Penn State roommates try to auction dorm window for ad space

(U-WIRE) UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – If a man is able to sell his forehead as advertising space for $37,000, roommates Darren Braun and Shane Goodman thought they could easily sell their dorm room window as well.

“It was a ‘Seinfeld’ moment. We thought, ‘Hey, we can do that!'” Braun said.

Unfortunately for the duo, their scheme did not fly with Pennsylvania State University officials.

Last weekend, Braun and Goodman posted their window space on eBay, hoping to auction off their dorm room window in Pennypacker Hall as advertising space for a month.

“The location is prime,” Braun said. “Our window looks out at the Bryce Jordan Center and Beaver Stadium. (We figured) whatever you want, we’ll put up … as long as it’s tasteful.”

Soon after their post, the roommates received an e-mail message from a man claiming to be the advertising manager of local bar and strip club The End Zone. Braun said the e-mail offered the boys an unspecified but “decent” amount of money for their window space.

Larry Nagle, owner and chief executive of The End Zone, said no such e-mail was sent. He said the message was most likely a hoax, since all advertising contracts must pass through him, and he was unaware of the offer.

Braun said the mystery e-mailer later wrote that he had contacted Penn State to approve the transaction.

“(He said) the university told him that they do not condone such tasteless practices, and that the bar didn’t want to go through with the transaction,” Braun said. “I was pretty disappointed.”

Even if a bid had been made, Assistant Housing Director Lynn DuBois said that, upon signing a housing contract, the students had agreed to a policy that forbids the use of university property for commercial sales activities by individuals.

Syracuse students enjoy modesty despite social constraints

(U-WIRE) SYRACUSE, N.Y. – At a school where temperatures in the single digits are considered warm, most students try their hardest to clothe themselves as much as possible.

Syracuse University freshmen roommates Ross Farina and Marc Massa, however, use any excuse to take it all off.

“It’s just funny,” Farina, a management major, said. “I love to see people’s reactions. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.”

The duo relishes the exposure so much that they have started a group dedicated to men who enjoy covering their genitals with random objects.

The group’s inception began earlier in the year when Farina, wearing only a towel, attempted to pull down a friend’s pants. The plan backfired when Farina’s towel was snatched instead. Not one to lose face in front of others, he strode into another hall member’s room and sat in a chair with only a soapbox covering himself.

While this bohemian attitude towards stripping down might be liberating for some students, others feel excluded from the act and believe that because of pre-existing social norms, it is a more acceptable activity for males than for females.

“I think it’s more common for guys,” Massa, a management major, said. “If a girl did it, people would probably think she’s a slut.”

The students said they are also open to streaking. But despite this hair-trigger approach to hanging loose, students should be aware that would-be streakers caught by the Department of Public Safety will face appropriate consequences – such behavior is a breach of the Students Code of Conduct.

Brian Vogel, a fellow freshman management major, joined the group after being convinced to sit down with only a tissue box to censor his genitals.

“I was taught that there is nothing wrong with being naked,” Vogel said. “As long as you aren’t in front of little kids or anything.”

-compiled by Ryan Holeywell