Issue 10

Page 1

THE AMHERST

THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF AMHERST COLLEGE SINCE 1868

STUDENT VOLUME CXLV, ISSUE 10 l WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015

Football Takes Third Consecutive NESCAC Title See Sports, Page 12 AMHERSTSTUDENT.AMHERST.EDU

Students Hold Sit-in

Sophia Salazar ’18, Staff Photographer

Students, faculty and staff participated in a sit-in at Frost Library on Thursday, Nov. 12. While the event was originally intended to demonstrate solidarity with protesters at the University of Missouri and Yale, it became a forum for discussing experiences with discrimination at Amherst.

Student Movement Protests Racial Discrimination Dan Ahn ’17 Managing News Editor Following a four-day sit-in at Frost Library that concluded on Sunday, students have formed committees to discuss ways to address racial discrimination at the college. The sit-in was originally intended as an hour-long event on Thursday to show solidarity with student protesters at the University of Missouri and Yale. But it ended up becoming a larger protest against racism and discrimination on campus, and students filled Frost Library to speak about their personal experiences with racism. “I didn’t know how deeply that pain cut through,” said Valerie Salcido ’17, who participated in the sit-in. “I knew that as an abstract, racism exists, but to see it on such a personal level, people who were breaking down because they were finally able to explain everything — that was eye-opening.” President Biddy Martin canceled her trip to Japan and returned to campus that evening to speak with students at Frost. Some of the students leading the protest formed a movement called Amherst Uprising, and the group’s first action was to present a list of 11 demands to

Martin. Later in the weekend, the group created a website for Amherst Uprising, and they posted the demands on the website. One of the demands called for Martin to denounce the Jeff by Friday evening. Martin did not make a statement denouncing the Jeff, but did say that the board of trustees would be meeting to discuss the mascot in January. Later on Friday, students responded by putting up posters around campus condemning the use of Lord Jeff as the college’s unofficial mascot. At the football game at Williams on Saturday, many students held posters with slogans denouncing the Jeff and proclaiming support for the football team. That night, students at the sit-in organized themselves into committees. Nine committees focused on topics that had been brought up throughout the previous few days, which were cultural competency, academic policy, prospective students, faculty and staff hiring, student resources, the mascot, funding, alumni relations and mental health. Amherst Uprising also formed an oversight committee designed to collect information on the work of each committee and present it to the whole organization. There are also four groups called “functions” which serve admin-

istrative roles: campus relations, events, social media and external relations, which deals with media outlets that are unaffiliated with the college. The mental health committee is currently working on suggesting changes to the counseling center. The group has discussed ways to hire more counseling center staff and invite students to serve on an advisory board. The center is holding informational meetings on Wednesday and Thursday to recruit interested students. “The mental health committee’s work is so necessary because the counseling center is such a crucial way the students depend on the school,” said Sam Wohlforth ’17, a member of the committee. “There is a mental health crisis at this school, particularly among students from marginalized groups, that the counseling center is woefully unable to cope with in its current form.” Amherst Uprising is also discussing the under-representation of minorities in the college’s faculty and staff. They aim to work on long-term changes to the hiring process. “Diverse faculty members serve as important role models for students of color, as it enables students to find an older ally who

shares a similar racial experience,” said Isabella Berkeley ’19, a member of the group. “It is important to realize, however, that hiring more diverse faculty members helps not only students of color, but the entire student body. Diverse faculty also bring a wealth of ideas and experiences which, as a liberal arts college, we should always strive for.” Martin gave a statement in Frost at noon Sunday expressing her support for students who protested against racism and other forms of discrimination. She also addressed the demands that had been given to her by Amherst Uprising organizers. “While expressing support for their goals, I explained that the formulation of those demands assumed more authority and control than a president has or should have,” Martin said. Martin presented an itemized list of goals, which included “build a more diverse staff and faculty, with more aggressive recruitment and effective hiring and retention strategies,” and “acknowledge and support the work done by those staff and faculty who are primary sources of support for low-income students and stu-

Continued on Page 3


News

Deborah Holoien Fresh Faculty

Nov. 9, 2015 - Nov. 16, 2015

>>Nov. 09, 2015 5:32 p.m., Keefe Health Center An officer investigated an intrusion alarm and found it was accidentally set off by an employee.

5:24 p.m., Garman House Officers and the Fire Department responded to an alarm and found that cooking smoke from the kitchen activated it.

>>Nov. 10, 2015 1:23 p.m., Valentine Loading Dock An officer investigated a motor vehicle accident.

5:44 p.m., Off-Campus Locations A student reported a “road rage” incident off campus. An officer followed up on her report.

3:42 p.m., Alumni Gym A student reported the theft of a Raymond Weil gold watch and a silver David Yuman bracelet from an unattended a bag at the Fitness Center. The value of the items is $4,000.

>>Nov. 15, 2015 12:11 a.m., Social Quad Officers encountered an intoxicated male near Crossett. After evaluating him, he was allowed to leave with sober friends.

10:06 p.m., King Dormitory While in the building an officer discovered an unattended bottle of hard alcohol. It was disposed of. 11:40 p.m., Stearns Dormitory An officer investigated a smoke detector sounding in a fourth-floor room and discovered a resident was using a candle which is prohibited under the housing regulations. The resident was fined $100. >>Nov. 11, 2015 12:30 p.m., College St. An officer assisted the town police at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on College St. 9:29 p.m., Book and Plow Farm A man, who has no association with the college, was found asleep in his car. He was issued a written no-trespass order.

1:37 a.m., Seelye House An officer checking Seelye House found evidence that an excessive amount of alcohol, including hard alcohol, had been available in violation of the option one party policy. The matter was referred to Student Affairs. 1:44 a.m., Service Building Lots A man, 24, of Springfield, was arrested near the Powerhouse on a warrant. 2:07 a.m., Johnson Chapel Officers investigated an intrusion alarm for the tower but nothing unusual was found.
 3:04 a.m., Amherst College Police A written no-trespass order was issued to a man involved in an incident near the Powerhouse. 3:26 a.m., Campus Grounds Officers responded to a report that a male jumped the fence at the Greenway construction site. The man could not be located.

10:41 p.m., Amherst Police Department A female Amherst College of- 8:42 a.m., College St ficer assisted the town police Officers assisted the town with the arrest of a woman. police at the scene of a motor vehicle accident at the >>Nov. 12, 2015 intersection of East Drive and 3:11 a.m., Tyler House College Street. An officer investigated a smoke detector sounding 1:47 p.m., Merrill Science in the basement and found A report was received that it activated when food was some posters were found burned in the kitchen. damaged on the first floor. >>Nov. 13, 2015 8:48 p.m., Marsh House An officer and the Fire Department responded to a fire alarm and found it was activated by a basement detector for an unknown reason. 12:53 a.m., Marsh House An officer and the Fire Department responded to a fire alarm and found it was activated by a basement detector for an unknown reason. >>Nov. 14, 2015

3:28 p.m., Morris Pratt Dorm An officer disposed of unattended alcohol found in the first-floor common room. 3:29 p.m., Campus Grounds An officer investigated a loud bang coming from the Social Dorm area and discovered it was a firework. >>Nov. 16, 2015 1:21 p.m., Barrett Hill Drive An officer encountered a student with a toy handgun. It was confiscated.

Department of Psychology

Professor Deborah Holoien completed her undergraduate studies at Northwestern University in psychology and Japanese Language and Culture and received her doctorate in psychology from Princeton University. Q: Could you talk to us about your research interests? A: I’ve primarily looked at interactions between whites and racial minorities: AsianAmericans, Black Americans and some Latino Americans as well. In terms of research interests that I am looking at now, most of my work is focused on inter-group understanding: How do whites and racial minorities come to understand one another? That has led to a lot of different directions. One line of research has to do with inter-group support: How can different groups support one another, despite not having some of the same sorts of racial experiences? For example, white Americans typically don’t experience racial discrimination in the way that racial minorities do, so how might white Americans provide support even though they don’t necessarily have that first-hand understanding? Also, I’m looking at inter-group communication, the ways in which emotions and thoughts play a role in affecting how well members of both groups understand one another in conversations. Those are some of the most recent projects I’ve been looking at in a nutshell. Q: How did you get interested in your field? A: Great question. As an undergrad I set out without knowing what my major was going to be. I took a few general distribution courses. Like most new students, that was how I fell into my major. My freshman year, I took intro to psychology, and I really liked the material. It seemed interesting to me that you could empirically study human behavior with research. That’s how I decided my major. In terms of social psychology specifically, and even more specifically, my field of racial interactions, I have always been interested in observing human behavior. A little bit about my background, I was born in Chicago, but I actually lived in Korea, South Korea, for a few years while I was younger. When coming back to the U.S. and getting acclimated, I was a racial minority, first generation, living in a predominantly white environment. So I felt like I was always observing human behavior to figure out how to fit in, what are some of the norms and things like that, and that’s what social psychology is about. So the idea that you could be doing what I had been doing, but empirically with research, was really interesting to me. Q: Let’s talk a little more about your answer to the first question, specifically, inter-group support. How has your research revealed how groups can support each other? Are there any specific examples? A: I’m trying to figure out how much I can give away, because this is research that is currently going on campus. To give you a little bit of a preview — I’m specifically looking at two kinds of support: empathy and sympathy. Empathy is relating to the person’s problem by talking about similar instances or experiences that people have. So when people say things like, “I totally know how you feel, I’ve gone through the same thing” — that would be an example of empathy. Whereas sympathy is more — not really relating to yourself personally, but you showing concern, like such things as, “Wow that’s really terrible, I feel really sorry that you had to experience things like that.” So we’re finding that racial minorities show differences in how much sympathy and empathy they want from white friends versus other

racial minority friends. Q: Have you ever noticed these kinds of behavior going on in your classmates or in your class at Amherst College, considering the diverse makeup of Amherst College? A: I think these are issues that Amherst College students can definitely relate to. A lot of this research came about from experiences that I had. One pretty good instance is from when I was an undergraduate myself. I wasn’t an undergraduate here, I was at Northwestern. I came from a very middle-class background and going to a place like Northwestern was very expensive, so I was talking to my friend about how I felt bad that I was putting these financial pressures on my parents. And I was also taking student loans as well. And my friend, who had the best of intentions, said “I totally know how you feel” — so she was empathizing with me — but then she said, my parents had to sell one of our houses for me to come here. So, it struck me as an instance where this person was trying to be really supportive, but because of this group difference it didn’t exactly as supportive as she wanted to be. So I definitely see my research happening in my own life, and I think students can relate to that as well. Q: What has your experience been like at Amherst so far? What are some good things? A: I think what everyone says is good at Amherst is true. It’s a really nice intellectual environment. The students here are very motivated and very creative. They keep you on your toes. I think it can be a really nurturing environment. Students get a lot of support here, part of it is because Amherst is such a close-knit community. The other faculty members are great within the department and across departments as well. Seems like people are really interested in what other people are doing regardless of whether or not it is directly related to their research. So I think it’s just a really great intellectual climate for students and faculty. Q: In light of the sit-in, and recent events, do you have any advice to these students who feel disconnected from others because of their racial background? Do you have any advice who are on the other side of the plane? A: So this is definitely a hard issue for sure, and if there was an easy solution, Amherst College would have tried to implement it already. It’s interesting that you sort of divided the issue into two different audiences, people who are experiencing these problems versus people who are outside that group. I think the issue is to give support to racial minorities, because they have specific needs and concerns that people will not understand, or will be hard to understand if you weren’t going through these experiences first-hand. A larger issue is not making it just an issue about racial minorities, because Amherst College should ideally be a close-knit community, and if one part of the community is really hurting, it seems not right to sort of isolate that issue, so how do we get the larger community involved? How do we get intergroup understanding? I think that is something that remains an open question. I don’t have any solutions, but that’s something I hope to contribute here moving forward.

— Phillip Yan ’18


The Amherst Student • November 18, 2015

News

3

Students Vote On College Mascot Jingwen Zhang ’18 Managing News Editor

Students voted in a college-wide poll on Tuesday, Nov. 17 on whether to support removing the Lord Jeff as Amherst’s unofficial mascot. The Association of Amherst Students conducted the poll and will release its results on Thursday. The poll comes in the wake of an informal straw poll conducted at a special meeting of the faculty on Nov. 16, in which all faculty members present voted in support of removing the Lord Jeff. The AAS emphasized in the poll that a vote for the removal of the Lord Jeff was not an endorsement for any specific alternative mascot. In October, the AAS published a letter in The Amherst Student advocating against the current mascot, stating their intent to hold a poll on the removal of the mascot later in the semester. “If the community agrees that we do not have an unofficial mascot, then we no longer have an unofficial mascot,” said senator Sam Keaser ’17E. “The hope is that people will respect the democratic process and the will of the community, and we’ll see sort of a general phasing out of the Lord Jeff in speech and posters and things like that. It can’t and won’t be enforced, but that’s the hope.” According to Keaser, the AAS decided to release the poll now because they hoped that recent discussion of the mascot would lead to a higher response rate. The AAS hope to receive more than 1,200 responses in order to obtain a representative sample of the student body, Keaser said. The poll follows a four-day sit-in in Frost Library in which many protesters advocated for a change in the mascot. At the sit-in members of Amherst Uprising presented President Biddy Martin with a list of demands, including a call for Martin to condemn the Lord Jeff ’s use as unofficial mascot. “President Martin must release a statement by Friday, November 13th, 2015 by 5:00pm that condemns the inherent racist nature of the unofficial mascot, the Lord Jeff, and circulate it to the student body, faculty, alumni, and

Photo courtesy of Kaelan McCone ’19

Students turned out to support the Amherst football team at its game against Williams on Saturday, Nov. 14. Several students held signs condemning the use of the Lord Jeff as mascot. Board of Trustees,” reads the demand, which can be found on the Amherst Uprising website. “This will be followed up by the encouraged removal of all imagery including but not limited to apparel, memorabilia, facilities, etc. for Amherst College and all of its affiliates via a phasing out process within the next year.” Martin did not such a statement Friday, and student protesters responded by hanging posters against the Lord Jeff throughout the campus. The posters contained the words “This is Jeff. We Aren’t Jeff,” and had a picture depicting European settlers handing blankets to Native Americans. In 1763, Lord Jeffery Amherst advocated killing Native Americans by giving them blankets contaminated with smallpox. According to a statement released by Martin on Sunday, some of the posters have been shredded and taken down. Martin’s statement did not include any reference to the mascot, but it did include an encouragement to “consider what message our

symbols send.” Martin had said earlier that the board of trustees will be discussing the mascot issue in January. During the football game against Williams on Saturday, some students who traveled to Williams to support the Amherst team held signs with messages such as “We support Amherst football” and “We are not Jeffs.” “We lined up in front of the football stands and cheered on our football team while denouncing our unofficial mascot,” Andrew Kim ’18 said. “I think that’s important that we were in support of our athletes, but not Lord Jeffery Amherst.” On Monday evening, the AAS held a forum as a follow-up to the protests over the weekend. The mascot was one subject of discussion. Dean of the Faculty Catherine Epstein announced the results of the faculty straw poll at that meeting. Athletic Director Don Faulstick said the Athletics Department has been phasing the Lord Jeff out of athletic uniforms since

this past summer. In the 2015 alumni survey, roughly onethird of alumni who responded indicated that they supported keeping the Lord Jeff, onethird supported changing the mascot, and one-third were indifferent, according to the Amherst College website. In a survey given to students earlier in October, which asked a variety of questions about Amherst, one question asked students whether they were in favor of keeping the Lord Jeff as unofficial mascot. Twenty-five percent of students favored keeping the current mascot, 22 percent were indifferent, and 52 percent wanted to change the mascot, with one percent that did not answer the question. Overall, 45 percent of Amherst students responded to the survey. Keaser said that if most students vote in favor of removing the Lord Jeff in this new poll, the AAS will begin formal discussions about a potential new mascot next semester.

Andreas Georgiou ’83 Discusses Statistical Reform Zoe Wong ’18 Staff Writer Former head of the Greek Statistics Office Andreas Georgiou ’83 discussed his experience as the Greek government’s chief statistician and the current criminal charges against him during his speech at Converse Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 11. After a 21-year tenure at the International Monetary Fund starting in 1989, Georgiou accepted a position as the head of the National Statistical Service of Greece in 2010. Georgiou created a new office called the Hellenic Statistics Authority, or ELSTAT. This action removed the statistical office from the Ministry of Finance and reformed the office to follow the EU’s Statistics Code of Practice. “The first thing that I did was eliminate pre-release access to users and policymakers,” Georgiou said. “We had to establish a strong

sense of the statistical perimeter.” A short time after starting his position with the Greek statistical office, Georgiou published an updated report of the 2009 Greek budget deficit, which found the deficit to be three points higher than what the original report had claimed due to manipulated statistics. Georgiou spoke about situations before his arrival at the statistics office in which statistics had been manipulated, including errors in the budget deficit and recording the government’s revenue. “There was no sense of the statistical perimeter,” Georgiou said. According to Georgiou, the report ignited outrage from Greek politicians and catalyzed criminal charges of falsifying data,as well as slander of those responsible for the original report and others. Georgiou is no longer the head of ELSTAT and awaits trial in late November and early December. Georgiou’s role

in bringing to light these faulty statistics has been supported by organizations including the IMF and Eurostat. “I think that Andreas has shown immense personal courage in standing by his principles in the face of what can only be called political persecution,” said Geoffrey Woglom, a professor of economics. Woglom taught Georgiou during his time at Amherst and invited him to speak on campus. Georgiou also described the European Union’s Statistics Code of Practice, which ensures the integrity and reliability of the statistics produced by each nation. Georgiou said he used these as a basis to advocate for a governmental separation between policymakers and statisticians, which would result in “accurate, objective, impartial, as well as high quality statistics to use as the basis for policymakers to debate policies and make decisions. [Under this system,] the statistics are guaran-

teed to be as objective and as accurate as possible.” According to Georgiou, the Greek government had not adhered to these principles before he became chief statistician. He said was allowed to occur in part because the National Statistical Service had been controlled by the Minister of Finance, which exerted political influences on statistical procedures. “The heads of the statistics office would change with the changes of the party government,” Georgiou said. “There were no exceptions — a new government would come, and the [former head] would be out.” Georgiou said these changes were unpopular with the policymakers who had previously been able to manipulate the statistical office’s findings to fit their political agendas. He said that although he faced opposition, he tried to fight to create an office committed to statistical integrity.

Students Organize Four-Day Sit-In at Library Continued from Page 1 dents of color.” One of the Amherst Uprising demands called on Martin to apologize for what the group described as an “institutional legacy” of racism and other forms of injustice. “Apologies of the sort that were demanded would be misleading, if not downright dishonest, suggesting, as they implicitly would,

that I or the college could make guarantees about things that are much larger than a single institution or group of people,” Martin said. Following Martin’s statement, Amherst Uprising officially ended the sit-in. “What we needed more than a complete point-by-point of the demands was an understanding, an agreement, a signing-on that said ‘We’re willing to work with you on these things,’” Mercedes MacAlpine ’16 said. Ma-

cAlpine is also a member of the group’s oversight committee. “And that was completely conveyed in that letter, so that signaled the end of the sit-in.” According to MacAlpine, Amherst Uprising plans to release a statement this week clarifying the structure and mission of each committee. The students plan to continue working on these clarifications, as well as determining the long-term goals of the organization,

through the week of Thanksgiving break. “This is really focusing on digging in our heels, negotiating and working through this process with the community,” MacAlpine said. “This is all about collaboration and the long haul.” As of Tuesday evening, 22 academic departments had released statements of support or solidarity with the students involved in the sit-in.


Opinion

THE AMHERST

STUDENT

Creating a More Inclusive Community Editorial The sit-in at Frost Library last Thursday was supposed to last an hour. Most of us expected to leave the library at 2 p.m., believing we would make it to our afternoon classes and evening commitments. Instead, many people stayed in the library for nearly four days straight. Students, faculty, staff and administrators stayed for hours to listen to students speak about their experiences of racism and other forms of discrimination at the college. Students of color shared painful experiences of being marginalized and of feeling invisible yet hyper-exposed. In the midst of all these stories of the sadness, anger and exhaustion that many members of our community experience every day, students spontaneously formed a movement to create a more just and inclusive community. The Amherst Student Editorial Board wholeheartedly supports and respects the bravery and honesty of the students who shared their stories. We strongly support all members of this community who strive to eliminate racial injustice. We share in the movement’s aspiration to create a truly inclusive community and an institution responsive to the needs of all students. Although Amherst is often celebrated for admitting a diverse group of students, this diversity in admissions has not been matched

with support on an institutional level. We must do better. The sit-in officially ended after President Biddy Martin’s statement, but the work to change this institution for the better has only just begun. Our commitment to justice does not stop after we leave Frost. The sit-in continued and grew due to our willingness to listen to and support members of the community who shared their experiences. We must continue listening. In the coming weeks, months and years, we will have to keep grappling with the question of how Amherst can best support students of color and their allies and work toward substantive change. As members of this community, we all have the responsibility to participate in these discussions and to help formulate short- and long-term goals for the college. We do not have to wait around for another campus-wide discussion with hundreds of students. These conversations can start right now, with a friend over a Val meal, a professor during office hours or members of a club during a weekly meeting. Whatever form these conversations take, we must continue the urgent and important work of creating a more just, equal and inclusive Amherst.

Calling for Justice Mohammed Ramy ’18 Staff Writer After biology lab on Thursday, I walked into Frost not expecting much as the memory of Day of Dialogue was still fresh. Filled with people mostly dressed in black, Frost had been claimed as a political space: Amherst students had transformed the physical space of Frost into a home, a political arena and a model of a new Amherst, ushering in a new set of Amherst values and an unprecedented political awakening amongst many. When I asked people what they thought about the sit-in, some people responded by saying, “It’s doing something” or “I feel vulnerable and uncomfortable.” For the weekend, campus culture became different — Frost became a space for the voiceless and the marginalized. Despite not having heard the beginning stories of many, I asked how it all started. I sincerely do not believe that sitting in Frost for an hour would have affected the campus as much without someone asking himself or herself, “What is the point of a sit-in if nothing happens afterward?” Thankfully, someone did. For a few hours afterward, students shared incredibly personal and powerful narratives — and many genuinely affected. Without a doubt, the open-mic gave credit to experiences usually bottled. It cannot be denied that the movement was organic — it was started by the students for the students. Tired and angered, marginalized students were ready to say something finally. In the oddest way, the movement organized itself because people were accepting of one another. While some

wanted to lead, others wanted to listen and be active bystanders to the noted systematic racism of the institution. Frost had transformed students into self-reliant and self-governing people acting in concert without violence. Indeed, there was collective spontaneity. Although it was surprising for many, it was all too familiar to me. In Jan. 2011 and June 2013, I protested against the ineffective and autocratic government alongside my brothers and sisters, Egyptians. I had been infuriated by the injustices occurring in my beloved home country and was not willing to tolerate seeing it crumble from its previous glory. In other words, my country had been stolen and had to be reclaimed. Honestly, I loved Frost Library because it reminded me of Tahrir Square — it made everyone in the space feel important, as everyone was part of something grand. The power of the group emerged from the union of hundreds of egos in a collective cry against injustice. After a while, a student invited all student organizations and willing students to join what would become the “room upstairs” to construct a list of demands for President Martin. It was a golden opportunity for genuine social change that may not arrive again soon, and I felt responsible for representing the Middle East upstairs and was proud when I saw other Middle Easterners there. Near the end of the meeting, I heard a student ask, “What should we call the movement?” which was immediately followed by the unwavering voice of another student, “Amherst Uprising.” Immediately

afterward, I thought of the Egyptian cheers, the tear gas cloud and the sound of hosing down people, but most importantly, I recalled the emotions of fear, despair, happiness and hope. Honestly, the movement triggered something — it triggered my political identity. As I teared a little reminiscing the deluge of newspapers about the “Arab Uprisings,” I finally fully accepted Amherst as a second home. Throughout the movement, people took care of each other. Even Marsh House’s Coffee Haus gathered the people at Frost on Friday. It was indeed all too familiar, and in my excitement, I decided to share something dear to me, a poem. On Saturday, the “room upstairs” was abolished and various committees were formed to include all students’ opinions and ideas. As people came in and out of Frost, a stark psychological boundary between those outside and inside the political space transpired, binding protesters together in a simplified yet uniting identity as people of the movement: Frost had created an ephemeral collective identity. Everyone tried to contribute something to the microcosm: People collected rubbish, created discussion circles and shared food. Frost reordered the people’s emotional landscape, resulting in an inextricable sense of “us.” Throughout the weekend, some did not feel that the occupation concerned them. When people verbalized so, they were chastised by many friends — the word “disappointed” would even be used. Many argued that #RadicalCompassion did not make sense and had an undertone of violence, that the “room upstairs” was not

inclusive and that the demands were forceful and presented to President Martin disrespectfully. Indeed, not everyone agreed with the demands and there will always be problems with any movement. As so, I beseech you: Do not let your disagreements divide the campus. With no one promising a concrete democratic and evenhanded interim plan yet, the movement may be stolen, and the Frost vision of a new Amherst may drift into the abyss. I beg you, be vocal about your concerns and argue respectfully with one another. If you are concerned about our future, be sure to attend the Amherst Uprising meetings and be present in the movement. Your voice of dissent is vital, as it grounds many. Notably, you should have cogent reasons for your disagreements. As a son of the Egyptian revolution, I want to note a few things. Now is not the time to blame one another; it is not the time to allow anyone but the students to lead the movement; my friends, it is a time to be assertive but productive, respectful but vocal. People need to gather and select a governing board and committees of students most passionate about particular student issues, with egos to be put aside. Lastly, fellow students, do not let someone hijack the dream of the movement as someone hijacked the Egyptian revolution. Do not stand down and let the momentum fade. In other words, do not settle. It is now the time to be finally one — voice your dissent, voice your support, but most importantly, remember that actions speak louder than words. It is the time to stand together, united in one call: a call for justice.

E X E C U T I V E B OA R D Editor-in-Chief Sophie Murguia Assistant Editor-in-Chief Elaine Jeon Managing News Dan Ahn, Jingwen Zhang Managing Opinion Johnathan Appel, Sunna Juhn Managing Arts and Living Paola Garcia-Prieto, Alida Mitau, Julia Pretsfelder Managing Sports Lauren Tuiskula, Jason Darell, Drew Kiley Managing Design Gabby Bishop S TA F F

Publishers Emily Ratte, Tia Robinson Design Editors Katherine Chen, Megan Do, Adele Loomis, Zavi Sheldon, Yrenly Yuan Assistant News Editors Ryan Cenek, Carlos Rivero Assistant Sports Editors Jeremy Kesselhaut, Jason Stein Photography Editor Kyra Gardner

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The Amherst Student • November 18, 2015

Opinion

5

A Challenge for Everyone Queeriosity

David Huante ’16 Contributing Writer Queeriosity is a column dedicated to discussing LGBTQ student life at Amherst College. If you are interested in contributing to the Queeriosity column, contact the Amherst College Queer Resource Center at qrc@amherst.edu. I was initially going to write about what being a trans ally has meant for me over my four years at Amherst. I intended on pushing readers to consider their place as we pass the halfway mark of Trans Awareness Month, especially those who do not identify with or fully understand the lived struggles of transgender or gender non-conforming individuals (that’s some cis-gender privilege). I wanted to encourage everyone to participate in the several available events that honor and celebrate trans lives in our world and on our campus. However, after the events of this past weekend, I realized my intentions would not be enough. I realized that an open invitation is not one that people feel the need to accept. I realized that the people “outside the library,” who either missed the sit-in or were personally against it, needed a little more than a push. This is for you. First, I think it is necessary to acknowledge the simple fact that not everybody who missed the sit-in this past weekend embodies every type of privilege and thus rejected the ideas and intentions behind the movement. At the same time, not everyone in attendance is a helpless sufferer of our community. However, it is undeniable that something incredible happened over the span of 72 hours, and only those who shared the space are capable of truly understanding that experience. It was not until these three days that some truly intimate and enlightening conversations finally happened for hundreds of students. The library had become the thriving, collaborative, welcoming community

that Amherst has consistently prided itself in fostering. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and President Martin came together in order to address a prominent problem on campus. As an active participant, not a leading organizer, of the weekend, I would like to share a few impactful things that I witnessed unfold at Frost Library. The first is one that many people are aware of at this point, but also one that has been the most misconstrued. On Thursday, Nov. 12, members of our community shared difficult stories of how their race, gender, sexual identity, class, ability, nationality and other social identities have made their experience at Amherst far worse than what they expected. Our peers shared stories of oppression, both overt and subtle, that caused them to feel inadequate in an environment that does not allow every student the time, space or support to respond to such incidences. This was NOT simply people crying about having their feelings hurt, but rather people identifying repetitive and intolerable flaws in our campus — flaws that have driven far too many people to perform poorly or even leave Amherst. The room lit up as people heard experiences that both echoed and differed from their own. Soon enough, what began as a one-hour sit-in for solidarity across college campuses nationwide quickly became an evening of solidarity among our peers and greater community. The second highlight of the sit-in was that the library evolved from a place of personal and individual study to a safe space and a temporary home

for many. Of course, the sustainment of the space required group effort and support. It was quickly understood that if we were going to spend a few days in the library, we needed to take care of it. All attendees worked to keep the space as clean as possible, even with boxes of pizza flying everywhere and hundreds of students filling the space. Throughout the weekend, the resource centers, Valentine Dining Hall, Frost Cafe, Grab-n-Go and supportive alumni provided food. Additionally, many spaces and events mobilized in order to be accessible in the library. Professors relocated their classes, Marsh Coffee Haus relocated their event and the Queer Resource Center literally relocated their center — providing resources and support services. Overall, our community created a space in which people felt supported and able to be the best versions of themselves. This was incredible. The third and perhaps most impactful part of the weekend was the amount of dialogue that happened in one collective space. For the first time, students, staff and faculty were connecting and engaging in dialogue across difference. This experience served as a catalyst for authentic community engagement. For three days, conversations that are typically restricted to weekly one-hour meetings within the First Generation Association, Black Student Union, La Causa, Pride Alliance, the three resource centers and other affinity groups were all happening in one large space. Perhaps the more important point here is that these conversations were happening with members from ALL areas of our community, and they were focused toward changing the place in which students spend four years and employees of the college may spend most of their life working. These were the three things that stood out to me most through my experience as a participant in the sit-in and Amherst Uprising movement over the weekend. However, I would still like to return to the topic of Trans Awareness Month and how this is just one part of the bigger Amherst picture. On Friday, the mobilized Queer Resource Center

held their weekly Queer Talk event and there were faces in the circle that I have never seen at Queer Talk before, let alone in the Queer Resrouce Center. The general topic of the discussion surrounded transgender visibility and how we can support trans individuals and trans people of color. While most people in the space did not identify as transgender, they were receptive and engaged in the conversation. Most people expressed concerns that they did not completely understand what it meant to be an ally, particularly to trans individuals. Some people also expressed the concern that the Queer Resource Center and other spaces can come across as exclusive for those who identify within their respective communities. The idea that the straight people cannot approach the Queer Resource Center, men cannot approach the Women’s and Gender Center, white people cannot approach the Multicultural Resource Center, and similar feelings for different affinity groups is the mindset that has caused some of the problems which led to this weekend’s series of events. This needs to stop. After the sit-in ended following President Biddy Martin’s address to Amherst Uprising, a group of students gathered to discuss what should be expected next. Someone shared the point that the students in Frost are of a similar mindset and have a similar goal in mind, but it is the people not present who may not understand why this is so important. In light of this, I would like to push all of the individuals who avoided the library this weekend. Whether you had too much work to do, felt completely against the cause (even if you may not fully understand it) or just did not know how to be an active ally — I challenge you to show up. Talk to someone about what is happening at Amherst and on other college campuses. Go to an event on campus that might make you feel uncomfortable. Lean into discomfort, stop by the resource centers even if you don’t think they are “for you”, learn about race, gender, class, sexuality and other identities even if you don’t think they impact you. Because they do. This is not an open invitation — this is a necessity!

Letters to the Editor: In Solidarity

Similar letters of support from the Departments of American Studies; Anthropology and Sociology; and Psychology and Neuroscience can be found on The Amherst Student website. Letters from the Departments of Art and the History of Art; Asian Languages and Civilizations; Computer Science; Economics; English; Environmental Studies; Geology; History; Mathematics and Statistics; Philosophy; Physics and Astronomy; Political Science; Religion; Spanish; Sexuality, Women’s and Gender Studies; and Assistant Professor Hood in Biology and Assistant Professors in STEM have appeared on other websites. Black Studies Department

Chemistry Department

Dear students, We in the Department of Black Studies were moved by Thursday’s walkout and sit-in at Frost Library. Initially an expression of solidarity with students at Missouri, Yale, and elsewhere, it quickly turned into an intense, fiery event, full of compelling stories of struggle, friendship, insistence on belonging, and an overwhelming demand that the institution change. Spoken directly to the Dean of Faculty, those words bore truths that are as old as the presence of students of color on campus and as new as the demands of student life today. First, we want to recognize, applaud, and express the deepest respect for the courage it took to say all of that. To stand still with a strong voice and speak truthful things — that is no easy thing. We are humbled by your will to say your piece. Your demands to be heard and seen are righteous. Do not forget that. Second, we heard those demands as a department and we are reminded of how central they are to our mission. Your words remind us of our purpose here as teachers, fellow campus citizens, as a department, and comrades in the struggle for racial justice here at the college and in the wider world from which we all come. Racial justice on this campus, and this is true of the same in our wider world, requires full-court press. That is, our demands and conscience must press on everything and everyone who touches lives — faculty, staff, administrators, fellow students. That is exhausting work. We hope you all draw strength from those numbers in Frost. And as your work moves through its next phases, please know that we in Black Studies have your back.

The faculty and staff in the Chemistry Department have been inspired by the courageous and moving testimony of our students during the events of Amherst Uprising. We are passionately committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment for every one of our students. We also understand that we have failed in this commitment in the past, and we promise to listen and respond to the concerns of every one of our students. We recommit ourselves to supporting the success of every one of our students, here at Amherst and beyond. We decry prejudice in any form, and we recommit ourselves to the ideals and full implementation of the Amherst College Statement on Respect for Persons, which reads: Respect for the rights, dignity and integrity of others is essential for the well-being of a community. Actions by any person which do not reflect such respect for others are damaging to each member of the community and hence damaging to Amherst College. Each member of the community should be free from interference, intimidation or disparagement in the work place, the classroom and the social, recreational and residential environment.

In solidarity,

Music Department

John Drabinski, Chair Rowland Abiodun Rhonda Cobham-Sander Jeff Ferguson Mitzi Goheen Alec Hickmott

Mary Hicks Karla Keyes Solsi del Moral Hilary Moss Khary Polk

In particular — and of particular relevance at the moment — we pledge that we will not tolerate disparagement or intimidation of any student or of any member of the staff or faculty in our classrooms, laboratories, offices, and common spaces.

Richmond J. Ampiah-Bonney Anthony C. Bishop Joseph M. Boucher Sandra L. Burkett Dylan R. Donovan Kristi Evenson-Ohr David E. Hansen Sheila S. Jaswal Joseph N. Kushick Helen O. Leung Mark D. Marshall Shelly A. Martin Patricia B. O’Hara Lauren M. Reutenauer Kenneth S. Rotondi Catherine A. Stillerman Elizabeth R. Young

As members of the Music Department faculty and staff, we are inspired by the voices raised by students promoting wider understanding of the difficulties students of color and other marginalized groups face on this campus. By sharing your passion and pain so openly, you have renewed an important conversation that we hope will lead toward healing, meaningful and positive change and the prevention of the wounds of bias at Amherst College and beyond. You have our support. Faculty and Staff of the Music Department


Arts&Living

Photo courtesy of Lehua Matsumoto ’18

Photo courtesy of Lehua Matsumoto ’18

Photo courtesy of Julia Pretsfelder ’18

This creative depiction of the Amherst Uprising hashtag was displayed on one of the many white boards in Frost showing artistic support for the movement.

Coffee Haus at Frost Cafe Gives Amherst Uprising an Artistic Voice Alida Mitau ’18 Managing A&L Editor Illen Asmerom ’18 and Bryan Doniger ’18, the emcees for the Marsh Arts House bi-weekly, “Coffee Haus,” decided to relocate the open mic event to Frost Café on Friday, Nov. 13 in support of the student sit-in taking place in the library. Students had been occupying Frost since Thursday afternoon in solidarity with students of color on college campuses nationwide who experience the effects of racism daily. By the time of the event on Friday night, many were exhausted from sleeping in Frost. Through “Coffee Haus: Illen and Bryan Engage with Leftist Activism,” the emcees brilliantly channeled and reinvigorated the positivity, excitement, and compassion of the movement. The event provided people with an outlet to respond to the movement artistically, resulting in an expressive and cathartic experience. With members of the audience singing and dancing to “Stand by Me” by the end of Coffee Haus, the event also effectively revived the feelings of solidarity that many people felt from participating in the uprising. The description of the event on Facebook begins with: “Art is political. Art is political. Art is political.” By holding the

event in Frost, Asmerom and Doniger showed their support for Amherst Uprising in relation to the arts. The event did not distract from the movement — instead it allowed people to participate in the Coffee Haus while still remaining at the sit-in.

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.

Students were participating in the event as a way to channel their support for the uprising. Many performances dealt with themes relevant to the movement. Kyndall Ashe ’18 and Simone Fields ’18 sang Ed Sheeran’s stirring “I See Fire.” Irisdelia Garcia ’18 performed a moving spoken word piece dedicated to her hypothetical future son. Amal Buford ’19 showcased an impressive original rap backed by Emmanuel Osunlana ’18, Jamie Sandel ’17, and Tomal Hossain ’17. The Zumbyes performed John Lennon’s visionary song “Imagine.” These performances inspired a sense of community and showed the solace and motivation that can be found in art,

particularly during hard times. “It was the best Coffee Haus I believe I will ever be a part of,” Asmerom said. “We had such a diversity of acts perform —people sharing their stories, reading poetry, beat boxing, dancing, singing.” Even President Biddy Martin was a member of the audience for about half an hour, while many others in the crowd sat on top of bookshelves to get a better view and proceeded to stay long after the show’s usual two hour timeframe. The event ended with Asmerom leading the audience to repeat a quotation from activist Assata Shakur in unison, “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” The collective singing and dancing allowed participants to remember what the movement was really about: solidarity, humanity and compassion. The Amherst Uprising was about coming together as a community to support marginalized students at Amherst. It was about recognizing the humanity in everyone and lamenting the threats to humanity that so many face. “We are so grateful to have been able to contribute something to the uprising. Being able to share the space with such an incredible movement was an honor,” Asmerom said. With their Coffee Haus in Frost Café, Asmerom and Doniger effectively showed how political art can be while also revitalizing the movement’s most central goals.


Arts & Living 7

The Amherst Student • November 18, 2015

EXPO-Losion: A Fun, De-Stressing Event Amidst Amherst Uprising DivineAsia Miller ’19 Staff Writer Amherst College’s African Caribbean Student Union held its annual EXPO-Losion on Nov. 14. The event included a dance showcase featuring members of the African Caribbean Student Union Dance Company and dance groups from several other colleges in the area. The show was hosted by Obi Ezeogu ’19 and Christin Washington ’17. The African Caribbean Student Union also offered the audience members Caribbean cocktail patties and fried dough to eat while they enjoyed the show. Performances for the night ranged from traditional Haitian dances to live music and heavy whining (a Caribbean dance involving gyrating), as well as jocular story lines about courtship unfolding throughout the dance. Performers of the show, including African and Caribbean dancers from Clark University, Smith College, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Amherst College, were rated by a panel of four judges comprised of dancers and faculty members familiar with African and Caribbean dance traditions. Judges gave performers a score from one to 10, but no performance fell beneath the threshold of a seven. In addition to the judge’s scores, audience members could use cash on-site or Venmo to

buy votes for the group that they felt put on the best performance. Proceeds from the voting went to St. Boniface Haiti Foundation, a charity based in Haiti devoted to providing adequate medical care to Haitians who cannot afford it otherwise. The charity maintains facilities that care for Haitians, usually charging no more than one dollar, no matter what medical attention they need. Funds from the purchase of votes supported St. Boniface Haiti Foundation by allowing them to absorb the costs of treatment. The crowd drawn to the show was certainly excited, with young children standing on their seats and rowdy Amherst students screaming and fist pumping. However, the crowd was a bit thin, with many chairs remaining unfilled despite the popularity of the show in recent years. This was perhaps due to ACSU’s decision to continue with the show despite the concurrent sit-in taking place in Frost Library. “We believe strongly that EXPO-Losion will provide a safe space for students of color and their allies to enjoy themselves, to practice self-care and to celebrate themselves and each other,” the ACSU Facebook page wrote on their event page for EXPO-Losion. Many performances planned for the weekend, including Khalil Flemming’s ’16 play

Photo courtesy of Omar Pineda ‘16

ACSU wanted to create a space for students to have fun and to destress on Saturday.

Photo courtesy of Saroya Madlala

ACSU Dance Company performed choreography they had worked on for weeks. “Equal Weight” and Dance and Step Amherst College’s annual showcase, were not held in order to allow students to participate in the protest. But ACSU members said that students and allies also need reprieve from the emotionally taxing work of protesting. Despite the low attendance, the energy in the audience was overwhelming and performers drew plenty of enthusiastic screams and claps with their routines. The personable hosts Washington and Ezeogu played a big part in maintaining this energy with jokes and plenty of words of praise for the groups that performed during the night. Washington even orchestrated a comedy skit after the end of the show in which she asked Ezeogu and another member of the audience, Mohammed Ibrahim ’17, to dance even after they both admitted that they couldn’t. Washington and Ezeogu’s enthusiasm was engaging and kept the audience’s attention fixated on stage. “It was positive to have a celebratory space for community members especially in a time of great turmoil on campus,” said Amir Hall ’17, a member of the African Caribbean Student Union Dance Company. “The people I worked with to create the dances we did were all amazing and every minute dancing with them was a minute of healing.”

“ACSU Dance is a genuine family, where you can escape to or embrace a positive energy,” said another member of ACSU Dance, Mikayla Ribeiro ’18. “Dancing has that effect generally, but with ACSU that is the mission.” [EXPO-Losion] was a celebration of African and Caribbean culture, and by extension a celebration of people of color. While I don’t feel it was very natural to switch mindsets so drastically throughout the weekend, I think it was quite healthy, and I was happier for it.” At the end of the night, the ACSU Dance Company took home the first-place trophy, spurred to victory by the combined and unanimous raves of the panel of judges and the purchase of votes by members of the audience. “[ACSU Dance Company] was a clear winner with the best choreography and the most energy,” Booth said. The win was celebrated with the EXPOLosion after party, which also took place in the Powerhouse later that night. Attendance at this party was sparse as well, but this was again due to the presence of students in Frost Library for Amherst Uprising. Despite challenges like low attendance and the burden of current events, EXPO-Losion proved to be a successful tribute to Afro-Caribbean identity as well as a big crowd pleaser.

“Twinsters”: A Heartwarming and Original Documentary for the Digital Age Sophia Salazar ’18 Staff Writer “Twinsters” is an incredible separatedat-birth story that can only exist in the digital age. The heartfelt documentary is told through the perspective of Americanraised actress and YouTube star Samantha Futerman. The story begins when Frenchraised design student Anaïs Bordier discovers Futerman through the Internet and believes they might somehow be related. The film opens with Bordier and her friends attempting to establish contact with Futer-

man on Instagram and Facebook after realizing that the two look eerily similar. The two young women, who were both adopted from South Korea and raised on separate continents, begin to exchange information online, which leads them on a journey across two oceans to find out the truth about each other, and ultimately themselves. The film itself breaks from the typical documentary film mold. The majority of the first half of “Twinsters” is told through Futerman’s viewpoint. But what makes it unusual is that the film’s plot unravels through conversations and exchanges over social media, text and Skype. Throughout the first

Photo courtesy of www.cine-asie.fr

“Twinsters” is a modern narrative of the traditional separated-at-birth trope.

half, viewers can immediately see the innate connection between Futerman and Bordier, given their simultaneous fits of laughter and their favorite buzzword, “pop!” It becomes clear in the scenes leading up to their physical meeting (which takes place just before Bordier’s college graduation in London) that their emotional bond is unexplainably strong. The story Bordier and Futerman’s longdistance friendship is full of suspense, since a lack of information regarding their birth and adoption makes it difficult to tell whether they are really sisters. Thus, the truth over their biological relation relies on a DNA test, and they learn the results a few days after their in-person meeting. Not-so spoiler alert: The DNA test results confirm that the women are, in fact, identical twins. After the family and friends of Futerman and Bordier meet in London and discover that they are identical twins, Bordier visits Futerman home in Los Angeles. The two visit a twin research center at California State University, Fullerton, where they start to learn more about themselves based on their familial circumstances. This part of the film draws attention to the interesting psychological conditions that twins experience, with reference to the nature vs. nurture debate. The experiences of separated twins can aid in developing a more comprehensive picture of how a person develops their personality — whether a person innately possesses certain characteristics, or

whether she possesses those characteristics because of the environment in which she grew up. As viewers learn, the different environments in which Bordier and Futerman were raised likely have the greatest influence on their personality differences. As the two women continue to learn more about themselves, Futerman asks Bordier to join her in attending a conference for adoptees in Seoul, South Korea. Although Bordier initially has reservations about the trip, she agrees to go. At the conference, they learn more about their cultural roots and respective adoption processes. The twins’ homecoming proves to be an especially emotional experience, and they meet their respective foster moms and have the chance to write a letter to their birth mother. While they never meet their birth mother in the film, the global family network that the twins grow throughout their experience becomes indispensable. It begs viewers to redefine our definition of family, suggesting that family is a bond that can exist across geographical boundaries and without biological relation. As both a coming-of-age and separated-at-birth story told in the context of a modern global narrative, “Twinsters” is enormously thought-provoking and entertaining. It will make you laugh, cry and ponder the ideas of family, globalization and technology. It is the perfect documentary to warm your heart, lift your spirits and add to your Netflix queue.


Arts & Living 8

The Amherst Student • November 18, 2015

Artist Spotlight: Sarah Jordan Creates Explorative Documentary Alida Mitau ’18 Managing A&L Editor Q: How would you describe your project? A: As an art major, I’m able to make my senior thesis in any medium. I’ve chosen to make a film that will be a 25-minute documentary about face blindness. Prosopagnosia, or face blindness, is the inability to recognize faces. My motivation for this project emerges from my sister, who has face blindness. Ever since my sister was diagnosed, we have been trying to understand what face blindness means. My sister doesn’t know what it’s like to be face blind, because she doesn’t know what it’s like to not be face-blind. My mission in making my documentary is two-fold. While exploring prosopagnosia, I will make others aware of how we see and navigate the world. And, hopefully, I can help my sister understand how she sees the world. Q: How did you come up with your project originally? A: Every day I wonder if people have matching experiences to my sister’s. My sister has always known that there was something very different about her, but before her diagnosis she didn’t know what it was. Growing up, our father and mother just thought she wasn’t making an effort or paying attention when they noticed she didn’t say hi to her classmates. When my sister came home for Thanksgiving during her freshman year at college, she said to my mother, “it bothers me that I’ve been gone for two months and I can’t remember my family. You’re all very vague in my memory.” We realized she navi-

gates the world though recognizing voices. But her audio memory fades if she’s not hearing our voices constantly. My sister likes to be social but she doesn’t know how to approach people when she’s expected to know them. She told me she’s more comfortable talking to strangers, because she feels as though it’s finally an equal interaction. She says most of the time she feels isolated. My sister was only diagnosed with prosopagnosia four years ago, but she knows she has had it her whole life. In my documentary, I want to tell her story and use it as a guiding narrative to elaborate on the tales of others. By exploring prosopagnosia through film, I will reveal the perspectives of people who aren’t able to live according to conventional human truths — the inherent need to feel closely connected to others, to care and be cared for, and to form close bonds with others. Q: Does your project have an intention? A: In the documentary, my mission is to illustrate the perspectives of face-blind people, but also to stimulate my audience and make them aware of how we see and navigate the world. What happens when you can’t recognize individuals? We feel connected to our moms, dads, boyfriends, teachers, sisters and friends because they are familiar to us. We see them and distinguish them as individuals who understand us, are kind to us, and affect us. Yet, without that capability to recognize the faces that should be familiar, what happens? People with prosopagnosia, or “face blindness,” are unable to recognize their friends and family. Besides experiencing the impossibility of fulfilling the basic human instinct to “belong,”

Photo courtesy of Sarah Jordan ‘16

Jordan hopes to illustrate experience of face-blind people like her sister.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Jordan ‘16

Jordan’s older sister was diagnosed with prosopagnosia while in college. people who are face-blind encounter innumerable obstacles. My documentary would aim to innumerate those struggles and explore what living with face blindness is like. I would also like to include the kinds of compensating methods face-blind people come up with in order to recognize others, and also to appear “normal.” Not very often do we discuss disabilities that are hidden from plain sight, but I think it’s a significant and captivating story to present a disorder so troubling, but so unapparent. Q: Have you practiced any other arts? Do you think they influenced your project? A: I have a very long history in photography. I started photographing when I was 14 and have taken a photo class every year up to this semester. I think that way of seeing — visually, compositionally and not aurally — has impacted my cinematic style. I’m also familiar with graphic design, drawing, painting and printmaking. In a lot of ways, art forms are very similar. You can plan as much as you want, but you also have to accept that your

finished product may stray from your original intentions. Q: What is the most challenging part of your project? A: In making the documentary, I am learning a tremendous amount about the obstacles filmmakers must surmount to produce good work. In every aspect of shooting and editing, I must ask myself, what is captivating about this story? Why should it be shared? How do I respond to the fact that what I’m doing can inherently be exploitative? In making this film I am taking on huge responsibility to accurately represent my sister and face blindness. I have to do her story justice. I think documentaries are important because they are perceived to represent “the real.” However, it’s also important to note that documentary is not just observation, but also response. And our responses to the truth are subjective. I also find myself juggling with the question — what is art? Does the artist have the duty to entertain or to please? I think art just has to make you feel.

Haus of Heartbreak: The Remnants of Past Relationships Still Stir Us

Sam O’Brien ’18 Staff Writer

Have you ever sorted through the miscellaneous contents of your room and realized that you are unwilling to part with far too many items? Have you ever realized the extent to which your hoardings are directly tied to in-

dividuals that are no longer critical players in your life? Alisa Bajramovic ’18 brought this concept to the forefront on Saturday night with her Marsh Arts House project. While adventuring through Croatia this summer, Bajramovic visited the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb. This exhibition put the otherwise intangible concepts of

Photo courtesy of Alisa Bajramovic ‘18

Objects included a T-shirt from an ex and a music box from a grandfather.

love and loss on display through both objects and writing. Barjamovic said this challenged her conception of museums as holding only pristine exhibitions of highbrow, professional artwork. In contrast, this museum showcased the artifacts of ordinary individuals that related to their lived experiences. This museum combines two of Bajramovic’s self-described greatest passions: writing and love. Thus, the Museum of Broken Relationships planted the seed for Bajramovic’s personal take on its vision: the Haus of Heartbreak. As a requirement for living in Marsh Arts House, each resident must provide some artistic contribution to the community. The narratives that we construct around experiences of love, loss and reflection have always fascinated Bajramovic. She wanted to examine the concept of confronting love and loss and trying to make sense of it at Amherst. The Haus of Heartbreak consisted of a small group of individuals that presented their objects of attachment and discussed their own experiences with love and loss. She limited the group to Marsh House residents and close friends to foster an intimate space where people would feel comfortable sharing and presented the exhibition as a source of catharsis, humor and/or good storytelling. On Saturday night, visitors entered the cozy, old Marsh library that was filled with the smell of freshly baked, heart-shaped sugar cookies. Gentle music played in the background. Around the room, Bajramovic had artfully

placed individual artifacts with corresponding personal reflections for people to peruse. When it came time for individuals to share their own artifacts with the group, the aesthetically pleasing environment transformed into one that was profoundly emotional. Bajramovic told me that, the extent to which people allowed themselves to be vulnerable far transcended her expectations. People shared their stories so candidly that the entire room was moved to tears several times throughout the evening. The stories of love and loss took many forms — estrangements, bitter breakups and amicable partings — yet they all carried the same underlying quality of being felt, currently, now and indefinitely. The room was perceptibly altered by the catharsis that this space allowed. Bit by bit, the individuals in the room revealed parts of themselves to their friends and co-residents. Naima Moore ’18, a participant in the Haus of Heartbreak, said the atmosphere of compassion that allowed people to be honest and exposed. “I never imagined that by simply sharing a story of an object from past lovers and loved ones could evoke such an intimate atmosphere,” she said. “It was an incredible experience — one that reminded me that love is such a universal entity, as is the pain it often comes with.” Bajramovic said this allowed everyone to know and to understand one another in ways that they had never done before. I can only hope that Bajramovic will host future exhibits that can further reach the individuals around us.


The Amherst Student • November 18, 2015

Sports 9

Men’s Soccer Shuts out Morrisville State, Advances to Sweet 16 Jason Stein ’16 Staff Writer With a win over Morrisville State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, Nov. 15 on Hitchcock Field, the sixthranked men’s soccer team advances to the Sweet 16 for the sixth consecutive season and the eighth time in the past nine years. After the victory against Morrisville State, Amherst stands at 15-1-1 with a maximum of four games remaining in the season. Amherst came out strong offensively against Morrisville State after a 15-day rest period from games following a 1-0 NESCAC quarterfinal loss to Wesleyan, the only game in which Amherst has failed to score all season, and a bye in the NCAA tournament’s first round. Within the first four minutes against the Mustangs, Amherst had already attempted four shots, three of which were headers. While none of the early shots from Amherst found the net, it was clear that Amherst was serious about applying pressure early and often. Just over 20 minutes into the first half, Amherst scored its first goal since the first half of a regular season game against Trinity (which ended in a 1-1, double-overtime draw) on Oct. 28. Junior midfielder Andrew Orozco received the ball on a free kick from forward Jackson Lehnhart ’17 and dribbled the ball down the left side before sending a great cross into junior striker Chris Martin ’17, who then headed the ball into the back of the net to put Amherst ahead, 1-0. At the end of the first half, Amherst had a sizable shot advantage against the Mustangs, attempting 12 shots while Morrisville State had five attempts in the opening period. Even with a dozen shots in the first period, Amherst were only able to convert on one of these opportunities. The two teams combined for 17 shot attempts in the first half, a number that far exceeded the

shooting output of both teams in the second half. The purple and white attempted five shots in the second period, while the Mustangs had two shot attempts after the halftime break. Two of Amherst’s five shots came fairly close together about 15 minutes into the half, when senior striker Nico Pascual-Leone narrowly missed the chance to double their lead on both occasions. Amherst added an insurance goal about 20 minutes into the second period from Martin, occurring at roughly the same time within the second half as the goal Martin scored in the first half (the 21st minute in the opening period). On this scoring play, junior defender Cameron Bean attempted a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box, at which point Pascual-Leone headed it towards Martin, who found the net once again. While Martin notched his second score of the game and 10th goal of 2015, Bean picked up his fourth assist of 2015, while Pascual-Leone’s fifth assist gives him 27 points (11 goals and five assists) on the season. For his efforts all season, Pascual-Leone was recognized as a First Team All-NESCAC player in 2015. On defense, Amherst turned in another strong effort, shutting out the Mustangs after allowing goals in its previous two games (following a seven-game shutout streak prior to allowing goals in back-to-back games). Senior goalie Thomas Bull, who was recognized as a First Team All-NESCAC honoree, made two saves in the shutout, the 13th of his 2015 campaign and the 47th of his career, which puts Bull in a tie for most career shutouts in NCAA Division III men’s soccer history. With another clean sheet in the Sweet 16, Bull will have the chance to overtake Marc Church, who logged 47 shutouts for Ohio Northern between 2009-2012, for the most career shutouts in Division III history. The defensive unit has also been strong all season, as Bean, junior defender Rohan Sood, and defender Justin Aoyama ’17 helped anchor

Winter Teams to Watch Women’s Basketball With a heartbreaking loss in the NCAA Sweet 16 behind them, this year’s Amherst women’s basketball team looks to be a strong competitor in the NESCAC conference, and beyond. While the team lost some key seniors this past season, it retained a strong underclassmen core, and is in position to compete at an extremely high level.

Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson

Men’s Hockey Last season, the Amherst men’s hockey team overcame adversity en route to winning the NESCAC championship, and making it to the Division III Men’s Hockey Frozen Four. This year, the team looks to build on their impressive 2014-15 run and to make the 2015 NCAA Division III tournament for a second year in a row.

Photo courtesy of Eric Miller

the defensive unit against the Mustangs. Amherst’s defense has received some key contributions from a wide variety of players throughout the 2015 season. In recognition of his critical role in helping to lead a talented defense, Aoyama was named to the All-NESCAC Second Team in 2015. Coach Justin Serpone was pleased with the outcome of the game against the Mustangs after a two-week layover, but acknowledged the team could have played even better. “We certainly didn’t plan for a two week layoff, but I think we made the most of it,” Serpone said. “I’d have liked us to play a bit better on Saturday, but I think we had to get back into the mindset of playing a competitive game. Credit also to Morrisville State. They are a good team with very good players who are well-coached.” Up next, Amherst will face Lycoming (18-12) in the Sweet 16 on Saturday, with the match set to take place on Hitchcock Field. Lycoming, ranked 15th in the nation, knocked off Dickinson, 2-1, in its previous NCAA Tournament game, after topping Johnson & Wales, 1-0, in NCAA first round play. “Lycoming is very good,” Serpone said. “They currently have a 20-game unbeaten streak, which is really remarkable. I think this might be the only home game we’ve played in my nine years where we are the true underdog. It will be tough to advance, but we’ll be as prepared as possible and try our best.” If Amherst manages to prevail against Lycoming, they will be in the Elite Eight for the third time in the last four seasons and also have the opportunity to get revenge on the team that ousted them from the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Amherst will face the winner of Brandeis and Trinity (Texas), a game also set to take place on Hitchcock Field on Saturday, the following day in the Elite Eight. While Amherst has never faced Trinity (Texas), Amherst most recently took on the Judges in the 2014 NCAA Sweet 16, when Brandeis

managed to knock off Amherst in penalty kicks after a 0-0, double-overtime draw. Brandeis (18-2-1 on the season and ranked No. 3 in the nation) advanced to the Sweet 16 upon beating Thomas (Maine), 2-1, in the NCAA first round, and RPI, 2-1, in second-round action and will look to return to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year. Trinity (Texas), sporting a 212-0 record on the season, has yet to allow a goal in its two contests thus far in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, as Trinity cruised to a 3-0 victory over Texas-Dallas, before beating Redlands, 1-0. Reflecting on the season thus far, Serpone said, “I’ve felt fortunate to be the coach of such a special group of people. I continue to be proud of every member of our team and I’d love nothing more than to spend a couple more weeks with them.”

Photo courtesy of Clarus Studios, Inc.

Christopher Martin ’17 netted the game winner in the victory this weekend.

Men’s Cross Country Takes Second at NCAA Regional Meet Lauren Tuiskula ’17 Managing Sports Editor Mohamed Hussein ’18 took first place overall for the fifth time this season, remaining unbeaten against Div. III competition this season. His performance, along with the other competing Amherst runners, helped the purple and white take second place in a field of 55 teams at the NCAA Northeast Regional meet this past Saturday. Amherst narrowly missed nabbing the first-place title, falling by just one point to their rival. Hussein took the first-place title by finishing the race in 24:39, an improvement upon his fifth place finish at the meet last year and time of 25:30. Captain Dan Crowley ’16 continued to shine in his senior season. He took seventh place, finishing in 24:56. As a testament to his consistency, this meet marked the sixth time this season Crowley finished in the top 10. Kevin Connors ’17, Raymond Meijer ’17 and Craig Nelson ’18 all finished in the top25 to round out the scoring runners for Amherst. Connors earned 16th overall by racing to a 25:18 finish. Meijer finished three spots behind in 19th with a time of 25:21. Nelson crossed the line just eight seconds later to take 25th overall. Captain Jeff Seelaus ’16 and Tucker Meijer ’19 also turned in strong races for the purple and white in the field of 380 runners. Seelaus finished in 46th overall earning a time of 25:49 while Tucker Meijer earned a 75th place finish finishing in 26:07. The second-place finish earned Amherst an automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Championship meet. The team will travel to Winneconne, Wisconsin to compete this Satur-

day, Nov. 21. Last year, Amherst took ninth overall at the national meet, competing against 32 other teams. Hussein was the purple and white’s front-runner last season, earning 23rd overall on the national stage that pitted him against 280 other runners. Amherst will look to him to continue his dominant season this weekend. The meet is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Clarus Studios, Inc.

Mohamed Hussein ’18 took first place for the sixth time this season.


10

Sports

The Amherst Student • November 18, 2015

Student-Athletes Organize “Athletes Against Lord Jeff ” Photo

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Thomas Bull ’16 Photo courtesy of Justin Barry ’18

Members of the Amherst softball team gather in Frost Library to show their opposition to Amherst’s unofficial mascot. Drew Kiley ’18 Managing Sports Editor This weekend a group called Amherst Athletes Against Lord Jeff began campaigning for the removal of the college’s unofficial mascot, the Lord Jeff. The group formed during a four-day sit-in in Frost Library this weekend in which students protested racial discrimination. On Saturday night, the third night of the sit-in, various students broke into subcommittees to discuss the issues raised by the weekend’s events. Cross country runner Justin Barry ’18 was with the subcommittee talking specifically about the mascot, and he began thinking of ways to raise publicity. “I talked to Brianna Cook [’16], Harrison Haigood [’18] and Annie Apffel [’17] and started thinking about ways to make it work,” Barry said. “On Sunday morning we finalized the idea of taking a big picture and encouraging each team to take similar pictures.” After collaborative efforts, students from 24 teams, both club and varsity, gathered outside of Frost library for a group photo to show their opposition to the mascot with which all teams are unofficially associated. “It’s amazing how in a matter of four hours how we can get hundreds of athletes to come together and stand behind this,” Haigood said. Part of the aim of the campaign was associating faces with the message. Barry said that the idea for the posters originated after students saw that posters advocating for a mascot change had been torn down. Barry said the group hoped people would be less likely to take down a poster with a peer’s face on it. “Throughout the weekend people were saying, ‘where are the athletes in this conversation?’ and I did see people on teams [at the sit-in] but not necessarily speaking out as much,” Barry said. “This is a way to make

a more public statement, and engage more people.” “I was thinking ‘how could I affect change in this movement? How could I influence this movement?’” Apffel said. “As a varsity athlete, I thought engaging the mascot debate was the best way to get involved. I thought this was best way to show support.” “I knew that there were some athletes who supported changing it even though there’s a vocal group in support of the Jeff,” Apffel added. “There was a sort of domino effect. When we saw one person on the team doing the photo, it became OK for others to do it.” With the movement in progress, many athletes felt it was their opportunity to voice their opposition Amherst’s unofficial mascot. “At first, I thought Lord Jeff was fictional,” said track team member Mohamed Ramy ’18. “After learning about his history, horror struck me.” Barry said he was motivated by a concern that many students feel marginalized by the choice of Lord Jeffery Amherst as a mascot. Proponents of changing the mascot have argued that the Lord Jeff should not represent the college because Lord Jeffery Amherst advocated giving blankets infected with smallpox to Native Americans. But others have argued that the Lord Jeff should stay because it has value as an Amherst tradition. “If one person feels that way, then there should be a movement to change it. The vote tomorrow is to keep or remove the Jeff. There’s no suggested mascot, keep or remove. Administration and faculty would need to see a strong student support, and since the mascot came for the students, it should go with the students,” Barry said. On Tuesday, the AAS will hold a collegewide poll for students to vote on whether they think Lord Jeff should be removed as Amherst’s mascot.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Felleman ’17

Athletes from 24 Amherst sports teams, both varsity and club, posed to show their support for the removal of the Lord Jeff as mascot.

Favorite Team Memory: Beating Williams on their home field to win the NESCAC championship in 2012 Favorite Pro Athlete: Lionel Messi Dream Job: Professional soccer player Pet Peeve: Superlatives Favorite Vacation Spot: Jackson Hole Something on Your Bucket List: Go to a world cup final Guilty Pleasure: Sleeping in Favorite Food: Pho Bo Sate Favorite Thing About Amherst: Open curriculum How He Earned It: Bull recorded his 13th clean sheet of the season and 47th of his career in men’s soccer’s 2-0 victory over Morrisville State College to tie the NCAA Division III soccer record for shutouts. The senior goalkeeper has marshalled his defense to the NESCAC’s best defensive record and their stellar play continued in their second-round NCAA Tournament matchup against Morrisville State. Bull will have a chance to break the record when Amherst takes on No. 15 Lycoming in their thirdround matchup on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Nicole Carter ’16 Favorite Team Memory: Qualifying for the NCAA tournament Favorite Pro Athlete: Kerri Walsh Dream Job: Writer for a travel magazine Pet Peeve: When Val runs out of vodka sauce in the pasta line Favorite Vacation Spot: Costa Rica Something on Your Bucket List: Backpack through Asia Guilty Pleasure: Dark chocolate Favorite Food: Sushi Favorite Thing About Amherst: The Firedogs How She Earned It: Carter led the Firedogs to a strong showing at the NCAA Tournament last weekend. In Amherst’s win over Johnson & Wales during the first round, Carter recorded 22 assists and four service aces, both match highs, while the Firedogs swept the Wildcats. The senior then capped her college career off with a fine performance during second round NCAA action against MIT. She led Amherst with 42 assists and three service aces. Despite a fine individual and team performance, the Firedogs fell in five sets.

Women’s Cross Country Finishes in Seventh at NCAA Northeast Regionals Jason Darell ’18 Managing Sports Editor Last weekend, the Amherst College women’s cross country team traveled to Waterford, Connecticut to compete in the NCAA Northeast Regional meet. They came in seventh place out of the field of 56 teams at the event, with a final point total of 226. Savanna Gornisiewicz ’17 put in yet another strong performance and finished first for Amherst and 18th overall with a time of 22:05. While she improved upon her time from last year, she was not able to improve upon her ninth-place result from 2014. However, by finishing inside the top 21 at the meet, Gornisiewicz earned a bid to the NCAA Division III championship meet. She looks to improve upon her 23rd-place finish overall in last year’s national championship. The next runner for the purple and white who crossed the finish line was standout firstyear Lizzie Lacy. Building on her first-place finish at the NESCAC championship meet on Oct. 31, Lacy finished just one second behind Gornisiewicz, Her time of 22:06 earned her 21st place at the meet. By finishing among the top-21 at the meet, Lacy also earned an individual bid at the NCAA Division III championship. The third finisher for Amherst was sophomore Nicky Roberts, who crossed the finish line at the 22:55 mark. This performance earned her 56th place out of the field of 390 runners. Following Roberts was senior co-captain Betsy Black, who finished with a time of 23:01. This time earned her 60th place at the meet. Rounding out the scoring runners for the purple and white was Cara Lembo ’17, who finished the race in 23:08, en route to claiming 71st place overall. While only these five runners factored into the scoring, Amherst also had two others in the race. Cat Lowdon ’17 and Veronica Rocco ’19 each turned in a strong performance, and fin-

ished with times of 23:13 and 24:04, respectively. These times were good for 74th and 125th overall. On Nov. 15, the NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country Committee anounced the team qualifiers for the NCAA Division III championships. Despite their strong season, the women’s cross country team was not chosen. While the purple and white were not selected to participate, Lacy and Gornisiewicz will still participate as individuals. The championship meet will be held in Winneconne, Wisconsin and will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Photo courtesy of Bob Blanchard

Savanna Gornisiewicvz ’17 finished 18th overall this weekend.


The Amherst Student • November 18, 2015

Sports

Women’s Soccer Suffers Heartbreaking Volleyball Falls to MIT in Second Loss in 3-2 Penalty Kick Shootout Round of NCAA Tournament Virginia Hassell ’16 Staff Writer The Amherst women’s soccer team captured a win in the first round of the NCAA tournament before suffering a season-ending loss to 11th-ranked Brandeis University (152-4) in a game that was decided in penalty kicks. The purple and white conclude the 2015 season ranked 16th in the nation and with an overall record of 11-3-3. “I feel extremely fortunate to have played with this team,” captain Jessy Hale ’16 said. “Every player brought something different on the field, but more importantly for our team chemistry. This truly is a special group that was a privilege to be a part of.” On Saturday in the first round of NCAA tournament action, Ashlyn Heller ’17 led Amherst to a 1-0 win over Colby-Sawyer (13-42). Though Amherst controlled possession and dictated the tempo of play for the entire first half, they struggled to find the back of the net. The purple and white outshot the Chargers 18-4 and held a 15-3 advantage in corner kicks. “We were really proud of how we played against Colby-Sawyer”, Hale said. “Across the field we were all on the same page and had the same goal.” Caleigh Plaut ‘19, who normally anchored Amherst’s defense, moved to midfield for the tournament. With five minutes remaining in the first half, she gave the Chargers a scare when she fired a shot to the right side from the top of the box. Colby-Sawyer’s keeper, Karley Hamilton, was able to make a sensational diving save and keep Amherst off the board. Amherst kept up the offensive pressure, and Hale and Haley Zwecker ’16 nearly converted on two scoring opportunities. Early in the second half, the purple and white earned an indirect kick inside the box because a Colby-Sawyer player fell on top of the ball. Hannah Guzzi ’18 delivered a shot, but again, Hamilton was there to make the save. Heller’s goal came in the 79th minute when Emily Hester ’17 crossed a ball that found the feet of Caleigh Plaut ’19. Plaut, a first team allNESCAC selection and one of two first years in the conference who garnered the award, was able to deflect the ball to Heller who was able to finish. During the play, the Colby-Sawyer defense mobbed Plaut and Heller so that onlookers were unable to see who was responsible for the goal.

Amherst first team all-NESCAC goalkeeper Holly Burwick ’16 registered five saves en route to her ninth shutout of the season. With the victory, Amherst advanced to the second round of NCAA tournament for the third consecutive season. Returning to Hitchcock Field on Sunday afternoon, Amherst played Brandeis University to a draw after two overtime periods. Amherst’s fate was determined in penalty kicks where they were finally edged 3-2 in the hardfought loss. Brandeis just barely recorded the advantage in shots and shots on goal, 18-17 and 9-8 respectively. Amherst had 12 corner kicks compared to the Judges’ one. Brandeis jumped out to an early lead, notching a goal just four minutes into action. Amherst’s Megan Kim ’16 evened the score at 1-1 with 15 minutes remaining in regulation. Kim corralled the ball in a mass of people inside the box and was able to convert on the opportunity. With neither team unable to score in two overtime periods, the game went into penalty kicks. Amherst keeper Burwick stopped the first of Brandeis’ penalty kick chances, but the Judges were able to convert on the next three attempts. Kim drilled her penalty kick into the back of the goal to put Amherst at a 1-0 advantage, but then Amherst had back-to-back misses. Heller responded, making her penalty kick and tying the score at 2-2. Brandeis converted one more and Amherst missed its final chance and fell to the Judges 3-2. Plaut led the Amherst offense with a teamhigh three shots on goal. Burwick made eight saves, including one phenomenal save when she punched the ball above the net with 15:15 left in the first half. Although the season has come to an end, the 2015 Amherst women’s soccer team was nothing short of incredible to watch. The senior class consisting of Burwick, Kim, Rachael Abernethy, Zwecker and Hale will be remembered for their humble leadership, determination and will to win on the field. Though the team earned their success through countless hours of hard work, they also appreciate the support and contributions of dedicated fans. In its 15 NCAA tournament appearances, Amherst has compiled an overall record of 26-10-5. This season, the impressive Amherst team only allowed 10 goals. “Our motto this year was ‘No Doubt’,” Hale added. “We embodied this phrase on a daily basis because we believed in ourselves and had ‘No Doubt” of what we were capable of.”

Julia Turner ’19 Staff Writer Amherst women’s volleyball ended their season this week with a strong showing in their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2010. The Firedogs travelled to Boston to play Johnson & Wales University on Friday night and with that win advanced to face host MIT on Saturday evening. The purple and white opened up their NCAA appearance with a massive sweep of Johnson & Wales on Friday night in Boston. The Firedogs made short work of a 23-8 wildcat squad led by Lizzie Ahern ’16 and Nicole Gould ’17, who led the team with 11 kills each, followed by Marialexa Natsis’ ’18 seven kills, with Samantha Newby ’16 adding five as the purple and white hit .288 as a team for the match. Amherst only trailed Johnson & Wales once in the match after allowing the Wildcats to grab a 2-1 lead in the first set. The Firedogs went on a seven-point unanswered run in the first set, grabbing the momentum and never looking back. The first set ended 25-13 in a quick sub20 minutes, highlighted by two service aces apiece from Kelci Keeno ’17 and first-year Hayes Honea. The second set was even easier than the first, with the purple and white again jumping ahead with seven straight points to start off the set. The Firedogs never allowed Johnson & Wales more than two points in a row, with Gould, Natsis, Newby and Maggie Danner ’17 coming up with big kills and tough blocks at the net. The third and final set saw an absolutely dominating performance from Ahern, who contributed seven kills and led the team to a 25-12 victory. Keeno came up big once again in the third set, contributing two more service aces to bring her total to a match-high five, while Carter led the set with three. The Firedogs opened up their third set with an 8-0 run and never looked back, with Ahern sealing the match with back-to-back kills to shut down the wildcats. “It was great to pick up that momentum and get a tournament win under our belts early,” Asha Walker ’18 said. “We were nervous heading into the tournament so it was nice to calm the butterflies with a big win early. It proved that we were meant to be there on that national stage.”

With a first tournament win under their belts, Amherst put up a hard fight on Saturday night against a tough, 24th-ranked MIT team. Highlights from the match included Danner’s 14 kills, Carter’s 42 assists, and AllNESCAC first-team selection Katie Warshaw ’16’s 27 digs. After allowing MIT to score the first two points of the match, the Firedogs pulled ahead and held the lead for the rest of the match thanks to four timely kills by Danner and three from Gould. Amherst fell behind early in the second match after allowing MIT a six-point run to make it 8-2. The purple and white tried to fight their way back but the deficit was too deep and despite a big last-minute kill by Natsis, Amherst fell 25-12 in the second set. With the match tied at 1-1, MIT pulled ahead to an early 10-4 lead in the third set. Amherst fought back, however, scoring 15 of the next 24 points to tie up the set at 19 thanks to a huge Danner kill. Carter’s service ace put the Firedogs on top and kills from Danner and Ahern a block by Newby and Ahern, and a final solo block by Newby allowed the purple and white to take the set, putting them up 2-1 on the Engineers. The fourth set saw MIT pull ahead after taking a slight 16-13 lead, using several Tellez kills to give them a 20-13 cushion. Despite key kills from Gould and Natsis, MIT pulled away with a 25-16 win to force a fifth set. The fifth set saw MIT take a quick fivepoint lead and quickly extend that to a 10-3 advantage. Amherst, not ready to give up yet, pulled within four points of the Engineers after a 5-2 run highlighted by back-to-back Danner kills. But the Engineers took the momentum at that point, scoring three of the next four points to take the set and the match and move on in the NCAA tournament. “We had such a succesful season, so it was of course heartbreaking to fall in such a close game,” Walker said. “It was definitely hard fought, and I truly think we left everything on the court in that last game.” The Firedogs enjoyed an impressive season, with the senior class concluding their careers with a 78-29 overall record, three straight NESCAC semifinal appearances and capping the experience with a strong NCAA tournament appearance. They will lose four Firedogs to graduation, but will return a core of talent and experience when they compete again next fall.

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11


Sports

Photo courtesy of Clarus Studios, Inc.

The football team defeated archrival Williams, 17-10, to claim its third consectuvie NESCAC title and extend its unbeaten streak to a record 19 games.

Three-Peat! Football Repeats as NESCAC Champions in Undefeated Season Devin O’Connor ’16 Staff Writer After a decisive victory over rival Williams on Saturday, the Amherst College football team claimed the 2015 NESCAC championship and topped off an undefeated 8-0 run. With the win, Amherst capped off back-toback undefeated seasons, extended its consecutive win streak to a record 19 games, and secured the Little Three Championship. The senior class finished its run as one of the winningest classes in Amherst program history finishing with a 29-3 record, and going 4-0 against Williams in “The Biggest Little Game in America” match up over its four years. The purple and white entered Saturday’s contest with everything to prove, while the Ephs, 2-5 before the game, had nothing to lose. Strong efforts in both the offensive and the defensive ends of the field by the visitors helped to secure the win. Amherst collected a total 363 offensive yards, 143 in the air and 220 on the ground, and held advantages over the Ephs in first downs and possession time. On the defensive end, the visitors held the home team to just

GAME SCHE DULE

86 yards rushing and picked off the Williams quarterback twice. The game started slowly, and neither team was able to get much going in the first 15 minutes of play. Amherst managed to get on the board about seven minutes into the second quarter. Over seven plays, the purple and white drove 53 yards to the endzone. In the scoring play, quarterback Reece Foy ’18 threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Jackson McGonagle ’16. Sophomore Charlie Wall’s extra point attempt was completed, and Amherst took the lead, 7-0. On third down at the Amherst-11, with less than 20 seconds to play in the half, Williams had the opportunity to tie things up. That hope was crushed when Tom Kleyn ’16 intercepted the ball at the Amherst seven-yard line. Kleyn returned for nine yards and secured the purple and white’s advantage as they headed into the second half of competition. Amherst received the Williams kickoff at its own 35-yard line to start the third quarter. After a completed pass to McGonagle for 33 yards, a pass to Devin Boehm ’17 for eight yards and a handful of successful rushes by Kenny Adinkra

Men’s Basketball vs. Johnson St., 6 p.m. Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Hamilton, 7 p.m.

it deep into Amherst territory, but Jaymie Spears ’16 intercepted a pass in the endzone with just six seconds to play. The Amherst victory involved energy from all over the field. Foy went 11 for 20, including a touchdown, while Adinkra notched a game-high 91 yards on the ground and a touchdown of his own. McGonagle and Boehm added 68 yards and 66 yards, respectively. Linebacker Jack Drew ’16 tallied eight tackles, while Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn ’16 and Drew Bryant ’18 added seven each. Kleyn and Spears collected the two interceptions for the Amherst defense. The 2015 team broke records by being the first team in program history to complete back to back 8-0 seasons, and pushing its consecutive win record to 19 games. Head Coach E.J. Mills now boasts a 117-35 record, and his .770 winning percentage is the best in Amherst football program history. “It feels incredible to go undefeated for the second year in a row,” Jack Drew ’16 said. “What separates this year’s team from teams past is how close everyone is. There is a special bond between the players, coaches and staff that is unlike anything I have ever been a part of.”

SAT

FRI Men’s Squash vs. Western Ontario, 4:30 p.m.

’16, Amherst found itself at the Williams 1-yard line. The purple and white eventually settled for a field goal, and Amherst extended its lead by three. Williams was forced to punt on its next two possessions, and the defending NESCAC Champions turned it back on with 6:47 to play in the quarter. Five minutes later on third-and-goal, Adinkra found the endzone. The running back rushed for three yards to bring the Amherst lead to 17-0. The purple and white again forced a Williams three-and-out. Boehm collected the ball at the Amherst-35 before the end of the third quarter. Amherst used the first three minutes of the fourth quarter over nine plays, but was forced to punt. On the ensuing Williams drive, the Ephs managed to get on the board. Ten plays and 98 yards later, the home team found the endzone. The deficit was cut to ten points with just under nine minutes to play. Both Amherst and Williams each had opportunities to score, but were unable to capitalize. The purple and white found itself at fourtth and goal before being stumped. The Ephs made

Women’s Ice Hockey

Men’s Soccer vs. Lycoming @ NCAA @ Conn. College, 7 p.m. Tournament (Amherst), 11 a.m. Men’s Cross Country @ NCAA Division IIl Championship, 12:30 p.m.

SUN Women’s Cross Women’s SwimCountry ming & Diving @ NCAA Division IIl Cham@ Colby, 2 p.m. pionship, 12:30 p.m. Men’s Swimming & Diving @ Colby, 2 p.m.

Women’s Ice Hockey @ Conn. College, 3 p.m.

Women’s Basketball @ Albertus Magnus, 3 p.m.

Women’s Basketball @ Farmingdale State, 6 p.m.


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