The Common Core, a set of nationwide education standards, is being implemented in the majority of states and aims to offer students equal opportunities and preparedness in education. However, the Common Core’s focus on preparing students for college and careers, as well as the continued use of standardized tests, limits the possibilities of the educational system and discounts the importance...

Though baseball is America's pastime, it is now facing a crisis of popularity. As the median age for viewers of this year's World Series hit 54.4 years old, and as the Fall Classic produced the fourth-lowest television ratings in its history, many have bemoaned the seemingly rapid aging of baseball's fanbase. Arguably more disconcerting and underemphasized, however, is baseball's trend...

As autumn dawns on California and the weather chills, pie season has officially begun. Eateries around L. A. are preparing for Thanksgiving by baking delicious pies. Shops and diners around Eagle Rock offer a wide variety of pie choices, some better than others, all within walking or biking distance from campus. House of Pie Overall rating (4 out of 5)...

The Zweets Station on the corner of Eagle Rock Boulevard and Westdale Avenue transports its guests into a wonderland of vibrant colors and abundance. Carbonated beverages from all over the world and vintage American sweets cover the walls. The store sells hundreds of different candies, from jelly beans to salt water taffy to chocolate. The plethora of candies and the...

Nestled between Glendale and Highland Park, Eagle Rock boasts a culturally diverse community that is quickly becoming a hipster's hot spot. Though relatively unknown to L. A. natives, Eagle Rock is home to enough eateries and activities to fill a day. Breakfast To start the morning off right, Le Petit Beaujolais on Colorado Boulevard offers a delicious French-inspired breakfast. Diners...

The new Play Station console hit the shelves Friday, and fans are lining up, ready to shell out money for the latest piece of technology. I thought I would be one of those people. But, when I was turned away from getting Sony's shiny new sold-out PS4, I felt indifference rather than disappointment. Recently released games such as "Batman: Arkham...

After four years at Occidental, the graduating class receives one final opportunity to tell the school about their experiences through the College Senior Survey, a comprehensive college assessment from UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute (HERI). The survey, part of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), is administered every three years during commencement rehearsal, the survey examines more than 500 variables...

The Office of Student Life (OSL) placed student organization Vagina Monologues on probation today, Nov. 19, following several violations of the College’s posting policy and a preliminary warning issued in February 2013. According to the press release sent out by Director of Student Life Tamara Rice, members of Vagina Monologues put up posters in the Academic Commons without prior authorization...

First-year halls clinched first and second place in Occidental's first-ever conservation challenge, a competition to see which residence hall could reduce its water and energy consumption the most. Stewart-Cleland Hall and Chilcott Hall came in first and second, respectively, followed by Erdman, Bell-Young and Stearns halls. The average student consumed 25.6 gallons of water during the challenge, down from 26.47...

The Financial Aid Office instituted the SALT program – a web service that provides education regarding about budgets, loans and repayment systems – on Nov. 6. The program is open for registration to all current students and alumni to access. Run by the American Students Association, SALT is a non-profit service designed to consult students on their finances. The college...