Drexel University
Drexel Campus News
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No more free Microsoft Office for studentsby The Triangle
Jan 01, 2018
“Drexel University sent out a mass email June 17 to inform the student body that the campuswide student software license for Microsoft Office is being phased out.
According to the email, Microsoft Office will be removed from the University’s secure software server July 29, and the software license for copies already downloaded by students will expire Oct. 31. At that time, students who use a Drexel-provided copy of Microsoft Office on their personal computers will either have to start using free productivity programs, such as Google Docs or OpenOffice, or purchase their own copy of the software.
Aaron Strauss | The New Triangle
Chief Information Officer John Bielec cited a number of reasons for the decision, including better software discounts for college students, the increased availability of free online alternatives to Office and the growing cost to the University of providing a campuswide license.
“The program has been in place at Drexel since its inception in 1999. At that time students kept their computers longer, Office seldom came bundled with new computers and the academic discounts offered to students were not very aggressive,” Bielec said. “Given these factors, Drexel was one of the first schools to enter into a campus agreement, although the majority of colleges and universities did not — and still do not — participate.”
Bielec went on to say that the campuswide license was no longer the most cost-effective way of ensuring that students have access to productivity software.
“Given today’s technical environment and an uncertain economic climate, committing $1 million over three years to maintain a legacy program was not considered a good investment given the availability of free alternatives such as Office 365 or OpenOffice and the growing popularity of non-Windows/non-MacOS devices that can’t run Microsoft Office,” Bielec said.
The June 17 email recommended eLink by Microsoft ExchangeLabs as an alternative to purchasing Office software. The University provides all students the opportunity to obtain access to Office 365 via Windows Live, 25 gigabytes of online file storage space and 10 gigabytes of email storage space by creating an eLink account through accounts.drexel.edu. The online Office applications available through ExchangeLabs offer most of the basic functions, but not the full functionality, of the desktop version of Office. Students who wish to purchase their own copy of the software can log into DrexelOne and find links under the “Drexel” tab to several software providers that offer academic discounts.
In related news, another application that was slated for removal from the software server will actually remain available to students for free. Ken Blackney, associate vice president for Core Technology Infrastructure, informed The Triangle that the campuswide student license for SPSS, a widely used program for statistical analysis, has been renewed. The Office of Information Resources and Technology had announced March 9 that students would no longer have free access to SPSS after June 30.
“I believe that it was saved at the last minute,” Blackney said June 23 in an email. The next day, an announcement appeared on IRT’s website confirming that version 19 of SPSS is now available on Drexel’s software server. Because the license for version 18 is still set to expire, students who had installed it will have to uninstall it before installing version 19, according to the announcement.”
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Status of NFL season in limbo - Drafted rookies are unemployed after years of hard workby The Triangle
Jan 01, 2018
“Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT Commissioner of the National Football League, Roger S. Goodell, meets with line judge Tom Symonette (100) before the start of Super Bowl XLV where the Green Bay Packers face the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, February 6, 2011. Every year a new batch of young National Football League prospects enter the NFL draft in the hopes of playing the game they love the next year on a national stage. After these 230 some-odd are drafted, they are invited to the NFL rookie symposium, which is basically a “new player orientation.” And, just like every year prior, this routine happened as usual.
“But wait,” you say, “Why is the NFL operating like there’s nothing wrong? I though there was no NFL?” Well, that’s where it gets confusing. Every year the NFL runs that rookie symposium. This year the symposium was run by the NFL Players Association — or what was formerly known as the NFLPA, now disbanded until there is an NFL to have a players association — and its president, DeMaurice Smith.
As confusing as all of that is, the bottom line is that the league is still in a lockout, which means that for the foreseeable future, there is still no NFL. What makes this year’s rookie symposium different, other than those who put it together, is that not all of the rookies drafted showed up. Also, none of these rookies are actually under contract with an NFL team. That’s right, all of these former college stars are actually unemployed athletes and the only thing keeping their heads up is the fact that there is some semblance of an NFL franchise with the rights to contract negotiations once the lockout is over.
But, who knows — this week there were meetings in Minnesota with all of the parties involved, and things may be looking up. According to those involved in negotiations, the point of this week’s meetings is to set in stone what the two parties can agree on, and make a list to tackle next week of what the two parties cannot agree on.
As for the NFL schedule, the clock is ticking on the league and its players association to get a deal done. If the two cannot get a deal done by the end of next week, we could actually be looking at some cancelations, starting with the preseason, as a few teams are scheduled for training camp in just about three weeks.
Of course, just when everything is just starting to look up, the most recent turn in the process of negotiations has not been as positive as the public is led to believe. And who’s to blame for this? The owners.
These billionaires in charge of NFL’s 32 franchises smell an opportunity to make more money now that there is some progress. They can sense that the players know there is progress in the air and are antsy to get a deal done, so details have surfaced that the owners are now nitpicking the intricacies of the proposed deal in order to make a little more cash on top of what is already agreed upon.
Right now the responsibility to get the owners back on track and working progressively towards a new deal lies squarely on the shoulders of Smith and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. This task will prove to be a testament to the newly formed friendship that the two head honchoes of the NFL labor negotiations have recently formed and decided to take to the public.
Although it seems to be a daunting task, once the owners are convinced to stop with the petty rumblings for a dollar here or a dollar there — also, it’s not all 32 owners causing issues, but just a few unnamed ones, although I’m sure we all have our own guesses as to who it could be — we should be well on our way to a full 2011-12 NFL season.
On a side note, the NFL better get all of this done, because fantasy football magazine publishers around the country are suffering mightily, as many of them have chosen not to publish their magazines this year due to a shortened fantasy draft preparation time caused by the extended negotiations period.
Who knows, maybe for our next issue the NFL will be back and I’ll get a chance to pay my respects to these fallen magazine publishers with some fantasy rankings and predictions of my own.
But, first things first, Goodell and Smith need to get their butts in gear and get a deal done, because what is America without its actual pastime, football?
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Fry starts second phase of strategic plan - Groups of faculty and students to create an agenda to improve the Universityby The Triangle
Jan 01, 2018
“The faculty, professional staff and students involved with the task forces of Drexel University’s 2012-17 Strategic Plan recently completed the first of five official phases dedicated to improving the University and started the second phase, President John Fry announced via email June 27.
The Drexel University Strategic Plan: 2012-17 is being coordinated by Fry, his senior vice presidents, Provost Mark Greenberg and Vice Provost Janet Fleetwood. Development of the final phase of the plan is scheduled for completion by January 2012.
David.Stephenson
According to Fry, the start of the process began in January when he began hosting open forums with faculty, professional staff and students to provide discussions on areas that could use improvement.
“These informal, interactive discussions have provided me with a unique opportunity to understand Drexel’s incredible strengths, our challenges and how we see ourselves,” Fry wrote.
The information gained through these meetings was used during phase I of the plan, which lasted from March to May. Phase I addressed problems and opportunities for improvement through phase I task forces.
The five multidisciplinary phase I task forces included Task Force on Academic Quality and Innovation; Task Force on Quality of Life for Students, Professional Staff and Faculty; Task Force on Research; Task Force on Community Partnerships; and Task Force on Scale.
“Over 60 faculty, professional staff and students were engaged in these task forces with a level of informed participation that has never been achieved previously at Drexel,” Fry wrote.
Each individual task force produced their own white paper reports detailing its members, a summary of the group’s activities, questions that the team answered through discussions, and a list of recommendations for further study or implementation. Each task force’s white paper accounts are available to everyone within the Drexel community through a SharePoint link on the Drexel Strategic Planning website.
“These white papers — along with key themes from the online discussion contributions — informed the discussion at our two-day strategic plan leadership retreat. That two-day retreat, which I attended and which involved over 50 participants from faculty, professional staff and administration, helped identify our strengths, clarify our aspirations and create a shared foundation from which to build,” Fry wrote.
According to the Strategic Planning website, the two-day retreat, which ran June 2-3, included presentations on research and on Drexel’s global impact. There was also a special presentation from George Gephart, president of The Academy of Natural Sciences, and several of his colleagues about the Academy’s new affiliation with the University.
Additionally, delegates divided into small group workshops focused on the recommendations by the phase I task forces and on planning for Drexel’s future.
A full retreat summary, complete with photos and key documents, is available for viewing on the Strategic Retreat website.
Now that phase I is finished, the second phase of the Strategic Plan has started, with the phase II task forces to complete their work in the fall.
“In our next phase of the planning process, faculty, professional staff and students will continue collaborating on phase II task forces to sharpen Drexel’s vision, create an agenda for action, determine estimated costs, and identify modes of assessment for our measurable outcomes,” Fry wrote.
The Strategic Plan website states that the phase II task forces will be announced in June 2011; however, at the time of print, the names were not available.
Fry also commended the Drexel Board of Trustees, which is composed of preeminent Drexel alumni and supporters, for its involvement with the Strategic Plan. He wrote that during the fall Board of Trustees meeting, the members would analyze a working outline of the plan and aid the organization with initial strategies.
“Through hard work and respectful collaboration, we will create a plan that illuminates Drexel’s key values, enduring mission, and aspirations,” Fry wrote.
The University recently launched a website dedicated to the Strategic Plan to provide important information related to the organization, including an overview of the planning process, contact information, links to documents and webcasts elaborating the game-changing forces in higher education and frequent updates and announcements.
An active discussion board with forums for 11 different questions relating to improving aspects of Drexel and its community is also available on the website. Users can leave comments and questions that are directly addressed by Fleetwood and Bob Francis, vice president for University Facilities, in a timely matter.
“The online discussion forum is designed to foster informed conversation among our students, faculty and professional staff at all of our campuses, on co-op and abroad,” Fry wrote.
For more information about The Drexel University Strategic Plan: 2012-17, visit the strategic planning website.”
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Sodexo corrects sanitation issuesby The Triangle
Jan 01, 2018
“The Handschumacher Dining Center was found to be out of compliance with several provisions of the Pennsylvania Food Code during an inspection Dec. 30, 2010.
The violations recorded in the report included mouse feces found in the kitchens and storage areas, fruit flies observed underneath a self-serve beverage station and lack of a dedicated sink for mop-water disposal, among other violations.
Retail Management Director Jackelyn Eliassen said in a written statement that all of the problems reported in the inspection have since been resolved.
“Sodexo worked closely with their corporate food safety and quality assurance teams and the Drexel University Facilities team to rectify the violations immediately,” Eliassen said. “When the dining center reopened for winter 2011, all food service and many of the facility issues were corrected. No fines or penalties were imposed.”
Eliassen went on to say that that the dining hall received a nearly perfect score in a Feb. 16 inspection by the National Sanitation Foundation, and that no problems were found during internal audits by Sodexo in May.
“Sodexo was awarded the highest possible score in an NSF audit, a third-party health inspection that sets the industry standard for food, physical and equipment safety. Sodexo scored 99.5 percent on food safety and 98 percent on physical safety. Drexel Dining Services also has regularly scheduled service and inspections from a licensed pest control company. Measures taken have been very effective,” Eliassen said.
Although the dining hall staff took measures to eliminate the specific problems reported in December, other similar flaws were found in a June 6 inspection by city officials.
“These violations included gnats present in the soda area, the need for additional breath guards in the counter and bread prep area, and uncovered food in the walk-in box, which was corrected immediately. Overall, the [Philadelphia] Board of Health was impressed with the steps taken since the last inspection and saw no need to reinspect in the near future,” Eliassen said.
Despite the actions taken to improve sanitation in the dining hall, student opinions of the facility remain widely unfavorable. Communication major Megan Halicek was shocked upon reading the December inspection report.
“I had no idea that this was happening, and it’s very disgusting,” Halicek said. “It appears that they’re taking care of it, but I still don’t feel that great about it because all this was happening initially.”
While Retail Management and Sodexo appear to have made significant improvements to the dining hall, at least one sign of remaining flaws has been observed since the start of the summer term. Digital media major Seth Garber reported in a Facebook post that he saw a mouse in the dining hall June 21.
“[I] just saw a mouse run around the dining hall floor. New low for Drexel Dining,” Garber wrote.
The full report on the December inspection is available online for those who wish to learn more details.”
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Pop culture overhaul at Comic Conby The Triangle
Jan 01, 2018
“The mob of costumed fanatics wrapped around the Philadelphia Convention Center the weekend of June 17-19 must have had onlookers and passersby a little confused. Summer just started, so why are we acting like it’s Halloween?
Well, because for closet nerds as well as self-proclaimed ones, geeks and fervent fans alike, Wizard World’s Philadelphia Comic-Con provides the magic of a favorite holiday: spreading joy and bringing Magic players, Ghost Busters, and Star Wars enthusiasts together, while only coming once a year. Last month’s affair marked the 11th return of the annual touring Comic-Convention to Philadelphia, and it was, by many measures, a success. Photo Courtesy Hope Lanphear A team of Ghostbusters attracted many onlookers to their booth during the Wizard World's Philadelphia chapter of Comic Con, held at the Convention Center Friday, June 17 through Sunday, June 19.
For one, the line of teenagers, old heads, parents and children anxious to get inside wrapped three-quarters of the way around the Convention Center. Stuart Sayger, an artist on the main floor told us that customers were reporting an average waiting time of an hour and a half, just to register and get a wristband. One could measure its progress by the number of A- and B-list celebrities present or the amount of time between Philadelphia’s chapter of Comic-Con ending and the impressive press announcement for next year’s debut being released. Hell, you could even measure by the number of sexy Slave Leia sightings.
Each year, Wizard World entices smaller cities across the U.S. with the frenetic allure of San Diego’s legendary Comic-Con convention. Industry members in the world of comic books, video games, gamer technology, movies and television gather and meet with other fans, artists, actors and filmmakers in the unanimous celebration of beloved characters and series. Patrons flooded the showroom floor, stopping for photos with stars like Bruce Campbell (“Burn Notice,” “Army of Darkness”), heralded artists such as Bill Sienkiewicz (Batman: The Widening Gyre covers) and iconic vehicles like the “Scooby Doo” Mystery Van and “Back to The Future” Delorean. Perusing and massing through dozens of booths worth of art, comics and merchandise, our Friday, Saturday and Sunday were filled with non-stop people-watching and window-shopping, and always ended with our trudging back to the Spring Garden bus stop feeling exquisitely tired but content, armed with bags of new clothing items, comics, prints and illustrations and significantly lighter wallets.
Friday was spent acquainting ourselves with the new layout of the greatly expanded Convention Center, the showroom and the packed tables of merchandise, which we made ourselves wait for before scouring seriously. Besides, work made us late to the festivities, and we had panels to attend. We heard from Michael Biehn (“Terminator,” “The Rock”) and Kristanna Loken (“Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” “Painkiller Jane”) in promotion for Biehn’s directorial debut of “The Victim” — though the open conversation quickly converted from Biehn’s career and his “Terminator” experiences to some of the most random tangents we’ve yet to experience, most of which were very NSFW.
A panel on the digital age of comic books was a bit more enlightening, lead by artists and businessmen of largely different calibers, including representatives from Cosmixology. Principles during their discussion included the benefits of publishing independently and targeting audiences and niches without the help of today’s newspapers, which are more conservative with the choices they make in selecting comics to publish, rarely choosing stories that were created in the last 10 years. Salary was also a hot topic of the hour, as a corporate participant stated, “There is so much possible tension here when I talk [about] if comics pays as a full time job.” Another started adamantly on an rant, stating concretely: “The attitude of ‘I’m not a business guy; I just do comics’ is unacceptable in this day and age.” This led to a discussion about the integration of technology into the comic art form. Though many panelists were wary of the effects technology seems to be having on their sales and salaries, most seemed simultaneously excited about the opportunity digital media creates. The iPad, in particular, is not only making comics more accessible, but the device’s guided view has begun changing and transforming the motion of graphics and panels and how each separate piece of art is revealed and experienced.
Friday’s highlights also included Q&As with Margot Kidder (Lois Lane in the original 1978 “Superman”) and Claudia Christian (“Babylon 5″).
Comic-Con patrons seemed to take the entire couple blocks around the Convention Center hostage for all of Saturday, as anywhere you went (most definitely including Wawa — we were witnesses) you could not escape caped, masked and costumed heroes and villains, and the essential barely clothed femme fatales. And nowhere was the excitement and fever more tangible than in the Center itself, where the convention boasted more than 270 in-person “superstar creators,” sketching and selling away while kids, teens and adults milled about the various booths and tables. Saturday afternoon played host to a slew of Q&As with new and old movie and television stars. Among them were Julie Benz (“Dexter”) and a “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” panel with twin brothers Nicholas Brendon and Kelly Donovan. We didn’t leave our second row seats for a full three hours, in attendance for consecutive Star Wars-themed Q&As with Chewbacca, young Anakin Skywalker, young Boba Fett, and Lando Calrissian. (Or, you know, Peter Mayhew, Jake Lloyd, Daniel Logan and Billy Dee Williams, respectively). First up was Mayhew, Lloyd and Logan, who were seated to the side of the stage to accommodate Mayhew who was in a wheelchair with an injured leg. Nearly every question posed to the trio was preceded by fans, myself (Mike) included, simply thanking the actors for being a part of a franchise that means so much to so many people. Logan, in particular was quite energetic throughout the panel, and on the floor as well. This, I believe, is due to the fact that he is, reportedly, the only actor of the three that is still involved in the franchise, what with heavy rumors of his return to the role of Boba Fett in the live-action Star Wars television show that Lucas is working on. Summing up all their thoughts on Lucas, Mayhew said, “I think we were all lucky for trusting a man with a story. In the acting world, parts like this are very few and far between.” Logan echoed this sentiment, saying, “It’s amazing what George Lucas has created for us all.” Lloyd was particularly unenthusiastic, but one must keep in mind that he was only eight years old when he took on the infamous role of Anakin Skywalker, and has stated on many occasions that he simply doesn’t remember much of the filming.
Following that trio, the moment we all had been waiting for had finally arrived: Billy Dee Williams, or as most people know him, Lando Calrissian, the gambler, swindler, pirate, and downright scoundrel. And at 74, he hasn’t lost one iota of his swag; if anything, he has more swag than ever. The sexy Slave Leia sitting in front of us, after asking Williams who his favorite character in Star Wars was (Nien Nunb), made a point to tell him that all of her friends still referred to him as ‘Hot Chocolate’. Without missing a beat, Lando gave her the once-over, and declared her ‘Hot Vanilla’. Billy Dee admitted that he hasn’t kept up with his character in the novels, but he was quite interested in the idea of Lando’s marriage, and when asked how Lando would have seduced Leia if he got to her before Han, Williams simply laughed and simply said “Oh, you wouldn’t want to know that,” followed by his signature grin.
Other highlights included panels for the Green Lantern comic series, “The Boondock Saints” with Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery, independent filmmaking with Dan Fogler (“Fanboys,” “Balls of Fury”) and a Batman and Robin duo Q&A with Adam West and Burt Ward. Additionally, guests of Wizard World had the opportunity to flaunt their homemade and store-bought ensembles in a costume contest, then sat back and watched as the 501st Legion taught the right way to build and improve on costumes. There was light saber training for the younglings and a zombie beach party for teens and young adults. And wrapping things up Sunday afternoon, Ethan van Sciver (“Flash: Rebirth”) performed an hour-long “musical” of sorts — if musicals often have you “trapped in a small room discussing cannibalism, Wolverine, deviancy and all manner of filth and disease through the art of song.”
Offbeat and well rounded, Philadelphia’s Comic-Con was impressive but also eloquently intimate. At next year’s convention, taking place June 1-3, 2012, guests will be joined by Greg Hildebrandt, Greg Capullo, Michael Golden and Mark Teixeira and a promised “bevy of famous international creators.” Wizard World CEO Gareb Shamus announced, “Philadelphia Comic-Con is a flagship event that went extremely well … We’re excited to announce our 2012 dates with such a prestigious group of artists … I’m already impressed with our lineup, and we have 12 months left to go.”
Needless to say, we will be returning.
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Flyers trade Richards and Carter for prospects - Heart and Soul shipped out of Philadelphia after "cup or bus" season ends in disappointmentby The Triangle
Jan 01, 2018
“Philadelphia Flyers' Jeff Carter celebrates his power play goal with Mike Richards against the Buffalo Sabres during first-period action in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Monday, April 18, 2011, in Buffalo, New York.
The great purge of Philadelphia has begun.
Well maybe not the great purge, but it was a pretty big trade of two very important players for the Flyers June 23. Flyers’ captain Mike Richards and one-time 40-goal scorer Jeff Carter were both drafted in the first round of the 2003 draft by General Manager Paul Holmgren and were once thought of as the ticket to the Flyers’ bright future. Richards was compared to Flyer great Bobby Clarke, and during his time as captain of the team, he was regarded as the Flyers heart and soul.
The trade came just days before the NHL Entry Draft. Carter was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Columbus’ first-round pick in this year’s draft (eighth overall); Columbus’s third-round pick; and 21-year-old winger Jakub Voracek. Richards was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for prospect center Brayden Schenn; 22-year-old winger Wayne Simmonds; and a second-round pick in next year’s draft.
Voracek already has three years under his belt at the tender age of 21, only missing two games in three full seasons. His highest point total came in his second year when he netted 16 goals and 36 assists. The Flyers were in dire need of a winger; with Voracek, they have plenty of years to work with him if they desire.
Simmonds is a tough winger that doesn’t mind mixing it up and getting into tough areas to make a play. His stock was lowered after this season when he was expected to have a breakout year but didn’t deliver. He’s still very young and has a lot of room to grow, but that’s only a good thing. Schenn has been described as a “diamond in the rough.” He played most of his games in the WHL last year after being drafted in the first round by the Kings. The Flyers brass are very impressed with his potential and think he can compete for a position on the big club this year.
With the pick the Flyers acquired from Columbus, they selected center Sean Couturier, an 18-year-old who played for the Drummondvillie Voltigeurs in the Québec Major Junior Hockey League. Couturier had mononucleosis last summer and missed the majority of the season with the illness. The Flyers were still impressed enough to select him eighth overall. Couturier admitted that he needs to work on his skating, but he is a big man at center, which the Flyers desperately needed.
Over the past few years, the media has questioned Richards’ leadership ability, most notably once the Flyers acquired Chris Pronger. Pronger is known for his ability to lead teams to the next level — he served as captain of the St. Louis Blues from 1997-03 and the Anaheim Ducks from 2007-09, winning the cup with the Ducks in 2007. There were reports of a divided locker room in 2009 with teammates either taking Richards’ or Pronger’s side. In the process, then-coach John Stevens was fired and current coach Peter Laviolette was hired to bring the locker room together. It is rumored that Pronger will take over the captaincy next year but no announcement has officially been made.
The bottom line is the Flyers needed money for goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, who they signed to a nine-year $51 million contract a few hours after the trades went through. By doing so, the Flyers have solved their goaltending problems.
Bryzgalov has established himself as one of the top goaltenders in the league and it has surely paid off for him. The Flyers have other problems though; they need to replace the 59 goals they lost by trading Richards and Carter.”
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FreshDance ends term on high noteby The Triangle
Jan 01, 2018
“This year, Drexel was lucky enough to present the talented freshman dance team, FreshDance. This group of girls has marveled their peers for the second term in a row after their first successful concert, “New Beginnings,” this past winter. To top off such a fantastic term, the girls ended with a bang: the freshman dance show, “Forward Motion.” “Forward Motion,” a series of intricate dances, holds a hidden meaning. With talent and grace, the girls wowed the audience with their technical knowledge, obvious passion for the show and the music within it. Directors Miriam Giguere and Mina Estrada wanted this show to be different by giving each dance its own identity, standing as a challenge to the dancers and bringing the audience to tears. Their performance tells a story and the dancers pose as the storytellers, weaving their journeys through their brilliant chorography and melodic tones.
Melissa Cell An offshoot of the Drexel Dance Ensemble created solely for the freshmen dancers, FreshDance premiered its second show "Forward Motion" June 4 and 5. The show first began with the catchy, upbeat number of “Come Sail Away.” This dance, accompanied by the famous Styx hit “Come Sail Away,” was choreographed so that the dancers emulated the shape of a ship. The intricacy and difficulty behind this piece was very apparent, but the upbeat melody and fun movements made the dance seem effortless to the audience. The next song, contrary to the last, reflected on the feeling of coming back to a lover after you have broken up. The piece “Your Lover is Dead” was partnered by a heart monitor machine and a string of tape representing the heartbeat as the love “dies.” To bring the mood back up to a high, the group decided to go with the piece “La Mor.” This dance not only exhibited brilliance and hilarity, but it was a true gift to see this dance come into motion. This adorable song acted out couples sitting in a café in Paris. As their love blooms, a balloon in the shape of a heart is raised up, and as their love wanes, the balloon is sadly popped. Yet in the end, the song finishes with a certain sweetness keeping the audience in perfect mood for the following intermission.
In the following series of dances the tone was much darker and the difficulty of the dances got much harder. As the audience joined back into the auditorium, four panels were lowered on the back wall of the stage. Each panel was a different color and each had words projected on it, depicting a nonsensical poem. This continued until the four dancers came in donning the color corresponding to the panel in front of which they stood. The words started to move across the panels as each girl began to create her own dance to the music. Even though the poem appeared confusing at first it is actually a poem called “Inner Demons” and makes a lot of sense when the words are put into the correct order.
The next dance was very different than the others. In this dance the girls are directed to appear as if they have been transformed into raindrops. As large streamers depicting water fill the background, the girls slowly become beautiful droplets of water falling from the sky. As they fall around the stage the mix mash of brilliant music comes on the speakers (music by student Max Glogau) bringing even more life to this already beautiful performance. The last dance, “Distorted Reflections,” reflected a very dark theme, which appeared to be about the role of beauty in society. While the message to this dance was not so sweet, it reflected the horrible reality that anorexia exists in our society. It depicted the girls looking into mirrors and then clothing themselves in rags as they slowly and gracefully fall to the floor. Even though this dance was slightly morbid the girls brought beauty and talent to an otherwise gloomy topic.
“Forward Motion,” like most Drexel dance shows, was another triumph for the Drexel Dance Ensemble. These girls worked hard to put on amazing shows all year and “Forward Motion” is another example of their hard work paying off. Drexel students, faculty and fellow peers continue to wait for the end of term dance shows. Once again audiences had the chance to lean back in their seats and watch talent and grace unfold before their eyes as the Drexel dancers told their stories.
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What’s Happening in Phillyby The Triangle
Jan 01, 2018
“Superheroes Who Are Patriotic!
Save The Day Productions signature series, Superheroes Who Are Super! delivers word-for-word staged readings of comic books that at once celebrate and parody the soap operatic qualities of classic comics. Each performance runs approximately one hour and features comic books brought to life with the best in low budget costumes and special effects, witty word play and absurd physical hijinks alike.
Performances include: Captain America Comics #1, “Meet Captain America,” Journey Into Mystery #83, “Introducing… The Mighty Thor!” and Marvel Treasury Special, “Captain America’s Bicentennial Battles.” Since its inception in 2007 by creator Daniel Student, Superheroes Who Are Super! has performed to sold out audiences of regular theater goers and comic book aficionados alike at its Philadelphia home, Plays & Players Theatre, including a run in the 2009 and 2010 Philly Fringe. Additionally, Super Heroes Who Are Super! performed at the Capital Fringe Festival in Washington, DC in July, 2010 and is a regular at Atomic Comics on South Street.
Plays & Players Mainstage, 1714 Delancey Place
Friday, July 1 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, July 2 at 2 p.m.
$12 in advance; $15 at door
www.savethedayproductions.org
Annual Indie Film Series
The South Street Headhouse District’s Annual Indie Film Series goes through a time warp on July 6 with a showing of the ‘70s cult classic, “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” After their car breaks down during a long journey, a young couple seeks shelter in the quirky castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, where hijinks and dance routines ensue. Attendees are encouraged to don their most eccentric attire in tribute to the film’s outrageous apparel. The guest with the best costume in the crowd will be awarded a fantastic prize from one of the District businesses. Wednesday’s showing will be hosted by Scott Johnson, otherwise known as Count Scotchula and leader of Philadelphia’s own Rocky Horror troupe, which has been actively performing in the area for ten years. Be sure to come out and join Johnson and his troupe for an exciting evening of corsets, fishnets and, of course, the “Time Warp”!
The Indie Films Series is an annual summer event for the South Street Headhouse District. The series, which kicked off June 15 and will run until August 31, features independent films and special guest introduction each week. The series highlights local filmmakers, wardrobe stylists, make-up artists and more.
Headhouse Square at 2 nd and Pine Sts.
Wednesday, July 6 at 7:30 p.m.
www.southstreet.com
17 th Annual QFest
Scheming Philadelphia go-go boys, ABBA-singing drag queens, and kids who try to rid their mothers of their lesbian ways – needless to say, QFest is BACK! Running July 7, 2011 to July 18, 2011, they’re bringing the funny, while tackling the issues of religion, politics, gay rights and marriage. And with a healthy dose of parties (someone mention a men’s swimsuit fashion show?), there’s something to tickle everyone’s fancy. The 17th edition of QFest kicks off with two Opening Night Features: The Philadelphia Premiere of “Judas Kiss” and the Sundance hit “CoDependent Alien Lesbian Same.” “Judas Kiss” tells the story of a washed-up filmmaker who travels back in time and meets his college-aged self. Featuring 2006 QFest Rising Star Charlie David and the 2011 QFest Rising Star Award recipient Sean Paul Lockart, “Judas Kiss” screens at 7:15 p.m. at the Ritz East Theatre 1. Immediately following the film, Director J.T. Tepnapa, Charlie David and Sean Paul Lockart will host a Q&A. If a time-traveling gay man isn’t your thing, maybe space-traveling lesbians are, as the co-Opening Night feature is “CoDependent Alien Lesbian Same” screening – a hilarious first date film that takes three tall, bald, lesbian space aliens and drops them on planet Earth (New York) with the critical mission to break a few hearts and overcome ‘big feelings’ – screening at 7:30 p.m. at the Ritz East Theatre 2. With the film comes the opportunity to dress space-tastic and to meet actress Lisa Haas and producer Laura Terruso immediately following the film. Following is a an opening night party at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, and then of course, 11 more days of LGBT cinema goodness.
At participating theaters
Single tickets to regular screenings: $10
www.qfest.com
“Giselle in 3D” – One Day Only!
Continuing its mission to offer groundbreaking in-theater events of all types, NCM Fathom presents “ Giselle in 3D ,” the world’s first 3-D ballet to be shown with RealD 3D technology. Pre-recorded at the historic Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, “ Giselle in 3D ” captures the beauty and movement of a world-class performance in a new and multi-dimensional way, offering cinema audiences a ‘best seat in the house’ experience from anywhere in their local theater.
At participating theaters
Tuesday, July 12 at noon and 7:30 p.m.
www.fathomevents.com
Cocktails and Comedies
The National Museum of American Jewish History will present three classic American comedies on three Tuesday nights in July featuring Jewish comedians and filmmakers. The new “Cocktails and Comedies” summer film series will include a cocktail reception on the Museum’s 5th floor terrace, which offers a view of Independence Mall not available anywhere else. The films and the dates they will be screened are: “The Producers,” Tuesday, July 12; “Annie Hall,” Tuesday, July 19; and “The Princess Bride,” Tuesday, July 26. All films begin at 7 p.m. and are preceded by cocktails at 6 p.m. on the Museum’s Robbi and Bruce Toll Terrace overlooking Independence Mall.
The National Museum of American Jewish History at 5th and Market Sts.
Tuesday, July 12, 19 and 26 at 7 p.m.
$15 for films and cocktails; series package is $36
www.nmajh.org/filmseries
Secret Cinema Summer Screenings
The Secret Cinema is excited to announce its latest three screenings, happening in a succession of Wednesday evenings in July and August at the Institute of Contemporary Art, in the heart of University City. The films will focus on a variety of summery and artful concerns, and will take place on the ICA’s delightful rooftop patio (weather permitting – otherwise, the screenings will be moved to ICA’s indoor auditorium). After two themed Secret Cinema programs of short films, they will collaborate with ICA on a special multi-media party celebrating ICA’s current gallery exhibition “That’s How We Escaped: Reflections on Warhol,” complete with live music and film projections. As always with Secret Cinema events, all of the films will be shown using 16mm film (not video) projected on a giant screen. July 13’s screening will present “Summer Means Fun!” This unique program of long-unseen newsreels, educational films, comedy shorts, and cartoons focuses on assorted aspects of summertime recreation: surfing, swimming, camping, fishing, the rodeo and more, as seen by classrooms and moviegoers of the past. Highlights include “New England Holiday” (1947), “Swim Parade” (1949), “Helter Swelter” (1950), “Skaterdater” (1966), “How Do They Make Surfboards?” (1970)… plus Shemp Howard in “Boobs In The Woods” (1940)!
Institute of Contemporary Art at 118 South 36th Street
Wednesday, July 13 at 9:00 p.m.
Admission: $7
www.thesecretcinema.com
University City Dining Days
University City Dining Days sizzles for two weeks this summer! Twenty-nine of University City’s most popular dining destinations – including newcomers Biba Wine Bar, Baby Blues BBQ and JG Domestic – are now preparing for University City Dining Days which will take place Thursday, July 14 to Thursday, July 28. Participating restaurants will offer a pre-fixe three-course dinner special for $15, $25 or $30. For the full list of participating restaurants, visit www.ucdiningdays.com.”
- #3 Top Computer Engineering School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #5 Top Architecture School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #5 Top Computer Science School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #7 Top Finance School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #7 Top Civil Engineering School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #7 Top Video/Media
- #12 Top Computer Engineering School Ranking in the The%20Southeast
- #12 Top Computer Engineering
- #15 Top Mechanical Engineering School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #15 Top School of Information
- #20 Top Economics School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #22 Top Accounting School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #24 Top Nursing School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #33 Top Political Science School Ranking in Pennsylvania
- #36 Top Engineering Department
- #37 Top Design Arts - Industrial Design/Graphic Design/etc
Rankings Drexel appears in
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by The Triangle
Jan 01, 2018
“Since the days of the ever-helpful Clippy, Drexel students have been provided with the latest version of Microsoft Office software, on the house. However, Drexel’s Department of Information Resources and Technology recently announced that they would be pulling the plug on the program, know as the “Microsoft Campus Agreement for Students”, with students being legally required to uninstall the programs by Oct. 31.
Although students will be able to purchase discounted copies of Office or other software applications from virtual software stores such as eAcademy and JourneyEd, and copies will still be installed on all University-owned computers, this is still a major setback for students. Professors have high standards for the documents and presentations we create and they aren’t going to lower them if we have to use alternatives like OpenOffice or Google Docs, products that are missing many of the features of a full-fledged office suite.
PowerPoint has become not only the academic but the professional standard for presentations. Word has powerful tools for formatting and editing that are unmatched by alternatives and its place as the industry standard means we don’t have to worry about file format conflicts. Excel has function and database tools that competitors can only dream of that engineering, math, and business students find indispensable.
In what is a seemingly business-driven decision Drexel has decided to remove what was a powerful tool and leave students foraging in the cold for alternatives. Google Docs, which we use here at The Triangle, is superior in sharing and is great for group projects but lacks many of the advanced features and formatting that professors require. OpenOffice, while passable, leaves students and professors with a mess of file formats that lead to confusion that would be inexcusable in the professional world. At a university where interdisciplinary work and team projects are required, students’ abilities to collaborate on documents will be severely hindered if we’re all working with different programs.
As appreciative as we are of the University’s cost cutting measures, we believe that denying students the use of a integral piece of the most popular business software will leave them woefully unprepared for the realities of the professional world. Drexel markets itself as a technologically savvy educational institution, always reminding us that this campus was the “first major university to operate a fully wireless campus.” But that was back in the year 2000. Toting technological advances from a decade ago is meaningless if our present technological needs are being compromised.
”