Welcome to Calm Waters!
The purpose of this site is to navigate the rumor mill common to college campuses and to minimize the turbulence churned up by half-truths, misinformation or misunderstanding. If you want to check the veracity of a rumor floating around campus, check out the ones below or submit it here and we will try to steer you in the right direction. If your rumor is correct, we will confirm it. If it is untrue, we will explain. If you want anonymity, you got it.
The Latest Rumors
January 29, 2010
Rumor:
This is not a rumor, but how do we get the lights around the Administration Building turned on at night? The sidewalk between the Admin Bldg and the Student Center heading towards the parking lot is very dark. Ponding of water is very difficult to see at night; and, there are areas where a concrete section has subsided, making very easy to trip over. role: faculty
Response:
We have had a failure of the underground electrical circuits for these lights. Purchase Orders are however approved to make the repairs. But, because considerable machine digging is involved, and the ground is still wet and the weather still has rain in the forecast, we are waiting until the week of Feb 8 to begin repairs.
Sidewalk repairs are a separate project, which we are trying to schedule for the summer months.
October 19, 2009
Rumor:
I have a question regarding about blood donor, why is it that it is unacceptable for a gay/bisexual people to donate blood? eventhough, some of the gay people are clean. This is like a form of discrimination. i go to my doctor every month and I am claim to be HIV-free. Why is this? role: student
Response:
This question would be best posed to the Red Cross. COM does not make the recommendation of who can or cannot donate blood. You can contact the local Red Cross office at 409-763-5971 or 409-945-7200.
October 1, 2009
Rumor:
Why is it that COM celebrates African American, Asian and Latin festivals, but never has anything for other races. There are plenty of Irish and German/European students at the college that have a proud heritage and it seems discriminatory on COM's part to exclude those. role: student
Response:
We are not about excluding any group but we need your help to be more inclusive. It takes volunteers (students as well as employees) to plan and coordinate a celebration of any kind. We would love to celebrate Irish or German heritage, but we need students to take a leadership role in making it happen. Find other students who share your desire for an event and approach the Student Activities Board (e-mail murick@com.edu) or the Multicultural Team (e-mail thenson@com.edu) with the suggestions. A few years ago, a student suggestion resulted in a day celebrating the Scottish poet Robert Burns, complete with a poetry reading and a performance by the bagpipers from the St. Thomas Episcopal School in Houston. Every April, COM holds an international festival where we invite people from all cultures and countries to set up information tables in the gym. We also invite dancers and other performers from various ethnic groups to entertain the more than 300 people who usually attend. Before the winter holiday break, we invite students and staff to set up table displays in the Administration Building that show how various cultures celebrate the holidays around the world. Help us celebrate your heritage and others by getting involved with either the Student Activities Board or the Multicultural Team. You have already taken the first step by asking a good question.