Well, spring has sprung us right into summer at Carleton.  The weather has changed as drastically as the legislation up for consideration on same-sex marriage in this great state. 

For the later, last fall Minnesota narrowly voted down an amendment to our constitution that would have banned same-sex marriages, and later today, Governor Mark Dayton will sign into law a bill legalizing these marriages.  If you're interested in more information on that political narrative, this Minnesota Public Radio blurb is a great start, and you can explore from there.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/05/13/politics/minn-senate-approves-samesex-marriage

As to the former, this May we will go from snowfall early on, to today's mid-90-degree high.  Anytime we have unusual or interesting weather, one of my favorite things to do is explore the Carleton weather website.  It's locally-gathered data and you can manipulate it in all sorts of interesting ways.  Find the highest highs, the lowest lows, the snowiest snows and anything else you're curious about!  I'll get you started by looking at May's temperatures thus far...
http://weather.carleton.edu/rawplot.php?year=2013&month=05&day=01&hour=08&year2=2013&month2=05&day2=14&hour2=09&check1=temp&end=end&graphtype=line

A quick note with answers to a few current questions and the Carleton Admissions Office expedition to see what the movies have to say about our jobs...

While the counselors are in a reading-induced hibernation, the rest of the world remains active - particularly, residents of Minneapolis and St. Paul, or so says Forbes...

This time of year, campus is pretty quiet.  With most students and faculty away anyway, the staff exodus surrounding the holidays leaves only a handful of people around to keep the place running.  On a day like today - sitting in a cozy nook next to a window where I can watch the big fluffy snowflakes swirl to the ground, with peppermint hot chocolate close at hand - it makes squeezing out those last ounces of productivity before the weekend and before the New Year much more appealing.

 It also opens the door to a bit of reflection - for me, personally, it's been one adventurous year, and a good one at that.  Here's hoping your 2012 was good, and that your 2013 will be even better!

Class of 2017!  If you're curious about the mysterious roommate preference form, don't panic!  It will be available electronically in a few months.  This is but one of many forms that will be listed on your new-student checklist, all of which you'll get information about in upcoming paper and electronic mailings.

So, watch your mailbox and your inbox and stay tuned, and until then, relax and enjoy the end of the world...or, uhm... year.

The one fact everybody outside of Minnesota knows is that it is cold here. The one truth that everybody who lives here knows is that "cold" means different things different years.  What will 2012-2013 bring?

During winter break, Carls do all sorts of things - including visiting their high school to talk to interested students!

We recently learned of Giving Tuesday from one of our Carleton parents.

Our scholarships make Carleton surprisingly affordable.

A Carleton alum is at the helm of a major change in college housing.

Our students put together a list of some of their favorite spots in the Weitz Center for Creativity.