HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: franklir@helium.gas.uug.arizona.edu (Ryan J Franklin )
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
Subject: Re: The dead roommate myth...
Summary: ...but you'll only get a 2.0 if your pet hamster dies
Keywords: roommate suicide, 4.0, death, hangnails, lemurs
Date: 12 Nov 92 06:36:47 GMT
Organization: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

In article <1dseadINNg8i@gap.caltech.edu> keith@cco.caltech.edu (Keith Allan Schneider) writes:
>cyclist@hubcap.clemson.edu (Barry Johnson) writes:
>>Does anyone out there know of any college or university that supports
>>the (some think mythological) rule that if your roommate commits
>>suicide, you will automatically be given a 4.00 GPA for the semester?
>
>The University here has that policy.

Well, someone has to ask, I guess.  Can you post the proof of this, with
references, page numbers, etc.?  You might very well be the first person
to successfully document a 4.0-for-roommate-suicide policy at a major
college/university.

--
                                             _        _
       Ryan Franklin          |             Ro shite ko nashi.
 is a registered trademark of |  ("Working hard and accomplishing nothing.")
 franklir@gas.uug.arizona.edu |                       -- Ancient Zen Koan
From: franklir@helium.gas.uug.arizona.edu (Ryan J Franklin )
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
Subject: re: The dead roommate myth...
Date: 13 Nov 92 11:03:23 GMT
Organization: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

In article <1due9rINNdlk@gap.caltech.edu>, keith@cco.caltech.edu (Keith Allan
Schneider) writes:
>Of course, these things aren't documented--at least not in the literature
>that we students receive.  It is a matter of policy, but it is most likely
>handled on a personal case-by-case basis.
<stuff deleted>
>be reassured that if your roommate does commit suicide (or just plain
>die, I suppose), that the deans will do something to make it a little
                                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>easier for you to cope.  What exactly this is will vary from college to 
>college.

Yeah, but the "something" that is done is what's being discussed.  Many
universities allow you to postpone your finals, or even take the semester
off and try again later.  None, so far, have been found that award a 4.0
regardless of your current grades in your classes.  No one so far has
denied that even as soulless a group as University administrators would
give you a break if your roommate died, just that the classic folklore
story about an instant "free" (well, technically, I suppose the price
is your roommate's life) 4.0 has ever happened.  

You may be right in that there is no blanket policy statement at some
schools regarding student suicide and what to do for friends, family,
and/or roommates....but if so, then a specific case must be cited to
turn the 4.0 myth into reality (ie, the names and dates of a time when
the surviving roommate got an automatic 4.0).  

>Again, it is not documented, but I have heard that it has occurred a number
>of times.  (Well, it is probably documented in teh secret dean files.)

That's why this is alt.college.folklore. ;-)  I've heard the same story,
and so have hundreds, quite probably thousands, of other students.  But
without any proof, it can't be considered fact.  It stays on the same
level as "Choking Doberman" stories or "Blue Star Acid."  
 
<shrug>  If you come across some facts to prove the 4.0-for-roomie-death
legend, post them immediately.  It's such an elegant and persistent
tale that it would be nice to find some proof for it.
--
                                             _        _
       Ryan Franklin          |             Ro shite ko nashi.
 is a registered trademark of |  ("Working hard and accomplishing nothing.")
 franklir@gas.uug.arizona.edu |                       -- Ancient Zen Koan
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: sasgwb@relayer.unx.sas.com (Gary Black)
Subject: Re: BGSU Architecture
Originator: sasgwb@relayer.unx.sas.com
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 14:50:07 GMT
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.


In article <92315.060718DEY101@psuvm.psu.edu>, <DEY101@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
|>  [ talking about Hammond Building at Penn State UP Campus ]
|>
|> Note: I belive that this may have been due to in part that the original
|>       plan had to be greatly modified. From my sources, the building was
|>       to originally built vertically, but had to be built horizontally
|>       due to the fact that it was too tall or local building codes and
|>       the like.  As is now the complex is aprox. 3 blocks long. One of
|>       the worst problems is to get from one side to the other you must
|>       go via an outside route!

	The engineers in my old dorm (Nittany 29, which, sadly, no longer
exists) always wanted to see if they could roll a bowling ball from one
end to the other.  There's only one floor that this could be done on, if
I remember correctly.  The other ones zig-zag too much.

	I always liked the stairways that lead to nowhere.  What a design!

-- 

| Gary Black          | "It was just after dark when the truck     |
| sasgwb@unx.sas.com  |    started down the hill that leads into   |
| SAS Institute, Inc. |    Scranton, Pennsylvania..."  H. Chapin   |
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: fnord@panix.com (Cliff Heller)
Subject: Re: Pranks
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 16:15:43 GMT
Organization: Right Bleedin' Church of Libertine Obfuscatology

In <1992Nov12.090943.20234@muddcs.claremont.edu> omitchel@jarthur.claremont.edu (Ocie *crow* Mitchell) writes:

>In article <9211120631.AA01587@polar.bowdoin.edu> cwilbur@polar.bowdoin.edu (Charlton Wilbur) writes:
>>Aardvark says:
>>
>>>Boy Charlton, you are one crazy, wacky guy! How did you ever come up with
>>>the great idea of turning things upside down? That is so incredifucking 
>>>funny!  Thanks for being you!
>>
>>Had I wanted a flame, I would have purchased a disposable lighter. Get a
>>life. Find something else to do with your time.
>>
>>Charlton
>>

>Now this is all well and good, but turning all the furniture upside-down.  Now
>there's a prank worthy of mention :P

only if you place the carpeting on the celing and a chandelier "hanging"
from the floor.
-- 
    / \      Reverend fnord                 | "King Kong died for your sins!"
   /   \     fnord@panix.com                | 
  / <0> \                                   | "Don't just eat a hamburger, 
 /_______\   Church of Obfuscatology, Inc.  |  eat the HELL out of it!"
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: davison@unity.ncsu.edu (John Davison)
Subject: Re: interesting architecture
Organization: North Carolina State University Project Unity
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 15:16:58 GMT

Bill Madden forgot the legend that the dome on the library at UNC-Chapel Hill sports a dunce cap when viewed from the Chancellor's office window.

Seems the guy who gave the money for the bell tower had wanted to donate to the library, but got turned down for whatever reason. So he decided he'd give the school a bell tower, but on the conditions that he design it and determine its location. That's why the library in Chapel Hill wears a dunce cap....
-- 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 John_Davison@ncsu.edu   |  "When a politician gets an idea, he usually 
NCSU College of Textiles |   gets it wrong."
 Student Computing Lab   |
      DoD # 0476         |        The Fifth Rule of Politics
    (919) 515-6601       |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: res_ewv@exodus.valpo.edu
Subject: Re: The dead roommate myth...
Organization: Valparaiso University
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 18:27:32 GMT
X-Posted-From: exodus.valpo.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <1992Nov11.210706.26588@hubcap.clemson.edu>,
cyclist@hubcap.clemson.edu (Barry Johnson) writes:

> Does anyone out there know of any college or university that supports
> the (some think mythological) rule that if your roommate commits
> suicide, you will automatically be given a 4.00 GPA for the semester?

This rumor runs around at our school for a while also, but I think it was found
to be false by a couple of my friends who actually called the registrar to
check.  We had a roommate we were thinking of doing in.  

As an interesting side note, this rumor originally started as stating that the
biology department would obtain a 4.0 for you as long as you obtained the
cadaver for them.


                                                                               
                              Eric W. Vaandering                               
  ____________________________________________________________________________ 
 |BITNet:    RES_EWV@VALPO                    USPS Net:  Eric Vaandering      |
 |InterNet:  RES_EWV@exodus.valpo.edu                    Brandt Hall          |
 |PhoneNet:  (219) 464-5868                              Valparaiso, IN 46383 |
 |____________________________________________________________________________|
 |                                                                            |
 |  Governments were formed for two purposes:  to make people wait in line    |
 |  and to collect taxes.  Because people might try to cut ahead in the       |
 |  line, we have police.  Because governments might try to collect taxes     |
 |  from taxpayers belonging to other governments, we have armies.            |
 |                                 -Usenet Oracularities                      |
 |____________________________________________________________________________|
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: enw2049@zeus.tamu.edu (WALKE, ERIK N)
Subject: Re: BGSU Architecture
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 15:29:00 GMT

In article <92Nov9.121120edt.297@smoke.cs.toronto.edu>, chris@cs.toronto.edu 
(Chris Beck) writes...

{deletions. . . }

>ObFolklore: The Robart's Library is said to be listed by the CIA as 
>a building that can withstand a direct nuclear attack (and it even has
>a donut shop and a pizza shop inside so you wouldn't starve during such as
>attack).
> 
       Do y'all mean that a nuke can make a direct hit on the library
       and not destroy it?  Wow, think how that ruins wht should be one 
       of the most air-tight excuses for not having your paper done on 
       time. . . 

       (poor student):  Sorry, Professor, I couldn't finish my paper 
       last, because Armegeddon happened.  The world ended when those
       mushroom clouds mushroomed . . .

       (savege prof): Don't give those excuses!  Look outside. . .our
       excellent library is still standing, barely singed after a 10
       megaton burst right overhead.  If the library can take it so 
       can you.  But I'm not taking excuses!!  You fail-get out!  Out 
       into the radioactive wasteland with you, you lazy bum . . .

       (fade to darkness)

       Actually I wouldn't be one bit surprised to hear the CIA has 
       really got shelters deep underground where they could survive 
       WWIII and continue eavesdropping undisturbed, but I'd be shocked
       if they would tell we taxpayers about it. . . 

***************************************************************************
  All opinions expressed by this user are well-reasoned and insightful. 
  Needless to say, they are not those of his advisor or university.
**************************************************************************
From: keith@cco.caltech.edu (Keith Allan Schneider)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
Subject: Re: The dead roommate myth...
Date: 12 Nov 1992 02:08:13 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
NNTP-Posting-Host: punisher.caltech.edu

cyclist@hubcap.clemson.edu (Barry Johnson) writes:


>Does anyone out there know of any college or university that supports
>the (some think mythological) rule that if your roommate commits
>suicide, you will automatically be given a 4.00 GPA for the semester?

The University here has that policy.

keith
From: diverson@phys.ksu.edu (David Iverson)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
Subject: Re: The dead roommate myth...
Date: 12 Nov 1992 04:33:40 GMT
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: bohr.phys.ksu.edu

In <1992Nov11.210706.26588@hubcap.clemson.edu> cyclist@hubcap.clemson.edu (Barry Johnson) writes:


>Does anyone out there know of any college or university that supports
>the (some think mythological) rule that if your roommate commits
>suicide, you will automatically be given a 4.00 GPA for the semester?

>Barry...


The University of Rochester (where I did my Undergrad) has the policy that
if your roomate commits suicide you are given a full refund for that
semester.  You can complete your classes if you want, and get the grad you
earn.  But the policy is in place so that if the surviving roomate wants to
drop out for awhile (take a couple, few, several weeks off) they don't have
to worry about flushing $9,000 down the drain.  I know this because this
happened to a woman in one of my classes (there was 4 students in the class,
so we got to know each other fairly well).

-David Iverson
--
diverson@phys.ksu.edu
From: crdunlea@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Christopher R. Dunlea)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
Subject: Re: World Trade Center sinking!!!
Date: 5 Nov 92 01:35:31 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

In article <jwc2001-031192153626@m248-33.bgsu.edu> jwc2001@andy.bgsu.edu (J Cannon) writes:
>While on the Circus Kingdom Tour (a non-profit group of college circus acts
>that performs during semester breaks) we had a day off in New York City.  I
>went to the World Trade Center and took the four-dollar ride to the 107th
>floor, to hang out with all the other tourists.  Since I am a circus
>performer, walking wires, unicycling, juggling, balancing, etc, I have an
>acute sense of spatial relations.  It was on the 107th floor of the WTC
>that I noticed that the building is leaning!  Sure, it may not be a serious
>lean *yet*, but give it another hundred years and that place is toast. 
>
>After a little investigation, I noticed that on one side of that floor,
>there is a soda vending machine, and soda goes for $1.75 (!) per 12 oz can.
> Obviously, the architect forgot to account for the ridiculous price of
>soda at the top of the WTC in NYC.  The enormous weight of the quarters and
>traveler's cheques stacking up in that machine are posing a threat to the
>tallest scrapers in New York!
>
>J. Cannon  

Silly person. That one's supposed to lean (structural design) to withstand
any wind, rain, or (yes) earthquake that might hit NY.

But your point about soda there is well taken. Yes, the nickels and dimes     
would probably cause the building to sink. :-)

Peace!

Chris
From: henrydm@HYDRA.ROSE-HULMAN.EDU (Daemeon)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
Subject: alt.fan.omar
Date: 6 Nov 92 16:47:25 GMT
Reply-To: henrydm@HYDRA.ROSE-HULMAN.EDU
Organization: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
NNTP-Posting-Host: hydra.rose-hulman.edu



	I know there have been few Omar posts as of late but we have 

	been working on alt.fan.omar   Basically, I guess we have to get

	the O-man's permission but hey, all we have to do is wait for him

	to forget to log out.

						-Daemeon
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: chris@cs.toronto.edu (Chris Beck)
Subject: Re: BGSU Architecture
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto
Date: 9 Nov 92 17:11:45 GMT

jwc2001@andy.bgsu.edu (J Cannon) writes:
> The Jerome Library is shaped like several books, standing upright, with
> bookends.  Still your basic box, but effective as far as libraries go. 
> Only eight stories high.
> 
The Robart's Library at University of Toronto is shaped like a swan (or
goose, or some acquatic fowl at any rate).  I was told this and can more or
less see it, however I seem to have absolutely 0 luck explaining this to
anyone else.

ObFolklore: The Robart's Library is said to be listed by the CIA as 
a building that can withstand a direct nuclear attack (and it even has
a donut shop and a pizza shop inside so you wouldn't starve during such as
attack).

Chris "maybe the library is a .signet" Beck
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: cyclist@hubcap.clemson.edu (Barry Johnson)
Subject: The dead roommate myth...
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 21:07:06 GMT


Does anyone out there know of any college or university that supports
the (some think mythological) rule that if your roommate commits
suicide, you will automatically be given a 4.00 GPA for the semester?

Barry...
-- 
Personal Theory:  Socks are the larval form of wire coat-hangers.
   
Barry Johnson, Clemson University, CTS.   cyclist@hubcap.clemson.edu   
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: technews@iitmax.iit.edu (Kevin Kadow)
Subject: Re: Pranks
Organization: Technology News, IIT, Chicago, IL
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 02:09:43 GMT

In article <1992Nov12.090943.20234@muddcs.claremont.edu> omitchel@jarthur.claremont.edu (Ocie *crow* Mitchell) writes:
)In article <9211120631.AA01587@polar.bowdoin.edu> cwilbur@polar.bowdoin.edu (Charlton Wilbur) writes:
)>Aardvark says:
)>
)>>Boy Charlton, you are one crazy, wacky guy! How did you ever come up with
)>>the great idea of turning things upside down? That is so incredifucking 
)>>funny!  Thanks for being you!
)>
)>Had I wanted a flame, I would have purchased a disposable lighter. Get a
)>life. Find something else to do with your time.
)>
)>Charlton
)>
)
)Now this is all well and good, but turning all the furniture upside-down.  Now
)there's a prank worthy of mention :P
)
Kid stuff..

	Now bolting all the furniture to the ceiling with one-way
non-removeable expansion bolts is worthy, though not very original.

)----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------
)``What do you think sirs?''  -Joel (mst3k)    | .sig lite- all .sig no guilt
)----------------------------------------------+------------------------------- 
)   __             _ _ _                       | Ocie Mitchell
)  / ')           ' ) ) )  _/_    /      /) /) | omitchel@jarthur.claremont.edu
) /  / _. o _      / / / o /  _. /_  _  // //  | Q:is that your real name? 
)(__/ (__(_(<_    / ' (_(_(__(__/ /_(<_(/_(/_  | A:yes, it is my real name.
)----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------


-- 
  Where it is a duty to worship the sun, it is pretty sure to be a crime to
    examine the laws of heat.  (Morley)

technews@iitmax.iit.edu                           kadokev@harpo.iit.edu
                         My Employer Disagrees.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: dsblack@iastate.edu (Vilkata TDK)
Subject: Re: The dead roommate myth...
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 22:04:05 GMT

In <1992Nov11.210706.26588@hubcap.clemson.edu> cyclist@hubcap.clemson.edu (Barry Johnson) writes:


>Does anyone out there know of any college or university that supports
>the (some think mythological) rule that if your roommate commits
>suicide, you will automatically be given a 4.00 GPA for the semester?

I've heard several versions of this here at Iowa State.  I'm sure one (maybe
more) of them is true, but I couldn't tell you which:
1.) If your roommate dies, you get an automatic 4.0
2.) If your roommate dies, you get an automatic 3.0
3.) If your roommate dies, you get an automatic whatever-you're-getting-in-the-
    class-so-far.
4.) If a really close friend dies, one of the first three theories applies.

Of course, several of us have talked of killing our roommates so we can sleep
all day and get good grades.

And my roommate said that if some guy on our floor died, he'd claim to be his
lover if it'd get him the grades!  (He's heterosexual, but I think he really
would claim that to get the grades.  Hell, even _I_ might!)
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|    V I L K A T A     T . D . K .         ------dsblack@iastate.edu------    |
|         If you know what my name refers to, email me!  I forgot!            |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: mcmurtrey@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
Subject: Re: Fire Alarms...
Date: 11 Nov 92 09:10:59 -0600
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

 
> Funny part is, the new tower (tj-south) is splitting more than sinking.  The
> ceiling are slabs of concrete running across the building, with about 1/4
> gap between each slab.  One friend of mine who lived on the 8th floor (of
> 11 floor building) had gaps about 1 inch!  He could always tell when the 
> girls upstairs were getting ready to go out because the smell of perfume 
> would drift down through the cracks :->
> 
> A female friend of mine who later lived in that room upstairs had an even 
> better setup.  Connected to two slabs was a device for measuring how far 
> the two slabs were coming apart.
> 

        I'm glad that I never had the money to live in TJ when I was there.

        Also, last summer when I was living in Hammon's House at Southwest
Missouri State U. in Springfield they had to come in and put down more carpet
on the top (8th) floor because a crack had occured in the hall floor running
the length of the building.  It was only 2-3 inches wide......

                                               
        Student just came in so gotta go.......
        
                                                        Diana
From: diverson@phys.ksu.edu (David Iverson)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
Subject: Re: The dead roommate myth...
Date: 12 Nov 92 23:47:08 GMT
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: bose.phys.ksu.edu

In <1992Nov12.085921.60749@cc.usu.edu> slb3y@cc.usu.edu (Punk Rocketeer) writes:

>In article <1992Nov12.001325.14520@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu>,
>matthews@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu (Matt Sullivan) writes:
>> According to the FAQ and "Curses! Broiled Again" it is false. Brunvand
>> says that she has received many notes from college students claiming
>            ^^^
>     Holy Mexican Pet, Batman!  Jan Harold Brunvand is a WOMAN!  So
>that picture of the mustached man that runs with the syndicated urban
>legend column is a photo of a STAND-IN!

You've never seen a woman with a mustache?

-diverson
--
diverson@phys.ksu.edu
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college
From: nwc1@midway.uchicago.edu (N.W. Choe)
Subject: leopold and loeb some more
Followup-To: alt.folklore.college
Organization: Beaver Consulting Co.
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 20:07:21 GMT

In article <1992Nov8.190219.26644@midway.uchicago.edu>,
wag5@quads.uchicago.edu (john peter wagner) wrote:
> 
> 	There were two young and rather intelligent students here a
> while back who in the line of following Nietzsche's ideas kidnapped
> and killed a local lab school student.  I think it was for a class
> or to please their teacher. Anyone with full details?

By the way, there's also a movie around the 1950's called "Compulsion". Not
accurate to the true story, but a good idea nonetheless. By the way, they
weren't playing around with Nietzsche, it was just a joke on their part or
something, which was blown up by the press.

N.W. Choe, nwc1@midway.uchicago.edu
5454 South Shore Drive, Suite 318
Chicago, IL 60615
312.702.4605
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.college,rpi.talk
From: mds@iastate.edu (Mark D. Smucker)
Subject: Re: Stuff on bridges
Organization: Iowa State University of Censorship and Repression
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 18:21:05 GMT

In article <PRATTA.92Nov11102354@marcus.rpi.edu> pratta@rpi.edu (Anthony Edward Prattico) writes:
>I don't like having to pay for your pranks. Many influential people and future
>employers walk over that spot daily, and the smiley does not reflect well on
>the student body. I don't want any interviewer to be prejudiced by anything
>stupid like that. 

Boy, I just wouldn't want to hire people with creativity, ability to
plan, and a sense of humor.  

I always figured that dumb pranks like pennying in people were done by
idiots with too much time on their hands.

But, the pranks that take thought, time, and skill are always done by
those that have time on their hands because they are too smart to need
to study.

Mark D. Smucker  ---  mds@iastate.edu