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Andy Morgan ’04, a psychology major, has devoted 10 weeks of his summer vacation to science research under the direction of Visiting Instructor of Psychology Jennifer Johnson. Morgan has been studying the correlation between lip reading and dynamic spatial reasoning. It is hypothesized that the large discrepancy in an individual’s ability to lip read is related to one’s ability to see multiple things happen at once, or to be able to spatially reason. At this point in the process, Morgan is generating stimuli and possible tests that could be run to prove the theory. The ultimate goal of his research is to find a way to teach people to dynamically spatially reason, which would then have an impact on their ability to lip read. Morgan is highly interested in this research and hopes to be able to continue working on the project into the fall, when tests would actually be run.

Director of Financial Aid Kenneth Kogut was recently cited in an editoral in Barron's regarding problems with financial aid. I.J. Eisenstadter, author of the editorial, claimed that not only are the principles often involved in deciding who receives financial aid unfair, but the system provides an easy opportunity for individuals to cheat. Kogut was quoted as saying that, "Hamilton may ask to examine tax returns going back two years in addition to current reporting--more than most colleges do," in order to make individuals more accountable and honest.

An editorial written by Hamilton College President Eugene Tobin was recently published in The Philadelphia Inquirer, in which Tobin challenges and attempts to redefine common perceptions regarding diversity. Tobin claims that, "...purely representational diversity can never be the only means for achieving the plurality of ideas necessary for a meaningful college education and for a fulfilling life."

Professor of the Classics Carl Rubino was recently quoted in an article from The Bergen County Record debating the true inspiration for the Star Wars films. While many sci-fi writers claim that George Lucas' source for many of his ideas and characters came from earlier pulp magazines, Rubino remains staunch in his belief that the classics played the most important role in providing inspiration for the films. Rubino was quoted as saying, "You see Star Wars and you read Virgil, and you see the similarities right away."