Happy Thanksgiving from TrinTalk!

Enjoy the break, turkey, and football.

As always if you have anything you want posted send an e-mail to admin@trintalk.com with a description of your event or announcement.

In case you missed some of the changes to the tailgating policy this year, here are some key points:

• Parking in Hansen is reserved for the classes of 1984 and earlier for Saturday.
• Tailgating lots will be the lower lots on Vernon and Broad Street, spots will be first-come-first-serve.
• You must be 21+ to park in a Tailgating Lot.
• Kegs and RVs are prohibited, and tailgaters are limited to one parking spot.
• No alcohol/open containers can be brought to the game.
• Tailgating Lots will open at 8 a.m. with tailgating able to start at 10 a.m.

Enjoy the game and remember that Hartford PD will be on campus keeping things in check. Lets go Bants!

Homecoming, one of the best weekends at camp trin, is quickly approaching!  Here is a schedule for the events going on throughout the weekend:

Friday 10/31

• 3:00 Men’s and Women’s Soccer versus Amherst at the soccer fields
• 5:00 Field Hockey versus Amherst at the field hockey field
• 6:00 Shabbat service and dinner at Hillel (74 Vernon st)
• 8:00 Accidental’s a capella  concert in the chapel crypt
• 8:00-10:00 Public skating at the Koeppel Community Sports Center (175 New Britain Ave)

Saturday 11/1

• 11:00 Long Walk renovation: A talk with college historian Peter Knapp ‘65 in the Watkinson Library

• 11:00 Student a capella concert in Hamlin Hall
• 12:00 LGBT Open house at 114 Crescent St
• 1:00  The Trinity College Bantams face Amherst in the 2008 Homecoming Football Game, followed by receptions at the Vernon St cultural houses
• 8:00-10:00 Public skating at the Koeppel Community Sports Center (175 New Britain Ave)

Sunday 11/2

• 3:00-4:00 Family skate time at the Koeppel Community Sports Center (175 New Britain Ave)

On Friday, October 31, President Jones is scheduled to give an all-campus address, regarding the recent happenings in the economy, and what kinds of implications they have on our beloved Trin.  Scheduled to speak are Trinity College CFO Paul Mutone, and CAO Ronald Joyce.  The meeting is slated to start at 12 noon, and will be held in the Washington Room, on the second floor of Mather Hall.

In related news, this morning the Bureau of Economic Analysis released its figures regarding our country’s Gross Domestic Product.  In the third quarter, the BEA’s findings show a decrease of 0.3% in the GDP, attributing it mainly to “negative contributions from personal consumption expenditures (PCE), and  residential fixed investment.”  The impact of negative contributions from residential fixed investments comes as no surprise, following the recent subprime mortgage crisis.

Unfortunately, this can’t mean anything good for Trinity, due to the school’s endowment being composed primarily of a multitude of investments that feel the impact of the downward-spiraling stock market. Stay tuned for more news regarding President Jones’s meeting tomorrow afternoon.

—-UPDATE—-

President Jones has sent out another campus-wide email detailing the fiscal state of the school at this point, quoting numerous figures.  Evidently, as of September 30, “the College’s endowment has lost 14.9% of its value for the present calendar year.”  This does not bode well for the endowment, since such a substantial decrease in value can only lead to more financial hardship.

President Jones has outlined a course of action for the coming months, including cutting all non-compensation discretionary budgets by 5%, as well as ceasing the hiring of new campus staff, withholding essential positions.  Additionally, Jones plans to freeze all non-critical campus projects, as well as restricting the hiring of outside contractors for said projects.  This is a risky decision, especially given the number of campus renovation projects currently underway, including the still unfinished Jarvis, and Seabury Halls.

Keep checking back for more updates on the College’s financial status.

As the title says, Drs. Lee and Burns will be hosting an “important lecture about depression,” on Thursday, October 23rd from 12:00-1:00pm in Gallows Hill.

The flyer also lists this website for a self-assessment on depression. For questions or to make an appointment with a counselor call the Counseling Center at 297-2415.

A thread on the TrinTalk ACB reminded me to let everyone know that they should register for an absentee ballot STAT if you’d like to vote in the upcoming election. If you don’t know where to go to apply for an absentee ballot in your state, as the thread recommends visit VoteForChange.com and go through the process to apply for the ballot.

Note: VoteForChange.com is paid for by Obama For America, TrinTalk doesn’t endorse Barack Obama but feels that VoteForChange is a reliable source for voting information.

Psi Upsilon will be hosting their annual party, Tropical, on October 11th (Saturday of Family Weekend). Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. To find out where to get tickets visit the TrinTalk Tropical page.

What? Psi Upsilon’s Tropical

Where? Outside of Psi U

When? October 11th, 2008

How much? $20 in advance, $30 at the door.

If you use the contact form to send me an e-mail with your room number I can deliver a ticket to your room.

Do you or anyone you know want two dogs? They were found by a Psi U brother who is looking to keep them from being put down by Animal Control. If you happen to know of a good rescue in the area help would be appreciated.

Tomorrow (Thursday, September 18th) is the last day to change your meal plan if you still need to do so. The Charwells office is located on the second floor of Mather (same level as the Washington Room), which is where you have to change your meal plan.

Meal plans are as follows:

• Mather Traditional $1750
• 21 Flex $2200
• Block 300 $2200
• 19 Flex $2100
• 14 Flex $1925
• Block 220 $1925

Block meals carry over from week to week, unlike Flex and the Traditional option, which are locked in. If you have any last minuet questions e-mail the Chartwells office at meal.plans@trincoll.edu and they should be able to help you out.

I had been eagerly awaiting the arrival if Cyote Jack’s since the first time I mentioned it a few weeks ago.

After checking the Chartwells website daily with no updates I asked around and was told last week that today would be the fateful day.

Alas, I’ve been let down again. Unfortunately, according to an unnamed Chartwells worker, they are running into issues with ventalation and the roof above the proposed grill and deep fryers - this pushes the opening date back to the end of the month.

See you in late September or early October Cyote Jack.