Funny/Awkward Things Shirley Tilghman Says

At yesterday afternoon's CPUC meeting, USG Treasurer Trevor Martin '11 presented to the Council the COMBO II survey results. Remember those depressing survey results? Midway through the presentation, President Shirley Tilghman suddenly exclaimed in horror. What had upset her?Martin had been explaining a bar graph that showed social sciences, the most popular category of majors, with the lowest percentage of students who said they chose their major based on "academic passion." Fortunately for Tilghman, the bar graph had been scaled so that the lowest category of majors (social sciences) appeared to be at about 50 percent, instead of the 70+ percent that it actually was. After someone pointed this out to her, Tilghman was able to calm down, but not before exclaiming, "I was ready to shoot myself!"The CPUC had just gotten a little bit awkward. But the nervous laughter soon subsided, and the presentation moved forward.We also learned a couple disconcerting factoids about our psychological well-being when the director of Counseling and Psychological Services at McCosh, Anita McLean, gave a presentation about the office's services. McLean reported that Public Safety had conducted many more "welfare checks" on students this semester than usual.What are welfare checks? When a student cannot be reached (i.e. doesn't answer the door, phone, email, etc.) and there is worry for the student's well-being and safety, one can request Public Safety to unlock and enter the student's dorm room to make sure he or she is, well, alive.Despite the increase in welfare checks, McLean said there were usually fluctuations in these sorts of psychological concerns over time. So no worries! McLean also reported that percentage-wise, graduate students received more psychological and counseling services than undergraduates.