It has come to my attention that the two new buses that we have special ordered for our new shuttle system will not arrive in time for the start of school. The good news is that we expect them to be delivered sometime during the first two weeks of classes. When I get a firm start date for the shuttle system I will let you know.

Fellow Bantams,

Over the summer we have been working with the administration to address some concerns regarding laundry service. When you return to campus, you will find several changes that either have been-or are in the process of being-implemented. Here is the not so good, the good, and the greener:

Bearing in mind the fact that there are several important messages directly below mine (a not so subtle suggestion that you should read them), I’m going to keep this short. My name is Bryce Blum and I am the current SGA Executive Vice President. The message I have for you is simple: use the SGA as an outlet to affect whatever change you desire on campus. In the course of your first few weeks you will realize that Trinity isn’t perfect. No college is. But that doesn’t mean it can’t get better if you want it to. Whatever problem you encounter, no matter how big or small, the SGA will always be there to bring your problem to the attention of the right people and work towards a swift solution. My only hope is that you will not hesitate to contact myself or any other member of the SGA in order to help make Trinity a better place for everyone.

Sincerely,

Bryce Blum

Welcome to Trinity, Class of 2012!I’m sure you’ll be hearing that a lot in the next few weeks, but you have to admit, it is a rather special time - take it all in, because before you know it, it’ll be “Congratulations, Class of 2012!” as you graduate, haha.

In any case, I’m sure you all know by know that first-year students aren’t allowed to have cars on campus, and you’re probably wondering, “How will I get to explore Hartford?!” Not to fear, for I have good news. Trinity has just acquired two Zipcars on campus! What are Zipcars, you ask? Essentially, Zipcar is a car-sharing program - you sign up for membership on Zipcar.com, and basically you have access to one of two Toyota Matrix cars parked near our Campus Safety building whenever you want! All you have to do is make a reservation online for an hour or more, or even a whole day, and you’re done! No worrying about gasoline, insurance, or maintenance, and they’re available 24/7!

So, sign up now and take advantage of this great opportunity!

And, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me - I’m on Facebook, and my e-mail address is Krystal.Ramirez@trincoll.edu. As a Senator-At-Large, I represent you, so don’t hesitate to bring up any concerns you may have to me, or anyone else in the SGA for that matter.

I look forward to meeting you all in the fall. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Warmly signed,

Krystal L. Ramirez ‘10

Chair, Campus Infrastructure Committee

My name is Whitney Merrill ‘09, and I am the Vice President of Finance at Trinity College. I hail from Chicago, Illinois, and I really believe that this year, after 100 years of “this is THE year”, the Cubs will win the World Series. More importantly though, I have the wonderful privilege and pleasure to welcome you and express how happy I am that you have chosen to come to Trinity. As you prepare to step into a whole new world of education, I am sure some of you are feeling intimidated, excited, scared, or overwhelmed. This will pass very quickly, and in what will feel like a very short period of time, you will be thinking, “Wow, where did the last three years go? I want to do it again.”

My first year was a whirl of new experiences, new friends, and new activities. The following are a few experiences that helped define my first year. On my very first day at Trinity, move in day, it was about 95 degrees out and pouring rain, half of my stuff was packed in boxes, and as you know wet cardboard is no fun. After moving in all of my stuff up three flights of stairs, I looked like a mess, but so did everyone else. I think it is obvious to say that these were not ideal move in conditions. (I hope that your move in day is a cool 80 degrees and sunny.) But by 6 o’clock that evening, I had met over 50 different people, who were all in the same boat as I, in a new environment, and tired of the heat and rain. One of my favorite parts about the first few weeks of college is how easily it is to meet new people; people would just walk up and introduce themselves to those around them as they passed them in the halls of the dorms or along the Long Walk. So, I encourage you to continue that, meet as many new people as possible, because you will be happy you did.

I knew going in to Trinity that I wanted to start a Model United Nations club, but had no idea where to start. I had mentioned to someone I met in passing that I wanted to do this, and they informed me that there was another Whitney who wanted to do the same. I got in contact with her and we slowly but surely figured out the system together to get a club started. It helped to have someone to figure it all out with. Through starting and running a club, I have met people on campus that I may have never met during my time at Trinity, and they are some of my dearest friends, from all years, from countries all over the world, and involved in many different activities and sports. Sometimes, it is hard to figure out where to start, I know it was for me, so use the resources available to you, ask your mentors, First Year Orientation Leaders, teachers, deans, friends, anyone on SGA or me about what Trinity has to offer.

I know it may seem intimidating to email someone you have never met, but PLEASE feel free to email me (or facebook message me) if you have any questions, need advice, need help finding your way around campus activities and clubs, or have a suggestion for what you would like to see SGA do to help improve Trinity.

Most importantly of all, be open to new people, new experiences, and new activities. Remember to be yourself, work hard, and get involved. Trinity is an incredible place full of opportunities; take advantage of them! One day you will be thinking, “I want to do it all again!”

Whitney Merrill ‘09
whitney.merrill@trincoll.edu

First and foremost, welcome to Trinity! I am sure that by now, you have heard from countless people that you have yet to meet about forms to fill out, and opportunities that await you come August. I am writing to you, however, about a more somber topic that I hope you will take very seriously.

Safety is a very important issue at Trinity, and yet often times, we forget that ultimately it is our responsibility to make smart decisions and to watch out for ourselves. Sexual assault and rape are unfortunately very prevalent on college campuses. Anyone can be the victim of sexual assault, regardless of intelligence, sex or gender identity, race, ethnicity, or size; and prior consensual sexual relationships do not automatically constitute consent. Considering the prevalence of substance-related sexual assault, it is also important to remember that, under Connecticut law, a person inebriated by drugs or alcohol is not legally capable of consenting to sexual contact.

I do not want to frighten you, but I do want to empower you to join our efforts in preventing sexual assault at Trinity.  This past year, PEACH (Peer Educators Advocating Campus Health) and SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) sponsored a movement on campus called the Pledge for Action. Over 1,000 students have already signed the Pledge, which means that they pledge to work to prevent sexual assault, to support victims, and to ask for consent before sexual contact. We want to make Trinity College a safer environment by being open about the issue, by encouraging victims to report incidents, and by holding perpetrators responsible for their actions.

You can also exercise common sense to prevent becoming the victim of a sexual assault, especially should you choose to consume alcohol. The advice that I can offer is no different than what your parents have undoubtedly told you your entire life: don’t take opened drinks from people at parties (most rapes occur by acquaintances, so only accept unopened drinks, even if you recognize the person), don’t leave your drink unattended, and work the buddy system-pick a friend that you intend to stay with all night long and watch out for each other. If you decide to go off somewhere else, make sure to tell someone reliable where you’re going and when you’ll be back, and keep your cell phone on you. Having said all of that, the only person at fault for a sexual assault is the one who does not receive consent, so please don’t guilt yourself out of reporting an assault because you feel that you “had it coming”. Men are the statistical majority of perpetrators in sexual assaults, and as such, hold a lot of power in helping to stop sexual assaults. Guys, be man enough to reject the misogynist elements of our culture that promote sexual degradation and abuse of women (for example, look up the lyrics to Crank Dat Soulja Boy), talk to your friends about what it would be like to either be the victim of rape, or to viewed as a potential rapist, and always ask for consent.

Trinity has a wealth of resources devoted not only to supporting victims of sexual assault, but to preventing its occurrence. Trinity also has a policy of treating the victim of an assault first, so all reports are confidential and you are in control of what action, if any, you want to take against your perpetrator. If you would like to talk to anyone, you can contact either Laura Lockwood (Director of the Women & Gender Resource Action Center), or Martha Burke O’Brien (Director of the Health Center). Laura and Martha are both incredibly approachable and knowledgeable people. You can also contact any member of SART (www. trincoll.edu/StudentLife/HealthSafety/CampusSafety/SART) or the Student Government Association Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Committee.

College is a very exciting time, so go out and have fun-but stay safe, and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about anything. I can’t wait to see all of your new faces on campus in the fall!

Sincerely,

Andrea Wise ‘11
Chair, SGA Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Committee

The beauty of being at Trinity College is that you are at the center of it all. The opportunity to get involved both on and off campus is unlimited. Trinity College is more than the academic curriculum, it’s also about the people you meet, the challenges you will face and the difference you will make.

Being in Hartford gives you the unique opportunity to tutor kids once a week, intern at a law firm or a human rights organization, or be part of dozens of student run organizations. I watch friends identify problems on campus and do something about it. As a member of Trinity College Student Government Association, I have seen students sit through a long Sunday night senate session to pass a controversial bill and then go home to continue this debate on our SGA blog. So while you are here at Trinity, write an op-ed for the Tripod on something you are passionate about, join or create a club, attend lectures and events, if anything you will walk away a better person, be more informed and you will have a couple more people to add to your list of friends.

Welcome to Trinity!

Ibrahim Diallo
Vice President of the Multicultural Affairs Council

On behalf of the Student Government Association (SGA) I want to congratulate you on your decision to attend Trinity College. This must be an exciting time for you. Trinity is a great place to live and study. The truth is that you could not have picked a better time to attend Trinity College. You will be part of a time at the College that will surely make the history books.

Trinity is moving forward on many fronts. We continue to add to our list of phenomenal faculty. Our college programs are world-class with opportunities waiting at every corner. I know this is a busy time for you, but I want to point out that you are about to attend a college that is setting some impressive records, often capturing national and global attention. President Jones has set unprecedented financial goals for the College and, with his tireless leadership, we are well on our way to achieving them. Our Bantam baseball team went undefeated during the regular season this year and then went on to take the NCAA Division III National Title in May. These are only two of many examples.

While I am sure you are getting bombarded with information, I want to extend an invitation to you. I want to invite you to fully utilize the SGA, right from the start of your Trinity experience. Contact us for any reason as you make your transition to campus and as you start to enjoy the fruits of college life. We are completely student-run and are involved in all aspects of student life. Our primary goal is to represent and advocate for the student body. Please note the contact information of the SGA officers below and feel free to contact any of us with questions, comments, or concerns that you may have. You can also learn more about us by visiting our student-run blog and website at TrinitySGA.com. There is a special section on the main page dedicated to first-year students.

Your class of 2012 is incredibly important to the future of this college. There is so much to be be both proud and thankful for here at Trinity. Students just like you are the people who have made this college so successful. I believe that your class has the potential to make Trinity even better — not just better for us but better for the generations of students who will follow in our footsteps. I speak on behalf of the SGA when I tell you that we eagerly anticipate your arrival and look forward to you making your mark here at Trinity College.

Sincerely,

Nathan Kirschbaum ‘09
SGA President

Click Here to Visit our Blog

Nathan.Kirschbaum@Trincoll.edu ‘09 - SGA President

Bryce.Blum@Trincoll.edu ‘10 - Executive Vice President

Whitney.Merrill@Trincoll.edu ‘09 - Vice President of Finance

Ibrahim.Diallo@Trincoll.edu ‘11 - Vice President of MAC

So, it seems like it has been almost a week since anyone has posted, and I definitely want to keep the SGA Web site alive while we are all away over the break; therefore, I’m going to shamelessly plug something I am currently working on. If you click on this link, it will take you to the “Green Living” section of abc13.com, where I work. Anyway, I’ve been trying to spruce it up and generally make it better, so if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know! Thanks!

To everyone on SGA, everyone graduating, and everyone returning next year–

This first year of mine at Trinity has been, to say the least, an experience of a lifetime.

Around campus, I’ve met a lot of amazing people who continue to surprise me with their dynamic personalities, and people who continue to inspire me with their intellect, their strength, and their compassion for one another. While Trinity is far from perfect, it is a place that I have come to call home.

This past year, I’ve had the fortunate pleasure of being part of an amazing student organization full of hardworking, dedicated, and passionate people who have come to hold a special place in my heart. The SGA has been an integral component of my freshman year and I am so proud of everything that we have accomplished. I would particularly like to thank our incredible E-board: Andrew Pedro, Brittany English, Elizabeth Frazier, and Jen Abalajon, and our secretary, Jordyn Sims, for all of the hours that they poured into this organization–and so often without due recognition. I admire you all so much.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer. Seniors–good luck in life, and come back to visit from time to time. Everyone else–I can’t wait to see you in the fall.

-Andrea