Mirror - Vol. 30, No. 03 - September 23, 2004

              The
September 23. 2004 Fairfield University's Student Newspaper
Townhouse damage costs high for students
BY MEREDITH CLINTON
If anyone went to the meeting for the
townhouses and apartments last week you're
probably still trying to figure out why the
couches the school supplies us with cost
$1,000 to replace.
There are a lot of factors to consider.
Gary Stephenson, director of housing
operations, said first of all that the couches
actually only cost $850. Phew!
But one of the reasons for the seem-ingly
high price is that if college students
are going to be partying with the couches
year after year they have to be extra sturdy.
All of the cushions are actually bolted to
the wood frame, and these extra precautions
cost extra money.
Another factor is that the school does
not have the luxury of shopping around
the country for the cheapest supplier. The
furniture has to come from somewhere rela-tively
close to Fairfield, and this diminishes
options as well.
Stephenson said the costs of charges
applied to students at the end of the year
come straight from Campus Planning and
Design. He said they are based on the cost
of time, if necessary, for maintenance people
to fix damages as well as for the material
involved.
"We don't build in anything other than
what it cost us," he said.
The costs stated are for brand new
materials. For example if there was a new
couch that was ruined it would be the full
$850. But if it was three, or four years old
the depreciation in value is taken into con-sideration.
Some of the most common things
students get charged for include screen
replacement, $50, general room cleaning,
$50, and paint touch ups, which vary in cost
depending on how much is needed.
SEE "DAMAGE" ON P. 4
Bill McBain/The Mirror
Exceeding Expectations: School president Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J. announces the school's "Our Promise: The Campaign for
Fairfield University" a success. For the full story, please see "Fundraising" on page 2.
Keg races washed up
BY ERIN GRAY
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST. THEFE WILL
BE NO KEG RACES THIS YEAR
FOLLOWING A LAWSUITAGAINSTTHE LANTEHM
POINTLANDLOFDS OVERTHE KEG RACES FROM LAST
SPHNG, THE ADM INISTRATION SENTALETTERHOM E
CALUNG FOR THE END OF THE EVENT.
WITH THE STUDENT BEACH RESIDENTS
ASSOCIATION, SBRA, OFficiALLY PULUNG ITS
SUP PORT FROM THE EVENT, THE CHANCES FOR THE
FALLAND EVEN SPHNG RACES LOOK SUM .
"We understand the position of the
administration," said Lindsay Battista '05,
a member of the SBRA. "We hope to or-ganize
an alternate activity that follows the
laws and satisfies everyone. But there is
nothing on the immediate horizon."
The Keg Races are a beach event dur-ing
which teams of female students, usually
dressed in some sort of team uniform, com-peted
against other teams with encourage-ment
from their coaches and spectators.
The first team to drink an entire quar-ter-
keg and run into the Long Island Sound
won.
It was an event that many consider a
dangerous health risk.
"The event has always drawn concern
not only in the quantity of alcohol that the
ten women are challenged to drink, but the
speed in which they consume the alcohol,"
saidJeanne DiMuzio of the health and well-ness
department.
SEE "BEACH" ON P. 4
Staggering
prices
BY HEATHER MANNING
At 12:13 p.m., the thought on many
students' minds is not the closing remarks .
of their philosophy lecture, but rather the
growling of their stomachs at the thought of
a juicy Sky Ranch burger. However, filling
up their stomachs may mean something is
going to go empty- their wallets.
The Stag diner and Jazzman's Cafe
are popular dining options for students on
the go, off-campus students, and those who
simply want a fresh alternative to Barone.
Students choose to frequent these estab-lishments
for many reasons, but money is
definitely not one of them.
"I think they are disproportionately
high compared to the quality," said Mike
Bond '05.
Other students are too hungry to worry
about a few extra bucks.
"Its expensive, for sure. But if I'm hun-gry
I'm thinking, 'lay off me I'm starving,'
so I don't care as much," said Chrissie Mayr
'05, who frequents the salad bar.
So where do these prices come from?
Every year the university's food supplier,
Sodexho, presents the administration with
a list of suggested retail prices for their food
products. These prices are based on the
fluctuating market costs for food, as well as
the labor costs and other factors involved in
running the dining establishments.
This year, Sodexho proposed a price
raise on several items that the university
turned down, according to the Director of
Student Services Jim Fitzpatrick.
"The prices are same the whole world
'round," said Rory Butterly '05.
Returning students saw minor increases
on six menu items, usually between ten and
twenty cents each.
SEE "FOOD" ON P. 6