Devil's Den @ 10

I had the chance to interview Stephanie Moran, University Assistant in the Office of Alcohol and Drug Education, about what Devil's Den @ 10 is. Watch the video below to see what I learned.

The program has a facebook group that interested students can join to find out more about upcoming events and programs.

Viviana Cavalli

A memorial service will be held on December 9th from 5-8 pm in Memorial Hall's Connecticut Room for Viviana Cavalli. Cavalli was a Freshman School of Business student living in Vance Hall. She was killed in a car crash in Shelton in late November.

Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to her friends and family, as well as the friends and family of the other person killed, Larry Morra (a student at the University of Hartford), and a second passenger who was injured, Kassandra Dimas (a student at Marist College).

Any CCSU student who knew the victims and needs to talk can visit the school's Counseling and Wellness Center in Marcus White Hall (Room 205). To set-up an appointment either visit in person or call (860) 832-1945.

Amendments to IRC Constitution

Two amendments to the I.R.C. constitution proposed by Liz Braun, Treasurer for Carroll Hall, were passed at Monday's meeting. The first amendment allows for R.A.s to vote during I.R.C. elections. The second amendment states that Halls can now have other residents or committee members fill in when hall committee members can't attend Hall Council. R.A.s and P.A.s can also fill one voting seat if no members show up and there are no residents to vote in their place.

Operation Holiday Care

For anyone looking to get into the holiday spirit this year, CCSU will be collecting donations to send overseas to our Connecticut troops overseas. Drop-off boxes are located in the school's Veterans Drop in Center (located in Willard Hall) and in the Student Affairs Office (in Davidson Hall). A list of recommended items can be found on the school website and includes:

telephone cards
shampoo
socks
magazines

This is a great way to help cheer up some deserving soldiers, so I hope that the residents of CCSU can help out.

Dean's Cup

The November Dean's Cup event was held November 23, 2009 in the Student Center. The event, "One vs. One Hundred" saw all nine residence halls battling one another in a game show format. One person ("the one") was chosen to represent each hall on stage. Each correct answer the one got earned their hall two points, but a wrong answer meant they could not answer anymore questions for that round.

Each hall also had a "mob" comprised of ten residents. The mob members could be switched between rounds and the mob was not penalized for any wrong answers. Each correct answer, however, only earned their hall one point.

Each round saw the three residence halls with the least amount of points eliminated from the competition. Seth North and Sam May were eliminated during the first round. Sheridan was eliminated as well, after a tie-breaker between them and James Hall. James, Vance, and Barrows were eliminated during the second round. Gallaudet finished in third, Carroll finished in second, and Beecher came in first.

Members of the Gallaudet Mob prepare for battle.

A resident of Carrol Hall reacts after they earn second place.

A Barrows Mob member holds up their answer to the question, "What year was CCSU founded?" (They answered correctly.)

New IRC Vice President Announced

Amy Tenenbaum, a Freshman resident of Vance Hall, was elected the new Vice President of the Inter-Residential Council. She will replace the current Vice President, Kerry Lusebrink, at the beginning of the spring semester.

How to Keep a Blue Devil Occupied

Are you a college student who hates when it gets cold out? Do you wish there was something to do to keep you occupied? Never fear my fellow students! Rooming With the Blue Devil is proud to present: “How to Keep a Blue Devil Occupied,” a list of things to keep you busy as it gets colder outside.

Click below to view a slide show for some ideas on how to stay busy when it gets cold out.

Housing Available

For anyone looking to move into one of CCSU's nine Residence Halls, the Residence Life Department announced today that they have immediate openings for Spring 2010. For details and inquiries, visit the department in Barrows Hall, Room 120.

Happy Veteran's Day

I'd like to take a moment to extend my well-wishes to all the CCSU students (and members of the military everywhere) who have served our country in the military. As a daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, I have a lot of respect for the men, women, and families who sacrifice so much for the benefit of the citizens of this country. It takes a lot of courage to do so and I hope you all had a very relaxing Veteran's Day.

In other news, CCSU dedicated a new Veteran's Monument at the Student Center this afternoon and also handed out community and University Veterans Excellence Awards. The student recipient also received a scholarship. For more information regarding the event, visit the Calendar Event page on the school's website.

If you're currently serving in the Military or are a Veteran who wants to attend CCSU, visit the Office of Veterans Affairs to find out what benefits you may qualify for.

How to Keep a Blue Devil Occupied

Are you a college student who hates when it gets cold out? Do you wish there was something to do to keep you occupied? Never fear my fellow students! Rooming With the Blue Devil is proud to present: “How to Keep a Blue Devil Occupied,” a list of things to keep you busy as it gets colder outside.

Click below to view a slide show for some ideas on how to stay busy when it gets cold out.

For the entire list of movies that are being aired, visit the ResLife Cinema Schedule.

I.R.C. Election Announcement

The Inter-Residence Council (I.R.C.) at CCSU has announced that elections will be held on November 16 to fill the position of Vice President for the spring semester. Letters of intent are due in the I.R.C. mailbox (due in the Residence Life Office in Barrows) by 4pm on November 13.

How to Keep a Blue Devil Occupied

Are you a college student who hates when it gets cold out? Do you wish there was something to do to keep you occupied? Never fear my fellow students! Rooming With the Blue Devil is proud to present: “How to Keep a Blue Devil Occupied,” a list of things to keep you busy as it gets colder outside.

Click below to view a slide show of the first item on our list: building a fort!

Movie Channel

Good news for residents: the Movie Channel will be added to available channels for residential students again. A full list of movies and more details will be posted when I get the information.

The Blue Devil's Scenes of Solitude

Fourth Floor Quiet Study Area

Another day, another scene of solitude for the masses. Today's scene is brought to you by the letter "L" for Library. As with most Library's, silence is golden at the Elihu Burritt Library on the CCSU campus. The fourth floor of the building has even been designated as a quiet study area for students.

In addition to the fourth floor, the Library also has a Reserve Reading Room in the main lobby on the second floor, where students can located material that their professors have put on reserve for projects and papers. A display on the world of Harry Potter can also be found on the second floor. The exhibit, titled, "Harry Potter's World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine" is open to the public and can be viewed until November 14th. Who knows, maybe the sorting hat will decide you should have been in Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, or Gryffindor after all.

Electrical Outage

The University sent out information today concerning the electrical outage that caused some buildings on campus to lose power Wednesday night. Facilities Management will be performing critical electrical power loop tests this Saturday (October 24, 2009) from 7 am to 1 pm. While no additional power failures are expected, the University will have additional Police and Facilities staff members available to address any problems.

Armed Robbery on Allen Street

The Hartford Courant has reported that an armed robbery took place on Allen Street, which is less than a mile away from CCSU's campus.

The robbery, which occurred earlier this afternoon, took place at a TD Bank. The robber has not been apprehended. State police are assisting with a police dog.

Dean's Cup Standings

The standings for Dean's Cup, following last week's game of dizzy-bat Dodgeball, were announced at Monday's I.R.C. meeting:

1st Carroll 65.5
2nd Barrows 64
3rd Beecher 63.5
4th James 62
5th Gallaudet 59
6th Vance 54.5
7th Sam May 46.5
8th Seth North 41.5
9th Sheridan 29.5

The next Dean's Cup event has not been announced yet.

The Blue Devil's Scenes of Solitude

Welcome back to another session of "The Blue Devil's Scenes of Solitude." Today's scene can be found in between Marcus White Hall and Davidson Hall. A quiet little oasis of

tranquility tucked away in the middle of campus, this scene is nice for some good old fashioned peace and quiet. Complete with four benches to sit on, it can also be a nice spot to meet up with friends or get some studying done.

As always, please remember that safety comes first. Travel with a buddy at night, always have a cell phone and your blue chip on you, be aware of your surroundings, and make smart decisions. For more tips on staying safe in a campus environment, you can visit Randolph-Macon College's (located in Ashland, Virginia) campus safety website.

To locate this scene on a map, simply visit CCSU's online campus map.

James Hall Falls to Sam May In Epic Dodgeball Game

The Blue Devil's Scenes of Solitude

Tired of being cooped up in your room? Bored of being stuck inside all day? Sick of your roommate and need a change of scenery? Fret not dear college students! I am proud to present "The Blue Devil's Scenes of Solitude."

What are "Scenes of Solitude?" They are places that a student can go on CCSU's campus to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet (and maybe a bit of fresh air!). Always remember, however, that safety comes first. Every student should remember to carry a photo ID and a cell phone at all times. Remaining aware of your surroundings and traveling with a buddy (especially at night) is also Blue Devil recommended. "Change Happens: The SAFER Blog" has some good suggestions for remaining safe on a college campus.

The first scene on the list, is a familiar one to every student on campus: the koi pond. The sound of the fountain is soothing and the location is close to several places to eat if you get hungry. This scene is good for relaxation and peace on the weekends (especially for doing homework on the grass), although it is good during the week as well if you don't mind bumping into lots of people you know.

Dean's Cup Standings

The standings from the first Dean's Cup event were announced this week's I.R.C. meeting.

First place: Carroll
Second place: Barrows
Third place: Beecher
Fourth place: Gallaudet
Fifth place: James
Sixth place: Vance
Seventh place: Sam May
Eighth place: Seth North
Ninth place: Sheridan

The overall standings are the same as those listed above and will not change until the next Dean's Cup event, which will take place on October 14, 1009 at 7 pm on Vance Lawn. The next event will be a Dodgeball tournament played by costumed residents.

Armed Robbery Alert Called Off

The earlier announcement regarding suspects of an armed robbery near campus has been called off. CCSU Police announced that the suspects fled away from campus.

Armed Robbery Near Campus

CCSU Campus Police have just reported that an armed robbery has taken place at Stanley Quarter Park, which sits on Stanley Street across from Maloney Hall. It is not believed that the three suspects are heading towards campus, but students are advised to be cautious and report any suspicious behavior to 911.

Don DeGruttola Speaks On Sustainability and Students

With thousands of hungry students to feed every day, Don DeGruttola, General Manager of Food Services, knows a thing of two about sustainability. As a member of the CCSU Sustainability Council, DeGruttola is always looking for new ways to ensure that the least amount of food goes to waste as possible.

“Food waste is a major problem on all campus dining facilities where there are unlimited servings,” he said. “It's an incredible waste of energy to select a hamburger and take one bite out of it before discarding it onto the conveyor belt. Think of the water that had to be used to nurture the beef, the grain that was grown to feed it, the shipping fuel used to transport, keep frozen and cook it.”

Along with educating students on portion sizes and providing fresher foods, Dining Services has also recently closed an entire dish room in Memorial Hall. DeGruttola estimates that about one million gallons of water will be saved.

In addition to looking for ways to help Central become more environmentally sustainable, DeGruttola also keeps an open mind when it comes to student opinions on what Dining Services offers.

“We have comment cards available at all retail operations and in Memorial Hall. There are bi-weekly open meetings where students regularly talk about food issues, we do formal paper surveys and managers are trained to listen to customer feedback and bring the information to management meetings for discussion,” he said. “One can always approach a manager or stop by our offices to discuss any food issues as well.”

Having to accommodate thousands of hungry CCSU students is a daunting task, but DeGruttola handles it well.

Oh Where, Oh Where Are The Items We Need?

The 2009-2010 Dean’s Cup competition began with tonight’s campus-wide scavenger hunt.

Each of the school’s nine residence halls was given a list of items they needed to find from people in their halls within an hour. The only rule? Sportsmanship.

Among the items required were the movie “The Sandlot,” a CCSU parking ticket, a resident that has been attending CCSU for five years or more, and any original Billy Joel CD.

Dean’s Cup is a campus-wide competition between CCSU’s residence halls. Events held throughout the year determine which hall will get to keep the coveted Dean’s Cup trophy for the next year. Beecher Hall is the reigning champion.

Results of the scavenger hunt will be announced on Monday October 5 at the weekly Inter-Residence Council (IRC) meeting. Meetings are held every Monday at 3:00 pm in the Student Center.

Residents of Beecher Hall arrive in Memorial Hall for the beginning of the scavenger hunt.

Members of Carroll Hall make a triumphant return to Memorial Hall after finishing the scavenger hunt.

The mascot for Sheridan Hall (Sheridan Sharks) shows her paper fin as the judging gets underway.

Homecoming 2009

CCSU has arranged a series of events to celebrate Homecoming 2009. In addition to today's Homecoming Carnival, the week's events include screenings of the movie Food, Inc., the CCSU chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma's sponsored Car Smash, and a S'mores Fundraiser for the Education Club. For full details and times, see the school's Homecoming 2009 webpage.

CCSU Makes Safest Colleges List

Good news for residents (and commuters) at CCSU. The school was recently listed as the 15th safest College in the United States by The Daily Beast, an online news site from New York City. The Top 25 Safest Colleges list also included two other schools from Connecticut: Quinnipiac University at number 20 and Southern Connecticut State University at number 22.

Requirements for a school to be considered for the list included having a student body of at least 6,000. Additionally, schools that offered only 2-year programs, graduate programs, or were commuter only schools were not considered.

Congratulations to all the schools who made the list and to everyone at CCSU who helps to keep it a safe and healthy place to live.

Jean Alicandro On Facebook and Roommates

Jean Alicandro has seen a lot in the two years she’s been Director of Residence Life at Central Connecticut State University. With limited space available for housing and an ever growing demand, the process of assigning roommates and approving housing requests can get frustrating.

"The hardest thing for us is we're filled to the max, we have a long waiting list. Even during the school year it's hard for people to understand,” Alicandro said. “We're constantly up against the wall.”

This is due, in part, to the infiltration of facebook and other social networking websites in the residence life process. Thanks to facebook, students that are paired up as roommates by the residence life department are able to speak online and get to know one another before they move-in together. This can lead to some students requesting a roommate change before they have officially met the other student.

When asked what advice she would give to incoming students and returning students who will be assigned new roommates, Alicandro said to try not to “preconceive what the potential roommate is like” and to remember that social networking sites are “like a stage,” since people can present themselves in any way they wish.

That said, Alicandro stated that "there’s no reason why a student should suffer" and that if there are problems between roommates that cannot be resolved through mediation the residence life department will relocate the student who filed the complaint if they have room available to do so and the student is willing to move.