Harvard Today: March 12, 2015

The long-awaited day has finally arrived! Happy Housing Day, everyone! Freshmen, you’ve watched all the videos, you read about the pro’s and con’s of each house, you’ve pleased the housing gods with River Run, and now you’re finally in a house that will become your beloved home for the next three years. Congratulations! Hopefully you all got into the house of your dreams. But if not, remember that every house has its perks. Yes, that’s right, EVERY house. There are no winners or losers on Housing Day, only happy people and even happier people! Today is truly a day to be remembered (or not, depending on last night’s activities) and a day that many Harvardians look back on fondly. Oh, but for those of you with midterms or essays due today– that’s just cruel. Sorry.

By Daniel N. Yue

IN THE ATMOSPHERE

Put your shorts away and your jackets back on– it’s going to be 30 degrees colder today than it was yesterday! But it’s still going to be lovely outside, with highs of 37 degrees, low humidity, and clear skies. But definitely wrap up! It can get as low as 16 degrees today.

IN THE D-HALL

Lunch:

Roasted Honey Lime Chicken

Turkey Rachel Sandwich

Spicy Jalapeno Jack Cheese and Macaroni

Dinner:

Breaded and Baked Pork Chops

Chicken Parmesan

Pork Sausage Pattie

Spinach & Cheese Strata

IN FLYBY

1) Definitive Ranking of the Housing Day Videos: They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. But can you judge a house by its Housing Day video?

2) Last Minute Ways to Get Ready for Housing Day: Consume lots of junk food. Practice your reactions. Blocking group hug. Repeat.

IN THE NEWS

1) Remembering Marathon Attacks, Students Grapple with Death Penalty: “On April 15, 2013, when the Tsarnaev brothers allegedly set down two backpacks loaded with explosives at the end of the Boston Marathon, some current Harvard students were on their way to Visitas, some were still in high school, and some were at the marathon itself.”

2) After Winter Storms, University Removes Threat of Falling Icicles: “While the weather has begun warming up a month after Harvard last canceled classes due to inclement weather, remnants of the historically snowy winter still remain in the form of falling icicles.”

3) In Legal Filing, Harvard Denies Allegations of Race-Based Discrimination: “Harvard has not filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging race-based discrimination in its admissions processes and will meet the plaintiffs of the complaint at a status conference on April 13.”

4) Obama Unveils ‘Student Aid Bill of Rights’: “President Barack Obama unveiled several new initiatives Tuesday which focus on making college more affordable and helping students pay back incurred debt.”

ON FM

1) Not a 9-to-5 Job: "While University administrators make extensive efforts to ease the many burdens placed on junior faculty—such as granting financial aid for child care or extensions on the tenure clock—some say Harvard does not go far enough."

2) Drinky Drink: Housing Day: River Rums and Mathertini's, enough said.

IN SPORTS

2) Athlete of the Week: Blackwell’s Return from Injury Sparks Men’s Ice Hockey: “To casual fans of No. 18/- Harvard men’s hockey team, it looked simple at the surface. Sophomore Luke Esposito flung a shot at Brown’s goaltender Tim Ernst. It ricocheted into the slot, where fourth-year forward Colin Blackwell collected the puck and whipped it past the outstretched glove of Ernst to give the Crimson a 2-0 lead—one that it would not surrender the rest of the game on Friday night.”

EVENTS

Today Jay Newton-Small will be holding her study group, “Critical Mass: What Happens When Women Rule the World,” with special guest Karen Finney, former Hillary Clinton spokeswoman and MSNBC contributor, in the FDR room of the IOP at 4 p.m.

Today Martha Coakley will be holding her study group, “How Change is Effected: Courts, Legislation, Grassroots,” with special guest Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants from the Massachusetts Supreme Court, in Room L166 of the IOP at 4 p.m.

Today there will the Summer@Highland Program Information Session in Ticknor Lounge at 6 p.m. Learn more about Summer@Highland, a program through Highland Partners that offers teams of student entrepreneurs resources and connections, including $20,000 to get the business off the ground, free office space in Palo Alto, CA, and the opportunity to connect with experienced mentors and world-class speakers. Register here!

Tonight is the opening night of the play, It Might Be a Story About a Band, in the Loeb Ex at 7:30 p.m. Email bandintheex@gmail.com to reserve free tickets!

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Local politicians are debating whether to extend late night service.