If you had to pick one city to represent the cultural diversity of our nation, your first pick as well as mine would be New York City. With its five boroughs, NYC is a mecca for people of all cultures, customs, and beliefs.

But a recent poll conducted by the New York Times shows residents of the Big Apple may not be as culturally accepting as we may think. Let’s take a look at some of the results, shall we?

· When asked whether Muslim-Americans were "more sympathetic to terrorists" than other citizens, 33 percent said yes.

This chart does not even begin to touch the complexities of the current state of the Connecticut University System. A looming budget crisis of biblical proportions, increased streamlining at each of the university campuses and an overstaffed and overpaid central office doing, well, who actually knows what, have created an opaque picture for faculty, students, staff and Connecticut tax payers.

Indianapolis Colts: 13-3 – Now, I don’t live in a hole and I know who won the Super Bowl. I’m giving them the top spot because of the defense, and they have the deepest group of wide receivers in the league. Don’t forget Freeney had a badly sprained ankle for the Super Bowl. Look for Austin Collie and Donald Brown to have big seasons.

Hollywood movies are playing on SCSU TV this semester thanks to a new contract with Residence Life Cinema. Angela Todaro, director of Residence Life on campus said Residence Life and Inter-Residence Council partnered to fund the program.

The start of the fall semester marked the beginning of the long-debated parking problems among commuter students on Southern’s campus.

Sophomore Danielle Camputaro said she is frustrated with the lack of parking spaces available to commuter students on campus.

“I think there are too many people and not enough spaces," said Camputaro.

Camputaro, who tried to park in the garage, said, “You have four levels for about 3,000 commuters. Let’s be serious.”

Summer class enrollment at Southern Connecticut State University has noticeably decreased since last summer in 2009.

Marianne Kennedy, Associate Vice President for Assessment, Planning, and Academic Programs at the university, is among those who have noticed the drop.

“During the 2010 summer sessions, there were 4,020 students enrolled in summer classes. This was approximately 4.1 percent fewer than in 2009,” said Kennedy.

With the start of the fall 2010 semester, some students find themselves reconsidering living in certain residence halls due to the new alcohol policy that is now in place.

“I think it’s just not fair, considering the fact that I just turned 21,” said junior Luisa Munoz. “Not everyone should be punished for another person’s mistake. It’s not our fault that everyone can’t hold their liquor and don’t know how to act,” Munoz said.

The Disability Resource Center, DRC, is a center whose main focus is to adhere to and make accommodations for Southern students with disabilities. The center has specialists that help by holding sessions where the students can talk about their needs and relay their troubles.

The center has helped a number of students with special needs and many of those students are able to pass their classes and graduate with the DRC’s help.

Lindsey Pina, a therapeutic recreational studies major, has been with DRC for two years.

This semester, Southern is offering a new language course: Hebrew. Not only is Hebrew being taught to anyone interested in learning this ancient language, it will also count as a World Languages and Literature requirement.

“The Judaic Studies Committee realized that in order to attract enough students to the course, it was necessary to offer it in fulfillment of the World Languages and Literature's requirement,” said Deborah Weiss.

As hundreds of Southern students file in and out of the bookstore each day to buy their fall books, this year for the first time, they have another option: renting.

Larry Gal, bookstore manager, said, “This is the students’ bookstore. We want to bring them back.”

“Students are getting the books for a lower price,” Gal said. “The option has been well received so far this semester.”

Gal said if a brand new book costs $100 and it is $75 used, then it will be $45 if a student rents it.