table
• 3pm-5pm Strategic Planning: Student/Fac/Staff Conversation

Well, that's about it! Enjoy the Digest this week, it's a killer. And if you have any ideas for what I should do with my last Digest next week, drop me a line! Have a great week, and relax a little bit, k?

Sincerely,

Chris "Danger" Dellin

Your Vice President of Communication